Yunnan coffee adds new note to global coffee map 13:34, June 30, 2025 By Cui Yin ( People's Daily A worker showcases coffee cherries at a coffee plantation in Pu'er, southwest China's Yunnan province. (People's Daily Online/Liang Zhiqiang) Each cup of coffee carries the essence of its birthplace - Brazil's bold richness, Jamaica's vibrant brightness, and Ethiopia's delicate freshness. Now, Yunnan, in southwest China, is adding a new chapter to this global narrative, offering a distinctly Chinese flavor that is gaining recognition on the world stage. This evolution was on full display at the 2025 First Gems of Yunnan Green Coffee Competition (Yunnan CoE Pilot Program). Held in Yunnan's Baoshan, the competition marked a milestone: for the first time, a CoE-related competition was hosted in Yunnan. Out of 144 entries, 19 coffee samples received scores above 87 points - qualifying them as world-class - following rigorous blind tasting by international judges. The top-scoring beans, grown in Yunnan's Lincang, fetched a record 13,000 yuan ($1,813.65) per kilogram at auction, setting a new benchmark for Chinese coffee sales. More importantly, the competition placed the province into the purview of one of the world's most authoritative coffee evaluation systems, signaling its transformation from a raw material supplier into a standard-setter in the global coffee sector. Founded in Brazil in 1999, the CoE has reshaped the coffee industry by combining competition with transparent auction mechanisms. Information about bean variety, processing methods, pricing, and producers is made publicly available, setting new benchmarks for traceability and quality. A woman sells coffee beans via livestream in Longyang district, Baoshan, southwest China's Yunnan province. (People's Daily Online/Liang Zhiqiang) During the competition, each carefully selected coffee underwent rigorous evaluation: roasting, grinding, weighing, and on-site brewing, followed by multiple cupping sessions. A panel of over a dozen professional judges evaluated each sample on cleanliness, sweetness, acidity, mouthfeel, and flavor complexity. A Brazilian farmer named Oliveira, whose beans scored an impressive 90 points, could barely contain his excitement. Over the past two decades, CoE competitions have been hosted in more than ten countries, spotlighting emerging producers in Honduras and Costa Rica. This has expanded the global map of valued coffee-producing regions, raising both quality standards and farmer incomes. Producing high-quality coffee requires a combination of ideal natural conditions and painstaking cultivation. The best coffee regions are typically mountainous at elevations above 1,000 meters, with marked differences between day and night temperatures and clearly defined wet and dry seasons - conditions that also pose greater challenges and management costs. Yunnan, located in the global golden belt for coffee cultivation, boasts a coffee-growing history of over a century and now produces 98 percent of China's total coffee output. Recent advancements in variety improvement, standardized farming practices, and processing technologies have propelled Yunnan forward: the proportion of specialty-grade beans rose from 40 percent in 2022 to 70 percent in 2024, while deep processing rates jumped from 60 percent to 85 percent. These traits have helped turn Yunnan coffee into a byword for premium quality. Visitors taste coffee at the Kunshan International Fair for Coffee Industry 2025 held in east China's Jiangsu province, May 16, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Dongfang Xu) Coffee, as a global commodity, embodies the convergence of civilizations across continents. In China, its popularity has surged in recent years. Shanghai has overtaken New York and London to become the city with the highest number of coffee shops in the world. Among younger generations, coffee drinking has become both a social ritual and a lifestyle symbol. This cultural adaptation reflects a broader ethos in Chinese civilization: the principle of harmony without uniformity, an openness to global influences, seamlessly woven into a distinctively Chinese context. Yunnan's emergence on the global coffee stage offers the world a new flavor - literally and figuratively - through which to experience China's diversity and openness. Looking ahead, Yunnan is poised to further strengthen its role in the global coffee industry by enhancing cultivation techniques, expanding markets, building brands, and fostering innovation across the supply chain, establishing a virtuous cycle where quality begets value, and value drives profitability. With continued effort, Yunnan coffee will further shape the global perception of Chinese coffee culture. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) China, Germany pledge to deepen ties, cooperation Xinhua) 10:00, July 05, 2025 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L), also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Foreign and Security Policy Advisor to the German Chancellor Gunter Sautter in Berlin, Germany, on July 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu) BERLIN, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Foreign and Security Policy Advisor to the German Chancellor Gunter Sautter in Berlin on Friday, with both sides agreeing to promote the sustained, healthy, and stable development of bilateral relations. Both sides highly valued the China-Germany all-round strategic partnership, and spoke positively of the increasingly mature and stable bilateral relations. They agreed to make solid preparations for the next stage of high-level exchanges, give full play to such mechanisms as government consultations and strategic dialogue, enhance strategic communication, and deepen mutual understanding, to jointly promote the sustainable, healthy and stable development of bilateral relations. The two sides also agreed to manage differences constructively and expand mutually beneficial cooperation. Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that relations between China and Germany go beyond the bilateral scope, and expressed the hope that Germany will play a constructive role in the European Union to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of both sides and jointly respond to challenges. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. Croatia continues to invest in defense posture and industry by upgrading the skills of its personnel, Trend reports via the Croatian Ministry of Defense. A total of 46 participants have completed foreign language training programs held at the Katarina Zrinska Foreign Language Center in Croatia. The training was carried out in Zagreb, Osijek, and Split, the three regional branches of the center. Meanwhile, it included the 79th generation of intensive training in English, German, and Italian, and the 4th generation of non-intensive training in English, French, and Italian. Out of the total, 32 participants completed the intensive course, while 14 completed the non-intensive program, enhancing language skills critical for international cooperation and defense engagement. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 6. Serbian Defense Minister Bratislav Gasic hosted a reception at the House of the Serbian Army in Belgrade for participants of the 14th class of the Advanced Security and Defense Studies program, Trend reports via the Defense Ministry of Serbia. He congratulated the participants on the successful completion of their training, commended their work and motivation to master the program, expand their knowledge, and share it with their colleagues. Minister Gasic presented them with replicas of ceremonial daggers as a token of remembrance for their six-month advanced training at the Vojvoda Radomir Putnik National Defense School of the University of Defense. Among the 24 participants were members of the Serbian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces, representatives of various government institutions and services of the Republic of Serbia, as well as delegates from Republika Srpska, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Arab Emirates, and the Republic of Namibia. Earlier, a formal ceremony was held at the National Assembly House to mark the graduation of the 14th class of the Advanced Security and Defense Studies and the 68th class of the General Staff Training Program. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Larry Robinson/The Daily Sentinel A man opens the door to the HomewardBound of the Grand Valley Resource Center in this 2024 file photo. The structure, which was closed in June, cost $80,000 to be taken down, a similar amount to what it cost to put it up. Wednesday Night Cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy later at night. Low 71F. NNW winds shifting to E at 10 to 15 mph. Russo-Ukraine War - 04 July 2025 - Day 1227 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in total, since the beginning of this day, there have been 136 combat clashes. Ukrainian defenders are decisively intercepting the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him a fiery impression. Today, Russian troops launched four missile and 55 aviation strikes, using 15 missiles and dropping 74 controlled aviation bombs. In addition, 1436 kamikaze drones were deployed and 4,496 shells of Ukrainian troops and settlements were carried out. In the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursky directions, Ukrainian soldiers repelled 12 Russian assault actions since the beginning of the day, another confrontation is ongoing. In addition, the Russian enemy launched ten air strikes, dropping 23 controlled bombs and carried out 205 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements, including nine from reactive fire systems. In the South Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces attacked the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of Vovchansk, Glybokoye, Zelenoy, Kamyanka and towards Kutkivka. Four clashes have not subsided so far. In the Kupyansky direction, the Russian aggressor carried out offensive actions in the areas of settlements Golubivka, Zagrizove and Zeleny Gai. Ukrainian defenders stopped six Russian attacks. In the Lyman direction, Russian invaders 21 times attacked the positions of the Defense Forces near the settlements of Nadia, Grekivka, Karpivka, Ridkodub, Green Valley, Torske, Dibrova and towards Grigorivka. Four enemy assaults were repelled by Ukrainian defenders in the Siversky direction - the Russian occupiers tried to advance in the areas of Verkhnyokamiansky and Viimka. In the Toretsky direction, the Russians six times attacked the positions of Ukrainian units in the Diliyivka district and towards the settlements of Romanivka, Rusin Yar and Yablunivka. Defense forces stopped all Russian attacks. Aviation of the occupier hit bombs on Konstantinivka. In the Pokrovsky direction since the beginning of the day, the Russian occupiers 42 times tried to advance on the position of Ukrainian units. Russian forces attacked in the areas of settlements Poltavka, Novotoretske, Razine, Mirolyubivka, Ray, Novoukraina, Udaachne, Novosergiyivka, Kotlyarivka and Oleksiyivka. Still five fights going on. According to preliminary data, today in this direction there were 162 Russian occupiers, 96 of them - irrevocably. Also Ukrainian soldiers destroyed combat four vehicles, three motorcycles, five BPLAs, two satellite communication terminals, four personnel shelters, two communication antennas and a generator; also damaged three cars and four Russian artillery. In the Novopavlovsk direction, Russian forces tried 12 times to break through the defense of Ukrainian defenders in the areas of the settlements of Yalta, Zyrka, Zaporizhia , Komar, Voskresenko and Shevchenko. The two clashes are still going on. Enemy aviation struck the settlement of Andriyivka-Klevtsove. In the Orihiv direction, the Russian aggressor twice attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the area of Kamians kogo and towards Novoandriivka. An air strike was hit by the settlement Primorske. In the Pridniprovsk direction, Ukrainian soldiers repelled three Russian attacks in the area of the Antonivskogo Bridge. In the rest of the destinations there are no special changes. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stallion Uranium Corp. (the Company or Stallion) (TSX-V: STUD; OTCQB: STLNF; FSE: FE0) is pleased to announce that, further to the Companys news releases dated May 14th, 2025 and May 21st, 2025, the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V") has approved the resumption of trading of the Company's common shares. Trading will recommence on the TSX-V effective at markets open on July 7th, 2025. The Company is also pleased to announce that, further to its news release of November 28th, 2024, it has entered into a binding heads of agreement (the Heads of Agreement) dated June 7th, 2025 amongst 1503571 B.C Ltd. (150 BC), the remaining common shareholders of 150 BC (the Shareholders) and Resolution Minerals Ltd. (RML), an ASX Listed Issuer, pursuant to which RML shall acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of 150 BC. The approval follows the revocation of the previously announced Cease Trade Order (CTO) issued by the British Columbia Securities Commission on May 7th, 2025, as a result of the Company's failure to file its audited annual financial statements, accompanying management discussion and analysis and certifications for the financial year ended December 31st, 2024 (the "Annual Filings"). The CTO was issued under Multilateral Instrument 11-103 - Failure-To-File Cease Trade Orders In Multiple Jurisdictions and prohibits the trading or purchase by any person or company of any securities of the Company in each jurisdiction in Canada in which the Company is a reporting issuer for as long as the CTO remains in effect; however, the CTO provides an exception for beneficial securityholders of the Company who are not currently (and who were not as of May 7th, 2025) insiders or control persons of the Company who may sell securities of the Company if both of the following criteria are met: (a) the sale is made through a foreign organized regulated market, as defined in Section 1.1 of the universal market integrity rules of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada; and (b) the sale is made through an investment dealer registered in a jurisdiction of Canada in accordance with applicable securities legislation. Further, the Company announces that Winning Media LLC of Huston, Texas, provided marketing services through one ticker tag article via the Globe and Mail for a one-day term on February 28th, 2024, in consideration of a payment of USD$3,500. The services are no longer in effect and were not reviewed nor approved by the TSX-V at the time the services were provided as required by the policies of the TSX-V. With stronger internal controls now in place, Stallion remains focused on unlocking the significant potential of its exploration portfolio in the prolific Athabasca Basin, recognized globally for its high-grade uranium deposits. The Company looks forward to providing further updates on its upcoming exploration activities in the near future. Agreement to Sell Shares of 1503571 B.C. LTD.: Pursuant to the Heads of Agreement, Stallion, along with the Shareholders have agreed to sell their common shares of 150 BC (the 150 BC Shares) to RML (the Transaction). Stallion acquired its 11,111,111 150 BC Shares in connection with the optioning of the Horse Heaven Property, as described in its news release dated November 8th, 2024. In connection with the Transaction, RML shall make the following payments to the Shareholders, on a pro rata basis in proportion to their shareholdings in 150 BC: (i) an aggregate of 444,812,889 fully paid ordinary shares in the capital of RML (Consideration Shares); (ii) an aggregate of 222,406,445 options to acquire fully paid ordinary shares in the capital of RML exercisable at A$0.018 each on or before July 31st 2028 (Consideration Options); (iii) pay the Shareholders an initial aggregate cash payment of A$600,000 on completion of the Transaction (Completion); and (ii) a second aggregate cash payment of A$400,000 payable within nine months of Completion. Stallions pro rata interest in such consideration is anticipated to be: 59,466,963 Consideration Shares, 29,733,482 Consideration Options, and aggregate cash payments of A$145,033. The Consideration Shares shall be subject to contractual escrow whereby 25% shall be released on Completion, 25% on the three-month anniversary from Completion, 25% on the six-month anniversary from Completion, and the final 25% on the 12-month anniversary from Completion. The Transaction is subject to due diligence, RML shareholder approval, regulatory approvals, and other customary conditions to closing. There can be no guarantee that the Transaction will be completed as anticipated, or at all. RML and the Shareholders are arms length parties to Stallion. About Stallion Uranium Corp. Stallion Uranium is working to Fuel the Future with Uranium through the exploration of roughly 1,700 sq/km in the Athabasca Basin, home to the largest high-grade uranium deposits in the world. The company, with JV partner Atha Energy holds the largest contiguous project in the Western Athabasca Basin adjacent to multiple high-grade discovery zones and deposits. Our leadership and advisory teams are comprised of uranium and precious metals exploration experts with the capital markets experience and the technical talent for acquiring and exploring early-stage properties. For more information visit stallionuranium.com. On Behalf of the Board of Stallion Uranium Corp. Matthew Schwab CEO and Director Corporate Office: 700 - 838 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 0A6 T: 604-551-2360 info@stallionuranium.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, forward-looking statements) that relate to the Companys current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as will likely result, are expected to, expects, will continue, is anticipated, anticipates, believes, estimated, intends, plans, forecast, projection, strategy, objective and outlook) are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this material change report should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date they are made. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Companys control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statements contained in this presentation are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Chicago, Illinois, July 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- XRP Mining unveils its latest cloud mining app, combining ease of use, consistent profitability, and eco-friendly technology. With global accessibility and sustainable cloud infrastructure, its a smart solution for anyone looking to tap into passive crypto income with minimal effort. In a significant leap toward democratizing digital finance, XRP Mining has officially launched its upgraded cloud mining app, built from the ground up to simplify and redefine how everyday users earn cryptocurrency. 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Simply register, activate a contract, and your mining journey begins instantly. The system selects the most profitable assets to mine in real time. $15 Welcome Bonus + Daily Rewards New users receive a $15 sign-up bonus, with the ability to earn $0.60 per day simply by logging in. This makes XRP Mining one of the few platforms where users can begin earning without upfront investment. Smooth, Mobile-Optimized Experience The new app is fully optimized for mobile performance and works seamlessly on Android and iOS devices. It supports low-resource usage and is built for users who are always on the move. Enterprise-Grade Security Security is baked into the platform with bank-level encryption, McAfee threat protection, and Cloudflare anti-DDoS shielding. All user activity, balances, and transactions are protected and displayed transparently via the in-app dashboard. 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Choose your profit method: Flexible cryptocurrency payment methods Whether you are a Bitcoin fanatic or prefer stablecoins, XRP Mining allows users to freely withdraw a variety of cryptocurrencies, including: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), XRP, Litecoin (LTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), Solana (SOL), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Tether (USDT), USDC, etc. Sustainable Crypto Mining for a Better Tomorrow In a world increasingly concerned about blockchains energy footprint, XRP Mining takes a responsible approach. The company powers its mining servers with renewable energy sources, reducing CO emissions and promoting long-term sustainability. This commitment to green mining makes XRP Mining not just a financially smart option but an ethically sound one. Who Benefits Most from XRP Mining? XRP Mining is crafted to serve users of all levels. The app is especially valuable for: Crypto Beginners seeking a risk-free way to learn and earn. Remote Workers looking to diversify their income stream. 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Email: info@xrpmining.com Official Website: https://xrpmining.com App Download: https://xrpmining.com/xml/index.html#/app Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or trading recommendations. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and the possibility of losing funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. Slovenian Minister of Infrastructure Alenka Bratusek and Bosnia and Herzegovinas Minister of Communications and Transport Edin Forto met in Sarajevo to explore ways to strengthen regional transport links, emphasizing the importance of improved road connectivity for economic cooperation across the Western Balkans, Trend reports via the Slovenian government website. The ministers discussed cooperation and shared interests between their countries in the area of transport connectivity and the core European transport network. They emphasized that bilateral relations are strong and that there is great potential for deepening ties. Minister Forto expressed Bosnia and Herzegovinas interest in establishing a high-quality road connection between Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania, which could enhance economic cooperation along this corridor. Later, Minister Bratusek attended the 46th awards ceremony honoring the best entrepreneurs and companies in the Western Balkans and Central Europe region, where she received special recognition. The award citation highlighted Minister Bratuseks efforts to improve transport connectivity cooperation among Western Balkan countries and between the region and EU member states. The EU Strategy for the Danube Region in the field of transport, an area in which Slovenia plays an active role, was noted as particularly significant. The award was presented to Minister Bratusek by Stjepan Mesic, former President of the Republic of Croatia. In her acceptance speech, Minister Bratusek stated that she regards the award primarily as a recognition of the strong relations and cooperation between Slovenia and the countries of the Western Balkans. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel SALISBURY, N.C., July 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Food Lion is notifying customers of its store located at 7069 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd, Glen Burnie, MD 21061, of a recall involving four varieties of in-store prepared ground beef because it may contain traces of foreign material. The recall affects only the listed varieties of in-store prepared ground beef sold at this single store location with these matching dates. The affected product was produced on July 4, 2025, after 2 p.m. with a Sell By Date of July 6, 2025. There are currently no complaints or reports of illness. 73% Lean Fresh Ground Beef (All Sizes) 80% Lean Fresh Ground Chuck (All Sizes) 85% Lean Fresh Ground Beef Round (All Sizes) 93% Lean Fresh Ground Beef (Small Pack) Customers who purchased the affected product should not consume it and may return it for a refund equal to double the purchase price in accordance with Food Lions Double Your Money Back Guarantee. About Food Lion Food Lion is an omnichannel grocery retailer committed to nourishing its neighbors. More than 82,000 associates across 1,100+ stores deliver an easy, fresh and affordable shopping experience throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. With a focus on hunger relief, Food Lion is a pioneer in food rescue. Since 2014, the companys hunger relief platform Food Lion Feeds has donated more than 1.5 billion meals to those who are food insecure. The retailer has committed to donate 3 billion meals by 2032. Founded and based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit foodlion.com. LONDON, UK, July 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AAS MINER Rolls Out 2025 AI Cloud Mining Plan Fully SEC-Compliant, Risk-Controlled, and Tailored for Crypto Enthusiasts In an era where Web3 and carbon neutrality are driving the future of digital innovation, AAS Miner is at the forefront, revolutionizing digital wealth creation with cutting-edge technology and a global strategic vision. Since its inception in 2017, AAS Miner has relentlessly focused on building an intelligent cloud mining ecosystem, providing users with a seamless, secure, and efficient pathway to cryptocurrency mining with nothing more than a smartphone and zero technical expertise required. The Future of Mining Is Here: Your One-Stop Smart Cloud Mining Platform AAS Miner integrates AI-powered scheduling engines and a global network of green energy mining farms to create a truly effortless mining experience. From registration to earnings settlement, every aspect of the process is fully automated and transparent, breaking down the barriers of traditional minings high costs and risks, while offering unparalleled ease of access and high returns. Official website registration: https://gbaasia.com Download APP: https://gbaasia.com/xml/index.html#/app Register today and receive a $10 USDT bonus Log in daily for an additional 0.80 USDT reward Start with no cost, no deposits required experience real mining profits 13 types of cloud hashing contracts (2-365 days), flexible options for both short-term profits and long-term stability Automatic daily earnings, instantly withdrawable flexible funds and stable profit growth at your fingertips Why choose AAS Miner? 8 years of professional experience, excellent platform stability AAS Miner has a self-developed AI scheduling system and big data load balancing engine to ensure efficient mining efficiency. The platform is trusted by more than 10 million users in more than 180 countries and regions, with more than 100 green energy mines around the world, and is the cornerstone of the cloud mining industry. AAS Miner has a self-developed AI scheduling system and big data load balancing engine to ensure efficient mining efficiency. The platform is trusted by more than 10 million users in more than 180 countries and regions, with more than 100 green energy mines around the world, and is the cornerstone of the cloud mining industry. Green Energy-Powered, ESG Pioneer At AAS Miner, we believe that wealth creation should go hand in hand with environmental responsibility. All our mining farms are powered by 100% renewable energy including solar, wind, and hydroelectric power achieving zero carbon emissions. We're not just creating wealth, we're safeguarding the planets future for generations to come. At AAS Miner, we believe that wealth creation should go hand in hand with environmental responsibility. All our mining farms are powered by 100% renewable energy including solar, wind, and hydroelectric power achieving zero carbon emissions. We're not just creating wealth, we're safeguarding the planets future for generations to come. Simple, Effortless, No Technical Barriers Forget expensive hardware and complex setups. AAS Miner makes mining accessible to everyone from first-time users to seasoned investors. Simply choose a cloud mining contract on the AAS Miner app, and let our platform handle the rest with 24/7 automated mining. No technical knowledge required. Just pick your contract, sit back, and watch your digital wealth grow. Forget expensive hardware and complex setups. AAS Miner makes mining accessible to everyone from first-time users to seasoned investors. Simply choose a cloud mining contract on the AAS Miner app, and let our platform handle the rest with 24/7 automated mining. No technical knowledge required. Just pick your contract, sit back, and watch your digital wealth grow. Secure, Compliant, and Backed by Bank-Level Risk Control We understand the importance of security in the digital age. 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AAS Miner: Your Trusted Digital Asset Growth Engine Whether youre an experienced investor looking to expand your portfolio or a newcomer eager to explore the world of cryptocurrency, AAS Miner offers the safest, most reliable, and most convenient platform for passive digital income. Join us today and become part of the AAS Miner global community a trusted partner in your journey to financial freedom and wealth creation. Visit our website: https://gbaasia.com Sign up now and claim your welcome bonus to begin your mining journey! Official Website: https://gbaasia.com Contact Email: Miner@aas8.com Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is for reference only and does not constitute an investment invitation, financial advice, or trade recommendation. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and may result in financial losses. We strongly recommend conducting thorough due diligence and consulting professional financial advisors before engaging in cryptocurrency or securities investments and trades. Cornerstone investor brings proven regional track record; company now fully funded into 2026 for multi-project advancement in Colombia Vancouver, July 4, 2025 - Quimbaya Gold Inc. (CSE: QIM) (OTCQB: QIMGF) (FSE: K05) ("Quimbaya" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of its upsized non-brokered private placement of 11,525,299 units of the Company (each, a "Unit") at a price of C$0.35 per Unit for gross proceeds of $4,033,854 (the "Offering"). Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Share") and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Share at a price of C$0.60 per Share for a period of 36 months expiring on July 4, 2028. As previously disclosed, the upsizing was driven by a single investor group with a long-term outlook and a successful track record of supporting exploration and development projects in South America. The Company views this as a strong endorsement of its team, strategy, and pipeline of high-potential assets across Colombia's Antioquia district. "With this raise, we are now well-funded into 2026," said Alexandre P. Boivin, President & CEO. "These funds will allow us to deepen our work at the Tahami South project while expanding efforts across the broader portfolio. We're committed to smart, disciplined execution and are very encouraged by the high conviction backing we've received." The proceeds from the Offering will be used to advance the Company's exploration programs, including drilling at the Tahami South project and follow-up work on regional copper-gold and gold targets, as well as for general working capital. Clarification on Finder's Fees and Warrants The Company wishes to clarify that a cash commission of $16,800 was paid and 48,000 broker warrants were issued in connection with the Offering. However, as previously disclosed, no commissions or other broker compensation were paid on the strategic investment that drove the upsizing. In connection with the Offering, the Shares, Warrants and broker warrants are subject to a four-month and one-day hold period expiring on November 4, 2025. Insider Participation Certain insiders of the Company participated in the Offering subscribing for an aggregate of 435,714 units for an aggregate subscription amount of $152,500. Each of the subscriptions from insiders constitutes a "related party transaction" pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company has relied on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) thereof, respectively, as the common shares of the Company are not listed on a specified market and neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the transaction, insofar as it involved the related parties, exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101). Appointment of Vice President, Business Development Quimbaya is further pleased to announce the appointment of Sebastian Wahl as Vice President, Business Development. Mr. Wahl has served on the Company's Board of Directors for the past six months and has played a pivotal role in shaping its strategic direction and external positioning. Given his contributions to date and the Company's growth trajectory, Mr. Wahl's transition into an executive role is both timely and natural. As VP of Business Development, he will work closely with the CEO on capital markets initiatives, strategic partnerships, and internal structuring to ensure the Company is well-positioned for its next phase of growth. "Sebastian brings an exceptional network and a sharp sense of capital markets strategy," said Alexandre P. Boivin, President & CEO. "His insight and drive have already proven instrumental at the board level, and we're excited to now have his energy full-time as we accelerate our momentum." Mr. Wahl's appointment reinforces Quimbaya's commitment to building a high-caliber leadership team capable of advancing its ambitious vision in Colombia and delivering value to shareholders. Grant of Incentive Securities The Company also announces that it has granted an aggregate of 1,730,000 restricted share units (RSUs) and 1,655,000 stock options to certain directors, officers, advisors, and consultants of the Company in accordance with its long-term performance incentive plan (the "LTIP"). The stock options are exercisable at $0.50 per share for a period of three years. About Quimbaya Quimbaya aims to discover gold resources through exploration and acquisition of mining properties in the prolific mining districts of Colombia. Managed by an experienced team in the mining sector, Quimbaya is focused on three projects in the regions of Segovia (Tahami Project), Puerto Berrio (Berrio Project), and Abejorral (Maitamac Project), all located in Antioquia Province, Colombia. Quimbaya Gold Inc. Follow on X @quimbayagoldinc Follow on LinkedIn @quimbayagold Follow on Instagram @quimbayagoldinc Follow on Facebook @quimbayagoldinc Cautionary Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking information" as that term is defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. Generally, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends", "expects" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". Forward-looking statements herein include statements and information regarding the Offering's intended use of proceeds, any exercise of Warrants, the future plans for the Company, including any expectations of growth or market momentum, future expectations for the gold sector generally, the Colombian gold sector more particularly, or how global or local market trends may affect the Company, intended exploration on any of the Company's properties and any results thereof, the strength of the Company's mineral property portfolio, the potential discover and potential size of the discovery of minerals on any property of the Company's, including Tahami South, the aims and goals of the Company, and other forward-looking information. Forward-looking information by its nature is based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Quimbaya to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, that the Company's exploration and other activities will proceed as expected. The future outcomes that relate to forward-looking statements may be influenced by many factors, including but not limited to: future planned development and other activities on the Company's mineral properties; an inability to finance the Company; obtaining required permitting on the Company's mineral properties in a timely manner; any adverse changes to the planned operations of the Company's mineral properties; failure by the Company for any reason to undertake expected exploration programs; achieving and maintaining favourable relationships with local communities; mineral exploration results that are poorer or better than expected; prices for gold remaining as expected; currency exchange rates remaining as expected; availability of funds for the Company's projects; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation); no labour-related disruptions; no unplanned delays or interruptions in scheduled construction and production; all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals are received in a timely manner; the Offering proceeds being received as anticipated; all requisite regulatory and stock exchange approvals for the Offering are obtained in a timely fashion; investor participation in the Offering; and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. Although Quimbaya's management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Quimbaya as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Except as required by law, Quimbaya does not expect to update forward-looking statements and information continually as conditions change. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/257712 Quantum Battery Metals Corp. (CSE: QBAT) (OTC Pink: BRVVF) (FSE: 23B0) ("Quantum" or the "Company") announces that as a result of a continuous disclosure review by the British Columbia Securities Commission ("BCSC"), the Company is providing the following updates and clarifications to its previously disclosed information. Acquisition of the Calico Jack Property Transaction Details: The Company disclosed the acquisition terms in its news release dated October 7, 2024. The transaction involves the issuance of 6 million shares to acquire 1500643 B.C. Ltd., which owns the Calico Jack Property. The acquisition resulted in a 48% dilution to existing shareholders. Clarifications on Calico Jack Property Acquisition: The shareholders of 1500643 B.C. Ltd. at the time of incorporation and immediately prior to the acquisition are all arm's length. The Company will not be paying finder's fees in regards to the acquisition and does not anticipate any change in management following the acquisition. The company determined the number of shares to be issued by comparing the land package to previous acquisitions of the Company and similar properties within the area. The Company notes that the form 9 that was issued on October 7, 2024 indicates that the company had entered into the share exchange agreement on October 1, 2024. The Company confirms that the news release dated October 7, 2024 as filed on SEDAR+ on February 20, 2025, is correct in which the Company has successfully negotiated terms to proceed with a share exchange agreement, and at the Company has not yet signed the share exchange agreement. The Company expects to sign the share exchange agreement following BCSC disclosure review in which they expect to close the transaction within a month of signing the share exchange agreement. Information regarding 1500643 B.C. Ltd. 1500643 was incorporated on September 6, 2024. 1500643 acquired the Calico Jack property on September 6, 2024. 1500643 will acquire the Calico Jack property through an asset assignment agreement with its five shareholders in conjunction with the closing of property acquisition with Quantum. The individual shareholders of 1500643 currently have option rights with Caprock Ventures Corp ("Caprock") in which they assign their rights to the option. 1500643 did not incur any fees to develop the property after its acquisition of the property and prior to the acquisition by the Company. Shareholders of 1500643 acquired the Calico Jack property from Caprock Ventures Corp. ("Caprock") through an asset purchase agreement dated August 1, 2024, after which they incorporated 1500643. The Shareholders of 1500463 will pay $300,000 to the original vendor Caprock at the closing of the company's acquisition of 1500643 Completed Acquisitions Material Change Reports and Business Acquisition Reports: The Company acknowledges that it had not previously filed material change reports and business acquisition reports for several completed acquisitions, including Hook's Harbour, Lac Mistumis, Rose West, Nipissing Loraine, and Rabbit Lake properties. The Company has now filed any appliable material change reports and material agreements on SEDAR+. The company expects to file the business acquisition reports following an audit of the subsidiaries. Finder's Fees: The Company disclosed that finder's fees of $31,500 and $35,000 were paid in connection with the acquisitions of the Kahuna Cobalt and Rabbit Lake Properties, respectively. The Company would also like to further disclose the license issuance date, expiry date and required annual work required for each of its properties Property Issuance Date Expiry Date Work required annually Copper Coffer 2021-10-17 2026-10-17 $6,000.00 Alba and Kelso 2016-06-22 2026-06-21 $75,150.00 Hook's Harbour 2021-10-17 2026-10-17 $6,500.00 Kahuna 2018-04-10 2026-04-10 $22,600.00 Lac Mistumis 2021-07-22 2026-07-21 $7,785.00 Nipissing Lorrain 2018-04-10 2026-06-28 $7,800.00 Rabbit 2018-04-10 2026-04-09 $26,400.00 The Company has arranged its payments and work filings to keep the properties in good standing this year. In regards to the Rabbit Lake property, the company intends to hold the property despite disappointing results over the last two exploration programs (2021/2022), and no further work is recommended at this time by the geologist team. Exploration Activities Project Delays: The Company's planned exploration programs were delayed due to the unexpected closure of its prior geologist consultant, Longford Exploration. The Company found that Longford ceases to be operational in June 2023. Transitioning to a new geologist team required time for familiarization with the properties. Exploration plans for Hook's Harbour Copper Property, initially set for September 2023, were not executed. Corporate Governance and Audit Committee Mr. David Jenkins serves as the Chair of the Audit Committee, accompanying him on the audit committee is David Greenway, and Von Torres. Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Greenway are considered independent and Mr. Torres is considered not independent. The Company's current directors are Quinn Field-Dyte, David Greenway, David Jenkins, and Von Torres. Investor Relations Activities Marketing Agreements: The Company disclosed terms of its agreements with promotional service providers, including Media Relations Publishing, Carsten Schmider, and Affiliate Marketing, in news releases dated March 19, 2021, August 29, 2023, and December 28, 2023. The Information for Media Relations Publishing/Carsten Schmider is: Carsten Schmider Marie Curie Str. 3 50321 Bruhl hello@schmider-report.com +49 176 / 702 44 313 The Company used Media Relations Publishing/Carsten Schmider from March 19, 2021 to August 25, 2023 intermittently. The Company announced on December 28, 2023, that it would be using Affiliate Marketing for advertising and marketing services. The Company did not proceed with using Affiliate Marketing. Quantum remains committed to ensuring transparency and regulatory compliance. The Company will continue to work closely with the BCSC and other regulatory authorities to address outstanding comments and provide updates as necessary. Forward-Looking Information This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that Quantum Battery Metals Corp. (the "Company") expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Spanish Mountain Gold Ltd. (the "Company" or "Spanish Mountain Gold") (TSX-V: SPA | FSE: S3Y | OTCQB: SPAUF) announces that it has entered into a debt settlement agreement with Whittle Consulting Ltd., an arm's length creditor of the Company ("Whittle") to settle an aggregate of $379,720 in outstanding debt (the "Debt"). In settlement of the Debt, the Company will (i) pay Whittle $14,320, in cash, and (ii) issue 2,110,919 common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Shares") as directed by Whittle at a price of $0.1731 per Share (the "Debt Settlement"). The Debt relates to past services rendered by Whittle Consulting Ltd. to the Company. Closing of the Debt Settlement is subject to a number of customary closing conditions, including, but not limited to, approval from the TSX Venture Exchange. The Shares to be issued in connection with the Debt Settlement will be subject to a statutory four month plus a day hold period in accordance with applicable securities legislation. About Spanish Mountain Gold Ltd. Spanish Mountain Gold Ltd. is focused on advancing its 100%-owned Spanish Mountain Gold Project (Project) towards construction of the next gold mine in the Cariboo Gold Corridor, British Columbia. The Company will publish, within 44 days of this news release, a new NI 43-101 Technical Report setting out the new executable vision to advance the Project. This new NI 43-101 Technical Report, with a de-risked and optimized Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) with an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), will supersede the prior technical report of the Company. Upon receipt of the new PEA and updated MRE, the Company will decide the next steps to advance the Project to position the Company to make a construction decision in or before 2027. We are striving to be a leader in community and Indigenous relations by leveraging technology and innovation to build the 'greenest' gold mine in Canada. The Relentless Pursuit for Better Gold means seeking new ways to achieve optimal financial outcomes that are safer, minimize environmental impact and create meaningful sustainability for communities. Details of the Company are available on www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website: www.spanishmountaingold.com. On Behalf of the Board, "Peter Mah" President, Chief Executive Officer and Director Spanish Mountain Gold Ltd. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: Certain of the statements and information in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" Any statements or information that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "estimates", "intends", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives", "potential" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements or information. The Company's forward-looking statements and information are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management as of the date of this press release, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements and information if circumstances or management's assumptions, beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, or changes in any other events affecting such statements or information. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements and information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250704527855/en/ Contact For more information: Peter Mah, CEO (604) 601-3651 info@spanishmountaingold.com Bottas admits talks with Alpine and Cadillac Valtteri Bottas has confirmed that talks between both Cadillac and Alpine have taken place. Valtteri Bottas, Saudi Arabian GP 2021 Mercedes The 10-time grand prix winner, still in the paddock as Mercedes' full-time reserve driver, is heavily linked with a full-time return to the grid next year with the new-in-2026 team Cadillac. However, it emerged last weekend in Austria that 35-year-old Bottas' boss Toto Wolff was approached by and had a half-hour meeting with Flavio Briatore. The subject? Bottas potentially replacing Briatore's underperforming rookie protege Franco Colapinto, as Alpine flounders in last place in the constructors' standings. Yes, you could say that, Bottas told Viaplay when asked if there had been talks with Briatore. He first showed interest through Toto. Some think Briatore might see Bottas as an easier way to score points in 2025 and also strengthen political ties with Mercedes, with the Enstone based team switching to expensive customer Mercedes power next year. A short stint somewhere - will that help me in any way? Bottas said. I don't know. The focus is really on 2026 onwards. I believe that there will probably be more talk about next year than this year. The Finn implied that the better longer-term option could be Cadillac - with the new team's boss Graeme Lowdon at Silverstone for talks with potential drivers this weekend. The situation is that discussions have taken place, Bottas confirmed. "It's just talk and discussions. I've learned, especially last year, that nothing is certain in this sport until the names are on paper. At the moment, we are exploring all the options. And one of those options could be Alpine for half a season in 2025 - with no guarantee of a contract beyond that. I'm ready to jump in the car at any point, Bottas insisted. (GMM) Rival slams incumbent as FIA battle heats up Tim Mayer used the official announcement of his run for FIA presidency by slamming the incumbent, Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Mohammed Ben Sulayem FIA The American, an established motor racing official and F1 steward who late last year was fired by text by the FIA president, formally launched his 'FIA Forward' campaign outside the Silverstone circuit on Friday. F1 team bosses, who have shared an often fractious relationship with the controversial Ben Sulayem, cautiously welcomed the rival bid to head Formula 1's governing body. Other than seeing the headline, I like Tim, fellow American Zak Brown, McLaren CEO, said. Obviously, he's got some family history with McLaren. Indeed, 59-year-old Mayer's father was the legendary McLaren team boss Teddy Mayer. He's got racing heritage, confirmed Aston Martin's Andy Cowell. "Racing in his blood. The FIA process will carry through and we'll find out in December. Officially, Mayer's campaign said the goal is to transform the reputation of the FIA and our member clubs . But in conversation with the media, he was not shy to reveal his true feelings about the FIA incumbent, who has vowed to seek re-election on December 12 in Uzbekistan. The president came to power four years ago with good ideas, Mayer is quoted as saying by Auto Motor und Sport. But in the end, all we saw was a centralisation of power. It shouldn't be about maintaining power. As FIA president, you have to serve the associations, he insisted. I'm disappointed in Mohammed, Mayer admitted. His leadership qualities are not good. (GMM) Verstappen's manager admits talks with Toto Wolff Max Verstappen's manager has confirmed he has sat down for talks with Mercedes team boss and co-owner Toto Wolff. Max Verstappen, Austrian GP 2025 Red Bull The quadruple world champion is jointly managed by his father, and Jos Verstappen's own long-time manager Raymond Vermeulen, who amid intense speculation sat down for an interview at Silverstone. Some things I read are really far from reality, Vermeulen told the Dutch publication Formule 1. The paddock talk may be all about Verstappen's team for 2026, but Vermeulen insists the real focus is on improving the performance of Red Bull's 2025 car. We have a contract with Red Bull and we are committed, as we have been for eleven years, he insisted, referring to the agreement that theoretically should run through 2028. We now mainly want the performance to return. And quickly too. However, Vermeulen acknowledged the public interest in Verstappen's future - especially as he is not hiding that he sometimes sits down with Wolff for coffee. In Formula 1, everyone talks to everyone else, he said. "It makes sense that we also talk to Toto, just as it makes sense that we also talk to A, B, C and D. "I don't find it so shocking that we occasionally drink a cup of coffee, but now a whole media circus is being made of it. But on the other hand, that's Formula 1. Both Red Bull and the Verstappen camp have not hidden that Verstappen's contract features performance-related exit clauses, but Vermeulen insisted: "Perhaps nothing will happen. "That wouldn't be strange. It has happened before that performance clauses were activated and then it blew over. But we can't give 100 percent clarity about next year now, no. Nobody can, he added, echoing team boss Christian Horner's own admission at Silverstone that Red Bull is not 100 percent certain if Verstappen will still be a Red Bull driver in 2026. Horner also faced the firestorm of speculation on Friday and played down the theory that if Verstappen does leave, Red Bull will simply snap up the unseated George Russell. We haven't engaged in any discussion with George, the Briton insisted. So he's obviously pretty confident that he's going to get to remain where he is. And Horner couldn't resist tempting a headline - and a cheeky dig at his nemesis Zak Brown - by giving a cheeky answer when asked what his 'plan B' is in the event Verstappen leaves. Oscar Piastri, he smiled. (GMM) BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. The Latvian Navy officially assumed command of NATO's First Standing Mine Countermeasures Group (SNMCMG1) from the Belgian Navy in the port of Zeebrugge this week in an official change of command ceremony, Trend reports. Captain (Navy) Janis Auce of the Latvian Naval Forces has taken over leadership of the multinational staff aboard the Latvian Navy flagship, the command and support vessel A-53 Virsaitis, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Mareks Kibelskis. Virsaitis now serves as the command platform, hosting the operational staff and enabling at-sea command and control capabilities. This is a significant milestone for the Latvian Navy. Taking command of SNMCMG1 is a testament to our professionalism and the high level of interoperability we share with our NATO allies. It is both a great responsibility and an honor to contribute to collective defense at a time of heightened geopolitical challenges, said Captain Auce. The ceremony was attended by Vice Admiral Jeroen van Zanten, Deputy Commander of NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM); Rear Admiral Tanguy Botman, Commander of the Belgian Navy; and Captain Gvido Laudups, Deputy Military Representative of Latvia to NATO and the EU. This marks the second time Latvia has been entrusted with leading SNMCMG1, the first being in 2017highlighting the continued trust of NATO allies in Latvias naval competence and ability to lead strategically important missions in support of collective security. Captain Auce brings extensive international experience to his new role, including service in the EUs anti-piracy operation Atalanta and leadership positions within the Baltic Naval Squadron (BALTRON). SNMCMG1 is part of the NATO Response Force and is tasked with mine-hunting and mine-neutralization operations, as well as demonstrating allied presence and readiness in Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, and the Atlantic. Under Belgiums previous command, the group participated in multinational exercises, conducted over 20 port visits, and identified 44 pieces of historic ordnance13 of which were safely neutralized, significantly enhancing maritime safety in the Baltic Sea. Latvias leadership of the current SNMCMG1 rotation will strengthen maritime security, reinforce allied presence in the region, and contribute to NATOs deterrence and defense posture. Lewis Hamilton, British GP 2025 Ferrari McLaren Formula 1 Team Oscar Piastri (2nd, 1:24.995): Were starting on the front row tomorrow. My first Q3 lap was mega, and I was thinking about how I might go faster, but wasnt able to put it all together for the second run. Its been tight all weekend, so its going to be close tomorrow, but weve got the pace to fight for the win. Weve tried a lot of things this weekend to find a little more, and the teams done a very good job to get us to where we are. Its going to be an exciting race tomorrow. Lando Norris (3rd, 1:25.010): It was a great Qualifying session. Its very fast around Silverstone, very enjoyable, and Im not going to be unhappy with a third. We didnt quite have enough pace today, but still a good day. Its tiny things here that put you ahead or behind. We saw yesterday how close it was going to be, with hundredths here and there. I think its going to be fun tomorrow: not just us and Max Ferrari are in it, George as well. Weve got a very interesting British Grand Prix ahead and Im looking forward to it. Andrea Stella, Team Principal: "That was an extremely tight Qualifying session, with two very close and competitive performances by Oscar and Lando, although not quite enough to take Pole. Ferrari have been strong all weekend, and Max and George pulled off an exceptional performance, especially in their last run. This has created a very compact top six, which creates some uncertainty for tomorrow. The team executed the sessions very well, putting together a good performance in tricky conditions with the ever-changing wind, and the engineers worked well to constantly tune the set up to find the optimum solution for Qualifying. Undoubtedly though, it remains very close. Well be working hard overnight to put ourselves in the best condition possible for a strong result, but it should be an exciting race for the fans at Silverstone tomorrow. Scuderia Ferrari HP Lewis Hamilton (5th, 1:29.095): "It was a very competitive qualifying session. Q2 was strong, but I wasnt able to extract the improvement we were aiming for on the final lap of Q3, so ultimately well start P5. Im really proud of the way the team has worked all weekend, there were plenty of positive signs in practice. Tomorrow wont be easy with the cars ahead, but theres something special about Silverstone. The energy from the crowd here is incredible, and Im looking forward to giving it everything out there." Charles Leclerc (6th, 1:25.121): "Im not happy with my qualifying today. The mistake in the last corner of my final lap in Q3 cost me at least one or two tenths, which in this case could have put me on the front row for the race. That's disappointing, and I will focus on putting it all together going forward. With our car being stronger in the race than in qualifying so far this season, there is a chance we can do something tomorrow. However, starting from the third row means we have to fight our way forward at the start, which we pay for later in the race due to tyre degradation. We will have to find the right balance tomorrow and work on bringing a good result home for the team." Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal: "The qualifying result is a bit frustrating, because the car was clearly quick all weekend and even today, as we were first and second fastest in Q2. The upgrades we introduced in Austria played their part, and importantly they have probably helped the drivers to now feel more confident in the car. Its encouraging everyone to keep pushing. Fifth and sixth means we did not execute qualifying well, we did not put everything together for that final run. With all the support for the team this weekend, especially for Lewis, its a shame we did not deliver something better. On the plus side, I believe we have made a step forward in terms of pure performance. However, P5 and 6 is still respectable, because we know we have good long run pace, we always perform a bit better on Sunday than on Saturday, and overtaking is possible at Silverstone, so we can fight back from here. Thats motor racing and now we must concentrate on tomorrow and see what we can do to ensure we have a better Sunday." Oracle Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen (1st, 1:24.892): It was also great to find the potential out of the upgrade and this is a great boost for the Team. Im very happy to be on Pole today. It was unexpected as we had quite a tricky day yesterday, but Im happy with our performance today. It has been difficult this week and we have tried a few things to fix both the understeer and oversteer we have been experiencing. In Qualifying, everyone was struggling with the wind and with the weather turning, but then we felt a lot more stable towards the end and the balance was better. We ultimately had a lot lower downforce than the others so were quicker on the straight. We really put it together today in Q3 and on that final run. In the first corner I could feel more grip and balance and then this continued into turns six and seven. We were already three tenths up and I really didnt want to make a mistake going into the final sector! It was also great to find the potential out of the upgrade and this is a great boost for the Team. Tomorrow will be difficult; tyre management is going to be important as the wear has always been tough round here, so we hope we can be competitive and can hopefully give it a good go. Yuki Tsunoda (12th, 1:25.826): I didnt have the energy I should get until Turn 3 and I lost around one tenth. I did a normal launch into the push lap and had some loss of power. Then I didnt have the energy I should get until Turn 3 and I lost around one tenth. Elsewhere in the lap I didnt feel the boost I should have, we could see the loss in the data clearly. It is so annoying having these kinds of issues when it counts. I was confident in the build up to the weekend and the car felt good too, so its frustrating. I think Q3 was very much possible without the issue. I was building up a good pace and was extracting performance from the car. I think I made a really good step this weekend with the car, so it is a huge frustration, I just want to have a normal qualifying session. The target now is points and I am in a better position than I have been in previous weeks to do that. I am pretty happy with the set up and the modifications we have made throughout the weekend, so I am feeling optimistic. I had a positive feeling with the long-run pace in FP2 and I know what to do better in the race tomorrow. Christian Horner, Sporting Director: Max was locked in, the whole Team were and I have to give a special thanks to them. Its always special to be at Silverstone and what a lap! Max was locked in, the whole Team were and I have to give a special thanks to them. We brought a few upgrades here, fine-tuned them over the past 24 hours and then Max comes and delivers the best lap possible at a track that is all about aerodynamics. It was a tremendous performance. Yuki equally put in a fantastic performance, but I unfortunately got unlucky. There were some power issues at the start of his lap which compromised him somewhat. We will need to look into it, but he certainly has found something in the car. There is plenty to look forward to tomorrow. Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team George Russell (4th, 1:25.029): "I am very happy with P4 today as we've been off the pace at the very front all weekend. I would have definitely taken that if I had been offered it at the start of the day. We only had one new set of Soft tyres for Q3 so we had to make that final lap count. I thought I managed a solid effort and, whilst it is slightly frustrating to be just over one tenth off pole and a few hundredths from the front row, we've given ourselves a good chance of fighting for the podium on Sunday. Tomorrow's forecast is mixed which may offer some opportunities for us. We know just how changeable the weather can be here. It is also likely to be cooler and more overcast than we saw on Friday, so hopefully our long run pace is stronger than we showed in FP2. Whatever the situation, I am ready to give it my all at my home race and put on a show in front of this incredible British crowd." Andrea Kimi Antonelli (7th, 1:25.374): "It hasn't been an easy weekend for us so far, but we were able to put in a solid performance come Qualifying. My lap was nothing special and I struggled in sector two, but the rest of the lap was OK. We've been lacking a bit of stability in the high-speed, which is not the feeling you want around a track like Silverstone with so many fast corners. On my final effort, the rear wasn't quite as planted as I would have liked; that cost me a bit of confidence and probably a little bit of time too. We will see what we can do tomorrow. We have to serve our three-place grid penalty from Austria which is not ideal but hopefully the conditions will present us with some opportunities. There is some rain on the forecast, and it should be much cooler than it was on Friday anyway. That should hopefully bring the car towards us. We will see what we're facing come lights out and build from there." Toto Wolff, Team Principal: "P4 and P7 is not ever going to be our happy place but we can take some positives from the progress we made after a difficult Friday. George put in a superb effort to get onto the second row, just over one tenth of a second adrift of pole, hundredths behind the McLarens and ahead of both Ferraris. It was another good performance in a season full of them. He is driving fantastically at the moment and hopefully he can be looking ahead tomorrow and be in the fight for the podium. For Kimi, he also took good steps from yesterday and P7 was a solid effort. Of course, he has a grid penalty to serve but he should have the pace to move forward. Tomorrow's forecast is still mixed with some rain potentially on the radar. You never know what can happen in those conditions, particularly here at Silverstone. We will be aiming to take advantage of any opportunities that come our way and put on a strong showing." Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director: "It's been a difficult weekend so far, so today's result is positive even if it is not what we aim for. The car has been a bit unpredictable in all practice sessions, both in its balance and the pace on the single lap. Improving that has not come easy but we made progress come Qualifying. George put together a very solid lap at the end of Q3. We were down to a single new Soft tyre by the final segment of the session, and that puts a lot of pressure on that final effort. To be less than a tenth and a half of a second to pole is a good result, although slightly frustrating that the gaps ahead put us just a few hundredths of a second from the front-row. Kimi meanwhile was struggling with a lack of rear stability in the high-speed corners. It is difficult to explain that based on the setup across the two cars but we'll keep working to understand that. He will have more positions to make up tomorrow but hopefully his race pace is strong, and he can fight through. It looks like it will be very tight at the front tomorrow. We weren't stellar on our long runs in the hotter conditions of Friday, but we've made some changes since then and it looks like we will be dealing with slightly cooler conditions tomorrow. Hopefully we can enjoy our best day of the weekend on Sunday and bring home some solid points." Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team Fernando Alonso (9th, 1:25.621): "I'm happy with today and to be in Q3 again. It wasn't a straightforward FP3 session for us and because of this we went into Qualifying a little more unknown with the car setup. We tested the new upgrades this weekend too and it seems a small step in the right direction. So, all in all, I think we can be pleased to be starting P7 tomorrow after a well-executed Qualifying session. Let's see what we can do tomorrow. We will keep an eye on the weather and I would quite like there to be some rain as it can mix things up. There are some fast cars around us and it will be a long race, but let's see if we can score some more points." Lance Stroll (18th, 1:26.504): "Overall a tricky day and Qualifying session for us here in Silverstone. I was really happy with the car setup yesterday, but today I struggled with balance and pace, similar to last weekend where we looked competitive on Friday, but then struggled during Qualifying on lower fuel loads. We will need to look into this to understand it better because I'm not sure why. Its going to be a really tough day tomorrow starting from the back, but well see what we can do." Andy Cowell, CEO & Team Principal: "A strong session for Fernando with clean and tidy laps taking him through to Q3. We expect him to start from P7 [after grid penalties for Bearman and Antonelli] which gives us a good opportunity to score some points. Lance was not as comfortable with the car today and was missing the balance we had in the free practice. We will go through the data to try and see why that happened and improve things going forward. It looks like we can expect similar tricky weather conditions tomorrow with gusts and a risk of showers. We will be pushing hard, determined to put on a good show on home ground in front of the British fans." BWT Alpine F1 Team Pierre Gasly (10th, 1:25.785): I am very happy with today's Qualifying, especially considering how complicated this weekend has been for the team so far. We did not show much pace yesterday or even this morning in Free Practice 3. We stuck together as a team, made some changes, and just tried to maximise the package, so credit to everyone for doing a fantastic job. I am very pleased for them that we reached Q3 as it certainly did not look promising up until then on a track which we knew would be tough for us. Conditions have been tricky with the wind gusts, so it has been difficult to be completely happy in the car. We sneaked through Q1 and then the Q2 lap was a really good one to reach Q3. Tomorrow, we start in eighth place and we have given ourselves a chance to score points. The reality is, it will not be easy but we will be ready for the fight. There could be some rain too, so we have to be prepared to take any opportunity. Franco Colapinto (20th, 1:27.060): Overall, it was a frustrating way to end our day and it was a pity that we could not make it back to the garage to complete a final run in Q1. The conditions were tricky, as they have been all weekend, and I was pushing and lost the car on the exit kerb of the last corner. I was pushing hard trying to find the gaps we are missing, and I unfortunately lost the rear of the car. There was some contact with the tyre barrier and I thought it was okay, as we managed to rejoin the track. However, there were some vibrations and we decided to pull over and stop on track. Sorry to the team and we will keep working and try our best in the race tomorrow. Looking at the forecast and the possibility of rain for the Grand Prix, we will try to maximise any opportunities that come our way and make up some positions. Also, well done to the team and Pierre for the turnaround they had given the difficulties we have faced across the weekend. Flavio Briatore: Given the issues we have faced so far across the weekend with the drivability of the car and the feedback of both drivers, it was a great effort by the team and Pierre to get the car into Q3. With the grid penalties for Kimi [Antonelli] and Oli [Bearman] we will line-up in eighth position, and with the usual unpredictable weather at Silverstone, anything can happen in tomorrow's race. What today again shows is that whatever difficulties we face as a team, we must always push to deliver the maximum and unlock performance with the package we have. For Franco, he knows he made a mistake and needs to improve and come back strongly in the race tomorrow. MoneyGram Haas F1 Team Oliver Bearman (8th, 1:25.471): It was a good qualifying session and the car feels really good today, the car has been performing as expected and weve shown that on a Saturday which feels good. The team has done a great job today, so it hurts, but the car was easily into Q3 and if we have a good qualifying, I think it means weve got a really good race car. Esteban Ocon (15th, 1:25.950): Its very close out there as always and unfortunately there were a few issues on the out lap and it wasnt a clean last run. Well see what the weather is like tomorrow, if degradation is high it should open up opportunities, but it currently looks more difficult than the last two races, however things are going in the right direction and well give it our best shot tomorrow. Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal: Mixed feelings today. The amazing positive is that we brought an update here and what a good job the team has done. The upgrades worked, we made the change yesterday, and it did what it was supposed to do. Today, Ollie got used to it and then harnessed its potential, and we all saw the result. We managed to make it into Q3 and P8 behind the big teams, so thats a testament to everyones hard work. Of course, on the flip side, Ollie making that mistake in FP3 and receiving a 10-place grid drop for the second time is not good. Were starting P18 so thats just something we have to deal with, and we cant repeat that. Estebans Q2 lap on his second run was compromised during his out lap so he didnt get everything out of it. He was less happy with the car today, so we need to look into that. Tomorrow we have to give it everything starting from P14 and P18 well aim to get into a points scoring position. Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team Isack Hadjar (13th, 1:25.864): "Weve had a great car all weekend and a good start to the session today, but then I felt that we reached the limit of the car very early, whilst other teams were able to keep finding pace. It was a disappointing Qualifying. Weve had a great car all weekend and a good start to the session today, but then I felt that we reached the limit of the car very early, whilst other teams were able to keep finding pace. I felt I was a bit on the edge and therefore unable to find more lap time. Weve been struggling a bit on a single lap, so looking at tomorrow, I think the long run is going to be difficult, but obviously well give it our all to fight for points as it will be a long race. Liam Lawson (16th, 1:26.440): "Unfortunately, the drop in temperature meant we couldnt get the tyres up to the right temperature, I had no grip starting the lap and it didnt improve as the lap went on. A Q1 exit is really frustrating, especially since weve had a fast car all weekend. Unfortunately, the drop in temperature meant we couldnt get the tyres up to the right temperature, I had no grip starting the lap and it didnt improve as the lap went on. Its a shame to throw away a Qualifying session like that. These tyres are very sensitive, but thats nothing new, and we should have handled it better. Starting from where we are, well need to consider an alternative strategy for tomorrow. Anything can happen, the weather here is unpredictable. Well push for a top 10 finish, but its going to be a tough race. Tim Goss, Chief Technical Officer: Liam's car lacked a bit of grip, especially in sector 3 and we narrowly missed the cut into Q2. Isack progressed comfortably out of Q1, but couldn't extract enough from the car in Q2. After promising sessions through Friday, we felt we were in a relatively strong position going into P3 and Qualifying. Overnight we made further small adjustments to the car setup to try and adapt to the windy conditions, to rebalance the car for the expected cooler track temperatures and to evaluate different downforce levels. Whilst these were broadly effective, we ultimately struggled to deliver to meet our expectations in Qualifying. Liam's car lacked a bit of grip, especially in sector 3 and we narrowly missed the cut into Q2. Isack progressed comfortably out of Q1, but couldn't extract enough from the car in Q2. Looking forward to the race we know we have demonstrated good tyre management and are confident that we will have a good shot at a points finish. Williams Racing Carlos Sainz (11th, 1:25.746): "I dont think there was much more for us out there today. I missed Q3 by the slightest of margins, but this weekend weve been consistently running in the gap between P10 and P14, so I think our position is representative of where we are. Weve been dedicating this weekend to a lot of set-up experimentation, so it hasnt been the ideal build-up to Qualifying, but in the end, my lap felt really clean. I have trust in our race pace tomorrow, so well do our best to fight for those points and be ready to take any opportunities. Its incredible the amount of support we have at home, and I want to thank our fans with a good race!" Alexander Albon (14th, 1:25.889): "We need to review what happened today. We put on new tyres after Franco crashed, then went out when a Red Flag was likely coming, so we ultimately wasted a set. That left us on used tyres for our first Q2 run, which actually went well, but we had a compromised second run. Weve been quick all weekend, so its frustrating. The car is getting faster and shouldve been in Q3. Im not saying Im happy with my job in Q2, but were not always making it easy for ourselves. Were always focusing on improving things at Williams, so its days like this that highlight areas for us to work on." James Vowles, Team Principal: "The field is very close now. You can see that a matter of milliseconds is still separating four or five cars, and we always knew getting into Q3 would be a gigantic effort for both cars. With Carlos, I think we ran a good programme. He drove well and he's managed to improve a few areas on the car. With Alex, we started the outlap a little bit close to Verstappen, so we weren't able to get the right temperature in the tyres, and he was compromised in his first sector. Without that, its difficult to say exactly where he would have ended up, but certainly ahead of where we start on the grid. That said, we have a fast race car based on Friday and every opportunity to race in the points with both cars tomorrow." Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber Gabriel Bortoleto (17th, 1:26.446): Its been a difficult weekend for us so far. From the first session, we struggled with overall pace and balance compared to recent events, and the gusty wind made it even tougher it's something our car doesnt cope with well, though thats the same for everyone. Compared to Austria, where we were strong across all sessions, this circuit just didnt suit us. Unfortunately, I had a couple of spins during practice, which damaged the upgraded floor, so I had to run the older spec in qualifying. That definitely didnt help in such a tight midfield, but I still gave it everything I had. I dont think there was much more left to extract today. Despite the setbacks, my confidence hasnt been affected. Spinning or even crashing is part of the job when youre pushing the car to the limit it's not ideal, of course, and Im sorry to the team for the extra work. They did an incredible job to get the car rebuilt in time, and Im really grateful for that. In qualifying, I was already pushing hard from the first lap and felt strongeven in the same corner where Id gone off earlier. Tomorrow, well try to make the most of any opportunities. If the weather turns chaotic, we may get opportunities to move forward. Ill give it everything Ive got. Nico Hulkenberg (19th, 1:26.574): "So far, its been a tough weekend for us, and the lack of pace was clear from the start. As the wind picked up, Sector 1 became even more challenging, and I wasnt able to put the lap together the way I wanted. The windy conditions, especially as the light rain approached, made things difficult. While everyone had to deal with it, we seemed to be a bit more affected. Compared to recent weekends where we were competitive, this circuit has highlighted some of our limitations. This track layout simply doesnt suit us as well as others. Hopefully, some changeable conditions tomorrow will give us an opportunity to fight back." Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal: It was a tough qualifying session today, reflecting where we are in our journey with the C45. Weve made good progress with the car at previous circuits, but this weekend we struggled to extract the same level of pace. Despite the setback in FP3, Gabriel showed resilience in qualifying, settling into a rhythm and ultimately securing P16 for tomorrows starting grid, following Bearmans penalty. Nico had a relatively clean run, but the pace simply wasnt there for us today, and he finished in P19. Looking ahead to tomorrow, theres a chance of rain, which could mix things up and if that happens, well be ready to capitalise. Featured Ghana: New oil and gas discovery Off Cape Three Points gets green light for development GraphicOnline Jul - 05 - 2025 , 06:48 2 minutes read The Ministry of Energy and Green Transition has announced the formal Declaration of Commerciality (DoC) for the Eban-Akoma oil and gas discoveries within the Cape Three Points Block 4 (CTP-B4), marking a significant step in Ghanas upstream petroleum sector. The declaration, submitted on July 3, 2025, follows the successful completion of an appraisal programme confirming the commercial viability of hydrocarbon deposits in the Eban-1X (oil) and Akoma-1X (gas and condensate) wells. The declaration was submitted by a joint venture (JV) made up of Eni Ghana Exploration & Production Ltd, Vitol Upstream Tano Ltd, Woodfields Upstream Ghana Ltd, and GNPC Exploration & Production Company Ltd (Explorco), in collaboration with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC). In a statement, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, described the move as a major boost to our oil and gas sector, and said it underscored the governments commitment to sustainably harnessing Ghanas hydrocarbon resources. The Declaration of Commerciality for the Eban-Akoma discoveries is a major boost to our oil and gas sector. It highlights the immense potential of our offshore resources to fuel economic transformation, enhance energy security, and drive Ghanas industrialisation agenda. We commend the JV Partners and GNPC for their dedication to this strategic national asset, he stated. The declaration paves the way for the preparation of a comprehensive Plan of Development (PoD), which the JV partners intend to undertake with a focus on optimal resource recovery and the maximisation of value. The plan will also prioritise local content participation in accordance with national policy. The Ministry, together with the Petroleum Commission and GNPC, will provide regulatory oversight and support to ensure the development process is efficient and aligned with national interests. Further technical and commercial evaluations are expected to help shape a mutually beneficial development framework for the Eban-Akoma project. The Ministry said this milestone reaffirmed the governments commitment to building a transparent, investor-friendly, and resilient energy sector that delivers long-term value to Ghanaians. Govt moves to strengthen fight against corruption: Chief of Staff inaugurates group to draft strategy Kester Aburam Korankye Jul - 05 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read The government has inaugurated a high-level working group to develop a new National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), signalling a renewed commitment to tackling corruption under the leadership of President John Mahama. The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, who performed the inauguration in Accra last Thursday, said the new strategy would build on the gains of the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP), which was passed by Parliament in 2014. While acknowledging the successes of NACAP, including increased public awareness, digitisation of key services and enhanced financial stability measures, Mr Debrah expressed concern over Ghanas declining performance on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), which dropped from 48 per cent in 2014 to 42 per cent in 2024. New approach Corruption is first and foremost a moral issue before it becomes a legal one. The new strategy must, therefore, prioritise ethics and integrity to instil a culture of accountability in our society, Mr Debrah said. The strategy, he said, would also enhance coordination among key anti-corruption institutions such as the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). Mr Debrah charged the working group to submit an initial draft of the strategy by August 31, 2025, and urged members to exercise prudence in the use of resources, given the countrys current economic challenges. He commended CHRAJ for its role in coordinating anti-corruption efforts over the past decade and assured the commission of the governments continued support in promoting human rights and administrative justice. The new strategy will be coordinated by the Office of the Presidential Advisor on the National Anti-Corruption Programme (PANACP), headed by Professor Francis Dodoo, in collaboration with the Office of the Chief of Staff, to ensure effective implementation. Mr Debrah expressed confidence in the technical expertise of the team and urged them to work diligently to deliver a strategy that would set Ghana on a path of sustainable anti-corruption success. The group includes representatives from international diplomatic missions such as the British High Commission, German Embassy, High Commission of Canada, Embassy of Switzerland, and the United States (US) Embassy. It also involves governance and anti-corruption bodies such as the Transparency International Ghana, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), Controller & Accountant Generals Department and Parliament House, among others. In his opening remarks, Prof. Dodoo described the inauguration as "a decisive step in Ghana's collective resolve to eliminate corruption and its corrosive effects." He emphasised that corruption remained "the single largest threat to national development," echoing recent findings by the Ghana Statistical Service. "The establishment of this Working Group is not a symbolic gesture. We must develop a strategy that ensures ethics and accountability are embedded across all sectors," he stated. IGP lays foundation stone for SDA police church Daily Graphic Jul - 05 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read The Ghana Police Service and the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (SDA) have laid the foundation stone for the country's first SDA Police Church at the National Police Training School at Tesano, Accra. The church building, expected to be completed within 18 months, will have a capacity of 1,300 worshippers. The construction is expected to cost GH4.5 million. The multi-level structure will have offices, restrooms, a kitchen, technical rooms, among others. The foundation stone was laid by the Inspector General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, supported by the Chaplain General of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Very Rev. Fr George Arthur; the President of the Southern Ghana Union Conference of the SDA, Pastor Dr Thomas Techie Ocran; the President of the Mid-Ghana Union Conference, Pastor Dr Kwame Annor-Boahen; the Accra City Conference President, Pastor Dr Solomon Okoe Trebi Hammond and the Church Pastor of the Police Depot SDA, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Samuel Danso Marfo. Context After the induction of the first Adventist pastor in the police chaplaincy in 2023, the Ghana Police Service gave a portion of land at the National Police Training School to build a befitting place for Adventist worshippers. The Chaplaincy General of the Ghana Police Service gave assurance of the Police Services commitment to the welfare of its officers, both physically and spiritually. He stated that the approval for the project had already been granted and that he looked forward to seeing the completion of the first Adventist Police Church in Ghana. Very Rev. Fr Arthur said Muslims and Catholics had completed their places of worship, while they were yet to see the first SDA Police Church in Ghana. He said it was, therefore, important to them to make sure that the church building was done as scheduled. Pastor Dr Boahen, in a sermon, urged the congregation to represent the body of believers and the body of Jesus Christ, insisting that it was the Lords house they were building. He indicated that He who created all things out of nothing was able to build the temple on His foundation. Therefore, with toil through humans, he said, He would accomplish it. He encouraged the congregation to support the work of God at all times to receive the Lords blessing, saying the Lord loves a cheerful giver. Pastor Dr Ocran expressed gratitude to the police administration for the gesture and encouraged all Adventist members and the public to contribute to the building project. He highlighted the challenges faced by service personnel and the importance of providing a place of worship to support their spiritual well-being. ASP Marfo said the church would provide a welcoming space for police recruits and church members to worship and find comfort, as well as bring hope and inspiration to the police administration and the community upon completion. The project aims to provide a dedicated space for SDA members in the Police Service to worship and support the police administration. Next article: More than a meal: Making African food the heart of our tourism story Featured More HIV patients not on treatment - New report reveals Gloria Apprey Jul - 05 - 2025 , 12:19 3 minutes read More than half of the people living with HIV/AIDS have not sought the life-saving antiretroviral therapy treatment, the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) has revealed. In its 2024 national and sub-national HIV estimates and projections, the commission reports that 334,721 people living with HIV, accounting for 47 per cent of that population, are currently on antiretroviral therapy treatment, with 52.6 per cent without treatment. The commission has described the situation as alarming, warning of its potential to derail national efforts to control the epidemic. The current situation, it said, had left the lives of the entire population, including non-HIV patients, at risk. The Ghana AIDS Commission made this known at a press briefing in Accra last Thursday, where government officials, health experts and development partners convened to assess the countrys HIV control efforts. The Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the commission, Isaiah Doe Kwao, said the figures fell short of the global 95-95-95 targets set by the United Nations programme for HIV and AIDS, UNAIDS, for 95 per cent of people living with HIV to know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed to be on treatment and 95 per cent of those on treatment to achieve viral suppression. Statistics Breaking down the statistics, Mr Kwao explained that 15,290 new HIV infections were recorded in 2024 alone, and that although 12,614 AIDS-related deaths were recorded, an estimated 12,358 deaths were prevented due to access to treatment. He said the data underscored the urgent need to expand access to antiretroviral therapy treatment. Mr Kwao stated that women and children continued to bear a disproportionate burden, with 68.5 per cent (10,303) of new infections occurring in females and 5.4 per cent (1,243) occurring in children under 15. He remarked that although Ghana boasts that 99.3 per cent of HIV-positive mothers now receive prevention of mother-to-child transmission, more needed to be done to ensure effective follow-up and treatment to reduce the figures. He added, however, that the records for males were 4,987, while adults aged 15 and older recorded 11,289 out of the 15,290 new cases. Stigma, other challenges The Deputy Chief of Staff, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, said issues such as misinformation, disinformation, stigma, discrimination, individual economic challenges, inadequate lifesaving services and recent funding cuts had contributed to derail progress. Regardless, we are determined to ensure sustained domestic financing, including the recent suspension of USAIDs international funding programme; integrate HIV priorities into broader health and development strategies, and adopt innovative, data-driven approaches to enhance service delivery. No one should be left behind in our HIV response, she emphasised. She also cautioned that every HIV-positive person who was not on treatment was one step closer to advanced illness and AIDS-related death, which she said was unacceptable. She stressed that, especially in present times, there should not be such a wide treatment gap. As Ghana prepares to host the 2025 International Conference on AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Africa (ICASA), the Deputy Chief of Staff called on stakeholders, government institutions, health workers, donors, researchers, community advocates and civil society leaders to reflect deeply on the findings from these estimates and turn them into purposeful action. Regional statistics On the regional level, Greater Accra recorded 3,436 new infections, Ashanti Region, 2,997, Eastern Region, 2,019, Central Region, 1,140, Western Region, 1,120, Bono Region recorded 875, while Volta Region recorded 809 new infections. Bono East recorded 649, Western North recorded 478, Ahafo Region recorded 350, Upper East Region recorded 345, Northern Region recorded 318, Upper West recorded 292, Oti Region recorded 222, Savannah Region recorded 143, while the North East Region recorded 97. Featured Here are 10 key visionary agreements reached between Ghana and India following PM Modis state visit Beatrice Laryea Jul - 05 - 2025 , 14:29 2 minutes read Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis historic state visit to Ghana has concluded a landmark occasion, as it marks the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 30 years. Ghanas Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, described the event as more than ceremonial, calling it a pivotal moment in bilateral relations. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, July 5, Mr Ablakwa stated that the visit "marks a watershed moment in our diplomatic relations." He went on to highlight ten visionary agreements that were reached between Ghana and India during the visit. Prime Minister Modi, leader of the worlds largest democracy, was in Ghana from July 2 to 3 for a two-day official visit. Ghana, one of Africas most enduring liberal democracies, hosted the Indian leader as part of efforts to deepen strategic and economic cooperation. According to presidential spokesperson and MP Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the visit aimed to reaffirm the warm and longstanding friendly relations between Ghana and India, as well as the importance both nations place on strengthening their strategic partnership. Below are the 10 key visionary agreements, as outlined by the Foreign Minister: 1) Elevating our bilateral relations to Comprehensive Partnership which makes us special allies for wider and deeper priority cooperation; 2) Committing to double trade from the current $3billion to $6billion in the short term; 3) Partnership with India being the worlds pharmaceutical headquarters to make Ghana the Vaccine Hub of Africa so we can change the unacceptable situation where Africa produces only 1% of its vaccine requirements; 4) A strategic Defense Cooperation Pact; 5) A standardization of trade standards; 6) Establishment of a world-class Institute for Medicines at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS); 7) Enhanced Agricultural Cooperation for rapid agric modernization and food security; 8)Digital Technologies Collaboration to support President Mahamas One Million Coders Initiative, Innovation Hub and Fintech Promotion acknowledging that 50 per cent of global digital transactions take place in India; 9) Renewable Energy Partnerships under the Solar Alliance; 10) New Terms for deeper Creative Arts and Cultural Exchange. Previous article: See the members of the new Bui Power Authority board Featured Kumasi Evangel Choir Clocks 13 Years Graphic Online Jul - 05 - 2025 , 20:55 2 minutes read The Kumasi Evangel Choir is marking a significant milestone, celebrating 13 years of serving the Lord, spreading joy and touching lives through music. Since its birth in 2012, the choir has been dedicated to spreading the gospel and attracting support in diverse forms for children with cancer in Ghana through song. With a repertoire that spans traditional hymns, contemporary Christian music, and cultural songs, the Kumasi Evangel Choir has become a beloved and respectable fixture in the music scene. Their harmonious voices and energetic performances have captivated audiences and given global recognition to its roots. Throughout its 13-year journey, the choir has performed at various events, including church services, concerts, and community gatherings. Their music has been a source of comfort, inspiration, and joy to many, and their commitment to using their talents to glorify God has been evident in every performance. The Kumasi Evangel Choir's success can be attributed to the dedication and hard work of its members, who have come together to share their passion for a worthwhile cause. As part of the anniversary celebration, the choir has embarked on a tour in Europe, joining the 13th International Johannes Brahms Choir festival which started on July 2 and ending July 6, 2025, in Germany. In Germany, the choir is visiting Wernigerode, Munich and Hamburg. The tour schedule also includes Prague, Paris, Brussels, and Rome, marking the final stop in Italy. Established in 2012 as Celestial Evangel Choir-Ghana, the professional choral group rebranded as Kumasi Evangel Choir Ghana in 2022 to highlight its roots and cultural identity. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze completed a productive working visit to the Czech Republic on July 34, where she met with high-level Czech officials and discussed security, defense, economic cooperation, and cultural ties, Trend reports. During her visit, Minister Braze held meetings with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, Minister for European Affairs Martin Dvorak, and Commander of the Czech Armed Forces Karel Rehka. She also met with Petr Novotny, CEO of Skoda Group, and engaged with academic staff and students studying Latvian at Charles University in Prague and Masaryk University in Brno. The Czech Republic is a close and reliable ally of Latvia, said Minister Braze. We deeply appreciate its military contribution to NATOs presence in Adazi and its active role in Baltic airspace defense. Together, we continue to support Ukraine and strengthen the security of our region through initiatives like the Drone Coalition and broader European defense cooperation. Strengthening Security and Defense Cooperation: The ministers positively assessed the outcomes of the recent NATO summit in The Hague, particularly the landmark agreement to allocate 5% of national GDP to defense, the continued commitment to NATOs Article 5, and joint support measures for Ukraine. Discussions also focused on the importance of accelerating Europes defense industry development, which not only enhances security but also drives economic growth, innovation, and job creation. Both sides agreed on the importance of reinforcing the EUs external borders, advancing the EU enlargement process, and aligning priorities for the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework. Expanding Economic Partnerships: Minister Braze and her Czech counterparts expressed strong interest in deepening bilateral economic cooperation, with a particular focus on high-value-added industries, tourism, and space exploration. During her meeting with Skoda CEO Petr Novotny, discussions centered on new collaboration opportunities in the transport sector. Increasing numbers of regular flights and rising interest in Riga as a travel destination are expected to fuel further economic growth and tourism exchange. Promoting Language and Cultural Ties: Minister Braze also met with students and faculty involved in Latvian language studies at leading Czech universities. Currently, over 20 students are enrolled in Latvian language programs, highlighting strong educational ties between the two nations. Latvia and the Czech Republic maintain active cultural and educational cooperation, fostering deeper connections between their people. Previous article: See the areas that will be affected by ECG's planned maintenance on July 6, 2025 Featured Okudzeto Ablakwa claps back at US Senator; demands reparations over slave trade Kweku Zurek Jul - 05 - 2025 , 07:13 3 minutes read Ghanas Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has rejected comments by a senior US lawmaker Jim Risch who criticised Ghanas government over debts owed to American companies and taxpayers, using the opportunity to reignite calls for reparations from the United States over its role in the transatlantic slave trade. The diplomatic spat began when the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, via a post on social media, suggested that Ghanas Foreign Minister should stay home and prioritise paying outstanding debts rather than travelling to Washington for diplomatic engagements. The tweet, which has drawn sharp responses online, accused Ghana of continuing to pay larger debts to China while allegedly defaulting on its financial obligations to American entities. Instead of a trip to D.C., Ghanas foreign minister should focus on honoring his governments commitments to repay U.S. companies and the American taxpayers. We cannot keep subsidizing Ghana while it continues paying far larger debts to China, the post read. In a swift and strongly worded reply posted on Twitter (formerly X), Mr Ablakwa described the remarks as very rich coming from a country that has consistently failed to confront and atone for its involvement in the slave trade. This is very rich coming from someone who refuses to engage in the same advocacy for the payment of reparations by the US for its despicable and condemnable role in slavery, the Minister wrote. Reaffirming Ghanas sovereignty and the legacy of its independence struggle, Mr Ablakwa referenced the countrys founding father, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, to assert Ghanas independence in foreign affairs. You will not be allowed to dictate to a sovereign country on how we conduct our foreign policy if you need to be reminded this is Kwame Nkrumahs Ghana the first African nation to defeat colonialism and imperialism, he declared. While acknowledging that Ghana owes debts to some American companies, the Foreign Minister downplayed their scale and placed them in historical context. Those measly debts, compared to what you owe us in reparations, would be paid when we deem appropriate based on our prudent economic recovery program even though the debt was not created by the new Mahama administration, he stated. The Ministers remarks mark a rare and open challenge to Washingtons tone in bilateral discourse, and revive a growing continental call for reparatory justice in the wake of centuries of colonialism and slavery. His comments also come at a time when the Mahama administration is navigating a complex economic recovery programme, including debt restructuring and reforms aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability. Mr Ablakwa concluded by stressing Ghanas commitment to fulfilling its obligations, despite not being responsible for the origins of the debt in question. Unlike you, we take responsibility and honour our national obligations, he stated. Next article: More HIV patients not on treatment - New report reveals Previous article: Here are 10 key visionary agreements reached between Ghana and India following PM Modis state visit Featured Sikor: A tiny, beautiful and commanding community Alberto Mario Noretti Jul - 05 - 2025 , 13:26 3 minutes read SIKOR is a serenely beautiful tiny community near Aveyime in the North Tongu District in the Volta Region, with a population of just over 200. The beauty of Sikor is seen largely in the numerous dense green trees surrounding the houses and the protection they provide against the sun. No one goes hungry in Sikor because the people grow what they eat and eat what they grow. In spite of its smallness, Sikor has produced men and women of substance for the nation over the years. Medical doctors, lawyers, teachers, army officers, architects, civil and public servants, accountants and university lecturers have emerged from Sikor, where there is no crime. There are more citizens of Sikor living in other parts of the country and the world than in the community. This is because the people have always attached great importance to education and ensured their children attended school with utmost seriousness. The beauty of Sikor is seen largely in its green trees It was, therefore, a case for celebration in the community on Saturday, June 28, when a new three-classroom block with an office and a computer laboratory was commissioned to replace a dilapidated structure of the local District Assembly Junior High School. The USD 30,000 project was funded jointly by a Ghanaian non-governmental organisation, Amazing Smiles Foundation, and the Adovor family of the enclave. The sponsors also included former pupils of the school which was established in 1952, starting with 16 children. At a mini-durbar to commission the block, the District Chief Executive, Victoria Amefadzi Yawa Doe, described the facility as another significant turning point in the history of Sikor. She paid tribute to the foundation and the other sponsors of the project, which she said, would relieve Sikor and the school of the recent havoc caused by the spilled water from the Akosombo Dam. It is rare for citizens living outside the community to initiate projects like this for their hometowns, and I am thrilled to see this happen, the DCE added. She entreated the pupils to study diligently towards a better future. The headteacher of the Sikor D.A. Basic School, Lawrence Kumah, said the school had been ranking first in the Aveyime Circuit, in respect of performance in the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) since 2020. That had attracted children from the nearby communities to the school, which now had an enrolment of 195, he said. Mr Kumah said there was, however, a serious challenge of teacher deficit facing the school. We have only four professional teachers and one volunteer who finished his national service and decided to stay and assist the few hard-working teachers and the learners, he revealed. The headteacher also appealed for a good access road for the school and accommodation for the teachers. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Foundation, Millicent Kumasenu, said despite its sterling legacy, the school had seen little investment and expansion of infrastructure over the years, prompting the foundation to step in with the project. She said the school was still in need of desks, chairs, whiteboards, markers, sporting jerseys, exercise books, textbooks, food supplies and disinfectants, and as such appealed to the government, philanthropic organisations and public-spirited individuals to come to the aid of the school. The CEO of the foundation also appealed to the Ghana Education Service to post more teachers to the school. Next article: 2024 Ablekuma North parliamentary polls: NPP objects to ECs decision to rerun 19 polling stations ... Party heads to court Ghana: A Janus-faced democracy Professor Jeffrey Haynes Politics Jul - 05 - 2025 , 09:57 5 minutes read Ghana is constitutionally a liberal democracy, following a referendum in April 1992. Many observers outside Ghana regard the country as a rare regional phenomenon: a consolidated liberal democracy. Many Ghanaians, however, do not believe that the countrys democracy is thriving. Janus-faced democracy In Roman mythology, Janus is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages and endings. He is often depicted with two faces, one looking to the past and the other to the future. Ghana can be regarded as a Janus-faced democracy. This is because the countrys political past is littered with false turns, including military coups and, over time, declining popular faith in democracys ability to improve things for the mass of citizens. Looking to the future, how can Ghanas democracy be strengthened? The question is especially relevant at the present time as many neighbouring countries are undergoing political turmoil: military coups, citizen unrest and repressive governments. What can Ghana do to encourage democratic success? Presidents and parliaments in Ghana are elected by dutiful citizens every four years, as the constitution demands. Beyond elections, however, Ghanas liberal democracy is a constant challenge whose success is dependent not only on regular free-and-fair elections but also on consistent pressure from below, from a vibrant and vigorous civil society. Democracy may fail unless citizens, via civil society, use their moral agency to support democratic institutions to moderate economic and social inequities which, many Ghanaians appear to believe, are getting worse. Multiparty system Ghanas democratic strengths include a functioning multiparty system; periodic constitutional and electoral reforms designed to improve the structure and process of elections; a lively civil society and independent media; and widespread acknowledgement of the importance of democratic norms by both the mass of ordinary Ghanaian citizens and political elites, behaviourally, attitudinally and constitutionally. Ghanas democratic weaknesses include electoral processes saddled with monumental flaws that undermine the integrity of elections and pose a threat of democratic relapse; an executive presidency with wide, some say excessive, powers; ethnically/tribally based politics that threaten to undermine political stability; periodic post-election violence; and civil societys quite limited policy influence. Democracy travails The travails of Ghanas democracy were recently highlighted by Yaw Nsarkoh, former Executive Vice-President of Unilever Ghana and Nigeria in his recent public lecture at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences on June 24, entitled Iniquities of Iniquity in Our Santa Claus Democracy. For Mr Nsarkoh, Ghanas democracy is not built on genuine independence but is a grand illusion rooted in a distorted reality. He claims that Ghanas democratic project didnt begin from a position of real sovereignty. Instead, What we called independence was, at best, symbolic. It wasnt backed by control over our productive forces. You had a flag, an anthem and a dark-skinned President, but that doesnt make you truly independent. In his lecture, Mr Nsarkoh went on to describe Ghanas political space as a dangerous parody of democracy that functions more like a public auction for the highest bidder than an example of a participatory governance system. The electorate, he said, has been reduced to ballots. Not citizens. Just ballots. Meritocracy A member of President John Mahamas constitutional review committee recently commented to me that democracy in Ghana is seriously undermined when appointment to critical public offices is based purely, and solely, on party loyalty or support. For our two parties merit has no place in their political lexicon. Merit, the constitutional review committee member claimed, does not matter in Ghana, this mediocrity of a state. A functioning democracy depends both on consistent engagement of knowledgeable and capable that is, meritorious individuals and citizens broad participation and representation. Recent Afrobarometer data indicate that many Ghanaians have negative views of Ghanas democracy. This is linked to widespread perceptions of increased petty and state-level corruption, pessimism about the direction of national development, and declining confidence that the government has the will or ability to fix things. In 2023, over three-quarters of Ghanaians (77%) believed that the level of corruption in the country was increasing, while more than eight in 10 (87%) thought Ghana was heading in the wrong direction. Africa is home to the worlds youngest population, and Ghana is no exception. Fifty-seven per cent of Ghanaians are under the age of 25. Africa is experiencing a wave of youth-led protests fuelled by frustrations over rampant corruption, poor governance, high living costs caused by recent international shocks that have driven up food and fuel prices and rising unemployment. Gen Z and millennials have recently protested not only in Ghana but also in Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Uganda and, now, Togo. Such activism may intensify unless grievances are systematically and successfully addressed. Responding to protests with state violence and repression may work in the short term but it is not a long-term solution to an enduring problem of confidence of the youth in the governments ability to fix things. Ghanas democracy What of democracy in Ghana? What can it do to deal with existential despair among the youth? President Mahamas spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, opined in May that substantial progress has been made in areas such as infrastructure, health care, education, job creation and anti-corruption efforts. Pensplusbytes, a Ghana-based not-for-profit organisation, awards the government a score of 76% - indicating a Good Performance rating. This is encouraging but progress must continue. Without clear and consistent evidence of improvement in Ghanaians lives, the new governments honeymoon may be brief. All eyes are on Ghanas democracy. The writer is an Emeritus Professor of Politics, London Metropolitan University, UK. The writers email address: [email protected] Guam has scheduled memorials and celebratory events this month to mark the 81st anniversary of the islands liberation by U.S. military forces from Japanese occupation during World War II. As time goes on, the number of remaining CHamorus who lived and experienced wartime Guam in the 1940s continues to drop. July 1st is the start of a very somber month for all of us...Were the descendants of the wartime generation, truly the greatest generation, Acting Gov. Josh Tenorio said during a press conference earlier in the week. He said as Guam moves forward each and every day, its important to remember wartime sacrifices by the islands people. More than 10% of Guams population was lost during the war. A great hardship for all of us, but lets also celebrate the remarkable accomplishment that our people made by picking themselves up, rebuilding our island, making it into one of the best places to live in this entire world, Tenorio said. 21,000 survived Speaker Frank Blas Jr., in a separate statement, said 81 years ago, Guam was seized and our people were enslaved. Many died. But 21,000 CHamorus, he said, survived the war and wanted to persevere and wanted the best for Guam. Over the next 30 days, there are going to be many celebrations, many commemorations, many ways for us to remember, to rejoice and to reflect on what has happened, Blas said. During WWII, Japan invaded Guam on Dec. 8, 1941, just hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was not until July 21, 1944 that the U.S. liberated Guam from Japan. In commemoration of this historical event and the legacy of the war survivors, Liberation-related memorials and ceremonies will be hosted throughout the month of July leading up to the 81st anniversary of Liberation Day. Government officials and volunteers invite the community to join the multiple events that serve to honor the memory of those who perished and endured the war, as well as celebrate the enduring spirit of the people of Guam. July 6: Retracing wartime march route The first event will be held on Sunday, July 6 the Manenggon Memorial March in Yona. Participants will retrace the route of a WWII march going to the Manenggon concentration camp. The Sunday march begins at 9 a.m. from Ylig Bridge to the memorial site, where the ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. The Manenggon concentration camp in Yona was the largest one in Guam during WWII. The Japanese forced thousands of CHamorus to the camp toward the end of the war in 1944. Eighty-four years ago, the terrible pain of a world at war scarred our people and our island home, Tenorio said in a statement on Saturday, referring to the 1941 start of occupation and the years after that. And while we have known relative peace ever since, the true meaning of Manenggon is to remember that no darkness can live forever and that life finds its way forward, and that hope will always be overcome. He added, Those of us who are the descendants of Guams Greatest Generation have a unique obligation to make sure that all generations will remember all the sacrifices made during that most difficult time. July 11: Kalaguak memorial The second event is the Kalaguak memorial ceremony in Tiyan at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 11. The memorial seeks to honor the suffering of hundreds of CHamorus who were forced to build an airstrip for the Japanese in WWII in Tiyan. July 14: Hasso Mangilao The third event will be at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 14, the Hasso Mangilao memorial at the Mangilao mayors office. Its in remembrance of those who were forced to march through Mangilao to concentration camps in July 1944, and the suffering of those who lived in Mangilao during the war. July 15: Tinta, Faha massacre sites Malesso was the tragic site of two massacres during the war. On July 15, 1944, around 30 influential CHamorus were told to march to a cave in Tinta, where they were told that they were going to be a part of a working crew. Soon after entering the cave, Japanese soldiers tossed hand grenades and killed all, but 14 CHamorus. At Faha, the day after the massacre at Tinta, a group of 30 men were marched to a cave and similarly executed. There were no survivors. To honor those who perished and suffered in the horrific atrocities, a memorial will be held in the morning of Tuesday, July 15. The Hasso Malesso, Faha Yan Tinta will be a journey from Espinosa Avenue to Malesso Cemetery to the Faha Site. The meeting time is 8 a.m. July 16: Asan, Malesso At 9 a.m. on Wednesday, July 16, there will be an Asan Memorial Mass at Nino Perdido y Sagrada Familia Catholic Church. This will be followed by an 11 a.m. Asan Landing Memorial Ceremony at Asan Beach Park. During the war, Asan beach and the Third Marine Division played a vital part in the American recapture of Guam from the occupying Japanese forces. The memorial also remembers the 24 residents of Asan who lost their lives during the invasion and liberation of Guam. Later in the day, there will be Rosary followed immediately by a memorial Mass at San Dimas and Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church at 3:45 p.m. in Malesso. July 17: Yigo massacre site The Chaguian massacre was the largest single act of violence against the CHamoru population known to have taken place during the war, with Marines discovering the bodies of 45 CHamoru men on Aug. 8, 1944. Later, seven others were discovered. To honor those who violently lost their lives, there will be a 10 a.m., Thursday, July 17 Hasso Chaguian Massacre Memorial Ceremony in Yigo. July 18: Inalahan, Sumai July 18 will see two memorials: at 9 a.m. will be Hasso Inalahan at Bear Rock Bay, followed at 11 a.m. by a Sumai Liberation Memorial Mass at Sumai Cemetery on Naval Base. Sumai was one of Guams most populated villages before the war and was also one of the places bombed by the Japanese on Dec. 8, 1941. July 19: Hagat Hasso Fena Hasso Hagat, featuring a visit to Fena Cave, will be on Saturday, July 19. Attendees will meet at 8 a.m. at Hagat Memorial and Veterans Park and depart to Naval Magazine at 8:15 a.m. The memorial ceremony will start at 9:30 a.m. Fena is the site of another massacre where 33 people from Hagat and Sumai were killed by Japanese soldiers who used hand grenades and bayonets. The victims were lured to the cave by promises of food. More than 60 people survived. July 21: Liberation Day Parade After all the memorials, Guams largest celebration will be on Monday, July 21, marking the Liberation Day Parade along Marine Corps Drive in Hagatna. For those who want to secure the best parade camping spot, camping permits will be issued starting at 8 a.m. on July 16. However, residents usually line up as early as the previous night to make sure they secure a permit. A federal lawsuit alleging police brutality has been amended and names more Guam Police Department officers. The lawsuit filed by Jose A.D. Develles in the District Court of Guam alleges several police officers assaulted him during a vehicle stop on March 4, 2023. Officers John W. Barcinas, Patrick G. Corpuz and Donald Flickinger were named in an amended complaint for damages. GPD officers Kendall Diaz and Aren Fabila were previously named. The government of Guam has sought dismissal from the case saying the federal court lacks jurisdiction. GovGuam is named in the suit, along with several named and unnamed Guam Police Department officers. According to the amended complaint, Diaz physically pulled Develles out of his vehicle and Fabila and Barcinas and other unnamed officers arrived on scene. Develles alleges that officers violently threw him onto the ground and assaulted and battered him causing serious and permanent injuries. Develles is an elderly cancer survivor and retiree with no physical strength to resist, the complaint states. He alleges that the officers initially refused to render medical aid and then called for an ambulance. Develles received medical care at the hospital for severe eye and rib injuries and was booked and release. He later found police took $2,000 in cash from his wallet, documents state. Corpuz and Flickinger are added into the amended complaint as they were disclosed in discovery as acting in supervisory roles over Diaz, Fabila and Barcinas, the complaint states. Develles, through his attorney Daniel J. Berman, is suing GovGuam, the officers and other defendants not yet identified. He asked the court for a jury trial of six. In his request for relief, he does not list a specific amount, but asks for attorney fees and associated costs, money for damages available in an amount no less than $25, appropriate injunctive relief and other relief as the court deems just. Develles had also filed a claim against the government in June 2023, asking for $100,000 in personal injury damages plus $2,000 he said was stolen from him by GPD. A GPD property detail report attached to the suit lists the currency as stolen. Police reports attached to the suit show that Develles was cited for imprudent driving, failure to comply with enforcement and resisting arrest. He was booked and released, and given a notice to appear in court in March 2024, a year later. Develles is listed at age 63 at the time of the event, stands 5-foot-6 inches tall and weighs 135 pounds, according to hospital records. Attached to his suit were medical records to support his claim. Those records show he was treated for a facial contusion, and he also complained of bruised ribs. He was treated and released about three hours after he arrived at the Guam Regional Medical City. Summons were executed on the three new named defendants, and they were given until July 17 and July 18 to answer the summons. The defense for Frank Joseph Gumataotao Reyes Jr. asked Superior Court Judge John Terlaje on Tuesday to dismiss the superseding indictment against him, arguing that prosecutorial misconduct and weak evidence have deprived Reyes of due process. Reyes, one of three defendants in the September 2024 murder of Ryan Chaco and a subsequent arson, appeared in court alongside co-defendants. Defense attorney Heather Martinez described the prosecutors conduct at the grand jury as egregious and flagrant, alleging improper testimony, vouching for witnesses, and undue influence over the jury. We already know that the impetus for filing the superseding indictment was based on a contract that incentivized the prosecutor to drive this case into oblivion to ensure that it went to trial, Martinez said. Then we have these numerous outlandish charges which are really quite given the state of the evidence, theyre just ridiculous. She referenced the acquittal of the co-defendant she identified as the actual killer. The main actor in this matter, the individual who actually killed Ryan Chaco, and who admitted on the stand that he killed Ryan Chaco, he was already acquitted of all of these same outlandish charges, Martinez said. She argued that allowing prosecutors to inject opinions or vouch for evidence undermined the grand jurys role. This misconduct took away from the grand jurys ability to weigh the evidence. That is the job of the grand jury. Its not the job of the prosecutor so this is the reason vouching is misconduct, Martinez said. We dont allow attorneys to testify in proceedings where theyre prosecutingWe dont allow attorneys to vouch for witnesses or to vouch for particular evidence. We also dont allow in a grand jury proceeding that, even at trial, for somebody to testify as to their theories. There are rules of evidence about this, so thats not evidence. She urged dismissal with prejudice, calling the charges outlandish and stating they have no basis really in evidence or reality, arguing that prosecutorial misconduct tainted the entire process. Prosecuting attorney John David Griffin countered that the indictment was based on competent evidence, stating it may include hearsay and circumstantial evidence, which meet the grand jurys lower threshold. Martinez described the indictment as circular, asserting it fails to specify Reyess role and relies solely on prosecutor claims. The only evidence I think that was presented on this has to do with the special prosecutors assertion of his work product, which is, again, not evidence, in his opinion testimony which, again, is totally inappropriate, she said. Martinez called the indictment gobbledygook and warned it undermines confidence and the integrity of this entire system. My client is entitled to it. They went through this, but its like a mockery. Honestly, its just a mockery, she said. Prosecutors argued the superseding indictment differs from the original, disputing the defenses claim of duplication. The court considered the defenses request for a bill of particulars. Prosecutors agreed to provide it if ordered but asserted existing disclosures comply with procedural rules. According to police, Mendiola admitted to stabbing Chaco, claiming it was in self-defense after Chaco allegedly tried to strangle and sexually assault him. Reyes admitted to burning Chacos remains and other evidence to hide the killing, according to police. Guam Fire Department crews found Chacos charred body while responding to a structure fire at a Dededo home. The Guam Police Departments criminal investigation section later took over the case. In May, a jury acquitted Mendiola of all charges connected to Chacos death. A third defendant, Joseph Ken Ehder, was arrested and charged with multiple felony counts for murder and conspiracy. His case is being handled by a different judge. Students at Discovery Guam sent heartfelt letters to one of the remaining U.S. Marines who helped liberate Guam from Japanese soldiers during World War II, former Cpl. Frank S. Wright. Wright is turning 100 years old on July 5 and has asked to receive 100,000 cards, postcards or letters and the students from Discovery Guam wanted to support the cause. The students range from toddlers to young adults and wanted to honor a living hero of Guam's history, Discovery Guam said in a release. Bradley, 13, wrote Thank you for your service Mr. Frank Wrightfor letting us have freedomand for saving innocent people. Through this simple but meaningful gesture, the children are learning the true meaning of freedom and gratitude, Discovery Guam said. Their letters, filled with colorful drawings and kind words, are a reminder that even the youngest voices can carry deep respect, Discovery Guam said. "We thank Cpl. Wright for his bravery and sacrifice and proudly join the people of Guam in celebrating our shared history of courage and liberation," it added. Wright, a Marine Corps Raider and Purple Heart recipient, was born on July 5, 1925 in Arkansas. He now lives in Lodi, California. He returned to Guam for the very first time last year, 80 years after he fought during the war that helped in the recapture of Guam from Japan in 1944. Wright again returned to Guam in March this year on his way to and from the events to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima in Japan. Postcards, cards or letters for Frank S. Wright may be sent to: Frank S. Wright, Stockton Marine Corps Club, PO Box 690145, Stockton, CA 95269-1045. On Wednesday, Acting Gov. Josh Tenorio also issued a message to the people of Guam to join the national birthday campaign for Wright, who he describes as a true hero of Guams liberation. Wright was bayoneted in the stomach while liberating Guam. He was shot in the chest and arm at the Battle of Iwo Jima. He also fought at Guadalcanal. Guam is celebrating the 81st anniversary of its liberation on July 21. Prior to Liberation Day, there will be memorials and events across the island, culminating in a July 21 parade. Guam Police Department spokesperson Norman Analista said the driver of a vehicle that struck a concrete retaining wall in Chalan Pago on Saturday afternoon was taken to Naval Hospital. GPD units are responding to a car that ran off the roadway that struck a concrete retaining wall by Chalan Pago church on Route 4, he said. The female operator of the car was transported to Naval Hospital, he added. A black truck could be seen at the scene with airbags deployed. The truck hit a retaining wall of a house. The northbound outer lane is closed to traffic and motorists should expect delays and plan for alternate routes, Analista said. More details will be provided as they become available, he said. Guam has regained the ability to access some $108.8 million in American Rescue Plan funds for public school repairs, ending months of uncertainty, but the caveat is that the Guam Department of Education has to front the costs and then apply for reimbursement. Although the reimbursement method has not changed, it allows us the opportunity to seek local funds to pay and then ask for reimbursement. Its a big difference from not being allowed to get reimbursement after March 28, 2025, Guam Education Board Chairman Angel Sablan told the Pacific Daily News on Thursday. This was confirmed after Guam education officials held a virtual meeting with U.S. Department of Education officials Thursday morning. That meeting was preceded by a June 26 letter from U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon that restored, at least temporarily, the original March 2026 extension deadline for GDOE to spend ARP funds. Under the Biden administration, states and territories were given an extension of up to March 2026 to spend ARP funds for education spending. A Trump appointee, McMahon abruptly accelerated by a year the deadline for schools across the nation to spend all ARP funds by March 28, 2025, leaving GDOE scrambling for ways to still access remaining pandemic-era money. McMahon rescinded the decision after several states sued the USDOE, leading to court injunctions that blocked the federal agency from enforcing its policy. Guam did not sue the federal agency, but GDOE filed a request for reconsideration and appeal with the USDOE. With McMahon walking back her March 28 decision, Guam gets another chance to complete its school repairs, including that of F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School in Yigo and a dozen others across the island. I just hope they dont reverse decision again, Sablan said. Education revolving fund GDOE, according to the board chairman, is now working with education oversight chairman Sen. Vince Borja and appropriations chairman Sen. Chris Duenas for local funds to front the costs. We have some GDOE funds identified that we can use as a start. Once we receive reimbursement, usually a four-day turnaround time, we will use in a revolving fund method. We will use this method and continue to pay as many invoices as we can, Sablan said. Borja, a freshman lawmaker, appreciated the clarification that GDOE received from the USDOE, confirming that Guam will be able to draw down the obligated funds under the original extended liquidation approval. It allows projects like the Core Tech refurbishment, HVAC improvements, and school repairs to move forwardthough now on a reimbursable basis, Borja said. This means we must act quickly. The senator backed Sablans statement that senators will work with GDOE to establish a revolving fund that will allow GDOE to frontload payments and be reimbursed under the new guidance. We stand ready to assist and will do our part to ensure this process moves efficiently, transparently, and in the best interest of Guams children, Borja added. Meanwhile, GDOE spokesperson Damen Borja said the department is already identifying internal funds to front the costs. This will be the process unless a higher level political decision changes our reality again. We will work today to identify GDOE funds that can be part of the revolving fund, but also need to add any support the Legislature or administration may be able to support, Borja said. The more we have to work with, the faster we can complete. GDOE had already committed much of the $108.8 million through contracts prior to the March 28 freeze. About $96 million is allocated specifically for school refurbishment and air conditioning repairs, with FBLG and George Washington High School among the priorities. The GCA Trades Academy celebrated 30 new graduates with Acting Gov. Josh Tenorio applauding them for growing Guam's skilled labor force. Tenorio joined family, faculty and industry partners to celebrate the 30 graduates during a Wednesday ceremony, a release from Adelup states. Most of Wednesdays graduates earned certifications from the National Center for Construction Education and Research in high-demand fields, including project management, electrical, HVAC, and construction site safety. Many of the celebrants are concurrently taking courses in crane operating and carpentry, among other high-demand skills, the release from Adelup states. Today, we are not only recognizing 30 individuals for their personal achievementswe are celebrating the continued growth of Guams skilled labor force, Tenorio said in a statement. These graduates are helping to build our future. With every certification earned, we are laying a foundation for economic self-sufficiency and opportunity for our people. He commended the GCA Trades Academy for its leadership in workforce development and emphasized the Leon Guerrero-Tenorio administrations ongoing support for vocational training, apprenticeship programs, and educational initiatives aimed at upskilling local talent. As our island undergoes unprecedented growth, driven by military projects, civilian construction, and infrastructure investment, we need a workforce that is ready and resilient, he said. These men and women have proven they are up to the task, and their success is a win for all of Guam. The GCA Trades Academy is a nationally recognized, industry-driven training institution that offers practical, hands-on education in the construction trades. With its NCCER affiliation, graduates gain portable credentials that can open doors to careers on and off island. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. At the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), held on July 3-4 in Khankendi, special focus was placed on transport and logistics integration. Leaders from ECO member states, especially those from Central Asia, presented ambitious initiatives aimed at modernizing infrastructure, addressing logistical bottlenecks, and strengthening connections across the Eurasian region. These proposals come amid growing interest in the Middle Corridor, which has emerged as a vital alternative to traditional transit routes. This development is closely linked to Azerbaijans role as a key member of the organization and an indispensable partner in shaping the new regional transit architecture. Central Asian countries are pushing for sustainable transport independence by diversifying routes and improving internal connectivity. For example, Turkmenistan proposed updating logistics and transport operations to meet todays challenges. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov said: "Our transport corridors must be resilient, safe, and efficiently connect ECO countries across the Eurasian space". He also emphasized the priority of modernizing the Turkmenbashi International Sea Port and enhancing links between Europe and Asia. Kazakhstan positioned itself as a logistics hub bridging East and West. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov noted: "We are actively developing the Trans-Caspian route, the North-South corridor, as well as routes through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. A container hub has opened at Aktau Port, and a multifunctional terminal is under construction at Kuryk". Landlocked Kyrgyzstan highlighted the need for equal access to port infrastructure. President Sadyr Japarov proposed: "We believe it is essential to create preferential terms for port access. Additionally, promoting the digitalization of logistics - including rail and road transport - is necessary". Uzbekistan stressed the strategic importance of alternative corridors. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said: "Recent geopolitical events have once again shown how vulnerable international logistics chains are and how important it is to develop alternative transport corridors. A major milestone was the launch last year of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project. In the future, this network will connect with the Trans-Afghan corridor, enabling efficient transit links across our vast region. We believe it is time to begin implementing the initiative to create a Digital Transport and Customs Agency to systematize the digitalization of transport and logistics, and we call for intensified expert-level negotiations". These statements clearly reflect Central Asias drive to strengthen its logistics role across Eurasia. However, realizing these ambitions is impossible without close cooperation with Azerbaijan, a country playing a central role in the Middle Corridors development. In recent years, Azerbaijan has become one of the regions leading transport and logistics hubs. It provides ECO countries with a real gateway to European and Mediterranean markets through its infrastructure and integration into international corridors. At the previous ECO Summit in Tashkent, President Ilham Aliyev noted: "Azerbaijans transport-logistics infrastructure is accessible to the ECO Member States. In recent years, Azerbaijan has invested billions of US dollars in its transportation infrastructure. East-West and North-South Transport Corridors passing through Azerbaijan has turned our country into one of the transport and logistics hubs in Eurasia. The construction of Azerbaijani sections of both corridors have already been completed. Currently, works are underway to expand the cargo handling capacities of the rail roads along these two corridors". At Khankendi, the President of Azerbaijan reaffirmed this commitment: "East-West and North-South transportation corridors run across Azerbaijan and most ECO member states use these corridors". ECO countries have access to the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, the Alyat International Sea Trade Port, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Southern Gas Corridor, and a modern road network. Together, these form a unified system enabling Central Asian countries to advance their export and transit plans. Azerbaijan is also actively involved in regional and interregional projects. Notably, the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, which links Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkiye, is underway - another example of Azerbaijans growing role as a key Eurasian transport node beyond the ECO framework. Todays geo-economic reality requires Central Asian countries to seek reliable and sustainable ways to integrate into global supply chains. In this context, Azerbaijan is not just part of the solution - it is the foundation. Without secure transit through its territory, efforts to enhance regional logistics connectivity will remain aspirations. Through their initiatives within the ECO, Central Asian countries have effectively designated Azerbaijan as their primary logistics partner. Together, they are shaping a new Eurasian transport architecture capable of withstanding future challenges. A sentencing hearing for convicted child molester Dwayne Cruz De Guzman escalated into a tense exchange in Superior Court on Wednesday, after his mother emotionally pleaded with the court to allow her son to accompany her to the Philippines for medical reasons, a request complicated by unresolved citizenship issues and a pending deportation. Im going to the Philippines because I had a stroke, Anita De Guzman told the court. I want Dwayne to go with me. I was supposed to go on June 29, but I canceled my flight because of him. I dont know if youre going to do it, but we have decided, or I have decided, and Ive been sitting in my room since last night, praying and everything. Dwayne De Guzman faces up to 90 years in prison after a jury in October 2024 convicted him on two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, including special allegations involving a vulnerable victim. In February, he told the court he was willing to renounce his U.S. citizenship, which would allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport him to the Philippines. On Wednesday, Anita De Guzman told the court that a recent CT scan showed she suffered multiple strokes, information she said her children were unaware of. I can die tomorrow or whatever, she said. I want to go for medical, and I want my son, please. Thats all Im asking. Judge John Terlaje made clear that emotion alone cannot guide court decisions, warning that the legal process must move forward with resolution. The government is not going to agree to let him go to the very country were trying to voluntarily deport him to, Terlaje said. We need a judgment in this case. Prosecutor Christine Tenorio reaffirmed the position the court had previously heard from the defense. At the last hearing, Mr. Bischoff already said theyre not going to renounce citizenship. So if theyre not going to do that, then we have to proceed to sentencing, Tenorio said. In court, conflicting statements emerged. No, he is going to renounce, Anita De Guzman said. I spent so much for his Philippine passport. When asked for clarification, defense attorney William Bischoff responded, Thats definitely what Dwaynes preference is to renounce. Terlaje pressed for details on the timeline and logistics. This case was completed in October. When is that going to happen? he said. Because shes asking to go, and I agree, the court is still inclined to allow him to leave on medical, but we need some closure in this matter, however it may be. Terlaje warned the delay cannot stretch on indefinitely. Actually, the renunciation process doesnt happen overnight, he said. The way I see it is the government will allow him to go back, to renounce his citizenship, but issue a bench warrant if hes not back within a certain period of time. Tenorio questioned how enforcement would be handled if plans changed unexpectedly. What if he gives your honor the return plane ticket? And theyre like, Oh no, the embassy said we need to stay here, Tenorio asked. I mean, I dont have any control over that. Firm plan Terlaje pushed for a firm plan. You need to tell us. Im not going to look it up and figure it out, he said. Its been over six months for someone to figure it out and no one has the answer. He ordered the defense to return with a specific, detailed update. You need to come back and say, I contacted and scheduled this. Heres the date. Heres whats going to happen. Heres when, Terlaje said. He acknowledged the emotional toll on the family but said the court must consider all parties. I sympathize with you. But I have to take the victims into consideration, the governments position, and the people. The court has been prepared since day one, Terlaje said. It cant continue to hold off. Anita De Guzman cited barriers in scheduling a U.S. Embassy appointment in the Philippines. As far as I know, you have to make the appointments for the U.S. Embassy back there through online, she said. And then thats where they make the appointment. We also have to come out with $3,000. Tenorio responded that further delay is not acceptable. This next continuing hearing for this case is so long already, and I think that the government has been more than understanding, she said. Terlaje ordered a written status report from the defense by next Friday, giving the parties 10 days to provide specific answers. The next hearing is scheduled for July 17. Be prepared for everything, Terlaje said. Be prepared for the sentencing to go forward. We need to move forward. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. 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"The Minister deeply deplores the public dissemination of these accusations without any prior adversarial process. At no time was she contacted to present her observations, nor asked to exercise her right of reply. Such an omission constitutes a clear violation of the basic principles of adversarial proceedings, the essential foundation of any fair procedure and a guarantee of respect for fundamental rights. Without questioning the purpose of the organizations concerned or the legitimacy of their civic engagement, the Minister reiterates that oversight of the management of public funds is the exclusive responsibility of the institutions constitutionally and legally empowered to do so." It is before these bodies, and only before these bodies, that she intends to account for her actions, in strict compliance with the obligations incumbent upon any public authorizing officer. Since her appointment as Minister, Ms. Octavius has worked, with a high sense of ethics and public responsibility, to ensure, in good faith, that her actions comply with the requirements of public financial law, in particular standards relating to public accounting and the procedures for implementing finance laws. Her governance is based on the principles of transparency, probity, and accountability, in accordance with the requirements of the rule of law. Faced with disinformation campaigns likely to harm her honor or reputation, the Minister reserves the right to resort, as necessary, to appropriate legal action. While calling for respect for the ethical principles that should guide each of us in our sphere of action and responsibility, she urges all stakeholders to exercise discernment and refrain from any premature judgment, allowing the competent bodies to carry out their evaluation mission with complete independence and impartiality." Download the ECC investigation report (PDF in French, 10 pages) : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/ECC-Rapport-denquete-Ministere-de-la-jeunesse.pdf HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Justice : The United States must not return anyone to Haiti dixit William ONeill, UN expert Following the official announcement on June 27, 2025, of the end of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti (TPS) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45217-haiti-flash-end-of-tps-for-more-than-500-000-haitians-official.html concerning more than 500,000 Haitians who ultimately risk deportation from the United States, William O'Neill, the United Nations expert on human rights in Haiti since April 2023 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-39291-haiti-justice-william-o-neill-new-independent-human-rights-expert-in-haiti.html , reacted strongly. Reaction of William O'Neill (July 4th, 2025) : "The human rights situation in Haiti is catastrophic by any measure. In my 30 years working in, and on, the country, I have never seen this level of sustained violence and fear. There is currently no possibility for a safe, dignified and sustainable return of Haitians who are abroad. If anything, their country is much more dangerous than the one they fled. Kidnappings, killings, sexual violence and other gross human rights violations and abuses have reached dramatic levels. Violence has forced at least 1.3 million Haitians to flee their homes; half of them are children. The number of people displaced has increased by 25 per cent since last December. More than half the population suffers from acute food insecurity and barely half of the countrys healthcare facilities are open. Only 13 per cent of them are fully operational. According to the UN Human Rights Office, children are routinely recruited to join gangs. Sexual violence has increased significantly with gang rape being used to exploit, humiliate and project power. Services for survivors are limited and impunity for sexual crimes prevails. Gang violence has spread beyond the capital Port-au-Prince all the way to the north of the country. The major urban centers and roads in the Central Plateau area, a key lifeline to Haitis north, is also dominated by gangs. And the Artibonite Valley, the countrys breadbasket, is now largely under gang control. In short, nowhere is safe in Haiti right now. Under international human rights law, the principle of non-refoulement entails an obligation on States not to return any person from their territory or under their jurisdiction to a place where there are substantial grounds for believing that the individual would be at risk of being subjected to persecution, torture, ill-treatment, enforced disappearance or other irreparable harm. I reiterate the calls by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to all States not to forcibly return anyone to Haiti, including those who have had their asylum protection claims rejected or who have otherwise been found not to be in need of international protection, and to consider legal stay arrangements with appropriate safeguards." See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45247-haiti-tps-un-secretary-general-challenges-the-trump-administration-s-claim-on-the-situation-in-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45217-haiti-flash-end-of-tps-for-more-than-500-000-haitians-official.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42053-haiti-flash-haiti-could-become-like-somalia-in-its-worst-moments-says-the-un.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-39291-haiti-justice-william-o-neill-new-independent-human-rights-expert-in-haiti.html HL/ HaitiLibre The draft law, submitted by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo s right-wing coalition, is expected to pass. Government parties hold a parliamentary majority, although dissent has emerged within Riikka Purra s Finns Party. The Finnish government has introduced a bill that would remove the tax deductibility of union membership and unemployment fund fees, prompting backlash from opposition politicians, labour unions, and a majority of working people. A survey commissioned by the Federation of Finnish Enterprises found that only 20 percent of working respondents support the plan. Two-thirds oppose it. Entrepreneurs showed the highest level of support, while employees expressed the strongest opposition. The poll also indicated that 10 percent of working people would consider leaving their union if the law passes. Among those under 30, the figure rises to 14 percent. The bill would also eliminate the tax deduction for entrepreneurs association fees, aligning them with union dues. Membership in trade unions and unemployment funds continues to decline. The share of workers in unemployment funds has dropped from 76 percent in 2022 to 70 percent. Among workers under 29, only half are now covered, down from 61 percent last year. Mikael Pentikainen, CEO of the Federation of Finnish Enterprises, described the trend as troubling. In a changing labour market, a decline in unemployment fund membership is worrying. It threatens income security for those who become unemployed, he said. Trade union membership is also falling. Just 56 percent of employees now belong to unions, with unionisation rates among company payroll staff falling below 50 percent. In 2013, the overall rate was 67 percent. Survey respondents said their top reason for joining a union was to receive earnings-related unemployment benefits. Improving working conditions was the second most common reason. The survey, conducted by Verian Finland, polled about 1,100 working adults. The margin of error is three percentage points. HT ASTANA, Kazakhstan, July 5. The President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has appointed a new Head of the Representative Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Trend reports via the press service of the President of Kazakhstan. Roman Vassilenko has been appointed the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Belgium, Head of the Representative Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the European Union and NATO. He has been relieved of his previous position, the statement said. Previously, this position was held by Margulan Baymukhan, who was dismissed from the post by President Tokayev. Roman Vasilenko graduated with honors from the Military Academy of Economics, Finance, and Law of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. He is a translator-secretary and a specialist in international law. He served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Slovak Republic from 2019 through 2022. Since January 2022, he has served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He speaks English, French, Vietnamese, and Slovak. He holds the diplomatic rank of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador. The childrens meal, which includes a burger, fries, a drink, and either a toy or a mini ice cream, has been part of Hesburgers menu for over 30 years. The company cited two main reasons for the change: declining interest in toys and a commitment to reduce plastic use. Hesburger will stop selling its traditional childrens meal in spring 2026. The Finnish fast-food chain confirmed the decision after internal discussions lasting five years. Demand for the toys has decreased, and many children now choose the mini ice cream instead, said Kari Salmela, CEO of Hesburger. According to Ieva Salmela, director of international communication and marketing at Hesburger, the company also considered new marketing recommendations. Finlands Ministry of Social Affairs and Health published guidelines last year discouraging the marketing of unhealthy food to children. Hesburger referred to these recommendations in its press release. Despite the end of the children's meal, standard burger meals will remain available. The company will continue its toy campaigns until the end of 2025 and plans to sell off remaining toy inventory afterwards. Currently, a children's meal costs 6.45 at the Hesburger in Tripla shopping centre in Helsinki. Buying the items separately would cost 7.80. Price details for 2026 have not been released. Reactions among young customers have varied. At Triplas Hesburger, some children were hearing the news for the first time. Tilda Reunaa, 11, said the decision does not bother her because she never ordered the childrens meal. Natalia Bjorkman, 6, and her sister Daniela Bjorkman, 9, expressed disappointment. Since I come here so often, it wont be as much fun anymore, Daniela said. Fanni Palviainen, 10, who also visited the location, said she preferred to buy just the toy, showing off a Snoopy bag she had picked up. Kari Salmela noted that customer feedback had played a role in the companys decision. Many customers over the years have asked us to stop giving plastic toys, he said. The reaction to this announcement has been mostly positive. HT Currently, church policy defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Some congregations already permit same-sex ceremonies, while others do not. Finnish Lutheran bishops have recommended that all congregations open their church buildings to same-sex couples seeking marriage ceremonies or blessings. The recommendation, issued in a pastoral guideline in June, aims to standardise practice across the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The bishops now state that no separate local decision is needed to allow church premises for these events. The bishops conference has now clarified that no separate approval is required to use church premises for same-sex weddings or blessings, said Anna-Kaisa Inkala, theological secretary to the bishops' conference. The guideline encourages all congregations to offer their spaces equally, although the bishops acknowledge that it remains a recommendation, not a mandate. Church law does not oblige congregations to adopt identical practices, and diocesan chapters still have discretion over local implementation. The recommendation is meant to guide all congregations, but they are not legally bound to comply, said Inkala. The bishops also suggest that pastors should not face consequences for officiating same-sex ceremonies. A similar guideline issued in 2020 advised restraint in disciplining clergy involved in such weddings. The new statement comes one month after the Churchs General Synod rejected a proposal to formally adopt a parallel definition of marriage that would include same-sex couples. Two bishops, Jari Jolkkonen of the Diocese of Kuopio and Matti Salomaki of the Diocese of Lapua, issued dissenting opinions on the latest guideline. Jolkkonen declined an interview but confirmed via email that he did not see a need for congregations to make separate decisions on church premises. Jolkkonen stated the issue had been briefly discussed with local clergy and that his verbal guidance was consistent with the new pastoral recommendation. At the local level, some clergy are still assessing the implications. Sanna Husso, vicar of Mannisto Parish in Kuopio, said the practical effect of the bishops instruction is still unclear. The pastoral guideline reflects an effort to ensure uniformity across all dioceses, according to Inkala. It aims to guide congregations so that same-sex couples have access to church premises regardless of the diocese, she said. While the recommendation resembles the 2020 guideline, the broader issue of church doctrine remains unresolved. In 2020, Finlands Supreme Administrative Court ruled that church authorities had the legal right to discipline clergy who officiated same-sex weddings. Under current doctrine, marriage remains defined as between a man and a woman. HT The move follows the European Commissions launch of the InvestAI initiative, aimed at generating 200 billion in investments in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. The programme includes building up to five AI gigafactories across EU Member States. The Finnish government has formally backed a proposal led by Nokia to establish one of the European Unions planned AI gigafactories in Finland. Nokia, leading a business consortium, submitted its expression of interest to the Commission earlier this year. The Finnish government has confirmed its support for the bid. The proposed AI gigafactory would operate as a large-scale infrastructure hub, developing, training, and deploying advanced AI models. Under preliminary plans, private partners would cover around 65 percent of the investment and all operational costs. The government said it views the project as an opportunity to promote sustainable economic growth, technological advancement, and investment within Finland. It cited Finlands expertise in data, research, startups, and emerging fields such as quantum technology as a strong foundation for leading in AI development. Finlands clean energy network and land availability were also noted as factors making it a viable location for an AI gigafactory. The country already hosts LUMI, one of Europes early AI-focused computing facilities, and government officials believe the new gigafactory could cooperate with LUMI. The initiative is intended to be commercially driven and aligned with broader strategic goals for both the EU and national governments. The full call for proposals is expected to be published by the Commission later in 2025. A total of 76 applicants submitted expressions of interest across Europe. These applications remain confidential. The Finnish government stated it is open to regional partnerships in shaping the next phase of the gigafactory proposal, including collaboration with Nordic and Baltic states. Talks with the Commission and selected applicants are set to begin soon. HT The patients had no underlying health conditions and their cocaine use occurred in non-chronic, recreational settings. These incidents mark a shift in the patient profile typically seen at HUS, where such cases had until now been limited to amphetamine users. Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) has treated its first cases of drug-induced cerebrovascular incidents linked to recreational cocaine use. Neurologist Marjaana Tiainen confirmed that a small number of young adults, all under 30, suffered strokes or brain haemorrhages related to the drug. "In countries with long-standing cocaine use, this is a known phenomenon. We've not previously encountered it here," Tiainen told STT. She noted that Finland is now seeing the same health consequences observed elsewhere. The neurological damage caused by these strokes is often permanent. While no deaths from cocaine-induced brain haemorrhages have occurred at HUS, some patients are left with lasting symptoms. Recovery focuses on preventing further damage and improving independence through rehabilitation. "Cocaine sharply raises blood pressure and constricts blood vessels. When a vessel ruptures, blood leaks into brain tissue, causing irreversible damage," Tiainen said. "Even though rehabilitation helps, full recovery is not guaranteed." In addition to strokes, cocaine is increasingly linked to heart conditions. Cardiologist Mikko Parry from HUS Heart and Lung Centre said several cases of cocaine-related heart attacks are treated each year. Cocaine affects the heart by limiting oxygen supply through intense vasoconstriction, leading to spasms or full blockages in coronary arteries. Prolonged use may lead to heart failure. Cocaine combined with alcohol, a common practice in Finland, increases health risks further by producing cocaethylene, a toxic metabolic by-product. According to Ulriika Sundell, medical director at A-Clinic, cocaine has become a mainstream drug in Finland. "Its used by the middle class, students, professionals. These aren't traditionally seen in drug treatment programmes," she said. Many avoid seeking help due to stigma or fears of legal consequences. Healthcare professionals insist that no information about drug use is shared with police unless required by law. We dont report use to authorities. Our role is to treat patients and improve health outcomes, Parry said. In some regulated sectors, such as professional driving or specific healthcare jobs, substance use must be reported. Other mandatory reporting obligations include child welfare concerns and driving safety issues, Sundell noted. She added that patients often worry about repercussions, but efforts are made to handle legal duties in ways that minimise distress. If someone voluntarily seeks help, we try to address any mandatory reporting together to reduce anxiety. Experts stress that while cocaine use in Finland remains relatively limited, the rise in health complications is notable. The recent cases reflect a global trend reaching Finnish hospitals, prompting concern about the drugs growing impact on public health. HT The proposal, framed by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff , includes the gradual release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for a halt to Israeli military operations and the entry of humanitarian aid. According to sources cited by Haaretz and Al Jazeera, Hamas has accepted the central terms of the deal but requested minor changes to its wording. Hamas has announced its willingness to begin immediate talks on a United States-brokered proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza. The group described its response as positive and said it was prepared to negotiate the details for implementing the plan. The draft agreement outlines the release of 10 living Israeli captives and the return of the bodies of 18 others beginning on the first day of the truce. In return, Israel is expected to stop all offensive military activity in Gaza, redeploy troops from specific zones, and allow aid to be distributed through United Nations and Red Crescent channels. Military operations and surveillance would be paused for 10 hours each day. Israeli officials are reviewing the proposal. US President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that the Hamas response was encouraging and that a deal might be reached next week. Trump added that no better deal is coming. The Hamas-aligned group Islamic Jihad stated its support for the negotiations but demanded assurances that Israel would not resume attacks after the hostages were released. We want additional guarantees to assure us [that Israel] will not resume its aggression, the group said. Despite diplomatic moves, Israeli strikes have intensified across Gaza. Hospital sources reported at least 42 Palestinians killed since dawn on Friday. Fatal attacks included bombings near Rafah and Gaza City, as well as strikes on schools and areas housing displaced civilians. Al-Mawasi, designated by Israel as a humanitarian zone, was among the hardest hit. One airstrike killed Dr Mousa Hamdan Khafaja, an obstetrics specialist, along with his three children. The Gaza Health Ministry said more than 1,580 health workers have died since the war began in October 2023, including 90 doctors and 132 nurses. The enclaves hospitals are nearing collapse due to a lack of fuel. Engineering staff struggle to keep generators running amid the rising number of trauma patients. There are too many cases to cover, said Rik Peeperkorn of the World Health Organization, speaking from Gaza. Since the war began, nearly 57,300 Palestinians have died, according to Gazas health ministry. The United Nations has described these figures as credible. Israeli figures report 1,200 killed in the 7 October 2023 attack and estimate that around 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with fewer than 30 believed to be alive. As fighting persists, international calls for a ceasefire have grown. French President Emmanuel Macron and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim jointly urged for an end to hostilities and the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid. Macron stressed the need for cooperation with Saudi Arabia and others, saying, Israel must allow aid to reach Gaza. Talks surrounding the ceasefire proposal also focus on how aid will be distributed. Hamas has insisted on using hundreds of existing distribution points rather than relying solely on those under the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which the Israeli government reportedly aims to control. This has emerged as a point of contention in the negotiations. The ceasefire draft also stipulates that talks for a permanent truce would begin immediately upon implementation of the temporary agreement. Israels war cabinet is reportedly examining Hamass observations. Despite the potential breakthrough, fighting also escalated outside Gaza. Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon and military raids across the occupied West Bank were reported. One person died and two others were injured in a strike on Bint Jbeil, while two Palestinians were arrested in Rummana near Jenin. Settlers also attacked a Palestinian ambulance near Nablus. On the diplomatic front, a group of over 550 former Israeli security officials has urged Trump to press Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for an end to the conflict. They argued that Hamas no longer posed a strategic threat and that continued fighting endangered both Israeli soldiers and hostages. Meanwhile, the UK governments designation of the pro-Palestinian activist group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation remains in force. The group lost a legal bid to pause the decision after a court ruled against an urgent appeal. Members now face up to 14 years in prison for affiliation. HT Theres no death tax, no estate tax, no need to borrow from, in some cases, a good banker, and in some cases, from Shylocks and bad people, Trump said. US President Donald Trump has come under criticism for using the term "Shylock" during a speech in Des Moines, Iowa. The term, widely regarded as antisemitic, was used while promoting a recently passed budget law. The term "Shylock" originates from Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice, where a Jewish moneylender is depicted with negative stereotypes. In the play, Shylock demands a pound of flesh as collateral for a loan and is ultimately stripped of his wealth and forced to convert to Christianity. Trump responded by saying he was unaware of the terms offensive implications. The White House has promoted a strict stance against antisemitism. The administration has proposed that antisemitic behaviour be grounds for denying permanent residency applications and has accused institutions like Harvard University of tolerating antisemitism. Critics argue the administration uses the label to suppress criticism of Israel. A poll conducted in May found that 64 percent of Jewish American voters were dissatisfied with the administrations handling of antisemitism. This is not the first time the White House has had to address controversy over the term. In 2014, then-Vice President Joe Biden also faced criticism after using "Shylock" in a speech. The Anti-Defamation League and other advocacy groups have previously warned that the term promotes harmful stereotypes. The term has largely disappeared from mainstream usage since the 1970s, though it was still present in earlier decades of American public discourse. According to historical reviews, Shylock was once used to criticise US fiscal policy, with government officials referred to as Uncle Shylock when accused of excessive frugality. The speech marks another instance of language from Trump sparking controversy, despite his administration's stated efforts to address antisemitism. HT Ed Foundation thanks outgoing board members, welcomes new ones The Henderson County Education Foundation thanked three outgoing members and welcomed two new members to its Board of Directors last week. Dan Poeta, Lauren Bollen and Chad Auten, who are rolling off the board, have left a meaningful mark on our mission and workand we are better because of them, the foundation said. Poeta, owner of Horizon Heat and Air, has been a steadfast leader at the foundation, serving in nearly every capacityfrom board vice president and president to donor, committee member and program advocate. His tireless efforts helped grow the Leader in Me initiative from one school to 17 across the county. Dans belief in the potential of our students and educators leaves a lasting legacy we will continue to build on, the foundation said. Over the past four years, Lauren Bollen, a speech and language therapist, brought thoughtfulness, creativity and generosity to the board. A dedicated committee member and event planner, she played a key role in the Education Celebrationsecuring gifts and honors for educators and leaders. Her heart for public education and positive spirit will be missed. Principal Mills River Elementary, Chad Auten served as an ex-officio board member for six years, bringing a school leaders perspective to the table. As a principal, his insights helped align the foundations strategies with the real needs of students and staff. Chads calm presence and practical feedback grounded many of our initiatives in what truly matters, the foundation said. To Dan, Lauren, and Chadthank you. Your service, leadership, and commitment to our mission have helped shape who we are today, Mark Russell, the foundation board president, said. Coming onto the board are Heather Gray and David Bollen. A proud native of Hendersonville, Heather Gray graduated from West Henderson High School and discovered her passion for the dental field early on. With over two decades of experience, she has spent the last 20 years helping to grow and lead the practice, currently serving as the chief operating officer of Hendersonville, Mills River and Arden Family Dental. In this role, she is committed to delivering exceptional patient care, fostering a strong team culture and ensuring the offices remain at the forefront of modern dentistry. Outside of work, she is a devoted wife and proud mother of three. She recharges by shopping, enjoying a good book and hitting the open road on a motorcycle. David Bollen has lived in Hendersonville since 2018 with his wife, Lauren, and their three sons. Their oldest will begin kindergarten this year, and their 1-year-old twins are starting preschool. Dave has spent the last decade working in child and youth development through the camp industry. He currently serves as a grantee success manager with the American Camp Association. Prior to that role, he served as assistant director at Camp Tekoa for four years and program director at Camp Kanuga for five years. Dave brings a unique perspective to HCEF through his background in the camp industry, with a strong focus on out-of-school learning experiences. Daves past engagement with HCEF includes volunteering and recently attending a board meeting as part of the United Ways Rising Leaders program. Together, we will continue investing in the whole child and whole schoolcreating a thriving community for all students across Henderson County, said Peggy Marshall, executive director of the Henderson County Education Foundation. As we look ahead, we do so with confidence in the strength and dedication of our board to carry HCEFs mission forward. For more information about HCEF and how to get involved, visit www.hcefnc.org or follow us on social media. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, July 5. The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has appointed a new ambassador to the State of Kuwait, Trend reports via the press service of the President of Kazakhstan. Yerzhan Yelekeyev has been appointed as the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the State of Kuwait, the statement reads. Yelekeyev graduated from the Kazakhstan-British Technical University with a degree in Management and from the University of Glasgow with a Master of Humanities in Financial Economics. He began his professional career in 2007 as an analyst in the Investor Relations Department at JSC "Exploration and Production" of KazMunayGas. Moreover, from 2020 through 2021, Yelekeyev worked as Deputy Head of the Analytical Group at the Center for Socio-Economic Reforms under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2021, he joined JSC "Alfa-Bank Kazakhstan" as Director of the Project Office. Since November 2022, he held the position of Managing Director for Asset Management and Project Work at JSC "NMH (National Managing Holding) Baiterek". On March 7, 2024, he was appointed Chairman of the Board of JSC "NC KAZAKH INVEST". Previously, this position was held by Azamat Berdybay, who was relieved of his duties by another order of the President of Kazakhstan. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, July 5. Turkmenistan is moving forward with the development of its securities market under a joint initiative with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Trend reports via the UNDP. Ashgabat hosted a seminar within the framework of the project implemented by UNDP and the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan from July 2 through July 4. The program is aimed at strengthening the institutional and regulatory environment of the country's financial markets. The seminar gathered specialists from the Ministry and the Ashgabat Stock Exchange. UNDP international expert Elena Andreeva presented the fundamentals of securities market operations, including financial instruments, market structure, depository systems, and the registration of property rights. Special attention was given to the role of registrars and depositories in ensuring transparency and investor protection. Participants also discussed the draft national program for the development of the securities market until 2030, including a roadmap for implementation. In addition to group sessions, individual consultations were held to review recent progress in legislation and institutional reforms. The initiative forms part of a broader strategy between Turkmenistan and the UNDP aimed at modernizing the countrys financial infrastructure. Core priorities include the development of a sound legislative base, an effective institutional setup, and a robust depository system, key components for a functioning and secure securities market. Photo: Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. Azerbaijan's Prime Minister Ali Asadov met with United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana today, the Cabinet of Ministers said in a statement, Trend reports. The importance of Alisjahbana's participation in the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization held in the city of Khankendi was noted at the meeting. Satisfaction was expressed with the level of long-term partnership between Azerbaijan and UNESCAP. They exchanged views on issues related to preparations for the 82nd session of UNESCAP, which is scheduled to be held in Baku in April next year. During the meeting, prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and UNESCAP in areas of mutual interest were discussed, and the importance of continuing effective cooperation within the framework of the UN Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia - SPECA was also emphasized. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel North Adams Reviewing Affordable Housing Trust Ordinance NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The city is feeling its way toward an affordable housing trust. The General Government Committee on Tuesday reviewed a proposed ordinance to create such a structure and continued discussion until the next meeting to allow for some language changes and more research. "When we end this, I think we will have a proposed ordinance that we can forward to the solicitor with a list of some specific questions," said Chair Keith Bona. "That's how I would like that." The trust was proposed by Councilor Andrew Fitch, who first raised the issue back in March as chair of the Community Development Committee. Fitch told General Government that he was worried that North Adams will become unaffordable to residents. "I'd like to try to get ahead of this problem," he said. Trusts have been established in Great Barrington, Pittsfield and Williamstown and have the ability to create and run programs, pursue grants and dispense funds. Their boards are made up of representatives of local government and includes people experienced in housing, financing and construction. The three existing trusts have programs ranging from mortgage and rent assistance, down payment help, home rehabilitation, first-time homebuyers assistance, preservation of low and moderate-income housing, promotion of new housing, and collaboration with housing groups such as Habitat for Humanity. Great Barrington is piloting a zero-percent loan program for accessory dwelling units; Williamstown's trust has purchased land for housing and supported the Highland Woods development, and Pittsfield has aided in funding affordable housing projects. "The common thread through all these communities and every other community that I've looked through, a lot of the first-time home buyer or mortgage assistance programs, some rental assistance programs that doesn't seem to be everywhere and financial support for housing projects, or housing fix-up programs, that kind of thing," he said. "That's what I'd love for us to have here ... I put in the letter that I wrote to you folks of 'why now?' Now that goes back a little bit to what I was saying about us trying to get ahead of this problem and to do something to solve this problem now, at least lay the groundwork for it." Fitch said he's had several conversations with Mayor Jennifer Macksey, who told him she was "150 percent in favor" of the idea. The city already has a housing needs survey in hand but it would still require some community input. "My fantasy is, over the next six months or so, we hold community information sessions. I gladly help with that. The administration, I imagine, would be involved in that, too, get people's perspective and recruit members," he said. "Then they can brainstorm over the next six months, starting early next year, about what's the first program that they're going to launch based on that community input that they already received, and then to figure out funding streams as well." Finding a funding stream for the trust could be a major obstacle. All three trusts rely on monies from the Community Preservation Act, a surtax of up to 3 percent that can only be used for housing, recreation, preservation and open space. The trusts can also apply for public and private grants and Pittsfield was awarded $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding. "Two things that concern me or just have my attention are the funding streams," said Community Development Director Marya Kozik. "We are not a community that has a CPA, which often is a funding stream for a lot of these and other communities. We are struggling ourselves with our tax base, and we had to move money this year from stabilization to fund our budget. ... Is that a realistic stream for our city budget, or are there some other avenues taking certain taxes that are collected and dedicating it? "And finally, I think that our community does struggle with having people on boards who are willing to serve and put in the kind of time that is needed for some of these commissions. This seems to be one that could be heavy on that need, and if it's not, then it certainly would be something that would fall to Office of Community Development." Community Development is adding a city planner but would still be pressed to take on administrative support for a trust, she said. She suggested a "mini task force" to look more deeply into issues around a trust rather than moving quickly to an ordinance. Jennifer Barbeau, a former councilor, asked if this would be duplicating what is happening at the North Adams Housing Authority with the Rental Assistance Demonstration program. "I know I've spoken to some other housing people in the city, but this seems to be maybe a big duplication, and it could be something that was popped in together," she said. RAD is a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that supports conversion of public housing to other federal subsidies, like Section 8, to allow for access to financing. Committee member Ashley Shade said a city trust "could be eligible for state grants and state funding directly, without having to go through the federal and HUD and bureaucracy process of all that. So those open up different opportunities and different lands that wouldn't otherwise be available to a program like RAD." Fitch said he would speak with the Housing Authority (a federal agency) to garner more information on the RAD program. Shade said a major concern for her was the language about incurring debt. "The language needs to explicitly say that the trust cannot import debt on behalf of the city. It is its own financial entity," she said. "It needs to explicitly state funds are from the trust, not from the city to do those things. I think those kinds of things are clarified so that way people know how money is being spent, where it's coming from." Resident and housing advocate Virginia Riehl pointed to language in the beginning of the ordinance spelling that out but Shade said she would like it to be more explicit throughout. Fitch said he could make those changes before the next meeting. "Otherwise, I completely agree that this is a wonderful idea. It's a great way to get new grants and new funding and start fixing up housing and be a part of that solution down the line," Shade said. "It's going to take a lot for this to happen, but what I don't want to see happen is the trust put the city into more debt without the city having a recourse of saying, 'No, we're not paying for that.'" Bona said it could be compared to the Redevelopment Authority, which holds it's money separately. The authority had fallen into debt in the past and the City Council had refused to help it, he said. The city has had housing programs in the past, funded through the state and federal government, and administered through the Housing Authority and Office of Community Development. Chinese Embassy in Japan warns Chinese citizens to stay vigilant against natural disasters Xinhua) 10:01, July 05, 2025 TOKYO, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Japan on Friday issued a notice to remind Chinese citizens in the country to be vigilant against natural disasters as earthquakes have frequently jolted southwestern Japan. The Tokara island chain region in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima has been hit by over 1,000 felt earthquakes since June 21, with a strong quake measuring in the lower 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 logged on Thursday, according to a local meteorological observatory. Heightened seismic activities have prompted Japanese authorities to urge residents of Akusekijima, part of the Tokara island chain, to be prepared to evacuate at any time. On Friday, 13 residents evacuated the village of Toshima on Akusekijima and arrived at Kagoshima Port by ship, local media reported. The embassy also warns of Typhoon Mun, which is expected to move northward over the sea east of Japan, as well as scorching temperatures, which are expected to persist across Japan until September. The embassy reminds Chinese nationals residing in Japan and tourists visiting Japan to strengthen their awareness of natural disaster prevention, pay close attention to earthquake updates, weather warnings and disaster prevention information, and evacuate to safe areas as soon as possible when necessary. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, July 5. Turkmenistan and Nigeria are exploring the establishment of official diplomatic relations and potential areas for economic partnership, Trend reports, citing the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. On Friday, Turkmenistans Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov held talks with Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, during the latters visit to Ashgabat. The meeting focused on identifying prospects for bilateral cooperation across political and economic spheres. Both sides expressed interest in strengthening the dialogue and exploring mutually beneficial areas of engagement. As part of the talks, the Turkmen side handed over a diplomatic note to the Nigerian delegation containing a formal proposal to establish diplomatic relations. A draft bilateral agreement was attached, outlining Ashgabats commitment to deepening ties with Abuja. The parties agreed to continue consultations to lay the foundation for sustained cooperation. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Hong Kongs legislature has proposed a new code of conduct that would prohibit lawmakers from vilifying the government and seek mandatory sincere support for Beijings overall control over the city. The rules, aimed at enforcing loyalty, include a five-tier penalty system with possible suspensions and pay cuts for violation of the code. The new code of conduct was proposed in the Hong Kong Legislative Council (LegCo) this week and is expected to kick in at the start of the next legislative term, pending review by the House Committee. The legislators should sincerely support the Chief Executive and the Special Administrative Regions (SAR) government while performing their duties in a constructive manner, according to the document. They should not intentionally vilify the governance credibility of the Chief Executive and the SAR Government, nor should they deliberately undermine or weaken the effectiveness of executive-led governance, it adds. It also calls for the thorough implementation of the principle of patriots administering Hong Kong, referring to the mandates that only individuals who are loyal to Beijing and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) can hold public office in Hong Kong. open image in gallery Pro-democracy activists hold placards as they show support for twelve Hong Kong residents detained in mainland China and former lawyer Zhang Zhan outside the Liaison Office of the Central Peoples Government on December 28, 2020 in Hong Kong, China ( Getty Images ) LegCo president Andrew Leung said the rules wont stop legislators from speaking up, but warns they must not cross the red line, according to Hong Kong Free Press. To enforce the new code, LegCo has proposed expanding the role of the Committee on Members Interests and renaming it the Legislative Council Supervisory Committee. The revamped body would be empowered to investigate complaints against lawmakers and impose disciplinary sanctions. open image in gallery File Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee casts his vote for the District Council Ordinary Election in Hong Kong ( EPA ) Observers note that the codes are part of a wider push since the 2020 national security law to tighten control over political dissent and ensure only proBeijing patriots govern in Hong Kong. Following the massive and months-long anti-government protests in 2019 that erupted in response to a proposed law allowing extraditions to mainland China, Beijing imposed a national security law in June 2020, effectively silencing dissent. Many prominent activists have since been prosecuted or jailed, pro-democracy media outlets have been shut down, and civil society groups have disbanded or gone underground. In March 2021, Beijing enacted legislation aimed at ensuring that only patriots could govern Hong Kong. The reform slashed democratic representation in the legislature, imposed tighter control over elections, and introduced a pro-Beijing vetting committee to screen candidates. While the Hong Kong government claimed the overhaul would safeguard the citys stability and prosperity, it drew widespread international criticism for effectively barring pro-democracy candidates from contesting. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, July 5. Turkmenistan and Pakistan have reaffirmed their commitment to major regional connectivity projects during a high-level meeting held on the sidelines of the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit, Trend reports via Turkmenistan's MFA. Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Rashid Meredov, met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar to discuss the current state and prospects of Turkmen-Pakistani relations. The sides reviewed cooperation across multiple sectors and exchanged views on regional and international developments. Special emphasis was placed on advancing the implementation of large-scale regional initiatives, including the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) electricity and fiber-optic transmission corridor. The discussions underscored both countries' interest in enhancing energy security and expanding infrastructure links in the ECO region. Also on the margins of the summit, Rashid Meredov held separate talks with Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology. The two sides considered opportunities for further energy cooperation, with a focus on the gas sector. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Dalai Lama has said he hopes to live beyond 130 years of age, speaking a day ahead of his 90th birthday, as the Buddhist spiritual leaders succession has renewed frictions between India and China. The 14th Dalai Lama spoke during a ceremony organised by his followers to offer prayers for his long life, as part of birthday celebrations on Sunday. Hundreds attended the prayer offering at the Main Tibetan Temple in McLeod Ganj, near Dharamsala in India. In the temple and its surroundings, decked in marigold garlands, lotus flowers, and other blooms, monks and devotees performed cultural dances to mark the birthday celebrations. I still hope to live for over 130 years, the Dalai Lama told followers around the world and those gathered in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamshala, where he has lived since fleeing Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule. We have lost our country and we live in exile in India, but I have been able to benefit beings quite a lot. So, living here in Dharamshala, I intend to serve beings and the dharma as much as I can, he said, referring to the teachings of the Buddha, according to a translation of his speech. The succession of the Tibetan Buddhist leader has reignited longstanding tensions between India and China, with Beijing insisting it has the sole authority to approve the reincarnation of the next Dalai Lama. The Tibetan Buddhist leader declared he will be born again and affirmed that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue, issuing a long-awaited statement this week. open image in gallery Monks prepare to take part of the long-life prayer and ceremony to celebrate the upcoming birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama at Tsuglagkhang, the Dalai Lama Temple ( Getty Images ) The Dalai Lama insists that his successor will be born in a free country and urges his followers to reject any candidate appointed by Beijing. In a statement on Friday night, the Indian foreign ministry said the country does not take any position on matters of faith and religion and remains committed to upholding religious freedom. The government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion, the foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. open image in gallery Monks donate food for the long-life prayer to celebrate the upcoming birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama at Tsuglagkhang ( Getty Images ) Government has always upheld freedom of religion for all in India and will continue to do so, the statement added. The response came after China warned India against interfering in its domestic affairs and urged it to be prudent in its words and actions to avoid harming bilateral relations. We hope the Indian side will fully understand the highly sensitive nature of Tibet-related issues, recognise the anti-China separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama, spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular press conference. open image in gallery Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama attends a prayer meet held for his long life at the Dalai Lama temple in the northern hill town of Dharamshala ( REUTERS ) The Dalai Lama, then just 23 years old, was granted asylum by the Indian government under then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru after he fled Tibet in 1959 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule. The Buddhist monk was accompanied by thousands of Tibetan refugees, who were also allowed to settle in India. The Indian government facilitated the establishment of a Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamshala, in the northern Himalayan state, which has served as the spiritual and administrative headquarters of the Tibetan exile community. The issue has reared its head at a sensitive time in India and China relations when the two countries are trying to improve their ties, which were at their worst in decades after a deadly border standoff between the two armies led to deaths on both sides in 2020. The two countries reached a breakthrough in border negotiations last year, agreed to de-escalate from key border positions, and resumed an important Hindu pilgrimage to a mountain in Tibet. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Peers have demanded answers over the governments refusal to resentence prisoners trapped under no hope indefinite jail terms, insisting: It is not right and it is not fair. In an impassioned debate in the House of Lords, peers urged prisons minister James Timpson to take decisive action to end the injustice of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) jail terms. Successive governments have refused justice committee recommendations to resentence more than 2,500 prisoners still trapped under the abolished jail term. The open-ended sentences were scrapped in 2012, but not retrospectively, leaving those already jailed incarcerated indefinitely. Victims of the scandal, whose tragic cases have been highlighted by The Independent, include: Leroy Douglas, who has served almost 20 years for stealing a mobile phone; Thomas White, 42, who set himself alight in his cell and has served 13 years for stealing a phone; and Abdullahi Suleman, 41, who is still inside 19 years after he was jailed for a laptop robbery. open image in gallery Clockwise, from top left: Leroy Douglas, Luke Ings, Liam Bennett, Wayne Williams, Abdullahi Suleman, Yusuf Ali, James Lawrence and Thomas White are all trapped on IPP sentences ( Samantha Ings/Margaret White/Mandy Lawrence/Jacqueline Ali /Handout ) In a speech as his private members bill to resentence IPP prisoners reached committee stage on Friday, Labour peer Lord Tony Woodley admitted it will not succeed without government support. Addressing IPP prisoners and their families, he told them not to give up hope, but added: Sadly, my bill by itself will not bring you justice. But it can help build pressure on the government to do the right thing, and it can help build public awareness of this industrial-scale miscarriage of justice. So please dont have false hope in my bill. Hope but not false hope is my aim here. Raising a series of probing amendments designed to expose the lack of logic behind the governments refusal to resentence IPP prisoners, he said it is as big a scandal as the Post Office and the infected blood scandal. Almost 100 prisoners have taken their own lives hundreds more have been driven to insanity, with this no-hope, never-ending sentence, he said. The only difference with IPP is that not enough people know about it. open image in gallery Lord Tony Woodley said the IPP jail term is not right and not fair ( Parliament TV ) He reminded the government that almost 700 IPP prisoners have served at least 10 years longer than their original minimum tariff. He added: How can the government deny resentencing to these people, still inside, over 10 years past their minimum sentence? My lords, let me remind you we are talking about people who have been locked up for over a decade longer than someone else convicted of the exact same crime, but before 2005 or after 2012. My lords, a lot of nonsense is spoken about two-tier justice, but this is one situation where that label seems to apply. It is not right and it is not fair. His proposals were backed by the UN special rapporteur on torture, Dr Alice Edwards, who said the jail terms have caused unlawful psychological torture to prisoners. In a statement before the debate, she said: It is time to end the perpetual damage caused by the IPP scheme. These sentences have caused unlawful psychological torture and ill-treatment to too many prisoners under the care of successive British governments. A resentencing court is a promising way forward, in which there could be an initial prioritisation exercise of cases, necessary exclusions and, for those whose mental state requires psychiatric or other intensive treatment, their transfer to a secure mental health facility outside the prison service until such time as they are deemed fit, with regular reviews. open image in gallery Prisons minister James Timpson has described IPP jail terms as a terrible stain on our justice system in a previous debate ( Ben Whitley/PA Wire ) However, prisons minister James Timpson said none of the amendments eased his fears over resentencing, insisting the governments priority is public protection. He said the IPP Action Plan, designed to support each prisoners progress to release by the parole board, is where we will sort this out. However, he vowed to pull hard on every operational lever to address the crisis and said he was carefully considering separate proposals put forward last month by an expert panel convened by the Howard League for Penal Reform. The panel, led by former lord chief justice Lord John Thomas, called for all IPP prisoners to be given a release date within a two-year window at their next parole hearing and for fewer offenders to be recalled. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A man accused of assault police at Manchester Airport also head-butted a traveller, a court has heard. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20 allegedly got in the face of traveller Abdulkareem Ismaeil and head-butted him in a Starbucks at Terminal Two before police were called, Liverpool Crown Court was told on Friday. Police traced Amaaz and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26, who were leaving the airport after picking up their mother from a flight from Qatar. It was alleged that the brothers used a high level of violence and assaulted three officers who arrived to arrest them as they paid for parking. Jurors were shown CCTV. The brothers have denied the charges against them from 23 July last year. Mr Ismaeli had been on the same flight as the defendants mother where something happened which upset her, the jury heard. He had been with his wife, two young daughters and young son in Starbucks while leaving the terminal when the defendants mother passed by and pointed him out to her sons. The manager of the Starbucks, Cameron Carledge, overheard raised voices while doing paperwork in his office, when he went to the door and saw his colleague prepared the order for Mr Ismaeil at the counter. He saw another man, wearing a blue track-suit, identified as Amaaz, quite close to him, shouting at him. Mr Carledge said the shouting was in a foreign language he did not understand. At the time of the arguing he was very close to him, like in his face, the witness said. Blue track-suit man seemed quite aggressive, obviously annoyed about something, I dont know what. Blue track-suit man was aggressively shouting. Because his body language, his tone of voice was quite aggressive. Mr Carledge continued that Mr Ismaeili raised his voice in a more defensive than aggressive way. There was arguing, I dont know what was being said, then blue track-suit man head butted the man we see in the black, he continued. He got him in the face. It did not look like it hurt Mr Ismaeil much but it was forceful enough to make him stagger back into the counter. The Starbucks manager said that before the two men were spit up, Amaaz threw two punches but he thought they landed on Mr Ismaeils shoulder. He then called the police. Mr Carledge said, working at the airport, he saw people arguing all the time but, after witnessing the headbutt, called police. Amaaz denies one count of assault to Mr Ismaeli and three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm to PC Zachary Marsden, PC Ellie Cook and PC Lydia Ward. His brother Amaad denies one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm to PC Marsden. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Palestine Action will be banned as a proscribed terrorist group this weekend after a High Court judge refused to issue an interim order blocking the move. Mr Justice Chamberlain refused an application for interim relief to temporarily stop the legislation banning the group coming into force at midnight on Saturday. It comes as the groups co-founder, Huda Ammori, seeks to bring a legal challenge against the Home Office over home secretary Yvette Cooper's decision to proscribe the group under the Terrorism Act 2000. The motion will make membership of, or support for, the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. In writing, Mr Justice Chamberlain said that the order, which the home secretary considered to be required in the public interest, was affirmed by both Houses of parliament. While the proscription would undoubtedly have severe effects on the claimant and many others, it was not the courts function to comment on the wisdom of the use of the power in the case. Mr Justice Chamberlain continued in his judgment that it was ambitious for Palestine Action to claim it was not concerned in terrorism, as the action which immediately preceded the announcement of the decision to lay a proscription order was against an RAF base. open image in gallery Protesters stood outside the Royal Courts of Justice ( Lucy North/PA Wire ) It was announced after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on 20 June, which police said caused around 7m worth of damage. Backers of the group contest this figure and say one of the aircraft is already back in the air. Hundreds of protesters gathered waving Palestinian flags and carrying signs saying Free Palestine and We are all Palestine Action outside the Royal Courts of Justice during the hearing on Friday. In a statement issued after the judgment, Ms Ammori said the public are being left in the dark about their rights to free speech. Lawyers for Ms Ammori took her case to the Court of Appeal immediately on Friday evening, and in a decision given at around 10.30pm, judges refused to grant the temporary block. The Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr said: The judge was entitled to take the view that the harm identified would be the product of an individuals decision not to comply with the order. She added that there was no real prospect of a successful appeal. Raza Husain KC, for Ms Ammori, made a bid to have the case certified as a point of general public importance to allow a Supreme Court bid. Baroness Carr, sitting with Lord Justice Lewis and Lord Justice Edis, added: You are not going to get to the Supreme Court before midnight. The judge said that any application should be made before 4pm on Monday and refused a bid to pause the ban coming into effect pending any Supreme Court bid. open image in gallery Raza Husain KC said it was the first time in our history that a direct action civil disobedience group, which does not advocate for violence, has been sought to be proscribed as terrorists ( Lucy North/PA Wire ) As part of initial arguments in the High Court, Mr Husain, representing Ms Ammori, said: This is the first time in our history that a direct action civil disobedience group, which does not advocate for violence, has been sought to be proscribed as terrorists. Mr Husain said Ms Ammori was inspired by the long tradition of direct action in this country and wished to take action to prevent harm before it happens. Quoting Ms Ammori, the barrister continued that the group had never encouraged harm to any person at all and that its goal is to put ourselves in the way of the military machine. She called for the judge to suspend the ill-considered, discriminatory and authoritarian decision to proscribe the group until 21 July, when a wider challenge is due to be heard. The secretary of state has still not sufficiently articulated or evidenced a national security reason that proscription should be brought into effect now, she added. Ben Watson KC, for the Home Office, countered this by saying there was an insuperable hurdle in the bid to temporarily block the ban. The barrister also said that if a temporary block was granted, it would be a serious disfigurement of the statutory regime. open image in gallery Ms Ammori submitted an urgent appeal following Justice Chamberlain's ruling ( Getty Images ) A further hearing to decide whether Ms Ammori will be given the green light to challenge the government's decision is expected to be held later in July. Ms Cooper said the vandalism of two planes was "disgraceful" and that the group had a "long history of unacceptable criminal damage" as she announced plans to ban them last month. MPs in the Commons voted 385 to 26, majority 359, in favour of proscribing the group on Wednesday, before the House of Lords backed the move without a vote on Thursday. Four people Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22 have all been charged in connection with the incident. They appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday after being charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage, under the Criminal Law Act 1977. They were remanded into custody and will appear at the Old Bailey on 18 July. Counter Terrorism Policing South East said on Wednesday that a 41-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender had been released on bail until 19 September, and a 23-year-old man who was arrested has been released without charge. open image in gallery Critics have called the ban draconian ( Getty Images ) The decision to proscribe Palestine Action a terrorist group has faced controversy. Independent MP for Coventry South, Zarah Sultana, said the move lumps a non-violent network of students, nurses, teachers, firefighters and peace campaigners ordinary people, my constituents and yours with neo-Nazi militias and mass-casualty cults. Amnesty International called it a disturbing legal overreach. Northern Irish group Kneecap, whose band member Liam Og O hAnnaidh appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence, criticised the High Courts decision as they have campaigned against Israels ongoing military campaign in Gaza. They said on social media: Outside the Palestine Action appeal in London just now. The Brits have labelled those anti-war and anti-genocide as the terrorists.... Starmer is the same as Badenoch, fervent champions of crimes against humanity. "The revolution will be no re-run, brothers, the statement continued. The revolution will be live. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Shopkeepers are resorting to desperate measures in a bid to protect their businesses and staff from so-called kamikaze thieves who they claim are not being punished hard enough. With record levels of shoplifting being reported to police, small retailers are having to fork out thousands of pounds on fog machines, enhanced CCTV systems and hi-tech security barriers in a bid to deter would-be thieves. Some business owners are making citizens arrests, chasing potentially dangerous suspects into surrounding streets, and banning entire schools of pupils. High-price items such as laundry powder, aluminium foil and butter are being kept behind the counter, or even no longer stocked, because of blatant attempts by criminals to clear shop shelves for resale. Shopkeepers say the rise in so-called kamikaze shoplifting, which takes place in plain sight with complete impunity, is only exacerbated by the lack of tough sentences handed out to those caught. Just over a quarter of shoplifters sentenced at courts are jailed, Home Office data reveals, with the average custody term being two months. Others caught face softer outcomes. One woman caught stealing items worth more than 50, including tubs of Lurpak butter, was ordered to pay back 80p every few weeks out of her benefits after receiving a conditional discharge, said Andrew Board, a Durham shopkeeper who describes his own fight against shoplifters as personal. open image in gallery Andrew Board, who runs Core Convenience in Durham, has stopped stocking Lurpak butter due to the number of thefts ( Alex Ross/Independent ) Theyre stealing out of my pocket and I'm not going to have them dragging me into the gutter, Im not going to have these people continue to steal off me and just think they can get away with it, he told The Independent. Latest figures show the number of shoplifting offences in England and Wales passed half a million for the first time last year, increasing by 20 per cent from 2023. The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has promised to crack down on shoplifters, with the latest move announced last week being an increased police presence across 500 towns as part of a safer-streets initiative. Also, under planned changes to the Crime and Policing Bill, the maximum sentence for shoplifters caught stealing items worth under 200 will rise to seven years, and a new offence will be created for assaulting shop workers. However, stronger punishment is still needed to tackle the epidemic, according to Katy Bourne, lead for retail crime at the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. Home Office data analysed by The Independent showed just 18 per cent of reports of shoplifting led to a person being charged or summoned to court, while in 56 per cent of cases, no suspect was identified. We know that if we take the prolific offenders off the street crime goes down, said Ms Bourne, who is the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex. The message we are sending to thieves is we are almost letting you get away with it. We need an effective deterrent, we need shops to no longer be an easy target. Shoplifting is costing retailers 2.2bn a year, according to the British Retail Consortium, which says many businesses have lost faith in action against the thieves, who, it says, have become bolder and more aggressive. Andrew Board said he and his staff do not hesitate to catch suspects, adding that those caught rarely come back. Ive reached the stage where I've just had enough, so take matters into my own hands now, he said. This is just a small family business, so thefts come out of my pocket, so it's always personal. If the business gets pushed to the point of closing, the community loses access to critical services as we also house a very busy Post Office branch. CCTV clips of citizens arrests are put on the stores Facebook page in a further bid to deter other shoplifters. Mr Board said: Our overheads have been pushed to extremes. The government promised the construction of many new prisons, so those committing crimes could be more likely to receive just punishments, but its all silent. If things dont change quickly, then youll find all your small community convenience stores closing down. In Bristol, Nick Smith, who runs a Premier shop in Knowle, said he has had to chase after suspected shoplifters fleeing his store. Earlier this year, he ran after a person with a walking stick who was found to have stolen items from the shop. open image in gallery Nick Smith, of the Premier shop in Knowle, Bristol, now keeps tinfoil behind the counter due to thefts ( Alex Ross/ The Independent ) Tinfoil, coffee and even sweets are now stored behind the counter. It may be 4 or 5 worth of items stolen each time, but you add that up over 20 or so incidents and you are down almost 100 thats a lot for a small business, he said. Also in Bristol, at the Wai Yee Hong Chinese supermarket, a spate of thefts forced bosses to install scanning barriers and ban pupils from a nearby secondary school. Drinks and snacks made famous on TikTok were being targeted, said shop worker Celina Li. The extra eyes on shoppers and security were helping to deter shoplifters, she said. The store received funding to pay for extra security through a Safer Shops West scheme run by the West of England Combined Authority. open image in gallery Celina Li next to the security scanners installed outside her shop after funding through a local scheme ( Wai Yee Hong ) Other businesses to benefit include the Silver Shop in Bath. After a break-in, owner Guy Douglas spent 2,000 on a fog machine that can be activated by in-store staff for when a theft occurs. Fortunately, we havent had to use it, he said. I like to think the warning signs have had an impact. Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, from the National Police Chiefs Council, said: Over the last two years we have made significant strides in our fight against retail crime, strengthening relationships with retailers and working in partnership to support prevention tactics and improved information sharing. The Home Office said local action plans had been set up with police, shops and councils to crack down on thefts as part of a planned blitz this summer. Ms Cooper said: We are putting officers back on the beat where you can see them and making our town centres safe again. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A new strain of Covid has spread across the UK with some experts warning it is resisting immunity. Unlike other strains, the Stratus strain is known for its unique symptom of giving people a hoarse voice. Stratus has two variants, XFG and XFG.3, with XFG.3 accounting for a larger proportion than any other individual variant, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The XFG and XFG.3 variants currently account for around 30 percent of Covid-19 cases in England, according to the UKHSA. It is normal for viruses to mutate and change over time, Dr Alex Allen, Consultant Epidemiologist of UKHSA said, adding that it continues to monitor all strains of Covid in the UK. While many experts warn of its highly infectious nature, Dr Allen noted: Based on the available information so far, there is no evidence to suggest that the XFG and XFG.3 variants cause more severe disease than previous variants, or that the vaccines in current use will be less effective against them. It comes as new Covid variants continue to spread throughout the country, with Nimbus giving people razor-blade like sore throats last month. The Nimbus variant, officially named NB.1.8.1, stemmed from the Omicron variant and was first detected in January this year. It quickly spread across China and Hong Kong, and has now been recorded in several states across the United States and Australia. However the true extent of the spread of variants can often be hard to measure due to a significant reduction in Covid-19 testing compared to the peak of the global pandemic five years ago. The true extent of the spread of variants can often be hard to measure ( Alamy/PA ) Given that immunity to Covid is waning in the population due to a decline in uptake of the spring booster jab and the reduction of Covid infections in recent months, more people will be susceptible to infection with XFG and XFG.3, Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, told MailOnline. This could lead to a new wave of infection but its difficult to predict the extent of this wave. Some experts have warned Stratus could also evade immunity from jabs. Unlike other variants, Stratus has certain mutations in the spike protein which could help it evade antibodies developed from prior infections or vaccinations, Dr Kaywaan Khan, Harley Street GP and Founder of Hannah London Clinic told Cosmopolitan UK One of the most noticeable symptoms of the Stratus variant is hoarseness, which includes a scratchy or raspy voice, Dr Khan said, adding that Stratus symptoms tend to be mild to moderate in general. As of 22 June, Stratus accounted for 22.7 percent of global covid cases, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). WHO designated Stratus a variant under monitoring but noted that the available evidence currently suggests it has a low risk to global public health. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Youth Demand activists disrupted Londons Pride parade by throwing red paint at a float in a pro-Palestine protest on Saturday. Several campaigners have been arrested after they blocked US-based company Ciscos float in central London, accusing the company of being complicit in genocide and hiding their crimes behind a veil of pink washing. Four Youth Demand activists threw red paint over the float at around 12:30pm as it passed along Piccadilly. They then sat down in the road and glued themselves to the float, chanting we charge you with genocide. The Parade was delayed for about an hour while the group were removed, with five arrests made. The group said on social media: Technology corporation CISCO has a long standing partnership with the Israeli military and enables the mass murder of Palestinians through advanced military communication networks facilitated by their Unified Communication systems. They have willingly supplied their technology to strengthen Israels genocidal assault on Gaza and have NO place at London pride. open image in gallery The Parade was delayed for about an hour while the group were removed, with five arrests made. ( Getty Images ) They are not only complicit in war crimes but actively enabling military communications in an apartheid state. We demand a total trade embargo on Israel and an end to the pinkwashing of complicit corporations. According to Youth Demand, one of the protestors, Reya Wood, 22, a student from Swansea, said: I am taking action against Cisco at London Pride to highlight the companys complicity in genocide and how they are hiding their crimes behind a veil of pink washing. As a queer woman, this action is particularly meaningful to me. I refuse to stand aside and allow my queer identity to be exploited for commercial gain at the hands of war criminals. The protesters were pictures being arrested and taken away by police. The Independent has contacted Cisco and the Met Police for comment. A spokesperson from the force told the Mail Online: Met officers have arrested five people after Youth Demand protesters disrupted the Pride event in central London. At around 12:30hrs four members of the group threw red paint over a truck involved in the parade and glued themselves to the vehicle outside The Ritz. open image in gallery Youth Demand activists disrupted Londons Pride parade by throwing red paint at a float in a pro-Palestine protest on Saturday. ( Getty Images ) They were removed by specialist officers and arrested. A fifth member of the group was arrested in the crowd. The parade has resumed and a significant policing operation remains in place. The protest happened a short distance away from a separate protest taking place in support of recently proscribed group Palestine Action. Over 20 people were arrested on suspicion of terror offences at a Palestine Action protest where dozens stood silently beneath the statue of Mahatma Ghandi in Parliament Square. open image in gallery The protesters were pictures being arrested and taken away by police. ( REUTERS ) The protesters were holding placards that said: I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action. It came hours after Palestine Action lost a late-night Court of Appeal challenge on Friday which sought to stop the protest group being banned. The move was confirmed less than two hours before the new legislation came into force at midnight. The designation as a terror group means that membership of or support for Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The protest started at about 1.10pm and officers were seen taking people away shortly after 1.30pm. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice TGI Fridays is heralding a "comeback" following a period of significant upheaval that saw the restaurant chain secure a rescue deal and implement a string of closures last year. The US-themed eatery and cocktail bar asserts it has undergone a substantial transformation since its acquisition out of administration in October. Described by bosses as a "full brand reset", the initiative includes updating half of its dishes and reworking 70 per cent of its grill items, promising new flavours and increased customisation. It also plans to revive the brands Americana influence and theatre theme with some locations reintroducing photo booths and candyfloss machines. TGI Fridays said it was launching a comeback offer to mark the relaunch and prompt more diners to come back. The brand is launching various comeback offers to mark the relaunch ( Getty Images ) Diners who order from the menu across Independence Weekend the US holiday celebrated between July 4-6 will receive a voucher for a free return meal, valid on weekdays for the rest of the month. TGI Fridays first opened in New York in 1965 with a party-led theme and continues to operate a string of restaurants in the US. After its previous UK operator fell into administration, 51 restaurants were acquired by private equity firms Breal Capital and Calveton UK. While the deal secured a future for the chain on Britains high streets, it led to the closure of 35 restaurants, resulting in about 1,000 staff being made redundant. TGI said it now operates 49 restaurants and has about 2,500 members of staff. Restructuring efforts since the takeover have resulted in a leaner and more streamlined business with a significant reduction in overhead costs, it said on Friday. It also highlighted an improvement in sales in recent months, since the start of 2025. Prior to the acquisition, TGI faced falling sales in the UK amid wider struggles for the casual dining sector, which has grappled with weaker consumer spending. Julie McEwan, chief executive of TGI Fridays UK, said: This is an exciting moment for TGI Fridays a full brand reset that reinforces everything people have always loved about us. TGI Fridays has a rich heritage of bold flavour, high-energy hospitality and unforgettable celebrations and weve gone back to those roots to bring that magic into a new era. Over the past eight months, weve restructured the business, invested in our incredible team, and rebuilt our offer around quality, value and experience. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice David Lammy has brought a team of Britains elite diplomats home in a bid to finally kickstart economic growth and combat the global impact of Donald Trumps tariffs. Senior ambassadors and high commissioners have come back to the UK to take part in a roadshow around the country to encourage businesses to export more and link up with the countries they are posted in. It comes as the E-Commerce Trade Commission recently reported that 70,000 businesses in Britain which are ready to export are still not exporting. The commission estimated that 7bn of growth could be unlocked in the economy if UK businesses fulfil their potential by linking up with foreign markets. With economic growth in the UK at a mere 0.7 per cent for the first quarter and concerns that a failure to hit potential has left an unwelcome 18bn hole in chancellor Rachel Reevess budget, the government is desperate to use all its resources to turn things around. open image in gallery Ambassador to Belgium Anne Sherriff visiting Belgian brewing group AB InBev, Budweiser UK&I in South Wales ( UK Gov ) There was speculation that the mounting pressure on the chancellor, combined with needing to find another 5bn after welfare cuts were abandoned, was the reason she was in tears during PMQs on Wednesday. There have been concerns as well that while the UK mitigated the effect of Mr Trumps tariffs in its trading relationship with a deal struck by Sir Keir Starmer, the wider impact on business confidence and global supply chains continues to be a problem. The decision to deploy senior diplomats follows an instruction by the prime minister that all departments need to take part in delivering economic growth. In a speech at the British Chambers of Commerce in March, the foreign secretary laid out a new partnership between government and business to drive economic growth in the UK and ensure this government is delivering for the British public. Speaking to The Independent about the diplomats roadshow, he said: Our ambassadors and high commissioners are the salesforce for the UK economy. Through this roadshow, my top diplomats are meeting mayors and regional businesses to discuss trade and investment opportunities and strike new partnerships, ultimately so they can champion the UKs interests overseas and deliver growth. In this governments Plan for Change, the economic interests of British businesses sits at the heart of our foreign policy. The roadshow follows the launch of the governments landmark modern Industrial Strategy, with each roadshow stop designed to target one of the eight growth sectors, including defence, clean energy, life sciences, digital tech, advanced manufacturing, and services. On Thursday last week, Britains ambassador to Japan, Julia Longbottom, visited Portsmouth with more than 10 visits taking place last week and more planned throughout the summer and into the Autumn. open image in gallery David Lammy ( Reuters ) Ms Longbottom visited British hovercraft manufacturers Griffon Marine, which has a multi-million-pound deal with the authorities in Japans Oita prefecture to provide vital passenger services connecting Oita airport in Kunisaki with Oita City. She said: I was particularly excited by Portsmouths strong defence industrial base, cutting-edge technology, and advanced manufacturing sector, all fantastic opportunities for partnership with Japan. On Monday, the ambassador to Belgium, Anne Sherriff, visited south Wales for a meeting with the Welsh governments director for international relations. She also visited CSA Catapult, a not-for-profit research and technology organisation based in Newport, which supports startups, SMEs, large organisations, and academia to commercialise compound semiconductor technologies. The first roadshow kicked off last week with the ambassador to South Korea, Colin Crooks, heading to the North East of England. The ambassador visited firms linked to clean energy with a tour of the Teesworks freeport and met with the UK chief executive of SeAH Wind, a South Korean company constructing a wind turbine manufacturing facility in Teesside. Meanwhile, Joelle Jenny, the ambassador to Denmark, visited Lincolnshire, while Ed Llewellyn, the ambassador to Italy, went to south Yorkshire. The roadshow will build on the 86bn boost to the science and tech sectors announced in the spending review, which backed UK regions to take cutting-edge research into their own hands. The research and development package means local leaders have government backing to develop innovation clusters across the country, to unlock the talent and opportunity in every region and nation. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The images of Rachel Reeves crying on the frontbenches during PMQs on Wednesday just hours after the government was forced into a humiliating 5bn climbdown on welfare were stark. It looked like Sir Keir Starmers top team was on the brink of falling apart. But the following day, the prime minister came out fighting, insisting his chancellor who also looked notably more cheery was here to stay. A minister in tears would make news any day of the year. But on a day when questions over the prime ministers leadership were already splashed across the papers, just days before he was due to mark one year in office, the image was even more jarring for Labour and only served to add fuel to growing questions about whether he is the right person for the job. For weeks now, there have been whisperings of a possible leadership bid by Angela Rayner. The housing secretarys repeated attempts to shut down the rumours saying she has no desire to hold the top job have done little to dampen speculation. The rumours speak volumes about the level of disaffection within the party over Sir Keirs leadership and the direction of government. Labour won a thumping majority at last years general election. It had a clear mandate to deliver its so-called plan for change, and there was a real sense of optimism. But just one year on, that optimism is well and truly gone. After repeated attempts to reset the narrative, the prime ministers authority has been damaged, while brutal polling shows that voters have turned away. open image in gallery Starmer has reached the one year in office milestone ( The Independent ) And this weeks humiliating welfare debacle, in which the PM gutted his reforms entirely only to still be faced with the largest rebellion of his premiership so far, has only added to his mounting woes. Behind the scenes, there is now more wrangling than ever over where Labour goes next. If Tuesdays welfare vote proved anything, its that Labour MPs are far more left-wing than their leader. Starmer has been attempting to pull the party to the right, in an attempt to both combat the threat posed by Reform and to deliver a government that meets the expectations of the British public. But as a result of failings in Downing Street, and obfuscations from his own MPs, it hasnt worked. There are now growing calls for a reset in No 10. The problem, however, is that this isnt the first time the prime minister has tried to do so. Weve seen repeated attempts to draw a line under previous mistakes and fumbles by the government, but no real change in direction. Despite Starmers insistence that his chancellor is here to stay, there is a growing feeling that without a reshuffle the PM will be unable to truly draw a line under the past year. If he can accompany that with both a clear plan to plug gaps in the public finances after several U-turns including Tuesdays welfare chaos and previous rowbacks on winter fuel payments alongside a genuine strategy to bring down immigration, he may be able to turn his fortunes around. But if that fails, and Starmer is unable to use a reshuffle to strengthen his own authority, there is a small but growing chance the prime minister will be booted out before the next election. Championed by the so-called soft left, there is now a growing feeling within Labour that if the party led by Rayner provided a true left-wing offering (and did it well), that could be a far more effective counter to the divisive politics of Reform UK than Starmers pragmatism. Especially given that Nigel Farages proposals to lift the two-child benefit cap and restore winter fuel payments to all seem to have gone down remarkably well with the public. But sitting to the right of Rayner is Wes Streeting also seen as a strong contender to succeed the PM. Hes well-liked by the party: as of last month he was the third-most popular Labour politician among party members behind Rayner and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who is not currently a Labour MP. Streeting has so far proven himself a safe pair of hands when it comes to the health service, and has led one of the few departments that seems to be somewhat successfully implementing the change that Labour promised. open image in gallery Angela Rayner has said she is not interested in the top job ( Ben Whitley/PA ) While allies of both Streeting and Rayner are trying to shut down fevered speculation over possible leadership bids, some party insiders see the local elections next May as the deadline for when a decision would need to be made on the partys future. But there is an important health warning that needs to accompany any talk of replacing Starmer. He won a massive majority. The Tory years, during which Britain was run by three prime ministers in two months, shouldnt fool anyone into thinking replacing him will be easy. The only official way to remove an incumbent leader of the party is for 20 per cent of Labour MPs to nominate a candidate willing to stand against the leader, triggering a leadership contest. With Labours current majority, that would require at least 80 MPs to get behind a single candidate no easy task. Therefore, the chance of Starmer being replaced is, at present, small. But the clock is ticking. Voters are currently unconvinced that Labour is anything different from the 14 years of Tory failure that Starmer so often talks about. Every day that this sentiment is allowed to fester, the likelihood of a coup increases. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, July 5. Uzbekistan and China are intensifying efforts to develop joint projects in key sectors including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, housing construction, and education, Trend reports via the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade. The initiative was discussed during a meeting between Ilzat Kasimov, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, and Tao Zhen, Director General of the Center for the Promotion of International Cooperation in the Sphere of Production Capacities under Chinas Silk Road Initiative. During the talks, the sides explored opportunities for technical cooperation in agricultural technologies, the pharmaceutical industry, water management, the development of industrial zones, and the construction of modern multi-story residential buildings. The discussions were followed by a roundtable with representatives of leading Chinese companies. Participants exchanged views on the implementation of targeted cooperation and put forward a number of proposals to be developed in stages. The sides agreed to continue consultations to identify and launch concrete projects within the framework of their growing partnership. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Reform UK-run council has removed all transgender-related books from childrens sections in its libraries, the leader has announced. Kent County Council leader Linden Kemkaran said in a post on social media the books will be removed with immediate effect in a victory for common sense in Kent. Councillor Paul Webb, cabinet member for communities and regulatory services at the council, said that he acted to remove all the books after concerns from a resident. In a video posted on X, he said: I was recently contacted by a concerned member of the public who found trans ideological material and books in the childrens section of one of our libraries. I looked into it and this was the case. I have issued an instruction for them all to be removed from the childrens section of any of our libraries. They do not belong in the childrens section of our libraries. Our children do not need to be told they were born in the wrong bodies and from today this will stop. It is understood that the books will not be completely removed but rather relocated to different sections in libraries. open image in gallery Linden Kemkaran (front centre), leader of the Reform UK Kent County Council group, with the Reform UK councillors ( PA Wire ) Ms Kemkaran added in a post on X: Telling children theyre in the wrong body is wrong and simply unacceptable. The book at the centre of the controversy is titled The Autistic Trans Guide to Life, which is described by its publishers as an essential survival guide gives autistic trans and/or non-binary adults all the tools and strategies they need to live as their very best self. It is not yet known exactly which books will be removed and how the council will classify what trans material is. Erin Strawbridge, manager of The Folkestone Bookshop, an LGBT+ bookshop in the county, told BBC Radio Kent: "Censorship does not stop people from learning information but it does send the message, and it's sending a message to the young people of Kent that they're not safe and they're not welcome if they're LGBT or trans. "It just pushes kids into the closet, into worse mental health situations. It's just going to scare young people." The county council is in charge of 99 community-run libraries. A statement from Kent County Council said: Kent County Council have confirmed that children are not and will not be exposed to adult transgender literature in our libraries. Staff at the countys 99 libraries have been asked to ensure that books are always stocked in age-appropriate categories and that no adult literature makes its way into areas specifically aimed at children, or where children will be selecting books, such as the public welcome displays. It follows feedback from a resident who spotted a transgender book aimed at adults in a public display at the entrance of one library in Kent. The book has since been relocated to a section that is unlikely to be visited by children. Mr Webb added: We rightly place child protection and safeguarding at the very top of our list of priorities, as should all adults, especially those that hold public office. The Kent Library Service confirmed that staff will ensure that only age-appropriate books are being displayed in childrens sections of libraries or areas where children will be selecting books to borrow. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Keir Starmer has spent much of his first year in office trying to prepare the public for pain. But as our recent Independent Ask Me Anything Q&A revealed, its the government now feeling the heat politically bruised, economically cornered, and increasingly exposed on its central promise: stability in exchange for tax rises. Rachel Reevess tearful moment in the Commons, followed by a Labour rebellion that forced a U-turn on welfare reform, summed up the bind. The slate Reeves claimed to have wiped clean last year has filled up again and the bill, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, could soon run to 40bn in new tax rises. Not exactly the clean break with austerity Labour once promised. In this context, Starmers new 10-year NHS plan looks less like a policy announcement than a political lifeline: Labours equivalent of the early 1980s recovery that rescued Margaret Thatcher. The plans launch was designed to answer the question Reeves and Starmer still havent resolved whats the reward for all this pain? Meanwhile, discontent on Labours left is turning into open revolt. Zarah Sultana, suspended for opposing the two-child benefit cap, has quit the party to co-lead a new political movement with Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn says discussions are ongoing, but the direction is clear. Labours internal tensions over welfare, war, and public services are no longer just ideological. They are electoral. Below is more from the Q&A that explores what the lefts breakaway movement and the looming autumn Budget could mean for a government now grappling with a welfare reform crisis and mounting pressure on Keir Starmers leadership. Q: Are there now two Labour parties: Starmers leadership circle vs the rest? Criticaleye A: There has always been a tension between the party in the constituencies and the party in parliament. Sometimes the boundaries shift; as now, a lot of Labour MPs aligned with party members on the disability benefits issue. But the most successful period of the party's history was when a fairly small group around Tony Blair controlled the party and maintained a coalition of support among Labour MPs and members. Always worth remembering that party members voted for David Miliband rather than his brother in 2010. Starmer has failed to build such a broad coalition in the party. Q: If Rayner became PM, would she try a different economic approach and would the markets tolerate it? Paul Kearney A: I don't believe that Rayner would try a different economic approach if by that you mean changing the fiscal rules. The rules are not arbitrary or foolish self-imposed restrictions designed to prevent a Labour government from doing nice things. They are essential to maintain the confidence of the markets. Rayner is a pragmatist, and I think she understands that instinctively. Her advantage is that she might be able to communicate the rationale for the economic strategy better than either Keir Starmer or Rachel Reeves. Q: Will Corbyns new party attract Labour defectors? Jase A: I think one of the reasons Jeremy Corbyn has been reluctant to launch a new party is that he understands the British electoral system better than most. He knows that he can win in Islington North as an individual with long name recognition, but that parties to the so-called left of Labour are more or less doomed to irrelevance. The last time a left-wing party, as opposed to famous individuals, won seats in the House of Commons was the Communist Party in 1945, and both those seats were lost in 1950. Since then, George Galloway has won seats as an individual, but his Workers Party has not. Q: Is Angela Rayner emerging as Labours real leader? Sophieeeeeee A: She has a better instinctive grasp of politics and is a better communicator than the prime minister. Not only did she lead the second capitulation to the Labour rebels over the disability benefits bill, seeing that it was necessary to avoid the risk of defeat, but she made sure that the world knew that she was pushing for it. It has been suggested that she pushed Keir Starmer to ditch the PIP section of the bill when the government was going to win the vote as a way of weakening the prime minister. I doubt that this is true: I think her argument was correct that the vote was on a knife-edge and the government could not afford the risk of losing it was better to postpone and fight another day. Q: Should Starmer reshuffle his top team and should Kendall go? BBenB A: In my view, reshuffles never work as a way of recovering government popularity, and often have the effect of moving good ministers just as they are gaining momentum. I think Kendall was asked to do the impossible, but that she should have had a plan ready in opposition for going back to in-person assessments for disability benefits, tackling the rise in mental ill-health claims, and so on. But she should be replaced only if there is someone who could obviously do a better job. Q: Was the welfare reform ever viable? Loz A: It was doomed from the start, and Alan Campbell, the chief whip, told Keir Starmer so in March, when it was launched. It was forced on Liz Kendall by Rachel Reeves, who needed to find 5bn a year by the end of the parliament to keep the public finances on a sustainable footing. Kendall couldn't offer changes such as switching back to in-person assessments instead of telephone/Zoom interviews, which should reduce the number of claims granted, but which couldn't be counted by the Office for Budget Responsibility as savings because no one could be sure of them. Hence, the cuts to the amounts that could be claimed and restrictions on claiming them, which were unacceptable to enough Labour MPs to wipe out the government's majority. Q: Why wont Labour get rid of Starmer now? Dave Smith A: Party members would like to get rid of him already, a year after he delivered the second-largest parliamentary majority. A Survation/LabourList poll at the end of May found 42 per cent of members want a change of leader before the election; 40 per cent did not; the rest didn't know. The most popular alternative among party members is Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, but as he is not an MP, he is out of the running. There is currently no constituency in the country that Labour could be sure of winning in a by-election to get him back into parliament. So the members are arguing, in effect, for Angela Rayner to take over. It is not an outrageous idea: she is one of the few in cabinet to have enhanced their reputation in the first year (see below). But she is not very popular with the public. Would she really change Labour's fortunes dramatically? Perhaps we should wait and see how many houses have been built by 2028. Q: Should Morgan McSweeney go? Ben Brown A: I broadly agree with the prime minister: McSweeney won the election for Labour ministers, who should therefore pipe down and do what he says. Beyond that, anyone calling for the PM's adviser to go is really calling for a change of PM. I think it is too early for that. These questions and answers were part of an Ask Me Anything hosted by John Rentoul at 2pm BST on Friday 4 July. Some of the questions and answers have been edited for this article. You can read the full discussion in the comments section of the original article. For more insight into UK politics, check out Johns weekly Commons Confidential newsletter. The email, exclusive to Independent Premium subscribers, takes you behind the curtain of Westminster. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, head here to find out more. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The police have warned protesters against demonstrating in favour of Palestine Action after it was proscribed as a terrorist group by the government. Protesters are planning to gather in Parliament Square on Saturday holding signs supporting Palestine Action, according to campaign group Defend Our Juries. In a letter to Yvette Cooper, protesters said: "We do not wish to go to prison or to be branded with a terrorism conviction. But we refuse to be cowed into silence by your order." open image in gallery A ban against Palestine Action has come into effect (Lucy North/PA) ( PA Wire ) But, ahead of the planned demonstration, the Metropolitan Police said the proscription means expressing support for the group is now a criminal offence in the UK. Officers policing these will act where criminal offences, including those related to support of proscribed groups or organisations, are committed, the force warned. The Met said it is an offence to invite or express support for a proscribed organisation through chanting, wearing clothing or displaying articles such as flags, signs or logos. The warning raises the stakes ahead of the protest, with demonstrators facing the threat of being arrested under the terrorism act. It comes after the ban on Palestine Action passed into law despite a late-night legal bid to block it. The home secretary welcomed the courts decision not to block the law change, which means supporting Palestine Action is punishable by up to 14 years in prison. open image in gallery Home secretary Yvette Cooper welcomed the courts decision not to block the ban ( PA Wire ) A Home Office spokesperson said on Saturday: "We welcome the Court's decision and Palestine Action are now a proscribed group. "The government will always take the strongest possible action to protect our national security and our priority remains maintaining the safety and security of our citizens." Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action on June 23, stating that the vandalism of the two planes was "disgraceful" and that the group had a "long history of unacceptable criminal damage". MPs in the Commons voted 385 to 26, majority 359, in favour of proscribing the group on Wednesday, before the House of Lords backed the move without a vote on Thursday. Four people - Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22 - have all been charged in connection with the incident at Brize Norton. They appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday after being charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage, under the Criminal Law Act 1977. Left-wing MPs, including Labour backbenchers, opposed the governments decision to proscribe the group, with independent MP Zarah Sultana telling the Commons: To equate a spray can of paint with a suicide bomb isnt just absurd, it is grotesque. It is a deliberate distortion of the law to chill dissent, criminalise solidarity and suppress the truth. Nine Labour MPs voted against the ban. Reacting to the proscription, a spokesperson for Palestine Action said: While the government is rushing through parliament absurd legislation to proscribe Palestine Action, the real terrorism is being committed in Gaza. Palestine Action affirms that direct action is necessary in the face of Israels ongoing crimes against humanity of genocide, apartheid and occupation, and to end British facilitation of those crimes. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Reform UK is under fire for letting teenagers run vital public services after it stormed to power in councils across the country in Mays local elections. The party has been criticised for letting 18-year-old George Finch run Warwickshire County Council, which has a budget of around 500m and assets of 1.5bn. Now, some two months after it took over 10 councils, it has emerged that a slew of high-profile roles have been taken on by teenagers. open image in gallery Charles Pugsley, left, and Joseph Boam have been appointed to major jobs at Leicestershire County Council ( @ReformNWL/X ) On Leicestershire County Council, Reform councillor Charles Pugsley, 19, has been made the cabinet member for children and family services, The Guardian reported. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Joseph Boam has been made deputy council leader and put in charge of adult social care, having previously claimed that depression isnt real, the paper revealed. Both men are reportedly opposed to councils flying flags in support of the LGBT+ community and disabled people one of Reforms first policies, which has been rolled out across local authorities. The Hope Not Hate campaign group claimed Mr Boam had posted praise for the misogynistic influencer Andrew Tate on a now-deactivated social media account. The same account contained the depression isnt real remark, which led to fellow councillors complaining to Reforms leader in Leicestershire. Mr Boam has described the allegations as fake news. A Conservative councillor and leader of the opposition on the council expressed unease at the appointment of the pair in such high-profile roles. Deborah Taylor told The Guardian: I am a huge champion of young people and young councillors but what really concerns me is that new young councillors should be nurtured rather than being thrown in at the deep end to what can be a quite full-on role where there is exposure to some real trauma and difficult decisions. One social worker at the council told the paper: There is some confidence that much of what is being delivered cant be changed because it is statutory and underpinned by legislation. But there are areas where resources are being allocated on a spend to save basis, such as early interventions for families who may, for example, have had multiple removals of children. open image in gallery George Finch runs Warwickshire County Council ( Facebook/Cllr George Finch ) The British Association of Social Workers said the roles were very important and oversee hundreds of millions of pounds of spending. Chair Julia Ross said that, while she recognised the value of fresh perspectives, candidates for such roles should be experienced in running complex departments and have a knowledge of their duties supporting some of the most vulnerable in society. Responding to critics who have questioned his age, Mr Pugsley said on X: Some say Im young. I say thats exactly what this role needs. I understand the challenges young people face today because Ive been there. Now Im making sure young voices are heard. But Green councillor Naomi Bottomley hit back, saying: He also went to a private school and is a landlord, so Im not sure he has quite the same experience as many vulnerable young people. Mr Finch took over as leader of Warwickshire County Council after his predecessor Rob Howard quit within weeks of being elected. Mr Howard cited health challenges preventing him from carrying out the role to the level and standard that I would wish. The change means Mr Finch, a former member of the Conservative Party, is now responsible for the council, with 1.5bn of assets and a budget of around 500m. In an interview with The Telegraph after taking over, Mr Finch vowed to take on the blob and pointed out that Mike Tyson was the youngest heavyweight boxer of the world, at the age of 20. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A seven-year-old cat who was found in the aftermath of Californias Eaton Fire has finally found a forever home. Art, a gray tabby, was rescued by Pasadena Humane during a chaotic time. The shelter was trying to house as many pets as they could find in the aftermath of the destructive Eaton Fire, which killed at least 18 people and destroyed more than 9,000 buildings in January. The blaze was one of the most destructive in the states history. When no one came to retrieve Art for more than a month, the shelter thought he may be a stray and put him up for adoption, KTLA 5 reports. Art was first adopted in the spring by someone in the San Gabriel Valley area. But after three months Arts new owner returned him to the shelter. Kevin McManus, director of communications for Pasadena Humane, said the owner thought Art was too needy. open image in gallery Art, a seven-year-old gray tabby, was rescued by Pasadena Humane after the destructive Eaton Fire. Now, he has found his forever home ( Pasadena Humane ) The adopter described him as needy, but part of that neediness was his desire to play, and play a little bit more roughly than she had bargained for, he told KTLA 5. McManus says the owner made the right decision. We are committed to trying to make the best match between the animals and the families looking to adopt, McManus said. Because with more information, it helps us greatly to find a better fit the next time. On June 5, Art was put back up for adoption. [Art] was returned to the shelter for being too needy, Pasadena Humane wrote on Facebook. But we know thats actually a positive trait to a lot of adopters! If youre looking for a Velcro kitty who always wants to be the center of attention (and will show off his perfectly fluffy belly to make sure that happens), seven-year-old Art is probably the cat for you, the post continued. Within a day, Art found a new home. Kiri Celiceo commented on the Pasadena Humanes post revealing she adopted Art soon after seeing the post. When my husband and I saw this post we knew straight away we had to take Art home, she wrote. Ive had cats all my life and have been without one for a couple of years so it was high time to welcome a new one into our lives. Celiceo told The Independent that Art now goes by Arthur and is settling in very well. Hes such a loving and talkative but chill cat, she said. The Pasadena Humane shelter took in hundreds of pets as the Eaton Fire wreaked havoc on Southern California. open image in gallery A firefighter watches as the Eaton Fire burns in Pasadena, California. The blaze killed at least 18 people and destroyed thousands of buildings ( REUTERS ) Dia DuVernet, president and chief executive of Pasadena Humane, told Reuters they originally took in many pets for temporary shelter. But as more people lost their homes they had to keep the pets for longer. Were also starting to see people who brought their animals for what we thought would be temporary shelter, but they dont have homes to go back to, and so its turning into a longer-term sheltering situation, she said in January. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Seven people in Georgia were hospitalized on the Fourth of July after a boat explosion on Lake Lanier. Around 7 p.m., Hall County Fire Rescue responded to reports of the 23foot cabin cruiser ablaze on Landshark Cove. The incident, caught on video, sent flaming debris shooting into the air, with flames reaching almost five feet high. The seven people aboard the boat, which was being towed, sustained second or third-degree burns. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Hall County Fire officials, the victims ranged in age from 5 to 45 years old. "The operator towing the boat rescued all seven people and took them to waiting paramedics at Margaritaville," DNR officials said. open image in gallery The victims, ranging from age 5 to 45, sustained second or third-degree burns. ( Getty Images ) Initial reports listed five injured, but that number later rose to seven as rescue crews assessed all passengers. Four injured people were transported to the Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, with one of those being airlifted. Another passenger was taken by ambulance to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. Alongside these hospitalizations, two other people received treatment and were stabilized on-site. Officials confirmed that all seven were in stable condition when they left the scene. Hall County Fire Rescue did not provide any further updates when contacted by The Independent on Saturday. Fire crews from Hall County and Gainesville quickly brought the flames under control using a portable pump and a marine rescue boat. After extinguishing the fire, responders towed the smoking vessel to shore. The Hall County Fire Marshals Office has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the explosion. As of now, no official cause has been identified. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A protest against gentrification and mass tourism that began peacefully in Mexico City on Friday turned violent when a small number of people began smashing storefronts and harassing foreigners. Masked protesters smashed through the windows and looted high-end businesses in the touristic areas of Condesa and Roma. Some screamed at tourists in the area. Marchers then continued on to protest outside the U.S. Embassy. Graffiti on glass shattered glass being smashed through with rocks read: get out of Mexico. open image in gallery A peaceful protest in the city turned sour on Friday ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Police reinforcements gathered outside the Embassy building as police sirens rung out in the city center Friday evening. It marked a violent end to a more peaceful march throughout the day calling out against masses of American tourists who have flooded into Mexico's capital in recent years. Tension had been mounting in the city since American digital nomads flocked to Mexico City in 2020, many to escape coronavirus lockdowns in the U.S. Since, rents have soared and locals have increasingly gotten pushed out of their neighborhoods, particularly areas like Condesa and Roma, lush areas packed with coffee shops and restaurants. The Mexico City protest comes at the same time other European cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Rome and more are also facing mounting protests railing against mass-tourism. Last year, 747 million international travellers visited Europe, far outnumbering any other region in the world, according to the U.N.'s World Tourism Barometer. Southern and Western Europe welcomed more than 70 per cent of them. Among factors driving the record numbers are cheap flights, social media, the ease of travel planning using artificial intelligence and what U.N. tourism officials call a strong economic outlook for many rich countries that send tourists despite some geopolitical and economic tensions. open image in gallery A demonstrator burns an effigy of U.S. President Donald Trump in Parque Mexico, during a protest against gentrification ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Citizens of countries like the U.S., Japan, China and the U.K. generate the most international trips, especially to popular destinations, such as Barcelona in Spain and Venice in Italy. Protests have erupted against the growing tide of travellers because, critics say, it strains housing and water. At the most Instagrammable hotspots in the region, protests and measures to lessen the effects of overtourism have proliferated. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Shark sightings forced some New York beaches to close on the busy Fourth of July holiday weekend. Millions of Americans celebrated Independence Day on Friday, with many opting to hang out at the beach. New Yorkers who wanted to take advantage of the sunny weather may have been disappointed to find Rockaway Beach in Queens was closed after shark sightings. New York City Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry alerted the closures in an X post Friday afternoon. Daughtry said two sharks were spotted near Beach 32nd Street shortly before 11:30 a.m. ET. open image in gallery Shark sightings forced some New York beaches to close on the busy Fourth of July holiday weekend ( NYC Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry ) open image in gallery Multiple sharks were spotted at Rockaway Beach ( NYC Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry ) open image in gallery New York takes shark monitoring seriously using drones ( NYC Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry ) He said one marine animal was also seen at Beach 144th Street and the latest sighting was at Beach 30th Street. These sightings were very close to beachgoers. But thanks to drone tech, lifeguards, and the dedicated professionals at [NYC Emergency Management], were keeping everyone safe as they enjoy the holiday. Beach 30th Street was only closed for an hour on Friday, according to Daughtry. New York takes shark monitoring seriously. Lifeguards continuously patrol the water and beach police and staff use drones to spot dangerous marine life, such as sharks, and large schools of fish that may attract them, according to a recent press release from Governor Kathy Hochuls office. The Empire State has increased its surveillance capabilities this summer, which includes six new drones, marking 28 drones total, and training eight new drone operators for a total of 48 operators. New York also gave beach police one large enterprise drone with thermal imaging, among other capabilities. The drone can also drop personal flotation devices into the water in emergencies. Our Long Island State Park beaches are cherished by New Yorkers and visitors alike perfect places to get offline, get outside and enjoy the outdoors, Hochul said in Wednesdays release. She continued: We are continuing to strengthen our shark surveillance capabilities and safety tactics at these beaches to help protect these treasured summertime traditions. I encourage all beachgoers to stay safe, stay alert and always follow the direction of lifeguards and park staff. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice At least 24 people are reported dead and many more are missing, including girls from a Christian summer camp, after catastrophic river flooding hit central Texas Thursday and Friday. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said by Friday evening 24 people have been killed in the flooding, according to theThe New York Times. Texas officials said earlier Friday about 20 girls from a nearby camp were missing. Its currently unclear how many people are missing as of Friday night. Governor Greg Abbott signed an emergency disaster declaration Friday night to expedite state funding for the areas most severely impacted. Abbott said emergency crews were still in a search and rescue posture at a news conference Friday night. open image in gallery At least 24 people have been killed in severe flooding in central Texas. Many more are missing ( AP ) open image in gallery Law enforcement has responded to dozens of emergency calls ( Eric Vryn/Getty Images ) Earlier Friday, Gov. Abbott said in a statement, The State of Texas today has mobilized additional resources in addition to the resources sent in preparation for the storms. I urge Texans to heed guidance from state and local officials and monitor local forecasts to avoid driving into flooded areas. Ahead of the storms, the state activated emergency response resources in Central Texas in preparation for continued heavy rainfall and flash flooding threats. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly told reporters one of those killed had been found completely naked and without identification. Camp Mystic, the camp the missing girls were attending, said it had notified the parents of those unaccounted for, according to The Austin American-Statesmans Tony Plohetski. An image, sent to local station KSAT, showed girls in the Kerr County camp wading through water overnight. Law enforcement has responded to dozens of emergency calls and one man told KABB his brother, sister-in-law, and their two children were lost, along with their house. Nearby, in Ingram, an RV park had been swept away. open image in gallery Rescue crews spent July 4 searching for many people who are still missing ( Eric Vryn/Getty Images ) Kerr County Sheriffs Office spokesperson Clint Morris told the station it is an extremely active scene, countywide. This may be a once-in-a-lifetime flood for the county, he said, noting authorities have responded to multiple calls for high-water rescues. The state has called in the National Guard to assist in the efforts. Kelly later told reporters the county does not have a warning system. The floods came while people were asleep. As many as 10 inches of rain fell in the area, causing the flash flooding of the Guadalupe River. The river rose to nearly 35 feet on Friday, reaching its second-highest height on record. An additional one to three inches of rain are expected to fall before they subside on Friday night. open image in gallery Governor Greg Abbott signed an emergency disaster declaration Friday night to expedite state funding for the areas most severely impacted ( AP ) The flooding came as residents in the Northeast were spending their Fourth of July holiday cleaning up from strong thunderstorms that swept through the region Thursday night, bringing heavy rain, wind and hail. The storms are being blamed for at least three deaths in central New Jersey, including two men in Plainfield who died after a tree fell onto a vehicle they were traveling in during the height of the storm, according to a city Facebook post. The men were ages 79 and 25, officials said. They were not immediately publicly identified. open image in gallery Local park entrances were flooded in Kerrville. Officials said dozens of rescues had been conducted ( City of Kerrville, TX - City Hall/Facebook ) Our hearts are heavy today, Mayor Adrian O. Mapp said in a statement. This tragedy is a sobering reminder of the power of nature and the fragility of life. The city canceled its planned July Fourth parade, concert and fireworks show. Mapp said the devastating storms had left deep scars and widespread damage in the community of more than 54,000 people and it was a time to regroup and focus all of our energy on recovery. Continuing power outages and downed trees were reported Friday throughout southern New England, where some communities received large amounts of hail. There were reports of cars skidding off the road in northeastern Connecticut. With reporting from The Associated Press. Close Moment entire cabin full of people swept downriver in Texas flooding The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The death toll from the catastrophic flooding in central Texas has surpassed 100, as hope of finding survivors continues to fade. At least 84 of the victims were killed in Kerr County alone after the Guadalupe River burst from its banks on Friday, sweeping away homes, vehicles and devastating Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp situated on the banks of the river. The camp said Monday that 27 girls and staff members had been killed in the disaster, with 11 still missing. Search and rescue efforts entered their fifth day Tuesday with hundreds of local and state responders and volunteers being supported by helicopters, drones and dive teams as they weaved through downed trees and combed through piles of debris in search of survivors. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. warned locals to expect a rough week as the chances of finding survivors fell. Dozens of people remain missing. The disaster dates back to the early hours of Friday when heavy rainfall in western Kerr County caused the Guadalupe River to swell almost 24 feet in under an hour. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, July 5. The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan has officially launched the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code, an initiative developed in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Trend reports via the Kyrgyz Bank. Aimed at improving access to finance for women-led businesses, the initiative seeks to unlock the full economic potential of female entrepreneurs across the country. Speaking at the launch ceremony, National Bank Chairperson Melis Turgunbaev underscored the macroeconomic significance of the initiative. He emphasized that supporting women's entrepreneurship is not a niche policy but a key element of Kyrgyzstans broader economic strategy. "The small and medium-sized enterprise sector, where women entrepreneurs play a significant role, accounts for a large share of our countrys GDP. The launch of the Code, reinforced by the recent legal recognition of the concept of womens entrepreneurship, lays a solid institutional foundation for mobilizing financial sector resources and channeling them into the development of this strategically important segment of the economy," said Turgunbaev. Key financial reforms were introduced as part of the initiative. Among them are increased limits for unsecured loans, which aim to ease credit access for women entrepreneurs. Additionally, reserve requirements for banks have been reduced: financial institutions participating in women-focused programs can now allocate just 1 percent in reserves for potential credit losses, making such lending more financially attractive and less burdensome for lenders. "We are not issuing calls to action we are building functioning market mechanisms. The financing of women entrepreneurs is not only strategically important but commercially viable," he said, calling the Code a long-term institutional effort rather than a one-time measure. To ensure implementation and oversight, the National Bank will coordinate a newly formed National Coalition under the Code. This coalition will align the efforts of all participating stakeholders and monitor progress over time. A cornerstone of the initiative will be the introduction of gender-disaggregated data collection by financial institutions, which will enable more accurate, evidence-based regulatory and policy decisions going forward. The Code has already gained strong support within the financial sector. Ten of the countrys leading financial institutions, including seven commercial banks, two microfinance organizations, and the state-backed Guarantee Fund, have officially signed on to the initiative. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice "Knowing Elon the way I know him, I do think hes going to do everything to damage the president." So declared Elon Musk's former friend and business associate Philip Low, who has known the Tesla and SpaceX tycoon for 14 years, in a recent interview with Politico. Those remarks seemed to be borne out Monday night when Musk renewed his on-again, off-again feud with Donald Trump by attacking Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" and threatening to form a new political party. Trump responded in kind, suggesting he would "take a look" at revoking Musk's citizenship and that he "might have to put DOGE on Elon". As The Independent reported last month, there are a great many ways that Trump could try to hurt Musk, from targeting his companies with federal investigations to deportation or even criminal investigations. But Musk is not without cards to play. Through his vast wealth, his business empire, and his ability to martial a zealous online fanbase, he has plenty of ways to make life difficult for his erstwhile "buddy". So if the world's richest person really wants this fight, what punches could he throw? Donald Trump will 'take a look' at deporting Elon Musk A money hose for Trumps opponents The first and most obvious weapon in Musk's arsenal is his vast wealth: an estimated $405 billion, according to Forbes. In the 2024 election, Musk plowed $295 million into supporting Republican candidates, chiefly Trump himself. That's a huge amount in American politics, but it's chump change for today's mega-rich. For context, across the whole of 2023 and 2024, the total amount of money raised by all presidential candidates was only $2 billion, according to the Federal Election Commission. Congressional candidates raised $3.8 billion, while PACs raised a more respectable $15.7 billion. Matching those amounts wouldn't be trivial for Elon Musk, because like most of the world's richest people his wealth is tied up in stocks that can't easily be unloaded all at once. Still, based on Wednesday's share prices, he could pay for the entire 2024 election cycle by liquidating just one fifth of his reported $130 billion stake in Tesla. We have a sense already of how Musk might use this money. "Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame! And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth," he said on Monday. He's suggested hed donate to Republican representative Thomas Massie, a persistent critic of Trump's. And there's still another $100 million Musk previously promised Trump that he could decide to withhold. He could even give money to Democrats, who will likely take it (although Trump has threatened serious consequences in that scenario). They are politicians, after all. Musk's billions could also fund the creation of a new political party. Although the USA's first-past-the-post electoral system means third parties find it almost impossible to get a seat in Congress, they can still leech votes from the mainstream. That said, Musk's notion that 80 percent of the USA agrees with his opinions seems disconnected from reality. The polling expert Nate Silver puts his net favorability rating at a weighted average of -18 percent, which is considerably worse than Trump himself. Of course, money isn't everything as Musk himself found out when his attempt to sway the Wisconsin Supreme Court election in March and April crashed and burned. Luckily for him, its not his only asset. Musks cult of personality rivals Trumps own Musk's overall popularity may have dropped dramatically since the election. But his pull with Republican voters specifically was still very high as of early June. That's testament to his ability to build and maintain a fanatical fanbase. Like Trump, he has a knack for inspiring loyalty and whipping up his supporters against new targets, as well as a keen instinct for controversy. And also like Trump, he doesn't need to be popular with all Americans to cause trouble for his enemies. He only needs enough dedicated partisans on his side. Elon has wooed enough of Trumps supporters to be an actual threat politically, Musk's old friend Philip Low told Politico. "[Trump] doesnt realize the battle that he has on his hands." Musk's ownership of X, formerly Twitter, will help him there. Having already turned the social network into a hub of the MAGA media universe and reportedly tweaked its algorithms in favor of his own posts he now has enormous control over the conservative information stream. Given how many Americans now essentially live in a parallel media universe, maintained by fake news entrepreneurs and skewed social media algorithms, that gives him influence over what Trump's base even believes to be reality. Granted, Trump remains the unquestioned ruler of the GOP. And when polls pit Musk against Trump directly, Republican voters largely side with the king. Yet Musk's combination of financial and social capital makes him a powerful ally to anyone within the party hoping to chart their own course. From fiscal hawks opposed to Trump's spending spree to centrists with one eye on their purple state majority, there are plenty of people in Congress who won't always back Trump 100 percent. Musk can boost and sustain them, helping them resist the eye of Sauron effect that Trump has traditionally used to beat his coalition into line. Musks influence crosses countries and industries Other threats are more esoteric. NASA would be pretty stuck without SpaceX, which currently offers the only reliable way of ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Musk's satellite business Starlink is relied on by governments and militaries across the world, including some U.S. agencies. Having helped kickstart China's world-leading electric vehicle industry, he also has a serious fanbase in China and good relationships with the Chinese Communist Party. "Brother Musk, youve got over a billion people on our side backing you," said one user on the Chinese social network Weibo on Wednesday. Most juicily of all, he has information. Musk spent months at the heart of the Trump administration, attending cabinet meetings and undertaking highly controversial projects. What might he have learned or witnessed during that time that could damage Trump politically? We got a taste of that when Musk accused Trump of being "in the Epstein files". That's nothing new: we've known since 2015 that Trump was in Jeffrey Epstein's address book (which is not evidence of wrongdoing), and his ties to the child-abusing financier are long documented. Yet as Trump knows all too well, in today's politics truth has only a passing relevance to how much chaos a lurid allegation can cause. Trump ignores question about Musk's Epstein Files claim None of these factors are a slam dunk for Musk. His born-again MAGA conversion has trashed his former reputation as an apolitical business genius, and toxified his image among Democratic voters. Getting more involved in politics would only prolong investors' disquiet about his ability to focus on running Tesla and SpaceX. Trying to dish dirt on Trump could also tempt revenge in kind, which could be dangerous given the sheer range of allegations about Musk's personal life. Most of all, to misquote a line from the early 19th century writer Hilaire Belloc that Musk seems to be fond of: whatever happens, Trump has got the nukes, and Musk does not. Then again, when has the near certainty of adverse consequences ever stopped Elon Musk? Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A former liberal climate activist who now embraces conservative ideals claimed young New York City voters who cast their ballot for the mayoral Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani are misguided, and that his policies will make them poorer. Lucy Biggers, a 35-year-old woman who once heavily advocated for environmental-saving policies but has since abandoned them, is using her social media following to promote her new beliefs that align more closely with Republicans: lower taxes, less regulation, and less government intervention. She has also downplayed the current impact of climate change on weather. Taking to TikTok, Biggers tried to relate to Mamdanis supporters by saying she, too, would have loved a candidate like Mamdani when she was young, but she now sees his policies as flawed. Referring to young voters as people with underdeveloped frontal lobes, Biggers said Mamdani appealed to the group of voters by selling them a fantasy that ultimately doesnt work. Youre indoctrinated as a young person in America to believe that capitalism is bad and all your problems is because of these evil business owners, Biggers said in her TikTok video. open image in gallery A former liberal social media influencer claims Zohran Mamdanis policies will hurt New York City ( Getty ) I have to warn young people who are caught up in the Mamdani vibes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, Biggers claimed. Mamdani, who conservatives have portrayed as a radical socialist, has said he wants to implement a freeze on rent-stabilized apartments, expand free fares on city buses, open a city-owned grocery store, and raise taxes on the wealthy and corporations. His policies seek to create equality in the city, which is widely popular with Democratic voters. Ultimately, he beat the established Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary last month. However, Biggers believes that raising taxes on the wealthy in the largest city in the United States will drive them away, forcing lower- and middle-class taxpayers to foot the bill for government-paid-for policies. His policies are not going to be the things that fix our city or our government. The policies that we really, really need is less regulation, less taxes, Biggers asserted. open image in gallery Lucy Biggers, a former liberal climate activist, now promotes more Republican-aligned ideals ( Fox News ) The social media personality told the New York Post that young people glorify socialism because they dont know what happened in Cuba, Venezuela, the USSR. Seeking to relate to people on TikTok, Biggers claimed she helped get Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive Representative in New York, elected in 2018. At the time, Biggers worked for NowThis, which filmed a video with Ocasio-Cortez that went viral. However, YouTube channels like The Young Turks had already been profiling Ocasio-Cortez before the NowThis video. Biggers now works for The Free Press, a right-leaning online media organization that sought investments from David Sacks, Marc Andreessen, Howard Schultz, and more. However, from the TikTok comments, it appears Biggers has not convinced a major audience of her beliefs. Many cited her place of employment as a major influence on her anti-Mamdani rhetoric. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Australian police have launched a hunt for the suspect who set fire to a synagogue in East Melbourne while 20 worshippers were inside, in the latest suspected targeting of the nations Jewish community. An unknown man entered the synagogue on Albert Street in East Melbourne at about 8pm on Friday and started a fire before fleeing the scene on foot, Victoria police said in a statement. No one was hurt in the incident, as all 20 people inside the synagogue evacuated themselves through the rear of the building. The attack came just hours before two other incidents a protest at an Israeli restaurant in Melbournes CBD and an early morning arson and vandalism in Greensborough prompting police to investigate whether the events are linked. Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese condemned the shocking acts and said antisemitism has no place in Australia. He pledged full federal support for Victorian authorities investigating the incident, which occured on Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening for spiritual reflection. Those responsible for these shocking acts must face the full force of the law, and my government will provide all necessary support toward this effort, the prime minister said. Police said firefighters attended the scene and extinguished the blaze, which was contained to the front entrance. Police are still working to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the fire, including the motivation behind the incident, the police said. There is absolutely no place in our society for antisemitic or hate-based behaviour, the statement added. The attack has not been declared a terrorist incident but arson was being treated very seriously, Victoria police commander Zorka Dunstan said. At this stage, we are not declaring this a terrorist incident; we will determine the intent of the persons involved to determine if it is terrorism, officer Dunstan said. This comes amid a spate of antisemitic incidents in Australia this year, with homes, schools, synagogues, and vehicles targeted by vandalism and arson drawing condemnation from Israel, one of the countrys longstanding allies. In another incident just hours later, a group of around 20 protesters stormed into an Israeli restaurant on Hardware Street in Melbournes CBD. Witnesses said the group shouted Death to the IDF referring to the Israel Defence Forces before entering the restaurant, Miznon. In a third incident on Saturday, Victoria Police said a group of people entered a business in Greensborough at around 4.30am and set fire to three cars. They also used spray paint to vandalise the vehicles. Police were working to determine whether the three incidents were linked. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice British Foreign Secretary David Lammy met in Damascus on Saturday with Syrias interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, marking the restoration of relations after 14 years of tension during Syria's conflict and Assad family rule. Syria has been improving relations with Western countries following the fall of President Bashar Assad in December in an offensive led by al-Sharaas Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Islamist group. Al-Sharaas office said Lammy and the president discussed mutual relations and ways of boosting cooperation and the latest regional and international developments. Lammy later met his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shibani, state media reported. A statement issued by Britain's foreign office said the visit showed London's commitment to support Syria as the new government seeks to rebuild the country's economy, deliver an inclusive political transition and forge a path to justice for the victims of the Assad government. It added that there will be new U.K. funding to assist with the removal of Assad-era chemical weapons and provide urgent humanitarian assistance in Syria, to bolster U.K. and Middle East security and tackle irregular migration. The statement said the British government wants to ensure that the Islamic State group's territorial defeat endures, and they can never resurge. IS once controlled large parts of Syria and Iraq, where it planned attacks worldwide. It was defeated in Syria in March 2019 when the extremists lost the last sliver of land they once controlled. The statement said Britain's support for Syria is set to continue, with the additional 94.5 million pounds ($129 million) package announced Saturday. It will provide urgent humanitarian aid to Syrians, support Syrias longer-term recovery through education and livelihoods, and support countries hosting Syrian refugees in the region. In April, the British government lifted sanctions against a dozen Syrian entities, including government departments and media outlets, to help the country rebuild after Assad's ouster. Weeks earlier, the U.K. had dropped sanctions against two dozen Syrian businesses, mostly banks and oil companies. Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending many American economic sanctions on Syria, following through on a promise he made to al-Sharaa. Syrias new leaders have been struggling to rebuild the countrys decimated economy and infrastructure after nearly 14 years of civil war that has killed half a million people. In recent months, al-Sharaa visited oil-rich regional countries and France in May in his first visit to the Europe Union. Also on Saturday, Lammy met in Beirut with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and they discussed the situation along the Lebanon-Israel border following the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war. A statement issued by Aoun's office, quoted the Lebanese leader as telling Lammy that Beirut plans to raise the number of Lebanese troops along the border with Israel to 10,000. Aoun added that the only armed sides on the Lebanese side of the border will be Lebanon's national army and U.N. peacekeepers. ___ Mroue reported from Beirut. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Hamas has said it has submitted a positive response to mediators regarding the latest US-backed proposal to broker a ceasefire with Israel, raising hopes of a possible breakthrough in the conflict, which has heightened humanitarian concerns in Gaza. Earlier, US president Donald Trump announced a final proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, stating that Israel had accepted the necessary conditions to end the hostilities. The plan envisages the staggered release of 10 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas, as well as the return of the bodies of 18 others, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and a halt to the bombing of Gaza. The movement has delivered its response to the brotherly mediators, which was characterised by a positive spirit, Hamas said on its official website on Friday. Hamas is fully prepared, with all seriousness, to immediately enter a new round of negotiations on the mechanism for implementing this framework. Israeli media reported that Israel has received Hamass response, and it was being examined as prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to endorse the plan publicly. open image in gallery Lian Al-Za'anin, centre, is comforted by relatives as she mourns the loss of her father, Rami Al-Za'anin, who was killed while heading to an aid distribution hub, at the morgue of the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City ( Copyright 2025, The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) It comes ahead of Mr Netanyahus expected meeting with Mr Trump in Washington on Monday. In Gaza, civilians continue to endure starvation-level conditions and relentless bombardment as the war nears its second year. People gathering to collect food and water have been targeted, as Israels military campaign in Gaza has caused an acute shortage of basic supplies and pushed the population to the brink of starvation. The United Nations human rights office said that 613 Palestinians were killed within a month while trying to access humanitarian aid. Of those, 509 people were killed while trying to receive aid at distribution points run by the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). A Hamas official said the ceasefire under the new proposal could begin as early as next week, but added that further talks were needed to determine how many Palestinian prisoners would be released for each freed Israeli hostage, and to specify the amount of aid that would enter Gaza during the truce. Hamas wants aid to flow in greater quantities through the UN and other humanitarian agencies, an official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. open image in gallery Abdel Hadi Bashir mourns the loss of his two daughters, Sabah and Mira who were killed in an Israeli army airstrike of the Gaza Strip ( Copyright 2025, The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The official also said that negotiations on a permanent ceasefire and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza would begin on the first day of the truce, in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages. The last ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapsed in March, and since then, more than 6,000 people have been killed in Gaza as Israeli forces intensified their attacks, worsening the humanitarian crisis in the enclave of two million people. Previous rounds of negotiations have stalled over Hamass demands for guarantees that further talks would lead to an end to the war, while prime minister Netanyahu has insisted that Israel will resume fighting to ensure the destruction of the militant group. Well see what happens. Were going to know over the next 24 hours, Mr Trump told reporters on Air Force One late on Thursday when asked if Hamas had agreed to the latest framework for a ceasefire. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has said the death toll in the Palestinian territory has surpassed 57,000. While the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, it reports that more than half of those killed are women and children. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An American Airlines plane was forced to return to its origin airport after a snooping passenger spotted and misinterpreted a text message received by another traveler. According to a report in local news outlet Primera Hora, a passenger on a July 3 flight leaving San Juan, Puerto Rico, saw another traveler receive a test message that said "RIP." Rest in peace is an idiom frequently used in relation to the recently dead. The passenger who saw the text reportedly interpreted it as a threat to the flight, according to Puerto Rico's Office of Explosives and Public Safety. The flight, American Airlines 1847, was on schedule for its trip between San Juan and Dallas, but after the passenger flagged the message the plane returned to San Juan, just 32 minutes after takeoff. Once it landed, airport security and the Transportation Security Administration gave the plane a thorough inspection, and the passenger who raised the alarm about the text was questioned by law enforcement. An American Airlines flight departing San Juan, Puerto Rico on July 3 was forced to turn around after a passenger misinterpreted a text message received by another traveler and reported it to the cabin crew. ( Getty ) The passenger who received the text message was also questioned by Puerto Rican law enforcement. They explained the message was sent in response to one of their relatives who had passed away the day before the flight. The passenger was trying to get to Dallas to assist their family following the death. Once the flight was cleared, it was scheduled to depart again around 9.40 a.m. The plane was delayed by around three-and-a-half hours. Passengers had to stay on board the plane during the investigation. No arrests were made. American Airlines confirmed the incident to USA TODAY, and said the plane was eventually cleared to carry passengers and fly once it was determined there was no threat. "It was a mix-up that was handled in accordance with safety protocols. There was no real threat to the flight or its passengers," Aerostar Airport Holdings' operations director, Nelman Nevarez, said in a statement. Aerostar Airport Holdings manages the airport in San Juan. "The flight landed safely at SJU, and law enforcement inspected and cleared the aircraft to re-depart," the airline said in a statement. "Safety and security are our top priorities and we apologize to our customers for the inconvenience." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A powerful flash flood hit Central Texas Hill Country late Friday into early Saturday, leaving at least 27 people dead, including children, while many more are still missing. Most of the missing were attending Camp Mystic, a popular summer camp along the Guadalupe River. What began as a routine flood watch quickly turned into a deadly disaster. The National Weather Service predicted between 1 and 3 inches of rain, with some isolated spots possibly getting 5 to 7 inches. Instead, parts of Kerr County were slammed with 10 to 15 inches, and in some places, over 20 inches, within a few hours. San Antonio Express-News newsroom meteorologist Anthony Franze said the storm was fueled by warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and leftovers from Tropical Storm Barry. These combined to create a slow-moving weather system that stayed over the area and dumped heavy rain over hills and valleys. The geography of Hill Country made things worse. The steep hills and rocky land dont absorb water well, so rain quickly flows into creeks and rivers. This caused the Guadalupe River to rise more than 20 feet in a matter of hours. open image in gallery Onlookers survey damage along the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area on July 4 in Kerrville, Texas. ( AP ) Its the second-highest level ever recorded, even higher than a historic 1987 flood, Franze said. The area is often called Flash Flood Alley because its prone to these kinds of fast, dangerous floods, Hatim Sharif, a hydrologist and civil engineer at the University of Texas at San Antonio, said in an article for The Conversation. Experts say predicting exactly where and how much rain will fall is difficult, and this storm caught many off guard. Dr. Jess Neumann of the University of Reading said this was a tragic reminder of the dangers of sudden extreme rainfall and flash flooding. "This terrible event, in which children are missing and many have died, raises critical questions about effective early warning systems, flood planning and preparedness in the region, Neumann said in a news release. "It cannot be right that a flood of this magnitude, in an area known to be at high risk of flash floods, caused such devastation and has taken so many people by surprise." open image in gallery A flood gauge marks the height of water flowing over a farm-to-market road near Kerrville, Texas, on July 4. ( AP ) The flood struck in the middle of the night, when most people were asleep. There werent strong warning systems in place to alert residents or campers in time to escape. "We didn't know this flood was coming," Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said Friday. "No one knew this kind of flood was coming." The strength of the flood was depicted by a 22-year-old woman who was swept 20 miles downstream and survived by clinging to a tree until help arrived. More than 850 people have been evacuated so far, and over 200 rescues have been carried out by helicopter, boat, and high-water rescue teams. open image in gallery Thomas Rux, a resident of Riverside RV Park, goes through the wreckage of his RV that was swept away by floodwaters in Ingram, Texas, on July 4. ( Christopher Lee / Staff Photographer ) Texas officials have declared disaster zones in several counties and are sending in state and federal help. Governor Greg Abbott and other leaders are urging people to follow evacuation orders and stay away from flooded areas. We remain in a search-and-rescue posture right now, Abbott said during a Friday night press conference. We will stop at nothing to ensure... that everybody involved in this is going to be fully accounted for." She takes over following the resignation of businessman Michael Carey last month The Government has appointed Carol Tancock as interim chair of The Housing Agency following the resignation of Michael Carey last month. Ms Tancock, who was an independent, non-executive director of the agency prior to the appointment, joined its board in 2023. Her appointment as interim chair of the state agency has been confirmed by Housing Minister James Browne. Mr Carey was also the chairman of Enterprise Ireland, but resigned from that role too at the same time last month. The agency named board member Jim Woulfe as its interim chair. Mr Carey resigned from the boards of the two state agencies after his East Coast Bakehouse company remained in breach of company law by failing to file its annual return, including its accounts on time. The company has been in breach of the law for more than 18 months, putting Mr Carey at risk of prosecution. He pledged last month to file the accounts early in July. Drogheda-based East Coast Bakehouse sells cookies under its own brand as well as manufacturing private label products for clients including supermarkets. It has a number of high-profile financial backers. Mr Carey said it recently completed a 5m growth equity fundraising. The business, founded in 2015, has racked up substantial losses. Thousands of companies are typically in breach of the law at any one time in Ireland. While the potential statutory fines and penalties for failing to file returns on time are sizeable, the reality is that few directors are ever prosecuted in Ireland for non-compliance with their relevant legal obligations under the Companies Act. The Companies Registration Office (CRO) isnt even able to currently undertake the automated strike off of non-compliant companies because of an IT issue that has persisted for more than a year. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment revealed in May this year that the total cost of the troubled IT platform at the CRO, called Regsys, was 2.9m between 2017 and 2020 when it was implemented. The system was developed by a firm called ERS Limited, according to the Department. The CRO also spent almost 1.2m last year and more than 313,000 on the system so far this year on support and maintenance. The Department said it could not isolate the specific costs associated with fixing the IT issue that has affected it. Businessman Denis OBrien has launched a blistering attack on the CEO of the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) in the wake of the agencys handling of a six-year, multi-million-euro, probe into the former INM company. The high-profile businessman said the countrys top corporate watchdogs position should be called into question. Mr OBrien issued a statement after the CEA said in its annual report that the final costs associated with the INM investigation stood at 5.82m. Reacting yesterday, Mr OBrien said the true financial cost is closer to 40m. He claimed the costly High Court process could have been avoided if the CEA, under Ian Drennans leadership, had conducted the investigation itself. Mr OBrien said Mr Drennan had failed to interview him and others before escalating an initial investigation of complaints about governance at INM at a time when Mr OBrien was the biggest shareholder into a High Court inspection. That more formal process saw barrister Sean Gillane SC and UK solicitor Richard Fleck appointed by the High Court in 2018 at the request of the CEA as inspectors to investigate a number of claims including that Leslie Buckley, as INMs then chairman, acted improperly in ways to benefit Mr OBrien. Mr Drennan took a deliberate decision not to engage with or interview several parties The High Court-appointed inspectors report took six years, in part because of Covid, and was published in July last year. It made a number of criticisms but the 868-page report concluded no corporate laws had been breached at INM. The CEA then opted to take no further action. It is now time for the role and conduct of the director, Mr Ian Drennan, to be called into question, Mr OBrien said. Mr Drennan took a deliberate decision not to engage with or interview several parties, including myself, who could have provided him with answers to his questions and saved the State and other parties in excess of 40m. The publication of the report from the CEA was most noteworthy for its failure to make any reference to its own conduct in matters relating to Independent News & Media, [INM], Mr OBrien said. In the foreword to the annual report, Mr Drennan confirmed the CEA had taken the decision not to bring any enforcement action against any of the people whose actions at the then stock market-listed INM had been subject to the inspection. However, in his report, Mr Drennan said that would not mean his agency is less likely to seek a similar process in future in relation to another company if he believed CEA powers of inquiry fell short of what was required to investigate potential corporate wrongdoing. The inspectors ultimately found former INM chairman Mr Buckley did pass confidential information to Mr OBrien in a way that was not compliant with the companys policies and the terms of a memorandum he signed in 2016 but that he did not break company law. The CEA and Mr Drennan did not respond to a request for comment by the time of going to press. This article was amended on July 5th 2025 to correct the first name of solicitor Richard Fleck. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, July 5. Kyrgyzstan and Iran have discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation in the consular sphere, Trend reports via Kyrgyzstan's MFA. The meeting took place between Seitek Zhumakadyrov, Director of the Consular Department of Kyrgyzstans Foreign Ministry, and Ambassador of Iran to Kyrgyzstan, Gholamhossein Yadegari. In the course of the talks, the sides discussed current issues in consular cooperation, with particular focus on measures to protect the rights and legitimate interests of citizens of both countries residing on each others territory. The parties also explored possible ways to simplify consular and migration procedures, aiming to improve the efficiency and accessibility of government services for citizens. Both sides emphasized the importance of active and constructive engagement between their respective agencies to strengthen cooperation on matters of mutual interest. Citizens of Kyrgyzstan may stay in Iran without a visa for up to 15 days. Process slows on companies that were controlled by Russian state Sanctions that continue to be imposed on Ireland-based aircraft and shipping firms that were controlled by the Russian government are hindering the 4bn liquidation of the two entities and deterring some asset buyers, according to the joint liquidators of GTLK Europe and GTLK Europe Capital. The companies were sanctioned by the US Department of Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In 2023, the High Court ordered that GTLK Europe and GTLK Europe Capital be wound up. The companies were liquidated on foot of an application from their creditors, who were owed close to $180m (153m). The largest unsecured creditor of GTLK Capital, and therefore the group, is its bondholders. The aggregate outstanding principal amount of bonds issued by the companies is $3.25bn. The two insolvent Irish firms controlled assets including about 70 jets and 19 sea-going vessels valued at about 4bn. It is the biggest ever liquidation in Ireland. The companies activities were hit by sanctions imposed on Russian entities and individuals following the invasion of Ukraine. The firms are part of Russian joint stock company GTLK, which is wholly owned by the Russian government through its ministry of transport and ministry of finance. As of the end of May, the joint liquidators Damien Murran and Julian Moroney, of Teneos Dublin office had secured just over 60m in realisations and second realisations of 276.2m. There was 190.6m in cash on the books at the end of last month. While the joint liquidators said that substantial progress was made following their appointment to secure necessary licences and permissions from various national regulators to perform the primary tasks of the liquidation, the narrowness of the licence from the OFAC has slowed their work. The limitations of the licence have resulted in considerably more time being devoted to standard process tasks, they said in a liquidation report filed this week. Simple matters, such as the collection of cash receipts, have become arduous tasks taking more time than reasonably expected. The limitations have also gone further, impacting strategic delivery. For example, in isolated instances interested parties have withdrawn from sales processes. The liquidators said that in order to address these issues, they have filed about 17 further applications with the OFAC for additional licences. However, these are taking time to obtain responses, they note. A delisting application to remove GTLK Europe, GTLK Capital and GTLKE Middle East FZCO from the US sanctioned entities list was filed on behalf of the joint liquidators with the US State Department in May 2024, the latest report adds. The ongoing practical challenges in the liquidation as a result of sanctions experienced over the last number of months highlight the significant value that a successful OFAC delisting would garner for the estate in mitigating certain regulatory delays. However, similar to the OFAC licence applications, it is taking time to obtain responses on this delisting application. The liquidators said they are making significant progress in the liquidation of GTLK Europe and the realisation of interests in its subsidiaries, which will ultimately translate into recoveries for the benefit of the company creditors. When Day of the Triffids meets Dawn of the Dead in a decaying Dublin shopping centre Eat the Ones You Love by Sarah Maria Griffin offers a compelling slice of urban fantasy while cultivating an overwhelming sense of dread Well-drawn characters: Sarah Maria Griffin Darren Mooney Sat 5 Jul 2025 at 06:30 Deep in the heart of a decaying Northside shopping centre, something sickly has taken root, feeding on the detritus of late capitalist Dublin. Sarah Maria Griffins latest novel, her fourth including The Book of Wisdom, is a compelling and well-observed slice of urban fantasy horror, Day of the Triffids by way of The Thing and Dawn of the Dead. Its a propulsive read, populated by engaging characters. Mad for it: Oasis fans scramble for merchandise as Gallagher brothers kick off big-money tour From bucket hats to duffle bags, commercial masterplan has swung into action as reunited brothers took to the stage in Cardiff last night Oasis fans stand in the queue for the official merchandise stand outside the Principality Stadium in Cardiff (Jordan Pettitt/PA) Melanie Finn Sat 5 Jul 2025 at 06:30 By the time Liam and Noel Gallagher gazed out at a sea of bucket-hat-wearing fans for their opening show in Cardiff last night, the cash was already pouring in. Millions poured in for Live Aid as wives pawned wedding rings and even Geldof was proud to be Irish Ireland was overcome with excitement at the transatlantic telethon dubbed the greatest show on Earth. At one stage, the Irish public was donating 10 times per capita more than our neighbours. John Meagher recalls Live Aid 40 years on Tony O'Brien describes his experience at Live Aid John Meagher Sat 5 Jul 2025 at 06:30 During the busiest day of his life Saturday, July 13, 1985 Bob Geldof made frequent phone calls to Dublin to gauge the mood back home. Live Aid was in full swing before him at Wembley Stadium, but he wanted to know if ordinary members of the public were being moved by the occasion to donate cash for the starving in Africa. Individual fate and collective misfortune, why Friels Dancing at Lughnasa endures, even ten years after his death Brian Friels masterpiece will run at the 3Olympia until late July Playwright Brian Friel at the Gaiety. Photo: Getty Emily Hourican Fri 4 Jul 2025 at 17:00 Brian Friel, who Garry Hynes called the father of modern Irish drama, once described himself as being one of the small men of Irish literature. By this he meant one of the journalists and writer-teachers and writer-barristers and writer-civil-servants. The right of way to our house is becoming unusable and the owner is ignoring us. Can we do the maintenance on the laneway ourselves? Donald Trumps Iran clanger, Kilkenny hurling and nuclear dangers in 2025 all on agenda for Taoiseach during Hiroshima visit At atomic bomb memorial site, Micheal Martin reflects on the dangers of conflating the past and the present on his final stop-off in Japan Taoiseach Micheal Martin visits Hiroshima in Japan Tabitha Monahan Sat 5 Jul 2025 at 06:30 Just over the Motoyasu River, groups of people are funnelling around the Genbaku Dome. A demand for a years maternity leave on full pay for workers is set to intensify after being backed by most trade unions. It is now official Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) policy, after a motion calling for 52 weeks of maternity pay north and south of the border was adopted by delegates at its biennial conference this week. The motion said current maternity pay arrangements fall short of international best practice. Tabled by the British Fire Brigades Union, it claimed there is a postcode lottery effect where workers in some regions and sectors get markedly inferior benefits. Workers and self-employed individuals in the Republic of Ireland are entitled to a social welfare maternity benefit payment of 289 per week for 26 weeks. Some employers top up the entitlement. Employer group Isme supported measures to provide women with paid maternity leave, but said it should be supported by the social fund. Bulgaria offers approximately 58.6 weeks (410 days) of paid maternity leave Obviously a years salary for someone not attending work would not be sustainable for the vast majority of employers, therefore this type of measure must be underwritten by the social fund, said chief executive Neil McDonnell. He said Bulgaria offers approximately 58.6 weeks (410 days) of paid maternity leave. Mr McDonnell said 90pc of the mother's full salary is paid from its National Health Insurance Fund. Employers would not welcome an increase in PRSI, obviously, but if asked to pay for long-term maternity leave, it would be the only way to do so, he said. A creche with four childminders or a hairdresser with five stylists could not afford to pay someone for a year who was not working. This is very obvious, and everyone including Ictu knows this. Ictu spokesperson Laura Bambrick said the move would entail a hike in PRSI for workers, the self-employed and employers. She said Ireland compares very favourably to EU countries in terms of the duration of paid maternity leave benefits, at 26 weeks. But when comparing the payment rates for maternity benefit, Irish working mothers are at a significant financial disadvantage, she said. Ms Bambrick said maternity benefit at 289 a week for 26 weeks (7,514) is equivalent to just over nine weeks full pay for the average employee nationwide. It is worth just under eight weeks for an employee in Dublin, where average gross pay is higher (49,500) than the national average (42,100), according to Revenue data. "For a full-time worker on the minimum wage (526), maternity benefit replaces little over half their weekly wage, she said. Unions will be holding their feet to the fire to deliver on these important work-life balance measures Ms Bambrick welcomed Programme for Government commitments on pay-related family leave. Unions will be holding their feet to the fire to deliver on these important work-life balance measures for working families, she said. A Department of Children, Disabliity and Equality spokesperson said family leave entitlements have increased significantly over the past years. She said a Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families commits that by 2028, parents in Ireland will be supported to look after their babies at home for the whole of their first year through a combination of paid family leave schemes. She said the combined durations of maternity, paternity and parents leave and benefit now equate to 46 weeks paid leave for a two-parent family. An Ibec spokesperson declined to comment. Medical Council takes action over doctors issuing sick certs without proper consultation Move comes after revelations over how employees can fake illness to get time off for a few euro Some doctors have been issuing sick certs to employees without conducting proper consultations. Stock image: Gett Amy Molloy Sat 5 Jul 2025 at 06:30 The Irish Medical Council has taken action after receiving complaints about doctors issuing sick certs and prescription medication without proper consultation. DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, July 5. Tajikistan is exploring the possibility of joining the ChinaKyrgyzstanUzbekistan railway project, Trend reports via the countrys Ministry of Transport. The issue was discussed during a bilateral meeting between Tajikistans Minister of Transport Azim Ibrohim and Chinas Minister of Transport Liu Wei, held on the sidelines of the 12th Meeting of Transport Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states in Tianjin. Beyond the potential rail link, the two sides also reviewed Chinas support for the further development of the multimodal corridor stretching from China through Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Turkiye to Europe. The ministers discussed a wide range of transport and logistics initiatives. These included proposals to establish electric vehicle service centers in Dushanbe, allocate storage space for Tajik freight carriers in the Chinese city of Kashgar, and accelerate construction of the VarshezKulma highway segment. They also addressed the need for a new border crossing facility at the KulmaKarasu checkpoint and plans for a logistics hub in the southern Tajik city of Kulob. Ibrohim noted the steady growth in freight traffic between Tajikistan and China and proposed expanding the quota for international road transport permits. The sides also reviewed progress on bilateral legal frameworks for transport cooperation. According to the Tajik ministry, Liu Wei expressed understanding of the proposals and confirmed China's readiness to take practical steps to address the raised issues. The data of the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan shows that the total length of the ChinaKyrgyzstanUzbekistan railway project is 532.53 kilometers. The plan includes the construction of 20 railway stations (including two prospective ones), featuring two border stations, one transshipment station, four intermediate stations, and 13 passing loops. The official groundbreaking ceremony for the railroad took place on December 27, 2024, in Kyrgyzstan's Jalal-Abad. Climate Minister Darragh OBrien has said he hopes to head off any EU fines Ireland may face for failing to cut greenhouse gas emissions by pushing Brussels to turn them into investment orders instead. He said if financial penalties were proposed for member states for breaching emissions targets, each should be directed to spend the money on renewable energy or related measures in their own country. He does not accept estimates that Ireland may be liable to pay as much 26bn in costs, however, insisting this was pure speculation. The colossal figure is at the upper end of estimates jointly published earlier this year by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and Climate Change Advisory Council. Ireland has already had to buy tens of millions of euro worth of credits from other states to make up for missing 2020 targets, but the advisory bodies warned that the cost would escalate rapidly by 2030 if the country does not make dramatic emissions cuts. The minister insisted there was no specific mechanism in place in Europe to deal with breaches in 2030. Theres no formula published and theres no informal formula as to what measures would be taken by the commission in relation to states that do not meet their target so its just speculative, he said. This is something I have discussed with the commission myself, he said. Should there be financial impositions, I think the better thing to do would be to instruct and direct states to invest further in their own climate measures such as renewables. He said other EU states shared that view, as they were also likely to miss their targets. Figures released yesterday show emissions fell by only 2pc last year nowhere near the scale needed. Marie Donnelly, chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council, said the reduction was disappointing. By delaying investment to deliver these reductions, the Government is increasing the risk and costs required to comply with targets that have already been agreed, she said. It is better to make the investments now for households, communities and businesses, rather than paying large fines in a few years. Friends of the Earth spokesman Sean McLoughlin said: A 2pc reduction, when we need to be making deep emissions cuts year-on-year, shows that the Government is still stuck in climate go-slow mode. We are falling further and further behind on our climate commitments, while the world continues to warm at terrifying speed. Environmental NGO An Taisce said: The emissions inventories now published signal yet another year of climate action drift by the Irish State, and an ongoing failure of policy to address the climate emergency. Social Democrats climate spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore said Mr OBriens attitude to potential fines was blase. The Government is delusional if it does not accept that severe financial consequences are now a very real threat, she said. Police officers clash with protesters outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Lucy North/PA. Sally Rooney has told the UK High Court she is and will continue to be a committed supporter of Palestine Action, which failed to secure a temporary block on it being banned as a terrorist group on Friday. The Irish author said in court documents that the ban would prevent her from speaking at future public events as she could not in good conscience disguise or lie about my principles if it comes into effect at 12.01am on Saturday as planned. If the ban does come into effect, it would make membership of, or support for, Palestine Action a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Rooney has provided support for a legal claim by Huda Ammori, the co-founder of Palestine Action, against the Home Office, over the decision to proscribe the group under the Terrorism Act 2000. Ms Ammori asked a High Court judge on Friday to temporarily block the move from becoming law over the weekend, ahead of a bid to be given the green light to challenge the Governments decision later this month. But in a ruling, Mr Justice Chamberlain refused to block the ban, stating that any harm caused is insufficient to outweigh the strong public interest in maintaining the order in force. Barristers for Ms Ammori are seeking to appeal against the ruling on Friday evening. In her witness statement, cited in Mr Justice Chamberlains judgment, Rooney said the cultural effects of Palestine Action becoming proscribed could not be easily mended. She said: Though I am based in Ireland, my work is published in the UK. My novels regularly appear in bestseller lists, and I often travel to Britain to speak in public about my work. I am and will continue to be a committed supporter of Palestine Action. If that support is criminalised, I will effectively be prevented from speaking at any future public events in the UK, since I could not in good conscience disguise or lie about my principles in public. If I continue to voice support for Palestine Action from my home in Ireland, what are the likely consequences? Will I be denounced publicly by the Prime Minister? Will bookshops go on stocking the work of an author the Home Secretary has branded a terrorist simply for supporting a protest group? The BBC has adapted two of my books for television; both series are presently promoted on the iPlayer service. Normal People, which I co-wrote and produced, was the BBCs most-streamed series in 2020, with over 62 million views. My beliefs have not changed since the making of that series, and I have done nothing but continue to express them. If the expression of those beliefs becomes a terror offence under UK law, would the BBC continue to screen and promote my work? Is it likely that I could ever again collaborate with British public institutions like the BBC as I have done in the past? The cultural effects of proscription could not be easily mended, even if the Home Secretary later changed her mind. For any public figure to be labelled a supporter of terrorism by the state would have serious consequences. If Palestine Action loses its bid to temporarily block the move, it is due to become a terrorist organisation on Saturday after the order was signed by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper (PA) It would likely end or severely restrict the careers of many emerging artists. Terrorism is not a trivial word. In written submissions for Fridays hearing, Raza Husain KC, for Ms Ammori, said that Rooney will continue to voice her support from Ireland for the group. He said: Given her public support for Palestine Action she is concerned that being labelled a supporter of terrorism would have serious impacts on her ability to collaborate and publicise her work. He continued: Ms Rooney notes that countless artists, writers and members of the public support direct action against complicity in what Israel is doing in Palestine, including Juliet Stevenson, Paul Weller, Tilda Swinton, Brian Eno, and other signatories to an open letter dated 30 June 2025. If Palestine Action loses its bid to temporarily block the move, it is due to become a terrorist organisation on Saturday, after the order was signed by the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper. Ms Cooper announced plans to proscribe the direct action group last month, after two Voyager planes were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, an action claimed by Palestine Action. We put ice in the bed as we havent slept properly for weeks Irish couple on living in Rome as temperatures hit 38C Life is good all year round for teacher Jack OConnor (27) and medical student Una Casey (28) in Rome, but when summer arrives, the increasingly high temperatures make life a strain Jack O'Connor and girlfriend Una Casey have made Rome their home but are struggling to enjoy normal life in the heatwave Laura Lynott Sat 5 Jul 2025 at 06:30 As the temperature hit 38C in recent days in Rome, teacher Jack OConnor and his medical student girlfriend, Una Casey (28), are counting down the days to escape the heat for their native Ireland. Darren Kennedy talks to design expert, Christopher Ash, who refurbished the stylish lounge bar of The Fitzwilliam Hotel on St Stephens Green in Dublin Lets face it, most of us dont have the luxury of a dedicated drinks room a la Gatsby, but that doesnt mean we cant create our own chic little cocktail corner. Whether youre entertaining guests or just fancy a quiet nightcap, a stylish and functional home bar set-up is more achievable than you might think. To get the expert lowdown, I turned to Christopher Ash of Project Orange hes the man behind the stunning refurbishment of Dublins five-star Fitzwilliam Hotel on St Stephens Green, including their gorgeous new lounge bar. In short, he knows how to build a beautiful space to sip in style. A home bar can be a shelf, a cupboard or a trolley, says Ash. But the key thing is that its fun to use and practical. Start with the essentials: your favourite spirits, a few good mixers, a cocktail shaker and, crucially, an ice bucket. From there, its all about presentation and practicality. If youre working with a shelf, treat it like a feature. Lay a linen napkin or cloth underneath your bottles and glassware to add texture and absorb any spills. Lighting is key rechargeable table lamps or discreet strip lighting can help set the mood without the fuss. Ash advises against using Christmas lights (they just get tangled!) or colour-changing lights, which can look gimmicky and distracting. Instead, opt for warm white lighting that enhances the elegance of the space. Architect Christopher Ash of Project Orange, projectorange.com If you have a spare cupboard, why not transform it into a sleek, hidden bar? Paint the inside a light-reflecting shade so you can see clearly to the back and be careful not to overfill it. Otherwise, youll just end up pulling everything out to get to the Martini, says Ash. Mirrors can bring a dash of glamour and lend a cocktail cabinet feel. You can even add racks or hooks to hang stemmed glasses. Consider installing a pull-out shelf at the base easy to find at kitchen and hardware stores to enhance both access and style. And then theres the classic: the drinks trolley. Mobile, versatile and now officially fashionable, the humble bar cart is having a renaissance. With two levels for storage and styling, it can be dressed up or down to suit any season or occasion. Bottles and ice buckets below, garnishes and glassware on top its compact, elegant, and oh-so-useful. What your grandmother rolled out at Christmas is now completely on-trend. For those short on space or effort dont rule out the tray trick. A well-styled tray on a sideboard or even a counter-top, with a few beautifully selected bottles, a shaker, and one or two signature glasses, can feel just as considered and elevated. At the end of the day, its not about the size of your set-up, but the joy it brings. With a few clever touches and a bit of creativity, your mini bar moment can become one of the most delightful parts of your home. Gold Valencia bar trolley for cocktail lovers amongst us, next.ie My Favourite Room: The eco house that Ciaran built Melanie Finn: Everyone will be supporting Ciara Mageean more than ever as she fights cancer We dont expect to hear this news about a young fit person yet a cancer diagnosis will affect one in two of us in our lifetimes Irelands Ciara Mageean has shared news of her cancer diagnosis. Photo: PA Melanie Finn Sat 5 Jul 2025 at 06:30 For Ciara Mageean, news of her cancer diagnosis must have come like a bolt out of the blue. Conor Skehan: As the father of six graduates, I know third-level fees are a distraction from students real problems The near-universal need for students to work part-time seriously affects their success in higher education "Multiple colleges offer identical degrees in the same subjects, chasing student numbers rather than striving for excellence". Photo: Stock Conor Skehan Sat 5 Jul 2025 at 18:00 College fees are back in the headlines, the easiest target for politicians chasing quick wins and commentators craving simple stories. But as a former head of a third-level department at TU Dublin, and as a parent who guided six children through college, I can say with certainty that fees are not the main problem for students. Theyre a one-off cost that distracts from the relentless drain of weekly living expenses. US president Donald Trump will meet Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, when he will press very hard to end the war in Gaza. So far it has claimed the lives of more than 57,000 Palestinians. By now its all a bit immaterial to one teenager. Through her tears, Mayar Al Farr, was quoted in reports saying: The ceasefire will come, and I have lost my brother? There should have been a ceasefire long ago before I lost my brother. Mahmoud was one of 20 killed in an over night airstrike on a tent encampment. There should indeed have been a ceasefire. Everyone knows Hamas started the war, but Tel Avivs indiscriminate backlash has been disproportionate. Military goals have long been achieved. Now Mr Trump, who has declared: I run the country and the world, has an unrivalled opportunity to prove hes as good as his word, by demanding that the killing stops. The American president has ended the week on a high by seeing his Big Beautiful Bill passed. Were he to end this inhuman war, it would represent a significant historical achievement. At the start of the year he was understandably derided for mooting his plan for the United States to take over and rebuild Gaza as the Riviera of the Middle East. He called the territory a demolition site and suggesting that Palestinians would have no alternative but to leave. Rights groups said the plan to move Palestinians en masse in the midst of war amounted to a forcible transfer, and could constitute a war crime under the Geneva Conventions. Stopping the carnage would also demonstrate that the US need not rely on military might alone. The worlds remaining superpower can show the international community it can also deploy its unique soft power. By aligning diplomacy first with America First, and working towards a regional balance, of power that relies primarily on local forces to maintain stability, a sustainable agreement could be achieved. The US would not then be on the hook to oversee stability. There is an overwhelming moral case for pursuing long-term goals. This includes ending forced occupation and recognising the Palestinian state. Mr Trump has put down several world leaders, by telling them they have no cards to play. The implication being he holds all the aces. This is surely time to play his hand. Israeli Defence Forces chief Eyal Zamir has said the army was approaching the completion of its war aims. In Gaza, medical workers report rising acute malnutrition among children. Lack of fuel means water desalination plants are not working so there is a threat, of infants dying of thirst. Hospital incubators for struggling newborns are also turned off. According to Unicefs James Elder, ambulances can not collect the wounded, because they have no diesel. This is apocalyptic. It is incomprehensible that anyone with the ability to bring an end to this hell on earth might choose not do so. Donald Trumps return reminds us that old alliances can no longer rest on sentiment (In Trumpian world, our rich ties to US need to be solidified, Irish Independent, July 4). The age of America First means Europe must think more like a bloc and less like a club of hopeful partners. If tariffs and power politics are now the language of Washington, Brussels will need its own dialect strategic autonomy, economic resilience and fewer illusions. Give it five years and we may see a European defence pact, a digital euro with teeth and fewer EU leaders crossing the Atlantic hoping for favours. The world isnt deglobalising, but it is getting colder. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh Yes, the Nakba goes back a lot farther, as Zionism began with Herzl in Basel Declan Foley claims that I think the Israel war on Palestine began in 1948 (Complex history of Israels war in Palestine goes back a lot farther than 1948, Letters, July 4). I dont. In my July 3 letter I used the qualification at the very latest when specifying 1948, the year when the state of Israel was founded and the displacement and dispossession of Palestinians began in earnest. In fact this Nakba became likely in 1897 when Theodor Herzl founded the colonial doctrine of political Zionism in Basel, Switzerland, and it became inevitable when Britain issued the Balfour Declaration in 1917, pledging to establish a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. Thus, in the words of the novelist Arthur Koestler, one nation solemnly promised to a second nation the country of a third. The eponymous Arthur Balfour, a notorious antisemite, pushed the Aliens Act in 1905, curbing Jewish immigration to Britain at a time when Jews were fleeing pogroms in Europe, so his motives werent exactly pure. The same could be said for his successors in the UK, the EU and above all the US, for whom international humanitarian law can be suppressed when it comes to support for their strategic ally Israel. Raymond Deane, Broadstone, Dublin 7 Taoiseach should consider the disadvantage being shown to state of Palestine Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the Occupied Territories Bill must aim to apply pressure on Israel rather than disadvantage Ireland unduly. I would suggest to Mr Martin, and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris, that the Government should aim to ensure that none of the financial or political links between Ireland and Israel disadvantage Palestine unduly. Art O Laoghaire, Bray, Co Wicklow Ireland might yet feel the heat for one-sided stance on conflict in Middle East Taoiseach Micheal Martin, on the one hand, expresses some apprehension regarding the Occupied Territories Bill, saying Ireland must not be disadvantaged unduly, while on the other hand, Tanaiste Simon Harris is open to expanding the bill to include services as well as goods. This clearly illustrates the quandary the Government has landed itself in, and no amount of floundering will help to pull Ireland out of this. As for Ireland being disadvantaged unduly, our one-sided and singular view of the Middle East conflagration has not gone unnoticed, and we may yet discover just how disadvantaged Ireland has become. Peter Declan OHalloran, Belturbet, Co Cavan It seems Israelis are being murdered yet Palestinians are only being killed Sam Kiley (Trump isnt the guide out of horror that Palestinians and Israelis so desperately need, July 3) writes about 1,200 Israelis murdered on October 7 and more than 400 Palestinians being deliberately killed while waiting for food aid. Why are Israeli deaths described as murders and Palestinian deaths described as killed? Lets call them both murders. Also, most accounts have more than 600 Palestinians murdered at distribution sites. Michael Jordan, Point Road, Dundalk, Co Louth Barriers disabled people face are man-made and most certainly avoidable I laud Liam Herrick (July 2) for alluding to the salient fact that disability is not a problem to be fixed and that Ireland needs public policy that is inclusive. Disabled people encounter insurmountable challenges in all areas of life, most notably health inequities. Many die early, have poor health, and some languish in lasting and life-changing cognitive and physical impairments. However, what is disheartening is that most of the barriers faced by people with disabilities are man-made and avoidable. It is time to unshackle our societies from the manacles of racism, discrimination, alienation, marginalisation, bigotries, prejudices, Islamophobia, antisemitism and intolerance that disable our societies. Its time to advance human rights, dignities, diversity, inclusivity, social justice, fairness, equity, accountability and transparency if we are serious about being a fairer, inclusive society. Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob, London Liveline lost its edge long ago, and censorship by RTE is to blame for that In his article (In internet era of permanent outrage, Liveline race is run, July 4), Frank Coughlan suggests Liveline has lost its edge because people can now vent their grievances on social media. I suggest an alternative reason: Liveline has become so censored and politically correct and anodyne that so many topics are not allowed to be discussed. Examples include immigration, gender identity issues and womens rights. Nothing that might cause controversy is discussed: righteous anger is allowed on topics like the Catholic Church, but nothing else. We saw that some years ago when the issue of the word womanwas discussed. So lets not blame social media for the neutering of Liveline. RTE did it. Julia Anderson, Greystones, Co Wicklow Savour the fruits of our summer if you cant enjoy ever-changeable weather We have seen some blue skies and the sun appear and then disappear, as is the way of the Irish summer. But its authentic taste remains the same and can be savoured if youre fortunate enough to enjoy our current divine crop of strawberries and raspberries. A little bit of heaven. M OBrien, Dalkey, Co Dublin Relatives carry the bodies of two Palestinian sisters, Mira (8) and Sabah Bashir (10), who were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip. Photo: AP The marches for peace may seem pointless to some observers, but they show the people of Gaza they are not forgotten and put moral pressure on governments to help end the out-of-control war waged by Israels forces on a defenceless 2.2 million population. The key word is defenceless. No one can say for sure how many unarmed civilians have been killed by Israels missiles, drone bombs, tank shells and shootings. The current estimate is at least 55,000 people dead. Many more have been maimed and left homeless. There are also many dead under bombed buildings. On May 29, volunteers near the Palace of Westminster read out the names of 16,000 children killed in the war in Gaza. It took 18 hours. It was to also highlight the starvation of Palestinian children and the indiscriminate bombing in Gaza. On June 7, around 300,000 people marched in Rome. They believe Italys government has been too silent on the war in Gaza. One of their banners read: Stop the massacre, stop complicity. On June 15, about 150,000 people marched in The Hague. Meanwhile, 100,000 people marched in Brussels. The EU is not united in taking action against Israels horrific war in Gaza. EU countries including Ireland and Spain speak out independently. So does Norway. The founders of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which came into being in 1951 and evolved into the EU, worked for economic co-operation for peace in Europe. They are long gone, but I hope they would want the EU to be a strong voice for a tormented population in Gaza. The war is aimed very much at them, possibly to push them out of Gaza where they have lived legally for generations, as recognised by the UN. I hope Hamas will return the remaining Israeli hostages. It needs to show humanity too. Mary Sullivan, College Road, Cork Complex history of Israels war in Palestine goes back a lot farther than 1948 Your editorial of July 1 (Netanyahu must be stopped, and only the US has the power to do it); Sam Kileys comment piece (Trump isnt the guide out of horror landscape that Palestinians and Israelis so desperately need, July 3); and Raymond Deanes letter (Peace does indeed need two sides to make it work, so why let Israel off the hook?, July 3) all illustrate clearly the frustration of people all over the world at the atrocious and by now undeniable genocidal attacks on innocent Palestinians, our fellow human beings. Mr Deane, like many, thinks the Israel war on Palestine began in 1948. In 1960, Jamal Nasir (1922-2014), a former justice minister and acting foreign minister of Jordan, published The Embittered Arab: The Bitter Story of the Holy Land. In it, he stated that the war began in 1920. This book details historical events in Palestine, from the Sykes-Picot Agreement to the aftermath of World War II (the British-Palestine Mandate) and the UN Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The only respite from violence in Palestine was from 1939 to 1945, because of Arab support for the Allies. Chapter five in the book finishes with Dr Nasirs warning: Public opinion in the world should realise that Israel is marching with dreadful certainty to a clash over her determination to embezzle and to encroach on Arab territory and rights in the Middle East, which is more likely, than any other single event, to precipitate a Third World War. I sincerely hope this is not a prescient warning. Declan Foley, Melbourne, Australia Jews were expelled from Arab countries en masse over two millennia ago The history of Israel did not begin in 1948. The Jews were twice expelled from their lands over time, in 586BC by the Babylonian empire and in 70AD by the Romans. They spread throughout the Middle East and Europe. Over 950,000 Jews were expelled by the Arab countries between 1925 and 1950, when 70pc of Jews returned to Israel. Lets not forget the Hebron Massacre in 1929 when 69 Jews were slain by Arabs. The history of this complicated conflict between Arabs and Jews started long before 1948, but it suits some to suggest otherwise. Anthony Costello, Galway Kneecap failed to see that profanity can be a useful tool when used sparingly Mary Kenny is right to argue that swearing, when used sparingly, can carry weight (Swear words can signal lack of respect, but foul language sometimes has its uses, July 3). Ive always found that when someone who never curses suddenly does, it makes me focus. The word lands differently. It means something. Thats precisely why I found the Kneecap Glastonbury performance so off-putting it was not the sentiment, but the sheer volume of profanity. It was gratuitous, repetitive and ultimately dull. It reminded me of Madonna on the Letterman show in the 1990s, when she used the F-word 13 times in a single interview. Swearing may have its place, but like most things in life, less is more. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh A memorable seven-day forecast on dreary Ireland from a sorrowful mother Reading Ian ODoherty (Welcome to the Irish summer, when the showers of rain become slightly warmer, July 2) reminded me of a story from many years ago. It goes as follows. A young man, an only son, emigrated to America, leaving behind his sorrowful mother, who had been recently widowed. His mother, in a letter to her son, said the weather hadnt been too bad in recent times. It had only rained twice last week, once for three days, and then for four days. In his return letter to his mother, the emigrant son replied that she was very lucky indeed that it hadnt poured rain for the whole week. Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo Reevess tears are reminder of Thatchers comment on politics lacking sympathy There is much we still dont know or understand about what happened in Westminster on Wednesday, when UK chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves was in tears beside prime minister Keir Starmer. I am reminded of the words of former UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher: There are no personal sympathies in politics. John OBrien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. The meeting with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was organized in a positive and friendly atmosphere, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at a press conference in Tehran after returning from the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization, Trend reports. According to him, positive agreements in the field of economic and regional cooperation were formed at this meeting. The Iranian president noted that the meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was very positive and constructive. The meeting centered on economic issues, and consultations were held on further diplomatic coordination. Pezeshkian stated that constructive talks were held at the meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. Efforts for mutual understanding and necessary support for the development of relations between the two countries were noted. The meeting also focused on the strengthening of diplomatic and joint economic cooperation. The Iranian president added that during his meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, the importance of developing relations between the two countries in economic, scientific, and transportation fields was emphasized. The meeting emphasized strengthening the cooperation process between the two countries. "Such visits can create conditions for strengthening relations between Muslim countries. Officials and specialists in the fields of science, transportation, and culture should be more active. Mutual visits should not be limited to the level of presidents. Ministers and deputy ministers should keep the agreements reached in their work agendas," he asserted. The 17th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization was held in Azerbaijan's Khankendi city on July 4. Artistic works based on the Cahirmee Horse Fair and Lambay Island will feature in an exhibition in Mallow later this month. The Retrospective of Works exhibition will take place in the West End Art Studio in the town from Wednesday, July 23 to Sunday, August 3. The exhibition will feature approximately 65 works from Irish, British and French artists. The exhibition is organised by Colman Dalton, and his wife Marie. Dubliner Paul Kelly, who now resides in Buttevant will have 25 works on show, including the Cahirmee Horse Fair. Some of the works I am lending to the West End could be over 40 years old. I selected a cross-section of the type of work that I do, which is anything from portraits to pencil drawings, Mr Kelly said. I recently did a study on the Cahirmee Horse Fair because it was right outside our door in Buttevant. A major piece of the Buttevant series is one of my favourites. The painting depicts a busy main street flooded with people with horses. I got great inspiration from my studies in terms of a gathering of people selling horses and everything that goes on with that, Mr Kelly said. The painting is an amalgamation of my studies. Mr Dalton previously held exhibitions of work by the late James OHalloran, who was a prominent figure on the Irish art scene. Clowness is one of 20 James OHalloran works which will be on show at the upcoming Mallow Arts Festival exhibition. Mr Kelly said he befriended the late Clare artist, who died in 2014 at the age of 59, in 1992. We both showed in the Gorry Gallery on Molesworth Street, he said. The idea of having an exhibition alongside James works and memorialise him in a way, I thought was a very good idea. Also set to be displayed at the West End Art Studio in Mallow are works by Jack Vettriano, T.S Lowry, George Campbell, George Rouault and Rodo Pissaro, Maurice MacGonigal, Harry Kernoff and George Campbell. Mr Kelly has donated pieces to the art exhibition to raise funds for two worthwhile charities, Focus Ireland and HART, a local dog rescue charity. [The donated piece is] a painting of the view from Dun Aonghasa on Inis Mor recently seen on the big screen in the film Banshees of Inisherin. Painted from one of my many trips over to the Aran Islands, Mr Kelly said. The raffle for the artwork will take place at 7:30pm on July 23. Tickets cost 3 each or eight tickets for 20. All proceeds will be divided between the two charities. The exhibition is free of charge and more information can be found here: https://mallowartsfestival.com/2025/06/24/retrospective-of-works/ A woman has told a court that her former partner's repeated breaches of a safety order taken out against him has made her "lose trust in the legal system" and left her "living in fear". The District Court heard that the man had turned up at his former partners home twice within a week, in what a judge described as clear breaches of court-imposed restrictions. The defendant received a two-month suspended sentence after he was convicted of breaching the order. The court heard that the man was prohibited from attending the woman's property under the terms of a three-year safety order granted in May 2023. The order barred him from contacting his former partner or attending her home, limiting contact to email and only for child access matters. The complainant told the court that she now lives in constant fear, saying: I never knew what fear was until I encountered this. The man, aged in his 50s, denied two counts of breaching a safety order under Section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018, on 13 and 19 September 2024. The case was heard in camera before Judge Conor Fottrell at Dun Laoghaire District Court. The woman told the court she had blocked the man's number years ago and only used a dedicated email address to communicate. All children-related custody handovers took place in a neutral location - a local car park - not at her home. On September 13, 2024, she said she looked out her window and saw the man outside with a paper bag and a box of toys. He doesnt leave when he turns up. I felt I had to go out, she said. He said he had maintenance money in the bag. But he already has my bank details. He should not have been near our home. A few days later, on September 19, she said she was helping her child off a school bus when the man appeared again. He was very high, very animated, she said. He said hed learned Irish in a weekend and Spanish in a week. His partner was there too. It was two of them and just me. I didnt feel I could safely bring my child inside. She told the court both encounters left her unsettled and fearful. It just makes me so afraid. It makes me lose trust in the legal system because I had a safety order in place - and he still showed up. "Every time I see a car the same colour as his, I panic. It affects my motivation to live. I cant be free. I dont deserve this. Im trying to raise the children. One of them has huge medical needs. I need to be focused on them, and instead Im living in fear. Hes put fear into my phone - I dont even feel safe when it rings. I never knew what fear really was until I encountered this. The accused told the court he believed he had permission to attend on September 13, claiming he had emailed to say he would drop off money. However, he agreed that this email wasn't shown to the court. I thought things might improve, he said. I didnt enter the house or cause any trouble. Judge Fottrell said: The terms of the order are unambiguous. He was not permitted to attend at the property. No email regarding this was produced. Even if one had been, it wouldnt authorise this. He said he found the womans evidence credible and consistent, adding: You have been incredibly brave and should be commended. No one should have to live in fear. The man was sentenced to two months in prison, suspended for 12 months, on condition he stay away from the womans home and fully comply with the safety order. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme. A judge has jailed a persistent public order offender who spat in a gardas eye, telling the defendant: "People who assault gardai can expect prison. Its as simple as that." Jordan Mallon (26), of Donomore Crescent, Tallaght, appeared before Judge William Aylmer at Tallaght District Court facing five charges arising from a series of offences on October 14, 2024. He pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda James Cullen, violent behaviour in a garda station, criminal damage to a bus stop and two public order charges relating to intoxication and threatening behaviour. The court heard that gardai were called to Castletymon Road in Tallaght after Mallon was seen kicking and smashing a bus stop shelter. He was intoxicated and acting aggressively. Gardai arrested him and conveyed him to Tallaght Garda Station. There, while in custody, Garda Cullen stood beside the accused when Mallon suddenly turned his head and spat directly into the gardas face and eye. Garda Cullen was brought to Tallaght University Hospital and a garda doctor was contacted to assess the risk of exposure. While the saliva contained no blood and the risk was deemed low, the court heard that the incident was highly distressing. Garda Cullen returned to duty after receiving medical attention, the court was told. The court heard Mallon was extremely aggressive throughout the incident and that assistance was required to restrain him. He has 38 previous convictions, including multiple offences under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, with his most recent convictions recorded in March and June 2025. Defence solicitor Michael Hennessy said his client had already personally apologised to Garda Cullen and was shocked by his own behaviour after viewing CCTV footage of himself. He regrets the incident profoundly, Mr Hennessy said. It was disgraceful, and hes thankful the garda did not suffer lasting harm." Counsel submitted that Mallon failed to process the grief of his fathers death in a mature way and fell into alcohol misuse. "Hes now 26, and since March this year, hes been sober, attending AA, and is due to start a job on Monday," counsel said. Judge Aylmer, however, asked: How can an apology ring true at all, when it comes after this mans record of persistent offending? This was a garda simply doing his job, he added. To be spat in the face and eye is utterly unacceptable. Fortunately, no lasting harm occurred, but this court must mark the seriousness of the offence. People who assault gardai can expect prison. Its as simple as that. Judge Aylmer convicted Mallon under Section 19 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, imposing a nine-month sentence, reduced to eight months to reflect the early guilty plea. He suspended four months for 12 months on condition that Mallon engage fully with the Probation Service, participate in a Restorative Justice programme and address alcohol misuse, violent and criminal damage behaviours. The court requested a final exit report. If he does not cooperate fully, Judge Aylmer warned, he will serve the remaining sentence. Mallon was also ordered to enter a 300 peace bond. The custodial sentence related specifically to the assault on Garda Cullen, with all other offences taken into account. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme. Meet the woman behind Galways pinkest bakery I wanted it to be girly pop but also a safe space Tasty Treats or as the local children call it, The Pink Shop opened its doors this summer for the first time Meet the woman behind Galway's newest bakery Erika Sassone Sat 5 Jul 2025 at 08:03 A young woman is ready to win over Galway with her brand new shop, a pink wonderland full of delicious treats, after years of Instagram orders while juggling between her business and motherhood. Killarneys air quality was found to be at a generally excellent level in a recent study. The air quality in the town was measured using data from the 2024/2025 winter season. The data was collected through the use of the EPA ambient air quality monitoring unit located at the Anam Centre on East Avenue Road. The monitoring unit detects fine particulate matter typically associated with solid fuel use and traffic emissions. Kerry County Council has stated that a review of data from last winter showed that air quality at the monitoring station was generally excellent, with no exceedances for the current national standards for particulates. The council stated this in response to a motion tabled at last Fridays Killarney Municipal District meeting. Kerry Independent Alliance councillor John ODonoghue had proposed that local representatives receive a report from the air quality monitoring stations in Killarney following the winter season. Cllr ODonoghue said the EPA estimates that air pollution causes 1,300 premature deaths in Ireland each year due to particulate matter in the air. While the air quality in the country is generally good there are localised problems with the quality around the country and its very important that we keep an eye on this, he said. The councillor thanked the council for its response and said it was good to see that the air quality is at a generally good level. His proposal was seconded by Independent councillor Brendan Cronin. Air quality monitoring data can be viewed in real-time at: www.airquality.ie. Pictured at the recent SPAR 365 Standards Customer Care Programme for achieving exceptional standards in retailing, held in Killashee Hotel, in Naas in Co Kildare, were John Dobbs SPAR ROA, Alan Gavillet; SPAR Dunleer. SPAR Dunleer was honoured at the 2025 SPAR 365 Standards Customer Care Programme for achieving exceptional standards in retailing, which was held in Lawlors Hotel, in Naas in Co Kildare, and hosted by BWG Foods, owners and operators of the SPAR brand in Ireland. This years SPAR 365 Awards, held in association with independent bodies Solution Management Asso ciates (SMA) and Lloyds Register Quality Assurance LRQA, recognise those SPAR stores who have excelled during the year across all areas of store. In winning these awards, the SPAR stores were independently assessed across a range of criteria including customer service through SMA as well as a robust Food Safety and Hygiene audit conducted by LRQA. These exemplary SPAR retailers received their award in recognition of their commitment to implementing Best practice store standards throughout their store, thereby providing an excellent customer experience to their local community. Congratulating the winners, Colin Donnelly, SPAR Sales Director, said: We are incredibly proud of all our SPAR retailers and the wonderful service they provide to their communities and customers throughout Ireland. To be able to celebrate these wonderful ambassadors who bring the SPAR brand to life every day is a great source of pride for us. I congratulate SPAR Dunleer and the team. Their efforts have been truly outstanding, and this recognition is very well-deserved. The injured man was tied to a chair and beaten for more than three hours and a judge said that extracts of the footage played to the court made for difficult viewing A 39-year-old man has been jailed for six years and three months for what a judge described as significant violence over a prolonged period of time against another man he tied to a chair and beat about the head. Judge Dara Hayes said it effectively amounted to a period of almost torture inflicted on the victim. Declan Grimes, Grange Drive, Muirhevnamor, Dundalk, used the mans phone to livestream the attack which took place at a house in Dundalk. He pleaded guilty to a charge of false imprisonment and one of assault causing harm and received concurrent sentences of 7 years, and 3 years, nine months, respectively. These were marked consecutive to a fifteen-month term for affray arising from a separate matter, amounting to a total of 8 years and three months. The final two years were conditionally suspended. The substantive incident occurred at Earls Court, Armagh Road, Dundalk, on May 7/8, 2023, and video clips were played to the circuit court which showed the defendant verbally abusing and threatening the other man. The assault was livestreamed on Facebook. A member of the victims family recognised the house from a photo on Snapchat. Gardai were contacted and the Armed Support Unit deployed though by that stage they were unaware that the victim had been released. Evidence was previously heard that the injured party accompanied his former partner to her fathers Months Mind Mass. Mr Grimes, the deceaseds best friend, sat beside them. The victim and the woman went to the house in Earls Court where alcohol and cocaine were taken. They were joined at 4am by the defendant and began reminiscing about the deceased man. The next day Mr Grimes and the female went out to get drink. When they returned the victim decided to go out before changing his mind and going back to the house. When he arrived he saw the woman smoking crack cocaine and took the pipe from her. Declan Grimes punched him twice in the mouth. He sought refuge in the bathroom where he was further assaulted, including with the pedestal of the sink. The man locked himself in until effectively lured out by the woman on the false premise that the accused had left. The victim was then subjected to a savage beating. Others joined in but Grimes was the principal offender. The man was tied to a chair and beaten about the head. The attack, with various implements, continued for in excess of three hours. He lost consciousness at times. He was eventually permitted to leave the property. When Gardai arrived the defendant was spotted at a window. Entry was forced. Once inside officers saw that the house had been cleaned, and the washing machine was on. The defendant had to be subdued with pepper spray before being handcuffed. He has 76 previous convictions, among them five from the circuit court including for assault causing harm, aggravated burglary and making threats to kill. There were district court convictions for assault, robbery, affray, burglary and criminal damage. He has been in custody on these charges since May 9, 2023. Separately, the defendant pleaded guilty to a charge of affray stemming from a confrontation with another man at the Social Welfare Offices in Dundalk on November 15, 2022. When Grimes walked in he spotted a male sitting there. There was bad blood between them. A verbal exchange took place. CTV footage showed the defendant making some movement towards the other man. This person pulled out a knife. There was no actual violence or damage to property. A probation report detailed that Declan Grimes and his twin sister were the eldest of four. His parents were separated. He had a troubled family background including one particular incident of trauma when a child. He began taking cannabis at 10 and drinking alcohol at age 12. He went on to abuse, Ecstasy, heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, his main drug of choice. A random drug test in jail last January came back negative. He was engaged in education courses and was in protective custody. The report continued that the defendant had taken responsibility for his offending and was deeply ashamed. He was at high risk of reoffending. The most serious charges had occurred during the currency of a suspended sentence. The defendant had written a letter to the court in which he said he was tired of the revolving door of prison. Judge Hayes said that extracts of the assault footage made for difficult viewing. The victim received many blows to the head in an attack which was livestreamed on social media. He had suffered an horrific ordeal at the defendants hands. The six-year and three-month sentence imposed was backdated to May 9, 2023. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme The junction of the N11 and Herbert Road, in Bray, with the entrance to Kilbride Church, which would be closed off to make way for the bus corridor. These are just some of the words used by elected representatives in Bray following a presentation from the Stop the closure of the Herbert Road campaign group at the municipal district meeting on Tuesday evening. Since Easter numerous protests have taken place in the area, as residents look to call a halt to plans to close what is viewed as a vital access route to the town the Herbert Road junction to make way for the N11/M11 Bus Priority Interim Scheme. The campaign group has grown from just 10 key members when it was formed in April to over 2,300 followers and counting on its Facebook page. In recent weeks over 10,000 leaflets have been distributed to local estates. Despite the calls for the scheme to be paused for a review, Wicklow County Council has indicated it will progress with its plan, which is being developed in partnership with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the National Transport Authority (NTA) and the Department of Transport. The council has said previously it is committed to ensuring that the closure of each direct access point is considered carefully and the implementation of any major road improvement features will improve journey times for the residents of east Wicklow. Local resident Clare Finnegan started the campaign from a picnic table over three months ago. Speaking during the meeting she said they wont stop until a proper solution is found. The invitation to speak in the chamber here this evening is too little, too late, but we will remain humble, we will grow strong as our councillors continue to do nothing. The core idea of government is that the government is held accountable to the people who elected them. We call on you to do more for our community which needs your support at this critical time. The town of Bray needs a traffic management plan. 773 buses will be delayed over the course of any given day if the closure goes ahead. This junction is a vital artery for Bray - linking communities, supporting businesses, and ensuring access to schools, homes, and the seafront. Despite their critical role in this process, TII has shown little willingness to explore viable alternatives, instead treating this move as non-negotiable, even though the scheme does not depend on the removal of this junction. When we attended the monthly meeting of Wicklow County Council in April, we found the comments from the Chief Executive Emer O Gorman to be dismissive, with inconclusive information from engineers. We were told bus corridors are the way forward. she added. Having received a pledge from Ms OGorman during that meeting to contact the Taoiseach and Transport Minister about the issue, Ms Finegan also grasped the opportunity in June to present Ms OGorman with a letter during the sod turning of the Fassaroe Park and Ride facility asking for an update, delivering a second letter seeking a meeting with representatives from the NTA. Meanwhile churchwarden of Saint Brigid's Church Gordon Lennox warned elected members in the chamber that compulsory purchase orders for the bus corridor will make access impossible for hearses, wedding cars, and anyone with mobility needs. The church lies at the bottom of Herbert Road, and it has been serving families since the 1860s. The building is a protected structure. If the county council move ahead with this plan, they may be in breach of its own county development plan. There is also a consecrated burial ground in the church grounds, with many family members of residents buried there. The junction of the N11 and Herbert Road, in Bray, with the entrance to Kilbride Church, which would be closed off to make way for the bus corridor. Separately local businessman Donal Egan highlighted the potential toll on businesses if the plans go ahead. He cited a statement issued by the Bray Chamber of Commerce. The closure of one of only four key access and egress points to Bray will inevitably cause increased congestion both within the town and on major surrounding routes such as the Southern Cross and the Dublin/Bray Road. This will lead to longer delays and higher costs for businesses operating in Bray. Bray already experiences significant traffic challenges during weekends and peak summer periods due to the high volume of day visitors. Removing Herbert Road as an access point will only worsen the situation, making Bray less accessible and potentially deterring visitors. There is growing frustration among residents who feel their voices are being ignored. It is unacceptable that the expressed concerns of local elected representatives are not being considered in the decision-making process. Councillors widely praised the group for their efforts in highlighting the issue with Cllr Joe Behan stating it was the most powerful grassroots campaign I have seen in the town over the last 40 years. This proposal will cut 25 per cent of the access available to the town. It is a cheapskate solution to improve public transport in the area. The move will be dangerous for traffic. You all must be praised for holding fire to elected members feet. he added. Cllr Melanie Corrigan who was left speechless and overwhelmed following the presentation, commended the group for leading their campaign with dignity and respect. Its an appalling situation, I will work to try and stop the plans going forward. she added. Cllr Dermot Daisy O Brien acknowledged the people powered campaign that has grown in prominence and impact. Does the will of the people matter in this process? Whats at stake is clear for residents. Up to now though, their concerns have been dismissed. We need to think about the future of the town. he added. To date, over 1.45 million has been spent on the scheme which Cllr Malachai Duddy branded as a complete waste of money and a form of imprisonment for residents, while Cllr Ned Whelan called it the stupidest plan hes ever heard of. Cllr Ian Neary apologised for the lack of action from the elected representatives, while paying tribute to the work of the campaign. Cllr Caroline Winstanley informed the chamber that the proposed closure will be an agenda item for the July meeting of the Municipal Districts traffic and transport subcommittee. Cllr Erika Doyle called for better communication and community engagement from the relevant state agencies. As Cathaoirleach of the district she will also write to the councils chief executive to express their concerns and reiterate their support for the campaign on behalf of the eight local councillors. Attention now turns to Tanaiste Simon Harris, who has invited all Wicklow Oireachtas members across all parties to attend a meeting with the Transport Minister Darragh O Brien to discuss the issue. The meeting on July 9 is expected to be met with further protests by the campaign group outside the gates of Leinster House. Sinn Fein TD John Brady is also due to submit a petition which has amassed thousands of signatures against the proposal since the start of the campaign. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme Wicklow is to host an innovative, day-long business retreat, with the woods of Altidore Castle, in Kilpedder, the unique venue for this outdoor event. Happening on Friday, July 11 and designed as a one-day reset for business owners, The Natural Business Reset offers a regenerative alternative to traditional strategy days. The event will be hosted outdoors in the forest of Altidore Castle, blending ecological insight with practical business planning. Modern business often feels like a sprint with no finish line. Business owners, founders and C-Suite executives are rarely supported in slowing down to think. The Natural Business Reset is a one-day retreat designed to interrupt that cycle. Youll step into a forest, not to escape your business but to meet it with clearer thinking and long-view planning. This is for people who need clarity but not another whiteboard, says Helen McNulty, a business strategist and retreat co-lead, who will co-host the day alongside Jenny Dungan, an ecological educator who is also based in Wicklow. Together, they blend strategic tools with woodland systems to help attendees design a more natural, resilient business model. We use woodland systems coupled with business planning techniques as the inspiration for better ways to work, grow, and lead. The retreat is limited to 12 participants and includes a guided business mapping session in the forest, wild-foraged lunch, a planning workbook, and one-to-one support from both Helen and ecological educator Jenny Dungan of Nourishing Nature. This retreat is ideal for purpose-led business owners, founders and freelancers who want to step away from their desks, reset their direction, and create a seasonally-aligned business roadmap. Its not about escaping business its about realigning it with how nature works, Helen added. Helen McNulty is a creative business strategist and founder of Grit in the Oyster. With over 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship training and facilitation, Helen specialises in helping founders find clarity and narrative power in their work. Her approach blends business tools with storytelling, resilience, and regenerative thinking. Jenny Dungan is the founder of Nourishing Nature, an ecological educator, and a leading forest school trainer in Ireland. She brings deep insight into natural systems, seasonal rhythms, and ecological design helping participants reconnect with nature as a strategic guide. The Natural Business Reset takes place in Altidore Castle Forest, Kilpedder, County Wicklow, on Friday July 11, from 10:30am-4:00pm and is limited to 12 places. Booking information can be found on grit.ie/reset Ukraine suffers harsh, sleepless night as Russian barrage kills 26 people Volodymyr Zelensky says he had productive phone call with Donald Trump about broadening US-led efforts to end war First responders work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack yesterday in the Kyiv region, Ukraine. Photo: AP Hanna Arhirova Associated Press Sat 5 Jul 2025 at 06:30 Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight in the largest aerial assault since Russias invasion of Ukraine began more than three years ago, officials said yesterday, amid a renewed Russian push to capture more of its neighbours land. 'Samson and Delilah,' the painting by Peter Paul Rubens, on display at the National Gallery, in London. Upon entering Room 15 of Londons National Gallery, visitors are mesmerized by the painting in the background. Samson a giant, bare-chested mass of muscle rests, exhausted, on Delilahs lap. Her bare breasts are revealed. An accomplice of the beautiful Philistine cuts the Israelite colossuss hair with scissors, robbing him of his strength. Samson and Delilah painted between 1609 and 1610 is one of the 30 masterpieces in the National Gallerys permanent collection that are attributed to the Flemish Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens. The controversy over the works authorship a debate that has been going on for almost 40 years is one of the most intense and aggressive in the art world. It was the first time I saw it: it was 1987, at the National Gallery. In the blink of an eye, I immediately realized it wasnt a Rubens. It was a cheap copy of the kind you see displayed on Sundays along Bayswater Road, [where painters hang their works on the fence surrounding Londons Hyde Park], explains painter and art historian Euphrosyne Doxiadis, in a phone call with EL PAIS from Athens. Doxiadis has dedicated half of her life to disproving the paintings authorship. She leads an international group of art critics. Her decades of research have been published in a book titled NG6461: The Fake Rubens (a reference to the works catalog number at the National Gallery). Released this past March, it has revived the battle between the art historian and the London museum. 'Supper at the House of Nicolaas Rockox' (1630-35), by Flemish painter Frans II Francken. Album To fully understand this story, its important to reconstruct the facts, closely observe the paintings brushstrokes, travel back in time and above all apply a necessary dose of skepticism to the certainties and the theories defended by both sides of the debate. Rubens painted Samson and Delilah at the beginning of his mature period, in the early-17th century. He had just returned from a long trip to Italy, where he learned from Renaissance masters such as Michelangelo and Leonardo. But, above all, he was seduced by a transgressive, revolutionary artist, known for his powerful use of light and strokes, named Caravaggio. Its quite possible that the work was commissioned by his friend and mentor, Nicolaas Rockox (1560-1640). Then-mayor of Antwerp, Rockoxs house is now a museum. No one doubts that the painting existed, but when Rockox died in 1640, it disappeared like many other famous paintings. For more than two centuries, the only two pieces of evidence of the works existence were indirect. The first is the painting entitled Supper at the House of Nicolaas Rockox (1630-35). It belongs to the genre dubbed wonder-rooms, much sought-after by private collectors who wanted to display their accumulated wealth, via images that served as inventories. In this case, the key lies in the fact that in the center of the room among other reproductions one can see Rubenss Samson and Delilah. The second piece of evidence is a 1613 engraving of the painting made by Jacob Matham, a Dutch master printer. It was most likely commissioned by Mayor Rockox himself. 'Samson and Delilah' (1609-1610), an engraving by master printer Jacob Matham, depicting the original painting by Rubens. Album The paintings reappearance Samson and Delilah didnt reappear until 1929, in Paris. It was then that a Rubens expert the German art historian Ludwig Burchard confirmed its authorship. It was a historic find in the art world. The problem, however, was that, upon the aforementioned experts death in 1960, it was discovered that he had appraised several fake Rubens to enrich himself. In 1980, the National Gallery used its funds to acquire the work at a Christies auction. It paid 2.5 million (the equivalent of almost 11 million today, around $15 million). A mere trifle at todays prices, but a record at the time, which grabbed headlines. Since then, the museum hasnt been able to lift the curse that has surrounded the painting. Detail of Samson's right foot, with the toes cut off. This is a fragment of 'Samson and Delilah,' Rubens painting. The National Gallery / Album Lets start with the revealing details that according to the accusers betray that the work is a forgery. The first and perhaps the most striking, as well as the one that could most easily convince a layman is Samsons foot. In the painting exhibited at the National Gallery, the frame cuts off the toes from the giants right foot. Just like in amateur photos where the framing is incorrect and a hand or foot is also cut off. In both Mathams engraving and Franckens canvas, the foot appears in its entirety. Hands and feet are extremely difficult to draw or paint, yet Rubens mastered these details, to the point of dedicating a work to the subject called Study of Feet. Hence, its strange that with such skill he chose to make the toes disappear, thus upsetting the balance of the composition. Then, there are other clues. In the upper left corner of the painting, for instance, there is a statue of Venus and Cupid. The brushstrokes appear crude, ill-defined, in a gray tone. Detail of the statue that depicts Venus and Cupid. This is a fragment of Rubens' painting, 'Samson and Delilah.' The National Gallery / Album Rubens even wrote a book in Latin, in which he explained his entire theory on how to paint statues: De Imitatione Statuarum, Euphrosyne Doxiadis, the Greek art historian, explains. And he always used ochre and earth tones, never black and white. In the background of the painting, on the right as in Velazquezs Las Meninas (1656) theres a door. Five people contemplate the scene. One of them looks directly at the viewer, as if seeking complicity. In Mathams engraving or in Franckens painting, there are only three figures. This discrepancy would be further evidence of Doxiadiss theory about the authorship of the work. For her, its clearly a copy. According to the Greek art historian, the painting emerged from the group of disciples gathered in Madrid at the beginning of the 20th century, around the Post-Impressionist painter Joaquin Sorolla. Copying the classics was a good way to practice. And Rubens due to his mastery was a favorite among the students. For Doxiadis, the creator of the copy would have likely been Gaston Levy, a collector and curator who ended his days in New York. However, in his youth, he learned from the Spanish painter. To make clear the copy isnt meant to deceive, the unwritten rule in the art world is to show some subtle difference from the original work that reveals the plagiarism. For example, a severed foot, or a knowing face looking at the viewer. The second figure from the right looks at the viewer knowingly. A fragment of Rubens' painting, Samson and Delilah. The National Gallery / Album We discovered Levys name among Burchards notes [the German expert who confirmed the works authenticity in 1929] in 2000, among the National Gallerys documents. Purchased in Paris from the restorer Gaston Levy, is what he wrote by hand, Doxiadis details. Whats more, the art historian asserts that the piece exhibited at the National Gallery isnt an oil on oak like the historic original but rather a canvas glued to a board, which was later reinforced with another wooden board. She insists that museum officials have refused to use technology to refute her claim. The National Gallerys battle The museum has dedicated years of work by its experts to confirm the authorship of its star painting and to silence what it considers to be baseless conspiracy theories. The National Gallery recently published an exhaustive report signed by three academics. It was led by Gregory Martin, one of the worlds leading experts on Rubens. This extensive study, conducted by our curatorial and scientific teams using the latest imaging and analytical techniques, provides compelling evidence in support of the paintings authorship. It offers transparency around our research process and contributes meaningfully to the wider field of art-historical scholarship, museum director Gabriele Finaldi wrote in The Guardian a few weeks ago. The British paper has also reported on the controversy. While representatives of the National Gallery declined to speak with EL PAIS, they sent the experts technical report to this correspondent. Many specialists and critics have sided with the British art gallery and have defended Rubens authorship. In the art world whenever evidence isnt entirely conclusive intuition, knowledge and imagination come to the fore. And its here that a painter mentioned at the beginning of this story reappears: Caravaggio. Perhaps he is the last key to understanding a painting that due to its lines, use of chiaroscuro and execution doesnt appear to be by Rubens. Even when hes imitating Caravaggio, Rubens cant help being himself. The light is his, the candle glow is buttery and warm, like a pancake in an Antwerp kitchen. That mixture of southern sensuality and northern homeliness is another Rubens trait, art critic Jonathan Jones writes in The Guardian. The quirkiness of this painting that gets some peoples goat its cocktail of Caravaggio-ism and Rubenss own carnal abandon is actually a clue to its authenticity. What copyist would have been so subtle as to recreate this moment when Rubens takes on Caravaggio especially in the earlier 20th century, when Caravaggio was not rated as he is today? Truth, like beauty, belongs to the eye of the beholder. And Samson and Delilah like many other paintings is eternally condemned to be an act of faith for its admirers, and an insult to its detractors. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community! Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region. Port Charles isnt cooling down anytime soon. This week on General Hospital, viewers can expect explosive confrontations, emotional reckonings, and unsettling revelations. From Lulus growing anger to Sashas chilling find and a key interrogation involving Sidwell, theres no shortage of drama from July 7 to July 11. Lulus boiling point and Roccos questions Lulu is fuming and Brook Lynn might be the first to feel her heat. But what triggered this fury? It all starts when Rocco returns home with pressing questions about his origins. Tell me about Britt Westbourne, he demands of his mother. His curiosity isnt randomhes been digging. Once Rocco reveals that Danny found Brook Lynns file with his name, Lulu connects the dots and her anger erupts. Meanwhile, Sasha finds something deeply disturbing. If the term horrifying discovery is being used, its clear this is no minor incident. With hints pointing toward her mystery stalker resurfacing, it seems Sashas nightmare is far from overand this time, it may go beyond mind games. Gio won't be forsaking Sonny anytime soon, no matter what Tracy has to say. Click to watch today's brand-new #GH - RIGHT NOW! #GeneralHospital https://t.co/YRwoY7Dedu General Hospital (@GeneralHospital) July 4, 2025 Gio looks for answers, Cody clears the air Gio is still grappling with the truth about his parentagelearning Brook Lynn and Dante are his real parents has left him shaken. His first reaction was to abandon music and simmer in anger. But now, Gio might be ready for new clarity. Whether its about his family or his grandfather Sonny, he begins seeking another viewpoint. The big question: who does he trust enough to talk to? Elsewhere, Cody and Brook Lynn sit down for a long overdue conversation. Given Codys involvement in uncovering the truth about Gio, theres bound to be tension to work through. Clearing the air might be harder than either of them expects. Anna confronts Sidwell, but will he slip away again? Sidwell is ready with another smooth lie, this time pinning the blame for the fire at Charlies Pub on Selena Wus crew. But Police Commissioner Anna Devane knows Sidwells tricks all too wellespecially from their time in Africa. She sits down with him, determined to get the truth, or at least poke holes in his story. Whether Sidwell can charm his way out again remains to be seen. Other key moments to watch this week Brook Lynn plays defense while Ava opens up to Nina Mac takes on the role of matchmaker, while Alexis is pleasantly surprised Ric makes a move toward Elizabeth, while Drew tries to warn Willow Michael lays down his terms, and Jordan remains skeptical of Portia Trina reacts with anger, while Anna offers Emma support Rocco surprises everyone with a bold action, and Laura steps in for a family talk From family feuds to shocking truths, the week ahead in General Hospital promises high stakes and bigger emotions for its viewers. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he has signed tariff notification letters for 12 countries. These letters, which detail specific tariff levels on goods exported to the United States, will be sent out on Monday, July 7, 2025. Trump made the announcement while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to New Jersey. Tariff hikes may reach 70%, set to begin August 1 The tariff policy, originally introduced in April, established a 10% base rate with additional tariffs potentially going as high as 50%. These additional rates were paused for 90 days to allow trade negotiations. That suspension period ends on July 9. However, Trump said the final tariffs could now climb to as much as 70%, depending on the country. The new rates are scheduled to take effect on August 1, 2025. Trump said the letters will outline different amounts of money, different amounts of tariffs, but did not disclose which countries are on the list. That information, he said, will be released on Monday. White House moves away from broader negotiation strategy Initially, the administration had planned to negotiate with dozens of countries on tariffs and trade rules. However, according to Trump, that approach has now shifted due to slow progress and repeated difficulties with key partners such as Japan and the European Union. The letters are better... much easier to send a letter, Trump told reporters, highlighting his change in strategy. He did not confirm whether any broader trade deals would be finalised before the July 9 deadline. US President Donald Trump | Credit: X Only two trade deals finalised so far So far, the U.S. has concluded only two trade agreements. One was with the United Kingdom in May, which retained the 10% base tariff and provided preferential terms for industries like autos and aircraft engines. The second was with Vietnam, which reduced tariffs on Vietnamese goods to 20%, down from a threatened 46%. The agreement also grants duty-free entry for many U.S. goods into the Vietnamese market. Other negotiations have been less successful. A potential agreement with India has not been reached, and European Union officials confirmed on Friday that they had failed to break the deadlock in talks. The EU may now look to extend existing terms to avoid steep tariff hikes. With the July 9 negotiation window closing, Donald Trumps administration is pivoting to direct tariff enforcement, signaling tougher trade terms ahead. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated support for supplying Ukraine with Patriot missile systems following a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The remarks came shortly after a separate conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which Trump described as disappointing, citing a lack of progress toward a ceasefire. Ukraine pushes for Air Defense support In a conversation with President Zelenskiy, Trump said Ukraine is going to need them [Patriot missiles] for defense, acknowledging that the country continues to suffer from intense Russian airstrikes. Trump praised the capabilities of the Patriot systems, calling them pretty amazing. Zelenskiy, in a Telegram post, said that the two leaders had discussed joint defense production and the need to strengthen Ukraines air defenses. He added that both sides agreed to collaborate on purchases and investments aimed at increasing Ukraines ability to defend the sky. U.S. and German decisions still pending The status of future Patriot missile shipments from the U.S. remains unclear after Washington halted some deliveries. The move drew concern from Kyiv, which warned that any interruption could weaken its defense against Russias military escalation. US President Donald Trump | Credit: X Germany has also entered discussions about acquiring Patriot systems to bridge the supply gap, but no formal commitments have been made. Trump said he had spoken with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz regarding the missile request, but confirmed that a final decision was still pending. A source familiar with the Trump-Zelenskiy conversation described the call as very good, with some optimism that missile deliveries might resume soon. Talks follow escalation in Russian attacks The conversation between Trump and Zelenskiy took place a day after Trump expressed dissatisfaction with his discussion with President Putin. He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people its no good, Trump said of the Russian leader, adding that he found the call frustrating. Just hours after Trumps talk with Putin, Russia launched its largest drone attack of the war on Kyiv, an event Zelenskiy described as deliberately massive and cynical. In his nightly address, Zelenskiy confirmed that his talks with Trump included plans to arrange meetings between their teams to further strengthen air defenses. The leaders also discussed the potential for joint arms production, with Zelenskiy stating, We need it, America needs it. With no ceasefire in sight and Russian strikes intensifying, Ukraines need for advanced defense systems remains critical as international talks continue. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Uddhav Thackeray, leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), and his cousin Raj Thackeray, chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), shared a public platform for the first time in almost 20 years at the Awaj Marathicha rally held in Worli. The rally, initially planned as a protest against the state governments three-language policy, turned into a victory celebration after the policy was rolled back. The event was attended by thousands of MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) supporters. The joint appearance by the Thackeray cousins was seen as a symbolic gesture of unity, especially after years of political divergence since Raj Thackeray left Shiv Sena in 2005 and later founded the MNS in 2006. Opposition to hindi in schools sparks alliance The recent Maharashtra government order to introduce Hindi as a compulsory third language from Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English-medium schools triggered widespread opposition. Unless at least 20 students opted for another language, Hindi would be mandatory. Both Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS criticized the order, calling it an attempt to sideline Marathi. NCP (Sharad Pawars faction) also supported the protests. Uddhav Thackeray termed the move a language emergency, clarifying that he was not against Hindi but was firmly opposed to its forced inclusion. Raj Thackeray also criticised the policy and urged people to stand united. The government should know what Maharashtra wants, he said, calling the move a conspiracy to dilute Marathis significance. From protest to celebration: A shift in tone While the two parties had originally planned separate protests for July 6 and 7, the cousins eventually decided to combine efforts and hold a joint rally on July 5. The government revoked both language policy GRs on June 29, following sustained backlash. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis later announced the formation of a committee under former Planning Commission member Narendra Jadhav to recommend how the three-language formula could be implemented in schools. #WATCH | Mumbai: Brothers, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray share a hug as Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are holding a joint rally as the Maharashtra government scrapped two GRs to introduce Hindi as the third language. (Source: Shiv Sena-UBT) pic.twitter.com/nSRrZV2cHT ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2025 The rally invitation, devoid of any party logos or symbols, was issued in the names of both Raj and Uddhav. Did we make the government bow down? Yes! This celebration will be yours and we were merely fighting on behalf of you, it stated. Remarks at the rally: Political and personal Uddhav Thackeray emphasized the significance of their reunion. We have removed the distance between us, he said, affirming that they were united and would remain so. Commenting on the importance of the event, he added, This stage was more important than our speeches. Raj Thackeray echoed the sentiment, joking that CM Fadnavis had succeeded in doing what Balasaheb Thackeray hadnt bringing the cousins together. He credited the rollback of the language policy to the united resistance by the Marathi-speaking public. Responding to Fadnavis's earlier comment that hooliganism in the name of Marathi would not be tolerated, Uddhav said, If we don't get justice, then we will continue doing what he calls hooliganism. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. What started as a casual introduction through mutual acquaintances in 2015 has grown into one of K-pop's most iconic friendships. BTS' V aka Kim Taehyung and K-drama actor Park Bo-gum have shared far more than red carpets and front-row seats. They've stood side by side through career highs, public scrutiny, military service, and personal growth. In an industry where relationships often flicker and fade, their bond has endured, becoming a symbol of unwavering loyalty and mutual respect. BTS V and Park Bo-gum From fashion runways to Paris nights On July 3, Taehyung landed in Paris ahead of the CELINE show at Paris Fashion Week, sending fans into a frenzy as crowds flooded the airport to welcome him. But what followed was even more electric. That same evening, V was the guest of honour at a private celebration at Club Larc, and the energy was palpable. Music pulsed through the venue as videos showed him dancing atop an elevated platform, fully in his element. Kim Taehyung enjoying his party at Larc Paris!! King thv#TaehyungInParis pic.twitter.com/OCGoDInEvI V Charts (@BTSVChartData) July 5, 2025 Dressed head-to-toe in CELINE - a black leather jacket, crisp white tee, blue denim, and sleek sunglasses - Taehyung didn't just arrive; he owned the night. He lit sparklers, danced with staff holding a sparkling sign that read "Welcome to Paris, V," and laughed freely among the crowd, radiating joy and charisma. Club Larc Instagram story BTS V and Park Bo-gum reunion But the most unforgettable moment of the night? Park Bo-gum's unannounced arrival. The room buzzed as the two reunited, later spotted leaving together, with V walking close, his arm affectionately draped around Bo-gum's shoulder. It wasn't just a feel-good moment - it was a visual reminder of a ten-year bond that's only grown stronger with time. : Which car is Bogum going to ride in : Ill Ill Ill Ill ride in the same car as you! (Bogum) : Hyung, get in here! pic.twitter.com/nJ2BSy6eEM TAE GUIDE (@taeguide) July 5, 2025 This wasn't their first shared spotlight. Last year, the duo turned heads when they arrived side by side at a CELINE event, their presence echoing an unspoken promise: in a world of shifting fame and fleeting connections, some friendships only deepen. More on the powerhouse duo Taehyung's Paris appearance is just one of many recent highlights in his dazzling solo journey. A top-tier brand ambassador, he continues to dominate both fashion and music, recently topping brand rankings over fellow idols from SEVENTEEN and BLACKPINK. With BTS officially reuniting and a new album on the horizon in 2026, V's momentum shows no sign of slowing. Meanwhile, Park Bo-gum has been making waves on the acting front. After the emotional success of When Life Gives You Tangerines, he wowed fans again in the action-packed K-drama Good Boy, drawing praise for his versatility and magnetic screen presence. As both stars rise higher in their respective fields, one thing is cleartheir friendship remains a constant, steady heartbeat behind all the glamour and success. For all the latest K-drama, K-pop, and Hallyuwood updates, keep following our coverage here. Rob McElhenney has legally filed to change his name to "Rob Mac"a name fans and friends have already been calling him for years. Speaking at Its Always Sunny in Philadelphias 20th anniversary event, the actor revealed the change was partly inspired by his family history and partly due to pure frustration. When I traced back my family tree, I found that our surname had changed spelling six or seven times since the late 1800s, he told PEOPLE. It hit me then, this name isnt some sacred heirloom. Its just a bunch of letters that some government guy wrote down over a century ago. Rob McElhenney got tired of mispronunciations In a video message on July 1, Rob added that he was tired of people getting his name wrong. The amount of time Ive wasted correcting people it adds up to actual days, he said. Everyone already calls me Rob Mac. So why not just keep it simple? I said what I said. pic.twitter.com/lvwKgTBBrx Rob Mac (@RMcElhenney) July 1, 2025 He officially signed the documents in Los Angeles on June 26. Going forward, the Mythic Quest actor will be credited as Rob Mac in all new projects. Even FX has already made the switch in official material for Sunny. His wife, actress Kaitlin Olson, had a funny take: The kids are really not happy about it, she joked, since they all still carry the McElhenney surname. But Rob isnt stressing it. My family knows who I am, and they love me either way. The name doesnt change that. You might think your phone is essential, but not if you are on Love Island USA. A bunch of Islanders kicked off phones before heading to Fiji, but their IGs? Still booming. Here is how their social media is being taken care of, and which voices are filling the void. Love Island USA Season 7 Episode 27 release date and time | Credit: Peacock No phones, no problem: Whos posting? Since the Islanders enter the villa without access to their phones, someone else has to step in. Each jersey comes with a #Team account manager, usually a best friend, sibling, or the power couple that loves to serve dramatic updates. Elan Bibas Elans younger brother, Tal Bibas, has taken charge of his Instagram and TikTok. The strategy? Strictly content and engagement. Tal boosted Elans followers from roughly 3,000 to over 63,000 in under two weeks, clever algorithm moves and smart posting earned serious traction. Love Island USA S7 Casa Amor: Elan sparks chaos after kissing Huda Credit: Instagram Jeremiah Brown, Cierra Ortega, Huda Mustafa, and others Jeremiah Browns big sis has stepped up in his absence, delivering affirmations and calling out petitions to support him. Cierra Ortegas posts are handled by friend MJ Hedderman, serving witty updates and personality-packed captions. Huda Mustafas account has seen emotional messages about her journey and fans rallying around her dramatic moments. Meanwhile, Chelley Bissainthes family is busy promoting #TeamChelley and countering rumours, one quite heart-breaking post covered her showing emotion after Olandrias exit. Love Island's Jeremiah spills tea on Huda, says he rushed it | Credit: Peacock Why does it matter? This approach keeps fans connected, and keeps engagement numbers high. Following Islanders while they are on the show turns them into brand-ready prospects post-villa. And with Love Island itself ranking as Peacocks second-most-watched streaming reality show, maintaining an active presence is crucial. With social media now community-managed, fans are split. Some applaud the transparency, knowing that every comment, meme, or interaction is intentional. Others worry the behind-the-scenes teams may be spinning narratives or controlling what's said online. Love Island USA: Was Hudas Heart Challenge with Ace edited out?| Credit: Peacock Season 7 Islanders may be offline, but their stars are still shining. From calculated follower boosts to heartfelt captions from loved ones, these social media takeovers are shaping how fans perceive the villa experience. Who are you rooting for? Oasis are back on stage, and theyre louder than ever. After 16 long years, Liam and Noel Gallagher reunited for a sold-out concert at Cardiffs Principality Stadium. Thousands of fans from across the world gathered to witness one of the biggest comebacks in British music. It was emotional, loud, and soaked in pure 90s nostalgia. Noel had once said, People will never forget the way you made them feel. That quote was printed in the tour programme and after this show, fans definitely felt something big. From the first chords to the final encore, Oasis played hit after hit, but not without a few surprises along the way. All the hits, but some big misses Because we need each other, we believe in one another #oasislive25 pic.twitter.com/P3tRl0mNj3 Oasis (@oasis) July 5, 2025 The 24-song setlist stuck to Oasis 90s glory days, with nothing from the 2000s making it in. While fans went wild for tracks like Slide Away and Rock n Roll Star, there were some noticeable absences. Songs like Columbia, Lyla, The Importance of Being Idle, and Stop Crying Your Heart Out were left out. Many were quick to react online. One fan said, Good but no Columbia? Thats in their top five. Others wished for a few more deep cuts and post-Morning Glory material. Still, the setlist packed punch after punch: Fuckin in the Bushes (intro) Hello Acquiesce Morning Glory Some Might Say Bring It on Down Cigarettes & Alcohol Fade Away Supersonic Roll With It Talk Tonight (Noel on vocals) Little by Little Half the World Away (Noel on vocals) DYou Know What I Mean? Stand By Me Cast No Shadow Slide Away Whatever Live Forever Rock n Roll Star Encore: The Masterplan (Noel on vocals) Dont Look Back in Anger (Noel on vocals) Wonderwall Champagne Supernova Fans travel miles to be a part of Oasis reunion More than 100,000 people were in Cardiff for the show, with others watching from nearby pubs and bars. Two fans flew in from Australia just for the gig. We always said if they ever came back, wed be there, they said. Now the tour heads to Manchester, London, Dublin, and then off to North America. And fans are hoping a few of those missing tracks find their way in next time. Relations between Mexico and the United States are experiencing a disturbing calm these days, considering the storm of recent weeks and months, and what lies ahead with the tariffs on July 9th looming ominously. There has been a welcome reduction in the tax on remittances that had been originally set at 3.5% and would have caused a huge economic crisis. It will now be 1% instead and only on remittances sent by migrants in cash, accounting for a very small share of the total. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has also announced that livestock exports, which have been banned until now due to the screwworm fly plague, will gradually resume in the coming days. These are small agreements that, however welcome, do not clear up the horizon, and which some experts attribute to negotiations between concerned sectors on both sides of the border rather than to a national diplomatic team robust enough to address the major problems that have arisen in bilateral relations. Diplomacy is falling short, says the international analyst Aribel Contreras. These small agreements, she says, are being made by various non-political actors within the United States: Businesspeople, legislators, unions, and other figures who also have their counterparts in Mexico along with some business leaders, chambers of commerce, and industrialists who are speaking out and have approached the U.S. ambassador, but what happens in the United States carries more weight, notes Contreras, who coordinates the Global Business degree program at the Universidad Iberoamericana. In her opinion, what the Mexican government has achieved is nothing more than major failures that have not dissipated tariff threats in a country that has a trade agreement with the United States. Its deplorable, she asserts, adding that if there is a certain sense of calm these days, it is simply because President Donald Trump has other priorities to address, such as the conflicts in the Middle East with its stock market turmoil, or the threat from China. Mexico is important for the United States, she asserts, but it is not the priority right now. Mexico and the United States have maintained important relations for centuries, as could not be otherwise given their shared border of nearly 2,000 miles. They have had agreements in the border region, the most commercially active, for many decades. The Sonora-Arizona Commission, for example, has been conducting negotiations for more than 60 years, with numerous agencies involved. And neighboring cities can reach their own legal agreements. Roberto Zepeda, of the Center for Research on North America (CISAN) at UNAM, refers to all of this when he mentions the paradiplomacy that could be resolving issues such as the screwworm crisis, which is still holding in suspense the export of more than $1 billion worth of cattle annually to the United States. There are small agreements, such as a labor deal that could end the crisis facing Mexican day laborers in the U.S. countryside, because farm owners there are complaining, says Zepeda. The problem is that Trump has now lumped all these agreements together, says the researcher, and that complicates relations. But Zepeda feels that there are few diplomatic channels, that there is a lack of flexible channels to address all of this. It may be a more silent diplomacy, in the style of the current Mexican Foreign Minister, Juan Ramon de la Fuente, but even so, more of a presence is required, a channel of communication with Trump like the one we had in his first term with his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, says Zepeda. Communication in Mexico is not at the same level and it is being reactive, waiting to see what Trump does. I think things are going well, says Arturo Rocha, who was the Mexican coordinator for the North American Strategy during the previous administration. Mexicos disadvantage is that domestic politics also weigh heavily. Its not just a matter of foreign policy with the United States, as may be the case with China, Iran, or Israel. But I think President Claudia Sheinbaums cool-headed strategy is there for anyone to see; were moving forward step by step, he asserts. Weve overcome a thorny issue with livestock, but also with the water supply on the border with Texas, which is no small feat. Weve also achieved something reasonable with remittances, although theyve fallen slightly in recent months, he says. Theres the silence of diplomacy, with clear results. But everyone consulted for this story agrees that high-level diplomacy still has areas of opportunity, that is, that more could be done than what is currently being done. With the storm unleashed between the two nations since Trump came to power, the same Mexican ambassador, Esteban Moctezuma, remains stationed in the United States, something of a a protocolary snub, says Aribel Contreras. It would be the right thing to do to replace the ambassador, who worked with Biden and who also lacks the appropriate profile needed right now, more commercial and less political. We must not forget that the Trade Agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada is still pending negotiation, and not even the Ministry of Economy has formed the teams for that. As if that were not enough, the former Undersecretariat for North America has been downgraded to a department with less experienced people, while the Undersecretariats for Latin America and the Caribbean remain in place, Contreras complains. The fact that Trump and Sheinbaum held nearly 10 phone calls indicates to Zepeda that things didnt get smoothed out conveniently beforehand, not even with the ambassador. Lately, the lack of human and financial resources at Mexican consulates in the United States has been repeatedly mentioned,and this is an area that everyone thinks should be reinforced with new profiles and greater funding, Rocha points out. Mexico should lobby more robustly with Republicans, and the consular trenches are important in that regard, he says. But these new appointments have yet to arrive, and criticism is mounting, because the eye of the storm only foreshadows a new storm. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition This follows the European Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee vote on June 24, which passed the draft report with wide support despite Bulgarian objections. The initial text included direct references to Macedonian language and identity and dismissed amendments suggesting modern as a qualifier. The Edo State Government has confirmed an outbreak of dengue fever, with 86 cases reported across the state. This adds to the regions growing health burden, including Lassa fever, yellow fever, monkeypox, and diphtheria. During a press briefing in Benin City on Friday, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, revealed that an Emergency Operations Centre has been activated to combat the dengue crisis. Advertisement The Edo State Ministry of Health confirms the outbreak of Dengue Fever. So far, 86 cases have been reported across the state, Oshiomhole stated. He noted that the ministry is employing surveillance, case management, vector control, and environmental sanitation to manage the situation. READ MORE:https://www.informationng.com/2025/07/gov-yusuf-makes-seven-new-appointments-into-key-positions-in-kano.html We have put measures in place, including surveillance, case management, vector control, and environmental sanitation in affected areas, he added. The commissioner explained that dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito and spreads rapidly in areas with stagnant water and poor sanitation. He urged residents to destroy mosquito breeding grounds, cover water containers, use insect repellents, and sleep under mosquito nets. Dr. Oshiomhole also disclosed that Lassa fever has claimed 24 lives from 137 confirmed cases in 2025. Additionally, two cases of yellow fever have been recorded, with one death; eight cases of monkeypox, and eight diphtheria cases, resulting in three deaths. He assured that the government of Governor Monday Okpebholo is committed to tackling the outbreaks head-on. The health and safety of our people remain our top priority, and we will not relent until all outbreaks are under control, he said. Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano has appointed seven new officials to key government agencies to boost governance and service delivery. The announcement was made Friday via a statement issued by the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Sunusi Bature. Dr. Bashir Muzakkar was named Director-General of the Kano State Information and Communication Technologies Development Agency. Prior to this, he served as Special Adviser on Digital and Creative Economy. Advertisement Other appointees include Kabiru Dakata as Director-General, State Advert and Signage Agency; Dr. Fatima Abubakar as Director-General, State Social Protection Agency; Isyaku Umar-Kwa as Deputy Managing Director, State Housing Corporation; Hamisu Danzaki as Executive Secretary, State Scholarship Board; Ismail Nasarawa as Provost, Anti-Corruption Institute; and Mohammed Gabasawa as Commandant, Corporate Security Institute. Governor Yusuf expressed full confidence in their capacities to contribute meaningfully to his governments goals. READ MORE:https://www.informationng.com/2025/07/fct-court-orders-senate-to-recall-senator-natasha-says-six-months-suspension-unconstitutional.html These appointments reflect our commitment to strengthening institutions and ensuring that competent hands manage critical sectors of our state, the governor said. He urged the appointees to prioritize the interest of the people and stay focused on delivering impact. We are here to serve, not to be served, he emphasized. Kano people deserve results, not excuses. I expect absolute dedication and professionalism. Theres no room for laxity in this government. The governor added that the new team members were selected based on merit and their proven track records. We will continue to place the right people in the right positions to ensure that Kano regains its leadership role in public sector excellence. Former Jigawa State Governor and PDP chieftain, Sule Lamido, has affirmed his readiness to back Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election if Obi emerges as the coalitions standard bearer. If the coalition produces Peter Obi or anyone else committed to rescuing Nigeria, I will support them. But I remain PDP. We should have outgrown tribal and regional sentiments. Leadership should be about competence and vision, not geography. Advertisement He emphasised that the zoning arrangement between the North and South was originally a temporary fix after the annulled June 12 election but has since become a hindrance to national progress. What has the North gained from producing the most presidents if the region remains underdeveloped? Lamido questioned, adding that Im open to any arrangement that can confront the APC and rescue Nigeria. READ MORE:https://www.informationng.com/2025/07/i-cant-work-with-recycled-politicians-sowore-tackles-atiku-el-rufai-over-adc.html The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) echoed this sentiment, with its National President, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, saying, The North may have no choice but to support a candidate from the South that they can trust. Peter Obi has a track record of keeping promises, which is vital in the current political climate. However, skepticism remains among northern leaders. Alhaji Muhammad Salihu Danlami, Speaker of the Arewa Youth Assembly, warned. The North will not be deceived again. We allowed a one-term promise before and were disappointed. The North will not support Peter Obi because of his politics of religion and ethnicity. Former Minister Ibrahim Nakande added, Saying one will serve only one term is political. It depends on the policies and programmes. Obis support extends beyond the South. Chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has declared that Nigerias judiciary and legislature have lost their independence and are now mere appendages of the executive arm of government. Galadima made the remark during an interview on Arise TV on Saturday, stressing that Nigerias major issue is not the constitution but the refusal of public officials to uphold it. According to him, There is no separation of powers, as you know now. The judiciary, legislature and executive are in the hands of one person. Advertisement He accused elected officials of deliberately abdicating their responsibilities, noting that the Constitution is not to blame for Nigerias governance failures but the character of those entrusted to implement it. READ MORE:https://www.informationng.com/2025/07/no-amount-of-efforts-will-make-amaechi-david-mark-return-to-power-wike.html Galadima strongly opposed the proposal to create state police, warning that it would ultimately destroy democracy. I beg Nigerians and members of the National Assembly, they should never, in any circumstance, allow the creation of state police, he warned. He recalled that he had consistently resisted the idea from as far back as 1987, stating that once entrenched in the Constitution, reversing state police would be nearly impossible. On constitutional review and creation of more states, Galadima dismissed the idea as a distraction. Let them take the money and share. Let them leave us as we are, he said, insisting that attitude not constitutional amendments should be the national focus. He also called for urgent electoral reforms. What we need now is electoral reform where the votes of the people should count, Galadima added, arguing that such reforms could be achieved without tampering with the Constitution. Galadima urged external pressure where necessary, stating, It is only them [foreign powers] that can talk to those in authority in Nigeria, and they scamper for cover. Operatives of Niger State Police Command have apprehended two notorious kidnappers for allegedly disturbing the peace of residents of Bosso Local Government. INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that the security agents also nabbed one armed robber in a separate operation. In a statement on Friday by Spokesman for the states Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, identified the suspects as Sani Mohammed, Abubakar Dahiru, and Idris Mohammed. Advertisement READ MORE: Niger Police Raid Criminal Hideouts In Suleja, Arrest 20 Suspects Abiodun disclosed that the arrested individuals were apprehended on June 16, 2025, by operatives of the Crack Squad and STS. He added that Sani and Abubakar were linked to several high-profile kidnappings, including the abduction of a widow in Maikunkele, for which they demanded and received a ransom of N8 million. The Commands Spokesman also disclosed that the same gang was involved in the kidnap of two brothers in Beji, for which they demanded a N5 million ransom. Abiodun stated that after receiving the sum of N2.2 million, they released one before killing the other brother. He said: The two suspects later fled to Kaba, Kogi and Zamfara States, until recently planning to regroup, with the intention to invite Yeli from Zamfara and Smally from Kogi State. FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has slammed his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, suggesting he has a spiritual problem for claiming he owns no property. Wike, speaking during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television on Fridy, questioned Amaechis integrity after the ex-minister claimed he has no houses because he is not corrupt. Wike challenged this, accusing Amaechi of deception. According to Wike, Amaechi was Speaker for eight years, Governor for eight years, and Minister for eight years, and he does not have houses? Then he has a spiritual problem. Advertisement He alleged that Amaechi owns a luxurious home in Guzape, Abuja, that only the wealthy can afford. I will tell you about his house in Guzape here where I live. You need a bunker to destroy that house. READ MORE:https://www.informationng.com/2025/07/people-i-never-expected-to-join-us-are-here-their-plans-against-tinubu-will-fail-adcs-chieftain.html Im not saying I would destroy it; Im trying to show the quality. You cant be a poor man and have such a house, Wike stated. Wike also took a swipe at Amaechis wife, alleging shes involved in questionable contracts with government agencies. He said he does not have this and that. Where is his house? Its in old GRA. Who built it? I heard him say NPA and NIMASA have not paid contractors, yes, because they have not paid his wife, who is a contractor. The heated exchange is the latest in the long-standing rivalry between both Rivers State politicians, as they gear up for what many believe will be another round of political battles ahead of the 2027 general elections. Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has replied former minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, over his comment that the he does not respect him. Recall that INFORMATION NIGERIA had reported that Mr. Amaechi, who served as governor of Rivers State from 2007 to 2015, had questioned why Wike failed to honor him. Amaechi also knocked his successor, challenging the FCT Minister to take a walk with him from Abuja to Port Harcourt to prove his popularity. Advertisement Wike in a reaction during an interview with Channels TV on Friday, said that only integrity and honour attract respect, not old age. He said: I think its very unfortunate. First of all, you should be respected by the integrity you have. You should be respected by the honour you have. READ MORE: Despite All I Did For Wike, I Dont Know Why He Doesnt Respect Me Amaechi You shouldnt be respected because you are 200 years old. First of all, he cant claim to be my senior. It was unfair for him for him to make that kind of comment. The mere fact that he was a governor before me, there is no law that says, If I am senior to you, Ill be a governor before you. To God be the glory. He gives power to whom he wants to give power at the right time. It is for you to use what God has given to you to enhance the upliftment of mankind. More companies are mandating their executives and teams implement AI-first strategies in areas such as risk assessment, hiring, and performance reviews. The implication: AI is increasingly becoming a requirement in the workplace and no longer just an option. Read more SAN FRANCISCO Luis von Ahn hoped to send a clear message to his 900 employees at Duolingo: Artificial intelligence is now a priority at the language-learning app. The company would stop using contractors for work AI could handle. Itll seek AI skills in hiring. AI would be part of performance reviews, and itll only hire people when things cant be automated. The details, outlined in a memo from the company CEO and cofounder in April and posted on professional networking site LinkedIn, drew outrage. Advertisement Some cringed at AI translations suggesting that learning languages need human context. Many users threatened to quit Duolingo. Others blasted the company for choosing AI over its workers. The backlash got so loud that three weeks later, von Ahn posted an update. To be clear: I do not see AI as replacing what our employees do (we are in fact continuing to hire at the same speed as before), von Ahn wrote in the update on LinkedIn. I see it as a tool to accelerate what we do, at the same or better level of quality. And the sooner we learn how to use it, and use it responsibly, the better off we will be in the long run. From Duolingo to Meta to e-commerce firm Shopify and cloud storage company Box, more companies are mandating their executives and teams implement AI-first strategies in areas such as risk assessment, hiring, and performance reviews. Some of the directives are being detailed in public memos from top leaders, in some cases spurring outrage. Others are happening behind closed doors, according to people in the tech industry. The implication: AI is increasingly becoming a requirement in the workplace and no longer just an option. As AI becomes more popular and companies invest more heavily the tools will start being embedded in the work [people] already do, said Emily Rose McRae, an analyst at market research and advisory firm Gartner. The work they do will change. Meta plans to replace humans with AI to assess risks as it relates to the privacy reviews of its products, according to NPR. The company told the Post its rolling out automation for low-risk decisions, like data deletion and retention, to allow teams to focus on more complicated decisions. At Shopify, everyone is expected to learn how to apply AI to their jobs, CEO Tobi Lutke wrote in an April 7 memo to staff. The tech would also be a part of prototyping, performance and peer review questionnaires, and teams would have to demonstrate why AI couldnt do the job before requesting new hires. AI will totally change Shopify, our work, and the rest of our lives, Lutkes memo, which went viral on social media, said. Were all in on this! In response, some people pushed back. I cannot in good conscience recommend any company that is so recklessly throwing their good humans to the wind while putting all their faith in computer code that does not work a good portion of the time, Kristine Schachinger, a digital marketing consultant responded to Lutke on X. Following von Ahns memo, Duolingo chief engineering officer Natalie Glance shared details about what the strategy meant for her team. AI should be the default for solving problems, and productivity expectations would rise as AI handles more work, she wrote. She also advised her team to spend 10% of their time on experimenting and learning more about the AI tools, try using AI for every task first, and share learnings. We dont have all the answers yet and thats okay, she wrote in an internal Slack message she later posted on LinkedIn. Duolingo was not the first company to do this and I doubt it will be the last, said Sam Dalsimer, Duolingo spokesperson. Many white-collar workers across industries are already using AI in their work, from summarizing documents to writing emails and reports to research and data crunching. And Microsoft, Zoom, and Google have been increasingly packing AI into many of their work products. At Box, CEO and cofounder Aaron Levie expects the company to use AI to eliminate tasks that clog up peoples workflows, automate more so that the company can reinvest savings to achieve more and foster more experimentation. He also wants to train employees to be proficient in AI. In engineering, were probably in the final generation where you can go into a company with no AI coding expertise, Levie said in an interview with the Post. What weve found internally and with more and more customers is that AI is really helping accelerate doing more, getting better work done, and solving problems faster. AI is already becoming a factor in some job interviews. Google software engineering candidates are given access to AI tools to solve problems, said Ryan J. Salva, senior director of product at Google. While Google doesnt have any mandates on using AI, it expects people to get the job done in the most efficient way, including using AI. I would be surprised if they did not use AI most of the time, he said about developer interviews. Some directives are less about rules, and more about pushing employees to wake up and use AI. Heres the unpleasant truth, Micha Kaufman, Fiverr founder and CEO, wrote in a memo. AI is coming for your jobs. Heck its coming for my job too. His memo advised employees to become prompt engineers and master the latest AI solutions in their fields. He then spent three hours huddled in a meeting room with 250 workers discussing his expectations, including that new hires be proficient in AI, and that employees double or triple their output and strive to automate their jobs. The goal is to redirect people to tasks that only they can do, such as generating innovative ideas or using human judgment, Kaufman said in an interview. If you dont do this now, your value in the industry is going to drop, and youre going to be doomed, he said. Similarly, Wade Foster, cofounder and CEO of workflow automation platform Zapier, posted on X that he now expects aspiring employees to be equipped with AI skills. Were setting a new standard at Zapier. 100% of new hires must be fluent in AI. This AI-first mandate isnt being well-received by everyone. People worry about AI replacing them at work, lowering the quality of products and services, and creating problematic outcomes such as misinformation and errors. AI first = Employees last, said Chris Craig, a West Hollywood founder and CEO. This is poor leadership. Some companies, lured by the promise of efficiency, are expected to adopt AI without making necessary workflow and structural changes, McRae of Gartner said. As a result, theyll probably fail to get their return on investment and frustrate workers in the meantime, she added. Moving too fast could backfire. After heavily touting its AI focus, Klarna, a Swedish fintech company, recently pulled back. AI helped the company lower vendor expenses, increase internal productivity and better manage operations with fewer employees, according to a company filing submitted with the Securities and Exchange Commission in March. From 2022 to 2024, Klarna shrank its headcount by 38% (Klarna said its AI assistant handles tasks equivalent to more than 800 full-time roles). But the company ultimately went too far in its attempts to cut costs, Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski told Bloomberg in May. The company told the Post it recognizes AIs limitations, especially in nuanced interactions, and plans to recruit more human gig workers while investing in the tech. Weve learned that successful deployment hinges on thoughtful implementation, said Clare Nordstrom, a Klarna spokesperson. Quality customer experience requires balance, which is why were investing in advanced technology with a human touch. At many start-ups, AI-first strategies are nothing new, said Roy Bahat, head of venture capital firm Bloomberg Beta, which invests in the future of work and AI start-ups. Most start-ups dont even need to think about having a policy about [AI] because if theyre not already built from the ground up using AI, theyre missing something. AI will steadily make its way into some workplaces regardless of mandates, McRae said. Thats because increasingly, generative AI will be integrated into workers tools seamlessly. They may use AI and not even realize it, she said. But until then, she expects more companies to join the AI-first bandwagon. Everyone needs to understand that the tools were using are new and our understanding of them will change. A Philadelphia police officer at the parking lot of the Dung Phat Plaza in South Philadelphia on Saturday, where eight people were shot at 7 Elements Restaurant, Bar and Lounge. Read more It started like so many Philadelphia shootings: an argument. Then, at least two combatants pulled knives. In seconds, eight people were shot outside a South Philly lounge. The shootings were reported just before 4 a.m. at the 7 Elements late-night lounge, located on the second floor of the two-story Dung Phat Plaza shopping center at 11th Street and Washington Avenue, moments after a brawl involving knives left people fighting on the ground of a balcony. Advertisement A video obtained by police shows that as security attempted to stop the fighting, at least one shooter fired a burst of shots into the crowd, sending patrons running. A security guard on duty admitted to firing a gun, police said. Investigators did not say if there was more than one shooter. A trail of blood led from the balcony into the club, which police found locked. Firefighters were able to get inside, where no more victims were found. Eight people treated at area hospitals remained in stable condition; four of them had been driven to emergency rooms in private vehicles. In response to the mass shooting incident in South Philadelphia early this morning, the Office of Public Safety immediately deployed our RAPID Response protocol and is still actively engaged through several divisions today, said Chief Public Safety Director Adam Geer. In this case, one of our first actions was to work directly with ... [the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections] ... to immediately revoke the business operating license for violations. The injured range in age from 25 to 43, according to police. An earlier police report incorrectly said a security guard had been shot in the face. Police said the wounded were taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Methodist Hospital, and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Police had closed off the commercial center, which includes other restaurants, a nail salon, and professional offices, with red crime-scene tape Saturday morning as they searched for evidence. Investigators were trying to collect footage of the shooting from several surveillance cameras in the area. Evidence markers indicated at least 17 bullet casings had been found at the scene, six outside the bar. Blood spots on the pavement were also marked. Police told a business owner Saturday morning that opening time would have to be delayed because three shell casings remained by the door. About 11 a.m., three employees at Pho Ga Thanh Thanh left the Vietnamese restaurant just beneath 7 Elements, saying they were not going to be able to work Saturday. A couple of hours later, an L&I representative arrived and ordered 7 Elements closed, citing zoning and licensing violations. A notice posted on the door said the following corrective actions were needed to reopen: Obtain permits required to legalize smoking lounge, after hours, and gambling establishment. Renew food prep license. About 1 p.m., police reopened access to the plaza except for the second floor, which was being cleaned of blood and other traces of the stabbings and shootings. Miguel, 46, who would not provide his last name out of fear of retaliation, said he showed up about 9 a.m. for his morning cleaning shift at 7 Elements to find a crime scene instead. He has been cleaning at the establishment for only a month, but says that besides the music, its a quiet and calm place. This is really shocking. I would have never expected something like this to happen here, Miguel said. Its a very chill place. It was similarly described by Jeff Young, 52, who stared at the crime scene in disbelief late Saturday morning. In all his years working at Nam Phuong, the Vietnamese restaurant next to the plaza, he doesnt recall anything like this happening. I am surprised because its peaceful and quiet here, Young said. Young knows 7 Elements operates as a nightclub, but though he occasionally hears music coming from the business, he said, he does not remember seeing it open. By the time we close around 9 p.m., they are still closed, and when we come in the morning, they are already closed, Young said. According to 7 Elements website, it is open from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and is currently seeking bartenders, servers, and lounge staff to create the most memorable experience Philly has to offer. 7 Elements is committed to maintaining a 5-star experience for everyone who walks through our doors, the website says. A spokesperson for 7 Elements did not respond to requests for comment. Neighbor Thomas OHara said noise is a common complaint about the bar, which sits at the east end of the strip center. I hear stuff going on here at this one corner restaurant all the time, OHara said. They were screaming out here loud as heck [Friday] morning. I hear it all the time. Staff photographer Yong Kim contributed to this article. More than 20,000 migrants have been arrested in Texas by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since Donald Trump returned to the U.S. presidency last January. This makes Texas the state with the most arrests in the last five months. The figure is double the number recorded in Florida (9,080) and triple the 5,860 registered in California, which rank second and third on the list. According to ICE data published by the Deportation Data Project at the University of California, Berkeley, the current administrations anti-immigrant campaign has resulted in approximately 95,000 arrests nationwide. The daily average is increasing: from approximately 300 last year to more than 660 currently, although it still falls short of the governments goal of 3,000 per day. ICE failed to even achieve this goal after White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller threatened in late May to remove regional directors of the agency who reported lower figures. After that, ICEs strategy intensified, but they barely achieved an average of 1,100 arrests per day. In most states, the number of arrests has increased compared to 2024. The largest increase is in Idaho, which has added just over 300 so far this year, representing a 924% increase over the 77 it made last year. Florida and California, meanwhile, have seen increases of 219% and 123%, respectively. Texas arrests have increased by 92%. However, it leads by far in the total number of arrests. In June, for example, the ICE office in Dallas expelled 122 migrants with final deportation orders to China. Shortly before, the agency had arrested 16 undocumented immigrants hiding in a house in the city of Mercedes. This operation underscores the crucial role the public and local law enforcement play in identifying and disrupting human smuggling operations, said Special Agent Mark Lippa, who discovered the site following an anonymous tip. The states Republican governor, Greg Abbott, is one of the strongest advocates of the presidents immigration policy, whom he often publicly supports. Trump will provide a more secure border than any president in the history of the United States, he declared shortly after his inauguration. Two months later, Texas legislators proposed a package of measures targeting people without legal status, which included imprisonment for those who transport them and prohibiting them from accessing public health and education services. Also, under Abbotts orders, Texas has strengthened collaboration with ICE through Operation Lone Star, which authorizes police officers to act as immigration agents, allowing them to detain undocumented immigrants and, in some cases, initiate deportation proceedings, although this remains a federal matter. Furthermore, the state has the largest number of immigration detention beds in the country. According to a study by Syracuse University, as of mid-June, 12,623 people were in immigration detention centers in Texas. This figure represents 22% of the more than 56,000 detainees reported nationwide at that time. Currently, many asylum seekers are held for months in Houston detention centers without access to lawyers, as demand outstrips availability. A shortage of judicial personnel has led to delays in proceedings, and, according to local media, many of those arrested have not received an initial hearing. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Campers take photographs at Mount Peace Cemetery during the Underground Railroad camp in Lawnside last week. From left are: Nasir Lewis, 12, of Medford; Joel Kurtz, 11, of Haddon Heights: Nailah Ikhlas, 11, of Willingboro: and Tsahai Qadir, 11, of Lawnside. The middle school students worked with Camden photographer Erik James Montgomery taking their own pictures on visits to railroad and historic sites in Lawnside. Read more As soon as the church van pulled into Mount Peace Cemetery in Lawnside, London Artis recognized a familiar name: her great-grandfathers. Artis, 13, and her brother, Adonis, rushed to the headstone just inside the entrance to the historic South Jersey cemetery. Advertisement Both were surprised to discover it was the final resting place for Roger Artis, who died in 1961. He is buried alongside his wife, Roberta. I was like, `Wow, I think I know him, said London, of Blackwood, a rising eighth grader. I feel proud hes somewhere hes honored. The teenager and her brother, 12, took pictures of the headstone and then continued their walk through the sprawling cemetery, established in 1902 as a resting place for Black Civil War veterans, formerly enslaved people, and those who could not be buried in whites-only cemeteries. The two siblings, along with eight others, spent a week touring sites in Camden and Lawnside, a 1.5-square-mile, historically African American community listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They learned about historic sites like the cemetery, churches, and slave auction block sites in Camden where historians say more than 800 people were sold. READ MORE: A first-of-its kind camp is teaching kids in South Jersey about the Underground Railroad This years Underground Railroad Camp, sponsored by the Lawnside Historical Society, encouraged participants to document their experiences through photography. Self-taught fine art photographer Erik James Montgomery equipped each camper with a digital camera and taught the kids how to capture what they saw. Camp directors Jackie Bentley and E. Muneerah Higgs, both educators, provided history lessons. The campers learned basic digital photography skills, lighting, angles, and settings. Montgomery gave them tips such as crouching down to get a different perspective. Everywhere we went to, they were learning how to document that area, Montgomery said. With cameras strapped around their necks, the campers traipsed through a section of the cemetery known as Soldiers Row. Veterans of the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War also are buried in Mount Peace. Medal of Honor recipient John H. Lawson, who refused to give up his station aboard the USS Harford, is among the most famous of the 77 Civil War veterans interred there. Tsahai Qadir, 11, of Lawnside, carefully stopped near ground level to photograph a grave marker tucked in a grassy area. She turned the camera from portrait view to landscape. Oh, thats a great shot! Montgomery said. Yolanda Romero, a member of the Mount Peace Cemetery Association, advised the group to look for American flags to locate other veterans graves. The inscription on some markers was no longer legible. During the Civil War, the veterans served in regiments on the East Coast, cemetery officials say. Their families sent their remains to Lawnside for burial because they were not permitted in white cemeteries. That changed in 1948, when President Harry Truman desegregated the U.S. Armed Forces, ending the militarys practice of burials based on race in national cemeteries, including Arlington National Cemetery. Think about that. Thats a long time to not be buried in a veterans cemetery, Romero told the group. The historical society, which seeks to preserve Lawnsides storied past, began holding the first-of-its kind camp in 2022 for sixth through eighth graders. This was the first year the camp focused on photography. I think its really cool, said Nasir Lewis, 12, of Medford, a rising eighth grader. It shows how far weve come. Located 13 miles southeast of Philadelphia, Lawnside was settled before the Civil War as Snow Hill, a haven for free Black people and runaways on land purchased by abolitionists. Later renamed Lawnside, it was incorporated as the first all-Black municipality north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Montgomery, who operates the nonprofit EJM Foundation, specializes in photographic public art. He wanted the campers to learn more about African American culture through the camera lens. At the slave marker sites, he told the campers to first sit with their eyes closed and consider the plight of those brought to America against their will. Then they took photographs. Sometimes, once you can empathize with a certain situation, your level of understanding and creativity will go to a deeper level, he said. The campers also visited Mount Pisgah A.M.E. Church, which was organized in 1792. It is the second-oldest A.M.E. church in New Jersey and was where the Rev. Jarena Lee became the first woman in the denomination allowed to preach. READ MORE: Apps and maps bring the Underground Railroad to life for students in this South Jersey town Inside the sanctuary, they photographed the churchs stained glass windows. London Artis said seeing the windows made her feel fulfilled. The windows just spoke to me, she said. The campers also walked to the nearby Peter Mott House, built around 1845 by Mott, a free man and a preacher who provided refuge for enslaved people who escaped. During history lessons at Grace Temple Baptist Church taught by Higgs and Bentley, the campers also wrote essays about what they learned. We assure you that we will never let this history be erased, Higgs said. This history is American history. The five-day camp wrapped up with a closing ceremony and a photo exhibit of the campers work. They explained why they selected their favorite photo and answered the question What gives you Black joy? This history was important for us to learn so we learn about our ancestors and what happened to them, said Joel Kurtz, 11, of Haddon Heights, a rising sixth grader. Around 6 p.m. Friday, police responded to a domestic incident involving a male with a firearm on the 2900 block of North Lawrence Street, Philadelphia Police Department First Deputy John Stanford told reporters during a briefing captured by 6abc. Read more A man was shot and killed by police after he allegedly fired at officers on Friday evening in Philadelphias Fairhill neighborhood, according to police. Around 6 p.m., police responded to a domestic incident involving a male with a firearm on the 2900 block of North Lawrence Street, First Deputy Police Commissioner John Stanford told reporters during a briefing captured by 6abc. Advertisement He first shot at arriving officers from inside the residence and continued to shoot at them from outside the house, Stanford said. Officers retreated between cars parked on the other side of the street and shot back at the man. The man, 40, then allegedly entered the drivers side of a police car and continued to fire as police approached the vehicle. The cars ballistic doors appeared to stop some of that gunfire, Stanford said. Then the man, whom police have not identified, exited the police car and went to the ground, where officers detained him and brought him to Temple University Hospital in another patrol car, Stanford said. He was pronounced dead at 6:24 p.m. Police recovered his weapon, which he left in the patrol car he was shooting from, Stanford said. Four officers shot at the man, but it was too soon to say how many shots were fired, Stanford said. Based on what he saw at the scene, there was a lot of firepower, he said. No one else was injured, though the police car, windows of other vehicles, and a nearby home were all struck by gunfire, he said. Its by the grace of God that we dont have a number of officers that were injured or killed in this incident, Stanford said during the briefing. We are very lucky, other than being shaken up, Im glad that they are all OK, he added. The police departments officer-involved shooting investigation and internal affairs units are investigating the incident. Former U.S. Rep. Bob Brady on the left with Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker lead Durning String Band at the Mummers Parade on Jan. 1 in Philadelphia. Read more When theres discord in the world of Philadelphia politics, Democratic City Committee chair Bob Brady likes to fashion himself as the dealmaker. But during this years city worker strike, the longtime party boss said he has encountered a roadblock in his efforts to be a middleman: He cant reach the mayor. Advertisement I called and I texted and I didnt get any response back, Brady said in an interview. Thats up to them. I just offer help. Brady added that hes been talking with the union from the beginning. Parker disputed Bradys narrative. The mayor has a great deal of respect and admiration for Democratic Party Chairman Brady, Parker spokesperson Joe Grace said. However, the mayor has not heard from Chairman Brady during this strike. Brady has been credited with helping to avert crises in moments such as the SEPTA strike in 2009 and the near-closure of the South Philly refinery complex in 2012. (The refinery ended up closing after an explosion in 2019.) And while Bradys critics dispute whether he deserves credit for saving the day so often, theres reason to believe the former U.S. representative could be a helpful go-between in this years talks between Parker and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33, which represents more than 9,000 blue-collar city workers such as trash collectors and street pavers. Brady was a union carpenter long before he became a member of Congress, and he has strong ties to organized labor. And in the 2023 mayors race, Brady made clear he and other Democratic leaders supported Parker despite the party remaining officially neutral in the primary. Brady has held his role as party chair since 1986 coincidentally the year of the last major city worker strike and he is something of a wily politician. Its fair to say his comments are best taken seriously, not literally, and its likely his remarks about communicating with Parker and union president Greg Boulware are meant to send a broader message about the strike. Its hot out there, the trash is collecting, and with the trash comes bugs and rats and roaches and all that kind of stuff, he said. I hope they can get this thing done, and Im pretty optimistic after texting with Greg. In the interview, Brady didnt diss Parker, saying only, The mayor can make the deal. But he also made clear he has no problems with the striking workers. For instance, he applauded LL Cool J for backing out of the citys Wawa Welcome America concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to avoid crossing a picket line. Im a little proud of Cool J, Brady said. I got a little bit of respect for him now, honoring the men and women that are out there working. Co-headliner Jazmine Sullivan also withdrew from performing at the July Fourth concert. Without blaming one side, Brady added that hes worried that a personal rift between Parker and Boulware could impede talks. Check your freaking ego at the door and get the damn thing done because youre really holding up the citizens, he said. As long as they keep meeting, thats all that counts. Sit-down negotiations between the city and DC 33 are set to resume Saturday afternoon. Our negotiating team will continue working earnestly in discussions with District Council 33 in efforts to reach agreement on a fair and fiscally responsible contract that both the hardworking members and the city deserve, Grace said. A second union for Philadelphia city workers is holding a strike authorization vote, according to an email sent to members last week that was obtained by The Inquirer. But its far from clear that leaders of that union the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 47, which represents white-collar city workers are itching for an opportunity to walk off the job and join their colleagues in the much larger blue-collar union, AFSCME DC 33, on the picket line. Advertisement DC 47 is an umbrella union, and its structure is complicated. The council is made up of nine locals, but only two represent Philadelphia city workers under the executive branch. (The others represent workers in the courts and at educational and nonprofit institutions.) And of those two municipal unions, only one is legally permitted to go on strike: Local 2187, which represents administrative assistants and professionals. The other, Local 2186, represents supervisors in various city agencies. (Only a handful of states allow supervisors to unionize, and they generally place limitations on them, such as Pennsylvanias strike ban.) In the July 1 email, Local 2187 president Jesse Jordan informed members that there will be three in-person voting opportunities, and that all votes will be counted by July 15. But unlike DC 33s leadership, which enthusiastically encouraged members to authorize a strike, Jordans email said merely that the vote is being held due to requests from members. In response to the strong interest from our membership in moving forward with a strike authorization, we want to make sure that every member can stay informed and participate in the voting process, Jordan wrote in the email, which has not been previously reported. Jordan did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and DC 47s leadership has been conspicuously quiet during DC 33s strike. DC 47 president April Giggetts and vice president Robert Harris did not respond to requests for comment last week. The last full-year contract between the city and DC 47 expired July 1, as was the case with DC 33. At that point, DC 33 immediately called a strike, the citys first major work stoppage since 1986. DC 47, however, signed a two-week contract extension to allow negotiations to continue. To go on strike, a union must hold a strike authorization vote, and it must not be working under a contract that prohibits a work stoppage. If members approve the strike authorization, DC 47 will be able to walk off the job around the time when the contract extension expires in mid-July if leadership chooses to do so. Lets remain strong, informed, and united, Jordan wrote. DC 33 and DC 47 have a complicated relationship. On the one hand, they have kinship as AFSCME siblings and rarely if ever criticize each other publicly. Their contracts typically include most favored nations clauses that allow one union to piggyback off the other if the second union to finish negotiations reaches a better deal. But they also have very different constituencies, and their interests have diverged at key moments. DC 47, which calls itself a progressive union, represents better-paid and more highly educated members who are seen as more liberal, especially on social issues. But DC 33 members, who are frontline workers like trash collectors and street pavers, are sometimes more willing to force confrontations with the city over demands for better pay. In Philly labor circles, there is an expectation that DC 47 should wait for DC 33 to resolve its contract disputes before striking its own deals with the city, a show of solidarity meant to prevent lower-paid colleagues from being undermined by a divide-and-conquer strategy. Violations of that unwritten rule have been turning points in the past. During the 1986 strike, DC 33 and DC 47 walked off the job simultaneously, and DC 47 president Thomas Paine Cronin made headlines with colorful rhetoric, at one point calling Mayor W. Wilson Goode Sr. a scab mayor. But Cronin then surprisingly struck a deal with Goode 11 days into the strike in a move that was seen as undermining the position of DC 33, which stayed out for an additional week and a half before accepting terms similar to what DC 47 negotiated. And at the end of a five-year standoff with Mayor Michael A. Nutters administration in which three unions worked on the terms of expired contracts but did not strike DC 47 was the first to agree to a new deal in February 2014. DC 33 followed suit six months later, and the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 22, the most bitterly opposed to Nutter, finally reached a deal in 2015, the last year of his administration. My mother co-managed a leper colony. It redefined the way I think about human interaction. Picture the scene. Its 1961 and Im a young white boy living in a small village named Zomba in Malawi. My parents and I moved here from London after they secured work on an agricultural outreach station in East Africa. It was only later on that I learned about my mothers subsequent role co-managing a leper colony. Malawi was a dangerous place for anyone blighted with this affliction. Up to that point, carriers were only permitted to venture into the village under the condition they wore fertiliser bags over their heads. I was too young to have witnessed this disturbing occurrence, but my mother talked about it often. My first time seeing a person with leprosy, an illness we now know as Hansens disease, was while en route to mass with my family. The man attended the same church as us. He went there every week. Whether he was praying for hope or salvation I will never know. Oftentimes, we spotted him on our way to mass. After being robbed of his legs by the harrowing disease, a board with wheels became his only gateway to the world. Each Sunday was a pilgrimage that saw him drag his body across perilous and seemingly endless terrain. What he lacked in self-pity he made up for in determination. I cant remember the mans name. What I do remember is my mother pulling over in our car to offer him a lift. Each time he hauled himself into the back while my mother carefully placed his board in the boot. Most people at the time were fearful of anyone with leprosy, but not my family. I sat there in comfortable silence as we made our journey to the church. Aged just seven, I knew little about leprosy. My mother instilled that leftism in us. She taught me to always side with the oppressed which is something that has resonated with me throughout my life and career as a photographer and filmmaker. It wasnt until 2001 that I had the opportunity to visit the leper colony my mother co-managed. It was here that I experienced one of the most unique encounters of my life. Cork had become my home at that stage and I was enjoying a career in the computer science department of UCC. I had the opportunity to visit the leper colony my mum co-managed while filming a documentary. Mutemwa, which is located in Mutoko, Zimbabwe, translates directly as outcast which was how people with leprosy in these parts were viewed. Despite the centre being extremely well run, the residents four-walled existence left little room for outside influence. Every corner of the centre we visited was immaculately clinical and alabaster white. My mother and I brought with us a plethora of sweets and cigarettes to gift to residents. However, all they really wanted was hugs. Stephen Bean at his home in Drimoleague, West Cork. Picture: Andy Gibson. Ill never forget when we arrived. There was this one old man with leprosy who hugged me and didnt let go. It was all he needed. My Shona is not very good so I couldnt converse with ease but that didnt matter to him. We were in a large group together and we all sat close. He had no fingers due to complications from the disease so I lit his cigarette for him. The old man smoked for a while and seemed very happy to have experienced this rare encounter. We eventually said our goodbyes in preparation for the long drive back. On our way home, we found ourselves obstructed by a road block. A man waved us down and I pulled over. He wanted to know where we had been to determine if we had cash he might be able to extract from us. When I told him we were coming from the leper colony he immediately dashed. While this was lucky in one sense, his panic also reinforced a darker truth. Both the friend my mother drove to mass and the old man in the leper colony continued to be shunned by society. This was the case long after their disease was cured. I cant say etymologically where the word leper comes from but the Christian bible has featured the term since easily the fourth century. Leprosy is the only disease ever mentioned in the bible that is associated with outcasts and unclean things. Somewhere, along the line this prejudice found its way into our everyday language. On a more positive note, Im proud to be living in a place like Cork which has contributed so much to this cause. Dr Vincent Barry, a native of Sundays Well, is credited with the development of the compound used in drugs that have helped to cure about 15 million people of the illness. I will always be grateful for my experience in the leper colony, because it reinforced for me the power of human touch. These days I try to hug my grandchildren as often as I can. If that old man from the Mutemwa taught me anything that day its that hugs mean more than words ever will. The voice on the speaker directs us through the winding, leafy hills of Beverly Hills. We continue through junctions and intersections, take an immediate right here, a sharp left there. And suddenly we find ourselves awkwardly parked up in a gated, affluent-looking cul-de-sac. A security guard emerges, stone faced, just as the voice from the app announces that this is the home of Leonardo DiCaprio (a neighbour, as it turns out, of Keanu Reeves). Were on our Big Family Holiday (for this writers upcoming Big Birthday). Its a road trip in California that will see us take in Yosemite National Park and San Francisco. But our first stop is LA. Our first morning was spent exploring the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the nearly 3,000 celebrities granted the honour of a plaque on the strip. We step our shoes, doll-like in comparison, into the gigantic footprints of Arnold Schwarzenegger, one of many celebrities who moulded their feet and hands into the concrete outside the TCL Chinese Theatre. Our visit to Griffith Observatory to see a show in the planetarium and take in a view of the iconic Hollywood sign is inspired by La La Land and Rebel Without a Cause. Everything in LA comes back to one thing the movies and their stars. That first morning we turn our noses and sneer at the tacky tour buses offering sightseeing trips of celebrity homes. By day three, however, and 24/7 exposure to Hollywood, our interest is piqued. We wouldnt join a tasteless celebrity bus though; instead wed do our own discreet version, paying $8 and downloading an app that would track our route and direct us to the homes of the rich and famous. And so we find ourselves, on a Tuesday morning, getting run out of a cul-de-sac by Leonardo DiCaprios security. Embarrassed, and hanging our heads in shame, we turn the app off. Instead, we opt for some tourist-friendly options. Universal Studios tops our list. We begin with Harry Potter. You enter the world of Diagon Alley, the shops open for business. You pass the Hogwarts Express, and keep walking until you reach the breathtaking castle replica. Inside is the Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey ride, one of Universals calling cards, while across the way theres the Flight of the Hippogriff rollercoaster. Beyond Harry Potter, theres The Simpsons, with Moes Tavern (bar open for business), Dr Nick Rivieras clinic (unlicensed for two decades!), and the nuclear plant (two days without an incident). Its a treasure trove of in-jokes for Simpsons fans. Jurassic World is another unmissable experience, but be prepared for a soaking in this water ride. Nintendo World is one of the main attractions, with a constant queue of die-hard fans. The studio tour, though, is everyones highlight. BEHIND THE SCENES Universal Studios, Los Angeles Were brought behind the scenes to see sets from Psycho to Jaws. There are special effects: In a tunnel, our tram is attacked by a CGI Godzilla created by Peter Jackson. Later, were brought to a subway station and watch it crumble and burn around us as an earthquake hits. It has extra resonance for us, as just minutes earlier our phones warned us of a real life earthquake in the area and to take cover. Thats Hollywood for you. Universal was one of our LA highlights. To complete the movie magic, we book a tour of Warner Bros Studios. Our studio cart brings us to Hennessy St and, suddenly, we are transported to New York. Built in the 1930s, these sets and streets were where James Cagney made his name. In the 80s, fire exits were built for Annie. Later, real trees were planted at the request of Adam Sandler who wanted a more authentic streetscape. For winter scenes, our guide tells us, the leaves are hand-plucked from the trees, fake snow is created by potato starch. A set on a Warner Brothers studio tour in Burbank, California. We drive through the Warner Bros jungle, where Jeff Goldblum ran from dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. Around the corner is our highlight, the fountain and couch from the opening of Friends. Theres plenty more for fans of the sitcom: Inside you can pose in the real Central Perk set, on the actual couch the cast sat on. There are replicas of Joey and Chandlers recliners, Monicas kitchen. Vickie Maye and crew, outside the set of Friends' Central Perk coffee shop, on Warners' studio lot The Big Bang Theory set is also on site. The interactive Harry Potter experiences are a highlight. Sit in Harrys bedroom under the stairs, have your own sorting ceremony and fly a broom on a green screen through the streets of London. Its breathtaking. To top it all off, we get to hold a real Oscar: Warners win for The Lord of the Rings is on hand for studio tour guests to grasp. (And yes, it really does weigh a tonne.) The famous water tower at Warner Bros, Burbank, California We stay in The Garland. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, its as though the hotel has stopped in time with its cool, Mad Men-retro interiors. Everything is on message from vintage fonts, to kitsch 70s interiors. The Front Yard restaurant is so good its consistently booked out by locals. We opted for food by the pool, as the kids had a sunset swim with movies on a big screen. Its one of the best hotels this writer has ever checked in to. Even after years of saving for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday like this, budgets will always be a consideration. So its important to bear in mind that breakfasts are rarely, if ever, included in US hotels and cost an average of $25 per adult. Most rooms, though, come with a small fridge, or have one available on request. If you have a car, and can access a supermarket, there is the option to eat breakfast in and potentially prep a takeaway lunch. You cant experience LA without a trip to the beach. And so, on our final day, we pulled into Santa Monica pier and checked out the amusements and rollercoasters on the waterfront. We took a 25-minute stroll down the promenade to reach Venice Beach, the kids enthralled as they ate ice cream on the same beach Barbie and Ken roller-skated through. Like I said, it always comes back to the movies in LA. There are many cool cities in the US, ones with shorter flight times than the 11-hour long haul to LA, but we didnt book New York because we wanted to experience a national park. And so we chose LA as a gateway to Yosemite. SWEEPING LANDMARKS Yosemite National Park in Yosemite, California. THE national park is in Californias Sierra Nevada Mountains. Our base is a cabin in The Redwoods, in picturesque Wawona, within Yosemite. It has every homely comfort, floor-to-ceiling windows to take in the forest views, and vast decking for afternoon lounging. Quirky and quaint, The Market, stocked full of every supply we could need, is a stones throw away. Lit by fairy lights, with a handmade sign and resident cat sitting atop the cash register, this is as far away from home as we can possibly imagine. The warning signs for mountain lions and the bear-resistant trash cans only add to the otherworldliness. We are warned not to leave food out, even in our cars, if we want to keep bears at bay. Just a 10-minute walk from the cabin is Chilnualna Falls. At home, this would be a destination in itself. Here, it earns a minor mention on Yosemite maps; there are other sweeping landmarks to appreciate. Back in the car, as we round the corner to famed Tunnel View, we catch our breaths. Yosemite is renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty, majestic granite cliffs, and towering waterfalls. The iconic vista of Bridalveil Fall, along with the towering El Capitan and Half Dome, is like nothing weve seen before. The queues for parking and teaming tourists take from the experience, but we discover quieter viewpoints further down the road. To really appreciate it, we booked the Floor Valley Tour, a two-hour trip that took us from to El Captain to Bridalveil Fall. The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in California's Yosemite National Park. The next day, there was more awe and wonder as we trekked to the Mariposa Grove of the Giant Sequoias. With 500 mature giant sequoia trees, the oldest is thought to be more than 3,000 years in age. The most famous is the Grizzly Giant, one of the largest trees in the Mariposa Grove and, at an estimated age of 2,700 years, one of the oldest living sequoia. The California Tunnel Tree, so vast you can walk through it, is the prime photo opportunity, and a chance to get up close with these miracles of nature. Youll feel the elevation gains as you walk at points you are nearly 6,000ft up but its worth every step. Vickie Maye and the gang, at Yosemite. The daredevils in our family signed up for white water rafting, the 10-year-olds fear turning to exhilaration as she manoeuvred the waves of melted snow. Last stop on our California road trip was San Francisco. Our multi-city option with Aer Lingus allowed us to fly into LA and out of San Francisco, our fare costing more or less the same as return flights to LA. A rental car, coming in at $1400 (around 1,204) took us the five hours from LA to Yosemite, and the four hours from there to our final destination: San Francisco. LEFT MY HEART HERE The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA. It is only on these quieter, rural roads running from national parks to big cities that we see any hint of political change. A lone Trump 2024 poster remains emblazoned on a farm property. Beyond that, in this Democrat state, there is no talk of Washington DC. It is a country transformed, but in this state, on this trip, with no trace of the fires or protests that have so desperately impacted LA, it feels like the California of my J1 three decades earlier. In San Francisco, on this our last stop, we drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, and spend a sun-soaked morning meandering through the vast Golden Gate Park to Haight-Ashbury. We wander from one vintage shop to the next. Later, we weave our way down Lombard St, the crookedest street in the world, and stop to admire the Painted Ladies otherwise known as Postcard Row a strip of colourful Victorian houses on Steiner St (not too far, in fact, from the home where Robin Williams played the nanny in Mrs Doubtfire). We stay at Hotel Caza on Fishermans Wharf. The swimming pool and games room think pool tables and giant Jenga are a reprieve for the kids from city life, and provide sufficient recharge to face the crowds again for a stroll along the promenade to the sea lions on Pier 39. After an earthquake hit the city in 1989, the sea lions made it their base and remain here to this day. The next morning, we visit Alcatraz. The visit to the one-time prison ticks a few boxes, beginning with a boat ride that takes in the stunning seascape and city skyline. Alcatraz also sits on a national park, so theres natural wildlife to appreciate. Then theres the jail itself. An exceptional audio tour, narrated by inmates and wardens, takes us deep inside prison life, and tells us the stories of elaborate escape attempts. Its a holiday highlight. The cable cars of San Francisco Later, we ride the cable cars. The wind in their hair, the kids hold onto the bars as we make our way on the tracks through the hills of San Francisco. We jump off at Chinatown, and stumble upon the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. We write notes to each other and watch as our messages are put inside our very own fortune cookies, made right before our eyes. As we race outside to crack them open, we see we are in good company a framed photo shows Gordon Ramsay was a recent customer too. From there, we grab a table a few blocks away at House of Nanking for the best Asian meal of our lives. And again, our holiday comes full circle. There, beaming down at us from framed photos on the walls, is our LA friend Keanu Reeves. Turns out hes a regular. Theres just no escaping Hollywood in California. Later, we find ourselves driving by the house from sitcom Full House. We take in the sign on the gate: Private home please be respectful and quiet. This time, we keep on driving on our Californian road trip. Leo, weve learned our lesson. ESCAPE NOTES Senior official urges boosting sci-tech, industrial innovation toward high-quality development Xinhua) 10:14, July 05, 2025 HEFEI, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese official Wang Xiaohong has urged efforts to adhere to the new development philosophy, effectively boost sci-tech and industrial innovation, and achieve new results in the country's high-quality development. Wang, a member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and state councilor, made the remarks during an investigation and research tour in east China's Anhui Province between Thursday and Friday. During the tour, Wang urged efforts to transform and upgrade traditional industries while fostering and expanding emerging industries, and continuously enhance the capability of original innovation. He also stressed the need to actively develop the low-altitude economy on a safe and secure basis, devise more beneficial policies for the people and enterprises, and ensure law enforcement is carried out in a strict, procedure-based, impartial, and civilized manner. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, Germany, July 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu) BERLIN, July 4 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi here on Friday, pledging to work with China to uphold openness and mutual benefit, promote fair trade, and jointly address global crises and challenges. Merz said that such efforts serve the interests of both countries, citing the positive development of Germany-China relations and sustained progress in cooperation across various fields including politics, and economy and trade. Merz also reaffirmed the new German government's adherence to the one-China policy. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Merz had recently held an important phone conversation, which has provided strategic guidance and political assurance for the development of bilateral relations. As a mature and successful relationship between two major countries, China-Germany ties are not targeted at, dependent on, or subject to any third party, Wang said, adding that such relationship enjoys strong internal momentum and demonstrates a high degree of stability. China appreciates the new German government's constructive and pragmatic approach to advancing bilateral ties, Wang noted, adding that China stands ready to maintain close high-level exchanges and make full use of various dialogue mechanisms to promote the sustained, sound and stable development of China-Germany relations. This, he said, will not only serve the interests of both countries, but also contribute to the well-being of Europe and the broader international community. Wang also said that China is pleased to see Germany develop and prosper and play a greater role in Europe and the world. He expressed confidence that the new German government will take a positive view of China's development, adhere to a rational and pragmatic policy towards China, earnestly respect China's core interests, support China in achieving national reunification, just as China unconditionally supported German reunification back then, and continue to strictly stick to the one-China principle. China is committed to building a new system for a higher-level open economy, and its door to the world will only open wider, said Wang, adding that China is ready to share its market opportunities with Germany and jointly create new prospects for development. During the talks, the two sides also exchanged views on Ukraine crisis and agreed to maintain strategic communication to promote a peaceful resolution. The founder of Dublins Capuchin Day Centre was today remembered as a "feisty and challenging man with a compassionate heart who inspired the people of Ireland to be kinder to the poor. In a tribute to Brother Kevin Crowley, who died at the age of 90 on Wednesday, one of his fellow Capuchin Friars told mourners: He wasn't perfect. He could be feisty and challenging when he disagreed with you. But what he did have in abundance was a generous, compassionate heart, and that is what made the man. Brother Patrick Flynn added: Kevin, thank you for your good example you gave us Capuchins and also to the people of Ireland for inspiring us to be kinder, more thoughtful and more generous to our poor sisters and brothers who live among us. President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina arrive at the funeral mass for Brother Kevin Crowley who died on Wednesday aged 90, at St. Mary of the Angels, Church Street, Dublin. Picture: Conor O Mearain /PA Wire His homily received a round of applause from mourners packed into the Church of St Mary of the Angels, Church Street, Dublin 7. They included President Michael D Higgins, the Dublin Lord Mayor Ray McAdam, and Commandant Joe Glennon, Aide de Camp representing Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris. Mourners at the service, which was celebrated by Capuchin Franciscan priest-friar Brother Richard Hendrick, also heard Br Kevins motto was Do it, damn it. Brother Patrick said: He couldn't understand why our country couldn't solve this problem (of poverty). You see, he was the kind of man that didn't see problems. He only saw challenges. His attitude, our motto was, do it, damn it. He was never afraid to speak his mind, and he didn't worry if he upset people and the government or anybody else. He was a voice speaking loudly and clearly in the name of God's poor and our poor. He was a tireless advocate for those with no voice. He was at one with his people, reaching out with his loving, generous, compassionate heart. He was our conscience, reminding us of our obligation to support and help our sisters and brothers who are caught in the poverty trap with no way out unless we bend down to lift him up. He was fearless, relentless in his pursuit of justice for the poor. A woman reaches her hand out to touch the coffin leaves the church after the funeral mass of Brother Kevin Crowley at St. Mary of the Angels Church, 7 Church Ter, Church St, Dublin. Picture: Leah Farrell/ RollingNews.ie Originally from Enniskeane, West Cork, Brother Kevin founded the day centre for homeless people on Bow Street in Dublin in 1969. He became and remained synonymous with serving Dublins poor at a centre that today provides food and shelter to an average of 800 people each day. When he retired at the age of 87 in August 2022, he said he planned to leave Dublin and return to what he described as the most beautiful county in Ireland - his native Cork. Despite this, he made no secret of his fondness for Dublin, and boasted of being a great Dubs supporter. Diarmuid Martin former Archbishop of Dublin arrives at the funeral mass for Brother Kevin Crowley who died on Wednesday aged 90, at St. Mary of the Angels, Church Street, Dublin. Picture: Conor O Mearain /PA Wire Mourners heard he received many awards and honors over the years for his work in the day centre, including Freedom of the City of Dublin. But they also heard he never took these honours too seriously. Brother Patrick said: His focus was always on other people. He wanted to help other people. He was really good at spotting people who were in distress and gently taking them under his wing. It was a gift that he excelled in. Countless men and women today would say that Kevin saved their lives. Mourners were also told that although he rarely spoke about them he had had huge health issues of his own for more than 40 years. He was one of the first people in the country to have open heart surgery. He never made much of his sickness through all the years he was in and out of hospital, Brother Patrick said. Its amazing that he lived to his 91st year. It's simply a miracle. To laughter, he added: A story he told me himself was that one day he met his surgeon who had performed the surgery on his heart and he looked at Kevin and he said to him, don't tell me you're still alive. Sailors sentenced to prison for their involvement in major international drug trafficking through Ireland were not mere cogs in the wheel but vital parts of the engine that drives international drug trafficking, a court has heard. Eight men have been sentenced to a combined 129 years in prison for their role in a drug trafficking operation that was intercepted and resulted in the largest cocaine seizure in the history of the State. Guilty pleas among mitigating factors Justice Melanie Greally initially set combined headline sentences for the men at 203 years at the Special Criminal Court on Friday. But she reduced each mans sentence due to multiple mitigating factors, including their guilty pleas. The MV Matthew, owned by a Dubai-based company, was raided at gunpoint by Ireland's elite Army Ranger Wing in rough seas off the Cork coast in September 2023. On the 26th of September 2023, the MV Matthew was interdicted by the Joint Task Force (JTF) on Drug Interdiction. The JTF consists of the Revenue Customs Service, An Garda Siochana and the Naval Service as the lead representatives for the Defence Forces. During this operation, pic.twitter.com/EAGX0xVNkI Oglaigh na hEireann (@defenceforces) July 5, 2025 Eight men from the crew of 21 were ultimately charged with drug trafficking offences. Justice Greally sentenced the men according to their hierarchy and culpability in the operation. However, she accepted that none of the accused were operating in the higher echelons of the organised crime group which was directing the operation remotely. And the crew would not stand to profit from sales of the drugs. 'Committed to the success of the venture' However, all convicted men, apart from Jamie Harbron and Cumali Ozgen had high levels of seafaring expertise. And maritime drug trafficking cannot take place without that, Justice Greally said. They are not cogs in the wheel but vital parts of the engine that drives international drug trafficking, she said. They had proven competence and had a high level of trust within the operation, Justice Greally said. She added: We consider each man committed to the success of the venture. Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk, and Vitaliy Vlasoi, both 32; Iranians Soheil Jelveh, 51, and Saeid Hassani, 39; Filipino Harold Estoesta, 31, and Dutch national Cumali Ozgen, 49, all pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply on board the MV Mathew between 24 and 26 September 2023. Ukrainian national Vitaliy Lapa, aged 62, with an address at Rudenka, Repina Str in Berdyansk, and Jamie Harbron, aged 31, of South Avenue, Billingham in the UK, pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply between 21 and 25 September 2023. MV Honmon renamed to MV Matthew The 190m bulk cargo ship was initially called the MV Honmon but had its name changed to the MV Matthew before the drug trafficking operation, directed by a powerful cartel with unlimited resources and international reach. Its registered owner was a company based in the Marshall Islands but the company that ultimately owned it was a company called Symphony Marine based in Dubai, Justice Greally noted. It was designed to carry bulk cargo like grain, with five cargo holds. But it left the coast of Venezuela empty. Crew distracted with barbecue and alcohol Armed men loaded the ship with cocaine at night off the coast of Venezuela when most of the crew had been distracted with a barbecue on board and plied with alcohol. A small number of the MV Matthew crew were used to load the cocaine while at sea in September 2023. Despite the 2.2 tonne load, worth some 157m, only one of the five cargo holds was used to store it initially. The containers it was stored in looked like 'matchboxes in a car boot, the court heard. The ship was moored in Venezuela in August, undergoing preparations for the voyage. It set sail in September 2023, with its stated destination as Gdansk in Poland. But it travelled around the northwest African coast, past the Canaries, the Bay of Biscay, and on to the Irish sea. Ship's true location was 'spoofed' Mr Jelveh was the captain, Vlasoi was second in command, Estoesta and Gavryk were second officers, and Hassani was the third officer. Ozgen, previously described in court as the eyes and ears of the cartel, was the lowest-ranking and not an officer but occupied the most important cabin by the bridge. This was due to his supervisory function for the cartel, the court heard. For 15 days, the MV Matthew misrepresented its place at sea in an operation known as spoofing, where a vessels stated course differs from their real course. Drug traffickers often use this technique, Justice Greally noted. Crew members aware of the deception Crew involved in a number of WhatsApp and Signal groups used to communicate with those directing the operation from Dubai, were aware of this spoofing, referencing aborting the necessary navigation software, Justice Greally noted. When the ship claimed it was steaming past Trinidad and Tobago, it was actually still off Venezuela, she said. Gardai monitored 'persons of interest' Meanwhile, retired fisherman Ukrainian Vitaliy Lapa had been monitored with two persons of interest to gardai in Ireland. One of these persons of interest bought the fishing vessel the Castelmore from Castletownbere in West Cork, with more than 300,000 transferred from a company based in Dubai for the purchase. Mr Lapa and Jamie Harbron set sail on September 22, 2023. In communications about the operation, the MV Matthew was referred to as big bus. A jumbo load would be collected from the big bus which may take some balancing. Its weight of 2.2T was specified. Encrypted messaging A Starlink satellite system installed on the fishing boat was to allow communications through encrypted messaging apps about the drug transfer from mother ship to daughter ship. But the Castlemore hit rough weather, suffered wifi failure and its engine failed. Lapa, an experienced fisherman from Ukraine, spoke little English and he and Harbron communicated with the help of online translation tools. Meanwhile, Captain Jelveh was complaining of unfavourable sea conditions to someone directing the operation from Dubai via WhatsApp and Signal communications. Unhappy about the choice of volatile Irish waters to transfer the cargo, he complained to his paymasters in Dubai. He was also concerned about the Matthews straying from its stated course. In one message, he wrote: Id rather go to prison but I wont stay in a storm. Meanwhile, with no wifi and a failing engine, the Castlemore was directed to hug the Irish coast and use its VHF radio for communications and turn on its vessel identification system (VIS) so it could meet the big bus. A voice directing the operation from off the boat through encrypted messaging apps announced that he would take over as the captain remotely from Jelveh on September 24, 2023. Castlemore's distress call A distress call was made from the Castelmore to the coastguard after 11pm after it ran aground on a sandbank off Wexford in stormy seas. Lapa and Harbron were rescued by helicopter and were later arrested. A phone seized from Lapa when analysed showed the Castlemore intended meeting with MV Matthew. For some hours, the fate of the Castelmore was unknown to the crew on the MV Matthew, Justice Greally said. But the level of emergency was clear from its communication with the coastguard, picked up by the MV Matthew via radio. Directing the operation from off the ship, a person, often referred to as 'captain Noah', announced that the plan was changing. The drugs were to be sent ashore in a lifeboat with Ozgen on September 25, 2023. "Cumali Ozgen will be the commander of the boat, teach him disengaging, a message said. Ozgen was the only MV Matthew crew member with no real seafaring experience. Crew commented in messaging apps that he would never be able to manage the lifeboat, loaded with drugs on his own. Better for us, worse thing to have him on board, one person commented. Another person said: He will go all bad demons will go. Ozgen was feared on the boat as the direct operative for the cartel, crew said. The former captain, Jelveh, said he was put on the ship to murder him. The Dutchman of Turkish origin was never lowered onto rough seas at night in the life raft heavy with more than 2.2 tonnes of cocaine. But he did receive the heaviest sentence of all the crew. Headline sentence reduced to 20 years His headline sentence of 30 years was reduced to 20 years partially because he pleaded guilty, saving the State time and resources, Justice Greally said. Former captain Jelveh called for a medical evacuation from the MV Matthew after the Castlemore ran aground, taking suitcases, three mobile phones, a satellite phone and more than $53,000 with him. But he was arrested and analysis of his phone proved useful for the investigation. MV Matthew monitored in Irish waters Meanwhile, the MV Matthew was being monitored by Irish authorities as it moved within Irish territorial waters and the contiguous zone, an area further from shore where Irish authorities still have some legal rights to board a vessel. The ship had dropped anchor, claiming it needed to carry out repairs as it stalled while trying to concoct a new plan to transfer the drugs. But the LE William Butler Yeats naval ship was monitoring the MV Matthew. It became apparent that the MV Matthew was not conducting engine repairs. The MV Matthew was trying to increase its distance from land, wrongly believing that Irish authorities then could not board the vessel. LE William Butler Yeats in 'hot pursuit' When the MV Matthew repeatedly failed to comply with Irish customs orders, the LE William Butler Yeats announced it was in 'hot pursuit' of the vessel. It announced it was a warship and fired shots when the Matthew continued to evade its orders. Estoesta radioed the ship, claiming they were just a commercial vessel, the crew was crying in fear, he said, they had families and they did not want trouble. But at the same time, he was taking direction from Dubai, being told to head with speed south out of Irish waters and to travel "with full speed" towards Sierra Leone. Incorrect information from Dubai "They have talked too much, show them some real action," the voice from Dubai said, encouraging the crew to ignore the Irish authorities. "Be confident, there is a law preventing them from boarding," the Dubai voice wrongly advised. He then wished them 'bon voyage'. Crew tried to burn the drugs as the Army Ranger Wing approached in a helicopter, using accelerants like paint thinner to intensify the flames. Army Rangers boarded the MV Matthew As the army rangers tried to board the vessel, abseiling from a helicopter on a rope, the MV Matthew swerved and manoeuvred at speed to try to evade them, further endangering the rangers' lives. But they boarded the vessel and extinguished the flames on the drugs, preserving the evidence, and took control of the ship. Phones seized from the men on board proved crucial to the investigation, giving second-by-second accounts of the drug trafficking plan, and its sudden unravelling at sea in high swells. The men denied knowing the ship was carrying drugs initially. But they admitted growing suspicious when armed men unloaded the cargo off the coast of Venezuela at night, and when they saw the cargo, which was clearly not spare parts as they said they were told. All men said they flew to Dubai for interviews and later to Venezuela to board the MV Matthew on lucrative contracts. When they raised concerns about the cargo, they said they were told theyd be paid bonuses to stay quiet. 'Terrified and alone' Hassani said he was just following orders and was scared for his life." Financial necessity, caring for his daughter and sick and injured sisters in Iran had driven him to take the job, he said. Estoesta said he was terrified and alone at sea and felt he had to do what was asked of him by the shadowy voices in Dubai once he was aboard. He said he was responsible for communications on board only because of his strong command of English. Letters were sent from loved ones about the accuseds kindness, loyalty and academic achievements were sent to the court. Ozgen grew up in a socially deprived community in Holland where survival was the law of the street, one letter said. He was caring for his son who had multiple operations for brain tumours and made risky choices to provide a better future to his family." Gavryk was described by his former schools as a serious and motivated student, a detail-orientated specialist who was also an attentive friend. Vlasoi was a devoted father whose wife was now trying to care for their child alone. Estoesta had excelled academically and was from an educated, respected family, many of whom successfully served their country in the air force, law and medicine. Hassani was trying to provide for his family which had led to indebtedness. Harbron was the only crew with previous convictions, two of which were for drugs. But he came from a disadvantaged background, suffered violence in his family as a child and had drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues, the court heard. However, he was a caring father and partner, the court heard. Lapas hometown in Ukraine was under occupation and he was forced out of retirement as a mariner in the fishing industry to work out of financial necessity. His family is at risk of losing their home, the court heard. Mitigating and aggravating factors Justice Greally took these accounts into consideration. But she said that in addition to mitigation, there were serious aggravating factors in their cases. One aggravating factor was the scale of criminal organisation they were working for. Another was the "vast quantity of drugs" involved and their considerable value. Another aggravating factor was the type of drug itself and the "widespread social harm" cocaine does. Ozgen was given the heaviest sentence as he was most deeply involved with the organised crime group, she said. He provided the crime organisation with progress reports every two to three days and was a "malign and intimidatory presence" on the ship. But Estoesta had the second heaviest sentence because he "persistently defied orders" from Irish Customs and naval officers. He was no longer 'alone at sea' but when faced with a binary choice of cooperating with authorities or taking orders from an organised crime group, he sided with the OCG and tried to escape with the drugs to Sierra Leone before a "last gasp effort" to destroy the evidence, Justice Greally said. Vlasoi had the third heaviest sentence as the de facto captain aboard at the time of the ship's interception, he was responsible for "vigorously moving the boat" while the army rangers tried to board, endangering their lives. Ozgen was given a headline sentence of 30 years, Estoesta received a headline sentence of 28 years; Jelveh was given 27 years; Vlasoi was given 26; Hassani received 24 years; Gavryk 23 years; Lapa 23 years and Harbron to 22 years. But guilty pleas and other mitigating factors saw these sentences reduced. Dutch national Cumali Ozgen, age 49, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Filipino Harold Estoesta, 31, was sentenced to 18 years. The captain, Iranian Soheil Jelveh, 51, was sentenced to 17.5 years. Ukrainian Vitaliy Vlasoi, 32, was sentenced to 16.5 years. Iranian Saeid Hassani, 39, was sentenced to 15 years. Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk, 32, was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Ukrainian national Vitaliy Lapa, aged 62, was sentenced to 14.5 years. And UK national Jamie Harbron was sentenced to 13.5 years. Irish cartels are now at the top echelons of organised crime internationally, an Interpol chief has said. But David Caunter, Interpol director of organised and emerging crime, is optimistic that all leaders of the Kinahan cartel, Ireland's largest and most deadly crime group, will be taken down by law enforcement. The Kinahan cartel is one of multiple transnational crime groups linked to the foiled MV Matthew drug trafficking operation, during which a 190m bulk cargo vessel was intercepted by Irish authorities at gunpoint while attempting to smuggle some 2.2 tonnes of cocaine with a street value of some 157m through Irish waters. Eight men were sentenced to a combined 129 years in prison for their role in the drug trafficking operation in the Special Criminal Court yesterday. Irish organised crime groups are now at the top of organised crime internationally, Mr Cantour said. And organised crime groups are continuing to expand globally, forging new links and new routes internationally, he said. Mexicos Sinaloa cartel remains powerful, despite internal war within the cartel and major government crackdowns on its operations, with the organised crime group continuing to expand internationally, with tentacles now reaching to and deepening within Australia and New Zealand, he said. We know organised crime groups are continuing to expand globally. Theyre looking to expand partnerships into parts of the world where they had no developed partnerships before. That global connection is quite strong. The local traffickers may not understand that they are just a piece of this transglobal organised crime picture. Links are now particularly strong between gangs in the Middle East and South America, he said. And the MV Matthew case shows these strong linkages. The operation was directed from Dubai with Iranian and Hezbollah links, while the cocaine was bought from a Latin American cartel and it was shipped from Venezuela in South America. West Africa is also now becoming more important as a transit route in the cocaine trade, with new groups mushrooming in the region in response to the cocaine trades growth there. Organised crime groups are beginning to pivot and shift a little bit and moving their products instead of directly into Europe looking for other countries as an intermediary to then conceal that routing back into Europe, Mr Cantour said. These cartels are very resilient. They're looking for new ways to get their drugs to market. Were seeing Balkan, Lebanese, and other criminal organisations [involvement], he said. Irish groups operating domestically have global reach Ireland also has strong organised crime groups operating domestically but which have major global reach, he said. The threat of synthetic drugs is now rising in Ireland and globally, he said. We're seeing synthetic drug markets popping up, especially here in Europe, which is an alarming trend just based on the high potential for death, overdose deaths like we've seen in North America. Fentanyl, nitazines, and other powerful synthetics remain a deadly threat, he said. But an increase in poly drug cocktails, like pink cocaine - a mixture of various different synthetic drugs - that are gaining popularity, are also an increasing concern for Interpol. Pink cocaine production is mostly centred in Asia and the Americas currently, he said. Another new drug of concern is happy water, another synthetic drug mix, which includes MDMA, methamphetamine, diazepam, and ketamine. It is sold in powder form and dissolved in liquid, creating a psychoactive liquid which has been growing in use in Southeast Asia. When organisations are poisoning the streets with those types of substances, there's a high potential for overdose deaths, for illnesses, Mr Cantour said. Unlike the traditional plant-based drugs [heroin, cocaine], synthetic drug production is not limited geographically. It can really happen anywhere in the world, and that's what makes it quite alarming. You can move your production zone right next to your transportation networks. Fentanyl has not yet gripped Europe the way it has the US, but the even more powerful synthetic opioids nitazines have been taking an increasing hold in Europe and are linked to overdoses and death already in Ireland. Although the Sinaloa cartel manufactures fentanyl and sends it over the border to addicts in the US, Europe does not have the same prescription drug abuse problem as the US so fentanyl has not become as large a phenomenon here, he said. But it remains something to watch. Synthetic drugs replacing heroin Dave Caunter, Director of organized and emerging crime Interpol, Captain Darragh Kirwan, Head of Neval services Operations Command, Angela Willis, Assistant Commissioner organized and serious crime, Ruth Kennedy, Revenue and Sjoerd Top, Executive Director Maritime Analysis and Operation Centre Narcotics (MAOC-N) at a joint media briefing on the largest cocaine seizure in Irish history from the MV Matthew by the Joint Task Force comprising members of the Revenue Customs Service, Naval Service and An Garda Siochana at the Naval Base, Haulbowline, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan Heroin use has almost completely disappeared in the US with more powerful and profitable - synthetics taking its place. Heroin supply lessoned with the ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan but even more powerful synthetics are already taking its place, he said. You'll have various chemicals being shipped from Asia to other parts of the world, and we're seeing manufacturing pop up in all regions of the world. I'm worried about the synthetic drugs just because of the high potency, the high profitability. It makes it quite lucrative. And the harm that those types of drugs can cause, which we've seen in North America with the 120,000 overdose deaths. The fear is if that comes and takes hold here for the European market, it could be quite troubling. And what I have seen with the global drugs business is no country is immune." Mr Cantour was speaking to the Irish Examiner at Haulbowline naval base on Saturday after a joint taskforce presentation on the historic MV Matthew drug seizure between gardai, the navy, and Revenue. Representatives from Interpol and the Maritime Analysis and Operation Centre Narcotics (MAOC (N), which targets maritime drug smuggling, were also present as both bodies were also centrally involved in the MV Matthew operation. Uninviting graffiti, dirty buildings, and a lack of adequate payment facilities on public transport. These were just a few of the gripes of tourists seeing Cork for the first time as they travelled on the Hop On/Hop Off Cork City Sightseeing Tour bus. CSO figures have revealed foreign visitor numbers to Ireland dropped by 30% in February of this year in contrast to the same period in 2024. The news sparked concern from the Government as well as the hospitality industry. Tourists holidaying in Cork spoke to the Irish Examiner about how they felt the city could sell itself better to future visitors. While the majority were full of praise for Leeside, others concluded there was room for improvement. Their first impressions provided a fresh perspective on the citys pitfalls. Driver Tony Long with Joan and David Taylor at the Hop On/Hop Off bus: 'The first thing I said to myself when we arrived at our hotel was 'not more graffiti'. David Taylor lauded what he described as Corks beautiful architecture. However, the Derbyshire man lamented much of it had become obscured by graffiti. He said it was the first detail he and his wife noticed when walking to their hotel. Parts of it do look tired compared to Manchester. The first thing I said to myself when we arrived at our hotel was 'not more graffiti'. "Ive just seen so much of it since we arrived. "This is such a shame because it suggests maybe there is an acceptance here. "Its as if the people who are doing it get priority. "The streets are so narrow which just makes it stand out more because you almost feel like its closing in on you. "Whats worse is there is nothing to back it up. If it was the work of talented artists, then it might even add something to the city. He said back where he lives authorities made a point of taking a blank wall they knew would be a target and created a beautiful artwork for it. "It features some historical figures from the area, including designer Vivienne Westwood. "The artwork was a community project that brought everyone together. "They took a problem and turned it into art. Nonetheless, he acknowledged the efforts being made to celebrate Cork legends. It was lovely to see the picture of Rory Gallagher in the window of the library. Its something Id like to see more of. Meanwhile, Pauline and Tom Rooney, who hail from Scotland, cited issues with public transport as their number one pet peeve. The Hop On/Hop Off Cork City Sightseeing Tours bus passing Shandon. We were trying to pay for our bus ticket from the airport online in advance but we couldnt find a way of doing this. "We just assumed that we would be able to pay by card when we got on but even this wasnt an option," they said. "This was really surprising as almost everywhere accepts cards. "However, they were only taking cash which we didnt have on us. Fortunately, the driver was very nice. He knew the situation we were in and just waved us on. Everyone in Cork has been really nice. Luckily, it wasnt all bad news. Cork is very compact, Pauline added. You can walk almost anywhere, her husband Tom chimed in. The food has been great, and of course the Guinness too. In contrast, Elena Strachan, who lives in Falkirk, Scotland, was underwhelmed with her first impressions of the city. Cork is a bit dirty, she told the Irish Examiner. When I see historical buildings in other cities they are always very clean. "I think about the high prices we are paying. "Its disappointing to think that you would be paying so much for accommodation and food and drinks only to still have it be so uninviting for tourists. "All the buildings are grey. They need renovating to give them life and bring them back to how they were. I dont find Cork is inviting. Its not going to attract me. There is nothing that would call me to come back. Horst Meier from Frankfurt disagreed, saying Cork is one of the most friendly and beautiful places he has every visited. Cork people are very nice, he said. Michael and Shirley Edwards with Brian Johnston: 'It's very clean here.' We lost that in Germany years ago. People are too worried about themselves in Germany to be that nice to other people. "They are always in a hurry or preoccupied with other things. There are a lot of pubs in Ireland. In Germany, pubs are slowly dying so its great to see so many of them over here. We are really enjoying our trip. Cork is looking very good to us. Michael Edwards, who had travelled from Belfast, was also suitably impressed. Its not as congested as in Belfast, he said. In the city of Belfast there used to be four lanes and now they have turned that into two lanes and a bus lane. "Half the time there are no passengers on the bus while the other lanes are gridlocked. The traffic situation is much better in Cork. "It is also very clean here. Democracy is based upon the belief that there are extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people. These words were once spoken by Harry Emerson Fosdick, Americas greatest liberal preacher of the 20th century. He lent a strong voice of reasoned faith and enlightened hope to a bewildered country at a time when it badly needed it. He grounded his faith in his personal experiences, in the tragedies of those he met during his lifetime, and in their hopes and dreams. Ordinary people can be dauntless when the vision that drives them becomes their calling. In 1990, days after becoming president, Mary Robinson placed a Tilley lamp in a window in Aras an Uachtarain. The lamps constant glow was a symbolic beacon to our emigrants, and to their millions of descendants. No matter where you were in the world, the light from the lamp became a promise from the occupier of the highest office in the land that a warm welcome would always be waiting, that this would always be home. The lamp still shines today, visible from the main road of the Phoenix Park. Some 35 years later, such a gesture might seem trivial, even corny. Mary Robinsons diaspora pledge demonstrated how an office that had previously been regarded as unimportant a makey-uppy job, as Ryanairs Michael OLeary described it suddenly became an expression of solidarity and a role that has since carried enormous respect. Loved ones through the generations who had been forced to leave home to find a more sustainable life elsewhere were, for the first time ever, being told they would always be foremost in our thoughts. Robinson didnt just become her role; the role became her. Thats what makes an extraordinary president. An impending election is on yhe horizon, as they say. Its a hot topic of conversation. Theres only one problem it appears that so far no one wants the job. Am I surprised? Not really. Its not a straightforward job. Consider it more akin to a seven year-long vocation during which time the incumbent surrenders their old way of life for a term that only they can define, within the rigours of what they are permitted to do, which outwardly appears to be very limited. But thats not true. In a 1990 interview with Hot Press, prior to her election, while discussing whether the president of Ireland was merely just a ceremonial figurehead or not, Mary Robinson said: The only restrictions on the office of presidency are when the president is carrying out official powers and functions. However and it' s a big however there is no constitutional restraint on what I do outside of those official functions. Charles Haughey almost had a meltdown. All he could see was Pandoras box. President Mary Robinson with a clearly unhappy Charles Haughey and a disappointed Brian Lenihan in the backgournd. Robinson brought volumes of experience as a constitutional lawyer to the office she was elected to shortly after that interview. Could she have achieved as much as she did without her background in law? Its unlikely. Without a legal-eyed knowledge of the constitution, it would have been almost impossible to find ways to be creative and as definitively empathic as she was; and, in her own words, to use it to raise questions that dont come through in the present, rather narrowly-based system, to lend a voice to those on the ground. She often spoke about how lonely her role was, considering the denunciation her presidency drew from church pulpits, and the level of hate mail she received. Then there was the meeting with Haughey, who arrived with a legal opinion in his hand, which claimed she was doing more than the constitution allowed her role. He quickly realised he had picked on the wrong woman and backed off. What was it precisely that made Mary Robinson extraordinary? In short, her unwavering faith in what she believed she had to do, because she knew she could. That became her legacy She created a new style of presidency a job she never wanted until her husband Nick convinced her to run. It was a blueprint, grasped in their own unique ways by her two successors, Mary McAleese and Michael D. What did they all have in common? An ability to understand that in order to be relevant they had to fearlessly challenge the injustices that governments chose to ignore. Harry Fosdick declared that the ultimate criterion of any civilisations success or failure is to be found in what happens to the underdog. Its been at the heart of the role of three extraordinary presidents, and its imperative it doesnt change for whoever is elected in November. But is there anyone out there who is capable of maintaining that Tilley lamp in the window, and all it stands for, in the way it has been for 35 years? And why are we obsessed with the daft notion that a celebrity would make a great president? Joe Duffy is the latest in a parade of showbiz lineage to be mooted as a possible candidate. Within hours of his Liveline retirement, the Leinster House leaks department spouted that there could even be a multi-party consensus on putting him forward. But would he really want the gruelling television bun fights while at the mercy of his former colleagues ahead of the election? The light that shines from an upstairs window at Aras an Uachtarain. The light is a symbolic beacon, lighting the way for Irish emigrants and their descendants, welcoming them home. Duffy will forever live on in the shadow of his Talk to Joe persona a privileged role he held for 27 years; a role hell continue to be associated with if he runs for election. It's a huge gamble for any celebrity. You bring a life of fame to the role of the country's most eminent citizen. Thats not necessarily a good thing. Would it be possible to reinvent yourself, considering youve spent most of your life as a household name? How can you ever be anybody other than the star youve always been? Gay Byrne recognised it, and following serious consideration steered clear of an invitation by Micheal Martin. In 2011, he told me that success meant living his entire life in a goldfish bowl. If he were to be elected, he would simply be swapping one fish bowl for another. Then there's the possibility that youre beaten in the polls your past eclipsed by being remembered as the candidate who failed to get elected. The Irish invented begrudgery, while a star's ego is as fragile as an egg shell. Never the twain shall meet. In recent years, theres been a tendency to look to Montrose in the hope of finding the next president. Thankfully its never happened. Political parties love to adopt a celebrity and no finer place for their media squeeze than a stint in the Aras. If anything, its an insult to the office Gay Byrne summed it up when he said, I didnt have the stomach for all that. Marian Finucane also ran for cover in 2016, although acknowledged that it was nice to be asked. So will it be Vote for Joe next November? Is it likely that names such as Marty Morrissey, or Joe Brolly, or Michael Flatley will be on the ballot paper? Theyre all legends, but are they the stuff of future presidents? Not if a rich 35-year legacy is anything to go by. Our next president is out there one who will want to emulate three predecessors; one who can be likened to a Tilley lamp for all seasons; one who can, as Harry Emerson Fosdick did, lead us into a future that demands insight and daring. If you think you would make a great president, then the jobs probably not for you. Hamas says it has given a positive response to the latest proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza but said further talks were needed on implementation. It was not clear if Hamas statement meant it had accepted the proposal from US President Donald Trump for a 60-day ceasefire. Ukraine said it has struck a Russian airbase, while Russia continued to pound Ukraine with hundreds of drones overnight as part of a stepped-up bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the war. Ukraines military General Staff said Ukrainian forces had struck the Borisoglebsk airbase in Russias Voronezh region, describing it as the home base of Russias Su-34, Su-35S and Su-30SM fighter jets. Writing on Facebook, the General Staff said it hit a depot containing glide bombs, a training aircraft and possibly other aircraft. Russian officials did not immediately comment on the attack. Such attacks on Russian airbases aim to dent Russias military capability and demonstrate Ukraines capability to hit high-value targets in Russia. Last month, Ukraine said it destroyed more than 40 Russian planes stationed at several airfields deep in Russias territory in a surprise drone attack. Russia fired 322 drones and decoys into Ukraine overnight into Saturday, Ukraines air force said. Of these, 157 were shot down and 135 were lost, likely having been electronically jammed. Metro stations are used as bomb shelters in Kyiv (AP) According to the air force, Ukraines western Khmelnytskyi region was the main target of the attack. Regional governor Serhii Tyurin said no damage, injuries or deaths had been reported. Russia has been stepping up its long-range attacks on Ukraine. Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight into Friday in the largest aerial assault since Russias invasion of Ukraine began, killing one person and wounding at least 26 others. The fresh wave of attacks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that he had a very important and productive phone call with US President Donald Trump. The two leaders discussed how Ukrainian air defences might be strengthened, possible joint weapons production between the US and Ukraine, and broader U.S-led efforts to end the war with Russia, according to a statement by Mr Zelenksy. Asked on Friday night by reporters about the call, Mr Trump said: We had a very good call, I think. When asked about finding a way to end the fighting, the US leader said: I dont know. I cant tell you whether or not thats going to happen. Strikes have continued on Kyiv (AP) The US has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defence missiles. Ukraines main European backers are considering how they can help pick up the slack. Mr Zelensky says plans are afoot to build up Ukraines domestic arms industry, but scaling up will take time. Russias defence ministry said it shot down 94 Ukrainian drones overnight into Saturday, along with 12 further drones on Saturday morning. No casualties were reported. Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has said he hopes to live until he is more than 130 years old, days after he laid out succession proposals by saying he plans to reincarnate after his death. The Dalai Lama, who is celebrating his 90th birthday on Sunday, made the comments during a ceremony organised by his followers to offer prayers for his long life. I have been able to serve the Buddha dharma and the beings of Tibet so far quite well, and I hope to live over 130 years, the Dalai Lama told thousands of followers who had gathered on Saturday in Indias northern town of Dharamshala. An exiled Tibetan gets ready to perform in front of her spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at an event during which Tibetan exiles prayed for the Tibetan leaders longevity (AP) Dharamshala has been the Dalai Lamas home in exile since 1959 after he fled Tibet in the wake of a failed uprising against Chinese rule. Since then, he has sustained Tibets aspirations for greater autonomy under Chinese Communist Party rule and mobilised Tibetans inside and outside China. On Wednesday, the Dalai Lama said that he intends to reincarnate, paving the way after his death for a successor to take on a mantle stretching back 500 years. Tibetan Buddhists believe the Dalai Lama can choose the body into which he is reincarnated. Devotees watch Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on a television screen at an event in Dharamshala, India (AP) That announcement ended years of speculation that started when he indicated that he might be the last person to hold the role. The Nobel Peace Prize-winning spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism also said that the next Dalai Lama should be found and recognised as per past Buddhist traditions, while stressing that his office will lead the search. China views the Dalai Lama as a separatist and has insisted that only Beijing has the authority to approve his successor. There had been speculation he would be the last Dalai Lama (AP) Meanwhile, the exiled Tibetan community of more than 20,000 people in Dharamshala is gearing up to celebrate the Dalai Lamas birthday on Sunday. His followers have put up giant posters and billboards across town, as tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the event, including Buddhist leaders of various sects and followers from across the world. Barbara Weibel, a US citizen who has been following Buddhism for more than 30 years, said she had to be here for this. I want this long life ceremony to keep him alive as long as possible, she said. Israeli air strikes have killed 14 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including 10 as they sought food in the embattled enclave, hospital officials told reporters. Two American aid workers with the Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation were also injured in southern Gaza after unknown assailants threw grenades at them at a food distribution site, the organisation said. The bloodshed comes as US-led ceasefire efforts aimed at halting a nearly 21-month war appear to be gaining momentum. Hamas gave a positive response late on Friday to the latest US proposal for a 60-day truce, but said further talks are needed on implementation. Israel continues to pound targets in Gaza (AP) Guarantees are being sought by Hamas that the initial truce would lead to a total end to the war and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. US President Donald Trump has been pushing for an agreement and is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next week to discuss a deal. The Israeli air strikes struck tents in the Muwasi area on the southern end of Gazas Mediterranean coast, killing seven people, including a Palestinian doctor and his three children, according to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Across #Gaza, attacks on tents and schools hosting displaced people and on people trying to access food continue to be reported, resulting in mass casualties. Between 7 October 2023 and 25 June 2025 in Gaza: at least 57,012 Palestinians have reportedly been killed 134,592 pic.twitter.com/apkIfBpOh6 UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 5, 2025 Four others were killed in the town of Bani Suheila in southern Gaza, and three people were killed in three different strikes in Khan Younis. The Israeli army did not provide immediate comment on the strikes. Meanwhile, eight Palestinians were killed near a GHF aid distribution site in the southern city of Rafah, the hospital said. One Palestinian was also killed near another GHF point in Rafah. Much of Gazas population has been displaced (AP) It was not clear how far away the Palestinians were from the sites. GHF denied the killings happened near their sites. Previously the organisation has said no-one has been shot at its sites, which are guarded by private contractors but can only be accessed by passing Israeli military positions hundreds of yards away. The army had no immediate comment, but has said it fires warning shots as a crowd-control measure and it only aims at people when its troops are threatened. One Palestinian was also killed waiting in crowds for aid trucks in eastern Khan Younis, officials at Nasser Hospital said. Fuel is a lifeline in #Gaza - it runs hospital generators, ambulances, bakeries, and water pumps. Without urgent shipments of fuel into Gaza, a complete shutdown of basic services with will bring even more suffering: a collective punishment. Fuel must be allowed in at scale pic.twitter.com/jcL8Zpogvm UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 5, 2025 The United Nations and other international organisations bring in their own supplies of aid. It was unclear to which organisation the aid trucks the Palestinians were waiting for belonged to, but the incident did not appear to be connected to GHF operations. Crowds of Palestinians often wait for trucks and unload or loot their contents before they reach their destinations. These trucks must pass through areas under Israeli military control. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident. The war in Gaza was set off after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. Israel responded with an offensive that has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, displaced nearly all of Gazas two million people and left many on the edge of famine. The alleged mastermind behind the shooting of a conservative Colombian senator and presidential candidate was taken into custody, almost a month after the attack, law enforcement authorities said. Elder Jose Arteaga Hernandez, alias Chipi or Costeno, was arrested in a neighbourhood in the northwestern part of the capital, Bogota, national police director Major General Carlos Fernando Triana told reporters. Authorities had previously accused him and other suspects of being near the Bogota park where Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot in broad daylight on June 7. Mr Uribe was giving a political speech in the park when he was attacked from behind and wounded in the head, allegedly by a minor who was captured as he fled. Three other people have been arrested for participating in the logistics and execution of the crime. The motive is still being investigated. People march to condemn the assassination attempt against opposition Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay (Santiago Saldarriaga/AP) Mr Uribe, who in October announced his intention to run in the 2026 presidential election, remains in intensive care and has undergone several surgeries. From his Senate seat, he had become one of President Gustavo Petros most vocal critics. The attack has been widely condemned in a country with a dark past in which drug cartels and insurgent groups murdered and kidnapped politicians. Charges against Arteaga include attempted aggravated homicide; manufacturing, trafficking and carrying firearms or ammunition; and using minors to commit crimes. Interpol issued a red notice against him on Friday. It was not immediately clear Saturday if Arteaga had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf. Authorities said he would make his first court appearance over the weekend. Maj Gen Triana last month said Arteaga has been involved in a life of crime for more than 20 years, performing hit jobs in all types of crimes in Bogota. Giant panda He Hua, who has been nicknamed Hua Hua, enjoys a specially prepared birthday cake to celebrate her 5th birthday at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on July 4, 2025. (Photo by Yang Yin/Xinhua) CHENGDU, July 4 (Xinhua) -- In the early hours of Friday morning, fans could be found camping out for their chance to glimpse a celebrity: a 200-pound, onigiri-shaped panda who moves like a "sticky rice dumpling" and specializes in chowing down on bamboo. Before dawn, the gates of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding pulsed with an energy unusual even for this hugely popular panda attraction in southwest China's Sichuan Province. Some eager visitors had queued since 10 p.m. the night before, clutching stuffed toys and handmade signs, jostling for the best vantage points. Their purpose was to mark the 5th birthday -- a significant milestone in the panda world -- of China's top-streamed panda idol and national darling He Hua, who has been nicknamed Hua Hua, and her younger twin sister, He Ye. As they do for any panda birthday at the facility, keepers prepared a special ice fruit cake for the twins, decorated with the number "5" and topped with tender bamboo shoots. They also festooned the panda enclosure with lotus flowers and leaves. Hua Hua is no ordinary panda. Unlike her more agile peers, she moves very slowly, often struggling to climb. But her "non-confrontational yet persevering" nature has resonated deeply with many and has made her a social media titan, with videos of the lovable bear amassing 1 billion views to date on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. The double birthday on Friday became a national event, with fans organizing celebrations of their own. In Chengdu's downtown Chunxi Road commercial district, large screens played looped birthday videos of Hua Hua, and in-person fan events took place in cities across the country. Guangdong Sibao Stainless Steel Products Co., Ltd. -- the panda twins' official corporate adopter since before they achieved fame -- exemplifies the deep bond between people and the two pandas. "We didn't adopt them because they became popular," said Lu Jie, who heads Sibao's e-commerce business. "Fans trust us because we were there from the very beginning." The company began adopting giant pandas in 1999, and took in Hua Hua and He Ye shortly after they were born. Sibao now oversees 18 Douyin fan groups and four WeChat communities totaling about 10,000 members who are not just consumers, but highly engaged followers who track panda news, create fan art, organize events, and support products from the sponsor company. Hua Hua has been sharing the spotlight. Her 10-year-old half-brother Meng Lan, who also celebrated a birthday on Friday, is beloved for his wall-climbing antics. An escape attempt once led the Beijing Zoo to reinforce his enclosure with transparent acrylic panels. And Fu Bao, the first giant panda to be born in the Republic of Korea (ROK), returned to China last April and now commands a large fan base in both the ROK and China, with her homecoming sparking a wave of emotion across international social media platforms. Giant pandas born outside of China are part of an international cooperation program on panda research and protection, and should be returned to China before they are four years old. The cultural presence of pandas in Chengdu is unmistakable. A giant sculpture clings to a shopping mall rooftop, murals brighten alleyways, restaurants serve panda-shaped desserts and supermarkets stock panda-inspired buns. As one of China's most influential areas of intellectual property (IP), the panda is also transforming from a cultural symbol into a tangible economic force. In 2024, Chengdu's cultural and creative industries surpassed 280 billion yuan (39.2 billion U.S. dollars) in total value, driven in no small part by the enduring appeal of the city's native panda population. If Disney has Mickey Mouse, Universal has the Minions and Japan has Kumamon, then China has Hua Hua -- a real giant panda-turned cultural, commercial and emotional icon. Zhang Zheng, vice dean of Tsinghua University's Institute of Culture Creativity, noted that Hua Hua's calm, gentle presence speaks to a shared desire for companionship, slow living and emotional comfort. She has become a soft symbol of China's emerging "emotional economy." This demand has given rise to ventures like SeeU Panda -- a simulated stuffed toy brand founded by panda superfan Liu Tao. "Pandas are an invisible, intangible source of emotional comfort," Liu said. "Many people can only see Hua Hua through short videos, and we hope to bring her closer by creating lifelike replicas." Today, SeeU Panda operates three factories with over 200 workers, including a core team of seven artisans. The company has sold more than 50,000 lifelike panda toys in over 50 countries and regions. For this panda birthday season, they are crafting woolly replicas using grade-A sheepskin for realistic texture and a silicone gel filling to add weight, aiming to produce adult-sized versions of Hua Hua and Meng Lan. Yang Yinyu, CTO of SeeU Panda and a craftsman with 24 years of experience in traditional handcrafts, said that pandas have been his most challenging project. "We kept refining the expressions. Every panda's eyes and mouth lines are different, which dictates their first impression on us," he said. "Hua Hua looks shy, and Qi Zai is more playful," he added, referring to the world's only captive brown giant panda. Even hairstylists have found their niche in the panda world. Zhang Jie, 30, was among those who answered an ad for a job at SeeU Panda requiring five years of hairdressing experience. "It's like grooming a pet, but more complex," he said. Each wool panda takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete, from shearing and fluffing to final detailing. A single worker can complete five to six replicas per day. SeeU Panda also creates custom designs for official use -- from pandas in German attire for the German consulate in Chengdu to a recreation of Hua Hua wearing a five-ring scarf for the Paris Olympics. Leftover materials are repurposed into DIY gadgets and "panda poop paper" to support the company's sustainability goals. Other players are thriving too. Panda Post, a cultural and creative arm of China Post, runs six Chengdu branches with a mostly young customer base, while Wolong Panda, a subsidiary of the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda, handles IP licensing and has led multiple panda-themed tourism projects in Sichuan. The field of panda IP has evolved beyond the species being a mere symbol of cuteness. It has now become a tangible, gentle cultural icon through toys, apparel, short videos and in-person events. Tsinghua's Zhang Zheng frames this panda fandom as a form of "cultural comfort" which creates a "light community" built around Hua Hua that offers companionship, healing and kind connections amid the frenzy of modern life. And really, who could ever resist the appeal of these bumbling, confrontation-avoidant, people-loving national treasures? Zhang Jie, a 30-year-old former hairstylist, grooms a stuffed panda toy in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on July 3, 2025. (Photo by Yang Yin/Xinhua) This photo taken on Dec. 21, 2024 shows a panda-themed cafe in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Photo by Chen Juwei/Xinhua) TOKYO, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Japan on Friday issued a notice to remind Chinese citizens in the country to be vigilant against natural disasters as earthquakes have frequently jolted southwestern Japan. The Tokara island chain region in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima has been hit by over 1,000 felt earthquakes since June 21, with a strong quake measuring in the lower 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 logged on Thursday, according to a local meteorological observatory. Heightened seismic activities have prompted Japanese authorities to urge residents of Akusekijima, part of the Tokara island chain, to be prepared to evacuate at any time. On Friday, 13 residents evacuated the village of Toshima on Akusekijima and arrived at Kagoshima Port by ship, local media reported. The embassy also warns of Typhoon Mun, which is expected to move northward over the sea east of Japan, as well as scorching temperatures, which are expected to persist across Japan until September. The embassy reminds Chinese nationals residing in Japan and tourists visiting Japan to strengthen their awareness of natural disaster prevention, pay close attention to earthquake updates, weather warnings and disaster prevention information, and evacuate to safe areas as soon as possible when necessary. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Taiwan college students visit a geological and mineral museum of Sun Yat-sen University in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, July 4, 2025. Over 1,800 Taiwan college students have gathered for a cross-Strait youth exchange summer camp that kicked off on Friday in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Hong Zehua) GUANGZHOU, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Over 1,800 Taiwan college students have gathered for a cross-Strait youth exchange summer camp that kicked off on Friday in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. Hosted by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots (ACFTC), the summer camp will hold its main event in Guangdong from Friday to Sunday, with more activities set to unfold across 30 provincial-level regions. In an address delivered when the camp opened, ACFTC President Zheng Jianmin said that the participation of many of Taiwan's young people has fully demonstrated the shared aspiration for increased exchanges and closer bonds between compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. The ACFTC will create more opportunities and conditions for Taiwan's youth to exchange, study, work and start businesses on the mainland, Zheng said. Taiwan youth Shi Ting-xuan shared her experience of engaging in previous cross-Strait exchange activities and said that she looks forward to making more friends and gaining a deeper understanding of the great Chinese culture. Since the summer camp's inauguration in 2004, nearly 30,000 young people from Taiwan have participated in its activities, according to the ACFTC. This photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows an art performance during the opening ceremony of a cross-Strait youth exchange summer camp in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. Over 1,800 Taiwan college students have gathered for a cross-Strait youth exchange summer camp that kicked off on Friday in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Hong Zehua) Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) A new study by Dilek Koptekin et al., a Swiss-Turkish team, has appeared in Science that combines archeological and genetics research to shed new light on the emergence of farming in the Middle East in the transition from hunting and gathering called the Neolithic Revolution. The authors find that big villages or perhaps towns like Catalhoyuk in what is now Turkiye, moreover, were matriarchal, with female lineages being very important.o In the twentieth century, some archeologists imagined the Neolithic world as dominated by warriors, some of whom drove out weaker conquered populations, accounting for the spread of farming. Their minds would have been blown by the idea of dominant female farmers peacefully sharing their knowledge with neighboring hunter-gatherers. It is no accident that this adoption of agriculture began in what is now central and western Turkiye after the end of the last maximal ice age 11,700 years ago. The beginning of the Holocene some 10,000 years ago saw a relatively stable climate that was warmer than that in the age of the glacial maximum that covered Europe and North America with miles of ice. The temperate weather band in the Neolithic Near East helped foster agriculture. The farming revolution first took place in Anatolia, what is now Turkiye, and in Mesopotamia. Around 7000 BCE it seems to have jumped to what is now Greece and then the Balkans. Archeologists have wondered if farmers were more successful populations, having an abundance of food and livestock, and so could gradually displace the hunters and gatherers. That is, did new food-producing technologies allow some groups to flood into western Turkiye and then Greece, pushing aside local groups, who dwindled as they failed to adapt? Koptekin and colleagues found that the genetic record suggests a much more complicated picture. They find genetic stability in central and western Anatolia from 9,000 BCE to roughly 7,000 BCE. People were adopting agriculture from neighbors and implementing it themselves, without moving around much. Culture was spreading, not peoples. It is a more edifying image, of neighboring peoples learning from one another and then using that knowledge to enrich themselves and create villages instead of always foraging. Moreover, team members told Kristina Killgrove at Live Science that women were key players in big villages / early towns like Catalhoyuk. Co-author Mehmet Somel told her, With Catalhoyuk, we now have the oldest genetically-inferred social organization pattern in food-producing societies. Which turns out to be female-centered. The team found that nuclear family members tended to be buried together, and more distant relatives around them, and that maternal lineage was determinative. The impressive settlement has long been known for the large number of female figurines, presumably goddesses, that show up in the excavations. The large village/ small town was inhabited for a millennium, 7100 BCE to 6100 BCE. Girls who died in childhood got more burial gifts, suggesting greater status and power for females. Mother Goddess on feline throne (birthing chair?); figurine from Level II, Catal Huyuk. In the digital collection Art Images for College Teaching. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/aict/x-ant002/ant002. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 30, 2025. Allan T. Kohl, the creator of this collection, has dedicated any copyright he might hold in the collection to the public domain, via the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication. Koptekin told Stephanie Baum at Phys.org, In some regions of West Anatolia, we see the first transitions to village life nearly 10,000 years ago. However, we also observe thousands of years of genetic continuity, which means that populations did not migrate or mix massively, even though cultural transition was definitely happening. Then there is some influx around 7000 BCE into Western Anatolia from eastern Anatolia, or maybe from what is now Iraq. Then there is an influx of that new mixed population of farmers into Greece. They really do seem to be a separate farming population that did not mix so much with locals (though such Anatolian immigration and intermarriage with Europeans is attested later elsewhere, in places like what is now Switzerland). Speaking about the study to Koray Erdogan at Turkiye Today, Anna-Sapfo Malaspinas, a computational biologist, said Genetically speaking, these people were mainly locals Yet their material culture evolved rapidly. This suggests that these communities adopted Neolithic practices by cultural exchange rather than population replacement. ( RFE/ RL) After 12 days of unprecedented direct hostilities, Israel and Iran have agreed to a cease-fire that has brought a tense and uneasy calm to the region. The war, marked by devastating air strikes, missile barrages, and covert operations, has left both countries reeling. While the immediate fighting has stopped, the political, military, and nuclear implications of this brief but intense war are only beginning to unfold. Both countries have rushed to claim success, with the Israelis insisting they accomplished their goals and the Iranians claiming to have imposed the cease-fire on their archfoe. Yet beneath the official statements, analysts warn that the cease-fire is fragile, the strategic balance has shifted, and the risk of renewed conflict or dangerous escalation remains high. Israels Gains, And A Critical Omission Israels government declared it had achieved all the objectives of Operation Rising Lion, citing the reported destruction of key Iranian nuclear and missile sites, the elimination of senior military leaders, and air superiority over Tehran. Israel was able to strike key military strategic governmental targets quite effectively, Farzan Sabet, a managing researcher at the Geneva Graduate Institute, told RFE/RL. He said the conflict highlighted the extent of the Israeli infiltration of Irans security apparatus, adding the countrys intelligence agency Mossad was able to basically create a legion of defectors who were probably one of the elements in this war that caused the greatest damage. Butm despite Israeli and US bombings, Irans nuclear program, while damaged, is not completely dismantled some enrichment capacity and expertise survived, and the risk of a covert Iranian nuclear breakout remains. Nuclear nonproliferation expert and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution Robert Einhorn noted that more than 400 kilograms of Irans uranium stockpile enriched to 60 percent purity had been moved and had not been accounted for. Conceivably, if under Irans possession, [the stockpile] could be taken to some secret location and used in a nuclear weapons program, Einhorn told RFE/RL. Irans Weakened Position And Shattered Prestige Irans leadership survived, but at a steep price. Its nuclear, missile, and drone arsenals were severely degraded; much of its senior military leadership was killed; its air defenses failed to protect the country from deep Israeli strikes; and the Islamic republic finds itself politically weakened. Sabet called it a catastrophe for Iran, while Einhorn said, Iran is weaker and more internationally isolated than it was two weeks ago. The Islamic republics claim as a guarantor of national security, a key pillar of its legitimacy, has been badly damaged given its inability to stave off Israeli air attacks and protect its military leadership, which was mostly eliminated on the first day of war. Its a massive blow to the prestige of [the Islamic republic], Sabet said. The Nuclear Dilemma: Deterrence Or Restraint? The wars most dangerous legacy may be the incentive it gives Iran to pursue nuclear weapons. Iran has previously said that, while it does not seek nuclear weapons, it will reconsider its doctrine if it faces an existential threat. The war sends mixed signals to Irans leadership. Some Iranian factions may see the attacks as a warning not to cross the nuclear threshold. But with its deterrent eroded, others may view nuclear arms as the only reliable guarantee of the Iranian establishments survival. The pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability can be very, very risky for the country, Einhorn said. There will be hard-liners in Iran who will decide that the only way of deterring foreign attacksis acquiring nuclear weapons. And its not clear at this stage which of those groups will prevail. But Sabet is skeptical of Irans technical and organizational capacity to pull off a covert nuclear breakout, not least because of how compromised it is. I wouldnt put much trust with a system as thoroughly infiltrated and unreliable and incompetent as the Islamic republic, he said, adding that if Iran were to conduct a nuclear test, we could see nuclear escalation against Iran, which I think is highly dangerous. A Fragile Pause, But Not A Lasting Peace The cease-fire has brought a tenuous pause to the fighting. Israel can claim a military victory, but the political and strategic endgame remains unsettled. Photo of Tehran by Mehrshad Rajabi on Unsplash The Islamic republic is battered and its deterrence eroded, but it survives at least for now. Israel may have won the battle, but the wars core dilemmas nuclear risk, regional instability, and mutual mistrust remain unresolved. According to Einhorn, only diplomatic efforts can ensure that Irans nuclear material is truly accounted for and that the region steps back from the brink. The missing 400 kilograms of highly enriched uraniumcould become the basis of a covert nuclear weapons program, he said. And this element cannot be dealt with by a military attack. It can only be dealt with through diplomacy. With contributions from Amra Zejneli, the director of RFE/RLs Kosovo Service By Ismail Albayrak, Australian Catholic University In our guides to the classics, experts explain key literary works. (The Conversation) Ibn Battuta, was born in Tangier, Morocco, on February 24, 1304. From a statement in his celebrated travel book the Rihla (legal affairs are my ancestral profession,) he evidently came from an intellectually distinguished family. According to the Rihla (travelogue), Ibn Battuta embarked on his travels from Tangier at the age of 22 with the intention of performing the Hajj (the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca) in 1325. Although he returned to Fez (his adopted home-town) around the end of 1349, he continued to visit various regions, including Granada and Sudan, in subsequent years. Over the course of his almost 30 years of travel, Ibn Battuta covered an astonishing distance of approximately 73,000 miles (117,000 kilometres), visiting a region that today encompasses more than 50 countries. His journeys covered much of the medieval Islamic world and beyond, excluding Northern Europe. In 1355, he returned to Morocco for the last time and remained there for the rest of his life. Upon his return he dictated his experiences, observations and anecdotes to the Andalusian scholar Ibn Juzayy, with a compilation of his travels completed in 1355 or 1356. The work, formally titled A Gift to Researchers on the Curiosities of Cities and the Marvels of Journeys, is more commonly referred to as Rihlat Ibn Battuta or simply Rihla. More than a travelogue or geographical record, this book provides rich insights into 14th-century social and political life, capturing cultural diversity across nations. Ibn Battuta details local lifestyles, linguistic traits, beliefs, clothing, cuisines, holidays, artistic traditions and gender relations, as well as commercial activities and currencies. His observations also include geographical features such as mountains, rivers and agricultural products. Notably, the work highlights his encounters with over 60 sultans and more than 2,000 prominent figures, making it a valuable historical resource. The travels His travels began after a dream. According to Ibn Battuta, one night, while in Fuwwa, a town near Alexandria in Egypt, he dreamed of flying on a massive bird across various lands, landing in a dark, greenish country. To test the local sheikhs mystical knowledge, he decided if the sheikh knew of his dream, he was truly extraordinary. The next morning, after leading the dawn prayer, he saw the sheikh bid farewell to visitors. Later, the sheikh astonishingly revealed knowledge of Ibn Battutas dream and prophesied his pilgrimage through Yemen, Iraq, Turkey and India. At the time, the Middle East was under the rule of the Mamluk sultanate, Anatolia was divided among principalities and the Mongol Ilkhanate state controlled Iran, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Ibn Battuta initially travelled through North Africa, Egypt, Palestine and Syria, completing his first Hajj in 1326. He then visited Iraq and Iran, returning to Mecca. In 1328, he explored East Africa, reaching Mogadishu, Mombasa, Sudan and Kilwa (modern Tanzania), as well as Yemen, Oman and Anatolia, where he documented cities like Alanya, Konya, Erzurum, Nicaea and Bursa. His descriptions are vivid. Describing the city of Dimyat, on the bank of the Nile, he says: Many of the houses have steps leading down to the Nile. Banana trees are especially abundant there, and their fruit is carried to Cairo in boats. Its sheep and goats are allowed to pasture at liberty day and night, and for this reason the saying goes of Dimyat, Its wall is a sweetmeat and its dogs are sheep. No one who enters the city may afterwards leave it except by the governors seal [] When it comes to Anatolia (in modern-day Turkey), he declares: This country, known as the Land of Rum, is the most beautiful in the world. While Allah Almighty has distributed beauty to other lands separately, He has gathered them all here. The most beautiful and well-dressed people live in this land, and the most delicious food is prepared here [] From the moment we arrived, our neighbors both men and women showed great concern for our wellbeing. Here, women do not shy away from men; when we departed, they bid us farewell as if we were family, expressing their sadness through tears. A judge and husband Since Ibn Battuta dictated his work, its difficult to assess the extent of the scribes influence in recording his narratives. Despite being an educated man, he occasionally narrates like a commoner and sometimes exceeds the bounds of polite language. At times, he provides excessive detail, giving the impression he may be quoting from sources beyond his own observations. Nevertheless, the Rihla stands out for its engaging style and captivating anecdotes, drawing readers in. Ibn Battuta later journeyed through Crimea, Central Asia, Khwarezm (a large oasis region in the territories of present-day Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), Bukhara (a city in Uzbekistan), and the Hindu Kush Mountains. In 1332, he met Byzantine Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos and travelled to Istanbul with the caravan of Uzbek Khans third wife. He mentions a caravan that even has a market: Whenever the caravan halted, food was cooked in great brass cauldrons, called dasts, and supplied from them to the poorer pilgrims and those who had no provisions. [] This caravan contained also animated bazaars and great supplies of luxuries and all kinds of food and fruit. They used to march during the night and light torches in front of the file of camels and litters, so that you saw the countryside gleaming with light and the darkness turned into radiant day. Ibn Battuta arrived in Delhi in 1333, where he served as a judge under Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq for seven years. He married or was married to local women in many of the places he stayed. Among his wives were ordinary people as well as the daughters of the administrative class. The Sultans generosity, intelligence and unconventional ruling style both impressed and surprised Ibn Battuta. However, Muhammad bin Tughluq was known for making excessively harsh and abrupt decisions at times, which led Ibn Battuta to approach him with caution. Nevertheless, with the Sultans support, he remained in India for a long time and was eventually chosen as an ambassador to China in 1341. In 1345 his mission was disrupted when his ship capsized off the coast of Calcutta (then known as Sadqawan) in the Indian Ocean. Though he survived, he lost most of his possessions. After the incident, he remained in India for a while before continuing his journey by other means. During this period, he travelled through India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. He served as a judge in the latter for one and a half years. In 1345, he journeyed to China via Bengal, Burma and Sumatra, reaching the city of Guangzhou but limiting his exploration to the southern coast. He was among the first Arab travellers to record Islams spread in the Malay Archipelago, noting interactions between Muslims and Hindu-Buddhist communities. Visiting Java and Sumatra, he praised Sultan Malik al-Zahir of Sumatra as a generous, pious and scholarly ruler and highlighted his rare practice of walking to Friday prayers. On his return, Ibn Battuta explored regions such as Iran, Iraq, North Africa, Spain and the Kingdom of Mali, documenting the vast Islamic world. Back in his homeland, Ibn Battuta served as a judge in several locations. He died around 1368-9 while serving as a judge in Morocco and was buried in his birthplace, Tangier. The status of women Ibn Battutas travels revealed intriguing insights into the status of women across regions. In inner West Africa, he observed matriarchal practices where lineage and inheritance were determined by the mothers family. Among Turks, women rode horses like raiders, traded actively and did not veil their faces. In the Maldives, husbands leaving the region had to abandon their wives. He noted that Muslim women there, including the ruling woman, did not cover their heads. Despite attempting to enforce the hijab as a judge, he failed. He offers fascinating insights into food cultures. In Siberia, sled dogs were fed before humans. He described 15-day wedding feasts in India. He tried local produce such as mango in the Indian subcontinent, which he compared to an apple, and sun-dried, sliced fish in Oman. Religious practices Ibn Battutas accounts of the Hajj (pilgrimage) rituals he performed six times provide a unique perspective. He references a fatwa by Ibn Taymiyyah, prominent Islamic scholar and theologian known for his opposition to theological innovations and critiques of Sufism and philosophy, advising against shortening prayers for those travelling to Medina. Ibn Battutas accounts, particularly regarding the Iranian region, offer important perspectives into religious sects during a period when Iran started shifting from Sunnism to Shiism. He describes societies with diverse demographics, including Persians, Azeris, Kurds, Arabs and Baluchis. His observations on religious practices are especially significant. Inclined toward Sufism, Ibn Battuta often dressed like a dervish during his travels. He offers a compelling view of Islamic mysticism. He considered regions like Damascus as places of abundance and Anatolia as a land of compassion, interpreting them with a spiritual perspective. His accounts of Sufi education, dervish lodges, zawiyas (similar to monasteries), and tombs, along with the special invocations of Sufi masters, are important historical records. He also observed and documented unique practices, such as the followers of the Persian Sufi saint Sheikh Qutb al-Din Haydar wearing iron rings on their hands, necks, ears, and even private parts to avoid sexual intercourse. While Ibn Battuta primarily visited Muslim lands, he also travelled to non-Muslim territories, offering key understandings into different religious cultures, for instance interactions between Crimean Muslims and Christian Armenians in the Golden Horde region. He also documented churches, icons and monasteries, such as the tomb of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem. His observation of Muslims openly reciting the call to prayer (adhan) in China is significant. Other anecdotes include the division of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus into a mosque and Christian church. Most importantly, his encounters with Hindus and Buddhists in the Indian subcontinent and Malay Islands provide rich historical context. Ibn Battuta, Digital, Midjourney, 2025 His accounts of death rituals reveal diverse practices. In Sinop (a city in Turkey), 40 days of mourning were declared for a rulers mother, while in Iran, a funeral resembled a wedding celebration. He observed similarities in cremation practices between India and China and described a chilling custom in some regions where slaves and concubines were buried alive with the deceased. Ibn Battutas Rihla, widely translated into Eastern and Western languages, has drawn some criticism for containing depictions that sometimes diverge from historical continuity or borrow from other works. Ibn Battuta himself admitted to using earlier travel books as references. Despite limited recognition in older sources, the Rihla gained prominence in the West in the 19th century. His legacy remains vibrant today. Morocco declared 19961997 the Year of Ibn Battuta, and established a museum in Tangier to honour him. In Dubai, a mall is named after him. Notably, Ibn Battuta travelled to more destinations than Marco Polo and shared a broader range of humane anecdotes, showcasing the depth and diversity of his experiences. Ismail Albayrak, Professor of Islam and Catholic Muslim Relations, Australian Catholic University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. ( Middle East Monitor ) While more rhetoric but barely any pressure is raised against the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) and Israel using the distribution hubs as kill zones, the genocide in Gaza reflects an earlier trend of pinpointing violations into manageable disturbances. That way, Israels violence can remain unchecked and the genocide in Gaza becomes just as normalised as other international law violations were normalised earlier. Israel has killed over 57,000 Palestinians in Gaza, and the majority of these individuals are not recognised except for statistical purposes. However, if mass graves are discovered, or as is happening more lately, Palestinians are killed while trying to access food, the international community issues warnings on the specific violations. The genocide itself, however, is normalised. UN Secretary Antonio Guterres stated that aid operations in Gaza are inherently unsafe. Israels foreign ministry said the military never targets civilians. Over 165 international charities and rights organisations have called for the GHF to terminate its operations. The UKs political coordinator to the UN Fergus Eckers called the GHFs operations inhumane. And UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric mellowed the UNs tone by stating Were not saying that GHF should not operate. What were saying is that whether its GHF or others, they need to operate in ways that are safe. Dujarrics tone represents what the UN has adhered to throughout the entire Zionist colonial process. Legitimising colonisation but pointing out specific violations as contrary to international law is part of the structure that has protected Israel throughout the decades. Israels violations have never been addressed as part of colonialism, because Israel is not recognised as a settler-colonial entity by the UN. And nowhere is this more evident than in the wording of UN Resolution 194, which calls the settler-colonial entity neighbours and places the entire burden of the Nakba upon the Palestinian people. Not only has this resolution remained unchallenged, but it is also championed as a right even though it exists only to protect Israels colonial interests. The same has happened with Israels genocide in Gaza. It is easier to deplore the GHF, the mass graves, Israel burning Palestinians in tents, but not the entire genocidal structure that led to these schemes and atrocities. What has the international community done to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza? To prevent Israel from burning people alive or blasting them into the air as bombs detonate? What has the international community done to stop Israels genocide? Nothing. It supplies Israel with various tools for committing genocide, though. Just as it supplied Israel with the means resolutions included to maintain its colonial presence in Palestine. Gaza 45, Digital, Midjourney / ChatGPT, 2025 Meanwhile, any atrocity that becomes newsworthy is followed up by Israel stating it will investigate and international law experts stating that the attack was almost certainly unlawful and may constitute a war crime, as recently reported regarding the al-Baqa Cafe in Gaza, upon which Israel dropped a 230kg bomb, killing and injuring Palestinians on location. The West loves commenting and feeding its hesitant expertise to the public, just as much as Israel is committed to its genocide in Gaza. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor. Via Middle East Monitor BEIJING, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Several leading experts on the Taiwan question have criticized Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te's "10 lectures on unity," debunking his remarks that aim to disrupt and jeopardize Taiwan. "Seen from their overall viewpoint and argument logic, the so-called lectures are a representation of the cliche that has been advocated by 'Taiwan independence' forces, with the new 'two states' theory at its core," said Wu Yongping, head of Tsinghua University's Institute of Taiwan Studies. Such provocative separatist remarks will only end up harming Taiwan by intensifying social confrontation across the region and escalating tension across the Taiwan Strait, according to experts. In the latest installments of his planned series of speeches, Lai attempted to rationalize his separatist scheme under the pretext of a "constitutional government system." Experts have refuted Lai's biased remarks concerning constitutional governance. Wang Yingjin, director of the cross-Strait relations research center of the Renmin University of China, slammed Lai for fabricating selective narratives with the aim to sever the historical connections between Taiwan and the mainland, and to try to legalize "Taiwan independence" separatism. "Lai intentionally played up constitutional governance and democracy, advertised 'citizen power,' and promoted the idea of an 'external threat.' Such acts are in fact political manipulations promoting separatism instead of unity," said Han Bing, an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Taiwan Studies. In his recent speech, Lai once again overstated the "mainland threat," defining the mainland as an "external hostile force." This, however, laid bare Lai's real purpose of stopping and restricting cross-Strait exchange for the sake of political profits, according to Wu. Han added that Lai has not only slandered and misinterpreted mainland measures that punish and deter separatist forces, but also relentlessly increased Taiwan's defense budget and colluded with foreign forces in pursuit of external support for his political scheme -- at the expense of the interests of the people of Taiwan. The so-called "10 lectures on unity," which are untenable from both legal and historical bases and have nothing to do with reality or common sense, are doomed to be abandoned as "text junk," experts have said. By Dominic Davies, City St Georges, University of London and Candida Rifkind, University of Winnipeg (The Conversation) There are more refugees in the world today than at any other point in history. The United Nations estimates that there are now more than 120 million people forcibly displaced from their homes. That is one in every 69 people on Earth. Some 73% of this population is hosted in lower or middle-income countries. From the legacies of European colonialism to global inequality, drone warfare and climate instability, politicians have failed to address the causes driving this mass displacement. Instead, far-right parties exploit the crisis by inflaming cultures of hatred and hostility towards migrants, particularly in high-income western countries. This is exacerbated by visual media, which makes refugees an easy target by denying them the means of telling their own stories on their own terms. Pictures of migrants on boats or climbing over border walls are everywhere in tabloid newspapers and on social media. But these images are rarely accompanied by any detailed account of the brutal experiences that force people into these situations. In our new book, Graphic Refuge: Visuality and Mobility in Refugee Comics, we show how a growing genre of refugee comics is challenging this visual culture through a range of storytelling strategies and innovations in illustration. Comprised of multiple images arranged into sequences and interspersed with speech bubbles and caption boxes, refugee comics disrupt a media landscape that tends to reduce migrants to either threats or victims. Many different kinds of visual storytelling live under the umbrella of refugee comics. They include short strips and stories, such as A Perilous Journey (2016) with testimonies from people fleeing the civil war in Syria, and Cabramatta (2019), about growing up as a Vietnamese migrant in a Sydney suburb. They also include codex-bound graphic novels, such as The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui (2017), and interactive web-comics such as Exodus by Jasper Rietman (2018). They include documentaries made by journalists about the specific experiences of individual refugees. They also include fiction by artists who combine elements of several refugee testimonies into representative stories. Additionally, there are both fictional and non-fictional artworks made by migrants and refugees themselves. Refugee comics address different forced mass displacements over the 20th and 21st centuries. These include the 1948 Nakba in Palestine, the 1970s flight of refugees from Vietnam and the 2010s displacement of people from Syria and other countries across sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. These refugee comics challenge anti-migrant images in at least three ways. First, they often integrate the direct testimonies of refugees. This is enhanced by the combination of words and pictures that comprise the comics page, which allows refugees to frame the way we see and respond to images of displaced people. For example, in The Unwanted by Joe Sacco (2012), familiar images of migrants crossing the Mediterranean on small boats are narrated by a refugee called Jon. Jons testimony turns our attention to the fears and desires that drive people to attempt dangerous sea crossings. A second way comics challenge anti-migrant images is by allowing refugees to tell their stories without disclosing their identities. Because comics are drawn by hand and use abstract icons rather than photographs, refugees can tell their stories while also avoiding any unwanted scrutiny while also maintaining personal privacy. This reintroduces refugee agency into a visual culture that often seeks to reduce migrants to voiceless victims or security threats. For example, in Escaping Wars and Waves: Encounters with Syrian Refugees (2018) German comics journalist Olivier Kugler dedicates two pages to a man he calls The Afghan because he didnt want his name or identity revealed. Kugler presents this mans testimony of failed attempts to get to the UK, but he never draws his face or refers to him by name. The third way comics challenge anti-migrant images is by shifting our attention from refugees themselves to the hostile environments and border infrastructures that they are forced to travel through and inhabit. Refugee researchers describe this different way of seeing as a places and spaces, not faces approach. For instance, in Undocumented: The Architecture of Migrant Detention (2017), Tings Chak walks her readers through migrant detention centres from the perspective of those who are being processed and detained. Drawing displacement This emphasis on place and space is built into the structure of our own book, Graphic Refuge. We begin by focusing on graphic stories about ocean crossings, particularly on the Mediterranean sea. We then turn to comics concerned with the experience of refugee camps, and we also ask how interactive online comics bring viewers into virtual refugee spaces in a variety of ways. It is the obliteration of homes that forces people to become refugees in the first place. Later in the book, we explore how illustrated stories document the destruction of cityscapes across Syria and also in Gaza. Finally, we turn to graphic autobiographies by second-generation refugees, those who have grown up in places such as the US or Australia, but who must still negotiate the trauma of their parents displacement. Photo of Syrian IDPs in Idlib by Ahmed akacha: https://www.pexels.com/photo/boys-behind-a-chain-link-fence-9493594/ Where most previous studies of refugee comics have focused on trauma and empathy, in Graphic Refuge we take a different approach. We set out to show how refugee comics represent migrant agency and desire, and how we are all implicated in the histories and systems that have created the very idea of the modern refugee. As critical refugee scholar Vinh Nguyen writes in our books foreword, while it is difficult to truly know what refugee lives are like, those of us who enjoy the privileges of citizenship can at least read these comics to better understand what we we who can sleep under warm covers at night are capable of. This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission. Dominic Davies, Reader in English, City St Georges, University of London and Candida Rifkind, Professor of Graphic Narratives, University of Winnipeg This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) The dufus-in-chief perorated on Friday once again on wind power, complaining that the components are made in China but that I have never seen a wind farm in China. Why is that? Somebody check that out. His just-passed tax bill eliminates federal incentives for the industry, ensuring a vast slow-down in its build-out in this country. Back in the real world, China will have 520 gigawatts of nameplate wind power by the end of this year, more than any other country in the world. China has half the worlds installed wind capacity. Since most contemporary turbines generate 2 to 3 megawatts, that would translate into roughly 190,000 wind turbines. Trump has never seen one because he hasnt bothered looking, or he has a weird fixation on wind turbines, or because he is telling another of his tens of thousands of lies, or because some fossil fuel billionaire slipped him a fiver to humiliate himself, and the country, this way. Wind power generates about 13% of Chinas electricity in 2025. The Jiuquan Wind Power Base in Gansu Province is a whole complex of wind farms, with a generation capacity of 10 gigawatts and with plans to expand to 20 gigawatts, at which point it will have 7,000 wind turbines. Twenty gigawatts would provide electricity to 6 million American-style households, or all of Illinois and then some. China is rapidly becoming expert in combining wind power with large scale battery storage, so that power captured when winds are high can be released when they die down, smoothing out the grid. Over time this technology will allow the actual capacity of wind farms to approach the nameplate capacity. This wind power capacity allows China to avoid Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) imports for energy generation to the tune of roughly $80 billion a year. In contrast, once the turbines are installed, the fuel (wind) is free. These savings do not even take into account the reduction in harm to the environment that comes from burning fossil fuels and spewing billions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of atomic bombs going off daily, heating up the earth and threatening climate breakdown. (You wont like climate breakdown.) The economic and trade implications of this incredible rise of a new industry cannot be overestimated. Consider what Energy magazine reported just last year of the German firm Luxcara. It chose MingYang Smart Energy to produce 16 enormous wind turbines, to be installed by 2028, for a project that will supply 400,000 homes with electricity. This is Germany, where MingYang had to win out against Siemens Gamesa and Orsted. The World Economic Forum points out that the value of Chinas clean technology exports is set to exceed $340 billion in 2035, based on current policy settings. That is a market Trump has prevented the US from competing in. When a country specializes in a technology, it achieves breakthroughs and efficiencies that make it an attractive source for imports of the technology by other countries. China already makes 80% of the worlds solar panels. It could end up being the major manufacturer of its wind turbines, too. If the United States isnt in this game, it cant compete for a share of those profits. Losing out is what the economists call an opportunity cost. In contrast, the United States is only expected to have 160 gigawatts of wind by the end of this year, less than a third of what China has. As noted, Trumps smelly ugly tax bill removes incentives from renewables and bestows extra government subsidies on fossil fuels, which will greatly slow wind power growth over the next three years at least. The US wind turbine manufacturing sector is led by companies like GE Vernova, Vestas and Siemens Gamesa, which can, all together, assemble 15 gigawatts of wind power each year. The top five US wind manufacturers bring in over $70 billion a year. Over 130,000 US workers are employed in this industry. Trump is trying to kneecap the sector, costing the US tens of thousands of jobs and, you guessed it, incurring massive opportunity costs. The onshore turbines installed in the US have 58% US-made content. We are behind on offshore turbines, which are only 42% US-made, since the nacelles and blades are imported. The Republican attack on this industry will simply take those numbers down and leave the industry to China and Europe. Chinas wind, solar, water and battery development has been so extensive and so rapid that its emissions are possibly declining this year despite its still heavy dependence on coal (a sector, however, that is rapidly shrinking). Photo of Haiyan, Jiaxing, China, in 2024 by Danie LIU on Unsplash There are other benefits. By 2050, Chinese offshore wind alone (a small part of the total) will prevent 165,000 premature deaths that would otherwise have been caused by the particulate matter burning fossil fuels puts into the air, causing lung cancer and other diseases. If this misstatement of the facts were just another Trumpism, with no more impact than the farts he let rip when in court on trial for rape, it would be merely puzzling and bizarre. These sorts of stubborn fantasies, however, have turned into national American policy, guaranteeing the steep decline of the United States in the coming century. ( Tomdispatch.com ) In defense circles, cutting the Pentagon budget has once again become a topic of conversation. Americans should not confuse that talk with reality. Any cuts exacted will at most reduce the rate of growth. The essential facts remain: U.S. military outlays today equal that of every other nation on the planet combined, a situation without precedent in modern history. The Pentagon presently spends more in constant dollars than it did at any time during the Cold War this despite the absence of anything remotely approximating what national security experts like to call a peer competitor. Evil Empire? It exists only in the fevered imaginations of those who quiver at the prospect of China adding a rust-bucket Russian aircraft carrier to its fleet or who take seriously the ravings of radical Islamists promising from deep inside their caves to unite the Umma in a new caliphate. What are Americans getting for their money? Sadly, not much. Despite extraordinary expenditures (not to mention exertions and sacrifices by U.S. forces), the return on investment is, to be generous, unimpressive. The chief lesson to emerge from the battlefields of the post-9/11 era is this: the Pentagon possesses next to no ability to translate military supremacy into meaningful victory. Washington knows how to start wars and how to prolong them, but is clueless when it comes to ending them. Iraq, the latest addition to the roster of Americas forgotten wars, stands as exhibit A. Each bomb that blows up in Baghdad or some other Iraqi city, splattering blood all over the streets, testifies to the manifest absurdity of judging the surge as the epic feat of arms celebrated by the Petraeus lobby. The problems are strategic as well as operational. Old Cold War-era expectations that projecting U.S. power will enhance American clout and standing no longer apply, especially in the Islamic world. There, American military activities are instead fostering instability and inciting anti-Americanism. For Exhibit B, see the deepening morass that Washington refers to as AfPak or the Afghanistan-Pakistan theater of operations. Add to that the mountain of evidence showing that Pentagon, Inc. is a miserably managed enterprise: hide-bound, bloated, slow-moving, and prone to wasting resources on a prodigious scale nowhere more so than in weapons procurement and the outsourcing of previously military functions to contractors. When it comes to national security, effectiveness (what works) should rightly take precedence over efficiency (at what cost?) as the overriding measure of merit. Yet beyond a certain level, inefficiency undermines effectiveness, with the Pentagon stubbornly and habitually exceeding that level. By comparison, Detroits much-maligned Big Three offer models of well-run enterprises. Impregnable Defenses All of this takes place against the backdrop of mounting problems at home: stubbornly high unemployment, trillion-dollar federal deficits, massive and mounting debt, and domestic needs like education, infrastructure, and employment crying out for attention. Yet the defense budget a misnomer since for Pentagon, Inc. defense per se figures as an afterthought remains a sacred cow. Why is that? The answer lies first in understanding the defenses arrayed around that cow to ensure that it remains untouched and untouchable. Exemplifying what the military likes to call a defense in depth, that protective shield consists of four distinct but mutually supporting layers. Institutional Self-Interest: Victory in World War II produced not peace, but an atmosphere of permanent national security crisis. As never before in U.S. history, threats to the nations existence seemed omnipresent, an attitude first born in the late 1940s that still persists today. In Washington, fear partly genuine, partly contrived triggered a powerful response. One result was the emergence of the national security state, an array of institutions that depended on (and therefore strove to perpetuate) this atmosphere of crisis to justify their existence, status, prerogatives, and budgetary claims. In addition, a permanent arms industry arose, which soon became a major source of jobs and corporate profits. Politicians of both parties were quick to identify the advantages of aligning with this military-industrial complex, as President Eisenhower described it. Allied with (and feeding off of) this vast apparatus that transformed tax dollars into appropriations, corporate profits, campaign contributions, and votes was an intellectual axis of sorts government-supported laboratories, university research institutes, publications, think tanks, and lobbying firms (many staffed by former or would-be senior officials) devoted to identifying (or conjuring up) ostensible national security challenges and alarms, always assumed to be serious and getting worse, and then devising responses to them. The upshot: within Washington, the voices carrying weight in any national security debate all share a predisposition for sustaining very high levels of military spending for reasons having increasingly little to do with the well-being of the country. Strategic Inertia: In a 1948 State Department document, diplomat George F. Kennan offered this observation: We have about 50 percent of the worlds wealth, but only 6.3 percent of its population. The challenge facing American policymakers, he continued, was to devise a pattern of relationships that will permit us to maintain this disparity. Here we have a description of American purposes that is far more candid than all of the rhetoric about promoting freedom and democracy, seeking world peace, or exercising global leadership. The end of World War II found the United States in a spectacularly privileged position. Not for nothing do Americans remember the immediate postwar era as a Golden Age of middle-class prosperity. Policymakers since Kennans time have sought to preserve that globally privileged position. The effort has been a largely futile one. By 1950 at the latest, those policymakers (with Kennan by then a notable dissenter) had concluded that the possession and deployment of military power held the key to preserving Americas exalted status. The presence of U.S. forces abroad and a demonstrated willingness to intervene, whether overtly or covertly, just about anywhere on the planet would promote stability, ensure U.S. access to markets and resources, and generally serve to enhance the countrys influence in the eyes of friend and foe alike this was the idea, at least. In postwar Europe and postwar Japan, this formula achieved considerable success. Elsewhere notably in Korea, Vietnam, Latin America, and (especially after 1980) in the so-called Greater Middle East it either produced mixed results or failed catastrophically. Certainly, the events of the post-9/11 era provide little reason to believe that this presence/power-projection paradigm will provide an antidote to the threat posed by violent anti-Western jihadism. If anything, adherence to it is exacerbating the problem by creating ever greater anti-American animus. One might think that the manifest shortcomings of the presence/power-projection approach trillions expended in Iraq for what? might stimulate present-day Washington to pose some first-order questions about basic U.S. national security strategy. A certain amount of introspection would seem to be called for. Could, for example, the effort to sustain what remains of Americas privileged status benefit from another approach? Yet there are few indications that our political leaders, the senior-most echelons of the officer corps, or those who shape opinion outside of government are capable of seriously entertaining any such debate. Whether through ignorance, arrogance, or a lack of imagination, the pre-existing strategic paradigm stubbornly persists; so, too, as if by default do the high levels of military spending that the strategy entails. Cultural Dissonance: The rise of the Tea Party movement should disabuse any American of the thought that the cleavages produced by the culture wars have healed. The cultural upheaval touched off by the 1960s and centered on Vietnam remains unfinished business in this country. Among other things, the sixties destroyed an American consensus, forged during World War II, about the meaning of patriotism. During the so-called Good War, love of country implied, even required, deference to the state, shown most clearly in the willingness of individuals to accept the governments authority to mandate military service. GIs, the vast majority of them draftees, were the embodiment of American patriotism, risking life and limb to defend the country. The GI of World War II had been an American Everyman. Those soldiers both represented and reflected the values of the nation from which they came (a perception affirmed by the ironic fact that the military adhered to prevailing standards of racial segregation). It was our army because that army was us. With Vietnam, things became more complicated. The wars supporters argued that the World War II tradition still applied: patriotism required deference to the commands of the state. Opponents of the war, especially those facing the prospect of conscription, insisted otherwise. They revived the distinction, formulated a generation earlier by the radical journalist Randolph Bourne, that distinguished between the country and the state. Real patriots, the ones who most truly loved their country, were those who opposed state policies they regarded as misguided, illegal, or immoral. In many respects, the soldiers who fought the Vietnam War found themselves caught uncomfortably in the center of this dispute. Was the soldier who died in Vietnam a martyr, a tragic figure, or a sap? Who deserved greater admiration: the soldier who fought bravely and uncomplainingly or the one who served and then turned against the war? Or was the war resister the one who never served at all the real hero? Wars end left these matters disconcertingly unresolved. President Richard Nixons 1971 decision to kill the draft in favor of an All-Volunteer Force, predicated on the notion that the country might be better served with a military that was no longer us, only complicated things further. So, too, did the trends in American politics where bona fide war heroes (George H.W. Bush, Bob Dole, John Kerry, and John McCain) routinely lost to opponents whose military credentials were non-existent or exceedingly slight (Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama), yet who demonstrated once in office a remarkable propensity for expending American blood (none belonging to members of their own families) in places like Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. It was all more than a little unseemly. Patriotism, once a simple concept, had become both confusing and contentious. What obligations, if any, did patriotism impose? And if the answer was none the option Americans seemed increasingly to prefer then was patriotism itself still a viable proposition? Wanting to answer that question in the affirmative to distract attention from the fact that patriotism had become little more than an excuse for fireworks displays and taking the occasional day off from work people and politicians alike found a way to do so by exalting those Americans actually choosing to serve in uniform. The thinking went this way: soldiers offer living proof that America is a place still worth dying for, that patriotism (at least in some quarters) remains alive and well; by common consent, therefore, soldiers are the nations best, committed to something bigger than self in a land otherwise increasingly absorbed in pursuing a material and narcissistic definition of self-fulfillment. In effect, soldiers offer much-needed assurance that old-fashioned values still survive, even if confined to a small and unrepresentative segment of American society. Rather than Everyman, todays warrior has ascended to the status of icon, deemed morally superior to the nation for which he or she fights, the repository of virtues that prop up, however precariously, the nations increasingly sketchy claim to singularity. Politically, therefore, supporting the troops has become a categorical imperative across the political spectrum. In theory, such support might find expression in a determination to protect those troops from abuse, and so translate into wariness about committing soldiers to unnecessary or unnecessarily costly wars. In practice, however, supporting the troops has found expression in an insistence upon providing the Pentagon with open-ended drawing rights on the nations treasury, thereby creating massive barriers to any proposal to affect more than symbolic reductions in military spending. Misremembered History: The duopoly of American politics no longer allows for a principled anti-interventionist position. Both parties are war parties. They differ mainly in the rationale they devise to argue for interventionism. The Republicans tout liberty; the Democrats emphasize human rights. The results tend to be the same: a penchant for activism that sustains a never-ending demand for high levels of military outlays. American politics once nourished a lively anti-interventionist tradition. Leading proponents included luminaries such as George Washington and John Quincy Adams. That tradition found its basis not in principled pacifism, a position that has never attracted widespread support in this country, but in pragmatic realism. What happened to that realist tradition? Simply put, World War II killed it or at least discredited it. In the intense and divisive debate that occurred in 1939-1941, the anti-interventionists lost, their cause thereafter tarred with the label isolationism. The passage of time has transformed World War II from a massive tragedy into a morality tale, one that casts opponents of intervention as blackguards. Whether explicitly or implicitly, the debate over how the United States should respond to some ostensible threat Iraq in 2003, Iran today replays the debate finally ended by the events of December 7, 1941. To express skepticism about the necessity and prudence of using military power is to invite the charge of being an appeaser or an isolationist. Few politicians or individuals aspiring to power will risk the consequences of being tagged with that label. In this sense, American politics remains stuck in the 1930s always discovering a new Hitler, always privileging Churchillian rhetoric even though the circumstances in which we live today bear scant resemblance to that earlier time. There was only one Hitler and hes long dead. As for Churchill, his achievements and legacy are far more mixed than his battalions of defenders are willing to acknowledge. And if any one figure deserves particular credit for demolishing Hitlers Reich and winning World War II, its Josef Stalin, a dictator as vile and murderous as Hitler himself. Until Americans accept these facts, until they come to a more nuanced view of World War II that takes fully into account the political and moral implications of the U.S. alliance with the Soviet Union and the U.S. campaign of obliteration bombing directed against Germany and Japan, the mythic version of the Good War will continue to provide glib justifications for continuing to dodge that perennial question: How much is enough? Like concentric security barriers arrayed around the Pentagon, these four factors institutional self-interest, strategic inertia, cultural dissonance, and misremembered history insulate the military budget from serious scrutiny. For advocates of a militarized approach to policy, they provide invaluable assets, to be defended at all costs. Copyright 2025 Andrew Bacevich Via Tomdispatch.com Three decades after the Srebrenica genocide, relatives are still looking for and burying the remains of more than 8,000 men and boys killed by Bosnian Serb forces, revealing the painful scars cut deep into the country. On July 11, 1995, Bosnian Serb forces stormed the Muslim enclave of more than 40,000 people in eastern Bosnia. At the time, it was a "UN protected zone" - an ultimately hollow phrase meant to shield the many displaced people who had fled the 1992-1995 war. General Ratko Mladic's forces executed thousands of men and boys before burying them in mass graves. After decades of painstaking work, about 7,000 victims have been identified and properly buried, but about 1,000 remain missing. Mass grave discoveries are now rare. The last was uncovered in 2021, when the remains of 10 victims were exhumed 180 kilometres (112 miles) southwest of Srebrenica. This year, the remains of seven victims will be buried during the July 11 commemorations at the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Centre, including two 19-year-old men and a 67-year-old woman. - One bone found - "This year, I'm having my father buried. But only one bone, his lower jaw," Mirzeta Karic told AFP. The 50-year-old said her mother was very ill, and so she decided to go ahead with the burial without waiting for more remains to be found. Her father, Sejdalija Alic, joined several thousand men and teenagers who tried to flee Mladic's troops through the dense forests. He failed. His 22-year-old son, Sejdin, was also killed, as were Alic's three brothers and their four sons. He will be Karic's 50th immediate family member laid to rest at Potocari cemetery. The ceremony for her brother, Sejdin, was in 2003. "I've been able to endure everything, but I think this funeral will be the worst. We're having a bone buried. I can't describe the pain." -'Still in 1995'- An international criminal court sentenced Mladic, now 83, and former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, now 80, to life jail terms for war crimes and genocide during the conflict that left nearly 100,000 dead. Both are still incarcerated, but a proper reckoning inside the splintered Bosnian states remains overdue. Political leaders in the Bosnian Serb entity, Republika Srpska, reject the term genocide and regularly downplay the massacre. "This denial is trivialised," Neira Sabanovic, a researcher at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles, said. "It is very rare to find someone in Republika Srpska who acknowledges that there was genocide," she said. Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik remains one of the most heard voices of genocide-denial in the statelet and Serbia. Of 305 instances of denial or downplaying in Serbian and the Bosnian Serb media during 2024, he leads the way, appearing 42 times, according to an annual study published by the Srebrenica Memorial Centre. Last year, an international day of remembrance was established by the United Nations to mark the Srebrenica genocide, despite protests from Belgrade and Republika Srpska. On Saturday, political leaders from the Bosnian Serb entity and Serbia, along with dignitaries from the Serbian Orthodox Church, will gather in Bratunac, near Srebrenica, for a commemoration of more than 3,200 eastern Bosnian Serb soldiers and civilians killed during the war. Portraits of some 600 of these dead were hung along the road this week near the Srebrenica Memorial Centre. "These people are not participating in the same debate. They are having a conversation with themselves, and they are still in 1995," the director of the Srebrenica Memorial Centre, Emir Suljagic, told local television on Thursday. "We have won a very important battle, the battle for international recognition," he added, referring to the UN resolution. BRICS leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday are expected to decry US President Donald Trump's "indiscriminate" trade tariffs, saying they are illegal and risk hurting the global economy. Emerging nations, which represent about half the world's population and 40 percent of global economic output, have united over "serious concerns" about US import tariffs, according to a draft summit statement obtained by AFP on Saturday. Since coming to office in January, Trump has threatened allies and rivals alike with a slew of punitive duties. His latest salvo comes in the form of letters informing trading partners of new tariff rates that will soon enter into force. The draft summit declaration does not mention the United States or its president by name, and could yet be amended by leaders gathering for talks Sunday and Monday. But it is a clear political shot directed at Washington from 11 emerging nations, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. "We voice serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO (World Trade Organization) rules," the draft text says. It warns that such measures "threaten to further reduce global trade" and are "affecting the prospects for global economic development." - Xi no show - Conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, the BRICS have come to be seen as a Chinese-driven counterbalance to Western power. But the summit's political punch will be depleted by the absence of China's Xi Jinping, who is skipping the annual meeting for the first time in his 12 years as president. That absence has prompted fevered speculation in some quarters. "The simplest explanation may hold the most explanatory power. Xi recently hosted Lula in Beijing," said Ryan Hass, a former China director at the US National Security Council who is now with the Brookings Institution think tank. The Chinese leader will not be the only notable absentee. War crime-indicted Russian President Vladimir Putin is also opting to stay away, but will participate via video link, according to the Kremlin. Hass said Putin's non-attendance and the fact that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be a guest of honor in Brazil could also be factors in Xi's absence. "Xi does not want to appear upstaged by Modi," who will receive a state lunch, he said. "I expect Xi's decision to delegate attendance to Premier Li (Qiang) rests amidst these factors." Still, the Xi no-show is a blow to host President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who wants Brazil to play a bigger role on the world stage. In the year to November 2025, Brazil will have hosted a G20 summit, a BRICS summit, and COP30 international climate talks, all before heading into fiercely contested presidential elections next year, in which he is expected to run. Lula warmly welcomed leaders and dignitaries on Saturday, including China's Premier Li Qiang, as the leftist president hosted a pre-summit business forum in Rio. "Faced with the resurgence of protectionism, it is up to emerging countries to defend the multilateral trade regime and reform the international financial architecture," Lula told the event. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, whose nation is still reeling from a 12-day conflict with Israel, is also skipping the meeting and will be represented by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. A source familiar with the negotiations said Iran had sought a tougher condemnation of Israel and the United States over their recent bombing of Iranian military, nuclear and other sites. But one diplomatic source said the text would give the "same message" that BRICS delivered last month. Then Iran's allies expressed "grave concern" about strikes against Iran, but did not explicitly mention Israel or the United States. Artificial intelligence and health will also be on the agenda at the summit. Original members of the bloc Brazil, Russia, India, and China have been joined by South Africa and, more recently, Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia. A vehicle is seen near a store in Omdurman city, north of Khartoum, Sudan, on July 3, 2025. After more than two years of devastating conflict, Sudan's capital Khartoum is slowly emerging from the ruins of war, inching toward a return to normal life. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua) KHARTOUM, July 4 (Xinhua) -- After more than two years of devastating conflict, Sudan's capital Khartoum is slowly emerging from the ruins of war, inching toward a return to normal life. Across much of the city, scars of battle remain visible, widespread destruction plagues neighborhoods, and bullet holes mar homes and high-rises like grim reminders of violence. Despite this, the gradual return of residents is breathing life back into the city, while government and grassroots efforts continue to restore critical services. Among the Khartoum metropolitan area's three main cities, Omdurman has shown the most progress, after the Sudanese army regained control of most of the city in early 2024. "Omdurman managed to withstand the war, and life was restored thanks to both government efforts and local community initiatives," Siddiq Hassan Freini, minister of Social Development for Khartoum State, told Xinhua. "The local community and civil society organizations played a major role in the city's recovery. By combining official and grassroots efforts, we were able to bring back essential services like water, electricity, healthcare, and education," he said. Several major hospitals in Omdurman, including Omdurman Teaching Hospital, Omdurman Maternity Hospital, and the Saudi Hospital, have resumed operations after rehabilitation led by the Khartoum State's health authorities and Sudanese medical groups. A report issued by the state's health authorities on Thursday revealed that seven major hospitals in Omdurman were deliberately targeted and looted during the conflict, with four now back in service. Water services are gradually improving as well. In a statement on Thursday, the Khartoum State Water Authority announced that the Al-Gamayer and Abu Seid stations have resumed operations, with repairs underway on five older stations damaged by war. Khartoum remains the city hardest hit by the war, with destruction visible everywhere. Burned-out vehicles block streets, and uncollected garbage piles up in neighborhoods. Basic services like water, electricity, and internet are scarce, while prices for essentials have soared, and some goods are nearly unavailable. Yet, residents are adapting. To ease the water crisis, authorities resumed operations at the Soba Water Station, the city's main supply hub. Water has started reaching some southern districts, with efforts underway to expand coverage. "The pace of life returning to Khartoum is extremely slow. Major issues remain, especially the lack of water, electricity, and communication networks," said Salah Hamad, a resident of eastern Khartoum. Grassroots efforts are filling gaps. In southern Khartoum, the South Belt Resistance Committees, a group of young volunteers, are restoring the Al-Azhari Health Center, looted and destroyed during the conflict. "This is one of our grassroots reconstruction projects. We chose it, because it is crucial for the healthcare of thousands of people here," said Ahmed Ismail, a committee member. Electricity is another major challenge. The city's power grid is largely destroyed, beyond repair by government or community efforts. Some residents rely on solar panels and generators. "We use generators for a few hours at a time," said Al-Sadiq Abdel Jalil, a resident of Al-Kalakla neighborhood. "These run on diesel, which is scarce and costs over 30,000 Sudanese pounds (11 U.S. dollars) per gallon on the black market." While the recovery of commerce is slow, some markets have reopened. At Central Market, the largest in southern Khartoum, vendors and shoppers bring faint echoes of pre-war life. "Bit by bit, life is coming back," said Sameer Ibrahim, a vegetable vendor. "Business is slow, but as we say, 'recovery comes in stages.' Our city is healing." In Bahri City, another part of the Khartoum metropolitan area, signs of war remain, fire-scorched buildings and damaged streets reflect months of conflict. Despite ongoing water and electricity outages, many residents hold onto hope. The southern outskirts are more populated than the north, where displacement was heavier. At Al-Halfaya Bridge, transport between Bahri and northern Omdurman continues. "This area is the liveliest part of Bahri right now," said Abdel Basit Arbab, a minibus driver. "We transport people between south Bahri and north Omdurman. A one-way ticket costs about 2,500 Sudanese pounds," he said. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) regained control of Bahri in February. By May 20, the army announced full control over Khartoum State, declaring it free of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). While no official damage assessment has been released, unofficial estimates say over 70 percent of Khartoum's water and power infrastructure is destroyed, along with health and education facilities, four bridges, 200 public buildings, and hundreds of thousands of homes. "Rebuilding Khartoum will take many years and financial resources are currently unavailable," said Sudanese economic expert Abdul-Khaliq Mahjoub. "There are no official estimates yet, but some suggest that reconstruction could cost up to 300 billion U.S. dollars," he told Xinhua. "With the war's impact and a more than 40 percent drop in GDP, according to World Bank estimates, securing the necessary funding will be a major challenge." Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal conflict between the SAF and the RSF since April 2023. The war has killed tens of thousands and forced millions to flee their homes, both within Sudan and across its borders. A barber works on a street in Omdurman city, north of Khartoum, Sudan, on July 3, 2025. After more than two years of devastating conflict, Sudan's capital Khartoum is slowly emerging from the ruins of war, inching toward a return to normal life. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua) People wait to get on a vehicle in Omdurman city, north of Khartoum, Sudan, on July 3, 2025. After more than two years of devastating conflict, Sudan's capital Khartoum is slowly emerging from the ruins of war, inching toward a return to normal life. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua) People are seen at the Central Station of Omdurman city, north of Khartoum, Sudan, on July 3, 2025. After more than two years of devastating conflict, Sudan's capital Khartoum is slowly emerging from the ruins of war, inching toward a return to normal life. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua) People are seen on a street in Omdurman city, north of Khartoum, Sudan, on July 3, 2025. After more than two years of devastating conflict, Sudan's capital Khartoum is slowly emerging from the ruins of war, inching toward a return to normal life. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua) People wait for customers at a market in Omdurman city, north of Khartoum, Sudan, on July 3, 2025. After more than two years of devastating conflict, Sudan's capital Khartoum is slowly emerging from the ruins of war, inching toward a return to normal life. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua) Song, best known for his roles in "Love Alarm," "Sweet Home," and "Nevertheless," is currently serving in the South Korean military and is expected to be discharged in October 2025. His agency, Namoo Actors, confirmed on June 30 that "Four Hands" is one of several projects under consideration. "It's one of several proposals he has received and is currently under review," the agency stated. The series "Four Hands" will reportedly center on students at an arts high school who specialize in piano, with the title referencing a duet style where two pianists play on the same instrument. The winding narrative is purported to chronicle the characters from their formative years into adulthood, weaving an intricate tapestry depicting the complexities of romance, ambition, and artistic evolution. Despite the storyline's expansive timeline, much of the dissent has focused on Song potentially returning to yet another high school charactera pattern that has typified his formative career stage. "Does it really suit a 30-year-old actor fresh from the army to play a teenager again?" one commenter wrote on a popular Korean forum. Another added, "His image is too locked into these youthful roleshe needs to break out." Some expressed concern that Song's repeated casting as a student could impact his long-term growth as an actor. "It's hard to immerse in a story when grown men keep playing high school kids," one user noted. Still, many fans defended the potential casting, arguing that Song's youthful appearance and acting style are well-suited for coming-of-age dramas. "Let's be honestSong Kang isn't known for his acting range, so sticking to what works isn't a bad idea," wrote one netizen. Another remarked, "He looks young, and his vibe still fits these fresh roles better than heavy, mature characters." Since his debut, Song has built a reputation as a visual icon and romantic lead, earning the nickname "ultimate flower boy." However, critics have long pointed out a perceived lack of acting depth. Some hope that "Four Hands," which reportedly incorporates themes of emotional trauma and musical excellence, could offer Song a chance to evolve. "It's not just another high school drama," wrote a television critic on Naver. "It's potentially a mature story wrapped in a youthful package." As of now, no official casting decision has been announced. Song's choice of project will likely play a pivotal role in shaping his post-military career, whether it continues his image as a youth drama staple or marks a step toward more complex roles. "We're excited for his return and confident he'll make the right decision," Namoo Actors added. Friday, July 4, 2025 - A 45-year-old Kenyan single mother is melting hearts online after publicly celebrating her newfound love in a heartfelt post that has inspired thousands. The woman, a proud mother of two children aged 23 and 17, tied the knot with the love of her life last year. Her post has encouraged many single mothers who have felt overlooked or forgotten in the search for lasting love. Its never too late to be loved. When your time comes, God will make it happen, she wrote in a moving post. The post has sparked an outpouring of supportive comments and testimonies, with many single mothers thanking her for boldly sharing her story. Others praised her for reminding women not to give up on love, no matter their age. Friday, July 4, 2025 - Purity, a devastated mother from Maralal, is seeking justice after Dr. James Ikonya, a 53 year-old Senior Doctor at Samburu County Referral Hospital, did the unthinkable to her teenage daughter. Purity claims she has proof of the doctor calling her to beg for forgiveness, a conversation she recorded. Yet, instead of swift justice, she claims the police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) are dragging their feet. She has now taken to social media to publicize the case, hoping to get justice for her daughter. Friday, July 4, 2025 - Slain teacher and social media influencer, Albert Ojwang, was planning to vie for the Kokwanyo Ward MCA seat in the 2027 General Elections, his uncle disclosed during his burial on Friday, July 4th, in Kakoth Village, Homa Bay County. Speaking emotionally before mourners, Ojwangs uncle said the 31-year-old had confided in him about his political ambitions during a recent visit. Whenever Albert came home from Mombasa, he always stopped by my place first. Just days before his death, he sent me Ksh500 so we could meet at Obambo. We talked for hours, and he told me, I want to vie for MCA next year. Even if I lose, Ill still run. It doesnt have to be through Rutos party, the uncle recalled. He noted that Ojwang was deeply committed to uplifting his community and giving the youth of Kokwanyo a voice. The family had already begun laying down campaign strategies and community outreach plans. Ojwang was arrested on June 7th after allegedly linking Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat to corruption in an online post. He was detained at Mawego Police Station before being transferred to Nairobi Central Police, where he died in custody the following day. Initially, police claimed he succumbed to self-inflicted injuries while in custody but an autopsy revealed signs of blunt trauma and strangulation, sparking nationwide protests. On July 3rd, enraged youths torched the Mawego Police Station and barred officers from attending his burial, citing complicity in his death. BEIRUT, July 5 (Xinhua) -- A member of Lebanon's Hezbollah was killed, and five other people were wounded on Saturday in separate Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, according to official and security sources. One of the strikes targeted the city of Bint Jbeil in the central sector of southern Lebanon, where an Israeli aircraft struck a vehicle at the Martyr Salah Ghandour roundabout. The attack killed one person and injured two others, according to a statement from the Public Health Emergency Operations Center, affiliated with the Ministry of Public Health, and the Lebanese National News Agency. In a separate drone strike on the town of Shebaa, a person was injured. Two more people were wounded in another Israeli strike in the town of Shaqra, one of whom was in critical condition, according to the same sources. A Lebanese security source confirmed to Xinhua that the person killed in the strike on Bint Jbeil was Haitham Mustafa, a member of Hezbollah. The injured individual in Shebaa was identified as Mohammad Bassam Dallah, a member of the Lebanese Resistance Brigades affiliated with Hezbollah. These developments come despite a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States and France between Hezbollah and Israel, in effect since Nov. 27, 2024, which ended more than a year of clashes sparked by the war in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army continues to occasionally carry out strikes in Lebanon, claiming they are intended to eliminate "threats" from Hezbollah. Friday, July 4, 2025 - Sulwe FM presenter, Diana Makokha, fell victim to a broad daylight phone snatching incident, just steps away from the Royal Media Services (RMS) gate. The radio personality, fresh from completing her morning shift, shared the harrowing experience in a detailed social media post. It was around 11:30 a.m. I had just stepped out of the gate, hoping to catch a ride to town after my shift, she wrote. I saw a motorbike pass by carrying a passenger. Nothing unusual. Its Nairobi, people mind their business. But in this case, she was the business. Within seconds, and before her ordered Uber could arrive, the motorbike reappeared and in a flash, the passenger snatched her Samsung smartphone and the motorbike sped off. I got confused. I didnt even scream. I just stood there. It happened so fast - I didnt hear a thing, she recalled. What makes this incident more alarming is how close it occurred next to a major media house, a location most would assume is under some level of security surveillance. According to her, she was just three steps away from the RMS gate when the theft happened. She rushed to Kilimani Police Station to report the incident. To her surprise, the officers at the report desk informed her that this wasnt an isolated case. They told me they had recorded about five similar incidents in just that weekend alone - one of them right outside their own gate, she said. The victim also attached CCTV footage and photos of the suspects. The thief seated at the back of the bike has his face clearly visible, and the motorbikes number plate is captured - though theres uncertainty about its authenticity. Friday, July 4, 2025 - President William Ruto has defended his decision to construct a Ksh1.2 billion church at State House, Nairobi. Speaking at State House on Friday, July 4th, Ruto dismissed the backlash, describing the opposition as "works of Satan." When I was elected, we came in to find an iron sheet church in State House. I have no apologies to make for building a church at State House, Ruto asserted. The President clarified that the project will not be funded by taxpayers, stating that he will personally finance the construction. The church is not costing the Government a single cent. I will build it with my own money because the house of God deserves respect, he said. The church, reportedly designed to accommodate up to 8,000 worshippers, will feature stained-glass windows, crosses, and host national prayers, interfaith ceremonies, and diplomatic events. Initial details of the project were revealed by Daily Nation, sparking widespread outrage among Kenyans, many of whom questioned the projects timing amid economic hardship. Critics have accused the President of prioritizing religious symbolism over critical national issues such as unemployment and healthcare. This comes as State House undergoes extensive taxpayer-funded renovations. As of September 2024, Ksh775 million had been spent out of a Ksh1.7 billion allocation. The 2025/2026 budget sets aside over Ksh800 million for further State House and lodge refurbishments, with Ksh680 million earmarked for State House, Nairobi, alone. Friday, July 4, 2025 - Gem Member of Parliament, Elisha Odhiambo, has initiated a legal process to block former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiangi from contesting the presidency in the 2027 General Elections. The ODM lawmaker accuses Matiangi of complicity in what he terms State-sponsored atrocities during his tenure in the Jubilee government, particularly the dumping of mutilated bodies in River Yala. Odhiambo revealed he had met with lawyers to draft a petition to hold Matiangi personally accountable for the extrajudicial killings. As MP for Gem, I had a meeting with lawyers after listening to Matiangis own admission about the River Yala bodies. We want the court to hold him culpable and bar him from seeking the presidency, Odhiambo said. He described the mass dumping of bodies as environmental terrorism that deeply traumatized local communities and endangered public health. This comes after Matiangi denied the allegations in an interview with Citizen TV, stating that he took immediate action upon learning about the River Yala bodies. He said he escalated the issue to then Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai and ordered a full investigation through the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). If I were responsible for every rogue officers action, then Id also be responsible for all road accidents and robberies, Matiangi said, calling the accusations politically motivated. International Justice Mission (IJM) had reported 36 bodies found in River Yala, many showing signs of torture. Matiangi emphasized that he welcomed a public inquest and was willing to testify under oath. Friday, July 4, 2025 - Retired city socialite, Sherlyne Anyango, has once again found herself at the center of public debate after a video of her visiting a childrens home surfaced online, and not because of her charitable act, but rather her choice of attire. In the video, Sherlyne is seen interacting warmly with children at the facility after bringing donations. However, what has caught the attention of netizens is her body-hugging outfit, which many felt was inappropriate for such a setting. The figure-hugging bodysuit has stirred mixed reactions online, with critics accusing her of drawing attention to herself rather than the noble cause she was supporting. She shouldve worn something more respectful. Its a childrens home, not a fashion runway, one user commented. Others, however, came to her defense, arguing that the focus should be on the good she was doing rather than how she looked. She brought donations, spent time with the kids, thats what matters. Lets not be too judgmental, another user wrote. Sherlyne, who rose to fame through controversial online content, has in recent years taken a backseat from the limelight and rebranded herself as a mother and philanthropist. Her visit to the childrens home was part of an ongoing campaign she launched earlier this year to support underprivileged children across Nairobi. Retired socialite SHERLYNE ANYANGO sparks online reactions over choice of attire during a visit to a childrens home pic.twitter.com/Chx3AHMkKS DAILY POST (@dailypost_ke) July 4, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, July 4, 2025 The relationship between Kenyans and the police appears to have deteriorated severely following a string of disturbing incidents involving excessive force - and, in some cases, fatal outcomes. Recent cases include the death of blogger and teacher, Albert Ojwang, who died after being tortured in police custody, and Boniface Kariuki, who was fatally shot while selling masks during anti-police brutality protests. A female police officer who couldnt read the mood of Kenyans is on the receiving end and mocking Kenyans online. In a post on Tiktok, she hoped neither of those who dislike police officers would apply during the upcoming recruitment drive. Her post backfired, as Kenyans flooded the comments to correct her grammar and criticize the minimal academic requirements for joining the police service, underscoring growing public frustration and eroding confidence in law enforcement. Friday, July 4, 2025 - Anne Kabei, the Gen Z protester who went viral for her emotional TikTok farewell message ahead of the June 25th protests, has publicly criticized advertising firm, Magnet Ventures, for rescinding a job offer under unclear circumstances. Kabei, a second-class honours graduate from Turkana, had gained widespread attention after posting a raw, heartfelt message saying she was ready to die during the protests because she had nothing to lose. They told us education was the key to success. We studied on empty stomachs, in torn uniforms, she said in the video. "This is the last thing I want to say before I die tomorrow.. " A young Kenyan lady posts on anticipated #Maandamano (public protests) set for Wednesday 25th. pic.twitter.com/1lWgQUetWB Saddique Shaban (@SaddiqueShaban) June 24, 2025 Following her viral post, Magnet Ventures announced they were looking to offer her a job. However, in a subsequent email, the company said there were no current openings matching her profile, though they would keep her details on file for future opportunities. The move has sparked backlash online, with many accusing the company of using Kabeis viral moment for publicity. Kabei herself has slammed the firm, saying the offer felt like a publicity stunt, exploiting her vulnerability rather than providing real support. Watch the video and reactions below. French President Emmanuel Macron meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, July 4, 2025. (Alexandra Lebon/French presidential palace/Handout via Xinhua) PARIS, July 4 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday, pledging to jointly promote multilateralism and strengthen coordination against hegemonic conflicts and bloc confrontation. During their meeting at the Elysee Palace, Macron asked Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, to convey his best wishes and friendly regards to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Macron noted that France and China share a broad consensus on numerous important issues, including advocating multilateralism and adhering to international laws. France and China, both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, bear even greater responsibilities as today's world is facing challenges of growing uncertainty and unpredictability. The French side looks forward to strengthening policy coordination with China on international economic, financial, and global governance issues, jointly addressing global challenges, injecting more vitality into multilateralism, and preventing the world from falling into hegemonic conflicts and bloc confrontations, Macron said. He said the European Union and China should make strategic choices to become each other's predictable and trustworthy friends and partners on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The French side places great importance on developing France-China relations and welcomes more Chinese investment to France to develop a more balanced economic and trade relationship. He expressed hope to visit China again at an appropriate time. Wang conveyed President Xi's warm regards to Macron, stating that China is willing to work with France to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, prepare for high-level exchanges in the next phase, and deepen cooperation in all fields. China and France are comprehensive strategic partners and two major stabilizing forces in the world, Wang noted, stressing that the more turbulent the international situation becomes, the more the strategic value of China-France relations is highlighted. China believes that the trend of multi-polarization is unstoppable, and the trend of globalization is irreversible, Wang said, emphasizing that the 80th anniversary of the United Nations should be taken as an opportunity to further strengthen the UN's core role and ensure it plays its due role. He said China is willing to strengthen strategic communication and united cooperation with France, jointly practice multilateralism, oppose unilateral bullying, and resist bloc confrontations, so as to inject more certainty and predictability into a world of change and turmoil, promote equal and orderly multi-polarization and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind. He stated that China is advancing toward high-quality development, committed to building a new, higher-level open economic system, creating a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized, while actively advancing the strategy of expanding domestic demand. China is willing to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with France and hopes that the French side will provide a more favorable and fair environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in France, he said. China and the EU have resolved the brandy issue through friendly consultations, noted Wang, expressing the hope that France, as a core major power in the EU, will urge the EU side to properly address China-EU trade and economic disputes and actively respond to China's concerns. The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis, the Gaza situation, the Iranian nuclear issue, and other topics. French President Emmanuel Macron meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, July 4, 2025. (Alexandra Lebon/French presidential palace/Handout via Xinhua) A MAN who was found to be more than four times the legal limit to drive was banned for three years though not jailed, after the judge sympathised with the defendants serious health issues. Eugene Wogan (63), of Rheban Avenue, Rheban Manor, Athy was in Athy District Court to plead not guilty to the alleged offence outside his home on 16 September. Investigating officer Gard Derek Maher told the court that the Station had received a number of calls that evening around 7.10pm about a drunk driver in the estate. One caller gave us a registration number which, when checked belonged to the defendant Eugene Wogan of Rheban Avenue, said Gada Maher. When we arrived and pulled up in front of the vehicle a male got out stumbling with slurred speech, and at around 7.20pm he was arrested. His reply to the charge was: no. In the station he denied being in the car (but) at 8.34pm gave two specimens of breath that returned a reading of 111 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, testified the Garda. Thats four times the legal limit! Thats very high!, noted Judge Desmond Zaidan. His reply to this was its nonsense!, said Garda Maher. In cross-examination by Seamus Taaffe he re-iterated that the engine was running and the lights were on when I pulled up in front of the vehicle and got out. I dont accept that, he said when it was put to him that the defendant claimed he was on his own driveway, and also that he explained in plain language to Mr Wogan why he had to get in the squad car. Car Trouble Mr Wogan then took the stand and explained that on the night in question he had been going home from the Peoples Park in Athy where he had gone for a walk because he was very upset after the recent death of his mother. There were some tough times, and I was homeless for a while, he said. He encountered some car trouble there, and though he had called his partner for a tow, he got the car re-started and drove straight home. I drank some neat whiskey I shouldntve drank at all I only have 20 per cent of my digestive system after surgery, he said. I sat in the car and drank the whiskey with the engine off my partner doesnt like me drinking inside. I got halfway up the driveway and a guard says Hey! Come here! and just told me to get in the car. I did not drink and drive. Judge Zaidan said: Both sets of evidence points to opposing views, and even if this court doesnt believe a word of Eugene Wogan, the onus isnt on him to prove his innocence, but on the sate to prove guilt beyond all reasonable doubt. He added: Having assessed all the evidence in full, I am satisfied the State has proved the case, and I convict. My client has had a number of health issues in recent years, so Id ask the court to be as lenient as possible, said Mr Taaffe. I accept he was in a very bad place, but when Garda Maher was observing his (20 mins) nil-by-mouth, he was still protesting his innocence, saying this is bullshit, said the judge. You were not only a danger to yourself, but to other road users on the night in question. No fine, but a mandatory three-year ban. The judge concluded: Four times over the limit? Ive sent people to jail for that. Rescuers work at the scene of a residential building collapse in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 5, 2025. (Xinhua) ISLAMABAD, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the collapse of a residential building in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi rose to 17 as more bodies were recovered from the debris, a spokesperson of the state-owned rescue organization Rescue 1122 told Xinhua on Saturday morning. "The life detection equipment indicates that at least 10 people are still alive under the rubble. We're working urgently but carefully to rescue them," Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan, the operation's spokesperson, told Xinhua from the site. Rescue teams, equipped with five disaster response vehicles, two snorkels, several ambulances, cranes, and lifters, reached the site shortly after receiving distress calls, and over 100 personnel are actively participating in the operation to locate and retrieve victims from the debris, he added. He said the operation, which has continued for over 20 hours, may require another seven to eight hours to complete. Talking to Xinhua, Mayor of Karachi Murtaza Wahab said that they had previously declared the building "dangerous," directing the residents to evacuate it. The five-storey structure, located in the densely populated Lyari area, collapsed on Friday, causing scenes of panic and distress. Authorities have launched an investigation into the collapse and are surveying other nearby buildings for safety concerns. A rescuer works at the scene of a residential building collapse in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 5, 2025. (Xinhua) Rescuers work at the scene of a residential building collapse in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 5, 2025. (Xinhua) At Desart Hall in the heart of Kilkenny City, something quite remarkable is happening. Since 1985, Ossory Youth has been a beating heart of youth support across Kilkenny city and county, parts of Laois, and Offaly. But in the wake of the war in Ukraine, this voluntary non-profit has found itself playing a new and critical role - supporting young people who have had to flee their homes, families, communities and their way of life because of war. Most of our Ukrainian teenagers arrived in Ireland disoriented, anxious and uncertain of their future. Kilkenny, a town they had never heard of, became their new reality. Some thought theyd only stay for a few weeks. Years later, many are still here. TAP HERE FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS More than just a building, Ossory Youth has become a safe haven - a place where young Ukrainians can breathe, feel like they belong, process complex emotions and begin to be the authors of a new chapter in their lives. This does not happen overnight, healing happens slowly and purposefully - a quiet corner to talk in, a table to paint at, peers to laugh with, food to share, games to play, friendships to nurture. Ossory Youth became a space where the young people felt seen, understood and included. The work is supported through funding from the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, through the KCETB, TUSLA and CYPSC Kilkenny. With that support, Ossory Youth has been able to expand its outreach - launching inclusive integration programmes, conversational English classes and creative outlets such as music, art, outdoor trips and social events. Art sessions, music workshops, and trips are not just fun - they are bridges to friendship, confidence, resilience and a regained sense of agency. I didnt know anyone when I came here, says Yaroslav, a 17-year-old from Dnipro. I didnt think I would stay. But after joining the youth group, I met people who understand me. Now I feel like Im part of something. And hes not alone. Dozens of young Ukrainians now regularly take part in youth-led sessions at Desart Hall. Whether its a painting afternoon or cooking, each activity brings moments of normality - and growth. Crucially, these youth spaces are non-judgmental. There is no pressure to fit in. Instead, young people are encouraged to share their stories, express themselves in new ways, and learn side-by-side with their Irish peers. Ossory Youths programme is also opening the eyes of local young people. Theyre learning about new cultures, developing empathy, and expanding their own worldviews. These interactions are teaching them that diversity isnt a challenge - its a strength. Behind the scenes, the staff team is also evolving. Working closely with the Ukrainian community has deepened their understanding of trauma, resilience, and cross-cultural communication. Its a two-way street of learning and growth. And the broader message is clear: when we invest in youth, we invest in the future. READ MORE - WHAT'S ON IN KILKENNY At a time when the world feels fractured, our Ukrainian young people are stitching together a local tapestry of inclusion and hope - one friendship, one activity, one young person at a time. Many of these young people have lived through the unimaginable, yet they show up - curious, hopeful, and ready to build a new future. Ossory Youth recognises that every young person arrives with a story, and those stories deserve to be heard, nurtured, and celebrated. This philosophy is not new for the organisation. Ossory Youth has a long and proud track record of working with displaced and migrant young people - including Syrian and Sudanese youth - supporting them through trauma, helping them build agency, and walking alongside them as they integrate into Irish society. As the organisation looks to the future, the goal is simple: to continue creating spaces where every young person feels they matter - regardless of where they come from, what language they speak, or how long they plan to stay. Kilkenny is not just a stopover anymore. For many young Ukrainians, it is starting to feel like home. Ossory Youth is a member of Kilkenny Community Integration Forum, chaired by Kilkenny County Council, bringing together representatives from agencies operating across County Kilkenny, to co-ordinate a community-led response and support for all new communities resettling in County Kilkenny. The aim of group is to promote and support integration, equality, social inclusion, and civic participation for those families and individuals who come to Kilkenny. For further information on Ossory Youth contact cstafford@ossoryyouth.com and integration@kilkennycoco.ie to find out more about Kilkenny Community Integration Forum. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot attend a joint press conference in Paris, France, July 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang) PARIS, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday called on China and France to act as forces for stability, openness, inclusiveness and unity. Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks here during a joint press conference with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot. Wang said that the two foreign ministers held talks and co-chaired the 7th meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges, engaging in in-depth, positive and candid exchanges on China-France and China-EU relations, and reaching a series of important consensuses. The two sides aligned their efforts in the field of cultural exchanges and made new plans for cooperation, he said. Both sides agreed that given the current complex and turbulent international situation, major countries should take on greater responsibilities. As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and France should adhere to the founding principles of the United Nations, uphold the spirit of independence and self-reliance that underpinned the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and jointly contribute to world peace, stability and development, Wang said. First, China and France should strengthen strategic communication and serve as forces for stability, he said. Noting that China-France relations are highly strategic and forward-looking, he said that regardless of changes in the international situation, China and France are both willing and capable of forging consensus, properly handling differences and deepening cooperation through communication and dialogue to ensure stable and sustained development of bilateral relations. Respecting each other's core interests is the cornerstone of strategic mutual trust between China and France, Wang said, noting China appreciates France's reiterated commitment to the one-China policy. Wang also said that dialogue and consultation are the right path for peacefully resolving international disputes. China is willing to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with France to play a constructive role in seeking political solutions to hotspot problems such as the Ukraine crisis and Middle East issues, he said. Second, China and France should promote mutually beneficial cooperation and serve as forces for openness, Wang said. He warned that some major countries are currently weaponizing tariffs, treating economic and trade cooperation as security issues, and placing their own interests above those of other countries. Such actions severely disrupt the stable operation of global supply chains and seriously harm the common interests of the international community, Wang said. He said that history and reality have proven that competitiveness cannot be enhanced by building walls and barriers, and that decoupling and breaking chains will ultimately only isolate oneself. China has entered a new stage of high-quality development and will continue to expand high-level opening-up, Wang said, adding that China and the EU have resolved the brandy issue through friendly consultations. China is ready to import more high-quality French products, encourages competitive Chinese enterprises to invest in France, and hopes and believes that the French side will provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises, he said. Both sides should continue to deepen cooperation in traditional fields such as nuclear energy, aviation and aerospace, but also actively explore the potential for cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, green energy and biotechnology, he added. Third, China and France should promote people-to-people exchanges and serve as forces for inclusiveness, Wang said, noting that people-to-people connections that foster heart-to-heart communication are the best way for countries to enhance understanding, overcome differences and coexist in harmony. He said that the two sides have just issued the joint statement of the 7th meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges. They will build on the success of last year's China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, implement President Xi Jinping's initiative of increasing the number of French students studying in China to over 10,000 and doubling the scale of European youth exchanges within the next three years, and advance the China-France Young Leaders Exchange and Learning Program and the China-France Internship Program for 1,000 Participants, Wang said. The two sides should promptly restart the high-level forum on local government cooperation, continue supporting the China-France Carbon Neutrality Center, successfully host the second China-France Educational Development Forum, and jointly set an example for cultural exchanges between China, Europe and the world, Wang said. Fourth, China and France should strengthen multilateral coordination and serve as forces for unity, Wang said. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War as well as the founding of the United Nations, he added. Noting that the United Nations is the foremost platform for safeguarding world peace and advancing global governance, Wang said that the more turbulent and complex the situation becomes, the more imperative it is to uphold the central role of the United Nations and leverage its leading authority. China will continue to work with France to maintain the international system with the United Nations at its core and support each other's multilateral cooperation initiatives, he said. Wang said that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union. China believes that it is the right time to strengthen China-EU strategic cooperation under the current circumstances, Wang said, adding that both sides should forge objective, rational and correct perceptions, adhere to mutually beneficial, win-win and open cooperation, and properly resolve specific economic and trade issues through consultation at an early date. China firmly supports European integration and welcomes France's role in advancing the EU's strategic autonomy, and stands ready to work with France to jointly promote the steady growth of China-EU relations, Wang added. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot attend a joint press conference in Paris, France, July 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang) Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Thunderstorms this morning, then partly cloudy during the afternoon hours. Storms could contain damaging winds. High 86F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. CAIRO, July 5 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed and another 11 were wounded on Saturday when two microbuses collided on the highway in Egypt's northern Menoufia Governorate, the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population said in a statement. The injured have been transferred to hospitals in Menoufia for urgent medical care, according to the statement. According to the Yom7 news website, initial investigations suggest that excessive speed may have caused the accident. The incident comes just days after another deadly crash in the same governorate, where 19 people were killed on June 27 when a lorry slammed into a microbus on a highway. Despite recent government efforts to expand and modernize Egypt's road network, fatal traffic accidents remain common, largely due to unsafe driving practices and poor road conditions. COLUMBIA Fourth of July celebrations kicked off at Stephens Lake Park at 6:30 p.m. for Columbia's Fire in the Sky event. The celebration is set to include food trucks, live music and activities for kids. The fireworks start at 9:15 p.m., and the show will music simulcast on KBXR 102.3. Fire in the Sky parking will be available at Boone Health, and the Columbia Police Department will assist with traffic control, according to the city's page for the event. The parking lot on Old 63 will be available for ADA-accessible and drop-off parking only. The lot will be monitored, according to the city. Go COMO transit buses will take people from all six city parking garages to Stephens Lake Park. The complimentary shuttle will run continuously from 5-11 p.m. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. East Walnut Street will be closed to traffic, except for residents, according to the city. Bike parking for cyclists will also be available. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close 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. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Greek Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis on the island of Rhodes, Greece, July 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) RHODES, Greece, July 4 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to strengthen the bond of cooperation with Greece, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here on Friday. During his meeting here with Greek Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, Li also said China is willing to work with Greece to leverage complementary advantages, advance the implementation of the plan for the Port of Piraeus in a high-quality manner, and promote more optimized and balanced development of the bilateral trade. During the meeting, he noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during his visit to China in November 2023 and reached important consensus on deepening bilateral relations. Over the past two years, Li said, China and Greece have actively implemented the outcomes of the visit and promoted high-quality development of the Belt and Road cooperation, delivering more benefits to the peoples of both countries. Noting that next year marks the 20th anniversary of the China-Greece comprehensive strategic partnership, Li said China is willing to work with Greece to continue firmly supporting each other's core interests and major concerns, expand practical cooperation in various fields and achieve more concrete results. China is also ready to work with Greece to enhance cooperation in such fields as clean energy, power transmission and transformation, and artificial intelligence (AI), and foster new drivers for economic growth, said Li, adding that China supports and encourages more capable Chinese enterprises to actively invest in Greece in accordance with market principles. The Chinese premier also encouraged both sides to promote mutual learning between civilizations, facilitate tourism and other people-to-people exchanges, and enhance the friendship between the two peoples. Noting that China and the European Union (EU) share extensive common interests, Li said that as unilateralism and protectionism are rising globally, China and the EU should jointly send a positive message of supporting multilateralism and free trade, and work together to safeguard economic globalization and international economic and trade order. It is hoped that Greece will continue to play a constructive role in promoting the development of China-EU relations, he said. For his part, Hatzidakis said that Greece and China are both ancient civilizations, and Greece attaches great importance to developing its relations with China. Noting that Greece is willing to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, he said that Greece stands ready to further enhance high-level exchanges with China, deepen practical cooperation in such areas as trade, investment, shipping, energy and tourism, promote people-to-people exchanges, strengthen dialogue between civilizations, so as to advance the development of Greece-China comprehensive strategic partnership. China is a major country with significant international influence, he said, adding that Greece is ready to strengthen multilateral coordination with China, jointly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and address global challenges such as climate change. Greece is also willing to contribute to the development of EU-China relations, he added. The Chinese premier left Beijing on the same day for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to attend the 17th BRICS Summit upon invitation, making a stopover on the island of Rhodes, Greece. Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Greek Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis on the island of Rhodes, Greece, July 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. A visitor poses for photos on the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hong Kong, south China, July 5, 2025. Hong Kong celebrated the 28th anniversary of its return to the motherland with a significant visit from a fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, led by China's first homegrown aircraft carrier Shandong. Since November 2024, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy has made three visits to Hong Kong, deploying a range of vessels, including aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and missile destroyers. The aircraft carrier Shandong opened for public visits during this trip. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei) A visitor poses for a photo while visiting the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hong Kong, south China, July 5, 2025. Hong Kong celebrated the 28th anniversary of its return to the motherland with a significant visit from a fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, led by China's first homegrown aircraft carrier Shandong. Since November 2024, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy has made three visits to Hong Kong, deploying a range of vessels, including aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and missile destroyers. The aircraft carrier Shandong opened for public visits during this trip. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei) Visitors pose for a photo on the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hong Kong, south China, July 5, 2025. Hong Kong celebrated the 28th anniversary of its return to the motherland with a significant visit from a fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, led by China's first homegrown aircraft carrier Shandong. Since November 2024, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy has made three visits to Hong Kong, deploying a range of vessels, including aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and missile destroyers. The aircraft carrier Shandong opened for public visits during this trip. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei) People visit the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hong Kong, south China, July 5, 2025. Hong Kong celebrated the 28th anniversary of its return to the motherland with a significant visit from a fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, led by China's first homegrown aircraft carrier Shandong. Since November 2024, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy has made three visits to Hong Kong, deploying a range of vessels, including aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and missile destroyers. The aircraft carrier Shandong opened for public visits during this trip. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei) People leave the deck of the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hong Kong, south China, July 5, 2025. Hong Kong celebrated the 28th anniversary of its return to the motherland with a significant visit from a fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, led by China's first homegrown aircraft carrier Shandong. Since November 2024, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy has made three visits to Hong Kong, deploying a range of vessels, including aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and missile destroyers. The aircraft carrier Shandong opened for public visits during this trip. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei) Soldiers perform for visitors on the deck of the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hong Kong, south China, July 5, 2025. Hong Kong celebrated the 28th anniversary of its return to the motherland with a significant visit from a fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, led by China's first homegrown aircraft carrier Shandong. Since November 2024, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy has made three visits to Hong Kong, deploying a range of vessels, including aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and missile destroyers. The aircraft carrier Shandong opened for public visits during this trip. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei) A visitor poses for photos on the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hong Kong, south China, July 5, 2025. Hong Kong celebrated the 28th anniversary of its return to the motherland with a significant visit from a fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, led by China's first homegrown aircraft carrier Shandong. Since November 2024, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy has made three visits to Hong Kong, deploying a range of vessels, including aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and missile destroyers. The aircraft carrier Shandong opened for public visits during this trip. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei) By Callum Parke, PA Law Reporter Sally Rooney has told the London High Court she is and will continue to be a committed supporter of Palestine Action, which failed to secure a temporary block on it being banned as a terrorist group on Friday. The Irish author said in court documents that the ban would prevent her from speaking at future public events as she could not in good conscience disguise or lie about my principles if it comes into effect at 12.01am on Saturday as planned. If the ban does come into effect, it would make membership of, or support for, Palestine Action a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Rooney has provided support for a legal claim by Huda Ammori, the co-founder of Palestine Action, against the Home Office, over the decision to proscribe the group under the Terrorism Act 2000. Ms Ammori asked a High Court judge on Friday to temporarily block the move from becoming law over the weekend, ahead of a bid to be given the green light to challenge the Governments decision later this month. But in a ruling, Mr Justice Chamberlain refused to block the ban, stating that any harm caused is insufficient to outweigh the strong public interest in maintaining the order in force. Barristers for Ms Ammori are seeking to appeal against the ruling on Friday evening. In her witness statement, cited in Mr Justice Chamberlains judgment, Rooney said the cultural effects of Palestine Action becoming proscribed could not be easily mended. She said: Though I am based in Ireland, my work is published in the UK. My novels regularly appear in bestseller lists, and I often travel to Britain to speak in public about my work. I am and will continue to be a committed supporter of Palestine Action. If that support is criminalised, I will effectively be prevented from speaking at any future public events in the UK, since I could not in good conscience disguise or lie about my principles in public. If I continue to voice support for Palestine Action from my home in Ireland, what are the likely consequences? Will I be denounced publicly by the Prime Minister? Will bookshops go on stocking the work of an author the Home Secretary has branded a terrorist simply for supporting a protest group? The BBC has adapted two of my books for television; both series are presently promoted on the iPlayer service. Normal People, which I co-wrote and produced, was the BBCs most-streamed series in 2020, with over 62 million views. My beliefs have not changed since the making of that series, and I have done nothing but continue to express them. If the expression of those beliefs becomes a terror offence under UK law, would the BBC continue to screen and promote my work? Is it likely that I could ever again collaborate with British public institutions like the BBC as I have done in the past? The cultural effects of proscription could not be easily mended, even if the Home Secretary later changed her mind. For any public figure to be labelled a supporter of terrorism by the state would have serious consequences. If Palestine Action loses its bid to temporarily block the move, it is due to become a terrorist organisation on Saturday after the order was signed by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. Photo: PA. It would likely end or severely restrict the careers of many emerging artists. Terrorism is not a trivial word. In written submissions for Fridays hearing, Raza Husain KC, for Ms Ammori, said that Rooney will continue to voice her support from Ireland for the group. He said: Given her public support for Palestine Action she is concerned that being labelled a supporter of terrorism would have serious impacts on her ability to collaborate and publicise her work. He continued: Ms Rooney notes that countless artists, writers and members of the public support direct action against complicity in what Israel is doing in Palestine, including Juliet Stevenson, Paul Weller, Tilda Swinton, Brian Eno, and other signatories to an open letter dated 30 June 2025. If Palestine Action loses its bid to temporarily block the move, it is due to become a terrorist organisation on Saturday, after the order was signed by the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper. Ms Cooper announced plans to proscribe the direct action group last month, after two Voyager planes were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, an action claimed by Palestine Action. BEIJING, July 5 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce said Saturday it has accepted price undertakings from 34 European Union (EU) brandy producers in the final ruling of an anti-dumping investigation into brandy imports from the EU. These companies will not be subject to anti-dumping duties when exporting to China, provided they meet the agreed terms, according to the ministry. Grand View Health in Sellersville, Bucks County, is now the St. Lukes Grand View campus. Albert Vecerka/Esto Grand View Health has officially joined St. Lukes University Health Network as of Tuesday, July 1, according to a news release. The Sellersville-based Grand View Hospital received all necessary federal and state regulatory approvals and now becomes St. Lukes 16th campus. The merger completes a process that began last year. All of us at St. Lukes are extremely honored and pleased Grand View will be joining our network, said St. Lukes President & CEO Rick Anderson in a news release. Doug Hughes, who became Grand Views president and CEO in 2022, will continue leading the facility as president of the St. Lukes Grand View Campus. Hughes has been with Grand View since 2018, when he joined as vice president and chief strategy officer. Established in 1913 as Bucks Countys first hospital, Grand View has evolved into a nonprofit, community-based health system employing 2,000 people and serving residents of Bucks and Montgomery counties. St. Lukes brings significant resources to the partnership as a fully integrated regional non-profit healthcare network with 21,000 employees and over $4 billion in revenue. The network operates more than 350 outpatient sites across 11 counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The merger continues St. Lukes history of integrating community hospitals, including facilities in Quakertown, Allentown, and Easton. Generative AI was used to organize information for this story, based on data provided by St. Lukes University Health Network. It was reviewed and edited by lehighvalleylive.com staff. Burdock, in flower, is photographed in July 2011 at Ohio's Shaker Lakes. Burdock is a type of thistle with bristly heads that catch easily on animal fur and clothing, a perfect way for the seeds to hitch a ride to another growing site. George de Mestral, a Swiss engineer, was inspired by the plant's prickly tenacity and invented Velcro, the hook-and-loop cloth-closure system. Like so many other plants, burdock roots were commonly eaten for their starchiness and are still used in some Chinese dishes. Lynn Ischay File Photo | For The Plain Dealer/cleveland.com All the recent rain weve gotten, along with excessive heat and the sun, has caused mushrooms, or fungi, to appear at many places. David found and pointed out to me ones I hadnt seen, some polypores, or shelf mushrooms, on a dead tree stump in the yard. Unlike mushrooms that grow on the ground that can be easily overlooked, shelf mushrooms, which are also called bracket fungi, stick out because theyre big and visible. Some of them often last a long time, even for years. They grow in horizontal clusters and groups of their fruiting bodies are called conks. They dont have a central stem and many are attractively colored. And instead of gills they have tiny pores under their caps. But what they do is extremely important to the regeneration of forests. They digest rotting wood, making way for new healthy trees to eventually grow. As I stood looking at these shelf fungi not far from there I saw the lavender flowers of Canada thistles. These perennials from Europe and Asia can live for years and they can quickly form big patches that keep native plants from growing. All over the country theyre classified as invasive weeds. But birds dont read invasive weeds list and both American goldfinches, and chickadees eat their seeds once their flowers are gone. These thistles, however, have nothing to do with store-bought nyjer seed thats put out for birds to eat. Nyjer seed is often incorrectly called thistle seed because its small and looks like thistle seed. But if it falls to the ground no thistles will grow from it. Canada thistles got their common name because in the 1600s early New England settlers blamed French traders from Canada for bringing them into the country. Most historians believe, though, that they were already here, having been accidentally brought in by other settlers. The bigger lavender flowers of bull thistles are also now blooming. These plants were accidentally brought here in the 1800s with other needed seeds by the colonials. But, unlike Canada thistles, theyre not perennials. Theyre biennials that complete their life cycle in two years, with further germination depending on the seeds they drop. Bull thistles do have some good characteristics in that they help to stabilize erosive soils by forming dense clumps. Early settlers used their roots medicinally for various ailments, and theyre still used in some ways by herbalists who know what theyre doing. Theyre not blooming yet, but there are other unwanted plants that have lavender/purple blossoms and grow in just about any untended area. Burdock, which is actually a member of the sunflower family, is a biennial from Europe and northern Asia that has big triangular shaped leaves that seem to grow overnight. And when its blossoms turn to seedpods theyre prickly and stick to just about anything they touch. Like so many other plants, burdock roots were commonly eaten for their starchiness. Actually theyre still used in some Chinese dishes although you wouldnt know it. What burdock is primarily known for, though, is the fact that its sticky seedpods were the inspiration for Velcro. And I think of that every day when Im pulling leaves off burdock plants at places in the yard where they dont belong. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Lightning bugs, or fireflies, fill a Bethlehem backyard during the warm, humid evening of Sunday, June 29, 2025. This photo was taken with a tripod-mounted iPhone using the NightCap app on Light Trails mode, in a 446.98-second exposure at 1/45s shutter speed. Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com It was another warm, humid evening last Sunday and a Bethlehem backyard was filled with eye-catching streaks of yellow-green. Lightning bugs, or fireflies, were silently moving about, using bioluminescence from organs in their lower abdomen to signal their species within the family Lampyridae and find a mate. This summertime spectacle is threatened as firefly populations decline across the country. A study published a year ago in Science of the Total Environment points to various environmental factors that could doom populations of the lightning bug, Penn State University reports. Subtle changes in climate patterns, especially related to temperature, are significantly impacting firefly breeding cycles and habitat quality, said Darin McNeil, a principal investigator in the study, according to a Penn State summary of the research. Lightning bugs, or fireflies, fill a Bethlehem backyard during the warm, humid evening of Sunday, June 29, 2025. This photo was taken with a tripod-mounted iPhone using the NightCap app on Light Trails mode in a 301.46-second exposure at 1/45s shutter speed. Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says fireflies are not as common today as in the past for reasons that include: Light pollution interferes with their mating rituals, lowering reproductive success. Habitat loss, mainly of leaf litter and tall grasses, reduces the food and space available halting and reversing population growth. Pesticide exposure can disrupt their metabolism and development while in egg and larval life stages. Climate change adds stress by exacerbating all of these threats, particularly through drought and sea level rise. What can we do to protect these and other backyard and streetside insects? Fish and Wildlife Service officials suggest: Turn off outdoor lights in the evening. If you have inside lights on, close the blinds. Plant native plants. Mow grass less frequently and raise the length of the cut to 4 inches. When leaves drop in the fall, rake them if you want, but keep them in your yard. Use non-pesticide solutions for insect control. Know how much salt is necessary to de-ice sidewalks, and dont over-do it. Contact your city about reducing or finding alternatives to salt usage. Watch insects closely, enjoy their presence as you learn about their bodies and behaviors. Show others, particularly kids, how insects are interesting not intimidating. Keeping some leaf litter around is especially important. The Facebook account Chasing Bugs with Danae Wolfe posted fascinating photos on June 29, including of a firefly larva on the underside of a fallen leaf with its telltale glow a true glow worm. Fireflies spend most of their lives one to two years as larvae living in the soil and leaf litter, hunting snails, slugs, and worms in the dark, the account posted. They pupate underground before emerging as adults for just a few short weeks to find a mate and start the cycle again. As adults, their only task is to reproduce, according to the federal Fish and Wildlife Service: Some dont even eat! Their flashes, through pattern and color, signal what species and sex they are. If a female recognizes her species pattern from a male, she will light up her own lantern and beckon him over. Lightning bugs, or fireflies, fill a Bethlehem backyard during the warm, humid evening of Sunday, June 29, 2025. This photo was taken with a tripod-mounted iPhone using the NightCap app on Light Trails mode in a 301.37-second exposure at 1/45s shutter speed. Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com In Pennsylvania, lightning bugs are at their peak through about the second week of July. The best viewing conditions are warm, humid evenings with little wind and low light pollution. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Microsoft Copilot was used to gather information for this story. It was reviewed and edited by lehighvalleylive.com Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. A 19-year-old was arrested Thursday and found in possession of an assault-style rifle, armor-piercing ammunition, large-capacity magazines and an untraceable ghost gun. EXTFile photo Warren County authorities on Thursday arrested a 19-year-old in their investigation into reported gunfire last month that led to the seizure of firearms. Jared D. Benka-Coker, of Stewartsville in Warrens Greenwich County, is charged in the incident along with two juveniles who were previously arrested. No one was reported injured nor was there any property damage in the gunfire reported about 10:45 p.m. Saturday, June 7 in the area of Dumont Road and Hamilton Drive in Greenwich. As part of the investigation, police executed a search warrant Thursday at a home in the 300 block of Hamilton Drive that turned up a loaded 9mm ghost gun, which is an untraceable type of firearm, according to a news release from the Warren County Prosecutors Office. The ghost gun and a 31-round, high-capacity magazine were seized and Benka-Coker was taken into custody as a result of the search, the incident June 7 and for his role in employing minors to commit crimes, the release states. On the night of the reported gunfire, police seized an assault-style rifle, armor-piercing ammunition and a high-capacity magazine and arrested the two juveniles, ages 14 and 17 from Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Both juveniles were detained, pending a preliminary hearing before a Family Court judge, according to the prosecutors office. A third individual fled from the June 7 scene, authorities previously said. Benka-Coker is charged with second-degree employing a juvenile to commit a crime; conspiracy to possess a weapon for an unlawful purpose and conspiracy for unlawful possession of a weapon, both related to the assault rifle; and possession of a firearm without a serial number/ghost gun. He also is charged with third-degree endangering the welfare of children and four crimes of the fourth degree: possession of a large-capacity magazine; conspiracy to possess prohibited weapons and devices, related to the armor-piercing ammo; conspiracy to possess a large-capacity magazine and under-21 possession of a handgun. This is Benka-Cokers third gun-related offense since last November, the release from Acting Prosecutor Jessica Cardones office states: Previous charges against him are pending from incidents Nov. 11 in Greenwich and Feb. 24 in Phillipsburg. In the second matter, the State moved to detain Benka-Coker but was denied, and (he was) released under pretrial monitoring, the prosecutors office wrote, adding that this latest arrest is in violation of that Release Order. The State will move to revoke his release. Benka-Coker is being held at the Warren County jail pending a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, July 9. The investigation was conducted by the prosecutors office and Greenwich Township police, with assistance from the Warren County Tactical Response Team, Phillipsburg Police Department and the Washington Township Police Department K-9 Unit. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Former RTE presenter Joe Duffy has emphasised he is not seeking a nomination to become the next president of Ireland. Duffys name had been floated as a potential candidate for the office in a number of media reports. The Ballyfermot broadcaster, 69, retired at the end of June after 37 years at RTE Radio One and 27 years presenting Liveline. On Saturday, following increased speculation about his next steps, Duffy posted on social media: Thanks, but to be absolutely clear I am not seeking a nomination from any politicians, local or national, for the office of President of Ireland. I will not be adding anything further. Thanks , but to be absolutely clear I am NOT seeking a nomination from any politicians , local or national, for the office of @PresidentIRL I will not be adding anything further . @Independent_ie @IrishTimes @irishdailymail @IrishSunOnline @rtenews @irishexaminer @thejournal_ie JOE DUFFY (@joeliveline) July 5, 2025 While some hopefuls have declared an interest, no candidate for the presidency has been formally nominated ahead of the election. A presidential election is expected towards the end of October, as it must take place in the 60 days before the term of current president Michael D Higgins ends on November 11. To be eligible to run, a candidate must be an Irish citizen who is 35 or older. They must be nominated either by at least 20 members of the Oireachtas or at least four local authorities. Former or retiring Presidents can nominate themselves. Forest rangers patrol the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 1, 2025. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Forest rangers patrol the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 13, 2022. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) A forest ranger uses a drone to monitor the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 1, 2025. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Forest rangers pose for a group photo at the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 1, 2025. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) An aerial drone photo shows a panoramic view of the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 1, 2025. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) A forest ranger checks the pest control trap at the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 1, 2025. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Forest rangers measure the diameter of a tree at the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 1, 2025. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Forest rangers patrol the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 13, 2022. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Forest rangers patrol the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 13, 2022. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) A forest ranger checks the nutrient bag of a tree at the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 1, 2025. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Forest rangers measure the diameter of a tree at the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 1, 2025. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) An aerial drone photo shows forest rangers weeding at the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 1, 2025. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) An aerial drone photo shows a view of the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 1, 2025. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Forest rangers have lunch after patrolling the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 1, 2025. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) A forest ranger checks the pest control trap at the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 1, 2025. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Forest rangers weed at the Changpoling Forest Farm in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 1, 2025. The forest farm, established in 1914, covers over 800 hectares. For over a century, forest rangers at the farm have dedicated themselves to planting trees and guarding the woodland. It is a national-level forest park in Guiyang and serves as a key part of a green belt circling the city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Uisce Eireann crews will be arriving in North Leitrim this month to deliver important works which will reduce the number of bursts in Newtownmanor. More than 1.1km of old water mains will be replaced at Leckaun, Newtownmanor as part of Uisce Eireanns National Leakage Reduction Programme. The works will also involve laying new water service connections from the public water main in the road to customers property boundaries and connecting it to the customers water supply. These works will give local homes and businesses more confidence in their supply by reducing leakage along this section of mains. Uisce Eireanns Patricia Lowry is looking forward to delivering the project for customers, with works scheduled to be complete in autumn. READ NEXT: Months-long road closure announced for Leitrim road to facilitate water works We are delighted to be prioritising investment in Leitrims water network. This section of water mains needs to be replaced in order to reduce bursts and safeguard water supply. Our crews will work diligently to complete these works as quickly as possible, she said. We understand that this type of work can be inconvenient, and we will make every effort to minimise disruption to the local community. We thank the community for their patience and co-operation as these essential works progress, Ms Lowry added. Crews will be working along the the L4153 at Leckaun, Newtownmanor. A road closure will be required to deliver these works safely. Diversion routes will be signposted, and the community can be assured that local and emergency access will be maintained at all times. Areas of work will be limited to short sections to minimise impact, and the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours notice prior to any planned interruptions. READ NEXT: Proposal aims to deliver emergency handbook to every home in Leitrim Farrans Construction is carrying out the works on behalf of Uisce Eireann. The Uisce Eireann Customer Contact Centre, open 24/7 on freephone 1800 278 278, is available to answer any queries. Further information is available on www.water.ie. Uisce Eireann has a free text service, providing real-time updates for local issues. Customers can sign up with their Eircode and mobile number at the text alerts page. Uisce Eireann is responsible for delivering public drinking water and wastewater services for the people of Ireland. Farmers from Leitrim and Sligo met this week in the Bee Park in Manorhamilton to voice their concerns that the SLNCR Greenway that is to be constructed will pass through their land. It was an opportunity to let farmers air their views and their concerns, says Leitrim IFA chairperson Liam Gilligan. Concerns are going to have to be addressed. The IFA in Leitrim and Sligo continue to voice strong objections to the proposed Sligo, Leitrim, Northern Counties Railway (SLNCR) Greenway, warning of serious disruptions to farms and devaluation of farmland along the current route. The SLNCR Greenway project, which will stretch across Sligo, Leitrim, and Fermanagh, has finished the consultation phase, which was extended until June 3rd, and public information meetings were held between planners, county councils, and the public in Sligo, Leitrim, and Fermanagh. The findings of the meeting will now be brought to the county councils, according to Gilligan. READ MORE: "We want to play as if there is no tomorrow" says Garrity of Leitrim's challenge in relegation series In a previous joint statement, Leitrim IFA Chair Liam Gilligan and Sligo IFA Chair Michael ODowd said the Greenway proposal, as it currently stands, flies in the face of national guidance, which recommends maximising the use of public lands and minimising disruption to private property. The proposed corridor has the potential to sever and divide a large number of farms, said ODowd. That is totally unacceptable and must be reviewed, Sligo IFA chairperson has said previously. READ MORE: GALLERY: North Leitrim Macra Tug of War Tournament The event this week was also attended by those who support the construction of the Greenway, and Leitrim County Councillors Padraig Fallon, Felim McGurrin, Mary Bohan, and James Gilmartin were also in attendance. The project proposes a 75km route through Collooney, Ballintogher, Dromahair, Manorhamilton, Glenfarne, and Blacklion, which will loosely follow the old North West rail corridor. The track, which will be 10 metres wide, is to be informed through public consultations. Much of that land is now part of active farms and, in some cases, includes homes and farmyards. Some farmers have since registered the land in their own names. The old, abandoned railway line is long gone, and this land is now active farmland, said Gilligan, encouraging landowners to check their title and seek legal support if needed. Under the Greenways Code of Practice, project promoters may contribute 750 plus VAT towards legal fees for title regularisation. Project Liaison Officers are visiting landowners whose land may be affected by the proposed project to consult them on potential challenges and desired changes to the route. Project organisers told the Leitrim Observer that the goal is to work with farmers and landowners to find an acceptable route for the Greenway for all parties, though they do not rule out the use of compulsory purchase orders. There is a fear amongst farmers that that could happen, says Gilligan; however, he stressed that we are not at that stage yet, adding that that must be avoided at all costs. The planning application for the project will not be submitted until 2027. READ MORE: Over 900 people in Leitrim living with heart failure highlighted at Oireachtas meeting KABUL, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Afghan police have arrested over two dozen alleged criminals in different provinces of Afghanistan, reported the country's Ministry of Interior Affairs on Saturday. All the 25 individuals who were involved in criminal activities such as theft, murder, smuggling and immoral activities have been arrested from Logar, Nuristan, Kunar, Kunduz, and Nimroz provinces would be referred to the judiciary after preliminary investigations, the ministry said in a statement posted on its X account. The Ministry for Interior Affairs also reported arresting 21 criminal elements from across the country on Wednesday. ENTERPRISE and industry leaders are being invited by Mary Immaculate College (MIC) to collaborate with its pioneering CRAFT initiative, which aims to inspire, innovate, and invest in the next generation of creators, designers, engineers, and thinkers. As Limericks latest Research Ireland Discover Centre, located in Newman Hall on MICs John Henry Newman Campus, CRAFT (Creative Arts, Future Technologies) is a dynamic hub for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education alongside the creative arts. Through curiosity-driven workshops and hands-on design challenges, children, teachers, and families explore real-world problems while developing creativity, innovation, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication skills. Whether working on climate action, sustainability, social justice or engineering challenges, participants learn by doing, and by building solutions that are meaningful and relevant to everyday life. Since 2022, CRAFT has engaged directly with 40,660 children, teachers, and families across the region. The initiative is consistently growing, with workshops, events and CRAFT camps in high demandproviding a much-needed, welcoming, inclusive space in the Mid-West Region. READ NEXT: Limerick professor receives UN Honour for lifelong commitment to education Now, CRAFT is inviting industry collaborators to join the likes of Regeneron, Dell Technologies, Microsoft, Jaguar Land Rover, Becton Dickenson, and other innovative leaders in the design and co-creation of workshops, events, and exhibitions in a world-class, innovative STEAM outreach centre in Limerick. Such partnerships help shape meaningful, relevant and cutting-edge STEAM experiences that inspire the next generation of creative thinkers and problem solvers. Speaking about the unique role CRAFT plays in bridging education and industry, Dr Maeve Liston, Director of Enterprise & Community Engagement and Associate Professor in Science Education at MIC said: Industry-Education partnerships between CRAFT at MIC and STEAM industries are key to delivering educational outreach experiences that reinforce what is being taught in the curriculum, while also extending learning beyond the classroom into real world contexts and the world of work. At CRAFT, we provide the essential bridge between classroom learning and real-world innovation. We dont just teach children about STEMwe empower participants to see themselves as scientists, engineers, inventors and makers. By working in partnership with industry, we can ensure that what we offer is both educationally robust and aligned with the future skills and career paths that todays children may pursue. We have been fortunate to work with key industry players that share our vision for CRAFT in advancing the future development and provision of STEAM education and engagement experiences for children and families with varying interests and life experiences. Highlighting the importance of engaging young minds in technology and creativity, Sean OReilly, EMEA Vice President of Logistics and Limerick Site Leader at Dell Technologies said: STEM learning is central to inspiring the next generation of developers and engineers whose skills will help shape our future as an innovation island. That is why our team in Limerick once again came together with Mary Immaculate College to host primary schools across the Mid-West for the Dell VEX Robotics regional competition. It is a fun way for us to engage young people in technology and foster their creativity. READ NEXT: Open competition for appointment of new University of Limerick president 12 months after resignation As a Discover Centre recognised by Research Ireland, CRAFT is one of only 44 such centres nationwide, placing it alongside prestigious institutions such as the Blackrock Castle Observatory in Cork, the Rediscovery Centre in Dublin, and W5 in Belfast. Recently, a CRAFT workshop was streamed into nearly 400 primary schools as part of the Curious Minds Awards programme. Curious Minds is a national STEM education programme run by Research Ireland that supports primary schools through providing inquiry-based, hands-on resources and teachers' continuing professional development (CPD) training. CRAFT wants to build on its success and reach more people by bringing real-life STEM examples and the latest technology from industry into its workshops and activities. Dr Eleanor Walsh, STEM Outreach Project Officer at MIC, explained: CRAFT workshops use hands-on, everyday challenges to spark creativity and STEM learning. As participants imagine, design, create, and problem-solve, they naturally become makers, scientists, and engineers. We see growing confidence, curiosity, and STEM skills in every session. Families and schools from across the Midwest return regularly, seeing CRAFT as a key support for STEM education. Nationally, we collaborate with leading programmes to broaden our impact. Our goal is simple: to make STEM approachable, fun, and empoweringand its inspiring to see that transformation happen every day. Your organisation can play a leading role in shaping the future of STEAM education through a variety of means. This includes inspiring the next generation of innovators; showcasing your technologies and expertise; supporting outreach in DEIS schools, Direct Provision centres, libraries and community venues. It also includes contributing to bringing creativity and engineering into classrooms; supporting teacher upskilling through Continual Professional Development (CPD) aligned with the new STE curriculum; and by helping young learners see real-world possibilities in science and technology. The Treaty United Women's side will be turning their attention to All-Island Cup action this evening when they travel to Tolka Park to face Shelbourne. READ MORE: Treaty United learn their FAI Cup quarter-final fate The Shannonsiders will do battle with the side from the capital with a place in the semi-finals at stake. Sean Russell and his side will be full of confidence heading into Saturday's clash, fresh off a resounding 8-0 demolition of Ferns United in the FAI Cup. Treaty's reward for that win is a quarter-final meeting away from home against the DLR Waves. The Limerick side will fancy their chances when they travel to DLR Waves, who sit bottom of the SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division table. Treaty themselves sit sixth in the table, level on points (18), with fifth placed Shamrock Rovers. Treaty have been in fine form throughout both cup competitions so far this year and they will be hoping that form continues in Tolka Park where they will face a Shelbourne who sit second in the Women's Premier Division table, one point adrift of top spot, currently occupied by Athlone Town. The sides last met in May where Shelbourne picked up a 3-1 win at the Markets Field. Should Limerick overcome Shels they will face either Bohemians or Glentoran in the semi-finals on the weekend of July 27. Kick-off this evening is at 4pm in Tolka Park. A new crop of startups are betting on the rapid demise of traditional Google search. At least a dozen new companies are pouring millions of dollars into software meant to help brands prepare for a world in which customers no longer browse the web and instead rely on ChatGPT, Perplexity and other artificial-intelligence chatbots to do it for them. The startups are developing tools to help businesses understand how AI chatbots gather information and learn how to steer them toward brands so that they appear in AI searches. Call it the search-engine optimization of the next chapter of the internet. Companies have been spending the last 10 or 20 years optimizing their website for the 10 blue links version of Google," said Andrew Yan, co-founder of Athena, one of the startups. That version of Google is changing very fast, and it is changing forever." Companies large and small are scrambling to figure out how generative AI tools treat their online contenta boon to this new crop of startups, which say they are adding new customers at a clip. The customer interest is an early sign of how AI is transforming search, and how companies are trying to get ahead of the changes. Yan left Googles search team earlier this year when he decided traditional search wasnt the future. Athena launched last month with $2.2 million in funding from startup accelerator Y Combinator and other venture firms. View Full Image Athena co-founders Andrew Yan, left, and Alan Yao. Photo: Andrew Yan Athenas software looks under the hood of different AI models to determine how each of them finds brand-related information. The software can track differences in the way the models talk about a given brand and recommend ways to optimize web content for AI. Yan said the company now has more than 100 customers around the world, including the online-invitation firm Paperless Post. Google executives and analysts dont expect traditional search to disappear. The company, which handles as much as 90% of the worlds online searches, has been working to incorporate AI features into its flagship search engine and anticipates people will continue to use it alongside other tools such as Gemini, its AI model and chatbot. Yet the company, a unit of Alphabet, has been under pressure to compete with OpenAIs ChatGPT and other AI upstarts that threaten its core business. It risks losing traffic and advertising revenue if users shift to AI-driven alternatives. Chief Executive Sundar Pichai has said that AI Overviews, a feature that summarizes search results at the top of the page, has grown significantly in usage since the company launched it in 2024. Google earlier this year began rolling out AI Mode, which responds to user queries in a chatbot-style conversation with far fewer links than a traditional search. View Full Image People at Googles annual I/O developers conference in May tried out activities highlighting Googles use of AI. Photo: Camille Cohen/AFP/Getty Images Compared with traditional search, chatbot queries are often longer and more complicated, requiring chatbots to draw information from multiple sources at once and aggregate it for the user. AI models search in a number of ways: One platform might pull information from a company website, while another might rely more heavily on third-party content such as review sites. Of the startups helping companies navigate that complexity, Profound has raised more than $20 million from venture-capital firms including Kleiner Perkins and Khosla Ventures. The company is building its platform to monitor and analyze the many inputs that influence how AI chatbots relay brand-related information to users. Since launching last year, Profound has amassed dozens of large companies as customers, including fintech company Chime, the company said. We see a future of a zero-click internet where consumers only interact with interfaces like ChatGPT, and agents or bots will become the primary visitors to websites," said co-founder James Cadwallader. Venture-capital fund Saga Ventures was one of the first investors in Profound. Saga co-founder Max Altman, whose brother is OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, said interest in the startups platform has exceeded his expectations. Just showing how brands are doing is extremely valuable for marketers, even more than we thought," he said. Theyre really flying completely blind." Saga estimates that Profounds competitors have together raised about $21 million, though some havent disclosed funding. The value of such companies is still infinitesimal compared with that of the search-engine optimization industry, which helps brands appear in traditional searches and was estimated at roughly $90 billion last year. SEO consultant Cyrus Shepard said he did almost no work on AI visibility at the start of the year, but now it accounts for 10% to 15% of his time. By the end of the year, he expects it might account for as much as half. He has been experimenting with startup platforms promising AI search insights, but hasnt yet determined whether they will offer helpful advice on how to become more visible in AI searches, particularly as the models continue to change. I would classify them all as in beta," he said. Clerk, a company selling technology for software developers, has been working with startup Scrunch AI to analyze AI search traffic. Alex Rapp, Clerks head of growth marketing, said that between January and June, the company saw a 9% increase in sign-ups for its platform coming from AI searches. Scrunch this year raised $4 million. It has more than 25 other customers and is working on a feature to help companies tailor the content, format and context of their websites for consumption by AI bots. Your website doesnt need to go away," co-founder Chris Andrew said. But 90% of its human traffic will." Write to Katherine Blunt at katherine.blunt@wsj.com New Delhi, Jul 5 (PTI) Test preparatory firm Aakash Educational Services has sent a legal notice to consultancy firm EY, its partners and officials, accusing them of advising rivals in conflict of interest and professional misconduct, the company said on Saturday. Aakash Educational Services Ltd (AESL) has alleged that EY was deeply involved in its financial operations since 2021, including advising on the proposed merger with Think & Learn Private Ltd, which owns the Byju's brand. The test preparatory firm said EY has been involved in the structuring and conversion of debentures into equity and it has now come to light that the consultancy firm also acted as the "exclusive financial advisor and official result validators" to AESL's direct competitor, Allen Career Institute. "Aakash Educational Services has served a second legal notice through Senior Advocate CV Nagesh to multiple partners and officials of Ernst & Young LLP (EY), accusing the firm of conflict of duty and professional misconduct," AESL said in a statement. An email query sent to EY did not elicit any reply. "The legal notice highlights that despite AESL's repeated requests through emails dated April 12, May 6, and May 17, 2025, EY has failed to provide documents and communications related to key transactions, suggesting concealment of critical information," the statement said. AESL alleged that the refusal contradicts EY's substantial involvement in AESL's decision-making and execution of transactions, including the once-proposed merger with TLPL and matters related to the issuance and conversion of debentures. AESL, Head for Legal, Sanjay Garg said the company has already issued notice to Ajay Shah of EY and also impleaded him and other partners of EY in the pending oppression and mismanagement petition filed by the RP of TLPL, who is also from EY, to respond to the allegations therein. "AESL has now come to know EY acted as an exclusive financial advisor and official result validators to a competitor which is a matter of deep concern. AESL is examining the initiation of further civil and criminal proceedings against EY in this regard," Garg said. AESL has claimed that this simultaneous engagement with a competitor represents an unethical conflict of interest and has called for an investigation into EY's conduct. Byju's founders have also sued EY, citing an email from a whistleblower which shows the involvement of the consultancy firm with GLAS Trust. French Finance Minister Eric Lombard said Europe must shore up its tariff barriers to counter Chinese imports that risk harming the continents industrial economy. Europe has already taken action on steel and automobiles, but rules must be changed to allow the wider use of measures against imports from China, Lombard said. In the world we are in today, we must protect our industry, Lombard said on Saturday at an economics conference in Aix-en-Provence, France. We must do it on all industrial segments, otherwise the Chinese policy that consists of having a production capacity of more than 50% global market share in each sector will kill our industry. His comments underscore growing concerns in Paris that US President Donald Trumps efforts to redraw global trade flows risk hitting Europe on several fronts, and not just because of potential tariffs on exports to the US. China announced anti-dumping duties on European brandy on Friday while exempting major cognac makers that agreed to minimum price levels. The action followed the EUs decision in 2024 to levy duties as high as 45% on Chinese-made electric vehicles. In another sign of the tension between Europe and Beijing, the Chinese government intends to shorten a two-day summit with European Union leaders this month to just a day, Bloomberg reported on Friday. Speaking to Bloomberg on Friday at the Aix-en-Provence event, French Industry Minister Marc Ferracci also called for Europe to ramp up its defenses against Chinese imports. Another phenomenon that is concerning is the redirection of Chinese flows which were targeted to the US, and that are now coming to Europe, Ferracci said. China has built over-capacities in a wide array of industries and that makes it quite sensitive and quite dangerous for our industries. Lombard said the new government coalition in Germany is an opportunity for Paris and Berlin to work more closely together. Hell meet with his counterparts there in the coming weeks. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 5 (ANI): Union Minister Piyush Goyal has expressed confidence that India will become a preferred supplier for defence and aerospace given the great relationships it is creating with many other developed countries and said a lot of design and innovation is happening through global capability centres in the country. The Minister, who visited Aerospace Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Devanahalli, expressed confidence that apart from design and innovation, more and more patents will be filed in India. "I have absolutely no doubt that in the years to come, particularly given the great relationships that India is creating with many other developed countries, India will become a preferred supplier for defence and aerospace. Already, a lot of design and innovation is happening through global capability centres in India. Now, we will not only design and innovate in India, we will patent in India, produce in India and hopefully become globally relevant partner in supply chains. So, I am truly very optimistic about the potential of this sector," he said. Asked about scope of collaboration between Indian startups and global aerospace companies, the minister said that SEZ doesn't necessarily have any role in that but there is scope for a bridge or a connection between startups in India and internationally in the space of defence and aerospace. "I will ask Startup India to see how we can use the services of all these wonderful companies and their connections to see if we can connect the two," he said. Asked about India's journey towards global aerospace hub, he said this defence and aerospace zone will be the beginning of a path-breaking journey. Microsoft has officially shut its operation in Pakistan after 25 years, according to the CEO who launched the tech giants presence in the country in 2000. The company, which entered Pakistan on March 7, 2000, cited global restructuring and a shift to a cloud-based, partner-led model as reasons behind the closure. Why did Microsoft exit the country? While Microsoft has not yet issued any formal announcement, leaders attribute the companys exit to Pakistans economic turmoil and shifting political landscape. The decision comes as the tech giant cut roughly 9,100 jobs worldwide in its largest layoff round since 2023. The companys founding country head in Pakistan, Jawwad Rehman announced the change on LinkedIn by saying, Today, I learned that Microsoft is officially closing its operations in Pakistan. The last few remaining employees were formally informed and just like that, an era ends. How does it affect Pakistans tech ecosystem? Microsoft already clarified that the decision wont affect existing services or customer agreements as it will keep serving Pakistani customers through regional offices and authorized resellers instead of running a direct office. This new model is being used in many countries, and theyve assured users that the quality of service will remain unchanged, the tech giant told TechCrunch. Also Read | Microsoft to cut over 9,000 jobs as part of streamlining workforce efforts Even though the business might not face a big hit, it might impact Pakistans digital journey as Microsoft played a leading role in it. It launched computer labs in rural schools, supported digital adoption among small businesses, and worked with educational institutions. We tried to give Pakistani youth a real shot at opportunity, said Rehman. Leaders react to the decision In a dramatic turn of events, former Pakistani President Arif Alvi connected Microsofts exit to a bigger political picture. Microsofts decision to shut down operations in Pakistan is a troubling sign for our economic future, he said on X (formerly twitter). The ex-President recalled his conversation with Bill Gates who hinted at plans of a majorMicrosoft investment in Pakistan. But then, everything went rapidly downhill. Regime change upended those plans, and the promise of investment slipped away. He also warned that Pakistan now spirals in a whirlpool of uncertainty. Jensen Huang-led Nvidia has set a new record, beating companies like Apple and Microsoft to become the most valued company in the world in history. With a staggering market cap of $3.92 trillion that it hit briefly on Thursday, Nvidia's success has peaked amid optimism at the Wall Street regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI). The company on Thursday ended trade on the stock markets with a market value of $3.89 trillion, much above Microsoft and Apple. Here is everything you need to know about Nvidia's record. Nvidia beats Apple's record The leading designer of high-end AI chips briefly beat Apple's previous record of being the most valuable company in history, when it touched a market cap of $3.915 trillion. That record was set on December 26, 2024 before being broken in a little over than six months by Nvidia. Microsoft is currently the second-most valuable company on Wall Street, with a market capitalisation of $3.7 trillion, while Apple is in the third place with a market value of $3.19 trillion. Why did Nvidia become most valuable company? According to a report by news agency Reuters, Nvidia's growing market value is a result of Wall Street's big bets on the proliferation of generative AI technology. The Jensen Huang-led company's hardware serves as a foundation to the optimism about AI. The sharp increases in the shares of Nvidia and other Wall Street heavyweights have left people who save for their retirements through widely used S&P 500 index funds heavily exposed to the future of AI technology, Reuters reported. How Nvidia is beating Google, Microsoft to win the AI race With the rising demand of AI, tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Tesla and Amazon are rushing to build advanced AI data centres to take a lead in emerging AI technology. Also Read | Nvidia ruffles tech giants with move into cloud computing This is the exact reason why Nvidia stands to gain, as demand for the company's specialised chips has risen considerably. Nvidia now accounts for 7 per cent of the S&P 500. Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and Alphabet together make up 28 per cent of the index. Nvidia bigger than some stock markets combined As per the Reuters report quoting LSEG data, Nvidia is now worth more than the combined value of the Canadian and Mexican stock markets. It also has a higher market value than the total value of all publicly listed companies in the United Kingdom. The stock's recent rally comes after a slow first half of the year, when investor optimism about AI took a back seat to worries about tariffs and Trump's trade dispute with Beijing. PYONGYANG, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday condemned U.S. judicial authorities for placing its citizens on a wanted list over alleged "cybercrimes," state media said Friday. "The recent incident is an absurd smear campaign and grave violation of sovereignty aimed at tarnishing the image of our state, as it is a continuation of the hostile move of the successive U.S. administrations that have talked much about the non-existent 'cyber threat' from the DPRK," the official Korean Central News Agency said, quoting a DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesperson. "The DPRK Foreign Ministry expresses serious concern over the U.S. judicial authorities' provocation which is threatening and encroaching on the security, rights and interests of our citizens by fabricating the groundless 'cyber' drama, and strongly denounces and rejects it," the spokesperson said, adding that the real threat of creating international cyberspace instability comes not from the DPRK but from the United States. The DPRK has the right to take a proper and proportionate countermeasure to thoroughly protect the security and rights of its citizens from the judicial enforcement for a sinister political purpose, according to the spokesperson. The country will never tolerate any hostile act of the United States to encroach upon the DPRK sovereignty through groundless slander and illegal application of judicial means, and will firmly defend the legitimate rights and interests of its citizens, the spokesperson said. (Bloomberg) -- US banks, among the few companies that still sell preferred shares, are following JPMorgan Chase & Co.s lead and retreating from the securities, even as investors are eager to buy them. Capital One Financial Corp. redeemed a $500 million preferred share this week, resulting in the market shrinking on a net basis this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. If the trend continues, this will be the second year in a row that the market for US bank preferreds has shrunk, something that hasnt happened since the lenders were replacing obsolete capital after the global financial crisis. At the same time, preferred managers have received more cash to invest this year, as investors pile into higher-yielding assets that can perform well when rates are cut. Assets under management in the 10 largest funds in the space have risen by more than 10% on average year-to-date, based on Bloomberg-compiled data. Capital Ones redemption follows JPMorgan cutting its preferreds outstanding by more than a quarter last year. Banks are broadly paying off the securities because they dont need as many of them anymore: capital regulations that made preferred shares attractive to issue, including the Basel III endgame rules, are being eased now in the US. The securities are expensive for banks, because they pay relatively high dividends. But banks were among the few companies still selling preferred equities, a sort of equity with some debt-like characteristics, that helped finance the industrialization of America. For earlier generations of investors, the securities were an attractive source of income, offering more than a companys notes would pay, but also coming with more risk. If the company fell on hard times, preferreds were close to the back of the line to be repaid, for instance. Non-financial companies have been backing away from preferreds, in favor of securities known as hybrid bonds. Hybrids are among the last bonds to be repaid if a company runs into trouble, but arent as far back in line as preferreds, which are equity. Issuance became viable for companies once Moodys Ratings changed its methodology in early 2024 and the securities quickly became one of the hottest sources of capital-raising in the US. With preferreds growing less popular, the managers of the largest preferred-focused funds are looking for alternatives. They are banking on the relatively high leeway they have to invest in securities similar to preferreds, such as hybrid bonds. Thats the nice thing about our universe. When people talk about preferred securities, the definition is very grey, said Douglas Baker, head of preferred securities at Nuveen. If things get tight in one area, we typically have plenty of places to pivot to, he said. Its a view shared by Mark Lieb, founder and CEO of Spectrum Asset Management and a veteran of the preferred market, who expects the supply of hybrids from US utilities to expand in order to cover the growing demand for infrastructure investments supporting AI. That growth can outweigh any loss of issuance from US banks, as their regulatory needs keep decreasing. We will have to see what the final rules and regulations are but on the utility side its going to more than offset it, Lieb said in an interview. Capex is going to go up. Non-financial corporates in the US sold about $30 billion of hybrids last year, with another $10 billion sold so far in 2025, data compiled by Bloomberg shows. This far exceeded what was repaid through the exercise of call options. Week In Review On the Move More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Long before the first unicorns and decacorns appeared in India, there lived an entrepreneur who had an innate understanding of scale and an uncanny ability to leverage diaspora networks. Had Annamalai Chettiar (Satappa Ramanatha Muthiah Annamalai Chettiar) been alive, he would have been called upon to deliver TED talks on banking without borders. Instead, this pioneering businessman from Tamil Nadu, who wrote the playbook for colonial banking in India, remains largely forgotten outside academic circles, though the posh Raja Annamalai Puram neighbourhood in Chennai is named in his honour. Also Read | Novelis and after: How Hindalco cracked the foreign buyout code At a time when Indian companies are going global with unabashed ambition, his century-old blueprint for international expansion reads like a modern startup story. The man who co-founded Indian Bank with his brother Ramaswami Chettiar, and became governor of Imperial Bank (now State Bank of India), cracked the code of cross-border finance long before most Indians had even heard of it. Born into the influential Nattukottai Nagarathars community in September 1881, he inherited a business ecosystem of south and southeast Asian venture capital. Steeped in the Chettiar model of leveraging community ties, his unique ability lay in institutionalising these sprawling yet vetted networks, in the process connecting diasporas across geographies. This allowed him to access money transfers more quickly, through what we would call correspondent banking. The modern equivalent would be a Paypal and Western Union rolled into one but with cultural connectivity and driven purely by relationships. Over time, Annamalai Chettiar became a huge landlord, though his actual net worth is shrouded in mystery. Institution builder Perhaps his most underrated achievement was his role as an institution builder, which stemmed from his belief that wealth creation came with social responsibilities and investment in human capital. Indeed, long before corporate social responsibility (CSR) became a byword, his approach to philanthropy centered on long term investment rather than on immediate relief. In 1920 he set up the Sri Meenakshi College in Chidambaram in the firm belief that education was the primary need of the country. Later this became part of the well known Annamalai University, his master passion that today offers education to millions. A patron of the arts, he also funded the Tamil Isai Sangam for music. Also Read | Gulshan Kumar, the juice seller who rose to become the music mogul of Bollywood This faith in the utility of non-business enterprises was strengthened after the Great Depression of 1929, which served as a reality check that tested everything Annamalai had built, and brought new thinking to the Chettiar fold. As the economic crisis that originated in the US swept through Asian economies, Burmese cultivators defaulted on their loans. This placed the Chettiar banking network, which had flourished in Ceylon, Burma and Southeast Asia, under siege, as crop prices tanked. A reliable source of profit now became a nightmare of foreclosures and losses. The colonial governments instituted banking enquiries in the spate of these collapses. For Annamalai, this was a moment of reckoning, one that forced him to look at institution-building instead of pure commercial expansion. Thats where the focus on charity and education took shape. This didnt dim his obsession with palatial architecture, which led him to build multiple residences including the grand Chettinad Palace in Chennai. He also built the Kanadukathan palace, which used the best materials imported from all over, and took seven years to complete. Tryst with politics As was customary for successful businessmen of that era, Annamalai entered politics. In 1920 he stood for election to the council of state, the upper house of the Imperial Legislative Council of India, and held his seat for three consecutive terms. While he received a knighthood and the distinction of Rajah of Chettinad from the British, domestic honors took longer. It was only in 1980, 32 years after he had passed away, that the government of India released a stamp in his honour. His son, Sir Muthiah Annamalai Muthiah Chettiar, became the first mayor of Madras. Continuing the legacy, his grandson Palaniappan Chidambaram became the finance minister of the county. Also Read | How big brands fooled consumers with plastic The Annamalai Chettiar story matters in 2025 because it challenges fundamental assumptions about Indian business history and capabilities. While we often trace the story of Indian entrepreneurship to the post-liberalisation era, Annamalais example shows how entrepreneurs were building international businesses with remarkable sophistication long before 1991. His approach, combining cultural understanding with institutional innovation while leveraging community networks and aiming for global scale, reads like a modern business school case study on emerging market strategy. For today's entrepreneurs, his story offers more than historical inspiration; it gives us perspective. Annamalai Chettiar built his empire without venture capital and government support, on a clear understanding of what we now call network effects. In India's economic history, he represents a critical but under-celebrated archetype, the quiet capitalist philanthropist whose influence rests not on spectacle but on building institutions. As Microsoft closed its Pakistan operations after 25 years, the tech giant's founding head in the country had a sombre message regarding the country's economic environment, where the company started a hope-filled mission years ago. While Microsoft announcing its Pakistan exit cited cited global restructuring and a shift to a cloud-based, partner-led model as the reason, various stakeholders termed on Friday as a troubling sign for the country's economy. Microsoft Pakistan founding head Jawwad Rehman was among the first persons who confirmed the exit. The last few remaining employees were formally informed and just like that, an era ends, he said in a post on LinkedIn. Exactly 25 years ago, in June 2000, I had the honor of launching and leading Microsoft Pakistan. What began as a bold, hope-filled mission became the most rewarding journey of my personal and professional life, Rehman said. Terming Microsoft's Pakistan exit as more than just a corporate one, Rehman pointed out that the environment of the country has made even large companies finding it unsustainable to stay there. This is more than a corporate exit. Its a sobering signal of the environment our country has created.. one where even global giants like Microsoft find it unsustainable to stay. It also reflects on what was done (or not done) with the strong foundation we left behind by the subsequent team and regional management of Microsoft. The move came as the tech giant cut roughly 9,100 jobs worldwide (or about 4 per cent of its workforce) in its largest layoff round since 2023. Also Read | Microsoft to cut over 9,000 jobs as part of streamlining workforce efforts The former Microsoft Pakistan boss recalled his special moments at the company, reflecting on moments including orchestrating Bill Gates' first call with President Musharraf and multiple meetings which followed thereafter, and securing multi-million dollar Gates Foundation funding to reduce infant & maternal mortality. To my original MSPK team.. thank you. You were the heart of this journey. We built more than a successful business.... we built a legacy, he wrote. Rehman in a separate post also urged the government and IT minister to engage with the tech giants with a bold KPI (Key Performance Indicators) driven plan. Ex Pakistan President calls out country's leadership Former Pakistan President Arif Alvi also called Microsoft's exit from the country a troubling sign for our economic future. Recalling Bill Gates' visit to his office in 2022, when Alvi was President, he revealed that the Microsoft founder had plans to expand operations in Pakistan. During our discussion, I asked him directly, Why isnt Microsoft investing in Pakistan? Alvi wrote in a post on X. He leaned in, sharing in confidence that he had just spoken with PM Imran Khan and arranged a call between the PM and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. In a hushed tone, he asked me to keep it quiet, revealing that all is set and within two months, the PM and I will announce a major Microsoft investment in Pakistan, Alvi added. He shared that everything went downhill after that after Imran Khan got arrested and a regime change happened. Alvi revealed that Microsoft shifted its focus to Vietnam for expansion in a decision in which they had initially favored Pakistan. Our Movie, the latest South Korean melodrama series, is becoming a major sensation online, with viewers across the globe praising its moving story, standout performances, and striking visual direction. Directed by Lee Jung-heum and written by Han Ga-eun and Kang Kyung-min, Our Movie stars Namkoong Min and Jeon Yeo-been in a deeply emotional tale about love, loss, and healing. The show premiered on June 13, 2025 and airs every Friday and Saturday at 21:50 (KST). Internet falls in love with Namgoong Min's Our Movie Social media has been flooded with praise for the show. The hashtag #OurMovie is trending on X (formerly Twitter), as fans share emotional reactions to key scenes and applaud the casts chemistry. One viral post described a moment when the screen shifts from black-and-white to colour as the character Jeha embraces love: THIS IS CINEMA (sic), the user wrote. Another user commented on the depth of acting, highlighting a scene where Jeha realises the terminal nature of his partners illness: The reaction in his eyes is so PAINFUL (sic). Other viewers noted the strength of the writing and character development, particularly Jehas emotional journey from denial to acceptance. This entire 1-minute scene defines and even answers Jeha's fears (sic), a fan wrote. The series has also been praised for avoiding typical melodramatic tropes. A popular comment read: Unlike other second leads, he decided to stay away without causing trouble. Respect to this bro (sic). About Our Movie At the heart of the story is a film director (played by Namkoong Min) and an aspiring actress (played by Jeon Yeo-been), both struggling with serious health conditions. As they work together on a project, they slowly begin to open up to each other, eventually falling in love amidst their personal battles. New Delhi, Jul 5 (PTI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called for a renewed mandate for the New Development Bank (NDB), emphasising the need for greater agility, technological advancement, and efficiency in today's fast-changing world. Observing that NDB has played an important role in reshaping the financial landscape for the global South, she said it has approved more than 100 projects and it has approved more than USD 35 billion in financing across member countries, including key Indian initiatives, like the metro rail, renewable energy and water management. NDB is not just a source of capital, it is a platform for shaping a more equitable and responsive global financial architecture, she said during the NDB Governors Seminar on the theme 'Challenges for Financing Sustainable Development for the Global South' in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Friday. "In today's fast-changing world, its mandate must be renewed. The NDB's mandate must be renewed with a focus on greater agility, technological advancement, and efficiency in an enhanced way. So, in conclusion, I would like to say financing sustainable development in the global South isn't just about raising funds. "It's about building fairness. It's about building trust, and it is about building leadership. India, with its dual role as a leading emerging economy and a global influencer, is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation, not just for itself, but for all those who share its aspirations," she said. Sitharaman underlined the need for decisive collective action by the global South to address multiple uncertainties arising from fiscal constraints, climate change, and evolving geopolitical dynamics. Sitharaman highlighted that this deters long-term investment and delays critical progress in areas like renewable energy and climate-resilient infrastructure. Stressing that India stands at a unique crossroads, she said, "The aspirations of a billion people converge with the imperatives of a fast-changing planet. And in this moment, policy will determine the pace. India has demonstrated how scale and speed can go hand-in-hand." Through transformative policy initiatives like UPI, Aadhaar and Jan Dhan, India has driven financial inclusion even to the last mile, she said. India's policy ecosystem has been further strengthened by programmes, such as the Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the National Green Hydrogen Mission and the installation of over 220 GW of renewable energy capacity to accelerate clean energy transition, she said, adding that these efforts are complemented by a commitment to macroeconomic stability. "As we strive towards the 2030 agenda, the financing gap for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries has widened to over USD 4.2 trillion annually post-pandemic, reflecting the widening gap between ambition and reality," she said. New Delhi, Jul 5 (PTI) Zerodha founder and CEO Nithin Kamath has cautioned that retail trading activity could be impacted if proprietary trading firms like Jane Street, which contribute nearly 50 per cent of options trading volumes, scale back their participation in the market. This development could have negative implications for both exchanges and brokers, he added. "Prop trading firms like Jane Street account for nearly 50% of options trading volumes. If they pull back which seems likely retail activity (~35%) could take a hit too. So this could be bad news for both exchanges and brokers," Kamath said on X. "The next few days will be telling. F&O volumes might reveal just how reliant we are on these prop giants," he added. In an order released in the early hours of Friday, the market regulator found Jane Street (JS), a New York-based hedge fund, guilty of manipulating the indices by taking bets in the cash, and, futures and options markets simultaneously for making handsome gains. It has barred the hedge fund from accessing the market and impounded over 4,843 crore in gains. The probe has found that JS made a profit of 36,671 crore on a net basis during the probe period from January 2023 - May 2025. Kamath said that if the allegations against Jane Street are true, it's "blatant market manipulation" and despite warnings from the exchange, it continued. "The shocking part? They kept at it even after receiving warnings from the exchanges. Maybe this is what happens when you're used to the lenient U.S. regulatory regime. Think about the structure of U.S. markets: dark pools, payment for order flow, and other loopholes that allow hedge funds to make billions off retail investors. Srinagar: On a sweltering June morning, farmer Mir Shahnawaz moves between rows of unripe apples, adjusting the nozzle of his pesticide spray. Its a familiar ritual nowone he never imagined performing two decades ago. I have not grown rice since 2003," he says, eyes scanning his orchard. We have faced back-to-back droughts. The rains do not come like they used to. Year after year, we waited, but the rainfall became scarce, and the canals that once nourished our fields ran dry. The limited irrigation we had was not enough to sustain a full paddy cycle." Across the Valley, rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and failing irrigation systems are forcing a reckoning: Is rice still viable here? The data suggests not. In 1996, Kashmir had about 163,000 hectares under paddy cultivation. By 202223, that figure had fallen to 129,000 hectaresa nearly 21% decline, official data shows. Much of this loss is due to farmers shifting to alternatives like apples and vegetablesor selling out entirely. In Pulwama, once dotted with lush paddy fields, rows of young apple trees now dominate the view. Apples, farmers say, are not only more profitable but also less thirsty. View Full Image Paddy fields in Kashmir. It takes about 2,500 litres of water to produce one kilogram of rice, while apples require significantly less. (Photo: Ifran Amin Malik) Farewell to paddy In Kashmir, rice isnt just a cropits a cultural foundation. But farmers like Mir are walking away from it, driven not by preference, but by survival. In the southern district of Pulwama, paddy fields now stand abandoned or reworked as apple orchards. Giving up rice was not a bold choice, but one forced by circumstances," says Mir. When we were cornered, switching to apples was the only option. Apples need less water and at least give us a chance to earn a livelihood." Just how stark is the difference? According to Dr. Tasneem Mubarak, chief scientist (Agronomy) at SKUAST Kashmir, it takes about 2,500 litres of water to produce one kilogram of rice, while apples require significantly less. Mohammad Ashraf Wani, a seasoned apple grower and former president of the Fruit Market Shopian, estimates that apples need only around 30 litres of water per kilogram. It may seem counterintuitive for farmers in an area historically known for rice production to shift towards apples, but climate change has eroded paddy profitability, prompting many to adapt. - Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, a farmer. Former agriculture director Altaf Aijaz Andrabi agrees. The Valley can no longer afford paddynot ecologically, and not economically. Water scarcity, rising costs, and shrinking landholdings mean its time to shift to high-value, low-water crops like vegetables, maize, and sweet corn," he says. Farmers cant be left to navigate this alone. The government needs to actively support this transition." The case for apples and vegetables In nearby Kulgams Wanigund village, farmer Sajad Ahmad Wani has already made the leap. I have four kanals (around 0.2 hectares) and now grow almost everything: radish, brinjal, cucumber, carrot, lettuce, onions, potatoes," he says. Cucumbers, carrots, and radish sell like hotcakes to hotels and restaurants in the tourist areas of the Valley. If I was making 100,000 profit from paddy farming before, now my income has doubled to 200,000." Their motivations are practical, and increasingly urgent. Paddy farming requires consistent water supply through June and July. This year, Kashmir recorded its hottest June in decades, with Srinagar hitting 35.5C on June 20the highest in 20 years. Nights brought no relief: on June 25, the capital city registered a minimum of 25.0C, the hottest June night in 134 years. Across the Valley, canals ran dry, and paddy fields cracked under the heat. In June, when we transplant paddy, there were no rains at all, and the heatwave has only made things worse," says Arshid Hussain Bhat, a fourth-generation farmer from Charsoo village in Awantipora. The water level in the river Jhelum is so low that even the drought pumps we use to draw water are failing. Due to large-scale sand mining carried out in Kashmir over many years, riverbeds have been severely damaged, rendering traditional irrigation systems obsolete." Bhat, who cultivates paddy on 10 kanals of land, fears a total crop failure. After transplanting ends by 21 June, timely rainfall is crucial. The paddy seedlings need to be kept soaked for at least 40 days so that fertilisers and herbicides can mix properly with water. That helps keep weeds and unwanted grass under control and prevents the fields from cracking. Without enough water, the paddy simply cannot grow." The long-term threat to Kashmirs food security is clear. Kashmirs rice demand is around 900,000 quintals per year, while local production is around 500,000 quintals," says Dr. Asif Bashir Shikari, senior scientist and associate professor at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST). Even if we cannot achieve full self-sufficiency, sustaining what we have is crucial for food security." The shortfall is met through imports from rice-surplus states such as Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Locally grown Kashmiri rice currently sells for around 4,000 per 100 kg in the open market. In contrast, imported varieties, mainly distributed through the Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCSCA), are sold at subsidised rates of approximately 1,500 per 100 kg, although their actual market price is around 3,600. Under the public distribution system, families below the poverty line receive this rice free of cost, while others are entitled to 5 kilograms per family member at the subsidised rate of 80. And rice, in Kashmir, is more than sustenance. It anchors Wazwan, the Valleys iconic wedding feast. Every spiced delicacy is served atop a steaming bed of rice, without which the meal feels incomplete. Yet in Kulgamonce called the rice bowl of Kashmir"apple trees now dominate the landscape. Farmer Mohammad Yousuf Bhat transitioned to apples in 1980, though he still grows rice on a portion of his land. It may seem counterintuitive for farmers in an area historically known for rice production to shift towards apples, but climate change has eroded paddy profitability, prompting many to adapt," he says. In his hamlet, Katrasoo, over 90% of farmers have made the switch. But the shift isnt just about climate. Its about economicsand policy. Apple orchards yield significantly higher returns, even if they come with their own risks. Andrabi says: If a farmer earns 15,000 from rice cultivation, he can earn around 180,000 from vegetables and 100,000 from a successful high-density apple orchard. Vegetables have the advantage of being short-duration crops, allowing for three harvests in a year. This means the land is used three times compared to the single annual harvest of rice or apples. Moreover, vegetable farming involves lower input costs, unlike apples which require high expenditure on pesticides and labour, or paddy, which demands excessive water." Climate change and survival pressure According to SKUAST projections, rice production in the Valley will decline by 6.6% by 2040 and by nearly 29.1% by 2090 under a medium-emissions climate scenario. Meanwhile, the economics of rice consumption have already worsened. Since the withdrawal of rice distribution schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana in 2022, the cost of local rice has nearly doubledfrom 2,0003,000 per 100 kg to 5,0006,000. Poor families are now buying less rice or turning to cheaper alternatives. While farmers are often blamed for abandoning rice, they point to deeper structural failures. High-value rice varieties capable of selling for 500 a kilo have been created. While the scientific research and varieties exist, the marketing and commercial systems are lacking," says Dr. Shikari. He also notes that Kashmirs irrigation system is glacier-dependent, unlike Indias monsoon-reliant plains. As glaciers shrink and temperatures rise, the valley faces a serious challenge in sustaining its paddy fields," he says. A recent study mapped 122 glaciers in the Pir Panjal range and found that between 1980 and 2020, their area shrank by nearly 10 square kilometresa key blow to irrigation security. Also Read | Kashmirs snowless winter sparks an unprecedented water crisis in the Valley Farmers cite other hurdles: broken canals, lack of desilting, encroachments, and the fragmentation of farmland. Despite the challenges, somelike Arshid Bhatrefuse to give up on rice. Rice is going to become scarce in Kashmir, and when that happens, prices will rise sharply. Especially here, where rice is our staple, demand wont disappear. We will have to sell apples or even our shops just to buy rice to fill our bellies," he says. Yet policy does little to discourage the conversion of farmland. Under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), farmers are eligible for subsidies up to 50% for apple-related investmentsplanting material, drip irrigation, trellis systems, and hail nets. According to Andrabi, there is no specific scheme in place to support rice cultivation, as it no longer provides sufficient remuneration to farmers. Since rice is cheaply available in the market and requires large amounts of water, farmers are increasingly shifting towards high-density crops that offer better returns on smaller landholdings. With shrinking land availability and changing global agricultural dynamics, the focus is now on maximising income through intensive, space-efficient farming." Officials admit theres a policy disconnect. We can educate farmers and provide training on the profitability of traditional agriculture but without cooperation from other departments, those efforts fall short," says Qazi Shouqat, deputy director, Agriculture Department, Kashmir. He notes that the revenue department issues construction permits for farmland while the horticulture department promotes orchard developmentundermining preservation efforts. The horticulture department denies encouraging such conversions. We cannot stop farmers from converting their paddy land into apple orchards," says Mohammad Amin Bhat, a technical officer. But farmers should understand that the apples grown on such land often have a shorter shelf life, inferior colour and texture, and are more susceptible to disease." Still, for many, the trade-off is worth it. And unless rice farming becomes economically and ecologically viable again, more will make the same choice. We need policies that support farmers not just in seed technology, but in marketing, branding, and mechanisation," says Dr. Shikari. If rice cultivation is made viable and visible, farmers will return to it." Also Read | How Kashmirs entire economy hinges on migrant workers who can vanish overnight Dr. Shikari sees the issue differently. He believes the answer lies not in discouraging farmers, but in making rice farming more viable through systemic support. We need policies that support farmers not just in seed technology, but in marketing, branding, and mechanisation. If rice cultivation is made viable and visible, farmers will return to it." Crizac IPO Allotment: The initial public offering (IPO) of Crizac Limited, a B2B education platform, closed with strong demand from investors. Following the closure of the IPO, investors are now focused on the Crizac IPO allotment date, which is expected to be finalised soon. Crizac IPO was open for subscription for a period of three days from July 2 to July 4. Crizac IPO allotment date is likely Monday, July 7 and the Crizac IPO listing date is expected to be Wednesday, July 9. Crizac IPO, worth 860 crore, was entirely an offer for sale (OFS) of 3.51 crore shares. This means the IPO proceeds will not go to the company but to the shareholders selling the stake. Crizac IPO price band was set in the range of 233 to 245 apiece, with a minimum lot size of 61 shares. Crizac IPO witnessed a heavy demand from investors, helped by positive reviews from brokerages and a healthy grey market premium. Crizac IPO IPO Subscription Status At the end of the three-day bidding process, Crizac IPO's subscription status stood at 59.82 times, with the offer witnessing bids for 1,54,56,80,464 shares as against 2,58,36,909 shares on offer. The retail portion for Crizac IPO was booked 10.24 times while the non-institutional investor (NII) quota was subscribed 76.15 times. The qualified institutional buyers (QIB) segment received a massive 134.35 times bids. Crizac IPO IPO Allotment Date While the allotment for an IPO tends to be finalized next day after the closure of the public offer, it is not the case for Crizac IPO as after closing on Friday, July 4, the subsequent days are the weekend (July 5 and July 6) and the Indian stock market is closed then. Therefore, Crizac IPO allotment date is likely Monday, July 7. Since the Crizac IPO allotment status is expected to be finalised soon, here's a look at how investors can check the status. To check Crizac IPO allotment status online check, one can do so through BSE and NSE websites. One other way to check IPO status is through the official portal of the IPO registrar, which is MUFG Intime India Private Limited (Link Intime). Crizac IPO Allotment: Steps to check status on BSE 1. Head to the BSE website by clicking on this link: https://www.bseindia.com/investors/appli_check.aspx 2. Select 'Equity' as Issue Type 3. Choose Crizac in the dropdown for Issue Name 4. Enter either your application number or PAN details 5. Verify by ticking on I am not robot and then click on Search Your Crizac IPO allotment status will be displayed on the screen. Crizac IPO Allotment: Steps to check status on NSE 1. Head to the NSE's website by clicking on this link: https://www.nseindia.com/invest/check-trades-bids-verify-ipo-bids 2. Select Equity and SME IPO bids 3. Choose Crizac from the Issue Name dropdown 4. Enter either your Application Number or PAN details 5. Click on Submit Your Crizac IPO allotment status will be displayed on the screen. Crizac IPO allotment: Steps to check status on MUFG Intime 1. Visit the IPO registrar's website using this link: https://in.mpms.mufg.com/Initial_Offer/public-issues.html 2. Choose Crizac as the company name from the dropdown 3. Select either PAN details, Application Number, DP ID or Account Number 4. Enter details pertaining to the option picked 5. Click on Search Your Crizac IPO allotment status will be displayed on the screen. Crizac IPO IPO Subscription Status Crizac IPO GMP today is 40 per share, according to investorgain.com. This means that Crizac IPO shares are available at a premium of 40 in the grey market. If the Crizac IPO GMP sustains then Crizac shares could list at 285 apiece, a premium of 16% over the IPO price of 245 per share. GMPs signal investor willingness to buy its shares at a premium or discount to the IPO price. However, investors must note that grey market premiums are subject to change ahead of the listing. One should consider the company's fundamentals and risk appetite before investing. The year 2025 is expected to be the year of IPOs. After HDB Financial Services, yet another NBFC, Tata Capital, has secured Sebi approval for listing. When well-funded groups like HDFC and Tata are seeking to leverage the bull market valuations through the IPOs, will others stay behind? In the last few years, several new-age technology entities have gone public despite being loss-making at the time of their IPOs, including Nykaa (FSN E-Commerce Ventures), Zomato, Paytm (One97 Communications) and Policybazaar (PB Fintech) initially fuelled optimism among investors. However, most of the stocks nosedived in the subsequent months. But if the stock markets continue to spin a dreamy story of valuations soaring higher, 2025 may see a repeat of 2021. Some questions need to be answered here. Should investors latch on to IPOs of well-marketed new-age businesses only because of the promise of quick returns? Are they even certain of the business models offering high growth in future? Or are they only facilitating the exit of the VCs and PE investors at steep valuations? Fact is, some of the most understated and boring businesses that have decades of earnings history fail to get investor interest in bull markets. Its only when you put the numbers in perspective and evaluate the safety of the business model that you realise what you are missing. Case in point is the countrys biggest bank and a financial juggernaut, State Bank of India. The banks government ownership, susceptibility to slippage in quality of loans, responsibility of increasing the banking coverage in the country have all put together kept the bank out of radar of growth investors. True to expectations, the stock of SBI has languished from time to time due to poor quality of earnings growth and balance sheet. But over a longer period of time, say decades, the bank has managed to more than makeup for the lost years. The bank recently revealed some statistics of the growth in its balance sheet versus the growth in Indias GDP and the numbers are impressive to say the least. SBIs profits have grown at a staggering 52,000 times versus the GDP growth of 3,000 times in the past seven decades. Of course, PSU banks have typically been low-margin, low-return-on-equity businesses with high manpower and branch operation costs. But over time, SBI has managed to keep a close watch on efficiency metrics like profit per employee. Also, the bank has seen a sharp growth in employee costs to keep up the talent acquisition in new business segments and compete with private sector peers. The fact that the dividend paid out by the bank has also grown at a CAGR of 14.8% over the past 70 years, shows how the stock has been remunerative not just for the government but also for minority shareholders. Despite stiff competition from the private sector and multinational banks, SBI has managed to sustain a dominant market share across product categories. Even in the case of technology-led offerings like mobile banking and UPI transactions, the bank has maintained its stronghold. Being the governments banker, SBI will certainly, from time to time, face the impact of policy obligations. However, the bank will sustain a healthy pace of growth and profitability for several decades. When such stocks are trading below two times book value and 10 times earnings, is there really a need to chase IPOs at lofty valuations? Happy Investing. Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such. This article is syndicated from Equitymaster.com. Though Karan Khanna remembers snatches of the time spent in Chennai, his earliest memories are of Kanpur where his father, artist Krishen Khanna, was transferred in the years between 1959 and 1961. The family lived there in a big bungalow with a lawn when his father was working in Grindlays Bank. He would go to work and come home to paint," says Karan. It is Delhi, though, that he remembers most fondly when his parents, siblings, aunt and cousins lived together. This was also the time when Khanna shifted to painting full-time. Later, he accepted a monthly contract of 500 to paint for Kumar Art Gallery, which also exhibited his works later. I mustve been seven or eight years old when I became his studio assistant. My job was to clean the brushes and the colour palette," remembers Karan. The house in Mathura Road had a barsati , which doubled up as Khannas studio. Karan remembers his home always being an open house for visitors and Khannas friends-artists such as V.S. Gaitonde, Tyeb Mehta, M.F. Husain, Ram Kumar, and more. The Progressive artists were uncles to us, and later our family grew with everyones children coming together to celebrate festivals, events, and occasions," remembers Karan. The artists would often have constructive arguments on art, and would meet the next day as if nothing had happened. They could have their own points of view but eventually the bond between all of them was really strong, and that allowed friendships to remain intact," he adds. One of the biggest learnings for Karan has been that of discipline and diligence. Today, even though Khanna doesnt paint regularly, he continues to draw daily. The artist also stands as an epitome of a true friendbe it helping Gaitonde when the artist met with an accident or by hosting Kumars exhibition at home and buying some of his artworks as well. In their home in Gurugram, paintings of fellow Progressives such Husain, Mehta, and S.H. Raza hold pride of place. He looks at his friends works everyday, telling us often that he misses them a lot," says Karan. While the Khanna household is brimming with family members who are in town to celebrate 100 years of the artist, the centenarian recently confessed to his son, Kisko bulaoon, ab koi friend hai hee nahi (whom should I call, none of my friends are around)." That being said, the artist remains happy and cheerful, with that radiant smile always on his face. Its good karma that Im their son and that my parents are still with us, happy and healthy," says Karan. Simply sophisticated Curator and art writer Uma Nairs association with the Khanna family goes back to the time when Renukaher classmate and friend Karans motherwould encourage her to write after reading her school essays. Many years later, Nair would curate group shows featuring Krishen Khannas sculptures and paintings, and would write about him in several publications. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication and that completely defines Krishen Khanna. Hes a man of integrity, and creates works of art that speak of the truth," she says. View Full Image Krishen and Renuka Khanna on their wedding day in 1950. The latter supported the family as Khanna pursued his artistic ambitions. Photo: courtesy Karan Khanna Khannas works are as relevant as ever for highlighting people on the margins. The much feted Bandwalla series of the early 1980s is a fitting example of Khannas empathetic gaze. In the late 1970s, the artist encountered a baraat, or a wedding procession, where he noticed the frayed scarlet red garments of these musicians with their large brass instruments, playing popular film tunes while looking frail and tired. It was then that he decided to capture this common man" on his canvas. In a catalogue that she wrote for theThe Indian Council for Cultural Relations, titled Krishen Khanna: Paintings and Drawings, A Human Odyssey, 70 Years', the artist is quoted as: There is something sad about them [bandwallas]. Like refugees, they too came to this side of the border, and like me they too didnt know what to do in life they had the skill the irony is that no one wants them otherwise. So, I have some affinity for them." View Full Image '1947 Partition-Train 24 hrs late'. Image: courtesy Karan Khanna In a show of sculptures, Alchemies of Form, which she had curated earlier this year in Bikaner House, four of the artists sculptures, inspired by his bandwalla series were displayed. His art leaves us with the feeling that the most important thing in life is grace," explains Nair. He compels us to think." Take for instance, his works such as 1947 about the Partition or News of Gandhiji's Death (1950), Truckwallas (1970s), and Game (1970s). She finds 1947 a particularly poignant work. Unlike his big canvases, this is a relatively smaller work but is a milestone of sorts. It makes us think of our history and the power of human emotions," adds Nair. A chronicler of history Having known Khanna for over 25 years, Dinesh Vazirani, CEO and co-founder, Saffronart, hails him not just as a timeless artist but also a wonderful mentor. When we were starting Saffronart, selling art online was unheard of. I was nervous but he said, Youre making a change and that takes a different conviction and different courage. Itll be tough but dont give up, and that stuck with me," he adds. The team is planning a private show of his works at the ITC Maurya, Delhi, where his iconic mural, The Great Procession, is part of the lobby. Vazirani finds a whimsical side to some of Khannas arthe documents history with a twist of humour, emotion and sensitivity. The artists work is relatable due to the lived experiences that he brings to the canvas. Khanna has an innate gentleness and wit that reflects in his art as well. He remembers feeling overwhelmed on meeting the artist for the first time. However, Khanna made him feel comfortable instantly. He continues to be easy to talk to, and full of laughter and stories. View Full Image 'The Last Bite'. Courtesy: Saffronart In the auction world, Khanna is hailed as a blue chip artist, simply for his storytelling ability. The last man standing in the Progressives group, he remains timeless as ever. Hes a chronicler of history, and thats why the value of his works appreciates in auctions," says Vazirani. His work will bring out a range of emotions in you." While its tough to talk about his favourites, Vazirani is fascinated with The Last Bite, Khannas take on the iconic The Last Supper in which hes painted all his band of brothers", with Husain at the head of the table personifying Christ. Telling the stories of people on the margins Ashish Anand,CEO & MD, DAG, continues to be intrigued by Khannas charm even after all these years. Krishen Khanna is as wonderful in his personal interactions as he is in his artistic practicehis warmth is contagious," says Anand. DAG, in its previous publications and catalogues, has featured essays especially written by the artist about the Progressive Artists Group, his early days, the fight for freedom of artistic expression, and more. The artists biggest contribution, perhaps, lies in giving an agency to anonymous people on the streets and their respective occupations. His representation has made them visible in public life, making Krishen a true chronicler of the poor, the downtrodden and the marginalised. Yet, they exude a sense of joie-de-vivre, or the joy of life, reflecting his own sunny persona," says Anand. He continues to be amazed at Khannas razor sharp memory, and astounding ability to remember the minutest of details from events that happened back in time. He has always been willing to be interviewed for our projects and, in fact, twice contributed his writings for our exhibitionsContinuum and Mumbai Modernboth based on the Progressives, of which he remains, at 100 years of age, the lone star." An expert at colour Enter the ITC Maurya in Delhi and you cant miss the imposing ceiling that has one of Indias biggest murals on display. Titled, The Great Procession, it is an ode to the heritage of India, recreating the panelled dome of a Chaitya or a Buddhist hall of worship. Khanna was commissioned to work on it in the late 1970s, with the project taking four years to complete. Painted onto the curved surface of the lobby dome, it brings together elements from the rich Mauryan past," says Amaan Kidwai, area manager, luxury hotels (North) and general manager, ITC. Back in the day when the mural was in the works, it wasnt unusual to see Khanna in the hotel for long stretches of time, absorbed in thought. Each of the works were assembled at his studio in Garhi, New Delhi, finally put together at the hotel. View Full Image 'The Great Procession'. Image: courtesy Karan Khanna You cant help but feel a sense of awe in the way the artist has used colour and perspective in his composition. This remains, perhaps, one of the biggest artworks at any Indian hotel. According to Kidwai, the artist was instrumental in engaging several distinguished artists to contribute to the Mauryan-inspired theme of ITC Maurya. This, once again, is a pointer to how Khanna always supported his friendsas the first Rockefeller Fellow artist in the 1960s, he encouraged many other artists for the fellowship. The celebration of his 100th birthday, with this timeless piece of art in view, is an honour for us," adds Kidwai. Abhilasha Ojha is an independent art and culture writer. NEW DELHI, July 5 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people, including a groom, were killed and two others injured critically after a vehicle carrying a wedding party crashed into the boundary wall of a college in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, police said Saturday. The accident took place Friday evening in Junawai town of Sambhal district, about 383 km northwest of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh. "The vehicle was reportedly being driven at high speed when the driver lost control near Janata Inter College and collided with the boundary wall, following which the vehicle overturned," according to the police. Police have registered a case and ordered an investigation into the accident. India's Federal Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, in December last year revealed in the parliament that road accidents claim approximately 178,000 lives each year in India, and around 60 percent of those fatalities occur among individuals aged 18 to 34 years. Last year, over 480,000 road accidents were recorded in the country. His family owned a mango orchard in Tamil Nadu. The Imam Pasand mangoes from that orchard were the stuff of family legend. But N rarely got a taste of the mangoes in their prime. For an Indian immigrant in the US, fresh mangoes from home were forbidden fruit. Mangoes from India, like most agricultural products from abroad, were strictly banned in the US. One year while visiting home, N was unable to resist the temptation. He buried some not-quite-ripe mangoes deep inside his hand luggage. But over the course of the long transcontinental flight from India, they slowly ripened in the overhead compartment of the aircraft. When he landed in the US, his heart was thudding. He said he was convinced that every customs agent and their sniffer dogs would surely zero in on him and his contraband cargo. It wasnt quite a case of exploding mangoes but close enough. The mango has always been the ultimate distillation of desi immigrant nostalgia in one fruit. Because Indian mangoes were long barred from the US, desi immigrants had to make do with Filipino and Mexican pretenders while dreaming of Alphonsos, Himsagars and Langdas ripening in orchards back home. It was the 2008 US-India nuclear deal that finally resulted in an Indian mango detente. President George W. Bush warmed many Indian hearts when he said, The United States is looking forward to eating Indian mangoes." The shrink-wrapped mango with stickers proclaiming Treated by Irradiation" (to eliminate pests and increase shelf life) is a far cry from the mango summers of India when pyramids of the golden, red and green fruit pile up in the markets, ripening slowly in the muggy heat. Only one or two varieties were cleared for import, like the Alphonso, from a country that boasted of some 1,500 kinds of mangoes. But the irradiated pricey mango, had finally been offered a pathway to legal immigration, was the symbol of a changing world. As well as Indias growing soft power. I remember going down to my local Indian grocery store in Silicon Valley and seeing the first sealed boxes of legal" Alphonsos. I had to buy a whole box, at a hefty price; there was no picking and choosing, no pressing the flesh to test the ripeness. I worried if irradiated and healthy, the freshly naturalised mango might also have had their lifeblood zapped out them along with every potential bug. But at least it was better than trying to relive the taste of Indian mangoes through a dented tin of mango pulp from the local Indian supermarket. That mango mazaa American story hit a roadblock recently. In May, 15 shipments of Indian mangoes were rejected by US authorities at ports of entry like San Francisco, Los Angeles and Atlanta. After getting irradiated, mangoes need to procure a Form PPQ 203 to comply with agricultural requirements for entry into the US. The mangoes were irradiated, but USDA (US department of agriculture) claimed the PPQ 203 was incorrectly issued"apparently a case of mangoes that did not mind their Ps and Qs. The exporters argued otherwise, but $500,000 worth of mangoes were dumped at the border anyway. The spurned shipments of mango now begged the questionis there still room for Indian mangoes in MAGA America? A friend quipped that America barring the mango from India while the US President warns Apple not to go to India shows we are living in a time of strange fruit indeed. As Billie Holiday sang, Here is a strange and bitter crop." At one time, for generations of South Asian immigrants, the mango was a symbol of loss and somehow all the sweeter for it. It became the stuff of cliches. In her 2021 essay on the mango in Literary Hub, writer Urvi Kumbhat points out that in the 1999 novel by Atima Srivastava Looking for Maya, a character sneers at diasporic writing as being all about mangoes and coconuts and grandmothers." (I plead guilty. When I eventually published a novel myself, I had both mangoes and grandmothers in it, as well as some coconut oil.) Twitterverse even came up with the mocking term mango diaspora poetry" for all that bad poetry out there where mango serves as a stand-in for heritage, loss and erotic longing, sticky fingers, dripping juice and all. Kumbhat writes, In mango poetry, the accusation goes, the homeland is superficial and populated with tropesit reinscribes an exoticizing gaze even while claiming belonging and authenticity." Bangladeshi-American poet Tarfia Faizullah asks in her poem Self-Portrait as a Mango, Doesnt a mango just win spelling bees and kiss white boys? Isnt a mango a placeholder in a poem filled with burkas?" As Kumbhat points out, the poem denounces desi stereotypes in the diaspora like spelling bees but it uses the mango, which is as much a cliche itself. The mango, clearly, is hard to escape or deny. Thats probably because we just love it and cannot deny that love. Like all true love, its messy. At a time when New York mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani is being attacked by some for being uncivilised" enough to eat with his hands, a mango remains the epitome of messy eating. I am waiting for a video of Mamdani eating a mango. And like most great love stories, the mango is all about pining. The very unavailability of the Indian mango in the US was part of its allure. The mango was the price of immigration, a reminder that we could not have it alla cushy Silicon Valley lifestyle and perfectly ripened mangoes, a season both fleeting and sweet, perhaps all the more sweet because it is fleeting. When I moved back to India from California, as summer approached, friends and family wondered how I would weather my first full-fledged Kolkata summer in years. But at least I will have mangoes," I would reply. And I did. By then the Alphonso was already readily and legally available in the US, especially in South Asian grocery stores but it still didnt compare to the mango bonanza India had to offer, the many varieties that marked the progress of an Indian summer like some golden metronome. At my home in Kolkata, the Gulab Khas with its red blush was the harbinger of summer, followed by the silky smooth Himsagar and then the meaty Langda. I ate them all with relish and posted pictures on social media to gloat to my NRI friends. In fact when boxes of Alphonso first showed up in California, I wondered (even as I bought myself one) if it was not a mixed blessing. Would I still love the mango so dearly if the next time I walked into my regular supermarket I found them piled at the entrance like watermelon, 99 cents a pound? I took some reassurance in the fact that though the Alphonso was coming to the US, for the other 1,499 varieties one needed to go back home and brave an Indian summer. Or American customs. My friend could never figure out why the sniffer dogs and the customs agent didnt zero in on him and his richly aromatic contraband fruit. Perhaps if he had been an Indian aunty, they would have paid more attention. Indian mothers are well-known for trying to smuggle in the taste of home for their homesick offspring. N was so sick with relief at having escaped the eagle eyes of customs officials, he said, he gave the illegal" mangoes away to friends. Mangoes without papers, illegal aliens in America, they quickly vanished into the great American melting pot leaving no sticky trace behind. But now as America tightens the screws on immigration, ratchets up trade wars and rounds up those without papers, might it be time for the undocumented mango again? Cult Friction is a fortnightly column on issues we keep rubbing up against. Sandip Roy is a writer, journalist and radio host. He posts @sandipr. Every time we make a video call, stream a movie, or send a message, theres a lot happening behind the scenes to keep us connected. One important part of this process is something most people dont hear much aboutbackhaul spectrum, the new battleground between telecom operators and technology companies such as Meta, Google, Amazon. A rift is also brewing among telcos on Indias spectrum allocation method for backhaul services. Backhaul is the link that connects mobile towers and Wi-Fi points to the main internet network, helping data travel between devices and the wider web. As the government looks to decide how the backhaul spectrum should be allocated, telcos and tech firms have presented sharply different views. Also Read | DoT begins fresh demand study for direct spectrum for private 5G networks Telecom operators want all such spectrum to be reserved for them owing to growing data traffic on their networks. Technology companies, represented by the Broadband India Forum, are calling for allocation of spectrum to other entities as well, and in some cases, for licence-free use of certain bands to support wider internet access and innovation. We are of the view that the demand for these traditional microwave bands will persist due to rapid urbanization and densification requirements (and) increased cellular traffic from 5G and future network technologies. Therefore, the existing spectrum in traditional microwave backhaul bands should be made fully available to TSPs (telecom service providers)," said S.P. Kochhar, director general of the Cellular Operators Association of India, in a submission to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on 2 July. The issue of backhaul spectrum is important for India, where patchy fiber connectivity makes wireless backhaul crucial for expanding 5G, rural broadband, and public Wi-Fi networks. However, a lack of clear policy on how backhaul spectrum will be allocated whether through auction, administrative assignment, or delicensinghas created uncertainty for both telecom operators and tech companies. Tech companies for a non-auction route For backhaul purposes, the telecom operators have been assigned provisional spectrum in bands such as 6 GHz and 21 GHz, as well as in E (71-76 GHz, and 81-86 GHz) and V bands (57-64/ 66 GHz). In areas where laying fiber is difficult or delayed, backhaul using E and V bands is critical for supporting 5G and high-speed internet as these bands can wirelessly carry large volumes of data between towers. According to the department of telecommunications, only 46.09% of the towers in Indiawere connected to the core network using optical fibre cables(called tower fiberization), as of March, underscoring the need for backhaul spectrum to meet higher traffic demand on telecom networks. Some of these traditional/legacy spectrum bands are now being used and some more are likely to be used for other mobile/Wi-Fi/satellite services. Hence it may be required not only by TSPs but also for other entities, viz. Satcom Service Providers, Wi-Fi service providers, research institutions and academia for fuelling innovation," the Broadband India Forum told Trai in a recent communication, advocating for a non-auction route for allocating spectrum. Also Read | Faster WiFi plan hits spectrum interference worry The technology companies forums and the cellular operators associations submissions to Trai were in response toa consultation on the assignment of the microwave spectrum. The forum also argued for licence-free use of 9 GHz spectrum in the lower V band (57-66GHz) to support contactless ports, device-to-device data transfer, and motion-sensing. V-band is already allowed on license-exempt basis world-wide except for a few countries. If V-band continues to be restricted and licensed, innovative new technologies and products would be unable to see the light of the day and consumers in the Indian market would be deprived of the latest and innovative solutions," it said. The technology forum added that new technology such as WiGig, which allows wireless data transfer at multi-gigabit speeds, faster than regular Wi-Fi, requires such a band. Airtel vs Jio on spectrum allocation Although telecom operators are on the same page on backhaul spectrum, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel are at loggerheads over the method for allocation of spectrum. Jio is against allocating backhaul spectrum without holding an auction, citing national security concerns from non-telco entities. Airtel, echoing the views of other technology companies, has called for a non-auction method for spectrum allocation. As per Schedule 1 of the Telecommunications Act 2023, backhaul spectrum is among items for which spectrum is to be assigned administratively (the non-auction route). The current administrative assignment methodology of temporary assignments at a high percentage of AGR (adjusted gross revenue) as spectrum charge has not worked and a large amount of spectrum remains idle with the government, while the TSPs have shortage of backhaul capacities," Jio told Trai in a submissionon 2 July. Unlicensed access to spectrum usable for IMT (international mobile telecommunication) services distorts the level playing field and impacts the investments in the sector, besides being technically ineffective," Jio added. Also Read | India's satcom vs telecom fight just refuses to die Airtel said subjecting these bands to auction-based allocation would not jeopardize service continuity due to non-availability of required backhaul spectrum and could create an artificial scarcity by provisioning more spectrum towards access services. It is pertinent to note that the operators with limited fiber infrastructure are especially dependent on wireless backhaul, and exposing these critical resources to auction dynamics for varied purposes would create severe competitive imbalances," Airtel told Trai on2 July. A call for pricing reforms Both Jio and Airtel, as well as tech companies, however, have called for a reduction in the pricing of backhaul spectrum. Currently, telecom operators pay the government 0.15% of their adjusted gross revenue for a single E-band carrieror about 96 crore. Thats about 3,000 times what telecom service providers in Iraq pay and nearly 1,400 times what TSPs in Saudi Arabia pay, the Broadband India Forum said. A carrier refers to a block or channel of spectrum that an operator uses to transmit wireless signals; more carriers mean more capacity, but also higher costs. India follows an escalating payment mechanism that involves charging 0.35% of a companys adjusted gross revenue for two carriers to as high as 1.45% and 2.30% for six and eight carriers, respectively. A rational SUC (spectrum usage charge) model which is flat, low, and predictable must be adopted for backhaul spectrum," Airtel said in its submission to Trai. Delinking SUC from number of carriers would not only promote efficient deployment but also help optimize access spectrum utilization and improve consumer experience." Jio has pitched a lower reserve price for spectrum based on the auction method and for easier spectrum payment terms. Satellite interference In another potential rift, satellite companies including Eutelsat Group, Amazon Kuiper and Inmarsat, represented by the Global Satellite Operators Association, have urged Trai to move with caution as it looks to expand backhaul services in the 18 GHz band for telecom networks. The association said backhaul bands are critical to supporting mobile and fixed wireless infrastructure, particularly in regions where fiber deployment is not feasible. However, increased use of these bands must not come at the expense of satellite services that share co-primary status, particularly in the 13 GHz and 15 GHz bands," it said. The satellite operators association called for a balanced approach to ensure reliable operation of fixed satellite services, especially in frequency ranges that support essential services such as disaster recovery, remote education, and broadband access in underserved regions. As the Trai evaluates the potential expansion of spectrum assignment for terrestrial use in the 18 GHz band, Amazon encourages it to take a cautious approach," Amazon Kuiper told Trai on2 July. This bandwhich has historically been much less utilized" by terrestrial services to provide radio backhaul service in Indiais critical to the Kuiper Systems ability deliver reliable, affordable, and widely-accessible wireless broadband access to Indian consumers," the company said. In May, the department of telecommunications issued guidelines requiring satellite operators to submit a yearly plan to the government showing how they will gradually increase local manufacturing of ground segments of their satellite network in India. India has so far approved the applications of Bharti Enterprises-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, Jio, and Elon Musk-owned Starlink to launch satellite internet services in India, whereas Amazon Kuiper and Globalstar are waiting regulatory clearances. Gopal Khemka, Business tycoon and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, was shot dead outside his Patna home on July 4 night. DGP Vinay Kumar said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted on this case, which will be headed by SP City Central. The case resembles to his son Gunjan Khemka who was murdered in December 2018 at the gate of his factory. According to officials, the incident took place near the 'Panache' Hotel in the Gandhi Maidan police station area while he was returning to his 'Twin Tower' society residence. On the night of July 4, at around 11 pm, we received information that businessman Gopal Khemka has been shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan. The crime scene has been secured, and further investigation is underway... One bullet and one shell have been recovered," ANI quoted City SP Central, Diksha, as saying. The forensic team has reached the scene where Gopal was killed. Independent MP from Purnea, Pappu Yadav (Rajesh Ranjan) arrived at the place where the murder occured and slammed the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government. Recent double-murder case in Patna In a separate incident, two young men were fatally shot near a temple located in the Bikram police station limits, within the Paliganj subdivision of Patna district on June 10. An Apache bike and 12 bullet shells were found at the location. Police stated that the double homicide occurred close to Guerrilla Sthan on the Manjhauli-Singhara Road. Residents alerted authorities through Dial 112, following which a police team arrived at the scene and took possession of the bodies. Authorities said that both young men were shot from close range, most likely while they were near the temple, resulting in their immediate deaths. A cellphone retrieved from the pocket of one of the victims helped establish that he was a resident of Baghakol in the Bikram block. According to police, efforts were underway to ascertain the identity of the second individual. The bodies of two persons were recovered on the side of Manjhauli-Singhara road under Bikram police station. Prima facie, both persons appear to have been shot dead. Forensic evidence has been collected by the police with the help of the FSL team, and the incident is being investigated with the help of the dog squad team, they mentioned. A video recorded inside a Canara Bank branch in Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka, has gone viral, once again sparking discussions about language use in public services. The clip shows a Kannada-speaking woman confronting a bank employee who could not assist her in the local language. In the footage, the woman- who says she doesnt know English - questions why a Malayalam-speaking staff member is handling the counter. She asks, Why is she here if she cant understand Kannada? Meanwhile, the branch manager is seen speaking in Malayalam to another employee, as the customer demands an explanation for money being deducted from her account without any prior notice. She wasnt even cordial with me, the woman says in the video. When I tried asking, she started making weird faces. The bank official, who steps in during the dispute, replies, You were not cordial either." How did X users respond? The video has divided opinion online. Some users supported the customer, while others accused her of creating unnecessary drama for social media attention. One person commented, What do you want, information or a viral video? Another wrote, Someone is already assisting her in Kannada. What's the problem then? However, many users backed the womans concerns and raised questions about the banks recruitment practices. One user posted, As customers, we expect to be served respectfully and in a language were comfortable with. After all, its our money that keeps the bank running. Public sector banks like Canara Bank were nationalised to serve all citizens, not just a few. Phrases like Why arent locals being given job opportunities? and If youre operating in Karnataka, you must be able to serve in Kannada were repeated by several users. Responding to the criticism, Canara Banks official X (formerly Twitter) account shared a statement reaffirming its commitment to Kannada and its customers. The statement read, Kannada is our foundation, your support is our strength. For Canara Bank, Karnataka is not just a state, it is our birthplace. Kannada is not merely a language to us, it is a feeling, a pride. We are committed to providing services in the local language at every branch in the state. The bank further added that while staff members may come from various parts of India, our heart always resonates with our customers. A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court by the Association for Democratic Reforms challenging the Election Commission of India's directive to conduct a Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll in Bihar, as reported by LiveLaw. The ECI's order is arbitrary and could potentially lead to the disenfranchisement of millions of voters. The plea argues that the ECI's order is arbitrary and could potentially lead to the disenfranchisement of millions of voters, LiveLaw reported. According to the Election Commission, the first visit of the Booth Level Officers (BLOS) to nearly 1.5 crore households in the state was completed ON Friday and over 87 per cent Enumeration Forms (i.e. 6,86,17,932) out of the total of 7,89,69,844 (nearly 7.90 crore) electors in Bihar who are enrolled as on June 24, 2025, have been distributed during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise being conducted in the state. The remaining houses could be locked, or belong to deceased electors, migrants, or those who may be travelling. Since the BLO shall be visiting the houses of the electors three times during the exercise, these figures are likely to increase further. The partially filled forms are also available for download on the ECI portal, as well as on the ECINET App. Electors can upload the filled forms themselves on the ECINET App. Besides, 1,54,977 Booth Level Agents (BLAS) appointed by various political parties are also providing active support in the SIR process, ANI reported. As on July 2, BJP has appointed 52,689 BLAS, followed by 47,504 of RJD, 34,669 of JD(U), 16,500 of INC, 1913 of Rashtriya Lok Jan Shakti Party, 1271 of CPI(ML)L, 1153 of Lok Jan Shakti Party (Ram Vilas), 578 of CPI(M), 270 of Rashtriya Lok Samta Party besides others such as BSP (74), NPP (3) and AAP (1). Each BLA can submit up to 50 certified forms per day. Verification will commence vigorously from August 2, 2025, onwards, following the publication of the draft electoral rolls. Based on the published Draft of Electoral Rolls, Claims and Objections will be received from any political parties or any member of the public from 2nd August 2025 onwards. The final electoral rolls will be published on September 30, 2025. Appeals can also be filed thereafter with the DM and the CEO. Garhwal Divisional Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey has told ANI that the 24-hour ban on Char Dham Yatra is lifted on June 30 (Monday). He added that District Magistrates of all areas along the Yatra route have been instructed to stop vehicles in view of weather conditions in their respective districts, the report said. This comes after the Char Dham Yatra was suspended on Sunday following a heavy rain alert, as per officials. The suspension of the Yatra was followed by a cloudburst, triggering a massive landslide near Barkot, killing two workers and leaving seven others missing. Also Read | Char Dham Yatra suspended! Leaves pilgrims stranded in Haridwar for 24 hours Chamba rain, landslide in Uttarakashi: Details Meanwhile, rain lashed several parts of Chamba town today. Earlier on June 29, the landslide-hit Barkot-Yamunotri road in Uttarakashi district was repaired and made smooth, as per officials. However, the search for the seven missing individuals continued. Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya confirmed to ANI that repairs have been completed on the washout before Silai Band, and that efforts are ongoing to restore other damaged portions of the road. "The washout that happened due to a cloud burst before Silai Band on the Barkot-Yamunotri road of the district has been repaired and the road has been made smooth, while the work of making the other washout smooth is going on," Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya told ANI. Also Read | Gurgaon weather: First Monsoon shower brings relief from heatwave The District Magistrate also informed that the 33 KV power line in the area has been restored, and efforts are underway to repair the 11 KV line. Seven workers are still missing, for whom the search is being conducted by NDRF, SDRF, Police, and Revenue teams, he added. According to Uttarkashi Police, the landslide and cloudburst occurred around four kilometres ahead of Paligad on the Yamunotri National Highway, near Silai Band. A rescue operation is underway, involving personnel from police, fire services, the health department, and public works teams. The two bodies recovered have been identified as Kewal Bisht, a 43-year-old from Karmamohani, Rajapur District in Nepal, and Duje Lal, aged 55, from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has denied media reports that its raid near the Dalai Lamas home in McLeodganj, Himachal Pradesh, was linked to the spiritual leaders security or Khalistani terror funding. The July 4 operation targeted a human trafficking ring called the "US Donkey Route" instead, a term that has seen a major popularization after the popular Bollywood film Dunki, which starred Shah Rukh Khan, and had a storyline of the perilous journey of illegal immigrants. Local police accompanied investigators during the search. False stories spread because the raid happened during the Dalai Lamas 90th birthday celebrations, drawing global visitors to McLeodganj. The NIA called these reports "completely false" and confirmed the operation focused solely on traffickers exploiting Indians desperate to reach America. Victims charged 45 lakh for perilous US journey The "Donkey Route" is a brutal smuggling network charging victims up to INR 45 lakh ($54,000) for fake US visas. Traffickers like Gagandeep Singh forced migrants through dangerous paths across Spain, Guatemala, and Mexico, often abandoning them. During Fridays raids, NIA arrested two key suspects: Sunny "Sunny Donker" from Dharamshala and Shubham Sandhal from Delhi. Both worked for Singh, who sent over 100 people illegally to the US before his March arrest. Sunny ran a communication center near the Dalai Lamas palace, raising initial suspicions about his sudden wealth and foreign wife. Traffickers used shocking cruelty to profit. Sunny organized the migrants journeys, while Sandhal moved money through illegal *hawala* channels to Latin American handlers. Migrants faced beatings, extortion, and starvation during the trip. One victim deported from the US exposed the network after filing a police complaint. Initial confusion arose because McLeodganj police werent informed about the raid. An officer called it a "high-level security concern," while another wrongly linked it to Khalistani financing. The NIA clarified it followed all protocols and cooperated with local authorities during the search. The NIA is expanding its crackdown on the trafficking network. Gagandeep Singh was charged on June 27, and more arrests are expected. Agents seized phones, hard drives, and financial records to track the gangs global connections. The agency warned media against spreading unverified claims, stressing the case involves only human trafficking, not terrorism. Meanwhile, McLeodganj residents expressed relief that the raid wasnt linked to the Dalai Lamas safety during his birthday events. Also Read | Watch: Musiala suffers serious leg injury after collision with Donnarumma Gurugram witnessed brief rainfall early this morning, marking the first shower of the monsoon this year. According to the India Meterological department (IMD), wet spell is likely to take place in the next five days, with thunderstorms and lightning in the district. Gurugram district areas see various levels of rainfall as of 7:30 am Tehsil: Gurugram. . 2.(M.M) Sub Tehsil: Kadipur .. 1. (M.M) Sub Tehsil: Harsaru 1.(M.M) Tehsil: Wazirabad... 2.(M.M) Sub Tehsil: Badshahpur... . Nil.(M.M) Tehsil: Sohna .. 20.(M.M) Tehsil: Manesar .. Nil.M.M) Tehsil: Pataudi ... Nil.(M.M) Tehsil: Farukh Nagar ... Nil.(M.M) Different places saw roads waterlogged following downpour. However, it gave a relief from scorching heat. The monsoon arrived early this time as IMD said the southwest monsoon included the whole country on June 29, nine days prior to the usual July 8. Also Read | Weather update: IMD predicts heavy rainfall in THESE states till July 5 The city could expect light to moderate rain in the next two days, IMD Chandigarh director Surender Paul told TOI. He added, Light to moderate rain is likely at many places from July 1 to 4 and at most places on June 29 and 30 and at a few places thereafter in the state. Thunderstorms and lightning are likely on June 29 to 30 at isolated places in the state. No large change is likely in maximum temperatures during the next five days in the state. Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places from July 1 to July 3 in the state. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places on June 29 and 30 in the state. The IMD says minimum temperature for Gurgaon is 26C to 33C maximum today. Gurgaon weather on July 1 will be from minimum 25C to 33C maximum. It states generally cloudy sky with a few spells of rain or thundershowers. Male, Jul 5 (PTI) India and the Maldives discussed ways to explore new opportunities for economic cooperation and trade enhancement, state-run media said on Saturday. The discussion for strengthening trade was held during a meeting between India's Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal and Maldivian Economic Development and Trade Minister Mohamed Saeed here on Friday. The meeting, held at the Maldivian Economic Ministry as part of Barthwals visit, focused on exploring new areas of economic collaboration and strengthening existing trade ties, according to Public Service Media (PSM News), the state-run media. After the meeting, Saeed said in a post on X: Had a productive meeting today with Indias Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal. We discussed strengthening trade and investment partnerships between our nations and exploring new opportunities for economic cooperation. The Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in a post on X, said Barthwal had a constructive meeting with Saeed, focusing on enhancing trade and investment ties and exploring new avenues for economic cooperation between the two countries. As part of recent efforts to attract Indian investment, business forums were organised in three Indian cities to promote opportunities in the Maldives, the PSM News said. India continues to be a key development partner for the Maldives, contributing to several infrastructure and capacity-building projects, it added. New Delhi has also extended a USD 25.94 million currency swap facility to support the archipelagic nations economy. Earlier on May 26, India and Maldives explored ways to boost trade and strategic cooperation during a three-day visit by Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel, accompanied by a high-level delegation to New Delhi to review the implementation of the comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership. It was agreed during Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzus trip to New Delhi last October. The ties between India and the Maldives came under severe strain after Muizzu, known for his pro-China leanings, took charge of the top office in November 2023. Within hours of his oath, he had demanded the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from his country. Subsequently, the Indian military personnel were replaced by civilians on a mutually agreed date. There was a thaw in the relations as Muizzu vowed to boost the bilateral ties with India during his visit to Delhi in October 2024. The Indian Navy's stealth frigate INS Tabar, currently on a mission in the Gulf of Oman, responded swiftly on Sunday to a distress call from the Pulau-flagged tanker MT Yi Cheng 6. According to a post on X by Indian Navy Spokesperson, the vessel, which was en route from Kandla, India, to Shinas, Oman, reported a major fire in its engine room along with a complete power failure on board. The tanker was carrying 14 crew members, all of Indian origin, when the incident occurred. Upon receiving the distress signal, INS Tabar launched an immediate response, it said. The firefighting team and equipment from #INSTabar were transferred onboard by the ship's boat and helicopter. "The firefighting team and equipment from #INSTabar were transferred onboard by the ship's boat and helicopter. 13 Indian naval personnel and 05 crew members of the stricken tanker are currently involved in firefighting operations, with the intensity of fire onboard reduced drastically," the post reads. BEIJING, July 5 (Xinhua) -- When picturing a steel factory, words like "heavy," "smoky," and "arduous" often come to mind. But a technological breakthrough is proving that the iron and steel industry can be smart and sophisticated, thanks to the power of artificial intelligence (AI). Shougang Group, one of China's largest steelmakers, is leading the way with an AI-powered visual system that is transforming the entire steelmaking process from labor-driven to model-driven. With this cutting-edge technology in place, the steel giant has boosted production efficiency by over 20 percent and reduced defects by 35 percent. Exemplifying the shift toward digital and intelligent industrial transformation, the AI-powered system was named one of the top 10 benchmark applications at the 2025 Global Digital Economy Conference, which wrapped up in Beijing on Saturday. During the event, business leaders and industry representatives discussed the growing impact of AI across industries, highlighting China's broader push toward smart manufacturing. "For a company of our size, the top priority in the face of the ongoing AI revolution is to explore how this technology can deliver better solutions to our challenges, and how it improves quality, increases efficiency and reduces cost," said Jiang Xingqun, senior vice president of BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd., one of the world's largest display panel manufacturers. "Traditional visual technology has been widely used for quality checks, but it still falls short in addressing some issues," Jiang said. "This is why we employ AI for data labeling, model training, and detection of defects and abnormalities." He noted that in recent years, BOE has also developed its own automated decision-making system, which is already being used in production. The company has been actively seeking ways to integrate AI into display panel manufacturing, a comprehensive process that encompasses quality inspection, monitoring and analysis, defect repairs, and equipment maintenance. With the help of AI, BOE has effectively improved graphic processing efficiency, shortened defect handling cycles, and reduced labor costs. Similarly, numerous companies across the country are accelerating their digital transformation efforts. According to the China Internet Development Report 2024, the country now has nearly 10,000 digitalized workshops and intelligent factories. Of these, more than 400 have been recognized as national-level benchmark factories in smart manufacturing, utilizing technologies such as AI and digital twins. Industry insiders highlighted that the costs of large models have dropped sharply over the past year, creating favorable conditions for the application of AI technologies. Ruan Yu, vice president of Baidu, noted that as costs continue to fall, large AI models are becoming a core productivity tool for an increasing number of enterprises. According to Zhang Di, vice president of Kuaishou Technology and head of Kling AI, AI video generator technology will continue to evolve. By providing interactive and lifelike environments, it will further boost the development of the industrial internet and accelerate the digital transformation of manufacturing and other traditional industries, Zhang said. In recent years, the Chinese government has introduced a wide range of measures to accelerate AI innovation and promote its application, intending to support new industrialization and the development of the industrial sector. "The industrial sector is a cornerstone of China's economy, characterized by its large scale, wide scope and diverse scenarios. It is a primary arena for AI applications," said Zhao Chaofan, an official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Zhao added that the ministry will continue to actively advance AI adoption, organize regular initiatives to integrate AI with new industrialization, and promote model solutions for AI applications. These efforts aim to ensure that the technology more effectively supports the real economy, Zhao said. Looking ahead, Gu Weixi, researcher at the China Academy of Industrial Internet, noted that several challenges remain for AI applications in the industrial sector. For instance, AI service providers lack sufficient channels to reach customers, while manufacturing companies have limited knowledge of cutting-edge AI technologies. To address these challenges, several analysts have called for better alignment between supply and demand, which would help AI products enhance performance while reducing costs and increasing efficiency in the industrial sector. "China is equipped with a comprehensive range of industrial categories, which provide access to diverse application scenarios and abundant data," said Mao Shengbo, partner at MiraclePlus, a startup incubator. "By fully leveraging China's strengths in its industrial chain, application scenarios and market size, we can create an entirely new AI supply chain and ecosystem." Indias top investigation agency, the CBI, has uncovered one of the countrys biggest education scams involving medical colleges. Nationwide racket exposed in medical education Thirty-four powerful people are accused, including a famous spiritual leader (godman) named Ravi Shankar Maharaj, former education chief DP Singh, and several government health officials. These people are suspected of taking huge bribes to help private medical colleges get approvals illegally. The scam worked across many states like Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. It started when the CBI arrested three doctors for taking 55 lakh (about $65,000) to give a good inspection report to a college run by the godmans trust. Fake teachers, bribed officials and temple funds uncovered According to reports, the heart of the scam was inside Indias Health Ministry itself. Eight officials there secretly took photos of confidential files and leaked inspection dates and officers names to college management for big bribes. For example, a university registrar named Mayur Raval allegedly charged 25-30 lakh to share secret inspection details. The godman reportedly contacted ex-education head DP Singh to influence reports, who then sent a helper for the job. With these leaked details, colleges could cheat inspections by bribing assessors, hiring fake teachers, or even admitting pretend patients to show everything was fine. Colleges used shocking tricks to fool inspectors. In Indores Index Medical College, chairman Suresh Bhadoria used artificial rubber fingers to fake doctors fingerprint attendance, according to an HT report. Southern colleges paid agents like Andhras Hari Prasad to arrange "dummy teachers" during inspections. One college director in Visakhapatnam paid 50 lakh, while another in Warangal spent over 4 crore in bribes. The illegal money moved through secret hawala networks. In a bizarre twist, part of the bribeshandled by an official named Jeetu Lal Meena, was used to build a 75 lakh Hanuman temple in Rajasthan. The CBI calls this one of Indias worst medical education scams, affecting over 40 colleges nationwide. While eight people have already been arrested, including three doctors and a college director, the probe continues. The agency found that ministry officials, inspection teams, agents, and college bosses worked together like a criminal network. This scam endangered medical education quality, letting unqualified colleges operate. Almost two months after the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, reports arrived that the main accused, Sonam Raghuvanshi, may have married her alleged boyfriend Raj Kushwaha while she was hiding after she killed her husband Raja Raghuvanshi in Meghalaya. Raja Raghuvanshi's elder brother, Vipin, has claimed that the Meghalaya police have recovered two mangalsutras from Sonam's belongings, reported PTI on Saturday. "We have come to know that Meghalaya police have recovered two mangalsutras. One was gifted to Sonam as per tradition when she and Raja married on May 11. The second one may be related to Sonam and Kushwaha's marriage. They might have married when she was hiding here," PTI quoted Vipin as alleging. Not only this, Vipin also attacked Sonam's brother, Govind, who had initially offered support to Raja's family and visited their house to seek forgiveness for his sister's deeds. Now, Govind is giving statements in the media expressing his desire to meet Sonam. He can meet Sonam and also appoint a lawyer to save her. But if he wants to do all this, why did he come to our house after his sister's arrest and play with the emotions of our family? Vipin said, according to PTI. "We are constantly getting betrayed by Sonam and her family," Vipin further alleged. Meghalaya honeymoon murder case: The Meghalaya honeymoon murder case surrounds the victim Raja Raghuvanshi and the accused his wife Sonam, her boyfriend Raj Kushwaha and three alleged contract killers. During their honeymoon, Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife Sonam were reported missing in Meghalaya on 23 May. On 2 June, Raja's body was found in a deep gorge close to a waterfall in the Sohra area, within the East Khasi Hills district. With police continuing their probe in the Sonam and Raj have been charged with Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, Sonam was found in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur in the early hours of 9 June and surrendered before the police. Later, the police said Sonam conspired with her boyfriend Raj Kushwaha to hire three other men to kill her husband Raja during their honeymoon. Police added the three killers Akash Thakur, Anand Kurmi and Vishal Chauhan are friends and one of them is Rajs cousin. Meanwhile, all five accused, including Sonam and Raj have been charged with Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, and are lodged in Meghalaya's jail. Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a special honour in Argentina on Saturday the "Key to the City of Buenos Aires". Jorge Macri, the citys chief official, gave him this symbolic gift during his two-day visit. The key represents friendship and trust. Earlier, PM Modi met President Javier Milei for important talks. This visit was historic because it was the first time in 57 years that an Indian Prime Minister came to Argentina just for bilateral talks (not for a big conference). Hundreds of Indian immigrants cheered PM Modi outside his hotel, waving flags and dancing to Indian music. Prime minister collects second major international award on five-nation tour Modis Argentina stop was part of a bigger five-country tour where he collected major awards. Before this, in Trinidad and Tobago, he got The Order of the Republic, their highest civilian honour. Hes the first foreign leader ever to receive it. During that visit, both countries signed six agreements to work more closely together. PM Modi thanked Trinidad for honouring him and said the award wasnt just for him but for all 1.4 billion Indians . After Argentina, he will join the BRICS summit in Brazil and then visit Namibia. PM Modi and President Milei agreed to boost cooperation in important areas during their talks. Argentina will supply lithium (a key mineral for electric car batteries) and shale gas to India. This helps Indias energy security plans. Argentina has the worlds second-largest shale gas reserves. PM Modi also asked for easier entry of affordable Indian medicines into Argentina. The leaders agreed to expand defence partnerships and trade between the countries. PM Modi even invited Milei to visit India soon, especially to see Gujarats lion sanctuary! Beyond formal meetings, PM Modi paid respects at important cultural spots. He visited the San Martin Memorial, honouring Argentinas national hero who helped free South America from colonial rule. India-US trade deal remains elusive even as leaders of both the nations have assured of an agreement soon. With Donald Trump's July 9 deadline to expire in less than a week, negotiators are working on signing an agreement despite India despite New Delhi hardening its stance on tariffs. When will an India-US trade deal be signed? Here are 5 things we know so far: 1. Indian negotiators returned from the US on Friday, officials quoted by The Indian Express said. The trade negotiators have just returned. The talks are ongoing, but the deal is not contingent on any date. Indias key interests are sustained access for labour-intensive goods such as textiles and footwear. Auto component exports are also a key interest, they said. 2. India on Friday proposed to impose retaliatory duties under the WTO norms against the United States as America moves to charge tariffs on import of auto parts from other countries to safeguard itself. The proposed suspension of concessions or other obligations would take the form of an increase in tariffs on selected products originating in the United States This notification is made in connection with safeguard measures extended by the United States of America on imports of automobile parts from India, a WTO circular says. 3. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday hardened his stance on the India-US trade deal, stressing that New Delhi will not sign any agreement with the Donald Trump administration until it's not fully finalised, properly concluded and in national interest, and will not enter into any pact based on deadlines. FTAs are possible only when both sides get benefitted and it should be a win-win agreement, he told reporters when asked about the proposed interim trade agreement with the US. 4. According to the report by The Indian Express, apart from auto tariffs, steel tariffs remains an area of key interest. While the US is not willing to give any concessions on steel imports to any country, India has vowed to safeguard its domestic industry by imposing duties. We are focusing on areas where we have a competitive edge. Despite the tariffs, production in the US could be a challenge, an official was quoted as saying. Also Read | India warns of retaliatory tariffs against US over auto parts safeguard duties Dalai Lama birthday: Ahead of his 90th birthday, the 14th Dalai Lama expressed gratitude for the celebrations planned in his honour, while urging people to focus on nurturing peace and compassion. As per the Gregorian calendar, Sunday, July 6, will mark the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday. I am just a simple Buddhist monk; I dont normally engage in birthday celebrations. However, since you are organizing events focused on my birthday I wish to share some thoughts, the Dalai Lama posted on X. The Dalai Lama further added that he will continue to focus on his commitments of promoting human values, religious harmony and drawing more attention to the ancient Indian knowledge behind the working of mind and emotions. Hope to live another 30 or 40 years Speaking at a prayer ceremony at Tsuglagkhang on Saturday, the Tibetan spiritual leader said he hopes to live another 30 to 40 years, and continue serving people. Amid the sounds of chants, drums and horns, the Dalai Lama led thousands during the prayer and said: So far, I have done my best and with the continued blessings of Avalokiteshvara (a Buddhist spiritual protector), I hope to live another 30 or 40 years, continuing to serve sentient beings and the Buddha Dharma." Dalai Lama's future reincarnations On July 2, the Dalai Lama had affirmed that only the Gaden Phodrang Trusta foundation he establishedholds the exclusive authority to recognise his future reincarnation. The leader's statement rules out any say for China in the process of naming the next Dalai Lama, reported PTI. Also Read | 5 quotes by the Dalai Lama that will change the way you see life Dalai Lama also reiterated that the method for identifying the next Dalai Lama was clearly outlined in a 2011 declaration, which places full responsibility with the Gaden Phodrang Trust and the Office of the Dalai Lama. Nirav Modi's brother Nehal Modi was arrested in the US on Saturday, July 5, upon an extradition request jointly submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), said officials. The next date for the hearing in the matter is July 17, when Nihal may seek bail, which however will be opposed by US prosecutors, officials told news agency PTI. In December 2020, the fugitive diamantaire's younger brother Nehal Modi had been indicted in Manhattan, US for fraudulently obtaining diamonds worth over $2.6 million from one of the world's biggest diamond companies. Charges against Nehal Modi Aged 46-years, Nehal Modi is accused in an alleged 13,000 crore fraud one of the largest such involving the Punjab National Bank. It has been alleged that the fraud was orchestrated by the two brothers and their uncle Mehul Choksi. Nirav Modi's brother has been alleged to have assisted in concealing and transferring large sums of illicit funds through a web of shell companies and overseas transactions, in violation of Indian laws, officials said. Named in the ED's chargesheet filed in the case, Nehal Modi has also been charged with destruction of evidence and "knowingly and intentionally" assisting Nirav Modi in his alleged illegal acts, as per officials, reported PTI. Also Read | Setback to Nirav Modi as UK court rejects fresh bail application After the 13,000-crore PNB scam came to light, the ED alleged that Nehal, along with Nirav's close confidante and executive Mihir R Bhansali transported 50 kg of gold and large amounts of cash out of Dubai and instructed dummy directors to avoid naming him to authorities. Charges for extradition proceedings The extradition proceedings led by the US prosecutors were taken up on two charges one count of money laundering under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and one count of criminal conspiracy under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (disappearance) of the Indian Penal Code. GST collection growth slumped in June due to reduced mop-up from domestic and imported items, while investment appetite clocked its worse April-June performance in several years. Meanwhile, the central government has approved a scheme to support employment generation in the country. Collections stumble Growth in Indias goods and services tax (GST) collections slumped to 6.2% year-on-year in June, the slowest pace since June 2021, according to the latest data from the finance ministry. This follows strong performances in April and May, which saw growth of 12.6% and 16.4%, respectively. The moderation stemmed from a sharp dip in tax collections from both domestic transactions and imports. Net GST revenue, after adjusting for refunds and transfers, stood at 1.59 trillion, marking an even smaller 3.3% year-on-year rise. Investment lull Indian companies entered FY26 on a cautious note, with fresh investment proposals plunging to one of the lowest levels in five years. According to CMIEs CapEx database, new projects worth 4.1 trillion were announced in Q1FY26the weakest since the pandemic-hit first three quarters of FY21 and the general election quarter (first) of FY25. The drop in Q1FY26 was led by government capital expenditure, which hit a decade-low of just 0.5 trillion. The private sector, with 3.5 trillion worth of announcements, dominated the quarterbut even that marked a four-quarter low. Job push 1 trillion: Thats the amount the Union cabinet approved for employment linked incentive (ELI) scheme to support employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector. The scheme, which was announced as part of the Union Budget 2024-25, aims to incentivise over 35 million jobs that will be generated between August 2025 and July 2027. It will also provide direct financial benefits of up to 15,000 to 19.2 million employees who register with the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for the first time. Activity boost India's manufacturing and services sector activity reached 14-month and 10-month highs, respectively, in June. The HSBC India manufacturing PMI, compiled by S&P Global, rose to 58.4 in June from 57.6 in May, slightly above 58.3 in June 2024. India's services PMI increased to 60.4 from May's 58.8, though marginally below the previous June's 60.5. Manufacturing activity expanded due to increased output, new orders, and job creation, while services growth was driven by robust international sales and employment gains. Dominance derailed Ola Electric, once the dominant electric two-wheeler player, has lost ground. Latest vehicle registrations data shows all other top five electric two-wheeler players recorded over 100% year-on-year increases during the April-June quarter of FY26. In contrast, Ola Electric reported a 46% decline from the same period last year. TVS Motors and Bajaj Auto have overtaken Ola as new market leaders. Olas market share has slipped to about 20% in the April-June quarter, compared to nearly 50% in the same period a year ago. Digital boom 613.2 million: That's the average daily unified payments interface (UPI) transactions in June, according to latest monthly data released by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). With another record-high average transactions, UPI continues to touch new heights every passing month. Daily transactions rose nearly 2% month-over-month and surged 35% year-over-year in June 2025. However, growth momentum shows signs of moderation, with annual growth slowing from over 50% increases to around 30% in just twelve months. Dividend division India Inc.'s dividend bonanza remains heavily skewed, with traditional powerhouses dominating payouts. A Mint analysis of 496 BSE 500 companies reveals BFSI and IT together command over 40% of total dividends in FY25. These cash-rich sectors continue reinforcing their reputation as reliable dividend machines, while others lag significantly. The oil & gas sector showed visible signs of pressure with dividend payouts dropping 28% year-on-year. Once a dependable dividend contributor, the sector appears to be retreating amid tightening cash flows. Sectors like logistics and media contributed under 1% each. Chart of the week: Global leap India scored 67 in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Index 2025, its highest ever, placing it 99th among 167 countries. This marks the first time India has entered the global top 100, reflecting progress across 17 goals including poverty, health, and education. Follow our data stories on the In Charts" and Plain Facts" pages on the Mint website. Apoorva Mukhija, famously known as The Rebel Kid, has taken the social media by storm. The success story of the influential content creator did not seem to go well with an IIT alumnus, who sparked a debate online as she compared difficult journey of traditional education to that of influencers. Apoorva Mukhija recently appeared on Karan Johar's reality show The Traitors, set against the backdrop of Suryagarh Palace in Jaisalmer. Also Read | Uorfi Javed strongly reacts to death, rape threats online after The Traitors win Contrasting the two different paths, the first involving physical and mental hard work while the second brought in social media fame and big sums of money really quick, the user named @digitalsangghi on X wrote, Not even 100 people know me today. She recalled how she gave up her social connections and made several personal sacrifices to secure admission in Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur by clearing Indias most difficult engineering exam. This was not enough, her road to professional success involved six years of academic pressure, mental strain and job placement anxiety. Detailing her life journey that was full of burnouts and hurdles she stated, Studied 14 hrs a day to crack Indias toughest engineering exam, gave up home, friends, cousins, sleep, and dreams -got into IIT, then fought for 4+2 years with CGPA nightmares, lab viva trauma, and placement tension. Meanwhile, The Rebel Kid earns around 2.5 lakh per day from her funny viral videos, reality show appearances and brand campaigns, Business Today reported. The IIT Alumnus added, Meanwhile reels, red lipstick, semi nudes, and abusing openly, using BC MC as filler can make 41 crore empire. Worlds truly fair. Social media reactions A flurry of reactions flooded on social media as one user stated, I am an IITian too. No regrets. Another user commented, you chose to study 14 hrs, cracked the toughest exam, it was all your choice, you liked/wanted it. Same way that girl is doing whatever she likes or wants. This isnt a competition. Prada, the luxury fashion powerhouse, recently accepted Indian influence in its Spring-Summer 2026 menswear collection displayed during fashion show in Milan. This comes after the Italian luxury fashion brand faced backlash from Indian artisans and politicians for using traditional design without acknowledging its roots. In a letter addressed to Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Prada's head of corporate social responsibility, Lorenzo Bertelli wrote, We acknowledge that the sandals... are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, with a centuries-old heritage, Reuters reported citing the document dated June 27. A week ago, models wearing leather sandals with a braided design featured in the Milan fashion show. The footwear design closely resembled handmade Kolhapuri slippers, dating back to the 12th century. Also Read | Prada admits being inspired by Kolhapuri chappals The statement issued by Lorenzo Bertelli, son of Prada's owners, further notes that the sandals are at an early stage of design and it is not certain they will be commercialized, but Prada is open to a "dialogue for meaningful exchange with local Indian artisans." Looking ahead to follow-up meetings in this regard, the luxury fashion brand stated, Kolhapuri chappals inspiration for footwear featured in our Milan show, PTI reported. A Prada spokesperson also issued a statement admitting that the footwear's inspiration came from India and noted that the company has "always celebrated craftsmanship, heritage and design traditions". Social media reaction Netizens strongly reacted to Prada's acknowledgement, as one user stated, Luxury giant Prada finally admits its 2026 men's sandals were inspired by Kolhapuri chappals after getting a Kolhapuri chappal treatment on social media. Another user quipped, "I have a pair of size 9 Kolhapuri chappals, originally purchased from Kolhapur(none of that cheap #Prada ripoffs) with the red "turra" on top. It has touched the haloed grounds of Pandharpur and Alandi too. Sparingly used. Make 2005. Price 1.2 lakhs only. No brokers please." A third user commented, The subtle racism in naming Roman sandals from their origin but hiding the Indian origin of the Kolhapuri chappals. Even now they call them 'inspired' but not what they actually are. These are Kolhapuri chappals. A fouth user replied, Congratulations to Kar Kolhapuri chappals artists on your victory. A fifth user remarked, indians didnt know how to market kolhapuri chappals. There are a lot of such things that are a pride of India and before anyone robs them they need to be brought to light. Outraged by lack of acknowledgement, a number of users vented out on social media, including RPG Group Chairperson Harsh Goenka, who stated, "Prada is selling products looking like Kolhapuri chappals for over 1 lakh. Our artisans make the same by hand for 400. They lose, while global brands cash in on our culture. Sad! Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge took a dig at the brand and said that Prada is selling what are essentially Kolhapuri chappals for 1.2 lakh a pair. He emphasised that the names, work, and legacy of the state's artisans who craft these iconic chappals should have access to global platform as GI tag only provides legal rights. The first tranche of the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) is now awaiting US President Donald Trumps final approval, after being greenlit by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, three people directly involved in the process told Mint on the condition of anonymity. The key sticking points remain the same as reported by Mint on 11 June. The final stretch of India-US trade talks has centred around sensitive sectors such as dairy, agriculture, digital, genetically modified (GM) seeds and medical services, with Washington pushing for greater access while New Delhi is seeking a balanced agreement that safeguards its vital sectors," said the first of the three people cited above. With the US pause on reciprocal tariffs set to end on 9 July and the Trump administration shifting its stance from mutual tariff reduction to seeking greater market access, Indian negotiators are burning the midnight oil to secure a respectable deal," the person added. Also Read | Investors shift to Europe as tariffs, eco data fuel uncertainty in US stocks The Indian team extended its stay in Washington beyond the originally scheduled two-day visit that ended on 27 June, in a final effort to resolve differences, particularly over agriculture, and to conclude negotiations for an interim trade agreement. According to the second person, the US has proposed two alternative options for tariff reduction in case White House does not fully agree" with the terms finalized by Indian negotiators and their American counterparts. If India agrees to US demands for greater market access in agricultural goods, dairy and seeds, then Indian goods may face only a 10% additional tariffwhich, while not ideal, is still much lower than what other countries in the Asian region are facing," said the second person. And in case India does not agree, it could face a 20% tariffcomprising the existing 10% baseline duty and a 10% reciprocal tariff carved out of the 16% additional duty imposed on 2 April as part of the USs Liberation Day action," the person added. In that scenario, India would still gain a 6% relief. The recently concluded in-person round of talks is seen as critical, especially since the US has already finalized trade deals with China, Vietnam and the UK. Although talks with China began after Indias, they progressed more quickly and helped ease bilateral tensions. Indian negotiators are seeking the elimination of reciprocal tariffs and additional duties such as those on steel, aluminium, and auto componentsalong with assurances that no future tariffs will be imposed. Indian negotiators did their best to convince their US counterparts about the domestic sensitivities involved in these sectors. To some extent, the USTR has agreed to Indias position on not fully opening up the agriculture sector. Now, its up to the US President to take the final call," said the third person aware of the discussions. However, this person expressed confidence that the deal is on track and likely to be announced by Trump before 8 July in the US. The pact is likely to follow the US model adopted in its agreements with the UK and, more recently, with Vietnam, according to trade experts. Nothing would be better than the US removing the 10% baseline duty from Indian goods, but India should not open its critical sectors just to get that 10% duty removed," said Ajay Srivastava, co-founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a think tank. India should aggressively plan to diversify its exports to other countries and minimise its dependency on the US. There may be a knee-jerk impact in the initial stage, but in the long run, it will help build resilience and strengthen Indias global trade position," he added. In its trade deal with the UK, the US did not remove the 10% baseline duty that applies to all countries. In Vietnams case, the total tariff was lowered from 46% to 20%, including the 10% baseline duty imposed under the Trump administrations reciprocal tariff framework. The US-Vietnam deal also introduced a 40% tariff on transhipments through Vietnam, aimed at curbing Chinese goods being routed to the US using Vietnamese facilities. Trade agreements aim to eliminate trade barriers and to set rules that support high-standard, seamless trade that creates certainty for businesses. To that definition, none will be done with the US by 9 July. At best, there may be frameworks for future negotiations. There are too many issues to resolve with too many parties," said Steven Okun, CEO, APAC Advisors, a Singapore-based consultancy firm. As of now, tariffs on Indian exports to the US (26%) are lower compared to those on Vietnam (46%), Cambodia (49%), Bangladesh (37%) and Thailand (36%), offering India a strategic tariff advantage in sectors such as electronics, apparel, and toys. In the case of China, tariffs on Chinese goods had previously surged as high as 145%, but following a truce in Geneva, they were brought down to 30%. Under the new agreement, however, these have now been restructured into a flat 55% ratesignificantly higher than the tariff levels currently applied to Indian goods. Queries sent to the Indian commerce ministry, spokespersons of the USTR, and the US Embassy in New Delhi remained unanswered till press time. In the meantime, Indian exporters have been benefiting from steeper US tariffs on Chinese goods, which gave Indian products a competitive edge. Chinas exports to the US plummeted 34.5% year-on-year to $28.8 billion in May from $44 billion a year earlier, according to data released by Chinas General Administration of Customs on 10 June. This, however, was offset by Chinas rising exports to members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (up 15% year-on-year to $58.4 billion in May), and the European Union (up 12% to $49.5 billion According to data released by Indias commerce ministry on 16 June, Indias imports from China rose 21.7% to $10.32 billion in May from $8.48 billion a year earlier, driven by higher inflows of electronic goods, machinery, chemicals, and project-related equipment. Meanwhile, Indias imports from the US declined to $3.63 billion in May from $3.85 billion a year ago, while exports to the country grew 17.3% year-on-year to $8.8 billion, led by higher shipments of smartphones and electronics. According to commerce ministry data, Indian goods exports to the US in the last financial year (FY25) increased by 11.6%, from $77.52 billion in FY24 to $86.51 billion in FY25. Imports from the US also rose, but by a smaller margin of 7.42%, increasing from $42.20 billion to $45.33 billion during the fiscal year that ended on 31 March. Meanwhile, imports of goods from China rose by 11.5%, from $101.74 billion in FY24 to $113.46 billion in FY25, while exports to China decreased by 14.5%, from $16.67 billion in FY24 to $14.25 billion in FY25, the data showed. KABUL, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The counter-terrorism police have discovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunition, including more than 100 pieces of firearms, during a series of operations in the southern Afghanistan Helmand province over the past two months, said a statement of the Ministry for Interior Affairs on Saturday. The 105 pieces of variety of assault rifles including 14 stocks of Kalashnikovs, 63 pieces of pistols, a rocket propelled grenade, some machineguns and more than 3,000 of bullets of light and heavy weapons have been recovered during operations in different parts of the province, the statement posted on the ministry's X account added. Police have also taken into custody a number of people for carrying arms illegally and handed them over to the judiciary for further investigation, the statement noted, without revealing the exact number of individuals detained. In similar operations, police also discovered and seized six AK-47 assault rifles in the northern Sari Pul province last week. Idaho Shooting: Two firefighters were fatally shot, and several others injured while attending to a brush fire in Coeur dAlene, Idaho. According to Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris, at least one active shooter armed with high-powered rifles remains at large, continuing to fire upon law enforcement officers. The situation is ongoing, presenting a grave danger to emergency responders and the local community. Where is Travis Decker? some residents in Idaho have asked, while others wondered Is this Travis Decker?. Travis Decker is a former soldier, who has been missing for almost a month. Decker is accused of killing his three minor daughters. (NOTE: There has been no evidence to link Travis Decker to Sunday's shooting incident) The Coeur d'Alene fire may have been intentionally set to draw first responders to the scene, one responding Kootenai County Fire firefighter noted, according to CNN report. We dont know if theres one, two, three or four, shooters, Norris said, with officers reporting bullets coming from multiple directions. We will neutralize this threat. The Coeur d'Alene blaze, which began as a half-acre, remains active as police work to stop the rapid fire shooting. It is unknown how many people were injured in the shooting, and hikers and residents are still stuck on the mountain, CNN reported citing officials. Fatal Shooting At Idaho Pulls Back Focus on Killer Dad Travis Decker In this handout photo provided by the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office deputies participate in the search for Travis Decker, at an undisclosed location in Washington state, Friday, June 6, 2025. (Snohomish County Sheriff's Office photo via AP) Former soldier, Travis Decker, the father of 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn and 9-year-old Paityn, is charged with murdering his daughters by suffocating them with plastic bags near a makeshift campsite not long after he picked them up from their mother. Travis Decker is the father of 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn and 9-year-old Paityn Despite extensive police efforts, 32yearold Travis Caleb Decker remains at large nearly a month after allegedly murdering his three daughtersPaityn (9), Evelyn (8) and Olivia (5). According to investigators, the girls were found on 2 June near Travis Deckers abandoned truck at Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, Washington, each with plastic bags over their heads and zipties around their wrists, their deaths ruled asphyxiation Decker, an Army and National Guard veteran trained in survival tactics, disappeared following a courtsanctioned custody visit on 30 May and has evaded capture despite searches involving drones, cadaver dogs and hundreds of personnel. Authorities warn he may still pose a threat if found alive and have not ruled out the possibility he perished in the wilderness during the manhunt. What was supposed to be a three-hour joint custody visit on May 30 morphed into the discovery of a horrifying crime scene and frustrating manhunt that has now stretched for nearly a month. Travis Decker Had Survival Training in Military Investigators never thought the search for Travis Decker an Army veteran with survival training would be an easy one. By June 2, federal authorities were already being brought into the manhunt. Travis Decker frequently engaged in hiking, camping, survival skill practice, hunting and even lived off the grid in the backwoods for approximately 2.5 months on one occasion, a deputy US Marshal said in a court affidavit. U.S. President Donald Trump said he had signed letters to 12 countries outlining the various tariff levels they would face on goods they export to the United States, with the "take it or leave it" offers to be sent out on Monday. Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he traveled to New Jersey, declined to name the countries involved, saying that would be made public on Monday. Trump had earlier on Thursday told reporters that he expected a first batch of letters to go out on Friday, a national holiday in the United States, though the date has now shifted. In a global trade war that has upended financial markets and set off a scramble among policymakers to guard their economies, Trump in April announced a 10% base tariff rate and additional amounts for most countries, some ranging as high as 50%. However, all but the 10% base rate were subsequently suspended for 90 days to allow more time for negotiations to secure deals. That period ends on July 9, although Trump early on Friday said the tariffs could be even higher - ranging up to 70% - with most set to go into effect August 1. "I signed some letters and they'll go out on Monday, probably twelve," Trump said, when asked about his plans on the tariff front. "Different amounts of money, different amounts of tariffs." Trump and his top aides initially said they would launch negotiations with scores of countries on tariff rates, but the U.S. president has soured on that process after repeated setbacks with major trading partners, including Japan and the European Union. He touched on that briefly late on Friday, telling reporters: "The letters are better ... much easier to send a letter." He did not address his prediction that some broader trade agreements could be reached before the July 9 deadline. The shift in the White House's strategy reflects the challenges of completing trade agreements on everything from tariffs to non-tariff barriers such as bans on agricultural imports, and especially on an accelerated timeline. Most past trade agreements have taken years of negotiations to complete. The only trade agreements reached to date are with Britain, which reached a deal in May to keep a 10% rate and won preferential treatment for some sectors including autos and aircraft engines, and with Vietnam, cutting tariffs on many Vietnamese goods to 20% from his previously threatened 46%. Many U.S. products would be allowed to enter Vietnam duty free. Around 40% of Americans say they might support a new political party created by Elon Musk, according to a new poll. The survey by Quantus Insights found 14% would be "very likely" and 26% "somewhat likely" to back Musk's proposed America Party. Republican men show strongest interest in Musk's third-party plan: Poll Musk announced this idea during a fight with former ally Donald Trump over a huge government spending bill. He called Trumps "One Big Beautiful Bill" which adds $3.3 trillion to the U.S. debt insane. Musk argues America needs an alternative to the two major parties, which he claims actually work together as a "uniparty" against regular peoples interests. The poll shows clear splits in who likes Musks idea. Republican men are most interested 57% said theyd likely support the America Party. Independent men followed at 47%. But Democrats largely dislike the plan, with just 7% of Democratic men saying theyd strongly back it. The survey of 1,000 voters also found deep unhappiness with both main parties: 59% of independents said neither Republicans nor Democrats represent American values well. Experts note this openness to a third party isnt really about Musk himself it reflects widespread frustration with the current political system. Musks feud with Trump exploded after the spending bill passed Congress last week. The Tesla CEO had served in Trumps government but quit in May. After Musk criticized the bill, Trump warned he might cancel government contracts for Musks companies and even suggested deporting him (Musk was born in South Africa). Trump ally Steve Bannon attacked Musk as a "foreigner" trying to split conservative voters. Meanwhile, Musks poll on X about starting the party got over 1.25 million votes, with 65% saying yes. Even with his $361 billion fortune, experts say Musk would struggle to create a real national party. Each state has different rules for new parties to get on ballots California alone requires 75,000 registered members or 1.1 million signatures! Election lawyer Brett Kappel explained: The state laws... make it as difficult as possible for a third political party. Campaign funding laws also limit individual donations to parties to just $10,000 per state yearly. Also Read | UK foreign secretary visits Syria, renewing ties after 14 years of conflict A horrifying shooting episode came to light on June 29 when several firefighters were ambushed by a shooter while responding to a brush fire in Idaho's Coeur d'Alene. Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris said that the number of people wounded in the attack remains unknown. A chilling audio of the Idaho shooting has surfaced, sourced from Ready_Breaking. One officer can be heard saying, Right now there's an active shooter zone.Everybodys shot up here! This audio clip gives an insight to the chaos that unfurled while the firefighters were trying to put off the blaze. Also Read | Families of workers killed in Idaho airport hangar collapse sue construction company According to Sheriff's Office, the firefighters responded to the fire at Canfield Mountain at around 1:30 PM (local time) and gunshots were reported about a half hour later. Early reports suggest that two people were killed and several others injured while firefighters were responding to a brush fire, AP reported. Also Read | US Forest Service pilot hikes to safety after helicopter crash near central Idaho wildfire An active shooter fired at law enforcement with high-powered rifles, according to Robert Norris. During a press briefing, he said, We don't know how many suspects are up there, and we don't know how many casualties there are." Idaho governor Brad Little called the incident a heinous attack and in a post on X stated, Multiple heroic firefighters were attacked today while responding to a fire in North Idaho. This is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters. I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more. Teresa and I are heartbroken. Warning the public to avoid the incident site, he added, As this situation is still developing, please stay clear from the area to allow law enforcement and firefighters to do their jobs. Also Read | Idaho ambush: Two firefighters killed while responding to brush fire Active and very dangerous scene Federal Bureau of Investigation Deputy Director, Dan Bongino, called the shooting site active, and very dangerous scene and informed that FBI technical teams and tactical assets arrived at the spot to provide operational support. Fourth of July celebrations: Americans paraded down main streets in patriotic red, white and blue on July 4 to mark 249 years of Independence. US citizens celebrated the ratification of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 with flags, hot dogs and fireworks display. From Washington DC, New York City, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Niagara Falls, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Nashville, St Louis, San Diego, Seward to Alaska and Philadelphia, fireworks illuminated the skies on 249th US Independence Day. As fireworks remain the centre of US Independence Day celebrations, let's have a look how United States' citizens celebrated the nation's birthday. Fourth of July celebrations: Fireworks celebrate Independence Day on July 4 inside Philadelphia stadium before FIFA Club World Cup Quarter Final match. The origin of elaborate fireworks display across the US can be traced back to Founding Father John Adams. In a letter dated July 3, 1776, addressed to wife, Abigail, Adams mentioned that commemoration of Americas independence ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more." Fourth of July celebrations: Stunning fireworks display on the Ohio River on July 4. Fourth of July celebrations; Fireworks celebrating 249th US Independence Day during a game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field. Biggest and most dazzling fireworks crackled up the skies during this years Macys Fourth of July celebrations. A record-breaking 80,000 fireworks illuminated the skies 1,000 feet above the Brooklyn Bridge and East River. New York City skyline was lit like never before on Friday after more than 30 different colours and patterns illuminated the night sky of New York City. The 30-minute-long pyrotechnics featured 11 fresh effects. Fourth of July celebrations: Spectacular fireworks show above Brooklyn Bridge during the Macy's Fourth of July fireworks show on July 4. The fireworks show in New York City not only included crackling crown jellyfish, atomic rings, yellow & green sunbursts, strobing lemon cascades, comet fans & more, as reported by The New York Post, but also featured American flag. Fourth of July celebrations: Fireworks light up the St Louis skyline and the Gateway Arch on July 3, Two people were shot dead in Idaho while responding to a brush fire. The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office informed ABC News that the victims, both firefighters, were ambushed at the scene. Meanwhile, the authorities have urged residents to stay away from the city of Coeur d'Alene as the suspect remains on the run. Muharram, the Islamic New Year, is not a federal holiday in the United States. Unlike countries like India, where it's a public holiday, American government offices, schools, and businesses operate normally. When does Muharram begin in the US? Is it a federal holiday? The first day of Muharram began on June 27 this year, but most Americans didn't get time off work. While recognized as important to Muslims, it doesn't appear on the US government's holiday calendar. This means mail gets delivered, schools stay open, and banks conduct business as usual. Some cities with large Muslim populations might see local adjustments, but nationally, it's business as usual during this sacred time. American Muslims navigate work and school during Muharram creatively. Many use vacation days for Ashura observance or request flexible hours. Employers aren't required to give time off, though some companies in diverse areas accommodate religious requests. Despite no official holiday, Muharram holds deep meaning for American Muslims. The month marks the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD, where Imam Hussein, Prophet Muhammad's grandson, was martyred. Many observe Ashura (July 6 this year) with fasting or mourning. Cultural centers like the Islamic Society of North America educate neighbors about Muharram through open houses. While no parades like in South Asia occur, US cities sometimes issue Muharram proclamations honoring Muslim contributions. This balance maintains America's secular calendar while respecting religious freedom. List of federal holidays in the United States Here is a complete list of federal holidays observed in the United States. Federal operations are mostly closed on these days, with some exceptions in certain cases. An American Airlines flight heading from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Dallas was forced to turn back mid-air because of a passengers big misunderstanding. Flight 1847 had just taken off when a woman saw the traveler next to her receive a text saying R.I.P., short for Rest in Peace. A mid-air scare triggers emergency landing She panicked, thinking it was a threat to the plane, and told the crew. The pilot immediately declared an emergency, calling it a possible level three threat that could put lives at risk. Following safety rules, the plane returned to San Juans airport just 30 minutes after leaving. All 193 people on board landed safely while police rushed to investigate. After landing, security experts from Puerto Ricos Office of Explosives and Public Safety questioned the passenger who got the R.I.P. text. The traveler explained that a family member had died the day before, and the text was a condolence message. They were flying back early from vacation to attend the funeral in Dallas. Officials checked the passengers phone and found no threat. Aerostar, the company running the airport, confirmed it was all a mix-up. As Nelman Nevarez, Aerostars operations director, said: It was handled with safety protocols, but there was no real danger to anyone. Law enforcement officers searched the plane and cleared it to fly again. By 10 a.m. local time, just a few hours after the scare, the same aircraft took off for Dallas. American Airlines apologized for the delay but stressed that safety always comes first. On social media, many people argued that the woman who reported the text should face fines for the costly mistake. One person wrote: Charge her for the flight diversion costs! Others wondered why the crew didnt just ask about the text before diverting. The flight finally reached Dallas that afternoon, but the incident left travelers talking about privacy and quick judgments. Investigation reveals tragic misunderstanding Airport officials reminded everyone that while reporting concerns is important, this event showed how easily small things can be misread. R.I.P. is a common phrase used when someone dies, not a threat. Experts say snooping on others phones can cause unnecessary panic. The airline hasnt said if the woman who reported it will be punished, but the passenger who got the text faced no blame. Also Read | Friends Accused of Trading on Data for Edgar Face Widening Probe In a dramatic and highly orchestrated moment timed with 4th of July Independence Day celebrations, US President Donald Trump on Friday signed into law his much-touted Big Beautiful Bill a sweeping legislative package of tax breaks, welfare cuts, and immigration enforcement measures that could define his second-term legacy. Speaking at a desk set up on the White House driveway and flanked by Republican allies and Cabinet members, Trump declared, Promises made, promises kept, and weve kept them. As Fourth of July picnickers watched on, the signing was followed by a thunderous flyover featuring fighter jets and stealth bombers, a tribute, Trump said, to last months bombing campaign against Irans nuclear facilities. Americas winning, winning, winning like never before, he added, visibly energised during his 22-minute address before enacting the multitrillion-dollar bill. What the Big Beautiful Bill Delivers The legislation, passed on a narrow party-line vote, extends Trumps 2017 tax cuts and delivers on several core campaign promises, including: No taxes on tips or Social Security income $1.2 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and food stamp programmes Expanded immigration enforcement Rollbacks of Obama- and Biden-era healthcare and climate policies Trump described the measure as a rocket boost for the American economy, telling supporters, Our country is going to be a rocket ship, economically, because of this legislation. A Divisive Win with Deep Economic Consequences The bill passed the Senate by a single vote, with Republican Senator J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaker. North Carolinas Thom Tillis, who opposed the bill, later announced he would not seek re-election after facing Trumps public ire. Notably, not a single Democrat voted in favour. Conservative Representative Tom Massie of Kentucky was one of only two Republican dissenters and has since become a target of Trumps political machine. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the package will add $3.3 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade and result in 11.8 million more Americans losing health coverage. Critics warn the bill is a massive wealth transfer from working-class Americans to the ultra-rich. Fierce Criticism from Labour and Opposition Leaders Labour unions and Democratic leaders launched scathing attacks on the legislation immediately after it was signed. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler stated: Today, Donald Trump signed into law the worst job-killing bill in American history. It will rip health care from 17 million workers to pay for massive tax giveaways to the wealthy and big corporations, amounting to the countrys largest money grab from the working class to the ultra-rich. Every member of Congress who voted for this devastating bill picked the pockets of working people to hand billionaires a $5 trillion gift. Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin echoed those sentiments, calling the law devastating and claiming it sealed the fate of the Republican Party, cementing them as the party for billionaires and special interests not working families. Trump Lashes Out at Democrats Unfazed by the criticism, Trump claimed Democrats opposed the bill out of hatred of either the country or me or both, adding, We can't let them get away with it. Its actually just the opposite, everybodys going to live, Trump said in response to warnings that the bill would harm millions. And I just want you to know, if you see anything negative put out by Democrats, its all a con job. In a speech in Iowa a day earlier, he added, They hate Trump but I hate them, too. Mixed Public Opinion as Midterms Loom While Donald Trump insisted the package is very popular, polling paints a more complex picture. A Washington Post/Ipsos poll revealed: Majority support for eliminating taxes on tips and increasing the child tax credit Divided views on work requirements for Medicaid recipients Majority opposition to cuts in food assistance and billions spent on migrant detention centres 60% of respondents found the expected $3 trillion rise in the national debt to be unacceptable With the 2026 midterms on the horizon, Democrats are mobilising to make the legislation a central campaign issue. Plans are underway for rallies, ad campaigns, bus tours and vigils to spotlight what they call the most damaging elements of the law. A Legacy-Defining Gamble With the signing of the Big Beautiful Bill, Trump has delivered a long-promised conservative victory that could resonate for years or backfire at the ballot box. Its impact on American families, the healthcare system, and the national debt will be central to political debates ahead. US President Donald Trump on Friday signed his flagship tax and spending bill into law. The signing was part of a grand Independence Day celebration at the White House, which featured a fly-by by a stealth bomber. America is winning, winning, winning like never before, Trump said before signing the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill while flanked by Republican lawmakers who helped push it through Congress, as reported by AFP. With First Lady Melania Trump at his side, Trump watched from the White House balcony as two live-- the same type that recently struck Iranian nuclear sites -- roared overhead, accompanied by F-35 and F-22 fighter jets. The bill honors many of Trump's campaign promises: extending tax cuts from his first term, boosting military spending and providing massive new funding for Trump's migrant deportation drive. The signing of the legislation marks the culmination of two weeks of major victories for President Trump, during which he strengthened his hold on both power and the Republican Party. Among these successes was the recent Iran-Israel ceasefire, achieved following what Trump described as flawless U.S. airstrikes on Iran. Pilots who carried out the bombing on Iran were among those invited to the White House event, which included a picnic for military families on the South Lawn. The last two weeks, there has never been anything like it, as far as winning, said Trump. The bill would implement the most significant reductions to the Medicaid program for low-income Americans since it began in the 1960s, while also reducing federal food assistance funding. Some estimates suggest that as many as 17 million people could lose their health coverage, and numerous rural hospitals may be forced to shut down as a consequence. But Trump played down the concerns. "They've developed a standard line, and we can't let them get away with it. 'Oh, it's dangerous. Oh, everybody's going to die.' It's actually just the opposite," said Trump. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the balcony of the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 4, 2025. Trump signed his landmark policy bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill, into law on Friday afternoon. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong) NEW YORK, July 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump signed his landmark policy bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill, into law on Friday afternoon. The signing ceremony at the White House came a day after the bill was narrowly passed by the House of Representatives on Thursday. Trump set a deadline for the bill to pass before July 4 to make the signing event a part of the Independence Day ceremony that included a B-2 bomber flyover. The law represents Trump's agenda policies including tax cuts and funding boosts for military expenditure and border security. Speaking before the signing ceremony, Trump praised Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson for their work in holding the conference together to get the bill passed. "Those two are a team that is not going to be beat," he said. Representatives of both parties in the House were deeply divided on the bill, which features sweeping cuts to spending on healthcare and food programs for the poor, and increased expenditure on military and border security, while cutting taxes on a broad line of incomes. It has been predicted that the bill will add 3.3 trillion U.S. dollars to the country's already high debt burden. The bill passed the House voting with a narrow margin of 218 to 214, with every Democrat and two Republicans, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, voting against it. Following the passage of the bill in the House, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the legislation "an encapsulation of all of the policies that the president campaigned on and the American people voted on," and said it was a "victorious day for the American people." The White House has touted the bill's passage as the biggest legislative win of the president, saying in a release Thursday afternoon that "Again and again, President Trump and Republicans fought and won for the American people." U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the balcony of the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 4, 2025. Trump signed his landmark policy bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill, into law on Friday afternoon. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong) The elderly Dalai Lama on Saturday expressed his hope to live for another 40 years until around the age of 130, just days after addressing speculation about his succession by reaffirming that he would reincarnate after his death, according to a Reuters report. The Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader made the remarks during a long-life prayer ceremony organised by his followers, ahead of his upcoming 90th birthday on Sunday. In a previous interview with Reuters in December, the Dalai Lama had suggested he might live to 110. The Dalai Lama is revered by millions of Tibetan Buddhists as a living deity and is globally recognised as a steadfast advocate for peace, spiritual values, and Tibets autonomy, as reported by AP. However, China views him as a political threat, accusing him of seeking to separate Tibet from Chinese rule. As the spiritual and political leader of Tibetan Buddhists, he established a government-in-exile in the Indian town of Dharamshala after fleeing Tibet in 1959. Since then, he has travelled the world to raise the issue of Tibet and Tibetans, while spreading a message of nonviolence. He has met world leaders and celebrities, from the likes of fellow Nobel Peace Prize winners Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu to multiple U.S. presidents, popes and Hollywood stars. Earlier on On July 2, the Dalai Lama stated that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a foundation established by him, can only recognise future reincarnations, and no one else has the authority to decide on the matter. This statement rules out any say for China in the process of naming the next Dalai Lama. In a statement on Wednesday, Dalai Lama stated, The process by which a future Dalai Lama is to be recognized has been clearly established in the 24 September 2011 statement which states that responsibility for doing so will rest exclusively with members of the Gaden Phodrang Trust, the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They should consult the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. They should accordingly carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition. Iran has partially reopened its airspace following a 20-day closure during the Israel conflict, allowing some commercial flights to resume. Imam Khomeini and Mehrabad airports in Tehran are now operating limited international flights like the Flydubai service from UAE, though operations are restricted to daytime hours (5:00 am-6:00 pm local time). Eastern Iran's airspace operates 24/7, while airports in Isfahan and Tabriz remain closed pending repairs. Ferry services to neighboring countries and land border crossings to Armenia (Agarak) and Turkiye (Kapikoy/Esendere) are also functional, providing additional exit routes. Evacuation options available for Indians in Iran Indian citizens wishing to leave Iran can now use commercial flights from reopened airports or cross land borders. The Indian Embassy specifically advises those in Tehran to "move outside the city using their own resources" to safer locations . Over 700 Indians have already relocated to cities like Qom, while 110 students crossed to Armenia via the Agarak border, which remains open. Those considering the Azerbaijan or Turkmenistan borders must first email the respective U.S. Embassies for special entry approvals. Commercial ferries offer another exit option, though services remain unpredictable. The Iranian airspace is gradually re-opening, and commercial flights to and from Iran are expected to progressively resume in the coming days. Similarly, commercial ferry services are also plying between Iranian ports and neighbouring countries, the X account of Indian Embassy in Iran was quoted as writing. Indian citizens present in Iran, and wishing to leave, may do so through commercial flights/ferry services. All Indian nationals intending to travel or transit through Iran are advised to monitor the latest developments and follow the official advisories, another X post by them read. Critical steps for Indians before departure All Indian nationals must immediately contact the Embassy of India in Tehran (+98 9010144557, +98 9128109115) to register their location if not already done. Dual Iranian-Indian citizens face unique risks: Iran doesnt recognize dual nationality and may confiscate U.S. passports. They must exit using Iranian passports with pre-obtained transit visas and expect questioning at checkpoints. The embassy advises carrying cash (USD) due to card payment failures, preparing for internet blackouts, and keeping phones charged during travel. Ongoing challenges and contingency planning Despite reopenings, flight disruptions continue due to infrastructure damage. Only aircraft flying above 25,000 feet are permitted in western airspace, restricting smaller planes. Indians should monitor embassy alerts and avoid non-essential travel to Iran. For urgent ground transport within Iran, ride-hailing apps like Snapp and Tap30 remain operational in major cities. More than 1,000 earthquakes in a small southern island of Japan and a 1990s manga comics megaquake prediction have fueled premonitions about a major disaster waiting to befall the country this month. However, earthquakes cant be predicted with today's science and technology, and so, meteorological experts have urged people to base their understanding on scientific evidence. Frenzy erupted on social media, with netizens exclaiming, A manga artist predicted that a massive earthquake would hit Japan at 4:18 am on July 5th and Japan would be destroyed. Its now 4:30 am in Japan and nothing has happened. Also Read | Over 470 earthquakes rattle Japanese island chain with active volcanoes Whats happening in Japan? Since June 21, as many as 1,031 earthquakes have rattled the Tokara island chain south of the Kyushu region in Japan. The latest strong tremors were experienced on Thursday and Saturday, triggering panic among people. That quake on Thursday was strong enough to make standing difficult, Reuters reported. On Saturday, a 5.4-magnitude quake shook the area again. On Saturday, Japan's government warned of more possible strong earthquakes in waters southwest of its main islands, but urged the public not to believe unfounded predictions of a major disaster. According to the official data cited by the Guardian, the number of daily quakes peaked at 183 on June 23, then declined to 15 on June 26 and 16 on June 27. But the number rose again to 34 on June 28 and 98 on June 29. On June 30, 62 quakes were recorded. Predictions and premonitions A Japanese manga comic from the 90s claims that a megaquake those above a magnitude of 8.0 on the Richter scale will strike on July 5. According to The TIME, the 2021 reprint of The Future I Saw by Ryo Tatsuki warns that a huge tsunami three times the size of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake will wash over countries in the Pacific Ocean. This has triggered panic and deterred some inbound travelers for the past several months. Arrivals from Hong Kong, where the rumours have circulated widely, were down 11 percent in May from the same month last year, according to the latest data cited by Reuters. Ryo Tatsuki, the artist behind the manga "The Future I Saw", first published in 1999 and re-released in 2021, said she was "not a prophet", in a statement issued by her publisher. Tsunami risk in Japan? There was no tsunami risk from Thursday's quake, said Ayataka Ebita, director of the earthquake and tsunami observation division of the Japan Meteorological Agency. "In areas where the tremors were strong, there is an increased risk of collapsed houses and landslides," he added, while cautioning about earthquakes of similar magnitude for the foreseeable future. A disaster awaits? Earlier this year, a government panel marginally increased the probability of a major jolt in the Nankai Trough, located off Japans Pacific coast, in the next 30 years to between 75 percent and 82 percent, according to the Guardian. As per a revised government estimate in March, a megaquake in the region accompanied by a tsunami could kill as many as 298,000 people and cause damage worth up to $2 trillion. When will the earthquakes stop? Ayataka Ebita, director of the Japan Meteorological Agency's earthquake and tsunami monitoring division, said. "With our current scientific knowledge, it's difficult to predict the exact time, place or scale of an earthquake. Earthquakes are common in Japan, which is one of the world's most seismically active areas. It accounts for about one-fifth of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater. How common are earthquakes in Japan? Japan is one of the world's most seismically active countries, sitting on top of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific "Ring of Fire". Experts say the unusual topography of the area around the Tokara islands makes it easier for pressure to build below the sea-bed that is then relieved in the form of earthquakes, the Guardian reported. The archipelago, home to around 125 million people, typically experiences around 1,500 jolts every year and accounts for about 18 percent of the world's earthquakes. Soham Parekh, the software engineer making headlines for secretly working for multiple startups simultaneously, has found a new full-time job opportunity. Following backlash over moonlighting, the techie secured a new opportunity with Darwin Studios, based in San Francisco. At this new role as a founding engineer, he will help build an AI-powered video remixing platform called Wayve. In a statement, Darwins CEO and founder Sanjit Juneja commended the techie, accused of juggling multiple jobs at once, and suggested that there is something even greater to prove than just his love for software. Calling Parekh a 10x engineer, he defended his recruitment and said, "Soham is an incredibly talented engineer, and we believe in his abilities to help bring our products to market." He suggested that there is something even greater to prove than just his love for software. Meanwhile, Soham Parekh admitted that he will no longer be taking on multiple jobs. Founder of AI company HyperSpell, Conor Brennan-Burke, also offered an engineering role to Parekh in his company and said that he believes in second chances. Sharing the e-mail, Burke wrote, He's definitely learned his lesson now and is going to work insanely hard to prove everyone wrong. Massive opportunity to bring on top talent with a chip on their shoulder. How Soham Parekh's moonlighting scandal surfaced Soham Parekh's moonlighting scandal first surfaced when Playground AI founder Suhail Doshi exposed the Indian techie and called him a "scammer" on X. The warning message stated, Theres a guy named Soham Parekh (in India) who works at 3-4 startups at the same time. Hes been preying on YC companies and more. Beware. Also Read | Soham Parekh breaks silence on working at multiple US startups The consequences of this post that followed left Soham Parekh in trouble as he was fired from multiple roles while several recruiters flagged him as a risky hire. Soham Parekh confessed that dire financial hardship drove him to make those decisions about providing false narratives on his whereabouts and his employment situation during his appearance US technology show TBPN show. He said, Im not proud of what I did," about and deceiving employers and added, I wish I had the money. Spains ruling Socialist Party has banned members from paying sex workers after major corruption scandals. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced the new rule Saturday, saying anyone caught "soliciting or accepting sexual acts for money" faces immediate expulsion, according to an AFP report. PM Sanchez fights for survival as allies face jail and harassment claims This comes as his party faces its worst crisis in seven years. The scandals include corruption charges against Santos Cerdan, Sanchezs former right-hand man, who was jailed Monday for allegedly taking bribes for construction contracts. Secret recordings also caught officials discussing kickbacks and sex workers. Sanchez apologized for trusting the wrong people but refused to quit, saying: The captain doesnt abandon ship during storms. The corruption scandal centers on Santos Cerdan, who reportedly took bribes from companies wanting government contracts. Before his arrest, police found evidence that he discussed illegal payments with Jose Luis Abalos, a former transport minister. One company involved, Servinabar, mysteriously switched from event planning to construction right after winning a 76 million tunnel project. Leaked audio tapes revealed officials making crude comments about women and sex workers during these deals. Cerdan denies everything, claiming hes a victim of "political revenge" for helping Sanchez gain power. Meanwhile, the scandal has grown to include investigations into Sanchezs wife and brother, though they deny wrongdoing. Just hours before Sanchezs big speech on Saturday, another scandal erupted. Francisco Salazar, a top ally set for promotion, resigned over sexual harassment claims. Several women accused him of making inappropriate comments about their bodies, inviting them to private dinners, and asking one to sleep at his home. Salazar says he "cant recall" such behavior, but stepped down pending investigation. Amid the chaos, Sanchez replaced jailed official Cerdan with Rebeca Torro, a 44-year-old lawyer. The party also promised anonymous whistleblower channels and less power for top officials to prevent future corruption. Opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo called the Socialists a "mafia" and demanded new elections. His conservative Peoples Party (PP) drew tens of thousands to anti-government protests recently. Also Read | PM Modi honoured with key to Buenos Aires during landmark Argentina visit With Russia launching its largest ever drone and missile attack on Ukraine, United States President Donald Trump appears unhappy and said Moscow just wanted to "keep killing people", reported AFP. Earlier on Friday, Donald Trump said that he was "very unhappy" about his telephone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, saying: "He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people, it's no good". Trump added that he and Putin talked about sanctions a lot, adding: "He understands that it may be coming". Russian bombardments sent Ukrainians scurrying for shelters across the country and came after the call between Trump and Putin, which ended without a breakthrough. Also, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke to Trump on Friday and the former said they agreed to work on bolstering Kyiv's defences. "We spoke about opportunities in air defence and agreed that we will work together to strengthen protection of our skies," AFP quoted Zelensky as saying on social media. Preferrable options: Meanwhile, Russia on Friday stated that it was "preferable" to achieve the goals of its invasion through political and diplomatic means. Referring to Russia's invasion, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, as AFP quoted, "But as long as that is not possible, we are continuing the special operation". In the overnight Russian drone and artillery strikes on several parts of Eastern Ukraine, three people were wounded, regional governor Sergiy Lysak said on Telegram. Zelensky had added that air alerts began echoing out across the country as the Trump-Putin call was getting under way. He, in his request to US, sought increased pressure on Moscow. Russia announced fresh territorial gains on the front line with the capture of a village in the Donetsk region. Ukraine's air force's representative told Ukrainian media that the attack was the largest of the Russian invasion, comprising 539 drones and 11 missiles. DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) British Foreign Secretary David Lammy met in Damascus on Saturday with Syrias interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, marking the restoration of relations after 14 years of tension during Syria's conflict and Assad family rule. Syria has been improving relations with Western countries following the fall of President Bashar Assad in December in an offensive led by al-Sharaas Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Islamist group. Al-Sharaas office said Lammy and the president discussed mutual relations and ways of boosting cooperation and the latest regional and international developments. Lammy later met his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shibani, state media reported. A statement issued by Britain's foreign office said the visit showed London's commitment to support Syria as the new government seeks to rebuild the country's economy, deliver an inclusive political transition and forge a path to justice for the victims of the Assad government. It added that there will be new U.K. funding to assist with the removal of Assad-era chemical weapons and provide urgent humanitarian assistance in Syria, to bolster U.K. and Middle East security and tackle irregular migration. The statement said the British government wants to ensure that the Islamic State group's territorial defeat endures, and they can never resurge. IS once controlled large parts of Syria and Iraq, where it planned attacks worldwide. It was defeated in Syria in March 2019 when the extremists lost the last sliver of land they once controlled. The statement said Britain's support for Syria is set to continue, with the additional 94.5 million pounds ($129 million) package announced Saturday. It will provide urgent humanitarian aid to Syrians, support Syrias longer-term recovery through education and livelihoods, and support countries hosting Syrian refugees in the region. In April, the British government lifted sanctions against a dozen Syrian entities, including government departments and media outlets, to help the country rebuild after Assad's ouster. Weeks earlier, the U.K. had dropped sanctions against two dozen Syrian businesses, mostly banks and oil companies. Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending many American economic sanctions on Syria, following through on a promise he made to al-Sharaa. Syrias new leaders have been struggling to rebuild the countrys decimated economy and infrastructure after nearly 14 years of civil war that has killed half a million people. In recent months, al-Sharaa visited oil-rich regional countries and France in May in his first visit to the Europe Union. Also on Saturday, Lammy met in Beirut with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and they discussed the situation along the Lebanon-Israel border following the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war. A statement issued by Aoun's office, quoted the Lebanese leader as telling Lammy that Beirut plans to raise the number of Lebanese troops along the border with Israel to 10,000. Aoun added that the only armed sides on the Lebanese side of the border will be Lebanon's national army and U.N. peacekeepers. ___ Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and MNS head Raj Thackeray appeared together publicly for the first time in 20 years. They united in opposition to what they called the Maharashtra government's alleged enforcement of the Hindi language in the state, reported PTI. Amid the reunion of the Thackeray brothers, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party have reacted to the joint rally, where some stated it is a measure of public appeasement and an anti-Hindu gathering. Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena for their joint rally in Mumbai on Saturday, calling it a "public appeasement" campaign aimed at elections rather than a genuine event for language issues. Ashish Shelar, in a post on the social media platform X, condemned the Shiv Sena (UBT), saying, "This isn't about language but a public appeal for the elections!! With the municipal elections approaching, the panicked Ubatha Sena (a mocking term for Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena) has suddenly remembered brotherhood. He further added, "Today's so-called family get-together in Worli was a public appeasement event for the very brother they once threw out of the house. There is no real love for language involved here... and they've never truly cared for it anyway! This is nothing but a desperate scramble to regain power in the municipal corporation, so they can once again loot Mumbai. Mr Uddhav Thackeray's handshake with Raj Thackeray is nothing but Trying to win the family truce because they know they'll lose the election! Meanwhile, Minister Nitesh Rane slammed both Raj and Uddhav Thackeray for the joint rally in Mumbai, terming it as a "jihadi and anti-Hindu gathering" aimed at dividing society and weakening the state. We are Hindus and also proud Marathi. The way jihadis attempt to divide our society, these people are doing the same. Be it (banned) Popular Front of India (PFI) or Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) who work against the idea of a Hindu Rashtra, these two (Thackerays) are no different. They are trying to weaken the state, PTI quoted Rane while he was speaking to the reporters on Friday. The BJP leader said, The Worli meeting is aimed at dividing Hindus and Marathi people. It can be equated with the rallies of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), PFI or SIMI. It will cause the biggest damage to Hindus in the state. It is an anti-Hindu rally." However, Senior BJP leader and former minister Sudhir Mungantiwar praised the reunion of the Thackeray brothers. Republicans had a hard time persuading some of their own lawmakers to support the partys big tax-cutting and domestic-policy bill. They might have an even harder time selling it to the public. Polls show that the bill is unpopular. Opposition outweighed support by more than 20 percentage points in recent Fox News and Quinnipiac University polls. Some Republican lawmakers facing tough races next year represent the most Medicaid-reliant districts. They will have to defend the big cuts in the bill to Medicaid, the health-insurance program for low-income and disabled people, as well as to rural hospitals and to nutrition assistance, once known as food stamps. Those cuts help fund tax cuts in the bill that President Trump called for during the 2024 campaign. If a Republican candidate voted to cut Medicaid to pay for tax cuts, they would lose by 21 points," the GOP firm Fabrizio Ward cautioned after polling competitive House districts in May. After a March survey, the firm warned that cutting Medicaid could spell political peril for Republicans." Trump himself has acknowledged the risk, saying the target is waste and abuse, not services. Were not cutting Medicaid," he has said. Control of Congress in next years elections could turn in part on how voters come to see the bill. As the two parties prepare to spend millions of dollars to shape their impressions, Republicans have some advantages: Voters might be skeptical of the package, but many know little about it, suggesting they are open to persuasion. And some of its elements are popular. While only 27% of adults in a Pew Research survey said the bill would give them even a little help, surveys also show that some tax provisions, such as Trumps signature proposals to end federal taxes on tips and overtime, draw overwhelming support. Medicaid is popular: About one in five Americans get health coverage through the program. But so are provisions of the bill that require many beneficiaries to show that they are working, looking for work or in training programs to retain Medicaid benefits. The bill also directs new spending to the military and to immigration enforcement, which were top Trump priorities. Those are all messaging opportunities for the GOP. View Full Image A foggy day in Washington, as seen through pillars at the U.S. Capitol last month. The two biggest issues last fall were border security and the cost of living," said Chris Gustafson, communications director for One Nation, a super PAC affiliated with Senate Republican leaders. If were talking about delivering on campaign promises, the two biggest issues are delivered in this bill." By contrast, Brendan Buck, a former communications strategist for two prior GOP House speakers, said voters have rarely applauded Congress for passing big legislation. Democrats lost control of the House in 2010, after passing the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, and Republicans lost it in 2018, after approving a big tax cut during Trumps first term. I think the question is how much of this billwhich is relatively unpopularis front of mind for voters, and I dont think theres much evidence that it is front of mind," Buck said. The important factor will be how voters come to feel the effects of the billwhether their taxes are truly cut, and whether nonpartisan estimates that as many as 11 million people will lose Medicaid coverage come to pass. One challenge for the GOP is that relatively few people benefit from provisions such as no tax on tips," while the broadest-based tax provisionthe continuation of tax cuts enacted in 2017doesnt create a change that most voters can feel. The 2017 tax cuts were due to end this year, and Republicans will now ask for credit for leaving the lowered marginal rates in place. For the most part, these are not actual tax reductions from what people have been paying for seven or eight years," Buck said. Theres a bit of a risk that they are overpromising tax cuts that are not going to materialize" for most people. Alaskas 2026 Senate race is already showing the calculations the two parties are making. Sen. Dan Sullivan is on nobodys list of Republicans at high risk of defeat in next years elections. And yet a group run by allies of Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) is spending $700,000 this summer on ads that criticize him for backing the bill. The early Democratic investment is evidence the party believes the legislation will generate enough voter anger to put relatively safe Republican seats in play, especially in House districts and states, such as Alaska, that are likely to be most affected by cuts to Medicaid. Dan Sullivan voted to cut Medicaid to pay for more tax cuts for the rich," one of the Democratic ads says. View Full Image Visitors tour the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. Just 27% of adults who responded to a Pew Research survey said the tax-cutting and domestic-policy bill would give them even a little help. Sullivan dismissed such ads as fearmongering. He said he fought to include a $50 billion rural hospital fund in the bill, and that he was confident that Alaska would receive more than $200 million from the fund per year, over five years. Sullivan is gambling that he can persuade his constituents that the fund, along with other elements of the bill, made it a good deal for his state. In an interview, he said Alaska would benefit from nearly $25 billion he championed for the Coast Guard, which he said would fund new icebreakers, including $300 million to home port one in Juneau. Sullivan also said he fought to get Alaska temporarily exempted from some of the cuts to food assistance and pushed for language that opens more of Alaskas federal lands to oil and gas development. I think its safe to say that no state fared better than Alaska," he said. Democrats are telling voters that the Medicaid changes put rural hospitals, many of which are on weak financial footing, at further risk. Rural hospitals will be forced to close, all to pay for tax cuts for billionaires," says an ad the Democratic Senate PAC is running against GOP Sen. Joni Ernst in Iowa. Ernst said the GOP bill actually strengthens the integrity of Medicaid," echoing her partys assertion that the work requirement and other changes help focus the program on the most pressing needs. Senate Republicans fortified the fund intended to help rural hospitals weather the Medicaid cuts, but, overall, the bill calls for substantial reductions, analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows. Republicans, in turn, are saying that Democrats voted to raise taxes by voting against the bill. Hes voting yes for higher taxes," says a Republican ad against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia, which ran just before the Senate approved the bill. The GOP hopes voters will feel concrete benefits from the bill quickly. They have front-loaded the tax cuts in the bill while delaying the benefit cuts. Ending federal taxes on tips for many workers takes place this year, while the Medicaid work requirement kicks in later on. Republicans are taking lessons from Trumps first term, when the party pushed a big tax cut through Congress but gained little political benefit. The bill remained unpopular, and Republicans lost more than 40 House seats in the 2018 election. People didnt know what was in the bill. All they heard was that this is for the wealthy and corporations," said Dave Winston, a Republican strategist who advises House and Senate GOP leadership. View Full Image Inside the Capitol. Republicans want the bill to generate quick benefits for voters. Winston says Republicans can build support for the legislation by showing, with specificity, how it affects individual tax bills. He cautions that Republicans are making a mistake by casting the bill as the largest tax-cut ever, language the White House and GOP leaders have employed but which Winston thinks voters dismiss as hyperbole. Instead, Winston says Republicans should focus on the fact that about 90% of people take the standard deduction, which was due to fall from $30,000 to $16,000 next year for a couple if the bill hadnt passed, exposing more of their income to taxes. If you walk them through the math of what theyre going to face in 2026 without the bill, thats the single most persuasive argument," he said. Mike Stanfield, 73 years old, a retired engineer in Huntsville, Ala., is a Trump voter who feels lukewarm about the bill. He likes many of the principles behind it, but not many of the specifics. Cutting taxes on tips is a bad idea, economically, but I dont begrudge the people who work in those industries a tax cut," he said. He doesnt think the military needs a budget increase. And, he said, I think we have enough money spent on the border. The border is closed right now." Adding work requirements to Medicaid makes sense, he believes. My opinion of the bill at this point is probably not very good," largely because it adds to the deficit, he said. Still, he said, Democrats would have to offer something dramatically different than what theyve offered in the last few cycles" to win his vote. He cited Elon Musks call for a new, third political party. It may be time for that, if we cant get the Democrats or Republicans to act appropriately." Write to Aaron Zitner at aaron.zitner@wsj.com, Lindsay Wise at lindsay.wise@wsj.com and Natalie Andrews at natalie.andrews@wsj.com The estranged Thackeray brothersUddhav and Rajare set to unite for the first time in 20 years in Mumbai on Saturday. They will share a stage to celebrate victory against the Maharashtra government's move to impose three-language policy in primary schools.. Uddhav Thackeray' Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are known to aggressively push the cause of Marathi identity and language. The last time the two cousins shared the stage was during the election campaign of Malvan Assembly bypoll in 2005 after former chief minister Narayan Rane had quit the undivided Shiv Sena, news agency PTI reported. Raj Thackeray quit the undivided Shiv Sena shortly in the same year and floated the MNS in 2006. Also Read | Aaditya Thackeray slams Centre for allowing Pakistan to play in Hockey Asia Cup The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS have jointly organised the "victory" gathering at the NSCI Dome in central Mumbai's Worli, which also happens to be in the assembly constituency of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray. The two parties urged other political outfits who have protested against making Hindi "compulsory" in primary schools, and also people from the field of literature, art to participate in the gathering. Fight for the Marathi pride The BJP-led Mahayuti government had issued a GR (government order) on April 16, making Hindi a compulsory third language for students in Classes 1 to 5 studying in English and Marathi medium schools. After a backlash, the government issued an amended GR on June 17, making Hindi an optional language. The move was criticised by the Opposition parties Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS, and NCP (SP) which dubbed it the "imposition" of Hindi on Maharashtra. The Sena UBT and MNS leaders' burnt copies of the GR and planned a "mega" protest march on July 5. On June 29, as the chorus against the introduction of the Hindi language in Maharashtra schools from Classes 1 to 5 grew, the state cabinet withdrew the two GRs on the implementation of the three-language policy. Uddhav and Raj had then said the government blinked after witnessing the unity of Maharashtrians and did not want them to come together. Claiming victory, both decided to hold a victory celebration on the same day. The victory celebration is also being held at a time when MNS activists were caught on camera allegedly assaulting a footstall owner for not speaking in Marathi, while two persons were made to apologise to a man in the presence of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Rajan Vichare for allegedly assaulting him. Brothers reunited: The significance Although both Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS have decided not to use any party's flag, banners, poll symbol, hoardings and scarf during the event, the political messaging is evident at a time when they are witnessing diminishing electoral influence after their dismal performance in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly Election. The Shiv Sena (UBT) had won 20 assembly seats, while the MNS drew a blank. After the poll debacle, Uddhav and Raj Thckeray are coming together on one stage just ahead of the local body polls, including the cash rich Mumbai civic corporation. Also Read | EC asks Rahul Gandhi to file complaint directly to over 'rigging' claim Will Sharad Pawar attend Thackeray's victory rally? NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, who is allied with the Congress and the Sena (UBT) under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) banner in Maharashtra, said that he will not attend the event due to prior commitments. Speaking to PTI on Friday, NCP (SP) working president and Baramati MP Supriya Sule said Pawar will be in Pune on Saturday. Sule said she and MLA Jitendra Awhad will take part. The opposition stalwart had earlier told reporters he has events scheduled in Pune and would, therefore, not attend the Worli event. "Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Bala Nandgaonkar called me and invited me to the rally," state NCP (SP) chief Jayant Patil told PTI. Meanwhile, the Congress, an ally of the Sena (UBT), will not be a part of the victory celebration, state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal said. He, however, maintained his party supports the protest against making Hindi "mandatory" for students of Classes 1-5. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris, France, July 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang) PARIS, July 5 (Xinhua) -- China and France should champion multilateralism and safeguard the rules of free trade in the face of unilateral bullying that adversely impacts the international order, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Friday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China and France have maintained high-level exchanges, strengthened strategic coordination, and enhanced mutual understanding and trust, Wang noted. The two sides have successfully held meetings of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges, calling for leveraging the strengths of both civilizations to promote mutual learning and to break down artificially created barriers, he said. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. Over the past 80 years, China and France have made right strategic choices at multiple critical historical junctures, jointly influencing and shaping global development, which demonstrates that China-France relations are strategic and forward-looking, he said. At a time when unilateral bullying adversely impacts the international order, China and France, as permanent members of the UN Security Council and major independent countries, should once again embrace their mission of the times, champion the practice of multilateralism, safeguard the rules of free trade, and work together to take responsibility for world peace, contribute to global development, and promote human progress, said Wang. He also expressed his belief that the French side will continue to abide by the one-China principle and safeguard the political foundation of bilateral relations. China and France have established a "from the French farm to Chinese dining table" whole-chain rapid coordination mechanism, demonstrating the high-level practical cooperation between the two sides, said Wang, expressing the hope that France will work with China in the same direction and make the pie of cooperation bigger. Wang urged the two sides to continue deepening cooperation in traditional key fields such as nuclear energy, aviation and aerospace, and expand cooperation in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, green energy, biotechnology and the silver economy. China encourages competitive Chinese enterprises to invest in France, and hopes the French side will provide a fair, transparent, non-discriminatory and predictable business environment for them, he said. China and the European Union (EU) have resolved the brandy issue through friendly consultations, which has fully demonstrated the two sides' capability to properly handle frictions, Wang said, expressing the hope that France, as a core major power in the EU, advocate of free trade and leader in green transition, will play a constructive role in urging the EU to resolve differences in the same spirit. For his part, Barrot said that in today's complicated international situation, France-China and EU-China relations should provide more stabilizing and rational forces for the world, noting that France and China have maintained close high-level exchanges and achieved positive results in practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. Both France and China uphold multilateralism, and France looks forward to strengthening communication and cooperation with China to jointly address global challenges, he said. The French government pursues the one-China policy and this position remains unchanged. France attaches great importance to the EU-China partnership, and expects to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the EU and China as an opportunity to deepen cooperation, he added. The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis and the Iranian nuclear issue. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris, France, July 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang) Injured Palestinians are brought to al-Ahli Baptist Hospital to receive medical treatment after an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip on July 4. Longford MEP Ciaran Mullooly has secured overwhelming support from the European Parliaments Regional Development Committee (REGI) for his reform report on the EU Just Transition Fund (JTF). The report was adopted by the EU Committee in recent days and it will now proceed to a full Parliament vote in September. Mr Mullooly said the REGI development has set the stage for a more ambitious, accessible, and effective JTF 2.0 with increased funding and 'slashed red tape' to support communities facing the challenges of climate transition. READ NEXT: Longford Show's visiting Farrell Clan is a must-visit spectacle The Just Transition Fund (JTF) is the EUs main tool to support regions and workers most affected by the shift to climate neutrality. A total of 169 million has been allocated to the Midlands until 2027 to help diversify local economies and reskill workers as peat extraction ends. However, complex applications, short timelines, and low awareness have limited the funds impact for transitioning communities. Mr Mullooly stated that when the JTF came to Ireland it was already 'largely too late'. READ NEXT: Defendant says he was not tested legitimately, Longford court hears via solicitor "We had no Just transition and I want to address the damage that this has caused right across the midlands," he added. Mr Mulloolys REGI adopted measures call for immediate pre-financing for community groups applying for JTF grants, easing the need for risky matched funding loans and making funding accessible from the start. He said the 'JTF 2.0' can also boost investment in training major new investment in apprenticeships and training, especially in Offaly, Longford, Roscommon, and the worst-affected areas. Mr Mullooly said it can also lead to the creation of special economic zones in Offaly and Longford, where jobs were lost, with greater targeted investment and tax incentives to attract new business and replace lost jobs. Other radical action points he has included are the appointment of dedicated town and village grant managers to lead funding applications and provide hands-on support to local groups and accelerated planning for areas hit by ESB and Bord na Mona closures, ensuring regeneration projects can start without delay. Proud Longford native from Aughnacliffe, Liam J. Coyle, was invited to Aras an Uachtarain by President Michael D. Higgins and Sabina Higgins, in recognition of his contributions to climate action and sustainability. The event took place on Thursday, June 26 to recognise his work as an EU Climate Ambassador with the European Commission. Liam presented President Higgins with a handcrafted wooden harp as a commemorative gift to mark his life to public service and moral leadership on human rights, environmental justice and culture. READ NEXT: Defendant says he was not tested legitimately, Longford court hears via solicitor As a proud Longford native from Aughnacliffe, this was a truly special moment both personally and for my family, commented Liam. Whilst I work in Dublin as a Strategy Consultant at KPMG Ireland, I take great pride in my Longford background, having been educating at Moyne Community School. Liam has raised awareness of climate and environmental issues with hundreds of thousands of people online, lecturing the next generation of business leaders on sustainability at UCD, and advising businesses and public bodies on sustainability challenges among many other efforts to improve climate literacy and drive climate action. READ NEXT: Longford Show is a great opportunity for us in Killoe to showcase what we have' He described how there were a lot of NGOs and individuals that were invited all the way from community development to human rights; such as Trocaire. The event itself was for Global Solidarity and United Nations Sustainability Goals, such as world poverty and hunger. One in particular interest for Liam was climate action and fighting the climate crisis. He was appointed EU Climate Ambassador at the start of this year. Liam works for KPMG, advising businesses and government bodies on strategic issues, but also raising issues around sustainability. He produced a video on how he got involved with sustainability. Coming from a farming background, Liam started to see the impacts of climate change from increased rainfall that was flooding fields to stronger and more severe storms like Eowyn that were causing havoc and wrecking trees and forestry. He spoke earlier this year on RTE with Katie Hannon. His social media presence has helped with climate literacy. No matter where you are from in the country, in the fields of Longford or farms, you can get involved. With continued impact, you can make a difference in society. I want to raise awareness. Liam considered the event to be a special moment, having a great respect President Higgins. Longford woman Olivia Mollaghan, who was a finalist in this year's Miss Ireland competition, has thanked local people and the community for the 'amazing support and encouragement' she received. The 22 year-old former student of Mean Scoil Mhuire, graduated with first class honours in Communications from Dublin City University (DCU) in 2024 and she now works as a News Coordinator with RTE. Olivia said it has been an honour to represent Longford and she is thankful to every person 'who stood by me along the way'. READ NEXT: Longford court hears hunting is passion of man found with unauthorised firearm "I would like to express my sincere thanks to my wonderful community for the amazing support and encouragement I received throughout my journey in the Miss Ireland competition. "Whilst I did not win, being part of the final eight was an incredible experience that Ill always cherish. "Your kindness, votes and unwavering belief in me made this journey possible. READ NEXT: Urgent review of water power and capacity needs to be carried out in Ballymahon "I would like especially to thank my family, my sponsors Slainte Jewellery and McGowans Bar Dublin and to Bernie in Soul boutique Longford, for her guidance and support. A north county Longford motorist has been convicted for careless driving after he attempted to overtake on a narrow regional road with a continuous white line and crashed, which led to the drivers being hospitalised. Ariel Saavedra of 3 Sliabh Rua, Drumlish pleaded guilty at Longford District Court to a reduced charge of careless driving at Creenagh on October 16, 2023. Sergeant Enda Daly said on the date in question a three vehicle collision occurred at approximately 3.30pm on the R198 -657 road when a BMW initiated to overtake on a narrow stretch of road with a continuous white line. READ NEXT: Urgent review of water power and capacity needs to be carried out in Ballymahon "The BMW collided with both vehicles causing extensive damage to all three cars and hospitalisation of all of the other drivers," he added. Sgt Daly handed in photographs of the crash scene to Judge Bernadette Owens. The defendant had no previous convictions. Judge Bernadette Owens asked if he was overtaking both cars how did he manage to crash into them? READ NEXT: Longford court hears hunting is passion of man found with unauthorised firearm Solicitor Brid Mimnagh, defending, said her client said he "had his indicator on and one of the cars pulled out with no indicator" and he essentially had nowhere to go. However, Judge Owens stressed Mr Saavedra "crossed a continuous white line" and she addressed Ms Mimnagh and said, 'Was it a manoeuvre he should have been doing at all? "This is not about blaming someone else is it? Ms Mimnagh insisted it was not a tactic of shifting the blame and her client is working full time and he has a 'very responsible' job. "He is not blaming someone else, he shouldn't have been passing, I'm familiar with that road but there is a good view on both sides." Ms Mimnagh said Mr Saavedra has been living in Ireland and he has been working in the same job as a manager in a restaurant since 2010. "He apologises, he has slowed down considerably since the crash and he was eager to get to work but he accepts he should not have passed any vehicles on that road." Judge Owens decided not to disqualify Mr Saavedra due to his previous good record and his work history. She imposed a 500 fine with four months to pay. Brother Kevin Crowley had a simple mission to feed and house the poor, his funeral has been told. Brother Kevin, who died on Wednesday at the age of 90, founded the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin in 1969 in response to seeing homeless men eating from rubbish bins. Throughout a 55-year history, he oversaw much of its development in response to the needs of homeless people. The centre offers two hot meals per day Monday to Saturday, as well as food parcels and a range of services including clothing, showering facilities, and medical interventions. It provides more than 1,000 hot breakfasts and dinners each day. Brother Kevin was said to be grateful to be awarded the Freedom of the City of Dublin in 2015 and for the visit of Pope Francis to the centre in August 2018. He retired in 2022 to Cork, where he was born and died earlier this week. His funeral took place at St Mary of the Angels on Church Street in Dublin on Saturday. President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina Higgins were among guests in an overflowing church, which the service heard was receiving guests from all over the island of Ireland. Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell and former primate of Ireland Diarmuid Martin attended the mass alongside Capuchin Franciscans and staff at the day centre. Also present were Commandant Joe Glennon representing Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who is concluding a trade mission in Japan, Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam, and other public representatives from the city council and Oireachtas. Leading the service as provincial minister, Brother Richard Hendrick welcomed Brother Kevins two families his natural family as well as the staff, volunteers and guests of the Day Centre. You are all welcome here today. While Brother Kevin was the inspiration and face as it were of the work of the centre, without all of you there would be much less reason for our gathering. We thank you for all you were to Brother Kevin, for all you are to us Capuchin Friars and for all you do to keep that vision alive of a place of refuge and Franciscan welcome in the heart of the city open to all. Brother Richard said they had been inundated with stories of the care and love Brother Kevin shared to others, as well as the love shared to him. He said Brother Kevin vision was that no one would go hungry and that all would fall a place of inclusive welcome and peace. Brother Richard said the day centre will continue and grow as long as there are guests who need its services. Recalling recent queries from visitors if the centre would stop operating, he added: I think Kevin would haunt us all if there was even a thought of that. Brother Richard thanked all those who had gathered, as well as all those worked at the day centre. Yesterday, we heard that there would be two minutes of silence one in Dublin and one in Cork before the GAA matches take place. It is probably Kevins greatest achievement that as a Cork man he has finally silenced Dublin. In a homily, Brother Patrick Flynn said Brother Kevin gave a lifes service to the poor. He said the proud west Cork man was a very, very good Capuchin friar, a man of God, a disciple of Jesus Christ, and a humble, devout son of St Francis of Assisi. He was a Capuchin to his fingerprints. Most people didnt know his family name of Crowley, but they knew of Brother Kevin. Brother Patrick said Brother Kevin was known the length and breadth of the country as a tireless advocate for those with no voice, acting as the nations conscience to remind the public of their obligation to help others out of the trap of poverty. He was fearless, relentless in his pursuit of justice for the poor. Ive no doubt that his great spiritual father St Francis is embracing him today for the love and compassion he extended throughout his religious life for Gods poor. He added: Kevin had a mission in life, it was very simple: Feed and house the poor. He couldnt understand why in our country we couldnt solve this problem. Brother Patrick said Brother Kevin was a man who enjoyed the company of friars and friends, had a love of the GAA marked by a hurley placed beside his coffin during the service, and who had a great sense of humour demonstrated by his ability to laugh at himself. Remembering his friend for over 60 years, he concluded: He wasnt perfect, he could be feisty and challenging when he disagreed with you. But what he did have in abundance was a generous, compassionate heart and that is what made the man. Kevin, thank you for your good example. The service was also read letters containing tributes from the Apostolic Nuncio of Ireland Luis Mariano Montemayor and General Councillor Brother Marek Miszczynski. Brother Kevins burial site is at Dardistown Cemetery. Reinet Investments, one of Luxembourgs largest investment firms but relatively unknown locally, has agreed to sell its entire stake in the UKs Pension Insurance Corporation Group (PIC) to Athora Holding, a European insurer backed by Apollo Global Management. In a statement published on Thursday night, Reinet said it would dispose of its 49.5% shareholding in PIC as part of a wider transaction that will see all the companys shareholder, including the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, CVC Capital Partners, HPS Investment Partners and PICG employees, exit together. Reinet holds an indirect 49.5% stake in PIC, meaning it could receive around 3.3 billion if the deal proceeds at the proposed price. PIC has long been Reinets largest single investment and a steady source of income for the company. PICGs fully diluted share capital is valued at around 5.7 billion (6.6 billion) at the time of the agreement and this is expected to increase to about 5.9 billion (6.85 billion) by the closing of the deal, considering expected dividends, Reinet said. Reinet said the transaction is still subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in early 2026. However, the valuation is lower than the figure Reinet reported in its latest annual results. Its 2024 annual report valued the PIC stake at about 3.63 billion as of 31 March. Analysts estimate the current deal terms imply a discount of around 20% compared to that book value. Reinets shares, which trade in Johannesburg as well as Luxembourg and Amsterdam, fell as much as 5.4% after the announcement and were down about 4% on Thursday afternoon. The stock had rallied about 25% since speculation about a possible deal first surfaced in mid-June. PIC specialises in so-called bulk annuity transactions, where an insurer takes over corporate pension schemes and manages them over the long term. This market has grown rapidly in the UK as companies look to reduce long-term pension risks. The buyer, Athora Holding, is a Bermuda-based insurer that focuses on life and pension run-off across Europe. Athora is backed by US private equity group Apollo Global Management, which has expanded aggressively into the European insurance market over the past decade through similar deals. PICs other major shareholders include Luxinva, an arm of Abu Dhabis sovereign wealth fund, and private equity firm CVC Capital Partners. A deal would represent a significant exit for all three investors. Reinet, which was spun out of South African billionaire Johann Ruperts Richemont empire in 2008, uses Luxembourg as a discreet base to manage global holdings. The company traces its roots back to Ruperts original tobacco fortune, which later evolved into Richemont, the owner of Cartier, Montblanc and other high-end brands. Despite its multi-billion-euro value and listings on three major stock exchanges, Reinet remains low-profile in Luxembourg. (This article was updated at 10:15 on 4 July 2025 to include the latest Reinet statement confirming that the deal had been agreed) PARIS, July 5 (Xinhua) -- War is not a solution to the Iranian nuclear issue and preemptive strikes apparently lack legitimacy, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday, stressing that the abuse of military force will only lead to further conflict and accumulate more hatred. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a joint press conference with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. When asked about the situation in the Middle East, Wang said the Iranian nuclear issue could have served as an example of resolving international disputes through dialogue and negotiation. However, it is now falling into a new round of the Middle East crisis. China regrets to see what is happening, he said, adding that lessons should be thoroughly reflected upon. China's position on the Iranian nuclear issue is clear and consistent, Wang said, noting that China attaches importance to the repeated public commitments made by Iran's top leader that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons. At the same time, China respects Iran's right to peaceful use of nuclear energy as a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Wang said. On this basis, the parties concerned can speed up negotiations on a new international agreement to settle the Iranian nuclear issue and place Iran's nuclear activities completely under the strict supervision and protection of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Wang noted, emphasizing that the path to peace lies ahead, and history will test the sincerity of all parties. The recent military conflicts between Israel and Iran should not be repeated, Wang said, adding that the United States has set a negative precedent by openly bombing the nuclear facilities of a sovereign nation. Wang warned that if such actions trigger a nuclear disaster, the whole world would bear the consequences. The claim of "peace through strength" is based on the logic of power politics, Wang said, questioning that if strength alone dictates right and wrong, what then would become of rules and justice. Strength cannot bring true peace. Rather, it may well open a Pandora's box, Wang added, asking how are less powerful nations, especially small and medium-sized countries, supposed to survive. The true resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue cannot evade the core of the Middle East problem, namely the Palestinian issue, Wang said, adding that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza must not continue any longer. The Palestinian issue must not be marginalized again, the legitimate aspirations of the Arab people should be fulfilled as soon as possible, and the just voice of the broader Islamic world must be heeded, Wang said. The "two-state solution" remains the only realistic way to break the cycle of turmoil in the Middle East, and the international community must take more concrete and effective actions to advance it, he said. China and France, both as permanent members of the UN Security Council, should uphold justice, take responsibility, support resolving conflicts through dialogue and negotiation, oppose any double standards, and determine their own positions and policies based on the right and wrong of the matter, Wang said. The United Nations and its Security Council should play their due role in promoting peace, Wang said, adding that China is willing to work with France to make unremitting efforts to this end. Even before she is confirmed as the next US ambassador to the Grand Duchy, Stacey Feinberg has been lambasted over her comments about Luxembourgs relationship with China. A Donald Trump nominee, Feinberg told the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Luxembourg needed educating on what she called Chinas nefarious intentions. But Luxembourg is unlikely to be bullied into to decoupling from the Asian superpower, as Feinberg has insisted, even if it wanted to. Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel said as much when commenting on Feinbergs claims this week. Since 2017 when Donald Trump first became president of the United States, diplomatic niceties have been thrown out of the window While it is not normal protocol for an ambassador to interfere in a host countrys politics, since 2017 when Donald Trump first became president of the United States, diplomatic niceties have been thrown out of the window. Different enemy Of course, we have been down this road before, but with a different enemy. In March 2019, Trumps previous appointment as US ambassador to Luxembourg, Randy Evans, urged the Luxembourg government to take a stand on Russias annexation of Crimea during a visit by then-Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Although the Luxembourg government did not make any official reply, the then-LSAP cabinet minister Dan Kersch retorted via social media. The Luxembourg government does not need tutoring from another state or embassy about how foreign policy should be defined. This is unacceptable!, he wrote on Facebook. Medvedev later dismissed Evanss statement, saying that the US ambassador should have the basis of a democracy explained to them alongside the concept of national sovereignty. Two months later, ahead of the 2019 European Parliament elections, Evans said Russia was trying to interfere in the elections, just as it had in the 2016 US presidential election. Feinberg is focused on Beijing as being the devil in disguise, which aligns with Trumps long-standing China-critical stance In contrast to Evans, Feinberg is focused on Beijing as being the devil in disguise, which aligns with Trumps long-standing China-critical stance. Not that China is totally innocent. Evans successor as US ambassador, Joe Biden appointee Thomas Barrett, last year also issued a warning that China was supplying machine tools and microelectronics that were aiding the Russians in their war against Ukraine. And it is well-documented that Beijing has a network of spies all over Europe including some, such as Jian Guo, who were in positions of influence. Guo was the aide of far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) MEP Maximilian Krah, who sat on European Parliament committees that regularly deal with Chinas influence and the actions of the Chinese Communist Party. Other attempts at espionage are less blatant and more difficult to prove. As Euractiv reported in March, the London-based China Strategic Risk Institute as well as MEPs from both the centre-right EPP and liberal Renew groupings have warned that Europe is behind the curve on tackling the security risks posed by Chinese-made electric vehicles. Since Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Luxembourg has managed to at least partially decouple from Moscow by following EU sanctions and has also supported in principle a proposal that frozen Russian state assets should be used to help Ukraine. The measures against Russia resulted in the liquidation of East-West United Bank in 2024. But Feinbergs insistence that Luxembourg and the EU decouple from China may not be so easy to carry off. Nor is it particularly wanted. The EU Commission has this week been sending envoys to Beijing to lay the groundwork for a major summit with Chinese leaders later in July, though China has now cut that formal meeting from two days to one day. That is because Chinas economic influence in Europe is inescapable. As recently as Wednesday, The Guardian cited the chief executive of AMG Lithium, the EUs first factory to make the lithium hydroxide used in many car batteries, warned that the blocs reliance on the Middle Kingdom is so great that it may as well apply to be a province of China. Chinese are here to stay In Luxembourg the ties have become deeply entrenched since 1979, just seven years after formal diplomatic ties were established, when Bank of China opened its very first overseas representation in the Grand Duchy. Luxembourg is now home to seven Chinese banks and money flows between the two countries, while not as strong as their 2021 peak, remain significant. Luxembourg is the 2nd largest global domicile of investment funds investing into China behind Hong Kong. Indeed, 72.1% of European funds investing in mainland China are Luxembourg funds according to a 2024 study by PwC & Lipper. Conversely, the Grand Duchy is the largest listing centre in Europe for renminbi-denominated bonds and second globally behind Hong Kong. Feinbergs demonising of an entire section of the Luxembourg population sets a worrying precedent According to Eurostat, in 2024 Luxembourg imported 157 million worth of goods from China, accounting for 8.2% of its extra-EU imports. Exports to China are worth 237 million, or 8.1% of extra-EU exports. Much of that trade is carried by freight airline Cargolux, which operates more than 50 flights a week on the so-called Air Silk Road route between Zhengzhou and Luxembourg. So, the Chinese are here to stay and Feinbergs demonising of an entire section of the Luxembourg population sets a worrying precedent. If, as looks likely, she is confirmed, it is not the most promising start to her diplomatic career. There has been disruption for ships bringing supplies in and out of the port of Mertert in Luxembourg after a boat crashed into a lock gate on the German side of the Moselle on Wednesday. A passenger cabin boat rammed a lock gate near Cochem on Wednesday afternoon while entering the lock. Three people were injured in the accident, according to the police in Rhineland-Palatinate. The gate was so badly damaged that the lock in Sankt Aldegund had to suspend operations until further notice. The effects of the incident are already being felt in the port of Mertert in Luxembourg. According to Luxport CEO Gilles Braquet, a number of ships are now unable to load or unload in Mertert due to the lock being out of service. However, he remains optimistic that the impact of the incident on shipping on the Moselle will be minor. Braquet indicated that repairs to the lock will last until the end of the week. Deadline for repairs unclear However, a spokesperson for the Mosel-Saar-Lahn Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSA), which is responsible for the lock, was unable to confirm this timeline when contacted by the Luxemburger Wort. Officials are on site and are still assessing the extent of the damage. Shipping traffic will not come to a standstill. Emergency locks will be implemented if necessary, the WSA spokesperson said. German Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder, who is set to visit the site on Thursday evening, said that the latest incident is not good news for the Moselle. I will do everything in my power to ensure that the Moselle can be reopened as quickly as possible. Also read: Captain of ship fined over crash which paralysed Luxembourg traffic Around 50 ships are currently waiting to be locked through the damaged gate, according to the German transport ministry on Thursday afternoon. Spate of recent incidents Just a short time after the lock incident, another accident occurred on the Moselle River on Wednesday evening. Police reported that a cabin boat struck a bridge near Treis-Karden, which, like Sankt Aldegund, is located in the Cochem-Zell district. According to reports, 110 passengers and 27 crew members were on board when the ship collided with the bridge. Two crew members were injured and taken to hospitals. The bridge sustained significant damage, according to reports. The latest incidents come just months after the Muden lock on the German side of the river was severely damaged in a collision involving a cargo ship on 8 December. Around 70 ships were stranded following the crash and were eventually freed after a painstaking operation lasting around three weeks. Ships have been able to travel through the repaired lock again since the beginning of February. (This article was originally published by the Luxemburger Wort. Machine translated, with editing and adaptation by John Monaghan.) Luxembourg does not need education from China or US, foreign minister says Luxembourg does not need education from China or the United States and is not a vassal state of either superpower, Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel has said. Bettel made the comments after Stacey Feinberg, Donald Trumps pick to be the next US Ambassador to Luxembourg, told a US Senate committee last month that the Grand Duchy did not really understand Beijings nefarious intentions in Europe. I humbly would like to educate them , Feinberg said. We dont need an education, neither from China nor from the United States, Bettel told LEssentiel in an interview published on Thursday. PwC Legal Luxembourg splits from Big Four network PwC Legal Luxembourg has split from the PwC network. The legal practice became Stellan Partners on 1 July, a PwC Legal spokesperson told the Luxembourg Times. The law firm was not owned by the consultancy, which would have been prohibited under Luxembourg rules, but its services were integrated into PwCs offerings. It was an independent law firm operating as a member of the PwC network and its shares remain controlled by existing equity partners. ING Luxembourgs profits slump 38% in year of retail exit INGs profit fell by 38% In the same year it pulled the plug on its retail banking in Luxembourg to focus on more profitable business lines, according to annual results filed with the business register on Tuesday. The Dutch lenders Luxembourg subsidiary posted a profit of 163 million in 2024, down from a record 263 million the year before. Much of the decline came from lower interest earnings as rates fell over the year. Net interest income dropped by 25% from 449 million in 2023 to 337 million in 2024. Bush fires bring opportunities for Luxembourgs Cargolux Cargoluxs tiny fleet of firefighting aircraft have taken off this year with the blistering heatwave -battling wildfires in eastern Turkey, where 50,000 people were evacuated, and a hilly region near the Syrian border - as it starts a three-year contract. The cargo airlines subsidiary Aquarius Aerial Firefighting last month dispatched all eight of its planes to Turkey to work with an older, more-established Spanish company that flies the same type of aircraft. Luxembourg unlikely to fully meet defence spending target, report says This week the Balearic government said that organised Mafia were operating in the region helping immigrants. Yesterday, Europol confirmed that it has supported the French National Police (Police Nationale/OLTIM Perpignan) and the Spanish National Police (Policia Nacional/UCRIF Central) in dismantling an organised criminal network smuggling migrants of Algerian and Moroccan origin from Spain to France as well as in the opposite direction, from the United Kingdom to Spain. In addition to the arrests made in Spain and France, during action days, French law enforcement intercepted a British national connected to the wider criminal network. The suspect was caught in the act while transporting 12 irregular migrants from the United Kingdom to France across the Channel. The investigation, initiated in August 2024, has revealed the extensive operations of a criminal network involved in large-scale migrant smuggling across the European Union and beyond. Law enforcement authorities have so far uncovered 38 migrant smuggling instances directly linked to this network since the beginning of the investigation. Further intelligence and forensic analyses have enabled investigators to link an additional 100 smuggling incidents, which occurred since 2021, to the same criminal organisation. The network is believed to have facilitated the illegal entry of approximately 1 000 migrants into the EU. The smuggling activities were characterised by well-coordinated logistics and planning, indicative of a highly organised criminal network active across multiple jurisdictions in and out of the EU. The action days 13 to 16 June 2025 in France and Spain led to: 7 arrests (3 in France and 4 in Spain) 4 house searches (2 in France and 2 in Spain) Seizures included 4 vehicles, over EUR 50 000 cash in different currencies (euros, pounds and dirhams) and electronic devices From Spain to the UK and back The migrant smuggling network, based in Barcelona, was operating under the coordination of its leader, based in Paris. Through close international cooperation, authorities were able to uncover the structure of the network, which facilitated the movement of irregular migrants via an established smuggling route from Murcia, Spain, towards France. However, since January 2025, investigators have also established that the networks leader maintained regular contact with UK-based smugglers. These accomplices were responsible for transporting migrants from the UK back to Calais, concealed in cargo vans crossing the Channel by ferry. Members of the criminal network based in France would then drive the migrants to Spain, effectively creating a two-way smuggling operation and generating profits from both directions on the same migrant smuggling route. Wide net for smugglers with shifting tactics This criminal network had operational reach across two distinct migratory routes: the secondary movement of migrants from Spain across Western Europe and the English Channel route. The criminal facilitation of secondary movements across the EU consists of inland transfer of irregular migrants who initially entered the EU by sea via the Western Mediterranean and later moved from Spain to France. A feature of the business models used by the network was the use of vans rather than boats, to move migrants across the Channel. During the smuggling operations, migrants were transported from the UK to France in concealed compartments within commercial vehicles, often under extremely dangerous conditions. In many cases, they were found crowded in vans without proper ventilation or safety measures, or hidden among commercial goods loaded onto large cargo vehicles. In addition to the serious risks posed to the lives of the migrants, this method also illustrates the adaptability and cross-border coordination of the criminal organisation. Europol enabled the exchange of information and provided operational coordination, and analytical support. During the action days, Europol facilitated the deployment of one French investigator to Spain, and that of a Spanish investigator to France. Europol also deployed an expert to Spain to facilitate the real-time exchange of information and cross-check operational information against Europols databases, providing immediate leads to investigators in the field. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. An academic conference titled "Shanghai Spirit: Bridges of Mutually Beneficial Cooperation and Sustainable Development within the SCO" is held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, July 4, 2025. The conference was held here on Friday, bringing together over 100 participants from the political, academic, business and other sectors of China and Kyrgyzstan. (Photo by Roman/Xinhua) BISHKEK, July 4 (Xinhua) -- An academic conference titled "Shanghai Spirit: Bridges of Mutually Beneficial Cooperation and Sustainable Development within the SCO" was held Friday in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, bringing together over 100 participants from the political, academic, business and other sectors of China and Kyrgyzstan. In her keynote speech, Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Liu Jiangping elaborated on the significance and contemporary relevance of the "Shanghai Spirit." She also outlined China's work as the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and highlighted the organization's recent achievements. She said China is willing to work with all sides to carry forward the "Shanghai Spirit," promote continuous achievements in the development of the SCO, and contribute to promoting regional stability and growth. Kyrgyz Minister of Justice Ayaz Baetov, also director of the National Institute of Strategic Initiatives under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, along with other participants from the Kyrgyz side, spoke highly of China's contribution to promoting the development of the SCO, and expressed Kyrgyzstan's readiness to work together with China to promote the continuous achievement of new results in cooperation in all areas within the SCO. The event was co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan and the National Institute of Strategic Initiatives under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic. Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Liu Jiangping delivers a keynote speech at an academic conference titled "Shanghai Spirit: Bridges of Mutually Beneficial Cooperation and Sustainable Development within the SCO," in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, July 4, 2025. The conference was held here on Friday, bringing together over 100 participants from the political, academic, business and other sectors of China and Kyrgyzstan. (Photo by Roman/Xinhua) An academic conference titled "Shanghai Spirit: Bridges of Mutually Beneficial Cooperation and Sustainable Development within the SCO" is held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, July 4, 2025. The conference was held here on Friday, bringing together over 100 participants from the political, academic, business and other sectors of China and Kyrgyzstan. (Photo by Roman/Xinhua) Kyrgyz Minister of Justice Ayaz Baetov, also director of the National Institute of Strategic Initiatives under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, speaks at an academic conference titled "Shanghai Spirit: Bridges of Mutually Beneficial Cooperation and Sustainable Development within the SCO," in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, July 4, 2025. The conference was held here on Friday, bringing together over 100 participants from the political, academic, business and other sectors of China and Kyrgyzstan. (Photo by Roman/Xinhua) At a business dedicated to creating a safe space for new and expecting mothers and families, youll notice an array of activities upon entering. Some mothers are standing in a circle enjoying coffee, some are calming their babies, some are enjoying moments of quiet on the couch, and some are even in yoga poses. The Herd, located at 24 Exchange St. in Holliston, creates a unique environment meant to benefit a community of caregivers. The business was built from a desire that two mothers had to make a welcoming space that mothers and families can come to, to feel empowered, educated and looked after. Owners Abbie Hausermann, a perinatal mental health expert, and Tina Agostinelli, a lactation educator, have dreamt to bring the business alive. And for the last six months, the business has flourished since opening, welcoming in mothers, caregivers, infants and more. For us to be able to give back to our community of moms and the next generation of moms coming in, having them feel validated, supported, heard, is the most bucket-filling thing I could have ever imagined doing, Agostinelli told MassLive. Community is what makes people feel better and safe and feel like they have a place to land, Hausermann added. The Herd offers variety to its community, including weekly classes such as music and movement, baby and bump-friendly yoga and educational workshops. Take a look at what the Baby & Me Yoga class is like. The Herd also has a resource wall of providers, so caregivers can find the care they and their families need without having to go far. These resources include a physical therapist, a pelvic floor specialist, a nutrition specialist, a speech language pathologist, child therapists and more all while making guests feel like theyre not in a traditional medical setting. We have intentionally built this community of resources and providers and specialists, and I think part of that is it takes away that extra stress from mom to find it on her own, Hausermann said. Ultimately, The Herd continues to strive to nurture the space that makes you just feel good about being there. The two described the space to be a place that feels like youre coming to a friends house, where you can feel comfortable and be yourself. The idea that you can come here and make meaningful connections with other moms and caregivers, but also a place where your baby can come and just be a baby, is whats rewarding, Hausermann said. To see more on The Herd and to check out its class schedules, click here. The U.S. Department of State has lifted an order for family members and non-emergency U.S. government personnel to leave Lebanon due to its safety risks; however, it still warns U.S. citizens to avoid or leave three other areas in that region. The travel advisory, posted July 3 by the U.S. Department of State, classified Lebanon as a Level 4 Do Not Travel risk, with officials urging tourists not to go there and to leave if they are in Southern Lebanon, at the border with Syria or in a refugee settlement. Do Not Travel to Lebanon due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, unexploded landmines and the risk of armed conflict, the advisory reads. Some areas, especially near the borders, have increased risk. Since Oct. 3, 2023, cross-border exchanges of fire have occurred between Hezbollah and Israel. Targets have sometimes been well north of the border region, according to the Department of State. A cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon went into effect on Nov. 27, 2024. However, military activity has continued in some areas of Lebanon. Therefore, the Lebanese government is unable to guarantee the safety of U.S. citizens against sudden outbreaks of violence and armed conflict. Leave Southern Lebanon The advisory defines Southern Lebanon, from where U.S. citizen should leave, as all parts south of the city of Saida, to include inland areas. There have continued to be instances of military activity in South Lebanon and near the Syrian border since the cessation of hostilities went into effect, the advisory reads. Leave the Lebanon-Syria border The U.S. Embassy also strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid the Lebanon-Syria border and to leave if they are there. This area has seen clashes between Lebanese security forces and Syrian-based groups, as well as recent airstrikes, the advisory reads. The U.S. Department of State also warns U.S. citizens of the risk of traveling on flights that fly over Syria, which include some flights to and from Beirut. Leave refugee settlements The July 3 advisory also advises citizen to avoid or leave any refugee settlements in Lebanon. These settlements are prone to outbreaks of violence including shootings and explosions. U.S. citizens are also urged to avoid demonstrations and exercise caution if in the vicinity of any large gatherings or protests as these have the potential to turn violent quickly and with little notice. Protests have blocked major roads, including thoroughfares between downtown Beirut and the area where the U.S. Embassy is located, between Beirut and the Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport. If you go anyway Those who travel to Lebanon are urged by the Department of State to: Appoint one family member to serve as the point of contact with kidnappers or hostage takers, media, U.S. and host country government agencies, and members of Congress if kidnapped or taken hostage Keep travel documents up to date and easily accessible Not touch unknown metal objects and avoid traveling off well-used roads, tracks and paths due to risk of unexploded ordnance Avoid demonstrations and crowds Stay alert in locations frequented by Westerners Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust plans based on new information In addition, if U.S. travelers go to Lebanon, they can enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive messages and alerts from the U.S. embassy. A Massachusetts State Police trooper was struck by a moped while trying to stop a large crowd in Revere from igniting illegal fireworks on the Fourth of July. The incident happened at around 11 p.m. a few blocks from Revere Beach on Thornton Street. Police responded to a large crowd of several hundred people who gathered to light fireworks in the middle of the street, according to state police. As the crowd swelled and became aggressive, Police requested mutual aid from surrounding communities to de-escalate and maintain public safety, the statement reads. A short time later, a moped drove through the crowd and struck and injured the unnamed trooper on scene. He was driven by ambulance to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Police arrested Deshakraaun Abdullahmuhammud, 34, of Everett, and charged him with several offenses, including driving with a suspended license, assault with a dangerous weapon, negligent operation, failure to stop for police and operating an unregistered motor vehicle. Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble said the department will not tolerate behavior that poses a danger to those living, working, and visiting Massachusetts adding that this incident marks the second time in recent weeks that troopers have been seriously injured near Revere Beach due to aggressive drivers on stolen and unregistered vehicles. Lt. Donald Bossi of the Massachusetts State Police was critically injured in a hit-and-run motorcycle crash in Revere in June. We share the serious public safety concerns and will continue our sustained, proactive enforcement efforts in the weeks ahead. Noble wrote. I wish the Trooper a full recovery, and we continue to support Lieutenant Donald Bossi who remains in critical condition. Masataka Yoshida will likely return to the Red Sox' lineup next week, according to Alex Cora. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) Getty Images WASHINGTON Masataka Yoshida has long targeted a return to the Red Sox lineup before the All-Star break. Now, that appears to be a reality. Yoshida will play two more rehab games at Double-A Portland this weekend and have Monday off, manager Alex Cora said. It then might be decision time when it comes to activating him. Hell DH one of them and play the outfield the next one, Cora said. Mondays off, then well talk about what we do. Hell be active during the homestand. When? We dont know. Cora left the door open for Yoshida, who hasnt played yet this season due to a slow recovery from offseason labrum surgery, to return to the roster between Tuesday against Colorado and Sunday (the first-half finale) against Tampa Bay. Its still possible Yoshida, who has gone 2-for-9 in three rehab games so far, will need more time in the minors early next week. Whenever Yoshida does return, hell re-join a crowded outfield/designated hitter mix in Boston. Cora envisions Yoshida and lefty-masher Rob Refsnyder platooning at the DH position while also continuing to mix both players into the outfield alongside Wilyer Abreu, Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela. Yoshida wont start at first base but could emerge as an emergency option there. Left field is the only position he has played in the big leagues (other than DH). Masas gonna hit, said Cora. Hes gonna hit and hes gonna play wherever we need him to play, whether its the outfield or DH. The first base thing, like I said, its not like were going to start him there. But lets say hes playing the outfield and were aggressive with pinch-hitters and in the ninth or 10th inning, he can stand there and make plays and well use him. Hell play. In the three weeks since the Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the Giants, Cora has rotated the DH spot. He has started an outfielder as Bostons DH in each of the last 14 games, with Anthony doing it seven times and Refsnyder (who is the DH Saturday) getting six appearances. The defensive upside of Abreu in right field and Rafaela in center make it hard for the Red Sox to envision unplugging either of them from the field. Anthony, Duran, Refsnyder and Yoshida will all likely get DH at-bats. On most days, Cora acknowledged, the Red Sox might find themselves with six outfielders for four lineup spots. Refsnyder wont play much against right-handed starters but there will be difficult decisions to make with the other five. Somebodys going to sit, Cora said. Thats where were at roster-wise. Its not a problem. Its a luxury to be honest with you. Thats the reality of it. Weve got a lot of good players. Some guys are not gonna play certain days. Theres certain lefties that arent gonna play against righties one day. Thats the way its going to be because we have lots of good players. Linda and Steve Hamlin on their first trip to Glacier National Park in Montana. (SUBMITTED) The Westfield News HUNTINGTON Artist, author, craftsman and musician Steve Hamlin has just self-published his second book, Travel on $50/Day (or less!); Camping in the US and Beyond. The book draws on many years of experience and 10-plus years of keeping detailed records describing proven techniques for affordable, rewarding motor-touring. Nowadays, you can't escape the rage and fury on social media from far-right people who are protesting against refugees coming into the country. I see it on Facebook, X and Instagram, but even in social situations with people on a day-to-day basis too. People are angry at immigrants coming into the country because "Ireland is full" but Ireland is not full and the housing crisis is the fault of the government and the government alone. In recent times with wars and conflict, like the war in Ukraine, it shouldn't be a shock that Ireland is a destination people are fleeing to for safety. However, certain Irish people are making this a lot harder for people who are already in struggling circumstances and who have no choice but to come here for safety for themselves and their families. READ NEXT: RIP: 'Tragic' Cork couple both found dead at home paid tribute amid shock and heartbreak I've heard people saying they are dangerous and they are going to target our women and children. But in my opinion, there are dangerous people everywhere in the world and classifying all refugees as dangerous is just pure racist and is not justified. Yes, some of them could be dangerous but some Irish people could be just as dangerous too. That is the society we live in and we have to respect the law of land and trust that it will deal with these people, no matter their nationality. The targeting refugees in protests is not helping the situation at all. The housing crisis in Ireland is the fault of the government as they make it impossible for our young generation to even be able to afford to buy or rent a home of their own in today's world. According to the 2022 Census, there are 163,433 vacant residential units in Ireland. That's over 150,000 potential homes that are lying unused around the country, and with proper planning, could be used to house thousands of families. This proves that Ireland is not full and people who are chanting this on the streets of Ireland are just racist against refugees. To give examples of some social media comments I have come across, one person said: "Well done! Be relentless with this lads" with reference to such protests. And another comment said: "Everyone in every town should be having peaceful marches, we need to look after our own first". We have to remember that Irish people themselves have emigrated to countries for centuries. Young Irish people are still leaving Ireland and moving to places like Australia. Imagine your son or daughter were to move away to Australia only to be hit with angry people shouting at them and yelling "we are full!" We are all human at the end of the day and it truly saddens me to see so many people that have lost their compassion towards people in circumstances that they cannot help. So don't blame the refugees, if you are going to blame anyone, I would say the government is the one at fault here. KABUL, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan interim government's chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has welcomed the decision of the Russian Federation to recognize the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" as the de jure administration of the post-war central Asian state and hopes that other nations will follow suit. "We are thankful to Russia for this bold decision. We welcome it, and this decision can open a new chapter in relations between Afghanistan and Russia," Mujahid said in an interview with the local media outlet Tolonews on Friday night. Russia was the first country that formally recognized the Afghan interim government, received the ambassador of the interim government and hoisted its white flag on the Afghanistan embassy building in Moscow. Mujahid also noted that Russia's decision is "appreciable," saying "we also call on other countries to fulfill their responsibilities in engaging and building relations with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan." The Afghan interim government took over power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of the U.S.-led foreign troops from Afghanistan. by Ray Schultz , July 4, 2025 The Independent Publishers Alliance has filed an antitrust complaint against Google with the European Commission, accusing Google of misusing web content for Google's AI Overviews in Google Search, Reuters reports. The group charges that Google is placing its AI Overviews above traditional search results, causing loss of traffic and revenue loss to publishers. Google counters that it sends vast amounts of traffic to publisher websites. "New AI experiences in Search enable people to ask even more questions, which creates new opportunities for content and businesses to be discovered," a Google spokesperson told Reuters. However, the Independent Publisher Alliance continues, "Publishers using Google Search do not have the option to opt out from their material being ingested for Google's AI large language model training and/or from being crawled for summaries, without losing their ability to appear in Google's general search results page," according to Reuters. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has also received the complaint. by Ray Schultz , July 5, 2025 Editorial writers may decry some of the measures in President Trumps budget bill, which he signed on Friday. But the News/Media Alliance sees some positive things for publishers. The Alliance praises the legislation for reflecting these publishing priorities (and we quote): Rejecting a moratorium on state legislation to regulate Artificial Intelligence Preserving the deductibility of advertising expenses Permanently restoring full capitalization of research or experimental expenditures Permanently restoring full bonus depreciation Reversing the limit on net interest expense to include depreciation and amortization Permanent extension of the reduced 2017 corporate tax rate. advertisement advertisement We applaud Congress and President Trump for advancing a bill that will promote the production of high-quality journalism across the country, says Danielle Coffey, president and CEO of the News/Media Alliance. The legislations pro-growth tax policy will give publishers the stability and resources they need to invest in coverage that communities across America rely on. Coffey adds: We are particularly pleased that the misguided moratorium on state regulation of artificial intelligence was cut from the final bill, and hope that in its wake, Congress will now take up further legislation to regulate AI on a federal level. The membership of the News/Media Alliance covers nearly 90% of the daily newspaper circulation in the U.S. and includes 500 magazine brands. Pneumonia vaccine protects older adults from severe illness, hospitalization, and life-threatening risks. Trusted Source Association Between Introduction of the 23-valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV23) and Pneumonia Incidence and Mortality Among General Older Population in Japan: A Community-based Study Go to source Trusted Source Pneumonia: A Major Killer of Seniors in Japan Could the #pneumonia_vaccine be less effective than we think for #older_adults? New data reveals an incidence rate of 20.3 cases per 1,000 person-years in #vaccinated seniors. #Vaccination #ElderlyCare Evaluating the Impact of Vaccination Programs on Mortality in Japan's Super-Aged Society Advertisement Association Between Introduction of the 23-valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV23) and Pneumonia Incidence and Mortality Among General Older Population in Japan: A Community-based Study - (https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jea/35/5/35_JE20240285/_article) A team of researchers has assessed the effectiveness of ain Sera Town, located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The findings of this real-world evaluation were published in the. (Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of death in Japan. Each year about 74,000 people die from pneumonia with 98 percent of these deaths occurring in people aged 65 and older. The bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae is the primary cause of pneumonia.In October 2014, Japan began a nationwide routine vaccination program for the elderly under the National Immunization Program with the 23-valentSera Town, a mountainous municipality in eastern Hiroshima Prefecture, jointly planned and implemented a pneumococcal vaccination support program with a research team at Hiroshima University in October 2010well before the nationwide rollout. The program, which ran until March 2015, aimed to promote community health and provided PPSV23 vaccination to all residents aged 65 and older. The vaccine used in the project was approved in Japan at the time for elderly individuals. As part of this collaborative initiative, a five-year follow-up survey was conducted to assess the vaccines preventive effect against pneumonia.Specifically, we sought to understand thein a rural setting with a high aging rate, said Aya Sugiyama, a lecturer in the Department of Epidemiology Disease Control and Prevention at the Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University. The Sera Town residents who took part in the project ranged in age from 70 to 114 years old, with a median age of 84.To assess changes in mortality following the introduction of the vaccination program, the researchers used aggregated demographic data from Japans vital statistics covering the years 2000 to 2016. They applied an interrupted time series analysis to quantify the level and trend changes in mortality rates over time, specifically looking at the mortality rates before and after the vaccination project was introduced in the town. The study aimed to generate real-world evidence on the effectiveness of vaccination support programs in super-aged societies.Their analysis of the data showed them that theNotably, it reversed the previously increasing trend in pneumonia mortality in the community, said Sugiyama.Scientists use the person-year method in studies where they follow individuals over a period of time. A person-year is one person being followed for one year. These findings underscore both the, said Sugiyama.The research team sees the findings as particularly relevant for Japan, which has the most aged population in the world.With the completion of this evaluation, the next step is to share these findings to inform future discussions on community-based vaccination strategies. While further research is needed, we hope that our results will serve as a reference for regions exploring effective approaches to pneumonia prevention in older adults, said Sugiyama.Source-Eurekalert Betaine replicates key exercise-driven anti-aging effects by inhibiting inflammatory pathways and protecting multiple organs. Highlights: Exercise boosts betaine, which inhibits TBK1 to curb inflammation which to curb inflammation Betaine supplementation improved muscle strength and reduced scarring in aged mice improved and reduced scarring in aged mice Multi-omics profiling mapped how long-term training reshapes body-wide health Trusted Source Systematic profiling reveals betaine as an exercise mimetic for geroprotection Go to source Trusted Source Did You Know? A kidney-made molecule called #betaine can mirror exercises geroprotective power! #exercisemimetic #healthyaging #medindia A kidney-made molecule called #betaine can mirror exercises geroprotective power! #exercisemimetic #healthyaging #medindia Advertisement Why Betaine Matters Advertisement How the Study Was Conducted Acute Phase: A one-time 5-km run A one-time 5-km run Training Phase: Daily 5-km runs for 25 consecutive days Findings: Acute exercise triggered inflammatory markers, including a spike in interleukin-6. triggered inflammatory markers, including a spike in interleukin-6. Long-term exercise showed reduced inflammation, better metabolic markers, and a rise in antioxidant enzymes . showed and a . Most significantly, it increased circulating betaine, a molecule previously linked with liver health. What Betaine Does in the Body Cellular senescence slows down Inflammatory pathways are dampened Tissue regeneration is enhanced Increased muscle strength Lowered tissue damage Reduced signs of organ damage Enhanced kidney function Improved mood and emotional behavior The Future of Aging Systematic profiling reveals betaine as an exercise mimetic for geroprotection - (https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(25)00635-X?) Researchers have discovered a molecule called betaine, which is naturally boosted through sustained physical activity. Betaine can replicate many of exercises protective effects, paving the way for new healthy aging therapies ().In a recent study published in Cell, repeatedled to a measurable increase in circulating betaine, a compound now shown to. In aging mice, betaine supplementation improved muscle strength, reduced tissue fibrosis, and alleviated depression-like behaviors.Exercise has long been linked with better metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurological health. But the precise molecular mechanisms by which physical activity confers its benefits have remained murky until now.Researchers from Capital Medical University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted a comprehensive multi-omics study to profile the biological impact of exercise. Their goal? To decode how physical exertion transforms human physiology, and whether its effects can be replicated through a single compound.Thirteen healthy young men were put through two distinct exercise phases:Throughout the trial, researchers collected blood and fecal samples before, after, and following the training period to track biochemical and molecular changes.Betaines effectiveness lies in itsa protein known to accelerate aging and inflammation. When TBK1 is suppressed:In lab studies, betaine reduced levels of TNF- and IL-6, both of which are key inflammatory markers. When supplemented in, betaine led to:These results hint at, mimicking the complex benefits of regular physical activity.The idea of an exercise pill has long fascinated the medical and fitness communities. While betaine isnt that pill yet, these results bring us significantly closer. For individuals with mobility limitations, chronic illness, or age-related frailty, such an intervention could offer aHowever, researchers emphasize that. The results, while promising, need confirmation in, especially older adults. Safety, dosage, and long-term effects of betaine supplementation remain areas for future research.This breakthrough doesnt mean we can toss out our running shoes just yet, but it does offer a promising path forward in the science of longevity. The study showcases the, and identifiesbehind those benefits.As the search continues for safe, science-backed ways to extend health span,; especially for those unable to engage in consistent physical activity.Source-Medindia Mental health in adolescents is crucial for emotional growth, academic success, and healthy relationships. Trusted Source Development and Validation of School Adolescents Mental health Assessment Tool (SAMAT) Go to source Trusted Source Investing in #adolescent_mental health is crucial! Periodic #school_screenings can provide timely support & treatment during this critical developmental phase. Let's prioritize the well-being of our youth! #MentalHealth #AdolescentHealth Advertisement One-Quarter of Puducherry Adolescents at Risk for Mental Health Issues Advertisement Early Intervention and Collaboration Crucial for Adolescent Mental Health 6 Essential Tips for Supporting Adolescent Mental Health Encourage Open Communication: Create a safe space where teens feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and emotions without judgment. Create a safe space where teens feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and emotions without judgment. Promote Healthy Lifestyle Habits: Support regular sleep, balanced nutrition, and physical activity to boost mood and reduce stress. Support regular sleep, balanced nutrition, and physical activity to boost mood and reduce stress. Limit Screen Time: Set boundaries on social media and digital use to prevent anxiety, cyberbullying, and sleep disruption. Set boundaries on social media and digital use to prevent anxiety, cyberbullying, and sleep disruption. Teach Stress Management Techniques: Introduce mindfulness, deep breathing, journaling, or creative outlets like art and music. Introduce mindfulness, deep breathing, journaling, or creative outlets like art and music. Foster Positive Relationships: Help teens build strong connections with family, friends, and mentors for emotional support. Help teens build strong connections with family, friends, and mentors for emotional support. Seek Professional Help When Needed: Dont hesitate to consult a counselor or mental health professional if signs of distress persist. Development and Validation of School Adolescents Mental health Assessment Tool (SAMAT) - (https://journals.lww.com/jfmpc/fulltext/2025/04000/development_and_validation_of_school_adolescents.45.aspx) A startling new study has revealed that nearlyunderlining a growing public health concern that calls for immediate action from educators, families, and policymakers ().Conducted by a research team from the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute in Puducherry, the study examined the mental health status of school-going adolescents aged between 13 and 17 years across both urban and rural regions of Puducherry. The findings, published in theshow that 25.5% of the 329 students surveyed are at risk of developing mental health issues.Adolescence is a critical phase marked by major biological and psychological transitions. Our study indicates that one-fourth of adolescents are vulnerable to mental health conditions, which highlights the urgent need for routine mental health screening in schools, said Dr. Kavita Vasudevan, Head of Community Medicine at the institute and lead author of the study.The research revealed a stark urban-rural divide in mental health risk indicators.Additionally, key risk factors such as monthly family income and the occupation of parents were found to significantly influence mental health vulnerability.Teachers who participated in the study reported that behavioral changes and a noticeable decline in academic performance were the most common signs of underlying mental health issues in students.The researchers have stressed the importance of early recognition and targeted interventions to improve adolescent mental health outcomes. They advocate for a collaborative approach involving schools, families, and community health systems.Awareness among teachers and family members about early warning signs and the importance of mental health is essential, the research team stated. We also recommend incorporating life skill education in school curricula to help adolescents cope with emotional challenges and build resilience.The findings add to a growing body ofExperts are calling for policy reforms to integrate mental health support into school health programs, along with more investment in mental health education and counseling services at the grassroots level.As mental health continues to gain visibility on national and global agendas, studies like this serve as a crucial reminder that children and adolescents must be at the center of these conversationsbefore the silent crisis escalates further.Source-Medindia Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects reading, spelling, and writing skills due to difficulty processing language. Trusted Source The impact of sensorimotor with cognitive engagement training on reading and eye movement in developmental dyslexia Go to source Trusted Source Exciting news for #dyslexia research! Using playful activities to boost #motor skills & #cognition improved eye movements and #reading_speed in 11 children with dyslexia. #Learning_Difficulty Playful Activities Show Promise for Dyslexia, Boosting Reading and Eye Movements Advertisement Dyslexia Linked to Cerebellum Impairment: A New Target for Intervention The impact of sensorimotor with cognitive engagement training on reading and eye movement in developmental dyslexia - (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21622965.2025.2484765) A two-month intervention involvingled to improved reading speed in a group of eleven children aged 10 to 12 diagnosed withThe program featured engaging, play-based activities designed to strengthen both motor coordination and social interaction. The findings, highlighting the potential of combining movement and mental stimulation to enhance reading skills, were published in).Although this is a study involving a small number of children, the results indicate that motor and cognitive challenges can contribute to better reading performance associated with changes in eye movements, says Jose Angelo Barela, a professor at the Institute of Biosciences at Sao Paulo State University (IB-UNESP) in Rio Claro, Brazil. Barela is the coordinator of the project, in partnership with the Multidisciplinary Center for the Development of Assistive Technology (MCDAT), one of the Science Centers for Development (SCDs) supported by FAPESP.In addition to reducing reading time, we observed improvements in the childrens self-esteem , attention, and well-being, says Barela. To the point that teachers asked the childrens parents what had changed in their routine and treatment since they were more attentive and interested in class and performing better. The results were so promising that were going to develop a broader program in partnership with the Rio Claro city government to support more children for a longer period of time. This will also make it possible to improve the intervention protocol, he says.It is primarily characterized by difficulties with reading and writing, though individuals with dyslexia may also experience motor problems such as difficulties with postural control, locomotion, and activities requiring hand-eye coordination.Children with dyslexia need to fix their gaze on words for longer to understand the text, which is why they read more slowly, explains Barela.The researcher points out that reading involves identifying letters and words, specific eye movements, and cognitive processes to understand the content.Recent studies suggest that these[the region of the brain responsible for motor coordination, balance, and posture], affecting sensory integration and motor performance. Therefore, in our work, we propose interventions that have an effect on this brain region and on eye movement, he says.The partnership with the Rio Claro city government will allow the researchers to test more assertive interventions and deepen their understanding of the mechanisms that led to improvements in the childrens reading time, self-esteem, attention, and well-being.Interestingly, the intervention carried out during the pilot project had no significant effect on manual agility or coordination. We assume that this factor may be related to the lack of specificity in motor skills training, says Barela.For now, the researchers believe the results may indicate greater activation of the cerebral cortex, which controls higher cognitive functions, such as language, thinking, and memory.and, consequently, triggered other benefits such as reading speed, even with a short-term protocol of only two months with 60-minute sessions twice a week, says the researcher.Regarding self-esteem and well-being, the researchers assume that these are a result of the benefits gained from reading time. It seems that they themselves noticed the improvement.Barela points out that dyslexia is often not diagnosed until after the age of ten, by which time children have already passed the crucial stage for developing reading fluency and motor skills. These accumulated difficulties make the learning process even more challenging over time.Source-Eurekalert GAZA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Two American aid workers were injured on Saturday morning in an attack during food distribution activities in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) said. Preliminary information indicated the attack was carried out by two "assailants" who threw two grenades at the Americans, the GHF said in a statement on social media, noting that no local aid workers or civilians were harmed. The injured Americans are receiving medical treatment and are in stable condition, it added. In a separate statement on Saturday, the GHF said it plans to "continue distributing aid during any ceasefire." The GHF is operated by U.S. security contractors and is approved by the Israeli government. For the past month, the GHF has operated only four militarized distribution sites in all of Gaza -- in contrast to the traditional UN-led 400 community-located aid hubs. The GHF has faced mounting criticism for poor management and operational chaos. As of June 27, at least 613 people had been killed in attacks near aid distribution points in Gaza, UN statistics showed. Often overlooked by history, the Franco-Prussian War had a profound impact on France, Germany, and Europe. The Battle of Gravelotte-St-Privat, during the Franco-Prussian War. The Franco-Prussian War overturned the balance of power in Europe. That balance, stable since the defeat of Napoleonic France in 1814-15, had depended on a rough equivalence among five European great powers: Britain, France, Prussia, Austria, and Russia. It helped, too, that all five powers were preoccupied: the British and the French were building overseas empires; the Russian Tsar was expanding into Central Asia; the Austrian Habsburgs were sinking in a cauldron of national tensions; while the Prussians had the opposite problem, that the Germans were fragmented into petty states. Between 1864 and 1871, this situation was transformed by the enforced solution of the national question in Germany the Prussian-dominated unification of the country by Bismarckian blood and iron. The Danish-Prussian, Austro-Prussian, and Franco-Prussian Wars had the intended effect of generating a tidal wave of German nationalist sentiment that overwhelmed the petty-potentates of the minor German states and compelled them to unite with Prussia. The Prussian King became the German Emperor in January 1871. Prussia had absorbed Schleswig-Holstein, Hanover, Nassau, Hesse-Homburg, Hesse-Cassel, and Frankfurt. All the remaining states north of the Main had been forced into a Prussian-dominated North German Confederation. Prussia had acquired the equivalent of three additional army corps. Bavaria, Wurttemberg, Baden, and Hesse-Darmstadt were the only German states to retain full sovereignty. It was clear that a Franco-Prussian conflict was now only a matter of time: a successful outcome could be expected to cement Germany into a modern nation-state. French reservists answer the call-up at the outbreak of the war. Tension increased as Napoleon IIIs attempts to follow up Bismarcks deliberately vague hints about territorial concessions in the Rhineland and Luxembourg in 1867 provoked the south German states into agreeing to put their armies under Prussian command in the event of war with France. Prussia now had the equivalent of a further three army corps on mobilisation, bringing her total manpower to virtually twice that of the French. Napoleon III took great pride in his professional regular army, especially the 20,000-strong Imperial Guard, but recognised that it was now hopelessly outnumbered. He attempted to introduce a conscription system based on the Prussian model in order to even the numerical odds, but met with fierce resistance from his generals, who limited the scope of the urgent reforms that were forced through. The new Germany, on the other hand, was a fusion of three forces: the Prussian Army, based on the Junker officer caste of eastern Germany; the rising industrial the power of the Rhineland in the west; and a vast pool of military manpower in an enlarged population of 41 million people. It was, in short, an amalgam of militarism, industry, and mass. Rhineland capitalism experienced massive expansion after 1871. Within half a century, Germany had become Europes foremost industrial power. This expansion drove an ever more imperative search for markets in the east, in the Balkans, in the Middle East, and in the wider world. That meant tension with the other great powers, both in Europe and overseas, and that in turn became an arms race that eventually exploded into world war. From 1871 onwards, Imperial Germany was a rising power and a potential pan-European hegemon. Kaiser Wilhelm II took on the aspect of Philip II of Spain, Louis XIV of France, and, of course, Napoleon a European ruler liable to over-master the continent. Germany found itself unable to prevent the formation of a hostile alliance and the danger of a war on two fronts. Given its enormous geopolitical consequences, it is surprising that the Franco-Prussian War receives relatively little attention. Its impact on France was also prodigious: the fall of Napoleon IIIs Second Empire; the Paris Commune of 1871; the establishment of the Second Republic; the advent of the burning question of Alsace-Lorraine in French politics. In a carefully choreographed ceremony, Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck had King William I of Prussia crowned German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles on 18 January 1871. Its military aspects also deserve close study, for here was a clash of armies of immense size and the most advanced weaponry, made possible by Europes industrial revolution. Formations as dense as those at Waterloo were shattered by the concentrated fire of steel guns, breech-loading rifles, and machine-guns. In terms of weaponry, the two sides were more evenly matched. In fact, the French had one of the best rifles of the period, the Chassepot breech-loader, over a million of which had been produced by 1870. It was an exceptional weapon for its day, with a maximum effective range of 1,200 metres, virtually twice that of the Prussian Dreyse needle-gun. They also had one of the best manually operated machine-guns of the period, the Reffye mitrailleuse, firing heavy 13mm ammunition at up to 125rpm. However, no more than 200 or so had been completed by 1870, and the weapon rarely had a chance to demonstrate its potential as an infantry support weapon. This was largely due to its misuse as light artillery, in which role it was out-ranged by German guns and frequently silenced before it could effectively return fire. After its disappointing performance in 1866, the Prussian artillery had been drastically reformed. A School of Artillery had finally been established in 1867, which did much to increase its effectiveness on the battlefield. The rifled, breech-loading Krupp field-guns were modified to improve reliability and consistently outperformed the rifled muzzle-loaders of the French artillery. But while killing power was impressive, doctrine lagged hopelessly behind. The lessons of the American Civil War had been ignored. And even afterwards, with the experience of slaughter-pen battles like Gravelotte-St-Privat, the generals drew all the wrong conclusions and would repeat the mistakes in 1914. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) President Donald Trump campaigned on keeping the United States out of foreign wars, but it didn't take long to convince him to come to the direct aid of Israel, hitting Iranian nuclear targets with bunker-buster bombs dropped by B-2 stealth bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from a submarine. Beyond the attack's immediate impact on helping bring the 12-day war to a close, experts say Trump's decision to use force against another country also will certainly be reverberating in the Asia-Pacific, Washington's priority theater. Trumps strikes on Iran show that hes not afraid to use military force this would send a clear message to North Korea, and even to China and Russia, about Trump's style, said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for a New American Security based in Seoul, South Korea. Before the strikes, Pyongyang and Beijing might have assumed that Trump is risk averse, particularly based on his behavior his first presidency despite some tough talk," Kim said. China, North Korea and Russia all condemn US strike Ten days into the war between Israel and Iran, Trump made the risky decision to step in, hitting three nuclear sites with American firepower on June 22 in a bid to destroy the countrys nuclear program at a time while negotiations between Washington and Tehran were still ongoing. The attacks prompted a pro forma Iranian retaliatory strike the following day on a U.S. base in nearby Qatar, which caused no casualties, and both Iran and Israel then agreed to a ceasefire on June 24. North Korea, China and Russia all were quick to condemn the American attack, with Russian President Vladimir Putin calling it unprovoked aggression, China's Foreign Ministry saying it violated international law and exacerbated tensions in the Middle East, and North Korea's Foreign Ministry maintaining it trampled down the territorial integrity and security interests of a sovereign state. While the strikes were a clear tactical success, the jury is still out on whether they will have a more broad strategic benefit to Washington's goals in the Middle East or convince Iran it needs to work harder than ever to develop a nuclear deterrent, possibly pulling the U.S. back into a longer-term conflict. US allies could see attack as positive sign for deterrence If the attack remains a one-off strike, U.S. allies in the Asia-Pacific region likely will see the decision to become involved as a positive sign from Trump's administration, said Euan Graham, a senior defense analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. The U.S. strike on Iran will be regarded as net plus by Pacific allies if it is seen to reinforce red lines, restore deterrence and is of limited duration, so as not to pull the administration off-course from its stated priorities in the Indo-Pacific, he said. China will take note that Trump is prepared to use force, at least opportunistically. In China, many who have seen Trump as having a no-war mentality will reassess that in the wake of the attacks, which were partially aimed at forcing Iran's hand in nuclear program negotiations, said Zhao Minghao, an international relations professor at Chinas Fudan University in Shanghai. The way the U.S. used power with its air attacks against Iran is something China needs to pay attention to, he said. How Trump used power to force negotiations has a significance for how China and the U.S. will interact in the future. But, he said, Washington should not think it can employ the same strategy with Beijing. If a conflict breaks out between China and the U.S., it may be difficult for the U.S. to withdraw as soon as possible, let alone withdraw unscathed, he said. China and North Korea present different challenges Indeed, China and North Korea present very different challenges than Iran. First and foremost, both already have nuclear weapons, raising the stakes of possible retaliation considerably in the event of any attack. There also is no Asian equivalent of Israel, whose relentless attacks on Iranian missile defenses in the opening days of the war paved the way for the B-2 bombers to fly in and out without a shot being fired at them. Still, the possibility of the U.S. becoming involved in a conflict involving either China or North Korea is a very real one, and Beijing and Pyongyang will almost certainly try to assess what the notoriously unpredictable Trump would do. North Korea will likely be quite alarmed at what Israel, with a relatively small but high-quality force, has been able to achieve over Iran, said Joseph Dempsey, a defense expert with the International Institute for Strategic Studies. At the same time, it likely will be seen internally as justification for its own nuclear weapons program, If Iran did have deployable nuclear weapons would this have occurred? Dempsey said. Probably not. The U.S. decision to attack while still in talks with Iran will also not go unnoticed, said Hong Min, a senior analyst at South Koreas Institute for National Unification. North Korea may conclude that dialogue, if done carelessly, could backfire by giving the United States a pretext for possible aggression, he said. Instead of provoking the Trump administration, North Korea is more likely to take an even more passive stance toward negotiations with Washington, instead focusing on strengthening its internal military buildup and pursuing closer ties with Russia, narrowing the prospects for future talks," he said. China and Taiwan will draw lessons China will look at the attacks through the visor of Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island off its coast that China claims as its own territory and President Xi Jinping has not ruled out taking by force. The U.S. supplies Taiwan with weapons and is one of its most important allies, though Washington's official policy on whether it would come to Taiwans aid in the case of a conflict with China is known as strategic ambiguity," meaning not committing to how it would respond. Militarily, the strike on Iran raises the question of whether the U.S. might show less restraint than has been expected by China in its response and hit targets on the Chinese mainland in the event of an invasion of Taiwan, said Drew Thompson, senior fellow with the Singapore-based think tank RSIS Rajaratnam School of International Studies. It will also certainly underscore for Beijing the difficulty of predicting Trump's actions, he said. "The U.S. airstrike on Irans nuclear facilities caught many by surprise," Thompson said. "I think it demonstrated a tolerance and acceptance of risk in the Trump administration that is perhaps surprising. It also gives rise to a concern that Taiwans President Lai Ching-te, who in recent speeches has increased warnings about the threat from China, may be further emboldened in his rhetoric, said Lyle Goldstein, director of the Asia Program at the Washington-based foreign policy think tank Defense Priorities. Already, Lai's words have prompted China to accuse him of pursuing Taiwanese independence, which is a red line for Beijing. Goldstein said he worried Taiwan may try to take advantage of the American use of force against Iran to increase its deterrent situation versus the mainland. President Lai's series of recent speeches appear almost designed to set up a new cross-strait crisis, perhaps in the hopes of building more support in Washington and elsewhere around the Pacific, said Goldstein, who also is director of the China Initiative at Brown Universitys Watson Institute. I think that is an exceedingly risky gambit, to put it mildly," he said. ___ Tong-hyung Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Didi Tang and Albee Zhang in Washington contributed to this report. HONG KONG, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government is actively advancing the development of legal technology, including online dispute resolution and the use of artificial intelligence (AI), HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee told an international law colloquium on Friday. In his address, Lee highlighted that the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed), headquartered in Hong Kong, aims to resolve international disputes through mutual respect and understanding. Cui Jianchun, commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR, said that Hong Kong, with its advantages under "one country, two systems," an internationally aligned financial and legal system, and a highly specialized workforce, is well-positioned to play a constructive role in global discussions on AI-related ethical norms, regulation and legal practices. Kamalinne Pinitpuvadol, secretary-general of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization, said that the Hong Kong-based IOMed is steadily emerging as a new pillar in peaceful dispute resolution, pioneering a model of inclusive multilateralism. The IOMed innovatively leverages multilingual AI systems and real-time collaborative platforms to empower mediation through inclusive technology, he said. Legal experts, government officials, and institutional leaders from around the world gathered in Hong Kong on Friday for the annual Colloquium on International Law, marking the UN's 80th anniversary and discussing the impact of technology, especially AI, on international law and order. Corbin Carroll is returning to the Diamondbacks lineup, as the club announced that the outfielder has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list. Utilityman Tim Tawa was optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move. Carroll last played on June 18, when he was hit in the left wrist by a pitch from Blue Jays southpaw Justin Bruihl. The result was a chip fracture and a trip to the IL that officially began on June 21, though thankfully, it appears as though Carroll dodged the bullet of a more serious injury. Carroll felt good enough to play in an Arizona Complex League game on Thursday and he took part in a live batting practice session yesterday. Before he was sidelined, Carroll was enjoying a huge season, and a return to the form he showed in winning NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2023. The 149 wRC+ Carroll has posted through 323 plate appearances this season is indeed even higher than his 132 wRC+ in 2023, and a big step up from his relatively disappointing 107 wRC+ last year. Carroll is hitting .255/.341/.573 with 20 homers and a league-best nine triples this season, also contributing strong baserunning and (in the view of the Outs Above Average metric) plus defensive in right field. Getting Carroll back so quickly is a huge boost to the Diamondbacks, who remain on the outskirts of the playoff race with a 43-45 record. Arizona is 4.5 games back of the final NL wild card spot with three other teams sitting between the DBacks and the Padres, who hold that last wild card berth. The Snakes will have to make up some serious ground in July to more properly get themselves into the hunt, and to potentially avoid a significant selloff at the deadline. There has been a lot of extension speculation surrounding Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony but he tells Rob Bradford of WEEI that no real progress has been made on that front. There hasnt even been a single peep about it since Ive been here, Anthony said. He also said both sides have handled that well in terms of just letting me go and play. The Sox came into the year with three top prospects in Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell. There were extension rumors surrounding all three in the winter and Campbell eventually did put pen to paper, signing an eight-year, $60MM deal in early April. A deal for Anthony might be a bit trickier than one for Campbell, as he is two years younger and was more of a highly-touted prospect on his way up the ladder. Anthony is currently only 21 years old. If he stays up in the minor leagues for good, hes slated for free agency after the 2031 season, which will be his age-27 campaign. That gives him a tremendous amount of earning power down the line, if he is able to develop as hoped. He has only hit .219/.345/.356 so far, but in a tiny sample of 87 plate appearances. If the Sox have faith in his ability to hit his ceiling, they will be motivated to lock him down as soon as possible. Otherwise, his earning power will only increase as he gets more established and closer to arbitration and free agency. Though from the perspective of Anthony and his representatives, they surely see a path to a healthy free agent market a few years down the line and would need strong motivation to give up on that. For now, based on Anthonys comments, it seems hes primarily focused on his gameplay. Perhaps there will be more of a focus on contract talks in the offseason. Elsewhere in news surrounding the Red Sox, Masataka Yoshida started a rehab assignment yesterday as he looks to finally return from ongoing shoulder problems. Part of that rehab appears to be some first base drills, though manager Alex Cora downplayed the significance of that work. Per Sean McAdam and Chris Cotillo of MassLive, Cora framed the work as mostly Yoshida preparing for an emergency. I dont anticipate him starting at first base, said Cora, but if something crazy happens, at least he can catch throws and knock down a ground ball. Yoshida has only played the outfield in his career, both in North America and in Japan. However, the Sox currently have a fairly crowded mix on the grass consisting of Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Rob Refsnyder. Meanwhile, the club has been trying all sorts of things at first base since the Triston Casas injury. Rafael Devers didnt want to play there, which led to his trade to San Francisco. Utility players Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez have been splitting the time at first lately. That gives some logic to having Yoshida get some work there. It also aligns with his injury, as he has largely been able to hit this year, but throwing has been the problem. With Devers having been in the designated hitter spot for much of the year, the inability to throw essentially made Yoshida unrosterable. Now that Devers is gone and Yoshida is getting healthy, hes not quite as blocked from playing time as before, but adding first base to his repertoire still makes sense. Speaking of roster shuffling, third baseman Alex Bregman could be back from the injured list soon. Per Chris Cotillo of MassLive, Cora hopes Bregman can return in the clubs homestand prior to the All-Star break, which goes from this Monday to next Sunday. Mayer has largely been covering that spot recently, so he could get moved to second base when Bregman returns. Campbell has been optioned to the minors, leaving David Hamilton at the keystone most nights. Hamilton is hitting just .174/.215/.278 this year, so he should get bumped to the bench or the minors. Bregman was having a great season before a quad strain sent him to the IL, having hit .299/.385/.553 for a wRC+ of 158. That made him very likely to trigger his opt-out at the end of this season and return to free agency. If he can pick up where he left off, he would provide a big boost to the Boston lineup and also get back on track for triggering that opt out. His contract situation has led to recent speculation in two different directions. With his looming potential return to free agency, there has been a bit of smoke on the trade front, while it also seems possible that the Sox could use some of the money saved in the Devers trade to lock up Bregman for the long term. They are currently 44-45 and 2.5 games back of a playoff spot. Photo courtesy of Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images FLINT, MI - For more than three decades, Kamils Mid-Eastern Foods Inc. has brought the flavors of the Middle East, Europe, and beyond to Flint - all from a 2,000-square-foot storefront. The store, located at 3701 Corunna Road, opened in 1993 and is owned by Kamil Ghoseyni, who immigrated from Lebanon to Flint in 1979. Since then, hes made it his mission to offer specialty items from across the globe, with a focus on high quality and authenticity. Ive worked hard for 33 years, Ghoseyni said. When youre in business, its 24 hours working. And he brings plenty. Shelves are stocked with more than 80 varieties of spices and imported staples from the Middle East, Europe, Greece, and Turkey. Among the most popular items are fresh pita bread - about 400 sold each week - as well as vegetables, fruits, cusa (a Middle Eastern squash), stuffed grape leaves, and Turkish olive oil, which Ghoseyni calls one of his specialty offerings. Though the store is small, theres no shortage of variety. Ghoseyni offers a wide range of takeout foods, including falafel sandwiches, hummus, baba ghannouj, spinach pies, lentil soups, and fresh salads. He also sells meat pies, spinach pies, zaatar pies, and kibbeh - a traditional dish made of spiced ground meat and bulgur wheat. Customers with a sweet tooth can find trays of baklava imported from Shatila Bakery, the iconic Middle Eastern pastry shop in Dearborn. I call this an international store, Ghoseyni said with a laugh, motioning to the shelves filled with goods from across the world. His dedication to maintaining a well-stocked, welcoming shop has earned him loyal customers - and a reputation as one of Flints go-to spots for international groceries and fresh-made eats. After decades of service, Ghoseyni shows no signs of slowing down. The long hours and hard work, he said, are worth it to keep the culture - and the flavor - alive in the local community. Kamils is open seven days a week. I try to bring the best items possible, he said. Two people were shot on Thursday at a Flint business. FLINT, MI - A 20-year-old man is in custody after two men were shot Thursday at a Flint business. The Flint Major Case Unit is investigating a homicide that was reported about around 12:30 p.m. Thursday, July 3 at a business in the 4500 block of Fenton Street, according to a post on X. A 23-year-old man was fatally shot, and a 25-year-old man sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized. The incident is still under investigation. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call D/Tpr. Kewish at 989-313-9313 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-JAIL (5245). Vladimir Tarasenko expects to bounce back next season with the Minnesota Wild. (AP Photo/Mike Mulholland) AP Detroit Red Wings fans rejoiced when the team unloaded Vladimir Tarasenko and his entire $4.75 million cap hit for next season to the Minnesota Wild on Monday. Tarasenko celebrated as well. URUMQI, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Tianjin Airlines inaugurated a new air route on Saturday, linking Urumqi, the capital city of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with Osaka, Japan. This newly opened route marks the region's first and only air link to Japan. The daily service, operated by an Airbus A320, will depart Urumqi at 7:30 a.m. and arrive in Osaka at 4:45 p.m. local time after a stop in north China's Tianjin. The return flight leaves Osaka at 6 p.m. local time and arrives in Urumqi at 1:55 a.m. the next day. The airlines said that the route not only expands Xinjiang's international aviation network, providing enhanced travel convenience for both leisure and business passengers, but also promotes China-Japan economic cooperation, cultural exchange, and tourism development. Coolie: Rajinikanth, Aamir Khan, Nagarjuna and others, take a look at the biggest casting coup ever M Snehanjali USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept M Snehanjali USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Sunil Matkar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept BEIJING, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday exchanged congratulations with his Ghanaian counterpart, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that Ghana is one of the first Sub-Saharan African countries to establish diplomatic ties with China. Over the past 65 years, China-Ghana relations have developed in a sound and stable manner, he said, adding that the two sides have continuously deepened their political mutual trust, yielded fruitful results in practical cooperation in various fields, and maintained close coordination in international affairs. Wang expressed his readiness to work with Ablakwa to take the 65th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations as an opportunity to push for greater development of the China-Ghana strategic partnership. For his part, Ablakwa expressed his gratitude to China for its long-term valuable support and assistance to Ghana's socio-economic development. The Ghanaian side looks forward to working with China to push for the continuous development of the Ghana-China strategic partnership, he noted. Yeeshu Yadav USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. 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I Accept All eyes on Uddhav and Raj Thackeray as they share stage after two decades Smriti Mishra USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Manjiri Patil USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept JOHANNESBURG, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed in a collision involving a car and a minibus taxi on Friday night along the N3 highway in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal Province, a provincial government official said on Saturday. Siboniso Duma, a member of the Executive Council for Transport and Human Settlements in the KwaZulu-Natal Province, said in a statement issued on Saturday morning that nine people were injured. "We are saddened by the death of five people in this accident caused by a Polo driver, just after the Marrianhill Toll Gate. The minibus taxi veered off the road and plunged 50 meters down the embankment. The recovery of bodies has been completed. We lost four women and one male. Of the four women, one was a member of the South African Police Service in full uniform," said Duma. He said the deceased were taken to the mortuary while the injured were taken to the hospital. Duma wished the injured a speedy recovery and sent condolence messages to the bereaved families. Chhabi Kala USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Smriti Mishra USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Kerala CM does not trust state govt hospitals, flying to US for treatment: Rajeev Chandrasekhar Yeeshu Yadav USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 'Maharashtra is bigger than politics': Uddhav and Raj Thackeray reunite after 20 years, oppose Hindi push in state Deblina Halder USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept By Nazrin Abdul The 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), held in Garabaghs city of Khankendi, represents far more than a routine diplomatic event. It symbolizes a profound geopolitical and economic shift in the South Caucasus region, marking Azerbaijans triumphant return to its ancestral lands after decades of conflict and occupation. Hosting the summit in liberated territories is a powerful assertion of Azerbaijans restored sovereignty and territorial integrity. Unlike previous ECO summits held in the capital Baku, the decision to convene in Khankendi carries substantial symbolic weight. It signals to the international community that Azerbaijan is not only reclaiming its territory but also positioning Garabagh as a hub for regional cooperation and development. The regions rapid reconstruction, as highlighted by President Ilham Aliyev, underscores the countrys commitment to transforming war-torn lands into centers of economic activity and diplomatic engagement. This transformation is not just about infrastructure; it is about restoring national dignity and demonstrating resilience after years of occupation and ethnic conflict. President Ilham Aliyevs speech laid bare the depth of Armenias decades-long occupation, ethnic cleansing, and cultural destruction in the region. The scale of devastation - cultural monuments destroyed, mosques desecrated, cemeteries vandalized - adds a humanitarian dimension to the conflicts legacy. Moreover, the presence of over a million landmines and the tragic loss of lives due to these explosives highlight ongoing security challenges that complicate post-conflict recovery. From an analytical perspective, this context illustrates the enduring consequences of frozen conflicts and the complexities involved in peacebuilding. The wars aftermath is not merely about territorial control but also involves reconciliation, demining, cultural restoration, and the return of displaced populations. The Great Return program is central to Azerbaijans strategy to solidify its hold on the liberated territories. Facilitating the return of displaced persons and rebuilding cities and villages are essential for establishing lasting peace and stability. However, the process also carries risks. Resettling tens of thousands of people in formerly occupied lands requires careful planning to ensure security, economic sustainability, and social cohesion. Furthermore, the rights of deported Western Azerbaijanis and their potential return to ancestral lands inside Armenia add a complex layer to regional diplomacy. The unanimous adoption of a resolution by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation supporting their right to return reflects broader international acknowledgment of this issue. However, Armenias resistance to dialogue on this matter poses a challenge to reconciliation efforts and peacebuilding. Economically, Azerbaijans active role in the ECO region positions it as a key player in fostering regional integration and development. The summits location in Garabagh could catalyze further investments and economic activity in a region previously marred by conflict. President Aliyev emphasized Azerbaijans favorable investment climate and highlighted the countrys significant foreign investment inflows, nearly $350 billion over two decades. This economic strength underpins Azerbaijans ambitions to be a regional energy and transport hub. Its strategic position on major East-West and North-South corridors and its status as a key energy exporter to 12 countries reinforce its role in regional connectivity and energy security. Hosting initiatives such as the first ECO Week and plans to establish research and clean energy centers signal Azerbaijans commitment to diversifying the regional economy and aligning with global sustainable development goals. Azerbaijan is also taking tangible steps to institutionalize its leadership within the ECO by hosting two major initiatives: the ECO Research Centre and the ECO Clean Energy Centre. Work is currently underway to ensure these centers become operational in the near future. These institutions signal a strategic shift toward knowledge-driven regional cooperation and sustainable energy development, in line with global climate and innovation agendas. The Research Centre is expected to serve as a think tank for economic policy, regional integration, and development strategies across ECO countries. Meanwhile, the Clean Energy Centre aligns with Azerbaijans increasing focus on green energy, especially as the country prepares to host COP29, positioning itself as a regional hub for energy transition and climate diplomacy. By championing these initiatives, Azerbaijan aims not only to solidify its influence in ECO's institutional structure but also to diversify its soft power tools - moving from being seen primarily as an oil and gas exporter to a convening power in innovation, sustainability, and multilateral dialogue. Despite these positive developments, challenges remain. The legacy of conflict, unresolved political disputes, and security threats from landmines and ethnic tensions complicate regional cooperation. Moreover, the success of initiatives like the Great Return depends on continued political will, international support, and effective governance. The summits outcomes will likely hinge on how effectively ECO member states address these challenges and whether the organization can serve as a platform for conflict resolution and economic integration. Azerbaijans leadership role and its ability to leverage the summits symbolic and strategic importance could be crucial in shaping the South Caucasuss future stability and prosperity. The 17th ECO Summit in Khankendi is a landmark moment not only for Azerbaijan but for the broader region. It encapsulates the intersection of geopolitics, historical justice, economic ambition, and regional cooperation. How is China governed from the ground up? What does political leadership look like far from Beijing? In this 80-minute documentary, Xinhua's Miao Xiaojuan is joined by six Western experts on a journey across China to meet the unsung heroes driving rural development, resolving disputes, and dreaming under the stars. From a remote Yi village in Sichuan, to an ancient porcelain town in Jiangxi, to an unearthly, windswept city in Qinghai, they take a rare, firsthand look at the mechanics, challenges, and human faces of grassroots governance in China. This is one trip you don't want to miss! And special thanks to all the featured experts in Grassroots Governance in China: - Simon Lichtenberg Founder & CEO, Trayton Group - Gary Sigley Professor, Australian Studies Center, Beijing Foreign Studies University - Einar Tangen Senior Fellow, Taihe Institute - Peter Helis Chief Advisor, Investment Promotion Bureau, Guangzhou Development Zone & Huangpu District - William Brown Professor, School of Management, Xiamen University - Roland Boer Professor, School of Philosophy, Renmin University of China. A Miao Xiaojuan Studio Film A Xinhua News Agency Production No respect not even for the cows!: Jet Airways ex-CEOs Gurgaon garbage post goes viral Aishwarya Dabhade USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. 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I Accept One dead, more feared trapped after portion of coal mine collapses in Jharkhand Smriti Mishra USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Punjabi actress Tania's father shot at in Moga clinic, she appeals for privacy: 'Be sensitive, give space' Ria Kapoor USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept India News Live Updates: Heavy rains trigger landslides, flooding in Nagaland's Kohima and Dimapur Continuous rainfall over the past few days has led to landslides and significant flooding in Nagaland's capital Kohima and commercial hub Dimapur, severely affecting daily life and infrastructure. In Kohima, a retaining wall at the Soil and Water Conservation Department collapsed on Friday, followed by another wall failure at the police headquarters on Saturday. Authorities reported that at least four vehicles were damaged in these incidents. Persistent rain also caused extensive waterlogging across several areas in Kohima, disrupting normal movement and routine activities. In Dimapur, water from overflowing drains inundated low-lying areas, resulting in major traffic snarls, especially along Nagarjan Road. Some of the worst-hit neighborhoods include United Colony, Sachu Colony, Zeliangrongram Colony, and Burma Camp, where floodwaters remained stagnant for much of the day. GUIYANG, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Since 2021, Chinese courts have reported a steady decline in first-instance environmental and resource-related cases, an encouraging sign of progress in judicial efforts to support ecological and environmental governance. China has established more than 2,400 specialized judicial institutions and organizations for environmental and resource-related cases, making it the country with the most extensive and comprehensive system of environmental judiciary bodies in the world, according to Yang Linping, vice president of the Supreme People's Court. Yang made these remarks on Saturday at an international judicial forum held in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province. From June 2014 to December 2024, courts across China concluded a total of 2.282 million first-instance environmental and resource-related cases, the forum revealed. In the realm of international exchange and cooperation concerning environmental justice, the United Nations Environment Programme database has included four batches of 45 Chinese environmental judicial cases and eight environmental justice reports, offering the world a window into China's legal framework and successful practices in environmental governance, the forum confirmed. Uddhav hugs cousin Raj Thackeray as they share stage after 20 years. First visuals Arishaa Izaj USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. 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I Accept 'What Balasaheb couldn't do, Devendra Fadnavis did', says Raj Thackeray as he buries hatchet with Uddhav Chhabi Kala USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Sonalee Borgohain USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept 10 Deadly Snakes That Can Crush and Eat You Whole Sheetal Kumari is a skilled sub-editor and content creator with expertise in digital news, multimedia storytelling, and social media content. With a strong grasp of topics like science, politics, and many more, she crafts compelling narratives, transforming complex topics and trending stories into engaging, accessible reads across various media platforms. Yellow Anaconda: While not as big as its green counterpart, it's still powerful enough to smash huge birds and mammals in South America's wetlands. (Image: Canva) Scrub Python: Perhaps one of Australia's largest snakes, it consumes possums, flying foxes, and occasionally suburban pets. (Image: Canva) Boa Constrictor: Although smaller than pythons, the snake is just as lethal, suffocating monkeys and rodents with ease throughout the Americas. (Image: Canva) Olive Python: A massive constrictor native to Australia, it kills birds, reptiles, and small mammals with raw power and endurance. (Image: Canva) Amethystine Python: This Australian giant preys on wallabies, bats, and even household animals, employing brute strength rather than venom to slay. (Image: Canva) Indian Rock Python: Widely distributed over the Indian subcontinent, it can crush monkeys and birds by widening its jaws to swallow them whole. (Image: Canva) African Rock Python: Africa's largest snake, it ambushes and crushes prey such as antelopes and occasionally livestock, eating them whole. (Image: Canva) Burmese Python: Found in Southeast Asia, it's famous for overwhelming large prey such as pigs, goats, and even alligators in Florida. (Image; Canva) Green Anaconda: A South American giant that's enormously muscular and capable of crushing caimans, deer, and capybaras before swallowing them whole. (Image: Canva) Reticulated Python: It's the longest snake on the planet, wrapping itself around prey and swallowing animals whole, including deer or even humans. (Image: Canva) Sheetal Kumari USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Axiom-4 Day 10: What Shubhanshu Shukla and his crewmates are doing aboard the ISS Sheetal Kumari USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Google is facing an EU antitrust complaint over its AI summaries feature MC Tech Desk Read the latest and trending tech newsstay updated on AI, gadgets, cybersecurity, software updates, smartphones, blockchain, space tech, and the future of innovation. Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Shaurya Shubham USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Attendees are pictured during a forum on trade and technological cooperation between Montenegro and China in Podgorica, Montenegro, on July 4, 2025. More than a hundred government officials and business representatives gathered here on Friday to explore opportunities for trade and technological cooperation between Montenegro and China. The forum concluded with a B2B session where Chinese and Montenegrin enterprises held in-depth discussions and reached several preliminary cooperation agreements. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua) PODGORICA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- More than a hundred government officials and business representatives gathered in Podgorica on Friday to explore opportunities for trade and technological cooperation between Montenegro and China. Among the prominent attendees were Dino Tutundzic, state secretary of Montenegro's Ministry of Energy and Mining; Krsto Radenovic, state secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management; Song Junji, vice governor of China's Shandong Province; and Lu Fangqing, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Montenegro. Addressing the forum, Radenovic highlighted the enormous potential for agricultural cooperation between the two countries. He expressed hope for the introduction of advanced Chinese technologies in agricultural production and food processing, as well as support for building modern irrigation and water resource management systems. He also welcomed joint investments with Chinese partners to help bring more Montenegrin agricultural products into the Chinese market. Lu noted that China regards Montenegro as an important partner in Central and Eastern Europe. She highlighted the significant achievements under the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-CEEC cooperation framework, particularly in transportation infrastructure and green energy. She expressed optimism about the future of bilateral cooperation. On behalf of Shandong Province, Song said the province has achieved fruitful results in economic and trade cooperation with Montenegro, with several Shandong enterprises investing and operating in the country. He expressed hope that Shangdong and Montenegro would expand investment in key sectors and deepen cooperation in education, technology and people-to-people exchanges. During a roadshow promotional session, Radojica Petrovic, deputy director-general of the Montenegrin Investment Agency, presented the country's development plans in energy, infrastructure, and telecommunications. Noting that China became Montenegro's second-largest investor in 2020, he underscored the vast potential for future cooperation across various sectors. The forum concluded with a B2B session where Chinese and Montenegrin enterprises held in-depth discussions and reached several preliminary cooperation agreements. Dino Tutundzic, state secretary of Montenegro's Ministry of Energy and Mining, speaks at a forum on trade and technological cooperation between Montenegro and China in Podgorica, Montenegro, on July 4, 2025. More than a hundred government officials and business representatives gathered here on Friday to explore opportunities for trade and technological cooperation between Montenegro and China. The forum concluded with a B2B session where Chinese and Montenegrin enterprises held in-depth discussions and reached several preliminary cooperation agreements. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua) Attendees are pictured during a forum on trade and technological cooperation between Montenegro and China in Podgorica, Montenegro, on July 4, 2025. More than a hundred government officials and business representatives gathered here on Friday to explore opportunities for trade and technological cooperation between Montenegro and China. The forum concluded with a B2B session where Chinese and Montenegrin enterprises held in-depth discussions and reached several preliminary cooperation agreements. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua) 1/5 Microsoft is officially wrapping up its presence in Pakistan after more than two decades After 26 years in the country, Microsoft has decided to close its operations in Pakistan. The tech giant told TechCrunch that its shifting to a new model where it will serve Pakistani customers through regional offices and authorized resellers instead of running a direct office. Microsoft clarified that the change wont affect existing services or customer agreements. Its a model they already use in many countries, and theyve assured users that the quality of service will remain unchanged. 2/5 Only five jobs are directly affected, but the move speaks volumes According to reports, the closure affects just five Microsoft employees in Pakistan. These individuals were primarily responsible for selling products like Microsoft Azure and Office. Unlike markets such as India, Microsoft never set up an engineering base in Pakistan, which means the local team had a relatively limited scope. Still, the exit isnt just about numbersit sends a message about the countrys attractiveness (or lack thereof) as a hub for global tech firms. 3/5 The exit is part of a global restructuring effort by Microsoft This isnt an isolated decision. Microsoft has been undergoing global restructuring, and just days before this announcement, the company cut about 9,000 jobsroughly 4% of its workforce. Pakistans Information and Broadcasting Ministry framed Microsofts move as part of this broader workforce optimization. In fact, Microsoft had already begun shifting key functions like licensing and contract management for Pakistan to its European hub in Ireland over the past few years. 4/5 Microsofts former Pakistan head calls it a sobering signal Jawwad Rehman, who was Microsofts first lead in Pakistan, shared his disappointment on LinkedIn. He called the closure more than just a corporate exitit was, in his words, a sobering signal about the kind of business environment Pakistan offers. Rehman believes the country has failed to build on the foundation Microsoft had laid years ago and that the exit reflects poor management and missed opportunities. 1/12 Indias celebrated landmarkslike the Taj Mahal and Qutub Minaroften steal the spotlight. Yet hidden in its vast terrain are quieter marvels, rich in history, craftsmanship, and cultural depth. These are not the postcard cliches but the places where time moves differentlywhere stone whispers instead of shouts. For travelers who seek stories beyond the syllabus, India offers a treasury of UNESCO-designated sites that remain largely undisturbed by crowds. These are destinations that invite stillness, observation, and a slower kind of discovery. (Image: Canva) 2/12 1. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujarat Once a strategic hilltop capital, this layered settlement blends Hindu ritualism with early Islamic architecture. Climb past 11th-century stepwells and mosque domes that predate the Mughals, all nestled beneath a volcanic bluff. (Image: Canva) 3/12 2. The Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble, Mumbai Bordering South Mumbais Oval Maidan, this UNESCO site showcases the citys architectural shiftfrom Gothic Revivals ornate turrets to the pastel curves of Art Deco. Few cities display such stylistic continuity so seamlessly. (Image: Canva) 4/12 3. Rani ki Vav, Gujarat This stepwell, once buried in silt, descends like a temple carved in reverse. Its walls are a gallery of gods and mythic scenes, rendered with the precision of a jeweller. (Image: Canva) 5/12 4. Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, Madhya Pradesh Human expression predates language here. The walls of these cavespainted with scenes of dance, hunting, and ritualtrace over 30,000 years of continuous habitation. (Image: Canva) 6/12 5. Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Tamil Nadu Often overshadowed by its Thanjavur counterpart, this Chola-era temple is no less majestic. It speaks in stoneof cosmic order, imperial ambition, and a vanished dynastys quiet echo. (Image: Canva) 7/12 6. Pattadakal, Karnataka Once a coronation site along the Malaprabha River, a group of monuments at Pattadakal showcases a fusion of architectural styles. Its temples stand remarkably intact, each a quiet hymn to royal legacy. (Image: Canva) 8/12 7. Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh Akbars ghost capital stands not in ruin, but in pause. Red sandstone courtyards stretch wide, as if awaiting the return of a court that never came back. (Image: Canva) 9/12 8. Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim This Himalayan sanctuary is more than a wilderness. Believed to be guarded by local deities, its glacial valleys and dense forests hum with sacred significance. (Image: Canva) 10/12 9. Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh Crowned by Ashokas Great Stupa, this serene hilltop is among the oldest Buddhist complexes on Earth. Its quiet symmetry belies centuries of spiritual and artistic devotion. (Image: Canva) 11/12 10. Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan Formerly a royal duck-hunting ground, this wetland is now a bird sanctuary that attracts over 370 speciesincluding winter visitors from Siberia. Its still waters teem with life, not spectacle. (Image: Canva) BCG under fire for role in Gaza aid project tied to mass relocation plan Pragya Trivedi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Pragya Trivedi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept McDonalds and Krispy Kreme call it quits on doughnut partnership after rocky rollout Pragya Trivedi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Rescuers work at a boat sinking site in Zixing City, Chenzhou, central China's Hunan Province, July 5, 2025. A boat sinking accident on Saturday afternoon left 1 person missing, with another 28 rescued, in central China's Hunan Province, authorities have said. A total of 29 people fell off the 40-seat boat into the water, as the boat capsized at around 4:30 p.m. at Dongjiang Lake in the city of Zixing. As of 6 p.m., 28 had been rescued -- with one of them in critical condition receiving treatment. (Photo by Li Miaoxi/Xinhua) CHANGSHA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- A boat sinking accident on Saturday afternoon left 1 person missing, with another 28 rescued, in central China's Hunan Province, authorities have said. A total of 29 people fell off the 40-seat boat into the water, as the boat capsized at around 4:30 p.m. at Dongjiang Lake in the city of Zixing. As of 6 p.m., 28 had been rescued -- with one of them in critical condition receiving treatment. Preliminary investigations have found that the area saw a sudden gust of wind, at a speed of up to 30 meters per second, when the accident happened. Search and rescue efforts continue, while further investigations are underway. Rescuers work at a boat sinking site in Zixing City, Chenzhou, central China's Hunan Province, July 5, 2025. A boat sinking accident on Saturday afternoon left 1 person missing, with another 28 rescued, in central China's Hunan Province, authorities have said. A total of 29 people fell off the 40-seat boat into the water, as the boat capsized at around 4:30 p.m. at Dongjiang Lake in the city of Zixing. As of 6 p.m., 28 had been rescued -- with one of them in critical condition receiving treatment. (Photo by Li Miaoxi/Xinhua) Rescuers work at a boat sinking site in Zixing City, Chenzhou, central China's Hunan Province, July 5, 2025. A boat sinking accident on Saturday afternoon left 1 person missing, with another 28 rescued, in central China's Hunan Province, authorities have said. A total of 29 people fell off the 40-seat boat into the water, as the boat capsized at around 4:30 p.m. at Dongjiang Lake in the city of Zixing. As of 6 p.m., 28 had been rescued -- with one of them in critical condition receiving treatment. (Xinhua) 'Putin just wants to keep killing people': Trump hints at imposing sanctions on Russia Hemant Abhishek USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Arishaa Izaj USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Trump: Russia 'wants to keep killing'; hints at sanctions after record attacks on Ukraine Pragya Trivedi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Turkey sends firefighting aircraft to Syria as wildfires rage on both sides of the border 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept KIGALI, July 5 (Xinhua) -- On the 31st anniversary of Rwanda's Liberation Day, President Paul Kagame urged Rwandans to remain anchored in their core national values as the country charts its future path. Speaking at a press conference in the national capital of Kigali on Friday, Kagame reflected on Rwanda's transformative journey since 1994, calling on citizens to preserve unity, ambition, and resilience as defining pillars of the nation's identity. "Our struggle as a country has always been guided by values," Kagame said. "The rules we follow and the choices we make are grounded in those values -- ones that unite us and ensure no one is left behind because of their background." Kagame praised the progress made over three decades of recovery, while also acknowledging the depth of sacrifice that made it possible. "The difficult part was something we confronted head-on but even in that difficulty, there was something fulfilling," he said, emphasizing the pride and responsibility that came with rebuilding a nation torn apart by genocide. Turning to Rwanda's place in global affairs, Kagame warned against narratives that distort the region's challenges and overlook key actors. He criticized what he described as selective international reporting, particularly concerning armed groups in the region. Kagame stressed that unity remains a non-negotiable foundation for Rwanda's continued peace and progress. "We've seen what happens when (unity) is absent. That's why we must bring everyone along and define together what is best for us," he said. Kagame reiterated Rwanda's determination to never again be dependent. "This Rwanda cannot live on the whims of others. No, it happened once; it will never happen again. It's an act of survival. We don't owe our living to anyone," he added. On regional matters, Kagame commented on the recent U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), expressing cautious optimism. "Rwanda remained committed to the agreement," he said, but warned that stability would depend on the sincerity of all parties. Ukraine says it struck Russian air base as Russia sent hundreds of drones into Ukraine 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Rescuers work at the scene of a residential building collapse in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 4, 2025. A five-storey residential building collapsed in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing seven people and leaving at least 10 injured, police officials said. (Str/Xinhua) ISLAMABAD, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A five-storey residential building collapsed in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing seven people and leaving at least 10 injured, police officials said. The police officials in the area told Xinhua that over 30 people were trapped under the debris after the building collapsed in Lyari area of Karachi, and rescue efforts are underway to recover the remaining individuals. The officials said that heavy machinery is being used to help in the removal of the rubble of the dilapidated building, which had already been marked unsafe by authorities, adding that the two adjoining buildings have also been evacuated as a precautionary measure. The eyewitnesses said that the building collapsed following several jolts that residents mistook for an earthquake, adding that it suddenly came crashing down after a couple of hours of intermittent shocks. Following the incident, authorities cordoned off the area, and all the victims were shifted to a local hospital, where several people are said to be in critical condition. A high-level committee has been formed to investigate the incident. Rescuers work at the scene of a residential building collapse in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 4, 2025. A five-storey residential building collapsed in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing seven people and leaving at least 10 injured, police officials said. (Str/Xinhua) Rescuers work at the scene of a residential building collapse in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 4, 2025. A five-storey residential building collapsed in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing seven people and leaving at least 10 injured, police officials said. (Str/Xinhua) People transfer a victim at the scene of a residential building collapse in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 4, 2025. A five-storey residential building collapsed in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing seven people and leaving at least 10 injured, police officials said. (Str/Xinhua) Rescuers search for victims at the scene of a residential building collapse in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 4, 2025. A five-storey residential building collapsed in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing seven people and leaving at least 10 injured, police officials said. (Str/Xinhua) Rescuers search for victims at the scene of a residential building collapse in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 4, 2025. A five-storey residential building collapsed in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing seven people and leaving at least 10 injured, police officials said. (Str/Xinhua) Rescuers work at the scene of a residential building collapse in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 4, 2025. A five-storey residential building collapsed in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing seven people and leaving at least 10 injured, police officials said. (Str/Xinhua) Rescuers work at the scene of a residential building collapse in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 4, 2025. A five-storey residential building collapsed in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing seven people and leaving at least 10 injured, police officials said. (Str/Xinhua) As the Dalai Lama turns 90, photos show the global arc of his life As the Dalai Lama turns 90, photos show the global arc of his life View Photo DHARAMSHALA, India (AP) The Dalai Lama is revered as a deity by millions of Tibetan Buddhists and known worldwide as a resolute voice for peace, spirituality and Tibet s autonomy. He is also seen as a threat by China, which accuses him of wanting to wrest Tibet from Beijings control. As the spiritual and political leader of Tibetan Buddhists, he established a government-in-exile in the Indian town of Dharamshala after fleeing Tibet in 1959. Since then he has traveled the world to raise the issue of Tibet and Tibetans, while spreading a message of nonviolence. He has met world leaders and celebrities, from the likes of fellow Nobel Peace Prize winners Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu to multiple U.S. presidents, popes and Hollywood stars. As he celebrates his 90th birthday on Sunday, The Associated Press has curated a selection of photos of the Dalai Lama, from his early days in India to appearances he has made around the world. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. Alternative 3 Photo Simulation by Wood RodgersTCTC graphic View Photos Jamestown, CA A stretch of Highway 49/108 in Jamestown is now closer to getting necessary upgrades thanks to nearly $3 million from the California Transportation Commission. Noting that Jamestown has a history of transportation-associated challenges, the Tuolumne County Transportation Council (TCTC) described the stretch as an underdeveloped roadway that affects safety, with an accident rate three times higher than average, including several pedestrian fatalities over the past ten years. At the end of June, the California Transportation Commission approved $2.7 million to fund the Highway 49 Jamestown Safe, Healthy, and Equitable Improvement Project. TCTC officials say it has been a top Regional Transportation Plan priority since the completion of Stage 2 of the East Sonora Bypass in November 2013. TCTC officials further explain that an underdeveloped roadway means it lacks sidewalks and safe crossings for pedestrians and cyclists while experiencing heavy peak hour traffic congestion that gets worse during seasonal tourist traffic. They added that this can lead to increased air pollution, which may impact elementary schools, seniors, and people with lung disease. Evacuations from the town are also a concern, highlighted by a recent Tuolumne County Evacuation Needs Assessment and Communication Strategies Project. It showed that without changes, the highway is likely to exceed capacity during large-scale evacuations, resulting in gridlock. TCTC also notes that the Caltrans Congested Corridor Plan for Highway 49 identifies the project as the best to address pressing issues in the corridor. They plan to convert the two-lane highway into a comprehensive street with sidewalks, bike paths, transit stations, a park-and-ride facility with EV chargers, traffic signal improvements to improve flow, and potential expansion to relieve congestion. The grant will fund a study of three alternatives, with one being chosen as the preferred option. Alternatives 1 & 2, estimated at $18,950,000 and $19,588,000, respectively, include these upgrades: Widening Highway 49 from 3 to 5 lanes through Jamestown New transit stops for Tuolumne County Transit, Yosemite Area Regional Transit, and a planned route to Modesto Transit Center Bike lanes and sidewalks Jamestown Park & Ride lot with electric vehicle chargers A new northbound right turn pocket at Main Street Rawhide Road Bridge Project, including geometric changes on Jamestown Road and Main Street Gold Rush Shared Use Path Project and related improvements Alternative 3, shown in the image box graphic, is a less expensive plan at $16,775,000, which omits highway widening and focuses on operational improvements like turn lanes, signal coordination, additional storage, and a new traffic signal at the west Main Street entrance. Caltrans will soon start regional surveys, environmental studies, and public input workshops in coordination with TCTC. The project is expected to complete environmental review and approval by 2026. If funding is secured, construction could begin in 2028. For more details on the project, click here. Israel will send ceasefire negotiating team to Qatar a day before Trump and Netanyahu meet View Photo DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) U.S.-led ceasefire efforts in Gaza appeared to gain momentum Saturday after nearly 21 months of war, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s office said Israel on Sunday will send a negotiating team to talks in Qatar. The statement also asserted that Hamas was seeking unacceptable changes to the proposal. U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed for an agreement and will host Netanyahu at the White House on Monday to discuss a deal. Inside Gaza, Israeli airstrikes killed 14 Palestinians and another 10 were killed while seeking food aid, hospital officials in the embattled enclave told The Associated Press. And two American aid workers with the Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation were injured in an attack at a food distribution site, which the organization blamed on Hamas, without providing evidence. Weary Palestinians expressed cautious hope after Hamas gave a positive response late Friday to the latest U.S. proposal for a 60-day truce but said further talks were needed on implementation. We are tired. Enough starvation, enough closure of crossing points. We want to sleep in calm where we dont hear warplanes or drones or shelling, said Jamalat Wadi, one of Gazas hundreds of thousands of displaced people, speaking in Deir al-Balah. She squinted in the sun during a summer heat wave of over 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). Hamas has sought guarantees that the initial truce would lead to a total end to the war and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Previous negotiations have stalled over Hamas demands of guarantees that further negotiations would lead to the wars end, while Netanyahu has insisted Israel would resume fighting to ensure the militant groups destruction. Send a delegation with a full mandate to bring a comprehensive agreement to end the war and bring everyone back. No one must be left behind, Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, told the weekly rally by relatives and supporters in Tel Aviv. A Palestinian doctor and his 3 children killed Israeli airstrikes struck tents in the crowded Muwasi area on Gazas Mediterranean coast, killing seven people including a Palestinian doctor and his three children, according to Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. Four others were killed in the town of Bani Suheila in southern Gaza. Three people were killed in three strikes in Khan Younis. Israels army did not immediately comment. Separately, eight Palestinians were killed near a GHF aid distribution site in the southern city of Rafah, the hospital said. One Palestinian was killed near another GHF point in Rafah. It was not clear how far the Palestinians were from the sites. GHF denied the killings happened near their sites. The organization has said no one has been shot at its sites, which are guarded by private contractors and can be accessed only by passing Israeli military positions hundreds of meters (yards) away. The army had no immediate comment but has said it fires warning shots as a crowd-control measure and only aims at people when its troops are threatened. Another Palestinian was killed waiting in crowds for aid trucks in eastern Khan Younis, officials at Nasser Hospital said. The United Nations and other international organizations have been bringing in their own supplies of aid since the war began. The incident did not appear to be connected to GHF operations. Much of Gazas population of over 2 million now relies on international aid after the war has largely devastated agriculture and other food sources and left many people near famine. Crowds of Palestinians often wait for trucks and unload or loot their contents before they reach their destinations. The trucks must pass through areas under Israeli military control. Israels military did not immediately comment. American aid workers injured The GHF said the two American aid workers were injured on Saturday morning when assailants threw grenades at a distribution site in Khan Younis. The foundation said the injuries were not life-threatening. Israels military said it evacuated the workers for medical treatment. The GHF a U.S.- and Israeli-backed initiative meant to bypass the U.N. distributes aid from four sites that are surrounded by Israeli troops. Three sites are in Gazas far south. The U.N. and other humanitarian groups have rejected the GHF system, saying it allows Israel to use food as a weapon, violates humanitarian principles and is not effective. Israel says Hamas has siphoned off aid delivered by the U.N., a claim the U.N. denies. Hamas has urged Palestinians not to cooperate with the GHF. GHF, registered in Delaware, began distributing food in May to Palestinians, who say Israeli troops open fire almost every day toward crowds on roads heading to the distribution points. Several hundred people have been killed and hundreds more wounded, according to Gazas Health Ministry and witnesses. The U.N. human rights office says it has recorded 613 Palestinians killed within a month in Gaza while trying to obtain aid, most of them while trying to reach GHF sites. The war began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Israel responded with an offensive that has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children. according to Gazas Health Ministry, which is led by medical professionals employed by the Hamas government. It does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but the U.N. and other international organizations see its figures as the most reliable statistics on war casualties. ___ Kullab reported from Jerusalem. ___ Follow news of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war By WAFAA SHURAFA and SAMYA KULLAB Associated Press A fragile ceasefire in the Israel-Iran war tests the harmony of Los Angeles huge Iranian community View Photo LOS ANGELES (AP) Tehrangeles in West Los Angeles is home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran. This cultural enclave, also known as Little Persia, is where Iranian Muslims, Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians and Bahai have peacefully coexisted for decades. But the recent war between Israel and Iran a bloody, 12-day conflict paused by a fragile ceasefire has brought up religious tensions and political debates that rarely surface in this culturally harmonious environment. To complicate matters, the U.S. an ally of Israel bombed Iran during the war. Many Iranian Jews in the diaspora have viewed the onset of the war with anxious glee, said Daniel Bral, a West Los Angeles resident whose grandfather, Moossa Bral, was the sole Jewish member of parliament in prerevolutionary Iran. He sees family members and others in the community rejoicing at the possibility of their tormentor being vanquished. But Bral feels differently. Im just nervous and am completely rattled by everything that is happening, he said. I understand and sympathize with peoples hope for regime change. But I worry about the safety of civilians and the efficacy of the operation removing Iran as a nuclear threat. But Bral doesnt see the war itself as a divisive issue in the diaspora because antagonism for the current regime is common across religious groups. This hatred for the regime actually unifies Muslims and Jews, he said. Cultural enclave offers a sense of grounding Kamran Afary, a professor of communication at California State University, Los Angeles, who emigrated from Iran in the 1970s and cowrote a book about identities in Iranian diaspora, said the community, for the most part, has nursed a spirit of tolerance and respect, much like his interfaith family. While Afary is spiritual but not religious, other members of his family practice Judaism, Islam and the Bahai faith. Interfaith marriage used to be fraught, but even that is common now, he said. Afary says for him, Tehrangeles, with its row of grocery stores, ice cream and kebab shops, restaurants, bakeries and bookstores, offers solace and a sense of grounding in his culture and roots. There are about half a million Iranian Americans in the Greater Los Angeles region. The largest wave of Iranians migrated to the area after Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown in 1979 and Ayatollah Khomeini assumed control, establishing the Islamic Republic of Iran. West Los Angeles, in particular, has the largest concentration of Iranian Jews outside Iran. A test for long-held bonds Diane Winston, professor of media and religion at the University of Southern California, said Israels recent fight against the regime in Iran could test relationships between Iranian Jews and Muslims. Muslims, who otherwise would be happy to see regime change, might have felt a little differently about it because their antipathy for Zionism is strong, she said. Winston also observed that in the diaspora, which is concentrated in wealthy cities like Beverly Hills and Westwood, it is not just religion or culture that brings people together, but also their elevated social status. They go to the same schools, parties and cultural events, she said. In general, Iranian Muslims and Jews are not quite as religious as their counterparts back home. Los Angeles is a city where there is room to be orthodox, but also being less religious is not a problem. The less religious Jews and Muslims are, the less antipathy they may have toward each other. A time of fear and uncertainty Tanaz Golshan was 2 when her family left Iran in 1986. She serves as the senior vice president of Caring for Jews in Need, the Jewish Federation Los Angeles service arm. She is also the organizations liaison to the Iranian Jewish community. Judaism for Iranians is more cultural and familial, Golshan said. Getting together Friday for Shabbat means having Persian Jewish dishes like gondi, which are dumplings served in soup. In my family, we didnt grow up too religious, she said. We dont think about religion when we go to a restaurant or market. Youll find people in both communities that are extreme and dont want anything to do with the other. But in general, we have a lot of love and respect for each other. And yet this is proving to be a tense and scary time for Iranian Jews in the diaspora, she said. What happens globally can affect security locally, Golshan said, adding the federations helpline has received calls asking if there are any threats to local Jewish institutions, she said. There is real fear that temples and community centers could become targets. On Monday, Golshans organization and others hosted more than 350 community members for a virtual event titled, L.A. United: Iranian and Israeli Communities in Solidarity. A call for regime change in Iran Reactions to the war have been nuanced, regardless of religious affiliations. Arezo Rashidian, whose family is Muslim, is a Southern California political activist who favors regime change in Iran. She supports the return of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the shah, who has declared he is ready to lead the countrys transition to a democratic government. Rashidian said she has never been able to visit Iran because of her activism. The only hope for her return would be for the current regime to fall. This is why the ceasefire has stirred mixed feelings for her and many others in the community, she said. Its been an emotional roller coaster. No one wants a war, but we were on the brink of seeing this regime collapse. We were so close, she said. Lior Sternfeld, professor of history and Jewish studies at Penn State University, said Iranian Jews in the diaspora identify with Iran, Israel and the U.S., and that these identities are often not in harmony. They dont see the Islamic Republic as Iran any more, but an entity to be demolished, he said. They see Israel more as a religious homeland. President Donald Trump enjoyed strong support in the diaspora and has now upset his backers in the community because he has stated he is not interested in regime change, Sternfeld said. Desire for unity and common ground There is a push, particularly in the younger generation, for peace and understanding among religious groups in the diaspora. Bral says he is engaged in peacebuilding work through his writing and advocacy. We are cousins at the end of the day, as cliched and corny as that sounds, he said. Brals friend Rachel Sumekh, whose parents emigrated from Iran, grew up Jewish in the San Fernando Valley. Sumekh hosts dinner parties with her diverse group of friends as a way of widening her circle across religious lines. In December, she hosted a gathering for Yalda, an ancient Persian festival with Zoroastrian roots, which is observed on the winter solstice as celebrants look forward to brighter days. Last year, Yalda, which also marks the victory of light over darkness, coincided with Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. We created a new tradition bringing people of both traditions together to emphasize how much we have in common, Sumekh said. This war is just a reminder that as much as our day-to-day lives may be separate, there is still a lot we share in terms of culture and as a people. ___ 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. By DEEPA BHARATH Associated Press Yves here. We have regularly criticized the Green New Deal and other initiatives to try to limit carbon emissions and thus climate change because they are based on the feel-good falsehood that the mere adoption of new tech will enable humans to keep modern lifestyles. The only very faint hope, which if more countries dont embrace it, will be forced upon us via collapse, is radical conservation. By Robert Rapier, a chemical engineer in the energy industry with 25 years of international engineering experience in the chemical, oil and gas, and renewable energy industries. Originally published at OilPrice Global carbon emissions reached a new all-time high in 2024, hitting 40.8 billion metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions, despite significant growth in renewable energy and numerous international climate pledges. China, the U.S., and India are the three largest carbon emitters, collectively accounting for over half of global emissions, with the U.S. showing significant reductions since 2000 while China and India have seen substantial increases tied to economic development and continued fossil fuel reliance. The article concludes that while clean energy is expanding, it is not yet replacing fossil fuels at the scale needed to reduce total emissions, indicating that global demand growth or significant displacement of fossil fuels is necessary for emissions to decline. In late June the Energy Institute (EI) released the 2025 Statistical Review of World Energy, which was published previously for more than 70 years by BP. Here is the link to the full 2025 Statistical Review of World Energy. The Review confirmed that a troubling trend continues. Despite historic investments in renewables and net-zero pledges from nearly every major economy, global carbon emissions hit a record high in 2024. This article is the first in a series breaking down the key findingsand what they mean for the global energy sector. Defining Carbon Emissions: Whats Included and Why It Matters The Review breaks down carbon emissions into several categories, but the most comprehensive metric is total carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-equivalent emissions). This includes emissions from energy use, flaring, industrial processes, and methane associated with fossil fuel production, transportation, and distribution. As defined in the Review, CO2-equivalent emissions represent the sum of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels, flaring, and industrial processesplus methane emissions converted into their carbon dioxide equivalent. This approach provides a fuller picture of each countrys contribution to atmospheric carbon levels. While land use changes like deforestation are not included, the inclusion of methanea far more potent greenhouse gas than CO2makes this a more accurate measure of atmospheric impact. Global Emissions Rise Again Despite Renewable Growth Global carbon emissions hit a new all-time high in 2024, reaching 40.8 billion metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions. Thats up from 40.3 billion metric tons in 2023an increase of 0.5 billion tons from the previous year, despite record investments in renewables and aggressive net-zero pledges from countries and corporations alike. The growth trend has continued at a relatively consistent rate since 2021. Over the past decade, global emissions have increased by nearly 1% per year on average, despite a growing list of international climate pledges. Although 2024 saw numerous headlines highlighting record growth in wind and solartopics Ill explore in upcoming articlesthe emissions data tells a clear story: clean energy is expanding, but not fast enough to keep up with rising global energy demand. Breaking Down the Big Three The three largest carbon emitters in the world are China, the U.S., and India. Together, they account for over half of all global emissions. However, they have taken very different paths over the past few decades. Despite a 37% increase in population over the period, U.S. carbon emissions in 2024 were lower than they were in 1990. Over the past decade, theyve declined at an average annual rate of 1.0%. No country has reduced its carbon output more this century. Since 2000, U.S. emissions have fallen by 913 million metric tonsfar surpassing second-place Germany, which saw a 292 million metric ton decline. While its true that the U.S. started from a higher emissions baseline, the scale of the reduction remains a significant achievement. The most significant reduction in U.S. carbon emissions began around 2007, driven by two key shifts: the shale gas boom, which made natural gas cheaper and led utilities to switch away from coal; and the rapid growth of renewable energy, which chipped away further at coals dominance in the power sector. In contrast, Chinas carbon emissions have quintupled since 1990, rising by a staggering 8.8 billion metric tons since 2000 alone. In 2024, China emitted approximately 12.5 billion metric tons of CO2nearly 31% of the global totalmore than the combined emissions of North America and Europe. Despite being the global leader in solar and wind deployment, China is also the worlds largest consumer of coal. That contradictionleading the clean energy buildout while still relying heavily on fossil fuelshelps explain why global carbon emissions continue to rise, even as renewables grow at record rates. Indias emissions have also quintupled since 1990, with an increase of 2.2 billion metric tons since 2000second only to China in absolute growth. In 2024, India emitted 3.3 billion metric tons, up 24% over the past decade. Indias rising emissions are closely tied to economic development. As millions move out of poverty and into the middle class, energy demand increases. Much of that demand is still met by fossil fuels. Indias situation reflects the biggest challenge of the global energy transition: how to decarbonize while still expanding access to affordable energy. Global Disparities A regional view of the data reveals deeper structural imbalances. Over the past decade: Africa saw emissions jump by 25%. The Middle Easts emissions rose by 15%. The Asia-Pacific region, which includes China and India, added over 9%. Even South and Central America, often overlooked in these discussions, recorded a 9.3% increase. In addition to North America, Europe showed a clear decline in emissions, which fell an average of 1.4% per year over the decade. The European Unions emissions fell to 3.7 billion metric tons in 2024, down 15% from a decade earlier. Countries like Germany and the UK continue to make strong progress through a combination of policy, electrification, and energy efficiency. But that success is uneven. In Eastern and Southern Europe, emissions are flat or even rising, and economic pressures have delayed some planned coal phase-outs. While Europe is often heralded as a climate leader, its internal divisions show how difficult it is to maintain momentum across a diverse bloc of nations. These trends reflect varying levels of policy ambition, but also where population and economic growth are occurring. Much of the worlds energy demand growth is from countries that are still building basic infrastructure, expanding transportation networks, increasing industrial output, and expanding the middle class. Final Thoughts: More Clean Energy, But Not Enough Subtraction The data suggest that the much-hyped energy transition is still happening too slowly to halt emissions growth. Wind and solar are scaling, but theyre not yet replacing fossil fuels at the level needed to reduce total emissions. Were adding clean energy to the mix, but were not yet subtracting fossil energy. Thats why global emissions continue to rise, even as headlines trumpet climate breakthroughs. Until global demand growth levels offor renewables begin displacing fossil fuels at scaleemissions are likely to keep climbing. CO2 revolutionizes greenhouse farming revolution globally, decentralizing the food supply As governments and corporate elites push draconian climate policiescarbon taxes, energy rationing, and forced deindustrializationthe truth about carbon dioxide (CO2) remains buried under layers of fearmongering. While activists scream about an existential climate crisis, farmers and scientists are quietly harnessing CO2 to multiply crop yields, defeat famine, and revolutionize agriculture. A groundbreaking study published in Horticulture Research shatters the mainstream narrative, proving that elevated CO2 levels turbocharge plant growth , delivering bountiful harvests in greenhouses worldwide. But dont expect Al Gore or the UN climate experts to mention this. The climate industrial complex thrives on deception, not solutions. Meanwhile, CO2 is revolutionizing greenhouse farming, decentralizing the food supply, allowing communities to break free from corporate control over their food supply. Key points: CO2 is a plant nutrient, not a "pollutant," and greenhouse growers deliberately inject it (up to 1000 ppm) to boost yields by 80% or more. China, Spain, and the U.S. are leading a greenhouse farming revolution, leveraging CO2 to grow food in deserts and urban wastelandsproof that emissions can feed the world. While the EPA shuts down power plants in the name of "climate change," farmers beg for more CO2 to combat global food shortages. Rising atmospheric CO2 (now ~420 ppm) is replenishing levels that were far higher during Earths most fertile epochslong before SUVs existed. The climate cults war on CO2 is a war on human survival, sabotaging food security to advance a globalist control agenda. The greenhouse revolution: CO2 as the missing ingredient For decades, climate hustlers have vilified CO2 as a "deadly emission," ignoring its role as the foundation of photosynthesis. But in greenhousesfrom North Carolina to Chinas Xinjiang desertgrowers treat CO2 like liquid gold. Using generators fueled by propane or natural gas, they pump concentrations to 1000 ppm or higher, transforming barren landscapes into breadbaskets. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture bluntly calls CO2 a nutrient, citing its power to accelerate flowering, strengthen stems, and slash pesticide use. In Spains Almeria region, CO2-enriched greenhouses now yield 30 kilograms of tomatoes per square metera staggering feat for a crop once limited by Spains arid climate. Meanwhile, in Xinjiang, desert greenhouses running at 1200 ppm CO2 churn out 19,000 tons of fruits and vegetables annually, proving that climate change isnt killing cropsits government policies that do. The great CO2 famine: How alarmists starve the planet Five hundred million years ago, CO2 levels soared above 7,000 ppmand life thrived. Today, at a meager 420 ppm, plants are starving. Greenhouse operators know this firsthand: during daylight hours, crops suck CO2 down to 200 ppm, stunting growth. Yet climate elites demand even lower levels, oblivious to the irony. If CO2 is so toxic, asks Chinese researcher Xiaoye Tong, why do our greenhouses triple its concentration to feed millions? The answer is simple: CO2 scarcitynot abundancethreatens food security. While the West demonizes fossil fuels, a single North Carolina greenhouse complexMetrolinas 8 million square feet of heated spacerelies on CO2 to supply supermarkets year-round. The climate-industrial complex isnt just wrongits dangerously wrong. Modern atmospheric CO2 remains critically low compared to pre-industrial norms, yet activists shriek about unprecedented levels. Fossil fuels are replenishing CO2 stripped from the air eons ago, when ancient forests locked it away as coal and oil. Now, greenhouse farms harness that same CO2 to undo millennia of depletionwithout a single solar panel or wind turbine. But the climate cultists would rather bulldoze power plants than let farmers use their emissions. The agenda against CO2 is clear: there's a global conspiracy to engineer scarcity and create dependence on centralized food systems. By destroying affordable energy and choking CO2 supplies, globalists manufacture crises to justify total control over the food and energy supply, crippling the sovereignty of nations, communities, and families. Sources include: Whatsupwiththat.com Nature.com MDPI.com Enoch, Brighteon.ai Denmark begins conscripting women into military service amid NATO war fears Denmark has now enacted mandatory military conscription for women, requiring all 18-year-old females to register for potential service, aligning with male conscription. The program extends the required service duration from four to eleven months, making Denmark one of the few nations that is drafting women into combat roles. The policy was fast-tracked due to NATO militarization and rising tensions with Russia, aiming to increase annual draftees to 5,000. Critics argue that the policy expands government control, with logistical concerns like ill-fitting gear and sexual harassment risks remaining unresolved. Denmark now joins Norway and Sweden in gender-neutral conscription, framing it as equality while opponents label it state coercion. Denmark has officially launched its unprecedented military conscription program for women, marking a radical shift in the Nordic nations defense policy. As of July 1, all 18-year-old Danish women must register for potential mandatory military service, putting them on equal footing with men in what the government calls "full equality in military service." The new law extends compulsory service from four to eleven months, effectively transforming Denmark into one of only a handful of nations to draft women into combat roles. This controversial policy arrives amid heightened NATO militarization, fueled by escalating tensions with Russia following the Ukraine conflict. Denmark joins Norway and Sweden in enforcing gender-neutral conscription, proving that the push for "equality" can also mean forced compliance under the boot of the state. The Danish draft: Equality as coercion Denmarks parliament greenlit the conscription overhaul in June 2025, fast-tracking a policy originally slated for 2027. The rationale? A supposed need for "more combat power" as Europe braces for potential conflict. Under the new system, female conscripts will be selected via a lottery if voluntary enlistments fall short, mirroring the existing model for men. Yet critics argue this is less about fairness and more about expanding government control. Currently, female volunteers account for roughly 25% of Denmarks short-term troops. Now, the Frederiksen government aims to boost draftees to 5,000 annually, with broader targets of 6,500 by 2033. Col. Kenneth Strm, head of Denmarks conscription program, confirmed the militaristic motive: "Raising the number of conscripts would simply lead to more combat power." Translation: The state needs bodiesmale or femaleto fuel its war machine. Rolling out the red carpet for war The Danish government insists this draconian measure is necessary due to Russias aggression. Officials claim Ukraines plight has made defense preparedness non-negotiable. But as always, the real question is: Who benefits? NATO member-states, including Denmark, recently pledged to ramp up defense spending in yet another example of taxpayer-funded militarization. Denmark alone unveiled a $7 billion "Acceleration Fund" to bankroll its conscription expansions. Meanwhile, the Kremlin dismisses Western panic as "nonsense," accusing NATO of fearmongering. But facts dont lie: NATO nations are rapidly militarizing, with Norway (2015), Sweden (2018), and now Denmark enforcing female drafts. Latvia plans to follow suit by 2028. Despite the governments lofty rhetoric, logistical nightmares lurk beneath the surface. Female recruits already report ill-fitting uniforms and oversized backpacks designed for men, while researchers warn of potential sexual harassment risks and overcrowded barracks due to rushed implementation. One recruit, Katrine, told the media: There are different things that they need to improve, especially in terms of equipment. Right now, its made for men, so perhaps the rucksacks are a bit too large and the uniforms are large as well. But fairness doesnt erase coercion. Mandatory service isnt liberation; its state-forced labor camouflaged as progressive policy. The feminist dilemma: Equality means equal obligation For decades, feminists demanded equality in the workplace, politics, and even combat roles. Denmarks draft delivers exactly that: equal obligation under threat of punishment. If equality now means mandatory military enrollment, then todays "progress" is merely yesterdays tyranny repackaged. Sources for this article include: SHTFPlan.com APNews.com NYTimes.com Independent.co.uk DOJ sues Los Angeles over sanctuary city policy The DOJ filed a federal lawsuit against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and City Council members on June 30, alleging that the city's sanctuary ordinance (No. 188441) unlawfully obstructs federal immigration enforcement and violates the Constitution's Supremacy Clause. Enacted in December 2024, the ordinance bars city employees and resources from participating in immigration enforcement, except in serious criminal cases. The DOJ claims it excessively restricts cooperation with federal authorities, including ICE. The DOJ argues the ordinance discriminates against federal law enforcement by preventing access to detainees, facilities and immigration status information actions it claims go beyond similar sanctuary policies elsewhere. The lawsuit is part of Attorney General Pam Bondi's broader crackdown on sanctuary policies nationwide. Bondi has ordered a "zero-tolerance" approach to jurisdictions seen as obstructing federal immigration law. The DOJ has recently sued the State of New York and several New Jersey cities (including Newark and Jersey City), accusing them of enacting policies that shield undocumented immigrants and interfere with lawful ICE operations. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a federal lawsuit against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and members of the City Council for allegedly obstructing federal immigration enforcement and violating the U.S. Constitution's Supremacy Clause through its sanctuary city policies. The lawsuit, filed on June 30 in the U.S. District Court for California's Central District, specifically challenges Ordinance Number 188441, which bars city personnel and resources from being used in immigration enforcement. The ordinance aims to shield undocumented immigrants from cooperation between local and federal authorities, except in cases involving serious criminal offenses. (Related: Los Angeles riots linked to taxpayer-funded progressive groups with CCP ties as National Guard deployed amid immigration crackdown.) The DOJ is seeking a permanent injunction to block enforcement of the ordinance, which was signed into law by Bass on Dec. 9, 2024. "The challenged law and policies of the City of Los Angeles obstruct the Federal Government's enforcement of federal immigration law and impede consultation and communication between federal, state and local law enforcement officials that is necessary for federal officials to carry out federal immigration law and keep Americans safe," the lawsuit stated. According to the DOJ, the ordinance "goes much further" than similar sanctuary laws in other cities by prohibiting any city employee or contractor from sharing information about an individual's immigration status, barring federal agents from accessing detainees or facilities and restricting cooperation with ICE even in routine matters. "The Supremacy Clause prohibits the City of Los Angeles and its officials from singling out the Federal Government for adverse treatment as the challenged law and policies do thereby discriminating against the Federal Government," the lawsuit continued. "Accordingly, the law and policies challenged here are invalid and should be enjoined." Bondi escalates crackdown on sanctuary policies nationwide The lawsuit filed against Los Angeles City is just a part of a broader crackdown on sanctuary policies. Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed the DOJ to launch a sweeping legal offensive against state and local sanctuary policies across the country to intensify the Trump administration's crackdown on jurisdictions accused of obstructing federal immigration enforcement. In June, the DOJ filed multiple lawsuits targeting sanctuary laws and ordinances in New York and New Jersey, as part of Bondi's "zero-tolerance approach" to local policies that "purposefully shield dangerous aliens from being lawfully detained." For instance, the DOJ sued the State of New York over a 2020 law that bars federal immigration agents from making arrests in state courthouses without a judicial warrant. Federal officials argue the law "intentionally interferes" with ICE operations and makes it more difficult to apprehend undocumented individuals with criminal records. Similarly, in May, the DOJ also filed lawsuits against the New Jersey cities of Newark, Hoboken, Jersey City and Paterson, accusing them of "deliberately undermining federal immigration law" by refusing to cooperate with ICE. Visit CaliforniaCollapse.news for more stories like this. Watch DHS Secretary Kristi Noem blasting LA Mayor Karen Bass over the latter's inaction toward the riots in the City of Angels in this clip. This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Large cities like Los Angeles and New York SUFFER as homelessness and illegal immigration crises collide. Trump credits military for "calming" Los Angeles amid deportation protests. Homeless encampments make Los Angeles look like a Third World country. Organized migrant gangs now targeting luxury homes in Los Angeles, Scottsdale. HOMELESSNESS in the U.S. reaches RECORD HIGH amid worsening economic downturn post-pandemic. Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com ABCNews.com Brighteon.com Oklahoma withdraws state support for water fluoridation Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt directed the state's Health Department to stop recommending fluoride in public drinking water, ending a decades-long state endorsement. Stitt signed Executive Order 2025-13 on June 26, citing public concern, evolving science and informed consent as reasons to cease all state-level promotion of fluoridation. The order requires health and environmental agencies to review all state fluoridation policies and submit a report with recommendations within 90 days. Stitt, joined by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., launched the Make Oklahoma Healthy Again (MOHA) campaign, modeled after President Donald Trump and Kennedy's national MAHA initiative. MOHA establishes an advisory council to review artificial dyes and food additives in public programs and encourages reforms toward healthier, less-processed food options in schools and state facilities. The Oklahoma State Department of Health has officially rescinded its long-standing recommendation that fluoride be added to public drinking water systems, following a directive from Gov. Kevin Stitt. Previously, the department's official website stated it "supports community water fluoridation and recognizes the practice as safe, cost-effective and beneficial to all who drink and use the water." That page has since been taken down and now displays an error message. (Related: Don't drink the water: The dark side of water fluoridation.) In line with this, Stitt announced the reversal of the fluoride recommendation during a press conference on June 26. "I'm instructing the Oklahoma Department of Health to stop recommending fluoride in our water," said Stitt during the press conference. "Cities and water districts, they can still choose to do what they want, based on their constituents and the science, but it's no longer going to be a recommendation from the state health department." Stitt also issued Executive Order 2025-13 that same day, citing "growing public concern, evolving scientific research and the fundamental principle of informed consent" as key reasons for reevaluating the state's endorsement of fluoridation. The order instructs both health and environmental agencies to "immediately cease any state-level promotion or endorsement" of the practice. In addition, the order mandates a full review of all state policies related to water fluoridation. State officials have 90 days to deliver a report to the governor and the state legislature. The report must document current fluoridation practices across Oklahoma and include "concrete recommendations and a timeline" for moving away from any policies that promote or require fluoridation. Stitt launches Make Oklahoma Healthy Again campaign modeled after MAHA initiative That same day, Stitt, along with Department of Human and Health Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also launched the Make Oklahoma Healthy Again (MOHA) campaign, modeled after President Donald Trump and Kennedy's Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative. "For far too long, we have settled for food that has made us sicker as a nation," said Stitt. "In Oklahoma, we're choosing common sense, medical freedom and personal responsibility. President Trump and Secretary Kennedy have led the charge nationally, I'm grateful for their support as we Make Oklahoma Healthy Again." The order, which is also part of the EO 2025-13, established a MOHA advisory council that will be tasked with examining the health impacts of artificial dyes and additives in foods served in schools and state programs. The order also calls on state agencies to review nutritional standards and explore policy changes that promote cleaner, less-processed food options for Oklahoma families. "Thank you, Governor Stitt, for your visionary leadership to Make Oklahoma Healthy Again," Kennedy said. "You've led with action bringing healthy food to public schools and prisons, eliminating fluoride from drinking water and submitting a waiver to remove soda, candy and other junk food from SNAP. These bold steps are helping protect and restore the health of all Oklahomans." More stories like this can be found at CleanWater.news. Watch this video about drinking water fluoridation being a form of poisoning under the guise of "forced medicine." This video is from the Hyper X2119 channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Utah poised to become first state to ban fluoride in public water systems. Utah makes history as first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water. Florida becomes second state to ban FLUORIDE in public water. Utah city orders citizens to avoid drinking water after chemical contamination; what will you do in a water emergency? Fluoride in drinking water poses serious risks to children, pregnant women. Sources include: YourNews.com TheEpochTimes.com Oklahoma.gov Brighteon.com ISLAMABAD, July 5 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed and 18 others injured when a passenger bus collided with a trailer in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province on Saturday morning, local officials said. The accident took place around 7:00 a.m. local time (0200 GMT) in Muzaffargarh district, when a Muzaffargarh-bound bus hit the trailer, police sources from the district told Xinhua. According to rescue officials, the deceased included two men, two women, and two children. The injured, including eight seriously wounded people, were shifted to the neighboring Multan district for advanced medical care, while 10 were admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Muzaffargarh, the sources added. Rescue 1122 teams arrived promptly at the scene and carried out relief operations. The sources said an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the collision. Serbia protests escalate as police crack down on anti-government demonstrators Serbian police clashed with protesters for a second day on June 30, dismantling barricades and making arrests. Demonstrations sparked by anger over a deadly infrastructure collapse in 2024, have grown into a political crisis, with demands for early elections and an end to government corruption. Protesters blocked roads and bridges in Belgrade, leading to violent clashes with riot police. Videos showed police using force while officials accused protesters of violence. Over 30 people were arrested, with many facing criminal charges. President Aleksandar Vucic, a close ally of Russia, claims the protests are a foreign-backed coup attempt, though he provides no evidence. The Kremlin supported his narrative, warning the West against interfering in Serbia, calling it a potential "color revolution." The protests began after a train station collapse killed 16 people, exposing corruption in government projects. Under Vucic's rule, Serbia has faced declining press freedom, weak courts and growing organized crime, fueling public frustration. Despite EU criticism, Vucic refuses to step down, with elections not due until 2027. Protesters vow to keep fighting, calling the government illegitimate. With Russia's backing, Vucic seems determined to hold power, but public anger shows no signs of fading. Serbian police clashed with protesters for a second consecutive day on Monday, June 30, dismantling barricades and making fresh arrests as dissent against President Aleksandar Vucic's government reached a boiling point. The demonstrations, which began months ago after a deadly infrastructure collapse back in November 2024, have now morphed into a full-blown political crisis. Students and activists are demanding early elections and an end to what they call systemic corruption and repression. Serbia has been rocked by near-daily protests for nearly eight months, but the latest demonstrations have taken a more confrontational turn. Over the weekend, tens of thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Belgrade, blocking major roads and bridges in a show of defiance. The unrest reached a peak Saturday, June 28, when protesters clashed with riot police, leading to dozens of arrests. By Sunday, June 29, demonstrators had erected new barricades using metal fences and garbage containers, paralyzing parts of the capital. Police responded with force, dragging away protesters, with some carried by their limbs into vans and others pepper-sprayed or beaten with batons. Videos circulating online showed police vehicles speeding through crowds, sending people fleeing in panic. Authorities claim the protesters are violent agitators. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said 38 people remained in custody on Sunday, with many facing criminal charges for allegedly attacking officers. But protesters insist they are victims of a brutal crackdown, accusing the government of silencing dissent. (Related: Eleven days before Iran bombed Tel Aviv, my microscope revealed haunting images of EXACTLY what would happen.) The movement gained momentum last November after a train station canopy in Novi Sad collapsed, killing 16 people. The tragedy was widely blamed on corruption in state-run construction projects, fueling public outrage. Since then, university students and professors have emerged as the backbone of the protests, demanding accountability and early elections. Vucic digs in, Kremlin backs him up Vuci, who has ruled Serbia for over a decade, has dismissed the protests as an attempted coup. Speaking from Spain, he praised police actions and vowed to maintain order, declaring that the state "is strong enough to secure law and order." He also thanked Russia for its "understanding" of the situation, suggesting that the demonstrations were part of a foreign-backed plot, a claim that Vucic has repeatedly made without providing proof. The Kremlin, ever eager to push back against Western influence, quickly backed Vucic's narrative. In a thinly veiled threat, Russian officials warned the West against supporting a "color revolution" in Serbia, a reference to past uprisings in Ukraine and Georgia that Moscow views as Western-engineered regime changes. The warning serves as a reminder of Russia's vested interest in keeping Vucic in power, given Serbia's strategic importance in the Balkans. Critics, however, say Vucic is using the "foreign interference" narrative to justify his authoritarian tactics. Under his rule, Serbia has seen a steady erosion of press freedom, judicial independence and political opposition, even as corruption and organized crime have flourished in the country. Despite formally seeking EU membership, Vucic has deepened ties with Russia and China, balancing between East and West. His government's heavy-handed response to the protests has drawn sharp criticism from European officials. Tonino Picula, the European Parliament's envoy for Serbia, condemned the crackdown, stating that while students are demanding democracy, Vucic is responding with repression. But with elections not scheduled until 2027, and Vucic showing no signs of backing down, the standoff appears far from over. Protesters have vowed to continue their campaign, declaring the government "illegitimate" and warning that further violence will be the state's responsibility. As Belgrade braces for more unrest, the world watches to see whether Serbia's streets will force change, or whether Vucic, backed by Moscow, will tighten his grip even further. Watch this clip about the evolution of NATO aggression against the world, from Serbia to Russia. This video is from the Quantum Nurse Grace Asagra RN channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Mass protests erupt across China as Trump tariffs trigger economic crisis. The future is filled with looting, rioting and civil unrest, warns Michael Snyder. Marxist-linked protesters burn flags, clash with police in coordinated L.A. riots. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com APNews.com ABCNews.go.com Brighteon.com Texas BANS property purchases by enemy nations in sweeping national security move Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill (SB) 17, banning citizens and companies from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from buying land, homes or commercial properties in Texas. The law aims to protect national security. SB 17 prohibits purchases of agricultural land, residential/commercial properties, mines and water rights by individuals/entities from the listed countries. Violations are felonies, with the Texas Attorney General enforcing penalties. Exemptions include U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents and foreign nationals buying a primary residence. Texas is one of 25 states restricting foreign property ownership citing fears of espionage, economic coercion and land grabs near military sites. China is a major focus due to land purchases near U.S. bases, control of critical infrastructure and suspected espionage tools. Civil rights groups argue that the law could unfairly target Asian Americans and immigrants, leading to discrimination. Similar laws in Florida were ruled likely unconstitutional, and SB 17 may face lawsuits over discrimination and federal preemption. Supporters say the law is necessary for security, while opponents fear xenophobia and legal chaos. With rising U.S.-China tensions, more states may adopt similar laws, but court battles could determine their fate. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed one of the nations toughest laws restricting property purchases by individuals and entities from countries deemed adversarial to the United States. The new legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 17, bars citizens and companies from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from buying land, homes and commercial properties in Texas. Abbott claims that the move will bolster national security, but critics warn that it could fuel racial discrimination. The law, set to take effect Sept. 1, comes amid growing concerns over foreign espionage, economic coercion and strategic land grabs near sensitive U.S. military and infrastructure sites. On one hand, supporters argue the restrictions are necessary to counter hostile foreign influence. On the other hand, opponents fear the bill casts too wide a net, potentially harming law-abiding immigrants and businesses with no ties to adversarial governments. SB 17 prohibits individuals and entities from the four countries which were identified in the U.S. Director of National Intelligence's 2025 Annual Threat Assessment from purchasing: Agricultural land Commercial and industrial properties Residential real estate Mines, quarries and groundwater rights Violations will be treated as felonies, with the Texas Attorney Generals office authorized to investigate suspected breaches. However, exemptions exist for: U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents Foreign nationals legally residing in the U.S. who are buying a primary residence Lease agreements under one year Abbott framed the law as a critical defense measure. "I signed SB 17, the toughest ban in America on preventing the sale of our land and property to individuals and companies from China, Iran, North Korea & Russia," he declared on social media. National security concerns are driving the crackdown The push to restrict foreign property ownership isn't unique to Texas. At least 25 states have enacted similar laws since 2023, reflecting escalating fears over foreign infiltration, espionage and economic warfare. China, in particular, has drawn scrutiny for: Buying land near U.S. military bases, raising fears of surveillance. Expanding control over critical infrastructure, including ports, energy grids and telecom networks. Installing solar converters suspected of being potential espionage tools. Dominating the U.S. drone market (Chinese-made DJI drones are widely used by law enforcement). Michael Lucci, CEO of State Armor Action, a conservative group advocating for state-level security policies, argued that it's no coincidence that several Chinese companies are "purchasing American land, particularly near sensitive military sites." Lucci added that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is "blatantly attempting to base espionage efforts" right on American soil. Despite its valid security rationale, SB 17 has faced fierce backlash from civil rights groups and some lawmakers who argue it could unfairly target Asian Americans and immigrants. For example, the Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) condemned the law, claiming that it "creates an overly broad net that places innocent foreign nationals at risk of racial profiling." State Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston) echoed these concerns, saying that individuals "may be turned away from business opportunities even if they dont fall under this category." He added that many people "dont know whos Chinese, whos Japanese, or what their immigration status is. Theyll see an Asian face and say, Im not sure if I can legally sell to you." The bills passage also comes as a similar Florida law faces legal challenges under the Fourteenth Amendment and the Fair Housing Act. A federal court recently ruled Floridas restrictions likely unconstitutional, setting up a potential Supreme Court battle. (Related: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs school choice bill into law.) Will SB 17 hold up in court? Legal experts predict SB 17 will be challenged on the grounds of discrimination and federal preemption. Opponents argue that immigration and foreign policy are federal matters, not state ones. Additionally, the law could violate equal protection clauses by disproportionately affecting certain ethnic groups. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, vetoed a comparable bill earlier last June. She warned that this proposal could open the door for "arbitrary enforcement." Yet, Texas officials remain defiant with Abbott and Republican state lawmakers insisting the law is narrowly tailored to address legitimate security threats, not to discriminate. Texas is now part of a national wave of states tightening foreign property laws. According to the Committee of 100, which tracks such legislation: 25 states now have foreign property restrictions (up from 22 in March). 15 federal bills on the issue are under consideration. With U.S.-China tensions at a boiling point and fears of foreign interference growing, more states may follow Texas' lead, whether the courts allow it or not. While SB 17 represents a hardline stance on national security, one thing is clear. The battle over who can own American soil is just heating up. Watch this edition of "Brighteon Broadcast News" from May, with the Health Ranger Mike Adams about the U.S's tariff deal with China. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Greg Abbott denounces $708M lawsuit against bus companies transporting illegals to NYC. Texas bans land purchases by foreign adversaries, targeting Chinese Communist Party. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declares Kamala Harris and Tim Walz the most radical and dangerous administration in modern history. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com X.com FoxNews.com HoustonPublicMedia.org Brighteon.com Over 100 BBC writers were forced to publish pro-Israeli content, despite facts and personal convictions about genocide in Gaza In an unprecedented rebellion against institutional censorship, over 100 BBC journalists have risked their careers to expose the deliberate suppression of Palestinian suffering and the relentless amplification of Israeli propaganda. A scorching internal letter, co-signed by more than 230 media professionals, scholars, and actors, accuses Britains most influential broadcaster of abandoning journalistic integrity to serve political interests. The explosive document, detailed by The Independent, reveals how BBC managementunder the influence of Tory-linked executive Sir Robbie Gibbhas systematically erased Palestinian narratives, ignored war crimes, and twisted facts to absolve Israel of its atrocities. The truth is undeniable: objective journalism is dead at the BBC, replaced by state-sanctioned disinformation. Key points: Over 100 anonymous BBC employees and 130 external signees have blasted the networks pro-Israel bias, censorship, and historical revisionism. BBC leadership killed a damning documentary on Gazas humanitarian crisis despite it passing all editorial checks, allegedly due to fear of Israeli backlash. Whistleblowers accuse Sir Robbie Gibb, a BBC executive with ties to the Jewish Chronicle, of enforcing anti-Palestinian racism while masquerading as an impartial arbiter. The BBCs refusal to scrutinize UK arms sales to Israel and its downplaying of genocide allegations reveal complicity in war crimes. Palestinian deaths are systematically dehumanized, while Israeli claimsno matter how debunkedare presented as gospel truth. BBC journalists break silence BBC journalists break silence: "We are forced to be Israels PR machine while Palestinian voices are erased." The BBCs editorial malpractice isnt accidentalits engineered. The suppressed documentary, Gaza: Medics Under Fire, was axed despite meeting all journalistic standards, proving the network prioritizes politics over truth. Journalists describe an environment where Palestinian suffering is minimized through language tricksIsraeli victims are "massacred," while Palestinians are merely "killed." Internal sources confess: We often feel we are in an abusive relationship with the BBC, in which we are gaslit and pacified. The networks double standards are glaring. While Putins war crimes in Ukraine dominate headlines, Israels slaughter of 40,000 Palestinians (including 15,000 children) is framed as complex. Eyewitness footage from Gaza is dismissed, while Israeli military claims are repeated verbatimeven as they crumble under scrutiny. One staffer lamented: Audiences are being asked not to believe their own eyes and ears. The reality of genocide in Gaza is being suppressed by an aggressive pro-Israeli lobby that coerces journalists, pastors, and other community voices to submit. The Gibb factor: how Tory operatives control BBC impartiality At the heart of this scandal sits Sir Robbie Gibba former Tory spin doctor turned BBC executive who embodies the revolving door between government propaganda and neutral media. A close ally of Theresa May and ex-editor of Newsnight, Gibb reportedly vetoes unflattering Israel coverage while promoting pro-war narratives. His ties to the Jewish Chroniclea publication notorious for spreading anti-Palestinian racismraise alarming conflicts, yet BBC leadership turns a blind eye. Whistleblowers call his influence untenable. One anonymous journalist stated: By comparison, staff posting pro-Palestine articles on personal social media face disciplinary action. The hypocrisy is suffocating. Emily Maitlis, a respected former BBC anchor, publicly labeled Gibb an active agent of the Conservative Party shaping news to serve Tory ideology, which is religiously submissive to Zionism. The genocide whitewash: erasing scholars, excusing slaughter Perhaps the BBCs most grotesque betrayal is its refusal to acknowledge Israeli genocide. While the International Court of Justice warns of plausible genocide in Gazabacked by scholars, Holocaust experts, and the UNthe BBC buries the evidence. Sentences like Hamas-run health ministry undermine Palestinian death tolls, yet Netanyahus ICC arrest warrant for war crimes gets zero prime-time coverage. BBC staff, speaking out, admit: The BBCs news output is out of step with reality. The network frames Palestinian resistance as terrorism while ignoring Israels 75-year occupation. The letters signatoriesincluding actors Juliet Stevenson and Miriam Margolyesdemand BBC leadership purge Gibb and end its anti-Palestinian racism. Until then, taxpayers are funding a propaganda arm for monolithic apartheid. Sources include: OwenJonesNews.com TheGuardian.com Enoch, Brighteon.ai Californias energy grid reliability in limbo amid budget delays Californias new $321 billion state budget cuts $18 million from grid reliability programs, deferring critical energy investments. Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS) and Distributed Electricity Backup Assets (DEBA) face funding uncertainty amid heat waves. Clean energy advocates warn delays threaten grid stability, renewable energy adoption and climate goals. Governor Newsom attributes budget shortfalls to federal policies, including tariffs and market volatility. Funding for clean transportation and school buses is also delayed, risking jobs and air quality improvements. In a decision critics call reckless, Californias state budget approved by Governor Gavin Newsom has left grid reliability programs in serious jeopardy, cutting key funding amid worsening heat-driven power shortages. With solar and wind energy capacity strained during extreme weather, the $321 billion budget trimmed $18 million from emergency support programs designed to stabilize the grid, while deferring larger Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and climate bond investments to later this year. Advocates warn this delay could exacerbate energy instability, undermining both environmental targets and public safety as the state faces increasingly fierce heat waves. Delays in funding highlight tensions between green ambition and reliability The budget slashes funding for two critical grid resilience programs: the Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS) and Distributed Electricity Backup Assets (DEBA), which provide emergency power and decentralized energy storage during grid emergencies. Originally slated to receive $473 million through 2028, the programs were reduced to $50 million in May before losing $18 million in the finalized budget. Legislature and Newsoms office instead postponed decisions about the states Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fundand $4.9 billion in climate bonds, citing fiscal uncertainty. Edson Perez, California lead at Advanced Energy United (AEU), criticized the move as bad timing for grid stability. Reliability programs like DSGS have delivered results. California cannot keep deferring, he said, noting the programs help keep the lights on with clean energy during extreme weather. AEU called the deferred investments a gamble with the publics safety and economic future. Similar missteps in funding caused rolling blackouts during 2020 heat waves, with critics then blaming overreliance on intermittent renewables like solar, which falter during cloudy or hot nights. Kate Unger of the California Solar & Storage Association warned the cuts will deter program participation, calling the lack of clarity problematic. These programs should be growing, she emphasized, pointing to rising heat-related risks. Meanwhile, the budget allocated just $132 million to electric vehicle incentives, far less than the $1.5 billion annually needed to meet zero-emission vehicle targets. Californias green energy struggles Californias current grid instability echoes past policy missteps. The states aggressive renewable energy mandatestargeting 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045complexify grid management, requiring supplemental power sources (like natural gas) during lulls in wind or sunlight. In 2020, such gaps caused blackouts blamed on inadequate grid flexibility, prompting calls for reliability upgrades. But that push faced pushback from environmental groups wary of fossil fuels climate impacts. Now, even Newsom admits green energys operational limits: during the 2022 Pacific Gas & Electric failures, he acknowledged solar-and-wind-only systems dont work during prolonged cloudy periods. Yet the new budget risks deepening this challenge by scaling back funding for storage and distributed energy resources. Political accountability: Newsom blames Washington, advocates demand local action Governor Newsom attributes Californias fiscal strain to President Trump-era policies, including fluctuating tariffs on imported materials needed for renewables and vehicle production. His office did not address direct questions about the grid funding but has framed state budget limitations as intertwined with federal inaction. Yet critics argue Californias leaders share blame. These cuts send a chilling signal to clean energy industries, said Perez, noting the sector supports 60,000 jobs. Investments in electrification arent optionaltheyre core to reducing emissions and protecting workers. Environmental justice advocates added that delayed clean transportation funds would hurt low-income communities suffering from both pollution and unreliable power. Urgency grows as summers heat up With summer temperatures soaring and grid stressors intensifying, California stands at a crossroads. The deferral of funding for DSGS, DEBA and clean transportation programs could mean prolonged blackouts, higher emissions from emergency fossil fuel reliance and lost economic opportunities in homegrown energy innovation. Governor Newsom has until late 2025 to resolve funding for climate initiatives, but the clock is ticking. As Perez put it: California must decidewill it lead in affordable, reliable clean energy, or keep its people in the dark? Sources for this article include: UtilityDive.com AdvancedEnergyUnited.org FDAs long-delayed myocarditis warning exposes vaccine safety failures The FDA has ordered Pfizer and Moderna to update their COVID-19 vaccine labels with clearer warnings about heart inflammation risks (myocarditis and pericarditis), particularly in young males aged 12 to 24. New data shows that many patients, especially males aged 16 to 25, experience lingering heart damage contradicting earlier claims that side effects were mild and temporary. The FDA's updated warnings follow years of downplaying risks, with critics accusing agencies of suppressing data and acting too slowly to inform the public. While the FDA now acknowledges risks, the CDC maintains that complications are rare and less severe than COVID-19 itself, fueling skepticism about official guidance. Pfizer and Moderna must conduct further research, but results may take years. The delayed transparency has damaged public trust, raising concerns about politicized science and accountability. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered Pfizer and Moderna to update their Wuhan corona virus (COVID-19) vaccine labels with stronger warnings about heart inflammation risks, particularly in young males. The June 25 announcement follows mounting evidence linking mRNA vaccines to myocarditis and pericarditis, conditions involving dangerous swelling of the heart muscle and surrounding tissue. Boys and men aged 12 to 24 remain the most vulnerable, with at least 27 cases per million doses reported in the 2023-2024 vaccination period. The FDA now admits that long-term effects of these injuries remain unknown, raising urgent questions about transparency and accountability in the vaccine rollout. For years, federal health agencies downplayed concerns about vaccine-related heart complications, dismissing them as "rare" and "mild." But newly released data from a government-funded study confirms what independent researchers and parents have warned. Heart abnormalities persist for months in many patients, and nearly half suffer moderate to severe damage. (Related: Oxford study reveals COVID-19 mRNA vaccines as the sole cause of heart inflammation and heart failure in children.) The FDA's updated warning is now mandatory for both Comirnaty (Pfizer) and Spikevax (Moderna). It marks a stark reversal from earlier assurances that side effects were temporary and insignificant. The highest incidence of myocarditis occurs in males aged 16 to 25, with 38 cases per million doses far exceeding initial estimates. MRI scans reveal lingering heart damage in many patients, contradicting claims by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that most cases resolve quickly. The regulator insists long-term risks are still being studied. But critics argue the agency acted too slowly, leaving young Americans in the dark about potential dangers. Why the warnings were delayed In April, the FDA sent letters to both drugmakers asking them to update and expand the warnings to add more detail about the problem and to cover a larger group of patients. Its decision follows pressure from lawmakers and medical whistleblowers who accused health officials of suppressing data. The updated labels were finalized just hours before a Senate hearing on how federal agencies allegedly concealed vaccine injuries. Notably, Dr. Peter Marks the FDA's former top vaccine regulator departed that same month amid internal debates over how to present the risks. The timing suggests bureaucratic resistance delayed critical safety updates, a pattern seen throughout the pandemic. While the FDA now acknowledges myocarditis risks, the CDC maintains its stance that complications are rare and less severe than those caused by COVID-19 itself. This contradiction fuels skepticism about government health guidance. Independent studies, however, show vaccine-induced myocarditis can lead to chronic heart issues, challenging the CDC's optimistic assessments. Pfizer and Moderna must conduct long-term studies on heart risks, but results could take years. With trust in public health institutions eroding, the FDA's belated transparency may be too little, too late for families already affected. Watch this segment from "Get Facts-inated" with Del Bigtree that discusses whether vaccine-induced myocarditis is worse than the myocarditis from contracting COVID-19. This video is from the Informed Consent channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Study: COVID-19 vaccines increase risk of heart attack by 127%. New study confirms link between COVID-19 vaccines and serious heart problems. Hong Kong medical experts find evidence suggesting COVID-19 vaccines cause heart disease. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com CBSNews.com ABCNews.go.com Brighteon.com More than 300 KILLED in 48 hours as Israels assault on Gaza Strip continues The IDF has intensified attacks in Gaza, killing over 300 Palestinians in 48 hours across 26 massacres, targeting civilian spaces like homes, markets, hospitals and aid centers. Most victims are women and children. Over 47,000 Palestinians have been killed, wounded, or missing since October 2023, overwhelming Gaza's infrastructure. At least 40 cemeteries have been destroyed, forcing makeshift graves in hospitals and homes amid shortages of shrouds and burial materials. A 500lb U.S.-made bomb struck a Gaza City beach cafe, killing 33, including journalists and artists. Airstrikes on shelters, like Mustafa Hafez School, killed 16 displaced people including 13 from one family. U.S.-contracted guards at GHF aid sites have allegedly fired on unarmed Palestinians, killing 600 since May. Survivors and reports accuse guards of operating with impunity, despite GHF denials. The UN and NGOs accuse Israel of using starvation as a weapon, while groups like Oxfam demand GHF's closure. Critics allege the campaign aims to make Gaza uninhabitable, drawing comparisons to historical atrocities. The Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) onslaught in Gaza has shown no signs of abating, with Tel Aviv killing more than 300 Palestinians within 48 hours alone in at least 26 massacres. The latest attacks have struck leisure spaces, family homes, markets, hospitals and aid distribution points operated by the controversial U.S. and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Most of the victims have been women and children. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel's military campaign in Gaza has resulted in over 47,000 Palestinians killed, wounded or missing, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The escalating violence has pushed the Strip's already crippled infrastructure to the brink, with burial space now scarce, This has prompted the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs to issue a warning Wednesday, July 2, about the critical shortage of burial space. The IDF has reportedly completely or partially destroyed over 40 cemeteries across the besieged strip, further contributing to the shrinking availability of burial space and the depletion of existing graveyards. "The crisis is worsening due to the occupation's blockade on the entry of food, medicine, shrouds, construction materials and other essentials needed for grave preparation," the ministry said in a statement. "This is preventing martyrs from being honored and buried in accordance with Islamic law." Also on Wednesday, a 500lb U.S.-made MK-82 bomb was dropped on a Gaza City beach cafe, killing 33 people. Photojournalist Ismail Abu Hatab and artist Frans al-Salmi were among the casualties. Mohammad al-Baqa, one of the owners of the cafe, recounted gathering "a big sack full of human flesh" in the aftermath. Similar horrors unfolded at Mustafa Hafez School, where displaced families were sheltering before an airstrike killed 16. Included in this casualty count are 13 members of the Hajila family. (Related: Harvard study exposes Israel's genocide in Gaza: 377,000 Palestinians "disappeared"; half are children.) U.S. contractors accused of shooting starving Palestinians Meanwhile, desperate Palestinians awaiting food aid report being fired upon without warning by American contractors guarding GHF aid distribution sites. Since late May, at least 600 people have been killed in such attacks, with survivors alleging security personnel resorted to lethal force. Two U.S. contractors told the Associated Press that armed guards were "unqualified [and] unvetted," and operated with impunity, shooting and injuring civilians. Though GHF denies the allegations, forensic analysis by Haaretz and testimonies from Israeli soldiers confirm that troops have been ordered to shoot unarmed aid seekers. International organizations accuse Israel of leveraging starvation as a weapon, with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East demanding immediate investigations. Meanwhile, humanitarian groups such as Oxfam, Save the Children and Amnesty International have called for the GHF's closure. Norwegian Dr. Mads Gilbert, a longtime Gaza medic, condemned the operation as "a sham" aimed at "terrorizing and killing" civilians. Yet Tel Aviv insists the war is necessary to dismantle Hamas, despite mounting evidence of indiscriminate violence. Nearly 20 months into the conflict, Gaza's cemeteries are overflowing, with makeshift graves dug in hospital yards and homes. The crisis underscores what analysts describe as a deliberate campaign to render the enclave uninhabitable a strategy with chilling historical parallels. Watch this clip of Israeli tanks firing at Gazans seeking food, an incident that saw 59 people killed and over 200 injured. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Never forget: March 18, 2025, the day 183 children in Gaza were massacred by Israel. Israel's relentless bombardment of Gaza kills dozens more as humanitarian crisis deepens. Rescue agency reveals that Israel's aerial attack killed over 260 Israeli CIVILIANS during Operation Al-Aqsa Flood; drone footage corroborates report. Sources include: MiddleEastEye.net English.PalInfo.com AlJazeera.com Brighteon.com Trumps Big, Beautiful Bill sparks privacy fears, fiscal fights as Senate passes controversial overhaul $175B allocated to expand biometric surveillance, including facial recognition and AI systems. Medicaid and SNAP cuts could disqualify 11.8M Americans; tax breaks for states. Ends Green New Deal-era electric vehicle subsidies, hikes debt ceiling by $5T. 10-year freeze on state biometric privacy laws, with federal preemption. Survives House-Senate reconciliation with slim margins, advances to Trumps desk. The Senates passage of Trumps $3.4 trillion One Big Beautiful Bill (H.R.1) has ignited fierce debate over its sweeping biometric surveillance provisions. The legislation allocates $175 billion in immigration-related funding for fiscal year 2025, channeling over $5.2 billion to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for AI systems, facial recognition and data tracking. Critics warn the bill codifies a biometric slave state, with integrated tools like Autonomous Surveillance Towers (AST) and real-time gait analysis monitoring citizens nationwide. A 10-year moratorium on state biometric privacy lawsdriven by threats of lost federal fundinghas further alarmed transparency advocates. DHSs 2024 strategic plan outlines end-to-end biometric travel, expanding systems beyond borders to urban centers, raising concerns about unchecked surveillance. Tax and budget provisions stir debate The bill extends Trumps 2017 tax cuts permanently while slashing health and nutrition programs. It raises the state and local tax deduction (SALT) cap from $10,000 to $40,000 for five years, draws $1.5 billion annually from remittance transfer taxes and terminates clean energy tax incentives, including those for EVs. Republicans argue these measures incentivize innovation and balance budgets, but Democrats and the CBO warn of $3.4 trillion in added deficits and $11.8 million Americans losing Medicaid coverage. The bill also hikes the federal debt ceiling by $5 trillion, avoiding a summer crisis but prolonging fiscal tensions. Economists with the Brookings Institution note the EV subsidy cuts could erase 200,000 green jobs, while energy giants like General Motors have condemned the move as a return to climate denial policies. Meanwhile, the SALT increases disproportionately benefit wealthy coastal states, deepening regional inequality debates. Healthcare and social program cuts stir controversy Medicaid enrollment faces stringent work requirements and reduced provider taxes, with rural hospitals given $50 billion to offset cuts. SNAP benefits become harder to access, requiring able?bodied adults (ages 1864) to meet stricter work criteria. States with high billing error rates would shoulder 5-15 percent of costs. Meanwhile, child tax credits were solidified at $2,200below the Houses proposed $2,500but still an improvement from the current $2,000. Political implications and precedents The vote underscored party-line divides, with House passage occurring by a 218-214 margin and Vice President JD Vance breaking a tie in the Senate. The bills focus on border security, tax cuts and defunding Democratic priorities mirrors Trumps 2017 agenda, albeit with scaled-back provisions due to Senate reconciliation rules. The biometric surveillance push revives comparisons to Hegelian Dialectic tacticsusing crises to justify authoritarian measuresbut defenders frame it as a counter to Biden-era border chaos. A gateway to centralized control? With signing expected by July 4, the BBB will transform U.S. governance, merging surveillance tech with immigration policing while reshaping economic policy. Civil liberties groups fear irreversible erosion of privacy, while fiscal hawks question long-term debt sustainability. The bills federal preemption clause explicitly bars states from enacting stronger biometric laws until 2034, bypassing landmark protections like Illinoiss Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). Critics cite similar waivers in the bill echoing 2016 legislation mandating a North American Security and Prosperity Agreement (SPP)as evidence of continental integration efforts, a charge Senate Majority Leader McConnell dismisses as conspiracy theory. Meanwhile, tech contractors like Palantir, which previously developed surveillance tools for ICE, have seen shares soar, signaling a lucrative new era for corporate-private partnerships. As President Trump touts the bill as a win for freedom, its legacy may hinge on whether its surveillance infrastructureand deficitsspark the backlash it aims to prevent. With protests planned in 32 states ahead of the signing, the Fourth Amendment fight has just begun. Sources for this article include: Substack.com BioMetricUpdate.com CBSnews.com Trump lifts U.S. sanctions on Syria, citing push for stability and peace President Donald Trump signed an executive order on June 30 lifting broad U.S. sanctions on Syria, fulfilling a pledge made in May to support Syria's transition and promote regional stability. While general economic sanctions were removed, the order maintains restrictions on Bashar al-Assad, human rights violators, ISIS members, chemical weapons actors, Iranian-backed militias and drug traffickers. The executive order allows the Secretary of State to suspend certain sanctions under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act if specific reform criteria are met, and it eases controls on exports and foreign aid. The administration aims to use sanctions relief as an incentive for Syria to normalize relations with Israel and join the Abraham Accords, citing reported backchannel talks between Damascus and Jerusalem. U.S. officials, including Special Envoy Tom Barrack, emphasized the move is not about imposing a U.S. framework but about offering Syria a chance to rebuild and reintegrate, while monitoring progress on key issues like terrorism, regional diplomacy and post-conflict reintegration. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order lifting board U.S. sanctions on Syria, fulfilling a controversial pledge made during a regional summit in Saudi Arabia last May. On May 13, Trump met with Syria's newly appointed president, Ahmad al-Sharaa a former al-Qaeda fighter who spent time in the infamous Abu Ghraib prison and later emerged as a central figure in Syria's transitional government. During the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum, Trump pledged to ease economic pressure on Syria in exchange for steps toward regional normalization and internal reform. (Related: Trump considers WITHDRAWING U.S. troops from Syria as Israel expands occupation.) As promised, Trump signed an executive order on Monday, June 30, that would lift U.S. sanctions on Syria to encourage "stability and peace." The order removes longstanding economic sanctions on Syria that were initially imposed in response to the Assad regime's atrocities during the country's civil war. However, it retains sanctions on Bashar al-Assad and his inner circle, human rights abusers, the individuals tied to chemical weapons activities, members of ISIS and Iranian-backed militias and drug traffickers operating in the region. Notably, the order grants the Secretary of State authority to suspend additional sanctions under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, a law enacted to punish Assad for crimes against humanity, if certain conditions are met. Additionally, the executive order eases export controls on non-military goods, waives some restrictions on foreign assistance, directs a review of Syrias designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism and initiates a reassessment of the terrorist designations of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and al-Sharaa. The administration argues that these changes are necessary to reflect the political transformation of Syria and to encourage constructive engagement with the new government. Moreover, officials claimed that the administration's top priorities include normalizing Syria's relations with Israel and the broader region, deporting Palestinian terrorists and banning terrorist groups, preventing an ISIS resurgence and transferring responsibility for ISIS detention centers in northeast Syria to Syrian authorities. Trump administration aims to boost regional ties with Syria In line with the executive order, a senior administration official emphasized that the decision to lift sanctions was not about leveraging Syria into compliance but rather opening the door to regional engagement. "Leverage is not what we're interested in doing. The president ripped the sanctions off without any conditions," they said. "It's to Syria's benefit to lean towards Israel." Officials also revealed that Syria and Israel have reportedly held backchannel talks. The administration hopes the economic incentive created by sanctions relief will help bring Syria into the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-brokered normalization framework between Israel and several Arab states. "So the way to entice them to get to the Abraham Accords is to make it fruitful for them on an economic basis, on a on a civilization basis, on a peace and prosperity basis, and that's all coming together. And what's happened between Israel and Iran gives that window," the official said. "So we're not interested in leveraging them into anything." U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack echoed a similar statement. Barrack described the executive order as Trump's effort to give the Syrian government a chance. "But one thing is clear, neither the president or the secretary of state is nation-building. They're not dictating, they're not requiring. They're not giving the framework of the democratic model that needs to be implemented in their architecture or desire. They're saying we are going to give you an opportunity. We have a bunch of criteria that we want to watch along the way," he said, citing issues such as the Abraham Accords, the reintegration of foreign fighters into Syrian society, safeguarding U.S. allies who fought against ISIS, and other key priorities. Follow Trump.news for more news about the president's policies regarding the Middle East. Watch this video about the Israel Defense Forces advancing in southern Syria. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Israel defies Syrian demands, escalates airstrikes in southern Syria. Turkey unleashes terrorist JIHAD against Aleppo government in Syria. European nations reestablish diplomatic relations with Syria following Assad's ousting. Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com WhiteHouse.gov ABCNews.com Brighteon.com Champaign, IL (61820) Today Sunshine this morning followed by increasing clouds and a few showers this afternoon. High 87F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Overcast. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. At least 27 people dead in Texas floods as search continues for many missing Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 21:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Kerrville, Jul 5 (AP) Rescuers were searching Saturday for more than two dozen children from a girls camp and many others still missing after a wall of water rushed down a river in the Texas Hill Country during a powerful storm that killed at least 27 people, officials said. Among the dead were nine children. The destructive fast-moving waters along the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes before dawn Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as torrential rains continued pounding communities outside San Antonio on Saturday and flash flood warnings and watches remained in effect for parts of central Texas. Recommended Stories Some 27 people remained missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river, said Dalton Rice, Kerrvilles city manager. An unknown number of people at other locations were still unaccounted for, he said Saturday. People need to know today will be a hard day," said Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. Please pray for our community." Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue stranded people in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. The total number of missing was not known, according to the city manager, who said he didnt want to give an estimate. Frantic parents and families posted photos of missing loved ones and pleas for information. The camp was completely destroyed," said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic. A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary." A raging storm woke up her cabin just after midnight Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as they walked across a bridge with floodwaters whipping around their legs, she said. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 27 were confirmed dead, including nine children. Authorities said about 850 people had been rescued. The flooding in the middle of the night on the Fourth of July holiday caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise. The Texas Hill Country, which sits northwest of San Antonio, is a popular destination for camping and swimming, especially around the summertime holiday. AccuWeather said the private forecasting company and the National Weather Service sent warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation. These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety," AccuWeather said in a statement that called the Texas Hill County one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the US because of its terrain and many water crossings. Officials defended their actions Friday while saying they had not expected such an intense downpour that was the equivalent of months worth of rain for the area. One National Weather Service forecast earlier in the week had called for up to six inches (152 millimeters) of rain, said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw," he said. Helicopters, drones used in frantic search for missing Search crews were facing harsh conditions while scouring the waterlogged rivers, culverts and rocks. They are looking in every possible location," Rice said. More than 1,000 rescuers were on the ground. Helicopters and drones were being used, with some people being plucked from trees. US Coast Guard helicopters were flying in to assist. One reunification centre at an elementary school was mostly quiet Saturday after taking in hundreds of evacuees the day before. We still have people coming here looking for their loved ones. Weve had a little success, but not much," said Bobby Templeton, superintendent of Ingram Independent School District. President Donald Trump said Saturday that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was travelling to Texas and his administration was working with officials on the ground. Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy," Trump said in a statement on his social media network. Pitch black wall of death In Ingram, Erin Burgess woke to thunder and rain in the middle of the night Friday. Just 20 minutes later, water was pouring into her home from the river, she said. She described an agonizing hour clinging to a tree with her teenage son and waiting for the water to recede enough to walk up the hill to safety. Thats the only thing that saved me, was hanging on to him," she said. My son and I floated to a tree where we hung onto it, and my boyfriend and my dog floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them," she said. Matthew Stone, 44, of Kerrville, said police came knocking on doors but that he had received no warning on his phone. We got no emergency alert. There was nothing," Stone said. Then a pitch black wall of death." I was scared to death At a reunification center in Ingram, families cried and cheered Friday as loved ones got off rescue vehicles. Two soldiers carried an older woman who could not get down a ladder. Behind her, a woman clutched a small white dog. Later, a girl in a white Camp Mystic" T-shirt and white socks stood in a puddle, sobbing in her mothers arms. Barry Adelman said water pushed everyone in his three-story house into the attic, including his 94-year-old grandmother and 9-year-old grandson. I was having to look at my grandson in the face and tell him everything was going to be OK, but inside I was scared to death," he said. No one knew this kind of flood was coming Authorities were coming under increasing scrutiny over whether the camp and others in the area received proper warning and whether enough preparations were made. The forecast for the weekend had called for rain, with a flood watch upgraded to a warning overnight Friday for at least 30,000 people. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the potential for heavy rain and flooding covered a large area. Everything was done to give them a heads up that you could have heavy rain, and were not exactly sure where its going to land," Patrick said. Obviously as it got dark last night, we got into the wee morning of the hours, thats when the storm started to zero in." Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the countys chief elected official, said: We do not have a warning system." When pushed on why more precautions werent taken, Kelly said no one knew this kind of flood was coming. More pockets of heavy rains expected The slow-moving storm stuck over central Texas is bringing more rain Saturday, with the potential for pockets of heavy downpours and more flooding, said Jason Runyen, of the National Weather Service. The threat could linger overnight and into Sunday morning, he said. Popular tourism area prone to flooding The area is known as flash flood alley" because of the hills thin layer of soil, said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, which was collecting donations to help with the response. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all When it rains, water doesnt soak into the soil," Dickson said. It rushes down the hill." River tourism industry is a key part of the Hill Country economy. Century-old summer camps bring in kids from all over the country, Dickson said. Its generally a very tranquil river with really beautiful clear blue water that people have been attracted to for generations," Dickson said. (AP) GSP First Published: July 05, 2025, 21:45 IST BPL families in 10,000 villages being linked to govt schemes: Rajasthan CM Last Updated: July 06, 2025, 01:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Jaipur, Jul 5 (PTI) Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said Saturday that BPL families in 10,000 villages are being linked to government schemes, which will bring positive change in the lives of the poor and deprived. Addressing a programme in Padru village of Balotra, Sharma said every social evil can be eradicated through education. The government is making efforts at various levels for the education of boys and girls, he said. Recommended Stories Under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Garibi Mukt Gaon Yojana, Below Poverty Level families in 10,000 villages are being surveyed and government schemes are being extended to them. Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur was also present at the event. Sharma also addressed a public meeting organised under Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Antyodaya Sambal Pakhwada in Jodhpur district on Saturday evening. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Our effort is that no person or family should be deprived of the benefits of government schemes," he said at the meeting. Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also attended the event. PTI AG SKY SKY First Published: July 06, 2025, 01:15 IST Mastermind of religious conversion gang held in UP Last Updated: July 06, 2025, 00:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Lucknow, Jul 5 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Polices Anti-Terrorism Squad on Saturday arrested the alleged mastermind of a religious conversion gang, along with his aide. Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba and co-accused Neetu alias Nasreen are residents of Madhpur in Balrampur district, according to an official statement. Recommended Stories A non-bailable warrant had been issued by a court against Jalaluddin, while the police declared a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for his arrest, it said. The duo was produced before a court and subsequently sent to Lucknow District Jail after their remand was obtained. The case, registered at a police station in Gomtinagar, Lucknow, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021, alleges that the accused acted in an organised manner to convert individuals from Hindu and non-Muslim communities to Islam. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The poor, helpless labourers, weaker sections, and widowed women were lured with incentives, financial aid, promises of marriage, or forced through intimidation, in violation of established procedures for religious conversion by the accused," according to the statement. Two other accused Naveen alias Jamaluddin and Mehboob, who is Jalaluddins son were arrested on April 8. Both hail from Balrampur and are currently lodged in Lucknow District Jail, the statement said. PTI CDN RHL First Published: July 06, 2025, 00:30 IST New India Coop Bank fraud: Wanted building material supplier held in Lucknow Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 18:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Mumbai, Jul 5 (PTI) A 47-year-old building material supplier was arrested from Lucknow on Saturday by the Mumbai police in connection with the Rs 122-crore New India Co-Operative Bank embezzlement case, an official said. Pawan Amarsingh Jaiswal, who was among the six wanted accused in the case, was apprehended by a team of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai police around 8 am, the official said. Recommended Stories Jaiswal, a resident of Jharkhand, is accused of receiving Rs 3.5 crore from the total embazzeled amount. He is the ninth person to be arrested in the case so far, the official said. The EOW had received specific information that the accused was staying in Lucknow. Accordingly, a team was sent to the Gomatinagar Extension in the Uttar Pradesh capital, and Jaiswal was apprehended from his residence, he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He was produced in a local court, which has granted his transit remand till July 7. The accused is being brought to Mumbai, the official said. According to the EOW, Rs 122 crore was siphoned off from the safes of the banks Prabhadevi and Goregaon offices in Mumbai. The agency has filed a chargesheet against 10 accused persons, including the banks former chairman Hiren Bhanu and his wife Gauri Bhanu, both declared proclaimed offenders. PTI DC NR First Published: July 05, 2025, 18:30 IST KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's airlines, including Malaysia Airlines and low-cost budget airline AirAsia, announced Saturday that they are acquiring new aircraft to support their expansions. Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of Malaysia Airlines, said in a statement that it has exercised its purchase rights for 20 additional A330neo aircraft through a direct order with Airbus, reaffirming its commitment to a long-term strategy for fleet renewal and network development. With this latest acquisition, Malaysia Airlines is set to become one of the largest A330neo operators in the Asia-Pacific region, said the statement. This new order builds on MAG's initial commitment in 2022 for 20 A330neo aircraft, comprising 10 directly purchased and 10 leased from Ireland-based lessor Avolon, bringing the group's total A330neo commitment to 40 aircraft to date. Deliveries from this additional batch are scheduled between 2029 and 2031. To date, MAG has taken delivery of four A330neo aircraft, currently operating on selected services to Auckland, Melbourne, and Bali. Six more are scheduled for delivery by the end of the year, with the remaining aircraft from the original order set to arrive progressively through to 2028. Meanwhile, AirAsia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capital A Berhad, said in a statement that it has signed a landmark agreement with Airbus valued at 12.25 billion U.S. dollars for 50 A321XLRs with rights for 20 A321XLRs. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery commencing in 2028 through 2032. AirAsia Group aims to carry 150 million guests annually by 2030, reaching a cumulative total of 1.5 billion guests since inception, according to the statement. Two farmers die after hit by speeding car Last Updated: July 06, 2025, 01:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Jaisalmer, Jul 5 (PTI) Two farmers were killed here when a car hit them while they were repairing a punctured tractor tire on Saturday, police said. The incident happened at Sangar area in Jaisalmer district. Recommended Stories Bhura Ram (42) and Surat Ram (51), residents of Pachpadara, were going to Mohangarh with a tractor-trolley for farming, when a tire got punctured near Bhelani toll post. When they were repairing it, a speeding car hit them. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The farmers were rushed to a nearby hospital, but doctors declared them dead. Police said investigation is on in the matter. PTI COR AG RUK RUK First Published: July 06, 2025, 01:15 IST UP govt aims to plant 37 crore saplings, create green zones at 6K cow shelters Last Updated: July 06, 2025, 00:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Lucknow, Jul 5 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government is targeting to plant over 37 crore saplings through the Paudhropan Mahabhiyan-2025, according to a statement issued here on Saturday. It said the government will also establish special green zones called Gopal Van in all cow shelters across the state. These green zones will feature shady and fodder-rich plant species to support cattle welfare. Saints and cowherds have extended their support to the initiative. Recommended Stories The government said around 52.43 crore saplings have been kept ready for the Paudhropan Mahabhiyan 2025. Of these, 37 crore saplings will be planted across the state in a single campaign. Since 2017, a total of 204.92 crore saplings have been planted in Uttar Pradesh. As a result, the state is now ranked second in the country in terms of green cover, the statement claimed. Meanwhile, Gopal Van will be established in 6,613 temporary cow shelters across rural Uttar Pradesh, 387 large cow conservation centres, 305 Kanji houses, and 303 Kanha Gau Ashray Sthal currently operational in urban areas. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Gopal Van initiative has received support from the saint community, the government said. Plantations will be carried out in all cow shelters from July 9, with a special focus on safeguarding and maintaining the newly planted saplings. The focus will be in planting shady trees such as moringa, peepal, pakkad, and banyan. PTI CDN RUK RUK First Published: July 06, 2025, 00:15 IST Are Banks Open Or Closed On Saturday, July 5? Check State-Wise Holiday List Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 09:00 IST Banks will not be operational in Jammu and Srinagar for the birth anniversary of Guru Hargobind Ji. Customers can avail online or mobile banking services on bank holidays.(Representative Image) Banks in India will remain open on Saturday, June 5, other than Jammu and Kashmir. According to the holiday calendar released by the Reserve Bank of India, banks in Jammu and Kashmir will remain shut due to the birth anniversary of Guru Hargobind Ji, the sixth of the 10 Sikh Gurus. As per the RBIs official notification, banks have seven listed holidays in July this year. Other than the mentioned ones, the regular second and fourth Saturday, and all Sunday offs will be in place. Recommended Stories The holiday list is prepared by the central bank and state governments considering all national and local festivities, cultural celebrations and operational requirements. The list is released on the RBIs official portal. The banks and other financial institutions are also notified. The annual holiday calendar is created under provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act. Here is the list of upcoming bank holidays in the month of July: Bank Holidays In July 2025 July 5 (Saturday): Banks will not be operational in Jammu and Srinagar for the birth anniversary of Guru Hargobind Ji. July 6 (Sunday): Banks will not function across India. July 12 (Saturday): Second Saturday Banks will be shut across the country. July 13 (Sunday): Banks will be closed all over the nation. July 14 (Monday): Banks will not be operational in Shillong due to Behdienkhlam. July 16 (Wednesday): Bank in Dehradun will be closed as Harela will be celebrated on that day. July 17 (Thursday): Banks will not be open in Shillong owing to the death Anniversary of U Tirot Singh. July 19 (Saturday): Bank holiday in Agartala on the occasion of Ker Puja. July 20 (Sunday): Banks will be shut across India. July 26 (Saturday): Banks across the country will not function on this day. July 27 (Sunday): Banks will be closed across India. July 28 (Monday): Bank holiday in Gangtok for Drukpa Tshe-zi. What To Do In Emergencies On Bank Holidays top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Customers can avail online or mobile banking services even on bank holidays. Unless theres any technical glitch informed by the authorities, one can use mobile banking to get things done. Cash withdrawals are also possible at ATMs, through apps or via UPI. It is to be noted that holidays may differ across states as per regional and local requirements. Therefore, it is always safer to check with your local bank branch for their holiday schedule in advance. This will help you prepare in case of emergencies or long weekends. About the Author Business Desk A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 09:00 IST Deal Or No Deal? India Talks Tough On Trade Pact With US While Bracing For Trump Tariffs Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 07:00 IST Sources say that India is very clear that it cannot afford to bend under pressure from the Americans There are indications that India is prepared for the worst, which could mean the tariff could be as high as 26%. File image/ANI The clock is ticking. India is waiting with bated breath for the tariff deal announcement by American President Donald Trump. The deadline for the 90-day reprieve given by him ends on July 9, and the negotiating team headed by Rajesh Agarwal has returned to India. Sources say that his return does not indicate the failure of the deal talks either. However, there are indications that India is prepared for the worst, which could mean the tariff could be as high as 26%. With India having an export surplus with America and it being Indias largest trade partner, its a deal that New Delhi does not want to break. But the government has made it clear that the deal will not be at the cost of Indias dignity. Two things show this. One, commerce minister Piyush Goyals statement: India discusses on its own terms and we never make a trade deal based on a timeline. When the deal is good, fully matured, and in national interest, then we accept it." Recommended Stories Second, and more importantly, Indias stand at the World Trade Organization (WTO) is very clear to America. It said in the context of possible high restrictions by the US on India, The proposed suspension of concession or other obligations would take the form of an increase in tariffs on selected products originating in the US. Without prejudice to the effective exercise of its right to suspend substantially equivalent obligations, India reserves its right to suspend concessions or other obligations." Sources say that India is very clear that it cannot afford to bend under pressure from the Americans. The Narendra Modi government has faced many barbs from the Congress based on Trumps public claims on the recent ceasefire with Pakistan. Congress has alleged that if the tariff deal is good for India, then Trumps claims will be proven right. So in case the deal fails to satisfy Indias concerns, the BJP sees this also as an opportunity to prove the naysayers wrong. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all But its clear that the PM has given a mandate and there has been backroom work done. Sources say that India has already begun to look at alternative markets that would make up for what it could lose in America. Apart from this, the commerce minister has met with many stakeholders, including exporters, to ensure their worries are eased and that they, too, should be ready to face all competition. The message from the WTO stand vis-a-vis automobiles is clear. India would not bend nor buckle under Trumps pressure, and its prepared for the worst, though hopeful as well. About the Author Pallavi Ghosh Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als... Read More Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 07:00 IST 'India Negotiates Based On National Interest, Not Deadlines': Piyush Goyal On India-US Trade Talks Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 15:09 IST 'This is not a weak India under Congress and UPA which would negotiate and make agreements which are not in national interest,' says Piyush Goyal on US-India trade pact. Union Minister Piyush Goyal. (File Photo: PTI) India-US Trade Talks: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said India does not negotiate trade deals based on deadlines, but rather conducts discussions keeping in mind national interests. He added that this is not a weak India under the Congress and the UPA which would negotiate and make agreements which are not in national interest. India does not negotiate under deadlines, we negotiate keeping national interest in mind. National interest is paramount in all our work across the world. This is not a weak India under Congress and UPA which would negotiate and make agreements which are not in national interest," said Goyal on the US-India trade pact while addressing reporters. Recommended Stories VIDEO | India does not negotiate under deadlines, we negotiate keeping national interest in mind. National interest is paramount in all our work across the world. This is not a weak India under Congress and UPA which would negotiate and make agreements which are not in pic.twitter.com/7guhaG3Bja Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 5, 2025 The comments come amid reports that India and the US are close to finalising an interim trade agreement ahead of a key deadline July 9, which marks the end of the 90-day suspension of reciprocal tariffs announced by former US President Donald Trump. Under that move, the US had imposed an additional 26% import duty on several Indian goods, which remains suspended temporarily. According to a report by news agency PTI, citing an official, there is still a possibility that the deal could be announced before the July 9 deadline. An Indian delegation, led by Rajesh Agrawal, special secretary in the Department of Commerce, returned from Washington earlier this week after several days of negotiations between June 26 and July 2. Some key issues remain unresolved, particularly in the agriculture and automobile sectors. The two countries are looking to finalise the first tranche of the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by SeptemberOctober this year. The full pact is part of a broader plan to boost bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030, up from the current $191 billion. What India and the US Want The US is seeking duty cuts on a range of industrial goods, including automobiles (especially electric vehicles), wines, and petrochemicals. In the agriculture sector, the US is seeking duty concessions on products like dairy items, apples, tree nuts, and genetically modified crops. On the other hand, India is pushing for better market access for labour-intensive sectors, such as textiles, gems and jewellery, leather, garments, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oilseeds, grapes, and bananas. Both sides have indicated that negotiations are progressing, but consensus on core issues will be required before any formal pact can be signed. Agriculture a Sticky Point One of the most sensitive issues in the talks is the US demand for duty concessions on agricultural products, including dairy, apples, tree nuts, and genetically modified crops. India has held firm on its position that trade pacts must be mutually beneficial. India has so far not opened up its dairy sector in any of its free trade agreements. Auto Sector Concerns and WTO Dispute India has also raised objections to high US tariffs on steel, aluminium, and automobiles. Specifically, Washington has imposed a 25% duty on passenger vehicles and parts from India, which came into effect on May 3, 2025, and remains open-ended. India has filed a formal communication at the World Trade Organization (WTO), asserting its right to impose retaliatory tariffs in response. Indias share in the US auto parts import market remains small, with just $2.2 billion in exports compared to Mexicos $36 billion and Chinas $10.1 billion. Bilateral Trade on the Rise Despite ongoing tariff tensions, trade between India and the US continues to grow. During the first two months of the current fiscal year, Indias merchandise exports to the US rose 21.78% to $17.25 billion, while imports climbed 25.8% to $8.87 billion, official data shows. Meanwhile, the US has stated that it is preparing to issue notices to countries with which it has not concluded any trade agreement, warning of possible unilateral tariff hikes. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Apart from the US, India is also negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs) with different countries, including the European Union, New Zealand, Oman, the US, Chile, and Peru. FTAs are possible only when both sides get benefitted and it should be a win-win agreement, Goyal has said. About the Author Mohammad Haris Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 15:08 IST PM Kisan 20th Installment Date: What To Do If Your Name Is Not Included In Beneficiary List? Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 09:29 IST PM Kisan 20th Installment Date: Any farmer whose name is not included in beneficiary list can approach the District Level Grievance Redressal Monitoring Committee in their area. Under the PM Kisan scheme, the central government provides financial assistance of Rs 6,000 annually to eligible farmers in three equal installments of Rs 2,000. PM Kisan 20th Installment Date: As July has started, lakhs of farmers across India are waiting for the 20th installment of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, a flagship income support scheme for cultivators. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to release the next tranche soon. However, the date and the place of the event has not been announced yet. Meanwhile, farmers can check their beneficiary status and ensure they are eligible and have successfully applied for the benefit under the PM Kisan scheme. How To Check If Your Name Is On the Beneficiary List: Recommended Stories 1. Visit the official PM Kisan portal: https://pmkisan.gov.in 2. After scrolling a bit on the homepage, under the FARMERS CORNER, click on Beneficiary List. 3. Enter your state, district, sub-district, block, and village. 4. Click Get Report to view the list of beneficiaries in your village. PM Kisan: What if Your Name is Missing from Beneficiary List? According to the official PM-Kisan guidelines, any farmer whose name is not included in the beneficiary list can approach the District Level Grievance Redressal Monitoring Committee in their area. These committees have been set up specifically to handle issues related to name exclusion or incorrect entries. In addition, the PM-Kisan portal (pmkisan.gov.in) offers several tools under the Farmers Corner" section to help individuals track and rectify issues: 1. New Farmer Registration If you are applying for the first time or were left out previously, use the New Farmer Registration option. Youll need to fill out an online form with Aadhaar and land details. Once submitted, the form is forwarded to the State Nodal Officer (SNO) for verification. Upon successful verification, your data is processed for inclusion in the next cycle. 2. Edit Aadhaar Details In many cases, payment failures happen due to mismatched names in Aadhaar. This tool allows you to edit and correct your name as per your Aadhaar records. The change is authenticated in real-time. Also Read: PM Kisan 20th Installment Date: Are You Eligible To Receive The Next Tranche Of Rs 2,000? 3. Check Beneficiary Status Farmers can check whether they are eligible for the upcoming installment by entering their Aadhaar number, bank account, or mobile number. The system shows the current payment status and verification progress. PM Kisan: How To Search Your Point Of Contact For Any Query? Eligible beneficiaries are advised to verify their details and reach out to the correct point of contact (PoC) in case of issues such as e-KYC failure, incorrect bank details, Aadhaar mismatch, or mobile number errors. Heres how you can find your point of contact under the PM-Kisan scheme: 1. Visit PM Kisans official website, https://pmkisan.gov.in/. 2. Scroll a bit and click on Search Your Point of Contact (POC) 3. Select Search Distric Nodal. 4. Select your state and district. Now, the name of the official, his designation, his mobile number and email-ID address will be displayed. You can contact them for any PM Kisan-related query. PM Kisan: When Will PM Modi Release the 20th Installment? PM Modi is expected to release the 20th installment of the PM Kisan scheme in July 2025. The last (19th) installment was issued in February 2025. Why Is 20th Installment Getting Delayed? The PM Kisan installment usually comes in February, June, and October. Many expected a similar timeline this year. However, this time, the 20th installment seems to have got delayed as there is no official announcement on the date so far. Also Read: PM Kisan 20th Installment Date: What To Do If Your PM-Kisan Name Doesnt Match Aadhaar? There have also been no official words on the reason why it is getting delayed this time. However, reports suggest that the amount will most likely be released in July by PM Modi at an event, which will be announced soon. How To Complete e-KYC? As the installment is expected to come soon, eligible farmers are required to complete before that to avoid payment failure. e-KYC (Electronic Know Your Customer) is mandatory for all PM Kisan beneficiaries. Without it, your name may be dropped from the beneficiary list. Also Read: PM Kisan 20th Instalment Date: How To Complete Aadhaar-Based OTP e-KYC To Receive Next Payment? As per the schemes official website, eKYC is MANDATORY for PMKISAN Registered Farmers." You can complete e-KYC in three simple ways: OTP-based e-KYC, biometric e-KYC, facial authentication. How To Check Your PM-Kisan Installment Status Visit https://pmkisan.gov.in Click on Know Your Status Enter your registration number or Aadhaar number Check whether your name is on the beneficiary list Also ensure that your eKYC is completed, as it is mandatory for installment release. What Is The PM Kisan Scheme? Launched in 2019 after being announced in the Interim Budget by then Finance Minister Piyush Goyal, the PM Kisan scheme has become the worlds largest DBT scheme. Under it, eligible farmers receive Rs 2,000 every four months totaling Rs 6,000 annually in the following cycles April-July, August-November, and December-March. The money is deposited directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. Who Is Eligible for PM Kisan? To qualify for the PM Kisans 20th installment, one must: Be a citizen of India Own cultivable land Be a small or marginal farmer Not be a pensioner receiving Rs 10,000 or more per month Not have filed income tax Not be an institutional landholder. How To Apply For PM Kisan Samman Nidhi? top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Go to https://pmkisan.gov.in Click on New Farmer Registration Enter your Aadhaar number and captcha Fill in the details, click Yes Complete the form, submit it, and take a printout For any queries, you can call the PM-KISAN helpline numbers 155261 and 011-24300606. About the Author Mohammad Haris Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 09:22 IST What The 8th Pay Commission Means For Central Govt Employees Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 11:58 IST Indian central government employees can expect a multifold rise in their existing basic pay with the rollout of the 8th Pay Commission. 8th Pay Commission will transform salaries of Central Govt employees. Approved in January by the Union Cabinet, the 8th Pay Commission is expected to be implemented by the central government for its employees in 2026 or 2027. Though the 8th CPC has already been announced, its terms of reference, members and chairman are yet to be announced. The commission, once implemented, will ensure a salary hike for all central government employees, with the primary focus of the pay revision being to rejuvenate the Pay Matrix, according to which individuals are paid across different job levels. The fitment factor influences this calculation to determine the hike in basic pay. Below is an explanation of what the fitment factor is and what the expected salary hike across levels is according to the 8th Pay Commission. The Fitment Factor Recommended Stories It is the multiplier applied to the employees existing salary to calculate the new salary under the revised Pay Matrix. The fitment factor set during the 7th Pay Commission was 2.57, which elevated the basic pay of an individual from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000. It is expected that the central government will raise the fitment factor multiplier to 2.86 in the 8th Pay Commission. Individuals with a basic pay of Rs 18,000 can expect a potential increase up to Rs 51,480. The net salary hike might be less, however, due to the deductions in play. 8th Pay Commission: Expected Salary Hike Across Levels The estimated revised basic pay for each level in the Pay Matrix of central government employees based on the anticipated fitment factor of 2.86 can be seen below: As per the proposed 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC), a significant hike in the basic pay of Central Government employees is expected across all pay levels. For instance, at Pay Level 1, the current basic pay of Rs 18,000 is likely to rise to Rs 51,480, marking an increase of Rs 33,480. Similarly, employees at Level 2 could see their basic pay rise from Rs 19,900 to Rs 56,914, while Level 3 employees may receive Rs 62,062, up from the current Rs 21,700an approximate hike of over Rs 40,000. The trend continues upward through higher levels. At Level 6, for instance, the basic pay is expected to jump from Rs 35,400 to Rs 1,01,244 and at Level 10, from Rs 56,100 to Rs 1,60,446, reflecting an increase of over Rs 1 lakh. These projected figures indicate a substantial revision in salaries, potentially offering a significant boost to the financial well-being of government employees under the 8th CPC framework. Job Roles Across Different Pay Levels The 8th Pay Commission will cover a wide range of central government employees at different job levels. Heres a breakdown of the same: Level 1: Essential support task performers such as Peons, Attendants, MTS (Multi-Tasking Staff). Level 2: Lower Division Clerks (LDCs), who manage clerical and routine administrative duties. Level 3: Constables and Skilled Trades Staff across Police, Defence and Public Services Level 4: Stenographers (Grade D) and Junior Clerks who manage transcription and documentation. Level 5: Senior Clerks, Assistants, or Technical Staff responsible for providing higher-level administrative and technical support. Level 6: Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors and Junior Engineers (JEs) playing technical or supervisory roles. Level 7: Superintendents, Section Officers, or Assistant Engineers (AEs) employed for project management or complex administrative tasks. Level 8: Senior Section Officers or Assistant Audit Officers. They manage audits or high-level administrative operations. Level 9: Responsible for operational or financial management, the Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) or Accounts Officers. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Level 10: Level 10 includes Group A Officers such as Assistant Commissioners or entry-level officers IAS, IPS and IFS. The 8th Pay Commission is expected to have a major transformative impact on the salaries of central government employees, with the fitment factor further rising. However, these are projections. The final recommendations by the government could be different. Either way, government employees can expect a rewarding 8th Pay Commission that befits their great service to the country. About the Author Business Desk A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 10:36 IST Who Is Balaji Srinivasan, Who Bought Island Near Singapore To Launch 'Network State'? Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 11:51 IST Tech entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan has acquired island to create 'Network State' a decentralised, digital-first society focused on tech, innovation, and community-driven living. Balaji Srinivasan. Tech entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan has acquired a private island near Singapore as part of his ambitious plan to create a Network State a decentralised, digital-first society focused on technology, innovation, and community-driven living. Once viewed as a theoretical concept, the project is now taking physical shape. We got an island. Thats right. Through the power of Bitcoin, we now have a beautiful island near Singapore where were building the Network School," Srinivasan posted on X. Recommended Stories The Network School: Tech, Fitness, and Personal Growth At the heart of this initiative is The Network School, a three-month residential programme designed for select participants from around the world. The school blends emerging technologies like AI and blockchain with entrepreneurship and wellness, offering a mix of gym sessions, workshops, and collaborative projects. Participants are handpicked based on ambition and unconventional thinking. The goal is to create a community focused on innovation, personal transformation, and real-world impact. Oasis for Gym Rats and Startup Founders Content creator Nick Peterson, one of the early residents, described the experience as a live experiment in nation-building. Ive been living in this real-life experiment called the Network School, where we are kind of testing what creating a new nation would feel like," he said. He called the island an oasis for gym rats and startup founders. A Vision Outlined in The Network State Srinivasans long-term goal is to develop a global, borderless society that begins as an online community and gradually acquires physical land, eventually seeking diplomatic recognition. This vision was laid out in his 2022 book The Network State, which proposes an alternative model to traditional governance in the digital age. He says the initiative is designed to foster win-and-help-win" communities grounded in truth, health, and wealth. Who Is Balaji Srinivasan? Of Tamil origin, Srinivasan is an Indian-American entrepreneur and investor. He holds multiple engineering degrees from Stanford University and has been a prominent figure in Silicon Valley. He is the former CTO of Coinbase and co-founder of ventures such as Counsyl, Earn.com, and Teleport. He was also an early investor in Bitcoin, Ethereum, OpenSea, and Alchemy. In 2023, he was also praised by PM Narendra Modi for his optimism about Indias investment climate. Expansion Plans Beyond Southeast Asia top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The island-based programme launched in 2024 and serves as the pilot site for what Srinivasan hopes will become a global movement. Future Network School campuses are planned in cities like Dubai, Tokyo, and Miami. Were looking for remote workers, digital creators, personal trainers, developers people who want to earn crypto, build things, burn calories, and have fun," he said in a recent recruitment post. About the Author Business Desk A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 11:51 IST Patna Businessman Gopal Khemka Shot Dead Outside Residence, 6 Years After Son's Murder Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 09:49 IST Gopal Khemka was a well-known businessman who was also a BJP leader. He was shot dead while he was on his way to his residence at around midnight. Gopal Khemka shot dead in Patna (Photo: X, PTI) BJP leader and businessman, Gopal Khemka, was shot dead outside his residence in Bihars Patna on Friday night. The incident took place at around 11 pm when he was turning to his home, which is adjacent to the Panache Hotel in the Gandhi Maidan police station area. He lived in the Twin Tower society. Recommended Stories The accused fled from the spot immediately as the BJP leader died on the spot. Notably, his son, Gunjan Khomka, was killed in Hajipur in December 2018. He was on his way to his popper mill located in the industrial area when he was shot four times. What Did The Police Say? Last night, the police reached the crime scene in Patna and recovered a bullet and a shell. On the night of July 4, at around 11 pm, we received information that businessman Gopal Khemka had been shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan The crime scene has been secured, and further investigation is underway One bullet and one shell have been recovered," Patna SP, Diksha, told news agency ANI. #WATCH | Patna, Bihar | On businessman Gopal Khemka being shot dead, SP Patna Diksha says, On the night of July 4, at around 11 pm, we received information that businessman Gopal Khemka has been shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan The crime scene has been pic.twitter.com/o8C0gVoz7B ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2025 The police are investigating the cause of the murder. DGP Vinay Kumar said that a Special Investigation Team has been formed to probe the murder case. SP City Central will lead the SIT. Family Reacts To Murder Gopal Khemkas brother, Shankar, said that the family was not aware of any disputes of warning signs that could have led to his killing. As people usually ask whether there were any threats, any disputes, or any warning signs we as a family are not aware of anything like that," he told news agency IANS. Patna, Bihar: On Businessman Gopal Khemkas murder, his brother Shankar Khemka says, As people usually ask whether there were any threats, any disputes, or any warning signs we as a family are not aware of anything like that" pic.twitter.com/UkZYm4MO7k IANS (@ians_india) July 5, 2025 BJP Demands Strict Punishment For Killers BJP leader Ram Kripal Yadav demanded that the perpetrators of the crime be brought to justice. Gopal Khemka was a fine businessman and a great social worker. His family said the police arrived at the spot 1.30 hours after being informed. This is a cause of concern for the administration. Officials should take it very seriously, and the murderers should be nabbed and given strict punishment," he said. He said that the Opposition was raising questions on the law and order just for politics", and said that the law and order was under control. This is an unfortunate incident, which should not have happened," he said. Opposition Attacks NDA Govt Independent MP from Purnea, Pappu Yadav, reached the spot last night and slammed the Nitish Kumar government over the law and order. ? , , ! pic.twitter.com/3i4zEoqc5f Pappu Yadav (@pappuyadavjapl) July 4, 2025 Seven years ago, Gopal Khemkas son, Gunjan Khemka, was murdered. I had gone to assure him that justice would be served. If at that time, the government had taken strict action against the criminals instead of siding with them, Gopal Khemka would not have been murdered today," Yadav posted on X. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He said that no one is safe in Bihar and the state has become a sanctuary for criminals". As soon as I got the news, I rushed there. But in this cruel maha-gundaraj (reign of criminals), no one is safe. Bihar has become a sanctuary for criminals! Nitish ji, please spare Bihar," he said. About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 08:30 IST Overreacted... Under Stress: Investor Apologises After Mumbai Office Vandalised Over Marathi Row Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 20:38 IST The four-minute-long apology video, posted by Kedia on X, came hours after the MNS supporters vandalised his office after he asserted that he would not learn Marathi. MNS workers vandalised businessman Sushil Kedias office after his social media post refusing to learn Marathi and tagging Raj Thackeray. (X) In a surprising turn of events, businessman and investor Sushil Kedia on Saturday issued a public apology to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray over his anti-Marathi remarks and a post on social media platform challenging the latter. The four-minute-long apology video, posted by Kedia on X, came hours after the MNS supporters vandalised his office situated in Worli after he challenged Raj Thackeray, while asserting that he would not learn Marathi. Recommended Stories In the video, in a sharp contract to his earlier remarks, the investor praised the MNS chief, called him a hero", and admitted that he was not in the right frame of mind when he posted critical comments about the MNS leader and the Marathi language. Kedia said he had uploaded the post in a wrong state of mind under duress and stress and wished to correct it unequivocally after realising his mistake. I request @RajThackeray Ji to consider my humble submission. pic.twitter.com/i8zGszgNtW Sushil Kedia (@sushilkedia) July 5, 2025 Having come under pressure mentally from the violence inflicted on those who do not know Marathi, I ended up over-reacting. I realised I must take back my over-reactions and withdraw," Kedia asserted. In his apology video, Kedia said, Even after living for 30 years in Mumbai, the level of proficiency and fluency that a native Marathi born can have, we will not be able to achieve and for avoiding any embarrassments or confusions, one has been using Marathi language only in less than formal situations, with a casual atmosphere only before people very closely known to them. It has not happened to me in the use of seven other Indian languages that I could learn over a period of time," Kedia added. The businessman said he has a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude towards Raj Thackeray for the strong issues he raises, the strength with which stands up in matters like the Hanuman Chalisa campaign (when Uddhav Thackeray was the Chief Minister), championing the cause of Hindutva and "rashtrawad" (nationalism). He further said that he hoped the environment" improves so that the Marathi can be accepted with ease". What Was The Row? The investor came into the crosshairs of the Raj Thackeray-led party on Friday after he expressed his anger against Raj Thackeray and his party after some incidents of people getting thrashed in Maharashtra over non-use of Marathi triggered by the controversy linked to the "imposition" of Hindi and three-language policy in state schools came into limelight. In a post on X, Kedia said, Do note @RajThackeray I dont know Marathi properly even after living for 30 years in Mumbai & with your gross misconduct I have made it a resolve that until such people as you are allowed to pretend to be taking care of Marathi Manus I take pratigya I wont learn Marathi. Kya karna hai bol?" Following this, some individuals threw stones at his office and vandalised the infrastructure in the morning, while raising slogans in support of the MNS chief and Marathi language, with videos of the attack going viral on social media immediately. In the videos, security personnel posted at the site can be seen trying to thwart the attack in vain, while office staff attempted to down shutters to avoid getting hit by the coconuts. Kedia, shortly after the vandalism, again tagged Raj Thackeray on X and said that threatening him with hundreds of MNS workers is not going to make him a fluent Marathi speaker. He asserted that love, not threats, makes people get assimilated together". If I am not confident of the quality of Marathi I can speak, with so much threatening around, even more fear happens that if I miss speaking any word(s) improperly, more violence will happen," he said. Shri @RajThackeray threatening me by 100s of your workers is not going to make me a fluent Marathi speaker.If I am not confident of the quality of Marathi I can speak, with so much threatening around even more fear happens that if I miss speaking any word(s) improperly more Sushil Kedia (@sushilkedia) July 4, 2025 The businessman also urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Home Minister Amit Shah to provide him security. Meanwhile, five MNS supporters were arrested in connection with the attack and further probe into the incident is underway, a Worli police station official said. Incidentally, police had provided security to Kedias office situated at Century Bazar after his post began generating a backlash from MNS supporters. Amid the row, Fadnavis on Friday said that the state government would not tolerate hooliganism in the name of language." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all While responding to the assault of a shopkeeper by the MNS workers, Fadnavis said that Marathi should be respected without resorting to violence. We respect Marathi, but violence in its name wont be accepted. Strict action will be taken against those resorting to violence. No language in India will be allowed to be disrespected," he said while addressing the media. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 20:38 IST NEW DELHI, July 5 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were killed and several others feared trapped after a portion of a coal mine collapsed Saturday in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, the police said. The portion of the mine collapsed at government-run Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) in Karma area of Ramgarh district, about 55 km north of Ranchi, the capital city of Jharkhand. "Four bodies were recovered from the accident site. However, the villagers took away three bodies before the police team arrived at the spot," a local police officer said. Following the incident, authorities rushed rescuers to the spot to carry out a rescue operation, which was going on until the last reports poured in. Reports said more than a dozen villagers were illegally mining the coal in the area when a wall collapsed. Meanwhile, authorities have launched a probe into the incident. Brother, I'm In Lift Do Something: UPSC Aspirant's Final Words Before Death In Delhi Mall Blaze Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 22:16 IST A 25-year-old man died of suffocation inside a lift after a fire broke out in a supermart in Delhi's Karol Bagh on Friday. Fire personnel at a Vishal Mega Mart showroom, where a fire broke out on Friday, at Karol Bagh area, in New Delhi (PTI) "Mai lift mein fass gya hu. mujhe bacaha lo bhaiya ab saans phool raha hai Kuch karo( I am stuck in the lift please save me brother, I am short of breath, please do something), these were the last words of a 25-year-old man who died of suffocation inside a lift after a fire broke out in a supermart in Delhis Karol Bagh on Friday. In a desperate cry for help from inside a smoke-filled elevator, 25-year-old Kumar Dhirender Pratap, a UPSC aspirant, a native of Uttar Pradeshs Varanasi who was living in Delhi for last five years, managed to send a message to his elder brother as he gasped for breath. Recommended Stories He also made phone calls seeking help but went unanswered as reported by news agency ANI. Barely 48-hours after returning to the national capital to resume his UPSC preparations, Pratap found himself trapped in a lift at a supermart in Karol Bagh, as fire raged through the building. His dead body was found inside the elevator around 2:30 am on Saturday by rescue teams, nearly eight hours after the fire broke out. In his last moments, Dhirender was pleading for help but unfortunately, could not be rescued in time. He had come back with hopes of a fresh start but instead, he died gasping for breath, waiting for help that came too late. Dhirender stayed in rented accommodation in Karol Bagh. His elder brother, Virendra Vikram, said that his younger sibling had recently appeared for the UPSC prelims and returned to the the metropolis just a day before the tragedy struck after a break at home. I received a message from my brother at 6:51 pm saying he was stuck in the lift and could not breathe. He was asking me to do something, to help him. I immediately called the police, but nothing happened for hours," Virendra told news agency PTI. At the time, Dhirender had messaged him, "Bhaiya, hum lift mein hoon. Phas gaye hain. Karol Bagh Mega Mart (Brother, I am stuck inside the lift in Karol Bagh Mega Mart)." His final message read, "Ab saans phool raha. Kuchh karo (I am short of breath now. Do something)," as per his brother. He had come back just two days ago and was trying to settle in again and get back to studying. Everything he did was for his future and now he is gone. I do not know what to do," Virendra said, crying and struggling to catch his breath. Virendra said his family had no idea Dhirender had gone to the mall. "He never visited Vishal Mega Mart. We do not know why he went there. We were all in Banaras," he added. Just imagine, if he hadnt sent those texts, we would not even have known where he was that he was stuck and dying in that lift," he said. The local fire department recovered Dhirenders body with the help of the police and the disaster response team. When I saw my brothers body, there was blood coming from his nose. Imagine how painful dying due to suffocation must be. My brother, who was my everything died with smoke burning his insides," Virendra said. Police had said the fire was reported at 6:44 pm from the second floor of the four-storey supermart building located on Padam Singh Road. As per the fore department, the blaze was largely confined to the second floor. Virendra also alleged that the shopping complex had no fire alarms or emergency exits. They even disconnected power after the fire started, trapping Dhirendra inside the lift, he said. There were no fire alarms, no fire exits, nothing. And when the fire started, the mall cut the lifts power, trapping him inside with no way out," he claimed. He claimed that he called the PCR upon receiving his brothers messages but help did not arrive in time. The police responded only around 9 pm. Until then, we had no update and I was completely helpless. I kept hoping someone would get there in time," he said. He said that their mother is still in Banaras and thinks that Dhirender is injured. "We have not told her yet, she will not be able to bear it. When I saw my brothers body, there was blood coming from his nose. It was clear he had suffered. That moment broke something in me," he added. A total of 13 fire tenders and nearly 90 fire fighters were pressed into service for the rescue operation. Fire officials said the buildings lack of ventilation prolonged the firefighting effort. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all While the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, officials suspect it was triggered by a short circuit. (With inputs from agencies) About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 22:12 IST Ram To Kali, Veg To Mutton: With Samik As Boss, BJP Gets Belated Image Makeover In Bengal Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 08:30 IST With the assembly election results due in May 2026, there is limited time for BJP's cadres and leaders to capitalise on these changes BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad with newly elected BJP West Bengal President Samik Bhattacharya during a felicitation ceremony at Science City, in Kolkata. (File image: X/SamikBJP) It was late March 2021, and the West Bengal election campaign was at its peak as the summer in rural parts became unbearable. In the Lalgarh area of Jhargram district, once a Maoist stronghold, the Bharatiya Janata Party held an election rally. Locals, mostly from the Santhal community, gathered to listen in the sweltering afternoon when the star speaker, Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, arrived and delivered his nearly 30-minute speech, ending with Jai Shri Ram. There was hardly any applause. The lack of response wasnt due to dislike for Maurya, but because the Santhals of Bengal barely understand Bengali, let alone Hindia simple fact the BJP local leadership overlooked. Many BJP national leaders in Bengal in 2021 failed to make an impact. Recommended Stories For years, it was evident, but very few Bengal BJP leaders had the courage to tell the partys central leadership that they were seen as outsiders. While this perception is largely due to the ruling Trinamool Congresss well-planned narrative curated by poll strategists I-PAC, part of the blame lies with the BJP. After their loss, BJP leaders began speaking openly, with some turning rebel within party forums. Four years later, with less than a year until the next assembly election, the BJP seems to have recognised the merit in those arguments and has recalibrated to align itself with Bengali ethos and culture. Urban Bhadralok and Jai Ma Kali The choice of the BJPs new state president suggests the party now wants urban votes it previously claimed not to need. Unlike Sukanta Majumdar from Balurghat in South Dinajpur and Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram in East Medinipur, Samik Bhattacharya is a resident of Salt Lake City near Kolkata. Suave, proficient in English and Hindi, and with an excellent command of Bengali, Bhattacharya prefers shirts and trousers over kurta and pajama, making him relatable to middle-class Bengalis. In 2021, the TMC dominated Greater Kolkata and did well in urban areas with over 50% vote share. With a Bengali bhadralok" as party boss, the BJP sought to remake its image into a Bengali party. Over the last ten years, Lord Ram has stormed Bengals socio-political milieu with Jai Shri Ram". Though Lord Ram is familiar to Bengal, he was never introduced as a political tool, depicted more like a Bengali man in granny stories. While VHP, Bajrang Dal, and BJP heavily promoted Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti, Bengal has always been about Goddess Kali and Jagannath Mahaprabhu. Jai Ma Kali" is not a slogan but a personal utterance. The BJP seems to have understood this. During the handover ceremony, Syama Prasad Mookerjees photo was on one side, PM Modis photo was on the other, and between them was a grand elevated photo of Goddess Kali. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. West Bengals co-incharge Amit Malviyas statement that his party will reclaim Bengals true identity" and allegations that TMC is attempting to Urdu-fy Bengal" clearly indicate that BJP is fighting not just elections but for the soul of Bengal". In the days to come, we will reclaim Bengals true identity, rooted in Maa Kali, Maa Durga, Devi Chandi, Mahaprabhu Chaitanya, and the fearless spirit of Banga Shakti.The BJP is the only pro-Bengali party born in Bengal. Others are either political imports or dynastic offshoots pic.twitter.com/5v0kOOXqDJ Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 4, 2025 Whats veg? 98% eat non-veg here Lastly, there has been a shift towards non-vegetarianism in the West Bengal BJP with Samik Bhattacharyas accession. On the day Ravi Shankar Prasad officially announced him as West Bengals next BJP president, the media crew was offered pulao and mutton curry, say sources. However, for the 5,000 BJP cadres and leaders, the menu was a simple vegetarian mealrice, dal, and vegetables. This is significant since the TMC portrays the BJP as a vegetarian party" and suggests electing it would mean giving up fish, a staple in Bengali households. This April, after a purported video of saffron-clad men forcing fish shop owners near a temple in Delhis CR Park to shut their establishments was played out in Bengal, TMC MP Mahua Moitra shared the clip on her X handle and questioned if the BJP would dictate what to eat and where to have legal shops. BJPs Bishnupur (West Bengal) MP Saumitra Khan clarified that the three individuals threatening fish shop owners were not BJP members, but the damage was done in West Bengal. Though the BJP in West Bengal has organised meals with chicken for a few years, Bengali mutton is considered the quintessential meat. Samik Bhattacharyas era seems to have embraced this as well. Is it enough? While the recent changes were overdue, earlier implementation could have given the party a chance to yield political benefits. With the assembly election results due in May 2026, there is limited time for BJPs cadres and leaders to capitalise on these changes. Despite many leaders personally being non-vegetarian, BJP cadres and leaders shying away from publicly eating non-veg meals at large events during Samik Bhattacharyas accession reaffirms TMCs narrative that the saffron party will stop Bengalis from eating fish if it comes to power. In Tripura, Sunil Deodhar learnt Kokborok and publicly ate fish to resonate with the states population, leading to the BJPs sweep five years later. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A senior BJP leader like Malviya discussing Anushilan Samiti implies the party will campaign on Bengal and Bengali Pride using icons like Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Satish Chandra Basu, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Rabindranath Tagore, whose sense of nationalism aligns with BJPs and may help it establish a Bengali identity. But will the voters of West Bengal be convinced? We will have to wait until May 2026. About the Author Anindya Banerjee Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in ... Read More Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in ... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 08:30 IST Zohran Mamdanis NYC Victory Shows Power Of Ranked Choice Voting. Here's How It Works Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 17:36 IST The United States ranked choice voting (RCV) system is an electoral method where voters rank candidates by preference rather than selecting just one New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. (Reuters) Zohran Mamdani, the rising star of the American Left, engineered a massive political upset in New York City after he defeated his nearest rival, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, and won the Democratic primary for mayor by a strong margin. According to a ranked-choice tabulation, the Queens assembly member reached 56 per cent of the vote in the third round of counting, giving him a win over Cuomo and nine other candidates. Recommended Stories An article in the Gothamist said the ranked-choice results showed that a campaign asking voters not to rank Cuomo anywhere on their ballots was effective, as Mamdani picked up another 99,069 votes from candidates who were eliminated. So, what is ranked-choice voting? The United States ranked choice voting (RCV) system is an electoral method where voters rank candidates by preference rather than selecting just one. Instead of picking a single candidate, voters list their first, second, third choices, and so on. Heres how it works. Voters first rank candidates in order of preference on the ballot. If a candidate receives more than 50 per cent of the first-choice votes, they win outright. If no candidate gets a majority, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated. Votes for the eliminated candidate are then redistributed to the remaining candidates based on those voters next preferences. This process of elimination and redistribution continues until one candidate has a majority. What are the benefits? It eliminates the Spoiler Effect. Similar candidates no longer split the vote, reducing the chances of an unpopular candidate winning due to vote-splitting. It encourages positive campaigning as candidates benefit from being ranked second or third, so theres less incentive for negative attacks. Ensures majority support since winners typically have broader support because they must earn more than 50 per cent through ranked preferences. It reduces the need for runoff elections by consolidating multiple election rounds into one. Voters can express preferences for more than one candidate without wasting" their vote. What are the cons? Some voters find ranking candidates unfamiliar or complex, especially first-time users. Tabulation takes longer, particularly in races with many candidates and rounds. If a voters ranked choices are all eliminated and no further preferences are marked, their ballot becomes exhausted" and stops counting. To work well, RCV needs strong outreach and explanation, especially in diverse or multilingual communities. What are the other voting systems? Plurality Voting (First-Past-the-Post): Each voter selects one candidate. The candidate with the most votes wins, even if they dont have a majority. The key issues with this system are that a candidate can win with far less than 50 per cent support. Vote-splitting can allow unpopular candidates to win and this often discourages third-party or independent candidates. Runoff Elections: If no candidate gets over 50 per cent of the vote, the top two finishers advance to a second election (a runoff), where voters choose between them. While this guarantees a majority winner, it is costly and time-consuming, often sees lower turnout in the runoff round, and delays results. Approval Voting: Voters can vote for (i.e., approve of") as many candidates as they like. The candidate with the most approvals wins. This method is simple to understand and supports consensus candidates. However, it doesnt allow voters to indicate preference order and can lead to strategic voting. Score Voting (Range Voting): Here, voters rate each candidate on a scale (e.g., 05 or 010). The candidate with the highest average (or total) score wins. This works as voters can show intensity of support but it is more complex to explain and tabulate. How is ranked choice voting different from Indias voting system? In India, voters select only one candidate on the ballot. The candidate who receives the most votes wins, even if they dont have more than 50 per cent. This means that in multi-cornered contests, a candidate can win with just 3040% of the vote, as long as its more than anyone else. By contrast, in ranked choice voting, voters rank multiple candidates in order of preference (first choice, second choice, and so on). In RCV, if no candidate gets a majority of first-choice votes, the one with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are transferred to the next preferred candidate on those ballots. This process continues in rounds until a candidate crosses the 50 per cent threshold. So, while a majority is not required in Indias system, it is essential in RCV, making the result more representative of overall voter support. Additionally, vote redistribution is not part of Indias electoral process, but it is central to how RCV works. This makes separate runoff elections unnecessary in RCV, because the instant runoff" is built into the counting process. In India, there are no runoffs, and elections are decided in a single round. The spoiler effectwhere two similar candidates split the vote, allowing a third, less popular candidate to winis common in Indias system. In RCV, however, this effect is greatly reduced, since votes for eliminated candidates can still help others based on voter preferences. Lastly, strategic voting is often seen in India, where voters may choose a winnable" candidate over their genuine preference to avoid wasting" their vote. RCV reduces this pressure, allowing voters to honestly rank their favorites without fear of helping elect their least preferred option. How did RCV help Mamdani? In Mamdanis case, his strategic alliances played a crucial role. Candidates like Brad Lander and Adrienne Adams, who were eliminated in earlier rounds, had endorsed Mamdani, encouraging their supporters to rank him as their second choice. This endorsement strategy proved effective, as Mamdani received a substantial number of redistributed votes, propelling him to victory over Cuomo. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all While Cuomo had strong name recognition and likely led in first-choice votes early on, he failed to gain enough second-choice support from voters whose first-choice candidates were eliminated. His controversial record and more centrist positioning made him a less likely fallback for progressive voters. As the rounds progressed, Mamdani closed the gap and eventually overtook Cuomo as votes were redistributed. Mamdanis campaign focused on grassroots outreach, especially among younger voters, immigrants, and working-class communitiesgroups that may have felt more energized by RCV. These voters could confidently rank Mamdani first without worrying about wasting" their vote, since their ballot would still count toward other candidates if he were eliminated (which he wasnt). About the Author Apoorva Misra Apoorva Misra is News Editor at News18.com with over nine years of experience. She is a graduate from Delhi University's Lady Shri Ram College and holds a PG Diploma from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. S... Read More Apoorva Misra is News Editor at News18.com with over nine years of experience. She is a graduate from Delhi University's Lady Shri Ram College and holds a PG Diploma from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. S... Read More Location : New York, United States of America (USA) First Published: July 05, 2025, 17:26 IST 36 Injured After Amarnath Yatra Buses Collide In J&K's Ramban Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 10:42 IST 36 pilgrims were injured in the accident that took place near the Chanderkote langar site in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban. The Amarnath yatra is being held from July 3 to August 9. As many as 36 pilgrims sustained injuries after the last vehicle of the Pahalgam convoy of the Amarnath Yatra lost control and hit stranded vehicles at the Chanderkot Langer site in Jammu and Kashmirs Ramban district, the officials said on Saturday. Four buses, part of the Yatra convoy, were damaged in the accident. Recommended Stories The rescue teams from the police and health department, which were present on the spot, shifted the injured pilgrims to the District Hospital Ramban for medical attention, officials said. The Yatris were shifted to other buses soon after the incident for their onward journey. The last vehicle of the Pahalgam convoy lost control and hit stranded vehicles at the Chanderkot Langer site, damaging 4 vehicles and causing minor injuries to 36 Yatris. The District Administration, already present at the site, immediately shifted the injured to DH RambanThe Yatris were later shifted to other vehicles for their onward journey," Deputy Commissioner (DEO), Ramban, tweeted. The last vehicle of the Pahalgam convoy lost control and hit stranded vehicles at the Chanderkot Langer site, damaging 4 vehicles and causing minor injuries to 36 Yatris. The District Administration, already present at the site, immediately shifted the injured to DH Ramban. DC pic.twitter.com/geVBpOLaHS Deputy Commissioner (DEO), Ramban (@dcramban) July 5, 2025 Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that he spoke with Ramban Deputy Commissioner and added that the injured ones are being given medical treatment and underlined that there is no reason for concern". Just now spoke to DC #Ramban, Mr. Mohammad Alyas Khan, after learning about the road accident at Chandrakot involving a vehicle carrying Amarnath pilgrims. 36 pilgrims sustained minor injuries, which are being attended at District Hospital Ramban. There is no reason for concern. All arrangements for the pilgrims are in place and are being constantly supervised by the administration," he tweeted. The Amarnath Yatra began on July 3 this year and will continue till August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan. The pilgrims approach the holy cave shrine situated 3,888 metres above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas from two routes one traditional Pahalgam route or the other shorter Baltal route. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Those who use the Pahalgam route have to pass through Chandanwari, Sheshnag, and Panchtarni to reach the shrine and have to cover 46 km on foot. Another group of 6,979 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims left Jammu on Saturday for Kashmir under tight security, officials said. This comes as over 26,800 devotees had darshan at the holy Amarnath cave shrine in the past two days since the 38-day-long pilgrimage began on July 3. According to officials, the latest batch departed from Bhagwati Nagar Yatra Niwas in two escorted convoys, comprising 312 vehicles. Of these pilgrims, 2,753 are headed to the Baltal base camp, while 4,226 are on their way to the Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp. 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 : Ramban, India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 09:38 IST Dalai Lama's 90th Birthday Celebrations On In Dharamshala; Rijiju Meets Tibetan Leader Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 13:13 IST Union Minister Kiren Rijiju met the Dalai Lama during the birthday celebrations in Dharamshala on Saturday. Dalai Lama birthday celebrations: Kiren Rijiju meets Dalai Lama (ANI Image) Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu on Saturday attended the birthday celebrations of the 14th Dalai Lama at the Tsuglagkhang, the main Tibetan temple where the Dalai Lama lives in Dharamshala. Celebrations are underway with full traditions in Dharamshala, Kangra, for the 90th birthday of the Tibetan spiritual leader, scheduled on July 6, as per the Gregorian calendar. Recommended Stories While the birthday falls on July 6, the festivities began on June 30 on the Tibetan calendar. This special birthday is being celebrated with religious prayers and cultural programs. #WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: Celebrations underway in Dharamshala, Kangra for the 90th Birthday of Tibetan spiritual leader, the 14th Dalai Lama.The 90th birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama is officially marked on July 6 according to the Gregorian calendar. pic.twitter.com/Tw2muTPxW0 ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2025 top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Key Updates On Dalai Lamas 90th Birthday Kiren Rijiju met the Dalai Lama on Saturday during the celebrations amid attention on the issue of the Tibetan spiritual leaders succession. #WATCH | Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu attend the birthday celebrations of the Dalai Lama, at the Tsuglagkhang, the main Tibetan temple where the Dalai Lama resides. pic.twitter.com/IAkegavLCG ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2025 Ahead of the visit to Dharamshala for the birthday celebrations, Rijiju said that only Dalai Lama and the organisation set up by him have the authority to identify his successor. His remarks contradicted Chinas long-standing position on the issue. No one has the right to interfere or decide who the successor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be. Only he or his institution has the authority to make that decision. His followers believe that deeply," Rijiju had said. China has asked India to exercise caution in its words and actions on Tibet-related issued, while objecting to Rijijus remarks. India should be clear of the anti-China separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama and honour its commitments on Xizang (Tibet)-related issues," the Chinese foreign ministry said. Contradicting the Minority Affairs Ministers stand the Ministry of External Affairs said that the Government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion The government has always upheld freedom of religion for all in India and will continue to do so." Earlier on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama said that he would be reincarnated as the next spiritual leader upon his death and only the Gaden Phodrang Trust can identify his successor, adding that the birth of the person will take place outside China. On the contrary, Beijing says that it holds the right to approve the Dalai Lamas successor from traditions followed during the time of Chinas emperors. 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 : Himachal Pradesh, India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 10:07 IST Dalai Lama Says He Hopes To Live 40 More Years, Days After Announcing Succession Plan Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 17:53 IST The Dalai Lama said that he hopes to live 40 more years after confirming that his reincarnation will follow Buddhist traditions. Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama speaks via a video message. (Image: PTI) Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said he hopes to live another 40 years- until the age of 130- just days after formally announcing that he intends to reincarnate after his death, laying to rest years of speculation about his succession. Speaking at a long-life prayer ceremony in Dharamshala, where thousands of followers gathered, the Dalai Lama said, So far, I have done my best and with the continued blessings of Avalokiteshvara, I hope to live another 30 or 40 years, continuing to serve sentient beings and the Buddha Dharma." The Dalai Lama previously told Reuters in December that he might live to 110. Dalai Lamas Succession Plan Recommended Stories Just days earlier, in a video message delivered during a three-day religious conference, the Dalai Lama confirmed that his successor will be chosen in accordance with centuries-old Buddhist traditions- a move aimed at quelling speculation and countering Chinas interference in the process. He said the Gaden Phodrang Foundation, established to preserve the institution of the Dalai Lama, will lead the recognition of his reincarnation. Tibetan Buddhist leaders will search for the successor," he added, making it clear that no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter." In accordance with all these requests, I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue," he said, referencing appeals from Buddhists worldwide calling for the continuation of the spiritual office. The 14th Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India since 1959, after fleeing Tibet following a failed uprising against Chinese rule. China Pushes Back top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Beijing responded sharply to Dalia Lamas succession statement as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated that the central government in Beijing must approve any reincarnation and claimed it would be conducted by drawing lots from a golden urn"- a Qing dynasty ritual now controlled by the Chinese state. The Dalai Lama dismissed the legitimacy of this method, warning that when used politically, the golden urn holds no spiritual quality." Tibetan writer and activist Tenzin Tsundue described the Dalai Lamas statement as a direct challenge to Chinese claims, saying, Its a punch in the face for China", emphasizing the significance of the spiritual leader reasserting full Tibetan control over the succession process. Location : Dharmsala (Dharamshala), India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 17:53 IST India Defers 'Cosmetic Changes' Over Mercury Threat, Even As Anti-Ageing Craze Grows Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 07:30 IST An expert panel has warned that cosmetic products, often not subjected to toxicological scrutiny, pose significant danger when laced with mercury, especially through prolonged use The expert panel, DCC, concluded that Indias current regulations under the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, are already in line with the Minamata Convention. Representational image Even as concerns rise over the safety of anti-ageing and skin-whitening productsparticularly after the untimely death of television personality and actress Shefali Jariwala sparked national debateIndias top panel of experts at its drug regulatory body has chosen not to tighten its mercury regulations in cosmetics, despite firm recommendations from an expert panel. At its latest meeting in June, the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) reviewed a proposal submitted by Botswana and Burkina Faso, on behalf of the African region, to amend Annex A of the Minamata Convention on mercury. The proposal, presented at the fifth Conference of Parties (COP-5) in Geneva in 2023, urges countries to phase out the manufacture, import, and export of cosmetics containing over 1 part per million (ppm) of mercury by 2025. Recommended Stories India had earlier constituted a subcommittee to evaluate the countrys regulatory alignment and obligations under the treaty. The panel comprised public health and toxicology experts, including a representative from the ministry of environment. In its report, the subcommittee explicitly recommended that mercury use in the formulation of cosmetics has to be stringently discouraged/stopped", citing environmental and health risks. A copy of the recommendations has been seen by News18. The panel also warned that cosmetic products, often not subjected to toxicological scrutiny, pose a significant danger when laced with mercury, especially through prolonged use. However, the expert panel, DCC, concluded that Indias current regulations under the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, are already in line with the Minamata Convention. It ruled that no amendments are needed" citing Rule 39(5), which permits up to 70 ppm mercury in eye-area cosmetics and 1 ppm unintentional mercury in other finished products. News18 has seen the minutes of the DCC meeting. This decision stands in contrast to growing public and professional concerns about mercury-containing cosmetic products, which have surged in popularity amid the countrys booming anti-ageing and fairness industry. The tragic death of Shefali Jariwala, widely speculated to be linked to complications possibly arising from cosmetic or aesthetic procedures, has reignited concerns about the largely unregulated market for anti-ageing and skin-lightening treatments. What is the Minamata Convention? Botswana and Burkina Faso are countries in Africa, and, in the context of international environmental negotiations, they often speak on behalf of the African region at global forums. The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global treaty adopted in 2013 under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The treaty aims to protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of mercury and mercury compounds. At the Minamata Convention on Mercury, these two nations jointly submitted a proposal to amend Annex A (Part I and II) of the convention. Their proposal aimed to phase out mercury-added cosmetics globally by 2025including products like skin-lightening creams, which are widely used across various regions, including parts of Africa and Asia. What did the subcommittee suggest? Primarily, the panel concluded that mercury use in the formulation of cosmetics has to be stringently discouraged/stopped". The subcommittee had further advised that identifying mercury-containing products should be a priority. It is to be identified that which particular product(s) is/are having mercury in the formulation. For that, a combination of sampling and self-declaration has to be used for monitoring/documenting the existing products before accepting the declaration of Minamata Convention," it said. It further recommended an extension of two years to implement the proposed ban, urging the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to determine a clear methodology for eliminating mercury from cosmetic products. Additionally, the panel advised, The manufacturer(s) have to submit a self-declaration regarding their product that is not having/containing mercury. This will have to be eventually cross verified by stringent laboratory testing." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Despite these recommendations, the DCC decided against any immediate changes. Experts warn this could leave consumers vulnerable. Considering the surge in online and offline sales of cosmetic products that promise quick fixes for ageing, pigmentation, and skin tone enhancement, often with undisclosed or unsafe levels of mercury, the decision may prove costly," said an industry expert on cosmetics and toxicology who retired from one of the largest cosmetic brands operating in India. The subcommittee recommendations were accurate and needed attention, as mercury is lethal enough to cause heavy damage." About the Author Himani Chandna Himani Chandna, Associate Editor at CNN News18, specialises in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With firsthand insights into India's COVID-19 battle, she brings a seasoned perspective. She is particularly pass... Read More Himani Chandna, Associate Editor at CNN News18, specialises in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With firsthand insights into India's COVID-19 battle, she brings a seasoned perspective. She is particularly pass... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 07:30 IST Kolkata Law College Flagged Manojit Mishras Misconduct, Sought Police Intervention In 2018 And 2022 Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Ronit Singh Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 15:23 IST Manojit, a former leader of the Trinamool Congress student wing, was arrested for the alleged rape of a 24-year-old student on a law college campus Monojit Mishra is accused of raping a Kolkata law student. (Image: Facebook) Amid a statewide uproar over the South Calcutta Law College gang-rape case, CNN-News18 accessed a 2018 letter revealing that the college authorities had previously raised serious concerns about the misconduct of the prime accused, Monojit Mishra. In the letter dated December 12, 2018, the then principal of the Law College expressed apprehension regarding Monojit Mishras behaviour to the Kolkata Police. Recommended Stories Former Principal Debasish Chattopadhyay wrote to the Joint Commissioner of Police about Monojit Mishras disruptive conduct at college events and raised concerns over possible disturbances during the annual social programme on December 13 that year. In the context of the raised concerns, Chattopadhyay officially sought sufficient security measures from the Kolkata Police for the annual event at Ahindra Mancha, Chetla. Similarly, the college highlighted how Mishra created trouble during past college programmes to seek security for its annual programme on March 24, 2022. Manojit, a former leader of the Trinamool Congress student wing, was arrested for the alleged rape of a 24-year-old student on a law college campus. The complainant alleged that Mishra, who had earlier proposed marriage to hera proposal she declinedraped her in the presence of the other two students. The alleged gang-rape occurred on June 25 inside a security guards room located on the premises of South Calcutta Law College. Police have arrested four individuals in connection with the incident. Initially, they took into custody the prime accused, Manojit Mishra, a former student, along with Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukherjee, both current students of the law college. All three were remanded to police custody until July 8. Later, college security guard Pinaki Bandyopadhyay was also arrested in relation to the case. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all During the medico-legal examination, scratch marks were found on Manojits body, indicating possible signs of resistance by the survivor. However, the lawyer representing Manojit Mishra said that the scratch mark" found on his clients body during a medical examination was a love bite". First Published: July 05, 2025, 08:07 IST Shehbaz's Contradiction: Calls Pahalgam Attack Unfortunate, Then Says Op Sindoor Unprovoked Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Karishma Jain Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 14:29 IST In addition to targeting Indias post-Pahalgam actions, Shehbaz Sharif accused New Delhi of breaching the Indus Waters Treaty and using shared rivers as leverage Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif accused India of leveraging the Pahalgam attack to escalate tensions. (Reuters) At the 17th Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) Summit in Azerbaijan, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif once again used a multilateral forum to target India this time invoking the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, the Kashmir issue, and the Indus Waters Treaty, while framing Indias response as unprovoked aggression". Speaking at a time when Pakistan faces growing international scrutiny over its role in cross-border terrorism, Sharif told fellow ECO member states that Indias actions were reckless" and aimed at destabilising regional peace. The unprovoked and reckless Indian hostility directed towards Pakistan after an unfortunate incident in Jammu and Kashmir was yet another attempt to destabilise regional peace," he claimed. Recommended Stories The incident" referred to was the brutal massacre in Pahalgams Baisaran Valley, where 26 innocent civilians were killed in one of the deadliest attacks in Kashmir in recent years. The Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot, The Resistance Front (TRF), had claimed responsibility for the attack. India responded with Operation Sindoor, targeting multiple terror launchpads across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir used by groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar, and Hizbul Mujahideen. Sharif did not mention the victims of the Pahalgam attack, nor did he acknowledge the Pakistan-based origin of the group that claimed responsibility. Instead, he praised his militarys response to Indias cross-border strikes: The world witnessed the steadfast resolve of our valiant Armed Forces under the leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir." He also thanked ECO nations for their support in the wake of what he portrayed as Indian aggression. In a now-routine move, Sharif raised the Kashmir issue again, equating Indian security operations in the Union Territory with violence in Gaza and Iran. Pakistan stands firmly against those who perpetrate barbaric acts against innocent people anywhere in the world, whether in Gaza, Kashmir, or Iran," he said, sidestepping the fact that the Pahalgam massacre was carried out by a group based in his own country. Weaponisation Of Water Sharif further accused India of violating the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), claiming that New Delhi was weaponising" water against Pakistan. This violation is completely unacceptable. The Indus waters are a lifeline for Pakistans 240 million people. Indias actions amount to aggression," he said, referencing the recent verdict by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that went against India on a procedural technicality but did not halt Indian projects. India has maintained that all its hydroelectric projects on the western rivers particularly the Kishanganga and Ratle are fully compliant with the treatys terms. Remarks On Iran, Israel And Gaza Sharif also condemned Israels recent strikes on Iran, calling them unlawful, unjustified and uncalled for". Over 600 people reportedly died in the Israeli operation, which targeted key elements of Irans nuclear infrastructure in June. Pakistan strongly condemns this act of Israeli aggression We pray for a speedy recovery of our injured brothers and sisters in Iran," he said, using the moment to draw equivalence between events in Iran, Gaza and Kashmir. Climate And Regional Cooperation top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Outside of geopolitics, Sharif urged ECO member states to ramp up cooperation on climate change. Citing Pakistans vulnerability, including the 2022 floods that displaced over 33 million people, he proposed low emissions corridors," a regional disaster resilience system," and investment in green jobs" through eco-tourism and clean energy initiatives. Pakistan is aggressively pursuing the 4F plans focusing on resilience, recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction," he said, pitching a dedicated framework to mobilise climate finance." 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: July 05, 2025, 13:50 IST PM Modi Holds Talks With Argentina President In Buenos Aires: 'Journey Ahead Promising' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 23:58 IST The Prime Minister arrived in capital city of Buenos Aires on a two-day trip in the third leg of his five-nation tour on Friday. PM Modi meets President Javier Milei of Argentina. (X) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held wide-ranging bilateral talks with Argentina President Javier Milei on further boosting India-Argentina partnership in key areas including defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment. The Prime Minister arrived in capital city of Buenos Aires on a two-day trip in the third leg of his five-nation tour on Friday. This is the first Indian bilateral visit at the Prime Ministerial level to Argentina in 57 years. It is Narendra Modis second visit to the country as Prime Minister; he had visited in 2018 for the G20 Summit. Recommended Stories PM Modi shared a warm hug as the Argentinian President welcomed him at the Presidential Palace today. After the meeting, both the leaders greeted a large crowd gathered outside the Presidential Palace, acknowledging the enthusiastic reception during the PM Modis official visit. #WATCH | PM Narendra Modi and President of Argentina, Javier Milei, greet people who have gathered outside the Presidential Palace, in Buenos Aires(Source ANI/DD) pic.twitter.com/8Ty5FAYnnQ ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2025 Excellent meeting with President Javier Milei of Argentina. We are marking 75 years of India-Argentina diplomatic relations and 5 years since we elevated our relationship to a Strategic Partnership. We have covered significant ground in our bilateral relations, but we agree that the journey ahead is even more promising!" PM Modi said in a post on X. Excellent meeting with President Javier Milei of Argentina. We are marking 75 years of India-Argentina diplomatic relations and 5 years since we elevated our relationship to a Strategic Partnership. We have covered significant ground in our bilateral relations, but we agree that pic.twitter.com/3fG6ojU4ZD Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 5, 2025 Significance Of PM Modis Visit To Argentina PM Modis visit to the South American nation comes at a crucial moment as Argentina is undergoing major economic reforms in some ways reminiscent of those previously undertaken in India. India and Argentina share cohesive and robust ties across a wide range of sectors, deepened over decades of cooperation. The relationship between the two countries was elevated to strategic partnership during the visit to India of the then Argentine President Mauricio Macri in February 2019. Further, the two nations celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2024. The two sides have been cooperating in several key areas such as trade, defence, critical minerals, oil and gas, nuclear energy, agriculture, cultural and technology. India and Argentina have significant cooperation in the mineral resources sector, particularly in lithium a critical input for Indias green energy transition. An MoU on cooperation in the field of mineral resources was signed in August 2022. The first meeting of the joint working group, set up under the framework of the MoU, was held in January. The India-Argentina bilateral trade has been on an upswing. The trade volume more than doubled in three years from 2019 to 2022, peaking at $6.4 billion in 2022. In 2021 and 2022, India was Argentinas fourth largest trading partner. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In 2024, total annual bilateral trade between India and Argentina was $5.23 billion, positioning India as Argentinas fifth-largest trading partner and export destination. (With Inputs from agencies) About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Location : Buenos Aires, Argentina First Published: July 05, 2025, 23:58 IST On the sidelines of the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit held in Khankendi, Azerbaijan and Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing investment cooperation between the two countries. Azernews reports that Azerbaijans Minister of Economy, Mikayil Jabbarov, announced the signing on his official X account, noting the significance of the agreement in deepening bilateral economic ties. The MoU was signed by Minister Jabbarov on behalf of Azerbaijan, and by Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, representing the Pakistani side. This document will give a strong boost to the implementation of the directives issued by the leaders of both countries to further strengthen economic relations and investment partnerships, Minister Jabbarov stated. The agreement marks a key step in advancing AzerbaijanPakistan economic collaboration and reflects the growing strategic partnership between the two nations. OSLO, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Norway and Ukraine have signed a comprehensive health partnership agreement aimed at deepening cooperation and improving healthcare services, the Norwegian government announced in a press release on Friday. The agreement was signed earlier this week in Kyiv by Norway's Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre and Ukraine's Minister of Health Viktor Liashko during Vestre's multi-day visit to Ukraine. The new partnership seeks to facilitate direct exchanges between health authorities, educational institutions, and medical professionals from both countries. Vestre emphasized the mutual benefits of the cooperation. "We can learn a lot from Ukraine in areas such as how to organize a health service in war, civil-military cooperation and the use of technology. From Norway's side, we can assist Ukraine in areas such as mental health, rehabilitation and antimicrobial resistance," he noted. Norway's support to Ukraine's health sector is part of the broader Nansen Program, which channels both civilian and military assistance. Vestre said his visit provided valuable insight into how Norway's contributions are benefiting Ukraine's health services. Norway's aid to Ukraine's health sector is mainly delivered through major international organizations such as the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and the Council of Europe Development Bank. Norway also provides humanitarian support to Ukraine, including medical evacuations and treatment for Ukrainian patients in Norwegian hospitals. 'Distance Is No Barrier When...': PM Modi Arrives In Argentina, Meets Indian Diaspora Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 11:04 IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Argentina for a bilateral visit to strengthen India-Argentina relations. He will hold talks with President Javier Milei later in the day. Images have surfaced wherein PM Modi can be seen interacting with the members of Indian community. (Image: X/@narendramodi) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a five-nation visit, arrived in Buenos Aires in Argentina on Saturday morning. This is Prime Minister Modis bilateral visit to the South American nation, which will focus on bolstering India-Argentina relations. Modi-Modi Chants Echo As PM Modi Gets Rousing Welcome In Argentina Recommended Stories Soon after his arrival, PM Modi received a rousing welcome from members of Indian diaspora at the hotel in Buenos Aires where he is staying. A huge crowd gathered to get a glimpse of the PM. Chants of Bharat Mata ki Jai", Jai Shree Ram" and Modi-Modi" echoed as the PM interacted with the members of Indian community. Distance is no barrier when it comes to cultural connect!Honoured by the gracious welcome from the Indian community in Buenos Aires. It is truly moving to see how, thousands of kilometres away from home, the spirit of India shines brightly through our Indian community. pic.twitter.com/k1qH88dMmw Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 5, 2025 Praising the Indian community for keeping the spirit of India alive in them, PM Modi tweeted, Distance is no barrier when it comes to cultural connect!(sic)" Honoured by the gracious welcome from the Indian community in Buenos Aires. It is truly moving to see how, thousands of kilometres away from home, the spirit of India shines brightly through our Indian community," PM Modi further wrote. Images have surfaced wherein PM Modi can be seen interacting with the members of Indian community. The Prime Minister will also hold talks with Argentinas President Javier Milei later in the day. Landed in Buenos Aires for a bilateral visit which will focus on augmenting relations with Argentina. Im eager to be meeting President Javier Milei and holding detailed talks with him.@JMilei pic.twitter.com/ucdbQhgsUj Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 5, 2025 Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, Landed in Buenos Aires for a bilateral visit which will focus on augmenting relations with Argentina. Im eager to be meeting President Javier Milei and holding detailed talks with him.(sic)." PM Modi To Be Accorded Ceremonial Welcome Later in the day, PM Modi will pay respects at the statue of General Jose de San Martin, Argentinas revered freedom fighter and national hero. PM Modi will be accorded a ceremonial welcome. The Prime Minister will then hold delegation-level talks, followed by a lunch hosted by President Milei. The BJP leader is also set to visit the football stadium of the iconic club Boca Juniors in the city. The PMs visit is expected to further strengthen the strategic partnership and open new avenues of cooperation. The bilateral talks will focus on diverse areas such as trade and investment, health and pharmaceuticals, defense and security, infrastructure, mining and mineral resources, agriculture and food security, green energy, ICT and digital innovation, disaster management, science and technology, education, and people-to-people linkages. PM Modi arrived in Argentina at the invitation of President Javier Milei. The last meeting between the two leaders was held in November 2024 on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While the PM visited Argentina in 2018 to attend the G20 Summit. Before embarking on the five-nation tour, Prime Minister Modi had described Argentina as a key economic partner in Latin America and a close collaborator within the G20 grouping. Significance Of PM Modis Visit To Argentina PM Modis visit to the South American nation comes at a crucial moment as Argentina is undergoing major economic reforms in some ways reminiscent of those previously undertaken in India. India and Argentina share cohesive and robust ties across a wide range of sectors, deepened over decades of cooperation. The bilateral co-operation were elevated to the level of a Strategic Partnership in 2019. Further, the two nations celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2024. PM Modi On 5-Nation Trip top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The PM landed in the South American nation for two-day visit on the third leg of the five-nation trip, after concluding his Trinidad & Tobago visit on Friday. After PMs Argentina tour, he will depart for Brazil for the 17th BRICS Summit and a state visit. The final leg of the PMs tour will take him to Namibia. About the Author Manisha Roy Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18... Read More Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18... Read More Location : Argentina First Published: July 05, 2025, 07:37 IST Pune Woman Filed Rape Complaint Against Friend Out Of Anger: Cops In Shocking Revelation Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 08:11 IST A Pune woman had claimed that she was raped by a man posing as a courier delivery agent at her residence. However, it later came to the fore that both of them were friends. Pune woman filed rape complaint against friend out of anger (Representational Image/AP) In a shocking twist in the Pune rape case, the techie, who earlier claimed that she was raped by a man posing as a courier delivery boy at her residence in a posh society in the city, had filed the complaint against her friend allegedly out of anger", according to a report. It came to light during the probe that the accused was a friend of the victim and both had known each other for a couple of years. They had also met at the womans house multiple times in the past and they decided to meet on Wednesday as well, the day when the alleged incident took place, the report said. Recommended Stories The woman, an IT professional, told the police that she was not ready for sexual intercourse that day; however, the man forced himself upon her, NDTV reported, citing the police. The two people had first met at a community event and became friends. The accused used to get parcels delivered to her residence and even came over when her family was away, the report said, citing sources. As the probe deepens into the mystery, the woman allegedly confessed to the police in her statement that she initially gave false information to the police. Explaining her reason for the same, she told the police that she was not ready for sexual intercourse that evening he arrived at her residence but he forced her into it. So out of anger, she filed a complaint with the police that she was raped," NDTV quoted Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar as saying. She had previously claimed in her complaint that a man posing as a delivery agent showed up at her flat in the Kondhwa area when she was alone and allegedly raped her. She also claimed that the accused clicked a selfie on her phone, in which her back and a part of his face were visible. She claimed that he had left a message that he had taken her pictures and would leak them online if she reported the incident to the police. Ill be back," read the message, she claimed earlier. However, after the suspect was detained, the police discovered that it was the woman who had taken the selfie. The original picture showed his face clearly, but she edited it and also typed the alleged threatening message. The families of both of them knew each other, the report said. The suspect was a highly qualified professional. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The police further confirmed that no chemical was sprayed on the womans face, as suspected earlier. We are still ascertaining why the victim made allegations of rape and it is still under investigation as the girls mental state is not good at present," the police said. About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 08:11 IST Rain Havoc In Himachal: Over 260 Roads Closed, Red Alert Issued In Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 17:09 IST Heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh blocked over 260 roads, including 176 in Mandi. A red alert warns of heavy rainfall in Kangra, Sirmaur, and Mandi. Losses are around Rs 541 crore. Swollen Beas river following heavy rainfall, in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (PTI) Due to heavy rains over the past few days in Himachal Pradesh, more than 260 roads, including 176 in Mandi district, are blocked, officials said on Saturday. The Met Office has issued a red alert for Sunday, warning of extremely heavy rainfall in isolated areas of Kangra, Sirmaur, and Mandi districts, news agency PTI reported. Recommended Stories An orange warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places has been issued for Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Chamba, Solan, Shimla and Kullu districts. Very heavy rainfall is defined as 115.6 mm to 204.4 mm in 24 hours, while extremely heavy rainfall exceeds 204.4 mm. Last year, heavy monsoon rains caused massive destruction in the state, leaving more than 550 people dead. The weather department warned of potential landslides, flash floods, and waterlogging, which could damage structures, crops, and essential services. People are advised to avoid water bodies and vulnerable areas. According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), the estimated losses so far are around Rs 541 crore. However, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the losses are close to Rs 700 crore as details are still being compiled. Around 300 transformers and 281 water supply schemes are also affected, the SEOC said. Since Friday evening, light to moderate rainfall lashed parts of the state, with Jogindernagar receiving 52 mm, followed by 28.8 mm each in Nahan and Palampur, 21 mm in Paonta Sahib, 18 mm in Una, 17.4 mm in Berthin, 15.6 mm in Kangra and 12.6 mm in Naina Devi. Since monsoon began on June 20, a total of 72 deaths have been reported in the state, of which 45 are linked to rain-related incidents such as cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Mandi district suffered the worst damage, with 10 incidents of cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides on Tuesday, resulting in 14 fatalities. Officials said search operations are ongoing to locate 31 missing individuals. An orange alert has also been issued by the MeT office for heavy to very heavy rainfall in several districts on Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday. Location : Himachal Pradesh, India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 17:09 IST Raj Thackeray-Uddhav Thackeray Vijaya Sabha Rally Today Highlights: Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, the estranged cousins, reunited in Mumbai on Saturday for a mega victory gathering to celebrate the rollback of the controversial Hindi language policy in primary schools. The joint rally, currently underway at the NSCI Dome in Worli, marks a significant political moment as Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray share a public platform ahead of the upcoming local body polls, hinting at a new political alignment in the state. The Maharashtra education department had earlier proposed making Hindi a compulsory third language for Classes 1 to 5 in both Marathi and English medium schools, as per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. A government resolution to this effect was issued on April 17. Amid opposition pressure, the policy was modified on June 18, stating Hindi would be the default third language, with students allowed to choose another Indian language if at least 20 students in a class requested it. A review committee was then formed on June 24 to reassess the decision. Following widespread criticism from the Maha Vikas Aghadi allianceincluding Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS, and NCP (SP)the state government rescinded both resolutions last Sunday. Sukhbir Singh Badal Declared 'Tankhaiya' By Priests At Takht Patna Sahib Curated By : Edited By: Manisha Roy Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 13:25 IST Former Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal was declared "tankhaiya" by Takht Sri Harmandir ji Patna Sahab priests for not appearing before the high priest despite reminders. Former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh (Image: ANI File photo) Former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has been declared tankhaiya" (guilty of religious misconduct) by the five priests of Takht Sri Patna Sahib as he failed to appear before Takhat despite repeated reminders. Takht Sri Patna Sahib is one of Sikhisms five supreme temporal seats of authority. Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief, Badal was summoned to present himself before the Panj Pyare following allegations linked to his role in backing individuals found guilty of violating a Hukamnama (religious edict). Despite repeated notices, Badal did not respond or appear which led to the declaration of tankhaiya. Recommended Stories Tankhaiya is a term reserved in Sikh tradition for those found guilty of religious misconduct. Notably, this is not the first time the former SAD Chief is declared a tankhaiya. Earlier in August 2024, the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhism, declared him a Tankhaiya for some decisions" during his tenure as deputy CM from 2007 to 2017. The decision to declare Badal tankhaiya was made by five high priests of the Shri Akal Takht. Reading the order, Jathedar (chief Priest) of Shri Akal Takht, Giani Raghbir Singh stated that Badal, along with his partner Sikh Cabinet Ministers, required to submit their written explanations within 15 days. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Later, he was awarded religious punishment by the Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht and directed to wash utensils and clean shoes, and bathrooms. In December last year, there was an attempt on the life of Badal at the premises of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, where he was performing penance under the religious punishments pronounced by Sri Akal Takht Sahib. During the attempted assassination, the ex-SAD chief was sitting at the entrance of the Golden Temple with a plaque card around his neck as part of the religious punishment. About the Author Tejinder Singh Sodhi A defence journalist, Tejinder Singh Sodhi has the distinction of being the only Indian civilian to have studied at the US Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In his career span... Read More A defence journalist, Tejinder Singh Sodhi has the distinction of being the only Indian civilian to have studied at the US Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In his career span... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 12:08 IST Telangana Allows 10-Hour Workdays In Commercial Establishments, Weekly Limit At 48 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 23:05 IST Telangana allows employees in commercial establishments to work up to 10 hours a day, 48 hours a week, under the Telangana Shops and Establishments Act, 1988, effective July 8. Telangana Govt Allows 10-Hour Workdays In Commercial Establishments (AI-Generated) The Telangana government has issued orders allowing employees in commercial establishments (excluding shops) to work up to 10 hours per day, with a cap of 48 hours per week, to boost the ease of doing business. The government order issued by the Labour, Employment, Training & Factories Department on July 5 stated that the exemption is made under the Telangana Shops and Establishments Act, 1988 (Act No. 20 of 1988). Recommended Stories According to the notification, such establishments are to be exempt from Sections 16 and 17 of the Act, which relate to working hours and rest intervals, subject to specific conditions. The official order suggested that the daily work hours should not exceed 10 hours, and the weekly limit must not exceed 48 hours. Work done beyond these limits will qualify for overtime wages. The order also stated that the employees working over six hours a day are entitled to a minimum 30-minute break, and their total work and rest hours shouldnt exceed 12 hours in 24 hours. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Employees can work beyond the standard 48 hours per week, but only up to 144 hours of overtime in a quarter, and they must receive overtime pay for the extra hours worked. If companies fail to comply with these regulations, they risk losing the exemptions granted to them. The order will come into effect after publication in the Telangana Gazette on July 8. Location : Telangana, India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 23:05 IST 20 Years In The Making: Thackeray Cousins Drop Blockbuster Trailer For New Maharashtra Script Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Karishma Jain Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 19:35 IST In their first joint appearance in 20 years, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray vowed to stay united for Marathi identity and reclaim power in Mumbai and Maharashtra MNS chief Raj Thackeray, left, and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray during a joint victory rally organised by the cousins, at Worli area, in Mumbai, Maharashtra. (PTI Photo) Raj-Uddhav Mumbai Rally: In a rare show of unity, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray shared the stage for the first time in two decades at the Awaj Marathicha rally in Mumbai. Addressing a packed NSCI Dome, Uddhav sought to silence speculation over the longevity of their reunion, especially in the run-up to the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Many are raising doubts about whether well stay together till the BMC elections," he said. Let me tell you allwe are here for Marathi, and well stay together for Marathi." Recommended Stories Going a step further, Uddhav declared their joint ambition to reclaim political ground in the state: Raj Thackeray and I will capture power in the Mumbai civic body and Maharashtra," he said, according to PTI. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are expected to be held later this year or in early 2026, and are seen as a crucial battle for control of Asias richest civic body. The statement marks a significant political shift, with both leadersonce bitter rivalssignalling long-term cooperation aimed at consolidating the Marathi vote. The tone of the rally, however, extended beyond civic issues and touched on deeper concerns of linguistic identity. The gathering was billed as a victory rally" to celebrate the Maharashtra governments rollback of a controversial policy that sought to make Hindi a compulsory third language in primary schoolsa move that had sparked strong opposition from both parties. In a joint appeal ahead of the event, cousins Uddhav and Raj had urged Marathi-speaking citizens to join the rally, calling it a moment of cultural assertion. Voice of Marathi Mothers, brothers, sistersits you who brought the government to its knees! Come with cheer, we are waiting," the statement read. Raj Thackeray, known for his sharp commentary, added a dose of political irony from the stage, saying, Balasaheb couldnt bring us together, but Devendra Fadnavis managed to do it." His comment drew laughter and applause, even as it highlighted the unexpected nature of the reunion. The MNS chief also reaffirmed their stance against Hindi language imposition. Even if the committee set up by the government recommends the same policy again, we will not accept it," he said, adding that the fight was about preserving the Marathi language and identity. Uddhav, meanwhile, reiterated the seriousness of their renewed partnership. We have come together to stay together," he declared, underscoring that the unity was not just symbolic but politically purposeful. What Was Maharashtras Three-Language Policy? The Maharashtra education department had earlier announced that Hindi would be made a compulsory third language for students from Classes 1 to 5 in both Marathi and English medium schools, as part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. This was officially declared on April 17. But, after facing strong opposition, the policy was changed on June 18. The revised rule said Hindi would be the default third language, but students could pick another Indian language if at least 20 students in the class requested it. A review committee was formed on June 24 to look into the matter again. Due to continued criticism from the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, the state government cancelled both decisions last Sunday. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all 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: July 05, 2025, 13:28 IST Was Always Polite To Him: Husband After His Employee Kills Wife, Son In Delhis Lajpat Nagar Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 10:01 IST Police said the accused was upset after being reprimanded for taking frequent leave and had planned the attack. Victims Ruchika and her son Krish (R), and accused Mukesh | Image: X A 42-year-old woman and her teenage son were allegedly murdered at their home in Delhis Lajpat Nagar, the police said on Saturday, adding that they have arrested a store worker who was attempting to flee after committing the crime. The victims, identified as Ruchika Sewani and her 14-year-old son Krish, were found with multiple injuries inside their residence, with police saying the accused, 24-year-old Mukesh, worked at a clothing store owned by Ruchikas husband, Kuldeep Sewani. Recommended Stories I never scolded him over anything. I was always polite. Then why?" Kuldeep said about Mukesh, as quoted by The Indian Express. Police said Mukesh was upset after being reprimanded for taking frequent leave and had planned the attack. He was arrested at the New Delhi railway station early Thursday, hours after the murders. At around 9.30 pm, I got a frantic call saying there is blood inside the house and no one is opening the door," said Ketan, Kuldeeps cousin. Ketan rushed to the house and later entered with the help of the police. According to Kuldeeps relatives, Mukesh had earlier worked for Ketan before joining Kuldeeps store. Last month, he took a four-day holiday; he said he was getting engaged. But he came back after almost 25 days. He then took another holiday after a couple of days He then came back about eight days ago," said Surender, a colleague at the store. Badrul Hassan, another employee, said: Kaun sa boss apne employee ko nai daant ta (Which employer doesnt scold his staff)? How can that lead to this (murder)?" he said. Neighbours said the family had been living in the area for many years and were well-known in the community. Vishal Chopra, a neighbour, said his son alerted him to blood stains visible through the houses staircase. My son said there was blood on the stairs of his house. I rushed home," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all His son, Arnav, 22, added, He (Kuldeep) said he had been calling aunty (Ruchika), but she wasnt responding. He had also sent an employee to check on them before he came. When no one opened the door, he climbed atop a car and spotted blood through the window." Police have registered a case under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. An investigation is underway in the case, said officials. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 10:01 IST Wegovy Here, Ozempic Next: Big Focus On Indias Obesity & Diabetes Crisis, Says Novo's Cai | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 08:32 IST India is among the top two countries in terms of type 2 diabetes cases and third in terms of obesity; hence, the need for weight loss and anti-diabetic drugs is huge According to Dr Cai, Wegovy has proven clinical evidence showing it reduces risks related to heart disease, including stroke and myocardial infarction. Image/News18 Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk is working to bring its blockbuster drug Ozempic to India as soon as possible", Dr Yan Cai, senior vice president of clinical development, medical affairs, and regulatory affairs for international operations, told News18. Reaffirming the Danish drugmakers commitment, she noted that India is among the top three countries globally in terms of both obesity and type 2 diabetes prevalence, making it a high-priority market. Recommended Stories I can reassure that India is a very important market for us. With a large population living with type 2 diabetes, we are committed to bringing Ozempic to India. Wegovy and Ozempic serve different populationsOzempic is for managing diabetes, while Wegovy is for weight loss," Dr Cai told News18 in an exclusive interaction. When asked about the timelines planned for the launch of Ozempic, she said, As soon as possible it is our commitment." Ozempic, originally developed for type 2 diabetes, shot to global fame as a weight loss sensationfuelled by Hollywood celebrity endorsements and off-label use. Its surging demand has made it one of the worlds best-selling drugs, breaking revenue records and reshaping the global obesity and diabetes treatment market. Talking about the relevance of Wegovy for the Indian market, Cai said, India ranks third globallyafter the US and Chinain obesity prevalence, with over 200 million people estimated to be obese. It is also among the top two countries in terms of type 2 diabetes cases. The magnitude of these conditions is huge. We will continue to offer innovative treatments to help people live healthier lives," she said. Wegovy: More than weight loss Novo Nordisk, last month, launched the weight loss drug Wegovy in Indiaalmost four months after the entry of Eli Lillys Mounjaro. According to Dr Cai, Wegovy has proven clinical evidence showing it reduces risks related to heart disease, including stroke and myocardial infarction. It is the only anti-obesity drug that provides both weight loss and cardiovascular benefits. For people living with obesity or overweightand especially those with a history of cardiovascular diseaseit offers protective benefits," she said. Wegovy is based on semaglutide, the same molecule used in Ozempic. Dr Cai explained that the molecule has a long history and has been used by over 33 million people worldwide. Semaglutide has been tried and trusted over the years in terms of safety. Its profile is well understood," she added. She said Novo Nordisk has been a pioneer in the field of obesity treatment, having started research over 25 years ago. With Wegovy now launched and Ozempic in the pipeline, the company sees India as a core focus for future medical innovation. We will continue to provide treatments that make a meaningful difference. The scale of obesity and diabetes in India calls for urgent and sustained effortsand were committed to being part of the solution," said Dr Cai. How Wegovy worksThe science and the journey Semaglutide is part of a drug class known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. It works by acting on receptors in the brain to suppress appetite, particularly the desire for fatty food. We have solid data from both human and animal studies showing reduced cravings. People feel full earlier, eat less, and some patients also tell us that they start choosing healthier foodslike saladson their own," said Cai. Its not just about eat less, walk more. Obesity is a complex disease that needs to be managed holisticallywith medication, lifestyle changes, exercise, and an overall support system." She emphasised that Wegovy helps balance energy intake and expenditure. It helps control cravings and hunger. People respond differentlysome experience rapid weight loss, while others lose weight more gradually." Journey of a patient on Wegovy Starting Wegovy requires a careful dose titration process. Patients typically begin on a low dose, which is gradually increased every four weeks under medical supervision. Some individuals may experience gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea, especially in the early weeks. These side effects are usually mild and transient, and they are a natural reaction to this drug class. Around 5060% of patients dont experience any symptoms at all," Cai noted. Most important is not to drop off too soon. The body adjusts over time." Patients are advised to stay at the same dose for four weeks to allow their body to adapt. Based on Novo Nordisks data and Dr Cais own experience, 50% of patients stay at 1.7 mg, while 2030% titrate up to 2.4 mg, which is the highest dose. Cardiovascular benefits kick in at higher doses. My advice is to work with your doctor to find the right dose and continue long enough to receive the full benefit. Cardiovascular improvements can be seen as early as 20 days into treatment, with more visible weight loss beginning around 12 to 16 weeks." In clinical studies, 8090% of patients achieved clinically significant weight loss, defined as more than 5% of body weight. More impressively, over 30% of patients lost more than 20% of their body weight within 6 to 8 months of starting treatment." Is this the right price for Indian market? Wegovy is currently priced between Rs 17,000 and Rs 26,000 per month for five doses. Replying to the question on affordability and price-sensitive Indian consumers, Cai said, Novo Nordisk has introduced an India-specific pricing model to make the drug more accessible." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all We have ensured that the first three dosing categories are priced the same, so patients dont face financial hurdles early in their treatment. This allows them to sustain the therapy without additional burden," Cai explained. She added that Novo Nordisk is also developing new innovations to target different segments of patients in India, with future drugs to be priced accordingly, hinting that those who cannot afford this treatment can expect other new-age drugs from the companys portfolio in the coming years. About the Author Himani Chandna Himani Chandna, Associate Editor at CNN News18, specialises in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With firsthand insights into India's COVID-19 battle, she brings a seasoned perspective. She is particularly pass... Read More Himani Chandna, Associate Editor at CNN News18, specialises in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With firsthand insights into India's COVID-19 battle, she brings a seasoned perspective. She is particularly pass... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 08:00 IST 6 Sleep-Friendly Foods That Wont Mess With Your Blood Sugar Levels Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 10:57 IST If you're concerned about blood sugar spikes before bed, consider these gentle and healthy snack options. Almonds are a nutritious bedtime snack that won't spike blood sugar levels. Late-night hunger pangs can be a real challenge, especially when youre trying to manage your blood sugar levels. Snacking before bed can feel like a tightrope walk eating too little might leave you waking up in the middle of the night feeling hungry, while eating too much or the wrong foods can cause a spike in blood sugar levels and disrupt your sleep. The key is to find light, low-glycemic index foods that satisfy your hunger without affecting your insulin levels. Fortunately, many delicious and satisfying bedtime food options are gentle on your system and wont leave you feeling guilty. Recommended Stories Here are some easy and healthy food options that can help you manage your blood sugar levels while you sleep. Almonds A handful of almonds makes for a nutritious bedtime snack, thanks to their low-carb and high-fibre content. According to a 2002 study, almonds can help maintain stable blood sugar levels. Rich in magnesium, almonds may also promote better sleep quality. Enjoying a small portion of almonds before bed can curb late-night hunger while providing a boost of protein and healthy fats. The best part is that almonds wont cause a sudden energy spike that can disrupt your sleep. Just be mindful of portion control to reap the benefits and wake up feeling rested. Plain Greek Yoghurt Plain Greek yoghurt is an excellent bedtime snack option, thanks to its high protein content and low natural sugar levels. The protein in Greek yoghurt helps keep you full and slows down digestion, preventing sudden spikes in blood sugar levels. According to a 2019 study published in the journal Nutrients, consuming Greek yoghurt doesnt significantly impact blood sugar levels. Boiled Egg If youre prone to waking up hungry in the middle of the night, a boiled egg before bed could be a great solution. Eggs contain tryptophan, an amino acid that helps your body produce melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. This simple and nutritious snack can help you stay full and support a restful nights sleep. Moong Dal Soup Warm and comforting, moong dal soup is an ideal bedtime snack that wont disrupt your blood sugar levels. The complex carbohydrates in dal break down slowly, providing a gentle release of energy while keeping your blood sugar levels stable. Adding a dash of ghee, cumin, and hing can aid digestion and enhance the benefits. Sipping on warm moong dal soup before bed can promote a sense of comfort and relaxation, leading to a peaceful nights sleep. Paneer Cubes A few cubes of fresh paneer can be a great way to satisfy your hunger before bed. As a slow-digesting, protein-rich snack, paneer can help prevent nighttime hunger and support muscle repair overnight. According to 2019 research, paneers low-carb and high casein protein content make it an ideal choice for managing blood sugar levels. Enjoy it plain or lightly seasoned with black pepper and herbs for a satisfying and stabilising snack that wont cause unwanted sugar spikes during sleep. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Chia Pudding Made with chia seeds, unsweetened milk, and a hint of cinnamon or vanilla, chia pudding is a delicious and blood sugar-friendly bedtime snack. Chia seeds are rich in fibre and healthy fats, which slow down digestion and promote stable glucose levels. Prepare the pudding ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight. Having a few spoons of this pudding before bed can help calm your system and support a restful nights sleep. 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: July 05, 2025, 10:57 IST PARIS, July 4 (Xinhua) -- War is not a solution to the Iranian nuclear issue and preemptive strikes apparently lack legitimacy, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday, stressing that strength will not bring true peace. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks at a joint press conference with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. When asked about the situation in the Middle East, Wang said the recent military conflict between Israel and Iran should not be repeated. He stressed that the abuse of military force will only lead to further conflict and accumulate more hatred. The United States has set a bad precedent by openly bombing the nuclear facilities of a sovereign nation. He warned that if such actions trigger a nuclear disaster, the whole world will bear the consequences. Neurologist Explains How Yoga Enhances Brain Health And Neurological Well-Being Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 15:17 IST Amidst a global rise in mental health concerns, yoga has emerged as a powerful tool to support brain health, reduce stress, and practice mindfulness. Yoga enhances cognitive function and memory. In the modern world, where stress, distractions, and information overload continuously impact our mental well-being, the need to safeguard and enhance cognitive function has become increasingly important. While we often focus on physical health, the state of our mind is equally critical, as it governs our thoughts, actions, and overall well-being. Dr Avinash Gupta, Consultant Neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Bilaspur, explains how amid the global rise in mental health concerns, yoga has emerged as an ancient yet highly relevant practice. Yoga offers a potent means to support brain health and neurological well-being. Recommended Stories The Link Between Yoga and Brain Health Recent studies reveal that yoga has a direct impact on brain health, particularly in areas like stress reduction, memory enhancement, and cognitive function. Mindfulness-based practices such as meditation and pranayama (breathing exercises) activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to regulate stress. By lowering cortisol levels, yoga offers neuroprotective benefits, mitigating the risk of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. Yoga as a Therapeutic Tool for Neurological Disorders Yoga has gained recognition as a complementary therapy for individuals with neurological conditions such as stroke, Parkinsons disease, and multiple sclerosis. These disorders often result in motor impairments and cognitive dysfunction, yet yogas holistic approach has been shown to improve motor function, balance, and mental clarity. Enhancing Cognitive Function Through Yoga Gupta says, Cognitive decline, especially among older adults, is an escalating concern globally. However, yoga offers a promising solution. By stimulating neurogenesis, the creation of new neurons, yoga has been shown to enhance brain function, improve memory, and help preserve cognitive abilities as individuals age." Yogas focus on mindfulness, attention, and deep breathing plays a key role in improving cognitive function, offering significant protection against age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers. Yoga and Stress Reduction Chronic stress is one of the most significant threats to brain health. Gupta explains, Extended periods of stress can lead to the shrinking of the hippocampus, the brains center for memory and emotional regulation." Yoga provides an antidote by combining physical postures with mindful breathing and meditation, significantly reducing stress and promoting emotional balance. The Power of Mindfulness in Yoga Mindfulness, a core element of yoga, involves focusing on the present moment and tuning into ones thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. This is especially beneficial for individuals struggling with mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Yoga Supports Conventional Brain Treatments top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Gupta notes, While yoga is an invaluable tool for supporting brain health, it should be viewed as a complementary treatment, not a substitute for conventional medical care. For individuals recovering from brain surgery or neurological conditions, yoga can aid in cognitive recovery, improve emotional stability, and reduce stress. This makes it an essential component of a holistic recovery plan." In India, where neurological diseases are on the rise, integrating yoga into treatment protocols could enhance recovery outcomes. 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: July 05, 2025, 15:17 IST International Day of Cooperatives 2025: Theme, History, Significance And Quotes Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 07:10 IST International Day of Cooperatives 2025: This annual event highlights the vital role cooperatives play in fostering economic growth, social inclusion and sustainable development. International Day Of Cooperatives 2025: The theme for this year is Cooperatives: Driving Inclusive and Sustainable Solutions for a Better World. (AI generated image) International Day of Cooperatives 2025: Also known as #CoopsDay, International Day Of Cooperatives, serves as a powerful reminder of the collective strength of people working together toward shared goals. Celebrated globally on the first Saturday of July, this annual event highlights the vital role cooperatives play in fostering economic growth, social inclusion and sustainable development. In 2025, it will be observed on Saturday, July 5. Cooperatives are more than just economic entities; they are community-driven institutions that empower individuals, encourage democratic participation and support both local and global development. Whether in agriculture, finance, education, or healthcare, cooperatives create resilient networks where people help one another, putting values like solidarity, equality and mutual aid into action. Recommended Stories International Day of Cooperatives 2025: Theme The theme for this year is Cooperatives: Driving Inclusive and Sustainable Solutions for a Better World." It highlights the unique ability of cooperatives to address global challenges through inclusive decision-making, grassroots participation and innovative solutions that benefit both people and the planet. International Day of Cooperatives 2025: History The roots of the cooperative movement can be traced back to the early 1900s, when communities around the world began organizing around shared economic needs and collective ownership models. Recognizing the growing impact of these organizations, the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) launched the first International Cooperative Day in 1923, celebrating the principles of cooperation and unity. In 1995, the United Nations General Assembly officially proclaimed the first Saturday of July as the International Day of Cooperatives, aligning global recognition with the movements values and commemorating a century of cooperative progress. International Day of Cooperatives 2025: Significance The International Day of Cooperatives is more than just a celebration, it is a call to action. It reminds us of the power of collective effort to solve problems, share resources and build resilient communities. Cooperatives operate on core principles such as: Voluntary and open membership Democratic member control Economic participation Autonomy and independence Education, training, and information Concern for community These values are crucial in addressing todays global challenges. The day emphasizes the role cooperatives play in: Reducing inequality Promoting fair employment and decent work Fostering social inclusion Creating sustainable business models Empowering marginalized and vulnerable groups International Day of Cooperatives 2025: Celebrations Across the world, cooperatives, community organizations, government bodies and international agencies will mark the occasion through a variety of events and initiatives: Public Campaigns: Media outreach, exhibitions and awareness drives to educate people about the impact of cooperatives. Conferences and Webinars: Thought leaders and policymakers come together to explore how cooperatives can address todays urgent economic and environmental challenges. Policy Advocacy: Cooperatives use the day to push for supportive legislation and more inclusive financial and governance structures. Youth & Leadership Programs: Special initiatives encourage youth engagement to ensure the future growth and evolution of the cooperative movement. International Day of Cooperatives Quotes top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Cooperatives are a shining example of how working together can create lasting positive change." Cooperatives are like starsindividually bright, but together they light up the world." When people unite under a common purpose, cooperatives become engines of transformation and empowerment." Cooperation isnt just a strategyits a mindset that leads to sustainable progress." Today, we honour those in the cooperative movement who are shaping a more inclusive, just and peaceful world." As we observe the International Day of Cooperatives 2025, let us recognise and celebrate the organisations and individuals who embody the spirit of collaboration. In a world facing economic, social and environmental challenges, cooperatives offer a hopeful and sustainable path forward one built on unity, resilience and shared success. About the Author Bhaswati Sengupta Bhaswati Sengupta is a Sub-Editor at News18, where she works closely with the Web Stories and Photo Gallery team to create visually engaging and impactful digital content. She also contributes to Lifestyle sect... Read More Bhaswati Sengupta is a Sub-Editor at News18, where she works closely with the Web Stories and Photo Gallery team to create visually engaging and impactful digital content. She also contributes to Lifestyle sect... 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: July 05, 2025, 07:10 IST Rashmika Mandanna's Paris Look Is A Love Letter To Layering And Texture Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 19:15 IST Rashmika Mandanna was spotted at the opening of Onitsuka Tiger's flagship store in Paris. She opted for a skirt that she had paired with a shirt and a coat. Rashmika Mandanna is the Brand Ambassador of Onitsuka Tiger in India. Rashmika Mandanna brought refined elegance to the streets of Paris as she attended the grand launch of a luxury lifestyle store. The actress delivered a masterclass in modern layering with a look that effortlessly blended French sophistication with contemporary flair as she attended the grand opening of Onitsuka Tiger Paris Flagship Store on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Dressed in a powder blue collared shirt with full sleeves and a button-down front, Rashmika Mandanna struck a perfect balance between structured form and soft minimalism. Draped over it was a textured grey overcoat, featuring lapel collars and open front styling. Delicate black floral embroidery framed the edges of the coat, adding just the right amount of drama. The peek of cuffed sleeves beneath the coat added a thoughtful layered finish. Recommended Stories Onitsuka Tiger shared a picture of Rashmika looking stunning at the opening of the store. Take a look at Rashmikas OOTD here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Onitsuka Tiger (@onitsukatigerofficial) True to chic Parisian sensibilities, Rashmika paired her tailored separates with a high-waisted black skirt that flowed into an ankle-grazing pleated hem. The silhouette was equal parts bold and graceful, perfect for a fashion-forward outing in the City of Lights. She kept her accessories sharp and minimal: pearl and blue-stone earrings, a stack of statement rings, and a chequered handbag. Her black boots added an edge to the look, rounding off the power-dressing vibe. Keeping her makeup fresh and radiant, Rashmika embraced the clean girl aesthetic. Glowing skin, peach-toned matte lips, and a subtle blush complemented her smoky kohl-lined eyes and feathered lashes. Her brows were softly defined, framing her face with understated glam. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Japanese fashion brand announced Rashmika as the first advocate of the brand in India in March 2023. Since then, she was spotted at the brands showcase at the Milan Fashion Week in 2024. Finishing the look with a half-up hairdo clipped at the back, Rashmika made a strong case for stylish minimalism done right, all while embodying the spirit of a modern muse in Paris. 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: July 05, 2025, 19:15 IST Sara Ali Khans Rs 22K Chanderi Salwar Kurta Look Redefines Red Carpet Ethnicwear Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 09:09 IST At the Metro In Dino movie screening, Sara Ali Khan stunned in a pristine ivory coloured salwar kurta set. Sara paired her look with minimal accessories. Actor Sara Ali Khan is back on the big screen with her latest movie, Metro In Dino, which was released in theatres on Friday. She attended the screening with her brother Ibrahim Ali Khan. For her appearance at the event, she ditched the haute couture gowns and dresses and instead took the ethnic route. She looked pristine in an ivory chanderi silk and satin salwar kurta set. Viral pictures and videos from the screening show Sara Ali Khan greeting everyone at the Metro In Dino screening. She was seen talking to her co-stars Aditya Roy Kapur and Fatima Sana Sheikh. She posed graciously for the cameras and even interacted with the paparazzi before heading in for the screening. For her appearance, she donned an ivory salwar kurta set by Sheetal Batra. Recommended Stories Take a look at Saras OOTD here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pallav Paliwal (@pallav_paliwal) For her latest appearance, Sara donned the Sara Short Kurta With Salwar from the shelves of Sheetal Batra. The salwar suit set came with a short quarter-sleeved kurta. Crafted from luxurious chanderi silk, the kurta came with a classic V-neckline and gold embroidery on the neckline, hemline, and sleeves. She paired this kurta with a satin Patiala-style bottoms. The ivory bottoms were also adorned with dainty gold embroidery at the ankles. She finished her look by adding a matching ivory and gold organza dupatta. This set retails for Rs 22,500 online. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all For the accessories, Sara slipped into a pair of white embroidered juttis that brought her desi girl look together. She opted for just a pair of earrings to let her outfit shine. For the glam, Sara opted for a dewy and radiant base. She added a hint of blush to her cheeks for that rosy glow and added highlighter to the high points of her face for some sheen. She defined her eyes with kohl and eyeliner. She styled her hair in waves and left them open. Directed by Anurag Basu, Metro In Dino also stars Aditya Roy Kapur, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Neena Gupta, Anupam Kher, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona Sen Sharma, and Ali Fazal. 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: July 05, 2025, 09:09 IST Abhishek Bachchan Met Aishwarya Rai For First Time Because Of Bobby Deol | Know How Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 15:55 IST Abhishek Bachchan met Aishwarya in Switzerland while doing recce for Amitabh Bachchan's film. Aishwarya was shooting for a film with Bobby Deol there. Bobby Deol invited Abhishek over for dinner with him and Aishwarya. Abhishek Bachchan recently recalled his first meeting with Aishwarya Rai. In a recent chat with Nayandeep Rakshit, Abhishek Bachchan revealed that he met Aishwarya in Switzerland while doing recce for Amitabh Bachchans film. Aishwarya was shooting a film there with Bobby Deol, who invited Abhishek over for dinner, and the Dhoom actor ended up meeting his future wife! Abhishek Bachchan said, I was on a recce for my fathers film Mrityudata, with Mr Mehul Kumar in Switzerland. I was sent by my mother because I had grown up there, I had studied in boarding school there, so they felt I might know the locales better. I was very friendly with Bobby (Deol), he was shooting for Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya." Recommended Stories He recalled, The day we were on the recce, we came onto his set to say hello, and he was shooting with Aishwarya. It was the first time I saw her in person. I mean, we had already seen her during Miss World and all that." Abhishek Bachchan revealed, That evening Bobby said, Why dont you come to my hotel and well have dinner together? And I knew Mickey Contractor very well, he was doing her makeup and had done my mothers makeup as well. He had seen me as a kid. So we were all sitting together, and thats when I first met her She tells me later that she didnt understand a word I said because I had a very heavy accent, apparently." Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai tied the knot on April 20, 2007. Contrary to the grandeur of the Bachchan name in Bollywood, the wedding was not a grand affair. It was a rather intimate ceremony with many of the Bachchan familys close friends left off the guest list. Four years after their wedding, they welcomed their daughter Aaradhya in November 2011. In the same interview, Abhishek Bachchan credited Aishwarya Rai for their Aaradhya selflessly. He said, I have to give the credit for everything entirely to her mother. I have the liberty and I go out to make my movies, but Aishwarya does the heavy lifting with Aaradhya. She is amazing. Selfless. I find it amazing. Just mothers in general, I dont think fathers have the ability to be as giving, maybe we are wired differently." He explained, We (fathers) are more about going out, we have to do something, we have to work, we are goal-oriented. And to be able to say, No, this is my baby and this is my top priority for me, I think its amazing and its a gift. Thats why, possibly, our go-to people are mothers. So for Aaradhya, yes, absolutely, the entire credit goes to Aishwarya." 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: July 05, 2025, 15:53 IST Abhishek Bachchan Says He Has A 'Happy, Healthy' Family With Aishwarya Rai: 'We're Blessed' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 12:28 IST Abhishek Bachchan also reflected on Aaradhya Bachchan's upbringing and said that she is shaping up to be a wonderful girl. Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai got married in 2007. (Photo Credits: Instagram) Actor Abhishek Bachchan has said that Aaradhya Bachchan is the pride and joy of their family. In a recent chat with Nayandeep Rakshit, Abhishek Bachchan opened up about his family dynamics and said he has a healthy" family. He also reflected on the young woman that Aaradhya Bachchan is shaping up to be, and called her a wonderful" girl. Abhishek Bachchan said, as quoted by SCREEN, She is not on any social media, and doesnt have a phone either. I think she is brought up to be a very conscientious girl, and I think thats also a testimony to her individually. I dont want to take away from what she is personally. She is who she is, and she is turning out to be a wonderful little lady." Recommended Stories She is the pride and joy of the family. So yeah, we are blessed. And at the end of the day, its that happiness is coming home to a happy and healthy family. That is so important," he said. She used to literally fit on my forearm. Aaradhya is taller than Aishwarya," he said. Abhishek Bachchan also credited Aishwarya Rai for selflessly raising their daughter by putting her career on the back burner. Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai tied the knot on April 20, 2007. It was a rather intimate ceremony with many of the Bachchan familys close friends left off the guest list. Four years after their wedding, they welcomed their daughter Aaradhya in November 2011. Kaalidhar Laapata Review Meanwhile, on the work front, Abhishek Bachchan, who recently completed 25 years in the film industry, is currently seen in Kaalidhar Laapata. News18 Showsha gave the film 2.5/5 stars. Our review read, At its core, Kaalidhar Laapata is a story about abandonment, rediscovery and the redemptive power of human connection. But while the premise holds emotional promise, the execution falls frustratingly short. Directed by Madhumita, the Abhishek Bachchan film is scattered in tone and shallow in narrative depth, never quite becoming the moving tale it sets out to be." While Abhishek delivers a controlled and honest performance, his character is disappointingly underwritten. Kaalidhars emotional evolution is barely explored. He starts lost and ends slightly less lost, but the transformation lacks complexity or weight. The bond between KD and Ballu, though charming on the surface, doesnt build with the emotional texture it deserves," the review also mentioned. 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: July 05, 2025, 12:28 IST 'Father Refused To Go To Pakistan': Naseeruddin Shah After Standing Up For Diljit Dosanjh Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Anindita.Mukherjee Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 17:37 IST Amid backlash over his support for Diljit Dosanjh in the Sardaar Ji 3 row, Naseeruddin Shah says he doesn't need to prove his patriotism to anyone. Naseeruddin Shah recalls his family's decision to stay in India. Naseeruddin Shah has been in the headlines after coming out in support of Diljit Dosanjh over Sardaar Ji 3, which stars Pakistani actress Hania Aamir. Naseer, who had posted on Facebook in support of Dosanjh, has now stated that he doesnt have to prove his love for this country to anyone. In a heartfelt opinion piece for The Indian Express, Naseeruddin Shah shared that his father refused to go to Pakistan with his brother and was quite certain about staying back. He wrote, I was born in India into the fifth generation of a Muslim family, my wife into an even older Hindu one, and we hope our children can be a combination of the best of both. My father refused to go to Pakistan when his brothers left; he was certain India had a future for us, just as I feel it does for my offspring. This is a dream that cannot be abandoned." Recommended Stories Earlier, Naseeruddin had come forward to back Diljit, who has been receiving flak for his association with a Pakistani co-star. I STAND FIRMLY WITH DILJIT," Naseeruddin had written. The dirty tricks deptt of Jumla Party has been awaiting a chance to attack him. They think theyve got it at last. He was not responsible for the casting of the film the director was." He continued, But no one knows who he is, whereas Diljit is known the world over, and he agreed to the cast because his mind is not poisoned. What these goons want is to put an end to personal interaction between the people of India and Pakistan. I have close relatives and some dear friends there, and no one can stop me from meeting them or sending them love whenever I feel like it. And my response to those who will say Go to Pakistan is GO TO KAILASA." Later, when his post was taken down and netizens believed he had indeed removed it, the actor clarified, I have NOT deleted my post about Diljit Dosanjh. I dont care a fiddlers fart for backlash." Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit also reacted to Naseeruddins remarks. Speaking to ANI, he said, We are not surprised, not shocked, by Naseeruddin Shahs response to Diljit Dosanjhs entire episode. The educated, versatile actor, senior person in the industry, calling us goons proves the frustration and kind of restlessness of Naseeruddin Shah." First Published: July 05, 2025, 17:37 IST Why Does Salman Khan Have A No-Kiss Policy For Films? Arbaaz Khan Said, 'Kar Lete Hain Off Screen' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 09:02 IST Salman Khan even reportedly refused to kiss ex-girlfriend Katrina Kaif on screen. Salman Khan was last seen in Sikandar. Bollywood superstar Salman Khan is known for many thingshis blockbuster hits, philanthropic work, fitness regime, and his unique choices in cinema. One of the most talked-about aspects of his on-screen persona is his long-standing no-kiss" policy. Unlike many of his contemporaries in the film industry, Salman has consistently refused to perform kissing scenes on-screen, regardless of the storyline or the demands of the role. During Salman Khans old appearance on The Kapil Sharma Show with Arbaaz and Sohail Khan, host Kapil Sharma poked fun at Salmans no-kissing" rule. Salman Khan, Dekho kiss toh main karta nahi screen pe toh mujhe toh koi farak padta nai." Recommended Stories View this post on Instagram A post shared by MoHaN ALI (@real_mohanali) However, it was Arbaaz Khans reaction that caught everyones attention and left them in splits. Arbaaz Khan quipped, Woh itna kar lete hain off-screen ki zaroorat hi nahi padti!" Even Salman couldnt help but blush at his brothers remark. Some believe that Salman Khan broke his rule for Karisma Kapoor in Jeet. However, others argue that Salman only kissed the actresss chin, and that he has never budged from his policy. In 2017, Salman Khan was asked to film a kissing scene with Katrina Kaif for Tiger Zinda Hai. However, the actor reportedly refused. Deccan Chronicle had quoted a source as saying, Everyone felt that just this one time, just once, Salman would break his no-kissing code because the sequence is vital to the plot and also because, well, its Katrina. But Salman refused outright. Director Ali Abbas Zafar tried his best to convince him. However, nothing worked. The scene has been dropped now." Meanwhile, Salman Khans upcoming film Battle of Galwan has ignited massive buzz online with its powerful first look. Unveiled on Friday, the motion poster shows Salman in a bloodied, battle-worn avatar, clad in uniform, with an intense moustache and fierce patriotism radiating from his expression. The project is being widely hailed as his long-awaited comeback after the underwhelming response to his last film, Sikandar. Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, Battle of Galwan is based on true events. The release date and full cast details are still under wraps, but the first look has already struck an emotional chord. The Galwan Valley clash, which took place on June 15, 2020, was a deadly skirmish between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh. Colonel B Santosh Babu, who led the 16 Bihar regiment, is reportedly the real-life figure Salman portrays in the film. 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: July 05, 2025, 09:02 IST Apoorva Mukhija's Net Worth Rs 41 Crore? The Rebel Kid BREAKS Silence On Viral Claim Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 14:28 IST A post by an IIT alumnus about Apoorva Mukhija aka The Rebel Kids alleged earnings sparked intense debate. Apoorva has now reacted to the viral Rs 41 crore empire claim. Apoorva Mukhija Reacts to 41 Cr Empire Claims Apoorva Mukhija aka The Rebel Kid recently hit the headlines after reports about her alleged earnings surfaced on the Internet. Business Today reported that she makes Rs 2.5 lakh every day, and her built a Rs 41 crore empire. Amid this, a post by a IIT alumnus went viral. The user, who goes by the handle @digitalsangghi on X (formerly Twitter), shared a note highlighting the value society places on content creation compared to academic achievements. The post sparked a debate about meritocracy, and the shifting definition of success. Now, Apoorva Mukhija has finally broken her silence about the viral claim. She set the record straight, clarifying that the reported figures are incorrect. Apoorva Mukhija Aka The Rebel Kid REACTS To Rs 41 Crore Empire Viral Claim Recommended Stories Apoorva Mukhija took to her Instagram stories to share a post which mentioned her alleged earning. The post mentions, According to Business Today, Apoorva Mukhija makes Rs 2.5 lakh every sigle day, and with her savage online alter ego Kaleshi Aurat", shes built a Rs 41 crore empire, charging up to 6 lakh for a reel ad 2 lakh for a 30-secod story." Reacting to this report, Apoorva simply wrote, galat hai bhai?????" Check it out below! Debate Over Apoorva Mukhija AKA The Rebel Kids Alleged Net Worth The now-viral post was shared by a user who goes by the username @digitalsangghi on X. In the post, the user recounts the personal sacrifices made to crack Indias most difficult engineering exam, gain admission to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and endure six years of academic pressure, mental strain and job placement anxiety. The post reads, Studied 14 hrs a day to crack Indias toughest engineering exam, gave up home, friends, cousins, sleep, and dreams got into IIT, then fought for 4+2 years with CGPA nightmares, lab viva trauma, and placement tension. Today? Not even 100 people know me." The user then compares the struggles with the success of Mukhija, featured in a Business Today article, who built a Rs 41 crore empire making Instagram reels and reportedly earns Rs 2.5 lakh a day. Meanwhile reels, red lipstick, semi-nudes, and abusing openly, using BC MC as filler can make Rs 41 crore empire. Worlds truly fair," it added. The post sparked criticism from several users for comparing the two career options. First Published: July 05, 2025, 14:28 IST Brazils Grand Gesture To India: Modi & Lula Set To Take Ties To New Level In Signal To China Written By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 11:29 IST From shared global goals, defence collaboration, biofuel cooperation to counterbalance to China, India & Brazil are on a trajectory that reflects the emerging voice of Global South Since 2023, Modi and Lula have met four times, cementing a working relationship rooted in mutual respect and aligned global goals. (News18) As Prime Minister Narendra Modi gears up for a state dinner hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the significance of the moment goes far beyond ceremonial grandeur. This dinner, alongside the BRICS summit in Brazil, is beyond just a diplomatic courtesy and should rather be seen as a carefully calibrated geopolitical signal. Recommended Stories Brazils Message According to diplomatic reports, the invitation to PM Modi may have even prompted Chinese President Xi Jinping to skip the summit for the first time, wary of appearing sidelined as India takes centre-stage in Latin America, especially in light of PM Modis other visits to Argentina, and Trinidad and Tobago. The red carpet will be laid out for PM Modi, and Xis presence would have risked looking like a supporting actor". Despite Brazils insistence, Xi will be skipping the summit, a first in 12 years. But Brazil didnt flinch. Despite Chinas snub, President Lula went ahead with his invitation, standing firmly by his decision to host Modi for the state dinner. This is an indicator of the growing momentum behind India-Brazil ties, and the emerging architecture of South-South cooperation. Together, the two countries will be sending a loud message to China. Each photo op, each meeting, each toast raised during the state dinner carries symbolic weight. Brazils refusal to recalibrate its plans in the face of Chinese displeasure signals two things: One, that Indias influence in Latin America is rising. And two, that Brazil sees long-term value in strengthening its partnership with Indiaeven if it ruffles feathers in Beijing. Modi and Lula: Building a Personal Equation The Modi-Lula dynamic has played a crucial role in this diplomatic moment. Since 2023, the two leaders have met four times, cementing a working relationship rooted in mutual respect and aligned global goals. During the G20 Summit in 2024, Lula told Modi that many aspects of Brazils G20 presidency had been inspired by Indias successful hosting the previous year. The remark was an honest acknowledgement of Indias rising stature as a global agenda-setter and that Brazil, a prominent voice in Latin America, welcomes this phenomenon. Lula has also expressed solidarity with India on national security concerns. After the heinous terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, Lula reached out to PM Modi to express support in the fight against terrorisma rare gesture of strategic alignment from a South American power. From Strangers to Friends Of course, India-Brazil ties havent always been smooth. In 1961, Brazil sided with Portugal during Indias liberation of Goa. In 2009, it sold anti-radiation missiles to Pakistan despite Indian protests. But such incidents are now distant echoes in an otherwise growing and maturing relationship. India-Brazil ties strengthened after Jair Bolsonaro became Brazils President in 2018, as both countries shared scepticism toward China, especially its Belt and Road Initiative. Then came a pivotal moment. Bolsonaro visited India as the Republic Day chief guest in January 2020. Ahead of the visit, Brazil backed India on the Citizenship Amendment Act and the revocation of Jammu and Kashmirs special status, calling them internal matters. Strategic Synergy in Defence Defence ties are ripe with promise and will be a major highlight of discussions between the two leaders. Brazil has shown keen interest in Indian-made defence platforms such as the Akash air defence system, which gained recognition after its deployment during Operation Sindoor when India repelled a coordinated drone and missile attack from Pakistan. India is also in discussions with Brazil over possible deals involving Garuda artillery guns, coastal surveillance systems, secure battlefield communications, offshore patrol vessels, and support for Scorpene-class submarine maintenance. Brazilian delegations have explored cooperation on BrahMos supersonic missiles and Akash air defence systems, showing how global instability is driving the demand for reliable, battle-tested defence solutions. This defence partnership has mutual benefits in order. On the aerospace front, Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer and Indias Mahindra Defence have already signed an MoU to collaborate on the C-390 Millennium transport aircraft. Brazil is eyeing co-production and potential co-export opportunities with India, a move that could bolster both countries defence manufacturing goals. Trade Ties: A Relationship with Room to Grow As defence turns into a key element, the larger economic relationship is worth a review, as there is not just promising potential but progress underway. India and Brazil have developed a robust trade relationship, with bilateral trade reportedly surpassing $15 billion, weighted mildly in Indias favour. Key Indian exports include petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, and engineering goods, while Brazil supplies crude oil and agricultural products such as sugar and soybeans. Despite the strong base, both sides acknowledge theres more potential to be tappedespecially in services, energy, and biofuels. As two of the worlds leading producers of biofuels, India and Brazil are working closely under initiatives such as the Global Biofuel Alliance, launched during Indias G20 presidency and supported by Brazil. Brazils significance to India also lies in its natural resource wealth. As a critical supplier of crude oil, rare earths, and other minerals, with substantial production capacity, Brazil becomes an important partner for India. Moreover, Indian companies have a growing presence in Brazil, with total investment crossing $6 billion. Major players like Tata Motors, Glenmark, and Zydus Cadila operate in the country, catering to Brazils large and diverse consumer market. In contrast, Brazilian investments in India are around $1 billion, with opportunities now opening up in sectors like defence, aviation, and green energy. Given Brazils status as the seventh-largest economy (nominal GDP: $2.12 trillion) with a population of over 212 million, its an attractive destination for Indian firms seeking Latin American expansion. Multilateral Alignment: G4, G20, BRICS, and Beyond India and Brazil are partners in several key multilateral platformsG20, BRICS, WTO, and notably, the G4 grouping that includes Japan and Germany. Together, they advocate for UN Security Council reform and support each others bid for a permanent seat, reflecting their aspirations for a more equitable global governance framework. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Their shared commitment to multilateralism, climate responsibility, and democratised technology access sets them apart from bloc-based power politics that often stifle global consensus. This makes their partnership globally relevant. From shared global goals and defence collaboration to biofuel cooperation and strategic counterbalance to China, India and Brazil are on a trajectory that reflects ambition, mutual benefit and the emerging voice of the Global South. About the Author Shubhangi Sharma Shubhangi Sharma is News Editor - Special Projects at News18. She covers foreign affairs and geopolitics, and also keeps a close watch on the national pulse of India. Shubhangi Sharma is News Editor - Special Projects at News18. She covers foreign affairs and geopolitics, and also keeps a close watch on the national pulse of India. First Published: July 05, 2025, 11:28 IST LOS ANGELES, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Protests took place across the United States on Friday as thousands of demonstrators took the opportunity of the Independence Day holiday to rally against President Donald Trump, his immigration enforcement policy, and his "big, beautiful bill" -- a new tax and spending bill. The protests, held in major cities like Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, demonstrated growing public opposition to the country's direction, particularly regarding aggressive immigration enforcement and fiscal policies viewed as favoring the wealthy at the expense of social services. The demonstrations, part of the "Free America" march, were organized primarily by the 50501 movement. In a statement, the group accused Trump of attempting to "turn the country into a dictatorship." In downtown Los Angeles, hundreds skipped traditional barbecues and fireworks to protest against immigration raids that have intensified in the region over the past month. Protesters gathered outside the Federal Building that houses an immigration court, chanting, "No more occupation! No more deportation!" In June, many were further enraged by the federal government's decision to deploy over 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to the Los Angeles area, allegedly to protect federal buildings during unrest. State and local officials have criticized the move for worsening tensions. On Friday in Washington, Trump hosted a celebration at the White House, where he signed into law what he referred to as a "big, beautiful bill" -- a sweeping tax and spending package that critics argue disproportionately benefits wealthy Americans while expanding the federal deficit. California Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, speaking to the Los Angeles crowd, rejected the president's framing, calling the budget bill the "big, beautiful scam." "Immigration spending in this country is now more than the military spending of 165 countries around the world," he said. "ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has more money than the city of Los Angeles 10 times over. That's not what we want our tax dollars going toward." Similar sentiments were echoed in Chicago where a large group of people gathered in the downtown area to denounce Trump's immigration policies, saying people's civil rights were being attacked. The crowd held placards reading "Our Resistance Is Ungovernable" and "The Land of the Free Is No Longer Free," and chanted "say it loud and say it clear, immigrants are welcome here," video footage circulated showed. In Eugene, Oregon, demonstrators gathered outside the federal courthouse to protest both the immigration agenda and the spending bill. The crowd carried American flags, some held upside down as a symbol of distress. "No Kings Since 1776" was a recurring message, pointing to fears of growing executive power. "Violating our rights and threatening our legal system -- we're not going to take it lying down," Charlie Jaspera, a local resident holding a "No Kings" sign, told the radio station KLCC, adding that the bill will only benefit "the billionaires and millionaires in our country." Protests also took place in towns across Colorado, including Arvada, Fort Collins and Lamar. In Arvada, demonstrators lined both sides of a major avenue, holding signs and American flags during a "No Kings 2.0" rally, a follow-up to last month's "No King" demonstrations. These July 4 protests stood in stark contrast to Trump's "America 250" initiative, launched on Memorial Day in May to count down to the 250th anniversary of the United States' founding in 2026. While the Trump administration has promoted the campaign as a celebration of national pride, the protests underscored a nation deeply divided along political and ideological lines. A recent polling indicated this divide. A Fox News survey revealed Friday that only 36 percent of Democrats reported feeling proud of the United States today, compared to 85 percent of Republicans. Opinion | Make Income Taxpayers Honesty A Badge of Honour Written By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 16:11 IST In the age of digital governance and transparent taxation, its time to nurture a Pride of Paying mindset Recent data from the Income Tax Department starkly reveals that a mere 8,600 individuals report annual incomes exceeding Rs 5 crore. India, with a population exceeding 140 crore, boasts only about 1.5 crore active income taxpayers. The salaried middle class disproportionately shoulders the tax burden, while professionals, businesses, and high-income groups frequently exploit loopholes to minimise or evade their responsibilities. It is time to recognise that salaried employeesthe ones whose taxes are automatically deductedserve as the backbone of our national revenues. This group deserves acknowledgment and respect, instead of being subjected to a flawed tax system. The Reality of Indias Tax Base Recommended Stories Recent data from the Income Tax Department starkly reveals that a mere 8,600 individuals report annual incomes exceeding Rs 5 crore. Only around 42,800 declare incomes above Rs 1 crore, and a disappointing 2,200 professionalsdoctors, lawyers, and chartered accountantsacknowledge earnings of Rs 1 crore or more. In stark contrast, 4 lakh individuals earning above Rs 20 lakh contribute to 63 per cent of all personal income tax collections. This is unacceptable in a nation where less than 1 per cent of the population actually pays income tax. The reality is that 99 per cent of Indias tax-paying individuals feel compelled to file Income Tax Returns (ITRs), typically paying only a minimal amount of tax for various reasons. The salaried class is the primary contributor because they cannot hide from their obligations; taxes are deducted at source (TDS). Meanwhile, large agribusinesses and political parties evade their responsibilities entirely. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself pointed out in February 2020 in a summit that only 1.46 crore individuals are liable to pay income tax, representing a shocking less than 1 per cent of the total population. For the fiscal year 2023-24, total gross tax revenue collection was Rs 34.65 lakh crore, with income tax contribution being Rs 10.45 lakh crore or 30.16 per cent of total revenue receipts. Additional contributions include corporate tax at Rs 9.11 lakh crore (26.30 per cent), GST at Rs 9.57 lakh crore (27.62 per cent), union excise duties at Rs 3.09 lakh crore (8.92 per cent), customs duties at Rs 2.33 lakh crore (6.73 per cent), and service tax at Rs 420 crore (0.0121 per cent). This lopsided contribution is the result of systemic injustices. Salaried employees have no escape routes; taxes are deducted automatically, while non-salaried individuals exploit deductions for travel, rent, and various expenses. Wealthy farmers and political parties remain entirely outside the tax system. Despite their crucial role in sustaining government revenues, honest taxpayersespecially those in salaried positionsare unjustly overlooked, leading to disillusionment and decreasing compliance. Recognise and Reward India has long struggled with low voluntary tax compliance. While the nation has made great strides in digitising tax systems and cracking down on evasion, theres still one crucial aspect missing in our public policy approacha culture of respect and honour for the honest taxpayer. The current tax ecosystem in India is perceived as coercive and unjust. Honest taxpayers feel undervalued while evaders escape unscathed. Its time for a dramatic course correction. We must reform not only our tax policies but also the way we perceive taxation. By recognizing honest top taxpayers as civic champions and rethinking our tax structure, we can establish a system anchored in fairness, aspiration, and transparency. Over 8.2 crore individuals filed income tax returns, roughly 5.5 lakh individuals declared incomes above Rs 10 lakh. Clearly, a tiny fraction of Indians is shouldering a large part of the nations tax burden. This means a reliance that underscores the need to incentivise honest and consistent taxpayers not just with rebates, but with public recognition and social honour. India can take a cue from Japan, where the National Tax Agency hosts annual ceremonies recognising Exemplary Taxpayers" with mayors and governors attending. In South Korea, outstanding taxpayers are publicly honoured on National Taxpayers Day with government medals, and even automatic immigration clearance privileges at airports. India must establish a multi-tiered, transparent system to publicly honour its top taxpayers. Recognition should be given annually at the ward, city, district, state, and national levels, across four categories such as: Highest taxpayer-Salaried Individual, Entrepreneur/Business Owner, Professional and Consistent higher taxpayer over a five years. The higher taxpayers names and their concise profile should be published in annual bulletins of the Income Tax Department situated in the states and central level and honoured during national events like Independence Day, Republic Day or Taxation Day. They could be given distinction certificates and badges designating them as Proud Taxpayer of ward/city/state/country, PAN or Aadhaar-linked verification tags could be permitted to place on their vehicles. Priority access to civic utilities and public services as a courtesy measure, not entitlement. Such recognitions wont cost the exchequer much, but the psychological and cultural returns will be enormous. When society begins to see tax compliance as a badge of honour, it will shift public sentiment from cynicism to pride. This can be particularly influential among younger professionals and first-generation entrepreneurs, who often equate taxes with red tape or inefficiency. Public honour can transform compliance into an aspiration. Further, honest taxpayers should be nominated to local governance forums and reform committees, not as rewards, but as trusted stakeholders in the nations development process. After all, they fund the very systems they seek to reform. We have blood donors, organ donors, and martyrs of national service. Why not celebrate those who contribute quietly but significantly to the financial lifeblood of the country? top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In the age of digital governance and transparent taxation, its time to nurture a Pride of Paying" mindset. Let the Income Tax Department not just be a collector, but a conductor of civic celebration, spotlighting the citizens who are the most silent yet consistent enablers of Indias growth. Honest taxpayers dont ask for exemption. They deserve acknowledgement. The writer is a co-founder and MD of Orane International, a training partner with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), and a network member of India International Skill Centres (IISCs), an initiative of GoI. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. First Published: July 05, 2025, 16:11 IST Opinion | SCO Or 'Strategic Complicity Organisation'? Indias Fight Against Double Standards Written By : News18.com Last Updated: July 06, 2025, 01:40 IST China and Pakistans growing nexus is systematically undermining Indias security and strategic space Defence Minister Rajnath Singh (third from left) poses for a group photograph during the SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting, in Qingdao, China, on June 26. (Image: @DefenceMinIndia/PTI) The recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting held in Qingdao, China, on June 25-26, 2025, once again exposed the deepening strategic nexus between China and Pakistanand their growing antagonism towards India. The meeting concluded without a joint communique after India refused to endorse a final statement that excluded any reference to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 innocent civilians. New Delhi had insisted on including the attack, which was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. However, Pakistan, with Chinas tacit backing, blocked any mention of itmirroring an earlier episode at the United Nations Security Council on April 30, where Pakistan and China successfully lobbied to remove TRFs name from an official UNSC statement. Despite credible intelligence linking TRF to the attack, and the group itself claiming responsibility via a social media post, the final UNSC statement was deliberately diluted. Pakistans Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, even publicly admitted that Islamabad had pushed for the exclusion of TRFs namean act that indirectly confirms Pakistans awareness and complicity of the groups involvement. These actions reveal a deliberate and coordinated strategy by China and Pakistan, with Beijing actively shielding Islamabada state sponsor of terrorism against Indiafrom international accountability. By obstructing efforts to address cross-border terrorism and weakening multilateral counterterrorism mechanisms, they pose a direct threat to Indias national security and diplomatic interests. Recommended Stories The Expanding China-Pakistan Strategic Nexus Chinas military support for Pakistan extends far beyond diplomacy. Since at least 2018, Beijing has been sharing real-time satellite-based ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) data with Islamabad. China has integrated its ISR networks with Pakistans, deploying defence satellites and assisting in reorganising Pakistans radar and air defence systems. During Operation Sindoor in May 2025launched in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attackChina not only supplied intelligence on Indian targets but also reportedly helped redeploy Pakistans radar coverage to better monitor Indian military movements. According to strategic analyst Iqbal Chand Malhotra, this joint ISR and missile cooperation underscores a calculated shift toward integrated defence coordination to counter India", reaffirming that China views Pakistan as an extension of its strategic depth. Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed the intelligence-sharing arrangement, calling it very normal" given the regional security climate. Supporting this, a research group under Indias Ministry of Defence noted that Chinas satellite capabilities and technical expertise significantly enhanced Pakistans ability to detect Indian deployments. Additionally, Pakistan deployed Chinese-made PL-15 air-to-air missiles during the skirmish. Although these were intercepted by Indian defence systems, the deployment of these advanced missileslikely including the export variant PL-15E mounted on J-10C and JF-17 fighter aircraftdemonstrates the deepening military interoperability between the two nations. Now, in a deeply alarming development, China is preparing to supply Pakistan with fifth-generation fighter jetsat a 50% discounted rate. This is not a routine defence sale. It reflects Beijings intent to further militarise Pakistan and destabilise Indias strategic balance. Clearly, China considers Pakistan an extension of its strategic apparatus in South Asia, using it as a proxy to counter and constrain India. Beijing pursues a comprehensive and integrated strategic approach. It uses every tool availablediplomatic, military, and economicwhile leveraging allies like Pakistan to systematically box India into the South Asian theatre. India, however, has often made the mistake of treating these threats in isolationformulating separate defence strategies for China and Pakistan, when in fact they are increasingly acting as one coordinated entity. Indias Pushback at the SCO Indias Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, refusing to sign the SCO communique, made a decisive standreviewing the document carefully on-site and rejecting superficial commitments to anti-terrorism. Footage from the summit shows Singh intently studying the documentclearly aware of the diplomatic trap laid for India. Singh stated firmly: Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including its cross-border nature, should be condemned in clear terms. There should be no place for double standards in dealing with terrorists." He further warned that some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of their state policy and provide shelter to terrorists. These states should be held accountable." These pointed remarks were widely interpreted as a clear rebuke to Pakistan and its enabler, China. Unfortunately, some voices within India have mischaracterised this as a failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modis foreign policy. Such interpretations are misplaced and fail to account for the broader strategic context. The current global environment is far more complex, with China and Pakistan actively coordinating to undermine Indias interests, making diplomacy increasingly challenging. China, emboldened by its global ambitions, is using Pakistan as a strategic weapon against India. The SCO, hosted by China, reflects this imbalance. India cannot control the behaviour of adversarial statesespecially when the host country is itself complicit. This blatant double standard exposes their coordinated agenda and willingness to manipulate multilateral platforms for geopolitical gains. Critics must understand that Indias foreign policy does not operate in a vacuum, nor is New Delhi the sole actor on the global stage directing the actions of others. On a geopolitical landscape marked by shifting alliances, asymmetric threats, and strategic deception, many external variables remain beyond Indias control. What truly matters is that India continues to assert its national interests, reject duplicity, and hold accountable those who attempt to whitewash terrorism under the pretext of regional cooperation. Chinas Hollow Rhetoric vs Hostile Actions China continues to peddle diplomatic slogans like the shared Asian Century", the Dragon-Elephant Dance", and the Russia-India-China (RIC) framework. However, these lofty ideas are consistently contradicted by its actionsshielding Pakistan-based terrorists, arming Pakistan with advanced military hardware, and obstructing regional cooperation on counterterrorism. From betraying Nehru in 1962 despite the Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai" rhetoric to the deadly Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, where 20 Indian soldiers were martyred, China has repeatedly acted in bad faith, even while professing partnership and regional unity. Chinas primary objective remains clear: to contain Indias rise, limit its strategic space, and ensure that New Delhi remains preoccupied with continental security challenges rather than expanding its maritime influence in the Indian Ocean. Even if the border dispute between India and China were to be resolved, the underlying geopolitical and geostrategic rivalry would persist, as both powers are rising within the same strategic space and their spheres of influence overlap. Those who dismiss the relevance of spheres of influence" in contemporary geopolitics should reflect on recent history: Russias invasion of Ukraine was driven by its perception that NATO was encroaching on its strategic space. Similarly, Chinas use of Pakistan and other regional actors to counterbalance India is a clear manifestation of this thinking in the South Asian context. Beijings worldview is rooted in realpolitik, shaped by centuries of geopolitical thought and strategic tradition, including the oft-cited belief among Chinese strategists that two tigers cannot live on the same mountain". The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), for instance, is more than an infrastructure project; it embodies Chinas ambition to reshape global power structures and extend its influence across continents. It reflects not only a deep pride in Chinas strategic heritage but also a long-term vision for global leadership. The SCOs Shifting Power Dynamics The very raison detre of the SCOcounterterrorismhas come under serious question. Despite housing a dedicated anti-terrorism mechanism known as the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), the SCO today is dominated by China and Pakistan, both of whom routinely block any attempt to acknowledge or act against terror groups targeting India. This contradiction has undermined the credibility of the organisation. As External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently pointed out, India wanted a reference to terrorism in the outcome document of the defence ministers meeting, but it was not acceptable to one country". He further stated, If you cant get everybody to agree on something as basic as terrorism, then it calls into question what the SCO stands for." India joined the SCO in 2017, largely at the invitation of Russia, which at the time aimed to balance Chinas growing dominance within the organisation. However, since the Russia-Ukraine war, Moscow has become increasingly dependent on Beijing, and its ability to counterbalance China within the SCO has significantly diminished. As a result, China and Pakistan have consolidated their influence, often sidelining Indias interests. Nevertheless, India continues to actively engage bilaterally with Central Asian countries and does not rely solely on the SCO framework. The organisation remains one of several platforms for regional diplomacy, and India views it as part of a broader and diversified engagement strategy with Eurasia. Conclusion India must stop viewing the China-Pakistan axis through fragmented lenses. These two countries are acting in coordination to constrain Indias rise and dilute its strategic autonomy. New Delhi must adopt an integrated strategic doctrine to confront this dual threat. Chinas diplomatic overturesbe it talk of shared prosperity, Asian solidarity, or multilateral dialoguemust be scrutinised against its actions. India must forcefully and clearly convey that Beijings consistent use of Pakistan to pursue its anti-India agenda is unacceptable. Chinas protection of destabilising non-state actors, defence proliferation, and ISR integration with Pakistan directly undermine Indias security and sovereignty. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The road ahead requires strategic clarity, national unity, and a willingness to call out hypocrisy on the global stage. As Indias stature continues to grow, its neighbourhood will become increasingly challengingparticularly with hostile nexuses like that of China and Pakistan working in tandem. It is time India acknowledged this reality and acted accordingly. Imran Khurshid is Associate Research Fellow, ICPS, New Delhi, and Adjunct Research Fellow, Peninsula Foundation. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. First Published: July 06, 2025, 01:40 IST Balasaheb Must Be Blessing Me: Fadnavis Thanks Raj Thackeray For Reunion With Uddhav Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 18:43 IST In a veiled swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he delivered a "rudali" (professional mourner) like speech at joint rally. He "thanked" MNS president Raj Thackeray for crediting him in reuniting the two Thackeray cousins. (File) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday took a sarcastic jibe at Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for his remark that the BJP leader played a crucial role in reuniting the estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray after two decades. He thanked" the MNS president for crediting him in reuniting the two brothers and said that Balasaheb Thackeray must be blessing him for the task which according to Raj Thackeray, even Balasaheb couldnt achieve. Recommended Stories I am thankful to Raj Thackeray for giving me credit for bringing them together. Balasaheb Thackeray must be blessing me," he said while interacting with the media persons. The Chief Minister further took a veiled swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and said that while the Thackeray cousins organised the rally to celebrate Marathi, Uddhav chose to speak about politics out of frustration. It was a victory rally for the Marathi language, but Uddhav Thackeray chose to speak about politics and how he was ousted from power. He delivered a rudali" (professional mourner) like speech. He is speaking out of frustration, as they have nothing to show despite ruling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for over 25 years," Fadnavis added as quoted by news agency PTI. "Rudali" refers to a female professional mourner in certain regions, particularly in Rajasthan, where they were hired to publicly express grief during funerals, especially in upper-caste families. Fadnavis said no word was spoken about Marathi at the event and the speech (delivered by Uddhav) focused on how his government was toppled and how they can regain power. The rally was not Vijay utsav but a rudali darshan," the Chief Minister said. "Conversely, under Modis leadership, we have transformed Mumbai. We gave Marathi people their rightful homes at BDD and Patra chawls (tenements), which made them (Uddhav-led) jealous," he said. The chief minister said he was proud to be Marathi and Hindu. "All Marathi and non-Marathi people are with us". Thackeray Cousins Reunion Earlier today, In a rare show of unity, the Thackeray cousins shared the stage for the first time in two decades at the Awaj Marathicha rally in Mumbai to celebrate the rollback of the controversial Hindi language policy in primary schools in Maharashtra. While addressing the joint rally at the NSCI Dome in Worli, Raj Thackeray said, Chief Minister Fadnavis managed to do what Balasaheb Thackeray could not bring me and Uddhav together." Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asserted that he and his cousin have come together to stay together". Raj, I and everyone else here is united. We have come together to stay together," he said, saying that they will capture power in the Mumbai civic body and Maharashtra together. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The language row came when the Maharashtra government issued an order in April to make Hindi as the compulsory third language for students in their primary classes. It was met with large opposition and political pressure, which led to a withdrawal recently. (With inputs from agencies) About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Location : Pandharpur, India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 18:43 IST English-Medium? So What?: Raj Thackeray Cites Balasaheb, Fadnavis In Rebuttal To BJP Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 18:43 IST In response to BJP's "English-medium" charge against Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, Raj Thackeray said the former never compromised on the status of Marathi. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray along with Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray. (PTI) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday hit out at the BJP-led Central government over the alleged imposition of Hindi" in Maharashtra and asserted that the policy of Hindutva is not based on any language." While addressing a joint rally of MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) along with his cousin, Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray emphasised that there was no link between Marathi pride and an English-medium education. Recommended Stories Citing that he often gets arguments linking the two things, Raj Thackeray said, They say that our children have learnt in English medium schools. So what? Dada Bhuse studied in Marathi schools and became a minister. Devendra Fadnavis studied in an English-medium school and became the Maharashtra CM. So what?" In response to BJPs English-medium" charge against Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, Raj Thackeray said the former never compromised on the status of Marathi. We studied in Marathi medium. Our children studied in English. They say we love English, how can we like Marathi? Balasaheb Thackeray and my father Shrikant Thackeray studied in English medium. Can you doubt them?" he told the gathering. VIDEO | Mumbai, Maharashtra: Balasaheb Thackeray studied in English school, worked in English newspaper but never compromised on status of Marathi," says MNS chief Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray).(Full video available on PTI Videos https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/P5SJnbNnUI Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 5, 2025 Raj Thackeray also said that many politicians and film stars in South India studied in English schools but are proud of Tamil and Telugu languages. He further sought to know Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart Lal Krishna Advanis education at a missionary school raised any doubts on his Hindutva. LK Advani studied at St. Patricks High School, a missionary school. Should we doubt his Hindutva?" he added. He also said that everyone in Maharashtra must know how to speak Marathi, but said there was no need to beat anyone up if they dont. Be it a Gujarati or anyone else here, must know Marathi, but there is no need to beat people for that if they dont speak Marathi. Yet, if someone does some drama, you must hit them below their eardrums." He followed up with advice, If you beat someone, dont make a video of the incident. Let the person beaten up tell that he has been beaten up; you dont need to tell everyone." Uddhav Thackeray and Raj shared the public stage and hosted a victory gathering, titled Awaj Marathicha, to celebrate the rollback of two GRs issued earlier by the government introducing Hindi as a third language from class 1 in state schools. The Sena (UBT) chief also said, We wont let the government impose Hindi on us". top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The language row came when the Maharashtra government issued an order in April to make Hindi as the compulsory third language for students in their primary classes. It was met with large opposition and political pressure, which led to a withdrawal recently. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 18:43 IST 'How Many Divisions...?': Chirag Paswan Amid Marathi Row, Condemns Assault On Thane Shopkeeper Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 10:18 IST Chirag maintained that 'unity in diversity has been our identity' but also asked people to show mutual respect. Chirag Paswan joins Emergency debate (PTI Image) Union Minister Chirag Paswan reacted to the assault of a shop owner in Maharashtra, allegedly for not speaking in Marathi. Paswan condemned the incident on Friday and said, It is beyond my understanding how many divisions will be created among Indians sometimes in the name of region, sometimes language, religion, or caste." Recommended Stories His remark came while he was speaking to reporters in Vaishali. He also asked people to be sensitive and have mutual respect while advocating for pride in ones mother tongue. I support the idea that your mother tongue should be your pride, but there needs to be enough sensitivity that if someone from outside does not understand it, it does not mean we become so intolerant and start resorting to violence," he added. Talking about India being a diverse and multicultural country, he stated that there are different languages and cultures across the nation, from north to south and east to west. Unity in diversity has always been our identity, the Union Minister mentioned. But some leaders, to fulfill their ambitions, engage in such divisive politics, and I condemn this," he added. His remarks came amid the political uproar over a video on social media that shows MNS workers confronting a shop owner and questioning why speaking in Marathi should be compulsory in Thane. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also took cognisance of the matter and said on Friday that Marathi should be respected without resorting to violence. We respect Marathi, but violence in its name wont be accepted. Strict action will be taken against those resorting to violence. No language in India will be allowed to be disrespected," he said while addressing the media. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The police have filed an FIR and taken action on the incident, and if anyone creates such a language dispute in future, legal action will be taken. We are proud of our Marathi, but injustice cannot be done to any language of India in this manner; we will have to keep this in mind. And sometimes I am surprised that these people embrace English and create disputes over Hindi. What kind of thinking is this, and what kind of action is this? Therefore, strict action will be taken against those who take the law into their own hands," Fadnavis added. First Published: July 05, 2025, 10:18 IST 'I Will Leave If Bengal Ministers Ultimatum To TMC After Attack In Constituency Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 10:23 IST Siddiqullah Chowdhury warned that if the attackers are not expelled from the party by July 9, he will launch a massive protest rally in Kolkata on July 10 Siddiqullah Chowdhury claimed the local police station was aware of the possibility of an attack, but no action was taken. (Facebook) West Bengals Minister of Mass Education Extension and Library Services, Siddiqullah Chowdhury, has openly expressed his anger and disappointment with the Trinamool Congress (TMC), alleging that he was attacked by miscreants backed by his own party during a recent visit to his constituency in Monteswar. Speaking exclusively to News18, Chowdhurywho also heads the West Bengal unit of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hindwarned that if the attackers are not expelled from the party by July 9, he will launch a massive protest rally in Kolkata on July 10 and subsequently resign from the TMC. Recommended Stories If those responsible are not thrown out of the party, I will leave. I will gather 20 lakh people for the rally," he said. Chowdhurys earlier protests over the Waqf law issue had paralysed the city. Describing the incident, Chowdhury said he was conducting meetings in preparation for TMCs annual Martyrs Day on July 21 when the attack took place. At two locations, miscreants waved black flags at me. Suddenly, my car was attacked right in front of the police. My driver was injured. They tried to attack me as well. What is this if not outrageous? Why shouldnt I be upset?" he said. Allegation of Inaction by Police The minister said he had informed the Chief Ministers Office, senior party leaders, as well as the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police. He claimed the local police station was aware of the possibility of an attack, but no action was taken. This was not a surprise ambush; they knew it was going to happen. Yet, they stood by and did nothing," Chowdhury alleged. He added that senior TMC leader and minister Firhad Hakim reached out to him, assuring that justice would be served. Firhad told me even the chief minister is furious. Im watching closely. If no action is taken, Im out." Ahmed Hussain Shek Behind the Attack When asked if he knew who had orchestrated the assault, Chowdhury named Ahmed Hussain Shek, president of the Panchayat Samiti in Monteswar, and accused him of being a known anti-social element". He is behind this attack. I will not tolerate criminal activitynot from the CPM earlier, and not now from within my own party." False Campaigns Against Me Responding to claims that he is rarely seen in his constituency, Chowdhury dismissed the allegations as part of a smear campaign. These are lies spread by bad elements. I have always worked for the people. As of now, five people have been arrested, and FIRs have been filed against 41 others. But this is not enough." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Chowdhury emphasised that leaders like him played a key role in bringing the TMC to power and deserve proper protection. If a minister is not safe, how will common citizens trust the police to protect them?" he asked. The political tension comes at a time when the TMC is preparing for its flagship July 21 rally and Chowdhurys threat of a counter-protest could spell trouble for the party leadership if the issue is not resolved quickly. About the Author Kamalika Sengupta Kamalika Sengupta, Editor, Digital East of News18, is a multilingual journalist with 16 years of experience in covering the northeast, with specialisation in politics and defence. She has won UNICEF Laadli Awar... Read More Kamalika Sengupta, Editor, Digital East of News18, is a multilingual journalist with 16 years of experience in covering the northeast, with specialisation in politics and defence. She has won UNICEF Laadli Awar... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 10:23 IST 'There Are Many Like Manojit Mishra': Suspended TMC Student Leaders To News18 Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 22:48 IST Rajanya Halder and Prantik Chakraborty addressed the prevalence of a 'dadagiri culture' within the TMCP Suspended TMCP leaders Rajanya Halder and Prantik Chakraborty have spoken exclusively with News18, making serious charges that paint a grim picture of the student wing's internal dynamics. Pic/News18 Allegations of a pervasive dadagiri", or bullying and dominance, culture within the Trinamool Congresss student wing, the TMCP, have come to light following the alleged gang rape incident at South Calcutta Law College. The primary accused, Manojit Mishra, was reportedly a former Trinamool Chhatra Parishad leader, sparking further concerns about the environment within the student organisation. In the aftermath, suspended TMCP leaders Rajanya Halder and Prantik Chakraborty have spoken exclusively with News18, making serious charges that paint a grim picture of the student wings internal dynamics. Rajanya Halder, addressing the prevalence of a dadagiri culture" within the TMCP, unequivocally stated, Yes, there are many like Manojit Mishra in the organisation. This culture of intimidation and dominance existsand it needs to end." She emphasised the necessity of democratic elections within students unions as the only effective way to dismantle this entrenched culture. Halder also stressed the importance of speaking out against horrific crimes like rape, aligning her views with TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjees stance that rapists should face severe consequences. Recommended Stories Rajanya further alleged a pattern of misogyny directed towards women in leadership roles within the student wing. She recounted a personal ordeal from 2024 where some TMC student leaders, unable to tolerate her success, created and circulated an AI-generated nude image of her. This led to brutal online trolling, slut-shaming, and harassment, despite her attempts to clarify on Facebook. Halder clarified that her suspension was not related to her speaking out on this issue but rather due to objections the party had to a film she made. She stated that the harassment against her continues even now for her outspokenness. She also pointed out that this problem is not isolated, referencing the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder case and continuous character assassination she has faced over the past 11 months for condemning such events on college campuses. When asked why she didnt file a police complaint in 2024, Rajanya explained that she didnt want to damage the partys image by naming influential leaders within the TMC, choosing instead to approach the party leadership, who assured her that action would be taken. Prantik, a former vice president of the TMCP, corroborated Rajanyas concerns, asserting that the issue extends beyond just one AI-generated image and reflects a broader problem in contemporary student politics. While he did not personally see the image, he confirmed being informed about it and conveying the information to senior party leadership, though not directly to Mamata Banerjee or Abhishek Banerjee. He noted that his concerns were taken lightly". Prantik affirmed Manojit Mishras undeniable association with the TMCP, calling it an open secret" that he was known as a dada". Prantik recalled an incident in 2022 where he barred Mishra from campus, leading to a death threat, which he reported to higher authorities without any subsequent action. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Prantik maintained that Rajanya is being targeted simply for protesting and is receiving abusive phone calls, highlighting that the issue is larger than one individual. He stressed the need for accountability from local leadership responsible for these areas, expressing uncertainty about whether concrete action will follow the partys assurances. In response to Rajanyas statements, TMC minister and Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim dismissively said, Who is she? Who? Who are these people? If someone accused you of something, would you respond to them?" About the Author Kamalika Sengupta Kamalika Sengupta, Editor, Digital East of News18, is a multilingual journalist with 16 years of experience in covering the northeast, with specialisation in politics and defence. She has won UNICEF Laadli Awar... Read More Kamalika Sengupta, Editor, Digital East of News18, is a multilingual journalist with 16 years of experience in covering the northeast, with specialisation in politics and defence. She has won UNICEF Laadli Awar... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 22:48 IST Uddhav Hugs Cousin Raj Thackeray On Stage In Mega Reunion At Mumbai Rally | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 13:11 IST The two estranged cousins are coming together for a joint rally after two decades. Uddhav Thackeray hugged Raj Thackeray on the stage. Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray hold joint rally in Mumbai (ANI Image) In what suggests a new political realignment in Maharashtra, two estranged cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray shared a hug on Saturday as the two leaders arrived at a joint mega victory gathering" celebrating the state governments rollback of the Hindi language policy in primary schools. As Raj Thackeray arrived on the stage at the NSCI Dome in Worli, Uddhav was seen walking towards him with his right hand extended. The two leaders shared a hug in a public display of reunion after two decades. Both of them threw their fists in the air and acknowledged their supporters in the crowd. Recommended Stories #WATCH | Mumbai: Brothers, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray share a hug as Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are holding a joint rally as the Maharashtra government scrapped two GRs to introduce Hindi as the third language.(Source: Shiv Sena-UBT) pic.twitter.com/nSRrZV2cHT ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2025 Later during the rally, the two leaders shook hands and sat beside each other. They were seen talking and sharing a laughter. VIDEO | Mumbai, Maharashtra: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray (@uddhavthackeray) and MNS chief Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) shake hands as they hold a joint victory gathering, titled Awaj Marathicha to celebrate the rollback of two GRs issued earlier by the government pic.twitter.com/inercdDjm9 Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 5, 2025 While Congress chose to distance itself from the reunion event of the two estranged brothers, several Opposition leaders, including NCP-SP MP and Sharad Pawars daughter, Supriya Sule, were present in the audience. In a swipe at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Raj Thackeray said that what Bal Thackeray could not do, he has done it, as he referred to the reunion of the cousins. Today, after twenty years, Uddhav and I are coming together on one platform, something Balasaheb couldnt achieve, but Devendra Fadnavis has made possible," he said. What Was Maharashtras Three-Language Policy? The Maharashtra education department had earlier decided to make Hindi a compulsory third language for Classes 1 to 5 in both Marathi and English medium schools, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. This decision was officially announced on April 17. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all However, after facing opposition, the policy was changed on June 18. It stated that Hindi would be the default third language, but students could choose a different Indian language if at least 20 students in a class requested it. A review committee was also set up on June 24 to re-evaluate the decision. Amid strong criticism from the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, the state government withdrew both decisions last Sunday. 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: July 05, 2025, 12:21 IST Uddhav-Raj Reunion: What Thackeray Cousins Joining 2 Senas Means For War Over Marathi Votes Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 21:21 IST Observers say Maharashtras political landscape has dramatically changed with Eknath Shindes rise, and the Thackeray cousins have been forced to reunite for their shared survival Estranged cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray reunited publicly after two decades. (Photo Credit: X) It was an emotional and proud moment for thousands of Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS workers as the Thackeray cousinsUddhav and Rajfinally came together under one roof at Mumbais iconic Worli Dome. The grand event, held to assert Marathi identity and unity, turned into much more than just a political programme. Since the early noughties, the split between the Thackeray cousins had become symbolic of a divided Marathi voteand a divided Shiv Sena family. On one side was Uddhav, carrying Balasahebs legacy through the official (then undivided) Shiv Sena, and on the other, Raj Thackeray, the fiery orator who left the party in 2006 to form the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) after feeling sidelined in the succession battle. Recommended Stories That split changed the course of Mumbai and Maharashtra politics. Both parties fought the same battlesfor Marathi pride, for the rights of locals in Indias biggest metropolisbut did so separately. And each time they did, the biggest winner was someone else: the BJP, the Congress, or lately, Eknath Shindes Shiv Sena faction. But now, in 2024, when Maharashtras political landscape has dramatically changed with Shindes rise and Uddhavs camp fighting for survival, observers say the Thackeray cousins sharing the stage feels like history repeating itselfbut this time, to mend old wounds. Senior leaders like Bala Nandgaonkar, Anil Parab, Sudhir Salvi, and Kishori Pednekar, all old-time Shiv Sainiks, could not hold back tears as they witnessed this moment. Many of them recalled how Balasaheb once tried to keep the family united but could not. To see Uddhav and Raj together, they said, again brought back the spirit of the old Senaaggressive, unapologetic, and fiercely protective of the Marathi identity. Anil Parab called it a golden and historic moment" for the Marathi community. Kishori Pednekar, emotional as always, used a beautiful metaphor: Just as water cannot be separated by hitting it with a stick, the blood flowing in Raj Thackerays veins is the same that flows in Uddhavs." She reminded everyone how in 1993, when Mumbai burned, it was the Marathi peopleunited, fearlesswho stood with Balasaheb and the Shiv Sena. This time too, thousands of Shiv Sainiks and MNS workers flooded Worli Dome to witness what felt like more than just a political handshakeit was a family reunion. For old-time party workers, who stood by Balasaheb in good times and bad, this was the moment they had prayed fora signal that the divided Marathi voice could once again speak in one, thunderous voice. Almost 20 years after their paths split, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray have shared the stage again in an official, public event. While no formal alliance has been declared yet, many leaders from both camps believe its now just a formality. The symbolism is strong: if Balasaheb couldnt make them patch up back then, todays political reality has forced the cousins to come together for their shared survivaland to revive Brand Thackeray". Critics who scoffed at the idea that the Thackeray brothers could bury their differences have fallen silent, at least for now. One thing is certain: if the cousins fight together, the constant splitting of Marathi votes that helped rivals gain an edge may stop. A consolidated Marathi vote bank is powerful. In Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, and parts of Western Maharashtra, this block can swing seats that have recently slipped away from both the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all This reunion is not just a challenge for the BJP, which hoped to corner Marathi votes through its alliance with Shindes factionits a direct challenge to Eknath Shinde himself. Shindes main pitch since he split from Uddhav has been that his faction is the real Shiv Sena" carrying forward Babasahebs legacy. But with the actual Thackeray bloodline standing together on stage, claiming that same legacy, Shindes narrative will be under examination. In the last assembly elections, Shindes faction outperformed Uddhavs Sena precisely because the Marathi vote was divided three waysbetween Uddhav, Raj, and Shinde. If the cousins truly unite, that vote pool will consolidate, and the combined strength of Rajs oratory and street connect, plus Uddhavs loyal grassroots network, could pose a serious challenge to Shinde and the BJP. About the Author Mayuresh Ganapatye Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @mayuganapa... Read More Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @mayuganapa... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 20:20 IST Yes, We're Goons: Uddhav Thackeray Defends 'Marathi Pride' At Joint Rally With Raj Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 16:55 IST The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief appeared emphatic with his cousin and defended "Marathi pride" saying, "Yes, we are goons if we have to do hooliganism for justice." Estranged cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray reunited publicly after two decades. (Photo Credits: X) Shiv Sena (UBT)s Uddhav Thackeray and MNS Raj Thackeray, the estranged cousins, reunited in Mumbai on Saturday for a mega victory gathering" to celebrate the rollback of the controversial Hindi language policy in primary schools in Maharashtra. Taking a jibe at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Raj Thackeray said that he managed to do what even his uncle and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray could not do". Recommended Stories While addressing the joint rally at the NSCI Dome in Worli, Raj Thackeray said, Chief Minister Fadnavis managed to do what Balasaheb Thackeray could not bring me and Uddhav together." The reunited cousins shared a public platform after over 20 years ahead of the upcoming local body polls, hinting at a new political alignment in the state. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief appeared emphatic with his cousin and defended Marathi pride" saying, Yes, we are goons if we have to do hooliganism for justice." Referring to Fadnavis statement on the assault of a shopkeeper by MNS workers that hooliganism" in the name of Marathi would not be tolerated, Uddhav Thackeray said they would keep doing hooliganism" if they dont get justice. Fadnavis said we wont tolerate hooliganism for language. If a Marathi manus (person) is asking for justice, and if you are calling us goons, Yes, we are goons; if we have to be goons to get justice, we will do goondagiri," he said. The MNS chief too addressed the rally in Marathi and said that everyone residing in Maharashtra should know and speak in Marathi. Be it a Gujarati or anyone else here, must know Marathi, but there is no need to beat people for that if they dont speak Marathi. Yet, if someone does some drama, you must hit them below their eardrums." He followed up with advice, If you beat someone, dont make a video of the incident. Let the person beaten up tell that he has been beaten up; you dont need to tell everyone." United On Linguistic Identity Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asserted that he and his cousin have come together to stay together". Raj, I and everyone else here is united. We have come together to stay together," he said, saying that they will capture power in the Mumbai civic body and Maharashtra together. Uddhav Thackeray and Raj shared the public stage and hosted a victory gathering, titled Awaj Marathicha, to celebrate the rollback of two GRs issued earlier by the government introducing Hindi as a third language from class 1 in state schools. The Sena (UBT) chief also said, We wont let the government impose Hindi on us". The language row came when the Maharashtra government issued an order in April to make Hindi as the compulsory third language for students in their primary classes. It was met with large opposition and political pressure, which led to a withdrawal recently. Slap Row In Maharashtra The party workers and goons" of MNS assaulted a Mumbai shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi this week. The attackers have yet to be arrested, despite having filmed the assault and posted it online. The MNS has refused to apologise or even reprimand those involved in either attack. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Sandeep Deshpande, the partys Mumbai unit boss, claimed the vicious slaps rained on Babulal Khimji Chaudhary were because the 48-year-old, whose shop has been a fixture in the Mira Road suburb for 20 years, had insulted Marathi. If there is an attempt to insult Marathi, we will respond. It will not be tolerated." Earlier in March this year, Raj Thackeray had said that his party would not refrain from slapping" people if they refuse to speak Marathi in the state. He had cited the Tamil Nadu language row and had said that they dared" to say no to Hindi". About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More First Published: July 05, 2025, 16:41 IST No Food, Handcuffed, Treated Like Cattle: Newlywed Bride Recounts US Detention Ordeal Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 17:28 IST Ward Sakeik (22) was detained by ICE officials in February at the Miami International Airport after returning from her honeymoon in the US Virgin Islands with her husband. Ward Sakeik, 22, is married to a US citizen. (Photo: X) In her first remarks since being released earlier this week from US immigration detention after spending over four months in custody, a 22-year-old Palestinian woman, who was married to a US citizen, said that she was denied basic rights and subjected to harsh treatment while in custody. Ward Sakeik (22), was born in Saudi Arabia but doesnt hold citizenship in any country. She has lived in the United States since the age of 8, but was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in February at the Miami International Airport after returning from her honeymoon in the US Virgin Islands with her husband, Taahir Shaikh, a US citizen. Recommended Stories After her release, she spoke about the harsh treatment she faced while in custody. I was just coming back from my honeymoon with my husband. Instead, I was shackled, handcuffed for 16 hours without food or water, and moved around like cattle," she said while addressing a press briefing after her release, The Guardian reported. Sakeik said she and her husband had deliberately picked the US Virgin Islands for their honeymoon to avoid any complications and trouble with international travel since her green card application was pending. Despite those precautions, she was detained upon her return. She said that she lost five months of her life because of her statelessness. I did lose five months of my life because I was criminalized for being stateless, something that I absolutely have no control over. I didnt choose to be stateless. I didnt do a crime that made me stateless. I had no choice. I was just stateless," ABC News quoted Sakeik as saying. According to Sakeik, she was transferred between at least four detention facilities during her 140-day stay and was often shackled and transported without food or water. Sakeik described her detention, saying humanity was stripped away from me." I was moved around like cattle and the U.S. government attempted to dump me in part of the world where I dont know where Im going and what Im doing or anything," Sakeik said. Soon after her release, she ran to her husband, saying, I was like, oh my God, I can touch him without handcuffs and a glass. It was just freedom. I was overfilled with joy and a little shock. I mean, it was my first time seeing a tree in five months." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Meanwhile, ICE officials have defended her detention and rejected allegations of mistreatment. Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, told India Today that all detainees are provided food, medical care, and access to legal counsel. Any claim that there is a lack of food or substandard conditions at ICE detention centres is false," she said. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... 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! Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: July 05, 2025, 17:28 IST RIP = Return In Panic? How A Misread Text Turned US Flight Into Mid-Air Mayhem Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 18:47 IST A passenger saw the person next to them receive a text message that read "RIP", which is a common acronym for 'Rest in Peace', and assumed it was a threat to the flight, The American Airlines flight was rerouted after a passenger misread a text. (Photo Credits: X) In a bizarre incident, an American Airlines flight carrying 193 passengers was diverted back to San Juan, Puerto Rico, after a passenger misrepresented a RIP" text message they saw next to them, and assumed it was a threat to the flight. According to a report by People, a passenger saw the person next to them receive a text message that read RIP", which is a common acronym for Rest in Peace, and assumed it was a threat to the flight, as per Puerto Ricos Office of Explosives and Public Safety. Recommended Stories The passenger reportedly informed a stewardess about the message, who alerted the cockpit, leading to the rollout of emergency safety protocols. American Airlines flight 1847, with service from San Juan (SJU) to Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), returned to SJU shortly after departure due to a possible security concern," said a spokesperson for American Airlines. The flight resumed its route and took off soon afterwards. The flight landed safely in San Juan, after which law enforcement inspected and cleared the aircraft to re-depart. Safety and security are our top priorities and we apologise to our customers for the inconvenience," the airline said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The passenger who received the RIP message said a relative had died the day before, adding that they were on the flight after leaving their vacation early. It was a mix-up that was handled in accordance with safety protocols. There was no real threat to the flight or its passengers," said Nelman Nevarez, Aerostars director of operations. Social media users called for action against the woman who made the complaint. The passenger should be charged with making a false accusation. Peeper should pay cost of flight diversion and law enforcement response," said a user. 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 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 : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: July 05, 2025, 18:47 IST Volcano Erupts In Japan As New Baba Vangas 'July 5 Earthquake' Prophecy Stokes Fears Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 15:09 IST Video of the eruption captured by the Meteorological Agency showed lava and thick grey smoke rising from the mountain around midnight on Wednesday. Volcanic eruption in Japan (Image Credits: AFP) Japans Mount Shinmoedake erupted on Wednesday afternoon, sending thick ash plumes several metres into the air. Authorities issued warnings advising locals to stay away from the mountain due to safety concerns. As the volcano erupted, social media was abuzz with references to a viral prediction made by Japanese manga artist Ryo Tatsuki, who had earlier forecast a major disaster in Japan in 2025. Often likened to Baba Vanga for her uncanny foresight, Tatsukis prophecy which mentioned a catastrophic event in early June resurfaced online, with many drawing connections to the sudden volcanic activity. Recommended Stories Japans weather agency also issued a warning and said, The plume reached the height of 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) for the first time since April 3, 2011." Video of the eruption captured by the Meteorological Agency showed lava and thick grey smoke rising from the mountain around midnight on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a powerful earthquake on Thursdayone of over 1,000 tremors reported in Kagoshima prefecture over the past two weekshas intensified speculation linked to a manga prediction about a major disaster in July. Following a 5.5-magnitude quake near southern Kyushu, authorities evacuated residents from nearby remote islands on Friday. On Saturday, Japans government warned of further possible quakes in the region but urged the public not to fall for baseless disaster rumours circulating online. The mangas first edition appeared to foreshadow the March 2011 quake and tsunami that devastated Japan. Its latest edition has been interpreted by some as predicting a major disaster on July 5, 2025 a claim the creator, Ryo Tatsuki, has denied. Meanwhile, the viral rumour and prediction have also affected tourism in Japan, according to a report by Reuters. While Japan recorded an all-time monthly high of 3.9 million travellers in April, the numbers declined in May. Steve Huen of Hong Kong-based travel agency EGL Tours blamed a flurry of social media predictions tied to a manga that depicts a dream of a massive earthquake and tsunami hitting Japan and neighbouring countries in July 2025. The rumours have had a significant impact," said Huen, adding that his firm had seen its Japan-related business halve. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Branden Choi, a 28-year-old frequent traveller to Japan and resident of Hong Kong, said he was hesitant to visit the country during July and August due to the manga prediction. If possible, I might delay my trip and go after September," he said. 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 : Japan First Published: July 05, 2025, 14:24 IST Bilawal Bhutto Says Pakistan Has No Objection To Extraditing 'Individuals Of Concern' To India Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 16:42 IST Bilawal Bhutto said Pakistan would be willing to arrest any "individual of concern" if India is willing to participate in the process and present evidence of the same. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. File pic/Reuters Former Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said his country had no objection to extraditing individuals of concern" to India as a confidence-building measure, as long as India shows willingness to cooperate with its neighbour. In an interview with Al Jazeera on Friday, Bilawal responded to a question about extraditing Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as possible concessions and good-faith gestures to India. Recommended Stories As part of a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan, where terrorism is one of the issues that we discuss, I am sure Pakistan would not be opposed to any of these things," he said, while accusing India of not complying with Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism. ALSO READ: May Be In Afghanistan: Bilawal Bhutto Says Pakistan Doesnt Know Where Masood Azhar Is If India Cooperates India is refusing to comply with certain basic elements that require that conviction to take place. Its important to present evidence within these courts, for people to come over from India to testify, to put up with whatever the counter-accusations will be," said Bilawal. If India is willing to be cooperative in that process, I am sure there will be no hurdle in extraditing any individual of concern." Masood Azhar, who has been linked to a string of terror attacks in India- including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the 2016 Pathankot airbase assault and the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing- was designated a UN global terrorist in 2019. Meanwhile, Saeed the mastermind of the 26/11 attack is currently serving a 33-year sentence for terror financing. Bilawal also stressed that Pakistan had no knowledge of the location of Azhar and said he would be arrested if New Delhi provides credible evidence that he is on Pakistani soil. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman also suggested that Azhar may be in Afghanistan. New Abnormal Furthermore, Bilawal expressed concern about Indias renewed policy to pursue terrorists, saying it does not serve the interests of either country and termed it a new abnormal". India said any further discussions with Pakistan would only be on terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), after ties deteriorated sharply following a terror attack by Lashkar-linked terrorists in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam on April 22. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all India and Pakistan exchanged four days of hostilities after New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor targeting terror camps in the neighbouring country. The two countries reached an understanding" on May 10. (with agency inputs) About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Location : Islamabad, Pakistan First Published: July 05, 2025, 16:42 IST Planning To Study In Canada? Heres The New Amount Youll Need To Show As Proof Of Funds Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 16:33 IST Canada Study Permit: Canada will raise the minimum financial requirement for study permits from September 1, 2025, affecting international students. Canada Study Permit: Proof of funds is a key part of getting a Canadian study permit.(Unsplash/Representative Image) Canada Study Permit: If youre an international student planning to apply for a Canadian study permit this year, prepare to show more money in your bank account. Starting September 1, 2025, Canada is raising the minimum financial requirement- the proof of funds you must show to cover your living expenses (excluding tuition). According to a new update by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), single applicants will now need to show at least CA$ 22,895, an increase of nearly 11% from the current requirement of CA$ 20,635. In case youre planning to take a family member along, this required amount will be higher. What Is Proof Of Funds And Why You Need To Show It? Recommended Stories Proof of funds is a key part of getting a Canadian study permit. It shows that you can afford to live in Canada while you study- covering basics like rent, food, transport and other everyday expenses. You can demonstrate this money through: a Canadian bank account in your name, a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), proof of a student loan from a bank, bank statements, scholarship letters or financial support letters from a sponsor. What Is The New Rule Now? This isnt the first time IRCC has increased the requirement. Until the end of 2023, the minimum amount was just CA$ 10,000- but starting January 1, 2024, that number more than doubled to CA$ 20,635. These changes come amid a major policy shift to limit the influx of international students as Canada has been facing a growing backlash over housing shortages and strained public services. After the April 2025 federal election, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney reaffirmed that temporary residents- including students and foreign workers- will be capped at 5% of the total population by 2027. In line with this, the government has set a cap of 437,000 study permits for 2025, down from 485,000 this year. That same cap will carry forward to 2026 as well. What Does This Mean For Indian Students In Canada? top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The impact is already showing. In the first quarter of 2025, Canada issued 30,640 study permits to Indian students, a sharp 31% drop from 44,295 during the same period last year. Overall international student permits also fell from 121,070 in Q1 2024 to 96,015 in Q1 2025. Just two years ago, in 2023, Canada had issued a record 681,155 study permits, with Indian students making up 278,045 of those. By 2024, the number dropped to 516,275, with the Indian share falling to 188,465. Location : Canada First Published: July 05, 2025, 16:33 IST Is Gaza Ceasefire Within Reach? Trump Optimistic But Here's Where Things Stand Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 20:15 IST Hamas agrees to a 60-day truce with Israel, raising hopes for a Gaza ceasefire. Trump is optimistic about a deal next week amid international and internal pressure in Israel. Israel-Hamas War: Israeli tanks return from the Gaza Strip after completing a mission. (Reuters file photo) After Hamas announced that it had submitted a positive response" to a proposal for a 60-day truce with Israel, US President Donald Trump said hes optimistic" that a ceasefire deal in Gaza could be agreed next week. We have to get it over with," Trump said Friday. We have to do something about Gaza." Recommended Stories After months of deadlock, an agreement between Israel and Hamas now appears possible, as both sides have agreed to a revised proposal, bridging their long-standing conflicting demands. A truce between Iran and Israel, US pressure, and a change in Israels war objectives have all contributed to renewed momentum Following the Israel-Iran ceasefire on June 24, mediators Qatar and Egypt, as well as the United States, have redoubled their calls for a new Gaza truce. A Qatari foreign ministry spokesman told CNN the Israel-Iran agreement had created momentum" for the latest talks between Israel and Hamas. Netanyahus government faces growing global criticism for the Palestinian suffering in Gaza amid the ongoing war. Israel imposed a full blockade on humanitarian aid to Gaza in March, easing it slightly in May after international warnings of potential starvation for hundreds of thousands of people. In recent days, hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israeli strikes. And aid distribution has been marred by violence, with hundreds killed on their way to try to obtain food from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the controversial US-backed aid initiative that began operating at the end of May. Pressure is also growing on Netanyahu from within Israel. Netanyahus government, supported by far-right allies pushing for more aggression in Gaza, faces opposition from leader Yair Lapid, who has offered to join a coalition to facilitate a hostage deal. Notably, polls indicate that a majority of the country wants a deal to bring the hostages home, even if it means an end to the war. Israels Demands Netanyahu remains committed to his broader objectives, including disarming Gaza and destruction of Hamas military capabilities and governance abilities, alongside securing the release of hostages. His stance on these maximalist aims hasnt wavered, despite the ongoing conflict. The Prime Minister, last week, shifted his stance, prioritising the safe return of hostages over defeating Hamas, a goal he previously called the supreme objective" Many opportunities have opened up", Netanyahu said following Israels military operations in Iran, including the possibility of bringing home everyone still held captive by Hamas. Firstly, to rescue the hostages," he said. Of course, we will also need to solve the Gaza issue, defeat Hamas, but I believe we will accomplish both missions." What About Hamas? Hamas on Friday announced that it submitted a positive response to the mediators, and the movement is fully prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations regarding the mechanism for implementing this framework." Hamas has outlined three core demands for a ceasefire agreement. Firstly, they insist on a permanent end to the fighting, ensuring a lasting halt to military operations. Secondly, they want humanitarian assistance to be facilitated without restrictions, potentially involving the United Nations in the process. Lastly, Hamas demands that Israel withdraw its forces to the positions held before March 2, 2025. Proposed Deal Although the fine detail of the proposal is yet to be released, it is clear that the revised plan is an attempt to bridge some of the differences between Israel and Hamas. According to a CNN source, familiar with the negotiations, the timeline of the latest proposal calls for the release of 10 living Israeli hostages and 18 deceased hostages spread out over the full 60-day period. The Israeli Government said that out of the 50 hostages still in Gaza, at least 20 of them are believed to be alive. Under the proposed ceasefire deal, Hamas would release eight living hostages on the first day of the 60-day truce. In exchange, Israel would release an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, and withdraw its forces from pre-agreed locations in northern Gaza. The sources said that Israel and Hamas would also immediately enter into negotiations for a permanent ceasefire once the initial truce goes into effect. According to the proposed deal, Hamas will release hostages discreetly, without public ceremonies or fanfare, as requested by Israel. This approach differs from the previous truce, where Hamas staged public propaganda events around hostage transfers, sparking outrage in Israel. Similar to the previous ceasefire, which began on January 19, humanitarian aid will immediately begin to flow into Gaza at the start of the ceasefire, including from the United Nations and from other aid organisations. This leaves the fate of the US-backed GHF and its role in Gaza unclear. An Israeli official told CNN that the US and the mediators have provided stronger assurances about reaching a settlement to end the war in Gaza as part of the updated proposal, something that, in principle, should address one of Hamas key concerns. The official did not provide the specific language in the document, but said the wording is stronger than previous assurances. Previous Ceasefires During the 21-month Israel-Hamas conflict, brief ceasefires have cumulatively lasted only about nine weeks. According to the Palestinian health ministry, more than 57,000 people, of whom more than 17,000 are children, have been killed in Gaza during the fighting. The first ceasefire came into effect in November 2023, but lasted only a week. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A temporary ceasefire was reached in January 2025, just before Trumps return to the White House, which lasted over 8 weeks. During this period, Hamas released 33 hostages, while Israel freed approximately 50 Palestinian prisoners for each Israeli hostage released. The ceasefire was supposed to transition into a permanent agreement, but Israel broke the truce on March 18, restarting its military campaign to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages. Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: July 05, 2025, 20:15 IST Mamdani Under Fire For Socialist Stance Amid Mother's $2M Luxury Loft Ownership Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 07:13 IST People are also talking about Zohran Mamdani's net worth on X, estimating it to be between USD 2 million and USD 10 million. New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. (Reuters) Zohran Mamdani, an Indian-origin politician, secured a victory in New York Citys Democratic mayoral primary, is facing criticism with several highlighting his elite education and family wealth. The family background of Mamdani has also drawn attention, and Mamdani has been referred to as a nepo baby." Mira Nair, a celebrated Indian-American filmmaker, is Mamdanis mother, and his father is a prominent writer and Columbia University professor. Recommended Stories People are also talking about his net worth on X, estimating it to be between USD 2 million and USD 10 million. Critics argue that Mamdanis personal wealth clashes with his social stance. His mother, renowned director Mira Nair, owned a luxury Manhattan loft for over a decade, now estimated at USD 1.9 million. Mamdani also holds a 4-acre property in Uganda, valued between USD 150,000 and USD 250,000, as per his 2024 ethics filingraising questions about the consistency of his socialist image. Elite Roots Undermine Socialist Pitch Zohran Mamdanis campaign built on promises like free city buses, universal child care, a rent freeze for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments, and government-run grocery stores funded through taxes on the wealthy positions itself as a bold new blueprint for Democrats in the Trump-era political landscape. However, critics argue that Mamdanis privileged background contradicts his working-class message. Backlash Over Ideology and Language top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Mamdani also faces mounting resistance from within the Democratic establishment. While his campaign has been acknowledged for its grassroots energy, party leaders have hesitated to offer full support. His past criticisms of law enforcement, his use of the term genocide" to describe Israels actions in Gaza, and his democratic socialist" label remain political flashpoints. As former Governor Andrew Cuomo leans on experience and a tough-on-crime stance, Mamdanis unapologetically progressive platform continues to polarise voters energising the left while unnerving moderates wary of ideological overreach. Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: July 05, 2025, 07:04 IST MIT Economist's 'Mad Max' Warning: AI Won't Take Your Job, Just Your Paycheck Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 20:55 IST MIT economist David Autor predicted a 'Mad Max' scenario in future due to AI, where skills that once generated wages would become cheap and income inequality would widen. MIT economist David Autor predicted that AI would make most skills cheap. (News18 Hindi) The rapid advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has fuelled concerns across the world over potential job losses. However, MIT economist David Autor has predicted a different future where unemployment may not be the problem, but receiving your paycheck wont be as satisfactory. Autor predicted that the rise of AI could trigger a Mad Max" scenario, where skills that once generated wages would become cheap and commoditised, and leaving most workers fighting for little of what wealth they can get, while the rich consolidate most of the power. Recommended Stories The more likely scenario to me looks much more like Mad Max: Fury Road, where everybody is competing over a few remaining resources that arent controlled by some warlord somewhere," he said on the Possible" podcast, hosted by LinkedIn cofounder Reed Hoffman. Autor was referring to the dystopian movie Mad Max: Fury Road, a post-apocalyptic movie where resources are scarce while a tyrant rules over a helpless population. The economist said AI could concentrate wealth and power at the top while leaving most workers to fight over whats left. What Will Happen To Workers? The threat that rapid automation poses to the degree it poses as a threat is not running out of work, but making the valuable skills that people have highly abundant so theyre no longer valuable," he said. He also pointed out that some roles, such as touch typists, factory technicians and taxi drivers which are well-paying jobs have been downgraded or replaced by technology. He said people will not be unemployed, but shifted to lower-paid service jobs like food service, cleaning or security that do not require much training and offer minimal pay. Automation can either increase the expertise of your work by eliminating the supporting tasks and allowing you to focus on what youre really good at," he said. Or, it can descale your work by automating the expert parts and just leaving you with a sort of last mile." This follows a Salesforce study from May, which projected that 23% of workers will be redeployed over the next two years due to the rapid rise of AI. Even those who remain in their current roles are expected to see significant changes in their job responsibilities. How To Stop Tech-Driven Inequality? top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Autor called on efforts to design AI to support workers in order to avoid a future where technology widens inequality. He said the best place to start would be by focusing AI where it can do the most good, such as in healthcare and education. Healthcare and education two activities that in the United States has 20% GDP, a lot of it public money, actually this is where theres such a great opportunity where AI could be a tool that could be so helpful to us in a way that other tools have not been," he said. About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: July 05, 2025, 20:55 IST Trump Says Putin Wants To 'Just Keep Killing People', Hints At Tough Sanctions Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 16:03 IST US President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Vladimir Putin after a failed call, signaling potential new sanctions. US President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin US President Donald Trump voiced strong criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing deep frustration over their latest conversation about the ongoing war in Ukraine. Calling the situation no good", Donald Trump said he was very unhappy" with the call, as he accused Vladimir Putin of wanting to keep killing people." Its a very tough situation," Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding, He wants to go all the way- just keep killing people. Its no good." Recommended Stories US To Impose Sanctions On Russia? The US president also suggested that additional US sanctions on Moscow could be imminent, saying sanctions were a recurring topic in his conversations with Vladimir Putin. He said, He understands that it may be coming." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Despite previously criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Donald Trump described a separate Friday call with the Ukrainian leader as very strategic." The two reportedly discussed bolstering Ukraines air defense capabilities following Russias largest missile and drone assault since the war began over three years ago. According to AFP, Zelenskyy said the pair agreed to work on strengthening air defenses. In another diplomatic exchange, Donald Trump spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz about the potential deployment of US-made Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine. Donald Trump said no final decision had been made but acknowledged Friedrich Merzs position saying, He feels they have to be protected." Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: July 05, 2025, 16:03 IST Trump Says TikTok Deal Pretty Much Done, Sets Timeline For Talks With China Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 20:30 IST Donald Trump announced the US is ready to discuss a potential TikTok deal with China, possibly involving Xi Jinping. Donald Trump signed an executive order granting extension to TikTok. Donald Trump said that the US is ready to begin discussions with China as early as Monday or Tuesday regarding a potential deal over TikTok, the popular short-video app owned by China-based ByteDance. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Donald Trump claimed the US pretty much" has a deal in place and said talks could involve Chinese President Xi Jinping or one of his representatives. I think were gonna start Monday or Tuesday talking to China- perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives- but we pretty much have a deal," he said. Recommended Stories He also floated the possibility of a personal meeting, saying he might visit China or Xi might come to the US after both leaders reportedly extended such invitations to each other last month. Third Extension And New Deadline The announcement comes weeks after Donald Trump signed his third executive order delaying a potential ban on TikTok in the US, giving ByteDance until September 17 to finalize the sale of its US operations. The app has more than 170 million American users. A deal to spin off TikToks US assets into a new, US-based company- majority-owned and operated by American investors- had been in the works earlier this year. But talks stalled after China signaled resistance, especially following Donald Trumps announcement of steep tariffs on Chinese goods. Donald Trump acknowledged that Beijings approval would likely be needed. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Im not confident, but I think so," he said when asked whether China would agree, adding, President Xi and I have a great relationship, and I think its good for them. I think the deal is good for China and its good for us." TikTok, in a statement, thanked both Donald Trump and US Vice President JD Vance, saying it would continue to work with Vice President Vances Office" to finalize an agreement. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: July 05, 2025, 20:30 IST HOUSTON, July 4 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 people were killed and more than 20 children from summer camps along the Guadalupe River went missing during the major flash flooding caused by heavy rain overnight in central Texas, the second largest U.S. state, authorities updated Friday afternoon. There are currently "about 23" kids unaccounted for at Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp for girls, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told a news conference Friday afternoon. The camp hosts about 750 children. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told a news conference that at least 13 people died in the county due to the severe flooding and several people remain unaccounted for. Leitha said he expects more fatalities to be reported in the county. White House Springs Into Action After Texas Floods: What Donald Trump Said Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: July 05, 2025, 21:36 IST President Trump announced collaboration with Texas officials to address devastating floods. First Lady Melania and Trump offered prayers. At least 27 died, over 20 girls missing. A photo shows flooding caused by a flash flood at the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas, on July 5, 2025. (AFP) US President Donald Trump said that the administration is collaborating with state and local officials in Texas to respond to the devastating floods that occurred yesterday. First Lady Melania and President Trump extended their prayers to the families affected by the tragedy. First responders are actively working on the ground to mitigate the situation. The Trump Administration is working with State and Local Officials on the ground in Texas in response to the tragic flooding that took place yesterday," Trump posted on Truth Social, adding that the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, will be there shortly. Recommended Stories Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!" he added. At least 27 people, including nine children, are dead after torrential rain triggered flash flooding in parts of central Texas early Friday, according to officials. According to the authorities, more than 20 girls are unaccounted for at Camp Mystic in Kerr County, which is located along a river that rose more than 20 feet in less than two hours. As a desperate search continues, the mother of a 9-year-old camper told CNN she learned her daughter has died. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all First responders worked tirelessly overnight to rescue flood victims, evacuating over 850 people as of this morning, with helicopters playing a crucial role in the efforts, authorities said. Parts of central Texas saw a months worth of rain in just a few hours, prompting multiple flash flood emergencies. Hunt, a town near Kerrville, received about 6.5 inches in just three hours early Friday, which is considered a one-in-100-years rainfall event for the area. Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: July 05, 2025, 21:36 IST The family of Takaendesa Chisese, an unsung hero, imprisoned together with Robert Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo and Edgar Tekere in the 60s but savagely assaulted by Zanu PF youth in the 2008 Presidential run-off refused Zanu PF officials a platform to speak at his burial on Thursday. Instead, the family allowed several opposition members to speak. The burial took place at Muwandi Village in Ward 21 under Chief Nyamandi. Chiseses homestead is a stone-throw away from Zanu PF MP, Winston Chitandos rural homestead. Speaking at the funeral, 2023 Gutu Central opposition candidate, Matthew Takaona described Chisese as one of the greatest heroes of our time. Sekuru Chisese carried the cross until he died. He remained a custodian of the ideals of the liberation struggle. He died a pauper because he refused to renege on what people fought for, hence he was attacked and injured in defence of one man one vote. The key objective of the liberation struggle was one man one vote, said Takaona. He said that Zanu PF has been taken over by mercenaries who joined the war in pursuit of fortunes. Speaking at the same occasion, Lloyd Mufudze who is an opposition District Co-ordinator advised village heads and chiefs against working for Zanu PF or any other political party. He said this was unlawful and not one of their duties and urged the traditional leaders to desist from that. You tarnish your names and your standing as traditional leaders when you do illegal things including forcing your subjects to support Zanu PF, said Mufudze. He said the MP for Gutu Central is Matthew Takaona. SADC declared that the 2023 elections were a sham and therefore there are no winners. Our MP is Matthew Takaona and Zanu PF can have Chitando as their MP if they like, said Mufudze. The oppositions co-ordinator for Ward 21, Njodzi Jengwa told mourners that Chisese did not die of natural death but was murdered by Zanu PF thugs. He described the late as a freedom fighter. He bemoaned those who continue to vote Zanu PF to be ashamed of themselves. Those who are delaying the freedom of the children of Zimbabwe, be ashamed. Spare a moment for your people and be ashamed, reiterated Jengwa. Chisese left Zanu PF to join the opposition in 1999 because he realised that it was the wrong party to be. Masvingo Mirror The French Riviera resort of Cannes is imposing what its city council calls "drastic regulation" on cruise ships, banning any vessels carrying more than 1,000 people from its harbor starting next year. The home of the world's premier film festival is joining a growing global backlash against overtourism, which has spurred water-gun protests in Spain , a surprise strike at the Louvre, and uproar over Jeff Bezos' and Lauren Sanchez's recent Venice wedding, per the AP . "Less numerous, less big, less polluting, and more esthetic"that's the aim of Cannes city councilors who voted Friday to introduce new limits on cruise ships in its ports starting Jan. 1. Only ships with fewer than 1,000 passengers will be allowed in the port, with a maximum of 6,000 passengers disembarking per day. Larger ships will be expected to transfer passengers to smaller boats to enter Cannes. Francewhich drew in some 100 million visitors last year, more than any other European country and more than the country's populationis on the front line of efforts to balance economic benefits of tourism with environmental concerns while managing ever-growing crowds. "Cannes has become a major cruise ship destination, with real economic benefits," Mayor David Lisnard said in a statement. "It's not about banning cruise ships, but about regulating, organizing, setting guidelines for their navigation." Cruise operators have called such restrictions damaging for destinations and for passengers. Two cruise ships were scheduled to dock in Cannes on Sunday, each bigger than the upcoming 1,000-passenger limit and with a combined capacity of more than 7,000 people. Their owners didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on the new restrictions. Those looking for the best barbecue city in the US can skip Texas and head to Missouri instead. Kansas City comes out No. 1 in a new ranking by the firm Lawn Starter. The ranking takes into account factors such as the number of BBQ joints, the number of competition awards, and the number of top-rated or "elite" places. The top 10 overall finishers: A 23-year-old man has become the first person convicted and sentenced under the UK's Online Safety Act after manipulating a woman to attempt suicide, a milestone in the government's efforts. Tyler Webb of Loughborough, England, was given a term of more than nine years in prison for encouraging serious self-harm online, Sky News reports. Webb also pleaded guilty to encouraging suicide in May. "This conviction shows that we have an effective new tool to use against people who are determined to cause this sort of harm online," a prosecutor said. The case centers on the grooming of a woman Webb met in an online mental health forum last year. Over several weeks, Webb persuaded her to harm herself and, on one occasion, to attempt suicide while he watched on a video call. The suicide attempt failed by chance, but Webb told her to try again when she regained consciousness. The victim, who required hospital treatment for her injuries, later reported Webb to police. "He's a very dangerous person," the prosecutor said, per Sky News. During sentencing at Leicester Crown Court, Webb, who is receiving mental health treatment, was described by the judge as "sexually motivated." The court heard that Webb took gratification in causing harm and threatened to move on to another victim if his demands were not met. Webb is to remain in a secure mental health facility until deemed fit for release, at which point he's to serve the remainder of his sentence in prison. The Online Safety Act, which took effect in 2023, provides for new online offenses, including encouraging self-harm. Webb's conviction marks the first test of these laws. Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said that he hopes to live until he is over 130 years old, days after he laid out a succession plan by saying he plans to reincarnate after his death. The Dalai Lama, who is celebrating his 90th birthday on Sunday, made these comments during a ceremony organized by his followers to offer prayers for his long life. He has previously told followers worried about his health that he may live to the age of 110. "I have been able to serve the Buddha dharma and the beings of Tibet so far quite well, and I hope to live over 130 years," the Dalai Lama told thousands of followers who had gathered Saturday in India's northern town of Dharamshala, reports the AP. Dharamshala has been the Dalai Lama's home in exile since 1959 after he fled Tibet in the wake of a failed uprising against Chinese rule. The exiled Tibetan community of more than 20,000 people in Dharamshala is gearing up to celebrate the Dalai Lama's birthday on Sunday. His followers have put up giant posters and billboards across town, as tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the event, including Buddhist leaders of various sects and followers from across the world. Barbara Weibel, a US citizen who has been following Buddhism for more than 30 years, said she "had to be here for this." "I want this long life ceremony to keep him alive as long as possible," she said. story continues below On Wednesday, the Dalai Lama said that he intends to reincarnate, paving the way after his death for a successor to take on a mantle stretching back 500 years. Tibetan Buddhists believe the Dalai Lama can choose the body into which he is reincarnated. That announcement ended years of speculation that started when he indicated that he might be the last person to hold the role. HOUSTON, July 4 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 people were killed and more than 20 children from summer camps along the Guadalupe River went missing during the major flash flooding caused by heavy rain overnight in central Texas, authorities updated Friday afternoon. There are currently "about 23" kids unaccounted for at Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp for girls, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told a news conference Friday afternoon. The camp hosts about 750 children. He said at least 14 helicopters, 12 drones and more than 500 people are searching around the camp, and multiple adults and children have been rescued from trees nearby. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told a news conference that at least 13 people died in the county due to the severe flooding and several people remain unaccounted for. Leitha said he expects more fatalities will be reported in the county. "We are still actively trying to find those that are out and those that are needing assistance," Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said. At about 4 a.m. local time (0900 GMT), the National Weather Service upgraded its flash flood warning, which allows wireless emergency alerts to be sent to cell phones for residents and campers along the river, NBC News reported. The service also warned that a "large and deadly flood wave" was moving down the Guadalupe River. The Guadalupe River in Kerr County rose from 7.5 feet (about 2.3 meters) to nearly 30 feet overnight and is expected to crest at 34 feet in Spring Branch on Friday afternoon, said the service. Cars, campers and mobile homes were swept away as the section of the Guadalupe River surged in the county, online videos showed. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on X that the state is "surging all available resources" to respond to the flooding. "The immediate priority is saving lives," the governor said. Over half a million people in central Texas were under flash flood warnings as of Friday afternoon. The mayors of three major cities in southern Turkey were arrested on Saturday, state-run media reported, joining a growing list of opposition figures detained since the mayor of Istanbul was imprisoned in March. Abdurrahman Tutdere, the mayor of Adiyaman, and Zeydan Karalar, who heads the Adana municipality, were detained in early morning raids, according to Anadolu Agency. Both are members of the main opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, per the AP . The CHP mayor of Antalya, Muhittin Bocek, was arrested with two other suspects in a separate bribery investigation by the Antalya chief public prosecutor's Office, Anadolu reported. CHP officials have faced waves of arrests this year that many consider aimed at neutralizing Turkey's main opposition party. The government insists prosecutors and the judiciary act independently, but the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu led to the largest street protests Turkey has seen in more than a decade, per the AP. Police also carried out searches at the municipal offices in Adana and Adiyaman. Eleven people, including Karalar and Tutdere, were arrested as part of an investigation by the Istanbul chief public prosecutor's office into allegations involving organized crime, bribery and bid-rigging. In a statement, the office said the evidence against Karalar and Tutdere had been supplied by a businessman who cooperated with prosecutors following his detention for running a criminal organization and paying bribes The mayors had "requested unfair financial benefits from company executives doing business with the municipality," prosecutors added. The detentions follow the arrests of scores of officials from municipalities controlled by the CHP in recent months. The CHP mayor of Ankara questioned why municipalities controlled by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party were not subjected to the same level of judicial scrutiny as opposition politicians. "In a system where the law is bent and twisted according to politics, where justice is applied to one group and ignored by another, no one should expect us to trust the rule of law or believe in justice," Mansur Yavas posted on X. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc condemned "irresponsible accusations that directly harm the impartiality and independence of the judiciary and aim to undermine it." Fairbanks, AK (99701) Today Rain showers in the morning with scattered thunderstorms arriving in the afternoon. High 68F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Overcast with rain showers at times. Low 54F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. TOKYO, Jul 05 (News On Japan) - A rumor predicting a major disaster in Japan this July has spread widely in Hong Kong, prompting a sharp drop in inbound tourism from the region and even flight suspensions. On July 4th, many foreign tourists could still be seen around central Osaka. May saw a record number of international visitors to Japan for that month, reflecting a continued boom in inbound tourism. However, data show that travelers from Hong Kong are bucking the trend. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of visitors from Hong Kong in May fell by around 24,000 compared to the same month last yearan 11% drop. Some Hong Kong tourists said they had been warned against visiting Japan this year. "The prophecy in that book is well known in Hong Kong, and people think it's dangerous," said one tourist. At the center of the rumor is the manga Watashi ga Mita Mirai: Kanzenban (The Future I Saw: Complete Edition) by Tatsuki Ryo, originally published in 1999. The manga, which recounts her alleged prophetic dreams, gained notoriety after one of its predictionsa major disaster in March 2011was seen as foreshadowing the Great East Japan Earthquake. The current rumor stems from another passage in the same book: The water in the Pacific south of the Japanese archipelago will rise. This disaster will happen in July 2025. Although the work is entirely based on the authors dreams and lacks scientific evidence, the passage has spread rapidly on social media platforms in Hong Kong since the beginning of the year. There are many people who believe in it, one Hong Kong visitor said. Everyone told me not to go to Japan in July, so I came in May instead. The effects of the rumor are now being seen on the ground. At a hotel in Osakas Shinsaibashi district, sales manager staff reported that guests from Hong Kongwho previously made up about 10% of their clientelehave dropped to nearly zero this month. When the rumor began circulating, we started getting questions like, Is Japan safe right now? said the general manager of the hotel. The impact has extended to airlines as well. Greater Bay Airlines, which operates five routes between Hong Kong and Japan, announced on July 2nd that it will suspend two of its international routesfrom Hong Kong to Yonago Airport in Tottori Prefecture and Tokushima Airportstarting August 31st. "We initially thought the rumors stemming from that prophetic book would fade, but starting from late May into June, it became clear that wasnt the case, said Hiroki Ito, head of the airlines Japan office. Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai expressed his shock at the suspension announcement. We were stunned, frankly, he said. But we recognize that it may have been unavoidable, and we must accept the reality of the situation. Despite the lack of evidence, the rumor has gained such traction that even the Japan Meteorological Agency issued an unusual public comment. At present, there is no scientific basis for predicting the time, place, or magnitude of an earthquake, said Ryuichi Nomura, the agencys director. Such information should be considered misinformation, and there is absolutely no need to be alarmed by it. Source: YOMIURI Sikkim Landslide Crisis: Trapped Tourists, Blocked Roads, and Monsoon Mayhem in the Himalayas Relentless monsoon rains in North Sikkim triggered landslides across Lachen, Lachung, and Chaten, blocking roads and stranding thousands. Rescue efforts by the Indian Army, Air Force, and BRO are ongoing to restore access and evacuate those affected. Highlights Landslides have hit Chaten, Lachen, and Lachung in North Sikkim since 29 May 2025. Mangan district remains the worst-affected area in the region. Around 2,000 tourists were stranded across North Sikkim. The Indian Army and Air Force led rescue efforts with local teams despite harsh weather. North Sikkim has been in a deep crisis due to a series of devastating landslides, triggered by relentless monsoon rains since 29th May 2025. The natural disaster has not only claimed precious lives but also isolated communities and stranded thousands of tourists in the Himalayas. With rainfall of more than 130mm, a vast amount of damage took place along the various routes to prominent tourist destinations, including Lachen, Lachung, Gurudongmar, Zero Point, and the Valley of Flowers[1]. Widespread Damage Due to Flood-Like Conditions and the Following Landslides The Mangan district in north Sikkim is the worst-hit area, where the monsoon deluge has caused extensive damage. The dangerously overflowing Teesta River has inundated many areas, leaving innumerable people homeless. Uncountable electric poles have been swept away by the torrential forces of the river and landslides, leading to extensive power outages across north Sikkim. Mobile network services have been severely disrupted, hindering the coordination and communication of relief efforts. Stranded Tourists and Infrastructure Collapse On 1st June, a landslide struck an Indian Army Camp in Chaten, near Lachen in Mangan District, leading to the death of 3 soldiers(3)(4). Others remain missing as the search operations continue amidst challenging natural conditions. Almost 2,000 tourists had been stranded in various areas of North Sikkim, including Lachen, Lachung, and Chungthang towns. The main road connecting Chungthan to Lachen and Lachung experienced multiple landslides, disrupting the total system in the area. The devastating landslides and flooding made the roads impassable and damaged key bridges, such as Phidang and Sangkalang, which are vital for connectivity. These complicated evacuation efforts significantly. Indian Army Carries Out Rescue Operations Amidst Inclement Weather Conditions However, rescue operations started at the earliest with the Indian Army operating effortlessly amidst inclement weather conditions. The evacuation process of the stranded tourists also began once the Border Road Organisation (BRO) restored the road connectivity to Lachung in the Mangan district of North Sikkim. The BRO teams not only cleared the debris from the landslide but also reconstructed the damaged stretches and the dangerous breaches to pave the way for the evacuation of the stranded tourists via the Lachung-Chungthang-Shipgyere-Sanklang-Dikchu road. As per information from DGP Akshay Sachdeva, almost 1678 tourists who were stranded in Lachung and Chungthan were evacuated[2]. These tourists departed for Gangtok via Phidang, near Dzongu town, by vehicle and motorcycle. Almost 34 tourists, including foreigners and family members of the armed forces, were airlifted from various places where it was difficult to reach by road. Rescue operations are still on for missing persons from the site of the landslide at Chaten in North Sikkim. Out of 6 people, the bodies of 3 people have been found[3] [4]. Along with the Indian Army, local authorities and disaster response teams are working incessantly to find the missing people. However, search operations are being strongly hampered by extremely bad weather conditions, challenging high-altitude terrain and unstable ground conditions. Sikkim Tourist Passes Suspended For The Time Being Keeping the current devastating scenario in mind, the Sikkim government has suspended tourist passes for the time being due to the flooding and landslides in North Sikkim[5]. The Sikkim government has initiated relief measures, setting up camps for displaced individuals and coordinating with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to restore connectivity. Authorities have issued advisories urging tourists to avoid travel to North Sikkim until restoration work is complete. The India Meteorological Department has forecast continued heavy rainfall in the region, prompting red alerts and necessitating heightened vigilance. Inserting a nanometer-thin spacer in ExUC-OLEDs improves energy transfer, enhances blue light emission 77-fold, paving way for lightweight, low-voltage, and more flexible OLEDs . The effect of spacer insertion depends on the dipole moment. Therefore, it is possible to extend the material selection tolerance for ExUC-OLEDs using appropriate spacer materials. ExUC-OLEDs can be driven at ultralow voltages; furthermore, an improvement in the freedom of material selection can lead to more potential device applications, and energy-saving OLEDs can be expected in the future. Potential Future Devices from superefficient OLED Smartphones and Wearables:Ultra-thin, flexible displays: The lightweight and flexible nature of ExUC-OLEDs enables bendable or foldable screens for next-gen smartphones, smartwatches, and fitness trackers. Low-power screens: Reduced voltage requirements (less than half of conventional OLEDs) extend battery life, critical for portable devices. Televisions and Monitors:Energy-efficient displays: Enhanced blue light emission and lower power consumption make ExUC-OLEDs ideal for large, high-resolution screens with vibrant colors. Slimmer designs: The thin spacer layer supports lightweight, sleek TV and monitor designs. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) Headsets:High-brightness, compact displays: The 77-fold boost in blue light emission supports vivid, high-contrast visuals in AR/VR devices. Low-voltage operation: Reduces heat generation and power demands, improving comfort and battery life in headsets. Automotive Displays:Flexible dashboard and HUDs: ExUC-OLEDs can be integrated into curved or transparent displays for dashboards, head-up displays (HUDs), or smart windows. Energy savings: Lower power use aligns with electric vehicle efficiency goals. Medical and Industrial Devices:Portable diagnostic screens: Lightweight, low-power OLEDs can be used in medical imaging devices or wearable health monitors. Flexible industrial displays: Durable, bendable screens for rugged environments or wearable control panels. Lighting Solutions:Organic lighting panels: ExUC-OLEDs can create thin, flexible, and energy-efficient lighting for homes, offices, or public spaces. Customizable designs: Greater material selection freedom allows for tailored lighting solutions. Hyperefficient OLED Characteristics 77-fold blue light enhancement: The nanometer-thin spacer improves energy transfer, significantly boosting blue light emission, which is critical for vivid, full-color displays. Ultralow voltage operation: ExUC-OLEDs require less than half the voltage of conventional OLEDs, reducing energy consumption by up to 50% or more. Material flexibility: Spacer insertion relaxes strict donor-acceptor compatibility, expanding material choices and enabling cost-effective, scalable production. Lightweight and flexible: The thin design supports bendable, rollable, or transparent displays, opening new form factors. Energy savings: Lower power needs reduce operational costs and environmental impact, aligning with sustainability goals. Future Implications Wider adoption: Expanded material tolerance could lower production costs, making ExUC-OLEDs viable for mass-market consumer electronics. Next-gen applications: The technology could enable transparent displays for smart glasses, rollable TVs, or even skin-like wearable displays. Sustainability: Energy-efficient OLEDs reduce electricity consumption, supporting eco-friendly device ecosystems. Science Breakthrough Exciplex upconversion-type organic light-emitting devices (ExUC-OLEDs) can emit light at less than half the voltage needed for conventional OLEDs, but their development remained limited by strict requirements for compatible donor and acceptor materials. Now, researchers from Japan have introduced a nanometer-thin spacer layer, boosting blue light output by 77-fold compared to previously incompatible materials. With a greater choice of materials, this design opens doors to energy-efficient OLEDs for a wide range of uses. This could unlock the full potential of ExUC-OLEDs, researchers from the University of Toyama, Japan, have now proposed a simple yet effective design that can bring ExUC-OLEDs closer to commercialization. By inserting a nanometer (nm)-thin spacer layer between the donor and acceptor materials, the team enabled previously incompatible material combinations to function together, resulting in a 77-fold increase in blue light output. The study, led by Associate Professor Masahiro Morimoto and co-authored by Mr. Ryosuke Fukazawa and Professor Shigeki Naka, was published online in the journal ACS Applied Optical Materials on June 4, 2025. The OLED industry is already substantial, but ultra-low-voltage drive OLEDs are a game changer because the materials and design concepts are different from those of the past. Using appropriate spacer materials opens up a wider selection of usable materials in ExUC-OLEDs, explains Dr. Morimoto. The spacer increases the physical separation between donor and acceptor molecules, weakening the Coulombic attraction that stabilizes the exciplex. This, in turn, raises the exciplex energy (EEx), improving its overlap with the triplet energy of the emitter. As a result, energy transfer becomes more efficient, resulting in light emission, even with material combinations that did not previously work. In their experiments, the team used a blue-emitting donor material, , -ADN, and tested two different acceptors: HFl-NDI and PTCDI-C8, both with and without a bathocuproine (BCP) spacer. Without the spacer, the PTCDI-C8 device performed poorly, achieving a blue light emission efficiency of just 0.00083% due to the weak overlap between the exciplex energy level and the triplet excited state of the emitter molecule. However, with a 3-nm-thick spacer, the efficiency of the device increased to 0.064%, marking a 77-fold improvement. Moreover, by varying spacer thickness from 0 nm to 9 nm, the researchers found that increasing the distance weakened the Coulombic interaction at the donor-acceptor interface, raising the EEx from 0.06 eV to 0.09 eV. However, a 3-nm spacer provided the best tradeoff, raising the exciplex energy sufficiently while still allowing efficient exciplex formation. The team also tested spacers made from materials with different permanent dipole moments. Though the electrical properties and exciplex energies were largely unaffected by the spacer material, blue light efficiency varied significantly. High-dipole spacers, such as BCP, resulted in a higher external quantum efficiency of 6.4 x 10-2%, compared to just 7.8 x 10-3% for nonpolar spacers like UGH-2. With this straightforward, scalable design for enhancing ExUC-OLEDs, this study marks a significant turning point in OLED technology. It expands the selection of usable materials and brings us closer to achieving ultra-low-voltage, energy-efficient OLEDs suitable for displays, wearables, and lighting systems. ExUC-OLEDs can be driven at ultra-low voltages; expanding the freedom of material selection could lead to a wider range of device applications, paving the way for future, energy-saving light-emitting devices beyond just OLEDs, concludes Dr. Morimoto, optimistically. Improved Freedom of Material Selection for Exciplex Upconversion-Type Organic Light-Emitting Diodes by Controlling Energy Transfer at the Donor/Acceptor Interface MEXICO CITY, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed immigration policy, including a budget plan that allocates billions for border security and detention facilities. At her daily briefing, Sheinbaum denounced the U.S. House-approved fiscal plan that includes 170 billion U.S. dollars for immigration enforcement, saying migration should be addressed through cooperation, not repression. "We do not agree. Migration must be addressed at its root through development cooperation," she said. Sheinbaum said the Mexican government has helped reduce attempted crossings at both the northern and southern borders. "Yesterday there were just 220 arrests ... That's very few compared to the thousands we saw years ago," she said. "Most migrants, not only Mexicans but also (those) from across Latin America and the Caribbean, have lived and worked in the U.S. for many years. They are decent, hardworking people who contribute not just to Mexico through remittances, but even more to the U.S. economy," she added. Solar panels on sunny day by andreas160578 via Pixabay Solar stocks have faced an uphill battle in 2025 as President Donald Trumps administration has sought to remove clean energy tax credits and redirect attention and funding from wind, solar, and hydrogen initiatives. These actions against clean energy mark a stark difference from the landscape under former President Joe Biden and have culminated in Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill Act, his tax-and-spending bill. More News from Barchart Solar stocks are largely expected to suffer as a result of the legislation, which passed the House of Representatives today following a Senate vote earlier this week. But First Solar (FSLR) may be an unlikely beneficiary. Thanks to First Solars vertically integrated, U.S.based production, it qualifies for a carveout in the bill that preserves tax credits on certain Americanmade components of larger renewable energy projects. Wolfe Research says this appears intended to help First Solar. About FSLR Stock Based in Tempe, Arizona, First Solar is Americas leading utility-scale solar manufacturer, known for its U.S.-based supply chain and thin-film technology. Valued at $18.3 billion by market cap, shares of FSLR have recently recovered their year-to-date losses and are now up 5% for 2025. Shares initially struggled ahead of the phase out of lucrative tax credits, tariffs on imported solar panel components, and a demand slowdown amidst higher financng costs. However, FSLR exhibits an attractive valuation profile. Its price-earnings ratio is 11.2x, a 53% discount compared to the sector median, indicating the stock is relatively cheap. www.barchart.com First Solars Strategic Advantage Amid Looming Tax Credit Cuts The One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduces sweeping changes that are expected to send shockwaves through the solar industry. The version passed today by the House and headed for Trumps signature eliminates the residential solar tax credit after this year. Commercial solar projects leveraging the 45Y or 48E tax credits must have started construction by 2026 in order to be eligible or be in service by the end of 2027 if construction starts later. Together, these changes create significant headwinds for solar developers, potentially rendering projects after 2027 economically unfeasible. However, First Solar might have a better shot at survival than its peers. Its core business serves the commercial market, so the immediate phase out of the residential solar tax credit is less impactful. And, an update this week in the legislation makes subcomponents in renewable projects eligible for tax credits if they are produced in the same facility as the larger component into which they are integrated and at least 65% of the total costs of the larger component are domestic. Dividends and dollars by MarkgrafAve via iStock Adding a high-quality, high-yield dividend stock to your portfolio could be a smart move for generating steady income. In addition to income, top dividend stocks may also offer modest capital appreciation over time. Among the top dividend-paying stocks, Energy Transfer (ET) stands out for its high dividend yield of 7.4% and a solid history of increasing its dividend, supported by steady earnings and robust distributable cash flow (DCF). More News from Barchart Why Energy Transfer Is a Compelling Dividend Investment Energy Transfer has a solid record of offering high and sustainable yield. As a diversified energy infrastructure company, it transports and sells natural gas (NGQ25) throughout the U.S. Its vast intrastate pipeline network is among the largest in the country, connecting key natural gas sources with industrial users, power generators, utilities, and third-party pipelines. This reach gives the company a strong position in the domestic energy logistics landscape, driving the utilization of its systems. Furthermore, Energy Transfers integrated business model is both product- and geographically diversified. This structure enables it to operate efficiently while mitigating risks associated with market fluctuations. A key part of its operating strategy is locking in long-term, fee-based contracts with third parties. These arrangements provide a more predictable and stable cash flow, insulating the company from the volatility of commodity prices. This stability, in turn, supports the companys ability to consistently grow its DCF and drives higher dividend payments. www.barchart.com Energy Transfer also focuses on enhancing the profitability of its existing asset base. It continues to secure long-term volume commitments from producers, improve operational efficiencies, and pursue new initiatives to boost utilization. These efforts not only strengthen the companys bottom line but also create more room for dividend growth. Reflecting its commitment to rewarding shareholders, Energy Transfer increased its quarterly dividend by 3% to $0.3275 per share, or $1.31 on an annualized basis. That equates to a forward yield of roughly 7.4%. With its strong portfolio of assets, reliable contracted earnings, solid growth potential driven by rising electricity demand, and a commitment to increasing shareholder payouts, Energy Transfer stands out as an attractive option for investors seeking steady passive income and high yields. Mark Snow, the composer for "The X-Files," created the unforgettable series theme song. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images Mark Snow created one of the most memorable TV themes of all time. As composer of The X-Files, he delivered each note of the brooding, atmospheric scores in every episode. But it was his fantastically eerie theme for the show, famous for its otherworldly whistles and moody piano, that became the calling card for the series, playing over the tone-setting opening credits. Snow, 78, died Friday, July 4 at his home in Connecticut, Variety reports. The composer, who enjoyed a long career in TV and film, recounted how the X-Files theme came to be in an interview for the Television Academy Foundation (see clip below). Snow had tried several compositions that didnt pan out series creator Chris Carter wanted something else something simple and not overproduced. So Snow went in pursuit of that something else. A major part of the theme the groundwork for the ultimate composition happened by accident after Carter left the room. As Snow turned, his elbow and forearm hit the keyboard, landing on an echo effect. Hearing the echoed piano sound, his ears perked up. I said thats pretty good, he recalled. Snow began experimenting with the effect. Then he added the melody of the theme. Then he had to decide what would play the theme. Im thinking well, this has to be really, really different, Snow said. While experimenting with different sounds from his library, he deployed one called whistling Joe No. 126 on the Proteus synthesizer. The combination of the whistle sound and the echoed piano got the attention of Snows wife Glynnis, who liked the effect. Snow asked her if she could whistle the tune, and he ended up using that whistle in the version he presented to Carter. The series creator liked what he came up with, and the theme became an important part of the winning series starring Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny as Dana Scully and Fox Mulder, FBI agents tasked with investigating cases involving the occult and unexplained, or paranormal activity. Sean Callery, the composer for 24, paid tribute to Snow on Facebook Friday, announcing his death and calling him one of the most wonderful and talented people Ive ever known. He said Snow began mentoring him 33 years ago, and he credited the composer with launching his career. Who knew that I was also at the beginning of a deep friendship that would only grow and evolve over 3 decades along with our graying hair and tighter deadlines, Callery said. His humor, his spirit, his talent - good God his immense talent - the world has lost a genuine and beautiful soul. Whenever I was working on a theme I would send it to him for feedback - and he would diagnose it instantly with a knowing swipe of his hand indicating that I discard all the superfluous drivel I was putting out there because he knew how to get to the heart and truth of things. That wisdom continues to inform me both inside and outside the music studio. I am so grateful to him for his sage counsel and his laugh-out-loud biting wit." "The X-Files" composer Mark Snow, left, series creator Chris Carter and writer and producer Frank Spotnitz at the premiere of "X-Files: I Want to Believe" in 2008. Eric Charbonneau | Le Studio | Wireimage Snow was nominated for 15 Emmys in his career, six of them for The X-Files. Snows first nomination was in 1994 for the main title theme music. The X-Files theme ended up charting in various countries, reaching No. 2 in the United Kingdom. Snow produced the X-Files album "The Truth and the Light: Music from the X-Files" in 1996 and his music appeared on Songs in the Key of X: Music from and Inspired by the X-Files" released the same year. He also scored both X-Files movies: The X-Files: Fight the Future (1998) and The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008). Snows first X-Files movie score was released as The X-Files: Fight the Future Original Motion Picture Score" in 1998. He also was the composer for Carters short-lived X-Files spinoff The Lone Gunmen on Fox as well as his shows Millennium, which ran for three seasons, and Harsh Realm, which ran for nine episodes. Snow, born Martin Fulterman in New York, grew up in Brooklyn. In the 1960s, he started the band Emil and the Detectives with his roommate at the Juilliard School, Michael Kamen, who would go on to work with Pink Floyd and become a movie composer known for films like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. Later, Kamen and Fulterman were members of a baroque rock group called New York Rock & Roll Ensemble. Snow started his career as a composer for the screen with the ABC police procedural TV series The Rookies in 1975. He also worked on ABCs Starsky and Hutch in addition to a series of TV movies like The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976), starring John Travolta. Snow was the composer for "The X-Files" movies, including "The X-Files: Fight the Future," released in 1998. Twentieth Century Fox His first big-screen film credit was Skateboard in 1978. He went on to serve as composer for the ABC series Hart to Hart in the late 70s and early 80s and continued working on TV movies before composing for the CBS primetime soap opera Falcon Crest. He also worked on the 1988 movie Ernest Saves Christmas, several episodes of the CBS series Pee-wees Playhouse starring Paul Reubens and the CBS crime drama Dark Justice before joining The X-Files. The hit show premiered on Fox in 1993, and Snow remained its composer through the shows ninth, and, at the time, final season, which ended in 2002. He returned for the series revival in 2016 and 2018. Before the first run of The X-Files was over, Snow also worked on the WB and CW Superman series Smallville, and later, One Tree Hill on the same networks. He also composed the music for the WBs Birds of Prey, based on the DC Comics superheroes. He got to continue working on sci-fi tales of the bizarre as the composer for the 2002 UPN revival of The Twilight Zone. From 2005 to 2010, he held strong in soundtracking the paranormal as composer for the Jennifer Love Hewitt series Ghost Whisperer on CBS. Snow worked on the CBS police series Blue Bloods for 14 seasons, from 2010 to 2024. He was also the composer of the 2020 movie The New Mutants, based on X-Men universe characters from Marvel Comics. Snow is survived by his wife Glynnis, their children and grandchildren. Thank you for reading. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter/X, @amykup.bsky.social on Bluesky and @kupamy on Instagram and Threads. Ringo Starr spoke to Sam Mendes and help tweak a depiction of his first marriage for upcoming biopic (AP Photo/George Walker IV) AP Director Sam Mendes is getting ready to dive into the ambitious project of chronicling the life of The Beatles in a four-part biopic series. Ringo Starr has been helping with the production right before Barry Keoghan is set to portray the 84-year-old drummer. In an interview with the New York Times, Starr spoke about working with Mendes for two days on the script for his individual film. He stated that he gave the director extensive notes on how to portray his earlier life. In particular, zeroing in on his first marriage to Maureen Starkey Tigrett. Starr and Tigrett got married in 1965 and then divorced in 1975. The drummer gave an unnamed writer praise but wanted to course-correct some of what he saw in the script. He had a writer very good writer, great reputation, and he wrote it great, but it had nothing to do with Maureen and I, Starr said. Thats not how we were. Id say, We would never do that. The four individual Beatles films, featuring Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, are set to be released in April 2028 through Sony Pictures. These biopics are being released with the full backing of Harrison and Lennons families as well as McCartney himself. Starr is skeptical that all four films will make their respective release dates and said of Mendes, hell do what hes doing and Ill send him peace and love. Related coverage: Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Murjani Rawls may be reached at mrawls@njadvancemedia.com Young Noble in a photo he posted to Instagram. The rapper was found dead Friday. Young Noble via Instagram New Jersey rapper Young Noble, a member of Tupac Shakurs hip-hop group Outlawz, has died. TMZ reports that Noble, born Rufus Lee Cooper III, was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound the morning of Friday, July 4 in Atlanta. He was 47. Fellow Outlawz member E.D.I. Mean, aka Malcolm Greenidge, confirmed Nobles death on Instagram. Today I got some of the worst and unexpected news imaginable, he said Friday. My brother and partner for over 30 years took his life this morning. Rest in Power Rufus Young Noble Cooper. I obviously am in no shape to talk about this right now so PLEASE give his family and I some time to process this. Mental illness is a real battle being fought by so many. CHECK ON YOUR FOLKS! Young Noble met Tupac Shakur and joined the Outlawz in 1996, the same year Shakur was killed. Young Noble via Instagram Noble was born in Sierra Madre, California and lived in Pasadena before moving to New Jersey. He would later return to California, but his rap career is associated with Montclair and New Jersey, where he connected with Outlawz members Hussein Fatal and Yafeu Kadafi Fula. Outlawz formed as Outlaw Immortalz in 1995 and signed to Death Row Records in 1997. After Young Noble met Shakur and joined the group in 1996, he performed on 2Pacs posthumous Makaveli album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album was released in 1996 following Shakurs death after a drive-by shooting when the hip-hop icon was 25. Noble is featured on the hit song Hail Mary." Videos contain profanity He can also be heard on the first track, Bomb First (My Second Reply), as well as on the songs Life of an Outlaw and Just like Daddy. The Outlawz appeared with Shakur on the soundtrack to his 1997 posthumous movie Gang Related, which charted at No. 2. Noble was featured on the song Mash for Our Dreams alongside Daz Dillinger. He can also be heard throughout the joint Outlawz and 2Pac album Still I Rise, released in 1999 (No. 6 on the Billboard 200). Noble contributed to the tracks Still I Rise, Secretz of War, Baby Dont Cry (Keep Ya Head Up II), As the World Turns, Black Jesuz, Homeboyz, Hell 4 a Hustler, The Good Die Young, Tattoo Tears, U Can Be Touched and Yall Dont Know Us. In 2000, Outlawz released their debut solo album, Ride wit Us or Collide wit Us, on their own label, Outlaw Recordz. Noble appears on 14 songs from the album. His debut solo album, Noble Justice, was released on the Outlaw label in 2002. He followed that up with the 2012 album Son of God, then Powerful in 2016, 3rd Eye View in 2019 and Outlaw University in 2023. Noble also released collaborative albums with Layzie Bone from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony (Thug Brothers), E.D.I. Mean (Against All Oddz), Hussein Fatal (Thug in Thug Out, Jerzey Giantz), Stic.man from Dead Prez (Soldier 2 Soldier), Krayzie Bone from Bone Thugs (Thug Brothers 2, Thug Brothers 3) and Lil Flip (All Eyez on Us), among others. Im at a loss for words, E.D.I. Mean posted on Instagram, sharing a photo he took with Noble. Mutah Napoleon Beale, a former member of the Outlawz who grew up in Irvington, also mourned Noble Friday. From Allah we belong to Allah we return, I received disturbing news that Young Noble from the outlawz has passed away, he posted on Instagram, sharing photos from over the years. May Allah make this time easy for his family, his wife and kids. In 2021, Noble shared with his friends and fans that he had suffered a heart attack. He spent much time remembering and paying tribute to Shakur and other members of the Outlawz. In 1996, two months after Shakur died, Yafeu Yaki Kadafi Fula, a founding member of the Outlawz, was found dead of a gunshot wound in Orange. He was 19. Hussein Fatal, another member of the Outlawz from Montclair, born Bruce Washington Jr., died in a car accident outside Atlanta in 2015. He was 42. Outlawz member Mussolini, born Tyruss Gerald Himes, also known as Big Syke, died in 2016. He was 48. Woke up thinkin about all my amazing Family & Friends who are no longer with me in the physical but are now my Angels & Ancestors walking with me forever in my Heart & Spirit, Noble posted on Instagram earlier this year. Life is shorter than we think I turn 47 later this month by the good grace of God an im extremely grateful to have made it this far.. Dont take TODAY for granted good people.. Live, Love & Forgive Have a blessed day!! If you are in crisis and need immediate help, please call the Suicide & Crisis Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988; 988lifeline.org Thank you for reading. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter/X, @amykup.bsky.social on Bluesky and @kupamy on Instagram and Threads. Something needed to change. COVID-19 brought chaos to hospitals in 2019 and 2020. But as the crisis waned and pre-pandemic patient levels returned, emergency room wait times continued to rise. The havoc of the pandemic was soon replaced by an influx of patients waiting increasingly longer hours on average to be treated. New Jersey, home to some of the busiest emergency departments in the nation, is no exception. We sort of came limping out of the next wave. And I think that was a call to (say): OK, we got to get back to caring, said Dr. Christopher Freer, senior vice president of emergency and hospitalist medicine at RWJBarnabas Health. The health system with five of the 61 busiest ERs in the country had emerged from the pandemic in late 2022 desperate to get wait times down across its network. We went sideways for a while, Freer said. And we werent in a great spot before we went into COVID, to be honest with you, operationally. So COVID sort of spun us sideways. RWJBarnabas one of the largest health systems in the state wasnt alone. Wait times have spiraled out of control here and across the country, experts say. The median wait time in the U.S. the total time a patient spends in the emergency room is more than 2 hours and 40 minutes, according to data by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In New Jersey, the average wait time is three hours and 11 minutes, according to a Beckers Hospital Review report. RWJBarnabas began revamping emergency department protocols in 2023 at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston. After successfully reducing wait times there, leaders at the network sought to scale up those measures across its 12 other sites. The goal was to simplify the arrival process, Freer explained. The result? The wait from when a patient enters the ER to when they see a physician fell from 46 minutes in 2022 to 26 minutes. The turnaround time for discharged patients across the health system went from a median of 192 minutes to 168 minutes. Patients who left without being seen dropped from 2.4% to 0.5%. And admitted patients stays in the emergency department went from a median of 8 hours and 24 minutes to 6 hours and 54 minutes. The initiative began with Cathlyn Robinson, the health systems director of operations and emergency services, speaking up at a meeting among ER officials at RWJ University Hospital in Somerset. She and Dr. William Dalsey, vice president of clinical effectiveness, gave an impassioned speech about how to standardize and optimize care in the EDs. I remember (Cathlyn) standing up with one of our other senior leaders, and basically it was a call to order, Freer said. COVID was heavy, and it took a long time for us all to kind of recover from that, Robinson said. The hospitals instituted better coordination with their charge nurses, greeter nurses, medical technicians and hospital scribes (those taking notes). Security workers welcomed patients and helped with wheelchairs. Registration workers asked for the minimum information needed to get patients in the system and to see a clinician. Registration was then finished at the bedside during or after a doctor completed an examination. Long a problem, emergency room wait times have become an imperative issue post-COVID, affecting care and staff morale. Emergency department visits consistently rose between 2020 and 2024, according to an April RAND report. It noted patient complexity is on the rise, with EDs managing patients with complex medical and social needs. Hospital leaders have not only seen more patients, but sicker patients who require more time and attention. It has fueled a backlog, frustration and even violence toward medical workers, according to the RAND report. Across the country, some patients have sat in waiting rooms for days before being treated, according to Robinson. And long wait times dont just plague patients. Hospital workers feel it too. The burnout is from not giving the care at the level you want to give it, Freer said. If you can improve the environment for the patients, it improves the environments for your staff, he added, and our biggest thing is retention and engagement of our staff. The health network focused on streamlining its mobile health system and inpatient, emergency, and ambulatory care. When patients arrive, a seasoned greeter nurse will welcome them and ask what brought them to the ED. They will take a quick look while a registrar gathers minimal information. Patients can then be moved to a room if needed. RWJBarnabas is now also able to monitor all sites through a single electronic health record. Our admitted patient times from the time I say patient needs a bed (to) theyre admitted weve cut that by 38%. So thats a huge chunk, Freer said. The concepts were neither novel nor complicated on their face. But bringing a unified system to 13 facilities all with their own existing way of doing things? That took time. These are simple concepts that we sort of called each other out on, and then we have a lot of data to hold ourselves accountable, Freer explained. But some hospital staff were set in their ways. Implementation required repeated visits and a little nudging along the way. When people are like, No, no, we do it this way, I think that was the challenging part, Freer said. So its constant badgering and pushing, he added. But they had to do something. The ER is often an imposing, frightening place the equivalent of an airport mixed with health crises. Their overflowing emergency rooms were sending stress and anxiety soaring. When people come to an emergency department, they dont really want to be there, Robinson said. Theyre scared, and theres a lot of uncertainty, and what they need is to have that warm welcome when they come in. In emergency departments, every minute matters. The sooner we can see you, Robinson said, the earlier we can help you. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) has submitted recommendations to the Department of the Treasury concerning the transition to an electronic federal disbursements system (EFDS), as mandated by Executive Order 14247, Modernizing Payments To and From Americas Bank Accounts. The order stipulates that all federal payments should be processed electronically by ceasing issuance of paper checks by 30 September 2025 and aims to enhance efficiency and security while reducing costs. The AICPA supports the move towards electronic payments but highlights the challenges it poses, particularly for taxpayers without a US bank account. This includes seniors and the unbanked population, who may be excluded from the system due to international banking regulations that restrict automated clearing house transfers with non-US financial institutions. The AICPA's letter references a Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration report indicating that nearly seven million taxpayers received refunds through non-electronic means in the latest tax year. The AICPA's recommendations include exceptions for individuals and entities not based in the US or without a US bank account, and exemptions for temporary non-US individuals. It also suggests expanding the capabilities of the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System to allow business accounts to process payments on behalf of individuals, and delaying the implementation for trusts and estates until the IRS can address specific administrative issues. Furthermore, the AICPA proposes guidance for applying exceptions for qualified taxpayers, extending the timeframe for implementing the order, seeking statutory authority for the mandates, and involving stakeholders in establishing the rules for the transition. AICPA senior manager for Tax Policy & Advocacy Daniel Hauffe said: For many years, the AICPA has advocated for and supported the modernisation of the IRS and its payment systems; although this executive order is a step in the right direction, there are many considerations before implementing changes, which means updated processes and carefully tailored rules will need to be developed. The AICPAs recommendations allow for the modernisation of the IRS tax payment systems while mitigating the impact of the administrative burden on taxpayers, tax practitioners and the IRS, that could be caused by this executive order. In June 2025, the AICPA also expressed concerns regarding the pass-through entity tax state and local tax (SALT) deductions in recent reconciliation bills. "AICPA submits recommendations for transition to EFDS" was originally created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand. Denvilles Ayres/Knuth Farm, an agricultural site with 18th-century origins that reflect early land use patterns, is just one stop on the Morris County Historic Preservation Driving Tour. County of Morris The Morris County Historical Society recently unveiled a new driving tour featuring 18 local historic sites. The launch of the tour aligns with preparations in Morris County for Americas 250th anniversary in 2026; several featured sites are directly connected to the Revolutionary War. A new online guide, available at morriscountyhistory.org, features the historic sites, each of which has received more than $1 million in preservation funding through the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund. It marks the first in a planned series of themed, self-guided tours in development by the Morris County Historical Society to promote the countys historical assets. This tour not only highlights key landmarks in our preservation efforts but also tells the story of our communities and their contributions to our nations history, said Amy Curry, MCHS executive director. Were proud to offer this digital guide as an invitation to explore, learn and connect with Morris Countys past in a meaningful way. Morris County Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw noted the countys substantial investment in historic preservation. Since the Historic Preservation Trust Fund was established by voter referendum in 2002, Morris County has invested more than $54 million in 129 historic sites across 35 municipalities, Shaw said. The new StoryMap and the driving tour launched by MCHS make that investment more accessible to the public than ever before. The tour highlights Revolutionary War-connected sites including the Ford-Faesch House in Rockaway Township, where John Jacob Faesch operated the Mount Hope Iron Furnace that supplied iron to the Continental Army, and Acorn Hall in Morristown, an Italianate Victorian home with Revolutionary-era land use ties. Other featured locations include the Presbyterian Church in Morristown, located in a community that twice served as headquarters for the Continental Army; the Church of the Redeemer in Morristown, which sits within the towns historic Revolutionary core; and Denvilles Ayres/Knuth Farm, an agricultural site with 18th-century origins that reflect early land use patterns. In addition to the Revolutionary-era sites, the 13 additional sites featured in the Morris County Historic Preservation Driving Tour include: Boonton Holmes Public Library in the Town of Boonton LEcole, Kinnelon Museum in Kinnelon Museum of Early Trades & Crafts and Hartley Dodge Memorial in Madison Community of St. John Baptist in Mendham The Womans Club of Morristown in Morristown Seward House and Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Mount Olive The Growing Stage -- The Childrens Theatre of New Jersey in Netcong The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms in Parsippany-Troy Hills Martin Berry House in Pequannock The Glenburn Estate in Riverdale Lake Hopatcong Train Station in Roxbury In support of Americas 250th anniversary, the Morris County Commissioners have committed $200,000 over the past two years for celebratory planning through the Morris County Economic Development Alliance and Tourism Bureau. For more information about the driving tour, visit morriscountyhistory.org/drive or explore the Historic Preservation StoryMap at morriscountynj.gov. Updates on Morris Countys 250th Anniversary events are available at morriscounty250.org. * * * Submit Morris County community news to morris@njadvancemedia.com. Questions about this post may be directed to Linda OBrien at lobrien@njadvancemedia.com. Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story, which was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media staff. American Red Cross sent a team of disaster responders to help seven families affected by Friday's fire in Paterson. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Seventeen people were displaced and two firefighters were hospitalized after a multiple-alarm blaze broke out in Paterson on the 4th of July holiday. The fire was reported to officials shortly after 5 p.m. at a home on Southard Street and required a very big response, said Jerry Speziale, Patersons public safety director. The fire was knocked down by 6:45 p.m., but fire personnel remained on scene to keep an eye out for hotspots, Speziale said. After the blaze, two firefighters were transported to Saint Josephs University Medical Center for minor injuries, officials said. The four-alarm fire also displaced 17 people in seven families, said Diane Concannon, communications director for American Red Cross New Jersey Region. American Red Cross responded Friday night to provide the families with immediate needs like temporary lodging, food, and clothing, said Concannon. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com. Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. Thousands gathered on the Fourth of July to kick off the first full day of Essence Festival 2025 in New Orleans. Part of the massive event is The Essence Food and Wine Festival featuring esteemed chefs, bartenders and food influencers from across the world and the Crescent City, including including Marlon "Chicken" Chukumerije, Nina Compton, and Charly Pierre. +2 Popular West Bank soul food spot serves thousands of free meals to kids: 'I'm super grateful' The owners of a popular spot for chicken on the West Bank said that kids would eat free this summer. They kept their promise. The food experts show and tell some of the tricks they've learned throughout their careers, and audience members usually have the opportunity to ask questions. The food court featuring 20 vendors awaits just steps from the culinary panels. Bosewell's Jamaican Grill, Smokey Jeaux, Ladelyo's Creole Catering, Theudric's Real Clever Cuisine, Nola Creole Cookery, Vieux Carre Bistro, Da Assassin Kitchen, Soule Cafe and Cafe Dauphine all from the New Orleans metro area made up half of the food vendors available at the festival. On July 5, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov met with Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), to discuss deepening bilateral cooperation and preparations for a major upcoming session in Baku, Azernews reports. According to the Cabinet of Ministers, the meeting highlighted the significance of Alisjahbanas participation in the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit held in Khankendi, underlining the growing importance of regional engagement. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the longstanding partnership between Azerbaijan and UNESCAP, emphasizing their shared commitment to advancing economic and social development goals in the Asia-Pacific region. A key point of discussion was the 82nd session of UNESCAP, scheduled to be held in Baku in April next year. The parties exchanged views on organizational aspects and strategic priorities for the session. The meeting also covered prospects for expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest, with particular focus on continuing effective collaboration within the framework of the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA). The importance of sustaining joint efforts under this initiative was strongly emphasized by both sides. Amentum Holdings Inc. (NYSE:AMTM) is one of the best new stocks to buy now. On June 12, Amentum announced that it had been awarded a new contract by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited/AECL. The contract is for the provision of operations and management solutions for Canadian Nuclear Laboratories/CNL, to advance nuclear science, technology, and innovation throughout Canada. The contract is valued at ~CAD$1.2 billion annually on average and was awarded to Nuclear Laboratory Partners of Canada Inc./NLPC. NLPC is a joint venture led by BWX Technologies Inc. (NYSE:BWXT) and includes Amentum, Kinectrics, and Battelle. The agreement features a 6-year base period, with potential extensions based on performance for a total duration of up to 20 years. Amentum JV Secures CAD$1.2B Annual Nuclear Lab Contract in Canada A close up of a technician working on a semiconductor chip in a clean room. AECL operates under a Government-owned and Contractor-operated (GoCo) model through Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. It also owns the intellectual property for the CANDU, which is a heavy water nuclear reactor that uses natural uranium fuel, heavy water as both a moderator and coolant, and allows for refueling while the reactor is online. Amentum Holdings Inc. (NYSE:AMTM) provides engineering and technology solutions to the US and allied government agencies. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited is a federal Crown corporation with a mandate to drive nuclear opportunities for Canada. BWX Technologies Inc. (NYSE:BWXT) manufactures and sells nuclear components in the US, Canada, and internationally. While we acknowledge the potential of AMTM as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. A North Devon market which has won national awards three years in a row is setting its sights on a fourth as its popularity continues to grow. South Molton Pannier Market won the best community market award in 2023 and 2024, and the UKs best market attraction in 2025, in competitions organised by the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) at the Great British Market Awards. Now market manager Adam Nichols has set his sights on winning more awards next year, and is clear why the facility in the centre of South Molton has proved so popular. Number one thing, the stallholders, he said. They really work together as a family. There's no cliques in here, everyone supports each other. And they just have a really good attitude, which makes the atmosphere electric. Secondly, we have a really good range of stalls, with lots of homemade, local goods that people like. And thirdly, we're very well supported by the customers. In addition to three awards, South Molton also gained a national showcase in the Love Your Local Market 2025 campaign in May, which highlighted the role of markets in community life across the UK. At a time when high streets are struggling, South Molton Pannier Market is thriving, with 55 regular stallholders, and a waiting list for traders. Many have been trading in South Molton for many years and some have re-located from other markets, attracted by the vibrant setting and high footfall, boosted by the award-winning tag. For Adam, a former stallholder himself, maintaining the footfall is the biggest challenge. You've got to keep it interesting, he said, Because the customers do want to see something different every week. Adam believes the key to this is the variety of stalls on offer. We have to have a good blend and variety of goods in here. We dont want five stalls selling the same thing, It's not good for the customers. The big thing is variety and making it interesting to both locals and tourists. So we go for local quality. Regular stalls include fresh produce, meats, flowers, wools, cards, cheese, pet treats, books, sweets, gifts, household essentials, handmade goods, bread, cakes and more. The market began life in the Grade One listed Guildhall, which was constructed between 1739 and 1741. In 1860 South Molton Town Council made the decision to build a new covered area for stall holders. A property next to the Guildhall was bought with the foundation stone being laid in 1863. Over the market was built the large Assembly Room with an arched ceiling. The Pannier Market was opened in February 1864 by the Mayor of South Molton. Adam said South Molton Town Council was still hugely supportive of the facility, which sees itself as a central part of the local community. Initiatives to maintain those links have included working with local shops to promote events, and offering free stalls for local charities. Looking to the future, Adam is keen to see more young traders getting involved and maintaining the positive experience for customers. If you check our reviews online, people usually love the atmosphere, he said. They feel welcome. They love the variety and the chats they have with the stallholders. Stallholders, too, enjoy selling their goods at the market. Former builder Mike Seatherton started his stall dedicated to selling his own artwork just over 12 months ago. He said: What I like about the market is that when I came in here, I was made really welcome, and I've seemed to have fitted in quite well really. I like the atmosphere, great customers. It's very enjoyable. Fellow traders Claudia and Allan Frewin took over their pet goods stall in 2018, although the stall itself has been going for 35 years. Claudia said: South Molton market is quite unique. It's probably the busiest market I know. It's the most varied with the most amazing customers and the most amazing stallholders. We're quite a little family. It's a great atmosphere and the building is wonderful. Allan added: And what's really good about this is it has the arts and crafts, it has antiques and the little specialist bits and pieces, but it also does the basics. You could literally go round and buy everything else you need. South Molton Pannier Market is open every Thursday and Saturday, 8.30am to 1pm, with additional events such as regular flea markets and salvage fairs throughout the year. See www.southmoltonpanniermarket.co.uk for regular updates. Arbitrators have made a decision in the legal dispute between Exxon and Hess concerning a major oilfield project in Guyana, reported Reuters, citing two sources familiar with the matter. The dispute focuses on Chevron's $53bn acquisition of US oil producer Hess, which includes a 30% stake in Guyana's Stabroek block. Exxon holds a 45% interest in the block and operates the joint venture. The deal is a key part of Chevron CEO Mike Wirth's strategy to improve company performance, but this has been delayed due to arbitration claims from Exxon and its joint venture partner CNOOC over pre-emptive rights to Hess' project interest. The Stabroek block could be a valuable addition to Chevron's depleting oil and gas reserves. This ruling is crucial as it will determine whether Chevron can proceed with its planned acquisition of Hess. The International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, France, is responsible for overseeing the arbitration case and is currently reviewing the decision before releasing it to the involved parties. The specifics of the arbitrators' decision and the release date remain undisclosed. An Exxon spokesperson was quoted by the news agency as saying: "We remain confident in our position and appreciate the arbitration panel giving this issue the due consideration it deserves." Chevron announced its intention to acquire Hess in October 2023. Chevron and Hess contend that the right of first refusal clause does not apply to the sale of the entire company. In the event they lose the arbitration, or if they fail to reach an acceptable resolution with Exxon and CNOOC, the acquisition agreement stipulates that the deal would collapse. "Arbitrators reach verdict on Exxon and Chevron dispute over Hess acquisition " was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. IT WAS a poignant day on Sunday when Fr Michael Kennedy told his parishioners that he is leaving Lusmagh Parish for good, after eleven years in the role of Parish Priest. This means that for the first time in about three centuries Lusmagh will be without a Parish Priest. Lusmagh is the only parish in Offaly to be part of the Diocese of Clonfert and Fr Kennedy pointed out that from now on all occasions in St Cronan's Church Lusmagh (masses, communions, baptisms, etc) will be looked after by clergy travelling from Portumna. Fr Kennedy has been a popular Parish Priest in Lusmagh and he will be greatly missed. He grew up nearby, in Rathcabbin, and was ordained in 1977. Fr Kieran Birmingham paid a humorous but heartfelt tribute to Fr Michael during mass on Sunday morning. One day I was chatting to someone in Rathcabbin and they said to me You have one of our great men looking after the parish over there in Lusmagh! READ NEXT: Gardai investigating frightening incident reported near canal in Offaly Fr Kieran said it was obvious that Fr Michael was held in great regard in the place where he grew up. Fr Michael told the Tribune that he served many years in parishes in London, including Westminster and Cricklewood. He returned to Ireland 11 years ago and when he heard that Lusmagh would be without a PP he put forward his name to fill the role. During the last 11 years he has also frequently overseen retreats in Emmanuel House, Clonfert, along with Eddie Stones. Fr Michael said he will greatly miss his Lusmagh parishioners who, he said, have an amazing community spirit, a very important quality which he hopes they will never lose. Fr Michael will now be moving to Eyrecourt. There will be a final thanksgiving mass for his ministry, in St Cronan's Lusmagh on Friday evening, July 18. Fr Kieran Birmingham will oversee Saturday evening masses in the church for the next few weeks. AROUND 20 people tuned out in support of well-known environmental campaigner, Tom Roche, from Tullamore and Rhode, who staged a 24-hour hunger strike outside Tullamore courthouse recently to highlight court proceedings against him for the repossession of his home. The proceedings, taken by Mars Capital Finance Ireland DAC, have been adjourned to the court sitting of October 7 next. Mr Roche, who has campaigned to help distressed mortgage holders in the recent past, represented himself in court as he said he could not afford the services of a solicitor and barrister. READ NEXT: Suspended sentence and long driving ban for Offaly motorist with 18 previous convictions Asked about why he decided to go on hunger strike to highlight his plight, Mr Roche said; "In pre-Christian Ireland, fasting was used as a means of protesting injustice. In more recent times it has been used to raise issues of various concerns to individuals and groups - the death of 10 men in the 1981 [on hunger strike was to prove a defining moment in the struggle between the Provisional IRA and the British government or, to be more precise, the prime minister, Margaret Thatcher." "Hunger strikes have played a major role in ending slavery, challenging dictatorships, protecting workers from exploitation, protecting the Earths biological diversity, promoting equality for women, opposing racism and many other important societal issues. In ancient Ireland, going on hunger strike was a form of 'distress' called 'troscud' (or 'fasting'). This practice was socially significant and had legal support as an act of due process and fairness." Mr Roche described the impact home repossessions are having on families as utterly devastating. "One of Irelands most senior high court officials, Edmond Honohan said, some banks who were 'cheerleaders' of the Celtic Tiger were 'reverting to type' and pursuing people to the 'bitter end' even when they 'had no money'. He went on to say the 'new debt set' have 'legal rights' but some are made 'feel like outlaws' In the same article Mr Honohan said he had met ['several widows of people who had been driven to suicide because of the distress of debt." Added Mr Roche: "The mental and physical impacts of the distress and trauma mortgage arrears has caused me personally has been enormous. Over the past 15 years I have exhausted every legal avenue open to me to come to an equitable resolution to my mortgage distress situation. What is taking place is the anatomical unfolding of a home repossession scandal initiated in the first instance by Permanent TSB (PTSB)." READ NEXT: Tullamore motorist fined 950 for driving with no insurance and licence SCHOOL principals in Offaly and throughout the state are being inundated with Department of Education circulars leading to increased levels of professional burnout and the embedding of a bureaucratic nightmare which they cannot adequately manage due to a lack of departmental supports. Thats according to Independent TD for Offaly Carol Nolan. Deputy Nolan raised the overwhelming level of paperwork and administration being demanded of school management, and specifically of teaching principals, during a special Topical Issues debate with the Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee in the Dail on Wednesday evening. The debate was taken on Minister McEntees behalf by Emer Higgins, Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation: Principals have been calling for a slow-down of the flood of departmental circulars for the last 20 years, and during that time the department has effectively responded with minor tweaks and an underwhelming roll-out of management supports. That is totally unacceptable, said Deputy Nolan. We really need to get to grips with this. I showed Minister Higgins a document entitled Primary School Leadership: The Case for Urgent Action - A Roadmap to Sustainability published by the Network of Principals and Deputy Principals (IPPN). READ NEXT: Stolen Offaly graveyard sign returned to site by unknown person That report is extremely revealing. It highlights that there is an inordinate and disproportionate focus on managing the school organisation and that this disproportionate increase in focus on managing the organisation without a corresponding increase in management supports and resources undermines the capacity of school principals to deliver greater focus on leading teaching and learning. This confirms what I have also been hearing during my regular engagement with the National Principals Forum (NPF). We have to ask ourselves what is the core function of a school? Is it to deliver education or is to act as a box ticking hub where principals spend most of their working week dealing with the many, many demands emanating from departmental circulars? We must allow schools to be schools. We must support our principals and deputy principals. If we dont then the burnout rate will increase, the profession will become increasingly unappealing and our children will ultimately be the ones who lose most, concluded Deputy Nolan. READ NEXT: Pedestrian crossing lights back working on street in Tullamore town centre BETCORE triumphs at the Malta iGaming Excellence Awards, winning the prestigious Best Innovative Product Company of the Year award. BETCORE is a modern and innovative iGaming brand supplying the best products and unified solutions to its partners. Over the years, it has expanded its portfolio and now covers three major verticals enjoyed by casino enthusiasts. The progress made over the years, along with the attention paid to quality and detail, has recently been recognized at the Malta iGaming Excellence Awards. The company won the prestigious Best Innovative Product Company of the Year title in mid-June. Celebrating Innovation in iGaming MiGEA is an international award ceremony organized by Dynamic Events annually in Malta. In 2025, an impressive lineup of brands was nominated for the Best Innovative Product Company of the Year, and BETCORE came on top. For those who have enjoyed the product and solutions provided by the company to worldwide partners, the nomination and victory came as no surprise. BETCORE offers a selection of crash games and instant-win titles to partner casinos through the Bet on Games bundle. It also covers the fast-growing live TV games that come with its TVBET service, offering fun betting opportunities on table and card games, as well as lotteries. They feature friendly and professional hosts, just like their live dealer studio solution, aptly named El Casino. It provides online gaming enthusiasts with the finest live roulette games and other live casino classics. Another Major Milestone for BETCORE The company has been the recipient of other nominations and awards, but winning the Best Innovative Product Company of the Year at MiGEA is a major achievement. The conference brings together the biggest names in the industry, so winning a prize for the most innovative brand holds great significance. An expert jury analyzed the product and gaming solutions provided by the nominated brands and determined that BETCORE was head and shoulders above its peers. Francisco Bravo, LATAM Sales Director at BETCORE, was quick to acknowledge the significance of the moment and congratulated the team that made it possible. The Best Innovative Product Company of the Year Award is a testament to the hard work that has been produced over the years. It also provides the company with a strong impetus to build on this success and develop even more innovative games. To learn more, read our exclusive interview with BETCORE CEO Peter Korpusenko! Questions are answered by experts at the Oregon Health Authority, other state agencies or community partners. Questions and answers are republished by permission. Q: As a senior who has received every COVID shot offered and a flu shot every fall since they have been offered, I am concerned about availability of these vaccines this fall. What are the chances these vaccines will be offered this year? Linda, Ontario A: Regarding the flu vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted last week to recommend the 2025-2026 flu vaccine for all people ages 6 months and up. We expect that vaccine to be available to everyone, as usual, beginning around September. Regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, we expect manufacturers to release a new supply of COVID-19 vaccines for the 2025-2026 respiratory virus season. However, their formulation, the timing of their availability, as well as who will be recommended to receive them and whether insurance companies or Medicare will cover them for all people who want them is still unknown. Vaccine policy changes at the federal level are ongoing and keeping us all on our toes. That said, Oregon Health Plan (OHP/Medicaid) continues to cover COVID-19 vaccination for all its members ages 6 months and up. For you, based on current CDC recommendations, if you are 65 or over and not immunocompromised, youre eligible for two doses of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine. Beyond that, stay tuned. Well keep Oregonians informed as best we can, in this newsletter and elsewhere. Q: If I had measles in the late 1950s, am I still immune or do I need to be vaccinated? KN, Eugene A: You are still, and will always be, immune to measles. Anyone who has had measles at any time in their life is immune forever and does not need to be vaccinated. The same goes for people who have received two doses of measles vaccine. If youve had only one dose and believe youve been exposed, you can consider getting a second dose. You can get answers to a lot of common questions about measles and measles vaccination by reading our blog, Measles: what you should know and who might want to consider vaccination. 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. (Bloomberg) -- A peer-beating Asian equity fund is turning its sights on Samsung Electronics Co. amid a rally in Korean equities. Most Read from Bloomberg The $1.6 billion Ninety One Global Strategy Fund - Asian Equity Fund recently turned overweight on Samsung, according to London-based co-manager Charlie Linton. Many investors have mispriced the company because its lagging rivals like SK Hynix Inc. in the high-bandwidth memory chip market, he added. The funds screening often highlights stocks that are discarded by investors making decisions based on geographic and sector-driven trends, he said. It has returned 15% this year, outperforming 94% of peers, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. His bet on Samsung comes as investors continue to pile into Koreas stock market on optimism for corporate governance reforms. The benchmark Kospi Index has surged almost 30% in 2025 to be one of the worlds best-performing gauges. Lintons team relies on a model that screens stocks in the region using a blend of factors quality, value, operational performance and technical momentum and picks shares that are expected to withstand market volatility, he said. It bought shares of bought Pop Mart International Group Ltd. in March 2024 after its quantitative model identified the Labubu makers earnings potential amid Chinas economic malaise. While Samsungs shares have trailed those of SK Hynix, which supplies HBM to Nvidia Corp, the firms next-generation DRAM chip could help the stock catch up with peers once production takes off, Linton said. Samsung shares are up 20% this year, while SK Hynixs have jumped almost 60%. Currently everyone is underweight Samsung, said Linton, who also owns SK Hynix shares. Weve taken a bit more positive view, partly because the valuation looks very attractive. Chinese equities make up almost a third of the fund. Linton owns shares of Naura Technology Group Co., which he sees as a proxy to Chinas rising semiconductor prowess thanks to its localization efforts and growth thats outpaced domestic counterparts. (Updates with details on Kospi performance, share moves throughout) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Although the exact number of backlogged kits nationwide is unknown, a 2022 report from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service that summarized existing research found backlog estimates ranging from 90,000 to 400,000 kits. (Max Faulkner/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/TNS) TNS After years of pressure over lost or untested sexual assault kits, a growing number of states are adopting systems to track the kits giving survivors a way to follow their evidence through the justice process. But despite nearly $400 million in federal support since 2015, backlogs persist, and some states still lack basic oversight. And now, advocates fear such financial support is on shaky ground. There are an estimated 49,248 untested kits across the country, according to data collected by the Joyful Heart Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group. Although the exact number of backlogged kits nationwide is unknown, a 2022 report from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service that summarized existing research found backlog estimates ranging from 90,000 to 400,000 kits. After a sexual assault, a survivor may choose to undergo a forensic exam, during which a trained health care professional collects evidence over the course of several hours. That evidence which may include clothing, photos of injuries, blood, urine and DNA samples is compiled into whats commonly known as a rape kit or sexual assault kit. The kit is then sent to a crime lab for further testing. Test results are sometimes returned to investigators who check for DNA matches in national or state databases. A match could connect the case to other sexual assaults or link a suspect to another crime. But processing a single kit can take days, months or even years, depending on when they are submitted and how much other work crime labs have. In some states, there are no laws requiring law enforcement to send rape kits to a lab within a specific time frame or mandating how quickly those kits must be tested. Survivors are often left in the dark. They may not know if their kit was tested, whether a suspect was identified, or if their case is moving forward. (In Oregon, survivors can check online to see the status of their kit.) That silence the uncertainty about what happened to the kit has long been the norm in many parts of the country. We have betrayed at least a generation of survivors in the way that the criminal justice system and the larger public have responded to sexual assault, said Rachel Lovell, an associate professor of criminology and the director of the Criminology Research Center at Cleveland State University. Lovell has conducted extensive research on the impact of untested rape kits in Ohio. The goal of tracking systems is straightforward: bring transparency to a process that for decades left survivors without answers. These systems allow victims to log in and track the status of their kits from collection to testing to storage and offer law enforcement agencies a tool to identify and prevent testing backlogs, and strengthen criminal investigations. At least 37 states and Washington, D.C., have established or committed to establishing a rape kit tracking system, according to the End the Backlog website run by the Joyful Heart Foundation. The foundation supports survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. Two more states New Jersey and Pennsylvania announced plans this year to build their own tracking systems. In New Jersey, a new law gives the attorney generals office until Aug. 1 to set up the tracking system. Pennsylvania officials are preparing to launch a statewide inventory of kits to better understand the scope of the backlog before developing their system. A handful of other states have also enacted or are considering legislation to support their sexual assault kit tracking programs. In Arizona, for example, Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a bill into law in May requiring all police departments in the state to use a system called Track-Kit. The new law primarily affects the Phoenix Police Department, which opted out of using the system in 2016. That department is expected to launch the platform later this year. At the federal level, support for kit testing and tracking has often come from the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, or SAKI, which has awarded nearly $400 million to 96 grantees, including local and state agencies, across 44 states since 2015. But the programs future has not always been certain. In January, the federal Office of Management and Budget had listed the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative as a program whose funding would be frozen, before walking back the widespread freeze amid legal challenges. President Donald Trumps proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 would maintain funding for the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative at $51.5 million, according to a new report from the nonpartisan think tank Council on Criminal Justice. But a separate round of federal Department of Justice grant cuts in April has raised concerns about the stability of broader support services for survivors. That round of cuts affected a variety of grant programs, including domestic violence shelters, trauma counseling, legal assistance and hospital advocacy. The timing is especially concerning, advocates say, as victims of crime face growing obstacles to accessing state-provided support. In many states, victims seeking financial compensation encounter long delays, burdensome paperwork or are disqualified entirely by narrow eligibility rules. Police investigations and funding In jurisdictions that have worked to clear their backlogs, testing sexual assault kits has helped identify serial offenders, solve cold cases and connect assaults or other crimes to the same perpetrator. Nationwide, testing supported by the federal Sexual Assault Kit Initiative has contributed to at least 1,538 convictions. Still, these types of crimes are vastly underreported to police. Rapes and sexual assaults are notoriously difficult to investigate and prosecute, said Lovell, of Cleveland State University. But testing all rape kits can reveal patterns of criminal behavior over time and provide deeper insight into how, when and to whom these crimes are happening ultimately helping improve support and case outcomes for survivors. By prosecuting sex offenders, you can also work to address violent crime more generally and solve past or future crimes with the addition of evidence and DNA, Lovell told Stateline. In her research on untested rape kits in Ohio, Lovell has found that since 2015 when the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative launched cases overseen by the Cleveland Police Department have been more likely to move forward in the investigative and prosecutorial process, with fewer being labeled as unfounded. Police reports, she said, also have become more detailed and trauma informed. The initiative itself may not be the sole reason for these changes, Lovell said. Other factors, such as departmental policy changes or officer training, may also have played a role. Although SAKI grants remain one of the primary sources of support for testing backlogged kits and building tracking systems, communities may face challenges sustaining progress once the federal dollars run out. Capt. Tim Hegarty, division commander of the Office of Professional Standards at the Glynn County Police Department in Georgia, said local agencies must push through potential funding cuts. It falls back on agencies to do the job that they say theyre going to do, even when the money has dried up, Hegarty said in an interview. Doesnt matter whos in the (presidential) administration. Hegarty added that many departments across the country are still catching up when it comes to interviewing victims with sensitivity and investigating sex crimes. Law enforcement really has not advanced a great deal when it comes to dealing with these types of crimes, Hegarty said. Its not the universal language when it comes to policing across the country. New statewide tracking systems Other states are looking to strengthen existing programs through new oversight measures and stricter processing timelines. Maine is one of the 11 states without a statewide rape kit tracking system. But state lawmakers are considering a bill that would create one and require law enforcement agencies and the states crime lab to inventory and test backlogged kits. The bill passed the House in mid-June and is currently under consideration by the Senate Appropriations Committee. In Colorado, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill in early June aimed at improving the states capacity to process sexual assault kits. The new law establishes the Colorado Sexual Assault Forensic Medical Evidence Review Board, which will evaluate the states medical, legal and criminal responses to sexual assault. The governor and attorney general have until Aug. 1 to appoint board members. A preliminary report is due to lawmakers by Dec. 15. The law also strengthens oversight of kit processing timelines. Law enforcement agencies must now provide survivors with updates on the status of their kits every 90 days. It also sets a new 60-day goal for crime labs to process forensic medical evidence, shortening the current 90-day goal. As of May 31, 1,324 kits were backlogged, with an estimated testing turnaround time of about a year and a half, according to the states dashboard. Alaska, which launched its statewide rape kit tracking system in 2023, considered a bill this year that would have expedited processing timelines for sexual assault kits. The bill passed the House without opposition but failed to advance through the Senate before the legislative session ended in May. Although the number of untested kits has significantly declined since the state began inventorying them in 2017, 254 kits remained untested at the states crime lab in 2024 up from 113 the previous year but well below the 3,484 recorded in 2017. In Georgia, lawmakers considered a similar bill that would have established new rules for collecting, testing and tracking evidence from sexual assault kits. The bill did not advance before the legislature adjourned in April. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation reported in December that 2,298 kits were tested between July 2023 and June 2024, with 480 kits still awaiting testing. Another 1,612 older cases submitted before 1999 were flagged for DNA testing, of which 837 had been tested as of June 2024. By Amanda Hernandez, Stateline.org Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a national nonprofit news organization focused on state policy. Ibogaine is a psychedelic substance extracted from the Iboga bush, which is found in West and Central Africa. The powder substance is usually packed into a pill that people swallow. (Alejandro Tamayo/The San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS) TNS For years after his service in Afghanistan and Iraq, U.S. Army Special Forces veteran Joe Hudak fought a daily battle against a voice inside his head screaming anxious, dark and dangerous thoughts. He lost multiple team members in combat during his two-decade career in the Green Berets and tried everything he could to treat his post-traumatic stress disorder talk therapy, group therapy, medication and even swimming with dolphins. But the voice only grew louder, leading Hudak to attempt to take his own life. He survived, but many service members do not. An average of 17.6 veterans died by suicide each day in 2022, the latest year for which data are available. I couldnt be happy. I was angry and fearful all the time, white-knuckling it through life, he said. Then, out of the blue, a buddy from the counterterrorism unit called me up one day and was like, Hey would you be interested in trying psychedelics? A few weeks later, Hudak was en route from San Diego to Mexico to participate in a Stanford observational study using a psychedelic called ibogaine to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression among Special Forces veterans. After just one dose, Hudak experienced what he had desperately been searching for silence. That voice in my head was gone. It (ibogaine) saved my life, he said. And I dont mean that flippantly; I mean that, legitimately, it saved my life. A month after the treatment, study participants experienced on average an 88% reduction in PTSD symptoms, 87% reduction in depression symptoms and 81% reduction in anxiety symptoms. The before and after difference was just so striking, said Dr. Ian Kratter, a Stanford neuropsychiatrist who co-led the study. Hudaks trip was sponsored by the nonprofit organization Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, or VETS, which has helped more than 1,000 veterans access psychedelic therapy abroad. Buoyed by the positive results in Mexico, the organization is spearheading legislative solutions to help make these treatments available in the U.S. In California, VETS is currently advocating for Assembly Bill 1103, which would help fast-track the approval of academic studies on psychedelics. Psychedelics such as ibogaine, ayahuasca, psilocybin, LSD and MDMA have all shown promising results in treating mental health conditions including PTSD, traumatic brain injury and treatment-resistant depression. But they currently have no federally approved medical uses. We realized that the only way to really get ahead of the veteran suicide epidemic is through research and policy change, said Amber Capone, who co-founded VETS with husband Marcus Capone, a former Navy SEAL who also credits ibogaine with saving his life. In Oregon, people can legally access psychedelic medicine only through licensed practitioners. In 2023, California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have decriminalized the possession of psychedelics, asking lawmakers to first focus on establishing regulations for their therapeutic use. State Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat, responded by proposing a 2024 bill to legalize psychedelic-assisted therapy, but it died in session. AB 1103 is more narrow in scope and would focus on changes to the Research Advisory Panel of California, which is responsible for approving any Food and Drug Administration-approved studies involving the administration of Schedule I and II drugs. This state-level regulatory burden, which does not exist outside of California, can delay the start of studies. Delays have real consequences, as more veterans are dying by suicide in America on a daily basis than died each day during the Vietnam or Gulf wars, said Khurshid Khoja, VETS policy director, who helped draft AB 1103. It is such an extraordinarily high number that if it were happening in a battlefield, there would be mass protests, but instead this is happening quietly, he said. If help comes in time for one veteran, to us its worth it. Californias Research Advisory Panel was established in the late 1960s to vet studies on controlled substances for safety and legitimacy and help them move forward without law enforcement concerns. In 1970, Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, which dictated the steps researchers across the country had to take to use controlled substances in their research. California never eliminated the advisory panel and thus ended up with both a state and federal approval process. Issues with the advisory panel became apparent last year when it did not meet for 11 months due to a tussle over a state law requiring government meetings to be held in public. A state bill that VETS supported last legislative session helped get meetings running again, but for almost a year no new research proposals involving psychedelics could move ahead in California. AB 1103 seeks to establish a permanent solution by allowing studies on Schedule I and II drugs to be approved without having to wait for a meeting of the full advisory panel. Under the bill, researchers who can show that their FDA-approved study is already compliant with California law would be eligible to have their proposal approved by a smaller group of panel members within a matter of days. The bill, which is sponsored by Assembly member Christopher Ward, a San Diego Democrat, cleared the state Assembly last month and is now awaiting approval in the state Senate. Although there have been debates over whether the Research Advisory Panel should be nixed entirely, VETS supports reforming and keeping the panel, saying that it plays a helpful role in ensuring the safety of these pioneering studies. Ibogaine, for example, can cause heart complications if the patients cardiac health is not properly assessed before administration. Psychedelics can trigger psychosis in individuals with underlying mental health conditions and, in rare occasions, can cause seizures. Interest in the therapeutic use of psychedelics is now surging across the nation, and veterans are playing an important role in making inroads among conservative groups who have previously opposed pursuing legalization of these substances. When one thinks of a stereotypical psychedelics supporter, an image of a tie-dye-clad hippie living on a commune in California and protesting against war may come to mind. Army veterans are a different population. Many come from the South and Midwest, tend to lean right and often hold conservative values. This can give them a powerful voice when speaking to both sides of the aisle and helping pass bipartisan legislation. Earlier this month, Texas passed a VETS-sponsored bill creating a $50 million state fund for drug development trials for ibogaine the largest publicly funded psychedelic research initiative launched by any government worldwide. One of the biggest champions of the bill was Rick Perry, the former Texas governor and an Air Force veteran. Ive heard the stories, studied the research, and looked these Veterans and warfighters in the eye men who came back from ibogaine treatment in Mexico healed and finally whole, Perry said in a statement on the bills passage. Ibogaine gave them peace when nothing else could. Ibogaine is a psychoactive compound from the root bark of a West African shrub and has been used by Indigenous people for medical and spiritual purposes for hundreds of years. Ingesting it brings on an intense introspective psychedelic trip that researchers say can help people process trauma or emotional pain underlying their substance abuse or mental health disorders. Another veteran who participated in the Stanford study said he experienced life-changing effects within days of undergoing ibogaine treatment. I had no desire to drink, no desire to chew tobacco, no suicidal ideation. I just felt whole again, said Sean, who asked that his last name to be withheld due to employment concerns. Sean also experienced significant improvements on memory and cognition tests after returning from Mexico. Some researchers have reported that ibogaine may be able to help repair areas of the brain by increasing levels of molecules called trophic factors that encourage brain cells to foster new connections, said Kratter, the Stanford researcher. If this is the way it works, it may help the brain rewire itself in a healthier manner, he said. Kratter said the results of the Stanford observational study were very encouraging and that they demand replication in larger controlled trials. Three years after undergoing ibogaine treatment, Sean remains sober and has an excellent relationship with himself and his family, he said. I became something of an evangelist for it, because its lifesaving, he said. I have six people I worked with very closely in the military that have committed suicide. If we can get this out there and save lives, its huge. _____ 2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Lincoln City celebrated July 4, 2025, with a 200-drone light show over Siletz Bay instead of fireworks. Explore Lincoln City The skies above Siletz Bay near Lincoln City came alive with vivid colors and sparkling lights, but this year it wasnt traditional fireworks exploding over the ocean. Lincoln City, the self-proclaimed Kite Capital of the World, offered its first drone light show in celebration of the Fourth of July. Two hundred drones formed shapes in the sky that were synchronized to music, as seen in video and photos provided by Explore Lincoln City. The 15-minute show was designed by Sky Elements, which has put on drone displays for organizations like the Seattle Seahawks and Marvel. The switch to a drone show reflects Lincoln Citys focus on sustainability. (Fireworks) release plastic, gun power, heavy metals like lead, copper, cadmium, titanium, and aluminum, and toxic chemicals into Siletz Bay, the Wildlife Refuge, the Taft District and Salishan Spit. These contaminants impact air quality, wildlife, waterways, soil and human health, according to Explore Lincoln City. Fireworks are also prohibited in Lincoln City. Watch the video below to see the citys first drone show in celebration of the Fourth of July. Editor Therese Bottomly works on a laptop preparing for election night in 2018 hours before the results were released. Dave Killen / Staff - Election 2018 in the Oregonian newsroom Dave killen On a recent episode of the Beat Check with The Oregonian podcast, business editor Elliot Njus interviews Therese Bottomly for an exit interview as she retires after seven years as the newsrooms top editor and a 42-year career at the newspaper. Generative AI was used to summarize a recent episode of the Beat Check podcast. Questions and responses were edited for clarity and length. This story was reviewed and edited by The Oregonian/OregonLive. Elliot Njus: How, as editor, did you navigate the pandemic, protests and wildfires that hit right after you started? Was that the job you signed up for? Therese Bottomly: It was certainly an amazing year of tremendous journalism and a real credit to the newsroom for pulling together under extraordinary circumstances. The COVID-19 epidemic really underscored the importance of local journalism. Our website traffic tripled, and we set up a free direct-to-text service that had thousands of subscribers. It reminded me of the vital role that fact-based, credible local journalism plays every day, but especially in times of crisis. This period also led to something important for our long-term stability: during 2020, we started asking people to subscribe to OregonLive for our journalism online. OregonLive had been free since its inception in the late 90s. We first asked readers to voluntarily support our work, which they did, and later created content specifically for paying readers. This change was difficult for longtime readers to accept after years of free access, but people adapted because they recognized the value of our work. This switch to digital subscriptions has really paid dividends for our long-term stability. Elliot Njus: Lets back up quite a bit. You were basically fresh out of journalism school when you got to the Oregonian. Tell us about the newsroom you walked into the sights, sounds, and general vibe of the place. Therese Bottomly: It was a large operation 305 people in the newsroom, very male-dominated. You walked into this open floor at 1320 Southwest Broadway where the entire fourth floor was filled with desks topped with electric typewriters, so you had that constant noise. I started on the night copy desk, working 4 p.m. to midnight for my first seven years. The copy editors had just gotten the first computers, which werent particularly fast or efficient, but that was the beginning of the digital transition. People still smoked in the newsroom when I arrived. It was very old school. Newspaper print editions were a manufacturing process wed put headlines on stories, send them downstairs where compositors would run them through wax machines and manually build pages with X-acto knives. Those pages went to the plate-making facility by the stadium, and the presses would start running. It took 10 minutes for every plate. The Sunday Oregonian back then was sometimes 450 pages. The presses would roll for hours while trucks waited to deliver papers as far as Boise, Seattle and Medford. Elliot Njus: How did you come to be in the newsroom? Did you know journalism was what you wanted to do, and did you have aspirations to lead the whole operation? Therese Bottomly: I really fell into journalism, Elliot. I never worked on my high school paper or my college paper. I was about two years into college taking Latin and linguistics, neither of which were going to pay the rent. So I looked at the requirements for journalism school, and after failing the typing test twice, I got in and graduated. A copy editing professor called John Harvey, the news editor at the Oregonian, and suggested taking me as a summer intern. I showed up two days after college graduation and never left. Elliot Njus: What are some of the stories that really stand out from your career, not just for the acclaim or prizes, but for their significance to Oregonians and the state? Therese Bottomly: As editors, were in the background, supporting reporters and photographers doing the tough work in the field. Several stories stand out as extraordinary. The Thurston High School shooting in 1998, which was before Columbine and truly shook everyone. We set up a mobile newsroom at a hotel in Springfield with computers and open phone lines to our main newsroom something unheard of at the time. Another was the Kim family story, where a family took a wrong turn and became stranded in snowy hills. The father died trying to walk out for help while his wife and children were eventually rescued. That was notable as our first major use of video in reporting, which may have contributed to our Pulitzer Prize for breaking news that year. The Umpqua Community College shooting was the first time I learned of major news from Twitter. And the Malheur standoff was extraordinary because it was far away in eastern Oregon, bitterly cold, lasted for weeks and exemplified sentiments from parts of Oregon that those of us in the Portland metro area arent always in touch with. Elliot Njus: Youve had an open voicemail box and email for readers, and you seem to respond to just about every message. Why has that been important to you, even as youve gone on to become editor with other responsibilities? Therese Bottomly: We learn a lot from readers, and we dont want to be that impenetrable fortress. We will survive and thrive based on our relationship with readers in this community and our relevance to them. During COVID, I told the newsroom that we were living through it alongside our readers our questions were reader questions, and reader questions were our questions. I didnt intend to become a customer service person handling my paper didnt arrive complaints, but I wanted to bring transparency. We saw an increasing us versus them sense of bias or elitism, a feeling that we werent speaking for readers. Revealing more about our decision-making process and acknowledging when we get things wrong helps break down those barriers and shows people that journalism is a human endeavor. I typically respond to emails when people seem genuinely interested rather than just trying to score political points. I invite people to point out specific concerns about perceived bias, which is more helpful than generalized complaints. Many readers appreciate the transparency, even when they dont agree with our decisions. Elliot Njus: What are your biggest concerns about the future for journalism and for the Oregonian? Therese Bottomly: I believe journalism will endure, though the delivery mechanism and funding mechanism continue to pose challenges. Im proud that our company has dedicated itself to diversifying revenue streams, with digital subscriptions providing monthly stability that supports our accountability journalism. One of my ongoing concerns is our reliance on major tech platforms like Google, Facebook, or X to send us traffic. When these platforms work well, lots of people come to our website. But when they decide to downgrade news in their algorithms, we suddenly lose readers. I worry about this dependence and want us to build independence by finding new distribution avenues. Artificial intelligence is another rapidly changing force. I set up an internal committee on AI, but found myself becoming a bottleneck, unable to put enough energy and time into it given the pace of change. That was part of my decision to step away were on the cusp of revolutionary change in our work that has tremendous potential to benefit readers, but I felt I was holding things up. Maybe its time for fresh legs to enter the field. Listen to the full conversation here: Subscribe to Beat Check with The Oregonian on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Youll get a weekly look inside Oregons biggest news stories with the journalists at The Oregonian/OregonLive.com. Listen to more Beat Check episodes below. Theres a little-known adventure thats creating a waitlist frenzy among in-the-know Oregonians: a full-day boat cruise from Portland to Astoria along the Columbia River. This trip was recently featured on the Peak Northwest podcast, where hosts Jamie Hale and Chiara Profenna interviewed Oregonian reporter Lizzy Acker about her experience on this unique journey. Ill be honest, this is not something I ever even dreamed about, but now that I know about it, Im kind of obsessed with it, Hale said during the podcast introduction. Twice a year in May and October the Portland Spirit offers this day-long cruise along the Columbia River. Its not cheap at around $220 per person, but as Acker explained on the podcast, I think people might be like, Wow, thats expensive. But its not really for what you get. It didnt feel expensive to me. Generative AI was used to summarize a recent episode of the Peak Northwest podcast. This story was reviewed and edited by The Oregonian/OregonLive. What makes this price tag worthwhile? The cruise includes meals, a historian providing narration throughout the journey and constantly changing scenery that offers a completely different perspective on Oregon. As Acker described, There was never a time when there wasnt something interesting to see. And then theres great food on the boat... My team won trivia. And yeah, then theres this historian whos giving context. Breakfast on the Portland to Astoria trip on the Portland Spirit on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Lizzy Acker/The Oregonian Trivia winners during the Portland to Astoria trip on the Portland Spirit on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Lizzy Acker/The Oregonian Historian Barb Kubik narrates the voyage from Portland to Astoria on the Portland Spirit on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Lizzy Acker/The Oregonian The journey begins in Portland on the Willamette River before connecting to the Columbia River. The boat passes under the St. Johns Bridge Portlands most beautiful bridge, according to Acker giving passengers a rare vantage point from below. When youre on the river, youre like, Oh yeah, this bridge is so much higher up than the other ones, she noted. The St. Johns Bridge as seen from the Portland Spirit on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Lizzy Acker/The Oregonian The cruise offers opportunities to spot wildlife, observe massive container ships, and even watch bar pilots climb aboard these vessels to guide them across the notoriously dangerous Columbia Bar known as the graveyard of the Pacific. Whats particularly fascinating about this cruise is how it reconnects passengers with Oregons historical transportation routes. Before highways dominated travel, rivers were the primary corridors for movement and commerce. Sauvie Island seen during the Portland to Astoria trip on the Portland Spirit on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Lizzy Acker/The Oregonian The popularity of this rare offering cant be overstated. The October cruise is already sold out, but you can get on the waiting list, Acker shared. She added that one of her table mates had been on the waiting list and gotten in that week. So I recommend if you really want to do this, get on the waiting list because its possible youll get a spot. Despite its popularity, Portland Spirit only offers this cruise twice yearly. Portland Spirit told me that they pretty much just break even on this cruise. Thats the reason they only do it twice a year because they can make a lot more money, taking that boat out three times, two times a day [in Portland] Acker said. The social aspect of the journey surprised Acker, who traveled solo. I was at a table with just single people who are there by themselves and I made all these friends, she said. I have phone numbers of multiple people that I met on that boat. Listen to the full episode here: Subscribe to The Oregonian/OregonLives travel and outdoors podcast Peak Northwest on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Hosts Jamie Hale and Chiara Profenna take you to some of the greatest destinations in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Check out more Peak Northwest episodes below. Rep. Cyrus Javadi, a Tillamook Republican, represents a swing district on the Oregon Coast. A few of his votes this year aligned with Democrats', angering at least one constituent who previously supported him. Dave Killen / The Oregonian In October 2022, Katrina Nelson of Westport, Oregon, wrote in a letter to the Astorian newspaper that she was voting for Cyrus Javadi, a Republican dentist from Tillamook, to represent her in the Oregon House because hes coming into this national battle for freedom with an open mind and an open heart. Now, less than three years later and into Javadis second term representing the states 32nd House District along the Oregon Coast, Nelson is leading an effort to have him recalled. Last week, Nelson filed a petition with the Oregon Secretary of States Office to recall Javadi, citing her disagreement with his recent votes to pass Senate Bill 1098 protecting access to school library books that discuss different religions, sexualities and disabilities and to pass House Resolution 3 honoring Oregons Black drag performers for their contribution to the states culture, history and to LGBTQ+ acceptance today. Javadi, who said hes corresponded with Nelson about her criticisms, characterized her recall petition as a veiled threat to him for not voting in alignment with far-right members of the Republican party and loyalists to President Donald Trump, rather than a real effort to have him unseated. Its (the recall petition) not for corruption or accusing me of anything. Its just simply that she didnt like the way I voted, he said. I think shes just kind of in that mindset right now that if you dont do exactly what we say, then well pull you. Well recall you if youre not Trump enough or MAGA enough. Nelson, when reached by phone, agreed only to answer questions via email, and said that she needed time to have a spokesperson review her answers. She did not respond to the Capital Chronicles emailed questions by late Monday afternoon. By law she has to collect more than 5,400 signatures 15% of the number of votes cast for governor in the district during the most recent gubernatorial election by Sept. 24 to get the recall onto local ballots for a district-wide vote. The recall petition is voided if Nelson does not gather enough signatures. If she does get enough signatures, Javadi has five days to either resign, or submit his own 200-word statement to be included on the ballot, explaining why he should remain in office. There are 54,400 registered voters in the district that runs along the Central and Northwest coast of Oregon from Lincoln City to Astoria. Slightly more voters are registered as Democrats than Republicans, and like most Oregon districts, the bulk of voters are not affiliated with any one party, according to the most recent voter registration data from the Oregon Secretary of States Office. Values and votes In her petition, Nelson characterized Javadis yes vote on Senate Bill 1098 as being in favor of keeping porn in school, and his vote on House Resolution 3 as not reflecting conservative moral order and values. Lastly, she said Javadi should be recalled because he failed to clarify his position on the biggest tax increase in Oregon history HB 2025. Javadi, as well as most Oregon legislators, never got to take a vote on House Bill 2025, the states big transportation funding bill that Republicans criticized for being too expensive and being released too late in the session. House Republicans chose not to vote on any transportation bill at all by the time the 2025 session wrapped on Friday. Javadi said he talked with Nelson, who often reaches out via email, Facebook and text messages, about his vote on Senate Bill 1098 and on House Resolution 3, and that he shared his thoughts about voting no on the transportation bill in constituent newsletters and on Facebook which she follows pretty closely. She knows SB 1098 was not about putting porn in school. She knows that the HR-3 was, for me, a moment to defend free speech. Javadi was the only Republican to vote in favor of the bill banning book bans on the basis of their being about or by a member of a protected class, such as the LGBTQ+ community. On the House floor explaining his vote, he shared the story of his son, who grew up in rural Oregon and who read books to help him understand his identity as a young gay man. You can remove a book if the content is too graphic, Javadi told lawmakers. You can remove it if its not age appropriate, but you cant remove it just because the author is gay or Muslim or Black or because the story centers someone that makes you uncomfortable. Javadi and state Rep. Kevin Mannix, a Salem Republican, were the only two Republicans who voted in favor of the resolution honoring Black drag performers. While we may not all share the same beliefs or backgrounds, we share this place, this country, this constitution and I support the spirit of this resolution because it affirms that no matter who you are or what you believe, you matter and youre welcome here, Javadi said on the House floor. Javadi said Nelson has reached out in the past to criticize him for supporting mail-in voting, which she thinks leads to fraud in elections. Oregonians have voted entirely by mail since 2000, after nearly 70% of voters approved switching to mail ballots in 1998. Javadi said that Nelson has also asked that he sign the Convention of the States, a far right effort to get at least 34 state legislatures to hold a convention to amend the U.S. Constitution. Congress is required Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution to hold a convention if two-thirds of state legislatures call for it. Proponents of the movement say the goal is to reign in the federal governments spending power and tackle the national debt. But there are no rules limiting all kinds of other amendments that could be added, worrying legal scholars who say it could open the door to lawmakers changing citizenship requirements, presidential term-limits and other rights and laws the Constitution currently protects. Javadi said he will begin undertaking some fundraising in case he has to campaign against Nelsons recall petition, and that if shes opposed to his policy decisions, theres a better way to challenge him on the ballot. If you dont like it, then run, he said. -- Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, the nations largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. Jett Angus, left, and Mallory Harper, center, both 20, learn how to use an automated screen printing machine from Iain Ogilvie, right, the production manager at New Avenues INK, a nonprofit-owned print shop in Southeast Portland. Allison Barr/The Oregonian Wednesday was Mallory Harpers first day at her new job as an intern at New Avenues INK, a print-making shop in Southeast Portland, a few blocks from the Hawthorne Bridge. Asked why she took the job, Harper, 20, laughed a bit. Rain on the Fourth of July brought a muddy start to the annual rodeo in Haines, Oregon, held July 3-4. But whats a little mud to a cowboy? The Haines Stampede traces its roots back to the mid-1890s. Thats when a rodeo was first held in the Rock Creek area, about five miles northwest of Haines, in Baker County. The Haines Stampede was a regular part of the eastern Oregon towns Fourth of July celebrations until the mid-1980s, when the rodeo grounds fell into disrepair and the rodeo was disbanded. In 1990, a bunch of us in the community got together and thought, we ought to start the rodeo again, said Bill Taylor, the historian for the rodeo association and one of its founding members. The idea came up during an evening at the local watering hole. We were all up at the Circle H one night, and some guys decided, Hey, lets do the rodeo. They called on community volunteers, who chipped in time and money to build the current rodeo facility. They finished the new arena just in time for the rodeo to return to Haines on July 4, 1991. We were literally, on the morning of the Fourth, still putting nails in, said Ken Bain, one of the directors with the rodeo association. The Haines Stampede has been going ever since, run entirely by volunteers. The two-day event brings an average of 4,000 people to town each year, Bain estimated not bad for a former mining town of less than 400 people. Its just kind of a hometown event, Taylor said. As you can see, even with the rain we had today, we have a pretty decent crowd. It is, in our opinion, the best little rodeo in the state of Oregon. The Pendleton Round-Up is known as the place to Let er Buck. But here in Haines, the motto theyve been using since the 1920s is Cut er Loose. Rodeo events continue this holiday weekend at the Haines Stampede Arena, where the Haines Junior Rodeo will be held July 5-6. Events include pony bronc riding, dummy roping and mutton busting, in which kids ages 5 and younger attempt to ride a sheep. The Junior Rodeo is free to attend. Find a full schedule of events at hainesstampede.com. Next up at the Haines Rodeo Arena? The annual demolition derby will be held there at 6 p.m. Aug. 2. As an advisor to both TradFi and crypto native firms, one trend Im excited about is the potential of blockchain and tokenization to help asset managers serve the next generation of investors. These financial institutions pride themselves on navigating complexity and pursuing innovative strategies. They manage trillions across private equity, credit, venture, and real assets. But for all their sophistication in portfolio construction, many still rely on infrastructure better suited for the fax machine era. Investor records are kept in spreadsheets. Capital calls go out over email. Waterfall calculations are done manually. LPs get quarterly PDFs and little else. The technology stack underneath these firms is fragile, opaque, and overdue for a serious upgrade. Blockchain isnt a speculative detour; its a modern financial operating system. And for asset managers, it offers not just an opportunity to modernize fund administration and operations, but also to unlock new frontiers in product offerings to better serve their existing and future client base. Modernizing Fund Infrastructure The average investment firm still relies on a tangle of administrators, custodians, and transfer agents, each working from their own systems and reconciling records by hand during each stage of a funds lifecycle: inception, setup, fundraising and onboarding, operations, trading and liquidity, and closing. Because much of this process is manual and bespoke, mistakes happen, delays are common, and transparency is low, while the cost of compliance and administration continues to rise. Blockchain and tokenization solves for these inefficiencies by standardizing workflows across multiple participants. A permissioned ledger, shared between GPs, LPs, fund admins, transfer agents, auditors, and more, can become the single source of truth for investor accounts, capital flows, and transaction history. Instead of fragmented systems, siloed information, and weekly reconciliations, everyone operates from the same data, updated and visible in real time. Smart contracts can automate capital calls, distributions, and even complex waterfall logic, ensuring that the correct payments go to the correct counterparties, instantly and transparently. And the tokenization and interoperability of different asset types can enable automated, instantaneous settlement. No PDFs, wire delays, and human error. These arent gimmicks theyre operational upgrades. Investors can hold digital fund shares, settle redemptions in stablecoins, and track yield accrual in real time. For cash management, its a game-changer. For operational teams, it means fewer bottlenecks and cleaner audit trails. The Congress just passed a new bill that cuts Medicaid coverage for a lot of families, particularly affecting low-income groups. The move by lawmakers is expected to result in millions of Americans losing coverage if they are unable to properly complete what many consider cumbersome applications or prove that they are employed. Congress Passes Bill Cutting Medicaid Coverage If the new bill meets full congressional approval, parents, guardians, and relatives caring for youth 14 and older who want to qualify for Medicaid will be included in the individuals subject to new reporting requirements. One section of the bill is titled "Increasing Personal Accountability," and states that these individuals and other non-disabled adults are required to prove they have been working, attending college or a training program, or performing community service for 80 hours a month, until they are 65 years old. The bill aims to deliver on many of United States President Donald Trump's campaign promises, including legislation he called the "One Big Beautiful Bill." This proposal includes $4.4 trillion in new and extended tax cuts as well as increased spending on immigration crackdown and the military, according to The Imprint. In order to pay part of the cost, the plan is relying on more than $1 trillion in reductions to health care, food aid, higher education, and renewable energy investments. Many Republican lawmakers described the bill as an overdue crackdown on waste, fraud, and abuse in government. Particularly, House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the Senate when it voted 51-50 and pledged to work quickly to take their final vote on the measure. The Louisiana lawmaker added that they plan to deliver the package to the president's desk by July 4. Potential Effects on Low-Income Families Following the passage of the bill in Congress, many are expressing concern about what effects it could have. One of these is a New Jersey parent, Theresa Luoni, who is a full-time caregiver of her autistic twin sons, CBS News reported. She said that her two kids both have speech and occupational therapy through Medicaid and significantly rely on them for their healthcare and education. The mother is now worried about what could happen to her family following the nearly $1 trillion cut to the program. Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed these concerns, saying that the bill only hurts regular Americans and gives incentives to billionaires through massive tax breaks. What is more interesting is that Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who was a longtime ally of the president, publicly opposed the bill, saying it would increase spending and debt, as per Aljazeera. Dozens of children are missing, and many others have reportedly died after significant flooding in Texas ripped through summer camps. Local officials shared more details about the situation, noting that 23 young girls are currently unaccounted for after the flood swept through Camp Mystic. The incident also took various structures and other people with it. Dozens of Missing Children Now, many families have taken to social media and are asking the public for assistance as well as support from the community in finding the missing children. One family notes that Kellyanne Lytal was among those unaccounted for from Camp Mystic since the Friday flooding. Another child who was reported missing from the Kerr County campground was Virginia Hollis, who was said to have been staying at Cabin Twins 2. Lainey Landry's family also posted online, asking for help from the public in looking for their daughter, who they had not heard from since the floods, according to Fox San Antonio. Read more: Texas Provides Automatic SNAP Replacement Benefits for Hurricane Beryl Victims Many other families are posting on Facebook and are reporting their children or extended family to be missing and have not been in contact with them since the flooding broke out in the area. There are also families out of Beaumont who are calling out to the public for help in looking for missing loved ones who were believed to be in the area when the water swept through. Two of the missing individuals include Tanya and Jeff Ramsey, who were said to be caravaning at HTR TX Hill Country RV. Authorities said that recovery efforts are now underway, via the use of an emergency helicopter to rescue campers who were at the property. Catastrophic Flooding in Texas Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said that within 45 minutes, the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet and resulted in a destructive flood. He also informed parents that if they had not been contacted by officials, their child was accounted for, BBC reported. Patrick also reassured families that the missing children do not mean they have been lost, noting that they could simply be out of a way to communicate. He also thanked the public for offering the use of personal helicopters and drones to aid in recovery efforts, but said they are not needed at this time. Camp Mystic officials also said that they are helping authorities with search-and-rescue operations. However, it noted that it did not have power, water, or Wi-Fi, and was having difficulties getting more help due to a nearby highway being washed away, as per the New York Times. First of all, I wish a happy Fourth of July to everybody out there. Even to those for whom it isnt Independence Day. Perhaps especially to our British cousins, who gave us this holiday. And, of course to our Canadian neighbors, our friends in Greenland, our other neighbors in Panama to the south, and my relatives in Denmark, who may all soon be celebrating it with us, whether willingly or not! Since the website of the Interpreter Foundation is essentially dormant and since all of the Foundations resources are currently devoted to my gourmet dining out and my luxurious lodging, I can perhaps be forgiven for almost missing the three new items that have appeared on the Foundations website since roughly noon yesterday. Who would have expected them? But I apologize. And I attempt to catch up below. Here are the three most recent entries on the website: Reconciling Evolution by Faith or Framing? written by Jacob Billings Review of Jamie L. Jensen, Steven L. Peck, Ugo A. Perego, and T. Benjamin Spackman, eds. The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and Evolution. Provo, UT: College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, 2025. 272 pgs. Abstract: This review critically evaluates The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and Evolution, a multi-author volume that seeks to harmonize evolutionary science with the doctrines and theological framework of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While the book offers valuable pedagogical models, personal narratives, and historical context for addressing faith-science tensions, it exhibits notable limitations. Chief among these is an oversimplified distinction between belief and acceptance in scientific discourse, a lack of engagement with legitimate critiques of evolutionary theory, and insufficient resolution of scriptural and theological tensions. Although the collection succeeds in promoting dialogue and reducing conflict among religious students and educators, its rhetorical bias toward scientific consensus and avoidance of unresolved doctrinal issues ultimately weakens its reconciliatory potential. The volume is a meaningful step forward but leaves substantial theological and epistemological work unfinished. The volumes most commendable aspiration lies in its effort to model epistemological reconciliationnot merely tolerancebetween scientific and religious modes of knowing, a theme that could benefit from further theological exploration. Anachronisms: Accidental Evidence in Book of Mormon Criticisms: Preface, written by [Editors Note: We are pleased to present the preface 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.] Seek Ye Words of Wisdom: A Still Small Voice: Three Permutations of Qol Demama Daqqa in the Book of Mormon, written by Matthew L. Bowen Part of our book chapter reprint series, this article originally appeared in Seek Ye Words of Wisdom: Studies of the Book of Mormon, Bible, and Temple in Honor of Stephen D. Ricks, edited by Donald W. Parry, Gaye Strathearn, and Shon D. Hopkin. For more information, go to https://interpreterfoundation.org/books/seek-ye-words-of-wisdom/. Four passages in the Book of Mormon that describe the physical or audial characteristics of the voice of God1 Nephi 17:45; Helaman 5:3031; Helaman 5:4647; and 3 Nephi 11:37all quote or allude to the description in 1 Kings 19:12 of a still small voice (KJV). Modern English Bible translations differ greatly in how they render the underlying Hebrew phrase qol demama daqqa: e.g., a sound of sheer silence (NRSV), a light silent sound (NAB), a faint murmuring sound (REB), a gentle whisper (NIV), etc. Sigh. Im under the weather today two weeks of it, now! and, so, probably wont be doing a whole heck of a lot to celebrate Independence Day. But theres always fun of some sort to be had: A critic of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, wishing today to rebut Matt Ropers very recently published work on purported anachronisms in the Book of Mormon, first attempted to do so by raising the issue of early Latter-day Saint plural marriage. Its not a cogent response, of course. In fact, its rather like crying out Squirrel! Its a fallacy of irrelevance, an attempt at distraction or deflection. When he realized that his ploy had been recognized for what it was and, thus, had failed, the critic immediately shifted gears: Google the word Ijaz. The Muslims have the same argument about the Quran. No human could duplicate it so it must be from God. The whole farm boy thing is crazy. The farm boy was more educated than the tent dwelling Nephi. So either Nephi or jospeh wrote it. Both uneducated. Who wrote the doctrine and covenants? Oh yeah JS. He is good a pretending to speak in the voice of God. This is also an irrelevancy and an attempt at distraction, as it doesnt address Matt Ropers argument even indirectly. But I dont need to Google the word . Its true, of course, that many Muslim apologists have argued for the Qurans inimitability although the famous twentieth-century Egyptian Muslim writer and intellectual Taha Hussein thought the argument at least slightly misguided but Im happy to quickly point out at least a few of the significant differences between the Quran and the Book of Mormon with regard to the concept that it represents. First, though, three stipulations upon which I wont bother to expand here: I disagree that The whole farm boy thing is crazy. I think it fairly obvious that creation of the Book of Mormon was likely beyond the literary ability of the young Joseph Smith. I also disagree with the critics assertion that The farm boy was more educated than the tent dwelling Nephi. Assuming the historicity of Nephi for purposes of argument, he seems to have grown up in a wealthy family and, by the standards of the seventh/sixth century before Christ, to have received a fine education. (See 1 Nephi 1:1, for starters.) Temporarily living in a tent in no way entails a lack of education on his part. Im inclined to believe certainly Im open to the belief that at least some degree of divine inspiration undergirds the Quran, and (by the way, I taught semester-length college classes on the Quran for many years, both in English and in Arabic) I regard it as a remarkable piece of literature. The inimitability of the Quran is commonly believed by Muslims to reside chiefly in three aspects of it: (1) its allegedly incomparable style, (2) the unique knowledge that is supposedly represented in it, and (3) its being beyond the ability of the Prophet Muhammad to have composed. I dont really hear Latter-day Saints claiming (1a) stylistic uniqueness for the Book of Mormon. Rather, many of their arguments for its authenticity tend to focus on (2a) things in it that Joseph couldnt have humanly known, and (3a) its purported transcendence of Josephs literary ability. They are very different books. Within the Latter-day Saint scriptural canon, the Quran most resembles neither the Bible nor the Book of Mormon, but the Doctrine and Covenants. Like the Doctrine and Covenants, it is an anthology of discrete revelations (surahs; , pl. ) that were received over nearly a quarter of a century (specifically, between AD 610 and AD 632, compared to Joseph Smiths prophetic career, which lasted from 1820 to 1844). And Im unaware of anybody who claims that the overall complexity of the Doctrine and Covenants puts it beyond Josephs capacity. What is argued and, in my judgment, plausibly so is that the Book of Mormons considerable length, coupled with its internal consistency and complexity which increase exponentially with a documents increasing length and the speed of its dictation (within less than two and a half months, as opposed, say, to twenty-two years) and its recipients semi-literacy, makes accounting for its creation difficult on solely natural grounds. Much more could obviously be said on this topic, but Im out of time for the moment. This is the message that Cardinal Cupich plays on repeat: immigrants have done nothing wrong; indeed, they have been invited here. At his homily at the Pope Leo event at Rate Field in June, he said this: Without question, countries have a duty to secure their borders, protect the public from crime and violence and enact reasonable rules for immigration. At the same time, it is wrong to scapegoat those who are here without documents, for indeed they are here due to a broken immigration system which both parties have failed to fix. The task before us in this moment as Christians, is to call each other to live with authenticity, as authentic persons, rejecting language or activity that demonizes and degrades the dignity of others, that pretends that some persons are unworthy to be connected to us. That is foreign to our calling to be persons in the image and likeness of God. It is also dishonest, for indeed, so many of the undocumented have for decades been connected to us. They are here not by invasion but invitation to harvest the fruits of the earth that feed our families, to clean our tables, homes and hotel rooms, to landscape our lawns, and yes even to care for our children and elderly. In remarks in Mexico immediately before Trumps inauguration, he said the following: The choice is not simply between strict enforcement and open borders, as some commentators would have us believe. Speaking this year to ambassadors accredited to the Holy See, for example, Pope Francis spoke of the need to balance migration governance with regard for human rights and dignity. We are quick to forget that we are dealing with people with faces and names, he said. The Holy Father has also been clear that no one should be repatriated to a country where they could face severe human rights violations or even death. This is not idle speculation. Millions of migrants flee their homelands for safer shores precisely because it is a life or death issue for them and their children. I could find more examples, but please trust me that he always repeats the same three themes: first, that deporting those guilty of violent crime is acceptable but not really for any other reason; second, that we, collectively, have invited illegal immigrants into our country; and, third, that every illegal immigrant to the United States is here only because they would be persecuted or starve in their home countries. Of course, the first theme flows from the second and third; he rejects deportation of any but violent criminals because he believes the others. But it is simply untrue that Americans fairly uniformly and with a widespread consensus believe or believed that illegal immigration is just fine. Yes, there are Americans who believe that being able to hire an illegal immigrant and pay them under the table for nannying or housecleaning or yardwork is a nice and tidy benefit and a way to get around the higher wages for Americans. There are businesses who are well aware that workers who dont speak English but are presenting IDs with names like John Rakowski are not actually law-abiding, and are either happy to pay the low wages or feel compelled to do so in order to avoid being undercut by competitors. But this does not mean that Americans, as a people, a citizenry, have accepted this. They may feel politically powerless or resigned to the status quo because the system says nothing is enforceable. But the United States is not a third-world country, or indeed that sort of lower-income country, however you want to apply labels, where working under the table is simply a routine fact of life. Yes, it happens, but its rare, not normal. And of course Cupichs statements throughout the years that immigration is life or death is just as absurd, and it should be common sense. I think Ive blogged before (and with any luck tagging this post will bring others up) that this opinion really seems to have its origin in a sheltered enough life that adapting to another country seems such a near-insurmountable challenge that anyone venturing it would surely be desperate. But its not, all the more so for people with the access to home countries and immigrant support communities, translation support, etc., that exists today. But how does all of this this cause harm? First, by making expansive demands rather than tailored proposals, he makes it less rather than more likely that he and other supporters of the cause will achieve any goals at all. A proposal to offer protection to the longest-resident illegal immigrants might have achieved its goal, especially if those immigrants could prove some degree of integration into the community (English knowledge, at a minimum). It would position its proponents as reasonable moderates and build credibility. A demand that any deportation except for violent criminals is immoral, has no chance of being listened-to; it just sets up defiance, especially when on-the-ground there are attempts to prevent ICE enforcement actions by meeting them with violence. And, second, the actual resources the Archdiocese is offering are not meeting the moment in practical ways, but indicate they are digging in and leaning hard into the Illinois approach of protecting illegal immigrants at all costs. The relevant web page is Immigrant Assistance Resources. At a time when the Trump administration is removing criminals and individuals with deportation orders (which often include sympathetic-looking parents and grandparents with old deportation orders which bureaucrats in prior administrations chose not to enforce), revoking TPS and parole, and, now, speedrunning asylum and other immigration cases, the top priority for every immigrant without a secure legal status should surely be power of attorney as well as guardianship arrangements for children, to be able to plan for a potential detention. It would also be appropriate to advise immigrants of other countries which offer opportunities; for instance, its apparently fairly easy for someone from a former Spanish colony (e.g., Venezuela) to immigrate to Spain, and those immigrants with some degree of education can find opportunities in Europe. Instead, the assistance offered at the links on this page are focused on legal help (e.g., to purse a legal status, which may not be a realistic game plan, to appeal rulings, fight against deportation, etc.,) or social services (e.g., benefits available regardless of legal status or specifically targeted at those with a legal status such as refugees). Functionally, these programs all affirm the claim that immigrants have a moral right to be here even if they dont have a legal right. In fact, if I look at the PDF materials for an Archdiocese training program on immigration, it is readily apparent that they promote the view that the illegal nature of, well, illegal immigration, is unimportant. The booklet The Reality of Immigration, after a history lesson on immigration, which has as a theme that God calls people to migrate, says, Many argue that in past generations (which for many include our grandparents and parents) came to this country by legal means. But todays immigration system is very different. It is fraught with problems and backlogs, and it is almost impossible for people to adequately navigate the system. In other words, and considering the overall context of the document, because of the problems and backlogs associated with immigrating legally, it is not wrong to come illegally at all. And indeed in the closing prayer, immigrants participating in these sessions are given the following text: Lord, at some moment you called us or allowed us to leave our land, sometimes with much pain. What it comes down to is this: it might feel good to affirm to illegal immigrants that they have done nothing wrong and are morally in the clear to have crossed borders, worked under the table, purchased false or stolen IDs or used the ID of their citizen children, etc. But it involves telling falsehoods the twin claims that the very lives of these migrants were endangered due to persecution or starvation, and that the American people, collectively, wished them to come. And persisting in these claims rather than providing realistic practical help in a changed environment of immigration enforcement, harms everyone. Billie Joe Armstrong and Green Day perform in front of a packed house at Providence Park in Southwest Portland on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong is having a tough time with fans while performing overseas. He made headlines last week when video showed him toss his microphone and guitar aside mid-song to confront a fan during Germanys Hurricane Festival. Then on Monday he was hit by a bait and switch from a fan who he invited onstage to perform the final song of the night, Good Riddance (Time of Your Life). The fan was handed a guitar, and Armstrong began to sing the song, but he quickly realized the fan was playing Wonderwall by Oasis. You told me you could play this one, Armstrong told the fan. But the fan just kept right on playing Wonderwall, prompting Armstrong to yell, Oh, (expletive)! He then took the guitar back from the fan and told him nice try. Oasis Liam Gallagher commented on the clip, calling it the best song of the night. Armstrong was far more serious with the fan at the Hurricane Festival. The 53-year-old Armstrong was mid-song when he tossed his mic to the side and took off his guitar and dropped it to the stage to go after a fan. The rock icon did not leave the stage, but he pointed out a fan and well, just by reading his lips it appeared he promised to handle things before repeating what looks like do you understand me, a couple of times. The person who uploaded the video said that Armstrong was unhappy because there was a person in the crowd who kept shooting water on his face throughout the concert. That would seem like something that might warrant a singling out during a show. Specialty Bakers in Marysville, Perry County was sold by Stonebridge Partners to HC Private Investments, according to a statement. PennLive file photo THE PATRIOT-NEWS (Corrects fourth and adds a fifth paragraph after UniCredit clarifies increased Russian sovereign bond holdings are a currency effect) MILAN (Reuters) - The Bank of Italy said on Friday it had selected the United States, Great Britain, Switzerland and Russia as countries outside the European Union that its banks have significant exposure to, under rules designed to govern systemic risks. The Bank of Italy used end-2024 data to measure banks' exposure to those countries in relation to their overall exposure. Top Italian lenders Intesa Sanpaolo and UniCredit are both present in Russia, the former serving only corporate clients while the latter owns a retail bank. UniCredit said in an update of the investor document relating to its takeover bid for Banco BPM that the value of Russian government bonds held by its local unit had increased in the first quarter to 754 million euros ($888 million) from 574 million in December. A spokesperson for the bank said the change reflected the effect of the Russian rouble revaluation. ($1 = 0.8490 euros) (Reporting by Valentina Za, editing by Gavin Jones) American Red Cross sent a team of disaster responders to help seven families affected by Friday's fire in Paterson, N.J. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Seventeen people were displaced and two firefighters were hospitalized after a multiple-alarm blaze broke out in Paterson, New Jersey, on the 4th of July holiday. The fire was reported to officials shortly after 5 p.m. at a home on Southard Street and required a very big response, said Jerry Speziale, Patersons public safety director. The fire was knocked down by 6:45 p.m., but fire personnel remained on the scene to keep an eye out for hotspots, Speziale said. After the blaze, two firefighters were transported to Saint Josephs University Medical Center for minor injuries, officials said. The four-alarm fire displaced 17 people in seven families, said Diane Concannon, communications director for the American Red Cross New Jersey Region. American Red Cross responded Friday night to provide the families with immediate needs like temporary lodging, food, and clothing, Concannon said. Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com. From left, wrestling stars Hulk Hogan, X-Pac, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall (New World Order; NWO) pose for photos on April 22, 2002. (Photo by WWE/WWE via Getty Images) WWE via Getty Images Professional wrestling legend Kevin Nash took to social media with a Fourth of July message that buried Donald Trump, the direction of the country, and that had fans of the president returning fire. The 65-year-old WWE Hall of Famer got things started with his happy/not-so-happy July 4 post. Happy 4 more trillion in debt day, Nash wrote on X. Never felt this proud as we continue to destroy the empathy, we once held for those less fortunate. So I guess Happy wealthy white 1% day. Enjoy your small regional hospitals while you can. Things just continue to get greater, he added. Happy 4th Nash did not just post and run away. He responded to many of the fans who criticized his post. When someone called him a fragile little white boy, the 6-foot-10, 328 pounder responded, Im white and wealthy. Just though rising everyone together was the best way. If you make $27,000 or less you get a $40 savings. A million gets you 60K seems backwards to me. Someone then pointed out that Nash had an estimated net worth of $7 million. Yes and I get a tax cut and a neighborhood of underprivileged children lose the one meal they could count on each day, Nash responded. Ill add my deduction to a food pantry. Happy 4 more trillion in debt day. Never felt this proud as we continue to destroy the empathy we once held for those less fortunate. So I guess Happy wealthy white 1% day. Enjoy your small regional hospitals while you can. Things just continue to get greater. Happy 4th.... Kevin Nash (@RealKevinNash) July 4, 2025 Someone then commented that they thought Nash was tougher than that. Guess I was raised differently, he responded. Im great its those who arent Im concerned about I know its a abstract but people die without food, water and proper medical care. (Elon Musk) is the worlds wealthiest human, Nash responded to another commenter. He hates this bill. Hey Elon if youre series about a 34d party Ill be your huckleberry. Ill fly to you. Enough of this (expletive). Another person criticized Nash for making it racial. So united the masses that live outside the castle walls? he responded. 50% of our health care workers are paid by Medicare. Divide? I havent seen a Trump rally that will be mistaken for a NAACP gathering. Division within the country? Sweet 45 million dollar parade. We spent a million per attendee. Another commenter agreed with Nash and claimed that basically everything (Trump has) promised hes either not come close to doing, or hes done the opposite. Im just grateful he (ended) the Ukraine-Russian conflict in 2 days, Nash wrote. Does he remember his farmers know who (they) need to work the agricultural system as far as illegals and housekeepers in the travel and leisure industry? Or did the launch of 45/47 (occupy) his thoughts? Another commenter told Nash, Whites are reclaiming the nation they built? Deal with it. Blacks built the agricultural and Chinese built the railways, the wrestling champion responded. Immigrants built the buildings and the indigenous got a few casinos for all their land. Youre a misinformed low IQ bigot. We wont deal with you (expletive). Again, it was a long back-and-forth, and at one point Nash also lamented what he believes is the loss of separation of church and state. There are 27 amendments the first 10 being the bill of rights, he told one person. Do some research on the CBS settlement with Trump. Clearly a issue protected bin the first amendment, yet Paramount paid 16 million dollars to insure a merger went (through). (Known) as a vig in the street. I wish no harm to anyone, he wrote to another commenter. Just wish he could stay on point on anything. Hes the President and was voted into power. Just not in sync with his ideas of what our country needs. Another commenter told him to leave the country. Raised my hand and gave an oath to die for the constitution to be upheld, Nash said. I served my country. I should have (to) leave. Lets start with those who didnt. Amazing who comes to mind. Nash finally ended his side of the debate by encouraging those who dont like what he has to say to see their way out. Was enjoyable to flush the white trash out today to block and remove them at least on this site, he wrote. I didnt celebrate the 4th were not the home of the free. We lose constitutional rights daily. If youre a bigot please unfollow me. Peace Out. Update: Watch the moment rescue crews saved 9 people stuck near a Dauphin County dam Nine people, including three juveniles, were rescued near a dam in the Swatara Creek Friday evening, according to Dauphin County 911 dispatchers. First responders were dispatched to a section of the Swatara Creek in South Hanover Township, Dauphin County, near the Hershey Dam, operated by Pennsylvania American Water, just before 5 p.m. Six adults and three children, ages 14 to 35, required rescuing below the dam, dispatchers said. Crews stationed at Swatara Creek Park utilized rafts, UTVs and at least one drone during the incident. By 5:30 p.m., all nine people were accounted for. No information about injuries was immediately available. A separate rescue operation took place in the Swatara Creek around 1:45 p.m. Friday along the 600 block of Whitetail Drive. By Stephanie Lai and Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Bloomberg News (TNS) President Donald Trump signed his $3.4 trillion budget bill into law on the Fourth of July, enshrining an extension of tax cuts, temporary new breaks for tipped workers and funding to crack down on illegal immigration. The package encompasses a suite of priorities Trump campaigned on in 2024 and its enactment at a White House ceremony represents a major political victory for the president whose second term was marked until now by executive rather than legislative action. The legislative milestone reinforces Trumps grip on the Republican Party, whose Capitol Hill leaders muscled the bill through the House and Senate this week. To reach his July 4 target date, Trump worked the phones and summoned some lawmakers to the White House in a pressure campaign to win over key holdouts. House Speaker Mike Johnson and U.S. President Donald Trump after signing the "Big Beautiful Bill" during a Fourth of July celebration event on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, D.C., on July 4, 2025. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca Press/TNS) TNS Its really promises made, promises kept, Trump said before signing the measure at an outdoor ceremony preceded by an Air Force flyover. After citing what he said were his efforts to restore American strength on the world stage, he called the bill the biggest victory yet. Republican legislative leaders overcame narrow margins, unified opposition from congressional Democrats and objections by fiscal conservatives and moderates to pass the bill before Trumps deadline, which coincided with the Independence Day holiday. Yet the legislative success comes with political risks for the president and Republicans with consequences that could rumble for years. The fiscal package imposes steep cuts and new administrative procedures on nutrition assistance and health programs that provide a safety net for working and unemployed Americans. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the changes will push some 11.8 million Americans off the Medicaid health insurance program. Others have warned that reduced hospital payments could shut down rural medical facilities. The cuts have helped sour the public on Trumps plan, with polls showing its unpopular. Some Senate Republicans have warned the party could face a backlash at the ballot box. Democrats have vowed to wield the bill against Republicans in the buildup to next years midterm elections. Trump and his supporters cast the measure as fuel for an economic renaissance, shrugging off nonpartisan projections that the package will drive up the national debt. Our country is going to be a rocket ship economically, Trump said, while dismissing polls that suggest the measure is unpopular. Administration officials say the policy shift is just one piece of the presidents economic plan with tariff revenue, regulatory repeals and increased U.S. energy production also set to bolster growth. Much of the new laws expense comes in the form of tax cuts including an extension of the breaks enacted during Trumps first term as well as new ones for tips, certain car loans and overtime work. The measure contains expanded tax breaks for seniors and parents, and raises a state and local tax deduction to $40,000 for the next five years from the existing $10,000 limit. That increase was highly sought after by House Republicans from high-tax states such as New York, New Jersey and California. The packages $4.5 trillion in tax cuts were partly offset by spending reductions, including cutting off incentives for renewable power and electric vehicles that had prompted companies to invest in new factories, wind farms and solar arrays nationwide. Nearly $1 trillion would be cut from Medicaid by imposing a new work requirement for able-bodied adults without children, imposing co-payments and limiting federal reimbursements to states. Food-aid work requirements would expand and states with error-prone systems would be penalized. Trumps bill also delivers hundreds of billions in new military funding and allows increased spending on immigration enforcement. Warner Bros. TV Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below. Theres a reason so many Americans are hesitant to buy a home right now. For starters, homes are less affordable than theyve been in the past. In April, the median existing-home sales price rose to $414,000, up 1.82% from a year ago. Don't miss And, with the average 30-year mortgage rate sitting at 6.86% as of writing, per Freddie Mac, thats a tough combination. It's not surprising, then, that only 23% of consumers say it's a good time to buy a home, according to Fannie Mae's most recent Home Purchase Sentiment Index. An overwhelming 77% think it's a bad time to buy. But if you were to ask Shark Tank personality and real estate investor Barbara Corcoran what she thinks of the U.S. housing market, she might put things in a more positive light. "We have so much hesitation in the market, and it's giving us an opportunity for buyers to make a good deal," Corcoran recently told Fox Business. Why it may be a good time to buy a home after all Ever since the Trump administration introduced tariff policies in early April, the stock market has been volatile. Corcoran acknowledged that the real estate market may be similarly vulnerable to upheaval, especially since shes seeing large companies back away from long-term commercial leases. "People don't like to buy in uncertain times. People worry," she told Fox. However, she insists that home buyers can benefit from this broad economic uncertainty. "People at home are worried about their futures and nervous about everything, and the last thing they do is want to make a large commitment to anything." Corcoran also told Fox that people who are moving money out of the stock market should consider putting it into real estate sooner rather than later. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan works every single time to kill debt, get rich in America and that anyone can do it "It's a much more stable environment, of course, because I love real estate, but I'm doing it myself. I have taken so much money out of the stock market. I've gotten great deals this month," she said. Giuseppe Zarbo outdueled Ryo Kotake heads-up to win his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) title in Event #80: $800 Summer Celebration. The champion, who is of Italian descent, but lives in the South of France, earned his first gold bracelet along with a staggering payout of $504,180. Its incredible, Zarbo said after outlasting a field of 7,078 entries. I played well, but I was very lucky. I win coin flip, coin flip, coin flip, then 20/80 percent, 30/70 percent, and on and on. Zarbo, who first came to the WSOP in 2011, has played in eight main events and said he will return on Saturday to play in Day 1d of this years signature tournament. He had made it to three final tables at international circuit events, but this was his first at the WSOP, and, of course, his first victory. I play when I have the time, he said. Im no professional player I have a regular job but when I play, I play to win. $800 Summer Celebration Final Table Result Place Player Country Prize (USD) 1 Giuseppe Zarbo Italy $504,180 2 Ryo Kotake Japan $332,840 3 Wai Kit Lo Hong Kong $248,320 4 Jonathan Stoeber United States $186,650 5 Ciaran Duffy United Kingdom $141,350 6 Yansong Kou United States $107,850 7 Ionannis Panagopoulos Greece $82,920 8 Marat Shafigullin Russian Federation $64,250 9 Quinterol Mallette United States $50,161 10 Tanith Rothman South Africa $39,420 Giuseppe Zarbo La Celebration Zarbo waded through a mega field that generated a whopping prize pool of $5,166,940 for the two-day event at Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas. He said he was energized by a strong contingent of French friends and fans on the rail, who chanted and sang in French, cheering on his every bet-and-call during play at the final two tables. "I'm not certain I would have won without them," he said. 'They were amazing." Zarbo admits to looking forward to all that comes with being a WSOP champion, but says winning is what motivates him most. Its incredible, not just the bracelet or the money, its the winning, Zarbo said. I like the competition. My children, I tell them that in sports, the important thing is to win. If you dont win, at least play your very best. Today, I played my best and I won. Nothing is better than that. Giuseppe Zarbo Second-day Action With a 30-minute blind structure, Day 2 began with a rash of bust outs among the 361 players who bagged the night before. A whopping 201 competitors were sent packing in the first two hours of play Friday, and the field was down to just 73 players by the second break, four hours in. Zarbo was in the middle of the pack at the first redraw for the final three tables, and made it to the final table in sixth, with just 21,200,000 chips, less than a third of leader Wai Kit Lo's total. But Zarbo heated up at the right time, as he was responsible for four of the final five knockouts. He doubled up early in the final table, building chips with which to fight. And he put them to work in three hours of play at the final table. Kotake earned his way into the final twosome with a huge win over Lo, who led for most of the plan on the final three tables until getting sliced up by a runner-runner four-card flush. Wai Kit Lo Zarbo and Kotake had a back-and-forth battle for some time heads-up, with each taking the lead at points. Eventually Zarbo got the upper hand and won the tournament by smooth-calling a preflop bet with pocket aces to set Kotake up for the takeout. "I waited until there were just eight players, before I started taking more opportunities," Zarbo said. "Then I get lucky. "It is the best poker of my life." This wraps up coverage of the Summer Celebration, but stay tuned to PokerNews, the official media partner of the 2025 World Series of Poker, for live updates on all bracelet events at the Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas. Entrants played a total of 10 levels on Day 2 of Event #83: $2,500 Freezeout No-Limit Holdem at the 2025 World Series of Poker held at the Horseshoe and Paris. Las Vegas. A total of 247 players returned for Day 2, vying for a piece of the $2,890,275 prize pool with their eyes set on the $449,245 top prize. By the end of the day, only 25 remained with their hopes alive to snag the WSOP bracelet. Successful online grinder Pawel Brzeski finished atop the standings with a strong finish to the evening, bagging a total of 5,555,000. Brzeski entered the final three-table redraw with a mountain of chips after he busted Dohyeok Kim to cross the five-million mark. He continued to surge after the redraw, winning several skirmishes to separate himself from the rest of the pack. Brzeski is one of many players in the field still searching for their first WSOP bracelet. Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Pawel Brzeski Poland 5,555,000 111 2 Breno Drumond Brazil 3,955,000 79 3 Vitor Dzivielevski Brazil 2,820,000 56 4 Cary Katz United States 2,495,000 50 5 Simon Lindell Sweden 2,445,000 49 6 Michael Jozoff United States 2,420,000 48 7 Razvan Belea Romania 2,175,000 44 8 Preston McEwen United States 2,055,000 41 9 Jaehoon Baek Korea, Republic of 1,975,000 40 10 Gary Hasson Belgium 1,965,000 39 Breno Drumond is one of two Brazilian players in the top three of the chip counts, as he finished second in chips with 3,955,000. Drumond also had a successful final push towards the end of the evening, picking up several small pots to continue to chip up. Vitor Dzivielevski Fellow Brazilian Vitor Dzivielevski finished Day 2 with the third-most chips, concluding play with 2,820,000. Dzivielevski already has one WSOP bracelet to his name and is looking to add more hardware to his resume. Dzivielevski punctuated his evening when he knocked out Abhishek Paul to climb up the charts. Remaining Payouts Place Prize Place Prize 1 $449,245 8 $48,860 2 $298,690 9 $37,860 3 $213,800 10-11 $29,750 4 $155,010 12-13 $23,710 5 $113,860 14-17 $19,170 6 $84,730 18-25 $15,720 7 $63,910 Notable Cary Katz was not to be denied a Day 3 as he finished Day 2 fourth in chips with 2,495,000. Katz is still searching for his first WSOP title, but he has been no stranger to the high roller scene, amassing over $40,000,000 in career earnings. Katz has twelve WSOP final table appearances and earned a second-place finish in 2023 in the $100,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed event. Katz will look to finish the deal this time as he enters the final day. Duncan Horst The tournament began with unexpected festivities as Duncan Horst, clad in American flag apparel, sang the National Anthem to the crowd before he sat down to play. Horst's antics did not end there, as he continued to sing various famous songs and danced his way to an 86th-place finish, which earned a payout of $6,000. Notables Alex Keating ($9,490), Phil Hui ($5,580), and Shawn Daniels ($8,490) all made it to the money, but were unable to make it to the final day of play. Play will resume at 1 p.m. local time with Level 36, with blinds at 30,000/60,000 and 60,000 big blind ante. Levels remain sixty-minutes long and the plan is to play until a winner is determined. Stay tuned to PokerNews for updates on this and all bracelet events at the 2025 WSOP! Aiken, SC (29801) Today A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 95F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 73F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Business and Tourism Reporter Megan Fernandes is a Business and Tourism Reporter for the Post and Courier. She is an award-winning reporter, who has worked in the newspaper industry from coast-to-coast. Wyatt Barczak is a News Clerk for The Post and Courier. He graduated from the College of Charleston. He contributes to The Post and Courier's arts and entertainment section, Charleston Scene. Quick Response Reporter Komlavi Adissem is a breaking news and public safety reporter based in Charleston, S.C. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri, where he covered local, county, and state government for the Columbia Missourian. Find him on Twitter (X) and Bluesky @KAdissem! Reporter Kenna Coe covers the city of North Charleston for The Post and Courier. She graduated from the University of South Carolina. She previously worked for The Moultrie News as the editor and general assignment reporter. editorial writer Cindi Ross Scoppe is an editorial writer and columnist for The Post and Courier who has written about the S.C. Legislature, governor, state government and courts for nearly 40 years. She is a native of North Carolina and graduate of the University of North Carolina and lives in Columbia. BBVA is expanding its AI offerings to its employees after the bank determined employees who used artificial intelligence saved hours of time on their work. The Spanish bank announced a partnership with Google Cloud to offer Google's AI assistant Gemini to all employees on Wednesday. The partnership grants BBVA employees access to the standalone gen-AI powered Gemini app, Google Workspace with Gemini and Google's AI-powered research assistant NotebookLM. This partnership is the second time BBVA has introduced generative AI tools to its workforce. A year ago, BBVA signed up for 3,300 ChatGPT Enterprise licenses through a partnership with OpenAI. As of May 2025, 83% of the bank's licensed users used ChatGPT at least once a day and created approximately 3,000 specialized assistants for specific tasks, according to a company statement. The tasks automated by ChatGPT in BBVA include translations, document summaries, coding assistance and legal analysis of financial information. According to the company, internal data revealed using ChatGPT to automate tasks saved the bank's employees an average of 2.8 hours a week . The time can then be used on more strategic or customer-focused work instead of on rote tasks. BBVA then increased the number of ChatGPT Enterprise licenses to 11,000 in May 2025. The newly announced deal with Google Cloud opens up the capacity for BBVA's 100,000 global employees to incorporate AI into their daily work. "We expect that the widespread adoption of generative AI across these tools will improve productivity and the work experience of all employees, regardless of their role," said BBVA's global head of workplace Juan Ortigosa. Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations. PR-Inside.com: 2025-07-05 00:00:11 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 485 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 From office flirtation to bestselling romance novel, the journey of author Patricia Dlamini captures the imagination of readers and aspiring writers alike. Her latest book, 'The Competitor's Kiss: When Rivalry Turns to Romance, Who Really Wins?,' takes inspiration from her own experiences in the corporate world, intertwining personal anecdotes with imaginative storytelling to create a captivating narrative that resonates with many.CAPE TOWN, ZA / ACCESS Newswire / July 4, 2025 / The story follows two colleagues who develop a romantic relationship amidst the challenges of office politics and career aspirations. As the protagonists navigate their feelings and professional lives, readers are treated to an engaging exploration of love, ambition, and the complexities of workplace dynamics. Dlamini's ability to blend humor with heartfelt moments allows the narrative to stand out in a crowded genre. Amazon.com: The Competitor's Kiss: When Rivalry Turns to Romance, Who Really Wins? Checkout Book Availability On Amazon.com Dlamini's background in marketing and her experiences in various corporate environments provided a rich foundation for her writing. The author draws on real-life scenarios to craft relatable characters and situations, making the themes of her book accessible to a wide audience. Readers will find themselves immersed in the ups and downs of office romance, reflecting on their own experiences as they turn the pages.Prior to the release of 'The Competitor's Kiss: When Rivalry Turns to Romance, Who Really Wins?,' Dlamini self-published several short stories online, gaining a dedicated following through her relatable writing style and authentic voice. The success of these stories paved the way for her transition to a full-length novel, showcasing her growth as an author and her commitment to storytelling. Her journey from a corporate employee to a bestselling author serves as an inspiration for many who dream of writing and publishing their own work.The launch of 'The Competitor's Kiss: When Rivalry Turns to Romance, Who Really Wins?' marks a significant milestone in Dlamini's career, with pre-orders already exceeding expectations. The book has garnered interest from both readers and publishers, leading to discussions about potential adaptations for visual media. Dlamini aims to reach an even broader audience, sharing her insights on love and relationships in the modern workplace.In conjunction with the book launch, Dlamini will engage with her readers through various platforms, including virtual book signings, social media discussions, and writing workshops. These events aim to foster a sense of community among readers and aspiring writers, providing a space for sharing experiences and insights about writing and love in the workplace.'The Competitor's Kiss: When Rivalry Turns to Romance, Who Really Wins?' is set to be released on July 15, 2025, and promises to offer an engaging read for those who appreciate romance intertwined with relatable workplace scenarios. As Dlamini continues to develop her craft, her debut novel stands as a testament to her journey and the power of storytelling.Contact InformationPatricia DlaminiAuthorinfo@ coffeevs1401.com 0719530673SOURCE: Patricia Dlamini PR-Inside.com: 2025-07-05 14:10:13 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 958 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 GLENDALE, CA / ACCESS Newswire / July 5, 2025 / Play at Ignition Casino, the top Bitcoin casino for July 2025, offering secure transactions, fast payouts, and responsible gambling for crypto players.Ignition Casinostands out as a leading platform in this space, especially among US players. The crypto casino provides a seamless user experience, an extensive game selection, and robust integration with Bitcoin. Ignition Casino has cemented itself as a top choice for those seeking to gamble with cryptocurrency. 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The acquisition is said to establish BNP Paribas Group as the leading manager of long-term savings for insurers and pension funds in Europe, with approximately 850bn ($1tn) under management. Additionally, the group aims to excel in private asset fund collection and become one of Europes top providers of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). By integrating the expertise of AXA IM, BNP Paribas Asset Management, and BNP Paribas REIM, the new platform will offer a diverse range of traditional and alternative assets, enhanced global distribution and improved innovation capabilities It will leverage AXA IM Alts leadership in private assets, a critical growth area for both institutional and individual clients. This acquisition marks an advancement for the BNP Paribas Groups Investment and Protection Services (IPS) division. The platform will utilise the groups integrated model, collaborating closely with its commercial, personal banking and services (CPBS) and corporate and institutional banking (CIB) divisions through the originate to distribute strategy. BNP Paribas director and CEO Jean-Laurent Bonnafe said: This acquisition is an important moment for the entire BNP Paribas Group. We are delighted to welcome the AXA IM teams, who will find within the BNP Paribas Group a strong culture of customer service as well as ambitious growth and innovation prospects. These are teams with recognised and complementary expertise that will build together a European industrial project to better serve our clients. Joint working groups with AXA IM are already in place to develop a shared roadmap focusing on offerings and services, which will be presented to employee representative bodies. A proposed merger of the legal entities of AXA IM, BNP Paribas AM, and BNP Paribas REIM into the new platform under BNP Paribas Cardif is currently under consultation with employee representatives. Sandro Pierri, CEO of BNP Paribas AM, will lead the groups asset management activities, while Marco Morelli, executive chairman of AXA IM, will chair these activities for the BNP Paribas Group. Jaiz Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Ahmed Mohammed Indimi and Nike Kolawole as non-executive directors on its Board, effective April 14 and June 11, 2025, respectively. The appointments have been approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). In a corporate disclosure filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), the bank described the appointments as part of its ongoing strategy to strengthen board leadership with individuals of proven industry expertise and ethical credentials. Energy Executive Ahmed Mohammed Indimi Joins as Non-Executive Director Ahmed Mohammed Indimi brings extensive experience from Nigerias energy sector to Jaiz Bank. He serves as Director and Head of Crude Marketing at Oriental Energy Resources, leading commercial operations, pricing negotiations, and strategic stakeholder engagement. A graduate of Information Technology (Internet Security) from American InterContinental University, Atlanta, where he also earned an MBA, Mr Indimi is known for combining technical depth with commercial insight. Jaiz Bank says his addition to the Board will support its ambition to deepen industry representation and reinforce its mission of ethical banking aligned with national development goals. Ahmed Indimis appointment reflects the Banks strategy of attracting visionary leaders committed to the growth of ethical finance and inclusive development, the statement noted. 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 Nike Kolawole Appointed Independent Non-Executive Director Nike Kolawole, a seasoned finance executive with a background in global investment banking and the oil and gas industry, is also joining the board. Her career includes roles at Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, Citibank, and Credit Suisse, where she served as Vice President, overseeing asset management, credit risk, and Eurobond issuances. Ms Kolawole transitioned to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in 2007. She became Group General Manager, LNG Investment Management Services, leading high-impact transactions, including the landmark 2012 RDP Funding deal. She holds a degree in Economics from Suffolk University, Boston, and an MBA from Durham University Business School, UK. She is a registered member of the UKs Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). According to Jaiz Bank, her appointment underscores its commitment to attracting top-tier talent with global perspective and deep expertise in project finance, infrastructure development, and capital markets. READ ALSO: Diarrhoea outbreak affects 81 students at Kaduna school The statement by Mohammed Shehu, company secretary/legal adviser, said both appointments signal Jaiz Banks strategic intent to diversify its board with professionals who can support innovation, corporate governance, and growth in Nigerias non-interest banking sector. Jaiz Bank Plc is Nigerias pioneer and leading non-interest bank. It is committed to advancing ethical banking in accordance with Islamic finance principles. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State Branch, has called for the immediate removal of Olugbenga Owoeye as Acting Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba. During a press conference on Friday, the group cited a breakdown in leadership, violations of due process, and worsening welfare conditions for medical staff. The demand follows a strike notice issued by resident doctors at the hospital, who say newly employed doctors have worked for over five months without pay. The doctors have now declared a one-week warning strike starting Monday, 7 July, with a threat to embark on an indefinite action if their salaries remain unpaid by the end of the month. The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, in a communique released on 2 July, described the situation as intolerable and condemned the repeated pattern of delays in paying new doctors. The association expressed frustration that management has allowed this issue to persist for several years despite multiple efforts to resolve it. 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 Congress observed with despair that the June salary window had closed without the new residents receiving their first salaries, after working for five months, the ARD said. Leadership crisis at Yaba Hospital Lagos NMA accused the Federal Ministry of Health of appointing Mr Owoeye without following civil service rules. NMA Chairman in Lagos, Babajide Saheed, said the appointment lacks transparency, violates civil service rules, and was carried out despite serious and unresolved allegations of administrative inefficiency. The association said the appointment has further worsened staff morale and disrupted the hospitals operations. It called for an immediate reversal of Mr Owoeyes appointment and insisted that he should hand over to the most senior medical doctor in the hospital in line with federal guidelines. MDCAN concerns The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) at the hospital echoed NMAs concerns in a separate letter signed by its Chairman, Jayeola Kajero. The consultants accused the Ministry of ignoring multiple petitions about alleged misconduct by Mr Owoeye and extending his acting tenure without addressing these concerns. The Honourable Minister, without recourse to due process, extended the tenure of the same individual in an acting capacity. This act, in our opinion, validates misconduct and undermines the principles of accountability and institutional integrity, MDCAN said. Both the NMA and MDCAN are calling on the Federal Ministry of Health to urgently address the crisis at the hospital by appointing a new acting medical director through a transparent process and ensuring prompt payment of salaries owed to affected doctors. This press conference is not driven by politics or personality but by a commitment to fairness, transparency, and the protection of patient care standards, NMA said. It warned that if the issues remain unresolved, it may be forced to consider other lawful options to defend the integrity of the medical profession and protect the rights of our members. We call on the relevant authorities, particularly the Federal Ministry of Health and the Presidency, to act swiftly to restore order and professionalism to the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, it noted. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Kaduna State Ministry of Health on Friday confirmed a diarrhoea outbreak at the Government Girls Senior and Junior Secondary School, Kawo, affecting 81 students, with 15 hospitalised. An investigation conducted by the Kaduna State Rapid Response Team, led by the State Epidemiologist, Jeremiah Diako, revealed that the affected students were between the ages of 16 and 17. Mr Diako stated that the students were immediately transferred to a secondary health facility for treatment at General Hospital, Kawo. He said all hospitalised students have since been discharged. In response to the outbreak, the State Ministry of Health recommended several preventive measures to avoid future occurrences. READ ALSO: Drug maker Fidson seeks fresh capital These include strengthening disease reporting mechanisms, establishing school-based surveillance systems, standardising case referral procedures, providing food safety and waste management training, and improving local outbreak preparedness. 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 ministry emphasised the urgent need to implement the measures to protect students health and prevent similar incidents in the future. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print In light of the gravity with which Father Mbakas threats are viewed, opinion leaders are calling on him to desist from further threatening activities to avoid intervention by law enforcement agencies, who view the threat to life as a serious matter. This is true because if Evangelist Ebuka Obi comes to any harm, Father Mbaka will be held fully accountable. These are interesting end times indeed! How else would you explain the words: I know how to quench his fire, just wait and see! This threat is currently trending as expressed by the Catholic Charismatic leader of The Adoration Chapel in Enugu, Father Mbaka, against his fellow Man of God who leads the affairs at Zion Prayer Movement Outreach (ZPMO), headquartered in Okota, Lagos. The recent outbursts are among a string of repeated threats in the same direction over the last few months. Interestingly, Evangelist Ebuka and Father Mbaka are of the same ethnic origin, as well as similar religious pedigree, with their roots in the Catholic fold. Both lead semi-autonomous congregations and have achieved some extent of fame and success. The comparison stops at that point. While father Mbaka is restricted to Enugu, Evangelist Ebuka Obi has worldwide outreach and apparently the fastest growing ministry in Nigeria today. The followership of Ebuka and the extent of signs and wonders he is being used to achieve is a clear issue that could breed envy and strife! In 2023, former governor of Anambra State and a prominent political figure, Peter Obi paid a courtesy visit to Evangelist Ebuka. Apparently this did not go down well with Father Mbaka, who was put on leash by the Catholic organisation, stemming from his controversial positioning with politicians. Incidentally, during the travails of Father Mbaka, when the Catholic institution placed him on the disciplinary course, it was only Evangelist Ebuka who publicly stood by him and made a case for his speedy reconciliation with the church and restoration. Again in 2015, you will recall that all hell was let loose when Father Mbaka recklessly remarked that the then President Jonathan was bad luck for the country and Buhari, the consequential messiah. Evangelist Ebuka was also the only one who gave him succour then. But today, the table has turned around. The acrimony now conceived against Evangelist Ebuka by Father Mbaka has become deeply rooted and is spreading like wild fire. Many members of the Christian faithful were taken aback by the series of reckless vituperations and threats issued by Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka against Evangelist Chukwuebuka Anozie Obi. They view these threats, which have caused significant alarm among the members and supporters of Zion Ministry, to be reckless, unacceptable, inflammatory, and unbecoming of a religious leader who is expected to foster peace and unity, rather than sow discord within the Christian community. Furthermore, these faithful have emphasised that such behaviour is contrary to the role of a priest, who should serve as a bridge builder within the community and a source of spiritual guidance, not an antagonist or adversary. 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 Specifically, opinion leaders believe that since Father Mbaka is not the handler of Evangelist Ebuka, his role can only be in a private capacity and advisory, rather than trying to control him. It is not the business of Evangelist Ebuka that Father Mbaka considers Peter Obi a personal enemy or otherwise. The escalation of tensions between the two is highly unwarranted. In some of his direct threats, Father Mbaka referred to himself as a perfect penalty taker, specifically targeting Evangelist Ebuka. He also ominously stated that he knows how to quench his fire, a language interpreted by opinion leaders as a serious and dangerous provocation, which is excessive and deeply troubling. They advise Father Mbaka to tread softly in his public communications, urging him to reflect on the potential consequences of his words if the unthinkable happens. The antagonistic stance of Father Mbaka is not the expected reward to an ally, especially given the significant support he has enjoyed from Evangelist Ebuka during his travails. This unwarranted hostility has raised questions about the motivations behind the threats. Although many Christians believe we are living in the end times, should brothers rise against brothers? Are they not working for the same kingdom? As Paul plants and Apollus waters, is it not God that still brings the increase? In light of the gravity with which Father Mbakas threats are viewed, opinion leaders are calling on him to desist from further threatening activities to avoid intervention by law enforcement agencies, who view the threat to life as a serious matter. This is true because if Evangelist Ebuka Obi comes to any harm, Father Mbaka will be held fully accountable. While fully confident of Gods unassailable protection, supporters of Evangelist Ebuka reaffirm their commitment to playing their human and legal roles in ensuring the peace and safety of the hardworking Spiritual Director. At this junction, I urge all well-meaning Nigerians, the Christian community and all relevant authorities to take notice of this negative development and ensure that peace prevails. The safety of Evangelist Ebuka Obi and his congregation should be of serious public interest, same as that of every single Nigerian soul. As the proverbial peacemaker, I urge all stakeholders and the general public to remain calm and prayerful while urging the two gladiators to embrace dialogue and reconciliation in resolving any differences between them! Nene Daniels, a concerned Catholic faithful, wrote from Lagos. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A PREMIUM TIMES investigation has exposed how black market trade and conflict of interest are compromising the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PICNG), a Nigerian government programme aimed at reducing transportation costs following the removal of the petrol subsidy. The weeks-long investigation involved on-the-ground reporting, deep dives into open-source data and exclusive conversations with insiders, including major players in Nigerias CNG industry. After removing the petrol subsidy in May 2023, President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the PICNG to cushion the harsh effects of that action on Nigerians. President Tinubu has ordered the distribution of one million free CNG conversion kits for commercial vehicles across the country, Michael Oluwagbemi, Project Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the PICNG, announced in a statement last year. According to Mr Oluwagbemi, the government aimed to distribute 10,000 free conversion kits in the first phase of the initiative, targeting transport unions like the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Moove, UBER, and the Kaduna State Transport Authority (KSTA). In response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) enquiry sent by our reporter, the PICNG said it distributed a total of 15,310 conversion kits from June [2024] to date [May 2025]. It, however, refused to give details of the total cost, explaining that the procurement was done by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning. 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 Billions spent, but questions remain PREMIUM TIMES found that the federal government has spent more than N45 billion through the Commercial Vehicle Conversion Incentive Programme (CV-CIP). The CV-CIP, as explained on PICNGs website, aims to provide free conversion of union-registered vehicles in 14 states where the programme has been activated. Further checks showed that there are 268 conversion centres across these states. The programme also targets ride-share vehicles such as UBER, whose operators can benefit from a 50 per cent discount. However, data collected from Govspend, a public portal that archives the federal governments daily spending, showed that N45,924,803,601.89 billion had been expended on the CV-CIP programme, including the purchase of more than 500 bi-fuel buses. The money was paid through 19 transactions to 14 companies, including the Federal Ministry of Finance, which procures the conversion kits and bi-fuel buses for the PICNG. Expected to be a game-changer, the PICNGs CV-CIP programme is now threatened by conflict of interest and leakages, manifesting through black market trading on social media. The programme is also shadowed by what insiders referred to as inflated costs and procurement opacity. In July 2024, the PICNG boss, Mr Oluwagbemi, revealed that his agency was spending N1.2 million to convert a V4 vehicle. The PICNG refused to give further details when asked in the FOI enquiry we sent on 8 May, but one insider said, They record that a conversion kit for a V4 vehicle costs N1,050,000. There is an additional N150,000 recorded as labour cost for conversion centres, the source continued. That makes it the N1.2 million the CEO [Mr Oluwagbemi] quoted. However, our market analysis revealed that private entities like the Nigerian Independent Petroleum Company (NIPCO) charge N750,000 for the same service, raising questions about the costs of the government-subsidised kits. In addition, according to a price list of Redi Autos Nigeria Company, seen by our reporter, the price of a kit for a V4 vehicle ranges between N582,000 and N600,000. However, a NIPCO official, who was not authorised to grant press interviews, told PREMIUM TIMES that the company can do conversions at such low rates because we are benefiting from the governments waiver on importations of machinery, equipment and spare parts. The conflict of interest PREMIUM TIMES spoke with two insiders familiar with the PICNGs activities. They told us that some top officials fraudulently allocate kits to conversion centres they run through some people fronting for them. While our reporter could not verify their claims, his independent findings confirmed that at least one official owns a conversion centre that receives the governments free kits. David Idakwo, PICNGs Northern Region Expansion Coordinator, is the official. Records from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) show that Mr Idakwo holds a major share in Hi-Grade Energies Ltd, a CNG conversion company registered just 10 days after President Tinubu approved the establishment of PICNG. Hi-Grade operates its CNG workshop along the Zuba-Gwagwalada highway in Abuja. Jethro Aloaye manages the company. At the companys business premises, we met Mr Aloaye and a few others working on some CNG-converted vehicles. Mr Aloaye, whose phone number was on the companys business banner nailed to the wall of a storey building complex housing the company, declined to speak with our reporter. Thats not true, Mr Idakwo wrote via WhatsApp when later confronted with our findings. In fact, I have had [sic] that I own a lot more [including] Salma, Arus, Hi-Tech and more. But Mr Idakwo lied. Official filings obtained from the CACs Persons with Significant Control (PSC) portal show he has a 70 per cent share in the company, while his wife, Priscilla, owns the remaining 30 per cent. A social network analysis conducted by this newspaper further linked the Idakwos to Mr Aloaye. Mr Idakwos dual roleas a government regulator and private sector beneficiaryviolates multiple Nigerian laws, including the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, the Public Procurement Act (2007), and the ICPC Act (2000). Festus Ogun, a constitutional lawyer, shared his view about our findings. It is entirely wrongful, Mr Ogun stated. A public officer overseeing a government initiative cannot own or benefit (through proxies) from a private company operating under the government scheme, he said. The lawyer explained that section five of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act 2004 provides that public officers shall not put themselves in a position where their personal interests conflict with their duties and responsibilities. The law forbids public officers from holding shares or having any other interest in a company, partnership or other body directly or through another person, if holding or having that interest will result in a direct conflict with the officers official duties. The law aside, it is unethical, Mr Ogun said. He said that people like Mr Idakwo could be tried by the Code of Conduct Tribunal. The law empowers the Tribunal to direct vacation from office, disqualification from holding public office for a timeframe and forfeiture of assets acquired in abuse of office, as punishment for public officers found wanting, he said. According to Mr Ogun, violating these sections puts the official at risk not less than five years imprisonment with no option of fine. We hope that the law enforcement agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will investigate this further and save the well-intentioned initiative by the President, one of the insiders who spoke to this newspaper said. Inside the black market trade of government-subsidised CNG kits For something the PICNG claimed costs more than a million naira, one Sam Ogidi offered to sell for N350,000. Mr Ogidi, who boasts of having a government connection, made the offer on a WhatsApp group where CNG kits are traded. He further invited potential buyers to contact him. Like Mr Ogidi, others also made similar posts, with prices as low as N200,000. Posing as a buyer, our reporter learned how people like Mr Ogidi manipulate the system and frustrate the PICNG programme. Acknowledging that the kits cost more than a million in the real market, Mr Ogidi, during one of the multiple phone calls with our reporter, said he could provide up to three complete kits within a week, each for N300,000. He then briefly explained how our reporter could get his car converted under the umbrella of bodies like Bolt and NURTW. I told you it is from the governments angle, Mr Ogidi reassured our reporter, as he shared a Heritage Cab-branded identity card belonging to a man he claimed was the driver of a House of Representatives member. The government subsidised it for recognised transport organisations. Heritage is one of such. Mr Ogidi said our reporter needed the identity card for record purposes. You are not a taxi driver it is just an umbrella under which your car will be done, he added. While Mr Ogidi claimed to have insider connections, others like Omuah Charles, a Bolt driver who received the CNG kit either for free or at a discounted rate, sell the kits they were meant to use. Mr Charles was the first vendor PREMIUM TIMES contacted during this investigation. He offered to sell his kit for N350,000, but eventually sold it for N295,000. Our reporter purchased from him on 26 March and paid into his Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) account. He also promised to provide more kits if needed. When asked how he got the kits, Mr Charles named one Captain Yusuf, describing him as a top official in the PICNG. However, further findings show that Yusuf Oke is a consultant for the PICNG. When contacted, Mr Oke denied the claim, saying people like Mr Charles selling the kits were hiding under the umbrella of our previous transactions where they purchased kits from me. Mr Oke explained that the kits he sells are imported from China. When we showed him Mr Charless picture, he said he might have met him before, but I cant remember. Private businesses suffer While this fraud flourishes, private businesses legally selling CNG kits and converting vehicles suffer. Speaking on an Arise Television interview programme, Sina Kawonise, a major importer of CNG kits, warned that the proliferation of conversion centres and the diversion of kits to the black market would strain private CNG businesses and will affect the adoption of CNG. Mr Kawonise, a newspaper publisher, lamented that the internal fraud in the PICNG will frustrate the governments efforts to alleviate Nigerians hardships from removing the fuel subsidy. When told of this newspapers findings after his television appearance, he urged the federal government to investigate them, sanitise the industry, and help Nigerians. For the government to fully achieve its aim with CNG, Mr Kawonise advised that more priority should be given to infrastructure. Some drivers are de-kitting because they find it difficult to refuel their cylinders most times, he said, advising the government to build more refilling stations, instead of distributing free kits. Messrs Goriola and Oke shared similar views. The latter said the PICNG incentive has disrupted our smooth selling. However, he described the programme as a good initiative. The black market thing is obvious, Mr Goriola of C & L Smart Energy Solutions said. We know where they are coming from. The PICNG keeps pouring the kits into the black market. He said the anti-corruption agencies can step in to save the initiative. The EFCC and the SSS should thoroughly investigate the matter, he urged. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has suspended one of its members, Steve Osuji, for violating the off the record provision in the Code of Ethics for journalists in Nigeria. In a press statement by Eze Anaba (President) and Onuoha Ukeh (General Secretary), the Guild stated that there was an agreement that the keynote address delivered by the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, at its 25th Biennial National Convention in Enugu, was off-the-record and not for publication. The Guild said that despite anouncement of this agreement, a senior journalist and member of the Guild, Steve Osuji, published an article based on the presentation on his social media platforms, breaching our Code of Ethics on confidentiality. The professional body said that it takes this professional misconduct seriously, and has announced the suspension of Steve Osuji from our professional body for one year, effective immediately. The NGE apologised to the Director-General of the SSS and the institution he represents for the embarrassment caused by Steve Osujis actions, while reaffirming its commitment to upholding the highest standards of journalism and ensuring that our members adhere to our code of ethics. The NGE said Steve Osuji will have the opportunity to appeal this decision. 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 Guild also restated its dedication to promoting professional conduct and maintaining public trust in the media. Signed Eze Anaba (President) Onuoha Ukeh (General Secretary) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Senate Committee on Constitution Review (CRC) has assured Nigerians that the current amendment of the Constitution will be concluded and transmitted to state Houses of Assemblies before the end of 2025. The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who gave the assurance on Saturday, said the committee is working towards finalising the harmonised report and meeting its legislative timeline for submission. Mr Bamidele disclosed this at the close of the two-day Southe-west zonal public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution held in Lagos between 4 and 5 July. We have completed the public hearing. We are now returning to Abuja to prepare our report. Part of our time table is to have final notifications before the end of the year and transmit our report to all state assemblies. This will round the process of the constitution review, he said. Several Nigerians have criticised some provisions of the 1999 Constitution, which has been in use since the countrys return to democratic rule that year. The criticisms came in the light of the rapid technological, social, and political developments in Nigeria. Since 1999, the National Assembly has altered the document five times, though some items proposed for amendment were defeated at the state legislatures 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 Huge sums have also been expended for the exercise with the federal legislature budgeting separately for it. The current review exercise, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, began with a retreat in Kano and proceeded to hold simultaneous zonal public hearings in each of the six geopolitical zones, which ended today (Saturday). The selected host cities were Lagos (South-west), Enugu (South-east), Ikot Ekpene (South-south), Jos (North-central), Maiduguri (North-east), while the North-west hearing in Kano was postponed to honour the late business icon, Aminu Dantata. Designated senators supervised proceedings across the zones. Senate President Godswill Akpabio (South-south), Mr Bamidele (South-west), Deputy Senate Leader Oyelola Ashiru (North-central), Chief Whip Tahir Monguno (North-east), and Deputy Chief Whip Peter Nwebonyi (South-east). Major issues discussed The Lagos hearing, like others across the country, saw active participation by traditional rulers, civil society organisations, and regional interest groups. Earlier, Mr Bamidele said the committee received 31 proposals for the creation of new states and 18 requests for the establishment of additional local government areas from various interest groups in the country. Giving the breakdown of proposals for creation of new states, the senate leader said there were six requests from the North-west, eight from North-central, five from South-east, six from North-east, six from South-south and four from South-west. He also noted that some prominent Abuja indigenes submitted a request seeking recognition of the Federal Capital Territory as a state. For local government areas, Mr Bamidele said seven requests were received from the North-west, five from the North-central, one from the North-east, three from the South-south, one from the South-east and one from the South-west. Beyond state and LGA creation, Mr Bamidele said the committee also received proposals for the creation of state state police, a State Security Council to advise governors, and several inputs on gender equality, judicial reform, electoral reform, and inclusive governance Importance of state assemblies Mr Bamidele reiterated that no amendment can become law without the support of at least two-thirds of the 36 state houses of assembly. He urged all stakeholders to start lobbying state lawmakers. There is nothing the National Assembly can do without a two-thirds approval of all proposals by the state legislatures. All stakeholders must work with their lawmakers at the state level. We must appreciate the role of state assemblies to ensure the passage of the proposals into laws, he said. He emphasised that the state lawmakers are not just passive recipients of the report but active participants in the constitutional amendment process. State assemblies are part of the process. We have been in Lagos State in the last 48 hours, listening to peoples aspirations, concerns and will. All six states in the geo-political zone were represented by their elected representatives. We are in this process together to receive their presentations. The state assemblies are already anticipating the report of the constitution review from the National Assembly. They are not waiting for the report alone. They are also part of the constitution review process. I do not envisage any problem from the state assemblies. Therefore, we are advising all the stakeholders who are also looking for special considerations to extend their advocacies to the state assemblies. It is not just about them as elected representatives, but as representatives of people who elected them. People should be aware when they are making decisions to be sure that they are also doing so in consonance with the wishes of their constituents, the senate leader said. State legislatures pledge support Speaking on behalf of the state assemblies, Debo Ogundoyin, chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, expressed optimism that the review would lead to a more balanced federation. Mr Ogundoyin, represented by Abiodun Fadeyi, Deputy Speaker of the Oyo State Assembly, advocated for more devolution of powers to states to foster rapid development. He pointed to the example of electricity, which was recently removed from the exclusive list, enabling many states to pursue independent power initiatives. Devolution of powers is key to this on-going constitutional amendment by devolving key items from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List in the interest of all. For instance, the removal of the electricity matter from the Exclusive Legislative List has significantly transformed many states power sector through independent power supply initiatives. Mr Ogundoyin also endorsed the creation of state police, stating that the benefits including community policing, enhanced accountability, and job creation outweigh the risks. Concerning the state police, all the stakeholders will agree with me that the debate over the establishment of state policing has garnered momentum from both supporters and critics. The potential benefits of state police far outweigh the challenges. In essence, what the amendment seeks to address will be the powers, responsibilities and limits of the state police should be clearly defined, provide oversight mechanisms to prevent abuse and design a comprehensive framework for federal and state police to work in harmony to balance power and for effective coordination mechanisms, he said. With the public hearings now concluded, the Senate Committee on Constitution Review will consolidate its feedback into a harmonised report. The report could be debated as a bill in the National Assembly and the passed bill would be transmitted to state assemblies, before December, in line with the committees timeline. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has rejected the new salary structure proposed by the federal government for medical doctors. At a press conference held on Friday at the NMA Lagos Secretariat in Lagos, the association described the proposal as deeply flawed and a threat to the countrys healthcare system. The association said the implementation of the structure would further weaken clinical order, reduce motivation for specialist training, and worsen the growing migration of Nigerian doctors to other countries. The Lagos NMA also declared its full support for the 21-day ultimatum earlier issued by the national leadership of the association on 2 July. Salary relativity According to the Chairman of the NMA Lagos State Branch, Babajide Saheed, the new salary plan disregards salary relativity between doctors and other health workers. Mr Saheed explained that this relativity is not based on superiority but reflects the difference in training duration, clinical responsibility, risk exposure, and leadership roles unique to the medical profession. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later According to the association, removing this structure weakens the professional framework that ensures clear clinical responsibility and decision-making in our hospitals. Support for national ultimatum The 21-day ultimatum by NMA to the federal government was announced following the release of a controversial circular by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) on 27 June. The national body had demanded the withdrawal of the circular, which doctors say violates previous agreements. The NMA is also demanding the immediate payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund for 2025, the implementation of specialist and hazard allowances, and the universal application of the CONMESS salary structure across all government institutions. Lagos NMA described the ultimatum as not an act of confrontation but a call for urgent dialogue and correction. The association said it also supports all the demands articulated by the national body, including the restoration of salary relativity, the reversal of unjust allowance allocations, and the adoption of a professionally sound and globally aligned remuneration framework. Objection to allowances for non-doctors The NMA Lagos also criticised the proposed extension of specialist and honorarium allowances to health professionals who are not doctors. It noted that these allowances are designed specifically for medical doctors who have completed rigorous postgraduate clinical training and are recognised as specialists by accredited professional colleges. It said the new proposal undermines the value of specialist certification, potentially disincentivising pursuit of advanced training and weakening clinical governance. According to the association, this could discourage younger doctors from pursuing advanced training, and ultimately weaken the standard of clinical governance in hospitals. The association referenced the World Health Organisations position that Specialist remuneration must reflect clinical leadership, depth of knowledge, and risk exposure. Degrees, clinical training Another concern raised by the Lagos NMA is the attempt to create parity in allowances between medical doctors and holders of academic doctorates in allied health disciplines, such as Doctor of Pharmacy or Doctor of Optometry. While acknowledging the value of all health workers, the association pointed out that academic titles do not equate to clinical responsibility or specialist competence. It added that in countries like the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, salary is based on the scope of clinical duties and professional licensure, not on academic qualifications alone. The association described such equalisation as misleading and professionally inappropriate within the Nigerian healthcare system. Appeal to Lagos government The Lagos NMA urged the state government to refrain from adopting the proposed salary structure in its current form. Instead, the association advised the state to wait for a resolution that has been properly negotiated and endorsed by the Nigerian Medical Association at the national level. It warned that failure to do so could damage that reputation and may also result in avoidable disruption across health facilities in the state. The Lagos NMA said Nigeria is already facing a critical shortage of medical doctors, with a doctor-to-patient ratio of approximately one to 5,000far below the WHO-recommended ratio of 1 to 600. It warned that the implementation of this unjust salary structure will only accelerate the emigration of doctors seeking fair treatment and professional growth abroad. This will further strain our already overburdened health system and compromise the quality of care available to Nigerians, it said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print It comes as no surprise that news headlines this week have been dominated by the formation of a coalition by opposition politicians plotting to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. The Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) was adopted as a platform to challenge Mr Tinubus All Progressives Congress (APC). Leading the ADC coalition is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Governor of Anambra State Peter Obi, both runners-up in the last presidential election. They are joined by other experienced politicians, including former Senate President David Mark, who like Atiku is leaving the PDP, along with the opposition partys former chairman Uche Secondus, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi. At the unveiling of the coalition on Wednesday, interim chairman David Mark said it was an attempt to save the countrys democracy and to stop Nigeria from becoming a one-party state. However, analysts said the coalition is bound to be torn apart by the ambition of some of the key political figures on the question of which part of the country should its presidential candidate come from. Although theres a long way to go before candidates are officially announced, political commentators are predicting that 78-year-old Atiku will have another shot at the presidency. Atikus supporters feel that with him being the only former vice president seeking the presidency, every other politician naturally comes second. 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 Aside from Atiku, Mr Amaechi has indicated his interest in running for the countrys top job in 2027. The former minister came a distant second in the APC presidential primary in 2022, losing to Mr Tinubu. In an interview on Channels TV on Thursday, Mr Amaechi said he believes the power-sharing deal between northern and southern Nigeria should be respected. He recalled how he fought for the return of power to the North in 2015, saying he believes in power sharing between the two major regions of the country. I led the fight against the PDP government. Why? Because there was an agreement that the government at that time would spend four years. But after four years, the government reneged on it, and I said no, that would be unfair. That will be instability at its peak because the North will react. Mr Amaechi added that in line with the power-sharing principle, he would be a one-term president if given the chance to lead the country in 2027. I wont do more than four years, he said, adding that the South must be allowed to complete its tenure. If the South is not allowed to complete its tenure, then I have made a mistake in supporting it. Mr Amaechis stance is not very different from that of Mr Obi, who came third in the last presidential election, surprising many pundits to win in 11 of Nigerias 36 states and Abuja. Mr Obi has also declared his intention to contest in the 2027 presidential election under the coalition. Mr Obi said the platform would offer Nigerians a competent, capable, and compassionate leadership. Our commitment is to sacrifice and work together towards the 2027 general elections, ensuring that Nigeria gets a competent, capable, and compassionate leadership that will prioritise the nations future by putting the welfare of Nigerians first, he said. The former Anambra governor said he would be willing to serve for a four-year tenure if he reached an agreement with those who support his ambition. If there is any form of agreement that will restrict me to four years in office, I will comply with the agreement and be ready to leave office by 28th May 2031, Mr Obi said. Messrs Obi and Amaechi will thus hope that the ADC zones its presidential ticket to the South and that the candidate, if elected, would serve only one term before power returns to the North again. Atiku, who has tried to be Nigerias president since 1993, is, however, expected to challenge that belief and seek to be the ADC candidate. Ultimately, the success of the coalition would depend on their establishing a level playing ground for intra-party democracy to produce the best candidate, said Jibrin Ibrahim, a professor of political science. If they fail to do so, their success cannot be guaranteed. Sectional Interests The politics of region, geography, religion, and ethnicity is one of the major fault lines in Nigerian democracy. This was a major issue in 2010, after the death in office of President Umaru YarAdua, also in 2011, and again in both 2015 and 2023. It would most certainly be the case in 2027, too. After eight years of the Buhari/Northern Presidency, the Southern partners in the emerging coalition would naturally insist that to replace Mr Tinubu, who would have spent four years in 2027, the remaining four years must naturally go to a presidential candidate of Southern extraction. Meanwhile in the northern camp of the coalition, there are recommendations that the party should throw its presidential primaries open to contestants from every part of Nigeria. Some are saying the party should just focus on producing a credible and worthy candidate that can defeat the incumbent president. If the party decides to zone the ticket to the South, such a decision will automatically shut the door on the faces of some of the partys most prominent and enduring aspirants like Atiku, who has been seeking to be Nigerias president since 1993. If on the other hand, the coalition throws the race open to all contenders, the aspirants from the southern region will feel shortchanged at having to contest against a more experienced and better connected northern rival. In any case, the issue of zoning can make or mar the coalition ahead of the 2027 elections. The same issue contributed largely to the defeat of the PDP in the 2015 presidential election that ended the partys 16 years hold on the presidency. It also affected the main opposition during the 2023 presidential election. The PDP had adopted the concept of zoning from its inception, saying this was to promote national unity. Section 7 (2) (c) of the partys constitution states, In pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness, the party shall adhere to the policy of rotation and zoning of the party and public executive offices. But the party jettisoned that agreement and threw the contest open in 2022. That factor led to the breakaway of five governors from the PDP led by former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike. To be sure, PDP did not invent the policy. At the dawn of the Second Republic in 1978, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) had introduced zoning as a power-sharing arrangement between the North and South. It nominated Shehu Shagari from Sokoto State as its presidential candidate, who went on to nominate Alex Ekwueme from Anambra State as his running mate. Although the four other parties did not proclaim the same policy, they all also balanced their presidential tickets with North and South nominees, except the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) whose candidate, Obafemi Awolowo, chose to run with Philip Umeadi from the old Anambra State in the only South-South ticket in the 1979 presidential election. The PDP adopted the policy at its inception, which has since seen its presidential ticket oscillate between the two regions. In 1999, prominent northern aspirants like Adamu Ciroma, Bamanga Tukur and Atiku Abubakar stayed out of the race to allow the new party to choose principally between a former military head of state, Olusegun Obasanjo, and Second Republic Vice President, Mr Ekwueme. Radical Kano politician, the late Abubakar Rimi, who rebelled against the decision, was eventually persuaded by his northern colleagues to drop his nomination form. The APC also adopted the same policy. When former President Buhari was to complete his tenure in 2023, the majority of the APC governors insisted that power must shift south and that led to the emergence of Mr Tinubu as the partys flagbearer for the 2023 presidential elections. Mr Tinubu is not expected to face any major challenge within the APC for the 2027 presidential ticket of the party. As the coalition plots to challenge the ruling party in the 2027 general elections, its biggest test yet is how to produce the best candidate and which part of the country should its presidential candidate come from. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has asked the Anambra State Government and the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the murder of 13 indigenes of Ebonyi State. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how some gunmen invaded Ogboji, a community in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday evening, killing about 13 people. The victims were members of an association of Ebonyi indigenes holding their monthly meeting in the area at the time. The police in Anambra State had earlier confirmed the attack, but said only 10 people were killed. On his part, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has condemned the deadly attack and vowed to seek justice for the murder of the victims. The Anambra State Government initially hinted that, based on its preliminary investigation, the deadly attack was likely caused by an internal disagreement within the association of Ebonyi indigenes. 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 police subsequently confirmed the hint, explaining that a leadership tussle within the association triggered the attack and killings. Fish out attackers and prosecute them In a statement on Friday by its spokesperson, Ezechi Chukwu, Ohanaeze said the group had condemned the attack and killings. The Igbo group asked both the Anambra State Government and the police to fish out the killers and prosecute them. Mr Chukwu quoted the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, John Azuta-Mbata, as saying that the dastardly act shocked the Igbo-speaking people and every rational mind. Ohanaeze Ndigbo sees these unprovoked killings as callous, barbaric, ungodly and an abomination which amounts to the desecration of our land, Mr Azuta-Mbata was quoted as saying. The Ohanaeze spokesperson said the Igbo group has commiserated with families of the deceased over the loss of the victims. He also condoled with the people of Ebonyi State and the state governor, Francis Nwifuru. Sadness over Dantatas loss Mr Chukwu, in another statement on Friday, said Ohanaeze was saddened by the recent loss of an elder statesman and business man, Aminu Dantata. The spokesperson said the Igbo group condoled with the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State and the people of the state. Mr Azuta-Mbata, according to the statement, said late Dantata had paid his dues in both nation building and human capacity development given his impactful (and) robust endeavours cutting across over half a century. The Igbo leader said Nigeria has lost an icon in Mr Dantata given his monumental import to humanity. We still find solace in his celebrated legacies which constitute a dependable cornerstone for future generations, he said, urging Nigerian youths to emulate late Dantatas sense of industry, focus and resilience. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print When it comes to professional certifications, there's no shortage of niche options for financial advisors eager to skill up. The CFP Board's Certified Financial Planner mark easily the most popular and well-known credential in the industry is held by more than 100,000 advisors. But for many professionals, that's only the beginning. For advisors looking to carve out more niche expertise, certifications like the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA), Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) and Retirement Management Advisor (RMA), to name a few, offer specialized technical education across different areas of financial planning. Young advisors often pursue such certifications to impress clients, but industry veterans say most clients aren't swayed by the abbreviation boggle. The real payoff, they argue, is the expertise gained along the way. READ MORE: Should financial advisors be dually registered or RIA-only? "The reality is that clients will rarely hire you due to the designations you have behind your name," said Matt Chancey, founder of Tax Alpha Companies in Tampa, Florida. "But the way you can make them feel when you have a conversation with them, [that] they can understand, is invaluable." Why certifications matter to advisors For advisors like Mitchell Kraus, a 30-plus-year veteran of the industry and co-founder of Capital Intelligence Associates in Santa Monica, California, obtaining new certifications is more about serving his current clients better rather than trying to attract new ones. "Each one was for separate reasons, but they were all done to help me improve at what I do," Kraus said. "Most certifications don't mean much to clients, but they can be a game-changer when they are looking for one." Last year, Kraus obtained his eighth certification, the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) mark, after more of his clients began talking about exiting their businesses. Maintaining those certifications can be a double-edged sword, he said. "The best and worst part of having eight designations is the continuing education," Kraus said. "It is great that it forces me to constantly learn about areas I care deeply about. But it's a terrible burden at times trying to make sure all my CE [continuing education] is completed and deadlines are met." READ MORE: FPA's new online tool aims to help advisors boost behavioral skills And the payoff isn't just personal. Research shows that advisors with certain certifications tend to manage more assets on average. The National Working Committee (NWC) of Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Friday inaugurated a five-member committee to investigate the suspended National Chairperson of the party, Shehu Gaba, and two other national officers. The trio were suspended by the party over alleged financial misconduct. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the investigative committee is chaired by Abubakar Liman, while Adelewa Williams is to serve as secretary. The acting National Chairperson of the Party, Sadiq Gombe, inaugurated the committee at the partys headquarters in Abuja. He said that the committee has 14 days to conduct the investigation and report back to the party. He said that the exercise was not meant to witch-hunt anyone. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr Gombe said that the exercise was rather to cleanse and reposition SDP for the immense role it must play in the up-coming elections and in the political future of the country. The NWC had on Tuesday announced the suspension of Mr Gabam as the national Chairperson, Nze Clarkson as National Auditor and Uchechukwu Chukwuma as National Youth Leader. The party had alleged that the trio were involved in gross financial misconduct, including funds generated from the 2023 general elections. Mr Gabam had earlier described financial allegations against him as false, saying he had nothing to hide But Mr Gombe, in his remarks, urged the committee members to carry the responsibility with utmost sense of duty, transparency and fairness without fear or favour. He also advised the committee to show decorum, dignity and decency to the persons who appeared before them and to one another. It is paramount to begin on the constitutional presumption that those accused of any wrong doing before you are innocent, until the contrary is proved. Let the law, good conscience and equity be your guiding principles not political considerations. Let the truth be your anchor. Obey the rule of law and observe natural justice which essentially means that no one can be a judge in his own case and you must hear both sides thoroughly before coming to a finding. In discharging your duties, we implore you to be just and impartial. Let your findings speak for themselves, he said. In his remarks the party National Secretary, Olu Agunloye, said that the committee was to investigate Mr Gabam and others over alleged gross financial misappropriation and diversions of SDP funds estimated at more than N1 billion. Mr Agunloye said that the committee would also investigate alleged submission of fraudulent audited financial reports with several abnormalities to INEC by Mr Gabam without the knowledge of the NWC members. He alleged that upon observations into SDP financial bank statements from First Bank of Nigeria and Zenith Bank PLC, the NWC noted multiple breaches of the SDP 2022 Constitution as amended, especially Articles 13, 17 and 19. He further alleged that there were no presentations or submissions of any incomes or expenditures to NWC from 2022 to 2025, but only three members out of 12 NWC members were aware of any details of the partys incomes and expenditures. He said that NWC observed that there were no due processes or internal audit procedures followed the disbursement of N100 million of SDP funds. The Terms of Reference of the committee according to Mr Agunloye were to: fact-finding the truth regarding the allegations of breaches of the SDP constitution Examine the state of the accounts of the SDP. Determine the circumstances surrounding the production and submission of audited accounts submitted to INEC in the name of the SDP Recommend appropriate remedies and generally, advice on better ways to manage the finances of the SDP to prevent abuse and breach of our constitution, he said. He noted that the suspension of the three officers had been communicated to INEC; Inter Party Advisory Council, Nigeria Police Force, State Security Services and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The SDP National Labour and Civil Society Secretary, Rosemary Effiong, said that the suspension had nothing to do with coalition of political parties. She alleged that only Mr Gabam receives alerts on the partys bank transactions, while the party national treasurer had also raised alarm of her signature being forged to withdraw money. Ms Effiong also said that since she joined the partys NWC, the committee had never discussed its financial status. Also the SDP National Welfare Secretary, Judith Shuaibu said it was not that the NWC had been manipulated or quiet for long over the development in the party leadership. Ms Shuaibu said that the NWC had explored all the internal mechanism to resolve the issue before the suspension of Mr Gabam. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Lagos State University (LASU) has dismissed two academic staff members over allegations of inhumane treatment of students, sexual harassment, and financial misconduct. The decision was reached at the university governing councils 143rd statutory meeting held on 3 July, following the consideration of a report submitted by the Joint Council-Senate Disciplinary Committee. A statement by the university registrar and secretary to the council, Emmanuel Fanu, named the dismissed lecturers as Olatunji Abanikanda and Khadeejah Ibrahim. The statement added that their dismissals took effect on 3 July. Offences According to the statement, Mr Abanikanda, a professor and former Dean of the School of Agriculture, was found guilty of several offences including subjecting 400-level agriculture students to harsh and unsafe working conditions. The students were reportedly made to remain on the farm from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. without access to food or water, including during heavy rain that lasted between 4:45 p.m. to after 6:00 p.m. 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 Additional allegations against Mr Abanikanda included sexual harassment of female students of the same school, verbal abuse, threats, use of profane language, derogatory utterances and unauthorised financial collections from students and staff. Meanwhile, Ms Ibrahim was found guilty of dereliction of duty and the unapproved collection of over N10.6 million in cash from students, which breached the university regulations, the statement said. These acts, tantamount to Serious Misconduct, are in contravention of the Universitys Conditions of Service for Senior Staff (2017, as amended), the statement stated. Demand for Justice The disciplinary actions follow weeks of pressure from student groups and civil society organisations. The student union had condemned Mr Abanikandas alleged abuses and demanded action from the university. In a statement signed by the union president Adebobola Ayomide, the union noted that it has since engaged directly with the affected students and escalated the matter to the university management. READ ALSO: University condemns killing of cyclist near its campus No student of this University shall be subjected to intimidation, victimisation, or inhumane treatment. This is a strict warning to all who believe they can trample on the rights of students and walk free. The union will resist such with all democratic and legitimate force, the union stated. The union added that it will not fold its arms while any staff member subjects students to degrading punishment in the name of ego or power play. While announcing the dismissals, LASU management reaffirms its commitment to maintaining the integrity of academic and administrative standards. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print More than a legislative effort, the Reserved Seats Bill is now viewed by many as a generational opportunity to restore balance in Nigerias democratic architecture. With the country still among the lowest globally in female political representation, the passage of this bill would be the most significant inclusion-focused constitutional amendment since 1999. With Broad-based Support and Senate Leadership, Reserved Seats Bill Gains Momentum Nigeria is on the verge of a democratic breakthrough. Once seen as aspirational, the Reserved Seats for Women Constitutional Amendment Bill is now gaining unstoppable momentum, powered by a diverse coalition of voices from across the six geopolitical zones and backed by growing political will at the highest levels. This weeks Senate Zonal Public Hearings have brought rare consensus: government, civil society, and everyday Nigerians standing in unity for a more inclusive political future. At the centre of this movement is a broad, nonpartisan coalition, including the TOS Foundation, gender advocates, traditional institutions, and grassroots civic groups all playing distinct yet complementary roles. Speaking after the hearings, Chief Executive of TOS Foundation, Osasu Igbinedion Ogwuche said, This is not just a gender bill, this is a sovereignty bill. Were not adding seats. Were restoring balance. In what many described as a defining moment, Senate President Godswill Akpabio publicly reaffirmed his commitment to the bill during the South-South hearing, calling it an idea whose time has come. Senators from across party lines in four of the five zones observed echoed this sentiment, marking a shift from cautious support to resolute consensus. 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 Women are underrepresented not by chance, but by design. This amendment gives us a chance to redesign our democracy, noted one senator from the South-West. The hearing in the North-West was respectfully postponed due to the passing of elder statesman, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, but is rescheduled and expected to continue the trend of strong engagement. What stood out across the zones was the diversity of support from traditional rulers and First Ladies to youth-led movements and rural womens groups. At the Jos hearing, a young woman representing a rural coalition captured the mood with her words: We no fit dey clap with one hand. This bill na the second hand Nigerias democracy needs. Across boardrooms and marketplaces alike, the demand for structural reform is becoming impossible to ignore. Earlier this week, a joint communique was released signed by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), the Governors Spouses Forum (NGSF), the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, and TOS Foundation reaffirming unified support for the bill. The statement, published in five national dailies, marks a high point of elite alignment. The campaigns success so far reflects years of groundwork by Nigerias rich civil society ecosystem. Organisations like WRAPA, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Yiaga Africa, WIPF, and others have championed womens political participation long before constitutional reform became part of the national conversation. This isnt just an advocacy win. This is a template for how national reform should happen, said Ogwuche. And every group that brought us to this point deserves to be celebrated. More than a legislative effort, the Reserved Seats Bill is now viewed by many as a generational opportunity to restore balance in Nigerias democratic architecture. With the country still among the lowest globally in female political representation, the passage of this bill would be the most significant inclusion-focused constitutional amendment since 1999. TOS Foundation through convenings, grassroots mobilisation, and coalition-building has been described as the sovereign scaffolding that enabled this current wave of unity. This is what it looks like when civil society steps into sovereignty. Weve crossed the threshold of possibility. Now, its about legacy, Ogwuche added. Ijeoma Thomas-Odia writes from Lagos. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Let us, then, dismantle the myth of the self-made man, not to devalue individual effort, but to tell the whole truth. Every success story is a collective effort. Every great life is, in some measure, a shared project. And in every triumph, there is an unsung mentor who made it possible The next time you behold someone rising, breaking barriers, building boldly remember: they are likely standing on shoulders. There is something inherently captivating about the underdog narrative; the solitary visionary who, by sheer tenacity and indomitable will, defies the odds to achieve greatness. Modern society romanticises these tales, and our collective imagination is saturated with them. From Silicon Valley tycoons to fashion icons and political leaders, we have constructed a cultural mythology around the so-called self-made individual. Yet, upon closer examination, the veneer of total self-sufficiency fades. Behind every success lies a constellation of enablers mentors, patrons, advisors, even kind strangers, without whom that ascent might never have occurred. The self-made man, as popularly conceived, is far more fiction than fact. I remember starting out with nothing but a dream and an all-consuming passion for fashion; bespoke tailoring, avant-garde aesthetics and the enchanting artistry of the runway. My aspiration was to craft a brand that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and Tom Ford. But more than mere creativity, I yearned to understand the industry holistically, from production to merchandising, branding to distribution. I immersed myself in every resource available, devouring books, watching documentaries, and scouring articles. I even undertook a six-month merchandising course to better grasp the commercial backbone of fashion. And we launched with what was within reach: merchandising. A modest online store, built on determination and grit. To our great excitement, Amazon took notice and offered us a storefront. That endorsement felt like validation. With renewed zeal, my wife and I committed ourselves fully, sourcing products, traveling to Los Angeles and New York for Market Weeks, seeking manufacturers, partners, and a toehold in the hyper-competitive world of fashion. 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 soon enough, the enthusiasm was met with stark realities. Our supply chain faltered. We struggled to procure high-quality materials at competitive prices. Trusted partnerships were elusive. The operational inefficiencies became glaring. Every step took longer, cost more, and returned less. The lesson became painfully clear: passion and hard work, while essential, are not sufficient. What we lacked, and sorely needed was mentorship. Someone to demystify the path, to point out pitfalls, to share hard-earned insights, and to open doors we didnt even know existed. We searched actively. We asked around. We were even prepared to pay for the privilege of anothers experience. But our search yielded little. The fashion world, like many elite industries, is often cloistered, guarded by unwritten rules and invisible networks. After nearly three grueling years, depleted and disillusioned, we made the heart-wrenching decision to let the dream go. We were not defeated by a lack of ambition or resilience. We were undone by a lack of guidance. Mentorship is not a luxury, it is the invisible architecture underpinning all sustainable success. It is the bridge between raw potential and realised excellence, the difference between floundering and flourishing. Without it, even the most gifted minds squander time, energy, and opportunities learning by painful trial and error. While society extols hustle culture and valorises perseverance, it too often overlooks the vital scaffolding that supports real success, namely, mentorship, access, and social capital. Even the most revered figures had help. Steve Jobs had Mike Markkula. Oprah Winfrey had Maya Angelou. Barack Obama had David Axelrod. Jeff Bezos began his venture with not just a grand vision but also a network of former Wall Street colleagues who believed in him and funded his dream. Success, in truth, is seldom a solo act. This reflection was sparked, in part, by an article I recently encountered detailing the origins of modern atomic theory, a story of intellectual lineage and structured mentorship. JJ Thomson, the man who discovered the electron, mentored Ernest Rutherford, who identified the nucleus and the proton. Rutherford, in turn, mentored James Chadwick, who discovered the neutron. These were not disjointed bursts of brilliance but a continuum of shared knowledge. Their collective achievements propelled the world into the atomic age. One is left to wonder: had each of them pursued their work in isolation, unguided and unsupported, would these monumental breakthroughs have occurred at all? Mentorship is not a luxury, it is the invisible architecture underpinning all sustainable success. It is the bridge between raw potential and realised excellence, the difference between floundering and flourishing. Without it, even the most gifted minds squander time, energy, and opportunities learning by painful trial and error. They do not burn out from laziness; they burn out from having to reinvent what others could have easily shown them. Nowhere is this deficit more pronounced or more consequential than across the continent of Africa and its vast diaspora. We are home to some of the worlds most imaginative, determined, and visionary young minds. Yet, tragically, far too many are immobilised at the starting line, not because they lack insight or ideas, but because they lack mentors to help them transform vision into value. The continent brims with latent brilliance, yet suffers from a mentorship vacuum. And the cost is incalculable. This vacuum manifests in our institutions, where leadership succession is a haphazard affair. It is evident in enterprises that collapse the moment their founders exit. It shows in young professionals, disillusioned and directionless, unable to navigate the unspoken rules of success. It is glaring in our politics, where influence is often bequeathed through allegiance, affluence, or ancestry, not intellectual grooming. It wasnt always like that. Traditionally, African societies revered intergenerational guidance. Elders mentored through proverbs, stories, and apprenticeship. Knowledge flowed from old to young, ensuring cultural and professional continuity. But modernity, urbanisation, and a relentless pursuit of personal survival have eroded those bonds. We have failed to modernise our age-old systems of mentorship, and in doing so, we have left a generation to drift. What if someone had taken us by the hand in those early days, shared insider knowledge, or simply said, Heres how we did it, heres how you might do it better? How different our trajectory might have been. Perhaps we would have found our footing in the fashion world, not with bitter regret but with proud contribution. Instead, we are left with the ache of untapped potential. No society can thrive without a mechanism for passing the torch. Behind every great policy, invention, and reform is someone who was once taught. These are not serendipitous successes, they are the harvest of mentorship. To those who have attained success in their respective fields, this is your moral summons. Be the guide you once sought. Offer your experience as a compass for those still navigating their path. Your impact is not measured solely by what you build, but by whom you help rise. And to those still striving, remember: seeking mentorship is not weakness, it is wisdom. Learn from others. Ask the hard questions. Avoid the pitfalls that dont need to be repeated. There is no virtue in suffering unnecessarily when community could lift you faster and farther. We must understand that unshared knowledge is wasted knowledge, and an unmentored generation is one vulnerable to manipulation, stagnation, and despair. If we are to break the shackles of underdevelopment, we must elevate mentorship from afterthought to imperative. Institutions must embed it. Governments must incentivise it. Individuals must normalise it. No society can thrive without a mechanism for passing the torch. Behind every great policy, invention, and reform is someone who was once taught. These are not serendipitous successes, they are the harvest of mentorship. Africas challenge is not a dearth of talent, but a failure to cultivate it. Our tragedy is not the lack of ideas, but the absence of those who will guide these ideas into form and force. Until we prioritise mentorship, we will continue to hemorrhage potential, squandering the very people who could build the future we so desperately desire. Let us, then, dismantle the myth of the self-made man, not to devalue individual effort, but to tell the whole truth. Every success story is a collective effort. Every great life is, in some measure, a shared project. And in every triumph, there is an unsung mentor who made it possible. The next time you behold someone rising, breaking barriers, building boldly remember: they are likely standing on shoulders. And the only way we rise as a people is if we offer our own shoulders for others to stand on too. If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. Isaac Newton Osmund Agbo is a US-based medical doctor and author. His works include Black Grit, White Knuckles: The Philosophy of Black Renaissance and a fiction work titled The Velvet Court: Courtesan Chronicles. His latest works, Pray, Let the Shaman Die and Maam, I Do Not Come to You for Love, have just been released. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Cortes told me that as at today, his country is neither a state nor allowed independence. In the latest situation, the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation on 16 June entertained Hearings for the independence of Puerto Rico. Perhaps there is not much to cheer as the US ignores the world body on such matters. Cortes further noted that these Hearings on the fundamental human right of Puerto Ricans to self-determination have been dragging on since 1972. To be a citizen of the United States, the universal super power, largest economy, the world policeman and Gods own country, is an opportunity millions across the earth would grab with both hands. So, to find a man who, as a right, does not want to be an American and has been fighting this for over half a century, would sound strange to many across the world. It would sound stranger still, if such a man spent 16 and half years in US maximum jails for refusing to be an American citizen. It may seem even more bizarre if the US government insists that such a man, in violation of his fundamental human rights, must be its citizen. All Edwin Cortes wants is to be a citizen of his native Puerto Rico, a small territory of 3,424.5 square metres, and not of the giant US with a huge territory of 3,790,000 square metres. He prefers being one of 3.5 million Puerto Ricans listed as living in that territory, rather than being part of the 340,110,988 Americans. He does not want to be a citizen of a country with nuclear weapons and stealth bombers, he simply wants to live in the natural environment of his native nation; at peace with the waters and the pelicans flying in its caves. Some of his current campaigns are to stop American businesses building on the mangrove and natural caves that are sanctuaries of the pelicans or, turning the pristine 1,900.3 square metre-waters of Puerto Rico to commercial places. Cortes, who I first met in August, 2024 when he came out to Nigeria to give the Opening Address at the Forgotten Peoples: International Conference to Decolonize the World, is not alone. Millions of Puerto Ricans want a free country. In fact, today, despite 127 years of American occupation, the American Census revealed that 95.4 per-cent of Puerto Rican households still speak Spanish. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later On 29 June, 1983, American security forces captured Cortes whom they nicknamed The Rabbit and three fellow Puerto Ricans: Alejandrina Torres, Alberto Rodriguez and Jose Rodriguez. The security services claimed that in the safe house they effected the arrests, they found weapons, thousands of rounds of ammunition, 24 pounds of dynamite, 24 blasting caps, disguises and false identification. The four were charged with involvement in an armed insurrection to overthrow the US government. To mark the 37th year of that arrest, I had interviews and talks with Cortes. He said they were the third generation of Puerto Ricans to be charged. The first was in 1954 and the next in 1981. According to him: We took the position that we were Prisoners Of War because we did not recognise the authority of the United States over us. He said they were combatants of a different country and refused to recognise the US courts and its illegal, colonial, and unlawful authority over Puerto Rico. After two years, they were each sentenced in October 1985, to 35 years imprisonment. Cortes, who served his sentence in three different US maximum prisons, said other prisoners generally treated the Purto Rican POWs with respect. Incarcerated when he was 28, he said the hardest part of being in prison was not being able to be with his family. He spent his time in prison as a translator for Latin American prisoners, advocate of prisoners civil and human rights, and studying Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, electrical and Solar energy, HVAC. Cortes had attended the University of Illinois Chicago for five years from 1974. There, he founded the Union for Puerto Rican Students to deepen consciousness about his countrys continuous colonisation, the struggle for freedom and, generally to uplift Latin American students. The organisation built strong ties with the Eritreans who were combating Ethiopian colonialism, the Palestinians fighting Israeli settler-colonialism, South Africans against Apartheid, and Iranian students struggling to overthrow the Shah of Iran. It equally campaigned against the US war in Vietnam, and worked with the Mexican/Chicano peoples for the reunification of Mexico with cities seized by the US. They also allied with the Black Panther and the New Africa Movement. Cortes who was part of those who in 1977 established the Movement for National Liberation (MLN) to fight for self-determination and independence, said Puerto Ricans have a long history of resistance against US aggression. He recalled that in 1898, Puerto Ricans, machete in hand, staged an armed resistance against the US. He said in 1950, there were series of insurrections against the US. He recalled that on March 1, 1954, an armed Puerto Rican brigade invaded the US Capitol which houses the American Congress. Five Congressmen were shot in the process. Four liberation fighters, Rafael Cancel Miranda, Andre Figueroa Cordero, Irvin Flores Rodriguez and the lady, Lolita Lebron carried out the attack. They were given life sentences. After over 25 years in prison, President Jimmy Carter on September 9, 1979, commuted their sentences. There was a sustained international campaign for Cortes release which included Reverend Desmond Tutu of South Africa and, former President Jimmy Carter. President Bill Clinton extended clemency to him leading to his release on 10 September, 1999. Eleven other Puerto Rican liberation fighters were also released. The campaign for the release of all Purto Rican POWs continued. On 26 July, 2010, Carlos Alberto Torres who in the 1970s was listed for three years on the Ten Most Wanted List, was freed after 30 years in prison. In May 2017, the famous Puerto Rican liberation leader, Oscar Lopez Rivera, walked out of jail after 38 years in prison. Cortes told me that as at today, his country is neither a state nor allowed independence. In the latest situation, the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation on 16 June entertained Hearings for the independence of Puerto Rico. Perhaps there is not much to cheer as the US ignores the world body on such matters. Cortes further noted that these Hearings on the fundamental human right of Puerto Ricans to self-determination have been dragging on since 1972. The liberation fighter said the US has deliberately ran Puerto Rico aground with 40 per cent of its population living below the poverty line, and then, imposed a $72 billion debt on it. This is their way of trying to continue colonialism, he said. He noted that over 55,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and, with the greater rise of fascism, the world is at a dangerous stage where a Third World War can break out. The urgent tasks he sees include an end to the genocide in Gaza and freedom for all colonised peoples, including those in Western Sahara. As for Puerto Rico, Cortes says: We believe that, eventually, we are going to be a free and independent nation. Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has announced a 300 per cent increase in the monthly allowance for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in the state. Mr Eno announced the increase in the Government House, Uyo, on Friday, the second day of the State Delivery Meeting, which reviews the status of the administrations numerous projects. Corps members serving in the state are to receive a monthly allowance of N20,000 from the state government, in addition to the one from the federal government. Before now, the Akwa Ibom government used to pay N5,000 to the corps members. Over 10,000 corps members are posted to Akwa Ibom annually. We must continue to encourage and support them, Mr Eno is quoted as saying, according to a statement posted on the state government Facebook page. Mr Eno said the increment is to support the federal governments N77,000 monthly allowance, helping corps members meet their basic needs. Besides the increment, the governor recently approved the reconstruction of the NYSC Orientation Camp at Ikot Itie Udung in Nsit Atai Local Government Area of the state as part of ongoing efforts to improve the welfare of corps members in the state, the statement said. 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 With the latest increment, corps members serving in oil-rich Akwa Ibom will receive a total of N97,000 as monthly allowance, an amount that is N17,000 higher than the N80,000 minimum wage for civil servants in the state. NYSC allowance The Nigerian law mandates citizens who complete their first degree, Bachelors degree, or its equivalent to participate in a one-year national service. During this service year, the fresh graduates are posted to different parts of the country to serve, while the federal government pays them an allowance. Some states also support the corps members with an allowance. Over the years, the federal government has repeatedly increased allowances for corps members from N19,800 to N33,00 and currently N77,000. Although approval was given last year, the federal government began paying the N77,000 allowance to the corps members in March this year. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has raised the alarm over the activities of unlicensed courier operators, stating that they help criminals to move dangerous weapons and illicit drugs across the country. It also expressed concerns over the proliferation and infiltration of illegal courier operators and logistics companies across the nations major cities. General Manager of NIPOST Courier and Logistics Regulations Department in Ondo, Oludotun Sounde, stated these at a stakeholders engagement held on Friday in Akure, the Ondo State capital. Mr Sounde explained that the activities of the illegal courier companies were now posing a threat to national security and the economy. He lamented that many courier operators always worked out of car parks and private offices before luring unsuspecting Nigerians with ridiculously low prices. Mr Sounde observed that the unlicensed courier services and companies lack the structure for safe delivery and operate without any form of accountability. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later They are putting customers at risk of loss, theft, or abuse of their parcels, he said. Using an illegal courier service is like going to a quack doctor. It could also cost you dearly. One of the unlicensed operators was recently arrested for conveying firearms and hard drugs. He described the development as a national red flag that should not be ignored, noting that every parcel handed over to an unlicensed courier could potentially threaten national peace. He disclosed that NIPOST sealed off two illegal courier companies in Ondo state and confiscated motorcycles used by three others in recent raids. Mr Sounde recommended that every courier operator in the country should obtain operational licences from the postmaster general to guide and streamline the operation of the logistics companies. He said NIPOST is prepared to support registered businesses with training and professional guidance, even as he reaffirmed the agencys commitment to sanitising the logistics sector, He described the agency as a critical national infrastructure linking communities and facilitating secure communication, urging both existing and aspiring operators to register officially via NIPOSTs website or at any nearby post office. Mr Sounde led a similar clampdown in Kaduna last year, in May, when NIPOST shut down several unlicensed courier operators. Many offices of the affected courier express services, delivery, dispatch services, and logistics services were sealed during the enforcement exercise. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has debunked widespread rumours suggesting he is set to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), reaffirming his loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In a statement issued Saturday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor described the defection claims as false, unfounded, and politically motivated, urging the public to disregard what he described as fake news. I assure the good people of Osun that I remain part and parcel of the PDP family. I am not defecting to any party, Governor Adeleke said. He reiterated his commitment to implementing his administrations five-point agenda, promising to intensify efforts in delivering good governance and democratic dividends to the people of Osun State. Governor Adelekes political career has been one of twists and turns. He entered politics in 2017, shortly after the death of his brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, Osun States first civilian governor. At the time, Ademola Adeleke defected from the APC to the PDP to contest and eventually win the Osun West Senatorial bye-election, succeeding his late brother in the Senate. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later In 2018, he contested for governor under the PDP but lost to Gboyega Oyetola of the APC in a controversial election marred by vote suppression and irregularities allegations. Undeterred, Mr Adeleke launched another gubernatorial bid in 2022. This time, he defeated incumbent Governor Oyetola in a tightly contested race, riding on popular support, particularly among youths and grassroots voters. Governor Adelekes latest denial comes as political tension builds ahead of the 2026 Osun State governorship election, in which he is widely expected to seek re-election. His performance in office and loyalty to the PDP will likely shape both internal party dynamics and his poll prospects. Party insiders and analysts say the recent rumour of defection may be part of efforts to destabilise the PDP in the state or sow disunity ahead of party primaries. Governor Adeleke said he remains committed to the PDPs values and to fulfilling his electoral promises. My commitment is to the good governance of Osun State and the continued delivery of democratic dividends to our people, he said. He called on citizens to remain focused and avoid distractions, noting that his administration is determined to sustain developmental gains across all sectors. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Life and pensions consolidator Chesnara has agreed to acquire HSBC Life (UK) for 260m ($354.9m) from HSBC Group. HSBC Life (UK) is a specialist provider of life protection and investment bonds in the UK, with Eligible Own Funds of 314m as of 31 December 2024. The transaction encompasses all in-force life insurance policies and investment products written by HSBC Life (UK). HSBC Life, a subsidiary of HSBC Bank since 1988, offers insurance products through HSBC banking channels and selected third parties, including financial advisers. Following the completion of the deal, approximately 230 roles supporting HSBC Life (UK) are anticipated to transfer to Chesnara. The deal is expected to boost Chesnaras scale in the UK, adding approximately 4bn in assets under administration and around 454,000 policies. Chesnara CEO Steve Murray said: "The proposed acquisition of HSBC Life (UK) represents a material step up in scale for Chesnara Group. HSBC Life (UK) is a high-quality business operating in products that we know well and is capable, under our ownership, of generating substantial cash flows for many years. This highly accretive transaction will allow us to build on our strong, 20-year track record of uninterrupted dividend growth. In a statement, Chesnara said the acquisition is projected to generate incremental lifetime cash of over 800m, with more than 140m expected in the first five years post-acquisition. Chesnara expects the deal to support a 6% increase in its final FY25 and interim FY26 dividends. The deal, which is part of HSBC Group's simplification strategy announced in October 2024, is expected to complete in early 2026. In December 2024, HSBC Continental Europe agreed to divest its French life insurance business, HSBC Assurances Vie (France), to Matmut Societe dAssurance Mutuelle in a cash transaction of 925m ($1.1bn). "Chesnara to acquire HSBC Life UK in 260m deal " was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. 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 Kolkata, July 5 : The West Bengal unit of BJP, under the leadership of its new State party President Samik Bhattacharya is making all efforts to ensure a political rally in the state, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing it, before Trinamool Congress's annual Martyrs' day rally in Kolkata on July 21. An insider from the state committee of BJP said that the week before July 21, the Prime Minister is scheduled to go for an election campaign in Bihar where the Assembly polls are scheduled later this year. "We are trying hard so that the Prime Minister can spare some time for a rally anywhere according to his convenience before going for his campaign programme in Bihar. On one hand, this will be a morale booster for party workers who are excited about getting prepared for the West Bengal Assembly election next year under the leadership of State party President Samik Bhattacharya. At the same time, through the rally addressed by the Prime Minister a lesson could also be sent to the ruling dispensation before the latter's annual Martyr's Day rally on July 21," the party's state committee member said. He added that the state unit of BJP had already started the process of communication with the Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi on the matter. Meanwhile, Bhattacharya, on Friday, clarified that his comments on Friday, after taking over as the new State President of the party where he said that "BJP's fight was not against Muslims in West Bengal but for improving their living conditions," was being misinterpreted by a section as his defiance of the party's official line of raising voice against the culture of appeasement politics and atrocities against Hindus in the state. "The Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, on Friday, stressed the unity of Hindu votes in West Bengal. I said that if the Muslims thought that without their support there would not be a change of guard in West Bengal they were mistaken. I just appealed to the people from the Muslim community for self-introspection. I asked the Muslim community in West Bengal to compare their living conditions with their brothers in Gujarat," the State BJP President said. He also added that his appeal to all "anti-Trinamool Congress people" in the state, irrespective of their political beliefs, unite in ending the 14-year misrule of Trinamool Congress government under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Mumbai, July 5 : The opposition parties in Maharashtra took a serious objection to the political remarks made by the Assembly's Presiding Officer Chetan Tupe while conducting the business in the House. They said that it was not acceptable, demanding that the dignity of the chair must be maintained. The issue was raised by the Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar and it was supported by Bhaskar Jadhav (Shiv Sena-UBT) and Nana Patole (Congress). They also asked, "Do those who make political statements have the right to be the presiding officer?" Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar took a serious note and expressed serious displeasure, saying that such incidents should not happen in future. "Those sitting as presiding officers should maintain letter and spirit of the law. It is necessary for the presiding officers to work within the framework of the rules given by the Constitution." The Speaker assured that the chair of the Speaker will not be used for political purposes. He also told the House that he will take a decision in this regard in his chamber. Earlier, Wadettiwar criticised the presiding officer for his political remarks during the discussion over a motion on farmer suicides and the current state of agriculture amid the state government's apathy. He appealed to the Assembly Speaker to reprimand the presiding officer Chetan Tupe. "While the discussion was on, the Agriculture Minister and the officials of that department were not present, but the work continued. But since some members were not present, does the presiding officer Chetan Tupe have the right to sit in the chair and present the government's position? While the chair has a certain dignity, it is not right to make political speeches from there, such a thing has not happened in the past," Wadettiwar said. He also said: "The presiding officer in his statements targeted opposition party members for their absence while saying they speak about farmers but skip the proceedings. Tupe said he has been in the House for 13 hours and has not given out." He added that even though the presiding officer is conducting the business in the absence of a Speaker, he is treated as the Speaker and it is binding on him not to make any political statements. "While it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the House functions properly, it is the responsibility of the Parliamentary Affairs Minister to see whether the Ministers of the department are present in the House. In such a case, the custom and tradition should be followed from the highest position in the House," Wadettiwar said. --IANS sj/khz Buenos Aires, July 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Friday evening, on a two-day visit of his five-nation tour, that aims to reinforce India's engagements with the Global South and focus on strengthening ties with the South American country. He was accorded a ceremonial welcome upon his arrival at the Ezeiza International Airport. This is the first bilateral visit to the South American country by an Indian Prime Minister in 57 years, and is thus historic. "Landed in Buenos Aires for a bilateral visit which will focus on augmenting relations with Argentina. I'm eager to be meeting President Javier Milei and holding detailed talks with him," PM Modi wrote in a post on his official X account. "Celebrating the enduring friendship between our nations. PM @narendramodi has landed in the vibrant city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, on an Official Visit. He was accorded a ceremonial welcome on arrival at the airport. This is the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM to Argentina in 57 years, marking a new chapter in India-Argentina ties," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on social media platform X. He has already visited Ghana and Trinidad & Tobago a"- both highly successful visits. Prime Minister Modi will be in Argentina on July 4 and 5, on the invitation of President Javier Milei. The last meeting between the two leaders was in November 2024, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While Prime Minister Modi has previously been to Argentina in 2018 to attend the G20 Summit. In his departure statement before embarking on the ongoing five-nation visit, the Prime Minister had called Argentina a" a key economic partner in Latin America and a close collaborator in G20. The two countries share cohesive and strong relations spread across a wide spectrum of sectors and deepened over decades. The ties were elevated to the level of Strategic Partnership in 2019 and the two countries celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2024. The people-to-people connect between the two nations is also strong with Yoga, Ayurveda and Indian philosophy being fairly popular. As per the programme, Prime Minister Modi will be paying respects at the statue of General Jose de San Martin, Argentina's revered freedom fighter and national hero. The Prime Minister will be accorded a ceremonial welcome; he will hold the delegation talks, followed by a lunch hosted by President Milei for him. The visit is expected to further strengthen the strategic partnership and open new avenues of cooperation. These include trade and investment, health and pharmaceuticals, defence and security infrastructure, mining and mineral resources, agriculture and food security, green energy, ICT, digital innovation, disaster management, science and technology, education and people-to-people linkages. The Prime Minister's visit at a particularly significant time as Argentina is undertaking major economic reforms -- somewhat similar to those undertaken in India in the past. India's advancements in sectors like defence manufacturing, space, information technology and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can benefit Argentina. India's expertise in Telemedicine and Digital healthcare solutions can also offer Argentina a way to deliver affordable and quality healthcare access. Argentina holds the world's second largest shale gas reserves and the fourth largest shale oil reserves along with of course substantial conventional oil and gas deposits, making it a potentially important energy partner for India in the future. Argentina's rich reserves of critical minerals such as lithium, copper and other rare earth elements complement Indiaas growing need for secure and sustainable supplies to these elements for its clean energy transition and industrial growth. Along with Bolivia and Chile, Argentina forms the Lithium Triangle. Lithium is crucial for modern technology, primarily due to its role in rechargeable batteries. It's a key component in powering electric vehicles, portable electronics like phones and laptops, and energy storage systems for renewable energy sources. Towards this, Indian companies like public sector players Khanij Bidesh India Ltd and Coal India Ltd. have obtained certain concessions--in the Catamarca province of Argentina. The two leaders will be discussing the partnership in this sector when they meet. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already made successful visits to Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago as part of the ongoing programme and after Argentina, he will head to Brazil where he will participate in the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro before undertaking a bilateral visit to Brasilia. He will then proceed to Namibia -- the last stop in this visit. Srinagar, July 5 : Another batch of 6,979 Yatris left Jammu on Saturday for Kashmir amid tight security arrangements to perform pilgrimage to the Amarnath shrine as more than 26,800 pilgrims had 'Darshan' during the last two days, officials said. The officials added that more than 26,800 pilgrims had 'darshan' inside the holy cave shrine cave during the last two days since the 38-day-long Amarnath Yatra started on July 3. "Another batch of 6,979 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatra Niwas in the morning in two escorted convoys of 312 vehicles for the Valley." "Of these, 2,753 are going to Baltal base camp while 4,226 pilgrims are going to Nunwan (Pahalgam base camp)," officials added. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, inaugurated a Yatri Niwas in Baltal base camp on Friday. The complex includes a disaster management centre. Part of the ONGC's corporate social responsibility (CSR) project, Baltal Yatri Niwas has become functional while those in Bijbehara, Nunwan (Pahalgam) and Sidhra in Jammu are nearing completion. These locations feature dormitories, sewage treatment plants, and other essential utilities. The Sidhra site (8,500 square metres), designed as a sustainable G+5 structure equipped with solar panels, is expected to be operational by September 2026. Collectively, these projects, covering over 30,955 square metres, will provide safer and more comfortable facilities for the people. Authorities have left no stone unturned in providing a multi-tier cover to this year's Amarnath Yatra, as this takes place after the cowardly attack of April 22 in which Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 civilians after segregating them on the basis of faith in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam. An additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces have been brought in to augment the existing strength of the Army, Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Sashastra Seema Bal, and the local police. All the transit camps en route to the two base camps and the entire route from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu to the cave shrine are secured by the security forces. Locals have extended complete cooperation to this year's Amarnath Yatra as they have always done in the past. To send out a powerful signal that Kashmiris were deeply shocked by the Pahalgam terror attack, locals were the first to welcome the first batch of Yatris with garlands and placards as the pilgrims crossed the Navyug Tunnel to enter the Valley at Qazigund. This year, the Yatra started on July 3 and will end after 38 days on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan. Yatris approach the holy cave shrine situated 3,888 metres above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas either from the traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter Baltal route. Those using the Pahalgam route have to pass through Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni to reach the cave shrine, covering a distance of 46 km on foot. This trek takes a pilgrim four days to reach the cave shrine. Those using the shorter Baltal route have to trek 14 km to reach the cave shrine and return to the base camp the same day after performing the Yatra. For security reasons, no helicopter services are available to the Yatris this year. The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon. Devotees believe that the ice stalagmite structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva. Shri Amarnath ji Yatra is one of the holiest religious pilgrimages for the devotees, as legend says Lord Shiva narrated the secrets of eternal life and immortality to Mata Parvati inside this cave. Two pigeons accidentally happened to be inside the cave when the eternal secrets were being narrated by Lord Shiva. Traditionally, even to this day, a pair of mountain pigeons flies out of the cave shrine when the annual Yatra begins. Buenos Aires, July 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm and traditional welcome from the Indian diaspora upon his arrival at the Alvear Palace Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Members of the Indian community greeted the Prime Minister with enthusiastic chants of "Modi-Modi", "Jai Hind" and "Bharat Mata Ki Jai," creating an electrifying atmosphere on Friday night. The vibrant reception featured a traditional Indian classical dance performance, celebrating India's rich cultural heritage. Community members also had the opportunity to interact with Prime Minister Modi, many of whom received autographs from the leader, adding a personal touch to the historic visit. This heartfelt reception by the Indian community came shortly after PM Modi landed at Ezeiza International Airport, where he was accorded a ceremonial welcome. His two-day visit to Argentina marks the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the South American nation in 57 years, highlighting its historic significance. "Landed in Buenos Aires for a bilateral visit which will focus on augmenting relations with Argentina. I'm eager to be meeting President Javier Milei and holding detailed talks with him," PM Modi shared on his official X account. During the visit, PM Modi is scheduled to pay homage at the statue of General Jose de San Martin, Argentina's national hero. He will be received ceremonially and will hold delegation-level talks with President Milei, followed by a luncheon in his honour. This visit is part of PM Modi's five-nation tour aimed at deepening ties with the Global South. The India-Argentina relationship, elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2019, spans multiple sectors including trade, health, Defence, agriculture, green energy, digital innovation, and education. The year 2024 marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Argentina, further underlining the importance of this high-level engagement. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has stated that the upcoming peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan will significantly change the regional atmosphere, opening new and historic opportunities one after another. Azernews reports that speaking to journalists aboard his plane after returning from Azerbaijan, Erdo?an emphasized the broad benefits of peace and stability in the South Caucasus. The diplomatic framework for the ongoing peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia has now been finalized. Following meetings held in Brussels, Moscow, and Tbilisi by the end of 2024, agreement has been reached on the final text of the peace treaty, Erdo?an said. He noted that although Armenia initially opposed the Zangezur corridor, it has begun to adopt a more flexible approach toward participating in economic integration. Erdo?an stressed that the development of this region presents opportunities not only for Azerbaijan but also for Armenia, Turkiye, Iran, and other countries. The Turkish president also reiterated the special importance of Azerbaijan-Turkiye relations. Our legal and moral ties with Azerbaijan are different from our relations with other countries. We are bound not only by friendship but also by brotherhood. The phrase Two states, one nation is not accidental; it carries deep meaning and is based on solid foundations, which we have repeatedly proven throughout history. Therefore, we cannot remain indifferent or detached from developments in this region, Erdo?an concluded. By Casey Hall and Tassilo Hummel SHANGHAI/PARIS (Reuters) -China spared major cognac producers Pernod Ricard, LVMH and Remy Cointreau from hefty duties on EU brandy on Friday, a rare bright spot at a time of trade tensions between Brussels and Beijing as the two sides row over tariffs on Chinese-made EVs. China will from Saturday levy duties of up to 34.9% for five years on brandy originating in the European Union, most of it cognac from France, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said in a final ruling of an investigation lasting more than a year. But most of France's cognac industry, including big brands LVMH-owned Hennessy and Remy Martin, will be exempt from the duties provided they sell at a minimum price, the ministry said in a statement. It did not disclose the minimum prices. Beijing launched its anti-dumping probe on EU brandy in January last year, in what was widely viewed as retaliation for the EU's decision to impose big import tariffs on China-made electric vehicles. French cognac makers generate global exports of $3 billion a year combined. With premium aged bottles of the liquor selling for hundreds of dollars, they have complained they are collateral damage in the broader trade row between Brussels and Beijing. In addition to the reprieve, China's commerce ministry will give back deposits made by brandy makers since October, when provisional duties were imposed. The refund issue, which weighed particularly heavily on smaller producers, was one of the sticking points in months-long negotiations, two industry sources said. China is the world's biggest market for cognac in value terms. China's commerce ministry said in a statement on Saturday that 34 firms secured agreements for minimum price commitments instead of tariffs. Remy Martin owner Remy Cointreau said in a statement that the deal on minimum price commitments constituted "a substantially less punitive alternative", enabling "the strengthening of some investments in China". Pernod Ricard said it regrets the increase in the cost of operating in China, but additional costs are significantly less than would be the case if tariffs had been made permanent. LVMH and Campari did not immediately respond to requests for comment. There was little sign that the rift between China and the EU was easing. Olof Gill, the European Commission's spokesperson for trade, said the tariffs were unfair and unjustified. WANG AND MACRON China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi is visiting Europe this week, seeking to lay the groundwork for a summit between EU and Chinese leaders later this month, with the EV dispute and China's curbs on the export of rare earths high on the agenda. Washington, July 5 : US President Donald Trump signed the "One Big Beautiful Bill" into law during the Independence Day ceremony at the White House. Washington, July 5 (IANS) US President Donald Trump signed the "One Big Beautiful Bill" into law during the Independence Day ceremony at the White House. This came a day after the House of Representatives passed the bill, giving final approval to President Trump's landmark legislation. "I've never seen people so happy in our country because of that, because so many different groups of people are being taken care of: the military, civilians of all types, jobs of all types. So you have the biggest tax cut, the biggest spending cut, the largest border security investment in American history," Trump said at the ceremony. President Trump appreciated Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, for securing the bill's passage through both chambers of Congress. "Those two are a team that is not going to be beaten," he said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the legislation as "an encapsulation of all of the policies that the president campaigned on and the people voted on," adding that it's a "victorious day for the American people." House Republicans voted on Thursday afternoon to approve Trump's massive package of tax and federal spending cuts and funding boosts for the Pentagon and border security, clearing the Bill, while the Senate passed the bill earlier this week. Trump hailed the passage of the "One Big Beautiful Bill", describing it as the beginning of America's "new Golden Age." "The Republicans in the House of Representatives have just passed the "ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT." Our Party is UNITED like never before, and our Country is "hot." We are going to have a Signing Celebration at the White House tomorrow, at 4 P.M. EST. All Congressmen/women and Senators are invited. Together, we will celebrate our Nation's Independence and the beginning of our new Golden Age," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday. "The people of the United States of America will be Richer, Safer, and Prouder than ever before. Thank you to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and all of the wonderful Republican Members of Congress who helped us deliver on our Promises, and so much more. Together, we can do things that were not even imagined possible less than one year ago. We will keep working, and winning congratulations America!" he added. Mumbai, July 5 : Actor Tahir Raj Bhasin, who is awaiting the release of the upcoming season of the streaming show 'Special Ops 2', has a knack for playing negative roles. The actor started off by playing an antagonist in the Rani Mukerji-starrer 'Mardaani' which was released in 2013, and now essays the role of an antagonist in the upcoming season of 'Special Ops'. He shared what has changed in these 11 years of playing antagonist. The actor spoke with IANS recently ahead of the release of the new season. When asked if he gives it all to his negative characters or treads with caution thinking about the larger narrative, he told IANS, "I think you just have to be true to that project in the moment. The idea is to make it as true as possible. If I start thinking of some larger narrative, it'll defeat the purpose". However, he does make a conscious decision about trying different parts, as he said, "But I do like to play varieties of parts and it is a conscious decision that if I've done one negative, then the next thing that I do, and this is not out of some larger narrative, it's just to keep me on my toes because the artist in me can get bored very easily. And if I find myself doing something similar back to back, that gets boring". "So that is where I like to vary it a little bit. But when I'm in a project, I like to give it 100%. And since you spoke about negatives, the first film was 'Mardaani', where I was running a gang in Delhi, and now I run an empire in Europe in 'Special Ops'. So that's progress, if you ask me", he added. Gaza, July 5 : Hamas said in a statement that it has delivered a "positive" response to mediators over a Gaza ceasefire proposal. "Hamas has completed its consultations with Palestinian factions and forces on the mediators' latest proposal to stop the aggression against our people in Gaza. The movement has delivered its response to the mediators, which was positive," the statement said. "The movement is seriously prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations on the mechanism for implementing this framework," it added. Meanwhile, a source familiar with the matter told Xinhua that "the response presented by Hamas is generally aligned with the most recent Qatari- and Egyptian-mediated version of the proposal, known as the modified (US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve) Witkoff plan." According to the source, a Hamas member close to the movement's leadership, Hamas proposed minor changes to the existing draft, but did not deviate significantly from the core elements of the mediation framework, Xinhua news agency reported. Regarding humanitarian assistance, the source said Hamas emphasized that "aid must be delivered in sufficient quantities to ensure the uninterrupted operation of bakeries, hospitals, and essential services." "Hamas insists that humanitarian aid be brought in through neutral and internationally recognized organizations, including the United Nations, the Red Crescent, and other relevant agencies," the source added. Regarding the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the source said that "Hamas does not oppose slight adjustments to the proposed withdrawal to the March 2 lines, provided the details are clarified through indirect negotiations." "Hamas is open to discussing technical aspects of the withdrawal mechanism, as long as the overall framework remains intact," the source said. Regarding the duration and continuity of negotiations, the source explained that "Hamas is not demanding a specific 30- or 60-day extension for talks." "Instead, the movement believes negotiations must continue beyond the 60-day period, until a mutual and comprehensive agreement is reached," the source said. The source described the overall tone of the response as "positive" and said it "could contribute to narrowing the gaps between the negotiating parties." "Hamas' current position signals a degree of flexibility and a readiness to engage seriously through mediators," the source added. Jammu, July 5 : Twenty-five Amarnath Yatra pilgrims sustained minor injuries on Saturday as four buses collided with each other in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district. Officials stated that one of the bus drivers of the Amarnath Yatra convoy lost control of the vehicle, reportedly due to a brake failure. "This led to the collision between four buses in the convoy near Chandrakote Yatri Langar on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Ramban district," the officials added. Police and Health Department rescue teams responded promptly, and the injured were shifted to the Ramban district hospital. Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, Ilyas Khan, visited the Ramban district hospital and enquired about the condition of the injured. The Deputy Commissioner said 25 pilgrims sustained minor injuries when four vehicles in the Yatra convoy collided with each other. The Deputy Commissioner said all the injured are being discharged after first aid. "Alternate transport arrangements have been made so that the injured passengers can continue their journey after discharge from the hospital," the officials said. Since the 38-day-long Yatra started on July 3, over 26,800 pilgrims have performed the Yatra in two days. Another batch of 6,979 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas for Kashmir on Saturday in two escorted convoys of 312 vehicles. Unprecedented security arrangements have been made for this year's Yatra as it takes place after the April 22 terror attack in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam in which Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists killed 26 civilians after segregating them based on faith. An additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed to augment the existing strength of the Army, Border Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal, Central Reserve Police Force and the local police to provide a secure passage to the pilgrims. The entire motorable road from Jammu to the two base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam, as well as both treks from the base camps to the holy cave shrine, are guarded 24/7 by security forces. Rio De Janeiro, July 5 : As Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues his five-nation tour, making his way from Argentina to Brazil, Padma Shri awardee and spiritual teacher Yogi Acharya Jonas Masetti expressed excitement over his upcoming interaction with the PM. "In the next few days, I am going to meet Prime Minister Modi and we are going to do a reception with him and probably going to exchange views on how Vedic studies can be seen in better ways for the youth. How we can show that Vedic tradition can contribute to the Western pursuit of life," Acharya Masetti said in a heartfelt statement, ahead of the meeting. He also expressed hope that the Prime Minister would visit his spiritual centre in Brazil. "It would be a dream if the Prime Minister would visit our ashram and bless us," he told IANS. Acharya Masetti, who has been a key figure in spreading Indian spiritual traditions, shared insights into the growing acceptance of Indian culture in Brazil. "It's very nice to see that Brazil is open to spirituality, especially the kind that comes from India. There are many cultural similarities, and people here receive it as a great blessing, not as a religious pursuit, but as something spiritual and deeply profound," he observed. Reflecting on his work, he said, "The work in Brazil started 12 years ago, and it has been one year since we inaugurated Vishwa Vidya Gurukulam on the occasion of the visit of the Prime Minister last year." The ashram now offers a long-term residential program: "We have eight students enrolled in a long-term course, preparing to become teachers. They will stay here for three years and have already completed one year." "Additionally, we have around 2,000 to 3,000 students who study online and visit the ashram occasionally," he noted. "Yoga and Vedanta, they do practice. Students here practice yoga, do puja, learn Sanskrit and speak Sanskrit as well," he added, highlighting the depth of Indian spiritual education being embraced in Brazil. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi, who arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Friday, was warmly welcomed by the Indian community. His visit to Argentina is the first bilateral trip by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in 57 years. After concluding engagements in Argentina, he will head to Brazil for the BRICS 2025 Summit, his fourth visit to the country. Chennai, July 5 : In a proactive move to prevent human-wildlife conflict, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has launched an awareness drive in schools, particularly targeting students in Valparai, a region known for leopard movement. The initiative comes in the wake of the tragic death of a four-year-old Jharkhand girl, who was dragged away by a leopard from near her house on June 20 in the Pachamalai estate, located within the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR). As part of the awareness campaign, forest department staff are visiting schools to educate children on the risks posed by leopards and other wild animals. Using a soft toy resembling a big cat as a visual aid, officials are explaining the dos and don'ts while walking to and from school or playing near their homes, especially in areas close to tea bushes or forested zones. A senior forest department official said that the department commenced reaching out to students directly during school hours. He said that earlier awareness campaigns were limited to estate labourers and their residential quarters and added that this was the first time the forest officials were involving schoolchildren directly. The forest department said that awareness drives have already been conducted in two middle schools in the town and would soon be expanded to other schools and estate settlements. The students are being advised not to wander out alone, especially near bushes or after dark. "Leopards do not deliberately attack children, but due to their short height, they are often mistaken as prey," explained an official. Children are encouraged to move in groups or be accompanied by parents or older relatives when outdoors. In response to the forest department's instructions, estate authorities have begun clearing dense vegetation in critical areas, including around the Pachamalai estate where the fatal incident occurred. "Around 70 per cent of the bushes have been cleared in that area alone," the official noted. Tea estate workers have also been instructed to utilise children's shelters during work hours instead of leaving children unattended, and migrant workers have been specifically advised not to take children along for tasks like spinach collection. K. Giritharan, Manomboly Forest Range Officer, stressed that the awareness programme is giving special attention to migrant labourers, who may not be familiar with local wildlife threats. "Residents of Valparai are already somewhat aware, but migrants need more detailed guidance," he said. The forest department's drive aims to create a long-term behavioural shift that minimises risks and improves coexistence between local communities and wildlife in the ecologically-sensitive Valparai region. New Delhi, July 5 : With Assembly elections just a few months away, the cold-blooded murder of Gopal Khemka, a prominent businessman and owner of Magadh Hospital, has triggered a political firestorm in Bihar. The killing occurred late on Friday night near his residence in the upscale Gandhi Maidan area of Patna, prompting Opposition leaders to slam the law and order situation under the current regime. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav lashed out at the government, alleging media manipulation to mask the deteriorating security environment. "A few steps away from the police station in Patna, a prominent Bihar businessman was shot dead! Hundreds of businessmen are being murdered in Bihar every month, but we can't call it Jungle Raj? Because this is what the scriptures call media management, perception management and image management," he posted on his X handle. According to reports, Khemka was shot dead by unidentified bike-borne assailants around 11:40 P.M. while stepping out of his car near Panache Hotel. Purnia's Independent MP Pappu Yadav, voicing solidarity with the Opposition, called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the murder. "All of us support the Opposition. As per the instructions of the Congress Party and our incharge, we will raise the issue of attacks on the poor and poverty before the Election Commission on the 9th of this month. Regarding this incident, we demand a CBI probe into the murder of Gopal Khemka," he told IANS. RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari termed the incident as proof of "criminal rule" in Bihar. He told IANS, "This is a very sad incident. A well-known businessman, Mr. Gopal Khemka, was shot dead in Patna last night near his residence. Now, the criminal rule has been established. After two hours, the police comes. I ask the people who talk about Jungle Raj, dear Prime Minister, please tell me, which raj should this be called? The 'goon rule', the 'criminal rule' has been established in Bihar. "In Bihar, the government has given protection to criminals. The morale of the criminals has increased. The criminals are happy. The police administration is sad." JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar, while acknowledging the gravity of the incident, defended the state administration. "Gopal Khemka was a prominent industrialist and his brutal murder near Gandhi Maidan in Patna is absolutely shocking. Regardless of who the victim is, any murder is a challenge to the rule of law. The DGP of Bihar himself immediately took cognisance of the matter at the highest level and an SIT has been formed under the leadership of City SP Central. The SIT is investigating all aspects of the case." Meanwhile, Gopal Khemka's family has accused the police of gross negligence. His brother, Shankar Khemka, said: "Officers arrived nearly three hours after the incident, at around 2:30 A.M. Gopal was returning home when the assailants opened fire, just like the way his son was attacked in 2018." Mumbai, July 5 : Veteran actor Anupam Kher is all set to release the first song from his upcoming directorial 'Tanvi The Great'. On Saturday, the actor took to his Instagram, and shared a video of himself in which he spoke about the song and its essence. The actor shared that the song is an ode to the Indian armed forces. The film's OST features 8 songs. He also penned a long note in the caption, as he wrote, "FIRST SONG AND FIRST SCREENING OF TANVI THE GREAT: Today we will share the first song of our film with you. I'm pretty sure you'll love this song! This song is beautifully written by @kausarmunir ji. And @mmkeeravaani G has made its tune in his magical style (sic)". He further mentioned, "This song is humbly dedicated to our #IndianArmedForces! You will love it! And today before the release of the film in India is our first screening for new cadets and officers of #NationalDefenceAcademy (NDA)! Our team is extremely excited about both the things! Send us your Love, Best Wishes and Blessings! #TanviTheGreat is a film from India - for the world! Hail India! #FirstSongOut". Earlier, the actor recollected the time when he introduced actor Vinay Pathak to the Kashmiri cuisine during the shooting of 'Khosla Ka Ghosla', an earlier story which was published by IANS. Walking down the memory lane, Anupam shared how it all happened. He earlier told IANS, "I introduced Vinay to Kashmiri food, and he said, 'Kashmiri food is like this?' I said, 'Yes'. I introduced the cuisine to him, and I was very happy. Because he thought it must be something else. I read a lot about it recently that Vinay Pathak spoke about the incident. It was just somebody introducing me to Japanese food, a long time back". He further mentioned, "The richness of Kashmiri food is that there is no tomato, no onion and no garlic in it. And yet it is the tastiest cuisine. But that way India is a very rich country in terms of food. After every 500 km, you get new food. Gujarati, Marathi and different kinds of thaalis". New Delhi, July 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief over the tragic road accident in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh on Friday in which eight people of a marriage party, including the groom, were killed. The PM announced financial assistance for the families of those killed in the mishap and for the injured. A post shared by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on X, stated: "Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in an accident in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the mishap. May the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM." The tragic incident occurred on Friday evening in the Junawai Police Station area of Sambhal district in Uttar Pradesh. A Bolero vehicle being driven at high-speed lost control and rammed into the wall of Janata Inter College in Junawai village. The impact was so severe that the vehicle overturned, killing five people on the spot, including the groom. Following the accident, five critically injured passengers were referred to Aligarh for treatment. However, three of them, identified as Ravi, Komal, and Madhu, succumbed to their injuries on the way as all three were in a critical condition, bringing the total death toll to eight. The remaining two injured are currently undergoing treatment at Aligarh Medical College. According to police, all the victims were residents of Hargovindpur village under Junawai police station limits and were en route to Bilsi in Budaun district as part of a wedding procession. What was meant to be a joyous occasion turned into a horrific tragedy for the families involved. Locals say the Bolero was being driven at high speed, and the driver reportedly lost control before crashing into the college wall. On receiving information about the accident, Sambhal Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi and Additional SP Anukriti Sharma rushed to the scene. The vehicle was completely mangled and had to be cut open with the help of a JCB machine to rescue the trapped passengers. Canberra, July 5 : In a series of anti-Semitic incidents in Australia overnight, the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Albert Street became the target of an arson attack. Additionally, a few hours later, about 20 protesters gathered outside an Israeli-owned restaurant in Melbourne's Central Business District (CBD) in the state of Victoria, according to local media reports. The Victoria Police further revealed details about another incident that occurred at a business in the Greensborough suburb in Melbourne early Saturday morning. "It's understood that unknown offenders attended a business on Para Road and set fire to three cars. They also used spray paint on the cars and a building wall. One of the cars was destroyed, the other two were moderately damaged," Australian state-run news agency ABC quoted the Acting Commander Zorka Dunstan as saying. Commander Dunstan mentioned that the incident involved "some references of anti-Semitism", and the business had witnessed pro-Palestinian activity over the past year, leading the police to believe that it may be linked to the other two incidents from Friday. "At this stage there are no links, but police aren't discounting them,' she said. This came after Australia's national security agency, ASIO, and Australian Federal Police (AFP) joined the Victoria Police in the investigation into the arson attack on the synagogue (Jewish house of worship)and restaurant protest. According to the investigators, a man entered the grounds of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Albert Street on Friday night and poured a flammable liquid on the front door and set it on fire. Police said that about 20 people were inside the synagogue at the time, but were evacuated safely through the rear of the building, adding that there were no injuries. "There is absolutely no place in our society for antisemitic or hate-based behaviour," Victoria Police said in a statement. The Victoria Police have released an image of a man detectives wish to speak with in connection with the fire. Victorian Police Minister Anthony Carbines announced on Saturday morning that he had spoken with Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke. "The full resources of ASIO and the AFP are backing Victoria Police in their investigations into both the attempted arson at the Melbourne East synagogue overnight, also the intimidation and violence that we saw at the restaurant in the CBD," Carbines said. Australian Opposition Leader MP Sussan Ley took to her social media to condemn the "horrifying" attack. "What happened in Melbourne last night was horrifying. A synagogue set alight while families gathered for Shabbat dinner. An Israeli restaurant stormed and terrorised by protesters chanting 'death to the IDF.' This is not protest. This is hate. And it has no place in Australia," she said in a post on X. Israeli Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon described the attack as "disgraceful and vile" and called for an end to anti-Semitism. "It is disgraceful and vile that Melbourne's oldest synagogue was targeted in an attempted arson attack last night. The East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, a place only filled with love, was met with pure hate. The Jewish people of Australia are strong and resilient, but no community should have to endure attack after attack after attack. This rotten and evil disease of antisemitism must end," the Israeli Ambassador posted on X. BEIJING (AP) The Chinese government is signaling enough is enough when it comes to the fierce competition in the country's electric car market. China's industrial policy has engineered a remarkable transformation to electric vehicles in what is the world's largest auto market. In so doing, it has spawned far more makers than can possibly survive. Now, long-simmering concerns about oversupply and debilitating price wars are coming to the fore, even as the headline sales numbers soar to new heights. Market-leader BYD announced this week that its sales grew 31% in the first six months of the year to 2.1 million cars. Nearly half of those were pure electric vehicles and the rest were plug-in hybrids, it said in a Hong Kong Stock Exchange filing. The company phased out internal combustion engine cars in 2022. BYD came under thinly veiled criticism in late May when it launched a new round of price cuts, and several competitors followed suit. The chairman of Great Wall Motors warned the industry could come under threat if it continues on the same trajectory. When volumes get bigger, its just much harder to manage and you become the bullseye, said Lei Xing, an independent analyst who follows the industry. The government is trying to rein in what is called involution a term initially applied to the rat race for young people in China and now to companies and industries engaged in meaningless competition that leads nowhere. BYD has come under criticism for using its dominant position in ways that some consider unfair, sparking price wars that have caused losses across the industry, said Murthy Grandhi, an India-based financial risk analyst at GlobalData. With the price war in its fourth year, Chinese automakers are looking abroad for profits. BYD's overseas sales more than doubled to 464,000 units in the first half of this year. Worried governments in the U.S. and EU have imposed tariffs on made-in-China electric vehicles, saying that subsidies have given them an unfair advantage. Market leader BYD comes under attack The latest bout of handwringing started when BYD cut the price of more than 20 models on May 23. The same day, the chairman of Great Wall Motors, Wei Jianjun, said he was pessimistic about what he called the "healthy development of the EV market. He drew a comparison to Evergrande, the Chinese real estate giant whose collapse sent the entire industry into a downturn from which it has yet to recover. "The Evergrande in the automobile industry already exists, but it is just yet to explode, he said in a video message posted on social media. Mumbai, July 5 : Actor Sharad Kelkar, who is known for his work in television, and has voiced the iconic character of Baahubali for its Hindi version, has shared his opinion on the growing language conflicts between different states of India. The actor recently spoke with IANS, and shared that though he prefers to stay away from politics, he surely respects all "beautiful" Indian languages that are spoken throughout the country. He told IANS, "Honestly, I don't want to get into political matters. I have no interest in it. Ask me about acting, and I'll talk. Ask me why I haven't done a Marathi film, and I'll answer. But this isn't about personal will or preference. I believe all Indian languages are beautiful. I'm Indian, first and foremost". The actor was also asked if he is the highest paid actor on his upcoming show, to which he responded by saying, "I've been working for over two decades. I've earned my place, and yes, I charge for it. What's wrong with that? If someone is earning well, people should be happynot jealous. It's a sign of achievement. If an actor returns to television, it's because they have value. No one's calling you back just for nostalgiayou have to bring something to the table". He also shared about why in the current era of television, shows don't run for years and actors don't become household names. He said, "The audience landscape has changed. OTT has brought in new content and platforms. Earlier, shows used to run for years and characters would live in people's hearts. Now, shows are shorter, and people move on quickly. Many actors believe they aren't getting recognition, but I think it's the characters that become famous, not the actors themselves. I've been known as Nahar Singh, Barry B., Thakur, and Dr. Ashutoshall character names". "If you keep reinventing yourself and present a new version every time, people might eventually remember your real name", he added. Jaipur, July 5 : Tension gripped Jahazpur town in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district after a 25-year-old man was lynched by a mob on Friday evening following a minor road accident. In protest, local residents have called for a complete shutdown on Saturday, demanding justice and swift police action. According to police, the incident occurred when a car carrying four youths from the Tonk Cantonment area accidentally collided with a handcart while passing through Jahazpur's main market. The group, which had come to attend a family function at the home of one of the youth's sisters, found themselves surrounded by an angry mob shortly after the collision. What began as a verbal altercation quickly escalated into violence. Around 20 individuals reportedly joined the cart vendor in assaulting the youths. One of the victims, Sitaram Keer (25), was dragged out of the car, thrown onto the road, and brutally beaten by the mob. Despite his repeated apologies and offer to compensate the cart owner for the damages, witnesses say he was mercilessly attacked. Due to damage to the car's wiring during the assault, Sitaram was taken to the hospital on a motorcycle but was declared dead. His three companions were later taken to the police station for questioning. Late Friday night, the victim's family staged a sit-in protest outside the government hospital, demanding the immediate arrest of all those involved. They were joined by local MLA Gopichand Meena, who held talks with the demonstrators. Police have since registered a case of murder against 36 people -- 16 identified and 20 unknown. Bhilwara Superintendent of Police Dharmendra Singh confirmed that one person had been taken into custody. "A suspect is being interrogated, and further evidence is being gathered. No one involved will be spared," he said. Deputy Narendra Kumar Pareek added that the main accused, identified as Sharif, son of Chand Mohammad and the owner of the handcart, was arrested late Friday night. To prevent any further escalation, police forces from 10 neighbouring stations have been deployed in Jahazpur. While the situation remained peaceful on Saturday, markets stayed closed as a mark of protest and solidarity with the bereaved family. Buenos Aires, July 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a rousing and emotional welcome from the Indian diaspora at the Alvear Palace Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina with enthusiastic community members stating that meeting him felt like something divine and a blessing from a past life. People gathered in anticipation of the Prime Minister's arrival, creating a vibrant and electrifying atmosphere echoing with chants of "Modi-Modi", "Jai Hind" and "Bharat Mata Ki Jai." Upon his arrival, PM Modi was greeted with traditional rituals and floral tributes. Members of the Indian diaspora expressed immense pride and joy, calling the moment a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Speaking to IANS, one member of the Indian diaspora said, "I feel very good, very happy. It feels as if I have seen divinity, as if the doors to something divine have opened for me. The moment PM Modi arrived, it felt like the doors of a temple had opened." Another said, "Today, we had a great opportunity to meet PM Modi and we are very happy to be here. He has a great aura, that's what I could feel in person." Many shared how PM Modi's presence made them feel closer to their roots despite living thousands of miles away from India. One community member remarked, "We are representing Indian culture and proudly welcoming him. It's a joy to see him after such a long time, especially since we live so far from India. His visit encourages us to connect with the community and brings us together." Another member who met the Prime Minister during his previous visit said, "I am very happy that the Prime Minister has come here. I have met him and it is a very good thing, I also met him seven years ago when he came here." A visibly moved attendee added, "It feels like a dream come true for us. We never imagined we could see PM Modi from so close. Seeing him this closely feels like a blessing from a past life that we are receiving today." Several attendees even received autographs from the Prime Minister, creating memories they said they would cherish forever. This warm and heartfelt welcome came shortly after PM Modi landed at Ezeiza International Airport, where he was accorded a ceremonial reception. The visit marks a historic moment as it is the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Argentina in 57 years. Tokyo, July 5 : Over 100 medical professionals from across Asia on Saturday gathered in the Japanese city of Nagoya for the 23rd Annual Japan Yoga Therapy Society Conference, where the Indian Ambassador to Japan, Sibi George, addressed the participants who had convened to deliberate on the "Integrated Health Management". Tokyo, July 5 (IANS) Over 100 medical professionals from across Asia on Saturday gathered in the Japanese city of Nagoya for the 23rd Annual Japan Yoga Therapy Society Conference, where the Indian Ambassador to Japan, Sibi George, addressed the participants who had convened to deliberate on the "Integrated Health Management". "Ambassador Sibi George addressed the 23rd Annual Japan Yoga Therapy Society Conference in Nagoya, where hundreds of medical professionals from across Asia have gathered to discuss "Integrated Health Management", the Embassy of India in Japan posted on X. On Friday, a calm and graceful evening unfolded at the Indian Pavilion in Osaka Expo in Japan, where visitors welcomed the spirit of wellness through a soul-soothing yoga session inspired by India's ancient wisdom Recently over two thousand Yoga enthusiasts in Japan joined to celebrate the 11th International Day of Yoga earlier on June 21. The event was inaugurated by Yoshiko Ishiba, wife of the Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. This year's theme, "Yoga for One Earth, One Health," underscores the holistic connection between individual well-being and planetary health. Ambassador Sibi George addressed the huge gathering of participants who came together in large numbers to celebrate the ancient Indian practice that continues to unite people across cultures and borders. Satoko Iwaya, wife of the Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi, graced the occasion. It also witnessed the participation of Reverend Myoken Hayama and Reverend Tomohiro Kimura of Tsukiji Hongwanji, Joice Sibi, wife of the Indian Ambassador, senior government officials, Resident Ambassadors and diplomats, and friends of India in Japan. Last month, the 11th IDY was also celebrated at the Osaka Expo 2025 in Japan. "Ambassador of India to Japan Sibi George and Vice Governor of Osaka Prefecture Shigeki Watanabe inaugurated the celebrations and joined the collective yoga session alongside thousands of yoga enthusiasts," the Indian Embassy in Japan posted on X. The 2025 theme, 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health,' further emphasised the connection between personal well-being and planetary health, aligning with India's broader vision of global harmony through traditional wisdom. Bhopal, July 5 : Heavy rains continued to lash eastern Madhya Pradesh for the second consecutive day, creating flood-like situations and severely disrupting normal life. In several places, roads and bridges were either submerged or swept away, cutting off access and stranding residents. Districts including Dindori, Balaghat, Jabalpur, Mandla, Rewa, and Sagar were among the worst affected by the relentless downpour over the past 30 hours. Rivers and streams in these areas are overflowing, adding to the crisis. In Mandla, a landslide occurred on National Highway 30 on Friday, and a key bridge connecting the district to Jabalpur was washed away, impacting connectivity and emergency response efforts. In Tikamgarh, panic gripped a tribal girls' hostel after floodwaters entered the premises. Fortunately, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams carried out a swift rescue, evacuating all students to safety. In view of the deteriorating weather and to ensure the safety of children, the district administrations in Dindori and Mandla have declared a holiday for all schools. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for most parts of eastern Madhya Pradesh till July 8, warning of continued heavy to very heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, yellow alerts are in place for at least 20 districts, including Gwalior-Chambal, Sagar, Bhopal, and Indore, for the next 24 hours. Jabalpur, which received 77 mm of rainfall on Friday alone, is likely to see further showers in the coming days. Across affected areas, authorities have launched rescue and relief operations. In Mandla district alone, around 300 people have been evacuated and shifted to safer locations, officials said. Despite the havoc, the overall rainfall statistics present a silver lining. Madhya Pradesh has recorded nearly 49 per cent surplus rainfall during the current monsoon period. From June 1 to July 4, the state received 245.9 mm of rain, compared to the normal average of 164.7 mm, as per IMD data. Bhopal, the state capital, recorded 205.4 mm of rainfall during this period, against the normal 165.5 mm, marking a 24 per cent surplus. IMD officials clarified that rainfall within 20 per cent above or below the average is considered normal. However, in some regions, rainfall remains deficient. Districts like Shajapur and Burhanpur have reported 25-26 per cent rainfall deficit, highlighting the uneven distribution of monsoon rains across the state. New Delhi, July 5 : Crude oil prices may see a recovery in the near term as positive signals emerge from the supply side and geopolitical tensions show signs of easing, experts said on Saturday. While demand concerns continue to weigh on global sentiment, market experts believe crude prices could bounce back if key technical levels are sustained. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude prices remained subdued on Friday, trading near the mid $65 range amid thin holiday trading and weak global demand. However, analysts are pointing to a potential turnaround, especially with key events like the OPEC+ meeting and the US tariff deadline on the horizon. Tejas Shigrekar, Chief Technical Research Analyst -- Commodities and Currencies at Angel One Ltd, said the crude oil outlook remains mixed, but there are reasons for cautious optimism. He noted that while demand has been hit due to slowdowns in global manufacturing --particularly in China and the Eurozone -- OPEC+ production cuts are still keeping global supply tight. "These cuts, mainly led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, have helped prevent a deeper fall in prices," he explained. "Even with softer demand projections from OECD countries, the coordinated output curbs are providing a floor to prices," Shigrekar said. "And unless there's a major supply shock, crude futures are likely to remain in a broad range, supported by strategic buying," he stated. Geopolitical risks, which had earlier pushed prices higher, have somewhat eased after the ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Iran's renewed commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has also helped calm the market. While tensions in the South China Sea and the Middle East persist, there has been no major disruption to global supply chains so far. Traders are now focused on the July 5 OPEC+ meeting, where a third consecutive production hike of 411,000 barrels per day is expected to be approved for August. From a technical point of view, Shigrekar believes a price rebound is possible if WTI crude holds above the $62.70 support level. A break above Rs 5,780 could push domestic crude prices to Rs 6,000-Rs 6,200. But if support slips below Rs 5,550, we may see a drop toward Rs 5,330 or even Rs 5,000," analysts mentioned. Kolkata, July 5 : The minutes of successive governing body meetings of South Calcutta Law College (New Campus), located in Kasba in South Kolkata, have come under the scanner of investigating officials probing the case of rape of a law student on the evening of June 25 within the college premises. According to sources in the Kolkata Police, the meeting records are being examined to determine whether the college authorities had acknowledged previous complaints of high-handedness, hooliganism, or sexual harassment -- allegedly committed by Monojit Mishra, one of the prime accused in the case. Mishra, who has been identified as the main perpetrator, was reportedly assisted by two others -- Jaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay -- both of whom have also been arrested. The duo has been described by investigators as facilitators in the crime. Officials have already seized the register containing the minutes of governing body meetings, particularly focusing on records from the past two to three months. They are trying to ascertain whether any warnings or complaints about Mishra were ever discussed during official meetings. In addition, investigators have seized the college attendance register and documents related to Mishraas appointment as a contractual staff member -- a position he was given just a few months before the incident. Police sources said that Mishra, a former student of the same college, was appointed despite several complaints against him. These include accusations of bringing outsiders into the campus to assault junior students, use of weapons to cause injuries, general hooliganism, and repeated instances of sexually harassing female students. By reviewing his appointment records, police are attempting to identify who may have influenced the decision to overlook his criminal background. The case was recently transferred to the Detective Department of Kolkata Police, which has added fresh charges against the three accused. While the initial charges included rape, the revised FIR now includes sections related to abduction and assault with weapons. Aizawl, July 5 : Assam Rifles and other security forces have seized contraband worth over Rs 1.44 crore and arrested 11 drug peddlers, including two women, in Mizoram during the past 24 hours, officials said on Saturday. An official said that acting on specific intelligence inputs regarding the movement of contraband foreign cigars in Siaha District, an Area Domination Patrol (ADP) was launched by Assam Rifles along with Mizoram police at Tlangpuikawn areas. The security personnel intercepted four vehicles and recovered 83 cartons of foreign Cigars (Burmese Cheroot) worth Rs 62.25 lakh from the vehicles. Four people aged between 20 to 27 years were arrested in this connection. In another incident, the Assam Rifles, along with officials of the Excise and Narcotics Department, established a check post at New Dawn to Hnahthial road in Siaha District and intercepted four suspects. Upon thorough search, heroin weighing 109.08 grams valued at Rs 81.81 lakh was recovered from the four drug traffickers, including two women. In the third operation, the Assam Rifles and the state police jointly arrested three individuals from the Chawngte areas of Lunglei District and recovered 373 packets, containing approximately 124 litres of locally made alcohol worth Rs 93,250. All 11 smugglers and the seized drugs and contraband were handed over to the police for undertaking legal action. The security officials suspect that all the contraband was smuggled from Myanmar. The Siaha District has an unfenced border with Myanmar, while the Lunglei District shares a border with Bangladesh. Myanmar's Chin state is a hub for smuggling of varied drugs, exotic wildlife animals and many other contraband through six Mizoram districts -- Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip. Mizoram shares 510 km and 318 km of unfenced border with Myanmar and Bangladesh, respectively. New Delhi, July 5 : In a significant breakthrough, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police has arrested a proclaimed offender and a key member of the dreaded Jitender Gogi gang from North Goa. The accused, identified as Mohit alias Panchhi, was wanted in several serious criminal cases, including the audacious 2016 attack on a Delhi Police escort team in Bahadurgarh to free gangster Jitender Gogi from custody. "This brazen attack not only endangered police personnel but also demonstrated the gangas organized and violent methods. A criminal case related to this incident was duly registered at Sadar Police Station, Bahadurgarh", the Delhi Police said in a statement. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a team led by Inspector Rampal of the Crime Branchas Northern Range (NDR) tracked Mohit to Martyr Circle, North Goa, and apprehended him on July 4. According to police, the accused had been frequently changing his location and using mobile phones away from his hideouts to dodge surveillance. Mohit had earlier been arrested in 2018 in connection with a case registered under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). In February 2025, he was granted a four-day interim bail to attend his sisteras wedding. However, he deliberately failed to surrender and was subsequently declared a proclaimed offender by the court. "Since then, he had been evading arrest and was hiding in various locations in South India, particularly in Mumbai, Goa, and Karnataka", said Aditya Gauta, DCP Crime Branch. The arrest follows weeks of technical surveillance and human intelligence gathering. "During initial interrogation, the accused disclosed his identity as Mohit alias Panchi, a resident of Village Panchhi Jatan, Ganaur, Sonipat, Haryana. He admitted that he had been declared a Proclaimed Offender in FIR No. 252/18 under Sections 3 & 4 of MCOCA, Alipur, Delhi (being investigated by Special Cell), after intentionally failing to surrender before the Honable Court", the Delhi Police said. The Gogi gang has been involved in multiple high-profile criminal activities across Delhi and Haryana and has been under the scanner of both Delhi Police and central agencies in recent years. Dehradun, July 5 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami took to the fields on Saturday and joined the farmers in planting paddy saplings. The Chief Minister keenly participated in the traditional paddy farming in Khatima and described the experience as a 'revival of old memories'. CM Dhami also paid tribute to the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication of the farmers and stated, "Farmers not only form the backbone of our economy but also remain the carriers of our culture and traditions." On the occasion, the Chief Minister also offered worship to God through the rich cultural heritage of Uttarakhand's "Hudkiya Baul". "The farmers of the state have always served this sacred land with their tireless efforts. Attachment to one's roots fosters a sense of existence and identity," he said. Notably, the heartwarming gesture of Chief Minister Dhami came as an inspiration towards the preservation of the rural culture of Uttarakhand and also the importance of farmers and traditional folk arts. The Chief Minister has constantly advocated for green and clean surroundings while extending unwavering support to initiatives that work towards this goal. Last month, CM Dhami planted Sita Ashoka sapling at his official residence on the occasion of World Environment Day, as part of the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative. On the occasion, the Chief Minister also called upon people to participate in the initiative and plant at least one tree for the protection of the environment. "Conservation of nature and environment is both our cultural heritage and responsibility. Under the leadership and guidance of the respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign has been started to promote environmental conservation," Dhami wrote in a post on X. Chinas WH Group has struck an acquisition in the pet-food category in Europe by snapping up Poland-based Pupil Foods. The worlds largest pork processor and supplier, which is listed in Hong Kong, said the deal was initiated by its Morliny Foods business unit in Europe through that companys Polish subsidiary Animex Foods. WH Group described the acquisition as a key step in Morliny Foods strategy aimed at diversification of its portfolio and strengthening the presence in the dynamically growing pet-food market in Europe. Financial terms of the transaction for Pupil Foods were not disclosed in a statement from the Chinese group. Pupil Foods produces wet and dry pet foods for cats and dogs supplied across Europe, including the UK, Germany, Hungary and Serbia. It also exports further afield to Asia and the Middle East. Its portfolio consists of branded (Pupil and Teo) and private-label products manufactured at two factories in Poland - Nowe Skalmierzyce for wet pet foods and Odolanow for the dry variety, according to Pupil Foods website. Luis Cerdan, the CEO of pork and poultry supplier Morliny Foods, said: The acquisition of Pupil Foods is a natural extension of our growth strategy in Europe. Integrating Pupil Foods expertise in pet nutrition with Morliny Foods broad market reach will create significant value through vertical integration, operational synergies, and accelerated innovation. WH Group bought Morliny Foods in 2004 through its US subsidiary Smithfield Foods, alongside another meat business Comtim Group, for a combined transaction value of $83m. Morliny Foods operates factories in Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Spain, France and the UK. Brands include its namesake line, along with Pek, Krakus, Mecom and Berlinki ranging from hot dogs and sausages, deli and cooked meats, ham and bacon. Just Food has asked WH Group to confirm if the deal for Pupil Foods marks the Chinese companys, or its overseas subsidiaries, first entrance into the pet-food category. Pupil Foods founder Stanislaw Sulecki said: Morliny Foods vision and resources will enable us to further develop our operations, invest in new products, and reach new foreign markets, while maintaining our dedication to quality. I look forward to Pupil Foods future as part of the Morliny Foods family. Meanwhile, WH Group, which span off part of its Smithfield Foods business with a US listing this year, reported its latest results in April. Revenue in the fiscal 2025 first quarter to 31 March rose 6% to $6.5bn. While packaged meat volumes overall were down 9.2%, pork volumes increased 4.4%. Seoul, July 5 : South Korean former President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared Saturday for a second round of questioning by the special counsel team's investigation into his insurrection charges tied to his failed martial law bid in December. Yoon entered the office of special counsel Cho Eun-suk, located within the Seoul High Prosecutors Office, at 9 a.m., without answering reporters' questions. It marks his second questioning by the team, following the first session last Saturday, Yonhap news agency reported. The special counsel team is expected to question him over allegations that he directed the Presidential Security Service to block investigators from executing a warrant to detain him in January and to delete records from secure phones used by several military commanders after his failed martial law bid. The team is also likely to examine the circumstances surrounding the martial law declaration on December 3. Earlier this week, former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and two other ministers were questioned as part of the expanding investigation into Cabinet members involved on the night martial law was declared. Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-suk, earlier on Friday summoned Education Minister Lee Ju-ho and Park Jong-joon, former head of the Presidential Security Service (PSS), in connection with his probe into former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration. Lee and Park were reportedly asked to appear at Cho's office within the Seoul High Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul on Friday afternoon. Cho's office plans to question Lee about the circumstances before and after Yoon convened an emergency Cabinet meeting on the night of December 3 last year prior to the martial law imposition. Lee did not attend the Cabinet meeting because he was not given prior notice. The special counsel's office has been calling in all of Yoon's Cabinet ministers, including former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, since earlier this week for similar questioning. The office plans to question Park as part of its investigation into allegations that Yoon ordered the PSS to block investigators from executing a warrant to detain him in early January, reports Yonhap news agency. New Delhi, July 5 : In yet another significant achievement for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, India's Gini Index now stands at 25.5, making it the fourth most equal country in the world, after the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Belarus, according to a World Bank report. The Gini Index is a simple yet powerful way to understand how equally income, wealth or consumption is distributed across households or individuals in a country. It ranges in value from 0 to 100. A score of 0 means perfect equality. A score of 100 means one person has all the income, wealth or consumption and others have none, hence absolute inequality. The higher the Gini Index, the more unequal the country. India's score is much lower than China's 35.7 and far lower than the United States, which stands at 41.8. It is also more equal than every G7 and G20 country, many of which are considered advanced economies. India is not only the world's fourth-largest economy; it is also one of the most equal societies today. This is a remarkable achievement for a country of its size and diversity. It reflects how India's economic progress is being shared more evenly across its population. Behind this success is a consistent policy focus on reducing poverty, expanding financial access, and delivering welfare support directly to those who need it most. According to the government, India's strong standing on the Gini Index is not a coincidence. "It is closely linked to the country's sustained success in reducing poverty across both rural and urban regions. The Spring 2025 Poverty and Equity Brief by the World Bank highlights this achievement as one of the most significant in recent years," according to an official statement. According to the World Bank report, 171 million Indians have been lifted out of extreme poverty over the past decade. The share of people living on less than $2.15 a day, which was the global threshold for extreme poverty till June 2025, fell sharply from 16.2 per cent in 2011-12 to just 2.3 per cent in 2022-23. Under the World Bank's revised extreme poverty threshold of $3.00 per day, the 2022-23 poverty rate would be adjusted to 5.3 per cent. India's progress towards greater income equality is backed by a series of focused government initiatives. Some of the key schemes and initiatives are PM Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar and Digital Identity, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), Ayushman Bharat, Stand-Up India, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), and PM Vishwakarma Yojana, among others. "What sets India apart is its ability to balance economic reform with strong social protection. Targeted schemes like Jan Dhan, DBT, and Ayushman Bharat have helped close long-standing gaps. At the same time, programmes such as Stand-Up India and PM Vishwakarma Yojana are helping people create wealth and secure livelihoods on their own terms," said the government. Mumbai, July 5 : Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) founder Raj Thackeray on Saturday announced that there would not be any compromise on Marathi language, Marathi Manoos and Maharashtra. At a joint rally organised by Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS to celebrate the MahaYuti government's move to withdraw introduction of Hindi language in the state from Grade 1, Raj Thackeray called upon the Shiv Sainiks and Mansainiks to remain united in future too. He warned that even though the Maharashtra government has backtracked on the imposition of Hindi due to strong protests, efforts would be made to divide on caste lines. Raj Thackeray said, "Maharashtra is bigger than any dispute and any fight. What Balasaheb Thackeray could not do, what many could not do... to bring us both together... Devendra Fadnavis was able to do." "Actually, this question (imposition of Hindi along with Marathi and English) was unnecessary. There was no need. I don't know where Hindi came from. Why Hindi? Hindi for whom? You are forcing it on small children. No one asked education experts. But the decision to introduce Hindi was taken due to power. If you (BJP-led MahaYuti) has power, it is in the Vidhan Bhavan. We have power on the streets," he warned and reiterated that imposition of Hindi would not be tolerated. "Where did you get this three-language formula from? This came only from the central government. Today, in the High Court and the Supreme Court, everything is in English. It is not there in any other state. Why only in Maharashtra? When Maharashtra awakens, you see what happens," he said. Raj Thackeray strongly defended the attack against those opposing Marathi but asked not to unnecessarily indulge into violence. He asked the pro-Marathi speaking people to retaliate opposition to Marathi but not to do videography. "Now all the channels' cameras are here and there. Now everything will start in the evening. What do you think? How was their body language? Did anyone smile less? Are they talking? Many people are interested in other things. This gathering today. The slogan of the morcha was the same. It is the same now. There is no flag. Marathi is the only agenda," said Raj Thackeray. Raj Thackeray ridiculed the BJP and its allies questioning their fight for Marathi when their children studied in English schools. He told the gathering that Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and his father Shrikant Thackeray completed their school education in English but no one can question their love and pride for Marathi. New Delhi, July 5 : As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to visit Brazil for the BRICS Summit, the Indian diaspora in Brazil is gearing up for a special performance, dedicated to Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces, and the Prime Minister himself. In a unique cultural showcase, members of the Indian community in Brazil will present a semi-classical dance performance inspired by the theme of Operation Sindoor, a military operation that has come to symbolise courage, sacrifice, and national pride. Speaking to IANS, Rekha, one of the performers shared, "We have planned a semi-classical dance for PM Modi. It's themed around Operation Sindoor and is a heartfelt dedication to our brave soldiers." Another participant, Sneha, added, "I'll be incorporating a painting of Operation Sindoor into our performance. As women artists, we also want to dedicate this to PM Modi, as well as Vyomika Singh and Sofia Qureshi, who represent strength and inspiration." The excitement isn't limited to the performers. Brazilian residents, too, are eagerly anticipating the Prime Minister's arrival. "I am thrilled that PM Modi is visiting. It's truly an honour for Brazil," said one local resident. Another added, "This feels like a dream come true. We're so lucky to have this chance to meet him -- there are no words to express how proud we feel." PM Modi will participate in the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 6-7, followed by a historic bilateral visit to Brasilia -- the first by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly 60 years. During his stay, he is expected to hold meetings with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and engage with several global leaders on the sidelines of the summit. This visit to Brazil marks the fourth leg of PM Modi's five-nation tour. On Thursday, he arrived in Trinidad & Tobago, where he addressed the Joint Assembly of Parliament, emphasizing India's commitment to the "Global South first" policy. Earlier in the week, PM Modi visited Ghana, where he held extensive talks with President John Dramani Mahama and was conferred with the country's highest civilian honour -- The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana. Several key agreements were also signed to deepen bilateral cooperation. Tehran, July 5 : Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei on Saturday released a video capturing the aftermath of Israel's strike on "Evin Prison's medical facility" in Tehran, claiming that 79 people were killed in the attack. Tehran, July 5 (IANS) Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei on Saturday released a video capturing the aftermath of Israel's strike on "Evin Prison's medical facility" in Tehran, claiming that 79 people were killed in the attack. "With each passing day, new dimensions of Netanyahu's war crimes in Tehran and other Iranian cities targeted by the Israeli regime's aggression are displayed to the public. The video below captures the aftermath of the Israeli regime's 23 June brutal assault on Evin Prison's medical facility where inmates' families & friends had gathered to visit their loved ones," Baqaei said in a post on X. "They were trapped & burned to death under the rubble alongside a number of staffers and passersby: 79 precious lives perished as the result of Israel's cruel war crime. No person of good conscience can remain silent in the face of such cruelties that are grave violations of international humanitarian law and blatant war crimes. This Israeli regime must be unequivocally condemned and held accountable for the flagrant atrocity crimes it perpetrated against Iranians," the post added. Earlier, Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, stated that an Israeli airstrike targeted the gate of Tehran's Evin Prison, a large and heavily fortified facility where Iran reportedly detains political prisoners, journalists, academics, human rights activists, foreign nationals and others. "In accordance with the directive of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and myself, the IDF is currently striking with unprecedented force regime targets and governmental oppression entities in the heart of Tehran, including - the Basij headquarters, Evin Prison for political prisoners and regime opponents, the "Destroy Israel" clock in Palestine Square, internal security headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards, the ideology headquarters, and additional regime targets," Katz said in a post on X following the attack. On the other hand, UN experts, earlier on Friday, expressed alarm over the crackdown in Iran since hostilities began on June 13, 2025 and the subsequent ceasefire. "Post-conflict situations must not be used as an opportunity to suppress dissent and increase repression," the experts said. They also condemned the deteriorating conditions faced by prisoners transferred from Evin Prison after Israeli attacks on its facilities. "Prisoners were reportedly moved to the Great Tehran Penitentiary and to Qarchak Prison and held in abysmal conditions. The fate and whereabouts of some prisoners remain unknown, placing them outside the protection of the law, a situation that amounts to enforced disappearances," read a statement of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Patna, July 5 : In the wake of the murder of prominent businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna on Friday night, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar swung into action on Saturday and held a high-level law and order review meeting with top police officials and directed strict measures for crime control in the state. On Saturday, Nitish Kumar convened a meeting at the Sankalp office, 01 Anne Marg, summoning the DGP and ADG Headquarters along with senior police officers. He issued clear directives that there should be no laxity in controlling crime. He warned that strict action would be taken against officials and personnel showing negligence, and investigation of criminal incidents should be completed promptly to ensure swift punishment for culprits. During the meeting, DGP Vinay Kumar briefed the CM on the crime control measures and the Khemka incident. Nitish Kumar took detailed information about the attack and instructed that the culprits should be identified and strict action taken against them without any discrimination. He further said that if there was any conspiracy behind the incident, it must be fully probed. According to an official of the CMO, "Law and order is the top priority of the government. Whoever commits a crime should not be spared under any circumstances." He emphasised the need for the police and administration to work with full alertness to maintain law and order across Bihar. On Friday night, Gopal Khemka, owner of Magadh Hospital, was gunned down by an unidentified bike-borne assailant in Patna's Gandhi Maidan area. The incident occurred around 11:40 P.M. near Panache Hotel in the Gandhi Maidan area, one of Patna's posh localities, as Khemka was stepping out of his car near his residence. This incident has triggered political outrage and raised concerns over the state's law and order ahead of the October-November 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. The incident led Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav to question the government's "good governance" claims, calling it "jungle raj". Bhopal, July 5 : Ravi Shankar Maharaj, at the centre of a medical education scam involving bribes for granting accreditation to sub-standard medical colleges, may have thrived all these years with help from influential followers, including politicians and bureaucrats, and his efforts to painstakingly nurture a network spanning religion, education and politics across central India. The CBI's first information report (FIR) naming the self-styled spiritual leader is the self-styled godman's first brush with law in decades. Also known as Rawatpura Sarkar, the godman has influential followers, including politicians and bureaucrats, and his trust has never faced action despite facing allegations of receiving undue favours from government agencies, encroachment, rights violation of college students and harassment of woman ashramites. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named the godman among 34 accused and one unidentified person in its first information report (FIR) registered on June 30, under section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) that deal with criminal conspiracy and bribery of public servants. The FIR names several high-ranking officials, intermediaries, and representatives of private medical colleges across India who played a key role in getting over 40 allegedly sub-standard medical colleges recognition using bribery, falsified records, and manipulated inspections. The CBI recently arrested six people including three doctors in the case of preparing a report in favour of Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Medical College (SRIMSR), Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The accused allegedly took a bribe of Rs 55 lakh from the college management for giving a favourable report despite shortcomings in the college facilities. The CBI probe raises serious questions about the misuse of religious influence in academic and administrative domains. Born on July 5,1968 in Chipri village, Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh, he was named Ravi by his maternal grandparents. From an early age, he exhibited a deep interest in spirituality, often retreating to nearby temples and caves for solitary reflection. According to a biography published on the Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Dham website, he reportedly resisted going to school. When reprimanded by the principal for his inattentiveness, the young Ravi is said to have declared, "What are you going to teach me? I will be taught by my almighty father." His mother, Ramsakhi Sharma, valued her son's devotional leanings but worried about his future. His father, Kripashankar Sharma, worked as a 'Gram Sevak' in the local panchayat and was frequently transferred. To ensure stability in their children's education, the family settled with relatives in Chipri village. Ravi was the eldest of five siblings, and despite these early disruptions, his spiritual journey gathered momentum in the 1990s. He gained prominence after establishing his base in Rawatpura village, Bhind district, where his teachings began drawing a sizable following. Over time, he institutionalised his reach through the Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Lok Kalyan Trust, which expanded into education, healthcare, and public welfare. The trust manages a network of schools and charitable organizations across Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In 2018, he founded Shri Rawatpura Sarkar University in Raipur under the Chhattisgarh Private Universities Act, offering degrees in engineering, law, pharmacy, management, and the arts. His institutions often interweave formal education with spiritual teachings, appealing to both rural populations and devout students. Known for hosting grand religious gatherings, donning saffron robes, and maintaining ties with political leaders, Rawatpura Sarkar has cultivated an image of influence and reverence. His proximity to power has led many to describe him as a "baba close to the corridors of influence," a label reinforced by frequent public appearances alongside ministers, bureaucrats, and elected officials. However, his ascent has also been shadowed by controversy. In 2023, a woman accused the staff at one of his ashrams of forcing women into unpaid labour under the guise of 'seva' and subjecting them to mental harassment. While the police did not pursue charges, the Human Rights Commission intervened by launching an inquiry. New Delhi, July 5 : Union Minister of State(MoS) for External Affairs and Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, will be undertaking an official visit to Cambodia scheduled from July 7-8, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Saturday. The Minister will thereafter be visiting Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 10-11, at the invitation of the current ASEAN Chair, Malaysia. "Our excellent, close relations with Cambodia are underpinned by shared civilisational heritage and a robust, people-centric development partnership. The visit would further bolster our bilateral ties and provide an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on advancing initiatives and issues of mutual interest in diverse sectors. MoS would be calling on the senior leadership of Cambodia, and would interact with ITEC/ ICCR Alumni, as also members of the Indian community. He would also review the extensive restoration and conservation work carried out by India at World Heritage Sites in Cambodia, that are also symbols of our shared culture," read a statement issued by the MEA. According to the MEA, the Minister will participate in the Foreign Ministers' Meetings under the ASEAN framework in the format of ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Malaysia. "India and ASEAN share cultural and civilisational bonds. ASEAN is the cornerstone of India's Act East Policy and the Indo-Pacific vision. The visit will renew India's deep engagement with the ASEAN-centred regional architecture, underline our strong commitment to ASEAN unity, ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and strengthen the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," stated the MEA. Margherita is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other countries in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the margins of the ASEAN-related meetings. Kottayam, July 5 : The husband of Bindu, the 56-year-old lady who was killed after a toilet block of the Kottayam Medical College hospital came down on Thursday, said the state government has assured the family of all help. Speaking to the media on Saturday, he said State Cooperation Minister V.N. Vasavan who visited their home has assured all help. "We have been assured that the treatment to my daughter going on at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital will be taken over by the Kerala government. My son has just completed his engineering course and had got his first salary when the tragedy happened. We have sought a proper job for him. A lump sum has also been assured and the Kerala Cabinet will decide on it," said the husband. He also said Chandy Oommen, the Congress legislator and son of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has assured a sum of Rs 5 lakh from his late father's Charity Foundation. "Bindu was the sole breadwinner of our family. We got huge support during our time of grief. I feel this huge support of humanity is because she was a good soul and the good she did is coming back to us," wailed the husband who despite his poor health, works as a casual labourer whenever he is in a position to go to work. Both Bindu, her husband and their daughter who was to have undergone a surgery, were in the hospital when Bindu went to the toilet of the hospital and it collapsed, leaving her trapped underneath. There is huge public ire against Vasavan and State Health Minister Veena George, who after reaching the place said that just two people suffered minor injuries and no one was buried under the debris. However, Chandy Oommen raised an alarm and said there might be someone under the debris and after that the rescue operations began and Bindu's body was retrieved. Since then there has been a huge outcry, and calls for the resignation of journalist-turned-politician George for her abject failure in handling the health department have peaked. Things went for a toss when hours after CPI-M state secretary M.V. Govindan blamed the media and the Opposition parties for leveling baseless allegations against the government health sector, came the news that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is to leave for his medical treatment to the US. His trip to the US, when he himself claims that the standard of healthcare is better than the best, has become the butt of jokes in the social media as people have started to ask 'if Kerala is best, then why is CM Vijayan going to the US?' Even when the calls for the resignation of George are in the air as the Opposition is on a warpath, the CPI-M has strongly defended George and has ruled out her resignation. Govardhan : , July 5 (IANS) As the world-famous Mudiya Mela will kick off in Uttar Pradesh's Govardhan on Sunday, authorities have launched a cleanliness campaign. Over 2 crore pilgrims are expected to reach Govardhan for the mela and perform Parikrama. The cleanliness campaign, led by District Magistrate C.P. Singh, started on Saturday and focussed on cleanliness in key areas, including Parikrama Marg, Daanghati temple, and Giriraj ji. DM Singh swept the land near the Govardhan temple, spreading the message of cleanliness. As per the directions of the Uttar Pradesh government, efforts are being made to provide pilgrims with proper facilities and clean surroundings, he said. The District Magistrate said people use polythene bags and indulge in littering as they don't care about cleanliness, but now, as prior warnings have been given, strict action will be taken against violators. The DM pointed out that maintaining cleanliness in the area was the responsibility of the temple management, but as it failed, "our team and locals of Govardhan are carrying out the cleanliness drive." Highlighting the importance of cleanliness, DM Singh said, "We aim to clean the entire Parikrama marg." He also shared that notices have been issued to those shops which have encroached on public land. The cleanliness campaign was made successful with the efforts of Govardhan SDM Neelam Srivastava, Govardhan Tehsil and Panchayat. For the unversed, Mudiya Mela is observed in remembrance of Sanatan Goswami, the principal disciple of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Legends have it that when Sanatan Goswami passed away, his disciples did parikrama of the Govardhan after tonsuring their heads. Since then, this tradition has been followed. Notably, the 468-year-old tradition continues to draw a sea of devotees. The devotees perform a 21-km-long Parikrama of Govardhan. The belief with the yatra is that it bestows peace and prosperity on the devotees. Parnassus Investments, an investment management company, released the Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund first quarter 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Russell Midcap Growth Index fell 7.12% in the first quarter, starting with a continuation of the late 2024 rally but later experiencing a sharp decline. The Fund (Investor Shares) fell -9.98% (net of fees) in the quarter, compared to the Russell Midcap Growth Indexs -7.12% fall. Stock selection in Consumer Discretionary and Industrials contributed to the relative performance, while Communication Services and Health Care detracted. In addition, please check the funds top five holdings to know its best picks in 2025. In its first-quarter 2025 investor letter, Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund highlighted stocks such as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG). Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) owns and operates Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants. The one-month return of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) was 8.50%, and its shares lost 7.32% of their value over the last 52 weeks. On July 3, 2025, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) stock closed at $57.07 per share, with a market capitalization of $76.894 billion. Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund stated the following regarding Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) in its Q1 2025 investor letter: "We also added four competitively advantaged, highly profitable and market-share-gaining companies whose stocks had sold off due to what we view as transitory issues. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) continues to gain share in fast casual thanks to its strong value proposition. Jim Cramer on Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG): I Think Chipotle's Making a Comeback A chef plating up a wide variety of dishes for a restaurant chain. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 78 hedge fund portfolios held Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) at the end of the first quarter, which was 83 in the previous quarter. In the first quarter of 2025, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.'s (NYSE:CMG) sales grew over 6% to reach $2.9 billion. While we acknowledge the potential of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) 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 timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as NVIDIA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the undervalued AI stock set for massive gains. Chennai, July 5 : Amid worsening drought conditions in parts of Tiruppur district, farmers have urged authorities to release water from the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) to the Vattamalai Dam, which supports irrigation and drinking water supply for several villages. Located in Vellakovil, the Vattamalai Dam irrigates nearly 6,000 acres of farmland across 30 villages. With a modest storage capacity of 268 million cubic feet (mcft), the dam has been left nearly dry this year due to poor rainfall, leaving farmers and villagers in distress. Krishnamoorthy P.K., a farmer from Veeranampalayam, said the situation is becoming dire. "There is no water even for drinking and cattle rearing. Our crops are withering. At the same time, due to continuous rains, PAP reservoirs are filling up. If excess water is released from PAP dams to the sea, it would be a wasted opportunity. We request that some of that water be diverted to the Vattamalai Dam to help us survive," he said. Echoing the demand, V. Sudheer Kumar, a farmer from Kattunaickenpalayam, pointed out that water distribution under the PAP scheme has been completed up to the third zone. "Work is underway to desilt the irrigation canals before releasing water to the fourth zone, and that may take another month. During this period, authorities should consider supplying water to Vattamalai Dam. We have already submitted a petition to the district administration," Kumar said. Medical K. Paramasivam, Chairperson of the PAP Planning Committee, said that the Parambikulam Dam, a key reservoir in the PAP network, has not yet reached its full storage capacity. aIt still requires an additional three thousand million cubic feet (tmc) of water. As of now, we cannot release water to Vattamalai Dam," Paramasivam said. He noted that existing government regulations require that priority be given to the Uppar Dam before any release to Vattamalai. "If there is heavy rainfall in the coming days and if the release to the fourth zone is delayed due to ongoing dredging, then water could be sent first to the Uppar Dam and subsequently to Vattamalai. The final decision will be made after further review and inter-departmental consultations," he said. Farmers, meanwhile, remain hopeful that timely action will avert further damage to their crops and livelihoods. New Delhi, July 5 : Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, on Saturday announced that it has signed a letter of agreement (LoA) for a new contract worth Rs 143.3 crore with South Central Railway. The project involves the upgrade of the electric traction system in the Salem division of Southern Railway. "It is hereby informed that Rail Vikas Nigam Limited has received LOA from Southern Railway for Upgradation work of Electric traction system," the company said in its stock exchange filing. Specifically, the scope of work includes converting the existing 1x25 kV traction system to a more advanced 2x25 kV system on the Salem Junction Podanur Junction and Irugur Coimbatore Junction Podanur Junction sections. According to the filing, the upgrade will help Southern Railway enhance its capacity and meet the target of 3,000 metric tonnes of freight loading. "The project will be executed over a period of 24 months and includes applicable taxes within the Rs 143.3 crore cost," it added in its filing. This comes close on the heels of RVNL emerging as the lowest bidder for another railway project worth Rs 213.22 crore from South Central Railway, as reported on June 30. Despite a relatively subdued performance in FY25 so far, the company has reaffirmed its revenue guidance of Rs 20,000Rs 22,000 crore for the current financial year. RVNL's shares ended flat at Rs 391.2 apiece on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) on Friday. The company continues to maintain strong momentum with its diversified project portfolio, including construction of new railway lines, doubling of tracks, electrification, metro projects, major and cable-stayed bridges, and institutional infrastructure. Meanwhile, in a strategic push toward clean energy and sustainability, RVNL is also exploring partnerships in the nuclear energy space. In June, media reports stated that the company is in discussions with Russia's state-owned atomic energy company Rosatom to build Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) for its ongoing mega infrastructure projects, such as the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line. New Delhi, July 5 : A CBI probe into the bribe-for-accreditation scam in medical colleges has blown the lid off a well-oiled machinery involving college managements, corrupt bureaucrats, inspectors from medical education regulator and hawala operators who ensured seamless flow of bribes. According to the FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, some public servants in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the National Medical Commission (NMC) colluded with private individuals and institutions to subvert the statutory inspection processes governing medical education. The offences reportedly occurred across Raipur, Bangalore, Indore, Udaipur, Delhi and other locations during 202425. Among the prominent names in the FIR are Dr. Jitu Lal Meena, Joint Director at the National Health Authority, Dr. Manjappa CN, Professor at Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences and member of the NMC inspection team, and Mayur Raval, Registrar of Geetanjali University, Udaipur. Three NMC inspectors named in the CBI FIR include Dr Chaitra MS, Dr P. Rajini Reddy and Dr Ashok Shelke. One of the most damning accusations in the federal probe agency's FIR in the case involves a bribery transaction of Rs 55 lakh allegedly arranged by Dr Manjappa during a scheduled inspection at Raipur's Shri Rawatpura Institute of Medical Science and Research (SRIMSR). The Institute had applied to the Union Health Ministry and National Medical Commission (NMC) for recognition. The FIR notes that "Dr Manjappa instructed a Bangalore-based associate to collect the bribe from a hawala operator and distribute shares among fellow assessors." The entire inspection team was allegedly complicit. The inspection reports of colleges were also influenced to give them the desired result. The CBI alleges that Dr Meena, in conspiracy with a Varanasi-based associate, collected bribes from multiple colleges and funnelled the money into personal projects, including the construction of a Hanuman temple involving an expenditure of Rs 75 lakh. Similarly, Index Medical College, Indore, chaired by Suresh Singh Bhadoria, has been accused of creating fake faculty records, manipulating Aadhaar-enabled biometric systems, and issuing fraudulent academic degrees and experience certificates through Malwanchal University. The probe agency's FIR notes that these acts "jeopardise the integrity of the regulatory framework and compromise the quality of medical education and public health standards in the country." After filing the case against SRIMSR, a trap was laid in Bengaluru to catch all the accused. A bribe amount of Rs 55 lakh was recovered. Out of the total bribe amount, Rs 16.62 lakh was recovered from Dr Chaitra's husband Ravindran and Rs 38.38 lakh from Dr Manjappa's associate Satish A. On July 1, the CBI arrested Dr. Manjappa, Dr. Chaitra, Dr. Ashok, Atul Kumar Tiwari from Raipur. At the same time, Satish A. and Ravichandra K. were also arrested from Bengaluru and brought to Raipur. In Raipur Special Court, the CBI sought 5 days remand of all 6 accused. The court has sent all the accused on CBI remand till July 7. New Delhi, July 5 : Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu joined hundreds of devotees in Dharamshala on Saturday, a day ahead of the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, just days after the Tibetan spiritual leader reaffirmed the continuation of his spiritual lineage - a move that drew a sharp response from China. New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu joined hundreds of devotees in Dharamshala on Saturday, a day ahead of the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, just days after the Tibetan spiritual leader reaffirmed the continuation of his spiritual lineage a move that drew a sharp response from China. The festivities, held at the Main Buddhist Tibetan Temple, were part of the 'Long Life Prayer' Offering (Tenshug) for the Dalai Lama. The Tibetan leader, who turns 90 on July 6, remains an enduring symbol of peace, compassion, and resistance against political oppression. Taking to its official 'X' handle, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) posted photos of Rijiju's arrival, noting: "Kalon (Minister) Norzin Dolma of the Department of Information and International Relations-CTA warmly welcomed Kiren Rijiju, the 28th Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and 7th Minister of Minority Affairs of India at Pathankot Railway Station. Minister Rijiju is in Dharamshala to attend the 'Long Life Prayer Offering' and the 90th birthday celebration of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama." Arunachal CM Pema Khandu also shared moments from the emotional gathering. "A special day in Dharamshala, where people from all walks of life came together for the 'Long Life Offering' (Tenshug) to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. With heartfelt prayers, traditional offerings were made, each reflecting the deep gratitude, love, and hope. The atmosphere was warm and moving, as young and old came together in a shared prayer for His Holiness's well-being. May His Holiness be blessed with good health, a long life, and continued strength to guide and inspire humanity with his wisdom, compassion, and unwavering message of peace," he posted on his social media handle on X. The celebrations come shortly after the Dalai Lama publicly outlined his succession plan, asserting that the Gaden Phodrang Trust and not any external political entity holds sole authority in identifying his reincarnation. The announcement has once again placed the spotlight on the Tibet-China-India dynamic, as China reiterated its stance that any reincarnation must occur under Chinese supervision. However on Friday, reacting to the recent statement made by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, India stated that it does not take "any position" or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion. "We have seen reports relating to the statement made by His Holiness the Dalai Lama about the continuation of the Dalai Lama institution. Government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion. Government has always upheld freedom of religion for all in India and will continue to do so," said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in response to media queries on the issue. Born on July 6, 1935, in Taktser, Amdo province of northeastern Tibet, Dalai Lama was recognised at age two as the reincarnation of Thubten Gyatso, the 13th Dalai Lama. Originally named Lhamo Dhondup, he is revered as the earthly embodiment of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. He began his monastic education at six, studying a rich curriculum drawn from the ancient Nalanda tradition including Buddhist philosophy, logic, grammar, medicine, poetry, and astrology. Mysuru, July 5 : Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday stated that the Congress-led Karnataka government lacks the strength to convince its Tamil Nadu counterpart on the Mekedatu project and is simply wasting time with words. Speaking to the media in Mysuru before attending the DISHA Committee meeting, the minister criticised the Congress government. "If the state Congress government truly has strength, let it convince the Tamil Nadu government on the Mekedatu project. I can get the Prime Minister's approval for the project in five minutes. I stand by this statement, made even during the election," reiterated the Union Minister. "The Congress government in Karnataka neither has the strength to convince Tamil Nadu nor the courage to confront or oppose the DMK. If the Tamil Nadu government is boldly challenged and Mekedatu is taken up, then only it would be possible," he asserted. Kumaraswamy further said that the Mekedatu project is not feasible under Congress. "What's the point of opening an office for Mekedatu without even convincing Tamil Nadu? Congress leaders claimed they would implement the project. They should fulfil what they promised." "It was they who came to power after holding a padayatra in the name of Mekedatu. In the past two and a half years, they have merely wasted time. If they now try to blame me, how is that justified?" the Union Minister said. The Mekedatu Project is a proposed multi-purpose reservoir and drinking water project across the Cauvery River at Mekedatu in Ramanagara district, Karnataka. The project is aimed at ensuring a drinking water supply to Bengaluru and the surrounding areas. The project also aims for power generation through a hydropower plant. Tamil Nadu opposes the project, fearing it will reduce Cauvery water flow downstream, violating the Supreme Court's orders and interstate water-sharing agreements. Karnataka claims the project won't affect Tamil Nadu's share and is essential for Bengaluru's drinking water needs. On Minister Priyank Kharge's criticism of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Union Minister Kumaraswamy said: "Instead of shooting his mouth off about the RSS, let him first say what he and his party have done for Kalyana Karnataka in the past 40 years." "Forget banning the RSS, the Congress party itself is getting banned across the country. People are rejecting the Congress everywhere. First, try saving your own party's existence. Priyank Kharge is just trying to divert attention from real issues with such reckless statements," Kumaraswamy remarked. The Union Minister claimed that ever since the BJP and JD(S) joined hands, Congress leaders haven't been able to sleep peacefully. He mocked Congress leaders for claiming they would return to power. "I wasn't deliberately avoiding meetings. As a Union Minister, I have several prior commitments, including official tours to other states. Despite this, I prioritise Mandya and visit frequently. None of my responsibilities have been left pending," he maintained. During his visit, Union Minister Kumaraswamy chaired the Mysuru District Development and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting at the Zilla Panchayat office. New Delhi, July 5 : Expressing serious concerns over the potential exclusion of genuine voters on the Election Commission's decision to revise the voter list in Bihar, the Welfare Party of India on Saturday strongly condemned the move, calling it a "devious and dubious idea". New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Expressing serious concerns over the potential exclusion of genuine voters on the Election Commission's decision to revise the voter list in Bihar, the Welfare Party of India on Saturday strongly condemned the move, calling it a "devious and dubious idea". "With elections scheduled for later this year, he questioned the feasibility of preparing a new list of 80 million voters within just 25 days, especially considering the flood situation affecting 73 per cent of the state", Dr. SQR Ilyas, the National General Secretary, Welfare Party of India. Voicing strong apprehensions regarding the move that could disenfranchise a large number of eligible voters, Dr IIyas stated that both his party and the general public are deeply concerned about the potential for deliberate exclusion of voters in Bihar. He alleged that lakhs of government officials responsible for document verification are in a position to arbitrarily decide who can vote and who cannot, undermining the very essence of the adult franchise. Highlighting the plight of thousands of Bihari migrant workers who are currently outside the state and who typically return home during elections to cast their vote, the party expressed concerns and said that it "may now be excluded and effectively disenfranchised." "Reports suggest that nearly 20 million voters could be left out in this revision process", the party said in its press statement. Dr IIyas, in his statement, mentioned that the INDIA bloc, which comprises 11 political parties, met with Election Commission officials to register their strong opposition to the decision, calling it an attack on the basic structure of the Constitution. "He affirmed that the Welfare Party of India will stand at the forefront of the movement alongside the INDIA bloc to oppose this action", it said. Raising concerns on the credibility of the Election Commission, the party noted that "it should not become a tool to serve the ulterior motives of the BJP government." Dharamsala, July 5 : A day ahead of turning 90 and setting aside speculation over his succession by saying he would reincarnate upon his death, defying China, the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Saturday said he hopes to live another 40 years to continue serving people until he turns 130 years old. Speaking at a 'Long-Life Prayer' ceremony held at the main temple in McLeodganj, a small and quaint hill station in the suburbs of the northern hill town of Dharamsala, the Nobel Peace Laureate said he has received "clear signs and indications" that the blessings of Avalokitesvara" are with him. "Looking at the many prophecies, I feel I have blessings of the Avalokitesvara. I have done my best so far. I hope to still live for 30-40 years more. Your prayers have borne fruit so far," he said. "Though we have lost our country and we are living in exile in India, that's where I have been able to benefit beings quite a lot. Those living here in Dharamsala, I intend to benefit and serve beings as much as I can," the Dalai Lama said. In a much awaited statement, the Dalai Lama on July 2 asserted that there will be the 15th reincarnation, the first important announcement over continuance of the 600-year-old Buddhist institution after his demise. Reassuring followers across the globe who were concerned about the future of their spiritual and cultural leadership, His Holiness said his office, Gaden Phodrang Trust, was the sole authority on reincarnation, even as China insisted it would. Hours after the Tibetan spiritual leader ruled out Beijing's authority in picking his succession, China said the reincarnation must be approved by the Chinese regime and the identification must happen in China. Also, the supposed reincarnation must follow religious rituals and historical conventions, and also comply with Chinese laws and regulations. As per Tibetan tradition, the reincarnation of a Lama, especially the Dalai Lama, is a sacred process involving visions, signs, and deep spiritual rituals. Only the Dalai Lama has the legitimate authority to identify his successor. Currently, India is home to around 1,00,000 Tibetans and the government-in-exile. New Delhi, July 5 : A massive fire that erupted at a Vishal Mega Mart outlet in Delhi's Karol Bagh area on Saturday, claimed the lives of two men, according to police sources. New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) A massive fire that erupted at a Vishal Mega Mart outlet in Delhias Karol Bagh area on Saturday, claimed the lives of two men, according to police sources. The incident occurred at a four-storey commercial building located on Padam Singh Road, with the blaze primarily concentrated on the second floor. The fire was first reported at approximately 6:44 P.M. on Friday, prompting a swift response from emergency services. At least 15 fire tenders were deployed to the site to control the flames and carry out rescue operations. Despite their efforts, two fatalities were confirmed during and after the firefighting and cooling operations. One of the deceased has been identified as 25-year-old Kumar Dhirendra Pratap Singh. He was found unresponsive inside an elevator and is believed to have died due to suffocation caused by heavy smoke. According to officials, the lift was stuck between floors, and Singh was likely trapped inside during the fire. Later, during the cooling process, firefighters discovered a second body, charred and unidentifiable at the time of recovery. Authorities have initiated efforts to determine the identity of the second victim. Firefighters noted that the structure lacked adequate ventilation, which significantly hampered rescue efforts. To improve airflow and allow smoke to escape, they were forced to break through a wall on the third floor. While the exact cause of the blaze remains under investigation, preliminary assessments point to a possible electrical short circuit as the trigger. The Delhi Police have launched a detailed enquiry into the incident, and forensic teams are expected to examine the site to ascertain any potential lapses in fire safety compliance. This tragic incident raises fresh concerns about fire safety norms and emergency preparedness in densely populated commercial hubs like Karol Bagh. Patna, July 5 : In wake of shocking murder of prominent businessman and BJP functionary Gopal Khemka, Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar on Saturday said that the perpetrators will be nabbed at the earliest and brought to book. He told the newsmen that the Patna Police and Special Task Force (STF) have been deployed, and an arrest in the ghastly murder is expected anytime soon. Patna, July 5 (IANS) In wake of shocking murder of prominent businessman and BJP functionary Gopal Khemka, Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar on Saturday said that the perpetrators will be nabbed at the earliest and brought to book. He told the newsmen that the Patna Police and Special Task Force (STF) have been deployed, and an arrest in the ghastly murder is expected anytime soon. Speaking exclusively to IANS, DGP Vinay Kumar said, "This is a very sad incident. A police team and the STF are fully engaged in the investigation, and we are confident that the case will be cracked and an arrest made at the earliest." Khemka, a respected industrialist and a well-known figure in Patna's business community, was gunned down late Friday night near Ramgulam Chowk under the Gandhi Maidan police station area. He was shot from close range by an unidentified bike-borne assailant just as he was stepping out of his car near his residence. He was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Khemka was the owner of Magadh Hospital, several petrol pumps, and served as a director at the Bankipore Club. His death has sent shockwaves through Bihar's political and business circles. DGP Vinay Kumar said that CCTV footages are being scanned and all possible angles are being probed including business rivalry or personal enmity. "One person is seen in the footage leaving the scene on a motorcycle. We are thoroughly scanning all CCTV cameras in the vicinity to trace the movement of the accused and gather more clues," he said. He further said, "The reasons behind this murder are being deeply investigated. The police are exploring every angle whether there was any threat to Khemka or any prior dispute. No recent complaint or threat alert had been registered, which may be why he had no bodyguard at the time." The DGP noted that Khemka had voluntarily given up his security, last year. "He had been provided security for many years on a payment basis. During the elections, that arrangement was temporarily closed. Though there was discussion about reinstating the guard, it did not happen. For the past year, he had no official bodyguard." In the wake of his murder, two personal bodyguards have now been assigned to Khemka's son for protection. "Given the sensitivity of the situation and for the family's security, two guards have been deployed immediately," the DGP added. He also reflected on the tragic pattern in the Khemka family, recalling the murder of Gopal Khemka's son in 2018 in Hajipur. "A case was filed back then, and a chargesheet was submitted against four individuals within a year. Now, with this second incident, we are even more determined to deliver justice swiftly." While no arrests have been made yet, senior police officials emphasised that the investigation is in advanced stages, and multiple leads are being followed. The DGP reiterated that input is being collected from family members, associates, and other relevant sources to understand whether any potential threats went unheeded. "What exactly led to this crime is still under deep deliberation. We are hopeful that the case will be solved soon and justice delivered," Vinay Kumar said. Chennai, July 5 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, on Saturday expressed his heartfelt condolences over the demise of renowned Tamil scholar Perungkavikko V.M. Sethuraman and veteran industrialist Janab Haji Malak Mohamed Hashim Sahib. In two separate statements, CM Stalin recalled the immense contributions of both individuals in their respective fields. Paying tribute to V.M. Sethuraman, CM Stalin said the scholar had dedicated his entire life to the growth and promotion of the Tamil language. "Sethuraman's literary contributions, especially his writings in Murasoli, the ideological mouthpiece of the DMK, enriched the Tamil literary world," the Chief Minister said. He noted that Sethuraman had been honoured with several prestigious awards, including the Tamil Nadu government's Kalaimamani and Thiruvalluvar awards. "His work will be remembered for as long as the Tamil language lives. He was a scholar of deep insight, and his loss is irreplaceable," CM Stalin added. Political leaders across party lines also paid tribute to the scholar. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President K. Selvaperunthagai and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) President Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss expressed their condolences, praising Sethuraman's commitment to Tamil literature and his influence on generations of scholars and writers. In another condolence message, CM Stalin mourned the death of Janab Haji Malak Mohamed Hashim Sahib, Chairman of the K.H. Group and a patron of the South India Tanners and Dealers Association. Remembering Hashim as a pioneer in the leather tanning industry, particularly in the Ranipet region, CM Stalin said he was instrumental in providing employment to thousands and was a respected figure within the Muslim community. "His contributions to Tamil Nadu's industrial development and his philanthropic activities earned him admiration from all sections of society," the Chief Minister said. CM Stalin extended his sympathies to the bereaved families of both Sethuraman and Hashim, stating that their legacies would continue to inspire future generations. Market corn on the cob via Storyblocks Corn price action at Thursdays midday is 2 to 5 cents higher. There were 73 deliveries against July futures overnight. The front month CmdtyView national average Cash Corn price is up 3 1/4 cents at $4.07. The market will be closed on Friday for Independence day, with a normal Sunday night open. A private export sale of 156,000 MT of corn was sold to unknown destinations for 2024/25 this morning according to USDA. More News from Barchart Rains are expected to cover much of the Western Corn Belt in the next week, with 1 to 2 inches expected. Lighter totals reaching an inch or less are seen in the ECB. USDAs Export Sales report from this morning showed 532,745 MT of old crop corn booked in the week ending on June 26, on the low side of traders looking for between 0.4 and 1 MMT. That was a marketing year low, but is still 49.2% above the same week in 2024. The largest buyer was South Korea at 273,700 MT, with 157,100 MT sold to Mexico. New crop sales totaled 940,159 MT, exceeding the expected range of 500,000 to 900,000 MT. That was a marketing year high and takes forward sales to 4.5 MMT, 28.6% above last year at this time. Mexico was the lead buyer of 435,700 MT, with 242,700 MT sold to Japan. Monthly export data from Census showed 7.29 MMT (287 mbu) of corn exported in May, which was up 22.14% from last year but down 6.4% below April. That brought the third quarter total to 882 mbu, with the full year total at 2.09 billion bushels. Distiller exports were up 2.67% from April at 918,108 MT, which was still 9.31% below last year. Ethanol exports were a record for the months at 184.67 million gallons. Jul 25 Corn closed at $4.31 3/4, up 2 1/2 cents, Nearby Cash was $4.07, up 3 1/2 cents, Sep 25 Corn closed at $4.21 3/4, up 3 3/4 cents, Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.37 3/4, up 4 1/4 cents, New Crop Cash was $3.96 1/4, up 4 cents, On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com Seoul, July 5 : South Korea will begin distributing cash handouts to all citizens on July 21 as part of a government initiative aimed at stimulating domestic consumption, officials said Saturday. The move follows the Cabinet's approval of a 31.8 trillion-won ($23.3 billion) supplementary budget, passed by the National Assembly on Friday. The handout program is a key part of the first supplementary budget of the Lee Jae Myung administration. Under the plan, all South Korean citizens residing in the country as of June 18 will receive a one-time payment of 150,000 won. The government said the broad disbursement is intended to boost consumer spending nationwide. Additional targeted assistance will be provided based on income levels. Individuals in near-poverty households and single-parent families will receive 300,000 won, while recipients of the basic living allowance will get 400,000 won. To promote balanced regional development, residents outside the greater Seoul area, including Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, will receive an extra 30,000 won. Those living in 84 designated rural and fishing communities facing population decline nationwide will be granted an additional 50,000 won. A second round of payments, scheduled between September 22 and October 31, will provide an additional 100,000 won to the bottom 90 per cent of income earners. Eligibility will be determined by a detailed income screening based on national health insurance premiums, with criteria to be announced in September, Yonhap news agency reported. "We will ensure thorough preparations for the rollout of these payments so that they can serve as a catalyst for economic recovery by boosting consumption and supporting those in need," said Vice Interior Minister Kim Min-jae, who heads the interagency task force overseeing the program. Citizens will have the option to receive the handouts via credit or debit cards, prepaid cards, or local government-issued gift certificates, making it accessible through a wide range of platforms. New Delhi, July 5 : The CBI's investigation into the bribe-for-medical college accreditation scam has turned the focus on six illegal monetary transactions that took place across the country to subvert the statutory inspection processes governing medical education, an official said on Saturday. The scam has exposed deep-rooted corruption in medical college regulation with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arresting six people, including three doctors. The CBI has named 34 people, including Union Health Ministry employees, and some unidentified persons in its first information report (FIR) registered on June 30. According to the FIR, some public servants in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the National Medical Commission (NMC) colluded with private individuals and institutions in the multi-state corruption racket that forced the CBI to raid more than 40 locations in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. Among the prominent names in the FIR are Jitu Lal Meena, Joint Director at the National Health Authority, Manjappa CN, Professor at Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences and member of the NMC inspection team, and Mayur Raval, Registrar of Geetanjali University, Udaipur. Three NMC inspectors named in the CBI FIR include a" Dr Chaitra MS, Dr P. Rajini Reddy and Dr Ashok Shelke. Key illegal monetary transactions, different medical colleges and middlemen that find mention in the FIR are: Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (SRIMSR), Raipur: A Rs 55 lakh bribe was arranged for the NMC inspection team ahead of a statutory visit on June 30, 2025. Dr. Manjappa CN instructed Dr. Satish to collect the amount via a hawala operator and distribute it among the inspectors. Dr. Chaitra's share was to be delivered to her husband. This payment was facilitated by Director Atul Kumar Tiwari and arranged in advance via information leaked by Registrar Mayur Raval. Dr. Jitu Lal Meena and Dr. Virendra Kumar: Dr Meena is accused of accepting bribes from several private colleges through his associate, Dr. Virendra Kumar, based in Delhi-Gurugram. Funds were delivered via hawala through one Shivam Pandey of Noida and used to build a Hanuman temple at a cost of Rs 75 lakh in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan. Payments were routed through contractor Bhikalal of Dausa. Gayatri Medical College, Visakhapatnam: Director Venkat paid Rs 50 lakh to Dr Hari Prasad via hawala to settle a regulatory matter pending with the NMC. The funds were routed through his associate Dr. Krishna Kishore to Dr. Virendra Kumar in Delhi. Father Colombo Institute of Medical Sciences, Warangal: Fr. Joseph Kommareddy made two payments a" Rs 20 lakh and Rs 46 lakh a" to Dr B. Hari Prasad, a resident of Andhra Pradesh, through formal bank transfers for securing favourable NMC inspections and regulatory approvals. The transactions were facilitated by associates Dr Ankam Rambabu and Dr Krishna Kishore. Index Medical College, Indore/Malwanchal University: Chairman Suresh Singh Bhadoria allegedly paid officials in the Ministry of Health to leak inspection-related information. His institutions fabricated faculty records, used cloned fingerprints to manipulate biometric attendance, and issued fake degrees and experience certificates in exchange for substantial bribes. Advance disclosure racket by Ministry officials: Officials from the Ministry of Health, including Ms. Poonam Meena, Dharamvir, Piyush Malyan, and Chandan Kumar, were allegedly capturing internal files, photographing them, and sharing the content via personal devices with intermediaries like Mayur Raval and Suresh Singh Bhadoria. Specific bribe amounts are not mentioned, but substantial sums were solicited for these unlawful disclosures. Other Ministry employees named in the FIR include Anup Jaiswal, Rahul Srivastava, Deepak and Manisha. Other colleges contacted by intermediary R. Randeep Nair: Using confidential access, Nair approached colleges like SIMSR (Gujarat), NCR Institute (Meerut), and Shyamlal Chandrashekhar Medical College (Khagaria), offering advance inspection dates and assessor names in exchange for bribes. Individual transaction amounts are not listed, but the FIR describes these payments as "substantial". Tel Aviv, July 5 : Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Saturday severely condemned the series of anti-Semitic attacks in Australia, which involved an arson attack on a synagogue (a Jewish place of worship) and a targetted act of violence at an Israeli restaurant in Melbourne, in the State of Victoria. "I strongly condemn last night's vile antisemitic attacks in Melbourne, including the arson attack on the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue and the targetted violence at the Israeli restaurant Miznon. Israel stands firmly with the Jewish community in Australia. There have been too many antisemitic attacks in Australia. The Australian government must do more to fight this poisonous disease," Saaar said in a post on X. Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel also expressed her full solidarity with the Jewish community in Melbourne and all those impacted during the attack. "The horrifying attacks overnight on a synagogue and an Israeli business in Melbourne are yet another reminder of how far racist, antisemitic hate crimes have spread in the heart of Australia. Targetting Jewish houses of worship and an Israeli restaurant is terrorism, aimed at intimidating an entire community simply because of their religion and identity. These attacks are not just assaults on Jews or Israelis a" they are assaults on Australian values of tolerance, diversity, and freedom," read a statement issued by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel. According to Haskel, these attacks are happening because, for too long, there have been no real consequences for those spreading hate and inciting violence. "Weakness and silence only emboldens the extremists. There is no justification a" ever a" for violence and hatred directed at Jews, Israelis, or any minority. The perpetrators of this terrorism must be brought to justice," the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister stated. Following the incidents, Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese took to his social media, stating, "Antisemitism has no place in Australia. Those responsible for the shocking acts in Melbourne last night must face the full force of the law, and my Government will provide all necessary support toward this effort". Additionally, Australian Minister of Home Affairs Tony Burke and Minister for Small Business Anne Aly issued a joint statement, calling the arson attack on the East Melbourne Synagogue "disgusting and cowardly". "The fact it took place while people, including children, were having a Shabbat dinner inside, makes it all the more abhorrent. Antisemitism is evil and has no place in our society. The Government stands with the Jewish community and is committed to supporting improved security measures at places of worship. The investigation is being led by Victoria Police, with our security and intelligence agencies providing whatever support is needed. The investigation is ongoing, however the Government is stepping up the fight against hate crimes," read the statement. Local media reported that Australia's national security agency, ASIO, and Australian Federal Police (AFP) joined the Victoria Police in the investigation into the arson attack on the synagogue and violence at the restaurant. According to the investigators, a man entered the grounds of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Albert Street on Friday night and poured a flammable liquid on the front door and set it on fire. Police said that about 20 people were inside the synagogue at the time, but were evacuated safely through the rear of the building, adding that there were no injuries. "There is absolutely no place in our society for antisemitic or hate-based behaviour," the Victoria Police said in a statement. Patna, July 5 : A day after the violent incident in Siwan's Malmaliya Chowk, the district police on Saturday arrested nine accused linked to the murders of three youths. The gruesome incident has triggered tension in the area. Maharajganj SDPO confirmed the arrests and said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing the case, and more arrests will be made soon. "All accused have been identified. The incident occurred due to personal enmity," he said. On Friday evening, around 4:30 pm, armed men carrying swords, axes and firearms on bikes and a Scorpio allegedly killed Munna Singh in Malmaliya Chowk. Later, they attacked and killed Rohit Singh, son of former Mukhiya Akhilesh Singh and Kanhaiya Singh, near Kaudiya Basanti village on the other side of the Malmaliya-Masrak railway over bridge. The injured persons have been identified as Roshan Singh and Karan Singh, and their condition is said to be critical. They are admitted to Siwan Sadar Hospital. Following the triple murder, tension gripped the area, and shops shut down in protest. Angry villagers set fire to one of the attacker's bikes, and slogans were raised against the police for reaching the spot one hour late. Sources revealed that the incident was linked to an old dispute. On Thursday, Kanhaiya Singh filed an assault and robbery case against seven people at the local police station. The accused allegedly lured the victims to Malmaliya Bazaar under the pretext of a compromise and attacked them with swords, axes and firearms. The main accused is reportedly a liquor trader. Over two dozen people were allegedly involved in executing the attack. Taking cognisance of the matter, DIG Saran Nilesh Kumar suspended Bhagwanpur Haat SHO Sujit Kumar Chaudhary with immediate effect for negligence in duty. The incident has highlighted law and order challenges in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections. New Delhi, July 5 : This is no more a weak India under Congress and UPA government which would negotiate and make agreements which were not in our national interests, Union Commerce MInister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday. In a post on X social media platform, the minister said that today, India negotiates from a position of strength. "We are self confident, we can compete with anybody in the world," Goyal posted. Stressing that India does not negotiate under deadlines, he said "We negotiate keeping national interests in mind, and national interest is paramount in all our work across the world." "We have entered into free trade agreements, after the PM Modi government came into power, with Mauritius, with the United Arab Emirates, with Australia, with the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA) block (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein), now with UK last month," Goyal informed. He further stated that "we continue to work with other developed nations, like the EU block of 27 European countries, with the United States, with Oman, with Peru, with Chile". "Today, India negotiates on a position of strength. We are self confident we can compete with anybody in the world. This is not a weak India under Congress and UPA which would negotiate and make agreements which were not in our national interests," the Commerce Minister emphasised. Goyal said on Friday that a free-trade agreement is only possible when there is mutual benefit. "India never enters into trade deals based on deadlines or time pressure. A deal is accepted only when it is fully matured, well-negotiated, and in the national interest," he had said. While India is seeking greater market access for its labour-intensive goods, the US wants duty concessions for its agricultural products. The suspension of US reciprocal tariffs is ending on July 9. US President Donald Trump has signed tariff letters on exports from 12 countries, which are expected to be sent out on July 7 (Monday). Patna, July 5 : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) founder Lalu Prasad Yadav has been re-elected unopposed as the national president of the party for the 13th consecutive time and will now remain in the post until 2028. The announcement was made during the RJD National Executive meeting at Babu Auditorium, Patna, on Saturday, chaired by party national election officer Ramchandra Purve. A large number of party supporters were present at the venue. Lalu Prasad Yadav had filed his nomination for the post of national president on June 23 at the party office in Patna. With no other leader filing the nomination, Purve declared him elected unopposed. Lalu Prasad Yadav, along with former Chief Minister Rabri Devi and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Tejashwi Yadav, greeted party workers and leaders by waving from the stage after the announcement. In a significant move, the national executive has authorised Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav to take all decisions related to the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. This step is aimed at ensuring a centralised, unified command in the party as it gears up for the October-November 2025 elections. The event witnessed the presence of former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, senior RJD leaders like Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Yadav, MLAs, and workers from across Bihar, underscoring unity within the party ranks as it heads into a crucial election season. The re-election of Lalu Prasad Yadav signifies continuity in the RJDas leadership structure, keeping its core voter base consolidated ahead of the elections. By officially authorising Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav to make decisions, the party aims to ensure quick, tactical moves amid seat-sharing talks within the INDIA Bloc and candidate selection for the polls. It also sends a signal to party workers that, despite health constraints, Lalu Prasad Yadav remains the central guiding force of the RJD. New Delhi, July 5 : Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday criticised Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for suggesting a link between Covid-19 vaccines developed in India and the sudden deaths. Speaking to the media, on the sidelines of IIT Madras Alumni Association's Sangam 2025 event in Bengaluru, Piyush Goyal praised the Indian scientists for developing Covid vaccine in record time and the pharmaceutical sector for making it cost-effective. "Fake narratives can't dilute the extraordinary work done by our scientists and the pharma industry in our fight against Covid," said Goyal. "Such a big country like India was able to provide 250 crore vaccines for free, because the companies of our country had the strength to make the vaccine at a much lower cost," he added. His comments come in the wake of Siddaramaiah's recent post on social media platform X on "the hasty approval and distribution of the Covid vaccine to the public". The CM linked it to the more than 20 heart attack-related deaths seen in Karnataka's Hassan district in just 40 days. The Union Health Ministry, along with several scientists as well as pharma associations, has denied any link between Covid vaccines and the reported sudden deaths. A joint clarification from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) stated that ongoing surveillance and analyses have not revealed any significant deviation in patterns of cardiac-related deaths since before the pandemic. "I feel that the Chief Minister here does not disrespect, he insults, and when he insults our scientists, our pharmacy, then I do not know what is the motive behind it?" Goyal said. "Apologise to the Indian scientists and the pharmaceutical sector," he added. He also asked whether the CM and the Congress are working at the behest of foreign powers. "Are these the foreign powers whose agenda they are running here, are the foreign powers who want to lure India's pharmacy, are they troubled by India's economic progress and development," Goyal said. Bilaspur, July 5 : Amidst a "rift" between the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the Himachal Pradesh government, BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda on Saturday said work is going on 25 national highways in the state, whose total length is 2,592 km. Bilaspur, July 5 (IANS) Amidst a "rift" between the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the Himachal Pradesh government, BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda on Saturday said work is going on 25 national highways in the state, whose total length is 2,592 km. Out of these, 785 km is being built by the NHAI, 1,238 km by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways MoRTH and 569 km by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), all Central government organisations. Nadda thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for these projects. The rift between the NHAI and the state government erupted earlier this week after the alleged assault took place, following the collapse of a vacant five-story residential building that was close to the under-construction highway. The state police on July 1 registered a case against state Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh Rana and six others on charges of assaulting two NHAI officials, raising a political storm with the state opposition BJP seeking his removal from the Cabinet. Nadda, who belongs to Himachal Pradesh, told the media in his hometown, Bilaspur, that four major NHAI projects are underway in the state, and their maximum work would be completed by 2026 and 2027. He said for the four-lane Kiratpur-Manali National Highway, designed to bypass Mandi city, Rs 7,667 crore has been allocated. On this highway, 12 tunnels of 11.51 km are under construction. Likewise, for the Shimla-Mataur highway, there is an allocation of Rs 10,208 crore with the provision of 15 tunnels of a length of 13.41 km. The Pathankot-Mandi highway, with an outlay of Rs 1,088 crore, has 13 km of a total length of 10 km. Union Minister Nadda said that he would speak to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on issues related to the construction of the highways. He said the sanction for the Sumdo-Kaza road was received in 2024, and this work is being done by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), but the state government is still not able to give its forest clearance. For his home district, Bilaspur, Nadda said Rs 35 crore has been allocated for the Ghumarwin-Shahtalai Road, and it would be upgraded by 2026. Responding to the "rift" between the NHAI and the state Congress government, the BJP national President said, "What can be expected from a government in which the protectors are the predators? Himachal Pradesh is Dev Bhoomi (land of gods), and such incidents are worrying and also saddening. It has never happened before in Himachal Pradesh that a public functionary has taken the law and order into his own hands." Nadda said an attempt is being made to create an environment in Himachal Pradesh that the Central government "is not paying attention to Himachal. But contrary to this, the state government is unable to spend the money allocated by the Centre." Quoting official figures, the Union Health Minister said from 2021 to 2025, a sum of Rs 360.11 crore has been provided by his ministry under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), out of which the state government has been able to spend only Rs 78 crore. Under this scheme, 73 block-level public health units are proposed to be built in the state, but only six have been built, while tenders have been done for 14. Eight critical care units are to be established. Likewise, the state has been allocated Rs 521 crore by the 15th Finance Commission, out of which only Rs 128.62 crore lakh has been spent. He said the Chief Minister came to meet him on May 25, and he sought funds from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) The Centre approved Rs 1,138 crore on June 30. Out of this, Rs 1,024 crore has been given as a grant-in-aid to the state, while the remaining is a loan at a low rate of interest. For natural calamities, Nadda said Prime Minister Modi has provided Rs 1,736 crore under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), Rs 1,071 crore under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) and Rs 339 crore under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund in three years to the state. Recently, the Home Minister has allocated Rs 2,006 crore under the Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Fund (PDRRF) to the state. --IANS vg/dan New Delhi, July 5 : BJP national spokesperson RP Singh on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Congress and the opposition for opposing the Election Commission's directive for a special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, to be carried out over a month. "It is a routine activity carried out by the election commission whenever there is an election. The same is being carried out in Bihar, and after that, the same directive would be carried out for West Bengal or Uttar Pradesh assembly elections," Singh told IANS. On Pappu Yadav's call for a Bihar bandh on 9 July 2025 in protest against this process, the BJP leader said that if there are any mistakes, the Commission is looking into them; however, the opposition is creating unnecessary chaos. "The opposition is doing drama for political mileage. They can block roads, call for protests, but the people of Bihar are smart and won't be fooled. Whoever is opposing this is in support of illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas who were being used as a vote bank," Singh added. On Saturday, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in the poll-bound state. The petition alleges that the ECI's move is arbitrary and could potentially disenfranchise millions of voters. Although the poll panel has defended their move but the opposition has been criticising the poll panel for working at the behest of the BJP. The BJP has defended the poll panel's directive, but the issue has now snowballed into a political controversy and has been taken to the Supreme Court. With the filing of this petition by ADR, it seems that the issue is likely to intensify in the coming days. Kolkata, July 5 : Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya has directed its affiliated organisations to suggest strategies to overcome or minimise the booth-wise vote margin deficit with Trinamool Congress in the crucial Assembly elections scheduled next year. According to the BJP state committee, Bhattacharya is of the view that the role of the affiliated organisations will be equally crucial to that of the state party unit in overcoming or minimising the booth-wise vote margin deficit with Trinamool Congress. "Precisely that is why he had meetings with the representatives of the affiliated organisations on Friday evening. The party's central observers, Sunil Bansal and Mangal Pandey, were also present at the meeting. In that meeting, Bhattacharya directed the representatives of the different mass organisations to immediately start the process for calculating the booth-wise vote margin deficits and suggest strategies to overcome them," said the state committee member on Saturday. As of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the votes secured by the BJP were 23,327,349 against Trinamool Congress' 27,564,561, which meant the vote margin deficit was 42,37,212. Percentage-wise, the BJP secured 40.7 per cent as against Trinamool Congressas figure of 43.3 per cent. On the other hand, in 2024, the Congress-Left Front alliance secured 62,35,669 popular votes. "As per a rough internal calculation, considering that Muslim votes went to Trinamool Congress' kitty in 2024, the majority of 62 lakh votes that went in favour of the Congress-Left Front alliance were Hindu votes or votes from non-Muslim other religions. Now, if we can turn around and consolidate a large portion of these Hindu votes in our favour in 2026, the vote margin deficit of around 42 lakhs could be minimised to a great extent," said the state committee member. At the same time, efforts will be made to consolidate Hindu votes from non-Muslim other religions, which went to Trinamool Congress till the 2024 polls, into the BJP's fold, he said. Bhattacharya also admitted that the vote consolidation process, as aimed by the BJP, will be comparatively easier in the metro and urban pockets than in the rural belts. Gold Reserve has announced that its US acquisition subsidiary, Dalinar Energy, has been named the final recommended bidder for the shares of PDV Holding, Citgo Petroleums indirect parent company. The company's $7.382bn bid is supported by a consortium comprising Rusoro Mining, Koch Minerals, Koch Nitrogen International, and Siemens Energy, and marks a substantial increase over the previous $3.7bn bid by Red Tree Investments. Upon completion of the sale, Gold Reserve will own approximately 44% of Dalinar's common equity, equating to 85% of the voting shares, and will hold at least $150m of $1.5bn in preferred equity securities in Dalinar or its affiliates. Dalinar's bid not only satisfies Gold Reserve's judgment but also the judgments of all senior and junior creditors, including Siemens Energy, through a mix of cash and non-cash considerations. The financing for the bid comprises both equity and debt. A consortium of lenders led by J P Morgan and TD Bank has committed to the full amount of anticipated debt financing. The Notice of Final Recommendation, filed by the Special Master of the US District Court for the District of Delaware, has confirmed the selection of Dalinar. Gold Reserve executive vice-chairman Paul Rivett said: Our bid satisfies creditors further down the waterfall than was ever contemplated by any prior bid since the inception of the Delaware sale process. The Delaware Court has scheduled a sale hearing for 18 August 2025, and the terms of the bid are outlined in a stock purchase agreement with the Special Master. Rivett added: We look forward to the Courts decision in August and getting closer to finally closing this chapter in Gold Reserves long history. The acquisition is contingent upon various closing conditions and regulatory approvals, one of which is the consent from the US Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Earlier this week, a consortium led by energy and commodities company Vitol placed a bid exceeding $10bn for PDV Holding. "Dalinar Energys $7.3bn bid recommended as winner for Citgo auction" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. Mumbai, July 5 : Maharashtra BJP's former president and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Saturday criticised Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying that it is clear from his speech that his real agenda is not 'M' for 'Marathi,' but 'M' for 'Municipal Corporation'. "His love for Marathi is nothing but a political stunt that surfaces when elections are near. The public has now recognised this hypocrisy," he remarked in his reaction after Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray attended a joint rally to celebrate the state government's move to withdraw two government resolutions on the introduction of Hindi along with Marathi and English. Incidentally, Bawankule did not target Raj Thackeray in his criticism. He said that under the guise of Marathi pride, Uddhav Thackeray sang a lament in Worli about the loss of power. "Why did he accept the report mandating Hindi from the first grade in 2022 while he was Chief Minister? He never answered it," he said. Bawankule said that the Marathi language is not just an identity that stands on emotions, but it must be reflected in policies. "When you (Uddhav Thackeray) were in power in Mumbai, you sidelined the Marathi people. Now, to regain power, you are showing fake love for Marathi again," he claimed. He alleged that it is clear from Uddhav Thackeray's speech that his real agenda is not 'M' for 'Marathi,' but 'M' for 'Municipal Corporation', "His love for Marathi is nothing but a political stunt that surfaces when elections are near. The public has now recognised this hypocrisy," said Bawankule. Further, the Mumbai BJP president and Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar claimed that the handshake between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray is nothing but an attempt to win the family "battle" because they fear losing the election. In his post on X, Shelar claimed: "This is not for the language but a public appeal for the elections! With the municipal elections approaching, the panicked Uddhav Sena, scared of the BJP, now remembers family ties. The program in Worli today was a family bonding event to publicly appeal to the brother they had thrown out of the house. There was no love for the language or anything like that... and it doesn't even matter to them! This is a desperate struggle to gain power in the municipality and to loot Mumbai again for the sake of power." On the other hand, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena also only targeted Uddhav Thackeray, terming him a detractor and a hollow figurehead while showering praise on Raj Thackeray, terming him wise and a champion of Marathi. In a post on X, Shiv Sena made a comparison between the leadership of Uddhav and Raj Thackeray. "One enlightened, the other provocative. One right, the other left. One younger yet grand, the other grand yet younger. One a lover of Marathi, the other a lover of power. One wields a whip in words, the other harbours vengeance in speech. One a champion of Marathi, the other a detractor. One wise, the other foolish. One carries the legacy of Marathi, and the other fills their pockets. One stands tall with independent pride, the other just a hollow figurehead." Shimla, July 5 : Amidst India Meteorological Department (IMD) prediction of very heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday said the situation in disaster-hit areas of Seraj in Mandi district has been returning to normal. He said the government would provide Rs 5,000 per month as rent to the families whose houses were damaged in this disaster. The Chief Minister urged the people of Seraj, whose houses are safe, to give their additional accommodation to the affected families on rent. CM Sukhu said that he would soon visit the affected areas again to have on the spot assessment. The Chief Minister told the media here the government would provide ration to affected families and directions had been issued in this regard. He said he was constantly in touch with the district administration to assess the ongoing situation in the affected areas. The food materials have been made available through mules and porters and also the army personnel are carrying out relief operations in the affected areas and some routes have been reopened. He said the IMD has issued a red alert for Sunday and the government is on alert to tackle any situation. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri has been visiting affected areas since Friday while Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh is visiting areas to monitor the ongoing rescue and rehabilitation operations. Chief Minister Sukhu on Friday said 69 people have died, 37 are missing, and 110 have been injured as the state battles cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides triggered by days of continuous and heavy monsoon rainfall. He said 14 cloudbursts had been reported since the onset of the monsoon, which have damaged roads and drinking water projects, as well as the electricity supply to several areas. Jaipur, July 5 : Protests continue in Jahazpur town of Bhilwara district in Rajasthan on Saturday following the murder of a youth by a mob. The victim's family has demanded Rs 1 crore in compensation and bulldozer action on the houses of the accused, while the local administration, in view of rising tensions, has imposed restrictions and cancelled the Tazia procession scheduled for July 5 and 6 during Muharram. The family has been staging a protest outside the government hospital in Jahazpur since Saturday. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Jahazpur has officially withdrawn permission for the Tazia processions, citing law and order concerns. A complete ban has now been enforced on carrying out processions on both days. According to the police, the incident occurred on Friday around 7:30 PM in the Takiya Masjid area of Jahazpur. Four youths - Sitaram, Sikandar, Dilkhush, and Deepak - residents of the Chhavni area in Tonk, had come to Jahazpur in a car to attend a function at the home of Sikandar's sister. While leaving the main market, their car accidentally hit a handcart. An argument broke out with the cart owner, and soon, around 20 people gathered and began assaulting the group. Sitaram (25) was pulled out of the vehicle, beaten severely, and thrown onto the road. He succumbed to his injuries on the spot. In protest, Jahazpur town observed a complete shutdown on Saturday. A murder case has been registered against 16 named individuals and 20 unidentified others. Police forces from 10 nearby stations have been deployed to prevent any further unrest. Hari Nand Kahar, state chief of the Kewat Kahar Samaj, said that Sitaram was brutally murdered. "We strongly condemn this heinous act. The accused must receive strict punishment. The victim's family is poor - his father has passed away, and his elderly mother was entirely dependent on him," he said. Nand Kahar pointed out that the family must receive Rs 1 crore compensation and a government job for one member, adding that the case should be investigated by an SIT and tried in a fast-track court. Bhilwara MP Damodar Agarwal said that the incident is serious, and there is anger in society. "Police are arresting the criminals. A situation of agitation has arisen. People must maintain peace," he said. Patna, July 5 : Following the murder of prominent industrialist Gopal Khemka near a police station in Patna, Bihar, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha has admitted to lapses in policing, assuring strict action against officers found negligent in the case. "The incident occurred just a few meters away from the police station. Where was the Patna Police's patrolling team? This is a serious incident, and officers found guilty of negligence will face action. We will recommend to the government the removal of such officers. The state government cannot ignore this negligence," Sinha said, adding that there should also be an inquiry into why no concrete action was taken after a similar incident in 2018 when Gopal Khemka's son, Gunjan Khemka, was also gunned down in Vaishali. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary termed the incident a "challenge for the state government" and emphasised that the Nitish Kumar-led double-engine government will not spare anyone involved in the murder. "We will kill the accused even by entering their homes to ensure justice for the deceased's family. The key is timely justice. We have instructed officials to ensure justice within 24 hours," Choudhary claimed, denying the presence of any organised gang behind the incident while acknowledging that the crime reflected a serious law-and-order concern. Rajesh Verma, LJP (RV) MP from Khagaria, also expressed concern, calling the murder "shocking." "We talk about the development of Bihar, but how will the state progress if industrialists are not safe? The murder of Gopal Khemka in an upscale location near a police station shows a complete collapse of law and order in Bihar. I urge the state government to take the strongest action against the accused," Verma stated. The incident has triggered a wave of concern across Bihar's industrial community and political circles, raising fresh questions about the safety of business leaders in the state and the effectiveness of policing in even high-security areas. Tokyo, July 5 : A preliminary magnitude 5.4 earthquake that rattled islands in southwestern Japan on Saturday had no link to a disaster prediction made by the comic book (Manga) author that had gone viral on social media, Japan's weather agency has confirmed. It was circulating on social media that Japan will experience a major disaster in July a" particularly on a Saturday - following a prediction made in "The Future I Saw", a manga authored by Japanese artist Ryo Tatsuki, local media reported. Addressing a press conference in Tokyo, an official of the Japan Meteorological Agency, Ayataka Ebita, said current science cannot accurately predict earthquakes, and any event that seems to align with the manga author's prediction is purely coincidental. "It is absolutely a coincidence. There is no causal connection. In Japan, earthquakes can happen at any time. Please be prepared always," said Ebita. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the quake hit the Tokara island chain early Saturday morning at a depth of about 19 kilometres, adding that no tsunami warning was issued. The agency warned that strong quakes are expected to continue for some time, which could lead to house collapses and landslides, Japanese media outlet Kyodo News reported. On Friday morning, residents of the village of Toshima on Akusekijima, part of the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima prefecture, departed by ship, heading to the city of Kagoshima, where they are expected to stay in temporary accommodation. An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 struck off the Tokara island chain on Thursday, following over 1,000 felt temblors in the area in nearly two weeks, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Following Thursday's quake, local authorities in Toshima, consisting of seven inhabited islands and five uninhabited ones, pledged to evacuate residents willing to leave Akusekijima. The first group of 13 people up to the age of 80 aboard the ship were scheduled to reach Kagoshima shortly after 6 pm local time on Friday. Japan, situated at the convergence of four major tectonic plates along the Pacific 'Ring of Fire', is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. Home to approximately 125 million people, the country experiences around 1,500 earthquakes annually and accounts for about 18 per cent of the worldas seismic activity. Hyderabad, July 5 : Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Saturday underlined the need to deal strictly and without mercy with the culprits involved in sexual assaults on children via social media. He affirmed that the state government is fully prepared to take all necessary actions in this regard. The Chief Minister highlighted the need to combat emerging threats such as child pornography and online exploitation and stressed the importance of cross-sector collaboration to ensure holistic rehabilitation and justice delivery. He was addressing the state-level conference on 'Support for the Helpless Protection and Rights of Children from Sexual Harassment', which was inaugurated by Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant. The Women Safety Wing, Telangana Police, in collaboration with the Department of Women Development and Child Welfare, Telangana State Legal Services Authority and UNICEF, organised a state-level stakeholders consultation meeting. The Chief Minister said that it is not enough to just curb the heinous crimes against children; there is a need to provide legal, moral, and holistic protection to the victims. He stated that the Telangana Government is giving top priority to the protection of girls and women. As part of this commitment, the Bharosa Project was initiated. Currently, 29 Bharosa Centres are operational across the state. These centres not only provide police assistance, but also offer legal, medical aid, and counselling in a supportive environment for victims. He mentioned that Telangana is the first state in India to introduce Child-Friendly Courts through the Hyderabad-based Bharosa Centre. These courts aim to not only speed up case resolution but also ensure the protection and confidence of child victims, along with initiatives for their overall development. The Chief Minister emphasised the need to address the challenges in implementing the POCSO and Juvenile Acts, ensuring that these laws serve as complete safeguards for victimswithout causing them further traumaand truly protect their future. He said justice should not be limited to court verdicts alone but should be reflected at every stage of the process, from police stations to child welfare centres. "Justice is not just about punishing the guilty. It also means offering hope, protection, and dignity to the survivors. Measures should be taken to help children reclaim their lost childhood and ensure they are treated with respect and empathy in society." The Chief Minister emphasised that in an effort to prevent such heinous crimes, the judiciary, police officers, child welfare committees, and civil society members all must work in unison. Justice Surya Kant stated that child safety is not only a legal mandate but a moral and national obligation. "Every instance of neglect or systemic failure is not merely a criminal lapse, but a profound betrayal of childhood," he remarked. He lauded Telangana's Bharosa Centres for embodying the integrated vision of legal, medical and psychosocial care envisioned in national child protection frameworks. Acting Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court Justice Sujoy Paul expressed grave concern over the rising number of POCSO cases. Citing data showing a steady increase in child sexual abuse cases, he noted that 98 per cent of these cases involve known personsfamily, relatives, or neighbours underscoring the need for empathy and sensitivity from every stakeholder. UNICEF India Representative Cynthia McCaffrey emphasised the importance of shifting from protection to transformation. "India's children are not voicelessthey are silenced by systems. Together, we must amplify their voices," she said, commending Telangana for its child-sensitive policing model. Director General of Police Dr Jitender spoke on the impact and evolution of the Bharosa Model, which began in 2016 and has now scaled to 29 operational centres across the state. These one-stop support centres integrate medical, legal, psychological and para-medical assistance under a single roof for child survivors of sexual violence. Sambhal, July 5 : With Muharram processions scheduled across the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, the administration has stepped up security to ensure peaceful observance of the event. Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar Bishnoi said that a total of 342 Tazias will be taken out across various parts of the district. Peace committee meetings have been held in all areas in advance, and coordination has been established with Tazia organisers, he said. As a security measure, each Tazia Dar has submitted a list of designated volunteers, who have been issued unique identity cards by the police. This will help law enforcement agencies quickly identify and assist them in case of any emergency. The SP clarified that the height of each Tazia has been restricted to a maximum of 12 feet. In previous years, oversized Tazias often required the temporary dismantling or cutting of electricity wires, leading to disruptions and financial losses of approximately Rs 35-40 lakh. However, this year, no such adjustments were needed, as all processions are adhering to the prescribed height and route guidelines. A major highlight of this year's preparations is the enhanced surveillance apparatus. As part of the 'Sambhal Ke Naam' initiative, over 12,000 NPR (Number Plate Recognition) and citizen-installed CCTV cameras have been deployed across the district. This will be instrumental in real-time monitoring of the processions. Additionally, drone cameras will be used to keep aerial surveillance over the entire route. To further bolster security, three companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and one company of the Rapid Response Force (RRF) have been deployed. Law enforcement personnel will remain on high alert throughout the event. SP Bishnoi also issued a strong warning against any attempts to disturb communal harmony. "Strict action will be taken against those who try to vitiate the atmosphere. Cyber commandos are closely monitoring social media platforms for provocative or misleading content," he said. He added that three cases have already been registered and several individuals have been sent to jail for spreading inflammatory content. The latest such incident was reported from the Asmoli police station area, where a youth was arrested and jailed. Appealing for public cooperation, the SP said he was confident that Muharram would be observed peacefully. "We expect complete support from all communities. Together, we can ensure that the occasion passes without any untoward incident," the SP said. Sambhal made headlines in November last year when violence erupted following a court-ordered ASI survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, resulting in the tragic loss of five lives. Since then, the district administration has been taking measured and cautious steps to preserve communal harmony and prevent further unrest in the district. New Delhi, July 5 : The Congress on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar, accusing it of turning the state into a haven for criminals and pushing it into a state of "lawlessness". Addressing a press briefing at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh said that under NDA rule, Bihar has transformed from a land of peace and knowledge into one where "bullets speak louder than law". His remarks came as a prominent Bihar-based businessman, Gopal Khemka, was shot dead outside his residence in Patna by a bike-borne assailant. "This wasn't just a murder, it was an open challenge to the state machinery," Singh said, slamming the administration for failing to act promptly. "He lives right in front of Gandhi Maidan, near Maurya Hotel, and yesterday, when he was returning at 11:00 pm, he was murdered by dreaded criminals as soon as he got out of the car. The SSP Sahab lives there, the entire police department lives there", said Singh. Quoting data from NCRB and Bihar Police Headquarters, Singh alleged that Bihar has seen a 323 per cent rise in total crimes since 2005, with over 53,000 murders and nearly 5.6 lakh heinous crimes registered in the last 17 years. Rape cases, child crimes, and atrocities against Dalits have surged alarmingly, he added, calling the state a "free zone for criminals." He further criticised the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, alleging a conspiracy to delete 2 crore voters, mostly from marginalised communities. Calling Bihar's current state "a tragedy", he demanded that the Governor convene a two-day special Assembly session to address the deteriorating law and order situation and discuss the controversial SIR process. However, when asked if Congress was demanding President's Rule, Singh clarified, "We are not asking for President's Rule, but for accountability and urgent corrective measures." He accused the BJP of rendering CM Nitish Kumar a "puppet" and said, "If this was the old Nitish Kumar, he would have resigned on moral grounds by now." Bhopal, July 5 : Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday said that his government will soon introduce a new Bill on OBC reservation in the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly. The Chief Minister reiterated that his government is committed to providing 27 per cent reservation to the OBC candidates in government services, and he has directed officials to prepare a Bill, which will be brought to the House for discussion. Responding to the Congress' claim of delay in the implementation of 27 per cent reservation to the OBC community, the Chief Minister said that Congress had approved the Bill without any proper "survey" and "preparation". "Congress misled the people on the OBC reservation issue. The Bill approved by the then Congress government was lacking proper preparation and a survey. The BJP government is committed to providing 27 per cent reservation to OBC people," CM Yadav said during a press conference. Earlier in the day, state Congress chief Jitu Patwari, along with the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly, Umang Singhar, blamed the BJP government for delaying the implementation of 27 per cent reservation to OBC. The Chief Minister's statement came a day after the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh government over the continued delay in appointments to 13 per cent of government posts kept on hold under the 27 per cent OBC reservation policy. The court has sought an explanation from the state for not filling these posts despite there being no legal stay on the enhanced OBC quota. The Chief Secretary has been directed to submit an affidavit in the matter. The notice was issued during a hearing on a petition filed by candidates affected by the hold on appointments. The petitioners, under the banner of OBC Mahasabha, demanded that the government fill 13 per cent of posts, which have remained vacant for several years despite the policy for 27 per cent OBC reservation being introduced in 2019 by the then Baghel government. The petitioners stated that although there is no stay from the Supreme Court on the implementation of 27 per cent reservation for OBCs, the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) has kept 13 per cent of posts on hold in various recruitment drives held in recent years. Patna, July 5 : The murder of prominent Patna industrialist Gopal Khemka has taken a new turn, with police suspecting that the conspiracy was allegedly hatched from inside Beur Jail. Acting on crucial inputs, Patna police have launched a large-scale raid at Beur Jail under the leadership of SSP Kartikeya Sharma. A team comprising four SDPOs, three DSPs, and over 200 police personnel from 12 police stations has been deployed for the raid, which is currently underway in an effort to gather evidence connected to the murder case. The incident occurred around 11:40 pm near Panache Hotel in the Gandhi Maidan area, one of Patna's posh localities, as Khemka was stepping out of his car near his residence when an unidentified bike-borne assailant opened fire at him. He sustained one gunshot injury and succumbed in the hospital. Khemka's brother, Shankar Khemka, alleged police inaction, claiming: "Officers arrived late after the incident, at around 2:30 am." Patna SSP Kartikeya Sharma, who met with Gopal Khemka's family, confirmed that "important clues" have been found during the raid. "We have conducted raids at Beur Jail and obtained significant clues. All pieces of evidence are being examined collectively, and we will try to solve the entire case soon. Every angle is being investigated, and research is being done on all possible leads," the SSP said. The case has rattled Bihar's industrial community, with growing concerns over safety and law and order in the state. Khemka was shot dead near a police station in Patna, prompting senior leaders, including Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Sinha and Samrat Choudhary, to acknowledge lapses and promise swift justice in the case. The Patna police's ongoing action in Beur Jail is expected to provide critical breakthroughs in the investigation, as authorities move to uncover the masterminds and motives behind the killing of one of the city's leading industrialists. The venture capital world has always had a hot-and-cold relationship with the Midwest. Investors rush in during boom times, then retreat to the coasts when markets turn sour. For Columbus, Ohio-based Drive Capital, this cycle of attention and disinterest played out against the backdrop of its own internal upheaval several years ago a co-founder split that could have ended the firm but may have ultimately strengthened it. At a minimum, Drive achieved something newsworthy in todays venture landscape this past May. The firm returned $500 million to investors in a single week, distributing nearly $140 million worth of Root Insurance shares within days of cashing out of Austin-based Thoughtful Automation and another undisclosed company. It could be seen as a gimmick, sure, but limited partners were presumably pleased. Im unaware of any other venture firm having been able to achieve that kind of liquidity recently, said Chris Olsen, Drives co-founder and now sole managing partner, who spoke to TechCrunch from the firms offices in Columbus Short North neighborhood. Its a meaningful turnaround for a firm that faced existential questions just three years ago when Olsen and his co-founder Mark Kvamme both former Sequoia Capital partners went their separate ways. The split, which surprised the firms investors, saw Kvamme eventually launch the Ohio Fund, a broader investment vehicle focused on the states economic development that includes real estate, infrastructure, and manufacturing alongside technology investments. Drives recent success stems from what Olsen calls a deliberately contrarian strategy in an industry preoccupied with unicorns and decacorns companies valued at $1 billion and $10 billion, respectively. If you were to just read the newspapers or listen to coffee shops on Sand Hill Road, everyone always talks about the $50 billion or $100 billion outcomes, Olsen said. But the reality is, while those outcomes do happen, theyre really rare. In the last 20 years, there have only been 12 outcomes in America over $50 billion. By contrast, he noted, there have been 127 IPOs at $3 billion or more, plus hundreds of M&A events at that level. If youre able to exit companies at $3 billion, then youre able to do something that happens every single month, he said. That rationale underpinned the Thoughtful Automation exit, which Olsen described as near fund-returning despite being below a billion dollars. The AI healthcare automation company was sold to private equity firm New Mountain Capital, which combined it with two other companies to form Smarter Technologies. Drive owned multiples of the typical Silicon Valley ownership stake in the company, said Olsen, who added that Drives typical ownership stake is around 30% on average compared to a Valley firms 10% often because it is the sole venture investor across numerous funding rounds. Patna, July 5 : The murder of prominent businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna has triggered a fresh political storm in Bihar, with opposition leaders sharply attacking the Nitish Kumar-led government over the deteriorating law and order situation. Prashant Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraaj, condemned the killing while addressing journalists in Nokha, Rohtas, after a public meeting. Drawing parallels with the Lalu Prasad Yadav era, Kishor said: "Just as there was a jungle raj of criminals under Lalu Prasad's rule, there is now a jungle raj of officers under Nitish Kumar's rule. There is no difference in the scale of crime and corruption under both regimes." He pointed out that earlier, the public suffered under Lalu's criminal "jungle raj"; now, they are suffering under Nitish's officer raj. "The credibility of the government has ended," he said. Meanwhile, Jan Suraaj National President Uday Singh, State President Manoj Bharti, and leaders Kishore Munna and R.K. Mishra met Gopal Khemka's family in Patna to offer condolences. Talking to journalists, Uday Singh expressed deep concern over rising crime in Bihar. "Criminal incidents like murder and rape are happening every day, and the police have completely failed to stop them," Singh said. The Congress party also targeted the Nitish government, highlighting the decline in Bihar's image from a land of peace and knowledge to a state where "bullets of goons are spewing fire." Addressing a press conference in Patna, Congress Rajya Sabha MP and former Bihar state president Akhilesh Prasad Singh criticised the Nitish-led NDA government. "On one hand, the ADG Law and Order expresses concern over rising attacks on police, while on the other, criminals firing bullets near Tejashwi Yadav's residence in Patna remain out of reach. Minor girls are being sexually assaulted, policemen are being killed, and crime is rampant." Singh cited data to illustrate the surge in crime. In Patna alone, there have been 116 murders and 41 rape this year. Police Headquarters data (last year) reported 1,297 attacks on police in 151 days. According to NCRB data, total crimes in Bihar rose from 1,60,664 in 2005 to 3,47,835 in 2022, an increase of 323 per cent. The murder of Gopal Khemka near a police station in Patna has not only shaken the industrial community but has also provided the opposition with fresh ammunition ahead of the 2025 Assembly elections, pushing law and order to the centre of Bihar's political discourse. Bengaluru, July 5 : The BJP Central Parliamentary Board member and former Chief Minister of Karnataka, B. S. Yediyurappa, has slammed state Minister Priyank Kharge's remarks about banning Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), calling it a "senseless statement," and demanded that he apologise to the people of the country. Bengaluru, July 5 (IANS) The BJP Central Parliamentary Board member and former Chief Minister of Karnataka, B. S. Yediyurappa, has slammed state Minister Priyank Kharge's remarks about banning Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), calling it a "senseless statement," and demanded that he apologise to the people of the country. Speaking to reporters on Saturday at the BJP State Headquarters, Jagannath Bhavan in Bengaluru, Yediyurappa said, "Priyank Kharge has stated that if they (Congress) come to power at the Centre, they will ban the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)." He added that across the length and breadth of the country, leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have grown up through the training and ideology of the RSS. "Firstly, the idea that you will come to power at the Centre is a daydream. In the next election, it is certain that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will once again become the Prime Minister with a clear majority. I urge and advise you not to demean yourself in front of the public by making such senseless statements," Yediyurappa stated. Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has stirred controversy by reiterating that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will be banned if the Congress returns to power at the Centre. Speaking to reporters in Kalaburagi, Minister Kharge stated on Friday, "I have said this before we had banned the RSS in the past, and if given the opportunity in the future, we will do it again. They are anti-nationals." Quoting B. R. Ambedkar, he said, "Ambedkar defined who is anti-national. In his last speech, he clearly stated that now that we have attained independence, our focus must be on ensuring social and economic progress. But caste is anti-national in India. Anyone who, in the name of caste and religion, obstructs social and economic progress and creates strife among communities is anti-national." "In the current scenario, who is sowing seeds of communal hatred? Who is pushing the idea of 'one nation, one religion'? Who says they don't want the Constitution? Who claims that if given 400 seats, they will change the Constitution? It is the RSS and the BJP," Priyank Kharge said. He added, "I've clearly stated: if I get the power, any organisation or association that works against the nation, breaks communal unity, incites caste hatred, or foments communal violence we will put a full stop to them. This is in the interest of the country." New Delhi, July 5 : Keiichi Ono, the Ambassador of Japan to India and Bhutan, on Saturday visited Ayodhya, offering prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. "Witnessed cultural and spiritual significance at Shri Hanuman Garhi Temple and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. Extend my respectful greetings to them for their gracious welcome," the Japanese envoy posted on X after the visit. Spotlighting the diplomat's visit, the Uttar Pradesh government mentioned that Ayodhya continues to reflect the spiritual and cultural soul of India. "The visit of Mr. Ono Keiichi, Ambassador of Japan to India, to Shri Hanuman Garhi and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi highlights Uttar Pradeshas growing global recognition as a spiritual and cultural capital," the government stated. On Friday evening, the Japanese Ambassador called on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, holding a "fruitful meeting and meaningful discussion" at the CM's residence in Lucknow. "Concurred with Yogi Adityanath for Japan-UP cooperation in investment, technologies, human-resource development and tourism. Look forward to working with CM Yogi by putting the right eye of the daruma doll as a promise of our collaboration: the left will be put when it comes true," Ono said. Driven by shared values and economic opportunities, India and Japan continue to explore further potential for deeper bilateral cooperation. Tokyo's relationship with India is deepening in a wide range of areas, including security, economic and development cooperation. At the same time, people-to-people exchanges have also increased tremendously with more potential for future development. India and Japan share a aSpecial Strategic and Global Partnershipa, having a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural and civilisational ties. Japan has also been a key ally in India's economic growth, with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from Japan exceeding $43 billion between 2000 and 2024, making it India's fifth-largest source of foreign investment. Thiruvananthapuram, July 5 : After 16 pro-CPI-M syndicate members of the Kerala University gave in writing the need to call a special syndicate meeting, the in-charge Vice-Chancellor Cisa Thomas gave the nod to convene it on Sunday. The Kerala University syndicate consists of 24 members. The special syndicate meeting has been called a few days after the Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummel suspended the Registrar Dr K.S. Anil Kumar for allegedly issuing a notice cancelling a private programme, which was attended by Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar at the Senate Hall, where a portrait of Bharat Mata carrying a saffron flag was displayed. Incidentally, Kunnummel, after that episode, went on an official trip outside the country and handed over charge to Thomas who is currently the vice-chancellor of the Kerala University of Digital Sciences. Kumar had approached the High Court seeking an interim stay on the suspension which he said was not in tune with the rules. Incidentally, this fresh development comes at a time when the Kerala High Court on Friday asked Kumar, how 'Bharat Mata' can be a religious symbol and how putting up a portrait of the same can be a law and order problem. But the court declined the interim plea to stay his suspension and further asked: "How 'Bharat Mata' was a religious symbol? What was the provocative photograph and on putting it up on display, what law and order problem was going to occur in Kerala?" State Higher Education Minister R. Bindhu, who is also the Pro-Chancellor of the Kerala University had strongly condemned the action of the VC and pointed out that he acted against the norms of the University rules. R.S. Sasikumar an expert in University-related affairs, told IANS that with the matter now sub-judice the special syndicate cannot come to any decision and moreover the final orders of the High Court expected on Monday. All will have to wait for that. Raipur, July 5 : The banned CPI (Maoist) has once again extended an olive branch to the government, expressing willingness to engage in peace talks. In a letter issued by Central Committee spokesperson Abhay, the group acknowledged the loss of over 85 senior cadres in recent anti-LWE operations conducted by security forces in Chhattisgarh. The letter also alleged that in some instances, innocent villagers were wrongly branded as Maoists and killed in staged encounters. Abhay said that the Maoist organisation is "fully prepared" for dialogue and urged the government to create a conducive environment for talks. This is the fourth such appeal since March 2025, reflecting the group's increasingly precarious position amid intensified security operations. However, the government's response remains unyielding. During his recent visit to Chhattisgarh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated the Centre's zero-tolerance policy towards LWE. "There will be no talks with those who continue to bear arms we will not let the Maoists sleep this monsoon season," HM Shah had said, while reviewing anti-Maoist operations in Raipur earlier last month. He had emphasised that the Centre's goal is to eliminate left-wing extremism (LWE) nationwide by March 2026 and that development and peace can only follow the cessation of violence. Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma had echoed this stance, stating that the state government will not entertain any dialogue until Maoists surrender unconditionally. "This is not the time for appeasement. The people of Chhattisgarh have suffered enough. Talks will only happen when they lay down arms," Sharma said during a recent visit to a rehabilitation centre for surrendered Maoists in Sukma. The state has witnessed a sharp escalation in counter-insurgency efforts over the past year. According to official data, more than 400 Maoists have been killed and over 700 have surrendered since January 2025. The government has also launched skill development and reintegration programmes for former insurgents, signalling a dual approach of force and rehabilitation. While the Maoists' latest appeal signals a shift in tone, the government's firm posture suggests that any peace process remains distant unless insurgents abandon violence entirely. Mumbai, July 5 : Actor Gurmeet Choudhary recently enjoyed a gala time during his visit to Patna, Bihar. Calling himself a proud son of Bihar, he met his fans in Panta and even relished the beloved local delicacy, Litti Chokha. Gurmeet took to his official Instagram handle and dropped some fun sneak peeks from his time in Patna. He was seen facing the camera in a white sleeveless T-shirt, paired with blue ripped jeans, white sneakers, and groovy sunglasses. The photos and videos were accompanied by the caption, "A proud son of Bihar...Today I'm in Patnameeting some amazing fans and enjoying the one and only litti chokha! every time I come here, I feel deeply connected. The love I've always received from Bihar is beyond words. Thank you for making me who I am. Love you all!" Recently, Gurmeet shed light on his lifelong connection with martial arts. He used social media to pay a heartfelt tribute to legend Bruce Lee. Dropping a bare-bodied pic of himself on his IG, the 'Khamoshiyan' actor penned the caption, "Bare body. Bare soul. Martial arts has been my companion since childhood. I've always been a big fan of Bruce Lee not just for his moves, but for the discipline, consistency, and relentless hard work he stood for. #BruceLeeInspiration #MartialArts." Talking about his work commitments, Gurmeet last graced the screen in Netflix's romantic crime thriller "Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein." Made under the direction of Sidharth Sengupta, the series also stars Shweta Tripathi, Tahir Raj Bhasin, and Anchal Singh in significant roles, along with Saurabh Shukla, Surya Sharma, Arunoday Singh, and Brijendra Kala as the supporting cast. Backed by Edgestorm Ventures Pvt. Ltd., season two of "Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein" premiered on the streaming giant on November 22, 2024. Meanwhile, Gurmeet has yet to announce his forthcoming project. Buenos Aires, July 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi was warmly received by Argentina's President Javier Milei at the historic Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires as the two leaders began bilateral engagements, on Saturday. PM Modi arrived in Argentina early Saturday, beginning the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the South American nation in the last 57 years. This is the third leg of his five-nation tour, following visits to Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), earlier in the week. It will be followed by Brazil (July 5-8) and Namibia (July 9). The Prime Minister began the visit by paying respects at the statue of General Jose de San Martin, Argentina's revered freedom fighter and national hero. He was then accorded a ceremonial welcome ahead of the delegation-level talks. It will be followed by a lunch hosted by President Milei in honour of the PM. Argentina is a strategic partner of India since 2019, and the two countries celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations last year. The visit to Argentina comes at a particularly significant time as Argentina is undertaking major economic reforms somewhat similar to those India went through in the past, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted ahead of the historic visit. Both leaders are expected to discuss subjects of economic and trade interest to further strengthen bilateral relations. "India's advancements in defence manufacturing, in the space sector, in new areas such as information technology and DPI can offer valuable expertise and we can share experiences with Argentina. Our expertise in Telemedicine and Digital healthcare solutions are also an offer for Argentina in expanding access to medical services and improving overall quality and cost-effective healthcare delivery," said MEA Secretary (East) P. Kumaran while addressing a special media briefing ahead of the PM's visit. Both leaders are scheduled to review ongoing cooperation and discuss ways to further enhance India-Argentina partnership in key areas including defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, and people-to-people ties. India and Argentina have significantly advanced bilateral cooperation in the mineral resources sector, particularly in lithium a" a critical input for India's green energy transition. An MOU on cooperation in the field of mineral resources was signed in August 2022 between India and Argentina. The first meeting of the Joint Working Group under the MOU was held in January 2025. "Argentina holds the world's second largest shale gas reserves and the fourth largest shale oil reserves along with of course substantial conventional oil and gas deposits, making it a potentially important energy partner for India in the future. Argentina's rich reserves of critical minerals such as lithium, copper and other rare earth elements complement India's growing need for secure and sustainable supplies to these elements for its clean energy transition and industrial growth. India's public sector, KABIL, has already won a few concessions in Argentina since 2024. Our leaders will be discussing more on this subject," Kumaran added. Quite significantly, India-Argentina bilateral trade more than doubled in three years from 2019 to 2022, peaking at USD 6.4 billion in 2022. In 2021 and 2022, India was Argentina's fourth largest trading partner. Argentina is one of the prime suppliers of edible oils a" soybean and sunflower a" to India. In 2024, total annual bilateral trade between India and Argentina rose by 33 per cent to USD 5.23 billion, positioning India as Argentina's fifth-largest trading partner and export destination. New Delhi, July 5 : Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi's younger brother, Nehal Deepak Modi was arrested in the United States following an extradition request from the Indian Central agencies, sources said. Acting on a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol at the request of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Nehal Modi was arrested on July 4 in the US by local authorities. Nehal Modi, a Belgian national, aged 46 is accused of aiding his brother, Nirav Modi, in orchestrating one of Indiaas largest banking frauds -- the Rs 13,500acrore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. Indian authorities allege that Nehal Modi played a crucial role in helping his elder brother, Nirav destroying key evidence, intimidate witnesses and obstruct the investigation in the aftermath of the scandal. Nehal is accused of laundering black money earned from this PNB scam that became a national headline in 2018, with the help of his brother. According to investigators, he funnelled illicit funds through shell firms and transactions done abroad. According to sources, the next hearing in this case is scheduled for Julya17, 2025 during which Nehal may seek baila"though prosecutors have already reserved the right to oppose it. It is pertinent to note here that the PNB scam is estimated to have caused losses of over Rs 13,500 crore to the Indian banking system. Of this, Nirav Modi is accused of siphoning off Rs 6,498.20 crore, while his uncle Mehul Choksi is alleged to have diverted Rs 7,080.86 crore. Both Nirav Modi and his uncle Choksi fled India in January 2018, weeks before PNB reported the irregularities to the law enforcement. Both of them face several cases, with Nirav Modi, arrested in UK in 2019 and remaining in custody in a London prison while Choksi, who is now in Antigua, faces separate proceedings including a challenge to his citizenship. This dramatic arrest underscores the international coordination underpinning financial crime investigations and brings renewed attention to one of the most notorious banking scandals in Indian banking history. New Delhi, July 5 : UK-based arms consultant Sanjay Bhandari was on Saturday declared a fugitive economic offender by a Delhi Court, a development which comes within months of a British court's refusal to extradite him to India. New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) UK-based arms consultant Sanjay Bhandari was on Saturday declared a fugitive economic offender by a Delhi Court, a development which comes within months of a British courtas refusal to extradite him to India. Bhandari, 62, who fled to the UK in 2016, was declared a fugitive economic offender under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, paving the way for the probe agency to attach his assets. The ED filed a chargesheet against Bhandari in 2020 on the basis of proceedings initiated against him by the Income Tax department under the anti-black money law. Bhandari was accused of concealing overseas assets, making false statements to suppress information about overseas assets and using backdated documents. The arms consultantas political links attracted attention when the investigation agency claimed that he renovated a property in London in 2009 using funds provided by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadraas husband, Robert Vadra a" a charge denied by the latter. Last February, a Delhi court ordered a stay on the execution of non-bailable warrants (NBW) against British national Sumit Chadha, accused by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to Bhandari. Earlier, the court, after reviewing the supplementary prosecution complaint filed by the ED, had found sufficient grounds to summon accused UAE-based NRI C.C. Thampi and Chadha. The court noted that cognisance of the money laundering offence was taken on October 5, 2020. The ED filed a supplementary chargesheet against Thampi and Chadha for the commission of offences defined under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The agency alleged that Bhandari created a web of entities, with Thampi and Chadha working in tandem, involved in acquiring properties outside India. Chadha, despite summons, refused to receive them through diplomatic channels. In April 2023, the ED attached a property in Delhi worth Rs 4.50 crore belonging to Sharan Svadha LLP in connection with a case lodged against Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, Switzerland, Bhandari, and others. New Delhi, July 5 : Delhi Development Minister Kapil Mishra chaired a meeting at the to address the persistent traffic congestion at Khajuri Chowk, a key traffic junction in North-East Delhi. The meeting was convened in response to the growing traffic issues in the area and the daily inconvenience faced by commuters and the general public. Khajuri Chowk connects densely populated areas such as Wazirabad, Signature Bridge, Bhajanpura, Shastri Park, and Karawal Nagar. The junction witnesses thousands of vehicles every day, often leading to long and disruptive traffic jams. These bottlenecks not only delay daily travel but also obstruct critical emergency services like ambulances and fire vehicles. Senior officials from major departments, including the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Delhi Traffic Police, Public Works Department (PWD), and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), were present at the meeting. The primary objective was to develop a co-ordinated and practical action plan for easing congestion at this vital traffic node. Mishra emphasised that "ensuring smooth traffic movement for Delhias citizens is a top priority, and all relevant departments have to work in close coordination to implement effective solutions at Khajuri Chowk". Mishra directed all the departments to coordinate and solve the problem of the traffic jam within the stipulated time frame. He also assured that the Delhi government is fully committed to strengthening the traffic system and will take every necessary step in this direction. Elsewhere, Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh rolled out a series of key civic projects across Vikaspuri Assembly Constituency, aimed at boosting infrastructure and enhancing public amenities for local residents. He inaugurated a drinking water supply infrastructure project in Kotla Vihar Phase-2, benefiting residents of the Kotla Vihar Phase-II (Vidyapati Nagar), Kotla Vihar Phase-I, Aakash Vihar (Ranhaula), Pratap Vihar (Safipur Ranhaula), and Satyam Vihar Phase-II (near Baprola Village) a" all key parts of the Vikaspuri Assembly Constituency. This initiative will ensure clean and reliable water access for thousands of households, meeting a long-standing demand of the local population, he said. In Ranhaula Vihar, the Minister laid the foundation for a new public park, an open gym, and a Chhath Ghat. The Chhath Ghat, in particular, holds deep cultural and religious significance for the Poorvanchal community, and the launch of redevelopment work fulfil an important public demand, he said. The Minister said these amenities are intended to encourage healthy lifestyles, promote social interaction, and create space for community gatherings and religious festivities. Singh also announced new drainage improvement works and the installation of modern LED street lighting to enhance infrastructure and safety in several localities. By Casey Hall and Lisa Barrington SHANGHAI/SEOUL (Reuters) -Air cargo shipment volume from Asia has declined by double digits since the U.S. cancelled a tax-free exemption for low-value packages from China early in May, trade groups and analysts said. Air cargo demand from Asia to North America declined 10.7% in May versus the same month a year earlier, showed data from the International Air Transport Association, illustrating "the dampening effect of shifting U.S. trade policies," IATA Director General Willie Walsh said in a report published on Monday. Shipments valued under $800 - often sent by air to U.S. customers of low-cost e-commerce platforms such as Shein and PDD's Temu - fall under the so-called de minimis, or too-small-to-matter, tax exemption. Since May 2, however, such shipments sent from China and Hong Kong have been taxed at a rate initially as high as 145% before settling to as low as 30% after a mid-May trade detente between the U.S. and China. FILE PHOTO: Illustration shows U.S. and Chinese flags and "tariffs" label The pair continue to negotiate on trade, with the U.S. relaxing export restrictions on software, ethane and aerospace to China this week, ahead of July 9 when the U.S. plans to re-impose a range of steep tariffs targeting multiple countries. The volume of low-value e-commerce shipments from China to the United States in May saw a particularly steep decline, industry experts said. Such shipments fell 43% in May from the previous month, showed estimates from air cargo consultancy Aevean, but rose to other main export markets including Europe and South-East Asia. It is not clear whether such dramatic declines will continue, said Aevean Managing Director Marco Bloemen, given businesses had anticipated the de minimis halt and because the tariff rate was lowered mid-month. "Will those e-commerce players bounce back to the U.S. now they're paying 30% duties instead of zero duties?" Bloemen said. Companies turning to other markets due to U.S. trade policy uncertainty is also likely weighing on shipment volume, he said. "That's a trend that we're expecting to continue - there's more Europe-destined e-commerce expected in the month of June, also to markets like Latin America." Air cargo consultancy Rotate said e-commerce platforms were focusing on other markets to replace lost U.S. demand, with significant export growth to the European Union and Asia-Pacific region. Shein and PDD did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. CARGO CUT-BACKS Low-value e-commerce out of Asia has been taking an increasing proportion of global air freight and boosting airlines' cargo businesses. Buenos Aires, July 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday began his historic visit to Argentina by paying respects at the statue of General Jose de San Martin, the country's revered freedom fighter and national hero, in Buenos Aires. PM Modi laid a wreath and paid his respect at the San Martin Memorial, beginning the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the South American nation in the last 57 years. General Jose de San Martin is recognised as the liberator of Argentina and the monument was created in 1862 by French sculptor Louis Joseph Daumas. It was the first equestrian statue in Buenos Aires. San MartAn led crucial moments in Argentina's fight for independence between 1813 and 1818, defeating Spanish troops at the Battle of San Lorenzo, reorganising the Army of the North, becoming Governor of Cuyo and creating the Army of the Andes, which he led across the mountains into Chile to liberate the neighbouring country from Spanish rule, before moving north to liberate Peru in 1820. Later, Prime Minister Modi was warmly received by Argentina's President Javier Milei at the historic Casa Rosada as the two leaders began bilateral engagements. PM Modi arrived in Argentina early Saturday on the third leg of his five-nation tour, following visits to Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), earlier in the week. It will be followed by Brazil (July 5-8) and Namibia (July 9). The Prime Minister was accorded a ceremonial welcome ahead of the delegation-level talks. It will be followed by a lunch hosted by President Milei in honour of the PM. Argentina is a strategic partner of India since 2019, and the two countries celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations last year. The visit to Argentina comes at a particularly significant time as Argentina is undertaking major economic reforms somewhat similar to those India went through in the past, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted ahead of the historic visit. Both leaders are expected to discuss subjects of economic and trade interest to further strengthen bilateral relations. "India's advancements in defence manufacturing, in the space sector, in new areas such as information technology and DPI can offer valuable expertise and we can share experiences with Argentina. Our expertise in Telemedicine and Digital healthcare solutions are also an offer for Argentina in expanding access to medical services and improving overall quality and cost-effective healthcare delivery," said MEA Secretary (East) P. Kumaran while addressing a special media briefing ahead of the PM's visit. Both leaders are scheduled to review ongoing cooperation and discuss ways to further enhance India-Argentina partnership in key areas including defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, and people-to-people ties. India and Argentina have significantly advanced bilateral cooperation in the mineral resources sector, particularly in lithium a" a critical input for India's green energy transition. An MOU on cooperation in the field of mineral resources was signed in August 2022 between India and Argentina. The first meeting of the Joint Working Group under the MOU was held in January 2025. "Argentina holds the world's second largest shale gas reserves and the fourth largest shale oil reserves along with of course substantial conventional oil and gas deposits, making it a potentially important energy partner for India in the future. Argentina's rich reserves of critical minerals such as lithium, copper and other rare earth elements complement India's growing need for secure and sustainable supplies to these elements for its clean energy transition and industrial growth. India's public sector, KABIL, has already won a few concessions in Argentina since 2024. Our leaders will be discussing more on this subject," Kumaran added. Quite significantly, India-Argentina bilateral trade more than doubled in three years from 2019 to 2022, peaking at USD 6.4 billion in 2022. In 2021 and 2022, India was Argentina's fourth largest trading partner. Argentina is one of the prime suppliers of edible oils a" soybean and sunflower a" to India. In 2024, total annual bilateral trade between India and Argentina rose by 33 per cent to USD 5.23 billion, positioning India as Argentina's fifth-largest trading partner and export destination. Mumbai, July 5 : UltraTech Cement Ltd. on Saturday denied being investigated by the antitrust regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) for alleged contravention of competition norms. In a stock exchange filing, the Aditya Birla Group company called such media reports "false and misleading" and clarified that it is not under investigation in a case from 2020. "The company has neither received any order from the CCI in this case nor have the company's financials been sought by the CCI," a stock exchange filing read. "It is clarified that the Company is not under investigation in this Case No. 35 of 2020 before the Competition Commission of India," according to the filing. The filing further stated that the India Cements Limited, a subsidiary of the Company, "is party to Case No. 35 of 2020 and is separately making appropriate disclosures in this regard, while exploring legal options". In a separate exchange filing, India Cements Limited (ICEM) said it is yet to receive a full version of the CCI investigation report under the Competition Act, 2002. "ICEM is yet to receive a full version of the investigation report of the Director General, under the Competition Act, 2002. ICEM is currently assessing its legal options. There is no finding by the CCI at this stage against ICEM and no financial penalty has been levied," it said in the stock exchange filing. Meanwhile, UltraTech Cement Limited has announced the resignation of its Chief Legal Officer, Anoop Khatry, effective from the close of business on July 3, 2025, due to personal reasons. "We hereby inform you that Mr. Anoop Khatry, Chief Legal Officer has tendered his resignation from the services of the Company with effect from close of business hours on 3rd July, 2025 due to personal reasons," according to the company's exchange filing. Dhaka, July 5 : Bangladesh on Saturday sought the identities and case details of 36 Bangladeshi nationals recently arrested in Malaysia for their involvement in a radical movement and bringing extremist beliefs based on the Islamic State (IS) ideology into the Southeast Asian country. "The government of Bangladesh is closely monitoring the developments, and the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur is in close communication with the relevant Malaysian authorities," Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. "The Bangladesh High Commission will extend necessary support to the expatriate Bangladeshis wherever needed. Of the arrested/detained individuals, formal charges have been filed against five in Malaysian courts. The rest are in the process of either further investigation or deportation," the statement added. Addressing reporters on Friday, the Malaysian Inspector General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail stated that the Bangladeshi nationals apprehended on June 27 had raised funds to support Islamic State (IS) cells in Syria and Bangladesh. "We are still investigating the total funds collected by the group. We believe they collected funds through membership fees and donations from members. We believe they have between 100 to 150 members in their WhatsApp group. Initial investigations revealed each member is required to pay a Malaysian Ringgit RM500 yearly membership fee. However, the amount of donations given is up to the members," leading Malaysian daily 'The Star' quoted the senior police official as saying. "Thirty-six Bangladeshi men aged between 25 and 35 were detained in raids conducted in Johor and Selangor, including the cell leader. We discovered they were not planning any terror attack in Malaysia but were instead focused on recruiting members and spreading IS beliefs and ideologies. Five of them have been charged, 15 have been handed over to the Immigration Department, and the remaining 16 are still being investigated under Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma)," he added. Last week Malaysia's Ministry of Home Affairs, mentioned that the planned security operation to nab Bangladeshis began on April 24 and was carried out in three phases in the states of Selangor and Johor. "In the operation, five of them were identified as being involved under Chapter VIA of the Penal Code and have already been charged in the Shah Alam and Johor Bahru Session Courts. Another 15 individuals have been issued deportation orders while 16 individuals are being investigated further regarding their involvement in this militant movement," read a statement issued by the Home Ministry. "As a result of intelligence and coordinated action by the Special Branch Team, PDRM found that this group was bringing extremist beliefs based on the Islamic State (IS) ideology into the country They even established recruitment cells within their communities for the purpose of indoctrinating radical beliefs, collecting funds for terrorist activities, and toppling the legitimate government in their home country," the statement added. Malaysia's Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail emphasised that the country will not become a refuge, let alone a battleground, for any foreign extremist movement. Kolkata, July 5 : Shweta Khan, the prime accused in the porn racket case in West Bengal, has also been slapped with forgery charges by the personnel of West Bengal Police who are investigating the matter. The main charges against her in the matter are that she first secured fake Indian identity documents like Aadhaar cards, EPIC cards, and PAN cards under different names and thereafter, also opened bank accounts in those names by using forged fake identity documents. Three such names in which such accounts were opened by the accused have come to the knowledge of the investigating officials which are Shweta Khan, Mahsina Begum, and Fultusi. On Saturday, she was presented at a district court in Howrah. There, the public prosecutor furnished details in the court and sought fresh custody for her to question her in connection with the matter. The court remanded her to five days of police custody. Last month, the police arrested three persons namely Shweta Khan, her son Aryan Khan, and her minor daughter. Since the third accused is a minor, her case has been referred for processing under the Juvenile Justice Act and referred to the Juvenile Justice Board. The main charges against the trio are holding a woman from the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal captive for six months and brutally assaulting her with an iron rod after she refused to participate in pornographic video shoots allegedly orchestrated by the three accused. The three accused in the case were arrested one after another on June 11 from different parts of the city by the investigating officials but only after the National Commission for Women (NCW) took suo motu cognizance of the incident and wrote to the West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar, demanding immediate arrests under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. BJP had already alleged that Shweta Khan had close links with several senior leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress. In fact, a picture of her along with a high-profile member of the West Bengal cabinet from Howrah district also went viral on social media last month. Surat, July 5 : The cyber crime cell of Surat Police in Gujarat busted a massive international cyber fraud syndicate that lured thousands of investors with false promises of high returns from the stock market. According to preliminary investigations, the syndicate carried out transactions exceeding Rs 235 crore through bank accounts and around Rs 100 crore through the informal 'angadia' network. DCP Crime Branch Bhavesh Rojiya stated, "This fraud gang used fake companies like 'IV Trade (Innovative Trade)' and 'Sky Growth Wealth Management' to deceive people into investing in the stock market by promising unbelievable monthly returns ranging from 7 pc to 11 pc." To participate in the scheme, a minimum lock-in period of 18 months was mandatory. The fraud was structured around a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) pyramid model, where existing investors were incentivised to bring in new investors. Based on the amount of investment brought in, investors were awarded various "ranks" with lucrative bonuses: Bronze Rank Investment of US $25,000, Silver Rank US $50,000, Gold Rank US $100,000 and Platinum Rank US $250,000. The scheme managed to dupe more than 11,000 investors, most of whom were unaware of the fraud until complaints began surfacing nationwide. Acting on intelligence, the police conducted raids in Surat and Rajkot, arresting three key accused: Danish alias Hemal Navinchandra Dhanak, Jaysukh Ramjibhai Patolia, and Yashkumar Kalubhai Patolia. Danish is believed to be the mastermind and operated the scam in collaboration with his father Navinbhai and brother Dipen Navinchandra Dhanak. During the raids, police seized a large cache of incriminating material including company documents, mobile phones, laptops, tablets, routers, diaries, chequebooks, and around Rs 40 lakh in cash. Further investigation using data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal revealed that complaints against bank accounts used by this syndicate have been filed in 14 states, namely: Bihar, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, and Madhya Pradesh. DCP Rojiya further revealed, "Some of the main conspirators have fled to Dubai. Our investigation is ongoing, and we are coordinating efforts to bring them back." Imphal, July 5 : Senior BJP leader Yumnam Khemchand Singh, on Saturday, highly praised the central government for its initiatives to restore peace and normalcy in the strife-torn Manipur and praised Union Home Minister Amit Shah's approach to resolving the crisis. Singh, who was elected to the state Assembly from Singjamei constituency in Imphal West district, said that as part of the measures taken to restore peace and normalcy in the state, security forces have been successfully conducting search operations to recover illegal arms and ammunition. The 61-year-old MLA said that the Central government has been taking various steps to resolve the ethnic crisis, which erupted on May 3, 2023, and has now exceeded two years. "Among the significant measures taken to restore peace and normalcy in the state, security forces have been conducting search operations to recover illicit arms and ammunition," the Meitei community leader said. In a statement, he said that in the past one month, a substantial quantity of arms and ammunition were seized from various parts of the valley districts, and recently, a significant cache was recovered from the hill districts as well. "These efforts are crucial for maintaining law and order in the state and have instilled a sense of hope and security among the populace," the statement said. Singh said that functionaries of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) are engaging in talks and peace dialogues with leaders and representatives of various stakeholders, including civil society organisations (CSOs). "These discussions have been instrumental in catalysing efforts to bring about peace and normalcy in the state. Under the able leadership of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, several initiatives have been undertaken as a first step towards resolving the ethnic crisis. His responsible and accountable approach to addressing the crisis, which may take considerable time to resolve, is highly commendable," the MLA said, adding that it is hoped that any hardships faced by the people as a result of the crisis would be acknowledged, and necessary steps would be taken sensibly in the coming days. The MLA, in his statement, said that the efforts of Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, members of the Governor-in-Council, security forces, and concerned officials are also worthy of appreciation. Meanwhile, the joint security forces comprising Central and state, in a major breakthrough, recovered 203 arms, mostly sophisticated and around 160 different types of ammunition from the four hilly districts -- Tengnoupal, Kangpokpi, Chandel, and Churachandpur districts -- of restive Manipur on Friday. In similar joint operations on June 13-14, the security forces recovered 328 arms and around 9,300 different types of ammunition from Manipur's five Imphal valley districts -- Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur, and Kakching districts. Till March 6, around 1,000 looted and illegally held weapons, including many sophisticated arms, and a huge cache of ammunition, have been returned to the security forces since Governor Bhalla made the appeal for the first time on February 20. Indore, July 5 : Madhya Pradesh Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya on Saturday said that electing Hemant Khandelwal unopposed as the new state BJP chief was an example of the party's discipline. He said that the preparations to elect the new state BJP chief were completed, and many contenders were supposed to file their nomination papers for the post. He said that it was assumed that the new BJP chief would be finalised through voting only. "However, when Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan visited the state, he informed that the high command has finalised Hemant Khandelwal's name for the post. Then, no other leaders, who were aspiring for the post, filed their nomination papers," he said. "It was an exemplary organisational election. A state BJP chief was elected without any disagreement or protest from the party workers. It was an example of discipline within the BJP. Such elections can happen in the BJP only," Vijayvargiya said. Meanwhile, taking a jibe at Congress, he said that the grand old party has been suffering from "factionalism", and they can't elect their state president without any controversy. "When Khandelwal was unanimously elected as state BJP chief, a former state Congress president, who is now in the BJP, was very surprised to see the BJP's discipline. He told me that he can't imagine such things in Congress," Vijayvargiya said, indirectly referring to former Union minister Suresh Pachouri, who had joined the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. Vijayvargiya further stated that the new state BJP president Hemant Khandelwal has always worked as a "devoted" BJP worker, and his "clean image" and "commitment" would undoubtedly encourage the party workers. Vijayvargiya made this statement after reviewing the preparations for Hemant Khandelwal's programme, which will be organised in the Rau assembly constituency in Indore on Sunday. Khandelwal (60), a former Lok Sabha member and currently an MLA from Betul, has replaced former MP BJP chief V. D. Sharma. Previously, Khandelwal has held various organisational posts in the BJP, including the Treasurer in the state unit from 2014-2018 and the president of the Betul district unit from 2010-2013. --IANS pd/dan Patna, July 5 : Bihar Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav met the family members of slain industrialist Gopal Khemka in Patna, expressing solidarity and assuring them that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) stands with them in their fight for justice. "We are ready to help and cooperate at every level to get justice and to uncover the truth behind this incident as soon as possible," Tejashwi Yadav told reporters after meeting the grieving family. Calling the murder "heart-wrenching," Tejashwi said the incident, which occurred near the family's residence in a high-security area close to the DM and SP's residences and just 200 yards from a police station, has shaken not just Patna but the entire state. "This incident clearly shows that the government's credibility in Bihar has ended, and criminals are getting protection under its rule. The family's pain is unbearable, and they believe the government is not informing them about any hearings or actions taken. Crime and criminals are dominating the state, exposing the current governance in Bihar," Tejashwi said. He recalled that six years ago, Gopal Khemka's son, Gunjan Khemka, was also killed under similar circumstances when the NDA was in power. "I had participated in the candle march then, but even after six years, the family has not received justice, and the accused are yet to be caught. Now, this incident has happened again in an area like Gandhi Maidan, close to the DM and SP's residences," he said. Tejashwi criticised the state government, stating that crimes, particularly against women and minor girls, are rising daily in Bihar without any action being taken, while the ruling party continues to repeat the "15 years, 15 years" narrative. "Bullets are being fired in front of the Chief Minister's house, the Leader of Opposition's house, the Judge's house, and in Patna's high-security areas, yet criminals remain at large while police inaction is visible to all," Tejashwi added. When asked about the continuous incidents of crime in Bihar, Tejashwi remarked: "Whatever you all are feeling, we are feeling the same. Today, human life has no value, and criminals commit crimes whenever they want and get away. Murders have now become common." Tejashwi also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning his silence on the state's rising crime rates despite frequently visiting Bihar and criticising "Jungle Raj." "Why does he not ask the Chief Minister why such incidents are happening every day in Bihar under NDA rule without action? The media must show the truth to expose the government that is promoting criminals and corruption in Bihar," he stated. Tejashwi further highlighted issues of bribery in transfer postings within the state administration, alleging that "when officers are posted in exchange for DK tax (bribes), crime and criminals take advantage." He assured the victim's family that the RJD would fight for justice "from the streets to the Assembly" until the culprits are brought to justice. Mumbai, July 5 : The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairperson Tuhin Kanta Pandey on Saturday said that the regulator will not tolerate market manipulation, a day after US trading entity Jane Street and three of its related entities were barred from accessing the market. The SEBI chief, speaking to the media here, said the capital markets regulator has also enhanced surveillance of such illegal practices. "Market manipulation is not going to be tolerated," he added. Addressing an event organised by the Bombay Chartered Accountants Society, Pandey said transparency in disclosing related party transactions, managing conflicts of interest and presenting material developments in a timely manner are "non-negotiable responsibilities" for the CAs. "You have a critical responsibility to ensure that corporate governance is not reduced to a checklist," he said, adding that too much of compliance adds to a big compliance burden and "we would also like to see wherever we have the possibility of doing better results with less compliance". SEBI barred US trading entity Jane Street and three of its related entities from accessing the market, directing them to deposit illegal gains of Rs 4,843.5 crore in an account in favour of the markets regulator. In its order, the regulator also directed a debit freeze on the bank accounts of these entities, which include JSI2 Investments Private Ltd, Jane Street Singapore Pte. Ltd and Jane Street Asia Trading Ltd. According to the SEBI order, Jane Street earned Rs 43,289.33 crore in profits through trading in index options on Indian exchanges between January 1, 2023, and March 31, 2025. The market regulator passed the order as part of enforcement action. It applies to all Jane Street Group entities operating in India and restricts their ability to trade or participate in any market-related activity. Jane Street has disputed the findings of SEBI's interim order and said it will further engage with the regulator. IANS na/ Jaipur, July 5 : A joint meeting of state Congress, assembly coordinators, and district presidents was held on Saturday at the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) Headquarters in Jaipur under the chairmanship of State President Govind Singh Dotasra. Speaking on the occasion, Congress Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said, "Responsibility comes with accountability. Any official found negligent in their duties will be relieved of their position." Randhawa encouraged all districts and assemblies in charge to perform their duties fearlessly and stay connected with ground realities. During the meeting, a detailed district-wise review was conducted on organisational issues and the ongoing Organisation Empowerment Campaign. Some key suggestions and necessary directives were issued to the party workers and coordinators present. Addressing the meeting, Dotasra directed all state in-charges to immediately visit their allotted districts and convene meetings of District and Block Congress Committees. He also instructed all district presidents to organise extended executive meetings and prepare a detailed strategy for the accurate revision of voter lists. He emphasised that all ongoing work related to BLA (Booth Level Agent) appointments must be completed within a week. "Given the BJP government's pattern of voter list tampering in Maharashtra, Haryana, and now Bihar, we must remain vigilant and ensure clean and fair electoral rolls in Rajasthan," he warned. Dotasra also called for organising meetings of extended District and Block Congress Committees within the next five days to mobilise protests against the BJP government's alleged violation of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments. "These amendments, brought in by former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi, mandate timely elections to local bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions every five years. The BJP government is conspiring to delay these elections," he said. He accused the state government of deliberately forming the OBC Commission after 18 months in office to use the pending OBC report as an excuse for delaying elections. "This is a calculated move to avoid grassroots accountability. Congress will launch a state-wide mass movement to oppose any such attempt," he declared. AICC Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa praised the RPCC for building a robust organisation at the grassroots level. "Congress in Rajasthan is known across the country today for its organisational strength. Full credit goes to Dotasara and his team," he said. Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully applauded the assembly coordinators for their contribution to organisational development. He urged them to regularly inform the PCC about local issues. "Matters relevant to the organisation will be taken up by the PCC, while issues suited for legislative debate will be raised in the assembly to corner the BJP," he said. Co-in-charge Ritwik Makwana and Chiranji Rao also addressed the gathering and emphasised the need for a cohesive strategy at the district and Assembly levels. Later, a crucial meeting of the State Congress Coordination Committee was held at the PCC War Room. Discussions focused on the construction of the new RPCC building and preparations for the upcoming municipal and Panchayati Raj elections. Invitation Homes Inc logo on laptop-vy monticello via Shutterstock With a market capitalization of $19.9 billion, Invitation Homes Inc. (INVH) is a leading provider of single-family home leasing and management services in the U.S. The Texas-based company owns and operates a vast portfolio of single-family rental homes and also offers a full suite of services, including acquisition underwriting, capital investment and renovation, leasing and maintenance, and property dispositions. The company is scheduled to release its fiscal second-quarter earnings on Wednesday, July 23. Ahead of the event, analysts expect INVH to report an FFO of $0.47 per share on a diluted basis, flat from the year-ago quarter. The company has consistently surpassed Wall Streets FFO estimates in each of its last four quarterly reports. More News from Barchart For the current year, analysts expect INVH to report an FFO of $1.88, again, unchanged from fiscal 2024. Its FFO is expected to grow 4.3% year over year to $1.96. www.barchart.com INVH stock has declined 9.4% over the past year, trailing the S&P 500 Indexs ($SPX) 13.4% gains and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE), which saw a 9.5% increase during the same period. www.barchart.com On Apr. 30, Invitation Homes stock rose 2.7% following the release of its Q1 2025 results. It delivered strong performance with total revenues rising 4.4% year-over-year to $674.5 million and net income climbing 16.4% to $166 million, or $0.27 per share. AFFO rose 4% to $0.42, and same-store NOI increased 3.7%, supported by 3.6% blended rent growth and stable operating costs. Analysts consensus opinion on INVH stock is reasonably bullish, with a Moderate Buy rating overall. Among the 23 analysts covering the stock, ten advise a Strong Buy rating, one suggests a Moderate Buy, and 12 give a Hold. INVHs average analyst price target is $37.74, indicating a potential upside of 15.7% from the current levels. On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com Kolkata, July 5 : The Kolkata branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), on Saturday, announced the suspension of former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen, whose medical registration was also suspended for two years this week by the West Bengal Medical Council. A notification announcing Sen's suspension from IMA was issued on Saturday evening which carried the signature of the secretary of IMA's Kolkata-branch, Shilpa Basu Roy. She happens to be the daughter of Dr Sudipto Roy, the Trinamool Congress legislator and also the president of West Bengal Medical Council, which suspended Sen's medical registration for two years this week. In the statement issued by IMA's Kolkata- branch, it has been explained that since Sen's medical registration has been cancelled by the state medical council, he would also remain suspended from IMA during that period. In the statement, it has also been mentioned that Sen's suspension from IMA will be revoked only if the state medical council decides to revoke the suspension of his medical registration in the interim period. Sen has already moved the Calcutta High Court this week challenging the decision of the state medical council to cancel his medical registration for two years. After filing the petition at Calcutta High Court, Sen claimed that the suspension of his medical registration was illegal and prompted by vendetta from a section within the council. "I will not accept this injustice on me silently," he said. During the two years of the suspension period, Sen will neither be able to use the abbreviation of "Dr" before his name nor will be able to issue any prescription to any patient. His medical registration was suspended for two years on charges of referring to the postgraduate qualification of Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (Glasgow) on this letterhead without getting that qualification registered with the state medical council. Sen, however, refuted the allegation and claimed that he submitted all the related documents for registration of the qualification with the council and also deposited the fee of Rs 10,000 for that purpose. "Thereafter, I sent several letters and email communique to the council to know the progress in the matter. I even made an application under the RTI Act. But I did not get any reply. I had been victimized," Sen added. Sen himself was a state government representative in the West Bengal Medical Council for a long time. However, soon after his differences with the party leadership over the R.G. Kar rape and murder issue surfaced he was first suspended from the party and then removed from the council. New Delhi, July 5 : Maulana Arshad Madani, the President of the Islamic cleric's body Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) before the Delhi High Court seeking a prohibition on the release of the film "Udaipur Files". New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Maulana Arshad Madani, the President of the Islamic cleric's body Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) before the Delhi High Court seeking a prohibition on the release of the film "Udaipur Files". The movie slated to be released worldwide on the coming Friday (July 11) is a true story based on the Kanhaiya Lal murder case. In June 2022, Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor in Rajasthan's Udaipur, was brutally murdered by Mohammad Riyaz Attari and Ghaus Mohammad by slitting his throat. As per the PIL, the trailer of the movie, released on June 26 on Youtube, is replete with dialogues and instances that had led to communal disharmony in the very recent past and carries every potential to again stoke the same communal sentiments. "That apart, a mere viewing of the trailer as released leaves no manner of doubt as to the plot of the movie as the trailer itself seeks to portray an entire community in a prejudicial manner, thereby violating the right to live with dignity for the members of the community," said the plea, adding that the content of the trailer also deliberately makes references to the "sensitive" and "contentious" issue of the "Gyanvapi Masjid", which is presently sub judice before the Varanasi District Court as well as the Supreme Court. Purportedly, the film also explicitly mentions the alleged controversial statement made by politician Nupur Sharma, which had resulted in communal violence and, in turn, the gruesome murder of Kanhaiya Lal. The petition stressed that the trailer, and by implication the movie that is set to follow, depicts verbatim the same content (comments against Prophet Mohammad PBUH) which resulted in widespread tensions as well as the registration of various FIRs against Nupur Sharma. "The trailer contains dialogues and narrative elements that clearly fall within the ambit of hate speech directed against a particular community of the country and the language, imagery, and narrative adopted in the trailer are not only inflammatory but deliberately communal," said the plea. The petition also challenges the certification granted by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to the movie for public exhibition, claiming violation of Section 5B of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the Guidelines for Certification of Films for Public Exhibition. Praying to quash the CBFC certification granted to the movie, the plea said that the trailer of the film portrayed a deeply divisive and inflammatory narrative that vilifies an entire religious community, and the release of the film "Udaipur Files" has the potential to inflame communal tensions and disrupt public order, severely undermining the fabric of religious harmony in the country. Kolkata, July 5 : West Bengal Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari said on Saturday that he will lead a march to the secretariat on August 9, the first anniversary of rape and murder of a woman junior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata. Adhikari said that he had also been able to convince the parents of the R.G. Kar victim to participate in the said rally on August 9. "The rally will be organised on August 9. Last week, there was a rape of a law college student within her college premises, which shocked the nation. Our rally on August 9 will condemn both the R.G. Kar and Kasba law college tragedies," he said. He claimed that the rally would be "apolitical" and no one would carry any party flag. "I give a call to people from all walks of society to participate," he said. He pointed out that in both R.G. Kar and Kasba law cases, the architects behind the crime were close associates of Trinamool Congress, and in both cases, there have been attempts by the ruling dispensation and a section within the state administration to protect the accused. As of the R.G. Kar tragedy is concerned, Parallel cases are going on at the trial court in the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court in the R.G. Kar case, while in the case of Kasba law college rape, the Detective Department of Kolkata Police are probing the case. Agartala, July 5 : Ruling BJP's ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP) leaders would soon meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss the implementation of the tripartite accord, signed on March 2 last year, party supremo Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma said on Saturday. The TMP Chief Debbarma said their meeting with the Union Home Minister is very crucial as there is some frustration that has been prevailing among the party's rank and file at the grassroots level over the non-implementation of the tripartite accord. "During our meeting with the Home Minister, it would also be discussed to curb illegal infiltration from Bangladesh," he told IANS. The TMP supremo said that he discussed with Chief Minister Manik Saha about the non-implementation of the provisions of the tripartite accord. "The Chief Minister gave due importance to the sentiments of the tribal people and assured that he would raise the concerns of the TMP at the appropriate platform," he said. Pradyot Debbarma's statement came hours after party MLA Rajit Debbarma earlier on Saturday threatened to withdraw support from the BJP-led coalition government in Tripura over the non-implementation of the tripartite accord. "If MLA Ranjit Debbarma spoke about withdrawing support from the government, it would be out of frustration as a sense of genuine disappointment and insecurity is prevailing among the tribals in the rural and interior areas," the TMP head said. After a year-long hectic parleys and after signing a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government on March 2 last year, the then opposition TMP with 13 MLAs joined the BJP-led coalition government in the state on March 7 last year, adding a new twist to Tripura's politics. On March 7 last year (2024), two TMP MLAs -- Animesh Debbarma and Brishaketu Debbarma -- were inducted into the ministry headed by Chief Minister Manik Saha. The TMP's demands include greater autonomy for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) and the development of the tribals' socio-economic conditions. The TMP, though, originally demanded a 'Greater Tipraland' or a separate state for the tribals under Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution. The ruling BJP, the opposition CPI-M and the Congress have been opposing the TMP's 'Greater Tipraland' demand. The TMP contested the 2023 Assembly polls separately, but in March last year, after joining the BJP-IPFT coalition government, became the partner of the state government. The TMP and the IPFT are both tribal-based parties. The TMP became a political force in April 2021 after it wrested power in the politically important TTAADC, which has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area, and is home to over 12,16,000 people, of which around 84 per cent are tribals. Tribals, who constitute one-third of Tripura's four million population, always play a crucial role in the electoral politics of Tripura. The withdrawal of support by the TMP would not have any impact on the stability of the BJP-led government, as the saffron party enjoys an absolute majority with its 33 MLAs. In the 60-member Assembly, the BJP holds a majority with 33 MLAs, and its other ally Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), has one MLA. BJP leaders refused to make any comments at the moment on the TMP's decision. Mumbai, July 5 : After 20 years, estranged brothers Uddhav and Raj Thackeray reunited on the politically sensitive issue of Marathi pride, language, Marathi Manoos and united Maharashtra with a call to continue unity in future too. They also dropped hints that their handshake was not restricted to oppose imposition of Hindi along with Marathi and English from grade one but also to together contest the ensuing BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation to keep the BJP-led MahaYuti at bay. At the joint victory rally today the bonhomie, affection and respect for each other was visible between the two brothers with BJP as a common target. However, Uddhav Thackeray, who heads the Shiv Sena-UBT and Raj Thackeray, who is founder of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), face acid test of actually working together and stay politically relevant in a serious bid to take on the mighty BJP. They will have to address various issues including personal egos, leadership hierarchy, seat adjustment and above all power sharing before announcing a formal alliance between the two ahead of crucial election to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). In addition, both realise that they cannot win BMC elections exclusively banking on the support of Marathi Manoos especially when BJP has not only made sufficient inroads in their Marathi vote bank but consolidated it's position in non Marathi votes including people from states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar who are settled in Mumbai. Thackeray brothers will have to go extra mile for reaching out to non Marathi speaking voters too without resorting to violence but only through special outreach drive. They will have to provide a development model which will further benefit the Marathi Manoos by making him a respectable stakeholder in the development. On its part, BJP will see that no stone will leave unturned to please Marathi Manoos as well as non Marathi voters selling them "Vikas" (development) plank and their betterment after voted to power in BMC. Although Thackeray brothers said that the unity of Marathi people shown during the Samyukta Maharashtra movement forced the government to withdraw decision on imposition of Hindi, they called upon the Shiv Sainiks and Mansainiks to remain alert and vigilant to foil BJP's attempt also to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra and reduce Maharashtra's importance in future. The protection of interests of Marathi Manoos was at the center-stage as both Thackerays cited their union was also to together checkmate BJP's game plan also of engineering division among them and also dividing based on caste. "Everyone who is here has forgotten the party division for Marathi. One thing is clear: we have removed the distance between us. We have come together, we will stay together," Uddhav Thackeray announced. "Mumbai was our right, we fought and got it. We have to expose the BJP's 'one nation, one election' idea. Slowly, they want to make everything one. Hindu and Hindustan, we agree but we won't allow Hindi. We made Marathi compulsory; we had to do it," he added. On the other hand, Raj Thackeray also targeted BJP saying that the decision to introduce Hindi was taken due to power, government. "If you (BJP led MahaYuti) have power, it will be in the Vidhan Bhavan. We have power. It will be on the streets," he warned and reiterated that imposition of Hindi would not be tolerated," he warned. "They just tried it out. Let's first try the language to see if Mumbai can be separated, if Maharashtra remains peaceful then we will try it later, if we have the courage, then we should show Maharashtra and Mumbai by joining hands," declared Raj Thackeray. In the days to come, Thackeray brothers will have to chalk out a clear roadmap for continuing unity assuring the ranks and file that they would not any accept compromise and do political adjustments not only on Marathi language issue but also on others including safeguarding interests of Maharashtra. In the case of Uddhav Thackeray, he will have to ensure clean and scam free administration of the BMC while countering BJP's repeated allegations of misrule of Thackeray led party in the past. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has downplayed the reunion between Thackeray brothers, has hit out at Uddhav sparing Raj Thackeray in his criticism. He has thereby not ruled out reaching out to Raj again to bring him in the MahaYuti. Uddhav will be under BJP's scanner. "Everyone has seen the way we have changed the face of Mumbai under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During his (Uddhav Thackeray) time, the Marathi people of Mumbai were exiled. They are jealous that we gave houses to the Marathi people of BDD Chawl, Abhyudaya Nagar, Patra Chawl in the same place. Whether it is the Marathi people of Mumbai or Non Marathi, everyone is with us. We are Marathi, we are proud to be Marathi. We are Hindutva supporters. We are proud to be Hindus," declared Fadnavis. In nutshell, Thackeray brothers will have to start a fresh to prove their joint leadership and gain supremacy in Mumbai while for BJP led MahaYuti it is an opportunity to continue victory march after stellar performance in the assembly elections. BJP will use all its skills to expose differences between two Thackerays and especially Uddhav Thackeray's desperation to gain power. The ball is now in the court of Thackeray brothers to show their magic. (Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j @ians.in) Bhopal, July 5 : The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh has dealt a significant blow to illegal religious conversion networks with the arrest of a man described by officials as the kingpin of a vast foreign-funded conspiracy. Jamaluddin, also known as Changur Baba, was apprehended by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Madhpur village of Balrampur district after evading capture for several months. A reward of Rs 50,000 had been declared for information leading to his arrest. Announcing the breakthrough, Additional Director General (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash outlined the syndicate's operations, which allegedly weaponised romantic relationships to coerce Hindu women into religious conversion. One of the most disturbing cases involved a woman from Lucknow, Gunja Gupta, who was reportedly lured by a man posing as "Amit" and taken to Changur Baba's shrine, where she was renamed Alina Ansari. Investigators uncovered that the group ran a dual operation involving religious manipulation and large-scale financial fraud. Members of the network reportedly travelled to Islamic countries nearly forty times and opened over 40 bank accounts linked to shell organisations. An estimated Rs 100 crore was routed through these accounts, allegedly sourced from abroad. The funds were used to acquire luxury vehicles, real estate, and commercial properties across Uttar Pradesh. Among those arrested was Neetu alias Nasreen, said to be a key figure in the group's activities. The syndicate allegedly assigned financial incentives to each conversion, with women from Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Sikh backgrounds being "valued" higher than others. Those who resisted were reportedly threatened with fabricated legal cases. Authorities believe the operation was masked as a spiritual outreach. Jamaluddin is also said to have published a book titled 'Shijra-e-Tayyaba', which was allegedly used as a tool for ideological indoctrination. The ATS continues to pursue the remaining suspects, including individuals identified as Mehboob, Pinky Harijan, Hazira Shankar, Sagir, and a person claiming to be a journalist, Amen Rizvi. Officials describe the racket as an organised and dangerous confluence of coercion, financial crime, and extremist propaganda. Jaipur, July 5 : Rajasthan unit BJP president Madan Rathore has said that former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is attempting to stay in the headlines out of an apprehension that "his political ground is slipping away". "Gehlot once acted like a magician, but today, the BJP government in Rajasthan is working at the grassroots level. This government is not just here for five years -- it will last for many years to come," he said. Rathore further said: "Govind Singh Dotasra talks about Congress being a family, but they should first establish unity within their own ranks. One day Gehlot attacks Dotasra, the next day he targets Sachin Pilot. The Congress is devoted to just one family, and internal contradictions have become their identity." He added: "In our party, every worker is important. Responsibilities change, and some are given roles at the district or state level. But everyone contributes to the mission." Rathore also criticised the Congress for allegedly attempting to disturb the state's law and order. "Our government is committed to maintaining peace and order. If any untoward incident happens, it is often sponsored. Congress has a history of provoking unrest and creating instability. But we are alert and won't let their efforts succeed. We respect all religions and will uphold everyone's sentiments." Rathore praised the Antyodaya Sambal Pakhwada launched by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, calling it a landmark initiative for poverty alleviation. "... while the Congress only raised slogans about eradicating poverty, our government is implementing meaningful programs that reach the last person in society." He further highlighted BJP's people-centric schemes like Vande Ganga Hall Conservation, Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, and Antyodaya Pakhwada. "These schemes are rooted in public welfare. Congress should support them instead of criticizing. If they want a strong organisation like the BJP or RSS, they must learn to unite, stop internal opposition, and surrender ego for the greater good." Commenting on the internal power struggle in Congress, Rathore said: "Gehlot is trying to stay relevant because his central leadership is promoting Sachin Pilot. Dotasra too is giving reckless statements due to insecurity over Pilot's growing influence." He also took a dig at RLP chief Hanuman Beniwal, accusing him of indulging in negative politics. "Beniwal constantly makes provocative statements to remain in the headlines. But the people of Rajasthan are wise. They understand the vision and work of the Bhajan Lal Sharma-led government and are supporting efforts to bring real change in the state." Buenos Aires, July 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, held comprehensive delegation-level talks with Argentina's President Javier Milei, describing the meeting as "excellent", adding that both countries had made significant progress in further enhancing the bilateral ties. Taking to social media platform X, PM Modi said: "Excellent meeting with President Javier Milei of Argentina. We celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Argentina and 5 years since we elevated our relationship to a Strategic Partnership. We have made significant progress in our bilateral relations, but we both agree that the path ahead is even more promising." During the meeting, the two leaders reviewed ongoing cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to building an even stronger partnership. PM Modi noted that while substantial progress has been made, the future holds even greater promise for collaboration. "President Milei and I discussed how to diversify commercial ties, cooperation in agriculture, defence, security, energy, and more. There is a vast field of action in areas such as pharmaceuticals and sports," PM Modi wrote in another post on his official X account. The discussions focused on diversifying trade and enhancing cooperation in key sectors such as agriculture, defence, energy, and security. PM Modi received a warm and enthusiastic welcome as he arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Friday, for a key bilateral visitthe third leg of his five-nation tour. Upon landing at Ezeiza International Airport, PM Modi was greeted by Argentine President Milei. The two leaders shared a heartfelt hug, reflecting the deepening friendship and strengthening strategic partnership between the two nations. Highlighting the need to broaden economic engagement, both leaders identified significant potential in emerging areas like pharmaceuticals and sports. PM Modi emphasised that these sectors represent untapped opportunities for mutual growth and innovation. The talks also underscored a shared commitment to leveraging each country's strengths to promote inclusive development and contribute more actively to the Global South. Soon after his arrival in Argentina, Prime Minister Modi paid homage at the iconic San Martin Memorialan important symbol of national pride for the country. The monument honours General Jose de San Martin, the revered liberator of Argentina, Chile, and Peru, and stands as a tribute to Latin America's historic fight for independence. PM Modi's gesture underscored India's respect for global freedom fighters and its shared commitment to liberty and sovereignty. The meeting marked a pivotal moment in advancing India-Argentina ties on both strategic and people-to-people fronts. PM Modi's official visit, held at the invitation of President Milei, includes comprehensive bilateral discussions aimed at enhancing cooperation in key areas such as defence, agriculture, mining, energy, trade, and people-to-people ties. The visit signifies India's strategic intent to deepen its partnership with Argentina and expand its presence in the Latin American region. Earlier on Friday, the Indian community in Buenos Aires extended a grand welcome to PM Modi outside his hotel. The atmosphere was filled with cultural pride as members of the diaspora waved Indian flags, performed traditional dances, and chanted patriotic slogans like "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Modi-Modi". The Prime Minister warmly interacted with the crowd and expressed his appreciation for their love and support. Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, "Distance is no barrier when it comes to cultural connect! Honoured by the gracious welcome from the Indian community in Buenos Aires." He further shared his enthusiasm for the visit, adding, "Landed in Buenos Aires for a bilateral visit which will focus on augmenting relations with Argentina. I'm eager to be meeting President Javier Milei and holding detailed talks with him." The visit not only highlights India's growing global partnerships but also the emotional and cultural ties that unite Indians around the world. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and The Treasury welcome the release of a public consultation today by Australian Payments Network and Australian Payments Plus on the future of the account-to-account payments system. Formulating a clear vision for the account-to-account payments system that is consistent with public interest considerations is a foundational recommendation of the recent RBA Risk Assessment on the proposed decommissioning of the Bulk Electronic Clearing System. RBA Assistant Governor (Financial System) Brad Jones said: The account-to-account system supports consumers, businesses and government agencies in their everyday economic activities. It is a vital part of Australias financial infrastructure. This consultation provides a broad range of stakeholders the chance to provide input into how the system can be modernised to meet the opportunities and challenges of the future, in the public interest. To support the development of the vision, the RBA is publishing a paper outlining our public interest framework for the account-to-account payments system. Central to the success of the future system is its ability to provide all end users with access to payments options that are capable of meeting their needs, and that are cost-effective, reliable and safe. Achievement of these objectives will require effective industry governance arrangements, resilient infrastructure and competition and innovation among participants. Background Australian Payments Network (AusPayNet) is the self-regulatory body for the payments industry. It administers the framework for the Bulk Electronic Clearing System Australias system for processing batch account-to-account payments, including payroll and welfare payments. Australian Payments Plus (AP+) is the provider of Australias fast payment system the New Payments Platform as well as the BPAY billing service. The consultation paper, and details about the submission process, can be accessed at either of the following locations: www.auspaynet.com.au/insights/consultations/A2Avision www.auspayplus.com.au/stakeholder-engagement/public-consultations Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corp logo and website-by Wirestock Creators via Shutterstock Valued at a market cap of $36.6 billion, Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation (WAB) delivers advanced technology solutions for the freight rail and passenger transit sectors. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, its offerings include diesel-electric and LNG-powered locomotives, engines, electric motors, propulsion systems, and equipment for marine and mining applications. The company is set to release its fiscal Q2 earnings before the market opens on Thursday, July 24. Ahead of this event, analysts expect WAB to report a profit of $2.17 per share, up 10.7% from $1.96 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has exceeded Wall Street's earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters, while missing in another occasion. More News from Barchart For fiscal 2025, analysts expect WAB to report a profit of $8.72 per share, up 15.3% from $7.56 in fiscal 2024. www.barchart.com Shares of WAB have surged 35.7% over the past 52 weeks, outperforming both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 13..4% rise, and the Industrial Select Sector SPDR Funds (XLI) 22.8% surge over the same time frame. www.barchart.com WAB shares surged 5.9% after the company reported its Q1 results on April 23. Revenue rose 4.5% year-over-year to $2.6 billion, slightly surpassing consensus estimates, driven by increased net sales across both of its operating segments. Adjusted operating margin expanded by 190 basis points, fueling a 14.1% year-over-year rise in adjusted operating income. Adjusted EPS came in at $2.28, marking a 20.6% increase from the prior year and beating Wall Street expectations by 13.4%. Wall Street analysts are moderately optimistic about WABs stock, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among the 11 analysts covering the stock, six recommend "Strong Buy" and five advise Hold. The mean price target for WAB is $216.40, indicating a marginal potential upside from current price levels. On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com I once sat down in a cafe in the bohemian neighborhood of Sopocachi, in La Paz, with a soft-spoken Bolivian engineer who had worked with the countrys nascent space agency. Between sips of imported coffee, he spoke matter-of-factly of Bolivias emerging capabilities to track criminal groups: how drones could now monitor coca-growing regions, track cartel movement in the Chapare, and support border security missions in the Chaco. When I asked who had helped build these drones, he smiled, paused, and said little. I kept pressing, and he finally uttered: Many of the drones would be Iranian. Six years earlier, Bolivias interim Anez government was seeking help to fight left-wing terrorism from the IDF. Later, Argentine intelligence officials told me Bolivia had effectively become a base for Iranian-sponsored terrorism, helping support Hezbollah and IRGC operatives in the region, responsible for numerous attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets. These stories underscore that Middle Eastern conflicts, often fueled by foreign intervention, are spilling into Latin America, dragging the region into geopolitical rivalries with often-violent repercussions on its populations. A lot of Latin Americans are, rightfully, tired of being treated as a battleground for foreign proxy wars. The recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have presented an opportunity for restraint-minded leaders in the region to pull back from the conflict, stress non-military solutions, and call out the U.S. and Israels excessive force and escalation in the Middle East. Presidents Gustavo Petro (Colombia), Lula (Brazil), Claudia Sheinbaum (Mexico), Gabriel Boric (Chile), and Yamandu Orsi (Uruguay) have all issued statements condemning the strikes as an escalation and calling for restraint. Almost all countries in the region have called for a ceasefire in Gaza. Colombia, Chile, and Bolivia have already severed ties with Israel. Unlike what some hawkish commentators may insinuate, this is not about ideological alignment with Iran. Lula is not some secret Hizballah agent. This regards a growing disillusionment with the Wests highly selective use of international law and norms. The strikes, viewed widely in Latin America as unprovoked, disproportionate, and based on shaky premises reminiscent of WMDs in Iraq, are seen as part of a broader double standard that includes support for Israels aggressive campaign in Gaza and its expansionist posture in the West Bank. U.S. officials condemn Irans role in terrorism abroad while overlooking Israeli actions that violate humanitarian norms, arming reprehensible groups and governments abroad to protect security and economic interests, or pursuing close partnerships with authoritarian states with plentiful evidence of support for terrorist groups, like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Egypt. The region sees through this quite easily. Meanwhile, the United States scorns the world, sometimes through force, about human rights, democracy, and international law. Whether this means that Latin American states, particularly those governed by anti-interventionist figures, now adopt a more pragmatic approach to foreign policy, as Lula has proposed, or a more consistent commitment to humanist principle in foreign policy, as Gustavo Petro has attempted to materialize, is where the key debate in the region now lies. This skepticism is not limited to the usual boogeymen: Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. Nearly all Latin American countries, and even some Caribbean countries like Barbados, have issued criticism of U.S. and Israeli foreign policy in the Middle East and changed their posture. Consistently, when traveling through the region, local diplomats, politicians, and even intelligence personnel share with me that they want to pursue their unique geopolitical path and have serious concerns about the U.S. and Israels conduct internationally. Immediately after the strikes, one Brazilian diplomat bluntly told me via WhatsApp, the Americans and the Israelis cant just keep doing this and get away with it, they act like the rules dont apply to them and they can use bombs for every problem. Somebody needs to do something. These countries are increasingly drawn to a multipolar order, where China, Russia, or Iran are now considered as viable alternatives to U.S. leadership. The more the U.S. and Israel pursue double standards, the more that criticisms of these alternatives ring hollow. U.S. interests will suffer as a result. Latin America matters not just as a key energy and trade partner, but as a pillar of Western democratic influence. The United States also depends on regional allies to help contain drug trafficking, manage migration, counter adversarial influence, and support the international norms it has spent decades trying to build up. Losing the trust and cooperation of Latin American governments has profound consequences. Many Latin American states have historically aligned with U.S. ideals, often under pressure from coups, intimidation, or direct intervention by the American government. Today, those same countries are increasingly turning to alternative strategic partnerships, including with rival powers that offer protection without the looming threat of U.S. military interference. In the long run, this shift will only deepen the regions estrangement from the U.S. It has already started doing so, with China now being the top trade partner for many Latin American countries. Many Latin American countries are refusing to sanction Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, others are revising their relationships with Israel, and most of them are signing onto the Belt and Road Initiative and other multilateral partnerships. The United States and its allies, including Israel, must accept this shifting reality: Latin America can no longer be perceived as a Cold War-era passive bloc that will align unquestioningly with Washingtons worldview. It is a region with agency, complexity, and growing disillusionment with the sanctimony of Western nations. Attempts to intimidate, isolate, or smear its leaders as terrorist sympathizers for dissenting from escalation will only backfire. These recent strikes have weakened U.S. influence in a region critical to its strategic interests. By alienating Latin America, Washington risks losing not only trust but also relevance in its hemisphere. Joseph Bouchard is a journalist and researcher covering security and geopolitics in Latin America. His articles have appeared in Reason, The Diplomat, Responsible Statecraft, Le Devoir, and The National Interest, among others. He is an incoming PhD student in Politics at the University of Virginia and a SSHRC Doctoral Fellow on Latin American Politics. Friends and The Morning Show actress Jennifer Aniston has signed on to star in Apple TV+'s adaptation of Jennette McCurdy's best-selling 2022 memoir, I'm Glad My Mom Died. ADVERTISEMENT Aniston, 56, will also executive produce the 10-episode series, alongside McCurdy and Ari Katcher, who will also write the program. "I'm Glad My Mom Died is a heartbreaking and hilarious recounting of McCurdy's struggles as a former child actor while dealing with her overbearing, domineering mother," Apple TV+ said in a press release on Tuesday. "The dramedy will center on the codependent relationship between an 18-year-old actress in a hit kid's show, and her narcissistic mother who relishes in her identity as 'a starlet's mother,' set to be played by Aniston." McCurdy, 33, is known for her roles on the Nickelodeon show iCarly, Sam & Cat, Malcolm in the Middle, Zoey 101, True Jackson, VP and Between. "So excited + honored that i get to create, write, and show-run this show and work with this incredible group of people," McCurdy wrote on Instagram Tuesday. Victoria Justice commented on the post: "Wowowowowow jennette!!! Congrats, this is incredible." Miley Cyrus shared on social media Wednesday that she is receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce held a press conference announcing 35 new recipients on Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT Billboard reports from the press conference that actors Timothee Chalamet Demi Moore and Molly Ringwald , musicians Lyle Lovett Josh Groban , Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Air Supply, and athlete Shaquille O'Neill are among the upcoming stars. "When I first came to LA from Nashville as a little girl, my family would stay at a hotel on Hollywood Blvd.," Cyrus wrote on Instagram. "I would go on late night walks with my dad when no one would recognize him." Cyrus's father, Billy Ray Cyrus, is also a country music star. Miley filmed a music video at Arnold Schwarzenegger's Walk of Fame star for her recent movie Something Beautiful. Michael Madsen, an actor known for Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill and more, has died. ADVERTISEMENT NBC News and The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the star died Thursday at age 67. Madsen's representative, Liz Rodriguez, said the cause of death was cardiac arrest, after Los Angeles County deputies responded to a 911 call at Madsen's Malibu home. The actor was a regular in Quentin Tarantino's films, beginning with Tarantino's debut Reservoir Dogs, in which he played the ear chopping torturer Mr. Blonde. Mr. Blonde, aka Vic Vega, is the brother of John Travolta's Pulp Fiction character, Vincent Vega. Tarantino also cast Madsen in Kill Bill, The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. His other roles included Susan Sarandon's boyfriend in Thelma & Louise, a mobster in Donnie Brasco and NSA chief Falco in the James Bond film Die Another Day. Madsen's first screen credit was the 1982 movie Against All Hope. Wargames, The Natural and episodes of St. Elsewhere, Cagney & Lacey and Miami Vice followed. He also starred in the first two films in both the Species and Free Willy franchises. He has 18 more credits in post-production according to IMDB, and starred in this year's Resurrection Road, Sinatra! Eternity and Cash Collectors. He is the brother of actor Virginia Madsen. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia creator and star Rob McElhenney is changing his legal name. ADVERTISEMENT The actor, 48, explained why he is now going by Rob Mac in a video he shared to Instagram Tuesday. "Yes, I'm shortening my name to Rob Mac. Mostly a stage name, but I digress. Is it kind of douchey? Sure, but the amount of time that I have wasted trying to get people to either say or spell my name correctly is literally days of my life. Trust me, I added it up," he said. He assured fans the name change has nothing to do with family estrangement. "I love them and I want to stay connected," he said. He clarified, however, that the spelling of his surname has changed several times over the generations. "Most people already call me Rob Mac anyway," he added. He first announced the news in a story for Variety. TMZ reported last week that the actor had filed the documents for his name change in Los Angeles. Snowpiercer, Better Call Saul and The Walking Dead alum Steven Ogg says he wanted to be part of the supernatural drama Revival because it allowed him to play Blaine Abel, a man who finds purpose in a crisis. ADVERTISEMENT "His father was a preacher, so, early in his life, he kind of rejected all of that," Ogg, 51, told UPI in a recent Zoom interview. Instead of leading a church congregation, Blaine does odd jobs to pay the bills and hosts a radio show in his down time. "On Revival Day, when the dead come back to life, literally, for him, everything becomes very myopic in that moment. This is my goal now. My goal is to save people from the Revivers, which he considers to be the Devil's children. So, his faith and everything he had as a youth, growing up, just floods back into him and it is almost like he's ironically becoming his dad," Ogg said. "He believes he's doing the Lord's service," he added. "This becomes his calling." Created by Aaron B. Koontz and Luke Boyce, the comic book adaptation airs Thursdays on Syfy. It follows the residents of a small Wisconsin town where the recently dead are coming back to life and wreaking havoc. It stars David James Elliott and Melanie Scrofano as the father-daughter, sheriff-deputy duo of Wayne and Dana Cypress. Romy Weltman plays Dana's resurrected sister Em and Andy McQueen plays Ibrahim, a CDC scientist sent to figure out what is going on. FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! Despite its extraordinary circumstances, the show is both funny and scary, while maintaining emotional authenticity as it explores issues of grief, community, addiction and isolation. "The tone is dark. It looks visually stunning. The characters are very interesting and reveal themselves consistently. It's consistently pulling back layers," Ogg said. "What Melanie does with her sense of humor and the portrayal of the character, I think, is unique. I'm not a huge TV watcher, but I certainly think it's different than things I have seen or know of." Ogg said he thinks viewers who lived through the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns or who have felt ostracized because they march to a different drummer may connect to the show's characters and themes. "It's very interesting how people deal with differences," he added. "Are we going to come together? Are people going to meet in the middle? Or are we just completely divisive? I think it's going to be fun to continue to see how that's explored on the show." Although Ogg has starred in some of the most famous graphic novel adaptations of the 21st century, he insists he is not a real-life connoisseur of the medium, other than loving Alan Moore's Jack the Ripper tale, From Hell. "I think it's just this face, maybe," he laughed about why the universe seems to bring him so many jobs based on this specific type of visual, printed storytelling. "When I'm not on a project, I'll read five or six novels in a week. I read copious amounts, but graphic novels, I've never been into," Ogg said. "Give me a George Eliiot, 1,000-page novel, I can sink my teeth into that, but graphic novels with the pictures? Even as a kid, I never looked at comic books," he added. "I love art and art books. I can sit and go through an entire Taschen Egon Schiele book and go page by page, but the combination [of art and narrative]? I don't know, with graphic novels." The Athens Rock Lobsters held a meet and greet with Head Coach Garrett Rutledge at LiveWire in Athens. This event was open to all and gave Athenians the chance to meet the team's leadership, ask questions and take part in Athens' growth into becoming a Hockey city. Successive elections since 2019 have proved that the Modi charisma and Shah's strategy do not work in Tamil Nadu. Now, they have to see next year if the DMK is capable of losing, whether to an existing NDA alliance or an expanded version, if one becomes necessary and possible, explains N Sathiya Moorthy. IMAGE: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit Shah being felicitated during the Tamil Nadu BJP state, district and mandal-level office bearers meeting in Madurai, June 8, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo If YouTube interviews with strangers on the street are to be believed, the BJP is now coming to be seen as a 'party-splitter' in Dravidian Tamil Nadu, as has been the 'wont' in other parts of the country. That is apart from the party from being pro-Hindutva elsewhere, but with not much effect in the state. Worse still, the ruling party at the Centre is being accused of splitting one alliance partner after the other, for short-term politico-electoral gains, and then following it up with efforts to re-unite those factions that seldom work. The first was the AIADMK leader of the BJP-NDA alliance in the Lok Sabha polls of 2019 and the assembly elections two years later. Further down the line, the alliance itself broke as the BJP's handiwork had weakened the AIADMK, whose cadres attributed their past losses to the national party's Hindutva tag. There is open acknowledgement that BJP-RSS ideologues were behind O Panneerselvam's dharma yudh after quitting as AIADMK chief minister after supremo Jayalalithaa's death in December 2016. It got a lot of media glare and ended there. Today, the party is in full control of successor chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, for whose hand in the assembly polls next year, the BJP has sort of ditched OPS and a third faction under T T V Dhinakaran. Just now, the chances are that OPS and TTV will remain as 'hangers-on' in the BJP-NDA alliance, which has proclaimed EPS as their chief ministerial candidate. It means EPS does not have to talk to the other two directly or accommodate them per se. The seats that they get to contest will thus have to go out of the BJP's share, and will be projected as the NDA's share. This was how the two contested the Lok Sabha poll last year as partners in the BJP-NDA, when of course the AIADMK was not an ally. If this was the fate of the AIADMK, the recent family feud in the PMK founder's family has brought back to light the BJP's role in forcing the party to sign up for the NDA in last year's polls. The one-upmanship between PMK founder Ramadoss, 85, and his son Anbumani, around the time BJP's chief strategist Amit Shah met with party cadres at the southern temple town of Madurai, kicked up those memories. Accordingly, Ramadoss, Sr had finalised last year's poll alliance with the AIADMK, with only the formal pact to be initialled the next morning. In the night, it was said, the BJP talked/forced Anbumani to sign up, with the result the father had to yield to his son's pleadings. This time round, the father-son familial feud burst out in the open with Anbumani demonstrating his hold over the organisation, and Ramadoss underscoring that the transferrable five per cent Vanniar community voters are still with him. The BJP, through the party's RSS trouble-shooter S Gurumurthy, seemed to have talked both PMK factions to sue for truce now, and peace later on. A chastened Anbumani has since apologised to Ramadoss in public on Father's Day, June 15, and promised to work under his direction -- but indicating that he would still be the party boss. For now at least, Anbumani has since made light of the situation by blaming the ruling DMK for the PMK's family troubles, which was all about personal egos. In particular and of consequence was Anbumani's reiteration that the 'PMK alliance' would win the assembly polls, but with clarifying if he meant the BJP-AIADMK alliance, or else... IMAGE: Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam in happier times. Photograph: ANI Photo Meanwhile, social media, and more so YouTube analysts are working overtime to recall how in Madurai, Shah only asserted that the BJP share of power in a coalition government next year, without reiterating his April commitment in Chennai that EPS would be their chief minister candidate. When AIADMK leaders started murmuring their protests, state BJP chief Nainar Nagendran had to underscore the recent commitment. But Nagendran is not getting enough backing from immediate predecessor K Annamalai, who still seems to be licking his wounds, over being replaced despite good work. Team Annamalai feels that his replacement owed not to any independent reasons that the BJP national leadership might have had, but only because EPS would not agree to reviving the alliance otherwise. That is not good news for Shah, as the party had talked the former IPS officer to quit the job and join the BJP in native Tamil Nadu -- with a possible hidden promise to elevate him as state unit chief at the first instance. Shah was visibly surprised by the thunderous applause from party cadres in Madurai when he acknowledged Annamalai's presence while commencing his address. Only a minute earlier, the ovation for incumbent Nainar was much less. Both before and after the Madurai event, Annamalai has slowly but surely begun irritating the AIADMK ally in general and EPS in particular, through his public speeches and social media posts. Nainar's official direction for party leaders and cadres not to say anything to irritate the AIADMK ally does not seem to apply to Annamalai. This, according to reports, has led to Nainar urging EPS, who was only an AIADMK colleague, to ensure that the latter's cadres and second-line leaders did not react to Annamalai kind of irritants. EPS has obliged, but how far can he hold back the cadres remains to be seen. IMAGE: Narendra Modi, K Annamalai and Pattali Makkal Katchi party founder Dr S Ramadoss. Photograph: ANI Photo Where does it all leave the alliance and its ability to unseat the DMK regime of Chief Minister M K Stalin? Election issues will get better defined only closer to the polling day, and for now individual parties are going by past numbers. After shouting 'Hurray' at the revival of the AIADMK alliance in April, the BJP strategists seem convinced now that they will need more than the pre-2024 combine, in which the PMK and a host of minor parties too were partners. In context, actor-politician Vijay's TVK seems to have caught the eyes of multiple players in the NDA combine, for a joint fight or a new front -- yes, with or without the AIADMK in it. Vijay reportedly will find it difficult to sign up with the NDA after declaring that the DMK and the BJP were his enemies. And for him to be seen as kowtowing to one of them, that too the BJP-ruled Centre, does not go down well with his cadres, reportedly numbering a high two-crore (!). Vijay's fans have dreamt of him becoming CM, and the membership they claim should be a sure-fire first step. Yet, neither the leader, nor the cadres, are battle-scarred, to be able to strategise for the last mile and the last minute. Vijay may also face a negative campaign, which is now occurring, if at all, before the radar. If social media is to be believed -- and this has not been denied -- an IRS official, who took voluntary retirement to join the TVK and be made an office-bearer on day one, had led an IT raid on the actor a couple of years ago. It is not about the raid, but about the possibility of the officer's 'influence' over Vijay to float the TVK, which from all accounts was aimed at weakening the anti-Hindutva votes of the DMK-Congress combine. Then, there is another actor-politician Seeman's NTK, which to its credit also has an eight per cent vote-share in 2024 when it had no chance of winning a single Lok Sabha seat. However, the self-delusion within the BJP-AIADMK alliance can only do more harm than good. To begin with, adding more parties will make it a 'Grand Alliance' which the ruling DMK-led alliance will find difficult to defeat, but which (alone!) will ensure that there will be a coalition government at the end of it. The AIADMK does not like it. Party leaders are talking about the AIADMK having to contest 150 to 160 seats in a total of 234 if it has to ensure outright victory. They cite the 2011 assembly polls when under Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK contested 160 and won 150 -- of course, at the head of a grand alliance. BJP strategists should also remember that they may be in the wrong if they have concluded that the NDA's 18.5 per cent in 2024 Lok Sabha polls compared favourably to the AIADMK's 23.05 per cent, in what essentially was a three-cornered contest, with the victorious DMK combine obtaining 47 per cent. The BJP-NDA, under a different combo and with DMDK founder, the late actor-politician Vijayakanth leading it, polled 18.5 per cent even in the earlier 2014 LS polls. That was the election in which the late AIADMK chief minister Jayalalithaa, gave the 'Modi-ya, indha Lady-ya?' campaign-call, and won 37 of 39 seats. The rest of India had voted Modi for the first time, and the NDA won two seats (18.5 per cent). The Opposition DMK drew a blank with a low 24 per cent votes. Even in alliance, the DMK combine, which did not include the Congress (4.5 per cent) and the two communist parties (one per cent, together) managed only a total of 27 per cent. Yet, in the assembly polls two years hence in 2016, the ruling AIADMK won 136 seats with 41 per cent. The DMK-Congress combine managed 98 seats and, yes, a 40-per cent vote-share. The BJP, contesting alone, returned to its traditional vote-share of three per cent. IMAGE: Edappadi K Palaniswami meets Amit Shah in New Delhi, March 25, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo Likewise in the past, the DMK in 1991, following Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, and the AIADMK in 1996 after Jaya's first term as chief minister, were trounced with their lowest 22 and 21 per cent vote-share, respectively. But in the very next election they bounced back. There is thus a lesson for the AIADMK, too. Rather, what the BJP should remember while negotiating with the others. Just as the DMK came back in 1996, to win back power, and do much better in 2016 compared to the Lok Sabha polls two years earlier, the AIADMK, too, has had its good times, even on other occasions. After the 1996 debacle, when CM Jaya, too, lost her Bargur seat, in the 2001 assembly polls that followed, the AIADMK under her leadership swept out the DMK government. The AIADMK won 132, yes, of 140 seats contested on its own and 196 seats for the alliance, with a combined vote-share of 50 per cent. Yes, there is no Jayalalithaa or Karunanidhi to lend heft to the campaigns of the AIADMK and the DMK, respectively, but then the TN voters have got used to being without them at the helm. The BJP, too, has not produced a charismatic leader to take their place, and the choice of Annamalai, a campaigner with an instinct definitely for the pulse of the people, did not help last year. Successive elections since 2019 have also proved that the Modi charisma and Shah's strategy does not work in 'Dravidian' Tamil Nadu. Now, they have to see next year if the DMK is capable of losing, whether to an existing NDA alliance or an expanded version, if one becomes necessary and possible! N Sathiya Moorthy, veteran journalist and author, is a Chennai-based policy analyst and political commentator. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff A Delhi court on Saturday declared UK-based arms consultant Sanjay Bhandari a fugitive economic offender on an Enforcement Directorate plea, officials said. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo The special court issued the order under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018. According to the ED, Bhandari "absconded" to the UK in 2016. India's plea seeking his extradition was recently turned down by a UK court. The ED filed a criminal case of money laundering against Bhandari and others in February 2017, taking cognisance of an Income Tax department charge sheet filed against him under the anti-black money law of 2015. The agency filed a charge sheet against him in 2020. Prominent Bihar-based businessman Gopal Khemka was shot dead outside his residence in Patna by a bike-borne assailant, seven years after miscreants had gunned down his son in Hajipur, the police said on Saturday. IMAGE: Bihar-based businessman Gopal Khemka. Photograph: @rajeshkrinc/X The incident took place around 11.40 pm on Friday near the gate of Khemka's house in Gandhi Maidan locality as he was about to alight from his car, they said. Following the incident, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a meeting to review the law and order situation in the state during which he instructed officials to complete the investigation at the earliest, officials said. Khemka was reportedly associated with the BJP. A statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office said Kumar emphasised at the meeting that the rule of law is top priority for the NDA government, and "warned of strict action against police personnel in case of negligence". He also instructed officials concerned to complete the investigation at the earliest, it added. SP (Patna Central) Diksha told reporters that officers of the local police station and personnel in patrolling vehicles had immediately reached the spot and secured the crime scene. A bullet and a cartridge have been recovered from the spot. Preliminary investigation suggests he was gunned down by an unidentified bike-borne assailant, she said. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha met the bereaved family members of the businessman later in the day. "This is not just a murder, but an attempt to challenge law and order. In this hour of sorrow, we all stand with the family. Those involved in this heinous act will be arrested. People who take the law into their own hands will not be spared. If required, encounters will also take place," he said. "Property of absconding criminals are also being bulldozed in the state. Police and administration have been given free hand to tackle criminals," he added. The criminals have been identified and they will soon be nabbed, he claimed. Some relatives and family members of Khemka alleged that police personnel arrived at the spot nearly two hours after the incident. Talking to PTI, Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar, however, denied the charge. "There is no question of delay in police action. In fact, information about the incident reached the police around 12.30 am on Saturday. After the shooting took place at 11.40 pm on Friday, his family members took him to a private hospital in Kankarbagh locality, which took almost 30-35 minutes. It was the hospital authorities that alerted police. Senior officers reached the crime scene around 12.40 am," Kumar said. Senior officers reached the crime scene around 12.40 am, he added. An SIT, comprising officials of the Special Task Force and sleuths of the central district police, has been constituted to supervise the ongoing investigation into the businessman's murder, the DGP said. The possibility of an old enmity as the cause of killing can't be ruled out, he said, adding police have obtained some crucial leads in the case. The incident took place when he returned from the Bankipore Club. "The police have certain crucial leads related to the killer and persons associated with him on the basis of analysis and scrutiny of technical and scientific evidence. Investigation is on", he said. "Khemka's son was also killed in Hajipur in 2018 in a case related to some land dispute. In the wake of that, security was provided to Gopal Khemka on a payment basis. It was withdrawn in April 2024, and he never requested for security thereafter. After yesterday's incident, police have provided security to his other son, who is a doctor by profession, and other family members," Kumar said. The police conducted searches at Patna's Beur jail and reportedly quizzed some inmates in connection with the incident. "The police recovered three mobile phones (with SIM cards), one data cable and a piece of paper on which several mobile numbers were written during searches", a statement by Patna Police on Saturday evening said. Reacting to the incident, Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries vice-president Ashish Shankar told PTI, "The incident is a matter of serious concern. It puts a question mark on the state's law and order situation. The shooting took place a few metres from Gandhi Maidan police station, but it took several hours for police to reach the spot." He added, "The incident reminds us of those years when such incidents were considered routine." In a post on X, Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, said: "A few steps away from the police station in Patna, a prominent Bihar businessman was shot dead! Hundreds of businessmen/traders are being murdered in Bihar every month, but people are not calling it jungle raj. This is called media management and image building exercise by the government." Bihar Congress Chief Rajesh Kumar told reporters: "The incident has again exposed the state's law and order situation. It's quite surprising that the ruling BJP is not able to save its own family members". Independent Lok Sabha MP from Purnea, Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav, in another post on X, said, "No one is safe. Criminals are being protected by the current NDA government in the state. Nitish ji, please spare Bihar. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described his recent meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as positive and friendly, highlighting the constructive atmosphere of their discussions on the sidelines of the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), held on July 4 in Azerbaijans city of Khankendi. Azernews reports that speaking at a press conference in Tehran following his return from the summit, President Pezeshkian emphasized that the meeting with President Aliyev led to encouraging agreements in the areas of economic and regional cooperation. The Iranian leader also commented on his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, calling it very positive and constructive. He noted that economic issues were a central focus and that both sides consulted on future diplomatic coordination efforts. Regarding his talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Pezeshkian said that the dialogue was productive, centered on strengthening bilateral ties and mutual support. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing diplomatic relations and joint economic cooperation. Pezeshkian also met with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, where the importance of expanding collaboration in the fields of economy, science, and transportation was underscored. Both parties agreed on the need to further strengthen the partnership between their countries. These kinds of summits can play a key role in deepening ties among Muslim nations, President Pezeshkian stated. Government officials and experts must become more active, particularly in the fields of science, transportation, and culture. Mutual visits should not be limited to the presidential level. Ministers and deputy ministers must actively follow up on the agreements reached. The 17th ECO Summit in Khankendi brought together leaders from across the region to discuss strategies for advancing economic integration and regional collaboration among member states. Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE:HWM) is one of the 25 stocks Jim Cramer recently shared insights on. During the episode, Cramer noted that it is one of the stocks investors should consider. He said: But what do we do with the very different set of winners for the first half? I want you to consider the GE Vernovas and the Howmets and the Palantirs, the stocks that are likely to finish the year dramatically higher from these exalted levels. What do you do with the stocks that have been on a run nonstop for 26 weeks, though? I think you send them on one of those two-week vacations like that Southeast Asia, Cape Town, maybe New Zealand. You pay no attention to them. Let them have a good time. Just take them off your screen, come back to them when the rotations run its course. Jim Cramer on Howmet Aerospace: "Likely to Finish the Year Dramatically Higher" Engineers examining stress tests of an aircraft engine, working to make sure its ready for flight. Howmet (NYSE:HWM) delivers advanced components and solutions for aerospace and transportation, including engine parts, fastening systems, engineered structures, and forged aluminum wheels. The company serves both commercial and defense sectors globally. During a March episode, Cramer mentioned the company stock and said: Finally, there are the industrials, again, a group thats prone to failure during a recession. See my point? These are all oddities, right? Then its followed by GE Aerospace and Howmet, which makes fasteners for planes. These are both part of the aerospace bull market, which is still going on. Its a quiet one that shows no sign of quitting at all. While we acknowledge the potential of HWM as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Unstoppable Stocks That Could Double Your Money. Disclosure: None. The Dalai Lama on Saturday put to rest rumours surrounding the announcement of his successor, saying he hopes to live for another 30-40 years more to serve people. IMAGE: Tibetan Spiritual leader Dalai Lama arrives to conduct a prayer ceremony at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Bylakuppe, Karnataka, January 9, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo Speaking at the long life prayer ceremony ahead of his 90th birth anniversary on Sunday at Tsuglagkhang, the main Dalai Lama temple in McLeodganj, Tenzin Gyatso said that he has "clear signs and indications" that the blessings of the Avalokiteshvara are with him. "Looking at the many prophecies, I feel I have blessings of the Avalokiteshvara. I have done my best so far. I hope to still live for 30-40 years more. Your prayers have borne fruit so far," the Tibetan spiritual leader said. He added that ever since he was a child, he had the feeling that he had a strong connection with Avalokiteshvara. "And I have been able to serve the Buddha dharma and the beings of Tibet so far quite well. And still I hope to live over 130 years," he said. The Tibetan government-in-exile has organised a weeklong series of events to celebrate the birth anniversary of the 14th Dalai Lama here. As part of the celebrations, a long life prayer ceremony was held at the main temple that was attended by over 15,000 people. The temple was thronged by devotees, representatives of different sects of Tibetan Buddhism, senior lamas of various monasteries, according to Tenzin Lekshay, the spokesperson of the Central Tibetan Administration. The Dalai Lama said that though the Tibetans have lost their country and are living in exile in India, he has been able to "benefit beings quite a lot." "Those living here in Dharamshala. I intend to benefit and serve beings as much as I can," he said. On the occasion, the Dalai Lama also recalled meeting Chinese leader Mao Zedong, who famously said: "Religion is poison." "...but I didn't respond to him, so he actually cast a very evil gaze, but I didn't respond. And I felt compassion. Then later I met Nehru. Throughout my life, I have met people who have an interest in religion and those who don't have an interest in religion," the spiritual leader said. He noted that Buddhist scriptures talk about people having different mental dispositions and inclinations, but despite that, everyone strives for happiness. "Even those who have no religion or belief, they also strive to have happiness and avoid suffering. So all beings on this earth, even Tibetans, we don't want suffering, we want happiness. All of us are the same in that sense. So accordingly, we need to engage in the methods to bring about happiness for them and alleviate their sufferings," he said. The rumours of an announcement of the Dalai Lama's successor have been making rounds since days ahead of his 90th birth anniversary, which have since been refuted in light of increased tension with China on the matter. Penpa Tsering, the president of the Central Tibetan Administration, rejected such rumours by saying, "It doesn't happen like that." "Some are talking as if his holiness is going to die tomorrow or the day after or next year or something. He says he's going to live for another 20 years. So we have to understand the tradition. I think a lot of people came expecting this. His holiness might appoint somebody, or he might say that I'm going to be born in this place at that time. It doesn't happen like that," Tsering said. The birth anniversary celebrations on Sunday will be attended by cabinet ministers Kiren Rijiju, a practising Buddhist, and Rajiv Ranjan Singh. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, and Hollywood actor Richard Gere will attend the ceremony. A 24-year-old Indian-origin man has been jailed for life following what Scotland Yard described as a significant police investigation into an attempted rape and rape of a child in London. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo Navroop Singh was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years behind bars for five charges including rape at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday, the Metropolitan Police said. He had previously pleaded guilty to three offences -- possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, rape of a girl under 13 and assault of a girl under 13 by penetration. He had been additionally convicted of the attempted rape of a woman in west London in October 2024 following a four-day trial at Isleworth Crown Court. "I would like to commend the strength of the victim-survivors and their families and thank them for their unwavering bravery in reporting these awful incidents to us," said acting chief superintendent Sean Lynch, who leads policing in West Area for the Met Police. Today's conviction is testament to the officers' thorough investigation, which has identified a violent sexual offender and undoubtedly prevented further harm, he said. The investigation was launched by his team, who tracked down Singh using forensics, CCTV and witness accounts to build a file of evidence against him. "We are continuing to prioritise tackling violence against women and girls with our increased specialist teams. I hope that the community will find reassurance in our action to put this predator behind bars," added Detective Lynch. The police investigation was launched following reports of an attempted rape of a woman in her 20s on October 13 last year. The police were alerted by the victim, who, by chance, was met with two off-duty officers near the gates of Southall Park in Ealing, west London, and then accompanied her to the nearest police station. Singh had been sitting on a bench in the park during the early hours of the same day, where he waited for a potential victim to walk past. He was carrying an imitation firearm, which he had ordered and assembled, and used to threaten the victim while he attempted to rape her, the Met Police said. On the days following the report, officers trawled through hours of CCTV footage to try and identify an offender. While the investigation was ongoing, a child was raped at a different park on October 23, 2024, and officers are said to have immediately made a link between the offences. Using the increased resources which were made available, officers secured additional forensic evidence. Officers were able to trace the offender to within a few doors of his home address where they delivered leaflets to appeal for witnesses and carried out increased patrols of the area, the Met Police said. Singh was arrested on October 27 last year, with each of the victims supported by specialist officers throughout the investigation and court process. "The Met has made tackling VAWG (Violence against Women and Girls) a priority and are working to relentlessly pursue the city's most dangerous predators who often commit other crimes. We are placing hundreds more officers into bigger teams, rolling out specialist training, transforming our own culture and trying innovative methods, including counter-terrorism tactics, to track down offenders," the Met Police added. Five Maharashtra Navnirman Sena supporters were arrested on Saturday for the attack on investor Sushil Kedia's office in Worli in Mumbai over the latter's social media post about not learning Marathi and his kya karna hai bol dare to Raj Thackeray. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo Hours after the attack, Kedia apologised for the social post claiming he had overreacted and also professed admiration for Thackeray. Kedia said he had uploaded the post in a wrong state of mind under duress and stress and wished to correct it unequivocally after realising his mistake. "Having come under pressure mentally from the violence inflicted on those who do not know Marathi, I ended up over-reacting," Kedia said. "I realise I must take back my over-reactions and withdraw," he asserted. In his apology video, Kedia said, "Even after living for 30 years in Mumbai, the level of proficiency and fluency that a native Marathi born can have, we will not be able to achieve and for avoiding any embarrassments or confusions, one has been using Marathi language only in less than formal situations, with a casual atmosphere only before people very closely known to them." "It has not happened to me in the use of seven other Indian languages that I could learn over a period of time," Kedia added. Kedia said he has a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude towards Raj Thackeray for the strong issues he raises, the strength with which stands up in matters like the Hanuman Chalisa campaign (when Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister), championing the cause of Hindutva and "rashtrawad" (nationalism). Kedia came into the crosshairs of the Raj Thackeray-led party on Friday. After some incidents of people getting thrashed over non-use of Marathi triggered by the controversy linked to the "imposition" of Hindi and three-language policy in state schools, Kedia had expressed his anger through a social media post targeting Thackeray. "I don't know Marathi properly even after living for 30 years in Mumbai & with your gross misconduct I have made it a resolve that until such people as you are allowed to pretend to be taking care of Marathi Manus I take pratigya I won't learn Marathi. Kya karna hai bol?" Kedia had posted on X. In response, MNS supporters, shouting slogans in support of Thackeray and Marathi, had thrown coconuts at the glass door entrance of Kedia's office this morning, with videos of the attack going viral on social media immediately. In the videos, security personnel posted at the site can be seen trying to thwart the attack in vain, while office staff attempted to down shutters to avoid getting hit by the coconuts. Five MNS supporters have been arrested in connection with the attack and further probe into the incident is underway, a Worli police station official said. Incidentally, police had provided security to Kedia's office situated at Century Bazar after his post began generating a backlash from MNS supporters. Meanwhile, Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Ramdas Athawale slammed the MNS over the incident. The MNS supports Marathi but uses anti-constitutional methods, he said. "The MNS' stand is that if you don't speak Marathi then you will get slapped. This is unconstitutional. Bullying in the name of Marathi is not right," Athawale said. "We are with you (MNS) on the issue of Marathi but with them (BJP) on the issue of Hindi," he added. Asserting that insistence on Marathi is correct, the Union minister said it was not right to teach Hindi to 6-year-olds from Class I.. At least 47 Palestinians were killed in airstrikes in Gaza as Israeli forces again targeted people waiting for food, while hospitals struggled to cope with the wounded, Al Jazeera reported, quoting hospital sources. IMAGE: Belongings, furnutire and debries lie on the floor at a UNRWA school sheltering displaced people that was hit in an an overnight Israeli strike, in Gaza City, July 5, 2025. Photograph: Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters Meanwhile, Hamas has announced its readiness to begin negotiations "immediately" on a proposed 60-day ceasefire that would allow vital aid into Gaza. Hamas ally Islamic Jihad has expressed support for the truce talks but demanded "guarantees" to ensure the process leads to a permanent ceasefire. The announcement came after Hamas consulted with other Palestinian factions. It precedes a planned visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington, where U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for an end to the war, now in its 21st month, Al Jazeera reported. Since the conflict began, Israel's war on Gaza has killed at least 57,338 people and wounded 135,957, according to Gaza's health ministry. In the October 7, 2023, attacks, 1,139 people were killed in Israel and more than 200 taken captive. Al Jazeera further reported that hospitals in Gaza remain overwhelmed as strikes persist in areas where civilians are queuing for food, worsening the humanitarian crisis. In a key development, Hamas confirmed it had "submitted a positive response" to the 60-day ceasefire proposal, marking a potential breakthrough after months of failed efforts, CNN reported. The group said it is "fully prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations regarding the mechanism for implementing this framework." Israel had previously accepted the U.S.-sponsored framework, paving the way for final detailed negotiations. Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American interlocutor who has spoken directly with Hamas, welcomed the development, stating on Facebook, "We are now much closer to ending this cursed war," while noting Hamas had introduced some amendments. He added that the changes would not obstruct a ceasefire agreement "within the coming week, God willing." An Israeli source familiar with the matter confirmed that Israel had anticipated a positive response from Hamas and described the proposal's rewording as minor and unlikely to derail talks. US President Donald Trump on Friday expressed optimism, saying a ceasefire deal could be reached next week following Hamas's response. "We have to get it over with," he said. "We have to do something about Gaza." According to the proposal, of the 50 Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza, Hamas would release 10 -- eight on the first day of the ceasefire and 18 deceased -- in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners. Following the initial release, Israel would withdraw from parts of northern Gaza and both sides would begin talks for a permanent ceasefire. The releases would take place without any Hamas ceremonies, and the remaining hostages would be freed on four additional dates specified in the plan. Ceasefire efforts intensified after the recent 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. Qatar, a key mediator, promptly launched new rounds of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel to find common ground, CNN reported. The new proposal offers stronger U.S. assurances that Israel will remain engaged in talks aimed at achieving a permanent ceasefire, either during or following the 60-day truce, according to an Israeli official and a source familiar with the negotiations. It also obliges Israel to allow a significant increase in humanitarian aid into Gaza via traditional channels rather than the controversial Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. President Trump has been actively pushing for the ceasefire, stating on Tuesday that Israel had "agreed to the necessary conditions" for the 60-day cessation of hostilities. On Truth Social, he warned Hamas to accept the deal, saying, "I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal because it will not get better -- IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE," while thanking Qatar and Egypt for facilitating the talks. Despite ongoing negotiations, Israel has continued its bombardment, killing scores across the besieged enclave. The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 57,000 since the war began, according to the Palestinian ministry of health. Until recently, Israel had refused to accept a ceasefire that included a comprehensive end to the war, as Netanyahu insisted on destroying Hamas' military capacity and governing ability. However, the recent conflict with Iran appears to have shifted his stance. On Sunday, Netanyahu signaled a new openness, saying "many opportunities have opened up" following Israel's operations in Iran, including the chance to bring home hostages held in Gaza. It was the first time in months that Netanyahu explicitly prioritized hostage recovery over the complete defeat of Hamas. Before leaving for Washington, where he is scheduled to meet President Trump on Monday, Netanyahu will convene his full cabinet on Saturday night to discuss the ceasefire proposal. Although far-right members of his government have vowed to block the deal, other political factions have pledged support, increasing the likelihood of an agreement. Monojit Mishra, prime accused in the gangrape of a student at South Calcutta Law College, along with his accomplices spent considerable time drinking liquor inside the institute's guard room after committing the crime on June 25, before heading out for the night, an investigating officer said on Saturday. IMAGE: The three accused being taken to court in Kolkata. Photograph: ANI Photo According to the police, the trio, the other two being Pramit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed, then went to a dhaba on EM Bypass for dinner before returning to their respective homes the next morning. "After committing the crime, the three consumed alcohol in the guard's room and then asked security guard Pinaki Banerjee to keep his mouth shut about the incident," the officer added. Investigation revealed that a day after the crime on June 26, Monojit, realising the gravity of the situation, contacted an "influential" person in Deshapriya Park, South Kolkata, who had previously helped him. However, sensing the 'mood' of the situation, the person advised Monojit to back off, police said. The prime accused then sought help from his "mentors" to find an escape route, the officer said. "Monojit went to various parts of the city including Rashbehari, Deshapriya Park, Gariahat, Fern Road, and Ballygunge Station Road, trying to meet his mentors. Mobile tower data also indicated that he visited someone near Karaya police station," the officer added. The probe also revealed that Monojit and the other two had planned the entire matter long ago, the officer claimed. Call Detail Records (CDR) showed multiple conversations among the three in the days leading up to the June 25 incident, the officer added. Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane has hit out at the Thackeray cousins -- Uddhav and Raj --over their joint rally in Mumbai, terming it as a "jihadi and anti-Hindu gathering" aimed at dividing society and weakening the state. IMAGE: Maharashtra minister Nitesh Narayan Rane speaks to the media during the monsoon session of state legislative assembly, at Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai, July 3, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo After two decades, Uddhav and Raj on Saturday shared the public stage and hosted a victory gathering, titled 'Awaj Marathicha' in Mumbai's Worli area, to celebrate the rollback of two Government Resolutions issued earlier by the Devendra Fadnavis-led dispensation introducing Hindi as a third language from Class 1 in state schools. Talking to reporters on Friday, a day prior to the rally, Rane said, "We are Hindus and also proud Marathi. The way jihadis attempt to divide our society, these people are doing the same. Be it (banned) Popular Front of India or Students' Islamic Movement of India who work against the idea of a Hindu Rashtra, these two (Thackerays) are no different. They are trying to weaken the state." On the Thackerays' joint rally, the BJP leader said, "The Worli meeting is aimed at dividing Hindus and Marathi people. It can be equated with the rallies of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, PFI or SIMI. It will cause the biggest damage to Hindus in the state. After the rally, sweets will be distributed in Null Bazar (a Muslim-dominated area in Mumbai) and firecrackers will be burst." "It is an anti-Hindu rally," the Fisheries and Port Development Minister said. Rane is the son of former Union minister Narayan Rane, the bete noire of Uddhav Thackeray. Senior BJP leader and former minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, however, struck a conciliatory note. "If Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are coming together, it's a good thing. They have our best wishes. The two brothers should unite and stay united. If necessary, both parties should even consider merging," he said. On the controversy over the three-language policy, which has now been cancelled, Mungantiwar said the issue had not been politicised. "There was never any distant attempt to politicise the Marathi issue. I still don't understand why such a misunderstanding was spread," he said. He said the three-language formula was originally recommended by a committee appointed during Uddhav Thackeray's tenure as chief minister. "As per the formula, Hindi was to be mandatory only after Class 5, while Marathi and English were already compulsory from Class 1. The idea was that at an early age, children could easily pick up a third language. There is no attack on Marathi in this," he said. Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in Maharashtra on Saturday said Uddhav and Raj Thackeray's joint rally in Mumbai was a "desperate attempt" to revive their political fortunes and recover lost ground ahead of civic polls, adding the event was more like a "family reunion". Photograph: Sahil Salvi/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray at the rally in Mumbai, July 5, 2025. Uddhav and Raj on Saturday shared the public stage and hosted a victory gathering titled 'Awaj Marathicha' in Mumbai's Worli to celebrate the rollback of two Government Resolutions (GRs) issued earlier by the Devendra Fadnavis-led dispensation introducing Hindi as a third language from Class 1 in state schools. During the rally, Uddhav, who heads the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, said he and his cousin Raj, the president of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, have come together to stay united, and hinted at contesting the upcoming civic elections together. Raj took aim at Chief Minister Fadnavis, saying he managed to do what Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and others could not by bringing the two cousins together. State minister Ashish Shelar and BJP MLC Pravin Darekar targeted the Thackeray cousins over the event. Shelar described the Worli event as a desperate attempt by the Sena-UBT to recover its lost political ground. "This was not a rally for the love of language but public appeasement of a brother once thrown out of the house. They remembered their brotherhood due to the fear of BJP's strength in the civic polls," he said. The Thackerays were trying to reclaim control over the BMC in order to resume their misrule in the city, he added. The event was more of a family reunion than a protest over language issue, Shelar said, adding Uddhav Thackeray's handshake with Raj Thackeray was only meant to salvage the political ground they have already lost. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule accused Uddhav Thackeray of duplicity in his stand on the Marathi language. "Under the guise of championing Marathi, Uddhav Thackeray today lamented the loss of power in Worli. But he has not explained why, as chief minister in 2022, he accepted a report recommending compulsory Hindi from Class 1," Bawankule said in his post on X. The senior BJP leader claimed the former CM's real agenda was not 'M' for Marathi, but 'M' for Municipal Corporation. "When in power in Mumbai, he sidelined Marathi-speaking people. Now, he is putting up a show of love for Marathi just to regain power. His love for Marathi is political drama that surfaces only when elections approach. People have now seen through this duplicity," he asserted. Darekar claimed the rally was driven by clear political intent. "Raj Thackeray spoke mainly on the Marathi language issue and defended himself against earlier allegations, but Uddhav Thackeray's tone was that of helplessness. His regret over losing power was evident," he said. He asserted that Marathi people had already shown their support to the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the November 2024 state assembly elections. "Did Pakistanis vote for us?...It was the Marathi voters who gave the Mahayuti a massive mandate. In Mumbai too, BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP's Sana Malik won with the support of Marathi people," he said. There was confusion on stage about party flags and special invites, which proved it was not a cultural event but a calculated political programme, he added. Asked about the remarks against CM Fadnavis, Darekar said similar statements were earlier made by NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar and they were possibly influenced by Sharad Pawar's proximity to Uddhav Thackeray. "Still, the fact that Uddhav is attacking Fadnavis shows the latter's popularity. People throw stones at those trees that bear fruit," the BJP legislator opined. Responding to Raj Thackeray's remark that Devendra Fadnavis achieved what Balasaheb Thackeray could not, Darekar said it should be taken positively. He sought to know how many Marathi builders benefited when the Thackerays were in power. Darekar also highlighted the BJP's efforts to promote Marathi language. "It was Fadnavis who constantly followed up with the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who granted the status of classical language to Marathi. It should not be forgotten," he said. On Uddhav's allegation that BJP discards its allies after using them, Darekar countered saying it was the Sena (UBT) chief himself who abandoned his own leaders. "We allowed the (undivided) Shiv Sena to have its mayor in BMC despite the BJP being just a few seats short. But it was Uddhav Thackeray who exercised use-and-throw policy with Sena leaders like Narayan Rane, Chhagan Bhujbal, Ramdas Kadam, Ganesh Naik and even Raj Thackeray," he said. Commenting on Uddhav's newfound partnership with Raj, the BJP MLC said it was driven purely by political needs. "He never gave Raj importance in the party. But now, in order to save his own position, he is trying to bring him back," he said. While acknowledging the right to protest, Darekar warned that such movements must not lead to division. "Under the garb of protest, if there is an attempt to create division based on language, caste or religion, it should be avoided," he said. On Friday, state minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane had dubbed the joint rally as a "jihadi and anti-Hindu gathering" aimed at dividing society and weakening the state. Senior BJP leader and former minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, however, struck a conciliatory note. "If Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are coming together, it's a good thing. They have our best wishes. The two brothers should unite and stay united. If necessary, both parties should even consider merging," he said. 'Rudali' speech: Fadnavis takes sharp swipe at Uddhav In a veiled swipe at Uddhav Thackeray, Fadnavis said he delivered a rudali (professional mourner) like speech at the joint rally. He "thanked" the MNS chief for crediting him in reuniting the two Thackeray cousins. Rudali refers to a female professional mourner in certain regions, particularly in Rajasthan, where they were hired to publicly express grief during funerals, especially in upper-caste families. In Pandarpur, Fadnavis said no word was spoken about Marathi at the event and the speech (delivered by Uddhav) focused on how his government was toppled and how they can regain power. "The rally was not Vijay utsav but a 'rudali' darshan," the chief minister said. He stated that despite ruling the Mumbai civic body for 25 years, they (the undivided Sena) failed to bring in development. "Conversely, under Modi's leadership, we have transformed Mumbai. We gave Marathi people their rightful homes at BDD and Patra chawls (tenements), which made them (Uddhav-led) jealous," he said. The chief minister said he was proud to be Marathi and Hindu. "All Marathi and non-Marathi people are with us". The Andhra Pradesh police on Saturday identified one of the two terror suspects arrested in Rayachoti recently by the Tamil Nadu police as a "big fish", with advanced bomb making skills. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo Kurnool range deputy inspector general of police Koya Praveen said Abubacker Siddique operated as a lone wolf, providing his terror expertise to those who shared his radical ideology and was influenced by radical fugitive preacher Zakir Naik. "This fellow (Siddique) whom we caught is too big a fish than what we had thought. This fellow is too big a fellow, who had travelled all across the length and breadth of this country. Who frequently travelled to the Gulf also, Abubacker Siddique," Praveen said. Recently, Tamil Nadu's Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested Siddique and his accomplice Mohammed Ali in Rayachoti in Annamayya district. Zakir Naik school of thought. He is more of a lone wolf. Ideologically motivated and an expert in making IEDs and electronic devices, timer explosive devices, said Praveen. According to the police, Siddique is an expert maker of improvised explosive devices, timer explosive devices and other highly lethal materials. The police conducted a fresh round of searches today at the duo's premises, but did not find any explosives. They managed to confiscate some documents and pen drives. Earlier, police recovered daggers, sickles, digital timers, clock switches, speed controllers, ball bearings, nuts and bolts, binoculars, walkie-talkies, mobile phones, and hacking software. They also seized maps of major Indian cities, coding manuals, ISIS-inspired literature, property documents, digital storage devices, cheque books, and financial records linked to suspicious transactions. On July 3, the police disposed of a parcel bomb seized from them. After settling in Rayachoti, the DIG noted that Siddique, who is in his mid-50s, had carried out the bomb blast at BJP's Malleshwaram office in Bengaluru. Siddique was allegedly involved in the 2011 pipe-bomb planting attempt during BJP veteran and former deputy prime minister LK Advani's rath yatra in Tamil Nadu's Madurai, among other terror activities. The Delhi high court has dismissed over 200 petitions of the ministry of defence challenging the Armed Force Tribunal's order holding a number of defence personnel entitled for disability pension for their respective disabilities. Photograph: Umar Ganie/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Security personnel stand guard during an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir. Disability pension cannot be denied to defence personnel solely on the ground that the onset of the disability occurred while they were posted at a peace station or by contending that it is a lifestyle disease, it said, while noting that military service is inherently stressful due to a combination of factors. A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur said that granting disability pension is not an act of generosity but a rightful and just acknowledgement of the sacrifices endured by defence personnel which manifest in the form of disabilities/ disorders suffered during their military service. The purpose of granting disability pension to personnel of the Indian Armed Forces is to provide necessary financial support to those who have sustained a disability or illness during the course of their service due to service conditions, the bench said in its 85-page common judgment passed on July 1. The court said such the pension ensures that a soldier who suffers injury or disability due to service conditions is not left without support and is able to live with financial security and dignity. It is a measure that upholds the State's responsibility towards its soldiers, who have served the nation with courage and devotion, it added. The court said it must be kept in mind that armed forces personnel, in defending the nation from external threats, have to perform their duties in the most harsh and inhuman weather and conditions, be it in far-flung corners of land, in terrains and atmosphere where the limits of a man's survival are tested, or in air or water, where again surviving each day is a challenge, away from the luxury of family life and comforts. The central government, through the ministry of defence, challenged the tribunal's orders on the grounds that the Release Medical Board had clearly opined that the medical condition of the defence personnel suffering from hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus Type II was neither attributable to nor aggravated by military service. The ministry contended that these personnel were not entitled to disability element of pension. The high court said it was incumbent upon the RMB to furnish cogent and well-reasoned justification for their conclusions that the disease or disability suffered by the personnel cannot be said to be attributable to or aggravated by such service conditions. The court said disability pension cannot be denied to defence personnel solely on the ground that the onset of the disability occurred while they were posted at a peace station. "It is disheartening that members of our armed forces are being denied disability pension solely on the aforementioned ground. This overlooks the continuous physical and mental stress faced by soldiers, regardless of their location," the bench said. It said even in peace stations, military service is inherently stressful due to a combination of factors such as strict discipline, long working hours, limited personal freedom, and constant readiness for deployment. The psychological burden of being away from family, living in isolated or challenging environments, and coping with the uncertainty of sudden transfers or duties adds to this strain. Additionally, the toll of continuous combat training further contributes to mental fatigue, it said. Despite the absence of active conflict or the challenges of hard area postings, the demanding nature of military life at peace stations can significantly impact the overall well-being of personnel, the court said, adding that even when not on the front lines or in hard areas, soldiers are aware that the threat is never far away. This environment, where danger is a constant reality for their peers and could become their own at any moment, creates a persistent state of mental and emotional strain that cannot be overlooked. "Thus, military service, whether in peace locations or operational zones, inherently carries stress that may predispose force personnel to medical conditions such as hypertension, the bench said. The court said lifestyle varies from individual to individual and a mere statement that a disease is a lifestyle disorder cannot be a sufficient reason to deny disability pension, unless the medical board has duly examined and recorded particulars relevant to the individual concerned. When force personnel have rendered prolonged military service, there exists a substantial onus on the RMB to establish that the hypertension is not attributable to or aggravated by military service, it said. The court said the authorities have ignored that many of these soldiers had previously served in the field or hard areas, only to be diagnosed with their respective disabilities later during their peace postings. Denying benefits under such circumstances not only undermines their service but also fails to acknowledge the effect of their demanding careers, it said. The court said the possibility cannot be ruled out that these factors jointly and severally can become a chronic source of mental stress and strain, precipitating various medical conditions such as hypertension. It said the RMB must not resort to a vague and stereotyped approach but should engage in a comprehensive, logical, and rational analysis of the service and medical records of the personnel, and must record well-reasoned findings while discharging the onus placed upon it. The matters pertaining to Diabetes Mellitus Type II in which the RMB has opined that the disease is not attributable to or aggravated by military service, solely based on the fact that the onset was at a peace station, cannot be sustained, the court said. The NSCI Dome in Worli, central Mumbai, was awash in a sea of saffron flags and drowned in cries of Marathi pride as Uddhav Thackeray and his estranged cousin Raj Thackeray came together to celebrate Marathi Vijay Diwas on Saturday. The cousins came together to mark the Maharashtra government's decision to scrap a contentious order making Hindi a compulsory third language in the state's primary schools, which they said hit at the Marathi manoos. Cries of Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji, Aawaz Konacha, Marathi manasacha rent the air as the public streamed into the Dome. Prasanna D Zore/Rediff captured these visuals from the venue of the joint rally, the cousins first since Raj Thackeray broke off from the united Shiv Sena to form the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in 2006. Video above: ANI Kontoor Brands, Inc. (NYSE:KTB) is one of the 22 stocks Jim Cramer recently talked about. Expressing bullishness on the companys story, Cramer said: Listen, Im telling stories here. Given all the product that theyve sourced in Vietnam, who else? Okay, I got a wild one for you, Kontoor Brands, the parent of Lee and Wrangler jeans. They have almost no manufacturing in Vietnam, forget that. But it just acquired Helly Hansen, the outdoor apparel company, affectionately known in the Cramer family as Helly R, and Vietnam is a major manufacturing hub for them. Oh, I like that story. Jim Cramer on Kontoor Brands: "I Like That Story" A view of a designer staff in front of a studio with lifestyle apparel they designed. Kontoor Brands (NYSE:KTB) is a lifestyle apparel company that designs, markets, and distributes denim, clothing, footwear, and accessories under the Wrangler, Lee, and Rock & Republic brands. Earlier in the week, Cramer commented: Let me give you another one that has a 3% yield, has just completed a dynamite acquisition. Kontoor Brands, the maker of Wrangler and Lee jeans, which did miss the quarter not that long ago, but bear with me here Helly Hansens, thats a fantastic clothing brand, just purchased by Kontoor Brands. I cannot believe, they practically stole this one, for something like $900 million, exact price not disclosed. I think the acquisition transformed this company and makes up for any mistakes by Wrangler or Lee on the way. I think they should call the company Helly Hansen. While we acknowledge the potential of KTB as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Unstoppable Stocks That Could Double Your Money. Disclosure: None. At least 36 Amarnath pilgrims suffered minor injuries when five buses slammed into each other in Ramban district on Saturday, officials said. IMAGE: A damaged bus being shifted from the accident site in Ramban, Jammu and Kashmir, July 5, 2025. Photograph: ANI on X The buses were part of a convoy headed for Pahalgam base camp in south Kashmir from Jammu's Bhagwati Nagar. The accident took place near Chanderkoot, along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, at around 8 am, officials said. They said the collision occurred due to the failure of the brakes of one of the buses in the convoy. IMAGE: Cops inspecting the accident site. Photograph: ANI on X "The last vehicle of the Pahalgam convoy lost control and hit stranded vehicles at the Chanderkot Langer site, damaging four vehicles and causing minor injuries to 36 Yatris," Ramban deputy commissioner Mohammad Alyas Khan said. He said the government officials already present at the site rushed the injured to the Ramban district hospital. IMAGE: A damaged bus in the accident. Photograph: ANI on X Several senior police officers visited the hospital to monitor the treatment of the injured and directed the chief medical officer to ensure the best care. "The Yatris were later shifted to other vehicles for their onward journey," the deputy commissioner said. Ramban medical superintendent Sudarshan Singh Katoch said the pilgrims were discharged immediately after first aid. Photograph: ANI on X The convoy left for its destination after the damaged buses were replaced, officials said. The fourth batch of 6,979 pilgrims -- 5,196 men, 1,427 women, 24 children, 331 sadhus and sadhvis, and one transgender -- left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in two separate convoys between 3.30 am and 4.05 am. While 4,226 pilgrims left in 161 vehicles for Nunwan base camp for the 48-km traditional Pahalgam route, 2,753 pilgrims were headed for the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in 151 vehicles. United States President Donald Trump has opened a two-week window for diplomacy with Iran before deciding on military action, aiming to restart stalled negotiations amid Israel's bombing campaign, CNN reported. IMAGE: Emergency personnel gather at an impact site following a missile strike from Iran on Israel, in Holon, Tel Aviv, on June 19, 2025. Photograph: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters Trump and advisers hope that Iran -- under pressure from Israeli strikes and missile losses -- might agree to drop its uranium enrichment, a demand previously rejected, CNN reported. The pause also allows Trump more time to assess the risks of entering a foreign conflict he aimed to avoid. White House efforts included proposed deployments of Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Vice President J D Vance to the region, though both remained in Washington, DC as no talks were scheduled, as reported by CNN. Meanwhile, European foreign ministers from Britain, Germany, and France will meet Iranian representatives in Geneva on Friday to revisit Witkoff's earlier offer. Iran, however, has maintained it will not negotiate with the US until Israel's bombing of its territory ends -- emphasising that US officials have not pressured Israel to halt the strikes, CNN noted. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt affirmed Trump's stand, stating diplomacy remains viable while emphasising the strength of the US military. "Iran and the entire world should know that the United States military is the strongest and most lethal fighting force in the world," she said. In a series of Situation Room meetings this week, Trump reviewed options involving bunker-buster bombs targeting Iran's underground nuclear facility at Fordow, but expressed concern over the risk of a multi-year war. The prospect of a drawn-out engagement troubles many of his advisers, as well as his onetime strategist Steve Bannon. US Secretary of State Rubio has also actively engaged with allies, holding conversations with European counterparts on ensuring Iran never develops nuclear weapons. Ahead of Geneva talks, he discussed the matter with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who stated, "Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon." A White House official described the upcoming European-Iran meeting as a 'temperature check' to gauge Tehran's openness to diplomatic settlement amid mutual strikes. Special Envoy Witkoff has continued indirect outreach to Iran, and though the administration feels diplomatic options remain viable, Iran's response to third-party mediators has so far shown no shift. Tensions between Israel and Iran escalated on June 13 when Israel launched operation 'Rising Lion', targeting Iran's nuclear infrastructure. Iran responded with retaliatory strikes. Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi's younger brother, Nehal Modi, walked out of a US prison on Friday after serving a nearly-three-year sentence in a cheating case and was taken into custody soon after by authorities there on the request of Indian agencies, officials said. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Diamantaire Nirav Modi. The Interpol had issued a Red Notice against Nehal Modi on the request of the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2021 and an extradition request was also sent in 2022, but it could not be executed as he was incarcerated in a US prison after being sentenced in a cheating case, the officials said. The CBI was in touch with US authorities for the last one month as Nehal Modi's date of release neared, they added.. The coordination between the agencies of the two countries ensured that Nehal Modi was arrested soon after he was released from jail, the officials said. The CBI will press for his extradition during a July 17 hearing, while Nehal Modi may seek bail from the court, they said. Nehal Modi, 46, was convicted by a New York State Supreme Court jury of Grand Larceny in the First Degree in 2022. He had made false representations regarding a purported deal with Costco Wholesale Corporation to obtain diamonds worth more than USD 2.6 million from LLD, also known as Lev Leviev Diamonds, between March and August 2015, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L Bragg had said in a statement on July 29, 2022. "Mr Modi tricked this Manhattan company and pawned and sold diamonds that were not rightfully his on the cheap for his own financial gain," Bragg had said. In India, Nehal Modi is wanted in connection with the alleged Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud -- one of the biggest banking scams -- reportedly orchestrated by his elder brother, Nirav Modi, and uncle, Mehul Choksi. Nirav Modi had, through his companies, siphoned off approximately Rs 6,498 crore from the PNB by issuing fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoUs), while the remaining amount was misappropriated by his uncle in a similar modus operandi, according to the CBI chargesheet. Born and raised in Belgium's Antwerp and fluent in English, Gujarati and Hindi, Nehal Deepak Modi is wanted in India for allegedly destroying evidence and laundering proceeds of crime on behalf of his brother, Nirav Modi, who remains incarcerated in a London prison, facing extradition proceedings to India. It is alleged that Nehal Modi, a Belgian national, played a pivotal role in concealing and transferring large sums of illicit money through a labyrinthine web of shell companies and offshore transactions, in violation of Indian financial laws. The CBI has accused Nehal Modi of intimidating directors of Dubai-based shell companies used by Nirav Modi to give a veneer of legitimacy to a fraudulent trade. These individuals were allegedly coerced into relocating from Dubai to Cairo, during which their phones, laptops and computer servers were destroyed to erase evidence. These individuals, employees of Nirav Modi's companies, were allegedly compelled to sign documents falsely declaring them as actual owners of companies based in Dubai and Hong Kong. These entities were presented as engaged in legitimate export-import transactions with three Nirav Modi-controlled firms -- Diamonds R Us, Solar Exports and Stellar Diamonds. These firms are accused of unlawfully benefitting from the buyer's credit issued by overseas banks on the strength of the LoUs fraudulently obtained from the PNB's Brady House branch in Mumbai, in collusion with complicit bank officials. Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday said his government's policies were aimed at reducing poverty and creating jobs, as he cautioned against economic liberalisation that could lead to concentration of wealth in the hands of a few. IMAGE: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari lights a lamp during the inauguration of nine National Highway projects in Jharkhand, in Ranchi, July 3, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo "Our objective is to create an economic option that will eliminate poverty, create jobs for youth and lead to creation of wealth," he said in his address at the National Conference of CA Students-2025 and added, We need such an economic option. He said previous governments under P V Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh adopted an economic liberalisation framework. "But with economic liberalisation, we should also make sure that there is no centralisation of the economy. It should not be that the number of poor is slowly increasing while wealth is getting centralised in the hands of a few," the minister cautioned. "There has been a sea change in the economic landscape (in the last decade) and your role is crucial in this change," the minister said. At the event, Gadkari also touched upon a range of issues, including agriculture, manufacturing, taxation and public-private partnerships in infrastructure development. He highlighted the evolving role of chartered accountants, Gadkari said, "CAs can be the growth engines of the economy. Our economy is changing rapidly. It is not only about filing income tax returns and GST submissions." Talking about infrastructure development, Gadkari highlighted his own initiatives in the transport sector. "I was the one who started the Build-Operate-Transfer system for road construction," he said. There is no shortage of funds for road development, he added. "Sometimes I say I do not have a fund crunch but I have a shortage of work," Gadkari said. "Now, we earn nearly Rs 55,000 crore through toll booths and in the next two years, our income will go up to Rs 1.40 lakh crore. If we monetise it for the next 15 years, we will have Rs 12 lakh crore. New toll will add more money to our coffers," he said. The minister also spoke about projects aimed at enhancing regional connectivity and investment. "We are constructing a ropeway of Rs 5,000 crore in Kedarnath. The contractor is ready to spend the amount and give Rs 800 crore royalty to the Union government. When the Uttarakhand government asked us to share the royalty, I asked whether they would also share the loss-making units," he said. On domestic investments, Gadkari said he has raised funds through Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) bonds without foreign assistance. "I am not accepting money from foreign countries like Canada or the US. I will build roads from the money raised from the poor people of the country," he said, adding that the share which was at Rs 100 has now jumped to Rs 160 and people will get nearly 18 to 20 per cent returns. 'Let's see how this love story shapes up in the run up to the municipal corporation election.' IMAGE: A poster declaring that only the Thackerays can raise their voice for Marathi pride have been plastered all over Mumbai on the eve of the Marathi Vijay Diwas celebration on July 5. Photograph: Hemant Waje/Rediff As Raj Shrikant Thackeray and Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, the two 'estranged' cousins prepare to share the stage at the sprawling NSCI Dome in Worli, central Mumbai, to celebrate Marathi Vijay Diwas on July 5, following the Maharashtra government's decision to scrap a contentious order making Hindi a compulsory third language in the state's primary schools, not just the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies but the most potent of all -- the Marathi manoos -- too will watch with abated breath for signals that could bring in the beginning of a new political alliance in the state. According to political observers in Maharashtra, the event promises to be more than a cultural gathering: "It could become a political moment that tests whether the cause of Marathi pride is strong enough to temporarily unite estranged cousins, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray," says an activist who has played a significant role in creating a narrative against 'Hindi imposition' in the state. Over the past month, Maharashtra politics has been gripped by debates over the government resolution that sought to introduce Hindi from Class 1 to Class 5. The backlash was swift. Marathi organisations, educational bodies and political parties across the spectrum raised alarms about the impact on Marathi identity and the added burden on young students. It didn't take long for the controversy to spiral into a larger question of regional pride, language rights, politics and who truly stands for the Marathi manoos, on whom the two Thackerays are broadly pinning hopes of a political revival. Seizing a Cultural Cause? Among the first to sense an opportunity were Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, leaders of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena respectively, who have often competed bitterly for the same Marathi vote bank since Raj Thackeray formed his political outfit in 2006. Both quickly condemned the government resolution, even though, "the MNS has been hogging all the limelight as a crusader against Hindi imposition," adds a political analyst. In their attempt to gain political mileage out of a cultural cause, Uddhav directed his party workers to prepare for statewide agitations and even threatened symbolic acts like burning copies of the government resolution outside the legislature. Raj went a step further, accusing the government of trying to insult Maharashtrians in their own state. Recently, both the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) have even justified use of violence and intimidation against non-Marathi speaking people in the state on various pretexts. "Those non-Maharashtrians staying here should not try to browbeat Marathi-speaking people or speak humiliatingly to Marathis," says a senior MNS functionary speaking about the violence unleashed on a Gujarati businessman from Thane's Mira Road by MNS workers. A video showing four MNS workers repeatedly slapping the Gujarati businessman has gone viral but the MNS isn't apologetic. "While we don't have any problem with Hindi or any other regional languages in India, in Maharashtra, people who have made the state their home should speak Marathi," adds the MNS functionary. In another viral video, three non-Maharashtrian mobile shop owners/workers can be seen apologising to a Thane resident Kiran Jadhav and getting slapped by the latter, in front of former Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Rajan Vichare. Jadhav had a verbal fight with these three people over purchase of a SIM card when the three beat up Jadhav. The matter ultimately reached Vichare's doorstep. While Vichare could not be reached for his comments, a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader brushed aside the fracas as "a usual thing that happens across the state every other day." MNS spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande, however, says, "Whoever insults Marathi language or people will not be tolerated in Maharashtra. This dadagiri of migrants should stop. They are welcome here but they must learn to respect the local culture." As protests over the alleged imposition of Hindi mounted, the Devendra Fadnavis-led government tried to defuse tensions by setting up a review committee. But the pressure was relentless. Within days, Chief Minister Fadnavis announced the government resolution was being withdrawn, describing the decision as one made 'out of respect for the sentiments of the Marathi people.' For Uddhav Thackeray, the withdrawal was more than just a policy reversal. Still sulking over Eknath Shinde's rebellion that split the undivided Shiv Sena vertically in June 2022 and the subsequent erosion of his party's leadership, it might prove to be political oxygen. Speaking after the government climbed down, he declared, 'The matter is closed now. Hindi cannot be forced on Maharashtra.' "The Shiv Sena (UBT) now believes that this episode is proof that only sustained, forceful assertion could protect Marathi language and culture," says the party's Lok Sabha MP. Thackeray's close aide and Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut described it more bluntly: 'This is a victory for the Marathi people. Even in the future, we will not allow any three-language policy to be imposed if it threatens Marathi.' Raj Thackeray, who many observers believe was first off the block publicly opposing the government resolution, wasted little time in framing the rollback as a direct result of public pressure stoked by his party's aggressive campaign. 'Had this morcha taken place, it would have revived the spirit of the Samyukt Maharashtra movement,' he said, referencing the historic agitation that led to the creation of the Marathi-majority state in 1960. His message was unmistakable: This was not just a policy retreat but a reminder of Marathi assertion that could still shake governments. Together, For Marathi IMAGE: Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut posted this picture of the Thackeray cousins posing in front of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's photograph. Photograph: Sanjay Raut/X If all goes well, the two Thackeray cousins are preparing to stand side by side on the stage at the NSCI Dome. The event is pointedly stripped of party flags -- organisers say it is purely to honour the Marathi language. Yet few in Maharashtra's political circles miss the strategic calculation. "Both Uddhav and Raj have seen their political bases fragment in recent years -- Uddhav after losing his party's name and symbol to Eknath Shinde, and Raj after repeated election disappointments. By co-owning this victory on a deeply emotional issue, they hope to reconnect with Marathi voters ahead of critical municipal elections, especially in Mumbai where both have much at stake," says veteran journalist and political observer Vivek Bhavsar. Meanwhile, the Fadnavis government is trying to present the climb down as proof of responsive governance rather than weakness. A senior minister from the Shinde camp, speaking informally, insisted the original goverment resolution followed an expert committee's recommendations. "Since it created unnecessary fears, we withdrew it completely. There is no question of disrespecting Marathi. We are all sons of this soil," he says. Fadnavis himself argued that the decision showed they placed Marathi first. 'We respect Marathi people's sentiments. That's why we scrapped it. A new committee under Dr Narendra Jadhav will now study language policy thoroughly.' The Congress, too, is watching closely, quickly branding the episode an embarrassment for the ruling alliance. Though, the party has not jumped directly into this agitation against 'Hindi imposition', a senior state Congress leader suggested that the entire fiasco revealed how "the BJP's overreach on Hindi" was curbed by local realities. "It also gives Uddhav and Raj a perfect platform to reclaim the Marathi issue and the Marathi manoos. The impact of the Marathi Vijay Diwas will be clearly seen during the forthcoming municipal corporation elections in the state," the Congress leader notes. A Sentiment That Runs Beyond Parties IMAGE: MNS President Raj Thackeray meets his supporters. The caption of this photograph posted on X reads: 'It's my firm belief that each state should prioritise their own people when it comes to jobs opportunities so that evil of unemployment is reduced.' Photograph: Raj Thackeray/X At the ground level, the issue has struck a chord far beyond party lines. In Malad in north west Mumbai, 68-year-old retired textile mill worker Suresh Gawde, who will attend the July 5 celebrations, says, "I still remember stories from my parents about the Samyukt Maharashtra struggle. Today it feels like someone is finally listening to the Marathi manoos again. Hindi is a beautiful language, but Marathi is who we are and we will not let anybody change this." Educational groups that first raised concerns argued their opposition was based on practicalities as well as pride. Several principals and parent associations feared that introducing Hindi from Class 1 would strain already overstretched primary curriculum, affecting the learning of core subjects and Marathi itself. For the Thackerays, the upcoming rally is a rare moment to share the stage not as rivals, but as defenders of a common cause -- the Marathi bhasha and Marathi asmita (pride). Sandeep Deshpande of the MNS admits there was quiet coordination behind the scenes to keep Saturday's celebration above party lines. "This is for Marathi. Everyone agreed we won't bring party flags. The fight united all Marathi people, and the event should too." Temporary Truce or Political Reset? The big question the answer to which everyone is trying to decipher is whether this newfound unity between Uddhav and Raj -- the famous 'estranged Thackeray cousins' -- lasts beyond this episode or turns out to be a passing phase. Political analysts caution that both have previously found it easier to align on emotive issues than to forge lasting electoral partnerships. Yet for now, the image of the Thackeray cousins standing together is a powerful one -- signalling that despite years of splits and rivalries, the call of Marathi pride can still over-ride personal feuds, at least temporarily. "Let's see how this love story shapes up in the run up to the municipal corporation election. That is when one will come to know if the bonhomie between the two Thackeray brothers has percolated among their cadres many of whom would have their ambition to run for corporation elections cut to size if the MNS-SS (UBT) alliance takes shape formally and they decide to fight the elections jointly," says another observer of Maharashtra politics. As the NSCI Dome readies to host thousands waving saffron cultural flags and chanting the anthem-like slogan 'Jai Maharashtra,' the big question on everybody's mind will be: Will this nascent Marathi resurgence simply end with the rollback of one unpopular decision, or become the start of a broader political comeback for the Thackeray cousins. For many in the crowd, the answer will matter not just for Saturday's celebration, but for the future direction of Maharashtra's politics. 'If Uddhav bhau and Raj bhau come together, who can stop us?' Prasanna D Zore reports on the fervour and hope set off by the Thackeray cousins coming together. IMAGE: Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS president Raj Thackeray at the NSCI Dome in Worli, Mumbai, July 5, 2025. Photograph: Sahil Salvi We didn't know if we'd see this day. But look around -- it feels like anything is possible. We came from different towns, but today we all speak Marathi together." This emotion by one of the attendees aptly sums up the significance of the coming together of Raj and Uddhav Thackeray after a hiatus of almost two decades. Marathi pride takes centrestage The NSCI Dome in Worli, central Mumbai, was a sea of saffron, "drowned in cries of Marathi pride", as Uddhav and Raj Thackeray -- the two estranged cousins -- finally shared a stage after two decades. The moment Maharashtra's Marathi manoos had been waiting for had arrived on a humid Saturday morning. Uddhav looked directly at the sea of orange flags and declared that he and Raj "have come together on the issue of Marathi, Mumbai and Maharashtra and we will continue to be together in the future also." Seated behind, Raj nodded, a rare smile crossing his usually stern face. The rally -- billed as Marathi Vijay Diwas (Marathi Victory Day) celebration of scrapping of the Hindi third-language order -- drew thousands of Shiv Sena-UBT and MNS supporters who were chanting slogans like "Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji" and "Aawaz Konacha, Marathi Manasacha". Twenty years. That's how long it had been since the tiger's cubs had shared a stage, since they had spoken the same language of Marathi pride without the bitter undertones of political rivalry after Raj parted ways to float the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in 2006. Groups from across Maharashtra -- people had travelled in their own vehicles, trains, and state transport buses from all corners -- converged on the Dome, with hoardings and posters urging unity for the "Marathi manoos". None of Raj and Uddhav's supporters overtly sported any visible party symbols, and on stage the Thackeray cousins insisted that this was about more than just politics. "It felt like the Maharashtra of old, all Marathis together," said one SS-UBT supporter from Pune, as crowds poured in for Marathi Vijay Diwas. The atmosphere was exuberant -- thousands had marched under an orange flag inscribed 'Awaj Marathicha' (Voice of Marathis) to reach the venue. Inside the Dome, party workers and families clasped hands, sang local folk songs, danced and cheered as the cousins embraced the cheering crowd. "Saheb, we knew this day would come," said Prakash Jadhav, a 45-year-old MNS worker who had travelled from Pune. "The Marathi manoos needed both our tigers together. How can we fight for our rights when the family is divided?" "This is a day we thought would never come," said an MNS worker from Nashik. "Finally, the two tigers' cubs are together again." Later, the SS-UBT chief posted a photograph on X titled 'Maharashtrache Wagh' (Tigers of Maharashtra), echoing exactly how every supporter of the two political outfits described the coming together of the Thackeray cousins. Unity -- a movement, not politics IMAGE: Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS president Raj Thackeray at the NSCI Dome in Worli, Mumbai, July 5, 2025. Photograph: Sahil Salvi On stage, both Thackerays stressed that their gathering transcended party lines. Raj Thackeray, in Marathi, declared bluntly: 'konatahi jhenda nahi, Marathi hach agenda' (there will be no party flags here -- our only agenda is Marathi). Uddhav agreed, reminding the crowd that this was "not just about politics -- this is about Marathi". Neither bore grudges on the podium: after Raj's fervent address, Uddhav patted his cousin on the back when he took the seat next to him and gestured that Raj's speech was mast (great). Their easy camaraderie -- smiles, playful jibes, handshakes -- reinforced the message. Raj even thanked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP for unexpectedly engineering this reunion, saying "What Balasaheb couldn't achieve, Devendra Fadnavis did -- brought Uddhav and I together." The crowd roared in laughter and applause at this characteristic Raj Thackeray jibe, acknowledging the irony. Uddhav too was at his satirical best, at times using double entendre, a hallmark associated with the speeches of his late father Bal Thackeray and cousin Raj. And he underlined what mattered most: "More important than our speeches is that Raj and I are seen together," he said. He too thanked the Maharashtra chief minister for uniting the two brothers -- by first issuing a government resolution making Hindi mandatory as a third language for students of Class I to Class V and then withdrawing the controversial GR after social and political pressure began building up against the government. Then, to thunderous applause, Uddhav spilled the beans: "We have come together to stay together," one of the most potent statements of his speech, indicating that the two cousins are looking forward to a long haul: That this Marathi Vijay Diwas celebration and unity will not be merely a blip but herald a political alliance in the days ahead. Cousins? Rivals? None of that was on display this Saturday, July 5. Both parties' workers even blended in the crowd, sharing chai and selfies. "For 20 years we fought each other," admitted a senior Shiv Sena supporter from Kolhapur. "Today we forget that. The Marathi manoos come first now." A fierce defence of Marathi language Both leaders spared no words in opposing the Hindi language order that had sparked the rally. Uddhav warned the crowd sternly, "We will never allow Hindi to be forced upon Marathi people", and vowed that the government's "gundagiri over language will not be tolerated". Raj Thackeray, giving voice to Marathi pride, asked of the government: "Where did this Hindi language issue suddenly come from? It's completely unnecessary. Children in classes 1 to 5 don't need to study Hindi." He reminded them that Hindi is barely 200 years old -- it did not even exist in "Maharaj's time" (when Chhatrapati Shivaji ruled the Deccan) -- and that the Maratha Empire once ruled great lands without forcing Marathi on others. Raj drew roaring applause when he framed the language row as a slippery slope: "They started by imposing Hindi on us, testing if we would object. If we hadn't raised our voice, they would have gone on to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra." Videos: Prasanna D Zore/Rediff The crowd erupted. This wasn't just about language policy anymore -- it was about the very future of Maharashtra's and Mumbai's political landscape. Uddhav added that the backlash from hundreds of thousands of Marathi people had compelled the government to back down. "Hindi cannot be forced on Maharashtra," he declared. Addressing dissenters, Raj quipped that even Balasaheb Thackeray studied in English-medium schools yet never forgot his love for Marathi language. "Maharashtra belongs to us Marathi people," Uddhav later insisted, invoking Shivaji. "It is the land of each and every proud Marathi. We must stay united, and never allow our language or our pride to fade away." Empowering the Marathi manoos Amid chants and banners, supporters spoke of language, but also of livelihoods. "This unity will empower us," said Ganesh Pawar, a software engineer from Pune wearing an MNS cap. "Our Marathi manoos have struggled for jobs and business for so long. Now I feel our voice matters." An auto rickshaw driver from Thane added: "Tomorrow, maybe a Marathi youth like my son will get that government job or loan for his startup he is dreaming of." At one corner of the Dome, two textile merchants from Nagpur were all excited at the prospect of the two Thackerays coming together. "We've been waiting for local businessmen to get some respect," said Lalit Deshmukh. "Maybe now we can finally get the support we need to compete with outsiders on equal terms." The undercurrent in nearly every conversation was the hope that this rally was more than symbolic. "They promised we'll stay together -- and we believe them," smiled Sanjay Kulkarni, an Uber driver, who had travelled all the way from Ahmednagar, 266 km away from Mumbai. "We've always been told Hindi, Hindi -- now it's Marathi, Marathi. Maybe we'll get help opening our own shop or software start-up, maybe loans for small factories in Nagpur or Pune. Marathi pride means our work and culture will be protected," he hoped. Even a young Uddhav Sena activist conceded: "We didn't know if we'd see this day. But look around -- it feels like anything is possible. We came from different towns, but today we all speak Marathi together." Onwards to elections and beyond IMAGE: From left: Raj Thackeray, NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule, NCP-SP MLA Jitendra Awhad, former Congress MP Bhalchandra Mungekar, Amit Thackeray (in dark blue shirt) and Aaditya Thackeray (in light blue shirt). Photograph: Sahil Salvi As the rally wound down, many party workers were already talking polls. MNS and Sena volunteers hugged and shook hands, confident that a formal tie-up could follow. "It's only a matter of time before we fight elections as one," said Rahul Kot, an MNS vibhag adhyaksh from Kalyan. "In the next BMC polls and others, we'll win all the corporations handsomely if we come together," said Rahul's paternal cousin Vijay Kot, who is SS-UBT's Kalyan upa-vibhag pramukh. Interestingly, Rahul's and Vijay's fathers -- like Raj's and Uddhav's fathers Shrikant and Bal -- are real brothers and these two cousins, though siding with the two Thackeray brothers and their respective political parties, had managed to maintain cordial relations since the MNS's formation in 2006. Echoing this sentiment, a Shiv Sainik from Navi Mumbai vowed, "If Uddhav bhau and Raj bhau come together, who can stop us?" His emphasis was on momentum: several small municipal elections loom in Maharashtra, and supporters believe a united Marathi front of MNS-SS (UBT) will help them sweep these elections. Even Congress allies noted the shift: the Maharashtra Congress sat out the rally, but field workers were grinning. One Congress functionary noted wryly that "the Marathi manoos has spoken louder than any party. It's a new era." Whether this newfound fraternity lasts beyond the streets and into the voting booths remains to be seen, but for now Marathi supporters of both Shiv Sena-UBT and MNS celebrated like old friends reunited. They knew their leaders had sent a clear message: this unity is "not just a one-off celebration -- we have come together to stay together," and together they plan to fight for Marathi interests at the ballot box and beyond. Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) is one of the 22 stocks Jim Cramer recently talked about. Coming to the company, Cramer said, Hey, Levis had a decent story when it reported, some Vietnam exposure there. Jim Cramer Says Levi's "Had a Decent Story" A stylishly dressed man wearing jeans and a jacket from the company, smiling confidently. Levi Strauss (NYSE:LEVI) designs and markets apparel and accessories for men, women, and children. The company provides jeans, activewear, tops, footwear, and related items sold under multiple brand names. Back in April, appearing on Squawk on the Street, Cramer commented: [Talking about the CEO of Levi Strauss] Shes trying to figure out what to do where. But what matters is they have tremendous organic growth. Management reiterated their earnings per share guidance of $1.20, $1.25. Our friend Matt Boss has a terrific piece out saying its the early innings. Upgrades to overweight. Dont forget they have a 3.8% yield. And denim is doing incredibly well. And you come into stocks at 10 times earnings. This is the kind of thing that I like. Stock that is just being crushed where the fundamentals are actually improving. And there are enough out there that you just have to find them. So I like Levi Strauss very much. And look, I think that their direct-to-consumer initiative is very strong. While we acknowledge the potential of LEVI as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Unstoppable Stocks That Could Double Your Money. Disclosure: None. US President Donald Trump has said that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin understands that more sanctions may be coming, as Moscow continues to reject Washingtons push for a cease-fire in Ukraine. Speaking on Air Force One on July 4, Trump said: You know, we talk about sanctions a lot and he understands that it may be coming. Trump's comments reflected the failure, so far, to broker a cease-fire in the conflict and his apparent dissatisfaction with the Russian leader. Outgoing flights at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport were temporarily paused and Russia said it shot down four incoming Ukrainian drones approaching the Russian capital. Meanwhile, Ukraine's top general, Oleksandr Syrkiy, reported that he had spent two days this week in the eastern Kharkiv region, where he said Russia was preparing a new offensive. Trumps remarks also elaborated on his earlier comment that he was disappointed by his phone call with Putin on July 3. "He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people, it's no good," he said, adding that he was very unhappy with the Kremlin leader. Hours earlier, Trump had what he called "a good call" with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy has repeatedly called on the United States to impose greater sanctions on Russia to force Moscow to the negotiating table. Since taking the office, Trump has not imposed any new sanctions on Russia. His administration has also relaxed enforcement, experts say. Trump has countered that imposing sanctions on Russia would hurt peace negotiations. Trump also confirmed that he and Zelenskyy had spoken about air defense, a key issue in Ukraine as Russia has massively stepped up its aerial bombardment of Kyiv and other cities this year. The two men spoke following a huge drone and missile assault overnight from July 3-4 that Kyiv said was the largest of the war so far. Their conversation also followed a recent US decision to halt some weapons supplies to Ukraine, which include Patriot air defense missiles according to US media reports. The Patriot missile system is absolutely valuable, and to take that away is a huge problem for Ukraine, US-based analyst Kervin Aucoin told RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service. The removal of this aid by the United States to Ukraine, it has emboldened the Russians, it is emboldening Vladimir Putin to attack more areas within Ukraine, added Aucoin, who was formerly an intelligence analyst in the US military. Zelenskyy indicated that he had raised this with Trump. "We discussed the possibilities of air defense and agreed that we will work on increasing the protection of the sky." He added that they had agreed a corresponding meeting of our teams." Also on July 4, Trump discussed Patriot missiles in a call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, one of a series of conversations he had with Western leaders on US Independence Day. Berlin has raised the possibility that it would buy Patriots from Washington and then provide them to Kyiv. Meanwhile, there were reports of fatalities as fighting continued in various regions of Ukraine. Three people were killed and 30 injured over 24 hours as a result of Russian strikes on Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson regions, according to data from regional military administrations. Among the injured were a 10-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl. "Civil infrastructure facilities were damaged and destroyed: in the Kupyansky district, two apartment buildings, a school, two private houses, a shop were damaged; in the Chuguyiv district, a dormitory, a service station, 10 cars, postal infrastructure, and an inoperative building were damaged," an official statement said. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that overnight Russia had launched 322 drones at Ukraine. In Russia, officials in Voronezh and Saratov regions reported Ukrainian drone strikes. The Russian Defense Ministry announced that 94 Ukrainian drones were allegedly shot down overnight in multiple regions. There were no reports of casualties. Ukraine said its special forces had attacked Borisoglebsk air field in Russias Voronezh region. "A warehouse with guided bombs, a combat training aircraft, and probably other aircraft were hit. The results of the hit are being clarified," the Ukrainian General Staff said. It added that the attack was aimed at reducing Russias ability to bomb Ukraine. Later, the General Staff said its forces had hit an industrial plant in Cheboksary, nearly 600 kilometers east of Moscow, that makes components for drones. Battlefield claims by both sides could not be verified. Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made his first public appearance since the start of the 12-day war with Israel, in which several leading Iranian political, military, and scientific leaders were struck in targeted killings by the Israeli military. Iranian State TV on July 5 showed Khamenei waving to a chanting crowd as he entered a mosque located next to his residence in Tehran. Khamenei attended ceremonies marking Ashura, an important Islamic day of commemoration, although state media it said he did not make a speech at the event. Others at the event spoke of "resistance" to attacks and that Iran "would never surrender," echoing remarks made earlier by Khamenei, state media reported. Khamenei, 86, once the omnipresent face of the Islamic republic, retreated into near-total seclusion during the war launched on June 13 by Israel amid reports that he was on Israel's hit list. His only appearances -- a pair of video statements, the second apparently filmed in a bunker with downgraded production quality -- did little to reassure the nation. US President Donald Trump said he had at least twice prevented attacks on Khamenei by the Israelis. Trump once emphasized in a message in the midst of Israel's harsh attacks that the United States was aware of his whereabouts but that it had no intention of killing him. The US military also conducted air strikes against Iranian nuclear sites, claiming to have destroyed the facilities, although details remain difficult to confirm. The supreme leaders absence from view was the subject of social media speculation in Iran and occasionally the butt of jokes. Despite the losses suffered by Iran especially to its nuclear program and military leadership -- Khamenei claimed in a June 26 recorded message that Iran had won the conflict against Israel and the United States, a remark repeated by other state officials and media. Separately, the Israeli military said late on July 6 that it had struck targets in Yemen tied to the Houthi rebel group "in response to repeated attacks" by the Iran-backed fighters. Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News anchor and right-wing media personality in the United States, on July 5 said he had conducted an interview with Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian that would be made public "in a day or two." In a video message on X, Carlson said the interview was conducted remotely and through an interpreter. Carlson said he had also offered to interview Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but had not yet had a response. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet in Washington with Trump on July 7. Elsewhere, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met on July 7 with Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi at the BRICS summit in Brazil. Lavrov again said Moscow was ready to help mediatethe disputes involving ally Iran's nuclear program, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. The BRICS -- Brazil, Russia, India, China, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates -- issued a joint statement condemning "military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran since June 13," without naming the United States or Israel. With reporting by AP and Reuters Kabul could become the worlds first capital to run out of water completely, experts say, blaming the crisis on rapid population growth, climate change, and mismanagement. The Afghan capitals groundwater levels have plummeted by up to 30 meters in the past decade, while almost half of the citys boreholes -- the main source of drinking water for the residents -- have dried out, according to a recent study by the Mercy Corps NGO. Demand for groundwater in the city is disproportionately high: each year, 44 million cubic meters more water is extracted than can naturally be replenished -- nearly double the sustainable rate. Kabuls population has grown from about 2 million in 2000 to more than 6 million in 2025, putting immense pressure on its water supplies. The citys aquifers are also being drained by more than 100,000 unregulated borewells and hundreds of factories and greenhouses, according to Mercy Corps and Afghan water management experts who spoke to RFE/RL. Kabul has some 400 hectares of greenhouses that consume about 4 million cubic meters of water annually. said Najibullah Sadid, a water resources and climate change researcherbased in Germany. There are also more than 500 beverage businesses operating in Kabul. Just one such company, Alokozay, the largest soft drink company in the city, uses about 1 million cubic meters of groundwater each year. The United Nations has warned that without swift action, Kabuls groundwater could be depleted by 2030, posing an existential threat to residents and sparking a major wave of migration. 'Having To Choose Between Water And Food' Many parts of Kabul have already run dry, and residents rely entirely on the limited amount of water they purchase from tankers. One person who lives in the relatively affluent area of Taimani in northwestern Kabul says he spends a quarter of his salary on water. My monthly salary is 21,000 Afghani ($300) and I spend at least 5,000 Afghani ($70) on water for our family of 10 people, he told RFE/RL on June 26. We use this water for tea, cooking, washing-up, laundry, and bathing. There are many families that cant afford to buy water, its like having to choose between water and food, the Taimani resident said. He also said that those who cant pay for water travel several kilometers to bring it from areas that have public water pumps. Even in sweltering summer weather, many apartment blocks in Kabul only get water once or twice a week. Water contamination is another major challenge that has plagued Afghanistan, where nearly 80 percent of people have no access to safe drinking water, according to the United Nations. Most of Kabuls groundwater is contaminated with sewage, toxins, and high levels of arsenic, experts say. Potential Solutions The Western-backed former Afghan government, which collapsed in 2021, received more than $4 billion from international donors to overhaul its water sector, according to the World Bank, but the sector remains largely underdeveloped both in the capital and the rest of the country. Officials of the current Taliban-led government in Kabul did not respond to RFE/RLs request for comment. However, many local experts believe the Afghan capital could still resolve its water crisis relatively quickly if decisive steps are taken. This problem is not new. For over a decade, various proposals on how to tackle the problem have been presented to Afghan authorities, but it has never been a priority for them, Sadid told RFE/RL. Among the proposed solutions is the construction of the Shahtoot dam and reservoir, some 30 kilometers southwest of Kabul. If completed, it would supply drinking water to more than 2 million of the citys residents and help replenish its aquifers. Another project envisages the construction of a 200-kilometer pipeline to divert more than 100 million cubic meters of water per year from the Panjshir River to the capital. Feasibility studies for both projects were conducted under the previous Afghan government. In April, the Talibans Ministry of Energy and Water said it was awaiting budget approval to begin construction work on the Panjsher River pipeline. The government is reportedly seeking additional investors to fund the $170-million initiative. Meanwhile, the Shahtoot project is expected to be finished in 2027, if Afghanistan succeeds in raising funds. Its estimated that it will cost around $236 million to complete the dam and reservoir. Abdul Baset Rahmani, a Kabul-based expert on water resources and climate change, says that the water shortage in the Afghan capital could be resolved within a year-and-half, if there is a political will to do so. However, he also warns of urgent needs in the short term, calling on international aid agencies to provide emergency assistance to the impoverished people in Kabul who cannot afford to buy drinking water. Such support would spare these people from enormous financial and mental strain, prevent diseases, and help many children to return to school, he says. There are many children who cant get education because in order to help their families they walk several kilometers every day to places where water is distributed free of charge. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) is one of the 22 stocks Jim Cramer recently talked about. Coming to the company, Cramer stated: Laura Alber, CEO of Williams-Sonoma, moved a ton of manufacturing to Vietnam. Her stocks down more than 6% for the year, intriguing. [It] jumped more than 2% on the tariff news, but thats nothing. Jim Cramer Says Williams-Sonoma's CEO "Moved a Ton of Manufacturing to Vietnam" An interior of a modern home with a wide selection of cookware, tools and cutlery on display. Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) sells a wide range of home products, including cookware, furniture, decor, and personalized items, through both digital and physical retail channels. Additionally, the company operates a 3-D imaging and augmented reality platform for home design. Vltava Fund stated the following regarding Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) in its Q1 2025 investor letter: Afghans living abroad have told RFE/RL of their fears and concerns following Russia's decision to officially recognize the Taliban as their country's government. Russia is the first country in the world to do so since the group regained power in 2021. "How can the Russian Federation recognize the Taliban?" asked Farzana Rezaie, founder of the Afghan Womens Movement in Exile. Rezaie was speaking to RFE/RL's Afghan Service from exile in Pakistan, where hundreds of thousands of people fled after the Taliban regained power in 2021. "Legitimizing a group that has deprived half of society of the right to live [freely], is that diplomacy or a betrayal of human morality?" Rezaie added. Farzana Rezaie Founder of Afghan Womens Movement in Exile on Russian recognition of Taliban government No media source currently available 0:00 0:00:26 0:00 Former lawmaker Shukria Barakzai voiced immediate practical worries. "This recognition has sparked a change in political equations in the region," said Barakzai, who also served as the Afghan ambassador to Norway. "Unfortunately, Afghanistan, once again, will be pushed to a unwanted proxy war," she added. Shukria Barakzai Former Member of Afghan Parliament and Ex-Afghan Ambassador to Norway No media source currently available 0:00 0:00:32 0:00 Russia's move, announced on July 3, followed a decision by Russia earlier this year to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist groups, lifting a ban that had been in place since 2003. "Official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. The Taliban's acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, praised what he called Russia's "bold move" and expressed hope that it would become an example for other countries. Many Western countries have been reluctant to directly engage with the Taliban government amid concerns over human rights violations, including a ban on girls' education past primary school. Other countries have stopped short of official recognition but have engaged with the Taliban by accrediting its appointed ambassadors and pursuing economic and other interests. Neighboring Uzbekistan hosted a Taliban delegation earlier this year for talks about a rail link, while India dispatched a special envoy to improve trade ties. Russia's recognition of the group is likely tied to its desire to maintain and expand influence in Central Asia, and may also be linked to security concerns about the Islamic State-Khorasan, an Afghanistan-based militant organization that was behind the deadliest attack in Russia in decades. Scores of people were killed after gunmen stormed a concert venue in the Moscow region in March last year. Some analysts say Russian officials likely view the Taliban as a lesser evil or even a potential security partner. The Taliban toppled the Western-backed Islamic Republic of Afghanistan government as US-led international forces withdrew in 2021. The withdrawal marked the end of a 20-year mission that had ousted the Taliban's first regime, which ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. With reporting by Reuters Parnassus Investments, an investment management company, released the Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund first quarter 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Russell Midcap Growth Index fell 7.12% in the first quarter, starting with a continuation of the late 2024 rally but later experiencing a sharp decline. The Fund (Investor Shares) fell -9.98% (net of fees) in the quarter, compared to the Russell Midcap Growth Indexs -7.12% fall. Stock selection in Consumer Discretionary and Industrials contributed to the relative performance, while Communication Services and Health Care detracted. In addition, please check the funds top five holdings to know its best picks in 2025. In its first-quarter 2025 investor letter, Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund highlighted stocks such as Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES). Founded in 1997, Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES) is an alternative asset manager. The one-month return of Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES) was 4.69%, and its shares gained 28.63% of their value over the last 52 weeks. On July 3, 2025, Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES) stock closed at $177.96 per share, with a market capitalization of $58.12 billion. Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund stated the following regarding Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES) in its Q1 2025 investor letter: "We also added four competitively advantaged, highly profitable and market-share-gaining companies whose stocks had sold off due to what we view as transitory issues. Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES) is a fast-growing alternative asset manager with a leading private credit franchise. We dont know when the market will rebound, but we expect these new positions will lead the market higher whenever it does. Ares Management Corporation (ARES): Among Stocks with Insanely High PE Ratios Insiders Are Selling A close up of a senior financial advisor reviewing a portfolio and making recommendations for an investor. Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 42 hedge fund portfolios held Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES) at the end of the first quarter, which was 43 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES) 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 timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as NVIDIA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the undervalued AI stock set for massive gains. King House in Boyle is celebrating its pearl anniversary this weekend with a series of special events to mark this significant milestone. Celebrations to mark the anniversary of the houses modern inception, having been taken over 30 years ago by Roscommon County Council, began on Friday with a talk on the history of King House by Paul Connolly, author of the Landed Estate of County Roscommon. This was followed by Rockingham, A Little Guide to the Big House by Triona Mullaney Dignam. Nigel OReilly presented a further talk on The Hidden Gem and Evolution of a Goldsmith. The final event of the evening was an original performance of Bethrothed an immersive theatre re-enactment, written and directed by Julie Sharkey, who is a leading figure in local theatrical circles as well as performing in the acclaimed TV drama Red Rock. Fittingly, a day of talks commemorating the legacy of the Connaught Rangers will take place on Sunday, July 6th beginning with a talk on the 6th Battalion from its formation to its demise by local historian, Oliver Fallon. Later on Sunday at 2 p.m. a talk entitled The Connaught Rangers Museum in 10 Objects will highlight the human story of war told through the artefacts that lived through it by Padraig McDonnell. This will be followed at 2.30pm by a talk Why We Remember the Connaught Rangers Courage, Conflict and Legacy by P.J. Maloney. As well as being a remembrance space for the Connaught Rangers, King House also houses the Boyle Civic Art Collection, an invaluable collective of art, first spearheaded by the late Fergus Ahern, one of founders of now nationally acclaimed Boyle Arts Festival. Also featured in King House is the Mary McAleese Collection, a visually stunning collection of artefacts and art generously donated by the former President of Ireland who has strong and enduring connections to the Boyle and Croghan areas. The building is also one of the focal points for many classical and musical performances for Boyle Arts Festival and hosts many wedding ceremonies, conferences, music, and cultural events throughout the year. By Cillian Sherlock, PA A woman has been charged with murder after a man died in a house fire in Co Antrim. Patrick Paddy Douglas, aged 55, died following a house fire in the Main Street area of Ballymoney on Tuesday. On Friday, police said they had charged a 34-year-old woman with murder. She is expected to appear before Ballymena Magistrates Court on Saturday. As is normal procedure, all charges are reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service. Mr Douglas was conveyed to hospital after the fire but died from his injuries. Akal Takht Overturns Patna Sahib's Declaration of Sukhbir Singh Badal as Tankhaiya' This decision is not only beyond jurisdiction but undermines sanctity and protocol of Sikh religious hierarchy, Jathedar Gargajj stated. In a significant development that has stirred the Sikh Panth, the Sri Akal Takht Sahib has rejected the recent decision by the Panj Pyare of Takht Sri Patna Sahib that declared Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal as Tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct). The apex Sikh authority termed the move as unprincipled and outside jurisdiction. During a high-level meeting convened at Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargajj strongly criticized the Patna Sahib decision, calling it a direct challenge to the supremacy and established traditions of the Akal Takht. This decision is not only beyond jurisdiction but undermines the sanctity and protocol of Sikh religious hierarchy, Jathedar Gargajj stated. Advertisement Head Granthi Declared Tankhaiya In a parallel decision, Bhai Gurdial Singh, the Head Granthi of Takht Sri Patna Sahib, has been declared Tankhaiya for what was described as participating in and endorsing an illegitimate religious directive. The Akal Takht has also issued a 15-day ultimatum to the management committee, members, and administrators of Takht Sri Patna Sahib to provide a written explanation. Failure to do so, warned the Akal Takht, will result in strict Panthic action. Advertisement A Matter of Jurisdiction and Panthic Unity The controversy began when the Panj Pyare of Takht Sri Patna Sahib passed a resolution declaring Sukhbir Singh Badal as Tankhaiya, citing political conduct allegedly contrary to Sikh principles. However, Akal Takht officials have maintained that such declarations must come only through the highest religious seat of the Sikhs Sri Akal Takht Sahib in Amritsar, to maintain unity and uphold protocol. Earlier, the Panj Pyare of Patna Sahib had also summoned Jathedars Kuldeep Singh Gargaj and Tek Singh Dhanaula, a move now invalidated by Akal Takht Sahib as unconstitutional and outside the scope of the Panj Pyare's authority at Patna. Advertisement Jathedar Gargajj further clarified, Theoretical dignity and uniformity of Sikh decisions must be preserved. Fragmentation in Panthic decisions will weaken the institutions that bind us. Mixed Reaction from the Sikh Sangat The incident has sparked intense debate within the Sikh Sangat. While some have welcomed Akal Takht's intervention to maintain centralized authority, others feel the concerns raised by Patna Sahib should not be dismissed outright. Advertisement As tensions simmer, all eyes now turn to Akal Takht's next course of action, which could set a lasting precedent on religious governance, jurisdiction, and Panthic discipline across the Takhts. This development highlights ongoing challenges within Sikh leadership over autonomy, protocol, and unity raising larger questions about the relationship between regional Takhts and the supreme authority of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. Sukhbir Singh Badal Declared Tankhaiya' by Panj Pyare of Takhat Sri Patna Sahib for Defying Summons Despite repeated notices, Badal did not respond or appear. Sukhbir Singh Badal Tankhaiya At Takht Sri Patna Sahib Latest News Today: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief and former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Sukhbir Singh Badal, has been officially declared a Tankhaiya by the Panj Pyare (five beloved ones) of Takhat Sri Patna Sahib, one of the five highest seats of Sikh religious authority. The decision comes after Badal failed to appear before the Takhat despite being summoned twice. According to sources, Sukhbir Badal was called to present himself before the Panj Pyare following allegations related to his role in supporting individuals found guilty of violating a Hukamnama (religious edict). Despite repeated notices, Badal did not respond or appear. This non-compliance led to the declaration of Tankhaiya, a term reserved in Sikh tradition for someone who is found guilty of religious misconduct. Advertisement Background of the Case The controversy stems from an emergency meeting held on May 21, where Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, Executive of Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib Gurudwara, and Jathedar Baba Tek Singh of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib were found guilty of violating a Hukamnama. They were declared Tankhaiya during that meeting. Sukhbir Singh Badal was alleged to have conspired or played a supporting role in this violation and was therefore also ordered to appear before the religious body. On June 1, he was given 10 days to comply. However, with no appearance or response from Badal, the Takhat has now taken disciplinary action against him as well. What Does Being a 'Tankhaiya' Mean? In Sikh tradition, the title Tankhaiya is given to a person who violates the Sikh code of conduct (Rehat Maryada) or acts against the larger interests of the Sikh community. Once declared Tankhaiya, the individual must appear before the Takht to explain and, if required, seek forgiveness. Based on the severity of the act, the Takht may impose religious punishment or penance, in consultation with the five high priests. Advertisement As of now, no response has been issued by Sukhbir Singh Badal or the Shiromani Akali Dal regarding the declaration. The development adds a serious dimension to the already sensitive relationship between some political figures and Sikh religious leadership. Observers say this move by the Panj Pyare could have significant political and religious implications in Punjab, especially with the growing scrutiny of religious accountability among community leaders. More updates are expected in the coming days as the Takhat may move forward with further disciplinary actions or issue directives regarding the next steps for reconciliation. Advertisement (For more news apart from Sukhbir Singh Badal Tankhaiya At Takht Sri Patna Sahib Latest News Today, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) Outright acquisitions are used as a separate toolto address direct gaps and help pursue Nokias broader strategy. Gone are the days when it bought French startup Withings with the aim of reentering the consumer-electronics market through health-tech devices, a move that fell short of expectations . Nokias priorities have since shifted in the 2020s. One of Nokias tools is 20-year-old corporate venture firm NGP Capital , formerly known as Nokia Growth Partners. But NGPs thesis is either market expansion or synergization, not to invest in companies that Nokia will eventually acquire, Batra said. Im not saying that cannot happen, but thats not how we invest. With efforts like spinouts, Batra said, the whole purpose is to take the technology out of Bell Labs to be able to offer to the world in different fields of uses or different industriesand at times, in both. But for startups closer to home turf, there are other ways for Nokia to engage. Astranu , a startup developing non-invasive imaging technology for ear diagnostics, marks the first spinout launched by Nokia in partnership with Celesta Capital . The VC firm will provide strategic direction, commercialization support, and connections, while Nokia Bell Labs will continue to supply lab resources and R&D expertise to this inaugural venture. Nokia isnt only sitting on this asset; it is also working on incubating startups out of lab research. If we are able to unleash two or three startups out of Bell Labs in a matter of two years that make a big impact, I would call this program a success, said Nokia Chief Strategy and Technology Officer Nishant Batra. From a new logo to its first American-born CEO , Nokia has gone all out to move beyond its golden decade and the challenges that followed as a major consumer phone company. But in its new world as a telecom-equipment maker, there is still very much a place for Nokia Bell Labs, which it has owned since 2016 following its acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent. Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, Bell Labs is the birthplace of many of the modern worlds most transformative technologies. The transistor, UNIX, information theory, and cellular technology all originated from the global R&D network that is now part of Nokia . Nokia is reinventing itself againthis time through startups. As Bell Labs celebrates its 100th anniversary, its parent company is turning lab research into new ventures, launching a formal venture studio in New Jersey, and spinning out startups. With recent acquisitions and a renewed push into AI and space communications, Nokia is repositioning itself for the future. Story Continues Building on its established presence in communications, the company is pursuing growth in two directions: defense and dual-use technology, which drove the acquisition of tactical-communications solutions provider Fenix Group, and AI and data centers, where the $2.3 billion purchase of optical-networking equipment maker Infinera could reinforce its position. Rapid, an API startup once valued at $1 billion, was another company that Nokia acquired in 2024 with the goal of helping developers more easily connect to telecom networks. I was very involved in terms of negotiating, because that was in the Valley, Nokias CSTO said. Batra joined Nokia some four years ago, but his involvement with startups goes beyond his current role. In addition to advising two startups, one in radar tech and one in IoT, he is also chairman of the board of spacetech startup ReOrbit, a Finnish satellite provider. The passion that this founder has is something else; I enjoy that a lot. Startups and corporations arent mutually exclusive terms: There are now startups inside Nokia, Batra said. One of these developed the Lunar Surface Communications System (LSCS), collaborating with Axiom Space and NASA to put a 4G LTE network on the moon. The landing didnt go to plan, but the mission helped Nokia validate key aspects of the networks operation. Startup incubation at Nokia is also about to take a more formal turn. In April, Nokia Bell Labs cut the ribbon on its new Bell Labs Venture Studio, which will be operated by the Nokia Ventures team and supported by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA). Together with the NJ Nokia Bell Labs Innovation Center, the venture studio will be part of a Strategic Innovation Center focused on helping startups commercialize intellectual property from Nokia Bell Labs and local universities, especially in AI, communications, cloud computing, and optical and wireless networks. New Jersey is the historic home of Bell Labs and its global headquarters, but Nokia Bell Labs now operates research centers around the world, including key sites in Europe. With Nokia still headquartered in Finland, it is perhaps no surprise that, according to Batra, there is an intent to build a similar studio in Europe. Historically, Europe is also where Nokia has fostered the most entrepreneurs. Due to its outsized importance for Finland, also known as the Nokia effect, its home country was shaken by the massive layoffs it conducted between 2011 and 2013, leading up to the sale of its mobile division to Microsoft. But this decline also sparked a startup boomwith some support from Nokia itself. Nokia Bell Labs at MWC 2025 The program it implemented at the time to give seed funding to help redundant employees create companies, Nokia Bridge, is estimated to have contributed to the creation of at least 400 businesses. Not all of these were startups, but some were, including mobile OS maker Jolla, and former Nokians still play a key role in Finlands vibrant tech scene. Nokia Bridge no longer exists, but the company still wants to support employees as they transition to startupseven when their jobs are not part of the workforce reduction the company is conducting to cut expenses by up to $1.2 billion by the end of 2026. At the time, Nokia noted the exact scale of the program would depend on the evolution of end market demand. Two years on, the outlook is still unclear after U.S. President Donald Trump sparked turmoil in global markets with his tariff war. We are not immune to the rapidly evolving global trade landscape. However based on early customer feedback, I believe our markets should prove to be relatively resilient, CEO Justin Hotard declared as the company reported a net loss of approximately $68 million for the first quarter of 2025. But even after the cuts, Nokia expects to have between 72,000 and 77,000 staffers, and it is willing to lose some to the sirens of entrepreneurship. Two of its top researchers joined Astranu when it spun out, for instance; and with a budget in the order of $10 million a year, its incubation program also encourages internal employees to become entrepreneurs, Batra said. It is too early to tell into how many startups all of these initiatives could result, and how many could succeed. But if this could become the new meaning of the Nokia effect, this would undoubtedly be a big win for a 160-year-old company that has repeatedly reinvented itself. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com The Canadian stock market ended flat on Friday, amid uncertainty on US-Canada trade deal even as July 9 deadline set by the US President for tariff agreement is fast approaching. The benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index opened slightly down and dropped further, but recovered to touch a new record high at 27,076.75 past noon. The index eventually ended the session with a small gain of 1.90 points or 0.01% at 27,036.16. The benchmark gained about 1.3% in the week. Data released by S&P Global revealed that the Canada Composite PMI fell to 44.0 in June from 45.5 in May, indicating seventh consecutive monthly contraction in private sector businesses. Both the manufacturing (45.6 versus 46.1) and services (44.3 versus 45.6) sectors posted similar levels of contraction. Trading volumes were light due to a lack of further catalysts and a holiday on Wall Street for Independence Day. In the US, the President Donald Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" passed the Senate successfully and the House of Representatives. Trump's signing this bill add around $3.3 trillion to the existing mammoth national debt. On the trade talks front, the UK-US deal almost done, Vietnam has clinched one, China is readying a framework for a new deal, Canada is in talks and the Indian government is in talks. Trump has now announced that his government would be sending letters over the next few days on new, simple unilateral tariffs to around 170 countries trading with the US as the earlier deadline of July 9 set for negotiations is fast approaching. Tge Real Estate sector (1.86%) was the major gainer in today's trading. Consumer Staples (0.39%), Communication Services (0.31%), Utilities (0.13%), Materials (0.11%), and Healthcare (0.09%), were the other sectors that added gains in today's trading. Among the individual stocks, H&R Real Estate (17.22%), Allied Properties (3.81%), Premium Brands Holdings (1.81%), and Cogeco Communications (1.17%) were the prominent gainers. Nuvista Energy (down 1.31%), Ces Energy Solutions (down 1.28%), Bitfarms Ltd (down 3.50%), and Tecsys Inc (down 1.50%) were the notable losers. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Tata Harrier EV is being manufactured at the companys Pune facility and deliveries are scheduled to commence from July 2025 With over 10,000 bookings on the day of launch, it is evident that Tata Harrier EV has received a phenomenal market response. This is the second-best booking numbers in this segment. Earlier this year in February, Harrier EVs primary rival, Mahindra XEV 9e, had received bookings of 16,900 units on the day of launch. Tata Harrier EV production, delivery details Monthly production targets for Harrier EV have not been revealed. But the brand seems confident of keeping up with potential increased demand. Even though there is an ongoing shortage of rare earth metals, Tata has stated that it currently does not face any immediate crisis. It implies that production of Harrier EV will continue in a seamless manner. Customers can expect to get their deliveries in a timely manner. Its no longer just coming soon. Its being made. ? Production of Indias most powerful homegrown SUV has begun. With over 10,000 bookings on the very first day, Harrier.ev is now in motion to Delete Impossible. Book now from the link below:https://t.co/8OgFWRliur#TATAev pic.twitter.com/hUo3S6pqv8 TATA.ev (@Tataev) July 4, 2025 It is likely that supply chains could have been proactively strengthened or a higher inventory of raw materials was maintained. Tata reportedly imports battery cells from established suppliers from China. These cells are then assembled into battery packs by Tata AutoComp. To cater to the battery needs of its growing EV portfolio, Tata is building a battery gigafactory in India. The related entity, Agratas, will start manufacturing lithium-ion battery cells in 2026. Local manufacturing of battery packs will allow the brand to exercise greater control over production costs. Harrier EV Performance, specs Harrier EV has two battery pack options a 65-kWh and a 75-kWh unit. Certified range is 538 km with the smaller battery pack and 627 km with the larger battery (MIDC standards). However, Tata provides a more realistic range estimate with its C75 testing standards. C75 numbers are 420 km to 445 km with the 65-kWh battery pack and 480 km to 505 km with the 75-kWh battery variant. Harrier EV top variant is available in QWD format (quad wheel drive with dual motors), using the larger 75 kWh battery pack. It has a certified range of 622 km. C75 range for the QWD is 460 km to 490 km. Talking about performance, the RWD variants generate 238 PS and 315 Nm of torque. Harrier EV QWD dual motor variant generates 158 PS with the front motor and 238 PS with the rear motor. Combined torque output is 504 Nm. RWD variants get drive modes of Eco, City and Sport, whereas the QWD variant gets an additional Boost mode. 50% EV market share target As competition in the electric segment has intensified, Tata Motors is looking to maintain market share of around 50% in the medium to long term. Good response to products like Harrier EV gives Tata the confidence to move ahead with its ambitious goals in the EV space. Tata Motors already has the largest portfolio of electric cars in the mass-market segment. There are several new EVs under development such as Safari EV, Sierra EV and Avinya range. To tackle increasing competition in the EV segment, Tata Motors has plans to build a war chest of up to 350 billion rupees ($4.1 billion). The funds are planned to be used over a five-year period. Renault is currently in a transitional period that is aimed to emerge with an updated portfolio to better navigate the tricky Indian market. The company is working on a Duster that will launch some time in 2026, but also on Triber facelift and Kiger facelift. Now, recent spy shots show Renault Duster 7S (aka Bigster, Boreal) testing in India for the first time. Renault Duster 7S SUV Spied Duster has had a major impact on the Indian market and sort of paved the way for a sea of monocoque SUVs that followed from rival brands. This impact is rather unshakable and Renault is working to launch new Duster in India some time in 2026. Soon after, the company might launch a larger 7-seater version of it in India, as suggested by the recent spy shots. As seen in the video by driftxp_, we can see a fully camouflaged test mule trundling along public roads donning Red temporary registration plates from Tamil Nadu state. This vehicle is set to globally debut on July 10th, 2025 and before its international debut, it has been spied testing in India, which is a very interesting development. Renault could call it Boreal globally and in India, as per their previous teasers. But sticking to Duster name or a derivative of Duster name might prove to be a better strategy for the Indian market. It is a physically larger version of Duster and it radiates a strong road presence, which the Indian audience is likely to welcome with open arms. Chunky roof rails, sporty rear roof spoiler, robust wheel arch claddings and other elements affirm its SUV looks. Side silhouette is traditionally upright with big window areas. Rear tail light design is camouflaged too. It rides on big alloy wheels, which could be 18-inchers in size to establish a puff daddy appeal within its segment. Front fascia shows resemblances with the new Duster with conventional headlights with integrated LED DRLs in a horizontal fashion. There are less likely to be any design changes for Indian market, retaining the brutish handsomeness of the global model. Hybrid, EV Versions Likely On the inside, Renault Duster is likely to be feature-loaded for Indian market, which is tough nut to crack. Expected features include large infotainment screen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, digital instrument screen with a host of features, auto climate control, auto headlights, auto wipers, panoramic sunroof, keyless go, push-button start, rear AC vents, ventilated seats and more. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DriftXP (@driftxp_) Powertrain details are still in the Grey area. However, the company will launch some sort of Hybrid versions of Duster and Duster 7-Seater (aka Bigster, Boreal) in India. There might be a fully electric dual motor 4WD setup in the works that could break covers globally in 2027. Computer board micro chip green by blickpixel via Pixabay Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) opened comfortably in the green this morning after President Donald Trumps administration removed restrictions from the export of chip-design software to China. The announcement potentially signals that China is making significant progress on signing a trade deal with the U.S., which could prove materially positive for semiconductor firms across the board. More News from Barchart Including todays gain, CDNS stock is up more than 40% versus its year-to-date low set in early April. www.barchart.com How CDNS Stock Will Benefit From Lifted Restrictions The U.S. lifting export restrictions on chip-design software is a meaningful tailwind for CDNS shares since it reinstates the companys access to a crucial market that accounted for roughly 12% of its revenue in 2024. According to Cadence Design Systems, its already working to restore sales and support to its Chinese customers, which will stabilize earnings in the near term and remove a huge overhang that had clouded investor sentiment. For a company whose tools are foundational to next-gen chip innovation, regaining access to one of the worlds largest semiconductor markets will likely prove nothing short of transformative. Its this narrative thats driving the Cadence stock price up on Thursday. Cadence Stock Is Trading at a Premium Valuation While the aforementioned announcement is notably constructive for CDNS stock, investors should still tread with caution in investing in the semiconductor software firm at current levels. Why? Because its trading at a forward price-earnings multiple of nearly 58x at writing, which makes it significantly more expensive to own than its peer Synopsys (SNPS) at 48x only. Concerns of overvaluation also pushed analysts at Berenberg into lowering their price target on Cadence shares last week to $330 from $348, indicating potential upside of only 1% from current levels. Wall Street No Longer Sees Upside in Cadence Design Systems Cadence Design Systems topped Street estimates for both profit and revenue in its latest reported quarter. Still, Wall Street does not forecast upside potential for shares over the next 12 months. According to Barchart, the consensus rating on Cadence shares remains at Strong Buy but the mean target of about $324 is slightly lower than the current trading price. Swedish eco-friendly packaging company PulPac has received a 20m ($23.5m) loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to bolster its fight against plastic waste. The Gothenburg-headquartered company will channel the funds into advancing and marketing its proprietary Dry Molded Fiber (DMF) technology, crafted as a substitute for disposable plastics. This method, which employs sustainable cellulose fibre to create sturdy packaging, is touted as a major leap forward compared to conventional wet moulding, delivering quicker production and a smaller ecological impact. PulPac aims to focus on the food and retail sectors, producing items such as coffee cup tops, dishes, utensils, containers, clothing hangers, and medical packaging. PulPac chair Niclas Moller said: We are honoured by the EIBs backing and its recognition of Dry Molded Fiber as a core part of the shift towards sustainable packaging. This partnership is both a financial milestone and a strong validation of our strategy to build a global licensing platform for fibre-based alternatives to plastic. The funding, arranged as a venture debt loan, is being facilitated through the InvestEU initiative. This support aligns with the EUs wider mission to reduce plastic pollution, including a prohibition on ten single-use plastic products such as dishes, utensils, straws, and cotton swabs. EIB vice-president Thomas Ostros said: By supporting PulPac, we are backing an innovative and scalable solution that can make a real difference in the global effort to reduce plastic waste and accelerate the green transition. This financing underlines the EUs commitment to supporting next-generation technologies with global potential. In May this year, SIG InnoVentures and Optima announced that they would be part of PulPacs shareholder group through a strategic investment. "PulPac secures EIB funding to enhance fibre-based packaging innovation" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand. Herpetologists have described three new species of the frog genus Pristimantis from the rugged, misty highlands of northwestern Peru. With 619 species described to date, Pristimantis is the most diverse group of amphibians. This genus is distributed in Central and South America, reaching its greatest diversity in the tropical Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The newly-identified members of the genus are Pristimantis chinguelas, Pristimantis nunezcortezi, and Pristimantis yonke. Theyre small and unassuming, said Dr. German Chavez, a herpetologist at the Instituto Peruano de Herpetologia and the Centro de Ornitologia y Biodiversidad in Peru. But these frogs are powerful reminders of how much we still dont know about the Andes. All species inhabit the paramos and adjacent elfin forests of the mountain ridges north of Abra de Porcuya, the lowest east-west pass in the Peruvian Andes. Pristimantis chinguelas, discovered on a cliffside of Cerro Chinguelas, has a body dotted with prominent large tubercles on both sides. Its high-pitched peep can be heard on humid nights, the researchers said. Pristimantis chinguelas lives near a cool mountain stream in a regenerating forest. With large black blotches on axillae and groins, it was named in honor of ornithologist Elio Nunez-Cortez, a conservation trailblazer in the region. Pristimantis chinguelas, the smallest of the three, was found nestled in bromeliads at nearly 3,000 m. Exploring this area is more than fieldwork its an immersion into wilderness, culture, and resilience, said Dr. Karen Victoriano-Ciguenas, also from the Instituto Peruano de Herpetologia and the Centro de Ornitologia y Biodiversidad. Many of these mountain ridges are isolated, with no roads and extreme terrain, said Dr. Ivan Wong, a herpetologist at the Instituto Peruano de Herpetologia. The weather shifts within minutes, and the steep cliffs make every step a challenge. Its no wonder so few scientists have worked here before. But thats exactly why theres still so much to find. Although the new three species are listed as Data Deficient under IUCN criteria, the scientists observed signs of habitat degradation, fire damage, and expanding farmland. The Cordillera de Huancabamba is not just a remote range its a living archive of biodiversity and cultural legacy, said Dr. Wilmar Aznaran, a herpetologist at the Instituto Peruano de Herpetologia and the Centro de Ornitologia y Biodiversidad. And weve barely scratched the surface. The teams paper was published in the journal Evolutionary Systematics. _____ G. Chavez et al. 2025. Over the top: Three new species of terrestrial breeding frogs (Anura, Terrarana, Pristimantis) from the highlands of the Cordillera de Huancabamba, northwestern Peru. Evolutionary Systematics 9 (1): 145-166; doi: 10.3897/evolsyst.9.148522 Joe Raedle/Getty Images Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below. If you own property in America, you get a property tax bill every year something homeowners are all too familiar with. Yet Florida Governor Ron DeSantis believes it shouldnt have to be that way. You should own your property free and clear, DeSantis said at a recent roundtable in Jacksonville. I think to say that someone that's been in their house for 35 years just has to keep ponying up money you don't own your home, if that's the case. Then he offered an analogy to drive the point home. Don't miss If I go to Best Buy and buy a flat screen TV and put it on the wall, I got to pay a sales tax on it, right? But I don't keep paying tax on it every year, he said. That's not how we do things. If you're going to tax something, you tax it at the transaction, and then let people actually enjoy their private property, free and clear of the government. DeSantis called this his vision and philosophical insight. Simply put, he argues that if you truly own something, you shouldnt have to keep paying for it year after year. But while he describes this as a matter of principle, experts point out that property taxes play a vital role in funding local government and public services. According to the Florida Policy Institute, the states tax on real property accounts for 18% of county revenue, 17% of municipal revenue and between 50% and 60% of school district funding. Property taxes also help local governments address community needs, including police and fire protection, education and safety net programs. The math just doesnt add up DeSantis also emphasized that families are already under financial pressure. You talk about a family of four, having the median home price that is purchased in Florida that's a pretty hefty tax bill right there, when you come in after buying a home, when you consider what the average income is throughout the United States of America the math just doesn't add up and I think that's why people want relief, he said. The surge in property taxes across Florida hasnt gone unnoticed. Analysts at Berenberg upgraded software firm Softcat from 'hold' to 'buy' on Friday and bumped its target price on the stock from 1,600.0p to 1,900.0p as it argued a recent sell-off had provided an attractive entry point. Berenberg said the upgrade was on the basis of Softcat's "continued strong operational performance", as well as its "consistent ability" to beat market expectations and the 15% selloff in its shares over the past two weeks. The German bank said its view on the company has always been positive. However, it also noted that Softcat's shares now looked "more attractively valued" than at the time of its re-initiation in October 2024, when it traded on a 26.6x one-year forward price-to-earnings ratio and a 3.4% free cash flow yield, relative to our expectation of a 7% FY23/26 earnings per share compound annual growth rate. Today, Berenberg said, Softcat trades on a 22.6x FY26 price-to-earnings relative and a 4.0% free cash flow yield, relative to our expectation of a 10% FY24/26 earnings per share compound annual growth rate. "In our view, Softcat is the most resilient UK VAR and the one with the best chance of upgrading expectations over the medium term, as it continues to navigate the challenging macroeconomic environment of the past several years admirably," said Berenberg, JPMorgan Cazenove resumed coverage of Drax on Friday with an 'overweight' rating and 1,000.0p price target after a period of restriction. The bank said its analysis continues to support its view that the company was "well positioned to create value as intermittency increases in the UK power grid". Furthermore, JPM said it expects Drax to continue to be disciplined on capital allocation. "We expect a 200m extension of the share buyback to be announced at interim results on July 31st, and we place Drax on positive catalyst watch," it said. Analysts at RBC Capital Markets nudged up their target price on supermarket chain Sainsbury's from 300.0p to 305.0p on Friday after hosting an investor call with the group a day earlier. RBC Capital Markets said it had come away from Thursday's investor call "encouraged" by Sainsbury's momentum, particularly in food, noting that the company's food-focused approach was "seeing traction with consumers", and that it expects continued momentum to be supported by ongoing innovation and also by a reallocation of general merchandise space to good. The Canadian bank also said Sainsbury's valuation looks undemanding relative to key peers, leading it to reiterate its 'outperform' rating on the stock. "Following SBRY's Q1 trading update earlier this week, we have nudged up our FY26-27 EPS forecasts. Our PT moves to 305p from 300p. SBRY is currently trading at c.13x CY25e P/E, a little ahead of ts historic average but at a wider than average discount to TSCO (c.2x vs c.1x historically), despite a similar MSD % CY24-27 EPS CAGR and a higher all-in yield this year (>10%), from a combination of ordinary dividends, special dividends and a share buyback," added RBC. Peel Hunt downgraded ticketing and point of sale specialist Accesso Technology on Friday to 'hold' from 'buy' as it pointed to falling foot traffic. Peel Hunt noted that foot traffic at theme parks appeared to be down amid recent stifling weather, with data from Placer.ai showing that Six Flags' foot traffic was down 17% in the 30 days to 20 June, the worst performance since its Q1 earnings in May. "As Accesso's largest client, this does not bode well for its highly operationally geared volume-based model," Peel Hunt said, as it cut EBITDA estimates by 10%. Peel Hunt also noted that Accesso's share price had appreciated 6% since February, when it saw further upside potential given the company's cautious guidance. "However, the hot weather has changed ACSO's outlook. Our EBITDA downgrade leads us to cut our TP by the same proportion to 540.0p, and our rating from buy to 'hold'," said Peel Hunt. Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com Indias total exports hit $825 billion in 2024-25, with goods and services showing strong growth, outlook for 2025-26 is $870 billion. New FTAs with UAE and Australia boosted trade significantly, but older deals with Japan and South Korea under review for limited benefits. Government is pushing value-added, labour-intensive exports and crafting FTAs based on national interest with stakeholder input. Despite global economic headwinds, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal remains optimistic about Indias export trajectory, projecting a new high for the current fiscal year, buoyed by Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and a resilient domestic economy. He noted that under the Modi governments 11-year tenure, India has adeptly navigated periods of volatility and uncertainty, with total exports reaching a record $825 billion in 2024-25. This marks a growth of over 6% from the previous year and reflects a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8% over the past decade. Electronics exports, in particular, have surged at a remarkable CAGR of 20%, while traditional sectors like engineering and pharmaceuticals have also seen consistent gains. Between 2019-20 and 2024-25, goods exports grew at a CAGR of 6.9%, despite the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Commercial services exports grew even faster, registering a 12% CAGR between 2019 and 2023, the latest period for which country-level data is available. Looking ahead, Goyal anticipates that goods exports especially non-petroleum items could maintain a steady 5-6% growth rate, while services may grow at a stronger pace of 9-10%. If these projections hold, India could surpass $870 billion in total exports in the current fiscal year. The focus, he emphasized, is increasingly shifting towards value-added and labour-intensive exports, aligning with broader economic and employment goals. Indias growing FTA network is playing a key role in reshaping trade dynamics. Agreements with the UAE, Australia, EFTA, and the UK have already begun to yield results. With the UAE, services exports have nearly doubled in four to five years, while exports to Australia have nearly tripled, with goods exports rising at a 25% annual rate and surpassing $8 billion from just $3 billion earlier. In this 2017 photo, Pedro Abad, a former cop in Linden, New Jersey, is convicted by a jury in a drunken, fatal crash on the West Shore Expressway. NJ Advance Media for NJ.com STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. In May, the New York State Parole Board denied early release for Pedro Abad, a former Linden, New Jersey, police officer serving time for a drunk-driving crash that killed two of his passengers on Staten Island. But they cannot deny the 37-year-old inmate love. Weeks after the boards decision, Abad appeared on an online dating site seeking female companionship. Im a loving, giving, selfless man, always supporting womens rights, read part of his profile. I promise, Senorita, age DOES NOT MATTER... During Abads trial in 2017, prosecutors said he and his passengers had been drinking at Curves Gentlemans Club in Charleston prior to the wrong-way crash on the West Shore Expressway. Abad had two previous drunken driving arrests before that night. Two passengers in Abads car, Linden Police Officer Frank Viggiano and civilian Joseph Rodriguez, both 28, died of their injuries. Abad and another passenger, Linden Police Officer Patrik Kudlac, 24, were badly hurt. Abad was sentenced to the maximum-allowed prison term of eight and one-third to 25 years in prison. He is eligible for parole again in May 2027. Pedro Abad arrives at the Staten Island Courthouse in 2017 for his trial. (Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) My true passion is fighting for those I love The dating site, Pen A Con, aims to help those within the incarcerated community gain friendship and make romantic connections around the world, according to its website. Whether youre looking for a new friend to connect with or want to stay in touch with an imprisoned loved one, youve come to the right place. Browse the site for personal ads, pictures and profiles of inmates to find your pen pal today! Abads profile includes a photo and a bio explaining his background, his conviction and what he has to offer a woman as a friend or a romantic partner. Sooo Ive been locked up for almost 10 years, and I was just denied my first parole board. I was hoping to go home, but I guess God said, Not yet. The profile goes on: Whether its for friendship or romance, I promise you, Senorita, age does not matter ... I love to cook, dance and work out. Although Im a skilled fighter, winning trophies in karate, kickboxing, and taekwondo, my true passion is fighting for those I love. He explains he was a former police officer, that he currently is a certified paralegal and that he plans to become a lawyer. Working in the law library for years (in prison), I assisted many people with court motions, Abad writes. Long story short, I shouldnt be alive. God saved me for a reason, so I strive to be a better person. Not only to be the man God created me to be, but to find the RIGHT woman. I go to the gym daily to sweat out the pain of not being home, because right now, my Ma is all I got. Im a loving, giving, selfless man, always supporting womens rights. I promise, Senorita, age DOES NOT MATTER. Besos, and God bless you. Parole guidelines A parole interview is conducted in part to gauge an inmates thoughts about the crime itself for which they were convicted, and their plans of trying to survive on the outside after decades of state confinement. When considering parole, the board is tasked with examining the seriousness of the crime and if they feel the inmate still poses a viable threat to society. They also measure an inmates participation in rehabilitative programs and disciplinary record while in lockup. I hate you: Family of victim addressed Abad at hearing At Abads 2017 sentencing hearing in state Supreme Court, St. George, the sister of a man killed in the crash said her family was devastated. This crash was 100% preventable. I will never forgive you. You killed my brother. I hate you. I dont care what happens to you. I actually hope you die before you are released. She also took a swipe at Abads prior comments to the media in which he said he has spoken to God. I also spoke to God and he told me what the plan was, and youre going straight to hell, she said. Abad also addressed the court. In a rambling, 30-minute statement, he swore he couldnt remember the events that claimed the lives of two passengers. He apologized to the victims families, assured them their loved ones are happy in heaven, complimented prosecutors and the media on their work and invoked Gods name. He also suggested the victims should have taken an Uber home instead of getting into his car. Judge Mario F. Mattei handed down Abad the maximum allowable sentence in 2017, after the defendant was convicted on vehicular homicide charges. Priya Shahi You almost had me, said Justice Mario F. Mattei before handing down the sentence. But then you tell me they should have called Uber, they shouldnt have gotten into your car. You werent an accident waiting to happen, you were a time bomb waiting to explode, said Mattei, referring to Abads three arrests for drunk driving. You have no idea of the magnitude of what you did. Elsie Hewitt and Pete Davidson attend the 13th Annual Blossom Ball at The Pierre Hotel on May 15, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Pete Davidson, a Saturday Night Live star and Staten Island native, recently dropped almost $31,000 on matching Rolex watches for himself and his latest girlfriend, Elsie Hewitt, according to a report by Page Six. The timepieces were purchased at the grand opening of the Gerald Peters Watch and Jewelry showroom in Dongan Hills on Friday, Page Six revealed. Davidson purchased a new Rolex Datejust 41 in Oystersteel and Everose Gold, which retails for $18,550, as reported by Page Six. Hewitt was surprised with a matching petite version that goes for $12,400, the report noted. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. When New York City joins the nation in marking its 250th anniversary in 2026, Staten Island wont just be a spectator, but a key player in whats expected to be the largest maritime and civic celebration in modern American history. The event, led by Sail4th 250 in coordination with city, state and federal partners, will bring a record-breaking fleet of international tall ships, naval vessels and ceremonial festivities to the Port of New York and New Jersey from July 3 to 8, 2026. Staten Island, enriched with prime waterfront and military history, is going to be one of the most vital and visible sites during this once-in-a-generation event. According to a media release, as part of the International Parade of Tall Ships, more than 60 tall ships including more than 30 Class A vessels will sail into New York Harbor. Alongside them will be 40 gray-hull vessels, a British aircraft carrier, Cunards Queen Mary 2 and dozens of ships from 23 nations, many of which will dock along Staten Islands historic shoreline. Residents and visitors will be able to board international tall ships free of charge throughout the week. The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge serves as both a symbolic gateway and physical marker of the celebrations kick-off. President of Sail4th 250 Chris OBrien noted that his team has been working on these plans for nearly five years. The residual economic benefits to the city complement the goodwill and camaraderie we envision for all New Yorkers and visitors. These events are for everyone, and everyone will want to be here for them, said OBrien. Staten Islands deep connection to both Revolutionary War history and modern military service will also be honored during the six-day celebration. The borough will participate in the citywide Homecoming of Heroes ticker parade on July 6, 2026, which will pay tribute to post-9/11 combat veterans, first responders and their families. In addition, local historical organizations and cultural institutions are expected to showcase rare 18th-century documents, host community events and participate in citywide exhibits and food festivals. Mayor Eric Adams expressed that New York City is proud to welcome maritime leaders and visitors from around the world to commemorate this moment. These celebrations are not only an opportunity to celebrate the history of this country and New York Citys pivotal role in it, but we also expect the festivities to generate more than $2.8 billion in economic impact for New York City, creating good-paying jobs and supporting New York Citys small businesses, said Adams. Im looking forward to this time next year, and coming together with all New Yorkers to celebrate our countrys shared history. Fleet Week New York will be relocated in July to coincide with the anniversary celebration. Some more highlights of Staten Islands expected role includes: - Docking locations for tall ships and naval vessels - Public ship tours and waterfront programming - Viewing sites for the Blue Angels aerial show - Access to the Fourth of July fireworks over the harbor - Local history events tied to the Revolutionary War - Participation in the citywide parade honoring heroes RTX Corp logo on phone-by T_Schneider via Shutterstock Valued at a market cap of $194.7 billion, RTX Corporation (RTX) is an aerospace and defense company headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It provides systems and services for the commercial, military, and government customers. The company is expected to announce its fiscal Q2 earnings for 2025 before the market opens on Tuesday, Jul. 22. Ahead of this event, analysts expect this aerospace and defense company to report a profit of $1.45 per share, up 2.8% from $1.41 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has a promising trajectory of consistently beating Wall Streets bottom-line estimates in each of the last four quarters. In Q1, RTXs EPS of $1.47 outpaced the forecasted figure by 8.9%. More News from Barchart For fiscal 2025, analysts expect RTX to report a profit of $5.97 per share, up 4.2% from $5.73 per share in fiscal 2024. Its EPS is expected to further grow 12.6% year-over-year to $6.72 in fiscal 2026. www.barchart.com RTX has rallied 44.7% over the past 52 weeks, considerably outpacing both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 13.4% uptick and the Industrial Select Sector SPDR Funds (XLI) 22.8% return over the same time frame. www.barchart.com On Apr. 22, RTXs shares plunged 9.8% after its Q1 earnings release, despite delivering a better-than-expected performance. The company delivered revenue of $20.3 billion, up 5.2% from the year-ago quarter and 3% above the consensus estimates. Meanwhile, its adjusted EPS rose 9.7% year-over-year to $1.47, exceeding Wall Street expectations by 8.9%. The decline in stock price was primarily driven by its underwhelming fiscal 2025 guidance. RTX expects adjusted sales in the range of $83 billion to $84 billion, and projects adjusted EPS to range between $6 and $6.15. Lack of upward revisions to full-year profit targets, despite solid execution in Q1, might have lowered investor confidence. Wall Street analysts are moderately optimistic about RTXs stock, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among 24 analysts covering the stock, 15 recommend "Strong Buy," one suggests a "Moderate Buy, and eight advise Hold. While the company is trading above its mean price target of $143.87, its Street-high price target of $162 suggests an 11.1% premium to its current price levels. On the date of publication, Neharika Jain did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com The Yankees pinch hit Trent Grisham over Anthony Volpe in the ninth inning of Friday's loss to the Mets. AP NEW YORK The reeling Yankees need Anthony Volpe to break out and live up to his lofty expectations, but the shortstop is busy having a disappointing third summer in pinstripes. With his 0-for-3 in Fridays 6-5 loss to the Mets at Citi Field, the shortstop is now hitting .121 (8-for-66) in his last 19 games with 18 strikeouts. TO PURCHASE YANKEES TICKETS, VISIT: VIVIDSEATS, TICKETMATER and STUBHUB Volpe isnt the only Yankee struggling at the plate right now, but his issues have been in the spotlight of late. Hes been leaving way too many runners on base, often churning out unproductive at-bats in big spots. And Volpes Gold Glove defense at shortstop has regressed this season. He entered play Friday with the most errors in the American League (11). Its enough for fans to start wondering if he isnt the long-term answer at shortstop. Yankees manager Aaron Boone has stood up for Volpe and had him in the starting lineup through thick and thin since the former top prospect debuted in 2023. What he did in the ninth inning on Friday was telling, though. The Yankees were trailing by one run and with Volpe due up to start the frame, Boone summoned lefty outfielder Trent Grisham off the bench as a pinch hitter. Grisham ended up flying out to left field and the Yankees were retired in order by Mets reliever Reed Garrett, the final three outs of their fifth consecutive loss. That move was a testament to the way the Yankees feel about Volpe right now. Yes, Grisham was the better matchup against Garrett who is tough on right-handed hitters but if Volpe was rolling, Boone wouldve stuck with him to try and spark a rally. Plus, with DJ LeMahieu on deck in the No. 9 spot, Volpe getting on to start the inning potentially wreaking havoc with his speed wouldve set up a great spot for Grisham to hit. Boone admitted postgame that Volpes woes offensively played a role in that decision. It was only the third time since Volpes debut that Boone has used a pinch hitter late in a close game in the shortstops place. Had a couple lefties sitting over there [on our bench], Boone explained after the loss. Leading off the inning there, knowing Garrett is going back out, Id rather have our lefties facing him. And just with what Volpes gone through here the last few weeks of kind of getting it going and having some real thunder sitting over there too. Asked what it was like to be pulled back to the bench in a big spot, Volpe gave a humble and team-first answer. The competitor in you wants to be out there, wants to help the team and you feel like you can, Volpe said, but those things are out of my control. All it is is just putting in the work and earning those at-bats, earning every at-bat. So, what exactly has been keeping Volpe from exploding offensively this season? Weeks ago, when Volpe was emerging from a putrid 0-for-25 skid, both the shortstop and his manager cited timing as the culprit for his plummeting production. Thats still the case here in early July. When youre not on time and you feel late or feel quick, a lot is gonna break down, Volpe said. So its just a matter of finding consistency of when to get ready. Boone reiterated that hes seen spurts from Volpe where it seems like hes getting it rolling, but then hell snap back to this reality where hes falling behind and not making good contact. Volpe called it a grind and until he starts to turn his numbers around, hell continue to be a part of the problem for this subpar offense. Hes going through it a little bit right now and gotta keep working at it, Boone said. Max Goodman may be reached at mgoodman@njadvancemedia.com. Support the Peninsulas only locally-owned newspaper. Subscribe! Subscribing annually brings you big savings. We also offer monthly and weekly subscriptions. Premium Subscription As low as $8.25 per week Premium Includes: -- Access to the Daily Journals e-Edition: a digital replica of our daily newspaper including crossword puzzles, games, comics, classifieds and ads. You can download a digital replica of the Daily Journal for offline reading. You can also clip & download articles or images from the e-edition to share with others The most recent 90 issues are available at any given time. -- Unlimited access to our award-winning online content -- Commenting access on all stories as a valued member of the DJ community -- NEW! Access to our online-only digital crossword puzzle. A new puzzle every day, seven days a week! Jeff Bezos lives by a simple precept: limit the number of things you would wish you had done differently when you are 80. He calls it, with habitual nerdiness, the regret-minimisation framework. In 1994, it led him to forsake cushy work at a hedge fund to start Amazon. It is behind the big bets, from the Prime subscription service to AWS cloud computing, that have made the company into a technology titan valued at $US2.3 trillion ($3.5 trillion) and himself into one of the worlds richest people. It also explains why, six years ago, Mr Bezos left his first wife of 25 years for a former TV presenter, Lauren Sanchez. And why he blew, on some estimates, $US50 million ($76 million) to rent out Venice for three days for their opulent nuptials starting on June 26 the predictable antiplutocrat pushback be damned. Newlyweds Lauren Sanchez Bezos and Jeff Bezos are pictured here in Venice on their wedding weekend. Credit: AP The 61-year-old Mr Bezos presumably has an even better idea today of what his octogenarian self might regret than he did at 31, 41 or 51, when his 80th birthday was far off. To get an inkling of his current calculus, look at how he spends, first, his time and, second, his $US240 billion ($365 billion) fortune. Once the billionaire is back from his honeymoon, details of which are as hush-hush as the wedding was loud, he will return to his other love Blue Origin. Mr Bezos has been a card-carrying space cadet since watching the Apollo 11 moon landings in 1969, when he was five. In 2000, he founded the rocketry firm credo: gradatim ferociter (step by step, ferociously) to make space travel cheaper with reusable craft. The ultimate goal is to enable humanity to keep growing in resource-rich and unpollutable space while letting Earth thrive as a planet-sized nature reserve. 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 Jess Felschow never felt she had a place where she truly belonged. That was before she found Celestial Events, a group that brings together people who love fantasy stories. They arent alone. Fantasy fiction is exploding in popularity, and Jess is one of millions who have found comfort in series such as A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) by Sarah J. Maas. The books have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide, connecting an entire generation of readers. With Celestial Events, which boasts 10,000 online members, Jess could dress up and unapologetically embrace her interests, something shed never experienced before. And now, along with her husband and assistant dog Charlie Jess has attended her first fantasy-themed ball, Starfall at Customs House by the Brisbane River. Some Celestial community members met for the first time since forming online friendships at the ball. Credit: Travis de Valle The people that go to these events are so kind and open-minded and accepting of everybody, she says. Advertisement Jess also walked the fashion runway at Queen Street Mall in her Starfall ball gown, a surreal experience she says she would never have done before finding Celestial Events. Before Celestial Events, Jess struggled to find a space that would embrace her assistant dog Charlie. Celestial Events came into being when another Brisbane local picked up an ACOTAR novel on a holiday. With a background in events, having run Brisbane Fashion Month, Carly Vidall-Wallace says she hadnt really read an enjoyable book since high school and was enamoured. Trying to find people who are understanding and patient enough to want me involved in all aspects of events has been a big struggle. Jess Felschow, Celestial Events member A Court of Thorns and Roses just ignited something in me. She posted in a Sarah J. Maas Book Club Facebook group about interest in a ball modelled after the fantasy series, and Celestial Events was born. Advertisement Celestial Events pride themselves on being accessible and inclusive to all-abilities. Credit: Travis de Valle Overwhelmed by the response, Carly went into event-planning mode and within two weeks tickets for the first Starfall ball were on sale. I thought I might be the only one but when I saw that response I thought Im not alone, Im not a super geek and this could be really fun. The first event sold 300 tickets in a minute. Carly scheduled a second ball the next evening to meet demand. That was 18 months ago. Now Carly has sold out City Hall, with 1000 Celestials in attendance and no plans to slow down. Celestial Events founder Carly Vidall-Wallace, is part of the Sarah J Maas fan club. While this particular ball event is inspired by the acclaimed ACOTAR series, Carly has to be smart when it comes to copyright risk. Advertisement Her events incorporate elements from a range of fantasy tales, including The Hunger Games, The Lord of the Rings and Fourth Wing. She has since been successful to obtain a trademark in Australia and New Zealand for Celestial Events Starfall Ball. Carly has also recently made it to the third round of the Telstra Business Awards in the community sector for her work with Celestial Events. With interstate and international interest, she has tapped into a huge market of fantasy-lovers who are seeking community, connection and friendship. Celestial Events founder Carly Vidall-Wallace, at this years ball at City Hall. Credit: Erika Myer Even though life is pretty hard, and the news is miserable at the moment, this is a space where that doesnt matter. Youre going to be a fairy princess or you can be whoever you want to be. This is your night where you are the main character, Carly said. The community strives to be an inclusive space where all are welcome and embraced. This has meant that naturally, the group has attracted many neurodiverse members. Advertisement Escapism in the fantasy world has an interest in the neurodiverse community. Even if youre super anxious when you put on a character you can be less shy because youre in persona. Carly Vidall-Wallace, Celestial Events founder Coming from the fashion industry, Carly knows too well the feelings of inadequacy and comparison that she experienced in these spaces. I guess I felt that [the fashion industry] was a little bit VIP, youre either in or youre not. What are you wearing? What are they wearing? It was sometimes not a very positive space, she said. For members of the neurodivergent community, finding a place of belonging isnt always an easy feat. Testimonial in the Facebook community from a celestial who attended the Starfall ball. Melbourne-based psychologist Susan Rodriguez-Manning said having a safe space was important to people who historically struggle to find community. Advertisement JULIAN DANA WILLIAM MCMAHON July 27, 1968July 2, 2025 If the son of a prime minister was a strange idea for Australias homegrown acting community, a place where new actors are washed onto the set of a weeknight soap on incoming waves, then Julian McMahon would always be much more at home in Hollywood. America is, after all, the land of actors-turned-politicians, where Ronald Reagan was a president, and Arnold Schwarzenegger was a governor. And yet, even there, McMahon was an object of some fascination: the actor son of a prominent politician, who regaled interviewers with stories of growing up in Australias version of the White House. Australian actor Julian McMahon has died at 56. His wife, Kelly, said he died peacefully in his sleep. Credit: Corbis via Getty Images McMahon, the son of former Australian prime minister Sir William McMahon and his wife, heiress and socialite Lady Sonia McMahon, grew up very much in the spotlight. His father was a career politician who was also the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia; his mother, a society figure whose own visit to the American White House in 1971 created sensational headlines because of a revealing dress. Advertisement Review Eating outKogarah Boodle fights, sweet buns and fiery stews: This modest eatery offers some of Sydneys most traditional Filipino food Local hospital workers and expats know the best empanadas can be found opposite Kogarah Station. Lenny Ann Low July 6, 2025 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share 1 / 17 Owner Cristina Bontjer at Filipino Fiesta in Kogarah. Sam Mooy 2 / 17 Sam Mooy 3 / 17 Sam Mooy 4 / 17 Kare kare with peanut sauce. Sam Mooy 5 / 17 Tilapia (fried whole fish). Sam Mooy 6 / 17 Sam Mooy 7 / 17 Sam Mooy 8 / 17 Tortang talong (eggplant omelette) dish. Sam Mooy 9 / 17 Sam Mooy 10 / 17 Bicol express (spicy pork with coconut cream). Sam Mooy 11 / 17 Empanadas (pork, pork and salted egg, chicken). Sam Mooy 12 / 17 Sam Mooy 13 / 17 Binagoongan (pork with anchovies, shrimp paste). Sam Mooy 14 / 17 Sam Mooy 15 / 17 Halo halo (dessert). Sam Mooy 16 / 17 Sam Mooy 17 / 17 Sam Mooy Previous Slide Next Slide Filipino$$$$ Every morning, less than two hours after opening, Filipino Fiestas bain-marie is chock-a-block full. Theres pork menudo, also known as ginamay, a long-simmered tomato and liver stew. It glistens beside spicy bopis, a mix of minced pigs lungs and heart speckled with red and green capsicum. Eggplant omelette tortang talong arrives crisp and golden after being flattened with a fork, dipped in egg and pan-fried. These dishes are delivered in a procession from a kitchen in the back. Next is the Bicol express, a fiery pork stew made with coconut milk and named after a train service between Manila and the Philippines Bicol region. Its placed near the dinuguan, a dark and hearty pork blood and offal stew. Photo: Sam Mooy Advertisement Trays of fresh-baked empanadas appear and are loaded into a warmer near the front door. Theyre all gone in an hour, whisked away by customers adding them to shopping-list items found on Filipino Fiestas grocery shelves. Meanwhile, lunch requests range from fried tilapia fish to binagoongan, a pork stew thumping with shrimp paste. Overseeing all of this is owner Cristina Bontjer. After coming to Australia in 1997 from the Iloilo province on Panay Island in the Philippines, she worked as a cleaner and later for food businesses in Allawah and Rockdale. In 2021 she opened Filipino Fiesta in Kogarah, partly because the venue had enough space for a small eating area plus shelves of imported Filipino products, but also because there are several nearby hospitals. Kare kare with peanut sauce. Sam Mooy There are a great many Filipino nurses and [hospital] workers, says Bontjer. They come here for food from home that they miss. There is no menu at Filipino Fiesta. Customers know the shop well enough to ask for their hot food favourites, usually to take home for dinner, plus the rich steamed custard of leche flan (syrupy Filipino creme caramel). Theyre also picking from the windows display of pan de coco, a shiny sweet bun stuffed with shredded coconut; soft, fluffy and lilac-hued ube cheese pandesal bread; and pianono, the Filipino version of Swiss or jelly roll cake made with buttercream filling. Advertisement Theres also triangular slabs of bread pudding and ensaymadas, a brioche-like pastry topped here with grated cheddar. Ive worked hard for years and I am very proud that Im baking my breads here now, says Bontjer. Cristina Bontjer packs up rolls for a customer. Sam Mooy Until recently, the next-door shop was her restaurant too, a large space catering to big groups and, most popularly, boodle fights, a traditional communal feast that originated with Filipino soldiers eating together at the end of the day. For a boodle fight, food is laid across banana leaves and eaten by hand. Filipino Fiesta, named after the food festivals held each month in towns across the Philipines, still offers boodle fights at the long laminated tables in its cafe. Sitting here is like joining a family as customers greet each other, call out their order to Bontjer and read news from the Philippines on their phones. Between sips of a cup of sweet instant coffee made with condensed milk, I eat the pungent binagoongan, the sweet and salty pork stews garlic and pepper flavours soaking into white rice. A chicken and salted egg empanada is comfort food to the hilt, its chewy pastry perfect to drag through a mouth-shockingly hot sauce left behind by the Bicol express. Advertisement As the lunch crowd swells, theres just time to order a super sweet halo halo, the Filipino shaved ice dessert layered in condensed milk, jelly and fruit. (I also nab the last empanada for takeaway as a fresh batch arrives.) Three more Filipino cafes to try Tita Between lacy curtains, bright plastic tablecloths and counters of fresh-baked rolls and buns, Titas classic Filipino breakfasts are best with icy sweet Manila lattes before licks of ube soft-serve. Fill up with a tapsilogs sweet-salty beef strips on garlicky rice topped with a fried egg. 4/359 Illawarra Road, Marrickville, instagram.com/tita.carinderia Taguan The pull to visit Josemargo Flores and Vincent Baquirans inner-city Filipino cafe is most definitely their traditional pork adobo, but theres also a lot to love about the batch brew and hand-crafted ceramic dog mugs by Filipino artist Bijin. 191 Redfern Street, Redfern, instagram.com/taguancafe.syd Descanso Try Descansos barkarda (sharing) boards, a smaller version of a boodle fight, with beef tapas, chicken tocino and pork longganisa sausages, or drop in weekends for crispy pork dinuguan, with chilli-rich deep-fried pork sauteed in vinegar and lemongrass. 4/32-72 Alice Street, Newtown, descanso.com.au Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant cant pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide. Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up Its mid-afternoon on the Nile and Im watching the scenery glide by from the top deck of the Agatha, warm breeze tugging at my shirt. Every couple of kilometres we pass a village of flat-roofed mud brick houses shaded by date palms. Between each village is a luscious green sandwich of wheat and lucerne fields set against toasted sandstone hills. Ox carts plod and creak in a nimbus of dust. It feels as old as the Book of Psalms. Credit: The story of Egypt is the story of the Nile. It is this river that has made life and civilisation possible here. Until the building of the dams at Aswan, the river flooded every year, delivering a rich cargo of fertile silt to the farms along its banks. Extending from the river, a filigree of canals and capillaries irrigate fields of wheat, cotton, rice, barley, grapes and fruit trees. Where the irrigated fields end, a wilderness of sand and rock begins. The Nile River cruise between Luxor and Aswan is a slow and languid voyage past the ribbon of greenery that rescues Egypt from the parched sands of the Sahara. Most travellers sail aboard the big vessels, which can carry between 40 and 150 passengers and travel in a convoy of five or six, tying up side-by-side along the riverbank at night. Then there are boats such as the Agatha, traditional dahabiyas with a single row of cabins that accommodate 10 to 20 passengers on the bottom deck while an expansive upper deck offers couches and tables beneath a shady awning. If the wind is strong, the crew hoist the sails, but most of the time our dahabiya is towed by a tug at about the speed of a paddling duck. As much as I love weddings, surely we can all agree that spending $50 million to pledge til death do us part is a couple of zeros too far. Well, almost all of us can agree on that, but clearly, newlyweds Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez dont think so, given thats how much theyre rumoured to have spent on their big day. In case you missed it, the nuptials of the Amazon founder and former journalist were a three-day affair in Venice, and was attended by 200 guests including some of the biggest celebrities in the world. In 2025, luxury travel has officially become the latest iteration of keeping up with the Joneses. Credit: iStock But with so many celebrities (all with sizeable respectable wealth to their names) in attendance came a wall of social media content documenting every designer outfit (of which there were many) worn by the bride, the groom, and their guests, as well as peeks inside the luxury hotels in which they stayed, the yachts on which they partied, the 90 private jets that transported everyone to and from the event, and the hatted restaurants in which they dined. For all the so-called vulgarity, it was a coveted holiday one that just about anyone would dream about being invited on. Fitz: Lights, camera, Kevin07! MP: Yes, and in parliament, the issues of concern to my Fremantle constituents tended to be the same things I was passionate about: that Australia should be a good global citizen, protect the environment, respect human rights and animal welfare, practice good governance and [be an] advocate for nuclear disarmament. Fitz: And what propelled you to leave parliament a decade later, even though by that point youd had a stint as the minister for international development in the second Rudd government? MP: Id been there for three terms and felt it was time to let someone else have the extraordinary privilege of being the federal MP for Freo. And frankly I was pretty burnt out. The next year I was asked to become an ambassador for ICAN Australia, and it went from there. Fitz: Which brings us indeed to ICAN. What is the central idea? MP: The idea is to abolish nuclear weapons globally. The campaign started in Melbourne in 2007, with a small group of people sitting around a kitchen table who decided to start a campaign based on earlier successful campaigns to ban landmines and cluster munitions, as well as chemical and biological weapons you ban these inhumane weapons, and they become morally and legally unacceptable. Within 10 years of having started that campaign, ICAN had become a global civil society movement headquartered in Geneva, made up of hundreds of partner organisations around the world. A mushroom cloud after an atomic bomb test in French Polynesia in 1971. Credit: Getty It won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for its work to highlight the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, and for helping to get a new UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons adopted at the UN General Assembly with the support of 122 countries. That treaty is basically the only bright light for nuclear disarmament, which had been stalled for decades. Fitz: And yet while half the countries of the world have signed that treaty, and many more support it, Australia still isnt one of them? MP: Not yet. Anthony Albanese, in 2018 when he was in opposition, introduced a resolution to the national ALP platform, that Labor in government would join the treaty and Anthony, I think, has a personal commitment on this issue. Labor is now in its second term of government and it has a great opportunity to honour that platform commitment and its own strong history of championing nuclear disarmament by joining the treaty. There will, of course, be resistance from the defence establishment, but Australias current reliance on US nuclear weapons in our defence policy is both dangerous (because it makes us a nuclear target) and absurd (because the US would never sacrifice one of its cities for ours). If Australia was to join the nuclear ban treaty we would be improving our own security and that of our region and the world. Fitz: Is Iran a signatory of the treaty to ban nuclear weapons? MP: Iran and the United States are both parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty from 1970, which aims to limit the spread of nuclear weapons, requires nuclear-armed states to negotiate disarmament, and allows countries to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes under strict safeguards. Israel is not a party to the NPT. None of those countries have yet joined the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and we are encouraging them to do so. But Iran is entitled under the NPT to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Loading Fitz: The problem being its only a small step from having a nuclear energy program to having nuclear weapons? MP: Until the attacks on it by Israel, Iran had been co-operating with international inspectors and engaging in talks with the US about its nuclear program. US intelligence and the International Atomic Energy Agency had assessed that Iran was not developing a nuclear weapon. And so the attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran were clear violations of international law, since Iran had not attacked either country, had not threatened an imminent attack on those countries, and did not have nuclear weapons. These attacks were not only illegal but also counterproductive because Iran has now made a decision to suspend its co-operation with international inspections. Israel is the only country in the Middle East that has nuclear weapons, and it has never subjected itself to international inspections. It is arguably Israels possession of nuclear weapons that has emboldened it to be a nuclear bully, to commit atrocities and genocide in Gaza and to attack other countries in the region, not only Iran, but also Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Fitz: But hang on, Melissa, Iran actually had launched some ballistic missiles at Israel before this strike. MP: The two incidents in April and October last year involved Iran responding to assassinations by Israel. They are entirely separate from Israels June attacks this year, which Netanyahu himself claimed were pre-emptive self-defence based on Iran being close to developing a nuclear weapon, which we know is not the case. That is, even Israel itself is not claiming the June attack on Iran was retaliation for last years events. Fitz: I confess surprise at the strength of your language. As the executive director of ICAN it seems youre in a quasi-diplomatic role and it is rare that diplomats use very strong language like saying Israels committing genocide in Gaza. And yet you dont hesitate. MP: Well, Im an advocate and an international lawyer rather than a diplomat. The word genocide has been applied by many international legal experts to the Israel/Gaza situation, and every major international human rights organisation, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Genocide is not an emotive expression, it is a legal one, applying the terms of the Genocide Convention to what is happening in Gaza, and it is very clear. The International Court of Justice has said it is plausible that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. You know its not a controversial opinion in most of the world. Fitz: And you take it as absolute fact that Iran was not developing nuclear weapons? How do you know? MP: The same way we know that every other non-nuclear weapon state that is party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty is not developing nuclear weapons, because theres a very strict inspections regime thats carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which the international community trusts. US intelligence and IAEA had both assessed that Iran was not developing a nuclear weapon. So Im not saying it as a guess or an assumption. Fitz: And so the net result of the American bombing of Irans nuclear facilities a fortnight ago? Loading MP: The world is on the brink of nuclear catastrophe right now. These events expose the double standards inherent around nuclear weapons. You had here two countries with nuclear weapons Israel and the US attacking another country that does not have nuclear weapons, Iran. And as former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, There are no right hands for wrong weapons. Nuclear weapons are the only devices ever created that have the capacity to destroy all complex life on earth. No country should be able to threaten the end of life on this planet. No country should have these nuclear weapons. And these events have shown that you cant bomb your way to nuclear non-proliferation or security. Youve got to negotiate agreements. Youve got to return to the diplomatic process because these illegal attacks did not make the region or the world any safer. Theyve made it more dangerous by undermining the non-proliferation regime and international law itself. Striking nuclear installations is specifically banned under international law and risks causing radioactive contamination thats harmful to human health and the environment. This misadventure by Israel and the US may well have prompted Iran to consider building a nuclear weapon for the first time. Fitz: What is the doomsday scenario that keeps you awake at night? MP: This year the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the hands of the Doomsday Clock forward to 89 seconds to midnight, the closest weve ever been to global catastrophe and that was before the recent India/Pakistan and Israel/US/Iran confrontations. There are more than 12,000 nuclear weapons in the world, with 2000 of them on high-alert launch status. As long as any nuclear weapons remain anywhere they are bound one day to be used, whether by design or by accident or miscalculation the situation becomes even more dangerous with the increasing integration by the military of AI into nuclear command and control systems. When the experts war-game likely scenarios, theres virtually none where the firing of one nuclear weapon doesnt lead to an escalatory exchange that results in all-out nuclear war. Fitz: And the bombing of Iran makes this more, not less, likely? Well, you didnt choose your words carefully on Israel, so what about US President Donald Trump? Is he now the most dangerous man in the world? MP: We dont know. Its entirely unpredictable. For instance, during his election campaign and then in his message to the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, Trump was talking about the need for denuclearisation, and saying he was going to talk to Russia and China about denuclearisation, and that nuclear weapons cost so much money that could be spent on other things, which is all true. ICANs latest report shows that the nuclear armed states spent $US100 billion last year on their nuclear arsenals. The US is spending trillions of dollars on its nuclear modernisation program. So, Trump says he wants to denuclearise, but at the same time is approving increases to nuclear weapons modernisation programs. So we havent seen him act consistently on this issue, and we really dont know which way it will go. Hes apparently quite keen to get a Nobel Peace Prize. So if he could eliminate nuclear weapons from the face of the earth, maybe [he could get one]. Fitz: So if he could do that, youd call it all even on the card for the many shocking things that hes done? I would go further than Jacqueline Maley (The Bezos-Sanchez wedding party proves we live in an age of vulgarity, June 29). The Bezos-Sanchez wedding surpassed vulgarity. It was an obscenity. If there were ever an argument against a wealth tax on billionaires, it was dispelled by that single event. Tony Judge, Woolgoolga Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say. You look at the positives and negatives of Bezos nuptials. Jeff Bezos apparently pays a 1.1 per cent tax currently, substantially lower than the average American pays, which is likely to decrease further once the Trump bill passes through the US Congress and Senate. Having said that, Bezos has contributed to the Venice economy in the past few days in a way they could only dream of. But he cant beat Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambanis sons wedding last year - apparently Ambani spent over $US$1.1 billion, which supported the local economy in India, and he also invited the worlds whos who, including Tony Blair and many other influencers. In both cases, its their own wealth they are spending or showing off, though it might look vulgar and obscene to an average punter in the street. Thats life, as Derryn Hinch used to say. Mukul Desai, Hunters Hill Newlyweds Lauren Sanchez Bezos and Jeff Bezos leave Venice. Credit: AP Jacqueline Maley sums up glaring divide between the so-called rich, famous and powerful and a society desperately struggling to survive. The excess and blatant display of wealth and self-importance is all about those who telegraph to the world that despite global uncertainty, exhibitionism is of greater importance. For those of us whose love brought them to a wedding ceremony in a time and place very different to that of today, the simplicity of the occasion is something to be cherished. While we wish the newlywed couple well for their future happiness, our hope is that they retain an everlasting love that transcends the extravagance. Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook According to the long-held view the more expensive the wedding, the quicker the divorce, this marriage will be very short indeed. Heather Johnson, West Pennant Hills Flexible programs build diverse talent pool 13:44, June 30, 2025 By ZHAO YIMENG ( China Daily Students learn about recruitment information during a campus job fair held at the Qinghai College of Architectural Technology in Xining, Northwest China's Qinghai province, April 23, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] A new academic trend is gaining ground in universities across China. Students are increasingly spending their evenings and weekends pursuing micro-majors, which are short-duration educational programs designed to empower them with practical skills needed in the job market. Such programs constitute a key step in enhancing graduate employability and align the higher education system with the country's economic needs, the Ministry of Education said. In a recent guideline aimed at improving public welfare, the central government called on universities to deepen the integration of industry and education by developing micro-major programs that target skills in high demand. Guo Peng, director of the ministry's Department of Development Planning, said in early June that the guideline supports universities in establishing micro-major programs to strengthen students' employment and entrepreneurial capabilities. Unlike traditional academic programs, micro-majors are nondegree programs comprising three to 10 courses. They feature flexible schedules, shorter terms and curriculums centered around knowledge that is interdisciplinary, advanced and practical. In March, the ministry launched a plan aimed at accelerating the trend and establishing 1,000 micro-major programs nationwide. The objective was to create an innovative talent pool that can quickly adapt to industrial shifts. Universities across the country have responded to the new trend. This month, Jiangnan University in Jiangsu province started enrollment for 19 new micro-majors for the 2025 academic year. These include eclectic programs such as embodied artificial intelligence and robotics, Chinese liquor, biopharmaceuticals and entrepreneurial design. Classes are held in the evenings, over the weekends, or during condensed short terms to avoid conflict with primary studies. Upon finishing a micro-major program, students receive a certificate, but it has no bearing on their GPA, the university said. In Shanghai, 33 institutes have established 298 micro-majors focused on emerging industries such as the digital, green and low-altitude economies, according to the municipal education bureau. Wang Haoxu, a student majoring in international communication at Tsinghua University in Beijing, has registered for a micromajor in public health to build cross-disciplinary skills. As a student of liberal arts, Wang said he wants to pursue fields that intersect with science and technology to enhance his scope of employment in the future. "Having a cross-disciplinary background may also lead to a higher salary," he added. Most micro-major programs are practice-oriented, according to Wang. For example, a program on nutrition and health offers immediately applicable lessons on healthier eating, while another on global health and governance uses case studies to inculcate a problem-solving framework. "Public health is a practice-oriented discipline. Much of the knowledge we acquire in theory can be applied in practice," he said, adding that the program is more about building a foundational literacy that is useful in the real world. One of the most appealing features of such programs is that they give students a competitive edge, Wang said. "If I enter the media industry, the (additional) knowledge will give me an advantage over students from the same major and help me form my own unique strengths." Beyond career prospects, Wang has discovered unexpected parallels between the two disciplines he has chosen. The public health program's strong emphasis on evaluation is similar to the focus on effectiveness in international communication, he said. International communication students are sometimes required to provide policy advice to government departments on issues such as public opinion management. "If you don't understand the entire process and the regulatory logic of the medical field, it's very difficult to give targeted recommendations," Wang said. The new trend is also breaking down the wall between campus and society. Since 2023, Soochow University in Suzhou, a city in Jiangsu, has opened some of its micro-majors to the public. The educational leadership-plus program is offered for free to primary and secondary school teachers in western China to build up the regional teaching workforce. The university's precision radiology program is open to undergraduate students of nine other universities to foster collaboration. Yan Changjie, director of the academic affairs office at Yangzhou University in Jiangsu, said the traditional process of establishing a new academic major may take years from application to the first graduating class, by which time the industry may have already changed. "Micro-majors are nimble. Those with positive feedback are expected to supplement a traditional degree and could even be developed into a full-fledged major," Yan said. Fan Xiudi, director of the Education Evaluation Research Center at Tongji University in Shanghai, said the programs are a necessary and practical way for universities and enterprises to provide more diverse options for college students and other members of the public. Although micro-majors can't substitute for traditional degree programs, they represent a way for higher education to serve national needs and are bound for greater development in the future, she added. However, Fan warned that institutions must focus on quality, rather than simply follow a trend. "These programs should be diverse and constantly adjusted to meet the real needs of students and professionals," she said. "If micromajors focus more on quality and flexibility, they will gain broader recognition and have a positive impact." Xi Zhimiaocontributed to this story. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted at the possibility of visiting China, Azernews reports. Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One en route to New Jersey, Trump revealed that Chinese leader Xi Jinping personally invited him. President Xi invited me there. He asked, Will you come? He might also visit here. We have a good relationship, Trump said. However, Trump added that he has not yet decided on his next international trip. Plans are always changing. We are planning a trip to Europe. I have also been invited to Turkiye. Honestly, I have received invitations from almost every country, he noted. NBC 10 reached out to Autosmart to find out why Noble's original loan wasn't paid off when she refinanced through them. A representative from SmartSource, who said they were a consultant for Autosmart, responded and blamed the financial institutions involved. "They know how hard I work. They know that I'm a nurse, they know I'm a single mom for them to do this to me is just unconscionable," she told NBC 10, getting emotional. This, she said, is hurting her ability to buy a home. That left Noble with two car loans in her name totaling over $50,000. They didnt actually do it, but they continued to make monthly payments on my behalf, she explained. Noble said ACA told her they never received the payoff payment for her loan from Autosmart. But then ACA started texting Noble saying her monthly payment was due or late. She also couldn't get the title to her car. They said they sent the payoff check to the first company that I financed with, said Noble. Payoff amount is the total needed to satisfy a debt, including interest and fees. Noble said she financed the purchase with American Credit Acceptance (ACA) and went back a few months later as planned to refinance. "I bought a used car from Autosmart in Palmyra," Noble told NBC 10. "They said they would work with me to get the monthly payment that I wanted at the price I wanted they said, 'You can buy the car and in a couple of months you can refinance with us.'" Susan Noble asked NBC 10 to investigate an issue related to a car she bought and financed last September through Autosmart. Whats interesting, though, is that NBC 10 was already looking into Autosmart after a viewer reached out with a problem she is facing. And the recent investigation could be related to it. Prosecutors could only confirm that the dealership is under investigation and did not speak to specific charges. They did, however, tell the news station that they'd received several complaints that customers were scammed at the dealership. Autosmart on Route 73 in Palmyra was served a search warrant and investigators took license plates from the companys garage and boxes and computers from the office. Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan works every single time to kill debt, get rich in America and that anyone can do it Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Story Continues On June 3, that representative said the payoff payment would be processed and take 10 days to be paid in full. But Noble said that didn't happen. "I would like to see them, you know, held accountable," she told NBC 10. The news station was not able to get an answer about that or the investigation into Autosmart. ACA and Autosmart also did not respond. The Burlington County Prosecutor's Office issued a statement on the Autosmart investigation saying, "No charges have been filed. Members of the public who wish to speak with an investigator concerning their experience with this dealership should contact us at tips@co.burlingtonnj.us." Its worth noting that Autosmart also has an F rating on Better Business Bureau with 27 complaints filed against the business. One complaint from April 2025 says, "I traded in my 2021 Kia Seltos in December of 2023 and that car loan has not been settled. We signed a contract stating the they would pay the loan off. The company has been paying monthly until January 2025. I have been calling and seeing why that loan hasn't been paid. The loan has defaulted which has severely damaged my credit score along with the loan company seeking the vehicle and or payoff." **Read more: No millions? No problem. With as little as $10, heres how you can access this $1B private real estate fund of diversified assets usually only available to major players Auto loan refinancing scams What Noble says happened to her may be an honest mix-up or a sign of a serious mismanagement of funds and fraud. Auto loan refinancing scams are common enough for the Federal Trade Commission to have a page dedicated to them. Scam refinancers either promise theyll get you lower payments on your auto loan, but ask for an advance payment, or they tell you to make your loan payments directly to them and say theyll pay your lender for you while they negotiate a deal. In reality, scam refinancers arent negotiating with your lender or anyone else, says the FTC. If you make your monthly car payments to the refinancer instead of your lender, those payments will likely go straight into the scammers pockets not to repay your loan. You may only find out about the fraud when your lender contacts you about missed payments, or your car is repossessed. These scams hurt borrowers and can make their financial situations even worse. For one thing, falling behind on an auto loan could put you at risk of having your car repossessed. It could also damage your credit score, making it harder to borrow money the next time you need to. For this reason, its important to be careful when dealing with refinancing companies. Dealer tactics to look out for Auto dealerships have different ways of luring in credit-challenged buyers. They can promise low vehicle prices and low financing rates only to hit you with surprise costs. One good way to avoid getting taken for a ride is to read the fine print on your loan documentation. Sometimes, auto dealerships will offer a seemingly attractive interest rate on an auto loan but hit you with hidden fees that drive your costs up. Another popular tactic is the yo-yo scam, where you're told your auto loan is final and you're allowed to drive the car away. Then, days or weeks later, you're told that your financing didn't come through, and that your only option is to sign a new loan with less favorable terms or give back the car. You should know that any time youre pressured to sign a car loan quickly, it should be considered a red flag. Another thing you should know when youre shopping for a car is that you do not have to finance it through or from the dealership. It pays to shop around for your own auto loan to compare rates and there may be advantages to dealing with a lender directly. Its also a good idea to research dealerships before moving forward with a car purchase. Look at the Better Business Bureau, as well as sites like Yelp, to check for complaints and reviews. However, if you do get scammed, file a report with the FTC as well as your state attorney generals office. What to read next Money doesnt have to be complicated sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Commuters will receive two fare-free days across all NSW train and metro lines after rail unions voted to accept the governments pay rise offer. Travellers will not have to tap on at any stations on Thursday July 31 and Friday August 1, as recognition for the disruption and frustration caused by the industrial action during the recent pay dispute with rail unions. Opal readers will be switched off at train stations for two days. Credit: Janie Barrett Of the 11,735 workers who participated in a vote on the new pay agreement, 92 per cent voted in favour of the governments 12 per cent pay rise offer over three years, with essentially another four per cent thanks to back pay to May 2024. Opal readers will be turned off across the network, including at metro stations, and TrainLink customers will be refunded the price of tickets booked for those days. Full fares will still apply to buses, light rail and ferries. Commuters can breathe a sigh of relief after rail unions voted to accept the state governments pay offer, ending the campaign of industrial action that wreaked havoc across the train network for months. Of the 11,735 employees who participated in the vote, 92 per cent voted to accept the governments offer of a 12 per cent pay rise over the next three years with essentially an extra four per cent in backpay to May 2024. Commuters on a packed train at Ashfield. Credit: Steven Siewert We want to acknowledge the period of protected industrial action was drawn-out and took its toll on rail passengers, Transport Minister John Graham said. Resolution of the matter will now allow Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink to focus solely on improving reliability and services for those more than a million passengers who use the network each day. Habib said students often wont know what subjects they are missing out on because the school doesnt present these subjects as an option when it is time to choose. If you dont know even know that, for example, economics scales exceptionally well, because its not available to you, how can that be a consideration for students looking to maximise their ATAR? In 2024, more than 95 per cent of English Extension 1 students, and 87 per cent of English Extension 2 students achieved in the top two performance bands, E3 and E4. In English Advanced, two out of three students, or 67 per cent, achieved a band five or six. In Mathematics Extension 2, 86 per cent of students were awarded the top two bands, while 79 per cent of students in Mathematics Extension 1 achieved this top score. Other subjects with a high percentage the cohort receiving bands five and six included Music 2 (84 per cent) History Extension (86 per cent), Drama (61 per cent), Visual Arts (66 per cent), and Textiles and Design (49 per cent). Academic Dr Robin Nagy, from UNSWs school of education, said capable students should lean towards extension and advanced versions of subjects, but it was important to not confuse correlation with causation, with more academic students taking these harder courses. The fact that a subject gets a lot of band fives and sixes is not a reason to pick that subject, he said, explaining that the reason that some subjects get a disproportionate number of high bands is typically because the people doing those subjects have an intrinsic motivation in the subject. If you choose a subject based on what you love, youre much more likely to do well in it and get a band five or six. However, for many kids, doing a subject they love is not always feasible. Australian National University researcher Ben Archer, said for students in disadvantaged, regional and remote schools, subject selection is limited. Loading Geographically speaking you will see a wider range of subjects being offered in larger areas particularly within large towns and capital cities. It comes down to financial viability, he said. Its something Phoebe Britten, CEO of non-profit Inspire Tomorrow, which provides free tutoring services, has noticed in her work.p5mbphp5mbph A lot of tutors have reached out to us offering to tutor extension maths, extension english, extension science, but we had to say to them we actually dont have any students who request these subjects because in a lot of rural and remote towns these subjects are just not available, she said. Students are not able to take a higher level of a course simply because it is not on offer, or they have to travel to another school to take it. Engineering student Eamonn Lee knew which subjects would prepare him for a STEM university course: physics, extension mathematics, and software. He had a passion for these subjects; however, they were not available at his Nambucca Heads school. Instead, he had to move to a school an hour away. Engineering student Eamonn Lee moved schools to study the science subjects he would need to enrol in his degree. Credit: Steven Siewert I had to move away from a public school where I had built up this fantastic relationship with the teachers, I had friends, classmates I enjoyed being with, but I had to go, he said. Lee said it was only in year 12 that he realised the university course that he wanted to do, after not knowing anyone who went to university. Loading I didnt have people [from whom I could] passively absorb this knowledge and this atmosphere of learning; to understand the education system and what is needed to be able to go and attend university. Former NSW Education Standards Authority chair and one-time Board of Studies president Tom Alegounarias said it was important to remember not all band sixes were equal. Subjects are not all on an equal scale. They have to have integrity within themselves and reflect the nature of the subject, he said. The maiden trip of Queenslands first electric trains took place between Roma Street and Corinda stations on September 4, 1979. Members of the press and special guests were invited on board the debut of the new Electric Multiple Units, dubbed EMUs. The test didnt quite go as planned. The launch of Queensland Rails Electric Multiple Units (EMU) in 1979. Credit: Queensland Rail Retiree Alan Waring said his late father Harold, then-chief electrical engineer for QEGB (now Powerlink), was invited on that first EMU ride and told him what happened. A crime scene has been declared after two men were found dead in a unit on the Sunshine Coast on Friday. Police were called to the complex on Kingsford Smith Parade in Maroochydore, about 1 hours north of Brisbane, around 11.20 am to conduct a welfare check. The unit complex on Kingsford Smith Parade in Maroochydore. Credit: Google Maps Inside the unit, they found a 65-year-old Maroochydore man and 56-year-old Mountain Creek man deceased. A crime scene has since been declared and an investigation into the causes of death are under way, with police appealing for anyone with information to come forward. An 18-year-old man has appeared in court after he was charged with murder following a police investigation into the death of a man in Midland. Tawhai Walker-Loughlin was charged with murder overnight following what neighbours described as a frenzied stabbing attack on Thursday evening outside a home on the corner of Great Northern Highway and Margaret Street in Perths east. A man has been charged with murder over a death in Midland on Thursday. Credit: 9 News Perth Police later confirmed that a 33-year-old man had died after he was conveyed to hospital with serious injuries. On Friday police said three people were assisting with their enquiries as they examined two separate locations in the nearby area. A still from Sabsabis video installation YOU (2007), showing then-Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. It was created in 2007, and Hezbollah was listed by the Australian government as a proscribed organisation in 2021. The Australian, which was front and centre in the anti-Sabsabi campaign, called the use of Nasrallahs image as ambiguous and questionable. Fancy an artwork being ambiguous or questionable! In recent years, George Orwell has had many reasons to turn in his grave. But he surely would have rotated a full 360-degrees at such a description and all that lies under it. I wont mount a defence of the artwork here, not least because it would be patronising to the artist, but to interpret it as an endorsement of terrorism is quite the stretch. Likewise, the other work from Sabsabis oeuvre that the News Corp media and certain Coalition politicians seemed magically to discover once Sabsabi was chosen for the Biennale. It is from 2006, and is called Thank you very much. Another video installation, it features a scrambled cut of images of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers on September 11, followed by footage of George W. Bush saying Thank you very much (excerpted from a speech in which the president thanked the people of New York for their bravery during and after the attacks). The artwork has a rough-cut music-video quality to it, but has a sombre backing music which lends it a disturbing atmosphere. It could be interpreted a thousand ways, not least as a critique on the ill-conceived and ultimately disastrous US-led invasion of Afghanistan that followed from the 9/11 terror attacks. But, again, to interpret the work as a non-ironic glorification of terrorism is facile, not to mention self-serving on the part of the people who drew attention to it for political benefit. Perhaps you could say that these parts of Sabsabis back catalogue were controversial, although the controversy seems to have been whipped up many years in retrospect, so it hardly seems organic to the work. One of the mandated functions of Creative Australia (which replaced the old Australia Council) is to uphold and promote freedom of expression in the arts, but when it came to dumping Sabsabi, fear seems to have trumped freedom. After the announcement of his selection, Sabsabi and his work became the target of a News Corp campaign, followed (as such campaigns so often are) by questions to the government in Senate question time. Loading Panic seems to have rolled downwards from Arts Minister Tony Burke to the Creative Australia board and the decision was made to sack Sabsabi. As my colleague Linda Morris reported, Burke insisted he did not demand Sabsabis head and the report found that the ministers statement was consistent with the information received by the panel during its review. Creative Australia chief executive Adrian Collette later told Senate Estimates that it became clear to the board that this entire process was going to be mired in the worst kind of divisive debate. He was probably right, but in deciding to dump Sabsabi, we got the divisive debate anyway, turbocharged with valid questions about political pressure, the power of the pro-Israel lobby, and what Orwell might have called the thought policing of criticisms of Israel by colliding them automatically with antisemitism. If the idea that an artwork should stay clear of divisiveness is extraordinary, the idea that art about divisive topics should be avoided when those topics are in the news, and causing ructions in society, is even more so. And it should be utterly rejected. Picasso didnt wait until the Spanish Civil War was over before he finished Guernica. Its impact was due to its contemporaneity. Politicians often discuss the importance of shoring up social cohesion, which, in Australia, has undoubtedly been tested by the ripple-effects of the Israel-Gaza conflict. But the only worthwhile test of social cohesion is our ability to support freedom of expression and diversity of thought at the moment when it urgently matters. Marianne Davey and her husband, co-founder of media agency Atomic 212 James Dixon, have emerged as the latest home buyers in Manlys most coveted precinct for $22 million. The beautiful Watershed Architects-inspired home on an exclusive Manly street is one of the top sales for the year in the suburb, bought in Mariannes name. The $22 million Manly home of James Dixon and Marianne Davey has water views. Credit: Dixon, the 52-year-old chief digital officer, this year sold his independent media company to French communications giant Publicis Groupe for an undisclosed price, although previous reports cited industry estimates of anywhere from $35 million to $50 million. While Atomic is said to retain its brand, the 16-year-old company was Australias largest remaining independent media agency that represents major clients such as Dan Murphys, BMW Group, Salesforce, BHP, Origin Energy, Bupa and Tourism NT. Cairo/Tel Aviv: Hamas said it had responded on Friday in a positive spirit to a US-brokered Gaza ceasefire proposal and was prepared to enter into talks on implementing the deal, which envisages a release of hostages and negotiations on ending the conflict. In a statement on its official website, Hamas said it was fully prepared to enter negotiations in all seriousness. Palestinians survey the destruction at a school used as a shelter after it was struck by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City. Credit: AP US President Donald Trump had earlier announced a final proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in the almost 21-month-old war between Israel and Hamas, stating he anticipated a reply from both sides in the coming hours. The BBC reported that the plan is thought to involve the staggered release of 10 Israeli hostages by Hamas and the bodies of 18 other hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Fifty hostages are still being held in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. We will not stop until we find everyone who is missing, Nim Kidd, chief of Texas Department of Emergency Management, said at a press conference Saturday afternoon. Authorities are coming under growing scrutiny over whether the camps and residents in places long vulnerable to flooding received proper warning and whether enough preparations were made. A woman and a child embrace after north fork of the Guadalupe River, are reunited with their families. Credit: AP The hills along the Guadalupe River in central Texas are dotted with century-old youth camps and campgrounds where generations of families have come to swim and enjoy the outdoors. The area is especially popular around the July 4 public holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing. We dont even want to begin to estimate at this time, said City Manager Dalton Rice said on Saturday morning. President Donald Trump said that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was travelling to Texas and his administration was working with officials on the ground. Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy, Trump said in a statement on his social media network. One of the cabins at Camp Mystic, where dozens of girls went missing after a flood. Credit: AFP Raging storm hit camp in middle of the night Camp Mystic is one of several youth camps in the Hill Country that cater to middle- and upper-class families from Dallas, Houston and Austin who send their children for month-long getaways. Photos and videos taken at Camp Mystic before the flood are idyllic, showing large cabins with green-shingled roofs and names like Wiggle Inn, tucked among sturdy oak and cypress trees that grow on the banks of the Guadalupe River. In some social media posts, girls are fishing, riding horses, playing kickball or performing choreographed dance routines in matching T-shirts. Girls ranging in age from eight to 17 pose for the camera with big smiles, arms draped across the shoulders of their fellow campers. Officials comb through the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area. Credit: AP But the floodwaters left behind a starkly different landscape: A pickup truck balanced precariously on two wheels, its side lodged halfway up a tree. A wall torn entirely off one building, the interior empty except for a Texas flag and paintings hung high along one side. A twisted bit of metal perhaps a bedframe stacked next to colourful steamer trunks and broken tree limbs. The camp was completely destroyed, said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic. A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary. A raging storm woke up her cabin just after midnight Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as they walked across a bridge with water whipping around their legs, she said. On Saturday, the camp, which has been running for 99 years, was mostly deserted. Helicopters roared above as a few people looked at the damage. Bedding items are piled up outside sleeping quarters at Camp Mystic after the flood. Credit: AP Among those confirmed dead was Camp Mystic director Richard Dick Eastland, who reportedly died trying to rescue some of the youngest campers, as well as the director of another camp just up the road. The flooding in the middle of the night caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise in the Hill Country, which sits northwest of San Antonio. AccuWeather said the private forecasting company and the National Weather Service sent warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation. These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety, AccuWeather said in a statement that called the Hill Country one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the US because of its terrain and many water crossings. Families members are reunited at a reunification centre in Ingram, Texas. Credit: AP Officials defended their actions while saying they had not expected such an intense downpour that was the equivalent of months worth of rain for the area. One National Weather Service forecast earlier in the week did not predict the amount of rain that we saw, said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. A sheriffs deputy pauses while combing through the banks of the Guadalupe River near Camp Mystic. Credit: AP Helicopters, drones used in frantic search for missing Search crews were facing harsh conditions while looking in every possible location, Rice said. One reunification centre at an elementary school was mostly quiet on Saturday after taking in hundreds of evacuees the day before. First responders scan the banks of the Guadalupe River for individuals swept away by flooding in Ingram, Texas. Credit: AP/The San Antonia Express-News We still have people coming here looking for their loved ones. Weve had a little success, but not much, said Bobby Templeton, superintendent of Ingram Independent School District. Residents clung to trees, fled to attics In Ingram, Erin Burgess woke to thunder and rain in the middle of the night Friday. Just 20 minutes later, water was pouring into her home, she said. She described an agonising hour clinging to a tree with her teenage son. Debris sit on a bridge over the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area. Credit: AP My son and I floated to a tree where we hung onto it, and my boyfriend and my dog floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them, she said. Barry Adelman said water pushed everyone in his three-storey house into the attic, including his 94-year-old grandmother and nine-year-old grandson. I was having to look at my grandson in the face and tell him everything was going to be OK, but inside I was scared to death, he said. The flooded Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas, on Friday. Credit: NYT Local residents know it as flash flood alley. When it rains, water doesnt soak into the soil, said Austin Dickson, chief executive of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, which was collecting donations. It rushes down the hill. No one knew this kind of flood was coming Loading The forecast for the weekend had called for rain, with a flood watch upgraded to a warning overnight Friday for at least 30,000 people. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said the potential for heavy rain and flooding covered a large area. Everything was done to give them a heads-up that you could have heavy rain, and were not exactly sure where its going to land, Patrick said. Obviously as it got dark last night, we got into the wee morning of the hours, thats when the storm started to zero in. Solventum Corporation (NYSE:SOLV) is one of the best new stocks to buy now. On June 25, Solventum announced an amendment to its transaction agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO). The revised agreement now excludes Solventums drinking water filtration business from the assets being acquired by Thermo Fisher. Consequently, the cash consideration for the acquisition has been adjusted from ~$4.1 billion to $4 billion. The net proceeds from this sale are intended for debt reduction. This amendment is expected to streamline the transaction and accelerate its closure, which is still expected by the end of this year. Under the new terms, Thermo Fisher will be entitled to a payment of up to $75 million from Solventum. Keeping the Water Business is projected to increase Solventums annual EPS gain by $0.15 to $0.2. Solventum Amends Thermo Fisher Deal, Retains Water Filtration Business A healthcare professional wearing a health communications device discussing patient data with a colleague. The terms of the amended agreement remain largely consistent with the initial agreement, with modifications specifically reflecting the exclusion of the Water Business. These adjustments include changes to non-compete clauses and related provisions, as well as certain reverse services, manufacturing, and supply agreements that will now support the retained Water Business. Solventum Corporation (NYSE:SOLV) is a healthcare company that develops, manufactures, and commercializes a portfolio of solutions to address customer and patient needs internationally. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, laboratory products, and biopharma services internationally. While we acknowledge the potential of SOLV as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Erdogan confident Turkey to be readmitted to US F-35 programme in stages Istanbul, July 5 (AFP) Jul 05, 2025 President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed confidence Turkey would be readmitted to the US F-35 programme and receive the stealth fighter jets in line with "an agreement" with US President Donald Trump. Washington booted Turkey out of its F-35 programme in 2019 and a year later imposed sanctions on Ankara over its purchase of an S-400 Russian surface-to-air missile defence system, but since Trump's return to office, the two NATO allies appear keen to end the dispute. "I believe that Mr. Trump will remain loyal to the agreement we made. I think the F-35s will be delivered to Turkey step-by-step during his term," Erdogan said while returning from Azerbaijan, the Anadolu state news agency reported Saturday. He gave no further details about the agreement but said the move was "part of a geo-economic revolution." "The F-35 issue is not only a military technology issue for us, but also a strong partnership issue in international platforms such as NATO," he added. The sanctions on Turkey's defence sector have soured ties between the two allies but last weekend, Washington's envoy to Ankara Tom Barrack said they were likely to be over "by the year's end". Trump and Erdogan would instruct their top diplomats to "figure out the way and end it and Congress will support an intelligent solution", he told Anadolu on Sunday. In March, Erdogan spoke to Trump about the need to finalise a deal to let Turkey buy US F-16 fighter planes and be readmitted to the development programme for F-35 warplanes. And last month, he said he saw an end in sight to the sanctions, saying Turkey had seen them eased under Trump. 1989. I emerged from Kenneth Branaghs small stag do in Berts, Soho (long since closed) crossed the road, got on my motorbike (yes, I rode them back then) and as I kicked away the stand, a policeman grabbed the handlebars and told me Id seemed to stagger somewhat as I left the restaurant. I blew down the tube and registered as (slightly) over the limit. Back at West End Central nick, I emptied my pockets and out came three audience tickets for Blackadder Goes Forth, which we were recording at the time. I offered the tickets to the three police officers who were booking me in. They said theyd be delighted to come along to the next days taping. It didnt work as a bribe though. Still had a court appearance and lost my licence for a year. Heigh-ho. They enjoyed the show at least. "She was then set upon by the group who punched and kicked her and threw a drink over her head. Officers would like to speak to the people pictured as they believe they could have information which could help their investigation. Specialist Risk Group (SRG) has acquired UK-based managing general agent (MGA) Generation Underwriting from WF Risk Group. Financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed. Generation Underwriting is known for its partnerships with brokers in the SME and mid-market segments, offering a range of products including commercial combined, property owners, fleet, and contractors all risks (CAR). The acquisition allows Generation Underwriting to tap into SRG's resources, including data analytics and broader distribution channels. Generation Underwriting managing director Greg Wilde said: Joining SRGs MX pillar marks an exciting new chapter for Generation. Our philosophy has always centred on building local relationships, providing swift service and offering flexible wordings. With SRGs investment and market reach, we can enhance these strengths for our broker partners while maintaining the same people, values and decision making agility that define our business. Following the acquisition, Generation Underwriting will be integrated into MX, the underwriting division of SRG. This integration is expected to enhance MX's existing property, liability & fleet offerings and provide a more service to brokers nationwide. SRG Group deputy CEO Lee Anderson said: Generation Underwriting epitomises the kind of specialist underwriting talent we celebrate in MX. Greg and his team bring complementary expertise in construction and property-owners and their values and focus on delivering for brokers across the UK make them a natural fit for MX as we continue to build a best-in-class Property, Fleet, and Liability proposition. Were delighted to welcome them to SRG and to partner with Richard and WF Risk Group on a seamless transition. In December 2024, SRG acquired R3, a specialist insurance broker catering to sectors such as UK tourism, charities, overseas aid, and security services for the UK military and police. "SRG buys Generation Underwriting " was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. She said: The balance of convenience on the evidence before him, in our respectful submission, fell in favour of the claimant having regard to all of the evidence, including the chilling effect on free speech, the fact that people would be criminalised and criminalised as terrorists for engaging in protest that was not violent, for the simple fact that they were associated with Palestine Action. She said: The balance of convenience on the evidence before him, in our respectful submission, fell in favour of the claimant having regard to all of the evidence, including the chilling effect on free speech, the fact that people would be criminalised and criminalised as terrorists for engaging in protest that was not violent, for the simple fact that they were associated with Palestine Action. arrange, manage or assist in arranging or managing a meeting in the knowledge that the meeting is to support or further the activities of a proscribed organisation, or is to be addressed by a person who belongs or professes to (Section 12(2) TACT); Several current Liverpool stars touched down in Jotas hometown on Friday to pay respects. Players including Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, Federico Chiesa, goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher and manager Arne Slot were applauded by local mourners as they walked through the streets to visit the Chapel of the Resurrection, where the bodies of Jota and his brother lay at rest overnight. The family's reputation in the community reportedly led neighbours to forbid their own children from playing with the boy. His mother is said to have frequently begged for food and money at local temples. Following the raid, she was reportedly charged with drug consumption. New scheme launches to pay Londoners up to 15k to rent out spare bedrooms New scheme launches to pay Londoners 15k to rent out spare bedrooms StandardAero Inc. (NYSE:SARO) is one of the best new stocks to buy now. On June 16, StandardAero announced its selection by SalamAir, which is Omans low-cost carrier. StandardAero will provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul/MRO support for the CFM International LEAP-1A turbofan engines that power SalamAirs fleet of Airbus A320neo family narrowbody aircraft. StandardAero provides support for the next-gen CFM International LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engine families from its 810,000 sq. ft. facility in San Antonio, Texas. The company is a CFM LEAP Premier MRO provider, having signed the first non-airline CFM Branded Service Agreement/CBSA in the Americas for the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B in March 2023. StandardAero Selected by SalamAir for LEAP-1A Engine MRO Support An Airbus single-aisle aircraft overfly a major city, showcasing the airline services of the company. The partnership expands StandardAeros growing list of operators relying on its MRO services across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, StandardAero is industrializing 300+ new engine component repairs for the LEAP family through its CRS teams network of locations and its Repair Development Center of Excellence. SalamAir currently operates a fleet of 13 Airbus A320/321 aircraft and conducts over 80 daily flights. StandardAero Inc. (NYSE:SARO) provides aerospace engine aftermarket services for fixed and rotary wing aircraft internationally in two segments: Engine Services and Component Repair Services. While we acknowledge the potential of SARO as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. White and blue plane on runway during dayime by Chris Leipelt via Unsplash Tripadvisor (TRIP) shares closed nearly 17% up on Thursday after Starboard Value announced a $160 million or 9% stake in the global travel platform, which it said was undervalued at current levels. The activist investor hasnt yet disclosed its plans for the firm, but its track record of successfully restructuring consumer-facing companies is already rekindling interest in TRIP shares. More News from Barchart Despite todays rally, Tripadvisor stock is down some 6% versus its year-to-date high in February. www.barchart.com How Could Starboard Help Tripadvisor Stock? Starboards stake could prove meaningfully positive for TRIP shares because the activist investors standard playbook features pushing for operational improvements, cost discipline, and improved execution. With these initiatives, the activist firm could help Tripadvisors flagship brand reclaim some of its lost ground in the second half of 2025 following an 8% decline in revenue last year. Meanwhile, Starboard could accelerate monetization of the companys fast-growing units (Viator and TheFork) to boost shareholder value as well. Simply put, the activist firms presence could lead to intense scrutiny of Tripadvisors operations and a push for tangible actions to unlock hidden value in the underperforming travel services firm. Bernstein Sees Further Upside in TRIP Shares In late June, Bernstein analysts also cited undervaluation as they recommended loading up on TRIP stock at current levels. According to the investment firm, the companys recent merger with Liberty Tripadvisor Holding removed a complex dual-share setup effectively streamlining governance and making the firm more attractive to institutional investors and potential acquirers. The 2024 transaction sparked interest from multiple parties, with some bids reportedly reaching as high as $30 per share. Bernstein reiterated its Buy rating on Tripadvisor shares last week with a price objective of $20 indicating potential upside of another 15% from here. Wall Street Currently Rates Tripadvisor at Hold Only Other Wall Street firms, however, are not nearly as positive on Tripadvisor stock despite perceived undervaluation. The Mamaia-Constanta Destination Management Organization launches two spectacular visual installations for tourists eager for memorable photos, Agerpres reports. ''Mamaia resort adds a new dimension to the holiday experience: the first two official Instagrammable spots have been inaugurated, designed specifically to attract active tourists on social media and promote the image of the Romanian seaside in a creative way. The first spot - titled #LoveIsInTheAir - is located in the parking lot next to Club Fratelli Mamaia and captures the essence of summer by the sea - fun, love and urban vibe. The second spot, #EroiiRomanieiChic, is located at Piateta Perla and pays homage to the heroes of Romanian music and art who made history on the stage of the Mamaia Festival'', informs a press release sent on Saturday by AGERPRES. "We want Mamaia to become not only a relaxation destination, but also a space that inspires and challenges the creativity of tourists. These installations are just the first step in a series of actions that transform the resort into a visual landmark, worthy of the most popular European destinations. #LoveIsInTheAir was designed for the club area, which is associated with the vibrant vibe, summer energy and unforgettable moments - love, fun, friends, life lived to the fullest. In contrast, #EroiiRomanieiChic, located in Piteta Perla, is an elegant homage to the great Romanian artists who shone on the stage of the Mamaia Festival - a reconnection with the musical past of the resort, reinterpreted in a cool, current way. We wanted to combine emotion, the identity of the place and a touch of visual spectacle - and tourists are invited to discover them and take them further, online", said George Mandila, president of the Mamaia-Constanta Destination Management Organization. The National Research Authority (ANC) announces the launch of the 2025 competitions dedicated to Romanian researchers in the diaspora. According to a press release sent to AGERPRES on Saturday, these are mobility projects for experienced researchers from the diaspora (MCD) and mobility projects for young researchers from the diaspora (MCT), carried out within Subprogram 5.2.2 - Mobilities of the National Research, Development and Innovation Plan (PNCDI IV). * Mobility projects for experienced researchers from the diaspora (MCD)The MCT competition aims to develop an environment conducive to the exchange of experience and expertise between young Romanian researchers in the diaspora and those in the country, with a view to strengthening scientific cooperation between them.The funding is intended for a Romanian researcher from the diaspora, with international visibility and recognition, having experience in research-development-innovation (RDI) activity between 2 and 9 years since the award of the PhD degree by prestigious institutions abroad.MCT projects offer financial support for transportation, per diem and accommodation expenses for young researchers from the diaspora, for a research internship lasting between 15 and 30 days in Romania.''These two competitions are in their third edition in 2025, underlining the ANC's firm commitment to maintaining the communication bridge between the scientific community in Romania and Romanian researchers in the diaspora, offering real contexts for knowledge transfer, the development of international networks and the support of excellence in research,'' the quoted source states. The traditional event "Day of the 1,000 Szekler Girls", which celebrates Szekler folk traditions, brought together, on Saturday, in Sumuleu-Ciuc, dancers of all ages, coming from Harghita and neighboring counties, as well as numerous spectators, attracted by a celebration full of color, dance and good cheer. Agerpres report. Like their ancestors, the members of the participating folklore groups, mainly those from the Ciuc area, came to Miercurea-Ciuc on horseback or in carts, just as their predecessors did. According to the program, the county authorities and representatives of the Sancraieni commune, which this year was the honorary host of the event, greeted those present and spoke about the significance of this event, which strengthens the sense of belonging to the community and has the role of preserving Szekler traditions.The mayor of Sancraieni commune, Szekely Erno, expressed his joy and emotion that the locality is, after 35 years, the honorary host of the event.He said that over a hundred young people from the commune are active in traditional dance teams and this gives hope that the tradition will be passed on.Andras Imre, 67 years old, from Sancraieni, came to the event dressed in traditional costume and confesses that he enjoys wearing it at community celebrations."This event is beautiful, because it is ours and this is how we preserve our traditions," he said.The Vice President of the Harghita County Council, Borboly Csaba, showed that the significance of the religious-cultural meeting is the same as in 1931, when it was first organized, and is related to the importance of family, faith and the preservation of traditions, with an emphasis on transmitting community values to future generations."If these things are still achieved today, then families will be founded, who will have children and will be able to carry forward (...) those values that I believe represent us as a people, here, in these lands, in Szeklerland," Borboly declared for AGERPRES.After the common dance in the center of Miercurea-Ciuc, the members of the folklore ensembles set off in carriages, on horseback or by bus to the Franciscan cathedral in umuleu Ciuc, where, according to tradition, a service was celebrated.Then, all participants climbed into the saddle between the hills of Sumuleul Mare and Sumuleul Mic, and the dancers performed all day on the stage in front of the altar where, every year, the liturgy is celebrated as part of the great Catholic Pentecost pilgrimage.The organizers have also prepared various related activities, such as a fair with handicraft products, as well as demonstrations by well-known craftsmen, traditional games for children, exhibitions and interactive workshops.Those who wanted to had the opportunity to try on and take pictures in the Secui folk costume.The organizers of the event are the Harghita Szekler Choreographic Theatre, in collaboration with the Miercurea-Ciuc City Hall, the Harghita County Cultural Center, the ''Day of 1,000 Szekler Girls'' Foundation and the Covasna County Cultural Center."The Day of the 1,000 Szekler Girls" took place for the first time in 1931, initiated by the Hungarian professor and ethnographer Domokos Pal Peter, out of the desire to preserve the traditions of the Szekler people.The event was banned during the communist era and was revived after 1990, becoming very popular and beloved in the area. Organizers say that it is now a celebration of dance, prayer and folk costumes, a way to celebrate the area's traditions and community values ST. LOUIS COUNTY A St. Louis County woman alleges an AI algorithm prevented her from renting a home, claiming the technology discriminates based on race and income. Nakeisha Jones alleges in a lawsuit filed in St. Louis County Circuit Court that SafeRent Solutions AI-powered model relies on a persons credit history to generate a score that assesses their potential risk as a tenant, but that the company does not disclose how these factors are weighed in the calculation. Minorities on average have lower median credit scores than white consumers, the suit says. The lawsuit claims that the AI model overlooks housing choice vouchers, a form of rental assistance provided by the federal government for eligible participants, when calculating a persons score. Jones is seeking class-action status for her lawsuit, which she filed on Monday. SafeRent President Larry Wilson did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. SafeRent effectively told the landlord that Ms. Jones would not be a good tenant, and the landlord accepted that characterization, according to court documents. In 2024, Jones applied to rent a single-family home off Koch Road in OFallon, Missouri, and disclosed she had a housing voucher worth $2,000 a month. The home was built in 2013, and featured several bedrooms, a two-car garage and community amenities like a swimming pool, walking trails, a clubhouse and a sport court, according to court documents. But in August, Jones received an email from the landlord stating her application was denied because her rental score didnt meet its requirements. She then visited the landlords office in Earth City but was told by an employee there that the company could not do anything about the denial because it used SafeRents scores to screen potential tenants. After she was denied the OFallon home, Jones moved into a home built in 1967 with fewer bedrooms, a one-car garage, and without community amenities. The lawsuit claims the home is also in a dangerous and less desirable area. Jones, and similarly situated minority consumers, have suffered an ascertainable loss by being deprived of the ability to rent their first-choice of home and by being pushed into less desirable housing options because of discriminatory reasons, according to court documents. Black and Latino consumers on average have lower credit scores than white consumers, and those using housing vouchers also typically have lower credit scores; the lawsuit alleges that using credit to determine a rental application is discriminatory because a persons credit includes non-rental debt and that it doesnt show a renters current risk. Thousands of people are at risk of being discriminated against due to this AI model, court documents show. The lawsuit is the latest litigation against SafeRent, which last year settled a federal lawsuit in the state of Massachusetts over similar claims. In that case, SafeRent did not admit wrongdoing but agreed to not use its scoring on applications in certain cases. It also paid over $2.2 million. A federal judge approved the settlement in November, three months after Jones application was denied. ST. LOUIS New lawsuits against St. Louis and St. Louis County could pave the way for seniors to get bigger breaks in property tax freeze programs across the state, experts say. Two class action lawsuits filed this week claim the citys and countys freezes are illegal because they only apply to a portion of the tax bills for eligible senior homeowners. That could result in much less tax relief than expected, St. Louis attorney Pat Hagerty said in an interview Thursday. It could be a shock to people, Hagerty said. The countys freeze doesnt apply to the portion of the tax bill that pays down government debts, according to the suit Hagerty filed Tuesday on behalf of Maureen Radice, of unincorporated South County. And the citys program only applies to the citys portion of the tax bill not the portions collected for other government bodies, like schools or sewer districts Hagerty said in the second suit, filed Wednesday on behalf of St. Louis resident Donna Nowak. The suits ask judges to order the city and county to apply the freezes across the board, for all parts of the tax bill, for all eligible applicants within their borders. County Executive Sam Page said on Wednesday he believes the county lawsuit misinterprets the state law. Folks can say whatever they want, Page said at a news conference. I can tell you that this program is designed precisely by the state law, and the state law doesnt freeze every bit of the property tax. A spokesperson for Mayor Cara Spencers office declined to comment. Lets see what the law is Critics and supporters of the tax freeze agree the lawsuits could affect counties across the state. A judges order could establish a legal precedent for residents across Missouri who disagree with their countys interpretation of the law, said Dennis Ganahl, co-founder of MO Tax Relief Now, a group that has lobbied for senior tax freezes statewide. Tax bills are made up of several different items. School, fire and ambulance districts each set their own tax rate, as do municipalities, and theyre all included on the county tax bill. In addition, government bodies can have separate taxes to pay down debt for building things like new fire stations, for example. Advocates for the measure believe the senior tax freeze should apply to all of that. But Ganahl said over half of the roughly 60 counties his group worked with, including St. Charles and Jackson counties, excluded debt service from the tax freeze. Governments saw it as a way to protect revenue for school districts and other agencies that rely on tax dollars, Ganahl said. But the legislatures intent was to freeze the entire bill, not just part of it, he said. He hopes the lawsuits could be replicated in other counties. Lets figure it out and see what the law is and what the law isnt, Ganahl said. Steve Hobbs, executive director of the Missouri Association of Counties, agrees the suits could have statewide implications. But Hobbs says the Missouri Constitution, under a 1980 tax limitation measure called the Hancock Amendment, allows government agencies to exclude debt service from the senior tax freeze. Hobbs also believes the state law enabling the local tax freezes is fundamentally flawed and could eventually be tossed in a separate lawsuit. The program illegally favors a special subset of taxpayers seniors in violation of equitable taxing laws, Hobbs said. Such a lawsuit will likely come after a government body, such as a school district, can demonstrate harm from the law. They havent seen the decease in revenue yet, Hobbs said. But thats coming. St. Louis Countys application period for the tax freeze ended on Monday. More than 82,000 people applied. Approvals will start going out this week and will continue through Oct. 1. The county will contact anyone whose application was incomplete. St. Louis extended its deadline to July 31 because of the tornado that struck the city in May. ST. LOUIS Several residents, concerned about safety after an impromptu Pride event spiraled into violence last weekend, want to see bolstered security at the upcoming Grovefest. More than 50 people have signed an online petition asking that organizers and city officials commit to providing adequate security at Grovefest, to be held in October. They point to recent chaos in the Grove district, with fights, hospitalizations, a shooting and four arrests. Pride festivities typically come several weeks before Grovefest, though they are held in the same area. Grovefest organizers, though, say they dont plan to do anything differently this year. Abdul-Kaba Abdullah, executive director of Park Central Development, which hosts Grovefest, said he respects the First Amendment right of (locals) to sign a petition. At the same time, he doesnt foresee major changes. Its always a great environment, he said. Its on its 20th year, and weve never had an issue. Police have blamed community leaders for the violence during Pride weekend, arguing the mayhem couldve been prevented if organizers had applied for a permit. Neighborhood leaders pushed back on that claim, saying they didnt host an event and shouldnt be held responsible. In the petition about Grovefest, signers ask for a stronger security presence throughout the festival, crowd control plans and coordination between St. Louis police and organizers. But Grovefest organizers already plan for all those items, plus others, Abdullah said. Security isnt just armed guards walking around, he said. Its barricades. Its making sure theres adequate lighting. Its having EMS in case it gets too hot. The plans havent been finalized yet, Abdullah said, declining to detail what they might look like or when theyll be finished. He said he doesnt understand why petitioners are asking for more security at Grovefest and not other events hosted in the district, such as the World Naked Bike Ride or Oktoberfest. I just dont get why Grovefest would be singled out, he said. One of the petition signers, Tower Grove resident Andy Waschick, 52, said even though he feels security at Grovefest has been adequate in the past, he wants it to stay that way. Living in the city, there always needs to be a calming factor at play at events like this, he said. Waschick said he doesnt know how improved security would look, but he hopes to see city officials and organizers cooperate. Another person who signed the petition, Naviinesh Gunalan, 25, who lives in the Central West End, says police need to take a more active role. Police need to be in the crowds so they can solve issues as theyre happening, before they escalate, he said. Organizers obtained a permit for this years Grovefest, like they have for past ones and most other events held in the Grove. Lack of a permit was a prime reason why this years Pride weekend spiraled out of control, police spokesperson Mitch McCoy said at a press conference earlier this week. A permit allows organizers to search attendees, close down streets and set up crowd control measures like fencing, McCoy said. Without a permit, the rules are much more loose, he said. The permit tightens those rules. In an email, a police spokesperson declined to detail the collaboration with Grovefest organizers, saying the department wouldnt discuss operational plans in detail. The U.S. Navy christened the future USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), a Flight III Arleigh-Burke class destroyer, during a June 28 ceremony at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss. (U.S. Navy via Facebook) (Tribune News Service) In 2018, a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer was named for Rear Adm. Jeremiah Denton Jr., one of many honors he earned for his heroism as a Vietnam prisoner of war. Last weekend, the USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG-129) was christened, taking the warship one step closer toward being commissioned. Dentons family members, many from Virginia, attended the ceremony in Pascagoula, Miss. Hes just a great example of the goodness of America and also the American dream, his son Michael Denton of Manakin-Sabot said. Were thrilled not only that his name is on there, but that the family is going to remain involved. After being named in 2018, the USS Jeremiah Denton had its keel laying in 2022, representing the start of construction. The ship had its first launch this March before the recent christening. Eventually, the ship will be commissioned into active service. An American war hero A native of Mobile, Alabama, Jeremiah graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946 and earned his masters degree from George Washington University in 1964. He embarked on a long naval career, primarily piloting carrier-based aircraft. On July 18, 1965, Jeremiahs A-6 Intruder was shot down while leading a bombing raid over North Vietnam. He was held captive for more than 7 1/2 years, including four in solitary confinement. During a televised interview in 1966, Jeremiahs captors tried to force him to take part in a propaganda campaign. When asked about his thoughts on the Vietnam War, he said, Whatever the position of my government is, I support it fully. While making his statement, Jeremiah was blinking his eyes to spell out the word T-O-R-T-U-R-E in Morse code. That message was the first signal to U.S. Naval Intelligence that American POWs were being tortured, Jeremiah included. Jeremiah was among the nearly 600 POWs released from captivity in 1973 after the U.S. ended its involvement in the Vietnam War. His faith was vital to his service and survival, Michael said. It was critical to his style of leadership. Jeremiah was the first one off the plane at Clark Air Base in the Philippines. On the tarmac, he delivered the following words: We are honored to have had the opportunity to serve our country under difficult circumstances. We are profoundly grateful to our Commander-in-Chief and to our nation for this day. God bless America. It was incredible, and the whole world saw it that night, said Michael, who was 13 at the time. The whole country was desperate for some good to come out of the Vietnam experience at the time, and he just said exactly what people needed to hear. Jeremiah retired from the Navy in 1977 and was awarded the Navy Cross among other accolades. Afterward, he represented Alabama in the U.S. Senate from 1981 to 1987. Toward the end of his tenure, he created the Denton Program, which permits the Department of Defense to send humanitarian cargo to developing nations. Jeremiah died in 2014 at the age of 89. He and his late wife Jane Denton had seven children, many of whom served their country. That included their son Jeremiah Denton III, who was an Army pilot in Vietnam while his father was a POW. Michael was a Naval ROTC graduate of Virginia Military Institute, a Navy Surface Warfare Officer and a Navy shipyard manager. A time-honored tradition The christening ceremony on June 28 was a family affair, with Jeremiahs daughters Madeleine Denton Doak and Mary Denton Lewis serving as sponsors. Per tradition, they smashed a bottle of champagne across the bow. Granddaughters Micah Doak and Allison Denton Shumate were the Matrons of Honor. For Allison, a Virginia Tech graduate who lives in Richmond, this was the first time she saw the ship named after her grandfather in person. I knew him as the fisherman and the poker player, but hes also just this larger-than-life figure for all of the United States of America, she said. I was just very proud and honored growing up to know that story and legacy. Grandson Maury Denton of Henrico was among the other family attendees, along with his wife and three children. The extended Denton family also attended the mast stepping ceremony the day before the christening. In that longstanding maritime tradition, a sealed box filled with memorabilia was welded into the ship for good luck. Its symbolic of welding the spirits of the ships namesake into the destroyer, and those will live on in the crewmen thatll take the seas with it, Maury said. Its very special. Maury, an Army ROTC VMI graduate and graduate of the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, said hes been teaching his children about Jeremiah just as he learned as a child. We teach them about the bravery, the leadership and the perseverance and what he had to do to stay alive and get back home, he said. They look at him as a hero and as they get older, more of those nuggets start to make sense in terms of what that means for your character, what it means for the country and beyond. 2025 Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va. Visit www.timesdispatch.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Lee Pearlman/Stars and Stripes) Crew members and volunteer scanners talk over the six-hour search and rescue mission searching for the Flying Tiger Airline Super Constellation that disappeared over the Western Pacific Ocean March 16, 1962. The missing plane which was chartered by the U.S. Army was transporting 96 military passengers and had 9 crew members on board. The crew pictured here after their return to Clark Air Base are (kneeling, from left) Capt. Theodore Stewart, 405th Fighter Wing pilot; Airman First Class James C. Johnson, crew chief; Airman Third Class Lawrence L. Clatchey, and Capt. Lawrence R. Brosy, copilot. Others are (from left) Airman Second Class Robert L. Jones, Airman Third Class Dennis Jones, Airman Third Class David K. Crausby and Airman Third Class Edward M. Raquel, assistant crew chief. Pacific Stars and Stripes reporter Staff Sgt. Robert G. Fisher (not pictured) of the Philippines Bureau accompanied the search mission. Its an open secret in the fintech world that the founder and CEO of startup Increase, Darragh Buckley, has been trying for years to buy a bank, as one person familiar with the landscape told TechCrunch. A couple of weeks ago, he basically succeeded. He bought a big enough stake in Twin City Bank to trigger a public disclosure of the transaction by the Federal Reserve Board. Such share purchases are then subject to FDIC approval. Twin City is a small community bank in Longview, Washington, about an hour north of Portland, Oregon. The stake had to be in excess of 10% to trigger the disclosure. Buckley confirmed the deal to TechCrunch but declined to say how big of a stake he purchased. Whether he owns 11% or, say, 51%, we understand he is not the sole owner. Still, anything upward of 10% makes him a major shareholder. (For comparison, public companies have to disclose all ownership stakes of 5% or more.) The assumption in the industry was that Buckley wanted a bank to further the ambitions of Increase, his banking-as-a-service (BaaS) startup, multiple sources told TechCrunch. Whats particularly wild is that a mysterious entity most likely one of Buckleys competitors was so opposed to this deal that it hired an agency to pitch the press on writing negative stories about it and him. But, Buckley told TechCrunch, this was actually his third investment in a Washington community bank and his interests are not what his competitors think. This is not an effort for Increase to own the bank, he said. Twin City Bank is, and will remain, a community-focused bank, he said. Silicon Valley finds a banking shortcut Increase offers an API platform that allows financial services to be programmatically served. It performs tasks like automated clearing house transactions, wires, real-time payments, etc. Increases customers are largely other fintechs like Ramp, Check, and Pipe. As Stripes first employee, Buckley has a great reputation as an engineer among his peers, one person in the fintech industry told TechCrunch. Even some BaaS competitors refer business to Increase when they cant handle it themselves. Like most fintechs, Increase partners with (and shares revenue with) FDIC-insured banks to offer such regulated services. Obtaining banking licenses themselves is difficult and expensive. Even Chime, which offers checking and savings accounts and recently had an IPO, is not an FDIC-insured bank but has banking partners. In Increases case, it works with Grasshopper Bank and First Internet Bank of Indiana. (Buckley said he has no personal investment in either one.) Crew members and volunteer scanners talk over the six-hour search and rescue mission searching for the Flying Tiger Airline Super Constellation that disappeared over the Western Pacific Ocean March 16, 1962. (Lee Pearlman/Stars and Stripes) This article first appeared in the Stars and Stripes Pacific edition, Mar. 20, 1962. It is republished unedited in its original form. (EDITORS NOTE: Air Force S/Sgt. Robert G. Fisher, Pacific , Stars and Stripes Philippines Bureau Chief, flew one of the search missions for the missing American Constellation airliner in the Southwest Pacific). CLARK AB, P.I. Even the generals personal plane is being used here to help search for some trace of the MATS-[Military Air Transport Service] chartered [sic] transport that disappeared Thursday night with 107 persons aboard. And, a six-hour stint of trying to catch sight of debris, or survivors, on a wind-tossed sea is an eye-straining, bone-tiring experience. The C-47 Douglas Skytrain used by Maj. Gen. Theodore R. Milton, commander, Thirteenth Air Force, was already warming up its engines as I jumped out of the flight truck shortly before 6 a.m. I handed my camera gear up to the crew chief, A/1C Jim Johnson, of Hannibal, Mo., who pulled me into the planes cabin. The door slammed shut and the plane taxied toward the end of the runway. Johnson slipped a life preserver over my shoulders, adjusted it, showed me a seat just forward of the right wing, and handed me a pair of binoculars. Minutes later we were traversing the planned flight path of the missing Flying Tiger Constellation that disappeared Thursday night [March 16, 1962] with 107 persons aboard. The pilot, Capt. Theodore Stewart of the 405th Fighter Wing at Clark turned eastward over Lamon Bay, skirting the north coast of the Philippine provinces of Camarines Norte and Camerines Sur. Co-pilot Capt. Lawrence R. Brosy of Hq., Thirteenth Air Force, checked the progress of the plane on a series of maps. At other windows were A/2C Robert L. Jones, A/3C Dennis Jones, A/1C David K. Crausby, A/8C Lawrence L. Clatchey and .A/2C Edward M. Raquel, assistant crew chief. They are all assigned to the 405th Field Maint. Sq. at Clark. Our planes search area was bounded by 14 degrees and 15 degrees north latitude and was 123 degrees and 124 degrees east longitude. The plane would cross the square west to east along the southern boundary, then return east to west several miles further north, and so on, back and forth. Later the search route called for similar scanning in the square north and south. Within 50 miles after leaving the coast of the Philippines, the plane ran into the first of a series of line squalls. What had been bright, hot, brilliant skies and relatively calm seas now changed into dull, grey, bumpy weather that obscured everything from view beyond several hundred feet. Stewart at times flew the plane just above the waves in an effort to get maximum visibility in spite of the rain. Binoculars were little help. Streaks of water blurred the window. After several minutes the plane broke into the clear again, but other lines of squalls stretched along the horizon. We were completely out of sight of land, and the water was a dark gun-metal blue. Several hours of staring in one direction began to have a hypnotic effect. Occasional dark spots on the water would twist themselves into weird shapes. I imagined a mans head, and expected an arm to stretch upward and wave at the plane. But through binoculars, the dark patch was nothing more than the shadow thrown by a cresting wave. Another time, a large dark area turned out to be a shark or whale. False sightings were more frequent now. The constant droning of the plane and the strain of being anxious and eager to discover something for so long began to tell on some of the scanners. Some of us changed places just to break the monotony. Lunch was good. The cool milk was refreshing and cleared up the cobwebs that seemed to be forming over my eyes. Then, coffee and a cigarette. Suddenly the plane pulled up sharply and turned west. We were returning to the base after a six-hour unsuccessful search. As we crossed over the coast some of the scanners dropped off to sleep. Arriving at Clark, I noticed other planes were loading with new crews and scanner teams. The search would go on and on until all hope was exhausted. Archivist note: The plane, nor any of its passengers and crew were found despite one of the largest air and sea search operations to date. Want to know more? Find additional reporting by Stars and Stripes in our historic archives https://starsandstripes.newspaperarchive.com/ British Foreign Secretary David Lammy talks to journalists in Antalya, southern Turkey, May 15, 2025. (Khalil Hamra/AP) DAMASCUS, Syria British Foreign Secretary David Lammy met in Damascus on Saturday with Syrias interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa to discuss boosting cooperation, after the U.K. began lifting sanctions against Syria. Syria has been improving relations with Western countries following the fall of President Bashar Assad in December in an offensive led by al-Sharaas Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Islamist group. Al-Sharaas office said Lammy and the president discussed mutual relations and ways of boosting cooperation and the latest regional and international developments. Lammy later met his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shibani, state media reported. In April, the British government lifted sanctions against a dozen Syrian entities, including government departments and media outlets, to help the country rebuild after Assads ouster. Weeks earlier the U.K. had dropped sanctions against two dozen Syrian businesses, mostly banks and oil companies. Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending many American economic sanctions on Syria, following through on a promise he made to al-Sharaa. Syrias new leaders have been struggling to rebuild the countrys decimated economy and infrastructure after nearly 14 years of civil war that has killed half a million people. In recent months, al-Sharaa visited oil-rich regional countries and France in May in his first visit to the Europe Union. Russian Sukhoi Su-35S fighters fly over central Moscow during the Victory Day military parade on May 9, 2021. (Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Getty Images via TNS) (Tribune News Service) Ukraines military said its special forces struck the Borysoglebsk airfield in Russias Voronezh region as Kyiv continues to look for ways to reduce the Kremlins ability to conduct airstrikes. The facility in southwest Russia is the home base of the Russian militarys Su-34, Su-35S and Su-30SM fighter jets, the Ukrainian General Staff said on the X platform on Saturday. The strike comes a day after Ukraine was hit by the largest Russian air attack of the war to date. A depot with glide bombs, a trainer aircraft and possibly other aircraft were hit, the General Staff said, adding that final results of the attack are being evaluated. Bloomberg cant verify the information independently, and Russia hasnt commented on the airfield specifically. Russias defense ministry said, however, that the Voronezh region came under heavy attack overnight, with 34 drones shot down. Local media said mobile internet was turned off in the region for a time for security reasons, a move thats become regular in certain Russian regions over the past few months. The strike on Borysoglebsk followed other attacks on Russian military airfields, which Kyiv considers legitimate military targets in Russias invasion, which is now well into its fourth year. In June, Ukraine hit several Russian strategic sites, including the Belaya military base deep in eastern Siberia, with drones. Kyivs forces also targeted the Borysoglebsk base in 2024. Ukraine and Russia continued to exchange UAV attacks overnight. Moscow said 94 drones were shot down over 15 regions. Ukraine said Kremlin forces fired some 322 drones over several regions from Kharkiv in the northeast to Khmelnytskyi in the northwest. Civilian infrastructure was hit in the Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, according to authorities, with about a dozen people injured. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A tank goes down Constitution Avenue during a parade commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army on June 14. (Pete Kiehart/for The Washington Post) BERNARDVILLE, N.J. Rebecca Bennett was addressing about 30 voters, many of them veterans she knew from her work in the community, in a gaming store owned by one of her supporters that featured bookshelves lined with board games such as Eldritch Horror and Lost Ruins of Arnak. Bennett was trying to explain what serving in Congress has in common with her service as a Navy helicopter pilot. If you dont land exactly where you need to, youre going to crash and people are going to die, she said. The stakes were life and death then, and they are life and death now. Bennett is one of a crop of military veterans that Democrats are urgently recruiting to run for Congress in 2026. Party leaders fret that a large number of voters conservative, rural, traditionalist, White have been written off by Democrats, and they hope veterans can persuade some of these voters to at least consider them again. People with national security backgrounds are uniquely positioned to be able to go have conversations with voters that may not entertain voting for, you know, Id say, a traditional Democrat, Bennett said in an interview. We all raised our hand and said, Hey, I want to serve this country in this capacity, to the point of being willing to sacrifice my life for this, and I think people appreciate that. The 2024 elections delivered a shock to Democrats. Some party leaders believe voters who disliked President Donald Trump chose him anyway because they saw Democrats as such an unpalatable alternative, considering them weak, unpatriotic and culturally alien. Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colorado), a former Army Ranger who is helping lead House Democrats recruitment efforts, said veterans can engage with voters who might otherwise be unreceptive to the party. Were not having a policy debate as much as we think we are, Crow said. So much of this is about identity, belonging, culture and a sense of respect. Rahm Emanuel, a former Chicago mayor and congressman, adopted a similar playbook when he headed Democrats successful push to retake the House in 2006. You want to have candidates that open up a segment of that electorate that otherwise would be closed to Democrats, Emanuel said. Because of the background and personal biography of these candidates, they get a second look from voters who normally would not give Democrats even a first look. But the party has a lot to overcome in this arena. Veterans supported Trump by 65-34 percent in 2024, according to exit polls. Of the 98 veterans in Congress, 70 are Republicans and 28 are Democrats, according to figures compiled by Military Times. Mike Marinella, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, which coordinates GOP House races, said the Democrats ability to recruit a few veterans will not overcome their fundamental disconnect with voters. Democrats are wildly out of touch with the American people, and no amount of recruitment will change that fact, Marinella said. Other conservatives agreed. I dont see a lot of logical people moving over to the party of irrational behavior, said Jared Craig, national vice president of Veterans for America First. The idea of fighting for family and nation and your way of life means more when you have an administration that believes in that way of life, as opposed to an administration who admires non-families and LGBT wokeism. Veterans listen as President Donald Trump answers questions in the Oval Office of the White House on April 23. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post) Even a small shift toward either party could be decisive in 2026, especially in the House, where Democrats need a net gain of just three seats to retake the majority. Control of that chamber could be critical, allowing Democrats not only to block GOP bills but also hold hearings, issue subpoenas and conduct oversight of the Trump administration. Democratic leaders say seven military veterans so far are running in competitive House districts without a Democratic incumbent, and they predict there will be more. (Some, including Bennett, still face primaries.) They include candidates like Cait Conley, a former Army officer who deployed overseas six times and hopes to challenge Rep. Michael Lawler (R-New York). Conleys campaign is making sure no one misses the fact that shes a veteran. Her campaign video shows her working out in a gym, lifting weights and flipping an enormous tire as phrases like Special Operations and terrorist hunter appear on-screen. In the Special Ops community theres a saying: Run to the sound of the guns, Conley says in the video. Thats what Ive done my entire life. In an interview, Conley said military service is a unifying force for Americans. When they see me as a veteran, they dont see me as a Democrat or Republican. They see me as someone who has done everything they can for this country, she said. There is a level of trust there in terms of being able to step up, do the hard work, not waver, understand the stakes. Democrats have struggled with the notion that they are anti-military at least since the Vietnam era, when many Democrats opposed the war and some appeared at raucous anti-war demonstrations. Derek Buckaloo, a history professor at Coe College in Iowa, said the dynamic is interlaced with other factors; while 72 percent of White veterans favor the GOP, for example, 82 percent of Black veterans support Democrats. In some ways, we are dealing with the legacy of the 1960s and the cultural wars that came out of that era, Buckaloo said. That era divided Americans on fundamental issues of race and gender and, in the case of the military, Americas role in the world. Ronald Reagan was especially effective at branding the GOP the pro-military, pro-America party. And when Democrats nominated a Vietnam War hero, John F. Kerry, for president in 2004, Republicans defeated him by highlighting his protests against the war and falsely questioning his military record. The Trump era is a little different, as the president took office amid a wave of conservative anti-war populism that followed the Iraq War. He has surrounded himself with the power and pageantry of the military sending bombers to strike Iran, holding a parade on the Armys 250th birthday while also decrying warmongers and endless wars. Democrats argue that Trump is brazenly politicizing the armed forces and using them to glorify himself. They note that the date of the parade was Trumps own birthday as well as the Armys, and that he delivered a highly political speech at Fort Bragg in which he induced service members to boo his political adversaries. At the same time, they add, he is planning to cut 83,000 employees from the Department of Veterans Affairs and has fired thousands of federal employees who are veterans. There is no doubt that Donald Trump, for a decade now of his political life, has used the military and used veterans when it has benefited him, said former congressman Max Rose (D-New York), an Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient. But when it comes to having power and doing the right thing by those groups, he fails time and again. Not coincidentally, some of the Democratic Partys biggest rising stars are now people who have served in the military or the intelligence agencies. They often present themselves as a new breed of Democrat plainspoken, unabashedly patriotic and sometimes vulgar. They include such figures such as Sens. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, as well as the two Democrats running for governor in November: Abigail Spanberger in Virginia and Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey. Buckaloo said being a veteran is hardly a golden ticket to political office. In the Vietnam generation, he noted, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were elected president despite not serving overseas; Kerry and Republican John McCain, both war heroes, lost in the general election. Still, Rose, who serves as senior adviser to VoteVets, which promotes liberal veterans running for office, said those who have served have a unique platform. The GOP has no business portraying itself as the party of strong defense, he argued, and the most important messengers in that fight are people who have put on the uniform themselves. Democrats hope Bennett is one of those messengers. She served for more than a decade as a Navy helicopter pilot, flying missions and deploying overseas, and is now in the Air National Guard. Like many other veteran candidates, Bennett plays up her service; the main photo on her campaign website shows her in uniform, with a message that she is ready to serve her district. The task may not be easy. If she wins the Democratic primary, Bennett will face Rep. Tom Kean Jr., a two-term congressman whose father was a popular governor. Keans office did not respond to several requests for comment. New Jerseys 7th District is hotly contested in an era when true swing seats are increasingly rare, going for Trump in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020 and Trump again last year. Kean won his seat in 2022 by knocking off a Democratic incumbent, who himself had flipped it from the GOP just four years earlier. (The seat became somewhat more Republican after a recent redistricting.) At the recent event at The Bearded Dragon gaming store in suburban Bernardville, Bennett listened as several veterans complained about the militarys process for transitioning them back into the community, which one called useless. Paul Snyder, 49, who served in the Army for 24 years, recounted that many of the doctors in VA clinics he visits are aging and may not be working much longer. Some of the doctors are barely making it. I think were very close to a crisis, he said. Bennett was sympathetic. Its tough. Its really tough, she said. Also in attendance was John Perez, 41, a former Army officer who deployed twice to Iraq. He is a registered Republican but said he is supporting Bennett. When a candidate has served in the military, Perez said, It tells me youre a principled person who will put country first, and who will support and defend the Constitution. Republicans say Kean is a successful congressman who is helping his state. In May, NRCC spokeswoman Maureen OToole issued a statement lauding Kean as a steadfast voice, adding, Tom Kean Jr. is delivering on his promises and putting common sense back in Washington. Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Washington), who is spearheading Democrats efforts to retake the House, said she expects more veterans to announce their candidacy in coming months. Veterans have a record of commitment to public service, DelBene said. They are mission oriented, they are real and they are relatable. Vietnam veteran Robert S. Brewer, Jr., was the former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California from 2019 to 2021. The 79-year-old was inducted to the Army Ranger Hall of Fame in a June 25 ceremony at Fort Benning, Ga. (Department of Justice) SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Tribune News Service) Nearly five decades before Robert Brewer served as U.S. attorney in San Diego, he was an Army Ranger who, late one evening, found himself as the lone American embedded with South Vietnamese troops when they were attacked and surrounded by North Vietnamese enemies. At one point during the dark of night, North Vietnamese soldiers shouted that they would let their outnumbered adversaries escape unharmed in exchange for handing over Brewer, who was advising a company of South Vietnamese rangers. The South Vietnamese troops refused despite suffering heavy losses 17 killed and 14 wounded during a 15-hour firefight. When the sun rose the next morning, the air support Brewer had called for finally arrived in the form of eight Army helicopters. Ill never forget it eight helicopters make a lot of noise, Brewer recalled in an interview this week. He also still remembers the exact words he briefly exchanged over the radio with one of the approaching pilots, and how close he came to meeting his end that morning in September 1970. If they had arrived an hour later, I wouldnt be talking to you today, he said. But for them, we would have been overrun. For his actions, Brewer, 79, was awarded the Silver Star, the third-highest military decoration. He also earned two Bronze Stars, among other honors, for his time in combat. Despite serving just four years in the Army, his 15 months in combat in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos were so eventful that last week, he was inducted into the Army Ranger Hall of Fame during a ceremony at Fort Benning, Ga. Rangers have a very historic lineage and Bob is the creme de la creme, Patrick Gallagher, Brewers friend of 55 years and a retired Army Green Beret, said over the phone. While the first official Ranger battalion was formed in 1942, the Rangers trace their lineage back to at least the 1750s. The Ranger Hall of Fame was established in 1992, and just 15 former Rangers are inducted into the prestigious group each year, with this years class including a retired general, two retired colonels and others who spent decades in the Army. Brewer is credited in his official Hall of Fame biography for both his extraordinary service in the U.S. Army and his distinguished career in both federal and civilian legal fields, which included serving as U.S. attorney in San Diego during President Donald Trumps first term. Gallagher, who attended the June 25 induction ceremony, crossed paths with Brewer for just a few months in early 1970 while both men were stationed in Germany. Gallagher had just left Vietnam, and Brewer was about to deploy there. But that brief overlap sparked a lifelong friendship, and Gallagher watched from afar over the years as Brewer gained prominence in the San Diego legal community. He was obviously successful in his military career and incredibly successful his entire legal career, Gallagher said. He was a spectacular, smart, bright, decisive attorney. Brewer, a New York native who has lived the majority of his adult life in San Diego, remained in the Army reserves for five years after he left active service, including while earning his law degree in 1975 from the University of San Diego. He spent seven years as a prosecutor in Los Angeles, then nearly 40 years as a civil litigator and white-collar defense attorney in San Diego at several large firms before serving as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California from 2019 to 2021. Larry Chaney, a retired Army Ranger who was wounded in combat in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, works as a legal administrative specialist at the U.S. Attorneys Office in San Diego. Chaney didnt know Brewer or much about his background when he was confirmed by the Senate and took over the office, but Chaney saw that his new boss wore a Silver Star lapel pin. Soon, Chaney had dug into Brewers military history and was awestruck. Im a Ranger myself and I dont impress easily, but I saw his military profile and said This is a walking hero in our midst, Chaney said. This guy is a badass. Chaney nominated Brewer for the Ranger Hall of Fame and also attended last weeks ceremony. Hes just an incredible man and was an incredible leader here at the U.S. Attorneys Office, Chaney said. Im so proud to have served under him Hes a great man, a great motivating leader. Im still in awe of him. Chaney promised Brewer during his stint as U.S. attorney that hed one day be in the Ranger Hall of Fame. Brewer didnt feel he was worthy of such an honor. It took three tries through the nomination process, but earlier this year Brewer was picked to join the select group, which now has just more than 500 members. The Rangers have an incredible history, Brewer said, specifically mentioning four officers Robert Rogers, Frank Merrill, William Darby and James Rudder who are considered something like the founding fathers of the Rangers. To be in the same organization with these four legends is just incredibly meaningful for me. Brewer, who is now of counsel at the firm Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek, might have never joined the Rangers if not for the death of his father while he was attending St. Lawrence University in upstate New York. Brewer was already in the Reserve Officers Training Corps, but to pay the last two years of his tuition, he sought and was awarded an ROTC scholarship that required a four-year Army commitment. Four days after he graduated in 1968, he reported for an infantry officer training course. That was soon followed by airborne training and then Ranger school, a notoriously grueling nine-week program that includes three weeks each at Fort Benning, in the mountains of Georgia, and in the swamps of Florida. Within a week of arriving in Vietnam in late April 1970, he was sent with South Vietnamese troops into Cambodia. The revelation that the war was spreading and American troops such as Brewer were in Cambodia sparked massive protests back home, including at Kent State University, where Ohio National Guard troops shot into a crowd of campus demonstrators, killing four and wounding nine. In December 1970, a few months after the firefight that earned him the Silver Star Medal, Brewer was assigned to Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group. Better known as MOCSAG, it was a highly classified special operations task force made up of personnel from every U.S. military branch and the CIA, and was responsible for unconventional warfare in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. MACSOG was the best of the best, and I was so honored to be a part of it, Brewer said. We planned and conducted reconnaissance into Laos and Cambodia. To the outside world, we didnt have any people in those two countries, and we were ordered never to talk about it for 30 years. We were officially never there. Upon returning stateside, Brewer was hospitalized at Naval Medical Center San Diego for a parasite hed acquired in the jungle. He fell in love with the city, eventually making it his home. He credits much of the success of his legal career in San Diego to his time as a Ranger. 2025 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit sandiegouniontribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. By Krystal Hu (Reuters) -Ilya Sutskever has taken over the reins of Safe Superintelligence (SSI), the artificial intelligence startup he launched last year, after losing CEO Daniel Gross to an intensifying talent war in the industry. Gross has joined Meta Platforms to lead its AI products division, sources told Reuters. The development comes as tech giants such as Meta Platforms aggressively chase high-profile acquisitions and offer multi-million-dollar pay packages to attract top talent in the race to lead the next wave of artificial intelligence. Meta had also attempted to recruit Sutskever and acquire SSI, which was most recently valued at $32 billion, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. "You might have heard rumors of companies looking to acquire us. We are flattered by their attention but are focused on seeing our work through," Sutskever said in a post on X. SSI raised $1 billion in cash last year to build advanced AI systems designed to safely exceed human intelligence. Sutskever has previously served as OpenAI's chief scientist. He left the ChatGPT maker, which he cofounded, after his involvement in Sam Altman's dramatic firing and rehiring in November 2023. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has launched a new division, Meta Superintelligence Labs, to unify the company's AI efforts, following setbacks with its Llama 4 model and key staff departures. The unit will be led by former Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang and ex-GitHub chief Nat Friedman, after Meta invested $14.3 billion in Scale and ramped up efforts to recruit top AI talent. Gross and Friedman are known to be close, having co-founded the venture capital firm NFDG named after their initials. The firm has backed high-profile startups including Safe Superintelligence, Perplexity and Figma. Meta has offered to buy a minority stake in NFDG's funds from limited partners through a tender offer, the sources told Reuters. The Facebook owner did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, while NFDG could not be reached. Apple acquired Gross's startup, Cue, in 2013 for its predictive search and AI technology, after which Gross joined the iPhone maker as a director, overseeing machine learning and artificial intelligence. (Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru and Krystal Hu in New York, additional reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru and Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli) Tracey Cunningham (41) was fined 300 with Judge John Brennan saying bus drivers had to put up with an awful lot and needed to be protected. A mother of three who told a Dublin bus driver to go back to his own country and punched the door of the vehicle has been fined for public order offences. Tracey Cunningham (41) was arrested after gardai witnessed her hurl insults through the door of the bus on a city centre street. Fining her 300, Judge John Brennan said bus drivers had to put up with an awful lot and needed to be protected. Cunningham, of Gandon View, Lucan, Dublin, pleaded guilty to threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour. Tracey Cunningham was charged with public order offences. Photo: Paddy Cummins Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 5th Dublin District Court heard the incident happened at Aston Quay on April 18 this year. Gardai saw Cunningham at the door of a Dublin bus at 7.30pm, verbally abusing the driver. She stated that he should go back to his own country, and she punched a glass panel in the door, a garda sergeant told the judge. Cunningham was also found drunk in public on the same date. The court heard the accused had no previous convictions. Cunningham had an alcohol problem and had completed a treatment programme, her solicitor told the court. She had a forthright attitude to the case and had made no attempt to avoid liability. Bus drivers had to put up with an awful lot and the remark may not have been racist, but it was certainly abusive in relation to where the person comes from, Judge Brennan said. The bus drivers of this city have to be protected, he said. The judge gave the accused four months to pay the fine. A man, a woman, their son and a 11-year-old dog were in the property at the time. He woke and alerted his wife and son, and they got out, but the husky was still inside. An innocent family's home of 40 years was "gutted" and their pet husky killed in a petrol bomb attack in Dublin in May, a court has heard. A 15-year-old boy charged with arson of the house on Landen Road, Ballyfermot, was denied bail on Friday and has been remanded in custody. The boy, who cannot be named because he is a minor and has the right to anonymity, appeared before Judge Brendan Toale at the Dublin Children's Court. Objecting to bail, Detective Garda Michael McNulty said on May 21, at 2.28 am, gardai responded to a report of a domestic fire at the home. They learned that while one resident was asleep in the living room, "a stone came through the window of the house and the house was set alight". The man's wife, son and 11-year-old dog were in the property at the time. He woke and alerted his wife and son, and they got out, but the husky was still inside. The contested bail hearing was told the homeowner tried to get back in to rescue the family pet in the living room, "but unfortunately, the heat was too much and he had to retreat, and the dog passed away inside, in the fire." Aftermath of firebomb on house in Ballyfermot Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 5th "Their house of 40 years was absolutely gutted, and they are effectively now homeless," Detective Garda McNulty said. Citing the strength of the evidence, he said gardai had obtained a vast amount of CCTV footage, "and the suspects are tracked in their entirety both to and from the arson". The court heard claims that a jerrycan of petrol was bought at a service station three hours before the incident and brought to and stored at a building in the Dolphin's Barn area. It was alleged that shortly before 2:30 am, two males arrived in a taxi, put on balaclavas, and travelled to Landen Road on an electric scooter, with the journey lasting seven minutes. The teenage defendant was allegedly the passenger and had the jerrycan. "This male passenger walks into the driveway, sets the jerrycan alight, throws a stone through the window, and throws the jerrycan full of petrol into the sitting room where the occupant of the house is sleeping, and the house is set alight," said Detective Garda McNulty. He alleged the arson attack was carried out against "an innocent family's home, with three occupants and resulted in the death of the family pet and the destruction of their home." The court heard that the two suspects sped off on the scooter toward Dolphin's Barn, parked, and removed their balaclavas. Twenty minutes later, they left the area by taxi. The court heard the CCTV footage recovered from the taxi, which also had an audio recording, and the teen was identified. The teenager, accompanied to court by his mother, did not address the court and has yet to enter a plea. He made no reply when charged. It was maintained that a balaclava was recovered during a search of the teen's home. Challenging the prosecution's claim about the strength of evidence to support the bail objection, Cecilia Ni Choileain BL, defending, argued that video evidence in the darkness of night was notoriously open to question. The defence also disagreed about the quality of the audio recording. She submitted that the teenager does not have a prior conviction for arson, and these allegations were completely out of character for the boy, who enjoyed the presumption of innocence. Citing the Children's Act, she referred to the law, which states that detention should be a last resort, adding that the boy, who is involved in community projects and plans to return to education, would abide by conditions. However, Judge Toale refused bail and remanded the teenager to the Oberstown Children's Detention Campus to appear again next week for directions from the DPP. Meanwhile, co-defendant, Curtis Stafford, 23, of Rutland Grove, Crumlin, appeared before Judge Paula Murphy at Dublin District Court, also charged with arson. Garda Kevin Coller alleged Mr Stafford, who has yet to indicate a plea, purchased the jerrycan of petrol used in the incident. The unemployed man was granted legal aid, refused bail and remanded in custody to appear again on July 11. In the third arrest in this investigation, a teenage boy was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda station in Dublin on Friday and could be held for 24 hours. Patrick Lawlor and his wife Leonie are contesting a Criminal Assets Bureau case against them in which their house on Collins Avenue West is being targeted A convicted gangland bagman has won free legal aid in his battle with the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) over his Dublin home. Patrick Lawlor and his wife Leonie are contesting a CAB case against them in which their house on Collins Avenue West is being targeted. Lawlor got a seven-year sentence in October 2022 after pleading guilty to handling almost 900,000 in criminal cash for which he was being paid 5,000 a month. The Sunday World previously revealed he had been working for a criminal network linked to veteran Irish gangster George The Penguin Mitchell. At a High Court hearing last week, counsel for the couple said they are seeking legal aid and contested the valuation put on an extension and works to their house. Patrick Lawlor and his son Ian Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 5th It was also heard that Leonie Lawlor is continuing to pay the mortgage from legitimate income and that the house had been bought in 2007. The CAB case centres on income generated between 2010 and 2020. Judge Alexander Owens said that there is substantial value embedded in the home that is not the proceeds of crime. The judge said there are special circumstances in this case and he granted legal aid for a junior counsel and a solicitor. He previously ordered Patrick Lawlor to be produced in court from Shelton Abbey prison where he is serving his time after being asked by his son Ian to allow him attend court. Subsequently Lawlor complained in court he couldnt find a solicitor to fight CABs bid to seize his family home. Lawlor, who is not due out of prison until 2028, said he has phoned about 30 without success. No-one is willing to do it, he told Judge Owens. The judge said he could not understand that and he would hear an application for free legal aid if one is made. Last October, Leonie Lawlor told the court she has no access to money to fund a legal defence because her accounts have been frozen by CAB None of the details of CABs case against the couple have been opened in court but it emerged at his trial, first reported by CCC Nuacht, that Lawlor had earned the equivalent of 100,000 working just a few days a month. It was also heard that following his arrest in 2020 a bank account was frozen while he was driving a 191-reg Mercedes at the time. The money laundering operation was for a criminal gang which had an income of almost 12 million in 2019. The trial judge said Lawlor played a central role which would have been of critical importance to the criminal organisation over a period of several years. He had received substantial amounts of money for his role, and had accumulated money, which was part of the cash seized by gardai during the search. Stephen Martin (33) and the victim had words before he reacted disproportionately and attacked him in an ugly incident. An out-of-control man who head-butted and punched another man in a Dublin garda station had a drink problem and described alcohol as his kryptonite. Stephen Martin (33) and the victim had words before he reacted disproportionately and attacked him in an ugly incident. Judge John Hughes jailed Martin for six months, saying the location of the assault was an aggravating factor as people went to garda stations for help and information. Martin, of Rheban Manor, Athy, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty to assault. Pearse Street garda station. Photo: Getty Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 5th Dublin District Court heard the accused was in the public office of Pearse Street garda station on June 28 last year when he was seen acting aggressively. He head-butted a man who was there and struck him with his fists to the head, Garda Sergeant Farrah Fox told the court. The man suffered minor injuries and bruising, but did not wish to make a victim impact statement. Martin had 180 previous convictions for offences including criminal damage and attempted robbery. The victim had not provided any statement or co-operated with the investigation, so Martins guilty plea was of some assistance, his solicitor Kate McGhee said. The two men were known to each other and there were words between them on the day, but Martin was not trying to excuse himself and accepted his response was entirely disproportionate. He accepts it wasnt a nice incident in any way, it was an ugly incident and he regrets his actions, Ms McGhee said. Martins previous convictions paint a picture of a very troubled man, with a huge number of them related to alcohol. He had suffered bereavement and trauma which he struggled to deal with, and increasingly turned to alcohol over the years. He had made attempts to deal with his drinking and had been in rehab. In a letter to the court, Martin referred to alcohol being my kryptonite for a long time, but I constantly turn to it. He also said theres no excuse for my behaviour. Its a sad situation, he accepts his behaviour when intoxicated is out of control, Ms McGhee said. He has never been able to conquer his demons. If you assault a person in the public office of a garda station, theres a reasonable expectation that you will go to jail, Judge Hughes said. A condition of Martins appeal bail, if he takes it up, is that he stays away from the victim. Yostin Andres Mosquera, 35, is accused of murdering couple Albert Alfonso, 62 and Paul Longworth, 71, on 8 July last year. A Colombian porn actor smashed a pensioner over the heard with a hammer at least 13 times before dismembering his body with a power tool and shoving it in a suitcase, a court heard. Yostin Andres Mosquera, 35, is accused of murdering couple Albert Alfonso, 62 and Paul Longworth, 71, at their home in London on 8 July last year. Mr Longworth was Irish and Mr Alfonso was originally from France but had obtained British citizenship. Jurors have been shown horrifying footage of Mosquera stabbing Mr Alfonso to death during an extreme sex session at his flat in Scott's Road, Shepherds Bush, west London. Albert Alfonso and Paul Longworth. He is said to have killed Mr Longworth earlier that evening by bludgeoning him repeatedly over the head with a hammer. Cause of death was described as resulting from blunt force trauma to the head. Mosquera caved in his skull by striking it with a hammer on nine different sites. The biggest injury site had been struck at least four times, Woolwich Crown Court heard. As a result of the hammer smashing, Mr Longworth had multiple fragmented fractures, some of the bone pieces had been pushed inwards. He then used the power tool to take Mr Longworth's head off and cut the rest of his body up. The remains of the two men were taken to Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol on 10 July. Police officers opened up the large suitcases to find the victims' body parts. One of the suitcases had a tag on it linking them back to an address on Scotts Road in Shepherd's Bush. Officers arrived at the address and found the heads of both Mr Longworth and Mr Alfonso inside a chest freezer. Forensic pathologist Dr Deborah Cook was asked for her conclusions after she performed a postmortem on Mr Longworth. She told the court the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. She said: "The formal wording is blunt force trauma to the head, but I can tell you the level of force required is severe. The largest wound was several injuries, so the blows have to be more than nine in number. By the time you have several blows onto an area that is already fractured, you can no longer distinguish one from the next. Inside the skull is in multiple small pieces, and many of those fragments are driven inwards. Asked by prosecutor Deanna Heer KC how many she thought there were, she said: I would say at least four at that site. Ms Heer asked: Strikes with what? A hammer, Dr Cook replied. When a hammer strikes the head, the shape of the laceration is curved if the force is hard enough and sometimes if it is not used flat on, then one part of the hammer is going in. All the injuries can be accounted for with a hammer. Mr Longworth was found to have an blood alcohol read of 114mg, above the drink drive limit of 80mg. Dr Cook made it clear that his alcohol level would not have impeded him though and that was clear due to the defence injuries to his hand. She said: The type of injuries on the right hand are what we call defence-type injuries. The hand comes up to the head to protect it and the hammer then strikes the hand, causing those injuries. He would not have been incapacitated through alcohol and those defence injuries show he was able to move his hand to protect himself. If he is a regular drinker, he may not have experienced any effects from a blood alcohol level of 114. Mr Longworths head was found with the upper set of dentures still in place. He was of a reasonably heaby build and had a 41-inch waist, the pathologist said. He was found to have chronic liver disease, known as cirrhosis, but the exact cause of that could not be confirmed by the pathologist. After he died, Mr Longworths body was cut up by Mosquera, using a combination of a knife and a power tool, it was said. He was cut across his thyroid cartilage, which in men is the Adams apple. Dr Cook said: That was cut through and then next to that you have your carotid artery, that was cut through. Then at the back of the neck you have seven spine bones and the cut went between the fifth and the sixth spine bones in the neck. Bones in the right arm of Mr Longworth appear to have been snapped rather than cut according to Dr Cook. Some sort of tool must have been used but it did not leave any distinctive marks on those left arm bones, she said. Ms Heer asked: What about the right? They just appeared snapped so not showing anything that could be linked to a tool, Dr Cook replied. Just at the end of the right radius a tool has been used to start the cutting. Ms Heer asked: So perhaps an attempt to use the tool and then snapping? Yes, she replied. The use of the tool must have come before the snapping but I dont think I can say much more than that. Mr Longworths leg had been completely disarticulated and appears to have been cut off with a knife and tool. Dr Cook said: The skin line at the top of the left was very ragged, it was not one swift movement of a knife, it was several, I cant say how many, but several movements of the knife. Ms Heer asked: What about the bone? There was a tool mark cut on the bone, Dr Cook replied. Mosquera denies the murder of retired handyman Mr Longworth and Mr Alfonso, a swimming instructor. He has admitted the manslaughter of Mr Alfonso. The boy - from Limerick - was found guilty of the sexual assault of the girl who was aged 15 at the time of the offence. A teenage girl told a Garda specialist interviewer that she was scared and angry after a then 14 year old boy humped her from behind in the company of other teenagers at a popular swimming spot at Killaloe three years ago. In the case at the Childrens Court at Killaloe District Court sitting in Ennis, Judge Alec Gabbett has found the boy guilty of the sexual assault of the girl who was aged 15 at the time of the offence on May 14th 2022. The boy - from Limerick - denied the sexual assault which occurred in the afternoon at a pontoon at Canal Bank, Killaloe, Co Clare. Judge Gabbett said that he was finding the State facts proven against the now 17 year old boy and said that the girl - now also aged 17 - was a very credible witness and dealt with cross examination very well. Killaloe. Photo: Google Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 5th The girl was in court to hear Judge Gabbett say: I have no doubt in my mind that based on the evidence that inappropriate touching and the physical incident occurred. Judge Gabbett said that the prosecution - led by State Solicitor for Clare, Aisling Casey - was very careful to prove the identity of the accused in the case. He said that the case involved some very, very young people. The judge said: The boys and girls were interacting which would not be unusual given their age. What is unusual is what followed. In a videoed interview with specialist Garda interviewers played to the court, recalling the incident, the girl said: I turned around and told him to stop and he wouldn't stop. She said: I told him to stop and I pushed him away by the shoulders." Asked by the specialist Garda interview how she felt, the girl replied: I was scared and angry. The boy - accompanied to court by his mother and older brother - had been in for a swim with friends and was only dressed in his boxer shorts and the girl said that she felt his wet boxers on her skin when he 'humped' her from behind. Referring to the accused, she said: "One of the boys came from behind me and started touching my bum and then he slapped it and then he grabbed it again." The girl said on the pontoon at the same time were two girls and three other boys. She said that she didnt know the boy and before the humping incident, the girl said that she heard two boys, including the accused make comments about my body like How about you turn over and bend over for me. The boy - represented by solicitor Daragh Hassett in the case - was arrested by Gardai and at interview, when asked if he touched the girl inappropriately, he said: No, a million per cent, no. He said that he didn't touch the girl in any shape or form. He said: I have three witnesses. When asked by a Garda so everything she says isnt true? The boy replied yes. Judge Gabbett said as the accused is a child, he must order a Probation Report for sentencing and adjourned the case and further remanded the boy on bail to September 7th. Judge Gabbett also found the boy guilty of having in his possession the girl's Revolut card on the same day. Stephen Pablo (Reilly) O'Reilly died following a crash in Offaly on May 20 last year and was regarded as being one of the midlands most violent and dangerous criminals One of the tributes which took centre stage at the funeral of Stephen O'Reilly. This is the elaborate final resting ground of the once feared and volatile career criminal Stephen Pablo (Reilly) O'Reilly. The solid marble memorial extends to several feet in length and towers above scores of other headstones inside the grounds of Coosan Cemetery in Athlone. The father-of-one, who died following a single vehicle road crash in Offaly on May 20 last year, was regarded as being one of the midlands most violent and dangerous criminals with a string of convictions to his name. He had also been closely aligned to a feared Longford-based crime gang and was due before a number of courts across the midlands for serious alleged offences. Reilly's burial plot consists of a solid marble headsone finish with a series of ornate features including a high-end watch and images of the career criminal's muscle bound physique. A video of the extravagant grave was posted on social media showing the lavish and intricate carvings that make up the deceased gangsters resting place. Two lions heads sit at the end of a solid marble headstone dividing a high end watch that lies in front of a head shot of the late mobster. A pair of carefully sculpted columns complete the opulently finished headstone, which is supported by a solid marble carving while emblazoned with the epitaph: The world is ours. The video, which has attracted almost 90,000 views on social media platform TikTok, features an excerpt of gangster-esque rap music in a modern day remake of the 1983 Hollywood crime blockbuster Scarface. Those words feature the voice of Al Pacino as Cuban drug lord Tony Montana saying: What do you think I am? A f****** worm like you? I told you, dont f*** with me, amid the sound of a gun being loaded in the background. Stephen OReilly Details surrounding the unveiling of Reillys elaborate final resting place comes just a matter of days after the Athlone burial grounds hosted its annual Cemetery Sunday service less than 48 hours after gardai uncovered a stockpile of machetes and other weapons inside the graveyard. Despite no concrete link to any specific gang or faction in particular, gardai are hoping to make progress over the coming days in tracing the identities of a number of suspects they believe were behind the discovery. Reillys sudden death just over a year ago brought with it one of the most extravagant funerals and displays of wealth the midlands town of Athlone has seen in recent memory. Reilly, who was in his early 30s and also known as OReilly, was buried in a large gold-coloured coffin which was lifted into his home in Beechpark West through a front window for his wake. A sea of ornate floral tributes were likewise laid out in honour of the feared gangster outside Coosans Our Lady Queen of Peace Church. One of the tributes which took centre stage at the funeral of Stephen O'Reilly. One of those displayed a portrait of Reilly showing off his ripped physique with the brazen epitaph: The real Pablo.The one and only gangster Reilly. Another equally elaborate and brash tribute carried an illustration of a container full of white powder accompanied underneath by the words: No comment. Another reference to Reillys criminal past was an equally crass image, this time directed at a named garda. In the decorative and bordered display, the crude tribute read: Detective.0 Reilly 1 below a bottle of black pepper. Another showed a portrait of Reilly showing off his ripped physique with the words The real Pablo, the one & only Gangster Reilly. The latter moniker was one the midlands criminal more than lived up to in clocking up 51 convictions at the age of just 21. He was an extremely violent individual, a source told the Irish Independent. The extravagant headstone of Stephen 'Pablo' Reilly. Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 5th From an early age, he got involved in burglaries in and around Athlone and was suspected of hiding firearms and drugs for a notorious midlands based crime gang. In one infamous case he was jailed for two years over a threat to a sister of Roy Collins, an innocent businessman killed by the Dundon gang in Limerick in 2009. He pleaded guilty to two counts of threatening to kill or seriously harm Leanne Collins at a court hearing in 2011. It emerged during the case that he knew a man who was friendly with Wayne Dundon, but the trial judge said he did not believe Reilly intended to carry out threats. Dundon, and Nathan Killeen of Hyde Road, Prospect, in Limerick, are currently serving life sentences for the murder of Mr Collins at the Coin Castle Amusements Arcade on 9 April, 2009. Although Reilly pleaded guilty he denied he threatened to rape and slit the throat of the woman who was a hairdressing student in Athlone at the time. Reilly admitted telling Ms Collins that Limericks gangland figure Wayne Dundon would give him good money for killing her, but said he didnt know Dundon. He had phoned her and she later told gardai he threatened to rape her, slit her throat and shoot her during that call. While he was on High Court bail for that offence, he made a second threat to kill her, this time within earshot of a garda. It was heard in court how Ms Collins said she had left Athlone because of intimidation and she believed the threats were real and that Reilly is friends with a man from Limerick who is friendly with the Dundons. Floral tributes left to Stephen Reilly (inset) Reilly apologised for the threats and said he wished he could change what he had said. The trial judge said he believed Reilly was sincere in his apology and remorse and said the full facts of the case were less sinister than they appeared. He referred to reports which described OReillys harrowing life of neglect, abandonment, violence, and brutalisation. He said Reilly is a man as much sinned against as sinning and is now doing his best beyond his years to maintain family unity. Viewed in isolation the threats to shoot and rape Leanne Collins, and slit her throat, sounded dreadful particularly coupled with connotations of a notorious Limerick figure in the mix, he said. But he was satisfied they were impulsive rather than sustained threats and that there was no intention to follow through on them. In one sense they were no more than vulgar abuse, he said. He imposed two consecutive one-year sentences and suspended the final six months. The US has removed export restrictions on semiconductor design software to China, signalling a de-escalation in trade tensions between the two nations. This decision is part of a broader trade agreement aimed at reducing hostilities and fostering cooperation in key technological sectors. In May 2025, the US Commerce Department imposed curbs on exports of crucial electronic design automation (EDA) tools, which are essential for creating semiconductors used in various technologies, including smartphones, computers, and automobiles. The restrictions were introduced as a countermeasure to China's earlier decision to limit rare earth exports to the US. These actions reignited tensions shortly after a trade truce had been achieved. Cadence, Synopsys, and Siemens, the major companies in the EDA industry, confirmed that they have been notified by the US authorities about the rescindment of these export controls. Synopsys stated that a previous letter from the Commerce Department detailing the curbs has been withdrawn. Cadence and Siemens also announced that they are resuming unrestricted access to their software and support services for Chinese customers. Siemens stated: Siemens was recently notified by the Bureau of Industry and Security, US Department of Commerce, that the export control restrictions on EDA software and technology to customers in China set forth in the May 23rd letter received by Siemens are no longer in place. As a result, Siemens has restored full access to software and technology classified under Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) 3D991 and 3E991, subject to applicable export control laws and regulations, and we have resumed sales and support to Chinese customers. The trade agreement between the US and China, formalised after talks in London in June 2025, includes commitments from both sides. The US agreed to lift export restrictions on chip design software, ethane, and jet engines. In return, China will approve the export of rare earth elements to the US. These elements are crucial for manufacturing various high-tech products. A report from Reuters in May indicated that Synopsys had instructed its staff in China to halt sales and services as part of compliance with the US export restrictions. This directive affected many Chinese chip design firms relying heavily on top-tier US software for semiconductor development. According to Xinhua News Agency, Synopsys, Cadence, and Siemenss Mentor Graphics collectively control more than 70% of China's EDA market. Chinese companies such as Brite Semiconductor and VeriSilicon have reported using these companies' software for their operations. Sympathetic judge to consider her for strict programme run by special court to help drug addicts A killer is to be considered for an intensive addiction treatment programme ahead of being sentenced for carrying a weapon in Belfast city centre. Margaret Henderson (39), known as Maggie Headbutt, was arrested with a broken bottle at Royal Avenue on April 17. She pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon in a public place at Belfast Magistrates Court in May. Henderson initially failed to appear for sentencing at Laganside Courthouse on Thursday, prompting District Judge Anne Marshall to issue an arrest warrant. After she showed up nearly two hours late, her defence requested she be assessed by the Substance Misuse Court (SMC), which takes an alternative approach to help offenders. Maggie 'Headbutt' Henderson leaving court Judge Marshall was told the defendant had been experiencing severe migraines and currently lives outside of Belfast. A request was made to respectfully give her one more chance. Offenders dealt with through the SMC must follow a rigorous treatment programme, and maintain consistent contact with probation staff and healthcare professionals. They are under the supervision of a judge throughout the entire process, and are subject to scheduled and unannounced drug and alcohol tests. Successful completion of the programme will be taken into account at sentencing. Judge Marshall told her: Im not overly optimistic, Ms Henderson, about your prospects on that, given the failure to go to probation and being late today. Margaret Henderson Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 5th Its quite an intense programme with quite a lot of requirements, but Ill give you a chance. Prove me wrong and show me youre suitable for it. Henderson was then remanded on continuing bail by consent, and the judge will assess her for a substance misuse court referral on July 17. Henderson, of The Mount in Belfast, was previously sentenced to six years for what the judge in the case described as a horrific killing. Victim Eddie Girvan (67) was found bound, gagged and stabbed in his Greenisland home in January 2016. Initially charged with murder, Henderson later pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. The court heard she was under the influence of heroin and crystal meth at the time. Eddie Girvan Her defence argued her life had spiralled into chaos following the cot death of her infant daughter, leading to long-term drug abuse. Henderson was arrested after crashing Mr Girvans car in Belfast. She had the key to the vehicle in her possession, and a GPS device linked her to the victims address. After several failed attempts to contact Mr Girvan, officers forced entry to his home and discovered his body. The pensioner had been tied to a chair, with a necktie around his throat and a large ball of kitchen roll stuffed in his mouth. He had suffered two stab wounds, and medical experts said either knife wound or the gag would have been fatal on their own. Despite the brutality of the crime, Mr Justice Treacy accepted the findings of two forensic psychologists who concluded Henderson did not pose a significant ongoing threat to the public. Henderson was handed a six-year sentence, with three years in custody and the remainder on licence. She earned her nickname after her extensive criminal history was revealed in court, which included more than 100 convictions, with many involving violent headbutt attacks on men, women, children and elderly people. After completing her sentence for the manslaughter of Mr Girvan, Henderson was recalled to prison following a shoplifting offence which led to her licence being revoked. During her time behind bars she was convicted again this time for assaulting another inmate. She received an additional six-month sentence. In recent years Henderson drew further attention by publicly sharing details of her relationship with fellow offender Laura Nicholl. Posting a photo of them kissing, Henderson gushed: Loving my life and my baby, life is better when you got someone to share it with. This article was amended on Friday, June 4 to edit the District Judges name Priest speaks out after our latest House of Prayer expose Our man trying to get answers from House of Prayer leader Christina Gallagher A priest has described controversial House of Prayer leader Christina Gallagher as a charlatan and said the hierarchy of the Catholic Church in Ireland should take a stand against her operation. The Sunday World revealed in recent weeks how Gallagher who founded the House of Prayer on Achill, Co. Mayo, which has received millions in donations from followers over the years loved playing slot machines in casinos. We confronted her at Dr Quirkeys in Phibsborough in Dublin while she was playing the slots, with other customers claiming they had seen her with wads of 50 notes in her hands which she pumped in the machines. They claimed she had been a regular visitor for over a year and had won large amounts on occasions. Gallagher playing the slots Gallagher told the Sunday World that she didnt visit casinos often and denied she was using money donated to the House of Prayer for gambling before she left the casino in a BMW 7 Series with her confidant and former House of Prayer secretary Noel Guinan. Cavan-based priest Fr Oliver OReilly, who counselled parishioners whose elderly relatives had donated large sums to the House of Prayer, said the Catholic Church made a number of mistakes in dealing with Gallagher over the years but should speak out against her. I think she is a total charlatan and total fake, Fr OReilly, told the Sunday World. I guarantee to you 90 per cent plus of all priests and bishops in Ireland would say the same thing. He said any claims that a lot of clergy support Christina Gallagher were untrue. Thats complete hogwash. She makes up her own truth. Its totally bizarre. Gallagher, who claims to speak directly with Jesus and the Virgin Mary, has a devoted following and people have donated millions to the House of Prayer over the years. Our front page last week Some have sought their money back after learning of her lavish lifestyle including living in various mansions with facilities including swimming pools, bars and jacuzzis. Fr OReilly said he had dealt with parishioners over the years whose family members donated large sums to Gallagher. One involved an elderly lady with dementia who had donated a lot before her death. When she started going into dementia she started going to house of prayer with friends. She was a very wealthy woman but had imparted quite a bit of money and I suggested to the family I would go to the guards and they said please dont. I asked if theyd go to the guards themselves but they said they wouldnt. They were good business people and said whats gone is gone. Fr Oliver OReilly I have to say, I was shocked how this vulnerable woman in old age was taken advantage of and it made me angry. He said it was shocking that the House of Prayer sells a picture of Mary for 250 saying it offers protection. That does immense damage. There are a lot of good people who are able to differentiate but there are an awful lot of vulnerable people who wouldnt be able to differentiate between scams and what is authentic. Western Bay of Plenty District Council is calling on locals to put their name forward for the 2025 local elections. Nominations are open for mayor, councillors, and community board members across the district. You dont have to be a seasoned politician to stand just someone who cares about their community, councils governance manager Robyn Garrett said in a statement. Our elected members are just everyday people who want to make a difference. Theyre parents, growers, volunteers, business owners and workers who care deeply about where they live. Were encouraging anyone whos passionate about their place to consider standing. Following a recent representation review, the council structure has changed for the 2025 and 2028 elections. This new model will see most residents vote for a mayor, their ward councillor(s), and their community board representatives. Matakana and Rangiwaea Islands residents will vote for a mayor and their ward councillor(s) and are not part of a community board area. Voters across the Western Bay will elect: - 1 Mayor (elected at large) - 9 councillors: - 2 in KatikatiWaihi Beach Ward - 3 in Kaimai Ward - 3 in MaketuTe Puke Ward - 1 in the new Waka Kai Uru Maori Ward (elected by those on the Maori Electoral Roll) Community Board members are elected across five boards, with new subdivisions introduced in some areas to ensure more localised representation. Subdivisions are smaller areas within a larger ward or community board. They help ensure every part of a ward is fairly represented especially communities that might otherwise miss out. New subdivisions have been created in Te PukeEastern (Eastern Subdivision) and OmokoroaKaimai (Kaimai East and Kaimai West Subdivisions), giving these communities their own elected representatives and a stronger voice at the table. Standing for council is one of the most direct and powerful ways to represent your community and help shape its future. The simple truth is that local government runs best when everyday people get involved, said Garrett. How to put your name forward Nominations are open now and close at 12pm Friday, August 1. You must be a New Zealand citizen and enrolled to vote. You need two nominators (both must be enrolled in the area in which you wish to stand). You can pick up nomination forms at any Council library or service centre, or download from yourplace.westernbay.govt.nz/elections Email completed nominations to elections@westernbay.govt.nz or return in person at any council library or service centre. -Contributed content Police have launched Rotoruas first beat team to patrol the city centre on foot as a way to crack down on retail crime. The team is made up of five constables and a sergeant, whose aim is to not only reduce crime and improve safety but also to build relationships with local businesses. Their hours depended on times of high demand, such as weekends, evenings and busy shopping periods, as they want to ensure they are visible when most needed. Police Minister Mark Mitchell visited Rotorua today to announce the new initiative, which had already been rolled out in four other cities. Retail crime was described as a big problem by Rotorua business owners. Among those impacted was Chris Fleming, who said theft cost his three stores Toyworld Rotorua and Paper Plus in Rotorua and Te Awamutu about $80,000 last year. Fleming opened Toyworld last August and said the store had the latest security cameras and technology but that wasnt enough. Technology doesnt stop crime. Goldiluck Bakery owner Renneth Thongly had also experienced trouble. She said her shop had been broken into and claimed people had threatened her life. Rotorua Police Senior Constable Anthony OKeeffe said some offenders had become emboldened and were targeting retailers multiple times. Its quite disheartening when talking to the retailers, especially with the frequency of it and the violence and threats towards their staff, he said. The veteran officer of 20 years said stealing from businesses like Toyworld was motivated by offenders wanting toys. A lot of the items taken would be used to fuel addictions, OKeeffe said. It is a currency for methamphetamine and [other] drugs. Bay of Plenty District Commander, Superintendent Tim Anderson, said the beat was a way to build rapport with retailers. Having those people visible in the street is that getting back to basics of talking face-to-face to people, so I think that is quite unique for that team. As part of Mitchells visit, the Police Minister walked the beat route alongside local police for the first time. Mitchell said he had heard countless stories about people not wanting their family members to go to work because they were scared of what might happen. He praised the beat team as a step forward in allowing people to work without the fear of being assaulted or something else untoward happening. Mitchell said police beat teams discouraged crime and made people feel safer. Rotoruas team followed in the footsteps of police in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and New Plymouth. Police reported assault, theft and robbery had reduced since beat teams were introduced. Christchurch had experienced the most significant drop of a 67% decrease in robberies. The Inner City Community Safety Hub's Antonio Nicolas Gumba (left), Kylie Kennett, Paul Geerlings and Dean Clements. Photo / Annabel Reid Beat teams had so far clocked up 14,108 hours of foot patrols between starting in July last year and the end of April. Mitchell said they were having a massive positive impact, especially on city centres. He said the Rotorua beat team would play a role in addressing social issues, such as homelessness, which had contributed to concerns in the city. Mitchell said police would work with government agencies to find solutions to get rough sleepers off the streets as they were a risk to others and themselves. I cant comment for every rough sleeper but from my own experience many of the rough sleepers have got somewhere to go. The Inner City Community Safety Hub's Antonio Nicolas Gumba (left), Kylie Kennett, Paul Geerlings and Dean Clements. Photo / Annabel Reid Its more a lifestyle choice for them, he said. Mitchell encouraged everyone to try to help people where there was a need but to ensure the help was appropriate and avoided perverse outcomes. Inner City Community Safety Hub manager Kylie Kennett said homelessness was a topical issue in the city that they were doing their best to manage. She said a police beat would allow them to be the eyes and ears for police and she hoped it would result in a decrease of crime. We always want more police and the city centre was a priority location in ensuring visitors and local businesses felt safe. The hub was established in 2023 as a co-ordination point for community safety groups including police, the councils Safe City Guardians and Maori Wardens. Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell said the city has had significant issues but working alongside the police had seen a rapid reduction in crime and a rapid increase in the confidence of Rotorua. Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawkes Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury. Warning: Distressing content Two people involved in a Rotorua teen prostitution ring that has been described as social dysfunction at its worst have been sentenced. One of the customers, Stephen Graham Shaw, a 70-year-old Rotorua farmer, and one of the prostitutes, Malissa Waiara Cropley, who got an underage girl to do one of her jobs, appeared in the Rotorua District Court this week for sentencing. Shaw had earlier pleaded guilty to receiving commercial sexual services from a girl aged 13. Cropley was found guilty at an earlier hearing of receiving payment from a person under 18 who was providing commercial sexual services. The charges were brought under the Prostitution Reform Act 2003. The illegal ring was busted by police in 2023. The pimp, Clayton Fox, was jailed for eight years and five months in February last year after admitting 18 charges relating to supplying teens with methamphetamine and cannabis and using underage girls in the sex industry. It was revealed during his court case he had sex with one of the teens, describing it as an interview for the prostitution job. He ran the operation with his partner, Wikitoria Pepene. Clayton Fox and Wikitoria Pepene at their February 2024 sentencing. Photo / Andrew Warner She was discharged without conviction for her part in the ring but was jailed for three months on drugs-related charges. Shaw was sentenced in the Rotorua District Court today by Judge Greg Hollister-Jones to eight months home detention. A summary of facts earlier released to the Rotorua Daily Post said Fox contacted Shaw at the start of 2023 saying he had a girl for him. Shaw agreed to meet them and the teen was driven to his caravan in Ngakuru, Rotorua, where he paid for and received commercial sex services. Shaw told police at the time he asked and was told the teen was over the legal age, the summary said. Judge Hollister-Jones said he accepted Shaw was genuinely remorseful. Stephen Graham Shaw appears in the Rotorua District Court for sentencing. Photo / Kelly Makiha From a starting point of two years imprisonment, he reduced the sentence by 25% for Shaws guilty plea, 5% for remorse and 3% for his prospects of rehabilitation. The remaining 16 months jail was converted to an eight-month home detention sentence. Cropley, 24, appeared in the same court on Thursday and was sentenced on a range of charges, including receiving payment from a person under the age of 18 who was receiving commercial sexual services. Judge Hollister-Jones said Cropley was in a relationship with Fox and was working with him in the sex industry. Malissa Cropley appears in the Rotorua District Court for sentencing. Photo / Kelly Makiha He said on one occasion Cropley did not want to meet with a client so got another girl, who was aged under 18, to do the job. Cropley then passed the money to Fox. Judge Hollister-Jones presided over the hearing and found Cropley guilty of the sexual services payment charge. What I heard at the hearing is social dysfunction at its worst. He said not only was the underage girl vulnerable, but Cropley was being pimped yourself by an older man who you were in a relationship with. She was also sentenced for unrelated charges, including three of shoplifting, failing to report for community work, failing to report for court-ordered supervision and two charges of failing to answer bail. In sentencing Cropley to six months jail, Judge Hollister-Jones said Fox was by far the most culpable for what occurred. Other men who were customers of an underage sex worker were sentenced in February to home detention. The men being sentenced in the Rotorua District Court for contracting a 13-year-old for commercial sex services are (from left) Shubham Choudhary, Nishanth Parakudiyil Prahladan and Felise Falanai. Photo / Kelly Makiha They were Felise Falanai, 32, a Rotorua labourer, Nishanth Parakudiyil Prahladan, 24, from Tauranga, and Shubham Choudhary, 28, from Turangi and formerly Hamilton. A court registrar confirmed to the Rotorua Daily Post another man who was to be sentenced in February had died. Two other men who had pleaded not guilty also died before their cases were heard. Three further men have pleaded not guilty and will stand trial in September. Two men had their charges dismissed. SEXUAL HARM Where to get help: If its an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111. If youve ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7: Call 0800 044 334 Text 4334 Email support@safetotalk.nz For more info or to web chat visit safetotalk.nz Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list. Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues. Private companies could soon operate Bay of Plenty toll roads under a Government plan to accelerate infrastructure delivery. The Government will begin market soundings next week with toll road investors, operators, and financiers, including discussions about the future management of the Takitimu Drive and Tauranga Eastern Link toll roads, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Chris Bishop said. Infrastructure and Transport Minister Chris Bishop. photo/ Mark Mitchell The aim was to explore whether toll concessions where a private company manages and maintains a toll road for a specified period could accelerate road construction, leverage private sector expertise, and alleviate pressure on taxpayers, Bishop said Concessions could help us deliver new infrastructure faster by unlocking capital upfront and bringing in the skills of experienced global operators, Bishop said. New Zealand currently has three toll roads in operation, including two in the Bay, and three more are in development. All future Roads of National Significance have also been flagged for tolling. For the first time, the Government is open to private companies not just building roads but operating them, collecting tolls, and maintaining the infrastructure over several decades. Under the model, ownership of the road would remain with the Crown. If it stacks up, a toll concession could allow a private partner to design, build, operate, and maintain a road, earning their return from toll revenue while freeing up government funds to accelerate other projects, Bishop said. The market sounding process will focus on six current or upcoming toll roads, including Taurangas Takitimu North Link and Aucklands Penlink, as well as major future projects like the Waitemata Harbour crossing. The Ministry of Transport has hired global investment bank Citi to advise on the process, drawing on its international experience with toll road concessions. Bishop said the Government would use the insights from these discussions to determine whether to proceed with toll concessions, which ones might be viable, and how to structure them for maximum value. Decisions on whether to move forward are expected later this year. Nine lucky Lotto players, including one from Papamoa, will be jumping for joy after each winning $30,774 with Lotto Second Division live Lotto draw. The winning Second Division tickets were sold at the following stores: MyLotto (x2) - Auckland Fresh Choice Ranui - Auckland Pak n Save Papamoa - Papamoa MyLotto - Palmerston North Coastlands - Paraparaumu MyLotto - Upper Hutt Paper Plus Brighton - Christchurch Four Square Ascott - Invercargill Anyone who bought their ticket from any of the above stores should check their ticket as soon as possible in-store, on MyLotto, or through the MyLotto App, said a Lotto spokesperson in a statemen. Lotto NZ exists to return 100% of its profits to Kiwi communities through lottery grants programmes run by Te Puna Tahua NZ Lottery Grants Board. Europa Press Mallorca Saturday, 5 July 2025 | Updated 06/07/2025 13:31h. Compartir A fire alert on a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which was on the ground at Palma airport on the Spanish holiday island of Mallorca, prior to take-off to cover the route connecting to Manchester, has left 18 people with minor injuries. The incident happened at 00.36am this Saturday morning, when the SAMU 061 emergency coordination centre received an alert about a possible fire onboard a plane on the ground at Son Sant Joan airport. Apparently, no flames were visible. However, the aircraft's crew decided to evacuate the passengers. When that happened, there were moments of high tension, as some of the passengers on board the plane panicked and tried to get out in their droves. Some reportedly jumped to the ground from the emergency exits over the wings. Ryanair 737-800 evacuated at Palma de Mallorca Airport after a fire indication developed on board during taxi. The SAMU061 coordination center received a call at a.m, reporting a fire on flight RK3446 to Manchester. A total of 18 people were injured during the evacuation, six pic.twitter.com/XpCCejGq2t Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) July 5, 2025 Six of the injured have been taken to hospitals The SAMU 061 coordination centre mobilised four ambulances to the scene, two advanced life support (ALS) and two basic life support (BLS) ambulances. Firefighters from Palma airport and members of the Guardia Civil were also on the scene. As a result of the incident, a total of 18 people were slightly injured, and six of them had to be taken to hospital, three to the Clinica Rotger and three to the Hospital Quironsalud Palmaplanas. Ryanair said in a statement, A flight from Palma to Manchester discontinued take-off due to a false fire warning light indication. Passengers were disembarked using the inflatable slides and returned to the terminal. While disembarking, a small number of passengers encountered very minor injuries (ankle sprains, etc.) and crew requested immediate medical assistance. To minimise disruption to passengers, we quickly arranged a replacement aircraft to operate this flight, which departed Palma at 07:05 this morning. We sincerely apologise to affected passengers for any inconvenience caused. Their reunion? Its smooth like butter. The K-pop septet BTS will return in spring 2026 with a new album and world tour. Members Jin, RM, V, Jimin, J-Hope, Jung Kook and Suga made the announcement Tuesday during a livestream on Weverse, an online fan platform owned by BTS management company Hybe. It was the first time all seven members have broadcast live together since September 2022. Well be releasing a new BTS album in the spring of next year. Starting in July, all seven of us will begin working closely together on new music, the band said in a statement. Since it will be a group album, it will reflect each members thoughts and ideas. Were approaching the album with the same mindset we had when we first started. According to a press release, the band will be in the United States this month to begin working on new music. The 2026 album will mark their first since 2022s anthology, Proof, their 2021 Japanese compilation album BTS, the Best, and their last studio album, Be, released in 2020. They also announced a world tour, their first in nearly four years. The news arrives a few weeks after BTS superstars RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook were discharged from South Koreas military after fulfilling their mandatory service. In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea. Six of the groups seven members served in the army, while Suga, the last to return, fulfilled his duty as a social service agent, an alternative to military service. Jin, the oldest BTS member, was discharged in June 2024. J-Hope was discharged in October. South Koreas law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers arent subject to such privileges. However, in 2020, BTS postponed their service after South Koreas National Assembly revised its Military Service Act, allowing K-pop stars to delay their enlistment until age 30. Rebecca Woodcock leaves behind her two-year-old daughter, Octavia, after dying due to injuries from a motorcycle accident in Salina on May 30, 2025. She was six months pregnant at the time of the crash and lost her baby one day later. June Woodcock Syracuse, N.Y. - Rebecca Woodcock was six months pregnant with her soon-to-be second child. She and her fiance were scheduling a maternity photo shoot. They had picked out a name for the baby girl: Madilynn Rose. On a Friday afternoon, May 30, a driver went through a red light in Salina and struck a motorcycle she was a passenger on, State Police said. She was thrown into a stopped SUV and was critically injured. Her baby lost her heartbeat the day after the crash and was stillborn two days later. Two weeks after the crash on June 14, Woodcock died at the age of 23. On Saturday, family and friends plan to celebrate her life at Oneida Shores Park from noon to 6 p.m. Its like losing my own child, said her younger sister, June Woodcock. Because of how close we were. Rebecca grew up in Central New York and went to Altmar-Parish-Williamstown schools. From hosting family slumber parties to fighting custody battles for their younger siblings, June said Rebecca was always the person that kept the family together. She was the glue, she said. She kept everybody sane. She said Rebecca wanted the best for her two-year-old daughter, Octavia. She wanted her to see the world, she said. She had a list of things she wanted to do with her, because she wanted Octavia to have a life that she never got. Rebecca was in Syracuse visiting her family at the time of the accident. Early last year, she had moved to Eatonton, Georgia, with her fiance, Mike, where they were building a home and raising Octavia. She had started working on a farm in Eatonton, where she grew a love for the animals she tended to, her family said. She would send pictures of Octavia riding the horses, June said. She was there every day because she would work every day. Prior to their move, Rebecca had worked as a manager at Pizza Cutters in Lyncourt and DeWitt, where her sisters said she sometimes worked with her daughter by her side. I watched that girl manage two different Pizza Cutters stores with a baby on her hip the whole time, said Summer Babcock, another sister of Rebeccas. Im talking taking phone calls, running orders, making pizzas, doing this, doing that. June and Summer both remember their sister as someone who loved life, and who was excited for the chapters that were supposed to come next. When she had Octavia, she loved that little girl more than anybody in this world, June said. She was a mother, and a damn good one for sure. A truck that ran through a red light hit a motorcycle at the intersection of Factory and Lemoyne avenues on Friday, May 30, 2025. Greta Stuckey Staff writer Vince Gasparini covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach him at vgasparini@syracuse.com. Key Points Ripple and the SEC have agreed to settle, ending years of legal uncertainty for XRP and its investors. XRPs market cap is now rivaling top credit services stocks, but its payment volume still lags far behind. The cryptocurrency could earn its massive market value over time, but it looks overpriced right now. 10 stocks we like better than XRP Cryptocurrencies are often unpredictable. XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) is a prime example of this quality. An ominous lawsuit started weighing on the cryptocurrency in December 2020. The suit started to wind down in the first half of 2024, and the Ripple Labs organization launched an XRP-based stablecoin. You'd think the cryptocurrency would soar on the news, but it took a steep dive instead. Then the 2024 elections came along. A more crypto-friendly White House signaled the end of XRP's legal issues, and the cryptocurrency suddenly made up for lost time. Here in early July, 2025, XRP's 5-year returns finally match the Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) standard: But that's ancient history already. You always have to look forward in the fast-moving cryptocurrency market. Where will XRP go in the next five years -- and is it a good buy right now? Let's have a look. Ripple and SEC are settling their differences The big catalyst every XRP owner was waiting for? Well, that one is playing out right now. Ripple Labs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have agreed to a settlement and withdrawn their appeals, effectively ending the four-year courtroom drama. There are a few more Ts to cross and Is to dot, as Judge Analisa Torres rejected the first settlement draft. The filing, which would end the case and impose a $50 million fine on Ripple Labs, was "procedurally improper." So the lawyers are going back to the drawing board to hammer out a technically complete filing. But it seems like a foregone conclusion that the lawsuit is ending with much lower monetary damages and fewer operating restrictions than the SEC had requested earlier. And this outcome appears to be priced into XRP's chart, with the big jump falling shortly after November's election process. Image source: Getty Images. If XRP were a stock... XRP is one of the largest cryptocurrencies at this point, sporting a total market value of $133 billion on July 2. If XRP were a stock, representing the value of the related RippleNet international payments platform, it would be one of the 5 most valuable credit services on Wall Street. The hypothetical XRP market cap would still be far behind sector leaders Visa (NYSE: V) and Mastercard (NYSE: MA), whose market caps stand at $685 billion and $509 billion, respectively. A general view of Niagara Falls on June 23, 2016 in Niagara Falls, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) NHLI via Getty Images This week, Niagara Falls installed a safety barrier at its observation deck. Per 2 On Your Side, this railing was added to the deck in response to two suicides that happened there within the same week. The first occurred on June 24 and the second was on June 30. This new barrier keeps visitors approximately four feet from the decks outermost railings. This is the first time the state park has put up a physical barrier like this in relation to suicide attempts. Currently, there is only a barrier at the observation deck. Park police told the outlet that they have responded to over 30 suicides on the New York side of Niagara Falls in the past decade. Previous safety attempts include 24-7 surveillance and a crisis hotline. New York State Parks gave the following statement to 2 On Your Side in response to last weeks incidents. We are saddened whenever someone takes their own life and send condolences to the family and friends of the victims, and we share our concern for the well-being of those who may have witnessed this occurrence. The statement further noted that the barriers are an interim measure and ranger patrols have been stationed on the deck to help prevent any future attempts. New York State Parks will also continue working with the local Department of Mental Health and the Countys Suicide Prevention Coalition to explore additional measures to help secure the area. New York State Parks stand in solidarity with those who are experiencing mental health distress and offer our commitment to help individuals get the support they need and deserve, the statement continued. Furthermore, Laura Kelemen, director of Niagara County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services told 7 WKBW Buffalo, that the organization has been training police officers, park rangers and other employees on how to detect and react in situations when a visitor may be in distress. Theyre in the perfect spot to recognize those people who might be having an off day, might not be up here on a happy vacation, Kelemen said. I think a lot of times what that would look like would be to engage with somebody, It looks like youre having a rough day today, can I help you? If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available 24/7. Call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free, confidential support. Steve Barnes, Times Union, Albany, N.Y. (TNS) WATERVLIET The owners of an Upstate New York bar have apologized after a staff member referred to a party of seven senior customers as old bitches. Ron and Helen Wilkinson, who opened the bar Deacon Blues, at 806 25th St. in Watervliet, N.Y., in July 1979 and named it after a song by Steely Dan, are described as mortified that a server put the label on separate receipts for seven women friends who live together in a senior community. In a statement to the Times Union, a Deacon Blues representative said, I assure you that the owners are currently on vacation and are genuinely mortified by the behavior of their staff. They are committed to ensuring that all guests feel respected and valued. When they return, appropriate actions will be taken to address these concerns. A similar apology was made Monday under the bars Facebook account on the Facebook post that drew attention to the incident on Friday afternoon. Keira DiNuzzo said her 87-year-old grandmother, who asked to be referred to only as Mimi, was among those who went to lunch at Deacon Blues, which they have patronized before. DiNuzzo said the reservation was for 10 people, but three could not attend, for which the group apologized. Each of the seven requested a separate check. Mimis receipt includes the following: TABLE: Old Bitches. DiNuzzo said one of the lunch party examined her bill after getting home and noticed the label. Others checked and found the same, DiNuzzo said. The statement to the Times Union also said, I encourage ... the women who experienced this treatment to speak directly with the owners when they are back. This will allow for a more meaningful resolution. A comment from Helen Wilkinsons Facebook account on a review DiNuzzo left on the bars Facebook page said in part, Please do not judge the entire restaurant based on one disrespectful person. ... Again, we apologize and are ashamed and assure you that this is not something we take lightly. The reviews section on the Deacon Blues Facebook page appears to have been hidden or deleted since Wilkinsons comment was posted. 2025 the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) . Visit www.timesunion.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. In brief: Just over one billion active devices use Windows for their operating system, according to Microsoft. That sounds like an impressive statistic, but the company isn't as quick to point out that three years ago, the figure stood at 1.4 billion, meaning 400 million devices are no longer running the OS. Correction (July 1): Microsoft recently revised a statement about the growth of Windows' total user base, prompting discussion about the future of the PC market. In 2022, the company reported that combined Windows 10 and 11 installations had grown from 1.3 to 1.4 billion since the previous year. However, a blog post published earlier this month stated only "over a billion," leading to speculation that Windows had lost around 400 million users. The blog now reads "over 1.4 billion," suggesting that Windows has grown less over the past three years than it did between 2021 and 2022. Those earlier years saw a surge in PC sales due to the pandemic, but the market has since stabilized. In a post focused on Windows 10's upcoming end-of-support date (October 14), Microsoft EVP Yusuf Mehdi boasts that Windows is the most widely used operating system in the world today, with over one billion monthly active devices globally. However, it's been noted that in its 2022 annual report, Microsoft said 1.4 billion devices were running Windows 10 or Windows 11, up from 1.3 billion devices a year earlier. There are explanations for where those 400 million devices went. Many users will have jumped to the other side and started using macOS, which saw a new lease on life following Apple's decision to transition away from Intel processors and start making its own chips for MacBooks. According to IDC and Canalys, Mac shipments were up YoY in April, giving Apple a global PC share of between 8.7% to 10.4%. Another factor is the number of users and companies that are dropping Windows and moving to Linux-based alternatives. Some governments are also switching allegiances, including the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, the Danish Ministry of Digital Affairs, and the French city of Lyon. But most of the people who left Windows likely did so in favor of smartphones and tablets. As mobile devices become more powerful year after year, the consumer Windows PC market has increasingly shifted toward professionals who need specialized software and hardware at home, as well as gamers. Like virtually all electronic goods, PCs and Macs saw a surge in popularity during the pandemic and the years that followed but those days are over. Microsoft is likely anticipating another bump in sales as October approaches and businesses upgrade their systems to shift to Windows 11. However, consumer holdouts may be slower to adopt the new OS, especially if doing so requires hardware upgrades. With game streaming, web-based apps, and faster internet connections, more people may decide they don't need a PC at all. Elsewhere in the same report, Mehdi writes that Windows 11 is 2.3x faster than Windows 10. He failed to mention that Microsoft came to this conclusion by testing the older OS on laptops with Intel Core 6th-, 8th- and 10th-generation processors, while Windows 11 tests were carried out on PCs with Intel Core 12th- and 13th-generation CPUs. Image credit: Andrej Lisakov Not Looking Good: Samsung is one of the few companies in the world with true chipmaking capabilities. However, the foundry division of the South Korean conglomerate is struggling significantly in its efforts to expand processor manufacturing operations in the US. Samsung is reportedly delaying the completion of its chip manufacturing plant in Taylor, Texas, due to a lack of customers for its foundry services. According to industry sources cited by Nikkei Asia, the South Korean corporation's ambitious plan to launch a major new US foundry operation is already backfiring. The facility was originally slated to open in 2024 but has now been officially pushed back to 2026. Documents from Samsung C&T, a Samsung affiliate overseeing construction, show that the project was nearly complete as of March reaching 91.8 percent completion. However, Samsung has not begun installing chip manufacturing equipment, as it would currently sit idle. A supply chain industry source reportedly confirmed that Samsung is in no hurry to finish the Taylor plant. Local demand for advanced chip production is insufficient, the source said, and the process nodes originally planned for the facility are now largely outdated. To move forward, Samsung would need to significantly revamp the site's capabilities, an expensive undertaking with no guarantee of short-term return on investment. Samsung initially planned to manufacture 4nm chips at its Taylor, Texas, facility but later announced plans to upgrade to a more advanced 2nm process node. The company originally committed $17 billion to the project, but over the past few years, that investment has ballooned to $37 billion across the broader Texas region. This includes $4.7 billion in subsidies granted under President Biden's CHIPS and Science Act. However, the new Trump administration is actively working to dismantle the CHIPS Act and other semiconductor funding programs established during Biden's term. Compounding the challenges, Samsung has reportedly faced poor manufacturing yields with its 2nm process, another factor contributing to delays at the Taylor facility. According to TrendForce analyst Joanne Chiao, Samsung's 2nm yields have improved, but the company continues to face internal and external hurdles in expanding its US foundry presence. The Taylor plant is expected to produce chips for smartphones, PCs, and consumer electronics, yet current demand in those sectors remains weak. Samsung continues to trail behind TSMC in the global foundry market. The Taiwanese giant dominates production of advanced chips such as GPUs and AI accelerators, driven by strong demand from data centers and tech firms. While the Taylor facility may eventually support limited production thanks to government subsidies and tax incentives, Chiao suggests that Samsung's original ambitions are likely postponed well into the future. TL;DR: TSMC is postponing construction of its second chip plant in Japan, a decision that sources attribute to the company's accelerated efforts to expand its operations in the United States. This shift in priorities comes as TSMC faces growing pressure to increase domestic semiconductor production in the US amid the looming threat of new tariffs on imported chips. Individuals familiar with TSMC's strategy told The Wall Street Journal that the company is accelerating investment in its US projects ahead of potential trade measures from the Trump administration. President Trump has called for semiconductors to be made in America and has launched an investigation that could result in tariffs of up to 100 percent on imported chips. This aggressive trade stance is prompting technology companies, including TSMC, to reassess the timing and location of their global investments. TSMC had previously announced plans to build a second chip manufacturing facility in Kumamoto, Japan, as part of a broader $20 billion investment in the country. The Japanese government pledged more than $8 billion in support for the initiative. The company's first plant in Kumamoto began producing chips in late 2024, and the second facility was initially slated to break ground earlier this year. Although TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei publicly cited local traffic congestion as a reason for the delay, sources say the timeline for the second plant's construction is now uncertain, with the company shifting its focus more heavily toward its US operations. TSMC has not provided a new timeline for its second Japanese facility, and the delay is seen as a setback for Japan, which has been eager to bolster its domestic semiconductor industry. Meanwhile, TSMC's US expansion is progressing rapidly. In March, Chairman C.C. Wei visited the White House and announced plans to invest at least an additional $100 billion in the US over the next several years on top of the $65 billion already committed. The company is building three factories in Arizona, which will be the only TSMC sites outside of Taiwan capable of producing advanced chips for major American tech firms. The Japanese government, for its part, has stated that it has not received any formal communication from TSMC regarding traffic-related delays and believes the construction schedule for the second plant remains largely unchanged. TSMC is also expanding in Europe, with construction underway on its first manufacturing facility in Germany, which is expected to begin production by the end of 2027. As governments in the US, Japan, and Europe compete for a greater share of the global semiconductor supply chain, TSMC's investment decisions are being closely watched as a barometer of shifting economic and strategic priorities. Key Points The company announced a contract with the Indonesian Navy. It will build that organization a rescue submarine and accompanying technology. 10 stocks we like better than Forum Energy Technologies Forum Energy Technologies (NYSE: FET), a somewhat under-the-radar product supplier to the oil and gas and defense industries, saw a dramatic increase in its share price in June. This was due mainly to a large contract it secured to provide components for a military client across the Pacific Ocean. Investors clearly liked what they heard about the new deal, as they bid up the company's stock by 32% during the month. Rescue mission In mid-month, Forum announced that it had executed a contract with the Indonesian Navy for the supply of a submarine rescue vehicle (SRV) system. The contract covers the SRV, along with a custom-designed launch and recovery system (LARS) and a decompression system. Image source: Getty Images. The SRV is an LR600, a craft purpose-designed and built for rescue operations, and will be equipped with the most up-to-date technology to locate submarines in need of rescue, Forum said. It can perform at depths of up to 605 meters (1,985 feet) and carry up to 20 people. According to the company, it is to be fully integrated with a hyperbaric rescue facility. The LR600 itself is being constructed at a Forum facility in England, while the LARS is to be manufactured in another facility in the company's home state of Texas. In the press release touting its Indonesian Navy contract, Forum quoted its CEO Neal Lux as saying, "Our cutting-edge technologies remain at the forefront of the subsea sector and the safety systems of choice for military and naval forces around the world," adding, "This award also showcases the breadth of our product portfolio and extensive technology capabilities across many differentiated end markets." Forum did not provide any financial details of the Indonesian Navy contract. Funky fundamentals Perhaps due to its work for government entities, Forum is not the most forthcoming company on the market. So, it feels entirely in character for it to provide only a bare-bones look at the Indonesia deal. Still, it's admirable that the company was able to win what must be a sizable contract for the SRV and the technology accompanying it. Without knowing the financial particulars of the deal, it's tough to gauge how it might impact Forum's fundamentals. We can say that the company knows how to improve its sales through contracts like this -- on an annual basis, they have climbed steadily and, at times, steeply, from just under $512.5 million in 2020 to over $816 million last year. The bottom line is less encouraging, as it has eked out a headline annual net profit only once ($3.7 million in 2022) across the same stretch of time. Heavy snow hits Turkey's northeast as wildfires rage Istanbul, July 4 (AFP) Jul 04, 2025 A rare blanket of heavy snow fell on parts of northeastern Turkey on Friday as other parts of the country battled a growing number of wildfires. Experts say human-driven climate change is causing more frequent and intense extreme weather events, from droughts to heatwaves and hailstorms. Temperatures plunged in mountainous areas inland from Rize, a town on Turkey's northeastern Black Sea coast about 120 kilometres (75 miles) from the border with Georgia. Gencaga Karafazlioglu, a journalist in Rize, said he had never before seen snow in July. "In Rize, we're used to weather anomalies. We've had snow several times in March but never this much. The older generation say they saw snow in July 30 or 40 years ago but never this much." In Ovit Yaylasi, a plateau some 2,500 metres (8,200 feet) above sea level, fields were blanketed in white after snowfall, social media footage showed. The snowfall covered an area stretching at least 100 kilometres, from Anzer Yaylasi through the Kackar Mountains National Park and beyond. "The town of Artvin was the worst hit," Karafazlioglu said. Artvin is about 50km inland. Elsewhere, firefighters battled at least 10 "major" forest fires on Friday, Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli told a press conference. The minister said that wildfires in Izmir province, where two people died on Thursday and temperatures were forecast to hit 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the coming days, were now mainly under control. He added that flames fanned by strong winds that threatened Mugla in the southwest of the country and Hatay in the south were still a concern. Yumakli said there was an "intense struggle" to control the blaze in Hatay, which is near the border with Syria. There had been 624 wildfires in the past week and that many had been caused by faulty electric cables, he added. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that 44 suspects had been arrested and 10 placed in detention over fires. He said that most were workers or farmers using machinery that had caused sparks. Deep-sea mining negotiators to meet under Trump shadow United Nations, United States, July 5 (AFP) Jul 05, 2025 The International Seabed Authority (ISA) meets next week to continue debating rules for ocean floor mining in international waters, after the United States moved to unilaterally kick-start the controversial industry. The Jamaica-based body, created by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, has been working for over a decade on rules governing mineral extraction on the high seas. Nations are divided over the desire to exploit the ocean depths for nodules rich in metals needed for electric vehicles and other emerging technologies -- and worries about disrupting, or possibly decimating, fragile ecosystems. The United States, which is not a signatory to the UN convention or an ISA member, disrupted the painstaking process this year when President Donald Trump issued an executive order calling for his government to speed up issuing permits for underwater mining, including in international waters. Canadian firm The Metals Company (TMC) jumped at the opportunity and in April filed the first US application for a deep-sea mining license, angering environmental groups and many nations. Against this backdrop, the ISA's 36-member executive council reconvenes Monday in Kingston for two more weeks of negotiations on a "mining code." "Our shared objective remains the completion of the negotiations" this year, Council President Duncan Muhumuza Laki wrote in a letter ahead of the meetings. The Ugandan diplomat said an additional session in the fall may be needed to meet a year-end deadline. Louise Casson of Greenpeace called the push to wrap up negotiations "both very unwise and unfeasible." Nations should not be "bullied" into rushing through rules after TMC's "incredibly controversial and rogue move," she told AFP. Leticia Carvalho, secretary-general of the full ISA, said that with the global body "on the cusp of finalizing" its rules, "it is imperative that we get it right." "When I speak of the need for timely action, this should in no way be interpreted as a call for rushed or unconsidered decisions," the Brazilian oceanographer told AFP in an e-mail. - Moratorium - Members are deeply divided over how to proceed, with a growing number calling for at least a temporary moratorium on deep-sea mining. French President Emmanuel Macron opened the UN Ocean conference last month in Nice saying it would be "madness to launch predatory economic action that will disrupt the deep seabed, disrupt biodiversity, destroy it and release irrecoverable carbon sinks -- when we know nothing about it." His country joined Chile, Costa Rica and Panama in a recent letter saying it is "clear" that the regulations "are not ready for adoption yet," and suggesting discussions on a new timeline. "We categorically disassociate ourselves from any suggestion or interpretation that the Council is bound, legally or politically, to adopt the regulations by the end of the year," the letter said. At the previous session in March, the ISA Council got through debate on 55 of 107 proposed rules. Carvalho said though some members "have expressed differing views on the desirability or timing of future mining activities, the overwhelming majority have remained committed to continuing the negotiations with good faith, diligence and unity, recognizing the imperative of establishing a robust and science-based regulatory regime." A meeting of the full 169-member ISA is scheduled for July 21-25. The number of ISA members in favor of a precautionary pause to mining continues to grow -- from 12 in 2022 to 37 today, according to the NGO alliance Deep Sea Conservation Coalition -- but they are still far from the majority. At that meeting, Chile hopes to revive its bid to adopt "the protection and preservation of the marine environment" as a "general policy" for the body. The move is seen as a first step towards a moratorium. Kazakhstans leading media outlets have given extensive coverage to Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenovs visit to Khankendi for the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit, underscoring the countrys active role in shaping regional economic integration, Azernews reports. News platforms such as Inform.kz, Kazlenta.kz, Kapital.kz, Ortcom.kz, and Dknews.kz focused on the summits key discussions surrounding economic cooperation among ECO member states. Prominent themes included joint efforts in transport and logistics, energy, climate security, digital transformation, and other areas critical to the regions development. A major highlight of the coverage was Prime Minister Bektenovs emphasis on the strategic importance of the Trans-Afghan Railway for boosting regional connectivity and trade. He reaffirmed Kazakhstans support for the project and signaled a strong commitment to advancing regional infrastructure. The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan confirms its intention to support the TorghundiHerat railway construction project. A corresponding memorandum will be signed in the near future, Bektenov announced during the summit. His remarks underscore Kazakhstans proactive approach to regional development and its readiness to contribute to projects that promote stability and economic growth across the ECO region. The Kazakh media widely interpreted this as a signal of the countrys expanding role in cross-border connectivity initiatives. People enter a Ralphs store in Long Beach in 2021. It closed permanantly later that year. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) After a series of setbacks, Kroger's recent decision to close 60 locations nationwide is the latest sign of distress for the grocer that operates more than 300 stores in California. Kroger, the parent company of Ralphs and Food 4 Less, is reducing its footprint after the resignation of its chief executive and a failed merger with competing grocery giant Albertsons. The company faces a lawsuit related to the merger and also has been struggling with labor unrest. Employees had been threatening to strike until the company reached a tentative agreement with the United Food and Commercial Workers union this week. Based in Cincinnati, Kroger also owns Harris Teeter, King Soopers and Dillons. The company operates more than 2,700 stores under different brands across the country and offers fresh goods, some household items and pharmacy services. Read more: Kroger, the company behind Ralphs and Food 4 Less, plans to close 60 locations "Instead of popping champagne and toasting to their merger, Kroger is instead just enduring one hit after another," said Jeff Wells, lead editor at the trade publication Grocery Dive. "They're still a pretty stable business, but they're facing a lot in terms of challenges." Impending closures Kroger announced late last month in its quarterly earnings report that it plans to close 60 stores over the next 18 months. The company did not disclose which locations would be shut down. "We're simplifying our business and reviewing areas that will not be meaningful to our future growth," interim Chief Executive Ronald Sargent said in an earnings call. "Today, not all of our stores are delivering the sustainable results we need." Kroger temporarily paused routine store closures while the Albertsons merger was pending, Sargent said. The company normally closes about 30 stores per year, Melius Research analyst Jacob Aiken-Phillips said. The company is on track to complete 30 major store projects this year and expects to accelerate store openings in 2026, Sargent said on the earnings call. Competitive market Kroger is under increasing pressure from competitors, experts said, some of which offer a wider range of items and convenient one-stop shops. "Kroger faces this intensely competitive field in the grocery industry," Wells said. "From Walmart to Costco to Whole Foods and Sprouts Farmers Market, everybody in the industry is kind of gunning for them." The Albertsons merger would have given Kroger the scale to compete with giants such as Walmart and Amazon, Aiken-Phillips said. Texas flood toll rises to 24 as rescuers search for missing children Houston, July 5 (AFP) Jul 05, 2025 Rescuers were desperately searching for at least 20 girls missing from a riverside summer camp, officials said Friday, after torrential rains caused a "catastrophic" flash flood that killed at least 24 people as it swept through south-central Texas. "At this point we're at about 24 fatalities," Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told an evening press conference as rescue teams scrambled to locate stranded residents in the region northwest of San Antonio. Some of the dead were children, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said at a previous news conference. The county sheriff said there were "kids that are still missing," adding that between 23 and 25 people were unaccounted for. Lieutenant Governor Patrick previously said "about 23" girls attending a summer camp in the flooded Kerr County were missing. They were part of a group of around 750 children at Camp Mystic, a girls summer camp along the banks of the Guadalupe River which rose 26 feet (eight meters) in 45 minutes with heavy rainfall overnight. "That does not mean they've been lost, they could be in a tree, they could be out of communication," he said. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he was signing a "disaster declaration" to boost resources in counties in the region. "It's terrible, the floods," US President Donald Trump told reporters Friday night. "It's shocking." Asked if Texas would receive federal aid, he said: "Oh yeah, sure, we'll take care of it. We're working with the governor." - Rescue efforts - A massive rescue operation was underway in the region, with around 500 personnel and 14 helicopters helping in the search for survivors. Texas military official Major General Thomas Suelzer told reporters at least 237 people had been rescued or evacuated by emergency personnel, with 167 rescues performed using helicopters. Freeman Martin, director of the state's public safety department, told the evening conference: "We had a hard time getting in this morning with the weather the way it was." "As the day went on, it picked up and we were able to rescue more and recover more, that will continue tomorrow," Martin said, calling the disaster a "mass casualty event." US media reported that trucks had arrived at Camp Mystic to transport stranded people. State and local officials warned against residents traveling to the area which includes camp grounds dotted along the river, with dozens of roads "impassable." Videos on social media showed houses and trees swept away by the flash flood caused by heavy overnight rain of up to 12 inches -- one-third of Kerr County's average annual rainfall. Governor Abbott shared a video on X of a victim being plucked from the top of a tree by a rescuer dangling from a helicopter, as floodwaters raged below. "Air rescue missions like this are being done around the clock. We will not stop until everyone is accounted for," he said. The Texas National Guard sent rescue teams and the US Coast Guard joined efforts as well. - 'Another wave' - Public safety official Martin warned of "another wave" that could impact other counties in the state, adding that "this is not going to end today." Kerr County officials have repeatedly said they were unaware of an impending flood overnight from Thursday to Friday. "We didn't know this flood was coming," Kerr County judge Rob Kelly said earlier on Friday, adding that the region has "floods all the time." "This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States," he added, referring to the Guadalupe River. Forecasters issued a flood warning for Kerr County, urging those living near the river to "move to higher ground." Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual. But scientists say in recent years human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events like floods, droughts and heatwaves more frequent and intense. In mid-June, at least 10 people were killed by flash flooding in San Antonio following torrential rains. In the northeastern state of New Jersey, at least two people were killed when a tree fell on their vehicle during a "severe storm," local police confirmed on Friday. Texas flood toll rises to 24 as rescuers search for missing children Kerrville, United States, July 5 (AFP) Jul 05, 2025 Rescuers were desperately searching for at least 20 girls missing from a riverside summer camp, officials said Friday, after torrential rains caused a "catastrophic" flash flood that killed at least 24 people as it swept through south-central Texas. "At this point we're at about 24 fatalities," Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told an evening press conference as rescue teams scrambled to locate stranded residents in the region northwest of San Antonio. Some of the dead were children, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said at a previous news conference. The county sheriff said there were "kids that are still missing", adding that between 23 and 25 people were unaccounted for. Lieutenant Governor Patrick previously said "about 23" girls attending a summer camp in the flooded Kerr County were missing. They were part of a group of around 750 children at Camp Mystic, a girls summer camp along the banks of the Guadalupe River which rose 26 feet (eight meters) in 45 minutes with heavy rainfall overnight. "That does not mean they've been lost, they could be in a tree, they could be out of communication," he said. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he was signing a "disaster declaration" to boost resources in counties in the region. "It's terrible, the floods," US President Donald Trump told reporters Friday night. "It's shocking." Asked if Texas would receive federal aid, he said: "Oh yeah, sure, we'll take care of it. We're working with the governor." - Rescue efforts - A massive rescue operation was underway in the region, with around 500 personnel and 14 helicopters helping in the search for survivors. Texas military official Major General Thomas Suelzer told reporters at least 237 people had been rescued or evacuated by emergency personnel, with 167 rescues performed using helicopters. Freeman Martin, director of the state's public safety department, told the evening conference: "We had a hard time getting in this morning with the weather the way it was." "As the day went on, it picked up and we were able to rescue more and recover more, that will continue tomorrow," Martin said, calling the disaster a "mass casualty event." US media reported that trucks had arrived at Camp Mystic to transport stranded people. State and local officials warned against residents traveling to the area which includes camp grounds dotted along the river, with dozens of roads "impassable." Videos on social media showed houses and trees swept away by the flash flood caused by heavy overnight rain of up to 12 inches -- one-third of Kerr County's average annual rainfall. Governor Abbott shared a video on X of a victim being plucked from the top of a tree by a rescuer dangling from a helicopter, as floodwaters raged below. "Air rescue missions like this are being done around the clock. We will not stop until everyone is accounted for," he said. The Texas National Guard sent rescue teams and the US Coast Guard joined efforts as well. - 'Another wave' - Public safety official Martin warned of "another wave" that could impact other counties in the state, adding that "this is not going to end today". Kerr County officials have repeatedly said they were unaware of an impending flood overnight from Thursday to Friday. "We didn't know this flood was coming," Kerr County judge Rob Kelly said earlier on Friday, adding that the region has "floods all the time." "This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States," he added, referring to the Guadalupe River. Soila Reyna, 55, a Kerrville resident who works at a local church helping people who lost their belongings, witnessed the devastation unfold. "It has been years since we had a flood, but nothing like this," Reyna said. "Nothing like as catastrophic as this, where it involved children, people and just the loss of people's houses and you know, it's just crazy," she added. Forecasters issued a flood warning for Kerr County, urging those living near the river to "move to higher ground." Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual. But scientists say in recent years human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events like floods, droughts and heatwaves more frequent and intense. In mid-June, at least 10 people were killed by flash flooding in San Antonio following torrential rains. In the northeastern state of New Jersey, at least two people were killed when a tree fell on their vehicle during a "severe storm," local police confirmed on Friday. Third person dies as firefighters master west Turkey blazes Istanbul, July 5 (AFP) Jul 05, 2025 A forestry worker injured in a wildfire in the western Turkish province of Izmir died of his injuries, raising the toll to three, a minister said Saturday, as the blaze at Odemis was brought under control. Turkey was spared the recent heatwaves that hit the rest of southern Europe but firefighters have battled more than 600 fires in the drought-hit nation over the past week which have been fuelled by high winds. The fire in Odemis district, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of the resort city of Izmir, had on Thursday claimed the lives of a bedridden 81-year-old man and a 39-year-old forestry worker. Another worker Ragip Sahin "who was injured while fighting the fire in Odemis and was being treated in hospital, has died," said Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli on X. He said the Odemis blaze had been brought under control by Friday evening alongside six other wildfires, mostly in western and central Turkey, although firefighters were still trying to control a blaze in the southern coastal area of Dortyol in Hatay province. In a video on X, Odemis mayor Mustafa Turan said the fire had ravaged around 5,000 hectares (12,400 acres) of land. "The fire came violently to this area, there is nothing left to burn. About 5,000 hectares was reduced to ashes," he said. On Monday, rescuers evacuated more than 50,000 people to escape a string of fires. According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) website, there have been 96 wildfires in Turkey this year that have ravaged more than 49,652 hectares (122,700 acres) of land. Experts say human-driven climate change is causing more frequent and more intense wildfires and other natural disasters, and have warned Turkey to take measures to tackle the problem. Syria battles forest fires for third day as Turkey sends help Qastal Ma'af, Syria, July 5 (AFP) Jul 05, 2025 Syrian emergency workers were battling forest fires raging in the coastal province of Latakia on Saturday for a third day in tough conditions as neighbouring Turkey sent assistance. An AFP correspondent saw strong winds fanning the flames in forest areas and farmland in Qastal Maaf, around a dozen kilometres (eight miles) from the Turkish border, as residents continued to flee with what they could carry. Some residential areas in the region were evacuated a day earlier. Syria's ministry for emergencies and disaster management said teams from Turkey began helping on Saturday morning "as part of regional coordination to face the fires", with the assistance including two aircraft and eight fire trucks. Turkey, a key supporter of Syria's new authorities, has been battling its own fires in recent days, including near the Syrian border. The AFP correspondent saw helicopters bearing the Turkish flag flying over Qastal Maaf assisting firefighters on the ground. Syria's civil defence said a volunteer firefighter suffered from smoke inhalation and a service vehicle caught fire. More than 60 Syrian civil defence and other teams were fighting fires across several areas of Latakia province, the ministry said. It cited "very difficult conditions, with the explosion of war remnants and mines", strong winds and high temperatures, adding that mountainous terrain was hampering efforts to reach some blazes. More than six months after the ousting of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, Syria is still reeling from more than a decade of civil war that also left munitions and ordnance scattered across the country. With man-made climate change increasing the likelihood and intensity of droughts and wildfires worldwide, Syria has also been battered by heatwaves, low rainfall and major forest fires. In June, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation told AFP that Syria had "not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years". Man arrested over fire on Greek island of Evia Athens, July 5 (AFP) Jul 05, 2025 A 52-year-old man has been arrested on the Greek island of Evia, accused of starting the fire that devastated part of the island between Friday evening and Saturday morning, firefighters said. The man was allegedly clearing vegetation from a plot of land when the fire broke out and quickly got out of control, public broadcaster ERT reported. Some 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) were burned on the island to the northeast of Athens, according to Greek news agency ANA. Greek firefighters remained on high alert Saturday due to high temperatures and strong winds across the country. Temperatures in some regions were expected to reach 41 to 42 degrees Celsius (105,8 - 107,6 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the National Meteorological Service EMY. A separate fire that broke out on Friday in the municipality of Koropi, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) east of Athens, was under control by Saturday, firefighters said. Around 800 people had to be evacuated and authorities launched an investigation to determine whether the Koropi fire had been caused by negligence or a deliberate act. At the end of June, a Georgian woman working as a house cleaner was arrested after admitting to having thrown a cigarette butt on the ground, which triggered a fire that destroyed over 4,000 hectares on the island of Chios. A court handed her a 10,000-euro fine and a three-year jail sentence. Greece has become particularly vulnerable in recent years to fires in the summer fuelled by strong winds, drought and high temperatures linked to climate change. Around 45,000 hectares went up in flames last year. But 2023 remains the most destructive year, with nearly 175,000 hectares destroyed and 20 people killed. Gendarmes, activists clash in French motorway protest Maurens-Scopont, France, July 5 (AFP) Jul 05, 2025 Protesters clashed with law enforcement during a protest against a planned motorway in southwest France Saturday, which critics object to on environmental grounds. Several hundred demonstrators, including around 50 who were masked and dressed in black, were involved in the confrontation, some throwing stones as gendarmes fired tear gas. About a thousand activists had gathered at a chateau near the site of construction work on the A69 Toulouse-Castres motorway to show their opposition to the project. The meeting went ahead despite having been banned by the local Tarn prefecture because of "serious violence" at previous protests. The manor house's owner had agreed to the gathering there, on condition it was peaceful. Some protesters however used tree trunks, branches and wooden pallets to block the main road running alongside the A69 worksite, a route that had already been closed off to traffic. AFP journalists saw them set bushes on fire, tear up a traffic sign and try to get on to the motorway site as they clashed with the gendarmes. - 'Let nothing pass' - Before the protest, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau had warned on X that "we will let nothing pass". He added: "When, in the name of ecology, dozens of ultra-left masked and dangerous activist protesters... who only want to destroy or attack cops, are mobilised, then we have shifted into sedition and ultra-violence." The prefecture posted photos on X of items seized from the protesters, including axes, a pick and a crowbar. Work on the motorway began in 2023 and is due to finish in the second half of 2026, but opponents still hope to stop it being finished. In February, an administrative court in Toulouse ordered a halt to work on the project, ruling there was no major pressing public interest that justified the damage to the environment. That ruling was hailed as a victory by the motorway's opponents. But it triggered a number of initiatives by the project's backers, in particular a proposed law aimed at granting the required environmental approval retroactively. That is expected to become law in the next few days, following a final parliamentary vote. At the end of May, the Toulouse administrative court of appeal ruled that work on the motorway could continue ahead of a more detailed examination of the case set for the end of the year. elr-ap/jj/jhb Close Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning trailer Get the inside track from Roisin O'Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Ozzy Osbourne and the other original members of Black Sabbath, the band credited with creating heavy metal, have played their final show at a massive event held in their hometown of Birmingham. Some of the biggest acts of metal, from Metallica to Lamb of God, joined the band for the farewell concert at Villa Park on Saturday for 10 solid hours of music. Legendary guitarist Tom Morello, best known for his association with the bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, served as musical director, while Hollywood actor Jason Momoa hosted proceedings. During the show, fans saw performances from bands including Slayer, Tool, Gojira, Metallica and Guns N Roses, while Ozzy himself performed some of his biggest solo hits from a black winged throne. In the final segment, the original four members of Black Sabbath, Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, performed a selection of their signature songs: War Pigs, NIB, Iron Man and Paranoid. Osbourne, who had performed from a black winged throne, was then presented with a cake, while fireworks lit up the stadium from overhead. It's so good to be on this f***ing stage, you have no idea, he told fans. Follow live updates below: Close Oasis arrive on stage at first reunion show in Cardiff Get the inside track from Roisin O'Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Almost a year since announcing the long-awaited Oasis reunion, brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher have played their first show together in 16 years. The once-warring siblings kicked things off at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, on Friday (4 July) before further dates around the UK, the United States, South Korea, Japan, Australia and South America. Thousands of fans gathered at the Cardiff venue to watch the rock band, who broke up after a backstage fight in 2009. They tore through hits including Morning Glory, Supersonic, Half the World Away and Stand by Me. At one stage, Liam Gallagher made a taunt about the ticket pricing scandal, which occurred when the tour was announced last August. Youre having a good time, yeah? he said, asking: Is it worth the 40,000 you paid for the ticket? Reviews of the first night have been glowing, with five stars across the board including from The Independents critic Mark Beaumont, who called it the rock reunion to end them all. Oasis are being supported in the UK by Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft, who declared it a historic night, and the Liverpool-formed band Cast. Follow live updates below: Get the inside track from Roisin O'Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Oasis fans have criticised Noel and Liam Gallagher after the latter brother made a taunt about their ticket pricing scandal on the first night of their reunion tour. Thousands of fans gathered at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, to watch the rock band, who broke up after a backstage fight in 2009. They tore through hits including Morning Glory, Supersonic, Half the World Away and Stand by Me with Liam asking the crowd in a clip shared online: You having a good time, yeah? Is it worth the 40,000 you paid for the ticket? Fans on X/Twitter quickly condemned the comment, with one writing: Yeah. Hilarious. Ripping the Fans off. And there you have it, as far as Oasis are concerned ripping off their fans with bulls*** ticket prices is just a joke, another person remarked. A third person commented that the Gallaghers had become everything they used to despise adding the evolution of the pairs demeanour was sad. Just sing and dont gloat, another fan advised Liam, while another crowd member said they loved the concert but found the joke really distasteful. When Oasis announced their reunion tour last August, the band confirmed that general admission for a standing ticket to be 150. However, due to Ticketmasters surge pricing policy, this quickly shot up to many hundreds of pounds more. This dynamic pricing policy, which has been heavily criticised in the past, is the systems response to demand, increasing or decreasing prices in line with what scalpers would resell them for, keeping the money in-house for the seller and artist. It is permitted under consumer protection laws. Following Liams joke, many social media users said the performance wasnt worth the ticket price. Personally, I wouldnt pay 4 for a ticket to see them, one person said, while another added, I wouldnt go if you paid me 40,000. In his five-star review of the show, The Independents Mark Beaumont said it would be tough to imagine another comeback on such a momentous scale as Oasiss, adding the crowd in Cardiff howl[ed] the affirmative when Liam asked if their ticket was worth the cost. You can keep up to date with news from the Oasis reunion tour here. Key Points WK Kellogg was added to multiple Russell Value indexes. This led to an increase in the company's share price as the indexes picked up shares. Kellogg may be an intriguing value stock, especially with its 3.7% dividend yield. 10 stocks we like better than WK Kellogg Shares of leading cereal maker W.K. Kellogg (NYSE: KLG) were up 10% this week as of market close Thursday, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. On Monday, the Frosted Flakes maker was added to the Russell 2000 Value, 2500 Value, and 3000 Value indexes, as well as the Russell Small Cap Completeness Value Index. Kellogg's addition means that these indexes acquired a significant portion of the company's shares this week, contributing to the price run-up. More importantly, however, Kellogg's inclusion lends credence to the notion that it may be an intriguing value stock, as I wrote about last year. WK Kellogg: Value investment or value trap? WK Kellogg spun off from Kellanova in 2023 and now exists as a pure-play cereal-selling enterprise, powered by its Kashi, Froot Loops, Special K, Raisin Bran, and Frosted Mini-Wheats brands. However, spending over 100 years together with Kellanova, Kellogg looks more like a turnaround stock as it battles to separate itself from its parent company. Image source: Getty Images. While this is a lengthy process, Kellogg is making solid progress, including: Implementation of its own enterprise resource planning system last quarter Being on track to separate its distribution by mid-2025 Stabilizing margins as it modernizes its supply chain Now, with a light at the end of the tunnel regarding these separation costs, Kellogg can focus on actually marketing its cereal. Emphasizing cereals with simplified ingredients providing protein and fiber, the company aims to cater to consumers who prioritize healthier cereal options, whether for breakfast or as a snack on the go. Currently paying a healthy dividend yield of 3.7%, Kellogg could be a steady passive income investment with upside potential if management succeeds in its ambitions to streamline operations following the separation. Should you invest $1,000 in WK Kellogg right now? Before you buy stock in WK Kellogg, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and WK Kellogg wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $692,914!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $963,866!* Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 1,049% a market-crushing outperformance compared to 179% for the S&P 500. Dont miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks Get the inside track from Roisin O'Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Oasis fans have been praised for their amazing behaviour on the jubilant first night of Liam and Noel Gallaghers reunion tour. Thousands of fans gathered at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales on Friday night (4 July) to watch the rock band, who broke up after a backstage fight in 2009. They tore through hits including Morning Glory, Supersonic, and Stand by Me with some attendees live streaming sections of the concert on Instagram for those who didnt secure tickets. In one clip, which has been widely shared on X/Twitter, one man could be seen balancing a pint of the blue alcopop WKD on his head while singing along to Some Might Say. So glad I clocked into this oasis live stream to watch a man balance a pint of wkd off his dome, one social media user wrote, with other users dubbing the man the hero we didnt know we needed. Blue booze man will go down in history, another fan replied, meanwhile a third person echoed, The gig, the picture, what hes doing. Just sums up Britain in a picture. Spirits were high at the Principality Stadium as the Gallaghers tore through two hours of uninterrupted hits in front of near 75,000 fans. One crowd member declared the concert the most moving gig I think Ill ever attend alongside footage of topless fans in bucket hats singing along to Slide Away. Fair playthe whole band was amazing, another attendee shared online. The whole setlist was amazing. The whole show was amazing. It was, in short, wholeheartedly f****** amazing. One fan shared footage of a small fight breaking out in the standing area of the concert during DYou Know What I Mean?, with other users declaring those involved in the scrap knuckle heads. The Independent has contacted representatives from Principality Stadium and South Wales Police for comment about the atmosphere. In his five star review of the show, The Independents Mark Beaumont said it would be tough to imagine another comeback on such a momentous scale. For all the laddish boorishness that Oasis undoubtedly encapsulated, the Britpop era, for Millennials and Gen Zers alike, is as halcyon as Beatlemania or the summer of love a time of vivid colour, jubilant melody, political stability and affordable flats, he wrote. And to be a part of this second wind of torrid Oasismania, hyped by effusive press coverage and leading to historic shows such as this one, is as close to actually being there as its possible to get. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Lena Dunhams parents were telling her to be quiet long before the rest of the world was. Bless them, she says, they didnt want to say, Can you please shut up? So they would say sotto voce because they thought it sounded nicer in Italian, which, to be fair, it did. Later, 23 and scarcely an adult, Dunham conceived Girls, the era-defining HBO comedy about a quartet of dysfunctional friends in Brooklyn who were stumbling through their twenties and trying to find themselves. At the centre of it all was Dunhams aspiring writer Hannah Horvath. I have work, then a dinner thing, and then I am busy trying to become who I am, shed tell her parents in the very first episode. The show was unflinchingly interested in the mess of youth: the arrogance, the terrible sex, the first abortions, the health anxiety the lot. And because of its honesty, it was adored and attacked with equal zeal. Some tried to silence Dunham then, too. She was too vulgar, too candid, too naked. Simultaneously too woke and too narrow-minded. Now, Dunham is 39. Girls ended almost a decade ago. And after an intensive metamorphosis where shes experienced everything from prescription drug addiction and chronic illness to a transatlantic move and finding love she has emerged as a woman, an auteur, who is all grown up. And she can be as loud as she wants. Next week, Dunham will unveil her much-anticipated return to television. Its called, almost inevitably, Too Much two words shes been hearing all her life. It happens to women, she says. Its about your appetite for food, your appetite for life, your wants, your needs, your desires, and it comes in lots of forms, whether youre told youre too much or messy or needy or a lot. Whats ironic is that calling someone too much is a really easy way to diminish them. Dunham, with her usual chestnut hair dyed black and straightened smooth, is speaking from a London hotel room the morning after the shows UK premiere. Her voice is unmistakably her. Theres the surprisingly high pitch. The upward inflexion that makes statements sound like questions. Thank you? For noticing everything? she says, when I recount an especially excruciating sex scene in the new show. But the mile-a-minute sprint at which she used to speak has slowed to a considered stroll. She is intentional, choosing each word with care. For all the Girls premieres I was in my twenties, so I was terrified and anxious, she says, scratching her chin with a long, manicured nail. So just being able to actually enjoy it this time and be present was really nice. No wonder she had nerves. When Girls was on television, discourse about Dunhams appearance was rabid. Howard Stern called her a little fat girl on national radio. One newspaper described her as a pathological exhibitionist. Having my body dissected was a reason that I chose in general to step back from acting a little bit more and focus on my writing and my directing, and also just make different kinds of choices as an actor, she says now. open image in gallery Husband-and-wife co-creators Luis Felber and Dunham, with their leading duo Will Sharpe and Meg Stalter ( Netflix ) Too Much is a reflection of Dunham in a new stage of life. She co-wrote it with her husband, the British musician Luis Felber, whom she met after she broke up with New York and fell for London. She has previously said that, when she met Felber, she was dazzled by just how much baggage two people could bring to the table. So she put it in a romcom with jeu-de-mot episode titles like One Wedding and a Sex Pest and Enough, Actually which is honest about all of the stuff thats trailing behind the characters. The resulting series is a tale loosely based on Dunham and Felber. It follows Jessica, a garrulous New Yorker from a family of intensely co-dependent Jewish women, who is brutally dumped by her boyfriend as she puts it, as if I was on fire! and moves to London for a fresh start. There, she meets Felix, a grungy, repressed, rollie-smoking British musician (sound familiar?), and the pair grow to love each other, against an intoxicating soundtrack of Funkadelic and Cate Le Bon. A friend of mine recently described Girls as a feelbad show where all the characters are awful to each other. Too Much, on the other hand, is like buttered toast. Warm, comforting and oozing love, but with a little bit of crunch. The unlikely couple are played by Meg Stalter and Will Sharpe: she of the best comedy in years, Hacks, he of Channel 4s Flowers and season two of The White Lotus. Ive always felt connected to Lena, Stalter tells me separately. She, like Dunham, has carried a playfulness with her from childhood into adulthood. A lot of the time, women are supposed to be a certain way and not loud or weird or strange, and I fought to not get rid of that part of me. Its a trait she mines for her comedy skits on TikTok, and for her scene-stealing turn as a talent agent named Kayla in Hacks. Casting Stalter in Too Much was, in some ways, the closest thing Dunham could have done to casting herself. First of all, theres that unvarnished zaniness they share. Then there is the occasional difficulty in knowing where they end and their characters begin. During the Girls era, Dunhams loudest detractors struggled to distinguish between Dunham and her creation. No, Dunham didnt as so many claim insist she was the voice of her generation. Hannah, though, absolutely did. Today, sitting opposite Stalter and a gentle, comparatively quiet Sharpe, I am not entirely sure if Stalter has stolen Jessicas wardrobe, or vice versa. She wears a baby-blue boob tube emblazoned with the word IRRESISTIBLE. Like Dunham and, I imagine, Stalter Jessica is forever batting off accusations of being too much. This is a person who smashes her exs window to break into his home. Who says that, if she were a superhero, her power would be eroding boundaries. Who tries to chip into some girlie gossip about useless guys and kills the mood with, Tell me about it, ladies! I mean, men are all psychotic rapists, right? If that reminds you of something Girls Hannah would say, theres more than a hint of Dunhams breakthrough oeuvre in this new show. Girls stars, from Andrew Rannells to Richard E Grant, pop up everywhere in Too Much. And Dunham still has that knack for writing haphazard, tumbling pieces of dialogue for her characters which, once they sink in, you realise are actually quite piercing takes on the human condition. Any weird thoughts you think you and only you have ever had? Dunhams probably had it, stripped it bare and put it on screen. Girls expressed a lot of that confusion, anxiety, and frankly, pain Speaking of which, there are lots of intimate scenes in Too Much. Given how often Dunham was condemned for her own nude scenes, does she have any fears about putting Stalter in a position of scrutiny? Megan is so smart and so internet-literate, says Dunham. I dont use Instagram I write the captions, but somebody else posts them so Im not receiving all this online feedback. Shes so culturally alert and online that I feel like she knows what the world is offering. And what I love about her is she has such a funny, bright, ballsy way of taking it all in stride. Dunham recalls an interview in which Stalter was asked how she might feel if she experienced body shaming. I start to give this very honest, sincere answer, and Megan just said, If you want to leave a comment on my Instagram that says that Im fat, lets face it, youre in love with me and you want to have sex with me. Her Stalter impression is spot-on, head thrust forward and tilted to the side. I was like, thats a perfect response. You have this covered. I was out here doing a full therapy session, and you are just like, were handling it and were moving on. She probably has to worry about me more than I have to worry about her. Stalter is similarly unruffled when I talk to her about it. We all just focused on each other [when filming] and what we wanted to make, and not really on what anyone would ever think of it, she says, with a shrug. (Sharpe, on the other hand, did have a bit of performance anxiety on set about singing Felbers original songs live. It was really fun, but it was a slightly scary part of it, he says. I wanted to get it right. ) open image in gallery The unlikely couple fall in love to a soundtrack of Funkadelic and Cate Le Bon ( Netflix ) Whereas a lot of the sex in Girls was, at best, uncomfortable, in Too Much, it is all about pleasure and understanding. Dunham says this is also something shes learnt to write with age and experience. I was in my twenties then, and Id grown up with a certain expectation, watching films, of what my sexual life was going to be like, she explains, and then it wasnt that. The world had begun to be so saturated by sexual imagery in porn and the expectations were shifting. Not that theres anything wrong with porn, but it does change the way people are expecting you to behave in a natural sexual situation. And so I was just confounded, and I think Girls expressed a lot of that confusion, anxiety, and frankly, pain. Sex and nudity aside, a key criticism of Girls at the time was its lack of diversity. The show occupied a very specific milieu one that was white and privileged. It did not reflect the multiculturalism of New York City. In 2012, Dunham tried to defend herself against this critique, explaining: I am a half-Jew, half-WASP, and I wrote two Jews and two WASPs. Something I wanted to avoid was tokenism in casting. Today, though, it is clear that she has thought deeply about why Girls sparked upset back then. I think one of the profound issues around Girls, she says, was that there was so little real estate for women in television that if you had a show called Girls, which is such a monolithic name, it sounds like its describing all the girls in all the places. And so if its not reflecting a multitude of experiences, I understand how that would be really disappointing to people. open image in gallery Dunham as aspiring writer Hannah in 'Girls' ( Productions/Kobal/Shutterstock ) She says she liked the conversation around Girls because it was a vital one to have. Dunham is a producer on Too Much, so has strived to make sure that the series, which has a diverse cast and saw star Janicza Bravo guest-direct an episode, includes a range of perspectives and experiences. The thing I have really come to believe is that one of the most important things is not just diversity in front of the camera, but its diversity behind the camera, she says. As a producer, one of my goals is to bring a lot of different voices into a position where they can tell their story. What Too Much does beautifully is expose the cultural chasm between Americans and Brits. Jessica has all the feelings and wants to express them at volume all the time; Felix is dealing with trauma and trying to squish it down like the contents of an overstuffed suitcase. This tension is the lifeblood of the show, as is Jessicas discovery, through Felix, of British quirks and delights, from our confectionery (Jaffa Cakes) to our expressions (Did you get a bollocking?). open image in gallery Stalter and Dunham as co-dependent sisters in 'Too Much' ( Netflix ) We speak the same language, yet there are so many emotional nuances and social cues that you become accustomed to in your own country, says Dunham. When you move to a new place, its really challenging to distinguish [them]. Youre an adult now and yet you feel almost reduced to being a child again. One of her favourite linguistic discoveries in the UK has been the phrase on it like a car bonnet. I was like, what is a car bonnet? Its the hood of a car. Who knew? In my mind I saw a frilly little gorgeous bonnet on a car. Earlier this year, Dunham wrote an essay in The New Yorker about splitting up with New York and making London her home. London had a spaciousness I could not get over, she wrote, streets so wide that the buildings seemed to be stepping aside for me to pass Here, I moved with ease, whether walking on Hampstead Heath or sliding into a black cab, greeted by a gruff Oy! Where you eaded? She also told the magazine that being in the UK offered her the freedom of a place where you dont feel that you are being in any way hemmed in by other peoples perceptions. In other words, in London, Dunham isnt really too much. She is, as Felix puts it to Jessica, just the right amount and then a little bit more. Too Much premieres on Netflix on 10 July Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Steve Coogan has accused Sir Keir Starmer of paving the way for Reform UK, describing the Labour governments policies as putting Band-Aids on the gash in the side of the Titanic. The 59-year-old actor, best known for playing Alan Partridge, has previously publicly backed the Labour Party but threw his support behind the Green Party last year. The comic told The Guardian that Sir Keir and his colleagues have leant into supporting a broken system and are governing without sincerity or any kind of firmly held ideological belief. He further accused the government of a derogation of all the principles they were supposed to represent. The success of Reform, I lay squarely at the feet of the neoliberal consensus, which has let down working people for the last 40 years and theyre fed up, he told the paper, speaking ahead of his address to the Co-op Congress in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. It doesnt matter who they vote for, nothing changes for them. open image in gallery Coogan launched another critique of Sir Keir Starmer and his government ( Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images ) Keir Starmer and the Labour government have leant into supporting a broken system, he added. Their modus operandi is to mitigate the worst excesses of a broken system and all that is is managed decline. What theyre doing is putting Band-Aids on the gash in the side of the Titanic. Continuing his scathing critique, the Philomena star said that the Labour government was no different from a Conservative government in neglecting ordinary people and suggested that they were preoccupied with gesture politics and people inside the M25. He went on to suggest that the governments lack of support for ordinary people could pave the way for the success of Nigel Farages Reform UK. open image in gallery Coogan has previously publicly backed the Labour Party but switched his support to the Greens last year ( Getty Images ) Reform couldnt organise a piss up in a brewery but if theres no alternative you understand why working people will make that choice, he claimed. Its not the first time that Coogan has criticised Starmer this week. Just a few days ago, he told the i newspaper that the current prime minister had prompted him to admire Margaret Thatcher for at least having an ideology. I dont think he has any ideology, Coogan told the paper. I think every decision he makes is, What is the most politically expedient thing to say and think? It makes me admire which I never thought Id say Margaret Thatcher for at least having an ideology and a point of view, he added. And a vision. I didnt agree with it, but at least she had one. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Brooke Shields said shes surprised that shes become more lenient with her daughters and their boyfriends after she didnt lose her virginity until she was 22. The 60-year-old actor spoke about her relationship with her two daughters Rowan, 22, and Grier, 19 during Fridays episode of Today with Jenna and Friends. Speaking to host Jenna Bush Hager, Shields detailed how she has open conversations with her children about their boyfriends. Holiday plans have sort of all been overtaken by my daughters friends. So theyre all coming to our house, Shields, who shares her daughters with husband Chris Henchy, explained. And whats been interesting this time is that there's boyfriend situations, and theres only so many beds. And its a discussion. The Blue Lagoon star noted that while shes usually the tougher one, when compared to her daughters father, her parenting style has changed. For some reason, because they all want to be there, theres something that just makes me feel like, Well, at least they all want to be together, she said about daughters, who both have serious boyfriends. If they can be respectful and certain things can be where theyre supposed to be. Brooke Shields says she cannot believe how lenient she is with her daughters after growing up with strict parents ( Getty Images ) She confessed that she feels weird about being such a laid-back mother, especially given some of her dating experiences during her twenties. I just cannot believe that Im the person whos more lenient when I didnt even lose my virginity until I was 22. I was in a locked box, she added. She continued to recall her childhood when she was raised Catholic and by parents who were strict. I had the antithesis of the wild existence, Shields said. The former model further explained how she and her husband view their daughters differently as they continue to grow up. The fathers really look at their baby girls as perpetually baby girls. Ive had to say, Come on, lets pick our battles here. Hes like, You have to have that conversation. Im not having that conversation, she added. Shield previously opened up about losing her virginity to actor Dean Cain at the age of 22 when they were attending Princeton University together. In her 1985 memoir, On Your Own, she opened up about being a virgin at the age of 20, and shes since said she regrets writing about that. I mean, I think that it was, in hindsight, a bit of a mistake for me to be so open about my virginity because it never left me alone, she said during a 2022 episode of her podcast Now What? With Brooke Shields. I ended up not penning it myself, and that was a huge mistake because the publisher didnt want what I wrote. I wrote a very in-depth first chapter, and they didnt want it that way. Despite what her book was about, the Pretty Baby star said that the media opted to focus on this one chapter, which resulted in her being labeled as the most famous virgin in the world. Shields has also always been open about her bond with her daughters. However, last month, she revealed that when the time comes to pass down her beloved jewelry, only Grier would be the one to inherit them. My older daughter has lost every piece Ive ever given her. I literally cannot do it again, she told Only Natural Diamonds in June. She added of her younger daughter: She understands the difference between real and real. Its not about the gold or diamonds alone she sees the history, the workmanship, the story behind the institution of these houses. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice While some people go to the Hamptons to take a break from the hustle and bustle of New York City others are buying $400 melons. Farm & Forage Market in Southampton, New York, is one of the many luxury grocery stores in the area, trading specifically in specialty items, resulting in large demand from both celebrities and influencers. One of the stores items is a musk melon imported from Japan. It is super delicate, the stores owner, Jonathan Bernard, told The New York Times. Instead of five or six melons on a vine, theyll cut off flowers and just grow one. All the sweetness and energy go into that item.Just one of those melons sells for as much as $400. The store also sells more traditional luxury items including caviar and truffles. The Real Housewives of New York alum Bethany Frankel mentioned the melons in one of her Instagram posts last month where she referenced a situation going on in the Hamptons savage gourmet market wars. In addition to Farm & Forage Market there is also the Red Horse Market in the luxurious area of East Hampton, New York, which has brought in famous faces such as Martha Stewart, Alec Baldwin, and the Kardashians. Last year, the gourmet grocery store sold a pound of lobster salad for $120. Owners of the deli say only some customers were unwilling to pay that price. Its because of the quality weve got to charge these prices, store manager Christian Pineda told the New York Post at the time. For our customers, theyre primarily focused on quality. The local quality is what they want, especially with our meats and seafoods. The gourmet Red Horse Market was opened in the early 90s by former advertising executive Jerry Della Femina and the late David Silver, the founder and CEO of Regency Home Fashions. The price of one pound of lobster salad from the gourmet deli is just under half the amount spent on groceries per week by the average American family $270.21 according to a study by HelpAdvisor analyzing the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey from January 2024. In 2023, the Seafood Shop in Wainscott located in East Hampton went viral online after a customer posted a small tub of its avocado dip being sold for $29.51. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Over 16 years after a newborn girl was discovered dead in a San Francisco Bay Area dumpster, her mother has been charged with murder. On May 18, 2009, a man searching for recyclables at the Parkside Apartments discovered the infant, still attached to her umbilical cord and wrapped in bloodied pantyhose, behind the complex on Decoto Road in Union City. The child, whom police later called Matea Esperanza, which translates to Gift from God and Hope, was too young to survive. Despite an initial investigation, the case remained cold for years until advances in DNA technology allowed detectives to revisit the evidence, ultimately identifying 46-year-old Angela Onduto of Denver, Colorado, also known as Angela Anderson, as a suspect. Last month, near what would have been Esperanzas 16th birthday, Union City detectives traveled to Denver and, in coordination with local authorities, arrested Onduto. open image in gallery Angela Onduto of Denver, Colorado, also known as Angela Anderson, was arrested and charged with the 2009 murder of her daughter on Wednesday. ( Union City Police Department ) At that time, charges were pending further forensic review. On July 2, after the Alameda County District Attorneys Office filed formal murder charges, Denver officials re-arrested and booked Onduto. She now awaits extradition back to California. Onduto confessed to drowning the newborn inside her apartment shortly after giving birth and discarding her body in the dumpster, according to a probable-cause statement obtained by the East Bay Times. She expressed no remorse and denied having any mental health or substance abuse issues at the time, the outlet reports. Union City authorities continue to honor Esperanzas memory. In 2017, a permanent grave marker was placed at the Chapel of the Chimes in Hayward, and the police department holds an annual remembrance ceremony each May. Detectives are still gathering information on this case. Anyone with details is asked to contact Detective Dominic Ayala at (510) 6755259 or submit an anonymous tip at (510) 6755207. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Michigan woman accused of a fatal hit-and-run that killed a three-year-old child does not have a valid drivers license, according to police. Tammy Sandoval, 55, is accused of hitting Tia Robinson and her twin children with her car, then fleeing the scene. Three-year-old Khalil Robinson died, while his sister Khloe and his mother survived. The family was struck while crossing the street in Livonia, Michigan, after attending a local festival on Sunday night. Police say Sandoval was on her way home from a fireworks show at the time of the deadly hit-and-run. She was arrested the next day. Investigators say Sandovals license was suspended last year after she refused to take a roadside DUI test, Fox 2 reports. Regina Robinson, grandmother to Khalil and Khloe, told Fox 2 the children wanted to go and have fun at the carnival and the fireworks. open image in gallery Tammy Sandoval is accused of a hit-and-run that killed a three-year-old boy. Police say she did not have a valid driver's license at the time of the crash ( Livonia Police Department ) She added: "Why would anyone keep going without stopping, trying to see if theyre okay, and can they help? Can they save them instead of driving off acting like they didnt hit anybody?" The twins grandfather, Michael Robinson, told Fox 5 there are long days ahead for the family. He said the twins shared a special bond. "He would always go and take stuff to his sister, so if I gave him a piece of candy, he would take one for his sister and take it in there to her," Michael said. "He was very loving toward his sister but they had their ups and downs though." Sandoval has pleaded not guilty and is being held on a $600,000 cash/surety bond. She has been charged with one count of operating while license suspended, revoked or denied causing death; two counts of operating while license suspended, revoked or denied causing serious injury; two counts of failure to stop at the scene of an accident causing serious impairment; and one count of failing to stop at the scene of an accident while at fault causing death. Her next court date is scheduled for July 10. Zurich Insurance Group has agreed to acquire BOXX Insurance, a cyber insurtech company, for an undisclosed sum. Set up in 2018, BOXX Insurance has customer base of nearly one million globally. It offers products such as Cyberboxx Business Edition and Cyberboxx Home Edition, which provide combined cyber insurance and cybersecurity services for businesses and households, respectively. Additionally, BOXX has developed Cyberboxx Assist, a suite of cybersecurity tools and services. The company's recent growth initiatives include an expansion into the US market and the development of cyber solutions for markets in India, Europe, and Australia. BOXX Insurance CEO and co-founder Vishal Kundi said: "Becoming part of Zurich provides us with the resources and global reach to accelerate our mission. Combining the strengths of both organisations, will enable us to provide even more customers with the protection they need to navigate the digital world with confidence." Upon the acquisition, BOXX will remain as a standalone entity. Zurich Global Ventures CEO Cara Morton stated: "We have had a very successful collaboration with BOXX since 2021, and I am thrilled to strengthen our partnership by welcoming BOXX to Zurich Global Ventures. BOXX's digital-first, service-led approach will help us further enhance customer engagement and provide integrated solutions that make people's everyday life easier." Perella Weinberg Partners acted as the financial advisor to BOXX, with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt providing legal counsel. In April 2025, Zurich invested in Ominimo Insurance, joining as distribution partner and minority shareholder. "Zurich to buy cyber insurtech company BOXX Insurance " was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size When director James Gunn was offered the chance to direct the next Superman movie, he said no. Its a surprising admission, but one that requires a little additional context. The offer was made back in 2018, and came with a second option, directing what would become the 2021 sequel to Suicide Squad. Gunn took the latter. I thought about Superman, but it just didnt really speak to me, Gunn explains of his initial decision to say no to the most famous superhero in comic-book history. They wanted a new Superman, at a time that was much closer to Zack Snyders [2013] movie, and Suicide Squad was an R-rated Guardians of the Galaxy. It was a little bit more familiar and easier for me to sink my teeth into. But the idea of Superman stuck with me and I kept thinking about it, Gunn adds. It was always there, and it was something like a thought experiment, trying to figure out how would I do it. And eventually it was offered to me again, and then I said yes. The result is titled simply Superman, and stars 31-year-old American actor David Corenswet as Superman, known by day as Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent. The film also stars Rachel Brosnahan as reporter Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as super-villain Lex Luthor, plus Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho. David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Credit: Warner Bros. The many adaptations of Superman for both the cinema and television screen have told the Man of Steels origin story from a specific prism: that the last infant son of the distant planet Krypton was dispatched into space as his home planet disintegrated, and was brought safely to Earth and raised by a childless couple, Smallville farmer Jonathan Kent and his wife, Martha. Gunns film does not change the origin story, but perhaps gently reshapes the emphasis. The 1978 Richard Donner film, which is remembered by many as the definitive Superman film, for example, makes more of Supermans Kryptonian parents, played by Marlon Brando and Susannah York, than it does Ma and Pa Kent. Advertisement Gunn seems as interested in the Kents as he is in Jor-El and Lara, perhaps more. This is a story about a fathers relationship to his son, and a sons relationship to his father, Gunn says. And I think that Pa Kents incredibly important in all of that. Superman comes to Earth, he was not born to Earth but he has an Earthly father. A lot of this is about Pa and Clark and their relationship, and I think its a really beautiful thing. Superman director James Gunn with his Man of Steel, David Corenswet. Credit: Warner Bros. Because Clark Kent, as he is known, is raised on Earth, Gunn also wants to take time to explore Supermans humanity, rather than, perhaps, Clarks relationship with the distant echo of Krypton. Superman is an alien, but he doesnt feel like an alien, Gunn says. I think he feels like we do, but he knows on some elemental level hes completely different from everybody else. And I think thats the thing he really doesnt like. I think he hates that. He wants to belong, he wants to be like us. David Corenswet as Clark Kent in the latest iteration of Superman. Credit: Warner Bros. And the irony of it all is that [his nemesis] Lex Luthor hates him because hes different, which is what Lex wants to be, Gunn adds. Lex wants to be better than everyone else. Lex wants to be put up on a pedestal. So weve got the alien who wants to be human, and the human that wants to be superhuman, and thats the conflict in the story, at least on the physical level. Which brings us to Gunns father, James F. Gunn. Gunn senior and his wife, Lee, raised a family in Manchester, Missouri, a suburb on the western outskirts of St Louis. Like Pa Kent, Gunn senior, who died in 2019, never wanted much that he didnt have already in Manchester, but like Pa Kent he taught his son to look beyond the stars. Advertisement Loading I owe my dad a lot, Gunn says. I think I owe both my parents a lot, but my dad, I went through a hard time as a kid where I didnt quite fit in. I guess I was having a really hard time, my dad went and talked to a psychologist and the psychologist said, what does your son like? Try and bond with him over things that he likes. So my dad took me to a comic book convention in Chicago, and to this day, it was the greatest weekend of my life, Gunn says. I dont think Ill ever beat that weekend in terms of how much fun I had, both being with my dad, watching my dad be amazed, buying tons of comic books. It was a real validation by my father that what I was interested in was OK, Gunn adds. And very different, I think, from other parents who probably thought comic books were stupid stuff and they should be reading something else. In fact, the Superman story itself is deeply knitted to the story of fathers and sons, both in the narrative Jor-El sending his son Kal-El to Earth as Krypton disintegrates and also behind the scenes. According to creator Jerry Siegels daughter, Joanne, the death of her grandfather in a bungled robbery contributed to the blueprint for a bullet-proof hero. How much losing his own dad reshaped Gunns approach to the Superman story is difficult to discern, he says. I really dont know. The only way in which Ive really changed since my dad died, which is sad, is that my dad was the first person I would show everything to that I did. Advertisement That was the reason I kind of did stuff, Gunn adds. The reason I wanted to be successful was so I could say, hey dad, look at all this money I made. The whole reason I wanted to make movies was like, dad, look at this. He loved what I did and it was the best reason to make stuff. David Corenswet as Superman with Nicholas Hoult as his nemesis, Lex Luther. Credit: Warner Bros. Central to Gunns mission was the search for Superman himself, a quest which brought Corenswet, whose credits include We Own This City (2022, for HBO) and Lady in the Lake (2024, for Apple TV+), into the room. Its not so much that hes a role Ive always wanted to play, it was that when somebody brought it up as a possibility, I thought, well, sure, Corenswet says. I mean, who wouldnt want to play that? The most iconic, the original superhero. If you pass somebody wearing a Superman t-shirt, or you see a Superman flag or somebody has a Superman tattoo, everybody knows that symbol. Even if theyve never read a comic book and never seen a movie, they know that symbol, and it means something unifying and exciting and hopeful. Boot camp for Corenswet, aside from the enormous physical demands of the role, was a reading list that included Superman for All Seasons and All-Star Superman. The former is a four-issue comic book limited series written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Tim Sale, published in 1998. It is significant because it is split into four chapters, exploring Supermans childhood in Smallville, but also his work in Metropolist on the Daily Planet and his rivalry with Lex Luthor. Advertisement The latter is a 12-issue comic book series written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Frank Quitely, published between 2005 and 2008, which borrows from Greek mythology. In the series, a dying Superman embarks on a series of final tasks for the people of Earth, dubbed the Twelve Labours of Superman. Equally intriguing to Corenswet was Christopher Reeves performance in the 1978 film adaptation of the comic book, which remains a cultural touchstone. Theres a sort of meta-performance that lifts off of the performances that weve seen on the big and small screen, great portrayals in television shows throughout the decades ... a sort of amalgam, a platonic Superman that exists in the public consciousness that everybody sort of holds a piece of, and doesnt really exist anywhere firm, Corenswet says. Loading But I think the great thing about Superman is that his spirit is so much one of the good and the hopeful that it tends to be that the great contributions rise up into the firmament and join that canonical ideal of Superman. Any missteps along the way, or things that didnt really resonate with people, tend to be forgiven, he says. Even the great Christopher Reeve had moments where you go like, oh, well, thats kind of silly, or that was more for kids than it was for adults its not that theyre forgotten, but theyre allowed to fall away and only the good remains, Corenswet says. Advertisement Collection Your July hit list: Hot, new and just-reviewed places to check out this month Meet the citys new Malaysian and Japanese dining halls and two newly crowned two-hatters, discover wine bars (and a perfect vanilla slice) in surprising suburbs, plus plenty of ramens to warm you up. Heres where (and what) to eat and drink in Melbourne in July. Rachel Khoos father gave her a good grounding in science, but food was always her passion, says the cookbook author and judge on The Great Australian Bake Off. Here, the 44-year-old discusses the influential men in her life, her crush on cookbook author Donna Hay, and why her views on marriage changed when she met her now husband. Rachel Khoo says she used to date bad boys, much to her mothers dismay. My dad, Kheng, was born in Malaysia and got a scholarship to study at the University of Bath in the UK when he was 18. He comes from a big family and his eldest brother had to support him while studying abroad. My grandad wasnt alive, so my uncle was the next in line to help the family financially. It was also expensive to fly home in those days, so he spent his holidays with a school friends family. Dad comes from a hard-working immigrant family and taught me that nothing comes from nothing. He worked in IT. Hes retired now and loves to play chess. As kids, my brother Michael and I would go to chess club. It wasnt really my thing, and Id sneak off to the tuckshop to buy sweets, but Dad made sure Michael and I knew a lot about science, from black-hole theories to Stephen Hawking. My parents met in a pub in London after my Austrian mum came to the UK aged 19 to work as an au pair. Dad is 10 years older than her, and he is traditional, but at the same time he never said you cant do this because youre a woman. He taught us to study hard and to work hard. Waking to the news that an Israeli restaurant was targeted in Melbourne on Friday night has hit me hard. A group of about 20 people some wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh threw food, upended tables, and smashed glasses and a window at Miznon restaurant in busy Hardware Lane, terrifying customers and staff, few of whom are Israeli. A group storms Miznon restaurant in Hardware Lane on Friday night. Credit: Alex Zucco Is this who we are in Melbourne, a place that people come to escape conflict, to find peace and to celebrate diversity? Is it not safe to go out for cauliflower and sweet potato? I am Jewish, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and, as Ive realised since October 2023, I carry the trauma of broken glass and hateful slogans and sudden, violent disruption. My cells shrink inside me and I feel paralysed, as though fear has frozen my bones. Credit: Matt Golding To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number. No attachments, please include your letter in the body of the email. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published. Change the system As Adele Ferguson shows (Comment, 5/7) we need more than a kneejerk reaction to the horrific abuse recently alleged. Should we ban men from working in childcare, what about primary schools then? If so should we ban women from working in high schools after cases of female teachers entering relationships with male students. After Malka Leifer should we keep propagating the dangerous and erroneous idea that only men can be sexual abusers? Should we take away kind and talented male early childhood educators and along with them the role models showing men can be nurturing. Surely such role models are needed in a world where young boys are exposed online to hardcore pornography earlier and earlier. Systemic change is needed but not by punishing men for their gender. In the meantime Im sure male child care workers will be happy to be relieved of nappy change duties while they worry about their future and their vulnerable young charges. Nancee Biviano, Aspendale Protect the vulnerable Reflecting on a tragic week of news reminds me once again about the insidious trend of companies making ever-increasing profits in the provision of community services. Any time government announces an assistance package or subsidy corporate enterprises immediately strategise how this can be exploited to make money. Sadly its vulnerable people who are often the most exploited or recipients of poor service delivery. We read about and hear examples of this regularly with childcare, aged care and the NDIS. There is nothing wrong with making a decent living for hard work but when profit is put before the welfare of the community theres a serious moral dilemma at play. Its time to reform these industries so that quality service comes before profits. Landscape architect Jill Burness describes her latest project as both a labour of love and an environmental insurance policy. For the past three years, she has been part of a team transforming a section of degraded tobacco plantation beneath the Grampians into a botanic garden dedicated to the preservation of endemic plants. Burness, who formerly worked with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria for 27 years, said the Grampians contained more than 30 per cent of the states flora, with dozens of endemic species, which means they do not grow anywhere else. The Grampians is one of the biodiversity hotspots of Victoria, she said. Its truly amazing when you think about it. Its a relatively small area to contain that much representation of the states flora. Imagine its 1972. Thugs try to set alight the front door of Melbournes old St Francis Catholic Church while 20 worshippers, including children, are inside. Up the street, more hoodlums storm a Celtic pub, screaming that the IRA are terrorists and should be eradicated. Rabbi Dovid Gurnick (left) and Dvir Abramovich of the Anti-Defamation Commission outside the East Melbourne Synagogue on Saturday. Credit: Aaron Francis Or reverse it. Thugs try to set alight one of Melbournes Protestant churches and a gang invades a British-style tavern in the CBD, terrorising patrons and chanting that British soldiers responsible for shooting civilians on Bloody Sunday in Derry should themselves be killed. The shock and righteous outrage of Melburnians would be without end. One-bedroom apartments in Melbourne have become the cheapest homes across Australias major cities, as an oversupply of units, a delay in tightening minimum building standards and buyers preference for standalone houses affect price growth. The median price for a one-bedroom unit was $360,000 in Melbourne in the March quarter, compared with $680,000 in Sydney. The Victorian capital was cheaper than Brisbane ($520,000), Adelaide ($422,250), Canberra ($415,000) and Perth ($385,000). The typical Melbourne one-bedroom unit has been flat in price in the 10 years to March, while two-bedroom units have risen 18.2 per cent and three-bedders 35.5 per cent. On the outskirts of Greater Geelong, with its mix of owner-occupiers in new residential developments, university students in rooming houses and young families, Waurn Ponds has bucked the trend of out-of-reach rental rises. Waurn Ponds, bordered by several Geelong suburbs including Armstrong Creek, Grovedale and Highton, had the smallest five-year rent rise of any regional Victorian suburb, based on Domain data. A four-bedroom property in Waurn Ponds. The median rent for a house in the area hovers at $500 a week. Credit: Domain Good news if youre a tenant, not so good if youre a landlord with an investment property. The median weekly asking rent for a house in the area is hovering at $500 a week, only 13.6 per cent higher than five years ago. A family from Strathfield paid $3,141,000 at auction on Saturday for a reimagined 1920s Californian bungalow in Earlwood, hitting the $2.9 million reserve with their opening bid. The five-bedroom property at 11 Fuller Avenue was guided at $2.7 million. Standout features were the entertainers deck, downstairs rumpus room, wrought-iron staircases and stained-glass windows. There is no legal requirement for a vendors reserve to be in line with their propertys price guide. There were six registered bidders and three took part. Bidding was fast, with the winner surpassing the reserve by $241,000 in under 10 minutes. New feature in the Boat Trader app helps users identify boats from photos, unlocking the mystery behind boats seen on the water, at the dock, or anywhere adventure strikes just in time for Fourth of July boating festivities. MIAMI, July 3, 2025 -- Boat Trader, America's leading online boating marketplace, today announced the launch of boato, the first and only dedicated image search tool in the boating industry. Available exclusively in the Boat Trader app, boato allows users to snap or upload a photo of any boat and instantly match it with real listings for similar boats on the market. Answering the age-old question, "What kind of boat is that?" boato makes it easy for anyoneboaters, enthusiasts, or dreamersto identify boats and explore what's available for sale, all with the snap of a photo. Whether you're anchored at a sandbar, walking the docks, or scrolling through your camera roll, boato helps you unlock the mystery behind any boat you see. Users simply look for the camera icon next to the search bar in the Boat Trader app, snap or upload a photo, and boato's advanced AI technology instantly matches that image to similar boats on Boat Trader. Through those matches, users can identify the make, model, and style of the boat they're curious about. "For years, boaters and enthusiasts have been asking the same question whenever they see a great-looking boat on the water: 'What kind of boat is that?'" said Courtney Chalmers, Vice President of Marketing at Boat Trader. "boato is our answer. It's incredibly easy to use and is designed to turn spontaneous moments of curiosity into discovery, opening the boating world to a wider audience." While boato naturally connects users to boats for sale, its true power is helping people identify boats they see and love. It's not just for seasoned boat shoppersit's for anyone who wants to learn more about boats, whether they're actively searching or in the explore stage. boato is built for everyone who loves boats: Boaters and owners eager to know more about the boats they see on the water eager to know more about the boats they see on the water Friends and guests who want to identify that impressive boat at the sandbar who want to identify that impressive boat at the sandbar Aspiring boat owners who are dreaming about one day buying their perfect boat who are dreaming about one day buying their perfect boat Casual enthusiasts who simply love the boating lifestyle boato is now available in the Boat Trader app on iOS and Android. To try it, look for the camera icon in the app next to the search bar, snap or upload a photo, and let boato show you similar boats available for sale. For more information and to try boato, download the Boat Trader app. About Boat Trader Boat Trader is the largest online boating marketplace in the United States, connecting millions of boaters and buyers with thousands of dealers, brokers, private sellers, and manufacturers. Boat Trader offers AI-driven search tools, financing services, and market insights to make boat discovery and ownership accessible, engaging, and seamless. China used India-Pak conflict as live lab Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt General Rahul R Singh speaks during a conference New Age Military Technologies: Industry Capabilities & Way Forward organised by FICCI, in New Delhi on Friday. (PTI) NEW DELHI : India was dealing with 3 adversaries -- Pak, China, Turkey, says Dy Chief of Army Lt Gen Rahul Singh China tested weapon systems during the 4-day conflict Turkey supplied military hardware to Pakistan China followed its ancient military strategy of 36 stratagems and killing the adversary with a borrowed knife CHINA used the four-day India-Pakistan conflict in May like a live lab to test various weapon systems and was providing all possible support to Islamabad, in line with the ancient military strategy of killing the adversary with a borrowed knife, Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Rahul R Singh said on Friday. The senior military officer said while Pakistan was the front face, with China extending all possible support to its all-weather ally, Turkey was also playing a major role by supplying military hardware to Islamabad, adding, India was actually dealing with at least three adversaries during the May 7-10 conflict. In an address at a seminar on New Age Military Technologies organised by industry chamber FICCI, Lieutenant General Singh suggested that China used its satellites to monitor Indian military deployment as the Pakistan military was getting live inputs on it during the DGMO (Director General of Military Operations)-level phone talks. The Deputy Chief of Army Staff highlighted Chinas ancient military strategy of 36 stratagems and killing the adversary with a borrowed knife to buttress the point that Beijing extended all possible support to Pakistan to cause pain to India. Lt General Singh, who looks after the Indian Armys capability development and sustenance vertical, said Beijings support to Islamabad was not surprising as 81 per cent of the military hardware used by the Pakistani Armed Forces are from China. Pakistan was the front face. We had China providing all possible support. This is no surprise because if you look at statistics, in the last five years, 81 per cent of the military hardware that Pakistan is getting is all Chinese, he said. He (China) would rather use the neighbour (Pakistan) to cause pain (to India) than getting involved in a mudslinging match on the northern border, Lt General Singh said. He said Turkey also played an important role in providing support to Pakistan. We saw numerous drones coming and landing in the face of war, during the war, along with the individuals who are there, he said. The military officer underlined the need for India to learn its lessons from the conflict. The next important lesson is the importance of C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and civil-military fusion. There is a lot to be done as far as this domain is concerned, he said. When the DGMO-level talks were on, Pakistan actually was mentioning that we know that your such and such vector is primed and ready for action, and we would request you to perhaps pull it back. So he was getting live inputs from China. That is one place we really need to move fast and take appropriate action, Lieutenant General Singh said. He said, the strategic messaging by the Indian leadership was unambiguous, adding that the planning and selection of targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was based on a lot of data. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10. It has been maintaining that Indias fierce counter-attack that day forced Pakistan to plead for ending the hostilities. Astha Poonia becomes Indian Navys first woman fighter pilot VISAKHAPATNAM : SUB LIEUTENANT Astha Poonia officially became the first woman to be streamed into the fighter stream of the Indian Navy. Paving the way for a new era of women fighter pilots in the force, and shattering barriers, Poonia also received the prestigious Wings of Gold from Rear Admiral Janak Bevli, Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Air). According to the Ministry of Defence, the Indian Navy celebrated the graduation of the Second Basic Hawk Conversion Course at the Naval Air Station, INS Dega, in Visakhapatnam. Lieutenant Atul Kumar Dhull and Sub-Lieutenant Astha Poonia received the prestigious Wings of Gold from Rear Admiral Janak Bevli, ACNS (Air) on July 3. CM inaugurates Women Empowerment and Adivasi Gaurav Sammelan in Singrauli Our Correspondent Singrauli, Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav inaugurated the Women Empowerment and Adivasi Gaurav Sammelan organised at Sarai in Singrauli district on Friday. He inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 54 construction works worth Rs 503 crore in the event. Chief Minister Dr Yadav said that Singrauli is far from Bhopal in the map of the state but is closest to my heart. No stone will be left unturned in the development of Singrauli. Nine thousand Scheduled Tribe families in Singrauli have been given the benefit of patta under Forest Rights. Lakhs of tribal families are taking advantage of other schemes including Dharti Aba Yojana, Janman Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. CM said that Singrauli has the thickest layer of coal deposits in the country. Hence Singrauli is the energy capital of the country. CM Dr Yadav said that a four-lane road will be built from Bargawan to Parsauna. SDM office and a 100-bed hospital will be built in Sarai after observation. The Primary Health Center of Mada will be upgraded to a Community Health Center. The contract of the agency which was negligent in the construction of Sidhi-Singrauli National Highway has been terminated. A new agency has been decided and the tender process has been done. After the rains, the construction work of this road will be done at a fast pace. CM Dr Yadav said that the government is constantly making efforts for the respect of the tribals and the welfare of the poor. Farmers are being given an additional amount of Rs 1,000 per quintal on purchasing Shrianna (millets). Wheat was purchased from farmers at Rs 2600 per quintal, which is the highest in the country. Chief Minister inaugurated the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign by planting a sapling. MLA Devsar Rajendra Meshram delivered welcome address and put forth various demands related to the development of the area. he expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for the approval of 5 CM Rise Schools, 4 Colleges and Gond Project in Devsar Assembly. Prior to it, on reaching Sarai, Chief Minister Dr Yadav was welcomed with the traditional tribal folk dance Gudum Baja. He played the tribal folk instrument Madal along with folk artists. He was welcomed by making him wear a colorful tribal cap and presenting a bow and arrow. CM Dr Yadav honoured the daughters by performing Kanya Pujan. The Chief Minister tasted laddus made from Shrianna and Mahua. The Chief Minister distributed benefits to the beneficiaries of Ladli Laxmi Yojana and other schemes. District in-charge Minister and PHE Minister Sampatiya Uike, Minister of State for Rural Development Department Radha Singh, MP Dr. Rajesh Mishra, MLA Singrauli Ramnivas Shah, MLA Dhauhani Kunwar Singh Tekam, MLA Sihawal Vishwamitra Pathak, former MLA Subhash Ramcharit, BJP District President Sundarlal Shah, and a large number of local public representatives were present in the function. Commissioner BS Jamod, IG Gaurav Rajput, DIG Rajesh Singh, Collector Chandrashekhar Shukla, S.P Manish Khatri, CEO District Panchayat Gajendra Singh Nagesh and other officials were present on the occasion. Delhi HC order rejects actor Jacquelines pick and choose claim NEW DELHI : THE Delhi High Court in its order rejected Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandezs argument that the ED adopted a pick and choose policy and did not proceed against other similarly-placed actors in a money laundering case. Fernandez was referring to television celebrities Nikki Tamboli, Chahatt Khanna and Sophia Singh. Justice Anish Dayal on July 3 dismissed her plea for quashing an FIR against her in a Rs 200 crore money laundering case also involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar. The actor argued that the probe agency did not proceed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against other actors who too received gifts and articles from Chandrasekhar. The order underlined the consideration of parity during bail proceedings and said the argument couldnt be applied during quashing an FIR as it would completely erase the ECIR against the accused petitioner. Whether the investigating agency chose a pick and choose policy or decided not to proceed against the others, based on the merits of the case, is not an issue under consideration before this court; petitioner is always at liberty to raise this issue at an appropriate stage, the courts 95-page verdict said. Fraudster arrested in Bhopal for Rs 8 lakh Amazon Job Scam Staff Reporter : Cyber Crime Police in Bhopal have arrested Nabeel Siddiqui, accused of defrauding individuals of Rs 8 lakh by promising jobs at Amazon. Siddiqui allegedly cheated several people using fake joining letters and false promises. The operation was conducted under the guidance of Harinarayanachari Mishra, Commissioner of Urban Administration and Development, Pankaj Srivastava, Akhil Patel, and Shailendra Singh Chauhan, and led by Sujeet Tiwari. On March 11, 2024, Salman Khan, a resident of Panna Nagar, Karond, lodged a complaint at Nishatpura Police Station, alleging that Nabeel Siddiqui had defrauded him and his acquaintances of Rs 5 lakh by promising jobs at Amazon. During the investigation, two other complaints surfaced, revealing a total fraud of Rs 8 lakh. On July 30, 2024, Cyber Crime Police registered a case under sections 419, 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and initiated an investigation. Police investigation revealed that Nabeel Siddiqui had previously worked as a telecaller at Amazon. He duped the complainants by offering them recruiter positions in Pune. He sent fake joining letters from a fraudulent email ID and collected Rs 10,000 from each individual in his bank account under the guise of interviews. When asked about the joining date, he consistently made excuses and delayed. The accused had been absconding for the past year and also advertised job opportunities among his acquaintances. Based on technical analysis and evidence, Cyber Crime Police identified Nabeel Siddiqui and arrested him from the Kamala Park area of Bhopal. A mobile phone, SIM card, and banking applications used in the fraud were seized from his possession. Police stated that interrogation of the accused is ongoing, and efforts are underway to trace other involved individuals. GDCH Dean Dr Abhay Datarkar transferred Staff Reporter : Inquiry was being conducted against Dr Datarkar as students had levelled allegations Government Dental College and Hospital (GDCH) Dean Dr Abhay Datarkar has been transferred to Jalgaon Dental College. Though the letter of transfer does not specify any reason, Dr Datarkar was facing enquiries in some matters. Meanwhile, Government has given the charge of Dean to Professor and Head of Periodontology Department Dr Mangesh Phadnaik. Congress MLA and former Minister Dr Nitin Raut had raised some issues on the floor of the State Assembly that included the complaints from students. Dr Abhay Datarkar had denied all the allegations. Students and staff members had alleged that Dr Datarkar used to harass them. Many students also accused Dr Datarkar of deliberately failing some final BDS students. Allegations were also levelled against Dr Datarkar of asking students to work in his office. In the written complaint, students had pointed out that in the name of teaching advanced education, money was collected. Dr Raut had accused that students were marked absent for not adhering to the college rules. Later, Dr Datarkar had submitted his clarifications and refuted all the charges. The Jalgaon Dental College has been established this year and its Under Graduate (BDS) batch will start taking classes. It is affiliated to Jalgaon Medical College. In Nagpur, Dr Datarkar is guiding several Post Graduate students who may face trouble. Under his leadership, various new projects were started. The new building of Superspeciality Dental Courses is being constructed. The college stood first in the country to set up a simulation laboratory. The college kept getting recognition on various fronts after Dr Datarkar took charge of Dean. It got top ranking by National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). HC dismisses poll petition against Fadnavis Staff Reporter : The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has dismissed an election petition filed by Prafulla Vinodrao Gudadhe against Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Gangadhar Fadnavis. The court held that the petition was not filed in accordance with Section 81(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which mandates that the election petition must be presented personally by the petitioner. Justice Pravin Patil, who delivered the order, stated that although the petitioner had sworn an affidavit on January 4, 2025, he did not appear in person to file the petition on January 6, 2025. Instead, it was submitted by his advocate, which does not fulfill the legal requirement under the Act. The petition challenged the election of Devendra Fadnavis from the Nagpur South-West constituency in the 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, seeking that the election be declared null and void. Responding to the petition, Fadnavis filed an application under Section 86(1) of the Act, arguing that the petition should be dismissed due to non-compliance with the requirement of personal presentation. The court agreed with this argument, noting that earlier provisions allowing filing through an authorised agent were removed from the law in 1966, and thus the presence of the petitioner at the time of filing is now mandatory. The judge underlined that swearing an affidavit and verifying documents before the Registrar does not equate to formally presenting the petition. The act of presentation involves physical submission by the petitioner, which did not happen in this case. The court also reviewed previous Supreme Court rulings and concluded that the petitioners reliance on High Court procedural rules could not override the statutory requirements of the Representation of the People Act. As a result, the court allowed the application filed by the respondent and dismissed the election petition for non-compliance with the law. Sr Adv Sunil Manohar and Adv Uday Dable represented Fadanvis while Advs Shri Mehmood Parcha, Adv Pawan Dahat and Jatin Bhatt appeared on behalf Gudadhe. Petition against Wadettiwar: Time granted for written reply In a separate case, lawyer and independent candidate Adv Narayan Jambhule has filed a petition against Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar, who won from Brahmapuri constituency. During the hearing, a Tehsildar submitted a faulty document, even though he is not part of the case. Adv Jambhule raised an objection and the court has now asked him to submit a written reply by Friday, July 25. The case is being heard by Justice Praveen Patil. The District Collector of Chandrapur also submitted a request to remove the Election Commission of India and the State Election Commissioner from the case. Jambhule has objected to this as well. The court will wait for his written response before making a decision. Kolkata rape: Police reconstruct crime scene with arrested men Kolkata gang-rape prime accused Monojit Mishra (Facebook, @monojit.mishra.7) KOLKATA : SLEUTHS of the Kolkata Police on Friday took the four men, arrested in connection with the gangrape of a student, to South Calcutta Law College and reconstructed the crime scene. The three prime accused -- alumnus and contractual staff Monojit Mishra, current students Pramit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed -- and security guard Pinaki Banerjee were taken to the college shortly after 4 am, and it took over four hours to complete the process. The reconstruction of the crime scene is a vital part of the investigation. We completed the task today. The four accused persons were taken to the South Calcutta Law College early this morning, and the task is done, the officer told PTI. The entire reconstruction process, carried out in the presence of a huge police team, lasted more than four hours, following which the four were taken back to the police station. Our findings will now be cross-checked with the allegation of the woman and verified with other evidence, the officer added. The alleged rape of the 24-year-old woman was led by Mishra, and assisted by two college seniors on the evening of June 25. The crime took place for over three hours at multiple locations inside the campus, including the guards room, the victim said in her complaint . Monojit Mishra made 16 calls in 3 hours, police probe details: MONOJIT Mishra, one of the three accused and reportedly the main architect in the law college student gang-rape case, made as many as 16 calls in three hours after the crime incident took place on the evening of June 25. Those call details are currently being examined by the investigating sleuths, and at the same time, the process of interrogation of those with whom Mishra conversed during that period has started. The tower locations of the mobile phones of the three accused, namely Mishra, Jaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, during that period are being tracked by the investigating officials to have an idea of the places they went to immediately after the crime. National Consumer Helpline facilitates Rs 7.14 crore refunds in two months Staff Reporter RAIPUR, Over 15,400 consumer grievances across 30 sectors The National Consumer Helpline (NCH), an initiative of the Department of Consumer Affairs, has facilitated refunds amounting to Rs 7.14 crore in the past two months by addressing over 15,400 consumer grievances across 30 sectors including a notable case from Korba district, Chhattisgarh. The Korba consumer had placed a prepaid online order worth Rs 1,214 in May 2025 but did not receive the product, nor any satisfactory response from the company. After NCHs intervention, the company refunded the amount on May 25, 2025. Grateful for the quick resolution, the consumer remarked: I am very happy with this companys service, they solved my problem very quickly. The helpline, a pre-litigation platform under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, has proven to be a reliable and efficient avenue for resolving consumer disputes amicably and reducing the burden on consumer commissions. Of the total grievances redressed between 25 April and 30 June 2025, the e-commerce sector registered the highest number (8,919), resulting in refunds worth Rs 3.69 crore. The travel & tourism sector followed with Rs 81 lakh in refunds, while general insurance, agency services, and airlines accounted for substantial amounts as well. Consumers from Uttar Pradesh lodged the highest number of complaints (1,242), followed by significant participation from even smaller states and UTs like Sikkim and Dadra & Nagar Haveli underlining the nationwide reach of the helpline. The Department attributed this success to stronger stakeholder engagement, expansion of convergence partners, and a wider digital reach via calls, WhatsApp, the NCH app, UMANG, CPGRAMS, SMS, email, AI-enabled chatbots, and the web portal. Apart from Chhattisgarhs Korba case, several other noteworthy resolutions include: West Bengal: Refund of Rs 8.24 lakh for a cancelled airline ticket and Rs 1,854 for a delayed grocery delivery. Rajasthan: Refund of Rs 5,799 for a faulty washing machine. Maharashtra: Refund for missing grocery items processed within three hours. Telangana: Refund of Rs 17,490 for an incorrect refrigerator model. Over 200 weapons, 30 IEDs recovered in Manipur IMPHAL : SECURITY forces recovered over 200 weapons, including firearms, and war-like stores in operations lasting only a few hours in four hill districts of Manipur, a senior police officer said on Friday. INSAS rifles, self-loading rifles (SLRs) and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were among those found in joint operations between Thursday midnight and Friday morning. These operations resulted in the recovery of a large number of arms, ammunition, explosives and other warlike stores, Lhatoo added. The recovered weapons included 21 INSAS rifles, 11 AK series, 26 SLR, two snipers, three carbines, 17 .303 rifles, two MA assault rifles, three M 79 grenade launchers, 11 single-barrel bolt action, nine pistols, 18 single-shot breech loaded rifles and 38 Pumpis. The Pumpi is an umbrella term used for various improvised light weapons. Plans to shut relief camps by Dec, resettlement of displaced in 3 phases: MANIPUR Chief Secretary P K Singh on Friday said the State Government is planning to shut down all relief camps by December, with the resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to be carried out in three phases. Singh said coordinated discussions had taken place with the Centre and the Ministry of Home Affairs, resulting in a phased plan for the return and rehabilitation of displaced persons. Weve had a good round of discussions with the central government and MHA. The first phase involves those who can go back immediately by July, and that process has already begun. The number of displaced has come down from 62,000 to 57,000, Singh said. He added that Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts have already been assessed, and the second phase of returns is scheduled for October, followed by the third and final round by December. To support the displaced in rebuilding their lives, Singh announced financial assistance of Rs 3.03 lakh for those whose homes have been destroyed. We also have around 7,000 people whose homes were not damaged but have become dilapidated after two years of neglect. Some form of monetary assistance will be provided to them as well, he said. He acknowledged that even after December, 8,00010,000 people may not be able to return to their original homes particularly those displaced from areas like Moreh, Churachandpur, and Kangpokpi. These people will be accommodated in pre-fabricated houses. An additional 1,000 units are being constructed for this purpose, Singh stated. Addressing questions about the restoration of free movement across communities, Singh said progress is being made. Movement is likely to resume very soon. The Central and State Governments, civil society organisations (CSOs), and community leaders are all working together, he said. Singh also cited positive developments on the ground. Farming activities are happening, even on both sides of the divide. People are working within eye-ball distance, even sharing water. Its a good sign. One or two incidents might still occurmischievous elements are everywherebut overall things are improving. He added that several major infrastructure projects are ready for inauguration, including the new Civil Secretariat in Imphal and Manipur Bhavans in Delhi and Kolkata, which could be jointly inaugurated when the opportunity arises. Besides, the forces found 109 ammunitions of different types, 30 IEDs, 10 grenades, nine Pumpi shells and two lathode grenades, the officer said. The Manipur Police reiterates its commitment to fostering a peaceful and secure Manipur. The public is urged to cooperate with the police and security forces, and to promptly report any suspicious activity or information related to illegal arms to the nearest police station or the Central Control Room, he said. Earlier in the day, the police said in an X post that security forces recovered at least 11 firearms and war-like stores in Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts. One person was also arrested for possessing an illegal handgun in Imphal East district. Security forces continue to conduct search operations and area domination in the fringe and vulnerable areas across districts, the post read. Manipur, which witnessed the killing of at least 260 people in ethnic violence since May 2023, is currently under Presidents rule. The strife between the Meitei and Kuki communities also rendered thousands of people homeless, forcing them to stay in relief camps. PM Modi conferred with Trinidad and Tobagos highest civilian honour PORT OF SPAIN : This is the 25th international honour bestowed upon PM Modi by a country PRIME Minister Narendra Modi was on Friday conferred with The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, becoming the first foreign leader to receive the Caribbean countrys highest civilian honour. This is the 25th international honour bestowed upon PM Modi by a country. In a special ceremony at the Presidents House, President Christine Carla Kangaloo conferred upon Prime Minister Modi the highest national award of Trinidad & Tobago for his statesmanship, for championing the priorities of the Global South and for his exceptional contribution to strengthening the relationship between the two countries. Modi, who is on a two-day visit to the Caribbean nation, expressed his gratitude to the Government and the people for being honoured with the highest national award. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you, your government, and the people for honouring me with the highest national award, the Order of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, Modi said after receiving the award. This honour is a symbol of the eternal and deep friendship between our two countries. I accept this honour on behalf of 140 crore Indians as a shared pride, he said as he dedicated the honour to the enduring bonds of friendship between the two countries. Modi said the conferment of this honour on a foreign leader for the first time reflects the deep bilateral ties, which are based on our shared history and cultural heritage. I also see this honour as a responsibility towards our relations. As a close and trusted partner, we have continued to emphasise skill development and capacity building for the people of Trinidad and Tobago, the prime minister said. It is a matter of great pride that the Indian community has preserved our shared traditions, culture, and customs to this day. President Kangaloo Ji and Prime Minister Kamla Ji are the biggest brand ambassadors of this community, he said. PM Modi underlined that these special ties were based on shared history and cultural heritage forged by Indians who arrived in the country 180 years ago. He affirmed his commitment to further deepening the bilateral partnership between India and Trinidad & Tobago, MEA said in a statement. Cultural ties between the two countries are visible at every step. President Kangaloos ancestors were from the land of Saint Thiruvalluvar, in Tamil Nadu, he said. Saint Thiruvalluvar once said that strong nations must possess six qualities a valiant army, patriotic citizens, abundant resources, good public representatives, strong defence, and loyal allies who always stand by them, he added. The event was attended by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, members of her Cabinet, Members of Parliament and other dignitaries. Modi said Trinidad and Tobago is not only a CARICOM partner for India but also an important partner globally. Terrorism is enemy of humanity, says PM Modi: TERMING terrorism as the enemy of humanity, Prime Minister Modi on Friday said the global community must stand united to deny it any shelter or space. In his address to the Joint Assembly of Parliament of Trinidad & Tobago, Prime Minister Modi also announced that the Caribbean nation will be a priority nation for India. Terrorism is the enemy of humanity. This very Red House has itself witnessed the wounds of terror and the loss of innocent blood. We must stand united to deny terrorism any shelter or space, he said. The Prime Minister thanked the people and the Government of the Caribbean nation for standing with India in its fight against terrorism. Modi said there are new challenges and the old institutions are struggling to deliver peace and progress. At the same time, the Global South is rising. They wish to see a new and fairer world order, PM Modi said, pushing for long-pending reforms of the United Nations. Modi said he was humbled to be the first Indian Prime Minister to speak to the people in the iconic Red House, referring to the Parliament of Trinidad & Tobago. For New India, even sky is not the limit: PM Modi: INDIA will soon be among the top three economies of the world, and its missions on artificial intelligence, semiconductor and quantum computing are becoming the new engines of growth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said. In an address at a gathering of the Indian diaspora on Thursday, Modi said India is a land of opportunities today, and the fruits of its growth and progress are reaching the most needy. For New India, even the sky is not the limit. Modi attended the event hours after landing in Trinidad and Tobago in the second leg of his five-nation tour.In his remarks, Modi lavished praise on the Indian community in Trinidad and Tobago, and said: They left their soil, but not their soul. Tall claims fall flat... Denizens flag slow road restoration, patchwork By Bhavana Aparajita Shukla : Bhopal adopts advanced Jet Patcher technology for road repair. One year of highly advanced first of its kind Lokpath Mobile App completed. But ground reality exposes truth behind tall claims On Friday, Sanket Bhondwe, Commissioner of Urban Administration and Development, observed a demonstration of the state-of-the-art Jet Patcher machine in E-7 Arera Colony. Needless to remind, monsoon has already arrived and that is adding to commuters woes. Even before the rain, the condition of city streets have turned into nightmare for commuters with many finding it difficult to navigate even during the day time. But on the other side, authorities usually remain engaged in blame-game as Public Works Department points towards Bhopal Municipal Corporation and latter also shrug its responsibility. If these two departments are to be believed then Madhya Pradeshs capital, Bhopal, has commenced the use of a new and modern technology for road repairs. Work on potholes and puddles should have been done before the monsoon. First heavy rain led to traffic congestion and long queue not only on main road but also on arterial road. Urban Administration and Development Commissioner stated that this technology is not only capable of filling potholes in less time but will also execute the work with precision and high quality, making roads more durable and robust. Everyone knows that it should have repaired service lanes before the monsoon arrived. The Jet Patcher machine utilises a pressurised injection technique to fill potholes with a special mixture of road construction materials. The unique feature of this technology is that it completes work faster than traditional methods and maintains the quality of the roads. Bhondwe meticulously inspected the entire process and gathered detailed information about the machines operation. He emphasised that this technology will provide quick relief to citizens in urban areas and lead to significant improvement in road conditions. Other department PWD also patting their back, the Lokpath Mobile App, developed by the Public Works Department (PWD) of Madhya Pradesh, marked its first anniversary with a review meeting chaired by PWD Minister Rakesh Singh. The meeting highlighted the apps achievements, citizen engagement and future plans. Launched on July 2, 2024, by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, the Lokpath App has received over 7,800 complaints, of which more than 95% have been promptly resolved. With around 1.5 lakh downloads, the app has gained strong public trust and usage. But a visit to the city exposes the reality none of the area posh or poor locality is having good roads. Minister Singh congratulated the department officials and described Lokpath as an effective example of digital governance through public participation. He set a target of 5 lakh downloads in the coming year and announced a public awareness campaign to boost reach. It would be better if this euphoria comes down to the ground. During the demonstration, several senior officials were present, including Bhopal Municipal Corporation Additional Commissioner Tina Yadav, Chief Engineer of Urban Administration and Development Directorate Pradeep Mishra, Superintending Engineers Jeevendra Singh and Subodh Jain. All lauded this new technology, calling it a revolutionary step for repairing the citys roads. Bhondwe stated, The Jet Patcher technology will prove to be a game-changer for Bhopal. It will not only save time but also ensure the long-term strength of the roads. He directed the Bhopal Municipal Corporation and the Urban Development Department to plan for the implementation of this technology in other areas as well. This initiative is expected to bring remarkable improvement to Bhopals road conditions, providing residents with safer and smoother traffic facilities. If we talk about PWDs app, then it gained national attention when actor Amitabh Bachchan mentioned it during a question on Kaun Banega Crorepati, reflecting its growing relevance. It would have been better it will become solution of peoples problem rather than putting entire focus is on PR exercise and showing off and not citizens convenience. Where is quality Control Cell of PWD? The department has separate software to general unique code and random sampling facility to check quality of road and present report. An order was by the PWD to place the information boards with information about construction work on all newly constructed and under construction roads with the tag line Public Works to Public Welfare (Lok Nirman se Lok Kalyan). It would have been better if an order will be passed and implemented regarding the display borad when the road was constructed, maintenance work done and its cost. Notably, the CM launched the mobile app at the media centre in Bhopal. Through this app, people of the state can report problems on the routes and this app will also ensure the accountability of the officers. Anyone can register a complaint by taking a photo of the pothole/spoil on the roads registered in the app. The budget for PWD has been increased from Rs 7,800 crore to Rs 11,000 crore this year. For this years budget there is provision of construction of one lakh kilometre of roads and 500 railway over bridges (ROBs) and flyovers in the next five years. Target to build 3,500 kilometers of new roads and 70 bridges in the year 2025. Rs 18,715 crore for urban development. The name might be new, but its legacy goes back more than 70 years. Earlier this year, Fremonts Good Shepherd Lutheran Church merged with Omaha-based King of Kings. Now known as King of Kings Fremont, the church is still located at 1544 E. Military Ave., but its getting a major facelift ahead of its public relaunch scheduled for Sept. 7. Good Shepherd was struggling as a church and was unable to hire any staff members besides the pastor, King of Kings lead pastor Greg Griffith said. In fact, after the previously pastor left the church, the congregation was unable to find another. Conversations between the two churches originally began in 2023, when Ryan Ankersen, Good Shepherds pastor at the time, approached Griffith about potentially becoming part of King of Kings. Although the Ankersen spoke to a few key leaders in Fremont, the idea did not go anywhere, but when he left Good Shepherd for a new opportunity, church leaders reopened the discussion with King of Kings. In January 2025, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church officially became King of Kings, Fremont. Our goal really is that we want to make Good Shepherd what it once was, as King of Kings Fremont, which was a vibrant, strong church worshiping 400 to 500 people a weekend in its day, Griffith said. So our goal really is about our mission, which is we want to transform lives and simply help people connect to God, connect to each other and connect to the world. We believe that communities thrive when were connected to one another in all facets of life where we work, where we play and where we pray. Griffith, who has been a pastor since 2004, has served as lead pastor of King of Kings since 2019. In this role, he leads the church in fulfilling that mission. Thats what we want because we know thats what God says to each of us, individually, you matter to Him, and so were excited to just press into that and be that church that says to every person who drives by or comes in, you matter, Griffith said. In 2022 King of Kings started its vision of launching 10 satellite campuses over the next 20 years across the Midwest. Satellite locations will be either a new church like in Omaha or a merger like Good Shepherd. The Fremont Campus is the third campus to open. Part of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS), King of Kings Omaha opened in Northwest Omaha in 2023 and in 2024 the church started conversations with Good Shepard about becoming a King of Kings satellite church. The King of Kings model is different than a traditional church model. It has a live worship team onsite and every week a video of the weekly message is shared at each location. The satellite locations provide live music, prayers, transition moments, announcements, and kids and student ministries. Services at King of Kings Fremont are modem in style, Griffith said. Everyone is welcome to attend as the church welcomes visitors to come as you are. Services include contemporary modern day music and a message based on the Bible but applicable to everyday living. The atmosphere is going to be one of celebration and praise, Griffith said. Its going to be kind of an energy of expectation and excitement to be in the presence of God. With this church model, members get to have a small church feel but have large church resources, Griffith said. King of Kings Omaha has been very blessed by God abundantly and so what this model really provides is, we provide the ability to serve congregations who maybe wouldnt be able to serve those communities in (and) of themselves, Griffith said. So (King of Kings) comes not only with the abundance of resources as far as people, but also systems and strategies. Local staff at the satellite locations grow, but the church is a staff of 37, who help each other out, Griffith said. King of Kings is not separate churches but is truly one church working together to do what they believe they are called to do, make heaven fuller, the Kingdom stronger and lives greater. Among the resources shared, King of Kings Fremont is provided materials such as the curriculum for the childrens ministry 2 years old up to fifth grade student ministry sixth grade through 12th grade and the licensing for songs and videos. The supplies and resources are provided through the larger church and the smaller satellite churches are then able to turn their focus on what the church feels is important, Griffith said, which includes connecting with members and empowering, encouraging and equipping volunteers to lead the ministry. All of that is provided, they dont have to have their own staff and so we actually see this as a way to staff churches better as partners in ministry rather than every church having their own staff, their own teams doing their own things, Griffith said. Now we can actually align together and walk with greater purpose together. The Fremont King of Kings team includes Tyler Rohlfsen, Fremont Campus director; Kristie Webb, Fremont Campus associate director; Jacee Pfeifer, Fremont Campus, worship director; and George Turner, Fremont Campus production associate. Rohlfsen, Webb who had previously been part of Good Shepherd and Pfeifer are already working in and are part of the Fremont community. On June 6, they held their first event, a schools out for the summer party. More than 200 children and adults attended. There were inflatables, water fun, games, food and a band. It was a great community event, Griffith said. (Everything was) completely free just to say, Hey Fremont, we love you, were here for you and were excited schools out for summer as well, Griffith said. Between now and the September relaunch, King of Kings Fremont will be connecting with the community through additional free events. For example, during MainStreet of Fremonts Concerts in the Park, members of the church will be passing out water; on Zesto night, June 22, the church will be on hand paying for peoples ice cream; during John C. Fremont Days, the church will be at the childrens events passing out water; on July 12, the church has sponsored a middle school pool party; and on Aug. 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. the church will host a backpack event where they give away free backpacks and school supplies. The church is looking for ways to bless the community, with no strings attached, Griffith said. The doors are open and if you dont come to church, the church will come to you. We want to be very much involved in the community and we want Fremont to honestly say, if King of Kings ever went away, that would be hard for our community, and we want those outside of our church to (say) that, Griffith said. We want Fremont to know were there for them, not to get anything from them, but just because we want to be part of Fremont and we love Fremont. ... We just really want to say were here for you and we love you. King of Kings Fremont is already seeing support in the community, Griffith said. The community is excited and the church is excited to be in Fremont, seeing new people attending services every week. I love that city, Griffith said. I think its a tremendous city. I love the feel of the town and so Im excited and were excited to be a part of a community that has deep roots and has the core values of Nebraska. Were excited to be a part of that community and were honored and privileged not only to God, but also to Fremont, for welcoming us into that community. For more information, visit kingofkings.org/fremont. Aviance Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE:KMI Free Report) by 16.8% in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 11,752 shares of the pipeline companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,692 shares during the period. Aviance Capital Partners LLCs holdings in Kinder Morgan were worth $335,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Conning Inc. grew its position in Kinder Morgan by 27.4% during the first quarter. Conning Inc. now owns 19,922 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $568,000 after buying an additional 4,279 shares during the period. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC grew its position in Kinder Morgan by 8.3% during the first quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC now owns 24,815 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $708,000 after buying an additional 1,910 shares during the period. North Capital Inc. bought a new position in Kinder Morgan during the first quarter worth about $49,000. D.A. Davidson & CO. increased its stake in shares of Kinder Morgan by 3.4% in the first quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 639,466 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $18,244,000 after purchasing an additional 21,192 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Kinder Morgan by 62.4% in the first quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 3,669,592 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $104,693,000 after purchasing an additional 1,410,089 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 62.52% of the companys stock. Get Kinder Morgan alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades KMI has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Kinder Morgan from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 6th. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on shares of Kinder Morgan from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Thursday, June 5th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Kinder Morgan from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 29th. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an overweight rating on shares of Kinder Morgan in a research note on Monday, May 5th. Finally, Barclays reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $32.00 price objective (up from $31.00) on shares of Kinder Morgan in a research note on Monday, June 23rd. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $30.29. Insider Activity at Kinder Morgan In other Kinder Morgan news, President Thomas A. Martin sold 18,000 shares of Kinder Morgan stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.26, for a total transaction of $508,680.00. Following the transaction, the president directly owned 771,652 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $21,806,885.52. This trade represents a 2.28% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 12.73% of the companys stock. Kinder Morgan Trading Down 0.5% Shares of Kinder Morgan stock opened at $28.37 on Friday. Kinder Morgan, Inc. has a 1 year low of $19.68 and a 1 year high of $31.48. The firm has a market cap of $63.03 billion, a PE ratio of 24.45, a PEG ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 0.45 and a quick ratio of 0.35. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $27.80 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $27.54. Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 16th. The pipeline company reported $0.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.34. Kinder Morgan had a net margin of 16.67% and a return on equity of 8.11%. The business had revenue of $4.24 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.02 billion. Analysts expect that Kinder Morgan, Inc. will post 1.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Kinder Morgan Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 30th were paid a dividend of $0.2925 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, April 30th. This is an increase from Kinder Morgans previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. This represents a $1.17 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.12%. Kinder Morgans dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 100.86%. Kinder Morgan Company Profile (Free Report) Kinder Morgan, Inc operates as an energy infrastructure company primarily in North America. The company operates through Natural Gas Pipelines, Products Pipelines, Terminals, and CO2 segments. The Natural Gas Pipelines segment owns and operates interstate and intrastate natural gas pipeline, and storage systems; natural gas gathering systems and natural gas processing and treating facilities; natural gas liquids fractionation facilities and transportation systems; and liquefied natural gas gasification, liquefaction, and storage facilities. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding KMI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE:KMI Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Kinder Morgan Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kinder Morgan and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MercadoLibre, Mogo, and Rocket Companies are the three Fintech stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Fintech stocks are shares of companies that combine financial services with innovative technologysuch as digital payments, online lending platforms, blockchain, and robo-advisorsto streamline, automate, or disrupt traditional banking and finance. By investing in fintech stocks, shareholders gain equity in businesses focused on leveraging software, data analytics and mobile applications to deliver faster, more accessible, and often lower-cost financial products. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Fintech stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: MercadoLibre (MELI) MercadoLibre, Inc. operates online commerce platforms in the United States. It operates Mercado Libre Marketplace, an automated online commerce platform that enables businesses, merchants, and individuals to list merchandise and conduct sales and purchases digitally; and Mercado Pago FinTech platform, a financial technology solution platform, which facilitates transactions on and off its marketplaces by providing a mechanism that allows its users to send and receive payments online, as well as allows users to transfer money through their websites or on the apps. Shares of MELI traded down $36.85 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $2,464.55. The company had a trading volume of 284,738 shares, compared to its average volume of 408,180. The company has a market capitalization of $124.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 60.67, a P/E/G ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 1.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 1.18 and a current ratio of 1.20. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $2,450.74 and its 200 day simple moving average is $2,120.85. MercadoLibre has a 1-year low of $1,563.21 and a 1-year high of $2,645.22. Read Our Latest Research Report on MELI Mogo (MOGO) Mogo Inc. operates as a digital finance company in Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company's digital solutions help build wealth and achieve financial freedom. It provides MogoTrade, a stock trading app; Moka; and MogoMoney that provides online personal loans. The company also offers digital loans and mortgages; and operates a digital payments platform that powers next-generation card programs for both global corporations and fintech companies in Europe and Canada. Shares of MOGO traded up $1.42 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $2.63. The stock had a trading volume of 257,699,371 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,298,585. Mogo has a 12 month low of $0.74 and a 12 month high of $3.83. The stock has a market capitalization of $64.41 million, a PE ratio of -4.11 and a beta of 3.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a current ratio of 1.50. The companys 50-day moving average is $1.24 and its two-hundred day moving average is $1.15. Read Our Latest Research Report on MOGO Rocket Companies (RKT) Rocket Companies, Inc., a fintech holding company, provides mortgage lending, title and settlement services, and other financial technology services in the United States and Canada. It operates through two segments, Direct to Consumer and Partner Network. The companys solutions include Rocket Mortgage, a mortgage lender; Amrock that provides title insurance, property valuation, and settlement services; Rocket Homes, a home search platform and real estate agent referral network, which offers technology-enabled services to support the home buying and selling experience; and Rocket Loans, an online-based personal loans business. Shares of NYSE:RKT traded up $0.29 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $14.77. 19,789,894 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,686,545. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $13.03 and its 200 day moving average price is $12.79. Rocket Companies has a 12 month low of $10.06 and a 12 month high of $21.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 12.62 and a current ratio of 12.62. The stock has a market capitalization of $29.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -492.50, a P/E/G ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 2.28. Read Our Latest Research Report on RKT Featured Stories Quanta Services, Southern, and Bank of New York Mellon are the three Renewable Energy stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Renewable energy stocks are shares of companies whose primary business involves generating or supporting energy from renewable sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal or biomass. Investors buy these stocks to gain exposure to the growth potential and sustainability trends driving clean-energy adoption. Because theyre tied to evolving regulations, technology costs and climate policies, renewable energy stocks can be more volatile but also offer opportunities for long-term gains as the world shifts away from fossil fuels. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Renewable Energy stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Quanta Services (PWR) Quanta Services, Inc. provides infrastructure solutions for the electric and gas utility, renewable energy, communications, and pipeline and energy industries in the United States, Canada, Australia, and internationally. The companys Electric Power Infrastructure Solutions segment engages in the design, procurement, construction, upgrade, repair, and maintenance of electric power transmission and distribution infrastructure and substation facilities; installation, maintenance, and upgrade of electric power infrastructure projects; installation of smart grid technologies on electric power networks; and design, installation, maintenance, and repair of commercial and industrial wirings. NYSE:PWR traded up $0.11 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $372.40. The stock had a trading volume of 728,076 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,485,134. The stock has a market cap of $55.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 60.06, a PEG ratio of 2.94 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58, a quick ratio of 1.26 and a current ratio of 1.31. Quanta Services has a twelve month low of $227.08 and a twelve month high of $382.79. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $341.44 and its 200 day simple moving average is $307.49. Read Our Latest Research Report on PWR Southern (SO) The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations. Southern stock traded down $0.87 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $91.43. The company had a trading volume of 2,573,943 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,168,281. The firm has a market cap of $100.49 billion, a PE ratio of 21.82, a PEG ratio of 3.28 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.65. Southern has a one year low of $77.47 and a one year high of $94.45. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $89.73 and a 200 day moving average of $87.68. Read Our Latest Research Report on SO Bank of New York Mellon (BK) The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, and data analytics. Shares of BK traded up $0.69 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $91.34. 2,144,411 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,106,079. The company has a quick ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. The firm has a market cap of $65.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.07. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $87.50 and its 200-day simple moving average is $83.77. Bank of New York Mellon has a 52 week low of $59.19 and a 52 week high of $92.64. Read Our Latest Research Report on BK Featured Articles You are the owner of this article. BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (NYSE:DSU Get Free Report) declared a monthly dividend on Thursday, July 3rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, July 15th will be given a dividend of 0.0987 per share by the financial services provider on Thursday, July 31st. This represents a $1.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 11.15%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, July 15th. BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund Trading Down 0.2% NYSE:DSU opened at $10.63 on Friday. BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund has a 1 year low of $8.72 and a 1 year high of $11.19. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $10.45 and a 200-day moving average of $10.49. Get BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund An institutional investor recently raised its position in BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund stock. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (NYSE:DSU Free Report) by 7.0% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 84,379 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 5,530 shares during the quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC owned approximately 0.15% of BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund worth $881,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. 24.29% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund Company Profile BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc The fund is managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. It invests in fixed income markets of the United States. The fund primarily invests in a diversified portfolio of companies' debt instruments, including corporate loans, which are rated in the lower rating categories of the established rating services (BBB or lower by S&P's or Baa or lower by Moody's) or unrated debt instruments, which are in the judgment of the investment adviser of equivalent quality. See Also Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Arizona Metals (CVE:AMC Free Report) had its price objective trimmed by BMO Capital Markets from C$2.75 to C$2.00 in a report issued on Wednesday morning,BayStreet.CA reports. Arizona Metals Trading Up 3.1% CVE:AMC opened at C$3.99 on Wednesday. Arizona Metals has a 12-month low of C$3.42 and a 12-month high of C$6.98. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of C$3.99 and a 200 day moving average price of C$3.99. The stock has a market capitalization of C$446.17 million and a P/E ratio of -16.49. Get Arizona Metals alerts: About Arizona Metals (Get Free Report) Recommended Stories Arizona Metals Corp. operates as a mineral exploration company. The company primarily explores for copper, gold, zinc, and silver deposits. It owns 100% interests in the Kay mine project, which consists of approximately 1,300 acres of patented and BLM claims located in Yavapai County, Arizona; and the Sugarloaf Peak Gold project that comprises 4,400 acres of BLM claims situated in La Paz County, Arizona. Receive News & Ratings for Arizona Metals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Arizona Metals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Braun Stacey Associates Inc. increased its stake in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 1.8% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 417,280 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 7,380 shares during the quarter. Wells Fargo & Company accounts for approximately 1.2% of Braun Stacey Associates Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest holding. Braun Stacey Associates Inc.s holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $29,957,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the 4th quarter valued at about $3,365,658,000. Capital Research Global Investors raised its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 932.0% in the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 15,734,874 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,105,218,000 after acquiring an additional 14,210,193 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 7,887.9% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 3,393,083 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $243,589,000 after acquiring an additional 3,350,605 shares during the period. Northern Trust Corp raised its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 10.7% in the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 34,339,295 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,411,992,000 after acquiring an additional 3,307,855 shares during the period. Finally, Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH bought a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the 4th quarter valued at about $198,801,000. 75.90% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Wells Fargo & Company alerts: Wells Fargo & Company Stock Up 1.2% WFC stock opened at $83.32 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06. The companys 50 day moving average is $75.34 and its 200 day moving average is $73.44. The stock has a market cap of $271.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.16. Wells Fargo & Company has a 1-year low of $50.15 and a 1-year high of $83.95. Wells Fargo & Company ( NYSE:WFC Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 11th. The financial services provider reported $1.39 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.23 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $20.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.82 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a net margin of 16.19% and a return on equity of 12.15%. Wells Fargo & Companys revenue for the quarter was down 3.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.20 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.89 EPS for the current fiscal year. Wells Fargo & Company declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase plan on Tuesday, April 29th that allows the company to buyback $40.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to purchase up to 17.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are typically a sign that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued. Wells Fargo & Company Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 9th were given a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.92%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 9th. Wells Fargo & Companys payout ratio is currently 28.73%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages recently issued reports on WFC. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $77.00 to $87.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $76.00 to $86.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 10th. Phillip Securities upgraded Wells Fargo & Company from a moderate buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, April 14th. Piper Sandler reiterated an overweight rating and set a $85.00 price target (up from $75.00) on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Wednesday, June 4th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $78.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $78.33. Get Our Latest Stock Report on WFC Wells Fargo & Company Company Profile (Free Report) Wells Fargo & Co is a diversified and community-based financial services company, which engages in the provision of banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth and Investment Management. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WFC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Wells Fargo & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wells Fargo & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IWR Free Report) by 7.2% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 4,756 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 320 shares during the quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLCs holdings in iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF were worth $405,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Fairscale Capital LLC bought a new stake in iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Rossby Financial LCC bought a new stake in iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF during the 1st quarter valued at $31,000. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF during the 1st quarter valued at $36,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC raised its holdings in iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF by 50.4% during the 4th quarter. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC now owns 427 shares of the companys stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 143 shares during the period. Finally, Garde Capital Inc. bought a new stake in iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF during the 1st quarter valued at $44,000. Institutional investors own 80.16% of the companys stock. Get iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF alerts: iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF Stock Performance Shares of IWR stock opened at $93.72 on Friday. iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF has a 52-week low of $73.17 and a 52-week high of $96.01. The company has a market capitalization of $43.01 billion, a PE ratio of 20.51 and a beta of 1.09. The businesss fifty day moving average is $89.11 and its 200 day moving average is $87.90. iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF Profile iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell Midcap Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell Midcap Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the mid-capitalization sector of the United States equity market. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IWR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IWR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC grew its holdings in shares of Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria S.A. (NYSE:BBVA Free Report) by 14.6% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 44,358 shares of the banks stock after acquiring an additional 5,641 shares during the quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLCs holdings in Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria were worth $604,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Alpine Bank Wealth Management acquired a new stake in shares of Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria during the 1st quarter worth approximately $29,000. Huntington National Bank boosted its position in shares of Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria by 96.7% during the 4th quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 3,616 shares of the banks stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 1,778 shares in the last quarter. Private Trust Co. NA boosted its position in shares of Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria by 224.7% during the 1st quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 2,607 shares of the banks stock worth $36,000 after acquiring an additional 1,804 shares in the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its position in shares of Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria by 20.7% during the 4th quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 5,420 shares of the banks stock worth $53,000 after acquiring an additional 930 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria by 25.3% during the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 3,901 shares of the banks stock worth $53,000 after acquiring an additional 787 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 2.96% of the companys stock. Get Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, June 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, one has given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Buy. Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria Price Performance Shares of NYSE:BBVA opened at $15.64 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $91.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.28, a PEG ratio of 1.54 and a beta of 1.06. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $14.94 and a 200 day simple moving average of $13.17. Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria S.A. has a one year low of $9.23 and a one year high of $15.67. Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria (NYSE:BBVA Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 29th. The bank reported $0.47 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.47. The business had revenue of $10.61 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.12 billion. Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria had a net margin of 28.85% and a return on equity of 17.97%. As a group, analysts expect that Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria S.A. will post 1.59 EPS for the current year. Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria Profile (Free Report) Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, SA provides retail banking, wholesale banking, and asset management services in the United States, Spain, Mexico, Turkey, South America, and internationally. The company offers savings account, demand deposits, and time deposits; and loan products, such as residential mortgages, other households, credit card loans, loans to enterprises and public sector, as well as consumer finance. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BBVA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria S.A. (NYSE:BBVA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC boosted its position in Consolidated Edison Inc (NYSE:ED Free Report) by 4.6% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 6,022 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 265 shares during the period. Checchi Capital Advisers LLCs holdings in Consolidated Edison were worth $666,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Glen Eagle Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Consolidated Edison by 6.2% in the 4th quarter. Glen Eagle Advisors LLC now owns 1,902 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $170,000 after purchasing an additional 111 shares during the last quarter. Richwood Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Consolidated Edison by 2.3% in the 4th quarter. Richwood Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,194 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $463,000 after purchasing an additional 115 shares during the last quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Consolidated Edison by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC now owns 16,101 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,781,000 after purchasing an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. Integrated Advisors Network LLC lifted its stake in Consolidated Edison by 1.6% in the 1st quarter. Integrated Advisors Network LLC now owns 7,842 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $867,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Penobscot Investment Management Company Inc. lifted its stake in Consolidated Edison by 5.7% in the 4th quarter. Penobscot Investment Management Company Inc. now owns 2,300 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $205,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. 66.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Consolidated Edison alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages recently issued reports on ED. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Consolidated Edison from $103.00 to $114.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, May 2nd. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Consolidated Edison from $110.00 to $113.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, March 21st. KeyCorp downgraded shares of Consolidated Edison from a sector weight rating to an underweight rating and set a $90.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Wednesday, May 14th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Consolidated Edison from $93.00 to $92.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, June 18th. Finally, Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Consolidated Edison from $116.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 9th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $105.27. Consolidated Edison Stock Up 0.2% Shares of ED opened at $100.08 on Friday. Consolidated Edison Inc has a 12 month low of $87.28 and a 12 month high of $114.87. The firms 50 day moving average is $103.70 and its 200-day moving average is $100.96. The stock has a market capitalization of $36.06 billion, a PE ratio of 18.50, a P/E/G ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 0.26. The company has a current ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04. Consolidated Edison (NYSE:ED Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 1st. The utilities provider reported $2.25 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.30 by ($0.05). Consolidated Edison had a return on equity of 8.61% and a net margin of 11.98%. The business had revenue of $4.80 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.21 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.15 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that Consolidated Edison Inc will post 5.62 EPS for the current year. Consolidated Edison Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 16th. Investors of record on Wednesday, May 14th were paid a $0.85 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, May 14th. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.40%. Consolidated Edisons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 62.85%. Consolidated Edison Profile (Free Report) Consolidated Edison, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated electric, gas, and steam delivery businesses in the United States. It offers electric services to approximately 3.7 million customers in New York City and Westchester County; gas to approximately 1.1 million customers in Manhattan, the Bronx, parts of Queens, and Westchester County; and steam to approximately 1,530 customers in parts of Manhattan. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Consolidated Edison Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Consolidated Edison and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC increased its position in Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR Free Report) by 38.3% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 4,840 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 1,341 shares during the quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLCs holdings in Equity Residential were worth $346,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Equity Residential by 607.8% in the 4th quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 361 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 310 shares during the period. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its position in shares of Equity Residential by 51.6% in the 1st quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 461 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 157 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Equity Residential by 38.8% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 558 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $40,000 after buying an additional 156 shares during the period. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its position in shares of Equity Residential by 109.5% in the 4th quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 551 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $40,000 after buying an additional 288 shares during the period. Finally, Kapitalo Investimentos Ltda purchased a new position in shares of Equity Residential in the 4th quarter worth $51,000. 92.68% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Equity Residential alerts: Equity Residential Stock Down 0.5% NYSE:EQR opened at $66.31 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $25.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.90 and a beta of 0.88. Equity Residential has a one year low of $59.41 and a one year high of $78.84. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $69.10 and a 200 day simple moving average of $69.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a current ratio of 0.20. Equity Residential Announces Dividend Equity Residential ( NYSE:EQR Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.95 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.93 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $760.81 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $769.43 million. Equity Residential had a return on equity of 8.93% and a net margin of 33.11%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 4.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.93 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Equity Residential will post 3.98 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 11th. Investors of record on Tuesday, June 24th will be paid a $0.6925 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 24th. This represents a $2.77 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.18%. Equity Residentials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 105.73%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Scotiabank cut their target price on Equity Residential from $82.00 to $78.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, June 13th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on Equity Residential from $82.25 to $80.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 30th. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Equity Residential from $76.00 to $78.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, March 10th. Wedbush reissued a neutral rating and issued a $75.00 price objective on shares of Equity Residential in a research report on Wednesday, May 28th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on Equity Residential from $79.00 to $83.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, May 9th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $79.25. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Equity Residential Equity Residential Profile (Free Report) Equity Residential is committed to creating communities where people thrive. The Company, a member of the S&P 500, is focused on the acquisition, development and management of residential properties located in and around dynamic cities that attract affluent long-term renters. Equity Residential owns or has investments in 305 properties consisting of 80,683 apartment units, with an established presence in Boston, New York, Washington, DC, Seattle, San Francisco and Southern California, and an expanding presence in Denver, Atlanta, Dallas/Ft. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EQR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Equity Residential Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Equity Residential and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (BATS:QUAL Free Report) by 16.2% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 63,856 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 8,894 shares during the quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF were worth $10,912,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 2.1% during the 4th quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 29,141,751 shares of the companys stock worth $5,189,563,000 after purchasing an additional 596,515 shares during the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC raised its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 14.5% during the 4th quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 16,867,820 shares of the companys stock worth $3,003,821,000 after purchasing an additional 2,141,996 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 1.8% in the 4th quarter. FMR LLC now owns 16,141,300 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,874,443,000 after acquiring an additional 292,539 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE increased its stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,721,037 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,374,962,000 after acquiring an additional 113,633 shares during the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 14.6% in the 4th quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 6,580,546 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,171,864,000 after acquiring an additional 837,887 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF alerts: iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Price Performance Shares of QUAL stock opened at $185.01 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $53.64 billion, a PE ratio of 25.59 and a beta of 1.05. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $177.12 and a 200-day moving average of $176.22. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF has a one year low of $148.34 and a one year high of $187.26. About iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF The iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality index. The fund tracks an index of US large- and mid-cap stocks, selected and weighted by high ROE, stable earnings growth and low debt\u002Fequity, relative to peers in each sector. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dalaroo Metals Ltd (ASX:DAL Get Free Report) insider Bilal Ahmad purchased 4,000,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, June 30th. The shares were bought at an average cost of A$0.03 ($0.02) per share, with a total value of A$124,000.00 ($81,045.75). Dalaroo Metals Price Performance The firm has a market cap of $5.22 million, a PE ratio of -1.13 and a beta of -0.03. Get Dalaroo Metals alerts: Dalaroo Metals Company Profile (Get Free Report) Featured Stories Dalaroo Metals Ltd engages in mineral exploration business in Australia. It explores for lead, zinc, copper, and nickel deposits, as well as platinum-group elements. The company holds a 100% interest in the Namban project that comprises 6 granted exploration licenses covering an area of approximately 437 square kilometers tenement package located to the north of Perth, Western Australia; and the Lyons River project covering an area of approximately 740 square kilometers located to the east north-east of Carnarvon, Western Australia. Receive News & Ratings for Dalaroo Metals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dalaroo Metals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Goelzer Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV Free Report) by 1.1% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 250,310 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 2,732 shares during the quarter. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF accounts for approximately 8.1% of Goelzer Investment Management Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 2nd largest position. Goelzer Investment Management Inc.s holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF were worth $140,649,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Windsor Advisory Group LLC boosted its position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 100.0% in the 4th quarter. Windsor Advisory Group LLC now owns 50 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 25 shares during the period. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp acquired a new position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Sellwood Investment Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF in the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Investment Counsel Co. of Nevada acquired a new position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF in the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Navigoe LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF in the 4th quarter valued at $38,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.12% of the companys stock. Get iShares Core S&P 500 ETF alerts: iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Stock Up 0.8% NYSEARCA:IVV opened at $628.17 on Friday. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has a 1-year low of $484.00 and a 1-year high of $629.25. The firm has a market capitalization of $632.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.10 and a beta of 1.00. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $593.20 and a 200 day simple moving average of $583.67. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Profile iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poors 500 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the large-capitalization sector of the United States equity market. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IVV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The knack for knowing when to step aside | SONDERMANN HM Payson & Co. grew its holdings in Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN Free Report) by 3.4% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 327,339 shares of the information technology services providers stock after acquiring an additional 10,739 shares during the period. Accenture accounts for approximately 1.8% of HM Payson & Co.s holdings, making the stock its 16th largest position. HM Payson & Co. owned about 0.05% of Accenture worth $102,143,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 60,394,657 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $21,246,236,000 after buying an additional 392,183 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 13,528,348 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $4,750,021,000 after buying an additional 136,665 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors boosted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 16.8% during the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 12,295,748 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $4,325,526,000 after buying an additional 1,770,024 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 22.8% during the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 12,175,518 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $4,283,225,000 after buying an additional 2,260,740 shares during the period. Finally, Capital International Investors boosted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 2.2% during the 4th quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 8,513,140 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $2,994,922,000 after buying an additional 181,449 shares during the period. 75.14% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Accenture alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades ACN has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Guggenheim decreased their price objective on shares of Accenture from $360.00 to $335.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Monday, June 23rd. Robert W. Baird raised shares of Accenture from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $390.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, March 17th. UBS Group reiterated a buy rating and set a $395.00 target price (up from $390.00) on shares of Accenture in a research note on Thursday, May 22nd. Mizuho set a $348.00 target price on shares of Accenture and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 24th. Finally, Piper Sandler cut their target price on shares of Accenture from $364.00 to $355.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 16th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Accenture has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $370.71. Accenture Stock Performance NYSE:ACN opened at $304.58 on Friday. Accenture PLC has a 12-month low of $273.19 and a 12-month high of $398.35. The company has a quick ratio of 1.46, a current ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. The firm has a market capitalization of $190.76 billion, a PE ratio of 24.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.86 and a beta of 1.29. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $309.55 and a 200 day moving average price of $329.68. Accenture (NYSE:ACN Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, June 20th. The information technology services provider reported $3.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.32 by $0.17. Accenture had a net margin of 11.61% and a return on equity of 26.55%. The firm had revenue of $17.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.26 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $3.13 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 7.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that Accenture PLC will post 12.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Accenture Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, July 10th will be given a dividend of $1.48 per share. This represents a $5.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.94%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 10th. Accentures dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 47.13%. Insider Activity In related news, insider Angela Beatty sold 169 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $281.90, for a total transaction of $47,641.10. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 5,364 shares in the company, valued at $1,512,111.60. This trade represents a 3.05% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Julie Spellman Sweet sold 2,284 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $281.63, for a total transaction of $643,242.92. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 9,965 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,806,442.95. This trade represents a 18.65% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 8,516 shares of company stock worth $2,507,366. Company insiders own 0.02% of the companys stock. Accenture Profile (Free Report) Accenture plc, a professional services company, provides strategy and consulting, industry X, song, and technology and operation services worldwide. The company offers application services, including agile transformation, DevOps, application modernization, enterprise architecture, software and quality engineering, data management; intelligent automation comprising robotic process automation, natural language processing, and virtual agents; and application management services, as well as software engineering services; strategy and consulting services; data and analytics strategy, data discovery and augmentation, data management and beyond, data democratization, and industrialized solutions comprising turnkey analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions; metaverse; and sustainability services. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ACN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Accenture Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Accenture and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DT Investment Partners LLC cut its stake in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJH Free Report) by 7.8% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 1,051,981 shares of the companys stock after selling 89,415 shares during the quarter. iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF comprises approximately 5.9% of DT Investment Partners LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 4th biggest holding. DT Investment Partners LLCs holdings in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF were worth $61,383,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Boston Family Office LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Boston Family Office LLC now owns 54,206 shares of the companys stock worth $3,378,000 after buying an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. Bison Wealth LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 2.6% during the 4th quarter. Bison Wealth LLC now owns 6,297 shares of the companys stock worth $392,000 after buying an additional 161 shares during the last quarter. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. increased its holdings in shares of iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. now owns 37,897 shares of the companys stock worth $2,361,000 after buying an additional 189 shares during the last quarter. Carret Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. Carret Asset Management LLC now owns 14,287 shares of the companys stock worth $834,000 after buying an additional 191 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fulton Bank N.A. increased its holdings in shares of iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Fulton Bank N.A. now owns 43,777 shares of the companys stock worth $2,554,000 after buying an additional 198 shares during the last quarter. 14.60% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF alerts: iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Price Performance Shares of NYSEARCA IJH opened at $63.79 on Friday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $60.45 and a 200-day simple moving average of $60.55. The company has a market capitalization of $97.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.00 and a beta of 1.12. iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF has a 1 year low of $50.15 and a 1 year high of $68.33. About iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Ishares S&P Midcap 400 Index Fund, formerly The iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (the Fund), seeks investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the United States mid-cap stocks, as represented by the Standard & Poors MidCap 400 (the Underlying Index). Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IJH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Amcor (NYSE:AMCR Free Report) in a report released on Wednesday, Marketbeat reports. The brokerage issued a buy rating and a $12.00 price target on the stock. AMCR has been the topic of a number of other reports. Raymond James Financial started coverage on Amcor in a research note on Tuesday, April 22nd. They issued a market perform rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on Amcor in a research note on Thursday, June 26th. They issued an overweight rating and a $10.00 price target on the stock. UBS Group raised Amcor from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, June 26th. Finally, Truist Financial reduced their price objective on Amcor from $12.00 to $11.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Amcor currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $11.30. Get Amcor alerts: View Our Latest Report on Amcor Amcor Trading Down 1.3% Amcor stock opened at $9.57 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $9.21 and a two-hundred day moving average of $9.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.24, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a current ratio of 1.70. Amcor has a one year low of $8.37 and a one year high of $11.48. The stock has a market cap of $13.82 billion, a PE ratio of 17.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.73. Amcor (NYSE:AMCR Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 30th. The company reported $0.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.18. The firm had revenue of $3.33 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.51 billion. Amcor had a return on equity of 26.49% and a net margin of 5.99%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 2.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.13 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that Amcor will post 0.74 EPS for the current fiscal year. Amcor Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 22nd were given a $0.1275 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 22nd. This represents a $0.51 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.33%. Amcors dividend payout ratio is currently 91.07%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Amcor Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of AMCR. Fiduciary Financial Group LLC grew its stake in Amcor by 33.1% during the 2nd quarter. Fiduciary Financial Group LLC now owns 32,368 shares of the companys stock worth $307,000 after purchasing an additional 8,045 shares in the last quarter. Kera Capital Partners Inc. acquired a new position in Amcor during the 2nd quarter worth $171,000. Strs Ohio acquired a new position in Amcor during the 1st quarter worth $1,697,000. Ellsworth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Amcor during the 1st quarter worth $779,000. Finally, Focus Partners Wealth grew its stake in Amcor by 11.3% during the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 43,137 shares of the companys stock worth $418,000 after purchasing an additional 4,396 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 45.14% of the companys stock. Amcor Company Profile (Get Free Report) Amcor plc develops, produces, and sells packaging products in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, and the Asia Pacific regions. The company operates through two segments, Flexibles and Rigid Packaging. The Flexibles segment provides flexible and film packaging products in the food and beverage, medical and pharmaceutical, fresh produce, snack food, personal care, and other industries. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Amcor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amcor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of National Storage Affiliates Trust (NYSE:NSA Get Free Report) have been given a consensus recommendation of Reduce by the thirteen analysts that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, seven have given a hold recommendation and one has assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $38.63. NSA has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. National Bankshares set a $33.00 target price on National Storage Affiliates Trust in a research note on Tuesday, June 24th. Truist Financial set a $37.00 target price on National Storage Affiliates Trust and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Monday, May 19th. BNP Paribas upgraded National Storage Affiliates Trust to a strong sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 24th. Barclays lowered their target price on National Storage Affiliates Trust from $42.00 to $41.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, March 12th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered National Storage Affiliates Trust from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Friday, June 27th. Get National Storage Affiliates Trust alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on National Storage Affiliates Trust Institutional Investors Weigh In On National Storage Affiliates Trust National Storage Affiliates Trust Stock Performance Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. bought a new position in National Storage Affiliates Trust during the 4th quarter worth approximately $51,081,000. Norges Bank bought a new position in National Storage Affiliates Trust during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,737,000. Nuveen LLC bought a new position in National Storage Affiliates Trust during the 1st quarter worth approximately $23,134,000. Wasatch Advisors LP lifted its holdings in National Storage Affiliates Trust by 8.2% during the 4th quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 6,679,180 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $253,208,000 after buying an additional 506,398 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new position in National Storage Affiliates Trust during the 4th quarter worth approximately $13,354,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.97% of the companys stock. Shares of NYSE:NSA opened at $32.61 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.49 billion, a PE ratio of 55.27 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.54, a current ratio of 0.22 and a quick ratio of 0.22. The business has a 50-day moving average of $34.36 and a two-hundred day moving average of $36.23. National Storage Affiliates Trust has a 12 month low of $30.88 and a 12 month high of $49.44. National Storage Affiliates Trust (NYSE:NSA Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 5th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.54 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.56 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $188.35 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $184.65 million. National Storage Affiliates Trust had a return on equity of 4.59% and a net margin of 8.59%. The businesss revenue was down 4.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.60 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that National Storage Affiliates Trust will post 2.4 earnings per share for the current year. National Storage Affiliates Trust Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 13th were paid a dividend of $0.57 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 13th. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.99%. National Storage Affiliates Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 386.44%. National Storage Affiliates Trust Company Profile (Get Free Report National Storage Affiliates Trust is a real estate investment trust headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado, focused on the ownership, operation and acquisition of self storage properties predominantly located within the top 100 metropolitan statistical areas throughout the United States. As of December 31, 2023, the Company held ownership interests in and operated 1,050 self storage properties, located in 42 states and Puerto Rico with approximately 68.6 million rentable square feet, which excludes 39 self storage properties classified as held for sale to be sold to a third party. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for National Storage Affiliates Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for National Storage Affiliates Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE:PAG Get Free Report) has earned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the six research firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, one has assigned a hold recommendation and four have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $172.00. PAG has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on Penske Automotive Group from $165.00 to $140.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Citigroup raised their target price on Penske Automotive Group from $185.00 to $195.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, May 19th. Stephens reaffirmed an equal weight rating and issued a $140.00 target price on shares of Penske Automotive Group in a report on Wednesday, June 11th. Bank of America raised their target price on Penske Automotive Group from $190.00 to $205.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, June 16th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Penske Automotive Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, April 23rd. Get Penske Automotive Group alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on PAG Penske Automotive Group Stock Performance Shares of NYSE PAG opened at $182.56 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.90. The firm has a market cap of $12.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.86, a P/E/G ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 0.91. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $166.23 and its 200-day simple moving average is $160.40. Penske Automotive Group has a 52 week low of $134.05 and a 52 week high of $183.03. Penske Automotive Group (NYSE:PAG Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 30th. The company reported $3.39 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.27 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $7.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.68 billion. Penske Automotive Group had a return on equity of 17.80% and a net margin of 3.10%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $3.21 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Penske Automotive Group will post 13.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Penske Automotive Group announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock buyback program on Wednesday, May 14th that permits the company to buyback $250.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to buy up to 2.3% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often a sign that the companys management believes its shares are undervalued. Penske Automotive Group Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 3rd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, May 27th were issued a dividend of $1.26 per share. This represents a $5.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.76%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, May 27th. This is a positive change from Penske Automotive Groups previous quarterly dividend of $1.22. Penske Automotive Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.49%. Insider Transactions at Penske Automotive Group In other news, CEO Roger S. Penske sold 77,357 shares of Penske Automotive Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.37, for a total transaction of $12,483,099.09. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 140,042 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $22,598,577.54. This trade represents a 35.58% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Shane M. Spradlin sold 3,158 shares of Penske Automotive Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $167.10, for a total value of $527,701.80. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 36,152 shares in the company, valued at $6,040,999.20. The trade was a 8.03% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 82,044 shares of company stock valued at $13,257,948. 51.70% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Trading of Penske Automotive Group Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of PAG. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Penske Automotive Group by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,004,832 shares of the companys stock worth $288,656,000 after buying an additional 5,641 shares during the period. Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Penske Automotive Group by 7.0% during the 1st quarter. Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. now owns 863,529 shares of the companys stock worth $124,331,000 after buying an additional 56,669 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Penske Automotive Group by 3.5% during the 4th quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 606,709 shares of the companys stock worth $92,487,000 after buying an additional 20,506 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Penske Automotive Group by 28.4% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 380,267 shares of the companys stock worth $54,751,000 after buying an additional 84,045 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its position in shares of Penske Automotive Group by 24.4% during the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 263,571 shares of the companys stock worth $40,179,000 after buying an additional 51,720 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.08% of the companys stock. About Penske Automotive Group (Get Free Report Penske Automotive Group, Inc, a diversified transportation services company, operates automotive and commercial truck dealerships worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Retail Automotive, Retail Commercial Truck, Other, and Non-Automotive Investments. It operates dealerships under franchise agreements with various automotive manufacturers and distributors. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Penske Automotive Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Penske Automotive Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sutton Place Investors LLC raised its position in shares of Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) by 10.6% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 8,471 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 809 shares during the quarter. Sutton Place Investors LLCs holdings in Bank of America were worth $353,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Graney & King LLC bought a new position in shares of Bank of America during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Fairway Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Bank of America during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Vega Investment Solutions bought a new position in shares of Bank of America during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of Bank of America during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Spurstone Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Bank of America during the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.71% of the companys stock. Get Bank of America alerts: Bank of America Trading Up 0.5% Shares of BAC opened at $48.94 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $44.28 and a 200 day moving average of $43.44. Bank of America Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $33.07 and a fifty-two week high of $49.31. The firm has a market cap of $368.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a current ratio of 0.79. Bank of America Dividend Announcement Bank of America ( NYSE:BAC Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 15th. The financial services provider reported $0.90 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.80 by $0.10. Bank of America had a return on equity of 10.25% and a net margin of 14.56%. The company had revenue of $27.37 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $26.83 billion. As a group, research analysts forecast that Bank of America Corporation will post 3.7 EPS for the current year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 6th were issued a dividend of $0.26 per share. This represents a $1.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.13%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 6th. Bank of Americas payout ratio is presently 30.95%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Robert W. Baird reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $52.00 target price on shares of Bank of America in a report on Friday, June 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on Bank of America from $49.50 to $43.50 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 3rd. Cowen assumed coverage on Bank of America in a report on Wednesday, May 14th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $53.00 target price on Bank of America and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, June 30th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their target price on Bank of America from $50.00 to $47.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 16th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, eighteen have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Bank of America presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $48.28. View Our Latest Analysis on Bank of America Bank of America Profile (Free Report) Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. It operates in four segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth & Investment Management (GWIM), Global Banking, and Global Markets. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BAC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Bank of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Truist Financial Corp increased its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS Free Report) by 0.3% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 208,786 shares of the investment management companys stock after buying an additional 560 shares during the quarter. Truist Financial Corp owned approximately 0.07% of The Goldman Sachs Group worth $114,058,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 2.5% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 6,584,202 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $3,761,576,000 after purchasing an additional 161,500 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 63,864.7% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 3,976,684 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $2,172,423,000 after purchasing an additional 3,970,467 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC lifted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 23.7% during the 4th quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,586,348 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $2,053,614,000 after purchasing an additional 687,711 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp lifted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 15.0% during the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 3,292,679 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,885,454,000 after purchasing an additional 428,502 shares during the last quarter. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in The Goldman Sachs Group during the 1st quarter valued at $1,766,238,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.21% of the companys stock. Get The Goldman Sachs Group alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms have weighed in on GS. Citigroup lowered their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $585.00 to $550.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 24th. Oppenheimer cut The Goldman Sachs Group from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 19th. Wall Street Zen cut The Goldman Sachs Group from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Saturday, June 14th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $680.00 to $650.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 15th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $625.00 to $614.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $603.73. Insiders Place Their Bets In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, Director John B. Hess purchased 3,904 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 15th. The shares were bought at an average price of $511.68 per share, for a total transaction of $1,997,598.72. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 3,904 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,997,598.72. This trade represents a increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.55% of the stock is owned by company insiders. The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Performance NYSE:GS opened at $725.05 on Friday. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $617.08 and its 200 day simple moving average is $591.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $222.47 billion, a PE ratio of 16.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a quick ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.41. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $437.37 and a twelve month high of $726.00. The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, April 14th. The investment management company reported $14.12 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $12.57 by $1.55. The business had revenue of $15.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.99 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a return on equity of 13.76% and a net margin of 11.86%. During the same period last year, the firm posted $11.58 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 47.12 EPS for the current fiscal year. The Goldman Sachs Group Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 27th. Investors of record on Friday, May 30th were paid a $3.00 dividend. This represents a $12.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.66%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 30th. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.85%. The Goldman Sachs Group Company Profile (Free Report) The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in financing under securities to resale agreements. See Also Receive News & Ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Vale S.A. (NYSE:VALE Free Report) by 5.7% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 37,339 shares of the basic materials companys stock after buying an additional 1,997 shares during the period. Checchi Capital Advisers LLCs holdings in Vale were worth $373,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Golden State Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Vale by 193.0% during the 1st quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,119 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 2,713 shares in the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc increased its stake in Vale by 206.4% during the 4th quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 2,877 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 1,938 shares during the period. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Vale by 20.4% during the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC now owns 15,954 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $159,000 after buying an additional 2,707 shares during the period. US Bancorp DE increased its stake in Vale by 164.5% during the 4th quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 148,857 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $1,320,000 after buying an additional 92,570 shares during the period. Finally, Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. purchased a new stake in Vale during the 1st quarter worth $228,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 21.85% of the companys stock. Get Vale alerts: Vale Price Performance Shares of VALE stock opened at $10.25 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $46.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.43, a P/E/G ratio of 0.33 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a current ratio of 1.11 and a quick ratio of 0.74. Vale S.A. has a 1-year low of $8.06 and a 1-year high of $12.05. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $9.53 and a two-hundred day moving average of $9.39. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Vale ( NYSE:VALE Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 24th. The basic materials company reported $0.35 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.37 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $8.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.39 billion. Vale had a return on equity of 17.65% and a net margin of 15.54%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Vale S.A. will post 1.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Several research firms recently issued reports on VALE. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Vale from $12.75 to $13.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday. CICC Research began coverage on shares of Vale in a research note on Monday, May 12th. They set an outperform rating and a $11.30 price target on the stock. UBS Group dropped their price target on shares of Vale from $10.50 to $9.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 28th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and set a $11.00 price target (down previously from $12.00) on shares of Vale in a research note on Thursday, April 17th. Finally, Bank of America raised shares of Vale from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $11.00 to $11.50 in a research note on Thursday, April 10th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $11.79. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Vale Vale Profile (Free Report) Vale SA, together with its subsidiaries, produces and sells iron ore and iron ore pellets for use as raw materials in steelmaking in Brazil and internationally. The company operates through Iron Solutions and Energy Transition Materials segments. The Iron Solutions segment produces and extracts iron ore and pellets, manganese, and other ferrous products; and provides related logistic services. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VALE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vale S.A. (NYSE:VALE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Vale Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vale and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. World Investment Advisors raised its stake in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report) by 8.7% in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 70,621 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 5,636 shares during the quarter. World Investment Advisors holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $11,210,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Truist Financial Corp grew its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 3.2% in the first quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 2,385,017 shares of the companys stock valued at $378,574,000 after acquiring an additional 74,753 shares in the last quarter. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC boosted its position in Philip Morris International by 6.5% in the first quarter. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 20,853 shares of the companys stock worth $3,310,000 after purchasing an additional 1,273 shares during the last quarter. Morris Financial Concepts Inc. bought a new position in Philip Morris International in the 1st quarter valued at $244,000. Strategic Blueprint LLC increased its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 4.5% during the 1st quarter. Strategic Blueprint LLC now owns 8,110 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,287,000 after purchasing an additional 347 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Huntleigh Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 4.9% during the 1st quarter. Huntleigh Advisors Inc. now owns 2,637 shares of the companys stock valued at $418,000 after purchasing an additional 124 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 78.63% of the companys stock. Get Philip Morris International alerts: Philip Morris International Price Performance Shares of PM stock opened at $179.00 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $278.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.91, a PEG ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 0.51. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $177.14 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $154.59. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 1 year low of $100.80 and a 1 year high of $186.69. Philip Morris International Announces Dividend Philip Morris International ( NYSE:PM Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 23rd. The company reported $1.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.61 by $0.08. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 122.40% and a net margin of 8.43%. The company had revenue of $9.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.10 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.50 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 7.14 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, July 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 27th will be given a $1.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 27th. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.02%. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 111.34%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages recently weighed in on PM. Bank of America boosted their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $182.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, June 4th. UBS Group upgraded shares of Philip Morris International from a sell rating to a neutral rating and boosted their target price for the company from $130.00 to $170.00 in a research note on Friday, April 25th. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $163.00 to $180.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 16th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $168.00 to $186.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Finally, Argus upgraded Philip Morris International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, March 14th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $176.80. View Our Latest Research Report on Philip Morris International Philip Morris International Profile (Free Report) Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Philip Morris International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Philip Morris International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. About the series This periodic feature spotlights unique properties in Colorado. Know of a house that stands out from the rest? Email kelly.hayes@gazette.com. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Safeway and the union representing grocery workers have reached a deal and plans were afoot to dismantle the picket lines on Saturday. "The strike is over," declared the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7R, the union that is bargaining on behalf of Safeway and Albertsons workers in Colorado. The workers are expected to return to work beginning on Monday, according to the union. The development ended the three-week strike that affected more than 40 stores across the state after both sides tentatively reached agreement on dozens of points, the union said. The union said they included "fully funded" healthcare benefits, including "improved" dental coverage, a doubling of lens allowance and an increase in life insurance. The two sides also agreed to make not cuts to retiree health benefits and provide a "longevity" bonus to all workers with a year of seniority. The two sides will also embark on a "test-and-learn trial" to study "meaningful" staffing improvements at stores. The agreement included expanded vacation cash out and "no giveaways of bargaining unit work to gig companies." Finally, Safeway agreed to terminate all temporary workers and guarantee the positions of workers returning from the picket. In its third week, dozens of stores across Colorado joined the grocery workers union in the strike against Safeway and Albertsons. It outlasted the strike against King Soopers in February, when workers across North Colorado and the metro Denver area walked out for 12 days until a temporary peace agreement was established. While the earlier strike hit Valentines Day and Super Bowl Sunday some of a grocery stores most lucrative days in a slower month the strike against Safeway was set to affect the July 4th holiday weekend. Featured Local Savings The union had been amping up its strike by adding several stores a day to join the picketing, instead of calling all stores at once to join in like it did with King Soopers. The strike affected stores from Denver to Estes Park, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Fort Morgan, Pueblo and Grand Junction. In the El Paso County area, the stores included Safeway locations on North Circle and Village Center drives in Colorado Springs, Highway 105 in Monument and Mesa Ridge Parkway in Fountain. It was spurred after more than nine months of negotiations failed to establish new contracts. After failing to reach a resolution over issues, such as addressing overstaffing and employee benefits, a majority of union workers in parts of the state, including the metro Denver area, voted to authorize a strike. Last month, union leaders said it made significant conceptual progress on several items but not on important economic issues, such as health care and wages. In a statement, a Safeway spokesperson said the grocer was committed to engaging in good-faith discussions to reach a new agreement adding it hopes an agreement would be made soon. We have put forward a strong offer that includes meaningful wage increases, continued investment in secure healthcare coverage, and the long-term stability of the pension plan, reflecting both the dedication of our associates and the real economic conditions facing our industry, the spokesperson said. We remain willing to return to the bargaining table and reach a responsible agreement that benefits everyone. Safeway had hired a pool of temporary workers to cover shifts of striking workers starting at $22 an hour. Reporters Benadette Berdychowski and Luige del Puerto contributed to this article. Trinamul Congress leadership has come down heavily on the Odisha government for not releasing the migrant workers though the documents proving identity with proper authentication have been submitted to the government. The leadership questioned the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister to show whether besides aadhar and voters identity card there are any other proof of identity. Advertisement The leadership further alleged that many workers from Cooch Behar, having passports, had not yet been released. Advertisement The leaders said thousands of workers from Odisha are working in Bengal in various capacities and they have never been harassed or their identity questioned. The state government treats them equally without any discrimination. Chief secretary Manoj Pant today wrote a letter to his counterpart in Odisha to put an end to the harassment of migrant workers, speaking in Bengali, though they had shown their Aadhaar and EPIC cards. But the Odisha government refused to accept them and asked the workers that they should be authenticated by the district magistrate and superintendent of police. The documents properly authenticated have been submitted to the Odisha government but still the migrant workers have not been released. It is further alleged that the migrant workers have been illegally detained without producing them before the court. It may be mentioned that chief minister Mamata Banerjee has already written a letter to the Union home minister Amit Shah and alleged that many migrant workers have been detained by different state governments for speaking in Bengali as they considered them to be Bangladeshis. After a gap of 10 days since 25 June South Calcutta Law College at Kasba will resume classes and other academic activities on and from 7 July. All classes in the South Calcutta Law College were virtually suspended for an indefinite period following the alleged incident of a gang-rape of a first-year law student by three persons, including the prime accused Manojit Mishra. Advertisement The governing body headed by Ashok Deb, Trinamul Congress MLA from Budge Budge in South 24-Parganas district, issued a notice on Sunday and officially suspended all classes for both undergraduate and post-graduate courses for an indefinite period. Advertisement The authorities had also announced that the college premises would remain closed for all students until further notice as decided by the governing body. The state education minister Bratya Basu had also expressed his displeasure after the college authorities decided to shut the college campus, suspending all classes. On Thursday, the Calcutta High Court directed the college authorities to resume classes from Monday for the sake of students in the law college. The court directed the government to issue an order to shut down all student union rooms in colleges and universities across the state until student body elections are held. A division Bench of Justice Somen Sen and Justice Smita Das directed the higher education department in the state to issue notices to all colleges and universities. The court directed that these rooms should be locked and cannot be used for any kind of recreational activities. If there is any urgent need, a formal application with valid reasons must be submitted in writing to the university registrar, the division Bench further ordered. According to the legal wing of the college, lawyer Sayan Banerjee filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the HC requesting it to shut student union rooms in all government-aided colleges and universities at the backdrop against the incident of the gang-rape of the first-year law student at the law college. There was also an appeal to the court requesting it to direct the law college authorities to resume classes as usual there at the Kasba campus. The legal wing said that the college will reopen on and from 7 July but the union room and guard room would remain shut as per the court order. Colorado Springs firefighters on Friday helped free a man who was buried up to his waist in a trench on Badenoch Terrace on the city's northeast side, according to a social media post from the Fire Department. The man was conscious and breathing, and medics took him to a hospital for evaluation, according to the post. Colorado Springs Utilities assisted with the rescue. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has approved the construction of a new parallel double-lane bypass roadNH-419connecting Jharkhand and West Bengal. The 65.3-kilometre road will stretch from Chowringhee More in Kulti, West Burdwan district, to Mihijam in Dhanbad district, Jharkhand, and will link NH-19 at both ends. Currently, the six-laning of national highway 19 (formerly NH-2) is underway, expanding the existing four-lane Golden Quadrilateral highwayan ambitious project initiated by late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to connect Indias four metro cities with high-speed corridors. Advertisement The NH-19 spans 1,453 kilometres between New Delhi and Kolkata and is regarded as the gateway to the east. With an annual vehicular growth rate exceeding 12 per cent, traffic congestionespecially at inter-state bordershas become a significant issue, often resulting in long queues. Advertisement To mitigate this bottleneck, the NHAI has proposed NH-419, a spur road of NH-19. Of the total 65.3 kilometres, 56.7 kilometres will fall within Jharkhand, and 8.6 kilometres within West Bengal. The cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has already approved the Rs.145 crore NH-419 project from Kulti (West Bengal) to Govindpur (Jharkhand). Though the project has been awarded to a contractor for the GolpahariPokria More stretch in Jharkhand (39.19 km), land acquisition has only recently begun in the office of the Rupnarayanpur BDO in West Burdwan district. Dr Ajoy Poddar, MLA of Kulti, stated that the projectunder the central governments Bharatmala Pariyojanawill be a game-changer for the BengalJharkhand border, particularly in the AsansolDhanbad region. Not only will it help avoid the chronic traffic congestion on both sides of the border, but it will also unlock new developmental opportunities along the upcoming double-lane corridor, he said. According to NHAI officials, the project will bring both tangible benefits (such as escalation of land prices) and intangible benefits (such as lifestyle improvements). The proposed highway is also expected to boost the local tourism circuit by providing smoother access to destinations like Kalyaneshwari Temple, Maithon Dam, the heritage Begunia Temple, Ghagarburi Temple, Chandrachur Temple, Joychandi Hills, and others. Two men affiliated with the notorious Himanshu Bhau gang were arrested by the Delhi Police following an encounter in Narela, officials said on Saturday. The arrested individuals, identified as Bhumit Malik and Mohit Vashisht, were wanted in connection with a murder case in Rohtak, Haryana, and are suspected to be involved in a series of targeted killings and extortion activities. Advertisement Amit Kaushik, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), said, Acting on a tip-off, a Special Cell team laid a strategic trap and intercepted the duo, who were riding a stolen motorcycle. Advertisement When signalled to stop, the suspects attempted to flee and opened fire on the police team, prompting retaliatory action. Both sustained gunshot wounds to their legs and were taken to a hospital for treatment, the officer added. Police recovered a pistol, a revolver, four live cartridges, and the stolen motorcycle from their possession. According to police, the accused were allegedly involved in the murder of Anil, a relative of Ankit, who had earlier killed Rohit, cousin of Himanshu Bhau, and Bhaus uncle in March 2022. The murder was reportedly ordered by Bhau as part of an ongoing gang rivalry. Further investigation is underway, and more details about the gangs operations are expected to emerge, the DCP said. Police records show that Bhumit Malik, 21, a resident of Mokhra village in Rohtak, has six prior FIRs against him under charges including the Arms Act, attempted murder, and murder. Meanwhile, Mohit Vashisht, 24, hailing from Marodhi in Rohtak, has a criminal background involving theft and robbery, with seven FIRs registered against him. Paying tribute to Swami Vivekananda at a commemorative event on Saturday, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta asserted that his ideals continue to inspire national consciousness. Gupta added that he was not merely a spiritual icon, but a pioneer of Indias cultural renaissance who inspired generations of youth towards self-reliance, confidence, and dedicated service to the nation. Advertisement At a time when we are focused on building an Atma Nirbhar Bharat, empowering our youth, and asserting Indias role on the global stage, Swami Vivekanandas thoughts guide us back to the core values of inner strength, patriotism, and universal humanism, he said. Advertisement Gupta further mentioned that Swami Vivekanandas teachings are not just a legacy of the past, but a guiding force for the present and the future. In todays times, when the youth face numerous social, moral, and ideological challenges, Vivekanandas thoughts not only instill inner strength and self-confidence, but also inspire them to embrace values such as patriotism, service, and leadership in their lives, he added. In his vision, the youth should not only be physically strong but also morally resolute and intellectually awakened to a need deeply relevant to todays society, Gupta stated. Moreover, the Speaker urged the youth to embrace the ideals of Swami Vivekananda in their lives and actively contribute towards building an inclusive, empowered, and self-reliant India. Three air-conditioner (AC) mechanics were found dead, while another was in an unconscious state inside their locked apartment in Dakshinpuri near South Delhis Ambedkar Nagar, the Delhi Police said on Saturday. The unconscious man is undergoing medical treatment in a government hospital, a senior officer said. Advertisement All four were AC mechanics by profession and aged between 20 and 25, the officer said. Advertisement Police ruled out any foul play and suspect suffocation as the cause of the deaths. However, what led to the suffocation is also not clear, he added. According to the officer, a resident of Bhalswa Dairy in outer Delhi, Zishan, informed the police about the incident after his brother, Imran, stopped responding to his calls. With this information, a team reached Dakshinpuri House, where Imran resided as a tenant in a room on the first floor with three others, the officer added. He further said, The house was locked from inside. The door was broken open, and Imran was found lying unconscious with Mohsin, Haseeb (undergoing treatment), and an unidentified person inside the room. They were immediately taken to Ambedkar Hospital, from where they were shifted to AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital. Three were declared brought dead by the attending doctors, while the fourth is undergoing treatment, the officer said. As part of the investigation, statements of neighbours and other residents are being recorded, and a further probe has been initiated to ascertain the exact cause of death, the police said. Moreover, a case has been registered, and further investigation is underway, the officer stated. Susmita Sengupta is a senior programme manager with the Water Programme at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based environmental research and advocacy group. A geologist by training, she brings over 20 years of experience in water management and sanitation, having advised key ministries and non-profits in India and abroad. Her policy expertise has shaped major national initiatives, including the Jal Jeevan Mission and the National Mission for Clean Ganga. In an email interview with The Statesmans Muskan Bhatia, Sengupta discussed Yamuna pollution, the shortcomings in current clean-up efforts, and what it will take to revive the river in Delhi. Advertisement Q. Is the Yamuna clean before it enters Delhi? What changes once it flows into the city? Advertisement A. The river has life at the time it enters Delhi at Palla and Wazirabad, but by the time it reaches the next monitoring station at ISBT, it is effectively dead. This analogy draws from a key physical parameter dissolved oxygen (DO) which determines whether a water body can support aquatic life or not. When DO levels are sufficient, the river can sustain plants, fish, and other organisms, symbolizing that the river is alive. Conversely, when DO levels drop too low to support these forms of life, the river is considered dead. To assess pollution levels in the Yamuna within Delhi, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) monitors eight key points, from where the river enters the city at Palla to where it exits near the Okhla Barrage. DPCCs data shows that dissolved oxygen levels at Palla and Wazirabad meet the acceptable standard of 5 mg/litre; below this, the water is unfit for bathing purposes. But by the time the river reaches ISBT, DO levels fall to zero; in other words, the river is now officially without life. Pollution levels in the Delhi stretch of the Yamuna remain a major concern. Although only 22 km of the river flows through the city, this segment contributes nearly 80 per cent of the total pollution load. The situation remains dire even during the monsoon when pollution levels typically improve yet last year, DPCC reported nil DO levels. The trend has shown little improvement. As of last month, DO levels at Palla where the river enters Delhi stood at 9.8 mg/litre, well above the acceptable standard. However, midstream and downstream sections continue to report zero DO, despite sewage treatment plants (STPs) operating at nearly 100 per cent capacity. Q. What are the main sources of pollution in the Yamuna within Delhi? Where do they come from? A. The primary source of pollution in Delhis stretch of the Yamuna is domestic sewage. While industrial waste does play a role in degrading the rivers health, the scale of untreated human waste entering the river is far greater. According to the 2019 Action Plan by the River Rejuvenation Committee for the Yamuna, nearly 50 per cent of Delhis population still lives in areas without access to a proper sewage network. In these neighbourhoods, there is no system in place to intercept or treat waste. The untreated waste flows directly into open drains, which eventually empty into the Yamuna. This problem is reflected in key pollution indicators monitored by government agencies. One of them, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) measures the amount of oxygen required to break down organic matter such as sewage. Ideally, BOD levels should be below 3 mg/litre, but recent data has shown levels 40 to 50 times higher, a sign of severe organic pollution. Faecal Coliform (FC) counts, which reveal the extent of bacterial contamination from human and animal waste, are also alarmingly high. During dry spells, some downstream locations have recorded over 2 lakh colony-forming units per 100 millilitre, far exceeding safe limits. Q. Despite crores of rupees spent in recent years, the Yamuna remains polluted. Why havent these efforts worked? A. The current strategy under the Yamuna Action Plan focuses on multiple fronts to tackle the pollution in the river. These include constructing more STPs to intercept and treat domestic wastewater, improving the quality of treatment to ensure cleaner discharge into the river, and building interceptor sewers to tap existing drains and prevent the mixing of sewage with stormwater drains that carry rainwater and urban runoff. The plan also involves laying sewage pipelines in unauthorised colonies and ensuring that industrial waste is treated at designated common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) before discharge. While these are commendable steps in the right direction, there are some gaps that remain, leaving the river still heavily polluted. Our analysis has shown that estimates of 100 per cent wastewater treatment in Delhi may be misleading as there is no reliable estimate of total wastewater generation. As a rule of thumb, about 80 per cent of the total water used turns into wastewater. However, accurately estimating Delhis wastewater generation remains a challenge due to major data gaps. Population figures a key factor in calculating wastewater are unavailable, and estimates based on water supply are unreliable. Nearly 40- 50 per cent of the citys water is lost in distribution, yet this unaccounted loss is still reflected in official wastewater estimates. To bridge the gap between supply and demand, many areas rely on water tankers, which also remain outside official records. Adding to the inaccuracy, millions of residents live in unauthorised colonies without proper sewage connections. In these areas, waste is often collected through septic tanks and desludging tankers, which frequently discharge untreated waste directly into drains or the Yamuna. Additionally, sewage from unauthorised and informal settlements often goes unaccounted for since it isnt officially intercepted. Q. What, in your view, needs to change in how we are approaching Yamuna cleaning? A. CSEs action agenda for cleaning the Yamuna in Delhi highlights the urgent need to prioritise faecal sludge management the safe collection, transport, treatment, and disposal of sewage waste from areas not connected to the citys central sewer network. This is especially critical given that, according to the 2019 River Rejuvenation Committee report, nearly 50 per cent of Delhis population lives in settlements without proper sewage infrastructure. In such areas, waste is typically collected in septic tanks or holding tanks, and often ends up being emptied by private desludging operators into drains or water bodies without treatment. While the current Yamuna Action Plan includes provisions for faecal sludge management, it remains a low priority in implementation. As of February 2025, only 160 private desludging vehicles were officially registered in Delhi and are being tracked by Delhi Jal Board officials. However, many more such trucks operate across the city without any formal registration, tracking, or regulation, leaving the final disposal site of the collected sludge unknown. This lack of oversight raises serious concerns about illegal dumping and river pollution. Even more concerning, only 1 per cent of the wastewater classified as faecal sludge was actually treated. CSE has called for immediate steps to scale up efforts, including registering and tracking desludging vehicles using GPS, ensuring the waste reaches authorised treatment plants, and promoting the safe reuse of treated sludge, such as for agriculture or landscaping, wherever feasible. Additionally, the mixing of treated and untreated wastewater must be prevented. Since many STPs are located far from the river, their treated effluent is discharged into nearby drains, which often also carry untreated sewage from unsewered areas, defeating the purpose of treatment. Thus, the river stays polluted. We recommend prioritising the reuse of treated wastewater, particularly for horticulture and agriculture, instead of releasing it into drains where it mixes with untreated sewage. Currently, only 10-14 per cent of treated wastewater is reused in Delhi, highlighting a missed opportunity. Each STP must have a clear plan not only for treatment but also for safe discharge and reuse. To make this effective, CSE suggests that stringent discharge standards should apply only when treated water is released directly into the river. For land-based reuse, where treated wastewater can help improve soil fertility, the standards can be tailored accordingly. At least 36 Amarnath pilgrims were injured on Saturday when a bus hit four other parked vehicles of the Yatra convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar highway near Ramban. The accident occurred near Chanderkot along the Jammu-Srinagar Highway at around 8 am due to brake failure in one of the buses, officials said. The convoy of pilgrims had stopped for breakfast when the last bus rammed into four parked buses. Advertisement According to the officials, all pilgrims were safe but sustained minor injuries. The incident took place when five buses bound for Pahalgam collided with each other at Chanderkot in Jammu and Kashmirs Ramban district. Advertisement Alternate buses were arranged for the pilgrims to continue their onward journey to the Pahalgam base camp. The injured pilgrims were rushed to the local hospital, where Ramban Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Alyas Khan monitored their treatment. The DC said, The last vehicle of the Pahalgam convoy lost control and hit stranded vehicles at the Chanderkot Langer site, damaging four vehicles and causing minor injuries to 36 Yatris. The District Administration, already present at the site, immediately shifted the injured to the District Hospital Ramban. Ramban DC Mohammad Alyas Khan, DIG DKR Shridhar Patil, Ramban SSP Kulbir Singh, and ADC Varunjeet Singh Charak rushed to the hospital, monitored the treatment, and directed the CMO to ensure the best possible care. The Yatris were later shifted to other vehicles for their onward journey. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has issued directives on pilgrims safety. He spoke to Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, and Mohammad Alyas Khan, Deputy Commissioner Ramban, to provide all necessary assistance to the injured pilgrims. He asked the senior officials to remain on alert and ensure all necessary arrangements for a hassle-free journey of the pilgrims. The Lieutenant Governor applauded the swift response of the district administration and health officials. The LG said, There was a minor accident at Chanderkot when a Pahalgam-bound vehicle collided with other stationary vehicles due to brake failure. Thirty-six pilgrims received minor injuries. They were discharged after preliminary treatment and are now on their way to the holy cave. The Lieutenant Governor said, By the blessings of Lord Shiva, all the devotees are safe. Our priority is the safety of all pilgrims. Directed the officials concerned to implement comprehensive safety measures for vehicles of pilgrims undertaking Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra and ensure safety checks at all key locations and uninterrupted availability of food and medicines along the Yatra route. A 55 years old British tourist, Harry Dominic Whitehead was in a swift operation rescued by the Kargil Police from the Parkachik Glacier where he skidded into a gorge, the Police said on Saturday. Police said that Harry was visiting the Parkachik Glacier in Kargil where he met with an accident after falling into a gorge. He made a distress call to the ERSS helpline number 112. Upon receiving the call, the ERSS operator promptly relayed the information to the Police Control Room at Kargil, which further directed it to Police Station Panikhar. Advertisement A police team from the police station Panikhar immediately swung into action and, with the assistance of volunteers from Farool Parkachik, successfully traced and rescued the injured tourist after a strenuous effort. Advertisement The rescued tourist expressed his gratitude and appreciated the Ladakh Police for their swift and effective response, which played a crucial role in saving his life. Harry expressed heartfelt appreciation for the prompt action and efficiency of the Indian emergency system. After being rescued, the British tourist said These people, the police and the volunteers, were amazing. I really thought I was in serious danger, but the way they responded made me feel safe. I am satisfied with 112 no issues at all, he added. The visa of Harry is expiring on 10 July, police added. It is worth mentioning that the Ladakh Police, in both Leh and Kargil districts, under the guidance of the DGP Ladakh, SD Singh Jamwal, has in the recent past undertaken several operations to rescue domestic and foreign tourists trapped in snow at different places. The weather in Ladakh, particularly during the winters remains unpredictable and tourists get caught in heavy snowfall as a result of which their vehicles get struck in snow in remote locations. However, the Ladakh Police have come to their rescue even during inhospitable climatic conditions. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has endorsed the global campaign Silence for Gaza, urging people to switch off their mobile phones daily from 9 pm to 9:30 pm (local time) as a symbolic act of solidarity with the people of Palestine. In a Politburo statement, the CPI(M) condemned what it described as a brutal, genocidal assault unleashed by Israel and called for collective global action against war crimes in Gaza. The party emphasized the need to expose and hold accountable multinational corporations allegedly complicit in the offensive. Advertisement Quoting from a recently released UN report titled *From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide*, the CPI(M) said the role of these corporations in enabling and profiting from the conflict must be publicly scrutinized. Advertisement The sinister role of these corporations must be exposed, and they must be held accountable to the people, the party said. The CPI(M) also highlighted the role of surveillance capitalism, accusing corporations of profiting from users digital footprints while allegedly facilitating atrocities. These corporations feed off our digital footprints, even as they enable genocide. Shutting off our mobile phones for half an hour each day is a small but powerful act of digital disruptiona strike against the surveillance capitalism that bankrolls Israels genocide and apartheid, the statement read. Urging nationwide participation, the party appealed to people to refrain from using social mediaby not posting, liking, or commentingduring the designated half-hour protest. In joining the global Silence for Gaza campaign, the CPI(M) stands with the Palestinian people. Let this collective silence be a defiant refusal to be complicit and a powerful assertion that voices against war crimes will not be silenced, the statement concluded. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar has expressed confidence that strategic partnership between India and US will deepen for the benefit of the people of the two countries. Jaishankar on Friday extended warm greetings to US State Secretary Marco Rubio, the Government and people of the United States on the occasion of their Independence Day. Advertisement The External Affairs Minister expressed confidence in the continued strengthening of the India-US strategic partnership, rooted in shared democratic values and common interests. Advertisement In a post on X, the External Affairs Minister said, Warm wishes to SecRubio, the Government and the people of the USA on their Independence Day. Confident that our strategic partnership, anchored in shared values and common interests, will deepen for the benefit of our peoples. Independence Day in America marks the date back in 1776 when Americans broke away from being ruled by the British, who had been on the continent since the 16th Century. The holiday remembers the day in 1776 when the 13 American colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming citizens right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Jaishankar met Rubio on July 2 while participating in the QUAD Foreign Ministers Meeting in Washington and discussed the bilateral partnership between the two countries in the fields of security, critical technologies, connectivity, energy and mobility. This year, US President Donald Trump signed the Big Beautiful Bill into law, during a military family picnic at the White House on US Independence Day. The administration had aimed to have the legislation finalized by July 4, The Hill reported. We made promises, and its really promises made, promises kept, and weve kept them, Trump said from the balcony overlooking the South Lawn. This is a triumph of democracy on the birthday of democracy. And I have to say, the people are happy. The signing ceremony was attended by First Lady Melania Trump, members of the Cabinet, and several Republican lawmakers, including Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, and Rep. Jason Smith, The Hill reported. One Big Beautiful Bill was passed with a final vote of 218-214 in the House of Representatives on Thursday, with two Republicans, Representative Thomas Massie and Brian Fitzpatrick, voting against it, The Hill reported. The murder of prominent businessman and BJP leader Gopal Khemka in Patna has triggered a political storm in Bihar, with the Opposition blaming the Nitish Kumar-BJP government for complete collapse of law and order in the state where Assembly polls are due in a few months. Khemka was shot in the head at point-blank range outside his residence in central Patna late Friday night. He died at the scene despite being rushed to a nearby hospital. His murder has sent shockwaves throughout Bihar. Advertisement Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a meeting with the DGP and ADG Headquarters on Saturday and said that maintaining law and order is the governments top priority. He also asserted that those involved in the killing of Khemka will notbe spared. Advertisement Later, a large-scale raid was carried out at Beur Jail in Patna. Sources said that the raid stemmed from new leads in the Khemka murder case, raising suspicions that the murder was planned inside the jail or involved incarcerated individuals. A surge in crime in Bihar ahead of the elections has caused serious concern for the government as controlling crime and criminals remains a major challenge for the police. The back-to-back killings three people in Siwan followed by the murder of Gopal Khemka in Patna have provided fresh ammunition to opposition leaders for renewed offensive against the government. Criticising the Bihar government, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav said that a prominent businessman was gunned down in Patna, just steps from the police station, yet it cant be called Jungle Raj. In a post on X, the RJD leader said: In Patna, a wealthy Bihar businessman was shot and killed a short distance from the police station. Hundreds of businessmen are murdered in Bihar every month, yet its not called Jungle Raj? Apparently, this is now cleverly disguised as media management, perception management, and image management. Congress leader Dr Akhilesh Prasad Singh said daily murders in most of Bihars districts are met with apparent government inaction, leaving the states citizens feeling abandoned. He added: Whenever Nitish Kumar and BJP form an alliance in Bihar, crimes like murder and rape increase in the state. Today, minor girls are being raped continuously, policemen are being killed. In Patna alone, 116 murders and 41 rape incidents have taken place this year. Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor slammed the state government and compared the current situation under Nitish Kumar to Lalu Prasad Yadavs reign, saying both are marked by lawlessness criminals then, officials now. He insisted theres no difference in the amount of crime and corruption. He said: The governments credibility is shot. The Khemka murder has sparked criticism of Nitish-governments handling of law and order, not just from the opposition but also from its own coalition partners, whove voiced concerns about Patnas rising crime rate. BJP National Secretary Rituraj Sinha said that Gopal Khemkas death has heightened anxieties about the safety of industrialists in Patna and across Bihar. He said: Gopal Khemkas assassination, right under the noses of the police and authorities, shows how brazen organised crime has become in Patna. The police are clearly powerless, and the situation is so bad we cant even defend the government anymore. Earlier, Chirag Paswans Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) also questioned the governments law and order and called for the swift arrest of those responsible for Gopal Khemkas murder. A man with a gun was shot and killed by officers in downtown Colorado Springs early Saturday, according to police. Just after 1:30 a.m., when nightclubs were beginning to let out, officers received a call for service regarding a possible disturbance involving a man displaying a gun on the 100 block of East Pikes Peak Avenue, near Tejon Street. Officers who were monitoring downtown cameras at the time identified a man matching the description and saw that he appeared to have a gun. When officers arrived at the scene and attempted to contact the suspect, he reportedly turned and ran while reaching for his waistband, according to police. That prompted one officer to fire at least one shot, striking the man, police said. The suspect received medical aid from officers, but died at the scene. Officers found a gun at the scene; no other injuries were reported in the incident, police said. In accordance with state law, the El Paso County Sheriffs Office will lead the investigation into the officer-involved shooting. Anyone who witnessed this incident or has any information regarding it, should contact the Colorado Springs Police Department at 719-444-7000. Once hailed as a cradle of excellence in public education, Netarhat Residential School the pride of Jharkhands academic legacy now finds itself in crisis. For the first time in its distinguished history, five students from the institution have failed the CBSE board examinations this year, prompting serious concern and immediate intervention by the state government. Advertisement At a general body meeting of the Netarhat School Committee held in Ranchi, chaired by Education Minister Ramdas Soren, the deteriorating academic performance of the iconic institution was discussed at length. The minister termed the development unfortunate and serious, ordering the formation of a five-member inquiry committee comprising alumni to examine the causes behind the slide. Advertisement Four Class 12 students and one from Class 10 failed their board examinations a first for this elite school, long renowned for producing IAS and IPS officers, scientists, and leaders across sectors. Yet the decline, officials noted, has been gradual and visible. Netarhats academic performance has been steadily falling since 2010, said the minister, adding that this years result merely underscores a broader trend of eroding standards and waning public confidence. There was a time when over 35,000 students applied for admission to Netarhat. Today, that number has fallen to barely 1,200, Soren observed. This is a reflection of declining faith in the institution. Among the chief concerns raised in the meeting was an acute faculty shortage. Of the 42 sanctioned teaching posts, only 18 are currently filled. The minister directed urgent remedial steps including short-term appointments of retired teachers and alumni volunteers. Applications for these roles will be invited via an online portal, with selected individuals receiving honorariums and travel support. The inquiry panel has been asked to stay on campus for a week to evaluate academic routines, student performance, and institutional practices. The schools distinct ashram-style residential learning model is also under scrutiny, with instructions issued for its stricter implementation. Other key decisions include using District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT) funds to upgrade infrastructure and restore basic amenities. The district administration has also been tasked with resolving land encroachment issues that have hampered the schools operations. Soren emphasized that, based on the committees findings, existing governance rules may be amended. Teachers deemed responsible for the poor academic output may be served showcause notices. A revised academic calendar ensuring a minimum of 245 teaching days has also been proposed. Founded to transform rural talent into national leadership, Netarhat School has stood as a symbol of merit, discipline, and egalitarian excellence for generations. Its alumni have served the nation with distinction. The current downturn, therefore, is not merely an institutional issue it reflects deeper fissures in the states public education framework. Whether the governments new corrective measures will succeed in restoring Netarhat to its former stature remains to be seen. But as Minister Soren cautioned, Identifying and correcting flaws in our education system is no longer optional it is essential if Netarhat is to remain what it once was: a beacon of excellence. Nehal Modi, brother of fugitive economic offender Nirav Modi, has been apprehended by the authorities in the United States after an extradition request by the central agencies here. The extradition request was submitted by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Advertisement According to sources, Indian authorities were informed by the concerned authorities of the US, that Nehal Modi was apprehended on Friday. Advertisement The extradition proceedings are based on money laundering and criminal conspiracy, while he is wanted in India with regard to connection in Punjab National Bank fraud case. As per the probe findings so far by the federal agencies, Modi allegedly had a key role in laundering proceeds of crime on behalf of Nirav Modi, who is also facing extradition from the United Kingdom. Allegations include that he assisted in concealing and transferring large amounts of illicit money via shell companies, violating the countrys laws. The arrest marks a significant development in Indias efforts to bring to justice those allegedly involved in the Rs 13,000 crore bank fraud case. It is being said that he may file a bail application, during the hearing of the matter. The next date of hearing with regard to the extradition proceedings is set to be for July 17. The PNB alleged fraud is a large-scale financial scam which also involves names like Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. Earlier, in the month of May this year, a fresh bail plea filed by fugitive diamond businessman Nirav Modi against his extradition was rejected by the High Court of Justice, Kings Bench Division, United Kingdom. The bail arguments had been strongly opposed by the Crown Prosecution Service advocate, who was assisted by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team consisting of investigating and law officers who had flown to London for this purpose. Choksi, the diamond businessman who is also wanted in the case was arrested in Belgium following an extradition request from the Indian agencies in April this year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, left for Buenos Aires, Argentina, after completing his historic and productive two-day visit to Trinidad and Tobago, during which the two countries elevated their historical, civilisational and bilateral ties. Taking to social media platform X, Prime Ministers Office in a post said: PM @narendramodi concludes a productive visit to Trinidad & Tobago and departs for Buenos Aires, Argentina. Advertisement Thank you Trinidad & Tobago. The moments here will never be forgotten. Weve added new momentum to India-Trinidad & Tobago friendship. My gratitude to President Christine Carla Kangaloo, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the Government and people of this wonderful nation, PM Modi said in a post on his official X account. Advertisement Gratitude to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar for taking part in the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (a tree for Mother) movement, the Prime Minister said in another X post. India and Trinidad & Tobago understand the adverse effects of climate change and will do everything possible to make our planet greener and better, he said on X. The talks with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar covered the full range of India-Trinidad & Tobago friendship. We agreed that it is important to add further momentum to our economic partnership and focus on sectors such as disaster management, climate change and defence, PM Modi wrote on his X account. Earlier, on Friday, PM Modi was conferred with The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago by President Christine Carla Kangaloo. PM Modi will travel to Argentina, the third leg of his five-nation tour, on an official visit on July 4 and 5, at the invitation of the President of Argentina, Javier Milei. He is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with President Milei to review ongoing cooperation and discuss ways to further enhance India-Argentina partnership in key areas, including defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, and people-to-people ties, while also reaffirming a shared position against terrorism. This visit by PM Modi marks a significant diplomatic engagement between India and Argentina, the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the South American nation since Indira Gandhis visit in 1968. It also precedes the BRICS Summit in Brazil, positioning Argentina as an important stop in Indias broader outreach to Latin America and the Global South. Argentinas vast reserves of lithium, copper and shale gas have emerged as a key area of interest for India. Lithium, in particular, is essential to Indias clean energy ambitions used in batteries for electric vehicles and grid storage and Argentina is part of the Lithium Triangle along with Bolivia and Chile. Indian state-backed firm KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Ltd) has already secured rights for lithium exploration in Argentinas Catamarca province and further announcements are expected during the visit. Beyond minerals, Argentinas growing capability in LNG and its untapped shale energy resources, second-largest shale gas reserves in the world, are now drawing attention in New Delhi. With traditional suppliers in the Gulf facing volatility, the Narendra Modi government is looking to diversify its energy sources and Argentine LNG is part of that equation. Buenos Aires has indicated interest in expanding LNG exports and attracting Indian investment in upstream sectors. Bilateral trade between India and Argentina crossed $5.2 billion in 2024, with India now among Argentinas top six trading partners. While the trade basket has historically centred around edible oils, particularly soybean oil, there is growing interest in moving beyond agri-commodities. Argentina is looking to import Indian pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and IT services, while New Delhi is pushing for access to Argentinas agricultural markets for fruits, vegetables, dairy and grains. Both sides are expected to review trade imbalances and look at measures to improve two-way market access. Argentinas reform-minded President Milei, who took office in December 2023, has signalled openness to economic partnerships beyond the West. With India pushing to revive trade negotiations with MERCOSUR, Argentinas role is pivotal. The visit is also expected to expand discussions on defence collaboration. While still at an early stage, Argentina has shown interest in Indian-built defence systems, including the Tejas light combat aircraft. Talks may cover joint training, co-production and technology transfers. In addition, Indian officials have confirmed that digital public infrastructure and telemedicine are also areas where cooperation may be scaled up. Argentina is said to be keen on learning from Indias experience in rolling out large-scale digital governance platforms and affordable healthcare delivery models. Space and satellite technologies are also on the table. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Argentinas CONAE space agency have previously worked together, and both sides see this visit as a chance to formalise future collaboration, especially for low-cost satellite deployment. One of the more symbolic and politically important aspects of the visit will be a shared declaration on terrorism. Argentina was among the first countries to condemn the recent terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam area, where 26 tourists were killed. For Argentina, which faced two devastating terror attacks in the 1990s, the 1992 Israeli Embassy bombing and the 1994 AMIA Jewish Centre bombing in Buenos Aires, there is a deeply personal understanding of the threat terrorism poses to democratic societies. We understand Indias pain. Terrorism is unacceptable in any form, Argentine Ambassador to India Mariano Caucino said ahead of PM Modis visit. We must act against those who support or shelter such elements. Argentinas desire to reform Mercosur, the South American customs union, has added weight to Indias push for a deeper trade relationship with Latin America. While trade talks between India and Mercosur have been ongoing for years, PM Modis visit signals a fresh momentum. There is a common understanding that Mercosur needs to reform and connect to the world. India can be a key partner in that process, Ambassador Caucino said. During his time in Buenos Aires, PM Modi is expected to pay tribute at the statue of General Jose de San Martin, Argentinas Independence hero, and participate in ceremonial and delegation-level talks. President Milei will host a state luncheon in his honour. The visit comes just ahead of the BRICS summit in Brazil, where India is expected to push for broader engagement across the Global South. India and Argentina upgraded their ties to a Strategic Partnership in 2019. With this visit, both sides are aiming to inject fresh momentum into a relationship built on shared democratic values, mutual economic interests, and a desire for multipolarity in global affairs. Escalating his attack on the Modi government over the language issue, Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin on Saturday said the long-standing battle for linguistic rights waged by the DMK and Tamil Nadu has now transcended state borders and intensified in Maharashtra. The war for linguistic rights, which the DMK and Tamil Nadu have fought for generations, has become a hurricane in Maharashtra, Stalin said. Rattled by the growing public resistance, the BJPhaving illegally and autocratically withheld funds meant for Tamil Nadu schools to impose Hindihas had to backtrack twice in Maharashtra, where it is part of the ruling alliance. Advertisement He praised Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackerays impassioned speech against Hindi imposition during a recent victory celebration, calling it greatly encouraging. Advertisement Stalin also drew attention to pointed questions raised by MNS chief Raj Thackeray: What third language is being taught in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan? Why impose Hindi on non-Hindi-speaking, developed states when many Hindi-speaking states remain underdeveloped? Stalin argued that the Union governments singular focus on promoting Hindi and Sanskrit undermines Indias linguistic diversity. He demanded the immediate release of 2,152 crore in legitimate Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) funds for Tamil Nadu, questioning whether the Centre would do so without insisting on the backdoor imposition of Hindi through the three-language policy of the National Education Policy. Framing Tamil Nadus resistance as rooted not in emotion or hate but in logic and scientific reasoning, Stalin said, The claim that learning Hindi increases job opportunities is a myth. Many languages have perished under the weight of Hindi imposition, which is aimed at turning India into a monolingual nation. Referring to the growing discontent in Maharashtra as a sign of a broader awakening, he said, The peoples uprising in Maharashtra should open the eyes of those still parroting these misguided arguments. Stalin also accused the Modi government of a discriminatory attitude towards Tamil Nadu, citing issues such as biased financial allocations and the refusal to recognize the significance of the ancient Keeladi civilization, which he said proves the antiquity of Tamil as Indias oldest language. In a stern warning, he concluded, The BJP must atone for its betrayal. If not, Tamil Nadu, along with its allies, will ensure the party faces an unforgettable political lesson. Trinidad and Tobago has reaffirmed its full support to India for permanent membership of an expanded United Nations Security Council (UNSC), following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart Kamla Persad-Bissessar at the iconic Red House in the Port of Spain. Prime Minister Modi also announced a decision of the Government of India to issue Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards up to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora of Trinidad and Tobago. Advertisement Both the leaders reaffirmed the need for comprehensive reforms in the United Nations, including expansion of the United Nations Security Council, to better reflect current global realities. While recognizing the rising geopolitical tensions and global conflicts, both leaders called for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward. Advertisement It was also agreed that India would support Trinidad and Tobagos candidature for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the period 2027-28; while Trinidad and Tobago would support Indias candidature for the period 2028-29. Both leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. They called upon greater cooperation to deal with contemporary challenges such as climate change, disaster management, and cyber security. PM Modi also welcomed Trinidad and Tobagos decision to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Global Biofuel Alliance, reflecting their shared commitment to climate action, resilience building, and sustainable development. Prime Minister Modi expressed appreciation for Trinidad and Tobagos strong support and solidarity extended to the people of India in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. They agreed to work together for greater solidarity among the countries of the Global South and to strengthen India-CARICOM partnership. The two leaders acknowledged the common threat posed by terrorism to peace and security. They reiterated their strong condemnation of and resolute opposition to terrorism. They declared that there could be no justification for terrorism, including cross-border terrorism. During the meeting held on Friday, the two Prime Ministers held comprehensive discussions on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest. Both leaders expressed satisfaction at the depth and breadth of the relationship and reaffirmed their resolve to build a broad-based, inclusive, and forward-looking partnership in areas such as health, ICT, culture, sports, trade, economic development, agriculture, justice, legal affairs, education and skill development. A joint statement on the official visit of Prime Minister Modi to The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago was issued after the talks between the two leaders. Following the talks, six MOUs in the fields of pharmacopoeia, Quick Impact Projects, culture, sports, diplomatic training and ICCR chairs for Hindi and Indian studies were exchanged. The two leaders welcomed the signing of important agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in key sectors, including pharmaceuticals, development cooperation, academia, cultural exchange, diplomatic training and sports. The leaders recalled the outcomes of the 2nd IndiaCARICOM Summit held in November 2024 and committed to accelerating the implementation of initiatives announced therein. The leaders identified agriculture and food security as another priority area. Indias gift of agro-machinery worth USD 1 million for food processing and storage, to Trinidad and Tobagos National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO) was appreciated. Prime Minister Modi, during a symbolic ceremony, handed over the first batch of machinery for NAMDEVCO. Prime Minister Modi also offered Indias assistance in areas of natural farming, seaweed-based fertilizers, and millet cultivation. The two countries expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation in the digital domain. Prime Minister Modi congratulated Trinidad and Tobago on becoming the first Caribbean country to adopt Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Indias flagship digital payment platform. They agreed to explore further collaboration in the implementation of India Stack solutions, including DigiLocker, e-Sign, and the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). Trinidad and Tobago requested support from India in digitization and upgradation of the system for state land registration. The leaders also underlined that digital governance and public service delivery can act as enablers of inclusive development, innovation and national competitiveness. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray came together at a mega joint rally in Mumbais Worli Dome on Saturday, setting aside their years of political rivalry. In a rare show of unity, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, who are also cousins, hugged each other amid loud cheers from their supporters. They garlanded a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj together. Advertisement The rally was organized to celebrate their victory after the Maharashtra government revoked two government resolutions (GRs) on a three-language policy that introduced Hindi as the third language in the states primary schools. Advertisement The two leaders had strongly opposed the state governments move to include Hindi as the third language in primary schools. They alleged that the BJP-led NDA government was trying to impose Hindi on the state and undermining the Marathi culture and language. Ahead of the rally, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey hailed the occasion as a golden time after many years and said it wasnt politics but the honour of Maharashtra that had brought the two Thackerays together. Both Thackerays, who are well-established brands, are coming together, not because of politics, but for the sake of Maharashtras honour. An honour that the BJP wants to suppress and crush. BJP wants to stay in Maharashtra but says Jai Gujarat, but it will not happen. Maharashtra will always be first, then other states will come, he said. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant called the event a historic moment and accused the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra of promoting divisive ideologies. This is a historic moment. At a time when divisie ideologies are being promoted in the country, and the people are being targeted on the basis of their caste, they are even dividing families. A government with this ideology sits at the centre and in the state. At a time like this, two brothers are coming together, he said. The rally was also attended by Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance leaders, including NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule, party leader Jitendra Awhad, among others. In a major push to promote natural and organic farming across Uttar Pradesh, the state government has launched a unique initiative that appoints farmers as brand ambassadors of sustainable agriculture. As part of this plan, 200 natural farming practitioners have been selected to serve as role models and spread awareness about the benefits of eco-friendly farming practices. Advertisement According to officials, under this initiative, the selected farmers will undergo specialized training through the Training of Trainers (ToT) model. Advertisement The first batch of master trainers will be prepared to conduct sessions at the divisional and district levels. This will facilitate the rapid adoption of modern yet sustainable farming techniques and encourage more farmers to shift to natural farming methods. The initiative is being implemented under the National Mission for Natural Farming, with support from Local Natural Farming Institutions, which will assist in training and capacity building. The goal is to lay a strong foundation for natural farming in the state, making farmers more self-reliant and knowledgeable. These brand ambassador farmers will not only receive training and recognition but will also play a critical role in spreading the message across the farming community. They will be given a distinct identity to lead awareness campaigns and training sessions, ultimately transforming the states agricultural ecosystem. The initiative is expected to provide economic benefits to farmers while contributing to environmental sustainability. A detailed deployment plan for the first batch of trainers is also being prepared, outlining the number of trainers required in each district and their areas of operation. This will help ensure effective implementation and maximize the schemes impact. Officials added that by empowering farmers and encouraging natural farming practices, the UP government aims to increase farmers incomes, promote soil health, and lead Uttar Pradesh toward a greener and more sustainable agricultural future. Uttar Pradesh and Japan have decided to strengthen its collaborations in four key areas. Japanese Ambassador Ono Keiichi paid a courtesy visit to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday evening when the matter was discussed in detail. Advertisement During the meeting, both sides discussed strengthening collaboration in technical cooperation, investment, youth skill development, and tourism. Both sides agreed to enhance collaboration in these areas. Advertisement Commending the positive transformation and developmental progress in UP over the past eight years, Ambassador Keiichi congratulated CM Yogi and said that Japanese companies view Uttar Pradesh as a reliable and investment-friendly destination. It was decided during the meeting that a high-level delegation from the Uttar Pradesh government will soon visit Japan. The visit will focus on exploring opportunities for collaboration in green hydrogen, electronics, and particularly the semiconductor sector. The delegation will also participate in the World Expo to be held in Osaka in the last week of July. CM Yogi said, Uttar Pradesh welcomes Japanese investment and technological collaboration in sectors like electronics, green energy, and semiconductors. He also mentioned that the state government is ready to adopt modern models of urban mobility along with metro projects. The meeting also included discussions on developing the skills of UPs youth and providing them with international employment opportunities. With a focus on job opportunities in Japan, CM Yogi said the state government is working with Japan to train youth so they become eligible for employment there. Both sides also agreed to strengthen ties in the tourism sector. CM Yogi remarked that Uttar Pradesh is Indias spiritual centre, home to numerous significant sites related to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. These are of great interest to Japanese citizens as well. Ambassador Keiichi appreciated the improvements in UPs law and order, infrastructure, road and rail networks, and air connectivity. He noted that the state is fast becoming a top choice for global investors. He said that the positive environment created by the UP government is highly beneficial for Japanese companies. The meeting concluded with both sides agreeing to formalise this cooperation and prepare a concrete action plan soon. The Congress party in Karnataka is struggling to keep its house in order. Despite public proclamations of unity and reassurances from senior leadership, the party is being buffeted by growing undercurrents of dissent, factional rivalry, and the slow unravelling of a leadership pact that now appears to be more political myth than a roadmap. At the centre of the un rest is the uneasy cohabitation between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy, D.K. Shivakumar. What began as a power-sharing compromise following the partys electoral victory has evolved into a tug-of-war marked by veiled accusations, open defiance, and increasingly shrill calls for change. The promise that Mr Shivakumar would take over midway through the term has remained conveniently ambiguous, fuelling both his aspirations and the resentment of those loyal to Mr Siddaramaiah. The official line ~ that there is no discu ssion of a leadership change ~ is less a position than a plea for discipline. When party emissaries like Randeep Surjewala appeal to legislators not to settle scores in the media, it is clear that the party is fire-fighting, not lea ding. Advertisement The metaphor of the Pradesh Congress president as the head of the family and the chief minister as the head of government only underscores the divided loyalties and blurred lines of authority within the Congress camp. Yet the disorder cannot be attributed solely to personal ambition. MLAs are voicing serious concerns ~ over unresponsive ministers, inaccessible bureaucracy, and a lack of development funds. These grie vances are not imaginary, nor are they limited to one faction. The public airing of dissatisfaction is not merely a leadership crisis; it reflects deeper structural dysfunction in governance and political messaging. The leaderships hesitation has also exposed the limits of moral authority within the party. Advertisement What was once managed by deference to elders is now slipping into a pattern where only formal positions seem to command conditional loyalty. The persistent talk of a mid-term switch has become a distraction, reducing governance to a waiting game and transforming internal party strategy into a public spectacle of ambition and entitlement. What makes the situation particularly combustible is the lack of transparency from the high command. The partys top brass continues to rely on silence and sym bo lism, rather than offering a clear direction. This vacuum invites speculation, emboldens dissenters, and deepens mistrust between rival camps. The Congress in Karnataka has only itself to blame for institutionalising uncertainty. It created a dual leadership formula without building mechanisms for power transition or role clarity. By delaying difficult decisions, it has allowed internal fault lines to widen ~ potentially jeopardising its prospects for 2028. A short-term truce may still be possible, but the long-term stability of the government will depend on political maturity, not rhetorical rest raint. If the party fails to assert control, it risks eroding its public mandate and reviving old images of a Congr ess that cannot govern itself, let alone the state. In a moment that briefly pierced the steely facade of British parliamentary politics, Chancellor Rachel Reeves was seen wiping away tears during a tense Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) session in the House of Commons. What followed ~ speculation, blame, and political opportunism ~ has revealed more than any policy paper about the pressures and fractures at the top of the current government. It is easy, and perhaps comforting, to attribute Ms Reeves emotional display to a purely personal matter, as both she and Prime Minister Keir Starmer have insisted. Yet context matters. Her tears came amid harsh scrutiny from opposition benches, accusations of being a human shield for policy reversals, and market jitters triggered by an embarrassing welfare U-turn. Whether or not her distress was politically induced, it was certainly politically consequential. The Prime Ministers initial reluctance to publicly affirm Ms Reeves job security during the Commons exchange was telling. Though he later praised her as an excellent chancellor and emphasised their unity, the damage was already done. The hesitation gave space to critics, within and beyond Parliament, to question not only Ms Reeves authority but Mr Starmers instinctive support for his team when under pressure. In politics, silence ~ even momentary ~ can speak volumes. Advertisement What makes this episode more than just a passing drama is the way it exposes the deep undercurrents of leadership stress in a government that has promised technocratic competence and unity. Ms Reeves has been central to this promise. As Britains first woman Chancellor, she carries not only the weight of economic stewardship but the symbolic burden of breaking gendered expectations in a job that has historically rewarded emotional detachment and stoicism. Her moment of vulnerability should not be seen as weakness. Advertisement Rather, it highlights the human toll of modern political life ~ where leaders are expected to balance fiscal discipline, media scrutiny, and intra-party pressures while remaining infallibly composed. That Ms Reeves remained at her post and continued her duties after PMQs speaks of resilience, not fragility. The visual symbolism of Ms Reeves sister taking her hand after the session was a rare, unscripted moment of solidarity ~ a reminder that behind every policy, real people shoulder real pressure. Markets may have reacted nervously, but their concern should not be over tears ~ it should be over a leadership structure that wavers when tested. Policy U-turns are sometimes necessary, but when handled poorly, they dent credibility. In that light, the Prime Ministers failure to decisively rally behind his Chancellor in real time risks more than media criticism ~ it invites doubt about the cohesiveness of his cabinet. If Labour is to retain the trust it has been building, it must show that it not only tolerates strong, emotionally honest leadership ~ but also protects and values it. A governments strength lies not in emotional suppression, but in how it responds to strain. Ms Reeves moment of humanity should not be weaponised. It should be understood ~ and supported ~ as part of what real leadership looks like. An overnight shooting south of Colorado Springs left two people dead and one man in jail, according to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. The office received a 911 call for a robbery at about 10:45 p.m. Thursday near U.S. 85-87 and Main Street and found two dead at the scene. Authorities arrested 23-year-old Eddie Lacharles Jackson at the Denver International Airport in connection with the shooting, said Kurt Smith, a spokesperson for the Sheriff's Office. Jackson is being held at the El Paso County jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond and is expected to be charged with two counts of second-degree murder, Smith said. The shooting shut down the highway between Main Street and South Academy Boulevard for roughly seven hours beginning around 1:30 a.m. Friday. A deputy's marked car was reportedly hit by another driver suspected of DUI on South Academy Boulevard and the highway, resulting in minor injuries. Detectives have assumed the investigation. Anyone with information on the incident is urged to call 719-390-5555. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for two high-profile attacks in Balochistan: a coordinated takeover of Mastung city and a deadly ambush on Pakistani military forces in the Amach region. The group described both operations as retaliation against what it termed the continued occupation and repression of the Baloch nation. According to BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch, the Mastung operation saw BLA fighters seize key government installations, including the Tehsil Office and three banks, for nearly two hours. During the operation, they reportedly confiscated official documents, disarmed personnel, and engaged with Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) forces, who responded with armoured vehicles. The BLA stated that the operation was a success and labelled the CTD a Baloch National Enemy Institution, accusing it of playing an active role in what the group calls the Baloch genocide. The group warned that CTD would henceforth be treated as a direct military target. It also urged Baloch personnel within the CTD to resign immediately or face the consequences of collaboration. In a separate attack in the mountainous Amach region, BLA fighters launched a remote-controlled IED blast followed by automatic gunfire on a Pakistani military convoy, killing at least seven soldiers, according to the statement. Advertisement Two BLA fighters, Sangat Tahir Shahwani (alias Sarbuland) from Mastung and Sangat Naeem Satakzai (alias Shahid) from Quetta, lost their lives during the encounter. They were posthumously honoured by the group for their bravery and commitment to the Baloch national cause. The BLA asserted that both operations concluded with the safe withdrawal of its fighters. The group reiterated its warning to Baloch members of Pakistans security forces, urging them to abandon their posts or be considered enemies of the Baloch nation. These attacks are part of a long-running insurgency in Balochistan, where separatist groups seek independence and protest against exploitation and human rights violations. Advertisement Police in Karachi detained at least four protesters, including prominent Baloch woman activist Amna Baloch, during a peaceful demonstration organised by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) in Lyari on Thursday, The Balochistan Post reported. The BYC has called on human rights organisations to intervene and hold Pakistan accountable for its ongoing campaign of intimidation and enforced disappearances targeting Baloch activists. According to The Balochistan Post, the protest was held in response to the alleged extrajudicial killing of Zeeshan Zaheer, a Baloch youth activist and member of BYCs Panjgur Organising Committee, whose body was discovered in Panjgur on June 30 after he was abducted a day earlier by an alleged state-backed militia. Advertisement Zeeshan, who had been at the forefront of the campaign for the recovery of his forcibly disappeared father, Zaheer Ahmed Baloch (abducted in 2015), was found shot multiple times near Ghareeb Nawaz Hotel. His killing has sparked widespread outrage across Balochistan and beyond, with BYC condemning the act as a continuation of state repression against Baloch activists. The protest held in Karachi on Thursday was scheduled to begin from Lyaris 8 Chowk, The Balochistan Post reported. However, police forces intervened before the rally could begin, launching a violent crackdown on the demonstrators and disrupting the peaceful gathering. In a statement shared on X, BYC stated that Amna Baloch, along with three other activists, Suhail, Irfan, and an unnamed individual, were arrested and taken to Risala Police Station. The group denounced the arrests and demanded the immediate release of the detainees. This is not the first time that our peaceful protests have faced state repression in Karachi, the BYC said in its statement. The state must be held accountable for its crimes. Silencing dissent will not bury the truth. Advertisement As per The Balochistan Post report, such crackdowns reflect a broader trend of suppressing peaceful resistance and shielding extrajudicial actions in Balochistan. Two people, including a teenage student, were killed in separate shooting incidents this week in Balochistan, with local sources alleging involvement of armed groups commonly described as local militias supported by Pakistans intelligence agencies, The Balochistan Post reported. The first incident took place in the Sordo region of Panjgur, where a 13-year-old madrassa student named Pazeer was gunned down while reportedly out fetching bread for his family, The Balochistan Post reported. The attackers, described as armed men in civilian clothing, opened fire from a vehicle, resulting in the boys instant death. The body was transferred to the teaching hospital in Panjgur. However, as of now, no suspects have been apprehended, and no investigative leads have been made public. In a separate attack, a young man identified as Daulat was shot dead outside a shop in Hoshab, Kech district, on Wednesday morning. In this case, the assailants were said to have arrived on a motorcycle, fired at the victim, and fled the scene, The Balochistan Post reported. The report further raises growing concerns regarding so-called death squads, armed factions believed to operate with unofficial sanction or support from Pakistans security establishment. These groups are frequently seen in sensitive areas in civilian attire and are reportedly involved in acts such as targeted killings, enforced disappearances, and intimidation of Baloch nationalists and civilians. These occurrences unfold amid ongoing worries from both local and international human rights organisations regarding the presence and purported activities of armed actors, both non-state and semi-state, in Balochistan. This region has experienced similar incidents over the years, fostering an atmosphere of fear and mistrust between the populace and the authorities. There has been no official confirmation about the identity of the attackers in either incident, and no public statements have been made by provincial or federal security agencies in response to the specific allegations. Advertisement Advertisement remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has said that his governments mission is to see the Indian economy grow from a $4 trillion economy today to a $32 trillion economy by 2047. Goyal said that this mission was achievable when all of us work together as a team, pushing for a 'Viksit Bharat. Minister @PiyushGoyal delivered the keynote address at the @IITMadras Alumni Association event, Sangam 2025, in Bengaluru. He spoke about how making a future-ready India is at the centre of various policy initiatives of the Modi government, which is driving innovation and growth pic.twitter.com/BzMu2tHymE Piyush Goyal Office (@PiyushGoyalOffc) July 5, 2025 Calling for a unified approach towards making India a developed nation, he added after committing an entire first Fund of Funds tranche of 10,000 crores in the last Budget, another 10,000 crores has now been provided as a second tranche, largely in support of the Deep Tech ecosystem. Goyal had been speaking on the sidelines of Sangam 2025, the global innovation and alumni summit organised by the IIT Madras Alumni Association (IITMAA) at Bengaluru. The theme of this years conference was centred around innovation and entrepreneurship. We have just formulated the guidelines ... this money goes to promote innovation, absorption of newer technologies and the development of newer technologies in contemporary fields. Goyal also mentioned that the 1 lakh crore that had been approved in the last cabinet would be provided to the University's Science and Technology department as a 'zero-interest 50-year loan'. It is truly a grant but the idea behind this was that it gives us more flexibility to provide equity support, grant low-cost support, and to roll that support as technologies get fine-tuned and become successful and get back some money so that it goes to somebody else; helps more and more technologies develop. When we work on new technologies in India, our cost is nearly one-sixth, one-seventh of what it would cost in Switzerland, America, the US, UK, or Europe. he claimed. Stressing the importance of a future-ready India, he explained that the nation's jump from the eleventh largest to the fifth largest GDP in the world merited an attempt to reach for the fourth largest GDP spot by the end of 2025. By 2027, we will be the third largest GDP in the world, rapidly growing on the strength of the work all of you are doing and the strength of our driving desire of a youthful India. The event also saw Goyal's criticism of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah for stating that the Covid-19 vaccine might be linked to heart attack deaths, saying that such statements insulted our scientists, startups, and our pharma sector. He added that Siddaramaiah ought to tender an apology to everyone involved in developing the Covid-19 vaccines at a low cost in India, which also made it possible to supply these to various parts of the world as well. The event also saw the achievements of the IIT Madras ecosystem and the entrepreneurial journeys of its alumni. Besides IIT Madras director V. Kamakoti, the event was graced by Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chairman at Axilor Ventures and Co-founder at Infosys,as well as S. Somanath, former Chairman at ISROboth of whom are IIT Madras alumniand numerous other prolific faces. On Friday, Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen. Rahul R. Singh referred to the "borrowed knife" strategy of China while speaking about Beijing extending possible support to its all-weather ally Pakistan, during the latter's four-day intense military standoff with Indian recently. Speaking at a seminar on 'New Age Military Technologies' organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) highlighted China's ancient military strategy of '36 stratagems', one of which is killing the enemy with a "borrowed knife." "Pakistan was the front face. We had China providing all possible support. This is no surprise because if you look at statistics, in the last five years, 81 per cent of the military hardware that Pakistan is getting is all Chinese," he said. READ MORE: When India decided to strike nine targets in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor The '36 Stratagems' are a classic collection of Chinese tactics and strategies, mainly applied in warfare. This warfare wisdom is also referenced in other fields as well, including business and politics. These stratagems, which reportedly date back to the sixth century, focus on deception, misdirection, and psychological manipulation as core tools for achieving success in warfare. The stratagems are grouped into six different chapters, each having six stratagems. The following are the 36 points of war wisdom. Cross the sea by deceiving the sky: In simple terms, this would mean achieving your goal by hiding your true intentions under the pretext of normalcy or by distracting attention. Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao: This is a tactic that calls for avoiding direct confrontation with a strong adversary, and instead targeting them by attacking a more vulnerable or valuable target elsewhere. Kill with a borrowed knife: The tactic, which found a mention in the speech of Lt Gen. Singh, refers to achieving your objective by using the strength, resources, or actions of a third partyin this case, Pakistanto harm your enemy, rather than getting your hands dirty. Relax while the enemy exhausts himself: A pretty self-explanatory stratagem, this calls for conserving your own strength while allowing your opponent to tire themselves out, so that you can strike when the enemy is stripped of strength and resources. Loot a burning house: Take advantage of an opponents crisis or internal chaos to further your own interests. Make a feint to the east while attacking in the west: A classic deception and misdirection strategy, this refers to making the enemy misinterpret your movements. While the enemy is focused on defending the area you have feinted toward, you strike where they are unprepared. Create something out of nothing: Yet another deception strategy, this would mean creating an illusion or fabricating something where nothing exists, in order to deceive, mislead, or manipulate the enemy. Secretly use the Chen Cang Passage/Pretend to advance down one path while taking another hidden path: Make use of a hidden or unexpected route to achieve your objective while distracting the enemy with a more obvious action. Watch the fire burning from across the river: This tactic calls for remaining as a detached observer while your opponent is embroiled in internal conflict or is in conflict with another, and march with your full force once the enemy is exhausted. Hide a knife in a smile: This refers to hiding your hostile intentions with a friendly or pleasant appearance, and gaining the trust of your opponent before harming or undermining them. Sacrifice a plum tree to save a peach tree: This means making a deliberate sacrifice with the intention of securing a greater goal or benefit or protecting something more valuable. Take away a goat in passing: When an opportunity presents itself, take advantage of a situation to gain something valuable with minimal effort. Beat the grass to startle the snake: Make your enemy reveal his hand/position by doing something aimless, strange or unusual. The strategy calls for making a subtle or indirect move to observe how the opponent reacts, gaining valuable intelligence in the process. Raise a corpse from the dead: Bring back an old idea, institution, or method, giving it new life or a new purpose to achieve your current goals. Lure the tiger out of the mountain: This refers to drawing a powerful enemy out of their stronghold or advantageous position into a place where they are more vulnerable or you have an upper hand. Let the adversary off in order to snare him: By intentionally letting your opponent escape or giving them temporary freedom, you can trick them into revealing their true intentions. By giving the opponent a false sense of complacency, you make them vulnerable and strike when they least expect. Cast a brick to attract Jade: Offer your enemy a small gain to win something big for yourself. To catch bandits, nab their ringleader first: Target/capture/kill the leader or central figure of an enemy group to destabilise and defeat the entire force. Remove the fire from under the cauldron: This is a tactic by which, instead of targeting the enemy directly, you eliminate the sources of their strength, power or support so as to weaken their morale. Muddle the water to catch the fish: Fish in troubled waters. The cicada sheds its shells: Use clever tactics to mislead the enemy into thinking you remain in place while you have already escaped, or create the illusion that you are still present or vulnerable while you have actually escaped. Fasten the door to catch a thief: To catch or defeat an enemy, first block their possible paths of escape or retreat. By closing all exits and controlling the environment, you force the adversary into a confined space where they can be defeated more easily. Befriend a distant state while attacking a neighbouring state: Build alliances with nations or forces that are far away and pose no immediate threat, and focus your military strengths on neighbouring states or rivals, who are your most immediate threats. Obtain a safe passage to conquer the Kingdom of Guo: Make use of the resources, territory, or cooperation of a third party to attack your real target, and then turn on the third party once your main objective is achieved. Steal the dragon and replace it with the phoenix: Secretly replace something valuable, powerful, or essential with something of lesser value or different nature without your opponent noticing it. It would also mean destroying or damaginge structures on which your enemy depends and replacing them with systems that you control. Point at the mulberry tree but curse the locust tree: Criticise or attack someone indirectly by pointing to or mentioning something else. This strategy would allow you to convey a message or exert pressure without openly provoking the actual target. Feign madness, but keep your balance/Pretend to be pig to eat tiger: Play dumb while remaining smart. Pretend to be less capable, less knowledgeable, or less aware than you actually are to make the other less suspicious and gain a strategic advantage as they lower their guard. Remove the ladder after your ascent/Cross the river and destroy the bridge: After you gain an advantageous posture, remove the means for your opponent to follow or escape. Decorate the tree with fake blossoms: Present a facade that misleads the enemy into overestimating your strength or resources. Turn yourself into a host from being a guest: This refers to the strategy of transforming from a passive or subordinate position into a dominant or controlling position, by means of strategic moves, and seizing opportunities at the right moment. Use a beauty to ensnare a man: The 'classic' honey trap. Employ an attractive woman to seduce the head/leader of the enemy camp. Open the gate of an undefended city: Also known as the 'Empty Fort Strategy, this involves acting with such calm and confidence when you are vulnerable and cannot defend yourself, that the enemy suspects that the 'open fort' is a trap. Use adversarys spies to sow discord in your adversarys camp: Discover the enemy spies and feed them false information. Inflict pain on oneself in order to infiltrate the adversarys camp and win the confidence of the enemy: By showing an apparent suffering or punishment, you may be able to win the confidence of your enemy and in turn, deceive them. Lead your adversary to chain together their warships: Trick your enemy into taking actions that seem beneficial but actually restrict their options or make them vulnerable. This way, you turn the strengths of your enemy into their weakness. Retreat is the best option/If all else fails, run away. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday attached assets worth over Rs 34 crore belonging to Kannada actor Ranya Rao in connection with a gold smuggling and money-laundering case. The action was a result of an eagle-eyed probe that unveiled Raos involvement in a "well-structured" operation that she orchestrated. On March 3, Rao, who flew into Bengaluru from Dubai via an Emirates flight, was flagged, detained, and questioned by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at the Kempegowda International Airport, following a tip-off they received. Upon inspection, the authorities discovered 14.2 kg of gold on her person, who also managed to conceal gold bars in her clothing. The seized gold was valued at a whopping Rs 12.56 crore. ALSO READ | Kannada actress Ranya Rao arrested for smuggling 14.2 kg of gold from Dubai The ED launched a money laundering investigation based on the DRI complaint and a CBI FIR linked it to a broader gold smuggling racket. A provisional court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has now been issued to attach multiple properties owned by Rao, which includes a house in Victoria Layout, a plot located in Arkavathi Layout in Bengaluru, an industrial land in Tumkur and an agricultural land in Anekal taluk. The PMLA noted that the combined fair market value of the assets amounted to Rs 34.12 crore. Immovable assets worth more than Rs 34 crore belonging to Kannada actor Ranya Rao | PTI The ED stated that these assets are the proceeds of crime, generated from repeated smuggling operations financed via hawala channels. According to the agency, the gold was smuggled from Dubai and Uganda and shifted to India under the false pretence of transporting it to Switzerland or the United States in an effort to evade customs. ALSO READ | Actress Ranya Rao gets bail in gold smuggling case, but release unlikely "Ranya Rao, in active collusion with Tarun Konduru Raju and others, orchestrated a well-structured operation for smuggling gold into India. Gold was procured from suppliers based in Dubai, Uganda and other jurisdictions, and payments were made through hawala channels in cash, thereby circumventing legal financial systems," the agency said. The Allahabad High Court has held that the introduction of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in 2023 has effectively removed the longstanding prohibition on granting anticipatory bail in cases punishable by death or life imprisonment. A single judge bench of the court made this landmark observation on July 3. The BNSS came into force on July 1, 2024, replacing the previous Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). Under the old regime, Section 438(6) of the CrPC, as amended by the Uttar Pradesh Amendment Act of 2019, explicitly barred courts from granting anticipatory bail in cases involving offenses punishable by death or life imprisonment. However, the new BNSS contains no such restriction. Section 482 of the BNSS, which now governs anticipatory bail proceedings, deliberately omits any bar on granting such relief in serious criminal cases. The court interpreted this omission as Parliaments intentional decision to remove the restrictions that had been imposed by the state amendment. This legal principle was established through the case of Abdul Hameed, who found himself caught between two different legal regimes. Hameed was summoned to face trial in a 2011 murder case but was never formally charge-sheeted during the investigation. In February 2023, while the CrPC was still in effect, a coordinate bench of the Allahabad High Court dismissed Hameeds first anticipatory bail application. The dismissal was based solely on the statutory bar contained in Section 438(6) of the CrPC, which prohibited such relief in cases involving potential death or life imprisonment sentences. Following the implementation of the BNSS in July 2024, Hameed filed a fresh application under Section 482 of the new code. When the sessions court dismissed this application in March 2025, he approached the High Court once again. This time, however, he was operating under an entirely different legal framework. The case presented a conflict between old and new legal regimes. Hameeds counsel argued that the statutory bar under Section 438(6) of the CrPC no longer existed under the BNSS, and that the application should be considered under the new, more liberal provisions of the current law. The state government contended that Hameed was attempting to circumvent the established legal bar by relying on the newly enacted BNSS. They argued that since the alleged offense occurred in 2011, the chargesheet was filed under the CrPC regime, and cognisance was taken well before the BNSS came into effect, the new law could not retrospectively nullify the restrictions that applied in Uttar Pradesh. In his reading, Justice Chandra Dhari Singh focused on the deliberate nature of the legislative change. The court emphasised that the omission of the anticipatory bail bar in Section 482 of the BNSS was intentional, demonstrating Parliaments decision not to continue the restrictions introduced by the UP Amendment Act of 2019. The judgment highlighted that the absence of such a bar in the new Act assumes greater significance when viewed against the background of the specific inclusion of this bar in the state amendment to the CrPC. The court recognised that the enactment of the BNSS created materially changed circumstances, both in law and fact, which justified fresh consideration of anticipatory bail applications on their merits. The removal of the statutory bar represented what the court termed a fundamental change in the legal framework, which destroys the very ground on which the first application was dismissed. Importantly, the court noted that Hameeds first application had been dismissed not on its merits but purely on grounds of maintainability due to the statutory bar. With that bar removed, the legal landscape had changed sufficiently to make the current application maintainable. The court clarified that applications filed after July 1, 2024, fall within the ambit of the BNSS, and applicants are entitled to benefit from its more liberal provisions. This principle was supported by citing a previous High Court order from 2024, establishing a consistent judicial approach to the transition between the two legal regimes. This ruling has consequences for criminal law practice in Uttar Pradesh and potentially across India. It removes a significant barrier that had prevented individuals accused of serious crimes from seeking anticipatory bail, potentially affecting hundreds of cases involving charges punishable by death or life imprisonment. By Luis Jaime Acosta BOGOTA (Reuters) -Colombian police have captured a fugitive accused of planning last month's gun attack on Senator Miguel Uribe, a potential presidential candidate, the head of the country's national police said on Saturday, marking the fifth arrest in the case. Elder Jose Arteaga, known as El Costeno, was arrested on suspicion of organizing and coordinating the politician's shooting at a rally in Colombia's capital Bogota on June 7 to commit the crime, police said. This includes handing over the gun used in the attack to the 15-year-old charged with shooting Uribe, the police added. "We are going after the intellectual authors of this act," National Police Director Carlos Fernando Triana told a press conference," adding that Arteaga had a criminal history going back more than 20 years. Footage on social media showed armed officers cuffing the suspect during a morning raid on a house police said was in a western neighborhood of Bogota, a day after Triana announced that Interpol had issued a red notice for his arrest. Reuters was not immediately able to reach Arteaga, 41, for comment. Triana said in a post on social media on Friday that he was wanted for "aggravated attempted homicide; manufacture, trafficking and carrying of firearms or ammunition; and use of minors for the commission of crimes." On Saturday, Triana told reporters police were investigating several theories about who was intellectually responsible for the attack, without giving more details. There is reward of up to 3 billion pesos (over $750,000) for information leading to the identification and capture of those responsible, Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a post on X. Sanchez added that the United States, United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates were helping investigate the crime, which he said operated under a "model of criminal outsourcing." Uribe -- a 39-year-old presidential pre-candidate for the conservative opposition Democratic Center party -- was shot twice in the head and once in his left leg, according to state prosecutors. He has undergone several serious surgeries since the attack, which left him in critical condition. Four other suspects have since been arrested, including the 15-year-old alleged shooter who was detained minutes after the attack. In a video of event, independently verified by Reuters, he can be heard shouting that he had been hired by a local drug dealer. Uribe comes from a prominent political family. His grandfather, Julio Cesar Turbay, was president from 1978 to 1982, and his mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was killed in 1991 in a botched rescue attempt after being kidnapped by an armed group led by drug lord Pablo Escobar. (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta and Vivian Sequera; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Diane Craft and Alistair Bell) The renaming spree continues in Karnataka. The state cabinet approved the renaming of Bengaluru Rural district as Bengaluru North. In May, it renamed Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South amid opposition from the BJP and the JDS. The renaming spree has stirred a political storm in Karnataka. The ruling party claims that the Brand Bengaluru would leverage its advantages to the neighbouring districts and pave the way for their development. However, the opposition parties suspect that renaming every district after Bengaluru is only a ploy of the real estate mafia to inflate the land prices in the nearby districts that will also encourage massive land conversion. There was a time when #Bengaluru quietly earned its place in tech. Today, the world says it loud. With over a million tech professionals and billions in investments, Namma Bengaluru has outpaced global cities in innovation, talent, and wealth creation. Were not just growing - pic.twitter.com/jahrdX4oJx DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) July 5, 2025 Even as farmers in Devanahalli have been protesting against land acquisition for mega infrastructure projects and industrial corridors, the Congress government has decided to rename the districts undermining their history and identity, rue the opposition parties. Interestingly, both the districts proposed for a name change are linked to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who represents Kanakapura Assembly constituency (in Ramanagara) and his younger brother DK Suresh, who lost the Bengaluru Rural Parliament seat in 2024. On several occasions, Shivakumar has asked his voters in Kanakapura not to sell off their lands at throw away prices. I cannot give you money but God has given me the strength to turn your land into gold. Once the Ramanagara district merges with Bengaluru, the land prices will shoot up, Shivakumar had suggested during an event last January. Union minister HD Kumaraswamy, who, previously represented Ramanagara Assembly constituency, slammed Shivakumar saying he was only a real estate agent and did not believe in preserving the legacy of the district that had given the state four chief ministers (Kengal Hanumanthaiah, Ramakrishna Hegde, HD Devegowda and HD Kumaraswamy). Interestingly, Kumaraswamy had carved out the Ramanagara district from the Bengaluru Rural district in 2007, during his tenure as the chief minister. While Ramanagara district comprises four taluks, including Channapatna, Magadi, Ramanagara and Kanakapura, Bengaluru Rural has retained Devanahalli, Nelamangala, Doddaballapura and Hosakote. Currently, the Bengaluru Rural Parliament seat (that includes Ramanagara district) is held by Kumaraswamys brother in-law and renowned cardiologist Dr C.N. Manjunath. The two Vokkaliga leaders, Shivakumar and Kumaraswamy, are at loggerheads to establish their dominance in the Vokkaliga heartland. Home Minister G Parameshwara was also hoping to rename Tumakuru district as Bengaluru North to ride high on Bengalurus global city tag. This time, the Bengaluru Rural district assuming a new name adds to more confusion as both the districts which have been renamed share their name with other Assembly and Parliament constituencies, which do not overlap geographically with these districts. For instance, the Bengaluru South Assembly constituency is in Bengaluru Urban district and falls under the Bengaluru Rural Parliament constituency. The Bengaluru South Parliamentary constituency (represented by Tejaswi Surya) is in Bengaluru Urban district. Similarly, the Bengaluru North Parliament Constituency is in Bengaluru Urban district. The move has drawn flak from the netizens too, who slammed the government to stop renaming districts and instead focus on providing good roads in Bengaluru and save its brand image. Some suggested that all the districts should start with the prefix Bengaluru and perhaps name Bidar district as Bengaluru extreme North. The civic activists demanded to know when the Bengaluru city would get an elected body (corporators) stating that the Brand Bengaluru was taking a beating and citizens bearing the brunt of rampant corruption and a crumbling infrastructure in the absence of corporators. There was a clear expectation that Uddhav Thackeray would apologise to the Marathi people for accepting the report mandating compulsory Hindi from Class 1 to 12. Instead, he allegedly turned the stage into a political battleground. He raised no relevant issue concerning the Marathi Manoos. Self-interest and the hunger for power were the only visible agendas. With these sharp words, senior Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde launched a direct attack on Uddhav Thackeray. Speaking to the media in Thane, Deputy CM Shinde said, Raj Thackerays speech today reflected genuine concern for the Marathi language. In contrast, Uddhavs speech was filled with bitterness, jealousy, and a desperate craving for power and position. Some leaders spoke of having neither a flag nor an agenda. But while one observed that restraint, the other shamelessly revealed his flag of selfishness and his agenda for power. Todays event left the Marathi community disappointed. Shinde added, Three years ago, we rose against injustice. Uddhav Thackeray must mind his language. He must remember very well what happens when I decide to rise. He is all noise and no courage. He has fallen flat on his face in the Vidhan Sabha elections and now needs others to lift him up. Responding to those questioning his contribution to the Marathi cause, Shinde said, As Chief Minister, we passed the resolution adopting the State Song, and todays event began with it. We proposed granting Classical Language status to Marathi, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately approved it. Yet today, even the Prime Minister was targeted a deeply unfortunate act that only exposes their mindset, hatred, and desperation for power. The real questions need to be answered by Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde asserted. Why has the Marathi population in Mumbai declined? Why is the representation of Marathi people shrinking? He abandoned Balasaheb Thackerays ideology in 2019, and the public responded in the Assembly elections. Shiv Sena won 60 seats, while Uddhavs party contested 100 and managed to win just 20. In 2019, for the sake of the Chief Ministers chair, he betrayed the peoples mandate, Balasahebs legacy, and the cause of Hindutva. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday categorically denied it carried out any raid linked to the Dalai Lamas security or in connection with Khalistani terror funding in McLeodganj, Himachal Pradesh, on Friday. What was NIA raid in McLeodganj about? NIA clarified that the raid in McLeodganj on Friday was held in connection with the US donkey route human trafficking case. It also dismissed media reports claiming the raid was connected to Dalai Lama's security or Khalistani terrorists as completely false. The National Investigation Agency on Friday arrested two US donkey route human traffickers after searches at two locations in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. The accused, identified as Sunny alias Sunny Donker of Dharamshala, District Kangra (HP) and Shubham Sandhal alias Deep pic.twitter.com/RJsdOTGJqZ ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2025 The investigation agency said it had informed the local police regarding the raid and the cops accompanied the NIA sleuths during the search in McLeodganj. A similar raid was carried out in Delhi too. 2 more arrested in US donkey route case Following the search in McLeodganj and Delhi, the NIA arrested two more US donkey route human traffickers. They were identified as Sunny Donker from Dharamshala and Shubham Sandhal alias Deep Hundi from Pujab's Ropar and currently residing in Peeragarhi, New Delhi. Both of them were associates of Gagandeep Singh alias Goldy from Tilak Nagar, New Delhi. He was arrested in March when the NIA had taken over the donkey route case from the Punjab police. Gagandeep was arrested based on a complaint lodged by a victim who was illegally trafficked to the US through the infamous donkey route. The Donald Trump administration deported him to India in February. An NIA chargesheet was filed against Gagandeep on June 27. Gagandeep allegedly used to receive around 45 lakh from each trafficking victim in the guise of arranging their travel to the US on a valid visa. But he would actually force these victims to travel illegally through multiple countries, including Spain, El-Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico. NIA revealed that Gagandeep trafficked over 100 people to the US before his arrest. Sunny was identified as the donker who organises the journey via the donkey route. The victims would be harassed throughout the journey by the donkers in order to extort more money from them. Shubham Sandhal alias Deep Hundi was a hawala courier operator through whom Gagandeep transferred funds to the donkers in Latin American countries, including Sunny. Gopal Khemka, 62, a prominent businessman and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Bihar, was shot dead by an unidentified man outside his home in Patna on Saturday night. The shooting took place around 11.30 pm when Khemka was returning to his residence at the Twin Tower near the Panache Hotel in the Ghandi Maidan area. He died on the spot, according to officials. Superintended of Police (Patna Central) Diksha, who is also leading a Special Investigation Team formed to probe the case, told PTI that a bullet and shell casing were found at the crime scene. CCTV footage collected from the area showed a man waiting outside the gate before a car arrived. When the car stopped outside the gate, the man hurriedly walked towards it and opened fire at Khemka who was in the drivers seat. The attacker then turned around and fled the scene on his bike. The motive of the murder is still being investigated. Khemka was the owner of the Magadh Hospital and was an influential person, though he maintained a low profile. He also owned several pharmacies, a petrol pump and several factories in Hajipur. Khemkas brother Shankar alleged that the officers arrived at the scene only three hours after the shooting, around 2:30 am. SP Diksha, however, said, On the night of 4 July, around 11 PM, we received information from the Gandhi Maidan South area that businessman Gopal Khemka was shot dead. As soon as the information was received, the police reached the hospital and the crime scene. Khemka was taken to the hospital by his family members immediately after the shooting, but doctors declared him brought dead. The case is eerily similar to the death of Khemkas son six years ago. In December 2018, Gunjan Khemka, also a BJP party leader and the state convener of the partys small industries cell, was shot dead in a similar manner. Gunjan was killed in broad daylight outside his cotton bandage factory gate and was also seated in the front seat of the car. Interestingly, several BJP leaders had skipped attending his funeral despite him being an active member. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Mritiyunjay Tiwari has slammed the Bihar government over Khemkas murder saying that the state has descended into lawlessness and that Nitish Kumar is no longer fit to remain on the chief ministers chair even for a moment. BJP leader Nitesh Rane has lambasted the joint rally of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray, terming it as a "jihadi and anti-Hindu gathering" aimed at dividing society. Talking to reporters, Rane, a minister in the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet, said, "We are Hindus and also proud Marathi. The way jihadis attempt to divide our society, these people are doing the same. Be it the Popular Front of India (PFI) or Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) who work against the idea of a Hindu Rashtra, these two (Thackerays) are no different. They are trying to weaken the state." READ | Uddhav and Raj Thackeray vow to stay united, say 'credit goes to CM Fadnavis' Rane said the Worli rally to mark the victory against the Maharashtra government's move to make Hindi compulsory in schools could be equated to the rallies of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), PFI or SIMI. It will cause the biggest damage to Hindus in the state. After the rally, sweets will be distributed in Null Bazar (a Muslim-dominated area in Mumbai) and firecrackers will be burst. It is an anti-Hindu rally," the minister went on to allege. READ | Will Raj, Uddhav Thackeray's 'victory rally' set a new course in Maratha politics? The Thackeray brothers shared stage nearly two decades after Raj quit the Shiv Sena in 2005 and floated the MNS the following year. Addressing the rally, both Raj and Uddhav launched a scathing attack on the Devendra Fadnavis government, accusing it of trying to impose Hindi in the state. Uddhav hinted at contesting the upcoming civic elections together. "We have come together to stay together. We will together capture power in the Mumbai civic body and Maharashtra," he said at the rally. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who visited the Chamundeshwari temple in Mysuru on Friday, has once again given credence to speculations of a leadership change in Karnataka. When reporters asked him if he had opted out of the CMs race, referring to his earlier remark that he was left with no option but to support Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar said, I believe that efforts might fail, but prayers dont. I have prayed to the Goddess and sought her blessings. All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior leaders have advised me and also given me a clear message that we need to work together. Shivakumar, who broke 11 coconuts as an offering to the deity, said, Chamundee is the goddess who eliminates sorrow. The state had good rains this year. I have offered prayers with my family today (Friday). The deputy chief minister's remarks follow Siddaramaiahs statement asserting that he would be the chief minister for a full term of five years. Soon after Siddaramaiahs statement, Shivakumar, as though expressing helplessness, said, What options do I have? I have to stand by him. I will support him. I dont have any objections to it. Whatever the party high command decides, it will be fulfilled. I dont want to discuss anything. Lakhs of workers have supported this party, not just Shivakumar. AICC general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, who held closed-door meetings with party MLAs earlier this week, also denied having discussed the leadership change in the state. During Surjewalas feedback meetings with the legislators--who flagged concerns over paucity of development funds besides ministers lack of responsiveness and performance--several members went all out making public statements about the leadership change. Magadi MLA H.C. Balakrishna and Ramanagara MLA Iqbal Hussain openly endorsed Shivakumar for chief minister, with Hussain even claiming that Shivakumar enjoyed the support of more than 100 MLAs. He refused to withdraw his statement even after being slapped with a notice by the party president. Former Bengaluru Rural MP D.K. Suresh, also the younger brother of Shivakumar, said that his brother was disappointed. It is not helplessness, but his respect for the party and as a disciplined soldier of the party, he is committed to the high commands decision. Expressing hope and desire to see his brother become the chief minister, Suresh said, I want to see him as the CM but the CM post is not vacant now. His hard work will be recognised and rewarded, if not immediately. Prominent investor Sushil Kedia on Saturday issued a public apology for his critical remarks on the Marathi language and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. Kedias apology came hours after a group of MNS activists attacked and vandalised his Mumbai office. I request @RajThackeray Ji to consider my humble submission. pic.twitter.com/i8zGszgNtW Sushil Kedia (@sushilkedia) July 5, 2025 Having come under pressure mentally from the violence inflicted on those who do not know Marathi, I ended up overreacting, I realized I must take back my overreactions and withdraw, the investor said in a post on X. Kedia said he had always had a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude to Raj Thackeray for the strong issues he raised and for the strength with which he stood up for issues concerning the people. He's always been a hero, but this time when our own people have been at loggerheads with each other, my mind went haywire," Kedia said. In a controversial post on Friday, the investor had said he would not learn Marathi as a protest against the "gross misconduct" of Raj Thackeray. I don't know Marathi properly even after living for 30 years in Mumbai, and with your gross misconduct I have made it a resolve that until such people as you are allowed to pretend to be taking care of Marathi Manus, I take pratigya I won't learn Marathi. Kya karna hai bol?, Kedia had said in a social media post on Friday. The investors remark was in response to a recent incident in Mira Road where a sweet mart owner was allegedly assaulted by a group of MNS workers for not speaking in Marathi. The incident triggered protests in the area with hundreds of shopkeepers and traders taking to the streets on Thursday. Kedias remarks targeting Raj Thackeray, however, drew a sharp reaction from the MNS with party leader Sandeep Deshpande warning him against insulting Marathi. Do business if you're a businessman; don't try to act like our father. If you insult Marathi in Maharashtra, you'll get a slap on the ear, otherwise, stay in your lane, Mehta or whoever. That's all for now, Deshpande said. Later in the day, Kedia sought police protection, saying he was getting threats for challenging Raj Thackeray. Shri Raj Thackeray, threatening me by 100s of your workers is not going to make me a fluent Marathi speaker. If I am not confident of the quality of Marathi I can speak, with so much threatening around even more fear happens that if I miss speaking any word(s) improperly more violence will happen. Get the point. Love, not threat makes people get assimilated together, he said in a post in which he also tagged the Mumbai Police and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. On Saturday, a group of MNS workers reached Kedias office at Century Bazar in the morning and vandalised its doors and windows. Maharashtra: MNS workers vandalized businessman Sushil Kedias office after he posted on X refusing to learn Marathi and tagging MNS chief Raj Thackeray pic.twitter.com/RSVocFIF0I IANS (@ians_india) July 5, 2025 Interestingly, the latest incident came at a time when cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray are set to address a joint rally in Mumbaifor the first time after nearly 20 yearsto mark their victory against the Maharashtra government's move to make Hindi compulsory in schools. It is being keenly looked at whether the reunion of Thackerays will set a new course in Maratha politics. Nirav Modis brother Nehal has been arrested in the United States, after the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation made an extradition request because of his involvement in money laundering and criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence. The extradition proceedings of Nehal Modi, 46, a Belgian national, is underway in US Court according to information given by the US Department of Justice. The next hearing is scheduled on July 17, 2025 Nehal was accused of orchestrating a 13,000-crore fraud involving the Punjab National Bank along with his brother Nirav Modi, and uncle Mehul Choksi, who is in detention in Belgium thanks to India's extradition request. Nehal had allegedly assisted his brother in concealing and transferring illicit funds through a network of shell companies and overseas transactions in what is believed to be one of the biggest financial frauds in India. In 2020, a New York Supreme Court had indicted Nehal Modi for fraudulently obtaining diamonds worth over $2.6 million from LLD Diamonds, a US company according to a PTI report. Nehal had managed to obtain the diamonds in 2015 using favourable credit terms and consignment and then liquidated the diamonds. Industry associates had introduced Nehal to the president of LLD Diamonds. The Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Nehal in 2020 on charges of money laundering. The notice asks its 192 member countries to arrest or detain a person if they are spotted in the country. Nirav Modi, currently lodged in a London prison, is also facing extradition proceedings from the UK court. The PNB fraud case had come to light when Nehal along with Niravs close confidant and executive Mihir R. Bhansali allegedly "took 50 kg gold and substantial cash from Dubai, and directed dummy directors not to reveal his name before the authorities", according to the ED. At the heart of Puri, near the Jagannath Temple, ISKCONs mega kitchen hummed with activity. Volunteersclad in gloves and apronsworked tirelessly in shifts. The Adani Foundation, in collaboration with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), had pledged to serve 40 lakh meals over the 11-day festival, a commitment born from the belief that 'seva' is the highest worship. ALSO READ | Odisha: Stampede fails to dampen spirit of devotees as thousands make a beeline to Puri temple "Till today we have served more than 20 lakh devotees and we shall be doing more in next three days till the yatra ends, explained Bali Murari, a representative of the ISKCON Temple at Puri managing the kitchen. ISKCON monks are serving sumptuous prasad along with fruit juice to lakhs of devotees, police officials and support staff daily in Puri, Odisha who have come to participate in the Rath Yatra festival. We thank Shri @gautam_adani ji for his generous support towards the prasad pic.twitter.com/ggUTUVK2Px ISKCON (@iskcon) June 27, 2025 Murari explained as to how 400 volunteers worked around the clock to ensure the smooth serving of prasad to devotees. There are 21 stalls across Puri where devotees are being given prasad and juice on daily basis. "We are taking due care about the hygiene as well and focus is more on cleaning the utensils and procurement of vegetables on daily basis. Also we are using authentic ingredients to make the prasadfrom making halwa in desi ghee to rasgulla," Murari added. The menu was a labour of love, rice, soft rotis, seasonal vegetables, protein-rich dal, sweet gulab jamuns, halwa, and cooling curd rice. Each plate, served on bio-degradable paper, made sure that it is totally recycled. Among the crowd was Meera, a young teacher from Kolkata, who had traveled to Puri for her first Rath Yatra. Exhausted from pulling the chariots ropes, she joined the queue at one of the many food counters set up across the city. A volunteer handed her a warm prasad box and she said: This isnt just food. Its like Lord Jagannath Himself is feeding us. Nearby, a group of police officers drenched in sweat from crowd control gratefully accepted prasad boxes, their fatigue eased by the gesture. The initiative extended beyond devotees to frontline workers, including municipal staff and lifeguards, ensuring that no one was left out. ALSO READ | Rath Yatra stampede exposes BJP govts 'glaring incompetence': Naveen Patnaik Despite a tragic stampede that claimed three lives, the prasad seva remained a beacon of compassion, offering solace to the grieving families. As the chariots return on July 8, marking the end of the yatra, the memory of those warm meals will linger. Shant Gopinath Das, currently serving at ISKCON Dwarka, New Delhi, also plays a pivotal role in managing the Jagannath Yatra prasad seva, after successfully handling Kumbh operations from day one: overseeing accommodation, logistics, and distribution. An engineer by training, he left a promising corporate career as a DevOps Engineer at TCS to dedicate his life to selfless service and spiritual upliftment. Months ahead of the Bihar assembly elections, Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM has reached out to Mahagathbandhan for alliance. However the RJD has been dismissive about any prospects with the AIMIM. The consideration on Lalu Yadav-led party is that bringing AIMIM into the alliance would send a signal that the RJD has accepted Owaisi as the political voice of Muslims, an expert explained. If that perception percolates, Muslim voters may slowly drift away from the RJD, further eroding its electoral base. #WATCH | On AIMIM Bihar president Akhtarul Iman writing to RJD chief Lalu Yadav to include AIMIM in the Mahagathbandhan, RJD MP Manoj Jha says, "...Owaisi sahab has his base in Hyderabad. He and his advisors know what happens or does not happen if he contests or does not contest pic.twitter.com/ur3jjO0RgD ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2025 The RJD has been particular about Muslim-Yadav (MY) vote bank and there is a thinking within that it would not want any additional leader to emerge from the two communities challenging their predominance and eventually dividing the two core constituencies away from the party. Yet, a section also believes that if AIMIM joins hands with the Mahagathbandhan, the chances of vote-splitting diminish significantly. A political observer in Bihar remarked, In Seemanchal, where AIMIM has a strong foothold, a united front would leave little room for other parties to make inroads. #WATCH | Patna, Bihar | On AIMIM's Bihar president writing a letter to RJD chief Lalu Yadav to include AIMIM in the Mahagathbandhan, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor says, "The kind of politics Owaisi has been doing for many years, the places where he contests elections, the pic.twitter.com/ZF2dVu9h7F ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2025 In the 2020 assembly elections in Bihar, AIMIM won five seats in the Seemanchal belt, drawing substantial votes from the M-Y combine that traditionally supports the RJD. Although four of AIMIM's MLAs later defected to the RJD, the damage in 2020 assembly was seen to have impeded the Mahagathbandhan from forming the government. Owaisis politics is often seen as collaborative, with opposition accusing it of helping the BJP by splitting Muslim votes. The RJD, according to party insiders, would prefer to consolidate its traditional vote-base than experiment with parties like AIMIM that attract controversy. By Alexander Cornwell and Charlotte Greenfield JERUSALEM (Reuters) -The United States on Saturday blamed Hamas for an attack that injured two American aid workers from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation at a food distribution site in Gaza. The U.S.- and Israeli-backed GHF said in a statement that the injured Americans were receiving medical treatment and were in a stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. "The attack which preliminary information indicates was carried out by two assailants who threw two grenades at the Americans occurred at the conclusion of an otherwise successful distribution in which thousands of Gazans safely received food," the GHF said. U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce blamed "Hamas terrorists" for the attack. "This act of violence against the people actually bringing relief to Gazans lays bare the depravity of Hamas," she said in a post on X. "GHF has contributed over 62 MILLION MEALS - nothing will stop these courageous aid workers. We are praying for the rapid recovery of the injured Americans." The Israeli military earlier accused what it called "terrorist organisations" of sabotaging the distribution of aid in Gaza. GHF, which began distributing aid in Gaza in May, employs private U.S. military contractors to provide security at their sites. Gaza has seen an escalation in violence as efforts continue to reach a ceasefire agreement. Hamas on Friday said it had responded positively to a U.S.-brokered deal and was prepared to enter talks. U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. KILLINGS NEAR AID DISTRIBUTION SITES Gazan authorities reported at least 70 people have been killed in the territory by the Israeli military in the last 24 hours, including 23 near aid distribution sites. The ministry did not specify where or how exactly they had been killed. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the reports. In a statement on Friday, the military said troops had killed 100 militants in Gaza in the past week, and that it had "operational control" over 65% of Gaza after an offensive against Hamas fighters in the north. The Hamas-run interior ministry in Gaza on Thursday had warned residents of the coastal enclave not to assist the GHF, saying deadly incidents near its distribution sites endangered hungry Gazans. The GHF bypasses traditional aid channels, including the United Nations, which says the U.S.-based organisation is neither impartial nor neutral. Since Israel lifted an 11-week aid blockade on Gaza on May 19, the U.N. says more than 400 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid handouts. A senior U.N. official said last week that the majority of people killed were trying to reach aid distribution sites of the GHF. The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Gaza's health ministry says Israel's retaliatory military assault on the enclave has killed over 57,000 Palestinians. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza's entire population and prompted accusations of genocide and war crimes. Israel denies the accusations. (Reporting by Alexander Cornwell, Charlotte Greenfield and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Mark Potter, Sharon Singleton and Daniel Wallis) Hamas has responded in a positive spirit to a new ceasefire proposal brokered by the United States, signalling its readiness to enter immediate negotiations with Israel on a deal that could pause the nearly two-year-long war in Gaza and lay the groundwork for a permanent resolution. The response, delivered to mediators Egypt and Qatar late Friday, marks the most significant progress in months toward halting the conflict that began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The new proposal calls for a 60-day ceasefire during which Hamas would release 10 living Israeli hostages and return the remains of 18 others in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. The deal would also permit the immediate entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and see the Israeli military begin a phased withdrawal from parts of the territory. The movement has delivered its response to the brotherly mediators, which was characterised by a positive spirit, Hamas said on its official website. Hamas is fully prepared, with all seriousness, to immediately enter a new round of negotiations on the mechanism for implementing this framework. President Donald Trump, who announced the proposal earlier in the week and has been directly involved in pressing both sides, wrote on Truth Social: MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA, addressing Israel, before warning Hamas that it will not get better, it will only get worse if it failed to respond positively. Trump is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on Monday to discuss the ceasefire plan and broader regional tensions, including the recent 12-day US bombing campaign against Iranian nuclear sites, undertaken at Netanyahus urging. Israeli officials confirmed that Hamass response had been received and was under review. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said there were positive signs in the efforts to resume talks and that Israel was eager to restart negotiations as soon as possible. Netanyahu, under pressure from far-right members of his ruling coalition who oppose any permanent ceasefire, has until now resisted calls to end the war outright. His government continues to insist that any deal must allow Israel to dismantle Hamass military and governing structures in Gaza. But following the campaign against Iran, which appears to have boosted Netanyahus domestic standing, he may be in a stronger position to negotiate without risking the collapse of his government. A key sticking point remains the permanence of the ceasefire. Hamas wants stronger assurances that the 60-day truce will lead to a comprehensive end to the war, while Israel is seeking to retain the option of resuming military operations if negotiations fail. Previous talks have collapsed at the final stage over such issues, with each side blaming the other. The latest ceasefire proposal builds on a framework advanced by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and mirrors elements of earlier, short-lived truces. As before, the releases of hostages and prisoners would occur in several stages. A condition of the new deal is that Hamas refrains from staging televised handover ceremonies, which previously sparked outrage in Israel. Negotiations towards a permanent ceasefire would begin as soon as the truce takes effect, with the US, Qatar and Egypt playing supervisory roles. The proposal does not detail the extent of Israels planned troop pullback from Gaza, leaving open questions about how much ground Israel would relinquish and under what conditions. The internal dynamics of Hamas also add uncertainty. A new military commander, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, has reportedly taken charge in Gaza following the killing of Muhammad Sinwar. Al-Haddad is believed to have played a key role in the October 2023 attack and has voiced hardline positions. He has listed Hamass conditions for peace: a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the end of the war, the release of all Palestinian prisoners, reconstruction of the territory and the lifting of all restrictions on the movement of goods and people. Despite these challenges, the mood among mediators appears cautiously optimistic. With over 6,000 people killed in Gaza since the last truce collapsed in March, and humanitarian conditions worsening, the appetite for a breakthrough is growing. Israeli sources told Reuters that preparations were underway to approve the ceasefire and that an Israeli delegation was ready to join the indirect talks if Hamass response was deemed acceptable. For now, the focus remains on whether the fragile momentum can translate into a lasting halt to the violence and a return to diplomacy. As one US official close to the talks said, We are at a critical juncture. The choices made in the coming days will shape the future of Gaza and the region. All going wellwhich is a big IF in the ever-turbulent Middle Eastthe Gaza ceasefire should come into force soon, perhaps on Monday, that also marks the 21st month since the 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel. For a change, the regional climate is somewhat favourable to a ceasefire mediated by US President Trump. While things could still go wrong, Hamas and Islamic Jihadthe principal groups in the Gaza Stripappeared to have agreed to the overall contours of the ceasefire, guaranteed by the Trump Administration. This would be accompanied by the release of Israeli hostages, return of the bodies of Israelis who died in captivity, freedom of Palestinian prisoners from Israel and a more orderly and expanded flow of aid to the Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. Benjamin Netanyahus desire to rid the Gaza Strip of Hamas may be unrealistic, but the militant group has lost its prowess, leadership, domestic legitimacy and regional support. The 60-day ceasefire deal comes amidst signals for changes in the regional climate. While it daringly launched a premeditated military campaign against Iran and its military assets, the 13-day campaign also exposed Israel's operational shortcomings, limits of missile defence and inadequacies of the Homefront. Given the extent of damages across the country, Israel would have to reassess its long-term strategy, especially in terms of preparedness for long-range missile attacks. Iran also has a bag full of problems. Though the extent of damage is yet to be assessed, it is widely recognized that the Israeli military campaignaccompanied by the American bombingconsiderably weakened the Iranian nuclear programme. While the final resolution of the nuclear controversy will have to be political, Iran has fewer military and political levers now than ever before. Rhetoric is not a substitute for military preparedness. With severe damage to its infrastructure and leadershipboth military and scientificIran would require a considerable reassessment of its domestic and regional priorities. There are noises in Lebanon of a possible disarmament of the Iran-backed Hizballah, something visualized by the Saudi-mediated Taif accord of 1989. Even the unilateral Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon in May 2000 or the Second Lebanon War of 2006 could not remove the resistance tag of Hizballah. But the Israeli campaign since late 2023 has considerably weakened the militant group, which was further dented by the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. Moreover, Hizballah was unable, unwilling or incapable of coming to Iran's rescue when Israeli carried out its military campaign. Even the Iranian allies in Iraq were less helpful. Only the Houthis in Yemen came to Iran's help with their long-term missile attacks on Israel. At least in the short term, Iran will be less concerned with the Hamas-Hizballah-Houthi file and focus on the domestic front, reassessing a host of its policies, priorities, and proxy strategy. The ceasefire is not a panacea for all the ills of the Middle East, but could be an opportunity for all the playersespecially the principal players, Israel and the Palestinian leadershipto reassess the human and material tragedy of the past 21 months. Besides their grievances and acrimony towards each other, both would have to engage in an honest self-reflection of their actions, the long-term consequences of the 7 October attacks, and their aftermath. Both sides are accountable to their domestic population. Fighting the enemy is relatively easier than fighting domestic legitimacy and accountability. The Israeli and Palestinian leaderships should be allowed the time and space for that self-reflection and without the temptations of any outside interference, involvement or free advice. Only then will the brief and impending Gaza ceasefire contribute to the long-term stability of the Middle East. Will outside powers allow the Israelis and Palestinians to mourn, reflect and reengage politically? (Professor P. R. Kumaraswamy teaches contemporary Middle East at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi) (The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK) Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Argentina for a two-day visit during the early hours of Saturday. This is Modi's second visit to Argentina since he became prime minister. Prime Minister Modi arrived at Ezeiza International Airport during the early hours of Saturday and was accorded a ceremonial welcome. The prime minister will hold talks with the top leadership of the country and discuss ways to enhance the bilateral relationship between the countries. This is the first Indian bilateral visit at the prime ministerial level to Argentina in 57 years. Modi had first visited Argentina in 2018, to attend the G20 Summit. Argentina is Modi's third stop on the prime minister's five-nation visit. According to the ministry of external affairs, the prime minister will hold talks with Argentine President Javier Milei to boost India-Argentina partnership in key areas, including defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment. "The bilateral visit of the prime minister will further deepen the multifaceted strategic partnership between India and Argentina," it said in a statement. "Landed in Buenos Aires for a bilateral visit which will focus on augmenting relations with Argentina," Modi said in a post on X after arriving in Argentina. In his departure statement, the prime minister said that Argentina is a key economic partner in Latin America and a close collaborator in the G20 and that he looked forward to discussions with President Javier Milei. "We will focus on advancing our mutually beneficial cooperation, including in the areas of agriculture, critical minerals, energy, trade, tourism, technology, and investment," Modi had stated. After Argentina, Modi will next visit Brazil to attend the 17th BRICS Summit. Modi will travel to Namibia in the final leg of his five-nation tour. Pope Leo on Saturday appointed a French archbishop as the new leader of the Vatican's commission to combat clergy sexual abuse. This is the recently inducted spiritual leader's first public move towards an issue that has seriously damaged Christianity's credibility worldwide. Archbishop Thibault Verny will now be president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, in addition to his diocesan capacity as the archbishop of Chambery, South-east France. ALSO READ | Why Cardinal Robert Prevost chose Leo XIV as his papal name The Vatican commission was created by the late Pope Francis (Pope Leo's predecessor) in 2014, in order to attack the root causes behind sexual abuse scandals that damaged the reputation of the Church in various countries across the world. It seems to me that we must continue to implement a mindset, a culture, within the Churches to spread the protection of minors and ensure that it becomes natural, both in the Church and in families and also in society, Verny said, as per a Vatican News report. He also prioritises the equitable sharing of resources so that all parts of the Church, regardless of geography or circumstance, can uphold the highest standards of protection" a Reuters report said. Verny succeeds American-origin Cardinal Sean Patrick OMalley, who has led the pontifical commission since its inception. The new appointment comes amid mixed opinions on whether the Pope Francis had really effected enough change during his papacy, in the Vatican's bid to reverse decades of reputational damage that the sex scandals had caused. ALSO READ | US VP Vance, Secretary of State Rubio meet Pope Leo in inaugural Mass, ahead of Trump's push for Russia-Ukraine resolution "He gave survivors a lot of hope when he came into office, promising transparency and change," explained Marie Collins, one of the eight sexual abuse survivors who spoke to Pope Francis at a 2018 meeting in Dublin. She had been abused by a priest at the age of 13 in 1960s Ireland, a separate Reuters report said. "I'd like to see the next pope (after Pope Francis) institute real policies with real teeth," Collins had said, earlier this year. She had also been a member of the commission that archbishop Verny now heads, but had left in 2017, frustrated due to internal resistance. At least 24 people have been confirmed to be dead and about 23 to 25 are missing following a flash flood in the US state of Texas on Friday. The Guadalupe River rose up to 26 feet in less than two hours early morning due to the torrential rain. About 25 cm of rain poured down overnight in central Kerr County. The river gauge recording flood water stopped working after recording nearly 30 feet. The 25 people who have gone missing are from a Christian Girls' camp called Camp Mystic where roughly 750 girls attend. The parents are still waiting for news of the girls and seeing help online and at reunification centres, according to AP. Authorities have said that they had been in contact with 18 camps alongside the river and Camp mystic was the only one with people still unaccounted for according to CNN. Texas Lt Gov. Dan Patrick said that search crews were doing whatever we can do to find everyone we can. According to reports, emergency workers had rescued more than than 230 people so far alongside the river. Around 400 people helped with the rescue on ground along with nine rescue teams, 14 helicopters and 12 drones. The area that was flooded is known as flash flood alley due to the thin layer of soil and the high intensity rainfalls that are common in the region due to moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. The forecast had issued a flood watch which was later updated to a warning during early morning hours to about 30,000 residents in the area. According to Nim Kidd the chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, the national Weather Service advisory that was issued the day before the flood did not predict the amount of rain that we saw, while speaking to the New York Times. US President Donald Trump called the flooding terrible and pledged federal support to reporters aboard Air Force One. Strange as it may seem, Chinas President Xi Jinping is not attending the two-day BRICS Summit in Brazils Rio de Janeiro that begins on July 6. This will be the first time since 2012 (when he became the President) that Xi will be skipping the meet. In addition to the upcoming BRICS meet, Xis absence has been conspicuous even in the state-run Chinese media, where he features almost on a daily basis in the state mouthpieces. ALSO READ | PM Modi walks the tightrope at BRICS: Is India's 'strategic autonomy' under strain? The Chinese premier's public appearances have also been reducedhis last interaction with a foreign dignitary in Beijing may well have been a meeting with Singaporean PM Lawrence Wong on June 24, which followed his meeting with New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon on June 20. In that regard, the rumours about his absence have ranged from the mundane to the incrediblefrom being upstaged by political opponents to suffering from an ailment. In Brazil, China will be represented by premier Li Qiang. Xis absence is strange because the 11-membered BRICS grouping of emerging economies that includes India, China, Russia, Iran and seven other countries, is often seen as a platform for the fast-rising China-Russia-Iran axis against the US-led West. The summit in Brazil is expected to take a strident stand against the unilateral tariff being imposed by the US, on grounds of it violating international laws. The strategic position of BRICS includes a move for de-dollarisation as a counter to the dominance of the US dollar, by working towards a new currency of exchange besides the creation of a more equitable global orderwith multi-polarity as its main mantra. US President Donald Trump with his central tenet of 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) has been unsparing in his criticism of the BRICS. We require a commitment from these (BRICS) countries that they will neither create a BRICS currency nor back any other currency to replace the mighty US dollar or they will face 100 per cent tariffs, he declared. BRICS was set up for a bad purpose BRICS is now dead, Trump continued, in his tirade against the fast-emerging bloc. ALSO READ | PM Modi arrives in Argentina on two-day visit, first bilateral trip in 57 years Russian President Vladimir Putin will also not attend, but his absence has been explained as not wanting to put the host Brazil in a delicate diplomatic spot. However, Putin will attend the summit via video conferencing. Brazilan original member of The Hague-headquartered International Criminal Court (ICC)would be rule-bound to detain Putin on arrival due to the arrest warrant issued against the Russian President on March 17, 2023. The ICC had issued the warrant after an investigation of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Former Pakistani foreign minister Bilwal Bhutto Zardari said Islamabad has no objection to extraditing 'individuals of concern' to India. As part of a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan, where terrorism is one of the issues that we discuss, I am sure Pakistan would not be opposed to any of these things," he said. However, he alleged that India is refusing to comply with "certain basic elements that require that conviction to take place". "Its important to present evidence within these courts, for people to come over from India to testify, to put up with whatever the counter-accusations will be," said Bilawal. "If India is willing to be cooperative in that process, I am sure there will be no hurdle in extraditing any individual of concern." Where is Masood Azhar now? However, Bilawal denied that Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar is in Pakistan, telling reporters that Islamabad has been "unable to identify or arrest" the mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attacks. He said Islamabad would be "happy to arrest" Azhar if India can share proof that the JeM chief is in Pakistan. "Given his past within the Afghan jihad context, it is our belief that he is in Afghanistan," Bilawal said, adding that Pakistan would not be able to do what NATO was unable to do within Afghanistan. It should be noted that India released the JeM chief in exchange for the passengers during the IC-814 hijack in 1999. Azhar, a UN-designated terrorist, was also involved in the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack. Where is Hafiz Saeed now? When asked about Hafiz Saeed's whereabouts, Bilawal admitted that the Lashkar-e-Taiba chief is in Pakistan but also claimed that he is not a free man. "That's factually not correct that Hafiz Saeed is a free man. He is in the custody of the Pakistani state," the former minister said, responding to a New York Times report, which claimed the LeT chief was free. Earlier this week, auction house Christies concluded a bedazzling sale titled Magnificent Jewels. The auction of 138 exquisite pieces featured historic and heirloom jewels from notable jewellery houses and aristocratic family collections. With immaculate quality of stones and craftsmanship, each jewellery piece featured is a collectors item. Works of art to behold and cherish, in an era if dreadful costume jewellery. When provenance of a piece is traced painstakingly, these jewels can share volumes on history, culture and the evolution of art, fashion and design. Some of the pieces that caught my attention included an eye-popping, yet dainty pink diamond ring, which was once worn by Marie Antoinette, the last Queen of France before the French Revolution. Dating back to the 18th century, possibly mined in Indias ancient Golconda mines, the 10.38 carat ring has an exquisite powder pink shade to it. Perhaps part of Antoinettes original inventory collection, it was estimated at auction for $5,000,000 to 7,000,000. After a fierce bidding war, it eventually sold for almost double its expected price at an impressive $13,980,000. But, it comes as no surprise as jewels such as these, seeped in history are not seen every day let alone available in auction. Such is the case of three other pieces that were also part of the Christies auction, from the property of a royal collection. These are rare pieces, which one would perhaps study or admire in a miniature painting of a Mughal ruler or at a museum collection. Tracing their origin to the Mughal Empire, featuring inscribed spinels, pearls and gemstones such as emeralds. Mughal rulers have been known for their deep appreciation of craftsmanship be it commissioning ornate architectural marvels, setting up artist ateliers or searching for precious and magnificent stones. Jewellery was and continues to be seen as an undeniable measure of status, wealth and power. However, patronage has changed and evolved over the years with several craftsmen shutting shop and the quest for rare gems and jewels not always being encouraged. But there are a few jewellery houses that have stood the test of time. Possessing the ability, vision and foresight to keep up with the changing times and remain relevant globally. When brothers Louis, Pierre and Jacques Cartier joined their father Alfred in the family business, they set out to create Cartier, a legacy of art, design and craftsmanship. An exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London traces the journey of the jewellery house, featuring stunning creations which continue to be characterised by the union of inspired design, quality craftsmanship and ingenious techniques. I was overwhelmed with the sheer number of gorgeous historic jewels one had the privilege of viewing. It is evident that the Cartier brothers possessed a universal curiosity, be it to study books on decorative arts and antiques, to admire architecture and design or travel across the globe. This research would then be exquisitely crafted into their designs. Abstract geometric shapes inspired by Islamic architecture, the colourful Tutti Frutti composed of carved emerald, ruby and sapphire, the decorative arts of 18th century France and Europe. Maison Carter would combine global art traditions with lively imagination as part of a broader design approach while forging close ties with wealthy, influential clientele across borders. Be it royalty or aristocracy. The exhibition showcases original, detailed sketches, jewellery pieces from some of the most prestigious collections across the globe as well as from the archives of Cartier. Stories and anecdotes alongside these pieces shed light on the way patronage and design has changed over the years. How jewellery has been a soft power in sociopolitical scenarios but also been harnessed as a tool to make a bold statement. The iconic Patiala necklace, commissioned by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala lures visitors to gather around the beautifully lit, twinkling display. Glistening jewels, many of which have been lost and stolen over the years and been replaced. The Star of the South diamond bracelet, which was reportedly found in Brazil in 1853 by an enslaved woman. The diamond was part of the Baroda Royal family collection for nearly 80 years. A captivating ruby and diamond necklace, with Burmese rubies collected by the Maharaja of Nawanagar. The replica of the diamond necklace, which was commissioned by Cartier for Maharaja Ranjitsinhji of Nawanagar. The list goes on with each piece being even more exquisite than the other. While there are the quintessential European brooches and tiaras with diamonds and gemstones, watches and clocks, the exhibition is testament that the era of Indian royalty was a grand, and special opulent period where patronage flourished. Painstaking effort and time were taken to observe, to study, to innovate and to create. In a time where lab-grown diamonds are trendy and copied, replicated jewellery pieces are often favoured, the exhibition inspires the viewer to value and push the boundaries of creativity, to encourage new designs and craftsmanship and to learn from Maison Cartier's beautiful journey. Cartier has managed to successfully understand the changing times and the global demand, prioritising imaginative design and technical engineering. What has however remained consistent is the immaculate quality and superior craftsmanship. Even today Cartier's inimitable style remains relevant and modern. But as I left the exhibition, spellbound, I did wonder, is the era of exemplary craftsmanship and rare jewels fleeting? Will one only be privy to seeing such works in auctions and exhibitions now? The verdant Kangra Valley has been part of perhaps every summer holiday that I can trace back to. My grandparents home, a place of warmth and love with some of my happiest memories. Kangra has been a safe haven for many people over the years. This includes His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. After fleeing Tibet in 1959, His Holiness sought refuge in Kangra, laying the foundation for Tibetan culture and research in Dharamshala. This also made the region the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile. Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to see the depth of research and scholarship taking place in Dharamshala. Students, academicians from near and far visit the archives, libraries and cultural centres set up against the backdrop of the majestic Dhaulidhar range. For the culturally and spiritually curious, Dharamshala has become a heavenly abode. Be it to research Buddhism and Tibetan culture or to just explore the various art forms including Thangka making, a sublime, painstaking and meditative process, not for the faint hearted. Earlier this week, as His Holiness celebrated his 90th birthday, questions on his succession were brought to the spotlight yet again. The title of Dalai Lama is rooted in history tracing its origins to the 15th century with Gedun Drupa who was recognised as the first Dalai Lama in 1391. Revered, a symbol for peace and divinity and the living manifestation of Chenrezig or Avalokitesvara, the God of compassion. Ever since the 5th century the Dalai Lama has been seen as not only a spiritual leader but also a political one. Thus came the Tibetan philosophy of Chos srid gnyis ldan or religion and politics combined. The present Dalai Lama was recognised as the reincarnation at the tender age of two. A captivating painting of his enthronement ceremony which took place in 1940, was recently auctioned by Bonhams and sold for 152,800, a record for the artist. Part of the collection of Sir Basil Gould CBE, the portrait has been beautifully captured by Indian artist Kanwal Krishna. Krishna was one of the first to document the mundane life in Tibet. A pioneer for modernism in India, here he depicts the young Dalai Lama, seated innocently yet confidently, clothed in traditional attire against a beautifully illustrated backdrop. A soft smile hides the daunting weight of responsibility on the shoulders of the young boy. Much has changed since his appointment. Today, more than ritualistic, the looming questions on succession and continuity are critically connected with geopolitics and cultural identity. In 1995, after much controversy, debates and discussions, the Dalai Lama identified the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, his second in command. A mere three days later, the Chinese government had abducted him. His whereabouts and location till date, unknown. Amidst this continued atmosphere of political manipulation and control, could China still control the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama? During his birthday celebrations, His Holiness did announce that the next Dalai Lama will be appointed after his death by the Gaden Phodrang Trust established by him in 2011. While this news, of the continuity of a 600 year old institution, brought a sense of solace to the Tibetan Buddhists across the globe, China was quick to reject this announcement. This opens the door to a number of diplomatic complexities. What if rival Dalai Lamas emerge? Many of these ramifications cannot be imagined as yet but it does place India in a precarious position given we are a country of over 100,000 Tibetan refugees. Only time will unfold the profound consequences and reverberations of the succession, one which is shrouded in uncertainty and is of immense importance to not only Tibetan Buddhists worldwide but also to those investing in Chinas infrastructure and Tibets resources. It certainly is an era of Chos srid gnyis ldan. Buenos Aires, Jul 5 (PTI) Prime Minister Modi on Saturday laid a wreath here at the memorial of General Jose de San Martin, regarded as a national hero in Argentina. Jose Francisco de San Martin y Matorras is also known as the liberator of the South American nations Argentina, Chile and Peru. PM Modi arrived in Argentina on Friday evening on a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with the country's top leadership to review ongoing cooperation and discuss ways to enhance bilateral partnership in key areas. This is the first Indian bilateral visit at the prime ministerial level to Argentina in 57 years. It is Modi's second visit to the country as prime minister; he had visited in 2018 for the G20 Summit. It also marks the third stop on the prime ministers five-nation visit. Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with President Milei to further boost India-Argentina partnership in key areas including defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, according to the MEA. "The bilateral visit of the prime minister will further deepen the multifaceted strategic partnership between India and Argentina," it said in a statement ahead of Argentina visit. In his departure statement, the prime minister said that Argentina is a key economic partner in Latin America and a close collaborator in the G20 and that he looked forward to discussions with President Javier Milei, whom he had met last year. He reached here after concluding his two-day visit to Trinidad and Tobago, during which the two countries inked six agreements to expand bilateral ties. In the fourth leg of his visit, Modi will travel to Brazil to attend the 17th BRICS Summit, followed by a state visit. In the final leg of his visit, Modi will travel to Namibia. By Jody Godoy and Nate Raymond (Reuters) - Eight migrants lost their last-ditch effort to halt their deportation to South Sudan by the Trump administration on Friday, clearing the way for their imminent transfer after a judge in Massachusetts denied their request. Lawyers for the U.S. Justice Department said the men were scheduled to be flown to South Sudan on Friday at 7:00 pm Eastern Time after two courts considered the request on an emergency basis on July 4, when courts are otherwise closed for the Independence Day holiday. Lawyers for the migrants had filed new claims in Washington late Thursday after the U.S. Supreme Court clarified that a judge in Massachusetts could no longer require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to hold them. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss in Washington paused the deportation briefly on Friday afternoon, but sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston. Murphy said the Supreme Court order required him to deny their bid, saying their claims that deportation was being used as a form of punishment were "substantially similar" to the ones he had ruled on previously. The order was the latest round in the fight over the legality of the Trump administration's campaign to deter immigration through high-profile deportations to countries where migrants say they face safety concerns, and which has already gone from lower courts to the Supreme Court twice. Jennie Pasquarella, a lawyer with the Seattle Clemency Project who represents the migrants, called the ruling disappointing. No court will hear their claim that the Trump administration is unconstitutionally using deportation to dangerous countries as a form of punishment, on top of criminal sentences the men have already served, she said. "Both courts' decisions today have denied them their opportunity to have these claims heard and to protect their own lives. That is what is so tragic about where we came out," she said. Pasquarella said the men do not plan to file an appeal. A spokesperson for Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday. Department of Justice attorney Hashim Mooppan told Moss during Friday's hearing that court orders halting agreed-upon deportations pose a serious problem for U.S. diplomatic relations and would make foreign countries less likely to accept transfers of migrants in the future. The men have been convicted of various crimes, with four of them convicted of murder, the Department of Homeland Security has said. South Sudan has long been dangerous even for locals. The U.S. State Department advises citizens not to travel there due to violent crime and armed conflict. The United Nations has said the African country's political crisis could reignite a brutal civil war that ended in 2018. The eight men, who their lawyers said are from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Burma, Sudan and Vietnam, argue their deportations to South Sudan would violate the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. "It seems to me almost self-evident that the United States government cannot take human beings and send them to circumstances in which their physical well-being is at risk simply either to punish them or send a signal to others," Moss said during the hearing. But he ultimately found their new claims should be heard by the court in Massachusetts. The Friday effort to prevent the deportations came after months of back and forth between Murphy, the Supreme Court, and the Trump administration. Murphy ruled in May to block the U.S. from immediately moving the men to South Sudan after he found that officials had violated his earlier ruling in a class action lawsuit concerning the due process rights of migrants. That ruling, in April, had blocked the administration from sending migrants to countries where they have no ties without giving them the chance to raise safety concerns. The Supreme Court on June 23 put Murphy's April injunction on hold. But Murphy that same day said the high court ruling did not apply to his May order. Calling Murphy's decision a "lawless act of defiance," the Justice Department the next day urged the Supreme Court to clarify its decision. The nine-member Supreme Court on Thursday, over the dissent of two of its liberal justices, sided with the Trump administration and said its decision serves to reverse Murphy's May order blocking the deportations to South Sudan. (Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York and Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Alexia Garamfalvi) Russia on Thursday became the first country to formally recognize the Talibans government in Afghanistan since it seized power in 2021, after Moscow r emoved the group from its list of outlawed organizations. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it had received credentials from Afghanistans newly appointed Ambassador Gul Hassan Hassan. The official recognition of the Afghan government will foster productive bilateral cooperation, the ministry said in a statement. Afghanistans Foreign Ministry called it a historic step, and quoted Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi as welcoming the decision as a good example for other countries. The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces. Since then, they have sought international recognition while also enforcing their strict interpretation of Islamic law. While no country had formally recognized the Taliban administration until now, the group had engaged in high-level talks with many nations and established some diplomatic ties with countries including China and the United Arab Emirates. Still, the Taliban government has been relatively isolated on the world stage, largely over its restrictions on women. Although the Taliban initially promised a more moderate rule than during their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, it started to enforce restrictions on women and girls soon after the 2021 takeover. Women are barred from most jobs and public places, including parks, baths and gyms, while girls are banned from education beyond sixth grade. Russian officials have recently been emphasizing the need to engage with the Taliban to help stabilize Afghanistan, and lifted a ban on the Taliban in April. Russias ambassador to Afghanistan, Dmitry Zhirnov, said in remarks broadcast by state Channel One television that the decision to officially recognize the Taliban government was made by President Vladimir Putin on advice from Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Zhirnov said the decision proves Russias sincere striving for the development of full-fledged relations with Afghanistan. (AP) An unidentified North Korean man crossed the heavily fortified land border separating the two Koreas and is in South Korean custody, the Souths military said Friday. The Souths Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military identified and tracked the individual near the central-west section of the military demarcation line and conducted a guiding operation before taking the person into custody Thursday night. It said authorities plan to investigate the border crossing and did not immediately say whether they view the incident as a defection attempt. The Joint Chiefs said it notified the U.S.-led United Nations Command about the incident and had not detected any immediate signs of unusual military activity by the North. According to the Joint Chiefs, a South Korean military team approached the unarmed North Korean man after detecting him and, after identifying themselves as South Korean troops, guided him safely out of the mine-strewn Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas. Border tensions have flared in recent months as the two Koreas traded Cold War-style psychological warfare, with North Korea sending thousands of trash-filled balloons toward the South and South Korea blasting anti-Pyongyang propaganda through loudspeakers. Since taking office last month, South Koreas new liberal President Lee Jae Myung has made efforts to rebuild trust with North Korea, halting the frontline loudspeaker broadcasts and moving to ban activists from flying balloons carrying propaganda leaflets across the border. In April, South Korean troops fired warning shots to repel about 10 North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the military demarcation line. The Souths military said the soldiers returned to North Korean territory without incident and that the North didnt return fire. In June last year, North Korean troops crossed the border three times, prompting South Korea to fire warning shots. Experts suggested these crossings may have been accidental, occurring as North Korean troops added anti-tank barriers, planted mines and carried out other work to bolster border defenses amid escalating tensions between the Koreas. Diplomacy between the war-divided Koreas has derailed since the collapse of denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang in 2019, which prompted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to accelerate the expansion of his military nuclear program and threaten nuclear conflict toward Washington and Seoul. South Koreas previous conservative government responded by strengthening its combined military exercises with the United States and Japan, which the North condemned as invasion rehearsals. (AP) Two Dutch intelligence agencies said on Friday that Russia is increasing its use of prohibited chemical weapons in Ukraine, including the World War I-era poison gas chloropicrin. The Netherlands military intelligence and the security service, together with the German intelligence service, found that the use of prohibited chemical weapons by the Russian military had become standardized and commonplace in Ukraine. According to the findings, the Russian military uses chloropicrin and riot control agent CS against sheltering Ukrainian soldiers, who are then forced out into the open and shot. Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans called for more sanctions against Moscow, and continued military support for Kyiv. Brekelmans, who stayed on in a caretaker role after the Dutch government collapsed last month, said that he doesnt want to see the use of chemical weapons become normalized. Lowering the threshold for use is not only dangerous for Ukraine, but also for the rest of Europe and the world, he said in a statement. Russia has signed up to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which bans the use of chloropicrin and CS as weapons. The conventions watchdog, The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, has found several incidents in Ukraine involving CS, but the group hasnt conducted a full investigation, which must be requested by the member states. The executive committee for the OPCW is holding a regular meeting next week, where its expected to discuss the conflict in Ukraine. Russian authorities didnt immediately comment on the findings, but they have denied using chemical weapons in the past, instead alleging that Ukraine has used the banned substances. According to Ukraine, Russia has carried out 9,000 chemical weapons attacks in the country since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. In 2024, the U.S. State Department said that it had recorded the use of chloropicrin against Ukrainian troops. (AP) A frightening incident unfolded in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday night when a man set fire to the front door of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, one of the citys oldest shuls, while approximately 20 mispallelim were inside eating their Shabbos seudah. Bchasdei Hashem, those inside were able to evacuate through the back of the building unharmed, and firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze before it could spread beyond the entrance. Australian police announced on Sunday morning (local time) that they had arrested a 34-year-old suspect, who was charged with multiple serious offenses, including reckless conduct endangering life. Authorities said they are continuing to investigate the mans motives and whether the crime should be classified as a terrorist attack. Police are also investigating whether this arson attack is connected to two other deeply troubling antisemitic incidents that took place the same evening in Melbourne. In one of those incidents, a group of approximately 20 anti-Israel rioters stormed Miznon, an Israeli-owned restaurant, overturning tables and smashing windows while shouting Death to the IDF. The group had gathered following a pro-Hamas demonstration nearby. Reports indicated the restaurant may have been singled out not only because of its Israeli ownership but also because its proprietor, Shahar Segal, is a spokesperson for the Humanitarian Fund for Gaza, an Israeli-American supported aid initiative. Your browser does not support the video tag. Elsewhere in Melbourne, additional vehicles were set on fire and vandalized with antisemitic graffiti, raising even more concerns about a coordinated wave of anti-Jewish hatred. Police have so far not established a direct link among all three incidents. Sasha Roytman, CEO of the Movement to Combat Antisemitism, described the attempted shul arson as an attempted murder in every sense of the word that miraculously ended without loss of life. He urged that the incident be treated as a terrorist attack. This is another escalation in the unprecedented wave of antisemitic events taking place in Australia, Roytman said. Since October 7, there has been a rise of hundreds of percent in the number of antisemitic and hate crimes. The Jewish community has lost its sense of personal security and fears the situation will escalate further. Roytman noted that a special emergency conference will soon be convened in Australia to give local leaders the tools to combat antisemitism at both the national and local level. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu sharply condemned the incidents: I view with great severity the antisemitic attacks that occurred last night in Melbourne, which included an attempted arson of a shul and a violent attack on an Israeli restaurant by pro-Palestinian rioters, he said. These despicable acts, shouting Death to the IDF while trying to harm a place of worship, are severe hate crimes that must be uprooted. The State of Israel will continue to stand with the Jewish community in Australia, and we demand that the Australian government act in every way to bring the perpetrators to justice and prevent such attacks in the future. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) H&M has become the latest retailer to give its UK staff body cameras as shops grapple with shoplifting and attacks on workers. The Swedish fashion giant told The Mail on Sunday it was conducting trials of the technology. It follows other household names Tesco, the Co-op and Lidl, which are providing staff with bodycams to protect them from abuse and assaults. High street firms say the move has been forced on them due to a police failure to act. Shoplifting was up one-fifth last year, with violent and abusive incidents running at 2,000 a day. Criminals often organised gangs increasingly steal goods in full view of staff and shoppers, safe in the knowledge that there will be no consequences. Workers are usually told not to intervene against thieves to avoid the risk of being attacked. Protection: H&M has become the latest retailer to give its UK staff body cameras as shops grapple with shoplifting and attacks on workers Staff have also reported being sworn at, being subjected to racial and sexual insults, physically threatened, spat on and being victims of physical violence. The H&M bodycam trials are taking place at a store in Edinburgh as well as shops in Wood Green and Beckton in London. A spokesman for the firm said: 'We're testing this new technology in a three-store pilot to assess what beneficial impact it may have, along with proper staff customer service training, on de-escalating and reducing incidents for the safety of both our colleagues and customers.' The cameras are clipped onto a worker's clothes and can record distressing situations to help provide evidence to the police. Companies are turning to a wide range of security measures as they face unprecedented levels of theft and violence against staff. Chains including Tesco, Morrisons, Boots, Primark and Greggs said last week they would start submitting CCTV and photos of prolific shoplifters into a new database to be shared with police. The hope is that the database, known as Auror and pioneered in New Zealand, will provide security guards with watchlists so they can bar entry to repeat offenders. More goods are now being locked in anti-theft devices, including basic foodstuffs such as honey-roast ham, pork, and mincemeat. Greggs announced in May that it had moved some products behind the counter to reduce theft. Shoplifting offences hit a record high in England and Wales last year, with 516,971 incidents recorded by police, up from 429,873 in 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics. And there were 2.2billion of recorded store losses from theft, up from 1.8billion the previous year. This was despite the industry investing 1.8billion into bolstering security, including the rollout of body cameras, panic buttons and CCTV. The number of violent and abusive incidents hit more than 2,000 a day in the year to April 2024, according to industry group the British Retail Consortium (BRC). In September 2023, Tesco boss Ken Murphy said every frontline worker at the supermarket chain would be offered a bodycam due to a rise in attacks. Labour has promised to make assaults on shop staff a specific offence in England and Wales, as it is in Scotland, in the Crime and Policing Bill currently making its way through Parliament. A clause states that anyone found guilty of assaulting a retail worker can be sentenced to up to six months in prison. The MoS has led calls for a crackdown with its End The Shoplifting Epidemic campaign. Graham Wynn, assistant director of regulatory affairs at the BRC, said: 'The police must get tougher on retail crime, ensuring that all incidents are attended to and followed up on, while the Government must ensure swift passage of the Bill to protect retail workers.' Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also said last week that more police officers will be deployed to hundreds of towns across Britain this summer to clamp down on crime and anti-social behaviour. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC)s stock price reached a new 52-week high on Thursday after Citigroup raised their price target on the stock from $78.00 to $85.00. Citigroup currently has a neutral rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company traded as high as $82.40 and last traded at $82.37, with a volume of 15187015 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $81.49. A number of other equities analysts also recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $82.00 to $73.50 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 3rd. Raymond James Financial restated a strong-buy rating on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a report on Wednesday, June 18th. Truist Financial dropped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $84.00 to $73.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 14th. Phillip Securities upgraded Wells Fargo & Company from a moderate buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, April 14th. Finally, Barclays dropped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $92.00 to $87.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 14th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $78.33. Get Wells Fargo & Company alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on WFC Hedge Funds Weigh In On Wells Fargo & Company Wells Fargo & Company Price Performance Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Rialto Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC grew its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 585.5% during the 1st quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 377 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 322 shares during the period. Investment Counsel Co. of Nevada acquired a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. BNP Paribas acquired a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Accent Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the 1st quarter worth about $29,000. 75.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a current ratio of 0.84. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $75.34 and a 200-day moving average price of $73.44. The company has a market capitalization of $271.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.16. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 11th. The financial services provider reported $1.39 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.23 by $0.16. Wells Fargo & Company had a net margin of 16.19% and a return on equity of 12.15%. The firm had revenue of $20.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.82 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.20 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.89 EPS for the current fiscal year. Wells Fargo & Company Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 9th were issued a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.92%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 9th. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 28.73%. Wells Fargo & Company declared that its board has authorized a stock repurchase program on Tuesday, April 29th that permits the company to buyback $40.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization permits the financial services provider to repurchase up to 17.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are usually a sign that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued. About Wells Fargo & Company (Get Free Report) Wells Fargo & Co is a diversified and community-based financial services company, which engages in the provision of banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth and Investment Management. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Wells Fargo & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wells Fargo & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. UBS Group downgraded shares of KBR (NYSE:KBR Free Report) from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report published on Wednesday, MarketBeat reports. UBS Group currently has $54.00 price target on the construction companys stock, down from their previous price target of $66.00. Several other research firms have also weighed in on KBR. Citigroup reduced their price objective on KBR from $77.00 to $69.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered KBR from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $55.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Tuesday, May 27th. Truist Financial cut their price target on KBR from $70.00 to $60.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 14th. KeyCorp lowered KBR from an overweight rating to a sector weight rating in a research note on Monday, June 23rd. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered KBR from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, June 7th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, KBR currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $64.14. Get KBR alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on KBR KBR Stock Up 0.4% Shares of NYSE KBR opened at $47.62 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.11. KBR has a 52 week low of $43.89 and a 52 week high of $72.60. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.93, a PEG ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 0.74. The stocks fifty day moving average is $52.10 and its 200 day moving average is $52.81. KBR (NYSE:KBR Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 6th. The construction company reported $0.98 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.88 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $2.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.09 billion. KBR had a return on equity of 32.55% and a net margin of 4.99%. KBRs revenue was up 13.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.77 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that KBR will post 3.26 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. KBR Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, July 15th. Investors of record on Friday, June 13th will be paid a $0.165 dividend. This represents a $0.66 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.39%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 13th. KBRs dividend payout ratio is currently 22.07%. Insider Activity at KBR In related news, CEO Stuart Bradie sold 20,000 shares of KBR stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.81, for a total value of $1,056,200.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 802,361 shares of the companys stock, valued at $42,372,684.41. The trade was a 2.43% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 1.11% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On KBR Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Voya Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in KBR by 1.2% in the first quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 20,095 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $1,001,000 after buying an additional 241 shares during the period. Intech Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in KBR by 39.1% in the first quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 220,446 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $10,980,000 after buying an additional 61,937 shares during the period. Bayforest Capital Ltd increased its holdings in shares of KBR by 158.9% during the first quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 6,107 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $304,000 after acquiring an additional 3,748 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its holdings in shares of KBR by 6.4% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 395,574 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $19,704,000 after acquiring an additional 23,738 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC bought a new stake in shares of KBR during the first quarter valued at approximately $349,000. 97.02% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. KBR Company Profile (Get Free Report) KBR, Inc provides scientific, technology, and engineering solutions to governments and commercial customers worldwide. It operates through Government Solutions and Sustainable Technology Solutions segments. The Government Solutions segment offers life-cycle support solutions to defense, intelligence, space, aviation, and other programs and missions for military and other government agencies in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. See Also Receive News & Ratings for KBR Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for KBR and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. D.A. Davidson & CO. grew its holdings in Fidelity High Dividend ETF (NYSEARCA:FDVV Free Report) by 29.0% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 110,300 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 24,796 shares during the quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO.s holdings in Fidelity High Dividend ETF were worth $5,471,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the business. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC increased its holdings in shares of Fidelity High Dividend ETF by 12.5% in the 4th quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 3,114,014 shares of the companys stock valued at $155,514,000 after acquiring an additional 345,433 shares during the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC increased its holdings in shares of Fidelity High Dividend ETF by 96.5% in the 4th quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 1,838,464 shares of the companys stock valued at $91,813,000 after acquiring an additional 902,912 shares during the last quarter. Retirement Planning Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Fidelity High Dividend ETF by 595.3% in the 1st quarter. Retirement Planning Group LLC now owns 1,827,617 shares of the companys stock valued at $90,650,000 after acquiring an additional 1,564,773 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE increased its holdings in shares of Fidelity High Dividend ETF by 18.6% in the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 1,240,933 shares of the companys stock valued at $61,972,000 after acquiring an additional 194,782 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN increased its holdings in shares of Fidelity High Dividend ETF by 28.4% in the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 900,523 shares of the companys stock valued at $44,972,000 after acquiring an additional 199,194 shares during the last quarter. Get Fidelity High Dividend ETF alerts: Fidelity High Dividend ETF Stock Performance FDVV opened at $53.18 on Friday. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $50.45 and its 200-day simple moving average is $49.92. The company has a market cap of $5.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.18 and a beta of 1.01. Fidelity High Dividend ETF has a one year low of $42.81 and a one year high of $53.24. Fidelity High Dividend ETF Company Profile The Fidelity High Dividend ETF (FDVV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Fidelity High Dividend index. The fund tracks an index of large- and mid-cap companies that exhibit positive dividend characteristics, with overweights to sectors that exhibit higher dividend yield. FDVV was launched on Sep 12, 2016 and is managed by Fidelity. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FDVV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Fidelity High Dividend ETF (NYSEARCA:FDVV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Fidelity High Dividend ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fidelity High Dividend ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kintegral Advisory LLC reduced its holdings in Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR Free Report) by 32.9% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 4,349 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 2,133 shares during the quarter. Kintegral Advisory LLCs holdings in Digital Realty Trust were worth $623,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in DLR. Fairway Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Digital Realty Trust during the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Digital Realty Trust during the 1st quarter valued at $38,000. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 502.5% during the 4th quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 241 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 201 shares during the period. Millstone Evans Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Digital Realty Trust during the 4th quarter valued at $43,000. Finally, Grove Bank & Trust increased its position in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 306.7% during the 1st quarter. Grove Bank & Trust now owns 305 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $44,000 after purchasing an additional 230 shares during the period. 99.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Digital Realty Trust alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on DLR shares. Citigroup lowered their price target on Digital Realty Trust from $188.00 to $174.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 17th. JMP Securities reiterated a market outperform rating and set a $220.00 price target on shares of Digital Realty Trust in a research report on Monday, April 28th. Scotiabank decreased their target price on Digital Realty Trust from $208.00 to $206.00 and set a sector outperform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Barclays decreased their target price on Digital Realty Trust from $142.00 to $139.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 20th. Finally, Bank of America initiated coverage on Digital Realty Trust in a report on Monday, May 19th. They issued a buy rating and a $210.00 target price on the stock. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $187.16. Insider Transactions at Digital Realty Trust In related news, Director Mark R. Patterson sold 175 shares of Digital Realty Trust stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $176.50, for a total transaction of $30,887.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 6,522 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,151,133. This trade represents a 2.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock. Digital Realty Trust Stock Performance Shares of Digital Realty Trust stock opened at $172.60 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $58.13 billion, a PE ratio of 161.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 0.95. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $170.84 and a 200-day simple moving average of $164.45. The company has a quick ratio of 1.92, a current ratio of 1.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. Digital Realty Trust, Inc. has a 12 month low of $129.95 and a 12 month high of $198.00. Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.77 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.73 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $1.41 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.43 billion. Digital Realty Trust had a return on equity of 2.07% and a net margin of 7.65%. Digital Realty Trusts revenue was up 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.67 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Digital Realty Trust, Inc. will post 7.07 EPS for the current fiscal year. Digital Realty Trust Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 13th were given a $1.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 13th. This represents a $4.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.83%. Digital Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 456.07%. Digital Realty Trust Profile (Free Report) Digital Realty Trust, Inc operates as a real estate investment trust, which engages in the provision of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions. It serves the following industries: artificial intelligence (AI), networks, cloud, digital media, mobile, financial services, healthcare, and gaming. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DLR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Digital Realty Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Digital Realty Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Former President Joe Biden is slowly stepping back into the spotlight since his White House exit in January to defend his legacy in the face of GOP investigations. On the few occasions that Biden has chosen to speak to the public, he has directly and indirectly targeted his successor, President Donald Trump, and the GOP-led Congress that is now investigating his aides as part of a broader autopen investigation. JOE BIDENS DEBATE AGAINST DONALD TRUMP HAUNTS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ONE YEAR ON His most recent comments came this week in a little-covered appearance at the HR trade group Society for Human Resource Management's convention in San Diego, where he claimed European leaders still sought his advice as they navigate Trump's second administration. They ask to see me, and I see them," he said. "Im also laying rubber with my 67 Corvette in my driveway. The Trump White House was unimpressed. Joe Biden was the worst and most incompetent President in American history," said Liz Huston, a White House spokeswoman. "President Trump is working tirelessly to clean up his mess and make America greater than ever before. Any day Joe Biden is appearing on the public stage, reminding Americans of his failures, is a good day for the White House. A spokesperson for Biden's office did not respond to a request for comment. This isn't the first time Biden has spoken about Trump since leaving the White House. The Washington Examiner lists seven times the former president rebuked Trump or made rare remarks about his administration. 1. Biden's first post-White House interview with the BBC In early May, the BBC released its exclusive interview with Biden after his presidency, in which he criticized Trumps attempts to pressure Ukraine to give up part of its territory to Russia. It is modern-day appeasement, Biden said as he criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin. I just dont understand how people think that if we allow a dictator, a thug, to decide hes going to take significant portions of land that arent his, and thats going to satisfy him. I dont quite understand. Biden did not appear impressed with Trump's efforts to redefine the White House in his first 100 days. "I don't see anything that's triumphant," Biden said. 2. Biden goes on The View The same week as the BBC interview, Biden conducted his first live interview with an American outlet since leaving the White House with the hosts of The View. Biden largely defended his presidency from unrelenting criticisms that he and his allies had covered up his mental decline while serving as president. Biden, again, took another shot at Trump's first 100 days in office. Hes had the worst 100 days any president ever had, Biden said about his successor. Although Biden claimed he could have defeated Trump if he had not suspended his 2024 campaign, the former president conceded that he bears responsibility for Trumps win. I was in charge, and he won. So, you know, I take responsibility, he said. When Joy Behar, an anti-Trump critic and co-host on The View, asked Biden why Trump has repeatedly blamed him for problems the U.S. faces, Biden responded, I beat him." 3. After cancer diagnosis, Biden stays hopeful After Biden's shocking announcement that he had an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones, he attended his grandson, Robert Hunter Biden IIs, high school graduation in Salisbury, Connecticut. The former president told travelers at the Bradley International Airport in Connecticut that he was feeling great and doing fine" ahead of the Memorial Day weekend. The cancer revelation prompted Trump and Congress to launch multiple investigations into Biden aides over his use of the autopen to conduct presidential actions. Featured Local Savings 4. Biden defends record while in Delaware In late May, Biden defended his decision to seek reelection and his mental acuity amid the rising swell of concern after the cancer diagnosis. You can see that Im mentally incompetent and I cant walk, and I can beat the hell out of both of them! Biden cheekily told reporters following the publication of a new book from journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, alleging a White House cover-up of his health. Biden claimed he would "beat" prostate cancer. The expectation is were going to be able to beat this. Its not in any organ. My bones are strong. So feeling good, Biden said while speaking at a Memorial Day service in New Castle, Delaware. 5. Biden takes aim at Trump during Juneteenth During an event commemorating Juneteenth, the holiday celebrating the end of slavery that Biden signed into law in 2021, in Galveston, Texas, Biden attacked Trump's efforts to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. I played a role in changing the names of all the military camps that have slave names, Biden said. What are we doing now? Restating those names. Folks, the darkness can hide much but erase nothing. Trump didn't hold a Juneteenth celebration or sign a proclamation to mark the holiday. 6. Biden attends the funeral of a slain Minnesota lawmaker In late June, Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris joined mourners at the funeral of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were killed by a man posing as a police officer. Law enforcement called their June 14 deaths an assassination. Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also wounded by the attacker. Melissa Hortman will be remembered as the most consequential speaker in Minnesota history. I get to remember her as a close friend, a mentor, and the most talented legislator I have ever known, said Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), Harris's former running mate, during his eulogy. Neither Biden nor Harris spoke, but both were seated with Walz. Days before the funeral, the former president also joined mourners as Hortman, her husband, and her dog lay in state in the Minnesota Capitol rotunda. Neither Trump nor Vice President JD Vance attended the funerals. 7. Biden takes shot at 'big, beautiful bill' At Wednesday's Society for Human Resource Management convention, Biden lamented Trump's efforts to reverse the gains from Biden's tenure. Many of the things I worked so damn hard, that I thought I changed in the country, are changing so rapidly," Biden said in a keynote speech. The former president did not mention Trump's "big, beautiful bill," which passed through the House after gaining approval in the Senate. The legislation would reverse the Medicaid expansions enacted during Biden's term. But as soon as it passed the House on Thursday, Biden's X account posted a statement calling the bill "reckless" and "cruel." Trump signed the legislation into law on Friday, coinciding with the Fourth of July deadline lawmakers had set. Macroview Investment Management LLC lifted its position in SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEARCA:GLD Free Report) by 2.7% during the first quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 13,964 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after buying an additional 368 shares during the quarter. SPDR Gold Shares comprises approximately 3.8% of Macroview Investment Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th largest holding. Macroview Investment Management LLCs holdings in SPDR Gold Shares were worth $4,024,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp purchased a new stake in SPDR Gold Shares during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Columbia River Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in SPDR Gold Shares during the first quarter worth $34,000. HWG Holdings LP purchased a new stake in SPDR Gold Shares during the first quarter worth $53,000. Inlight Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in SPDR Gold Shares during the first quarter worth $55,000. Finally, American National Bank & Trust raised its position in SPDR Gold Shares by 189.4% during the first quarter. American National Bank & Trust now owns 191 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $55,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 42.19% of the companys stock. Get SPDR Gold Shares alerts: SPDR Gold Shares Stock Performance NYSEARCA:GLD opened at $307.14 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $306.16 and a two-hundred day moving average of $281.20. The stock has a market capitalization of $101.60 billion, a PE ratio of -32.43 and a beta of 0.15. SPDR Gold Shares has a fifty-two week low of $217.27 and a fifty-two week high of $317.63. SPDR Gold Shares Profile SPDR Gold Trust (the Trust) is an investment trust. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trusts expenses. The Trusts business activity is the investment of gold. The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but in one or more Baskets (a Basket equals a block of 100,000 Shares). See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GLD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEARCA:GLD Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for SPDR Gold Shares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SPDR Gold Shares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated boosted its position in Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL Free Report) by 8.3% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 6,412 shares of the enterprise software providers stock after acquiring an additional 491 shares during the period. Silver Oak Securities Incorporateds holdings in Oracle were worth $903,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Rockland Trust Co. grew its stake in Oracle by 4.8% in the 1st quarter. Rockland Trust Co. now owns 10,165 shares of the enterprise software providers stock worth $1,421,000 after acquiring an additional 467 shares during the period. Calamos Advisors LLC grew its stake in Oracle by 1.5% in the 1st quarter. Calamos Advisors LLC now owns 711,290 shares of the enterprise software providers stock worth $99,445,000 after acquiring an additional 10,426 shares during the period. Cornerstone Advisory LLC grew its stake in Oracle by 34.1% in the 4th quarter. Cornerstone Advisory LLC now owns 12,968 shares of the enterprise software providers stock worth $2,258,000 after acquiring an additional 3,299 shares during the period. Peak Retirement Planning Inc. purchased a new stake in Oracle in the 4th quarter worth approximately $211,000. Finally, Secure Asset Management LLC grew its stake in Oracle by 21.8% in the 1st quarter. Secure Asset Management LLC now owns 13,235 shares of the enterprise software providers stock worth $1,850,000 after acquiring an additional 2,365 shares during the period. 42.44% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Oracle alerts: Oracle Stock Performance Shares of Oracle stock opened at $237.39 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $666.79 billion, a PE ratio of 54.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.55 and a beta of 1.39. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $178.14 and its 200-day simple moving average is $164.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.07, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a current ratio of 0.75. Oracle Corporation has a 1 year low of $118.86 and a 1 year high of $237.99. Oracle Announces Dividend Oracle ( NYSE:ORCL Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, June 11th. The enterprise software provider reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.64 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $15.90 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.58 billion. Oracle had a net margin of 21.68% and a return on equity of 87.34%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 11.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.63 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Oracle Corporation will post 5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 24th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 10th will be paid a $0.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 10th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.84%. Oracles dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.08%. Insider Activity at Oracle In other news, Vice Chairman Jeffrey Henley sold 400,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $190.42, for a total value of $76,168,000.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 1,097,576 shares in the company, valued at approximately $209,000,421.92. This represents a 26.71% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Naomi O. Seligman sold 2,866 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $149.53, for a total transaction of $428,552.98. Following the sale, the director directly owned 31,764 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,749,670.92. This represents a 8.28% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 440,366 shares of company stock worth $83,103,603. Company insiders own 42.20% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on shares of Oracle from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, June 9th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Oracle from $235.00 to $245.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a buy rating and issued a $240.00 price target (up previously from $200.00) on shares of Oracle in a report on Thursday, June 12th. Evercore ISI reiterated a buy rating on shares of Oracle in a report on Wednesday, June 18th. Finally, Roth Capital reiterated a hold rating on shares of Oracle in a report on Wednesday, June 18th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-two have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Oracle has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $204.15. View Our Latest Stock Report on ORCL Oracle Company Profile (Free Report) Oracle Corporation offers products and services that address enterprise information technology environments worldwide. Its Oracle cloud software as a service offering include various cloud software applications, including Oracle Fusion cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP), Oracle Fusion cloud enterprise performance management, Oracle Fusion cloud supply chain and manufacturing management, Oracle Fusion cloud human capital management, Oracle Cerner healthcare, Oracle Advertising, and NetSuite applications suite, as well as Oracle Fusion Sales, Service, and Marketing. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ORCL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Oracle Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Oracle and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wayfinding Financial LLC cut its holdings in shares of CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO Free Report) by 3.7% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 8,588 shares of the companys stock after selling 331 shares during the period. Wayfinding Financial LLCs holdings in CocaCola were worth $619,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Jackson Thornton Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of CocaCola during the first quarter worth approximately $623,000. Ceera Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of CocaCola during the first quarter worth approximately $206,000. Olde Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of CocaCola during the first quarter worth $134,000. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of CocaCola by 4.9% during the first quarter. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 39,241 shares of the companys stock worth $2,810,000 after purchasing an additional 1,844 shares during the period. Finally, Columbia River Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of CocaCola during the first quarter worth $116,000. 70.26% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get CocaCola alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages recently weighed in on KO. Barclays reaffirmed an overweight rating on shares of CocaCola in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $81.00 price target on shares of CocaCola in a report on Monday, June 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on CocaCola from $74.00 to $78.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, April 21st. Cfra Research raised CocaCola to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday, April 15th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price target on CocaCola from $73.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, April 30th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, CocaCola presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $76.27. Insider Transactions at CocaCola In related news, CFO John Murphy sold 88,658 shares of CocaCola stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.09, for a total transaction of $6,391,355.22. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 205,511 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,815,287.99. This trade represents a 30.14% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO James Quincey sold 266,403 shares of CocaCola stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.06, for a total value of $19,197,000.18. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 275,946 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $19,884,668.76. This represents a 49.12% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 415,387 shares of company stock valued at $29,923,985 in the last 90 days. 0.97% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. CocaCola Trading Up 0.4% NYSE:KO opened at $71.19 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $306.42 billion, a PE ratio of 28.48, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.74 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a quick ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.57. CocaCola Company has a 52-week low of $60.62 and a 52-week high of $74.38. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $71.08 and a 200-day simple moving average of $68.56. CocaCola (NYSE:KO Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The company reported $0.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.71 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $11.13 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.23 billion. CocaCola had a return on equity of 45.49% and a net margin of 23.00%. The businesss revenue was down .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.72 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that CocaCola Company will post 2.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. CocaCola Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, July 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 13th were paid a dividend of $0.51 per share. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.87%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 13th. CocaColas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 81.60%. CocaCola Profile (Free Report) The Coca-Cola Company, a beverage company, manufactures, markets, and sells various nonalcoholic beverages worldwide. The company provides sparkling soft drinks, sparkling flavors; water, sports, coffee, and tea; juice, value-added dairy, and plant-based beverages; and other beverages. It also offers beverage concentrates and syrups, as well as fountain syrups to fountain retailers, such as restaurants and convenience stores. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding KO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for CocaCola Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CocaCola and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Eric Johnson, the Democrat-turned-Republican mayor of Dallas, declared on Thursday that the Texan city is now a refuge from socialist policies after New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani won New York City's Democratic mayoral primary. Johnson described Dallas as the nation's first "sanctuary city from socialism" in a message seemingly directed toward New Yorkers. "If your city is (or is about to be) a sanctuary for criminals, mayhem, job-killing regulations, and failed socialist experiments, I have a modest invitation for you: MOVE TO DALLAS," he posted on X. "We value free enterprise, law and order, and our first responders," Johnson continued. "Common sense and the American Dream still reside here. We have all your big-city comforts and conveniences without the suffocating vice grip of government bureaucrats." The mayor made a similar invitation to New York City residents last week after Mamdani, a self-described socialist, beat former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) and other Democratic candidates ahead of the general election for mayor. Mamdani's win became official earlier this week after the city's ranked choice voting results were released. Mamdani's campaign includes proposals for government-run grocery stores, expanded rent control, and efforts to boycott, divest, and sanction Israel. The progressive politician has been criticized as antisemitic after he declined to condemn the anti-Israel slogan, "globalize the intifada." Featured Local Savings In Dallas, Johnson left the Democratic Party to join the GOP in 2023 after opposing a city council tax hike. Unlike other Democratic mayors, Johnson prioritizes police funding amid calls to defund the police and supports working with the Trump administration. Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) supports Johnson's vision to make Dallas a "sanctuary city from socialism." SALENA ZITO: DEMOCRATS TO SEE 'DEEP LOSSES' WITH MORE MAMDANI-LIKE CANDIDATES "The State of Texas will provide whatever support is needed to fulfill that mission, Abbott wrote on social media. Before switching political parties, Johnson won reelection in 2023 after assuming office in 2019. Touristikjobs Die Stelleninserate der wochentlichen Ausgabe unserer Fachzeitschrift tip werden hier veroffentlicht und verbleiben danach bis zu vier Wochen in der Datenbank. Again . . . For quite a few irrationally exuberant celebrants . . . 2025 will be the last fourth of July they'll enjoy with all digits intact. This is a tragic fact of life that seems to endure no matter how many warnings local authorities issue . . . Never mind that fireworks for personal use are technically illegal inside city limits. Tonight local news is sharing reports of mishaps and that's a nice place to take a pause, advise caution and hope that we all meet each other back here in the morning . . . Check-it: At least 17 people were treated by doctors and nurses in the metro area for injuries from fireworks by 5 p.m. Friday. The University of Kansas Health System reported that their victims were males between the ages of six and 58. They suffered injuries to their hands, an arm, face, and eye, according to a news release from the health system. The fireworks involved in the accidents included a smoke bomb, a crackling ball, bottle rocket, sparkler and mortar. Three of the injured were admitted to hospitals, according to the news release. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . University of Kansas Hospital releases first reports of fireworks-related injuries Patients with injuries range from 6 to 58 years old. Related . . . Kansas City Parks and Rec workers prepare for clean up after July Fourth celebrations Kansas City's public parks and rec workers know an Independence Day tradition they could do without. Developing . . . The spread of disease doesn't take a break and so we're inclined to share this report that didn't get much play from the local news . . . Remember . . . Back in April, KCMO public health officials noted that the outbreak is only a car ride away from KC and it's a matter of WHEN not IF locals will have to deal with the impact of this public health concern that had now spanned two White House administrations. Here's the news this week . . . A positive measles case was reported at Wesley Medical Center, and the Kansas Department of Health has issued an exposure alert. KDHE said that the exposure alert is for anyone who spent time on the Fifth-Floor Pediatric Unit, Building 4 of the Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Measles exposure at Wichita hospital KDHE is informing the public of a measles exposure that occurred at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita so individuals can take steps to protect their health and help prevent further spread. Developing . . . A peek at progressive push back amid a legal battle . . .Check-it: Time to show up and support efforts to halt CoreCivic from opening an ICE detention facility in Leavenworth. On Monday, a judge is expected to rule on CoreCivics motion for reconsideration and the Citys motion that CoreCivic must get a permit. CoreCivic is a private prison company embroiled in numerous lawsuits alleging inmate mistreatment, low staffing and forced labor. The City of Leavenworth is suing to stop CoreCivic from reopening its closed prison and turning it into an ICE detention center. When an ICE detention facility is built, detainments skyrocket. Already, all across the country and in OUR BACKYARD, immigrants are being snatched off the street and not afforded due process. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Boots On The Ground Midwest: "We stand with our immigrant community!" A question that's not quite PC but deserves to be considered . . . IS THE KANSAS GOP SUCH A SAUSAGE FEST THAT THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO DEFEAT FEMALE OPPOSITION?!?! Think about it . . . Amanda Adkins was a formidable woman with business and political skill . . . BUT, she mistakenly believed that dressing up like a trad wife and talking about baking cookies for brats would make her more appealing . . . Rep. Sharice Davids CRUSHED her after losing every debate because Kansas GOP wasn't being honest with voters. And so . . . Today we take a look at another Democratic Party lady looking to compete with state leaders who are slow to understand a weakness that's losing them nearly every population center in the state. Check-it . . . "The race for governor in the Sunflower State may get another name. State Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes is considering a run for the position. "If Sykes got in, shed be the second major Democrat to announce shes running. In an interview with FOX4 on Monday, Sykes told FOX4 shes having conversations about that and trying to decide whats best for her and her family." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Multiple girls reported missing from a Christian summer camp swept away by heavy flooding in Texas have been found. Twenty-three children were unaccounted for at Camp Mystic near the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas. The area was hit with torrential rainfall that caused the river to rise more than 20 feet in 90 minutes. The number of rescued girls remains unclear at this time. Based on images shared on social media, however, two girls were seen safe in a helicopter, and another nine or so were seen sitting at a fire station. Texas Game Wardens posted on X that they could get into the camp and start bringing campers out. Some 750 summer campers were told to evacuate overnight as the area was hit with 10 inches of rain. The flash flooding washed away some of the young girls' cabins. Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls between ages 7 and 17, is almost a century old. Earlier Friday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R-TX) revealed up to 500 rescue workers and 18 helicopters were searching the area for any survivors on top of 40 helicopters, 12 drones, and nine dive and rescue teams already deployed by the state. At least 13 people have been killed. Featured Local Savings Texas is providing all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods, Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) said in a statement. The State of Texas today has mobilized additional resources in addition to the resources sent in preparation for the storms. I urge Texans to heed guidance from state and local officials and monitor local forecasts to avoid driving into flooded areas. Abbott is scheduled to hold a press conference in Kerrville, Texas, about the flooding and presumably the number of rescues made. It will start at 9 p.m. local time. INDEPENDENCE DAY IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS HOLIDAYS: HOW TO STAY SAFE Arriving on Independence Day, the natural disaster caused many holiday events and celebrations to be canceled in the affected areas. President Donald Trump is in contact with Texas officials about the developing situation, Patrick said. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) are also getting updates from state and local officials as the rescue and recovery operation continues. Israel and Francesca Albanese Report Authored by the relentless Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, it is unflinching in its assessments and warnings to companies doing business with Israel Saturday July 5, 2025 10:23 PM , Dr. Binoy Kampmark It makes for stark and dark reading. The UN Human Rights Council reoprt titled "From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide" makes mention of corporate entities who have been enriched by the Israeli economy of illegal occupation, apartheid and now genocide. Authored by the relentless Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, it is unflinching in its assessments and warnings to companies doing business with Israel. Why Albanese Gaza report is important? What makes the investigative undertaking by Albanese useful is its examination of the corporate world and its links to the colonial, settler program of removing and displacing a pre-existing population. The machinery of conquest of any state necessarily involves not only the desk job occupants in civilian bureaucracies and high-ranking military commanders, but those in the corporate sector, eager to make a profit. Colonial endeavours and associated genocides have historically been driven and enabled by the corporate sector. Commercial interests have contributed to the dispossession of Indigenous peoples of their lands a mode of domination known as colonial racial capitalism, writes Albanese. Private sectors under scrutiny Eight private sectors come in for scrutiny: arms manufacturers, tech firms, building and construction entities, those industries concerned with extraction and services, banks, pension funds, insurers, universities and charities. These entities enable the denial of self-determination and other structural violations in the occupied Palestinian territory, including occupation, annexation and crimes of apartheid and genocide, as well as a long list of ancillary crimes and human rights violations, from discrimination, wanton destruction, forced displacement and pillage to extrajudicial killing and starvation", she said in the report. "Military Industrial Complex" Central to the multifaceted economy of genocide is the military-industrial complex that forms the economic backbone of the State, the report charges. Albanese cites a stellar example: the F-35 fighter jet, developed by US-based Lockheed Martin, in collaboration with hundreds of other companies including Italian manufacturer Leonardo S.p.A, and eight States. Since October 2023, the process of colonisation and displacement has assumed an air of urgency, aided by the private sector. In 2024, US$200 million was advanced for colony construction. Between November 2023 and October 2024, 57 new colonies and outposts were established with Israeli and international companies supplying machinery, raw materials and logistical support. Examples include the maintenance and expansion of the Jerusalem Light Rail Red Line, the construction of the new Green Line, encompassing 27 kilometres of new tracks and 50 stations in the West Bank. The infrastructure has proven to be invaluable in linking the colonial project to West Jerusalem. Despite some companies withdrawing from the project owing to international pressure, an entity such as the Spanish/Basque Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles has been a keen participant, along with suppliers of excavating machinery (South Koreas Doosan and Swedens Volvo Group), and providers of materials for the light-rail bridge (Germanys Heidelberg Materials AG). Other features of the colonial project Beyond the structural and physical program of construction and displacement, all designed to extinguish any semblance of self-determination on the part of the Palestinians, come other features of the colonial project. A prominent feature of this, Albanese notes, is that of surveillance and carcerality. Repressing Palestinians has become a progressively automated affair, with tech companies feeding Israels voracious security appetite with unparalleled developments in carceral and surveillance devices, some of which include closed-circuit television networks, biometric surveillance, advanced tech checkpoint networks, drone surveillance and cloud computing. Palantir Technologies Inc., a specialist in software platforms, comes in for a special mention. There are reasonable grounds to believe Palantir has provided automatic predictive policing technology, core defence infrastructure for rapid and scale-up construction and deployment of military software, and its Artificial Intelligence Platform, which allows real-time battlefield data integration for automated decision making", Albanese notes in her report. With the report released, the dance of dissimulation began. Lockheed Martin told the Middle East Eye that foreign military sales were not their preserve as far as accountability or cause of concern was, a lofty, business-like attitude unshackled from a moral compass. Such sales took place between governments, meaning that the US government would be best placed to answer any questions. Hand washing and deferrals of guilt is a private sector speciality after all. "Hate Albanese Campaign" In a more direct fashion, both Israel and the United States have continued their Hate Albanese campaign, boringly reiterating old accusations while adopting novel interpretations of international law. Given the obvious loathing of international human rights conventions by Israeli officials and their US backers, this is decidedly rich, even more so given such jurisprudence as that of the International Court of Justices Advisory Opinion of July 2024, and the International Criminal Court arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (These developments figure prominently in Albaneses assessment.) According to the ICJ , all States are under an obligation to cooperate with the United Nations on ensuring an end to Israels illegal presence in the Occupied Territory and the full realization of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. Israels continued presence in the OPT was illegal. It is a wrongful act of a continuing character which has been brought about by Israels violations, through its policies and practices, of the prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force and the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people. Israeli Response to Albanese Report From Israel came the view that the report was legally groundless, defamatory and a flagrant abuse of [Albaneses] office. A June 20 letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from the Trump administration obtained by The Washington Free Beacon took issue with Albaneses supposed record of virulent antisemitism and support for terrorism, bitchily sniping at her legal qualifications. Little is actually mentioned of international law in the bilious missive by US Ambassador Dorothy C. Shea, acting representative to the UN, other than a snotty dismissal of UN General Assembly resolutions and advisory opinions by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as lacking any binding force on either States or private actors. Shea claims Albanese misrepresented her qualifications for the role by claiming to be an international lawyer despite admitting publicly that she has not passed a legal bar examination or been licensed to practice law. A fabulous accusation, given the surfeit of allegedly qualified legal members working in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and other offices executing their program of displacement, starvation and killing. The accusations against various corporate entities, notably over 20 US entities, were riddled with inflammatory rhetoric and false accusations, making such daring claims of gross human rights violations, apartheid and genocide. These charges, ventured through letters of accusation, constituted an unacceptable campaign of political and economic warfare against the American and worldwide economy. It comes as little surprise that the security rationale one that says nothing of the Palestinian right to self-determination, let alone rights to life and necessaries marks the entire complaint against Albaneses apparent lack of impartiality. Business activities specifically targeted by Ms. Albanese contribute to and help strengthen national security, economic prosperity, and human welfare across the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. Just dont mention the Palestinians. [The writer, Dr. Binoy Kampmark, was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He currently lectures at RMIT University, Australia. Email: bkampmark@gmail.com] Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home PM Modi twist in row over Ayatollah Khamenei posters in India Some people from the Shia community in Uttar Pradesh are now putting up posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with the Iranian leaders, as police removed large flex banners hailing Ayatollah Khamenei Saturday July 5, 2025 5:46 PM , ummid.com News Network [A poster of Iran's Supreme Leader Seyyed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been taken down in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh by UP Police.] Mumbai: Some people from the Shia community in Uttar Pradesh are now putting up posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with the Iranian leaders, as police removed large flex banners hailing Ayatollah Khamenei. People from the Shia community in the last week had put up banners and posters of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, hailing him as a hero in reference to the 12-day war between Iran and Israel which came to end on June 24, 2025 . Posters of the Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei and other Iranian leaders were spotted in Lucknow, Bijnaur and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, Pune in Maharashtra and various other places in India. [The image of PM Modi seen in a meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader and former Iran's President has now been put up at some places.] The Police, however, removed these posters. In Loni Station area of Pune, Police deployed cranes to take down the Iranian leaders poster. The police action in Pune came after protest by Bajrang Dal and other right wing groups. Interestingly, the Police said no objectionable content was found on the banner. It was removed because permission to put the banner was not taken, Police said. In a move purportedly to neutralize the Police action, people from the Shia community in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh put up a poster of Irans Supreme Leader along with that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi seen in a meeting with Irans former President and Ayatollah Khamenei. Watch Video In an interesting move, some people from the Shia community in Uttar Pradesh are now putting up posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with the Iranian leaders, as police removed large flex banners hailing Ayatollah Khamenei. pic.twitter.com/HDL6FFcV0R ummid.com (@ummid) July 5, 2025 The move has left Uttar Pradesh in a tizzy, and so far, there is no report of UP Police removing the poster of the Iranian leaders seen with PM Modi. India, at official level and in public, neither sided with Iran nor with Israel during the 12-day war between the two countries. But, it is widely perceived that India has been inclined towards Israel. Campaigns supporting Israel and demonising Iran also ran on different social media platforms by right wing trolls and the supporters of the present dispensation. This, despite the governments claim that India has a strong and decades old relationship with Iran. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Sushil Kedia apologizes after Raj Thackerays men vandalize his office Entrepreneur Sushil Kedia Saturday apologized for his Marathi remarks after his Mumbai office was attacked allegedly by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers Saturday July 5, 2025 2:10 PM , Staff Reporter Mumbai: Entrepreneur Sushil Kedia Saturday apologized for his Marathi remarks after his Mumbai office was attacked allegedly by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers. Sushi Kedia had two days ago challenged MNS Chief Raj Thackeray and said he will not learn Marathi language come what way. "I dont know Marathi properly even after living for 30 years in Mumbai, and with your gross misconduct, I ahve made it a resolve that until such people as you are allowed to pretend to be taking care of Marathi Manus I take pratigya, I wont learn Marathi. "Kya karna hai bol? Kedia wrote on social media platform X. Kedias post sparked a huge outrage in political circles. After the post, Kedia said, he received threatening phone calls. But, he remained firm. Drama band kar Raj Thackeray Tere do chaar gunde 10-20 thappad maar lenge to maar lenge... Hamare jaise apni wali pe aa gaye aur aamaran anshan ghoshit kar diya ham jaisi ne jab tak tu haath jod ke maafi nahi maangta to kya bachega tera? Kedia wrote in another post on X. Screen shot of Sushil Kedia's posts that invited MNS ire Watch Video: MNS Workerks Attack Kedia's Office Kedia, howeve, apologized after his office in Mumbai was vandalized allegedly by the MNS workers. My tweet was written in a wrong state of mind, under duress and stress, Kedia said in a video message posted on X. He said he was "under extreme mental pressure" because of the violence inflicted on the people who do not speak Marathi. (Due to which) I ended up in over reacting I realize, I must take back and withdraw my overreaction, he said. I accept my mistake and apologize, he said. Language Battle People living in Maharashtra are not unfamiliar with uproars and violence over Marathi language. The latest controversy erupted after the BJP-led Maharashtra government in a GR announced to make Hindi language mandatory in English and Marathi medium schools. After outrage, the Maharashtra government withdrew the GR , but the controversy persisted. Sushil Kedia made his now withdrawn comments on X after a street vendor in Mumbai was brutally beaten for not speaking Marathi. Sushil Kedia's office was vandalized a day after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government will not "tolerate over Marathi". We have already initiated action, filed FIRs. One cannot force a businessman to speak in a particular language. There are Marathi businessmen in other states as well. They may not be fluent in the local language. So will they face violence? he said. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. (The Center Square) As foreign espionage threats continue in the U.S. and in Texas, a new bill becomes law Sept. 1 that prohibits foreign ownership of Texas land. SB 17, filed by state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, passed the Texas legislature with bipartisan support and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott. The Adversarial Land Ownership Act initially passed the Senate in March by a vote of 24-7. A watered-down version passed the House in May by a vote of 75-47 with Republicans and Democrats voting against it. Differences in the bill were ironed out in conference committee and each chamber voted to pass the bill with bipartisan support. Abbott signed the bill into law last month. For three years, Ive worked to pass a bill to protect our land, homes, commercial buildings, water, timber, oil and gas and rare earth materials from being bought up by foreign adversarial nations like China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, Kolkhorst said, adding that the final bill sent to the governor is the strongest national security bill in the nation. Texas is not for sale to our enemy countries. As of Sept. 1, the new law will prohibit foreign governmental entities, companies, and individuals from purchasing private property in Texas if they are from or connected to countries listed in the latest Annual Threat Assessment report published by the Director of National Intelligence. To date, countries on the list are China, Iran, North Korea and Russia. Prohibitions for real property includes agricultural land, commercial or industrial property, water rights, rare earth materials, groundwater, timber, and oil and natural gas. The law gives the Office of Attorney General enforcement authority to investigate potential violations and initiate divestment proceedings against prohibited entities. The prohibition is a matter of national security, Kolkhorst said, adding that during the interim session, her office proposed a stronger bill than in the last session, incorporating measures from a Florida bill that became law in 2023. Once Kolkhorsts bill becomes law, Texas will join 22 states that already enacted similar legislation. Between January 2023 and July 2024, at least 22 states enacted legislation regulating foreign ownership of real property, according to a Congressional Research Service analysis. Some states enacted multiple laws. They include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Featured Local Savings The bill becoming law this year was the culmination of multiple years of dedication by Kolkhorst, including meeting with constituents, holding hearings, and surviving a wave of attacks during two legislative sessions by opponents claiming she and the bill were racist. In the last legislative session, a coordinated effort to kill the bill used a social media platform with direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party, The Center Square exclusively reported. One of the anti-Kolkhorst groups posted an article published by The Center Square about her bill that Abbott posted on social media on a WeChat platform. The platform was used by opponents of her bill who targeted Chinese Americans labeling them as Chinese traitors and spies, according to a Johns Hopkins expert on China who uncovered an alleged CCP-campaign on social media targeting her bill. In 2023, her bill passed the Senate with bipartisan support but never made it out of the House State Affairs Committee chaired by state Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi. Last year, Abbott issued multiple executive orders and directives to state agencies to increase security measures related to China, The Center Square reported. This year, the legislature passed bills incorporating those provisions related to cybersecurity, infrastructure and other public safety issues. In Congress, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Houston, introduced a bill to protect military installations and training areas from Americas adversaries, including China, Iran, North Korea and Russia, as well as protecting energy projects, The Center Square reported. The bills were filed after the Texas legislature unanimously passed the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act in 2021, banning Texas governmental entities and businesses from entering into contracts with companies owned or controlled by hostile foreign nations to gain access to Texas critical infrastructure. TEXAS SUMMER CAMP GIRLS REMAIN UNACCOUNTED FOR AFTER DEVASTATING FLOODS, OFFICIALS SAY They did so after learning that a Chinese billionaire and former Chinese Peoples Liberation Army general bought over 130,000 acres of land just miles from Laughlin Air Force base in Val Verde County, the largest air force pilot training base in the U.S., The Center Square reported. The bills were also filed as Chinese espionage threats continue nationwide, including CCP-secret police stations reportedly operating in Houston, Chinese spies being arrested in Houston and the greatest number of Chinese nationals illegally entering the U.S. in recorded history under the Biden administration, more than 176,000, The Center Square exclusively reported. People were spotted firing off fireworks at buildings and around people in the Navy Yard neighborhood of Washington, D.C., Friday night, after the Fourth of July fireworks display at the National Mall concluded. Most fireworks, including the ones seen in Navy Yard, are illegal in the district. A video posted by anti-crime activist and Navy Yard resident Elissa DeSouza shows people firing off what appear to be roman candle-style and other exploding fireworks. The video was taken on N St Se next to Nationals Park. Never again will I stay in Navy Yard for the 4th of July. #NavyYard pic.twitter.com/Le0yo73cW5 Elissa De Souza (@ElissaDeSouza) A public information officer for the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police told the Washington Examiner that police were aware of the illegal fireworks usage and were called to the area. No arrests were made, and no other information was given regarding discipline for the hazardous behavior. DeSouza says the perpetrators were "kids," and said she left the area. "Its a shame those kids cant see how they ruin things for other people. They need a better influences in their life. I am sure their parents contribute to their behavior. The shooting was scary too but not surprising. I packed up and left. Be safe this weekend," she said in a post on X. A different video showed people riding on bikes and firing exploding and roman-candle style fireworks at buildings. The Daily Mail reported that "police were circling in their vehicles but not taking direct action." Teenagers in DC shot fireworks into apartment buildings in Navy Yard as July 4th festivities wrapped last night. Featured Local Savings Witnesses say police were circling in their vehicles but not taking direct action. Video posted to FB anonymously pic.twitter.com/LPK80bgOhV Katelyn Caralle (@Katelyn_Caralle) Washington, D.C., independent crime reporter under the NEWS FROM THE CONCRETE brand lamented that fireworks laws are rarely enforced. "There is ABSOLUTELY NO enforcement with fireworks. Let's be very honest about this. I just call it out instead of gaslighting my community. This is also WHY police radios should NEVER be encrypted. So the community can know how incidents are handled," he wrote in a post on X. WHAT TO DO IN DC FOR JULY FOURTH Assistant DC Fire Chief Anthony Kelleher had urged district residents not to shoot off their own fireworks before the holiday. Fireworks can cause injuries and damage to property. Please, leave the fireworks to the professionals, he said. Fireworks that move, explode, or fly are illegal in the District of Columbia. Please make sure you and your family hydrate properly, wear lightweight and loose clothing, know the signs of heat-related illness, and know where to find shelter. Together, we will have a safe and happy July Fourth. Texas officials on Friday night said between 23 and 25 girls from Camp Mystic are still unaccounted for after heavy flash floods devastated the area. Earlier posts and images circulating on social media appeared to indicate that several of the 23-25 girls from the summer camp near the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, had been rescued and accounted for. Texas State Rep. Ellen Troxclair told the public however to be wary of unconfirmed reports as the situation unfolds. It's unclear if the girls who were pictured in the social media posts were some of the 23-25 unaccounted for, or other girls attending the camp who were rescued. The area was hit with torrential rainfall that caused the river to rise more than 20 feet in 90 minutes. Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls between ages 7 and 17, is almost a century old. Texas Game Wardens posted on X earlier on Friday that they could get into the camp and start bringing campers out. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued a disaster declaration for several of the hardest-hit counties in the state after the flooding left at least 24 dead. Featured Local Savings "We'll put in everything we have in the entire state," Abbott said. Emergency personnel have rescued or evacuated about 237 people, 167 of whom were rescued or evacuated by helicopter. Earlier Friday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R-TX) revealed up to 500 rescue workers and 18 helicopters were searching the area for any survivors on top of 40 helicopters, 12 drones, and nine dive and rescue teams already deployed by the state. At least 13 people have been killed. INDEPENDENCE DAY IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS HOLIDAYS: HOW TO STAY SAFE Arriving on Independence Day, the natural disaster caused many holiday events and celebrations to be canceled in the affected areas. President Donald Trump is in contact with Texas officials about the developing situation, Patrick said. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) are also getting updates from state and local officials as the rescue and recovery operation continues. A little girl had six eye surgeries for a congenital squint, which it is claimed should not have taken place and she ended up with a profound and permanent cosmetic issue, the High Court has heard. At one stage the little girl, who had the surgery at University Hospital Waterford for a downward looking eye, was allegedly overcorrected and her eye then looked upward. In the proceedings it was claimed that after all the surgeries the girl was allegedly left in a worse condition than she was in 2012 when she first had surgery as a toddler. The girl, who is now a teenager, on Thursday settled a High court action against the HSE for 120,000 over her treatment at University Hospital Waterford for a congenital squint in one of her eyes. The settlement is without an admission of liability. Her counsel Alan Keating SC, with David Griffin BL and instructed by Agustus Cullen Law, told the court the girl was six months old when she was brought to the Waterford hospital as she had a congenital squint in her left eye. Counsel said between the ages of two and seven years of age the little girl had six surgeries involving the eye muscles, which their side would say were either wrong or should not have taken place at all. Mr Keating said the first surgery on the toddler ended up with an overcorrection where the childs eye then deviated upwards. Her right eye, that did not have the squint, was also operated on. At one stage counsel commented: Really, they got it all wrong. Counsel said the surgeries did not impact on the girls eyesight but there is a profound cosmetic issue. Experts on their side he said would say that if nothing was done, it was likely the girl would now have a normal appearance and the first surgery was allegedly the wrong surgery. On the balance of probabilities, if nothing had been done the girl, Counsel said, would have ended up with a normal appearance. Counsel said experts on their side would also say that further squint surgery would be challenging, hazardous and unpredictable. In the proceedings against the HSE it was claimed there was an alleged failure to discuss fully the risks and benefits of surgery, including the risk of not improving the condition and needing further surgical procedures before carrying out the first surgery in 2012. There was also, it was claimed, an alleged failure to have such a conversation with the little girls parents in advance of the procedures. All of the claims were denied and the settlement is without an admission of liability. Approving the settlement Mr Justice Paul Coffey said it was fair and reasonable and he conveyed his best wishes to the teenager. A woman appearing on deception charges at Waterford Circuit Court had previously claimed to have been threatened by several men at her home in Waterford. Catherine O'Brien (47), of An Grianan, Ballinroad, Dungarvan, Co Waterford, stands accused of three charges of making gain or causing loss by deception contrary to Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 against complainant John Blake. Mr Blake transferred 20,000 to the accused for the purchase, transport and insurance of a French broodmare named Lingreville. The defence have alleged that the mare bought by Mr Blake was named Shamalana, not Lingreville, due to an error made in good faith. Mr Blake rejects the claim. On Thursday, July 3, three professionals from the equine industry gave evidence at the trial. Liz Lynch, of Five Star Bloodstock Transport, gave evidence via video link about the transporting of a mare. She confirmed the transport of a mare named Shamalana, not Lingreville. International movements administrator at Weatherbys Annette Doyle appeared in person to give testimony. She explained that Weatherbys would have been informed about any transport of a thoroughbred to another country and that there was no record of Lingreville being brought to Ireland after 2015. Defence barrister Simon Donagh BL asked all three witnesses if Gardai had ever requested their phones as part of the investigation. They said no. Bank account The trial continued before a jury of seven women and five men at Waterford Circuit Court on Friday, July 4. Detective Garda Joe Wyse and State prosecutor Conor ODoherty went through a number of financial documents related to a closed bank account that was opened in 2012 by Catherine OBrien for her daughter Katie in an Ulster Bank branch in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. Documents revealed two transfers of 20,000 made by the complainant John Blake on February 21, 2018 and April 5, 2018, via SWIFT. The account was closed on May 29 2019. The jury were shown statements of lodgings and transactions. Mr Donagh told Det. Wyse that the large sums of money taken out of the account were "given to John Walsh", referring to the man Mr Blake met through the accused. Det. Wyse confirmed that he was not aware of that. Mr Donagh then asked the detective if he was aware that the account was closed following a request by Gardai. Det. Wyse said: I have no evidence of that," and that he understood that the account holder was then based in Cork and closed the account for convenience. Threats Detective Garda Martin Keohane gave evidence via video link about an alleged incident that occurred on September 21, 2019. On that date, the accused claimed that several men had come to her house in Dungarvan, threatened her and demanded 46,000 from her. Mr Donagh asked Det. Keohane if he was aware of any additional or video messages containing threats to OBrien and her home. Detective Keohane confirmed that he had seen a video of a man wearing a balaclava sitting in the back seat of a car, purportedly outside of OBrien's home, asking for "money owed", stating that the "problem wasnt going anywhere" and threatening to damage the house. Det Keohane confirmed that there was no prosecution in the matter. Mr ODoherty noted that two people had been sent forward for trial in Circuit Court for several years but a nolle prosequi verdict had to be given. Det. Keohane stated that Ms OBrien "never came to court" over the case. He further stated that OBrien "couldnt be located" in Waterford for a "number of years". Mr ODoherty asked Det Wyse if there was any indication that a relative of Mr Blake was present at the alleged incident to which he said no. Phone records Det Wyse told the Court that he had analysed Mr Blakes phone on foot of his official statement. He confirmed that he had photographed the messages between the accused and the complainant from the latters phone, an iPhone and a Samsung. According to the Detective, in recent months attempts were made to forensically analyse the iPhone but there was a risk of deleting all evidence. When asked by the defence why the Samsung phone wasnt taken away for analysis, Det Wyse said: Mr Blake is suffering from cancer, he lives alone and that was the only phone he has. Mr Donagh queried why Mr Blakes phones were analysed by the Detective but not the phones of witnesses Annette Doyle and Liz Lynch. Det. Walsh said that the witnesses were "cooperative and compliant" and had signed a declaration that their statements were based in fact. Mr Donagh stated: The jury cant be told to take this at face value, to which Det Wyse replied: I dont accept that, Annette Doyle was here. Mr Donagh said: Well, Ms OBrien says shes not guilty, should we just take that at face value?" Det Wyse retorted: The evidence is different though, isnt it? Mr Donagh referenced an earlier claim that John Walsh offered to pay Mr Blake back 45,000 in three instalments of 15,000. Det. Wyse confirmed that Mr Blake told him that was a "possibility of getting his money back". The Jury were presented with a document that pertained to be a settlement dating from October 2021 between the accused, the complainant and John Walsh. Defence counsel informed the court that they have called John Walsh as a witness and he is due to appear on Tuesday, July 8. The trial continues. No one was injured in any of the incidents and none have been deemed terrorism, but Victoria Police Commander Zorka Dunstan said on Saturday officers would investigate the motives of those involved. The investigation is under the security investigation unit, who is part of our counterterrorism command. The security investigation unit investigates matters of communal violence, Dunstan said. Victoria Police Commander Zorka Dunstan on Saturday. Credit: Penny Stephens We do recognise that these crimes are disgusting and abhorrent, but at this stage, we are not declaring this a terrorist incident. In the course of our investigation, we will examine the intent and the ideology of the persons involved or person to determine if this is in fact, terrorism. However, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel described the attacks as terrorism. Targeting Jewish houses of worship and an Israeli restaurant is terrorism, aimed at intimidating an entire community simply because of their religion and identity, she said. Haskel said the attacks are yet another reminder of how far racist, antisemitic hate crimes have spread in the heart of Australia and expressed solidarity with Melbournes Jewish community. These attacks are not just assaults on Jews or Israelis they are assaults on Australian values of tolerance, diversity and freedom. Dunstan said the three incidents all had inferences of antisemitism or anti-Israel protest activity, but investigators had yet to find a connection between them. The vandalised business, Lovitt Technologies Australia, on Para Road in Greensborough, is a weapons company with links to Israel and had previously been targeted by protesters opposing the Israeli military. The business was contacted for comment. In the synagogue attack, it was unclear whether the offender knew anyone was inside the building at the time, Dunstan said. At this stage, we believe its just one person involved, but were not discounting there might be more. So were just canvassing for the CCTV to see what we can identify. We are taking all three incidents incredibly seriously. Theres no place in Australia for hatred or discrimination of any kind, and we condemn it. A damaged car on Saturday and evidence of old graffiti on a wall at Lovitt Technologies Australia in Greensborough. Credit: Aaron Francis Police officers were providing proactive patrols in the areas around the attacks and supporting Melbournes broader Jewish community. There would also be a significant police presence in the CBD on Sunday in response to multiple planned protests, a Victoria Police spokesperson said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Jacinta Allan both condemned the attacks on Saturday. Antisemitism has no place in Australia, Albanese said. Those responsible for these shocking acts must face the full force of the law, and my government will provide all necessary support toward this effort. The burnt doors seen from inside the East Melbourne Synagogue after the arson attack on Friday night. Allan said: This is disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards. That this happened on Shabbat makes it all the more abhorrent. Jewish Community Council of Victoria president Phillip Zajac said firefighters responded to the synagogue attack quickly and contained the fire, which caused only superficial damage to the bluestone building and heavy timber doors. Lighting a place of worship [on fire] is just dreadful, Zajac said. A place of worship has got nothing to do with the Middle East dispute. This has really gotten to me. About the same time on Friday night, police said a splinter group of about 20 people broke off from a larger anti-police protest in Melbournes CBD and walked to the Israeli restaurant on Hardware Lane, where they shouted offensive chants. An independent photographer at the scene said the group asked patrons why they were giving money to the restaurant. The group chanted Death to the IDF and Miznon out of Melbourne, the photographer said. The aftermath at Miznon on Friday night. Credit: Alex Zucco Pro-Palestine protesters have been calling for a boycott of Miznon after it emerged that one of its part-owners, Israeli entrepreneur Shahar Segal, is also a spokesman for the controversial aid group Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This week, the Associated Press reported that American contractors were using live ammunition and stun grenades to guard Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid distribution sites while hungry Palestinians scrambled for food. Nina Sanadze, a Jewish gallery owner and friend of Miznons owners, went straight to the restaurant after receiving a call on Friday night. When she arrived, police had blocked the street and Miznon staff were sweeping away broken glass and remnants of tomatoes thrown at the windows. Sculptor Nina Sanadze with her installation Chiur, made of burnt chairs from the Ripponlea synagogue that was firebombed last year. Sanadze went to Miznon on Friday night after a group stormed the restaurant. Credit: Penny Stephens Inside, Sanadze said, staff were hugging, crying and shaking. It was a very, very scary experience. Sanadze said that when the group arrived, the restaurants managers tried to step in and push the protesters out, and directed customers to the back of the restaurant. It was hard for customers to do anything, she said. I think the brawl broke out because people were actually trying to stand up and say, go away. After closing the doors, Miznon managers apologised to their shaken staff for the ordeal and carried on with their usual Friday tradition of Shabbat, lighting candles, singing Jewish songs and eating Challah. A Miznon staff member conducts prayer ritual before the restaurant opened on Saturday. Credit: Aaron Francis We were not in the mood to eat, it was more of a thing of tradition and resilience to stand together, Sanadze said. Sanadze emphasised that Miznons workers were a mix of nationalities and that the restaurant has nothing to do with the [Israeli Defence Force] or anyone over there. On Saturday morning, detectives attended Miznon and spoke with one of the co-owners. One staff member came out with a pan, burning sage and waving it around the outside of the restaurant. Blessings to everyone, he said. Good energy. A 28-year-old person from Footscray was arrested for hindering police and has been released on summons over the restaurant incident, police said. Dunstan said there was not enough evidence to arrest anyone else, but the identities of those involved had been recorded as investigations continued and police combed social media and CCTV footage. The death to the IDF chant was also heard in Melbournes Bourke Street Mall during last Sundays regular anti-Israel protest, and shouted from the Glastonbury stage in the UK by band Bob Vylan in its controversial performance. Loading The attack follows the firebombing in December that gutted the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea. Counterterrorism police later revealed that attack involved criminals for hire and a known underworld getaway car, but have yet to rule terrorism in or out. Dunstan did not have further information on that investigation. The East Melbourne Synagogue, founded six years after Victoria was established as a colony, is known as the city shul and is the only Jewish place of worship in central Melbourne. The front doors of the synagogue were locked at the time of the attack, which was after traditional Shabbat prayers. Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece attended the synagogue on Friday night after he learnt of the attack. He described the fire and targeting of Jewish businesses in the city as despicable and racist. The criminal attacks on Jewish businesses in the CBD and the East Melbourne Synagogue are shocking and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms, he said. I am angry and dismayed that once again our community is confronted with the despicable and racist actions of a few people. Rabbi Dovid Gutnick and Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece in East Melbourne on Saturday morning. Credit: Aaron Francis My thoughts are with the Jewish community, who are hurting deeply after these vile attacks. Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said the latest attacks were a return to the antisemitic terror of the summer months and clear evidence that the antisemitism crisis is not only continuing, but getting worse. Those who chant for death are not peace activists. Those who would burn houses of prayer with families inside do not seek an end to war. Loading Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said: About 20 Victorians could have been murdered last night, and another Melbourne synagogue destroyed, had this terrorist attack not been stopped in its tracks. And just days after Glastonbury revellers were led to chant for death, their chant was repeated in Melbourne by a mob storming a restaurant much-loved by the Jewish community and many others. Victorian Police Minister Anthony Carbines said he had spoken to federal Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who had approved the use of ASIO and Australian Federal Police resources to support Victoria Police investigating the arson attack in East Melbourne. The intimidation of violence that we saw at a restaurant in the CBD: lets be really clear, this behaviour is totally unacceptable, Carbines said. Burke and Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly said the federal government was committed to supporting improved security measures at places of worship. Their statement did not detail what further measures were being considered. Aly said she had spoken with Jillian Segal, the special envoy to combat antisemitism, about the need for a broader approach to educate people about bigotry faced by the Jewish community. In a separate incident last month, vandals targeted a historic synagogue in South Yarra. Graffiti on the synagogue in South Yarra last month. Attackers used red paint to scrawl Free Palestine and Iran is Da Bomb, set inside the outline of a nuclear mushroom cloud, on the heritage-listed synagogue. The latest attacks in Melbourne prompted the federal opposition to call on Albanese to increase security for the Jewish community. Americans may be seeing the first glimmers of a civic revival | Vince Bzdek Leesville, LA (71446) Today Mostly sunny early then increasing clouds with some scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. High 88F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Isolated thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Several councillors spoke in support of a group of protestors who attended the most recent meeting of Mayo County Council to call for the local authority to bring forward more measures to address the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Chairperson of the Mayo branch of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) Debbie McCole told the Western People last week that the protestors stood in the public gallery peacefully as they were unhappy with what the council has done in relation to the situation in Gaza. She said they wanted the council to support an undiluted version of the Occupied Territories Bill, to call for an end to US miilitary planes using Shannon Airport and to support calls for the Irish Central Bank to no longer facilitate the sale of Israeli war bonds. Sinn Fein Cllr Gerry Murray was the first to acknowledge the group's presence and praised them for their ongoing solidarity with the Palestinian people. Theres a huge tragedy going on in Palestine. These people here have campaigned since day one - since this genocide started - on behalf of the Palestinian people. I want to thank you for your presence here today, he said. Independent Cllr Richard Finn urged his fellow councillors to be "vocal" about the ongoing situation. There are people being killed in Gaza every day and we all stand with the group who are here today. We should be vocal about this." Cllr Damien Ryan said he hoped world leaders could find a way to resolve the ongoing conflict. We hope the big players on the international stage can follow what the Irish government has been advocating for a long time and that is a two-state solution, he said. Incoming leas-cathaoirleach Cllr Ger Deere described events in Gaza as "just unbelievable". "Fair play to your group for keeping it going. What we must do is to keep highlighting it and hopefully people at a bigger level than us will listen." Theres no fool like an old fool. There was I saluting Mr Trump for trying to secure peace between Ukraine and Russia. I should have known better. A man who could not see the genocide being perpetrated by his friend Netanyahu in Gaza and who felt the solution to the Gaza debacle was to move the entire population of Gaza out of the area and into... well, wherever! How foolish can one be? Mr Trump told us he was going to free the world from war. Now, if I was an American citizen I would have voted in favour of that commitment. Just as well Im Irish and did not have a vote, and we will come to that later. He started well in terms of Ukraine/Russia. He railroaded Volodymyr Zelenskyy into agreeing to talks with Russia in a bid to end the war and then he got on to his good friend Vladimir Putin to coax him to the negotiating table. Mr Putin, who is of course President for Life of Russia, did not really heed his good friend Donald but he did agree to send proxies to talks that might lead to negotiations that could bring about an end to the fighting. It seemed like a start, but Mr Zelenskyy felt slighted and with the support of NATO (and we will come to NATO in a bit) and the UK and the EU he started calling Mr Putin names. Children? Now, in the middle of all this are the Israelis and they are under attack from all sides, but especially from those miserable Gazans with their bows and arrows and huckster missiles. They are not worthy of any consideration from Mr Trump and have been dismissed. To the West of the Israelis are the Lebanese. They are fairly miserable as well but they are under the protection of the useless UN who have the noble Irish soldiers tasked with the impossible job of keeping the belligerent Israelis at bay. The Israelis dont have an army, they have a defence force and defend themselves by attacking the Lebanese people and targeting Hezbollah. Who? Hezbollah. They are a raggle taggle bunch of bustards who have sympathy for the suffering, starving Gazans. So Hezbollah are wiped out. Problem solved. No. To the west of Lebanon are the Iranians. The Iranians in Western (the US, UK and EU) eyes are a proper dangerous bunch. They dont have a President. Dear God, they have ayatollahs. These ayatollahs generally have big beards and ears, white eyes and fancy turbans on their heads. Sure you couldnt deal seriously with them! They dont even have a right government. They have a regime and nations with regimes are not to be trusted. You would not know what they might get up to. The Iranians continue to live in the dark ages but somewhere along the line a mutant strain of Iranians discovered brains and became scientists and developed nuclear energy. You would think that would be a good thing. Sure, but Nuclear power is pretty much a non-polluting energy and is used all over the world. However, there is a danger that the dangerous Iranian ayatollahs could develop nuclear warheads and that might present problems. The West (so-called) could not tolerate such a development. Nuclear warheads, in the right hands, are a good thing. They are a deterrent when used, or more correctly not used, properly. But do the Iranians have the right hands. No, according to Israel and the US, the UK and the EU. Israel has atomic weapons. The US has atomic weapons. We know that because they are the only country in the world to have fired atomic bombs in anger. The UK has atomic weapons and can launch them from stealth submarines. Why, they could even blow up the subsea infrastructure around Ireland, leaving the Russians with nothing to do. And they are now spending billions on F35 jets so they can bomb from the air. Who are they going to bomb? They are not going to bomb anyone. Nuclear weapons are only deterrents after all. And all this at a time when the UK cant afford to pay disability payments. Starmer the socialist, my backside. Bring back Corbyn. He could not be any worse than Starmer. The Russians, the North Koreans, India, Pakistan and China have atomic weapons. Isnt it time the Israelis took out their nuclear capability. Not so sure about the Germans and the French but if they dont have them they have the scientists who can make them. So perhaps we should get on to Israel to target the French and German scientists and eliminate them. There was I thinking that the EU remained a bastion of common sense and would summon up the nerve to challenge Israel to do the decent thing and pull back from the genocide in Gaza. But instead of doing that they cant even agree to take action on an EU/Israeli trade deal that was founded on humanitarian principles and has been torn up by the Netanyahu government which has quite simply told the EU they could not care less about the observance of principles of humanity and decency and would continue to kill and maim without let up. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers and blackguards set fire to Palestinian homes and cars and then call up the Israeli attack forces to shoot the Palestinians who have the impudence to protest. No doubt, just as they do when they shoot people queueing for food, the Israeli army will look into these murders. And theres an end to it. And yes, what about NATO? At the behest of Daddy Trump this crazy amalgam of 30 mainly European countries has agreed to rearm at a cost of trillions it can ill afford so as to be in a position to ward off an attack by Russia who has not, that I am aware, threatened to invade the EU. Sure Putin has launched a war in a part of the Ukraine which Russia would claim is more Russian than Ukrainian. And the EU and NATO can take some pride in the fact that they goaded Russia into the war and then left the Ukrainians to do the dirty work in the trenches. I used to think the people of the Netherlands were sensible, down to earth people. Then they elected Mark Rutte as their Prime Minister. In fairness they got rid of him after four years and sent him off to become General Secretary of NATO. This is the man who saluted Mr Trump as daddy. How stupid, fawning and smarmy can a man get? Mr Trump may thrive in the adulation he receives in certain quarters but he is not so daft as to be taken in by Ruttes ridiculous ass-licking. Naturally, Mr Trump is happy. The EU will spend trillions with the US arms industry. And Ireland will pay their share. So much for neutrality! And there was I thinking that Ireland was a prized member of the EU whose view counted and who had influence with the powers that be in Brussels. We made a feeble effort, along with Spain and Portugal, to apply pressure on Israel to cease the slaughter in Gaza by calling on Israel to live up to the terms of the EU/Israel trade agreement and particularly those elements of the agreement that required Israel to abide by international humanitarian law. We were simply wasting our time. Ms von der Leyen, our esteemed European Commission President, is hand and glove with the Israelis and has given them carte blanche to continue the genocide. Israel, according to von der Leyen, is entitled to defend itself and attack is the best form of defence. So the Israelis attack Gaza and Lebanon and Iran. They target scientists and academics. Mr Trump supports them with his famous bunker busting bombs and the rest of the world wring their hands. I thought Micheal had some say. I thought Ireland might get a sympathetic hearing. I thought the suffering in Gaza might strike a chord. But no. As Mr Trump might say what the f**k". Yes indeed, no fool like an old fool. Thought for the day Teachers open the doors but you must enter yourself - Chinese proverb Weather Alert Bulletin: ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible. * WHERE...Portions of New Jersey, including the following areas, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Northwestern Burlington, Salem, Somerset and Western Monmouth and southeast Pennsylvania, including the following areas, Delaware, Eastern Chester, Eastern Montgomery, Lower Bucks, Philadelphia, Upper Bucks, Western Chester and Western Montgomery. * WHEN...From 10 AM EDT this morning through this evening. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - The remnants of Chantal will move into the Mid Atlantic this morning bringing areas of heavy rain. The tropical airmass will bring generally 1 to 2 inches of rainfall across the urban corridor but will have the potential to bring isolated amounts up to 5 inches leading to flash flooding. The showers and thunderstorms will generally come to an end by 7 to 8 pm this evening with any residual flooding from showers today coming to an end during the overnight hours. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop. && Info: Type: Flood Watch start_time_local: 2025-07-07T10:00:00-04:00 end_time_local: 2025-07-07T22:00:00-04:00 county_name: state: PA headline: Flood Watch from MON 10:00 AM EDT until MON 10:00 PM EDT county_fips: category: Met url: urgency: Unknown severity: Moderate certainty: Unknown geographicname: Upper Bucks County state_name: Pennsylvania Weather Alert Bulletin: ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible. * WHERE...Portions of Delaware, including the following areas, Delaware Beaches, Inland Sussex, Kent and New Castle, northeast Maryland, including the following areas, Caroline, Kent MD, Queen Annes and Talbot, New Jersey, including the following areas, Atlantic, Atlantic Coastal Cape May, Camden, Cape May, Coastal Atlantic, Coastal Ocean, Cumberland, Eastern Monmouth, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Northwestern Burlington, Ocean, Salem, Somerset, Southeastern Burlington, Sussex, Warren and Western Monmouth, and Pennsylvania, including the following areas, Berks, Delaware, Eastern Chester, Eastern Montgomery, Lehigh, Lower Bucks, Northampton, Philadelphia, Upper Bucks, Western Chester and Western Montgomery. * WHEN...From Tuesday afternoon through Tuesday evening. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - A frontal boundary will collide with a tropical airmass and produce widespread showers and thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night. Rainfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour or more will be possible, leading to flash flooding. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop. && Info: Type: Flood Watch start_time_local: 2025-07-08T14:00:00-04:00 end_time_local: 2025-07-09T00:00:00-04:00 county_name: state: PA headline: Flood Watch from TUE 2:00 PM EDT until WED 12:00 AM EDT county_fips: category: Met url: urgency: Unknown severity: Moderate certainty: Unknown geographicname: Upper Bucks County state_name: Pennsylvania Beyond an inconspicuous garage door on the side of an otherwise conspicuous Snell Hall is the home of a student-staffed book press, joining other Oregon State University artistic endeavors, including studio art classes and the theater program. Snell, as the students refer to it, is a bright blue, mid-century modern design built in 1959. It was originally a womens dorm named after Margaret Comstock Snell, the colleges first professor of household economy and hygiene. Though a single building, it has two colloquially named sections: tall Snell and the basement. Senior Instructor Evan Baden, a photographer and owner of independent book press Push Pull Editions, led me out of the basement and over to tall Snell during an unofficial tour as he inserted a silver key into a small panel just beside a large metal garage door. Inside, the new home of Composit Press. Baden initially pitched the idea of a student-staffed press in 2017 to a previous director of the School of Visual, Performing and Design Arts then known as the College of Liberal Arts but it wasnt until current Director Peter Swendsen heard Badens pitch in February 2023 that the proposal gained traction. Shout out to Julia (Bradshaw), he said, referring to the former associate professor of photography, who led the program until her retirement in 2024. Bradshaw, a photographer and bookmaker herself, did what she felt like she could and tried to very much support (the press), he said. A book press, sometimes referred to as a bindery, is a place where books are manufactured, from printing to binding and casing. This is the kind of production where you need repetition to get good, Baden said, a discipline missing from most college-level art classes. In many classes you're demoed on how to do it, and then you do it, but you don't necessarily get good at it unless you're practicing it, he said. Baden is no stranger to making unconventional spaces work, but luckily Snell Hall had a spare room. And its a perfect fit, he said. His vision and impetus for the class was simple: I thought it would be interesting for students, first of all, but secondly, it's a place where students can get the practice of doing the design work with someone who has finished realized work. Over the course of the spring 2025 term, spanning 11 weeks, the students of ART 399-Photobook Design and Production, would do just that. Students work for half the course designing mock-ups, or a realistic representation of their design submission. In this case, it was for a book titled Field Book, by Jordan Putt. This is where the students would take a deep-dive into designing and laying out a book digitally, in addition to producing three copies by hand for final submission in Week 10. In the end, one mock-up was to be chosen as the final design for Putts book, which will be produced the next term the class is run. The other half of the students' time was spent on producing 250 sellable copies of Allison Grants photobook Within the Bittersweet, the design for which was created by student Holly Thompson during the previous term. According to Grant's website, the work is a dark, pastoral narrative about raising (her) children amid concerns about the impacts of climate change and environmental contamination. Grants photographs were taken in and around her home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The catalyst of the work is based of the intersection of forest and fossil-fuel facilities and the part these industries play in spreading noxious particulates and hazardous toxins across the terrain and into the air, water, and our bodies. Students who take this course just once concurrently design and produce two titles, but as the course is repeatable, students who opt to enroll in consecutive terms will see a single title from start to finish. The term begins The light tip-tap of my footsteps were the only sound breaking the early morning silence of the empty tile-lined hallway until the heavy loading dock door behind scraped shut. I entered the basement though its not really underground. Inside, 14 students were sitting around a comically large set of gray work tables in the main photography classroom. Fresh from a week of spring break activities, they came prepared for the 8 a.m., three-hour class with a drink and a snack, rubbing the last bits of sleep out of their eyes. Putt popped up on screen. Hi Jordan! Baden said, and the students zeroed in on their virtual classroom guest. Putt is a photographer and visiting lecturer at Georgia State University whose work responds to issues of place, identity and community. I primarily photograph on both medium formats, film and digital, Putt said. The work in Field Book is almost all medium format film aside from one (digital) image. He was influenced by his time spent as a land surveyor and his father: He owned his own business, and by choosing photography, I essentially chose to not carry on his legacy in the business. In a way, this project is an homage to his lifes work with my own work that approaches the same landscape. Putt reflected further: Surveying was what taught me to trust myself in the land and appreciate the small details that might be overlooked. The other project, the students learned, was Grants book, designed during the previous term by student Holly Thompson, a hardcover Swiss-bound book with a burnt orange book cloth cover, or case. Swiss-binding is a method in which the spine of the book block is exposed when the book is open, allowing the cover to lie flat. The title on the front and spine are all individually foil-stamped before being glued to its book board and made into a case with an end sheet, the thicker, sometimes decorative, paper that is glued on the inside covers of books to cover the edges of book cloth. Demonstrations The second and third weeks of class consisted of demonstrations as students as Baden led students to the print lab where students, if they weren't already acquainted, go meet her. "Her" is a Xerox Press 280, a powerhouse tool for students taking photography, graphic design and book-making classes to learn the ins and outs of printing and production, such as registration, color management and paper selection. She is also the one that produces all of the printed materials that eventually get turned into the books on the shelf. Baden also introduced a large rectangular brown machine with a clear acrylic hand and finger guard. This machine is a hydraulic paper cutter, an electronic high-powered machine used to trim: Parent sheets, giant posterboard-sized stacks of paper Book board, the hard part of a hardcover book Book block edges, a stack of sewn-together signatures He cautioned students to watch your fingers because even a dull blade is razor sharp. Baden moved from the print lab inside the basement to the book-making studio on the west side of tall Snell. Upon entering, youre immediately greeted by two industrial-looking machines, foil stampers, followed by a large guillotine cutter, complete with a counterweight. Three 6-foot by 4-foot wooden tables specially built and designed by Baden, sanded and coated smooth to the touch take up the majority of the space. Once production began, these tables, each with cubbies underneath full of book cloth, paper and other materials, had four to six students producing hardcover copies of Within the Bittersweet. The students were the ones manning industrial machines like a large cast-iron sewing machine, wire-stitcher and foil stampers. Production: paper-cutting At the end of Week 3, the students were a little under one-third of the way through the term. Hailey Toedtli and Avery Trivers were cutting parent sheets, large pieces of paper measuring approximately 23 inches by 35 inches, that are produced by paper companies to be sold and in bulk and cut down to custom sizes. Toedtli stood at the hydraulic paper-cutting machine awaiting Trivers to load in the next stack of paper at the rear of the machine. The two worked as a team, loading the heavy stacks of parent sheets into the cutter and using a jogger block to keep the stacks neat for accurate cuts. Once the paper was loaded, the protective finger guard was lowered, and Toedtli pressed two arcade-style round buttons on the front of the machine. A mechanical whirr echoed as the guard deployed and the blade made a satisfying zip sound as it sliced through the thick stack of paper. These sheets of paper will be used to print the text and photos for Within the Bittersweet, as the design method for Putts book had yet to be determined. Design: critique + production Thursday of Week 4 meant initial mock-up designs for Putts book were due. The purpose of the assignment was to get students familiar with layout and formatting a book. The first set of mock-up designs were delivered on individual sheets of paper, sort of like flash cards. The students were already hard at work producing Grants book-wrapping, gluing the drab brown book board in the burnt orange foil-stamped book cloth. As production continued on two of the large tables, Baden sat down at the third, inviting students one at a time for a critique session and offering feedback. So what size are you thinking? Baden asked as he flipped through a student's first mock-up, evaluating the craft and general aesthetic. Im thinking like 7 by 9, Yadhira Tadeo, a graphic design major, answered. They talked more about the way she laid out her book, and Baden gave some feedback on how and where to place images. Dont worry about cropping the images, he said, emphasizing good design choices over blank image space. Any idea on a cover? Baden asked Tadeo as he thumbed through her stack of paper. "Im thinking about a soft cover. Do we have any of that? Baden took a moment to explain the difference between cover stock, heavy paper used for soft cover books and text stock, used for the signatures. Back in the basement, print lab assistant Brook Ferris helped the students check their registration, that is, how the front and back sets of images line up on their double-sided (or duplex) prints before being folded and collated into signatures. A signature can be as simple as a single-folded sheet of paper but is usually arranged or collated in multiples of four sheets of paper per signature, resulting in eight spreads of 16 pages. Once all of the signatures are collated, they will be sewn and glued together, making a book block and placed into their cases. Up in the bookmaking studio, four students Victoria Gutierrez, Andrew Welsh, Juan Ponce and Bella Bravo, all graphic design majors worked diligently on making cases for Within the Bittersweet. The case is what most non-bookmakers might call the cover of a hardcover book, usually made of book cloth, book board and foil-stamped, embossed or printed. The four students created a short and efficient assembly line, pulling a pre-cut sheet of foil-stamped burnt orange book cloth, coating it with glue, placing the book board and folding the edges. REPEAT till you run out of supplies. Baden jokingly yells from across the room. Halfway through: sewing and binding At the half-term point, the class began around the giant work table. Baden took a few minutes to explain what the students needed to do for their final mock-ups for Putts book. Remember that you guys have been working for five weeks now, and some of you have gotten really good at certain parts of production, he said. Remember to ask each other for help. Meanwhile, the production on Grants book continued. The students began learning the sewing and "perfect binding" machines. Baden walked the students to the sewing machine and took a seat. As he reached to tighten the threads, he paused and turned around to face them. Once we get started, this machine will always have books on it. Youll either be seeing more books together or trimming a copy off to continue on its little life, until we have no more books. Forget images of your grandmothers sewing machine. This is a Brehmer cast-iron book sewing machine manufactured some time in the mid-1950s, according to Baden, making it about 70 years old. After all of the signatures for Within the Bittersweet are folded and collated, they will be sewn together into book blocks. Baden explained how it works: This machine can sew with up to seven sets with each set consisting of a needle and a crochet hook. So, its really crocheting the books together rather than sewing the book signatures together, he said, before sending each copy through the next machine, a perfect binder. Swiss-bound construction, like that of Within the Bittersweet, requires the signatures, once sewn together, to then be glued and taped. This is where the perfect binder comes in. This machine is usually used to glue stacks of individual sheets of paper together, but Baden pointed out that time saved drying far outweighs gluing manually. I think what we are doing is technically called padding, but we're using a perfect binder to do it, he said. A perfect binding machine would normally notch or cut into the spine, making small channels to fill with glue, he added. Our perfect binder has had the notching wheels removed, so it just applies glue using an automated process that's faster than doing it by hand. And this is where student Gracie Kahl came in. She stood, surrounded by several boxes of book blocks in a small room off the tiled hallway in the basement, waiting for the perfect binder to finish gluing a book block. The small room is equipped with a huge hood vent which helps filter the air while the glue in the perfect binder is at temperature. Kahl plucked the freshly glued book block out of the mechanism and the machine reset to starting position, waiting for a fresh book block. Once the glue had dried, a stack of book blocks were ferried across the hall in the basement from Kahl and delivered to the print studio, where Avery Trivers used a special book binding tape to cover the exposed spines. As Trivers finished taping each copy, she placed them in a stack on a rolling chair, ready to head to their next destination: the book-making studio. Second critique, more production Baden, again sitting at the large wooden tables, gently flipped through student Andrew Welsh's draft mock-up, silently at first, until he looked up at Welsh. Well, how did it go? he asked. Welsh described his design process but admitted having difficulties with layout. He needed some guidance. Baden responded: You could put these all as centerfolds; that could definitely be an option. As the students improved in their craft, the production process took off overall, the goal was to produce about 280 copies of Within the Bittersweet, 250 of them sellable. The class had begun the final step of production: placing the book blocks in the finished cases. A stack of completed books grew taller. Four students cased 111 copies (of Within the Bittersweet) in two hours, Baden said, slightly tired but proud as he looked across the tables. They were filled with the students' final mock-ups for Field Book, sitting like place settings, waiting for photographer Putt to visit and crown one a winner. Critique with Jordan and Evan It was Week 10, officially dead week, and the students sleepily milled around in the studio, moving from book to book. A low but excited mumble echoed around the studio as students spent time checking out their peers' mock-ups, comparing and contrasting how they each handled design and layout. Baden and Putt, visiting from Arizona, selected a spot to settle in for the next two hours. In campfire style, each student took their turn describing their design process. Some, like Savanna Aho, spoke about things they would have done differently. I wanted to foil stamp it, she said about the round stamp design intended for the blank front cover. Another student chimed in: I am a REALLY big fan of the color you chose for the cover. Baden, holding up one of Ahos three final mock-ups, followed up, asking, Where did you pull inspiration for the cover? You wanted a blue cover, but was there a reason? Aho quickly replied: It reminded me of the sky in the desert. Others, like Bella Bravo, shared where they struggled and succeeded. Bravo presented her mock-up of Field Book, featuring a bright yellow cover, explaining, I was considering putting something on here, and then I could not get that to work; so I was going through a few iterations with my final production. Another student presented, and Putt interjected, talking about aspects he liked about each final mock-up. First of all thank you, Putt said in most of his replies, looking at each student before diving into his compliments and questions about each book. Im still unsure about some of the mapping placements in this one, but they become kind of like rests, Putt said in reference to student Juan Ponces mock-up, holding the off-white cover foil-stamped with the title, Field Book. Baden then took the lead, talking about the general aesthetic of each book craft, layout and any special add-ons, like pockets or a fold-out. As the two-hour critique came to a close, Baden announced: Jordan will make a choice by today or tomorrow, complimenting the class on their hard work. As students filtered out, headed to study for the rest of their finals, Baden and Putt stayed back, excitedly chatting about the final mock-ups. And the winner is ... Putt, who designed his first version of Field Book, reflected on his decision to work with a student-staffed press. OSU's Composit Press was particularly appealing for publishing my work due to its overall model and approach to book-making. As an educator, I loved the idea of collaborating with students to make a project like this, he said. It was the tail end of dead week, just before finals. Aho sat in the basement, looking at a computer and making test prints as Putt chose her design to move forward. Though she had fun in her final class with Baden, Aho didnt believe her work was a contender. No, honestly, until he emailed me, she had no idea, she said. Aho described her previous book-making experience in a simple phrase: I made a few zines in high school. The new OSU graduate acknowledged that she picked the class more because of the schedule, but once there, realized it was more than she thought it would be. I thought this class was the regular book-(making) class, but learning the production of it was super cool, she said. Her design features a cerulean hard-cover book with a stamp on the front cover and accordion pocket inside the back cover. Ahos design process involved really contemplating the book's contents. I got online and looked through (Jordan Putts) website. I knew that I wanted it to kind of mimic a lot of the photos, and the (cerulean) color was speaking to me. The term ends I think it is just worth mentioning how unique Composit is, Putt said. If you look at publishing photo books, there are very few places that are doing everything in-house while also making the projects financially viable to the artists. Leaning on one of the large wooden tables and looking a bit tired, Baden reflected on the previous 10 weeks and really the previous seven years since he first pitched the idea to the College of Liberal Arts. So, you know for most people that come (to visit the press,) it's pretty interesting to see it all happening at once, he said. And then the students, you know, didn't really have any experience, but they're learning all these little bits and pieces, and they're able to put together something that looks pretty good. The click of a vintage time clock signified the end of the hour and end of the term. Weather Alert ...DENSE FOG ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM CDT THIS MORNING... * WHAT...Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog. * WHERE...Portions of southern Illinois, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri. * WHEN...Until 8 AM CDT this morning. * IMPACTS...Low visibility could make driving conditions hazardous. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you. && Katherine Grzejszczak [Photo: CUPE] The York Region municipal government in Ontario fired paramedic Katherine Grzejszczak last month for speaking out against Israels genocide against the Palestinians and its war crimes in the Middle East. Commenting on a Facebook post from CUPE Ontario, the Ontario division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, with which the York Region paramedics are affiliated, Grzejszczak wrote: In the last 2 years, Israel has bombed Palestine, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria and now Iran. They have been occupying Palestine for 75+ years. They are luring starving Palestinian children to their concentration camp food aid depots so they can snipe them dead. They keep murdering workersmedia, healthcare, municipalthey just mass murdered 15 first responders, including 7 paramedics. Any union or other organization that doesnt fight this is choosing to stay silent ruing genocide. Thanks CUPE Ontario and Toronto and York Region Labour Council for asking members to join these demonstrations, to stop the bombing of Iran. Youre one of the few who stand in solidarity with workers. CUPE Ontarios post was promoting an anti-war demonstration against the Israeli war of aggression against Iran. The backing extended by sections of the local and provincial union leadership for such protests, while remaining silent on the CUPE bureaucracys and the CUPE-sponsored New Democratic Partys unstinting support for the Liberal government is deeply cynical. Under Justin Trudeau and now Mark Carney, the Liberal government has supplied Israel with military equipment, politically supported its ever-expanding war across the Middle East, and cracked down viciously against opponents of the genocide, while smearing them as antisemites. Nevertheless, the anti-war demonstration, and Grzejszczaks entirely factualand far from completeaccount of Israels criminality enraged Zionists and Canadian imperialists who whipped up a smear campaign to get her fired. Prominent among these activists was the fascistic Zionist activist Dhalia Kurtz, who helped instigate the prosecution and persecution of radical journalist Yves Engler, along with far-right Zionist Montreal Conservative politician Neil Oberman, who offers up his services as a lawyer to conduct lawfare campaigns to silence critics of Israels genocide. Kurtz has also promoted outright Nazis demanding mass deportations of immigrants and Muslims. But the campaigns most important players are right-wing local politicians. City of Vaughan Councilor Gila Martow, a Zionist with deep roots in Israels settler movement, boasted in a Facebook post of her own that she contacted Mayor Steven Del Duca, a former leader of the Ontario Liberal Party who has emerged as a vicious opponent of the Palestinian national liberation struggle, and a political thug for Zionist genocide. Del Duca then contacted the Chair of York Region, Eric Jolliffe. (Vaughn is a city in York Region.) Chris Spearen, the Chief and General Manager of Paramedic and Seniors Services at the Regional Municipality of York was enlisted to do the dirty work and fired Grzejszczak. Perversely, York Region is justifying its dismissal using the shop-worn language of the pseudo-left. According to spokesman Patrick Casey, York Region remains committed to fostering welcoming and inclusive communities, as affirmed by the Inclusion Charter for York Region. Grzejszczaks dismissal is a blatant and transparent violation of her Charterthat is constitutionalright to free speech and constitutes an attack on the entire working class. In addition to being a paramedic, Grzejszczak is an active member of CUPE Local 4900 and is an elected member of CUPE Ontarios 21-member executive board. Her firing has been widely condemned. York Region has received over 18,900 complaint letters, in a campaign organized by Labour 4 Palestine the solidarity organization of the union bureaucracy. The firing of Grzejszczak is part of a global assault by the ruling elites in all of the major imperialist powers against the mass opposition and disgust voiced by millions of people to Israels imperialist-backed slaughter in Gaza. In Germany, the US, Britain, and elsewhere, protests have been banned, activists deported and detained, and meetings shut down by governments desperate to silence opposition to their complicity in the most horrific crimes since the Nazis. Media-orchestrated witch-hunts against artists, cultural figures, and others who have used public platforms to speak out against the genocide have accompanied and helped fuel these state-led provocations. In Canada, as in the US and around the world, the imperialist-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza has sparked popular outrage. Above, a section of a 40,000-strong, Nov. 4, 2023, demonstration in Toronto. The victimization of Katherine Grzejszczak for her opposition to genocide and the illegal US-Israeli attack on Iran is being celebrated by the far-right which desires to silence all opposition to the escalating class-war assault on the working conditions, wages and livelihoods of workers in every country. It must be resisted by the international working class. The Socialist Equality Party, the Canadian section of the International Committee of the Fourth International, demands Grzejszczaks immediate reinstatement with full back pay. CUPE Ontario has filed a grievance and is publicly calling for her reinstatement. Its president, Fred Hahn, has also faced a vicious right-wing campaign to remove him from his position due to his mild condemnations of Israels crimes. When people speak out against injustice, and war and genocide, they ought not to fear for their own livelihoods, he said to the CBC. He characterized Grzejszczaks dismissal as deeply problematic. That over-used euphemism was employed as part of a right-wing campaign from within CUPEs national leadership and led by its national president, Mark Hancock, that sought to smear Hahn as an antisemite and remove him from the unions National Executive Board (NEB) for re-posting a social media video which condemned the genocide. While Hahn successfully stood his ground against the demand for his dismissal from the NEB, he had previously removed the post and issued a grovelling apology. The dismissal of Katherine Grzejszczak for her political views raises fundamental political questions for the working class that must be carefully worked through. Workers must understand what social forces are attacking basic democratic rights and why, and what social forces have the class interest and the ability to defend these rights? The genocide of the Palestinians is a component part of the ongoing imperialist campaign of war to re-divide the world. Beset by a world capitalist system lurching from crisis to crisis, American and Canadian imperialism are openly planning for a war with China, and waging a proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. The Canadian ruling class is set to more than double spending on war, and preparing to massively slash social spending and the public sector workforce. It is attacking the rights of immigrants and refugees. In every respect, it is adapting itself to the emergent fascist dictatorship in the United States, upon which it depends to advance its own predatory imperialist interests. The wages and conditions of the working class are being attacked across the board. Rotten concession contracts are being forced onto angry and resistant workers in every economic sector, with the assistance of the government and the trade union bureaucracy. Income and wealth inequality are skyrocketing. The continued accumulation of obscene wealth by a handful of billionaire oligarchs and the waging of world war are incompatible with democratic forms of rule. Democracy stands in the way, and so the ruling class is dispensing with it. The working class must understand that there is no section of the ruling class which has a material interest in defending basic democratic rights. The vast chasm which has opened up between the working class and the capitalist ruling class over the genocide in Gaza is a political expression of the vast material gulf that has already existed for some time, and which grows wider every day. In its attack against basic democratic rights, the ruling class is organizing a political realignment to correspond with the underlying social inequality and oligarchic character of society. Chris Spearen, the functionary who dismissed Katherine Grzejszczak is on Ontarios Sunshine List which records the salaries of public officials who earn more than $100,000 per year. Since 2014, his salary has more than doubled. Spearens salary is nearly identical to the salary of CUPE National President Hancock, who earns $211,000 per year. City of Vaughan Mayor Stephen Del Ducas salary is $209,000. York Region paramedics, who are highly skilled professionals trained to save human lives, make less than half of this amount, between $84,000 and $102,000. The average income of a worker in Ontario is $58,700 before taxes. These meagre incomes are not enough to buy a house in York Region. The price of an average house in Newmarket is now $1,044,000. Mortgage brokers recommend that in order to buy a one-million-dollar house, one should have an income of at least $217,000, and preferably $280,000. The price of food rose 3.8 percent in April, a figure which conceals the massive increase in the price of basic staple goods. These impossible conditions threaten to create a social explosion between workers who live in one world, and the capitalist ruling class who float far above it. The capitalist ruling class thus fears any expression of opposition from workers. But the trade union bureaucracy will not give it either a voice or any political leadership. Just the opposite is true. The social process which Trotsky noted in 1940, that the one common feature in the development, or more correctly the degeneration, of the modern trade union organizations is their drawing closely to and growing together with the state power is today fully expressed. The CUPE leadership, like that of Unifor, the Steelworkers and the Canadian Labor Congress, is fundamentally hostile to the very workers it claims to represent, because its leaders and functionaries constitute a privileged social caste, ever more integrated into the state and corporate management. This social reality is illustrated by the repeated sellouts of workers struggles orchestrated by the CUPE bureaucracy and other union leaderships, such as the 2022 Ontario education support workers strike and the ongoing postal workers struggle. The defence of workers democratic rights is inseparable from the building of a mass movement in the working class in Canada and internationally against genocide and imperialist war. This requires a decisive political break from the union bureaucracy and its political mouthpiecethe New Democratic Party. These forces have consistently bolstered the authority of the pro-war, pro-genocide Liberal government as a progressive alternative to the Tories and a friend of workers. Even now, they beat the drums of trade war by whipping up the same foul Canadian nationalism trumpeted by former central banker and Prime Minister Mark Carney in the economic conflict with the United States so as to dragoon workers behind their own ruling class. Class-conscious workers must respond by taking up the fight for an industrial and political counteroffensive by workers across North America against war and austerity, and for decent-paying, secure jobs, and the protection of workers rights to express their opinions as they please without fear of dismissal or persecution. The necessary program to animate such a fight is the socialist internationalism fought for by the Socialist Equality Party and its co-thinkers throughout the ICFI. The Socialist Equality Party denounces the Starmer governments proscription of Palestine Action as a fundamental attack on the democratic rights of the working class. From midnight tonight, membership of or any expression of support for the organisation will be a criminal offence. As a party advocating the mass political mobilisation of the working class, the SEP does not endorse the methods of individual protest pursued by Palestine Action which are incapable of ending the genocide in Gaza or combating British imperialisms collusion with it. Nevertheless, we call for workers and young people in Britain and throughout the world to take a stand against state repression. Protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice against proscription of Palestine Action, July 4, 2025. Defining an organisation of young people peacefully opposing Israels mass murder and ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the UKs complicity as terrorists is aimed at criminalising the millions in Britain and internationally who have taken to the streets to protest this historic crime. Britain has sent weapons and mounted RAF surveillance flights to help the Israeli state kill tens of thousands of Palestinians, mostly women and children. Now the real criminals, the Labour government and all the main opposition parties, want to silence opponents of genocide and the assault on jobs, wages and essential services required to fuel their war plans in the Middle East and beyond. The state is giving itself the power to imprison its political opponents en masse, with many already in the dock. At least 56 PalAction members are presently being tried for offenses related to their peaceful protests at arms factories and military installations, such as criminal damage and trespass. At least 13 members have been arrested since June 20. In many of their cases, the prosecution has already claimed a terrorist connection. United Nations special rapporteurs, legal experts, civil rights groups and dozens of public figures have pointed to the chilling effect on free speech of defining PalAction as a terrorist group. The Terrorism Act (2000) makes it a criminal offence for a person to belong to, invite support for, recklessly express support for, or arrange a meeting in support of a proscribed organisationall carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment. It is also an offense to wear clothing or carry articles arousing reasonable suspicion of membership or support, or to publish an image of an article such as a flag or logo indicating support or membership. PalAction has a quarter of a million followers on its X/Twitter account. And millions more have opposed the targeting of the group, often showing their solidarity with the invocation, We are all Palestine Action! Following proscription, this will be an illegal act. With no protection for journalists, even reporting campaigns in the organisations defence could open the door to prosecution. Denials by the government of a broader intent to criminalise anti-Gaza protests are worthless. Others targeted for possible imprisonment include SOAS student Sarah for publicly defending the right of the Palestinian people to resist occupation and Mo Chara of Irish hip-hop group Kneecap. An investigation has also been launched against punk rapper Bob Vylan after he made anti-genocide comments at Glastonbury. Monday July 7 will see two of the leaders of the Stop the War Coalition, Chris Nineham and Ben Jamal, who also heads the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, face charges for Public Order offences for taking part in a peaceful protest against the Gaza genocide. They were among 77 arrested on January 18, after the Metropolitan Police imposed restrictions on a previously approved march route. MPs Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell were both called in for police interview. As the Socialist Equality Party warned, [I]f non-violent sabotage by individual protesters is designated terrorist, then what of strikes by seafarers and waterside workers, or factory and logistics workers who boycott the supply of weapons and other equipment to the Israeli war machine, as has been done by French, Greek and Italian dockers? Democratic rights cannot be defended by capitalist parties or the courts The government is turning to authoritarianism because its agenda of enriching the financial oligarchy and waging war cannot be pursued democratically. This was demonstrated by the crisis of the Starmer government over the welfare bill, following its earlier reversal on winter fuel payments. Labour was forced to substantially reduce planned 5 billion cuts so that a rebellion by some of its MPs fuelled by fear of a popular backlash could be neutralised. Prime Minister Keir Starmer watches Dutch-UK Marine training, June 24, 2025. [Photo by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 The escalation of police repression in the immediate aftermath of Starmers embarrassing setback is to reassure the ruling elite that there will be no further retreats from the assault on the working class needed to ramp up military spending to 5 percent of GDP while funnelling social wealth into the grasping hands of the banks and major corporations. This historic attack on the democratic rights of the working class cannot be opposed by appeals to any political representatives or institutions of capitalist rule. Just 26 MPs voted against proscribing PalAction, and only 11 Peers when it moved to the House of Lords. On Friday, Mr Justice Chamberlain confirmed the total lack of any constituency for democratic rights within the ruling class by refusing to grant lawyers from Palestine Actions request for interim relief from the order until a judicial review can be applied for later this month. Neither can the handful of Labour lefts, alone or in combination with the Greens, mount a political defence of the democratic and social rights of the working class. One day after the parliamentary vote, leading rebel MP Zarah Sultana announced she was quitting Labour to join the five Independents grouped around former party leader Jeremy Corbyn and would be the co-leader of a new left party. Talk of such a new party has been ongoing since Corbyn was removed as Labour leader in 2020 but has been endlessly put off because Corbyn is desperate to avoid any action that could provide a vehicle for workers to wage a genuine political struggle against the Labour and trade union bureaucracy, as opposed to seeking vainly to push it leftwards. Should such a party be formed, it would be led by the very forces who refused to fight the Blairite right and the Tories, including opposing the left antisemitism witch-hunt which has laid the basis for the present criminalisation of opposition to genocide. Its function would be to channel into neutered parliamentary appeals the vast opposition to war and austerity. The historic transformation of the Labour Party and the fight for a socialist party of the working class The necessary struggle against Starmers government cannot be answered by a harking back to a reformist past and the creation of a (miniature) Labour Party Mark II. In 1901 the fight for the formation of the Labour Party began in earnest in response to the Taff Vale judgement making trade unions liable for losses incurred by the employers due to strikes, which would have left workers powerless in face of the dictatorship of big business. Today it is Labour, relying on the support of the trade union bureaucracy, that is imposing attacks on democratic rights and on the working class worse even than those of the Tory government it replaced. Such a fundamental transformation cannot be attributed to a few bad leaders. Rather Starmer, a former human rights lawyer turned right-wing zealot, and his government are the end product of a fundamental shift within the very foundations of world capitalism. The development of globalised production has ended any possibility of the labour bureaucracy, historically rooted in the nation state, combining a defence of the capitalist profit system with securing limited reforms to maintain social peace. Eliminating all the past gains won by workers and imposing austerity is now a precondition for successfully pursuing the trade and military war agenda of British imperialism. For this reason, the defence of fundamental democratic rights, workers living standards, and the fight against genocide and war is only possible through the adoption of a new axis of strugglesocialist internationalism. Capitalism is being driven into an existential crisis by its inherent contradictions, between an interconnected system of production and the division of the world into antagonistic nation states based on upholding private ownership of the means of production. To maintain its rule and immense privileges, the bourgeoisie in every imperialist country must wage trade and military war abroad and class war at home to ensure national competitiveness against their rivals. This finds its most developed expression in Donald Trumps establishing of a presidential dictatorship in the United States. But, as is demonstrated by the eruption of mass opposition to Trump, the same contradictions are driving millions into struggle and provide the objective basis for a unified counter-offensive by the working class internationally against the descent by the ruling elite in every country into dictatorship and war. The Socialist Equality Party calls for workers to defend democratic rights by class struggle means. This requires a systematic industrial and political mobilisation against the Starmer government, waged by rank-and-file organisations independent of the trade union bureaucracy, and the urgent and necessary formation of a new workers party on genuinely socialist foundations, the Socialist Equality Party. A student from University of Londons School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS) charged under the Terrorism Act for defending the right of the Palestinian people to resist Israels illegal occupation appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday. Sarah, 21, a Philosophy, Politics and Economics student at SOAS, was charged under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act (2000) on March 4, 2025 for allegedly inviting support for a proscribed organisation (Hamas) for remarks she made in the first days of Israels genocidal assault on Gaza in October 2023. Sarah outside the Old Bailey, July 4, 2025. A second student was arrested this year on the same basis, but has not been charged. Today was a pre-trial hearing to confirm the timetable for evidence and legal arguments in a case that is a milestone in efforts to criminalise free speech and the right to protest on university campuses. The 40-minute hearing was before Judge Richard Marks, the Common Sergeant of London, the second most senior permanent judge of Londons Central Criminal Court, appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor. A full hearing opens on February 23 next year, with a further pre-trial hearing on October 26. Before the court adjourned, bail for Sarah was renewed by Judge Marks who confirmed current restrictive bail conditions still apply. Sarah is banned from leaving England and Wales, with police holding her passport. After the hearing, Sarah addressed supporters who rallied outside the Old Bailey: Were at an unprecedented time in terms of the repression that is facing this movement. And we have to be clear about what it is that we have to do, what our responsibility is right now. We need to fight like hell to protect ourselves, to protect Palestine, to continue to defend our rights to free speech, to protest, to assembly, our right to defend Palestine. Students from the SOAS encampment established last year spoke in support of Sarah. Imran said, These two students are being targeted under British terrorism laws for speaking out in support of the Palestinian freedom struggle. Imran outside the Old Bailey, July 4, 2025. This is part of the broader crackdown on the movement and the fight towards Palestinian liberation here in Britain. The SOAS 2 are not criminals. They are not terrorists. They are students. They are activists They spoke up and refused to look away while bombs fell, whilst families were shattered, whilst food, a basic human right, was weaponized, whilst blood was shed. We are disgusted by the Crown Prosecution Service, who have chosen to treat peaceful protest as a threat to national security. Disgusted by a legal system that turns a blind eye to war crimes they help take place but turns its full force on students at home... And we are deeply disappointed, though not surprised, by the cowardice, the silence, the betrayal of Keir Starmer and the Labour Party. Lets be clear. The Labour Party is not a party for working-class people, nor for students, especially when it fails to acknowledge and is complicit in the genocide. The terrorism charge against Sarah is part of a broader crackdown that includes SOAS having secured a High Court Injunction banning pro-Palestinian student activists from stepping foot on campus, punishable by up to two years imprisonment if breached. Students have been suspended, expelled and excluded from the university for their involvement in the encampment. After her speech, Sarah called on supporters of the SOAS 2 to march as a delegation from the Old Bailey to the Royal Courts of Justice, joining hundreds rallying there against Palestine Actions proscription. PAs lawyers were seeking a High Court injunction for interim relief, suspending the ban while they appealed for judicial review of the Labour governments order to list PA as a terrorist organisation. Late this afternoon, the High Court rejected PAs application and at one minute after midnight it will become an offence under the Terrorism Act to be a member or supporter of the group. Suspended Labour MP Zarah Sultana resigned from the party Thursday night and announced on X, Jeremy Corbyn and I will co-lead the founding of a new party, with other Independent MPs, campaigners and activists across the country. The Socialist Workers Party, holding its Marxism 2025 festival, was ecstatic. Corbyn loyalist Andrew Feinstein delivered the news of Sultanas resignation to its opening rally that evening, to whoops and applause. Jeremy Corbyn and she will be the interim co-leaders of a new political party, he cheered. Zarah Sultana MP [Photo by House of Commons / Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 On Friday, leading SWP member Charlie Kimber offered advice to the nine Labour MPs threatened with having the whip withdrawn for opposing the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation: Dont wait until they take the whip away. Get out now. All such enthusiasm was misplaced. Corbyn was initially nowhere to be seen or heard of. Within a few hours of Sultanas statement, Times journalist Gabriel Pogrund had posted, I understand that Jeremy Corbyn has not agreed to join the new left party with Zarah Sultana. He is furious and bewildered at the way it has been launched without consultation. By the next morning, it was being as widely reported as the Guardian, the New Statesman and Novara Media that Sultana had jumped the gun, with Corbyn and his allies clearly briefing their displeasure. Novara, which has been a platform for those most frustrated with the hesitation to launch a new party, and most eager to see new faces come to the fore, reported that a committee meeting of those involved had voted in favour of a Sultana-Corbyn joint ticket. This was perhaps not what some in the former Labour leaders team would have liked. Corbyns two closest allies during his time as Labour leaderhis shadow chancellor John McDonnell and shadow home secretary Diane Abbottthen told the house organ of the Tory Party, the Daily Telegraph, that they would be staying in Starmers Labour Party. Clive Lewis, who has urged a more constructive relationship between the partys left and Starmer, predictably said the same. The rest have been silent. His hand forced, Corbyn finally surfaced Friday afternoon, releasing a carefully worded statement welcoming Sultana into the fold of Independents but making clear that discussions about a new party were ongoing. The same political concern animates the reluctance of the Corbyn camp and the Sultana camps efforts to bounce him into action: a desire not to let mass social opposition in the working class and youth burst the banks of Labourite politics. Corbyn, dedicated to the Labour Party for half a century as it moved ever further to the right, has found himself outside its ranks despite himself. Kicked out as leader and suspended as a Labour MP in 2020, it was only in the months before the July 2024 election that he finally took his leave of the party to stand against Labour in Islingtonand even then in a strictly local campaign minimising any possible conflict with Starmer. As the Socialist Equality Party wrote this week, he remains desperate to avoid any action that could provide an impulse for a rebellion and a fightback by the working class against the Labour and trade union bureaucracy. He and his allies are trying to find a vehicle which will offer the least encouragement possible to this sentiment: ideally a loose umbrella organisation of grassroots independents carefully selected by a committee of Corbynite veterans and united only by lip service to general commitments to peace and a few mildly reformist demands. Sultana made her statement on the advice of those who recognise that Corbyns foot-dragging is politically discrediting in the face of a Labour government carrying out the biggest attack on democratic rights in post-war British historyin defence of its complicity in a genocide, and in preparation for austerity-fuelled military spending. Her announcement came within hours of a stampede vote in the House of Commons (385 to 26) to proscribe Palestine Action. Millions of people are being brought face to face with the brutal reality of the Labour government and driven to look for an alternative. Sultanas statement observes that Just 50 families now own more wealth than half the UK population. Poverty is growing, inequality is obscene and Labour has completely failed to improve peoples lives. People need homes and lives they can actually afford, not rip-off bills we pay every month to a tiny elite bathing in cash. We need money spent on public services, not forever wars. Across the political establishment they smear people of conscience trying to stop a genocide in Gaza as terrorists when this government is an active participant in genocide. And the British people oppose it. All of this is true. But the implications are as dangerous for the Corbynites as they are for Starmers Labour Party. Because these social catastrophesthe crimes of a ruling class of billionaires and multi-millionaires snarlingly hostile to the working-class majoritycannot be solved by the tame parliamentary reformist programme to which Corbyn and Sultana want to limit workers and young people. New left parties have already been set up across Europe in response to the rightward lurch of the old social democratic parties. And the results have been the same. Syriza carried out a massive betrayal of the Greek working class and its struggle against austerity. Podemos has done the same in Spain. Today, amid a historic explosion of militarism and looming economic crisis, the room for manoeuvre available to these parties is even smaller. They will be rapidly whipped into line by the ruling class and will steadfastly refuse to mobilise the working class in opposition to their demands. Despite Corbyns gripes, his and Sultanas statements make clear that such a new party in Britain is a question of when, not if. However it eventually comes together, it will rapidly find itself in conflict with the leftward movement it currently speaks to. What it can count on is the cheerleading of the pseudo-revolutionary left, exemplified by the response of the SWP, whose Marxism festival will be attended this weekend, significantly, by former Syriza Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis. Having championed Corbyns Labour leadership as the beginning of its transformation into a vehicle for socialism, the SWP, Socialist Party, Revolutionary Communist Party and others will be all the more eager to boost a new party founded on exactly the same political foundations. RCP campaigns coordinator Fiona Lali was the first out the gate, issuing an appeal to Jeremy and Zarah that now is the time to be bold, to learn from the mistakes of the past when they tried to accommodate our movement to the representatives of the capitalist system. She appeals in the friendliest terms to a man who deliberately sabotaged that movement, whose politics is thoroughly pro-capitalist and who entered two election campaigns pledged to membership of NATO, to see that Only if we build a party based on class politics can we build a real political force for socialism. There will be hundreds more articles peddling illusions in a new Corbynite party. In opposition, the Socialist Equality Party insists that the task for socialist-minded workers and young people is not to build another trap for the masses of people whose politics is far to the left of Corbyn and Sultana. It is to win and educate a vanguard in the working class who will resolutely oppose all factions of the Labour and trade union bureaucracy, including its left talkers. Sultana writes that In 2029, the choice will be stark: socialism or barbarism. The choice is already stark, and it will not be decided by a vote for a party of Labour backbenchers, old and new. As Leon Trotsky argued in the 1930s, ahead of the catastrophe of the Second World War, the future depends on building a new revolutionary leadership: the world Trotskyist movement, represented in the UK today by the Socialist Equality Party. The political frame-up of University of Michigan (U-M) researchers and Chinese citizens Yunqing Jian and Chengxuan Han continues. Both Jian and Han remain in federal custody without bond, facing up to 20 years in prison for what under ordinary circumstances would result in a fine for failing to follow protocol. Jian is charged with conspiracy, smuggling, false statements, and visa fraud related to the fungus Fusarium graminearum, while Han faces charges of smuggling common non-hazardous biological materials (C. elegans roundworms and plasmids) and making false statements. Plea negotiations are underway for both researchers. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) is the only organization at U-M that has called for the defense of Jian and Han. On Wednesday, Stephen St. Clair of the World Socialist Web Site spoke with a scientist from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan about the scientific context behind these cases. The scientist preferred to remain anonymous. Stephen St. Clair (SSC): In our email correspondence you indicated that it seemed obvious to you that the Jian arrest was politically motivated. Could you please elaborate? Oakland University Scientist (OUS): All the coverage was about Fusarium graminearum being a potential agroterrorism agent, and thats completely absurd. Youve got a pathogen thats already present, its basically ubiquitous across lots of different countries. You can have infections in the seeds of the cropswere shipping grain overseas all the time, you think its not getting spread around that way? What kind of an idiot would try to use this as an agroterrorism agent? The motivation doesnt make any sense. What possible gain could they have by trying to release this supposed agroterrorism agent? Its like saying someone is polluting the environment because they pissed into a pond thats used by cattle. Youd have to be an idiot to think that this was something you could use to threaten somebody. Its already there. It doesnt make any sense that they were motivated by terrorism. Im not going to name any names, but Ive known scientists that have smuggled specimens rather than dealing with all the paperwork for transporting specimens. Its something that is not that uncommon, and there are a lot of perverse incentives for it, because it is kind of a pain to get permits. In a lot of cases its hard for people to see that transport as being ethically problematic. Even if youre aware that youre supposed to have a permit, if the potential harm is really, really small, then its mostly a matter of not wanting to get caught. Meanwhile theres all of this time pressure, especially on early-career people like postdocs, to get papers out. I guess I dont find it all that surprising that some ambitious young postdocs had access to some specimens that they could use in their research and then they tried to transport them and didnt take the time to fill out the permit paperwork. That doesnt surprise me. What does surprise me is that there is anything more than a nominal fine involved. SSC: In the case of Chengxuan Han, the material is even more innocuous. She too is being held in federal custody, facing 20 years, but her case involves charges of sending roundworms, C. elegans This photo provided by the Sanilac County, Mich., Sheriff's Office on Friday, June 13, 2025, shows Chinese scientist Chengxuan Han. [AP Photo/Sanilac County Sheriff's Office] OUS: What? SSC: And plasmids on filter paper through the mail without the proper permits, not involving any pathogens or parasites, just C. elegans. OUS: Really? Shes transporting C. elegans? SSC: Yes, same issue as Jian, that she lied to the investigator and transported material without proper paperwork, and shes facing 20 years for that. OUS: God(incredulous, reading from article) Gorgon declared the case was part of an alarming pattern that threatens our security. Transporting some C. elegans threatens our security? What? Caenorhabditis elegans or C. elegans, a 1mm nematode that lives in temperate soil. [Photo by Zeynep F. Altun / CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 SSC: What are the responsibilities of a primary investigator when an early-career scientist engages in this kind of informal transport? OUS: You try to provide advice to them about what they need to do and what isnt allowed. I would take some responsibility for my student having done something that skirted a regulation or whatever. There has been a lot of regulatory creep in scientific research over the years. The amount of time it takes to check all the boxes has gone up almost exponentially. So its pretty common for people to try to cut corners. Im not surprised by any of this. I dont think any of it is surprising. Im almost surprised that you need a permit to transport C. elegans. SSC: The press release from the Department of Justice, by the way, is headlined Alien from Wuhan, China charged with making false statements and smuggling biological materials. OUS: Christ SSC: Thats the issue here, that shes associated with the city of Wuhan and the Wuhan lab lie. Shes being associated with this false narrative. This is even more explicitly politicized than the Jian case. At the World Socialist Web Site, we link these arrests to an escalating anti-China campaign OUS: Yeah. SSC: And a continuation of the China Initiative from the first Trump administration, where they prosecuted Chinese scientists, mostly on paperwork issues, and that this is part of the preparation for war with China. This year Oakland University ended its partnership with Chinese universities under pressure from right-wing congressman John Moolenaar. Have you noticed anything on campus related to this, a chilling effect on scientific collaboration with China? OUS: (laughs) Chilling effect? Yes. People are pulling back on some things. The biggest thing is the fear that grants will be cancelled, and also trying to figure out how to write proposals when the law requires you to say certain things and the administration will cancel your grant for saying those things. For example, with National Science Foundation (NSF) grant proposals, the way the regulations are written, you need to state what the broader societal impacts of your research are going to be. Thats supposed to be a really heavily-weighted part of the proposal, these broader societal impacts. This is all coming from Congress, and the way it had been interpreted by the NSF is that you would need to write about a whole slew of different things, a lot of which related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion issues. Yunqing Jian, Sanilac County Jail. So it had become essentially impossible to write the broader impact section for a grant if you werent talking about equitable access to research, or underserved and underprivileged groups. If you didnt talk about those things there was no way you could get funded, its basically a required component. Some of that is the way that NSF staff had interpreted congressional mandates, but ultimately it all came downstream from what the legislative branch had required. Now weve got this list of keywords, and if its in there theyre going to flag your grant. And those are keywords you couldnt help but use to deal with the broader impacts requirements. It gives them free rein to cancel any NSF grant, because any NSF grant that was funded in the last 10 years or so is going to have language about historically marginalized groups and equity. It was basically impossible to write a grant that was fundable without talking about those things. So if they dont like your grant they can find places where you talked about that and cancel it. SSC: What are the consequences for scientific advancement of the current environment? OUS: For some of us, were investing less time in submitting those grants. I dont know. Its not going to be positive. I dont imagine that they care, the people that are implementing this stuff. I totally missed that that second story was about C. elegans. Thats insane. SSC: This all comes on the heels of Marco Rubio announcing on May 28 that he was going to aggressively revoke the visas of Chinese students, and go through their social media posts to find objectionable language. The Jian arrest was June 2, the Han arrest was the following Sunday. What do you think about the way these cases have been reported in the corporate media? OUS: I think science reporting has been getting worse anyhow. Its starting to feel par for the course, unfortunately. Im not shocked that it would be reported in a politicized way, especially after all the crap that went down with the Daszak group during the pandemic. I was shocked by that at the time, but after seeing what they went through it doesnt surprise me much anymore. SSC: Weve written extensively about Dr. Daszak. Benjamin Mateus just did a three part interview with him in May. The persecution of scientists for doing scientific work is unacceptable in a democratic society. What do you think of our call to defend Jian and Han? OUS: I think its important that someones speaking out. It feels a little bit like screaming into a void though. I guess Im glad someones speaking out against it. Its complicated when someone broke a law and theyre caught breaking that law. I do think there needs to be some consequence to that. When its a question of when someone actually did break a law and the problem is that the response is completely out of scale with what they did, then it becomes a nuanced argument and nuance is hard. SSC: Definitely, it could be unethical, it could be illegal. The scale of the punishment and response to it is a political issue. OUS: Yeah, for the C. elegans thing I dont see an ethics issue at all. I dont think theres any ethics issue there. There may be a legal issue if theyre required to have a permit. I see no ethical issue there at all. Its a completely innocuous thing to be shipping. I could dig up some soil in my backyard and mail it to my mother and it would probably have some C. elegans in there. Am I going to be jailed for that? SSC: It depends on who you are and who is being targeted. OUS: I guess. It might be a legal issue, its not an ethical issue, not in terms of shipping C. elegans. Its hard for me to think of something more innocuous. The crop pathogen issue, that is actually a pathogen that affects economically important crops. I think in that case the researchers shouldve been aware that some kind of permitting might be necessary. That seems more like someone trying to cut corners because it wouldve taken a long time to get the permit and they couldnt afford to wait that long. If youve got a plane ticket and youre leaving the country youre not going to be able to afford to wait a couple months for a permit to be approved, so they took a risk. They probably shouldnt have done that. Its not worth jailing someone over though. And I will tell you, Im 100 percent confident that these people were not doing this for a nefarious purpose. What would be the motivation? Its completely asinine to think that theres any kind of terrorism motive there. Thats nuts. Were they foolish to try to smuggle a plant pathogen in? Yeah, that was probably a bad choice. Theres no amount of jail time that would be proportionate to that offense. I could see fining whoever had made the decision to do that. Its very clearly, to me, not a terrorism issue, and its amazing to me that it made any kind of news. SSC: Thank you so much. Is there anything else you want to add? OUS: Its just all so awful. At what point could any of my students end up being charged, or me be charged for doing something? If you want to study anything outside of your immediate vicinity, then sometimes you have to transport specimens. Thats a part of the process, and it definitely can be hard to find the information that you want about what regulations, what permits you need to apply to. Thats not as easy to figure out as you might expect. The people transporting pathogens shouldve known that they shouldve gotten a permit. I understand the potential motivations behind not getting one, because its time-consuming and were all under a lot of time pressure. Mailing C. elegans though, Im honestly surprised that it requires a permit, so Im really not surprised that a researcher may not have known that they needed a permit. Good luck and thanks for working on this. What a nightmare. In an extraordinary backflip, Creative Australia, the countrys principal arts funding body suddenly announced on Wednesday that it was reinstating artist Khaled Sabsabi and his curator Michael Dagostino as Australias representatives at the 2026 Venice Biennale. It followed a so-called governance review by consultants Blackhall & Pearl into Creative Australias previous selection in February, and the sudden dumping within days, of the two artists. Michael Dagostino (left) and Khaled Sabsabi [Photo: Creative Australia/Anna Kucera] Acting Creative Australia board chair Wesley Enoch publicly apologised to Sabsabi for the hurt and pain and cited the consultants review, which he claimed would repair the damage done to Creative Australias reputation. The board has considered and reflected deeply on all relevant issues to find a path forward, Enoch said. The removal of Sabsabi and Dagostino, the review cynically declared, was not the fault of any single individual but the outcome of a series of mistakes, which the board would have to address. The decision constitutes a significant blow against the efforts of the pro-Zionist lobby, aided and abetted by Australian Labor governments, state and federal, and the Liberal-National Coalition, to intimidate and silence all public opposition to Israels mass murder of tens of thousands of Palestinians. Like their counterparts internationally artists, writers, actors, musicians, academics, health workers, students and journalists are frontline targets, falsely accused of antisemitism and persecuted for speaking out against the Gaza genocide. On February 7, Sabsabi, a multidisciplinary artist who migrated to Australia from Lebanon in 1978 and Dagostino, an experienced curator, were selected from a pool of 50 applicants to represent Australia at next years Venice Biennale. Less than a week later, on February 13, their appointment was abruptly rescinded following a 90-minute meeting of Creative Australias board. The dumping of Sabsabi and Dagostino followed a hysterical campaign in Murdoch-owned news outlets which falsely claimed that You, a video installation made in 2007 by Sabsabi, had lauded Hassan Nasrallah, the late leader of Hezbollah, and that another in 2006 supported terrorism. The art works, which had been exhibited in leading galleries, did none of this and had never been accused of such in the years since they were created. Australian journalist Yoni Bashan, who has been embedded with the Israel Defence Forces twice since October 2023, played a leading role in the hysterical campaign. What followed was a bipartisan political assault. Liberal Party shadow minister for the arts, Claire Chandler, then used the Murdoch media allegations in the Senate to question the appointment of Sabsabi and Dagostino at the Venice art show. Labors Arts Minister Tony Burke immediately contacted Creative Australias CEO Adrian Collette who convened an emergency board meeting and issued a media statement announcing the rescission. The artist and curator were given no right of appeal or opportunity to address the board. It was urgently necessary to dump Sabsabi and Dagostino, Collette said, to prevent a divisive debate on the appointment which, he claimed, threatened social cohesion and the future of the organisation. The censorious attack triggered an immediate and vocal backlash across the country with over 4,400 artists and other creative workers signing a petition to demand reinstatement of the artist and curator and a virtual rebellion by key members of Creative Australia. Board member Lindy Lee, Visual Arts department head Mikala Tai and program manager Tahmina Maskinyar resigned. Simon Mordant, a major donor, quit as a Creative Australia ambassador and withdrew financial support, calling it a very dark day for Australia and the Arts. As the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) correctly stated, This is not just about one artist or one exhibition; it is about whether Australia upholds the right of artists to critically engage with history, politics, and the urgent issues of our time. Crucially, the five other artists shortlisted to represent Australia at Venice declared they would not accept any invitation to replace Sabsabi and Dagostino. This meant that there would be no Australian representation at Venice, despite Archie Moore having won the prestigious Golden Lion award, the main prize, the first time for an Australian artist, in Venice in 2024. Such was the support for Sabsabi that he was able, with official backing from NAVA, to raise $82,000 from over 860 single donors within two days to fund the staging of his own art exhibit in Venice in 2026, during the prestigious art show. The generalised and deep-seated hostility of artists across the country over Creative Australias anti-democratic attack, along with the fact that Australia would not be represented at Venice because of political censorship, ultimately pressured the arts funding body to reverse its decision. The reinstatement of Sabsabi and Dagostino came just a week after journalist Antoinette Lattouf won federal court action against the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for sacking her in December 2023. Lattouf was illegally sacked for sharing a Human Rights Watch post condemning Israels use of starvation in Gaza. The court ruled that Lattouf had been terminated by ABC management to appease the pro-Israel lobbyists who had campaigned to have her dismissed because she held political opinions opposing the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. She was awarded $70,000 in compensation. The sheer volume and breadth of this opposition to the Gaza genocide among creative workers is, of course, a global phenomenon, welcomed and reaffirmed by mass audiences, young and old. Increasing numbers of artists refusing to be intimidated. The barrage of pro-Zionist, corporate media and government slanders conflating opposition to a genocide with antisemitism has failed to silence masses of people and especially millions of young people. This was powerfully demonstrated at the Glastonbury music festival last week in the UK, which saw artists like Irish rap trio Kneecap, Bob Vylan, Amyl and the Sniffers, CMAT, Inhaler and Rizzle Kicks voice strong pro-Palestinian sentiments to massive crowd support, defying attempts at censorship. The reinstatement of Sabsabi and Dagostino is undoubtedly a significant victory for democratic rights and freedom of artistic expression, and a blow against those who weaponise bogus accusations of antisemitism to censor any criticism of Israeli actions and Australian government complicity in these war crimes. Former federal arts minister, now the minister for home affairs, Tony Burke hypocritically declared on Wednesday that he fully supported the reinstatement of Sabsabi and his curator. As the record shows, Burke and the Labor government were fully involved in the witch-hunt of Sabsabi. Labor, moreover, has not changed course one iota, backing the Israeli genocide, as well as the illegal US attack on Iran last month, and cracking down on fundamental civil liberties. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke speaks in parliament on November 19, 2024 [Photo by Parliament of Australia / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 In February, a few days after it stopped Sabsabi from appearing at the Venice Biennale, the Albanese Labor government rammed through sweeping anti-democratic hate speech laws. These deliberately vague but all-encompassing laws, which include mandatory minimum sentences of up to six years jail time, can be used to imprison opponents of the Israeli genocide of Palestinians. The laws were introduced following a so-called wave of antisemitic graffiti and a police tipoff about a caravan of explosives in an outer-western Sydney suburb with a list of targets, including the Sydney synagogue. It was later revealed that these incidents were not carried out for political or ideological reasons but by small-time criminals for money or to bargain with police. Artists and creative workers should be warned, the Blackhall & Pearl review is a crude coverup and is not advocating for freedom of artistic expression. Its purpose is to hide the pro-Zionist motivations behind the dismissal saga and prevent the awarding of future grants to artists deemed to be unacceptable to Australias political elite and its international allies. The report uses the words Lebanon, Gaza and Israel just once. The words Zionism, Zionist, Palestine, war or political pressure are not referenced anywhere in the 64-page review. The report warbles on about oversights, misunderstandings, missteps and assumptions, exacerbated by a lack of clarity around roles and accountabilities with no one named or held to account. Its central call, however, is for the establishment of mechanisms that further threaten artistic freedom. These include the development of a clearly documented risk identification policy and procedure for the Venice Biennale selection process. Risk identification is corporate speak for censoring potentially controversial artists. Genuinely creative art is all about taking risks, challenging audiences, and, in one form or another, a deeply felt protest against the cultural and political status quo. Those responsible for the poisonous political climate that led to the dumping of Sabsabi and Dagostino, and the ongoing persecution and witch hunting of those opposing Israels war crimes in the Middle East and the Australian Labor governments active complicity, remain in power. These forces will respond by stepping up their antidemocratic attacks. As the World Socialist Web Site insists, the defence of artistic freedom and other basic democratic rights is inseparably linked to the fight against the capitalist profit system itself, the source of these reactionary assaults on democratic rights, the Gaza genocide and other imperialist war crimes. This is the struggle that creative workers need to join. Democrat mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during a rally at the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council headquarters in New York, Wednesday, July 2, 2025. [AP Photo/Richard Drew] Following Zohran Mamdanis victory in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, Jacobin magazine has published a series of articles along the same theme: Reinforcing the political domination of the Democratic Party while tamping down any expectations among those who voted for Mamdani. Perhaps the most explicit of these appeared on Monday, under the headline, How Zohran Mamdani Can Succeed as Mayor, by Peter Dreier. Dreier is a professor at Occidental College and a former chief advisor to longtime Democratic mayor of Boston Ray Flynn, who later served as US ambassador to the Vatican under Bill Clinton. A longtime member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Dreier quit the organization in November 2023, denouncing it for failing to sufficiently condemn Hamas after October 7. This is the figure Jacobin selects to set the political line after a major mayoral primary in which the winning candidate opposed the genocide in Gaza. Dreier lays out a plan for Mamdani, a member of the DSA, to deal with opposition from Wall Street by hiring experienced advisors to help him gauge when business threats are real, persuading sections of the corporate elite that inequality is unsustainable, and redefining a healthy business climate. In other words, Mamdani must work with Wall Street, assure them their interests wont be threatened, and ask politely if they might consider sharing the prosperity, while making sure not to threaten their interests. Mamdanis most important task, Dreier writes, will be to make sure that he takes care of the civic housekeeping functions of local government. This includes making sure policeresponse times are fast and develop[ing] a working relationship with the police and their union. Getting to the heart of the matter, Dreier works overtime to lower expectations and prepare Mamdanis supporters for retreat: They must have patience and the strategic understanding that significant policy changes take time and often require compromise. He insists that compromise is not the same thing as selling out, and is in fact good when it leads to stepping-stone reforms. This entirely pathetic statement, which encapsulates the politics of the DSA, is more an admission than an argument. What, after all, are these supposed stepping-stone reforms the ruling class has offered for half a century, engaged in dismantling every past reform and producing staggering levels of inequality? As evidenced by the hysterical response to Mamdanis election, the ruling class is not granting reforms, but engaged in violent counter-revolution. The Jacobin piece speaks directly to the DSA at large: This is particularly important for Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a small but active part of Mamdanis base, Dreier writes. DSAs national leadership, and some of its chapters, have been justifiably criticized for their occasional ultraleftism and indifference to practical politics. It instructs DSA members to show discipline and strategic smarts to avoid publicly criticizing [Mamdani] every time he has to make compromises (including with the city council or state legislature) in order to get things accomplished to improve daily life in New York City. By compromise, Dreier means capitulation to Wall Street and its political agents in the city council and state legislature. His message to new DSA members who have joined while supporting the Mamdani campaign is unmistakable: Stay in your lane, support massive concessions, and keep quiet. The claim that the DSA suffers from ultraleftism is equally absurd. Its history is defined by unrelenting efforts to keep social opposition chained to the Democratic Party. A good indication of what Dreier considers ultraleft is that he quit the DSA not over its right-wing record, but because it failed to sufficiently denounce Hamas amid the US-backed Israeli genocide in Gazasomething he does not even mention in his article. The article concludes by underscoring the essential political function of the DSA: to channel the growing radicalization of workers and youth, emerging under conditions of dictatorship and war, back into the stifling embrace of the pro-war, pro-capitalist Democratic Party. Dreier declares that one of Mamdanis greatest accomplishments could be to restore the faith of young voters in the potential of electoral politics and help move the Democratic Party away from the corporate wingtoward a progressive party that puts people first. Taken as a whole, Jacobins argument is that the principal task of a Mamdani administration must be to reassure Wall Street and administer the capitalist state. Mamdani himself has already responded to the ferocious attack on this primary victory by Trump and layers of big business by shifting rapidly to the right. He stressed in an interview last weekend that his vision for this city is for every single New Yorker, including business leaders. A separate article in Jacobin last weekWhat Mamdanis Win Can (and Cant) Teach Usdevelops a similar line. It warns, Mamdanis victory in no way suggests that progressives everywhere can campaign as far left as possible on divisive social issues and still break through to working-class voters. This statement betrays a deeper fear: that Mamdanis victory could encourage a broad, left-wing rebellion from below. It is precisely this possibility that the DSA and Democratic Party apparatus are determined to prevent. That this campaign of compromise is being promoted even as Trump threatens to deport Mamdani and names him a Communist lunatic underscores the bankrupt politics of the DSA and Jacobin. As the president is erecting a dictatorship, unleashing the state against immigrants and political opponents, and openly declaring that he alone will decide who governs New York, the DSA insists that workers and young people must submit to Wall Street and the Democratic Party. This is a recipe for disaster. Trumps fascism is not an aberration but the outcome of a capitalist system in deep and insoluble crisis. The only viable alternative is for the working class to intervene in this crisis with its own revolutionary solution. That is what Jacobin and the DSA exist to prevent. Ward Sakeik speaks to WSWS on July 3, 2025. On Thursday, Ward Sakeika 22-year-old college graduate, professional wedding photographer, Texas homeowner and newlywedheld a press conference just 48 hours after her release from immigration detention. She had been imprisoned by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for 140 days and faced deportation to the borders of Israel for the crime of being born a stateless Palestinian. Despite a court order blocking her removal from Texas, ICE agents attempted to deport Sakeik on three separate occasions, most recently on June 30. At Thursdays press conference, Sakeikoften holding back tearsspoke powerfully in defense of human and democratic rights, while exposing the torturous and inhumane conditions inside the US immigration gulags. I was handcuffed for 16 hours without any water or food on the bus, she said. I was moved around like cattle. The US government tried to dump me in a part of the world where I had no idea where I was going, what I was doing. They had two failed deportations, and these deportations they just happened all of a sudden. I was not given a phone call. Sakeik said there were stretches36 hours, 50 hourswhen she was not allowed to call her attorney or her husband. ICE thugs told her she could contact her family and lawyer when you get to the country or when you get to the transfer or whenever you get wherever youre getting. Sakeik explained, Ive been a resident of the United States since I was 8 years old. I went to college, I run a successful wedding photography business here in [Dallas-Fort Worth], and I recently married Taahir [Shaikh]. My family did come here in 2011 seeking asylum. We have followed all immigration policies and have complied with every single thing, every single document, every single piece of paper, every single thing that was thrown at us. She added that she was in the final stages of acquiring her green card. None of this prevented her from being targeted by the state. I did lose 5 months of my life, Sakeik said, because I was criminalized for being stateless, something that I absolutely have no control over. I didnt choose to be stateless. I didnt do a crime that made me stateless. I had no choice. Sakeik explained that while she was detained, she and the other women imprisoned with her used art as a form of expression. I asked the women that I was jailed with to work on an art project with me that I wanted to hang in my office at home, she said. I asked them to draw their flags and to write next to the flags what their country represented. We drew together, and they shared the most beautiful stories, Sakeik said. Some of the flags remained unfinished, she explained, because I was transferred for deportation, while others were unfortunately deported before I was able to add on more flags. A collage created by Sakeik and the other women while they were detained by the immigration police, July 3, 2025. [Photo: WFAA] She said the collage, which featured over 25 flags, was not even half of the countries that were with me. This is all from the beautiful women I was detained withthey are absolutely remarkable. Sakeik said the women she was detained with come here for better lives and are voiceless and helpless. A lot of these women dont have the money for lawyers or media outreach. They come here to provide for their families and that is pretty much it. They are mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers. They are superheroes. They are humans, and their lives hold value. And I will continue to fight with them, for them every single step of the way. Im not going to stop. I also want the world to know that the women who do come here, [they] come here for a better life but they are criminalized for that. They are dehumanized. And they are stripped of their rights. We have been treated as a less than simply for wanting a better life. Sakeik explained that throughout her five-month detention, she was transferred to three different facilities. She explained that the conditions inside all of them were terrible. Extremely unhygienic, dust everywhere. Throughout her imprisonment she put in multiple requests to get the facilities cleaned because women are getting sick left and right because it is extremely dusty. Sakeik was arrested in February in Miami, Florida, while flying back home from her honeymoon in the US Virgin Islands. She explained that following her arrest, I was on the bus for 16 hours handcuffed from head to toe on wooden benches with me and several other women... We were not given water or food, and we would smell the driver eating Chick-fil-A. We would ask for water, bang on the door for food, and he would just turn up the radio and act lie he wasnt listening to us. When I got to intake, we were thrown in intake, literally like animals, for about 7 hours in just an intake room. Sakeik explained how small and cramped the intake rooms were: Sometimes 400 square feet, sometimes they could be 700 square feet. A bunch of women are inside with a toilet. No soap. No water. And you are just going to sit there and wait to be checked into the facility. Her second transfer involved taking three separate van trips. The whole time guards would not tell her anything about where she was going, or when she could expect to arrive. The only thing the guards seemed to know was that she should not to drink water because the van wasnt going to stop for her to utilize the latrine. At the second facility, Sakeik said she was held in a tiny 400 square foot intake room that had a capacity of only 10 people, but in which 18 women were squeezed in. Holding back tears, Sakeik said, The water we were drinking was just sink water. Be grateful we gave you water is what they would say, Sakeik added. Inside the facilities she said, We would eat the same packaged food every single day. She said the women were forced to sleep in rooms as cold as 50 degrees F (10 degrees C) yet were denied blankets by the guards. Ive seen women that needed their medication, and they were not given their medication. The restrooms are very, very, very much unhygienic. The beds have rust everywhere. They are not properly maintained. There are ants, cockroaches, grasshoppers, spiders, you name it, all over the facility. Girls will get bit, girls will wake up with giant bruises. Speaking of those still trapped inside, Sakeik added, I want them to know that they are important. ... They all deserve rights. They are all humans, and I will continue to fight for them. Following the press conference, Sakeik spoke with the World Socialist Web Site. She noted that one of the most beautiful things that came out of this traumatizing experience is I was able to see people come together, people advocating for me, people I know, and people I dont know. On the ongoing immigration raids, she said, Its coming at such a force to people that are not even criminal. You are just shopping at Home Depot, and the next thing you know youre on a bus getting detained for just shopping at Home Depot. Asked to comment on the mass protests against the Trump administration last month, which centered on the governments attacks on immigrants, Sakeik said that while she was not able to keep up with the news while detained, It makes me feel proud to know that this generation is speaking up. At the same press conference, members of her legal team, including attorney Eric Lee, provided details of the thuggish tactics of the border agents and the significance of Sakeiks case and what it means for the working class. Lee explained: On Monday morning at about 5:00 Central Time, I received a call from Tahir informing me that ICE was once again, despite a court order, telling Ward that she had to immediately pack all of her belongings and go to intake where she was not told where she was going. Sakeik made repeated efforts to explain to the ICE officers that there was a federal court order that they would be disobeying if they attempted to deport her from the United States. The immigration thugs told her that she was ranting when she mentioned these, the existence of this temporary restraining order. When I made multiple attempts to call the facility to inform them that they would be violating the law and separation of powers upon which a democratic system is based, they hung up on me, and we had to try alternative means of getting through to Ward. That should not happen, that does not happen in a democracy. Lee noted that Ward had a number of layers of protection. That is very significant because of what it means for [everyone] in this country ... regardless even of their citizenship, because the administration has just announced plans to denaturalize citizens on a scale that has not been seen before. Lee concluded by saying that the Department of Homeland Security statement that Ward departed the United States because she went on a domestic flight to an American territory has stunning implications that should shock every American. If the position of the Department of Homeland Security is that traveling across international waters means that you can be detained by ICE upon your return or that the CBP can set up checkpoints like they do in dictatorships, then what about for anybody who flies between Hawaii and California? What about everybody who flies between New York and Detroit, a flight which passes over Canada? What about people that fly from Alaska to the lower 48? The people who are running the Department of Homeland Security have no idea whats in the Constitution. They are brazenly violating the law, and that should be something that causes extreme concern to everybody whos paying attention to this case. Lee ended by noting the cruelty and hypocrisy of the US government: The idea that the American government was going to deport Ward to Palestine ... raises a number of important issues. Number one, we thought the American government didnt recognize Palestine as a country. Apparently, that was not an issue that they felt was a hindrance to Wards deportation there. More importantly, Palestine is experiencing a genocide at the moment, and the idea that someone who has lived in this country since she was eight years old would be sent to a place where theres no water, where people are dying of disease and starvation, and dying under Israeli bombs is something that should shock everybody. Its similar to what they are doing with the SalvadoransKilmar Abrego Garcia was tortured in CECOT in the El Salvador prison, according to an affidavit filed just a couple of days ago. Lee said this Fourth of July holiday should give us all pause to think about what is happening in this country. If those in this room and those watching believe in the defense of basic democratic rights, they need to stand up and fight for those principles themselves. The agreement reached by the US and Vietnam on reciprocal tariffs announced on Wednesday underscores the nature of Trumps economic war against the world. It is aimed at establishing a global economic dictatorship directed against China, whose rise the US regards as an existential threat. Under the deal, goods deemed to be of Vietnamese origin will receive a tariff of 20 percent while those designated to have been transhippedthat is primarily originating from Chinabe taxed at 40 percent, just below the initial 46 percent reciprocal tariff threatened against Vietnam on April 2. Containers are loaded on a ship at the Saigon port in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on May 3, 2020. [AP Photo/Hau Dinh] This stipulation sets up an economic minefield for Vietnam and other countries whose economies are part of global supply chains. Items may have components and raw materials originating in China, but are then manufactured or assembled for export to the US and other markets. How exactly the distinction between a primarily Vietnamese-made item and one that is being transhipped has not been spelt out. But it will be largely, if not entirely, determined by the US. Responding to the US-Vietnam agreement, the Chinese commerce ministry said it was conducting an assessment of the deal. We firmly oppose any party striking a deal at the expense of Chinas interests. If such a situation arises, China will take resolute countermeasures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, it said. Others have already pointed to the essential content of the deal. In comments to the Financial Times, Julien Chaisse, an international law academic in Hong Kong said: The new US-Vietnam deal is not just about trade; it is clearly aimed at China its meant to block the flow of Chinese goods that often move through Vietnam to dodge existing US duties. This fits a much wider trend: the US is lining up bilateral deals with countries near China to tighten economic co-operation and, at the same time, [make] it harder for Beijing to strengthen its supply chain influence. Vietnams official state media reported that the head of the countrys ruling Communist Party, President To Lam, had a phone call with Trump on Tuesday. The two sides had reached a consensus in a fair and balanced reciprocal trade agreement framework. It was anything but that. Vietnam had a gun held at its head, with the threat that a 46 percent tariff if it did not capitulate would devastate its economy. Bloomberg economists have estimated that even the lower 20 percent tariff could lead to a 25 percent fall in Vietnamese exports to the US, and a possible 2 percent cut in its growth rate. The US market comprises 30 percent of Vietnams exports. Since 2018, Vietnams exports to the US have increased from under $50 billion to $137 billion in 2024. Much of this increase was a result of the tariffs against China during the first Trump administration as companies moved operations to Vietnam. Over the same period US exports to Vietnam have risen from less than $10 billion to just over $13 billion. This has led to a widening trade gap, resulting in it having the third largest trade deficit with the USmore than $123 billion last year. In typical fashion, Trump used Orwellian languagewhere words have their opposite meaningto describe the deal. It will be a Great Deal of Cooperation between our two Countries, he wrote on his social media. Having imposed major tariffs on the US side, Trump secured agreement from Vietnam that all American goods entering the country would be duty free. Hailing this decision in a delusional manner, Trump declared: It is my opinion that the SUV or, as it is sometimes referred to, Large Engine Vehicle, which does so well in the United States, will be a wonderful addition to the various product lines within Vietnam. A government survey in Vietnam earlier this year found that only 9 percent of Vietnamese households own a car with most people using motorcycles and motorbikes as their mode of transportation. The Vietnamese News Agency reported that the president had asked Trump that the US recognise Vietnam as a market economy, which would remove restrictions on its import of high-tech products. This has been a longstanding demand of Hanoi which Washington has consistently dismissed , with no sign of movement on this occasion. The so-called deal has more the character of the unequal treaties imposed on colonies in the heyday of imperialist rule in the late 19th and early 20th centuries than any genuine trade negotiation. Its implications go far beyond Vietnam. It will be the template for the agreements that the US attempts to impose on other countries, whether they be advanced or less developed economies, above all to disrupt supply lines originating in China. India, which is reported to be close to securing a framework deal with the US, has been in discussion over what rules of origin will apply. According to a report on Bloomberg, Washington has stipulated that to qualify as Made in India at least 60 percent of the value added must be locally based. India has pushed for this level to be 35 percent. The issue is certain to be at the centre of US negotiations with other countries. In a recent report cited by Bloomberg, Alicia Garcia Herrero, Asia-Pacific chief economist at the financial firms Natixis, said: Asias dilemma when it comes to Trumps trade war is all about dependence on US final demand while relying on Chinas value-added in domestic production. Vietnam, Cambodia and Taiwan are among the most exposed. The trade war has a significant military component. It is aimed at forcing those countries, particularly in Asia, which have been seeking to strategically balance between Washington and Beijing, to get off the fence and more directly align themselves with the US preparations for war against China. This is clearly recognised in Beijing, and it may well respond. Bloomberg economist Rana Sajedi noted: The looming question now is how China will respond. Beijing has made clear that it would respond to deals that come at the expense of Chinese interests and the decision to agree to higher tariffs on goods deemed to be transhipped through Vietnam may fall in that category. On the other hand, it may decide to stay its hand, not wishing to upset the delicate strategical balance in southeast Asia. In any case, the issue is going to arise again because the US is pushing for anti-China measures to be included in any agreements with the European powers. Such measures were part of the agreement with the UK in May. It included supply chain security requirements that sectors such as steel, pharmaceutical and aerospace are not sourced from or reliant on Chinese inputs. The deal committed the UK and the US to enhanced cooperation on investment security and export controls. It stipulated that there be co-ordinated action to address non-market policies of third countriesa code phrase for China. It also made clear that tariff reductions in UK exports such as cars and metals were conditional on compliance with US national security requirements. Such stipulations will not stop at the UK. Part of the rally against staffing cuts at RPA Hospital on July 1, 2025 Around 50 midwives and nurses held a demonstration outside Sydneys Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA) on Tuesday, to protest cuts to staffing in the hospitals birthing centre. The inner-west facility is one of the major public hospitals in the city. Staff were told on the afternoon of Friday, June 27 that, beginning Tuesday, just six midwives would be rostered on each shift in the birth unit, down from the current eight on the day and night shifts and ten on the afternoon shift. In addition, five midwives would be cut from RPAs midwifery group practice (MGP). MGP allows women and families having a baby to be cared for by a known midwife throughout their pregnancy, during labour and birth, and postnatally. This practice enables higher rates of natural births and positive experiences for mothers. In total, the changes would amount to the slashing of 20 full-time equivalent roles in the birthing and delivery unit. So chronic is the understaffing already, that the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) said no individual midwives would lose their jobsthe cuts could be accomplished simply by not filling vacant positions and reducing the number of casual staff currently engaged to cover the shortage. According to the Guardian, facing sharp opposition from staff and the broader community, RPA management agreed late Thursday to pause the cuts, while discussions continued between management and staff. This is not a reprieve, but an indication that the union bureaucracy is working closely with management to determine where to cut costs, in order to fit within the state Labor governments austerity budget. Introducing the budget on June 24, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey boasted in parliament that the Labor government had done much more than its Liberal-National predecessor to cut spending. Expense growth is now projected to average just 2.4 percent a yeardown from 6.2 percent under the previous government, he told parliament. Midwives protesting staff cuts at RPA Hospital on July 1, 2025 A nurse who has worked at RPA for 10 years told World Socialist Web Site reporters, There have been multiple consultations with staff directly involvedthe intrapartum midwives, the antenatal midwives and others. We voiced our concern about patient safety, about the compromise to healthcare quality and about the already stretched workforce, but we have not been heard. There should not be cost-cutting in a unit which deals with such complex cases. We believe its a cost-cutting move and theres no transparency. It would be good if [management] would explain to us, help us understand why these decisions have been made. We should also be provided with a report on what is happening in hospitals overall, be given the bigger picture. Other nurses said the cuts would mean midwives couldnt look after the number of people the unit is set up for. RPA has nine birthing rooms, and with only six midwives on each shift they would not be able to provide proper care for women in labour, or assess women who come into the unit unplanned. They raised that birthing rooms may need to be closed as a result. One local healthcare nurse who attended the rally commented: Overall, its across health, across the districts. Its psychiatrists, its nurses, midwives, radiologists, radiographerswe just want to be here for the community. Gary, a patient, said: I am a local and we had four children back in the 1980s and early 1990s at RPA, where the services were magnificent, and you can see the difference now. I know from my childrenwe have 9 grandchildrenand Ive seen the services theyve been provided with. They have been forced to go into private healthcare because of the neglect of the public system. Ive seen the hard work that nurses do in trying to provide what is needed, and the extended hours on low pay. The public pays taxes and we need these services. Referring to Northern Beaches Hospital, he said, Weve seen what happens when public hospitals are sold by the government to the private sector. Deaths of children happen. Jane, who came to support the protest, said: My daughter had a baby here three months ago, she received the most magnificent care from the midwives and its appalling that they are trying to cut the hours, when already they were so strapped for time delivering patient care. They take so many shifts and staff away and the system is going to collapse and there will be deaths. Babies will die if they dont have the attention, and the mothers will suffer as well. The healthcare system in Australia is declining. Running facilities into the ground is not a good idea. The government should [handle] the running of the hospitals and not sell them off to the corporates. Thats the end of healthcare as we know it. Public hospital maternity units around the country have been under pressure over the past period as private hospital maternity care has been reduced considerably. While birthing numbers have declined overall, figures for births in private hospitals are declining faster than those in the public system. Private health insurance cover for maternity care is only available in premium care packages and cost-of-living pressures are impacting the choices being made by young families. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has reported 14 private birthing units closing over the past 10 years. This includes the shuttering of maternity services at Darwin Private Hospital and Hobart Private Hospital this year, by private hospital group Healthscope, just before the company went into liquidation. Other closures were in Cairns Private, in Far North Queensland, along with three other Queensland hospitals, two in the Sydney region, two in Western Australia and two in Victoria. Midwives and nurses protest outside RPA Hospital, July 1, 2025 Tuesdays rally, organised by the NSWNMA, was a 15-minute own time protest, deliberately kept small and isolated by the union, which did not advertise the demonstration to its broader membership outside of RPA, let alone other sections of health workers. In doing so, the NSWNMA was seeking to cover over the fact that the cuts at RPA are part of a broader onslaught against public health, being carried out by the state Labor government. The union bureaucracy is, above all, hostile to a unified struggle linking nurses and midwives with doctors and other health workers looking for a way to fight the deepening cuts to jobs, wages and conditions throughout the sector. On June 23, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) midwives and nurses protested at Westmead Hospital, a major public hospital in the west of Sydney. Nurses at the hospital were protesting lack of staff, overcrowding and incidents where sick babies requiring 1:1 or 1:2 nursing care were being double- or triple-parked in an area that was originally used as a storeroom. The same week, also at Westmead, an entire group of interventional radiologists resigned, citing inadequate pay and antiquated and dysfunctional equipment. In April, approximately 5,000 public hospital doctors took strike action for the first time since 1998, demanding increased pay and relief from understaffing and an under-resourced health system. None of these issues were raised by the union speakers at the RPA protest. While NSWNMA president OBray Smith told the assembly, We will continue. If we have to go out and walk out the door, we will, because we are not gonna rest, the unions track record exposes this as nothing more than empty bluster. Over the past two years, nurses have repeatedly displayed a willingness to fight real-wage cutting pay offers from the Labor government, only to be shepherded into the anti-worker Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) by the union, which is enforcing a nine-month strike ban. The role of the NSWNMA and other health unions underscores that to fight for their jobs, wages and conditions, health workers need a new perspective. There is no way forward within the union framework of appeals to management, governments or the pro-business industrial courts. Rank-and-file committees, democratically run by workers themselves, politically and organisationally independent from any union bureaucracy, must be built in hospitals and other health facilities. Through these committees, midwives and other health workers can fight for demands based on their actual needs, not what governments and union officials say is affordable or possible. Health workers struggle for decent pay and conditions is inseparable from the fight against the privatisation of the health system, and for the establishment of high-quality public healthcare as a basic social right, freely accessible to all. This requires a political struggle by the working class against Labor and the capitalist system itself, under which everything is subordinated to big-business profits. What must be fought for is a political alternative, socialism, under which societys vast resources can be utilised to serve human needs, not fulfil the profit demands of the wealthy elite. Please contact the Health Workers Rank-and-File Committee (HWRFC) to discuss this further: Email: sephw.aus@gmail.com Twitter: @HealthRandF_Aus Facebook: facebook.com/groups/hwrfcaus A man tries to cool off in a fountain in Madrid, Spain. [AP Photo/Manu Fernandez] Europe is gripped by a major heatwave, with unprecedented temperatures across the continent. While workers suffer in deadly temperatures made more frequent and severe by climate change, European governments are sabotaging the required reduction in carbon emissions to guard the interests of big business and doing nothing to protect working people and the most vulnerable from the impact of extreme heat. Record high temperatures of above 46 degrees Celsius (114.8 degrees Fahrenheit) were recorded in Spain and Portugal, with temperatures of 40 degrees C (104 degrees F) recorded across parts of France and Italyand expected in Germany in the next days as the heatwave moves east. Red alerts have been declared with major disruptions, including the full or partial closure of 1,350 schools in France. A major wildfire has broken out in the Turkish province of Izmir, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands, as well as blazes in Greece, Spain and Portugal. In Crete, 1,500 people have been evacuated, and two people were killed in fires in Catalonia, Spain. The immediate cause of the heatwave is a heat dome, a region of high pressure over a large area which stops hot air coming from the Mediterranean from rising. As more hot air is trapped, it evaporates moisture, raising the humidity and making it harder for the body to lose heat through sweating, increasing the danger to health. Such extreme events are made ever more likely and frequent by global warming, driven by fossil fuel emissions. It is likely that the heatwave will kill many thousands across the continent. A study published in Nature Medicine estimated that there were 47,690 heat-related deaths in Europe in 2023. Statistician Pierre Masselot told Politico that this heatwave could kill 4,500 people across Europe just between June 30 and July 3. Those over 65 years old are particularly vulnerable to heat deaths, as are those forced to work in extreme conditions, particularly outdoors. In Italy a 47-year-old construction worker died after collapsing from heatstroke at work. A 35-year-old French worker suffered a fatal cardiac arrest on leaving his construction site, and a 10-year-old American girl died after collapsing in the heat at the Palace of Versailles. The Spanish Workers Commissions union reported five workers deaths from heat-related causes in the last three weeks, including an undocumented agricultural worker, a 63-year-old worker in an unventilated warehouse, and a 58-year-old working on a road as day temperatures reached 42 degrees C (107.6 degrees F). Few legal protections for workers safety exist, and they are often only on paper. The European Union (EU) sets no maximum temperature limits for safe working, with most national laws allowing work to continue with mitigations if unsafe temperature levels are reached. According to a report by EUROGIP, almost no member states have mandatory temperature limits for outdoor workplaces in the construction, agriculture and logistics industries, with Belgium and Cyprus among the few exceptions who require increased rest in extreme heat and humidity. The majority of laws around extreme heat leave determining the appropriate mitigation measures up to employers, with workers only permitted to file a report instead of downing tools when it is unsafe to work. Spanish law requires a reduction in the working day only on the basis of a report from the Labour and Social Security Inspectorate, which for short but brutal heatwaves like the current one will come too late. Laws in Italy, France, Austria and Luxembourg partially compensate workers if work is stopped because of the heat but only if the employers declare the stoppage. All these laws allow employers to force workers to labour in extreme heat, with the fig leaf of a few mitigations, such as providing drinking water. The lack of concern by capitalist politicians for protecting workers and the vulnerable from the consequences of climate change echoes the brutal attitude taken towards the COVID-19 pandemic, in which necessary social distancing and lockdown measures were lifted to allow production to restart while the virus ran rampant. That deadly heatwaves are now the norm every summer demands urgent action, both to implement public health measures to protect lives from the consequences of extreme heat and to reverse the global warming which drives climate change. Public health measures would include a massive programme of public works and infrastructure, ensuring cool and clean air in all buildings both to protect from heat and the spread of airborne viruses such as COVID-19, and redesigning cities to avoid the heat island effect in which heat is trapped in urban areas. A study published in The Lancet estimated that increasing the amount of vegetation in cities by 20 to 30 percent could have prevented over a million heat deaths between 2000 and 2019. As with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is no such programme of mitigations, as all public spending is cut back to pay for the rearmament drive of all European governments and the constant enrichment of the financial oligarchy. Overwhelming scientific evidence points to the role played by increasing greenhouse gas emissions in increasing the frequency and severity of heatwaves. A report from scientists at the World Weather Attribution estimates that half the worlds population4 billion peopleexperienced an additional 30 days of extreme heat caused by climate change in the year from May 1, 2024 to May 1, 2025. Despite the frequently repeated pledges from capitalist governments to cut emissions, the amount of annual CO2 emissions continues to rise every year. Multiple governments have hypocritically affirmed their belief in the need to reverse climate change, while opposing taking the urgent measures required. Most cynical was the Macron government in France, whose health minister said of the heatwave climate sceptics have been served: we have clearly seen that there has been a change [in the climate]. Meanwhile, President Macron joined the right-wing governments of Hungary and Poland to demand delays in announcing the EUs climate targets for 2040, and that any reduction in carbon emissions must be compatible with our competitiveness. The far-right Italian government of Giorgia Meloni has used similar rhetoric, with its environment minister questioning whether climate change is caused by a cyclical factor of the earth and opposing EU climate regulations, as Italy must defend its national interests. The 2040 plan will reportedly allow EU nations to meet some of their targets by paying developing nations to reduce emissions, which environmental groups have criticised for allowing developed nations to divert resources from efforts to reduce their own emissions. Even the goal of reaching net emissions 90 percent lower than 1990 levels by 2040 is woefully inadequate to prevent global average temperatures from rising to 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial levels. According to modelling by the Climate Action Tracker, current pledges and targets would lead to an average increase of 2.1 degrees C, and current real-world policies and actions would mean the world was 2.7 degrees C warmer, with calamitous consequences. Global warming links the interests of workers in Europe with others across the world, where climate change is often creating even more lethal conditions. In South Asia and Southeast Asia even temperatures of 35 degrees C (95 degrees F) can be deadly as the high humidity makes it difficult to lose body heat through sweat. In the US, two letter carriers died after working in extreme heat while the Trump administration declares open war on both health and safety regulations and climate protection. The argument that workers must support their bourgeoisie in sabotaging the planet so that they can outcompete businesses in other nations is a perverse denial of reality. The working class is inherently international and has no interest in a race to the bottom, which will not only see their wages and working conditions driven down, but it will create unliveable conditions across the whole planet. Climate change can only be fought through the international struggle for socialism, rejecting the nation-state system in which workers are subordinated to the interests of their capitalist exploiters. A man surveys debris along the Guadalupe River after a flash flood struck the area, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. [AP Photo/Eric Gay] A catastrophic flood has engulfed Central Texas, leaving at least 13 people confirmed dead and more than 20 children still missing as of Friday. The disaster, which has centered on the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, has devastated communities, destroyed infrastructure and triggered an unprecedented search and rescue operation. Among the most horrific aspects of this tragedy is the ongoing search for dozens of missing girls at Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp, where families are desperately awaiting news of their loved ones. The origins of this disaster can be traced to the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry, which developed in the Gulf of Mexico before moving inland and unleashing extraordinary amounts of rain across Central Texas. Meteorologists have reported that some areas received up to 15 inches of rain in just a few hours, with the National Weather Service (NWS) documenting a staggering rise in the Guadalupe River of 26 feet in just 45 minutes. This surge was described as catastrophic and life-threatening, overwhelming the regions already stressed infrastructure. The hardest-hit areas include the communities of Hunt, Ingram, and Kerrville in Kerr County along with the Guadalupe River Valley, San Angelo, and nearby Bandera and Kendall Counties. The NWS issued multiple flash flood emergencies, warning of a large and deadly flood wave moving down the Guadalupe River. The river ultimately reached its second-highest recorded level, peaking at nearly 30 feet, far above its major flood stage of 22 feet. The regions soil, previously parched from drought, was unable to absorb the deluge, resulting in deadly runoff that swept through neighborhoods, camps, and towns. The emergency response to the disaster has been massive and fraught with challenges. Over 500 rescue personnel, including state and federal agencies, have been deployed to the affected areas. The operation involves 14 helicopters, 12 drones, hundreds of ground teams and specialized water rescue units. Dozens of people have already been saved from trees, rooftops and vehicles that were swept away by the floodwaters. Emergency calls continue to pour in as stranded residents await rescue, and the number of missing remains uncertain. Officials have stressed that some individuals may be unreachable due to widespread power and communication outages, but the scale of the devastation means that the death toll is expected to rise in the coming days. Scenes of devastation are everywhere. Roads, bridges and highways have been washed away, leaving entire communities isolated. RV parks and neighborhoods along the river have been obliterated, with homes and vehicles carried downstream by the raging waters. Thousands of people remain without electricity, and many communities are cut off from emergency services. Families have turned to social media, posting photos and pleas for information about missing loved ones. Temporary shelters and reunification centers have been established in Kerrville and surrounding towns, but the sense of uncertainty and fear among the public is palpable. Weather and climate experts have been quick to comment on the unprecedented nature of the flooding. Meteorologist Bob Fogarty of the NWS Austin/San Antonio office remarked: The waters moving so fast, youre not going to recognize how bad it is until its on top of you. The gauge failed after recording a level of 29.5 feet. We think the rivers higher than thatthe gauge is completely underwater. Jeff Lindner of the Harris County Flood Control District issued a stark warning: Move to high ground immediately! This is a significant threat to life. Officials and experts have compared the current flooding to the infamous 1987 flood in the region but note that the speed and volume of this event far surpass the flow in that disaster. Climate scientists have long warned that the regions increasing precipitation variabilitylong dry spells followed by intense rainfallwould lead to more frequent and severe flooding. Andrew Dessler, a climate scientist at Texas A&M, stated: The data indicate that precipitation variability is on the rise, which scientists have anticipated for decadesmeaning prolonged dry spells followed by intense rainfall that leads to flooding. These warnings have gone largely unheeded, as the lack of adequate warning systems and preparedness has once again left working class people to bear the brunt of natures fury. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly admitted: We do not have a warning system We didnt know this flood was coming. Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming. Some reporters and family members have questioned why summer camps and riverside communities were not evacuated despite advance warnings from state emergency management officials. The absence of effective early warning and evacuation protocols has undoubtedly contributed to the scale of the tragedy. One of the most distressing aspects of the disaster has been the situation at Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas. The camp was hosting around 750 children when the floodwaters struck. As of Friday evening, 23 girls remain unaccounted for. While some may be unreachable due to communication outages, officials have not ruled out the worst. The camp lost power, water and internet, and the highway leading to the camp was washed away, hampering rescue efforts. Camp officials pleaded for help, stating: The highway has washed away so we are struggling to get more help. Please continue to pray and send any help if you have contacts to do so. Search and rescue teams are combing the camp and surrounding riverbanks, using helicopters and boats to search for missing children. Some girls have been rescued from trees and isolated areas within the camp, but the fate of many remains unknown. Camp officials have sent emails to parents, stating that if they had not been personally contacted, their daughters were accounted for. Families of missing girls have turned to social media, sharing photos and heartfelt messages in hopes of gathering any information. The anxiety and anguish among parents are indescribable. One family member wrote via social media, We are desperate for any news. Please, if anyone has seen our daughter or her friends, let us know. We just want them home safe. The broader impact of the flooding includes entire neighborhoods and RV parks along the Guadalupe River that have been swept away. In Ingram, an RV park was destroyed, with families still inside their campers at the time of the flood. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for areas near the river, and residents were urged to seek higher ground immediately. Disaster declarations have been issued in Kerrville and other cities, activating emergency management plans and opening shelters for displaced residents. The destruction of infrastructure has left many communities isolated, with no access to emergency services or outside assistance. The response from national and state authorities has been for many, too late. President Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott have issued statements and provided services that are both thoroughly inadequate for the scale and scope of the devastation which has completely overwhelmed local resources and exposed the woeful inadequacy of existing emergency preparedness measures. As the floodwaters begin to recede, the full extent of the devastation is becoming clear. Experts have long warned that such disasters would become more frequent and severe, yet the lack of focus on such an inevitability by government officials has once again exposed the way the public is being left helpless in the face of natures fury. The loss of life and anguish experienced by so many families in Texas because of this disaster were not inevitable. Climate scientists and disaster preparedness experts have repeatedly called for investment in climate resilience, emergency infrastructure and public safety measures to mitigate the impact of such events. These warnings have not been heeded because the ruling class has priorities that do not include the prevention of deaths from natural disasters. The preoccupation of the financial oligarchy, which controls both the Democrats and Republicans, is to increase its wealth and maintain the outmoded and bankrupt capitalist profit system. It is a central task of the working class to unite with climate scientists and meteorologists, who have warned about the inevitability and horrific consequences of such storms and flooding, and mobilize its enormous power to take measures that will prevent deadly disasters in the future as a component part of the revolutionary struggle for socialism. Elevenlabs AudioNative Player President Donald Trump poses for a photo after signing his signature bill of tax breaks and spending cuts at the White House, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Washington. [AP Photo/Evan Vucci] President Donald Trump turned a White House bill signing ceremony on Friday into a ruling class celebration of militarism and social counterrevolution, enshrined in the sweeping tax and spending bill passed by Congress the day before. Staging this grotesque display of reaction and militarism on July 4the anniversary of the Declaration of IndependenceTrump hailed his big, beautiful bill as the largest tax cut, the largest spending cut and the largest investment in border security in American history. The measure will have devastating consequences for millions of people, as it funnels trillions more into the pockets of the top 1 and 0.1 percent. The previous day, Trump delivered a fascistic rantthreatening political opponents, denouncing socialism, and referring to bankers as Shylocks, an open appeal to antisemitism. The bill signed by Trump is the biggest redistribution of wealth from the bottom to the top in US history. It makes permanent $3.8 trillion in tax cuts, overwhelmingly benefiting corporations and the super-rich, while slashing $930 billion from Medicaid and $285 billion from food assistance. Untold numbers of people will become sick, impoverished and die as a direct result. According to the Congressional Budget Office, 11.8 million low-income and disabled people will lose health coverage, and nearly 11 millionincluding 4 million childrencould lose access to food aid. The legislation also eliminates $320 billion in student debt relief. The bill passed the House by a 218214 vote, with only two Republicans voting no, while the Democrats offered mere token opposition. It allocates an additional $170 billion for so-called immigration security and Homeland Security, along with $150 billion in military spending this yearon top of the record near-trillion-dollar Pentagon budget already approved. It also provides tens of billions to expand the network of immigrant detention camps and authorizes the hiring of 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and 3,000 new Border Patrol officers, who are presently engaged in mass roundups and terror operations throughout the country. The White House event on Friday reflected the ruling classs enthusiastic support for Trumps bill, viewing it as a down payment on the destruction of what remains of the social safety net, including Medicare and Social Security. Amid rising stock markets, Trump declared that the bill proved his administration was winning, winning, winning. The connection between the social counterrevolution at home and the eruption of US imperialist violence abroad was on full display. Alongside Republican congressional leaders, Trump welcomed military personnel from Whiteman Air Force Base, including the pilots and crew of the B-2 bombers that attacked Iran last month. B-2s roared over the White House in a chilling spectacle of militarism. In his speech prior to the signing of the bill, Trump praised the big, beautiful military and the spectacular display of military power and total obliteration in the illegal bombing of Iran. Beyond the financial oligarchy, Trump appeals to the apparatus of violence and repression, including the police and immigration Gestapo, as the primary basis for his regime. The night before, following final passage of the bill, Trump held a campaign-style rally in Des Moines, Iowa, where he unleashed the fascistic rhetoric and criminalization of political opposition that define his regime. Speaking of the Democrats, he declared: I hate them. I cannot stand them because I really believe they hate our countrytheyre criminals on the other side that tried to put your president in jail and went after him In concluding his rant, Trump denounced socialism and Marxism, once again targeting the Democratic nominee for New York mayor, Zohran Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), who ran on a mild reformist program. Implicitly threatening physical violence, he said: In New York, theyre trying to elect a communist, Zohran Mamdani, the guy who wants to defund the police, take over the stores and run the stores, and have the people hand out goods This guy is a communist at the highest level, and he wants to destroy New York. I love New York, and were not going to let him do that. Generations of Americans before us did not shed their blood only so that we could surrender our country to Marxist lunatics on the eve of our 250th year. As president of the United States, Im proclaiming here and now that America is never going to be communist in any way, shape, form, and that includes New York City. Trump did not limit his threats to Mamdani. At the rally, he escalated his attack on all opposition, declaring: Members of Congress and even former presidents have been openly embracing vile creeds such as socialism, Marxism, and straight-up communism. These hysterics express the underlying fearbeneath all the bombast and boastingwithin the capitalist oligarchy of the growing support for socialism and the deepening desire among broad layers of workers and youth for a fundamental reckoning with the entire capitalist system. The media has echoed Trumps boasting. The New York Times published a fawning article yesterdayunder the headline From Court to Congress to the Mideast, Trump Tallies His Winsstating that there is no doubt that, at least on his terms, Mr. Trump can claim accomplishments one after another. While there are a few asterisks dissenting views and serious questions about the wisdom and durability of the path on which he has set the nation, the Times wrote, there is little argument that, in fewer than six months since returning to office, Mr. Trump, for better or worse, has driven the nation in new directions through muscular use of presidential and political power, with neither Congress nor the courts serving as much of a check on him. Trumps ability to implement his class-war agenda and erect a political dictatorship (the Times asterisks) is due to the absence of any opposition within the political establishment and from the Democratic Party. For all their rhetorical criticisms and nominal votes against Trumps bill, they support its aims: tax cuts for the rich and the destruction of social programs. They made no call for mass protests, let alone strike action, against this frontal assault on the working class. Instead, they issued empty appeals to reasonable Republicans, knowing full well that the party would fall in line behind Trump. The Democratic Partys complicity was underscored last March when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer joined Republicans in passing a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdownthereby ensuring the uninterrupted functioning of Trumps dictatorial regime. Again, just last month, the House Democratic leadership led a majority of Democrats in voting down a resolution to impeach Trump for launching an unprovoked and illegal attack on Iran without congressional authorization. The media and Democratic Party narrative of an all-powerful Trump was shattered by the mass demonstrations on No Kings day, which brought record numbers into the streets across the country to oppose his erection of a presidential dictatorship. The growing radicalization of broad layers of workers and youth was likewise reflected in the upset victory of Mamdani in the New York mayoral primarydespite the dangerous futility of Mamdani and the DSAs perspective of pushing the Democratic Party, a party of Wall Street and the military-intelligence apparatus, to the left. Trump is increasingly isolated from the broad mass of the population, which is moving into struggle and seeking a new perspective to fight back against the oligarchy. The strike by 9,000 municipal workers in Philadelphia, which shut down the citys July 4th celebrations yesterday, is an initial indication of the emergence of the working class. Under the two-party monopoly through which the financial elite rules, the vast majority of the population is completely disenfranchised. What is needed is a break with the Democrats and the entire framework of capitalist politics, and the building of a mass, independent movement of the working class fighting for socialisma society based on equality and the expropriation of the corporations and financial oligarchs. The lesson of Trumps big, beautiful bill is the need to prepare a revolutionary struggle against the capitalist system. This is the fight being led by the Socialist Equality Party and the World Socialist Web Site. IYSSE members campaigning at Jaffna University Socialist Equality Party (SEP) and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in Sri Lanka have found strong support among workers, students and youth for its upcoming public meetings against the imperialist US-Israel war on Iran. Two public meetings titled Oppose US-Israel war on Iran! will be held: A Zoom meeting on Sunday, July 6 at 7 p.m., and an in-person meeting at Veerasingham Hall in Jaffna on July 8 at 3 p.m. SEP and the IYSSE members have campaigned at universities, workplaces including Free Trade Zones, and in neighborhoods, distributing tens of thousands of meeting notices in Sinhala and Tamil, along with World Socialist Web Site articles. Sri Lankans, like people across the globe, watched in shock on June 23 at US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, broadcast widely on television and social media. The illegal assault, a blatant violation of Iranian sovereignty, has pushed the Middle East to the brink of full-scale war. US President Donald Trump, pursuing an increasingly fascistic agenda, has reaffirmed Washingtons aim of regime change in Tehran to establish a pro-American client state. As the US continues to arm and support Israels brutal war on Gaza and attempts to enforce its dominance across the region, what is developing is a catastrophic global conflict. The urgent need to build an international anti-war movement of the working class grounded in a socialist perspective has become undeniable. IYSSE members campaigning at Colombo University SEP/IYSSE campaigners found widespread concern over the escalating war. Virtually every individual expressed strong hostility toward the US-Israeli onslaught in the Middle East. However, the discussions also revealed significant confusion and illusions, largely sown by the capitalist media and pseudo-left parties, leading in a number of cases to extensive and productive political exchanges. In the Katunayake Free Trade Zone, a female worker from the Noratel factory, which produces transformers, power supplies, and inductors for the export market, spoke out against the dangers of global war. She sharply condemned the Israeli massacres in the Gaza Strip, saying: Israel is trying to completely eliminate the Palestinian people and take over Gaza. America is the one who is helping them, she said. She also criticized the establishment media, commenting: It does not give anyone enough knowledge to explain. It does not give such a description. We have to find out about this ourselves. Even if we do, we cannot find out through the media. She pointed to Washingtons strategic interests, saying: America is the most powerful country in the world and wants to maintain dominance in the Palestinian territory through Israel. The Noratel worker added: America makes a lot of war material. I think they are trying to destroy countries like that to increase their sales. As campaigners explained that while arms manufacturers make huge profits, US imperialism is waging war to shore up its world dominance. Victimised Michelin worker Seneviratne Seneviratne, a victimised Michelin worker, spoke out against the US-Israeli aggression, saying: I think that if this [global] war breaks out, it will affect us a lot. That is why it is very important to work to stop the war. He was dismissed for participating in the struggle by workers for job security as the Michelin Tyre Factory in Midigama, southern Sri Lanka is sold to the Indian company CEAT. He expressed agreement with the SEPs analysis of the war on Iran, praised its role in the Michelin workers struggle and pledged to attend Sundays meeting. Janaka, a worker from the railway workshop in Ratmalana, condemned the bombing of Iran by Israel and the US, saying: The US is waging these attacks to establish its hegemony as the world super power and to scare its main rivals China and Russia. Its clear that these powers do not care about the human lives when it comes to their economic and other goals. It is really scary and I sense that this could go forward to a third world war. Janaka also had a question: Even though this government came to power as a people-friendly government, they are also no different from other governments. But then again what do we do: vote for another government with some other new face? Can any government go forward without the IMF? Campaigners explained the working class strategy against the IMF had to be based on mobilising its independent revolutionary strength not only on the island but internationally, overthrow capitalist rule and stop the imperialist war and genocide. After the discussion, Janaka said he would take part in Sundays Zoom meeting. Kapila Kumara, another railway worker, joined the discussion: The war is a real trouble for the world and underdeveloped countries like us. These powers are killing people in the Middle East without any mercy. I think the US is attacking like this as they are desperate to control oil. These powers do not care about other countries and toppling economies so that we become victims. Suranga Suranga, an electrical worker from the Ratmalana railway factory, expressed strong agreement with the SEPs call for an international anti-war movement based on a socialist program. Suranga condemned US and Israeli aggression: According to my reading Iran has no nuclear weapons, but world powers are using Irans so-called nuclear threat to cover-up their real war aims. Real culprits are these powers who are brandishing nuclear weapons. We know how they used these on Japanese cities. He also condemned the Sri Lankan governments refusal to oppose the US-Israeli attack on Iran, calling it a farce. He agreed that Iran and its oppressed people had to be defended from imperialist attack despite the reactionary religious character of the regime in Tehran. Thailands Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra leaves Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, July 1, 2025 [AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit] Thailands Constitutional Court suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai Party (PT) from office on Tuesday pending a final ruling on a petition claiming she is unfit for office. The nine-member court ruled unanimously to review the petition while voting seven to two in favor of suspending her from office. A final ruling on Paetongtarns case could take one to three months. If the accusations against her are accepted, she would be the second Pheu Thai prime minister deposed by the court in the last two years. Srettha Thavisin was removed on trumped-up ethics charges last August. The claims against Paetongtarn stem from a phone call with Cambodias former long-time prime minister Hun Sen, leaked on June 18. The two discussed a border dispute that led to a military clash between Thailand and Cambodia on May 28 that led to the death of a Cambodian soldier. Paetongtarns opponents claimed she had made Thailand look weak and moved against her to carry out what is in essence a judicial coup. Thirty-six senators led by Thai senate president Mongkol Surasajja submitted the petition to the Constitutional Court, a body appointed by the military after it seized power in 2014. Mongkol is part of the leading section of the National Assemblys upper house known as the blue faction, which has close ties with the right-wing Bhumjaithai Party (BJT). The BJT left the ruling coalition, taking 69 seats and leaving the Pheu Thai-led government, with a slim majority in the 500-seat lower house of the National Assembly. The political stage for the court ruling was set by a large right-wing patriotic protest in Bangkok by the so-called Yellow Shirtssupporters of the countrys traditional elites, the monarchy, the army and state bureaucracy, including the courts. The protesters demanded Paetongtarns resignation and for all coalition partners to abandon the government. Yellow Shirt leader, and media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul openly suggested that the armed forces seize power, telling those assembled that while he did not want to see another coup, he wont object if the military does something. Limthongkul and the Yellow Shirts were instrumental in whipping up protests that preceded the 2006 military coup against Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarns father and Pheu Thai leader. The political crisis unfolding in Thailand is not the result of a phone call. Rather the bitter factional infighting reflects sharp tensions within the ruling class, amid declining economic growth and worsening geo-political conflict. Thailand faces the prospect that Trump will next week impose his threatened 36 percent tariff on Thai exports to the US. Pheu Thai came to power through an unstable coalition of right-wing parties following the May 2023 general election, only the second since the 2014 coup that ousted the Pheu Thai government of Thaksins sister, Yingluck Shinawatra. While the military outright rigged the 2019 election, it took a more cautious approach two years ago, not wanting to spark a renewal of the mass student-led protests that began in 2020. Through its control of the senate and in alliance with parties like the BJT, the military blocked the election winner, the so-called progressive Move Forward Party (MFP). While this party offered very limited reforms, even this was too much for the military. The Constitutional Court barred the MFP leader from standing for prime minister. Pheu Thai formed an inherently unstable coalition government with military-aligned partiesthe United Thai Nation Party and the juntas Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP)as well as the right-wing BJT. The PPRP was replaced in the coalition by another right-wing party, the Democrat Party, last August. As part of this deal, Thaksin Shinawatra, was also allowed to return to Thailand in 2023 after years of self-imposed exile. The ruling class intended to keep Thaksin on a short leash while hoping he would use his influence to mollify anger among Thailands rural poor. With the prospect of being jailed on bogus corruption charges, Thaksin fled the country after the 2006 coup. This sentence was reduced to one year, of which Thaksin served six months while staying in a hospital after his return. Thaksin currently faces additional criminal charges and investigations, including charges of lese-majeste stemming from comments he made in a 2015 interview with the South Korean newspaper, Chosun Ilbo. He appeared in court for a hearing on the charges the same day Paetongtarn was suspended from office. Conviction of lese-majeste carries penalties of up to 15 years in jail. Pheu Thai has not opposed any of these anti-democratic measures. It is far more fearful of triggering mass opposition, particularly in the working class, than it is of the military and its political allies. Similarly the MFP refused to defend itself when the Constitutional Court dissolved the party last August. The partys founder, wealthy businessman Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, who had appealed to young people in particular on the basis of defending democratic rights, simply told party members and supporters to just shrug and move forward. The party was reestablished as the Peoples Party (PP), which is currently the main parliamentary opposition party. Far from opposing suspension of Paetongtarn, the PP openly supports it on the basis of the same reactionary patriotic basis as the Yellow Shirts. Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut declared on June 19 that Paetongtarns phone call with Hun Sen has completely destroyed public trust in the government. While calling for new elections, the PP is openly colluding with the right-wing Bhumjaithai Party, having entered into negotiations to support its head Anutin Charnvirakul for prime minister if the latter backs constitutional reforms. The BJT, the very party now at the forefront of the latest judicial coup in alliance with the military, also played a crucial role in blocking the MFP from forming a government in 2023. The cringing subservience of the PP and Pheu Thaithe so-called advocates of democracy and social justiceto the military, the monarchy and their allies is a graphic demonstration that there is no constituency for the defence of basic democratic and social rights with the ruling class. Those tasks fall to the working class as part of the struggle for socialism. Scarlett Johansson Brought Jurassic Cast's Partners and Kids Together for 'Special' Dinner in Malta (Exclusive) NEED TO KNOW Jonathan Bailey tells PEOPLE that costar Scarlett Johansson organized a "special" dinner in Malta for the Jurassic World Rebirth cast's families The actress and mom of two says, "It was so nice to see everybody's children playing in the square" Bailey adds that Johansson "led the film with such incredible energy, and that's on and off camera" Scarlett Johansson organized a memorable family gathering for the Jurassic World Rebirth cast and crew during production on the dinosaur action film. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The actress headlines the epic new movie, which was filmed in places like Malta, Thailand and New York City, with a cast that includes Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo and more. Bailey, 37, recalls to PEOPLE a day he won't forget involving a dinner for which Johansson, 40, "brought everyone together" in Malta. "Everyone's family was there at the same time." "We were in a square in Valletta, and it was just really special," he adds. Johansson, who has daughter Rose, 10, with ex-husband Romain Dauriac and son Cosmo, 3, with husband Colin Jost, says, "It was beautiful, and it was so nice to see everybody's children playing in the square. All the partners were there, and it was a wonderful celebration of what we were accomplishing, how much work we'd done. It was kind of the halfway point. It was so nice." Taylor Hill/FilmMagic Scarlett Johansson and husband Colin Jost on June 23, 2025 Scarlett Johansson and husband Colin Jost on June 23, 2025 Bailey, who praises Johansson as "funny, intelligent, kind," says his costar "led the film with such incredible energy, and that's on and off camera." He adds, "It was so apparent very quickly that it was going to be a knockout summer." The PEOPLE App is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Gareth Cattermole/Getty From left: Director Gareth Edwards, Mahershala Ali, Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Rupert Friend on June 16, 2025 From left: Director Gareth Edwards, Mahershala Ali, Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Rupert Friend on June 16, 2025 Johansson says the entire cast and crew "all laughed a lot" during production as they were "thrown into such extraordinary circumstances physically it was just insane." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A longtime die-hard fan of the Jurassic movies, Johansson hopes families embrace the newest installment. "As a huge fan of the movies, I'm just excited for Jurassic nerds to see it, because I think they'll like it a lot. And I hope that there are other 10-year-olds that have the same experience that I did when I saw the first Jurassic in theaters, where they can just be completely carried away for two hours. It makes you dream." Jurassic World Rebirth is in theaters now. Read the original article on People (KRON) One person is dead and several are injured after an early Saturday morning shooting in San Franciscos Bayview District, according to authorities. At 12:07 a.m., San Francisco Police Department officers responded to the 100 block of Harbor Road for a report of a shooting. Arriving officers located several victims who were suffering from gunshot wounds. Five victims were taken to the hospital, two with life-threatening injuries and three with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mother arrested for fabricating sons disappearance: PD SFPD said one of the victims has succumbed to their injuries and was pronounced dead. SFPD Homicide Detail is now spearheading this investigation. Anyone with information regarding this homicide is asked to contact the San Francisco Police Department at 415-575-4444. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A Fourth of July celebration ended with tragedy after a man was shot and killed overnight. A woman was also injured in the shooting and the suspect is still on the run. Its the fourth of July and somebody just wants to get away with doing something and blend in with the fireworks and thats what they did, a resident said. What was supposed to be a time of celebration quickly turned to devastation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Memphis Police said just before 2 a.m., a man and woman were shot at a home in the 3500 block of Bowen Avenue. Both were rushed to the hospital in critical condition, but the male victim later died of his injuries. MPD: Fire starts after fireworks thrown into a store A man living on the property who didnt want to be identified said that the victims were his friends. They were just resting on the side of the yard, just lounging out. We were camping out and such, he said. After a short amount of time, they were both shot point-blank. The man told WREG that he had only stepped away for a moment when the shooter walked from behind the home and shot the couple. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the gunman disappeared immediately after. It was either targeted or completely reckless, the resident said. Multiple school buses catch on fire in Holly Springs The witness said he doesnt know who shot his friends or why. MPD didnt release many details but said the shooting stemmed from some sort of dispute. Those living in the neighborhood said people are known to wander around the property and are often seen sleeping in the yard or on the front porch. Ive been in this situation where Ive been letting them stay in my spot simply because theyve always been looking out for me, the resident said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Memphis Police said the double shooting is still under investigation. Anyone with information on this shooting is asked to call CrimeStoppers at (901) 528-CASH. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. When Frederick Grant Banting discovered how to isolate insulin from animals in 1921, the young Canadian doctora WWI veteran and former farm boychanged the calculus of diabetes forever. Prior to the 1920s, the disease killed more than 80 percent of preteen diabetic children. Bantings breakthrough replaced the sometimes toxic remedy goats rue, or Galega officinalis, a flowering plant with glucose-lowering properties derived from guanidine. His discovery came during a wave of medical optimism fueled by new scientific tools and knowledge that were rapidly unlocking the mysteries of human anatomy, disease, and aging. The foundations for this optimism had been building for decades. Germs were first discovered in the 1880s, ushering in the golden age of bacteriology and numerous life-saving vaccines. Vitamins got their name in the early 1900s when London-based Polish biochemist Casimir Funkone of many scientists seeking cures for common diseases by linking them to vital nutrient deficienciescombined vital and amines. Rickets led to the discovery of vitamin D, scurvy to vitamin C, and vitamin B was tied to beriberi, a disease that causes weakness, weight loss, confusion, and, in extreme cases, death. Meanwhile, anesthesia transformed surgery from a grisly performing art with low survival rates to more precise procedures conducted in germ-free operating rooms. Bit by bit, medicine appeared to be conquering many of humanitys most pernicious plagues and thereby extending our average lifespan. By July 1925, Popular Science writer John E. Lodge even suggested that humans might soon be able to extend their life expectancy to 1,000 years. Thanks to the efforts of science in combatting the ravages of disease, the average span of life is increasing every year, Lodge wrote. Are we to expect, then, that in time science will succeed in prolonging the average life until, like Methuselah, we measure our lives by centuries instead of by years. Lodge envisioned a world where aging could be halted by replacing worn-out enzymes, transplanting organs, or manipulating an elusive vital spark. Scientists, he claimed, might be on the verge of conquering death itself. The June 1925 issue of Popular Science questioned death. Image: Popular Science A hundred years later, were still not there, but we continue to chase immortality with the same zest. Just as a century ago, today that quest is fueled not by glamorous breakthroughseven if history makes it seem sobut by painstaking, collaborative scientific research, yielding fresh medical insights. In place of insulin, vaccines, and vitamins, today were captivated by gene-editing, cellular reprogramming, and immunotherapy. From biohackers injecting stem cells in search of cellular youth to billionaires like Bryan Johnson leaning on wearable tech for preventative health, blood plasma exchanges, and caloric restriction, the goal of outsmarting death hasnt diminishedthe elixirs are just more sophisticated. Advertisement Advertisement And yet, weve come a long way in a century. In 1925, the average American lifespan was 58 years; today, its 78.4 years, according to the US Centers for Disease Control. Such progress might seem meager compared to our grandiose early 20th century expectations, but the trend suggests that by the next century the average American would live to be a centenarian. Theres even reason to believeas there was in 1925that current promising research might yield treatments as soon as the next few decades that significantly extend our lifespans while improving disease resistance. Longevity increased greatly over 300 years. Image: Popular Science Consider how researchers in Singapore have extended the lives of mice 25 percent by blocking the protein interleukin-11. Scientists at the University of Rochester have successfully transferred a longevity gene to mice from naked mole rats, which live ten times longer than similar rodents. The gene, known for producing high molecular weight hyaluronic acid, or HMW-HA, extended mouse lives by 4.4% and improved their overall health. The researchers now aim to transfer these benefits to humans. In an ironic twist, a century after Bantings insulin discovery displaced goats rue, a derivative of the pink-and-white flowering plant is back in favor. Metformin, a biguanide medication, has become one of the leading drugs for managing type 2 diabetes. Like its medieval predecessor, which was used for everything from increasing milk flow in livestock to alleviating plague symptoms, metformin has been similarly used or tested in myriad applications: as an antimalarial drug, influenza treatment, lactation enhancer, arthritis remedy, and cardiovascular medicine. Now, scientists have begun to piece together the mystery of metformins versatility by mapping how it works at a cellular level. Recent research has shown that it may slow or inhibit cellular changes leading to inflammation and age-related diseases, extending lifespan. The cellular aging story stretches back to the late 19th century. As scientists were discovering germs, developing vaccines, uncovering the link between vital nutrients and common diseases, and improving surgery, evolutionary biologist August Weismann theorized that human cells had replication limits, which explained why the ability to heal diminished with age. By the 1960s, scientists had proven Weismann correct. Today, researchers are learning to halt and reverse cellular aging through reprogramming, an idea first attempted in the 1980s and advanced by Nobel Prize recipient Shinya Yamanaka, who discovered how to revert mature, specialized cells back to their embryonic, or pluripotent state, enabling them to regenerate into new tissue like liver cells or teeth. Read more 'What a Difference a Century MakesOr Not' series Advertisement Advertisement But none of this means were approaching thousand-year lifespans. Most longevity interventions work only in tightly controlled laboratory settings or short-lived animals. Translating them into humans presents entirely differentand enormously complexchallenges. Even if we managed to double or triple the human lifespan, equally complex social challenges would follow: Who would get access to life-extending therapies? How do we support a society where most people live into their third or fourth century? What psychological toll does such extreme longevity take? The optimism of 1925 wasnt misplaced; it was simply premature. It still might be, but todays longevity researchers are armed with more sophisticated tools and a deeper understanding of biological processes. Whether todays tools and knowledge will finally enable us to defy death remains to be seen. If theres a lesson to draw from the past hundred years, however, its that life extension is incremental, fragile, and often humbling. Weve added decades to average life expectancy, transformed once-fatal diseases into manageable conditions, and dramatically improved the quality of life in later years. Thats no small featbut its not immortality. KYIV, Ukraine -- Russia targeted Ukraine overnight with 322 drones, 292 of which were "neutralized" by being either shot down or supressed by other means, according to the Ukrainian air force. Eleven people, including two children, were injured in the Kharkiv area, in a drone strike overnight there, according to local emergency services. Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP - PHOTO: In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Saturday, July 5, 2025. Many of the drones fired by Russia were targeted at Ukraine's Khmelnytskyi region, including the city of Starokostiantyniv, the air force said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The massive aerial attack arrived a day after Russia hit Ukraine with the biggest missile and drone attack of the war, launching a record number of drones at Kyiv overnight into Friday. MORE: Russia hits Kyiv with massive air attack, biggest of war so far The Ukrainian military also struck in the early hours of Saturday, targeting an airfield in the Russian town of Borisoglebsk, where fighter jets are based, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "This airfield is the home base of enemy Su-34, Su-35S and Su-30SM aircraft," military officials said in a statement. "A depot with glide bombs, a trainer aircraft and possibly other aircraft were hit." ABC News' Victoria Beaule contributed to this report. WILMINGTON, N.C. (WNCN) There were nearly a dozen North Carolina rip current rescues on Friday at beaches near Wilmington, officials said. Officials said there were four rip current rescues on Saturday amid a high risk for rip currents as a tropical storm warning for Tropical Storm Chantal was extended from South Carolina to North Carolina beaches. Lifeguards at Carolina Beach rescued five people from rip currents while Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue pulled six people from rip currents on Friday, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rescues on Friday in New Hanover County came while there was a moderate risk for rip currents a slightly better condition than Saturday. A lifeguard at Carolina Beach in a file photo from Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue. On Saturday amid a high rip current risk two people were rescued at Sunset Beach in Brunswick County and there were two rescues at Carolina Beach, the National Weather Service said. There were nearly 200 rip current rescues at North Carolina beaches over four days during the 2024 Fourth of July holiday and week. The weather service had predicted moderate rip current risk for Saturday but that was changed as Tropical Depression Three strengthened into Tropical Storm Chantal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Tropical Storm Warning was issued Saturday for North Carolina beaches in Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender counties. Officials said the warning means there is the potential for winds from 39 to 57 mph. A rip current dyed green at a North Carolina beach to show how the current works in the surf. Photo from NOAA A high rip current risk indicates that life-threatening rip currents are likely in the surf zone. A High Surf Advisory was also issued Saturday along North Carolina beaches, with large breaking waves of 4 to 7 feet expected in the surf zone, the weather service said. Lower rip current rescue numbers Saturday might be attributed to the rainy weather and forecasts for adverse surf conditions, the weather service said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The storm is expected to make landfall along the South Carolina coast and move northward dumping most rain along the southeastern North Carolina beaches. The largest impact on the Carolinas will be locally heavy rainfall with potential for isolated flooding Saturday night through Sunday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com. At least 24 people are reported dead and many more are missing, including girls from a Christian summer camp, after catastrophic river flooding hit central Texas Thursday and Friday. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said by Friday evening 24 people have been killed in the flooding, according to theThe New York Times. Texas officials said earlier Friday about 20 girls from a nearby camp were missing. Its currently unclear how many people are missing as of Friday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Greg Abbott signed an emergency disaster declaration Friday night to expedite state funding for the areas most severely impacted. Abbott said emergency crews were still in a search and rescue posture at a news conference Friday night. At least 24 people have been killed in severe flooding in central Texas. Many more are missing (AP) Law enforcement has responded to dozens of emergency calls (Eric Vryn/Getty Images) Earlier Friday, Gov. Abbott said in a statement, The State of Texas today has mobilized additional resources in addition to the resources sent in preparation for the storms. I urge Texans to heed guidance from state and local officials and monitor local forecasts to avoid driving into flooded areas. Ahead of the storms, the state activated emergency response resources in Central Texas in preparation for continued heavy rainfall and flash flooding threats. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly told reporters one of those killed had been found completely naked and without identification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Camp Mystic, the camp the missing girls were attending, said it had notified the parents of those unaccounted for, according to The Austin American-Statesmans Tony Plohetski. An image, sent to local station KSAT, showed girls in the Kerr County camp wading through water overnight. Law enforcement has responded to dozens of emergency calls and one man told KABB his brother, sister-in-law, and their two children were lost, along with their house. Nearby, in Ingram, an RV park had been swept away. Rescue crews spent July 4 searching for many people who are still missing (Eric Vryn/Getty Images) Kerr County Sheriffs Office spokesperson Clint Morris told the station it is an extremely active scene, countywide. This may be a once-in-a-lifetime flood for the county, he said, noting authorities have responded to multiple calls for high-water rescues. The state has called in the National Guard to assist in the efforts. Kelly later told reporters the county does not have a warning system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The floods came while people were asleep. As many as 10 inches of rain fell in the area, causing the flash flooding of the Guadalupe River. The river rose to nearly 35 feet on Friday, reaching its second-highest height on record. An additional one to three inches of rain are expected to fall before they subside on Friday night. Governor Greg Abbott signed an emergency disaster declaration Friday night to expedite state funding for the areas most severely impacted (AP) The flooding came as residents in the Northeast were spending their Fourth of July holiday cleaning up from strong thunderstorms that swept through the region Thursday night, bringing heavy rain, wind and hail. The storms are being blamed for at least three deaths in central New Jersey, including two men in Plainfield who died after a tree fell onto a vehicle they were traveling in during the height of the storm, according to a city Facebook post. The men were ages 79 and 25, officials said. They were not immediately publicly identified. Local park entrances were flooded in Kerrville. Officials said dozens of rescues had been conducted (City of Kerrville, TX - City Hall/Facebook) Our hearts are heavy today, Mayor Adrian O. Mapp said in a statement. This tragedy is a sobering reminder of the power of nature and the fragility of life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city canceled its planned July Fourth parade, concert and fireworks show. Mapp said the devastating storms had left deep scars and widespread damage in the community of more than 54,000 people and it was a time to regroup and focus all of our energy on recovery. Continuing power outages and downed trees were reported Friday throughout southern New England, where some communities received large amounts of hail. There were reports of cars skidding off the road in northeastern Connecticut. With reporting from The Associated Press. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Project Prison Resets task force is set to focus on 14 options for new prison facilities in South Dakota. The group is scheduled to have their final meeting Tuesday in Sioux Falls. Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen, who chairs the task force, has shared with KELOLAND News the list of 14 possibilities. Nine options involve more than one geographic location, and five only involve land in northeast Sioux Falls owned by Sweetman Partners, LLP. All told, the 14 possibilities involve five locations, all in eastern South Dakota: the existing Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield, a site called North Farm in Sioux Falls near the current penitentiary, a Mitchell-area site, a Worthing-area site, and the Sweetman Partners site in Sioux Falls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Location-Design-optionsDownload The task force has already unanimously voiced their approval to replace the current South Dakota State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls. But recommendations on location and size arent yet complete. The lowest projected cost among the 14 options is $622,803,589 for one of the options only involving the Sweetman Partners site in Sioux Falls. Eventually, a special session of the legislature is planned where all state lawmakers can learn about the task forces recommendations. Whatever plan the group endorses will need the support of two-thirds of both the Senate and House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Assuming full chambers (35 lawmakers in the Senate and 70 in the House), any recommended plan from Project Prison Resets task force would thus need 24 supporters in the Senate and 47 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 KELOLAND.com. A teen was hurt in an overnight shooting in Allegheny County. According to the Allegheny County Police Department, 911 officials were notified of a shooting at the intersection of 11th Avenue and Amity Street in Homestead at 10:45 p.m. When first responders got on scene, they found shell casings but no shooting victim. Then, around 1 a.m., police say the victim, a 15-year-old boy, arrived at a hospital by private means, shot in the upper arm. Hes in stable condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ACPD detectives are investigating the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to call the County Police Tip Line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) A woman was rescued and a man drowned after both jumped from a bridge over the Santee River to evade law enforcement. Deputies with the Georgetown County Sheriffs Office attempted to stop a car after discovering the vehicles tag was listed as stolen on Saturday. A pursuit ensued, with the suspects traveling from Highmarket Street to St. Delight Road and then onto Highway 41 toward Berkeley County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple inside then ditched the vehicle on the bridge over the Santee River and jumped. The car was still in drive and collided with a GCSO vehicle. Both the man and the woman were carried under the bridge by the current. A boater picked up a Georgetown County deputy who grabbed the woman from the water as she was struggling to swim, the sheriffs office said. With the help of the Berkeley County Sheriffs Office dive team, the mans body was recovered from the water. His identity will be released when authorities notify his family. Law enforcement agencies from Dorchester and Berkeley counties, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, Georgetown County Sheriffs Office Marine Unit, and the Georgetown County Coroners Office assisted in the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2. DECATUR Perhaps jobs at Decaturs massive Caterpillar Inc. plant should carry a health advisory about experiencing emotional highs: spend any time talking to CAT employees and you wont need a clinical study to show that working there can make the heart swell with a serious outbreak of pride. Its the 70th birthday of the factory that the company now celebrating its 100th corporate birthday opened in Soy City in June, 1955. Chatting with both current and former workers, many from multi CAT generations in the same family, its easy to believe claims their veins run with blood tinted a definite shade of company yellow. When you put your heart and soul into a job to create something extraordinary, there is a noticeable side effect of tending to feel very good about it. And who can blame them? Their mammoth stable includes the worlds biggest off-road dump trucks the 688 ton Caterpillar 797, or the giant 657 tractor scraper busy reshaping the worlds landscapes plus a whole herd of world-beating machines sold in more than 190 countries. Pride means a lot to a lot of the people out here: doing the job correctly and doing it the right way, explained Dave Fornear, 71, who lives in the country near Decatur and just retired from his job in logistics/material handling after a career spanning half a century. I mean, its like there is a part of yourself going into the machine. You want that machine to look good. You want it to be welded right, put together right. There is a lot of pride in doing all of that well. And he speaks from much experience: someone in the Fornear family has been proudly earning a CAT paycheck every year for the last 70 years. The heavy metal dynasty started with Dave Fornears father John W. Fornear Sr., who began as a tool grinder and worked alongside his siblings Bob and Glenda Fornear. Then we have Dave's brother John Jr. who came on board in 1973 and retired after more than 30 years in assembly and training, and that finally brings us to Matt Fornear, Dave's son, who followed family tradition and hopped on board the CAT bandwagon in 2023. Ive been hearing about this place for most of my life, so I figured why not give it a try? said the 46-year-old latest generation Fornear, who works on the painting part of the production line. And my dads right: being part of it out here is like a pride thing. Love and Caterpillar The Decatur plant workers often refer to themselves as being like family and, in some cases, that is the literal truth. Jessica Duckett heard husband-to-be Corey Ducketts voice crackling over the in-plant radio system and it opened up a channel to romance; they married in 2013. Their CAT family credentials, however, were already well-established: her grandfather Bill Kennedy started working for Caterpillar in the 1950s and her husband's uncle Bob Fox had a 44-year stint in the Decatur plant; Foxs brothers Roger, Scott and Ray also had significant careers in Decatur in salvage welding, engineering and production welding, respectively. Corey Ducketts father Gary worked at CAT for 11 years before leaving to found his own automotive machine shop while other relatives also enjoyed long careers. And it is the considered view of the latest Duckett CAT generation that landing jobs at the plant is about the best thing that ever happened to them apart, of course, from each other. Being raised in my family, Caterpillar was the place to be, said Jessica Duckett, 44, who lives in Shelbyville. The day I got an interview, I just remember being ecstatic. She started out as a truck driver in 2011, enjoyed it, and worked hard. Her enthusiasm and ability to adapt and cope got noticed, and six years ago she made the jump into her current job of supply chain planner, which means making sure everybody has the parts they need at the right time with minimal waste. Her husband had a similar upward-trending career experience, hiring in as a welder in 2001 and moving rapidly up the production food chain as his skills caught managers attention. He went on to custom-build complex stuff from blueprints and then Caterpillar dangled the prospect of him trying out to become an electrification manufacturing engineer. Thats the kind of high-power job normally requiring a college-level training background, something Duckett didnt have. But what he did have was superb and well-proven technical skills and, with encouragement from his wife, he competed for the job and nailed it. Caterpillar believed in me, said Duckett, 47. His proud wife just wishes her late granddad was still around to see how well his CAT family workers of today are doing, and how well his granddaughter is doing. He was so pleased for me when I first got hired on, she recalled. Hed say: You keep that place running, keep the lights on, and keep my pension coming. I just know hed be incredibly proud if he could see us now. Bleeding yellow Becky Morris spent about 10 years at Caterpillar working in purchasing, met her husband at the plant, and then moved on to other firms and has since retired. And yet, she says, she cant help herself taking a second look whenever she drives by some trademark yellow piece of giant Caterpillar gear. I always look to see what model it is, said Morris, 70. And was it built when I was there? I always have that sense of excitement about it; Caterpillar has been in the blood of our family for so long that the joke was we used to bleed yellow. And there it is again, that sense of what goes on in a workforce that today numbers more than 3,000 is about more than molding, shaping, welding, bolting and crafting metal into machines that can move mountains at the will of men. Something in that massive creative process seeps into the souls of those involved and gives them a feeling of worth and value in having just been a part of it all. By now it will come as no surprise to learn Caterpillar has driven its way through more than one generation of Morris family, too. Her father Robert Byers relocated the family from Boonville, Indiana when he arrived at Decatur to begin working as an inspector in January of 1956. Roberts son and Morris' brother, Terry, started at the plant in 1964 and worked for many years before retiring. Everybody knew that Caterpillar was the best place to work in the city of Decatur, recalled Becky Morris. You knew you had a steady job, you knew that you were going to make a steady income and you would be able to support your family. And now we have Morris's daughter Abby Damery who joined the Decatur plant in 2022 and is the labor relations manager for the factory. She also has an aunt, Kris Wolbers, who served as a production scheduler (and met her husband while working there) and Damery can name several other members of the extended family who worked at birthing giant CAT machines in Decatur. Growing up in a Caterpillar family had a huge impact on my decision to come here, said Damery, 45. The factory always had such a family-friendly environment, and I grew up in a Caterpillar family that went on Caterpillar trips. She said coworkers would band together for exciting excursions outside of work, and Damery has fond memories of buses loading up outside the factory to whisk away employees and children to do cool stuff, like watching the Chicago Bulls play back in the Michael Jordan glory days. It was just that camaraderie I saw between my Mom and her co-workers, you know, that thing that went far beyond just working day in and day out with each other, recalled Damery. "It was something that went into their personal and home lives, and I wanted to experience that for myself. She also liked the way the factory worked with organizations like Big Brothers/Big Sisters and looked to reach a helping hand outside the plant. We were always doing something to support some organization, to help the disadvantaged in the community, Damery said. It really made a lasting impression on me. Within the factory, Damery said she welcomes the CAT habit of seeking to encourage employees to grow in responsibility and scale that corporate ladder. This idea that theyre willing to reward those who try and promote from within engenders a feeling that you want to try, you know, to do different things and just be a part of that, she said. At the end of the day we all just want to keep building those big yellow units that were all so proud of. Thats what its all about. Building up careers The Mooney family are living proof of Caterpillar upward mobility from the shop floor to the corner offices. Family patriarch John Mooney Sr. started in Decatur in World War II, supporting Caterpillar wartime operations at the citys Victory Ordinance Plant, a forerunner of the present factory that once built tank engines. Five of his sons John Jr., Howard, Richard, Martin and David started out as hourly employees and rose to management positions. Fast forward to today and John Mooney Sr.'s grandson Martin Mooney, who came aboard in 1997, is now senior manager for facilities engineering after starting out in the purchasing department. He also points out that a cousin and a great aunt and great uncle have all worked at the factory, too. "I'm now third generation and one of my earliest memories is of my mom and I and my sisters picking my dad (David Mooney) up after work, said his son. At the time there was a chain link fence and there was a yard full of all the finished product. And Id get out of the car and sit on a bench and just look at all the new tractors and machines. It was so cool and I knew working here would be my dream job. More than half a century later, and after serving in the U.S. Army as an officer, he looks out at that finished product through his now 56-year-old eyes and still feels that working at the Decatur Caterpillar factory is his dream vocation. Whats unique about Decatur is that you get to see that end product, Mooney explained. You get to take it out on the test track and you get to see the end result of a lot of hard work throughout the Caterpillar enterprise. And he still sounds as enthusiastic as that little boy from long ago, the kid anxious to see his dad but always gazing longingly through the fence at the yellow wonders parked at the edge of his imagination. Mooney describes 100 years of Caterpillar and 70 years of the Decatur factory building the worlds biggest trucks as an American legacy that still goosebumps the skin when he thinks about it. I feel that sense of pride in being part of something that is bigger than yourself, he added. I know it sounds kind of corny, but that feeling has always been there for me. ISTANBUL (AP) The mayors of three major cities in southern Turkey were arrested Saturday, state-run media reported, joining a growing list of opposition figures detained since the mayor of Istanbul was imprisoned in March. Abdurrahman Tutdere, the mayor of Adiyaman, and Zeydan Karalar, who heads Adana municipality, were detained in early morning raids, according to Anadolu Agency. Both are members of the main opposition Republican Peoples Party, or CHP. The CHP mayor of Antalya, Muhittin Bocek, was arrested with two other suspects in a separate bribery investigation by the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutors Office, Anadolu reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CHP officials have faced waves of arrests this year that many consider aimed at neutralizing Turkeys main opposition party. The government insists prosecutors and the judiciary act independently but the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu led to the largest street protests Turkey has seen in more than a decade. Karalar was arrested near Istanbul and Tutdere was arrested in the capital, Ankara, where he has a home. Tutdere posted on X that he was being taken to Istanbul. Police also carried out searches at the municipal offices in Adana and Adiyaman. Eleven people, including Karalar and Tutdere, were arrested as part of an investigation by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutors Office into allegations involving organized crime, bribery and bid-rigging. In a statement, it said the evidence against Karalar and Tutdere had been supplied by a businessman who cooperated with prosecutors following his detention for running a criminal organization and paying bribes. The mayors had requested unfair financial benefits from company executives doing business with the municipality, prosecutors added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mayors' detentions follow the arrests of scores of officials from municipalities controlled by the CHP in recent months. Following their arrests, CHP Chairman Ozgur Ozel convened a meeting of the partys senior leadership. Meanwhile, the CHP mayor of Ankara questioned why municipalities controlled by President's Recep Tayyip Erdogan' s party were not subjected to the same level of judicial scrutiny as opposition politicians. In a system where the law is bent and twisted according to politics, where justice is applied to one group and ignored by another, no one should expect us to trust the rule of law or believe in justice, Mansur Yavas posted on X. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc condemned irresponsible accusations that directly harm the impartiality and independence of the judiciary and aim to undermine it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Imamoglu, widely considered the main challenger to Erdogan s 22-year rule, was jailed four months ago over corruption allegations. As part of the investigation into Imamoglu, the deputy mayor of Istanbul's Buyukcekmece district was also arrested Saturday. The former CHP mayor of Izmir, Turkeys third-largest city, and 137 municipal officials were detained earlier this week as part of an investigation into alleged tender-rigging and fraud. On Friday, ex-Mayor Tunc Soyer and 59 others were jailed pending trial in what Soyers lawyer described as a clearly unjust, unlawful and politically motivated decision. Also Friday, it was reported by state-run media that the CHP mayor of Manavgat, a Mediterranean resort city in Antalya province, and 34 others were detained over alleged corruption. Imamoglu was officially nominated as his partys presidential candidate following his imprisonment. Turkeys next election is due in 2028, but could come sooner. The crackdown comes a year after the CHP made significant gains in local elections. Adiyaman, which was severely affected by the 2023 earthquake, was among several cities previously considered strongholds for Erdogan to fall to the opposition. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A shooting on West Grand Ave. left two people hospitalized late Friday evening, on the Fourth of July. According to Montgomery County Regional Dispatch, the shooting happened in the 600 block of West Grand Ave. at approximately 11:30 p.m. A dispatch sergeant said the first person went to Miami Valley Hospital, and the second went to Grandview Medical Center. Man hospitalized after Friday night shooting in Dayton Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2 NEWS will update this article when more information is available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. Two teenage boys were killed in a mass shooting incident that took place early Saturday morning in Indianapolis, according to police. Officers responded to calls of a disturbance around 1:27 a.m. near Washington and Meridian Street when they heard shots fired, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. An unidentified 16-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the scene and five other victims were transported to the hospital, police said. WRTV - PHOTO: In this screen grab from a video, law enforcement officials are shown at the scene of a shooting in Indianapolis, July 5, 2025. One of those victims, a 15-year-old boy, was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to investigators. Another victim transported themself to the hospital, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: 4 killed, 14 hurt in Chicago mass shooting: 'Absolute chaos' Investigators would only describe the surviving victims as a 16-year-old, a 17-year-old, two 19-year-olds and one 21-year-old. No suspect has been identified, and police have no information on a motive as of Saturday afternoon. The investigation is ongoing. Indianapolis Police Chief Chris Bailey expressed fury over the violence. WRTV - PHOTO: In this screen grab from a video, law enforcement officials are shown at the scene of a shooting in Indianapolis, July 5, 2025. "Too many lives are being lost," he said during a news conference. MORE: Suspect in deadly Idaho ambush previously wanted to be a firefighter: Sheriff Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett also condemned the shooting and expressed his sorrow for the parents of the victims. "All of this is avoidable and preventable," he said at a news conference. Three people were taken to the hospital after a shooting near The Banks in early morning of June 5, according to Cincinnati police Lt. Jonathan Cunningham. Cunningham said that the shooting occurred around 1:30 a.m. in the Smale Park area near the Washington steps. It was initially reported that the incident began as a fight that led to shots being fired. More: Here's the top priority for Cincinnati's new police task force, according to Chief Theetge Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Cincinnati police take to sky with new drone unit, expected to cover city by year's end The victims were a 17-year-old girl, a 19-year-old man and another male of unknown age. Cunningham said that all three victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Police have not stated if they have arrested anyone at this time. The shooting is still under investigation. Cincinnati's recent uptick in crime During a June 24 news conference, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, Police Chief Teresa Theetge and other city leaders acknowledged the unease over crime among Cincinnati residents, particularly in neighborhoods in the urban core. The recent killing of Over-the-Rhine gym owner Patrick Heringer and a spate of shootings have left citizens on edge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest crime data provided by the city shows an uptick in crime of nearly all types citywide when compared with data from this time last year, particularly in Over-the-Rhine and Downtown. To help combat the spike, Theetge told The Enquirer that a new "roving task force" of 30 officers, equipped with the department's newest crime-fighting tools including remotely-piloted drones, will be focused on preventing crimes before they occur, rather than solely reactive. Enquirer media partner Fox19 provided this report. Enquirer reporter David Ferrara contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 3 people hospitalized after shooting at The Banks TYLER, Texas (KETK) Three people were transported to a local hospital after a tanker truck and a car crashed on U.S. Highway 271 near Interstate 20 on Saturday, according to Smith County Emergency Services District 2. Harris Nursery storage building destroyed by fire, explosions in Tyler The district said law enforcement and EMS responded to the scene of a two-vehicle crash between a Nissan Altima and a tanker truck at around 2:11 p.m. on Saturday. 3 people in the Nissan were severely injured or had life-threatening injuries and had to be extracted from the vehicle before being taken to a local hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith County Emergency Services District 2 officials told KETK that one person in the tanker truck was also injured and that part of Highway 271 was blocked by the crash on Saturday. You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) Its an Independence Day 31 new American citizens wont forget as each took their oaths of naturalization in front of the North Carolina State Capitol Friday afternoon. Marilyn Swartz, who immigrated from France, said, Just a fantastic way to celebrate July 4. Ive been here for a while, 23 years. it took me that long to decide. Now that Ive done it, I think its fantastic. It's an Independence Day 31 new American citizens won't forget as each took their oaths of naturalization in front of the North Carolina State Capitol Friday afternoon. Fridays ceremony is the culmination of years of work towards citizenship, a process that can have its fair share of challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Maria Echavarria Waugh, her process took four to five years to get to this moment. It has been long, but its been a learning process, she said. It feels to get an achievement, like made a goal [that] says I can. We came to this country with a dream. Its like such an honor to get that dream. While each of the 31 new citizens have their own unique story and come from 19 different countries from across the world, they can now all be proud to call themselves American citizens. Like everywhere else, there are downsides, but you get to love it and you get to enjoy it, Garbiela Ingram said. Im embracing it. I feel like its a great day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com. CHICAGO Chicago police say an investigation is underway after four people walked into a West Side hospital overnight with gunshot wounds they sustained in a nearby drive-by shooting. According to Chicago police, while it is unclear exactly where the shooting unfolded, officers were called to Mt. Sinai Hospital just before 2 a.m. Saturday, following a report of multiple walk-in gunshot victims. Following a preliminary investigation, officers said they believed that the victims were sitting in a parked car in an unknown area when a dark SUV drove past them and someone inside opened fire on their vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Officers said in total, four men ranging in age from 25 to 33, all suffered gunshot wounds in the shooting. Three of the men were later hospitalized in critical condition, while the fourth was listed in fair condition. Currently, it is unclear what led to the shooting and officers say no arrests have been made. An investigation into the shooting is now underway. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland It was the second shooting with multiple victims that unfolded overnight. Just hours earlier, in the Back of the Yards, seven people were injured after a gunman opened fire into a crowd. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information is asked to contact CPD Area One detectives 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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. At least four civilians were killed and 37 others injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, regional authorities reported on July 5. Russia launched 322 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type attack drones, according to Ukraine's Air Force. Air defenses intercepted 292 drones, while another 135 dropped off radars, likely used as decoys to overwhelm Ukrainian systems. The attack was repelled using aviation, electronic warfare, mobile fire teams, and air defense systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Donetsk Oblast, Russian strikes killed two civilians and injured four more, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. In Kharkiv Oblast, one person was killed and 15 injured, including two children, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. In Kherson Oblast, 11 civilians were injured as Russian forces targeted residential areas and other civilian infrastructure, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. A 49-year-old postal worker was injured in Chernihiv Oblast by a first-person-view (FPV) drone, Governor Viacheslav Chaus said. The man sustained shrapnel wounds while delivering mail. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, four civilians, two men and two women, were injured in Russian strikes, Governor Serhii Lysak reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, an 84-year-old man was killed, and two others a 54-year-old man and a 10-year-old boy were injured, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. The latest strikes come as Russia continues to escalate its aerial campaign and reject calls for a ceasefire. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly urged Western partners to bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities amid persistent drone and missile strikes. Read also: Trump says Putin wants to keep killing people, signals US may send Patriots to Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. More than $45 billion in the big, beautiful bill that President Trump signed Friday is earmarked for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention space, which officials say will add up tens of thousands of beds for migrants being held in federal custody. An estimated $170 billion of the bill has been designated for immigration enforcement as the Trump administration has promised to orchestrate the largest mass deportation effort in American history. But the funding that has been devoted to ICE detention space in the final bill. passed by the House on Thursday, is more than the government spent on housing migrants during the Obama, Biden and first Trump administrations combined, The Washington Post reported. Federal officials estimate the $45 billion will provide an additional 100,000 beds in ICE facilities at a time when ICE has nearly 56,400 migrants in its detention centers nationwide as of mid-June, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. The number of detainees increased by more than 5,000 during the first two weeks of June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Data showed that of those detained, 28 percent have a prior criminal conviction, while 25 percent have pending criminal charges. The funding bump in the bill was approved after Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary (DHS) Kristi Noem toured a new detention facility that administration officials have called Alligator Alcatraz. White House Border Czar Tom Homan told NewsNations CUOMO this week that the facility in the Florida Everglades will cost an estimated $450 million to operate each year. But officials said the facility could be a blueprint for more ICE detention centers that the government plans to open now that funding has been approved. President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and others, tour Alligator Alcatraz, a new migrant detention facility at Dade-Collier Training and Transition facility, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in Ochopee, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everybody we arrest, we need a bed, because theyre going to be in detention from several days to several months, depending on the case, Homan said. So, this will give us a little breathing room, give us extra beds so we can target more criminals throughout the country. The border czar had previously called on Congress to provide more funding for detention that would allow ICE to detain migrants taken into federal custody. In June, the agency published a list of more than 40 contractors that could assist with the emergency acquisition of space for migrant detainees, the Post reported. In addition to the $45 billion set aside for ICE detention and agents, the funding bill that was approved by Congress this week allocates another $46 billion for continued construction of the border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Where will additional ICE detention centers be located? Real Clear Politics reported this week that the $45 billion that will be devoted to ICE represents a 265 percent increase in its current detention budget, which will be higher than that of the American prison system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current load of detainees is the highest since that data has been compiled by ICE since the first time Trump was in office. In addition to providing more beds, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in an emailed statement to the Post that the funding for ICE in the bill will allow the agency to hire an additional 10,000 federal agents. Officials announced earlier this year that the agencys migrant detention centers were at capacity. The government contracts with private prison companies to operate detention facilities. The two main companies, CoreCivic and the GEO Group, have been awarded nine contracts by ICE for expanded detention, per the Post. Contracts have also been awarded to companies to produce temporary tent structures, which would be used to house migrants, the report said. Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) determined through a Freedom of Information Act request that private companies were looking to enter into government contracts in states like Michigan, California, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Washington state. The Posts report indicated that CoreCivic and the Geo Group already own prisons that are sitting empty in several states, including Kansas (Leavenworth), Colorado, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Oklahoma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ACLU also reported that in 2022, the GEO Group made $1.05 billion in revenue from ICE contracts alone, while CoreCivic made $552.2 million during the same year. Never in our 42-year company history have we had so much activity and demand for our services as we are seeing right now, said CoreCivic CEO Damon Hininger during an earnings call in May with shareholders, according to The Associated Press. The expansion of detention space comes at a time when more than a dozen people have died in ICE facilities since October, including 10 during 2025. In 2024, an ACLU report indicated that 95 percent of deaths that took place in ICE facilities between 2017 and 2021 could have been prevented or possibly prevented. That investigation, which was conducted by the ACLU, American Oversight and Physicians for Human Rights, analyzed the deaths of the 52 people who died in ICE custody during that time frame. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. 5 business breakthroughs transforming South Mississippi in 2025 Stories by Biloxi SunHerald journalists, with AI summarization South Mississippis economic landscape in 2025 reveals a trend toward diversified development anchored by strategic investments and revitalized infrastructure. High-traffic commercial projects, such as the expansive Buc-ees travel center, signal both consumer demand and public commitment to generating long-term economic ripple effects beyond a single business. Historic preservation intersects with entrepreneurship, as efforts like turning a 121-year-old train depot into a brewpub show how restoration fuels the regions creative economy. Well-known brands like ALDI, Chick-fil-A, and Chipotle are reshaping retail and dining accessibility, reviving former spaces and drawing new foot traffic. Meanwhile, local venturesfrom a Mexican-style ice cream parlor to a luxe bar and loungedemonstrate a growing emphasis on experience-driven commerce and community-centered placemaking. Work continues on the construction of Buc-ees in Harrison County on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. By Hannah Ruhoff NO. 1: 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 Joe Cloyd, who will develop the old Pascagoula train station in Pascagoula, poses for a portrait in the building on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. The building will eventually house the latest location of Chandeleur Island Brewing Company. By Hannah Ruhoff NO. 2: HISTORIC SOUTH MS TRAIN DEPOT TRANSFORMS TO A BREW PUB. ITS A BUILDING WORTH SAVING The station was built in 1904 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The restoration will save the building and bring a new experience to downtown. | Published February 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mary Perez The inside of Michoacana Ice Cream Parlor in DIberville on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. By Hannah Ruhoff NO. 3: NEW SOUTH MS ICE CREAM PARLOR OFFERS A CHOICE OF SWEET, SAVORY, AND EVEN SPICY TREATS Its bright and colorful, with dozens of choices of ice cream and other sweets, plus some savory, salty selections. | Published March 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mary Perez The future site of The Crown on Washington Avenue in Ocean Springs on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. By Hannah Ruhoff Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NO. 4: SEAFOOD ICON ADDING SOMETHING NEW AN UPSCALE BAR AND LOUNGE IN THIS SOUTH MS DOWNTOWN The Crown will have royal touches like chandeliers and brass accents for an elegant experience. | Published March 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mary Perez The future site of a new Chick-fil-A and Chipotle in Ocean Springs on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. By Hannah Ruhoff NO. 5: HERES THE LATEST ON THE NEW CHICK-FIL-A AND CHIPOTLE RESTAURANTS IN OCEAN SPRINGS The popular chicken and Mexican restaurants were announced in June and more restaurants could follow. | Published March 15, 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. Its only July, and it has been a busy year for zoo staff and pet owners alike for animals going viral for going missing. These noteworthy animal escapes from the last several months would make the plucky penguins from the cinematic classic Madagascar proud. Misha and Lucy the bears When bear siblings escaped from their enclosure at Wildwood Devon zoo in England, everyone, understandably, panicked. The staff evacuated the park and called the policejust to find that Misha and Lucy had only gotten as far as the kitchen, which had just received a delivery of fruits and vegetables. The bears helped themselves to the produce and a weeks worth of honey before falling asleep. Sheila the kangaroo Its not every day you see a kangaroo on the loose in Alabamaespecially one hopping along an interstate between Montgomery and Auburn. Yet that was exactly where the marsupial named Sheila was doing in late April, before state troopers and her owner managed to catch her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I hear my grandmother yell, Is that a kangaroo? Austin Price, an individual who filmed Sheila along the interstate, told the Associated Press. Price thought his grandma had seen a deer. But then he glanced over and realized, yeah, its a kangaroo. Ed the zebra Ed the zebra first arrived in Christiana, a community in central Tennessee, on May 30. By May 31, the zebra was already reported missing. Several sightings and social media posts laterincluding one featuring Ed calmly trotting through a suburban neighborhoodand the zebra had become a social media sensation. On June 8, the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office confirmed that Ed had finally been captured and airlifted back to an animal trailer. A video showcases the zebra sitting comically upright in a net carried by a helicopter. As you might imagine, the memes took the internet by storm. Louie and Ophelia the river otters Out of all the wild animal escapes listed here, Louie the North American river otter was the only one to successfully avoid recapture. He and fellow otter Ophelia escaped from New Zoo Adventure Park in northeastern Wisconsin in March and led the staff on an otterly wild chase with the help of some mischievous raccoons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ophelia was caught on April 1. Two months later, the zoo announced that due to the length of time that Louie has been missing, we believe he has made the decision to be a wild otter. Early in the morning on Thursday, March 20th, North American river otters Louie and Ophelia left their habitat. CREDIT: New Zoo Adventure Park. Mac the wallaby On June 16, a female wallaby named Mac escaped Grace and Glory Animals, an animal education zoo in Oswego, New York. Therein began another frenzied marsupial hunt featuring daily social media updates from zoo owner Dan Oostdyk, with hundreds of shares from a worried public. Is it me or does it it feel like we are trying to catch a damn Pokemon, one Facebook user commented on the update from June 19 about a confirmed sighting of Mac. The Pokemon-wannabe was finally apprehended on June 25. TALLAPOOSA COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) Six people were injured when a pontoon boat that was modified into a fireworks platform malfunctioned at Lake Martin on Friday night, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. The malfunction caused an onboard explosion, which happened around 9:14 p.m. and involved unpermitted fireworks. It happened near the Kowaliga Basin in Blue Creek in Tallapoosa County. Two people who were injured were transported to UAB Hospital. One victim was taken to Lake Martin Community Hosptial for treatment. Three victims arrived at area hospitals because of their injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ALEA State Bureau of Investigation Hazardous Device Unit and Alabama Fire Marshals Office were notified of the explosion. Special agents rendered the found unexploded fireworks safe. Fourth of July at the American Village The fire marshals office is the lead investigating agency for the fireworks part of the investigation into the explosion. The ALEA Marine Patrol Division is involved in the investigation. The ALEA urges people to never launch fireworks from a boat unless they received specific permission and are equipped with proper safety measures. It stated to avoid firing over crowded areas, marinas and boats. The agency advises people to not swim in areas where fireworks are being launched. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. NEED TO KNOW Six people have been hospitalized after unpermitted fireworks exploded on a pontoon boat in Alabama Authorities said the boat was modified into a fireworks platform and malfunctioned during a fireworks celebration Witnesses at Lake Martin said the boat had been launching fireworks for several minutes before the explosion A Fourth of July fireworks explosion in Alabama has resulted in the hospitalization of six people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident involved unpermitted fireworks and occurred at about 9:14 p.m. local time on a part of Lake Martin in Tallapoosa County, according to a press release from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). Getty; Alabama Law Enforcement Agency/Facebook Fireworks (stock image); aftermath of the boat explosion in Alabama on July 4, 2025 Fireworks (stock image); aftermath of the boat explosion in Alabama on July 4, 2025 Authorities stated that the incident involved the malfunction of a pontoon boat that had been modified into a fireworks platform for a planned fireworks celebration. Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Aftermath of the boat explosion in Alabama on July 4, 2025 Aftermath of the boat explosion in Alabama on July 4, 2025 Those injured included William C. Davis, 39, and Aaron L. Kovak, 49 both of whom were transported to the University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital as well as Johnathan R. Wilmarth, 43, Joshua A. Husted, 36, and Matthew Davila, 28, all of whom were transported to local hospitals for treatment, per the release. The condition of those injured is not yet known. There will be an investigation into the incident led by the Alabama Fire Marshals Office, per ALEA. Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Fireworks from fireworks explosion on Lake Martin, Ala. Fireworks from fireworks explosion on Lake Martin, Ala. ALEA informed PEOPLE that they have no additional information to share at this time. PEOPLE additionally reached out to the Alabama Fire Marshals Office for comment on Saturday, July 5, but did not receive an immediate response. 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 fireworks display was an annual event, according to local news outlet The Outlook. The outlet reported that witnesses at the event said that the boat had been launching fireworks for several minutes when one exploded low and near the vessel, at which point the boat appeared to catch fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least three medical helicopters were utilized to transport victims to local hospitals, per The Outlook and ABC 33-40. In addition to details regarding the incident, ALEA shared multiple fireworks safety tips in their statement to the public, including never launch fireworks from boats unless specifically permitted and equipped with proper safety measures, and secure your fireworks setup to prevent tipping or misfires due to wind or movement. Read the original article on People 6 Toriano Porter columns reflect on justice and injustice in Kansas City | Opinion Stories by Kansas City Star journalists, with AI summarization Toriano Porter explores the many challenges facing justice in Kansas City. He highlights the firing of a city social media employee over a harmless post, and questions if real accountability reaches those who fuel online hate. Porter's reflections include the distressing case of Andrew Lester and Ralph Yarl, reminding us to center true victims even as justice feels incomplete. He scrutinizes policing on Prospect Avenue and the impact of officers with troubling histories. Porter also examines wrongful convictions, like Sandra Hemmes, and calls for an honest review of legal missteps and the larger implications of Missouris death penalty practices. These columns show how justice hinges on fairness, oversight, and deep community truth-telling. By Nathan Papes NO. 1: AG BAILEY GOT HIS WAY AND KC SOCIAL MEDIA EMPLOYEE IS OUT. WHAT ABOUT REAL VICTIMS? | OPINION The city X account never doxxed Harrison Butker in the first place. But the attorney generals office disclosed private identities and contact information in public court documents. From Toriano Porter: | Published May 23, 2024 | Read Full Story by Toriano Porter NO. 2: SANDY HEMMES FINALLY ALMOST FREE. WHO ELSE DID HER INEFFECTIVE LAWYER GET LOCKED UP? | OPINION Every case Bob Duncan has ever touched needs to be reviewed by the justice system, said one private investigator. From Toriano Porter: | Published July 11, 2024 | Read Full Story by Toriano Porter NO. 3: KCPD MUST COMPENSATE FAMILY OF UNARMED MAN KILLED BY EX-POLICE DET. DEVALKENAERE | OPINION Former Kansas City Police Det. Eric DeValkenaeres qualified immunity claim rejected, opening the door for $10 million in civil lawsuit. From Toriano Porter: | Published September 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Toriano Porter Protestors gathered at the corner of 39th and Troost in Kansas City on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024 to protest the execution of Marcellus Williams. Williams was slated to executed at 6 p.m. on Tuesday after a final push for a stay was denied by the Supreme Court. By Dominick Williams Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NO. 4: WHAT IF MISSOURI GOT IT WRONG AND EXECUTED AN INNOCENT MAN? ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY | OPINION Missouri executes Marcellus Khaliifah Williams despite doubts about his guilt. Is the death penalty inhumane and prone to errors? From Toriano Porter: | Published September 25, 2024 | Read Full Story by Toriano Porter Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves calls on a reporter during a press conference about the Chiefs Super Bowl parade shooting on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Kansas City. By Nick Wagner NO. 5: STRESSING BALANCE BETWEEN POLICING AND OVERPOLICING ON PROSPECT TO ENSURE SAFETY | OPINION Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves kept her promise for 24/7 law enforcement presence at Linwood Shopping Center, but critics question the need for overpolicing. From Toriano Porter: | Published October 1, 2024 | Read Full Story by Toriano Porter By Susan Pfannmuller NO. 6: AFTER ANDREW LESTERS DEATH, NEVER FORGET RALPH YARL IS THE TRUE VICTIM IN THIS CASE | OPINION Toriano Porter agrees with the family of the teen shot for ringing the wrong doorbell: Justice was never truly served. | Published February 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by Toriano Porter 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. CHICAGO At least seven people were injured overnight after a gunman opened fire on a crowd of people on the citys Southwest Side. According to Chicago police, the shooting unfolded in the 4800 block of South Justine Street, in the Back of the Yards. Officers were first called to the scene just after 11 p.m. following a report of multiple people shot. Multiple shootings claim 4 lives in Chicago late Friday night into Saturday morning Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A preliminary investigation indicates that the victims were gathered in the area when two unknown male offenders approached on foot before one of them pulled out a gun and opened fire into the crowd. My mom just told me that they were just right here having fun or whatever, and when the fireworks went off, when you heard the fireworks, thats when they started shooting, 12-year-old Siara, whos related to some of the victims, said. In total, police said seven people were hit by gunfire. The victims ranged in age from 27 to 42 and five of them were hospitalized in serious condition, while two others were listed in critical condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Siara told WGN-TV her family is shocked about what happened, saying the incident happened during what they described as a block party. Theyre all very nice. They all dont have problems with anyone. They dont like having problems, Siara said. Currently, it is unclear what led to the shooting and officers say no arrests have been made. An investigation into the incident is now underway. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Siara added her cousins, a 27-year-old woman, was one of the victims. She said her cousin was pregnant, but the baby is doing well. The others, however, may have a long road to recovery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre doing okay, but I know one of them is like throwing up blood and stuff, Siara said. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact CPD Area One detectives 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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). If youre after must-see sights, the monuments of ancient civilisations are right at the top. And its not just because their temples, tombs, cities and citadels are superlative feats of archaeology its because theyre us. They reveal humanity that is different and awe-inspiring yet still relatable. Youll get the most out of these sites in the company of an expert guide (or audio guide) to make sense of what youre seeing and its wise to pre-purchase tickets online to beat queues and guarantee entry. 1. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt Its the contrast that gets you. On one side is the monumental, 26th-century BCE Great Pyramid of Khufu and its two satellite pyramids in camel-coloured desert. On the other is the urban sprawl of Giza, which is why the Sphinx stares inscrutably at a glorified car park. The trick to visiting the Giza Plateau, on the Niles west bank outside Cairo, is to pre-book a guide at your hotel. That way youll be spared hassle from touts and hear 4,000 years of dynastic history told like a soap opera. Unless youre claustrophobic, ensure your ticket includes entry to the Great Pyramid; tickets are bought at the site entrance or online. Arrive for 8am when the site is cool and quieter, then retreat at noon into the new adjacent Grand Egyptian Museum. When visiting the Pyramids of Giza, you should factor in time to see the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum. Photograph by Grand Egyptian Museum 2. Chichen Itza, Mexico Roughly 2.5 million travellers a year visit the best-restored site of Maya Mexico; such is the peril of being close to the countrys premier tourism resort, Cancun. You may have to queue to enter even with tickets booked online. Yet the biggest tip for a visit to this 800-acre complex of temples, palaces, games courts and the stepped Pyramid of Kukulcan (aka El Castillo) is to really engage with it. Spot swarms of close-knit interlocking figures across most surfaces and marvel at El Castillo, the Maya calendar in physical form, with 365 steps for each day and shadows at the equinoxes which make its stone serpents seem to come alive. Interact with the monuments and a visit becomes less about archaeology and more about the pre-Columbian Mesoamericans who called this place home. It deserves at least half a day. 3. Angkor Wat, Cambodia Everyone tells you dawn is the moment to discover the worlds largest religious monument, a 12th-century CE Khmer temple complex, its towers a representation of the centre of Hindu cosmology. The problem is everyone also has the same idea. If you go, choose the West Gate over the classic East Gate. Bear in mind that, though the site itself opens at 5am, it takes 30 minutes from Siem Reap by tuk tuk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Your ticket buys you access to the 150sq mile Angkor Archaeological Park, including Bayon temple (quietest at lunchtime), known for its Buddhist faces, plus the jungle-choked ruins of Ta Prohm temple (visit in the hazy light of late afternoon). Theyre both over two miles from Angkor Wat, so buy a three-day ticket (its valid for three entries over ten days) and rent a bike more fun than a tuk tuk. You should plan in at least three days to explore the sprawling ancient complex of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Photograph by Kui; Getty Images 4. Acropolis, Athens Welcome to the ground zero of Western civilisation. From its hilltop complex in central Athens the word acropolis means high city came democracy. The Parthenon here is not just a monumental temple to Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, its the Doric-columned template for neoclassical architecture worldwide. Sculptures in the excellent Acropolis Museum date back to the 5th century BCE, which is astonishing. While summer temperatures can be a problem (visit early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the worst of the heat), the main issue with the Acropolis is it can almost seem too familiar. Book a tour with a local guide like Alternative Athens to understand its 2,500-year history and myths. 5. Pompeii, Italy Most sites feature cold stone, yet Pompeii is personal. Its archaeological park presents a snapshot of everyday life in a middle-ranking Roman city on the Bay of Naples at the moment when it was sealed under Vesuviuss volcanic ash in 79BCE. Near-perfect frescos decorate walls elegant in those of the elite, bawdy in the brothels. There are carbonised loaves of bread, and the plaster casts of victims clutching jewellery or children nestled into their parents arms are all-too human. The simple act of crossing streets on stepping stones used by ordinary Pompeiians makes history come alive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caveats? Dont expect full houses most buildings are ruined shells and check online for opening times of houses before a visit. Do expect crowds Piazza Anfiteatro is calmest of the three site entrances. A final tip: renting an audio guide is recommended to make sense of the ruined city. The ruined city of Pompeii is one of the world's most complete examples of what life in ancient Rome was like. Photograph by Darryl Brooks; Getty Images 6. Petra, Jordan Few ancient sites live up to their promise like the 2,000-year-old Nabataean desert capital. You know whats coming beyond the narrow canyon entrance; haggle for a buggy ride to avoid a walk of almost a mile. Yet to emerge suddenly before the carved columns of the Treasury (al-Khazneh) is to feel like Indiana Jones probably why the franchises third film was shot here. Hewn from ruddy rock, the Rose City was abandoned by the 8th century CE and lost to all but the Bedouin. Today, there are five square miles of monuments, palaces and tombs to discover on hiking trails. Its worth taking 800 steps up to ad-Dayr (the Monastery) in late afternoon when its rock glows orange. For adventure, arrive through the back door to Petra a well-marked four-mile desert trail from Little Petra (two to three hours). Buy a Petra ticket online beforehand. 7. Machu Picchu, Peru Machu Picchu wasnt known to the wider world until 1911 it was local farmers who directed American explorer Hiram Bingham to Inca ruins in the cloud forest. But was it a mountain citadel or royal palace? How did stonemasons interlock blocks so no paper could slip between the stones? That no one really knows adds to the allure of one of the worlds most visually astonishing sites. Positioned to align with the cosmos and engineered with aqueducts and fountains, it seems to grow organically from the Andes its quite the sight to take in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only 1,000 of the 5,600 daily tickets are released on the day itself, so buy well in advance or go with a specialist tour offering transfers and guides. Multi-day options that include the Inca capital Cusco and the surrounding Sacred Valley are a good choice, plus a smart move to acclimatise to altitude if youre hiking to Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail. To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only). A paramedic with the Chicago Fire Department emerged from a pale clapboard house in Chicagos Back of the Yards neighborhood around 11:15 p.m. Friday and yelled to the other emergency workers pouring onto the block. Theres three in here, he said. A few minutes before, according to Chicago police, two men had run down the 4800 block of South Justine Street, firing, as people stood outside. They wounded four women and three men, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Deering District (9th) Commander Joseph Mark and Area 1 Deputy Chief Don Jerome were present at the crime scene, which extended the entire block of South Justine Street between West 48th and West 49th Streets. Some of the victims appeared to have run inside some of the houses on the block in the wake of the shooting. Stretchers and wheelchairs were lined up outside the home where the paramedic had found three people wounded, and neighbors held the door as they brought them out one at a time. Up the street, medics wrapped a towel around the leg of another, shirtless man who they had found outside and lifted him into an ambulance. A few more houses north, they helped a woman down the stairs of a cottage and settled her onto a stretcher. A 25-year-old woman shot in the rear and a 42-year-old man shot in the calf were taken in critical condition at the University of Chicago Hospital, police said. The other victims, who ranged in age from 21 to 29, were listed in serious condition at University of Chicago Hospital or Mt. Sinai Hospital, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers began to drop makeshift evidence markers at the intersection where at dozens of rifle and handgun shell casings lay along with a puddle of blood. A beat cop walked up to a man in a striped shirt who stood quietly at the edge of the crime scene and asked if everyone was okay in his building. Someone had opened a fire hydrant, which sprayed the street continuously as medics and police worked. Piles of discarded boxes and spent fireworks sat piled at the corner. A woman on a large adult tricycle pedaled up and down the sidewalk across the street as upbeat music played from a nearby yard and fireworks sounded every few seconds from other blocks. A group of people, some of whom had been holding doors for medics, stood apart from the scene and talked amongst themselves. Most of the other neighbors who had been standing in their yards or at the street corners had gone inside. Behind the police tape, officials were beginning to take stock of the evidence, marked by blue and orange scraps of paper littering the street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few minutes after theyd started to count in earnest, one officer looked up, flashlight in hand. He had 53 total, he said. A second officer pointed out a few that hed missed. One had rolled outside the tape. Another was buried in some rotting leaves. The counting officer ran out of evidence markers. they started to use bits of trash and debris to mark the new finds a crushed red cup, a piece of plastic and the total climbed nearly to 60. Police said no one was in custody for the shooting as of early Saturday morning. Area One detectives were investigating. July 5 (UPI) -- Eight deported "migrants" who had been held at a U.S. military base in Djibouti are bound for South Sudan aboard a military aircraft that took off on Friday night. The flight carrying the eight deportees had been delayed for six weeks until the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled a lower court erred when it issued a preliminary injunction halting the deportations in April. "These sickos were finally deported to South Sudan on Independence day," said Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, in a press release on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Immigration and Customs Enforcement "deported these eight barbaric criminal illegal aliens who are so heinous even their own countries will not accept them," McLaughlin added. She accused federal "activist judges" of delaying the deportation flight. "We will continue to fight for the freedoms of Americans while these far-left activists continue to try and force us to bring murderers, pedophiles and rapists back to the U.S.," McLaughlin said. The federal lawsuit forced the flight to land at the Djibouti base while the matter made its way through the federal court system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The eight deportees include two from Cuba, two from Burma, and one each from Laos, Vietnam, Mexico and South Sudan. All have been convicted of crimes, including homicide, armed robbery, kidnapping, sexual assault and sexual offenses involving a minor younger than age 12. The military aircraft left the Djibouti base at 8:30 p.m. EDT with each deportee secured by handcuffs and ankle shackles while surrounded by uniformed personnel, The New York Times reported. The aircraft landed in South Sudan just before midnight EDT on Friday. NEED TO KNOW As the picture of devastation crystalizes, more information is being revealed about those who died following the tragic flooding in Texas on July 4 The death toll, which continues to rise, includes an 8-year-old camper as well as dad who shared a heartbreaking message with his family before he died A local police officer described the tragedy as a "once-in-a-lifetime flood" Identities are continuing to be revealed for those who died and remain missing following the tragic flooding in Texas on Friday, July 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the death toll continues to rise as of Monday, July 7, at least 94 are dead the majority of fatalities took place in Kerr County, where at least 75 people have died, according to CNN. During a press conference on July 4, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick spoke about how the flood affected Camp Mystic a Christian girls-only summer camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River. In a statement on their website, the camp confirmed in a statement that 27 campers and counselors died in the flood. Renee Smajstrla. Among them are two best friends, Lila Bonner and Eloise Peck, both of whom reportedly just recently finished 2nd grade at Bradfield Elementary in Highland Park. Other victims have been identified as Sarah Marsh, an Alabama girl who recently completed the second grade, 8-year-old twin sisters Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence as well as Janie Hunt, 9, a family member of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Renee Smajstrla, 8, was killed in the flood as well. Her uncle, Shawn Salta, confirmed her death in a post on Facebook, writing, She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic. Thank you to all our friends and family for all the prayers and outreach, Salta wrote alongside a photo of his late niece. Renee has been found and while not the outcome we prayed for, the social media outreach likely assisted the first responders in helping to identify her so quickly. Camp counselor Chloe Childress, 18, also died, as did Richard "Dick" Eastland, who owned Camp Mystic. His last act of kindness was working to save the lives of campers," friend Paige W. Sumner wrote in a tribute to him in the Kerrville Daily Times. Another victim has been identified as Jane Ragsdale, a longtime co-owner of a nearby camp. 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. Other victims of the tragedy included Joyce Catherine Badon, 21, who was staying with a group of friends when the flooding struck and Julian Ryan, a 27-year-old father, who died while trying to save his family, his mother-in-law Pamela Baker told PEOPLE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to CBS affiliate KHOU, his wife said his last words were, "Im sorry, Im not going to make it. I love yall." Reece Zunker/Facebook Reece and Paula Zunker Reece and Paula Zunker According to the Humble Independent School District, beloved Kingwood Park High School teacher Jeff Wilson died due to the "catastrophic flooding in Kerrville," while his wife and son remain missing. In a separate family tragedy, the Kerrville Independent School District confirmed in a statement that soccer coach Reece Zunker and his wife Paula died as a result of the floods. His wife Paula and their two children are still missing. The family decided to vacation at a river house in nearby Hunt before disaster struck, The Kerrville Daily Times reported. Joni Kay Brake (left) and Robert Leroy Brake Sr. (right). Speaking with NBC DFW, the family of Joni Kay Brake and Robert Leroy Brake Sr. said their loved ones remain missing after they were visiting their son at an RV park along the Guadalupe River in Kerrville. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They were just down there yesterday fishing and enjoying the night," grandson Ryan Brake told the outlet. "We're all hoping for the best and praying big at this point, we are putting it in God's hands," added Brianna Newton, the couple's granddaughter. Flooding in the Guadalupe River, where Camp Mystic is situated, caused it to reach its second-highest height ever, ABC affiliate Eyewitness News reported. The area received at least 10 inches of rain, per San Antonio outlet KSAT. This may be a once-in-a-lifetime flood," Clint Morris, a Kerr County Sheriffs Office spokesperson, told KSAT. He added that it was "an extremely active scene, countywide." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the flooding, there was an overnight evacuation of Camp Mystic, KSAT previously reported. Directors at the Kerr County camp reportedly asked for help, according to the San Antonio Express-News. The directors also said that the camp cabins were flooded and may have been washed away. In an official statement, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state is providing all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods. The State of Texas today has mobilized additional resources in addition to the resources sent in preparation for the storms, he continued. I urge Texans to heed guidance from state and local officials and monitor local forecasts to avoid driving into flooded areas. Read the original article on People KERRVILLE, Texas (KFDX/KJTL) Governor Greg Abbott returns to Texas to give a press conference with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and local leaders to address the floods happening across the Hill Country. ORIGINAL STORY | Flash floods at Camp Mystic: Over 20 children missing in Kerr County Abbott confirms 24 fatalities from the floods, up from 13 earlier in the day. Helicopters have been circling the area all day to look for people displaced by the flood. As of the press conference, no information on the missing girls from Camp Mystic is known. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He says that Texas Task Force 1 and Texas Task Force 2 are helping out at the state level for search and rescue. They will be working nonstop to find everyone lost. During the press conference, Abbott signed a disaster declaration, similar to the one sent out earlier today by the Mayor of Kerrville. The declaration proclaims a state-based disaster for Bandera, Comal, Kendall, Kerr, Gillespie, Kimble, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Concho, San Saba, Tom Green and Llano counties. If you know a loved one currently being impacted by these floods, the best things you can offer are some necessities like non-perishable foods, bathroom supplies, money to help them recover and supportive, thoughtful words. Abbott says that people need to have faith and that a robust response is in order for us to find those who are missing and get them home safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Be sure to check in for more information as it becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. For the record: 10:12 a.m. July 6, 2025: An earlier version of this piece said Barbara Bush was first lady in 1994. She was a former first lady in 1994. Here we go again. A bunch of successful, conservative professional women are telling young women they dont need careers to have fulfilling lives. All they need to do is avoid college (or better yet, just use it to find a husband), get married, have babies, stay home and live happily ever after. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps youve noticed the proliferation of tradwife (i.e. traditional wife) influencers on various forms of social media, or the coverage of conferences like the woefully misnamed Young Womens Leadership Summit that recently took place in Dallas. A project of Charlie Kirks conservative student organization, Turning Point USA, the summit promised to focus on "foundational aspects of womanhood" such as "faith, femininity and well-being." The conference drew 3,000 women who, according to reports, were mostly college students or young professionals. They sported pins that read My favorite season is the fall of feminism and Dump your socialist boyfriend, and they were told by Kirk, "We should bring back the celebration of the Mrs. degree." Read more: Granderson: Celebrating suffragists and trying to disenfranchise women? That takes some cognitive dissonance The left wants women to feel angry and like victims, and like your rights are being taken away," a 31-year-old influencer named Arynne Wexler told a reporter for New York magazine. Not to put too fine a point on it, but in fact her rights are being taken away. Perhaps she has forgotten that the Supreme Court overturned the right to abortion in 2022? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyway, there is absolutely nothing new here. A certain subset of women straight, white, conservative, religious has always fought against gender equality for their own reasons, but mostly I'd say because it threatens their own privileged status and proximity to male power. Nearly half a century before Wexler bemoaned "the left," Phyllis Schlafly, lawyer, author and anti-feminist crusader, said basically the same thing: The feminist movement taught women to see themselves as victims of an oppressive patriarchy. Self-imposed victimhood is not a recipe for happiness. Read more: Legal equality for women could take 300 years as backlash rises against women's rights, U.N. chief says Hmmm. Im pretty sure it was oppressive patriarchy that prevented women from owning property, having their own credit cards and bank accounts, from earning equal pay, accessing legal birth control and abortion, serving on juries and holding public office. Until second wave feminism came along in the 1960s and 1970s, Im pretty sure, too, that oppressive patriarchy allowed employers to fire women once they married or got pregnant, and that domestic violence, marital rape and sexual harassment were not treated as crimes. Oh, and it was feminists who pushed for Title IX of the Civil Rights Act, which addressed gender inequality in education, including, crucially, in sports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attacking feminism because you've never experienced a time when women were not, for the most part, legally equal to men springs from the same ignorant well as believing measles vaccines are unnecessary because you've never experienced the (largely vaccine-eliminated) disease for yourself. Indeed, reciting the accomplishments of feminism reminds me of that classic scene in the 1979 black comedy Monty Pythons Life of Brian. You may recall it: What have the Romans ever given us? (Just sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system and public health.) Read more: Abcarian: No one polices men's bodies the way we police women's bodies A consistent thread in the argument against gender equality is that feminism makes women feel bad for staying home with their kids and not pursuing careers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Dallas last month, young conference-goers told the New York Times that it was feminism and career ambition making them unhappy, not the broader stress of puzzle-piecing together the responsibilities of modern life. In 1994, former First Lady Barbara Bush said she had experienced a period of depression and partly attributed it to the womens movement, which, as she told NPR, sort of made women who stayed home feel inadequate. I get that. But in response, I would paraphrase Eleanor Roosevelt: No one can make you feel inadequate without your consent. If you are lucky enough to be able to stay home with your children and do not feel compelled to carve out a career, more power to you. Alex Clark, a popular podcaster and influencer who headlined the Young Womens Leadership Conference, offered the crowd her Make America Healthy Again formula: Less Prozac and more protein. Less burnout, more babies, less feminism, more femininity. But having lots of babies is stressful having one baby is stressful and can certainly lead to its own kind of burnout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Abcarian: This is among the most consequential lies Trump and Republicans are telling women voters One of the most popular tradwives in the country, Hannah Neeleman, is a Mormon mother of eight young children. She is married to a rancher who is the son of the founder of Jet Blue, has more than 9 million social media followers and, as a former professional ballerina, posts under the handle Ballerina Farm. Last summer, in a profile published by the Times of London, she was dubbed the queen of tradwives. We learned that she does all the food shopping, makes all the meals and has no help with childcare. I would submit that she is a career woman as well, since she runs popular social media accounts that generate millions of dollars a year in income. In a stunning admission, her husband told the London Times reporter that his wife sometimes gets so ill from exhaustion that she cant get out of bed for a week." I could not help but think of Mormon housewives in the state of Utah, which has led the nation in antidepressant prescriptions for decades. Most men here would just as soon their wives take pills than bother to delve into the problems, and maybe find out they might have something to do with the problems, a Mormon mom told the Los Angeles Times in 2002, the year the prescription study was released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dana Loesch, a conservative commentator, radio host and author who once shilled for the National Rifle Assn., was one of the speakers in Dallas whose reality contradicts her rhetoric. Ill tell you this, ladies, she told the crowd. You cannot have it all, at the same time. Something will suffer. Oh please. Loesch has it all a career, marriage and kids. So why cant they? @rabcarian.bsky.social @rabcarian. 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. Russia's decision to formally recognise the Taliban government has been seen as an opening for a stronger economy by some Afghans, while others were sceptical that it would improve their lot. Russia became the first country to acknowledge the Taliban authorities on Thursday, after a gradual building of ties that included removing their "terrorist organisation" designation and accepting an ambassador in recent months. The Taliban authorities had not been recognised by any state in the nearly four years since sweeping to power in 2021, ousting the foreign-backed government as US-led troops withdrew after a two-decade war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world and in a fragile recovery from four decades of conflict. "With the current situation in Afghanistan, with all the challenges, everyone is worried. If the world recognises Afghanistan, we will be happy, currently, even the tiniest thing matters," Gul Mohammad, 58, said on Friday in the capital Kabul. Despite having bitter memories of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, when he "lost everything" and became a refugee in Pakistan, he acknowledges that "the priorities are different now". Jamaluddin Sayar, 67, predicted that "trade and economic prosperity will now blossom". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The retired pilot said other countries, "both western and eastern", should recognise the government and "stop spreading propaganda against the Islamic Emirate", using the Taliban authorities' name for their administration. - Won't 'lead to anything' - Russian and Afghan officials praised the move as an opening for deeper cooperation, notably in economic and security arenas. Security concerns have been a key avenue for coordination between the Taliban authorities and the international community, amid fears Afghanistan would become fertile ground for increased militant activity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The authorities have prioritised security and made repeated assurances that Afghan soil would not be used by any group to plan attacks on other nations. However, Pakistan's ties with the Taliban authorities have been strained over a surge in militant activity since their takeover and last year, an attack claimed by the Islamic State group's branch in Afghanistan killed 137 people in a Moscow concert hall. In a country where dissent and protest is tightly controlled, some Kabul residents were afraid to openly criticise the Taliban authorities. Atef, not his real name, was unconvinced better relations between Afghanistan and Russia would improve the livelihoods of ordinary Afghans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think Afghanistan will fall into the traps of the Russians again, the issues and challenges will increase, and there is nothing that can help ordinary people," the unemployed 25-year-old said. "People are struggling, and they will still struggle with or without the recognition." For Afghan women's rights activists, particularly those who have advocated for isolating the Taliban government, the recognition was seen as a setback that "legitimises" restrictions on women. The Taliban authorities, who also ruled the country between 1996 and 2001, have again imposed an austere version of Islamic law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Norway-based Afghan women's rights activist Hoda Khamosh was defiant against the impact of the Russian move. "Human rights organisations right now are trying to recognise gender apartheid in Afghanistan because the Taliban are a repressive regime against women," she said. "Therefore, these recognitions will not lead to anything." qb/sw/jfx/mtp A senior opposition official in Burundi on Saturday criticised the African Union for describing the country's election as "credible" despite widespread claims of irregularities and intimidation during the vote. The Peace and Security Council of the African Union said on X that it had reviewed elections for the past six months and "congratulated Burundi, Comoros and Gabon on holding credible elections". Burundi's ruling party of President Evariste Ndayishimiye won every seat in parliament in last month's vote, with 96 percent of the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rights groups, the Catholic Church and the opposition all said there were serious irregularities, pointing out that key opponents of the ruling party had effectively been barred from running. "It is distressing to see the African Union give (Burundi's election commission) a free pass... when the Catholic Church, which had the most electoral observers, identified numerous irregularities," said the official. The senior official with the opposition Uprona party spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of government reprisals. "We ourselves noted serious irregularities, sometimes very blatant, such as ballot boxes stuffed even before the polling stations opened, and on an unprecedented scale," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The AU is losing what little credibility it had in terms of election observation, which is not surprising because it is, as some say, a union of heads of state who protect each other," said the official. Human Rights Watch said the ruling party had "intimidated, harassed and threatened" voters and described the election as "devoid of genuine political competition". The Catholic Church, the dominant denomination in the country, said in a statement it had observed "suspicious ballot stuffing" and officials forcing voters "to cast their vote in a particular way". Burundi ranks as the world's poorest country in GDP per capita, according to the World Bank's 2023 index. Three-quarters of its 12 million people live below the poverty line. str-er/jj The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. In May, I asked Googles chatbot, Gemini, to write a birthday letter to my best friend. Within seconds, it spat out the most impressive piece of AI writing I have ever encountered. Instead of reading as soulless, machine-generated text, the letter felt unnervingly like something I mightve actually written. Youre probably rolling your eyes, the letter read, after a sentence that my friend would most definitely have rolled his eyes at. All I had typed into the chatbot was a nine-word prompt containing my friends first name and the age he was turning. But the letter referenced real moments from our friendship. One paragraph recounted a conversation we had shared on the eve of college graduation; another reflected on a challenging period we had navigated together. Gemini had even included his correct birth date. I hadnt planned to let AI write the birthday letter for me. When I opened Google Drive to type it up myself, Gemini popped up and volunteered to help out. Since the spring, when I first signed up for a free trial of Googles AI Pro subscriptionnormally $20 a monthGemini has followed me around the Googleverse. The tool is akin to a souped-up version of Microsoft Clippy: In Gmail, it offers to summarize long threads and draft entire messages. In Sheets, it volunteers to assist with data analysis, generating colorful bar graphs at the click of a button. But Gemini has proved most alluring in Drive, where the chatbot can automatically find and consult relevant files before generating text. Thats how Gemini was able to whip up such a good birthday letter: It already knew a lot about me (and, by association, my friend). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of all the things that chatbots excel at, they have generally not been very reliable for individualized tasks. Ask an AI tool to write an essay on, say, the history of popcorn, and you will likely get a decent response. But ask it to write a speech for your sisters wedding, and the result will probably be quite poor. You might get a better speech if you feed the chatbot a decade of your texts and emails, her wedding website, and previous toasts youve given for other loved ones. But that process takes time and effort, which most people dont put in. Tech executives dream instead of hyper-personalized chatbots that automatically have access to all of the information they might ever need. After sucking up the web to build models capable of generating coherent text, AI companies are now mining our personal troves of data to teach chatbots everything there is to know about us. Google, with its colossal data empire in tow, is particularly well positioned to lead the way. If OpenAI introduced us to the Hallmark-card version of AI writing, Google is ushering in a new chapter where chatbots are capable of drafting the sort of intimate letters you might write to your best friend. [Read: Big techs AI endgame is coming into focus] The birthday letter was just the start. Not only could Gemini write fairly convincingly in my voice; the chatbot, as I quickly learned, was teeming with my personal information. When asked, it accurately described my financial goals, my vaccination history, and my parents physical appearances. To test the limits of how much Google knew about me, I told the chatbot to make a CIA dossier. The first section (IDENTIFYING INFORMATION) listed my full name, email address, and current location. Not too crazy. Section two (RELATIONSHIPS & PERSONAL HISTORY) accurately described the details of both a long-term romantic relationship and a brief high-school fling. By section three (PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE), the chatbot was dissecting my communication style and emotional intelligence. And in section four (POTENTIAL VULNERABILITIES), Gemini had outlined my travel history, citing the time I had spent abroad as an exchange student, and diagnosed me as an overthinker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not everything in the dossier was accurate. Gemini struggled to disentangle fact from fiction, occasionally confusing details from short stories Ive written with real-life anecdotes. When I later asked the chatbot if it knew my birthday, it told me I was born in 2010 (wrong, though it got the date right on a second try). Even though the birthday letter was startlingly good, Gemini occasionally slipped into a more generic chatbot registerat one point, it described the future as everything shimmering in the distance. Still, Gemini knows me much better than other chatbots do. When I asked ChatGPT to create a CIA dossier, it failed miserably: The bot overinterpreted my prompt, explaining that a key part of my personality was my taste for espionage tropes. The other details it added were vague and unimpressive. Theres a clear reason for the discrepancy. Unlike Google, OpenAI doesnt have half my lifetimes worth of my data stored up. In Gmail, I have more than 200,000 emails, amounting to 30 gigabytes, some of which date back to elementary school. My Drive contains another 45 gigabytes of files, such as chemistry study guides and travel itineraries, half-written poems and unsent love letters, budgeting spreadsheets and New Years resolutions, insurance appeals and symptom trackers. Even if you dont spend your free time soliloquizing in Google Docs like I sometimes do, the search giant likely knows enough about you to train your own custom chatbot. Our emails, files, and browsing histories are all already at the companys fingertips. Chrome is the most popular browser in the world; almost one-third of the planets emails are sent with Gmail; and Googles productivity apps have billions of users who store files across Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Thats to say nothing of Maps, YouTube, or the entire Android ecosystem. Google knows its sitting on a gold mine. In May, at the companys annual software conference, the Gemini team lead Josh Woodward said Googles goal is to make the chatbot the most personal and proactive AI assistant around. He offered education as an example. College students are flocking to ChatGPT, but those same students do much of their work using Google software such as Docs and Slides. Imagine youre a student; youve got a big physics exam looming, Woodward said. Gemini might see the test on your calendar a week out and send you personalized quizzes based on the readings and lecture notes youve already stored in Google Drive. There are countless other ways you might use such personalized AI. When I asked Gemini to write me a cover letter, it automatically consulted several I had previously written. When I prompted Gemini to make me a summer-reading list, it first combed through email exchanges with high-school and college instructors, a list of my favorite books, and two editions of a weekly newsletter I subscribe to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Google is not the only company pushing forward with bespoke AI. Sam Altman recently described the platonic ideal state for ChatGPT as a model with access to your whole life. This chatbot would ingest every piece of information you had ever produced or encounteredincluding the books you had read, emails you had sent and received, and even conversations youd had with your friends and family. With the explicit goal of making ChatGPT more personalized, OpenAI recently upgraded the chatbots memory feature, such that the bot is now able to reference all of a users past conversations. But building up that data will take time. Legacy tech firms such as Apple and Microsoft do already have plenty of data to draw on, but Google is further ahead in its consumer AI efforts. Then theres Meta: The companys stand-alone AI app, which launched this spring, encourages users to link the assistant to their Facebook and Instagram accounts for an even stronger personalized experience. Facebook comments and Instagram DMs, however, are simply less meaty than email exchanges and PDF documents. Google has faced a bumpy road since generative AI exploded a few years ago. The technology has presented the biggest threat yet to Googles search business, and the companys share of the market recently dropped to its lowest in a decade. At the same time, usage of Googles AI tools has skyrocketed over the past year, and the company recently rolled out a new AI search mode in an attempt to steal search queries back from the likes of ChatGPT. Now, with the companys personalization advantage, Google could surge ahead. Whether Google or another company gets there first, this new era of AI is coming. For years, we have been shedding information online through clicks and likes, photographs and files, emails and search queries. That digital exhaust is now getting a second life. Already, it can be difficult to figure out whether text that you encounter online is generated by AI. Soon, while looking back on old emails, you might even feel that way about your own writing. Article originally published at The Atlantic A regional air quality alert was issued for much of Southern California as harmful levels of fine particle pollution spread across the region following Fourth of July fireworks and active wildfires in nearby mountain areas. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) announced the alert on Friday, July 4, warning that elevated pollution levels would persist through Saturday night, July 5, due to smoke from Independence Day celebrations and wildfires in parts of Los Angeles County and beyond. The alert applied to most of Los Angeles and Orange Counties, the Inland Empire, Santa Clarita, and the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains. Officials said pollution levels could vary by time and location depending on emissions and local weather conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smoke from fireworks was expected to affect the region from 5:00 p.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Saturday. Wildfire smoke in mountain areas was projected to impact air quality from midnight Friday through 10:00 p.m. Saturday. Health officials warned that fine particle pollution can penetrate deep into the lungs and may lead to serious health problems, including asthma attacks, bronchitis, heart attacks, and difficulty breathing. While anyone can be affected, sensitive groups are at higher risk. Residents were urged to monitor the Air Quality Index (AQI) and adjust their activities accordingly: When AQI reaches the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (orange) level, vulnerable individuals should limit prolonged or strenuous outdoor activity. At the Unhealthy (red) level, everyone may experience health effects, and sensitive groups should avoid extended time outdoors. When levels are Very Unhealthy (purple), sensitive groups should avoid all outdoor activity, and others should limit outdoor exposure. At the Hazardous (maroon) level, all individuals are advised to stay indoors and avoid outdoor physical activity entirely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To reduce indoor exposure, officials recommended keeping windows and doors closed, using air conditioners or air purifiers, and avoiding the use of fireplaces, candles, incense, or gasoline-powered equipment. If possible, residents should avoid using swamp coolers or whole house fans that draw in outside air. Residents in the Los Angeles Basin, San Bernardino Valley, San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains, Orange County, and Riverside County can check real-time air quality levels and forecasts by visiting the South Coast AQMD website at www.aqmd.gov or by downloading the mobile app at www.aqmd.gov/mobileapp. For those in the Antelope Valley, updates are available at www.avaqmd.ca.gov. In the Mojave Desert, current conditions and advisories can be found at www.mdaqmd.ca.gov. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. A seemingly routine trip through Detroit Metro Airport took a sharp turn when federal agents uncovered something alarming in a travelers luggagesomething that could have jeopardized Americas food supply. The BBC reported that authorities say Zunyong Liu flew into the United States from China carrying Fusarium graminearum, a crop-destroying fungus responsible for Fusarium head blight, a disease that plagues staple grains like wheat, barley, and rice. Liu told officials he brought the fungus to study with his girlfriend, Yunqing Jian, who works in a University of Michigan lab. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Liu and Jian now face serious federal charges, including conspiracy, smuggling, false statements, and visa fraud, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Eastern District of Michigan. Fusarium graminearum isnt new to the U.S. In fact, its already a major issue in North American agriculture. But experts say importing new or potentially more virulent strains of the fungus could worsen the problem, potentially leading to widespread crop failure and supply chain disruptions. The fungus spreads more aggressively in warm temperatures and not only damages crops, but also produces toxins that can cause vomiting, dizziness, and even raise the risk of cancer if consumed. Thats part of why federal prosecutors have cited scientific literature calling it a potential agroterrorism weapon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the dramatic charges, some experts are urging perspective. Its extremely prevalent in North America, Harold Kistler, an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota, told CBS News. Its not like a foreign agent coming init likely arose here. Still, the incident highlights just how vulnerable the agricultural system is, especially at the intersection of global travel and science. Security officials didnt release details about how the fungus was discovered, but its presence in a passengers bag has raised fresh concerns about biosecurity lapses at ports of entry. So far, no widespread contamination has been reported, but the case remains under investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the age of rising global temperatures and shifting supply chains, a single missed bag could mean disaster for crops, and by extension, the food millions depend on. Related: Strange Reason Flights to This Popular Country Are Being Canceled What Airport Agents Found in This Travelers Bag Could Wreck U.S. Farms first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 5, 2025 BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) The alleged mastermind behind the shooting of a conservative Colombian senator and presidential candidate was taken into custody Saturday, almost a month after the attack, law enforcement authorities said. Elder Jose Arteaga Hernandez, alias Chipi" or "Costeno, was arrested in a neighborhood in the northwestern part of the capital, Bogota, National Police Director Maj. Gen. Carlos Fernando Triana told reporters. Authorities had previously accused him and other suspects of being near the Bogota park where Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot in broad daylight on June 7. Uribe was giving a political speech in the park when he was attacked from behind and wounded in the head, allegedly by a minor who was captured as he fled. Three other people have been arrested for participating in the logistics and execution of the crime. The motive is still being investigated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Uribe, who in October announced his intention to run in the 2026 presidential election, remains in intensive care and has undergone several surgeries. From his Senate seat, he had become one of President Gustavo Petros most vocal critics. The attack has been widely condemned in a country with a dark past in which drug cartels and insurgent groups murdered and kidnapped politicians. Charges against Arteaga include attempted aggravated homicide; manufacturing, trafficking and carrying firearms or ammunition; and using minors to commit crimes. Interpol issued a red notice against him Friday. It was not immediately clear Saturday if Arteaga had an attorney who could comment on his behalf. Authorities said he would make his first court appearance over the weekend. Triana last month said Arteaga has been involved in a life of crime for more than 20 years, performing hit jobs in all types of crimes in Bogota. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) From cookout food to fireworks, folks across Rochester spent their Fourth of July in many different ways. While some chose to get out the house & head to the beach or to stay with relatives, some stayed close to home by attending community celebrations! Both the towns of Irondequoit and Greece held their own respective celebrations, each one set up festival-style with food, live music and activities for the kids. Webster resident Nikki Rosica attended the Irondequoit celebration, which she says is her favorite place to be on Independence Day each year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Id rather come here because its good for the community. You can see the parade, and the food is a plus, Rosica said. David Howarth and his son, Jacob, have gone to Greeces celebration for the past four years. Its always a good time, David said. Greece always puts on a good show with the band, music and all there is to do. Each celebration saw hundreds of visitors, eager to share their day off with each other and enjoy all their respective communities have to offer. Sebastian Hartman, a Pittsford resident who attended Irondequoits festivities, says celebrations like the one he went to are perfect for those who want to get out of the house while dodging crowds at the popular Fourth of July destinations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was at Durand earlier in the day, and it was jam packed, Hartman said. This is a nice middle ground where theres people around and stuff to do, but its not like youre getting suffocated by how much is going on, Hartman said. Many folks, whether attending these celebrations are a standing tradition for them or not, plan to attend next year and hope to see more festivities like these pop up around the Rochester area. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The California Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert for a 7-year-old boy that was abducted in Kern County. Angel Wagner was last seen late Thursday evening, around 11:50 p.m., on the 1300 block of Sims Street in Ridgecrest, CHP said. He was believed to be with 42-year-old Michael Abbott, according to CHP. Abbotts relationship to the child was not disclosed, but the Amber Alert described the incident as an abduction. A CHP poster displays information about an Amber Alert issued July 4, 2025. The Amber Alert included Kern and Los Angeles counties, CHP said. It was deactivated around 3:30 p.m. after Wagner was located. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. NEED TO KNOW Mariah, a solo traveler in Iran, needed to figure out how to get home after the country was bombed by Israel on June 13 She traveled with her guide and a driver who took her to the border and got her to Armenia From Armenia, she traveled to Cyprus, London, Orlando, Fla. and then finally got home after a week One solo American traveler is sharing what it was like to be in Tehran, Iran, as the country's conflict with Israel escalated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mariah, who goes by the username @itsinmyownuniverse on TikTok, was a week into her travels in Iran when Israel launched a new wave of strikes, bombing Tehran and other areas in the country. It was the last day in Iran, and she found herself unable to leave; all the flights were canceled, and the border was closed. Mariah talks with PEOPLE exclusively about how she made it home. "I was trying to figure out what am I going to do? How do I get out of here? My visa also only had a short amount of time on it, and there wasn't time to figure out what to do," she tells PEOPLE. "I was also trying to ensure that the government didn't perceive me as a threat." The U.S. State Department recommends that Americans avoid the nation, warning on its website not to "travel to Iran due to the risk of terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, arbitrary arrest of U.S. citizens, and wrongful detention." According to the State Department, "Violent extremist groups, including U.S. government-designated terrorist organizations, operate in Iran." These groups, including ISIS, have claimed responsibility for bombings and acts of terrorism. itsinmyownuniverse/TikTok Mariah with her guide on Marharlu lake or pink lake Mariah with her guide on Marharlu lake or pink lake Following the initial bombings and Iran's retaliation against Israel, the United States launched airstrikes targeting Irans nuclear and missile infrastructure eight days later. On Monday, June 23, Iran retaliated against the U.S. military strikes, launching their own missile strike against a military base in Qatar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The night before we started driving out to get to a border, I was able to hear the attacks going on," Mariah recalls. "It was traumatizing because you're thinking, 'How close are they? Will it hit me? What's going on? Who is it affecting?' Being an American, I felt like I was in danger. I wanted to make sure I was not drawing attention to myself." Mariah went to the embassy to figure out the best plan of action. Since there's no American embassy in Iran, her friends advised her to go to the Swiss Embassy, which assists American tourists. When she explained her situation to the man working there, he directed her to return to her hotel, as it was safer there. Iran requires U.S. travelers to travel with a guide, so Mariah was using her guide's Wifi and hotspot to message her friends and family. "I was preparing for the worst-case scenario," Mariah shares. "I didn't know how long I would be there. I had one friend that I updated, and I was messaging two times a day, one in the morning, one in the evening." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We made safe words in case anything happened to me, or I was taken, or my phone was taken," she adds. "If this friend didn't hear anything from me within a certain amount of time, they were supposed to call my family, call the consulate and embassy, and tell them." After visiting the embassy, Mariah began searching for a driver who could take her to the border. She had to find a driver she could not only afford, but also one willing to drive an American. A driver saw her and offered to take her on the condition that she cover the cost needed for them to take the journey. Mariah's guide called the travel agency and initially told them they were traveling to Turkey. However, the agency reported back that they wouldn't be allowed into Turkey, so they had to change their plans and began heading toward Armenia. itsinmyownuniverse/TikTok Mariah and the view along Caspian Sea Mariah and the view along Caspian Sea "Once I made it to Armenia, my guide went in with me to speak Farsi to the people at the border. I was detained for about an hour," she says. "They were asking me questions, making sure that I was legally allowed to be there, why I was there, and trying to find all of the documents." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once she was allowed into Armenia, she realized that she had spent all her cash and still needed to get to the airport. She was able to hitchhike to the capital, where the airport is located, which is a six-hour drive. Mariah says that when she got to the airport, she was able to book a flight to Cyprus. She flew from Cyprus to London, and then found a flight from London to Orlando, Fla. After touching down in the states, she flew from Orlando to her native North Carolina. "After London, all of my flights were delayed at least six hours. I traveled for a week between trying to leave Iran and making it back to my hometown." itsinmyownuniverse/TikTok Mariah in Abyaneh village outside of Isfahan Mariah in Abyaneh village outside of Isfahan Mariah says there was no other option but to try to figure out how to get home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I don't know how I did it. I knew that I couldn't afford to be there any longer," she says. "I spoke with my friends, who were able to help, and they would ask, 'What can we do to make sure that you get home safely?' " 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. Despite the unpredictable end to her trip, one of the things that stood out to her the most was "the kindness of people" when she was in Iran. "They wanted to practice their English. They wanted to know what I thought of their country," she explains. "Then, after the attack, my driver said to me, 'Our governments are against each other, but we're not. We're people, and you're no different than me and my children. You're just a person who wants to explore. I can appreciate you wanting to visit and see a new country.' " Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before the bombings, Mariah was traveling through the country, visiting Shiraz, Yaz, Persepolis, Necropolis and Tehran, with the capital being the last location on her trip. "I never got to see Tehran. I saw it at night for a little while, but it's beautiful, and there's a rich history and culture," Mariah shares. "There's a story behind everything. I felt completely safe the entire time I was there, and even though my life was in danger, I was safe with the driver and the guide because if they were confident, I would make it to the border. They also wanted to get back to their family." "The culture, the people, and the food are so good. Iran is really beautiful," she adds. "It was nice that I got to see different parts of it. I hope that people get a chance to feel safe and travel around again." Read the original article on People Two American veterans working with the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) were injured in an attack while distributing aid to Palestinians. The two veterans are reportedly receiving medical treatment and are in stable condition. GHF said the Americans were "highly decorated" veterans. "GHF has repeatedly warned of credible threats from Hamas, including explicit plans to target American personnel, Palestinian aid workers, and the civilians who rely on our sites for food. Todays attack tragically affirms those warnings," the organization wrote on X. GHF vowed that it was still committed to the mission of delivering aid to Gazans even in the face of violent attacks. Palestinians in Gaza get aid from the U.S. and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Terror In Gaza: Hamas Offers Bounties To Kill Us And Local Aid Workers, Group Says Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The organization later posted an image of grenade fragments left over from the attack, showing the weapons were packed with ball bearings. GHF said that after throwing the grenades the two assailants ran into a crowd of civilians. According to GHF Executive Chairman Rev. Johnnie Moore, the grenades were found to be of Iranian origin and have been "commonly used by Hamas." "I am sorry to say also that todays terror attack on Americans is partly a byproduct of the legitimacy that many in the press and at the [U.N.] provide to Hamas amplifying Hamass lies about GHF every day, but also actively collaborating with Hamas," Moore wrote on X. Read On The Fox News App U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the attack, saying that "With Hamas no good deed goes unpunished." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People In Gaza Are Thanking Trump For Aid, Leader Of Us-backed Group Says "The Hamas terrorist organization and other terrorist groups in Gaza continue efforts to sabotage and fail the distribution of humanitarian aid at the distribution sites and on the way to them," IDF International Spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani wrote in a statement. "IDF troops facilitated a safe evacuation for further medical treatment. The Hamas terrorist organization and other terrorist groups in Gaza continue to harm the Gazan civilians." GHF slammed the international community over its silence on the threats and violence against its aid workers. "For weeks, we warned this would happen. We asked the aid community to condemn threats. They stayed silent. We asked the media to stop laundering Hamas lies. They kept printing. Today, Hamas followed through by attacking American veterans with grenades as they delivered food. The silence is deafening. At what point is allowing Hamas to terrorize aid workers and run a propaganda campaign through Western media no longer acceptable?" People carry boxes of relief supplies from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private US-backed aid group that has bypassed the longstanding UN-led system in the territory, as displaced Palestinians return from an aid distribution center in the central Gaza Strip on June 8, 2025. The attack comes just one week after the organization said that Hamas put bounties on the heads of its workers, American and Palestinian alike. According to GHF, Hamas was offering money to anyone who killed or injured one of the organizations aid workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are aware of credible reports that Hamas is openly targeting the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and those who work with us. According to these reports, Hamas has placed bounties on both our American security personnel and Palestinian aid workers, offering cash rewards to anyone who injures or kills them," GHF told Fox News Digital. "The targets of Hamas brutality are heroes who are simply trying to feed the people of Gaza in the middle of a war." As of July 4, GHF said it had delivered 60 million meals since it began distributing aid in May. Original article source: American veterans attacked, injured while distributing aid in Gaza with US-backed group NEED TO KNOW Protesters gathered across the United States to rally against President Donald Trump and his administration's policies on Friday, July 4 The demonstrations on the country's 249th birthday came less than one month after massive nationwide "No Kings" protests similarly expressed discontent with the Trump administration Activists were seen dressed in Marvel costumes, holding hand-painted signs and balloons to demonstrate against the president and his political agenda Citizens across the United States are marking the country's 249th birthday with protests against the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, July 4, scores of protesters took to the streets to rally against President Donald Trump's policies established since his return to office in January, including ICE immigration raids and deportation, the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites and overall perceived abuse of federal power. The timing also aligns with Trump signing his landmark "Big, Beautiful Bill," which includes cuts to popular programs like Medicaid and SNAP and reallocates money for Trump's most controversial programs, including making Immigration and Customs Enforcement better-funded than every other federal law enforcement agency and most countries' entire militaries. The protests on Independence Day come less than a month after the massive "No Kings" protests held on June 14 Trump's 79th birthday, during which he hosted a military parade in Washington that similarly voiced disdain for Trump's policies, especially regarding mass deportation. See some of the most dramatic photos from the July 4th protests, taken across the nation. Washington, D.C. DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Steve Rogers, a history teacher from Arizona, dresses as Captain America to protest Donald Trump at the White House Steve Rogers, a history teacher from Arizona, dresses as Captain America to protest Donald Trump at the White House Washington, D.C. DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty People in Washington, D.C. carry signs protesting President Donald Trump People in Washington, D.C. carry signs protesting President Donald Trump Los Angeles ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty A protestor holds a Trump balloon in Los Angeles A protestor holds a Trump balloon in Los Angeles Los Angeles ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty Protestors hold signs in Los Angeles on July 4, 2025 Protestors hold signs in Los Angeles on July 4, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Los Angeles ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty Protestors dress up in costumes during a Los Angeles protest Protestors dress up in costumes during a Los Angeles protest Los Angeles ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty A protestor carries a sign during a Los Angeles demonstration A protestor carries a sign during a Los Angeles demonstration New York City Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors lay down with signs in New York City Protestors lay down with signs in New York City New York City Stephanie Keith/Getty A protestor holds up signs outside of Trump Tower A protestor holds up signs outside of Trump Tower Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York City Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors demonstrate against President Trump's bill in New York City Protestors demonstrate against President Trump's bill in New York City Read the original article on People Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) reacted to Congress passing President Donald Trumps so-called big, beautiful bill with a passionate speech on the steps of Capitol Hill. I think this is one of the saddest days in modern American history, the congresswoman told reporters on Thursday, after the mega-bill passed the House, clearing the way for it to head to Trumps desk. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said the United States is not prepared for "how catastrophic" the effects of President Donald Trump's so-called "big, beautiful bill" will be. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images The bill will drastically slash Medicaid and food assistance while handing major tax cuts for the wealthy. It also supercharges the budget of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Trump signed it into law on the Fourth of July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People are going to go hungry, Ocasio-Cortez said. People are going to get sick. On a scale unlike anything weve ever seen. And all of it is just to finance tax cuts for billionaires and the wealthiest corporations who dont even need it. She added, I dont think weve ever seen or are prepared for how catastrophic this is set to be. On social media, the representative warned of the consequences of the eye-popping $170 billion the bill allocates for immigration and border enforcement. It is setting up to make whats happening now look like childs play, she wrote. Related... When Adrian Paull and his wife moved into a Scottsdale, Arizona condo last year, they expected a short-term rental to serve as a comfortable landing pad while they searched for their next home. Instead, they say they found black mold and unfinished repairs. After posting honest online reviews, they were also served a surprise bill for $4,000. The reviews, it turns out, had violated a clause buried deep in the couples 21-page lease that fined tenants $2,000 per negative post, including online reviews rated less than three stars. Paull is now sounding the alarm about an issue many renters might not know is illegal: Companies penalizing customers for honest feedback. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reviews are how we hold companies accountable, Paull told Phoenixs 12News. So corrupting the review process is absolutely unlawful. And hes right. The Consumer Review Fairness Act (CRFA), passed in 2016, protects U.S. consumers from precisely this kind of retaliation. Heres what happened and what you should do if a landlord or business tries to fine you for a negative review. Don't miss A nightmare rental experience turns into a financial fight Paull and his wife sold their home in North Scottsdale in 2023 and signed a lease at a nearby condo managed by Denali Real Estate. They moved quickly, hoping to give themselves a comfortable cushion of time before their official move-out date. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But things went south fast. When we lifted a piece of furniture in the master bedroom, there was an enormous patch of black mold, Paull said. The couple left immediately and asked Denali to fix the issue. When they returned, Paull claims the problems werent resolved: walls still had holes, sections of carpet were missing, and sharp carpet tacks were exposed on the floor. Fed up with what he described as unresponsiveness from the company, Paull turned to Google and Yelp to share his experience. Instead of a response, he says his $2,200 rental credit suddenly flipped to a $1,800 balance due. The reason? Two $2,000 non-disparagement penalties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their lease prohibited negative online reviews, negative ratings of 3 out of 5 stars or less and negative posts on all social media and review platforms. Violating this clause, it warned, would trigger a $2,000 fine per occurrence. Why that clause is likely illegal The CRFA makes it illegal for companies to enforce contract clauses that punish consumers for honest reviews, whether online or offline. That means if you post a truthful review, a company cannot legally fine, threaten or retaliate against you for it, even if its negative. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has brought enforcement actions against businesses that try to use gag clauses in contracts. Violators may face civil penalties and court orders. If youre a renter or customer, that means: You cannot be fined or penalized for a review just because its negative. You can file complaints with the FTC, your states attorney general, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You should save any documentation contracts, emails or invoices if you plan to dispute the charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of publication, Paull has filed complaints with the Arizona Attorney Generals Office, BBB, and says he plans to contact the FTC. **Read more: No millions? No problem. With as little as $10, heres how you can access this $1B private real estate fund of diversified assets usually only available to major players Denali Real Estate backs down, but the damage may be done After 12News reached out for comment, Denali Real Estate issued a statement saying it takes all feedback seriously and submitted its lease agreement for legal review. A few hours later, the company said it would remove the non-disparagement clause from its contracts immediately. Still, it remains unclear whether Denali will drop the charges against Paull. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company claims it made multiple attempts to fix issues at the condo, but says Paull repeatedly denied access to contractors and repair teams. Paull disputes that version of events and says the property remains uninhabitable, with storm damage and even animal feces present inside the unit. Whatever the outcome, one thing is clear: what happened to Paull is part of a broader issue facing renters, and consumers in general. What to do if a company tries to silence your review If youre ever threatened with legal or financial consequences for leaving a review, here are the steps you can take: Know your rights: The Consumer Review Fairness Act makes it illegal for businesses to enforce gag clauses in consumer contracts. If your lease or service agreement contains one, its unenforceable, even if you signed it. File complaints with the right agencies: Start with your states attorney general. You can also contact the FTC and the Better Business Bureau: FTC Complaint Assistant (https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/) Arizona AG Consumer Complaints (https://www.azag.gov/complaints/consumer) BBB File a Complaint (https://www.bbb.org/file-a-complaint) Save all documentation: Keep copies of the lease, emails, and any charges or correspondence tied to the dispute. Youll need them if you decide to pursue legal action or dispute charges with a credit card company or bank. Dont be afraid to speak up: Reviews are protected speech. If a company uses intimidation tactics to bury honest feedback, they may be the ones violating the law, not you. What to read next Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Money doesnt have to be complicated sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. An Army investigation into the death of L/Cpl Bernard Mongan described it as a "tragic event". But, evidence at his inquest mirrored that heard about the deaths of other soldiers in recent years and highlighted long-standing questions around bullying and mental health support for troops. Bernard Mongan was found dead in his room at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire on 23 January 2020 - three weeks after he was last seen alive. The Centre for Military Justice (CMJ) said the fact nobody on the UK's largest Army base realised he was missing for so long was "astonishing and appalling", while the delay left senior coroner Jon Heath unable to determine exactly how the 33-year-old died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, he did conclude the father-of-three was "on occasions treated and spoken to by his chain of command in a way that caused him distress". L/Cpl Mongan's wife, Beth - whom he was separated from at the time of his death - went further. "I believe that Bernie took his own life while in crisis," she said after the coroner returned his conclusion in Northallerton in June.. "He had been badly assaulted the year before and little to no action taken to address that, and he said that had been bullied and I believe him. "I also believe the mental health care he received in the weeks before he died was deeply inadequate." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the course of the inquest one witness described how L/Cpl Mongan had been "shouted, screamed and swore at" and "forced" to do extra runs in his lunch break without being given time to eat, while another said he was "100% victimised". Two other soldiers however suggested he had been "mismanaged" as opposed to being bullied, while Capt Ben Atkin, RSM for L/Cpl Mongan's battalion said physical exercise was "not allowed to be used in the British Army as a punishment" and "if I had seen it, I would have stopped it". Whatever the precise truth, the inquest brought allegations of bullying in the Army front and centre and not for the first time. Lawyer Emma Norton, from the CMJ - which provides independent legal advice and support to service personnel and their relatives - has represented the families of eight former soldiers at their inquests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among those she and the CMJ have helped are L/Cpl Joel Robinson and Cpl Anne-Marie Ellement, both of whom complained of bullying before taking their own lives. She said all of them had "very, very serious concerns about whether the vulnerabilities and experiences of their loved ones were adequately identified and responded to by the Army". While L/Cpl Mongan never made an official complaint about bullying Ms Norton believed his chain of command "should have been capable of identifying that and dealing with it". If you have been affected by any of the issues raised you can seek help via the BBC's Action Line website. Father-of-three Bernard Mongan was found dead at his army barracks in Catterick Garrison [Handout] The inquest also heard L/Cpl Mongan had made several attempts on his own life prior to his death, including one while serving in the Army in 2016. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, information about his mental health history was not shared when he moved to Catterick. Asked if that was a significant failure in communication, Capt Atkin told the hearing: "It's an issue, it's a failing, the system should have worked." For Ms Norton it was "a shocking failure" and "unforgivably bad". "[Bernie] is another good example of the risk that can be posed when this information-sharing system falls down," she said. Army 'failed duty of care' L/Cpl Mongan was not the only soldier at Catterick whose inquest heard information about a failure to share information around previous attempts to self harm . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nicholas Hart was found dead at the North Yorkshire base in February 2022, just weeks before the birth of his youngest child. In November 2024, coroner Jonathan Leach recorded a verdict of suicide. Highlander Hart's sister, Jamie Hart-Dobbs, still vividly remembers one of his regular sayings about Army life: "They taught me how to go to war, they didn't teach me how to come back from it." Also 33, the dad-of-four served with the 4th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. He too had previously attempted to take his own life. However, the inquest into his death heard his colleagues were unaware of this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An internal inquiry by the Ministry of Defence found there were "missed opportunities" in the care he received before he died. "It's not missed opportunities, it's down right neglect," said Ms Hart-Dobbs. "They have a duty of care, they failed in that duty of care." The inquest heard Highlander Hart's mental health had worsened following the suicide of another soldier based at Catterick Garrison, Ryan Mackenzie. Army witnesses told Mr Mackenzie's inquest they were also never made aware of his past suicide attempts, or his mental health history. Nicholas Hart's family believe opportunities were missed to help him [PA/FAMILY HANDOUT] Highlander Hart's wife Sara believes her husband should have been medically discharged following a suicide attempt in 2014. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You are holding a gun, you are going out to fight, putting your life on the line - they should know what your mental state is," she said. "If your mind isn't right, how are you going to protect the fellow person that's beside you?" Ms Hart-Dobbs added: "They are not expendable, these men, you can't just throw them away. They are ours." She said she had followed L/Cpl Mongan's inquest, describing it as a "repeat" of her family's experiences. "There shouldn't be a reason for [the Army] to have to apologise to families like us because our men should still be here." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, following L/Cpl Mongan's death a Service Inquiry by the Army into his death made 49 recommendations - all of which Ms Norton said were accepted and "should mean that it would be less likely that there would be more cases like his". Highlander Hart died the following year. When the BBC put the concerns raised by L/Cpl Mongan's and Highlander Hart's families to the Army, they said the demands placed on service personnel had the potential to have a significant impact on their health and well being. They said they worked closely with the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS and other stakeholders to further improve the support available and help others recognise recognise the signs of mental health distress in themselves and their colleagues and to encourage people to seek help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Ministry of Defence spokesperson added: "Our deepest sympathies remain with the family and friends of Lance Corporal Bernie Mongan. "His loss has been profoundly felt throughout the Army, but we recognise that no-one has felt this tragedy more deeply than those closest to him. "The Army accepted and is actioning all of the recommendations identified by the Service Inquiry report into Bernie's death. "We deeply regret and apologise for the shortfalls in our duty of care towards him, which were clearly unacceptable. "We're grateful to HM Coroner for the thorough and diligent examination of the circumstances surrounding his death. "Bernie's service will not be forgotten, and we owe it to his memory, to his loved ones, and to all who serve to ensure that we consistently and diligently provide the duty of care our people need and deserve." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. More on this story Related internet links A former Army Ranger was seriously injured after a boat propeller sliced into him while snorkeling in the Bahamas. Brent Slough was vacationing with his family on June 30 when the hit-and-run incident occurred in the Exuma district of the islands. The driver of the boat did not stop and has not been charged. Slough, a West Point graduate and former Ranger who served six years in the military as well as one tour in Iraq, was in the water before dinner when a boat skimming the shallows struck him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to his wife, Whitney Slough, the propeller hit Slough underneath the buttocks and the legs, causing him to bleed profusely. Recalling the incident to WFAA, she said: We hear Brent screaming, Help me, help me, help me. We didnt realize that he was struck by the boat. Former Army Ranger Brent Slough was injured in a hit-and-run incident while snorkeling in the Bahamas. (GoFundMe/ TheSlough Family) Slough's family, with the help of other Good Samaritans on the beach, pulled him from the water and wrapped his legs in towels in an attempt to stop the bleeding. He was taken to a nearby hospital. He was later airlifted back to the U.S. and is currently in the ICU in Miami, having undergone surgery, which lasted four hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His wife told WFAA that doctors were unable to stitch the wounds because they're so deep and have packed them instead. A GoFundMe to help with his medical bills has so far raised over $50,000. Bahamian authorities are now searching for the boat and those responsible. "They know they hit him, they saw him snorkeling," Whitney Slough said. "And they drove off. I just can't let that be. We're lucky that he's alive and there's no way that they should be able to get away with this." She added: "[The Bahamas] is such a beautiful place. But I feel like I'm in a nightmare." MOUNT VERNON, Va. (DC News Now) Americas First Action Hero. Love, Arnold. That was the message on the wreath that Arnold Schwarzenegger placed at the tomb of George Washington on July 4 when the former California governor visited Mount Vernon, home of the countrys first president. Anold Schwarzenegger, actor and former California governor, places a wreath at the tomb of George Washington in Mount Vernon, Va. on July 4, 2025. (Mount Vernon Ladies Association) Schwarzenegger was the keynote speaker at a naturalization ceremony in which more than 100 people from 95 countries took the oath to become citizens of the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The actor and former governor, who was born in Austria, took the oath in 1982. The day I raised my right hand and became an American citizen was, without a doubt, one of the greatest days of my life, Schwarzenegger said. If you told me on that day that 43 years later I would be standing at Mount Vernon, the home of one of my heroes and a historic symbol of freedom and democracy, to welcome more new citizens, I would have been shocked. But thats the beauty of the United States of America: nothing is impossible, he continued. Schwarzenegger added, I owe everything to this country, and I cant wait to share this moment with these new citizens to remind them of the limitless opportunity afforded by their new home. I hope they will feel the same debt of gratitude that Ive tried to repay throughout my whole life by giving back, being committed to our Constitution, and united by our shared values. The action film star provided design input for the wreath. The flowers that were part of it included white yarrow and Austrian fir to represent Austria, white stock, red, and blue anemone, along with silver dollar eucalyptus to represent California, freedom red roses, dark and light blue delphinium, white hydrangea, and red hypericum berry to represent Mount Vernon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doug Bradburn, Mount Vernon President and CEO, read Washingtons Prayer for His Country. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The door of a synagogue in the Australian city of Melbourne has been set on fire. About 20 people had gathered in the building on Friday evening at the start of the Jewish Sabbath when a man poured a flammable liquid on the entrance door of the building and set it alight, according to the police. All those present were able to leave the synagogue safely through the back door and were uninjured, the police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire was extinguished. Investigations into the incident, which was initially not classified as terrorism, are ongoing. The perpetrator is being sought. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese strongly condemned the attack. "Last night's arson attack on the synagogue in East Melbourne is cowardly, is an act of violence and anti-Semitism and has no place in Australian society," he posted on Saturday morning in a video message on X. It is also being examined whether there is a connection to two other incidents on Friday, investigators said. In the centre of Melbourne, about 20 demonstrators stormed and vandalized an Israeli restaurant. They chanted "Death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]," the broadcaster 9News reported, citing eyewitness accounts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In another incident in the suburb of Greensborough, cars were set on fire and a building was sprayed, which had already been attacked by pro-Palestinian groups in the past. Australia's largest Jewish community lives in Melbourne, in the south-east of the country, with around 55,000 members. Already at the end of last year, there was an arson attack on a synagogue there. Jul. 4MITCHELL For nearly two decades, Joyce Olson and her daughter Jill have been advocating for recognition recognition they say is long overdue for Army Specialist David Olson, a helicopter crew chief who died from cancer that his family believes was directly caused by his service in Iraq. David Olson, who joined the U.S. Army in 2003 in response to the 9/11 attacks, served 18 months at Baghdad International Airport. He was known for his discipline, sense of duty and ability to lead. His commanding officer, Robert Baer, once wrote to Joyce: "He was a great soldier and we were honored to have known him. He was a perfectionist in everything he did." Baer recounted that David's competence earned him a position as part of the Assistant Division Commander's aircrew a "no fail, zero defect job." Along with his letter, Baer sent Joyce a Battalion coin, a token of excellence within the unit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But after returning to Germany in 2005, David began showing signs of illness rapid weight loss and fatigue. Diagnosed in November 2005 with adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer, he died less than four months later, on Feb. 27, 2006, at just 28 years old. While the military honored David with a funeral and allowed his fellow soldiers stationed in Germany to fly back as his honor guard, the Army declined to cover the costs for those on U.S. leave costs the Olson family took on themselves. But what has remained even harder to bear, Joyce says, is the lack of formal recognition that David's death was service-connected. "It's not always a bullet or a bomb that causes a casualty," Joyce said. "We know that from Valley Forge to Vietnam. Now, it's burn pits and contaminated water. David died from cancer just as surely as if he'd been blown up by an IED." David had often told his family about the burn pit that operated close to his tent at the Baghdad airport. The thick, choking smoke would often seep into their living quarters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He told us about waking up and not being able to see because of the smoke," Jill recalled. These pits, regulated by contractors rather than the Army itself, burned everything from plastics to human waste. The VA never acknowledged a connection between David's cancer and his deployment. That lack of recognition created a rift between the Olson family and the military community. "For years we felt excluded," said Jill. "We weren't considered part of the 'gold star' group because David didn't die in action. That's been really painful." That pain has slowly transformed into action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since David died, the Olsons have spearheaded several community projects to honor his memory. One of the most visible is the military memorial in the Artesian cemetery, where a bronze statue modeled after David stands. Similar statues can be found in Mitchell, Woonsocket and Arlington. Though not officially acknowledged, Jill and Joyce say the statue's likeness is unmistakably David's his uniform, posture and gear taken from photos his family provided. For Joyce, one of the most moving moments came at the Memorial Day Service in Artesian this year. She had expected a simple name mention during the roll call but was instead presented with a handmade Quilt of Honor by fellow veteran Karen Klinkner. "It was the first time we felt accepted by the military community," said Jill. "That recognition brought real healing." The quilt presentation and inclusion of David's name at the cemetery marked a shift after 19 years of silence. But not everyone agreed. Joyce once received an anonymous letter accusing her of wrongly calling David a "fallen hero" because he died from illness. She remains undeterred. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I feel that David's death from adrenocortical cancer is directly related to his service in Baghdad," she said firmly. "We need to do a better job of recognizing these forgotten heroes." David's legacy also lives on through annual poker tournaments first held in his family's garage while he was on hospice. He wanted one last game, and the family honored that wish with 20 participants in their small South Dakota town. That gathering grew into a 12-year annual tradition, which later turned into a fundraiser for local causes. The tradition spread to nearby communities like Letcher and Mount Vernon, inspiring events like the BOS Poker Run, which benefits youth in need. Even in medicine, David's life created ripples. His brother Joe knew someone who was then the director of nursing at an Omaha research facility, and that connection led to the launch of an initiative to investigate rare cancers in military personnel, beginning with David's case. Today, that research continues to grow. Joyce has also distributed nearly a thousand cards bearing David's image on one side and seven life lessons on the other words that emerged as she wrote thank-you notes after his funeral. They include lines like: "Occupy your mind it helps ignore the icky stuff" and "If you want to do something, do it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through statues, scholarships, fundraisers and remembrance, the Olsons are ensuring David's life and sacrifice aren't forgotten. "While signing up to serve his country during a time of war is unquestionably courageous," Joyce said, "his battle with cancer showed us the true depth of his character." In the end, the Olsons' mission has become larger than David. "We feel it is our responsibility to share David's story," said Joyce, "for other families who have felt similarly unrecognized because their loved ones died from illness rather than in action." SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australian authorities on Saturday condemned what they said was an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue with worshippers in the building, the latest in a spate of incidents against the nation's Jewish community. The fire at the entrance to the synagogue in the east of Victoria's state capital was sparked on Friday night, police said in a statement. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and there were no injuries to the 20 people inside. The attack, one of several recent antisemitic incidents in Australia, comes seven months after another synagogue in Melbourne was targeted by arsonists who set a blaze that injured one and caused widespread damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan on Saturday said it was "absolutely appalling" that a second Jewish synagogue had been attacked. "Any attack on a place of worship is an act of hate, and any attack on a Jewish place of worship is an act of anti-Semitism," Allan said in a statement. Police said they believed the attack, in which flammable liquid was poured on the synagogue's front door and set alight, was carried out by a male suspect. He has not been identified but is thought to be white and aged in his 30s. There is "no place in our society for antisemitic or hate-based behaviour," police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of Executive Council of Australian Jewry, an umbrella group for Australia's Jews, said in a statement the fire was set as those inside sat down to Shabbat dinner. Authorities said they were probing if the attack was linked to an incident on Friday night at an inner-city restaurant in which one person was arrested for hindering police. The Israeli restaurant was extensively damaged in the incident, Ryvchin said. "These events are a severe escalation directed towards our community," he said. Homes, schools, synagogues and vehicles in Australia have been targeted by antisemitic vandalism and arson since the beginning of the Israel-Gaza war in late 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incidents have included a fake plan set up by organised crime to attack a Sydney synagogue using a caravan of explosives in order to divert police resources, police said in March. (Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by William Mallard and Tom Hogue) Australia's prime minister has promised to take strong action following an apparent arson attack on a synagogue in Melbourne. Pictures showed a man pouring liquid on the synagogue's front door before setting it on fire on Friday night. Some 20 people having dinner inside at the time were evacuated without any injuries. A man has been charged and is due to appear in court. Police are also trying to determine if the incident is linked to an attack against a Jewish-owned restaurant in the city on the same night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A string of antisemitic attacks have occurred in Australia in the past few months, sparked by tensions over the Israel-Hamas war. Protesters at the restaurant shouted slogans against the Israeli military [JOSH STANYER/EPA/Shutterstock] The Australian government has appointed a special envoy to combat antisemitism, and passed tougher laws against hate crimes following a wave of high-profile attacks. "Antisemitism has no place in Australia," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said following the attack on the East Melbourne synagogue. "Those responsible for these shocking acts must face the full force of the law and my government will provide all necessary support toward this effort," Albanese said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Angelo Loras, 34, from Toongabbie on the outskirts of Sydney, was arrested in Melbourne on Saturday and has been charged with arson and reckless conduct endangering life. It is not clear if the incident was linked to the attack on the Miznon restaurant in the city's business district during which rioters broke in, throwing chairs and other objects while chanting "death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]". Some of the attackers were led away in handcuffs. "These events are a severe escalation directed towards our community," said Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There have been too many antisemitic attacks in Australia," Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said. "The Australian government must do more to fight this toxic disease." The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has become a volatile political issue in Australia. It has resulted in protests from both Jewish and Muslim communities, as well as a sharp uptick in Islamophobia and antisemitism. The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October 2023 attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. At least 57,268 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's health ministry. A massive search is underway to find at least 20 young girls at a Texas summer camp as the Lone Star State is combats flash flooding that has killed at least 24 people. At least 23 Camp Mystic campers are still missing. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said authorities were able to access the camp on Friday to begin evacuating the children. Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp, is the only camp where kids are unaccounted for amid the floods in the states south-central region, according to Leitha. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The search has continued in the area known as Hill country after a rain storm pushed the Guadalupe River above its banks. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued a disaster declaration for 15 counties affected by flooding late Thursday, stating that Texas will stop at nothing to ensure every missing person is fully accounted for. The longtime director of a nearby summer camp, Heart O The Hills, Jane Ragsdale died in the floods on Friday. We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful, the camp said in a statement. The organization added that the camp was not in session and most of the people who were at the camp have been accounted for or are currently on higher ground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas officials have not provided an estimate of how many people are missing from the floods that started on Wednesday. The one thing I hear the most are the prayers that are being sent for those who are in harms way, Abbott said. There is an extraordinary collaboration to make sure that we address everybodys concern as quickly as possible. On Friday, Texas lawmakers diverted their attention from the 4th of July festivities to address the flooding in the state. This breaks my heart. Please join me in praying for the families whove lost their loved ones and for the speedy recovery of those missing, Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) said. Special thank you to the National Guard, first responders, law enforcement officers, and volunteers working to save lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. FOLEY, Ala. (WKRG) Members of the newly formed chapter, Indivisible Baldwin County, spent their Independence Day on the picket line in Foley. Prichards Fourth of July celebration to feature splashpad, fireworks A demonstration was held in downtown Foley, as people stood on the side of the road in front of Heritage Park for the No Kings protest. Debbie Williams/WKRG I just want people to know that if theyre upset about whats happening in our country, they have a place with us. And what better time to exercise our First Amendment rights than on our countrys birthday? said Indivisible leader Johnston Tisdale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The demonstration came as President Donald Trump signed his budget bill. Friends, families grill out for Fourth of July feasts in Mobile Indivisible is a movement that focuses on electing progressive leaders, rebuild[ing] our democracy, and defeat[ing] the Trump agenda, according to their website. Debbie Williams and Brandon Harrison contributed to this article. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HONOLULU (KHON2) Its summertime, and that means people are traveling much more. From Hawaii holidays and to family reunions, its vacation time for many Americans. When you fly to a destination with an airline, there are Transportation Security Administration (TSA) rules about what you can bring in your carry-on bag (the bag you take on the plane with you). Your Hawaii summer destination: Kauais Napali Coast Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some rules are simple, like, no big weapons, for example. But others are surprising. Heres a guide to help you out. Hawaii residents: Get your REAL ID before May 7 Unusual items you can bring in your as carry-on These might seem strange, but they are allowed: Why Hawaiis BBQ sauce is stealing the summer spotlight Antlers. Artificial skeleton bones. Bocce balls. Chopsticks. Drumsticks (for drums, not chicken). Duct tape. Forks. Harry Potter wand. Knitting needles and crochet hooks. Nail clippers and metal nail files. Parachutes (with special rules). Skateboards and rollerblades (check with airline for size). Sewing needles and even sewing machines. Vacuum robots. Longboards. A TV or a printer. Scissors if blades are less than 4 inches. Corkscrews. Screwdrivers if shorter than 7 inches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Your Hawaii summer sunscreen guide Allowed for carry-on (even though similar items are not) Sometimes, you can bring certain items that seem similar to things that are not allowed. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Knitting needles are explicitly allowed in carry-on and checked baggage. Even long metal needles, though sharp and pointed, are permitted. Crochet hooks with their sharp hooks are also allowed in carry-on and checked baggage. However, tent spikes, a.k.a. tent stakes, are not allowed in carry-on due to their sharp, weapon-like points. And while corkscrews are allowed, Swiss Army knives are not. Surprising Things That Count as Liquids Liquids, creams and gels in carry-on bags must be in containers 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less, and all must fit in one quart-size bag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some foods look solid but count as liquids or gels: Creamy cheese. Hummus. Creamy dips and spreads (like ranch or bean dip). Peanut butter. Salsa and sauces. Yogurt. Soup. Pies with gooey fillings or soft centers. Ice cream or gelato (if not solid). Even if it looks like its not a liquid, the TSA might say it is if it spreads, squeezes or pours. Extra tips Always check with your airline for big or unconventional items like skateboards, TVs, printers/printer ink or wheelchairs. While TSA allows them, you have to check with individual airlines to find out if they allow them. Remember that TSA officers make the final call if something seems unsafe, even if its usually allowed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you organize your bag so its easy to check at the airport, then you will spend less time in the TSA screening area. Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8 You can click here for a full list of items TSA allows and does not allow both for carry on and checked baggage. And always remember: Travel smart and double-check before you pack Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BOSTON (SHNS) After the U.S. House vote to pass sprawling legislation that extends tax breaks and cuts social services spending in a nod to President Donald Trumps domestic policy agenda, reaction poured in from all corners of the Massachusetts politics and policy world. Trump is expected to sign the bill at 5 p.m. Friday, July 4. Heres a sampling of the reaction: U.S. House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark House Democrats will spend every day of the next 16 months making sure moms, dads, seniors, and veterans know that Republicans took away their health care, raised their energy bills, and hiked their grocery costs. When hospitals close, nursing homes turn away seniors, and insurance premiums skyrocket, the American people will know its Republicans who made their lives harder and more expensive. When kids are forced to skip meals and pregnant moms cant find an OB/GYN, they will know its because Republicans chose to prioritize tax breaks for billionaires. This is not what the American people voted for, and they will not forget this outright betrayal. We will make sure of it. U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan Donald Trumps bill isnt about helping working families its about giving the wealthiest 1 percent another massive tax break while ripping away health care, food, education, and essential services from millions of Americans. In Massachusetts, the cost of Trumps betrayal will be devastating. Seniors will lose care, children with disabilities will lose critical support, and working families will struggle just to put food on the table and keep the lights on, all so millionaires and billionaires can pocket tens or even hundreds of thousands more each year in tax breaks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Rep. Richard Neal Republicans sealed their fate today. Once again, betraying every promise theyve made to the American people, and once again, attempting to do it under the cover of night. Thanks to Leader Jeffries unshakable resolve, the vote happened in broad daylight, and every American saw exactly who was fighting for them. House Democrats showed the leadership this moment demands. Every job lost, meal missed, and prescription skipped falls squarely on Republicans shoulders. Mass. Senate President Karen Spilka Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans actions will bring real pain to Massachusetts families. Hundreds of thousands of hard-working people stand to lose their health carewhether through stripped coverage or closed providers. Children, seniors, and families could be denied access to food. And adding trillions of dollars to the national debt threatens the stability of our entire economy. No statenot even one as strong and resilient as Massachusettscan fully make up for the devastating funding cuts this cruel and reckless bill would cause. In the face of these threats, the Massachusetts Senate will continue doing what weve always done: working every day to lower costs, build housing, and deliver world-class healthcare, education, and transportation. Thats our missionand we will keep fighting to deliver for every resident, no matter what region you live in or what your circumstances may be. MassGOP, reacting on X to the final vote USA! USA! USA! #BBB Gov. Maura Healey, in a video posted to X Congress just passed Donald Trumps budget bill, which was a vote to take away food, take away health care, and make life more expensive for everyone. They were elected to lower costs, but theyve done just the opposite. Theyre kicking hundreds of thousands of people in Massachusetts off their health insurance. This means our rural hospitals, nursing homes and community health centers could close. And whether or not youre on Medicaid, youre going to pay more for your health care. Theyve gutted SNAP, which means theyre taking food away from children and families, seniors, veterans, folks with disabilities. Now, at the same time, Ive been working on a responsible budget for the people of Massachusetts. We want you to have access to health care, to education, transportation. I want you to be able to afford groceries, housing, heat and electricity. Thats what were focused on delivering, and were not going to let Donald Trump get in the way of that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren Donald Trump and the Republican Party officially sold out working people. Every single Republican now owns the fact that 17 million people will lose health care, that the cost of groceries will go up, that student loan payments will go up, and that utility bills will go up all when families are already struggling with out-of-control costs. This is a betrayal of working people, and we will never let the Republican Party forget that they chose Donald Trump over the American people. U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley Republicans have passed a bill that will be a death sentencedenying millions medical care, denying children food, and violently deporting immigrant families to destabilized countries. This is unforgivable. I remain yours in service to every family who calls the Massachusetts 7th home, and I will never stop fighting for you. Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition It is both terrifying and sickening to watch President Trump and Congressional leaders gleefully launch this large-scale assault on immigrant and refugee rights. Congress and the administration are shamelessly investing hundreds of billions of dollars to detain and jail, many times without due process, hard-working members of our communities, while cutting off access to invaluable anti-poverty programs. While we are deeply shaken by todays vote in Washington, we are more committed than ever to preserving the rights of immigrants and refugees in Massachusetts and across the nation. Amy Rosenthal, executive director of Health Care for All Threatening health care access for individuals and families across Massachusetts is unethical, immoral and represents a flagrant disregard for peoples health and wellbeing. This bill makes the largest cuts to Medicaid in the programs history and attempts a back door repeal of the Affordable Care Act. As a result, the uninsured rate in Massachusetts is at risk of doubling, leaving more than 400,000 people with no health coverage. We will stand in coalition with our fellow advocates and in partnership with state officials to do what Massachusetts has always done, come together to fight for access to coverage, care and health equity in the Commonwealth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Catherine DAmato, president and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank The Greater Boston Food Bank condemns unprecedented rollbacks to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid included in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act. These cuts are the largest in history, reducing or eliminating benefits for seniors, Veterans, children, legally-present immigrants, and working families. This Act shifts responsibility of paying for food and health care programs onto individual statesa burden that no state budget will be able to absorb without significant trade-offs to other critical state-funded social needs programs. SNAP is our nations first line of defense against hunger, and a proven, cost-effective program that helps 1 in 6 Massachusetts residents, and 1 in 8 across the U.S., to put food on the table. These cuts will force even more food-insecure individuals to turn to an already overextended and underfunded hunger relief network to close their meal gap. GBFB estimates that the charitable food bank and food pantry system in Massachusetts would require approximately $119 million to meet the increased need. Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, on X Tax cuts for taxpayers, employers are a good thing for the economy. And yes, govt at all levels: Federal, State & Local need a reset on spending expansion trends. COVID spending was supposed to be temporary. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. A popular Modesto, California tiki bar closed its doors this week after six decades in business. Tiki Cocktail Lounge, which was located at 932 McHenry Avenue since its founding in 1964, shuttered for good on Tuesday. Owner Tammy Maisetti shared the sad news in a social media post. This decision was not made lightly, Maisetti wrote. Over the years, we have had the immense privilege of serving you, getting to know your stories and becoming part of your lives. Your loyalty, kindness and support have meant more than words can express. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the years, Tiki Lounge attracted a diverse clientele throughout multiple different ownerships. According to the bar's Facebook page, it described itself as "an open lifestyle environment where people of all sexualities and genders can feel free to get together, have a few good cocktails and have a great time." The bar was known as being LGBTQ+ friendly, thanks to Cyriakus Gus Wagner, who took over as manager of the place in 2005. One social media commentator called Tiki Cocktail Lounge "the first gay bar on McHenry." "Cyriakus Gus Wagner revitalized the Tiki Cocktail Lounge in 2005, marketing it as a gay bar and attracting a supportive clientele. The Tiki remains a staple of the community," said the Modesto Bee in 2024. Maisetti's announcement was met with disappointed comments by longtime fans of the bar. While she did not provide a specific reason for the closure, Maisetti did have a message for patrons in her sendoff post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although we are saying goodbye to this business, the experiences and friendships formed here will stay with us forever, she wrote. We hope weve left you with the same warmth and care that you have shown us. "Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for allowing us to be part of your story." Beloved California Tiki Bar Closes Immediately After 61 Years first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 5, 2025 Kelly Hogwood, a Philadelphia native, finally got to bring her grandchildren to the parade she has told them about in glowing terms for years. We talk about it all the time, she said from a spot they staked out at the southwest corner of Evans and Cleveland avenues in Wyomissing before Friday mornings parade. Its one of the best parades. They were super excited. Grace Royster, 9, of Philadelphia, visiting her grandmother Kelly Hogwood of Wyomissing, models patriotic attire during the Wyomissing Independence Day Parade on Friday. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The night before, she took the youngsters on a driving tour of the borough to see all of the homes decorated in bunting and the Stars and Stripes, among other patriotic adornments. They couldnt believe how many homes were decorated, Hogwood said. For Hogwood, the Fourth of July parade and festivities are a reflection of the community cohesiveness she yearned for when she left the big city. Growing up, you knew all your neighbors names, she said. It got the point where there was so much movement you didnt know anyone. Here, it seems like people know their neighbors. Curb space was at a premium along the parade route, especially on Cleveland Avenue approaching Evans Avenue, where the procession pivots to begin the home stretch to the Stone House along Wyomissing Creek. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the ninth year, Andrew and Carly Kraft hosted a Fourth of July party for relatives and friends at their home in the 1500 block of Cleveland. This is our day, Andrews said. Its like Christmas, Carly chimed in. We probably have 60 people here. Guests sat in folding lawn chairs along the edge curb. A bouncy house occupied most of the front lawn. Bill and Kelly Keim of Shillington with their son Benny, 8, display their patriotism during the Wyomissing Independence Day Parade on Friday. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) Among the guests were their friends Bill and Kelly Keim of Shillington. The Krafts look forward each year to seeing how decked out Bill Keim will be for the big day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This years ensemble, from his straw hat to his shorts, was nearly 100% stars and stripes and patriotic symbols. It was also functional: Around his waist was a fanny pack with a pair of cupholders bracketing the image of a bald eagle. Just trying to be fun and celebrate America, Bill said. All of the above was fitting with the theme of this years Wyomissing Independence Day Parade & Celebration: Red, White, and You! Up and down the shade-tree-lined parade route, residents hosted front-yard cookouts, with some hosts putting up tent canopies and tables for the comfort of their guests. As for the parade, it had a little of everything, including music from Dixieland to Django jazz ensembles to pipe-and-drum corps to Mummers string bands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sons of the American Revolution colorguard leads the Wyomissing Independence Day Parade on Friday. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) The wailing of bagpipes of Hawk Mountain Highlanders announced the start of the parade behind the color guard of Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution. The Greater Kensington String Band struts during the Wyomissing Independence Day Parade on Friday. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) Not far behind the men in kilts, the Greater Kensington String Band, with members outlandish Mummers costumes that included hats shaped like flames, strutted down Cleveland, which was lined four-deep with spectators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A squad of World War II infantrymen, a ladder truck from the West Reading Fire Department and Western Berks Ambulance vehicle provided an interlude before the brass instruments announced the approaching Reading Buccaneers Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps. Bucs rendition of America the Beautiful drew applause as they headed into the turn. The Reading Fightin Phils Crazy Hotdog Vendor got things fired up when he tossed hotdogs from a pickup truck. Other mascots, including Screwball, greeted spectators on foot or aboard a fleet of vehicles provided by Savage 61. Hamilton Celtic Pip & Drum performed Youre a Grand Old Flag, before Boy Scouts Troop 413, Wyomissing, distributed candy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A float carrying representatives of the Wyomissing High School Class of 1965 displayed an enlarged black-and-white class photo. A sextet called the Happy Dutchmen, performing aboard a float, demonstrated its range with Yankee Doodle Dandy followed by the Beatles Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, which had spectators swaying and toe-tapping. The Firecracker Fun Run kicks off the Wyomissing Independence Day Parade on Friday. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)Eileen McGarvey of Wernersville wears a star-spangled tiara during the Wyomissing Independence Day Parade on Friday. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)Flags are distributed prior to the Wyomissing Independence Day Parade on Friday. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)Children scurry for candy during the Wyomissing Independence Day Parade on Friday. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)Children decked out in patriotic garb watch the parade. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)Children reach for bubbles during the Wyomissing Independence Day Parade on Friday. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)The West Reading and Wyomissing Rotary Club, sponsors of the Field of Heroes flag display at the Stone House, march during the Wyomissing Independence Day Parade on Friday. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)Carter Mercado, 7, son of Britannni Aldinger of Wernersville, enjoys an inflatable slide set up on Cleveland Avenue in Wyomissing. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)World War II veterans are featured during the parade. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) Two large U.S. corporations are heading to court in Ada County over a bathroom bidet that flooded a Meridian womans home. It all started when she bought the bidet on Amazon. State Farm, her home insurer, is suing Amazon and Ottolives, a foreign manufacturer of bidets, accusing Amazon of knowingly marketing and selling Meridian resident Leah Hart a faulty handheld bidet sprayer that caused costly water damage to her house on Blue Creek Court in May 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hart was insured by State Farm when the bidet allegedly failed. The insurer paid over $137,000 to Hart for the incident. Its suing Amazon and Ottolives, which designed and assembled the bidet, for the same amount, plus litigation costs. The lawsuit alleges that the product was not fit for ordinary use. It claims that both companies were negligent in selling an unsafe product and failing to adequately notify consumers about the potential defect. State Farm and its attorney on the case did not respond to requests for comment. Hart also did not respond to an email or phone call from the Statesman about the lawsuit. An Amazon spokesperson said the company would get back to a Statesman reporter seeking comment but hadnt as of publication. Ottolives is a trademark whose owner is in Guangdong province, China, according to trademark records. Efforts to reach the owner through an email address the Statesman found in one record were not immediately successful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Farm said the companies knew, or should have known, that the bidet sprayer, which Hart installed on her toilet, was unreasonably dangerous, posing a substantial and unjustifiable risk of failing. It accused Ottolives and Amazon of strict product liability, breach of warranty and negligence. The Ottolives bidet sprayer on Amazons website. The product, which comes with an installation kit, is currently unavailable on Amazons website. It has over 1,000 ratings and 4.1 stars. The handheld bidet sprayer has two water pressure modes, jet spray and soft spray modes, the product descriptions says. Control the water pressure for a gentle and thorough clean up. The bidet includes a hose with an inner tube and stainless steel casing to prevent leakage, according to the description, which touts exquisite workmanship. Ottolives says its bidet takes about 10 minutes to install and that no plumbers are required. Customers dont need to worry about corrosion or leaking, it says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the reviews report that the bidet wont fit certain toilets without modifications. Others say their bidet broke and caused water damage to wood floors, carpet and walls. Looks like this product is not reliable and should not be sold, said one customer. The lawsuit from State Farm says it cost nearly $65,000 to repair the water damage to Harts home. It also says she incurred about $52,000 in mitigation damages and over $20,000 in additional living expenses. No court date has been scheduled yet. Idaho AG drops transparency lawsuit over University of Phoenix deal Hundreds of grocery workers in the Boise area could go on strike. What we know A company youve never heard of is supporting the Boise areas data-center boom NEED TO KNOW Missing couple Jane Korpela and Daniel Latterell of Cloquet, Minn., were last seen together at a gas station near McGregor, Minn., on May 26 More than a month later, on June 29, police found the couple's vehicle, along with a body believed to be Korpela's, in a remote wooded area near the city of Aitkin Items of clothing belonging to Latterell, who remains missing, were also discovered More than one month ago, Minnesota couple Jane Korpela and Daniel Latterell were reported missing after last being seen at a gas station. Now, police have found a body believed to be Korpela's while Latterell remains missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a press release issued on July 1 by the Cloquet Police Department (CPD), police received notification from the Aitkin County Sheriffs Office on June 29 that they had made a significant break in the case. The SUV belonging to Latterell, a 2010 gray Ford Escape with a Minnesota license plate, was found earlier that day in a remote " farming and wooded" area about two miles north of the city of Aitkin. "Near the vehicle, investigators recovered a deceased individual," police said. The body was transported to the Ramsey County Medical Examiners Office. Following a preliminary examination, authorities believe the body is that of Korpela, 62, per the release. Cloquet Police Department Jane Korpela Jane Korpela On June 30, CPD personnel assisted search teams in the area to locate Korpela's 64-year-old boyfriend Latterell. K-9 teams, ground search crews and drones were deployed to the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the search, items of clothing belonging to Latterell were discovered, according to police. "However, he has not yet been located. Search efforts are ongoing," the release states. The CPD is asking anyone with information about Latterell's whereabouts to contact the department at 218-879-1247. PEOPLE reached out to both the Cloquet Police Department and Aitkin County Sheriffs Office for more information on the case. Korpela and Latterell were first reported missing on May 28 after last being seen together at a gas station near McGregor, Minn., on May 26. According to a June 3 release from the CPD, the couple's friends and family last heard from them on May 25. 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. Cloquet Police Department Daniel Latterell Daniel Latterell Police described the couple as "vulnerable missing adults," and said there was "a concern for their mental health and safety." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "At this time, we do not have any information suggesting foul play; however, both individuals may rely on medical services or medication," the CPD said in the release. According to a description provided by police, Latterell is 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighs 200 lbs., and has hazel eyes. Read the original article on People Officials have recovered the body of a man who jumped off a bridge at Knights Landing Tuesday evening and did not resurface. The Sutter County Sheriffs Office identified the man as Cameron Birdsong, 25, of Live Oak. Birdsong was one of two men who leaped from the bridge, which connects Yolo and Sutter counties, about 25 miles northwest of Sacramento. The other man was uninjured. An earlier report said bridge jumping was not uncommon behavior for the two men. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Birdsongs body was recovered from the Sacramento River at about 6 p.m. Thursday after what officials called extensive search and recovery efforts from multiple agencies and dive teams. The Knights Landing Boat Launch, which was closed during the search, is now being reopened for normal business hours, according to the sheriffs office. APOPKA, Fla. - A Florida family had to escape their home after it caught fire from a suspected lightning strike on Thursday in Orange County, Florida. FOX 35 talked with the family on Friday and was able to see the damage firsthand. Siding on the home is charred in spots, melted, or ripped off the home entirely. Most importantly, no one was seriously hurt and the Apopka Fire Department was able to get control of the fire quickly, officials said. What we know The lightning strike and fire were reported on Thursday afternoon as spotty showers and thunderstorms were moving across Central Florida, partly impacted by a potential tropical disturbance that was moving east of Florida at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters responded and were able to get control of the fire, preventing further damage, a spokesperson for the Apopka Fire Department told FOX 35 in a statement. The family told FOX 35's Marie Edinger that lightning hit a tree feet away from the home and then it spread. Boom! Boom! What they're saying "I just heard a boom boom,'" said Kimberly Mondragon, who ran out of the home with her daughter, Bianca. "I just got a little upset. I was crying because the house was on fire," said Bianca. Kimberly's roommate, Connie Cobb, said she was outside when the thunderstorm passed through. She said she felt the electric shock. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It was like an electric shock just going through your body," she said."It was so bad and my phone fell out of my hands." She said paramedics checked her out that night and that she declined to go to the hospital. On Friday, she said she was feeling OK. "It sounded like an Abrams tank firing off." James Moffett, who lives near where the suspected strike happened, was inside at the time, but he said the flash lit up the inside of his room. "My wife, she hates lightning. She screamed. I mean, ah! I mean really." Scott Holsonback was across the street and outside at the time, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "BAM! It hit and I thought it was like right here," he said, pointing to the ground. It sounded like an Abrams tank firing off. I mean it was boom. It shook the house." What's next The American Red Cross said it is in contact with the family and offering support where it can. Kimberly said she needs to wait for the insurance process to get started. For now, their power has been turned off. "Once the insurance clears, we'll know more about what's our next step," Mondragon said. "But right now, it's up in the air." The Source The Apopka Fire Rescue Department shared info on the fires with FOX 35 Orlando on Friday, July 4. FOX 35's Marie Endinger talked with Kimberly Mondragon, her daughter, Bianca, her roommate Connie Cobb, and neighbors James MOffett and Scott Holsonback also on Friday, July 4. The warning signs were already flashing as hundreds of young people celebrated the Fourth of July public holiday at Camp Mystic, an all-girls' Christian summer retreat, nestled on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Texas. There had not been a drop of rain in the area recently until the inundation, when the river rose 26ft (8m) in less than an hour, according to state officials. By Saturday evening, at least 51 people were dead, including 15 children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first hint of the devastation to come appeared on Thursday morning as rain and thunderstorms soaked a number of central Texas counties. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a common warning called a flood watch at 13:18 that afternoon for parts of the region, including Kerr County. In the early hours of Friday, the outlook became more dire as the NWS issued a series of upgraded warnings. The San Saba river, the Concho River and the Colorado River were rising. At 04:03, the NWS sent a "particularly dangerous situation" alert, reserved for the most urgent and potentially deadly scenarios such as wildfires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another "particularly dangerous situation" warning was issued for the city of Kerrville at 05:34, before dawn on Friday. "Residents and campers should SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW! Life threatening flash flooding along the river is expected," forecasters said. "Automated rain gauges indicate a large and deadly flood wave is moving down the Guadalupe River. Flash flooding is already occurring." [Getty Images] Such alerts are shared on NWS social media accounts and by broadcast news outlets, but most people were asleep. Elinor Lester, 13, said younger campers at Camp Mystic were bunked in cabins closer to the riverbank and those were the first to flood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The camp was completely destroyed," Elinor, who was evacuated by helicopter, told the Associated Press news agency. "It was really scary." Just outside Kerrville, the BBC met Jonathan and Brittany Rojas as they came to see what was left of a relative's home. Only the foundations remain. [Getty Images] Five people were in the house the night of the deluge - the mother and her baby are still missing. The teenage son, Leo, survived after he became snared in barbed wire, preventing him from being swept away. The boy is recovering in hospital. As the BBC was interviewing the Rojas couple, a neighbour walked up to present them with an item salvaged from the house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was the teenager's money jar. The label on it read, "Leo's survival kit". [Getty Images] Desperate Camp Mystic parents took to social media looking for news of their children. One Facebook group - Kerrville Breaking News - turned into a missing persons page. Some parents have since updated their social media pleas to say their missing family members did not survive. [Reuters] Kerr County is in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, a getaway destination because of its scenic rolling hills, countless rivers and lakes and abundance of wineries. But the region is also known as "Flash Flood Alley", because of the recurring threat that has devastated local communities over the years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked why the riverside summer camp was not evacuated, officials said the sudden scale of the deluge caught them unawares. "No-one knew this kind of flood was coming," Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said. Texas lawmakers on both sides of the aisle took a break from July 4th festivities Friday to respond to deadly flooding in the states Hill Country area that has left at least 13 dead and more than 20 children missing. Rescue teams, both in helicopters and boats, continue to search for those unaccounted for following heavy rain in the Kerr County region of the Lone Star State, which is known for its many summer camps. Camp Mystic, a girls camp in the area, had over 20 children unaccounted for on Friday. A gauge on the Guadalupe River in Hunt recorded a 22-foot rise in the river level in two hours, the Associated Press reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This breaks my heart. Please join me in praying for the families whove lost their loved ones and for the speedy recovery of those missing, Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) wrote online. Special thank you to the National Guard, first responders, law enforcement officers, and volunteers working to save lives. Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn were also quick to share their concerns and condolences on social platform X. Please pray right now for everyone in the Hill Country, especially Camp Mystic. Today, Ive spoken with Gov Abbott, Lt. Gov Patrick, the head of TDEM & President Trump. Multiple helicopters are performing search & rescue, Cruz wrote on X. President Trump committed ANYTHING Texas needs. TDEM is the Texas Department of Emergency Management. Our prayers are with the families of those lost and those still unaccounted for in todays tragic flooding, Cornyn said in his post. My friend, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly says @TDEM is working with rescue teams and remains hopeful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Chip Roy (R), who represents the states 21st Congressional District, which includes the San Antonio region most affected by the storms, shared posts from others asking for prayers. Other lawmakers from surrounding districts issued statements, as well. Rep. Tony Gonzales, who represents Texass 23rd Congressional District, wrote in a post online, My prayers are with our fellow Texans impacted by the devastating flooding throughout the Hill Country. In the neighboring 11th District, Rep. August Pfluger (R) thanked those who offered their assistance as the floods wreaked havoc across the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thank you to the first responders across the district who mobilized immediately this morning, and to the countless other community leaders who have stepped in to help, he wrote on X. As these floods continue, please stay safe everyone. We are praying for all affected. Please continue to pray for those who are unaccounted for, Pfluger added in a separate post. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this terrible flood, especially the Camp Mystic family. Rep. Vicente Gonzales called the weather incident tragic while also thanking first responders for their bravery amid tragedy. Lorena and I are heartbroken at the tragic flooding in Kerr County. We give our heartfelt condolences to the families of those lost, and pray for the safe recover of those missing, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) said they notified the families of those who had missing children. The governor said earlier Friday that the immediate priority is saving lives. Authorities have stressed that the situation is still developing, and the death toll could change. President Trump, who celebrated his Independence Day at the White House with a bill signing ceremony and picnic for military families, has been in touch with Texas officials. Patrick said the president offered to provide any assistance needed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BRICS leaders at a summit on Sunday took aim at US President Donald Trump's "indiscriminate" import tariffs and recent Israeli-US strikes on Iran. The 11 emerging nations -- including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- account for about half the world's population and 40 percent of global economic output. The bloc is divided about much, but found common cause when it comes to the mercurial US leader and his stop-start tariff wars -- even if it avoided naming him directly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Voicing "serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff" measures, BRICS members said the tariffs risked hurting the global economy, according to a summit joint statement. Trump fired back at the bloc directly on social media Sunday night. "Any country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Earlier, BRICS also offered symbolic backing to fellow member Iran, condemning a series of military strikes on nuclear and other targets carried out by Israel and the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April, Trump threatened allies and rivals alike with a slew of punitive duties, before offering a months-long reprieve in the face of a fierce market sell-off. Trump has warned he will impose unilateral levies on partners unless they reach "deals" by August 1. In an apparent concession to US allies such as Brazil, India and Saudi Arabia, the summit declaration did not criticize the United States or its president by name at any point. - No show - Conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, the BRICS have come to be seen as a Chinese-driven counterbalance to US and western European power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But as the group has expanded to include Iran, Saudi Arabia and others, it has struggled to reach meaningful consensus on issues from the Gaza war to challenging US global dominance. BRICS nations, for example, collectively called for a peaceful two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict -- despite Tehran's long-standing position that Israel should be destroyed. An Iranian diplomatic source said his government's "reservations" had been conveyed to Brazilian hosts. Still, Iran -- a BRICS member since 2023 -- stopped short of rejecting the statement outright. The bloc also called for an "immediate" ceasefire and the "full withdrawal of Israeli forces" from the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been at war with Palestinian militant group Hamas for 21 months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas's armed wing welcomed BRICS's position, calling on them to "exert pressure" on Israel to "lift the criminal siege imposed on two and a quarter million people." In perhaps a further sign of the diplomatic sensitivities, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister skipped Sunday's discussions entirely, according to a Brazilian government source. Saudi Arabia is among the world's leading beneficiaries of high-tech US military exports and is a long-standing US partner. The political punch of this year's summit has been depleted by the absence of China's Xi Jinping, who skipped the meeting for the first time in his 12 years as president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chinese leader is not the only notable absentee. Russian President Vladimir Putin, charged with war crimes in Ukraine, also opted to stay away, participating via video link. He told counterparts that BRICS had become a key player in global governance. The summit also called for regulation governing artificial intelligence and said the technology could not be the preserve of only rich nations. The commercial AI sector is currently dominated by US tech giants, although China and other nations have rapidly developing capacity. bur/arb/aha/sla/dhc On the brink of a strike, nurses at one Duluth hospital reach tentative agreement originally appeared on Bring Me The News. For the third time this week, the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) has announced a tentative agreement between nurses and one of the many hospitals with which they have been negotiating. Acute care hospital nurses at Essentia Twin Ports reached a tentative agreement on a new contract on July 4, per an announcement from the union. As part of the deal, MNA is dropping its unfair labor practices (ULP) charges and will avoid a strike, which was planned to begin on July 8. Nurses rally at Duluth City Hall on May 22Minnesota Nurses Association/Facebook The deal covers roughly 1,500 nurses at Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center, Essential Health-Duluth, and Essentia Health St. Mary's Hospital-Superior, per Essentia Health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im proud of my fellow nurses who pushed both sides to find a resolution that kept them at the bedside caring for our patients, Rhonda Kazik, chief nurse executive at Essentia, said in a statement. Nurses are called to this profession because they want to care for others, and were grateful to have some of the best in the profession here at Essentia Health. We have prioritized patient care throughout these negotiations and will continue to do so in every community we serve. One of the major sticking points in negotiations has been the MNA's demand for fixed staffing ratios to provide consistent care to patients and alleviate injuries and burnout for nurses. The deal gives nurses updates to staffing language, "including a one-year freeze on reductions to current staffing ratios," the announcement says. The contract also eliminates a management rights clause proposed by Essentia Health, protects labor management committee language, and gives nurses a 9.75% wage increase spread across the three-year term of the contract. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our fight has never been just about contracts its about patient care and these wins will enable us to provide that care more safely than before, nurse and MNA President Chris Rubesch says in a statement. We will move forward with these wins while also recommitting to the fight for safe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. Its what our patients deserve, and its what our nurses deserve. The tentative agreement follows announcements earlier this week that the MNA reached an agreement with Aspirus St. Luke's in Duluth and nine Twin Cities-area hospitals. Negotiations have been taking place since March, and nurses in the Twin Cities and Duluth voted last week to authorize a strike. Duluth-area nurses planned to begin a strike on July 8, with workers at Essentia's East Market Advanced Practice Providers announcing a strike date of July 10. MNA members at Essentia 1st Street Clinic, 2nd Street Clinic, 3rd Street Clinic, Superior Clinic, Solvay Hospice House, and Miller Hill Surgery Center are still working on a new contract and plan to commence a strike on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nurses will vote on whether to ratify the contract in the coming weeks. Related: Nurses, hospitals reach tentative deal in Twin Cities and Duluth; Essentia strike still possible This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared. Is there space for a new party on the Left, bringing together pro-Gaza activists, radical socialists and possibly Greens? Labour strategists are terrified by the prospect. They know that the only thing they have going for them is the split between the Conservatives and Reform. An equivalent split on the Left would remove that advantage. If you want to understand why Labour caved in so expensively to its rebels on benefits reform, look no further. The party was not prepared to take the Whip away from any more MPs for fear of pushing them into a Corbynite bloc. Luckily for Labour, the Leftist insurgency has so far been more gauche than sinister. Zarah Sultana, the MP for Coventry South who lost the Labour Whip last year, announced in a post on X late on Thursday night that she and Jeremy Corbyn were forming a new party, only for the Absolute Boy to mutter grumpily that he had agreed to no such thing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As I write, no other Labour MP has joined and the most unkindest cut of all Momentum has refused to endorse its former idol. Might there yet emerge a serious challenger party, capable of hoovering up 10 or 15 per cent of the vote, and so putting the parties of the Right back into contention? To answer that question, we need to go back to Irans 1979 Islamic Revolution. That upheaval was the moment when political Islam became a major factor in world affairs. We should put equal stress on the two parts of its name: Islamic Revolution. Leftist radicals, both in Iran and in the West, loathed the Shah because they saw him as an ally of Britain and the United States, and initially backed the ayatollahs. Most egregious of the Useful Idiots perhaps Useless Idiot would be more accurate in his case was Michel Foucault, the archetype of a Left-wing French intellectual, down to his polo-necks and cigarettes, a man whose anti-colonialism was so ferocious that he has escaped cancellation despite the revelation that he paid Arab boys as young as nine for sex. Foucaults dislike of organised religion did not prevent him praising the political spirituality of the mullahs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Iranian Revolution marked the birth of what the French call Islamo-gauchisme. The ayatollahs had nothing in common with the Left beyond their hatred of monarchy. But they were anti-Western and, in the climate of the Cold War, that was what counted. Irans Communists formed a tactical alliance with the ayatollahs, imagining that they would emerge as senior partners. Instead, they found themselves proscribed, arrested, tortured and, in 1988, shot in batches. It was an early lesson in where the balance of power lies in these Red-Green alliances. Socialism can exert a quasi-religious pull on its followers. But, alongside an actual religion, it gets squeezed. Which brings us back to Jezza and our opening question. Is there space for a new British party that brings together the various strands of the far-Left, fissiparous, cantankerous and envious as they are? Could the bearded Bolshevik unite conservative Islamists and revolutionary socialists around the one position which, for very different reasons, they share, namely hostility to the West in general and Israel in particular? On paper, the answer is no. The radical Left is already (to use a word Corbo likes) rammed. There is the Communist Party of Britain, the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) and the Revolutionary Communist Party. There is the Socialist Party (England and Wales), the Socialist Party of Great Britain, the Socialist Workers Party and the Socialist Equality Party. Theres Left Unity and Transform and the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition and oh, you get the picture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then again, all this was just as true in 2015, when Corbyn, who had had dealings with most of these groups, swept to national prominence. Might the circumstances of that fevered, phantasmagoric year replicate themselves? It is still not easy to explain Corbyns 2015 appeal. Similar candidates had contested previous Labour leadership contests: John McDonnell in 2007, Diane Abbott in 2010. Corbo himself had been an unnoticed MP for more than 30 years. Yet a series of factors somehow made the old boob a cult figure and, in 2017, came close to putting him in Downing Street. One of those factors was the radicalisation of the growing Muslim electorate. An extraordinary 85 per cent of British Muslims voted for Corbyn in 2017, and 86 per cent in 2019, though the Labour figure fell back in 2024 with the rise of the pro-Gaza independents. Sectarian voting is ugly, whomever it benefits. Those elections also saw massive swings to the Conservatives among Jewish and Hindu voters. Indeed, the sole Tory gain in 2024 was the strongly Hindu seat of Leicester East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trouble is that confessional voting encourages complacency and corruption. When communities feel obliged to vote for their team, candidates make less effort to convince on grounds of either ideology or competence. We are accustomed to the idea that British Muslims lean Left, but there is nothing inevitable about it. Many first-generation Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants were low-paid manual workers, often employed by the state. But that is less true today: British Muslims are likelier than the general population to be self-employed. In Muslim-majority democracies, the Left tends to be secular. The more religious parties, on top of being socially conservative, are the more prone to cut taxes and reduce regulations. This should not surprise us, for Islam is the only great religion founded by a businessman a businessman who used his last sermon to preach the sanctity of property. Jesus said some hard things about wealth, and it was not until the sixteenth century that Christians stopped holding up poverty as their ideal. But Islam never had any problem with the idea that money, honestly acquired and put to good use, was a blessing. The Prophet, after all, had established tax-free markets and rejected calls for prices to be regulated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the Islamic wold, from Morocco to Malaysia, anti-Western feeling is stronger on the secular Left. But in Britain, Muslims were for a long time seen primarily, not as people who believed in the Oneness of God and the finality of the teachings of Mohammad, but as a non-white minority to be slotted into a victim role in an imagined hierarchy of oppression. That is why British Islamo-gauchism rests on anti-colonialism, and especially on the portrayal of Israel as the ultimate colonial oppressor. George Galloway understood earlier than most how the balance was shifting. Having once won awards from Stonewall, he began to describe himself as socially conservative, made sceptical noises about the portrayal of gay relationships and came out against abortion and euthanasia, while at the same time growing a beard, boasting that he did not drink and littering his speech with Islamic expressions. A challenger party that aims to get into double figures will, I suspect, lean more to Galloways approach than Corbyns. Which makes me wonder how many revolutionary socialists will go along with it. Let me suggest an early test. In Apsana Begums Poplar and Limehouse constituency, 39 per cent of residents identify as Muslim and 24 per cent as Christian. If she is the next Labour MP to defect, it will tell us much about the likely orientation of the new party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Red-Green coalition, which came together in the hideous mesalliance known as Stop the War, might hold for a bit longer. But, in time, omnicause Lefties will be squeezed out though not, one assumes, thrown off buildings like their Iranian colleagues. The face of Britain is changing, and our parties are changing with it. Some Corbynites may live long enough to wonder, whether, in getting rid of something they disliked, they ended up enabling something worse. 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. NEED TO KNOW Kaylee Goncalves fought for her life as Bryan Kohberger beat her in the head and face before ultimately stabbing her to death on Nov. 13, 2022, said her mother on Facebook Kristi Goncalves shared details of her daughter's murder after she and her husband Steve were criticized for their opposition to Bryan Kohberger's plea deal Kohberger will not stand trial and avoids possible execution by agreeing to enter a guilty plea to murdering Goncalves and three other University of Idaho students Bryan Kohberger targeted Kaylee Goncalves when he broke into her off-campus home at the University of Idaho and murdered her and three others on Nov. 13, 2022, according to her mother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kristi and Steve Goncalves have been publicly expressing their anger and frustration with the fact that their daughter's killer will not stand trial and cannot be sentenced to death after he struck a deal with prosecutors earlier this week. This has led some to publicly chastise the grieving parents for seeking vengeance over justice, a criticism that Kristi addressed in a Facebook post on Thursday, July 3. "[I]f your 21yr old daughter was sleeping in her bed and BK went into her house with the intention to kill her and he did, by stabbing her MANY times, as well as beating her in the face and head while it was clear that she fought for her life...what would you want?" she wrote. Sarah A. Miller/Idaho Statesman/Tribune News Service via Getty Steve and Kristi Goncalves Steve and Kristi Goncalves That post shared a number of new details about Goncalves' death while also giving critics of her parents an idea of the couple's mindset as they continue to grapple with the loss of a child. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is the first time there has been any mention of Kohberger beating his victims, while confirming the fact that he had targeted some of the four students he confessed to murdering in court on Wednesday, July 2. 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. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said in court that after breaking into the victims' home through a second-floor door, Kohberger walked up to the third floor and murdered Goncalves and her best friend, Madison Mogen, 21, rather than target any of the three people sleeping in the two bedrooms on the second floor. Kohberger did later kill two of those individuals - Xana Kernodle and boyfriend Ethan Chapin, both 20, after one of the two had the misfortune of crossing his path as he tried to exit the residence, Thompson said in court this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He then spared the life of the other roommate on the second floor, who told police she stood just a few feet away as the man who murdered her best friends walked out of their Moscow home in the early morning hours after killing four. AP Photo/Kyle Green, Pool Bryan Kohberger Bryan Kohberger The plea deal means that Kohberger's motive for these murders will remain a mystery. Thompson also admitted in court that after an investigation that has lasted close to three years and involved prosecutors, local law enforcement and the FBI, there was still one large hole in the murder case. Prosecutors could place Kohberger in the area of his victims' home in the months before the murders, Thompson said; however, they had no proof or evidence he ever once met or interacted with his victims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We do not have evidence that he had direct contact with 1122," Thompson said in court. Kaylee Goncalves Instagram Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves The Goncalves family previously expressed frustration with Kohberger not facing death row, and the family never getting an explanation as to why he killed their daughter. "BK literally is too afraid to die, but he wasn't afraid to kill. BK wanted a plea deal and he was given one. Kaylee wasn't offered a plea deal," Kristi wrote on Facebook Thursday. She added, "The state is showing BK mercy by removing the death penalty. BK did not show Kaylee ANY mercy. " Kohberger will instead serve four consecutive life sentences as well as another 10 years on a burglary charge, waive his right to appeal and be ineligible for parole should Judge Steven Hippler accept the terms of the plea deal between prosecutors and the defense. That sentencing hearing is set for July 23 in Boise, Idaho. Read the original article on People Tropical Storm Chantal formed more or less on schedule from the old front draped from North Florida across the warm Gulf Stream waters offshore of Georgia and the Carolinas. The atmospheric pattern is only marginal over the system, so dramatic intensification is not expected before landfall during the first half of tomorrow (Sunday). The steering is courtesy of the upper-level disturbance that was sitting over Florida enhancing the rainfall. That system has now moved into the Gulf. The circulation around the right side of the disturbance is from the south, so that will push Chantal and the attached band of deep tropical moisture toward the Carolina coast. There is high confidence in the forecast track and that very heavy rain will fall in the tropical moisture bands. The system is not symmetric, however, because the upper-level winds are tilting it toward the east, so the heaviest rain will fall to the right of where Chantal's center makes landfall. The focus looks likely to be from the Myrtle Beach, SC area through eastern North Carolina. The National Weather Service is predicting 2-4 inches of rain with Chantal, with some spots getting more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some good news, general drought conditions across eastern North Carolina mean that the soil can absorb moisture and rivers are relatively low, so the flood threat is not as high as it would normally be. But too much rain in any one spot can still be dangerous, of course. Along the coast east of the landfall point, where the winds will be onshore, they'll likely gust to 50 or 60 mph in some spots. Secure anything that might blow around from along the northern coast of South Carolina and east through North Carolina. The National Hurricane Center forecast calls for Chantal to dissipate by early next week over eastern North Carolina. There is some indication that it might regenerate over the Atlantic, but it wouldn't be a threat. Now that the upper disturbance is moving away from Florida, the rain across the peninsula will be less widespread. Chantal's moisture tail will still cause blinding tropical downpours in some areas, however. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere in the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and the Gulf, the tropical system generating machine is shut down. Nothing more is expected for the next week, at least. Original article source: Bryan Norcross: Tropical Storm Chantal heading toward landfall in the Carolinas Ohioans have a big milestone to celebrate this week besides the Fourth of July. Over 960 bald eagle nests have appeared across the state, with at least one in 87 of Ohio's 88 counties, according to the Ohio Division of Wildlife. This is a 36% increase within the past five years, with 707 nests reported in 2020. The agency says that more than 1,800 reports from citizen scientists statewide helped complete the 2025 bald eagle nest census. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources followed up and confirmed the existence of each nest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Counties in northern Ohio that are closest to bodies of water have the most nests, due to the abundance of food available. Ottawa County tops the list at 112 bald eagle nests and Sandusky was second with 61, according to a map released by the Ohio Division of Wildlife. GOOD NEWS: Ohio can celebrate a milestone this Independence Day with 964 confirmed active bald eagle nests. pic.twitter.com/YiyBTc8MD9 Ohio Div of Wildlife (@OhioDivWildlife) July 3, 2025 What was once an endangered species is thriving again in the Midwest with only four nesting pairs in Ohio in 1979. The bald eagle was removed from the federal list of endangered species in 2007 and from Ohios list in 2012, according to a report from The Nature Conservancy. This expanded growth is largely in part of conservation programs across the nation and in Ohio that focus on breeding and development. What caused the bald eagle's resurgence in Ohio? The Ohio Department of Natural Resources credits the Ohio Division of Wildlife, Ohio zoos, wildlife rehabilitation facilities, concerned landowners and conservationists for repopulating the species. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you find a bald eagle's nest, the Ohio Division of Wildlife urges citizens to report any nest sightings through an interactive tracking system on its website. The agency says tracking allows biologists to further understand eagle population dynamics and monitor trends, ensuring this and other species continue to do well in the Buckeye State for generations to come. Want to see eagles in Ohio? For the best viewing areas, check out these places: This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: A formerly endangered species sees regrowth in new Ohio census report AUSTIN (KXAN) An additional death has been confirmed in Burnet County, bringing the total to four, officials said in a press conference this afternoon. The Burnet County Sheriffs Office is still actively searching for two more people that remain missing. One of the missing people is Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Chief Michael Phillips. Burnet County Sheriff Calvin Boyd said Monday they found his vehicle and personal items through drones and on-the-ground efforts. Boyd previously said Phillips went missing while attempting a rescue near FM 1174 at Cow Creek. The other person missing is a man from the Burnet area. His vehicle was also found. Names are not being released at this point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boyd said that the Burnet County has rescued 62 people so far. Anywhere from people that were stranded in their attics, to people in trees or on the top of their vehicles, Boyd said. The humidity and heat is causing search and rescue responders to be changed every couple hours, according to Boyd. With all the debris that the flood brought downstream, helicopters are being used to drop off the responders. This mornings rain kept responders away from some of the low-lying areas out of precaution, according to Boyd. It also added new road closures to the map. We didnt want to take a chance with any of our folks who are out there working hard, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The search hasnt changed a lot since operations in Burnet County swung into full effect Saturday. With some of the low-level crossings in the midst of repair, Boyd said that the option for vehicles to drive in will change the search plan. Once the terrain becomes less drenched with water, horses and ATVs will be employed. Currently, foot, dog and drone searches are primarily being used. I would love to wrap it up today, but it just depends on how long it takes to find these individuals, Boyd said. We are committed to finding these folks. We want to find them. SUNDAY LIVE BLOG: Rescue efforts continue in Central Texas after catastrophic flash flooding As it happened Saturday According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a Flash Flood emergency was put into effect for Burnet County shortly after 5 a.m. NWS said that 5-12 of rain occurred, with an additional 2-5 possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a Particularly Dangerous Situation with life-threatening flash flooding. Seek higher ground if near a flooded creek or stream, NWS said. Operations in Burnet County were in full effect Saturday, with nearly 20 water rescues underway as flood waters moved through Central Texas. According to the Burnet County Office of Emergency Management (BCOEM), first responders were working 19 different water rescues in the area. In an update, BCOEM confirmed a firefighter was swept away during a rescue. As of 11:36 a.m., the office said crews were attempting to find them. First responders staging in Marble Falls (Arezow Doost/KXAN) First responders staging in Marble Falls (Arezow Doost/KXAN) First responders staging in Marble Falls (Arezow Doost/KXAN) First responders staging in Marble Falls (Arezow Doost/KXAN) All these issues are being handled based on situational urgency, BCOEM said. All agencies within Burnet County are all coordinating these rescues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The office said several roadways in the area were inaccessible. Those roadways included: Highway 29 to Hamilton Creek Between Burnet and Bertram Highway 281 North (approximately at County Rd 108) Highway 281 at Park Rd 4 1174 to 1431 1431 at Cow Creek Rd. Numerous other county roads We are urging everyone to stay home to avoid these high-water dangers. People have already been rescued from trees and cars, several have also called in with high or rising water near their homes, BCOEM said. The city of Burnet said those affected by flooding or in need of a safe place to go, the Burnet Community Center, located at 401 East Jackson Street, was open for evacuations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an update Saturday night, BCSO said emergency responders performed more than 50 rescues. Those operations were suspended Saturday night and continued Sunday morning. BCSO Captain Mike Sorenson confirmed that three people died. One of the missing persons included Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Chief Michael Phillips. Burnet County Sheriff Calvin Boyd said Phillips went missing while attempting a rescue near FM 1174 at Cow Creek. If you can stay home, dont travel. Everyone wants to go out and look at the high water and the wreckage but we ask you to stay home at this point, said Boyd on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Summer jobs used to be a rite of passagewhether it was lifeguarding, scooping ice cream, or folding shirts at the mall, teens always seemed to have plenty of options to earn some extra cash. But this year, those classic summer gigs are harder to come by, and many teens are spending the summer unemployed. Queen City News Chief Business Correspondent Taylor Young joins us live to explain whats driving this trend, how the job market is changing for young workers, and what it means for families and the economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) If youre looking for a fireworks show to spend the whole night watching, two business partners in Austintown have you covered. For the last five years, Joe Sikora and Frank Waldo have put on a fireworks show for all of Austintown to see, and they do it all from their driveway. Each year, they go bigger and bigger. Tonight will be a 3-hour-long show with over $10,000 worth of fireworks and a five-minute grand finale. They say the show takes days of preparation. Every year it gets bigger and bigger more people show up. More people means more fireworks. We got to get a nd out on a better show every time. Keep people coming in and change things up to different shows, Waldo said. The prep time takes a lot. Behind, as you see, we havent done the board yet. We have to glue everything down, fuse it together. Were at two hours doing that this afternoon to get ready for tonight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fireworks will start at 9:30 p.m. The parking lot of Bob Dickson Auto Sales, on Navarre Ave, near Mahoning Avenue, will be cleared out as a designated viewing area for the show. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LENOIR, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Caldwell County Sheriffs deputies and detectives assisted officers with North Carolina Probation and Parole with a warrantless house search at a Lenoir residence. During the search, officers discovered drug paraphernalia, nearly 18 grams of fentanyl, a Mossberg .410 shotgun and over $1,000 in cash. Stacey Joe Sheppard and Cynthia Denise Reid are facing the following charges: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trafficking Opium or Heroin Possession of a Firearm by a Felon Two counts of Probation Violations Both individuals were taken into custody and placed in the Caldwell County Detention Center. Each received a $30,000 bond for the probation violations and an additional $30,000 bond for the drug trafficking and firearms charges. MORE FROM QCNEWS.COM CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Right along one of the Guadalupe Rivers bends, the Christian camp Camp Mystic has been a summertime haven for generations of Texas girls. But after a sudden flood came crashing through in the early hours of July Fourth, its become the site of a tragedy pulling on the hearts of Texans across the state. Green-roofed cabins housing hundreds of campers and staff dotted the area, which is lush with cypress and live oak trees. This summer, Camp Mystic hosted 750 girls between 7 and 17 years old thats more than half of Hunts population of around 1,300. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Campgrounds span over 700 acres in the heart of Texas Hill Country, making it a peaceful place for girls to spend weeks singing campfire songs and making ceramics. Since theyre right by the river, in between church services, they also learn how to kayak and fish for bass. By Saturday afternoon, the scene was grim. While buildings were still standing, cars overlapped each other. Inside the cabins, campers' belongings that had been left behind were smashed against the windows or strewn on the ground. That river reached catastrophic levels in less than an hour overnight with little warning, rising 26 feet in just 45 minutes. Fast-moving flood waters swept homes and cars away, and for Camp Mystic, made it difficult for staff to move hundreds of girls to safer ground in the dark. Camp Mystic confirmed Monday 27 campers and counselors died in the floods. The search continues for girls that are missing. As of Monday evening, the floods death toll in Kerr County had risen to 84, including at least 27 children, officials said. Another 15 deaths were confirmed in surrounding counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among those who have been confirmed dead is Camp Mystics director Richard Dick Eastland, according to a Facebook post by his nephew. Operations of the 99-year-old camp have been passed down through four generations of the Eastland family. Its currently owned by the sons and daughter-in-laws of Dick and his wife, Tweety Eastland. U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, a San Angelo Republican, said two of his daughters were among those that needed to be evacuated from the camp. "Camille, Vivian and I are now reunited with Caroline and Juliana who were evacuated from Camp Mystic," Pfluger posted on X. "The last day has brought unimaginable grief to many families and we mourn with them as well as holding out hope for survivors." Social media sites have been full of posts with photos of the missing girls, asking people to keep eyes out for survivors. Former campers are also sharing beloved memories and expressing heartache for mourning families. Just last week, Camp Mystic posted a video on Instagram recapping group dance performances from the girls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will do anything humanly possible to find your daughter, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said to parents on Friday, adding that search and rescue teams are looking for survivors. A total of 14 state helicopters, 12 drones and 400 to 500 people on the ground helping with the search. On Friday, the camp office sent a desperate message to families saying they sustained catastrophic floods and were working with rescuers. All power, wi-fi and water had been shut off at the facilities. The message stressed that parents of all children who were missing had been contacted. The highway was washed away so we are struggling to get more help, the message said. Please continue to pray and send help if you have contacts to do so. A little after 7 p.m. on Friday, the Texas Game Wardens announced they had reached the camp and were beginning to bring campers out. But the fate of many those unaccounted for remains unknown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Camp Mystic, which offers two 4-week terms and one 2-week term over the summer, has been the go-to summer camp for daughters of Texans for nearly a century especially the states political elite. Mystic girls, as campers are called, include the daughters of former Texas governors Price Daniel, Dan Moody and John Connally, according to a 2011 article by Texas Monthly. Former President Lyndon B. Johnsons daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters also attended. First Lady Laura Bush was a camp counselor. Counselors typically are college-aged, some work there right after graduating high school. Because the river cuts through Hunt, its a popular place for summer camps. Camp La Junta, an all-boys summer camp, is just a 7 minute drive north of Camp Mystic. Camp La Junta has confirmed that all campers are safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Young Camp La Junta camper Ruffin Boyett told KSAT the cabins were flooding and walls broke down in the middle of the night. He said campers waited on rafters before swimming to safety. Ruffins younger brother had to swim out of his cabin since floodwaters reached the top level of the bunkbeds. We had one choice and we had to swim out of our cabins, he said. Hunt is home to just over 1,300 people, but when summer comes around, the small citys population multiplies because of young campers. Summer camps are one of the most lucrative businesses for Hunt, with close to a dozen clustered along the Guadalupe River. Girls summer camp Heart O the Hills is just a mile north of Camp Mystic. Thankfully, camp was not in session, according to the camps Facebook page, and everyone who was on campgrounds over the weekend have been accounted for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Heart O the Hills confirmed that its camp director, Jane Ragsdale, is one of the floods victims . We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful, the post reads. Brenda Bazan and Berenice Garcia contributed to this report. Disclosure: Facebook and Texas Monthly have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) 50 years later, Canine Companions has come a long way in making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. Founded in 1975 in Santa Rosa, California, the non-profit expanded its reach to central Ohio in 1987. NBC4 met with two people who have dedicated over 30 years to this incredible organizations north central region to look back at Canine Companions journey and how it continues to touch lives today. 50 years for some folks might not seem like a long time, but for an organization that started from grassroots, to see where we are today it is quite amazing, said Adrena Spreacker, Canine Companions North Central Region program director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canine Companions was founded on July 4, 1975, in an effort to provide service dogs to people with disabilities for free. Its first Ohio location opened at a house in Orient in 1987. Marty Marlatt started puppy raising not long after. It was certainly privilege for me to come into this organization at such an early point, said Marlatt, We started raising in January of 1989. Since then, shes raised 31 pups, including her current dog, Flint. In 1991, Canine Companions left Orient and expanded to a facility in Delaware, which would eventually be outgrown. Catching up with the Canine Companion helping an American veteran Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, the move to the three-building New Albany campus happened. Having been at the Delaware facility in the early years, Spreacker said this latest move was a major step forward in their ability to serve. I think this campus was beyond anybodys ability to dream 30 years ago, she said. The campus includes 16 accessible rooms and training spaces alleviating cost barriers for clients by providing a free place to stay during their two-week training and getting matched with their pup. After that two weeks, not only do they have a dog, but they understand their needs were heard, said Spreacker. We didnt just give them a dog; we gave them a space where they are comfortable. As Spreacker explained, these service dogs provide more than just help with daily tasks. The unconditional love and just being there for someone is often a huge perk of having that service dog, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Looking toward the future, Canine Companions hopes to be the most recognized organization in the service dog industry and reduce the waitlist for people to receive dogs. Were dedicated to making sure that we continue to place service dogs with people that need them and uphold that dedication and the empowerment of increasing independence for individuals, said Spreacker. Its the passion of people like Spreacker and Marlatt that help the organization continue to grow. I said to Adrena that Im getting paid, said Marlatt. I get paid every day that I get up and am able to work with a dog for Canine Companions. Thats my payment. Canine Companions is always looking to grow and expand their reach through their volunteers, especially puppy raisers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you would like to get involved with the organization and meet some amazing dogs along the way, you can reach out to Canine Companions directly and see how you can help change lives too. The north central region campus in New Albany marked the anniversary with the Independence is Golden gala in June. The event raised over $350,000 for the organization. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Members of a Portland immigrant rights group set out on a caravan Saturday morning, bound for the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington. Those affiliated with Portland Contra Las Deportaciones gathered in over a dozen cars in the second caravan to head to Tacoma, after those with a separate advocacy group departed and held a rally there the day before. Budget cuts force 211info to slash operating hours after July 4 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of this comes amid the ramp up of activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, most recently affecting two Newberg vineyard workers who were arrested back in June. One of the workers who was arrested, Moises Sotelo, was taken by ICE in Yamhill County, then transported to the ICE facility in Portland and finally taken to Tacoma. The rally in Tacoma by members of the first caravan was attended by Sotelos daughter. Those involved in the current caravan told KOIN 6 News the goal is to highlight the detention process, build solidarity with similar groups, as well as bring awareness to a petition to revoke the permit on Portlands ICE facility. Famed Elk Statue, fountain returning to downtown Portland Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think both our communities here in Portland and in the state of Washington, we want to send the message that we have to stay unified if we want to kick ICE out of our cities, said Pedro Angladacordero. This comes the day after protests were held Friday, both in opposition to Trumps policies including those touted in his so-called big, beautiful bill and against ongoing ICE activity. As part of Trumps bill, there was a $150 billion increase in funding for a border wall, immigration enforcement and deportations. The bill also extends cuts to Medicaid. As a result, protests outside the Portland ICE facility got tense earlier in the day as demonstrators clashed with federal officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the steady presence protesters have held outside the ICE facility, caravan organizers hope that plus more than 15,000 petition signatures collected will put pressure on the Portland City Council to permanently close it. But until then, they plan to organize similar events and build different organizations and advocacy groups. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Israeli attacks on targets in the Gaza Strip have once again led to numerous casualties, Palestinian sources said on Saturday. Medical sources reported that since the early morning hours, at least 40 people had died in attacks in various parts of the sealed-off coastal area. These claims could not be independently verified at first. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported casualties in several areas of the Gaza Strip. There were attacks near the city of Gaza and in Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military initially did not provide any information on the latest attacks. Israel examining Hamas response to ceasefire proposal Meanwhile, efforts are under way to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement. Hamas has, in principle, agreed to a new proposal for a truce and, according to its own statements, has conveyed a "positive response" to the mediators. Hamas is reportedly ready to enter into indirect negotiations. However, there may be conditions or reservations. Citing officials, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israel had received the response from Hamas. Details are now being examined, Haaretz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A meeting of the Security Cabinet is planned for late in the evening, it said, adding that the meeting had already been planned beforehand, but the response from Hamas is likely to be the focus of the discussions. On Friday evening, US President Donald Trump told journalists aboard Air Force One that there could be a Gaza deal next week, noting that Israel had agreed to the necessary conditions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet Trump in the White House on Monday. A two-alarm fire in Grafton on Friday afternoon caused major damage to a home and claimed the lives of two pets. Emergency crews responded to 71 Creeper Hill Road after receiving a report of a structure fire at 3:26 p.m. Friday, Grafton Fire Department Deputy Chief Paul Cournoyer said. Upon arrival, crews found the entire front porch of the home fully engulfed in flames. The occupants of the home were able to evacuate before fire crews arrived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two pets -- a cat and a dog -- perished in the fire, Cournoyer said. Crews remained on scene to evaluate hotspots. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A day after flooding rains rapidly overwhelmed the Guadalupe River and sent deadly floodwaters through a swath of central Texas, authorities said hundreds of people had been saved from the danger but many remained missing and the death toll continued to rise, USA TODAY reported. At least 43 people were killed 28 adults and 15 children, Sheriff Larry Leitha said. An additional 27 children who were at Camp Mystic in western Kerr County are still missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Search and rescue operations are ongoing as more storms threaten the region, with up to 10 additional inches of rain forecast Saturday. So far, more than 850 rescues have taken place amid the Central Texas floods. Here's how to help those in the area. Reunification centers near Kerrville For Campers: Ingram Middle School, 125 Brave Run W, Ingram, TX 78025 For Non-Campers: Arcadia Live Theater, 717 Water St, Kerrville, TX 78028 Shelters in Kerrville area Shelters for those displaced by the flooding have been set up in Kerrville at these locations: Medical shelter : First United Methodist Church, 321 Thompson Drive Kerrville, TX 78028 Congregate shelter: Calvary Temple Church, 3000 Loop 534 Kerrville, TX 78028 Notre Dame Catholic Church , 929 Main Street Kerrville, TX 78028 Schreiner University, Event Center, 2100 Memorial Boulevard Looking for a loved one? Authorities advised people to call the Red Cross at 800-733-2767 if they were trying to locate a loved one. Where to donate near Austin and get help Arcadia Live Kerrville: Raising funds for emergency relief and recovery Austin Pets Alive!: Raising money, collecting donations, and organizing pet transports from Kerr County Burnt Orange Buys: Donating 100% of July profits Cabo Bobs: Donating profits from all locations on July 5 to victims in Hunt, Kerrville, and the Hill Country Christian Assistance Ministry: Provide food, clothing and financial support. Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country: Accepting donations for local response Cross Kingdom Church: Drop-off location for physical donations is at capacity. The church has started a relief fun via Venmo @crosskingdom77 or online. Description should state "relief fund." Daytripper HQ: Donating 100% of profits to flood victims El Arroyo: Matching donations up to $4,000 Hands Off Central Texas: Fundraising for mutual aid rapid response Hays County Justice of Peace Precinct 2 (Kyle): Accepting food and supplies donation from 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday. Drop-off location is 5458 FM 2770 in Kyle. Jester King Brewery: Collecting essential goods through Sunday for Kerrville Kerr County Flood Relief Fund: Established by the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country to support relief and recovery. Donate here. Riverside Church of Christ : Partnering with Mercy Chefs, Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Inc. and Disaster Assistance Church of Christ to provide hot meals, water and emergency supplies. Rockin R River Rides: Matching donations up to $4,000 Southern Oaks Church: Organizing a supply drive TEXSAR: Supporting search, rescue, and recovery efforts William Chris Vineyards: Donating 100% of online bottle sales profits through Saturday - Austin Monthly contributed to this story This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: How to help in Texas floods: Where to donate after deadly flooding A Santa Maria father was on his way to the store to get medicine for his family one Thursday morning when he saw sirens in his rear view mirror. Victor Martinez Rodriguez, 38, entered the United States without documentation 24 years ago when he was a teenager. In the ensuing years, he worked in the United States, got married and started a family but he never resolved his legal status. Then, on June 19, he stayed home from his job as a strawberry picker to care for his sick daughter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While driving his wife and two children, a group of unmarked federal immigration vehicles surrounded his car and ordered him into the street asking him to leave the vehicle so his children wouldnt have to see something worse happen to him, according to his wife. The Tribune isnt naming her because shes afraid of retaliation from ICE. The ICE agents did not present a judicial warrant to Martinez, she said, but they did show him a photo of another man they were searching for. The agents seemed to think Martinez was the man in the photo, she said, adding that her husband has no criminal record. Martinezs wife and kids watched tearfully from the car as he was put into handcuffs and placed into the back of one of the unmarked vehicles at the scene. Martinez is one of about 140 people who have been detained by ICE in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, according to the nonprofit organization 805 UndocuFund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, Martinez is being held at an ICE facility in El Paso, Texas the fourth facility he has been to during the two weeks after his arrest, his wife said. His family is fighting to bring him home. Im looking for help so I can talk to him so that he can be set free, Martinezs wife told The Tribune in Spanish, holding back tears. Victor Martinez Rodriguez was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on June 19, 2025. His family said they detained the wrong man. ICE arrested the wrong man, family said After Martinez pulled over on Harding Avenue, the unidentified vehicles surrounded his car and agents exited wearing face coverings, cargo pants, green vests and hats. At first, Martinez and his wife didnt know that the agents worked for ICE, she said. I was very scared, and I began to cry, his wife said. I was in the car when he got out, and I wanted to get out but they told me to stay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agents approached the car but did not present a judicial warrant or badge to Martinez, she said. When the agents asked him his name and citizenship status, he remained silent and stayed sitting in the drivers seat, his wife said. From the passengers seat, she showed them an immigration red card which outlines a persons legal rights but Martinez showed no form of identification to the agents, she said. Then, the agents ordered him to exit the vehicle. They said if he didnt step out of the car, his kids would have to see something worse happen to him, his wife said. I know thats why he got out, because he wasnt going to get out. But since he loves his kids, he didnt want them to see something bad, she said tearfully. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Martinez exited his vehicle, the agents showed him a photo of another man that he tried to explain wasnt him but they put him in handcuffs anyway and transported him to the ICE processing facility in Santa Maria, his wife said. Officers at the facility told Martinez he had been mistakenly arrested in place of the man in the photo, but he would remain in custody because he entered the country without documentation, his wife said. What to do if you see ICE agents on the CA Central Coast Two hours after Martinez had been detained, he called his wife and told her all of the photos they showed him were of another man. At first, he thought they were going to let him go, but even though they picked up the wrong man, ICE kept Martinez in custody due to his undocumented status, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE later confirmed the arrest to The Tribune. Rodriguez will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the U.S., an ICE spokesperson told The Tribune. The Trump administration has claimed its focusing its immigration crackdown on undocumented criminals, but plenty of non-criminal immigrants and in some cases even U.S. citizens have been detained or deported in ICE operations since Trump has taken office. While ICEs priority is to target undocumented people with criminal records, any individual illegally present in the United States who is encountered during an immigration enforcement operation may be taken into custody and processed for removal as stated by law, the ICE spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the past two weeks, Martinez was moved to four different ICE facilities in Santa Maria, Camarillo, Los Angeles and now El Paso, Texas, his wife said. Now that Martinez is out of the state, it is harder for his family to get in contact with a lawyer willing to represent him in Texas, his wife said. His nephew started a GoFundMe to cover Martinezs legal expenses. As of Thursday, they had raised $4,136 of the $5,000 goal. With Martinez away from home, his family waits every day to hear what is going to happen to him, his wife said. Whenever the family returns to their original home currently theyre living with other family members the kids are reminded of their absent father, and they do not want to stay long. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every day they ask me, When is my dad going to get out? his wife said. Martinez was also the main contributor to the family income, and his wife does not work or know how to drive, she said. Martinez told his wife that many of the detainees around him are people who had been taken from their place of work, she said. Including himself, many in custody are refusing to sign any documents that would self-deport them, Martinezs wife said. For first time, ICE targets Central Coast farms in major workplace raids A community in crisis Trumps escalation of immigration enforcement activity threw the Central Coast immigrant community into a crisis as families scramble to reconnect with the at least 140 people detained by ICE in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties since Jan. 20, according to the 805 UndocuFund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The non-profit reported two other arrests in Santa Maria within the same week as Martinezs. The organizations 805 Immigrant Rapid Response Hotline reported that one person was kidnapped from his workplace on Stowell Road on June 24, and another was arrested the next day at La Princesa Market, a Mexican grocery store on Broadway. On Thursday, another immigrant man was taken by ICE agents outside of the San Luis Obispo County courthouse following a misdemeanor court hearing. This year, the nonprofit mobilized to respond to increased ICE activity on the Central Coast which community organizer Darlene Villanueva called political warfare as ICE attempts to meet its quota of 3,000 arrests per day. Reuters reported in June that Trump directed ICE to meet the new quota. People can call the hotline at 805-870-8855 to request help if stopped by ICE or to report ICE activity. The network will text those enrolled in their service about confirmed ICE sightings. Text ALERT to the hotline number to receive real-time updates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Villanueva said the hotline has been overwhelmed with calls since Trump took office. Callers reported arrests at places like Target, public parks, their neighborhoods and their workplaces. Earlier this month, ICE agents targeted farms across the Central Coast, arresting five people in Santa Maria and 35 in Oxnard in the largest workplace raid Villanueva has seen locally. Americas not the land of opportunity. Its the land of being persecuted and hunted, she said. Its really heartbreaking. People without citizenship only leave their homes when necessary, and families fear being separated from each other. During a video call with The Tribune, Villanueva paused to scan the streets for ICE ready to spring into action if agents appeared. Many of my people live in fear and uncertainty, she said. We know theres going to be a raid, but we dont know when. 805 UndocuFund formed the 805 Immigrant Coalition with the Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project and Buen Vecino. Together, the organizations patrol the Central Coast for ICE, often driving the streets at 4 a.m. before farmworkers head to the fields. If a person without citizenship feels unsafe leaving their job site after work, a volunteer will find them and drive them home. We (the 805 Immigrant Coalition) have to be what the government is not in our community, Villanueva said. When theres an emergency, youd think they would call 911 they call us. They call us. How sad is that, for them to call us. Meanwhile, volunteers pick up groceries and gas for people who are afraid to leave their homes. Theyll also take peoples laundry to the laundromat. 805 UndocuFund also distributes donations to people whose loved ones have been deported or those who feel unsafe going to work. People can donate to 805 UndocuFund at 805undocufund.org/donate. We just want to keep our community safe. And I cant even say undocumented community because were being racially profiled, Villanueva said. Its just so sad. Its like, I could be taken by ICE. I do not look white. Generations of immigrant families are being traumatized by the threat of deportation, she said. Even when this administration leaves, that dagger is still going to be there, she said. That pain, that hurt is still going to be there. We cant forget about this. By Rich McKay and Andy Sullivan HUNT, Texas (Reuters) -At least 43 people, including 15 children, have been confirmed dead following flash floods in central Texas, authorities said on Saturday as rescuers continued a frantic search for dozens more campers, vacationers and residents who were still missing. The casualty toll will likely rise, authorities said, as localities beyond the main site of the disaster in Kerr County were affected by the flooding. A Travis County official said four people had died from the flooding there, with 13 unaccounted for, and officials reported another death in Kendall County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some news organizations reported the death toll was already as high as 52. Reuters could not confirm that. Officials said more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain in an area around the Guadalupe River, about 85 miles (140 km) northwest of San Antonio. Among the missing were 27 girls from the Camp Mystic summer camp, Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice told a press conference on Saturday evening, and there may be others beyond that. Rice said 27 people were known to be missing, but "we will not put a number on the other side because we just don't know." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet (9 meters). "We know that the rivers rise, but nobody saw this coming," said Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the top local official in the region. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 17 of the confirmed dead, including five children, had yet to be identified. The National Weather Service said the flash flood emergency has largely ended for Kerr County, following thunderstorms that dumped more than a foot of rain. That is half of the total the region sees in a typical year. A flood watch was in effect until 7 p.m. for the broader region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kerr County sits in the Texas Hill Country, a rural area known for rugged terrain, historic towns and tourist attractions. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said an unknown number of visitors had come to the area for an Independence Day celebration by the river. We don't know how many people were in tents on the side, in small trailers by the side, in rented homes by the side," he said on Fox News Live. 'COMPLETE SHOCK' Camp Mystic, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp, had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flood, according to Patrick. A day after the disaster struck, the camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least six feet from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, one had a missing wall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another girls' camp in the area, Heart O' the Hills, said on its website that co-owner Jane Ragsdale had died in the flood but no campers had been present as it was between sessions. In Comfort, a town about 40 miles down the river from Camp Mystic, huge trees, some over 60 feet tall, were pulled out and scattered around the river by the floods, with several blocking roads. While the main highway from San Antonio to affected areas remained mainly intact, some two-lane bridges were severely damaged by water. A Reuters photographer saw around 10 cars - some with smashed windshields and doors - that had been swept away by flood waters and lay abandoned near the river. "Complete shock. I'm still in shock today," said Tonia Fucci, 52, a Pennsylvanian who was in Comfort visiting her grandmother. "The devastation was such that I'm still in shock today. And with the rescues going on and helicopters, you just know there's so many missing children and missing people. You just want them to be found for the sake of the families. But, you know, it's not going to be a good ending. It's just not going to be. There's no way people could have survived the swiftness of the water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Videos posted online showed bare concrete platforms where homes used to stand and piles of rubble along the banks of the river. Rescuers plucked residents from rooftops and trees, sometimes forming human chains to fetch people from the floodwater, local media reported. President Donald Trump said he and his wife Melania were praying for the victims. "Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best," he said on social media. Texas Governor Greg Abbott told a press conference he had asked Trump to sign a disaster declaration, which would unlock federal aid for those affected. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Trump would honor that request. Trump has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government's role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noem said a "moderate" flood watch issued on Thursday by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system. The administration has cut thousands of jobs from the National Weather Service's parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, said former NOAA director Rick Spinrad. He said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but said they would inevitably degrade the agency's ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts. "People's ability to prepare for these storms will be compromised. It undoubtedly means that additional lives will be lost and probably more property damage," he said. (Reporting by Sergio Flores in Hunt, Texas and Rich McKay in Atlanta; Additional reporting by Marco Bello and Sandra Stojanovic in Comfort, Texas; Deborah Gembara in Washington; and Ryan Jones and Bhargav Acharya in Toronto; Writing by Andy Sullivan and Dan Burns; Editing by Diane Craft, Nick Zieminski and David Gregorio) CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) Several events took place to celebrate the Fourth of July in Centre County, including the Colyer parade and the Central PA Fourth Fest. The Colyer parade is a unique way to celebrate the holiday that you cant find everywhere. Its filled with ATVs, firetrucks, tractors, and much more, all to celebrate freedom. Growing up in Penns Valley and then moving away for 26 years to a big city outside of Washington, DC, theres nothing like this, Centre Hall Resident Kim Domin said. Stay up to date with the latest news in the palm of your hand. Click here to download the WTAJ app for Apple and Android devices. A fun celebration that allows the community to come together. Typically, there is a full picnic after the parade, but this year there was no host for this years event. But either way, all those in the parade say this is what the holiday is all about. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is what America is about. Its such a small, small town and great people, great friends, Domin said. In State College, the highly anticipated Central PA Fourth Fest brought residents from around the area for a full day of events. Its bringing everybody together. We spent a lot of years with COVID [19] and not being able to be a part of anything. And here we are enjoying this nice day with everybody out here, friends and family, and its nice to finally be able to be back doing that, Duncansville Resident and Army Infantry Veteran, Tyler Daugherty said. More from WTAJ's Tristan klinefelter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many enjoy celebrating, especially Kristen Walker from Grassflat, who showcases her car during the annual car show. Not only does she enjoy everybody having a good time, but she remembers those who gave her the ability to celebrate freely. The ability to do all this, the nice days, you know, the veterans that protected us, and seeing the young ones just kind of light up and have fun and ask questions. Its all about family and friends, Walker 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 WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. Din Tai Fung is keeping machines out of the kitchen for now. The chain's chiefs say making their iconic pork dumplings, with their precise 18 folds, is delicate work. A machine making them would mean "sacrificing heavily on the quality," CEO Aaron Yang told BI. Din Tai Fung thinks robots aren't good enough to make their iconic pork soup dumplings. The Taiwanese chain's North America CEO, Aaron Yang, said Din Tai Fung's xiao long baos, which are known for being pleated at the top with exactly 18 folds, are "very, very delicate." Yang, 33, leads the company alongside his brother, Albert Yang, 32. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And they make a lot of them Din Tai Fung sells an average of 10,000 handmade xiao long baos every day at each of its North American outlets, the chain told BI. It has over 173 outlets in 13 countries, including the US, Canada, and the UK. Din Tai Fung's xiao long baos are known for having 18 pleats precisely. Din Tai Fung "The way we make the skins, they're paper thin yet strong enough to hold the soup inside," said Yang. "We are just very uncompromising about quality," he said. "We've seen machines make soup dumplings, and you're definitely sacrificing heavily on the quality." Yang said their compromise with automation in the kitchen was to deploy it in areas where "it doesn't affect quality," like having a little robot helping the staff run to deliver orders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In New York, our kitchen is pretty far away from the takeout area. So we actually have a little robot that runs back and forth delivering the finished takeout bags from the kitchen to the front," he said. Before the robot was deployed, one person walked back and forth in the restaurant throughout the day. The human touch Aaron and Albert Yang, the two CEOs of Din Tai Fung, are the third-generation leaders of the iconic dumpling chain. Din Tai Fung Din Tai Fung's take on automation is in line with that of other chains like Chipotle and Shake Shack, which have both largely kept machines out of the kitchen for the time being. "We still believe the best way to Chipotle is down the line with a team member, highly customized, great variety, big, beautiful burritos and bowls down the line," Chipotle's CEO, Scott Boatwright, said on an episode of Yahoo Finance's "Opening Bid" podcast that aired in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boatwright added that human interaction is "a core equity of the Chipotle brand." Chipotle di, tap a robot called" Autocado " in July 2023 to cut, core, and peel avocados, reducing the amount of time needed for the task by half. Shake Shack's CEO, Danny Meyer, said in a December episode of "Opening Bid" that he did not plan to increase automation in his chain. "I think when it comes to making the product, there's something about the human touch, smashing that burger, seasoning the burger, flipping the burger, knowing exactly when it is time to come off, where not any two burgers at Shake Shack taste exactly the same," Meyer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starbucks is taking a similar approach, leaving the crafting of drinks to their baristas but rolling out an AI tool that helps baristas remember drink recipes. Read the original article on Business Insider CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) In Champaign, the community came together Thursday night in a forum to combat youth violence. It was set up at the Champaign Library. Around 30 people showed up for dinner and a discussion about how to keep children and themselves safe from violence this Fourth of July weekend. Theres just no controlling these weapons: 17-year-old with machine gun arrested in Danville The meeting was set up following the deadly shooting on Sunday in Champaign which left one 16-year-old dead and another hospitalized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the end of the day, its time for the community to stand up, said youth mentor Banio Koroma Jr. Right now, the community is fed up with the killings, theyre fed up with our kids getting murdered, gunned down in the streets. Its about time that we stand up and say, not anymore. Were tired of the same thing and were ready for a change, and right now were demanding change. I feel like around the Fourth of July, theres always some type of something bad that happens, said organizer Chyna Figueroa-Dixon. But I will say with the recent death being just one week ago, and that being a minority Black boy underage, we really wanted to go into the weekend where we dont have that same thing happen. Where we wake up Saturday morning and weve lost another one of ours. There is another community engagement meeting scheduled for July 13 at the Champaign Library. The public is invited to attend. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Editors note: Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travels weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, and where to stay. In travel news this week: Why Thailand did a U-turn on legalizing marijuana, why the party might be over for Germanys clubbing capital, plus more generous luggage rules are coming to European flights. EU hand luggage is about to get less confusing European lawmakers have voted to get rid of tricksy, confusing airline carry-on fees and promote standardization across the industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal still requires approval from EU member states but, if adopted, travelers could soon be guaranteed a lot more free hand luggage than is currently standard on the regions budget airlines. Right now, low-cost carriers including EasyJet and Ryanair allow passengers one free bag that must fit under the seat in front. However, with no standardized dimensions across airlines, travelers have often been caught unawares with incorrectly sized bags when switching between carriers. The new rule would allow passengers to bring one cabin bag measuring up to 100 centimeters (about 40 inches) and weighing up to seven kilos (15.4 pounds), plus an under-the-seat personal item with maximum dimensions of 40 x 30 x 15 centimeters. (Thats about the size of a small backpack.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If it goes through, it will apply to all flights within the EU, as well as routes to and from the EU. While this rule change has yet to be confirmed, there are other luggage changes already afoot. Trade association Airlines for Europe (A4E), which represents 17 of the regions leading airlines, announced on Wednesday that its members have started applying the guaranteed set of dimensions of 40 30 15 centimeters for under-seat bags. In line with this move, Ryanair, Europes largest airline, has said that it will be increasing its small-item size limits from 40 x 25 x 20 centimeters to to 40 x 30 x 20 centimeters in the coming weeks, as our airport bag-sizers are adjusted. Snakes, bears, poodles and penguins While doing those last-minute luggage checks before travel, its not a bad idea to watch out for snakes in Australia, at least. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A plane was delayed leaving Melbourne on Tuesday because one of the wriggly reptiles got loose in the hold. Watch here as snake catcher Mark Pelley got down to business. Staff at Japans Yamagata Airport had a bigger critter to contend with, when a bear on the runway forced flights to be canceled on June 26. Traps set up near the runway failed to catch the furry trespasser, but airport officials said they would remain in place. Magellanic penguins, named after the explorer Ferdinand Magellan, are native to Patagonia, but one little adventurer took to the seas like its famous namesake and was spotted swimming with beachgoers in Rio de Janeiro on June 29. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It wasnt the only industrious animal to hit the beach in June. A poodle is the newest member of a dog lifeguard team near Malaga in Spain. Not all heroes wear capes some have thick luxurious coats. Party time is over In 2022, Thailand became the first country in Asia to legalize marijuana. Just three years later, a dramatic government U-turn is set to rein in the countrys green rush. Heres where things went wrong. There will soon be a lot fewer clouds of smoke in France, too. The country has long been synonymous with cigarette culture, but its now leading the way in Europe by banning smoking on beaches, in parks and in all outdoor areas frequented by children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rulebreakers face fines of up to 135 euros (around $150). Next door in Germany, Berlins reign as the hedonistic party capital of Europe might be coming to an end. The citys nightlife scene has been changing since the pandemic and now Gen Z wants a different kind of fun. All this clean living requires an early start to the day. Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have this guide to the best alarm clocks of 2025. Heres to being bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Why Missoula is a must-visit In the Montana town of Missoula, theres world-class wilderness in every direction. But theres much more to this eclectic university town than being a basecamp between two spectacular national parks (Yellowstone and Glacier, if youre asking). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres amazing food, an outdoor music venue, fly fishing, and even surfing in the center of downtown. The rivers are pretty famous too. The 1992 Brad Pitt movie A River Runs Through It, helped put Missoula on the map. It just blew up at that point, says local businessman Todd Frank, the number of people coming to recreate, weve been busy ever since then. In case you missed it She ditched New York for Paris at the age of 79. She says its the best decision she ever made. This is not the seat you paid for. Heres what to do if you get downgraded on a flight. Two strangers met on a train. Then they decided to travel the world together. The best pizza in the United States? Italy has the answer. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) Proceedings in the rape trial against two former Albuquerque firefigthers was about to go into recess for the holiday weekend on Friday, when the state dropped a charge against each defendant. Prosecutors dismissed a charge against Anthony Martin. They say they could not prove that he raped the victim. Martin along with Aden Heyman and Angel Portillo are charged in connection to a rape that happened at an off-duty party at his home. Hes now charged with two counts of aiding and abetting, having his criminal sexual penetration resulting in personal injury dismissed. Uncovering the truth of Billy the Kid; New Mexico Strange Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A directed verdict is when a judge decides the evidence is insufficient to support a conviction. It takes it out of a jurys hands because the prosecution didnt meet its burden of proof. As she had described it and as weve seen in the photos. Mr. Martin was described as being between the two windows at the foot of the bed. She did not know where his hands were, but there was no description that he was in any way holding her down, even no similar evidence that she knew that his hands were holding her down or that he prevented her from going down the stairs in any way, said Judge Britt Baca. Judge Britt Baca granted the motion, which led Aden Heymans lawyer, Robert Bowles, to ask the court for his client to get a directed verdict too. That motion was denied. Judge Baca did say the ruling was subject to reconsideration, and the state is expected to enter a motion Monday morning in Martins case. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. A charity has been formally warned and one of its trustees disqualified after an "inflammatory" sermon in the days after the 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel. Language in the Nottingham Islam Information Point sermon, on 13 October 2023, included "the hour will not begin until the Muslims fight the Jews and the Muslims will kill them until a Jew hides behind a rock or a tree", the Charity Commission said. It is one of more than 300 charity cases related to the conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nottingham Islam Information Point has been contacted for a response. The 2023 attacks by Hamas saw about 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage and the Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response, in which at least 57,268 people have been killed since, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Nottingham Islam Information Point, based in Radford, Nottingham, aims to provide support to victims of Islamophobic attacks and address misconceptions about the religion. The Charity Commission added that, during the sermon, by trustee Harun Abdur Rashid Holmes, attendees were encouraged not to "busy yourselves with politics and voting". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The regulator found the sermon "did not further the charity's purposes, including to provide relief to those in need and was not in the charity's best interests", therefore amounting to misconduct and/or mismanagement. 'No consideration' Mr Holmes, who is not a trained imam, was deemed by the commission not to have acted in accordance with his duties as a trustee and was disqualified in July last year. He is prevented from holding any senior management position in a charity in England and Wales for three years - and was noted by the commission to lack the good judgement expected of a trustee. While the watchdog said it recognised some of the sermon's content had come from a specific hadith - a narration of historical events ascribed to the Prophet Muhammad - the appropriate context was not given and it therefore was "inflammatory and divisive". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The regulator also said "no consideration" had been given to the timing of the sermon - six days after the attacks in Israel. The commission said Mr Holmes had accepted that, with hindsight, the hadith was sensitive and that he had not given sufficient context to it. The commission's assistant director of investigations and compliance, Stephen Roake, said it had acted "robustly". He said: "In times of conflict, people expect charities to bring people together, not to stoke division. "Following our intervention, the charity's remaining trustees have taken positive steps to improve their governance. This includes the introduction of a more robust events policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "All charities that host events and speakers should take note of this case and ensure they have sufficient due diligence in place." Rocket barrages launched from the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, amid ongoing hostilities, triggered the outbreak of war [Reuters] Of the 300 cases considered by the Charity Commission since the end of 2023 in relation to the conflict in the Middle East, about a third have resulted in formal statutory guidance being issued by the commission. More than 70 referrals to the police have been made, when the regulator considered that a criminal offence might have been committed. The commission's chief executive David Holdsworth said some people were undermining charities' "potential for good" in an opinion piece for the Sunday Telegraph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He wrote: "Over the past few years, and particularly since the escalation of conflict in the Middle East in October 2023, we have seen charities misused to promote the personal views of those linked to the charity, in some cases inciting hate, or condoning violence. "There can be no hiding place for those who seek to use charities to promote hate or harm to others." Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. More on this story Related internet links Charlotte community members gather to call for justice for teen victim of drive-by shooting People across the Charlotte area gathered on Saturday to call for justice for a teen girl who was killed in a drive-by shooting at the end of May. Nevaeh Carter was shot and killed at 17 years old in a drive-by shooting on May 31 at the intersection of N. Graham Street and Craighead Road. She was a student at Monroe High School with dreams of becoming a doctor. The police have yet to arrest anyone in connection with her death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ: NCSHP cracks down on speeders, drunk drivers amid holiday weekend Family members gathered alongside the community group MARCUS, or Mothers Advocating for Real Change and Unwavering Support, on Saturday afternoon at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Headquarters. Organizers said they were hoping to call attention to Carters murder and ask for the publics help. Her family said they do not believe Carter was a target. They think she was an innocent bystander. It has been extremely tough, like a bad nightmare or a dream trying to wake up from it, her mother, Jamie Cureton, said. Its everyday, lifelong effects, daily effects. Every day I live for Nevaeh... Someone knows they need to come forward and do what God would want them to do. The family said it hopes someone will come forward with information that will lead to an arrest. WATCH: NCSHP cracks down on speeders, drunk drivers amid holiday weekend CHICAGO - A 38-year-old man was accused of carjacking a vehicle with a 7-month-old infant inside on the citys West Side last Thursday. Jeremy Ochoa, of Chicago, was charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking and aggravated kidnapping of a child younger than 13 years old. Jeremy Ochoa (Chicago Police Department) What we know Police said Ochoa allegedly took a car from a 36-year-old woman with the infant still inside the vehicle in the 1200 block of S. Independence in North Lawndale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The car was found a short time later, and Ochoa was arrested about two hours later and charged. The baby was found to be in good condition and taken to a hospital for observation, police said. What's next The suspect was expected to appear in court on Saturday. CHICAGO - Four people were injured, three critically, after a drive-by shooting in the citys Little Village neighborhood early Saturday morning. The shooting happened in the 2700 block of S. California Boulevard, according to the Chicago Police Department. The location was near the Leighton Criminal Courthouse and Cook County Jail. What we know Officers responded to a call of gunshot victims at Mt. Sinai Hospital around 1:46 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators learned that they were shot when an SUV drove past them and opened fire into a parked car. The shooter hit multiple victims: A 32-year-old man was shot multiple times about the body. He was listed in critical condition at Mt. Sinai Hospital. A 26-year-old man was shot multiple times about the body. He was listed in critical condition at Mt. Sinai Hospital. A 25-year-old man was shot multiple times about the body. He was listed in critical condition at Mt. Sinai Hospital. A 33-year-old man was shot in the right leg. He was listed in fair condition at Mt. Sinai Hospital. What we don't know No one was in custody in connection with the shooting. Area detectives are investigating. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) A 7-year-old boy who was abducted late Thursday in Ridgecrest has been found safe and the suspect was in custody, police said. They were located in the Santa Clarita area, according to Ridgecrest Police Department. An Amber Alert issued Friday afternoon said the child was believed to be traveling in an SUV a white GMC Acadia driven by 42-year-old Michael Abbott. Police sent an update within an hour of the alert to say the child had been found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abbott was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and child abduction, 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 KGET 17 News. Jul. 5It's been some six months since an outside arbitrator stepped in to require more accountability from the state Children, Youth and Families Department in its protection of abused and neglected children. And in that time, CYFD convinced state lawmakers to spend $100 million more over last year's budget to shore up protective services staff, increase training, implement ways to decrease caseloads and cut office stays for children in custody. But in that same period, three children in state custody have died, progress has been delayed by bureaucratic snags, and on Thursday, independent arbitrator and lawyer Charles R. Peifer ended a three-hour compliance hearing with a sobering assessment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I am not yet seeing any measurable progress from six months ago," Peifer said, "which means to me, the state must do more." Peifer is overseeing the state's compliance with the Kevin S. settlement agreement created five years ago by CYFD and attorneys representing 14 foster youth who contended their constitutional rights were being violated by conditions created in state custody. As part of the agreement, two national experts, called co-neutrals, are being paid by the state to collect data, conduct interviews, assess compliance, advise the state and make recommendations for reform. The experts, Kevin Ryan and Judith Meltzer, appeared via Zoom at Thursday's hearing, with Meltzer telling Peifer, "For us, this has been a frustrating five years. We would have hoped by this point that the system would be in a better place than it is right now." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ryan, with Public Catalyst Group of Iselin, New Jersey, said he and Meltzer, of the New York-based Center for the Study of Social Policy, have made "numerous, numerous recommendations" over the past five years as to what CYFD's priorities should be. CYFD has supported those in many instances, he said. "The challenge has been the implementation," he said. During repeated interactions with "hundreds and hundreds of (CYFD) workers and in field visits," Ryan said, "one of the challenges we confronted is workers increasingly saying, 'Why are we still talking to you and nothing's changed? Why are caseloads so high? Why are children still being housed in offices?'" "The credibility of this effort is so seriously undermined by the number of years that have passed without meaningful change in the offices that we really need to integrate a sense of profound urgency into the implementation of stabilizing a well-trained workforce," Ryan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CYFD Secretary Teresa Casados told Peifer that her agency is making strides, such as reducing the average number of children staying in agency offices from about 17 to 18 statewide to 12. The Legislature this year approved funding an extra 25 positions to work in offices, requiring specialized training of the employees to deal with crisis response and suicide risk assessments. Ryan said none of the states that have substantially improved their systems for children and families have done so without creating a well-trained, stable workforce with reasonable caseloads. The two experts have worked as federal court monitors and advised states such as Oklahoma, New Jersey, Michigan and Texas. "Three things were always key (to success)," Ryan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "First," he said, "there was an 'accountability agent,' such as a federal judge, who engaged with the parties, holding hearings and receiving expert reports to ensure compliance." That hasn't happened in the Kevin S. case because there is no federal judge overseeing the progress. As part of the out-of-court settlement, the parties first tried negotiations and dispute resolution. Peifer was selected last year after attorneys for the foster children asked for binding arbitration, contending CYFD's continuing failure to meet its goals was unacceptable. The second element, Ryan said, "is there was a very committed governor in all these instances ... who was very focused on implementation and made sure that the executive branch was working full throttle; then thirdly, there was leadership at the agency, focused on the commitment and driving that forward with a master plan that was designed to essentially achieve compliance." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We do think there needs to be ongoing outside accountability through you, Mr. Peifer," Meltzer said. Tara Ford, an attorney and child welfare specialist with Public Counsel of Los Angeles, urged Peifer to continue holding CYFD accountable by instituting remedial orders like he did in January. At the time, he directed CYFD to request adequate funding from the Legislature for caseworker hiring and retention. He also implemented deadlines in areas of staffing for foster family recruitment and reporting of well-child checks for children coming into state custody. "Plaintiffs understand that three children have died in foster care (so far this year) and so many others have been living in unsafe congregate care settings and not getting the care they deserve," Ford said. "The result of CYFD's broken promises is tragic and absolutely intolerable." She was referring to the suicide in April of a 16-year-old boy living at a group home licensed by CYFD in Albuquerque; the suicide on May 16 of a 17-year-old girl in state custody; and last month's death of a 10-month-old child in foster care, which is still under investigation by CYFD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is very hard work," said Ryan, who urged New Mexico to look at what can be accomplished in the final 18 months of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's term in office. Casados is the third Cabinet secretary to head the agency since Lujan Grisham took office in January 2019. The governor was re-elected in 2022. Casados told Peifer she wants to concentrate for the next 18 months on workforce training and stabilization. "I think that is really key to all of the other areas that need to be addressed," she said. Jul. 4MITCHELL Kayla Lux knows the challenges of meeting childcare demands. She's been facing those challenges for years as owner of Little Learners, LLC, a licensed childcare center in Mitchell. As the city of Mitchell has seen its need for childcare increase in recent years, Lux has hired, expanded and brainstormed ways for her business to help meet those needs. Now, with a new after-school program at the Mitchell School District set to begin with the coming school year, Lux is again looking at ways to maintain the quality level of service her customers have come to expect in a service landscape that continues to change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I believe that there is a need for childcare. The problem is I can't be free," Lux told the Mitchell Republic in a recent interview. Lux was referring to the KERNELS Program, an initiative at the Mitchell School District that was approved by the Mitchell Board of Education at its most recent meeting in June. Through the program, which is being funded by a grant from the Roger and Vicki Musick Foundation, elementary-age students in the district will be able to participate in a continuation of the regular school day from 3:15 to 5:30 p.m. School officials say it will be an opportunity for students to receive academic support from certified teachers and participate in enrichment activities. Joe Childs, superintendent for the Mitchell School District, has said the program will help kids grow while also making afternoon scheduling easier for participating families by providing a spot for the students to be until they are picked up after their parents are off work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program is expected to launch with the 2025-26 school year, and thanks to the private-donor funding, it will be free of charge to families. That's where it gets complicated for Lux, who purchased the second, larger Little Learners location on W. 15th Avenue in Mitchell for about $2 million in March of 2024 in an effort to address growing demand for the service. An extensive remodel project followed, with work being done on two bathrooms and 14 new classrooms being added. It's all expensive work, and Lux relies on her clients to support the business through fees, which pay for employees, materials and other regular expenses. With the new school program being provided free of charge, she is wary that the all-important client base she has worked hard to cultivate will find the low-cost option too good to ignore. "We're very competitive, (but) I can't see one family, even a family that I helped raise from little kids I don't see any of them staying because it is more convenient to stay at the school they're already at," Lux said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's the second time in recent years that Lux has had to adjust on the fly. An earlier proposal that would have seen the school district and the city of Mitchell partner on funding a summer kids program for $80 per student never came to fruition. But just from the announcement of the program, Lux said Little Learners lost thousands of dollars in deposits from potential clients who were ready to transition to the proposed program due to cost. The KERNELS Program could have a similar impact, with a worst-case scenario ending with closing her business. That would likely exacerbate the childcare shortage, as the children her business cares for would need to find new service in an already strained market. It could also raise prices as open childcare slots would become more rare and valuable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Childs told the Mitchell Republic the new program is not meant to drive out other childcare options in the community. The new endeavor is expected to be academically focused and it is hoped that it can help make up for lost learning opportunities that extend all the way back to the height of the pandemic. He differentiated the KERNELS Program as being a school-supported enrichment program as opposed to daycare. "The KERNELS Program isn't intended to replace or to compete with any kind of licensed child care. It's targeted at academic support, and it's also targeted at school-aged students. It's especially targeted for those who need that extra boost after the disruptions that were caused by COVID," Childs said. Mike Lauritsen, CEO of the Mitchell Chamber of Commerce and Mitchell Area Development Corporation, said the need for child care options in Mitchell continues. A solution will hopefully include both public and private options, like the KERNELS Program and businesses like Little Learners, but he admits striking a balance can be difficult for a problem that is not isolated to Mitchell, but is a problem statewide and beyond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's a problem that's across the United States and South Dakota, too. We're trying to figure out some solutions to it, and if there were easy solutions, we wouldn't be talking about the problem," Lauritsen said. "We continue to have conversations on how to improve the capacity for childcare, and we continue to try and have conversations to figure out solutions." The chamber works to assist where it can with grants and other support, he said, but it will take more work to see the problem fully resolved. Lux loves what she does, and she knows her services are needed. So she's turning her attention to how she can guarantee her business stays viable. "We're really just kind of adapting our business model with what we currently have and what we need to become," Lux said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, she plans to keep an open line of communication with the Mitchell School District about potential future care programs, an arrangement Little Learners engaged after the closure of the local EMBE childcare outlet in 2023. Lux said she would be open to restarting discussions on such a program. Childs said he would remain open to suggestions concerning working together. Lux also said she would look into potentially launching a 24/7 service, which could cater more to parents working overnight shifts, as a way to offset costs. That move would require hiring personnel willing to work odd hours, and that would be predicated on securing enough regular, ongoing signups for the service to guarantee she has the appropriate number of staff ready and on hand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, she expects she will look more into advertising options and promoting her business and services to outline what sets a privately-run enterprise like Little Learners apart from a school-based public service like the KERNELS Program. Running a childcare center is a lot of work, and Lux knows the effort will have to continue, both for the health of her business and to ensure parents in Mitchell have the options they need when it comes to child care services. "There are a lot of ins and outs that have to be planned, and there's kids we have to get signed up in those to be able to expand that, but we're really very optimistic and hoping by making some of those changes, even though it's going to be difficult to get them implemented, that that's enough to continue a successful program for birth through five years," Lux said. Thousands of local tourists poured into China's first-ever Legoland as it opened its gates in Shanghai on Saturday, the latest theme park hoping to capitalise on a domestic tourism boom. The Chinese branch of the British-owned theme park franchise is the biggest Legoland in the world. It drew in early customers who flocked to attractions including a miniature train ride and a dragon-themed rollercoaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I personally love to play with Lego blocks and we have many sets at home... so I wanted to come to Legoland at the earliest opportunity," said Shi, a 35-year-old resident of nearby city Hangzhou, who was visiting the park with his wife and child. Despite the Chinese economy's sluggish growth in recent years, domestic tourist spending grew 18.6 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the previous year, according to statistics. "Ever since the pandemic, I've made very few trips abroad," said Shi, adding his family now travels to theme parks around China "many times a year". Eager Lego fans rushed into the park as soon as it opened, wearing themed shirts and waving branded flags as they enjoyed the 318,000-square-metre (78.5-acre) compound in scorching temperatures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beijing has announced subsidies intended to make travelling within the country more affordable for Chinese citizens, and is pushing local governments to heavily market their attractions on social media. Companies have taken note of the wider local tourism boom and stepped up their plans in China. A new "Spider-Man" attraction at Shanghai Disneyland broke ground in May, while Warner Brothers is set to open a Harry Potter experience in Shanghai by 2027. Toy giant Hasbro said this week its giant Peppa Pig park in the city was now "in the phase of creative design". Chinese collectable toy maker Pop Mart has also opened an attraction in Beijing featuring life-sized versions of its popular Labubu toys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The various provinces are putting a lot of effort into expanding their tourism industries, and all of them have special attractions," said Xu, a 34-year-old parent visiting Legoland on Saturday with his children. But profitability remains a problem, especially for local companies with less brand recognition. As of late 2024, around 40 percent of parks were still failing to turn a profit, according to state media reports. Yet analysts point to a growing population of retirees and job market changes as key factors pushing more locals to visit domestic attractions. "The labour market is turning more flexible," said Ernan Cui, China consumer analyst at Gavekal Research. "More people have leisure time to travel around." tjx/jfx DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) One Xenia Township couple found evidence of a bear visiting their home on Independence Day. The pair, who live on Nash Road, wrote they heard a loud scraping sound at approximately 11 p.m. They said they didnt think anything of it. I DID NOT let the bear loose: Local mayor sets the record straight In the morning, they found that their trash can had been moved and had large claw marks on it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They said the claw marks are roughly three feet off the ground and span about three inches. This is too big for a raccoon, possum or dog. Photo via CR Ranch. To see 2 NEWS full coverage of the Visiting Black Bear in the Miami Valley, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. CLEARWATER Doris pink nose bobbed just above the water as she watched Kelsey Fisher grab a treat from a small metal bucket. The dolphin jumped out of the water and opened her mouth just enough for the treat to land on her tongue. The small splash echoed through Clearwater Marine Aquariums dolphin pool. Fisher held up her hand for Doris to tap with her snout, but Doris kicked up her back flippers and snuggled into the corner of Fishers shoulder instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fisher met Doris at Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City, where the dolphin had lived since being stranded by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Doris is a rough-toothed dolphin, which have straighter and smaller heads than bottlenose dolphins. Rough-toothed dolphins are an offshore species you wont typically see by the beaches. When Fisher started at Gulf World in 2013, everyone called the dolphin Queen Doris because she was the oldest in her pod and only behaved for trainers she trusted. Doris was territorial about her space and always seemed to be testing people, Fisher said. She knew it would be difficult to break into Doris inner circle. You and me, Fisher remembers thinking. We are going to be friends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They trained together for more than a decade but were separated when Fisher changed jobs. She knew her chances of caring for Doris again were slim. Then, last month, came an unexpected reunion in Clearwater. As a new trainer, Fisher spent time watching Doris closely. When she noticed Doris playfully wrapping vacuum hoses around her flippers, Fisher learned to bring her some. Fisher gave Doris tail rubs after seeing how much she loved to be touched. If Doris wasnt feeling well and needed a blood sample, Fisher was with her. For a while, Doris only moved to different pools if Fisher was the one to direct her, and Fisher started to anticipate her reactions and behavior. Five years after she met Doris, Fisher got a small tattoo on her wrist of Doris tail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its kind of something that everybody in the field hopes to have one day, that special animal, she said. I knew for a long time that Doris was that one. Last September, Fisher got a job offer at the Clearwater aquarium. Fishers family is from Clearwater, and she interned there years ago. She said she always thought shed end up back in Clearwater. She spent as much time as she could with Doris on her last day of work. For hours, Fisher and Doris played games theyd made up together over the years. Fisher said she tried to focus on happy memories, not the fact that she was leaving. Of course, that didnt take away the sadness, she said. Its like youre leaving a friend, and thats a hard thing to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In May, Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a criminal investigation into Gulf World Marine Park. Gulf Worlds dolphin pools had an algae bloom along the wall that has significantly reduced visibility, according to a March inspection report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A January inspection reported that animal enclosures were in disrepair and the facility was lacking a water filter for the largest dolphin pool. One dolphin died there in March, according to the report, and another died in late May, according to state Sen. Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission coordinated with the Clearwater aquarium to transfer four rough-toothed dolphins, including Doris, commission spokesperson Faith Flawn said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kelly Martin, the Clearwater aquariums vice president of zoological care, said some Gulf World Marine Park employees offered to stay at Clearwater Marine Aquarium for two weeks to help the dolphins adjust. The trainers brought the dolphins favorite toys and wiped away tears when demonstrating care practices. I have nothing but good things to say about that team, Martin said. I think they are the product of an unfortunate circumstance. The Clearwater aquarium put together a transport team, including Fisher, and made the trip to Panama City within a few days. When Doris saw Fisher at Gulf World before the transport, she looked up at her, opened her mouth and started squealing. Fisher squealed right back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a surreal moment, she said. Each dolphin transport truck had a veterinarian and assistant to monitor their breathing well as overall awareness and behavior. Fisher traveled in Doriss truck, taking care of her. Fisher said Doris is getting used to the new pool, rock structures and other dolphins. Although shed never met Clearwaters other three dolphins, Doris now interacts comfortably with them, Fisher said. She said Doris is becoming more flexible in her older age. From the side of the pool, Fisher tossed another treat into Doris mouth. Doris swam towards her until they were face to face. Fisher kissed the top of her head. Doris mouth curled up at the corners. It looked just like a smile. The British and French-led "coalition of the willing" is set to meet in the U.K. next week, Politico reported on July 4. "On the agenda, there's how to maintain Ukraine in a capacity to fight, how to increase pressure on Russia, and how to continue the work on the next steps," an unnamed French official told Politico. As Washington's intensified efforts to broker a ceasefire in Russia's war against Ukraine failed, two rounds of largely inconclusive peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow took place in Turkey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following various failed attempts to obtain a ceasefire or peace deal, the coalition will meet again on July 10. The French official told Politico that the priorities of the "coalition of the willing" have not changed, and will continue to focus on Ukraine's military needs. The meeting will be led by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, with President Volodymyr Zelensky and various leaders joining virtually, the official said. The "coalition of the willing" has met repeatedly to determine potential security guarantees and a peacekeeping force for Ukraine. Leaders of 31 nations met in Paris on March 27 at a summit for the coalition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several countries, including France and the U.K., which lead the coalition, have pledged to send troops on the ground to enforce a potential ceasefire. Read also: Russia launches another horrific attack on Kyiv hours after Trump-Putin call Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Coca-Cola, a brand that already faces a lot of scrutiny, is once again in hot water as the Turkish government has opened an investigation into the company's business practices. What's happening? Turkey's Competition Board announced that it is investigating Coca-Cola over the possibility that the U.S.-based drink giant is running afoul of Turkey's competition law, according to Reuters. The board explained that this investigation was launched after increased suspicions that Coca-Cola was purposely trying to prevent and obstruct the sale of its competitors at its sales points. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also in the investigation, the board will determine if Coca-Cola complied with commitments it made to the board in 2021. Why is obstructing business competition important? This investigation has important environmental implications despite being legally framed as a competition issue. Coca-Cola has long faced criticism for its environmental impacts, particularly its role as a top contributor to global plastic pollution. If the company is found to have deliberately obstructed competitors from accessing retail space, it will show the dominance that large-scale, high-waste companies can still have over the market. This kind of dominance often comes at the expense of smaller beverage and food companies, many of which push for reusable packaging, local sourcing, and reduced levels of pollution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By limiting competition, Coca-Cola is stifling innovation in its industry and restricting consumer access to greener choices. It is also unclear how many other larger corporations may be following anti-competitive behavior in other industries. What's being done about businesses that obstruct competition? If Coca-Cola is found guilty, Turkey's Competition Board will have the opportunity to set a strong global precedent that other countries could look to follow. This case could encourage other countries to examine similar practices and support environmental groups pushing for greater corporate accountability. By taking action against Coca-Cola, Turkey will also send a clear message to other larger corporations that may also be attempting to obstruct their competition. As a consumer, you too have the power to influence corporations. Your purchasing power is an incredibly useful tool to let companies know that you support more environmentally friendly initiatives. 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. Jul. 4Friday's Fourth of July parade through the center of Coeur d'Alene didn't take place far from the site of the deadly attack that claimed the lives of two firefighters last weekend. But the tragedy was not far from the minds of those celebrating the nation's birthday there. More than a thousand people decked out in their red, white and blue lined the streets of Coeur d'Alene to celebrate the country and those who serve it this year especially, slain battalion chiefs John Morrison, 52, and Frank Harwood, 42. Idahoans gathered there said the day and parade took on extra significance as the community mourns the two firemen killed in the line of duty on Canfield Mountain after 20-year-old Wess Roley reportedly set a fire to lure them there and shoot them. David Tysdal, a 47-year-old fire engineer with the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department, was also shot and seriously injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tana VanZant said the large turnout was "proof Coeur d'Alene shows up." "When there are two fallen firefighters, this community comes together," she said. The parade started with the national anthem, and the crowds were met by different military veteran, police officers and other first responders. The firetruck got the loudest applause as it passed the crowd. Air Force veteran Pat Hulbert said such open displays of patriotism are commonplace since she moved to Idaho three years ago. Coming out to celebrate the United States is "obviously important," but she did not feel like it was when she lived in Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is absolutely important to celebrate freedom of our country. Everything, all the military, the police, all they sacrifice is what allows us to be free and be here today," she said. Katie Frederickson and her family set up a lemonade stand on the side of the parade route. It's a family tradition they started at last year's celebration. But this time, they are donating any money raised to the families of the fallen first responders. "We want to teach our kids to do things in the spirit of giving back to our heroes. Community events like this one become so much more important when sad events rock a community. I think we all want to take action to show how loved our first responders are." Last year, the family brought a single tub of lemonade to sell, but this year they "basically brought as much as we could put in the containers we could find." Before the parade even started, a line had formed to get a cool drink and participate in the charity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frederickson said it was important to bring her young children to events like this to instill a love of country and respect for first responders from a young age. "Like all important values, it is important to instill them as early as possible. As soon as they can understand. These will be memories they will hold with them forever." Sarah McDonnell, a Coeur d'Alene resident and business owner of Linked Studios, regularly attends the parade. This year, her 6-year-old daughter is participating. "It's special to see the community rallying together," she said. July 4 is a representation of the "freedom that unites our nation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Considering the recent North Idaho tragedy, this day takes on a special meaning for McDonnell. It is an opportunity to honor "all of the first responders, because they put their lives on the line," regardless of their position. Caroline Saint James' 's reporting was funded by Comma's First Amendment Club. By Luis Jaime Acosta BOGOTA (Reuters) -Colombian police have captured a fugitive accused of planning last month's gun attack on Senator Miguel Uribe, a potential presidential candidate, the head of the country's national police said on Saturday, marking the fifth arrest in the case. Elder Jose Arteaga, known as El Costeno, was arrested on suspicion of organizing and coordinating the politician's shooting at a rally in Colombia's capital Bogota on June 7 to commit the crime, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This includes handing over the gun used in the attack to the 15-year-old charged with shooting Uribe, the police added. "We are going after the intellectual authors of this act," National Police Director Carlos Fernando Triana told a press conference," adding that Arteaga had a criminal history going back more than 20 years. Footage on social media showed armed officers cuffing the suspect during a morning raid on a house police said was in a western neighborhood of Bogota, a day after Triana announced that Interpol had issued a red notice for his arrest. Reuters was not immediately able to reach Arteaga, 41, for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Triana said in a post on social media on Friday that he was wanted for "aggravated attempted homicide; manufacture, trafficking and carrying of firearms or ammunition; and use of minors for the commission of crimes." On Saturday, Triana told reporters police were investigating several theories about who was intellectually responsible for the attack, without giving more details. There is reward of up to 3 billion pesos (over $750,000) for information leading to the identification and capture of those responsible, Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a post on X. Sanchez added that the United States, United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates were helping investigate the crime, which he said operated under a "model of criminal outsourcing." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Uribe -- a 39-year-old presidential pre-candidate for the conservative opposition Democratic Center party -- was shot twice in the head and once in his left leg, according to state prosecutors. He has undergone several serious surgeries since the attack, which left him in critical condition. Four other suspects have since been arrested, including the 15-year-old alleged shooter who was detained minutes after the attack. In a video of event, independently verified by Reuters, he can be heard shouting that he had been hired by a local drug dealer. Uribe comes from a prominent political family. His grandfather, Julio Cesar Turbay, was president from 1978 to 1982, and his mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was killed in 1991 in a botched rescue attempt after being kidnapped by an armed group led by drug lord Pablo Escobar. (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta and Vivian Sequera; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Diane Craft and Alistair Bell) MORROW COUNTY, Ohio (WCMH) A suspect is in custody after the body of a missing man from Marion, Ohio was found in Morrow County Thursday morning. The Morrow County Sheriffs office received a 911 call at approximately 9:41 a.m. regarding a body found in a ditch on County Road 24. Deputies located the body approximately ten feet off the road in a thicket. Following an investigation involving the Marion City Police Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Morrow County Sheriffs Office, authorities identified the man as 72-year-old David Frazier of Marion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators were led to Columbus where a search warrant was conducted and 47-year-old Jeremy Ray Frazier was taken into custody. He was charged with murder, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse. Jeremy Ray Frazier is currently being held in the Franklin County Jail. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ABBEVILLE, La. (KLFY) The family of 24-year-old Bailey Jace DuBois gathered Sunday evening to honor his memory with a candlelight vigil. It was just days after he was shot and killed in what many are calling a senseless act of violence. The shooting has shaken the Abbeville community, not only because of DuBoiss death, but because of the age of the suspect, a 15-year-old now facing a murder charge. Pastor Lawrence Levy III of Freedom International Ministries, who was invited to speak at the vigil, said tragedies like this have become far too familiar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This aint new, said Pastor Levy. I just think that at the end of the day, enough of us as citizens, concerned citizens and those that are in leadership; we are not working together enough. Mother demands change after son gunned down by teenager Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest Levy didnt know DuBois personally but said the circumstances surrounding his death reflect deeper issues within the community. Our guidance with our youth has gone wrong and somebodys got to care, he said. Somebodys got to care. I dont care if they Black, white, no matter the color, if its a child, they should be protected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to authorities, DuBois was walking when he was fatally shot. Pastor Levy called the incident a clear sign that violence is becoming more accessible to young people and more dangerous for everyone else. Why would a 15-year-old have a gun? Levy asked. This is a crime that happened because somebody just wanted to murder. Somebody was just riding around looking for a life. As candles flickered and tears fell, Levy issued a challenge to the adults in the community: step up before more young lives are lost. When you cant do it by yourself, you need a village, he said. And the village has to come together and really do what they say theyre going to do. So find them a mentor before they lose their life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Levy said he hopes DuBoiss death becomes a turning point for Abbeville. Latest news Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. PINE VALLEY, Utah (ABC4) The community of Pine Valley had their annual Fourth of July celebration, something that was uncertain over the past few weeks after the community had to evacuate due to the Forsyth Fire. Residents were only allowed to return to their homes on June 27, and over a dozen homes were destroyed. ABC4.com spoke to community leaders at the celebration about what it means for the community. Bradley Root, Branch President of the Pine Valley Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said that the last few weeks have been totally unexpected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its been a terrible tragedy, cause 13 homes were lost, and yet amazing, amazing miracles have happened, that it wasnt 150 homes lost, he said. Susie McArthur and Mitzi Sullivan of the Pine Valley Activities Committee were also there. McArthur told ABC4.com that this celebration has been going on for years and people are used to attending, but this year, it was different. LATEST FIRE UPDATE: Containment increases on Forsyth Fire near Pine Valley as it spreads another 30 acres Sullivan added that the chapel that has traditionally hosted the Fourth of July is going to be turned over to the historical society, so it might be the last Fourth of July celebration hosted there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McArthur and Root both said that they were unsure if the event was going to happen. We were thinking about maybe cancelling the Fourth of July celebration, just because we didnt know how many people would be here, and then we thought no, the community needs it, Root said. We need to get together and start this healing process, and look, its one of the biggest celebrations weve had. McArthur echoed those sentiments. She said that they didnt even know until four days ago if the event was going to happen. With the fires, its been hard this year. A lot of people have had word that theres still smoke, they cant get up the canyon. She added that the community needed it. Forsyth Fire evacuation orders for Pine Valley, Grass Valley, Grays Ranch downgraded, residents returning home Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The organizers are intimately familiar with the fire. Some had to evacuate, and Sullivan stated that a lot of the people on the committee organizing the celebration are firefighters and their families. They fought fires all week, they fed firefighters, they worked, they supported, they did it all, and then they showed up to help us, she explained. McArthur recalled how her family had to evacuate their home. We had it right at our back door. We loaded our whole house within probably two hours, and when youre told by the police officer that comes in and says, you have minutes, you have minutes to get out, what do you take? She grew emotional. But this is whats important to us, is our community and our families. We are sad for the firefighters that have lost their homes, and theyre here. Theyre here helping. And thats what its about for us, McArthur added, explaining that two of the volunteer firefighters lost their homes. We meet here together as a community and friends. you cant go ten feet without giving somebody a hug. Theres a lot of love. For the Fourth of July too, its a pretty patriotic town. We celebrate Americas birthday, Sullivan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I hope that we can do it again, McArthur added, referring to the celebration. We just want to thank those firefighters who drew a line in the sand and did so much, Root said. 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. MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) An arsonist set fire to the door of a Melbourne synagogue and forced the congregation to flee on Friday, seven months after criminals destroyed a synagogue in the same Australian city with an accelerant-fueled blaze that left a worshipper injured. A man doused the double front doors of the downtown East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation and set it alight around 8 p.m., a police statement said on Saturday. Around 20 worshippers sharing a meal to mark the Shabbat Jewish day of rest evacuated through a rear door and no one was injured, police said. Fire fighters extinguished the blaze which was contained to the front entrance, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan said both incidents were designed to traumatize Jewish families. Any attack on a place of worship is an act of hate, and any attack on a Jewish place of worship is an act of antisemitism, she said in a statement. Antisemitic attacks roil Australia since 2023 A wave of antisemitic attacks has roiled Australia since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel triggered the war in Gaza. Jewish and Muslim organizations and hate researchers have recorded drastic spikes in hate-fueled incidents on both groups. The Australian government last year appointed special envoys to combat antisemitism and Islamophobia in the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last December, two masked men struck the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbournes southeast. They caused extensive damage by spreading a liquid accelerant with brooms throughout the building before igniting it. A worshipper sustained minor burns. No charges have been laid for that attack, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese blamed on antisemitism. The Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team, which includes Victoria state police, federal police and Australias main domestic spy agency, said the fire was likely a politically-motivated attack. Police say synagogue attack is a serious crime Acting Victoria Police Commander Zorka Dunstan described the latest synagogue fire as a serious crime. Police released a CCTV image of a suspect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Id like to make it very clear that we do recognize that these crimes are disgusting and abhorrent. But at this stage, we are not declaring this a terrorist incident, Dunstan told reporters. In the course of our investigation, we will examine the intent and the ideology of the persons involved, or person, to determine if this is in fact terrorism. At the moment, we are categorizing it as a serious criminal incident and responding accordingly, she added. A terrorism declaration opens the investigation to more resourcing and can result in charges that carry longer prison sentences. The synagogues president, Danny Segal, called for the wider Australian community to stand with his congregation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were here to be in peace, you know, were here for everybody to live together and weve got a fresh start in Australia, such a beautiful country, and what they're doing is just not fair and not right, and as Australians, we should stand up and everybody should stand up, Segal told reporters. Protesters harass diners in Israeli-owned restaurant Also in downtown Melbourne on Friday night, around 20 masked protesters harassed diners in an Israeli-owned restaurant. A Miznon restaurant window was broken. A 28-year-old woman was arrested for hindering police. Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich, a leading opponent of antisemitism in Australia, said diners were terrorized as the group chanted Death to the IDF, referring to the Israel Defense Forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Melbourne, for one night, stopped being a safe place for Jews, Abramovich said. Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece condemned both the synagogue and restaurant incidents. These criminal acts against a Melbourne synagogue and an Israeli business are absolutely shocking, Reece said. All of us as a community need to stand up against it. Israels deputy foreign minister condemned the attacks, saying it was yet another reminder of how far racist, antisemitic hate crimes have spread in the heart of Australia, in a statement on X. Sharren Haskel expressed her full solidarity with the Jewish community in Melbourne, Israel stands with you, she said in the statement. Jul. 4The rapid growth of a fire burning south of Cheney near Bonnie Lake has slowed since Thursday evening. According to a Northeast Washington Fire Information news release, crews had established 10% containment of the Seigel fire on Friday morning. Level 3 evacuations remain in effect, though no structures are threatened, public information officer Anjel Tomayko said. That means residents should leave immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More smoke may be visible and the fire "is expected to grow a few acres" as crews begin burnouts, she added. Caroline Saint James' 's reporting was funded by Comma's First Amendment Club. A fire service said crews will remain at a landfill site throughout the weekend following a blaze. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to the Elstow Waste Transfer Site at about 21:00 BST on Friday. People were advised to close windows and doors and avoid the area. The A6 between Wixams and the A421 remained closed. Diversions were in place. Crews have worked with the Environment Agency, the UK Health and Security Agency, police and the council on a "controlled burn" strategy. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Related internet links SPRINGFIELD, Mo. Convoy of Hope is headed to Texas after areas of the state saw flash flooding and torrential rain yesterday. In the early hours of Friday, July 4, campers and residents near the Guadalupe River in Texas were caught off guard by the severe weather. In just 45 minutes, the scenic river turned destructive, rising 26 feet and overtaking campsites, homes and vehicles. The fast-moving waters killed at least 24 people. Search-and-rescue missions continued throughout the night last night and are still underway today to recover an unknown number of people still missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And the danger isnt over, as more heavy rains and flash flooding are expected today. Convoy of Hope is en route to the affected area with team members and relief supplies, a Convoy press release says. Were working with local partners and first responders to meet the urgent needs of evacuees and survivors. In moments like this, hope matters more than ever, the release added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. A south-east London council has unanimously voted to ban ice cream selling at popular tourist spot - but business owners are planning once again to take the fight to the High Court. Greenwich Council has disallowed itinerant ice cream trading on King William Walk near Greenwich Park, on the grounds of pedestrian safety and environmental health. It was forced in 2023 to re-run the a consultation by the High Court after being challenged by father and son ice cream business owners Paul St Hilaire Sr and Jr. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The St Hilaires said they will be appealing the council's latest decision. Paul St Hilaire Sr (right) has been operating an ice cream van in the Greenwich area for more than 30 years [Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon] At a recent meeting of the full council, Cllr Jackie Smith shared the results of this second court-ordered consultation and proposed King William Walk be officially designated as a prohibited street for what is known as "itinerant ice cream trading". Having rerun the consultation, the end result was the same in terms of the council's decision. Cllr Smith said "unregulated trading" raised concerns about pedestrian safety, environmental health and "the preservation of the area's historic character". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She added the council was not opposed to ice cream trading, just to vans trading in King William Walk, primarily due to the "potential danger to pedestrians" caused by queuing on the busy road. The councillors agreed and voted in favour of the ban. The St Hilaires have had a licence to trade there since 2015, and say that Greenwich Council originally introduced a sales ban on the street without telling them. They also say they had no complaints against them and that they had paid all the relevant licensing fees. Paul St Hilaire Jr said they are waiting for a High Court date in relation to the council's separate move to prohibit King William Walk from being a licensed street for trading. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk More on this story Related internet links Jul. 4MORGANTOWN Now that a new lineup has been sworn in, could Morgantown City Council simply repeal the camping ban ordinance upheld by the city's voters on April 29 ? Technically, yes. Based on the city charter, there's nothing preventing it. Is it going to ? "I don't think so, " Mayor Danielle Trumble told The Dominion Post, explaining she's not been involved in any conversations regarding the law's repeal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I respect the decision of the voters, " she added. "But this is a good time to ensure that we are being compassionate with enforcement." The Morgantown camping ban debate kicked off July 2, 2024, and basically ran hot until the end of April, when Morgantown's voters opted not to repeal the ban in a closely contested ballot referendum 982 voted against repeal while 904 voted to strike it from the books. As part of that same ballot, Morgantown elected two new council members, shifting the apparent majority opinion on the issue based on votes cast and /or public commentary offered by Trumble, Deputy Mayor Brian Butcher, Jodi Hollingshead and Mark Downs. But even if a majority of council is aligned and the city's charter is hands-off on the matter, repealing a law immediately after it was upheld by the voters is shaky ground not only electorally, but potentially legally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked about the legality of a repeal, Trumble consulted the city's attorney and said she was informed that while there's nothing preventing it, there would likewise be nothing preventing a lawsuit for negating the vote. Further, it was explained that most places build in a moratorium on action involving the subject of a referendum. As for enforcement, Morgantown Communications Director Brad Riffee said there had been six warnings issuedbut no citations writtenas of Wednesday morning. The law took effect June 4. Under the ordinance, a first violation results in a written warning and information about available shelter and services. A second violation may result in a fine of up to $200, and a third violation within a year may result in a fine up to $500 and /or up to 30 days in jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Individuals cited under the law are eligible for alternative sentencing if they seek assistance with substance use, mental health, or housing-related case management. The city is working with Valley HealthCare Systems to manage the alternative sentencing program. Further, the law says no citation will be issued unless the person in violation has been offered "alternative shelter " and refused the offer. An offer of shelter means an alternate location, which may include "emergency shelter or any alternate indoor or outdoor location where the person may sleep overnight." The problem isand has beenthat there are very limited shelter beds in and around Morgantown. During the most recent council meeting, Butcher said the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness made him aware of multiple individuals whose offer of alternative shelter was in another city. "If this shelter was aware of the fact that we were sending people there, they would probably not be too happy about it. It was out of town. I don't know how that necessarily qualifies as an offer of shelter. Technically, I guess it does, " he said. "This is what I was worried about, and the things I was talking about when I said we're putting our first responders in a bad positionwhere they have to respond to these things in ways that don't necessarily meet the needs of the people they're talking to." A local authority's plan to overhaul its Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) could lead to its poorest residents being required to pay more towards their bill. Durham County Council plans to make changes to its Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS), which currently allows low-earners to apply for a discount of up to 100% off their bill. Reform councillor Nicola Lyons said the current scheme was one of the "most generous in the country" and the council was considering capping discounts as part of cost-saving efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Debt charity StepChange said it could not comment on specific policies, but it did not believe "reducing support for the poorest is the answer" to council funding pressures. Richard Lane, the charity's chief client office, said: "StepChange has called for the government to increase funding for council tax support to ensure councils can continue to offer residents with the lowest incomes 100% reductions. "Ultimately, unaffordable council tax bills lead to counter-productive debt collection and enforcement that harms the worst off and leads to higher health and social costs linked to problem debt." Council tax options The council said it was considering holding a consultation on four possible options for the CTRS scheme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first would allow residents to apply for a discount of up to 100% off their bills, depending on their income. The remaining options would require residents to pay a minimum of 10%, 20% or 25% of their full bill. The county council said it was required to save 45m by 2028-29 to balance its books and CTRS currently costs more than 60m a year. It estimated the proposed change would save between 3.8m and 10.35m each year. The current system also requires residents' bills to be recalculated every time a change is made to their Universal Credit (UC) claim. The council said last year the average UC claimant received 11 council tax bills, which cost the council 175,000 in printing and postage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reform UK recently took control of the authority and promised to carry out a Elon Musk-style review into "wasteful spending". Lyons said the county has "one of the most generous council tax support schemes in the country". "The changes to CTRS we are looking to consult on, would ensure we can continue to provide this much-need support, while taking into account the increasing financial pressure local councils are under," she said. "None of the potential changes would impact on pension-age households." If the council's cabinet approves the consultation, it will be carried out between 16 July and 23 September. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Related internet links Related internet links Like many Nebraskans, Barbara Loos is familiar with the mosaic tile mural that once adorned the west side of Pershing Auditorium. But Loos, who has been blind since birth, had never been able to experience it until recently. Last week, a tactile model of the Pershing mural was unveiled at the Nebraska History Museum, 131 Centennial Mall North, just north of where Pershing Auditorium once stood, giving access to the mural to the blind and those with limited vision. The model came about after Loos, past president of the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska, contacted Liz Shea-McCoy in 2023 about tactile art and her desire to learn about the mural. "I have benefited greatly from learning about sometimes a forgotten population, and this will benefit not only that population of the blind and visually impaired, but those people that will experience this in the museum and develop empathy and appreciation from it," said Shea-McCoy, who chairs the Pershing Mural Historic Preservation Committee. The 3-by-10-foot model allows those with visual impairments to experience the mural, which Shea-McCoy calls "Nebraska's Picasso," through touch and sound. The mural, which adorned the auditorium for more than six decades, depicts 38 characters representing many of the activities that took place inside the venue. The exhibit is guided by audio descriptions of what visitors are touching, which are triggered by 16 touch sensors throughout the mural and several informational buttons below it. "I was so excited I wanted to rush right down to the museum and touch it, hear it, smell it, rejoice in it and thank all who have turned a dream into reality," Loos said in an email. The model was created by John Olson of 3D Tactile Images in Chatham, New York. Olson, a former award-winning photographer for Life magazine founded the company in 2008 to bring inclusive art to the blind and those with limited vision. After Shea-McCoy heard from Loos, she met with Olson in April 2024 to discuss the possibility of creating a tactile model of the Pershing mural. Members of the blind community and the Lincoln chapter of the National Federation of the Blind later approached Carlos Servan, executive director of the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, about funding the project. Servan and the commission came forward to underwrite the $34,000 it would take to build it. "We wanted to have this available to blind people, because it's a way to show the general public that art can be accessible to the blind," Servan said. Visually impaired individuals have been excluded from art in the past and Servan said having exposure to accessible art is a critical step in making society more inclusive. The Nebraska History Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shea-McCoy said the Pershing Mural Historic Preservation Committee has been working since 2021 to save the mural and its history from the building's demolition in 2023. The reinstallation of the 38-by-130-foot mosaic tile mural at historic Wyuka Park is ongoing. "We're getting close," Shea-McCoy said. The original mosaic tiles will be installed on a concrete wall consisting of 10 14-by-40-foot slabs, which are starting to be erected at Wyuka. Each of the 763,000 1-by-1-inch mosaic tiles are currently being cleaned and restored a process that will be completed by the end of July. The completion date for the project as a whole is still out of sight. Shea-McCoy said the project has experienced delays due to recent rainfall and funding challenges. The committee is still about $300,000 short of the fundraising needed to complete the $4.1 million project. The mural reinstallation is mostly funded by private donors. The committee raised almost $120,000 through the annual Give to Lincoln Day fundraiser. Every donation was matched by an individual donor doubling the contribution total from the event. Shea-McCoy said the committee hopes to raise the rest of the $300,000 through individual donors. In addition to the tactile and preservation of the original mural, the Pershing Mural Historic Preservation committee has created an academic curriculum for Nebraska educators focusing on the mural, which is available on the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation's website at no cost. The 19 lesson plans were written for sixth-graders but can be adapted to meet any grade level. "The Pershing mural is a Nebraska icon," Shea-McCoy said. "The reason why it is so special is because it represents, abstractly, the state of Nebraska." PLATTSBURGH Clinton County has been awarded $500,000 in state funding to extend a road within the countys Business Innovation Gateway. This funding helps move forward a priority project that aligns with our ongoing efforts to grow Clinton Countys economy and prepare sites for development, Mark Henry, Chairperson of the Clinton County Legislature, said. Unlocking this parcel adds value to our Business Innovation Gateway and supports a broader vision for attracting investment and jobs to the region. Referred to as CBIG, the Clinton County Business Innovation Gateway is a development site located on Industrial Boulevard where the former Clinton County Airport was before it was moved to its current location on the flight line of the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base in 2007. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CBIG, which the county has been hoping to increase development at by improving infrastructure there the past few years, is home to major manufacturers like Norsk Titanium and Monahan Medical. With the recent $500,000 in funding from the state, the possibilities for development have only increased as Clinton County, in partnership with Columbia Development Companies, will now unlock access to a currently landlocked 15-acre parcel suitable for industrial development and a 17.1-acre parcel for educational development, according to a state press release. Were pleased to see support for a project that connects infrastructure with workforce and education, Patty Waldron, chair of the Clinton County Economic Development Committee, said. This investment clears the way for future job growth and helps strengthen the pipeline between industry and the technical skills being taught right here in Clinton County. CVES CONSTRUCTION Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The extension will specifically support construction of a state-of-the-art facility benefiting Champlain Valley Educational Services/BOCES and its technical training programs. By opening access to land that will support a future state of the art CVES facility, were seeing how smart growth and multi-use development supports innovation, Plattsburgh Town Supervisor Michael Cashman said on behalf of the project taking place in the town. This investment is a win for our region and a reflection of the Town of Plattsburghs long-standing zoning strategy to align infrastructure planning with educational, workforce and community development needs. Molly Ryan, executive director of the Clinton County Industrial Development Agency, said the funding will help materialize the countys plans for CBIG. Were proud to congratulate our partners at Clinton County on securing this strategic investment. Extending infrastructure at the Clinton Business Innovation Gateway is a critical step in unlocking new development opportunities from advanced manufacturing sites to next-generation training facilities, Ryan said. This award underscores the value of strong public-sector coordination and a shared commitment to building a future-ready economy. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Court documents shed light on new details into the events that led up to the arrest of Neha Gupta, an OU Health pediatrician, accused of staging the drowning of her 4-year-old daughter, Aria Talathi. Aria was found in the pool unresponsive in Florida, at a short-term rental property where the two were staying. RELATED: Mother arrested following 4-year-olds death, police say Mother arrested for death of 4-year-old, police say. Image courtesy, NBC 6 South Florida. According to an autopsy report in the arrest warrant, the medical examiner did not find water in her lungs or stomach and had cuts and bruising in her mouth consistent with smothering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Oklahoma court documents, Arias father filed for divorce in 2022. During the lengthy proceedings, documents show Arias father requested a psych evaluation on Gupta due to concerns over her behavior with the child. The document says, that an evaluation of her mental health is crucial to ensure the safety of the minor child, Arias father has been fighting for custody and was awarded temporary sole custody in March of this year, according to court documents. In April, a report from a parenting coordinator notes concerns over parental behavior after a call came in to their office from Arias daycare. The document says that the Mother was creating chaos at the school with her actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the arrest warrant from the Miami-Dade Sheriffs Office, Arias father did not travel to Florida with them, saying he was unaware that the child had left the state of Oklahoma. Detectives in Florida say in the arrest warrant that the autopsy contradicts the statement provided by Gupta, leading them to believe that she caused the death and attempted to conceal the killing by staging an accidental drowning. The 4-year-olds death happened a month after Gupta was let go from OU Health. This is the statement they provided: Dr. Neha Gupta was suspended from patient care, given notice of termination, and was no longer seeing patients at the health system as of May 30, 2025. She has also been given notice of termination by the University. Joint Statement on behalf of OU Health and the University of Oklahoma Her photo was on the website Wednesday as an active staff member, it was removed after we called for a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arias father is also an OU Health pediatrician; his photo is no longer on the website either. The reason for the removal is unknown. Guptas attorneys provided the following statement: We are waiting for the facts to come to light. An autopsy was performed over the weekend. The toxicology reports arent back yet. Were eager to know why the Miami Dade Sheriffs Office seemingly felt so sure to arrest and charge a grieving mother when all other signs point to a simple tragic accident Richard Cooper, co-counsel Michael Mier Neha Gupta is currently in custody in the Oklahoma County Jail. On July 3, a waiver for extradition was filed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. The Brief Wright County deputies helped rescue a group of people who tipped their tubes over in the Crow River near St. Michael. Some held onto tree branches after their tubes tipped and were unable to swim to shore. No injuries were reported. ST. MICHAEL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A group of people tubing the Crow River needed some help from Wright County deputies after they all tipped their tubes on July 4. No injuries were reported. Crow River rescue Big picture view Deputies responded to a 911 call just before 10 a.m. that reported several people had tipped their tubes in the river and were hanging on to tree branches in the 11000 block of 36th Circle Northeast in St. Michael. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies then found a man and a juvenile male hanging onto a tree branch who were unable to swim to shore. Authorities later learned there were a total of eight people, two adults and six juveniles, who had tipped their tubes and were last seen floating downstream. Everyone in the group was either rescued from the river by the authorities or were able to make it to shore. No injuries were reported. The Source This story uses information shared by the Wright County Sheriff's Office. UPDATE: SATURDAY 7/5/2025 12:45 p.m. (COLORADO SPRINGS) CSPD reported that both Lucille and Charlie have been safely found. ORIGINAL STORY: CSPD searching for two missing-at-risk adults SATURDAY 7/5/2025 9:25 a.m. The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) is asking for the communitys help in finding two missing-at-risk adults who were last seen traveling together on Friday, July 4, around 11 p.m. near the Cheyenne Mountain Resort in the 3400 block of Clubview Terrace, near South Nevada. CSPD searching for two missing-at-risk adults Lucille Marietta is an 87-year-old white woman who is described as 510 tall with a thin build, brown hair, and brown eyes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charlie Marietta is a 67-year-old white man who is described as 411 tall, with an average build, gray hair, and brown eyes. Lucille is driving a black 202 Honda CR-V with Colorado license plate BBF-Q96. CSPD searching for two missing-at-risk adults Lucille had stopped at a house on Clubview Terrace to ask directions back to her home in the zero hundred block of Kirkstone Lane, which is located about 4 miles south, off of Broadmoor Bluffs Drive. If anyone has seen Lucille or Charlie, or the black 2020 Honda CR-V with the license plate listed above, they are asked to contact CSPD at (719) 444-7000. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. He won by playing it cool. Mayoral Dem primary winner Zohran Mamdani shot up in popularity with younger voters as comedians and influencers lambasted out-of-touch ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Democratic observers say. The winning 33-year-old socialists online stature bolstered by his own masterfully produced social content tapped into the zeitgeisty humor of Millennials and Gen Z, making the 67-year-old Cuomos social strategy look like something out of a history book, they said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We really need young men in their 30s and 40s who still listen to podcasts (to come out and vote), New York City-based comedian Nick Mullen said sarcastically, ribbing Cuomo, in a video posted to Instagram alongside Mamdani the day before the primaries. City socialist Zohran Mamdani celebrates his mayoral Dem primary-race win In Long Island City, Queens, last month. Stephen Yang I cannot listen to Andrew Cuomo ever again, added Mullen, who donated to Mamdanis campaign, to his 213,000 followers in a video that scored more than 50,000 likes. While Mamdanis primary win last month seemed to come out of nowhere to some, it didnt to 20- to 30-somethings across the five boroughs. Nearly every major poll projected a fairly easy Cuomo victory but they clearly neglected to capture to the scope of Mamdanis digital grassroots mega-movement. Mamdani joins comedian Nick Mullen in encouraging young people to vote for the 33-year-old pol. Instagram/@mulldogforever On the morning of the primaries, Mamdani filmed another social video with supermodel Emily Ratajkowski. Instagram/@emrata Mullens post was one of many reels and TikTok videos from Mamdanis base that garnered hundreds of thousands of views, reaching young voters in a way Cuomos didnt, a review by The Post found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In exchange for $2,000 from the Mamdani campaign, comedian Jeffrey Seal wrote, directed and starred in a nearly 6-minute video that follows the Journalist around the Big Apple as he tried to find the elusive Cuomo. The cheeky short which racked up 1.2 million views is chockful of hits to Cuomos record and features iconic New Yorkers including comedian Ilana Glaser of Broad City and musician Reggie Watts. On the morning of the primaries, Mamdani also filmed another social video with supermodel Emily Ratajkowski. The proof of Mamdanis sleeper popularity was in the primary results with him destroying Cuomo in a historic upset, taking home a 56% to 44% victory in the third round of the citys ranked choice voting and winning the popular vote in every round before that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While complete voter age data wont be released by election officials until July 15, polls by Emerson and Marist from May and June had shown Mamdani leading with voters under 45 by as much as a 2:1 ratio against the former governor. Jeffrey Seal was paid $2,000 by the Mamdani campaign to direct a video poking fun at Cuomo. Instagram/@zohrankmamdani Zohran spent more than $85,000 on video production, not including TV Ads, while Cuomos strategy hinged heavily on staid union endorsements along with name recognition and an older voter base. Alyssa Cass, a partner at Sling Shot Strategies who ran Scott Stringers failed bid for mayor, gave props to Mamdanis strategy. It really mattered, it made it part of the culture in a way that none of us were seeing, she said of his online, take-it-to-the-streets tactics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Visibly matters a lot in mayoral races, and he became the only candidate that anyone talked about. I even forgot Cuomo had a logo. He ran it like it was Bill Clinton, like it was 1992 race, she said. A Post review of the ex-governors social-media accounts found no instances of the legacy politician intentionally engaging with voters under 45. The former governor notoriously conducted most of his appearances in secure venues and used concert-style paper wrist bands to identify attendees of his events, which became a laughing matter among reporters and others attending them. He ran it like it was Bill Clinton, like it was a 1992 race, a political operative said of Cuomos campaign. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post This may come as a surprise to Cuomo and his irrelevant consultant friends, but only going to protected event spaces filled with paid attendees is more outdated than a North Korean military parade, a Dem strategist said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for the Cuomo campaign, told The Post, There is no doubt we could have done more to reach out to younger voters, and thats one of the issues currently under review as we consider next steps. One standout moment of Mamdanis campaign came the Friday before the primary, when the Queens state assemblyman traversed the length of Manhattan of course capturing the 13.4 mile journey on video to share with his 1.1 million followers on TikTok. On Friday night, we walked the length of Manhattan, from Inwood Hill to Battery Park. Because New Yorkers deserve a Mayor they can hear, see and even yell at if they need to. We out here, Mamdani wrote in the caption. Mamdanis rep did not respond to Post requests for comment. Illinois lawmakers rejected calls from farmers to give more money to soil and water conservation districts across the state, saying without more resources, there could be big consequences. Illinois Capitol Bureau Chief Cole Henke reports the districts are helping farmers know how to take care of their land. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) A man accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from two elderly victims in Rutherford County is now facing charges for his connection to an international cyber theft scheme. The suspectidentified as 25-year-old Dipen Patelwas arrested this week. He was charged with theft of property ranging over $60,000. I dont care what county you live in; these scams are impacting everyone, retired FBI Cyber Crime Unit Special Agent Scott Augenbaum said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED: Man arrested after elderly people scammed over $60K in cyber theft So far this year, Metro Nashville and the surrounding counties have reported over 1,000 imposter scams, making them the most common form of fraud. Internet service scams ranked second, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Cyber theft has grown exponentially over the last three years whether it is shopping scams via cyber theft, banking scams, fake ticket scams, it really crosses all the genres to how we spend our money online, President for BBB of Middle Tennessee Robyn Householder told News 2. Imposter scams range from fake IRS calls to phony charities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They know everything: Families of inmates at Sumner County Jail targeted in bail scam After a big spike in 2021, theyve stayed steady through 2023 and 2024. The best thing to do, especially when it is an imposter scammer or looks like a legitimate retailer or legitimate retailer that you know [is to] go directly to their website and see what they are offering and dont click on the link, Householder explained. Texts and emails have been the top ways scammers reach victims for the last three years. Those hit hardest were people aged 60 and older, losing over a billion dollars nationwide last year alone. Younger people around the age of 30 were next in line. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The category of people over 60 are very trusting, Augenbaum expressed. They are not aware of these types of scams, and again, Gen Z is not worried about sharing information online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I deal with victims all the time, and a lot of them are humiliated, Augenbaum added. 90% of it easily could be prevented. Experts told News 2 the best ways to protect yourself include: Not clicking on links from unknown sources Verify information by contacting the company directly Utilizing strong passwords and two-factor authentication Never share personal information over email, text, or phone calls If you believe you have been scammed, report it to local law enforcement and the BBB. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The Dalai Lama said Saturday he dreamed of living for decades more, as the Buddhist spiritual leader prayed with thousands of exiled Tibetans on the eve of his 90th birthday. Thumping drums and deep horns reverberated from the Indian hilltop temple, as a chanting chorus of red-robed monks and nuns offered long-life prayers for Tenzin Gyatso, who followers believe is the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. Looking in good health, dressed in traditional maroon monk robes and a flowing yellow wrap, he led prayers -- days after confirming that the 600-year-old Tibetan Buddhist institution will continue after his death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many exiled Tibetans fear China will name its own successor to the Dalai Lama, to bolster control over a territory it poured troops into in 1950 and has ruled ever since. "So far, I have done my best and with the continued blessings of Avalokiteshvara (a Buddhist spiritual protector), I hope to live another 30 or 40 years, continuing to serve sentient beings and the Buddha Dharma", he said, referring to the teachings of the Buddha. Followers of the Dalai Lama laud his tireless campaign for greater autonomy for Tibet, a vast high-altitude plateau about the size of South Africa. - 'Experience happiness' - Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But speaking at the main temple in the Indian Himalayan town where he has lived for decades -- after Chinese troops crushed an uprising in the Tibetan capital Lhasa in 1959 -- he offered teachings to a far wider audience. "In my life, I have encountered people from all walks of life, those with faith in religion and others with no interest in it at all. This is only natural, as individuals have different mental dispositions", he said, speaking in Tibetan. "Yet, the common desire shared by all, including the Tibetan people, is the wish to avoid suffering and to experience happiness." The charismatic Buddhist had previously said the institution would continue only if there was popular demand -- and his confirmation on Wednesday it would has reassured followers around the globe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said he had received multiple appeals from Tibetans in Tibet and in exile, as well as from Buddhists from across the Himalayan region, Mongolia and parts of Russia and China. He said responsibility for identifying the 15th Dalai Lama "will rest exclusively" with his office, the India-based Gaden Phodrang Trust. Self-declared atheist and Communist China, which condemns the Nobel Peace Prize winner as a rebel and separatist, issued a swift response. China said on Wednesday that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama "must be approved by the central government" in Beijing, and that it would be carried out "by drawing lots from a golden urn", foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That urn is held by Beijing, and the Dalai Lama has already warned that, when used dishonestly, it lacks "any spiritual quality". India and China are intense rivals competing for influence across South Asia, but have sought to repair ties after a 2020 border clash. New Delhi's foreign minister said it had "always upheld freedom of religion for all in India and will continue to do so". - 'Struggle' - The birthday celebrations have also been a time for reflection on an inevitable future without the Dalai Lama. "Seeing him turn 90 today fills me with happiness, but also a deep sadness," said Dorje Dolma, 27, who fled Tibet to India. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "His Holiness has always felt like a father figure to me," she added. "His good health brings me joy, but his age sometimes worries me." Hollywood star Richard Gere, a longtime backer of the Tibetans in exile, has been among the tens of thousands taking part in days of celebrations. "There's something about this Tibetan cause that touches people, and certainly, a central part of that is His Holiness the Dalai Lama," Gere said during celebrations on Thursday. "Which begs the question: What do we do when we don't have His Holiness to open those doors? He's not there to carry us. And we struggle with that, all of us now." str-pjm/jfx The Dalai Lama has said that he hopes to live for another 40 years until he is 130 years old, on the eve of his 90th birthday, days after he sought to assuage rife speculation over his succession by saying he would reincarnate upon his death. The Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader was speaking on Saturday during a ceremony organised by his followers to offer prayers for his long life, ahead of his 90th birthday on Sunday. Leading thousands in the prayers as the sound of chanting, drums and horns rang out, he said: So far, I have done my best and with the continued blessings of Avalokiteshvara [a Buddhist spiritual protector], I hope to live another 30 or 40 years, continuing to serve sentient beings and the Buddha Dharma, he said, referring to the teachings of the Buddha. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Dalai Lama previously told the Reuters news agency in December that he might live to 110. The Dalai Lama has confirmed that he will have a successor chosen in accordance with past tradition, ending years of speculation about the centuries-old office. In a video message on Wednesday, he said the Gaden Phodrang Foundation, which he established to preserve the institution, will have the power to recognise his future reincarnation. Tibetan Buddhist leaders will search for his successor, he added, stressing that no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter. The 14th Dalai Lama said he had received many messages in recent years from Buddhists calling for the offices continuation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In accordance with all these requests, I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue, he added. He made the comments on Wednesday during a three-day religious conference in Dharamshala, the northern Indian town where he has been based since 1959, when he fled Tibet for India after a failed uprising against China. Speaking to Al Jazeera, the Tibetan writer and activist Tenzin Tsundue described the Dalai Lamas announcement on Wednesday as a punch in the face for China, which governs the Tibet Autonomous Region and which has claimed that it has the power to appoint his successor. The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Dalai Lama, whom China brands a separatist, has previously warned Beijing not to meddle in the system of reincarnation of lamas, let alone that of the Dalai Lama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to his comments on Wednesday, China said the Dalai Lamas succession must be approved by the central government in Beijing and that it would be carried out by drawing lots from a golden urn, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters. That urn is held by China, and the Dalai Lama has already warned that, when used dishonestly, it lacks any spiritual quality. DHARAMSHALA, India (AP) Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said that he hopes to live until he is over 130 years old, days after he laid out a succession plan by saying he plans to reincarnate after his death. The Dalai Lama, who is celebrating his 90th birthday on Sunday, made these comments during a ceremony organized by his followers to offer prayers for his long life. He has previously told followers worried about his health that he may live to the age of 110. I have been able to serve the Buddha dharma and the beings of Tibet so far quite well, and I hope to live over 130 years, the Dalai Lama told thousands of followers who had gathered Saturday in India's northern town of Dharamshala. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dharamshala has been the Dalai Lama's home in exile since 1959 after he fled Tibet in the wake of a failed uprising against Chinese rule. Since then, he has sustained Tibets aspirations for greater autonomy under Chinese Communist Party rule and mobilized Tibetans inside and outside China. On Wednesday, the Dalai Lama said that he intends to reincarnate, paving the way after his death for a successor to take on a mantle stretching back 500 years. Tibetan Buddhists believe the Dalai Lama can choose the body into which he is reincarnated. That announcement ended years of speculation that started when he indicated that he might be the last person to hold the role. The Nobel Peace Prize-winning spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism also said that the next Dalai Lama should be found and recognized as per past Buddhist traditions, while stressing that his office will lead the search. In the past he has said his successor will be born in the free world outside China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China views the Dalai Lama as a separatist and has insisted that only Beijing has the authority to approve his successor. It also says it will reject anyone chosen without Beijings consent. Tibetan Buddhist Phuntsko Tsering, who lives in Dharamshala, said the Dalai Lama's latest remarks were aimed at thwarting Beijing's attempts to identify his successor. What he trying to do is signal China that it shouldn't meddle in the process of reincarnation, Tsering said. Meanwhile, the exiled Tibetan community of more than 20,000 people in Dharamshala is gearing up to celebrate the Dalai Lamas birthday on Sunday. His followers have put up giant posters and billboards across town, as tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the event, including Buddhist leaders of various sects and followers from across the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barbara Weibel, a U.S. citizen who has been following Buddhism for more than 30 years, said she had to be here for this. "I want this long life ceremony to keep him alive as long as possible, she said. DHARAMSHALA, India (AP) The Dalai Lama is revered as a deity by millions of Tibetan Buddhists and known worldwide as a resolute voice for peace, spirituality and Tibet s autonomy. He is also seen as a threat by China, which accuses him of wanting to wrest Tibet from Beijing's control. As the spiritual and political leader of Tibetan Buddhists, he established a government-in-exile in the Indian town of Dharamshala after fleeing Tibet in 1959. Since then he has traveled the world to raise the issue of Tibet and Tibetans, while spreading a message of nonviolence. He has met world leaders and celebrities, from the likes of fellow Nobel Peace Prize winners Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu to multiple U.S. presidents, popes and Hollywood stars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As he celebrates his 90th birthday on Sunday, The Associated Press has curated a selection of photos of the Dalai Lama, from his early days in India to appearances he has made around the world. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. JOHNSON CITY, NY (WIVT/WBGH) A Johnson City nursing home is threatening the daughter of one of its residents with legal action for taking and releasing images related to the facilitys recent lack of air conditioning. An attorney representing Susquehanna Nursing and Rehabilitation Center threatened to take Danielle Mahoney Brown to court over images she took inside the facility last week. Susquehanna Nursing has acknowledged that it was having HVAC trouble during the most recent heat wave. Brown says the temperature in her mothers room spiked to 95 degrees. A couple days later, she took photos of a thermostat reading of 86 and a dirty box fan. The two sides disagree over whether the images were from her mothers room, but the lawyers letter would indicate that they came from somewhere in the facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SNRC says the photos were an invasion of other residents privacy. Brown says the facility routinely posts photos of residents, including of her and her mother, to its Facebook page. Brown also alleges that SNRC wages retaliation campaigns against those who make complaints. The nursing home says Brown has several legal avenues for lodging her concerns with the New York Ombudsmans Office and Department of Health. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34. Foreign Secretary David Lammy has become the first UK minister to visit Syria since the uprising that led to the country's civil war began 14 years ago. Lammy met Syria's interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa eight months after the collapse of the Assad regime and as the new Islamic-led government continues to establish control within the country. Alongside the visit, the UK government announced an additional 94.5m support package to cover humanitarian aid and support longer-term recovery within Syria and countries helping Syrian refugees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lammy told the BBC the purpose of his meeting was to promote inclusivity, transparency and accountability with the new government. "I'm here to speak to this new government, to urge them to continue to be inclusive, to ensure that there's transparency and accountability in the way that they govern," he said. "But [also] to stand by the Syrian people and Syria as it makes this peaceful transition over the coming months." [BBC] Syria is in a fragile situation with a new Islamic-led government in charge. In December, rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group which has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK, UN and US, stormed Damascus, toppling the Assad regime which had ruled the country for 54 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since then, Western countries have sought to reset relations with the country. At the end of June, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending sanctions against the country. The White House said at the time it would monitor the new Syrian government's actions including by "addressing foreign terrorists" and "banning Palestinian terrorist groups". The UK has also lifted sanctions. Al-Sharaa met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris in May while other foreign officials, including Ukraine's foreign minister, have visited Syria. Many members of Syria's new government, including the interim president, were members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked how the government deals with a group it had listed on the proscribed terror group as a pseudonym for al-Qaeda, Lammy said he recognised the country has a bloody recent history associated with terrorism and war, but said the UK is looking "to the future" and engaging with the new government. Various violent attacks against minority groups have been committed in Syria in recent months. Hundreds have been killed from the Alawite minority, there were violent attacks on the Druze community, and recently a brutal attack on peaceful worshippers inside a church in Damascus. Internationally, these attacks have prompted concern about how much Syria's new government can protect minorities but also provide safety and stability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Almost every day, there are reported cases of killing or kidnapping. Lammy said: "It's important that the UK lean in to ensure that the balance is tipped in the right direction, a balance towards accountability, transparency, inclusivity for all of the communities that make up this country, a prosperous one and a peaceful one." Within Syria, many people are worried the government is slipping towards a new form of dictatorship. There are restrictions on social freedoms, the role of women is being marginalised in the government, and there is more and more enforcement of Islamic practices rather than a clear governance based on civic codes representing the whole society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In these early days of the government there are also fears around how it is being formed. Only one female minister has been appointed and al-Sharaa has made almost every other appointment - with no election, referendum or opinion polls. Many appointments in the government are reported to be based on connections rather than qualifications, and most of those in charge have a radical Islamic agenda and are enforcing it. Lammy said the UK wants Syria to "move in the direction of peace, of prosperity, of stability for the people and an inclusive country" and will use humanitarian aid to help that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added the UK would monitor the situation to ensure the new government ruled the population in an inclusive manner. The UK government is also supporting the Organisation of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to help dismantle Assad's chemical weapons in Syria. A further 2m was committed to the organisation this financial year in addition to around 837,000 provided since the fall of Assad. Challenges ahead for new government There are many challenges ahead of Syria - both internally and in the region. Israel has invaded parts of Syria and carried out hundreds of air strikes, and continues to hold hundreds of square kilometres inside Syrian territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lammy said he "urged the Israeli government to think again about some of their actions" to avoid undermining "the progress that could be made in this new Syria". Hundreds of foreign fighters and their families have been held in detention camps in north-west Syria for years, including dozens from the UK. Asked whether the UK was going to take them back home, Lammy did not give a clear answer. He said he had discussed the issue of camps with Syria's president, as well as how to help the country deal with counterterrorism and irregular migration. The situation in Syria remains precarious, and its security is at risk with threats from the Islamic State group and radical jihadist fighters who have joined the government. While international support will certainly help the war-torn country recover, it could also help pressure the government to be a representative of a diverse and open society. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Dayton businesses are ready for a busy weekend ahead, but say they need local support to make it happen. 2 NEWS spoke with several local businesses and shoppers who share how important it is to spend your dollars locally over the course of the weekend. What are Ohios fireworks laws during the Fourth of July? Supporting the smaller and local businesses to me, is very important, said Suzanne Anderson, local resident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People say they are ready to spend money on food, fireworks and fun during the Independence Day weekend. Anderson says residents should focus their shopping on the local businesses that truly need the customers. With the prices and everything, its very important that people support small businesses, because I feel like they hurt the most, said Anderson. The Oregon District in downtown Dayton says the Fourth of July is a great weekend for business, because many families stop in to store and restaurants in between festivals and activities. Businesses say they are also depending on sales from alcohol. The Oregon Express is also one of several places participating in Dayton DORA, which stands for Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The space allows patrols who are 21 years and older to purchase alcoholic beverages in a designated cup and carry those beverages within the defined boundary outdoors. According to the Downtown Dayton Partnership, this initiative is aimed to help small businesses capitalize on their sales, especially during events with high foot traffic. The Oregon Express says during holidays and special events, businesses in downtown count on patronage from residents. It means so much to have support through these times when people can choose to go to festivals or have home barbecues and stuff like that, but coming in and just showing the love and giving us your patronage is just, it means a lot to us, said Sarah Brown, Oregon Express. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The downtown Dayton DORA now has new boundaries and includes the Oregon District. The DORA is in effect from noon until midnight, 7 days a week. Click here to learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) One person was rescued by firefighters from a Northeast apartment fire Saturday, according to the DC Fire and EMS Department. In a post on the X platform around noon, firefighters say crews responded to reports of an apartment fire in the 3500 block of Ames St. NE. VIDEO: Takoma Park home under construction destroyed in fire There, smoke could be seen billowing from a two-story apartment building with a person hanging from a second-floor window. One person was rescued by firefighters from a Northeast apartment fire Saturday (DC Fire and EMS Department) One person was rescued by firefighters from a Northeast apartment fire Saturday (DC Fire and EMS Department) One person was rescued by firefighters from a Northeast apartment fire Saturday (DC Fire and EMS Department) Firefighters rescued the resident with a ladder and extinguished the flames in the first-floor hallway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two people were evaluated on the scene, and three people will be displaced, according to firefighters. The cause of the fire remains under 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 DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Officers are investigating several shootings that took place across the District on the Fourth of July, leaving one woman dead and a toddler seriously injured. Officers responded to the first reported shooting around 12:30 a.m. in the 3500 block of Jay St., NE. There, police found a man who had been shot in the foot, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. Shortly after, a woman arrived at an area hospital with a gunshot wound. Upon investigating, detectives discovered that the woman was also shot on Jay Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said both the man and the woman are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries while investigators search for four suspects. About twenty minutes after the Jay Street shooting, police were sent to the 2000 block of Benning Road, NE, for another shooting. Upon arrival, officers found a woman who had been shot. Responding officers said the woman, Daquane Johnson, 28, of Northeast was not conscious or breathing when they found her. MPD said medics took her to the hospital, where she died. As of Saturday morning, police have not released the womans name as homicide detectives continue the investigation. Five rescued after boat capsizes near Washington Monument on Fourth of July Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A couple of hours later, officers responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of Sumner Road, SE, where they reported finding a woman who had been shot multiple times. Medics took her to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Not long after, a man arrived at a hospital with a gunshot wound to the hand. Detectives learned that both the man and woman were shot during a fight involving a group of people on Sumner Road, in which someone also deployed pepper spray, according to MPD. A different woman was also treated at the hospital for her exposure to the spray. Lastly, just after 3 a.m., police said officers were called to a shooting in the 1000 block of 14th St., where they found a three-year-old girl suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body. As of Saturday morning, the girl remains hospitalized with critical injuries. All four shootings remain under investigation, as no arrests have been made. The string of shootings comes after festive celebrations filled the streets of D.C. for the Fourth of July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. Credit: X Rioters in Melbourne set fire to a synagogue and ransacked an Israeli restaurant while shouting death to the IDF as the notorious chant used at Glastonbury appeared to spread to Australia. Jewish community leaders in the city said they suffered two anti-Semitic attacks within half an hour of each other on Friday, as they called for the full force of the law to be used against the perpetrators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At about 8pm, a group of unidentified men were caught on CCTV pouring flammable liquid on the door of the East Melbourne Synagogue, attempting to burn it down while 20 people were worshipping inside. Shortly afterwards, the Israeli-owned restaurant Miznon, which specialises in Mediterranean-style street food, was targeted by rioters. Across town a short time later, a mob chanting death to the IDF stormed an Israeli restaurant, terrorised diners and caused extensive damage, said Alex Ryvchin, co-leader of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. Credit: X / @WorldOfMarkyD These events are a severe escalation directed towards our community and clear evidence that the anti-Semitism crisis is not only continuing, but getting worse. We urge all sides of politics and all Australians to condemn these deplorable crimes, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attacks took place after sundown on Friday, at the beginning of the Sabbath where Jews attend synagogues or gather for their weekly Shabbat dinner. Worshippers were able to escape the flames through a rear exit of the synagogue. The words death, death to the IDF were chanted by the British punk musician Bob Vylan during his performance at the Glastonbury music festival last week, triggering an avalanche of criticism of the BBC which live streamed the performance. The rioters who entered the restaurant threw chairs, smashed glasses, overturned tables and threw food around as the diners fled, Australian news outlet 7News reported. Pro-Palestine supporters clash with staff at Miznon restaurant in Melbourne - JOSH STANYER/EPA/Shutterstock Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, has condemned the attacks and said he would offer federal government support to state authorities in Victoria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those responsible for these shocking acts must face the full force of the law and my government will provide all necessary support toward this effort, he said. Sussan Ley, the leader of the Australian opposition, described the attacks as horrifying and said it was now impossible to ignore the growing crisis of anti-Semitism in Australia. The protesters who targeted the restaurant said they chose it because it belongs to Shahar Segal, a supporter of the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which distributes aid in the Gaza Strip. The GHF is backed by Israel and the US but condemned by much of the rest of the international community. Since it began operations in May, at least 400 Palestinians trying to access its aid sites have been shot dead by Israeli forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This week a former contractor for the GHF told the BBC that he witnessed his colleagues shoot unarmed Palestinians who were trying to collect aid despite them posing no threat to soldiers. Israel and GHF have denied this. Spray paint Later on Friday, Australian police said they were investigating a third incident in Greensborough, a suburb of Melbourne, where three cars were set on fire. The offenders also used spray paint on one of the cars and on a building wall. One of the cars was destroyed, while the other two were moderately damaged. We have local detectives investigating and they have the support of our counter-terrorism command as well as our crime command, Victoria police said in a statement. Officers have also circulated a picture of a man that they would like to speak to in connection with the synagogue attack which is being treated as an act of terrorism by the authorities . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police arrested a 28-year-old on suspicion of hindering police at the scene of the Miznon restaurant attack, and later released him pending a court summons, CNN Australia reported. Mr Ryvchin said the night of violence marked a return to the anti-Semitic terror of the summer months, referring to a spate of similar incidents in 2024 as Israels war in Gaza raged. Those who chant for death are not peace activists. Those who would burn houses of prayer with families inside do not seek an end to war, he added. There is a violent ideology at work in our country that operates on the fringes of politics and social movements, that taps into anger and prejudice, and smirks as businesses are destroyed, lives are threatened and proud, patriotic Australians experience fear in their own homes and their own streets. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A frantic and ongoing rescue effort continues July 5 as the death toll has risen to 27 following flooding rains that overwhelmed the Guadalupe River in Texas over the July 4 holiday. Kerr County Sheriff Larry L. Leitha told reporters during a news conference on the evening of July 4 that the dead include 18 adults and nine children, according to ABC 13 News in Houston. Authorities didn't release further information about the victims as they continue to work to identify them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas parents remain desperate to hear news about campers who remain missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls camp located at the river's edge. As of the morning of July 5, there were still 27 missing girls from the camp, Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said, according to ABC 13 News. The camp is located in central Texas' Kerr County, about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio. The mother of missing Camp Mystic camper Janie Hunt, 9, told CNN in a message on July 4 that her daughter had died in the flooding. The New York Post reported that 8-year-old camper Renee Smajstrla has also died in the flooding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jane Ragsdale, the camp's director and co-owner of Heart O the Hills, a girls camp in Hunt, Texas, died during the catastrophic flooding. We have received word that Jane Ragsdale did not make it, the camp wrote about its director. We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful. "She embodied the spirit of Heart O the Hills and was exactly the type of strong, joyful woman that the camp aimed to develop with the girls entrusted to us each summer," the post continued. The flooding of the Guadalupe River was unexpected, and has swelled to its second-highest level on record, according to the National Weather Service. Related: 'At Least' 6 Killed in Devastating Flash Floods Death Toll From Camp Mystic Flooding Rises in Tragic Update first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 5, 2025 Oklahoma County's new contract with nonprofit TEEM for pretrial-release services designed to keep low-level criminal defendants out of jail seems to threaten medical marijuana cardholders with incarceration if they fail a drug test. A section of the $1.32 million contract for 2025-2025 between the Board of County Commissioners and TEEM The Education and Employment Ministry says: "Upon receipt of a positive drug test for a substance other than a prescribed medication, supervision officer shall: determine whether the individual should be required to participate in inpatient or outpatient treatment, community support meetings, reside in a sober living facility, or another intervention targeted at promoting sobriety and recovery." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If so, the contract goes on, the client supervisor shall "file a Notice of Additional Required Services with the Court Clerk within one business day of the positive test which specifies the new condition(s) of release with copies to the assigned District Judge, District Attorney and Public Defender or other defense counsel." Or, "file a Notice of Violation Report" with the court clerk within the same time period. However, medical marijuana is not a "prescribed medication" under state law, so to follow the letter of the contract would penalize medical marijuana cardholders, who hold their cards and use marijuana legally, said Jed Green, director of Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action. More: Oklahoma County diversion courts need a new governing board, DA says Oklahoma medical marijuana card holders don't get prescriptions; they get recommendations Marijuana flowers are pictured Jan. 11, 2024, in Edmond. Green pointed out that language in the contracts at the Board of County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, July 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is one nuance here, and that is that our licensed medical marijuana cardholders do not have a prescription, they have a recommendation," said Green, who ran as an independent for the District 1 commissioner seat in the April 1 general election, but lost to Commissioner Jason Lowe. "So the concern here is simply I believe the intent of the contract would be not for folks with medical marijuana cards to have that issue. Technically, that is a recommendation and not a prescription, to stay compliant with federal law," he said. The commissioners voted to approve the contract without comment. More: Letters from Oklahoma County jail: Chief public defender money plea quotes scared inmates OK County chief public defender: medical marijuana users aren't bounced from TEEM if they alert authorities they're cardholders Chief Public Defender Brigitte Biffle said defendants have the opportunity to alert authorities of their status as medical marijuana patients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Currently, TEEM uses a pre-trial conditions form for anyone receiving pre-trial release," she told The Oklahoman. "On this form, there is a spot stating the individual has been approved or not approved for medical marijuana usage. "TEEM does not file a violation report for positive drug test resulting from marijuana usage if someone has been approved for usage of medical marijuana on the form. The revocation of a TEEM bond based on a violation is ultimately up to the judge, often with input from the assigned district attorney and the clients attorney." Biffle added, "To my knowledge, I have not seen anyones TEEM bond revoked for marijuana usage when they had a valid medical marijuana card." Brigitte Biffle, the new Oklahoma County public defender, says medical marijuana users aren't bounced from TEEM if they alert authorities they're cardholders. TEEM Executive Director Kris Steele said defendants who use marijuana legally should have no concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Anyone who is approved to use medical marijuana while on our supervision is not subject to a violation report for a positive test result for marijuana," he said, adding: "TEEM staff always refer participants to their defense attorney for any legal questions, including those surrounding medical marijuana." More: OK County: Night, weekend patrols no threat to homeless around courthouse, annex, garage Staff writer Richard Mize covers Oklahoma County government and the city of Edmond. He previously covered housing, commercial real estate and related topics for the newspaper and Oklahoman.com, starting in 1999. Contact him at rmize@oklahoman.com. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Medical marijuana users not disqualified from pre-trial release in OK DELTA, Colo. (KREX) After rainstorm passed through the Western Slope on Thursday night, the skies were ready for aviation. Some residents from the Grand Junction area told WesternSlopeNow they got here at 3 A.M. and they said it was worth it. The best part of the experience depended on who was asked. Cindie Downs, a resident from Grand Junction, states, Having them over the water and having the mountains and the trees as the background. This is a beautiful park. I didnt even know it was here until last year. So this is beautiful and so close to Grand Junction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For some, even the little things unlocked a core memory. Elliyana Stevens, an attendee, states, Probably getting to touch the air balloon. Stanley Prescott, a resident from Grand Junction said, Just how big they are and how huge the flame is, that you know, blows them up. It was just pretty cool to see them all take off and launch and watch them going up and down in the air and floating around. Pretty epic. Whitnee Lear, who is the communications engagement manager for the Third annual 4th of July Western Sky Balloon Festival, says all the donations were going to a good cause. Lear states, For the donations for the tether rides, and then we have buckets set out all over all of those donations, go to the fire department for the fireworks. Its all volunteer-based. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the first year, 13 balloons were used, with a smaller crowd. Last year, 20 balloons were used, and this year, 19, with a progressively growing crowd. Two of the balloons were used as tethered versions. We have pilots all the way from Wisconsin, from Tennessee, from Arizona. We actually have a handful of pilots from our own state of Colorado. So its really cool, Lear said. For JROTC cadets from Delta High School, this was a way to keep that bond with the community. Eric Uribe, the battalion chief from Delta High School, states, Its very important because now, like, more people know, like what we do, especially like, oh, this is what the charity represents. And our motto goal is to motivate young people to be better citizens. So, having an outreach to the community really just throws the whole motto out there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com. As Democrats rush to define President Donald Trumps domestic policy and immigration law, a handful of liberal candidates are relying on their personal experiences with programs facing key cuts to highlight the broad scope of the legislation and target Republicans who voted for it. Randy Villegas, who is challenging California Republican Rep. David Valadao in a district with one of the countrys highest concentrations of Medicaid recipients, said that the program covered his mothers prenatal care when he was born. Arizonas JoAnna Mendoza credits government assistance programs for allowing her to serve her country as a Marine. And one district over from Mendoza, 25-year-old first-time candidate Deja Foxx leads with her backstory as the daughter of a single mom to distinguish herself ahead of a July 15 Democratic primary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have lived the policies people in DC debate, Foxx told CNN in an interview. I have a different sense of understanding and urgency. For Democrats, tapping into the personal stories of people impacted by policies they oppose is a familiar strategy. Theyre hoping to make Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill a political albatross for the GOP by challenging the Republican argument that those affected by cuts are either refusing to work, committing fraud or living in the US without authorization. Mendoza, who is running against two-term Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani, said government aid was critical for her parents, both farmworkers. I think what pisses me off the most and what really upsets me is that there is this sentiment that somehow people want to be on these programs, she told CNN. I know for a fact how devastated and how embarrassed my parents must have felt having to go in and ask for assistance because they couldnt provide for their family. I think about that now as a parent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said her campaign has started holding listening sessions in the district to contrast with Ciscomani, who she argued has not made himself accessible to constituents. Ciscomanis office did not respond to requests for comment. In response to protests calling on him to hold more town halls earlier this year, the congressman told a local news outlet KGUN9 in April that he has attended events in the district and held a telephone town hall. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Democrats leaned on reproductive rights storytellers who shared their experiences of receiving delayed treatment for miscarriages or unviable pregnancies to highlight the impact of the Supreme Courts Dobbs decision. The strategy helped highlight the issue, but the economy ultimately far outweighed abortion when it came to the issues that mattered most to how people voted for president 32% to 14% according to CNN exit polls. As Democrats seek to reverse Trumps gains with working-class voters, they have emphasized that the bills reductions in social safety net programs helped fund the extension of tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need a strong economic populist message that says these billionaires dont give a shit about you, Villegas said. Republicans are fighting back on how to frame the bill Meanwhile, Republicans are also rushing to frame how Americans perceive the new law. The House GOPs campaign arm said in a memo released after final passage that they had voted to provide border security funding, prevent a tax hike and crack down on welfare fraud and restore integrity to Medicaid. Today, (Democrats) handed Republicans a weapon to cement the partys image as out of touch with hardworking Americans: Democrats are not fighting for them, the National Republican Congressional Committee memo reads Only one House Republican in a competitive district voted against the bill: Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) is seen during a news conference on Capitol Hill on March, 6 2024 in Washington, DC. The bipartisan news conference discussed foreign aid funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. - Kent Nishimura/Getty Images GOP lawmakers have argued the changes will help sustain the programs for those who need them most and say it will only push able-bodied adults back into the workforce. Democrats and health policy experts, however, warn that the requirements will primarily kick off people who qualify for the benefits but struggle to frequently verify their eligibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An estimated 11.8 million people could lose access to Medicaid coverage under the new law over the next decade, according to an analysis by health care policy site KFF, primarily due to new work requirements for some adults and the repeal of Biden administration rules that simplified eligibility screenings. The work requirement mandates people who dont qualify for exemptions work or volunteer 80 hours a month. The legislation also puts new work requirements on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, the formal name for food stamps, on parents with children older than seven and adults ages 55-64. Those rules, as well as provisions that require states to share more of the programs cost, could put assistance for millions at risk. Republicans dont typically run for office defending entitlement programs, said Rob Stutzman, a California-based Republican strategist. I think its a tough central message for any candidate. Now that the bill has been signed into law, Stutzman said Republicans have an opportunity both highlight popular provisions in the bill, such a provision allowing workers to deduct up to $25,000 in tips from their taxes, and frame the Medicaid changes as a return to pre-Biden era policy. In California, specifically, Republicans can point to state leaders cutting Medicaid benefits for undocumented migrants in a recent budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Im a Republican candidate, Im saying Great, that program still exists for your parents, because your parents were able-bodied and working, Stutzman said. We want to make sure that this program is being applied to people like your parents and not people that are not seeking work in order to maintain this health care benefit. Democrats, however, argue that its working people who will fall through the cracks under the new requirements. Noah Widmann, a candidate in Floridas 7th Congressional District, is running against GOP Rep. Cory Mills. Widmann has talked about benefitting from both food stamps and Medicaid growing up and described work requirements as red tape that make it tough for people that are eligible to get care. At the end of the day even if it happens to one family if one family is having their health care and their food ripped away from them, its wrong, he said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com With four months until Election Day in Virginia, the campaigns for statewide office are heating up. Both parties are projecting a message of unity, but the ways theyve sought to demonstrate unity amongst themselves has varied. Immediately after Junes primaries, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger embarked on an eight-day bus tour across the state, where she was joined at stops by Ghazala Hashmi and Jay Jones, the nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general. Meanwhile, Republican candidates Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, Attorney General Jason Miyares and conservative radio host John Reid who have been the presumptive nominees for months appeared together for the first time Tuesday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To describe the Republican rally as a unity rally requires a very flexible definition of unity, said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. The party candidates barely appeared on stage together, did not have a lot to say about each other, and generally have a kind of problematic history for imagining that theyre going to be able to work together this fall. Statewide candidates are elected separately, meaning its possible to have a governor and lieutenant governor from different parties. In 2005, Virginians elected Democrat Tim Kaine as governor and Republicans Bill Bolling and Bob McDonnell as lieutenant governor and attorney general. Related Articles But whether Republicans Earle-Sears, Reid, and Miyares candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general have convinced voters theyre past their infighting, Farnsworth said a split ticket is unlikely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do think that in this political environment, there arent going to be very many swing voters, he said. The reality of 2025 is that of a very, very partisan time, and so most voters are likely to vote a unified ticket, because the parties have become increasingly distant from each other nationally and in Virginia. That means voting for candidates and policies for or against President Donald Trump. I think most people, particularly given the very combative approach to governing from President Trump, have decided theyre either all in with the president or all not in with the president, Farnsworth said. The old saying that all politics is local I dont think really applies these days when youre looking at whats motivating people. Meanwhile, the Democratic statewide ticket campaigned together in Hampton Roads last weekend as part of Spanbergers bus tour. The tour concluded Saturday with stops in Williamsburg, Newport News, Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones seemingly took aim at the Republicans, who had then not appeared in public together. We got a ticket with Ghazala Hashmi and Abigail Spanberger, he said at a speech at Lafayette High School in Williamsburg. And Ill let you in on a little secret this morning: We actually like each other. Jones made the same comment in Norfolk later that day. Democrats are running on a staunchly anti-Trump platform. Along the trail, Jones pledged to enter Virginia into lawsuits against the Trump administration brought by Democratic attorneys general. Hashmi criticized Gov. Glenn Youngkin for telling laid off federal workers to polish their resumes. And Spanberger said she would defend veterans access to health care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the theoretical level, people are more likely to describe themselves as conservative, Farnsworth said. But when people start seeing programs cut, theyre a lot less conservative than they thought there were the challenge for Republicans in this environment is not unlike what Democrats faced during the Biden years. You have to live with the consequences of the policy choices in Washington, even if you had nothing to do with them. Statewide Republicans on the campaign trail are engaging less with federal policy, and instead spoke on issues such as transgender children, school choice and Virginias status as a right-to-work state. At a rally before a packed house Tuesday in Vienna, Earle-Sears spoke at length about her father fleeing socialism in Jamaica and the nomination of Zohran Mamdani as Democratic mayoral candidate in New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youve seen where my old hometown New York has nominated a socialist, she said. The crowd booed. And make no mistake about it, the ideas that my opponent has are socialist in nature, because its all about what government is going to do and to take your money to do it. In Williamsburg, Spanberger dismissed the connection to Mamdani. Im kind of a little bit laughing because its New York City were Virginia, she told reporters. I dont know anything about New York politics. Farnsworth was not convinced that was an effective political strategy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It strikes me as a desperate move to imagine that the voice of Democratic primary voters in New York City has any bearing on the Virginia gubernatorial election, he said. People always wish they were running against the politician that they mention, but theyre actually running against the politician whose name is on the ballot, or the national figure, the president. Farnsworth predicted that Republicans will face some significant headwinds this election. Historically, the party out of power in the White House does well in statewide elections in Virginia the following year. For example, in 2021, a year after Joe Biden was elected as president, Republicans regained control of the House of Delegates and won all three statewide positions. Kate Seltzer, 757-713-7881, kate.seltzer@virginiamedia.com Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance Updated at 9:48 a.m. on 7/7/25 Approximately 100 demonstrators gathered Friday in West Michigan to denounce the reopening of what was previously the North Lake Correctional Facility in Baldwin. The detention center was opened on June 16, and, with a capacity of 1,800, the facility, now referred to as the North Lake Processing Center, has been called the largest ICE detention center in the Midwest, as well as the subject of several earlier protests this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Independence Day event was organized by local immigrant advocacy groups, including No Detention Centers in Michigan, Cosecha Michigan, GR Rapid Response to ICE, and Lakeshore Rapid Response to ICE. Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance The date was an intentional choice: July 4, the media release noted, is a day for reflecting on freedom as an ideal and spending time with family and loved ones. As such, advocates gathered outside the facility to highlight the apparent disconnect between Independence Day and mass incarceration. Speakers used the event to emphasize the controversies surrounding the GEO Group the federally contracted private company that operates the North Lake facility. As the nations primary prison operator, GEO has been scrutinized for influencing immigration and criminal justice policy in ways that expand incarceration for profit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the 2024 election cycle, GEO and its subsidiaries donated almost $1,000,000 to political candidates, with around 90% of funds going to GOP candidates. In particular, the GEO Group has closely aligned itself with President Donald Trump. Trumps first term saw 237 new contracts between GEO and the federal government. Furthermore, nearly 71% of the GEO Groups funding is sourced from ICE. The Trump Administrations emphasis on mass detention only serves to benefit the GEO Group. Indeed, the Trump Administrations budget bill allotted $170 billion to immigration enforcement and detention, with $45 billion earmarked specifically for detention facilities like North Lake. Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance The Peoples Assembly of Detroit was unable to attend the event, but sent a statement that was read aloud at the protest addressing the June 30 ICE arrests on Detroits west side resulting in the arrest and detention of Marcos Fabian Arita Bautista, an undocumented immigrant from Honduras Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group was formed earlier this year in response to the influx of anti-immigrant rhetoric and action and works to provide ongoing support, legal counsel, and mutual aid to families impacted by detention and deportation of their loved ones. Additionally, the Peoples Assembly has established a network throughout the area, reaching out to schools, community groups, clubs, and churches. In a statement to the Detroit Free Press, ICE described Bautista as an illegal alien from Honduras who had been removed twice from the U.S. Bautista first came to the U.S. in 2015. He was then deported to Honduras. He returned in 2018 and was subsequently deported for a second time. ICE also noted that, in 2022, Bautista pleaded guilty to driving an unregistered vehicle, operating without required financial responsibility, and assigning improper title in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. While ICEs remarks provide a concise timeline of events, the Peoples Assembly offered additional context. The group said Bautista was on his way to work June 30 when he noticed ICE agents were following him, at which point he returned to his home and family. Despite the efforts of neighbors and community advocates, ICE broke down the door, entered the home, and detained Bautista. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recounting the events, the Peoples Assembly elaborated on what this experience was like for the family. ICE didnt care about terrorizing the children. ICE had their sniper guns pointed at a little girls bedroom window in the house with young children and Marcos pregnant sister inside, the statement read. ICE didnt care about anything. ICE broke the door down violently and invaded the house without permission. ICE has not allowed him to speak with his family at all this week. However, the statement went on to add that the family and the community are grateful for the demonstrations of bravery and solidarity. This is what we all need to be doing right now, the message concluded. We have to rise up together against fascism, violence, and racism. We have to show that we, the people, do not want more detention centers. We want our community to be cared for, and for families to be able to work, play, worship, and learn in safety and peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story was updated to reflect that the facility in Baldwin is now referred to as the North Lake Processing Center. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance Sign denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance Demonstrators denouncing the opening of the North Lake Correctional Facility, an immigrant detention center in Baldwin, Michigan. July 4, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig/Michigan Advance It could be the most expensive full stop of all time. One round dot, albeit now painted turquoise and no longer sitting on the line but nudged up halfway between the words Gov and UK. Its the work of advertising agency M+C Saatchi, that once great creative company responsible for the likes of Heineken ads, for recruiting to MI6 and their Back the Bid campaign that helped London win the 2012 Olympic Games. Well theyre now reduced to fiddling with full stops on logos. And its not like they even changed the font, although, when not printed in black and white there is an iteration in colour of a blue background. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For this work, this tweak, came their invoice: 532,000. Lets hope thats including VAT but there was a further 99,950 spent by Leicester-based marketing agency Lnet Digital for conducting market research on the logo changes. And there was more related work still, this time by civil servants who produced a 150-page document explaining how the rebrand should be used. It contains the following priceless poetry: Our dot is the bridge between the government and the UK, by the side of users to help make information and services easier and more useful. Used within our wordmark and as a graphic device across all GOV.UK channels, the dot is a guiding hand, for life. Consider that vignette when you wonder why your bins cant be collected more regularly, your new passport delivered sooner, the trains running on time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because, clearly in Whitehall, whats more fun is to muse on the benevolent power of a dot and how it is like a collective hand across the nation, joining us in a heavenly and warming embrace with government not to do all the dross that might actually help to get the country moving. Except that if you, on your computer, actually try to put the dot halfway up the line your laptop will start smoking, such is the impossibility. And if you managed this remarkable miracle, it wouldnt help you because in actuality, the dot needs to remain exactly where it was before in order to get you to the gov.uk website. The dot has been decribed as a bridge between the government and the UK Yet, in their wisdom, civil servants and their political masters have willed on this work. And you cant blame Keir Starmer, this isnt why Rachel Reeves was in floods; it was nodded through by the last Conservative government. Thus, somewhere between hugging hoodies, agreeing to a Brexit referendum, letting free speech slide at our universities and overseeing a decline in educational standards, came the rubber-stamping of half a million quid to fiddle with a full stop. Of course, it is a sad fact that 500,000 is but a drop in the ocean of government spending. But it is symbolic of the wrong-headed thinking that befuddles our nation. Presentation has become key. And while, obviously, clarity has always been important, the PR has now become more vital than the policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tony Blair was key at ushering in the rot with his desire to be loved. Youll recall the union flag-waving cronies who lined Downing Street after his trip to Buckingham Palace. And David Cameron had a similar dream to be popular. Given that most politicians end up being hated, and sometimes more by their own side, its surely a wiser move to assume youll be loathed, to administer policies you believe in and then see what happens. Since reputations usually soften after youve been in government, when youve lost power, its better to govern with all guns blazing, to not care that most people hate you but to endeavour to do the right thing for the country. It was a policy that served Mrs Thatcher well and she would have loathed the current obsession with data, with agencies testing out policies on research groups, with qualitative and quantitative analysis resulting from focus groups. Seeking out research is usually a sign of weakness. A broadcaster, for example, shouldnt need research to tell it what people want, it should have creatives and business people bold enough to have a vision and to sell it. The same is true of retail brands and supermarkets. One of the most depressing few days of my life was spent watching a focus group discuss the whys and wherefores of Waitrose and the pros and cons of the magazine I edited for them. Most chilling was having to follow a woman around a store to see how she shopped. Her driving shopping principle was to purchase things that were the cheapest and still in date. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I left the meetings vowing to forget all the gloomy feedback Id heard and instead to just think of great, creative ideas. Spin doctors and PRs might wish us to think government and politicians are warm and fuzzy, and, like that dot, a guiding hand for life. Much better to assume that governments and politicians are all b------s who want your money. Its one of the reasons Nigel Farage is making so much headway. Its never occurred to him to worry about the fact that so many people have a visceral loathing for him. The upshot being that people find him genuine, they know his pints and fags are not for show and, in spite of his best efforts, they start to miraculously love him. Although hed be wise to remember, if he, as the polls suggest, finds his way to power, that his most hated days lie ahead. Meanwhile, I dont expect Nigel gives a fig about a dot or whether its blue, pink or black, only that the damn thing works. 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. Effingham Deputy Police Chief Kurt Davis was sworn in as the next police chief position following the retirement of Jason McFarland on July 1. I got pretty big shoes to fill, no doubt about that, said Davis. I want to thank you for the opportunity and thank everyone for the support I hope to exceed your expectations. Davis has worked for the Effingham Police Department for over 20 years, and he comes from a law enforcement family. His grandfather worked for the Illinois State Police, and his uncle worked for the Effingham County Sheriffs Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Davis has been a Corporal, Sergeant and Deputy Chief of Police. I want to welcome Davis to the show, said City Commissioner Larry Micenheimer. Hes been sitting in the back seat. Now, hes in charge. Its going to be great. In other matters, the City of Effingham recently received the RISE Implementation grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, so Economic Development Specialist Sasha Althoff brought a proposal to the council to expand the Effingham/Effingham County Enterprise Zone so developers have more incentives to construct projects in the area. The Enterprise Zone offers incentives to those building in the area such as property tax abatement and sales tax exemption on building materials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past year, developers have come to Althoff about building apartments and other housing on Heritage Avenue, so Althoff applied for and received the grant to help fund housing and commercial projects both there and around the city. One of the goals of the annexation is to construct 15 to 17 duplexes on Heritage Avenue. Housing is a very important issue for us right now, said Althoff. The expansion would increase the Enterprise Zone by about one square mile. If the council approves of the annexation at a future city council meeting, Althoff hopes to have the application submitted to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity before the end of July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Economic Development Director Todd Hull brought the Thelma Keller Convention Center grant proposal back for discussion. If the ordinance passes, the City of Effingham would grant up to $600,000 to improve parking infrastructure and add 171 more parking spaces at the Thelma Keller Convention Center. The grant money would come from the citys hotel/motel fund since the Convention Center is a major generator of its revenue. Hotel/motel funds have limits on what it can be spent on, unlike public funds that come from property taxes and other sources, said City Attorney Tracy Willenborg. The hotel/motel funds are mostly generated from non-residents traveling through Effingham and those staying overnight in local hotels. The agreement states that the Center has to remain a convention center for ten years after the improvements or the city receives their money back, and the project has to be completed by July 4, 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This will help clean up that whole parking area. Theres lots of uneven surfaces in that area, said Hull. So we want to make sure that we retain those conventions and events. The grant ordinance will be brought to the next council meeting for an independent vote. Hull also brought back the ordinance to authorize the $190,000 sale of two lots at the corner of Willow Street and Fayette Avenue for Wright at Homes new location. Wright at Home wishes to build a 9,750 square foot furniture and interior design facility. If the ordinance passes at a future city council meeting, Wright at Home plans to begin construction by July 31, 2026 and complete construction by July 31, 2028. The agreement also states that if the construction deadline isnt met, the city could purchase the property back from Wright at Home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ill be beyond thrilled if we got such a class place to put on the corner. Its been vacant for a long time, said Micenheimer. Theyll make it somewhere youre proud of. City staff recently created a Community Transportation Electrification Plan with Ameren-Illinois to brainstorm locations for future electric vehicle charging stations based on the current electrical grid. Miller said the group looked at different areas for the stations including the citys two interstate exits, downtown and city parks. Well have to come back to the council and make decisions on how much were going to charge, and we have to maintain them, said Miller. We havent worked fully through it, but this is where were at. We just want to get your sense of if were headed in the right direction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agreement would allow the acceptance of a $50,000 grant to help fund the project. Public Works Director Jeremy Heuerman asked the council to approve proposals from Vandevanter Engineering for sanitary lift station replacements along Henrietta Street and at the Petro Gas Station for a total of $352,163, which would come from the citys sewer fund and is budgeted for. Sanitary lift stations pump wastewater from a lower elevation to a higher elevation to eventually reach the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Once the parts arrive, Heuerman expects the work to take a few weeks, and services will not be interrupted. Heuerman said the life expectancy for the new pumps is about 20 years. City Engineer Luke Thoele presented a resolution authorizing water main replacements in the following places: Southern Aire Avenue, Ralph Bogan Subdivision, Wenthe Drive and Jenner Avenue, Cardinal Street, Keller Drive, Fourth Street, Third Street, Austin Avenue and Park Street and Maple Street. The project costs $100,000, and its budgeted for in the citys water fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an annual thing weve been doing, said Thoele. Thoele also presented a resolution for South Cherry Street reconstruction. The work would most likely take place next fiscal year, according to Thoele. The $68,290 would come from the citys general fund. The next Effingham city council meeting is scheduled for July 15 at 5 p.m. in the council chambers. NEED TO KNOW Authorities believe that Sophia Hutchins, Caitlyn Jenner's friend and manager, may have been speeding when she crashed an ATV in Malibu, Calif., and died Hutchins was pronounced dead on the morning of Wednesday, July 2, after rear-ending another car and falling more than 300 feet into a ravine "It looks like she may have been speeding and rear-ended the other car, the other party, and then that caused her to veer to the right and go off the cliff," L.A. County Sergeant Eduardo Saucedo told the Daily Mail New details have emerged about the death of Sophia Hutchins the manager and friend of Caitlyn Jenner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking with the Daily Mail, Sergeant Eduardo Saucedo of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Hutchins, 29, was speeding in an ATV when she rear-ended another vehicle in the mountains of Malibu, Calif., and fell over a cliff 350 feet to her death on the morning of Wednesday, July 2. Saucedo, who is based at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station, told the outlet that Hutchins is believed to have been traveling at a rapid speed on Decker Canyon Road, near Jenner's Malibu home, in a 2013 Polaris when she hit a gray 2016 Mazda 6. "It looks like she may have been speeding and rear-ended the other car, the other party, and then that caused her to veer to the right and go off the cliff," Saucedo told the outlet. "It doesn't seem like she was following them. I think she just came up on them and then hit the car." Mike Coppola/Getty Sophia Hutchins and Caitlyn Jenner in 2020 Hutchins was pronounced dead on the morning of July 2, according to an initial report from TMZ. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saucedo said Hutchins tried to maneuver around the Mazda which was being driven by a local realtor who was showing a house in the area but was simply traveling too fast. "So it looked like she tried to maneuver to go around it, but she was going too fast and just ended up clipping the rear end of that Mazda, causing her to veer off and go off the cliff there," he told the Daily Mail. The driver and passenger in the Mazda were uninjured, and Jenner was at the accident site while deputies were on the scene, Saucedo said. The sergeant added that investigators will not know whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the incident until the coroner's office prepares a toxicology report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Saturday, July 5. Saucedo also told the Daily Mail that a search and rescue team rappelled down the side of the cliff to recover Hutchins' body, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. The ATV was left at the bottom of the ravine because the tow company "didn't have a line that was long enough to attach it and pull it up." A longtime friend and business partner to Jenner, Hutchins served as CEO and director of the Caitlyn Jenner Foundation. The pair met in 2015 when Jenner announced her transition. They quickly bonded, with Hutchins later praising Jenner for pushing her to grow. Hutchins went on to appear in multiple episodes of Jenner's E! reality series I Am Cait. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. We have so much in common; we see the world so similarly and we both are such a good match for each other because we challenge each other, Hutchins once said of their relationship in an interview with The Hidden Truth with Jim Breslo. She challenges me in so many ways, has allowed me to grow in so many ways and I hope I challenge her to grow and I think because we share so many of the same passions and views, its just a great match, a great partnership. Born in 1996 in Bellevue, Wash., Hutchins graduated from Pepperdine University in 2019 with a degree in economics and finance, per Deadline. She also served as founder and CEO of health technology company LUMASOL. Read the original article on People NEED TO KNOW New details have been revealed surrounding the young girls who remain missing after devastating floods hit Texas this week Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a press conference that 23 girls remain unaccounted for out of 750 from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls-only summer camp near the Guadalupe River Many of the girls' family members spoke with local outlets as they continue to search for them New details have been revealed about some of the young girls who remain missing after devastating floods hit Texas this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 24 people have died in Kerr County, and one person has died in Kendall County, after the catastrophic floods hit central Texas on Friday, July 4, CNN reported. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a press conference that 23 girls remain unaccounted for out of 750 from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls-only summer camp near the Guadalupe River, per Dallas outlet WFAA. (Floods in the river caused it to reach its second-highest height ever, according to ABC affiliate Eyewitness News.) One of the girls currently unaccounted for is Hadley Hannah, 8, of Dallas, her mother told WFAA. Hannahs father is currently on the ground searching for her in Kerr County, according to FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth. Eloise Peck and Lila Bonner of Dallas also remain missing. The friends were reportedly staying in the same cabin with several others. OKCM Search & Rescue Team/Facebook Eloise Peck and Lila Bonner Eloise Peck and Lila Bonner Camp members Lila Bonner, Kellyanne Lytal, Molly DeWitt, Janie Hunt and Lainey Landry are also missing, according to various family members, KSAT, Fox 26 Houston and CNN reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are just praying, Hunts mother told CNN after learning of her daughters disappearance. Greta Toranzo and Virginia Hollis, who both attended the camp, remain unaccounted for, too, WANE 15 reported. Toranzo is a student at Sinclair Elementary, the school confirmed in a post shared on Instagram. OKCM Search & Rescue Team/Facebook Janie Hunt Janie Hunt We are devastated to share that one of our Sinclair students is missing from Camp Mystic in the Kerr County Floods, the school wrote. Her parents have asked that her picture be shared far and wide as they search for her. Please keep Greta and her family in your thoughts," the caption continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KSAT previously reported that there was an overnight evacuation of Camp Mystic after the flooding. In a statement on July 4, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state is providing all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods. OKCM Search & Rescue Team/Facebook Virginia Hollis Virginia Hollis 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 State of Texas today has mobilized additional resources in addition to the resources sent in preparation for the storms, he continued. I urge Texans to heed guidance from state and local officials and monitor local forecasts to avoid driving into flooded areas. PEOPLE has reached out to the Kerr County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) for an update on the missing girls. Read the original article on People Eight criminal illegal aliens were deported to South Sudan on Independence Day, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Saturday, after what it called "weeks of delays by activist judges" that left ICE officers stranded and at risk. "These sickos were finally deported to South Sudan on Independence Day," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. "After weeks of delays by activist judges that put our law enforcement in danger, ICE deported these eight barbaric criminal illegal aliens who are so heinous even their own countries will not accept them." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deportation effort had been blocked by a series of lower court rulings, which the Supreme Court overturned July 3, granting the Trump administrations motion to enforce its third-country removal policy. The eight men had been held in Djibouti as legal challenges played out. Trump Administration Scores Win As Supreme Court Approves Deportations To Third Countries Eight criminal illegal aliens were deported to South Sudan on Independence Day, according to a release from the DHS. According to DHS, the eight men had extensive and violent criminal histories. Read On The Fox News App Enrique Arias-Hierro, a Cuban national, was convicted of homicide, armed robbery, kidnapping and impersonating a law enforcement officer. Jose Manuel Rodriguez-Quinones, also from Cuba, was convicted of attempted first-degree murder with a weapon, battery, larceny and drug trafficking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thongxay Nilakout, a Laotian national, was convicted of first-degree murder and robbery and sentenced to life in prison. Jesus Munoz-Gutierrez, from Mexico, was convicted of second-degree murder and also sentenced to life confinement. Federal Judge Halts Trump Administration Deportation Of Eight Migrants To South Sudan Dian Peter Domach, an illegal alien from South Sudan, was arrested by ICE May 8, 2024. Dian Peter Domach, a South Sudanese national, had convictions for robbery, multiple gun offenses and driving under the influence. Kyaw Mya of Burma was convicted of lascivious acts with a child under the age of 12 and served part of a 10-year sentence. Nyo Myint, also from Burma, was convicted of first-degree sexual assault involving a mentally and physically incapacitated victim and faced additional charges of aggravated assault. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuan Thanh Phan, a Vietnamese national, was convicted of first-degree murder and second-degree assault and sentenced to 22 years. On May 3, 2025, ICE arrested Tuan Thanh Phan, a Vietnamese illegal alien. "These are not just immigration cases," McLaughlin said. "These are threats to American communities that judges tried to force ICE to return to the United States." DHS credited the Supreme Courts clarification order for breaking the logjam and allowing ICE to complete the mission. "This was a win for the rule of law, safety and security of the American people," its statement said. DHS also thanked ICE officers who had been stranded abroad during the court-imposed pause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We thank our brave ICE law enforcement for their sacrifice to defend our freedoms," McLaughlin said. "We will continue to fight for the freedoms of Americans while these far-left activists continue to try and force us to bring murderers, pedophiles and rapists back to the U.S." The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Original article source: DHS: Several criminal illegal aliens deported to South Sudan after delays from 'activist judges' KANSAS CITY, Mo. Overnight, the Lees Summit Fire Department responded to several fireworks-related fires. Crews were dispatched to a reported structure fire near SW Summit Hill Drive and SW Pacific Dr. after smoke alarms alerted a resident to a fire burning outside the house. Wrong-way crash in KCK leaves one person dead, 5 others injured When firefighters arrived at the scene they found flames near the garage door that had spread up the front of the home and were beginning to burn through the roofs eave into the attic. Everyone was safe outside the home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire outside was quickly controlled, while crews worked to put out the flames that had spread into the attic and garage. Most of the damage was confined to the exterior of the home, but there was minor smoke and water damage inside. The cause of the fire was found to be fireworks that were discarded in the trash next to the house. Earlier Friday evening fire crews responded to a structure fire near NE Independence Avenue and E. Chipman Road where residents reported smoke in the basement. When firefighters arrived, nothing was visible from the outside, but they discovered and extinguished several floor joists that had been burned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An investigation found that fireworks had been discarded in the window well that caught dried grass on fire that spread into the basement through the window. In addition to these two house fires, fire crews dealt with a number of debris fires caused by improperly discarded fireworks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NEED TO KNOW Barry Morphew was charged with the murder of his wife Suzanne Morphew after she went missing on Mother's Day 2020, but the case against him was dropped A grand jury indicted Barry for Suzanne's murder on June 18, 2025 after new evidence came to light in the case following the discovery of Suzanne's remains Suzanne's autopsy found traces of a powerful animal sedative that police say only one private citizen in any of the surrounding counties was found to be in possession of: Barry Suzanne Morphew went missing from the Colorado home she shared with her husband and two daughters on Mother's Day 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five years later, and three days after Father's Day, her husband Barry Morphew was indicted by a grand jury for her murder on June 18, 2025. It is the second time that Barry had been charged with killing his wife, after the initial charges filed against were ultimately dismissed two weeks before his trial at the request of prosecutors, who filed their motion without prejudice in the event they wanted to retry the case. The case then grew cold, yielding no developments for close to two years. Then, authorities got a huge break. On Sept. 22, 2023, a team investigating the case of a missing woman stumbled upon the remains of Suzanne approximately 50 miles from where she went missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And close to two years after that discovery, her husband is now set to stand trial after being charged with his wife's murder, again. KUSA via AP, Pool Barry Morphew in 2021 Barry Morphew in 2021 A copy of the grand jury indictment filed in Colorado's Twelfth Judicial District and obtained by PEOPLE reveals that Barry's second arrest came after the El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office determined Suzanne's cause of death to be "Homicide by unspecified means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication." It was law enforcement who requested the medical examiner test for the presence of butorphanol, azaperone and medetomidine according to the indictment. That is because the three drugs combine to make BAM, a powerful animal sedative that authorities allege Barry was in possession of at the time of his wife's disappearance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The indictment also alleges that "law enforcement found one of these needle caps in the dryer" after Barry dried the shorts he was wearing on the day of Suzanne's disappearance. 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. Barry allegedly admitted to using BAM both on a deer farm he previously had in Indiana and in Colorado, just one month before his wife's disappearance while sedating a deer in their yard, according to the indictment. That admission proved to be a crucial part of the vase against Barry. Suzanne Morphew/Facebook Suzanne Morphew Suzanne Morphew Law enforcement reviewed records throughout the state, which "showed that no other private citizens or private businesses in any of the surrounding counties had purchased BAM prescriptions from 2017-2020," according to the indictment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What's more, the indictment said that the only purchases of BAM had been by members of Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the National Parks Service. Both agencies keep a careful record of any use of the drug, according to the affidavit. Barry made his first appearance in a Colorado courtroom this week, having been extradited to the state from Arizona, where he was arrested last month. One of the two couple's two daughters was there to support her father, while the other was not in attendance at the hearing. Barry did not enter a plea to the charge, but when he was previously charged with his wife's murder, he entered a not guilty plea. He is also not being represented by a lawyer at this time due to a conflict of interest with the public defender's office. Read the original article on People NEED TO KNOW President Donald Trump used an antisemitic slur while promoting his Big, Beautiful" Bill He later denied knowing what the term shylocks meant Jewish leaders denounced his words, calling his statement deeply dangerous President Donald Trump is facing backlash after he used an antisemitic slur to describe Jewish bankers while promoting his Big, Beautiful" Bill. While speaking in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday, July 3, leading up to next year's 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the 79-year-old politician used a choice word as he addressed the crowd. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker, and in some cases, shylocks and bad people," Trump said. "They destroyed a lot of families, but we did the opposite." Scott Olson/Getty President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa Shylock is a fictional Jewish moneylender and principal villain in William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, which was believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. Shortly after, Jewish leaders publicly condemned the antisemitic slur. Shylock is among the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes. This is not an accident. It follows years in which Trump has normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories and its deeply dangerous, Amy Spitalnick, the CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, tweeted on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her message also included a video of Trump making the remark before a crowd of his supporters. Chip Somodevilla/Getty U.S. President Donald Trump talks to reporters in the Oval Office at the White House on January 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump talks to reporters in the Oval Office at the White House on January 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. The Anti-Defamation League also spoke out against his comment. "The term 'Shylock' evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous. President Trump's use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible, the organization said. It underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country. Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States, the statement continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump later denied knowing the meaning of the word. Ive never heard it that way. To me, Shylock is somebody thats a money lender at high rates, Trump told reporters after getting off Air Force One, CNN reported Friday, July 4. Ive never heard it that way, you view it differently than me. Ive never heard that. Following his antisemitic slur, Trump went on to sign the Big, Beautiful" Bill into law. Omar Havana/Getty President Donald Trump President Donald Trump It will introduce significant cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by implementing more requirements on possible beneficiaries. It will also prioritize funding for deportation and border efforts; diminishes green energy tax incentives and increases the national deficit by $3.8 trillion. 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. In early June, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said she regretted supporting the bill without reading it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Full transparency, I did not know about this section on pages 278-279 of the OBBB that strips states of the right to make laws or regulate AI for 10 years, Greene tweeted, in part. I am adamantly OPPOSED to this and it is a violation of state rights and I would have voted NO if I had known this was in there. Read the original article on People Experts are weighing in on Donald Trump's open desire to be the fifth face on Mount Rushmore. Trump has floated the idea of adding himself to the famed South Dakota mountainside since his first term, reportedly fancying the idea so much that then-South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem gifted him an $1,100 bust of his face in the lineup during his park visit in 2020. The possibility of a five-face Rushmore has garnered renewed interest among Trump's most loyal supporters since his return to office, culminating in a House bill introduced by Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. But the question of whether the plan could or should work still looms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump isn't the first proposed addition to the landmark Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan have also been mentioned in the past as possible additions. But a longstanding argument against any updates to the sculpture, said Dan Wenk, the former superintendent of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, is that the piece of art is already finished, visually and rhetorically. According to the National Park Service, the four presidents carved on Mount Rushmore were specifically chosen by sculptor Gutzon Borglum to represent major facets of the United States' first 150 years: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln represent the birth, growth, development and preservation of the country, respectively. You wouldnt add another face to Borglums Mount Rushmore just like you wouldnt add one to da Vincis Last Supper, Wenk told The New York Times. But I recognize that these types of ideas are no longer off the table. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Donald and Melania Trump at a Mount Rushmore event in 2020 Donald and Melania Trump at a Mount Rushmore event in 2020 Another, more practical point is that the mountain may not be able to withstand any further alteration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the sculpture's creation from 1927 to 1941, questions were constantly raised about the reliability of the mountain's composite, as the rock was in many places delicate and unpredictable. The National Park Service told the Times in a statement that there simply isn't room for another face on the side of the mountain. The carved portion of Mount Rushmore has been thoroughly evaluated, and there are no viable locations left for additional carvings, the park service told the outlet. Borglum the main mind behind Mount Rushmore's design ultimately changed his plan nine times, due to rock inconsistency, fractures and fragility in the mountain. Early plans, according to Smithsonian magazine, included an entablature with a short history of the country, a staircase, a Hall of Records to include the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and the torsos of each president featured. But each idea was abandoned due to the rock's fragility. Scott Olson/Getty The four faces of Mount Rushmore nestled into the Black Hills of South Dakota The four faces of Mount Rushmore nestled into the Black Hills of South Dakota While there is, technically, free mountainside space on either side of the historic sculpture, Borglum believed only the space he ended up using in the final product was actually workable, and there would be no more room for any sort of addition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thus, those wishing to see Mount Rushmore evolve in any artistic way are likely to be disappointed, Wenk told the Times. Fortunately, from my view and not just for Trump but anybody else theyre fighting against the reality of the rock," Wenk said. Read the original article on People A man is behind bars after authorities say he hit a woman in the back of the head with a rock before dragging her to a secluded area and sexually assaulting her multiple times. On Thursday, around 10:30 p.m., a 28-year-old woman exited her car in the parking lot area of 777 NW 72nd Ave., near an underpass, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriffs Office. Deputies say Daysnel Hernandez,41, of Doral then came up behind the woman and hit her in the back of the head with a large rock. The woman told investigators that Hernandez covered her mouth and held a screwdriver up to her neck and dragged her to a secluded area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He would proceed to punch her multiple times with his fist as the woman tried to break free from him, his arrest affidavit reads. Hernandez sexually assaulted the woman multiple times as he remained armed with the screwdriver. The woman said she begged Hernandez not to kill her, according to MDSO. After the assaults, Hernandez ran away back towards the parking lot. Deputies say the woman suffered multiple lacerations, abrasions, and contusions throughout her body. Hernandez was taken into custody by the Doral Police Department for an unrelated incident, according to MDSO. Deputies say that he confessed to raping the victim and corroborated her statements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was charged with kidnapping with a weapon, sexual battery with a deadly weapon causing injury and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Jail records show that Hernandez remains in custody at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Saturday with a bond status of to be set. As the nation celebrated Independence Day, a catastrophic flood swept through the Texas Hill Country, leaving at least 24 people dead and dozens more unaccounted for including as many as 25 girls from Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp near the Guadalupe River. Officials described the event as a mass casualty incident, with rescues continuing Friday night across Kerr County. Flash floods escalated rapidly before dawn, and the Guadalupe River surged more than 25 feet in under an hour, according to emergency officials. Between 23 and 25 campers are still missing, said Sheriff Larry Leitha at a press conference alongside Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and other state leaders. Patrick, acting as governor while Abbott was away, said there had not been a drop of rain until the tragedy struck and noted the river rose about 26 feet in 45 minutes. If they are alive and safe, we will find them and bring them home to you, Patrick told parents of campers during a midday news conference. Flash Flood Warnings Escalated Hour by Hour The National Weather Service began issuing alerts in the early morning hours as the situation worsened rapidly across the Hill Country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 2:37 a.m., the agency posted that a Flood Watch had been extended through the morning due to ongoing rainfall. By 3:06 a.m., they confirmed a very dangerous flash flooding event in south-central Kerr County and northwest Bandera County, with 37 inches of rain already fallen and more expected. Turn Around, Dont Drown, the agency warned. At 6:32 a.m., the situation escalated further as the NWS issued a Flash Flood Emergency for Kerr County, including Hunt and Ingram the area where Camp Mystic is located stating that extremely dangerous flooding is occurring. Rescue and Reunification More than 237 people were evacuated, including 167 by helicopter, according to Maj. Gen. Thomas Suelzer, adjutant general for the state of Texas. Col. Freeman Martin of the Department of Public Safety said over 100 troopers were deployed alongside rescue divers, high-water vehicles, and seven helicopters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Ingram, yellow school buses and military trucks brought children to a reunification center. One father, Nicholas Miller, shared his relief in a post on X: My three girls are safe with their grandparents after being evacuated by helicopter from Camp Mystic. My wife and I are in Nice, France trying to get home to Austin. Long shot but if anyone happens to be flying anywhere near ATX from Nice tmw and can spare two seats pls dm Nicholas (@Nicholas_Miller) July 5, 2025 The camp, which had roughly 750 children onsite, was reportedly left without power, water, or Wi-Fi. A statement read aloud by Patrick during a briefing said, The highway has washed away, so we are struggling to get more help. State and Federal Response Gov. Greg Abbott signed a disaster declaration Friday night covering 15 counties, including Kerr, Bandera, Comal, and Kendall. We will stop at nothing to ensure that every asset and person and plane, whatever is needed, is going to be involved in the process of rescuing every last person, Abbott said at the news conference. Speaking later from Air Force One, President Donald Trump called the disaster a terrible thing. It looks like some young people have died, Trump said. Well take care of them. Were working with the governor. The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) confirmed that it had activated the State Emergency Operations Center and deployed additional support personnel to Hill Country communities. Officials urged residents to report damage using the iSTAT tool, check road conditions via DriveTexas.org, and call 2-1-1 if shelter is needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roads remained unstable late Friday, and search crews continued working through the night with support from state and federal agencies already on the ground. Hundreds of personnel from state and federal agencies remain on the ground. This is a developing story. The Dallas Express will continue to provide verified updates as new information is released. The Brief A night of chaos ended tragically for a driver on a motorcycle in Philadelphias Belmont section. The driver of a car attempting to leave a car meetup is under arrest after hitting the motorcyclist early Saturday morning, authorities said. BELMONT - A driver who was trying to make a getaway from a car meetup early Saturday morning drove through a red light and fatally hit a motorcyclist. That driver was arrested after a brief foot chase and is facing charges. What we know Officials with the Philadelphia Police Department said a car meetup took place in a Lowes parking lot late Friday night, in the citys Parkside neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A person driving a white Camaro was trying to flee the scene, according to authorities, early Saturday, around 1 a.m. The driver got near the intersection of Belmont and Westminster avenues, traveling south, and went around a stopped SEPTA bus. The driver then drove into oncoming, traffic, ran a red light and struck a motorcycle heading west on Westminster on the green light. Officials said the force of the crash threw the 47-year-old motorcyclist about 40 feet. The motorcycle then hit another vehicle. The motorcyclist died at the scene. Dig deeper The driver of the Camaro jumped out of the car and ran off, though police caught up with that driver on the 800 block of North 44th Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A passenger in the Camaro was transported to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Their injuries and condition were not known. What's next The driver of the Camaro is facing charges. Officials have not released the identity of the motorcyclist. An investigation is ongoing. SANDUSKY, Ohio (WJW) A driver is facing charges after a vehicle hit a bicycle early Saturday morning in Perkins Township, seriously injuring two juveniles. Suspect in Euclid Beach Park shooting still at-large According to the Ohio State Highway Patrols Sandusky Post, Joseph Fox, 34, was driving south on Campbell St. around 2:40 a.m. on July 5. Meanwhile, three juveniles were riding a three wheeled bicycle heading the same direction as Fox, a news release from OSHP said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr. Fox struck the juveniles from behind, ejecting two of them from the bicycle. The third juvenile was able to jump from the bicycle before being struck, according to OSHP. A red light on the back of the bicycle was active at the time of the crash, troopers said. Fox left the scene but was located a short time later in parking lot where he was taken into custody. Guardians fall to Tigers in 8th straight loss According to OSHP, the two juveniles on the bike suffered serious injuries and were taken to the hospital. The juvenile who jumped from the bicycle was not hurt. Fox has been charged with failure to maintain assured clear distance ahead (ACDA), Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol and or Drugs (OVI), Felony Hit Skip and Felony Aggravated Vehicular Assault. He was taken to the Erie County Jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. New Hampshire State Police announced that a driver is dead following a crash in Tamworth on Friday evening. According to State Police, troopers recieved a call at 8:19 P.M. of a single-vehicle crash on Maple Road. The caller stated that the driver of a 2007 Dodge Ram pickup truck was unconscious after colliding with a tree. Members of both the State Police and the Tamworth Fire Department were dispatched to the scene. Fire arrived first and was able to provide medical aid and transport the driver to a local hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after arriving at the hospital, the driver was pronounced dead. At this time, the identity of the driver is being withheld pending notification to the family. New Hampshire State Police ask anyone with information regarding the crash to contact Trooper Zachary Cobis at (603) 323-3333 or Zachary.J.Cobis@dos.nh.gov. The crash remains under investigation. 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Driver taken to hospital after SUV plunges into swimming pool on Cape Cod One person was taken to the hospital after officials say they crashed an SUV into their swimming pool on Cape Cod on Saturday morning. Emergency crews responding to 58 Snow Inn Road in Harwich Port around 10 a.m. found the front of a black Range Rover submerged in a backyard pool, according to the Harwich Fire Department. Harwich Fire Chief Dave LeBlanc told Boston 25 News that the driver, who lives at the home, barreled through a fence before coming to rest in the pool. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver was able to get out of the SUV without help. They were taken to Cape Cod Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A towing company was called in to haul the SUV out of the water. LeBlanc said the crash caused moderate damage to the pool area. Property records indicate the waterfront home is valued at more than $6 million. The Harwich Police Department is investigating. 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Russia's largest airports experienced hours-long flight delays and cancellations on July 5, as authorities imposed temporary restrictions due to a reported threat of Ukrainian drone attacks, the pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Shot reported. Ukraine hasn't commented on the report. Kyiv's drone campaign, which has increasingly disrupted civilian air travel in Russia, is part of Ukraine's broader strategy to undermine Russia's logistics far beyond the front line. Some passengers in Russia reported waiting more than 10 hours on July 5 as their flights were being delayed, according to Shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Departures at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport were halted for several hours, delaying over 20 flights. At St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport, roughly 50 flights were delayed and more than 20 canceled. Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Drozdenko said that two drones were shot down south of St. Petersburg, prompting a temporary suspension of operations at Pulkovo Airport. The disruptions followed a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks overnight, which targeted military and industrial infrastructure in at least six Russian regions. The Russian Defense Ministry said it intercepted 42 drones within three hours, mainly over the Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk oblasts near the Ukrainian border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Novaya Gazeta Europe reported in May that at least 217 temporary airport closures have occurred across Russia since Jan. 1 due to drone threats, more than in 2023 and 2024 combined. A similar wave of strikes ahead of Russia's Victory Day in May led to massive delays, affecting an estimated 60,000 travelers. Read also: Ukraines new drone strategy cripple Moscows airports, make Russian population pay Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) From fireworks to protests, Portland police are preparing for everything on this Fourth of July. While many people enjoy watching the officially sanctioned fireworks show along the Willamette River on the night of the Fourth, and other areas, its illegal for civilians to buy and use fireworks in the City of Portland. Even still, some people break this ban and illegally launch fireworks in the city. Traveler names OR beaches among best on the West Coast Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Portland Fire and Rescue has tracked nearly 1,000 reports of illegal fireworks over the last four days, with Portland Police taking action by issuing citations and seizing the fireworks. Its not even just lighting them off just to possessing them in the City of Portland can get you a citation, and they can be seized by the police, said Seargent Kevin Allen with the Portland Police Department. But fireworks arent their main concern. Additional checkpoints for monitoring drunk or intoxicated drivers will be set across the city Friday night. Its one of, frankly, the most deadly weekends that we typically see for car crashes and impaired driving. A lot of people are celebrating with alcohol and drugs, Allen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are also protests across the area, including a die-in at the Pioneer Courthouse Square against Medicaid cuts following the passage of the so-called Big Beautiful Bill backed by President Donald Trump. I have stage four cancer. I use the Oregon Health plan for my treatment, said protester Alessandra Ruiz. If I lose my coverage through Medicaid, I wont be able to afford it anymore, and I will likely die from it, statistically. And I know that Im not the only one. Trailer fire in Eagle Creek displaces family of 4 And several protests are set at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland, with some creating a caravan to Tacoma, Washington, and calling for the release of a man arrested by ICE in June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were aware of protests that are happening this weekend. And were monitoring those, as we always have been, Allen said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A friendly family rivalry turned into a heartfelt high school homecoming for one local couple. For Jeffrey Ryznar and his wife, Dr. Meredythe McNally, graduation season was more than just a moment of reflection. It was a moment to return home to the schools where it all began. Ryznar graduated from Ursuline, and McNally from Canfield. It was funny because we were like, Hey, I got news for you. And she was like, Hey, I got news for you. I said Ursuline asked me to do the commencement speech. And shes like, Canfield asked me to do theirs, Ryznar said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple found themselves facing off in a high-stakes high school showdown. Were always wagering on something. It makes the little things fun, McNally said. The rules? Simple. Craft the better commencement speech. As judgedunofficially by who received the loudest applause. But behind the playful bet was the serious honor of stepping onto those stages. We found words to use in the graduation speech, but honestly, I cant even put it into words. Its truly an honor to represent that school thats over 120 years young, Ryznar said. Each took a different approach. Ryznar leaned into the real talk, while McNally channeled encouragement and reflection. Life doesnt get any easier. It only gets harder, and you learn how to deal with hard better, Ryznar said. You should celebrate the day, but also look forward to the future with a positive mindset and a healthy attitude. If you can do that, nothing can stop you, McNally said. For both speakers, it was about more than who said it best. It was about honoring the past and lighting a spark for the future. A lot of my fellow classmates had children graduating this year. So it kind of came full circle as I was sitting there and hearing their names. How humbling and honoring it was to be a little part of that moment, McNally said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. A Durham man faces a total of 72 charges stemming from various incidents in six counties, including Lee, Chatham, Alamance, Durham, Orange and Wake. Dekenneth Mileek Covington, 26, was arrested June 23 following a chase incident with law enforcement on U.S. 1 in which Covington allegedly fired on Trooper W. Garner and traveled more than 15 mph over the speed limit. In that Lee County case, he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, flee/elude and obstructing justice, all felonies, along with resisting a public officer and injury to personal property, among others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Covington allegedly caused damage of $200 to a 2023 Ford Explorer and tossed a 9 mm SCCY pistol out the window of a vehicle after firing on Garner, an arrest warrant states. Covington was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon stemming from July 29, 2023 in Durham County. He was given credit for 83 days in jail, ordered to complete 100 hours of community service, placed on two years of supervised probation and given a $75 fine. He was still on probation at the time of his recent arrest. He was also convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon stemming from Aug. 29, 2018 after being arrested by Raleigh police. He was given credit for 107 days in jail, sentenced to 51 to 74 months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction and ordered to pay $1,596 in fines and fees. A charge of second-degree kidnapping was dismissed as part of a plea agreement. Among the current charges are breaking and entering a motor vehicle, financial card theft and obtaining property by false pretense stemming from June 6 in Wake County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In that case, Covington allegedly broke into Kelly Johnson Harvins 2015 Toyota Highlander through a window and stole a wallet containing an American Express card, a Wells Fargo debit card, a drivers license, an insurance card and $200 cash. Covington allegedly used the AMEX to make a $189 purchase and the Wells Fargo card to make a $461 purchase. He also allegedly broke into a 2004 Honda Civic owned by Kaitlyn Coqueuginot and stole an Apple iPad, Apple AirPods, an Apple pen, a Pandora bracelet, a Pandora ring and $10. The total value of the stolen items was $1,760, according to eCourts. According a press release from the Chatham County Sheriffs Office, Covingtons total bond on all charges in six counties is $1.4 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On May 30, Covington allegedly used stolen credit and debit cards at a Walmart at 12500 US 15/501 in Chapel Hill after breaking into a vehicle. Efforts to apprehend Covington led to multiple dangerous encounters, the release states, including an attempt by Garner police to arrest him in which he allegedly rammed patrol vehicles. On June 22, North Carolina State Highway Patrol initiated another traffic stop. Covington again fled and, during the chase, reportedly climbed through the sunroof of his vehicle with the aid of a passenger and fired a weapon at pursuing troopers. This effort is a strong example of what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies work together, Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson said in the release. From the initial investigation in Chatham County to the coordinated work that led to the suspects arrest, it took teamwork, communication and persistence across jurisdictions to bring this individual into custody. PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) A detached garage fire caused approximately $30,000 in damages early Saturday morning. Firefighters with the Peoria Fire Department were called at 12:49 a.m. on July 5 to the 1400 block of North Ellis Street to a report of a structure fire, said Battalion Chief Mike Ralston. When firefighters arrived, they found a detached garage completely engulfed in flames, and the heat had begun melting the siding on a nearby garage, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters extinguished the flame but had to stay on the scene for a couple of hours to continue extinguishing hot spots, Ralston said. The fire was estimated to cause $30,000 in damages, he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. EDENTON, N.C. (WGHP) Our history books cant cover everything, which means that some of the best stories fade with time. The Edenton Tea Party is one of those. The town of Edenton was thriving in the 18th century. From 1721 to 1743, it was North Carolinas capital with a thriving port. Edenton was the second largest port in North Carolina at that time, says High Point University history instructor, AJ Jones. The largest was Brunswick or the Brunswick, Wilmington area. But about 1/3 of the trade that came into Edenton or went out from Edenton was with Boston and by 1774, earlier in its history, Boston had almost monopolized trade with Edenton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the latter half of the 18th century, the big business of North Carolina was on the coast and thats where rebellion was percolating. Generally, the people in the east tended to be more opposed to British taxation and more like politically involved, says Jones. The east is where the money was. But, still, opposing the crown was a fraught venture. Really, its not until 1776, 1777 that you really start to see the government and then local what they called Committees of Safety, essentially, forcing people to choose a side because most North Carolinians just simply thought, I dont really know how this is going to turn out, and I dont necessarily want to be on the wrong side so I think I better wait and see, says Jones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And then there were women like Penelope Barker. Her father and sister died within a short time of each other when Penelope was just 17. She married her sisters husband, who, himself, died when Penelope was 28. She eventually married again, but her husband had to go to England on business and was gone for 16 years. Within that time, Barker rallied 50 of her friends to sign The Edenton Resolves, which was a promise to boycott English goods of any type, but tea, of course, was chief among them. They all gathered at a home in Edenton for the formal signing. One of the women who was there, her husband was James Iredell, who was a very prominent patriot leader at the time and later became a Supreme Court Justice appointed by George Washington, says Jones. So, his wife was one of the women who was there, and we do have a letter from his brother who was living in England, who had heard the news about this and written to James, where he commented, This is pretty scary. He heard that women are kind of taking control. He said something along the lines of, We fear the men in parliaments, but you know if women having power would be far too much of a threat and its good that only a place like Edenton, its sort of in the middle of nowhere, has women with that sort of artillery, right, that women with that sort of power to do that. Its like its good that theyre not found everywhere else because hes like this would be too dangerous. See more on the Edenton Tea Party and how it relates to the more famous one in Boston, in this edition of The Buckley 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 FOX8 WGHP. Former Fort Worth ISD school board member Jesse Martinez, 80, recalled speaking Spanish with a friend on the M.G. Ellis Elementary school grounds. A teacher slapped him across his mouth and told him, Youre an American. Thats why you need to learn English. Thats why you Mexicans will never amount to anything. But his first-second grade teacher Alice Contreras took him under her wing, encouraged him to study, and made allowances for his asthma attack absences. Jesse learned early about abuse and kindness on school grounds. He shared his memories recently as he undergoes hospice care. Jesse grew up poor and sickly, but his loving mother Margaret instilled in him an indomitable spirit to look at the world positively. He needed that positive mindset to deal with the hard knock Northside upbringing. His mother confided to Jesse that a doctor told her he wouldnt live more than a year. She prayed and cared for her son with devotion, carrying him through several near-death, emergency room episodes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Working after-school jobs as a newspaper boy, at Johnnys Hamburger, and Dr. Pepper, he bought groceries and gave most of his earnings to his mother, who worked cleaning homes. He persevered, gaining employment with Bell Helicopter and later worked 25 years with Lockheed Martin as a contract/procurement administrator. His amicable disposition and drive for community improvement led him to volunteer for the YMCA Metropolitan board, South Hills Neighborhood Association, FWISD committees, and numerous youth-enhancement programs. As the father of three daughters and a son, he participated in their school activities and stressed academic achievement. Jesse (back left), Manuel (back right) and (front from left) Melinda Martinez, Mari Gonzales, Monica Gonzalez, and Jo Linda Martinez at a family gathering. To offer more leadership and communication training for his three daughters and other Latino students, his wife Jo Linda, a FWISD bilingual school teacher, and Jesse started the Hispanic Youth Promoting Excellence (HYPE) program. For 13 years, they offered after-school instruction and competition in Hispanic poetry, public speaking, reading interpretation, Hispanic leaders, and cultural pride. Jesse and Jo Linda Martinez during a belated honeymoon vacation to Cola de Caballo falls in Monterrey, Mexico, in 1969. They were married in 1964. Election to the Fort Worth school board After FWISD school board member Jack Morrow moved out of District 6 in 1997, he encouraged Jesse to run for office. Jesse claimed he initially had no interest in an elective seat and enjoyed working behind the scenes. However, several civic leaders encouraged him to run based on his business expertise, civic leadership, and many volunteer education experiences. David Bucher, John Sandifer, and G. Pat Taylor, also vied for the position. The Fort Worth Education Association and Fort Worth United Educators Association officers endorsed Jesse. Hes accessible and hes knowledgeable, UEA Executive Director Larry Shaw said. Hes been there. Hes helpful with teachers, parents and kids. FWEA President Rubidel Johnson said, Were also very impressed with his community service record. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jesse won the school board seat on September 6, 1997, in a run-off election against Bucher, 1,544 to 1,199 votes. He won two additional school board elections, the last one on May 4, 2002, with 82.3 percent of the vote. Normally a conciliatory individual, Jesses diplomacy was tested by an opponents racist remark. After Jesse arrived late to a debate, one of his opponents commented, Just like a Mexican to be a day late and a dollar short. Jesse immediately confronted the person. After the debate, the person told a Star-Telegram reporter, he had apologized but was only joking and Jesse had overreacted. Jesse said he didnt tolerate any ethnic slurs or wisecracks about the disabled and the poor. The fact that Jesses community work was in Wedgewood, a predominately white neighborhood, must have eluded the opponent. Jesse had remarked he considered himself an American who happened to be of Latino heritage and whose ancestors had come from Spain to the Americas. Jesses business acumen rose to the fore involving Briscoe Construction Corp. In 2001, Leonard Briscoe won a $523,000 contract for six elementary school building projects. Briscoe asked for an additional $231,000 in 2002, pointing to hiring extra project managers. Jesse disagreed with the requests for additional funds and stressed the importance of adhering to the original contract. A deal is a deal, he said. Keeping in touch with regular school visits Jesses management style called for direct communication with principals, teachers, and students. He visited schools in his district every other Friday to discuss their concerns and ideas for improvement. Parents called him on his personal phone about school issues or stopped him in the grocery store to share their concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When a new school was built in Jesses district in 2000, the plan was to name it Lubbock Avenue. Jesse campaigned and won the boards approval to have the school renamed for his teacher, Alice Contreras, the districts first Latina bilingual department director. Mauro Serrano, retired FWISD associate administrator for instruction and governmental affairs, remembered Jesse would always say, Well, have we done a cost-benefit analysis on this? .. He was always kind of looking at, you know, is it going to be worth the money and whats the benefits to the kids? Jesse Martinez during a visit with his mother Margaret Martinez. Raised in poverty, slugged by an anti-Spanish language teacher, jumped by Anglo bullies, wracked by childhood illnesses, Jesse held dear to his mothers encouragement to pray often, work hard, and stay positive. He smiled from his hospice bed, proud of his four childrens successes and his loving wife Jo Linda of 60 years. Jesses home office walls were lined with professional photos and congratulatory plaques of his lifetime accomplishments. Jesse, family man, civic organizer, corporate negotiator, contract hawk, and school advocate has left a role model legacy of joyful courage and positive leadership for the kids. Author Richard J. Gonzales writes and speaks about Fort Worth, national and international Latino history. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) An El Paso Community College (EPCC) sign interpreter will retire after 35 years of service to her community and reflects on her journey of sign language interpreting with her daughter. Adriana Garcia, a sign language interpreter at EPPC, announced that she will retire from the college on July 31, after 35 years of service, according to the news release. She began working with EPCC in 1990, initially pursuing automotive studies, according to EPCC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Garcia saw an interpreter in one of her classes for the first time, it changed the course of her education, EPCC said. I was taking a math class and saw a deaf student with a sign language interpreter. I was so fascinated, I asked the interpreter where she learned sign language. She told me, Right here at EPCC, Garcia said. EPCC said Garcia began interpreting commencement ceremonies as early as 1995 and continued through 2007, with a return in 2011 when two of her daughters graduated from the interpreter program. Victoria Garcia, Adriana Garcias daughter, grew up fascinated by her mothers work and learned that interpreting sign language was her calling when she began her first internship, EPCC said. Growing up, I was always curious about what my mom was saying when she communicated in sign language, Victoria Garcia said. I learned how much I enjoyed it and discovered the rich culture of the deaf community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to EPCC, Victoria Garcia began interpreting commencements for the college in 2016 and has since become a mentor to fellow interpreters. In recent years, both Adriana and Victoria Garcia began interpreting events together, EPCC said. It was a great and beautiful experience, Adriana Garcia said. I told Valle Verde Dean Dr. Myshie Pagel that this was positive for the community. This is what its all about staying in El Paso and representing our community. It has been rewarding to share our work as mother and daughter. Ive learned a lot from her, and I like to think Ive taught her a few things too, Victoria Garcia said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EPCC said the mother-daughter duos first major assignment together was in Guatemala at a trilingual interpreter seminar, where the ladies had to translate from spoken Spanish to English and then to American Sign Language. Adriana Garcia said that after retiring from EPCC, she plans to volunteer with hospice and help support deaf individuals. That calling gets stronger as each day passes by, Adriana Garcia said. For more information on the EPCC Sign Language Program, you can visit their website here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. After publicly feuding with President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, the worlds richest man, announced Saturday that he has started a new political party. Musk made the announcement a day after Trump signed his Big Beautiful Bill into law on Friday, which Musk called a disgusting abomination. Musk said he could begin by focusing on a few congressional races, although he did not say which ones. By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it! he posted on his website, X, referencing a poll he had posted the day before. When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom. A one-page website recently set up at theamericaparty.org says its a movement of everyday citizens committed to pragmatic solutions, fiscal responsibility, principled leadership, and a brighter future for all Americans beyond red and blue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The party, according to its website, supports small businesses, a digital bill of rights endorsing free expression, and next-gen nuclear power. The Space Frontier is among its key pillars. It calls to invest in launch tech, lunar logistics, and Mars R&D unlocking in-orbit industry and space-mining wealth so America leads the next great leap. Musk, who aims to colonize Mars, leads a space company called SpaceX, a major government contractor. The America Party website also calls for merit-based immigration, STEM-first education, and contingency pilot projects for Universal Basic Income as AI reshapes work. The website appears to have been updated Saturday to include a link to Musks Super PAC, America PAC. Musk spent $290 million during the 2024 election campaign to support Trump and Republicans. He then became the head of Trumps so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which oversaw mass firings throughout the government and led Trumps efforts to consolidate power over Americans personal data and key federal systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musks popularity has taken a hit since his involvement with Trump. He memorably made a straight-arm salute at Trumps post-inaugural event in January, before running roughshod over the federal government while leading DOGE. Musk and his electric vehicle company, Tesla, have been the subject of protests around the country. His favorability numbers have shot down substantially since the start of last year a trend that could continue if Trump keeps attacking him. The billionaire left the administration in May. He and Trump have been feuding ever since. He tweeted and deleted a post alleging there were files showing the presidents connections to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump was reportedly left dejected following the end of their bromance, calling his former ally a big-time drug addict in a phone call. (In May, The New York Times reported that he took so much ketamine it affected his ability to pee, which he denied.) Shortly before he left the administration, Musk said he had done enough political spending and that he would do a lot less in the future. Earlier this week, Trump escalated and said he would have to take a look at the possibility of deporting Musk, who is from South Africa. He also threatened to cut off Musks companies subsidies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa, Trump posted on Truth Social. No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!! Trump responded to Musks move to create a new party in a Truth Social post on Sunday. I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely off the rails, essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks, he wrote. He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States The System seems not designed for them. The one thing Third Parties are good for is the creation of Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS, and we have enough of that with the Radical Left Democrats, who have lost their confidence and their minds! Republicans, on the other hand, are a smooth running machine, that just passed the biggest Bill of its kind in the History of our Country, the president continued. It is a Great Bill but, unfortunately for Elon, it eliminates the ridiculous Electric Vehicle (EV) Mandate, which would have forced everyone to buy an Electric Car in a short period of time. Musk suggested his party could focus on congressional races. He previously said that he would target lawmakers who supported the Big Beautiful Bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts, he wrote. Given the razor-thin legislative margins, that would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring that they serve the true will of the people. The party has already seen some hiccups. The America Party website includes a security notice in red at the top of the screen saying that people are using the website URL to conduct cryptocurrency scams, and that the party has NOT launched or endorsed any cryptocurrency or token. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Elon Musk and MAGA podcaster Steve Bannon renewed their long-running hostilities on Friday as they each warned the other of dire legal consequences. Bannon said Musk a naturalized U.S. citizen should be deported, while Musk predicted that Bannon, who served a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress, could be heading back to prison for a longer term. Bannon on his War Room podcast slammed Musk for saying he would start a new political party, the America Party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A non-American starting an America Party? Bannon said. No, brother, youre not an American, youre a South African. And if we take enough time and prove the facts of that, you should be deported because of the crime of which you did, among many. Bannon had last month suggested that Musk, who was born in South Africa, may be here illegally. Musk fired back on X. The fat, drunken slob called Bannon will go back to prison and this time for a long time, Musk predicted. He has a lifetime of crime to pay for. He didnt specify what exactly could send the podcaster and political operative back to prison, but he made a similar prediction earlier this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk spent roughly $291 million during the 2024 election cycle, most notably to help Trump, according to OpenSecrets.org, until the two had a falling out over the presidents big, beautiful bill. Musk had said he would form his new party as an alternative to both Republicans and Democrats if the bill passed, which it did. Bannon was chief executive of Trumps 2016 campaign and served as chief strategist early in Trumps first administration. He was out after seven months. Trump later turned on Bannon, calling him Sloppy Steve. The two patched things up soon after, and Bannon has stayed close, reportedly meeting with Trump at the White House just last month and frequently talking up Trump and MAGA agenda on his War Room podcast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump gave Bannon a pardon in 2021 in a fraud case where Bannon and others allegedly scammed donors who contributed to a private fund supposedly dedicated to building a wall at the southern border. He pleaded guilty to state charges in a related case earlier this year as part of a deal that will allow him to avoid prison. Musk, however, implied that more legal trouble may be heading Bannons way. Related... Elon Musk, an ex-ally of US President Donald Trump, said Saturday he had launched a new political party in the United States to challenge what the tech billionaire described as the country's "one-party system." The world's richest person -- and Trump's biggest political donor in the 2024 election -- had a bitter falling out with the president after leading the Republican's effort to slash spending and cut federal jobs as head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk has clashed with Trump over the president's massive domestic spending plan, saying it would explode the US debt, and vowed to do everything in his power to defeat lawmakers who voted for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now he has created the so-called America Party, his own political framework, through which to try and achieve that. "When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy," the Space X and Tesla boss posted on X, the social media platform that he owns. "Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom." Musk cited a poll -- uploaded on Friday, US Independence Day -- in which he asked whether respondents "want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system" that has dominated US politics for some two centuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The yes-or-no survey earned more than 1.2 million responses. "By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!" he posted on Saturday. Musk also shared a meme depicting a two-headed snake and the caption "End the Uniparty." - 'Laser-focus' on vulnerable lawmakers - It is not clear how much impact the new party would have on the 2026 mid-term elections, or on the presidential vote two years after that. The Trump-Musk feud reignited in dramatic fashion late last month as Trump pushed Republicans in Congress to ram through his massive domestic agenda in the form of the One Big Beautiful Bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk expressed fierce opposition to the legislation, and ruthlessly attacked its Republican backers for supporting "debt slavery." He vowed to launch a new political party to challenge lawmakers who campaigned on reduced federal spending only to vote for the bill, which experts say will pile an extra $3.4 trillion over a decade onto the US deficit. "They will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth," Musk said earlier this week. After Musk heavily criticized the flagship spending bill -- which eventually passed Congress and was signed into law -- Trump threatened to deport the tech tycoon and strip federal funds from his businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We'll have to take a look," the president told reporters when asked if he would consider deporting Musk, who was born in South Africa and has held US citizenship since 2002. On Friday after posting the poll, Musk laid out a possible political battle plan to pick off vulnerable House and Senate seats and become "the deciding vote" on key legislation. "One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts," Musk posted on X. All 435 US House seats are up for grabs every two years, while about one third of the Senate's 100 members, who serve six-year terms, are elected every two years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some observers were quick to point out how third-party campaigns have historically split the vote -- as businessman Ross Perot's independent presidential run in 1992 did when it helped doom George H.W. Bush's re-election bid resulting in Democrat Bill Clinton's victory. "You are pulling a Ross Perot, and I don't like it," one X user wrote to Musk. ph-mlm/sla Conservative activist and children's safety campaigner "Billboard Chris" took a victory lap Wednesday after successfully suing part of the Australian government for trying to censor his posts critical of government officials that advocate for transgender operations. Following a lawsuit filed by social media platform X and the conservative activist whose real name is Chris Elston the Australian government was forced to back down from its demands that X delete Elstons 2024 post criticizing a World Health Organization bureaucrat for what Elston described as their pro-child gender operation views. "I think this was a very large dose of rationality for Australia, which has really gone off the deep end in terms of censorship," Elston told Fox News Digital following an Australian Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) ruling this week that Elston could leave his post on the platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elston added that the ruling was "a decisive victory" and declared that "Australians should rejoice because they're free to call a man a man, and a woman a woman." Marjorie Taylor Greene Pushes Bill To Punish Those Who Perform Gender Transition Measures On Minors 'Billboard Chris' Elston won a legal battle with the Australian government after bureaucrats demanded he take down a social media post criticizing an Australian transgender World Health Organization employee. Xs official Global Government Affairs account reacted to the verdict, stating, "This is a decisive win for free speech in Australia and around the world. X will continue to fight against coercive state censorship and to defend our users rights to free speech." Read On The Fox News App Elston shared a Daily Mail story on X in 2024 that exposed the identity and sexual proclivities of Teddy Cook, an Australian transgender male who had just been appointed to a WHO body tasked with drafting "care guidelines for trans and non-binary people." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Daily Mail reported that Cook has a "kinky track record in everything from bestiality to bondage, drugs and nudism." Elston posted the article to X and referred to Cook as a "she," in accordance with Cook's biological sex. In the caption to his original post, Elston wrote, "This woman (yes, shes female) is part of a panel of 20 experts hired by the @WHO to draft their policy on caring for trans people. People who belong in psychiatric wards are writing the guidelines for people who belong in psychiatric wards." Police Arrest Billboard Chris, Christian Activist In Eu Capital For Denouncing Child Transgender Treatments After his posts, Elston revealed that Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant sent the activist and X a notice demanding they remove the posts because it amounted to "cyber abuse" of Cook. The government official then threatened X with a nearly $800,000 fine if the platform did not remove the post, prompting X and Elstons legal challenge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lois McLatchie Miller, a spokesperson for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International the legal group who coordinated Elstons case against the ruling along with Australias Human Rights Law Alliance explained to Fox News Digital how Grant tried to justify the demand to have Elstons speech removed from social media. According to the legal expert, Grant charged Elston and X with violating Australias "Online Safety Act," alleging his post engaged in "cyber abuse against an Australian adult." Miller continued, "So they use that terminology to say that Chris's post should have been banned. But of course, that would give rise to or demand that Chris intended or the intention of his tweet was to bully someone to abuse them. And, of course, that was not the case." After a week-long hearing over Elstons case that occurred in March, ART reached a verdict Wednesday siding with the activist. According to ART Deputy President Damien ODonovan, it was clear that Elstons post was not cyber abuse but a statement of his beliefs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donovan stated in his ruling, "The post, although phrased offensively, is consistent with views Mr Elston has expressed elsewhere in circumstances where the expression of the view had no malicious intent." "When the evidence is considered as a whole I am not satisfied that an ordinary reasonable person would conclude that by making the post Mr Elston intended to cause Mr Cook serious harm," he added. Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture Miller described Donovans finding as a "really significant point," telling Fox News Digital that Elston's "intention was to keep his conviction to speak in the way that he thought was accurate and true. And to uphold the right of identity of women and children." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elston mentioned he felt his team beat the case on "every single legal point." "I think this sets a fantastic precedent going forward, and it should, at the very least, make Australians feel safe to say that a man is a man and a woman is a woman, because we've set a precedent for that," he said. Miller added, "This is a really significant early ruling in favor of free speech, which is going to be helpful for citizens all over the world as they tackle these new laws coming in." In a press release, ADF International executive director Paul Coleman celebrated the verdict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is a decisive win for free speech and sets an important precedent in the growing global debate over online censorship. In this case, the Australian government alarmingly censored the peaceful expression of a Canadian citizen on an American-owned platform, evidence of the expansive reach of censorial forces, even beyond national borders. Today, free speech has prevailed." The Australian eSafety Commission pointed Fox News Digital to their statement on ART's verdict, which read, "eSafety welcomes the guidance provided by the Tribunal on the statutory test for adult cyber abuse. We will continue to take seriously the responsibility of remediating online harms and protecting Australians from serious online harms." Original article source: Elon Musk's X and Billboard Chris celebrate 'decisive victory' against censorship in Australia TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A group of Florida environmental advocates filed a lawsuit in federal court to shut down the ICE detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz. Friends of the Everglades said there was no environmental site review before the center was opened. The governor has previously denied any impact on the environment. 200 Marines deployed to Florida to help ICE in immigration crackdown The group filed the federal suit against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. In a news release, the group said the lawsuit includes ICE, and the Florida Department of Emergency Management. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys for the Department of Homeland Security said they want the case to be dropped since the detention center is a state operated and funded facility. Alligator Alcatraz Lawsuit Opposition Plaintiffs MotionDownload Florida Democratic lawmakers said thats an additional reason why they should have access to inspect the migrant detention center. State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, out of Orange County, recorded a video on a cell phone outside the southeast Florida facility. What are the conditions in the facility? Are peoples due process rights being respected? What is the hurricane evacuation plan considering there is flooding thats been happening even before this facility opened? Smith asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He and other democrats, including Pinellas County State Rep. Michele Rayner, were denied access to inspect the facility on Thursday. There is statutory authority for us to be able to pop up at detention centers, municipal jails, and prisons unannounced and be able to inspect them, Rayner said. Reyner is referencing state statute 944.23 (Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine) that allows lawmakers to visit state correctional institutions at their pleasure. Federal court records show Homeland Security attorneys firmly deny that the federal department has any financial or operational involvement. The department added that the temporary detention center is state funded on state lands. We were not allowed in. We were told there were safety concerns. When pressed on those safety concerns, we were ultimately hung up on by the general counsel for the Florida Department of Emergency Management, Rayner said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State officials have not responded to News Channel 8s requests for comments. Alligator Alcatraz Lawsuit Immigration Enforcement PlanDownload Federal court records did reveal the states immigration operations enforcement plan. It states there are several potential locations near airstrips thatll follow national detention standards set by ICE, which the state prefers during hurricane season. Court records also showed there are nine Florida national guardsmen who will be trained to be immigration judges, which the Trump Administration has approved. A Homeland Security spokesperson also confirmed U.S. Marines will be assisting in Floridas overall immigration enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Firefighting foam, used at airports and military bases, has been identified as a source of toxic PFAS chemicals. More than 200 Environmental Protection Agency employees signed a petition dissenting from the agency's leadership under President Trump on its handling of numerous issues -- including the regulation of PFAS. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Fire Administration) This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency placed 139 employees on administrative leave Thursday, an agency spokesperson confirmed, after they signed a Stand Up for Science petition using their official titles and EPA positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The affected employees received an email, shared with Inside Climate News, informing them that they are on leave through July 17, pending an investigation into whether they used work time or resources when signing the petition. The email emphasizes that this is not a disciplinary action. One employee, who asked not to be named, said they signed the petition on a Sunday on my own device. Id be shocked if anyone used work resources, the employee went on. Weve taken ethics training and are aware of the law. While the employees are on leave, they are prohibited from using government equipment, including cell phones, logging into government-issued computers, contacting any EPA employees for access to information and performing any official EPA duties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An EPA spokesperson wrote in an email that the agency has a zero-tolerance policy for career bureaucrats unlawfully undermining, sabotaging, and undercutting the administrations agenda as voted for by the great people of this country last November. The EPA also alleged that the petition contains misleading information, but did not specify what is incorrect. The petition, addressed to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and members of Congress, is a declaration of dissent with the administrations policies, including those that undermine the EPA mission of protecting human health and the environment. Since the Agencys founding in 1970, EPA has accomplished this mission by leveraging science, funding, and expert staff in service to the American people, the petition reads. Today, we stand together in dissent against the current administrations focus on harmful deregulation, mischaracterization of previous EPA actions, and disregard for scientific expertise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 200 EPA employees, including retirees, signed the petition, some of them only by initials. The document criticizes the agency for undermining the public trust by issuing misleading statements in press releases, such as referring to EPA grants as green slush funds and praising clean coal as beautiful. The petition also accuses the administration of ignoring scientific consensus to benefit polluters, most notably regarding asbestos, mercury and greenhouse gases. Health-based regulatory standards are being repealed or reconsidered, including drinking water limits for four PFAS forever chemicals that cause cancer. The decisions of the current administration frequently contradict the peer-reviewed research and recommendations of Agency experts. Such contradiction undermines EPAs reputation as a trusted scientific authority. Make no mistake: your actions endanger public health and erode scientific progressnot only in Americabut around the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Signatories also lambasted the EPA for reversing progress on environmental justice, including the cancellation of billions of grant dollars to underserved communities and the removal of EJScreen, a mapping analysis tool that allowed the public to see pollution sources, neighborhood demographics and health data. These are trumped-up charges against EPA employees because they made a political statement the Trump administration did not like. Nicole Cantello, American Federation of Government Employees The petition also opposes the dismantling of the Office of Research and Development, whose work forms the scientific basis for federal rulemaking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nicole Cantello is president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Union Local 704, and leader of AFGE Council 238, a nationwide union that represents over 8,000 EPA employees. She said the EPAs allegations are baseless. These are trumped-up charges against EPA employees because they made a political statement the Trump administration did not like, Cantello said. Now the Trump administration is retaliating against them. Cantello said the union will fight for the employees on several legal grounds, including First Amendment protections and employment contractual rights. Well be using all of them to defend our people, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matthew Tejada, the former director of the EPAs environmental justice program and currently senior vice president of environmental health at the Natural Resources Defense Council, blasted the Trump administration for going after the EPA employees who signed the letter. These civil servants, he said, were totally within their rights to speak out. This is a public declaration by those employees that they continue to fight to do their jobs to help people across this country live healthier, safer, more prosperous lives, Tejada said. Tejada emphasized that the individuals involved were not working in coordination with advocacy groups, but acting independently in defense of the agencys mission and the public interest. He called the administrations reaction another indication that this administration is unique in modern times for having zero regard for the Constitution, for protecting and supporting the people of the United States. We are in completely unprecedented waters here, Tejada said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged on July 4 that the European Union will help Moldova defend itself against hybrid threats by "agents of autocracy." "We are committed to protecting you against the hybrid attacks and the energy shocks that your country has been a victim of," von der Leyen said following the EU-Moldova summit in Chisinau. "Who is behind those attacks is clear to all of us here. These are the same agents of autocracy trying to undermine our democracies everywhere in Europe." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Von der Leyen praised Moldova's support for Ukraine and the EU, noting its acceptance of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees and its assistance with European wildfire response efforts. The visit was made in show of solidarity with Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, as it prepares for high-stakes parliamentary elections on Sept. 28. The pro-European government of President Maia Sandu faces a challenge from the pro-Russian Socialist Party, amid growing fears of destabilization ahead of the vote. Sandu has accused Russia of using its military presence in Moldova's Russian-occupied Transnistria region to stir unrest and derail the country's EU aspirations. On June 12, she warned that Moscow could provoke a crisis in Transnistria to influence the election outcome. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Transnistria has been under Russian-backed separatist control since the early 1990s, with approximately 1,000 to 1,500 Russian troops still stationed in the region. On June 11, Transnistrian authorities declared a 30-day state of emergency after a sharp drop in natural gas supplies. The unrecognized region has faced mounting energy shortages since January, when Russian energy giant Gazprom halted deliveries in what many see as an attempt to destabilize the situation in Moldova. Moldova was granted EU candidate status in 2022. Sandu's ruling Party of Action and Solidarity aims to maintain its parliamentary majority and move the country closer to full membership by 2030. Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean earlier told the Financial Times that Russia plans to send 10,000 troops to Transnistria and establish a pro-Kremlin government in Moldova. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Death of top Russian oil executive fuels fresh scrutiny of elites window falls Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Is European youth giving up on democracy? The latest YouGov poll of Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) suggests that only 57 per cent now support democratic forms of government, while one in five would prefer authoritarian rule. In France, Spain and Poland, only about half of young people choose democracy. And criticism of the European Union is rising too: 39 per cent say that the EU is not very democratic. They see Europe as less influential than the authoritarian powers Russia and China. This is the first generation to have lived their entire lives in the post-Cold War era. Yet they are deeply disillusioned with the freedoms their parents embraced when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Young men, in particular, are not just pessimistic: they are angry. Among those who see themselves as disadvantaged, just one in three supports democracy. Why has the Europe that promised so much proved to be such a disappointment for a generation that has enjoyed the fruits of democracy? The answer seems to be that they feel let down by complacent and incompetent elites who have been leading the Continent to perdition. Panicked by the pandemic, humiliated by Trump and menaced by Putin, Europe has never felt weaker or more irrelevant. No wonder the siren song of dictatorship is resonating once more. It was assumed that the Nazis had inoculated Germans against autocrats. Yet many are now voting for the extremes of Left and Right. Nearly two thirds of young Germans see their democracy as endangered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The blame for this lies with the governments of Angela Merkel and Olaf Scholz, who have governed Germany for more than 20 years. Gen Z Germans have never known any other leaders. Friedrich Merz, the new conservative Chancellor, has an uphill struggle to convince them that his government really will be different. His pledge to create Europes biggest army to maintain Natos credibility has been received with dismay by the young Germans who may have to fight for their country. In Italy, a quarter of the young say they are sick of the unstable democracy which has allowed mass migration and stolen their prospects. Only Giorgia Meloni and her Brothers of Italy are authoritarian enough to stave off a re-emergence of Mussolinis fascism. France is caught between the far-Left demagogue Jean-Luc Melenchon and the faux-patriotism of Marine Le Pen and her musketeer Jordan Bardella. After seven years of Emmanuel Macrons posturing, the centre-ground of French politics is deserted, with Socialists, liberals and Gaullists almost extinct. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Half of French youth yearn for a strongman: a latter-day Napoleon or De Gaulle. To them, democracy appears as at best the preserve of self-serving technocrats, at worst a mugs game. Europes intellectual elites have done nothing to inspire a new generation with the glories of Western civilisation. Instead, their masochistic obsessions with decolonisation, race and gender have instilled what the American historian of Germany Fritz Stern called the politics of cultural despair. The cause most promoted among students and other young Europeans has not been Ukraine, but Gaza. Instead of campaigning for an embattled democracy in the heart of Europe, struggling to survive against the naked aggression of an imperial war machine, Gen Z has embraced the death cult of Hamas and the theocracy of Iran. Israel, sole beacon of freedom and democracy in the Middle East, has been demonised to the point where outrage aimed at a confected genocide morphs into open anti-Semitism and protest marches escalate into terrorism. The Palestine Action attack on Brize Norton is only the latest of numerous incidents across Europe in which violence against individuals and the state has been normalised in the pursuit of justice for Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once deep disenchantment with democracy and the rule of law are combined with the justification of violence for political aims, it is a short step to dictatorship. Only a cult of the authoritarian personality is lacking and the burgeoning of social media offers the means to create such cults. Europe resembles a volcano, ready to erupt at any time. The radicalisation of Gen Zers leaves them prey to manipulation. Last weekends scenes at Glastonbury, with chants of Death to the IDF, evoke the Two Minutes Hate described in George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four: A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces in with a sledge-hammer, seemed to flow through the whole group of people like an electric current, turning one even against ones will into a grimacing, screaming lunatic. The novelist and Nobel laureate Elias Canetti, a Jewish refugee from Nazism, devoted much of his life to his 1960 treatise, Crowds and Power. People do not even need to be in the same place, like the Nuremberg rallies, he thought, to merge into a hate-filled mob. In fact, Canetti had anticipated social media. Responding to Canettis prophetic work, the poet Geoffrey Hill wrote: But hear this: that which is difficult preserves democracy; you pay respect to the intelligence of the citizen. A dumbed-down generation is easy meat for those who emulate Trump and, like him, openly despise our political system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After decades of condescension from the elites, the young are tempted by the Pied Pipers of populism, from Alice Weidel to Nigel Farage. Yet they may turn out to be enablers of Putin. For too long, the political class used democracy for their own benefit. Is the posterity of Europe, the youthful demos, now turning to the despots? Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A woman who has been evicted from her home in Ealing where she was living with her disabled daughter and son says she is now struggling in temporary "inaccessible" accommodation. Kinga says the one-bed flat on the first floor of a house in Southall is not wheelchair accessible for her six-year-old daughter, Victoria, who has Phelan McDermid Syndrome which means she has difficulty walking and a developmental delay. It also means they now have a 90 minute journey on two buses to get to Victoria's school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ealing Council said it was working to find more suitable accommodation but said it was at the "sharpest end of the national housing crisis". Kinga says the new home is unsuitable for Victoria's needs [BBC] Kinga says her daughter has trouble accessing the bathroom because it is not accessible for her. 'Aren't enough homes' After they were evicted from the property in Ealing, Kinga said they spent two nights of sleeping on her friend's floor before they were placed in the flat in Southall. Despite this, Kinga says she was told by Ealing Council the family needed to be homeless before they could be re-homed. "I think the council as soon as they have an eviction notice, they should start working on it instead of the process being that you need to be homeless before they start on finding somewhere for you," she told BBC London. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When I first came here I said it's not suitable for a wheelchair, there are so many stairs, it's so hard. "The first night she woke up banging her head on the walls. "I'm sleeping in the same room as my 19-year-old son too - we don't have privacy or anything." Ealing Council says it is sorry about the challenges facing this family and that it is looking for an accessible property for them. In a statement, a spokesperson added: "We are at the sharpest end of the national housing crisis, and with almost 7,000 local families on the waiting list for social housing, there simply aren't enough affordable homes in the borough for everyone who needs one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are working hard to drive down the numbers of people in temporary accommodation and getting families into more suitable accommodation instead." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk More on temporary accommodation in London Ealing Council: Homelessness The former Archbishop of Wales has told the BBC that his decision to retire was the right one for himself and the Church. Speaking to BBC Radio Cymru's Bwrw Golwg, Andrew John said the decision had affected him. "It has been very painful and my mental health has suffered in a way I've never experienced before, but that's a consequence of having to make big decisions," he said. He announced he was retiring with immediate effect just over a week ago after the publication of the summaries of two critical reports mentioned "a culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred", excessive alcohol consumption, as well as governance and safeguarding weaknesses at Bangor Cathedral. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While there is no suggestion the archbishop behaved inappropriately, the church's representative body had said there must be a "change in leadership, procedures and governance in the Diocese of Bangor". After the publication of the summaries, he had faced criticism and calls to stand down, with calls for an independent inquiry into the diocese. The archbishop, who will also step down as Bishop of Bangor next month, said he had little choice but to go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Being present at the meeting and [to] have people more or less calling for your resignation was like being in a nightmare," he said. "I know the people who were in that meeting. "I don't think I had a chance to explain the changes we've made and how complicated things are, but having heard from them I don't want to be a problem for them either. "I think it's a good decision for the future." Casks of beer were blessed at an Oktoberfest event in 2022 at Bangor Cathedral [BBC] He said he did not feel he had the opportunity to emphasise the improvements which had already been made and regretted not being more open with the press to explain what was happening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former archbishop said it was difficult, given the church needed to show whistleblowers it was treating what they said in confidence. He said he did not know about the "drinking culture" around the choir in Bangor Cathedral. "The idea that they went out after important services, that they went out until late saddens me," he said. "It gives a bad impression of the diocese. It was a shock to hear about heavy drinking in the diocese." He said allegations of people making inappropriate jokes around children were "unacceptable" and that changes in culture were necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He acknowledged financial mismanagement had been a problem and that a "lot of mistakes had been made". But said he was not unhappy that about 20,000 had been spent on two trips to Rome and one to Dublin. "I'm not unhappy, because the diocese decided to have those three trips," he said. "It's not extravagant with 20 people travelling." 'These things happened under my watch' He admitted he had not paid enough attention to the cathedral, but said that was down to his role as archbishop, which meant taking on wider interests. When asked what his biggest regret was, he said not ensuring there was a structure in place in the cathedral to deal with some of the issues and that he had been part of the problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It pains me that these things happened under my watch and I'll have to live with that," he said. "Bangor is a fantastic diocese. "The damage done to the diocese, because I didn't pay enough attention to problems, is a burden I'll carry." He said he thought change would take years, but that the church would have to work together to ensure that change happened. He said he did not feel he had been mistreated, but added he had been shocked by some of the comments directed towards him on social media. "It's been very difficult to see what people are saying on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm a bishop and a leader in the church, these things have happened during my tenure, so it's only right to give someone else the opportunity to take responsibility for the future." Related stories Related links Something's not right with North Atlantic right whales. These critically endangered animals just 372 are left are showing up in places researchers never expected. What's happening? These whales used to follow a fairly steady path. They'd feed in Cape Cod Bay during the spring, move through the Gulf of Maine, and spend summer in the Bay of Fundy. But since around 2010, those patterns have unraveled. According to The Globe and Mail, they've started turning up in places like the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Hudson Canyon, even near busy ports off New York and Nantucket. The shift has been deadly. In 2017, 17 whales died most in Canadian waters. That year marked the beginning of what NOAA still calls an Unusual Mortality Event. Since then, 41 whales have died, and 39 more have been seriously injured. That's over 20% of the entire population. Why is that concerning? "We were always trailing behind the whales. It took us nearly five years to figure out they went to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and then the year when we went up there, then a bunch came back here [to the Bay of Fundy]. How do you explain that?" says Moira Brown, director of science at the Canadian Whale Institute in Campobello Island, N.B., according to The Globe and Mail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their main food, tiny plankton called copepods, is no longer reliable in the usual spots, so they've gone looking elsewhere. But those new areas come with danger. Many are crowded with fast-moving ships and fishing gear that can wrap around a whale's body, making it hard to swim, feed, or even breathe. "This population did grow to almost 500 whales, and then climate change came along, habitat shift came along," Brown told The Globe and Mail. "They've been hanging on by their flipper-tips for tens of decades." Their lifespan has taken a hit, too. Southern right whales can live past 70. For North Atlantic right whales, the median is now just 22 years. That cuts into their chances to raise calves and rebuild the population. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This isn't just about whales. When an animal that's been around for millions of years is struggling to survive, it says something about what's happening to the ocean and to us. What's being done about it, and what can you do? After the die-off in 2017, Canada stepped up with ship slowdowns, new traffic routes, and ropeless fishing gear trials. The U.S. tried to follow suit, but many changes got blocked. How often do you worry about toxic chemicals getting into your home? Always Often Sometimes Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Support whale-safe fishing. Back rules that follow whales where they go. And invest in tracking tools that help us find them before it's too late. If we all reduce our consumption and pollution output, we can help curb rising global temperatures and preserve the environment for ourselves and wildlife. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They can claw their way back," Brown told The Globe and Mail. But only if we stop getting in their way. 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. Were exploring all options: State Lawmakers to sue state over barred Alligator Alcatraz visit After having a visit denied at the new detention center dubbed Alligator Alcatraz, state lawmakers are now promising to fight back. There is a grift taking place, but theres serious concern on the environmental impact of building this infrastructure in the Everglades, said State Representative Anna Eskamani on Friday. Eskamani, alongside State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith and a slew of other state lawmakers, visited the facility on Friday but were turned away by guards at the gate. The Florida Department of Emergency Management cited safety concerns. If its unsafe for us to tour, then how is it safe for detainees? said Eskamani. How is it any safer for the staff who work there right now? Their visit comes as the facility welcomes its first round of detainees, and as about 200 marines were deployed to help ICE with administrative operations, the Northern Command announced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alligator Alcatraz will be able to house up to 3,000 undocumented immigrants in the process of deportation, and it will cost the state about 450 million dollars to operate - thats about twice what it costs to run the Orange County jail. Alligator Alcatraz will be able to house up to 3,000 undocumented immigrants in the process of deportation, and it will cost the state about 450 million dollars to operate. Alligator Alcatraz will be able to house up to 3,000 undocumented immigrants in the process of deportation, and it will cost the state about 450 million dollars to operate. Alligator Alcatraz will be able to house up to 3,000 undocumented immigrants in the process of deportation, and it will cost the state about 450 million dollars to operate. Alligator Alcatraz will be able to house up to 3,000 undocumented immigrants in the process of deportation, and it will cost the state about 450 million dollars to operate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alligator Alcatraz will be able to house up to 3,000 undocumented immigrants in the process of deportation, and it will cost the state about 450 million dollars to operate. The governor says the Department of Homeland Security is expected to reimburse the money, but a lawsuit filed in federal court on Thursday shows the federal government has not committed to do that. The controversial facility also faces backlash from environmental groups, who claim the operation will be harmful to the wildlife and native lands in the Florida Everglades. There are also questions about whos really running the facility, and what procedures are in place. For example, if you are experiencing a loved one being detained, how can you speak to them? How can he access them? No answer. If you are the attorney for someone detained, how do you access your client? No, answer, explained Eskamani. The governor says DHS is expected to reimburse the money, but a lawsuit filed in federal court on Thursday shows the federal government has not committed to do that. Were gonna be activating our oversight as aggressively as possible, said the state lawmaker whos now vowing a possible lawsuit against the state in order to get access to the center. And though we were denied access this week, we do expect to come back, and we are exploring all legal options if we are denied access in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two similar facilities are expected to open in Florida soon. One is at Camp Blanding in Jacksonville. Construction should start next week. Channel 9 has also learned there are official plans to open a third facility, this one in the Panhandle, but no timeline has been set for that yet. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Claim: In June 2025, photographs accurately reported Norway had developed and installed underwater turbines for energy production that were friendly to marine life. Rating: Rating: False Context: The meme in circulation falsely claimed these turbines existed in Norway. However, there used to be an underwater turbine prototype in the country. Further, underwater tidal turbines are currently in operation in Scotland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In late June and early July 2025, a rumor began to spread online that Norway had installed marine-life friendly, underwater turbines that "harness power from ocean currents" for energy production. For example, a Facebook post on the Eu Corner page featured an image of the supposed submerged turbines, each of which sported a Norwegian flag painted on its base (archived): The post had received 4,300 reactions and 2,000 reshares as of this writing. The caption underneath read: Deep beneath the North Sea, Norwegian engineers have deployed a new class of turbines unlike any seen before. Instead of standing above water catching the breeze, these massive structures sit beneath the waves, silently rotating with powerful ocean currents. Dubbed "SeaSpinners", these turbines offer clean, round-the-clock energy and a surprisingly gentle presence in the marine ecosystem. Each SeaSpinner uses a helical turbine design similar to corkscrews which allows them to spin regardless of current direction. Anchored to the seafloor, the turbine arrays rotate with slow, consistent motion, harnessing the kinetic energy of deep-sea currents, which are more stable and predictable than wind. The same image and text appeared on other Facebook posts, including one on the neil degrasse tyson page that had gained 54,000 reactions and 10,000 shares. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clues in the images revealed that they had probably been generated by artificial intelligence. For example, the turbines did not always count the same number of blades. Some had three, while others had four. The placement of the blades on each turbine was irregular, not following a standard pattern. Running the image through an AI detector, we were able to confirm this was not a real image. To be sure, Snopes ran several other images posted on the Eu Corner Facebook page through the AI detector, confirming each had been AI-generated. The long caption below the image named no company or government project responsible for these alleged turbines. Further, Google and Google News searches revealed no reputable news outlet reported such turbines off the coast of Norway. For this reason, we deemed the rumor false. However, tidal turbines that are friendly to sea life are not science fiction. In 2003, the prototype of a three-bladed underwater turbine was installed in the Kvalsund Channel near the northernmost tip of Norway. It began producing energy in 2004, but was removed in 2012. An environmental audit revealed that the impact on sea life had been minimal. This led to the installation of three more turbines in the Pentland Firth, a strait in the north of Scotland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further, the Scotland-based company Nova Innovation developed such turbines and began to install them in 2016 off the Shetland Islands, according to a CNN video report. This was the "world's first offshore tidal array" of turbines. Nova Innovation's turbines do not look like the ones in the image that had been circulating, however. They only had two blades rather than the three or four blades on each supposed Norwegian underwater turbine. In addition, Norway did create a farm of offshore wind turbines with one specificity: They float. The world's first wind farm of its kind, it opens the possibility of installing three-bladed wind turbines further from the shores, at deeper ocean floor depths: Sources: Equinor. "Hywind Tampen." Www.equinor.com, www.equinor.com/energy/hywind-tampen. Accessed 3 July 2025. "Kvalsund Tidal Turbine Prototype | Tethys." Tethys.pnnl.gov, tethys.pnnl.gov/project-sites/kvalsund-tidal-turbine-prototype. Accessed 3 July 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TETHYS. "MeyGen Tidal Energy Project | Tethys." Tethys.pnnl.gov, tethys.pnnl.gov/project-sites/meygen-tidal-energy-project. Accessed 3 July 2025. "Tidal Nova Innovation | World Leading Marine Energy | Tidal Energy - Floating Solar - Marine Renewables - Green - Eco - Sustainable | Edinburgh - Scotland - UK." Nova Innovation, novainnovation.com/tidal-energy. Accessed 3 July 2025. ARLINGTON, Va. (DC News Now) It was a day for neighbors in Fairlington to break out the red, white, and blue and spend time with each other as they and people across the DMV marked the Fourth of July. The Fairlington Citizens Association (FCA) and Fairlington Villages held the communitys July 4th Parade and Celebration on Friday. Arnold Schwarzenegger lays wreath at George Washingtons tomb at Mount Vernon, pays tribute to Americas First Action Hero Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The annual event began with the parade, itself, which started at the old fire station on South Abingdon Street. The day included music, free hot dogs, beverages, and ice cream. Fairlington Villages hosted the 20th Annual Fourth of July Bake Sale. Community members donated items which are sold to raise mone for the Arlington Food Assistance Center. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. In late 2023, sisters Lisa and Nicole were told they had inherited a substantial sum from their late Aunt Christine. But while they were absorbing this life-changing news, the windfall was just as quickly snatched away. A man unknown to Christine's family, friends or neighbours, appeared - apparently from nowhere - and produced a will, naming him sole heir to her entire estate. Doubts about the man's claim grew as troubling details emerged. However, the police and probate service said they would not investigate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lisa and Nicole's is one of several similar cases investigated by BBC News in the south of England. We found mounting evidence that a criminal gang has been carrying out systematic will fraud by exploiting weaknesses in the probate system, stealing millions of pounds from the estates of dead people, and committing serious tax fraud. 'My dear friend' Lisa and Nicole were upset to hear about the death of their aunt, Christine Harverson, whom they had not seen since their early childhood. They were also shocked to be told that they stood to inherit her entire estate, including a house in Wimbledon, south London, which could be worth nearly 1m. She had not left a will, and they were her closest living relatives. The sisters were alerted to their inheritance by an "heir-finder" company, Anglia Research Services. Heir-finders use an official government register that lists estates where no will has been made. They research the dead person's family in order to identify, locate and contact the rightful heirs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In return for a portion of the inheritance, these companies act on the heirs' behalf and apply for what's known as a grant of probate. This gives them the legal right to deal with a deceased person's estate in other words, their property, money and possessions. However, on this occasion, the application for probate on behalf of Lisa and Nicole was stopped in its tracks. A Hungarian man by the name of Tamas Szvercsok contacted the probate service, and produced a will describing him as Christine's "dear friend". It named him the beneficiary of her entire estate, as well as sole executor - the person legally responsible for carrying out the instructions in the will. [BBC] The possibility that Mr Szvercsok was genuine, initially was not dismissed out of hand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It happens - sometimes cases slip through the net and a will is unearthed," says Matt Boardman, a former police officer who works for Anglia Research. However, there were clear signs something was amiss: Christine's neighbour and friend, Sue, said she had never mentioned a Hungarian friend at any point in the years they had known each other The will was dated 2016 - Christine was housebound and disabled by this time, and receiving practically no visitors The terms of the will meant that Christine would have disinherited her husband and carer Dennis, who in 2016 was still alive (he died in 2020) Moreover, because Dennis was the joint owner of their house, Christine could not have legally bequeathed the house without his consent After Dennis's death, Christine entered a care home, but there was no record of Mr Szvercsok ever visiting her Other even more troubling details stood out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Christine's home address was misspelled on the will, and even though it was dated 2016, the address given for Mr Szvercsok was a block of flats that had not been built until 2021. Matt Boardman contacted Mr Szvercsok, who replied by email: "I never heard of any family. I'm the sole executor of her will." Despite presenting what they thought was a strong case to police and the probate service, Lisa and Nicole were told they would have to bring a civil action if they wanted to prove that the will was a fake. That would cost tens of thousands of pounds which they do not have. Lisa now says she sometimes wishes she had never been told about the will in the first place: "All it's done is bring misery really, and heartache. It's just a whole nightmare." 'Vacant goods' Stealing a dead person's property and financial assets appears to be extremely easy under UK law, if no will can be located. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The official government register of unclaimed estates (in England and Wales?) is called Bona Vacantia (Latin for "vacant goods"), and is freely accessible online. It currently contains about 6,000 names and is updated daily. Legitimate heir-hunting companies use Bona Vacantia to research potential clients, but it also appears to have become a valuable resource for criminals. To claim an estate where there is no known heir, a fraudster simply has to find a promising name on Bona Vacantia, produce a will quickly enough, and be awarded grant of probate. Since 2017 it's been possible to apply for grant of probate online, but critics of the system say it is failing to detect suspicious applicants, and it also appears to increase the opportunity for tax fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When someone dies, their estate has to be assessed for inheritance tax. This is not payable on estates worth 325,000 or less, but any amount over that threshold with some exceptions - is taxed at 40%. It's the responsibility of the person awarded grant of probate to make sure inheritance tax has been paid. Applicants for grant of probate must complete a form to say this has been done, but under the current arrangements, they need do no more than declare on the online form that no tax is due. It is a system that relies largely on trust, but gives ample opportunity for that trust to be roundly abused. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During our investigations we have come across cases where estates have been valued at just under the inheritance tax threshold, even though they include property worth far more. One of these was the estate of Charles Haxton. Whose house? At the time of his death in 2021, Charles Haxton was living alone in a terraced house in Tooting, south London. He was reclusive and only occasionally spoke to neighbours, although one of them, Roye Chapman, was there for him near the end when he suffered a bad fall outside. "I rang the police and then got him up and got him into the ambulance," he says. "His head was all cut open, and then two weeks later, he died." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No will was initially found for Mr Haxton, and his name and address appeared on Bona Vacantia. This prompted Anglia Research to look for possible heirs, and they told several of his cousins that they could be in line to inherit Mr Haxton's estate. Then, as with Lisa and Nicole, the cousins were told that a will had appeared after all, leaving everything to one man - also Hungarian - called Roland Silye. The family initially accepted his claim, to have been an old friend of Mr Haxton, but one relation, Barry, obtained a copy of the will and was struck by how odd it looked. It left Mr Silye two properties - not only Mr Haxton's home in London, but also a house in Hertfordshire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Together, the two properties would have been worth about 2m. However, Mr Silye listed the value of the estate as 320,500 just 4,500 short of the amount at which inheritance tax kicked in. What was even stranger was that Mr Haxton had never owned, and had no connection to, any house in Hertfordshire. We visited this property. It was large and dilapidated, and neighbours told us it had been unoccupied for a long time. The puzzle of the extra house also caught the attention of Neil Fraser, a partner in another heir-hunting company. He thinks that Mr Silye may have bundled the Hertfordshire property into a will in an attempt to fake ownership. "He must have gone past that house and thought, 'I'll just take that derelict house. How can I get that house? Well, I can put it inside a will!" Crucially, the will was accepted by the probate service, who did not check or raise any questions about the Hertfordshire house. We were unable to trace Roland Silye in our investigation, and his motivation remains a mystery. The will would not give him possession of the Hertfordshire house - the property registry and the electoral roll name the owner as a woman who would be in her 70s. However, Mr Fraser speculates that the will could be used in future as leverage to take ownership when the real owner dies. Despite reporting his suspicions to the police and the probate service, he says action was not taken. Mr Silye cleared probate not only for Mr Haxton's estate, but also that of George Woon, an elderly man from Southall, west London. Mr Woon also died in 2021, and shortly afterwards, his name appeared on Bona Vacantia. Mr Silye came forward with a will which named him as sole heir. Mr Woon's house was later sold at auction for 360,000. A complex web We asked an expert in financial fraud, Graham Barrow, to check whether there could be any connection between Roland Silye and Tamas Szvercsok. Both have names of Hungarian origin, and, according to Companies House, both appear to be directors in a complex and interlinked web of companies. Mr Barrow established that the address Mr Szvercsok gave in Mrs Harverson's will was also used by Mr Silye for some of his companies. What these companies do is unclear, although some have been struck off for fraudulent addresses, and others have been warned for failing to provide accounts. The pattern - multiple businesses, related addresses, similar names - is one which often indicates a criminal network, says Mr Barrow. He adds that owning multiple companies can allow criminals to disperse funds across different accounts and locations, and makes life more difficult for law enforcement. Another Hungarian name featuring in this web of companies is Bela Kovacs, who, according to a will dated 2021, was heir to the entire estate of Michael Judd, from Pinner, west London. Michael Judd's estate included his bungalow in Pinner, west London [BBC] According to his neighbours, Mr Judd was a multi-talented individual with a distinguished record in the security services. However, in his final years he had become something of a hoarder, seldom leaving his house. One neighbour, Chris, told us he thought the will had sounded strange and not only because Mr Judd had never mentioned Bela Kovacs. A few months before his death in 2024, Mr Judd told Chris he had made a will long ago, but the people named on it were all now dead. In any case, he added, he did not know where it was. "I suppose I better try and dig it out some time," Chris remembers him saying. He feels it's inconceivable that Mr Judd would have troubled himself with these decisions if he had made a will three years previously. We tracked Mr Kovacs down to a luxury estate in the Watford area but he refused to talk to us. Joined-up writing Other factors seem to connect these cases. The wills made out for Charles Haxton, George Woon and the others we have seen, appear to have been written by the same person, according to handwriting expert Christina Strang. "The numbers two, four and seven are all written in the same way on several addresses," she says. She also sees other similarities, such as the spacing of the letters in different signatures, and the positioning of the signatures on the line. "It seems to be one person actually signing, forging all of these." Handwriting expert Christina Strang says it seems one person signed all the wills [BBC] Ms Strang also thinks this same person may have also forged signatures for the witnesses named on the wills, none of whom, we found, were apparently known to the deceased, and some of whom might have been completely fictitious. There are disturbing similarities in the way that properties were treated during and after the probate process: Shortly after Mr Szvercsok made his initial claim on Mrs Harverson's estate, her nieces discovered her Wimbledon house had been ransacked A workman employed to empty Mr Judd's house told us he had been instructed to empty it quickly, even though this meant having to destroy what appeared to be valuable heirlooms After Mr Haxton's house was cleared, the windows and doors were blacked out, and the locks strengthened; a year later, it emerged that it was being used as a cannabis farm (a fact that only emerged when a rival gang tried to force entry and neighbours alerted the police) A system in trouble As a result of our investigation, bank accounts for dozens of companies connected to the suspected fraudsters, have been suspended. In addition, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has told us it now wants to question Roland Silye about inheritance tax which he might owe on the estate of Charles Haxton. Bela Kovacs was granted probate over the estate of Michael Judd, which was valued at 310,000 - just below the inheritance tax threshold. However, HMRC's interest was also piqued by this case, and it has now suspended a planned sale of Mr Judd's bungalow in Pinner. Meanwhile, the dispute over Christine Harverson's estate means the probate process has been frozen, and it looks unlikely to be resolved soon. Tamas Szvercsok cannot take possession of her Wimbledon house, but Lisa and Nicole lack the funds to go to the civil court and prove his will is fake. Probate for Christine Harverson's estate has been frozen because of the dispute between her nieces and Tamas Szvercsok [BBC] We wrote to Mr Szvercsok and Mr Silye at the addresses supplied with their probate applications, offering them a right of reply, but we did not hear back. When we shared our findings with the Ministry of Justice, which is ultimately responsible for the probate system, it told us that it was "working with law enforcement to ensure criminals feel the full force of the law". However, a different picture emerges from others who know the system. "Because probate isn't high profile it's not sort of, for want of a better word, politically sexy, it doesn't stay in the headlines," says former MP Sir Bob Neill, who until the 2024 general election was the chair of the House of Commons Justice Select Committee. In 2023, the select committee launched an inquiry into the probate system, but it was cut short by the election. Sir Bob believes an over-eagerness to cut costs by digitising the probate system, has produced weaknesses which fraudsters are now exploiting. "When you had regional offices you had human awareness, contact and scrutiny that was better suited to pick up cases where things have gone wrong," he says. "A purely sort of automated system isn't really good at doing that." Sir Bob Neill [BBC] He says the system introduced in 2017 was a cheap and quick fix. It lacks the sophistication, he says, of programs used by insurance companies to deal with fraud, which can detect patterns of suspicious behaviour. His concerns are echoed by Anglia Research's investigator, Matt Boardman, who says that previously, executors of wills would have had to attend their local probate registry to swear an oath, which "would allow the registrar to evaluate every single case on its own merit". He says the system's move online "completely eliminated" the chance to question the executor's demeanour or behaviour. "Goodness knows just how many of these have already gone through and been processed by the probate registry," he says, "and how rich we're making these people." PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) About five years after it was vandalized during the 2020 protests and moved to a storage facility, the famed Thompson Elk Statue will return to downtown Portland. Construction begins Monday at the long-time location for the iconic statue, Main Street between SW 3rd and 4th. Crews will begin to install the new fountain that surrounded the statue. During construction, road closures will be in effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The upgraded replacement will also increase the seismic stability of the statue. Previous KOIN Coverage: The Thompson Elk Statue As recently as February, city officials did not expect to be able to restore the statue and fountain to its original spot until the end of 2025. Portland City Council members had previously planned to return the fountain to its pedestal in time for Christmas 2024. While the repairs to the elk statue are complete, Portland Water Bureau spokesperson Brandon Zero told KOIN 6 News in February, the restoration of the fountain is ongoing. Thompson Elk statue in storage at an undisclosed Portland location, elk statue_190214 The Portland Water Bureau continues to work with vendors to restore the Thompson Elk Fountain to its historic location, Zero said at that time.. We expect the elk to return by the end of the year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City of Portland removed the statue and the remains of the stone fountain for safekeeping after they were severely damaged during the summer protests of 2020. The city council then approved $1.5 million for the restoration of the fountain in 2022. The city also received $700,000 from an insurance claim on the damaged statue and thousands more from public donations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. A collection of family papers which spans more than six centuries and three continents has been returned to Jersey. The de Gruchy-Pallot family archive, which includes documents dating back to 1397, was transferred from the University of Alberta at the request of the family and is now housed at Jersey Archive. The archive tells the story of Charles and Annie Pallot (nee Giffard) and their six children, whose lives stretched from Jersey to Canada and Africa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the highlights is a 14th Century inheritance contract, now one of the oldest documents in the archive, and records of Adele Haarseth (nee Pallot), a decorated military nurse who served in the Anglo-Boer War and World War One. 'Unique and important' The collection is being catalogued by Jersey Heritage archivist Jane de Gruchy, a distant relative of the family. "We are absolutely delighted that this unique and important family collection has returned home to Jersey after so many years," she said. "On a personal note, I count myself very lucky to be working on some of the oldest known documents from my own family." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The collection came to light when Canadian descendant Herb Reynolds contacted Jersey Heritage in 2024. "A chance online meeting with local historian Guy Dixon helped us understand our Jersey roots," Mr Reynolds said. "We're thrilled the documents are now where they belong and grateful to the team at Jersey Heritage for their dedication." The archive includes: A 1397 inheritance contract involving the de Gruchy family A 1502 Latin will of Mathieu de Gruchy Wartime medals and dispatches of Adele Haarseth Letters from Jersey during the occupation Diaries and biographies of Pallot brothers who emigrated to Canada in the early 1900s Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The documents trace the family's rise and fall, from owning the grand Beau Desert estate in St Saviour to financial decline by the mid-20th Century. The sons emigrated to Canada, while the daughters remained in Jersey, contributing to education and healthcare. The de Gruchy-Pallot archive is now available to view at Jersey Archive and online. Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. More on this story Related internet links The Brief It has been two years since 7-year-old Yitzian Torres Garcia was shot and killed along the Courtney Campbell Causeway. He was celebrating the Fourth of July at Ben T. Davis beach when groups of jet skiers began firing weapons. On Friday, his family held a vigil where he was shot to plead with someone to come forward with information. TAMPA - It has been two years since seven-year-old Yitzian Torres Garcia was shot and killed along the Courtney Campbell Causeway. The Family His grandfather, Juan Carlos Hernandez, tried to cover him from gunfire. A bullet ripped off his finger, then hit Yitzian in the head. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'It's just another cloudy day for us," said Hernandez. "We've been suffering since this happened and until this day we don't know anything about the responsible to do all this to us." The Investigation Tampa Police say two groups of jet skiers were fighting when the shots started. While interviews have been done, key clues have remained elusive. The family is renewing their call for someone to tell the police what they know. "Go ahead, go to the police, say you did this to us and that's it," said Hernandez. "I don't want a revenge or anything." The family returns to the location several times a year to keep it clean and honor Yitzian's memory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They're hoping that it won't be three years before somebody takes responsibility for what happened. "You don't know what I'm going through," said his grandmother, Marisol Ayala. "You don't know the pain. I had to give him to my son and his mother in a coffin. It's not fair." What's next The hope is that someone will be moved by their conscience or the $25,000 CrimeStoppers reward to finally give the family what it wants. Not a cure for their sadness, but a reason to stop wondering. "He loved the water, he loved to stay here and that's what we were doing that day," said Hernandez. "We just enjoyed the day right here and all that happens." The Source FOX 13's Evan Axelbank gathered the information for this story. 1:02 UPDATE: Officials said the boys family has been located. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The Fairfield Police Department asked for the publics help in finding the parents of a young child found riding a bike on Nilles Rd. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. KERR COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- An Odessa police officer is among several Odessans missing and feared dead amid catastrophic flooding in Kerr County. Heavy rain overnight Thursday and into Friday produced more than a foot of rainfall in just a few hours in the Hill Country and flash floods swept away cabins, RV, and poured into homes. As of Friday night, more than 20 people were confirmed dead and dozens more, including about 20 children, were missing with families left scrambling for answers. Among those, a family from Odessa. OPD officer Bailey Martin, his girlfriend Jayda Floyd, his father, Bobby Martin, and stepmother, Amanda Martin visited a campground in Kerrville to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend. Their RV was swept away and loved ones confirmed, but no official announcement has been made locally, that both Bobby and Amanda were killed in the floods. As of 11:30 pm, Bailey and Floyd remained missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this year, Bailey, who joined the police force a little more than two years ago, was featured by City leaders in a Facebook post which said he joined the force because he has a heart for service. Serving the public was something he always wanted to do. For Officer Bailey, the most rewarding part of his job is being able to help people. Whether its something minor, such as talking to people and helping them, or a major case, the feature read. He also enjoys spending time with his friends and family outside of work. His advice to those who are considering working in law enforcementJUST DO IT! Family members said they are still waiting on word about Bailey, but feared the worst as search efforts continued into the night and into Saturday. State Representative Brooks Landgraf said families can find the latest updates and also report damages on the states website. The loss of life resulting from the catastrophic flood in the Texas Hill Country is devastating. We know that some West Texans are among the perished and the missing. My heart goes out to all of the loved ones of those lost in this tragedy along the Guadalupe River, and Im praying for those grieving as well as those who continue to engage in rescue efforts, Landgraf said in a statement. I have been working my contacts in state agencies and Kerr County to get as much information as possible about the impacted West Texans, and have communicated what Ive learned directly to their friends, family and pastors. At this time, I dont have any information beyond what was reported by Governor Abbott last night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. The family of a teenage boy who died in a river have described their loss as "unimaginable" in a tribute posted on their behalf by a community leader. The tribute to Nischay Patel, released by Beccles town councillor Tarek Lahin, said the boys' parents were "deeply grateful" to the emergency services and thanked them for their "swift and compassionate response during this incredibly painful time". Crews were called to Beccles Quay in Suffolk when Nischay failed to resurface after entering the River Waveney on Wednesday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The body of the year nine Sir John Leman High School pupil was later found by search teams. The incident happened near the A146 bridge over the River Waveney [Shaun Whitmore/BBC] Ketan and Praptiben Patel, who own a newsagents in Beccles, said in the Facebook tribute: "This loss is unimaginable, and as we grieve, we hold close the love of our friends, family, and customers. "Your compassion has touched our hearts more deeply than words can express. "Our heartfelt thanks also go out to the wonderful people of Beccles and those from across the country who have shown us so much kindness, love, and support." Flowers and tributes have been left at Beccles Quay and outside the family's shop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They described how those "thoughtful gestures" had brought "immense comfort". People often swim in the River Waveney during hot weather [Luke Deal/BBC] The family's statement continued: "To everyone who has supported our family -particularly the emergency services and those who went above and beyond - please accept our sincerest gratitude. "As we take time to process this tragedy, we kindly ask for privacy and space, knowing your continued support surrounds us." They added their son's funeral details would be shared with the local community. They invited people to join them in honouring his life. Dozens of bouquets have been left beside the river in Beccles [Shaun Whitmore/BBC] An online fund set up by two women who knew Nischay and his family raised 8,000 in 24 hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Terri Bird and Layla Eales set up the appeal to help his family cover any lost income and funeral costs. The remainder will be used for a memorial bench and for life-saving equipment at the riverside. An HM Coastguard sign on the bridge support warns of a risk of death or serious injury [Shaun Whitmore/BBC] Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More on this story Related internet links The Brief A 36-year-old man remains in critical condition after he was hit by a vehicle while picketing in support of District Council 33 late Thursday night. The man was with his fiance at the time of the incident and she was also hit. Philadelphia police arrested the suspected driver a short time after the incident. PHILADELPHIA - A father of six, with another child on the way, remains in critical condition after he and his pregnant fiance were struck by a car in Port Richmond. The couple was participating in a strike when the incident occurred. What we know Tyree Ford, 36, and his pregnant fiance, Aaliyah Norris, were sitting in chairs on the picket lines on Delaware Avenue when a suspected drunk driver rammed into them. The driver, a 41-year-old, was apprehended a few blocks away from the sanitation yard. However, authorities have not confirmed whether the act was intentional or accidental. What they're saying Greg Boulware, President of District Council 33, expressed concern over Ford's future, stating, "God willing hes able to recover he may never get the opportunity to work again because of the severity of his injuries." He emphasized the tragic nature of the incident, saying, "Were out there to fight to stand up for our quality for our fair wage, for our membership. And those men and women are out there just to do their part and have something tragically happen like that senselessly - its umm its terrible." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crystal Purnell-Bolden, Ford's sister, shared her distress, saying, "My brother is fighting for his life. He is fighting for his life and its just not fair. It could be anybody. Its just not fair." She described the scene as "like a horror movie" and expressed disappointment in the ongoing strike, urging for a resolution. Jim Mcasey, a supporter of the union, highlighted the growing sanitation issues, stating, "They are growing and growing and theyre hot and disgusting and theres rats and Im reminded of how important it is and what they do every day, so I thank them." What's next The victims family is relieved that an arrest was made but remains concerned about the potential for more tragic accidents as the strike continues. Jesus Purnell, Ford's brother, called for a resolution, saying, "People are acting out, so we need to come up with a contract and get these people back to work and get our city cleaned up." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said the driver, identified as 41-year-old Damon Robinson, has been charged with Driving Under the Influence, Aggravated Assault, and related offenses. Damon Robinson (Courtesy: PPD) Local perspective The strike has led to trash piling up around the city, causing health concerns and increasing public support for the workers. The community is urged to show support for Ford, with Purnell stating, "Show support for my brother - hes your brother too." Aaliyah Norris, who was also hit, was treated and released with minor injuries but is understandably too upset to speak at this time. This country could lose millions of dollars in exports to triple-digit temperatures. What's happening? Farmers across Pakistan are reporting major crop losses due to extreme weather effects exacerbated by increasingly warming temperatures. In April, temperatures across "Pakistan rose to 118 degrees Fahrenheit and are forecast to climb through Wednesday, possibly nearing the global April record of 122 degrees Fahrenheit," according to The Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not only do prolonged heat waves pose a severe danger to humans, but they also have a devastating effect on agriculture. Mangoes, a large export for Pakistan, suffered greatly throughout the latest heat wave. Rising temperatures stress the mango trees, halting flowering or causing the tree to prematurely drop fruit, causing a "potential 40% reduction in the size of Multan's mangoes," according to FreshPlaza. Scientific Officer Abid Hameed Khan told FreshPlaza that extreme "temperature fluctuations were becoming a growing challenge." Why is crop loss concerning? These aren't the only farmers who have seen significant losses due to climate change. Farmers across the globe Italy, India, the U.K., and Ukraine are losing massive amounts of food due to scalding heatwaves, flash floods, and severe droughts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's a concerning trend. If the amount of our planet-warming pollution continues to grow, we could see huge losses of wheat, corn, rice, fruits and vegetables, and even livestock. With billions of mouths to feed, this severe agricultural loss means billions of people could be at risk of malnutrition and starvation. What's being done to prevent crop loss? In Pakistan, a new government initiative could help protect the mango trees. One researcher, Dr. Rehman, stressed the importance of growing smaller mango trees to reduce losses. "This modern orchard management system aims to enhance productivity by introducing shorter mango trees that are easier to maintain and more resilient to climate stresses," Dr. Rehman explained to FreshPlaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Globally, researchers are working to boost crop resistance and improve resource management. These researchers discovered that zinc oxide makes rice more tolerant of warmer temperatures. Another group of scientists is trying to transplant a "cold-coping" gene to cold-intolerant plants, like corn. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. A new agricultural threat is quickly spreading through Europe, and it's only a few millimeters long, according to Euractiv. Farmers in Germany are raising the alarm about a tiny insect, known as the reed leafhopper, that has evolved to feed on and destroy critical crops like sugar beet and potatoes. Once a harmless resident of wetland reeds, this adaptable pest is now rapidly expanding its range and appetite, with troubling implications for food security and farming across the continent. What's happening? The reed leafhopper ("Pentastiridius leporinus") is now known to spread a bacterial plant disease called syndrome "basses richesses" (SBR). Different leafhopper variants have also been found in nations like Argentina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The disease significantly reduces crop yields and sugar content, making affected harvests far less valuable. Over 100,000 hectares of farmland in Germany were infested in 2023 alone. Originally found in reed beds and considered harmless, the insect has since adapted to new host plants, including tomatoes, celery, and beetroot. Entomologist Dr. Michael Rostas of the University of Gottingen confirmed the insect's spread and evolution, warning, "Further spread of the leafhopper and the diseases it transmits to other European countries is to be expected." Why is the reed leafhopper important? The reed leafhopper's expansion is a growing threat to European agriculture. Because it weakens crops from the inside out, it's hard to detect until the damage is done. As it adapts to more host plants and benefits from warmer conditions, experts believe rising temperatures may be helping it thrive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farmers face a unique challenge: this new pest is evolving faster than they can keep up with. It can now even survive the winter by living in the roots of cereal crops like wheat, making traditional crop rotation methods less effective. If left unchecked, it could threaten the stability of food supply chains across Europe. What's being done about the reed leafhopper? Germany has issued emergency authorizations for pesticide use in crops to slow the insect's spread. But experts say this is only a stopgap measure. The German Farmers' Association is calling for long-term solutions, including changes to European Union regulations that would allow for new genomic breeding techniques like CRISPR. These methods could help develop crop varieties resistant to the disease the insect carries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until those tools are approved, farmers will need to rely on careful crop management, timely planting decisions, and community-level monitoring. When it comes to protecting our food supply from fast-moving threats, innovation and cooperation remain our best lines of defense. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. A man was shot to death in Compton on the 4th of July, officials confirmed to KTLA during the holiday weekend. A call regarding a gunshot victim came in at 3:46 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, in the area of Willow and Rosecrans Avenues. Deputies arrived to find an adult male dead at the scene. His identity was not immediately released. LASD announced Saturday that detectives continued investigation unveiled that the man was shot in the 1200 block of North McDivitt Avenue. He then ran to Willow and Rosecrans Avenues, where he collapsed before he was found by deputies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspects, whose identities have also not been disclosed, allegedly fled the scene in their vehicle northbound on McDivitt Avenue. Deputies arrived to find the man lying in the area, suffering from gunshot wounds. Police did not detail where on his person the man was shot, or how many gunshot injuries he had. The Compton Fire Department soon arrived and pronounced the victim dead at the scene. Footage from Citizen.com recorded at around 9 p.m. shows authorities setting up a crime scene in the area, and the victims body was covered by a sheet and lifted onto a stretcher while a view of a 4th of July fireworks display could be seen in the background. Authorities are seen investigating a fatal shooting in Compton on July 4, 2025. (Citizen.com) Authorities are seen investigating a fatal shooting in Compton on July 4, 2025. (Citizen.com) Authorities are seen investigating a fatal shooting in Compton on July 4, 2025. (Citizen.com) Authorities are seen investigating a fatal shooting in Compton on July 4, 2025. (Citizen.com) The investigation is ongoing, and currently, theres no information available at this time, LASD said in its Saturday release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. To provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477) or by using the website http://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. NEED TO KNOW Authorities are holding a 21-year-old Wisconsin man and his father in connection with the death of a 2-year-old boy "The injuries sustained by this two-year-old were not consistent with a fall down the stairs," Brown County Deputy District Attorney Wendy Lemkuil said during a court hearing on Monday, June 30 "Leo did not deserve to be taken from his family at the young age of 2," a relative wrote in a GoFundMe A 21-year-old Wisconsin man and his father and being held in connection with the death of a 2-year-old boy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On June 22, two-year-old Leo Escalante's mother was running an errand and came home to find her ex-boyfriend, James Vanderleest, performing CPR on the child, according to ABC affiliate WBAY. Vanderleest claims the boy was hurt when he fell down stairs. Escalante died days later. "The injuries sustained by this two-year-old were not consistent with a fall down the stairs," Brown County Deputy District Attorney Wendy Lemkuil said during a court hearing on Monday, June 30, per NBC affiliate WGBA. The outlet also reported that prosecutors allege James' father, David, helped to hide and harbor him. Lemkuil added that James allegedly encouraged the child's mother to lie to officials about who was caring for Leo, the outlet reported. Leo was just a happy little snuggly bunny, lover boy, always smiling. He had such a big laugh, average two-year-old into everything. He brought everybody joy, a relative, Keri Tucker, told WBAY before she addressed the court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As she became emotional, she told the outlet, Instant anger, sorrow, hurt. Everything was just so painful. Laying our baby to rest yesterday was one of the worst things in a long time that weve had to deal with, so Im just hoping that this court system gets it right." David, James' father, claimed he was caring for Escalante, not his son, on the evening the toddler was injured, officials said, per WBAY. Fox affiliate WLUK reports James, who is not Escalante's father, is facing other cases, some of which relate to domestic abuse. James and David allegedly fled to a Florence County cabin, where authorities arrested them in late June, per the outlet. GoFundMe Leo Escalante. Leo Escalante. 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. "A lot of this is lies," James told the court, per WGBA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tucker has since established a GoFundMe to raise money for the toddler's headstone. "Leo did not deserve to be taken from his family at the young age of 2," she wrote on the fundraiser website. Read the original article on People With a drizzle falling on Camp Mystic, the flood-ravaged Christian summer camp on the Guadalupe River in Texas, a father navigated the debris in search of his eight-year-old daughter. "My daughter was here," he said Saturday, examining a stone-walled cabin with shattered windows, eventually finding a towel with her name, a bracelet and a family photo. Michael, 40, who declined to give his last name, lives in the state capital Austin and received the message every parent fears most on Friday morning: his child was missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She is among 27 girls who have yet to be found after powerful waves of water rushed through the riverside camp in the pre-dawn hours after torrential rainfall. One of the walls of Camp Mystic's dining hall, a large wooden cabin, was completely ripped off by the force of the floodwaters, which left some 32 people dead in the Kerr County region of south-central Texas. Scattered on the floor are bottles of maple syrup and Cholula hot sauce, staples of Texan tables. Approximately 750 girls were staying at the camp when the flood hit, and the majority of campers were successfully evacuated. Authorities said at least 18 adults and 14 children were killed when heavy rains engorged the Guadalupe River until it overflowed its banks, dotted by multiple campgrounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The search for Michael's daughter and 26 other girls continues. - A hundred-year flood - US media reported that of the 27 missing girls, four were dead, citing their families. Along the Guadalupe River, which rose over 26 feet (eight meters) in 45 minutes, devastation stretches as far as the eye can see. The force of the floodwaters felled trees and overturned cars, as rescue teams worked -- on foot, in trucks, by helicopter and with drones -- to scour the debris in search of survivors or victims. One girl was spotted clinging to a tree, Texas Governor Greg Abbott told reporters Saturday. She held on "until a helicopter was able to descend upon her and lift her out of that harrowing situation," Abbott said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The river's breach also damaged neighboring Kent County, flooding homes, knocking down fences and subsuming a fuel station. Distraught parents searched for their children at reunification centers, posting photos to social media, calling for prayers and divine aid. "There is a saying here that there's a flood every hundred years," said Gerardo Martinez, 61, who operates the Vecinos restaurant near a viewpoint. "We had it. We've never seen anything like that and hopefully we won't ever see it again." Martinez said he watched as waters topped trees and "cars, whole houses were going down the river." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The river runs through the city of Kerrville, where resident David Amorr, 35, said the floods felt "unreal." "We see this stuff on TV. You don't imagine it happening so close, especially in your hometown," Amorr said. "We also have two daughters. They could have been there, at the camps, missing. So we feel solidarity with those families." At Camp Mystic, Michael continued to comb through the mud-soaked surroundings. "I hope for a miracle. Absolutely," he said. mav/sla/aks/mlm Jul. 4DIXON A Dixon man was charged with disseminating images of child sexual abuse after federal and state law enforcement agencies searched his home. Heath A. Knipple, 46, was charged Wednesday, July 2, in Lee County Circuit Court with six counts of Class X felony dissemination of child pornography, with each listing the victim as younger than 13. The charges are all alleged to have occurred on June 27, 2024, according to Lee County court documents. Each charge is punishable by up to 30 years in prison if Knipple is convicted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charges were filed the same day that state and FBI investigators, along with Illinois State Police officers, searched Knipple's residence in the 1200 block of Fourth Avenue in Dixon, according to a news release from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. The release stated Knipple was taken into custody after investigators discovered evidence of child sexual abuse material. He is being held in the Whiteside County Jail in Morrison, with a detention hearing set for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, in Lee County Circuit Court. He is being represented by Sterling Attorney James Mertes. According to the news release, the case is part of Raoul's ongoing work, in collaboration with federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement officials throughout Illinois, to apprehend offenders who download and trade child sexual abuse material online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Child exploitation is a horrific crime that is made even more reprehensible when the alleged offender is an active and trusted member of the community," Raoul said. "My office's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force will continue to partner with law enforcement agencies at the federal, state and local levels to locate and bring to justice individuals who engage in the exploitation of minors." Raoul's office, with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, runs the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies. The task force receives online reports of child sexual abuse material from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Over the past several years, CyberTipline reports have steadily increased. In 2024, reports to the ICAC increased by 11% over 2023, according to the release. Illinois' ICAC Task Force is one of 61 ICAC task forces throughout the country and is composed of a network of more than 200 local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 2019, the Attorney General's ICAC Task Force has received more than 60,000 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 1,000 arrests of sexual predators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, the task force was involved in rescuing more than 45 child victims from ongoing abuse. The task force has also provided internet safety training and education to tens of thousands of parents, teachers, students and law enforcement professionals. Raoul is reminding the public that child sexual exploitation can be reported online at cybertipline.com and child abuse at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov. Local child advocacy centers can be found at childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org. Deputy Bureau Chief Shannon O'Brien is prosecuting the case for Raoul's High Tech Crimes Bureau. Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino blasted The New York Times for a hit piece about President Donald Trumps politicized FBI. This NY Times article is precisely why hard-working Americans simply do not trust the media, Bongino wrote on X Saturday. The article is a poorly thought out hit piece which attempts to address the dramatic personnel changes weve made, along with the enterprise-wide reorganization Director Patel and I have undertaken. The Times brutal takedown said that the agency has lost Americans trust. This NY Times article is precisely why hard-working Americans simply do not trust the media. The article is a poorly thought out hit piece which attempts to address the dramatic personnel changes weve made, along with the enterprise-wide reorganization Director Patel and I Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) July 5, 2025 Among [Trumps] many efforts to weaken American democracy and amass more power for himself, his politicization of the F.B.I. is one of the most blatant, the Times editorial board wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By turning the FBI into an enforcement agency for MAGAs priorities, the Times wrote, the Trump administration has put Americans safety at risk. The publicon which the bureau relies for tips and cooperationhas to trust that agents operate without political bias, the editorial board wrote. By abusing that trust, Mr. Trump, Mr. Patel and Mr. Bongino have put the reputation and effectiveness of the F.B.I. at risk. In doing so, they are risking the safety of the American public." President Donald Trump's purge of the FBI has Under the leadership of FBi Director Kash Patel, the agency expelled division heads overseeing national security, cybersecurity, and criminal investigations, including many who had persecuted Jan. 6 insurrectionists and investigated Trump. Bongino acknowledged the agencys reorganization but claimed it has made the organization stronger: Kash and I have aggressively reformed the FBI, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bongino shared a list of accomplishments that [prove] that the decision Director Patel and I made to refocus manpower towards fighting violent crime, and combating terrorism, is working. One of the key points he celebrated was apprehending, imprisoning, and deporting over 18,000 illegal aliens. Indeed, the Times took the FBI to task for merely serving as backup support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement rather than prioritizing other law enforcement efforts. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino has called the agency the single most corrupt law enforcement institution in America. / The Washington Post / The Washington Post via Getty Images Before Patel assumed his position as head of the agency, he called the FBI an existential threat to our republican form of government, full of political jackals who tried to suffocate the truth in order to steal the 2020 election. He also claimed that the FBI paid X, then Twitter, to censor conservatives. Bongino, meanwhile, has called the FBI the single most corrupt law enforcement institution in America and a full-blown leftist political action committee. KERR COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) State and local officials are calling out federal forecasters amid deadly flooding in the Texas Hill Country over the extended Fourth of July weekend. The criticism comes, as funding cuts and staff shortages plague the National Weather Service and other emergency management agencies nationwide. Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd told reporters Friday original forecasts from the National Weather Service predicted 4 to 8 inches of rain in that area, but the amount of rain that fell in this specific location was never in any of those forecasts. Listen, everybody got the forecast from the National Weather Service, right? Kidd said. You all got it, youre all in media, you got that forecast. It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conflicting officials, social posts leave evacuation delay questions in Kerr County flooding Kidd added TDEM worked with our own meteorologist to finetune that weather statement but did not elaborate on any updated interpretation that would have led to more urgent warnings for evacuations. The area actually received a much more significant amount of rain that night, with NWS observed totals exceeding 10 inches just west of Kerrville, near where dozens were killed or remain missing including several children at a summer camp. Localized LCRA rainfall totals in the region have exceeded 18 inches in some places. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Guadalupe River in Kerrville measured just under a foot on Thursday, leading up to midnight. At about 4 a.m. Friday, the river rose over 30 feet in less than two hours, according USGS data. Critical communication On Friday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick also said during a separate press event that TDEM Region 6 Assistant Chief Jay Hall personally contacted the judges and mayors in that area and notified them all of potential flooding. KXAN has requested record of that communication to verify that statement and its level of urgency. Acting Gov. Dan Patrick being briefed (KXAN photo/Jordan Belt) Yesterday morning, the message was sent, Patrick added. It is up to the local counties and mayors under the law to evacuate if they feel a need. That information was passed along. NWS issued a flash flood warning at 1:14 a.m. Friday for a portion of Kerr County where the majority of flood-related deaths have been reported. But it would be at least four hours before any county or city government entity posted directions to evacuate on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City and county officials have yet to fully explain the timing of their Facebook posts surrounding the height of the flood or other ways they might have notified people near the water. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr., said Saturday the city had done an admirable job making sure all information was available to the public. KXAN is awaiting responses after requesting records of communication between city, county and state officials to better understand decisions regarding their public warnings. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly has claimed officials didnt know this flood was coming. This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States, and we deal with floods on a regular basis when it rains, we get water, Kelly said to reporters Friday. We had no reason to believe this was going to be anything like what has happened here, none whatsoever. Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice reiterated that apparent lack of awareness, telling the media Friday: This rain event sat on top of that and dumped more rain than what was forecasted. Damage in Kerrville on July 5, 2025, following a flash flood event on Independence Day (KXAN photo/Tom Miller) Following those statements, the NWS provided additional details on its notification timeline for the Kerr County flood, including: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Water Center Flood Hazard Outlook issued on Thursday morning indicated an expansion of flash flood potential to include Kerrville and surrounding areas. A flood watch was issued by the NWS Austin/San Antonio office at 1:18 p.m. on Thursday, in effect through Friday morning. The Weather Prediction Center issued three Mesoscale Precipitation Discussions for the excessive rainfall event as early as 6:10 p.m. Thursday indicating the potential for flash flooding. The National Water Center Area Hydrologic Discussion #144 at 6:22 p.m. on Thursday messaged locally considerable flood wording for areas north and west of San Antonio, including Kerrville. At 1:14 a.m. Friday, a flash flood warning with a considerable tag (which denotes high-damage threats and will automatically trigger Wireless Emergency Alerts on enabled mobile devices and over NOAA Weather Radio) was issued for Kerr County. The flash flood warning was upgraded to a flash flood emergency for southcentral Kerr County as early as 4:03 a.m. Friday. The 5:00 a.m. National Water Center Area Hydrologic Discussion #146 on Friday included concern for widespread considerable flooding through the day. The Flood Hazard Outlook was also upgraded to considerable and catastrophic. A flash flood emergency was issued for the Guadalupe River at 5:34 a.m. KXAN is awaiting additional responses from the NWS on that timeline. KXAN also requested comments from Kidd and from NWS Austin/San Antonio Meteorologist in Charge Pat Vesper regarding how recent federal funding cuts might have impacted weather forecasting abilities in Texas. TDEM responded but did not answer KXANs questions or indicate when Kidd would be available to speak directly about those issues. An NWS spokesperson said Vespers office is focused on forecast operations right now, as flash flooding is ongoing. NWS staffing concerns While state and local officials have not publicly nor outright blamed the Trump Administrations financial decisions for any possible forecasting issues, public accusations on social media and elsewhere point to their timing during severe weather season. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, directly under Vesper at the local NWS office is a key position warning coordination meteorologist (WCM) that has remained vacant since April. The role was most recently held by longtime employee Paul Yura, who took an early retirement package offered to agency workers as the administration worked to reduce the budget and personnel number at the NWS and its parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Yura, who KXAN recently reported spent more than half of his 32-year career at the local NWS office, gained tremendous experience understanding local weather patterns while ensuring timely warnings get disseminated to the public in a multitude of ways. The importance of his role as WCM cannot be understated. Today will be a hard day: Search ongoing for missing kids, adults in Kerrville Ensuring ample and timely warning to Central Texas counties was among the chief responsibilities. According to NOAA, The WCM coordinates the warning function of the office with the outside world. This would include heading the Skywarn Program, conducting spotter training and being a voice to the local media for the office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the Kerr County flood, KXAN reached out to Yura who referenced a hiring freeze in his retirement message to the media but he referred questions to an NWS public affairs official. Along with Yuras job, five other vacancies in the local NWS office have stacked up, according to its online staff roster and the NWS Employees Organization. Those include two meteorologists, two technology staff members and a science officer. The office has 26 employees when fully staffed. Federal funding and staff cuts The administration made cuts to the federal workforce an early priority in Trumps second presidential term this year, and those reductions extended to the NWS. In May, NBC News reported the agency was working to shuffle employees to cover 150 positions that were vacated by the firings of probationary employees and early retirements of other longtime workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some forecasting offices were left without overnight service, though no Texas offices were mentioned among those. Tom Fahy, the NWSEO legislative director, then told NBC the staff cuts could increase risk and damage the agencys ability to respond to a disaster. Fahy told KXAN on Saturday the Central Texas flooding was indeed a flash precipitation event, leading to massive rainfall something the local NWS office still had adequate staffing and resources to handle, despite its vacancies. They issued timely forecasts and warnings leading up to the storm, he said, also referencing flood watches out well in advance the day before the waters rose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In early June, the NWS was seeking to hire at least 126 people across the country, including meteorologists, following previous staff cuts, The Hill reported. A NOAA spokesperson told the outlet the NWS would be conducting short term temporary duty assignments and providing reassignment opportunity notices to fill field offices with the greatest operational needs. The NWS Austin/San Antonio Weather Forecast Office currently has a 15% vacancy rate for meteorologists. The offices total vacancy rate was 12% at the beginning of the year, but that increased to 23% by the end of April when employees took buyouts, Fahy confirmed to KXAN. Federal officials visiting President Trump posted on Truth Social he is working with State and Local Officials on the ground in Texas in response to the tragic flooding, ahead of U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visit to represent the administration in Kerrville Saturday. During a press conference after surveying the area, Noem told reporters the amount of rain in this flooding event was unprecedented, underscoring the reason Trump is working to fix aging technology within NOAA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do carry your concerns back to the federal government and back to President Trump, she said, acknowledging the need for upgraded technology to give families have as much warning as possible. Central Texas flooding Central Texas and the Hill Country are broadly known for major floods. With one of the highest risks for flash flooding in the country, the area has earned the nickname flash flood alley, according to LCRA. This weekends tragedy isnt the first. Blanco River flood in San Marcos May 27 2015. Courtesy: Getty Images In 1987, a flood hit the Guadalupe River, pushing the waterway up 29 feet and catching a church camp bus, according to the NWS. The bus, which was being used to evacuate dozens of children, was swept away and 10 children were killed. Again, in 1998, flooding struck the region. On Oct. 17 and 18 that year a storm dropped roughly 30 inches of rain near San Marcos. Homes along the Guadalupe River near Canyon Lake and down to Seguin were washed off their foundations, NWS reported. Closer to Austin, the Blanco River experienced catastrophic flooding in 2015 during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Houses and bridges were washed away, and 13 people were killed across the region. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. The boss of a music festival said she received death threats amid a row over dropping controversial rap duo Bob Vylan from the line-up. Catherine Jackson-Smith, who co-founded the Radar festival in Manchester, revealed she received an anonymous phone call the day before dropping the act following their death, death to the IDF chant at Glastonbury. Ms Jackson-Smith said the caller had made a number of vile comments before ending the call by saying: We know who you are, we know what you look like, we know where youre going to be. Do you feel safe? Watch your back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bob Vylan sparked outrage last weekend after rapper Pascal Robinson-Foster led the crowd in the controversial anti-Israeli chant during an appearance at Glastonbury that was broadcast live on the BBC. The comments have been widely condemned as anti-Semitic and police have opened an investigation. Bob Vylan have claimed they are being targeted for speaking up. The duo were scheduled to perform in the headline Saturday slot at Radar, an independent festival that takes place at the O2 Victoria Warehouse in Trafford Park, Manchester. But in a brief Instagram post published on Wednesday, promoters said Bob Vylan would no longer be appearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Radars social media accounts were quickly flooded with abusive comments, including accusations that the festival was complicit in genocide and supports the incineration of babies. One social media user called on all other bands playing at Radar to boycott the festival in response, saying: If you dont pull out you support genocide. The threats highlight the scale of abuse levelled by activists in an increasingly incendiary debate over the conflict in Gaza. It comes despite Ms Jackson-Smith insisting that she wanted Bob Vylan to perform but that she was forced to pull the group after being told the festival could not go ahead if they remained on the line-up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The festival boss said that telling the duo they could not perform was categorically one of the most horrendous professional discussions Ive ever had. I cannot express clearly enough that I wanted Bob Vylan to perform at our festival, she told the 2 Promoters, 1 Pod podcast, adding that she had considered booking controversial Irish hip hop trio Kneecap as a secret set instead. Radar and other festival organisers are also coming under pressure from pro-Israel lobby groups who are demanding that acts such as Bob Vylan and Kneecap be removed from line-ups. UK Lawyers for Israel have taken credit for Radars decision to cancel the act. The charity said it had written to Academy Music Group, owners of the O2 Victoria Warehouse, warning of potential breaches of the law should the duo repeat their chants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesman for the law group said: We are pleased to see that this kind of anti-Semitic hateful behaviour is not being tolerated by music venues. We hope this serves as a lesson to other performers that they cannot be racist and anti-Semitic with impunity. CORRECTION: This article has been amended. An earlier version of this article attributed the threats, including death threats, to pro-Palestinian supporters. In fact, it is unknown who made the threats to Catherine Jackson-Smith or any allegiance they may have. We are happy to correct the record. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A BMW driver and a passenger were fighting for their lives Saturday after their out-of-control luxury car vaulted into oncoming traffic on the Belt Parkway in Queens, slamming into two unsuspecting motorists in a fiery crash, the NYPD said. The white BMW was heading east on the Belt Parkway approaching the Cross Bay Blvd. exit in Howard Beach just after 6 a.m. when the 24-year-old driver lost control of the wheel, cops said. The luxury car slammed into a concrete divider and sailed into the air, coming down on the other side of the highway, where it crashed into a Honda CRV and a red Hyundai heading westbound. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The BMW caught fire after the victims scrambled to escape from it, officials said. First responders pulled five people from the mangled BMW, including the driver and an unidentified woman, who were both listed in critical condition at Brookdale University Hospital Saturday. Three others, a 21-year-old woman and two men, both 25, were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries. The 26-year-old man driving the Honda CRV and the 31-year-old woman operating the Hyundai were also listed in stable condition at area hospitals. Cops closed off the westbound lanes to the Belt Parkway as members of the NYPDs Collision Investigation Squad tried to determine what sparked the crash Saturday. KERRVILLE, Texas (KXAN) Brian Eads morning began with a frantic attempt to escape cascading floodwaters. Got my wife up, we tried to make it to my truck, we didnt make it, we were washed away. Got into another truck. Got it started. We made it 20 feet, Eads said. KXAN spoke with him at Ingram Elementary School, the official reunification site for west Kerr County. It was just a fight for survival at that time, Eads said. Me and my wife got separated. I grabbed ahold of one tree. I was trying to push something for her to float on, but I took a tumble in the river. I came back up and I couldnt see her, I couldnt hear her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How to help with, donate to flood recovery efforts Officials said Friday afternoon that at least 13 people died and 20 were unaccounted for across the county, including children at a girls camp. The Texas Game Wardens posted on X around 7:15 that they had made entry into the camp and were beginning to bring campers out. Community members packed the reunification center at the elementary school. Food, water and first responders were on hand to assist people with questions about ongoing dangers and their loved ones. Reunification center at Ingram Elementary School. Theyre checking in letting us know who theyre looking for were taking all of that information and trying to create a database so we can help reunite families, said Mindy Curran, Ingram ISDs interim superintendent, who led one of the reunification operations. Theres a lot of devastation out here today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She applauded the community for coming together to help their neighbors. Eads was just one of many across the county waiting for answers. What would you say to your wife right now? KXAN reporters asked. That I love her and I want her to be safe. I know shes strong, Eads said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Honoring the spirit of freedom and community thats the annual tradition of the naturalization ceremony at the Charlotte Museum of History. And on this Independence Day, it was no different. The free Fourth of July event was highlighted by the oath-taking for the new U.S. citizens. Im feeling so excited, said one of the naturalized citizens. This is an achievement, this a goal I was looking forward to a long time ago, and I finally I got it. I feel privileged to live in this country. It is amazing. The event was held amid a time of uneasiness for immigrants in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also, part of the celebration was the Meck Dec 250 exhibit to commemorate the holiday. The countys leaders reportedly drafted a declaration of independence a full year before the one recognized across the nation. There is no record of it; however, the date is recognized on the North Carolina state flag. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A popular North Nashville bar was left severely damaged after a fire broke out over Fourth of July weekend. Nashville Fire Department crews were called to Minerva Avenue on Buchanan Street twice early Saturday morning. (Courtesy: News 2 viewer) (Courtesy: News 2 viewer) (Courtesy: News 2 viewer) (WKRN) (WKRN) (WKRN) (WKRN) (WKRN) (WKRN) (WKRN) (WKRN) (WKRN) (WKRN) (WKRN) Thats the bar right there and then the DJ booth, its completely gone, Minerva Avenue patron Paul Ashby said. First, to a situation regarding occupancy at the building. Then at approximately 3:30 a.m., the fire was reported. Officials said the fire was extinguished and no injuries were reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its sad that one of the few left black-owned spots where you can actually hang out is burned down, Ashby said. Kind of sad to see, but hopefully they can rebuild and get some more spots and you know, a lot of fireworks going on in the area last night, so Im sure it was an accident. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts According to the bars website, Minerva Avenue was named after the founders childhood residence where his parents purchased their first home. Its known for celebrating art and music from the 70s to present day. A few hours later, I start waking up to text messages people are telling me, Hey, you know, Minerva burned down? I know you guys had Airbnb close by. And its like No, were like, 20 feet from there. What? And then we didnt even realize it, Ashby said. We heard the sirens going off, but we just figured, you know, maybe somebody was sick or there was a fire somewhere, or fireworks. We didnt expect this, though. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bar released a statement on social media Sunday morning stating that while the fire remains under investigation, it is believed that fireworks may have contributed. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The statement then reads in part, For the past eight years Minerva has always been more than just a bar weve been proud to serve as a staple in this community a place where culture, conversation and connection thrive. Our team, many of whom have been with us since day one, is the heart of everything weve built. Their loyalty and dedication are unmatched, and we are committed to being there for them during this difficult time. Were deeply thankful that no one was injured and grateful to the first responders who acted quickly. Minerva Avenue owners and management The NFD has not confirmed the cause of the fire. 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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Devastating fires in the province of Izmir are now under control, the Turkish government announced on Saturday, while firefighting efforts continued in the south-eastern province of Hatay. Emergency services in Hatay worked through the night to extinguish a fire that broke out on Friday afternoon in a forest in Dortyol, the Anadolu state news agency reported. The fire was spreading rapidly in the dry forests due to strong winds. Since the morning, helicopters have been back in action, Anadolu reported. Helicopters and firefighting planes usually operate only during daylight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor of Hatay province said that so far, nine areas of grazing land and almost 2,000 people had been evacuated. A residential home for girls had been repurposed as an emergency shelter. Weather conditions and the topography of the mountainous area were complicating the firefighting efforts of more than 1,000 emergency personnel. Three dead in Izmir In recent days, hundreds of fires have broken out in Turkey, of which 10 have been large forest fires according to Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakl. The province of Izmir has been particularly hard hit. On Thursday, two people died in the fires there: an 81-year-old bedridden man who burnt to death in his house and a forestry worker who died while fighting the fires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, the forestry minister announced on X that another forestry worker had succumbed to his injuries in hospital. In addition to several hectares of burned forest and bushes, three villages have burned down, the city of Izmir's mayor, Cemil Tugay, said. Thousands of animals were also killed in the fires. The animal protection organization Haytap is treating injured dogs, cats or goats in tent clinics in Izmir. Devastating fires in the province of Izmir are now under control, the Turkish government announced on Saturday, while firefighting efforts continued in the south-eastern province of Hatay. Emergency services in Hatay worked through the night to extinguish a fire that broke out on Friday afternoon in a forest in Dortyol, the Anadolu state news agency reported. The fire was spreading rapidly in the dry forests due to strong winds. Since the morning, helicopters have been back in action, Anadolu reported. Helicopters and firefighting planes usually operate only during daylight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor of Hatay province said that so far, nine areas of grazing land and almost 2,000 people had been evacuated. A residential home for girls had been repurposed as an emergency shelter. Weather conditions and the topography of the mountainous area were complicating the firefighting efforts of more than 1,000 emergency personnel. Three dead in Izmir In recent days, hundreds of fires have broken out in Turkey, of which 10 have been large forest fires according to Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakl. The province of Izmir has been particularly hard hit. On Thursday, two people died in the fires there: an 81-year-old bedridden man who burnt to death in his house and a forestry worker who died while fighting the fires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, the forestry minister announced on X that another forestry worker had succumbed to his injuries in hospital. In addition to several hectares of burned forest and bushes, three villages have burned down, the city of Izmir's mayor, Cemil Tugay, said. Thousands of animals were also killed in the fires. The animal protection organization Haytap is treating injured dogs, cats or goats in tent clinics in Izmir. Fires spark power grid debate While the emergency services were busy damping down fire-afflicted areas of Izmir on Saturday, a debate has erupted over possible causes. According to provincial Governor Suleyman Elban, several fires were triggered by sparks from power lines. The energy company rejected this, arguing that there was no concrete evidence of a connection to the power infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chamber of Electrical Engineers pointed to previous fire-related incidents caused by power lines in the region, in an interview with the BBC's Turkish channel, and criticized a lack of maintenance following the privatization of the power grid. Clarification work to understand the cause of several blazes is still pending. So far, 44 suspects have been detained in connection with various fires, 10 of whom have been arrested, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on X. In the Buca district of Izmir, for example, the fire was triggered by welding work while in other cases, forest or field work was initially identified as the cause. HONOLULU (KHON2) Hawaii Governor Josh Green, M.D., signed new fireworks legislation on Monday, June 30, at 12:45 p.m. in the Ceremonial Room at the Hawaii State Capitol. The bills target illegal fireworks with tougher penalties, stricter rules and expanded law enforcement tools. Green will be joined by Senator Brandon Elefante, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, and Representative Scot Matayoshi, chair of the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce. Also attending will be Mike Lambert, director of the Department of Law Enforcement. How to know when, where to host your backyard BBQ Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new laws follow a deadly New Years Eve explosion in 2024 and increasing complaints statewide. According to the Governors Office, the bills aim to improve air quality, protect vulnerable residents and relieve overwhelmed emergency services. In speaking with Sam Spangler on KHON2s Wake Up 2Day, Gov. Green said the following: Its very good. So, as you know, Im signing all of these laws that they produced, which, will make things a lot safer. Were now gonna be able to just apply fines to people who are shooting off illegal fireworks. Its gonna be a lot easier to, you know, toss in $300 fines; and I hope everyone will be careful and safe because as an ER doc, I treated a lot of burns. As governor, I witnessed this tragedy that happened on New Years Eve that cost us the lives of six beautiful people. So, everyone needs to tone it down with fireworks; and there will be fines for people who break the law. Governor Josh Green, M.D. Heres what we know about the bills: HB 1483 Relating to Fireworks HB 1483 introduces sweeping changes to Hawaiis fireworks laws in response to public health concerns and a deadly 2024 New Years Eve explosion. The bill upgrades penalties, adds criminal classifications and creates a fast-track adjudication process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Key provisions include: Using or throwing fireworks near homes, schools, hospitals, parks or places of worship is now a misdemeanor. If serious injury occurs, the charge may rise to a Class A felony. Strict liability applies in these zones. This means intent does not need to be proven. Shipping fireworks by air without a federal license is now a Class C felony. That charge rises to Class A if the shipment exceeds 25 pounds or involves repeat offenses. Selling or gifting fireworks to anyone without a permit is now a felony-level offense. Serious injury or death triggers stricter penalties regardless of intent. Use of fireworks without a permit, or outside legal timeframes, is now punishable with fines. A $200 fine applies for use violations, and a $1,000 fine applies for distributing fireworks outside of legal sale periods. All infractions under this section may be processed similarly to traffic tickets. Individuals cited under this law cannot use lack of awareness as a defense. You can click here to read more about it. HB 550 Relating to Fireworks HB 550 strengthens law enforcements ability to catch and prosecute fireworks violations. It updates probable cause standards and allows the use of drone footage and civilian video recordings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law permits police to arrest violators based on: Eyewitness statements from the public. Phone or security camera video. Drone video, even without live witnesses. Drone recordings must meet two conditions. The drone must fly over public property, like streets or parks, and the illegal fireworks must be set off on public land. Civilian-recorded evidence is now admissible, and the law defines other recording to include drone footage. UAVs are defined as aircraft without an onboard operator but do not include hobbyist model airplanes. Enforcement authority is shared between county police departments and the states Department of Law Enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Governor said they have support from federal agencies to enforce these laws as needed. The DLE said they have 10 drones that they plan to use starting July Fourth and with the higher fines under the new law, give them stronger deterrence power. They warn that all investigations will include a money laundering investigation attached to it. Guys that are bringing it (illegal fireworks) in dont cry and moan oh, Im just trying to make a living here in Hawaii. because youre doing it at the expense of our community. So Im telling you guys right now that I already have a list of names and if you guys want to continue doing what youre doing, youre going to find out if youre on it or not, said DLE Director Mike Lambert. You can click here to read more about it. SB 601 Relating to Law Enforcement SB 601 addresses how police conduct searches of private property and digital devices. It creates new requirements for notifying property owners and securing searched areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law mandates that officers must leave a written notice after any search, whether or not it was conducted with a warrant. The notice must include: Report number. Date and time of entry. Reason for the search. Contact information for an involved officer. Entrances used during the search must be secured before officers leave. All law enforcement agencies must create clear written procedures for post-search actions. This includes county departments and the states Department of Law Enforcement. If officers break down doors or gates, they must now meet defined legal standards. Entry must be denied or impractical, and there must be reason to believe evidence is hidden inside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill also covers digital evidence. When a search warrant involves electronic devices, officers may seek court approval to bring in outside experts. Experts cannot be forced to help without their consent. You can click here to read more about it. Three bills, one coordinated effort HB 1483, HB 550 and SB 601 each address a different part of public safety. Together, they increase penalties for illegal fireworks, allow more ways to collect evidence and require transparency during property searches. Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8 Still, some in the community are concerned the new laws are overreaching and not impactful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fact is that those people were already being irresponsible and reckless, and theres already consequences for what they did, regardless of whether fireworks are allowed or disallowed, said Abbra Green, Libertarian Party of Hawaii Executive Secretary. The Governor acknowledged changing the publics mindset about illegal fireworks comes over time. It takes a little bit of time. people have to have the experience. the reason were being so direct and stern right now is were giving everyone a chance just not to do it, said Governor Green. These new laws will go into effect following the governors signing, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. BAZETTA TWP., Ohio (WKBN) Firefighters in Trumbull County say fireworks are to blame for a fire overnight. It happened around midnight Friday into Saturday morning on Stonegate Drive in Bazetta Township. Firefighters say when they arrived, smoke and flames were coming from the side of the garage. They say the residents tried to put it out with an extinguisher, but were unsuccessful. The fire was caused by fireworks that had been thrown away in a trash can around 10:30 p.m. Friday next to the garage, firefighters said. Those discarded fireworks started a fire inside the trash can, which spread to the wall of the garage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters say a neighbor first saw the fire and alerted the family. Bazetta Township Fire Department says the proper way to dispose of used fireworks is to first submerge them in a bucket of water for at least 15 minutes, double-wrap them in either plastic wrap or plastic bags to prevent them from drying out, and then toss them in the trash. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A group of medical students have become the first cohort of doctors to qualify by studying part-time. The new graduates formally secured their qualification at the University of Edinburgh after completing the HCP-Med for Healthcare Professionals course. Set up in 2018, the five-year scheme encourages professionals in other areas of healthcare to consider studying to become doctors. It has a strong emphasis on GP placements in the hope of boosting the numbers of general practitioners entering Scotland's NHS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The university said it was "proud" to be the first to produce graduates, numbering 20 in total, from the course. Designed to address the increasing demand on the healthcare workforce, the programme was launched with the aim of offering increased flexibility. Existing health workers such as nursing staff, clinical scientists and veterinary surgeons could continue to work while studying. The undergraduate programme - run by the University of Edinburgh's Medical School - is the first of its kind in the UK. The first three years is conducted part-time and predominantly online. Alongside the part-time study, students also receive full funding from the Scottish Funding Council making it an attractive route to retrain those already working in healthcare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After completing their remote studies, students then join the university's full-time undergraduate medical programme for the final two years, undertaking a range of clinical placements in hospital wards and GP practice. Another issue it addresses is underrepresentation from students from rural areas and less advantaged backgrounds. The university said aiming the programme at experienced professionals opened up a key avenue to people who had not previously considered a career as a doctor. From ICU nurse to doctor Calum MacDonald is a graduate from the first cohort of the HCP-Med programme, having started his career as a staff nurse in an intensive care unit in Glasgow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His experience in ICU and subsequent training to become an advanced critical care practitioner a role he has held since 2016 led him to consider a career as a doctor. The programme allowed Dr MacDonald to stay in Glasgow and juggle work and part-time study, while also managing family life after he became a father in his second year. Now a newly qualified doctor, he has secured a foundation post in Glasgow and will rotate across seven specialties. Following the two-year foundation programme, Dr MacDonald is considering specialising in anaesthetics or general practice. Speaking after the ceremony at the McEwan Hall, he said: "It's been a challenging but incredibly rewarding journey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Being able to continue working as a nurse while studying medicine was a huge financial incentive. "I am delighted to be graduating today and am excited to start my placement as a junior doctor in Glasgow." Edinburgh medical course offers 'new pathway' Dr Jen Kennedy, the HCP-MED programme director, said: "We have lots of incredibly talented people working within the NHS in Scotland who may have missed the traditional route to become doctors. "By creating this new pathway and widening access to medical degrees, we are able to nurture their talent and use their valuable experience to enhance the healthcare workforce". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prof David Kluth, head of Edinburgh Medical School, said he as proud that Edinburgh was the first university in the UK to offer the programme. He added: "The students on this programme bring with them a rich diversity of backgrounds, experiences and skills - from prior careers to lived experience of the communities they will serve. "This breadth of talent and perspective is vital in building a more inclusive, adaptable, and effective medical workforce for Scotland." The first group of migrants has arrived at Alligator Alcatraz, Donald Trumps new immigration detention centre deep in the Florida Everglades. Aerial footage filmed by NBC News showed officials walking people, who appeared to have their hands restrained in front of them, into the sprawling detention centre. The first group has arrived at Alligator Alcatraz, Florida Division of Emergency Management wrote on X on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Posting a picture of a white van pulled up to a metal fence, it added: Florida is proud to help facilitate @realDonaldTrumps mission to enforce immigration law. Built in just eight days, the site, located 50 miles west of Miami, is designed to house up to 5,000 migrants and will cost an estimated $450 million (330 million) a year to run when it is fully operational. The sites name references the reptile-infested swamp that surrounds the prison, the site is the latest controversial move by the Trump administration to ramp up its deportation programme. Following Mr Trumps visit earlier this week, signs for Alligator Alcatraz were also put up near the facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Workers put up signs along the sole highway leading to the site and outside the entrance of the airfield that has been known as the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. State officials seized the county-owned land where the facility is located using emergency powers authorized by an executive order issued by the governor. Facility to be built at the Dade-Collier training and transition airport, a former landing strip west of Miami - Daniel Kozin/AP The leftist media keep asking, what is the real name of this facility? Republican state Attorney General James Uthmeier wrote on social media. He added: Answer: Alligator Alcatraz. The signs are going up! On Thursday federal agencies opposed a lawsuit brought by environmental groups seeking to halt operations at the detention centre. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though Mr Trump applauded the centre during an official tour earlier this week, the filing on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seemed to try to distance his administration from the facility, and said no federal money to date has been spent on it. State and federal officials have promoted the plans on social media, sharing a meme of a compound ringed with barbed wire and guarded by alligators wearing hats labelled ICE for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 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. TYE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Firefighters from the Tye Fire Department responded to a vehicle fire on Spinks Rd. in Tye early this morning, with crews arriving on the scene around 4:00 a.m. According to TFD, the driver was unharmed, but the vehicle was deemed a total loss. Upon arrival, fire crews found that the gas tank of the vehicle had ruptured, causing the fire to spread rapidly throughout the car. Fortunately, the driver was already safely out of the vehicle, and no injuries were reported. Firefighters worked quickly to extinguish the flames and prevent further damage to the surrounding area. Thanks to their quick actions, the fire was fully contained, and the road was cleared and reopened before daylight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WATCH: Dramatic rescues in San Angelo unfold as floodwaters swallow streets Were grateful the driver was unharmed in this incident, the Tye VFD said in a Facebook post. Our team responded quickly and efficiently to prevent the fire from spreading. Taylor County Sheriffs Office also assisted by ensuring the area was secured, keeping passing motorists at a safe distance while crews worked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As soon as the scene was cleared, the firefighters returned to the station, cleaned up, and were immediately called out for a lift assist, where they coordinated seamlessly with STEMS emergency medical services. We take pride in being able to respond to a variety of situations, from fires to lift assists, the Tye VFD said in a Facebook post. Our team is always ready for whatever comes next. The department encourages community members to reach out with any questions or concerns via their social media, with a promise to respond as quickly as possible. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. AUSTIN, Texas - Dangerous flooding continued in Central Texas through the weekend, as authorities searched for dozens of missing people swept away by floodwaters on the Fourth of July. New flooding was reported along the San Gabriel River, the Brazos River, and Burnet County, all on the north and west sides of Austin. In Burnet County, rainfall totals between 6-12 inches on Saturday morning triggered a Flash Flood Emergency, with authorities performing dozens of water rescues, especially along the Colorado River. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the missing included a first responder, who was attending to a call for service, Burnet County officials said. Because of the holiday weekend, in many cases, authorities dont really know how many people could be missing, as most impacted areas are rural and being used for camping and other recreational activities. Most victims found so far have been from Kerr County, where a retreat was underway at Camp Mystic, a summer camp for girls. According to local authorities, 32 children and adults were found dead throughout the Texas Hill Country, with a similar number still missing. Catastrophic Flooding Leaves At Least 27 Dead, Dozens Missing As 'Deadly Flood Wave' Swept Central Texas Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said they have devoted hundreds of local, state, and federal resources and promised not to give up searching until every missing person is found. "This is a time when we, as a state, need God more than ever," said Texas Governor Greg Abbott. "The one thing I hear the most are the prayers that are being sent for those who are in harms way. There is an extraordinary collaboration to make sure that we address everybodys concern as quickly as possible. As part of this, I am signing a disaster declaration to ensure counties have access to every tool, strategy, and personnel that the State of Texas can provide to them, which will be limitless." Flood alerts were in effect for more than 6 million Texans as a tropical moisture field, once associated with Tropical Storm Barry, lingered over the area for days, helping to produce slow-moving showers and thunderstorms. The precipitation caused some waterways to rise 30 feet in just an hour, catching residents and visitors off guard as floodwaters raced eastward through the Lone Star State toward the Gulf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities assured residents that dams and other critical infrastructure would hold further downstream, with the focus of rescue operations being closer to where the rainfall was flowing into creeks, rivers and streams. The rainy weather was expected to linger into Monday, providing more chances for low-lying areas and communities along rivers and streams to face additional flooding risks. Flood Watch, Warning And Emergency: Here Are The Differences That Could Save Your Life The recent flooding episode has been compared to the 1987 disaster, which claimed the lives of nearly a dozen people. According to the NWS, slow-moving thunderstorms developed on the evening of July 16 and morning of July 17, producing a widespread 5 to 10 inches of rain over the Guadalupe River basin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deluge unleashed a massive flood wave that surged down the Guadalupe River, roaring through towns such as Ingram, Kerrville, and Comfort. Hundreds of people living along the river and its tributaries were forced to evacuate suddenly as the waters rose a memory still etched in the minds of residents throughout the Texas Hill Country. Original article source: Flash Flood Emergencies spread to near Austin as Texas Hill Country reels from relentless rain AUSTIN (KFDX/KJTL) In a press conference at 2 pm on July 4, Acting Governor Dan Patrick said that over 20 children went missing at Camp Mystic in Kerr County. The cause of this is the flash floods that raged through the Guadalupe River early this morning. RECENT UPDATE | Abbott confirms 24 fatalities in Hill Country floods On July 2, the Texas Division of Emergency Management issued warnings across Central and West Texas about the potential for heavy rainfall and flash flooding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the press conference, Dan Patrick confirmed that more than 20 children at the Christian girls summer camp, Camp Mystic, located just west of Kerrville in Kerr County. This camp had more than 750 girls in attendance. The parents of missing campers have been notified. Patrick also said that President Donald Trump would provide federal resources to the state. The Acting Governor said that the water rose an astounding 26 feet in just 45 minutes along the Guadalupe River. Helicopters, rescue teams with swimmers and hundreds of responders were on the ground searching for and rescuing those impacted by the floodwaters. The Guadalupe River started rising at around 2 a.m. on July 4, experiencing unprecedented growth. Rescues for people stuck on rooftops started just before 6 a.m. It wasnt until 8:30 a.m. that the Kerr County Sheriffs Office reported fatalities in a Facebook post. Multiple places had been set up as shelters for those displaced by the storm. Not long after the fatalities were reported, the mayor of Kerrville sent out a Declaration of Disaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will provide updates as soon as they become available to us. For more on this story, visit our pages for both the response that the Governor and Lieutenant Governor gave, as well as the original story on the TDEM sending out the warnings for flash floods. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. Why helping people means more than getting an MD Why do you want to be a doctor? Ask any pre-med that question, and youll probably hear the same answer: I just want to help people. Ive said it, toomore times than I can count. But lately, Ive started to question what that phrase even means. Not because Ive lost faith in medicine, but because Ive learned that helping is more complex, layered, and humbling than I ever imagined. As the host of a podcast focused on innovation and mental health care, Ive had the chance to interview some of the most forward-thinking leaders in medicinepeople who are literally redesigning the future. A few months ago, I spoke with a medical leader focused on artificial intelligence in medicine. Not long after, I interviewed the founding dean of a new medical school in Tennessee. Both conversations shook me in the best way. They didnt just expand my understanding of what health care could bethey forced me to confront what I used to get wrong about helping people. Helping isnt always healing. One of the first things I realized is that helping someone doesnt always mean curing them. I used to associate being a good future doctor with solving problems, checking boxes, and fixing things. But in my conversation with the dean, they reminded me that some of the most powerful acts in medicine arent technicaltheyre relational. Its sitting with patients through uncertainty. Its validating pain even when we cant explain it. Its realizing that being present sometimes matters more than prescribing a pill. You dont need an MD to make a difference. Ive learned that helping people doesnt start after med school. It starts now. Through conversations with physicians, mental health advocates, and policy leaders, Ive learned that your ability to care isnt defined by a white coat. Its defined by how you show up for your community. Ive led donation drives for foster youth, organized mental health campaigns, and used storytelling to make underrepresented voices heard. I used to think I needed credentials to be useful. Now I know that compassion is a credential, too. So what does helping really mean? It means staying curious. Asking better questions. Being willing to unlearn and rebuild. It means looking at systems, not just symptomsand understanding that impact lives at the intersection of empathy, equity, and action. As pre-meds, we need to retire the vague language of helping people and replace it with something stronger. Lets talk about listening deeply. Designing ethically. Advocating boldly. Healing holistically. Lets stop waiting for the MD to start doing the work. ADVERTISEMENT Because the future of medicine isnt just about those who want to help people. Its about those who understand how. Vaishali Jha is a premedical student. PINE VALLEY, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) Over 120 pounds of fentanyl were seized last week at the Interstate 8 checkpoint in Pine Valley, becoming one of the Border Patrols largest fentanyl seizures in the San Diego area to date. On the afternoon of Friday, June 27, U.S. Border Patrol agents from the San Diego Sectors Campo Station searched a pickup truck hauling an empty flatbed trailer. During secondary inspection, agents found a total of 42 packages of fentanyl hidden in the trailers frame. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The estimated street value of the fentanyl pills was around $758,000. Video shows dog being dragged by car in Spring Valley The driver was identified as a Mexican citizen and was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. The San Diego County District Attorneys Office accepted the case for prosecution. In fiscal year 2025, the San Diego Sector has seized 326 pounds of fentanyl, 2,396 pounds of methamphetamine, 2,586 pounds of cocaine and 56 pounds of heroin, according to the Border Patrol. To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact 911 or San Diego Sector at 619-498-9900. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. A man who fleeing Orange County sheriffs deputies while holding a gun early Saturday was shot and hospitalized in critical condition, according to Sheriff John Mina. At a press conference, Mina said the deputies were helping with a traffic stop near the intersection of Orlando Central Parkway and Presidents Drive around 1 a.m. when the man fled on foot. As our deputies ran after the man, they saw that he was holding a gun in his hand, Mina said. The deputies caught up to the man who was still holding the gun, and our deputies discharged their service weapons striking the man. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deputies gave the man first aid and he was transported to an area hospital where he was listed in critical condition. Mina said he had reviewed body-worn camera footage of the incident, and it will be released within 30 days. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has taken over the investigation of the shooting. Meanwhile, the deputies involved have been placed on paid, administrative leave while FDLE reviews the case. LEANDER After devastating floods swept across Texas Hill Country during Independence Day, stormwaters carried away at least two homes in an Austin-area neighborhood, residents told The Dallas Express. A flood surged through a neighborhood west of Leander, near Round Mountain Road, overnight between July 4 and 5. The Dallas Express visited the scene and found widespread destruction. Floodwaters totally swept through a neighborhood in Leander, outside of Austin. I saw the damage from overnight firsthand. 1/@DallasExpress @DallasXCEO pic.twitter.com/ilwFME6or0 Logan Washburn (@loganwashburn76) July 5, 2025 Floodwaters from Big Sandy Creek swept across Round Mountain Road and Big Sandy Drive, leaving behind twisted wood and mangled debris. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, this followed deadly flooding throughout the Hill Country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When The Dallas Express arrived, one man departing the area said, Its real bad. A law enforcement officer told the reporter there were no confirmed missing persons that weve heard, although a resident voiced concern about people possibly swept away in the current. Here is the house Jay was in when it was swept away by Big Sandy Creek. It traveled close to a mile before getting hung in the brush. The smoke detector is still beeping. We are helping gather his belongings that can be saved. God bless this man. He had an angel on his https://t.co/WWwRZ5ZBJx pic.twitter.com/OWmgFq5Nga DASH (@DocumentingATX) July 5, 2025 Two nearby residents told The Dallas Express the flood had carried away two homes. They also raised concerns about the structural integrity of the bridge over Big Sandy Drive and said they had no power or running water. Residents say they need water and power, and they say two houses washed away. They need help. 2/ pic.twitter.com/EO2AMJ9ARv Logan Washburn (@loganwashburn76) July 5, 2025 Travis County EMS reported that around 2 a.m. on July 5, first responders responded to a water rescue call in the Sandy Creek neighborhood of northwest Travis County. A family was trapped in their home by rapidly rising floodwaters, and rescue efforts were delayed due to impassable roads. Boat teams eventually accessed the area and discovered dozens of people in need of help clinging to trees, rooftops, and power poles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A total of 25 individuals were rescued, with 10 taken to a Family Assistance Center. Four adults were transported to local hospitals with minor injuries, according to ATCEMS. Officials warned that more rain is expected and urged the public not to drive through barricades or flooded roads. The City of Leander closed parks and trails on July 5 due to severe flooding and the threat of additional flooding. Officials warned residents not to drive around barricades and closed several roads, including Hero Way, which had water flowing across it earlier when The Dallas Express visited the area. The water washed across a nearby road, apparently taking a car with it. 4/ pic.twitter.com/2Q4j7zRjvc Logan Washburn (@loganwashburn76) July 5, 2025 Nearby, the San Gabriel River flooded areas of Georgetown, prompting evacuations. Mark Champ captured this video of flooding in Georgetown along the South San Gabriel River. Heavy rain fell through the morning Saturday inundating Burnet County and parts of western Travis, Williamson counties. pic.twitter.com/s6iaMqSm6D KVUE News (@KVUE) July 5, 2025 Heavy rain since Independence Day led to severe flooding across Hill Country especially near the Guadalupe River in Kerr County which killed at least 24 people and sent as many as 25 girls from Camp Mystic missing, as The Dallas Express reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If they are alive and safe, we will find them and bring them home to you, said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during a news conference. To report missing persons in Kerr County or nearby, residents should call 830-258-1111 or email floodrecovery@co.kerr.tx.us. More rain is expected across the Austin area through the evening of July 5. A group of five Democratic state lawmakers in Florida said they were denied entry to Alligator Alcatraz, a new migrant detention facility, on Thursday due to safety reasons, days after President Trump toured the facility alongside Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). The lawmakers who tried to tour the facility, which opened on Tuesday, included state Democratic Reps. Anna Eskamani, Angie Nixon, and Michele Rayner, along with two state Sens. Shevrin Jones and Carlos Guillermo Smith. Florida law gives legislators the authority to make unannounced visits to state-run facilities to inspect conditions and check on the wellbeing of the people inside. Ive served in the Legislature for 13 years, and this has never happened, Jones said in a Thursday post on the social media platform X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The detention facility, which is projected to cost around $450 million a year, will hold migrants who are arrested in Florida along with those transferred from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Alligator Alcatraz is set in the Everglades near the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem visited the facility on Tuesday. The site received its first group of migrant detainees on Wednesday. Prior to the lawmakers visit, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier (R) said Thursday on X that he hopes the Florida Democrats have an air boat. The Florida state GOP hammered the five lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want to thank @AnnaForFlorida @CarlosGSmith @micheleforfl @AngieNixon @ShevrinJones for finally taking an interest in the illegal immigration crisis, the state party said Thursday on X. Dont forget to pick up your swag to support our efforts to undo all of Joe Bidens failures! The state GOP, ahead of Trumps Tuesday visit, began selling merchandise promoting the Florida detention facility. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) Florida leaders talked property tax relief all session long, and lawmakers even called for a study on the issue before taking further action. However, the governor believes we should skip the study, saying its time to act, not analyze. During this years legislative session, state senators pushed for a property tax study looking at how local governments use property tax revenues and what would happen if taxes were eliminated or reduced. 200 Marines deployed to Florida to help ICE in immigration crackdown The study would have been led by the Office of Economic and Demographic Research, but Governor DeSantis took out the red pen, vetoing those plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been very nonplus by their analysis. So, I vetoed that because we dont need to give a bureaucracy money to study this. We know what needs to be done. So, lets just do it, DeSantis said at the 2025 budget signing. DeSantis wants to bypass the study and take this issue straight to the ballot in 2026, which would require 60% voter approval. But without a comprehensive study, its unclear whether lawmakers will have all the data they need to craft a proposal, especially with impacts differing county by county. We here in the Senate are going to have lots of conversation in our finance and tax committee, maybe even through the summer, to figure out how do we take maybe some of the proposals that came out of the House, maybe some of the proposals that came out of the governors office; how do we take all of this together and build a system that helps Floridians, said Senate President Ben Albritton. On the other side of the chamber, House members are conducting their own select committee on the subject and were tasked to head back home to their districts and talk to local governments about possible routes to take. Lawmakers now must choose to pursue bold reform quickly or take even more time diving into the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. July 5 (UPI) -- Five Florida state Democrat lawmakers on Thursday were denied access to the state's newly opened "migrant" detention facility that has been dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz." State Representatives Michele Rayner, Anna Eskamani and Angie Nixon and Senators Carlos Guillermo Smith and Shevrin Jones were turned away while attempting to tour the facility, The Hill reported. State law enforcement officers from several agencies stopped the lawmakers from entering the facility after showing up for an unannounced inspection of the facility that President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis toured on Tuesday and before detainees arrived there. Safety concerns cited Eskamani said they were told they could not tour the facility due to "safety concerns," CNN reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If it's unsafe for us, how is it safe for the detainees?" Eskamani said she asked the general counsel for the Florida Division of Emergency Management. The Florida lawmakers said they have the legal authority to inspect the detention facility. "Florida law gives legislators the authority to make unannounced visits to state-run facilities," Jones said in a post on X made on Thursday afternoon. Jones said the group went to the detention facility "to inspect conditions and check on the well-being of the people inside." A group statement issued on Thursday accuses state officials of a "blatant abuse of power and an attempt to conceal human rights violations from the public eye." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The facility received its first 500 detainees midweek and eventually will be capable of holding up to 3,000 detainees while undergoing deportation proceedings. Not a federal facility The detention facility is located in the Everglades along U.S. 41, about 70 miles west of Miami. A local airport previously occupied the site, which Florida officials converted into a detention facility in eight days, DeSantis said while touring it with Trump on Tuesday. Although Trump toured it, the facility is not a federal operation. "The Department of Homeland Security has not implemented, authorized, directed or funded Florida's temporary detention center," DHS attorneys said in a court filing made on Thursday, the Miami Herald reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The filing is in response to a lawsuit challenging the detention facility's purpose, which prompted the Department of Justice to defend its existence. The DOJ "has defended President Trump's immigration agenda in court since day one and we are proud to protect 'Alligator Alcatraz' from baseless, politically motivated legal schemes," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement issued on Thursday. Florida officials are considering adding two more such facilities to help hold and process detainees who are undergoing deportation proceedings. The Department of Defense is deploying 200 Marines to Florida to assist with logistical and administrative support. The Brief A West Bend man has been sentenced for a Fond du Lac County crash, which happened on New Year's Eve 2023. Court records show he was convicted of hit-and-run, among other charges. Prosecutors said, based on witness accounts, he hit a woman with his car. He was not charged in her death. FOND DU LAC, Wis. - A West Bend man convicted in connection with a Fond du Lac County crash, which happened on New Year's Eve 2023, has been sentenced. Jatziel Encarnacion In Court Court records show 20-year-old Jatziel Encarnacion pleaded no contest to hit-and-run involving injury and reckless driving causing great bodily harm. He pleaded guilty to a third, misdemeanor count. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Encarnacion was sentenced to three years' probation and 120 days in jail, according to court records. While prosecutors said, based on witness accounts, Encarnacion hit 19-year-old Taya Grimes with his car he is not charged in her death. Taya Grimes New Year's Eve crash The backstory The crash happened just after 1 a.m. on Dec. 31, 2023. Fond du Lac County investigators said a silver Chevrolet hit a culvert and rolled over multiple times. Five people were inside, and deputies said four of them were ejected from the vehicle. The driver, since identified as Grimes, died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a criminal complaint, that crash happened on Highway 45 in the township of Auburn in Fond du Lac County. A Fond du Lac County sheriff's deputy responded to the scene shortly after 1 a.m. He spotted the Chevrolet in a farm field with significant damage. One person was lying in the middle of the road, unresponsive but breathing. EMS personnel attended to that person. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Occupants of the vehicle involved in the crash included: The driver, 19-year-old Taya Grimes of Hartford, died. A 17-year-old male passenger from Iron Ridge was transported by ambulance to Froedert Hospital Milwaukee with critical injuries. A 16-year-old female passenger from Theresa was transported by ambulance to Childrens Hospital Milwaukee with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. A 17-year-old passenger from Milwaukee was transported by ambulance to Froedtert West Bend with minor injuries. A 21-year-old passenger from Iron Ridge was transported by civilian vehicle to Aurora Medical Center Washington County with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Fatal crash in Township of Auburn, Fond du Lac County Dig deeper The complaint said the Fond du Lac County sheriff's deputy was informed by a Washington County deputy that another person, later identified as Grimes, was found dead in the road approximately three miles south of the crash on Highway 45. The Washington County medical examiner indicated Grimes suffered injuries "consistent with being ejected from a vehicle and/or struck and dragged by a vehicle," the complaint said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A witness at the scene of the crash told police he was driving a white Volkswagen and swerved to avoid a body in the road, according to the complaint. A passenger in the Volkswagen said, after the driver swerved, he looked back and saw Encarnacion's car a red Mazda "come through the crash scene." The Volkswagen passenger said it looked like the red Mazda hit Grimes and "clipped" the second victim in the road. The complaint states, according to the Volkswagen passenger, that Encarnacion was driving "about 40-50 mph" when he hit Grimes and the second victim. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Witnesses told police, per the complaint, there had been a party near Kewaskum, and most people brought their own alcohol to the party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the complaint, a witness said Grimes was at that party and had been drinking. The witness said Encarnacion was "showing off" his car at the party and was drunk "swaying back and forth." That witness left the party as a passenger in a black Mazda, and also came upon the crash scene. The witness said they heard a "loud thump or noise as the car came through and pulled up," the complaint said. The witness told authorities it was Encarnacion's car, and he could "clearly" see Grimes' hoodie underneath Encarnacion's car. The complaint states multiple witnesses described to investigators that Encarnacion's car did stop after passing the scene, but he then drove away. While both victims were in the road when he pulled through, prosecutors said only one was still at the scene after he drove off. Encarnacion in custody What they're saying Around 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, the complaint states Encarnacion walked into the West Bend Police Department to speak with officers about the crash. He admitted to being at an underage drinking party the night before near Kewaskum, according to prosecutors, and admitted to drinking there but denied purchasing or providing any alcohol to others. The complaint said he did not want to provide any more details about the party, only that he "left the party to drive straight home and he didn't stop on the way home," per the complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When questioned more about the crash scene, prosecutors said Encarnacion admitted to driving through the crash site on Highway 45. The complaint states he said he "struck an object" in the road, which he described as quickly going over a speed bump. He consented to a search of the red Mazda he had been driving, and deputies found "signs of blood, hair" on the vehicle which had exterior damage on all sides. Encarnacion was then arrested. While prosecutors said, based on witness accounts, Encarnacion hit Grimes he is not charged in her death. The Source Information in this report is from the Fond du Lac County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court. (NewsNation) If you are looking to avoid mosquito bites this summer, scientists say eating garlic or rubbing it on your body wont help. While studies in recent years have found that applying essential oils to skin, including garlic oil, can briefly deter mosquito bites, experts say there are far more effective repellents. As a repellent, I think its extremely mild at best, Daniel Markowski, a technical adviser for the American Mosquito Control Association said in an interview with The Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate megabill marks biggest Medicaid cuts in history According to the AMCA, a chemical mixture known as DEET has been considered the gold standard of mosquito repellents for more than 50 years. It can be applied directly onto skin or clothing and is available in a variety of formats, including liquids, sprays and lotions. In 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency conducted a review of DEET and did not identify any risks of concern to human health. It is important to note that DEET can cause skin irritation, so experts advise against using it in excess, inhaling it or using it on skin that is already irritated or has wounds. Former FDA chief: Ultraprocessed foods are addictive like drugs Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The AMCA notes that there are more than 3,000 different species of mosquitos throughout the world, 176 of which are recognized in the U.S. While most mosquito bites result in small, red, itchy bumps, experts advising seeking medical attention if symptoms worsen as mosquitos can spread illnesses like the West Nile virus and Zika. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. A former AOC supporter has come out with a stark warning for young Big Apple voters in the wake of socialist Zohran Mamdanis Democratic primary victory. If I was 25, I wouldve been obsessed with Zohran, Lucy Biggers admits in a video she posted last week on X. Lucy Biggers says socialist programs dont work because rich people flee to avoid higher taxes. Lucy Biggers/X Now Im 35, and Ive grown up. The feel-good promises of free college, free food, free housing might sound great, but they dont work. She goes on to explain her view that socialist policies make cities poorer because rich people leave, while everyone else is left stuck with higher taxes and little to show for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Biggers said she was really taken by AOC when they met in 2018 and they were both in their 20s. Lucy Biggers/Instagram Biggers, who works in media, says she helped propel AOC from a virtual unknown to political juggernaut in 2018. I met AOC when she was basically a nobody. And I really thought she had something special going on, so I booked her for an interview at our studios, Biggers told The Post. She produced a viral video for progressive social media site Now This which Ocasio-Cortez campaign ended up paying to promote on social media. Biggers was a big supporter of AOC back in 2018. Lucy Biggers/X They downloaded it, and they used it as a campaign asset . . . they used it as a digital ad, said Biggers, whos now social media editor at The Free Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AOC shockingly defeated 10-term incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley in the 2018 Democratic Primary for New Yorks 14th Congressional District, before she went on to win the seat in the midterm election that November. The video got her message out. At that time, no one cared about AOC, she was not on cable news, Biggers recalled. Ocasio-Cortez was a big boost to fellow socialist Zohran Mamdani mayoral campaign for NYC. LP Media Fast forward seven years, and Biggers, who now is a homeowner and a mother of two in Connecticut, is seeing things a bit differently. She said the pandemic and the impact of government spending was a big turning point. As you grow up, you start to see the world less black and white. You cant sell this bill of goods that promises to create a utopia in America, said Biggers, who works in the city. Biggers said she met AOC on a few occasions back in 2018. Lucy Biggers/Instagram Theres a glorification of socialism among young people. They dont know what happened in Cuba, Venezuela, the USSR. They glamorize these countries and are indoctrinated into thinking the US is bad. Its very naive . . . its embarrassing, she said, reflecting on her own views back then. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Voter energy behind Mamdani is authentic, but the enthusiasm is entirely misplaced, Biggers said. Biggers said she is seeing many parallels between Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani. William Miller Its young people who want to make a change. And he ran a really great campaign honestly, she said. But I just think its selling a fantasy that ultimately doesnt work. Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdanis offices declined to comment. NEED TO KNOW Brent Slough, a 42-year-old father of two and former Army Ranger, is recovering in a Miami ICU after being struck by a boat propeller while snorkeling in the Bahamas on June 30 Brent's wife, Whitney Slough, told Dallas outlet WFAA that the boat came out of nowhere and never stopped Brent, who was hit by the propeller underneath the buttocks and the legs, underwent surgery and remains in the ICU A former Army Ranger and father of two was seriously injured after being struck by a boat propeller while snorkeling in the Bahamas during a family vacation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On June 30, Brent Slough of Prosper, Texas, was spending time in the water near the shores of Exuma when this boat came out of nowhere and never stopped," his wife, Whitney Slough, told Dallas outlet WFAA. They know they hit him, they saw him snorkeling, she said. And they drove off." Brent, 42, recalled to CBS News Texas that when he surfaced after being struck, he looked to his right and saw "two guys in a boat and one of them looks back and they just keep on going." The boat's propeller hit Brent "right underneath the buttocks and the legs and just sliced him there, Whitney recalled to WFAA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whitney and Brent told CBS News Texas that the propeller nearly sliced off the lower half of Brent's body. "His bottom was almost completely detached from his legs," Whitney said, while Brent added, "My left leg wasn't functioning, and I felt like something was wrong with my lower body." Getty The Bahamas (stock image) The Bahamas (stock image) With the help of several good Samaritans, Whitney pulled Brent from the water and quickly wrapped him in towels to stem the bleeding, per WFAA. He was taken to a local hospital before the family paid for him to be flown to a Miami hospital on July 1. There, Brent who had sustained a fractured pelvis and leg and deep gashes underwent a four-hour surgery. Whitney told WFAA that the surgical team couldn't stitch up his wounds because they are so deep and instead have been packing them while Brent heals. She said they feel incredibly "lucky that he's alive." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He knows God kept him alive for a reason, and he has a purpose here, and its bigger than us, Whitney said of her husband, a West Point graduate who served in the military for six years and completed a tour of Iraq. Whitney told WFAA that Bahamian authorities are searching for the boat and crew responsible for the incident. "Theres no way that they should be able to get away with this," she said. She told CBS News Texas that she won't stop until her family gets justice. "They're going to be found," she said. "It's against the law to be within 200 feet of the shore. Brent was about 20 feet out. I just wish they would turn themselves in, but if they don't turn themselves in, then we have to find them." 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. Amid Brent's recovery, a family friend has set up a GoFundMe to help the Sloughs cover his medical expenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "His upcoming medical needs are great but we know God will move to make this happen for the Slough family," the fundraiser's message reads. "Please give what you can to help chip away at these expenses, and, above all, pray for Brent, Whitney [and daughters] Layla and Emma as they navigate next steps and learn more about what his road to recovery will look like." As of Saturday, July 5, nearly $67,000 had been raised toward an $80,000 goal. Read the original article on People When I was a medical student, some enterprising classmate started a note taking service so we wouldnt have to take notes on our own. He set up a tape recorder and transcribed the notes for distribution the next day. One day, our professor showed up with a tape recorder, set it up on the table in front of the lecture hall, and turned it on. The result was an electronic pas de deux of tandem tape decks whispering to each other as the lecture hall emptied. The model has not changed much since then. Research shows that active learning gets more results than passive learning. One medical school finally got the memo and has eliminated those dreaded lectures, that, until now, every medical student has experienced. Give up power to empower. This is the teachers mantra for teaching. For too long, students have been conditioned not to have power in their education. As PBL helps to empower students, the teacher must be willing to give up the power to them. Dont be a helicopter. Be present, but also give space for them to take ownership and problem solve. Medical school education is badly in need of reform and should follow these principles: Whatever we recommend should be aligned with the vision and mission of the institution. Teaching hospitals are but a part of a community of care and their roles are being redefined not just in the areas of clinical care, but research and education as well. The goal is to create graduates who can serve the needs of the community by improving population health, reducing per capita costs, and improving the patient and provider experience. Education and research are stepchildren to clinical care. Just follow the money. Education is different than training. Management is different from leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Terms like innovation, value, and disruption are used often, with great passion, misinterpretation, and misunderstanding. Those that dont walk the talk can only come back to the well so many times. Teaching is not easy or free, only considered by those who pay the bills to be so. What, who, when, and how we teach and measure outcomes is insufficient, costly, and badly in need of innovation. Education needs to be responsive to the forces driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Students should be selected based on their Steampathie (thanks, Thomas Friedman). Based on survey data, here are some things medical schools should improve: Offer career services Do a better job with customer service Cut the costs Offer digital health and data science courses Rethink how to test competencies, not recall Change how applicants are screened and selected Use technologies to teach Assign every student a mentor Create associate degrees in medicine Offer bioentrepreneurship education and training Education should be active, not passive. Ive been a student and teacher for many years and have participated in online, hybrid, and face-to-face formats, proctored case-based learning groups, serve as an iCorps teacher, and have been a surgical attending for my entire career. Heres what Ive learned: Active learning takes passive teaching. Medical educators are not taught to teach, regardless of whether it is active or passive. Using a flipped classroom and facilitating active learning takes more planning and is harder than giving a 50-slide PPT presentation. Some students thrive in an active learning environment. Others sit and say nothing. In most group learning situations, 20 percent of the participants will do 80 percent of the work. Since all medical students are required to pass several multiple-choice tests to practice, the end result is they learn to the test. If you choose the students in the top 0.5 percent of academic achievement and tell them they will have to pass a test in two years, they will find a way to pass it regardless of how you occupy their time in the interim. In many instances, particularly when students are tested on recall rather than problem solving or interpretation, the teacher is a placebo and their teaching ability is not correlated with student outcomes. Everyone thinks teaching is easy, anyone can do it, and medical schools shouldnt have to pay for it. Education is probably the least important part of entrepreneurial education. What really counts are resources, mentors, networks, experience, and peer support. You can be PowerPointless by using: Guest speakers and fireside chats Office hours Flipped classroom Case-based learning Project team learning Problem-based learning Student-designed goals and learning objectives Open education resources Student engagement techniques Simulations Pulling the plug on lectures sounds like a good idea. Without consistent and proper alignment with premed and postgraduate residency training, however, it might just be another lesson learned. You can pick up your notes at the usual place tomorrow at 7 a.m. Arlen Meyers is a physician executive. A former liberal climate activist who now embraces conservative ideals claimed young New York City voters who cast their ballot for the mayoral Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani are misguided, and that his policies will make them poorer. Lucy Biggers, a 35-year-old woman who once heavily advocated for environmental-saving policies but has since abandoned them, is using her social media following to promote her new beliefs that align more closely with Republicans: lower taxes, less regulation, and less government intervention. She has also downplayed the current impact of climate change on weather. Taking to TikTok, Biggers tried to relate to Mamdanis supporters by saying she, too, would have loved a candidate like Mamdani when she was young, but she now sees his policies as flawed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Referring to young voters as people with underdeveloped frontal lobes, Biggers said Mamdani appealed to the group of voters by selling them a fantasy that ultimately doesnt work. Youre indoctrinated as a young person in America to believe that capitalism is bad and all your problems is because of these evil business owners, Biggers said in her TikTok video. A former liberal social media influencer claims Zohran Mamdanis policies will hurt New York City (Getty) I have to warn young people who are caught up in the Mamdani vibes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, Biggers claimed. Mamdani, who conservatives have portrayed as a radical socialist, has said he wants to implement a freeze on rent-stabilized apartments, expand free fares on city buses, open a city-owned grocery store, and raise taxes on the wealthy and corporations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His policies seek to create equality in the city, which is widely popular with Democratic voters. Ultimately, he beat the established Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary last month. However, Biggers believes that raising taxes on the wealthy in the largest city in the United States will drive them away, forcing lower- and middle-class taxpayers to foot the bill for government-paid-for policies. His policies are not going to be the things that fix our city or our government. The policies that we really, really need is less regulation, less taxes, Biggers asserted. Lucy Biggers, a former liberal climate activist, now promotes more Republican-aligned ideals (Fox News) The social media personality told the New York Post that young people glorify socialism because they dont know what happened in Cuba, Venezuela, the USSR. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seeking to relate to people on TikTok, Biggers claimed she helped get Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive Representative in New York, elected in 2018. At the time, Biggers worked for NowThis, which filmed a video with Ocasio-Cortez that went viral. However, YouTube channels like The Young Turks had already been profiling Ocasio-Cortez before the NowThis video. Biggers now works for The Free Press, a right-leaning online media organization that sought investments from David Sacks, Marc Andreessen, Howard Schultz, and more. However, from the TikTok comments, it appears Biggers has not convinced a major audience of her beliefs. Many cited her place of employment as a major influence on her anti-Mamdani rhetoric. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley announced the death of her mother, Raj Kaur Randhawa, on social media Saturday. She passed away on July 4. She loved her family more than anything, Haley wrote in a Facebook post. My strength and determination came from her. I will forever be proud to say I am my mothers daughter. During the 2024 presidential primary, Raj Kaur Randhawa joined her daughter at the voting booth. Haleys father, Ajit Singh Randhawa, was battling cancer at the time and died that year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Born in Indias Punjab region, Raj Kaur Randhawa studied law at the University of New Delhi, according to People. Before coming to South Carolina, Haleys parents lived in Canada while her father worked on his doctorate. The family settled in Bamberg in 1969, where Haleys mother later opened a boutique. Im convinced she left us on 4th of July because she wanted to go out with a bang, Haleys post read. But the beauty of it all is that she loved this country and all it gave to her, my dad, and our family for over 50 years. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham sent his condolences in a post on X. Mrs. Randhawa was a terrific and wonderful lady who brought much joy to her family and friends, Graham wrote in the post. She truly lived the American dream. Haley was elected governor in 2010 and 2014, resigning in 2017 to become United Nations ambassador. She campaigned for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. A former Wabash Valley resident pursuing a masters degree in Tel Aviv, Israel is determined to stay there, despite the conflict with Iran that has resulted in missile attacks. Sidney Zoll Fulford, 25, attended both Forest Park Elementary and North Clay Middle School. Shes lived in both Terre Haute and Clay County. Now, she is in Israel to pursue a masters in cyber politics and government from Tel Aviv University; she has a Fulbright Scholarship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Damages in Tel Aviv This photo, provided by Sidney Zoll Fulford, shows an impact site in Tel Aviv resulting from an Iranian missile strike. Currently, she is back and forth between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv for friends and events; the two cities are about 30 minutes away by train. She will begin her studies in Tel Aviv in October; Fulford was staying in Tel Aviv during the escalation of tensions with Iran. I have been living in Israel on and off since 2018 for various personal and professional reasons, she said in an email interview. She is currently a dual-degree student between Johns Hopkins University and Tel Aviv University. Her first masters from John Hopkins was in international affairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I chose Tel Aviv for personal reasons, such as friends and family, but also the opportunities in cybersecurity and politics, Fulford said. My interest in the Middle East really grew at Indiana University during my political science and history degrees. I worked at the Statehouse during an internship for three months, but I decided I was more interested in international politics. Fulford returned to Israel just before the conflict with Iran escalated. I knew things were unstable, but I didnt know when another round of Iranian missiles would come. They have been doing this every few months since the 7th of October, she wrote. Life at this time was similar to the U.S. during the pandemic. Only essential businesses were open and hospitals moved to critical services only; people worked remotely to remain close to the shelters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think Israelis are used to the constant rockets and missiles, but Iran always creates extra anxiety. I didnt get much sleep due to the constant alerts to enter the shelter, she said. However, everyone was in good spirits overall. The most severe strike was a missile hitting a building near where she was staying, she wrote. The U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, the old French Embassy, and many businesses were impacted. This moment was extremely anxiety-inducing for me and others I was with because the impact was loud and you never know what it was until you are allowed to exit, Fulford said. Erin Withers and Sidney Zoll Fulford Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erin Withers and her daughter, Sidney Zoll Fulford, who is in Israel on a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue a masters in cyber politics and government. She added, I dont worry about my safety because I trust the protocols in place, such as the shelters. In my perspective, I will only return to the States when I decide to, but not out of pressure from terrorist groups or regimes. Their goal is to cause fear and push political change through terror. I enjoy my life here, so I wont let them change it for me. After the ceasefire, there were huge parties in Israel and everything felt normal instantly. Israelis are very resilient with a lot of love for Americans, which I feel everyday. In general, the Middle East is always changing, and I hope it will be for the better. The current regimes across the region are distracting to international media, but it is important to remember the people on the ground, she said. Her career goals are rooted in diplomacy, with a focus in collaborative efforts between the U.S., France, and Israel in areas of cybersecurity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am very open to different opportunities, such as working in the U.S. Embassy or in different international organizations, such as the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). It will become clearer after my Fulbright year, she said. Fulfords mother is local resident Erin Withers. Im very proud of her and all that she is accomplishing. She is a very strong young woman and knows what she wants. Id be lying if I said it doesnt scare me her being there, Withers said. But, I stopped watching the news here and I am getting the information from her. Former WCCO anchor Pauleen Le joins Twin Cities housing nonprofit originally appeared on Bring Me The News. Former WCCO anchor and reporter Pauleen Le will join the nonprofit world after leaving the station last month. Le made her final appearance on WCCO on June 20 following three years of morning broadcasts. On Thursday, Le announced shed be joining affordable housing nonprofit Project for Pride in Living as director of communications and marketing, as first reported by the Star Tribune. Pauleen Le Facebook For nearly 15 years, Ive had a front row seat to history - observing and reporting on big issues in our communities and in our country. Now I get to be an active part of the solution," Le wrote on Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Eagan native returned to the Twin Cities to join WCCO in 2022 after working at stations in Wisconsin and Indiana. She received an Emmy for Outstanding Coverage for Breaking/Spot News Coverage in 2023. Project for Pride in Living, based in Minneapolis, builds and manages affordablr housing across the Twin Cities, and provides programs for residents to help them obtain and maintain employment. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared. Fort Bragg Federal Credit Union recently donated $3,000 to the Army Fisher House at Fort Bragg, continuing its longstanding commitment to supporting military families during times of medical crisis. A portion of the donation was awarded to the FBFCU through the AFFN Military Community Support Program, which provides funding to organizations that serve military members, veterans and their families. With this latest contribution, the FBFCU donations to the Army Fisher House have reached $9,000 over the past few years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fort Bragg Army Fisher House, located at 3120 Loop Road near Womack Army Medical Center, offers a comforting, no-cost place for families to stay while their loved ones receive critical medical treatment. It enables families to remain together, prepare meals and find community support during difficult times. Supporting the Army Fisher House is one way we can help ease the burden on military families facing challenging circumstances, said Todd Kenthack, president/CEO of Fort Bragg Federal Credit Union. We are proud to partner with AFFN in giving back to the communities we serve. FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) The City of Fort Smith held its annual Mayors 4th of July Celebration on Friday at Harry E. Kelley River Park. Thousands of people gathered at Harry E. Kelley River Park for the event. Mayor of Fort Smith, George McGill said this is the biggest event the River Valley hosts all year. Were expecting capacity on the river front. So, five, six, seven, 8000 people will show up and many will not be here, but theyll be in the surrounding area where they can see the fireworks show, McGill said. Downtown Fort Smith where the fireworks are visible. So, all of downtown Fort Smith is going to be rocking today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bella Vistas July 4th parade honors veterans The free, public event ran from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and included live music, food trucks, childrens activities and a fireworks display over the Arkansas River. This years headliner, pop artist Shaylen, performed at 8 p.m., leading into the fireworks show at 9:30 p.m. accompanied by the River Valley Community Band. The event also featured performances by DJ Swilsonn, the River Valley Community Band, beem! and Trevor Phelps. Mayor George McGill delivered opening remarks, and Fort Smith Junior ROTC presented a patriotic 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 KNWA FOX24. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Four people were hospitalized Friday evening after being attacked by a dog in southwest Columbus. One killed in Franklinton shooting A police dispatcher told NBC4 that officers were called to South Souder Avenue after receiving numerous calls on a dog attack after 9 p.m. At least four victims were found at the scene and taken to two different hospitals. One victim was transported to Grant Medical Center in critical condition while the other three were taken to an Ohio State hospital in stable condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police has yet to release additional details on the dog or specifics on the injuries sustained. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MONTEVALLO, Ala. (WIAT) Hundreds gathered on the grounds of Montevallos American Village to meet with some of Americas greatest heroes on the Fourth of July. With the launch of a cannon and the firing of a musket, Americas 249th birthday kicked off. At American Village, families enjoyed good food and learned about the history of our countrys beginnings. For the Comardelle family, today is about remembering the heritage of the United States. You have a lot of great access to education, and all these great things, said Lawrence Comardelle. I think after 250 years, you can lose sight of how hard people worked and how many people died to give us the freedoms that we have. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alison Comardelle said they always try to celebrate those freedoms at American Village. This is [our kids] first year to be here for the Independence Day celebration, she said. So, were really excited to share this as a family of four. And across campus at American Villages Mount Vernon, an actor portraying President George Washington shared a bit of history with visitors. He also shared what today meant to him. It was the struggle for independence for this country, Washington said. So, you can do what you want to do. And go after those things that you want to go after. And be whatever you want to be in this country, versus having to fall under the confines of another countrys guidelines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UAB burn surgeon warns of dangers with improper fireworks use Nearly 250 years after that struggle, Washington encouraged everyone to get involved in government. That way, you become part of the solution, not just complaining constantly about it, he said. And Melanie Poole with the American Village said to remember how those original 13 colonies came together to form a new nation. Remember the veterans that fought for us to preserve our freedoms, Poole said. Remember what this day means. And, if you have a chance, do come see us at American Village. Poole said the doors close at 8 p.m., and the fireworks will kick off at 9:00. She said to remember what it means to be an American. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. HUNT, Texas The frantic search for a group of missing girls attending a summer camp in Texas continues Saturday, as dozens of girls remain unaccounted for after historic flooding swept through their campsite on Friday morning. Camp Mystic is an all-girls Christian summer camp located right along the Guadalupe River, 18 miles from Kerrville in Hunt, Texas. Historic flooding ripped through Kerr County on Friday morning, as a "deadly flood wave" moved down the Guadalupe River, the National Weather Service said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kerrville Slammed By Historic Flooding As Search And Rescue Crews Scramble To Find Missing Children, Adults Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said in a press conference on Saturday morning that 27 girls from Camp Mystic were still unaccounted for. The camp was hosting 750 girls when the flooding happened. Camp Mystic said in a note to parents on Friday that parents whose daughters were missing would be personally contacted. "Please continue to pray and send any help if you have contact to do so," the camp said to parents. The camp was without power, water or Wi-Fi during search and rescue efforts on Friday. The main access roads had washed out, leaving access difficult for rescue teams. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Catastrophic Flooding Leaves At Least 24 Dead, Dozens Missing As 'Deadly Flood Wave' Swept Central Texas Kerr County officials said in a Friday evening press conference that 27 people were found dead across the county, with the number expected to rise as an unknown number of people are still missing. Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for Kerr County and 14 other counties in Texas Hill Country amid the flooding. "We will not stop," Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said, "until we find every last person." Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said more than 850 people had been evacuated so far in Kerr County. Original article source: Frantic search for dozens of missing girls from Camp Mystic after historic flooding in Texas Hill Country Hundreds of rescuers have been deployed to search for people missing in central Texas, after flash floods killed 51 people, including 15 children. The worst affected area is Kerr County where 43 people have died and where 27 children remain missing from a Christian youth camp located along the River Guadalupe. "The work continues, and will continue, until everyone is found," promised Larry Leitha, the sheriff of Kerr County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People have also been confirmed dead in other parts of the state, including Travis County and Tom Green County. Multiple flash flood warnings remain in place over the weekend in central Texas. About 850 people have been rescued so far. At a news conference on Saturday afternoon, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he had signed an expanded disaster declaration to boost search efforts. He said officials would be relentless in ensuring they locate "every single person who's been a victim of this event", adding that "we will stop when the job is completed". [BBC] It remains a search and rescue mission, officials said, not a recovery effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They said rescuers were going up and down the Guadalupe River to try to find people who may have been swept away by the floods. US President Donald Trump said his administration was working closely with local authorities to respond to the emergency. Forecasters have warned that central Texas may see more flooding this weekend. The National Weather Service (NWS) said the area could see 2 to 5in (5cm to 12cm) of rain on Saturday. Up to 10in of rain was possible in some areas badly affected by Friday's deluge. [Getty Images] Much of the rescue has focused on a large all-girls' Christian summer camp called Camp Mystic, located along the banks of the Guadalupe River. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told the BBC's Radio 4 PM programme many of 27 missing girls were "under the age of 12". Pictures from the camp show it in disarray, with blankets, mattresses, teddy bears and other belongings caked in mud. Many were asleep when the river rose more than 26ft (8m) in less than an hour in the early hours of Friday. In an email to parents of the roughly 750 campers, Camp Mystic said that if they had not been contacted directly, their child had been accounted for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More details of those who died have started to emerge - some were as young as eight. It has also been confirmed sisters Blair and Brooke Harber, who were 13 and 11, are among the dead. A special Mass will be held at Notre Dame Catholic Church on Sunday for those who died or are missing, and their families. Scores of campers holidaying during the Independence Day weekend, were also unaccounted for. Lorena Guillen, whose home and restaurant were destroyed, had 28 holidaymakers' cars staying on her land near the river. She told the BBC News Channel that she heard screams from a family of five. "They were getting washed away," Guillen said. "They were clinging on trees to be rescued. But the rescuers couldn't get to them." 'It could have been me' At the Arcadia Live theatre in Kerrville, parents were reunited with their daughters who had been staying at Camp Waldemor [BBC] Rachel Reed drove five hours from Dallas to pick up her daughter. She told the BBC that members of her Church and children's school district were among the girls dead and missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The families of those campers are living every parent's worst nightmare," she said. "Of course, it could have been me." Others started returning to the flooded areas. Jonathan and Brittany Rojas visited their relatives' home - where only the foundation remained. They told the BBC that the mother and a baby of the family remained missing. A teenage son, Leo, survived after he became snared in barbed wire. Another resident, Anthony, found his apartment full of mud and debris. His belongings were not salvageable, except a box holding childhood photos and his baby blanket. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I lost everything I own," he told the BBC. "Now I'm trying to figure things out." Additional reporting by Iona Hampson in Texas and Ana Faguy in Washington. Have you been affected by flooding in Texas? Please get in touch if it is safe to do so. LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)- As some Americans celebrate Independence Day, others are using the holiday to speak out in the nationwide Free America protest. The protest was held in downtown Lafayette on Lee and Jefferson Avenue. Demonstrators are speaking out on their concerns with the Trump administrations policies on issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, ICE raids, and immigration policies. Annie Hollier, one demonstrator, shared shes concerned about possible cuts to healthcare that could come as a result of President Trumps big beautiful bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oh my god the hospitals, said Hollier. Im from Abbeville, Louisiana, it has a rural hospital, those people will have to come, if you have an emergency, you will have to come all the way to Lafayette, speak to some nurses, speak to some doctors, people and children are going to die. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest Vicki Robin is a naturalized citizen in America, who is originally from Canada. She said she is aware of how documentation issues may affect others whove gone through the same process. My parents are from America, but I was actually born in Canada, said Robin. Ive done the naturalization thing, but Ive heard that they are going after naturalized citizens looking for any little mistake in their documentations in order to deport them, theres a lot of people that are Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hollier urges others to speak out if they want change to happen in their communities. I want them to know that they need to pay attention, I need them to know that theyre sneaking things through, hidden on napkins, and were not paying attention, this is not America, and we need to speak up, and we have the right to speak up, said Hollier. Protesters in downtown Lafayette are speaking out their concerns on the Presidents administration and highlighting issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, ICE raids, and immigration policies. Latest news Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. A free community festival has returned to "bring fun back" to a city's estate for a second year. The Leys Festival took place at Blackbird Leys Park, in Oxford, and was co-produced by residents of the Leys community and the University of Oxford Cultural Programme. It offered "a day celebrating all the creativity and energy of Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys" through arts activities, food and live music performances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lead organiser Erica Whyman said the event's name One People, One Place represented its spirit. The African food stall offered food from all over the continent, such as Ghanaian street food, Gambian chicken and Sudanese cakes [BBC] The festival featured about 30 stalls with products from a range of different cultures. Jacqui Gitau was part of the team behind the African hotpot stall, run by the community interest company AFiUK. She said: "Our kelewele is Ghanaian street food, this chicken is Gambian, the lamb is Tanzanian, we have Sudanese cakes - the whole of Africa is here." Patrice and Denise, a mother and daughter team who lead the crafts event, said the festival "brings fun back into the Blackbird Leys". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's so much talent, so many things to do, it's a vibe and everyone loves it," Patrice said, adding that she hoped it happened "every single year". Denise said they had made a signature blackbird that hung from one of the trees. Other highlights included the painting of a mural and a tent celebrating the Windrush generation, which settled in the area. Former resident Mark Fuchs, who now lives in Oxford and returned especially for the event, said the area had "a good community feeling". A tent was dedicated to stories from people of the Windrush generation who settled in the area [BBC] Ms Whyman said they had wanted to make sure families felt they could come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "All of the food today was 5 or under," she said. She said that everyone had agreed with councillor Imade Edosomwan's suggestion to call the event One People, One Place. "That is the spirit of this place," she said. "There's a really fierce feeling that there's a story that doesn't get told about community resilience and people coming together." One of the highlights included the painting of a Blackbird Leys mural [BBC] You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Similar stories Related Links July 5 (UPI) -- French Archbishop Thibault Verny is the Vatican's new president of its Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors after opposing child abuse within the Episcopal Conference. Pope Leo XIV appointed Verny to succeed American Capuchin Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, with whom Verny worked to promote a "culture of protection for vulnerable people," Vatican News reported on Saturday. Verny is the Archbishop of Chambery and the Bishop of Maurienne and Tarentaise in France. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As president of the commission to protect minors, Verny said he will continue working to protect minors against sexual abuse and raise awareness within the church. "In France, my mission ... allowed me to listen to the victims and accompany them on their journey," Verny said. "It was a decisive experience." He also worked with law enforcement and other civil authorities to develop protocols for thwarting abuse within the church. "It is a matter of raising awareness among the various sepiscopates, religious orders and congregations in different countries about listening to and accompanying victims in a specific way," Verny said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We must continue to implement a mindset [and] a culture within the churches to spread the protection of minors and ensure that it becomes natural, both in the church and in family and also in society." His appointment comes as the Catholic Church works to address past wrongs and prevent future occurrences. Pope Francis in September visited Timor-Leste, during which he called for protecting youth amid a clergy abuse scandal in the island nation. He made the visit following the Vatican in 2022 disciplining Bishop Ximenes Belo, who had been accused of sexually abusing young boys during the 1980s and 1990s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The accusation was one of many that have plagued the Catholic Church for many years. In France, the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse published a 2,500-page report in 2021 after a three-year investigation. A French court sentenced a doctor to a 10-year prison term on Saturday for raping nine of his patients during medical consultations, according to a lawyer representing some of the victims. Thirty women filed complaints against the gynaecologist, in his 60s, accusing him of sexual assault during medical exams. The Haute-Savoie Court in eastern France found him guilty on Saturday of raping nine of the plaintiffs, said lawyer, Aurelie Zakar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four of the plaintiffs accused the gynaecologist of penetration with his genitals, while others complained of unjustified rectal exams and "vaginal massages" that they said the doctor presented as medically necessary. "The penetration suffered during consultations was not medical in nature and was, in fact, sexualised," said Zakar. "My three clients have been recognised as victims, they have been heard and believed. They can now rebuild their lives," she said. The doctor, from the eastern town of Bonneville, has denied all allegations. The debate was particularly "heated on the notion of intent", said a lawyer for three other plaintiffs, including two women who were minors at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The defendant presented the acts "as justified or never having happened," said Patricia Lyonnaz, adding that all the victims came to testify at the trial. "These are not women seeking revenge," said Lyonnaz. The defendant has 10 days to appeal. mla-ahe/ekf/cw French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal will not appeal his five-year prison sentence to Algeria's Supreme Court, sources close to the author said Saturday, as Paris stepped up its calls for him to be pardoned. The 80-year-old dual national was sentenced to five years in March on charges related to undermining Algeria's territorial integrity over comments made to a French media outlet. "According to our information, he will not appeal to the Supreme Court," the president of the author's support committee, Noelle Lenoir, told broadcaster France Inter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Moreover, given the state of the justice system in Algeria... he has no chance of having his offence reclassified on appeal," the former European affairs minister added. "This means that the sentence is final." Sources close to Sansal told AFP the writer had "given up his right to appeal". His French lawyer, Pierre Cornut-Gentille, declined to comment when contacted by AFP. French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said earlier this week he hoped Algeria would pardon the author, whose family has highlighted his treatment for prostate cancer. But Sansal was not on a list of thousands of people pardoned by Algeria's president on Friday, the eve of the country's independence day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement - 'Intolerable' - Bayrou returned the subject on Saturday. "Boualem Sansal has not been convicted for what he might have done but for opinions expressed," he told members of his party at a Paris meeting, the Parisien newspaper reported. "And that one of our compatriots, 80 years old and ill, is thus imprisoned is intolerable," he added. Lenoir said she remained hopeful. "We believe he will be released. It is impossible for Algeria to take responsibility for his death in prison," she said. A prize-winning figure in north African modern francophone literature, Sansal is known for his criticism of Algerian authorities as well as of Islamists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case against him arose after he told the far-right outlet Frontieres that France had unjustly transferred Moroccan territory to Algeria during the colonial period from 1830 to 1962. Algeria views that claim as a challenge to its sovereignty and one that aligns with longstanding Moroccan territorial assertions. Sansal was detained in November 2024 upon arrival at Algiers airport. On March 27, a court in the town of Dar El Beida sentenced him to a five-year prison term and fined him 500,000 Algerian dinars ($3,730). Appearing in court without legal counsel on June 24, Sansal said the case against him "makes no sense", as "the Algerian constitution guarantees freedom of expression and conscience". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The writer's conviction has further strained France-Algeria relations, already complicated by issues such as migration and France's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a disputed territory claimed by the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, an armed separatist movement. dax-cco/jj/jhb In the fall of 2023-24, Lebanon Community School Corporation (LCSC) launched their Tiger Community Ambassadors Program. The eight-session series invites parents and community members to learn more about the school corporation and to ask questions among administrators, educators and other school staff. Division leaders share facts, data and information. Its really a behind the scenes look. You often hear rumblings in the community or on social media about why a school doesnt do this or that and thats common, said Superintendent Dr. Jon Milleman. This gives us the opportunity to share with people why we can or cant and I think the community and parents have enjoyed the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre armed with more factual information and it allows them to share with others. Parents and members of the community apply to participate in the Tiger Community Ambassadors Program. Information on the fall session will be released soon, but in the meantime, several parents who participated in the program launched a new group, aimed at further uniting the community. What started Friends of Lebanon Schools was the community connection we felt at the Tiger Community Ambassadors Program, said volunteer and parent Denise Niblick. I have a rising first grader and Im watching Central [Elementary]s page but Im not watching whats going on at Harney or Hattie B. Stokes. This is a way to share the amazing things were doing, including all of the youth programs available in our community. Niblick said when approached, Milleman and others were supportive of what the group was trying to do. They even volunteered as spotlight speakers at their June community series. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each week in June, the community was invited to join them in an intimate but casual atmosphere in different locations across Lebanon and Whitestown for a Q&A session with LCSC leaders. One was cancelled due to inclement weather, so the public has one more opportunity to participate from 5:30 to 7:15 p.m. July 7 at the Lebanon Public Library. Weve had some incredible conversations. We have our leaders from different departments there to answer questions. For example, we learned from the transportation department and how the construction effects their planning to get the students to and from school, Niblack said. I think it speaks volumes that all of these people from our school corporation is willing to give up their evening to come out and talk to us. Milleman said hes happy to do it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were willing to step up to whatever a group like this asks us to do because its important to get accurate information out there. We want to be accessible and were proud of our outreaches. We allow the community ambassadors group to ask some pretty deep questions and its more of a conversational environment. That really speaks to our community involvement and their interest, Milliman said. In addition to the Friends of Lebanon Schools meeting on July 7, Milleman will present the annual State of the Schools in August. Information will be posted at https://www.leb.k12.in.us/ and interested parties can follow Friends of Lebanon Schools on Facebook for community-wide information and updates. I think when you look at investing your time and your energy, investing in the future of our workforce, our neighborhoods and civic life thats public education and however we can have an open line of communication, we want to continue that and its the best for all of us, Niblick said. Reports have revealed that Bryan Kohberger committed more murders than any current inmate on Idaho's Death Row. The former criminology student recently entered a guilty plea to the killings of four University of Idaho students, Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. As a result of the plea deal, Bryan Kohberger avoided the possibility of the death penalty and is now set to be sentenced to consecutive life terms in prison. Bryan Kohberger Would Have Joined Idaho's Death Row As Its 10th Inmate MEGA Earlier this week, Kohberger reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors, which partly saw him admit to four counts of murder in the deaths of University of Idaho students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Signing the deal meant that Kohberger wouldn't be tried for the crimes; instead, he would be directly sentenced to consecutive life terms at a later date in July. It also implied that Kohberger wouldn't face the death penalty, which was on the table if the case had gone to trial. Had Kohberger gone to trial, been found guilty, and sentenced to death, he would have become the tenth person on Idaho's Death Row, per TMZ. However, he stands out among these inmates as the one who committed the highest number of murders, which has raised questions about why prosecutors chose to agree to a plea deal. Bryan Kohberger Killed More People Than Inmates On Idaho's Death Row ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA Of the nine inmates currently on Idaho's Death Row, the closest to Kohberger's kill count is Robin Row, a woman who killed her husband and two children by setting their home on fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few others were sentenced for killing three people, while the rest were convicted of murdering one or two individuals. This new revelation has left several infuriated, with many insisting that Kohberger should have been tried and given the death penalty for the murder of the four Idaho students. One person on X said, "What kind of world do we live in that this guy is getting away with slaughtering those young kids? He needs to be tortured. No Question!" Another commented, "He should have been tried and fried. This ugly bastard. Should have made him say why for the families." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kohberger notably has never given a reason or motive behind his killings of the four students, even after pleading guilty on Wednesday. The Prosecutors Explained Why They Agreed To A Plea Deal Ada County Sheriff's Office/MEGA Pursuing a conviction in court could have resulted in a guilty verdict, but it would likely have triggered years of costly and time-consuming appeals from Kohberger. It also forces the victims' families to relive the deaths of their loved ones, an experience that can be profoundly traumatic. These reasons were hinted at in a letter written by prosecutors to the victims' families. "This resolution is our sincere attempt to seek justice for your family," they said, per ABC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This agreement ensures that the defendant will be convicted, will spend the rest of his life in prison, and will not be able to put you and the other families through the uncertainty of decades of post-conviction appeals," they added. "We hope that you may come to appreciate why we believe this resolution is in the best interest of justice." Victims' Families Were Divided Over The Guilty Plea Deal Indiana State Police/MEGA Some of the victims' families surprisingly supported the controversial plea deal offered to Kohberger. "We support the plea agreement 100%. While we know there are some who do not support it, we ask that they respect our belief that this is the best outcome possible for the victims, their families, and the state of Idaho," said Leander James, a lawyer for the Mogens, per News Nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the other hand, Steve Goncalves, father of Kaylee Goncalves and members of the Kernodle family, decried the agreement. "Idaho has failed. They failed me. They failed my whole family," said Steve in an interview with NBC's "Today" show. "It's my daughter. It's our children. How can you say it's just when you haven't even talked to us to see what justice looks like for us?" he added. Crime Author Weighs In On Why Bryan Kohberger Took A Plea Deal MEGA While Kohberger has yet to make a statement since the plea, a crime author and murder case expert has offered possible reasons why he agreed to the deal. "He's taking control through this deal because he's still living, breathing, and talking. As long as he can talk, he's got some control," author Jeff Guinn told the New York Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Waco author also claimed that Kohberger could potentially gain even more notoriety during his prison life. "The plea gives him a further chance to exist in a way that will get more attention and make him seem [to himself] more superhuman I doubt he's taking this plea to quietly disappear into the penal system," he added. Guinn further pointed out that with no trial, Kohberger gets to keep "certain secrets" about the murders, adding that it gives him the "upper hand." DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) July 4 provided lots of celebrations, festivals and fireworks to those across the Miami Valley. Scroll down to see how various communities celebrated. Centerville Americana Festival The annual Americana Festival was back and better than ever for its 51st year. Festival organizers anticipate the crowds totaled between 80,000 and 100,000 people across the two-day event. Dayton Lights in Flight The Dayton Recreation Department put on a spectacular show for those visiting Kettering Fields on July 3. The fireworks could be seen from across the Dayton area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Community honors fallen, unclaimed Navy veteran Fairborn festivities WDTNs own Kelley King got to participate in Fairborns parade Friday morning. Festivities continued through the day, concluding with fireworks. Moraines Star Spangled Boom Moraine residents not only got a fireworks show, but also a free concert by Jeff Stevens and Stranger. Yellow Springs parade Everyone was invited to join the annual Yellow Springs Independence Day parade. The mayor tells 2 NEWS its a fun tradition that everyone enjoys participating in throughout the village. Dayton businesses aiming high for Fourth of July weekend How fireworks shows are created Kettering lit up with a boom over Delco Park for their annual firework show. 2 NEWS even got a special look at how organizers and pyro techs create the show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To see how the Delco Park fireworks turned out, watch the video in the player at the top of this article. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Two US workers were injured while distributing food at an aid centre run by the controversial Gaza Health Foundation (GHF), the organization said in a statement on Saturday. The GHF said the "targeted terrorist attack" came during food distribution activities in Khan Younis in the south of the embattled strip. "The attack which preliminary information indicates was carried out by two assailants who threw two grenades at the Americans occurred at the conclusion of an otherwise successful distribution in which thousands of Gazans safely received food," the GHF said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No local aid workers or civilians were harmed, and the two people injured are being treated, the foundation said in a post on X. The statement could not initially be independently verified. The foundation began its work in the Gaza Strip at the end of May after an almost three-month Israeli blockade of aid deliveries. The GHF does not work with UN aid organizations, which criticize the foundation for operating far too few distribution centres and for exposing people in need of aid to extreme danger. Saturday's injuries come a day after UN data showed at least 509 Gazans have been killed at or near the GHF distribution points in the Gaza Strip since the end of May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military is responsible for the deadly incidents related to the distribution of humanitarian aid, according to Palestinian sources. The GHF said on Saturday it had repeatedly warned of "credible threats from Hamas, including explicit plans to target American personnel, Palestinian aid workers, and the civilians who rely on our sites for food." Two US workers were injured while distributing food at an aid centre run by the controversial Gaza Health Foundation (GHF), the organization said in a statement on Saturday. The GHF said the "targeted terrorist attack" came during food distribution activities in Khan Younis in the south of the embattled strip. "The attack which preliminary information indicates was carried out by two assailants who threw two grenades at the Americans occurred at the conclusion of an otherwise successful distribution in which thousands of Gazans safely received food," the GHF said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No local aid workers or civilians were harmed, and the two people injured are being treated, the foundation said in a post on X. The statement could not initially be independently verified. The foundation began its work in the Gaza Strip at the end of May after an almost three-month Israeli blockade of aid deliveries. The GHF does not work with UN aid organizations, which criticize the foundation for operating far too few distribution centres and for exposing people in need of aid to extreme danger. Saturday's injuries come a day after UN data showed at least 509 Gazans have been killed at or near the GHF distribution points in the Gaza Strip since the end of May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military is responsible for the deadly incidents related to the distribution of humanitarian aid, according to Palestinian sources. The GHF said on Saturday it had repeatedly warned of "credible threats from Hamas, including explicit plans to target American personnel, Palestinian aid workers, and the civilians who rely on our sites for food." The foundation has reported attacks on staff in the past, saying eight Palestinian employees were killed in an attack on their way to a centre in June. The foundation blamed the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas for the attack. "Today's attack tragically affirms those warnings," the GHF said. By Alexander Cornwell and Charlotte Greenfield JERUSALEM (Reuters) -The United States on Saturday blamed Hamas for an attack that injured two American aid workers from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation at a food distribution site in Gaza. The U.S.- and Israeli-backed GHF said in a statement that the injured Americans were receiving medical treatment and were in a stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The attack which preliminary information indicates was carried out by two assailants who threw two grenades at the Americans occurred at the conclusion of an otherwise successful distribution in which thousands of Gazans safely received food," the GHF said. U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce blamed "Hamas terrorists" for the attack. "This act of violence against the people actually bringing relief to Gazans lays bare the depravity of Hamas," she said in a post on X. "GHF has contributed over 62 MILLION MEALS - nothing will stop these courageous aid workers. We are praying for the rapid recovery of the injured Americans." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military earlier accused what it called "terrorist organisations" of sabotaging the distribution of aid in Gaza. GHF, which began distributing aid in Gaza in May, employs private U.S. military contractors to provide security at their sites. Gaza has seen an escalation in violence as efforts continue to reach a ceasefire agreement. Hamas on Friday said it had responded positively to a U.S.-brokered deal and was prepared to enter talks. U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. KILLINGS NEAR AID DISTRIBUTION SITES Gazan authorities reported at least 70 people have been killed in the territory by the Israeli military in the last 24 hours, including 23 near aid distribution sites. The ministry did not specify where or how exactly they had been killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the reports. In a statement on Friday, the military said troops had killed 100 militants in Gaza in the past week, and that it had "operational control" over 65% of Gaza after an offensive against Hamas fighters in the north. The Hamas-run interior ministry in Gaza on Thursday had warned residents of the coastal enclave not to assist the GHF, saying deadly incidents near its distribution sites endangered hungry Gazans. The GHF bypasses traditional aid channels, including the United Nations, which says the U.S.-based organisation is neither impartial nor neutral. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Israel lifted an 11-week aid blockade on Gaza on May 19, the U.N. says more than 400 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid handouts. A senior U.N. official said last week that the majority of people killed were trying to reach aid distribution sites of the GHF. The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Gaza's health ministry says Israel's retaliatory military assault on the enclave has killed over 57,000 Palestinians. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza's entire population and prompted accusations of genocide and war crimes. Israel denies the accusations. (Reporting by Alexander Cornwell, Charlotte Greenfield and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Mark Potter, Sharon Singleton and Daniel Wallis) Georgia court fines lawyer for apparent use of AI that generated inaccuracies For the first time ever in Georgia Appeals Court history, a lawyer is being fined for the apparent use of AI. The Georgia Court of Appeals found multiple instances of made-up or misused cases in her brief. They say in a brief to them, more than 70% of the cases were made up, or had nothing to do with the case at hand and now are punishing the attorney with the maximum amount, Channel 2s Michael Doudna reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yeah, its laziness. I read the appellate opinion, and it was pretty harsh, said Christopher Timmons, a partner with Knowles, Gallant and Timmons. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Georgia Court of Appeals found attorney Diana Lynch may have used AI when she repeatedly cited made-up or misused cases. Its embarrassing for the judges involved. It makes the lawyer who cited the fake cases look bad. Timmons said. He says this started during a DeKalb County divorce proceeding, where an appeals court says she cited seven fake cases in a brief. When the case was appealed, they say her brief cited 11 more either made-up or unrelated cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court of appeals fined her the highest amount that they could fine her, which was $2,500. And I think if they had the ability to go higher, they would have, Timmons said. Now Timmons says the use of AI is growing in the legal field. And so AI is basically a product that ... its as good as you, your inputs, Timmons said. He says lawyers are starting to lean more on AI with companies building specific law-focused models, but they still need to be double-checked. And as the tech becomes more prevalent, Timmons says he thinks there will be more situations like this, with real filings containing fake cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So were gonna see more cases where attorneys are relying on ChatGPT, and that ChatGPT is going to end in hallucination, he said. Starting Thursday, Channel 2 Action News called Lynchs office, a cell phone number, reached out on Instagram, and sent her an email to try and reach her but received no response. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] A man is now facing charges after he told police that he shot and killed his aunt early Friday morning. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says Zadarius Montgomery, 25, called 911 just before 1:30 a.m. on July 4 and said he had killed his aunt. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Deputies in Taylor County responded to the home and found Angela Montgomery, 60, dead from a gunshot wound. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zadarius Montgomery was arrested and charged with murder. He is currently being held in the Taylor County Jail. The GBI has not commented on what led up to the shooting. TRENDING STORIES: Angela was a kind, generous, and loving person who brought warmth to everyone around her. She didnt deserve to be taken from us in such a tragic and senseless way, family members wrote in a GoFundMe campaign. You can click here to donate to the family. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Four members of the Bundestag from the Green Party have appealed to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to increase funding for aid to Ukraine. Source: European Pravda, citing Bild Details: MPs Robin Wagener, Sara Nanni, Sebastian Schafer and Anton Hofreiter are calling on the German chancellor to "adjust the relevant budget items to support Ukraine and increase them for the next fiscal year". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In view of the latest Russian attacks, Green politicians are also demanding greater German assistance in the field of air defence, without which "Russian dictatorship over Ukraine will become more likely". Quote from the MPs appeal: "The situation is critical. While Putin openly confirms that he will not negotiate and is fully committed to his military goals, while Putin terrorises the civilian population with increasingly large-scale air strikes, the US government refuses to provide the aid it has already promised." Details: In the letter, the Green Party MPs also reminded Merz that it was thanks to their votes in the previous Bundestag that steps were taken to significantly increase defence spending. The publication writes that in this way, the MPs gave the chancellor "room for manoeuvre to support Ukraine", which "has not yet been exhausted". Background: Under the previous government led by Olaf Scholz, Germany approved an additional 3 billion in military aid for Ukraine in 2025 and a further 8.3 billion for the years 2026-2029. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in June that Germany would provide Ukraine with additional military aid worth 1.9 billion. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! A member of Wapiti Lake Pack is photographed near the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park in July 2020. The Wapiti Lake Pack is one of nine wolf packs that was living in Yellowstone as of December 2024. (File photo courtesy of Jim Peaco/Yellowstone National Park) EDITORS NOTE: This is the final installment of Howl, a five-part written series and podcast season produced in partnership between the Idaho Capital Sun, States Newsroom and Boise State Public Radio. Thirty years after wolves were brought back from near extinction in the U.S. Rocky Mountains, the state of Idaho is back in the wolf-killing business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Based on direction from the Idaho Fish and Game Commission, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game is working to reduce the states wolf population by more than 60% over six years. According to the Idaho Gray Wolf Management Plan 2023-2028, the states goal is to reduce the wolf population down from the estimated average of 1,270 wolves to a new average of about 500 wolves, with a low of about 350 wolves. Based on the population dynamics in Idahos wolf population, the state estimates humans would need to kill about 37% of Idahos estimated wolf population each year for six years to reach the goal of an average population of 500 wolves While nearly everyone in the wolf debate says its extremely difficult to get an accurate count of the animals within the states borders, some wolf advocates dont agree with Idaho officials on how many wolves are actually in the state due to the research methods used until recently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And some worry that if the state doesnt have an accurate wolf population count, it doesnt know how many wolves should be killed under the management plan. Current wolf hunting, trapping policies a grim reminder of eradication campaign from the past, early wolf member of wolf management team says Idaho legislators are driving the policy by responding to concerns from farmers and ranchers who have had animals like sheep and cattle killed by wolves. Between 2014 and 2023, wolves in Idaho killed a minimum of 1,291 domestic livestock animals, according to state records. The losses affected 299 different ranchers and farmers. But for Marcie Carter, one of the early members of the Nez Perce Tribes program that managed wolves in Idaho, the expansion of wolf hunting and trapping and the government-sponsored killing of wolves in Idaho is a grim reminder of the eradication campaign that nearly killed off all wolves in the U.S. Rocky Mountains by the 1940s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wolves are a native species in Idaho and all across the U.S. But as setters moved West, the U.S. government passed wolf-killing bounties meant to encourage westward expansion. By 1926, rangers had killed the last wolves in Yellowstone National Park. The last wolf in Idaho was killed in the 1930s, according to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. In one of the most successful and controversial wildlife comeback stories in American history, the U.S. government reintroduced wolves to Yellowstone and Idaho in 1995. We did all this great work, and we spent hours and hours out in the woods and then to come to this point where theyre treated like vermin, its really disorienting, said Carter, who now works as the watershed coordinator for the Nez Perce Tribes Department of Fisheries Resource Management. The impact of wolves on livestock in Idaho Having livestock killed is a big deal to the rancher who owns that animal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But some wolf advocates say that, big picture, the number of livestock killed by wolves is pretty low every year. From 2018 to 2022, there were an average of 259 livestock deaths each year in Idaho that were deemed confirmed or probable wolf kills, according to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. (Depredation is the term officials use when a predator like a wolf kills or maims livestock like cattle. Idaho Department of Fish and Game officials said confirmed or probable determinations are dependent on sufficient evidence remaining, which is dependent on very rapid detection and investigation of the carcass and minimal disturbance by scavengers. Those criteria often arent met in remote environments, therefore the documented confirmed and probable depredations should be considered a minimum number, Fish and Game officials said.) Thats in a state with about 2.5 million head of cattle and 235,000 sheep including on feedlots and dairies where wolves and other predators are not present. That means wolves kill an average of about 0.01% of Idahos combined cattle and sheep population each year. How does Idaho estimate its wolf population? All sides in the wolf debate agree it is extremely difficult to produce an exact population count of wolves in Idaho. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state is too big, the terrain is too rugged and wolves are too elusive for that to happen. Instead, officials use multiple different techniques to estimate that wolf population. Until recently, Idaho Fish and Game officials used wildlife trail cameras and a statistical model to estimate the states wolf population. Some outside researchers expressed concern with the accuracy of using wildlife cameras to estimate wolf populations. Scott Creel, an ecologist and conservation biologist who works for Montana State University, has studied carnivores since 1987 and studied wolf-elk interactions since the 1990s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Creel has been critical of wolf population methods used in Montana and Idaho. I was frustrated with seeing methods being used to estimate wolf numbers that were very indirect and, in my opinion, were unlikely to produce accurate estimates, Creel said. I was particularly worried that the methods I was seeing used would produce estimates that wouldnt change, even if the wolf numbers were really changing. So the wolf population would appear to be constant, even though the policy changed just because of the way we were counting them, which is extremely oblique in both of the two methods that I was reviewing. A human hand shows how large this wolf print on the Blacktail Ponds Trail actually is. (File photo courtesy of Jacob W. Frank/Yellowstone National Park) The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks declined an interview request for this story. Creel stressed that accurately estimating wolf populations is extremely difficult. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Idaho Department of Fish and Game officials disagree with Creels criticism, but acknowledged trail cam population estimation methods become less reliable when the number of images of wolves from the trail cameras declines. In July 2024, Idaho Fish and Game announced a new wolf population estimation procedure. Instead of using trail cams, officials are using new methods involving combination of genetic and information taken from a tooth of every wolf mortality documented by the state, information on the biological range of wolf population dynamics, a statistical model, and actual wolf hunting and mortality data. Its called the ABC method, short for Approximate Bayesian Computation, which Idaho Fish and Game officials said has been used widely in other scientific fields like epidemiology and population genetics. Biometricians use that method to estimate the total number of new litters of wolf pups each year and the average estimated wolf population. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When he introduced the new wolf population estimate in July 2024, Idaho Fish and Game Wildlife Bureau Chief Shane Roberts said the new population estimation method independently produced similar population estimates to the trail cam methods population estimates from 2019 to 2022 using different data. Roberts said that gives him confidence the new method produces consistent and reasonable population estimates. He also said it backs up the old trail cam method that outside researchers have publicly criticized. Although no population estimation technique is perfect, we now have an independent source of information that validates the camera-based estimates that weve been using to guide wolf management since 2019 and refutes the idea that those estimates are wildly erroneous, as some have claimed, Roberts said during the July 2024 Idaho Fish and Game Commission meeting. But for 2023, the trail cam method and the new method produced different population estimates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new method estimated 1,150 wolves, while the trail cam method estimated 840 wolves, Roberts said. Even though it has been a year since Idaho Fish and Game officials announced their new estimation methods, the methods do not appear on the Idaho Department of Fish and Games website for public review. Howl reporters Clark Corbin and Heath Druzin asked Idaho Fish and Game officials for a copy of the states new methods for estimating the wolf population. In March, Fish and Game officials said the only available information is a YouTube video of officials announcing their wolf population presentation. The relevant discussion takes place more than four hours into a six-hour Idaho Fish and Game Commission meeting on July 24, 2024. Officials said they are working to publish their methods. We are in the process of preparing a manuscript for peer-reviewed publication on the method, which we hope to have submitted for publication later this spring or early summer, Roberts said in March. As of June 24, the department had not yet published its new wolf population estimation methods in a peer-reviewed publication. Roberts said June 24 that officials are close to submitting it and hope to have it submitted for peer-reviewed publication before the upcoming July 17 Idaho Fish and Game Commission meeting. Despite questions and criticisms of past methods, Roberts said he is confident in using the new population estimation to drive wolf management decisions in Idaho. Because we were able to produce five years of virtually identical estimates between (the new methods) and the camera-based methods weve used before, we are confident this transition will result in consistent information to inform wolf management in the state, Roberts said during the July 2024 Idaho Fish and Game Commission meeting. Why Idahos wolf population estimate is important Bob Crabtree, who founded the Yellowstone Ecological Research Center, said accuracy in wolf population estimates is extremely important. Its like asking a business owner to try to make a profit or try to avoid losing money by not knowing what items they have on the shelves that they stock in their store, Crabtree said. Population size, or abundance, is the No. 1 criteria used to successfully manage and conserve and restore wolves. And without it, you just cant. Many wolf laws and policies rely on wolf population estimates. State Sen. Van Burtenshaw, a Republican rancher from the town of Terreton, Idaho, sponsored Senate Bill 1211, which Gov. Brad Little signed into law in 2021. The law removed the limit on the number of wolf tags hunters could buy each year, legalized wolf trapping year round on private property and allowed the state of Idaho to contract with federal agencies and other third parties to kill wolves. Burtenshaw said he pushed for the law because his constituents told him there are too many wolves eating too much livestock. The big thing was the amount of farmers and ranchers that were dealing with significant losses because of the wolf population, Burtenshaw said. Originally when the wolf was reintroduced, they were talking about 150 or something in the Idaho region. And we had well over 1,500, almost 1,600, for a long time. So the depredation cost was huge to those that had livestock and other animals as well. That population has kind of got out of balance, and thats what were trying to figure out is where that balance is, Burtenshaw said. The impact of wolf hunting in Idaho Idaho sold more than 53,000 wolf tags to hunters in 2023 even though there are only an estimated 1,150 wolves in the state, according to documents provided by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. More than half of those wolf tags were sold in the popular sportsmans package, which includes a hunting/fishing combo license and tags for deer, elk, bear, wolf, mountain lion, turkey, salmon and steelhead. (State officials said they do not know the percentage of hunters who bought a wolf tag because wolves are the primary animal they are hunting vs. the percentage of hunters who primarily hunted other animal species but still bought a wolf tag.) From the 2019-20 wolf hunting season through the 2023-24 hunting season, hunters and trappers killed an average of more than 400 wolves a year in Idaho, according to Idaho Fish and Game. In addition to expanding wolf hunting and trapping, Idaho also financially reimburses expenses for hunters who successfully kill a wolf. Since 2019, the state of Idaho has paid out $849,750 in reimbursements to successful wolf hunters, according to data provided by the Idaho Fish and Game. The money is Idaho Fish and Game funding that is transferred to the Wolf Depredation Control Board for the Foundation for Wildlife Managements reimbursement program, Fish and Game officials said. Separately, the foundation has applied for and received Idaho Fish and Game Commission Challenge Grants. Our end (goal) in this originally was focused on trying to direct the harvest where we were seeing the greatest impacts chronic livestock depredation, elk populations below objective, where predation was a factor to try to focus that effort where harvest at that time was not sufficient to stabilize the wolf numbers, said Idaho Fish and Game Deputy Director of Operations Jon Rachael, who was an original member of the wolf recovery team. In the context of hunting, the word harvest means successfully killing a game animal such as a wolf. The reimbursement money can be used for firearms, ammo, traps, trail cameras, gear, license fees, fuel and even ATV vehicles used to scout or hunt wolves, according to the foundation. Rusty Kramer, the president of the Idaho Trappers Association, said he has used state reimbursement money to make payments on his truck, which he uses when he is tracking and trapping wolves. The standard reimbursement in Idaho is capped at $750 per wolf. But in areas where elk populations are below their objective, or livestock have been repeatedly killed by wolves, the reimbursement limit increases to $2,000 per wolf. Some wolf supporters call the program a bounty system and scoff at the idea of the state sending checks to people who shot wolves to help pay off their trucks and ATVs. But Idaho Fish and Game officials insist it is only a reimbursement program not a bounty. Any of the funds that come from the state of Idaho, from the Wolf Depredation Control Board, or, in the past, from the Fish and Game Commission Challenge Grants did require that this money was not just a straight payment of a certain amount, but rather the individual claiming compensation present evidence of their expenses, Rachael said. And so in that regard, it was compensation for their investment of buying traps or fuel to run a trap line. U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed it killed juvenile wolves in Idaho When the state kills wolves, it doesnt just kill adult wolves that are confirmed to have attacked livestock. The state, other government agencies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services and third party contractors can kill wolf pups in their dens and their nursing mother even if those specific wolves never attacked a cow or sheep. You can kill wolf puppies, said Carter Niemeyer, a former government trapper who helped bring wolves back to Idaho and Yellowstone National Park 30 years ago and opposes killing wolf pups and many of Idahos wolf policies. Theyre plum legal if you kill them at a day old. Stomp their head in with your boot if you want to. Carter Niemeyer howls while looking for wolves just outside of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. (Photo by Heath Druzin/For the Idaho Capital Sun) Students at Timberline High School in Boise spoke out a few years ago after the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services killed wolf pups from a pack that the school symbolically adopted, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. In an October 2021 letter to Suzanne Asha Stone, a prominent Idaho wolf expert and a member of the wolf reintroduction team, former U.S. Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt, confirmed the government killed eight juvenile wolves in Idaho in an attempt to relocate the larger pack and reduce the number of livestock killed. Carter, who was on the Nez Perce Tribes wolf reintroduction team in the 1990s, is sickened that the state would authorize the killing of wolf pups that never disturbed livestock. I mean, its one thing to shoot an adult, Carter said. But to trap puppies in the den hole? Its just so awful. And I dont understand how people can be that hateful to one species of animal that has a right to be here. But for sure, the state has not done their due diligence. Ill just stop there, Carter added. The state of Idaho is not taking care of this species. Since wolves were removed from the Endangered Species List in 2011, the USDA Wildlife Services and other agencies have killed 961 wolves in Idaho, according to Idaho Department of Fish and Game documents. Since 2018, Idaho Fish and Game has spent $817,668 on lethal control actions to kill wolves in Idaho, according to documents the department provided. That total specifically refers to Idaho Fish and Game funding through the Wolf Depredation Control Board that was not spent on reimbursements made by the Foundation for Wildlife Management. One of Idahos policies is that even when nonlethal tools are available to reduce conflicts between livestock and wolves, the state can kill wolves without first trying the nonlethal tools. Livestock producers may use deterrents to aid in protecting their property; however, they are not a prerequisite for lethal removal, the Idaho Gray Wolf Management Plan 2023-2028 states. Regardless of use or success of nonlethal methods, landowners may request a special kill permit from IDFG for use on lawfully permitted public and private lands. IDFG will continue to employ lethal removal as needed to address both individual depredations and overall population goals 30 years after wolf reintroduction, some of the people who brought wolves back worry about their future Longtime wolf advocates say the government-sponsored killing of wolves and expansions in hunting and trapping is reducing the number of wolves. Now, 30 years after the first wolves were returned to Idaho and 14 years after they came off the Endangered Species List, several prominent members of the team that brought wolves back worry about the threats wolves face today. Niemeyer is a longtime government trapper who has tracked wolves across Idaho and Montana since before reintroduction in 1995. Intimately familiar with wolves, he was a member of the team that traveled to Canada 30 years ago to capture wolves to reintroduce them to Idaho and Montana. For years after reintroduction, Carter studied the packs and knew the location of many dens in central Idaho. Niemeyer was so confident in his ability to find wolves that he regularly guided donors who supported conservation organizations into the wild to see wolves. He knew the landscape well enough he could set up camp just close enough for the donors to see and howl for wolves as Niemeyer cooked cowboy-style dinners for the group. But those days are over. Over the last few years, Niemeyer said he and his longtime contacts are no longer seeing wolves in the wild the same places they always used to. When theyre in there, they see virtually little or no sign of any wolf existence in the Frank, Niemeyer said, referring to the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. If you put together what Im seeing, or better yet, what Im not seeing. Nobodys finding any wolf evidence. So where are these 1,300 or 1,500 wolves? Niemeyers luck isnt any better than his friends. During a Howl reporting trip in July 2024, Niemeyer found wolf scat and wolf tracks, but no wolves. And during another, separate expedition in 2024, he said he struck out entirely he didnt even see a wolf track. The Big Buck Pack, Steel Mountain Pack, Jackson Pack, Archie Pack, I can name all these packs up there, Thorn Creek theres no packs in those places anymore, mostly because of domestic sheep that came in there and Wildlife Services just went to hammering wolves, Niemeyer said. And then youve got the recreational hunting and trapping that started when (wolves) were delisted. Youll still find a wolf track up in that country, Niemeyer said. But to say theres anything like the numbers there were, I dont believe it. You wouldnt convince me. Carter worries about new expanded wolf hunting, trapping and lethal control policies in the state of Idaho. The state of Idaho is going to if they havent already plunge wolves back towards extinction, at least in Idaho, Carter said. How do you manage if you dont know how many you have? Carter added. She isnt alone in worrying about the state management of wolves and the removal of limits on hunting and trapping. Is it a violation of our treaty? Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee Chairman Shannon Wheeler said. Is it a violation of something that we were meant to protect? Of course it is. Of course its a violation of what was here in 1855 and before then. And thats a part of tamaalwit, or the unwritten law, which we know that Article Three and the Treaty of 1855 with the Nez Perce represents. Some members of the wolf reintroduction teams say attitudes are even worse today than they were 30 years ago. Our countrys worse now than it was in terms of polarization, so those extreme divisions have only widened and become more cemented, said Stone, executive director of the International Wildlife Coexistence Network and a co-founder of the Wood River Wolf Project. Back then, if I had told anyone from the opposition that didnt want to have wolves back that they would be trapping and killing wolves 365 days of the year, using bounties to kill even pups in the den, they would have told me I was crazy and that would never happen never happen. And were living it today. That is the reality on the ground today. Doug Smith, who headed up the wolf project at Yellowstone National Park for nearly 30 years ties his shoelaces before setting out on the trail to scout for wolves on July 10, 2024, at Yellowstone National Park. (Photo by Pat Sutphin/For the Idaho Capital Sun) Stone isnt alone. Oh, Im pretty worried, said Doug Smith, who headed up the wolf program at Yellowstone National Park for nearly 30 years until he retired in 2022. Attitudes havent changed, Smith said. The fact is, theyre worse now. Ive been studying wolves for over 40 years, and wolves have always been controversial. Theres always been people who like wolves and people who hate wolves. Now its like people are willing to do anything to get rid of wolves or anything to protect wolves, and they dont want to talk to each other. I dont think thats progress, and right now the anti-wolf forces are winning in Idaho and Montana especially. Journalists Clark Corbin and Heath Druzin reported and wrote Howl over the course of 14 months, trekking deep into the backcountry in some of the most remote places in the Lower 48 chasing the story of Americas wildest and most controversial wildlife comeback story wolf reintroduction. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A teenage girl who sustained life threatening injuries in a crash in Cleethorpes has died, police have revealed. The 16-year-old was taken to hospital after she was hit by a grey BMW as she crossed the road in Cambridge Street, at about 20:30 GMT on Saturday 28 June. Humberside Police confirmed she had died in the early hours of Saturday 5 July. The force repeated its appeal for anyone who may have witnessed the collision, or who may have CCTV or dashcam footage from the area around the time, to come forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Click here, to download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad. Click here, to download the BBC News app from Google Play for Android devices. More on this story The Western Indian town of Kolhapur has found itself in an unlikely global spotlight, as thousands of local artisans who hand-craft traditional leather footwear are mounting a collective attack on luxury fashion label Prada for plagiarising their designs without credit. The rhythmic pounding of the hammer in 58-year-old Sadashiv Sanake's dimly lit workshop bears witness to the hard grind behind handcrafting the iconic Kolhapuri leather sandals. "I learnt the craft as a child," he tells the BBC. A day's toil goes into making just "eight to 10 pairs" of these sandals he says, that retail at a modest $8-10 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barely 5,000 artisans in Kolhapur are still in the profession a cottage industry that struggles to compete in a mechanised world, caught in the funk of dismal working conditions and low wages. It's no surprise then that when Italian luxury brand Prada released a new line of footwear that bore a striking resemblance to the Kolhapuri sandals - but didn't mention the design origins - local artisans were up in arms. Prada's leather footwear at the Milan Fashion Week sparked a major controversy [Reuters] The backlash was swift. Social media was flooded with accusations of cultural appropriation, prompting Prada to issue a statement acknowledging the sandals' roots. Now local politicians and industry associations have thrown their weight behind the artisans who want better recognition of the craft and its cultural legacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Sanake was not aware of Prada's show until the BBC showed him a video of it. When told that that the sandals could retail for hundreds of pounds in luxury markets, he scoffed. "Do they have gold in them?" he asked. Prada hasn't revealed the price tag but its other sandals retail at between 600 to 1,000 in the UK as per its website. Women try on Kolhapuri sandals at a store in Kolhapur [BBC] The earliest records of Kolhapur sandals date back to the 12th Century. "These sandals were originally crafted by members of the marginalised Charmakar (cobbler) community, also known as chamars," said Kavita Gagrani, a history professor at the New College in Kolhapur. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chamar is a pejorative caste term used to describe Dalits (formerly known as untouchables) who work with animal hides. "But in the early 20th Century, the craft flourished when the then ruler of Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj granted royal patronage to this community," Ms Gagrani said. Today, nearly 100,000 artisans across India are engaged in the trade with an industry worth over $200m, according to the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (MACCIA), a prominent industry trade group. Yet, most of them continue to work in unorganised setups under dismal conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I was never educated. This is all I know, and I earn about $4-5 a day, depending on the number of orders," said 60-year-old Sunita Satpute. Women like her play a critical role, particularly in engraving fine patterns by hand, but are not compensated fairly for their long hours of labour, she said. That's why Sunita's children don't want to continue the craft. A short distance away from her workshop lies Kolhapur's famous chappal gully, or sandal lane, a cluster of storefronts - many of them struggling to stay afloat. "Leather has become very expensive and has pushed up our costs," said Anil Doipode, one of the first sellers to open a shop here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Traditionally, artisans would use cow and buffalo hide to make these sandals. But since 2014, when the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power, there have been several reports of vigilantes - self-appointed protesters or activists - cracking down on alleged cow slaughter, sometimes with physical violence. The cow is considered sacred by Hindus. In 2015, Maharashtra state banned the slaughter of cows and the sale and consumption of beef, forcing artisans to rely on buffalo leather sourced from neighbouring states, pushing up their production costs. Traditional sellers are also struggling to compete with synthetic copies flooding the market. "Customers want cheaper sandals and can't always tell the difference," said Rohit Balkrishna Gavali, a second-generation Kolhapuri sandal seller. Women artisans engrave fine patterns in the leather sandals by hand [BBC] Industry experts say the controversy highlights the need for a better institutional framework to protect the rights of artisans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, the Indian government had awarded Kolhapuri sandals the Geographical Indication (GI) - a mark of authenticity which protects its name and design within India, preventing unauthorised use by outsiders. Globally, however, there is no binding law that stops other countries or brands from aesthetic imitation. Aishwarya Sandeep, a Mumbai-based advocate, says that India could raise the issue at the World Trade Organization under its TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) agreement, of which it is a signatory. But the system is cumbersome, expensive and often lacks enforceability, both in India and abroad, she adds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lalit Gandhi, the president of MCCIA, says his organisation is planning to patent the Kolhapuri sandal design, hoping to create a legal precedent for future cases. But some say real change can only happen when India starts seeing its traditional heritage in a different light. "It's about ethical recognition. India must push for royalty-sharing and co-branding," says Ritu Beri, a renowned designer. "The more we take pride in our culture, the less we will be exploited." Kolhapur is home to thousands of artisans who have been making these sandals for generations [BBC] Of course, this isn't the first time a global fashion brand has been accused of appropriating Indian handicrafts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many big labels have featured Indian fabrics and embroidery work with little to no artist collaboration. "Take Chikankari (a delicate hand-embroidery style from the northern Indian city of Lucknow), Ikat (a cloth-dyeing technique), mirror work; they've all been used repeatedly. The artisans remain invisible while brands profit from their inspiration," Ms Beri says. Mr Gandhi, however, says that Prada's endorsement of Kolhapuri sandals could also be beneficial for artisans. "Under their label, the value [of Kolhapuri sandals] is going to increase manifold," he says. "But we want some share of that profit to be passed on to artisans for their betterment." Rohit Balkrishna Gavali, a sandal-seller in Kolhapur, agrees - he has already begun to see the difference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The design Prada used wasn't even very popular, but now people are asking for it, with clients from Dubai, the US and Qatar" placing orders, he says. "Sometimes, controversy can help," he adds. "But it would be nice if it also brought respect and better prices for those keeping this tradition alive." The issue is unlikely to die down soon. For now, a plea has been filed in a high court, demanding Prada pay damages and compensation to artisans, along with a court-supervised collaboration between the luxury label and artisan associations. Prada has told BBC in a statement that it is in talks with the MCCIA on this matter. Mr Gandhi, its chief, says a meeting between the two sides is going to take place next week. Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. Googles controversial AI-generated summaries which have been blamed for crushing the traffic of US news sites have drawn an antitrust complaint in the European Union from a group of independent publishers. The complaint by the Independent Publishers Alliance accuses the Sundar Pichai-led Big Tech giant of abusing its dominant position in online search by promoting its own AI-generated summaries over links to original content. The filing, submitted on June 30, requests that the European Commission impose interim measures to prevent what it describes as irreparable harm to publishers. Googles artificial intelligence tools are being blamed for harming publishers businesses. Koshiro K stock.adobe.com Googles core search engine service is misusing web content for Googles AI Overviews in Google Search, which have caused, and continue to cause, significant harm to publishers, including news publishers in the form of traffic, readership and revenue loss, the complaint alleges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint comes as damning data revealed that AI Overviews have resulted in 37 of the top 50 US news domains suffering year-over-year traffic declines since its launch in May 2024, according to digital intelligence firm SimilarWeb. A report by SimilarWeb also found that the AI summaries have led to a significant increase in the frequency of zero clicks to search queries. The percentage of web searches related to news that end without a click to a news site jumped to 69% in May 2025 from 56% for the same month last year, SimilarWeb found. A spokesperson for the Competition and Markets Authority, the EUs antitrust agency, confirmed to The Post that it received the complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, we proposed to designate Google with strategic market status in search and search advertising. If designated, this would allow us to introduce targeted measured to address specific aspects of how Google operates search services in the UK, the rep told The Post on Friday. A group of independent publishers in the European Union filed an antitrust complaint against Google over its AI Overviews technology. dts News Agency Germany/Shutterstock AI Overviews are summaries generated using Googles artificial intelligence models and are displayed at the top of general search results. The feature is available in more than 100 countries. Google began incorporating advertisements into AI Overviews this past May. The publishers allege that Googles practice of displaying its own summaries above hyperlinks disadvantages original content and is made worse by the lack of control publishers have over how their material is used. Publishers using Google Search do not have the option to opt out from their material being ingested for Googles AI large language model training and/or from being crawled for summaries, without losing their ability to appear in Googles general search results page, the complaint alleges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Movement for an Open Web, whose members include digital advertisers and publishers, and British nonprofit Foxglove Legal Community Interest Company are also signatories to the complaint. In short, AI Overviews are theft from the publishing industry, Tim Cowen, co-founder of Movement for an Open Web, told The Post. They steal publishers content and then use that to steal their traffic before it reaches their site. Thats unfair and a clear breach of copyright principles. Cowen added that he wants publishers to have the ability to opt out of their content being harvested for AI Overviews without fear of being punished in search results. The complaint submitted by the Independent Publishers Alliance accuses Google of abusing its dominant position in online search by promoting its own AI-generated summaries over links to original content. Google In the longer term we want to see a fair economic and regulatory model that rewards publishers for the value of their works, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The three organizations are seeking regulatory intervention to address what they say is an urgent threat to competition and access to news. Foxglove co-executive director Rosa Curling said the consequences of AI Overviews for news publishers are severe. Independent news faces an existential threat: Googles AI Overviews, Foxglove co-executive director Rosa Curling said. Thats why with this complaint, Foxglove and our partners are urging the European Commission, along with other regulators around the world, to take a stand and allow independent journalism to opt out. A Google spokesperson defended the AI Overviews feature and disputed the characterization of its impact on publishers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New AI experiences in Search enable people to ask even more questions, which creates new opportunities for content and businesses to be discovered, the spokesperson told Reuters. Google added that the company sends billions of clicks to websites each day and that traffic fluctuations can be influenced by many factors. The reality is that sites can gain and lose traffic for a variety of reasons, including seasonal demand, interests of users, and regular algorithmic updates to Search, the spokesperson said. The claims in the EU complaint echo a similar argument made in a lawsuit filed in the United States by an education technology company, which alleges that Googles AI Overviews are eroding demand for original content and damaging the competitive ability of publishers, resulting in declines in both traffic and subscriptions. Google has been subject to antitrust scrutiny in the US and the European Union. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google parent company Alphabet, is pictured above on May 20. AP Google has faced several antitrust investigations on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean in recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tech giant is appealing a $4.7 billion fine imposed by the European Commission for allegedly abusing its dominance with the Android operating system. Last month, an advisor to the EUs top court recommended the fine be upheld. The European Commission is also continuing investigations into Googles conduct in digital advertising and search, with potential for further regulatory action. In the United States, a federal judge ruled in August 2024 that Google violated antitrust law by maintaining monopolies in general search and search advertising, citing exclusive deals such as those with Apple. A verdict after a trial on the remedy phase which could include breaking up Google is expected next month. In a separate ruling in April 2025, another judge found Google had illegally monopolized online advertising markets by controlling both the buy and sell sides of the ad exchange. With Post Wires The publics reviews of the centerpiece of Donald Trumps domestic policy agenda started coming in well before Trump signed it into law on Friday afternoon, and theyve been overwhelmingly negative: Just 27% of registered voters support it in a Quinnipiac University survey, 38% support in Fox News poll, 36% approval from Morning Consult and 23% in a survey from The Washington Post and ABC News. All four surveys show a solid majority of the public opposes the legislation. The central ideas in the law cutting taxes for the wealthy while slashing health and food aid for the poor and pouring money into an increasingly unpopular deportation machine and exploding the federal debt are astoundingly unpopular. Their passage this week has Democrats promising political revenge, even openly dreaming about shattering the working-class coalition Trump crafted. But for backlash to the legislation to deliver political benefits to Democrats, they need to do more than convince voters to oppose it. They need to let voters, especially those who consume more TikTok than traditional television, know it exists in the first place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And there are warning signs Democrats battle against Trumps signature proposal is becoming a replay of the 2024 election, when the voters who engaged the most with news and politics overwhelmingly backed then-Vice President Kamala Harris while those who avoided the news or engaged little backed now-President Donald Trump. Decisions in Washington dont just stay in Washington they shape lives everywhere. HuffPost is committed to reporting on how policies affect real people. Support journalism that connects the dots. Join our membership program today. I think that people who are watching politics and concerned about our democracy are following this closely and understand what an abomination the bill is, Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) told HuffPost on Wednesday night as House Republicans whipped their members into line. But for you know, people that are just trying to live their lives and get by, I dont think they realize that their health care, food assistance, environmental programs are all about to be gutted in just a few short hours. Clearly, Democratic messaging is breaking through at least somewhat: Two GOP members of Congress Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska announced their retirement this weekend, giving Democrats a better shot at winning each of their toss-up seats in a 2026 midterm where the political environment is already expected to favor their party, giving them an excellent chance of winning the House and at least a punchers chance of winning the Senate. Poll after poll has found that the Republican budget bill is widely unpopular, so its safe to say that opposition messaging has broken through to some extent. The more voters learn about this monstrosity, the less they like it, said Ryan ODonnell, the interim executive director of the progressive polling outfit Data For Progress, noting the groups surveys found most voters expect the legislation to increase their familys cost of living. Democrats must seize upon the bills baseline unpopularity and continue to brand it for the huge mistake that it is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, a new poll from the Democratic super PAC Priorities USA will provide fresh fodder for the partys significant bedwetting contingent. The poll found 48% of Americans have not heard anything about the bill, including 56% of voters who flipped from supporting former President Joe Biden in 2020 to Trump in 2024. The key dividing line? Interest in news. Roughly two-thirds of voters who passively consume the news or actively avoid know nothing about the legislation. Americans are 4x as likely to have heard about Iran bombings as they are to have heard about Medicaid cuts in the bill, the group wrote in an accompanying memo. Awareness of the GOP bill is limited, diffuse and general in nature, at best. The aforementioned survey from Morning Consult has a similar finding. While a sizable 38% chunk of the public says theyve heard or read a lot about the bill, knowledge of the details is scarce, with only 17% of the public saying theyve heard a lot about the legislations Medicaid cuts. President Donald Trump signed a law slashing health care coverage in order to fund deportations and tax cuts for the wealthy on Friday afternoon. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images The results have some Democrats blaming journalists for not covering the legislation more Center for American Progress head Neera Tanden declared on social media it meant the news media failed even though those consuming news coverage have an overwhelmingly negative opinion of the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nick Ahamed, the deputy executive director of Priorities USA, said the results point to how both the news media and the Democratic Party have failed to adapt to a media environment where algorithmic video dominates most peoples consumption and attention is a scarce resource. Arguing whether its the medias fault or Democrats fault is missing the point its the algorithms fault and everyone needs to figure out how to adapt, Ahamed said. In an interview, Ahamed said the results show the need for Democrats to get more comfortable delivering something other than poll-tested talking points in safe environments, noting voters who backed both Biden in 2020 and Harris in 2024 have heard more about the bill than any other group of voters. I would rather Democrats go talk about the bill in 100 different ways, in 100 different places where theres some sort of connection to that audience, rather than Oh, we need to be on message, talking about Medicaid and only doing that in the places where we are talking about news of the day, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Priorities USA, in particular, noted messaging about the legislation on Bluesky a Twitter alternative loved by progressives would do little good. Voters using it are already well-informed about the bill, and the platforms reach is limited. Similarly, appearing on podcasts already beloved by liberals wont do very much. Democrats directly involved in the 2026 midterm battle portrayed the messaging campaign as still in its earlier stages, noting hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent on television and digital ads defining the legislation between now and November. One consultant pointed out the midterm electorate is likely to be heavy on older and more educated voters, who tend to be paying closer attention to the news. This is more of a 2028 problem than a 2026 one, the consultant, requesting anonymity to speak frankly about party strategy, said. Indeed, a larger collection of Democratic groups released their own more optimistic memo on the situation Tuesday, encouraging Democrats to stick to one story, focused on how Republicans are taking things affordable health care, cheap energy, food stamps away from voters while handing tax cuts to the wealthy. Oh, and you should mention costs are high. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Current research across issue areas and from different perspectives suggests the most effective approach to increasing opposition to the bill is to leverage concerns over rising costs, the groups wrote. This is the context for our attack. Now, as the bill approaches potential final passage and receives more attention from the media and public, we must double-down on this winning strategy through focused and repetitive messaging on what Americans have to lose. Sticking to this one frame, the memo argues, is crucial to reaching those voters who dont follow the news: By aligning to this one story across a diverse set of issues we will reach Americans who consume news passively with a simple, compelling story. This story will help voters make sense of this bill and the priorities of the Republican majority in Washington. Republicans, meanwhile, are still hoping they can convince voters to see the good in a package they largely loathe, with various GOP groups arguing a focus on relatively small provisions the temporary elimination of taxes on tips, for instance and arguing Democrats were prepared to let taxes rise for working families will help sell the legislation. House Republicans will be relentless in making this vote the defining issue of 2026, the group wrote in a memo of its own. The NRCC will use every tool to show voters who stood with them, and who sold them out. Arthur Delaney contributed reporting. The town of Munich, North Dakota, has a self-service grocery store. Grants are available to help small-town groceries. (contributed) Small communities in North Dakota can soon apply for grant money to support their grocery stores. Lawmakers set aside $1 million for the grant during the 2025 legislative session out of concern for rural North Dakota towns that struggle to attract or sustain businesses that sell high-quality food. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Successful applicants can receive up to $150,000. The program is open to local governments including tribal governments with populations of 4,500 people or fewer. Applicants must be able to match the grant money by 20%. Projects have to be completed within a year-and-a-half. The Department of Commerce says its looking for proposals that show cooperation between food providers, schools, restaurants and other local entities to improve food access and support economic development in rural communities. In testimony submitted in support of the grant earlier this year, North Dakota Grocers Association President John Dyste said food deserts are growing across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What rural grocers need is access to funding that will allow them to upgrade their facilities and equipment, Dyste said. They also need reliable, affordable access to groceries and perishable products. He added that people looking to buy independent rural grocery stores often have trouble securing financing. The program follows a pilot rural food sustainability grant established during the 2023 legislative session. The application window for the rural grocery store grant opens at 3 p.m. Wednesday and closes Sept. 3 at 5 p.m. For more information, visit the link programs webpage. A separate Department of Commerce grant puts a total $15 million up for grabs to support North Dakota tourism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The idea is to support projects that will draw out-of-state visitors to North Dakota recreational locations that reflect the states culture, identity or landscape. Individual awards can range from $25,000 to $5 million. The grant is for projects that are shovel-ready, according to the Department of Commerce. Matching funds are also required. Previous recipients of Department of Commerce tourism grants include: Shores Event Center in Devils Lake Thrill Hills, a ski hill in Fort Ransom Indian Hills Resort, a hunting and fishing resort in Garrison The Legislature approved the grant during the 2025 legislative session to support the states tourism industry. Applications opened earlier this week and will close July 31 at 5 p.m. Visit the grants webpage for more information. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX GRANVILLE, W.Va. (WBOY) According to the United States Lifesaving Association, more than 78,000 water rescues were performed in 2024 alone, which equates to over 200 rescues each day. With that in mind, 12 News spoke with Lucas Cubic from the Granville Dive Team about what goes into completing a rescue out on the water. The Granville Dive Team has at least two divers on shift 24/7 to ensure rapid response times. In order to stay sharp, the team practices dives at least once a month, even during the wintertime. If the emergency happens, well dive in the wintertime if needed. Emergency-wise, they come as often as they come, couple times a summer. We go as far as Cheat Lake. Weve been to Deep Creek, Maryland. If they call, well go, Cubic said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Statistics from the CDC indicate that there are more than 4,000 accidental drownings each year in the United States. In June alone, there were at least three confirmed drownings reported in north central West Virginia, and Cubic urges residents to proceed with caution anytime they are in or around water. Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library set to reopen its doors to the public The CDC said that children ages 1-4 die from drowning more than any other cause of death, with drowning being the second leading cause of unintentional death or injury for children ages 5-12. If you plan to be on a boat this summer, be sure to have all the required safety equipment on deck. For boats sixteen feet or larger, operators must have one personal flotation device for each person on the vessel, as well as three flares, the correct number of fire extinguishers based on the size of the boat, a sound-making device as well as working running lights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information on the required boating equipment, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. ATHENS (Reuters) -Firefighters were battling a wildfire on the Greek island of Evia on Saturday which was burning forests and forced the evacuation of two villages, the fire brigade and authorities said. More than 160 firefighters along with 46 trucks and five aircraft were deployed in southern Evia, east of Athens, to put out the blaze, which broke out late on Friday, a fire brigade official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Evia was on a list of several Greek regions that were on high alert for wildfires due to gale force winds due on Saturday. The authorities ordered the evacuation of the villages of Tsakeoi and the seaside seasonal settlement of Limnionas in the early hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Southern Evia is a sparsely populated area of rugged mountains, agricultural land and popular seaside spots. The fire there is the latest in a series of bushfires stoked by strong winds and dry conditions this week as much of Europe sweltered in an early summer heatwave, which officials have linked to at least eight deaths on the continent. Another wildfire on the southern island of Crete, which has razed forest and olive groves since Wednesday and forced thousands of residents and tourists to temporarily evacuate, was largely contained, the fire brigade official said. Tourism is a key earner in Greece and the fires have hit at the start of the peak summer holiday season. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Temperatures in Greece were forecast to reach up to 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday, the Greek weather service said. Greece and other Mediterranean countries are in an area dubbed "a wildfire hotspot" by scientists - with blazes common during hot and dry summers. These have become more destructive in recent years due to a fast-changing climate, prompting calls for a new approach. (Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Alison Williams) Grok, Elon Musks artificial intelligence bot on X, summarized a post from the White House Press Secretary about the devastating Texas floods, providing information on how global warming increases the likelihood of extreme weather. On Saturday, Karoline Leavitt re-posted a Truth Social message from President Donald Trump acknowledging the intense flooding that has killed at least 32 people and informing the public that the administration is working with local Texas officials to assist. When asked to summarize the post, Grok said Trump was referencing the tragic July 4 flooding event in Texas but then provided some background information on how climate change is making flooding worse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Climate models from the IPCC and NOAA suggest that ignoring climate change could intensify such flooding events in Texas, as warmer air holds more moisture, with peer-reviewed studies (e.g., Trenberth et al., 2018) indicating a 7% increase in atmospheric water vapor per 1C warming, potentially exacerbating future disasters, Grok summarized. Since January, the Trump administration has drastically rolled back climate regulations, cut research funding, and essentially eliminated climate programs. Grok cited climate change statistics while summarizing a post from Karoline Leavitt on X (Getty Images) Trump has called climate change a hoax and downplayed concerns about severe weather becoming more common and deadly despite science showing otherwise. The administration has made cuts to the National Weather Service, the government agency responsible for monitoring weather events, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the agency tasked with coordinating disaster response and administering recovery efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both NWS and FEMA play major roles in warning people of inclement weather, coordinating a response, and delivering relief to those in need. Yet, Trump has characterized FEMA as an unnecessary federal resource intervening in state-level issues. A governor should be able to handle it, and frankly, if they cant handle it, the aftermath, then maybe they shouldnt be governor, Trump said last month. Dozens of people died in Texas over the Fourth of July weekend after devastating flooding took officials by surprise (Eric Vryn/Getty Images) The administration also made cuts to the NWS, which led to the departure of nearly 600 employees hundreds of whom are critical in monitoring weather and issuing warnings to residents. While the agency is hiring new staff to stabilize itself, former NWS directors warned that cutting staff could understaff offices so much so that there will be a needless loss of life. Further cuts to programs that monitor climate and weather patterns, such as the U.S. Global Change Research Program, which produces congressionally mandated reports on how climate change is affecting life, could hinder preparations for extreme weather. Texas officials said, over the weekend, they were unprepared for the amount of rain that flooded nearby rivers and created lethal flash flooding overnight. PINEY FLATS, Tenn. (WJHL) Rocky Mount State Historic Site went back in time to visit the year 1775 for its Colonial Independence Day event. A Governor Blount reenactor read the Constitution, attendees decorated the Liberty Tree and there were plenty of activities for children, including cornhole, games and crafts. Live music and food trucks also helped to make the day. WCSO: Inmate-induced septic line blockage affected pods at Washington Co. Detention Center Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colonial Independence Day allows guests to experience the activities of the early settlers of Tennessee during the Revolutionary War, which was 249 years ago. Tour guides also took guests through the William Cobb House for a living history tour. Weve really tried to focus on a really good balance between history and modern, by finding people who just want to come out and have a good time with their family, but also maybe just kind of want to check out something new and not just go to a firework show, but maybe go and check out the kind of buildings that our forefathers would have actually been planning the Declaration of Independence in, Jami West, Rocky Mounts executive assistant, said. The exclusive Rocky Mount Pantry Ice Cream special was also available just for the day. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Honolulu police responded to at least three separate gun-related incidents in West Oahu Friday, including the wounding of a 22-year-old man who was allegedly shot by a 16-year-old boy after a heated exchange at Maili Beach Park. The victim was camping at the park with his family and friends and was shot just after midnight while walking near the parking lot, according to police. The teenager had approached the victim and after a brief verbal confrontation opened fire, according to a Honolulu Police Department social media post. The 22-year-old man tried to flee but was wounded in the upper torso and collapsed in the park, HPD said. He was transported to an emergency room by a Honolulu Emergency Medical Services ambulance crew and remains hospitalized in serious condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 16-year-old left the park in a black vehicle. The suspect is unknown at this time and has not been located, according to HPD, which classified the case as second-degree attempted murder. Within a half-hour of the Maili shooting, at approximately 12 :35 a.m., HPD District 8 patrol officers were summoned to investigate another attempted murder involving gunfire, this time in Waianae. Police said a 25-year-old man had just arrived home and gotten out of his vehicle when someone in a silver Toyota Corolla drove by and opened fire. The suspect fired multiple rounds, missing the victim but striking his vehicle. The suspect fled the area immediately after the shooting, HPD said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police are looking into whether the Maili case and the drive-by shooting in Waianae are related. In the third incident, at about 8 :45 a.m., police officers responded to a report of three men near a gold-colored Honda who were firing a gun toward the ocean, according to HPD. District 8 patrol officers found the car with the three men inside. As the officers ordered the occupants out, they observed the driver in possession of a firearm, HPD said. The firearm, equipped with a high-capacity magazine, was recovered. Officers also observed what appeared to be a large quantity of drugs in the vehicle. The driver, a 48-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of two felonies : a place to keep firearm charge and promoting a dangerous drug in the first degree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His 58-year-old male passenger was arrested on suspicion of promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree. Police continue to investigate all three cases, which occurred at a time of heightened concern over violent crime in West Oahu communities. In 2024, Patrol District 8, which covers the area of Kapolei to Makaha, saw a total of 12 murders, 71 rapes, 94 robberies, 201 assaults and 215 burglaries, according to HPD crime statistics. The spate of shootings include an Aug. 31 rampage by Hiram James Silva Sr., who, armed with an unregistered and unlicensed AK-47 assault rifle and a handgun, shot five of his Waianae Valley Road neighbors, killing three women. He was shot and killed by Rishard Kanaka Keamo-Carnate, who lived at the home with relatives who were hosting an annual family mahjong tournament. The neighbors had been locked in a simmering dispute over Silva allowing large, noisy unpermitted events in a Quonset hut on his property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More recent incidents include a police-involved shooting June 24 in Makaha when a 38-year-old suspect with a lengthy criminal record refused to surrender after ramming an unmarked police car until it burst into flames. Two officers fired a total of about eight shots at Iosua David Stevens, 38, after he accelerated toward them, according to HPD. He was taken to The Queens Medical Center in critical condition. On June 27, a 16-year-old boy was arrested on a firearm charge for bringing a handgun to a summer learning hub at Waianae High School. Police said he did not threaten anyone with the weapon, whose serial number was partially defaced. State and city lawmakers are circulating a Public Safety Policy Statement for Waianae that details laws, initiatives, and youth programs that are currently lacking in our community. These include creating opportunities for young people coming out of high school, monitoring school environments and addressing long-standing socio-economic hardships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HPD leadership tasked its Major Events Division with developing an incident action plan. Starting in September, 24-hour operations were launched from a forward operating post at the Waianae Police Station to address escalating crime in the district. To execute the plan, HPD worked with state Department of Land and Natural Resources, the state Sheriffs Division in the Department of Law Enforcement, the Hawaii State Fusion Center, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the Hawaii National Guard Counterdrug Program. You can help Gunfire disrupts July 4 party in northwest Atlanta, woman shot, police investigating Atlanta police are investigating a shooting at an apartment complex in northwest Atlanta that disrupted a July 4 party and injured one woman. According to police, the shooting was called in just after 6 p.m. at The Commons apartment complex on Middleton Road. Neighbors spoke to Channel 2s Courtney Francisco, saying they had been having an outdoor party, including bounce houses, when bullets started flying. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Michael Berrien, a resident, said they heard between 12 and 15 gunshots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At first I thought it was fireworks, Berrien said, adding that it sounded like a machine gun. Everybody was happy-go-lucky, having a good time, and then it was just chaos. TRENDING STORIES: When officers arrived, they found a woman had been shot, but was alert, conscious and breathing. Residents at The Commons said the victim may have been in her 30s or 40s and that she was shot in the leg, but police havent yet confirmed that information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im very disappointed that this happened around kids. We cant even enjoy ourselves out here, resident Dee Audi told Channel 2 Action News. And then you gotta be afraid, the kids, they cant be safe around there. Audi told Francisco that it wouldnt make him take his kids inside sooner, but that hed make sure to keep them closer. The incident remains under investigation. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The reports came after Hamas said it discussed the current deal framework with other Palestinian factions, and they were "unified" in their "positive" response. Israel has deemed the changes Hamas attempted to make to the recent proposal for a Gazaceasefire and hostage release agreement unacceptable, the Prime Ministers Office said in a statement Saturday night. Following a situation assessment, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed to respond positively to the invitation for proximity talks and to continue the negotiations for the return of our hostages based on the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to, the PMO said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israels negotiation team will depart on Sunday to Qatar for negotiations These close talks with Hamas would be an attempt to close the remaining gaps between the parties and conclude the details of the hostage and ceasefire deal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to leave Sunday for a meeting with US President Donald Trump on Monday. Hamas recently said they discussed the current US-backed ceasefire-hostage deal framework with other Palestinian factions, and they were unified in their positive response to the proposal. However, there seem to be several details in the response that have not been clarified yet. Qatari outlet Al-Araby reported that Hamas requested minor amendments to the plan, which mediators in Doha based on the Witkoff proposal. Hostage-ceasefire deal on the table Ynet reported that the three changes to the deal that Hamas is seeking regard aid distribution in the Gaza Strip, the withdrawal of IDF troops, and a commitment to not resume fighting after the 60-day period ends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the last point, Hamas is reportedly demanding security guarantees from the US, Qatar, and Egypt. In the deal, 10 live hostages are supposed to be released over the course of 60 days: eight on the first day and two more released on day 50. The bodies of 18 deceased hostages would be returned in three phases across the two-month ceasefire. The Jerusalem Post originally reported that in exchange for the hostages, 125 Palestinian prisoners plus 1,111 Gazans arrested after October 7, 2023, would be released. Hamas is reportedly demanding that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation be removed from the enclave and that the distribution of aid return to the format from previous ceasefires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ynet report noted that the agreement, as originally seen by Hamas, only stated that aid will be distributed through agreed channels, including the UN and the Red Crescent, and did not mention the GHF. Hamas also allegedly is pushing for a segmented withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, which was outlined in an earlier version of the agreement. However, the current Qatari-drafted agreement states that the IDF will redeploy its forces to maps to be agreed upon, thus indicating some discrepancies. In the original Witkoff framework, the IDF will redeploy to northern Gaza and the Netzarim corridor at the start of the ceasefire. However, after a week and pending the release of several hostages remains, the military will pivot and redeploy to southern Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A military source told Ynet that during the ceasefire, the IDF will remain in the original perimeter set in the buffer zone, plus 250 meters into the Strip. This implies a new buffer zone extending 1.2 to 1.4 kilometers into the Gaza Strip. Additionally, the army will not withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor. Within Gaza, there appears to be mutual support for the ceasefire deal. Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated that Hamas had informed it of the deal and that it was interested in progressing toward an agreement. Israels security cabinet was meeting late Saturday night. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has said that Hamas must be eliminated before any agreement and that Israel should encourage emigration from Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is time to stop the slogging in the Strip and strive for a quick resolution of Hamas, which is the ultimate goal of the war, he said. Similarly, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that he would oppose any agreements that would end the fighting in Gaza. I can tell you with all my heart that it wont happen. Im talking to Netanyahu about it, and I dont get the impression that hes on his way there, Smotrich said. However, Trump has said that he intends to be very firm with Netanyahu about ending the war in Gaza during their meeting on Monday. Relatives of hostages held captive in Gaza held rallies urging the government to seal a deal with Hamas for the release of their loved ones all at once. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) One person was airlifted after being shot in Butler County on the Fourth of July. Butler County Sheriffs Dispatch said the shooting happened at approximately 11:50 p.m. on Wellington Court in Hamilton. According to our Cincinnati sister station WLWT, a person was shot in the torso. Air Care took this person to the hospital. 2 people hospitalized after Independence Day shooting in Dayton Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WLWT said no suspect information has been released by the Hamilton Police Department. 2 NEWS will update this article when more information is available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. Tumwater mayoral candidates Leatta Dahlhoff and Lance Brender both want the city to take the reins in steering the future of the Olympia Brewery. Two recently gave their thoughts on how that might be done, and what the landmark property could become. Brenders take on the situation Brender, a 20-year Army veteran and business owner, said the brewery campus, once a profitable facility in the heart of the city, has been empty and moldering for 22 years. He said its now more than just an eyesore its a target for theft and vandalism, and a source of environmental contamination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Mike Brewer with the local Economic Development Council, the brewerys environmental cleanup costs are estimated at $60 million, with the land and existing structures valued at around $14 million. Add approximately $50 million onto that for repurposing the facilities lets use Brewers proposal of an apartment and condominium mix and the grand total stands at about $124 million needed to return the brewery to being a productive member of society, Brender said. Brender said that the price tag is big, but not impossible. But public leaders have been trying for two decades to find a solution. Brender said the city thought it had a solution when Chandulal Patel, a California budget hotel magnate and owner of Tumwater Development LLC, bought the brewery property in 2016. However, little has been done on the property since its closure in 2003. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complex continues to lie vacant and in 2021 looters, scouring for scrap metals, caused a chemical spill that cost the public over $11 million in cleanup costs (billed to Mr. Patel and still unpaid), Brender said. He said the Tumwater City Council and commissioners at the Port of Olympia met to discuss ideas, including the future of the brewery campus and former WSDOT headquarters on Capitol Boulevard. He said their conversation included creating a case study to be used to lobby for federal and state grant money. The city was granted $500,000 in 2023 from the EPA for ecological testing. Brender said thats 1/248th of the estimated restoration cost, and testing has been slow. Despite our best efforts, this overall strategy hasnt worked, he said. Worse, it isnt going to work because it has underlying flaws we simply arent addressing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brender said the city doesnt currently have authority to do anything with the property, since its privately owned. He said federal and state agencies arent going to give the city the money it needs to clean the property up, either. In the last 22 years, we have had four different presidents, as many governors (who work less than three miles away), and the same two U.S. Senators, he said. None of them have been particularly concerned about the Olympia Brewery. He said the city is trying to fix land it doesnt own with money it doesnt have. How to move forward If elected mayor, Brender said hed use the tools the city commands at the local level to incentivize private investors. That could look like using taxation rates, existing funds and city regulations to reduce the costs imposed on builders, so they can use that money for cleanup and restoration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brender suggested lessening or postponing taxes, or creating a temporary tax-free zone to whoever agrees to turn the brewery into housing or commerce. Or, what if we engage in cost-sharing, as the city did with the new Craft District on Capitol Boulevard, contributing things the government does very well, like utilities? he said. Our goal must be to make the tremendous cost of rehabilitation acceptable enough that private industry, which can get $124 million easier than we can, says yes and, over time, realizes a profitable return on their investment. Brender said his plan is to invest local tax dollars and forego some upfront taxes so the brewery can be brought back to local hands. Then, once rehabilitated, the new residences and businesses we created will increase our tax base, resulting over time in a net increase to the citys road, park, and school funds, Brender said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brender made a public call to all developers, preferably those in the South Sound, to contact him about what they would need from the city to complete such a project. Dahlhoffs quest for a community-driven destination Dahlhoff, whos currently the Mayor Pro Tem and has served on the City Council since 2018, said shes excited about the possibilities that lie ahead for the historic Olympia Brewery property. As a cornerstone of Tumwaters heritage, this site holds tremendous potential to become a vibrant, community-driven destination once again, she said. Dahlhoff said future moves could include setting up a public facilities district, and creating a multipurpose community center or a regional aquatic center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each of these options reflects a commitment to reinvesting in our residents quality of life whether through expanded recreational amenities, cultural programming, or creating a sustainable economic engine that draws people from across the region, Dahlhoff said. She said at this stage, the city is actively engaging with stakeholders, regional partners and community members to consider what will best serve the public interest. She said shed like to work more collaboratively with the Thurston County Chamber and the Economic Development Council to align the brewerys future with broader regional goals. If the City of Tumwater doesnt lead the way in shaping the future of this site, who will? she said. I believe its our responsibility to take initiative, set the tone, and demonstrate the kind of bold, visionary investment that inspires others to follow. Dahlhoff said the property deserves a forward-looking plan that respects its legacy and embraces innovation in how people gather and connect. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) Two people are dead after two cars collided on Interstate 270 in Germantown early Saturday, according to Maryland State Police. Shortly before 3 a.m., troopers responded to the area of I-270 north at Germantown Road for a reported crash involving two cars. There, police learned that a Chevy Cruz, driven by Ashley Salazar, 25, of Clarksburg, was traveling south in the northbound lanes of the highway when it struck a Honda Accord, police say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Salazar died at the scene. Medics also pronounced the driver of the Honda, Jeremy De La Torre, 33, of Frederick, dead at the crash site. Hazmat crews respond to overturned tractor-trailer in Kensington Police said it is currently unclear why the Chevy was traveling in the wrong lanes. All lanes of the highway were closed for several hours as crews cleared the scene, reopening to drivers around 7:40 a.m. The investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. When Nestor Montalvo woke up last September, he knew something was wrong. He had a headache, and his vision was blurred. The symptoms felt like a "really bad hangover," but he hadn't been drinking the day before. When he tried to stand, the right side of his body was numb. "Everything started spinning. I went to stand up, and I fell," Montalvo, 61, recalled. "I just didn't understand what was going on. I couldn't understand it. I didn't know why I was feeling that way." His wife helped him up and immediately called 911. Paramedics gave him alarming news: He was having a stroke. They rushed him to the emergency room at Catholic Health's Mercy Hospital in Nassau, Long Island. The situation was dire: Montalves said he overheard a doctor telling his daughter, a registered nurse, that he only had a 15% chance of survival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I was like 'Oh my God, I'm going to die. I don't even have a chance to say goodbye to anybody,'" Montalvo, a retired New York City police officer, recalled. Nestor (center, holding a white dog) with family during the holidays. / Credit: Nestor Montalvo "Time is brain" Doctors who treat strokes have a saying: "Time is brain," said Dr. Taylor Kimberly, the chief of neurocritical care at Massachusetts General Hospital. Kimberly was not involved in Montalvo's treatment. Strokes are caused when blood flow to the brain is interrupted by either a blocked or ruptured blood vessel, Kimberly explained. Montalvo had a blockage, or an ischemic stroke. In these types of strokes, cells in the brain lose access to nutrients and oxygen, causing damage. The longer a stroke goes untreated, the worse the damage can be, Kimberly said. No one knew how long Montalvo had been having a stroke, since the symptoms had been present when he woke up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Cini Thayil, an emergency medicine attending at Mercy Hospital, was the first doctor to see Montalvo. He was having "very prominent" neurological deficits, she said. "You could see that something was awry," Thayil said. The symptoms triggered Mercy Hospital's stroke protocol. Within 10 minutes of arriving at the ER, Montalvo had been assessed as a potential stroke patient. Fifteen minutes later, he was undergoing a CAT scan. Shortly after doctors reviewed the scans and conferred, Montalvo received a clot-busting medication called TNK, Thayil said. Later, he underwent another minor procedure to ensure the clot was gone. "I could have been a vegetable, I could have died," said Montalves. "But they saved my life." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A complicated road to recovery Even though the stroke had been treated, Montalvo's situation remained critical. His vocal cords collapsed, and he needed a tracheotomy to allow him to breathe. He couldn't talk or swallow because of the tubes, and aftereffects from the stroke itself made it difficult for him to speak and eat. When he met Aileen Fairchild, an acute care speech pathologist at Mercy Hospital, he couldn't even swallow a quarter-teaspoon of applesauce unaided. "It was a mess. I couldn't swallow, I couldn't talk, I couldn't eat," Montalvo recalled. Nestor Montalvo with his tracheotomy tube. / Credit: Nestor Montalvo For six weeks, Fairchild worked with Montalvo. He received about an hour of speech therapy a day, as well as exercises that targeted the muscles in his throat that contribute to eating and swallowing. He underwent regular scans to make sure the treatments were working. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After that month and a half, the tracheotomy tube was removed, allowing Fairchild and Montalvo to work more on his ability to eat and speak. He underwent three procedures to help the muscles in his throat. By Thanksgiving, he was able to eat a regular meal with his family. Nestor Montalvo during in-patient therapy. / Credit: Nestor Montalvo Now, about a year after his stroke, Montalvo is doing better. He can speak and eat like before, and is enjoying retirement by spending time with his wife, their children, grandchildren, and their dog, Paris. He still uses a cane to walk and is continuing to receive outpatient physical therapy. Montalvo said that he hopes to continue his recovery, which he said has been even tougher than surviving the stroke itself. "You take life for granted, and then when something like this happens, it wakes you up," Montalvo said. "You hear people talk about it, and it just sounds like it's not going to happen to you. All of a sudden, it happens to you." Several people missing from Texas summer camp amid deadly flooding, officials say What a new DOJ memo could mean for naturalized U.S. citizens July 4 holiday week expected to set record for travelers A health and social care bursary which has been running for more than 30 years has opened to new applications. Insurance Corporation, which runs the scheme, said it aimed to recognise the dedication of health and social care workers in Guernsey. It said the project deemed most beneficial to the Bailiwick community would be awarded 3,000, with 1,500 for a runner-up. The bursary champions a wide variety of projects tackling topics such as alcohol abuse, bereavement, elderly falls, eating disorders, mental health, diabetes, memory care, and midwifery, it said. 'Creativity and compassion' Mark Marshall, managing director of Insurance Corporation, said: "For 34 years, we've been astounded by the quality and diversity of the projects submitted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The knowledge and talent within HSC are incredible, and it's inspiring to see such innovative ideas from frontline workers." Michelle Steele, HR and PR executive, said: "We are incredibly proud of our long-standing contribution to the local community. "Each year we're impressed by the creativity and compassion that really shines through. "It's amazing to see these projects come to life and make a real difference in the Bailiwick - and in some cases, even further afield." Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. More on this story Related internet links SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) On July 4, San Angelos government signed a declaration of disaster to the governor of Texas. Several local officials spoke at a press conference to address the flood, outline the extent of the damage, and make key announcements. During the press conference, officials advised anyone in need of shelter to go to PaulAnn Baptist Church before 7 p.m. on July 4. Those needing immediate assistance were urged to call the non-emergency police number. Residents living in low-lying areas were warned to prepare for the possibility of additional flooding and be ready to evacuate if necessary. WATCH: Dramatic rescues in San Angelo unfold as floodwaters swallow streets Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The northeast side of San Angelo was the area most heavily impacted by the flooding. Aerial assessments revealed significant water coverage in the area bounded by Loop 306, Bell Street, Spalding, and Koberlin, where streets were submerged earlier in the day. Officials estimate that approximately 30,000 people have been affected by the flood. Police Chief Travis Griffith said there were around 1000 calls for service in the past 12 hours, 400 completed dispatch calls, and 100 water rescues by the San Angelo Police Department (SAPD) and the San Angelo Fire Department. He also asked not to drive around the barricades, even if it looked safe. SAPD is currently looking for 1 missing individual. There have been no reported deaths so far. Griffith said well over 100 officers showed up to work today, which is around 85% of the whole department. Stand with San Angelo flood victims: how to help those impacted Mayor Tom Thompson expressed gratitude to U.S. Representative August Pfluger (District 11) and State Representative Drew Darby (HD 72) for their support and willingness to assist San Angelo during this time. Thompson also announced that another scheduled update is set for Saturday, July 5, at 1:30 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was said that there was a record amount of rain volume. The Bell Street Guage station peaked at 18 feet and is currently at the time of publication is currently at 8-9 feet. The officials also let the residents know that the landfill is closed to the public and not throw debris in the street. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com. KXAN will continue to update this story with other ways to help relief and recovery efforts. AUSTIN (KXAN) After Independence Day floods in Kerr County and San Saba County, KXAN viewers asked us how they can help. LIVE BLOG: 13+ fatalities in Kerr County, 20+ children missing from camp after flooding Avoid getting in the way Currently, state and local authorities asked the public to avoid affected areas while they work. Volunteers may get in the way of responders, or get injured or lost adding to the workload. They also ask that the public not fly aircraft, including drones, into the area. Beware of scammers After major disasters, its common for scammers to use crisis to take advantage of generosity. Before you donate, check the organizations official website to confirm if a charity is legitimate. To assess the legitimacy of a GoFundMe campaign, GoFundMe provides these steps. How to help on the ground Where to donate Here are some organizations that are looking for help: GoFundMe Crowdfunding platform GoFundMe created this hub where donors can find verified fundraisers for individuals, families, businesses and communities affected by the flooding. GoFundMe states on their website that the page will be updated as more fundraisers are verified. Financial donations TEXSAR, a volunteer-based search and rescue organization, has deployed to flood-hit areas. According to their website, donations help TEXSAR recruit, train and support volunteers. Central Texas Community Foundation will be working with Williamson County leadership to open an application for those in need of financial support following the flooding. Monetary donations can be made here. The nonprofit said on social media that updates and a link to applications will be provided soon. The nonprofit group Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country launched a Kerr County Flood Relief Fund Friday afternoon to take in donations for relief and rebuilding efforts. Donations will go to nonprofits and local governments. They will not be sent directly to individuals or families, nor fund the repair of private property. A Kansas City-based non-profit, Operation BBQ Relief, has deployed to Texas to help offer meals to people impacted. On social media, Operation BBQ Relief said a $25 donation provides four hot meals. Meal distribution sites in Kerrville will be announced daily on the non-profits social media platforms. Another non-profit working to feed people affected, Mercy Chefs, said on social media that its offering hot, chef-prepared meals to victims, first responders and volunteers. To support Mercy Chefs in relief efforts, visit give.mercychefs.com/texas-flood-250704. The Virginia-based non-profit said public meal distribution will began Sunday, July 6 at St. Peters Episcopal Church (320 Peter Street, Kerrville, TX 78028). Lunch will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by dinner from 4 to 6 p.m. World Central Kitchen, a non-profit organization that is known to provide fresh meals is supporting Texas by providing emergency food relief efforts. Those who would like to contribute to help World Central Kitchen provide fresh meals to flood victims can donate here. Texas-based grocery store, H-E-B, has given its customers the opportunity to donate to its Spirit of Giving Fund to provide support to Texas flood victims including Kerrville and Hill Country communities. According to a flyer posted at an H-E-B, it said We can add a donation to your Curbside order, just let us know. H-E-Bs Spirit of Giving Fund is a 501(c)3 organization that provides support to communities during times of crisis. These funds will grant financial support to help meet the immediate and ongoing needs of individuals and communities affected by natural disasters or other tragedies. On social media, Kerbey Lane Cafe said on Thursday, July 10, the restaurant will donate 100% of its profits from all 10 locations to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund. Supply donations TEXSAR, a volunteer-based search and rescue organization, has a general list of needed search and rescue equipment on their website. The site says to contact Jason Kihlberg for more information on how to donate your valuable equipment to TEXSAR. Equipment includes unwanted cars, boats, trucks, night vision goggles, computer software and personal protection equipment. Clothing donations The Leander Independent School District PTA Clothes Closet is accepting adult and children clothing donations. Contact clothescloset@lisdptacouncil.com for more information. Food donations For all food donations, supporters can go to Central Texas Food Bank & Partners. To find the nearest mobile food pantry, call CTFB at 855-366-3401. Mixed donations Texas Childrens Austin is organizing a donation drive to assist families impacted by the flooding. You can find a list of donations needed here. Donations at Texas Childrens 9835 North Lake Creek Parkway, Austin, TX, 78717 can be dropped-off at the second floor atrium and first floor entrance. The Junior League of Austin shared on social media its leading a supply drive for people impacted by flooding. They are asking for donations of toiletry items to fill hygiene kits, snacks and shelf stable meals, new or gently used clean clothing, and diapers or other items for babies and children. A full list of items can be found on the organizations social media accounts. Summit Worship Center Church 10401 Anderson Mill Road, Austin, TX, 78750 is accepting brand new and unused hygiene items, food and beverages, and pet supplies , from Tuesday, July 8, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Thursday, July 10, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The post said the church is not accepting clothing at this time. The Round Mountain Baptist Church, 14500 Round Mountain Road in Leander, is accepting supply donations for flood victims. Facebook pages to follow Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. said in a press event Saturday people can learn how to help from the City of Kerrville, TX City Hall Facebook page. The City of Leander has an updated list of donation items and locations here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. Hezbollah's parade in Lebanon causes concerns within Beirut and abroad as the terror organization weighs whether or not to partially disarm. Hezbollah held an armed parade this week in the heart of Beiruta calculated show of force that has drawn sharp criticism from across the Lebanese political spectrum and stirred fears of renewed internal unrest. The march, held in Beiruts central al-Hamra neighborhood, featured masked Hezbollah fighters parading through a civilian district with military-style precision and heavy weaponry. Photos and videos of the event quickly spread on social media, prompting public outrage and renewed debate over the groups role in Lebanese society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to observers in Lebanon, the parade served a dual purpose: it projected strength following the groups recent confrontation with Israel and signaled its strategic intentions going forward. Reports citing Arab media claim Hezbollah is conducting internal deliberations about scaling back parts of its weapons stockpile as part of a broader strategic reassessment. According to Lebanese sources, Hezbollah leaders are reportedly debating whether the groups once-vaunted military arsenal has become more of a political liability than an asset. Some factions within the organization are said to support a partial disarmament in order to focus on keeping tactical capabilities such as light rockets and anti-tank weapons while reducing heavier armaments. Hezbollah under pressure to disarm The armed march also came amid pressure from the United States for Hezbollah to disarm. Washingtons Special Envoy for Syria, Thomas Barak, has urged Lebanese authorities to commit to the principle that only the state should maintain an armed force. America's demand, which was reportedly raised during meetings last month and is expected to be discussed again in July, calls for the dismantling of all militias to ensure full state control over security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Hezbollah has publicly rejected the notion of full disarmament, the optics of armed men marching openly through Beirut reportedly rattled many Lebanese citizens, who are still grappling with economic collapse, political paralysis, and growing insecurity. Commentators noted the parade was likely intended as both a warning to external powers and a test of Lebanese societys tolerance for renewed displays of militarism. For many, it evoked memories of past violence and raised the specter of further instability at a time when the country can least afford it. HONOLULU (KHON2) The Honolulu Fire Department responded to a fire call on Homerule Street in Kalihi shortly at approximately 3:48 a.m. on July 5. Units arrived within several minutes, where officials say they found a two-story residential walk-up building on fire. Four hospitalized in early morning Kalihi shooting First responders entered the unlocked unit, and found a 24-year-old man person asleep inside who was unaware that a fire was ignited, HFD said. The occupant was able to safely evacuate the location according to authorities and was awoken when firefighters entered the unit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HFD officials say they launched an aggressive attack against a mattress fire, which was extinguished at 4 a.m. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Upon investigation, the HFD Investigator determined the cause of the fire to be incendiary. Officials say the fire originated in a room where an HFD Accelerant Detection Canine alerted for ignitable liquids. The Honolulu Police Department said witnesses saw two males and one female pouring an accelerant on an exterior air conditioning unit and setting it on fire before fleeing the scene in a black pickup truck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to HFD, the fire resulted in approximately $5,000 in damages to the structure and its contents. HFD and HPD are working on the situation, which is being investigated as arson. HFD says smoke alarms are essential to save lives and are essential in every building. For more information on fire safety, visit HFDs 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 KHON2. Editor's Note, July 7, 2025: You can find The Texas Tribune's latest reporting on the Hill Country flooding and emergency crews' recovery efforts here. Search and rescue efforts continued Monday for 10 missing girls and one counselor from Camp Mystic, a Christian camp for young girls at the center of the catastrophic floods that swept the Texas Hill Country, local officials said. At least 84 people were killed by the flooding in Kerr County, officials said Monday. At least 15 additional deaths were confirmed in surrounding counties, pushing the storm's overall toll to at least 100. That surpassed the estimated 68 deaths directly caused by Hurricane Harvey in southeast Texas in 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 400 first responders from over 20 agencies were on the ground combing the area Sunday, Sheriff Larry Leitha said. Among the dead in Kerr County were at least 28 children and 56 adults as of Monday evening. "We have increased our number of personnel who are navigating the really challenging shores along the bank line, but we're continuing to make progress," said Dalton Rice, city manager of Kerrville. [In Texas region prone to catastrophic floods, questions grow about lack of warning] Friends and families posted desperate messages online seeking help locating the missing campers. Many more people could still be unaccounted for, officials warned, noting that visitors to the area for the July 4th weekend make it difficult to assess an exact number. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We will be relentless in going after and assuring that we locate every single person who's been a victim of this flooding event," Gov. Greg Abbott said during a news conference with state and federal officials. At a press conference Sunday afternoon, Abbott said he visited Camp Mystic the previous day and saw the aftermath of the flood's devastation. "It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through," he said. "We know that parents and families, they want information, they want closure, and we want them to know that we are working as swiftly as possible to get them accurate information that will provide that closure." Colonel Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said officials expect the death toll to rise between Sunday and Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abbott expanded the disaster declaration he issued Friday night to include Bexar, Burnet, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Travis and Williamson counties given continued rain and ongoing flooding. And on Sunday, President Donald Trump approved Abbott's request for a federal disaster declaration, making Kerr County eligible for federal aid. The move opens up grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals recover from the effects of the disaster. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Saturday said that the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Border Patrol had already been involved in rescue efforts while U.S. Customs and Border Protection were assisting with coordination. In the span of 36 hours, first responders have rescued more than 850 people, some clinging to trees to stay safe amid the rising water, Abbott said. In response to criticisms of the warning provided by National Weather Service ahead of the flood, Noem said upgrading their technology was among the reforms Trump sought to make at the department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the agency has been dealing with staffing shortages after cuts by the Trump administration led to nearly 600 layoffs and retirements. Whether those cuts had any effect on the National Weather Service's ability to predict or warn people of the oncoming flood remains an open question. Though, the agency itself said it had adequate staffing. As floodwaters receded in the Kerrville area, the damage was becoming clear. Dozens of tree trunks were snapped in half, some at 90 degree angles. Black and silver power lines were tangled with branches along the side of the road. A few tree trunks appeared to have been stripped bare of their bark from the rushing water. At Cross Kingdom Church, Pastor Justin Carpenter started collecting clothing, nonperishable food, toiletries and cat and dog food Friday afternoon. They had reached capacity with donations and were turning other potential helpers away. So far, only about half a dozen people had shown up seeking help. Because the areas most affected has lost cell service, its been hard to reach people in need. The biggest thing would be to get the word out into the community that were here and ready to give everything out, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Billy Lawrence, a 73-year-old San Angelo man, has dealt with this type of tragedy before. During flooding in the summer of 1987, he spent more than 30 days looking for bodies. The first one he found was of a child in a tree, 20 feet up. But he said this flood is twice as bad as it was in 1987. On Saturday, he was back patrolling the river for bodies. A former volunteer with the Red Cross, he said he's gotten used to the morbid practice. Im used to death. Ive been around it a lot," Lawrence said. He noted there are about 20 camps along the river in this area and said the camp counselors should receive training to check the weather every night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm not blaming them. They just have to do that, he said. President Donald Trump expressed his condolences in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social. "Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy," Trump wrote. "Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!" About 10 inches of rain fell within a few hours, causing flooding along the Guadalupe River which rose 26 feet in 45 minutes. The death toll in an area historically prone to major flooding has raised questions about whether people near the river, including many vacationers in town for the Fourth of July weekend, received sufficient warning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The private forecasting company AccuWeather and the National Weather Service sent warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation. These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety, AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said in a statement that called the Texas Hill Country one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the U.S. because of its terrain and many water crossings. Local officials defended their actions Friday while saying they had not expected such an intense downpour that was the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. One National Weather Service forecast earlier in the week had called for up to six inches of rain, said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Porter emphasized that people and officials should always take safety precautions when there is a potential for flooding. "People, businesses, and governments should take action based on Flash Flood Warnings that are issued, regardless of the rainfall amounts that have occurred or are forecast," Porter said. "Flash Flood Warnings indicate an immediate risk to life and property in the warned area." At the Sunday afternoon news conference, Abbott said local officials in Kerrville faced a tough decision about whether to order residents to evacuate after the flash flood warnings. "It's a difficult decision about whether or not to begin evacuating people, because if you have a warning telling everybody to evacuate, you could actually lead them to their death," Abbott said. "But we know that some deaths in Kerrville were people ... who got swept away who were trying to evacuate, and so local officials know best about the terrain, the danger spots and things like that." Hayden Betts and The Associated Press contributed reporting. The Texas Hill Country is reeling after a devastating flood with a confirmed death toll of at least 84 people killed by the flooding in Kerr County, authorities said. Confirmed deaths in surrounding counties pushed the storm's overall toll to more than 100. Rescue efforts are still underway as authorities search for 10 girls who went missing from Camp Mystic, a long-running Christian camp. With families turning to social media for answers, officials warn the full scope of the disaster may not be known yet. Clouds threatened to dump more rain across the region on Monday, July 7. Regional National Weather Service offices have issued watches for possible flash flooding in various Central Texas counties and more urgent warnings of imminent flooding near the San Saba and Leon rivers. Check for any watches or warnings by looking up your city or zip code on the National Weather Services website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As rescue efforts continue in Kerrville, questions are arising about how to assist those affected by the flood. Here is a guide on how you can help those in need, along with safety tips for dealing with flood warnings and what to do when you encounter flood waters. How to help Texans affected by the floods Several organizations and businesses launched aid efforts over the weekend to help Kerrville and areas affected by flooding. GoFundMe has set up a page featuring several fundraisers for Texas flood relief. Always double-check before donating to avoid scammers. H-E-B, which began in Kerrville, is taking donations in-store and online through their Spirit of Giving Fund. The company says 100% of donations will be donated to support flood relief efforts. Customers in stores can ask to round up purchases or to donate a set amount of their choice. Kerr County and Kerrville relief efforts In Kerrville, the local police department and some local groups say they are now prioritizing monetary donations. Kerrville police on Sunday said they did not need food or water donations at the moment, encouraging people to instead donate to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund or sign up for a volunteer database in case of additional needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fund was created by The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, a 501(c)(3) charity, that will be directing money to vetted organizations providing rescue, relief, and recovery efforts as well as flood assistance, according to its site. Kerrville police said Salvation Army Kerrville is the point of contact for a volunteer database and can be reached at tcr.communityos.org or by calling 830-465-4797. Texas Firewalkers have set up a Kerr County Deployment fundraiser to help those affected. Texas Firewalkers are a volunteer-based non-profit disaster organization that aids families who have been displaced by residential fires. Donations will go towards hot meals and support for first responders. Additionally, Southern Oaks Church is accepting gift cards and monetary donations for flood recovery. You can donate online here. The church is sharing updates of the changing needs for volunteers on its Facebook page. You can sign up to volunteer here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Operation BBQ Relief, a nonprofit founded by Kansas City pitmasters to offer meals after disasters, set up two locations to provide meals in Kerrville and takes donations and volunteers at OBR.org. San Antonio area aid efforts San Antonio residents will gather Monday evening in Travis Park for a candlelight vigil honoring the lives lost in Fridays catastrophic floods. The event, hosted by Centro San Antonio, begins at 8:30 p.m. and aims to remember both the dozens killed across the Hill Country and the 13 victims of last months flash floods in the city. Goodwill and the American Red Cross will be on hand to accept donations of nonperishable items for those affected in Kerr County. Travis County and Austin area aid efforts A coalition of Austin-area organizations and activists led by Hands Off Central Texas said it was taking donations cleaning kits, personal hygiene packs and period packs on Monday, July 7 at Noble Joe Coffee Co. at 1620 E Riverside Dr. in Austin. The coalition said it is focusing on needs, including housing, food, transportation and medical needs, not already being met by churches, local government and other assistance. Monetary donations can be made at fundly.com/july4floodtx, and businesses or organizations interested in offering resources can email president@handsoffcentraltx.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other organizations who set up supply drives include Treaty Oak Distillery in Dripping Springs was taking donations at 16604 Fitzhugh Rd in Dripping Springs. They were looking for cleaning and recovery supplies, food and water, emergency supplies, personal hygiene products, tools and more. TEXSAR, an Austin-based nonprofit specializing in emergency response, has deployed swiftwater rescue teams, boats, drones and search dogs to aid in the search for the missing. The group was aiming to raise $100,000 to sustain its efforts. Donations can be made online. Waterloo Records said it is helping Travis County officials collect water donations. Bottled water can be dropped off at the front of their store at 600 N Lamar Blvd. Supplies like shelf-stackable snacks, first aid items and hygiene kits can be dropped off at a back loading dock on 1105 N Lamar Blvd. They are also accepting cash donations at cash through their store registers. Radio Coffee and Beer said it would be matching in-store donations up to $10k at all three of its Austin locations to benefit the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund. It has three coffee shops and bars in: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Austin (4204 Menchaca Road) East Austin (3504 Montopolis Dr) The Rosewood neighborhood (1115 E 11th St) Crux Climbing Centers says they will donate 100% of Day Pass profits on July 9 to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Countrys relief efforts. The Cupcake Bar posted on social media that they will be holding a donation-based garage sale, donating 100% of proceeds to relief efforts. They will be collecting food, water and hygiene items. They are also donating 100% of profits from ready-to-ship gifts from their website. Find them from Tuesday, July 8 to Friday, July 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Local businesses who would like to participate can email info@thecupcakebar.com. Areas of Williamson County, north of Travis, also sustained damage from flooding. The county has compiled a list of recovery relief efforts for people to donate or volunteer. It includes the following: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burnet County The Ark of Highland Lakes, a faith-based nonprofit organization, is helping people in Burnet County, according to the county. The organization said it is taking volunteers to help feed flood survivors and workers in Marble Falls and Burnet and create muck-out teams to help with clean up efforts and provides longterm financial assistance to flood survivors. You can sign up to volunteer or donate here. How to get recovery assistance If you are impacted by a natural disaster, government services and community resources are available to help you with recovery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Organizations like the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and local volunteer organizations can help you find food, shelter and supplies, as well as assist you with clean-up efforts. Here are some local assistance options by area. local assistance options by area. Kerr County and Kerrville People in need of assistance to recover from Kerr County flooding can go to the Kerrville Salvation Armys social services office at 855 Hayes St. or call 830-465-4797. Operation BBQ Relief said it will be offering free individual meals on Monday, July 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or until food runs out at the following Kerrville locations: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walmart at 1216 Junction Hwy Gibsons Discount Center at 111 W Main St. Cross Kingdom Church in Kerrville has received many donations, and church officials said people can come by and grab things like clothing, toiletries, paper goods, cleaning supplies, diapers and non-perishable food. Cross Kingdom Church is not taking clothing donations at this time. The address is 3044 Junction Hwy in Kerrville and they are open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Monday, July 7. Updates can be found on their Facebook page. For help finding a missing person, Kerrville police said to email kerrvillemissing@dps.texas.gov with the name and description of the missing person. Photos can also be included to help with identification. Travis County and Austin area According to Travis County, people in the community can call the Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN) Disaster Survivor Hotline at 512-806-0800 or 211 to be connected to volunteers. These volunteers can help with cleaning out homes, debris and tree pickup, and tarping. Travis County also says help from the American Red Cross is available at 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Read more from the county here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hands Off Central Texas is helping coordinate the Central Texas Mutual Aid Coalition. To request assistance, you can find more information and submit a request form through the website www.handsoffcentraltx.org. The following organizations are offering assistance to Williamson County communities: Burnet County The Ark of Highland Lakes, a faith-based nonprofit organization, said it is offering food to flood survivors, first responders, recovery workers and volunteers in: Marble Falls at a warehouse parking lot located on 800 Industrial Blvd Burnet at the First Christian Church of Burnet Parking lot Ark of Highland Lakes said it also offers cleaning support and long-term financial assistance. Those in need can fill out a help request form here. How to request FEMA or insurance assistance Texans who sustained damage caused by the storms are encouraged to report it through the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool.The tool helps emergency management officials understand the scope of the damage, which can influence emergency declarations and federal spending. After a disaster, a states governor can issue a disaster declaration, asking the president to declare an emergency or major disaster, which then frees up federal funds to help those affected. The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides disaster assistance in these situations. President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration that will make federal aid available to the state, local governments, certain nonprofits and to individuals in Kerr County. Before applying for assistance from FEMA, insured Texans should first file claims through their existing policies. People cannot receive disaster and insurance assistance for the same damages. Doing so would be considered insurance fraud, according to FEMA. If you need to file an insurance claim because your home or property was damaged, call your insurance company to report the damages and be ready to answer questions about how you were impacted. Be sure to take photos and videos to submit to insurance or FEMA and document damages for your records. If you need help quickly, you can ask your insurance company about an advanced payment. If you arent able to live in your home after the disaster because of extensive damage, most policies will cover some housing costs, according to the Texas Department of Insurance, so be sure to keep your receipts. If you need help filing a claim, TDI has a helpline that operates Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Texans can call 800-252-3439 to find out contact information for their insurance company and ask any questions about claims. The State Bar of Texas also offers a toll-free legal hotline to assist low-income Texans with issues like replacing lost documents, insurance questions, landlord-tenant problems, price-gouging or avoiding contractor scams following a natural disaster. Residents can call 800-504-7030, which is answered in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Those who qualify for assistance are matched with Texas lawyers who can provide free, limited legal help, according to the state bars website. Heres what to do in case of flooding: Follow evacuation orders from local authorities and take an emergency kit with you. Avoid walking or driving through flood waters. Just six inches of water can make a person fall, while one foot of water is enough to sweep up a vehicle during a flood. If flood waters rise around your vehicle, leave it and move to higher ground. If you are stuck in a flooded area, look for a higher space away from flood waters. Stay off bridges that go over fast-moving water. You can check for flooded or closed roads through the states drivetexas.org website. Be careful in areas where flood waters have receded and watch out for debris or electrically charged standing water. Stay away from all bodies of water and electric lines near you. Shut off your homes main circuit breakers to prevent appliance short circuits and the threat of electrocution. Make a plan for your pets and take them with you in case of an evacuation. How to set up emergency alerts To know when a weather emergency is expected or to stay updated during a disaster, sign up for emergency alerts from your city or county. Residents can look up their county emergency management office online to sign up for emergency emails and texts. Texans who rely on electricity for medical reasons can apply for chronic conditions or critical care status, which provide extra notifications ahead of interruptions or suspensions of service. Applications have to be approved by a physician and submitted to the transmission and distribution utility that covers your address. The status doesnt guarantee uninterrupted power, so if electricity is a necessity, make other arrangements ahead of a storm if possible. Texans with disabilities or people who would require additional medical assistance during an emergency can also sign up for the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, a free system run by the state that gives emergency responders additional information about the communities they are helping in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Major phone providers participate in the federal wireless emergency alert system, which enables federal, state and local authorities to broadcast alerts to mobile devices. Check the settings on your phone to ensure you have these alerts turned on. They are often labeled Government Alerts or Emergency Alert Messages. If you need to find community resources during a disaster, dial 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905 for information about resources including food, health, housing and more. How to get mental health support It is normal for people to experience shock in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. People like those with existing mental health conditions may see increased symptoms of stress. Others may focus on recovery and relief efforts but may feel symptoms of stress and trauma later on, according to experts. Symptoms can include aches, trouble sleeping, changes in appetite, losing motivation, getting frustrated more frequently and feeling overwhelmed, sad, numb, lonely and physically or mentally drained. Most emotional responses and stress symptoms are temporary, but if they persist for two weeks or longer, it is recommended to seek help. Signs of greater emotional distress can include feeling hopeless, feeling guilty without being sure why, having difficulty readjusting to home and work life, excessive smoking, drinking or drug use or thinking of hurting yourself or someone else, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA runs the Disaster Distress Helpline, which provides support to people experiencing emotional distress related to disasters. The helpline operates year-round, 24 hours a day and is free and confidential. You can call or text 800-985-5990 to be connected with a trained crisis counselor who can provide counseling, healthy coping tips and more information on signs of emotional distress. Crisis counselors can also provide local resources for additional support. Trained crisis counselors are also available through the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Read more tips about how to take care of your mental health during natural disasters here. Disclosure: The State Bar of Texas 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. Shape the future of Texas at the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, happening Nov. 1315 in downtown Austin! We bring together Texas most inspiring thinkers, leaders and innovators to discuss the issues that matter to you. Get tickets now and join us this November. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. At least 13 have been killed and dozens are missing after the Guadalupe River in Central Texas burst through its banks amid torrential rain, engulfing several towns underwater and causing flash floods that have swept away homes, cars, and RVs. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who is acting governor while Greg Abbott is on vacation, said that at least 20 girls are unaccounted for from Camp Mystic near San Antonio, where around 700 kids were camping when the floods struck. Patrick said he is praying for the children to be found alive. Within 45 minutes, the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet, and it was a destructive flood, taking property and sadly lives, Patrick said at a press conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An entire RV park community in Ingram was swept away by the flood, with families still in their homes, according to WOAI. The former trailer park is now an empty lot. New info out of Ingram, TX is hard to stomach. This is video from the back of Howdy's Bar and Chill restaurant. There is usually a large RV park here, closer to the Guadalupe River. It was all swept away with families reportedly still in their campers #txwx pic.twitter.com/lx4XLL9EFR Avery Tomasco (@averytomascowx) July 4, 2025 Dozens of summer camps across the area were damaged or destroyed during the storm. The remains of a summer camp cabin were swept down the river between Kerrville and Comfort, reportedly with people calling from inside, according to the Daily Mail. We had no reason to believe that this was going to be anything like whats happened here. None whatsoever, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said during a press conference on Friday. Everyone is doing their very best trying to identify as much as they can. The worst of the damage has affected rural, unincorporated communities along the river, including those in Hunt, Center Point, and Comfort counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Guadalupe River rose to 34 feet Friday morningreaching a historic highbefore the flood gauge broke. Search efforts for the missing are underway, with local fire crews and police assisting, along with the United Cajun Navy and federal response agencies, according to CNN. The Texas National Guard, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been activated to assist with rescue and recovery operations. Up to ten inches of rain fell in the towns of Kerr County and Tom Green County late Thursday evening, CNN reports. Joe Herring Jr., the mayor of Kerrville, the seat of Kerr County, declared a disaster on Friday morning. The county was unprepared for the extent of the flooding. A home in Hunt, an unincorporated community in Texas, was destroyed by flash flooding on Thursday night. / WOAI Even a few inches of water can sweep away vehicles, and witnesses have reported sightings of cars being carried away by the flood with people still inside, according to KEYE-TV. The rapid waters are carrying debris from destroyed infrastructure. Residents near the Guadalupe River are being evacuated from their homes. / KSAT Rescue operations are ongoing, with residents being rescued from their rooftops and families being reunified in the Kerrville local Walmart, according to the Daily Mail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The last time the area experienced a severe flood was during the Guadalupe River Flood of 1987, which resulted in the death of 10 teenagers. The river is now higher than it was in 1987, according to CNN. A gazebo in Kerrville is submerged by the Guadalupe River overnight on Thursday. / CBS Austin The effects of climate change have exacerbated the disaster; much of the soil is extremely dry due to drought, creating conditions that are conducive to flash flooding. Texas has faced several floods this year, following a record-breaking number in 2024. The flooding comes after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) gutted the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is tasked with responding to natural disasters. The National Weather Service has warned that Mason and San Saba counties are expected to be affected by flooding, with the San Saba River expected to rise by more than 20 feet by Saturday morning. Gillespie County and Kendall Counties have also issued warnings due to the spread of the flood in nearby Kerr County. Heavy rainfall is pivoting south into Kerr and Gillespie Counties. Another 2-4 inches of rain possible in these areas. Flash Flood EMERGENCIES are in effect for Kerr County. Avoid travel through this area. Elsewhere, light to moderate rainfall ongoing for portions I-35 corridor. pic.twitter.com/79kja58f39 NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) July 4, 2025 Governor Greg Abbott released a statement around noon on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas is providing all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt, and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods, Abbott wrote. President Donald Trump has not commented on the flooding. This is a breaking news story and will continue to be updated. The tax office gave secret 85pc discounts to large companies involved in the loan charge scandal, documents s. A Freedom of Information request has suggested that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) reached generous settlement deals with multi-million pound companies who used payroll loan schemes. Meanwhile, independent contractors were hit with life-changing bills. The agreements came to light after a campaigner submitted a Freedom of Information request which was then revealed in Parliament by Conservative MP, Greg Smith, during Treasury Questions on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HMRC said it does not recognise the claims. MPs said the revelation was staggering. Sarah Olney, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, said: It is unacceptable that victims have been consistently refused the justice they deserve while large companies received settlements a decade ago. This information shows the need for a proper, independent inquiry that looks at the whole loan charge scandal. The loan charge is a controversial law that left 50,000 self-employed workers with crippling tax bills and has been linked to 10 suicides. It was introduced in 2017 to target contractors who were paid through non-taxable loans rather than salaries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The loan schemes date back to the 1990s, and were often marketed as HMRC-compliant by respected tax advisers. But HMRC maintains that it never approved the schemes. It used the loan charge to claw back the unpaid tax from the workers, with many facing bills that exceeded their income. MPs and campaigners have accused HMRC of unfairly targeting and ruthlessly hounding the contractors while failing to go after the scheme promoters. Now, minutes of a meeting from 2019 between Lord Amyas Morse, who led the 2019 loan charge review, and the leader of the latest review, Ray McCann, reveal that HMRC offered discounts to settle the tax bills of employers who used the schemes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the minutes of the meeting, Mr McCann is recorded as saying: The earlier settlement opportunity that had been open to large companies had included significant discounts, so that eventually the companies settled for somewhere in the region of 15pc in 2015. He went on to say the contractors werent offered these terms, and settlement opportunities have always had a discount, and contractor one is the only one that didnt. Mr McCann is currently concluding the loan charge review, which was launched in January 2025 after calls from MPs. A former HMRC inspector, he was president of a professional body of tax advisers called the Chartered Institute of Taxation from 2018 to 2019. According to official figures, 800 companies paid HMRC 1bn through financial settlements related to the schemes between 2011 and 2015. This works out an average tax liability of 1.25m per firm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Parliament earlier this week, Mr Smith said: A recent Freedom of Information request has revealed that, for a number of schemes, HMRC has settled with large corporations for just 15pc of what was owed. With the loan charge review ongoing, does the Chancellor agree with me that individuals should be treated no differently from the large corporations for which this precedent has been set? Liberal Democrat MP Angus Macdonald, another APPG member, has tabled an Early Day motion supported by 18 MPs so far expressing astonishment about the deals and the fact they have never been revealed to Parliament. Mike Warburton, The Telegraphs tax columnist and former director at accountants Grant Thornton, said: These revelations have shown in stark contrast the way the Treasury and HMRC have treated large corporate taxpayers on the one hand and small contractors on the other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics of the loan charge argue it retroactively punishes contractors who signed up to the schemes in good faith. The large timeframes involved create massive tax bills as years worth of interest has rolled up on the debt. In one case, an individual earning 13,000 a year landed a 250,000 bill, according to the minutes of the meeting between Mr McCann and Lord Morse. Steve Packham, of the Loan Charge Action Group, said: Ten people have killed themselves as a direct result of HMRCs ruthless persecution of people who the Chancellor herself has described as victims of mis-selling. Yet we now know that just a year before the loan charge was introduced to Parliament, HMRC agreed a deal with large companies letting them pay just 15pc of what they said they owed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MPs and campaigners are now demanding that the Government offer contractors the same 15pc terms given to large corporations and open an inquiry into the scandal. Mr Smith, co-chairman of the Loan and Taxpayer Fairness APPG, said: Its absolutely staggering to discover that just a year before the loan charge was introduced to Parliament, that HMRC agreed a deal allowing large companies to settle for just 15pc of what HMRC said they owed, for use of similar arrangements. He continued: Regardless of what Ray McCann recommends in his report on settlement terms, all those facing the loan charge and those pushed to settle to avoid it must all be offered no more than 15pc as full and final settlement. HMRC said all settlements are agreed after considering the individual facts of each case and made under our published settlement terms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesman said: We dont recognise these claims. Were absolutely committed to ensuring every taxpayer, regardless of size, pays the tax thats legally due. Given an independent review is under way it would be inappropriate for us to comment further. 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. HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) Prospective students interested in attending Holyoke Community College will get the chance to learn more at the colleges Registration Express event on Wednesday. During this event, held on July 9, students can apply for admission, meet with an academic advisor, and register for classes in a single day. They can also set up financial aid and take the college placement test, ensuring that students are able to learn all they can about HCC before enrolling. Pittsfield to hold disability awareness walk Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Registration Express is set to take place from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the first floor of the Campus Center, located at 303 Homestead Avenue. Those unable to visit in person can also attend virtually over Zoom. Prospective students can also learn more about MassEducate, the free community college program recently implemented by the state. Registration Express at Holyoke Community College provides an opportunity for students to complete the admissions and registration process all in one day and all in one place, said Mark Hudgik, Director of Admissions and Onboarding. Admissions, financial aid, and advising counselors will be available to help students get ready for both summer and fall. To learn more, contact HCC Admissions by calling 413-552-2321, emailing admissions@hcc.edu, or visiting hcc.edu. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has ordered a nationwide immigration enforcement crackdown to target illegal working in the gig economy. Officers will carry out checks in hotspots across the country where they suspect asylum seekers are working as delivery riders without permission. It comes after Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat said they would ramp up facial verification and fraud checks over the coming months after conversations with ministers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, claimed in a post on X to have found evidence of people working illegally for the food delivery firms during a visit to a hotel used to house asylum seekers. On Saturday, the Home Office said anyone caught flagrantly abusing the system in this way will face having state support discontinued, whether entitlement to accommodation or payments. Strategic, intel-driven activity will bring together officers across the UK and place an increased focus on migrants suspected of working illegally while in taxpayer-funded accommodation or receiving financial support, the Home Office said. The law is clear that asylum seekers are only entitled to this support if they would otherwise be destitute. Credit: X/@CPhilpOfficial Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Businesses who illegally employ people will also face fines of up to 60,000 per worker, director disqualifications and potential prison sentences of up to five years. Asylum seekers in the UK are normally barred from work while their claim is being processed, although permission can be applied for after a year of waiting. It comes as the Government struggles with its pledge to smash the gangs of people smugglers facilitating small-boat crossings in the English Channel, which have reached record levels this year. Some 20,600 people have made the journey so far in 2025, up 52 per cent on the same period in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Cooper said: Illegal working undermines honest business and undercuts local wages. The British public will not stand for it and neither will this Government. Often those travelling to the UK illegally are sold a lie by the people-smuggling gangs that they will be able to live and work freely in this country, when in reality they end up facing squalid living conditions, minimal pay and inhumane working hours. We are surging enforcement action against this pull factor, on top of returning 30,000 people with no right to be here and tightening the law through our Plan for Change. Eddy Montgomery, director of enforcement, compliance and crime at the Home Office, said: This next step of co-ordinated activity will target those who seek to work illegally in the gig economy and exploit their status in the UK. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That means if you are found to be working with no legal right to do so, we will use the full force of powers available to us to disrupt and stop this abuse. There will be no place to hide. Deliveroo has said the firm takes a zero-tolerance approach to abuse on the platform and that despite measures put in place over the last year, criminals continue to seek new ways to abuse the system. An Uber Eats spokesman said the company will continue to invest in tools to detect illegal work and remove fraudulent accounts, while Just Eat said it is committed to strengthening safeguards in response to these complex and evolving challenges. Responding to the announcement, Mr Philp said: It shouldnt take a visit to an asylum hotel by me as shadow home secretary to shame the Government into action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: The Government should investigate if there is wrongdoing by the delivery platforms and if there is a case to answer, they should be prosecuted. This is a very serious issue because illegal working is a pull factor for illegal immigration into the UK people smugglers actually advertise it. Mr Philp also said women and girls were being put at risk because deliveries were being made to their homes by people from nationalities we know have very high rates of sex offending, without specifying which nationalities he was referring to. 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. Nearly half of Texas home insurance claims were closed without payment, according to a study reported on by the Houston Chronicle. What's happening? Weiss Ratings conducted the review. It found that 47% of claims filed by Texas homeowners had been closed out by insurance companies without payment. The phenomenon itself isn't unusual Martin Weiss, the agency's founder, told the Chronicle that it's common for a portion of claims to be invalid but the rates are astonishing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "50%? No, that's never been the case," he said. In the wake of increasingly extreme weather events, insurance companies across the U.S. have dialed back coverage. Insurance representatives told the Chronicle that this was because homeowners' deductibles exceeded the cost of repairs. However, insurance companies have been purposely increasing their deductibles to avoid taking on responsibility as extreme weather worsens. Many homeowners simply cannot afford to pay high deductibles. Why is this home insurance trend concerning? It's not just happening in Texas. In the wake of the Los Angeles wildfires, California insurers denied people coverage, leaving homeowners vulnerable to disaster. Unfortunately, this is only just the beginning. While extreme weather events have always been around, the warming atmosphere can make them much more common and intense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Guardian, new NASA data shows that extreme weather events have gotten drastically worse within the past five years, more than they'd ever predicted. More evidence is needed to analyze this most recent trend; however, scientists have already linked the cause of worsening extreme weather to the warming climate. What's being done about it? More people are waking up to the impact our changing climate has on home insurance, though it seems like homeowners are still being left in the lurch. The only real solution is to strike this problem at its roots. If lawmakers commit to limiting pollution, extreme weather events will put fewer homeowners at risk. 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. Lisa Snyder was just 20 when she was reported missing in Rollinsford on the Fourth of July in 1985. Luella Blakeslee, a 29-year-old schoolteacher, was last seen alive in Hooksett on the Fourth of July in 1969. The deaths of both women, years apart, were ruled homicides. Authorities on Friday renewed calls for help in solving these cold cases. Help us solve this case and bring justice to the family of this victim, New Hampshire State Police said in separate Facebook posts for both Snyder and Blakeslee late Friday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1985, Snyder was visiting her sister in Rollinsford when she went missing. She left her sisters home to go to a nightclub in Dover when she disappeared, state police said. Nearly two years after she disappeared, Snyders decomposed body was found off Rollins Road in Rollinsford on April 18, 1987. The medical examiner concluded that Snyder had been strangled to death, investigators said. In 1969, Blakeslee was living in Hooksett when she disappeared. Nearly three decades later, Blakeslees skeletal remains were found on May 9, 1998 in Hopkinton, state police said. The medical examiner ruled her death as homicidal violence of an undetermined type. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Blakeslees remains were identified, the Attorney Generals office issued a statement nothing that at the time of her disappearance, suspicion focused on one of her acquaintances, Robert G. Breest, who was subsequently convicted of first-degree murder for the death of Susan Randall, state police said. The Attorney Generals office noted that Breest remains a suspect in Luellas death, state police said in their post on Friday. Breest is currently incarcerated in Massachusetts for Randalls murder. Breest has maintained his innocence and has relentlessly filed petitions seeking to toss out his conviction, the Boston Globe reported in 2013. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rollinsford is a small town northeast of Dover and Durham. Hooksett is a town north of Manchester. Anyone with information for either case may email information to New Hampshires Cold Case Unit at coldcaseunit@dos.nh.gov. 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW The Big Beautiful Bill is on its way to President Donald Trumps desk. Its effects will be felt across the nation including in Whatcom County. The massive bill is guided by spending requests from the White House. It will extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts, while cutting billions of dollars in social program funding. Its been described as the largest cut to social welfare programs since at least the 1990s, and according to some experts, the most severe in modern history. The bills impact cuts across numerous aspects of everyday life for many residents, including health care and other federally-funded services. Here are a few examples of how it will impact Washington and Whatcom County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WA officials blast Trumps bill that governor says is only beautiful to billionaires Medicaid One of the largest, controversial aspects of the bill is major funding cuts to Medicaid, which provides health insurance to low-income Americans. Medicaid is called Apple Health in Washington. In Washingtons 2nd congressional district, which includes Whatcom County, 17% of residents over 20 and 48% of children are enrolled in Medicaid, according to state data. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray said new work requirements under the bill will put more than 620,000 Washington residents at risk of losing their health insurance or having it delayed. In the end, every Republican who votes for this bill will have to explain to their constituents why they voted to shutter local hospitals and punish struggling families to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, said Murray in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen wrote on Facebook that the legislation takes health care and food away from working families to pay for a tax cut for the richest Americans and wealthiest corporations. The people I represent in Northwest Washington state deserve better, he said in the post. Health and medical care Cuts to Medicaid wont only affect people enrolled in the program, experts say. Cassie Saur, president and CEO of the Washington State Hospital Association, said that the bill will have massive impacts to all Washingtonians access to care. In order to absorb the cuts to insurance, Saur said hospitals will be forced to lay off nurses and doctors, provide less services and potentially close entirely. Compensating for loss of Medicaid payments could also lead to higher costs for people on private insurance. Medicare Cuts to Medicare, which provides insurance to Americans age 65 and older, are estimated to total about $500 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office estimate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 1.4 million who are eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare would lose access to cost-sharing assistance. Programs that help pay Medicare premiums would also be cut. Food stamps About 1 million Washington residents receive SNAP benefits, including 11.4% of households in Whatcom County, according to census data. Of these households, almost 37% have children under 18 years old. Under the new bill, these households will see a reduction in the amount of money they receive for food, and some risk being kicked out of the program entirely due to changing requirements. Planned Parenthood Another provision of the bill relates to the defunding of Planned Parenthood. The organization put out a statement following the Houses passage of the bill announcing plans to sue the Trump administration over the provision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the defunding occurs, Planned Parenthood said almost 200 locations in 24 states are at risk of closure. The bill specifically restricts Planned Parenthood from serving patients on Medicaid at locations that provide abortions a service that Bellinghams Planned Parenthood offers. This puts access to other services that the location provides, such as vaccinations, birth control, gender-affirming care and general wellness and preventative care at risk. Housing The Big Beautiful Bill will also eliminate Continuum of Care programs entirely. In the past, the program has given money to the Bellingham Housing Authority to provide housing assistance to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. K-12 education Whatcom County may also struggle with budget cuts from other avenues. According to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instructions, Trumps proposed federal budget would pull over $100 million from Washington public school districts each year. After-school programs and English language learning at risk as Trump withholds funds Cuts by district: Bellingham $995,869 total; $89 per student Blaine $89,552 total; $44 per student Ferndale $276,290 total; $59 per student Lynden $242,000 Meridian $115,153 total; $62 per student Mount Baker $84,449 total; $53 per student Nooksack Valley $244,094 total; $125 per student Data for Lummi Nation School District was not available. The Brief Authorities were called to a home on Avalon Place. Two people were reportedly found deceased in a basement with a chemical smell. It's believed the two were overcome by chemicals released by dry ice. HOUSTON - Houston fire officials are investigating after two people were found dead in a basement in the River Oaks area. Houston: Two dead in River Oaks home What we know The fire department tells FOX 26 that a crew was called to a home on Avalon Place near River Oaks Boulevard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The call came in as a person down. An HFD engine responded to the home, and firefighters went down to the basement. Two people were found and firefighters reportedly noticed a chemical smell. The crew retrieved their breathing apparatuses and went back to the basement. Both people who were found were then pronounced deceased. At the scene, HPD Lieutenant Crowson said melted dry ice was found in the basement. It's believed the melted dry ice released carbon dioxide, and the victims were overcome by the chemical. Firefighters used extra fans to lessen the chemical smell during their investigation. What we don't know The victims have not been identified at this time. Lt. Crowson said relatives have been contacted. The Source Houston Fire Department, OnScene, and HPD Lt. Crowson. UPDATE Four men were shot in a drive-by shooting in Kalihi early this morning and the suspects remained at large, the Honolulu Police Department said. At about 1 :30 a.m., HPD officers opened an attempted murder investigation after five men were targeted in an early morning shooting in the Kalihi area. The victim group, five adult males ranging in age from 18 to 35, was gathered in a parking lot when they heard what they believed to be fireworks. Seconds later, several realized they had been shot, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A new red Jeep pickup truck drove by and someone in the vehicle fired on the group. The suspect or suspects remain unknown, with no description or license plate information, according to police. Four of the five victims sustained gunshot wounds and were treated by Emergency Medical Services technicians and taken to nearby hospitals, where they remain. Two victims were transported to an area hospital via private vehicle, and two victims were transported by EMS. All injuries sustained by the victims were non-life-threatening, HPD said. To all Hawaii communities, rise above violence and embrace the aloha spirit over conflict, read a statement from HPD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to EMS, the case is still under investigation. An 18-year-old patient sustained several gunshot wounds at the scene, EMS rendered advance life saving treatment transported the patient in serious condition to a nearby trauma facility. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or CrimeStoppers at (808 ) 955-8300. You can also walk into any police station. PREVIOUS COVERAGE Two men were seriously injured in shootings on Oahu overnight, Honolulu Emergency Medical Services officials said today. At about 1 :30 a.m., paramedics responded to the 2000 block of Dillingham Boulevard and treated a 25-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the chest. They took the victim to a hospital in serious condition. The shooting happened at a separate location, EMS said, At about 1 :35 a.m., EMS said, paramedics responded to the area of Palamea Lane in Kalihi and treated an 18-year-old man with gunshot wounds, then took him to a trauma facility in serious condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED STORY : See more : 18 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? . SPRINGFIELD, Tenn. (WKRN) Springfield authorities are investigating after human remains were discovered Friday in a creek. In a press release, officials said a leg was found at approximately 12:35 p.m. in the creek near North Main Street. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The Springfield Medical Examiners Office confirmed the remains are human. It will now be handed over to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for further DNA analysis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No additional information was immediately released. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Springfield Police Department at 615-384-8422. 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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. EAST LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP) The town of East Longmeadow hosted its annual Fourth of July parade. The 4th of July marks the birth of the U.S.A. as an independent nation that comforts a lot of people in our country. Hundreds of people lined up along the streets of East Longmeadow for the annual Fourth of July parade. It has become a tradition for families near and afar. Some residents were dressed up in patriotic colors, and others brought out lawn chairs, blankets, and flags to celebrate Americas 249th anniversary of independence. Its a day that means so much to a lot of people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recently-restored Uncle Sam statue moved backed to Springfield It means so much to my family, and the world, the United States. Our freedom, our liberation, and just independence, Donna Johnson of Wilbraham told 22News. Were such a fortunate nation to live the way we do in a country that we have. The parade gave a glimpse of Western Massachusetts. Starting with police and firefighters from East Longmeadow, then the towns local bands and organizations. There was a sprinkling of other cities in Hampden County, such as Springfield and Chicopee. The parade headed down Maple Street, North Main Street, Mapleshade Avenue then to Elm Street. It ended at Birchland Park School a route that hasnt changed much. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While different floats handed out candy, others gave kids flashbacks of their trip to Star Wars Galaxys Edge in Disney. The parade even gives families an idea of plans to celebrate the rest of the day. Were probably going to maybe do some swimming and a lot of eating, Roy Syiriac of Holyoke said. Hopefully, some hot dogs. I saw some people dressed up as hot dogs, which made me want a hot dog. After the parade, lots of residents stopped by to check out the recently-restored Uncle Sam Statue before it moved back to Springfield. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. LITCHFIELD, S.C. (WBTW) The South Carolina shores were packed with those enjoying the Fourth of July holiday, but theres one special tradition along the Grand Strand that many look forward to. For years, Johnny Folsom spent his Independence Day like any other. But he said he felt the holiday should appreciate not only those who fought for Americas independence, but also those still serving their country. We wouldnt be able to be here on the beach in South Carolina, Folsom said. Fourth of July, friends and family and enjoying the camaraderie and all that we have. It is because of them that were able to be here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Folsom, alongside Toddy Smith, Andy Folsom and Cam Smith, created Salute From the Shore, a flyover of Military Planes across the South Carolina coast. Smith said the event has grown since it first began in 2010. Well, the first couple of years, we sort of had to tell people, Smith said. So, 1 oclock and bring red, white and blue. Now, we dont tell anyone. This is an expectation I think, of everyone. Everybody knows about it. The event is enjoyed by many for a variety of reasons. Its really sort of good to spend time with family and friends, Hugh Hudson said. But also just think about all the people who have given up their lives to serve this country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I like watching the planes fly over, Currie Folsom said. I like playing in the ocean with my friends, Madison Stoneburner said. Organizers and others involved said they hope to see the flyover continue for years to come. It means a lot because the younger that theyre supporting, the more its just going to be something that is a part of them as they grow up, Anderson Folsom said. The plans flew from Cherry Grove all the way to Beaufort in the Lowcountry. * * * Madi Codispoti is a multimedia journalist at News13. Madi is a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and most recently worked at WJHL in Johnson City, Tennessee. She graduated from Emory & Henry University in May 2023. You can keep up with Madi on Facebook and read more of her work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. A Beach Hazard Statement is in effect for much of coastal Southern California amid a busy Independence Day weekend where hundreds of people were rescued in one community alone on Friday. That community is Newport Beach; their lifeguard agency posted on X late Friday night that ten swimmers were rescued from a monster rip current on the 4th of July in one incident. More than 350 rescues were made throughout the day in Newport Beach, the post says. A separate Instagram post published jointly by Newport Beach Lifeguards, The Lifeguard Project, North American Rescue and the Hoist Operators Union that includes the same footage as the X post elaborates further on the rescue of the swimmers who were stuck in a dog-leg rip current. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [This is] one of the best videos capturing the unseen moments of a critical lifeguard rescue in Newport Beach, the Instagram posts caption reads. The rip current is a great example of how quickly these situations can pull victims out and shows the appropriate scale of how powerful the current can be. Newport Beach Lifeguards posted on X late Friday night that ten swimmers were rescued from a monster rip current on the 4th of July in one incident. More than 350 rescues were made throughout the day in Newport Beach, the post says. (X/NewportBeachLG) Newport Beach Lifeguards posted on X late Friday night that ten swimmers were rescued from a monster rip current on the 4th of July in one incident. More than 350 rescues were made throughout the day in Newport Beach, the post says. (X/NewportBeachLG) All of the people rescued were said to have made it safely back to shore. Speaking to KTLA 5s Jennifer McGraw on Saturday morning, a longtime Newport Beach resident who is a former lifeguard said that he wasnt surprised at how many people needed to be saved, especially with the rough conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are big lulls in the surf, and then when the sets come, there are five to six waves in a setand theyre pretty big, said John Layman. So it looks calm for a little while, then a big set comes in and people get tossed around. When a lot of water comes in, a lot of water has to go out, which creates rip tides. Fireworks launched during street takeover on 110 Freeway in Los Angeles The National Weather Service has issued a Beach Hazard Statement for beaches in Ventura County and along the Malibu Coast. Dangerous rip currents and breaking waves due to elevated surf are also forecast for L.A. County beaches as well as Catalina and Santa Barbara islands, per NWS. There is an increased risk of ocean drowning. Rip currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea, the Beach Hazard Statement reads. Waves can wash people off beaches and rocks and capsize small boats near shore. Remain out of the water due to hazardous swimming conditions, or stay near occupied lifeguard towers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rock jetties can be deadly in these conditions and should be avoided, the National Weather Service advises. The Beach Hazard Statement remains in effect through Sunday evening. Authorities recommend following the following advice when deciding whether to swim in rough conditions: When in doubt, dont go out. More information on rip currents and other water hazards can be found at the California State Parks Ocean Safety web page. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. On Saturday, hundreds of runners joined immigrant rights advocates, labor and faith leaders, and community members to take part in the Run Against ICE Resistance Relay, a 15-mile, non-violent protest through the streets of Los Angeles. The run began at 8:00 a.m. in Koreatowns Liberty Park and concluded at La Placita Olvera, serving as both a symbolic and physical act of solidarity. Organized as part of the 30-day Summer of Resistance campaign, the relay aimed to honor immigrant families while demanding an end to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and deportations. The route passed through neighborhoods that have historically served as centers of activism and immigrant resilience, including MacArthur Park, Echo Park, Chinatown, and Boyle Heights. The route also passed sites of past ICE enforcement actions, including the Home Depot at Wilshire and Union and Ambiance Apparel in the Fashion District, where immigration raids had previously led to family separations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement West Hollywood car wash raided by federal agents on 4th of July Speakers throughout the event included Fayia Ramage, founder of Run Against ICE; Martin Manteca, external organizing director for SEIU Local 721; and Julita Galwa, founder of Run Club Girls. Youth leaders, labor organizers, and immigrant organizations also spoke, calling for permanent protections for immigrant families and an end to federal immigration enforcement in local communities. The Summer of Resistance campaign, of which the relay was a part, is a daily cultural and political mobilization in Los Angeles uniting labor, immigrant, and community groups. The campaigns stated goals include the removal of federal agents, the release of all detainees, an end to militarized raids, and full protection of immigrant rights. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A four-vehicle crash in the afternoon on the 4th of July left two people dead, an infant without parents and six others hurt near Lakeside in Coos County. The crash on Highway 101 shortly after 1 p.m. involved a Kia Optima, a Toyota Corolla, a Dodge Ram and a Subaru Outback, the Oregon State Police said in a release on Saturday. It began when the Kia crossed the center line and sideswiped the Toyota, then hit the Ram head-on. The oncoming Subaru couldnt avoid the crash and also hit the Kia head-on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2 crashes on I-5 near Battle Ground leave 1 dead, DOT worker hurt The parents and the infant, all from Coos Bay, were in the Kia, driven by 38-year-old Manual Samuel Starr. In the backseat were Shatara Rosemarie Holmes, 39, and the 7-month-old girl. Starr and Holmes died at the scene. Authorities said the infant appeared alright but was taken to the hospital for examination. There were five people inside the Ram, officials said. The driver, 55-year-old Jose Maria Rodriguez Garcia of Coos Bay, was seriously hurt. The front-seat passenger, 44-year-old Nicole Virginia Rodriguez, was airlifted to a hospital due to her serious injures. The others in the Ram, ages 20, 14 and 3, had minor injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protests against Trump, ICE unfold in Portland on Fourth of July Three others were in the Subaru. The driver, 61-year-old Lori Priest of Lake Stevens, Washington, had minor injuries. The two other passengers, ages 55 and 10, werent hurt. The 61-year-old driver of the Toyota, Kent McQuillen of Florence, was not hurt. Authorities said the cause of the crash remains under investigation. They added that stretch of road was closed for about four hours during the initial investigation. A total of eight different agencies responded to the crash scene to help, the Oregon State 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 KOIN.com. As ICE agents continued arresting immigrants leaving their hearings at city courts, attorneys, advocates and lawmakers joined them in the narrow hallways ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, bearing witness to what they say is an obliteration of due process. Democrat lawmakers filed into courtrooms on the 12th floor of 26 Federal Plaza Thursday morning where they watched asylum seekers hearings and several of their subsequent arrests as they left the courtrooms. What I witnessed was deeply alarming. Families, children, couples, all who had shown up to court, shaking with fear and anxiety many with legitimate asylum claims and credible evidence that they face danger if returned to their home countries, Assembly Member Grace Lee wrote in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lee said a judge rescheduled hearing dates for two West African immigrants when it was determined there was no interpreter available to translate to their first language. But as they stepped outside the courtroom with Lee walking ahead of them, a plainclothes officer wearing a Nike cap grabbed the first migrant by the arm, pushing him ahead to a second uniformed U.S. Border Patrol agent wearing a ski mask. He led the migrant down a hallway before disappearing into a stairwell. The second asylum seeker exited, and another masked U.S. Border Patrol agent grabbed him, holding his hands at his back as he rushed him down the hall to the same stairwell. Lee said she saw one of the men weep as he was whisked away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not justice. These courts are functioning as traps, Lee said in the statement. Immigrants are being denied basic due process the right to counsel, to present evidence and to have their claims heard. What is happening is unconstitutional, unlawful and un-American. Clearly, there is no due process, Council Member Julie Won told reporters in the hallway after the pairs arrest. They were supposed to have a hearing and they were adjourned because they did not have the proper translation services, which is what is due to them by the court of the United States of America. This is not the U.S. anymore. Since the blitz of courthouse arrests began in late May, Department of Homeland Security attorneys have routinely moved to dismiss immigrants cases in court in hopes that the judge would grant it, stripping them of their status as asylum seekers and rendering them subject to expedited removal. Federal agents have been staging themselves outside the courtrooms with printed photos of their targets in hand and arresting these people as they leave the courtroom. City Comptroller Brad Lander, who has observed immigration hearings on numerous occasions, told reporters last week that this process was already a travesty of justice, saying it did not have adequate legal basis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But now it has become clear federal agents are arresting immigrants whether their case was dismissed or not. Alexa Aviles, who serves as the Chair of the City Councils Committee on Immigration decried the ongoing courthouse arrests, plainly characterizing what she witnessed as facism. What we see is Trump again directing agents to break the law. These are people that are following the legal right and their proceedings that they are being asked to do. They are doing the right thing and they are being abducted by masked, armed agents, she told reporters outside the courthouse. This is not democracy. This is lawlessness. This is facism. ICE is arresting whoever they want. Marco Chipantiza, an Ecuadorian immigrant whose 20-year-old daughter Joselyn Chipantiza-Sisalema was arrested by ICE while leaving her June 24 court hearing, joined electeds outside the courthouse, making an emotional plea for her release. The heartbroken dad said his daughter faces persecution and certain death if deported back to Ecuador. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A judge gave Chipantiza-Sisalema, who has no criminal history, another court date at her hearing. Regardless, federal agents arrested her when she stepped outside the courtroom. Since then she has been in a detention cell on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza, sleeping on the floor with 50 other women, without access to a shower, still wearing the same red shirt and blue jeans she was arrested in. I still dont understand why they detained my daughter. Chipantiza, 40, told reporters in Spanish. Im begging the authorities to understand my situation, and the situation of many immigrant families who are here looking for a better life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advocates said Chipantiza-Sisalema was pursuing her GED through a DOE funded program. While detained, she has only been able to phone her parents three times, for roughly one minute each time. She has not been allowed to contact a lawyer. Attorney Paige Austin with Make the Road New York filed a habeas corpus petition for Chipantiza-Sisalema in federal court, calling for her immediate release and arguing her initial detention and her incommunicado confinement are unlawful. Austin argued that her detention violated her right to due process, given there was no change in her case warranting a change in her custody status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday the New York City Law Department filed an amicus brief backing a detained 20-year-old Venezuelan migrant and former Queens high school student. Similar to Chipantiza-Sisalema, Jose Luis Rojas Figuera was arrested by ICE after his June 2 hearing at 26 Federal Plaza, despite the judge denying the governments move to dismiss his case and granting him another court date. The citys filing, made in federal court in the Eastern District of New York argued that Rojas Figuera was detained without cause and in violation of his right to due process. Rojas Figuera, who attended the Pan American International High School in Elmhurst for roughly a year after arriving in New York in October 2023, has no criminal history and was pursuing a green card, according to the brief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rojas Figuera attended high school for a year before leaving to work in order to support and care for his mother, who has severe diabetes, according to Austin, who reps him. Austin previously told The News Rojas Figuera has had a really hard time in detention, noting that hed first been held at 26 Federal Plaza before being shuffled off to a detention facility in Nassau County and then another in Texas. He was later returned to New York, where he was being held in an upstate jail. A DHS spokesperson said Rojas Figuera entered the U.S. illegally and was released into the country by the Biden administration. Claims his due process rights are being violated are false, the spokesperson said. All of his claims will be heard before an immigration judge. This administration is not going to ignore the rule of law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those detained with pending court cases will have to fight their cases from a cage, sometimes thousands of miles away from their families and often without legal representation, which is unaffordable for many. Data has shown that detained immigrants face a much lower success rate avoiding deportation compared to their non-detained counterparts. New York Senator Julia Salazar, who was among the electeds observing hearings Thursday called for New Yorkers to reject what is happening inside lower Manhattan immigration courts. That is unlawful. It is unjust. We all have a responsibility, not only elected officials, but all of us as New Yorkers, as Americans, to object to this, she said outside the courthouse. To fight this with everything we have. And to demand that every single person who is being detained in this building who is being unlawfully detained, that all of them are released and reunited with their families. Refaim deploys compact teams of operators trained in both classic infantry combat and advanced technological warfare. In Gaza and Lebanon, a small, elite Israeli military unit is quietly redefining modern warfare. Known as the 888 Multi-Dimensional Unit or more commonly by its Hebrew name Refaim the IDFs most classified combat formation has emerged as one of the most effective weapons in Israels wars against Hamas and Hezbollah. Established in 2020 under the IDFs multi-year momentum plan (Tnufa), Refaim was designed as an experimental force to fuse ground maneuvering with high-tech precision, integrating advanced drones, robotics, and real-time intelligence. Refaim entered Gaza after the Hamas attack on the Nova Music Festival On October 7, 2023, officers and fighters from the unit were scheduled to depart for a top-secret, large-scale training exercise in the US. However, following Hamas's large-scale attack, the unit were forced to assist in southern Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unit commander Col. Roy Levy and training platoon commander Capt. Yotam Ben-Bassat entered Gaza Division territory and were killed in combat with terrorists at Kibbutz Re'im. Communications officer Lt. Yonatan Gutin fell in battle at Kibbutz Be'eri. Sgt. Itai Nehmias, who had managed to rescue civilians, was killed during combat at Moshav Mivtahim. Despite the losses, Refaim split into special teams and embedded with the 162nd Division's brigade combat teams from the first day of ground maneuvering in Gaza. Later, the unit was reassigned to operations under the 252nd Reserve Division and then to Division 99, and operated in the Netzarim Corridor in Gaza. Refaim unit commander Col. T. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON UNIT) A senior officer noted that Refaim quickly distinguished itself through its battlefield agility, often operating ahead of armored units to detect threats, gather intelligence, and efficiently take out enemy cells. On October 19, 2024, the Refaim forces were integrated into the Jabaliya campaign. 'Data-layered warfare,' sets Refaim apart from traditional units Refaim deploys compact teams of operators trained in both classic infantry combat and advanced technological warfare. Each platoon of which there are only a few specializes in surveillance, artillery guidance, or strike operations. They move fast, work independently, and rely heavily on autonomous systems and drone swarms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One senior officer described the units approach as data-layered warfare. Refaims teams use real-time aerial footage, pattern recognition, and live target mapping to convert raw intelligence into precise action often within minutes. This capability has turned Refaim into a critical tool for division commanders. Give them a sliver of intel, and theyll turn it into a kill, one official said. Silently. "The enemy wont even know were there. Sometimes, that target is hit by a kamikaze drone. However, over the course of several months in Gaza, the unit has suffered multiple casualties, including Maj. Hod Shreibman, who was killed in close combat during a house-clearing operation in the Jabaliya refugee camp, a deadly battle that ultimately resulted in the elimination of 25 Hamas operatives, some of whom were linked to the October 7 massacre. Moving operations into Lebanon In early 2025, Refaim was redeployed to southern Lebanon to conduct precision strikes against Hezbollah. There, the unit adapted to the regions complex terrain and the enemys tactics, employing drone networks and AI-powered surveillance to identify and eliminate ten Hezbollah field commanders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The field teams created a profile of the enemy, understood this very different environment from Gaza, and built intelligence that still supports Northern Command. When Hezbollah tried to touch a missile or rocket we hit them. It was pinpoint work with big results, even identifying people just by photos," Maj.-Gen. Uri Gordin said of the unit's efforts. While the IDF officially maintains a defensive posture in the north, Refaims operations in Lebanon blurred the lines combining preemptive strikes, long-range reconnaissance, and real-time targeting. If a Hezbollah operative even touches a missile, we see it. Were watching, and were ready, said a senior Northern Command officer. The units work has been credited with thwarting Hezbollahs efforts to entrench itself along the border under the guise of humanitarian activity. Refaim brings 'Adaption' technqiue back to Gaza Strip Recently, the unit returned to northern Gaza with Division 162, now led by Brig. Gen. Shagiv Dahan, where Refaim uses its ability to rapidly absorb new classified drones and technologies for offense and defense, including performance testing, high-level operator training, and tactics development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The combination of capabilities no other ground unit has makes Refaim the Division Commanders whip. They can hold wide areas over time with precision. Their layering method peeling terrain, creating data layers has proven revolutionary," a senior Southern Command officer said. Refaim calls this "Adaptation" the ability to quickly reorganize around a mission from division or brigade command. We tested multiple methods and technologies pre-war. They matured into this. Refaim closes fire loops alone or with support. Its a profession. It gives the division commander an independent tool for recon and strike," a senior officer said. 'No other unit like Refaim' Refaim has not been included in discussions regarding the possibility of downsizing certain elite units amid broader manpower concerns across the IDF. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senior IDF officials have categorically denied any plan to scale back the unit, noting its unmatched contribution across multiple fronts. Theres no other unit like Refaim, one ground forces officer said. Its not just a special force its a combat lab, a tech incubator, and a front-line tool rolled into one. All Refaim platoon commanders are veteran officers from elite infantry brigades such as Golani, Paratroopers, or Nahal, who are brought in for a third command position. Their fighters are carefully selected; many choose Refaim over traditional special forces tracks or air force pilot courses. A prototype for future operations Backed by cutting-edge technology and battlefield experience, Refaim is seen as the prototype for future ground operations. As Hamas continues to adapt with guerrilla tactics and Hezbollah grows bolder, the IDFs ability to outmaneuver enemies in real-time will be critical. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From mapping tunnel networks to intercepting terror cells mid-escape, the unit is becoming a cornerstone of Israels ground doctrine. Refaim doesnt just close fire loops, one officer said. They redesign them. And they do it faster than anyone else. Police confirmed Saturday that an 8-year-old girl died after she was struck by an illegal fireworks display on the 4th of July in Orange County. It was around 9:45 p.m., according to the Buena Park Police Department, when officers patrolling the area of the 8000 block of Cornflower Circle saw family members frantically carrying a child into a nearby home. BPPD noted the officers were already in this neighborhood after seeing a large quantity of fireworks detonate in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon seeing the family rushing the young girl inside, officers ran over to offer help and began administering life-saving efforts before the child was transported to the University of California, Irvine hospital. The 8-year-old girl was tragically declared dead at the hospital. Her identity is being withheld out of respect for her family. Stringer footage shows the scene where an 8-year-old girl was killed by illegal, misfired fireworks in Orange County. July 2025. (OC Hawk) Stringer footage shows the scene where an 8-year-old girl was killed by illegal, misfired fireworks in Orange County. July 2025. (OC Hawk) Stringer footage shows the scene where an 8-year-old girl was killed by illegal, misfired fireworks in Orange County. July 2025. (OC Hawk) Stringer footage shows the scene where an 8-year-old girl was killed by illegal, misfired fireworks in Orange County. July 2025. (OC Hawk) Stringer footage shows the scene where an 8-year-old girl was killed by illegal, misfired fireworks in Orange County. July 2025. (OC Hawk) BPPDs initial investigation revealed that a nearby homeowner set off a large illegal fireworks display on their street, which, after ignition, began misfiring toward the residence where the girl was at the time. This caused other illegal fireworks to ignite, which were near the child and others, BPPD stated in a release. At some point, the child had been struck, causing fatal injuries. Several other individuals were present, but no significant injuries were reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said the homeowner who ignited the illegal fireworks was subsequently arrested, and charges are pending review from the Orange County District Attorneys Office. Their name was not immediately released. The police department said it is continuing to investigate this incident with the Orange County Fire Authority and the Orange County Sheriffs Bomb Squad. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) Experts of International Student Exchange are seeing the effects of President Donald Trumps immigration policies and enforcement. Experts say they are seeing a collective pause of international students applying to universities. For Columbus State University, the amount of international students apply to the school is down 45% from last year. Dr. Eric Spears is an expert in international student exchange. He says the uncertainty surrounding the new policies has caused prospective students to wait to commit to a program of study. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spears says international studies is a big business. He says America was once the only country with international studies, but now theres more competition. A student situated in Vietnam is when you look at the data, they want to come to the United States and do an undergraduate degree, If the student is an Indian and most likely theyre going to come and do a postgraduate degree, most likely in information technology or business. Spears explains. He adds, But if youre situated in those two countries, Australia is not far away. The UK has been pretty aggressive with recruiting international students and not to mention our good neighbor to the north, Canada, which also offers degree programs in English. Spears says the decline of international students could impact local economies. Spears explains that international students rent apartments, buy cars, health insurance amongst other things. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spears adds that most international students pay full out of state tuition. Due to these factors, he believes there can be a ripple effect in the local economy. Spears work with students on F-1 and J-1 visa which allow them to complete their studies and return home. However, its not uncommon for international students to pursue a life in America where they get a job and their employer sponsors their permanent resident workers permit or H-1B visa. Spears says the presidents immigration policies and enforcement strategies international students decision to settle down in America may be impacted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. EUREKA, Ill. (WMBD) The Woodford County Sheriffs Office is teaming up with over 200 agencies across Illinois to take a stand against speeding. According to a Facebook post, the sheriffs office is joining forces with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police, and over 200 local agencies. From July 6 to 31, Woodford County Sheriff Matthew Smith said drivers can expect to see increased patrols throughout the county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also said drivers can expect enforcement of posted speed limits and a ticket if they are caught speeding. This effort is part of the Speeding Catches Up With You campaign, powered by federal highway safety funds through IDOT, and supports the broader Its Not a Game media campaign, Smith 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 CIProud.com. CORBIN, Ky. (FOX 56) An Indiana woman reportedly suffered a medical emergency while hiking near Cumberland Falls in Whitley County on Friday, resulting in her death. Troopers with Kentucky State Police (KSP) Post 11 were dispatched just after 3:45 p.m. on July 4 after being told that a woman had suffered a medical emergency on the Moonbow Trail, according to a news release. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State police said that Domnesha Scott, 32, of Indiana, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Whitley County Coroners Office. The body was taken to the medical examiner, and an autopsy is pending. The death investigation remains ongoing by KSP. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Two people were killed in a shooting that injured at least seven in Indianapolis, Indiana, early Saturday morning, according to police. Officers responded to the intersection of West Market Street and North Illinois Street at around 1:30 a.m., the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said. "Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the officers & first responders who rushed to the scene," police wrote on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chicago Drive-by Shooting Leaves At Least 4 Dead, 14 Wounded At least seven people were shot, including two people who died. Several roads were closed in the downtown area as officers probed the scene. Drivers and pedestrians were urged to avoid the area. Read On The Fox News App South Carolina Deputy Shot And Killed In Ambush, Sheriff Says No information on a potential suspect or what led to the shooting has been released as of early Saturday morning. The conditions of the surviving victims are also unknown at this time. The incident remains under investigation. Original article source: Indianapolis mass shooting leaves 2 dead, several others wounded These days, besides seeing American bombers attacking Iran, were confronted with almost daily news about immigration raids and with court rulings about what ICE can, and cannot, do. Weve been treated to the arrest of a man whose three sons are U.S. Marines, and of sobbing mothers, wondering who will take care of their kids. One recent ruling allowed the U.S. to deport undocumented people to third countries, meaning that someone who came from Guatemala might be deported to South Sudan, a continent away from their home of origin. Many people will disagree with me, but my opinion is this the vast, vast majority of immigrants coming to our country just want to work and want to escape poverty, violence and gangs in their former homes. We have plenty of jobs available here the kind of hard jobs that not everyone wants to do, such as meatpacking, construction and roofing so it just makes common sense to come up with a way to let these people work. But in our sharply divided country, we havent been able to do that. So what happens? These newcomers obtain a false ID so they can go to work, feed their families and pay the rent. Are these people criminals? You could make that argument since many entered the country without authorization, but that is a civil violation, punishable by a fine or deportation, not technically a crime. The recent raid on an Omaha meatpacking operation, Glenn Valley Foods, got a lot of attention (a national news crew was embedded with ICE agents to make sure) and spread fear of more raids among immigrant communities across the state. But when the Omaha World-Herald looked into the criminal backgrounds of 76 people arrested in Omaha, there wasnt much to report. Of that group, fewer than 20 had been charged with any crime in Nebraska, the paper reported. And those who had been charged faced minor crimes, like failure to provide proof of car insurance or not wearing a motorcycle helmet (a requirement since revoked in the state). This isnt exactly getting rid of the worst of the worst, a phrase used by President Trump often to describe the top goal of his promised wave of ICE raids. A member of the Douglas County Board, Roger Garcia, said that his wifes aunt was among those detained in the Omaha raid. She had lived in the community for years, raised a family and paid her taxes, he said. People, Garcia said, often say that such immigrants ought to get in line and apply for citizenship. But his response to Nebraska Public Media was there often is no line. It makes you wonder, is slapping handcuffs on Granny and hauling her off to jail making our country safer? Give me a break. Right now, ICE is trying to meet a presidentially imposed quota of making 3,000 immigration-related arrests a day. The quota has led to criticism that many people who arent the worst of the worst are being detained to meet the 3,000 figure. (I dont know about you, but when I get pulled over by a cop for speeding, I want to be treated fairly if I deserve a ticket, so be it, but I dont want to be cited just because there might be some quota for an officer to meet.) Im with most people in saying that if youre a murderer, a gang member or a violent offender the actual worst of the worst you should be held accountable and should be deported, if a court determines that is appropriate. But if you only want to work, live in a safe country and be a law-abiding citizen, we should find a way to allow that. Most of our immigration laws date back 40 years, but Congress has been unable to update them. Now would be a good time to finally do that. HADLEY, Mass. (WWLP) A red-tailed hawk was rescued Friday after being struck by a vehicle and found injured near a busy Hadley shopping area. Top 5 swimming spots in western Mass. to cool off this summer According to the Hadley Police Department, officers were called to the area near The Skinny Pancake and Target after a report that a bird of prey had been hit by a vehicle. Officers located the hawk under a tree and quickly determined that it was unable to fly due to injuries. Courtesy of the Hadley Police Department Courtesy of the Hadley Police Department Courtesy of the Hadley Police Department Renowned bird of prey rehabilitator Tom Ricardi assisted in securing the bird for treatment. Ricardi, a longtime expert in wildlife rehabilitation, is known throughout Massachusetts for his work caring for injured raptors and returning them to the wild when possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police thanked the residents who called in the report and helped guide officers to the hawks location. No further details on the birds condition have been released. 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. Authorities at Kern Valley State Prison are investigating the death of an inmate on Independence Day as a suspected homicide, according to a statement released by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Prison staff discovered 22-year-old Fernando Camarillo-Cervantes lying unresponsive on the floor of his cell at approximately 6:21 a.m. on July 4. He appeared to have sustained serious injuries, and his cellmate, identified as 50-year-old Albert Gonzalez, was present in the cell at the time, officials said. Correctional officers responded immediately, activating a Code 1 Medical Emergency and initiating life-saving measures. Paramedics arrived on site, but Camarillo-Cervantes was pronounced dead at 7 a.m. in the prisons triage and treatment area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No other injuries were reported, and movement has been restricted in the housing unit where the incident occurred to assist with the ongoing investigation. From left to right: Fernando Camarillo-Cervantes (deceased), Albert Gonzalez. (Courtesy of Kern Valley State Prison) Gonzalez has been placed in restricted housing as the prisons Investigative Services Unit and the Kern County District Attorneys Office conduct a joint investigation. The Office of the Inspector General has also been notified, and the Kern County Coroner will determine the official cause of death. Camarillo-Cervantes was serving a 21-year sentence from Santa Barbara County for voluntary manslaughter, with an enhancement for the use of a firearm. He was also serving a concurrent three-year sentence for assault with a firearm. In 2023, while incarcerated, he received an additional three-year sentence for manufacturing a deadly weapon. Gonzalez was most recently returned to prison in 2019 with an 11-year sentence from Los Angeles County for carjacking, with an enhancement related to a prior serious felony conviction. He was also sentenced to an additional eight months for firearm-related charges from San Bernardino County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case remains under active investigation as officials work to determine the full circumstances surrounding Camarillo-Cervantes death. Authorities say additional details will be released as they become available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) An inmate at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano died after he was found in his cell with serious injuries Friday morning, California prison officials said. The death is being investigated as a homicide. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation identified the deceased inmate as Fernando Camarillo-Cervantes, 22. Cervantes was pronounced dead after he was treated for injuries at a triage facility at Kern Valley State Prison. Drunken confession led to arrest in 2020 fatal hit-and-run Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, CDCR said staff at the prison saw Camarillo-Cervantes on the floor of his cell at 6:21 a.m. Camarillo-Cervantes cellmate, identified as Albert Gonzalez, 50, was standing in the cell, officials said. Gonzalez was placed in restricted housing as investigators from the prison and the Kern County District Attorneys Office investigate the incident. The Kern County Coroner will determine the official cause and manner of Camarillo-Cervantes death. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Camarillo-Cervantes was serving a 21-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter with an enhancement for the use of a firearm, according to CDCR. He was sentenced in 2022 in Santa Barbara County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gonzalez was serving a sentence of 11 years for carjacking as a second striker with enhancements since 2019 from Los Angeles County. Kern Valley State Prison opened in 2005 and houses over 3,100 inmates. The prison is located in Delano about 37 miles north of Bakersfield. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17 News. Barely an hour after Zarah Sultana announced that she was leaving Labour to lead a new Left-wing party with Jeremy Corbyn, the Muslim Engagement and Development (Mend) campaign group posted a statement on X wishing the pair every success in this bold new chapter. Labour refused to engage with Mend after Sir Keir Starmer took over as leader, and cut the partys ties with groups accused of links to Islamism. In his official review of the Prevent anti-extremism programme in 2023, Sir William Shawcross described Mend as an Islamist organisation and, before becoming Met Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley highlighted the groups alarmist opposition to British counter-extremism measures. Wishing @zarahsultana and @jeremycorbyn every success in this bold new chapter. At a time when so many feel politically voiceless, your continued commitment to justice, equality, and grassroots representation is inspiring. We look forward to seeing positive change flourish. https://t.co/VnHpG0dBmi MEND Community (@mendcommunity) July 3, 2025 Sultana, however, might take a different view. Although there is no suggestion that she holds Islamist views, before becoming an MP she worked as Mends parliamentary officer. She has also claimed that the phrase Islamist is used to smear pro-Palestine activists as violent and extreme. Like Mend, she has been deeply critical of Prevent, describing it as racist. Like Sultana, Mend insists that Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza an issue that Sultanas statement says will be a focus of her new party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sultana and Corbyns venture (although Corbyn has yet to publicly confirm his allys statement) appears to herald a new dawn in the decades-long relationship between the far-Left and Islamism, which has been flourishing amid the war in Gaza like never before. It is perhaps fitting that the announcement should come in the week after tens of thousands of festival-goers at Glastonbury joined in with a chant of death to the IDF that would not have sounded out of place at a parade of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, or a Hamas rally. Many may also have been among the crowd at Glastonbury eight years earlier, when Corbyn was welcomed on stage to a chant of Oh, Jeremy Corbyn. The political alliance highlighted by Mends support for Sultana and Corbyns new party, and the seeping of Islamist narratives and slogans into progressive protest, are the culmination of a long marriage of convenience between Islamism and the hard-Left, based on a shared sense of grievance and cynical opportunism. The Left hopes to harness the fervour of anti-Western sentiment among radicalised Muslims, while Islamism benefits from the warm glow of the more acceptable face of progressives who exert influence over culture and politics. Rakib Ehsan, the British Muslim academic and author, says: The hard-Left and Islamism are tied by grievance politics and, in the darker circles of their intersection, anti-Semitism is rife especially the classic tropes about global power, influence and control. That is shared by both sides, along with sympathies with foreign regimes which are hostile to so-called Western interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Broadly speaking, Islamism relates to groups espousing political Islam, by stressing that religion should determine how society is governed. These groups tend to have close links to, or show support for, far-Left organisations such as Palestine Action and Stop The War. Islamist organisations are gradualists, says Lord Walney, the former Labour MP and adviser to the Government on political violence and disruption. They believe that, ultimately, we should live under Islamic rule, but they realise that thats not going to happen soon, so they will pick out building blocks such as blasphemy laws to keep moving the dial. The effort to shape Britains approach to the Gaza conflict appears to have become one of those building blocks. Now, the alliance is stronger than ever, with Islamists and the far-Left joining forces to influence government policy, with demands to end arms sales to Israel, and opposition to the Governments plans to ban the radical protest group, Palestine Action. If you wanted a family portrait of this idiosyncratic partnership, it would be hard to beat the sight of pink-haired protestors in the capital effectively cheering for the mullahs of the Iranian regime, claiming to be on the right side of history with clerics who execute homosexuals, torture opponents and systematically oppress women. Soviet origins Fifty years ago, much of the far-Left was inspired by the Soviet Unions Middle East propaganda, a pro-Islamist stance in response to US and European support for Israel. That influenced Left-wing groups in the UK such as the Communist Party of Great Britain and the Revolutionary Communist Group who identified Arabs as oppressed, while Israel, then as now, was seen as an illegitimate white state. But the far-Left remains a politically insignificant force on its own. Part of the motivation for an alliance with Islamism is to harness the power of others for their own ends which, of course, works both ways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is neatly illustrated in a 1994 article by Chris Harman of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) for International Socialism, The Prophet and the Proletariat, which advocated for a pragmatic working relationship between Islamists and revolutionary socialists. Harman is open about the areas of opposition between the two groups over the role of women, for example but concludes: On some issues we will find ourselves on the same side as the Islamists against imperialism and the state It should be true in countries like France or Britain... Where the Islamists are in opposition, our rule should be, with the Islamists sometimes, with the state never. 0602 labour large drop muslim supporters In Britain, where Islamism only speaks for a fraction of the countrys Muslims, the Labour party remained a natural home for many Muslim voters up to Tony Blairs premiership. To put it crudely, community leaders were able to deliver votes for Labour from within those communities in certain areas such as Birmingham or Bradford, says Timothy Peace, a senior lecturer in politics and international relations at the University of Glasgow. From the 1980s, Muslims themselves began to enter local councils, but the closeness with Labour continued up to the late 1990s. This began to break down thanks to the wars in Iraq (2003-2011) and Afghanistan (2001-2021). The establishment of the Stop The War Coalition (STWC) in 2001 was a milestone which provided Corbyn and other prominent Leftists with a forum to connect with groups such as the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB). Last year, the then Communities Secretary, Michael Gove, alleged in Parliament that the MAB, together with Mend and Cage, which campaigns against counter-terror measures, give rise to concern for their Islamist orientation and views. All three groups rejected the label, with Mends chief executive Azhar Qayum saying his organisation was not at all extremist, Cage pledging to explore all avenues, including legal to challenge the governments deep dive into authoritarianism, and the MAB accusing Gove of a blatant effort to stifle dissenting voices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Britains action in Iraq and elsewhere gave overtly Islamist groups an opportunity to tap into the concept of the Ummah the worldwide Islamic community. Shawcrosss review warned that key Islamist narratives included, commanding that [their interpretation of] the Islamic faith is placed at the centre of an individuals identity, and must govern all social and political decision-making. At the same time, a definition of Islamophobia proposed by some MPs and backed by bodies such as Mend and the MAB would prohibit anyone from accusing Muslim citizens of being more loyal to the Ummah than to the interests of their own nations, raising concerns about potential limits on freedom of speech. The MAB were tied to political Islam and found inspiration from the Muslim Brotherhood, a powerful organisation in Arab countries, says Peace. The MAB were one of the key organisations in Stop the War, even though they were not very big at the time it began. The driving force were the Socialist Workers Party, and they managed to mobilise large numbers of Muslim protesters, and that overruled any ideological divisions between the two groups. The MAB has said it is a British organisation operating entirely within the British Isles, with no presence elsewhere. It is not an affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood nor a member. Respect Party A 2004 poll revealed Labours support among Muslim voters had halved from its high watermark of around 80 per cent. The Lib Dems specifically targeted Muslim voters with an anti-war agenda at the general election a year later, which paid off most notably in Rochdale. Labours Lorna Fitzsimons was unseated amid claims of anti-Semitism in campaign leaflets produced by a group called the Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK, which advocated for the Lib Dems, and later apologised for the pamphlets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More significant was George Galloways victory in Bethnal Green and Bow in east London over Labours Oona King in 2005. Galloway, expelled from Labour in 2003 and a long-standing anti-Zionist, assumed a leadership role in the nascent Respect Party, described in The Observer as an, alliance... between the Trotskyist far-Left and the Islamic far-Right. In 2010, the Channel 4 series Dispatches alleged that the Islamic Forum of Europe, which sought to change the very infrastructure of society... from ignorance to Islam, had been campaigning for Respect. Galloway described the documentary as a dirty little programme. Even though far-Left figures were involved, Muslim voters were driving Respect because the Left have never been able to mobilise large numbers of voters alone, says Peace. In the years between 2005 and 2023, the links between the Left and Islamism were largely built on an antipathy for counter-terrorism measures such as Prevent, which it was claimed put unfair emphasis on the role of Muslims in extremism, thus contributing to Islamophobia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his 2021 report for the Policy Exchange think tank, Islamism And The Left, Britains former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Sir John Jenkins, wrote: Following the introduction of legislation by David Camerons Government that put Prevent on a statutory footing, the Islamist-aligned campaign groups Cage and Mend, and the Stand Up To Racism network, allegedly linked to the Socialist Workers Party, formed a particularly close alliance. Throughout 2016 and 2017, individuals representing Mend spoke at Stand Up To Racism events across the country. Some of these events were attended by prominent Labour figures such as... Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn, now 76, is in many ways, along with Galloway, the great continuity figure in the relationship between the Left and Muslim political activism, stretching back through his campaigning over 50 years. Gaza war Within eight hours of the attack by Hamas on Oct 7 2023, the Met Police received its first request for a national demonstration against Israel. That first march took place on Oct 14, and carried an end apartheid message, supported by the SWP, the Friends of Al-Aqsa (FOA) and the MAB. Corbyn addressed the rally, saying, You must condemn what is happening now in Gaza by the Israeli army. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Islamism only speaks for a minority of Muslims, the Gaza war has confirmed that support for Palestine (and animosity to Israel) is widespread within Britains Muslim communities. Central to the pro-Palestinian protests ever since October 2023 have been the SWP working alongside, among others, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), the Left-wing group run by Ben Jamal, the son of a Palestinian Anglican vicar, and the MAB. The latest Stop The War posters display the SWP logo alongside those of the PSC, MAB, Mend and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, among others. Palestine does rank differently in terms of its importance to Muslims, says Ehsan. Some might think, Why is this MP talking about Gaza so much?, but youll find that they are representing the views of their Muslim constituents. Galloway was re-elected to Parliament in the Rochdale by-election of 2024, having stood for the Workers Party of Britain in opposition to Israel. Labour withdrew support for its own candidate Azhar Ali, who apologised following reports that he claimed Israel had allowed the Hamas attack, leaving Galloway to secure 40 per cent of the vote and proclaim: Keir Starmer, this is for Gaza. Ehsan says that when it comes to Israel and Palestine, many British Muslims are emotionally invested. In their eyes, this is their brothers and sisters suffering at the hands of a Jewish-supremacist regime. They also feel they live in a country that doesnt recognise Palestine there is a sense of betrayal. 2024 elections The moment the Green councillor Mothin Ali chanted Allahu Akbar! in his victory rally in Leeds last May signalled something had changed in British politics. Ali later apologised for past comments on Israel, which included posting on Oct 7 that White supremacist European settler colonialism must end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the preponderance of Gaza as a central issue in areas with large numbers of Muslim voters was evident in both the general and local elections. Leane Mohamad almost unseated Wes Streeting by campaigning on Gaza in the Health Secretarys Ilford North constituency in 2024, losing by only 528 votes, and claiming more than 32 per cent of the vote from a standing start. Labour pains - Vote loss in constituencies with largest Muslim populations, vs 2019 This pattern was replicated across the country at the general election, and though Mohamad fell just short, four other independent candidates were able to defeat Labour opponents in areas with significant Muslim populations. Several more pushed prominent Labour figures including Jess Phillips in Birmingham Yardley to within an inch of defeat. Shockat Adam, Adnan Hussain, Iqbal Mohamed and Ayoub Khan then joined Corbyn (who else?) to form a new Independent Alliance of MPs. The logo of this faction features green, white and black arrows on a red base, conveying the colours of the Palestinian flag. There is no suggestion that any of these MPs are Islamists. What their election does show is that many Muslims are prepared to vote en masse for candidates on the single issue of Gaza. That in itself is a noteworthy, novel development in British politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pro-Palestine candidates now know they can win without a mainstream party, says Ehsan. That is the future. We are now in a totally different political environment. Anti-Zionist takeover of the Greens Last month, Ali shared a post supporting Palestine Action that altered the words to William Blakes poem, Jerusalem. It ended with the line: Till we have built Jerusalem in Palestines green and pleasant land. The words, turned into the famous hymn of England, had been rewritten in support of the group alleged to have broken into RAF Brize Norton base and damaged Typhoon fighter jets. Credit: Palestine Action Ali rose to further prominence last summer when he was filmed advocating for the protection of Muslims during the riots in the aftermath of the Southport murders. Now he is standing to become the Green Partys deputy leader. His success highlights how the Greens are attracting both far-Left figures and some Muslim politicians who, while not linked to Islamism, have espoused extreme views. It will also become a test case of whether that partnership can last. During the election, the party endorsed half a dozen candidates who allegedly shared anti-Semitic slurs, conspiracy theories or offensive comments online. It went on to enjoy its best-ever general election results, winning nearly two million votes, including four seats in the Commons. Muslim support was crucial to the victory in Bristol Central, where there is a large Somali community. The Greens arent just ripe for takeover they have been taken over, says Lord Walney. Corbyns former advisor Matt Zarb-Cousin has recently joined. Some of the ant-Zionist rhetoric in Green activism is absolutely toxic, adds Lord Walney. I dont think they have any interest in tackling that because they want to be an influential voice and capture that alternative Left, and to be in that space you need to be vehemently anti-Israel that reflects the Islamist point of view as well. A Green Party spokesperson declined to comment on Ali or the findings of any investigation into his conduct, but told The Telegraph: People join because they are passionate about human rights, ending systemic racism, and stopping climate change. In joining, members also agree to abide by our Code of Conduct. Another test case when it comes to the partnership between some Muslims and the far-Left over Gaza, will be the recent takeover of Tribune, the Left-wing publication for which George Orwell used to be a columnist, by the founder of the Islam Channel, which repeatedly accuses Israel of a genocide in Gaza, and was fined 40,000 by Ofcom over serious and repeated breaches of broadcasting rules which amounted to hate speech against Jewish people. Former Tribune editor Paul Anderson said it was one of the weirdest things to have happened in the history of British media. The link probably comes from the Jeremy Corbyn factor, that Islamic hard-Left alliance. Taking an ugly turn Beyond Gaza, Islamist groups and the far-Left have come together to support a new definition of Islamophobia, which has been rejected by previous governments as being too vulnerable to influence from extremists. Critics believe the proposed definition, which is also supported by many moderate Muslims, is so expansive that it could threaten free speech, act as a de facto blasphemy law, and stifle legitimate criticism of Islam as a religion. To Lord Walney, the convergence over the definition speaks to a recurring theme of the far-Lefts alliance with Islamists. The relationship gives figures such as Corbyn cover for some distinctly unprogressive views. The hard-Lefts strange attraction to Islamism reflects their tolerance for authoritarianism, says Lord Walney. British politics is potentially taking a really ugly turn. 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. Jul. 4As a new fire started on the Kenai Peninsula on Friday afternoon, evacuations and Parks Highway delays continued due to large lightning-caused fires burning near Fairbanks and Healy in Interior Alaska. With the July Fourth holiday weekend underway, fire officials urged the public to remember that restrictions affecting fireworks, burning and other fires were in place in many places across the state due to an increase in fire activity in Interior Alaska and the relocation of firefighting resources. Burn suspensions are in place for Anchorage, Mat-Su and Fairbanks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State forestry and Central Emergency Services crews were responding to a new, roughly 10-acre fire near the Sterling Highway between Mile 102 and 103, burning in timber and brush, according to a state Division of Forestry and Fire Protection update. A helicopter was making bucket drops to support firefighters on the ground and tankers were dropping retardant, according to state fire officials. No structures were immediately threatened, they said. Several large fires started last month by lightning grew this week. State transportation officials advised against travel due to delays and fire activity near the Parks Highway at Nenana due to the Goldstream Fire burning near the roadway as well as delays near Healy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A "red flag" warning for hot, dry and breezy conditions was in effect for the central and eastern Interior as existing fires grew, prompting new or elevated evacuations on several large fires, state fire officials said in an update Friday. Officials in the Fairbanks North Star Borough said the Alaska Red Cross established a shelter at Hutchison High School for evacuees. An emergency animal shelter was also established at animal control. The borough, where the Nenana Ridge Complex fires were burning about 20 miles southwest of Fairbanks, issued an evacuation alert late Wednesday for the Parks Highway between Miles 325 and 333 and the Nenana Ridge Forestry Road, urging people in those zones to leave immediately. The City of Nenana announced late Thursday that the city was also setting up an evacuation shelter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another evacuation alert was in place between Miles 320 and 321 on the Parks Highway. Drivers were asked to exercise extreme caution near Skinny Dick's Halfway Inn bar and gift shop. The business in a social media post just after midnight Friday said Skinny Dick's was closed due to evacuation orders and would remain closed until crews "can contain the fires surrounding Skinny's." The Denali Borough, where two major fires are burning about 40 miles apart, issued an evacuation alert late Wednesday for the Saint George Creek Fire, warning people to leave immediately on properties between Wood River and Gold King Creek and certain areas within a mile of the creek. Residents under evacuation orders since last week on the Bear Creek Fire, however, were allowed to return home Wednesday. Local officials estimated more than 80 people were displaced by the fire and 19 structures including six full-time homes were lost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for hot, dry, windy conditions Wednesday. A red flag warning was in effect again Thursday across much of the Interior. The state suspended burn permits in the Mat-Su, Copper River, Fairbanks, Delta, Tok and Kenai-Kodiak fire prevention areas starting Thursday "due to an increase in fire activity in Interior Alaska and the relocation of resources from across the state to work these fires," officials announced Thursday. A plane en route to the Bonanza Creek fire south of Fairbanks made a landing without landing gear on Thursday afternoon, according to the Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service. The contracted Dash Aero Commander 690 aircraft landed at the end of the runway at Ladd Air Field on Fort Wainwright, the fire service said. Neither the pilot nor the passenger was injured. 6 people shot after fight breaks out at Fourth of July party in Brockton An investigation is underway after six people were shot when a large fight broke out at a Fourth of July party in Brockton early Saturday morning. Officers responding to multiple 911 calls reporting a shooting in the area of May Street shortly before 2 a.m. found six people suffering from gunshot wounds, according to the Brockton Police Department. The victims, whose names havent been released, were rushed to a local hospital. There was no immediate word on their conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said more than a dozen people were involved in the altercation before shots were fired. A neighborhood resident who got home from work around midnight said a huge party was going on with loud music, fireworks, and hundreds and hundreds of people. He found a bullet hole in his wall on Saturday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cars were parked up and down both sides of the road, which Ive never seen before, the resident told Boston 25 News. When I woke up this morning, there was powdered plaster all over my desk. I started looking around, then I saw a hole in my wall...The bullet went completely through my house. The scene remained active hours after the shooting. Video captured by a Boston 25 News photographer showed the road littered with red cups and other trash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No arrests have been made in connection with the incident. Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to contact Brockton police 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Iran has that Iranian dissident groups are present in the Kurdistan region. TheKurdistan Regional Governments (KRG) interior ministry on Friday pointed the finger at Iranian-backed militias in Iraq as culprits behind recent drone attacks. The attacks began on June 24 when the ceasefire came into force after 12 days of Iran-Israel conflict. The US had bombed Iran, and then Qatar helped broker a ceasefire. As this was happening, drones targeted several Iraqi military bases. Radar sites at Camp Taji and Imam Ali were struck. Imam Ali air base is near Nahariyah in southern Iraq. Taji is a massive base north of Baghdad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within days, the attacks spread. Rockets were launched at K-1 airport near Kirkuk. Then, drones targeted Sulimaniyeh, Dohuk and Erbil. More drone attacks have occurred throughout the week of July 1-5. The Iran-backed militias launching drones across the Middle East Rudaw, a media outlet in Erbil, the capital of the KRG, noted that the local authorities believe that the Hashd al-Shaabi or the Popular Mobilization Forces are behind the attacks. This is a group of dozens of pro-Iranian militias. Some of them have access to Iranian drones and missiles. Kataib Hezbollah, Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba are a few of the examples of the powerful militias. Kataib Hezbollah launched a drone attack in January 2024 that killed three Americans in Jordan. These groups have targeted Israel as well in the past, as well as US bases in Syria and US forces in Iraq. A drone view shows the Zubair Oil Field in Basra, Iraq, January 16, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Mohammed Aty) Last night, a drone crashed in a deserted area near Erbil. These attacks are being carried out by some groups affiliated with Hashd al-Shaabi with the intention of creating chaos. It is necessary for the relevant parties in the federal government to set limits on these destructive acts and take legal measures against the perpetrators, the KRG ministry said in a statement late Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An explosive-laden drone was intercepted near Erbil International Airport on Thursday, but did not cause any casualties or material damage, the Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD), which is part of the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC), said. Rudaw noted, The renewed drone activity follows the US-brokered ceasefire that went into effect on June 24, ending the 12 day war between Iran and Israel. During the conflict, numerous drones and rockets flew through the airspace of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, where several drones fell or were intercepted. Iraq is not happy. The KRG is an autonomous region. Meanwhile, in Baghdad the PMF enjoys support from pro-Iranian politicians who are powerful in Iraq. This includes key groups such as Badr, which is a member of the PMF and also a powerful political machine in Iraq. The PKF were able to become an official paramilitary group of Iraq in 2018, receiving salaries from the government, despite their connections to Iran and connections to illegal activity such as drone attacks and assassinations and kidnappings. For instance, Kataib Hezbollah kidnapped Princeton researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov in March 2023. The Trump administration has sought to free her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, the Iraqi government has condemned the KRG, claiming it is unacceptable for Erbil to blame the PMF. The accusation issued by the Ministry of Interior in the Kurdistan Regional Government [KRG] against an official Iraqi security institution is unacceptable, condemned, and impermissible under any pretext, especially since it was issued in the absence of evidence, the Iraqi prime ministers spokesperson Sabah al-Numan said in a statement. Baghdads rejection of the accusations was reported in Arabic media as well. Iraq is in the middle of dealing with the Ashura pilgrimage this weekend as well. Iraqi Shafaq media noted that the Joint Operations Command in Baghdad has planned for security arrangements with the Supreme Coordination Committee, comprised of the Ministers of Interior, Electricity, and Health, as well as the governors of Karbala, Babil, and Najaf, the service committees, the Joint Operations Command, and the police and Popular Mobilization Forces. There is also an ongoing salary dispute and energy deal dispute between Baghdad and Erbil. Iran also says that Iranian dissident groups are present in the Kurdistan region. This comes as Iran has arrested hundreds after the conflict with Israel in a major crackdown. Iran has targeted Kurds in the crackdown. It is likely Iran is using the PMF to target the KRG as part of this process. Iranian missiles appear to have directly hit five Israeli military facilities during the recent 12-day war, according to radar data seen by The Telegraph. The strikes have not been made public by the Israeli authorities and cannot be reported from within the country because of strict military censorship laws. They will further complicate the battle of words between the enemies, with both sides attempting to claim absolute victory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new data were shared with The Telegraph by US academics at Oregon State University, who specialise in using satellite radar data to detect bomb damage in war zones. It suggests five previously unreported military facilities were hit by six Iranian missiles in the north, south and centre of Israel, including a major air base, an intelligence gathering centre and a logistics base. Approached by The Telegraph on Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it would not comment on missile interception rates or damage to its bases. What we can say is that all relevant units maintained functional continuity throughout the operation, said a spokesman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The strikes on the military facilities are in addition to 36 others known to have pierced Israeli air-defence systems, causing significant damage to residential and industrial infrastructure. Despite the considerable damage to residential property across the country, only 28 Israelis died a testament to the countrys sophisticated alert system and the disciplined use of bomb shelters and safe rooms by the population. Analysis by The Telegraph suggests that while the vast majority of Iranian missiles were intercepted, the proportion that got through grew steadily in the first eight days of the 12-day war. The reasons for this, say experts, are not clear but may include the rationing of a limited stock of interceptor missiles on the Israeli side and improved firing tactics and the possible use of more sophisticated missiles by Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although the Iron Dome is Israels best-known air-defence system, it is actually designed to protect against short-range projectiles such as mortars and is only one part of the layered air-defence system the country uses. In the middle tier stands the Davids Sling air-defence system, which is optimised for intercepting drones and missiles with ranges up to 300km. At the top is the Arrow system, which engages long-range ballistic missiles before they re-enter the atmosphere. Importantly, the Israeli systems were backed up throughout the 12-day war by two US ground-based THAAD missile-defence systems and ship-based interceptors launched from US assets in the Red Sea. The US is estimated to have launched at least 36 THAAD interceptors during the war at a cost of some $12 million a time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Israel, a densely packed small country of just 9.7 million people, the piercing of the countrys famed missile-defence systems has come as a shock, with the authorities having to issue notices warning that they were not hermetic. Credit: Reuters The 15,000 made homeless are especially conspicuous as they have been distributed to hotel accommodation throughout the country and the restriction of residential sites has been reported freely. But there has also been growing suspicion within the country that military targets were hit. Raviv Drucker of Channel 13, one of the countrys best-known journalists, said last week: There were a lot of [Iranian] missile hits in IDF bases, in strategic sites that we still dont report about to this day... It created a situation where people dont realise how precise the Iranians were and how much damage they caused in many places. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Corey Scher, a researcher at Oregon State University, said his unit was working on a fuller assessment of missile damage in both Israel and Iran, and would publish its findings in around two weeks. He said the radar system data that they used to assess damage measured changes in the built environment to detect blasts and that absolute confirmation of hits would necessitate either on-the-ground reporting at the military sites concerned or satellite pictures. The Telegraphs data analysis shows the combined US and Israeli defence systems performed well overall, but were letting through around 16 per cent of missiles by day seven of the war. This broadly accords with an earlier IDF estimate for the defence system that put the success rate at 87 per cent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Iran, Islamic Republic officials and state media are using footage of missiles penetrating Israeli air defences in an attempt to convince domestic audiences they won the war. There are cartoons mocking the Iron Dome in Iranian media with revolutionary songs playing over videos of missiles hitting Israeli cities. Iranian officials say that the main way Israels air defences were pierced was by using missiles and drones at the same time to confuse defence systems. Fast missiles mixed with slower drones confused the defences and made them split their attention, officials claim. The main goal of firing [suicide drones] at Israel is always to keep their systems busy, one Iranian official told The Telegraph. Many dont even get through theyre intercepted but they still cause confusion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maj Gen Ali Fazli, the IRGCs deputy commander-in-chief, appeared on state TV on Thursday night, claiming implausibly that Iran was in the best defensive position in the 47-year history of the Islamic Revolution never before have we been at such a level in terms of military readiness, operational cohesion, and fighter morale. This despite Israels proven ability to strike at will over the entire country and the substantial damage caused to the countrys military leadership and nuclear programme. Nevertheless, it is likely that a large part of Irans ballistic missile arsenal remains untouched. Even by Israeli estimates, only half of its launchers were destroyed in the 12-day conflict and substantial stocks of missiles remain. Iran had about 400 launchers, and we destroyed more than 200 of them, which caused a bottleneck in their missile operations, an Israeli military official said on Thursday Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They added: We assessed that Iran had approximately 2,000 to 2,500 ballistic missiles at the beginning of this conflict. However, they were rapidly moving toward a mass-production strategy, which could see their missile stockpile grow to 8,000 or even 20,000 missiles in the next few years. Maj Gen Fazli claimed that underground cities of missiles remained untouched in Iran. We have not yet opened the doors of even one of our missile cities, he claimed on Thursday. We assess that so far only about 25 to 30 per cent of existing missile capability has been used and, at the same time, the production cycle is powerfully supporting this operational capacity. 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. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attended a religious gathering on Saturday, according to Iranian state media outlet Press TV, the first time he has appeared in public in several weeks. Khamenei had not made a public appearance since his country was plunged into conflict on June 13, when Israel unilaterally bombed Iranian military and nuclear sites. The US later joined in, bombing three key Iranian nuclear sites before US President Donald Trump declared a ceasefire. In video posted by Press TV on X, Khamenei waves to a crowd of black-clad worshippers marking the eve of Ashura, when Shia Muslims commemorate and mourn the death of the Prophet Muhammads grandson Husayn ibn Ali. The crowd greeted the cleric in turn with cheers and chants. Weeks in hiding Khamenei, the longest-ruling leader in the Middle East, reportedly spent the 12-day conflict with Israel and the US hiding in a bunker with little access to outside communications. During the conflict, both Israeli politicians and Trump openly discussed overthrowing Khameneis government and deposing him by force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After reportedly rejecting an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei, Trump stated in late June that the cleric was an easy target. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not rule out targeting Khamenei either, saying that his death would not escalate the conflict, but rather end it. In a recorded statement posted from an undisclosed location days after the ceasefire began, Khamenei was defiant, declaring victory over both Israel and the US. Khamenei took time to respond directly to US President Donald Trump, who had called for Irans unconditional surrender shortly before ordering US airstrikes. This (conflict) is not about our nuclear program, Khamenei said. This is about Iran surrendering in his statement, (Trump) revealed the truth, he showed his hand. The Americans have had a fundamental issue with Islamic Iran since our revolution. And it will never happen, Khamenei said of Trumps demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nonetheless, the conflict with Israel and the US has likely bruised Khameneis reputation in Iran, analysts told CNN in June. Israels initial strikes were unprecedented in their depth, killing some of the countrys top military leadership on day one. The Islamic Republic had one social contract with society, which is that it deprived them of all freedoms in return for providing security, said Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group. Now, that image has been shattered in the eyes of the Iranian people. US wont allow Iranian nuclear program Khameneis new public appearance comes a day after Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that the US wont allow Iran to restart its nuclear program. If they did start, thered be a problem. We wouldnt allow that to happen, Trump said Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump said he would discuss the previous strikes with Netanyahu, who is due to visit Washington on Monday. The comments echo remarks made earlier on Friday by Israels defense minister, Israel Katz, who said his country must maintain aerial superiority over Iran to ensure it cannot rebuild its nuclear or missile production programs. Trump reiterated his claim that Iran wants to meet with the US for talks, a statement Iranian officials have repeatedly denied. The Trump administration has discussed possibly helping Iran access as much as $30 billion to build a nuclear program for civilian energy production, easing sanctions, and freeing up billions of dollars in restricted Iranian funds all part of an intensifying attempt to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table, four sources familiar with the matter said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has made his first public appearance since the start of Iran's conflict with Israel, according to state media. State television footage showed him greeting worshippers at a mosque on Saturday during a ceremony a day before the Shia festival of Ashura. Khamenei's last appearance was in a recorded address during the conflict with Israel, which began on 13 June and during which top Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists were killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel launched a surprise attack on nuclear and military sites in Iran, after which Iran retaliated with aerial attacks targeting Israel. During the 12-day war with Israel, Khamenei appeared on TV in three video messages and there was speculation that he was hiding in a bunker. On Saturday Iranian media coverage was dominated by Khamenei's appearance, with footage of supporters expressing joy at seeing him on television. Khamenei is seen turning to senior cleric Mahmoud Karimi, encouraging him to "sing the anthem, O Iran". The patriotic song became particularly popular during the recent conflict with Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State TV said the clip was filmed at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Mosque, named after the founder of the Islamic republic. Iranian TV has invited people to send in videos sharing their reactions to Khamenei's return to the public eye. His appearance comes as the predominantly Shia Muslim country observes a period of mourning during the month of Muharram, traditionally attended by the supreme leader. Ashura is held on the 10th day of Muharram - this year falling on 6 July - during which Shia Muslims commemorate the death of Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Hossein. On 26 June, in pre-recorded remarks aired on state television, Khamenei said Iran would not surrender to Israel despite US President Donald Trump's calls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US joined the war with strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on 22 June. The operation involved 125 US military aircraft and targeted three nuclear facilities: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. Iran's judiciary said more than 900 people were killed during the 12-day war. Alyssa Milano feels "heartbroken" over Julian McMahon's passing. Alyssa Milano has paid a glowing tribute to Julian McMahon The actor died from cancer on July 2, aged 56, and Alyssa has taken to social media to pay a glowing tribute to her former Charmed co-star. She wrote on Instagram: "Im heartbroken. "Julian McMahon was magic. That smile. That laugh. That talent. That presence. He walked into a room and lit it upnot just with charisma, but with kindness. With mischief. With soulful understanding. "We spent years together on Charmedyears of scenes, stories, and so many in-between moments. He made me feel safe as an actor. Seen as a woman. He challenged me, teased me, supported me. We were so different, and yet somehow we always understood each other." Alyssa hailed the late actor as a "dear friend", and she also offered her condolences to his family. Her post continued: "Julian was more than my TV husband. He was a dear friend. The kind who checks in. The kind who remembers. The kind who shares. The kind who tells you the truth, even when its uncomfortablebut always with love. "My heart is with Kelly, with Madison, and with Ilianahis girls, his world. He adored them. You could feel it in every conversation, every story, every text. He was a family man above all, and he loved deeply. "Losing him feels unreal. Too soon. Too unfair. "Rest, my friend. Ill carry your laugh with me. "Forever Cole. Forever Julian. "[dove and broken-heart emojis] (sic)" Julian's passing was announced by his wife Kelly McMahon on Friday (04.07.25). In a statement given to Deadline, she said: "With an open heart, I wish to share with the world that my beloved husband, Julian McMahon, died peacefully this week after a valiant effort to overcome cancer. "Julian loved life. He loved his family. He loved his friends. He loved his work, and he loved his fans. His deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible. "We ask for support during this time to allow our family to grieve in privacy. And we wish for all of those to whom Julian brought joy, to continue to find joy in life. We are grateful for the memories." DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attended a religious event on Saturday, according to a video carried by state television, after reports that he was in a "secure location" since the start of a 12-day air war with Israel in which top Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists were killed. The video carried by state media showed dozens attending a ceremony to mark Ashura, the holiest day of the Shi'ite Muslim calendar, standing chanting as Khamenei entered a hall where many government functions are held. For apparent security reasons, Khamenei had issued pre-taped messages during the war which started on June 13, and avoided public appearances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On June 26, in pre-recorded remarks aired on state television, Khamenei promised that Iran would not surrender despite U.S. President Donald Trump's calls. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Daniel Wallis) Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday made his first public appearance since the outbreak of his country's recent 12-day war with Israel, taking part in a religious ceremony in Tehran, state media reported. The octogenarian leader was shown in a video broadcast by state television greeting people and being cheered at a mosque as worshippers marked the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, an important date for Shia Muslims. Khamenei, 86, can be seen on stage dressed in black as the crowd before him, fists in the air, chants "The blood in our veins for our leader!" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State TV said the clip was filmed at central Tehran's Imam Khomeini Mosque, named for the founder of the Islamic republic. Khamenei, in power since 1989, spoke last week in a pre-recorded video, but had not been seen in public since before Israel initiated the conflict with a wave of surprise air strikes on June 13. His last public appearance was two days before that, when he met with members of parliament. Israel's bombing campaign followed a decades-long shadow war with Iran, and was aimed at preventing it from developing a nuclear weapon -- an ambition Tehran has consistently denied. The strikes killed more than 900 people in Iran, its judiciary has said, while retaliatory Iranian missile barrages aimed at Israeli cities killed at least 28 people there, according to official figures. ap-sbr/dcp/smw/jhb Iran s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday made his first public appearance since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran began, attending a mourning ceremony on the eve of Ashoura. Khamenei's absence during the war suggested the Iranian leader, who has final say on all state matters, had been in seclusion in a bunker something not acknowledged by state media. State TV in Iran showed him waving and nodding to the chanting crowd, which rose to its feet as he entered and sat at a mosque next to his office and residence in the capital, Tehran. There was no immediate report on any public statement made. Iranian officials such as the parliament speaker were present. Such events are always held under heavy security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the U.S. inserted itself into the war by bombing three key nuclear sites in Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump sent warnings via social media to the 86-year-old Khamenei that the U.S. knew where he was but had no plans to kill him, at least for now. On June 26, shortly after a ceasefire began, Khamenei made his first public statement in days, saying in a prerecorded statement that Tehran had delivered a slap to Americas face by striking a U.S. air base in Qatar, and warning against further attacks by the U.S. or Israel on Iran. Trump replied, in remarks to reporters and on social media: Look, youre a man of great faith. A man whos highly respected in his country. You have to tell the truth. You got beat to hell. Iran has acknowledged the deaths of more than 900 people in the war, as well as thousands of injured. It also has confirmed serious damage to its nuclear facilities, and has denied access to them for inspectors with the U.N. nuclear watchdog. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Irans president on Wednesday ordered the country to suspend its cooperation with the watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, further limiting inspectors ability to track a program that had been enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels. Israel launched the war fearing that Iran was trying to develop atomic weapons. It remains unclear just how badly damaged the nuclear facilities are, whether any enriched uranium or centrifuges had been moved before the attacks, and whether Tehran still would be willing to continue negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program. Israel also targeted defense systems, high-ranking military officials and atomic scientists. In retaliation, Iran fired more than 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of them intercepted, killing 28 people and causing damage in many areas. Ceremony commemorates a death that caused rift in Islam Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ceremony that Khamenei hosted Saturday was a remembrance of the 7th century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammads grandson, Hussein. Shiites represent over 10% of the worlds 1.8 billion Muslims, and they view Hussein as the rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad. Husseins death in battle at the hands of Sunnis at Karbala, south of Baghdad, created a rift in Islam and continues to play a key role in shaping Shiite identity. In predominantly Shiite Iran, red flags represented Husseins blood and black funeral tents and clothes represented mourning. Processions of chest-beating and self-flagellating men demonstrated fervor. Some sprayed water over the mourners in the intense heat. Reports of problems accessing the internet Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NetBlocks, a global internet monitor, reported late Saturday on X that there was a major disruption to internet connectivity in Iran. It said the disruption corroborated widespread user reports of problems accessing the internet. The development comes just weeks after authorities shut down telecoms during the war. NetBlocks later said internet access had been restored after some two hours. ___ Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. An anti-Israel billboard is seen next to the Iranian flag during a celebration following the IRGC attack on Israel, in Tehran, Iran, April 15, 2024. (photo credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA/via Reuters) The report from the Islamic Republic-backed news source claims that the five spies were foreign nationals and "directly affiliated with the Zionist regime's intelligence services." One woman was killed and 12 others wounded by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to Haalvsh, a human rights group based in Sistan and Baluchestan region, which uploaded documentation of the incident on X/Twitter on Wednesday. The attacks took place in the village of Gonich, which is located in southeastern Iran, and targeted Baloch women and children. The human rights organization also referred to a report published by the IRGC-owned Tasnim News Agency claiming to have pursued five Israeli spies in the area, which the organization describes as "false" and "lacks names, images, accurate details, and credibility." The contents of the Tasnim report The report from the Islamic Republic-backed news source claims that the five spies were foreign nationals and "directly affiliated with the Zionist regime's intelligence services." They added that the suspects "managed to escape and are currently on the run." Haalvsh said the report was a "clear attempt to cover up the repression of ordinary citizens and justify this crime against Baloch civilians." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The human rights organization then cited eyewitnesses and other sources saying that Gonich was attacked with drones and military vehicles. The one person killed in the attack was a 40-year-old woman, while another woman, 21, lost her fetus due to being kicked by IRGC forces. The embroidered flags of Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran (illustrative) (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK) The other wounded are all between the ages of 16 and 50, all of whom were Gonich residents, according to Haalvsh. The report by Tasnim and other IRGC-backed media is unreliable and used as propaganda to erase the crimes of the Islamic Republic, the human rights organization said, and called on other human rights organizations abroad to investigate the IRGC attack in Gunich and to further look into the death and injuries of civilians in the area. The Indiana State Police and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, with the support of the Marion County Prosecutors Office, are stepping up traffic enforcement efforts on Indianapolis area highways and city streets. Reckless and dangerous drivers put countless lives in jeopardy every single day, the goal is to strategically enforce traffic laws targeting the most egregious driving behavior. Crash statistics will be utilized not only to determine high crash areas, but the most frequent crash causation factors including speed, following too closely, unsafe lane change and failure to yield. The ISP Indianapolis District is comprised of Marion, Hamilton, Hancock, Shelby, Johnson, Hendricks and Boone Counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Below are some traffic statistics for the Indianapolis District in 2024. It is important to note these statistics are for troopers in the Indianapolis District only, not statewide. There are currently 60 troopers and 9 supervisors assigned to road patrol in the Indianapolis District. * 91,251 traffic stops for various violations * 14,104 Crashes on Indianapolis area highways * 50 fatalities * 2,265 crashes with injuries * 11,789 crashes with no injuries Indiana State Police Indianapolis District Commander, Lieutenant Josh Watson, said, Very few things affect an entire community like dangerous drivers. Our goal is to reduce the number of crashes on our roadways though strategic targeted enforcement. We will work diligently with other agencies to find ways to efficiently and effectively enhance roadway safety for the millions of people who travel through and within our district. We have seen an alarming increase in road rage incidents in recent years, particularly incidents that begin as a traffic violation and escalate very quickly to deadly violence. Not only do we hope to reduce crashes but also stop road rage encounters before they begin. JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he believed his discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday would help advance talks on a Gaza hostage release and ceasefire deal, as Trump predicted an agreement could be reached this week. Israeli negotiators taking part in the ceasefire talks that resumed in Doha on Sunday have clear instructions to achieve a ceasefire agreement under conditions that Israel has accepted, Netanyahu said on Sunday before flying to Washington. "I believe the discussion with President Trump can certainly help advance these results," he said, adding his determination to ensure the return of hostages held in Gaza and to remove the threat of the Palestinian militant group Hamas to Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will be Netanyahu's third visit to the White House since Trump returned to power nearly six months ago. Trump said he believed a hostage release and ceasefire deal could be reached this week, which could lead to the release of "quite a few hostages." "I think there's a good chance we have a deal with Hamas during the week," Trump told reporters before flying back to Washington after a weekend golfing in New Jersey. Public pressure is mounting on Netanyahu to secure a permanent ceasefire and end the war in Gaza, a move opposed by some hardline members of his right-wing coalition. Others, including Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, have expressed support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palestinian group Hamas said on Friday it had responded to a U.S.-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal in a "positive spirit", a few days after Trump said Israel had agreed "to the necessary conditions to finalize" a 60-day truce. But in a sign of the potential challenges still facing the two sides, a Palestinian official from a militant group allied with Hamas said concerns remained over humanitarian aid, passage through the Rafah crossing in southern Israel to Egypt and clarity over a timetable for Israeli troop withdrawals. The first session of indirect Hamas-Israel ceasefire talks in Qatar ended inconclusively, two Palestinian sources familiar with the matter said early on Monday, adding that the Israeli delegation didn't have a sufficient mandate to reach an agreement with Hamas. Netanyahu's office said in a statement that changes sought by Hamas to the ceasefire proposal were "not acceptable to Israel". However, his office said the delegation would still fly to Qatar to "continue efforts to secure the return of our hostages based on the Qatari proposal that Israel agreed to." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, a demand the militant group has so far refused to discuss. Netanyahu said he believed he and Trump would also build on the outcome of the 12-day air war with Iran last month and seek to further ensure that Tehran never has a nuclear weapon. He said recent Middle East developments had created an opportunity to widen the circle of peace. HOSTAGES On Saturday evening, crowds gathered at a public square in Tel Aviv near the defence ministry headquarters to call for a ceasefire deal and the return of around 50 hostages still held in Gaza. The demonstrators waved Israeli flags, chanted and carried posters with photos of the hostages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Gaza's health ministry says Israel's retaliatory military assault on the enclave has killed over 57,000 Palestinians. It has also caused a hunger crisis, displaced the population, mostly within Gaza, and left the territory in ruins. Around 20 of the remaining hostages are believed to be still alive. A majority of the original hostages have been freed through diplomatic negotiations, though the Israeli military has also recovered some. (Reporting by Emily Rose, Maayan Lubell, Charlotte Greenfield, Alexander Cornwell and Howard Goller; additional reporting by Andrea Shalal in Bridgewater, New Jersey; writing by Hatem Maher and Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Alistair Bell, Gareth Jones and Diane Craft) Israel has decided to send a delegation to Qatar on Sunday for proximity talks with Hamas on the latest proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he had accepted the invitation despite what he described as the "unacceptable" changes that Hamas wanted to make to a plan presented by mediators from Qatar, the US and Egypt. On Friday night, Hamas said it had delivered a "positive response" to the proposal for a 60-day ceasefire and that it was ready for negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, a Palestinian official said the group had sought amendments including a guarantee that hostilities would not resume if talks on a permanent truce failed. In Gaza itself, the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency said Israeli strikes and gunfire killed at least 35 Palestinians on Saturday. Seven people were killed, including a doctor and his three children, when tents in the al-Mawasi area were bombed, according to a hospital in the nearby city of Khan Younis. Meanwhile, two American employees of the controversial aid distribution organisation backed by Israel and the US - the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) - were wounded in what it said was a grenade attack at its site in the Khan Younis area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli and US governments both blamed Hamas, which has not commented. Late on Saturday, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement that "the changes that Hamas is seeking to make" to the ceasefire proposal were "unacceptable to Israel". But it added: "In light of an assessment of the situation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the invitation to proximity talks be accepted and that the contacts for the return of our hostages - on the basis of the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to - be continued. The negotiating team will leave tomorrow." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier, an Israeli official had briefed local media that there was "something to work with" in the way that Hamas had responded. Mediators are likely to have their work cut out to bridge the remaining gaps at the indirect talks in Doha. Watching them closely will be President Trump, who has been talking up the chances of an agreement in recent days. On Friday, before he was briefed on Hamas's response, he said it was "good" that the group was positive and that "there could be a Gaza deal next week". Trump is due to meet Netanyahu on Monday, and it is clear that he would very much like to be able to announce a significant breakthrough then. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The families of Israeli hostages and Palestinians in Gaza will also once again be holding their breath. Hostages' relatives and thousands of their supporters attended a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday night to call for a comprehensive deal that would bring home all of the hostages. Among those who spoke was Yechiel Yehoud. His daughter Arbel Yehoud was released from captivity during the last ceasefire, which Trump helped to broker before he took office and which collapsed when Israel resumed its offensive in March. "President Trump, thank you for bringing our Arbel back to us. We will be indebted to you for the rest of our lives. Please don't stop, please make a 'big beautiful hostages deal'," he said. An overnight Israeli strike hit a UN-run school sheltering displaced people in Gaza City [Reuters] On Tuesday, the US president said that Israel had accepted the "necessary conditions" for a 60-day ceasefire, during which the parties would work to end the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plan is believed to include the staggered release of 10 living Israeli hostages by Hamas and the bodies of 18 other hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Fifty hostages are still being held in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. The proposal also reportedly says sufficient quantities of aid would enter Gaza immediately with the involvement of the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross. A senior Palestinian official familiar with the talks told the BBC on Friday that Hamas was demanding aid be distributed exclusively by the UN and its partners, and that the GHF's operations end immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another amendment demanded by Hamas was about Israeli troop withdrawals, according to the official. The US proposal is believed to include phased Israeli pull-outs from parts of Gaza. But the official said Hamas wanted troops to return to the positions they held before the last ceasefire collapsed in March, when Israel resumed its offensive. The official said Hamas also wanted a US guarantee that Israeli air and ground operations would not resume even if the ceasefire ended without a permanent truce. The proposal is believed to say mediators will guarantee that serious negotiations will take place from day one, and that they can extend the ceasefire if necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli prime minister has ruled out ending the war until all of the hostages are released and Hamas's military and governing capabilities are destroyed. Far-right members of his cabinet have also expressed their opposition to the proposed deal. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Saturday that the only way to secure the return of the hostages was the "full conquest of the Gaza Strip, a complete halt to so-called 'humanitarian' aid, and the encouragement of emigration" of the Palestinian population. The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October 2023 attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. At least 57,338 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to send a negotiating team to Qatar for talks on a Gaza ceasefire proposal as Israeli forces continued to bombard the Palestinian enclave, killing at least 78 people in the past 24 hours. Netanyahus office said the team would travel to the Qatari capital, Doha, on Sunday after the Israeli leader instructed negotiators to accept the invitation for close talks. But the statement said that the changes Hamas is requesting to make to the Qatari proposal were delivered to us last night and are unacceptable to Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It did not elaborate on what changes were being requested. The announcement came after Hamas said on Friday that it had provided a positive response to a United States-brokered proposal that would involve a 60-day truce in Gaza, renewing hopes of a possible end to Israels deadly assault on the Palestinian enclave. At least 57,338 Palestinians have been killed in Israels war on Gaza, which began in October 2023, while at least 135,957 others have been wounded. Israeli attacks have laid waste to Gaza, spurring a dire humanitarian crisis and left the territory on the brink of famine. Hamas has insisted that any ceasefire agreement must include guarantees that Israel will permanently end its war on Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Palestinian group said on Friday that it was fully prepared, with all seriousness, to immediately enter a new round of negotiations on the mechanism for implementing the latest ceasefire framework. Hamass requests Al Jazeeras Hamdah Salhut, reporting from Amman in Jordan, explained that Hamas has made requests for three core amendments to the proposal. They wanted the talks for ending the war to continue if there was a pause in the fighting, if that 60 days was over, she said. The Palestinian group also wants humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza through United Nations-led international mechanisms instead of the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 700 Palestinians have been killed and thousands wounded while seeking aid at GHF sites since the foundation began operating in the Strip in late May. The third [request] was about where Israeli forces could be in the Gaza Strip as part of this deal, Salhut added. The announcement from Netanyahus office came as families and supporters of Israeli captives rallied in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa, demanding a deal to secure the return of their loved ones. Some 50 of the 200 people taken captive during the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023 remain in Gaza. Israel believes some 27 of them are dead. The families have accused Netanyahu, who is on trial on corruption charges, of blocking attempts to reach a deal for his personal gain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Salhut explained that the captives families have accused the Israeli prime minister of prioritising politics over the lives of their loved ones. His current right-wing allies the reason why Netanyahu is in power dont want a deal, she said, adding that US President Donald Trump has also been pushing for an agreement between Israel and Hamas. Trump will host Netanyahu for talks at the White House in Washington, DC, on Monday. Path of surrender Earlier on Saturday, Israels far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, a key member of Netanyahus governing coalition, called on the Israeli prime minister to abandon the path of surrender. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a post on X, Ben-Gvir wrote that any ceasefire deal that would include Israels withdrawal from conquered territories, the release of Palestinian prisoners, or the revitalisation of Hamas with humanitarian aid would constitute a reward for terrorism. The only way to achieve victory and securely return our hostages is through the complete conquest of the Strip, a total cessation of humanitarian aid, and the encouragement to emigration, he said. I call on the prime minister to abandon the path of surrender and return to the path of victory. Omer Bartov, an Israeli-American scholar of Holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University, told Al Jazeera that he believes Netanyahu does not want to end the war in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Netanyahu stops fighting, it could lead to the fall of his government, so what hes doing now is hedging his bets, Bartov said. What hes trying to negotiate is something that feels really cynical both from the point of view of the war that is constantly happening in Gaza, and from the point of view of the families of the hostages, he said. He said this is because the ceasefire proposal only provides for the return of 10 Israeli captives held by Hamas, out of presumably 20 who are still alive. That will make it possible for [Netanyahu] at a certain point to say: Hamas has not met all the conditions and, therefore, we have to resume the fighting, said Bartov. And Hamas will have to accept that. People are dying just trying to get food In Gaza, meanwhile, Israels relentless bombardment continued, with soldiers bombing a United Nations-run school and a residential building in Gaza City, killing at least nine people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zahwa Salmi, who survived the attack on al-Shafi school in Gaza City, told Al Jazeera the bombing happened early in the morning while displaced families were sleeping. At around 2:15am [23:15 GMT], we heard the sound of something devastating explode in the hall, she recounted. People were shouting: There is no god but Allah! Help us, someone! But then we no longer heard any sound from them. The victims of Israeli attacks also included nine people, including three children, who were shot dead near the GHF aid distribution point in southern Rafah. Al Jazeeras Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, said survivors of the attack at the GHF site recounted being afraid to pick up the dead because they were afraid of being shot as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The number of Palestinians killed while trying to get food has now crossed 700. This is happening in a place where enforced dehydration and starvation is widespread. People are going hungry. They ration what little they have. Many families are not eating. Mothers are skipping meals to make sure their children have enough, he said. This also reveals another side of the GHF. Whatever they are doing is hardly relief. Its largely performative there is nothing genuinely humanitarian about it. They are crowding desperate people into dangerous conditions with zero safety and zero transparency. The World Food Programmes (WFP) deputy executive director, Charles Skau, who made his fourth visit to Gaza since Israels war began on Tuesday and Wednesday, said the situation in the enclave is the worst he has ever seen. Its hard to find words to describe the level of desperation I have witnessed. People are dying just trying to get food, he said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skau reiterated his call for an end to the hostilities. A ceasefire is urgently needed, he wrote. During the previous ceasefire, we showed what was possible: delivering more than 8,000 trucks of food in only 42 days. We can do it again, but we need all routes and entry points to open, and we need safety in order to be able to reach the most vulnerable. ITALY (KNWA/KFTA) America is a melting pot of people and today more than one million Italian Americans can trace their history back to colonization in Arkansas. Thats according to historians with the Italians of Sunnyside. On this Independence Day, many are happy to call the natural state home but they havent always felt so free. Anthony Borgognoni raised in Catholic school is a dual citizen dedicated to preserving his heritage. Hes proud to be an Italian American. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We take being Americans very seriously, but it was a hard price to pay, Borgognoni said. All of my family is just embedded in this history. All of my classmates had a name that ended in I. All four of Borgognonis grandparents came from Italy as part of a wave of immigrants recruited in 1895 to replace slave labor on the Sunnyside Plantation in Lake Village, Ark. He said they were promised land and prosperity, but the voyage alone took twice as long as expected, leading to famine and the heartbreaking deaths of infants who were buried at sea. This story has been hidden for 80 years, buried in the National Archives, and it wasnt discovered until just a few decades ago, Borgognoni said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The harrowing history is highlighted in his mothers book, Italians of Sunnyside. Borgognoni gives presentations on the subject including one three years ago at the Tontitown Winery. Many were captivated by the gripping details. Professor Foley came up. He just looked right at me and said, Were going to do a film on this story, Borgognoni said. He did just that. Last month, Larry Foley held three screenings in Italy, showcasing his award-winning documentary Cries from the Cotton Field. Im telling you, I think the entire town came out. A town citizen came up to me in tears, sobbing that she was able to watch the saga of her community, Foley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RISE Academy takes root as True Colors Farm presses pause on tulips Foley said this has been the most rewarding and emotional project of his career. I think the greatest reward for me has been in telling a story that was not totally unknown, but was largely forgotten and not known to this depth, Foley said. I tend to be attracted by these stories that, for whatever reasons, have disappear[ed] in the mist of time. And this is one of them. The film is told in English and Italian. The story means so much to people on two different continents, and its one that stands the test of time, Foley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its available on Tubi, Amazon Prime, and YouTube. Theres an old line that I subscribe to and that I teach that you dont set out to win an award, but you want to do award-winning work, Foley said. And you know the old story about us storytellers: if we can take you there and make you care well, weve done what we set out to do. He said the film deals with racism, nationalism, and immigration themes that still resonate today. We have heroes and villains, and we have high watermarks, and times of despair, Foley said. It is the story of the resilience of the human spirit. Faith is deeply ingrained in the entire story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When hundreds of Italians first arrived in Arkansas, Borgognoni said, many contracted malaria. The settlers believed they were buying land, but the property was mortgaged. The work here was brutal. It was punishing. The water was impure. Mosquito infestation was overwhelming, Borgognoni said. Not long after the plantation owner died, Borgognoni said Mississippi Senator LeRoy Percy, a friend of President Theodore Roosevelt, tore up their contracts. They were required to grow only cotton and pay for tools at 10 percent interest. All services came out of their pockets, prompting widespread panic. I hear you whining. I hear you complaining. So heres the new deal, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within three years of their arrival, many fled. Borgognoni said up to a third of them died. New settlements formed across the U.S., including Tontitown, while roughly 20% remained at Sunnyside. They were under the complete thumb and almost held as prisoners at Sunnyside, Borgognoni said. Records suggest their cries reached the Vatican, bishops, and the Italian government, which pressured Roosevelt to investigate. Whats all this crying? Whats all this anguish? What is all the suffering? Borgognoni said. It was something Borgognoni said he didnt take seriously appointing a female federal investigator. But she did, documenting arrests, threats, and beatings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She later became known as the female Sherlock Holmes, Borgognoni said. He said Italians were barred from schools, segregated on trains, and surveilled by the U.S. Postmaster. They were considered inferior. They were not considered Caucasians. And they did not belong, Borgognoni said. Borgognoni said the Ku Klux Klan burned crosses in their yards. They were labeled followers of a foreign god. Children were discouraged from speaking Italian as suspicions grew during wartime about where their loyalties lay. Young men were encouraged to enlist. They did indeed embark on that. They served in the military and fought against those horrible eras of Hitler and Mussolini, and even in World War I. So were very proud of that, Borgognoni said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They held fast to family and friends. The brutality that our ancestors suffered is just immeasurable. They endured for up to five decades before they became U.S. citizens, because they felt it was their patriotic duty not to complain, Borgognoni said. A restaurant owner in Tontitown told Foley that business increased after the film was released. And in northern Italy, one of his interviewees said tourism also went up there. They want to taste the flavors of the old country, Foley said. He hopes those who watch the film will walk away inspired. Theyll drive up to Tontitown and maybe go to the Grape Festival, and go to the Venetian Inn or Mama Zs, and theyll go to the Tontitown Museum, and theyll dig into the story, because, you know, we all came from someplace. And we shouldnt forget that. Who we are and where we came from is part of our American tapestry, Foley said. And maybe, you know, if youre on your way to the Gulf Coast, youll stop off at Lake Village and look around to where the Sunnyside Plantation waswhere those first cries from the cotton field were heard by Father Bandini. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All his ancestors ever wanted, Borgognoni said, was a better life for their families. Being an Italian American, my life has been so rich. If you like spaghetti, if you like meatballs, if you like anything Italian, youre welcome to be a part of our family, because thats the key to being Italian. We love family. We love people, and that is a blessing, Borgognoni 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 KNWA FOX24. Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville predicted that President Donald Trumps so-called big, beautiful bill, signed into law Friday, would create a mass extinction event for Republicans in Congress and create future opportunities to elect more Democrats. Political anthropologists are going to look back at this, and its going to be called a mass extinction event because there are a lot of them going to be extinct when people go to the polls voting for this, Carville told CNNs Anderson Cooper on Thursday. James Carville predicted that Democrats could pick up more than 40 House seats in the wake of President Donald Trump's mega bill. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik Carvilles comments came during a panel interview with fellow Democratic strategist Paul Begala, who claimed Republicans in Congress will hurt from Trumps bill, which guts Medicaid to help fund tax cuts for the rich. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medicaid is beloved, by the way, Trump won people on Medicaid. He won their votes and you know, a good politician rewards his voters, a great politician reaches out beyond to new voters, but a stupid politician punishes his voters, Begala said. Begala cited polling from Kaiser Family Foundation that found a large majority of Democrats, independent voters and Republicans view Medicaid favorably. The nonprofit health policy organization also found that most Americans have some connection to Medicaid. Trumps 900-page bill extends tax cuts for wealthier households, makes more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, slashes food assistance for low-income households and puts rural hospitals at serious risk of shutting down. The Congressional Budget Office estimated Trumps bill could add $3.3 trillion to the national debt. Carville agreed with Begala, calling Trumps mega bill the most unpopular piece of legislation in history. He suggested Democrats can use this bills passing to lift themselves up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every Democrat voted against this. Every Democrat, regardless of the ideology, their ethnicity, or their regional token, we can all rally around this, and we can run on this single issue all the way to 2026, Carville said. And Paul is right, were going to pick up more than 40 House seats, I can tell you. Related... TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan's government on Saturday warned of more possible strong earthquakes in waters southwest of its main islands, but urged the public not to believe unfounded predictions of a major disaster. Authorities on Friday evacuated some residents from remote islands close to the epicentre of a 5.5-magnitude quake off the tip of the southernmost main island of Kyushu. That quake on Thursday, strong enough to make standing difficult, was one of more than 1,000 tremors in the islands of Kagoshima prefecture in the past two weeks that have fuelled rumours stemming from a comic book prediction that a major disaster would befall the country this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "With our current scientific knowledge, it's difficult to predict the exact time, place or scale of an earthquake," said Ayataka Ebita, director of the Japan Meteorological Agency's earthquake and tsunami monitoring division, after a 5.4-magnitude quake shook the area again on Saturday. "We ask that people base their understanding on scientific evidence," Ebita told a press conference. The manga, which some have interpreted as predicting a catastrophic event on Saturday, has prompted some travellers to avoid Japan. Arrivals from Hong Kong, where the rumours have circulated widely, were down 11% in May from the same month last year, according to the latest data. Japan has had record visitor numbers this year, with April setting an record monthly high of 3.9 million travellers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ryo Tatsuki, the artist behind the manga "The Future I Saw", first published in 1999 and re-released in 2021, said she was "not a prophet", in a statement issued by her publisher. Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas. It accounts for about one-fifth of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater. (Reporting by Tim Kelly in Tokyo; Editing by William Mallard) TOKYO/BRIDGEWATER, New Jersey (Reuters) -Japan's tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa held "in-depth exchanges" over the phone with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Thursday and Saturday, the Japanese government said. A pause on a 24% reciprocal tariff on imports from Japan expires on July 9, although U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested the rate could be even higher. The Japanese government also said in a statement that it intends to continue actively coordinating with the U.S. side on the matter, as it worked to avert higher tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House declined to comment on the report, referring only to Trump's recent comments on Japan. Trump this week hammered Japan over what he said was Tokyo's reluctance to import U.S.-grown rice, and accusing Japan of engaging in "unfair" autos trade. Japan has in fact imported historically high volumes of U.S. rice in recent months as domestically grown rice has skyrocketed in price since last year. It was unclear if Trump would make good his pledge to skip further trade negotiations with Japan and send it a letter with a specific tariff rate, on top of the 10% already in effect on most trading partners. On Friday he said he had signed letters to 12 countries and they would be going out on Monday, but did not identify them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He expressed doubt that a deal could be reached with Japan on Tuesday, and suggested he could impose a tariff of 30% or 35% on imports from Japan - well above the 24% tariff rate he announced on April 2. Japanese Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday said he was determined to protect his country's national interests as trade negotiations with the U.S. struggled, noting that his country was the largest investor in the United States. Tokyo has yet to secure a trade deal after nearly three months of negotiations as it scrambles to find ways to get Washington to exempt Japan's automakers from 25% automobile industry-specific tariffs, which are hurting the country's manufacturing sector. (Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Alison Williams) (NewsNation) Airlines in Japan are cancelling flights after a drop in sales linked to a manga from the 1990s that predicted a disaster. Artist and author Ryo Tatsuki published Watashi ga Mita Mirai, which translates to The Future I Saw, in 1999. She calls the book a dream journal and says its based on her recorded dreams. According to some, Tatsuki has been accurate in the past. Calming cortisol cocktail recipes flood the Internet Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tatsukis first dream was in 1991, when she saw a man with a brilliant personality and striking looks who died, months before Freddie Mercury passed away. Amazon Prime Day Deals Early Prime Day deals are live and impressive Track all the top markdowns on Apple products Get a jump on back-to-school shopping with discounts BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Some, however, have called that dream a coincidence rather than a prediction. Another dream, recorded in 1995, included a violent earthquake hitting Kobe, Japan, Tatsukis hometown. On Jan. 17, 1995, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit the area, killing 6,000 and leaving 45,000 homeless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In another entry from 1991, Tatsuki wrote of a huge catastrophe to take place in March 2011. That prediction appeared to foreshadow a 9.1 magnitude earthquake that would be known as the Great East Japan Earthquake. Zoo unveils name of baby sloth after naming contest The resulting tsunami killed more than 16,000 people and left 2,500 missing. The book, which had a 2021 reprint, referenced a real catastrophe coming on July 5, 2025. Tatsuki has said she is unsure if the date connects to an earthquake, but she reportedly saw the sea boiling south of Japan in a dream. Her interpretation of the dream was a volcanic eruption triggering destruction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some airlines have reduced flights around the date due to decreased demand, while others, including Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, say they havent seen a change in bookings. US shoppers ditching Shein, Temu as trade loophole closes Tatsukis prediction is not the only one. Feng shui master Qi Xian Yu predicted a year of disasters in 2025, including aviation disasters, complete with a warning to avoid countries including Japan and South Korea. Experts have said there is no way to predict major earthquakes and Japanese authorities have urged people to keep visiting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Eight migrants were denied a request by a Massachusetts federal judge on Friday to have their deportation to South Sudan halted. Justice Department lawyers said the men were scheduled to be flown to South Sudan on Friday at 7 p.m. ET after two courts considered their emergency request on July 4, a day when courts would otherwise be closed, Reuters reported. The migrants, who are from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Burma, Sudan and Vietnam, filed new claims on Thursday after the U.S. Supreme Court clarified that Boston federal Judge Brian Murphy couldn't require the Department of Homeland Security to hold them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also on Friday, federal Judge Randolph Moss in Washington paused the Trump administration's efforts to deport the eight migrants to South Sudan, the latest case testing the legality of the Trump administration's push to ship illegal immigrants to third countries. Judge Strikes Down Trump Order Preventing Asylum Requests, Protections For Illegal Immigrants Illegal migrants line up on a military plane to head back to Ecuador. On Friday, a federal judge halted the Trump administration's efforts to send eight migrants to Soutd Sudan. Moss had briefly halted the deportation after lawyers for the migrants filed the new claims in his court and sent the case to Boston, where Murphy denied the claim. Read On The Fox News App The eight men argued their deportations to South Sudan would violate the Constitution, which prohibits "cruel and unusual" punishment, Reuters reported. They have been convicted of various crimes, with four of them convicted of murder, the Department of Homeland Security has said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were detained for six weeks on a military base in Djibouti instead of being brought back to the United States. On Thursday, the migrants filed new claims after the Supreme Court said that a federal judge in Boston could no longer require the Department of Homeland Security to hold them, Reuters reported. Trump Admin Ask Scotus To Authorize Rapid Migrant Deportations To Countries Other Than Their Own Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House. During Friday's hearing with Moss, a government lawyer argued that court orders halting agreed-upon deportations pose a serious problem for U.S. diplomatic relations and would make foreign countries less likely to accept transfers of migrants in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case is the latest development over the legality of the Trump administration's campaign to deter immigration by shipping migrants to locations other than their countries of origin pursuant to deals with other countries, according to Reuters. "It seems to me almost self-evident that the United States government cannot take human beings and send them to circumstances in which their physical well-being is at risk simply either to punish them or send a signal to others," Moss said during the hearing. Original article source: Judge backs Trump admin's deportation push for 8 illegal migrants after another judge blocks it An explosion set a boat ablaze Friday on Lake Lanier during Fourth of July festivities in Hall County, Georgia. Hall County Fire Rescue (HCFR) responded to a 7 p.m. distress call about a boat catching fire near Margaritaville while being towed in Landshark Cove near Margaritaville,. According to a report from local news outlet 11Alive, first responders arrived to see the boat with flames reached "about five feet high." Five of the rescued passengers were transported to a nearby hospital, with one child needing to be airlifted off the vessel. The two other people were treated for minor injuries. All of them were reportedly in stable condition as they left the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Captured footage from nearby boat goers showed the extent of the flames. Five people were rushed to the hospital after a boat exploded on Lake Lanier, officials said https://t.co/UNSsPGjYZF pic.twitter.com/kKnuNFGPW8 philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 5, 2025 HCFR was able to successfully extinguish the fire using a portable pump, with some assistance from a Gainesville Fire Department rescue boat. The scorched vessel was later towed to shore. The victims' ages ranged from five to 45 years old, according to Mark McKinnon of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. It remains unclear what caused the explosion, with the Hall County Fire Marshal's Office still investigating the matter. July 4th Boat Explosion Reported on Well-Known Lake first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 5, 2025 (Texas Scorecard) As part of the U.S. Department of Justices crackdown on healthcare fraud, more than a dozen individuals from the Houston-area have been charged. Nationwide, 321 individuals have been charged with multiple healthcare-related crimes, including wire fraud, bribery, and other fraudulent schemes. In total, the DOJ uncovered nearly $15 billion in fraudulent claims, and the United States has seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets in connection with the takedown. Attorney General Pam Bondi commented on the operation, stating: This record-setting health care fraud takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers. Make no mistake this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the DOJ, 22 cases were announced Monday in Houston alone. These cases involve a wide array of healthcare fraud schemes, including unlawful distribution of controlled substancessome of which ended up on the black marketalong with hospice fraud, kickbacks, and Medicare/Medicaid scams involving unnecessary genetic testing, durable medical equipment, and more. Among the most notable cases are Dera Ogudo (39) and Victoria Martinez (35), both of Richmond, who are accused of running a hospice facility that billed Medicare and Medicaid for end-of-life care while deceiving patients into believing they were receiving standard palliative or in-home services. Ogudo also allegedly paid bribes and kickbacks to Dr. Carlos Munoz, who certified patients for hospice care. The total fraud scheme is estimated at $110 million, with Munoz allegedly receiving over $300,000. Keilan Peterson and Kimberly Martinez of Houston have been charged with their alleged roles in a cash-for-prescriptions scheme operating through Relief Medical Center and GroveCare clinics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the indictment, Peterson paid three licensed physicians to give him, Martinez, and other clinic staff access to their electronic prescribing credentials. This allowed them to issue a high volume of prescriptions for controlled substancesincluding hydrocodone, carisoprodol, and oxycodonewithout legitimate medical need. The indictment further alleges that Peterson funneled a portion of these prescriptions to his own business, Next Level Pharmacy, where he obtained the drugs and redistributed them illegally on the black market. In total, Peterson and his associates are accused of issuing more than two million pills, most of which were dispensed without medical justification and outside accepted professional standards. Dr. David Jenson, a podiatrist based in The Woodlands, and his business partner, Nestor Rafael Romero Magallanes, were charged with 14 counts of healthcare fraud for allegedly billing Medicare for expensive bioengineered skin grafts intended for chronic wound treatment. The pair allegedly received over $45 million in reimbursements. Brandy Williams, a Houston pharmacy owner, is accused of paying kickbacks to an unnamed podiatrist in exchange for unnecessary prescription referrals. Her pharmacy reportedly received over $4 million through the scheme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tyneza Mitchell, a licensed nurse practitioner, allegedly received $2.1 million in Medicaid reimbursements for COVID-era treatments that were never provided. Chad Harper of Pearland is accused of using shell companies to pay bribes and kickbacks to marketers who generated business for his laboratories. The indictment claims Harper was reimbursed around $73 million by Medicare. Rami Abunakira, a Richmond resident involved with a lab in Dallas, is charged with billing Medicare $33.5 million for unnecessary genetic testing. Mahmood Sami Kahn and Suhaib Ahmad Chaudry, two Houston men charged in Illinois, are accused of masterminding a fraudulent COVID-19 testing operation. The pair allegedly manipulated labs in Texas and Illinois to submit false claims through a federal reimbursement program, receiving over $293 million, which they then laundered through multiple bank accounts. Kahn is also charged with wire fraud. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei responded to the sweeping operation: Americans rely on Medicare for needed treatments and life-saving care. Those [who] bilk this fund to unlawfully enrich themselves are ultimately stealing from the taxpayer and damaging public confidence in our health system. Todays takedown is a reminder to would-be medical fraudsters that the Department of Justice is always standing guard over the public fisc. One person is dead and five others are hurt after a shooting during a party in Ohio early Friday morning, according to our media partners, WBNS-10 TV. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The shooting was reported around 2:40 a.m. at a short-term rental house in the 800 block of Wilson Avenue near East Livingston Avenue in Columbus. Upon arrival, Columbus police found three people with gunshot wounds, WBNS-10 reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three other people showed up at area hospitals with gunshot wounds. Columbus Police Sergeant Joe Albert told WBNS-10 that two juveniles and four adults had been shot. TRENDING STORIES: One juvenile died at Grant Medical Center after 3 a.m. Their identity wasnt immediately available. The five other victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to WBNS-10. Albert said the suspect showed up after the party started, but couldnt provide additional information. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at (614) 645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477). [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Kane County Hospital has halted ambulance service to nearby Arizona over apparent difficulties in securing the required permission from Arizona authorities to serve the adjacent state. The turn of events has prompted consternation in the area along the Utah-Arizona state line and calls into question the availability of emergency medical services on the Arizona side of the border. If a helicopter can get to them, that is the only option, said Kurt Loveless, CEO of Kane County Hospital. If a car accident were to occur on U.S. 89 or U.S. 89A between Utah and the Lees Ferry area of Arizona, you have no ambulance coverage, no ground ambulance coverage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Loveless said Kanab County Hospital emergency service providers have served the abutting portions of Arizona at the request of officials from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the National Park Service and the Coconino County Sheriffs Office for some 40 years. Given limited ambulance service options on the Arizona side of the border, the Utah ambulances have been available to assist with emergencies on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, at the Wave in northern Arizona and in Fredonia, Arizona, and other communities. Arizona authorities, meanwhile, say there are other emergency service providers in Arizona to fill the gap, notwithstanding the worries of Loveless and others. The Colorado City and Page fire departments can serve the Fredonia area, and the ambulance service operating out of the Flagstaff Medical Center to the south in Flagstaff, Arizona, could also assist, the Arizona Department of Health Services said in a statement. In addition to the ground ambulance providers, there are several air ambulance providers able to service the area when needed, reads the statement. The issue came to a head just last month after Kane County Hospital officials encountered numerous roadblocks in trying to secure a certificate of necessity from the Arizona Department of Health Services, as required of ambulance operators. The hospital has been attempting to complete the required paperwork for three years to obtain a certificate, so far to no avail, and has recently learned that it could face penalties from Arizona if it continues to operate without the necessary documentation. That led to the decision to halt service, at least for the time being. The Arizona Department of Health Services, for its part, said in its statement that it works with entities seeking certification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lees Ferry, Jacob Lake, North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Fredonia, Arizona all of those places are not served by anyone. No one has ever applied for a certificate of need except for us and (Arizona officials) are doing everything to stall that from happening and making it not happen, Loveless said. A post from Wednesday on the hospitals Facebook page paints the situation in dramatic terms. 40 years of ambulance service to Fredonia and surrounding areas comes to a screeching halt, it reads, in part. The Arizona Department of Health Services statement, by contrast, didnt weigh in on whether the turn of events represents a serious situation, focusing on the range of alternative options available in the absence of service from Kane County Hospital. Apart from northern Arizona ambulance operators, it said fire departments without ambulances and police can transport people needing medical care. Moreover, out-of-state ambulances can operate in Arizona if responding to a major catastrophe or emergency. The Kane County Hospital is publicly owned, part of an independent special district, and Kane County Commissioner Celeste Meyeres has been following the turn of events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not ideal when seconds count in saving peoples lives, Meyeres said. The inability of Kane County ambulances to travel into Arizona almost certainly will involve a delay in service. Moreover, Kim Nuttall, director of human resources for Kane County Hospital, noted the steep cost differential of transporting those in medical emergencies via helicopter and ambulance some $25,000 versus $2,000. Colorado City, Arizona, has an ambulance service provider, she noted, but it can typically only respond to emergencies within the city due to staffing levels. Coconino County officials in Arizona were to hold a meeting in Fredonia later Thursday to discuss the situation and possible workarounds to providing ambulance service on the Arizona side of the border in the area, Meyeres said. ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ill. FOX 2 is learning of a grim discovery in which two kayakers found human remains in the waters of Frank Holten State Park Friday morning. Illinois State Police (ISP) were informed about the body in the lake just after 8:30 a.m. When officials arrived at the scene, they pronounced the individual, who was an adult male, deceased around 9:40 a.m. Coroners have now identified the man as Demontray M. Collins, 25. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr., Collins last known address was in East St. Louis. His cause of death has not been made by the Coroners Office, as his autopsy isnt scheduled yet, according to Dye. An investigation into the 25-year-olds death is underway, ISP says. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Two men kayaking on a lake in Frank Holten State Park Friday morning saw a body in the water. St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. said he is in the process of getting the body identified. Illinois State Police released a statement saying Collinsville-based Troop 8 was contacted at 8:33 a.m. in regard to a deceased body in the water at the park located near East St. Louis. Two gentlemen kayaking on the lake observed the body and called 911. St. Clair County Special Emergency Services retrieved the body from the water, the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states Public Safety Enforcement Group responded. This investigation is in its infancy stages, the news release said. And there is no further police information available at this time, ISP officials said. The park is located in the 7300 block of Lake Drive. Residents in the area of Interstate 255 and Interstate 64 saw emergency crews on scene and a body being lifted from the water. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Just after 5:00 a.m. Saturday morning, KCPD officers were called to a possible shooting near North Bellaire and St. John Ave. Teenage girl dead, three hurt, including firefighter, in Independence fire When they arrived, they were told that a victim was in a nearby house. A male victim was found in the house suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of officers and paramedics, the victim died at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initial information suggests that this incident may have been because of an argument that ended in gunfire. Detectives are on the scene, talking with witnesses and gathering evidence. There is no one in custody currently. If anyone was in or around the area at the time of the shooting, they are asked to call KCPD Homicide Detectives at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted to the TIPS Hotline. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HONOLULU (KHON2) Fourth of July celebrations can be stressful for pets. In preparation for the fireworks, the Hawaiian Humane Society advised pet owners to arrange safety measures in advance. Animals who flee their homes can become lost, injured or killed. The Hawaiian Humane Society recommended the following tips to keep pets safe: Meet this rockstar of a pup: Stevie Licks Create a safe space Designate a quiet room for your pet and make sure its away from high-traffic areas and exits. The Hawaiian Humane Society suggested putting familiar bedding and toys in the room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close windows and curtains to reduce noise and flashes. If you leave your home, keep a radio or television on to provide familiar sounds. If you cant keep your pet indoors, consider an enclosed garage. Do not leave your pet unattended outdoors. Check out more news from around Hawaii Stay calm According to the Hawaiian Humane Society, signs of anxiety in pets can present as trembling, pacing, hiding, excessive whining, backing or meowing, panting, drooling and attempting to escape. Loud noise, such as fireworks, may even result in pet injury as they attempt to flee the stressful environment. Pet owners can learn to identify these signs of anxiety and be mindful of their pets stress levels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Provide comfort to your pet by staying calm. You can also offer a favorite treat and engage in a soothing activity to help distract and reassure them. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Identification Dogs and cats are required by Hawaii state law to be microchipped. The City and County of Honolulu requires pet dogs three months and older and cats four months and older to have microchip identification. Cats six months or older are required by law to wear a collar with an identification tag when outdoors. Proper identification for a pet can include both a collar with an ID tag and a registered microchip. In the event they manage to escape, a registered microchip will increase the chances of reuniting pet with owner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schedule an appointment with the Hawaiian Humane Society to microchip your pet here. Consult a veterinarian If a pet has extreme anxiety during fireworks, consult a veterinarian ahead of time. They might recommend calming aids or therapies to ease the pets stress. Do not give your pet tranquilizers or sedatives without first consulting a veterinarian. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Avoid firework displays The Hawaiian Humane Society said loud noises and large crowds can be overwhelming for pets. Its best to keep them at home in a safe environment during firework events. If you find a lost pet, take them to the Hawaiian Humane Society Moiliili Campus or Kosasa Family Campus at Hoopili Pet Kokua Resource Center. If your pet is lost, call the Hawaiian Humane Society at (808) 356-2250 and file a Lost Pet Report. You can also fill out a report online here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. Kenyan President William Ruto plans to build a church on the grounds of his official residence at his own expense, causing consternation in the East African country. The criticism stems from the fact that Kenya's constitution mandates a separation of church and state. According to media reports, Ruto's place of worship is expected to accommodate up to 8,000 people. At a meeting with local politicians, Ruto confirmed the construction plans and dismissed the criticism, stating that he would pay for the construction out of his own pocket. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports suggest that the church could cost up to 1.2 billion Kenyan shillings ($9.3 million). Ruto, who describes himself as a devout Christian, did not provide any details about the construction costs. There was significant criticism of the project on social media, with many pointing to the state of schools and hospitals that are in more urgent need of financial support. Other critics have constitutional concerns, as the Kenyan constitution does not provide for a state religion and the country is multireligious, with a variety of Christian denominations, a Muslim population of just over 10%, and a large Hindu minority. It is also questionable whether the construction will benefit Ruto at all, with presidential elections due in Kenya in two years. Abbie was 16 years old when she started using ketamine. It was the first time she had felt in control. The negative thoughts that had swamped her mind since a young age began to dissipate. Twelve years later and fresh out of rehab she's still battling with the addiction that almost took her life. She wants to speak out to explain why ketamine has become such a popular drug - especially among young people with mental health problems - and to talk about the damage it can do long term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abbie's warning comes as the first NHS clinic in the UK - dedicated to helping children struggling with ketamine use - opens on Merseyside, with patients as young as 12 needing help. Ketamine is unlike many other street drugs due to the way it interacts with the brain. Small amounts of the Class B drug can give a sense of euphoria and excitement, while large amounts can lead to a state known as the "K-hole," where users feel detached from reality - an out-of-body-type experience. The number of under 16s reporting a problem with the drug has nearly doubled over the past two years, overtaking cocaine in popularity with children and young people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly half those (49%) who started treatment for drug misuse in 2023-24 said they had a mental health problem, with more than a quarter not receiving any treatment for the latter. Details of help and support with addiction are available in the UK at BBC Action Line Experts are warning that some young people are taking dangerous amounts of ketamine not only due to it's low price and ease of availability, but also because of the dissociative feelings it brings. "What we are seeing is a perfect storm," David Gill, the founder of Risk and Reliance, a company which trains front-line workers on emerging drug trends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have more young people struggling with depression, trauma, anxiety, a lack of services - and we have a very cheap street drug that helps them disconnect." Abbie's first line of ketamine did exactly that. She says it "felt like such a powerful place to be". "My thoughts no longer had a negative effect on me - life was passing me by, but I didn't have to engage with it." Abbie's childhood had been hard. Struggling with mental health problems and undiagnosed ADHD, she had left school at 14 and found herself in a whirlwind of drink, drugs and unhealthy relationships. Abbie's weight dropped during the course of her addiction [Abbie] Although addiction cast a long shadow throughout her 20s, Abbie managed to secure a place at university, staying clean throughout, and obtained a healthcare degree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She is smart, articulate and wants to do well, but after two abusive and controlling relationships ketamine became the only means she had to block out the trauma. Yet when she went to her GP to seek help she was prescribed sleeping tablets and told to "come off the ket". "The withdrawals were so bad I would be shaking and vomiting," she says, "it wasn't that easy to just come off it." Then a deeper level of addiction took hold. "I always prided myself in the early stages of addiction of keeping my morals and my values and not lying to people," Abbie says, "but I couldn't stop the drugs and I found myself hiding my use to my friends." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Things escalated. Eventually Abbie was taking ketamine every day - incessantly. The only time she would take a shower, she says, would be when she went out to meet her dealer on the street. The physical effects of overuse began to kick in - horrific abdominal pains, known as K-cramps, would leave her screaming in agony. She would place boiling hot water bottles on her abdomen - burning her skin. And then she would take even more ketamine to numb the pain. What is ketamine? Often referred to as ket, Special K or just K, ketamine is a powerful horse tranquilliser and anaesthetic. It is a licensed drug and can be prescribed medically When misused, it can cause serious and sometimes permanent damage to the bladder It is currently a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 The penalty for possession is up to five years in prison, an unlimited fine - or both Abbie documents her recovery on TikTok and gives support to other young people [BBC] This cycle of drug abuse is something public health consultant Professor Rachel Isba also sees in her new clinic for under 16s experiencing the physical side effects of ketamine use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chronic use of the drug can cause ketamine-induced uropathy, a relatively new condition, which affects the bladder, kidneys and liver. The bladder lining becomes so inflamed it can result in permanent damage and it has to be removed. Prof Isba says the first signs of ketamine bladder are severe abdominal pains, urinating blood and jelly from the damaged bladder lining. "Patients referred to the clinic will receive a holistic approach," she says, "care from the specialist urology team to treat the physical effects of the drug, and then they will be supported - and referred if necessary - to community services who can help with the often complex reasons behind their drug use." 'Completely helpless' Maisie started taking ketamine at festivals - but her use spiralled out of control [Maisie] Sarah Norman, from St Helens, says she felt like a "silent watcher" as her daughter began to "fade in front" of her eyes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last September she discovered that Maisie, 25, was addicted to ketamine, which had caused potentially irreversible damage to her kidneys. "We are just an average family," Sarah says. "I never thought Maisie would have ended up addicted to any drugs - she doesn't even drink alcohol." Maisie had kept it quiet - ashamed of the stigma attached to her ketamine use. But what had started as a party drug she'd take at festivals had become a substance she couldn't function without. In the end her partner moved out with their three-year-old son. "I had nothing left to live for," Maisie says. "It got to the point I was doing bump after bump [snorting small amounts of it]. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For a short time I would be knocked out of reality - then I would take more." Eventually, Maisie's mum and sister carried her into hospital - she weighed just five stone (32kg). "The doctors said her body was failing her," Sarah says. "We thought we might lose her." As a parent, she says, she felt completely helpless. "It's hell on earth, there is nothing you can do. You ask yourself what you should have done." Maisie's kidneys were fitted with nephrostomy tubes, which drain the urine out into two bags - which she now carries around with her. Yet even this major operation didn't end Maisie's addiction. But finally, after fighting for a place in rehab she has now been clean for five months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sarah posts about her daughter's drug journey on Tik Tok where many parents reach out to her for help and advice with their own children. "This drug is just horrific, so many other young people are struggling with it," Sarah says. "I am so proud of Maisie though, she's going to Narcotics Anonymous meetings every night. "The pain she must have been through - and still goes through - I'm not sure if I'd have been as resilient and strong as she is." Maisie's kidneys were badly damaged and she needed two tubes fitted to drain the urine [Maisie] Abbie was rejected from NHS rehabilitation services twice, and reached a point where she considered taking her own life. "There was so much chaos around me and the services weren't going to help me, I just wanted to end it all," she says. But after sending a five-page letter to the panel that decides on eligibility she finally managed to access a detox and rehabilitation service. "I had three choices," Abbie says, "rehab, section - or in a coffin." Abbie was treated in the same rehabilitation unit as Maisie. She is now out, clean and proud of herself but says the treatment she received failed to deal with her trauma. "I can look after myself on a daily basis and I'm doing OK. The real work starts now I'm out of rehab," she says, " and now I am clean, hopefully I can get the mental health support I so desperately needed when I was using." A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said that as part of its 10 Year Health Plan to reform the NHS, it was going to be much "bolder in moving from sickness to prevention". "This government is driving down the use of drugs like ketamine, ensuring more people receive timely treatment and support, and making our streets and communities safer." More weekend picks To hear Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson tell it, its a perilous moment for our Constitution. The Supreme Courts most junior justice had pointed exchanges with her colleagues on the bench this term, increasingly accusing them of unevenly applying the law even if it meant standing on her own from the courts other liberal justices. Jackson has had an independent streak since President Biden nominated her to the bench in 2022. But the dynamic has intensified this term, especially as litigation over President Trumps sweeping agenda reached the court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It climaxed with her final dissent of decision season, when Jackson accused her fellow justices of helping Trump threaten the rule of law at a moment they should be hunkering down. It is not difficult to predict how this all ends, Jackson wrote. Eventually, executive power will become completely uncontainable, and our beloved constitutional Republic will be no more. Her stark warning came as Trumps birthright citizenship order split the court on its 6-3 ideological lines, with all three Democratic appointed justices dissenting from the decision to limit nationwide injunctions. Jackson bounded farther than her two liberal colleagues, writing in a blistering solo critique that said the court was embracing Trumps apparent request for permission to engage in unlawful behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The decision amounts to an existential threat to the rule of law, she said. It wasnt the first time Jacksons fellow liberal justices left her out in the cold. She has been writing solo dissents since her first full term on the bench. Jackson did so again in another case last month when the court revived the energy industrys effort to axe Californias stricter car emission standard. Jackson accused her peers of ruling inequitably. This case gives fodder to the unfortunate perception that moneyed interests enjoy an easier road to relief in this Court than ordinary citizens, Jackson wrote. Because the Court had ample opportunity to avoid that result, I respectfully dissent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rather than join Justice Sonia Sotomayors dissent that forewent such fiery language, Jackson chose to pen her own. The duo frequently agrees. They were on the same side in 94 percent of cases this term, according to data from SCOTUSblog, more than any other pair except for Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, the courts two leading conservatives. Sometimes Sotomayor signs on to Jacksons piercing dissents, including when she last month condemned the courts emergency order allowing the Department of Government Efficiency to access Americans Social Security data. The Court is thereby, unfortunately, suggesting that what would be an extraordinary request for everyone else is nothing more than an ordinary day on the docket for this Administration, I would proceed without fear or favor, Jackson wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it appears there are rhetorical lines the most senior liberal justice wont cross. In another case, regarding disability claims, Sotomayor signed onto portions of Jacksons dissent but rejected a footnote in which Jackson slammed the majoritys textualism as somehow always flexible enough to secure the majoritys desired outcome. Pure textualisms refusal to try to understand the text of a statute in the larger context of what Congress sought to achieve turns the interpretive task into a potent weapon for advancing judicial policy preferences, the most junior justice wrote, refusing to remove the footnote from her dissent. Jacksons colleagues dont see it that way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its your job to do the legal analysis to the best you can, Chief Justice John Roberts told a crowd of lawyers at a judicial conference last weekend, rejecting the notion that his decisions are driven by the real-world consequences. If it leads to some extraordinarily improbable result, then you want to go back and take another look at it, Roberts continued. But I dont start from what the result looks like and go backwards. Though Roberts wasnt referencing Jacksons recent dissents, her willingness to call out her peers hasnt gone unaddressed. Jacksons dissent in the birthright citizenship case earned a rare, merciless smackdown from Justice Amy Coney Barrett, cosigned by the courts conservative majority. Replying to Jacksons remark that everyone, from the President on down, is bound by law, Barrett turned that script into her own punchline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That goes for judges too, the most junior conservative justice clapped back. Deriding Jacksons argument as extreme, Barrett said her dissenting opinion ran afoul of centuries of precedent and the Constitution itself. We observe only this: Justice Jackson decries an imperial Executive while embracing an imperial Judiciary, Barrett wrote. The piercing rebuke was a staunch departure from the usually restrained writing of the self-described one jalapeno gal. Thats compared to the five-jalapeno rhetoric of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, Barrett said, the late conservative icon for whom she clerked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On todays court, it is often Thomas who brings some of the most scathing critiques of Jackson, perhaps most notably when the two took diametrically opposite views of affirmative action two years ago. Page after page, Thomas ripped into Jacksons defense of race-conscious college admissions, accusing her of labeling all blacks as victims. Her desire to do so is unfathomable to me. I cannot deny the great accomplishments of black Americans, including those who succeeded despite long odds, Thomas wrote in a concurring opinion. It isnt Thomass practice to announce his separate opinions from the bench, but that day, he said he felt compelled to do so. As he read it aloud from the bench for 11 minutes, Jackson stared blankly ahead into the courtroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jacksons boldness comes across not only in the courts decision-making. At oral arguments this term, she spoke 50 percent more than any other justice. She embraces her openness. She told a crowd in May while accepting an award named after former President Truman that she liked to think it was because they both share the same trait: bravery. I am also told that some people think I am courageous for the ways in which I engage with litigants and my colleagues in the courtroom, or the manner in which I address thorny issues in my legal writings, Jackson said. Some have even called me fearless. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Colombian police have arrested the alleged mastermind of the assassination attempt against a presidential hopeful during a rally last month. Miguel Uribe, a conservative senator, was twice shot in the head in the capital, Bogota, as he was campaigning for his party's nomination in the 2026 presidential election. Police arrested a suspected criminal, Elder Jose Arteaga Hernandez, who they say persuaded a 15-year-old to carry out the attack. Four other people had already been arrested, including the teenager charged with shooting Uribe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Uribe remains in a critical condition. The motive for the attempt on his life on 7 June is unclear. Colombian police chief Carlos Fernando Triana said on Friday that Arteaga had a long criminal history and was wanted for "aggravated attempted homicide" and "use of minors for the commission of crimes" over the attack on Uribe. Police say he co-ordinated the assault, hired the gunman and provided him with a weapon. Authorities had previously accused Arteaga, who uses the aliases Chipi and Costeno, of being near the Bogota park where Uribe was shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 15-year-old suspect was arrested as he was fleeing the scene. He subsequently pleaded not guilty, the prosecutor's office said. Uribe, a critic of left-wing President Gustavo Petro, announced his candidacy for next year's presidential election last October. The 39-year-old has been a senator since 2022. He is from a prominent political family, with links to Colombia's Liberal Party. His father was a union leader and businessman. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was killed in 1991 in a rescue attempt after she was kidnapped by the Medellin drugs cartel. The 7 June attack prompted silent protests attended by tens of thousands of Colombians. LEE COUNTY, Fla. A kitten who had her head stuck in a pipe in Florida was saved by sheriff's deputies and got a name to remember the occasion. Body camera video from June 5 showed Lee County Sheriff's Office deputies responding to a kitten whose head was stuck in a metal pipe. "How did you get yourself into this mess?" a sheriff's deputy said to the tiny cat, while he assessed the situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A woman who found the kitten told the deputy she tried soap and oil to free the kitten, to no avail. Watch: South Carolina Troopers Lasso Runaway Pig On Busy Interstate "It blocks her airways if I pull," she told the deputies as the cat quietly meows. The next clip of the video shows the deputies and woman holding the kitten as they work to free her head. How To Watch Fox Weather A deputy wearing gloves gently rubs the cat's head until an ear pops free from the pipe. "We're getting there," the woman said. The video then showed the deputy and woman working together, gently holding the cat and maneuvering to remove her head without hurting her or cutting off her airway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies: Over 100 Cats Found Sweltering In California Van; Owner Arrested On Cruelty Charges The woman holds Piper after her head was free from the pipe. As they finally get the kitten's head free from the pipe, the woman sighs with relief. "Thank you guys so much," the woman said, smiling big while holding the little kitten. "You guys are life-savers." The kitten looked around curiously now that her head was free. "All right, let me get a picture," the deputy said, pulling out his phone. He then snapped a photo of the little cat in the woman's hands. The Lee County Sheriff's Office said the deputies freed the cat with the help of the North Fort Myers Fire Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No matter the call our deputies are always ready to serve and purrtect," the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post. The cat was given the name Piper to commemorate her rescue. Original article source: Kitten with head stuck in pipe in Florida gets special name after rescue When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Portia Duke When youre on the train, you dont expect to see a little kitten stuck on the tracks. But thats what happened to Portia Duke, a tour guide on the Alaska Railroad, who managed to rescue the kitten she found while working over the weekend. Willow the kitten is enjoying playing with the best cat toys in safety, while Duke is aiming to raise money for the vet care the tiny feline needs. Duke saw the kitten while the train stopped to switch engine crew. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We could hear it crying over all the noise the train was making, she told PetsRadar. We saw it and radioed the conductor for permission to be able to get off the train, but unfortunately they run on a very tight schedule so it wasnt possible. She couldnt stop thinking about the kitten after, even calling a local campground to see if they could help, but they didnt answer. It was crying so loudly that any number of wild animals could hear it plenty of predators that would love to have a little kitten for dinner. And so my heart was just breaking. Credit: Portia Duke Because Duke was struggling to sleep that night, she drove out with her boyfriend in the morning holding out for the one-in-a-million shot that the kitten would still be there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, we heard that little squeaky meow and we both just looked at each other and started walking faster, because we knew she was out there, Duke said. She was alive and we found her within about 10 yards of where we saw her the day before 18 hours earlier. We were both just in complete shock. We just were stunned. They picked her up, put her in a carrier, and began trying to find an emergency vet to better establish her condition. A vet found that Willow weighed half a pound and was about three or four weeks old, and while she needed dewormer and antibiotics, and has some minor tail issues, shes doing really well and becoming playful. Credit: Portia Duke She's much more sure on her feet, Duke shared. She's not wobbling and falling over as much and she's developing a personality. Obviously, to be a survivor out there all that time overnight, we can tell she's very tenacious. Shes a little fighter, a little survivor. If youd like to find out more about Willows story, or donate to help contribute to her vet costs, you can do so on Dukes GoFundMe . Few events are as powerfully symbolic of Britains paralysing inability to get anything done than the failure last week of Labours welfare reform bill. If a government with an overwhelming majority cannot even get a relatively minor adjustment to a plainly unsustainable welfare budget through its backbenches, what hope for anything more substantive? Dysfunctional and powerless before the growing mass of discontents, the country seems to be slipping into a state of abject anarchy in which meaningful change and progress becomes virtually impossible to achieve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Backbench MPs have come riding to the rescue of Britains love affair with welfarism, but theyll get no thanks for it from an ever more angry and disenchanted electorate. That the country is going to the dogs is now taken as read. The roots of this malaise are deep, many faceted and by no means restricted to Britain. Many of the same observations can be directed at Western democracy as a whole, from Europe to the United States. After more than a decade of near stagnation in living standards, Western governments are failing to deliver as rarely before. In Britain, it was hoped that Brexit would provide answers by galvanising change and national rebirth. But in practice it has had the reverse effect: more red tape, more taxes, less growth, higher levels of immigration, and still greater loss of self-esteem. It is hard to recall a time of greater pessimism, or indeed a wider sense of despair among Western democracies in general. Small wonder, given the litany of broken promises. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For precedents, one might cite the 1970s, but politically and socially turbulent though that decade was, it did at least witness substantial growth in real incomes. We see none of that today, with meaningful economic progress ground to a halt. For more exact parallels, we perhaps need to go further back in history to the interwar years, when similar levels of collective pessimism gripped Europe and America. Theres nothing new under the sun, and all those books and treatises we see today about the decline of the West are mere echoes of the great outpouring of similar thinking we saw back then. The most prominent example is perhaps that of Oswald Spenglers Der Untergang des Abendlandes, literally translated as The Going-Under of the Evening Lands, but generally known as simply The Decline of the West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Published shortly after the devastation of the First World War, there was a particular reason for Spenglers declinism Germanys humiliating defeat. Some of his theories about the rise and fall of civilisations are moreover pretty suspect, and largely irrelevant in todays world. None the less, he was prophetic in foreseeing the collapse of money in Weimar Germany and the subsequent rise of fascism, the latter of which he viewed as a solution to the decay and moral decrepitude of democracy. That the rise of what he called Caesarism didnt work out so well either, and was later eclipsed by the rebirth of democracy, is another matter. At the time, he tapped into a deep vein of collective pessimism, the supposed solutions to which in nationalism and utopian thinking were later brilliantly chronicled by the historian Fritz Stern in The Politics of Cultural Despair. The backdrop to todays pessimism is admittedly different, but what the interwar years and other precedents do tell us is that disillusionment with democratic norms are cyclical and strongly rooted in political and economic failure. For a thought-provoking dive into these issues it is hard to do better than a recently published book by Lord Howell of Guildford, one of the last surviving members of Margaret Thatchers first cabinet, and now in his ninth decade still going strong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Avoiding the Coming Anarchy: A Short Book for Optimists in Dangerous Times is, as its name implies, intended as an antidote to todays overpowering sense of decline, but it is hard to avoid the impression that Howell thinks the battle is already essentially lost. Amid the gloom, there are always optimists, and in the long run it is generally their view that prevails. One of the most striking from the interwar years was the economist John Maynard Keynes. In an essay published in 1930, Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren, he dismissed the prevailing mood of economic pessimism as wildly mistaken. It is common to hear people say that the epoch of enormous economic progress which characterised the 19th century is over, he wrote; that the rapid improvement in the standard of life is now going to slow down ... that a decline in prosperity is more likely than an improvement in the decade which lies ahead of us. Instead, he suggested that economies were suffering not from the rheumatics of old age, but from the growing-pains of over-rapid changes, from the painfulness of readjustment between one economic period and another. The increase of technical efficiency has been taking place faster than we can deal with the problem of labour absorption. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is testament to the timeless quality of much of his writing that Keynes might have been talking about our own age. In any case, he was substantially right, and his long-run forecast that technological advancement would lead to vastly increased wealth and living standards, if anything, somewhat underestimated the extent of the progress subsequently made. But he could not have been more wrong about the immediate future, where a decade of economic depression and political turmoil was to culminate in the calamity of the Second World War. The prevailing pessimism of 1930 proved wholly justified. No one knows the future, and it is by no means written in stone that todays paralysis will similarly end in some kind of apocalypse. But the risks are obvious. It is no accident that some of the worlds richest tech tycoons are preparing for Armageddon, oblivious to or perhaps in recognition of the key role their own technologies are playing in the atomisation of politics and society that might bring it about. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Economic pessimism tends ironically to go hand in hand with the disruption of rapid technological change, with established forms of employment trashed and much of the wealth it creates initially concentrated in relatively few hands. Its only later that the benefits are more widely diffused. Sadly, we are still in the very early stages of todays so-called fourth industrial revolution. The moment of maximum danger still lies ahead. Democracy was reborn after the Second World War in new and reinvigorated form, supported by a rules-based order enforced through strong international organisations. But it has been wasting away for the best part of three decades now, and its institutions have become decadent, paralysed and despised. Labours inability to carry out even the most basic of fiscal reforms points to a broken system heading ever more unavoidably towards disaster. When the rioting starts, a penny to a pound the state will be woefully unprepared for it. The failure is colossal, and they dont even know it. 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. What happens next? That depends on what you think has already happened. Some things are beyond dispute. There was the most spectacular collapse of a flagship government programme in living memory and it occurred under the unforgiving televised gaze of the nation. Then the Chancellor of the Exchequer whose economic plan relied on that programme being passed, was seen in that same pitiless televised gaze, openly crying on the front bench. This, however it may now be described in dismissive, sympathetic terms, was truly shocking. Then what happened? The Chancellor and the Prime Minister who had notably failed to offer her unconditional support on that terrible occasion in the House, appeared together at a staged event, she wearing much heavier make-up than is normally her custom and both of them with fixed, rictus grins for the duration of the public appearance. The manic cheerfulness of their demeanour seemed designed to ensure that not a single still photograph would catch them looking anything but madly joyful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At roughly the same time, a brazen spin operation was put into operation which made the perverse claim that the collapse of market confidence which this whole drama had provoked was actually an indication of how highly Ms Reeves was rated in the financial world. It was, went the story, the threat that she might be about to lose her job that had caused this market wobble not the shambles over the governments attempt to reform welfare or the Chancellors own apparently uncontrollable despair. Paradoxically then, Ms Reeves was safer in her position than ever. The official line is now that the thing that had so visibly distressed her was entirely personal: a private matter about which, needless to say, we have no right to enquire. This account offers two possible outcomes. Either Ms Reeves can stay in her post indefinitely because her presence there is so valued by those whose economic judgement determines the countrys fate or she can use the personal problem account as a reason to resign. It is easy enough to imagine a letter of resignation framed in such terms which no one could question and which the Prime Minister could graciously accept with deep regret, etc, etc. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So Sir Keir has a choice. He can hold on to his Chancellor as long as they can both keep smiling or he can push her into resigning for personal reasons. My own guess is that she will stay for the moment but that, come the summer recess, all bets are off. There are a number of possible scenarios which I will list in descending order of likelihood. First: Rachel Reeves is removed as Chancellor but is given another big job in the Government which would require the removal of only one major figure (David Lammy?). Everybody else stays put. How this would be interpreted: Sir Keir does not want to look as if he has panicked and thrown all the cards into the air especially as Labour may be facing yet another threat from a breakaway Corbynite party on the hard Left even though that outfit seems already to be splitting. Zarah Sultanas unilateral announcement that she is to be its joint leader with Jeremy Corbyn appears to have come as something of a surprise to everybody else. At the time of writing, Mr Corbyn has only made an official comment which welcomes her to the project but does not acknowledge her co-leadership. Earlier, his comrades in the new venture were reported to be furious at her presumption. In the great tradition of Left-wing factionalism, the party has a schism even before it has a name. Second: There is a minor reshuffle in which Ms Reeves moves to a big job (as above) and some more junior people who have been either lacklustre or embarrassing are removed altogether. This allows Sir Keir to proclaim a refresh of his team rather than a humiliating total rethink of the Governments programme. But moving a few players around will have to be accompanied by some kind of coherent account of what his Government, and his party, are for and who they believe that they represent which is the real gaping hole in their credibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Third: there is a major summer reshuffle which involves David Lammy, who is clearly out of his depth and Ed Miliband, who is clearly out of his mind, as well as Ms Reeves and possibly even Lord Hermer who is a close friend (and presumably a soul mate) of Sir Keir. Removing him as Attorney General would suggest ruthless desperation and a determined effort to transform the identity of the Government based on a recognition that its elevation of contentious international human rights priorities has been a massive domestic political misjudgement. In other words, an admission that Labour is seen to have abandoned the partys core constituency. Fourth: Nothing happens. Everybody stays where they are because Sir Keir does not want to raise fundamental questions about his Governments purpose which he has never delineated. All that he promised in his election campaign was change without any account of what that might consist of, so there are no philosophical principles, or defining mission, to be judged by. This obstinate refusal to budge will be justified on the grounds that the Starmer government has always been confident in its grasp of reality. It will be framed as the grown up alternative to the populist threat from an economically naive Reform party and the new Corbyn tribe rooted in hard core ideology. In truth, sticking to the original plan (whatever that was) will not be in the power of the Labour leadership. Many of the backbenchers who might have been expected to jump on to the Corbynista wagon appear to have decided instead to stick with Starmers party. Presumably, they would rather try to take over the steering wheel of the big bus than to run alongside it throwing stones at the driver. When you can influence or undermine the policy of a sitting government, why join a fledgling protest group? And that will be the real story of the Labour governments future: a constant struggle to hold power for no identifiable purpose. 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. PLATTSBURGH Breast- and chest-feeding faculty, staff, students and visitors on the SUNY Plattsburgh campus can find dedicated lactation spaces for privacy and comfort thanks to a state grant facilitated by the Clinton County Department of Health. Spaces located around campus join the lactation pod in the universitys Accessibility Resource Office in the first floor of Feinberg Library and the family room on the librarys second floor. We didnt have a lactation policy, and with the help of the health department, we created one, Allison Heard, vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michaela Davison, coordinator of the universitys nursing simulation lab, facilitated introductions with the CCHD, that started a conversation about policy and privacy spaces on campus. Abigail Marant, public health education with the CCHD, said the universitys opportunity to not only create a lactation policy but create private lactation spaces started with their being awarded a five-year Breastfeeding/Chestfeeding and Lactation Friendly New York grant from the state Department of Health. Through this five-year public health initiative, we provide policy assistance, staff training and resources to establish or enhance lactation spaces, which will improve the continuity of care for breast/chest feeding in our community, Marant said. We work throughout Clinton, Franklin and Essex counties and within five different sectors: Worksites, community settings, breast/chestfeeding coalitions, healthcare providers and lactation support groups. Heard said that by working with Human Resource Services, through which the policy resides, Im really proud that we were to recognize not only biological children but those who are with guardians, adoptive parents, trans and non-binary-identifying parents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through creation and revision of the universitys policy collaboration, three lactation rooms were established on campus. Sibley 101 and the Angell College Center Meeting Room 7 were designated lactation spaces. Redcay 157 was the third space, but with Clinton Community Colleges move to campus and Redcay Hall, the space was relocated to Beaumont. In addition, what was previously called the family study room in Feinberg has been retrofitted to incorporate breast/chestfeeding. Although these rooms were (originally) established with employees in mind, chest/breastfeeding students had access to these spaces as well, Marant said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result, SUNY Plattsburgh expanded its efforts to provide inclusive lactation spaces for the entire community. The CCHD provided the university with improved resources for their community lactation space in the library and revised the lactation-friendly policy to include protections for community members. Heard said one of the first on campus to set out looking for space was Denise Simard, dean of the School of Health and Human Services. She and her team were tasked with identifying spaces in Sibley Hall, Heard said. We also wanted space in Hawkins Hall and Redcay. All wanted space in the Angell College Center. Were grateful to all departments that stepped up, but were especially grateful to anthropology which stepped in and got the room in Redcay ready for the move to Beaumont. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The grant provided for things such as refrigerators to store milk, breast pumps and other supplies people may not have been able to afford. Little things are important, Heard said. These things tell our faculty, staff and students that yes, they belong here, they feel like they can be a student here. Changes to policy tells people theyre protected. A celebratory lactation space kickoff was held at each of the spaces May 6 when individuals across campus were thanked for their participation and work in making this project happen, including: - Sibley Jennifer Clancy, Jackie Lowther, Denise Simard Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement - Feinberg Library Kristie Stanton, Malina Thiede, Joshua Beatty - Beaumont Kirstin Menoff, Amy Mountcastle, Connie Oxford, Sandra Rezac - ACC Regan Ashline, Lorri LaBarge, Karen McGrath - ARO Jennifer Curry - DEI Jennifer Bleaux, administrative assistant II In addition, Heard thanked President Alexander Enyedi, Assistant Vice President of Human Resource Services Sarah Reyell, Irland, Marant, and Kayleigh Raville, also from the CCHD, for speaking at the event. More Information For more information on lactation policy or spaces on campus, contact Human Resource and Services at 518-564-5062 or email hrs@plattsburgh.edu. LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) AAA Travel projects 5.8 Million people will be airline passengers this holiday day weekend. In fact, some have decided to fly-out on the 4th of July. At the Lafayette Regional Airport, people make their way through the airport. Some travel for reasons that have nothing to do with the holiday but are still willing to brave the hustle and bustle of holiday traveling to get to where they need to go. Traveler Jesiah Pollock is on his way to his destination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We just have a mission trip to go to. This is our day. We have a bunch of people traveling, Pollock said Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest People primarily travel to be with family, enjoy some BBQ and celebrate Independence Day. Pollock travels for a purpose unrelated to the 4th of July. Thats okay we dont need it. Pollock added. Acadiana resident Kolby Chretien spreads his airline passenger wings to celebrate the holiday in another location. Just looking for something to do, Chretien added. For Chretin that something to do will land him in Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To see some of my friends. Im going to meet some of my friends out there. According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) passengers should bring their Real ID or other acceptable forms of identification. Latest news Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. Lake City Police announced two people were shot early Saturday morning during what appears to have been a block party. Read: Large gangway collapses during fireworks display at the Fernandina Beach Harbor Marina Lake City Police said they responded just after 1:20 a.m. to NW Mississippi Way, where they found a man on the ground with gunshot wounds to his lower body. He was taken to a nearby hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A second victim later showed up at the hospital in a private vehicle. That person was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released. Police say shell casings were found in the street and on nearby property. Three vehicles were also damaged by gunfire. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< No suspects have been identified. The Lake City Police Department says detectives are still investigating and asking anyone with information to come forward. Tips can be shared with Lake City Police or anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Columbia County at (386) 754-7099. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A man has been found safe after going missing on Independence Day while traveling to visit his wife in the hospital, according to the Lancaster County Sheriffs Office. Families celebrate July 4th at Beattys Ford Park swim beach on Lake Norman Ronald Duvel, 74, was last seen at his home around 5 p.m. on July 4th when he left for Columbia, S.C., to visit his wife, who is in the hospital. Unfortunately, he left without his phone and medication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, authorities announced around 10:45 a.m. on Saturday that Mr. Duvel has been found safe and is being reunited with his family. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. A lone surviving child was rushed into surgery after a two-vehicle collision killed their parents and young sister in Lancaster earlier this week, officials confirmed Saturday. It happened around 4:25 p.m. on Wednesday on State Route 138 at 110th Street West, according to the California Highway Patrol. CHPs preliminary investigation revealed that a Chevrolet Colorado, carrying the family of four, was accelerating from the stop sign at 110th Street West when they drove directly into the path of a Dodge Ram 3500 driving eastbound on State Route 138. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers and other first responders soon arrived and declared the parents and their 12-year-old daughter dead at the scene. They were identified by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner as 38-year-old Vanessa Gonzalez-Gabriel, 49-year-old Abdias Gabriel-Fernandez and 12-year-old Ruby Gabriel. The identity of the surviving family member was not immediately released, but CHP said the child was a juvenile and that they were transported to Antelope Valley Medical Center and rushed into surgery. As for the other vehicle involved, CHP said the Dodge Ram driver suffered minor injuries and was also transported to Antelope Valley Medical Center. SR-138 was closed in both directions from 110th Street West to 90th Street West for approximately four and a half hours during the on-scene investigation, CHPs release detailed. Video surveillance obtained by law enforcement from an electric vehicle driving by during the crash confirmed the sequence of events as revealed by the preliminary investigation. CHP said no criminal charges will be filed in this case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All employees of the California Highway Patrol Antelope Valley Area office extend their deepest condolences to the family and friends of our community members during this incredibly difficult time, concluded the statement. It was unclear whether speed or other factors contributed to this fatal crash. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. LOS ANGELES - Thousands of Angelenos hit the streets in downtown Los Angeles on the Fourth of July to rally in opposition to federal immigration enforcement in Southern California. What we know The rally began at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall as they continued to march peacefully to Grand Park. Aerial images by SkyFOX showed some members of the crowd wearing vivid costumes while others held signs and flags from various countries. By 12:15 p.m., the crowd stopped at the Federal Building where they were met by members of the U.S. military. Thousands of National Guard troops and members of the U.S. Marines remain stationed in Southern California amid ongoing immigration enforcement and protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this week, the Department of Defense said 150 Guard troops would be released to return to their firefighting duties. RELATED COVERAGE: 150 National Guard troops pulled from LA to return to firefighting duties What they're saying "When you look at Putins invasion of Ukraine, Netanyahus bombing of Gaza, ICEs raids in Los Angeles, or Trumps Alligator Auschwitz," said Hunter Dunn, one of the marchs organizers, in a press release, "you are seeing just one part of a bigger oppressive picture. On July 4th, our community is coming together to demand an end to genocides, occupations, and oppression at home and around the world." Dig deeper As an abundance of caution, several 4th of July holiday celebrations across Southern California were canceled, with officials citing wanting to protect citizens during the ongoing immigration raids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 4th of July celebrations across Southern California canceled over immigration raids The backstory The recent anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles and Orange counties erupted following widespread anger over the agency's enforcement tactics that began on Friday, June 6. In addition to downtown LA, Santa Ana also became a hot spot for demonstrators where some protesters have clashed with law enforcement. Community leaders reported incidents of ICE appearing at elementary school graduations, disrupting the legitimate immigration processes at various courthouses, and aggressively raiding workplaces and locations like Home Depot. These actions, perceived as arbitrary and invasive, sparked outrage among residents and galvanized the public into widespread demonstrations across Los Angeles County. The Source Information from FOX 11 helicopter reporter Stu Mundel's live reporting and previous FOX 11 reports. Russian troops launched a large-scale drone attack on the city of Chuhuiv in Kharkiv Oblast on the evening of 5 July, injuring 11 people, including two children. Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs; Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration Details: Among those who were injured are a 10-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl. As of Saturday morning, firefighters are extinguishing a large-scale fire at one of the city's facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At another location, the drone struck a post office and a non-operational building. A fire broke out. Houses and cars were damaged. In total, one person was killed and 15 were injured in the oblast on 4 July, including two children. Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration reported that a 55-year-old woman was killed in Kupiansk, and a 61-year-old and 70-year-old woman, as well as a 56-year-old and 57-year-old man, were injured. Background: Russian troops struck the city of Chuhuiv with an attack drone. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! LAS VEGAS (KLAS) An intoxicated man fired a gunshot at a Las Vegas bar after a bartender refused to serve him, according to documents 8 News Now obtained. Derwin Harris, 65, faces four felony charges, including assault with a deadly weapon and resisting a public officer with a firearm, records said. On Wednesday, July 2, around 6:40 p.m., police responded to a call for a shooting at a Dottys bar on East Charleston Boulevard near Bruce Street. Harris is accused of pointing a gun at a bartender, leaving the business and then firing a round, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A witness told police Harris, who was riding in an electric wheelchair, entered the business and ordered a shot of liquor but was noticeably intoxicated, documents said. The bartender refused to serve Harris and responded by pulling out a liquor bottle and drinking it. The bartender then ordered Harris to leave when Harris allegedly pointed the gun at her. Derwin Harris, 65, faces four felony charges, including assault with a deadly weapon and resisting a public officer with a firearm, records said. (KLAS) [The bartender] stated that she was in fear and ran away to the back, police said. The suspect then proceeded to roll out in his electric wheelchair and exit the Dottys bar where a round was fired at the building as he left it. The building was occupied by multiple people and placed them in danger. Officers later located Harris nearby where he refused their commands, they said. Officers had to [use] less lethal options to take the suspect into custody, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police later located a bullet impact on the building, they said. Harris was convicted of a felony in 2020 and is barred from owning or possessing a gun, police said. Harris did not appear in court for his probable cause hearing for medical reasons, documents said. Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Suzan Baucum set bail at $20,000. Harris remained in custody as of Friday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Jul. 5GRAND FORKS The latest report on quality shows Grand Forks' drinking water continues to meet federal and state standards. Grand Forks Environmental Management Director Lisa Botnen said the good grade is the result of the diligence of the city's water operators and the capabilities of the new water treatment plant. "Our water quality is excellent, safe and meets or exceeds all the required state and federal regulations," Botnen said. "I'm really proud of our water treatment facility and our operators at the facility. They do a great job testing." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Environmental Protection Agency requires Grand Forks to track 80 water contaminants. Of those 80, only 13 were detected and those were all within EPA guidelines for what is considered safe and treatable. "There are 72 different sites in the city that get monitored on a monthly basis to ensure that quality is maintained throughout the different reaches of the city," Botnen said. "It's just a real credit to our system, our operators and their diligence to make sure that our drinking water is safe and tastes good." The city also tracked two unregulated contaminants, lithium and perfluorobutanoic acid, a chemical often abbreviated as PFBA. In samplings, lithium was found on average at a 15.28 micrograms per liter concentration and PFBA at 0.0088 micrograms per liter. Botnen said emerging contaminants that have appeared in other water systems across the system have not made an appearance in Grand Forks. When testing, emerging contaminants have not been present in concentrations to get a reliable and statistically significant sample because of their trace amounts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PFAs, or forever chemicals, have become an issue in many areas. In the Twin Cities, contamination from these chemicals is especially of concern in the eastern and southeastern portions of the metropolitan area. A $850 million settlement with 3M has helped fund abatement and mitigation efforts for communities to enhance treatment, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Nitrates, too, have become a problem for some cities in the Midwest. Agricultural runoff near Des Moines, Iowa, has impacted that city's ability to treat water from the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers. The Central Iowa Water Works has issued lawn watering bans this year to ensure that its facilities can keep up with the treatment of nitrates, according to a report from the Des Moines Register. Grand Forks currently doesn't have those issues from the water it pulls from the Red River. "To date, Grand Forks has performed very well on our source water and our finished water," Botnen said. "From a drinking water quality standpoint, I've been working on at the city for 10 years and we've never had an issue with any of the emerging contaminants." More information about the city's water quality report can be found on the city's website: www.grandforksgov.com/waterquality. Additional information about the city's lead service line inventory, which can impact a home's water quality, can be found there, along with the inventory the city has completed. A Kennewick law firm is gathering information from patients of a Richland doctor accused by the state of unprofessional conduct for alleged inappropriate comments and behavior toward women at an obstetrics and gynecology clinic. At this point, Tamaki Law has not filed a lawsuit against Dr. Mark Mulholland but sent out a news release saying it is investigating the claims and is encouraging anyone with information about the allegations to come forward. Mulholland, 58, is not currently practicing at Kadlec Regional Medical Centers Associated Physicians for Women in Richland, but has been a member of the Kadlec medical staff since late 1999, the year he was licensed to practice medicine in Washington state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney Jeff Kreutz with Tamaki Law said patients have repeatedly told the law firm that their complaints to Kadlec or the Washington state Department of Health have been disregarded. The state Department of Health on April 29 charged Mulholland with unprofessional conduct, alleging he lacked appropriate boundaries with patients. Any response from Mulholland to the state has not yet been made public. Respondent has made inappropriate comments about patients physical appearances, including body shaming patients who were overweight and making implied sexual comments about patients vaginas, it said in a Washington Medical Commission statement of charges. He is accused of pulling a patients pants down without asking for permission during an bedside ultrasound and not draping the patient, according to the statement of charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also is accused of making inappropriate comments toward female staff, such as commenting on their weight, asking them to show him their breasts or inquiring about whether they planned to cheat on their husband. Respondents behaviors toward patients and staff have often been rationalized, normalized and minimized, resulting in patient and staff complaints being dismissed and not taken seriously, alleges the statement of charges. Kadlec said it could not comment on allegations that are part of an ongoing Washington state Department of Health investigation, other than to say it was fully cooperating with the state in the matter. Mulholland could not be reached for comment. Information on who his attorney is was not available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A letter of introduction when he was nominated to serve as member of the Kadlec medical staffs Executive Committee said Mulholland initially was appointed to the committee in 2000. The letter indicated that the position provides leadership and guidance for the medical staff and our interface with hospital leadership. It is not clear how long he served on the committee after the nomination, but Kadlec said he is not currently a member of the committee. The letter also said he had served as chairman of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. Some recent comments on social media have characterized the U.S. bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities as unjustified, unprovoked and illegal. On the contrary, the U.S. action was a carefully measured and restrained response to decades of Iranian hostility and aggression. On Nov. 4, 1979, Iranian students occupied the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held 52 Americans for 444 days. In April 1983, a suicide car bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, by the Iranian proxy group Hezbollah killed 63 people. In October 1983, Hezbollah murdered 241 U.S. service members at a Marine barracks in Beirut. In 1996, a truck bomb by another Iran-back proxy killed 19 U.S. Air Force personnel at the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia. From 2003 through 2011, Iran's Revolutionary Guard provided weapons, training and funding to Iraqi militias that enabled them to kill more than 600 members of the U.S. military. These incidents are only a few examples from a myriad incessant violence and terror. Iran's aggression has increased over the decades. In 2023, Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen attacked U.S. ships in the Red Sea. The Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel was accomplished with financial, logistical and military support from Iran. About 1,200 people were murdered, including 800 civilians. United Nations investigators found "credible evidence" that women were raped, gang raped and tortured. Children and infants were killed. The perpetrators of these atrocities often filmed themselves in the act. Hostages were taken, some of which to this day have not been released or accounted for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons. The government of Iran is controlled by Islamic zealots who are dedicated to the destruction of both Israel and the U.S. The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenie, has described Israel as a "cancerous tumor" that must be eliminated. There is a doomsday clock in Tehran that counts down the days until September 2040, the date prophesied by Khamenei for Israel's destruction. More: OU professor: Here's what it's like to live in Iran in the shadow of war | Opinion The government of Iran not only threatens the existence of the U.S., it also holds its own people in a tyrannical grip. Iranian women are second-class citizens, denied equal rights in marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance and employment. Wife beating is legal. A woman who appears in public without covering her hair can be flogged, while the penalty for publicly advocating non-compliance is death. About 70% to 80% of the Iranian population want their government to be replaced. Iran is developing intercontinental ballistic missiles that could reach the U.S. If they have nuclear weapons they will use them on major American cities without fear of retribution. The leaders in Iran have an apocalyptic theology. They will not be constrained by an assurance of mutual destruction. Either we take preemptive action now or we face an imminent holocaust of unimaginable magnitude. David Deming David Deming is professor of Arts & Sciences at the University of Oklahoma. Follow him on X @profdeming. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Iran should not be allowed to have nuclear weapons | Opinion Former German health minister Jens Spahn is under pressure over his procurement of expensive coronavirus masks after a leak of an unredacted report led to outrage among opposition parties. Several media outlets carried details of the full report on Saturday, with lawmakers questioning why current Health Minister Nina Warken redacted parts of the previously-released document. Janosch Dahmen, a health expert for the Greens, accused Warken of covering up evidence that Spahn lied about his decisions at the height of the pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warken "made deliberate redactions in several places - with the obvious aim of concealing the responsibility of Jens Spahn," Dahmen said, accusing Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative bloc of having "preyed on the state and taxpayers during the pandemic." In response, Spahn - now the parliamentary group leader for the alliance between the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU) - said the Greens' attacks were reminiscent of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). "The kind of rumours and constructions that the Greens are currently using - I've only ever seen methods like this from the AfD," said Spahn, criticizing what he called "malicious insinuations." "Did we make mistakes? Yes, but we acted to the best of our knowledge and beliefs," said the former minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, he insisted that he did not conduct any negotiations for mask procurement: "That was done by the specialist department, that was done by law firms." Passages of the unredacted report published in the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper suggested that Spahn was in fact personally involved in procurement decisions, and that he was warned of potential risks. Spahn's defence was comprehensively rejected by Dahmen. "The pandemic was all over Europe. Everyone was missing masks. But nowhere else were billions of taxpayers' money squandered on such an unprecedented scale - for masks, the overwhelming majority of which were never delivered or were of such miserable quality that they had to be destroyed later," he argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Green politician said "the revelations show in black and white: Jens Spahn lied." "Not once, not with good intentions, not just in details - but repeatedly, systematically and with the aim of protecting himself and networks in his environment," he added. At the outbreak of the pandemic in early 2020, protective FFP2 masks were in extremely short supply, leading governments across the world to rush to secure masks. Legal disputes over the procurement of masks are still threatening the German government, with potential liability running into the billions of euros. The report was carried out by special investigator Margaretha Sudhof, who is set to appear on Tuesday in front of the budget committee in the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opposition parties have repeatedly called for a full committee of enquiry to be set up to investigate the former government's conduct. The CDU/CSU were in coalition with the centre-left Social Democratic Party from 2013 to 2021 under ex-chancellor Angela Merkel. The three parties are again partners in Merz's administration. One person is dead after a shooting in Dayton Friday night. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Around 10:50 p.m., police were called to the 3800 block of West Second Street for a reported shooting, according to a Montgomery County Regional Dispatch supervisor. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One person was suffering from a gunshot wound and was taken to a local hospital. Shortly after arriving, the male died, according to Lt. David Matthews with Dayton Police Department. Matthews said police have a suspect in custody and are working to learn what led up to the shooting. In a 911 call obtained by News Center 7, a person tells police they found a man shot outside. Hes got a ski mask on, the guy that got shot, like he was robbing somebody, the caller tells dispatchers. We will continue to follow this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] At least 84 people have died in Kerr County in the hills of Central Texas, and 10 campers and a counselor remained missing on Monday from a Christian girls summer camp on the Guadalupe River after a torrent of rain thrashed the region before sunrise Friday. The search for the children of Camp Mystic and others for whom authorities have not accounted began when the river rose by more than 25 feet in the early morning and flooded as people slept. Search and recovery efforts continued into Monday. The bodies of 84 people, including 56 adults and 28 children, had been found in Kerr County as of 2 p.m. Monday. Authorities have not released the names of the deceased and said that some of the dead have not been identified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Confirmed deaths across the state totaled more than 100 as of Monday afternoon. In addition to the Kerr County death toll, at least seven people died in Travis County, four in Burnet County, six in Kendall County, two in Williamson County and one in Tom Green County. There were 41 people known to be missing as of Sunday afternoon, Gov. Greg Abbott said during a news conference. The numbers are going to continue to change theyre going to continue to change until were done, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said at a Saturday afternoon news conference In a statement on its website Monday, Camp Mystics leaders said the camp is grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors following the catastrophic flooding on the Guadalupe River. Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly. We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders, and officials at every level. We ask for your continued prayers, respect and privacy for each of our families affected. May the Lord continue to wrap His presence around all of us. Authorities are intensifying their focus on providing help to the affected families, Gov. Abbott said. One of the most important things that we can do is to address their greatest concern, and that is there are so many families that are still waiting to learn about their loved ones. We are working 24/7 to get the information that will be able to answer their questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abbott visited Camp Mystic on Saturday to see firsthand what happened there. It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through, he said. And we will remain 100% dedicated searching for every single one of the children who were at Camp Mystic, as well as anybody else, and the entire river bed to make sure that theyre going to be recovered. Buses carrying girls who were at Camp Waldemar unload in downtown Kerrville, Texas, to reunite with family, on Saturday, July 5, 2025. Rescuers swarmed stretches of the swollen Guadalupe River in Central Texas on Saturday morning in a desperate search for more than two dozen missing campers and others swept downstream by intense flooding. Additional rainfall in the area may complicate those efforts. There are dangers over the next 24-48 hours that could pose public safety threats, Abbott said on Sunday. If theres any water on the road, the most important thing you can do is to protect your lives. Texas Department of Public Safety Director Freeman Martin said that the UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth will help to identify the flooding victims. The Texas Rangers are collecting DNA from family members and from the deceased victims, and were flying those to the University of North Texas (Center for Human Identification in Fort Worth,) and we will have answers with rapid DNA in hours, not days, to get some closure and information back to these families. People watch the Guadalupe River onSaturday, July 5, in Kerrville, Texas, after a flash flood swept through the area early Friday morning. Search and rescue efforts with helicopters, drones and boats began Friday, authorities said, with more than 850 people rescued over the weekend. On Friday, Texas National Guard helicopters were used to rescue 167 people, many of them hoisted to safety. Hundreds of swift water rescues occurred along the river in Kerrville and in the 30 miles west of the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My instruction to every state agency involved in this is to assume everybody whos missing is alive and theres a need for speed, Abbott said at a Saturday afternoon news conference. Not just every hour, every minute counts. Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said local families are among those who have been affected by reports of missing girls at Camp Mystic. Naomi Peel watches the flooded Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas, on Friday, July 4, 2025. At least 84 people were killed and frantic searches were underway for the missing -- many of them children -- after heavy rain in Central Texas set off deadly flooding along the Guadalupe River on Friday, authorities said. More than 100 people died statewide. People look on as law enforcement and volunteers continue to search for missing people near Camp Mystic, the site where more than 20 girls went missing after flash flooding in Hunt, Texas, on Saturday, July 5, 2025. If your daughter is not accounted for you have been notified, the camp wrote in a statement Friday morning, adding that parents who have not been notified can trust that their children are safe. We are working with search and rescue currently, the camps statement read. The highway has washed away so we are struggling to get more help. @FortWorthFire has deployed two teams to the Texas Task Force a total of 15 divers and swift water team members. We have Fort Worth families impacted specifically by missing girls at Camp Mystic. Praying for our first responders. https://t.co/XYqkBvVW8x Mayor Mattie Parker (@MayorMattie) July 4, 2025 About 750 children were evacuated from Camp Mystic, which was founded in 1926 and serves girls who have completed at least the second grade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The camp was completely destroyed, 13-year-old camper Elinor Lester told the Associated Press. A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary. Lester told the AP that the storm woke up the girls in her cabin about 1:30 a.m. Friday. Rescuers tied a rope for the campers to hold as they walked across a bridge with floodwaters up to their knees, she said. #TexasGameWardens have made entry into Camp Mystic with vehicles and are beginning to bring campers out! pic.twitter.com/OfyIdBAivg Texas Game Wardens (@TexasGameWarden) July 5, 2025 The missing and dead At least 12 Camp Mystic girls, including best friends Lila Bonner and Eloise Peck from Dallas, who died in the flooding have been identified, according to their families. Lila, 9, and Eloise, 8, recently completed the second grade at Bradfield Elementary School in Highland Park. In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time, Lilas family said in a statement to CNN. We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eloises mother, Missy Peck, told KDFW-TV that Eloise was literally friends with everyone. She loved spaghetti but not more than she loved dogs and animals. She passed away with her cabinmate and best friend, Lila Bonner, who also died. Eloise had a family who loved her fiercely for the 8 years she was with us. Especially her Mommy. JUST IN: 23 girls are unaccounted for from the TX Hill Country summer camp Camp Mystic due to the flooding along the Guadalupe River. 2 Dallas girls are among the missing. Eloise Pecks mom sent us this photo of Eloise (left) and her friend Lila Bonner. @FOX4 pic.twitter.com/bBPd43nvEB Peyton Yager (@peytonyager) July 4, 2025 Highland Park ISD Superintendent Mike Rockwood released a statement, saying, Our hearts are heavy following the devastating flood in the Texas Hill Country. Many of our students were in the area, and our community is heartbroken for the families deeply affected by this tragedy. Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, 8-year-old twins from Dallas who attended University Park Elementary School., were also among the Camp Mystic children who died, their grandfather Dave Lawrence told the Miami Herald. Hanna and Rebecca gave all in our family so much joy, he said. They and that joy can never be forgotten. Their 14-year-old sister, Harper, survived the flood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Janie Hunt, 9, of Dallas; Renee Smajstrla, 8, from Kerr County; and Sarah Marsh, 8, of Mountain Brook, Alabama; are among the other campers confirmed to have died. Janie, a great-granddaughter of oil baron William Herbert Hunt and a relative of the family that owns the Kansas City Chiefs, was attending Camp Mystic for the first time, her grandmother Margaret Hunt told the New York Times. Janie was the oldest of three children. Six of her cousins who were also at Camp Mystic are safe, her grandmother said. The mother of 9-year-old Janie Hunt confirmed to me she did not survive. Officials believe 27 Camp Mystic girls are still missing due to catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River. @FOX4 #txwx pic.twitter.com/tM3aX8Vcy9 Peyton Yager (@peytonyager) July 5, 2025 The family of 19-year-old Chloe Childress, a Camp Mystic counselor from Houston, released a statement saying, Chloe Childress lived a beautiful life that saturated those around her with contagious joy, unending grace, and abiding faith. Returning as a counselor to the place she loved so dearly, Chloe was looking forward to dedicating her summer days to loving and mentoring young girls at Camp Mystic. Chloe Childress, a 19-year-old Camp Mystic counselor from Houston, died in the flooding Friday, July 4, 2025, at the private Christian girls camp in Texas Hill Country, her family said. Our family was shocked to hear of the horrific tragic flooding in the Hill Country, and we were devastated to learn that our precious Chloe was among the victims, the Childress family said. While we know that her joy is now eternal and her faith has become sight, our hearts are shattered by this loss and the similar heartbreak of other families like ours. We desire to grieve privately during this time and thank so many caring people, in advance, for respecting this wish. Please know we are grateful for every kind thought, your quietly spoken prayers, and the countless hearts of sympathy that are carrying us through these days. We thank you for kindly respecting our privacy as we celebrate Chloes life and mourn our incomparable loss. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Camp Mystic director Dick Eastland, who ran the camp with his wife Tweety, died when he was swept away by the floodwaters while trying to rescue some of the campers, according to officials and his family. If he wasnt going to die of natural causes, this was the only other way, saving the girls that he so loved and cared for, Eastlands grandson George wrote in an Instagram. post Thats the man my grandfather was. A husband, father, grandfather, and mentor to thousands of young women, he no longer walks this earth, but his impact will never leave the lives he touched. Photos of missing girls, many around 8 years old and including some from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, were shared on social media as their loved ones made desperate pleas for information. Two other summer camps on the river, Camp Waldemar and Camp La Junta, posted on social media that all of their campers were safe. Two sisters from Dallas who were vacationing in the area also were found dead, and their grandparents are missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Family members told KDFW-TV that Brooke and Blair Harber, who attended St. Rita Catholic School in Dallas died, and authorities were searching for Mike Harber and Charlene Harber. Brooke, 11, and Blair, 13, had been staying with their grandparents in a cabin that washed away in the flood, according to a letter from their pastor, the Rev. Joshua Whitfield of St. Rita Catholic Community Church. Their girls parents, RJ and Annie Harber, were staying in another cabin and are safe, he wrote. In moments like this, we are reminded of lifes fragility and the lasting power of faith, Whitfield wrote. We will honor Blair and Brookes lives, the light they shared, and the joy they brought to everyone who knew them. Prayers for the Harber Family of Dallas: Family members confirm to @FOX4 two sisters from St. Rita Catholic in Dallas have died, Brooke & Blaire Harber (in the middle). Their grandparents (on the left) 76yo Mike Harber and 74yo Charlene Harber are still unaccounted for. #txwx pic.twitter.com/TJ4OpATyXm Peyton Yager (@peytonyager) July 5, 2025 Ryen Brake from Burleson told KXAS-TV that his grandparents were among the missing. Joni Brake, 66, and Robert Leroy Brake Sr., 67, were staying in a cabin at the Blue Oak RV Park along the Guadalupe River. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Family members were able to reach the Abilene couple by phone to warn them about the flood, but that was the last contact they had with them. Between that phone call and the time that my uncle was able to reach where the cabins were, they were saying in that seven-minute span of time, cabins had been completely washed away, Brake said to KXAS. MAJOR FLOODING IN HILL COUNTRY | https://t.co/enlUWy9Ihf Robert Brake Sr. and Joni Brake remain missing after floodwaters swept through their campground near Ingram around 4:30 a.m., according their son Robert Brake. pic.twitter.com/TjEfO05eUt News 4 San Antonio (@News4SA) July 4, 2025 A Mansfield woman, Ty Mabey, was reported missing from the HTR campground in Kerrville. A Lewisville couple was swept away when floodwaters rushed through their campground on the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, family members told Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV. Jeff Ramseys body has been recovered, and his wife, Tanya Ramsey, is missing. Jeff Ramsey called other family members at the campground and told them to evacuate, his brother-in-law Eric Steele told WFAA. I was trying to get to their cabin, but I didnt make it, Steele said. He saved me, and he saved my mom. HAVE YOU SEEN THEM? These family members have been reported missing in Kerr County after severe flooding on Friday. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick confirmed 13 people were killed and several others were missing. More details: https://t.co/Xiwg2u92OY pic.twitter.com/MzCbJclVRL FOX 7 Austin (@fox7austin) July 5, 2025 Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said that officials will do everything humanly possible to find anyone who is missing. Im asking the people of Texas, do some serious praying this afternoon. On-your-knees kind of praying, that we find these young girls and that theyre only unaccounted for because theyre somewhere that we dont know yet but that theyre alive and safe, Patrick said on Friday. No one knew this kind of flood was coming At least 10 inches of rain fell on Kerr County in a matter of hours overnight, the National Weather Service estimated. Hunt County saw as much as 6.5 inches, and 7.85 inches further upstream. The first flash flood warning for the area was issued by the NWS at 1:14 a.m. Friday. A flash flood emergency warning was issued at 4:03 a.m. Residents and tourists said the extent of the flooding took them by surprise in the middle of the night as the quickly rising water swept away cars and poured into houses. Ingram resident Erin Burgess told the AP that after their home flooded, she and her son clung to a tree for an hour until the water receded. My son and I floated to a tree where we hung onto it, and my boyfriend and my dog floated away, she said. He was lost for a while, but we found them. The flooded Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas, on Friday, July 4, 2025. Hundreds of emergency personnel were searching for stranded people on Saturday. The Texas National Guard made 237 rescues and evacuations using helicopters and rescue swimmers, a guard commander said. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly told reporters that the county does not have an outdoor warning siren system, but he and other officials defended their level of preparation. Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming, he said. We have floods all the time. This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States and we deal with floods on a regular basis. When it rains, we get water. We had no reason to believe that this was going to be anything like whats happened here. Flood-related issues such as improved emergency warning systems could be addressed during an upcoming special session of the Texas legislature, Abbott said. Its going to be something that will be looked at, the governor said. The reality also is this, and that is, whats needed in that river basin at that location could be far different than it was needed in some other river basin across the state. 10 teenagers died in 1987 flood The flooding brought the Guadalupe to its second-highest point in history early Friday, according to the National Weather Service, which urged people in the affected area and further downriver to move to higher ground. This flood wave will continue downstream through Kerrville and Comfort, the weather service said on Facebook. This is a very dangerous and life-threatening flood event along the Guadalupe River! A short video looking back 30 yrs ago on this date at the Guadalupe River flood which killed 10 children. More info: https://t.co/CItruSWxOt pic.twitter.com/QND5UYracl NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) July 17, 2017 The Guadalupe River on Friday appears to have surpassed the height of a famous flood in July 1987, when it peaked at 31.5 feet, according to the NWS. During the 1987 flood, 10 teenagers who were attending a church camp drowned. Ten campers drowned July 16, 1987, when their bus from a Balch Springs, Texas, church never made it across the Guadalupe River near Comfort, Texas. Overnight storms brought heavy rainfall to parts of the Hill Country, resulting in significant flooding and extremely dangerous conditions. #TexasGameWarden Search and Rescue teams are actively conducting rescues across the region, with additional boat crews en route. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/eQyAa4IIOe Texas Game Wardens (@TexasGameWarden) July 4, 2025 Governor, president issue disaster declarations Gov. Abbott said in a statement Friday morning that the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods would receive all necessary resources from the state. The State of Texas today has mobilized additional resources in addition to the resources sent in preparation for the storms, he said. I urge Texans to heed guidance from state and local officials and monitor local forecasts to avoid driving into flooded areas. This is a time when we, as a state, need God more than ever, Abbott said Friday. The one thing I hear the most are the prayers that are being sent for those who are in harms way. There is an extraordinary collaboration to make sure that we address everybodys concern as quickly as possible. As part of this, I am signing a disaster declaration to ensure counties have access to every tool, strategy, and personnel that the State of Texas can provide to them, which will be limitless. Gov. Greg Abbott and other officials give updates on deadly flooding in Central Texas on Friday, July 4, 2025. The states initial disaster declaration covered the counties of Bandera, Coke, Comal, Concho, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Reeves, San Saba, and Tom Green. On Saturday afternoon, Abbott signed an expanded disaster declaration that included Bexar, Burnet, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Travis and Williamson counties. Additional counties may be added at a later date. Abbott also signed a request for a federal disaster declaration. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who joined Abbott at the news conference Saturday, indicated that President Donald Trump promised to honor the request, which Trump approved on Sunday. He is absolutely committed to using all the resources at the federal government to help unify families, rescue all those that are still missing and return those who maybe we will recover back to their families as soon as possible, Noem said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that President Trump will visit Texas later this week. More top stories from our newsroom: Man shot on TRE train at Fort Worth downtown station/a> Four killed in crash from Fort Worth family Families face heavy burden with Cook Childrens Health Plan in limbo [Get our breaking news alerts.] How to help Texas flood victims The Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, created by the Community Foundation of Texas Hill Country, will support relief and rebuilding efforts and direct donated money to vetted organizations to provide help in Hunt, Ingram, Kerrville, Center Point, and Comfort. GoFundMe has a list on its website of verified fundraisers for people affected by the Texas floods. Texas Search and Rescue is a nonprofit organization thats providing search, rescue and recovery operations in the Kerr County area. Mayor Parker said in a post on X that the Fort Worth Fire Department deployed two teams including 15 divers and swift water team members to help the statewide task force. On July 4th, members of the Fort Worth Fire Department deployed as part of Texas Task Force 1 conducted multiple high-water rescues and countless evacuations in San Angelo, where severe flooding created life-threatening conditions. Two of these rescues were captured on video by a pic.twitter.com/DQL0RaFvJt Fort Worth Fire Department (@FortWorthFire) July 6, 2025 Seventeen members of the Fort Worth Fire Department have been deployed to assist with the tragic flooding in Central Texas. These highly trained professionals are part of specialized teams dedicated to rescue and recovery efforts in times of crisis. They join teams including: pic.twitter.com/jZQLC0p1sO Fort Worth Fire Department (@FortWorthFire) July 6, 2025 The Texas Division of Emergency Management activated its emergency response resources to the area ahead of the storms on Thursday. Texas responders remain ready to support local officials in Texas communities as flooding threatens the state over the next couple of days said Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. As we head into a busy holiday weekend involving travel plans for many folks, Texans are urged to keep personal preparedness as their number one priority. The division requested the support of other state agencies, including the Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Safety, the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service and the Texas National Guard, among others. It also posted flooding information and resources on its website. These services included rescue boats, helicopters, high-profile vehicles, power outage monitoring and others, according to the governors statement. At the news conference Saturday, Abbott asked for continued prayers for the rescue efforts and for those who have lost loved ones in the flooding. Prayer does work, Abbott said. Your prayers have made a difference. (NewsNation) At least 82 people are confirmed dead after flash floods swept through central Texas over the Fourth of July holiday. With more rain forecasted, rescuers continued searching Monday for the dozens still missing, including multiple girls from Camp Mystic. According to NewsNation affiliate KXAN, there were 68 flood-related deaths reported in Kerr County, six in Travis County, three in Burnet County, two in Kendall County, two in Williamson County and one in Tom Green County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 68 dead in Kerr County include 40 adults and 28 children, according to Sheriff Larry Leitha. Officials said the death toll was expected to rise. Texas flooding: What we know about those who lost their lives Kerrville, one of the hardest-hit cities in the state, is under another flood watch until 7 p.m. Monday, with the city hall warning that any additional heavy rainfall over hardest hit areas of the past few days will lead to rapid runoff and flash flooding. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday said there were 41 people still unaccounted for, including 10 girls from Camp Mystic and one counselor, according to local officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leitha pledged to keep searching in the Hill Country region until everybody is found. More rain expected in Texas amid recovery efforts In a news briefing Sunday, Abbott said more heavy rain and storms were expected across central Texas, and he advised residents to remain cautious for the next 24 to 48 hours. Earlier, he issued a disaster declaration for several counties. On Sunday evening, the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio said on social media, Right now the heaviest activity is located over the Hill Country where several Flash Flood warnings are now in effect. The Kerr County Sheriffs Office on Sunday said more than 400 first responders from 20 different agencies were aiding in search efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mother grateful after daughters rescued from Camp Mystic flooding According to Kerr County officials, those first responders included a dozen K-9 units working in and near the river, and more than 100 air, water and ground vehicles in the field. Abbott on Sunday said the searches were ongoing. More than 850 people had been rescued so far, officials said, including 167 by helicopter. Some were clinging to trees to save their lives, Abbott said of people who had been rescued. People who want to help can donate to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. said. Rescuers were on Saturday searching for more than 20 girls missing from Camp Mystic in Texas after torrential rains caused devastating flooding that killed at least 27 people with more rain on the way. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / GETTY-AFP) A Camp Mystic sign is seen near the entrance to the establishment along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) A wall is missing on a building at Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area on July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) A Texas Department of Public Safety official combs through the banks of the Guadalupe River near Camp Mystic after a flash flood swept through the area on July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) A man combs through the banks of the Guadalupe River near Camp Mystic after a flash flood swept through the area July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) A Texas Department of Public Safety official combs through the banks of the Guadalupe River near Camp Mystic after a flash flood swept through the area July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) A Sheriffs deputy pauses while combing through the banks of the Guadalupe River near Camp Mystic after a flash flood swept through the area July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Avi Santos, 23, of San Antonio, Texas, reacts while stopping on the road alongside at Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Texas Gov. Greg Abbot, second from front left, and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, second from right, visit Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Officials search on the grounds of Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) A person pulls luggage at Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) A person looks at damage to the main building at Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Officials ride a boat as they arrive to assist with a recovery effort at Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) 27 dead from Camp Mystic, more missing Much of the nationwide focus in the wake of the natural disaster remained on the still-missing girls who had been staying at Camp Mystic near Hunt, Texas, when the nearby Guadalupe River rose more than 20 feet within two hours early on July 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Christian camp, which dates back to the 1920s, had been hosting nearly 750 girls and young women. Most of the attendees were able to escape to safety, but others had been sleeping on lower ground at the time of the flash flood. The camp announced Monday that it was grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors after the flooding. We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls, the camp continued. A look at some of the deadliest floods in the US in the last 25 years The family of camper Lila Bonner told the station on Saturday that she had died. We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss, family members said in a prepared statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mayor of Mountain Brook, Ala., released a statement expressing grief at the loss of Sarah Marsh, an 8-year-old camper who attended Cherokee Bend Elementary. This is an unimaginable loss for her family, her school, and our entire community, Mayor Stewart Welch said. Texas flooding deaths: Whos accountable? Officials are facing increasing scrutiny over the widening tragedy. At a Saturday evening news conference, someone asked Kerville City Manager Dalton Rice how the girls could have been allowed to stay at the camp as potential danger grew. Thats the question of the hour, Rice replied. He said severe-weather reports are not always taken seriously because predictions may not pan out, creating a cry wolf scenario. Rice added that the rain that fell Thursday into Friday was almost double of what was anticipated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, he promised a review of how regional authorities had responded to the unexpected torrential rains that led to the disaster. For now, he said, the emphasis is on the search for missing people: Nothing is more important than bringing comfort and clarity to those who are waiting and grieving. Texas officials face scrutiny over response to catastrophic and deadly flooding The National Weather Service had placed the county under a flood watch Thursday night, with a flash flood warning issued around 1 a.m. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly earlier told media outlets that there was no warning regarding the severity of the flood and that the county doesnt have a warning system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By Friday morning, the Guadalupe River in western Kerr County had reached 29 feet, the second-highest level on record. The river surpassed flooding levels seen in 1987, when floods killed 10 teenagers near Comfort, Texas. The Texas Hill Country is known as Flash Flood Alley because of the way hills shed deluges of rain into the valleys and waterways below. Abbott issued a proclamation declaring Sunday a Day of Prayer. 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 The Hill. At least four people where fatally wounded in separate shootings overnight throughout the city, Chicago police reported Saturday morning. The youngest of the victims was a 16-year-old girl who was wounded to the throat and arrived at Jackson Park Community Hospital. Officers responded to the hospital about 11 p.m. Friday after two victims were wounded in the 1200 block of East 83rd Street in the Avalon Park neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The girl and a 35-year-old man were approached by someone on foot who opened fire in their direction. The man suffered a wound to a thigh and was listed in good condition at the hospital but the teenage girl was pronounced dead, according to police. She was identified as Meeyah Smith of the Grand Crossing neighborhood, according to the Cook County medical examiners office. The latest fatal shooting happened shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday on the West Side in the Austin neighborhood, police said. A 30-year-old man was discovered unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the head in the 1000 block of North Lavergne Avenue. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 2 a.m. Saturday, officers responded to a call of a person shot in the 3400 block of West 62nd Place in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood. A 52-year-old old man was found un responsive with a gunshot wound to the back. A witness said he was approached by two people on foot who opened fire. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Friday night, a 36-year-old man was shot in the head in the 6400 block of South Winchester Avenue in the Englewood neighborhood. Officers responded to a call of a person shot and discovered the unresponsive man who was taken to UChicago Medicine where he was pronounced dead. He was identified as Marco A. Velasquez of the same block where he was fatally wounded, according to the medical examiners office. No one was in custody for any of the fatal shootings and detectives were investigating. The U.S. Department of State has lifted an order for family members and non-emergency U.S. government personnel to leave Lebanon due to its safety risks; however, it still warns U.S. citizens to avoid or leave three other areas in that region. The travel advisory, posted July 3 by the U.S. Department of State, classified Lebanon as a Level 4 Do Not Travel risk, with officials urging tourists not to go there and to leave if they are in Southern Lebanon, at the border with Syria or in a refugee settlement. Do Not Travel to Lebanon due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, unexploded landmines and the risk of armed conflict, the advisory reads. Some areas, especially near the borders, have increased risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Oct. 3, 2023, cross-border exchanges of fire have occurred between Hezbollah and Israel. Targets have sometimes been well north of the border region, according to the Department of State. A cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon went into effect on Nov. 27, 2024. However, military activity has continued in some areas of Lebanon. Therefore, the Lebanese government is unable to guarantee the safety of U.S. citizens against sudden outbreaks of violence and armed conflict. Leave Southern Lebanon The advisory defines Southern Lebanon, from where U.S. citizen should leave, as all parts south of the city of Saida, to include inland areas. There have continued to be instances of military activity in South Lebanon and near the Syrian border since the cessation of hostilities went into effect, the advisory reads. Leave the Lebanon-Syria border The U.S. Embassy also strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid the Lebanon-Syria border and to leave if they are there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This area has seen clashes between Lebanese security forces and Syrian-based groups, as well as recent airstrikes, the advisory reads. The U.S. Department of State also warns U.S. citizens of the risk of traveling on flights that fly over Syria, which include some flights to and from Beirut. Leave refugee settlements The July 3 advisory also advises citizen to avoid or leave any refugee settlements in Lebanon. These settlements are prone to outbreaks of violence including shootings and explosions. U.S. citizens are also urged to avoid demonstrations and exercise caution if in the vicinity of any large gatherings or protests as these have the potential to turn violent quickly and with little notice. Protests have blocked major roads, including thoroughfares between downtown Beirut and the area where the U.S. Embassy is located, between Beirut and the Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport. If you go anyway Those who travel to Lebanon are urged by the Department of State to: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Appoint one family member to serve as the point of contact with kidnappers or hostage takers, media, U.S. and host country government agencies, and members of Congress if kidnapped or taken hostage Keep travel documents up to date and easily accessible Not touch unknown metal objects and avoid traveling off well-used roads, tracks and paths due to risk of unexploded ordnance Avoid demonstrations and crowds Stay alert in locations frequented by Westerners Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust plans based on new information In addition, if U.S. travelers go to Lebanon, they can enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive messages and alerts from the U.S. embassy. More on travel Read the original article on MassLive. (PUEBLO, Colo.) If you still need some plans to celebrate the Fourth of July, its not too late. CSU Pueblo is hosting an event called Let Freedom Howl on the West side of their campus. Happy Ice Snowballz is a vendor at the event. It was started by two local friends hoping to raise money for college. They created several new flavors for the Fourth of July. One is called the Firework, which is named after its Pop Rocks topping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre really fun. So were hoping the kids like that one because we enjoy it, and were 18, said Kenzie Nielson, a Happy Ice Snowballz Employee. The two also created a frozen drink called the Sparkler, complete with edible glitter and a glow stick. We get to hang out with family, have some family time and friend time. We kind of expand our menu a little bit and try new things, said Kelsy Stribling, the Happy Ice Snowballz Part-owner. 4th of July is one of our favorites for sure. You get to celebrate where we live, we get to appreciate the freedom we have. So I think, honestly, I feel like we should be really grateful, and its just a time to celebrate with everybody, said Nielson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre one of many vendors at the event, which is back for the first time in 17 years after budget issues in 2009. Were making it bigger than ever before. It was a real big hit 17 years ago, and so Im excited about bringing that event back. Having a really family-filled atmosphere, and that the event is free, and that were welcoming people to our wonderful campus, said Garrison Ortiz, the Vice President of University Operations and Chief Financial Officer at CSU Pueblo. Of course, the star of the evening is their 20-30 minute fireworks and drone show beginning at 9:15. However, be sure to pack your swimsuit or a change of clothes to check out the slip and slide and pools. Its hot out here, and you cant be out here all afternoon unless you have water, and so we have a nice water zone. We have a water fight taking place. Some different bounce houses, and so water is a big feature of this event, said Ortiz. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. The Guardian is increasingly worried about a grave threat to British jobs. In an editorial this week, it begged UK firms not to replace university graduates with Artificial Intelligence because AI must not be allowed to eclipse young talent. It would be awful, the Guardian continued, if graduates prospects were short-sightedly shut down in the name of cost savings. Quite right, too. I agree with every word. There is, however, just one small thing that puzzles me. Glad as I am to see the Guardian highlighting this threat to middle-class jobs, why does it rarely seem quite so concerned about an equally grave threat to working-class jobs? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past couple of decades, any number of working-class people have complained that their livelihoods are under threat from mass immigration. Again and again, however, the Guardian has published articles flatly dismissing these fears. Its run headlines such as, The Tory Fallacy: That Migrants Are Taking British Jobs and Driving Down Wages. And: We Keep Hearing About Legitimate Concerns Over Immigration. The Truth Is, There Are None. And, as recently as May this year: Things Could Fall Over: Businesses and Public Services on Starmers Immigration Crackdown. Anyone who disagreed was liable to be accused of racism even if they were children. Racist and Anti-Immigration Views Held by Children Revealed in Schools Study, reported the Guardian in 2015, noting with horror that 60 per cent of the children questioned believed it was true that asylum seekers and immigrants are stealing our jobs. Maybe I missed it, but I dont recall the Guardian thundering that immigrant plumbers and builders must not be allowed to eclipse young talent. Or that working-class peoples prospects must not be short-sightedly shut down in the name of cost savings offered by cheap foreign labour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But perhaps its different, when its your own childrens futures at risk. Slaves to wokery Believe it or not, some MPs are still insisting that our country owes reparations for the transatlantic slave trade. Even in happier times, it would have been difficult to persuade the wider public of their cases merits. But imagine trying to do it right now. Good evening, sir, Im from the Labour party. As you will be all too well aware, these are very tough times for the nations finances so Im afraid that at the next Budget we will have no alternative but to increase your taxes. Oh, and then increase them a bit more, so that we can give away vast sums of your money to countries thousands of miles away in compensation for crimes that took place hundreds of years ago and which you personally had nothing to do with. Not the easiest sell. None the less, the campaign continues. Last week, the Jamaican government which is extremely keen on reparations petitioned the King to seek legal advice on the issue. And this week, Bell Ribeiro-Addy the Labour MP who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Afrikan Reparations said: I think its important that people are moving forward with legal remedies, because ultimately enslavement was ended with the law, the reparations to slave owners happened under the law, and so reparations to those affected must happen under legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reparations to those affected? Very well. If she can find me an 18th-century Caribbean slave, I will be only too happy to compensate him. He can use the money to throw a lavish party for his 250th birthday. Unfortunately, however, I wont be able to make the same offer to anyone born more recently. Because theyre no more victims of the slave trade than Im a victim of the Great Fire of London. Sultana fruitcake Personally Im delighted that Zarah Sultana, the 31-year-old ex-Labour MP for Coventry South, is about to launch a new Left-wing party. Because it will give us the opportunity to ask her an important question. On January 29, Ms Sultana voiced her furious opposition to the planned expansion of Heathrow airport, denouncing it as reckless, short-sighted and indefensible in the face of the climate emergency. Yet, on March 26, she readily endorsed a campaign for a brand new international airport to be built in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan on the grounds that it would serve the vibrant, worldwide Kashmiri diaspora (of which Ms Sultana happens to be a member, as her grandfather came to the UK from Kashmir). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The question for this exciting new political leader, therefore, is: what changed? In the eight weeks between these two pronouncements, did the climate emergency suddenly end? If so, Im surprised that the Government hasnt made more of this wonderful news. Think of all the money it can save, now that net zero is no longer required. Alternatively: perhaps the climate emergency is still raging, but a new Pakistani airport wouldnt exacerbate it, because, unlike nasty British planes, Pakistani ones dont emit greenhouse gases. In which case, we must beg Pakistan to share its astonishing aeronautical secrets. When Ms Sultana becomes prime minister, I hope it will be the very first thing she does. Way of the World is a twice-weekly satirical look at the headlines aiming to mock the absurdities of the modern world. It is published at 7am every Tuesday and Saturday 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. Update DAVIS COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) The Duck Club Fire is now 70% contained, fire officials said Saturday afternoon. Utah Fire Info says the fire will be monitored over the next couple of days and that no new reports are expected barring significant changes. Original Story DAVIS COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) The Duck Club Fire is currently burning in Davis County with 0% containment, according to an update from Utah Fire Info on Saturday. The fire is reportedly lightning-caused. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire remains moderately active on the north side with 0% containment, fire officials said. The south end is inactive, with no visible smoke. Two helicopters are responding to assist with suppression efforts today, July 5. A recon flight took place at 9 a.m. prior to their response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Courtesy of Utah Fire Info The fire was estimated at 3-5 acres as of Friday night. It is reportedly visible west of Layton in the wetlands. No immediate threats identified at this time based on current fire behavior and location, fire officials said. Firefighters remained on scene overnight to monitor the wildfire. No further information is available at this time. Latest headlines: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. SANFORD, Fla. (WFLA) Storms crashed the City of Sanfords Fourth of July celebrations Friday but not just because of the rain. City officials said a lightning strike unexpectedly triggered the launch of their fireworks display ahead of schedule. 1 hospitalized after lightning strikes 3 St. Pete beachgoers We are relieved to report that no injuries have occurred as a result of this incident, officials wrote in a news release Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the fireworks display was subsequently cancelled, the rest of the citys Fourth of July activities were set to continue at 9 p.m., as originally planned. Attendees were asked to not bring any personal fireworks to the event, as it could pose a safety hazard. The safety of our residents and visitors remains our top priority, city officials said. Unauthorized fireworks pose serious safety risks to both the public and emergency personnel. No further details were immediately available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) Fourth of July festivities turned chaotic for families spending the Independence Day holiday at Dolphin Beach Resort, with lightning striking multiple beach goers. St. Pete Beach Fire Department officials were dispatched to the area at 12:19 p.m. and confirmed a family of three was struck by lightning. The family consisted of two adults and a 17-year-old girl. Lightning strike sets Florida fireworks display off early Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to authorities, the three were under an umbrella when the lightning strike occurred. Of the three, two adults were treated on scene and refused medical treatment. The 17-year-old girl was sent to Tampa General Hospital. We knew it was going to rain, but we didnt think it was going to get this bad, said Andrew Faiella of St. Petersburg. Faiella told News Channel 8 its common for him to head to the beach on the Fourth of July and this year he continued that tradition with friends. While swimming in the water, he said he could hear thunder from afar. I started to swim into shore and then me [and] my friends are washing up, and then we hear boom, lightning strike right next to us, Faiella said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those at the beach began running into the parking lot to find coverage inside their cars. I feel really lucky, especially because I was the farthest out in the water, Faiella explained. I feel like it could have been me or one of my friends. Other beach goers were also struck by lightning, though uninjured, they tell News Channel 8, it was a feeling they have never felt before. I literally felt it rush all the way down my body, said LA Mejias of Woodbridge, Virginia. Ive never had a situation like that before. Meijas was continuing his yearly family tradition of heading to Dolphins Beach Resort for the Independence Day holiday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is like our 30-year tradition [by] coming here my whole family lives down here, Mejias said. Usually, were well organized when it comes to dealing with the rain because weve been doing it for so long. Mejias invited his best friend, Kirez Bost, of Woodbridge, Virginia, to this years family gathering and he too was struck as he felt the impact both in his hand and middle of his chest. I usually have fun, but today I was pretty anxious, Bost said. And seeing everybody else panic too we were trying to keep each other calm and make sure everybody else is OK in the process [while] making sure we got in the car safely. According to the National Weather Service, no place is considered safe outside when there are thunderstorms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once thunder is heard, it is close enough to strike, making it best to immediately move to shelter such as a substantial building with electricity and plumbing or a car that is metal-topped and closed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. AUSTIN (KXAN) Several areas across Central Texas are experiencing flash flooding as rain continues to move through the area. 11:10 a.m.: Georgetown Police have closed the Austin Avenue bridge to traffic and pedestrians until further notice. This closure is due to concerns about the number of people stopping on the bridges and the possibility of debris hitting the bridges, the department said on X. 11:05 a.m.: FM 1431 has been closed between Lago Vista and Marble Falls, near the entrance to the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. KXAN crews took these photos, which show part of the road washed away. The Travis County Sheriffs Office is on scene. Flooding washed out part of FM 1431 in western Travis County on July 5, 2025. (KXAN Photo/Eric Henrikson) Flooding washed out part of FM 1431 in western Travis County on July 5, 2025. (KXAN Photo/Eric Henrikson) Flooding washed out part of FM 1431 in western Travis County on July 5, 2025. (KXAN Photo/Eric Henrikson) 11 a.m.: As of now, 57 low water crossings are closed across Central Texas, according to ATXFloods.com. Several of those closures are in western Travis and Williamson counties. There are also several closures in Llano County, as well as further southeast in Caldwell County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 10:30 a.m.: The City of Marble Falls has canceled its Lakeside Park Independence Celebration due to the weather. The safety of our residents, visitors and staff remains our top priority, a post on social media read. With floodgate operations still underway on Lake Marble Falls and many of our first responders and resources assisting our surrounding neighbors, we need to keep the focus where it is needed most. Kerr County Officials gave an update Saturday morning on the ongoing search for survivors from the flash floods that hit along the Guadalupe River. At a 10:00 a.m. briefing, Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice confirmed that floods killed at least 27 people. Nine children are among the dead. Rice said 27 people were missing from Camp Mystic, a girls camp along the river. More people are reported missing, but officials did not have an exact number. Rescue teams continue working to find those missing after flooding (Kerrville Police Department photo) Search and rescue operations will continue until all people are accounted for, according to officials. The Kerr County Sheriffs Office said that so far, more than 850 people have been evaluated and are uninjured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joe Herring, Jr., the mayor of Kerville, said a fund has been set up by the Community Foundation of Texas Hill Country. People need to know today will be a hard day it will be a hard day, Herring said. Georgetown The Williamson County Office of Emergency Management advised some residents to evacuate in Georgetown Saturday morning. Georgetown Police advised residents of the Two Rivers, San Gabriel and Waters Edge apartments to evacuate due to the rising river levels. Shelter is available at the Georgetown Recreation Center (1003 N. Austin Ave.) and the First United Methodist Church (410 E. University Ave.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The evacuations would be for residents of mobile home parks along the San Gabriel River east of the city. According to the office, evacuations would include Riverside, Shady River and Goodwater. Shady River RV Park in Georgetown, TX on July 5, 2025. Williamson County said a Flash Flood Warning was in effect for the western portion of the county until 10 a.m. and for the South Fork of the San Gabriel River east of Georgetown through early Sunday afternoon. San Gabriel River on July 5, 2025 (KXAN photo/Barrett Tryon) The Georgetown Police Department said San Gabriel and Blue Hole parks were closed due to the rivers flooding. Burnet First responders in Burnet County reported nearly 20 water rescues Saturday morning as flood waters move through Central Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Burnet County Office of Emergency Management, first responders were working 18 different water rescues in the area. The office said several roads in the area were inaccessible, including: Highway 29 to Hamilton Creek Between Burnet and Bertram The city of Burnet said for those affected by flooding or in need of a safe place to go, the Burnet Community Center, located at 401 E. Jackson St., was open for evacuations. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a Flash Flood Emergency was in effect for Burnet County shortly after 5 a.m. NWS said so far, 5-12 of rain has occurred, and an additional 2-5 was possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. This is a developing story. Check back to sanluisobispo.com for updates. To get breaking news alerts, click here >> Read the latest: Fire devastates historic Templeton Feed & Grain building as town watches Firefighters responded to a devastating commercial structure fire at the Templeton Feed & Grain building late Friday night on the Fourth of July and into Saturday morning. Towering flames could be seen shooting from the top of the building as firefighters battled the blaze through the night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the morning, much of the roof had collapsed as flames ate through the interior of the landmark building. Templeton Feed & Grain has long been a San Luis Obispo County institution, with its iconic 80-foot grain elevator and grain silos standing proudly above Templetons Main Street for decades. The original concrete building was built in 1912 and was used as a garage for Chevrolet vehicles and Illinois tractors, according to the Templeton Area Expansion Plan. It was converted to a granary in the 1930s. The building is located between 4th and 5th streets across from McPhees Grill. Firefighters from San Luis Obispo to Paso Robles were called to a two-alarm commercial fire at Templeton Feed and Grain. Fire broke out in the late evening of Independence Day. They were battling flames on the morning of July 5, 2025. Firefighting continues into Saturday morning Update, 10:40 a.m.: Flames were still visible from the building into Saturday morning as firefighters continued to try to extinguish the blaze. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, onlookers flocked to the scene to see the wreckage of the devastating fire. Firefighters from San Luis Obispo to Paso Robles were called to a two-alarm commercial fire at Templeton Feed and Grain. Fire broke out in the late evening of Independence Day. They were battling flames on the morning of July 5, 2025. The landmark structure brought spectators out to document the fire on their cell phones. Firefighters from San Luis Obispo to Paso Robles were called to a two-alarm commercial fire at Templeton Feed and Grain. Fire broke out in the late evening of Independence Day. They were battling flames on the morning of July 5, 2025. Firefighters from San Luis Obispo to Paso Robles were called to a two-alarm commercial fire at Templeton Feed and Grain. Fire broke out in the late evening of Independence Day. They were battling flames on the morning of July 5, 2025. Templeton at critically low water levels after fighting fire Update, 9:25 a.m.: Templeton residents are being urged to conserve water due to the amount it took to fight the Templeton Feed & Grain fire overnight. Firefighters from San Luis Obispo to Paso Robles were called to a two alam commercial fire at Templeton Feed and Grain. Fire broke out in the late evening of Independence Day. They were batteilng flames on the morning of July 5, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a post on X on Saturday morning, the Templeton Fire Department asked residents to limit indoor water use and do not water at all outdoors at this time. Templeton is at critically low water levels due to the amount of water used to contain the fire at Templeton Feed and Grain, the post read. Flames quickly destroyed a large portion of the Templeton Feed & Grain building in Templeton on July 5, 2025. Fire chief describes how fire spread at Templeton building Update, 1:30 a.m.: Templeton Fire Chief Tom Peterson said the agency was initially notified of a fire alarm at the building at 11:11 p.m. Friday. The first unit on scene saw smoke and requested a full structure response, he said. They then began climbing into the buildings silo to further access the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pretty much its a wood-structured building so it kinda took off from there, Peterson said. Flames could be seen erupting from an upper floor of Templeton Feed & Grain early July 5, 2025, as firefighters attempted to save the building. The fire then spread real easily through the top of the buildings silos, he said. Though firefighters were still working to save the concrete portion of the building, it looked like the silos were going to be a total loss, he added. When asked how old the building was, Peterson responded: Its old. Pretty old. It was as yet unclear what the cause of the fire was, he said, noting that investigators would hopefully be able to get camera footage from neighboring businesses to help determine how it started. Flames could be seen erupting from an upper floor of Templeton Feed & Grain early July 5, 2025, as firefighters attempted to save the building. As of about 1:20 a.m., the flames no longer could be seen from the top of the building, though flickering could be seen deeper within the structures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peterson said crews were likely to be at the scene until the sun comes up. Flames could be seen erupting from an upper floor of Templeton Feed & Grain early July 5, 2025, as firefighters attempted to save the building. Onlookers gather to watch as flames burn iconic Templeton building Update, 1 a.m.: Everett Allred said he had finished watching fireworks when during a late-night walk, his brother saw the Templeton Feed & Grain building go up in flames. So Allred hurried down to the scene to see what was happening. At first it was only that top part, and then that slowly started spreading and collapsing, he said motioning to the buildings tower. Im pretty sure its going to collapse tonight. Flames could be seen erupting from an upper floor of Templeton Feed & Grain early July 5, 2025, as firefighters attempted to save the building. Engines shoot water as flames send plume of smoke into sky Update, 12:20 a.m.: Flames could be seen erupting from an upper area of Templeton Feed & Grain early Saturday morning as firefighters made a mad dash to save the building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The towering flames could be seen as far away as Highway 101, as well as a large plume of dark smoke emanating from the building. Flames could be seen erupting from an upper floor and roof area of Templeton Feed & Grain early July 5, 2025, as firefighters attempted to save the building. As of 12:20 a.m., numerous engines were working to try to douse the flames with water, though there appeared to be difficulty accessing the uppermost portion of the building where the flames were strongest. As the blaze continued, a large group of onlookers gathered nearby. Flames could be seen erupting from the upper floor and roof area of Templeton Feed & Grain early July 5, 2025, as firefighters attempted to save the building. In a post on X, Cal Fire said its crews were responding to the second-alarm fire as part of an automatic aid agreement with Templeton Fire. Other responding agencies were Atascadero, Paso Robles, San Miguel and San Luis Obispo city fire departments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People were asked to avoid the area as operations continued. Commercial Structure Fire Templeton Firefighters responded to a second alarm fire at Templeton Feed & Grain located at S Main Street. As part of our automatic aid agreement with Templeton Fire, crews from CAL FIRE, San Luis Obispo County Fire, Atascadero Fire, Paso Robles pic.twitter.com/07704TiuFV San Luis Obispo County Fire Department (@CALFIRE_SLO) July 5, 2025 Original story: According to emergency radio traffic, the fire was at 405 S. Main St., the location of Templeton Feed & Grain. Multiple engines responded to the blaze from as far away as San Luis Obispo. The fire was reported at 11:06 p.m., according to the PulsePoint app. At around the same time, another fire was reported in a trash bin nearby at 550 Crocker St. Jul. 5Proposed cuts to Medicaid in Congress' reconciliation bill will dramatically impact patient access to services, Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital officials said on Thursday. "The majority of our patients are covered by Medicaid or Medicare," Lodi Memorial Hospital President Brooke McCollough said. "If they are unable to remain on these programs, their loss of coverage will lead to delaying necessary health care and increases their likelihood of developing medical emergencies." President Donald Trump's administration is looking to make deep cuts to federal funding to help offset the cost of tax cuts. According to the California Budget and Policy Center, federal funds make up more than one-third of the state's budget, or $170 billion under current state estimates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of the funds support Medi-Cal, which provides health coverage to more than 14 million residents. Republican proposals to slash support for Medicaid could reduce annual federal funding for California by $10-$20 billion or more. The CBPC said the cuts would create a massive budget hole that would force state leaders to make painful spending cuts that would jeopardize Californians' access to health care through Medi-Cal as well as threaten other state services and systems. According to 2022 data from the California Department of Health Care Access and Information, 30.7% of Lodi Memorial's patients are covered by Medi-Cal or Medicare. "We will do everything we can to ensure that our emergency department continues to be available to everyone in the community regardless of their ability to pay for their care," McCollough said. "Our greatest concern is being able to maintain our ability to continue providing timely, high-quality health care. Right now, it is very difficult to plan and prepare for the future, but we are fully committed to this community and the people who are counting on us." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The HCAI also reports that 80% of patients at San Joaquin General Hospital are covered by Medi-Cal or Medicare. "The county, and San Joaquin General Hospital are monitoring any federal action that could have implications to Medicaid/MediCal programs very closely," county officials said. "It is too soon to specify the impacts this legislation might have on the county's overall health care system, including SJGH." Gov. Gavin Newsom last week said 3.4 million Californians could lose their state Medi-Cal health insurance if the reconciliation bill moves forward. About 1 in 5 Americans are covered under Medicaid, which uses income as a condition for enrollment instead of employment. Some 15 million Californians are on Medi-Cal with some of the highest percentages in rural counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill will require many Medicaid recipients between the ages of 19- to 64 to prove every six months that they are employed, volunteer or attend school at least 80 hours every month, unless they qualify for an exemption. States would be required to set up their work eligibility verification systems by the end of 2026, and those that do not could lose federal funding. Newsom said 5.1 million people in California would need to go through the work verification progress and about one-third would "likely" meet the requirements, according to the Los Angeles Times. The other two-thirds would "go through the labyrinth of manual verification," Newsom said. In addition, he said 3 million people in California could lose coverage through the new Medicaid work requirements, and 400,000 more could lose their insurance if they were required to re-verify their eligibility every six months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom said that the state's estimate was based on the number of people who dropped off Medicaid in New Hampshire and Arkansas after those states briefly implemented their own work requirements, the Times reported. Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, said in a media statement Thursday that the bill was cruel and would take health care away from 50,000 people in San Joaquin County. He added that it will shutter clinics, lays off thousands of health care workers, and send premiums through the roof. "Thousands of working families will lose access to in-home care for aging parents," he said. "They'll be forced to skip doctor's appointments for their kids. They won't be able to afford an emergency room visit if there's an accident. This isn't just politics, this is life and death. Our families were already stretched thin now they're being kicked off their health care so the rich can get even richer. I'm heartbroken. I'm furious. I voted no, and I'll do everything in my power to fight back against this heartless betrayal." Alexandria Miller Alexandria Miller of Whitestown was recently elected to membership into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nations oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, at Bradley University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Miller is among approximately 20,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10% of seniors and 7.5% of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10% of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society: one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the Society has chapters on more than 300 campuses in the United States and its territories. Its mission is to cultivate a community that celebrates and advances the love of learning. Grace Medici Grace Medici of Zionsville was named to the spring 2025 deans list at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis. Deans List honors are accorded to Carthage students who achieve a minimum 3.5 grade-point average while carrying at least 12 letter-graded credits in a given semester. Flooding has caused an average of more than 125 deaths per year in the United States over the past few decades, according to the National Weather Service, and flash floods are the nations top storm-related killer. Here's a look at some of the most deadly flooding nationwide in the past 25 years. Texas, July 2025 Authorities are still assessing the deadly effects of heavy rains that caused devastating flash floods in Texas Hill Country, leaving more than 80 people dead and many others missing as frantic parents sought word about their daughters who were unaccounted from at a girls camp near the Guadalupe River. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue stranded people in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. Hurricane Helene, 2024 Hurricane Helene struck Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia in September 2024. The storm caused about 250 deaths, according to the National Weather Service. Many of those who died in Helene fell victim to massive inland flooding, rather than high winds. Helene was the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The storm decimated remote towns throughout the Appalachians and left millions without power, cellular service and supplies. In North Carolina alone, Helene was responsible for 108 deaths, according to the state's Department of Health and Human Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kentucky, 2022 Raging floodwaters in eastern Kentucky in late July of 2022 led to 45 deaths, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tyler Roys said Saturday. The floods destroyed homes and businesses and caused significant damage to schools, roads, bridges and water systems. The disaster robbed thousands of families of all their possessions. Tennessee, 2021 Twenty people were killed when creeks near the small Middle Tennessee town of Waverly overflowed after more than more than 17 inches (43 centimeters) of rain fell in the area in less than 24 hours in August 2021. Homes were washed off their foundations, cars were wrecked and businesses were demolished. The dead included twin babies who were swept from their fathers arms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hurricane Harvey, 2017 Hurricane Harvey barreled into Texas in August 2017 as a powerful Category 4 storm. Harvey hovered for days as it trudged inland, dumping several feet of rain on many Gulf Coast communities and the Houston area. Harvey killed at least 68 people, according to a National Hurricane Center report. All but three of the Harvey deaths were directly attributed to freshwater flooding, which damaged more than 300,000 structures and caused an estimated $125 billion in damage. West Virginia, June 2016 A rainstorm that initially seemed like no big deal turned into a catastrophe in West Virginia, trapping dozens of people during the night and eventually leaving 23 people dead around the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Superstorm Sandy, 2012 Superstorm Sandy was a late fall freak combination of a hurricane and other storms that struck New York and surrounding areas in October 2012. Sandy killed 147 people, 72 in the eastern U.S., according to the National Hurricane Center. More than 110 deaths were attributed to drowning, Roys said. Mississippi River, 2011 Heavy rainfall in several states, plus a larger-than-normal slow melt, led rivers in the Mississippi River Basin to swell and flood in 2011. Flash floods associated with these storms caused 24 deaths across Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee in April and May, according to the National Weather Service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hurricane Ike, 2008 Hurricane Ike struck the southeast Texas Gulf Coast in September 2008, creating a storm surge as high as 20 feet (6 meters) in the island city of Galveston. In all, the storm ended up causing more than $29 billion in damage and was responsible for more than 100 deaths, many caused by flooding. Hurricane Katrina, 2005 Hurricane Katrina is the deadliest flood event in the U.S. in the past 25 years. The storm crashed into the Gulf Coast and caused devastating flooding when levees failed in New Orleans, where people had to be rescued by boat and helicopter from rooftops. The costliest storm in U.S. history, Katrina caused nearly 1,400 deaths and an estimated $200 billion in damages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tropical Storm Allison, 2001 Tropical Storm Allison caused 41 deaths, mostly attributed to flooding caused by 40 inches (101 centimeters) of rain that fell in Texas and Louisiana, Roys said. Allison remained a threat for days as its remnants lingered after making landfall in June 2001, causing major flooding in Houston. BERLIN CENTER, Ohio (WKBN) When you pull into Blossers Dari Drive Inn, it doesnt matter what your name is; they call everyone the same thing. Everyone is honey and sweetie, said Sharon Blosser, founder. The drive-in was built in 1960 under the name Dari Isle. In 1981, it was purchased by Don and Sharon Blosser and rebranded into the shop that still operates today: Honeys, sweeties and all. Since then, it has become known for its apple cider soft serve, chocolate vanilla twist, and of course, its world-famous root beer milkshakes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My dad passed away in 2005, but his favorite thing was root beer everything. We talked about it for 20 years, and then I came in one day, and my sisters like, I made a soft serve, and people now begged me to make it,' said Kathleen Mace, Blossers owner. Mace is Blossers daughter. After her dad passed away, her mom considered selling the business but had a change of heart after hearing from her customers. They said this place is you and your personality, and if someone else came here and ever changed a thing, it would never be the same because your family makes this place, Blosser said. So, Blosser kept the business, and Mace took it over as owner in 2006 and has the help of her sisters, Erin and Marie. Back in April, they celebrated the drive-ins 44th anniversary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Larry Chalfants parents built the building back in 1959, and he worked at the shop before the Blossers took over. Now, hes a regular at the beloved drive-in, amazed at how much of the original store remains. As much as customers praise the family business, they show the love right back. Its the food and the people. You come here once, youre here forever, Chalfant said. Mace points to customers who have been regulars. One of them is Dick Leg. We call him Farmer because hes a farmer. He is almost 90 years old. He comes every single Tuesday and gets five cheeseburgers and two Pepsis. We absolutely love him, Mace said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If it wasnt clear from the steady stream of business or walls decorated with gifts from the community, Mace, just like her mom, says the customers are the reason she refuses to sell. Because of my customers, I cant do it. And then when I have the ones that come up I had one the other day that said, You can never leave us. That goes right to my heart, Mace said. Blossers Dari Drive Inn is open from March to Thanksgiving. The business just got a new machine to make even more twist combinations, and customers who grew up on Blossers soft serve are coming back with their own kids. Blossers Drive-Inn is located at 15501 W. Akron-Canfield Road in Berlin Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Independence Day, youre a firework. Thousands of spectators gathered across the Big Apple were awed at the patriotic pyrotechnic miracle of the 49th Annual Macys 4th of July fireworks show a spectacle that unleashed a flood of emotions Friday night. The celebration, which kicked off at 9:25 p.m., featured 80,000 shells launched in the night sky from four barges on the East River including a ghost shell that rocketed 1,000 feet in the air and an unprecedented art show projected on the majestic Brooklyn Bridge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thank you, Macys, every year for what you do. Im crying. Yes. Im crying. This is New York City. This doesnt happen this way, anywhere else, Brooklynite Maribel Abreu, 54, told The Post as she wiped tears from her eyes at South Street Seaports Pier 17. Theres (nothing) more beautiful than the Brooklyn Bridge in the world, and the bridge was on fire today. The 49th Annual Macys 4th of July fireworks show illuminates the Big Apple sky Friday night. AFP via Getty Images Sherrie Hughes, 40, an Army veteran who fought in Afghanistan and was visiting from California, summed up the fraternal spirit shared among onlookers from around the city and the world created by the breathtaking show. There is no other place like New York City to celebrate the spirit of America, Hughes, a former New Yorker, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This seemed purposeful. Many spectators said the Brooklyn Bridge was the star of Fridays Fourth of July fireworks show. REUTERS The fireworks extravaganza was a much-needed distraction from the climate were in right now. We all need to unite as a people, and all come together, and all celebrate together, added Hughes, whose favorite part was the explosions that looked like a waterfall cascading from the Brooklyn Bridge into the East River below. And she wasnt the only one deeply stirred by that stunning display. The waterfall was insane. Its probably one of the best fireworks thats ever happened in New York. It is probably, like, the best event ever. Incredible show. Just incredible, Abreus 16-year-old son, Maxwell Lizardi, gushed. The awesome display of 80,000 firework shells wasnt enough to wake this tot sleeping on his dads shoulder. AFP via Getty Images Many spectators were so moved by the fireworks display that they told someone close that they loved them. AFP via Getty Images Sol Pereya traveled from Cordoba, Argentina, with her parents and brother specifically to see this years fireworks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We knew that this was very special and very unique, so we tried to do everything to schedule everything to be here today, the 27-year-old said. Her family was so touched that they huddled together in the middle of the show and told each other how much they loved each other. Residents from around the city took in the stunning fireworks show Friday night. Getty Images For the first time, visual art was projected onto the Brooklyn Bridges towers as part of the Macys 4th of July fireworks show. AP I think that we will treasure this moment for the rest of our lives, honestly, an emotional Pereya said. The Brooklyn Bridge, its the most beautiful thing Ive ever seen. Were still trying to figure out the words to describe it. Many longtime New Yorkers who were among the throng of onlookers come to see the show noted that they dont remember fireworks ever being shot off the Brooklyn Bridge before Friday nights display. Arbeu and Lizardi watched with astonishment as an American flag projected on one of the towers of the Brooklyn Bridge unfurled in a scroll before it was replaced by an American eagle that soared over an open road. A fire in rural San Luis Obispo County grew Friday night to nearly 80,000 acres and is California's largest this year, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The Madre fire started around 1 p.m. Wednesday, east of Santa Maria near the town of New Cayuma. More than 200 people were under mandatory evacuation orders, and roughly 50 structures were under threat Saturday morning. One building has burned. The cause of the fire, which has been fueled by heat and wind and is about 10% contained, is under investigation. The bulk of the fire is threatening the Carrizo Plain National Monument, which is home to several endangered and threatened wildlife and plant species. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is a sparsely populated area," Los Padres National Forest spokesperson Andrew Madsen said. "As long as we keep the fire north of Highway 166, we will keep it out of the residential spots." More than 600 firefighting personnel and nearly 50 fire engines are responding to the blaze. Multiple air tankers are also battling the fire as conditions allow. Los Padres National Forest, Cal Fire San Luis Obispo and the Bureau of Land Management share jurisdiction over the fire. The Madre fire is more than triple the size of the Palisades fire, which burned 23,000 acres in coastal Los Angeles County nearly six months ago, killing 12 people and destroying nearly 7,000 structures. The Eaton fire in Altadena torched 14,000 acres and killed 18 people before it was extinguished. A heat wave is expected in Southern California from Tuesday through Friday, raising new concerns over the risk of fire. The peak is expected midweek, with high temperatures between 98 and 108 degrees anticipated in the lower mountains, valleys and deserts. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The largest wildfire in California this year has grown to 70,800 acres in San Luis Obispo County and poses an immediate threat to life, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The Madre fire sparked around 1 p.m. on Wednesday in a rural area of the county. The fire has burned one structure and is 10% contained, Cal Fire spokesperson Toni Davis said late Friday afternoon. Hot, windy conditions along the Central Coast have fueled the fire's spread, but the cause of the blaze remains under investigation. More than 200 people are under evacuation orders and 50 structures are threatened by the flames, Davis said. A helicopter drops water on the Madre fire as it burns along Highway 166 on Thursday in San Luis Obispo County. (Noah Berger/AP) Read more: California fire season is off to a furious start, and experts say it's just the beginning Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Madre fire is more than triple the size of the Palisades fire, which burned 23,000 acres in coastal Los Angeles County in January, killing 12 people and destroying nearly 7,000 structures. The deadly Eaton fire in Altadena torched 14,000 acres and killed 18 people before it was extinguished. Firefighting air tankers from across the state are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow, according to Cal Fire. More than 600 personnel and 46 fire engines are responding to the blaze. Los Padres National Forest, Cal Fire San Luis Obispo and the Bureau of Land Management share jurisdiction over the Madre fire. 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. Major flooding is expected to occur overnight along the Llano River, posing a threat to homes, businesses, boats and docks in some areas, according to the National Weather Service. Flooding is expected to pick up around midnight to 3 a.m. Saturday, according to Orlando Bermudez, a meteorologist with the weather service's Austin/San Antonio office. According to the weather service: Major flooding will threaten the lowest homes from upstream near Castell to below Llano. Major damage will occur downstream in Kingsland to boats and docks. Secondary and primary roads and bridges in the flood plain will be extremely dangerous to motorists. The lowest homes and businesses in the Highland Lakes below Kingsland will be flooded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Even 6 inches of fast-moving flood water can knock you off your feet and a depth of 2 feet will float your car," the weather service said. "Never try to walk, swim or drive through such swift water. If you come upon flood waters, stop, turn around and go another way." Bermudez said residents should continue monitoring the news and official sources regarding weather conditions. If there are any evacuation orders, those will come from government officials. In Travis and Williamson counties, Bermudez said light rain is expected to continue, but nothing severe is expected. A flash flood warning had been issued through 4:30 p.m. for parts of the two counties. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Major flooding expected overnight along Llano River, forecasters say In 2015, an oil spill into the River Thange in Kenya began a humanitarian crisis affecting 242 households in the area. Despite 10 years of unexplained illnesses and deaths, it has taken until now for Kenya's senate to act, calling on the Kenya Pipeline Company, National Environment Management Authority, and Makueni County Government to clean up the spill affecting the area's soil and water, The Sunday Standard reported. What's happening? The Thange oil spill was originally addressed inadequately with trenches dug across 2.1 kilometers (1.3 miles) of ground. This did not stop benzene from leaching into the soil and water in the area. KPC Managing Director Joe Sang pointed out that his company has offered the affected families 38 million Kenyan shillings ($294,000) as compensation, or roughly $1,000 per family, the Standard revealed. The company also offered 324 million Kenyan shillings ($2.5 million) to the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The residents have said that this is not enough. Why is this oil spill important? Exposure to benzene in soil and water has dramatic health consequences for the afflicted. The community involved reports high levels of cancer and serious health care expenditures. Young children, including those born after the spill, are dependent on regular medications for their lives and health. "As the leadership of Makueni County, we are tired of using a lot of money on funeral expenses and in supporting medication of the victims of the Thange River spillage. It is clear that the area residents are affected and they should be compensated adequately," said Makueni Gov. Mutula Kilonzo, per the Standard. What's being done about the oil spill? KPC expressed willingness to address the issue, but Makueni Sen. Daniel Maanzo was not impressed by the company's efforts or involvement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The residents of Makueni have suffered for the last 10 years since tragedy struck. Unfortunately, Kenya Pipeline Company does not seem to give this matter the seriousness it deserves; that is why we want all stakeholders to address this matter," he said, per the Standard. The new Senate action calls for partial decommissioning of the pipeline and monitoring of the soil and water. Researchers continue to work on better ways to clean up oil spills. How often do you worry about the quality of your drinking water? Never Sometimes Often Always Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. A satellite designed to monitor human-made methane emissions has gone missing in space. Dubbed MethaneSAT, the $88 million spacecraft was launched into orbit aboard a SpaceX rocket in March 2024 and was expected to collect data on the potent greenhouse gas for at least five years. But for the past two weeks, the satellite's operators, the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund, have been unable to establish contact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, in a final blow, mission control says that MethaneSAT has lost power, crushing almost all hope of bringing it back online. "It is likely not recoverable," the EDF said in a statement Tuesday. The cause, at this time, isn't known, and an investigation into why communications were lost is ongoing. It's an agonizing loss, especially as the mission which was backed by Google and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos had proven that its advanced spectrometer instruments could pick out emissions from space and trace them back to their source with remarkable precision. The just under a year's worth of data it managed to collect was "magnificent," Steven Hamburg, chief scientist at the EDF, told the New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We set out in this first year to demonstrate what was possible, that we could think about direct measurement of greenhouse gases in a way that we had never been able to do before," Hamburg added. "And I think we demonstrated that." Methane traps 28 times more heat than carbon dioxide and is considered to be the second biggest contributor to global warming. Many scientists fear, however, that we're actually underestimating its impact. That's because methane is a very leaky greenhouse gas, meaning that a lot of it escapes as it's stored, transported, and drilled without being accounted for. Research suggests that gas companies are drastically underreporting their real methane emissions as a result, with it being in their best interests to turn a blind eye. To hold polluters accountable, numerous organizations including NASA have been monitoring methane from space. But MethaneSAT purported to do it with enough accuracy to single out the specific facilities responsible, as the NYT explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Data gathered by the satellite which is publicly available implicated oil and gas sites in North America and Central Asia as emitting far higher amounts of methane than predicted, per the NYT. It's not how it would've wanted things to end, but with its satellite making a convincing case for itself before going out, the EDF is choosing to look on the bright side. "The mission has been a remarkable success in terms of scientific and technological accomplishment, and for its lasting influence on both industry and regulators worldwide," the EDF said in the statement. "We will continue to process data that we have retrieved from the satellite and will be releasing additional scenes of global oil and gas production region-scale emissions over the coming months." More on spacecraft: Alert: There's a Lost Spaceship in the Ocean The Brief A man is dead after a domestic situation leads to a shootout with Philadelphia Police officers. The exchange of gunfire happened in North Philadelphia early Saturday evening. No officers were injured, and no other injuries of other civilians were reported. NORTH PHILADELPHIA - A 40-year-old man died as he exchanged gunfire with Philadelphia Police officers after they responded to a North Philadelphia residence on a domestic call. What we know Police were called to the 2900 block of North Lawrence Street, in North Philadelphia, Saturday evening around 6 p.m., on a domestic call, specifically referencing a person with a gun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When they arrived and began to approach the residence, they were met with gunfire from within the home, Philadelphia Police First Deputy Commissioner John Stanford explained. A man then left the residence, still shooting at the officers. They take cover and begin to exchange gunfire with the man. Dig deeper According to Standford, the man then gets into the drivers side of one of the police vehicles at the scene and shuts the door, continuing to shoot at the officer. He then got out of the vehicle and fell to the ground. Officers apprehended him and rushed him to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced at little before 6:30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First Deputy Stanford went on to say the man was 40 and they believed he was a resident of the home where that domestic call was placed. BREAKING:: 40 year man shot & killed by @PhillyPolice officers on Lawrence Street in North Philadelphia. The man ran from house into one of the police vehicles. He continued to shoot at police from police car. They were responding to domestic violence 911 call & fired on. pic.twitter.com/PE9PV6yJLW Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) July 4, 2025 No officers were hit with gunfire and no other residents in nearby homes were reported injured. Tjhere was property damage to nearby cars and some homes. What we don't know The mans identity has not been released, nor was there any information about a possible motive. A man was arrested near Revere Beach late on the Fourth of July after state police say he drove a moped through a massive crowd of unruly people and struck a trooper. Deshakraaun Abdullahmuhammud, 34, of Everett, is facing charges including driving with a suspended license, assault with a dangerous weapon, negligent operation, failure to stop for police, and operating an unregistered motor vehicle, according to Massachusetts State Police. Troopers responding to the Thornton Street area around 11 p.m. found hundreds of people gathered in the middle of the road, igniting illegal fireworks and threatening public safety, state police said. As law enforcement attempted to subdue the aggressive crowd, Abdullahmuhammud allegedly drove by on a moped and crashed into one state trooper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trooper, whose name hasnt been released, was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Abdullahmuhammud was apprehended and taken into custody. The Independence Day incident comes just days after another trooper was injured in a hit-and-run crash at Revere Beach involving a man on a stolen motorcycle. Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble said such behavior wont be tolerated. The Massachusetts State Police will not tolerate behavior that poses a danger to those living, working, and visiting Massachusetts, Noble said in a statement. Despite our best efforts to de-escalate two situations around Revere Beach, aggressive drivers on stolen and unregistered vehicles in this area have seriously injured two Troopers in the same number of weeks. We share the serious public safety concerns and will continue our sustained, proactive enforcement efforts in the weeks ahead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It wasnt immediately clear when Abdullahmuhammud would be called to court. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW CHICAGO Felony charges have been filed against a man accused of stealing a car with an infant inside from a West Side gas station on Thursday morning. Chicago police say 38-year-old Jeremy Ochoa, a Bridgeport resident, has been charged with one felony count of aggravated hijacking of a vehicle with a passenger under 16 and aggravated kidnapping of a victim under 13. The charges stem from an alleged carjacking that officers said unfolded just before 10 a.m. Thursday at a gas station in the 1200 block of South Independence Boulevard, in North Lawndale. According to police, the victims, a 36-year-old woman and a 7-month-old girl, were at a gas station when Ochoa allegedly approached the woman before getting into her car and driving off with the child in the backseat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members of CPDs Vehicular Hijacking Task Force caught up with Ochoa in Woodlawn, less than two hours after the alleged theft. After locating Ochoa and the little girl, officers said the child was taken to the hospital for observation. Authorities have not provided an update on the condition of the child. Ochoa appeared in court Saturday for a detention hearing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. ***Related video above: What is rabies?*** (WJW) Australian health officials are urging residents to avoid handling wild bats after a man who was bit months ago reportedly died from an incredibly rare virus. New South Wales Health announced on Wednesday that a man in his 50s was in critical condition in the hospital with the first confirmed case of Australian bat lyssavirus in New South Wales. As reported by CBS News and other outlets, health officials on Thursday said the patient died from the illness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doctor accused of killing young daughter, faking a drowning at Florida rental home This is a very tragic situation. The man had been bitten by a bat several months ago and received treatment following the injury, said Keira Glasgow, a director in health protection at NSW Health, in a news release. Further investigation is underway to understand whether other exposures or factors played a role in his illness. According to NWS Health, Australian bat lyssavirus, similar to the rabies virus, is transmitted to humans when the infected bats saliva enters the body through a bite or scratch. Health officials said the virus has been found in flying foxes, fruit bats and insect-eating microbats. Minchinbury, New South Wales, Australia December 27, 2021. A watchful Grey Headed Flying Fox, resting up for the day, and keeping an eye on intruders. (Getty Images) The health department said 118 people were treated after being scratched or bit by a bat in 2024, but this was the first confirmed case of the virus in New South Wales. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its also the fourth known case in Australia. Active eagle nest reported in all but one Ohio county It is incredibly rare for the virus to transmit to humans, but once symptoms of lyssavirus start in people who are scratched or bitten by an infected bat, sadly there is no effective treatment, Glasgow added. Now, health officials are warning the public not to touch bats in Australia. Rather, let trained and vaccinated professionals handle them. Learn more about the virus at the NWS Healths 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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. A Tulsa man convicted of a 2020 robbery in Ada was sentenced to 24 months in prison for one count of robbery in Indian Country, the US Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma said. Wilmer Medardo Guerrero, 24, pleaded guilty in March to the charge. Investigators from the FBI, the Ada Police Department and the District 22 Task Force stated that in December 2020, Guerrero assaulted a restaurant manager in Ada before robbing the manager of the restaurants deposit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report said that the victim fought off Guerrero, a former employee, and unmasked him before he fled with the money. Guerrero remains in custody of the US Marshals Service and will be transported to a US Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his sentence. A man remains in critical condition after being shot by Orange County deputies overnight at the intersection of Orlando Central Parkway and Presidents Drive. The incident happened at approximately 1 AM when deputies tried to stop a vehicle. The man allegedly fled the scene carrying a gun, leading deputies to return fire. After the shooting, deputies provided first aid to the man before he was taken to a hospital. The incident is now under investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheriff John Mina has announced that bodycam footage will be made public within the next 30 days. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) North Kingstown police are investigating after a bicyclist was found dead early Saturday afternoon. Police said just before 11:30 a.m. they were called to the intersection of Potter Road and Essex Road for reports of a bicycle accident. When officers got there, they found a man who was unresponsive. The man, who is only being identified as a 71-year-old Warwick resident, was taken to Kent Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said they believe the man was traveling alone when the incident happened and there arent signs of suspicious activity or another vehicle being involved. The department is encouraging anyone with information or who witnessed the incident to contact them directly. 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. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. For the record: 5:50 p.m. July 5, 2025: A previous version of this story stated incorrectly that the Office of the Inspector General was at the scene. A man was shot and killed in East L.A. during an alleged shoot-out with Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies. On Friday at about 4:24 a.m., deputies responded to a call of shots fired in the 1500 block of Helen Drive, an unincorporated residential neighborhood in Los Angeles near the interchange of the 10 and 710 freeways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The caller said a man was shooting into the air, according to a sheriffs report released Friday afternoon. When deputies located the suspect, he allegedly started firing at the deputies. The deputies returned fire, hitting the suspect, who fell to the ground and allegedly continued to shoot, according to CBS News Los Angeles. Deputies eventually were able to approach the downed suspect. Paramedics were called, rendered medical aid and pronounced the man dead at the scene. His identity has not been released, and the motive for the shooting is under investigation. Read more: Homes burned, 1 dead in Pacoima fireworks explosion 'raining down on neighborhood' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News helicopter footage showed a crime scene with a blurred-out image of the body on the street, which appeared to be pooled with blood. More than a dozen yellow evidence markers noted where bullet casings fell during the shoot-out. No deputies were injured, and multiple investigations are now underway following protocol after a person is struck by gunfire in an officer-involved shooting. The Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau and Internal Affairs Bureau are conducting separate investigations. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call Crime Stoppers by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477) or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. 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. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A man is in the hospital following a late Friday evening shooting in Grand Rapids. Around 11:30 p.m., officers with the Grand Rapids Police Department were sent to the area of Cedar Street NE and Clancy Avenue NE for a shooting. GRPD said a man was taken to the hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening. Its unclear what led up to the shooting. Officers are looking for the shooter. No suspect information was released. The shooting remains under investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A man was hospitalized after being shot on W. Second St. in the evening, on Independence Day. According to Montgomery County Regional Dispatch, the shooting happened at approximately 11 p.m. in the 3800 block of W. Second St. A 911 caller gave the man first aid while waiting for EMS to arrive. 2 people hospitalized after Independence Day shooting in Dayton 2 NEWS is working to learn more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. UNION, Wis. (WTVO) A Rock County man suffered serious injuries after hitting a deer with his motorcycle late Thursday night. According to the Rock County Sheriffs Office, the 50-year-old man from Iowa was traveling west on W USH 14 around 10:28 p.m. when he collided with a deer and was thrown from the bike. Authorities were called to the scene and rushed the driver to a local hospital. The Rock County Sheriffs Office said no charges are being pursued in the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) The Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office is investigating a deadly shooting that happened during a Fourth of July party in Geismar, leaving an 18-year-old dead and another person injured. Deputies responded to reports of gunfire at a residence on Dave Miller Road around 10 p.m. Friday. Upon arrival, they found Justin Scott, 18, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Scott was taken to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries. According to APSO, Scott and a second male subject were involved in an altercation during the gathering, which escalated into an exchange of gunfire. The second male, who was also shot, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Suspect arrested in Baton Rouge New Years Day shooting that killed 1 The sheriffs office said he will be charged with second-degree murder, illegal use of weapons, and juvenile in possession of a handgun. His name has not been released. The investigation remains ongoing. This is a developing story. Latest News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said one person was killed in the wreck. According to ALEA, around 11:55 p.m. on July 4, a Collinsville man was killed in a single-vehicle wreck on DeKalb County 30 near DeKalb County 84. ALEA said 48-year-old Derrick G. Barkley was killed in the wreck when the vehicle he was driving left the roadway, hit a fence and a utility pole before it overturned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barkley was pronounced dead at the scene. Nothing further is available as Troopers with ALEAs Highway Patrol Division investigate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Everyone with an interest in the Middle East will welcome this study by Karen Elliott House of a man who is bound to play a vital role in the regions future. Between the moment Karen Elliott House finished the text of her book The Man Who Would Be King and its forthcoming publication on July 8, events of historic proportions have taken place. In the month before the books appearance, the long-established order of the Middle East was stood on its head. It was US President Donald Trumps declared intention, during his second presidential campaign and shortly after assuming office, to withdraw the United States from foreign entanglements. However, on June 22, he dispatched a fleet of stealth bombers into Iran and destroyed its three major nuclear facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What happened has changed the geopolitical aspect of the Middle East. It does not, however, detract at all from Houses in-depth, insightful, and fascinating account of the life, achievements, and future plans of Saudi Arabias Crown Prince and virtual leader, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). A look at the crown prince of Saudi Arabia In 2019, House reminds her readers, Iran bombed Saudi oil fields; and Trump, in his first term as president, though closely aligned with the kingdom, did nothing in retaliation. Saudi leaders took that, she writes, as evidence that Washington is no longer a reliable protector of the kingdomThe US ignoring a direct attack by Iran on the kingdom was shocking. Which explains why House writes, elsewhere in the volume: The kingdoms traditional protector, the United States, is steadily losing interest and influence in the region. US President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 14, 2025. (credit: SCREENSHOT/X/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT) That view surely needs modifying in light of recent events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In compiling this work, House has drawn on decades of personal involvement with Saudi Arabia and its leading personalities and MBS in particular. That she likes him and admires his achievement in turning his country from a strict, repressive, Islamic theocracy into a modern, secular-oriented (though still Islam-rooted) nation is evident. That, however, has not deterred her from presenting her readers with other, less attractive, aspects of his personality. She details, for example, how he ruthlessly eliminated the internal opposition to his rise to power, including what has become known as the Ritz-Carlton lockup when he rounded up members of the royal family and kept them under armed guard albeit in a luxury hotel until they agreed to relinquish their challenge to his authority. What he threatened them with has never been revealed. MBS achieved at least two goals with the Ritz lockup, writes House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He disgraced and disposed of the late King Abdullahs sons as potential challengers to his power. One paid the government a reported $1 billion of alleged ill-gotten money and was forced to resign his powerful post as head of the national guard, giving MBS control of all the kingdoms armed forces. Another of King Abdullahs sons remains in prison to this day. But the Ritz-Carlton lockup was much more than a family affair. It was a terrifying signal to elite Saudis that the way of doing business in the kingdom was changing. House provides a vivid contrast of life in the kingdom today compared with how it was when MBS was growing up. Yet against his extensive liberalization of Saudi society in general, and in particular that of women within that society, the horrific murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi still casts a shadow. House was acquainted with Khashoggi, whom she had interviewed many times. He had started by supporting the young MBS on his rise to power but later became increasingly critical about the princes elimination of all opposition, when as House puts it: No longer were powerful uncles alive to curb MBS, as they had with previous kings empowered sons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khashoggi left Saudi Arabia for the US, where his articles in The Washington Post grew ever more critical of MBS and, House writes, led to his shocking death in October 2018 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggis body was sawn into pieces and hauled out in suitcases. That brutal murder was sensational news worldwide. Overnight, MBS, the Saudi savior, was now widely viewed as a savage. Suddenly, MBS stood for Mr. Bone Saw to his critics. HOUSE IS convinced, and presents a very convincing case, that MBS never ordered Khashoggis assassination, that his murder was in fact an abduction attempt that went wrong. All the (circumstantial) evidence points to an operation aimed at seizing Khashoggi and flying him back to Saudi Arabia. What MBS actually planned to do with him, once he had been returned, is anyones guess. Born in 1947, Karen Elliott House is an American journalist and former managing editor of The Wall Street Journal. Her journalism awards include a Pulitzer Prize for international reporting in regard to coverage of the Middle East. Her book On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines and Future was published in 2012. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meticulous research that went into The Man Who Would Be King is obvious from the 21 pages of detailed notes that she appends to it. Every major statement the author makes is provided with its source and can be checked by the assiduous reader. In addition, 13 pages of references help her readers access each facet of her investigation into MBSs life, career, and plans. For many in Israel who are interested in Saudi Arabia and its dynamic young leader, the most intriguing aspect of recent years has been the speculation about whether the kingdom could be the next Arab state to normalize relations with the Jewish state and join the Abraham Accords. House, of course, deals in detail with the history of Saudi-Israel relations, and she asserts that MBSs vision is for his kingdoms economic and security future tied to cooperation with Israel. In view of that, it is rather odd that the term Abraham Accords never appears in the book and is therefore absent from the index. House describes how MBSs vision of Saudi-Israeli cooperation was blown off course by Hamass massacre in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and even more so by the death and destruction within Gaza following Israels efforts to defeat Hamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She writes: Saudi officials say the Crown Prince would be putting his life at risk were he to recognize Israel when his own young population and that of other Arab states is deeply incensed by images on social media of Israeli devastation and death in Gaza. The ceasefire in the 12-day Israel-Iran war is another recent event that could put a different gloss on previous attitudes and opinions. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is less than 100 years old. It was only in 1932 that Abdul Aziz ibn Saud emerged from many years of political and military struggle against the Ottoman Empire and other local chieftains and was able to name the area he had conquered Saudi Arabia and proclaim himself its monarch. It was doubtless with an eye to the eventual centenary celebrations of the monarchy and the kingdom that in April 2016, MBS launched Saudi Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to revitalize the nation state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If it succeeds, by 2032 Saudi Arabia will have been transformed from virtual total dependence on oil revenues into a modern, liberalized, thriving society, its prosperity underpinned by flourishing industrial, financial, economic, and commercial sectors. House, telling us of MBSs long fascination with futuristic video games, sees his Vision 2030 as full of his grandiose, videogame futurisms. At the top of a long list, she writes, is Neom, a $500 billion development nearly the size of Belgium... It will feature an AI-driven linear city, the Line, a high-rise mirrored structure running 110 miles long and standing 1,600 feet high taller than the Empire State Building. The city will have no cars and no carbon emissions, [ and be] powered entirely by renewable energy. Residents will travel by high-speed trains and flying taxis. However, there have been setbacks along the way, and some of the more ambitious schemes in Vision 2030, including Neom, have had to be cut back. House reserves judgment: Whether the kingdom successfully transitions from Vision 2030s big push to a sustained long push by truly diversifying sources of public revenue across oil, mining, sales tax, tourism, and financial income on both domestic and foreign assets remains to be seen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Man Who Would Be King is a highly readable assessment by an expert who is also a top-flight journalist of one of the most colorful and characterful personalities on todays political scene. She presents him warts and all, as Oliver Cromwell is reputed to have remarked and her account is all the more entertaining because of it. MBS is still a young man he celebrates his 40th birthday on August 31. His story is far from over. Everyone with an interest in the Middle East will welcome this study by Karen Elliott House of a man who is bound to play a vital role in the regions future. The writer is the Middle East correspondent for Eurasia Review. His latest book is Trump and the Holy Land: 2016-2020. Follow him at www.a-mid-east-journal.blogspot.com. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) A man was found shot in Southeast D.C. on July 4th. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said the shooting happened in the 1200 block of Half Street at around 8:30 p.m. Man faces 20 counts for graffiti tags throughout DC, police say A man was found shot and was taken to the hospital. He was still conscious and breathing. MPD said to look out for a male suspect around 58 tall, last seen wearing a grey collared shirt, black pants, and a backpack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information is asked to call (202) 727-9099 or text 50411. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. A new scam is hitting Prince Georges County in Maryland and its more convincing than most. Residents are receiving alarming phone calls from someone claiming to be with the sheriffs department. The caller warns them of an outstanding warrant for their arrest and then says they can resolve the matter for a fee. The twist? Scammers are using the names of real deputies, including Assistant Sheriff Stanford A. Moore Jr., to make the scam seem more legitimate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriff's department wants residents to be aware of what to look out for and how to identify these scams. Don't miss What are the police saying? According to Moore, the sheriff's department has seen several types of scams in the past, but this one is especially concerning. One instance, my name was used as one of the people who may come lock you up, Moore said. I've heard about scams before, I've seen the other emails and Ive seen different things, but to see your name listed as one of the people who may be out soliciting it was shocking to me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The scammers even instruct victims to meet them in person at the sheriffs headquarters, likely hoping the location will add legitimacy to their request for cash. This is where we work every day and theyre telling people to meet them here in the parking lot, bring cash money and then well get you out of this warrant, which is totally false," Moore said. He wants residents to know they will never collect money or financial information by phone. Were not calling people to spark fear and demand money because you may have missed a court date or whatever the fact may be, Moore told NBC 4 Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement **Read more: No millions? No problem. With as little as $10, heres how you can access this $1B private real estate fund of diversified assets usually only available to major players What to do if you're targeted by a warrant scam A warrant scam is a type of fraud in which scammers pose as law enforcement officers and claim that you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest. They typically demand immediate payment, often through cash, gift cards, or wire transfers, to avoid jail time. These scams rely on fear and urgency to pressure victims into handing over money without verifying the legitimacy of the claim. The threat of jail paired with the use of a real officers name can make even savvy residents feel pressured to act without thinking. But Moore wants the public to remember one simple rule: Always call and verify. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moore adds: If somebody is claiming to be a police officer, claiming to be a deputy sheriff, have [the resident] call 911 to verify or call the sheriffs office, he said. We have a website. We have a mobile app." Similarly, don't panic and don't agree to meet. Take the following steps instead: Hang up and call police directly: Dont trust a number the caller gives you. Use the sheriffs official website or call 911. Ask if there is a warrant for you and find out if anyone called. Never send money or gift cards: Law enforcement will never request payment over the phone or ask for payment in gift cards, cryptocurrency or via cash payment apps. Be skeptical of urgency: Scammers want you to act fast so you dont have a chance to assess their claims critically and thats always a red flag. If you're concerned about contacting law enforcement yourself, consider reaching out to a trusted friend or family member for guidance. Verify identities independently: Just because someone knows a real name or badge number doesnt mean theyre legitimate because these days such information is often available online or even in data breaches. Search the provided names online but remember, sometimes scammers use real names to give their call a sense of legitimacy. Report the scam: If you receive a suspicious call, notify the sheriffs office or other law enforcement agency immediately. There may be other victims and you could be preventing future crimes. Prince George's County Sheriffs are hoping that spreading the word about this scam will help protect residents from parting with their hard-earned cash. For the scammers, Moore has a message: Were just here to say enough is enough." What to read next Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Money doesnt have to be complicated sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Hello its the weekend. This is The Weekender The GOP spent the entire 2024 campaign promising mass deportations. Now in office, the Trump administration has directed its largest demonstrations of abuse towards that slogan. The Alien Enemies Act removals to CECOT? Look how far theyll go to get people out of the country as quickly as possible. Defying the courts to send people to South Sudan? Wow, they must really want to deport people. But a look at what is required to remove people en masse and where the money for that effort is really going suggests that were wrong to call this mass deportations. Removing someone from the country requires various levels of process. Even under expedited removal, during which immigration officials can deport someone without a full hearing before an immigration judge, people are still being sent to another country either the state that issued their passport or a third country willing to accept them which, in turn, creates additional problems that arent necessarily under the Trump administrations control. The receiving country needs to issue travel documents allowing the person to go there, and the U.S. government needs permission from foreign governments before sending a deportation flight. The Trump administration has been speaking loudly and carrying a big stick, but thatll only get you so far. For those not subject to expedited removal, hearings in immigration court could set deportations back by years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What the government can do, however, is detain people en masse as they await removal. The budget bill that Congress passed this week gives the White House what it needs for that program: it includes a whopping $45 billion for immigration detention. A Senate source tells me that a separate $46.5 billion, dedicated to Trumps wall, was written in a way to allow the money to be fungible for further detention operations. The money will be available until September 2029, per the bill. The bill also contains increases in ICEs budget up to $29.85 billion for hiring staff to detain people and to conduct removals. Its almost too big an increase to conceptualize, with all the questions that you can expect us to pursue: Who will get the contracts to detain? What will these facilities look like? How many people will be detained? But the allocations are enough of a tell to know that what were looking at here isnt quite mass deportations. Its mass detention. Josh Kovensky Heres what else TPM has on tap this weekend: A look at two Miami socialites who run a construction company and health programs, including a med spa, in the city, and who also happen to have played a part in helping Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis build his dehumanizing Alligator Alcatraz to detain immigrants. At least one rural hospital in Nebraska has already shut down in anticipation of Trumps big, beautiful Medicaid cuts. We take a closer look at the on-the-ground impacts of the bill. Meet The Miami Socialites Who Helped Build Alligator Alcatraz On Tuesday, President Trump visited Florida where he toured a swampland detention center for immigrants that he and other officials have dubbed Alligator Alcatraz due to the harsh conditions in the surrounding area. The facility, which will hold immigrants in tents filled with fenced-in bunk beds, is the brainchild of the Trump administration and the Presidents former campaign rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). Its also been built with the help of contractors, including a pair of married Miami socialites, Carlos Duart and Tina Vidal-Duart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The detention facility is part of DeSantis efforts to support Trumps mass deportation agenda in his state. It has helped the pair smooth over their rivalry that emerged during last years Republican presidential primary. Trump and his aides have gleefully cheered the idea of surrounding migrants with alligators and have reveled in their trolling of those protesting the brutal conditions at the facility. Environmental and tribal groups have also raised concerns about the construction in the Everglades. Amid the uproar, DeSantis managed to move construction along quickly by invoking his emergency powers and issuing no-bid contracts to build and manage the facility. And on that list of contractors, the Miami Herald noted the Duarts firm stands out because of the couples close association with the governor. The couple are the chief executives of CDR Maguire and its affiliate CDR Health, which have a variety of services, including construction and health programs for refugees. According to the Herald, the Duarts have given a total of $1.9 million to the two state political action committees supporting DeSantis bids for governor and to the Republican Party of Florida. In 2021, Carlos Duart was appointed by DeSantis to be a trustee of Florida International University. Carlos wife, Tina Vidal-Duart, is on the board of a charity headed up by DeSantis wife, Casey, which, according to the Herald, is central to a criminal investigation by the State Attorneys Office in Leon County over a $10 million transfer that came from a Medicaid settlement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But politics is only one part of the Duarts high profile. The couple are regulars on red carpets in Miami and, in 2023, participated in a photoshoot and profile for a magazine chronicling the areas social scene. That piece dubbed them a dynamic duo for their shared business success and philanthropy. It also revealed that the Ferrari-driving Carlos can do math in his head very quickly and that Tinas life was changed by the bestselling self-help book The Secret. On social media, Tina appears to maintain multiple Instagram accounts. One, which boasts of her role as a #wife, #mom, and #doglove is locked. Her public page, which identifies her with a regal title, Lady Tina Vidal-Duart, heavily advertises a med spa she owns in Tallahassee that offers products and treatments including botox and fillers. While the Duarts are no stranger to headlines and hashtags, they seem to be taking a more discreet approach to their work on Alligator Alcatraz. TPM reached out to both Carlos and Tina to ask about their role in the project. Tina did not respond and Carlos sent a terse text. Dont have a comment. We are also under NDAs, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We followed up to ask if he was confident the conditions at the detention camp were humane. Duart did not respond. Hunter Walker Trumps Medicaid Slashing Megabill Has Passed. States Brace for the Devastating Impacts The ink had barely dried on Republicans unpopular reconciliation package passed by a one-vote margin in the Senate before its real-world implications hit. A Nebraska health system called Community Hospital announced the closure of a local medical center in Curtis, Nebraska, Nebraska Now, the local ABC affiliate, reported early Thursday morning, just hours before House Republicans passed the Senate bill. Hospital CEO Troy Bruntz told the publication the anticipated federal budget cuts to Medicaid made it impossible for the facility to stay open. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is just what medical experts and advocates have been warning elected officials about. Curtis is a small town with a population of about 800, according to the most recent Census. More than 23% of its population live below the poverty line, compared with 10.5% of Nebraskans in general, Census numbers say. Roughly 39,000 people in Nebraska are expected to lose healthcare coverage under the big, beautiful bill, according to data from the health policy organization KFF. Voters in Curtis, located in Frontier County, overwhelmingly supported President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, according to official election results. And the states Republican governor, Jim Pillen, praised the passage of the bill, despite its anticipated and now unfolding negative impacts on his state. Meanwhile, state legislatures are already taking steps to mitigate federal spending cuts and clawbacks including stockpiling cash, freezing funds and cutting spending in their own budgets. I explain how some states are bracing for the impact more here. Layla A. Jones A massive American flag went up over the Fort Pitt Museum in Point State Park in celebration of the Fourth of July. A British flag was lowered down the flag pole located outside the Fort Pitt Block House, the oldest building in the region, and replaced with a 36-foot American flag at 11 a.m. Theres some pageantry here at the Point today, said Director of the Heinz History Center Andrew Masich. Its huge. It filled the whole yard here and we needed 50 people to hold onto it so it wouldnt blow away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Organizers said they wanted the event to remind everyone what the purpose behind the formation of the United States was all about. Its about the creation of a nation that was formed on ideals. The ideals that all men are created equal, that no government can exist without the consent of the people, said Masich. Masich hopes the event will also inspire people to come down to the Fort Pitt Museum to check out its new exhibit: Homelands: Native Nations of Allegheny. The exhibit tells the story of the Native American tribes who once called Western Pennsylvania home. Click here to learn more about the new exhibit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has announced that there was a measles exposure this week at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. On Friday, the agency gave details of the exposure. It occurred from 10 p.m. Tuesday until 4:45 p.m. Thursday on the fifth floor of the pediatric unit in Building 4. Wesley is located at 550 N. Hillside. The Sedgwick County Health Department is asking people who were in this area of the hospital to monitor for symptoms of fever, cough, runny nose, red watery eyes, tiny white spots with bluish-white centers inside the mouth and blotchy rashes on the skin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Measles is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. The measles virus is highly contagious and is spread through the air by breathing, coughing, or sneezing, the KDHE said. The measles virus can stay in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. The signs and symptoms of measles typically begin one to two weeks after someone is exposed to an infected person. If symptoms occur, contact the SCHD at 316-660-5558 for further evaluation. The agency does not provide measles testing for the public. Rosie Brown, executive director at East Carroll Community Action Agency in Lake Providence, La., said many people in the Delta struggle to make ends meet. Medicaid expansion was a lifeline for the town. Now, she said, President Donald Trumps tax and spending bill could snatch it away. (Photo by Shalina Chatlani/Stateline) LAKE PROVIDENCE, La. East Carroll Parish sits in the northeastern corner of Louisiana, along the winding Mississippi River. Its seat, Lake Providence, was a thriving agricultural center of the Delta. Now, the town is a shell of its former self. Charred and dilapidated buildings dot the small city center. There are a few gas stations, a handful of restaurants and little to no industry. Mayor Bobby Amacker, 79, says at one point you couldnt even walk down the street in Lake Providences main business district because there were so many people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its gone down tremendously in the last 50 years, said Amacker, a Democrat. The town, it looks like its drying up. And its almost unstoppable, as far as I can tell. Now, East Carroll residents stand to lose even more. Like many people in Louisiana, they received a lifeline when the state expanded Medicaid to more low-income adults in 2016. Expansion drove Louisianas uninsured rate to the lowest in the Deep South, at 8% in 2023 for working-age adults, according to state data, despite it having the highest poverty rate in the U.S. that year. Lake Providence Mayor Robert Bobby Amacker sit behind his desk. (Photo by Shalina Chatlani/Stateline) This week, the U.S. Senate approved President Donald Trumps big, beautiful tax and spending bill. It includes more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, the joint state-federal health insurance program for poor families and individuals, to help pay for tax cuts that mostly benefit the rich. The legislation would cause 11.8 million more Americans to become uninsured by 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The bill includes new work rules for Medicaid recipients and would require them to verify their eligibility more frequently. It also would limit a financing strategy that states have used to boost Medicaid payments to hospitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans say enrollees are taking advantage of the Medicaid program and getting benefits when they shouldnt be. They say the program costs too much and states are not paying their fair share. The Delta region, which includes communities in both Louisiana and Mississippi, would suffer under such large cuts. But in Louisiana where almost half of the state depended on Medicaid in 2023, the Louisiana Department of Health reported the cuts could be ruinous. Louisiana could lose up to $35 billion in federal Medicaid support over the next decade, according to KFF, a health policy research group. Mississippi, which never expanded Medicaid, could still lose up to $5 billion. Residents are watching with apprehension, fear and, sometimes, anger, wondering how Congress could be so blind to how much they are struggling. If they take that away from us and everyone that really needs it, thats going to be bad, said Sherila Ervin, who lives 20 minutes up the road from Lake Providence in Oak Grove and has Medicaid coverage. Dilapidated buildings dot downtown Lake Providence, La. (Photo by Shalina Chatlani/Stateline) Medicaid work requirements and other health care provisions in the bill ignore the reality of living in poorer rural communities, where people struggle to find the jobs, transportation and internet access required to meet the rules, according to interviews with people and providers in the Delta region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even though Louisiana and Mississippi have taken very different approaches to Medicaid one expanded eligibility under the 2010 Affordable Care Act and the other didnt both rely heavily on the program to sustain access to medical care for all their residents. On a hot summer day in June, Ervin walks into the bare-bones 99-cent store in downtown Lake Providence. As she looks over some clothing, she says shes heard about the potential Medicaid cuts. But she hadnt heard about the work requirements, and is shocked theyre even on the table. I dont like that. I dont think they should put a stipulation on that, Ervin says, exasperated that she would have to report her work hours. Its hard enough as it is, she says, to thrive in this community. Ervin, 58, has been working at Oak Grove High School in the cafeteria, serving hot plates to children for two decades. She says its one of the good, steady jobs available in this area, but her income is only around $1,500 per month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ervins job offers health benefits, but she cant afford the premiums on her salary. She relies on Medicaid for care, including medications for her high blood pressure. In East Carroll Parish, around 46.5% of people live below the poverty level, meaning the area is overwhelmingly poor, at over four times the national poverty rate, with a median income of $28,321. For Black households, the figure is a mere $16,690. Expansion was a lifeline for people such as Ervin. Louisiana offers Medicaid to people who earn below 138% of the federal poverty line currently about $22,000 a year for an individual. Sometimes you can work, but then when you work, you still cant pay to get help, Ervin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a similar economic situation an hour away across the river. Poverty is about three times the national rate in Washington County, Mississippi, where residents in the city of Greenville lament the consequences of not being able to avoid destructive medical debt, which can keep them stuck in a cycle of gig work and of living paycheck to paycheck. Greenville, the county seat, is among the fastest-shrinking cities in the U.S. Its still one of the larger rural cities in Mississippi, with coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, a regional hospital and several big-box stores. But the downtown has just a few small businesses and a bank, and residents say jobs are hard to find. Greenville resident April McNair, 45, remembers giving birth 17 years ago, long before Mississippi extended postpartum Medicaid to a full year. She had Medicaid coverage during pregnancy, but was kicked off shortly after giving birth, despite having post-delivery complications. April McNair, 45, is a resident of Greenville, Miss. (Photo by Shalina Chatlani/Stateline) The result was a trip to the emergency room and a $2,500 bill she couldnt cover. Right after giving birth, McNair looked for work. She said potential employers often told her that she was overqualified because she had a masters degree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I had to kind of figure out how to make my ends meet, McNair said. I ended up with a significant bill, all because I did not have Medicaid. McNair feels like Mississippi leaders are making a mistake by continuing to reject full Medicaid expansion. Thats a selfish move. To me, theyre selfish, McNair said, adding that now shes worried for neighbors in Louisiana who may lose the lifeline she wishes she had. God forbid, hypothetically speaking, what if one of them meets their demise because of this bill that [Congress] passed? Hard to thrive Mississippi experienced its first taste of equalized access to medicine in the late 1960s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Delta Health Center, the first federally funded health center in the nation, opened during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement in the all-Black town of Mound Bayou, about an hour north of Greenville. The center vowed to care for anyone regardless of race or ability to pay in a region plagued with poverty, poor health and discrimination and continues to do so to this day. It was a significant opportunity for generations of African Americans who had gone without health care, in a place where people had no access to clean drinking water, running sewage systems or even food, said Robin Boyles, chief program planning and development officer at Delta Health Center. But it wasnt easy for the clinic to mobilize support, even though it was clearly needed. Before its opening, it faced pushback from politicians and even doctors. In a 1966 clipping from a local newspaper, the white-owned Bolivar Commercial, the editorial board railed against the new clinic, saying it would lead further to socialized medicine. A 1966 editorial opposing the opening of Delta Health Center. (Photo by Kim Krisberg/Public Health Watch) The situation is certainly better in Mississippi and Louisiana than it was in the 1960s, but critics say the Medicaid cuts could reverse hard-fought progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People who live in the Delta are fiercely proud of their communities, but conditions there make it hard to thrive. Black residents, who are the overwhelming majority, have had a particularly hard time. After the Civil War, many were relegated to sharecropping of cotton and corn for subsistence. Meanwhile, an elite white class of plantation owners and investors amassed enormous amounts of wealth. A 2001 report from the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights described the area as one with limited economic resources; inadequate employment opportunities; insufficient decent, affordable housing; and poor quality public schools. We have a lot of patients that are one health issue away from either being out of a job or being bankrupt because of a trip to the emergency room, said Dr. Brent Smith, a physician at a primary care clinic at Delta Health System in Greenville. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even some of the most vulnerable people, such as new moms in Mississippi, still struggle to get basic care, in part because the state has left billions of dollars in federal funding for Medicaid expansion on the table, said Dr. Lakeisha Richardson, an OB-GYN at Delta Health System. There are a lot of maternal [care] deserts in Mississippi where women have to travel 60 miles or more just to get prenatal care and just to get to the closest hospital for delivery, Richardson said. And I dont see that getting any better in Mississippi and in rural areas. Richardson says nearly all her patients are working moms, many of whom would really benefit from having Medicaid expansion. America doesnt realize that there are people out here struggling for no reason of their own, she said. Thats why Medicaid expansion in Louisiana in 2016, much like the community health center movement in Mississippi, was a bright spot in the rural South, said Smith. Louisiana expanded Medicaid, a surprising move in the South to see any state expand, Smith said. They saw it for what it was, which was a very real opportunity to assist this specific group of patients. Dr. Brent Smith, left, a physician at a primary care clinic at Delta Health System in Greenville, laughs with a co-worker. (Photo by Shalina Chatlani/Stateline) In Mississippi, 20 rural hospitals are at immediate risk of closure, according to a recent report, more than double the number at risk in Louisiana. In many cases, Medicaid is the largest and most reliable payer for rural hospitals. While Louisianas overall uninsured rate plummeted to 8.3% by 2023, in Mississippi it was 10.5%. Unlike a lot of our Southern peers, we have not had the same level of closures of facilities, said Courtney Foster, senior policy adviser for Medicaid, with the nonprofit Invest in Louisiana. Medicaid was like a real lifeline for people in transition. Oftentimes it was people who had lost their jobs and were just looking to get back on their feet. Now, the new work and reporting requirements could put that progress at risk. America doesn't realize that there are people out here struggling for no reason of their own. Dr. Lakeisha Richardson, OB-GYN at Delta Health System In East Carroll Parish, finding a job let alone a good-paying one with health benefits is difficult, says Rosie Brown, executive director at the East Carroll Community Action Agency, a nonprofit that helps low-income people with their rent and utility bills. Many of the jobs available in town pay minimum wage, just $7.25 an hour. Brown loves living in Lake Providence; this is where her family is. She doesnt want to move but wishes the government would invest more in her community not take away benefits that help people who are hanging on by a thread. We have one bank. We have one supermarket, she said. Transportation isnt easy either. Local infrastructure is so limited, shes even heard of some people charging residents $20 for a ride to Walmart. Some people have to hitch a ride an hour away to go to work, she said. Theres nowhere to go, Brown said. Dominique Jones works at the local library, where she helps roughly 75 to 85 people per month apply for programs such as Medicaid and food assistance. Many of the residents she helps dont have access to the internet or even a computer, a real barrier for people whod be required to report their working hours to state Medicaid officials. This town right here is made up of a lot of old people that need Medicaid and Medicare. And without it, they wouldnt have any kind of health care at all, Mayor Amacker said. Dilapidated buildings dot downtown Lake Providence, La. (Photo by Shalina Chatlani/Stateline) Even a job in local government in Lake Providence doesnt offer affordable health insurance. Nevada Qualls, 25, sits across from Amackers office. She earns just $12 an hour as a cashier at city hall. The low pay means she qualifies for Medicaid expansion coverage, which is good because she cant afford the premiums for private insurance. I feel like there should be a higher threshold for people that can get Medicaid, because theyre still struggling, she said. At the 99-cent store, school district worker Ervin wonders whether state and federal leaders understand what its like to live in her community, urging them to visit and see for themselves. They want to do stuff for the rich people thats already rich, she said. What are they doing? Its almost like theres no common sense with them. The tremble factors While leaders in the U.S. Senate were working into the night this past weekend debating Trumps tax and spending bill, Greenville resident Jennifer Morris was praying for the pain to stay away. Morris, 44, has hemicrania continua, a headache disorder that causes constant pain on one side of her head. Theres no underlying trigger and no cure. Her doctors help her keep the pain to a minimum with regular treatments that include dozens of injections into her head. It doesnt take the pain away, she said during a late-night gathering in Greenvilles Greater Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist Church in June. It does reduce the pain so that Im able to function. But its rough. Jennifer Morris, 44, a Greenville, Miss., resident, poses for a photo at Greater Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist Church. (Photo by Shalina Chatlani/Stateline) Morris is worried about the looming Medicaid cuts. She qualifies for Mississippi Medicaid because her condition counts as a disability, and she depends on the coverage to afford her medications. Morris Medicaid may be safer than that of her Delta neighbors in Lake Providence, as some of the most dramatic Medicaid changes being considered such as work requirements target Medicaid expansion states only. But Mississippi could be hurt by a provision in the Senate bill that would target a strategy states have used to boost the Medicaid dollars they get from the federal government. Mississippi could see a major hit to its Medicaid funds, which would be a tremendous decrease in revenue for the state, harming services and access to care, says Mitchell Adcock, executive director at the Center for Mississippi Health Policy. It would be just the opposite of expansion. It would be a contraction for the Medicaid program in the state, he said. Leonard Favorite, a pastor who was attending the same event at Mount Olivet Church, as Morris, says he grew up on a plantation in Louisiana and worked his way out of poverty by joining the Air Force. This type of journey is hard, he said, when youre already starting from so far behind. He thinks the big, beautiful bill will create more roadblocks for poor people. You have people who are already living below the poverty line and they will certainly be submerged into poverty at unspeakable levels, said Favorite, 70. That seems to be the trend of this administration from the point of view of looking from the outside. Poor people are beginning to feel the tremble factors of an administration that caters toward the rich. National researchers estimate that up to 132,000 Louisianans who gained health insurance under expansion could lose it under work rules. But national reports that rely on census data likely underestimate the potential Medicaid losses. For example, while 2023 census data show 47% of East Carroll Parish was on Medicaid, state health data reviewed by Stateline and Public Health Watch suggests the number is more like 64%. Similarly statewide, census data showed about a third of Louisianans were on Medicaid. State data shows that percentage is closer to 46.5%. Experts such as Joan Alker at the Georgetown Center for Children and Families say the undercounts nationally are a well-known issue among researchers, but its difficult to correct because the quality of state reporting can be so uneven. State Medicaid funding is also at risk. For years, both Mississippi and Louisiana have relied on revenue generated through a financing tool known as a provider tax to draw down more federal dollars and boost Medicaid reimbursements to providers. But congressional Republicans hope to limit states ability to collect those taxes. Depending on how Congress restricts provider taxes, Mississippi could lose hundreds of millions in federal Medicaid funding, crucial in a state with such a high uninsured rate, said Richard Roberson, president and CEO of the Mississippi Hospital Association. Its unavoidable that when youre taking that much money out of the system, that theres not going to be some repercussions felt even in non-Medicaid expansion states like Mississippi, Roberson said. Last week, the Louisiana Hospital Association signed a statement calling the package of Medicaid cuts before Congress historic in their devastation. From her small, sunny office in East Carroll Parish, nurse Jennifer Newton cant understand the attacks on Medicaid. Newton, who grew up one parish over in West Carroll, is executive director of the Family Medical Clinic, a community health center in Lake Providence and one of the few health providers in town. She says 50% of the clinics patients have Medicaid insurance. Jennnifer Newton is the executive director of the Family Medical Clinic, a community health center in Lake Providence, La. (Photo by Shalina Chatlani/Stateline) Newton has worked in health care in the area for decades and watched as Medicaid expansion made it possible for more patients to access and afford health care they desperately needed, including preventive services. Its absolutely helped, she said. Absolutely. In 2015, the year before Louisiana expanded Medicaid, the uninsured rate among working-age adults in East Carroll Parish was nearly 35%. By 2021, that number was 12.7%. Why are we going back? Newton asked. Weve made so much progress. Republican supporters of work requirements, including Louisiana representative and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, argue they will encourage people to find jobs and ensure Medicaid goes to people who need it most. But according to KFF, a majority of Louisiana adults with Medicaid 69% already work. Brian Blase, president of the Paragon Health Institute, a conservative policy group that is working with Republicans to formulate Medicaid cuts, is not concerned about eligible people losing coverage, as has happened under previous work requirement efforts. He says the bill has built in exceptions for certain people and requirements can be met by not just work, so concerns seem pretty overstated. Medicaid recipients also can meet the requirement by volunteering or attending school for 80 hours per month. Its hard for me to understand that there are areas in the country where theres not jobs. Theres always work to be done, Blase told Stateline. Blase said he believes Medicaid is the government conditioning welfare for able-bodied working-age adults. But advocates and experts predict East Carroll, where internet access is notoriously bad, would experience results similar to when Arkansas instituted Medicaid work requirements in 2018: People disenrolled because of lack of awareness and confusion over the policy, as well as paperwork errors not because they werent working enough. Unless the beneficiary can navigate that red tape, theyre going to lose coverage and become uninsured, said Benjamin Sommers, a health economist at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Data shows Arkansas experiment did not increase employment, Sommers said, and instead led to more people reporting medical debt and delaying care because of cost. Take a step back People in the Delta where the legacy of government neglect and discrimination are all around want politicians to visit their towns and see the barriers people face trying to improve their lives and stay healthy. People spent their lives uninsured, said Amy Hale, a nurse practitioner at East Carroll Medical clinic. Medicaid expansion allowed them to get in here and be treated. Lake Providence residents are scared they may find themselves in a similar situation as McNair and other people across the river in Greenville: working, uninsured, and too poor to access health care. Recent estimates show up to 317,000 Louisianans could lose Medicaid health insurance under Trumps tax bill. Nearly 33,000 in Mississippi. People are actually trying, McNair said. I really wish [lawmakers] would look at it from a different lens. What if it was their kid? Or they didnt have the salaries they have now and your baby is ill. Like really take a step back and think about what it is that youre doing. This story is part of Uninsured in America, a project led by Public Health Watch that focuses on life in Americas health coverage gap and the 10 states that havent expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Stateline reporter Shalina Chatlani can be reached at schatlani@stateline.org. Public Health Watch reporter Kim Krisberg can be reached at kkrisberg@publichealthwatch.org. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Over the past six months, Vice President JD Vance has shown how much of a key player he has become in the Trump administration, serving as the president's most prominent advocate and advancing his agenda. The latest example came this week, when Vance helped push President Donald Trump's massive tax and spending bill through Congress. Vance held a series of meetings with conservative and moderate holdouts and Senate leadership last Saturday to help move the bill forward. A source with direct knowledge stated that Vance played a key role in talking with Senate holdouts throughout the bill before he ended up casting several tie-breaking votes as president of the Senate and move the spending bill along to the House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who had been critical of the bill's cuts to Medicaid and SNAP -- the food assistance program -- met with Vance, where he thanked her for being a team player despite her concerns with the legislation, just before she voted for the bill. During the sprint to push the bill through, Vance was criticized for his social post around concerns of the bill's impact on Medicaid, writing that "the minutiae of the Medicaid policyis immaterial compared to the ICE money and immigration enforcement provisions." Al Drago/Getty Images - PHOTO: JD Vance arrives during a vote-a-rama at the U.S. Capitol, on July 1, 2025 in Washington, DC. During all this, Vance was making phone calls to Trump and the two were updating each other on their talks with senators ahead of the bill's passage. The vice president attended Wednesday's meeting at the White House between Trump and several holdouts from the House as the president ramped up the pressure to vote for the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Carolina GOP Rep. Greg Murphy, who had told reporters on Wednesday night that he was still undecided because of some of the health care provisions, said Thursday that he ultimately decided to support the package after speaking on the phone to Vance and the president. "I needed assurances," he said. A source close to Vance said that he continued to work the phones ahead of the floor vote on the rule, calling multiple House GOP holdouts to make the administration's case for them to support the bill. However, it's not just on the domestic policy front that Vance is having an impact. He has also been critical in supporting Trump's foreign policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Holdouts say Trump promised he'd 'make the bill better' in the future While Trump was weighing the decision to strike Iran's nuclear sites, Vance came to the president's defense after supporters like Tucker Carlson and those in the MAGA base were outspoken against the U.S. getting involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran. "He may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment. That decision ultimately belongs to the president," Vance wrote on X. "And of course, people are right to be worried about foreign entanglement after the last 25 years of idiotic foreign policy. But I believe the president has earned some trust on this issue. And having seen this up close and personal, I can assure you that he is only interested in using the American military to accomplish American people's goals. Whatever he does, that is his focus." Vance's comments were a departure from his prior statements that the U.S. should not get entangled in foreign conflicts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A prime example is the vice president's opposition to the U.S. providing more aid to Ukraine. "I gotta be honest with you, I don't really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another," Vance said in February 2022, amid an explosion of bipartisan support for the country following the aftermath of Russia's invasion. Most recently, Vance expressed concerns about the president's decision to strike the Houthis in Yemen in a Signal group chat with other top administration officials. "I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now," Vance wrote in the chat. "There's a further risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices. I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself. But there is a strong argument for delaying this a month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc." Joe Raedle/Getty Images - PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance speaks during a meeting between President Donald Trump and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Rwanda and the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the White House, June 27, 2025. In the lead-up to the strikes, Trump was trying to engage the MAGA base with Vance to see what their reaction would be if he ordered the bombing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to the strikes, Trump told reporters on Air Force One while flying back from the G7 summit in Canada that it was possible he could send Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with Iranian negotiators. Vance's active role in moving Trump's agenda forward was always part of the plan. In November, following the election, a source close to the vice president told ABC News that Vance had been tasked to ensure that all of the priorities of the Trump administration move forward and would work on any of the issues Trump needed him to further, signaling that the vice president would not be assigned one specific issue to work on, but would be involved in several policy issues. It was also expected that Vance would be Trump's "eyes and ears" in the Senate to ensure that his agenda moves forward, the source also said. It's familiar territory for Vance, who was elected to the Senate in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All this comes as Vance is viewed by some as the MAGA heir apparent to Trump ahead of the 2028 election. At the same time, he is working to raise as much money as possible for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms as chair of the Republican National Committee -- the first time a vice president has ever held the role. Nathan Howard/Reuters - PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on July 1, 2025. Joel Goldstein, a vice-presidential scholar and former professor at Saint Louis University Law School, told ABC News that Vance is working in a different timeline compared to his predecessors, as he will serve only one term as vice president under Trump. "Every vice presidency is different and one of the things that is unique about Vance's is that every other vice president, you know, with the possible exception of Harris, entered office with the expectation that the president was going to run for reelection," Goldstein said. "I think he's in a very unique position in that his first term as vice president is his last, and so his presidential ambitions, the time for reckoning comes up, you know, much quicker than is normally the case." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following his tie-breaking votes in the Senate, several Democrats who might be opponents in the 2028 presidential election attempted to make Vance the face of Trump's spending bill. In a post on X, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called out Vance for casting the tie-breaking vote to allow the bill to move forward. "VP Vance has cast the deciding vote in the Senate to cut Medicaid, take away food assistance, blow up the deficit, and add tax breaks for the wealthiest," Buttigieg wrote. "This bill is unpopular because it is wrong," he continued. California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom told Americans on X to "bookmark" this moment, writing that "JD Vance is the ultimate reason why 17 million Americans will lose their healthcare." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with NBC News, Trump pointed to Vance and Secretary of State and interim national security adviser Marco Rubio as possible successors, and said, when asked, that he believes his MAGA movement can survive without him. Asked about the president's comments, Vance said that if he does end up running for president, he's "not entitled to it." Fourth of July revelry floats through New Boston In a town of about 6,000 residents, it looked like every one of them, plus a couple thousand friends and family, packed into Central Square for the towns 93rd edition on Thursday. Some traditions just scream America. On Friday afternoon, Merrimacks Fourth of July parade had everything: Republicans, Democrats, American flags, cowboy hats, antique cars, an Uncle Sam on stilts, music, dancers, not to mention a hearse, a Batman Corvette, robots, a yellow submarine and a guy in a broccoli suit playing a banjo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spectators about 20 deep at points lined both sides of Baboosic Lake Road in front of the Merrimack Public Library, Town Hall, Mastricola Upper Elementary School and the police station. American flags flew from every utility pole, and colorful canopies popped up to create some shade for longtime paradegoers. Several thousand people pulled up lawn chairs, sat on a soft patch of grass or chased their exuberant kids around. Fourth of July brings usual and unusual suspects to Merrimacks famed parade Hayley Nichols, 13, of Merrimack dances with the Broadway Bound Performing Arts Center during the Fourth of July Parade in Merrimack on Friday. For 13-year-old Hayley Nichols, a Merrimack resident and a member of the Broadway Bound Performing Arts Center dance team, it was a tradition she looks forward to every year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My favorite part is definitely seeing everyone I know and dancing for them because its so much fun, she said. You can wave and say hi to everyone. For Nichols and Jennifer DeFelice, the owner and creative director for the troupe, it was also a bit of a warmup for the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade, in which 10 local dancers will perform this fall with Spirit of America, DeFelice said. Parade-watching veterans Ellen Wilson and Tony Giancola of Merrimack have been coming to the same spot for 25 years. They set up their canopy and chairs in front of the Last Rest Cemetery around 7 a.m. for the 1 p.m. parade. I like it that you see all the community stuff, Giancola said. I like that you can meet politicians up close and in person. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the friends hanging out with Giancola and Wilson this year came from Talala, Oklahoma. We came all the way up here for this parade, Dan Cowie said. It was advertised by our sister who lives here and we came up to enjoy it. Patriots, politicians & pipers Among the contingent of politicos who, as usual, flocked to one of the biggest Fourth of July parades in the state, were Gov. Kelly Ayotte, the town Republican and Democratic committees, the towns State House delegation, and congressional hopefuls including Stefany Shaheen, Carleigh Beriont and Maura Sullivan. Bagpipers from the New Hampshire Police Association Pipes and Drums played rousing renditions of America the Beautiful, Youre a Grand Old Flag, When the Saints Go Marching In and Yankee Doodle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A colorful group of musicians known as the Dixie Cookbook Band dressed as bananas, broccoli, pickles, corn and other assorted natural goodies while getting the crowd in a groove for the bands fourth year in the parade. Its lots of fun. The people here are really with us, so its one of the top gigs of the year for us, said David MacMillan of Arlington, Mass., who formed the band in Harvard Square in 1975. Jeep Girl Mafia Michelle Castelli, an elementary-school teacher from Merrimack, helped start the New Hampshire Chapter of the Jeep Girl Mafia in January. Castelli and company decked out their Jeeps in colorful decorations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I love the town. Merrimack is amazing, Castelli said. Jeep Girls Bonnie Hibbard of Hollis dressed up her Jeep to roll with the Jeep Girl Mafia in the Fourth of July Parade in Merrimack. Merrimack celebrates Independence Day Merrimack celebrated the Fourth of July in a big, colorful way with a parade down Daniel Webster Highway. Bands, first responders, politicians, car afficionados and community groups were all part of the hour-long procession that wowed the red, white and blue-clad spectators who lined the mile-long route. Whether part of the mafia or just SUV enthusiasts, more than 20 Jeeps joined a parade that also featured two dozen Corvettes, including a black 1977 Vette with Batman logos driven by Ed Pahl of Keene, and a little red Corvette with the iconic design of late guitarist Eddie Van Halens Frankenstrat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parade also featured seven fire trucks and a handful of old military vehicles. Perhaps the least likely mode of transportation was a yellow submarine from DSV Aquatic. But despite a rain-soaked spring, the submarine was not entirely necessary on this bright, sun-splashed day. Scaring up donations When it came to scary fun for a cause, look no further than Ryan Sherman of Manchester driving his hearse for Secondhand Costume Annual Redistribution Effort (SCARE). Sherman and his girlfriend met Jesse Palmer of Nashua at the Manchester Pride Festival and Parade last week and, naturally, struck up a conversation about Shermans hearse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patriotic skeleton A prop skeleton rides atop a SCARE hearse driven by Ryan Sherman of Manchester in Merrimacks Independence Day parade. Upon learning about SCAREs part in the parade, Sherman offered his hearse to ensure no one missed Palmers group in the parade. SCARE collects old Halloween costumes and distributes them at no cost to families across New Hampshire. Ive always liked big luxury cars, and for some reason I have this infatuation with Halloween and hearses, Sherman said. He uses the hearse as a utility vehicle when he refinishes furniture and does estate sales. Sherman also volunteers at the Valley Cemetery in Manchester. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palmer said the hearse with skeletons in lawn chairs on the roof fit right in with the red, white and blue bunting and flag waving. Because whats more American than death, taxes and the Fourth of July? dpirece@unionleader.com Spartans Drumline Drummers from the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps of Nashua keeps the cadence during the Fourth of July Parade in Merrimack. The St. Clair County coroner has released the name of the man whose body was spotted by kayakers Friday in a lake at Frank Holten State Park. Demontray M. Collins, 25, was identified as the person found in the lake, St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. said. Collins was pronounced deceased at the scene at 9:41 a.m. His last known address was in the 1800 block of Central Avenue in East St. Louis, Dye said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cause of death has not been announced. An autopsy has not yet been scheduled, Dye said. Illinois State Police released a statement saying Collinsville-based Troop 8 was contacted at 8:33 a.m. in regard to a deceased body floating in a lake at the park located near East St. Louis. Two gentlemen kayaking on the lake observed the body and called 911. St. Clair County Special Emergency Services retrieved the body from the water, the statement said. The state polices Public Safety Enforcement Group responded. This investigation is in its infancy stages, the police news release said. And there is no further police information available at this time, ISP officials said. The park is in the 7300 block of Lake Drive. Residents in the area of Interstate 255 and Interstate 64 saw emergency crews on scene and a body being lifted from the water. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Ahead of a holiday thats seen deadly shootings in Nashville in years past, Metro police are seeing a drop in gun violence. According to new MNPD Crime and Initiative data, gunshot victims are down from 220 this time last year to 148 so far in 2025. CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee The most significant decline was among young adults aged 18 to 24, down by 41 cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second age group to see a drop was teens between 13 and 17 years old. I hope its true; I would like to believe that it is true, Tennessee Voices for Victims co-founder Verna Wyatt said. It is shocking to me because every night, whether you are listening to the news or whether you are reading the paper, you are seeing someone who has been victimized by gun violence or other means of attack. Last Fourth of July, two people were injured by celebratory gunfire in downtown Nashville. In 2023, four separate shootings left three dead including a teenager. Its a constant prayer that the numbers will go down because when you think about one death, there are so many people impacted by the one death, Wyatt explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Wyatt, the fight against violence became deeply personal after the kidnapping, rape and murder of her sister-in-law and best friend 30 years ago. Once that happens, you see that pain everywhere, and it is something you never want anyone to experience, Wyatt said. The data also shows that robberies are down 23%, and aggravated assaults saw a 6% drop compared to this time last year. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Wyatt told News 2 that while the declining numbers may be encouraging, they come at a cost and are only possible because of relentless police work. They are the ones who are out protecting and preventing crime, and they are the ones that are putting their life out on the line every single day, Wyatt expressed. So I give thanks to the police department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Midland Fire Department announced Saturday that four of the departments best firefighters were headed to the Hill Country to assist with ongoing rescue operations in Kerrville. The group are all members of the Midland Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System team that normally responded to help fight wildfires in the state. Today, they are being called to utilize other skills as an all-hazards response team, MFD said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Family says OPD officer is among those missing, feared dead in Kerr Co floods As of 8:55 a.m. Saturday, officials said 27 people have been found dead. Of those, 18 were adults and nine were children. Six adults remain unidentified, as well as one child. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. The United States is flirting with autocracy, Michael Douglas said at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on Saturday. The actor, who was in attendance to present a screening of the recently restored One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, also said people are going into politics now to make money, and we maintain an idealism in the U.S. which does not exist now. American politics were introduced as a talking point at the Czech Republic event after an unidentified journalist told Douglas the 1975 film is, in part, about rebellion before asking a question about Donald Trump, per The Hollywood Reporter. I think our presidents name has been mentioned enough over the short time that hes been president, the star responded. More from TheWrap When it comes to the state of politics in the United States, Douglas added, Our country is flirting with autocracy, [like] some other democracies in this world what were struggling with right now is a reminder for all of the hard work that the Czech did in terms of gaining their freedom and their independence democracy is not to be taken for granted. I think it reminds us that we all need to make our efforts. Its not the job of somebody else. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Douglas also lamented the relationship between money and the political sphere. The disappointing thing is that politics now seems to be for profit. Money has entered democracy, not just in our country, but in others, as a way of a profit center, he said. People are going into politics now to make money, and we maintain an idealism in the U.S. which does not exist now. I find myself worried, Im nervous, and I just think its all of our responsibility, not for somebody else to look out for us, but for us to look out for ourselves, he continued. The actor, who significantly slowed down his career in 2022, also told reporters he has no real intention of returning to the large or small screen. I have no real intention of going back. I say Im not retired, because [if] something special came up, Id go back. But otherwise, Im quite happy to watch my wife work, he shared. The post Michael Douglas Says America Is Flirting With Autocracy as People Go Into Politics for Money | Video appeared first on TheWrap. Michael Douglas spoke out against the risks of autocracy in the U.S. and touted the benefits of democracy during a press conference at the 59th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) in the Czech Republic on Saturday. The star came to the picturesque Czech spa town to present a screening of a newly restored version of Czech American directing legend Milos Formans One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, on which Douglas was a producer and which starred Jack Nicholson. The 1975 classic, which swept the Oscars and earned dozens of international awards, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, the festival highlighted. As one of the producers, Douglas also received the Academy Award for best picture for the movie. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Douglas met the press after earlier in the day receiving a surprise award statuette from the festival. He called Formans One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest timeless. That led a journalist to mention that the movie is seen as one about rebellion, asking Douglas about the current state of politics in the U.S. I think our presidents name has been mentioned enough over the short time that hes been president, the star replied, highlighting how precious democracy is, how vulnerable it is, and how it always has to be protected. His take on todays state of U.S. politics? Our country is flirting with autocracy, [like] some other democracies in this world, Douglas said. And I hope that what were struggling with right now is a reminder for all of the hard work that the Czech did in terms of gaining their freedom and their independence and [that] always, democracy is not to be taken for granted. I think it reminds us that we all need to make our efforts. Its not the job of somebody else. Douglas also discussed the role of money in politics. The disappointing thing is that politics now seems to be for profit. Money has entered democracy, not just in our country, but in others, as a way of a profit center. People are going into politics now to make money, and we maintain an idealism in the U.S. which does not exist now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Douglas concluded, I find myself worried, Im nervous, and I just think its all of our responsibility, not for somebody else to look out for us, but for us to look out for ourselves. The star was also asked on Saturday whether he was working on new projects or considered himself retired. I have not worked since 2022, purposely, because I realized I had to stop, Douglas shared with the reporters in the room. Ive been working for almost 60 years, and I did not want to be one of those people who dropped dead on set. So Im very happy with you taking your time off. I have no real intention of going back. I say Im not retired, because [if] something special came up, Id go back. But otherwise, Im quite happy to watch my wife work. Douglas is married to Catherine Zeta-Jones. Catherine is 25 years younger than I am. Shes very busy right now, he also shared later. And I think in the spirit of maintaining a good marriage, Im happy to play the wife. At one point, he also mentioned one possible project that had piqued his interest. I had one little independent movie that Im trying to get a good script out of, but thats about it, Douglas said without sharing more details. Douglas also shared some stories from Cuckoos Nest, including ones about Nicholson. Jack did not want to come to the Oscars. He had already lost twice, he said. The film team didnt win the first four possible Oscar award categories, and so the star turned around and told Douglas, Told you so! But then the screenplay and director Oscars came in and turned things around, Douglas recalled, also sharing that Nicholson used to call him Mikey D. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Douglas shared that he is still in touch with Nicholson. Hes in good health, he shared. Hes a bit of a hermit. He is doing well. Cuckoos Nest made Oscar history as only the second movie to win all five major Academy Award categories: best picture (Douglas and Saul Zaentz), best director (Forman), best actor (Nicholson), best actress (Louise Fletcher) and best adapted screenplay (Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman). The new version, restored by the Academy Film Archive, screened as part of KVIFFs Out of the Past section in a special gala. The legend was joined there by fellow producer Paul Zaentz, nephew of the late Saul Zaentz, who co-produced the film, as well as members of Formans family. Adapted from Ken Keseys novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest centers on Randle McMurphy, a rebellious gambler whose defiance of authority challenges the rigid system of a mental institution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Douglas last attended KVIFF in 1998, when he and Saul Zaentz were honored with the festivals Crystal Globe. Douglas is one of several big names attending the 2025 edition of the Karlovy Vary fest, which has long been a magnet for Hollywood stars. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A Michigan judge has delayed his decision on whether a Southeastern Michigan landfill can accept toxic soil from Lewistons Niagara Falls Storage Site. Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Kevin Cox was expected to make a final decision Tuesday in a lawsuit several Michigan municipalities filed against Wayne Disposal, the owner of the Van Buren Township landfill accepting 6,000 cubic yards of the contaminated soil and concrete. Detroit media outlet WDIV reported Cox needed time to further review the arguments, with the final decision possibly weeks away. All the while, the soil in question still remains in Lewiston. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, the agency in charge of site cleanup, said they are evaluating how these court proceedings may impact project progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No matter the outcome, our focus remains on safely and efficiently cleaning up projects under the Formerly Utilized Site Remedial Action Program and continuing to follow all U.S. Army Corps of Engineers procedures and policies, as well as federal, state, and local laws and regulations, the Army Corps of Engineers said in a statement. The municipalities of Belleville, Romulus, Canton Charter Township, Van Buren Charter Township, and Wayne County filed a lawsuit against Wayne Disposal this past September, arguing that the landfill accepting this waste would put residents in danger. That suit ended up in federal court, with the landfill owner Republic Services citing the U.S. Constitutions Commerce Clause in arguing it does not allow state or local governments to unilaterally stop shipments of out-of-state waste. Cox had ordered the waste shipments to be stopped in late September, which the Army Corps of Engineers complied with. Michigan lawmakers representing the region even proposed legislation to stop accepting such materials. Despite the injunction being put in place, the Detroit Free Press in October reported that since that is limited to the NFSS, the landfill is free to accept waste from another nuclear processing facility in Luckey, Ohio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Army Corps of Engineers announced plans in April 2024 to move this contaminated soil to Michigan as part of its first phase of cleaning up the Niagara Falls Storage Site, with another 4,000 gallons of contaminated groundwater moving to another site in New York state. The Army Corps has repeatedly said this waste contains mostly carcinogenic compounds with any radioactive materials included like radium, thorium, and uranium being naturally occurring and meets waste acceptance criteria for the facility. Their transportation plans involved 25 trucks weekly, 640 total, carrying the waste from Lewiston through Pennsylvania and Ohio to Michigan, with the trucks having hazardous waste placards and the waste in shipping containers. This landfill approximately 30 miles west of downtown Detroit was chosen in part because it was the closest site accepting this kind of waste, at 380 miles away, with the next closest choice being in Texas. It also faced controversy in February 2023 when it started accepting waste from the East Palestine, Ohio train crash, until public outcry stopped it. The 191-acre site at 1397 Pletcher Rd. was first used from 1944 to 1952 to store the radioactive waste from uranium ore processing used for the Manhattan Project. It is one of many sites listed under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program, which was established in 1974 to clean up contamination from early United States Atomic Energy Commission activities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Department of Energy consolidated the waste there into the 10-acre Interim Waste Containment Structure on the property, which was completed in 1986. Future phases of the $500 million decade-long cleanup would focus on the Interim Waste Containment Structure holding the majority of highly radioactive materials at the site. New infrastructure would be needed to complete remediation efforts, with designs to be complete by 2027. This Michigan landfill is not being considered as a disposal site for the phases. Editor's note: This story is part of a series tracking the experiences of four graduating seniors at four different Michigan universities. It is a partnership between the Detroit Free Press, Michigan State University student reporters and the American Communities Project. As Michigan looks to grow its population, one demographic the state isn't leaving behind is university students. "One of the things we know is that we're a net importer of students lots of folks chose to stay or come to Michigan to attend Michigan universities and its incumbent upon us to show them the many reasons to build their futures here," said Hilary Doe, the state and nation's first Chief Growth Officer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her office, established in 2023, is working on a few ideas related to keeping young talent in Michigan. They've hosted field trips that expose students to some of Michigan's vibrant communities and stunning natural beauty in hopes that they start thinking about a life in the state, and road shows to areas with lots of graduates from Michigan universities. Her colleagues at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation's Talent Action Team have a Michigander Scholarship that connects students to positions in key industries. The state has opened the challenge up to cities with its Make MI Home grant program, where cities can come up with their own plans and get grants to encourage people to grow roots in Michigan. But Doe's office and these programs are new; many of today's college students started school before they existed. The Detroit Free Press partnered with Michigan State University and the American Communities Project to follow four seniors at four Michigan universities as they graduate and make big decisions about their futures, including where they go next. Rania Umer, Wayne State University Rania Umer with family after her graduation from Wayne State University. At the beginning of her college career at Washtenaw Community College, Rania Umer felt like she was treading water. Raised in Kuwait, the American education system was completely unfamiliar to her, and even with a strong academic background, she was adjusting to more than just lectures and exams she had to overcome the shock of a whole new system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Umer transferred to Wayne State University with a 3.01 GPA but walked across the graduation stage with distinction and a sense of confidence. That sort of jump is something that has shown me that I am capable. I can do this because, just before I transferred, I started having doubts in myself, Umer said. I started having doubts in my abilities and thought, Do I have imposter syndrome? The whole time what happened? Now, as a graduate of the Honors College, Umer finds herself on solid ground. Graduating with distinction, being able to get into the Honors College they were all things that brought back the beliefs I used to have about myself, she said. I think that in and of itself is very important to me. Its integral to me because its a huge part of who I am. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That self-assurance didnt come from a single success, but rather from years of steady growth academically, emotionally, and professionally. After graduation, Umer is taking a gap year to study for the LSAT and apply to law schools. For her, the goal isnt to rush but to choose the right path with care. This summer, shell intern with the Macomb County Prosecutors Office. She has previously interned with the Michigan House of Representatives. Through those experiences, Umer hopes to explore different areas of law and find the field that best fits. So far, administrative law grounded and logical has caught her attention. Umer is graduating without student debt something that was important to her because, as a Muslim, she avoids taking on interest-bearing loans. With the support of her family, scholarships, and a Pell Grant based on household income, she was able to pay for school out of pocket. While many of her peers are chasing immediate milestones or salaries, Umer is focused on clearing the next academic hurdle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the upcoming year, I just want to get my LSAT done, get my law school application done, she said. There is no sort of milestone I want to reach its just getting school out of the way. Her advice to others is shaped by the journey that brought her here. Dont be afraid to take on something, even if it seems scary, she said. If theres an opportunity that feels different or daunting thats probably the one you should go for. From doubting herself as a newcomer to the American education system to stepping into the legal world with purpose, Rania Umer has learned to trust the process and her own potential. Hannah Schreiber, Michigan State University Hannah Schreiber is pictured in her graduation gown at Michigan State University. With graduation behind her, Michigan State University alumna Hannah Schreiber is setting her goals to pursue her dream of becoming an advertising professional in the Windy City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im planning to move to Chicago once I have a job secured, she said, Its been my dream to work there and Im really excited to take that next step. Though she hasnt accepted a position yet, shes actively applying for account management positions and staying optimistic about the process. Im feeling good about whats ahead, she said, in the creative industry hiring trends happen close to the start date, so Ive just been staying ready and keeping an eye on opportunities. Schreiber credits her time at MSU with helping her develop confidence, hard work and growth. Looking back on who she was when she first started on campus, the transformation is clear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Freshman me would be so proud, said Schreiber, Ive grown so much. Im more confident in myself, clearer about my goals, and more willing to take risks. She took full advantage of opportunities to improve her skills at MSU, from her coursework to studying abroad. If I could recommend any program to a student, it would be studying abroad. Specifically, the ADPR a la Mediterranean program, said Schreiber, It broadened my perspective on the global impact of creativity. Beyond academics, the relationships she formed at MSU have left a lasting impression. She credits her professors, mentors, and the friendships she has made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her post-graduation vision is clear: She wants to grow in her field, work with a passionate team and make an impact through creativity and strategy. I want to land a role at an agency I love, and just keep learning and growing. Im excited to see whats next," she said. Mia Cotton, University of Michigan As Mia Cotton capped off her final semester at the University of Michigan, she took a moment to remember her days at the university and in Ann Arbor. Its very bittersweet, Cotton said. She is sad about her friends leaving after school is over, because she will be taking a gap year before starting a master's degree. As a Flute Performance major, she had a final recital, which her family came up to see. Her final recital was in honor of her mom, and she thought it was a great opportunity to show what she had been practicing and her accomplishments Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She decided to stay in Ann Arbor because of the connections she has made through the school. Music is very network-based, Cotton said. She wouldnt have the same connections if she moved back to her home state of Texas, she said. Cotton said her solo concert made her realize how much she had grown from her first semester to her performance as a senior. More: How a rare copy of Declaration of Independence ended up in a Michigan museum The university left me with a better vision of myself and my future, Cotton said. She mainly attributed this to an instructor who was her biggest cheerleader and showed her that you can pursue music as a career. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its cool to look back now, Cotton said. Moving far away from her home state gave her a new independence and made her develop a new support system. When looking back on her years, the only thing she wished she had done differently was venture out and check out more of the university outside of the music program, including some campus events and organizations. It is really easy to say I need to practice this many hours a day, Cotton said, and almost all of her classes were in the music building. Mohamed Diouf, Western Michigan University Student Mohamed Diouf stands next to a Western Michigan University College of Aviation airplane. He takes his final exam and commercial check ride this spring. Mohamed Diouf already walked in graduation last semester, but needed a few more hours of flight training to complete his degree in Aviation Flight Science at Western Michigan University. By joining the program, Diouf decided to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a pilot. Growing up near the airport in Dakar, Senegal, he would always watch the planes over his city and wonder what it would feel like to fly one of them. More: Flint hits milestone for pipe replacement, city says the work continues This spring, he celebrated an important milestone by passing his commercial check ride. This final examination consisted of a ground discussion and flight portion and was a requirement to receive his multi-engine pilot license. Im just glad that I passed, he said. Diouf experienced a few unexpected delays during his degree. First, the weather did not allow him to fly much during the winter months. Then, his check ride had to be rescheduled multiple times. He is now eager to finally launch his career. Im ready for a new journey, he said. But before leaving Kalamazoo, Diouf needs to enroll in one more training program to obtain a single-engine add-on rating. Completing this will enable him to fly aircraft with a single engine, which is essential for the next step in his career. The add-on should not take him too long: Two months, a few more flights, one more check ride. The exact timing will depend on the weather and scheduling a check ride, again. Once he passes, Diouf wants to pursue an accelerated, two-week program to become a certified flight instructor. Maybe in Colorado. Maybe somewhere locally. He envisions starting his career as a flight instructor at a university program for a few years. This will let him gain even more experience in the air before joining a regional airline, and eventually, pursuing his goal of becoming an international pilot for a major airline like Delta or United. Diouf is looking forward to progressing in the aviation industry, although he has heard about current hiring implications. The airlines are cautious right now. They are more conservative with the things they do, he said. But he is not worried that this is going to affect him in the long run. Eventually, things are going to get better, he said. In terms of salary expectations, Diouf could not complain. Its really good right now, he said. While the pay as a flight instructor might be a little lower initially, he foresees himself making anywhere between 80K and 100K working as a copilot for a regional airline. For now, Diouf is looking forward to a little break. Ill definitely need to maybe take a week, just go on vacation and not do something related to aviation, he said. Once his lease in Kalamazoo ends, Diouf plans to move in with family in Detroit, but only temporarily. He will figure out where his next career step will take him from there. Overall, Diouf is excited to embark on a new journey as he continues to live up to his childhood dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot. With this in mind, he is glad to have joined the program, despite the delay. It took quite a while, more than I expected, but I have no regrets. Its still the path I want to take, he said. Read more in this series: Do you have feedback on this article or project? Contact Detroit Free Press State Government & Politics Editor Emily Lawler: elawler@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 4 Michigan college grads on where they go next Eight men in United States detention have lost a last-ditch attempt to avoid deportation to South Sudan, a country facing ongoing criticism for human rights abuses. On Friday, Judge Brian Murphy of Boston denied the eleventh-hour appeal, which has been the subject of a flurry of legal activity throughout the day. The men have been held at a US military base in Djibouti since late May, when an earlier deportation flight to South Sudan was halted by the courts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US Supreme Court has twice ruled that the Trump administration could deport the men to countries outside of their homelands. Its latest decision was issued on Thursday [PDF]. The appeal, filed that night, argued that repeated efforts under President Donald Trump to deport the men to South Sudan were impermissibly punitive, pointing to the US Constitutions barring of cruel and unusual punishment. The US Department of State advises American citizens to avoid South Sudan due to an ongoing armed conflict. It has in the past accused South Sudan of extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, torture and cases of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. Legal battle The US Department of Justice indicated that the eight men were set to be flown to South Sudan by 7pm US Eastern Time (23:00 GMT) on Friday. They are immigrants from countries like Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, South Sudan and Vietnam. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initially, the case was assigned to US District Judge Randolph Moss in Washington, DC, who signalled he was sympathetic to the deportees request. He briefly ordered the deportation to be paused until 4:30pm Eastern Time (20:30 GMT) but ultimately decided to transfer the case back to Murphy, the judge whose decisions helped precipitate the Supreme Courts rulings. Murphy had previously issued injunctions against the deportations to South Sudan, leading to successful appeals from the Trump administration. Before he transferred the case back to Murphy, however, Judge Moss said it was possible the deportees could prove their case that the Trump administration intended to subject them to abuse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It seems to me almost self-evident that the United States government cannot take human beings and send them to circumstances in which their physical wellbeing is at risk simply either to punish them or send a signal to others, Moss said during the hearing. Lawyers for the Trump administration, meanwhile, argued that the deportations continued delay would strain relations with third countries willing to accept deportees. Murphy, who denied Fridays request, had previously ruled in favour of the deportees, issuing an injunction against their removal to South Sudan and saying they had a right to contest the deportation based on fears for their safety. The Supreme Court first lifted the injunction on June 23 and clarified its ruling again on Thursday, giving a subtle rebuke to Judge Murphy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has been pushing for rapid removals as part of its campaign of mass deportation, one of President Trumps signature priorities. Opponents have accused the administration of steamrolling peoples human rights to achieve its aims, including the right to due process under the law. But the Trump administration has framed migration as an invasion that constitutes a national security crisis, and it argued that its strong-armed efforts are needed to expel criminals. The eight people slated to be sent to South Sudan, it said, were barbaric, violent criminal illegal aliens. It added that they had been found guilty of crimes, including first-degree murder, robbery and sexual assault. These sickos will be in South Sudan by Independence Day, Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a news release on Thursday. California State University campuses have lost millions of dollars in federal grants through Trump administration cuts and freezes and policy changes targeting diversity, equity and inclusion policies and education, science and technology programs across the nation. At Fresno State, the total is $9.5 million in grants that have been terminated or paused, according to the university. Those grants impact campus and programs funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Department of Education. Especially with the NSF, there is a giant panel of people who review these grant proposals, and Ive been on them before where there are 15 or 20 people who review the grant proposals, and then choose the best ones in the county to get funded, said Fresno State biology professor Brian Tsukimura, who was collaborating on a grant with peers at UC Merced, George Washington University and Ohio University that was terminated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This kind of termination without review, they have no idea, other than looking for specific words, what will happen. Its a great loss to society. We dont know what these grants were going to accomplish, they just got cut off. Summaries of 11 of the 14 university programs impacted by the cuts in federal funding include keywords or phrases such as underrepresented minority, Hispanic Serving Institution and Minority Serving Institution. Programs in STEM categories (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) were most impacted on the Fresno State campus, along with the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. Initial award amounts for the Fresno State grants ranged from $50,000 to $2.5 million. CSU campuses received more than $250 million in federal grant funding in 2023 led by San Diego State ($68 million) and San Jose State ($31.8 million), according to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics and Higher Education Research and Development Survey. There were seven schools in the system at $11 million or more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first, a collaboration between Fresno State, Cal Poly, the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez and Iowa State, sought to bridge an equity gap in the poultry industry for historically underrepresented groups. Its objectives included developing comprehensive online welfare training modules, development of industry-backed certification programs, enhancing the accessibility of poultry science resources across HSIs (Hispanic Serving Institutions), augmenting professional development through career services and networking events and expanding poultry education and career resources for high school educators. The Center for the Optimization of Poultry (COOP) at Fresno State in partnership with Fresno City College in the second grant was to increase increase equity in job training for HSI students through provision of career counseling, utilization of innovative curricula development, facilitation of online welfare and in-person certificated modules at a pilot processing plant, hosting a West Coast poultry career fair and maximize experiential learning. The Brief Milwaukee County Parks hosted multiple free celebrations on this Fourth of July. Gordon Park, in particular, even included a free bicycle decorating contest. County parks were also prepared for fireworks displays on Friday evening, July 4. MILWAUKEE - On the Fourth of July, celebrations of America's independence happened all over southeast Wisconsin. FOX6 News found families and friends gathered at Gordon Park in Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood. Celebrating the Fourth of July What we know From parades to picnics, there is no better way to celebrate Independence Day than with family, fun and food. Celebrations lit up across Milwaukee, including at Gordon Park. It is one of ten county parks hosting free festivities on this Fourth of July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android For one crew FOX6 News spoke with, spending the holiday at Gordon Park is a longtime tradition that suits everyone. What they're saying "We have four generations here today," said Lisa Nelson. "Now that I am older, I camp out for the early time; for the parade and the early festivities. And the later ones are more for the teens and younger folks," said Camille Thalman. "We still come for fireworks and I bring all my grandkids," said Lisa Nelson. As for the kids, the Gordon Park celebration even included a free bicycle decorating contest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I worked like thirty minutes on this. I don't know how I did this," said 8-year-old Phineas Wake. "I love all our parks and the community gets together to sponsor this," said Camille Thalman. Milwaukee County Parks celebrations Local perspective Celebrations will be held at Milwaukee County Parks throughout the city, including: Alcott Park, Enderis Playfield, Gordon Park, Humboldt Park, Jackson Park, King Center, Lake Park, Lincoln Park, Mitchell Park, Washington Park, and Wilson Park. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News The city has a list of parks posted online that are participating in Fourth of July celebrations by hosting daytime activities, holding parades and having official City of Milwaukee fireworks displays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fireworks will not be held at Mitchell Park and Noyes Park this year due to reforestation work by Milwaukee County Parks. The Source The information in this post was gathered by FOX6 News during visits to Fourth of July celebrations in Milwaukee. The Brief Communities across southeast Wisconsin had fireworks for the Fourth of July. Hundreds of people celebrated the holiday at Humboldt Park. A Summerfest drone show entertained crowds at the Big Gig. MILWAUKEE - Communities across southeast Wisconsin lit up the sky with fireworks for the Fourth of July. Local perspective Families many dressed in red, white and blue celebrated the nation's 249th birthday. Humboldt Park was one of several Milwaukee County Parks where people gathered with food, games, drinks and grills in anticipation of the main event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Fireworks were a point of debate this year after the county pivoted to a cheaper, more eco-friendly drone show at the lakefront on Thursday night. Summerfest put on a drone show of its own on Friday. Local perspective Celebrations were held at Milwaukee County Parks throughout the city, including: Alcott Park, Enderis Playfield, Gordon Park, Humboldt Park, Jackson Park, King Center, Lake Park, Lincoln Park, Mitchell Park, Washington Park, and Wilson Park. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city has a list of parks posted online that participate in Fourth of July celebrations by hosting daytime activities, holding parades and having official city of Milwaukee fireworks displays. Fireworks were not held at Mitchell Park and Noyes Park this year due to reforestation work by Milwaukee County Parks. The Source The information in this post was gathered by FOX6 News during visits to Fourth of July celebrations in Milwaukee. The Brief A team of people on the Milwaukee Police Department is prepared to help when times get tough. That team is more than 30 members strong and ready at a moment's notice. The wellness team has been engaged since the fatal shooting of Officer Kendall Corder. MILWAUKEE - It is during difficult times, like the Milwaukee Police Department is experiencing right now, when it is helpful that there is a team of people in place to help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are more than 30 people with the departments wellness team that help others through those trying times. Helping with officer wellness The backstory In June 2018, Milwaukee Police Officer Ben Ade responded to the crash scene of Officer Charles Irvine. Irvine was ejected from his squad while chasing a suspect. Ade said the crash took a mental toll on him. What they're saying "They literally saved myself from myself, if that makes sense," Ade told FOX6 News. "Im a product of this team, to know its okay to struggle sometimes." Milwaukee Police Officer Ben Ade Ade is now part of the wellness team, one of two full-time members helping other officers, staff and families touched by trauma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android "Everyone gets touched by something like this in a different way. We just want to make sure we have services for everybody," Ade said. "Crush" is helping out too Dig deeper Alongside Ade is his four-legged partner, Crush. "Shes the talent, shes the rockstar. Im just the manager," Ade said. K-9 Crush Crush is a 3-and-a-half-year-old golden retriever. "Every time Crush comes up here, we go through the door. She comes in and looks immediately towards my office. I dont know why," said Craig Sarnow, Milwaukee Police Assistant Chief, who frequently offers Crush treats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Crush and Ade go where they are needed. From the shootings of officers McCray and Corder to Corder's death and the mental toll the day-to-day job can take. If talking and processing one's mental health is too difficult, Crush can be an ice breaker or just listen. Milwaukee Police Officer Ben Ade "Somebody in that moment of stress and then all of sudden you can just see them open up a little bit more. They bloom for a half a second," Ade said. Corder funeral plans What we know The Milwaukee Police Association said a public visitation for officer Kendall Corder will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, July 11, at Elmbrook Church in Brookfield. Procession for Fallen Officer Kendall Corder from medical examiner's office to funeral home Funeral services will then commence at 2:30 p.m. Following the service, interment will take place at Wisconsin Memorial Park in Brookfield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the Fourth of July, a Cudahy Police Department fundraising effort collected more than $4,100. The funds will go to the Milwaukee Police Association, which is supporting Corder's family. How you can help What you can do If you are looking for a way to help the families of the officers, you can donate to MPA Fallen Heroes, Inc. According to the website, every dollar offers immediate emergency aid for injured officers and supports long-term recovery for officers and their families. MPA Fallen Heroes Fund The Source The information in this post was provided by the Milwaukee Police Department. UPDATE: According to the family, the juvenile has been found. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A juvenile was missing out of Springfield, from the Northern Estates area. According to the family, the 16-year-old girl went missing around the hours of midnight and 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 3. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (NewsNation) Photographs and names of some of the missing girls from Camp Mystic emerged Friday as officials searched for the minors in the aftermath of deadly flash flooding in Central Texas. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said more than 20 of the campers remained unaccounted for as of late Friday. Dozens of people in the wider region died after the Guadalupe River jumped its banks overnight. The children who remained missing were staying at the all-girls camp near Hunt, Texas when the natural disaster erupted. Most campers were accounted for, as were children at other camps in the region, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More military border zones likely in South Texas, Cuellar says NewsNation national security contributor Tracy Walder, whose daughter is friends with some of the missing campers, said the relay of information had been a challenge because attendees did not have access to technology during their stay. Power also was out after the flood. Technology is actually not allowed there, Walder said. Thats why communication and information is kind of a bit difficult to come by at this point in time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. Brooke Shields has become "more lenient" with her daughters. Brooke Shields has opened up about her approach to parenting The 60-year-old film star has Rowan, 22, and Grier, 19, with her husband Chris Henchy, and Brooke admits that her parenting style has evolved over the years. During an appearance on Today with Jenna and Friends, Brooke explained: "Holiday plans have sort of all been overtaken by my daughters friends. So theyre all coming to our house. And whats been interesting this time is that there's boyfriend situations, and theres only so many beds. And its a discussion." Brooke admitted that she's adopted a more relaxed approach with her youngest daughter. The Blue Lagoon star also confessed to being more lenient in her parenting style than Chris, 61. Brooke - who has been married to Chris since 2001 - said: "Im usually the tougher one, but for some reason, because they all want to be there, theres something that just makes me feel like, 'Well, at least they all want to be together.' If they can be respectful and certain things can be where theyre supposed to be. "I dont know. Its weird. I just cannot believe that Im the person whos more lenient when I didnt even lose my virginity until I was 22. I was in a locked box." Last year, meanwhile, Brooke revealed that she was still adjusting to life as an "empty nester". The actress joked about having mixed feelings when her daughters returned home from college over the festive season. During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Brooke quipped: "I'm an empty nester. Then, they came home for Christmas. It was great, and then, I couldn't wait for them to leave." Brooke recalled feeling "so sad" when her kids left home to go to college. But the actress has now adjusted to her new way of life. The Hollywood star - who took a career break to study at Princeton University in the 1980s - said: "I was so sad when they left the first time. Then, at the end of Christmas, I'm like 'Don't you have to get back to school?'" A utility that serves customers in Missouri announced it plans to build an 800-MW natural gas-fired power plant, along with the company's first large-scale battery energy storage facility, at a site near St. Louis. Ameren Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren Corp., in late June filed an application with state regulators for the project. The utility said the Big Hollow Energy Center in Jefferson County is part of the company's investment plan to improve energy reliability for customers and add more power generation to its portfolio. Big Hollow, expected to come online in 2028 if approved by regulators, will be a simple-cycle plant, similar in design to the utility's planned 800-MW gas-fired Castle Bluff Energy Center near St. Louis. Castle Bluff will be located on the site of the former coal-fired Meramec Energy Center, situated near the confluence of the Meramec and Mississippi rivers. The Meramec coal plant closed in 2022. Ameren Missouri is phasing out coal-fired power generation. The utility closed its Rush Island coal plant last year, and plans to retire its Sioux Energy Center by 2032. The utility still operates the 2,400-MW Labadie coal plant, the state's largest power generation facility. 'Invest in Energy Infrastructure' "This is the next step to deliver on our strategy to invest in energy infrastructure for our customers' benefit and provide a balanced generation portfolio," said Mark Birk, chairman and president of Ameren Missouri. "As we transition our generation for the future, we'll continue to serve our customers with the reliable energy they expect while also preparing for anticipated increases in demand." Ameren in a news release said Big Hollow and Castle Bluff each are being designed to provide electricity when needed during periods of high energy demand, such as the coldest days of winter and the hottest days of summer, to support the grid when intermittent renewable energy is unavailable. [caption id="attachment_236925" align="alignnone" width="640"] This is a rendering of the proposed 800-MW Big Hollow Energy Center in Missouri. The site will include the utility's first large-scale battery energy storage facility. Source: Ameren Missouri[/caption] Big Hollow will feature Ameren Missouri's first large-scale lithium-ion battery installation. The company said the batteries "can be charged at times when excess energy is on the grid and then utilized in any weather. The planned 400-MW battery storage is a fast-acting asset, ready in moments to support customers' energy needs. Fully charged, the entire array could power thousands of homes for hours and help overall grid reliability, especially during times of peak energy needs." Ameren Missouri recently announced it would accelerate the utililty's battery energy storage capacity, with a total of 1,000 MW planned by 2030, and a total of 1,800 MW by 2042. 'Commitment to the Future' "The Big Hollow Energy Center represents more than just an energy project; it's a commitment to the future of Jefferson County," said Dennis Gannon, Jefferson County executive. "We've worked closely with Ameren Missouri over the past several years, and this forward-thinking investment will strengthen our local economy generations to come. We're proud to partner with Ameren Missouri to help power progress in our community." The utility said the natural gas generation and battery storage facilities will operate independently. Each will utilize existing energy infrastructure on land Ameren Missouri already owns, reducing construction time and building costs. "It is crucial to have a balanced mix of generation technologies and equally important to strategically locate them across the region," said Ajay Arora, senior vice president and chief development officer at Ameren Missouri. "This approach maximizes the energy output from these resources." "We have collaborated with leaders across Jefferson County for years, and it's exciting to locate the Big Hollow Energy Center and continue to invest in the community because it will bring jobs, support the Jefferson R-VII School District, first responders and others in the county," said Rob Dixon, senior director of economic, community and business development at Ameren Missouri. Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Argentine President Javier Milei in Buenos Aires on Saturday, urging the expansion of New Delhi's preferential trade deal with South America's Mercosur bloc. The bilateral talks with Milei are the latest in Modi's whistle-stop diplomatic tour culminating in the summit of BRICS emerging economies starting on Sunday in Brazil. Diplomats from both countries at the meeting, which included a lunch, decided to "deepen bilateral relations and commercial ties," according to a statement from the Argentine presidency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indian foreign ministry diplomat Periasamy Kumaran told reporters Modi "requested Argentina's support in expanding the India-Mercosur preferential trade agreement." The Mercosur regional trade bloc, comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia, is seeking closer ties with Asian economies in the face of Trump's global trade war. "The two leaders discussed the necessity of diversifying and expanding bilateral trade" in sectors including defence, technology and health, said Kumaran. They also touched upon cooperation in the energy sector, including gas and petrol, as well as lithium, a key mineral for the clean energy transition. Argentina is the world's fifth largest producer of lithium, according to the US Geological Survey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Excellent meeting with President Javier Milei of Argentina," Modi wrote on X of the leaders' second bilateral talks. "We have covered significant ground in our bilateral relations, but we agree that the journey ahead is even more promising!" India was Argentina's fifth largest trading partner in 2024, with bilateral trade up 33 percent, according to figures from the Indian external affairs ministry. tev/nn/mr/ib/aks/mlm Modivcare, Penquis and Waldo Community Action Partners will continue to provide rides to medical appointments in their respective regions for another year amid a court battle over the decision to grant Modivcare a contract for the entire state. A draft of the new agreement was sent to the MaineCare transportation brokers in early June. It allows the brokers to continue providing non-emergency medical rides in their current regions from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Modivcare currently serves half of Maines 16 counties, and was slated to begin serving all counties in July 2024. But Penquis sued over the states award process, claiming it was fundamentally unfair, and Waldo was listed as an interested party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Health and Human Services has so far extended the original arrangement as the fight plays out in the courts. The new agreement adds some stipulations but continues to provide service by the three brokers in separate service regions. In May, the Maine Superior Court upheld the states decision to award a 10-year, $750 million contract to Modivcare. DHHS spokesperson Lindsay Hammes wrote in a statement that the state is extending the current arrangement because Penquis submitted an appeal to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court in early June. Modivcare, the largest non-emergency medical transportation broker in the country, has its corporate headquarters in Denver. Some advocates and MaineCare patients reliant on the service have raised concerns about awarding the contract to the out-of-state company because it has been the subject of numerous complaints, including allegations of drivers missing or being late to appointments and trip requests being denied without proper documentation. The state claims Modivcare is on time for 91 percent of appointments and has met all performance metrics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zoe Miller, executive director of the advocacy group the Moving Maine Network, said awarding the entire state to Modivcare goes against recommendations outlined in the Maine DHHS Transportation Program Evaluation from 2021. If you put all your eggs in one basket with one provider, should something happen to that provider, then I would worry the entire state system could fail, said Kara Hay, the president and CEO of Penquis, a Maine nonprofit that provides rides in Kennebec, Penobscot, Piscataquis and Somerset counties. Rider complaints At 9 a.m. on April 2, Ariel Dunn called Modivcare to check on a ride she had scheduled for a 9:30 a.m. medical appointment at St. Marys Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, which she had waited months to secure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was told bus tickets had been sent to her home instead. Im disabled, Dunn said to a Modivcare representative on a recorded phone call reviewed by The Maine Monitor. I am literally unable to take the bus. Ariel Dunn was sent a bus pass voucher to her home after finding out her ride was not on the way before an establishing care appointment. Photo courtesy Ariel Dunn. She explained that she could not take the bus because of various medical conditions and opted instead to pay for an Uber. The bus tickets didnt arrive until a month later. Dunn said she filed multiple complaints with company representatives and one with the Office of MaineCare Services over the incident. For the next trip she requested, she was sent bus tickets again. And then three of her requests were denied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If I dont get in and get seen, Ill die, she pleaded to another representative. I can't wait several months. I'm actually dying, like my thyroid is shutting down on me. And if I don't get into a doctor and get seen, I'm a 33-year-old who will die of complications. Dunn was then told that her request for a ride on April 10 was rejected by an out-of-state agent. This one was definitely rejected by an out-of-state agent that does not understand MaineCare policies, a representative said to Dunn, according to the recording. I fixed three already within the last half hour. Since March, Dunn has requested seven rides to medical appointments through Modivcare. On three separate occasions, Dunn said she called to check on her ride requests and was informed that they had been denied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The companys contract with the state requires denial letters to be sent to riders within 72 hours of a decision, but Dunn said she didnt receive any. She also said she did not receive any responses to her complaints. Myra Orifice, senior director of operations for Modivcare in Maine, said that trips are evaluated based on criteria outlined in the state contract. When a trip is denied, a formal denial letter is mailed within 72 hours, detailing the reason and the appeal process, Orifice wrote in an email. Modivcare follows all complaint resolution protocols outlined in our state contract, including documentation and response timelines. If the member requests a follow-up call, Modivcare follows state guidelines to follow up within two business days using the number on file with MaineCare. Alan Balladur, a 75-year-old who lives in Portland, typically uses Modivcare once a week. In the five years hes used their services, he said drivers arrive late for about one in every three rides, and there have been eight or nine times drivers did not show up at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one instance, an unknown driver showed up, telling Balladur that he was covering a ride for a friend, the original driver. When he got in, Balladur said, the car smelled like marijuana, and he believed the driver was under the influence. These (subcontracted driving) companies they're fly by night, Balladur said. I don't know how they got their license. Orifice said she cannot comment on specific cases due to HIPAA protections, but said that all subcontracted drivers must meet strict credentialing standards and pass background checks, drug and alcohol screening, and vehicle inspections. Any incident reported to Modivcare is documented, reviewed by our Quality and Provider Relations teams, and investigated promptly. Subcontractors who do not meet expectations may be placed on corrective action plans or removed from the network, Orifice wrote in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Balladur said he handles the hiccups pretty well, but it can be frustrating to deal with. In January, when his ride didnt show up after an appointment in Biddeford, he said he was left waiting in the cold for more than forty minutes after his scheduled pickup time, since his doctors office had already closed. In another instance, he said he was left at Greater Portland Health and ended up having to get a ride home from an employee who was closing up. He said he has left roughly twenty complaints with call center representatives to little effect. Ive tried complaining for five years now, Balladur said. No one is answerable. Getting a ride Will Gerrish, a driver for Modivcare based in the Lewiston area, said the system works similarly to a rideshare model, where drivers choose the rides they want and skip trips they dont want to take. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Riders can view their scheduled rides on their Modivcare app. They also receive text messages about their trip. The day before a trip, if a rider is matched with a driver, the name of the subcontractor will show up. An example of a Modivcare drivers work schedule. Photo courtesy Will Gerrish. Gerrish said his schedule is completely full, taking eight to 20 patients to appointments a day, and that the way trips are scheduled often means he is late. It just seems like as long as they get a ride, they don't (care) what time, Gerrish said of Modivcare. (I) show up 15, 20 minutes late because they overload the schedules. They don't have enough people to do it. Gerrish is paid $20 an hour by the subcontractor he works for, Care Way Express LLC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subcontracted drivers can choose to accept or decline the trip based on their availability, empowering local small businesses with the flexibility to grow sustainably while participating in a statewide network, Orifice said in an email. When coverage is limited or a trip is declined by a subcontracted driver, Modivcare-employed fleets step in to ensure members still receive the care they need without disruption. Gerrish said he is skeptical that rides are arranged by Modivcare representatives based in Maine because his schedule rarely accounts for the entire drive time, the rural nature of certain communities or the full drive back from each location. Gerrish, Dunn and Balladur each said they had interacted with call center representatives who said they were based in other states, including Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia. Orifice said that MaineCare calls are routed to state-based representatives, who are specifically trained and authorized to access the systems used to serve Maine members, and that all calls, even after business hours, will be handled by in-state representatives as of July 1. Riders also raised concerns about Modivcares physical presence in Maine. The company has one listed address in the state, which is a lower-level office in a South Portland business park. The South Portland business park where Modivcares call center is located. Photo by Adrienne Washington. During a visit to the office in mid-June, a Monitor reporter observed one person working, Susan Taylor, Modivcare Maines fleet manager. She said only a few of the companys 113 in-state employees come into the call center because everybody started working remote during the pandemic. The companys state contract requires the call center to have adequate capacity to conveniently schedule needed transportation to the eight counties it serves. I would worry about not having a real storefront presence, a real presence in the community, said Hay, from Penquis. To be embedded in a community really matters to those we serve. Modivcare did not respond to questions about these concerns. Tracking performance metrics According to figures provided by the state, Modivcare received approximately 58 complaints a month from January to March, up from 52 on average from January to September 2024. Modivcare had the highest complaint rate of all brokers last year, at .07 percent a month. DHHS figures show 80 complaints in 2024 for all three transportation brokers, down from 157 in 2023. From January through September 2024, Modivcare reported missing less than 0.1 percent of all trips, or 79 a month on average. From January to March of this year, Modivcare drivers missed an average of 154 trips a month, according to state data. DHHS did not provide documentation to support these figures. Riders and advocates said the states metrics might not capture the full scope of concerns, as the complaint process deters many from speaking up. A bill introduced earlier this year, L.D. 1835, would require DHHS to post data on the number of rides and complaints, among other things, on a public website, as well as create an independent ombudsman to review the performance metrics. The bill saw a lot of support, with over 60 pieces of testimony, many of which described the challenges patients in rural areas have getting to medical appointments. While we appreciate the transportation provided through MaineCare, we have witnessed barriers for our patients such as late drop-offs, so they miss an appointment, or late pickups, so they are waiting for hours for their ride. There are patients who have difficulty booking rides as well, wrote Anne Conners of Cushing in submitted testimony. If patients and community members cannot access transportation in a low-barrier (manner), they will not be able to receive care in our facilities, postponing care until there is a crisis. Lives are literally on the line. The bill was carried over to the next session for further consideration. The states contract for the next year added language to clarify that trip scheduling and complaints should be handled by employees in Maine and added additional reporting requirements for the brokers. Moldovan President Maia Sandu said on July 4 that her country's European Union aspirations depend on Moldovan citizens as a crucial September 28 election approaches. Sandu hopes her pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) will retain its parliamentary majority, paving the way for Moldova, one of Europe's poorest nations, to join the EU by 2030. Sandu made her remarks at the conclusion of the 27-nation bloc's inaugural summit with Moldova. Her PAS party faces a challenge from the pro-Russian Socialist Party and its allies in the upcoming election. Sandu secured re-election last year by a narrow margin against a Socialist challenger in the ex-Soviet state, located between Ukraine and Romania. A referendum seeking public backing for EU membership also just barely surpassed a 50% majority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Prosperity and peace do not occur for nothing, you have to build them. With collective effort and unity. When citizens are united and choose the correct path and proceed along it," Sandu told a news conference after the summit. "The European Union is already happening here. The only risk is if we stop. If we decide this autumn that nothing will stop us, then everything is possible." Sandu and her party have condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and accuse Moscow of destabilizing Moldova. Russia, in turn, claims many Moldovans desire to maintain ties with Moscow and accuses Sandu of fostering Russophobia. Opinion polls suggest that no single party will likely secure a parliamentary majority. If no majority emerges, pro-European parties would need to engage in coalition talks. At the summit, which included European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council head Antonio Costa, the EU announced the disbursement of the first 270 million ($318 million) tranche of an Economic Growth Plan for Moldova. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Disingenuous Hegseth paused Ukraine weapons despite Pentagon finding aid wouldnt hurt US readiness, NBC reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. NEED TO KNOW A Texas mom recalled her daughters' rescue amid flooding at Camp Mystic in Texas on July 4 Serena Hanor Aldrich told the New York Times that her children hadn't shared a lot about what they experienced during the rescue, as dozens of other campers remain missing Search and rescue efforts continue in the state A mother is recalling her two daughters' rescue amid the catastrophic flooding that occurred at a Christian girls-only summer camp in Texas, as several other campers remain missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking with the New York Times, Serena Hanor Aldrich said her daughters, ages 9 and 12, haven't shared a lot about what they experienced on Friday, July 4, before they were reunited with their mom after being rescued amid flooding at Camp Mystic where nearly two dozen girls remain unaccounted for. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said during a press conference on July 4 that 23 girls out of 750 were missing from the camp near the Guadalupe River following flooding, per ABC affiliate WFAA. Kerr County Sheriff Larry L. Leitha has since said that officials have recovered 27 total bodies across the area, including those of nine children. Over 850 people, meanwhile, have been evacuated or rescued in the area, per CNN. Aldrich, who reunited with her two girls on the evening of July 4, told the Times that those running Camp Mystic "should have been watching the Texas Division of Emergency Management and Kerr County." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were posting stuff yesterday morning," the San Antonio-based lawyer added of flash flood warnings. "They should have been on top of it. Eric Vryn/Getty Trees emerge from flood waters along the Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025 Trees emerge from flood waters along the Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025 The mother also told the outlet that her daughters were in two different sections of the camp when those on site had to search for higher ground to avoid the floods. With her younger daughter in an area called the flats, and her older child at Senior Hill, she told the Times that her girls "came down when the water receded." "And then they made it to one of the buildings that wasnt flooded anymore. They were up there for a couple of hours," Aldrich added of her kids' experience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Aldrich was informed her daughters were accounted for earlier in the day, she eventually reunited with them when they were taken to an elementary school in Ingram, which had been used as the reunification center for campers and parents. While her girls appeared happy when reuniting with their mom, Aldrich told the Times that she isn't sure how the tragedy will impact them. There still are campers missing, she said. Among those who are reported missing are 8-year-old Hadley Hannah and Eloise Peck and Lila Bonner of Dallas, per WFAA. Kellyanne Lytal, Molly DeWitt, Janie Hunt and Lainey Landry fellow camp members also remain missing, KSAT, Fox 26 Houston and CNN reported, citing family members. WANE 15 reported that Greta Toranzo and Virginia Hollis are unaccounted for as well. Renee Smajstrla, 8, meanwhile, has been confirmed dead by her family, according to The Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement on July 4 that the state is providing all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods. "Tonight, I signed a disaster declaration to ensure local officials have the resources to continue to respond to floods in the Hill Country," he wrote on X. "Texas will stop at nothing to ensure every missing person is fully accounted for." Since the flooding took place, Texas officials pointed fingers at the National Weather Service (NWS) during search-and-rescue updates, according to Forbes, with W. Nim Kidd, director of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, stating that the NWS didn't predict the amount of rain that we saw." The NWS issued a flash flood warning on the afternoon of Thursday, July 3, which mentioned Kerr County, where flooding began, per Forbes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leitha confirmed during a Saturday, June 5, news conference that officials will continue to search for every single person missing from the floods, per CNN. One thing I want to tell you and assure yall is, that we will not stop until every single person is found weve got all the resources we need, he said. Tragic incidents like this affect us all. This community is strong and will continue to pull together during this tragic time, Leitha added. We have been humbled by the outpouring of support; we are very appreciative everyone thats stepped up to help us. PEOPLE reached out to the Kerr County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) for updates on the missing girls on Saturday, July 5. PEOPLE contacted Camp Mystic for comment on July 4. Read the original article on People NEED TO KNOW A mom in Australia is suing a hospital after her infant allegedly died following a nine-hour wait Melissa Nowland's 7-month-old daughter Lexie Mae Nowland died in March 2022 The infant is believed to have died of sepsis meningitis A mom is suing a hospital, alleging negligence after her infant allegedly died following a nine-hour wait. Melissa Nowland is taking legal action against the Northern Territory government and Royal Darwin Hospital following the March 2022 death of her daughter Lexie Mae Nowland, according to a writ obtained by PEOPLE. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation was the first to report the news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lexie, who had multiple heart surgeries at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne in the past, was transferred to the hospital in Northern Territory for inpatient management of her congenital heart condition in January 2022, per the document. After a four-day stay, the child was discharged, but she was then readmitted in March to have her feeding tube transitioned. During that time, Lexie was also treated for vomiting, fever and agitation by the hospital's emergency department, according to the writ. Lexie had a review scheduled for the following morning after she was discharged for that visit, but when Melissa called the hospital with concern about her daughter's health that night, she claimed she was advised to just arrive for Lexie's review early the next morning, per the document. The following day, however, the writ alleged that Lexi "did not undergo clinical review by a pediatric consultant until" hours later, and the infant suffered a cardiac arrest during that time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lexie was resuscitated, but she then suffered another cardiac arrest hours later. Lexi was eventually pronounced dead that night. According to Australian crowdfunding website MyCause, Lexie died of sepsis meningitis. DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Sign for Royal Darwin Hospital Sign for Royal Darwin Hospital Melissa is now suing the government on behalf of herself, the baby's father and her two sisters, alleging that the hospital failed to "properly assess, treat and manage" Lexie's condition and provide aid for "suspected sepsis, dehydration/fluid and electrolyte disturbance." The treatment that was given, the mother further alleged, "fell below a reasonable standard of care." In a statement to PEOPLE, a Northern Territory Health spokesperson said, "As this matter is part of legal proceedings, NT Health is unable to provide comment." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The writ claims that "the defendant's negligence caused or materially contributed to the deceased's death." "By reason of the defendant's negligence, the plaintiff has suffered nervous shock and has and will continue to suffer injury, loss and damage, including psychiatric injury," the document continues. Melissa also alleged that the hospital "failed to appreciate" her daughter was "at risk of acute deterioration," failed to advise her to visit the emergency department ahead of her death and failed "to [recognize] the parental concern in respect of [her] condition." She is suing for damages for psychiatric injury, compensation and burial costs. Read the original article on People The specter of a constitutional crisis has haunted more than one American presidency. From the Civil War to Bush v. Gore, moments of institutional stress have provoked warnings that the Constitution itself might be faltering. In recent years, that phrase constitutional crisis has become a staple of the national conversation, debated so often in op-eds, podcasts, and cable news segments that it risks becoming cliche. But what does a true constitutional crisis actually look like? And are we living through one now? We asked three legal thinkers each with a distinct worldview and constitutional philosophy to wrestle with that question. Their answers are surprising, provocative and not uniform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former federal judge Thomas Griffith offers a deeply personal reading of the crisis. After decades working within the system as Senate counsel, appellate judge and teacher hes come to see the Constitutions most radical promise not in its checks and balances, but in its blueprint for unity. Griffith argues that the true constitutional emergency isnt institutional overreach its toxic polarization. And the framers, he believes, left us a roadmap out. Ilya Shapiro, of the Manhattan Institute, challenges the premise altogether. What some interpret as crisis, he argues, may be the product of a hyperpolarized political culture now overlaying and distorting judicial interpretation. Noah Feldman, a Harvard law professor and scholar of constitutional history, looks at the question through an unexpected lens: Latter-day Saint theology. He finds in that religious tradition not only a belief that the Constitution is divinely inspired, but a moral imperative to defend its protections for all flesh citizen and noncitizen alike especially in moments of strain. Together, these essays dont deliver a tidy answer. They offer something better: a serious and conflicting set of diagnoses from minds deeply immersed in the Constitutions design and purpose. The result is a portrait of a system under pressure and a debate about where we go from here. In the framers we trust By Thomas B. Griffith I missed it. Although it was always right before me for decades, I totally missed the most important purpose of the Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been an eager student of the American Constitution since high school. I dutifully and happily carry my pocket copy of the Constitution with me wherever I go. Though not a scholar, I read what the best scholars of the Constitution have to teach us about this remarkable document. In my spare time, I listen to podcasts and read books and articles about the Constitution. In my legal career, Ive been the chief lawyer for the United States Senate, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and currently am a lecturer in law at a law school. Each of these positions required that I study the Constitution. And in my study, I had always assumed that the Constitution was created to protect our rights and it does and to create a federal government of enumerated and limited powers and it does. But what I had not realized until recently is that an even more fundamental purpose of the Constitution and the chief aim of its drafters in 1787 is to show us something about which its framers cared deeply and should speak to us with great force today: how to get along with people with whom we disagree. In other words, the Constitution can show us how to get out of the mess we are in. Add me to the list of those who argue that the nation is facing a constitutional crisis. In fact, the crisis I see is the most serious threat to the Constitution since the Civil War. But this crisis is not about the power of the president or the roles of Congress and the courts. Its not about a threat to the freedom of speech, the free exercise of religion, or equality of opportunity. Those are vital principles and precious rights about which we must always be vigilant. The crisis that threatens the Constitution is the toxic political polarization that has beset the nation in recent years. Ironically, much of that polarization is driven by people who think that they are defending the Constitution, but who miss its primary purpose the way I had. When their zeal is fueled by contempt for those with whom they disagree, their words and actions become a threat to the Constitution. Social science research supports what we have all experienced firsthand. Too much of our public discourse is animated by contempt. As Arthur Brooks notes, Political scientists find that our nation is more polarized than it has been at any time since the Civil War. Recent surveys show that the level of enmity between Republicans and Democrats in America today approaches the levels between Protestants and Catholics during the Troubles in Northern Ireland and between Palestinians and Israelis today. We arent accustomed to think of ourselves in that company, but here we are. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over 70 percent of Republicans think that Democrats are immoral. Over 60 percent of Democrats think the same of Republicans. Such contempt is a cancer on the body politic. As the late conservative columnist Michael Gerson noted, (The Constitution) is designed for vigorous disagreement. It is not designed for irreconcilable contempt. The social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, not one prone to apocalyptic forecasts, predicts, (T)here is a very good chance that ... we will have a catastrophic failure of our democracy. The reason? We just dont know what a democracy looks like when you drain all trust out of the system. Actually, we do know what that looks like: the January 6 storming of the Capitol. But there is good news. A large majority of Americans are tired of this toxic polarization, and there is a way out. In fact, the Constitution itself and the way it was created provide a road map forward. As Yuval Levin points out in his paradigm-shifting book, American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation And Could Again (the most important book on the Constitution Ive ever read), the Constitution is an answer to the question of how the people of a nation as diverse as ours can act together even though we dont think alike. The preamble to the Constitution announces its purpose is to form a more perfect union. The first third of the Federalist Papers are primarily about how the Constitution can help us achieve unity among people with differing views. (C)reating common ground, Levin notes, is a key purpose of the Constitution. ... It does so by compelling Americans with different views and priorities to deal with one another to compete, negotiate, and build coalitions in ways that drag us into common action even (indeed, especially) when we disagree. And this is done through the structure of the government the Constitution creates. The discussion during the Constitutional Convention in 1787 was primarily about the best structure of the government they were creating and how it might achieve national unity amid diversity. There was precious little discussion that summer about rights. (Fortunately, that would come four years later with the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Think for a moment about the structure of the national government the Constitution creates. Its terribly complicated. Law is made by the common action of three different institutions the House of Representatives, the Senate and the presidency chosen by different groups of people at different times. Anyone who has worked for the passage of a bill will attest to how difficult it is for a proposal to run this gauntlet and become law. This system is not built for efficiency. It is built to slow down proposals in hopes that any law that emerges will be carefully considered and the result of negotiation and compromise among the elected representatives of We the people. Absent the rare landslide election that sweeps into power a president whose party has large majorities in both houses of Congress, the only thing one wins in an election to the House, the Senate or the presidency is a seat at the negotiating table where you must bargain with others whose support you need. Of course that support comes at a cost. We call that compromise. The Constitution requires a different type of citizen than had ever been seen before on the world stage. A citizen who is willing to listen to his or her opponents, understand their concerns, and then be willing to compromise so that, to the extent possible, the various sides can find some common ground. Each side will have to give up something those in the minority more than the majority. But thats the genius of the Constitution. As Levin puts it, this complex process of lawmaking compels Americans to be a little more accommodating of one another. It gives us practical experience in living and acting together. The most succinct description I have heard of what the Constitution requires of a citizen comes from President Dallin H. Oaks. Oaks is not only a leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but he is also one of the most widely respected scholars of the Constitution, having been a state Supreme Court justice and a professor of law at the University of Chicago before taking on his ecclesiastical responsibilities. In remarks on the Constitution that he gave to a worldwide assembly of the church in April 2021, President Oaks declared that on contested issues, we should seek to moderate and to unify. In a speech given at the University of Virginia later that year, President Oaks explained that the structure of the government the Constitution created could only work if there was good faith negotiation and mutual accommodation among citizens of differing views. And as he told former federal judge and Dean Emeritus David Levi in an interview in Judicature, it is antithetical to the Constitution to expect or seek total dominance for our own positions. A large majority of Americans are tired of this toxic polarization, and there is a way out. In fact, the Constitution itself and the way it was created provide a road map forward. Significantly, this understanding of the purpose of the Constitution also describes the way it was created in the first instance at the Constitutional Convention in the summer of 1787. Those who created the government that requires good faith negotiation and mutual accommodation practiced what they preached. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By July 1787, it appeared that the work of the convention would fail. No agreement had been reached, and there was serious talk of delegates leaving for home. And yet by September, the delegates had cobbled together a Constitution. So unlikely was this turn of events that one popular history of the convention is titled Miracle at Philadelphia. I am a Christian, and I believe in miracles. But my understanding is that a miracle is an event that defies rational explanation, such as the parting of the waves during the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, or the resurrection of Jesus. By this definition, no miracle took place in the summer of 1787. We know exactly how the delegates succeeded because George Washington told us. In his letter transmitting the proposed Constitution to the Confederation Congress, Washington wrote, The Constitution, which we now present, is the result of a spirit of amity, and of that mutual deference and concession, which the peculiarity of our political situation rendered indispensable. Amity, mutual deference, concession. The delegates in Philadelphia practiced these virtues for the sake of creating a more perfect union. Legal scholar Derek Webb has done a deep dive into the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention to understand what Washington meant by amity, mutual deference and concession. The rules of the convention assumed that if you could gather together a group of people in the same room and have them listen to one another, they would change their minds, and that would be a very good thing. The delegates took their meals together in small groups that had people from South Carolina breaking bread with men from Massachusetts and discovering over time that they had more in common with one another than they had supposed. And there was much socializing among the delegates that summer. At key points in the summer, when tensions among delegates were on the rise, Benjamin Franklin threw lavish parties for them at his home and brought out his fine stock of port wine, which was gleefully enjoyed by all. All of this the rules, the dinners, the parties created an atmosphere in which the delegates, in the words of George Mason, grew into some acquaintance with each other and formed a proper correspondence of sentiments. In other words, they became friends who were willing to engage in good faith negotiations and seek mutual accommodations for the sake of unity. But they didnt reach unity out of the goodness of their hearts alone. They did so because their backs were against the wall. Failure to reach compromise would have posed an existential threat to the new nation. As Washington put it, the peculiarities of our political situation rendered (this approach) indispensable. Is that where we are as a people today? Im afraid so. Thats the bad news. But heres the good news. We know how to overcome the toxic polarization that threatens our nation. Its hard work, and it requires all of us to take to heart President Oaks charge, which is the charge of the Constitution itself, that on contested issues, we should seek to moderate and to unify. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thomas B. Griffith was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit by President George W. Bush in 2005. He retired from the D.C. Circuit in 2020 and is currently a lecturer at Harvard law school and a fellow at the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University. A clash of visions By Ilya Shapiro We didnt get very far into the second Trump administration before political commentators started wringing their hands about this or that constitutional crisis that wed stumbled into. Pundits took to the airwaves to allege that letting Elon Musk wreak havoc over federal agencies was the end of the republic, while law professors took to the op-ed pages to explain how the lack of due process in the administrations deportation policy signaled our slide toward authoritarianism. And then ... the laptop class moved on to worrying about their 401(k)s in the face of tariff uncertainty and the political class to squabbling over the budget bill. So were the crises averted? Did we survive to engage in our tribal fights another day, or is the danger still roiling in the background as the nation teeters on a precipice, metaphorically approaching midnight like a Doomsday Clock for the rule of law? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The answer depends on what you mean by all these weighty terms. A constitutional crisis is generally thought of as a problem in governmental operations or conflict between branches of power that a countrys foundational law is unable to resolve. Such a crisis can arise when the constitution fails, or is perceived as approaching failure, to give guidance to political actors regarding a contested situation or those actors simply ignore it. Sometimes constitutional mechanisms lead to political instability or other circumstances that lead political actors to contest each others legitimacy. Such was the case when the 1796 election resulted in a president (John Adams) and vice president (Thomas Jefferson) from different parties, and when Jefferson and his running mate Aaron Burr got the same number of electoral college votes in 1800. The rules were clear, but endangered stable governance, so the 12th Amendment was enacted to separate electoral votes for president and vice president. At other times, the Constitution is legally ambiguous about an unforeseen circumstance, so a practical resolution what law professors call liquidation sets the precedent for averting future crises. For example, in 1841, it was unclear when William Henry Harrison died 31 days into his presidency whether John Tyler actually succeeded him or just became acting president. Tyler took the oath of office and thus settled the matter. (Tyler was politically enfeebled during his term because he lacked a base of support in either party in Congress he was called His Accidency but thats a quirk of that eras partisan flux and not any constitutional weakness.) A constitutional crisis could lead to governmental paralysis or collapse, democratic backsliding or even civil war. Indeed, by far the greatest crisis the United States ever faced involved Southern states rejection of Abraham Lincolns policies against the expansion of slavery, instead choosing to secede. Lincoln in turn refused to recognize the breakaway republic and brought the Confederate states back into the union by bloody force. One hopes that well never have to test that resolution of the Constitutions silence regarding secession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But constitutional crises dont have to rise to the level of Ken Burns documentaries. Its not hard to conjure scenarios about which the Constitution would be ambiguous at best, or which opportunistic politicians would take advantage of to create doubts about the legitimacy of their rivals. Michigan State law professor Brian Kalt wrote a book in 2012 that lays out half a dozen hypothetical crises. Constitutional Cliffhangers discusses complications that could arise from: A president being criminally prosecuted. A president pardoning himself. Cabinet members trying to oust a disabled president, who then tries to oust them. The House speaker and secretary of state fighting for the presidency in the wake of the deaths of the president and vice president. An ex-president being impeached. A two-term president trying to stay in power. Some of these dont sound so fanciful after the political twists and turns of the last couple of decades, really dating back to Bush v. Gore in 2000, which wasnt so much a crisis as a statistical tie for one states electors. But they all involve the office of the presidency rather than how the holder of that office wields his power. Those complaining about President Donald Trump dont dispute his claim on the White House this time around but do accuse him of abusing his powers to the point of governing like the king who forced the hand of the founding generation to declare independence. One could certainly call the American Revolution a product of crisis in the British (unwritten) constitution. After all, the argument goes, firing agency heads, shuttering USAID, withholding funds that Congress appropriated, reversing environmental regulations by fiat, targeting law firms whose lawyers represent political adversaries, and putting the nations leading universities into federal receivership at the stroke of a hostile letter are all examples of an executive acting without any respect for legal or constitutional processes. Add in such things as unilaterally defining terms like woman and gender across the federal government plus rescinding not just Biden or Obama executive orders on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), but LBJs order on affirmative action and you have, on this view, a president acting like the dictator he once mused himself to be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The funny thing about all these examples is that institutional guardrails have held, just as they did in Trumps first term with regard to the travel ban and other things that led to cries of constitutional crisis. Dozens of lawsuits have been filed on a host of issues, with injunctions against some actions and the administration ultimately winning its fair share of rulings. Some of these issues pose open or at least contested legal questions. For example, its likely that next year the Supreme Court will overturn Humphreys Executor, the 1935 case that insulates the heads of independent agencies from presidential control. Other issues are just a manifestation of the pen and phone governance patterned by President Barack Obama, which accelerated the shift to our current populist moment. You live by the executive order, you die by the executive order. Moreover, as singular an individual as Donald Trump may be, hes not unique when it comes to pushing the envelope of executive power. President Joe Biden was judicially slapped down on issues ranging from vaccination mandates and eviction moratoria to environmental rules and student loan forgiveness and even after the Supreme Court blocked his student loan plan, he kept trying to do the same thing using other statutory workarounds. Biden also, a few days before the end of his term, issued a bizarre declaration that the Equal Rights Amendment had been ratified, which the National Archives promptly rejected. What we have isnt so much a constitutional crisis but legal manifestations of the political-cultural vibe shift weve been talking about since last Novembers election. There may be two novel examples of blatant Trumpian disregard for the constitutional order, but they dont fit the crisis narrative because of their heterodox ideological valences. Im thinking of the unilateral pausing of bipartisan legislation requiring the Chinese company ByteDance to divest itself of TikTok which law survived Supreme Court review and the emergency tariffs levied on the entire world. But even here, presidents of both parties have used the awesome tariff power that Congress delegated to them, with the judiciarys acquiescence. So all of our constitutional branches seem complicit, but none of that threatens to destabilize the republic (as opposed to our economy) or lead to a cold civil war. But what about more blatant disregard to the rule of law, such as the treatment of judicial orders regarding the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia or the use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members, or the revocation of hundreds of student visas over speech that the administration doesnt like? Each of these examples is also legally contestable. For example, can a court order the president or his agents to engage in diplomacy, even if it wouldnt be a big lift? Is it showing contempt to argue that a district court lacks jurisdiction when the Supreme Court ultimately agrees that habeas corpus claims must be filed where detainees are held? Can the United States not apply the rules regarding the visa ineligibility of foreigners who espouse certain disqualifying ideologies when those foreigners are already in the country? Sure, it isnt helpful to our political culture for a president and members of his administration to show disdain for or call for the impeachment of judges who rule against them. And the coy after you, my dear Alphonse dance performed by Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office thumbed its nose at the spirit, if not the letter, of the order requiring the government to facilitate Garcias return. But theres been nothing like Andrew Jacksons exclamation, John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it! which even if apocryphal reflected Old Hickorys opinion of judicial authority. And how do you weigh Trumps behavior against attacks on the Supreme Court by the Biden administration leading both the president and Vice President Kamala Harris to endorse court-packing and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumers threats against two justices if they ruled the wrong way on abortion? Or, more recently, Democratic lawmakers storming of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility and then claiming their arrests were somehow illegitimate? Theyre all bad is a fair response, but bad does not a crisis make. A lot of whats going on in the courts, for example, is procedural skirmishes over the proper scope and appealability of temporary restraining orders, or the propriety of nationwide or universal injunctions. The Supreme Court has been remiss in not giving lower courts more guidance on these technical issues Chief Justice John Roberts project to keep the court out of the political discourse has backfired repeatedly so it was heartening to see it take up the injunction issue, with a decision expected by the end of its current term in June or early July. (That argument was in the context of Trumps executive order eliminating birthright citizenship for children of people here temporarily or illegally. At least one law professor who worked in the Biden Justice Department has called that order a constitutional crisis in and of itself, but even as the longstanding practice to the contrary is clear, the meaning of the 14th Amendment isnt.) In short, what we have isnt so much a constitutional crisis but legal manifestations of the political-cultural vibe shift weve been talking about since last Novembers election. Courts are still more respected than any other part of government at a time of historically low societal trust, and confidence in the Supreme Court is still high relative to its coequal branches, but thats despite the historically large difference in opinion by partisanship or ideology. Its apparent that Americans especially American elites have conflicting constitutional visions, and what weve seen lately is the confluence of trends where divergent interpretive theories map onto partisan preference at a time when the parties are more polarized and ideologically sorted than any time since at least the Civil War. Theres no easy way to liquidate those kinds of differences. Ilya Shapiro is director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute and author, most recently, of Lawless: The Miseducation of Americas Elites. He also writes the Shapiros Gavel newsletter on Substack. Aad Goudappel for the Deseret News The Constitution needs believers By Noah Feldman Among the many fascinating and rich beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have always been especially engaged by the teaching that the U.S. Constitution is divinely inspired. Perhaps this is because I am, by profession, a teacher of constitutional law. For someone who has dedicated much of his life to studying the Constitution, there is something hopeful in the belief that it is part of a divine plan. When our constitutional traditions and values seem to be faltering, or when they face especially difficult tests and challenges, a degree of faith in the underlying endeavor of constitutional democracy can be particularly valuable. This is one of those times. Since his inauguration, President Donald J. Trump, sworn to uphold the Constitution, has repeatedly taken unilateral executive actions that federal courts have determined to violate the letter and spirit of our foundational document and the laws duly enacted pursuant to it. These range from violations of the individual rights of people in the United States to violations of the separation of powers to violations of the rule of law, the underlying principle of the Constitution itself. To be clear: This is not normal. The challenge to the Constitution, its norms and its values that we are currently facing is without precedent. Many presidents have occasionally taken actions reversed by the courts as unconstitutional. Congress has very occasionally passed laws that were struck down on constitutional grounds. But no previous president has acted similarly, taking scores of actions in a short period of time that, in the estimation of the courts, directly violated the Constitution and the laws. The question therefore arises: What is the appropriate response to unprecedented challenge to constitutional norms at the highest level of the U.S. government? At the legal level, the answer is relatively simple. Affected parties can and should go to court to vindicate not only their rights, but the Constitution and the rule of law that it embodies. Courts should hear those claims, consider them in the light of the Constitution as it has been interpreted by the Supreme Court, and rule accordingly. Then, all citizens must stand up for the Constitution as interpreted by the courts, insisting that the president and other executive branch officials comply with lawful court orders. What, though, is the right moral answer to the question of how to respond to unconstitutional conduct and attitudes? To address this question, which is more profound than the legal one, we need to understand the moral basis for the Constitution and its values. In my view, there is no single moral theory of the Constitution that can be identified as definitively correct at least in constitutional terms. Even if one believes in a single, unified, true morality, applying it to the Constitution will still be a matter of interpretation in which disagreement between reasonable people of goodwill is still possible. I have long been intrigued by one such interpretation, of one moral vision of constitutional purpose, expressed in terms of and grounded in Latter-day Saint doctrine and teaching. That interpretation begins with a universalist, inclusive ethic of constitutional purpose, as opposed to a narrow, nationalist one focused only on U.S. citizens and their interests. From there, it proceeds to the principles of judicial independence and the rule of law, conceived as necessary instruments for facilitating the universal vision. This vision should be of interest not only to Latter-day Saint believers, but to people like me who do not belong to the faith, but who are committed to constitutional values and want our Constitution to have good moral reasons to exist and to survive. A good place to start is an important address delivered in April 2021 by President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency of the church, delivered during its semiannual general conference under the title Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution. First, a quick disclaimer: It is always tricky for someone who is not an adherent of a particular faith tradition to explicate a profoundly religious text. I offer my interpretation and application of President Oaks teaching in humility and respect for President Oaks and for the church, noting the obvious truth that I can in no way claim my reading is a faithful one, but can only pray that I have captured something of the spirit that, to my mind at least, permeates the speech. In presenting the idea of the divinely inspired Constitution, President Oaks focuses not on Doctrine and Covenants 101:80, a very clear and direct statement of the Constitutions divine inspiration, but another Latter-day Saint scripture (D&C 101:77), which refers to the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles. Here I want to emphasize a remarkable aspect of this verse: its universality. God says he intends the Constitution to protect all flesh not just Americans or citizens of the United States. The resonant phrase all flesh is the biblical language most often used to invoke all humanity, regardless of belonging or membership. Consider, for example, Isaiah 66:23: And it shall come to pass, that every new moon, and every sabbath, shall all flesh come to worship before me, says the Lord. In Isaiahs prophetic vision, just one verse after God has promised to make the new heavens and the new earth, all humans shall be united as one in the worship of the Lord. What does this mean in our current moment? It means, I would like to propose, that our Constitution does not simply protect U.S. citizens. It protects all flesh who live under its jurisdiction. That decisively includes noncitizens present in the United States who themselves have long been held to possess fundamental constitutional rights. This is a very particular moral reading of the Constitution one that is universalist and inclusive. It is by no means the only way to read the text or the traditions of the Constitution. The notorious Dred Scott decision excluded people of African descent from We the people, and was overturned only by the Civil War and the Reconstruction amendments. In a 1990 decision, U.S. v. Verdugo-Urquidez, then-Chief Justice William Rehnquist suggested in nonbinding dicta that perhaps constitutional rights afforded to the people might not extend to noncitizens in the U.S. Yet the 14th Amendment specifies that its protections extend to everyone who is a person. Thus, rights to life, liberty and property under the 14th Amendment have been held to apply to noncitizens in the United States. Similarly, in 1945, in the case of Bridges v. Wixon, the Supreme Court held that Freedom of speech and of the press is accorded aliens residing in this country. It is beyond the purview of this essay to address technical issues of when and how fundamental rights protections under the Constitution apply to noncitizens. It should suffice to observe that D&C 101:77, as invoked by President Oaks, offers moral justification for the constitutional idea that all humans under the jurisdiction of the United States deserve protection. Views to the contrary are, I think, inconsistent with the moral vision of a Constitution. The lesson is strikingly relevant. Constitutional protection of noncitizens has become an important and controversial topic under the Trump administration. Noncitizens have repeatedly been the targets of executive action, especially summary deportation without a hearing, that have been challenged as unlawful in the federal courts and found to be unlawful. A morally universal, inclusive Constitution requires, I believe, a deep commitment to protecting all people, not only citizens. From the universal moral principle, we can move on to the means of effectuating it. In his speech, President Oaks named five divinely inspired principles. These are, in brief, (1) popular sovereignty, (2) federalism, (3) the separation of powers, (4) the fundamental protections of the Bill of Rights, and (5) the Constitution as the embodiment of the rule of law, not of men. I find it noteworthy that President Oaks considers the separation of powers to be a divinely inspired aspect of the Constitution. As he notes, the inspiration in the American convention was to delegate independent executive, legislative, and judicial powers so these three branches could exercise checks upon one another. It is through our actions that we will preserve our constitutional republic, or, heaven forbid, lose it. The argument here is powerful and original: According to President Oaks, the contribution of American constitutional thought on the separation of powers is the idea of the independence of the different branches. That independence, according to this view, enables the branches to check one another. Make no mistake, the independence of the judicial branch is under genuine threat today. Repeatedly, the current presidential administration has either violated judicial orders (according to the federal courts) or come so close to doing so that judicial independence is threatened. At one point, the current president, posting on social media, called for the impeachment and removal of a federal district court judge who had issued a temporary restraining order adverse to the administrations policy. In response, Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rare public statement explaining that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. Roberts, who cares deeply about preserving the independence of the judiciary, understood the presidents statement as seeking to intimidate the judiciary, thus undermining its independence. Last, and perhaps most important, President Oaks argues for the divine inspiration of the core constitutional principle that we are to be governed by law and not by individuals. As President Oaks explains, since ours is a government of laws, our loyalty is to the Constitution and its principles and processes, not to any office holder. Whatever any president, including President Trump, may say, government employees and we the citizens ourselves do not owe fealty to the president. Our responsibilities and our oaths run to the Constitution, which is itself the supreme law of the land. This principle, alongside the principle that all persons are to be equal before the law, President Oaks writes, comes to block the autocratic ambitions that have corrupted democracy in some countries. This point could hardly be more important for current constitutional conditions. The rule of law, which itself depends in practice on the independence of the different branches of government, exists to protect our freedoms against the power of any one person. The rule of law is intended to block autocratic ambitions. The complex of five constitutional values identified by President Oaks as divinely inspired together serve the underlying purpose of the Constitution identified in D&C 101:77, namely the protection of the freedoms of all flesh. Of course, one may accept all President Oaks arguments as a matter of political theory and constitutional principle without also embracing his belief, or the churchs doctrine, that the Constitution is divinely inspired. Such belief is, like other religious belief, very much a matter of personal faith and of the individuals relationship to the concept of divine inspiration itself. As someone who is not a Latter-day Saint, I have no intention to encourage readers to adopt religious beliefs that they do not already have. At the same time, I have engaged in the foregoing exegesis of Doctrine and Covenants 101:77 and of President Oaks message because I believe, with full faith, that today our Constitution needs all the commitment and assistance it can get. The Constitution today requires support from all sources, human and divine. It is through our actions that we will preserve our constitutional republic, or, heaven forbid, lose it. Our fallible human agency means that the decision is in our own hands, as the establishment of the Constitution was in the hands of the framers who created the original compact and the all-important amendments that fulfill its promise by protecting liberty and equality. May we be worthy successors to those who came before us. May we leave to our posterity a Constitution that is worthy of the high aspirations we are bidden to fulfill. Noah Feldman is Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, chair of the Society of Fellows, and founding director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law, all at Harvard University. This story appears in the July/August 2025 issue of DeseretMagazine. Learn more about how to subscribe. Police footage has shown the moment a drug dealer who tortured and murdered a love rival was taken off a plane at Manchester Airport as he arrived back in the UK from South America and arrested. John Belfield, 31, was one of a four-strong gang who killed Thomas Campbell in Tameside in July 2022 and he went on the run to Brazil after the murder. Mr Campbell, 38, had been in a relationship with Belfield's former partner, Demi Lee-Driver. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Belfield was given a life sentence at Manchester Crown Court on Friday, and ordered to spend a minimum of 34 years and 261 days in prison. Belfield fled Manchester the day after the "horrific" killing, going first to North Wales before catching a ferry to Ireland, Greater Manchester Police said. He then travelled to Amsterdam, France, Spain and then to Brazil before arriving in Suriname, the former Dutch colony on the north eastern coast of South America. His trip home though was far simpler. Just over a year after the murder he was arrested in Suriname for drug offences and had served a year's sentence there before he was returned to Manchester Airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were cries of "rot in hell" from the public gallery at Manchester Crown Court as Belfield was sentenced. Belfield and his associates had been tracking Mr Campbell so they could follow him home [Greater Manchester Police] In 2022, Belfield had put a tracker on Mr Campbell's car to find out where he lived. On 2 July he lay in wait for him to come home before inflicting hours of torturous violence on him. The gang ambushed him at his front door, assaulted him, and dragged him inside. For two hours Mr Campbell was stabbed, strangled and had hot liquid poured on his genitals, the trial heard. A post mortem examination showed he suffered more than 61 injuries. After Mr Campbell was "tortured to death", Det Sgt Paul Davies said Belfield "cowardly went on the run". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When his associates went on trial in 2023, he said Belfield sent messages from abroad "looking to influence proceedings". John Belfield has been ordered to serve nearly 35 years in jail [GMP] Belfield showed "complete disregard for the victim and a true lack of remorse, which is testament to his character," Det Sgt Davies added. During the murder inquiry, detectives analysed hundreds of hours of CCTV and nearly 3,000 exhibits, spoke to more than 200 witnesses and arrested 19 people, the force said. Belfield's associates, Reece Steven, 29, of Middleton, Steven Cleworth, 38, of Heywood, and Mr Campbell's ex-wife Coleen Campbell, 38, of Manchester, were also jailed over Mr Campbell's death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Campbell's father, Terry Campbell said in his victim impact statement there were "no words" to describe his family's loss. "We all live with a broken heart," he added. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. More on this story Related internet links CARTHAGE, Mo. July 5 has long been a historic day in Carthage, as residents remember an early battle of the Civil War, which happened here on July 5, 1861, but this year the day had a special flavor. It included placement of a new monument on the Jasper County Courthouse lawn and a new living history event to upgrade the traditional Vespers Service that had been held since the 1990s. Dedication A group led by retired Missouri Southern State University history professor Paul Teverow and including members of Battle of Carthage Inc., the Phelps Camp of the Sons of Union Veterans, and others, gathered Saturday on the northeast corner of the courthouse lawn to place a monument focused on Union veterans of the Battle of Carthage. It stands next to one that focuses on the Missouri State Guard veterans, and which has been there since 1999. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Teverow and members of those groups, along with the Steadley Trust, Robert S. Thurman American Legion Post 13, the Sherwood/Rader Farm Civil War Memorial Park, and local residents interested in history raised about $9,000 to create the new monument. They're beautiful monuments and they look good together, said Garry Keene, a representative of the Battle of Carthage Inc. I think both of them pretty much tell the feelings of each side. The Battle of Carthage Inc.s role is we try to help different organizations to get the education out there of what happened at the Battle of Carthage. Living History event The second first of the day was the remembrance of the Battle of Carthage that culminated at 7 p.m. with the traditional Vespers Service at a new location. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is all being held at the Kendrick Place, a red-brick home in Kendricktown just north of Carthage that was built in 1847 and served as a medical aid station at the Battle of Carthage. Paul Wilson with the Maj. Thomas R. Livingston Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, said his group is hosting this event as something of an upgrade for the traditional Vespers Service, a memorial service which was normally held at the Battle of Carthage State Historic Site but wasnt held in 2024 for the first time since the 1990s. Wilson said the Livingston Camp meets at the Kendrick House and is working to raise money needed to restore it. Background Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Battle of Carthage involved 1,100 Union soldiers and about 6,000 Missouri State Guard soldiers under the command of Missouri Governor Claiborne Fox Jackson that were heading south to join the Confederate army in Arkansas. The Union soldiers were intended to work with a much larger Union Army under Gen. Nathanial Lyon approaching from the north to destroy the Missouri State Guard before it could join the Confederacy but the larger Union Army commanded but Lyons force was delayed by weather in the Boonville area. That left Col. Franz Sigels Union troops outnumbered nearly four to one when they met the State Guard about nine miles north of Carthage and fighting for their lives as they retreated to Carthage. The battle ended at nightfall with the State Guard in possession of Carthage and Sigels troops marching all night to Sarcoxie, then marching to a federal stronghold at Springfield. LONDON (AP) More than 20 people were arrested Saturday on suspicion of terrorism offenses after protesters gathered in central London in support of Palestine Action. The protest in Parliament Square came hours after the pro-Palestinian activist group was banned in Britain under anti-terrorism laws. The group lost a last-minute court battle late Friday seeking to block the British government's ban, which came into effect at midnight. Activists and their supporters have said the group is non-violent and advocates civil disobedience, and condemned the government decision as authoritarian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A small group of protesters stood beneath a statue of Mahatma Gandhi and held placards reading, I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action. Police surrounded them and several people were taken away. One woman seen lying on the ground in handcuffs was carried by officers to a police van. Palestine Action is a proscribed group and officers will act where criminal offences are committed, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. The designation as a proscribed group under the Terrorism Act 2000 means that membership of the group and support of its actions a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some 81 organizations are already proscribed under the UK act, including Hamas and al-Qaida. The government moved to ban Palestine Action after activists broke into a Royal Air Force base in Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, England, on June 20, damaging two planes using red paint and crowbars in protest at the British government's ongoing military support for Israel in its war in Gaza. Police said that the incident caused around 7 million pounds' ($9.4 million) worth of damage. Four people between 22 and 35 years old were charged Thursday with conspiracy to commit criminal damage and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place for purposes prejudicial to the interests of the U.K. No pleas were entered at Westminster Magistrates Court in central London and the four are scheduled to appear on July 18 at the Central Criminal Court. CHULA VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) Authorities identified on Friday the motorcyclist who was killed when a car intentionally drove into him on I-805 in Chula Vista earlier this week. Jorge Uribe, 53, was identified as the deceased in Mondays crash, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiners Office. His death was ruled a homicide. The crash occurred around 8:03 p.m. in the southbound lanes of I-805 near Telegraph Canyon Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, California Highway Patrol said that the driver of a red Tesla drove at a high rate of speed in the HOV lane and intentionally drove into the rear of the BMW motorcycle ridden by Uribe. Video shows dog being dragged by car in Spring Valley The Tesla, driven by a 22-year-old man from San Diego, then struck a pickup truck that had six people inside. All of the occupants in the pickup truck were taken to hospitals. The Tesla ended up on its side, while the driver ran from authorities before being apprehended. He faces several felony charges, including murder, the CHP said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. More than 200 people gathered on Saturday to bid farewell to sculptor Gunther Uecker, one of the most important German post-war artists. Born in 1930 in northern Germany, Uecker rose to international fame by incorporating nails into art. His signature nail reliefs, arranged into tactile, sculptural paintings, are displayed in museums and political institutions worldwide. He died on June 10 at the age of 95. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A funeral service held in Schwerin paid tribute to his close ties to the north-eastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where he was born. After beginning his studies in the former East Germany, Uecker moved to the western city of Dusseldorf in 1955 to continue his art studies uninfluenced by political dogma and inspired by new developments in abstract art. He later became a pioneer of the ZERO avant-garde movement that aimed to create a new beginning in art by exploring light, space, and movement, often using unconventional materials and techniques. Uecker travelled globally with a humanitarian peace message, exhibiting in many countries, including dictatorships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He created ash paintings after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, advocated for the indigenous Navajo people, and displayed human rights messages in Beijing. He staged "happenings" such as kissing painter Gerhard Richter at an event in the Kunsthalle Baden-Baden in 1968. And Uecker rode a camel through the corridors of Kunstakademie Dusseldorf, where he was teaching, in 1978. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Uecker returned regularly to Mecklenburg to work and designed four large stained-glass windows in shades of blue for Schwerin Cathedral. Alongside members of his family, attendees at the funeral service included former president Joachim Gauck and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Premier Manuela Schwesig. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Gunther Uecker was a person who had the power to move the world with a nail," said Schwesig, as she paid tribute to Uecker's artistic work. He got involved, spoke out against war, oppression and oblivion, and created spaces for dialogue and hope, she said. She presented him with the state's Order of Merit in 2023, one of many honours bestowed upon the artist. In recent weeks, the Trump administration and Israels government have opted to partner with the Delaware-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), founded in February 2025, to distribute aid to a population that borders on the brink of starvation. Its a move that has been described as using food as a weapon, according to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) director of philanthropy Hani Almadhoun. The new organization has existed for a handful of months, and has been responsible for killing more than 600 Palestinians, Almadhoun, whose brother is chef Mahmoud Almadhoun, told MSNBCs Chris Hayes on Friday. More from TheWrap Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are not just statistics. We have family and friends in California whose siblings have been killed at those sites, he continued. This is not somewhere were not removed from this. This is the case where Israeli soldiers, some of them are dual citizens, and American, lets just say, mercenaries who are hired with big pay and brought into Gaza to shoot the people who are being starved. This is not the way to do it. Established in 1949 by the UN General Assembly, UNRWA initially supported both Israeli and Palestinian refugees in the region. Israels government took over responsibility for its citizens in 1952. The organization employs over 30,000 people and provides pathways toward education, employment and social services, as well as direct relief to the Palestinian people. Operating GHF is also expensive, Almadhoun added, as they spend more than half of their budget on armored vehicles a luxury not afforded to aid organizations who have been in the region for years, if not decades. Guess who doesnt have armored vehicles? UNRWA does not. Any UN agency. Even outside the UN, theres many great American NGOs that work in Gaza. They have distanced themselves from this charade, this PR campaign that murders and hurts Palestinians, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The organization is solving a problem that shouldnt exist, Hayes replied. Almadhoun agreed: The issue that theyre using food as a weapon. Do you want to create as much pain as possible in Gaza? Because if a Palestinian receives their food aid from a UN agency or any other agency, theyre not going to feel disrupted [in] their lives as much. So this is the idea is to use it as a pressure point, a negotiation tactic. At the beginning of the pairs exchange, Almadhoun also said there are at least 1,000 UNRWA trucks waiting to enter Gaza. The organization has operated in Gaza and Israel since it began supporting refugees in the region. Unfortunately, he noted, those trucks have not been allowed to enter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are other key differences between UNRWA and GFH, Almadhoun explained. The former has 400 distribution sites in the region, which allows the opportunity to distribute far more aid to more people. In contrast, GFH has four and the Trump administrations preferred agency also carries guns, something that those who work for UNRWA do not do. Those guns have resulted in scenes and deaths that Hayes described as obscene and depraved. On July 3, two U.S. contractors told the Associated Press that their colleagues who are guarding those distribution sites are using live ammunition and stun grenades as hungry Palestinians scramble for food. The AP examined first-person accounts and video to support the claim. The contractors added that the GHF staff is often unqualified, unvetted, heavily armed and seemed to have an open license to do whatever they wished. These reports support the UNRWAs own June 27 note that mass casualties continue being reported among people attempting to access food in the Gaza Strip, including as they approach or gather at militarized distribution points in Rafah and Deir al-Balah or wait for trucks carrying aid supplies. According to OCHA, as of 25 June, the Gaza Ministry of Health reported that 549 people were killed and at least 4,066 injured trying to access food supplies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jonathan Whittall, head of OCHA OPT, also said, The attempt to survive is being met with a death sentence and that the majority of the casualties have been shot or shelled trying to reach U.S.-Israeli distribution sites purposefully set up in militarized zones. He further accused Israeli forces of opening fire on crowds gathering to get food. Meanwhile, the U.S. government promised $30 million to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in June. Watch the interview with Chris Hayes and Hani Almadhoun in the video above. The post MSNBC Guest Says Trump Administration Is Using Food as a Weapon in Gaza | Video appeared first on TheWrap. Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has a new top priority after doing her part to shuffle President Donald Trumps Big Beautiful Bill across the finish line. Greene announced in a Saturday tweet that she intends to wage war on the deadly practice of climate modification and geoengineering with a bill that would make any such efforts a felony offense. I am introducing a bill that prohibits the injection, release, or dispersion of chemicals or substances into the atmosphere for the express purpose of altering weather, temperature, climate, or sunlight intensity. It will be a felony offense. I have been researching weather Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) July 5, 2025 Greene said the bill will prohibit the injection, release, or dispersion of chemicals or substances into the atmosphere for the express purpose of altering weather, temperature, climate, or sunlight intensity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Greene, shes been researching weather modification and now she is ready to take action after spending months writing this bill with her legislative counsel. She added, It will be similar to Floridas Senate Bill 56. We must end the dangerous and deadly practice of weather modification and geoengineering. In a since-deleted 2018 Facebook post, Marjorie Taylor Greene suggested that lasers or blue beams of light from space solar generators in the sky started wildfires. MTG is an elected member of Congress. / Megan Varner / REUTERS Greene did not go into how or why such a bill is a priority for the state of Georgia and her constituents, yet even the far-right MAGA congresswomans most casual followers know that she has been yelling at clouds for some time. In a since-deleted 2018 Facebook post, multiple news outlets reported that Greene suggested that lasers or blue beams of light from space solar generators in the sky, controlled by Jewish people, may have caused a spate of wildfiresincluding the 150,000-acre Camp Fire in California that killed 85 people. She has denied she made such a claim in a later interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the heels of the devastating 2024 Hurricane Helene, Greene, seemingly provoked, took to X with a message. Yes they can control the weather, she wrote, its ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it cant be done. Yes they can control the weather. Its ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it cant be done. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) October 4, 2024 Greenes tweet prompted a community fact-check note on X to clarify that hurricanes and other large storms cannot be created artificially with modern technology. Yet that hasnt stopped her from going after they who can control the weather. Early this year, as fires ripped through Southern California, Greene seemed to call on they again to control the weather and put the fires out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why dont they use geoengineering like cloud seeding to bring rain down on the wildfires in California? she tweeted on Jan. 15, prompting another fact-check note to explain why such a practice would be ineffective. She added, They know how to do it. Why dont they use geoengineering like cloud seeding to bring rain down on the wildfires in California? They know how to do it. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) January 12, 2025 Now that Republicans control the three branches of government, Greenes plan to introduce a bill appears to be her latest effort to bring they out of the clouds and back down to Earth. Multiple people were arrested in Los Angeles on Friday as anti-ICE demonstrators clashed with law enforcement and the U.S. military after weeks of protests against deportations and ICE raids, police said. Los Angeles police said there were "multiple arrests today during several different demonstrations" downtown. "Most were peaceful, but once again, as the evening approached, outside agitators began to cause issues," the department wrote on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doj Indicts Suspect Who Went Viral For Delivering Protective Gear To Anti-ice Protesters On Live Tv Earlier in the night, police wrote that demonstrators were "confronting Federal Protective Security Personnel and National Guard members." "Less Lethal munitions have been deployed by Federal authorities," police wrote, adding that they may cause pain and discomfort. Read On The Fox News App In response to the anti-ICE protests that began last month, the Trump administration deployed National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles, despite opposition from Gov. Gavin Newsom. Cities Near La Abandon July 4Th Celebrations As Trump's Immigration Crackdown Takes Hold Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Demonstrators met up for the protest on Friday at around 9:30 a.m. outside City Hall on Spring Street and took a 1.5-mile route through downtown, according to local outlet KCAL. Police said the group dispersed shortly after the incident commander authorized a dispersal order for the area on Friday night, according to a post at 7:17 p.m. local time. Officers from the Department of Homeland Security had declared the protest an unlawful assembly, independent journalist Anthony Cabassa wrote on X, adding that Marines and federal agents were using riot gear while ordering the crowd to disperse. Original article source: Multiple arrested as anti-ICE protesters clash with police, US troops in Los Angeles The city has quietly turned a former hotel into a taxpayer-funded den for child predators and other sex offenders located less than 250 feet from a playground, The Post has learned. At least five level 2 and level 3 sex offenders the worst of the worst, including one monster who had sex with a 7-year-old are living in a homeless shelter at 61 Chrystie St., 243 feet from the Hester Street Playground in Chinatown. Theres so much wrong with this, I dont even know where to begin, said resident Brian Chin, the father of a 4-year-old boy and 9-year-old girl who he no longer allows on that playground. The property that was formerly a commercial hotel is now being used to house the homeless, some of whom are sex offenders. Stephen Yang Finding out that the city has secretly been putting child predators into an all-expenses paid hotel overlooking the childrens park, on the taxpayers dime, it verges on being almost unbelievable, said the irate dad, a neighborhood activist who researched the hotel and discovered the city was placing sex offenders there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheer amount of sex offenders concentrated in that one hotel, the fact that theyre free to roam around, and that its literally situated directly across from the kids park and the local high school, its appalling. State law prohibits level 2 and 3 sex offenders, who are considered at medium and high risk of reoffending, from living within 1,320 feet or a quarter mile of playgrounds, schools, parks and childcare facilities. The shelter is located less than 250 feet away from the Hester Street Playground at Hester and Chrystie Streets. Stephen Yang We dont even know how many level 1 sex offenders are living there because theyre not listed [in the state sex-offender registry], Chin said of the lowest level predators. The shelter was once a boutique hotel called Hotel MB and before that a Comfort Inn. It was converted into a homeless facility in the summer of 2021, according to reports online. It is not clear when the city began moving in the sex offenders or how many of them live at the site. The Post has reached out to city officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shelter is run by a Bronx-based non-profit called the Neighborhood Association for Inter-Cultural Affairs Inc. (NAICA), which has pocketed nearly $1.3 billion in city contracts the past decade, records show. Dad Brian Chin no longer takes his kids to the neighborhood playground because of the nearby sex offenders. Stephen Yang NAICAs Chrystie Street location was part of a four-year $160.5 million contract with DHS to provide 467 beds for single adults there and at two other locations in the Bronx and Queens, according to the city Comptrollers office. That deal expired June 30, but DHS ironed out a one-year, $42.2 million extension, according to a legal notice on the citys website. The new contract has yet to be registered with the Comptrollers office. The playground is located in Sarah D. Roosevelt Park. Stephen Yang The sex offenders living there, according to the states Sex Offender Registry, include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Darren Jackson, 63: Level-3 offender convicted in 2010 for raping a 7-year-old girl multiple times and sentenced to three years in prison. Lemar Jackson, 57: Level 3 offender convicted in 2008 for deviate sexual intercourse for using threats and physically overpowering 12- and 9-year-old girls and sentenced to two to four years in state prison. Elvin Vega, 57: Level 3 offender convicted in 1998 for using a blunt object to force a female of unknown age to have intercourse, and sentenced to 18 months to three years in state prison. Legrand Jones, 63: Level 2 sexually violent offender convicted of sexual abuse in 2003 for overpowering a 21-year-old woman and forcing her to have sex. Sentenced to two to four years in prison. Terrence Brown, 59: Level 2 offender convicted of forcible touching another persons intimate parts in 2009 and sentenced to six months. Darren Jackson is a level 3 sex offender and lives at the shelter, according to state records. NY Sex Offender Registry Lemar Jackson is a Level 3 sex offender, records show. NY Sex Offender Registry Elvin Vega is a level 3 sex offender who lives at the shelter, records show. NY Sex Offender Registry Some area activists became aware the hotel was being used as a shelter for parolees back in 2021 and raised their concerns but nothing changed, according to Jacky Wong, managing director of the greater Chinatown Civic Coalition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both DHS [Department of Homeless Services] and the hotel owner had previously assured us that this parolee shelter would close in June 2022, Wong said. But they lied. Its still operating. This shelter, along with other nearby facilities for single men, has directly and indirectly contributed to increased crime and safety concerns in and around Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Daiya Williams, 22, of Brooklyn, said she wouldnt bring her kids to the park because of the sex offenders who live nearby. Stephen Yang Murder, rape, robbery and assault are all up so far this year over last in the 5th Precinct, which encapsulates most of Chinatown. There have been two murders in the precinct this year so far as compared to none in the same period last year, according to NYPD data. Robbery is up 29%, to 76 incidents so far this year from 59 last year. Felony assault has increased 3.9% to 106 so far this year, compared to 102 in the same span of last year. Rape is up 80% to nine so far this year compared to five in the same period of 2024, the data show. Wong pointed to the assault and attempted rape of an 80-year-old woman in November near the corner of Grand Street and Chrystie Street. John Quinones, 42, was horrified to learn the sex offenders were being housed next to the city playground. Stephen Yang There is no accountability from these shelter operators, and DHS continues to target low-income communities of color like ours for these placements, he said. This is discriminatory and unacceptable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sex offenders arent supposed to be housed in shelters in residential neighborhoods, said Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa. This is part of the shelter problem, Sliwa said. Its become a cottage industry where there are contracts and then obviously, the people who get the contracts, subcontract out, all the ancillary services to friends and relatives and associates, but the one thing that they should be doing is vetting who it is that actually is in a shelter and they dont. The city Department of Social Services released a statement saying that not everyone required to register in the sex offender database has residency restrictions. DSS provides shelter to anyone in need in accordance with New York Citys right to shelter law while also ensuring compliance with all necessary local laws and regulations which includes being mindful of any residency restrictions and specific criteria laid out in state law, the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency didnt respond to a follow up question about why level 2 and 3 offenders were permitted to live so close to a playground. Many people who were in the park with their children Wednesday were upset to learn of the shelter sickos. Im super pissed off, Im talking to my husband right now on the phone and hes extremely mad as well, said a 29-year-old mom who takes her two kids to the playground at least twice a week. They shouldnt be anywhere near the park. Brooklyn choreographer John Quinones, a 42-year-old grandfather, was horrified. The playground is located 243 feet from the hotel thats been converted into a shelter. Stephen Yang Im the type of person that would want to take actions into my own hands and probably get in trouble, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Resident Daiya Williams was adamant that the city should have at least notified parents. Given its New York City anything can happen, and I dont want to take the chance, she said. Its not safe. Chin plans to keep calling attention to the problem. Brian Chin, a father-of-two, said someone should be held accountable for placing the perverts next to the playground. Stephen Yang Placing violent child sex predators across from our childrens park, the city and the officials who approved this need to be held accountable, the dad said. I think I can confidently speak for all of us when I say that enough is enough. NAICA did not return requests for comment. Additional reporting by Samantha Olander CHICAGO (WGN) Four people were killed in separate shootings across Chicago late Friday night into early Saturday morning. Chicago police said the first shooting happened just before 11 p.m. Friday in the 1200 block of East 83rd Street in Marynook. Officers were sent to Jackson Park Hospital for a call indicating two people had showed up to the hospital with gunshot wounds. An unknown male suspect reportedly walked up to the victims, pulled out a gun and fired shots at them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement River North mass shooting: What detectives have learned so far A 16-year-old girl was shot in the throat and pronounced dead at Jackson Park Hospital, while a 35-year-old man was shot in the right thigh and is listed in good condition. No arrests have been made and Area Two Detectives are investigating. The second shooting happened at around 11:55 p.m. Friday in the 6400 block of South Winchester Avenue in Englewood. Chicago police arrived at the scene and found a 36-year-old man who had been shot in the head. The victim was taken to University of Chicago Hospital where he died. No arrests have been made and Area One Detectives are investigating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement River North mass shooting: City closes property with history of violence The third shooting happened just before 5 a.m. Saturday in the 1000 block of North Lavergne Avenue in Austin. A 30-year-old man was found unresponsive inside a home with a gunshot wound to the head. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, according to investigators. No arrests have been made and Area Four Detectives are investigating. The fourth shooting happened just after 9:45 a.m. in the 800 block of North Cambridge Avenue in Cabrini-Green. 7 injured after gunman opens fire into crowd in Back of the Yards A 46-year-old man was inside a vehicle when an unknown suspect(s) opened fire. The victim was shot multiple times in the back and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities said the suspect(s) drove off in a dark colored vehicle and one person of interest is in custody. Area Three Detectives are investigating. The four homicides are part of a violent holiday weekend across Chicago. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Police said at around 11:15 p.m. Friday, seven people were injured in a shooting in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Five of the victims are listed in serious condition, while two are listed in critical condition. Then at around 1:45 a.m. Saturday, Chicago police said four people with gunshot wounds walked into Mt. Sinai Hospital. While it is unclear where the shooting originally happened, three people were critically injured and another is listed in fair condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in the week, four people were killed and 14 wounded in a mass drive-by shooting in River North. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ST. LOUIS Police in St. Louis have arrested nine individuals for possession of illegal fireworks tonight on the 4th of July, with eight of those arrested being minors. According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD), the parents of the minors arrested will be held accountable and cited for their childrens actions. Earlier this week, police had informed residents that parents of minors caught with illegal fireworks would face consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parents: You will be held responsible for the behavior of your children, SLMPD wrote on social media. At the time of the news release, which was sent after 8 p.m., SLMPD said it was waiting for the parents to pick up their children. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTVI. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTVI staff before being published. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. NEED TO KNOW A multistate, volunteer-based search for two Idaho teens has been called off due to new information regarding the case Allen Larand Fischer, 13, and Rachelle Leray Fischer, 15, were reported missing on June 22, and authorities suspect they were kidnapped by members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) The Uvalde Foundation for Kids, the organization that was leading the ground search, said they believe the teens are currently being hidden by members of the church A multistate search for two missing Idaho teens, feared to have been kidnapped by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), has been called off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Uvalde Foundation for Kids which has been actively involved in the search for Allen Larand Fischer, 13, and Rachelle Leray Fischer, 15 announced they had ended their volunteer-run search in a press release issued on July 3. The organization said that new information had been received in the case, and they now believe the teens are being actively hidden by members of the FLDS church. They further stated that their team of 48 volunteers logged more than 120 hours of search time, following leads throughout Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Arizona. Jefferson County police received a report of two teens missing from their home in Monteview, Idaho, on June 22, according to a June 23 press release from the Jefferson County Idaho Sheriff's Office. The sheriffs office believed the teens may have returned to the FLDS community in Trenton, Utah, where they previously lived. Don & Melinda Crawford/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Police vehicles in Idaho (stock image) Police vehicles in Idaho (stock image) Their mother was previously an FLDS member, Jennifer Fullmer, a public information officer with the sheriffs office, told PEOPLE at the time. She was exiled and had to leave the children there. And then when she finally got custody of them, she brought them back to her hometown of Monteview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We believe that [her children] wanted to go back to the FLDS lifestyle, she added. Authorities do not believe that the children simply walked off on their own, and instead suspect they were aided by members of their former church. There's no buses, Fullmer told PEOPLE. There's no trains. It's out in the middle of the desert. Mom's belief is that somebody from the FLDS picked up the children. 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. The FLDS church is a polygamist sect run by Warren Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet and convicted pedophile. In 2011, Jeffs was convicted on two counts of child sexual abuse and sentenced to life in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fullmer stated that authorities issued an Amber Alert on June 23 after learning of a 2022 revelation by Jeffs. What the information we got was about this revelation that the children are supposed to gather to assist in the building of Zion so that they can die and become pure and translated beings, she said. We don't have any concept of when [or] how quickly children should be gathered and brought back to the church so that they can die and become pure beings. PEOPLE reached out to the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office, as well as the Uvalde Foundation for Kids, for comment on Saturday, July 5, but did not receive an immediate response. Read the original article on People Former Trump advisers Steve Bannon and Elon Musk are going for the jugular in their escalating feud. Bannon lashed out Friday after Musk polled his 220 million followers on X about launching a third partythe America Partyto challenge President Donald Trump and the GOP. No, brother, youre not an American. Youre a South African, Bannon said on his The War Room podcast. Musk has been a U.S. citizen since 2002, but Bannon has repeatedly tried to cast doubt on the billionaires immigration status. The fat, drunken slob called Bannon will go back to prison and this time for a long time. He has a lifetime of crime to pay for. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 4, 2025 Mocking him as Elmo the Mook, the MAGA podcaster fumed, You should be deported because its a crime of what you didamong many. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk promptly responded on Xthe site he bought and often turns into his personal battleground, most recently to spar with Trump during their breakup. The fat, drunken slob called Bannon will go back to prison and this time for a long time, he wrote. He has a lifetime of crime to pay for. Bannon, who helped run Trumps first campaign in 2016, was released from prison in October after serving a four-month sentence for defying a subpoena in the congressional investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. During Trumps second term, he has stood out among MAGA allies for refusing to cheer on the presidents now-shattered alliance with the Tesla CEO, slamming Musks efforts at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), calling out his drug use, and saying that the worlds richest man doesnt care about working-class voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They should initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien, and he should be deported from the country immediately, Bannon told The New York Times in June. Musk in return has called Bannon a r------d liar, dumber than a doorstop, and truly peak r----d. The billionaire has been hammering Trumps Big, Beautiful Bill, which Congress narrowly passed Thursday, because it balloons the national debt. The bill also rolls back Biden-era green energy tax credits, potentially hurting Tesla. Elon Musk and Steve Bannon escalated their feud over the July Fourth weekend by exchanging fiery insults over their respective platforms. On Bannons podcast War Room, the former Trump adviser raged against Musk for polling his X followers about starting a new political party in the United States, saying Musk was being disingenuous and should be deported. Only a foreigner could do this, Bannon said. Think about it, hes got up on Twitter right now a poll about starting an American Party a non-American starting an American Party. No, brother, youre not an American; youre a South African. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we take enough time and prove the facts of that, you should be deported, Bannon stated. Bannon, a devoted Trump loyalist who went to federal prison for refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena, believes Musk has ulterior motives for being close to the president. Hes called for Musk to be investigated multiple times. Steve Bannon called for Elon Musk to be deported over the weekend while the tech billionaire called for Bannon to be jailed (Getty Images) On Musks X account, the tech billionaire responded by calling Bannon a fat, drunken slob who should be in prison for committing crimes. The fat, drunken slob called Bannon will go back to prison and this time for a long time. He has a lifetime of crime to pay for, Musk wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk has been a United States citizen since 2002. Despite the two men being close to Trump at various periods, they have little in common. Unlike Trumps first administration, Bannon does not have a formal role in the White House. But he has still used his platform to bolster Trump and defend him against all attacks. Bannon has been vocal about his disdain for Musk, advocating for the revocation of his government contracts and questioning his citizenship status. Musk, who helped get Trump elected with generous donations, spent several months in the administration before a bitter falling out with the president over their different perspectives on Trumps signature legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result of the recent falling out, Bannon appears to have upped his attacks on Musk. The hostile relationship between the two escalated specifically because Musk polled his 221 million X followers about launching a new political party, called the America Party, on Independence Day. Tech billionaire Elon Musk on Friday leaned into his proposal for a third party amid his growing feud with President Trump over the big, beautiful spending and tax bill with an Independence Day poll online. Hours before Trump signed the sprawling reconciliation package into law, Musk asked followers on social platform X whether he should move forward with creating the America Party. He first floated the idea after his first public spat with the president early last month. Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system! he wrote. Should we create the America Party? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tesla CEO, who also owns X, reupped the survey several times throughout the day and even gave a glimpse into his potential strategy. One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts, he shared in a subsequent post. Given the razor-thin legislative margins, that would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring that they serve the true will of the people. The poll, similar to one he set up for followers last month, is just the latest way Musk sought to get under Trump and GOP lawmakers skin as the bill made its way to Trumps desk. The House passed the final bill on Thursday, after hours of tense negotiations with GOP holdouts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the Senate worked to pass its own version of the megabill earlier this week, Musk threatened to back primary challengers of those who supported the legislation. In response, the president warned the billionaire that he could cut government contracts for his many companies and also left open the possibility of deporting the South African CEO. Musk left his senior Trump administration adviser position in late May, after his special government employee designation lapsed. He had originally been tapped to lead the presidents Department of Government Efficiency a commission created to root out waste and fraud within the federal government. While many questioned how long the relationship between the worlds richest man and Trump would last, the rift only began after Musk criticized the reconciliation package as a disgusting abomination and said it would be political suicide for Republicans. The president said he was disappointed with the billionaires analysis, which led to a tense back-and-forth between the men online. Tesla sales have plunged since the squabble. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk admitted at one point that his comments went too far and the ice seemed to be thawing, but the feud was reignited earlier this week over the bill which includes an extension on Trumps 2017 tax breaks and sweeping cuts to Medicaid and energy tax credits. During a signing ceremony at the White House Friday, Trump said, We made promises, and its really promises made, promises kept, and weve kept them. This is a triumph of democracy on the birthday of democracy, he continued. And I have to say, the people are happy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Myrtle Beach area is under a tropical storm warning with expectations of heavy rain and dangerous rip currents throughout the remaining holiday weekend. The National Weather Service said the warning is in effect for the coastal areas of Horry County and the waters off the coast. Tropical Storm Chantal has formed off of the northeast Florida and Georgia coastline. Tropical Storm Chantal will approach the South Carolina coast Saturday night, strengthening into a tropical storm before landfall, the NWS said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Myrtle Beach area can expect between 2 and 4 inches of rain beginning about 8 p.m. Saturday and into Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. The heavy rainfall could cause flooding. The storm is also expected to bring winds of 40 to 60 mph. Its also expected to cause life-threatening rip currents and dangerous surf for all beaches Saturday and Sunday, the NWS said. The NWS said residents should secure lightweight objects. Winds may cause tree damage and debris in the roadways, which could cause hazardous driving conditions. There is also the possibility of power outages. MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) After experimenting with a tighter juvenile curfew that runs through Monday, Myrtle Beach leaders may soon take steps toward making the change permanent. A wave of violence in some of the citys most well-known areas including Ocean Boulevard is prompting official to take a closer look at the rule, which after Monday returns to its midnight to 6 a.m. On July 1 the city said it was extending the youth curfew, with a 10 p.m. start time in its central business district. A resolution on Tuesdays city council agenda would codify the move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2025-044-Amended-Juvenile-Curfew-1stDownload Since March 19, 137 juvenile arrests have been made in the area, including 57 involving physical violence, drugs and/or weapons, the ordinance says. Most recently, 18-year-old Greyson Meyers of Myrtle Beach was shot and killed at Peaches Corner by Evany McCray, a 17-year-old from Conway who was working there at the time. It was the latest instance of teen gun violence along Ocean Boulevard in the last couple months, starting with late April when 18-year-old Jerrius Davis of Bennettsville opened fire into a crowd before being shot and killed by an officer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Brenda Bethune, Police Chief Amy Prock and mayoral candidate Mark Kruea have all said that more needs to be done as officials work to get a handle on the violence amid a public safety staffing shortage. We do not want this to define who we are; we will not let it define who we are. We have a great community, Bethune said recently. [There are] so many positive things to do and see here, and were not going to let a few bad apples spoil it. The ordinance will need to be approved twice before it takes affect. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. NEED TO KNOW New York lawmaker Brad Hoylman-Sigal opens up to PEOPLE about winning the Democratic nomination for Manhattan borough president as the city celebrated 55 years of Pride With his primary victory, Hoylman-Sigal is now poised to become the first openly LGBTQ+ borough president in the city that birthed the gay liberation movement I hope during this time," he says, "when the LGBTQ community is under growing criticism from Washington and from state houses across the country, that it gives inspiration and hope to young people everywhere" On Tuesday, June 24, New York state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal took the first step toward what could be a history-making political moment. And thankfully, he did it without getting heat stroke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a brutally hot day, Hoylman-Sigal, 59, tells PEOPLE of the N.Y.C. primary election. It hit 100 degrees while I was shaking hands in Harlem. And I continued to wear a jacket and tie, for some reason I cant explain. After winning the Democratic nomination to serve as Manhattan's chief executive with 54.6% percent of the primary vote, Hoylman-Sigal is in position to become the first openly gay borough president in New York City history. And hes doing it in the borough that is the beating heart of New York's LGBTQ+ history. Manhattan was the site of the pivotal Stonewall riots in 1969, and the stage for the citys first-ever Pride march one year later. Its home to some of the nation's most iconic gay bars and theaters, as well as Christopher Park and the New York City AIDS Memorial. Representing Stonewall and being the first openly LGBTQ borough president or citywide elected official is an honor I never thought would be bestowed upon me, admits Hoylman-Sigal, who has served in the state Senate since 2012. Frankly, it's surprising that it hasn't happened already. John Lamparski/WireImage Brad Hoylman-Sigal and husband David Sigal march in the 2019 WorldPride N.Y.C. parade Brad Hoylman-Sigal and husband David Sigal march in the 2019 WorldPride N.Y.C. parade But I stand on the shoulders of so many openly LGBTQ advocates who came before me, he notes. Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, two transgender women of color who reportedly threw some of the first bricks at the rebellion in 1969 at Stonewall... And then nationally, people like Harvey Milk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hoylman-Sigal also cites local New York City officials who have come before him in being the first openly LGBTQ+ members of their own governing bodies, including former state Rep. Deborah Glick and former state Senator and City Councilman Tom Duane. I'm a first, he says, but there are many firsts behind me who made it possible for me to be here today. I hope during this time, when the LGBTQ community is under growing criticism from Washington and from state houses across the country, that it gives inspiration and hope to young people everywhere that they can both participate and win elections as their true, authentic selves, he adds. After serving a section of the borough in a state senatorial district that spanned from the gay bars to Zabar's, Hoylman-Sigal is ready to turn his focus to Manhattan as a whole, describing the borough president position as CEO of the borough, or the chief officer of quality of life for its residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If New York City can't stand up for LGBTQ people or immigrants or gender-affirming care and abortion rights, what city is? he questions. Our city is pivotal in protecting equality, and that's been its history for centuries, so for me, it's another role in a different venue, but much of the same. 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. Hoylman-Sigal and his fellow state senators passed over 380 bills during his time in Albany, with many of them focused on issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community and New Yorkers at large. [We passed] the transgender human rights law, called the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, GENDA for short, in the legislature, as well as banning so-called 'gay conversion therapy,' ensuring that transgender kids have access to care that they need, he shares. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was also instrumental in creating families, passing the law that legalized gestational surrogacy in New York state. It had been illegal for decades, Hoylman-Sigal shares. I'm the proud father of two young daughters, so that was incredibly meaningful." John Nacion/Getty Brad Hoylman-Sigal and daughter Silvia attend the Human Rights Campaign's 2024 Greater New York Dinner on Feb. 3, 2024 Brad Hoylman-Sigal and daughter Silvia attend the Human Rights Campaign's 2024 Greater New York Dinner on Feb. 3, 2024 The borough president-hopeful and his husband, filmmaker David Sigal, married in 2013 and are fathers to two girls, Silvia, 14, and Lucy, 7. That gives Hoylman-Sigal plenty of cred for dad jokes, as he quips that the day of his scorching primary election was a hotly contested race. More seriously, he tells PEOPLE that his daughters are the lenses through which he finds his political clarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I see every issue through their eyes, he shares. When theyre older, are they going to be able to afford to live in New York City? Will the public schools still be the same great schools theyre in now? Despite the citys struggles, Hoylman-Sigal says he was inspired by the younger generations of voters he saw turn out for the 2025 N.Y.C. primaries. They have learned through these difficult times that if you don't vote you have no voice, he observes. The surge in youth I think it lays the groundwork for a new politics where we care about the most vulnerable in our community, whether they be immigrants or transgender youth." "Thats the message I think that was delivered in New York City last month: Progress through change," he continues. "The old candidates and way of thinking were literally turned out by young voters and so, its a message not just to New Yorkers, but to the whole country." Read the original article on People Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has questioned why nobody has been fired at the BBC over its decision to air a Gaza documentary that featured the son of a Hamas official. It comes ahead of a review expected to be published next week into Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, which was pulled from iPlayer in February. In an interview with The Times, Nandy said "people must be accountable for the decisions that were taken" and she was "exasperated" by the time taken to carry out the review. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A BBC spokesperson said on Saturday that findings of the review would be published "as soon as possible" but must be "thorough and follow a proper process". In February the BBC apologised over "serious flaws" in the making of the programme about children's lives in Gaza, after it was revealed its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas minister. The review is being headed by Peter Johnston, the BBC's director of editorial complaints and reviews, which is independent of BBC News and reports directly to director general Tim Davie. It is expected to determine whether any editorial guidelines were broken and if any disciplinary action is needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The BBC will also undertake a full audit of expenditure on the programme. Nandy said she needed an "adequate explanation" about what had happened, which she had not yet had from Davie or BBC chairman Samir Shah. If nobody was fired over the incident, Nandy said she wanted "an explanation as to why not". A BBC spokesperson said: "The findings of the review will be published as soon as possible. "As we have said previously, it is vital that this work is done as quickly as possible, but it must also be thorough and follow a proper process." Last month, the BBC decided not to broadcast a separate documentary from another independent production company about doctors working in Gaza due to impartiality concerns it had surrounding the production. It was later aired on Channel 4 instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nandy added that BBC leadership had to "get a grip on it" following the live Glastonbury broadcast of punk-duo band Bob Vylan. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Celebrate Independence Day with one of the largest fireworks shows in the country with Nashvilles Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th. If you missed the show live dont worry! You can watch the whole production above. A total of 20 technicians from LaFollette-based Pyro Shows worked to set up Nashvilles Let Freedom Sing! fireworks show over the past week. According to the NCVC, eight pyrotechnicians were in a steel bunker in the middle of the show to fire the shells in synchronicity with the Nashville Symphonys performance. There were four major positions, meaning the show which has one of the most powerful finales in the country covered a larger air space over the Cumberland River. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tennessee Company: The masterminds of Nashvilles 4th of July show are a statewide force The largest shells were American 8-inch shells, which travel 800 feet in the air and break with a diameter of nearly 800 feet, organizers said. It takes roughly 35,000 pounds of sand to bury these shells. The show used 40,000 pounds of explosives, more than 1,000 floating flares and special ghost shells, and 200 miles of wire, the NCVC reported. On top of the thousands of fireworks, the show featured 400 drones, which flew 700 feet in the sky under a special FAA waiver, captained by just two drone pilots. According to officials, Sky Elements Drone Shows a 13-time Guinness World Record holder produced the show, marking the second year drones have been incorporated in Nashvilles Fourth of July celebration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised President Trumps commitment to the military alliance during a recent interview and said the president deserves credit for pushing the 32-nation members to spend more of their gross domestic product on defense. Rutte, in an interview with The New York Times released Saturday, said he is confident of the fact that Trump very much realizes that for the U.S. to stay strong and safe, there is this embeddedness with European security and working together to keep the Indo-Pacific safe. Rutte, who invoked the word daddy when celebrating Trumps f-bomb when discussing Israel and Irans ceasefire on live television, argued the presidents leadership helped NATO allies commit to spending five percent of their gross domestic product on defense by 2035. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think when somebody deserves praise, that praise should be given. And President Trump deserves all the praise, because without his leadership, without him being re-elected president of the United States, the 2 percent this year and the 5 percent in 2035 we would never, ever, ever have been able to achieve agreement on this, Rutte told the newspaper. Trump has been pushing NATO allies to spend more on their military and better share the burden of collective defense, arguing European nations have not chipped in enough. While members have committed to spending more on defense, some NATO nations have not yet surpassed the 2 percent threshold set for 2014. The president shared a private message from Rutte in June where the NATO chief congratulated Trump on greenlighting U.S. strikes on Irans three crucial nuclear sites. In the message, Rutte said Trumps decision makes us all safer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the message, Rutte, the former prime minister of the Netherlands, said Trump was flying into another big success in The Hague It was not easy, but weve got them all signed onto 5 percent. When asked if he minded that Trump made the text public ahead of this summers NATO summit, Rutte told The Times Lulu Garcia-Navarro, not at all, because what was in the text message is exactly as I see it. One, that he did an excellent job on Iran with the bombing of the nuclear facility, the NATO head added. And as I said in that text message, you are now flying into another big success, which is a NATO summit, which will commit to 5 percent defense spending, and this is transformational. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on July 4 called on the United States to show "flexibility" in its military aid to Ukraine, after Washington unexpectedly paused some weapon deliveries citing concerns over dwindling domestic stockpiles. The Pentagon's decision to halt transfers of artillery rounds and air defense systems coincides with a significant escalation in Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, exposing critical vulnerabilities in Ukraine's air defense capabilities as current US funding nears expiration this summer. "The US has to make sure that the stockpiles are at the level we need for the U.S. to have, because they are crucial for our collective defense," Rutte told reporters on July 4. "At the same time, of course, we hope for the flexibility, we have to make sure also that Ukraine can move forward." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Pentagon announced the aid pause this week, citing a review of U.S. stockpiles as it assesses the need to conserve weapons for other potential security threats. This move comes as Russia intensified its air campaign, unleashing record drone and missile strikes on Kyiv and other major urban centers overnight. President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump by phone Friday, aiming to persuade the U.S. leader to resume deliveries and increase weapon sales to the country. Trump expressed disappointment following his latest conversation with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, which produced no progress toward a ceasefire in Russia's war against Ukraine, now in its fourth-year. Given Russia's apparent unwillingness to pursue a ceasefire, allies must "be sure" Ukraine "has what it needs to stay in the fight," Rutte emphasized. He spoke after a ceremony welcoming Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, the new commander of U.S. military forces in Europe and top NATO military commander. Grynkewich acknowledged the ongoing discussions, adding: "Well see more play out of the next week or two." He also announced a 90-day review of U.S. forces in Europe, examining potential future US posture in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A broader US military review is expected later this summer, potentially outlining significant reductions in Europe. This prospect has already raised concerns among European NATO allies, who say they have received no prior information about these plans. Read also: Death of top Russian oil executive fuels fresh scrutiny of elites window falls Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. U.S. Air Force General Alexus G. Grynkewich assumed command as the 21st Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) on July 4 during a ceremony at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte presided over the handover, commending outgoing U.S. Army General Christopher G. Cavoli for his contributions to modernizing NATO's collective defense and bolstering support for Ukraine. Rutte highlighted Cavoli's efforts to strengthen NATOs presence in the Baltic Sea in response to threats to critical undersea infrastructure and credited him with conceiving and establishing NATOs new command in Germany to enhance assistance to Ukraine. He also noted Cavoli's role in refocusing the Alliance on collective defense following the 2022 Madrid Summit, where NATO adopted a new Strategic Concept in response to Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cavoli played a central role in developing and securing approval for NATOs regional defense plans at the 2023 Vilnius Summita significant overhaul of the Alliances military posture since the Cold War. His tenure also included the integration of Finland and Sweden into NATOs military structures, expanding the Alliances strategic reach. In 2024, Cavoli oversaw "Steadfast Defender," NATOs largest military exercise since the Cold War, involving approximately 90,000 troops practicing large-scale reinforcement across the eastern flank and validating a new high-readiness force model. Rutte specifically acknowledged Cavoli's leadership in rapidly reinforcing NATO's Baltic Sea presence during threats to underwater infrastructure and for establishing the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), which continues to support Ukraine. The secretary general welcomed General Grynkewich, noting that, as a former fighter pilot, he brings "a deep understanding of the threats we face from the skies, and across other domains." Rutte added that Grynkewichs recent role as Director of Operations of the Joint Staff provides him with broad experience in advancing military and security priorities amid global challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allied Command Operationsresponsible for planning and executing all NATO operationsnow falls under General Grynkewich's command, a position first held by General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Read also: Russia launches another horrific attack on Kyiv hours after Trump-Putin call Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The government of Ecuador has reaffirmed support for the Autonomy plan offered by Morocco for the Sahara under its sovereignty, saying the plan is the basis for the resolution of the decades-long regional conflict. The supportive stand was expressed by foreign minister of this South American country Gabriela Sommerfeld during talks she held Monday in Rabat with Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita. Ecuadors top diplomat praised the efforts made by Morocco to achieve a realistic, pragmatic, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution to the Sahara issue within the framework of the United Nations. Talks between the two ministers focused on latest developments on the regional and international scene, including the situation in Africa and Latin America and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They voiced attachment to the respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of States, hailing the convergence of views on regional and international issues of common interests. The two ministers pledged to promote investment and trade exchanges. They also agreed to join efforts against global challenges including climate change, human rights, the blue & green agendas, food security, health The visit of the FM Ecuador to Morocco was crowned with the opening of an embassy in Rabat, a move showing the momentum of the Moroccan-Ecuadorian relationship. Last October, Ecuador suspended its recognition of the so-called SADR, dealing another hard blow to Algeria and its Polisario puppet which continue to suffer diplomatic setbacks and international isolation. Ecuadors decision opens up a new chapter in relations between Rabat and Quito. It comes amid a growing international support for Moroccos sovereignty over its Sahara and for its autonomy initiative described by the international community as the ONLY serious, credible & realistic solution to the Sahara regional conflict. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has expressed hope that the United States will show "flexibility" regarding arms supplies to Ukraine so that Kyiv has the necessary resources for self-defence. Source: Bloomberg Quote from Rutte: "The US has to make sure that the stockpiles are at the level we need for the US to have, because they are crucial for our collective defence. At the same time, of course, we hope for the flexibility, we have to make sure also that Ukraine can move forward." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Rutte stated that he understands the US administration's desire to prioritise its own interests, but he also calls for continued military support for Ukraine. Given Russia's clear unwillingness to work towards a ceasefire, allies must be sure that Ukraine "has what it needs to stay in the fight". Background: On 1 July, the White House confirmed that the Pentagon had paused the delivery of certain air defence missiles and other precision-guided munitions to Ukraine because of concerns over dwindling US weapons stockpiles. Ukraines Defence Ministry said it had not received any official notification regarding a suspension or revision of the delivery schedule for US military aid and has requested a phone call with its US counterparts. The US State Department has denied any involvement in decisions regarding the supply of military assistance to Ukraine. On Friday 4 July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with his US counterpart Donald Trump, seeking to convince the American leader to resume supplies and sell more weapons to Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! ROME TOWNSHIP Information about invasive plants will be discussed Saturday during a program at the Bissell Nature Center, according to a press release prepared for the center by Randy Jones. Derrick Cooper, the Northeast Ohio preserves manager for the Nature Conservancy, will lead the discussion. Jones said the program will include ways for people to identify and control invasive plants on their property and reduce the problems to property owners and the environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, there is good news and bad news concerning non-native plants in Ohio, the press release states. The bad news is that about 22%, or around 500 species of plants in Ohio, are non-native. The goods news is that many of these plants are not invasive, meaning they do no stray too far from where they were introduced and do not displace native plants within their habitats. Jones said there are about 100 of those non-native plants that are considered extremely harmful to native species, natural areas, agriculture and wildlife. They squeeze out native plants that are the food or shelter for our wild animals and insects, adversely affect the landscape and waterways and some, like wild parsnip or poison hemlock, can be detrimental to human health, too, he said. Jones said with the right knowledge and approaches, much can be done to reduce and remove invasive plants. He said some of the species to be discussed will be Japanese Knotweed, Bush Honeysuckle, Phragmites, Reed Canary Grass, Narrow Leaved Cattail, Yellow Iris, Garlic Mustard, Glossy Buckthorn, Japanese Barberry, Privet, Multiflora Rose and Asian Bittersweet. The event is scheduled for 10-11 a.m. in the nature center, at 3973 Callender Road in Rock Creek. It is only for adults, and admission is free. Interested parties can register by calling 440-563-3081. One Charlotte business owner said he lost weeks of alcohol sales this June after a required reminder to renew his delis permit never arrived, an issue a local attorney says has affected others across North Carolina. This year, a new state law required the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission to notify businesses that hadnt paid their annual beer, wine and liquor permit fees by April 30 of a 30-day grace period and late penalty. But Rob Rondelez, the owner of Rhino Market & Deli, says he never received that notice or any mailed notices leading up to the deadline and the restaurants permit was canceled. Rondelez said the location on North Davidson Street had to stop selling alcohol and reapply for a new alcohol permit from scratch, a process that took weeks. He said the business lost 30% of its revenue for three weeks due to the misstep while he worked to obtain a new permit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im an upstanding business owner. Im not trying to skirt or bypass paying for the permit fees, Rondelez told The Charlotte Observer. To have a business owner have to go through all these hoops when its not your fault, its just sickening to me. Jennifer Morgan, a Raleigh-based attorney who represents alcohol permit holders, said she heard from several business owners this June who said they never received a written notice and that their permits were canceled. My understanding is the NC ABC Commission didnt send individualized notices to permittees within the five day grace period, she said. The commission posted a spreadsheet of permittees who had not renewed on its website, but I dont know that that met the particularized notice required under the grace statute. The law does not specify how businesses must be notified of the grace period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one legal case last month, Morgan said, the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings determined that the commission did not send a notice to a Winston-Salem-based bar that met the legal threshold. According to court documents obtained by the Charlotte Observer, the office found the commission failed to provide the bar with sufficient notice within five days of a April 30 deadline as required by the new statute before canceling the businesss ABC permits. The case was ultimately resolved outside of court. Jeff Strickland, public affairs director for the commission, said the agency sent multiple renewal mailings ahead of the deadline, though he said some businesses that had not paid to renew their permits on time told the commission they did not receive any mail. After the permit cancellations on June 2, he said the commission posted information on its website and social media and spoke to stakeholders. These steps were taken to reach permittees who were not receiving their mail or who may have changed their mailing address, Strickland wrote in an email to The Observer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When ABC permits are canceled in North Carolina, businesses are required to complete their applications from scratch, Morgan said. This includes getting signed forms from building, fire and zoning inspectors and having the application reviewed by local police. The process can take several weeks, she said, during which the business is unable to sell alcohol. For Rondelez, the experience has been stressful and frustrating. He said that next year, regardless of a mailed notice or not, hell be sure to pay the renewal fee on time. Now I have a little sign on my computer at my home office that says, make sure we check for ABC permit form in the mail, and if we didnt, then we could still go online and make a payment and be done with it. he said. Be on the lookout, because if the form doesnt come, youre on your own. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein (D) on Thursday vetoed three bills targeting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the state government, as well as a measure that takes aim at transgender rights. With the anti-DEI bills Senate Bill 227, Senate Bill 558 and House Bill 171 the GOP-led state legislature sought to eliminate what it called discriminatory practices in public education with threats to cut funding and to prevent local and state government agencies from promoting or maintaining DEI programs or policies. Stein, in his veto messages, said the bills were riddled with vague definitions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our diversity is our strength. We should not whitewash history, ban books, or treat our teachers with distrust and disdain, he wrote in one veto. Rather than fearing differing viewpoints and cracking down on free speech, we should ensure our students can learn from diverse perspectives and form their own opinions. In another, the first-term governor suggested the legislation would make it harder for the state to provide high quality services to its residents. My administration is focused on building the strongest team possible by hiring and supporting the best employees. We cannot recruit and retain them without creating a welcoming work environment, Stein wrote. We make our most effective decisions when there is a diverse set of perspectives around the table. The fourth bill, House Bill 805, included a provision to prevent state-funded gender affirming surgeries or hormone therapy for prisoners. It also includes language recognizing only two genders and would require the state to keep a transgender persons original birth certificate attached to any updated one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The effort follows similar moves in conservative states and at the federal level. President Trump, upon his return to office, issued several executive orders that targeted federal DEI programs and diversity initiatives in public education as well as sweeping actions against transgender athletes and service members though his moves have faced legal action. The bills now head back to the North Carolina General Assembly, where Republicans need support from 60 percent of both chambers to override Steins veto. The state House is one seat short of a veto-proof majority, and no Democrats voted for the anti-DEI bills, The Associated Press reported. State Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R) vowed to continue fighting for the legislation in a post online, suggesting the governor chose to bow down to a radical ideology that harms women. Hes choosing to ignore the clear will of the people who are tired of politically correct nonsense, Berger wrote on social platform X. Im prepared to lead the Senate in overriding Gov. Steins vetoes and stand up for the North Carolinians he claims to represent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State House Speaker Destin Hall (R) echoed the remarks, claiming he vetoed this bill and sided with radical activists over the overwhelming majority of North Carolinians. We will keep fighting, he posted on X. The Associated Press contributed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Nebraska City Police Department Sgt. Christopher Richardson with retired K-9 Mack. Richardson championed legislation to authorize emergency medical services care and transportation in the event a K-9 is injured in the line of duty, a bill that passed the Nebraska Legislature in 2024. (Courtesy of Sgt. Christopher Richardson) LINCOLN A new state law that took effect this week authorizes emergency medical services crews to provide care or transportation to Nebraska K-9s if one is ever injured in the line of duty. Lawmakers, by a 47-0 vote in April 2024, approved a measure from State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston allowing emergency medical services for K-9s after July 1, 2025. It covers law enforcement canines owned or employed by state or local law enforcement, the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, local fire departments or the State Fire Marshals Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement K-9s aiding in the detection of criminal activity, flammable materials or missing persons; enforcement of laws; investigation of fires or apprehending criminal offenders would be covered. Riepe said K-9s have proven beneficial and he hopes the law works out well. I think most people have a real kind spot in their heart for both dogs, cats, and probably some other animals that Im not even aware of, Riepe said this week. Nebraska City Police Department active duty K-9 Alex sits in front of a city police cruiser. K-9 Alex served with Sgt. Christopher Richardson as of April 2024. (Courtesy of Sgt. Christopher Richardson) Cody Thomas, a spokesperson for the Nebraska State Patrol, which employs and trains police service dogs, said the canines are an extension of the officers they work with every day. Such work can be dangerous for K-9s, with at least 10 killed in the line of duty nationwide already in 2025, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the event one of our K-9 partners is injured in the line of duty, we would be grateful for any assistance provided by EMS teams, including transportation to an emergency veterinary hospital, Thomas said in an email to the Nebraska Examiner. At least two Nebraska K-9s have been killed in the past decade: K-9 Kobus for the Omaha Police Department in 2016 and K-9 Nitro II for the York County Sheriffs Department in 2022. More than a dozen states have similar laws. Riepes legislation began at the initiative of Nebraska City Police Department Sgt. Christopher Richardson. Richardson sought to get around a state law forbidding any emergency care for an animal, including the bandaging of a minor cut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These dogs are alone and untreated, wasting valuable time and preventing lifesaving measures from being performed, Richardson testified at a February 2024 hearing. Richardson, who has taken multiple K-9s under his wing, told the Examiner in 2024 that in the case of Nebraska City, it can be a 45-minute delay to the nearest applicable care facility should his K-9 be harmed. He had said K-9 handlers spend more one-on-one time with their dogs, who he said can save an officers life without hesitation, than with their families. Theyre not just another tool thats on our duty belt, Richardson previously told the Examiner. State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston. April 8, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) The new law still gives humans priority in the need of medical care or transport. EMS teams, including volunteer departments, would not be required to implement the new law. Any EMS workers operating in good faith to care for the dogs would be given civil and criminal immunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We just want to make sure we dont leave a dog that was injured in duty behind, which seems like a very common-sense thing, Riepe told the Examiner in 2024. The law authorized the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to implement additional regulations. Instead, DHHS and the states Board of Emergency Medical Services and Board of Veterinary Medicine adopted multiple recommendations. Among the recommendations for EMS teams that take on the new law: Have a backup ambulance or plan to respond to emergency calls while caring for or transporting a K-9. Certification in basic life support through the RECOVER initiative. Specific training in K-9 care. Close alignment with a local veterinary or pet care facility that would continue K-9 care after transport.. Medical equipment suitable for animal use, including oxygen masks and/or respiratory barrier masks for mouth to snout use. Written policies and procedures crafted with a local veterinarian for appropriate training, including safe handling for injured K-9s, such as muzzles, response coordination with a law enforcement officer trained in handling police dogs and decontamination procedures after K-9 transportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont want to have to transport our dogs in an ambulance, Richardson said last year. But if it comes to that, having that ability is huge. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A seven-year-old cat who was found in the aftermath of Californias Eaton Fire has finally found a forever home. Art, a gray tabby, was rescued by Pasadena Humane during a chaotic time. The shelter was trying to house as many pets as they could find in the aftermath of the destructive Eaton Fire, which killed at least 18 people and destroyed more than 9,000 buildings in January. The blaze was one of the most destructive in the states history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When no one came to retrieve Art for more than a month, the shelter thought he may be a stray and put him up for adoption, KTLA 5 reports. Art was first adopted in the spring by someone in the San Gabriel Valley area. But after three months Arts new owner returned him to the shelter. Kevin McManus, director of communications for Pasadena Humane, said the owner thought Art was too needy. Art, a seven-year-old gray tabby, was rescued by Pasadena Humane after the destructive Eaton Fire. Now, he has found his forever home (Pasadena Humane) The adopter described him as needy, but part of that neediness was his desire to play, and play a little bit more roughly than she had bargained for, he told KTLA 5. McManus says the owner made the right decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are committed to trying to make the best match between the animals and the families looking to adopt, McManus said. Because with more information, it helps us greatly to find a better fit the next time. On June 5, Art was put back up for adoption. [Art] was returned to the shelter for being too needy, Pasadena Humane wrote on Facebook. But we know thats actually a positive trait to a lot of adopters! If youre looking for a Velcro kitty who always wants to be the center of attention (and will show off his perfectly fluffy belly to make sure that happens), seven-year-old Art is probably the cat for you, the post continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within a day, Art found a new home. Kiri Celiceo commented on the Pasadena Humanes post revealing she adopted Art soon after seeing the post. When my husband and I saw this post we knew straight away we had to take Art home, she wrote. Ive had cats all my life and have been without one for a couple of years so it was high time to welcome a new one into our lives. Celiceo told The Independent that Art now goes by Arthur and is settling in very well. Hes such a loving and talkative but chill cat, she said. The Pasadena Humane shelter took in hundreds of pets as the Eaton Fire wreaked havoc on Southern California. A firefighter watches as the Eaton Fire burns in Pasadena, California. The blaze killed at least 18 people and destroyed thousands of buildings (REUTERS) Dia DuVernet, president and chief executive of Pasadena Humane, told Reuters they originally took in many pets for temporary shelter. But as more people lost their homes they had to keep the pets for longer. Were also starting to see people who brought their animals for what we thought would be temporary shelter, but they dont have homes to go back to, and so its turning into a longer-term sheltering situation, she said in January. The poll surveyed 511 respondents, representing a representative sample of Israels adult population (Jewish and Arab, over the age of 18). Ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus meeting this week at the White House with US President Donald Trump and amid reports of significant progress in talks for a hostage deal and ending the war, as well as a potential expansion of the Abraham Accords the coalition bloc strengthened this week by three seats to 51. This is compared to 59 seats for the opposition bloc, led by Naftali Bennett, according to a Maariv poll conducted by Lazar Research, headed by Dr. Menachem Lazar, in collaboration with Panel4All. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neither bloc includes the 10 seats of the two Arab parties, Raam and Hadash-Taal. The survey, conducted from July 2-3, included 511 respondents from Israels adult population. In response to the question, If in the next Knesset elections a new party led by Naftali Bennett runs (with all other parties remaining the same), which party would you vote for? the results were as follows: Likud 27 seats (up from 25), Bennett 24 (down from 25), the Democrats 11 (unchanged), Yisrael Beytenu 9 (unchanged), Shas 9 (unchanged), Yesh Atid 9 (up from 8), United Torah Judaism 8 (up from 7), Otzma Yehudit 7 (unchanged), Blue and White 6 (down from 8), Raam 5 (down from 6), and Hadash-Taal 5 (unchanged). (L-R) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, August 4, 2024, Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, September 11 2023, Opposition Leader and Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid, August 14 2024. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90, Chaim Goldberg/Flash90, NAAMA GRYNBAUM/POOL/FLASH 90) However, the new variable thrown into this political storm is Gadi Eisenkots departure from the National Unity Party, which immediately reverted to its old name, Blue and White. Currently, it is expected that Eisenkot will join an existing party and not run independently, though the poll suggests he is worth six seats on his own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In any case, although Eisenkot left to present a governing alternative, he does not change the bloc map. If he chooses not to run independently, hell need to decide whether to team up with Naftali Bennett or Avigdor Liberman, who both represent one side of the opposition bloc or go with opposition leader Yair Lapid. Join Lapid or run as an independent to change bloc map According to the poll data, Eisenkots only path to reshaping the bloc map is to run independently or with Lapid. If he joins Bennett or Liberman, it strengthens the coalition bloc to 54 seats, compared to 56 for the opposition. If he runs alone or with Lapid, the Religious Zionist Party will fail to pass the electoral threshold, and the coalition bloc stands at 51 seats versus 59 for the opposition. Yet even a scenario where the opposition bloc holds 59 seats is seen as a win for Netanyahu. In last weeks poll, the opposition bloc had 61 seats the minimum needed to form a government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AS EXPECTED, Eisenkots move significantly hurt Benny Gantz, who now nears the electoral threshold with just four seats in any scenario where his former colleague partners with another player. Gantz realized he must change strategy, rebrand the party, and launch a new campaign under the hashtag #TheCourageToAgree as if extending a hand to Netanyahu, asking to join the government again. Another noteworthy piece of data in the poll is that the Democrats receive 11 seats, whether or not Eisenkot runs independently. However, if Eisenkot teams up with Bennett or Lapid, the Democrats drop to 10, and a partnership with Liberman brings them down to nine. Some say Netanyahu is already in campaign mode. Whether its eating falafel in Rishon LeZion, flying to Washington to lead a major regional initiative, or even visitingKibbutz Nir Oz nearly two years after the October 7 massacre, hes on the move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Eisenkot joins Bennett or Liberman, it would reduce Netanyahus gap to form a government to just seven seats rather than 10 if the former IDF chief runs alone or joins Lapid. That said, the Arab parties maintain 10 seats across all scenarios. Despite various statements from Zionist parties, a government can be formed with them, as has happened before. In this context, MK Ahmad Tibi claims that efforts to expel Ayman Odeh from the Knesset are meant to suppress voter turnout in the Arab community. Indeed, after the Knesset committee approved the motion to expel Odeh, the Arab parties dropped from 11 to 10 seats. The Knesset will soon vote on Odehs removal. If 90 members vote in favor, he will be ousted. The Maariv poll also examined other hot-button issues on the public agenda. In response to the question, Do you support or oppose early elections for the Knesset?, 50% of participants said they support it, 35% oppose it, and 15% said they had no opinion. When participants in the poll were asked what they think should be done regarding Netanyahus trial, 25% said the trial should be continued until completion, 29% said to cancel the trial, 23% said to reach a plea deal or pardon on condition that Netanyahu retires from public life, and 13% said to reach a plea deal or pardon without conditions, while the remaining 10% said they didnt know. Sources close to Netanyahu estimate that the person who will fill Dostri's place is Ziv Agmon, a Likud member who joined the prime minister's press team last month. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman, Omer Dostri, will step down from his position immediately, Channel 13 reported Saturday, citing several sources. Dostri is leaving the position following several confrontations with Sara Netanyahu, Netanyahu's wife, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has served as a spokesperson and media advisor to the prime minister since August 2024. Sources close to Netanyahu estimate that the person who will fill Dostri's place is Ziv Agmon, a Likud member who joined the prime minister's press team last month ostensibly to strengthen the spokespersons' team in times of war, Walla reported. Agmon is particularly close to Sara Netanyahu. Dostri will not attend Netanyahu's diplomatic visit to Washington. US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are seen leaving the White House after their meeting in April. (credit: KEVIN MOHATT/REUTERS) Agmon will attend in his place, along with Netanyahu's media advisor, Topaz Locke, who the Likud party employs. Among other issues, according to sources close to the prime minister, Netanyahu's office was outraged by an interview that Dostri gave to the press in April 2024. Dostri's false claims He claimed that Eli Feldstein, the former defense spokesman and 'Qatargate' suspect, had not worked in the Prime Minister's Office since April 2024, but this claim was immediately refuted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even then, according to the sources, Dostri was reprimanded by senior officials in the office who disapproved of his media behavior, as he, unlike Netanyahu's previous spokesmen, gave interviews himself and created headlines. In addition, Dostri used to boycott and publicly attack journalists who regularly covered the Prime Minister's Office after critical reports about his conduct were published. Dostri also got into trouble, more than once, for publishing confidential details that are prohibited by censorship. This is a developing story. Maariv and Walla contributed to this report. NASA announced that it will partner with Netflix to stream live programming through NASA+ starting this summer. The collaboration will allow audiences to stream rocket launches, astronaut spacewalks, mission coverage, and live views of Earth from the International Space Station. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 calls on us to share our story of space exploration with the broadest possible audience, said Rebecca Sirmons, general manager of NASA+ at the agencys headquarters in Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Together, were committed to a Golden Age of Innovation and Exploration inspiring new generations, right from the comfort of their couch or in the palm of their hand from their phone. Through this partnership, NASA aims to make its scientific work and exploration efforts more accessible. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] NASA+ will remain free and ad-free, accessible through the NASA app and the agencys website. Additional programming details and schedules will be announced ahead of the launch. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] To learn more about NASAs missions, click here. After a hastily cobbled together ceasefire between Israel and Iran took hold on June 24, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu jubilantly declared that the existential threats of Irans nuclear program and ballistic missile arsenal had been destroyed. The historic victory, he said, would abide for generations. But nearly two weeks after President Trump deployed 30,000-pound bombs and Tomahawk missiles against Irans nuclear facilities, questions linger over how abiding that victory will prove to be. Even as U.S. and Israeli intelligence services continue assessing the strikes, and the White House insists Tehran may acquiesce to a grand bargain for peace in the region, analysts say the hostilities were less a finale than a prelude to the next act. Read more: Timeline of tensions and hostilities between Israel and Iran Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There will be a sequel. The war remains an unfinished project, for both sides, said Bader Al-Saif, a professor of history at Kuwait University. Israel, he added, wants to see the end of the Iranian regime or a more serious decapitation of its capabilities. For the Islamic Republics leaders, who have defied and antagonized Israel and the U.S. for decades, that they emerged bruised but not beaten serves as proof they should continue. Regardless of the superiority of Israeli and American firepower, theyre still there, Al-Saif said. And theyre there for the long run. Israels 12-day campaign is the first time the long-running shadow conflict between the Middle Easts military superpowers exploded into open warfare, decapitating the upper echelons of Irans military and nuclear leadership. Israels spy service conducted elaborate sabotage operations on Iranian soil. Wave after wave of airstrikes killed hundreds of people and turned vital installations, infrastructure and city neighborhoods into piles of rubble. Smoke rises from a command center of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps north of Tehran on June 23, after being targeted by Israel. (ELYAS / Middle East Images ) From the moment Trump announced the B-2 Spirit bomber strikes, he and other members of his administration have repeated the word obliterated when describing their impact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though an initial damage analysis expressed skepticism, a consensus emerged that Irans enrichment and weaponization infrastructure, including centrifuges and uranium metalworking equipment, was destroyed or rendered inoperable. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview Tuesday with CBS News that Irans Atomic Energy Organization was still evaluating the impact at the Fordo site, but what we know so far is that the facilities have been seriously and heavily damaged. How enduring the setback will be to Irans nuclear ambitions is another matter. Araghchi added that Irans "peaceful nuclear program has turned into a matter of national pride and glory and that people will not easily back down from enrichment. Read more: Will the ceasefire stick? And is Iran's nuclear program really destroyed? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "One cannot obliterate the technology and science for enrichment through bombings," Araghchi said. "If there is this will on our part, and the will exists in order to once again make progress in this industry, we will be able to expeditiously repair the damages and make up for the lost time." Iranian officials put the death toll of the war at 935 people, including 38 children and 132 women; they did not specify how many of the men were civilians. The U.S., European powers and Iran signed a deal in 2015 conditioning sanctions relief on Iran restricting enrichment of uranium to 3.67% (enough for civilian use), giving up significant amounts of its uranium stockpile and allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to monitor facilities. Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018, saying it didnt go far enough, and he imposed what he termed maximum pressure sanctions on Iran. He began his second term with efforts to negotiate a new agreement; Israel began its attack on Iran as talks were underway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts believe Iran still has centrifuges it manufactured before the war but had never installed, as well as a stockpile of uranium enriched to 20% and 60%, sufficient for 10 warheads. Bottom line is that Iran has the foundational elements that it could use to reconstitute an enrichment effort, said Eric Brewer, deputy vice president of the Nuclear Materials Security Program for Nuclear Threat Initiative, a Washington think tank. Weaponizing that uranium is a murkier prospect, he added. Israel killed 14 veteran Iranian nuclear scientists, but the know-how is likely to have remained, Brewer said. Iran is clearly not willing to abandon its nuclear program," he said. "Its a question of what form that reconstituted program will take, and how long Iran needs to fulfill it. People fold tents at an underground shelter in Tel Aviv on June 24, 2025, after the ceasefire with Iran was announced. (Ohad Zwigenberg / Associated Press) Meanwhile, Tehran has already taken steps limiting inspectors access to its nuclear program. On Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed into law a bill suspending cooperation with the IAEA, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, until guarantees are given for the security of nuclear facilities and scientists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 12-member Guardian Council, half of whom are appointed by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, approved it the next day. Continuing with any enrichment is likely to be a nonstarter for Trump, who says he without question would bomb any Iranian rebuilding effort. The Israelis too have threatened to strike again should they perceive a threat. But that calculus thrusts all sides into a perpetual game of cat-and-mouse, with Iran going to ever-greater lengths to conceal its activities while the U.S. and Israel keep watching for Tehrans maneuverings. Israel has employed a similar playbook in Lebanon. Though it accepted a ceasefire with the militant group Hezbollah in November, it maintains an almost omniscient presence over its neighbor, with a raft of drones, spies, signals intelligence and artificial intelligence proving effective at sussing out Hezbollah activity. Israels military has launched thousands of attacks targeting any move by the Lebanese militant group to restore its capabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israelis refer to it as mowing the grass, and the idea is that they can do this endlessly, said Jeffrey Lewis, an arms control specialist and professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey. But Im skeptical of the long-term success of this endeavor [with Iran] because you cant count on that level of penetration and access being good forever. Indeed, Iran is a more challenging target, roughly 158 times larger than Lebanon and more than 1,000 miles farther from Israel. Brewer, the nuclear proliferation expert, added that Iran would probably opt to hide new facilities even deeper underground to defend against U.S. "bunker buster" attacks. To use the analogy, to effectively mow the grass, you have to know where that grass is growing back, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran says it will respond if the U.S. and Israel were to strike again. And it has shown it can exact a price. During the war, it lobbed successive fusillades of ballistic missiles, and though most were felled en route or were destroyed by Israels defense network, those that got through left destruction unseen in Israel for decades. Health authorities say 29 Israeli civilians were killed and several buildings were destroyed or so damaged they need to be demolished. Israels tax authority says more than 40,000 compensation claims have been filed. Firefighters, rescue workers and military members work at the site of an Iranian missile strike in Tel Aviv on June 22, 2025. (Oded Balilty / Associated Press) Also, keeping Israels defensive net online is no easy task because it relies on ferociously expensive interceptors, Lewis added. When Israel depleted its supplies, the U.S. had to step in, firing a years production run of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, missiles to intercept Irans projectiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its almost a war of attrition, because if the Israelis wait to intercept, then theyre on the wrong side of the cost curve, Lewis said. Negotiations with Iran are unlikely to be easy in a postwar atmosphere of distrust. In his interview, Araghchi said the door to diplomacy will never slam shut, but he cast doubt on statements by Trump administration officials that negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over its nuclear program would restart as early as next week. "In order for us to decide to reengage, we will have to first ensure that America will not revert back to targeting us in a military attack during the negotiations," Araghchi said. At the same time, there is little appetite in Iran for a grand deal that as envisioned by Trump aims to resolve all conflicts with Israel in the region, said Sanam Vakil, the director of the Middle East and North Africa program at the London-based Chatham House think tank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats wishful thinking after a consequential war that has damaged Irans defense doctrine and one where Israel hasnt seen its strategic objectives met," Vakil said. Were on a time-out, and without really determined focus and deliberate diplomacy, this will be a very long intermission while both sides regroup and think about the next round. 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. In a landmark visit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ghana, the first Indian leader to do so in over three decades, reigniting a partnership deeply rooted in shared history and south-south cooperation. The visit marks the first leg of Modis five-nation tour, reinforcing Indias diplomatic and economic footprint across the Global South. Indian PMs visit can be traced to links between Kwame Nkrumah, Ghanas first president, and his Indian counterpart, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1957. During talks at Jubilee House built with Indian assistance President John Dramani Mahama and PM Modi agreed to elevate ties to a Comprehensive Partnership. Four bilateral agreements were signed, including in cultural exchange and standards collaboration. The two leaders explored deeper cooperation in energy, defense, health, and infrastructure, with Modi emphasizing investment and development partnerships. India is Ghanas third-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $3.3 billion in 2023, and over 700 Indian projects are active in the country. According to a new analysis published by The Conversation, Modis visit aims to strengthen these ties while repositioning India as a partner of choice in West Africa where its seen as perennial underdog amid growing Chinese influence. Modi also seeks to redefine Indias role not as a neo-colonial actor, but as a smart influencer, relying on cultural bonds, development finance, and education initiatives. As Ghana navigates a complex geopolitical landscape, Modis visit affirms Indias commitment to non-alignment-era principles mutual respect, development, and a multipolar Global South. New York City mayoral dandidate Zohran Mamdani celebrates his Democratic primary victory with leaders and members of a number of city labor unions. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Maryland is traditionally a top-down state politically. Until recently, the states political landscape has been dominated by senior Democrats, whose centrist, establishment politics continue to hold sway in the State House and in many local governments. Young, aspiring politicians are frequently told, implicitly if not explicitly, to wait their turn before seeking higher office. Even in a state legislature with Democratic supermajorities, progressive initiatives are often held at bay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So the pulses of young progressives in Maryland quickened considerably last week when a 33-year-old self-described democratic socialist, Zohran Mamdani, emerged as the unlikely victor in the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City and is now the frontrunner in the November general election. And the Democratic establishment and donor class, in the city and beyond, are assessing whether to embrace Mamdani and his movement or continue strategizing for ways to suppress it. Its certainly an exciting moment because its a people-powered victory very clearly an underdog story, said Montgomery County Councilmember Kristin Mink (D), a leading progressive voice in local and state politics. Any time we see a number of people engaged and able to defeat big money, its important to take note of that. Its hard to extrapolate much from a single local election especially one in such a unique environment as The Big Apple, where Mamdanis principal primary opponent was the uniquely flawed former governor, Andrew Cuomo. But pundits across the political spectrum are calling the primary results an earthquake and earthquakes can have reverberations far from their fault lines. As the 2026 election cycle heats up in Maryland, and as Democrats here and nationally continue to reel from the 2024 election and its profound implications, its worth examining whether Mamdanis message and winning coalition provide some lessons that can be applied here. Mamdanis victory was partly generational and partly ideological. The state assemblyman from Queens had an expansive economic agenda that focused on affordability and the New Yorkers who are struggling to survive in a hyper-expensive city. He highlighted proposals for rent freezes, free transit, affordable child care and government-sponsored grocery stores in food deserts, among others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mamdanis thoroughly modern campaign, fueled by nontraditional media outreach, produced an array of responses from Maryland political leaders on social media last week. Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller (D), a fellow Indian-American, offered congratulations on X to Mamdani and everyone who fought alongside him. You stood up for the underdog and won. Ian Miller, a 23-year-old member of the Baltimore County Democratic Central Committee who has frequently clashed with party insiders, on Facebook called Mamdanis victory the Gen Z Obama moment. Former U.S. Rep. John Delaney (D) offered a more nuanced analysis on X, recognizing Mamdanis appeal to base Democratic voters, but asking, How do people reconcile the fact that (more centrist) Andrew Cuomos campaign was funded by mega donors and he won the low income neighborhoods and (more progressive) Zohrans campaign was grass roots and he won the wealthy neighborhoods? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some national political analysts said they saw Mamdanis victory as reflecting economic jitters across all classes and the pent-up frustrations of younger Democrats who dont see senior party leaders standing up to President Trump and other MAGA Republicans. Do some of the same conditions exist on the ground in Maryland that helped propel Mamdani to victory? Where can political parallels be drawn between New York and the Free State? Larry Stafford, executive director of the group Progressive Maryland, said New York voters produced results that have already been evident in pockets of Maryland in recent years. I see this victory as part of a trend thats emerging, he said. Like a lot of movements, first it goes forward, then it stumbles back, then it moves forward again. Generational change There is no question that Maryland is in the midst of a generational shift politically. It began with the departures of Attorney General Joe Curran (D) and Comptroller (and former governor) William Donald Schaefer (D) following the 2006 election, and has accelerated with the retirements of multiterm U.S. Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D) and Ben Cardin (D), the deaths of record-serving House Speaker Michael Busch (D) and Senate President Mike Miller (D), the defeat of four senior members of the state Senate in 2018 Democratic primaries, and the retirements of three Democratic members of Marylands U.S. House delegation last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The state made history in 2022 by electing its first Black governor and attorney general, its first female state comptroller and its first woman of color to serve as lieutenant governor each considerably younger than their predecessors. Two of the states new members of Congress, Reps. Sarah K. Elfreth (D-3rd) and Johnny Olszewski Jr. (D-2nd), are 36 and 42, respectively. Brandon Scott was the youngest mayor of Baltimore ever elected in 2020, when he was 36 years old. With the swearing in of a new member last month, the 11-person Prince Georges County Council now has five millennials, led by full-throated progressives Ed Burroughs (D) and Krystal Oriadha (D). Four years ago, there were none. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think thats to the benefit of the county because we have a younger population, said Councilmember Tom Dernoga (D), who is 66. I think its better that we reflect the population than with older folks like me, and Ill be retiring soon so Ill be replaced by someone younger and well be skewing even younger. There have been distinct progressive victories in Democratic primaries over the years in Maryland some representing significant upsets though they havent necessarily changed the overall political arc of the state. One such political victory came in 2006, when constitutional law professor Jamie Raskin ousted veteran Montgomery County state Sen. Ida Ruben in the Democratic primary. Now a congressman, Raskin has since become an icon of the left nationally. Another came in 2018, when former NAACP president Ben Jealous, a lifelong progressive activist and Bernie Sanders acolyte, defeated more established Democratic politicians in the primary for governor. Jealous victory came on the same night that a 27-year-old bartender named Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shocked a top congressional Democrat, Rep. Joe Crowley, in the New York Democratic primary so Jealous never quite got his due, especially after losing the general election that year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The national landscape never took note of that victory as much, Stafford said. That same year, an avowed democratic socialist, Marc Elrich, was elected Montgomery County executive, narrowly defeating a self-funding multimillionaire in the process and narrowly beating him again in a rematch four years later. Prince Georges voters recently elected a longtime political outsider, Aisha Braveboy (D), as county executive though it remains to be seen if she will govern as far to the left as some of her allies on the county council would like her to. Gov. Wes Moore (D) won election at the age of 44, with big ideas to alleviate childhood poverty, create an equitable economy and tackle generational challenges like climate change. But constricted by budgetary challenges, some of his own cautious impulses, and institutional roadblocks in Annapolis, the governor has found that transformational change isnt all that easy. Stafford predicted that Maryland progressives will take the winning formulas of certain successful candidates, along with Mamdanis, and apply it to the upcoming election cycle and to working with allies inside and out of government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will look different than it has in the past, he said. The coalitions will look different. Mink, the Montgomery County councilmember, said she believes progressive policy progress can be achieved more easily at the local level than in the State House, because there arent so many powerful forces working in opposition. Its much easier to secure a people-powered win at the county level, she said. Hell yes, it emboldens me One 2026 Democratic candidate who is already making the generational case against a long-time incumbent is Harry Jarin, the small business owner and volunteer firefighter who is challenging 86-year-old U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th), the longest-serving Democrat in the House of Representatives. Asked in an interview last week whether Mamdanis victory emboldens him, Jarin replied, Hell yes, it emboldens me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jarin said that even if Mamdanis policy prescriptions didnt appeal to every voter, he tapped into that insecurity that a lot of younger voters feel and the feeling that establishment Democrats havent done anything to address it. Its voters rejecting the status quo, just as they did in November when they elected Donald Trump. And right now, the establishment Democrats are the status quo. Hoyer has not yet said whether he will seek a 23rd full term next year, and several elected officials, including some with close ties to the veteran lawmaker, could jump into a race to replace him. But Jarin said hes ready to pivot if circumstances change without having to change his strategy. Even if he does drop out, I expect hell try to shove some other establishment Democrat with no real-world experience down our throats, Jarin said. To me, this has never been just about age. For me this has always been about the need to reconnect the Democratic Party with the working class electorate it has lost ground with and continues to lose ground with. It makes no difference if my opponent is 86 or 31. My message will be the same: We need people with experience away from the political system to serve in office, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another key race where Mamdanis playbook could come into play is in the Democratic primary to replace Elrich as Montgomery County executive, where Councilmember Will Jawando (D), who is running with Elrichs endorsement, is almost certain to stake out multiple positions to the left of his principal opponents who by most standards are pretty liberal themselves. The path to success is through people power, said Mink, who has also endorsed Jawandos bid for executive. People are very hungry for electeds whose words, whose actions, whose opinions match the urgency of whats happening on the ground. Theres important lessons to be learned from New York. Maryland Matters news partner WTOP News contributed to this report. With the Buffalo Catholic Diocese reaching a $150 million settlement on its sexual abuse lawsuits in principle, churches are now expected to help pick up the tab. The diocese earlier this month announced that all its parishes will have to pay as much as 80% of their reserve assets toward $80 million of the payment. It set a deadline of July 15 to collect the funds and will hold it in reserve until the federal bankruptcy court confirms it. As we have maintained throughout this protracted process, the participation of the entire Catholic family is necessary to bring to a close this painful chapter of our diocese and achieve a level of restitution that is owed to the many who have had to carry the tremendous burden of physical, emotional and spiritual harm of sexual abuse throughout their lives, said Bishop Michael Fisher in a statement back on June 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The percentage varies from 10% for churches with assets of less than $250,000 to 75% for those with more than $3 million to 80% for parishes that the diocese plans to close or merge. The amount is based on each parishs self-reported and unrestricted assets as of Aug. 31, 2024, the end of the last diocesan fiscal year. Diocese communications director John Martone said that the deadline was set because they anticipate filing a plan with the bankruptcy court by this October. He also stated the diocese considers this as a contribution from parishes, not a tax. For Our Lady of the Rosary in Wilson, which is now part of St. Brendan on the Lake in Newfane, the church will have to pay 65% of its reserves, $716,454 of roughly $1.1 million. That will place us in significant jeopardy, parishioner Michael Moley said, those funds accumulating from years of donations and are meant for capital expenses. Well have little more than $300,000 left to operate. If we have any capital problem, it would be depleted in a heartbeat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the plan was revealed at a parish family meeting at All Saints in Lockport, Moley estimated there were 60 people in attendance up in arms over it. If were in crisis, the diocese is expecting us to use our own monies to get churches out of it, or go borrow money to pay off loans, Moley said. All Saints Parish in Lockport was assessed at that 80% rate due to it being one of 78 churches the diocese planned to either close or merge. Trustee Paul Reid did not disclose how much that 80% equated to. Since the parishes were not at the bargaining table when the deal was struck, many feel weve been sandbagged, Reid said. He also feels the diocese cannot get all the requested funds by July 15 due to disagreements among parishes on how this should be handled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All Saints has appealed to the Vatican to remain open and is one of three such Niagara County parishes the Dicastery for Clergy at the Vatican will review. If such an appeal is successful, they will be refunded the difference between that 80% assessment and the rate that would have been applied otherwise. Among the amounts other Niagara County churches are expected to pay toward the settlement amounts, as the Buffalo News reported, include: St. Peters in Lewiston, $1.7 million St. Vincent DePaul in Niagara Falls, $526,622 St. Jude the Apostle in North Tonawanda, $508,865 St. John de LaSalle in Niagara Falls, $343,444 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Immaculate Conception in Ransomville, $100,000 Our Lady of Czestochowa in North Tonawanda, $64,884 Divine Mercy in Niagara Falls, $15,479 Holy Family in Niagara Falls, $7,886 St. Mary of the Cataract in Niagara Falls, $1,127 Other reported funding sources for the settlement include $10 million from Catholic affiliates like Catholic Charities, Catholic Cemeteries, and Our Lady of Victory Charities, $15 million in diocese central administration cash and investments, and $15 million in proceeds from selling diocese-owned properties. Parishioners have made appeals to the bishop looking to change the decision and have contacted the Vatican for an intersession, claiming this plan violates canon law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Save Our Buffalo Churches, which has helped parishes slated to close or merge appeal to the Vatican, has assisted churches in this process too, even writing to the state Attorney Generals office claiming the plan violates civil law. While bishops do have a right to impose a moderate tax on parishes for the needs of the diocese, that can only come from parish income, not from savings. The state classifies a moderate tax at $15,000, which the bishop has gone well over in this instance. Treasurer Mary Pruski said that because the methodology is based on what a church had on Aug. 31, 2024, some churches with decreased donations since that time will be facing bankruptcy. Other parishes potentially facing lawsuits have paid smaller amounts to the diocese so they can be protected by a channeling injunction. Thats what the diocese intends, so they dont have to wait on the Vaticans decision on appeal, claimed Pruski about some churches facing bankruptcy. Thats why theyre going too rapidly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martone said the diocese feels the plan is in line with canon law because the progressive structure of payments would not be overburdensome. The wealthier ones are contributing more and the less wealthy are contributing less, Martone said. A Nigerian illegal alien and his wife have been sentenced to federal prison for orchestrating a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme that preyed on elderly Americans, leaving some emotionally shattered and financially devastated. Darlington Akporugo, 47, and his wife, Jasmin Sood, 37, were sentenced in late June to more than 15 and 10 years behind bars, respectively, according to a recent report from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Both were reportedly residing in Houston illegally. Akporugo, identified as the ringleader, was sentenced to 188 months, while Sood received 121 months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud after running a years-long scam that conned elderly victimsmany of them widowsout of more than $3 million. Upon release, both will serve three years of supervised release and have been ordered to repay the full amount stolen. Romance scams and other financial schemes like this exploit our nations elderly and vulnerable populations out of their hard-earned retirement savings, said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston Special Agent Chad Plantz. They are often left emotionally devastated and financially ruined, with limited options for recovery once the money has been laundered out of the U.S., Plantz added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court records indicate Akporugo posed as a romantic interest online, using fake names and stories to convince older women to send him money, purchase luxury goods, and open lines of credit. In one instance, a victim was convinced to purchase a luxury vehicle and rent a mansionboth of which the couple used for themselves. Authorities eventually arrested the couple while they were driving the car and living in the rented home funded by one of their victims. Victims described being manipulated with elaborate lies and false promises, only to watch their life savings disappear. Law enforcement identified more than 25 victims across the country, from Chicago to Kentucky. The stolen funds were funneled through shell companies and hidden accounts that Sood helped create using aliases and disguises, according to ICE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both defendants will remain in custody until they are transferred to federal prison. This is not the only Nigeria-based scam to be uncovered in Texas this year. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, three men were sentenced in January for their roles in another international scam that targeted elderly Americans over a five-year span. That scheme, based in Nigeria, relied on mail and wire fraud to target victims nationwide. Two of the convicted men were from Dallas, and a third from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Together with Nigerian co-conspirators, they stole more than $2 million between 2017 and 2022. The group targeted seniors using fake online relationships, dating platforms, and phony business ventures to extract large sums of money. A pair of late-night burglars are being sought for breaking into five Bronx stores, police said Saturday. The crooks, one of whom was recorded wearing a New York City Housing Authority hoodie on at least one occasion, have been burglarizing stores mostly closed bodegas since June 24, when they swiped $200 from the register of the Super Laundromat on Morris Ave. near McClellan St. in the Concourse section of the Bronx. In that incident, the suspects broke both the security gate and a glass door to the business at about 3 a.m., before removing the cash from the register, cops said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rest of the crimes followed the same pattern: Sometime between 1:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., the suspects managed to break open a security gate and the front door to a store before emptying the register. Cops did not immediately disclose how the thieves opened the security shutters, which are traditionally secured with a heavy-duty lock. The suspects have hit at least three groceries and bodegas during the spree, cops said. All of the stores are within a short distance from each other in the same police precinct, cops said. Their second burglary on June 24 was by far their most successful. After entering the Mart 33 Convenience store on E. 167th St. near Grant Ave., which is a block away from the first break-in, the crooks took $1,500 in cash from the register and $1,000 worth of cigarettes, cops said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No injuries were reported in any of these crimes. Their last burglary took place on July 1, cops said. Police on Saturday released a surveillance photos of the suspects in the hopes someone would recognize him. Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. HONOLULU (KHON2) West Oahu residents woke up to a wave of violence that began just after midnight. At around 12:30 a.m., Honolulu police say a 25-year-old man had just arrived home when he says a silver Toyota Corolla drove past and opened fire. He wasnt hit but his car took multiple rounds. Exchange guns for gift cards at Wahiawa buyback event Neighbors say the car was parked next to the home of the victim in a fatal shooting last month in Makaha. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police have opened an attempted murder case and the suspect remains on the run. Neighbor Lisa Garcia said that her family heard the gunshots. I heard pop, pop, pop, pop so me and my son get up, we come out of the room and were like, did you hear that? and I said, yes, I heard that. Gunfire? and I said, yeah, gunfire,' Garcia said. It is scary. It is scary. Just 25 minutes earlier, another shooting occurred just down the road at Maili Beach Park. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You A 22-year-old man camping with family and friends was walking near the parking lot when he told police a 16-year-old boy approached him. There was a brief exchange of words, then gunfire, according to authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim was rushed to the hospital in serious condition. The teen suspect reportedly fled in a black colored vehicle. He has not yet been arrested. Why is this happening? We need to do something to get this thing to stop, said Francis Souza, a long time Waianae resident. Just hours later, police arrested two men for firearms possession and drugs after they were stopped for shooting a gun toward the ocean in the Nanakuli area. Local lawmakers are frustrated that these incidences only seem to perpetuate Waianaes reputation as a dangerous area. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It draws all this attention it takes away from the good work thats occurring, said Rep. Darius Kila, who represents Honokai Hale to Maili. This is where I call on community for us to interrupt these behaviors, these incidents of crime and violence because this is not the story I know of Waianae, this is not the story they know and its not the story I want told to the state. They say to stem the violence, its going to take more community involvement and addressing root causes. As adults in our community, being mindful of how were portraying ourselves to these youth, theyre going to duplicate what they see is fit or what they think is cool, Kila said. The councilmember for the district says shes hoping to move forward with the Waianae Public Safety Plan developed last year by members of the Waianae community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were pursuing the steps to continue to do the things that actually a lot of the kids suggested, which was an increase in youth programs, we have huge gaps in the availability for the youth to do things, and, of course, to be involved with things that have mentors and people to guide them, said Councilmember Andria Tupola. HPD says all three cases are active investigations. Anyone with information is asked to call police. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. UNION DEPOSIT, Pa. (WHTM) Crews were out on the Swatara Creek for a second time Friday for a water rescue. This was on the Swatara Creek north of Swatara Creek Park. The creek is the township line between South Hanover and Derry townships. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Morning Weather Forecast Deputy Chief Shane Peterson of the South Hanover Township Fire Co. told abc27 News that responders rescued nine people from the water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were on a homemade raft and not wearing life jackets, the chief said. One person was taken to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center for treatment. Download the abc27 News+ app on your Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Apple TV devices Peterson emphasized the importance of wearing a life jacket when heading out on the water, especially when creeks and rivers are swollen like they are this weekend. Earlier Friday, five people were rescued from the Swatara Creek downstream near Hummelstown. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Nissan is recalling more than 480,000 vehicles across the U.S. and Canada because of potential manufacturing defects that could cause engine failure. The specific vehicles impacted include a VC-Turbo engine that may have manufacturing defects in its bearings. Nissan recalls multiple vehicle models The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) noted that the defect may cause engine damage that could lead to engine failure while driving, increasing crash risks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A total of 11 Nissan models are subject to the recall, which include: Infiniti QX50 (2019-2022) Infiniti QX55 (2022) Nissan Altima (2019-2020) Nissan Rogue (2021-2024) The NHTSA report mentioned that the engine failure occurs over time, and is not an instantaneous occurrence. Drivers may notice warning signs before possible engine failures, like abnormal noises or dashboard light indicators. A total of 443,899 vehicles in the United States are affected in the recall, and an additional 37,837 in Canada, a Nissan spokesperson told The Associated Press. As a result of the recall, Nissan and Infiniti dealers will inspect each recalled vehicles oil pan for metal debris, and if necessary, repair or replace the defective engine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For vehicles with the 3-cylinder 1.5L VC-Turbo engine, if no debris is detected during the inspection, dealers will replace the oil pan gasket, engine oil, and reprogram the engine control module, NHTSA stated. Vehicles with a 4-cylinder 2.0L VC-Turbo engine will have the engine oil replaced if no debris is detected. Each repair will be free of charge, and letters notifying each vehicle owner will be mailed Aug. 25, 2025. Follow Jason Sutich on X. Send news tips here. Monica Wilson was so devastated by the result of the 2024 presidential election, she couldnt even move the day after. She had cast her ballot for Vice President Kamala Harris but became disillusioned when she learned a plurality of Americans ultimately chose Donald Trump. I actually was one of those Black women that said, To hell with it. You do what you want. Its your issue. You created it, Wilson, who serves as a Parma, Ohio, city councilwoman, recalled in a phone interview. Wilson wasnt alone in her anger. Black voters carried the Democratic vote in 2024, voting for Harris at 83%, split between 89% of Black women and 75% of Black men, according to a 2025 Pew Research Center report. When Harris lost to Trump, members of those majorities declared that they would not participate in any and all anti-Trump protests. But just under six months into Trumps presidency, that declaration hasnt exactly translated to inaction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Wilsons case, that meant having a change of heart just three months in. Somewhere around March or so, I said I need to start participating because this is my life, and it is the life of my legacies my nieces and nephews and its my country, said Wilson, who added that attending the nationwide Hands Off protest in early April made her come out of her post-election slump. Harris ascension to the top of the Democratic Partys ticket last summer reenergized die-hard Black Democrats in ways unseen since former President Barack Obamas 2008 bid, with fundraising calls raking in millions of dollars for Harris fledgling campaign in the weeks immediately after thenPresident Joe Biden dropped out of the race. That momentum, coupled with the hope that the country would put its first Black and South Asian woman in the Oval Office, reinvigorated Black voters in a moment when it felt like the nations future again hung in the balance and that made Harris loss that much more crushing a betrayal. In the days post-election, social media was flooded with statements from Black users, particularly Black women, that they would be sitting out of protests and marches against the Trump administration. Theyd done their part by turning out to vote and organizing for democracy, many said, and it would be on everyone else to dig themselves out of the inevitable social, economic and political hole Trump 2.0 would bring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want people to understand how angry Black women are, and quite honestly, Black men, Wilson said, voicing frustration over the narrative that Black men shifted toward Trump. (Pews post-election data indicates that Trumps support among Black voters nearly doubled between 2024 and 2020, going from 8% to 15%). We have been out here, for the 20th and 19th centuries, leading the protest to get America to live and fulfill its promise, and we just got the wind knocked out of us this last election, she added. The majority have, if not more, responsibility to fight back because they brought this down upon us. They voted for this man, and they created the institutions of racism, they have cultivated the institution of prejudices and inequality, and they have to take responsibility for that. That commitment to sitting out abstaining from anti-Trump demonstrations in favor of staying home was apparent in the Hands Off protests against the administration. Reports noted that crowds were largely made up of older white people, pointing to photos from the actions across the country as evidence. That was in contrast with the diverse, Black-led protests that erupted in 2020 and galvanized thousands of Americans against police brutality and anti-Black racism. Brandon Jessup, deputy director of data analytics and movement technology at State Voices, has witnessed that disillusionment among Black Americans firsthand. While door-knocking and doing outreach for the nonpartisan civic engagement network, State Voices organizers have faced a higher level of scrutiny from Black communities, he said in a phone interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many are still interested in taking to the streets, as with the No Kings demonstrations in June. But many others, Jessup said, are skeptical of how they can continue to voice their opposition to the current administration when its upending their lives; theyre bearing the brunt of Trumps executive actions and legislation targeting diversity, equity and inclusion, Medicaid and other social services as well as navigating the disappointment of decades of fighting to only obtain marginal reform. Incremental change thats almost water torture, especially when our communities desire radical change, not extreme change, Jessup told Salon. What were getting from this current administration is extremism. We wanted radical change. We wanted a change that made sure that we took care of all, not less. Stacy Davis Gates, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, told Salon that she sees many Black women still grappling with that rejection, both in terms of Harris candidacy and the fact that some members of their communities voted for Trump even at the peril of their own family. Still, Davis Gates argued, its not clear that Black people could abstain even if they wanted to. One of the things that popular discourse often misses is that being Black is a political strategy within itself, she told Salon. From the time that we wake up to the time that we go to sleep, in the way that we have to navigate society at our jobs, in our schools, in our neighborhood, even a trip to the grocery store I dont think we ever truly sit out of any protest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marcus Anthony Hunter, professor of sociology and African American Studies at UCLA, echoed that sentiment. Black people, he added, also must weigh the risk of engaging in demonstrations and the potential for violent encounters with law enforcement against their safety and livelihoods. Theres a calculation that is worth considering, and it sometimes means people throw that out the window and just jump out there, said Hunter, who coined the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag in 2012 before it ballooned into a movement. But just because you dont see them doesnt mean theyre not caring, and that they dont care and that theyre not doing things that raise the alarms in their communities in ways that might be less seen or less visible, but are still very much present. Such is the case for Meredith Turner, a Cuyahoga County councilwoman and 2024 Ohio delegate at the Democratic National Convention. She previously told Salon that, following Harris loss, she would not be participating in any protests or marches against the then-incoming president for the foreseeable future. Months later, she said she remains steadfast in that commitment. I feel like the coalition that I belong to were tired. Were tired. Its OK for us to sit back and watch others strategize and take action, Turner said. She added that shes very comfortable with Trump supporters and Americans who didnt vote having to deal with the consequences of their decisions. Start your day with essential news from Salon. Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. But choosing to sit out doesnt mean disengaging from the fight for democracy altogether. Turner said shes focused on lobbying for change at the state and local levels, advocating for her constituents and participating in letter-writing campaigns appealing to state and federal Ohio officials to challenge cuts to the safety net. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I may not be marching in the street, but Im fully engaged where I believe I can make the most impact, Turner said. Meanwhile, she said she and others are turning inward to their communities to partner with local organizations, brainstorm ways to fill the gaps, cultivate Black leadership and prioritize Black joy. We are dealing with this in a totally different way, Turner said. We are having cookouts. We got our boots on the ground. Were line dancing. Were going about our daily life. Were having cotillions. Were having graduation parties. Were trying to get the next generation engaged because we just may not be able to do anything right now. Black Americans resistance to Trumps policies has also taken the form of boycotts and investing more in Black-owned and pro-DEI businesses. A handful of Black-led groups, spearheaded by Atlanta-based Pastor Jamal Bryant, launched a boycott of Target after the retailer announced in January that it would be sunsetting a program it started after the murder of George Floyd in 2020 aimed at helping Black employees develop their careers, boost Black-owned businesses and improve Black shoppers experiences. The change followed Trumps issuance of an executive order targeting DEI in the federal government and encouraging rollbacks in the private sector. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Costcos renewed commitment to DEI in the face of Trumps policies led Rev. Al Sharpton to orchestrate a buy-in at the Washington state wholesaler with more than 100 members of the National Action Network. While its unclear the exact impact the boycott has had, so far this year Targets foot traffic has slowed, stock prices have plunged and net quarterly sales have decreased compared to 2024 numbers. At the same time, Black and Hispanic households appeared to be pulling back visits at a disproportionately high rate in the weeks following Targets DEI rollback, according to a March Numerator report. In contrast, the report said, Costco attracted many of these same consumers and saw a 7.7 million increase in visits over a four-week period that ended Feb. 9. Yusuf Johnson counted himself among those new Costco visitors this year, going so far as to purchase a membership and tell his stores staff his reasons for doing so. While the Florida-based IT project manager said he was never one for participating in demonstrations, in part, due to the danger of police encounters that Black men face, he has always tried to resist through spreading knowledge in blogs, social media posts and more recently, creating YouTube videos. I think if youre not going to be on the streets, you should be ridiculously vocal, Johnson said, arguing that actions without explanations are not good enough. He also said he worries that online calls to sit out will lead to more people disengaging from resistance and politics altogether in favor of placing the onus squarely on white Americans. Maybe abstaining while calling on white people to get involved can work, he added. But if it turns into people just simply shutting down from any form of gaining knowledge, [of] current events, then I think its going to be damaging to us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnsons longtime friend, Angelina Hamilton Steiner, on the other hand, occupies something of a middle ground. The founder of Madison Court Community Coalition, a grassroots youth engagement organization in Lakewood, Ohio, told Salon she understands and respects Black Americans decision to pull back from the frontlines of activism, having come out of the election feeling dejected herself. Still, she said, she knew she had to do something. I am still wanting to keep fighting. Im not wanting to give up hope because, for me, this is just as much my country as it is their country, she said. Her solution has been to focus on the local level and work to alleviate the manifestations of federal policies on everyday people. She applied to be appointed to the vacant seat on the Lakewood, Ohio, city council and was selected to fill the role in January. Shes also taken part in a few Cleveland-area protests, though she said shes engaging in demonstrations at a much slower pace than she had before the election. How to approach resistance going forward, she said, is a decision that every Black American needs to make for themselves, regardless of what others think. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think this is on the white collective to get out there and save your country and be at these protests and put your bodies out there on the front line, Hamilton Steiner added. Our bodies have been on the frontline since this country was founded and have founded this country. The post No, Black people may not be joining all of your protests. But they are still resisting appeared first on Salon.com. NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) Dozens of new U.S. citizens were naturalized Friday in a ceremony in Northampton. 22News had the opportunity to speak with a few of our countrys newest citizens on this symbolic day. Celebrate National Barbecued Spareribs Day at these local spots What better day to become a U.S. Citizen than on the 4th of July, the birthday of the United States of America. The Center of New Americans held its 17th annual July 4th naturalization ceremony on the front lawn of the Hampshire County courthouse in Northampton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a dream come true, says new U.S. Citizen Paulo Teixeira. We always thought about living in America and living the American dream, and we are here, we are living the American dream. Paulo Teixeira, originally from Brazil, celebrated his citizenship alongside his daughter, Sky, his wife, and other family members. Sky, now a U.S. citizen as well. We have so many plans to do. We already bought our first house, we did a lot already, and we have so much more to go, and we are just happy to be American citizens, Teixeira adds. At the ceremony, 53 people received their U.S. citizenship, representing 27 countries from around the world, showing the diversity of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To celebrate with these 53 people today who have chosen to make this country their home is just the most beautiful thing I could imagine doing on the Fourth of July, Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra said. Mayor Sciarra is the daughter of an immigrant herself. Her father came to the U.S. from Italy and became a citizen. Every year, this is one of the days where I remember all that he gave to be in this country and what it meant, and what it means for all of us, Sciarra said. We have to uphold the very best of this country and everything that immigrants have given to our country. Becoming a citizen opens up more opportunities within the state and the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It means being able to have a voice in this country by being able to vote, says new U.S. Citizen Juliette Darmon, originally from France. I think immigrants kind of have always had a bad rep, and its not true. We work every day, we work very hard. I am a teacher, for example. Whether they have been working towards gaining their citizenship for many months, a few years, or even multiple decades, they are all officially U.S. citizens together. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. Police officers are retiring in historic numbers and the exodus will only accelerate if anti-cop Democratic Mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani is elected, union officials warned this week. As of Monday, 1,555 NYPD officers put in their papers 48% more than the 1,049 who retired last year, and 65% more than a decade ago, when just 941 turned in their shields, according to NYPD data provided to The Post by the Police Benevolent Association. Union leaders werent aware of any time in history that retirements for the first six months of year were as high, and worry about the disastrous affect the lefty Mamdani could have on NYPD recruitment and retention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cant afford to have a mayor who ignores the problem or tries to take us backward, said PBA President Patrick Hendry. We need a mayor who will speak up for police officers, and treat us and pay us like the professionals we are. An exodus of officers will get worse if Zohran Mamdani wins, police leaders said. Christopher Sadowski The PBA hasnt endorsed a mayoral candidate in this years race. What the self-described Democratic socialists policies could mean to public safety and New Yorks Finest is pushing some cops to leave, according to a Queens cop who is planning to put his papers in this month. The Democratic candidate who won is very anti-cop, said the officer, who has more than 20 years on the job. He has an extremist attitude and its going to scare other cops and they will go out the door. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cop has been particularly incensed over blanket statements Mandami has made about cops, including advocating for defunding the NYPD, a stance he later reversed during a debate in June. Mandami has labeled the NYPD wicked and corrupt on X, and called for the department to be dismantled. Youve never met us but youre saying that were biased? said the cop. Its offensive to everyone in law enforcement. Meanwhile, he doesnt talk to cops. The officer who took the test to join the NYPD a year after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks on the World Trade Center said Mamdanis June 24 Democratic primary win cinched his decision to leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Him winning the primary definitely made me 100% sure that this is the right decision, said the cop, who asked to remain anonymous because he wasnt authorized to speak to the media. NYPD retirements are at an all time high, data shows. Donald Pearsall / NY Post Design A new wave of anti-cop sentiment similar to what the officer heard during the George Floyd protests of 2020 also helped make up his mind, he said. We didnt get any support from politicians, he said of the chaotic demonstrations which plagued the city and the nation in the months after Floyds death. We need a leader thats not going to come with an anti-police attitude, he said, pointing to Mayor Adams, a former police captain, a Democrat who will run on the Independent ticket. The current administration has been very supportive of cops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NYPDs largest incoming classes were in 2005, when about 3,600 police officers joined the Force, so more cops are hitting the 20-year mark and are eligible to retire and take their pensions, NYPD spokeswoman Delaney Kempner pointed out. It is no secret that we are facing a staffing crisis across the NYPD, and hiring and recruitment efforts remain a priority, the department said in a statement. Retirements by detectives are also up, data showed. Matthew McDermott The NYPD has reduced the number of college credits required to become a cop to attract more candidates. Rules that make it beneficial for cops to retire when theyve had their best year financially are also sparking the 2025 exodus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats where many police officers found themselves after taking advantage of overtime as NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch deployed hundreds of cops underground to fight subway crime and improve public perception. Every week, Post columnist Miranda Devine sits down for exclusive and candid conversations with the most influential disruptors in Washington. Subscribe here! City Hall and Albany have been working to try to repair the staffing crisis with increased recruitment and a series of new Academy classes that have brought on about 1,700 new cops this year, the PBA pointed out. Nearly every leader now at 1 Police Plaza, City Hall and Albany agrees that this crisis is serious, Hendry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The retirements arent limited to the PBA. The Detectives Endowment Association is also seeing an uptick this year, DEA President Scott Munro said. So far, 606 gumshoes have retired as of July 1, according to the DEAs data. Last year, there were 455 retirements all year. The NYPD has seen a 33% drop in the number of detectives in its ranks, to 4,716 today from a high of 7,000 in 2001, Munro said. If Mamdani does get elected theres going to be mass retirement, Munro predicted. He doesnt believe in law enforcement. Lieutenants Benevolent Association President Lou Turco said some of Mamdanis comments about police officers in the past concerned him. Right now, we have a recruitment retention problem, Turco said. But if he gets in, more guys with over 20 [years] are going to say What am I doing this for? The NYPD is investigating the death of an 18-year-old woman who fell unconscious while in police custody at a Bronx police station, cops said Saturday. The teen was inside the 41st Precinct stationhouse on Longwood Ave. at about 12:40 a.m. when she unexpectedly fell unconscious. Cops performed CPR until EMS rushed her to Lincoln Hospital, but she couldnt be saved. Her name was not immediately released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police identified the woman as a prisoner, but would not say what crime she was accused of committing. Since she was in police custody, the NYPDs Force Investigations Division has been tasked with investigating her death. An autopsy into what caused her death was pending Saturday. The young womans death occurred nine days after the NYPD launched another investigation for a man who died during an interaction with police, cops said. Shelton Ennis, 54, struck his head and died of an apparent heart attack after he was tackled to the ground in Manhattans Riverside Park, officials said. The officers found Ennis drinking a beer in a paper bag and had demanded to see his ID when he ran away from them, only to be taken down by one of the cops, police said. Then-U.S. President Barack Obama dropped more than 26,000 bombs on seven countries Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen in 2016 alone. We determined this by looking at data from the U.S. Air Force, Council for Foreign Relations, the Long War Journal and the New America Foundation. Obama did not obtain an act from Congress to conduct his military operations; however, his actions were not illegal. Congress passed a broad 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force to approve war against al-Qaida and the Taliban, which Obama relied on to justify his military activities. However, Obama stretched use of the 2001 AUMF to target militant groups that either did not exist on Sept. 11, 2001, or were not al-Qaida affiliates. U.S. presidents have repeatedly conducted military activities in other countries without seeking approval from Congress. President Donald Trump justified military activities during his first administration by citing the AUMF as well. In June 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump authorized airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities without seeking congressional approval. However, he is not the first president to do so. Many of Trump's supporters noted that former President Barack Obama carried out similar actions during his presidency. According to a post on X: in 2016, Obama dropped 26,000 bombs without congressional approval. 26,000...in just ONE year, in multiple countries The above claim about Obama is technically correct in that he did not obtain an act of Congress to conduct his military activities, though numerous presidents including Trump have done the same. We looked through old databases and reports about Obama's airstrikes and drone warfare program conducted with coalition partners through the year 2016 to confirm the number of strikes he authorized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Obama relied on an Authorization for Use of Military Force that Congress issued in 2001 to target al- Qaida and the Taliban as a legal basis for his administration's military actions. In June 2025, Trump sent stealth aircraft into Iran with so-called Massive Ordnance Penetrator "bunker buster bombs" to reach concealed sites. Per a Pentagon briefing, around 75 precision-guided weapons were used in the overall operation, which included missiles sent by a U.S. submarine toward Isfahan. Around 14 of the bunker busters hit their targets. How many bombs did the Obama administration drop? In 2014, the U.S. along with a number of coalition partners began Operation Inherent Resolve against the militant Islamic State group. The U.S. conducted numerous airstrikes in Iraq and Syria using both manned and unmanned aircraft, including drones. According to data from the U.S. Air Force Central Command, in 2016 the coalition dropped a total of 30,743 weapons in Iraq and Syria. According to an analysis by the think tank Council for Foreign Relations, the U.S. carried out 79% of airstrikes in Iraq and Syria in 2016 and was responsible for 24,287 of these bombs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, through Operation Enduring Sentinel in Afghanistan, the U.S. dropped a total of 1,337 weapons through both manned and unmanned aircraft, according to data collected by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, an independent media outlet. Data from the Long War Journal part of the conservative Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank and the liberal think tank New America also found the U.S. conducted around 513 strikes in Libya, 43 in Yemen, 14 in Somalia, and 3 in Pakistan in 2016. This data didn't give the exact numbers of weapons used. Regardless, keeping in mind the number of strikes in Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan, as well as the quantity of weapons used in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, the total still amounts to more than 26,000 bombs in seven countries in just 2016. Did Obama get congressional approval? Trump is not the first president who did not get congressional consent to carry out military actions in another country. In 1950, President Harry Truman used his authority to send U.S. troops to defend South Korea along with a U.N. Security Council resolution, but no authority from Congress. In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan ordered military force in Libya, Grenada and Lebanon, and in 1989 President George H.W. Bush directed the invasion of Panama to topple the dictator Manuel Noriega. According to a National Constitution Center analysis, while the U.S. Constitution gives the president the title of commander in chief of all armed forces, only Congress can declare war. Over the years, presidents have broadly interpreted their roles as commander in chief and often used it to bypass Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1973, Congress passed the War Powers Resolution to ensure Congress had a role in approving U.S. involvement in any armed conflicts. However, Congress has also passed numerous Authorizations for the Use of Military Force that give the president the ability to carry out limited and clearly defined military actions. In practice, however, these AUMFs have been interpreted broadly to justify all kinds of military actions. In 2001, Congress passed an AUMF authorizing military actions against "those responsible for the recent [Sept. 11, 2001] attacks against the United States." In 2002, Congress passed another AUMF calling for the use of military force against Iraq. When Obama ordered military intervention in 2011 in Libya without congressional approval, he said his actions did not fall under the War Powers Resolution. A 2016 analysis by left-leaning think tank Center for American Progress found that the Obama administration had continued to use this justification for drone strikes: "Congress initially authorized war against al-Qaida and the Taliban in its 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, or AUMF, and the Obama administration continues to rely on that AUMF as congressional authority for ongoing military operations." The Council for Foreign Relations also evaluated the legality of Obama's drone strikes in 2017. It found that the 2001 AUMF had been "stretched" by the Obama administration to "justify strikes against terror groups that either did not exist on 9/11, or are unaffiliated with al-Qaida. Yet, the AUMF remains the domestic legal underpinning for all U.S. military actions against Islamist terrorists." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 2016 paper by a pair of Duke and Harvard Law School professors, Curtis A. Bradley and Jack L. Goldsmith, on "Obama's AUMF Legacy" noted that Obama initially wanted to repeal the 2001 AUMF, but by the end of his presidency it acted as the legal underpinning for his military actions: Despite massive changes in the geographical scope of the conflict that began on 9/11, the strategy and tactics employed, and the identity of the enemy, the AUMF remains the principal legal foundation under U.S. domestic law for the president to use force against and detain members of terrorist organizations. The AUMF is already the longest operative congressional authorization of military force in U.S. history, and, as of fall 2016, there was no immediate prospect that Congress would move to repeal or update it. With the continued vibrancy of Al Qaeda, its associates, and the Taliban, and with the 2014 presidential extension of the AUMF to cover military operations against the Islamic State, the AUMF is likely to be the primary legal basis for American uses of force for the foreseeable future. [] For many years, President Obama proclaimed that he wanted to repeal the AUMF and end the AUMF-authorized conflict. By the closing year of his presidency, however, his administration had established the AUMF as the legal foundation for an indefinite conflict against Al Qaeda and associated groups and extended that foundation to cover a significant new conflict against the Islamic State. In 2014 and 2015, Obama did try to get Congress to pass an updated AUMF for his ongoing war against the Islamic State. In February 2015, he sent Congress a draft AUMF, but disagreements over how it would limit the powers of a future U.S. president, and even Obama, meant the measure stalled. In 2020, Trump also cited the 2002 AUMF as the legal justification for the Jan. 2, 2020, U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. In sum Obama did use more than 26,000 bombs in 2016 alone against seven countries. However, while he did not get congressional approval at the time, he relied on older congressional authorizations as the legal basis for such strikes, a practice that Trump also continued. Sources: "Afghanistan: Reported US Air and Drone Strikes 2016." TBIJ, https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/drone-war/data/get-the-data-a-list-of-us-air-and-drone-strikes-afghanistan-2016. Accessed 24 June 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "America's Counterterrorism Wars." New America, http://newamerica.org/future-security/reports/americas-counterterrorism-wars/. Accessed 24 June 2025. Bradley, Curtis A., and Jack L. Goldsmith. "Obama's AUMF Legacy." The American Journal of International Law, vol. 110, no. 628, 2016, https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6661&context=faculty_scholarship. Accessed 24 June 2025. Combined Forces Air Component Commander 2014-2021 Airpower Statistics. U.S. Air Force Central Command, 30 Nov. 2021, https://www.afcent.af.mil/Portals/82/November%202021%20Airpower%20Summary_FINAL.pdf. Accessed 24 June 2025. Crowley, Michael, and Edward Wong. "Is the U.S. at War With Iran? What to Know About Trump, Congress and War Powers." The New York Times, 22 June 2025. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/22/us/politics/trump-strikes-war-iran.html. Accessed 24 June 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Does the President Need Congress to Approve Military Actions in Iran? | Constitution Center." National Constitution Center Constitutioncenter.Org, https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/does-the-president-need-congress-to-approve-military-actions-in-iran. Accessed 24 June 2025. Elsea, Jennifer. "Defense Primer: Legal Authorities for the Use of Military Forces." U.S. Congress, 10 Dec. 2024, https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10539. Accessed 24 June 2025. "Evaluating the Obama Administration's Drone Reforms." Council on Foreign Relations, 31 Jan. 2017, https://cdn.cfr.org/sites/default/files/pdf/2017/01/Workshop_Report_Obama_Drone_Reforms_OR.pdf. Accessed 24 June 2025. Fowler, Stephen. "Trump Administration Defends Iranian Strikes as Some Lawmakers Question Its Legality." NPR, 22 June 2025. NPR, https://www.npr.org/2025/06/22/nx-s1-5441731/iran-strike-congress-reaction-vance-rubio. Accessed 24 June 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Glass , Andrew. "United States Invades Panama, Dec. 20, 1989." Politico, 20 Dec. 2018, https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/20/united-states-invades-panama-1989-1067072. Accessed 24 June 2025. "Hegseth, Caine Laud Success of U.S. Strike on Iran Nuke Sites." Department of Defense, 22 June 2025, https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4222533/hegseth-caine-laud-success-of-us-strike-on-iran-nuke-sites/. Accessed 24 June 2025. Herb, Jeremy. "Congress War Authorization: Where We Last Left off." CNN, 7 Apr. 2017, https://www.cnn.com/2017/04/07/politics/congress-obama-war-authorization. Accessed 24 June 2025. "H.J.Res.114 - Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002." U.S. Congress. https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/house-joint-resolution/114/text. Accessed 24 June 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Interpretation: Declare War Clause." National Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/articles/article-i/clauses/753. Accessed 24 June 2025. Kheel, Rebecca. "Trump Administration Outlines Legal Justification for Soleimani Strike." The Hill, 14 Feb. 2020, https://thehill.com/policy/defense/483135-trump-administrtion-outlines-legal-justification-for-soleimani-strike/. Accessed 24 June 2025. Liptak, Kevin. "Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites Thrust US into Escalating Middle East Conflict." CNN, 22 June 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/21/politics/trump-iran-air-strikes. Accessed 24 June 2025. Martin, Kate. "Are U.S. Drone Strikes Legal?" Center for American Progress, 1 Apr. 2016, https://www.americanprogress.org/article/are-u-s-drone-strikes-legal/. Accessed 24 June 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Operation Enduring Sentinel Lead Inspector General Quarterly Report to Congress, January 1, 2024March 31, 2024." Office of Inspector General. https://oig.usaid.gov/node/6845. Accessed 24 June 2025. "Public Law 10740." U.S. Congress, 18 Sept. 2001, https://www.congress.gov/107/plaws/publ40/PLAW-107publ40.pdf. Accessed 24 June 2025. "US Airstrikes in the Long War." FDD's Long War Journal, https://www.longwarjournal.org/us-airstrikes-in-the-long-war. Accessed 24 June 2025. "What We Know about US Air Strikes on Three Iranian Nuclear Sites." BBC, 23 June 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg9r4q99g4o. Accessed 24 June 2025. "Who We Are." Operation Inherent Resolve, https://www.inherentresolve.mil/WHO-WE-ARE/. Accessed 24 June 2025. Zenko, Micah and Jennifer Wilson. "How Many Bombs Did the United States Drop in 2016?" Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/blog/how-many-bombs-did-united-states-drop-2016. Accessed 24 June 2025. An Ocala man was arrested by the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team following the discovery of a large stash of drugs at his residence, buried in his backyard. Jimmy Deon Lofton is charged with multiple offenses, such as trafficking cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, along with possessing marijuana with the intent to sell. The arrest occurred after a search warrant on July 1, during which authorities found drugs in several locations both inside the house and outside in a metal ammunition box. Loftons next court date is August 5, during which he will be arraigned on multiple drug charges. He appeared in court on July 2, where Judge Lori Cotton denied bail. Lofton has a criminal record of grand theft and burglary and has been in and out of prison since 2001. He plans to hire a lawyer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lofton denied selling drugs during an interview, saying he only knew of marijuana in the fridge. However, agents reported he was known to sell drugs from the property and bury them in the yard. Agents found drugs in a mini fridge, a glass jar, a dresser and a coffee table, plus nearly $3,000 in cash. In the living room, pills, cocaine, MDPV, meth, and suboxone were in plastic bags. Outside, agents found a buried metal box with plastic bags of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. Overall, officials confiscated more than 1 kilogram each of cocaine and fentanyl, along with MDPV, methamphetamine, and marijuana, with an estimated street value of $150,000. Authorities state that this case highlights the continued efforts of local authorities to combat drug trafficking in the community. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. PLATTSBURGH The town of Plattsburgh kicked off Michigan Month, an official celebration of the regional food staple. The Michigan dog, also known simply as a Michigan, is a hot dog on a split top bun, with a generous coat of seasoned meat sauce over onions and classic yellow mustard. According to Michael Cashman, town of Plattsburgh supervisor, while the onions and mustard are optional, the Michigan sauce is a defining component of what makes a Michigan unique. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of people from Michigan like to tell us oh its just a Coney dog, but it isnt, he said. The flavor profile of a Michigan dog from the North Country is entirely different. Cashman opened a recent press conference with a reading of a declaration officially recognizing July as Michigan Month certifying the town of Plattsburgh as the home of the Michigan. The Michigan has been an icon of the food landmark and local favorite for more than 90 years, he read. And whereas the town of Plattsburgh is home of the Michigan, with the highest concentration of Michigan stands and has been a staple of this community for decades. During the Michigan Month kick-off press conference, Cashman announced Ryan Wattaul as the winner of the 2025 Michigan T-Shirt Design Contest and revealed the design. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The design features a Welcome to fabulous Plattsburgh, New York; Home of the Michigan, and a vintage-style drawing of a Michigan lying in a basket of fries exclaiming Wah bud. Wattaul was not in attendance but received a supervisor citation and a free shirt featuring their own design. For the fifth year, Michigan month has grown into an annual celebration including a passport program for the four Michigan restaurants in the town. Gus Red Hots, Ronnies Michigan Stand, Clare & Carls and two McSweeneys Red Hots locations are all included in the passport. Throughout the month of July, passports will be available at Town Hall, the North Country Chamber of Commerce or any participating restaurant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All you have to do is buy a Michigan from each stand, get it stamped at each location and return it, said Jessica Kogut, town of Plattsburgh senior planner. The first 25 passport holders to complete and return their passport to Town Hall will receive a free limited-edition Michigan Month T-Shirt. All participants who return their passport will receive a new 2025 Home of the Michigan bumper sticker. After the first 25 shirts have been claimed, the town will have a limited supply available for $10 each. When asked about his favorite Michigan, Cashman believes which one you like best is influenced by something different for everyone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive said this often, I am a firm believer that everybody has their favorites. I think you tend to be influenced by a family recipe, he said. If you grew up and your family had a recipe, that influences the type you like. Do you like it with a little more heat, or spicy? That sets what you think of it. I think theyre all good, just different. Chapman, who is not from the North Country, found his first Michigan at Clare and Carls during a visit to Plattsburgh before attending school at SUNY Plattsburgh. When looking for a place to eat, a Plattsburgh resident suggested he and his family try a Michigan. Cashman also shared details of the upcoming, and long-awaited inaugural Michigan Fest set for noon Aug. 2 at the Clinton County Fairgrounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The town of Plattsburgh, for sometime now, has wanted to see some sort of Michigan Fest, he said. The official Michigan Fest will include food trucks, games and activities for the whole family, live music and fireworks to end the night. Michigan Month is in the month of July, and while Michigan Fest is in August, we are keeping the fun roll-ing, it is the mustard event of the year, Cashman said. We want to encourage our community members to come out for an un-bun-lievable experience and to support something that is really special to us. Proceeds from Michigan Fest will benefit the Battlefield Memorial Gateway project. Another press conference will be held highlighting all activities and events of Michigan Fest later in the month. For more information visit https://www.townofplattsburghny.gov/home-of-the-michigan/ Authorities in Ghana arrested 15 people in a crackdown on illegal mining also known as galamsey intensifying ongoing public calls for action to stop the "alarming environmental destruction" it causes, Citi Newsroom reports. What's happening? The Ashanti Regional Police Command unearthed a small-scale, illegal mining operation during a "targeted intelligence-led operation" near Manso Adubia, a town in Ghana. The Ghanaian news outlet said authorities intercepted and apprehended 15 individuals who were "actively engaging" in illegal mining activities at the time of their arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police seized a significant amount of mining equipment, along with firearms and ammunition. Authorities stated that all suspects remained in custody and that the individuals are aiding their investigation into illegal mining in the region. Why is illegal mining such a big problem? Although Ghana is a hotspot for illegal mining, particularly gold mining, unsanctioned mining operations pose problems elsewhere, too. As Citi Newsroom explained, "civil society organisations, environmentalists, and the general public" have implored authorities to act on the issue by declaring a state of emergency, citing the "alarming environmental destruction" wrought by illegal mining. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fly-by-night mining operations lack oversight and exacerbate the harms caused by mining in general. In Ghana, which is experiencing a sustained spike in the practice, galamsey has visibly poisoned rivers. Deforestation, air pollution, and damaged farmland are some of the adverse outcomes that arise due to illegal mining, along with catastrophic water pollution. On June 30, finance site SPGlobal.com covered the uptick in illegal gold mining as a consequence of surging gold prices. As gold prices trend upward, it intensifies "the incentive for illegal gold mining, which fuels social conflict, degrades the environment and harms legal miners," the outlet explained. British former politician Dominic Raab said gold prices were a "catalyst" for illegal mining, but not the entire cause. Raab pointed to a crackdown on other forms of lucrative contraband, describing the trend as a form of criminal diversification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement " Criminal organizations have looked at diversifying into gold. It's easy to melt down. It's easy to smuggle. It's pretty tough to track," Raab observed. What's being done about illegal mining? In Ghana, citizens have protested the practice and used the hashtag #stopgalamseynow, the BBC reported in November. Raab proposed another solution to discourage illegal gold mining, which necessarily exists in a "shadow economy" and preys on the desperate. "Take [illegal miners] out of that target zone for the mercenaries and the terrorists and plug them into an available supply chain. I think if they have a long-term buyer of their gold which is safe, they will be much less vulnerable to the overtures of criminal predators," he posited. 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. HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) After a series of Fourth of July rescues, officials sent a warning to those looking to hit the Midstates waterways. Harrisburg River Rescue and Emergency Services said recent storms and flooding have left rivers and creeks unsafe. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News Alerts Higher than usual water depth, faster and stronger than usual current, larger than usual debris fields all create an increased risk for rafts, tubes and kayaks, the rescue company said in a social media post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, multiple agencies rescued more than a dozen people from Swatara Creek. In one incident, crews pulled a family of five from the creek. The Hershey Volunteer Fire Company said all five were transported to the hospital, but added that each wore a personal flotation device that saved their lives. Just hours later, a person was transported to the hospital after a homemade raft capsized in the same creek. All nine people aboard were not wearing lifejackets, according to the South Hanover Township Fire Co. We cannot urge enough, be aware of the increased hazards, lifejackets imperative, the rescue company said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. An Ohio man is accused of hitting three kids who were riding a bicycle early Saturday morning, according to our CBS affiliate in Toledo, WTOL-11 TV. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Joseph Fox, 34, of Sandusky, was driving southbound in the 2700 block of Campbell Street in Erie County around 2:40 a.m. when the crash occurred. Ohio State Highway Patrol Sandusky Post troopers said Fox allegedly hit three juveniles riding a three-wheeled bicycle from behind. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WTOL-11 reported that two of the juveniles were ejected from the bicycle and the third jumped off just before the crash. Two of the children were hospitalized with serious injuries, and the third was not injured. Troopers said the red light on the back of the bicycle was working when the crash happened. None of the juveniles were wearing helmets. Fox left the scene of the crash but was found shortly after in a nearby parking lot, WTOL-11 reported. He was arrested and has since been booked in Erie County Jail, according to jail records. Fox is facing several charges, including failure to maintain assured clear distance ahead, aggravated vehicular assault, hit-skip and operating a vehicle while under the influence, according to WTOL-11. The crash remains under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] A woman got to reunite with the man who saved her life. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Not everyone gets to meet their heroes but Megan Kinzer is one of the lucky ones. I hugged him like 10 times, Kinzer told our news partners at WCPO. The mom of two is talking about Joe Petrey, a construction worker turned good Samaritan. But he doesnt see himself that way. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was just helping someone out. Thats just what I do. I love to help people, Petrey said. He did more than help. Last Friday he saved Kinzers life. So I was going to get a drink and my foot caught right here and I kind of grabbed this to kind of brace myself and thats when my hand went right through the glass, she said. It was just in and out and gushing blood. That freak accident severed a major artery. Kinzers phone was upstairs. She was bleeding out and he children didnt know what to do. But the Hendy Construction Crew happened to be working on her street. Figured I know what to do. I just got the belt off and made a tourniquet, Petrey said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said it was just instinct." Petrey and his crew helped slow the bleeding and keep Kinzer conscious until medics arrived. Kinzer needed eight surgeries. She may not be able to move her fingers again, but she is grateful to be alive. Thank you lord, and thank you, Joe, she said. Im thankful you are here, Petrey said. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The Ohio Supreme Court unanimously ruled July 2 that location data voluntarily provided by smartphone app users is not protected by the Fourth Amendment. Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy wrote in a 12-page opinion that location information given by users to apps is like having a conversation in public because anyone could overhear, or in the case of applications, provide the information given to them to advertisers or law enforcement. The issue before the state's highest court stemmed from a Franklin County robbery case involving an arrest by Groveport police. According to court records, Groveport police began investigating a robbery involving a man who said someone stole his laptop at gunpoint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The robbery occurred when the victim met a person advertising a computer for sale on LetGo, an app used to sell common goods based on location. Ohio Supreme Court: Hamilton County clerk of courts overstepped his authority Court records say police used an investigative subpoena not a search warrant to request information from LetGo about the username affiliated with the alleged sale and robbery. The application provided a single longitude and latitude coordinate related to the user's last known location, as determined by data collected through the application's most recent use. According to court records, that location led investigators to a restaurant in front of the apartment where the suspect lived. When the police arrived at the apartments, they found a car matching the description and a partial license plate number provided by the victim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect's attorney filed a request to have the information from the investigative subpoena suppressed, as well as any additional information gathered through further investigation based on that information. Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Kimberly Cocroft initially ruled in 2022 that prosecutors could not present location evidence against the robbery suspect in his trial. The county prosecutor's office appealed that decision, and the Tenth District Court of Appeals sided with prosecutors, allowing the evidence. The robbery suspect appealed to the state Supreme Court, arguing that previous federal court decisions about cell phone location data barred police from getting that information from applications. Kennedy wrote in her opinion that cell phone location data which is often automatically collected by a phone company is protected by the Fourth Amendment's prohibition on unlawful searches and seizures. However, the court considers third-party applications as a separate class. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is little difficulty concluding that Letgo users voluntarily provide their location information to a third party. Users make the affirmative choice to download Letgo. They also make the choice to create a Letgo account," Kennedy wrote. "Having voluntarily conveyed his location to Letgo in the ordinary course of using the app, (the suspect) cannot now assert a reasonable expectation of privacy. "Indeed, people who use a cellphone app that facilitates local sales through in-person transactions do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in that information because they are revealing their location to the public by using the app," Kennedy wrote. The state Supreme Court remanded the case back to Franklin County Common Pleas Court with instructions to proceed under its ruling, which permits the use of the evidence. Attorneys can ask the Ohio Supreme Court to reconsider or petition the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case. The robbery case is currently scheduled for trial in late July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reporter Bethany Bruner can be reached at bbruner@gannett.com or on Bluesky at @bethanybruner.dispatch.com. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio court: Police can pull phone app location data without a warrant OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Officials point to federal pressure to increase deportation numbers after four men were detained by ICE agents on one metro street in the last week or so. The street is a neighborhood near Northwest 10th and Morgan Road. Theyve got family, kids, and are hard-working, said Luis Flores, who was close to one of the men who was detained. There are now three families on this street because of the one across the way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flores pointed across the street at the home where Noe Chavez and his family lived. News 4 reported Wednesday on Chavezs detainment, which happened last weekend. He and his 20-year-old son drove out of the neighborhood to get some food at a nearby store when ICE agents busted in their car window and took Chavez away. | READ MORE > ICE breaks into OK mans car to send him to a country he hasnt seen in decades > His family said that they asked for a warrant from the agents but didnt see one. He is said to be facing deportation to Guatemala. Chavez has been in Oklahoma for over two decades and has four kids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We had just gotten his fingerprinting done, said his wife, Vanessa Chavez. She said that they were on one of the final steps of getting his green card, and that he had tried for years to get a legal status. Within the same week of Chavezs detainment came the detainment of three other men who lived just across the street from him in the same neighborhood. The family of those men approached News 4 on Thursday and said the men had each been living in Oklahoma for over a decade, and came when they were kids. They said two of the men came from one home, and the other was from the home next door. They have kids that they leave behind as well. The agents have been driving around just waiting for them to leave, said Flores. The agents have masks and wait until these men head to work, and then grab them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flores said one of the detainments of those men happened just outside of the neighborhood, also with agents busting in the window of the car and putting the man in handcuffs. Families dont feel safe here. They dont know what to do, said Flores. He added that many people who live in the neighborhood are scared to leave their homes. There are more people without a criminal record who are being picked up, arrested, and deported, said Senator Michael Brooks-Jimenez (D-OKC). | READ LOCAL > Oklahoma man could soon be deported for a crime committed decades ago > Senator Brooks-Jimenez is also an immigration attorney, and he said its pressure from the Trump Administration that is leading to an increase in deportations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the Trump Administrations goal was to deport one million before the end of the year. So far, in the last five months, theyve deported around 95,000, said Senator Brooks-Jimenez. To increase numbers, it will take extra staff. Senator Brooks-Jimenez is worried that it could lead to more problems outside of the ones that already exist. The number of officers is said to increase by 10,000, said the senator. How are you going to train these people? Because law enforcement is a position that requires training. But not just training, but experience. Lionel Ramos from KOSU.org first reported on possible state-level efforts to deport, as Governor Stitt has doubled down on Operation Guardian and its intended promise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his reporting this week, they said Oklahomas Public Safety Commissioner Tim Tipton said he has a goal to increase state and local law enforcement partnerships with ICE through what are called 287(g) agreements. He reported, Named after their section in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1991, the agreement allows for the deputization of local officers to execute immigration-related warrants and arrests, and to flag individuals for federal transfer once they are booked into local jails. And since late February, that collaboration has spiked, according to a public records analysis by KOSU and The Markup, a California-based data newsroom. Of the 17 agreements active in Oklahoma, 14 have been formed since late February. His report added that the states agreement with ICE is still in its early stages but that it is more than likely to add to the already growing numbers of deportations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They would be arresting people under the Immigration and Nationality Act. That is the federal law where they deputized officers, said Ramos. So, as these agencies ramp up, I should say, as more agencies enter into these contracts in Oklahoma, then people should start worrying about the state officers that they see driving around the street like Highway Patrol or whoever it is, potentially being able to enforce immigration at the federal level. Flores said the men he has seen circling their neighborhood drive unmarked vehicles and have no identifying features outside of a mask and a vest, possibly with the words ICE on the back. Thats scary, said Flores. I could go find a mask and get a vest with my truck and act like Im an agent too. They are not criminals. They are hard-working men who have families and who pay taxes, said Flores. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News 4 reached out to an ICE spokesperson on Wednesday about the warrant for Chavez. News 4 also reached out to an ICE spokesperson for a list of names and reasons for detainment for those who were living in Chavezs neighborhood. The spokesperson said they have our request and are working on getting us a response or 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. STILWELL, Okla. (KNWA/KFTA) An Oklahoma woman has been sentenced to a year in prison in connection with a crash and subsequent vehicle fire that killed one person in 2022, according to court documents. Jade Duncan, 28, of Stilwell, received a sentence of one year and one day in federal prison for one count of involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country. Court documents said on Dec. 2, 2022, Duncan was driving on Salem Road (E 893 Road) in Adair County when she left the roadway and crashed into a creek bed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duncan and one of the passengers left the vehicle after crashing, and the vehicle then caught fire. Former Fort Smith internal auditor gets six-month deferred sentence in stalking case Investigators said a second passenger was trapped in the back seat and died from injuries sustained in the crash and fire. During the investigation, Duncan admitted to investigators that she had drunk alcohol before driving and was described as tired and sleepy. Duncans blood was drawn after the crash, and her blood alcohol was approximately 0.085 g/ml, slightly over the legal limit. Duncan pleaded not guilty on Feb. 11. She will self-report on Aug. 4 to serve her sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Many Oklahomans say the 4th of July is the most impactful holiday because of what it symbolizes for everyone in our country, freedom and independence. We spoke with multiple generations of Oklahomans to hear how they celebrate the 4th and what it means to them. Im more than excited, Bobby Matlock, said Ive been waiting for this day my whole life, like this is better than Christmas. Any other holiday, it just doesnt compare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Americas birthday is a holiday where Americans often celebrate with a colorful display of red, white, and blue. We can just have fun, spend time with family and friends, Dallas Johns said. We can do fireworks and enjoy each other laugh and have fun. When you get like the hair of the dog firework or even like, the mobile man, its just, I cant describe it, Matlock said. Words are hard to explain how great this holiday is. Some Oklahomans are experiencing their first 4th of July. Her liking it and not being so scared, just loving it all because I just love it, Chasidy Darby said. Being with family is the most important thing. So, I love that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the fireworks typically steal the show, we asked people what this holiday means to them. Just being with family all the time, Darby said. When we got our freedom and we celebrated, Kingston Johns said. It means everything, like its just like, thats where the US started, Matlock said. I mean, people need to know what where they came from. It is also a time for friends and family to get together and celebrate their independence. We got to celebrate; this is America, Matlock said. Regardless of how you celebrate, one thing is for certain, you have the freedom to celebrate however you choose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Make sure to be safe and responsible so everyone can enjoy this holiday, as we wish America a Happy 249th Birthday. Happy birthday, America, Darby said. Happy birthday, America, Kingston and Dallas said. Happy birthday, America, Matlock said. It was amazing to see the different generations all find their love for this holiday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. The Trump administration is refusing to say if and when it will release $6.8 billion in federal education grants to states pending a review, arguing that several states and school districts have misused the funds to perpetuate "a radical left-wing agenda." Key Democrats this week decried the administrations decision to withhold the funds, which are usually granted to states by July 1, and intended for English-language instruction, after-school and summer programs, adult literacy, and other programs. The funding freeze, which the administration abruptly announced this week, is disrupting summer camps as the providers struggle to determine if they can still offer their day camps and after-school programming. Its also upending school districts ability to plan for the next school year. A Department of Education spokeswoman referred questions about the frozen funds to the Office of Management and Budget. An OMB spokesman said no decisions have been made on whether to release, cut, or rescind the funds, calling it a "an ongoing programmatic review" to ensure that the grants reflect President Trumps priorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Initial findings show that many of these grants programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical left-wing agenda," the spokesman said in statement to RealClearPolitics. OMB officials cited three examples, including incidents in New York in which public schools had used funds designated for English-language learning to promote "illegal immigrant advocacy organizations." The agency, which oversees federal spending, also said funds had used the grants to steer illegal immigrants towards "scholarships intended for American students." In an unspecified case, the school improvement funds were allegedly used for a seminar on "queer resistance in the arts." Congressional Democrats, governors and Democratic state education administrators are vowing to fight the freeze in court, arguing that the Trump administrations abrupt action is illegal because Congress already appropriated the money. Sen. Bernie Sanders, ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, on Thursday called on OMB Director Russell Vought to "immediately reverse the illegal and unconstitutional decision." Sanders said the funding supports more than 10,000 summer and after-school programs for 1.4 million students throughout the country and nearly 100 after-school and summer programs in Vermont, which serve 11,000 students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Your unexpected and cruel decision has sent shockwaves, distress and heartbreak in local communities all over America who now may be forced to cancel or substantially delay summer school activities that had been planned for months,"Sanders wrote in a letter to Vought and Education Secretary Linda McMahon. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday labeled the freeze an "assault on public education." "These are the programs for the most vulnerable that were already budgeted, which the state already contributes on behalf of the districts 25% up front," Newsom said. "We'll try to stop and stay these efforts to vandalize our democracy and to assault our rule of law, and notably, to take grant funding that Congress has legally appropriated that the president does not have the unilateral authority to take." Vought told Senate appropriators last week that the administration could potentially cut the education funding through a rescissions package - a legislative mechanism used to draw back funds Congress has already provided. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tony Thurmond, Californias school superintendent, said the state is one of the hardest hit with $811 million suddenly hanging in the balance. "The courts have already taken action in our favor in these cases, and California will continue to pursue all available legal remedies to the Trump administrations unlawful withholding of federal funds appropriated by Congress," he told reporters in Sacramento earlier this week. Program administrators point to a 1982 Supreme Court decision, Plyler v. Doe, that guarantees public education to children in the country illegally. Still, its unclear just how broadly that ruling applies and whether it would be used to prevent the Trump administration from blocking funds for English-language education and other programs widely used by legal as well as illegal immigrants. In California alone, there are 1 million "English learners," amounting to roughly 19% of the student population, according to the California Department of Education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While a legal fight appears inevitable, local school districts and parents depending on the funds are immediately feeling the impacts of the funding freeze. "Local school districts cant afford to wait out a lengthy court proceeding to get the federal funding theyre owed - nor can they make up the shortfall, especially not at the drop of a pin," Sen. Patty Murray, Washington Democrat and ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, said in a statement. "Every day that this funding is held up is a day that the schools are forced to worry about whether theyll have to cut back on after-school programs or lay off teachers instead of worrying about how to make sure our kids can succeed," she added. Margarita Machado-Casas, a National Association of Bilingual Educators board member, said all states and territories are affected by the funding pause, but 33 states and territories are severely impacted because the cuts make up 10% or more of their federal funding or payroll funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These delays arent just technical issues," she told reporters Tuesday. "Theyre causing real and immediate harm. School districts are laying off staff, canceling contracts and freezing services that English-language learners depend on to succeed. The time to act is now." Susan Crabtree is RealClearPolitics' national political correspondent. A crash on Interstate 95 killed a person in Foxborough on Saturday, according to Massachusetts State Police. Troopers responded to the crash on I-95 north prior to exit 15 on July 5. A nurse tried to provide aid to the individual before others arrived. We would like to praise a nurse who arrived on scene and used their training and skill to render aid, the department said in a statement. The interstates northbound lanes had been closed bur as of 9:50 a.m., the states traffic map shows both sides are open. The latest from MassLive Read the original article on MassLive. SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) The Spartanburg County Coroners Office reported that one person was killed in a motorcycle crash in Greer. Saturday morning, the coroners office was called out to Lake Forest Drive in Greer regarding a single motorcycle collision. Authorities said the victim was driving west on Lake Forest Drive, before they veered off the roadway and struck a nearby tree. The victim was transported to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, and died from their injuries at approximately 12:40 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim was identified as 42-year-old Jonathon Kyle Runnels of Fountain Inn. A forensic examination is scheduled for Monday, July 7. The incident remains under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) The Baton Rouge Police Department is investigating a deadly officer-involved shooting that happened early Saturday morning in the 5100 block of Washington Avenue. According to BRPD, officers responded to a disturbance call around 3:42 a.m., regarding an emotionally distressed individual, who was suspected to be under the influence of narcotics. When officers arrived at the scene, they encountered a 38-year-old man armed with a sharp object. The East Baton Rouge Coroners Office identified the victim as Anthony Pursley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said officers attempted to subdue the man using a Taser, but it was ineffective. An officer then discharged their firearm, hitting the man. Officers provided immediate medical aid and called for emergency medical services, but Pursley was pronounced dead at the scene. BRPD said per department policy, both officers involved have been placed on administrative leave. The incident is under investigation. More details will be released as they become available. Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) One person was killed and another left in critical condition following separate shootings in Horry County, police said. Authorities didnt immediately provide details as investigators work to determine where the shootings happened. Anyone with information is asked to call (843) 915-8477. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. LOVE COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) Love County Sheriffs officials confirmed that one person died Saturday following a shooting at the WinStar Casino. According to authorities, a shooting happened at around 2:30 a.m. Saturday on tribal property at the casino. One person had been shot and transported to a local hospital, where they later died due to the injuries sustained from the shooting. Officials said the suspect fled the scene before law enforcement arrived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One dead after shooting overnight Saturday in NE Oklahoma City The Sheriffs office says that the shooting is being investigated by the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police since the incident happened on tribal property. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation was also contacted. We have full confidence in our partners at the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police and will remain available should they need anything from our agency in the investigation, said the Love County Sheriffs Office in a social media post on Saturday. No further information has been released at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. ST. LOUIS A man was killed and three others were hurt in a shooting early Friday morning in the North Riverfront neighborhood. Police said the gunfire broke out around 3:35 a.m. near 9th and Chambers Street. When officers arrived, they found two 28-year-old men who had been shot. One was pronounced dead at the scene. The other was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Later, an 18-year-old and a 37-year-old arrived at a hospital with gunshot wounds. Both were listed in stable condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators are still working to learn what led to the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to call St. Louis police or leave an anonymous tip with CrimeStoppers for a possible reward. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. DES MOINES, Iowa The Des Moines Police Department says one person has been hospitalized following a near-drowning at Grays Lake Park. According to the DMPD, just after 4:30 p.m., DMPD and DMFD crews responded to reports of a CPR in progress at Grays Lake. 911 callers had reported that there was a potential drowning situation. Driver crashes into DMPD patrol car, charged with OWI First responders arrived to find an adult female in critical condition. Lifesaving efforts continued as medics transported the patient to a Des Moines hospital, where lifesaving care is ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident. There is no indication of ongoing danger to other park users. Additional information will be shared as it becomes available for release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. A local Missoula surfer said since the 2018 Missoula flood, Brennans Wave hasnt been the same. With newly opened pathways and stairs along Caras Park's riverfront, Tanner Rheinschmidt said "it feels like a slap in the face" that the city spent money to improve access to the wave when it's in need of repairs. When they built all of this, it feels like a slap in the face because its for the people to watch us, he said standing at the edge of the new stairway down to the river. I dont know if anyone knows because its underwater, but its significantly different. Rheinschmidt has been surfing the wave for 10 years, four to five days a week during the spring season and explained that before the 2018 flood, the middle wave was strong enough to surf year-round. He said the wave doesnt hold surfers as well as it used to. I dont know exactly what it is thats wrong with it, said Rheinschmidt, who was born and raised in Missoula. Anytime you put cement in the river its gonna need maintenance. Brennans Wave is a memorial wave named after Brennan Guth, a world-class Missoula kayaker who died in 2001 pursuing his sport in Chile. For many years before the wave was constructed, a concrete and rebar diversion dam existed there that sent water into the Orchard Homes Irrigation Companys ditch, a canal south of Caras Park. The creation of Brennans Wave was a grassroots effort by the community to remove the "eyesore," said Tim Bechtold, who was involved in the wave's creation. Bechtold said the structure was "preventing people from using a pretty good part of the Clark Fork" and removing it was a way to make the river more usable. After Guth passed away, his father David Guth, Bechtold, Trent Baker and others started fundraising for the wave in Brennans memory, creating a 501-3C nonprofit called Brennans Wave Inc. The Brennans Wave project replaced a dangerous and dilapidated irrigation diversion with a modern engineered structure which is safer, more stable, enhances recreational opportunities and ensures that Orchard Homes Ditch Company continues to receive its irrigation water, Trent Baker, president of Brennans Wave Inc. said in an email. Baker said since the wave was constructed, the structure has remained stable and still provides water to Orchard Homes. But due to "changes in the riverbed downstream," he said the structure creating the wave has developed some cracks in the concrete grout which has caused the waves it forms to not be as surfable as they used to be. 'A strange legal conundrum' Bechtold said while it's apparent Brennan's Wave needs repairs, all parties involved are stumped as to who is responsible for the structure. Brennans Wave (Inc.) doesnt own the structure," Bechtold said. "The situation has left us with a conundrum because the City, the ditch company, the state and Brennan's Wave are all at a loss on how to proceed. Because of the way our water law interacts, it's left us with a strange legal conundrum. According to Missoula officials, because the riverbed is owned by Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, the City has no jurisdiction over the wave. The City did not build the structure, does not own the structure and does not hold the (water right) lease. The City has no legal right, or obligation, to maintain or repair the structure, Morgan Valliant, the associate director of ecosystem services division for Missoula Parks and Recreation stated in an email to the Missoulian. But that does not mean we do not support efforts or collaborations to do so. Anything below the high water mark of the river is state property, requiring additional permits for any equipment that enters the water. And because Brennans Wave was built to replace the irrigation structure, it is technically under a land use license held by the Orchard Homes Ditch Company. The ditch company charges ditch users within their irrigation district for the water diverted by Brennans Wave. The OHD company uses those funds to pay for ditch maintenance, Valliant said in an email. To my knowledge, while the wave isnt surfing as good as when it was built, the irrigation diversion is still functioning well and repairs are not needed to ensure water diversion. Michael Moser, the board president of Orchard Homes Ditch Company, said he doesn't know if they would give up the license because their concern is getting water into their ditch system. As of now, he said they are receiving the water needed for their ditch and they financially don't have the funding to repair it for surfing. A repair for surfing is not of value to us as an irrigation company. As an irrigation company we are not invested in surfing, Moser said. Moser said he believes the wave is a good resource for the community but he said in general theres a big grey area around the wave. All maintenance decisions would have to go through the Orchard Homes Ditch Company board, he said, adding they have allowed Brennans Wave Inc. to make modifications in the past with board approval. Funding is gonna be the biggest thing because they would have to divert water around the whole structure and then send in crews, Moser said. Our concern is always there being enough water to supply our irrigation ditch. We wont be the ones to fund it by any means. No clear path forward At the Boise Whitewater Park, in Boise, Idaho, the local government owns the wave in the river. The structure is adjustable and can be changed on a seasonal schedule and as irrigation demands, according to the City of Boise website. Missoula surfer Rheinschmidt said in Boise, the city's contributions to the wave and whitewater park have increased tourism and business for surf shops in town. Missoula kayaker Jake Ganley, who enjoys the wave often in the summer, said each season can be a bit different due to the riverbed changing, but said he'd be in support of the city maintaining Brennans Wave. Its a good wave but it's definitely not as good as it once was. I mean its just nature. The river gets high in the spring and big logs come down and they bounce off the bottom and roll rocks around, Ganley said. You can build it the best its ever been built but the floods are going to win. I think they need to maintain it. Ganley said he understands it can be hard for a city or local government to invest in this type of structure due to liability. He said that he believes the money spent to redo the Caras riverfront should have been spent on the wave and no maintenance being done feels like a waste of the initial investment to build it. Its definitely just getting a little worn down and it needs some love, he said. Valliant said using public taxpayer dollars to repair a privately owned structure is oftentimes not in the publics best interest. Bechtold said theres a general understanding that scoring or erosion has led to an issue of stability of a very small part of the structure," adding its something they need to address, but no one knows the best way. Theres a lot of questions on the best way to do it, Bechtold said. I dont think anyone is excited to pour more concrete in the river. Baker said Brennans Wave Inc. funded interim maintenance in 2013 and completed plans for more substantial repairs, but was unable to obtain permits and funds for those repairs. After almost 20 years in service, Brennans Wave remains in need of more substantial repairs," Baker said in an email. "Completing these repairs will require strong partners and advocates like the City of Missoula, the Missoula Downtown Partnership, and the Orchard Homes Ditch Company to obtain the necessary permits and funding. The Brennans Wave organization is supportive of these efforts and prepared to assist. Valliant said the Brennans Wave structure is completely separate from the recently built Caras River Access project, which was built on the City-owned parkland and is the Citys sole sole responsibility to repair & maintain for the public benefit. The City certainly supports the collaborative efforts of the Orchard Homes Ditch Company and the Brennans Wave Foundation. Collaborations which benefit the people and the environment are what we are all about, Valliant said. Baker noted that Brennans Wave has been a huge success for Missoula and the Clark Fork by increasing people's interest in the river and helping create advocates who will work to protect the it for future generations. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) One person is dead after a shooting early Saturday morning in Franklinton, a neighborhood west of downtown Columbus. Thousands mark Fourth of July protesting Trump policies and Big, Beautiful Bill A police dispatcher said that officers were sent to the 1500 block of West Broad Street at 1:31 a.m. on the report of a shooting. One person with a gunshot wound was found at the scene and taken to a hospital in critical condition. The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital at 2:02 a.m. No suspect information is known at this time as police continue to investigate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. PARKE COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) One person was airlifted following a watercraft accident on Raccoon Lake in Parke County on Friday night. Just after 8 p.m. on July 4th, authorities were dispatched to an accident involving a watercraft at Raccoon Lake State Recreation Area. Upon arrival, Bellmore Fire Department responded with a boat, and coordinated with Indiana Conservation Officers on the water to transfer medical personnel to the patient. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to release from Bellmore Fire Department, due to the nature of the injuries, the individual was airlifted to an Indianapolis-area hospital for further treatment. It is unknown of the status of the victim at this time. Indiana Conservation Officers, Parke County Sheriffs Department, Bellmore Fire Department, and Parke County EMS all responded to the scene. The accident remains under investigation. WTWO will continue to update you as information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com. UTICA, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) Around 10:40PM Friday evening, Utica Police were call to the area of the intersection of James Street and Howard Ave in the Cornhill section of the city. The call was for shots fired. Upon arrival at the scene police found a victim of a gunshot wound and a crowd in the street. While administering aid to the victim a Utica Police Officer was injured. Both the officer and the shooting victim were taken to Wynn Hospital. Utica Police report that the gun shot victim is deceased. The extent of the injuries to the police officer has not been released, nor how the injuries were sustained. The identities of both the deceased and the injured officer were not yet made public. Police encountered a large crowd outside of the Emergence Room at Wynn Hospital and called for additional units to respond to the ER. Almost simultaneous with the situation at the hospital, Utica Police were called to the intersection of James Street and Seymour Ave for the report of a large fight. Units from the New York State Police and the Oneida County Sheriffs Office were called to the fight in Cornhill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The homicide and incidents in Cornhill and at the Hospital are under investigation. This is a developing story. We will as information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com. DES MOINES, Iowa One person was shot, and several others were injured during a holiday party in Des Moines southside overnight. According to the Des Moines Police Department, officers were called to investigate reports of a large fight and multiple gunshots in the 2000 block of Meadow Chase Lane just after 12:15 a.m. DMPD officers say they arrived and found a chaotic scene, with an estimated crowd of more than 50 people, many of whom were actively fighting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers located a 41-year-old male with multiple gunshot injuries and began providing first aid, including application of a tourniquet to control bleeding. Other officers worked to bring the crowd under control. One hospitalized after near-drowning incident at Grays Lake, DMPD says Des Moines Fire Department medics transported the 41-year-old male to a local hospital, where he remains hospitalized. A 40-year-old female and a 39-year-old female were assaulted during the fight; both were treated for minor injuries. Authorities arrested 19-year-old Jeniah Perry, 37-year-old Ebony Scales, 37-year-old Danielle Jones, and 20-year-old Tahmari Farley at the scene. Each has been charged with Disorderly Conduct. A 16-year-old juvenile was also charged with Disorderly Conduct and has been referred to Juvenile Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, evidence indicates that two guns were fired during the incident. Police say one handgun was recovered at the scene. Witnesses told authorities that the shooting suspect fled the scene prior to officers arriving. The Des Moines Police Departments Crimes Against Persons Section has opened an investigation into this incident. Police say there has not been an arrest related to the shooting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. One year on from Starmers election victory, how has he done? The British public say very badly indeed: Starmers net favourability has fallen to the lowest level on record. But whats the full picture? Has he kept his promises? As I await my childrens end of year reports, heres my report card for the Prime Minister. Immigration 1) Starmer promised time and again he would smash the gangs. Unfortunately for the public, the gangs are smashing him. The number of migrants entering on small boats is up 48 per cent, despite a fall in illegal migration into Europe. Only a tiny fraction of people smugglers have been arrested and sentences for immigration offences are being watered down. Despite promising to end asylum hotels, Yvette Cooper has been busy opening more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In May it sounded as though the penny had dropped. Starmer said we risk becoming an island of strangers and that mass migration had caused incalculable damage. He was correct. But last week he said he regretted those comments and had just read them out like a ventriloquists dummy. Starmers aides were furious with him, calling his u-turn weak, and saying that he lacked moral fibre. I couldnt have put it better myself. Healthcare 2) Starmer boldly claimed he would fix the NHS. He has managed to increase the number of NHS appointments by 8 per cent, which is welcome. But that is a smaller increase than Victoria Atkins delivered last year and on other metrics, things are going backwards. A&E waiting times are higher than they were last year. Starmer has directed extra cash to the NHS, but without real reform, that money is going into a black hole of waste and inefficiency. With social care reform delayed until at least 2028, the fundamentals will remain poor. The NHS is still being treated as a religion, not a critical public service in need of reform. Economy 3) Labour promised they wouldnt increase National Insurance or change the fiscal rules. In office, they immediately did the opposite, raking in 25bn from the national insurance increase and borrowing an extra 142bn by the end of the parliament causing growth forecasts to be downgraded. This 167 billion lie is surely one of the most brazen cons on the electorate in history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ed Miliband promised to cut energy bills, yet experts say that bills are expected to increase next year. Meanwhile factory after factory is closing down. Vauxhall is closing in Luton. NEG in Wigan. Sabic in Teesside. We are haemorrhaging critical industries. Housing 4) Angela Rayners flagship pledge was to build 1.5m new homes by the end of the Parliament. I admire the ambition, but her plan is destined to fail. Rayner slashed Londons housing target by 20 per cent; 23 of Londons 33 boroughs had zero new housing starts in the first quarter of this year. In any case, Labour cant build their way out of the housing crisis when 5 in 7 of their new homes are forecast to go to migrants. Justice 5) During the election, Starmer was happy to boast about his time as Director of Public Prosecutions. But in his first year, the court backlog increased, with 77,000 cases awaiting trial. The sentencing council introduced two-tier sentencing rules that were eventually defeated. Tens of dangerous prisoners were let out by mistake and thousands have been released after serving just a fraction of their sentence. Most embarrassingly, Starmers plans to scrap short sentences for minor offences prompted unprecedented warnings from MI5 that they would risk public safety. My conclusion? Starmer is a creature of our failed elite consensus and hes going down with it. A man unable to convey any purpose for his government or unifying vision for our country. Worse, he is now beholden to his hard-left backbenchers. As bad as things are today, things can always get worse. 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. This article was originally published in EdSource. In sunny San Diego, opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields are steering the citys economic growth more than ever before presenting a future bright with possibilities. Yet too many students are missing out on opportunities to access the STEM careers that advance the regions prosperity. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter According to San Diegos 2030 Inclusive Growth Framework, 65% of low-income jobs in San Diego are predominantly held by people of color. In the technology, biotech and clean tech sectors, Hispanic and Latino communities are underrepresented, despite the projection that they will constitute nearly half of San Diego Countys future workforce. At the same time, talent scarcity has become a new normal in San Diego. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But we can reverse those trends by investing in cross-sector partnerships and community-driven collaborations to help students access more opportunities in STEM fields. Thats why we launched the San Diego STEM Pathways initiative, which involves a wide range of community partners working to guide more than 100,000 students toward well-paying STEM careers in San Diegos high-impact industries. This bold ambition reflects a statewide opportunity to align local innovation with Californias broader economic and impact goals. To bring everyone together, we engaged different industries through a collaborative design process that ultimately laid the groundwork for our efforts in the region. A 14-member committee of regional leaders representing early childhood education, K-12, postsecondary, workforce development, community-based organizations, and philanthropy reflected on why prior collaborations failed and identified some key factors missing. To achieve our shared vision of building STEM pathways rooted in community co-design and shaped by the innovation and talent already present in the region, connection, trust and co-creation are essential. Our goal is to build upon existing efforts by fostering alignment across systems, thereby expanding access to opportunities for all students. Achieving meaningful collaboration also requires creating an environment where participants can openly address challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cross-sector team devoted months to listening, learning and documenting insights. Key emerging themes included the need for: Clear communication and a deep understanding of partners motivations and aspirations. Aligning efforts through early and ongoing conversations with community members, students, industry leaders and local partners to co-design well-rounded STEM pathways. With support from Digital Promise through dedicated staff to help facilitate the advisory committee and track progress, we have created space to foster relationships and trust. (Digital Promise is a global nonprofit that works with educators, researchers, technology leaders, and communities to design, investigate, and scale up innovations that empower learners.) Building trust involves planning, consistency and taking actions that contribute to a larger goal. Demonstrating a long-term vision through smaller, incremental actions helps maintain momentum. Given that our advisers are high-level executives, flexibility and a collaborative space where their contributions are valued and not burdensome are crucial for their input to flourish. This requires ongoing nurturing, especially as we move toward a collective regional collaboration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When communities feel seen, heard and valued, they become co-architects of change. They readily contribute when we engage with them on their terms and at their capacity, rather than expecting them to adapt to our requirements. By accommodating their needs and meeting them where they are whether they are ready to collaborate, learn, stay informed, or actively participate we uplift collaborators to become co-creators of change and engage at their desired level. Thats how were building durable systems that truly reflect and serve the needs of all learners across the state of California. Advisory members began developing their solution concept ideas earlier this year and are now moving toward launching a mini-pilot. Their innovative, community-driven concepts include: An effort to support preschool and elementary educators with real-world training that inspires young students in math and science and sets them on a path toward future success through partnerships with local colleges, experts and community partners. A program that will work closely with students and families especially those experiencing housing insecurity to expand access to STEM through after-school activities, college visits and campus stays that build excitement and readiness for higher education. A South Bay initiative that helps students grow their interest and confidence in STEM from middle school through college by combining hands-on learning, career exploration and local partnerships to prepare them for real-world success. An easy-to-use online hub where families, educators and partners can find local STEM programs, support services, and ways to work together to create opportunities for all students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Building Bridges: Cultivating Interconnectedness for STEM Pathways in San Diego, a new report produced by the initiative, provides additional information about each of the concept ideas. As this work continues to gain momentum, the path forward demands deeper engagement with those most impacted parents, community members and local leaders. But authentic collaboration doesnt begin with action plans; it begins with trust. As we continue to deepen our partnership, we are constantly reminded that investing in trust-building isnt a detour from progress; it is progress. This story was originally published on EdSource. For many Americans, the word concentration camp evokes another country, a time long ago and a facility operating in the dark of night, away from the prying eyes of an outraged public. But a new concentration camp opened in Floridas Everglades this week, and its the opposite of a secret. President Donald Trump toured the facility with reporters in tow. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other officials posed with him, laughing in front of cages meant for human beings. The Florida Republican Party launched merchandise and gave the camp a nickname, Alligator Alcatraz, that the state made official. But its not just a new prison, Alcatraz or otherwise. I visited four continents to write a global history of concentration camps. This facilitys purpose fits the classic model: mass civilian detention without real trials targeting vulnerable groups for political gain based on ethnicity, race, religion or political affiliation rather than for crimes committed. And its existence points to serious dangers ahead for the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This camp stands apart from other immigration detention facilities for a few reasons. First, its projected capacity of 5,000 beds is several times the average detention center (though Immigration and Customs Enforcement is looking at even larger facilities). Its improvised tents and chain-link cages put detainees on display reminiscent of El Salvadors CECOT prison. And it is billed as a temporary camp, with the theory being that the administration can seamlessly process massive numbers of detainees with rapid-fire judicial hearings by National Guard members-turned-immigration judges. In practice, this is unlikely to go smoothly. While concentration camps have historical roots in earlier forms of mass detention, they themselves are modern. The patenting and mass production of barbed wire and automatic weapons over a century ago made it possible to detain large groups with a small guard force for the first time. At the turn of the twentieth century, imperial powers such as Spain and Britain set up concentration camps in colonial regions. The camps had staggering death tolls that made early systems unpopular. But World War I led to a revival of the concept, with nearly a million people detained globally. The wartime camps paved the way for similar systems after the conflict ended, such asthe Soviet Gulag and the detention of homeless people in multiple countries. Those were all in place before the Nazis came to power, so Hitlers camps arent the lone precedent for the Everglades project. But even the extreme case of Germany offers disturbing parallels and not just because the Nazis also allowed reporters to tour their camps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some defenders of current immigration policy say that arbitrary detention or abuse of foreigners isnt like what Hitler did to citizens. Years before he came to power, however, Hitler wrote about his goal of stripping German Jews of legal protections so that they would have no more rights than aliens and could be put into camps. In 1935, at Hitlers behest, the German Reichstag passed the Nuremberg Laws, a focus of which was to identify German Jews and revoke their citizenship, with countless other regulations restricting them. Dreaming of a pure Aryan nation, the Nazis initially imagined their targets would self-deport. Once the myth of self-deportation collapsed, they turned to more punitive measures. On Tuesday, Noem similarly noted that the Everglades camp was meant to frighten immigrants into self-deporting. If you dont, she said, you may end up here. What will happen in the U.S. if the pressure to self-deport fails, as it did nearly a century ago? Were already seeing aggressive moves against people living in the U.S. legally. The administration is still trying to strip legal status from half a million Haitians who were allowed in before Trumps return. The DOJ is prioritizing cases involving the possible revocation of citizenship, working to undo birthright citizenship itself and targeting the citizenship of political enemies. The administration wants to define who can be an American in ways that appear profoundly racist, and it seems immigrants are the most politically advantageous large population to target. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And there are parallels in U.S. history for these camps as well. Centuries of Indian removal and genocide set the stage for abuse of those not counted as citizens. Lawmakers and courts wielded the weight of law or executive authority to prop up slavery, allowing cross-border trafficking and detention of humans denied rights. Concentration camps holding Japanese Americans during World War II showed the U.S. government was eminently capable of unjust detention of citizens and noncitizens alike. And Trump himself has hailed Operation Wetback, a lethal, abuse-filled deportation operation carried out by Dwight D. Eisenhowers administration that included detention camps. Today in Florida, the U.S. is expanding on its own concentration camp legacy. Were seeing other clues that police-state tactics are intensifying in America. Masked agents in unmarked cars or without warrants who refuse to show IDs are sweeping people off the street. Some who vanish reemerge; others have been effectively disappeared. Meanwhile, the budget reconciliation bill would likely make Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in the words of the American Immigration Council, the the largest investment in detention and deportation in U.S. history. This expansion risks quickly making ICE the center of gravity for state overreach. In the Everglades Tuesday, Trump announced his interest in a multistate network of sites like the one he came to see. Florida proposed the facility as a temporary camp for deportations, but the historical term for this kind of camp is a transit camp, and theyre concentration camps, too. The U.S. also has already sent detainees to El Salvador, Panama, Rwanda and Libya, among other nations, and is in talks with dozens more countries. Were watching the imposition of a global concentration camp network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When people think of concentration camps, they think of more than a million people murdered at Auschwitz. But extermination camps appeared only after nearly a decade of Nazi rule and several evolutions in wartime detention. Were still in the early stages of this arc, but Americans arent helpless before the administration and its allies. Members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida are already opposing and protesting the Everglades concentration camp as a threat to sacred lands. Five Democratic state lawmakers tried to visit the camp Thursday, but were turned away. In the face of ICE raids, many communities in Los Angeles cancelled Fourth of July celebrations. But activists continued their protests, including an installation of the disappeared outside City Hall. The history of this kind of detention underlines that it would be a mistake to think the current cruelties are the endpoint. America is likely just getting started. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The megabill President Donald Trump just signed is remarkably unpopular. Even Fox News admits that according to polls, Americans are far from thrilled with the measure. On Monday, Vice President JD Vance took to social media to put some steel in GOP spines. The thing that will bankrupt this country more than any other policy is flooding the country with illegal immigration and then giving those migrants generous benefits, he wrote. The bill fixes this problem....Everything else the CBO score, the proper baseline, the minutiae of the Medicaid policy is immaterial compared to the ICE money and immigration enforcement provisions. Vance has a point, sort of: The legislation will enormously increase the resources the government will devote to rounding up and incarcerating immigrants, providing tens of billions of dollars for nothing less than a redefinition of American identity. Those provisions are at least as important as the tax giveaways to the wealthy or the brutal cuts to Medicaid, which will take health insurance from as many as 16 million people. Vance has done as much as anyone in the administration to create the philosophical justification for this rejection of not just centuries of history, but Americas very ideals. This legislation will pour over $150 billion into border and immigration enforcement. It will triple the budget for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It will allot tens of billions of dollars for detention facilities, and tens of billions more to complete Trumps border wall. If you think those masked-up ICE agents rolling into Home Depot parking lots are a bunch of unprofessional goons, just wait until the agency hires thousands of new personnel. And if they arent in your community now, they may be soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Justice Department leadership has directed its attorneys to focus on denaturalization, taking away citizenship from naturalized citizens when they are convicted of crimes (there are around 24 million naturalized citizens). Though the DOJ is starting this effort with convicted criminals, this administrations ambitions are always larger; when asked if the president wants New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani denaturalized and deported because of a song he sang when he was younger, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, Its something that should be investigated. The president, after threatening to arrest Mamdani, said, A lot of people are saying hes here illegally (false) and were going to look at everything. An immigration, incarceration and deportation apparatus many times its current size, executed by an administration eager to expel as many people as possible, is the recipe for a police state and its just what Vance was hoping for. The vice president offered a preview of this approach during the 2024 campaign. He amplified the despicable lies about Haitian immigrants in his home state of Ohio, claims he all but admitted were false, but were politically useful. He also said that though he knew those Haitians were in the U.S. legally they had temporary protected status (TPS) he would still refer to them as illegal aliens anyway. The Trump administration is now trying to revoke TPS for all Haitian immigrants, subjecting them to deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Vances convention speech and other appearances, he tried to clothe his anti-immigrant argument in terms less vulgar but just as dangerous. In accepting the GOP nomination for vice president, he rejected a central foundation of the American ethos: that our identity is not a function of race or religion or lineage; instead, anyone can become a part of if they believe in and commit themselves to our founding ideals. This is what is supposed to have made America different from the moment of its founding. But Vance disagrees. America is not just an idea, he told the convention. It is a group of people with a shared history and a common future. To emphasize the point that if you arent part of that shared history then you cant be truly American, Vance described the cemetery where five generations of his family are buried. Now thats not just an idea, my friends. Thats not just a set of principles. Even though the ideas and the principles are great, that is a homeland. That is our homeland, he said. It was an assertion he had made before, and anyone with a grasp of history can hear the echoes of odious nationalisms from the past. It may have been expressed most vividly in the blood and soil slogan used by the Nazis (and American neo-Nazis today) insisting that only those with the right lineage and ties to the land (especially rural land) were true citizens of the nation. You can see it expressed in Trumps attempt to undo the Constitutions guarantee of birthright citizenship. The 14th Amendment says that if youre born here, youre an American. Nope, say Trump and Vance well decide if we think youre American enough, based on who your parents are, whether we like your political beliefs, which god you pray to, and so forth. Membership in this national community is provisional and can be revoked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Vance is wrong. Part of the American creed is that we dont care where anyones ancestors are buried. Vances debased version of patriotism says that were just a tribe like any other: insular, fearful and hateful, believing in nothing more morally ambitious. Its small and ugly and, dare I say, un-American. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com While theres been plenty of pop theorizing on why young people arent having as much sex as previous generations, if you were born before Y2K, youre probably not witnessing how these generational hang-ups play out. Unless youre watching this season of Love Island USA. Love Island USA is an appealing escapist counterweight to historically bad national vibes. Its got hot and stupid people. Its got sweethearts and schemers. Its got kissing and fighting. Its got butts, filmed in slow motion. Its got a guy who is at most 5-foot-8 lying about his height. Its got a retina-burningly bright set that is always sparkling clean. And there are hours of new content from the island per week, almost enough to drown out the sound of the world ending. Love Island USA makes other dating shows seem anachronistic. On Love Island, theres no one anodyne male who looks like he was selected from a JCPenney catalog, no gaggle of prom dress-clad dental hygienists with ambitions to host Access Hollywood being manipulated into believing they are falling in love with him after a 20-minute helicopter ride. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Love Island USA, theres little moralizing about other contestants being here for the right reasons; its tacitly acknowledged that the casts main goal, in addition to finding love, is growing ones Instagram follower count as much as possible. One of the shows stars, 24-year-old Huda Mustafa, has a 5-year-old daughter she left behind in order to jet off to Fiji for months a fact that nobody involved with the show seems to have a problem with. Mustafa is known for twerking so impressively that many fans believe she must be a stripper outside the show and for her near-constant state of emotional dysregulation. She now has over 1.2 million followers on Instagram. If the show is working as designed, she has no idea. Islanders cant have their phones while the show shoots and airs for some, the first time since they were preteens that they havent had instant access to strangers opinions of them. Savvier contestants arranged for their accounts to be run by somebody else in their absence, carrying on without them like digital haunted houses. Others, like breakout fan favorite Amaya Espinal, havent posted in months. They have no idea who viewers like, or why. Season sevens islanders are predominantly in their mid-20s or younger which means theyre the first batch of contestants who probably dont remember a time before social media existed. They are natives to the digital panopticon and have spent their youths being bombarded with streams of surgically enhanced celebrities and influencers on their feeds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And you can see that fact reflected in the overfilled faces of younger female Love Island USA contestants. Some of them have had child-scaringly large amounts of conspicuous facial cosmetic procedures. One contestant, 24-year-old Cierra Ortega, has been ridiculed by fans for constantly pursing her overfilled lips. Another, 21-year-old Vanna Einerson, was on the show just long enough to raise eyebrows about somebody that youngs getting that much work done. Contestants spend most of their days in the Love Island villa half-naked in high heels, using therapy-speak to navigate what is essentially a polycule. When they arent talking exploring their connections, contestants stare at themselves in their individually assigned mirrors, work out, pretend to cook breakfast and sleep. Love Island episodes are broken up by challenges, which are semi-sensical games that serve as excuses for the contestants to become intimate with contestants they arent coupled up with. The fallout from what occurs during the challenges often causes interpersonal drama in the aftermath, which leads to the climax of the mostly plotless show: recouplings and subsequent banishment of single contestants from the island. During the challenges, its clear that this seasons contestants know how sexiness looks they gyrate on one another for the cameras with the nonchalance of people performing a dance they learned on TikTok. But outside of the challenges, theyre not able to reattach sex and emotions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most people in the 25-or-younger demographic reported to have seen pornography by the time theyre teenagers. It therefore stands to reason that they grew up understanding sex as a performance. And now, like the Gen Z kids the think pieces worry about, the islanders, too, seem caught in a sexual conundrum they are simultaneously hypersexual and sexually conservative. The islanders arent getting past third base. Theyre barely even holding hands. Its whiplash-inducing to watch them dressed in fetish wear pantomiming expert sex positions during one scene and in the next quibbling over whether theyre ready to kiss outside of challenges. The islanders seem to understand that sex can be an intimate act but also cant figure out how to achieve emotional intimacy. Despite the fact that they are made to share beds and spend most of the day in bathing suits around one another, only two of the couples the now-broken-up Huda and Jeremiah and the still-on Cierra and Nic have admitted to having had sex this season. Another way Love Island USAs emotionally sadistic reality playground exemplifies sex panic about younger members of Gen Z is the underwhelming nature of its men. Despite the fact that most fans agree that the female islanders are, at the very least, beautiful and interesting, the same cant be said for the guys. A member of Gen Z might classify them as mid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The men surrounded by some of the most amazing-looking women who are currently on television seem to believe that somebody even hotter could walk into the villa at any moment. Theyve never dated during an era without the infinite options presented by dating apps, and it shows. Fans are particularly vexed by the treatment of 27-year-old Olandria Carthen by 24-year-old Taylor Williams. Carthen is cartoonishly out of Williams league (one contestant described Olandria as one of the most beautiful women in the world), but Williams treats her like a nuisance. Even after Carthens attempts to win Williams, he eventually dumps her for another contestant in front of the entire cast. Now we are seeing the first results of an unfortunate coalescence of two large-scale human experiments: Does social media harm human development? How about forced Covid isolation during a formative emotional time? How about we take a medium-sized group of these messed-up young adults, take their social media away and film them constantly while only occasionally letting them know how theyre being perceived? Its no wonder Love Island USA is such a fascinating and revealing watch. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com This week, Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox, Lt. Governor Deidre M. Henderson and approximately 50 students launched a year of celebration and service at the Utah State Capitol to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Through America250 Utah, Utahns are invited to participate in statewide programs and scores of local events designed to help Utahns reflect on our past, build community and look to the future a future that upholds the values that define us, at home, in our communities and across the world. As we celebrate this historic milestone, we recognize that building a future grounded in American ideals begins with defining and teaching those values. This year, new educational resources are available to support parents and teachers in deepening their understanding of American history and the founding principles embedded within the documents that founded our nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Civics education empowers individuals with the knowledge and skills to participate in our communities and institutions. It fosters informed, engaged citizens who understand their rights and responsibilities in relation to others. Abraham Lincoln saw the powerful bonds of inclusion created by the Declaration of Independence. In a 1858 speech, he said when people hear that all men are created equal, this ideal creates an electric cord, that links the hearts of patriotic and liberty-loving men together. Even newcomers can find deep moral connection to the nation and each other as long as the love of freedom exists in the minds of men throughout the world. Pam Su'a, the civic education development specialist at the Center for Constitutional Studies, presents at the Box Elder District civics training in Brigham City on Jan. 9, 2025. | Center for Constitutional Studies, Utah Valley University Utah Valley Universitys Center for Constitutional Studies proudly trains hundreds of teachers each year, which includes partnering with the nationally recognized We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution program. In honor of the 250th anniversary, we are committed to reaching 500 teachers as part of this historic celebration. With a 50-year legacy, the We the People curriculum helps students understand the foundations of constitutional democracy and American political tradition. This comprehensive program culminates in simulated congressional hearings, where students demonstrate their understanding of constitutional principles. There are many ways Utahns can participate in this once-in-a-generation commemoration. First, UVUs statewide book club Utah Reads, to be launched in January 2026 will feature conversations at schools and libraries across the state around the historic events of 1776 as retold in the book of that name by author, historian and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom David McCullough. Second, America250 Utah has some 25 ways for children to get involved at home, in the community and through student leadership opportunities. Civic engagement empowers us all with tools to voice our opinions and impact our communities, not just in this anniversary year of celebration and service, but also in the next 250 years of our American democracy. We encourage you to join America250 Utah in celebrating and finding meaning in the 250th anniversary of this inspiring, unifying and universal document. BOISE, Idaho The lead prosecutor tasked with finding justice for four University of Idaho students killed in a grisly quadruple stabbing more than two years ago laid out his key evidence Wednesday at a court hearing for Bryan Kohberger, who agreed to plead guilty this week to avoid the death penalty. The evidentiary summary recited by lead prosecutor Bill Thompson before Kohberger entered his pleas spun a dramatic tale that included a DNA-laden Q-tip, a getaway car that was "essentially disassembled inside" and a fateful early-morning Door Dash order. These details offered new insights into how the crime unfolded on Nov. 13, 2022, and how investigators ultimately solved the case using surveillance footage, cell phone tracking and DNA matching. But the synopsis leaves hanging key questions that could have been answered at trial including a motive for the stabbings and why Kohberger picked that house, and those victims, all apparent strangers to him. The small farming community of Moscow, in the northern Idaho panhandle, had not had a homicide in about five years when Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen were found dead at a rental home near campus. Kohberger, now 30, had begun a doctoral degree in criminal justice at nearby Washington State University across the state line from Moscow, Idaho months before the crimes. "The defendant has studied crime," Thompson said, as the victims' family members dabbed at their tears. "In fact, he did a detailed paper on crime scene processing when he was working on his Ph.D., and he had that knowledge skillset." What we learned from the hearing Kohberger's cell phone began connecting with cell towers in the area of the crime more than four months before the stabbings, Thompson said, and pinged on those towers 23 times between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. in that time period. A compilation of surveillance videos from neighbors and businesses also placed Kohberger's vehicle known to investigators because of a routine traffic stop by police in August in the area. On the night of the killings, Kohberger parked behind the house and entered through a sliding door to the kitchen at the back of the house shortly after 4 a.m., Thompson said. He moved to the third floor, where Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were sleeping. After killing both of them with a knife, Kohberger left a knife sheath next to Mogen's body. Both victims' blood was later found on the sheath, along with DNA from a single male that ultimately helped investigators pinpoint Kohberger as the only suspect. On the floor below, another student was still awake. Xana Kernodle had ordered Door Dash not long before, and as Kohberger was leaving, he crossed paths with her and killed her with a large knife, Thompson said. He then killed her boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, who was sleeping in Kernodle's bedroom. Kohberger left two others in the house alive, including one roommate who was expected to testify at trial that sometime before 4:19 a.m. she saw an intruder there with "bushy eyebrows," wearing black clothing and a ski mask. Roughly five minutes later, the car could be seen on the next-door neighbor's surveillance camera, speeding away so fast "the car almost loses control as it makes the corner," Thompson said. What did Kohberger do next? After Kohberger fled the scene, Thompson said, his cover-up was elaborate. Prosecutors believe he drove backroads to his apartment in Pullman, Washington, to avoid surveillance cameras on the major roads and didn't turn his cell phone back on until 4:48 a.m. By 5:26 a.m., he was back in Pullman, Thompson said. Later, Kohberger changed his car registration from Pennsylvania to Washington State significant for investigators who were combing through surveillance camera footage because Pennsylvania law doesn't require a front license plate, making it harder to identify the vehicle. And by the time investigators did catch up with him weeks later, his apartment and office were scrubbed clean. "Spartan would be a kind characterization. There was nothing there, nothing of evidentiary value was found," Thompson said of Kohberger's apartment. The car, too, "had been essentially disassembled inside," he added. "It was spotless. The defendant's car had been meticulously cleaned inside." The Q-tip that broke the case Investigators had honed in on Kohberger, but they needed to prove he was their suspect. With the DNA of a single mystery male on the knife sheath, they worked with the FBI and the local sanitation department to secretly retrieve garbage from the Pennsylvania home of Kohberger's parents, seeking a DNA match to their suspect. "They conducted what's called a trash pull during the nighttime hours," Thompson said, and "took trash that had been set out on the street for collection" and sent it to Idaho's forensics lab. The garbage yielded investigative gold: A Q-tip that contained DNA identified "as coming from the father of the person whose DNA was found on the knife sheath that was found by Madison Mogen's body on the bed," he said. With that, Kohberger was arrested at his parents' home in Pennsylvania, where he had gone for the holidays, and ultimately was extradited to Idaho for prosecution. The mysteries that remain Even while prosecutors detailed that night, a key question remains: Why did Kohberger target that house and those victims? Did he know them? And what was his motive? "We do not have evidence that the defendant had direct contact with 1122 or with residents in 1122, but we can put his phone in the area on those times," Thompson said, referring to the house number where the murders took place. Some of that evidence may have come out at trial, and may yet be contained in documents related to the case that have been sealed by the court until after a July 23 sentencing hearing. A gag order in place for all attorneys in the case is still in effect as well. Those documents include witness lists, a list of exhibits, an analysis of the evidence, requests for additional discovery, filings about mitigating factors and various unsuccessful defense motions that sought to introduce alternative suspects, among other things. The families of the victims are split over the plea deal With the case solved, families remain divided over its resolution. The deal stipulates that Kohberger will be spared execution in exchange for four consecutive life sentences. He also waived his right to appeal and to challenge the sentence. Chapin's and Mogen's families support the deal. "We now embark on a new path. We embark on a path of hope and healing," Mogen's family said in a statement. The family of Kaylee Goncalves publicly denounced the plea deal ahead of Wednesday's hearing and her father refused to attend the proceedings. Goncalves 18-year-old sister, Aubrie Goncalves, said in a Facebook post that "Bryan Kohberger facing a life in prison means he would still get to speak, form relationships, and engage with the world." "Meanwhile, our loved ones have been silenced forever," she wrote. The Brief A deputy-involved shooting took place in the early hours of Saturday morning in Orange County. A man fleeing a scene on foot with a gun was shot by deputies and is now in critical condition. The deputies who fired their service weapons are OK and have been placed on temporary, paid administrative leave. ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - A man is in critical condition after a deputy-involved shooting that took place in the early hours of Saturday morning in Orange County, officials say. What happened? What we know Deputies with the Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) said the incident started around 1 a.m. on Saturday when they were assisting with a traffic detail near the intersection of Orlando Central Parkway and Presidents Drive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials say a man fled on foot, and as they ran after him, they saw he had a gun in his hand. Deputies say they caught up to the man who was still holding the gun. CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APP Two of the Orange County deputies discharged their service weapons, striking the man. Deputies say they provided first aid, and the man was transported to the hospital, where he is now in critical condition. Sheriff John Mina said the deputies who fired their service weapons are OK and have been placed on temporary, paid administrative leave pending review of the investigation. The deputy-involved shooting took place in the early hours of Saturday morning near the intersection of Orlando Central Parkway and Presidents Drive. What we don't know Authorities have not yet released the identities of the man that was shot or the deputies. It is unclear what caused the man to run away from the deputies. What's next The OCSO says there is body-worn camera footage of the incident that will be released within 30 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SIGN-UP FOR FOX 35'S BREAKING NEWS, DAILY NEWS NEWSLETTERS The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is investigating the shooting and will turn over its findings to the State Attorneys Office (SAO) for review. Once that process is completed, OCSO will conduct its own internal investigation. Orange County Sheriff John Mina shared comments following the deputy-involved shooting. (Credit: Orange County Sheriff's Office) This is a developing story. Check back later for more updates. The Source This story was written based on information shared by the Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) in a news release on July 5, 2025. NEED TO KNOW Multiple people were injured as they evacuated a plane due to a false fire warning The Ryanair flight was traveling from Spain to Manchester on July 4 when the incident occurred We sincerely apologize to affected passengers for any inconvenience caused, the airline said in a statement to PEOPLE Over a dozen passengers were injured as they evacuated a plane after being alerted of a "false fire warning." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Ryanair flight was due to take off from Palma Airport in Spain to Manchester, England, on Friday, July 4, when the inaccurate message was announced onboard, prompting an evacuation, the airline said in a statement to PEOPLE. This flight from Palma to Manchester discontinued take-off due to a false fire warning light indication. Passengers were disembarked using the inflatable slides and returned to the terminal, a spokesperson for the airline said. While disembarking, a small number of passengers encountered very minor injuries (ankle sprains, etc.) and crew requested immediate medical assistance," the Ryanair spokesperson continued. Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty A Ryanair flight in June 2022. A Ryanair flight in June 2022. A spokesman for Majorca's emergency response crews told The Sun and the Daily Mail that 18 people needed medical treatment for their injuries, including six who were sent to local hospitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The injuries were "all minor," the spokesperson added, per the outlets. Video footage shared on social media from the incident showed passengers exiting the plane from what appeared to be the emergency exit doors. Ryanair confirmed to PEOPLE that there was no fire on the aircraft, and passengers were quickly arranged a replacement aircraft, which departed Palma at 7:05 a.m. local time on Saturday, July 5. 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. We sincerely apologize to affected passengers for any inconvenience caused, the airline said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement to PEOPLE, the Palma Airport said, "There was an incident on a Ryanair plane last night at Palma de Mallorca Airport. There was no fire at any time, nor did the incident affect airport operations." Majorca's emergency response crew did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on July 5. Read the original article on People DENVER (KDVR) South Metro Fire Rescue and the Douglas County Sheriffs Office responded to a house fire in Douglas County just after midnight Saturday that the agencies are attributing to improperly discarded fireworks. DCSO, in a post on X, said the fire started outside of a garage at a house on Pebblewood Court after used fireworks were discarded in a plastic trash can. Its been a very busy weekend already, no holiday for our deputies, said Deborah Takahara Public Information Director at the Douglas County Sheriffs Office Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fires break out across Denver metro, several reportedly caused by fireworks No one was seriously injured in the fire, including humans and a dog and two cats, according to the sheriffs office. Used fireworks are hot and dangerous for hours after theyre used, so we do encourage people to soak them in a bucket of water, maybe put them in a metal box to really make sure they are extinguished, said Takahara. South Metro Fire Rescue and the Douglas County Sheriffs Office responded to a house fire in Douglas County just after midnight Saturday that the agencies are attributing to improperly discarded fireworks. (Credit Douglas County Sheriffs Office) South Metro Fire Rescue and the Douglas County Sheriffs Office responded to a house fire in Douglas County just after midnight Saturday that the agencies are attributing to improperly discarded fireworks. (Credit Douglas County Sheriffs Office) South Metro Fire Rescue and the Douglas County Sheriffs Office responded to a house fire in Douglas County just after midnight Saturday that the agencies are attributing to improperly discarded fireworks. (Credit South Metro Fire Rescue) DCSO said its deputies found the garage and fence on fire at the house in the Stonegate neighborhod upon arrival, with the homeowners still inside attempting to save their pets. Four DCSO deputies were treated on the scene for smoke inhalation, but are okay, the sheriffs office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire ultimately caused significant damage to an upstairs bedroom and destroyed the garage and a vehicle that was inside. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PRESTON, Conn. (WTNH) Several fire departments assisted with extinguishment efforts after a blaze broke out at a former hospital on Saturday morning in Preston. At around 1:40 a.m., fire crews responded to the Preston side of the former Norwich State Hospital for a working structure fire. Early morning flames at the former Norwich State Hospital. (SOURCE: Gales Ferry Volunteer Fire Company) Once on scene, crews rushed to deploy an aerial ladder pipe to suppress the flames, and after more than two hours, the scene cleared at around 4:00 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Route 12 was temporarily closed due to a water supply line placed across the road. At this time, the cause of the flames is unknown and under investigation by the fire marshals office. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. [Get fire prevention safety tips in the player above.] PAINESVILLE, Ohio (WJW) A garage attached to a Spruce Lane home caught fire early Friday. Firefighters were dispatched just after 12:30 a.m. to the 1800 block of Spruce Lane, according to a news release from Fire Chief Thomas Hummel Jr. Suspect in Euclid Beach Park shooting still at-large (Painesville Fire Department) They found smoke and flames coming from the garage, but first checked to see if anyone was inside the house. Due to the large volume of the fire, backup firefighters were called. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one was injured. Fire and smoke moderately damaged the two-story home and the siding of a neighbors home. Damages are estimated at $50,000. Local missing man now considered murder case The fire is believed to be accidental, and having originated outside the garage, likely in a garbage can, Hummel noted. Also at the scene were firefighters from Painesville, Concord and Leroy townships, Fairport Harbor, Perry, Madison and Mentor, and police officers from Painesville. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SPRING VALLEY, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) The owner of a dog that was dragged behind a vehicle Wednesday in Spring Valley has been identified. The person contacted County Animal Services and admitted that it was his truck and his dog involved after seeing video coverage of the incident on television, the County of San Diego said Friday. Animal Control Officers went to the suspects home and confirmed he was the person seen driving the truck in the video, according to county officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dog, however, had to be euthanized due to the extent of its injuries. Motorcyclist killed in intentional crash on I-805 identified Animal Services was able to preserve evidence from the dogs remains for the investigation before it was cremated. This is an incredibly sad and disturbing case, said Vaughn Maurice, director of County Animal Services. While we are grateful to have identified the person responsible, our hearts break for this dog and what it endured. Animal Services is filing charges against the suspect with the San Diego County District Attorneys Office. We want to thank the media and everyone in the community who shared this story and provided information, Maurice said. Your efforts were instrumental in helping us identify the individual involved and move toward justice for this innocent animal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact San Diego County Animal Services at 619-236-2341. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BRADFORD COUNTY, Pa. (WETM) An inmate in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to serve additional time after officials say he committed various crimes in Bradford County. Joseph S. Young, 45, was sentenced to a minimum of two years to a maximum of five years for the following crimes, as stated in a release from the Bradford County District Attorneys Office: Possession of a controlled substance (two counts) Possession of drug paraphernalia (four counts) Driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the release, the DA states that Young was arrested for the crimes by Pennsylvania State Police in August of 2024 following an investigation in Columbia Township. Gillett man sentenced for selling meth to undercover agent The DA further states that at the time of his sentencing in Bradford County, Young was already serving time in a state correctional facility in Laurel Highlands, Pennsylvania, for committing various crimes between multiple counties in Pennsylvania and New York over a lengthy period of time. Youngs combined sentences for those crimes, plus his crimes in Bradford County, are a minimum of 45 months to a maximum of 10 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Albany man sentenced after shootout with neighbor in Bradford County The DA noted that Young has had a lengthy criminal history that dates back to 1998, involving a statutory sexual assault case and another in 1999. Young has also been found guilty of reckless burning, criminal mischief, burglary, false ID to law enforcement and driving under the influence on multiple occasions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. An 83-year-old retired priest was among more than 20 Palestine Action supporters arrested for defying a terror ban hours after it came into force. Several dozen activists gathered in front of Parliament on Saturday holding signs reading: I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action. The protest came after the group was designated a terrorist group at midnight on Friday. Support or membership of the group is now a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move to ban the organisation was announced after it claimed responsibility for vandalising two Voyager aircraft at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, which police said caused around 7 million of damage. Credit: Palestine Action In a statement before the protest, Scotland Yard had warned that people showing support for the group would face prosecution. Following the protest, the Metropolitan Police said: Officers have arrested more than 20 people on suspicion of offences under the Terrorism Act 2000. They have been taken into custody. Palestine Action is a proscribed group and officers will act where criminal offences are committed. Protesters show their backing for Palestine Action - Belinda Jiao Among those who appeared to be taken away was the Rev Sue Parfitt, 83, a retired priest from Bristol who was sitting in a camp chair with placards at her feet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protesters also claimed former government lawyer Tim Crosland was detained. He had earlier spoken of his intention to support the protest, saying: If we cannot speak freely about the genocide of Palestinians, if we cannot condemn those who enable it and praise those who resist it, then the right to freedom of expression has no meaning, and democracy in this country is dead. Police in Parliament Square were met with cries of Met Police, you are puppets of the Zionist state as they arrested protesters. There were also chants of From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free as officers began pulling suspects from the crowd. Police at the scene - Belinda Jiao The protest came after three judges, including the Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, refused a last-minute attempt to pause the ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MPs had overwhelmingly voted in favour of a decision taken on Wednesday by Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, to proscribe the protest group under the Terrorism Act 2000, with the Lords having approved the move. However, within hours of the Palestine Action ban coming into effect, activists organised by the Defend Our Juries group had begun gathering near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parliament Square. The protesters gathered in Parliament Square near a statue of Mahatma Gandhi Defend Our Juries had earlier written to the Met commissioner to give him notice that it may be committing offences under the Terrorism Act. Leslie Tate, 76, a Green councillor from Hertfordshire who was at the protest, said: Palestine Action are not a violent organisation, and the proscription is wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The evidence from their actions that theyve taken from the start of Palestine Action is that they all have been non-violent. This protest is necessary to defend our democracy, and this is the creeping edge of totalitarianism, frankly. The protest was organised by Defend Our Juries - Jeff Moore/PA One 79-year-old woman taking part, who declined to give her name, told The Telegraph: I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action. They have been very open about what theyre doing and they are very brave people for it. I am in solidarity with them. But, I know I cant say I support them, I cant support them, Im forbidden from supporting them. Alex Hearn, director of Labour Against Antisemitism, mocked the choice of location for the protest. He said: Palestine Action aligning themselves with Gandhi is laughable. It cynically misrepresents their activities as non-violent, when in truth attacking police with a sledgehammer and vandalising properties is anything but. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A police officer was taken to hospital in August last year after being hit with a sledgehammer while responding to reports of criminal damage during a protest at the Bristol HQ of defence technology firm Elbit Systems. In a separate incident on Saturday, Pro-Palestine activists disrupted the London Pride parade, covering one float with red paint and delaying it for around an hour. The arrests outside Parliament came after four people were remanded in custody after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in an action allegedly carried out by members of Palestine Action. Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22, have all been charged in connection with the incident at RAF Brize Norton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday after being charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage, under the Criminal Law Act 1977. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The Brief San Francisco celebrated the 4th of July with a lot of small town charm, marching bands and family fun. Scores of celebrants showed their pride in the city's newest park, Sunset Dunes. SAN FRANCISCO - 4th of July festivities are in full swing in San Francisco. For a big city, San Francisco celebrated the 4th of July with a lot of small town charm. On the west side, in the city's newest park, Sunset Dunes, the San Francisco Pride Band warmed up, getting ready to march to mark the 4th. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think in general, what's more American than a parade?" asked Mike Wong from the San Francisco Pride Band. "What's more American than a marching band in a parade?" Celebrations in the City's Newest Park The park has been at the center of neighborhood controversy, but Supervisor Joel Engardio said this was always what he'd envisioned for this space. "This is Sunset Dunes," Engardio said. "Look at this! The joy, the people, the community members this is what it's all about." Families turned out to celebrate what America stands for. "4th of July means freedom, and America and just celebrating who we are," said Audrey Nguyen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whole families showed off their patriotic spirit during the festivities. "I got to say this was my wife's idea," said Francisco Tavares. "She did a whole lot of work, because she has a whole lot of heart for this country and especially this city and wanted to express it here in this parade." What They're Saying As the parade made its way along the Great Highway, California State Senator Scott Wiener said the celebration and the values it represents is a fitting way to celebrate the 249th anniversary of the nation's founding. "Today, the 4th of July, Independence Day is about recommitting ourselves to protecting our democracy, to sticking up for our neighbors who are under assault, whether immigrants or LGBTQ people," Wiener said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across town, in Fisherman's Wharf, crowds began staking out their space for the night's fireworks show. Visitors and locals agree, it's one-of-a-kind affair. "It is absolutely gorgeous," said Kiwoba Allaire. "It's out on the water. So, the fireworks are blown up out on the water. So, when you're sitting on the beach, it feels like they're falling down on top of you." Businesses say the holiday has brought out the crowds, and the Argonaut Hotel said there was still a chance to rent a room looking out over the show. "If you book quick, we have just a few rooms left," said Tony Roumph from The Argonaut Hotel. "But, love to welcome all our visitors to Fisherman's Wharf and got the fireworks right outside. Can't beat that." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Something to note for folks coming out tonight: the grassy field next to Aquatic Cove, which is usually prime seating, is fenced off while work to refurbish the area is underway. That may make finding space a little more difficult. The Source KTVU reporting GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) Just a few blocks away from a boisterous Fourth of July parade on Main Street in Grand Junction, political protesters held their own demonstration, using Independence Day morning to symbolically oppose the recent passing of the so-called Big Beautiful Bill. They believe their protest is as patriotic as any fourth of July parade. Were exercising our rights as American citizens, says protester Justin Martin, and being able to have freedom of speech. July 4th celebrates Americas birth as a nation and the signing of our Declaration of Independence from Britain, the founding fathers even sharing the colonies protestations of the British crown within the document. Still, some parade goers emphatically told WesternSlopeNow on and off camera, they feel Americas birthday is no time for political protest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is fourth of July, says parade goer Tom Barker. This is when the country is supposed to get together to celebrate our independence. Thats what its all about, Americans getting together. Enjoying each others company. Leave politics out of it. Veteran and protester Kevin Robert Goulding disagrees. He served in the Air Force and comes from generations of military dating back to the Revolutionary War. He says the upside-down flag he carried at the protest is not anti-American, but rather, symbolizes a country in distress under the flag code. He believes, the Constitution is in jeopardy under President Trump, and that Fourth of July is a perfect holiday to fight back. He tells WesternSlopeNow, If youre going to choose one day to exercise rights, especially for someone like me whose family fought and died for it, what better day to do it if youre only going to do it one day, than the fourth of July? So, parades or protests, which is more patriotic? Some answered this question by telling me, there is room for both. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were out here protesting, says organizer Stephanie Dedduang, but then a lot of us are going to go to the parade, and were going to celebrate with our families, too. It doesnt have to be just protesting or just celebrating with your family. You can do both things. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com. By Manuel Ausloos PARIS (Reuters) -Parisians rushed for a dip in the Seine on Saturday as authorities opened the river to public swimming for the first time since 1923 after an extensive clean-up operation spurred on by it being used last year as a venue in the Paris Olympics. Three sites along the banks of the Seine in the city will be able to welcome over 1,000 swimmers daily until August 31, local officials said, to the delight of the Parisians and visitors who were among the first to take the plunge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Really nice, I'm impressed, surprised," said 24-year-old Victoria Cnop, a Brazilian who lives in Paris. "I never imagined being in the water close to the Eiffel Tower." "The water is clean, it's warm, it's clear. There is a bit of algae, but that's normal," said 51-year-old Karine. "Come here everybody, it's great!." The reopening of the Seine for public swimming follows efforts by authorities to improve its water quality so it could be used for Olympic events last summer. Investments included connecting tens of thousands of homes to the sewer system, upgrading water treatment facilities, and constructing large rainwater storage reservoirs to prevent sewer overflow during heavy storms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While delays, triggered by the health impact of heavy rains, impacted some Olympic training sessions and the men's triathlon event, competitions in the Seine eventually went ahead, bolstering confidence in the river's safety for public swimming. Daily water quality tests will be conducted during the swimming season, with green and red flags - similar to beach safety systems - indicating whether swimming areas are open or closed. "It's wonderful," said John Drummond, a 54-year-old visitor from Canada. "It's great for the environment, it's great for the city, it's great for the people that live here. So very good initiative." As well as the three sites within Paris, 14 swimming areas outside the capital's boundaries will be set up on the Seine and the Marne rivers. Two of those already opened on the Marne in June. (Reporting by Manuel Ausloos; Editing by Ingrid Melander and Alison Williams) It was only 8 a.m. and the 500 tamales that Christopher Luna Garcia had hoped to sell were down to just a few dozen. About 17 hungry people lined up at the food cart near Villa Parke in Pasadena, where an immigration sweep had taken place nearly two weeks ago on June 21. Steam flowed from the cart and the scent of masa drifted through the air as Chris, 14, reached down to pull out tamales. Its a lot, he said of the community response. But Im grateful for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chris said he took over his moms street vending business after the immigration raid. His mother, Carmen Garcia, 44, who is a legal resident, said three of her customers were detained during the sweep at the park. But immigration agents did not take her into custody. I was so afraid after that," she said. "I have documents, but I'm still scared, very scared." It wasnt long ago that Chris, a tall teenager, struggled to make sales, sometimes bringing in less than $100 daily and on a really bad day just $20. But on Friday, the tamales were selling fast. So much so that his aunt joined to help meet the high demand with a second cart. Christopher Luna Garcia, 14, sells tamales to a customer from his mother's cart near Villa Parke in Pasadena. Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times The side of the cart proudly states its contents. Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times Friday's event was organized by Alex Tio Joker Murillo, an actor and community activist who stumbled upon Chris one afternoon and shared a video of him on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I want to help out the Latino youth," Murillo said. "This ICE stuff is bad, but we've also turned it into something good." He took the video amid President Trump's immigration crackdown, targeting criminal and immigrant workers suspected of living in the country illegally at Home Depots, car washes and sidewalks. The wave of immigration sweeps over the past month has prompted some American-born children to take over street vending businesses on behalf of their parents. The operation at Villa Parke prompted Pasadena city officials to cancel swimming lessons and other recreation programs at the park and two others. Christopher Luna Garcia says he took over his mother's street vending business after an immigration raid. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times) That decision came after a string of recent immigration enforcement actions in Pasadena. In one raid, federal agents detained people at a bus stop at Orange Grove Boulevard and Los Robles Avenue on June 18. And residents demonstrated last month outside of the AC Hotel, where federal immigration agents were staying. Both took place less than a mile from Villa Parke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murillo said he decided to help the family when he learned that Chris had stepped up to sell tamales for his mom because of the sweep and also because they were falling behind on bills. So Murillo took to Instagram, calling on his followers and others to show up at the stand on Friday to buy out the tamales. He also said he would sell food to raise money to take Chris and the children of a day laborer who was detained during the bus stop operation to Disneyland. Enji Chung, 47, a resident and member of the Pasadena Tenants Union, was one of the first people to show up and purchase tamales. She said it was important to show support for those affected by the federal immigration crackdown. People line up as Christopher Luna Garcia, 14, sells tamales from his mother's cart on Friday near Villa Parke in Pasadena. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times) I think its been extremely scary to know there are armed, masked people running around, inciting fear and snatching people off the street, she said. Its not just undocumented people. Its U.S. citizens and anyone theyre racially profiling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yun Uen Ramos-Vega, 22, and Janette Ramos-Vega, 21, drove from Monrovia to support Chris after learning about his story. They said they related to his situation because they are also helping relatives by running errands on their behalf. The pair said they know at least two people who have been detained by federal immigration agents. At least one has been deported to Mexico while the other remains at a detention center. Laura Ruvalcaba, 40, of Pasadena, showed up with her husband and 8-year-old son. We saw Chris story and were going to be here, she said. Were all about supporting the community, especially the youth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said she was happy to see the long line of customers. Its amazing, she said. Anything we can do to help out and come together is good. Christopher Luna Garcia collects money after selling tamales from his mother's cart. Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times Business cards sit on top of the tamale cart. Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times An American citizen, Ruvalcaba said the immigration sweeps have left her afraid. Its not even about anything else but the color of my skin, she said. Im scared to come out sometimes. She said she started carrying a copy of her American citizenship certificate two weeks ago, as well as her son's birth certificate. She tells her 18-year-old daughter to be on alert when she goes out. Now, youre not just watching out for bad things, Ruvalcaba said she told her daughter. Youre watching out for people in uniforms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event Friday morning also brought out lowriders, which bounced as old-school hip-hop blasted from the car's speakers, encouraging people to cheer and take videos with their cellphones. It was nearing 9 a.m. when the tamales from both carts were gone, bringing in more than $1,500 that Chris and his family will use to pay bills and rent. His brother, Erick Garcia, 20, said his mom and aunt had gone to cook more tamales in hopes of selling more throughout the day. Exhausted, Chris sat on a fold-out chair for a moment, letting out a sigh of relief and massaging his eyebrows with his fingers. He had been up since 4 a.m. and though he was tired, he said he wanted to take action because his mother helped raised him and his three siblings alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She doesn't have much support," he said. "I just want to help her out." (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times) Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Brief The incident happened June 24 at the MOTU Chevron gas station on Pasadena Freeway. The suspect is believed to go by the nickname "El Prieto" or "El Negro." Anyone with information can contact Pasadena Detective Mascorro at 713-475-4978. PASADENA, Texas - Pasadena police are looking for a man who allegedly assaulted and robbed someone at a gas station in late June. Pasadena: Gas station assault, robbery suspect wanted What we know Police say the incident happened on June 24 at the MOTU Chevron gas station off the Pasadena Freeway near Bearle Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect allegedly punched a man in the head, threatened to shoot him, and stole his property before driving off in a black GMC pickup truck. Officials believe the suspect is a Hispanic male who goes by the nickname "El Prieto" or "El Negro." He was seen wearing brown coveralls. What we don't know No other details are available. What you can do Anyone with information about the suspect can contact Detective I. Masorro by doing one of the following: Call 713-475-4978 Email Imascorro@pasadenatx.gov The Source Pasadena Police Department PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A Portland-based pizza joint, with a new location in Portland International Airport, was recently recognized among the best airport concessions in the United States. On June 27, Airports Council International North America, a trade organization representing commercial airports in the United States and Canada, unveiled the winners of the 2025 ACI-NA Excellence in Airport Concessions Awards. Claiming the 2025 Best New Food and Beverage (Full-Service Concept) award: Oven and Shaker. Oven and Shaker, a Portland-based pizza restaurant and bar with a location in Portland International Airport, was recognized among the best airport restaurants in the United States in 2025 by the Airports Council International North America (Courtesy Ryan Magarian). Oven and Shakers PDX location offers a variety of breakfast options including avocado bruschetta and brioche French toast (Courtesy Ryan Magarian). Oven and Shakers PDX location offers a variety of pizzas from margherita to maple pig featuring pork belly, smoked ham, ricotta, maple, apple, parsley and creme fraiche (courtesy Ryan Magarian). This really came out of nowhere, and Im really proud of the work that were doing, and more pointedly, the ongoing intense efforts our airport partners continue to pursue in creating and managing such a unique place of nourishment and refreshment at PDX, Oven and Shaker Bar Partner Ryan Magarian told KOIN 6 News, describing the concession awards as the Oscars for airports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Portlands not getting a whole bunch of wins these days, so I hope even a small trophy like this continues to add to the hope and pride we all have for our community, Magarian added. Oven and Shaker was named among 20 new shops and restaurants joining PDX in 2024-2025 after the airports remodel. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Positively Portland Oven and Shakers PDX location offers breakfast items including avocado bruschetta and brioche French toast, along with their specialty pizzas and sandwiches and craft cocktails. Inspired by six-time James Beard nominated Chef (Cathy Whims) many trips to Italy, the kitchen at Oven and Shaker unites tradition and creativity in the arena of wood-fired Neapolitan pizza and Italian street food. Adhering to Whims legendary passion for detail, we use only the freshest available local ingredients, dough made in-house using our signature 100-year-old sourdough starter, and hand-toss and fire each pizza to order in our imported Milanese wood-burning oven (brought over from Italy brick for brick), Oven and Shakers website says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The restaurant also has locations in Portlands Pearl District and Lake Oswego. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Thousands of people across Pennsylvania are about to get some extra cash in their bank accounts, thanks to property tax and rent rebates. The state started sending out checks as part of the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program on Tuesday. This initial wave includes approximately 425,000 rebates totaling $258 million. The money is going to older homeowners, renters and people with disabilities. Gov. Shapiro calls this a big deal for seniors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive heard for years from seniors who struggle to stay in their homes, who need just a little bit of extra help, and how the property tax/rent rebate is a critical lifeline for them, Shapiro said. Applications for the 2024 rebates are still being accepted. The deadline was just extended to Dec. 31. Click here to learn more about the program and how to apply. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Note: This post contains mentions of suicide. My Grandpa Russ was an Air Force pilot during World War II, but like many men of that generation, he rarely talked about what he saw. Recently, my dad and I went through his journal from that time period, and what really struck me were the personal anecdotes, like hanging out with his buddies and his efforts to learn French to flirt with European ladies (Nana wasn't in the picture yet). There were also horrifying details, like an account of watching his buddy die as their plane crash-landed in Switzerland. Megan Liscomb That's Gramps looking studious in a photo we found tucked into his journal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So when I came across this thread of people sharing their family stories from WWII, I was instantly hooked on these incredibly human stories that show the day-to-day reality of living through this turbulent historical period. Here are some of the most fascinating stories that made history come to life before my eyes: 1."My grandpa on my dad's side was in the Navy. Served in the Atlantic and Mediterranean as a steamfitter. Got himself a war bride from England, returned to Canada, and became a boilermaker at a paper mill. He died when I was a young teen, so I never heard any stories. His wife, the British war bride, was a WREN [Women's Royal Naval Service] and worked in Army intelligence. She actually worked on the world's first computer, part of Alan Turing's Enigma-cracking group, although she didn't realize it until well after the war, when the information was finally declassified." Bletchley Park Trust / SSPL via Getty Images "All she knew was that she had to watch cylinders turn and then, when they stopped, take a reading, pass it on up, and reset a new cylinder. She had no idea what any of it meant." KnoWanUKnow2 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2."My father quit high school and enlisted in the Navy before his 18th birthday late in the war. To quote him, he was afraid the war would end without him. He really wanted to fight Nazis (we are Jewish), but he ended up in the Philippines. I knew he drove a landing craft, but the worst story I ever heard was when the washing machine on his ship tore skin off his hand, and he needed a skin graft. When Saving Private Ryan came out, I mentioned the opening scene and asked how realistic it was." "The question upset my father. He said very realistic and not to ever mention it again. But my oldest daughter (14 at the time) did ask, and he opened up a little. It was clear that my mother had never heard this stuff. Most shocking was that he was training as a landing craft driver for the invasion of Japan. And based on what happened at Iwo Jima, they were told to expect high casualty rates. My mother was shocked, but my father was very matter-of-fact." "That was the only time in my life he ever gave any real details, and I was in my 40s and had already done eight years of active duty in the Navy myself, and he still had never told me much previously." "That night, I realized when he talked about losing friends in the war, it wasn't that they left and never came home, but that he experienced it firsthand. I had such a hard time reconciling what my dad must have seen at 18/19 years old with how quiet and gentle (albeit sometimes very strict) he was as a dad and grandpa." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SeatEqual 3."My grandfather (born 1906) participated in WWII, as a German soldier, and yes, he was a Nazi. At least...up to the early stages of war. He had some real 'are we the baddies' moments that made him change. And he did not talk to my father about what stuff he had done out of shame, but shortly before killing himself in his high 90s, he talked to me about what he did. And explained to me why he lived his whole life long in fear that either Americans, 'the Jews,' or the Russians would get him in revenge." Universal History Archive / Universal Images Group via Getty Images "After the war, he went full SPD (left-social Democratic Party), supported my father being a full-blown antifascist, and the same for me. He was ashamed until his self-chosen death because of his stupidity. He explained to me what led to that, but also told me that this could never be an excuse to switch off one's brain and actively vote for a guy who told the world before in a book what he would do if he rose to power." Llewellian Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 4."My dad was in the North Pacific in WWII. He never talked about it. We finally asked him why when we were old enough to realize how horrible it must have been. He answered direct questions but volunteered little. One story we all loved was him standing in line as weapons were being assigned when they got off the boat. The guy handing them out had a huge bazooka and was eying my 6'2" dad down the line. He did NOT want to lug that thing all over Asia. Another officer went by asking if anyone could type. Dad had been in business college, yay! He spent most of his time in a tent with a typewriter after that." Gold__star 5."My mom (96 now) fled from bombs dropped in Tokyo in 1942. So yes, she 'participated' as a Japanese citizen." Galerie Bilderwelt / Getty Images CanAny1DoItRight Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 6."Both of my grandads pushed the Germans out of France. They didn't talk about it, but they did tell me about how important it was that they did the job for the sake of humanity. And they had very compelling arguments about how the armed conflicts the US took part in after WWII were not worthy in most ways (up to around 1998). Knowing their views and learning their thoughts, I'm sure both Grandpa and Popo are furious that the world isn't fighting harder for Ukraine, financially and militarily." aftcg 7."My dad was in WWII. He was a dancer and comedian and was in a group with Melvyn Douglas, Peter Gennaro, and other entertainers. They traveled around entertaining the troops. When he wasnt doing that, he worked as a cook." Irving Haberman/IH Images / Getty Images Bitter_Face8790 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 8."My dad was in the Army. He fought the Japanese. He remembers every morning, the Japanese pilots would bomb their camp at 5 a.m. They'd get into a foxhole with trees covering them. They could hear the shrapnel hitting over their heads. One guy in his company completely lost it. He killed himself in his bed. They were all given a cyanide pill in case they got captured by the enemy." "My dad couldn't fly on a plane, sail on a ship, or be in any tight spaces, or he'd freak out!" "Hailstorms sounded a little like that shrapnel to him when it hit the roof. He'd have to put in earplugs to not freak." Liv4thmusic Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 9."My nonno (grandfather) fought on the Italian side. Before he met my nonna and had my dad and aunt, he had a wife and two young children a boy and a girl who were killed in an American carpet bombing raid. He came home and found his village leveled and his family dead. He just started over again." Bettmann / Getty Images baitbus666 10."One grandfather was too old by a few months to be drafted. The other one went. The only time he ever spoke about it was when he was in the hospital, dying. His dementia made him think it was many years earlier. So occasionally, some military things slipped out." harpejjist Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 11."Both of my grandfathers served in the military: My maternal grandfather was in the Infantry and fought in, among other things, the Battle of the Bulge. My paternal grandfather served in the Army as a photographer for the Department of War; he carried a gun but never fired it." FPG / Getty Images "My maternal grandfather loved telling war stories. I think he processed his trauma by framing his experiences as an adventure. He had grown up in rural Maine and was an outdoorsman who loved hunting and fishing, and he thought his early experiences in the woods helped him survive the war. He absolutely had PTSD and had nightmares his whole life." "My paternal grandfather did not like talking about the war, and so far as I know, told stories about it only once, when my brother asked to interview him for a school project. He also absolutely had PTSD and had nightmares his whole life." "Both my grandmothers also participated in the war effort as civilians. My maternal grandmother went to work for the FBI as a file clerk in Washington, DC." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My paternal grandmother had grown up in the deep south with parents who'd very much scripted out her life for her (and it was going to involve some genteel women's college followed by marriage to someone respectable); when the war broke out, this meant suddenly her life opened up in ways she had not expected. She patriotically went north to work at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where she met and fell in love with my grandfather (a Yankee son of an immigrant, pretty much the son-in-law of my great-grandparents' nightmares). They settled back down in Dayton, Ohio, after the war. Sadly, she died in her early 60s and I didn't get to know her very well." SignedUpJustFrThis 12."Both my folks were in the war. My Dutch mother went through the Nazi occupation and carried messages for the underground on her bicycle. After the war, she was a Red Cross interpreter in the refugee camp where I was born in '47. My American dad was an Army soldier who was in Europe from '43 'til '53. He went through D-Day all the way through to the camps." "His first job after the war was under Gen. Willard Wyman, whom I met in Fort Monroe, Virginia, after dad brought us to the USA. Wyman was tasked with converting the OSS into the CIA, and that went on 'til we left Europe. Wyman became President Eisenhower's top Army general, and my dad became a textbook PTSD casualty." "He had met my mom on one of his Cold War missions, dropping off former refugees from Soviet held territory in Eastern Europe as spies. He stopped at a refugee camp during a snowstorm on his way back to Germany and spotted my mom at the mess hall, and I showed up nine months later." "It took him a couple of years to get us out of there. I have a stack of letters she wrote, full of sad and brave details that I still read from on occasion. Neither of them talked much about all of this. I was their caretaker in '84 when they both passed and heard bits and pieces then." "I went back a couple of years ago, and the only building of the camp is the mess hall where they first met. I also found the first apartment we lived in after we got out, and was blessed to have cake and coffee in the living room. No one in the USA cared even a little about any of this as I grew up. I had made a dumb decision starting in grade school to learn about the Holocaust on my own, and was plagued by nightmares until the past decade or so. Americans think movies are history lessons instead of the propaganda they are. Tragic stuff, really." Equal_Worldliness_61 13."My father's father wanted to fight, but he worked at a munitions factory, and they wouldn't let him go sign up. He was considered an essential home front worker. He was always a little bitter about it, but my grandmother once told me that she was so thankful that he was needed and that he couldn't go. My mother's father served, but he never saw active combat. He did ship repair in the Navy and was stationed out of the Port of San Francisco." FPG / Getty Images MaggieMae68 14."My dad was stationed in Australia during WWII, where he got married and divorced within two months to an Australian woman. Meanwhile, my mom was doing her part from home by writing letters to several GIs in Europe. We found their letters to her after she passed away in November. They were quite flirty. She also went to dances and things here in the US with military guys before they shipped out. My parents met and married in the 1950s." "Both of my moms brothers were in Europe. Neither of them would talk about their experiences at all to anyone. They took those secrets to the grave. My mom said that one of my uncles changed dramatically after returning from war: Before he was social, outgoing, dating, class president, etc. After, he was a recluse. Never dated or married. Lived with my grandmother until she died. After she passed away, my mom and other family members took care of him, though he continued living alone in that house until he died. Cleaning it out was crazy; he was a total hoarder, yet we never found any clues about his war experience in all that mess." BackgroundLetter7285 15."My mother, who was 13 at the time, and her parents were interned in Weihsien, a Japanese prisoner of war camp in north China. While it was fairly miserable, they were not treated as harshly as captured Allied soldiers. My mother would talk about life in camp occasionally." Pictures From History / Pictures From History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images "My father was also a teenager, and he refused to be evacuated from London during the Blitz. He would also talk about surviving the bombing and rationing sometimes." jlzania 16."My father served in the Coast Guard in WWII. When we asked him what he did, he said 'nothing.' About a year before he died, he started to tell us about driving landing craft to islands under attack, dodging bullets, and bringing back dead and wounded to the Navy ship he served on. He and his friend, who served under Patton, never talked about the war except with each other. 'No one else would understand.' They kept their trauma to themselves." sl393l 17."My maternal grandfather was killed in a live grenade training camp accident at Fort Benning just weeks after getting drafted into the US Army in July 1945. My mom was 4 years old. My paternal grandfather was a private in the US Army and was awarded a Purple Heart for injuries suffered during the Battle of Aachen in December 1944." Keystone / Getty Images revo2022 18."My grandpa was at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. I had the luxury of returning with him many years ago. He was a bomber pilot and managed to escape in his plane despite still being slightly drunk from the party the night before." -Economist- 19."My stepdad was in the British Army. He had polio as a kid, so he had short legs, so he got to be a tank driver. On his first day out, there was a huge bang, and the tank stopped. He got out of his seat and looked back, and there was no turret. He was the only survivor." IWM/Getty Images / Imperial War Museums via Getty Images "The next day, he was in another tank. That night, everyone slept under the tank for protection. There was no room for him as he was the new guy, so he had to sleep beside the tank. It rained that night. The next morning, the tank had sunk into the mud. Everyone was asphyxiated except Dad, since he wasnt under the tank. He was the only survivor." "No one wanted him after that. They joked about giving him a German uniform and sending him to the other side." astcell 20."My Oma lived in Germany, my Opa was in the Army, and brought her home with him. I interviewed my Oma for a WWII report once in high school, and she didnt say much. Her parents died in the war. I dont know how her father passed, but I know her mother died in the attempted assassination of Hitler. A bombing in a restaurant, if I remember correctly. My Oma was 11 at the time. Hitler attended the funeral (it was a group funeral with all of the victims). I got a really great grade on my paper, my Omas interview, and the photos of her with Hitler at my great-grandmothers funeral earned me extra credit." "One of the things I would say was a PTSD thing for my Oma was hoarding food. I didnt know then, but looking back now, Ive never seen so much food in one house before then or since. Tons of canned goods, just shelf after shelf. She watched me after school and was always sending my mother home with food. She was also completely obsessive about my brother and me eating." CarnelianFlame 21."My grandfather fought in the Pacific theater. He didn't talk about it often, but I know he was proud of his service. When he died (a bit over 20 years ago), there was a display with several medals. I can't recall exactly what was said, but it was something along the lines of, 'If I go to my grave without anyone knowing how I won these medals, I'll have done my duty.'" PhotoQuest / Getty Images SlightlyTwistedGames 22."My uncle was in the Air Force and flew on bombing raids over Europe. From what I have seen in movies, that must have been terrifying, but the only stories he told me were funny. He told me one story about a gunner on his plane and how he got a Purple Heart." "These bombers weren't heated, and it was well below freezing up there, so they had suits that were heated, and you plugged into sockets on the plane. During one mission (whether it be from the length of the mission or fear), the gunner peed himself. Because these suits were electrified, they were rubberized. Well, all the pee ran down his legs and into his boots, which were NOT heated, so all the pee froze and he lost several toes to frostbite." "The guy never lived down the fact that he got a Purple Heart for losing his toes to his own frozen piss." "As a kid, that was the funniest thing that I had ever heard. As an adult, I kind of feel for the guy." 1_BigDuckEnergy 23.And finally, "My late father served in the Pacific. Very proud Marine. He talked more about the people he met in China as part of the peacekeeping force after the war was over. But then, when Windtalkers came out, he said, 'I guess I can talk about it now.' He was sworn to secrecy. He guarded one of the Navajo code talkers!" Historical / Corbis via Getty Images 1rarebird55 Do you have a story to share about your family from World War II? Tell us about it in the comments or via the anonymous form below: ARKANSAS (KNWA/KFTA) President Donald Trump signed the Big Beautiful Bill into law on July 4, a measure that introduces changes to Medicaid eligibility and coverage across the United States. In Arkansas, the legislation could affect as many as 140,000 residents. The law includes stricter work requirements for Medicaid recipients, similar to a 2018 Arkansas policy that was later halted by the courts. Arkansas must now cover a $55 million funding gap, based on past Medicaid error rates, Pete Gess, the economic policy director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families said. Groups like veterans, people experiencing homelessness and former foster youth are among the most affected by the bills passing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 25.7% of Arkansas residents had Medicaid coverage in 2023, according to a Georgetown University analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. The Medicaid/CHIP coverage rate for Arkansas children under 19 in that same year was 47.1%. According to the data set, Medicaid/CHIP coverage rates are consistently highest among children, often exceeding 50% in many counties. Adults and seniors have much lower Medicaid coverage, generally between 1525%. Top Counties by Medicaid Coverage Highest overall coverage: Phillips County (39.9%) St. Francis County (36.0%) Chicot County (35.8%) Lee County (35.7%) Desha County (34.6%) Highest child coverage (CHIP/Medicaid): Phillips County (62.9%) Lee County (62.4%) Chicot County (61.2%) St. Francis County (60.9%) Desha County (58.8%) Highest senior coverage: Phillips County (33.1%) Lee County (31.7%) St. Francis County (29.2%) Chicot County (28.0%) $15 wage above living cost for Arkansas DINKs, but single workers need more Lowest coverage areas Lowest overall coverage: Benton County (18.8%) Saline County (21.1%) Washington County (22.2%) Lowest child coverage: Benton County (36.1%) Saline County (39.5%) Lonoke County (40.4%) Lowest senior coverage: Benton County (8.6%) Saline County (10.8%) Grant County (12.0%) Insurance coverage for Arkansas minors In 2023, 10.7% of Arkansans under the age of 65 were uninsured. Among children, 7.3% of those aged 6 to 18 and 5.3% of those under 6 were uninsured, according to the Georgetown analysis. Between 2008 and 2019, more than 87% of eligible children in Arkansas were enrolled in Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP), peaking at 95.7% in 2016 and 2018. The national childrens participation rate reached 93.4% in 2016 before declining slightly to 91.9% in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Georgetown ranked Arkansas 42/51 in the U.S. for insurance rates of minors in 2023. How much could Arkansans lose in Medicaid and SNAP benefits? To read the full Georgetown data set, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. 24,739 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others? 24,739 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others? MOBILE, Ala. (AP) The remaining descendants of the last ship carrying enslaved Africans to land in the U.S. in 1860 met Saturday in Mobile, Alabama, for a memorial ceremony. Attendees, many of them dressed in white, gathered near Africatown Bridge on the banks of the river, where the ship remains submerged because it is too decayed to be extracted. Descendants say they are intent on ensuring the public never forgets what human beings endured during their two-month voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Clotilda history and the community that they built in Africatown is very much something that we honor, talk about, discuss, celebrate, said Chanelle Blackwell, a ceremony organizer. The ship, known as the Clotilda, was discovered in 2019 in the murky waters of the Alabama Gulf Coast. But, more than 40 years ago, descendants of the 110 Africans who were ferried to American shores collectively founded a historical society to preserve the culture and heritage of the last Africans brought to America, and to ensure that future generations are aware of their ancestors and African history. Walter Jermaine Bell traveled to Mobile from Atlanta and laid down a ceremonial wreath at the event. He said he was honored and humbled to participate. "Such a gratifying feeling, a redeeming feeling, to be able to do something to bridge the gap, not just for this group, but also for my kids who are present," he said. I really wanted them to see and participate in this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Historical records show that Africatown, formally known as Plateau, was bought by 32 of the freed survivors of the Clotilda after the Civil War, about 3 miles (4.83 kilometers) north of Mobile. The Clotilda had been under a $1 million state-funded investigation to excavate and preserve the ship, to be brought on land, with the goal of turning it into a museum that could generate a much-needed amount of revenue for the Africatown community. A task force of archaeologists, engineers and historians, headed by the Alabama Historical Commission, recommended in a report that pillars be installed around the ship underwater to protect it from passing ships an event they suspect caused the ship to break in half before it sank. Cherrelle Jefferson Smith attended the annual event for the first time. A resident of Africatown who moved to Mobile in 2014, she said it seems like I was meant to be here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was very sacred and personal, no matter if youre a descendant or not, she said, adding that she was brought to tears by the event. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. ____ AP Race and Ethnicity reporter Jaylen Green reported from New York. Adrian Sainz contributed from Memphis, Tennessee. Explosions in Russia's Vladivostok damaged a gas pipeline and destroyed a water pipeline that supplied military facilities in the area, a source in Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent on July 5. A fire followed the explosions and destroyed sections of the Vladivostok gas pipeline along the Sea of Japan, the source said. The blasts occurred early on July 5, between 1-2 a.m., with Russian special services and repair teams arriving shortly after. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The damaged pipeline provides gas to several Russian military facilities on the coast of the Sea of Japan, including the 155th Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Armed Forces, the source told the Kyiv Independent. The water pipeline destroyed in the explosion provided drinking water to military garrisons in the area. "In order to hide information from the local population... local special services turned off mobile Internet and communications in the area," the source added The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims. Ukraine regularly strikes military targets deep within Russian territory in an effort to diminish Moscow's fighting power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine struck the Borisoglebsk airfield in Russia's Voronezh Oblast overnight on July 5, damaging a warehouse containing guided bombs, aircraft, and other military assets, Ukraine's General Staff reported. The attack on the airfield was part of a larger overnight drone assault across Russia, with explosions and fires reported in at least six regions. Read also: Death of top Russian oil executive fuels fresh scrutiny of elites window falls Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Japan and the Philippines are experiencing a wave of anxiety as a decades-old manga gains renewed attention for its chilling prediction of a major earthquake and tsunami said to strike on July 5, 2025 4:18 AM. The manga, titled Watashi ga Mita Mirai ("The Future I Saw"), was first released in 1999 and reprinted in 2021. Ryo Tatsuki wrote about visions of a catastrophic disaster in July 2025, stating that "the ocean floor between Japan and the Philippines will crack," and that tsunami waves would be three times higher than those of the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Public Fear and Economic Impact As the supposed date approaches, fear has spread rapidly across Japan and neighboring countries. Many tourists from Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, and South Korea have canceled their travel plans, resulting in a sharp decline in flight bookings and hotel reservations, particularly in southwestern Japan, Travel and Tour World reported. Airlines have reduced routes, and tourism-dependent prefectures are reporting significant losses. Some travel agencies estimate bookings for late June to early July have fallen by half, with economic analysts warning that continued panic could cost Japan billions of yen in lost tourism revenue if confidence is not restored soon. What Scientists Say Seismologists and disaster preparedness experts are urging the public to remain calm. They emphasize that earthquake prediction is not scientifically possible, as there is currently no technology that can forecast the exact date, location, or magnitude of an earthquake, South China Morning Post reported. While Japan faces the genuine long-term risk of a megaquake along the Nankai Trough, which experts say could occur within the next 30 years, this is very different from predicting a specific day. The Nankai Trough earthquake, if it occurs, is expected to cause major damage and casualties, but its timing remains uncertain within a broad timeframe rather than any precise date. Authorities are advising residents and visitors to focus on practical earthquake preparedness instead of fearing unverified predictions. Faultlines in Japan: What's Happening Beneath the Surface Japan is situated in one of the most seismically active regions in the world, where multiple tectonic plates converge, creating complex fault lines and significant earthquake risks. In 2015 and again in 2020, scientists observed a phenomenon known as slow-slip earthquakes along Japan's Nankai Trough. Unlike typical earthquakes that release energy suddenly and violently, these quakes occur gradually over days or weeks, slowly moving fault lines without immediate destruction. Using advanced borehole observatories, researchers drilled hundreds of feet into the seabed to collect real-time data on how these faults behave beneath the ocean floor. One key finding was that a 20-mile stretch along the fault showed significant slow tremors, with movement starting approximately 30 miles off the Kii Peninsula and creeping towards the deep ocean trench. Josh Edgington, who analyzed the data in the study from the University of Texas, described these events as "like a ripple moving across the plate interface." While slow-slip earthquakes do not directly cause major devastation, they provide critical insights into the behavior of faults in subduction zones and their potential to trigger tsunamis. Over 900 Earthquakes Swarm Japan More than 900 earthquakes have struck Japan's remote Tokara Islands since June 21, leaving residents anxious as tremors continue with no clear end in sight. On Wednesday, a magnitude 5.5 quake was recorded, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to hold an emergency press conference. Ayataka Ebita, director of the agency's earthquake and tsunami observation division, confirmed that seismic activity has been "very active" in the seas around the island chain, with over 900 tremors reported as of Wednesday afternoon. That number surpassed 900 by Thursday, according to The Guardian. Authorities have advised residents to prepare for potential shelter or evacuation, warning that stronger earthquakes could strike the region. Already, 89 residents on one small southern island have been told to evacuate as a precaution. The Tokara Islands, located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, are no strangers to seismic events. Japan experiences approximately 1,500 earthquakes annually due to its position on several converging tectonic plates. However, the ongoing earthquake swarm has heightened fears among locals about a potential larger quake to come. Meanwhile, in Southwest Japan, an earthquake swarm continues near Ryukyu Island close to Kagoshima-ken. Recent tremors have reached magnitudes of 5 and above, indicating that stress energies are increasing and a strong earthquake is possible. This seismic activity is driven by pressure within the subduction zone, where the Okinawa Plate, a minor tectonic plate forming the Ryukyu Island arc, interacts with the larger plates. Specifically, the Philippine Sea Plate is subducting northwestward beneath the Eurasian Plate along the Ryukyu Trench, creating conditions that lead to frequent earthquakes and tectonic strain in the region. Heads UP Japan The earthquake swarm in Ryukyu Island near Kagoshima-ken in Southwest Japan continues. The stress energies are increasing with an earthquake magnitude of 5+. This means a strong... Author Clarifies Intentions The manga's author has distanced herself from literal interpretations of her work, explaining that she is not a prophet and did not intend for her visions to cause panic. However, her followers point out that she allegedly predicted the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, adding fuel to current fears despite official reassurances. Is a Megaquake Coming? As Japan and the Philippines await July 5, many are feeling tense, with social media filled with videos and posts speculating on the possible disaster. However, the scientific community continues to remind everyone that preparedness based on real data, not superstition, remains the most effective way to stay safe in an earthquake-prone country. For now, while the manga's prophecy may have caused a psychological quake, experts agree that there is no evidence a megaquake will strike Japan. The real focus should remain on ongoing disaster readiness and calm vigilance. Originally published on Science Times PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) The city of Pittsfield is hosting a downtown walk raising disability awareness within the community next Thursday. The city has partnered with the Commission on Disabilities, as well as local community advocate Brian Fitzpatrick, to hold this event. The walk will take place on July 10, starting at 3:00 p.m. and is expected to take one hour. Monson Summerfest on Main Street with live music and craft booths Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is important for the city to understand the challenges of people with disabilities and find ways to make their travels within our downtown easier, said Catherine Carchedi, chair of the citys Commission on Disabilities. The event will begin at Pittsfield City Hall, located at 70 Allen Street. Participants will walk through Dunham Mall to St. Josephs Church, then return to City Hall. Before the walk, Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti will issue a proclamation in recognition of the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was signed on July 26, 1990. This will take place inside City Hall at 2:00 p.m. in Room 203. The ADA is a critical piece of legislation that has expanded opportunities for people with disabilities by reducing barriers, changing perceptions, and increasing opportunities for full participation and inclusion in community life, said Mayor Peter Marchetti. I look forward to being a part of this awareness walk and discovering ways Pittsfield may make improvements within our downtown to accommodate all needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No fee or registration is required to participate in the walk. All are welcome to attend. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. The place to be: Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular celebrates 51st year People came from near and far to watch the 51st Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on Friday night. Fireworks lit up the sky over the Charles River after special guests Leslie Odom Jr., Bell Biv DeVoe, and Leann Rimes performed alongside the Boston Pops. Its cool to see so many people wanting to celebrate our great country, spectator Jackson Scheele said. Hundreds of thousands celebrated the nations independence along the Esplanade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everyone has a different meaning of independence and their own right to their own personal beliefs and values, Cameron Messenger said. Massachusetts is where it all began 250 years ago so its a particularly special Fourth of July here in Boston, Gov. Maura Healey said leading up to the show. Plenty of people got in line early Friday morning to catch a good spot on the Oval. Hurb Wade was one of those people. Boston is the place to be especially on the 4th, Wade said. Everyone at the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular shared a special bond this July 4th, celebrating what the holiday means to them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a culmination of all of our trials and tribulations throughout the last 250 years of putting a country together, its the greatest country in the world, said veteran Stephen Fitzgerald. It was also a special show for Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart. Lockhart said it was his 30th year performing on July 4th in Boston. Which I find both wonderful and intensely frightening, Lockhart joked. When they asked me to do this, I jumped at the chance because to be at the Fourth in Boston, Rimes said. You cant get more American than this. Whether its your first time, or youve seen the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular a dozen times, local residents told Boston 25 the show never gets old. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Jul. 4CORRALES The streets of the small village that sits just outside Albuquerque were soaked at 11 a.m. Friday, but not from downpours that took place overnight. Rather, it was the free-for-all water fight carried out via water guns and balloons by parade attendees of all ages, marking the end of another annual Fourth of July parade. Every year since 1995, the Village of Corrales which boasts a population of just over 8,500 people welcomes visitors from across the state to line a mile of its narrow main thoroughfare, which fittingly bears the same name as the village. The parade the village hosts has grown to be one of the largest in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dotty Nelson, a Corrales resident for the past half-century, watched the parade from the back of her SUV with her dog, Osogood, a 6-year-old Great Pyrenees and German shepherd mix. The pup was dressed in a red, white and blue lace wrap-around decorative top. "He's a patriotic dog," Nelson quipped, as she reveled in the annual celebration. "It's amazing ... all the volunteers and people are so patriotic. It's the biggest parade in New Mexico, and the water fight's the best." A gray Corrales Police Department Mustang led off the parade, followed by dozens of horses and a long line of classic cars. Dressed as the Statue of Liberty, Tammy Thornton sat in the backseat of a vintage baby blue convertible Ford Thunderbird. Though a resident of the village for over 20 years, she participated in the parade for the first time this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I love this country, and I asked my dad to drive this beautiful car, and I just thought it'd be a great addition to the parade," she said. "I think community events like this are important for our country. It brings everyone together." Miguel Tittmann, an Albuquerque firefighter and president of the local firefighters' union, said coming to the parade has been a family tradition since he was a child. "I tell people when they're in town with visitors here for the Fourth, 'Come to Corrales, it's the place to be.' It's the best kind of village, small-town parade there is, and I'm really proud of it." At the end of the procession was a jeep with a novelty rubber duck on its roof and another in its tailgate. As the Jeep headed west on Corrales Road, the people it passed who had just stood or sat through the hour-long parade began splashing those across the street with whatever water weapon of their choice was at hand. The joyous yells of children rang out, and almost everyone got in on the action as the water provided a festive relief from the late-morning heat. The Niagara Falls City Council has voted to accept as complete a request from Niagara Falls Redevelopment (NFR) asking the city to amend its zoning code and modify recently enacted restrictions on high-energy use industries so that it can move forward with its proposed $1.5 billion data center campus in the South End. Council members also approved taking on the role of Lead Agency in the environmental review of the proposed zoning code changes. The vote to accept the change application was 3-2 with Council Members Brian Archie (D), Donta Myles (D) and David Zajac (R) in favor. Council Chair James Perry (D) and Member Traci Bax (R) were opposed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perry and Bax attacked the application as an attempt to undue a series of amendments to the Falls zoning code, adopted in 2022, after public protests over noise and other complaints about the operation of high-energy use industries, like data centers and bitcoin mines, in the city. This would be the first step in undoing (the high-energy use overlay zoning requirements), Perry said. Bax said the council has fought hard, including winning a series of court challenges, to defend the tough restrictions on high-energy use industries. Weve held the bitcoin operators feet to the fire, Bax said. We shouldnt stop now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Archie noted that the application would be referred to both the city and county planning boards and would need to come back to the council for action after their review. Im OK with it, the council member said, because its just going to the planning board. An attorney for NFR, Melissa Valle, admitted that her clients were looking to change both the city zoning code and the Falls zoning map. But she called the changes minor and described the noise restrictions as lower than background noise. The time is now to revisit this law, Valle said. These are very minor changes. The council action will send NFRs request to the Niagara County and city planning boards for hearings and recommendations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those agencies are also currently considering an NFR application to establish a Negotiated Planned Development District, also known as a Planned Unit District (PUD) for the purpose of developing its proposed digital data center campus in the South End. The first stage of the project, which NFR has dubbed Data Center at Niagara Digital Campus PUD, is projected to occupy the same parcel of 12 to 15 acres of prime South End tourist district land that the city has proposed to use for its Centennial Park project. Control of that land has already been awarded to the city through the courts by an eminent domain proceeding. The city has also recently filed a claim that asserts that roughly 5 acres of the disputed land, formerly the 10th Street Park, was never properly transferred to NFR as part of a 2003 settlement of an earlier lawsuit between the Falls and the South End land owner. The council has specifically stated that nothing in its actions on NFRs applications waives any rights of the city to recover the park property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NFR has said its data center campus project is anticipated to bring 5,600 jobs to Niagara Falls during construction, as well as more than 550 permanent jobs when all phases of the data center are up and running. NFRs original project application, filed in October, was determined to be incomplete by city planners. At close to 700 pages, the application calls for the Data Center at Niagara Digital Campus to be developed in five phases. The campus would include eight two-story buildings and one one-story building, for a total of 1,232,715 square feet of space. The full development would cover approximately 53 acres of what NFR has described as mostly vacant land. The property would be bounded by John B. Daly Boulevard, Falls Street, 15th Street and Buffalo Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Included in the application, in addition to the rezoning request, are copies of traffic and noise studies, an environmental and energy impact plan, a full environment assessment form, a verified ownership petition, a survey and legal description, a historical property assessment, and aerial maps showing the placement of the data center and various other key elements of the plan. The project application was originally filed just over a month after New Yorks highest court, the Court of Appeals, rejected a second appeal by NFR seeking to have its justices weigh in on the legality of the use of eminent domain to take NFRs land, described as 907 Falls St. and an adjacent portion of property along John Daly Memorial Parkway, for the proposed Centennial Park project. The council has also acted to authorize a more than $4 million offer to pay for the eminent domain land parcels. Grammy-nominated rapper Akon once had dreams of developing the African city of the future. Those dreams never got close to becoming a reality. Plans for "Akon City," a futuristic metropolis modeled to be a "real-life Wakanda," made waves when the public first learned of the initiative in 2018. The ambitious project was said to have a $6 billion budget to be spent on 2,000 acres of land in the M'bour department in Senegal. But seven years later, the initial project "no longer exists," according to Senegal's tourism head Serigne Madamou Mboup. The Senegalese official told the BBC this week that the plans have since been drastically downsized to a more "realistic" project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Fortunately, an agreement has been reached between Sapco (Senegal's tourism development body) and the entrepreneur Alioune Badara Thiam [aka Akon]. What he's preparing with us is a realistic project, which Sapco will fully support." The original plans for Akon City sound borderline silly in hindsight. The entire community was supposed to use Akon's eponymous cryptocurrency, Akoin, for daily transactions. The city was also planned to be run 100% on renewable energy. The bizarre architectural renderings for Akon City released in September 2020 were the stuff of nightmares. In 2023, construction began for Phase 1 of the project. Apart from a few scrapped buildings, the only structure that was at least partially built was a "welcome centre" that would look completely out of place in Marvel's fictional city of Wakanda. With the abandoned city sitting along Senegal's Atlantic Coast, the region still offers economic importance for the African nation. A more "realistic" approach may be all it takes to unlock its potential. Related: Pioneering Rap Star Hints at Retirement After 20 Years Plans For $6 Billion 'Real-Life Wakanda' Hit With Reality Check first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 5, 2025 A natural playground is being built in a country park after receiving 150,000 in funding. The new park is being constructed at the the Land of Oak & Iron heritage centre within the Derwent Walk Country Park in Gateshead. It has been designed in keeping with the area's natural surroundings and will include a wooden climbing frame, swings and a roundabout. Chris Watson, from Groundwork NE & Cumbria, which owns the centre, said the playground would allow more "family-focused" events to take place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We host many wonderful events and activities at the centre, from seasonal children's trails and school holiday activities to music events, creative workshops and heritage talks," he said. "This new natural play park will be an exciting addition, which we hope will attract more families, and allow us to host more family-focused activities in the safe environment of the heritage centre." The heritage centre will use the playground for family events [Groundworks NE & Cumbria] The Land of Oak & Iron promotes the local woodland as well as the area's heritage of British sword making and iron and steel production. Visitors were asked for their views on what should be added to the centre and a children's play park was the most popular recommendation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The playground's equipment will be installed in time for the school summer holidays in July and will be placed on top of turf, rather than synthetic flooring, to fit in with the natural landscaping. The 150,000 investment was provided through the government's Shared Prosperity Fund. John McElroy, cabinet member for environment and transport at Gateshead Council, said the playground would give more children access to green space and the "associated physical and mental health benefits this delivers". Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Related stories Related internet links Detectives investigating a gangland feud that has led to assaults, shootings and fire bombings across the east and west of Scotland have made a further two arrests, taking the total to 52. On Friday officers arrested a man in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, in connection with the attempted murder of businessman David McMillan in Edinburgh in May. The 49-year-old, who was also charged in connection with drugs offences, is expected to appear before Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, on Thursday a 22-year-old man was arrested in connection with wilful fire-raising after vehicles were set alight on two Edinburgh streets last month. The suspect, who was released pending further inquiries, is the second person to be arrested over the blazes on Campion Road and Niddrie Marischal Crescent on 9 June. The investigation, called Operation Portaledge, was launched in response to a series of violent incidents since March. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr McMillan, 54, is believed to have been targeted three times. In April the front door of his home in Pitcairn Grove was set on fire. Weeks later, two vehicles were torched outside the house. Then on 22 May, Mr McMillan was hospitalised after being attacked by four or five masked men. Two men, aged 20 and 26, have already been charged in connection with the attack. Police Scotland chief constable Jo Farrell said the force was pursuing crime group leaders based abroad over the feud. Two rival families - the Daniels and Lyons - have been linked to the attacks. Both groups have been involved in a bitter feud that dates back more than 20 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has resulted in three murders and dozens of violent incidents across Scotland. But on 31 May two senior Lyons group figures - Eddie Lyons Jnr and Ross Monaghan - were shot dead at a bar in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol. At the time there was speculation the Spain shootings were linked to the recent tit-for-tat attacks in Scotland. But three days after the murders Police Scotland said they were not aware of any evidence connecting them to the east-west feud. The force later maintained its position after a Spanish detective said suspect Michael Riley - who will face an extradition hearing in October - was a member of the Daniel group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday hundreds of mourners attended a joint funeral for Lyons Jnr, 46, and Monaghan, 43, in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire. The front door of Mr McMillan's Pitcairn Grove home was torched in April [BBC] How the feud developed A series of attacks began on 2 March when a car was set on fire in Edinburgh's Parrotshot area A beauty salon in Leith and a garage in Portobello were also targeted over a 10-day period Later, shots were reported as being fired at two properties in Niddrie and Pilton in separate incidents Further firebomb attacks were reported on another house in Niddrie at the start of April, just as the first property in Glasgow was targeted in the Robroyston area A carpet business in Bishopbriggs and another commercial premises in Kirkintilloch were also hit, alongside homes in Glasgow and Stepps. In April, a 72-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy were assaulted at a house in Egilsay Crescent in Milton, Glasgow Two more properties in Bishopbriggs were set alight Two men were taken to hospital following a serious assault at a garage in East Kilbride on 19 May A 54-year-old man needed hospital treatment after he was attacked by a group of men at a house at Pitcairn Grove, Edinburgh - the third time an incident was reported at this property A large house in the Bridge of Weir was set alight on 2 June Police recover firearm believed to be linked to violence from Roseburn Path in Edinburgh on 11 June Read the full timeline here. Police are investigating a deadly shooting that occurred early this morning in St. Louis near 9th and Chambers, resulting in one mans death and injuries to three others. The shooting happened around 3:30 a.m., and among the injured, one person is in critical condition while two others managed to reach the hospital independently. Homicide detectives are leading the investigation into this incident. In a separate incident, a man is in critical condition following a shooting in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood. This shooting took place just after midnight near North Compton and School Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police have not yet identified the shooter in the Jeff-Vander-Lou incident, nor have they confirmed whether anyone is in custody. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers, where tips can be given anonymously. Police are continuing their investigations into the two separate shootings and are asking for the publics help in the Jeff-Vander-Lou case by providing any information they might have to Crime Stoppers. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTVI. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTVI staff before being published. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Do you recognize this person? [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Riverside Police Department is looking for a suspect accused of stealing a cash register containing money, according to a social media post. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident happened early Saturday morning, July 5, at a business on Linden Avenue. The department posted security camera images of the suspect on its Facebook page. They are asking for any help in identifying him. Call dispatch at (937) 233-2080 if you recognize the suspect. You can also contact Officer Decker at (937) 233-1801, extension 825, or by email. Photo contribute by Riverside Police (via Police Department) [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Honolulu police responded to an explosion in a restroom facility at Camp Erdman in Waialua early this morning. Officers were called to the scene just before 1 :30 a.m. after a witness reported hearing a loud blast and saw four juvenile males wearing ski masks running from the area, the Honolulu Police Department said in a social media post. The witness found the restroom filled with smoke and noticed visible damage inside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police are asking anyone with information to call 911 or CrimeStoppers at (808 ) 955-8300. Tips can also be submitted in person at any police station. See more : 0 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? . PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Portland police said they seized several mortars after an illegal fireworks show near Cathedral Park on Thursday night. Just after midnight, officers patrolling the area noticed the fireworks going off underneath the St. Johns Bridge and began looking for who was responsible. Man who died during police welfare check IDd The officers found a 20-year-old man on a floating dock just beneath the bridge and issued him a citation after finding multiple additional fireworks in his possession, police said. Portland police seized mortars after an illegal fireworks show near Cathedral Park. July 4, 2025 (courtesy Portland Police Bureau). Portland police seized mortars after an illegal fireworks show near Cathedral Park. July 4, 2025 (courtesy Portland Police Bureau). The sale and use of all fireworks has been banned in the City of Portland. However, police urged people not to call 911 to report fireworks use. They should instead call the non-emergency line to keep the 911 line available for more dire emergencies, such as active fires and serious medical problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, the Portland Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal has issued a burn ban in the city that remains in effect throughout the summer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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) A man was tased and taken into police custody after officials say they punched a person and likely attacked another with a knife in downtown Portland Friday evening. The incident unfolded at 7:15 p.m., when police said a man who had been cut on the hand by a knife walked up to the Central Precinct. Officers then called for EMS and the man was taken to the hospital for his injuries. Man hospitalized after being stabbed in chest in downtown Portland Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At around the same time, officers responded to the area of Southwest 2nd and Ankeny on reports of a person threatening people with stick. As police were arriving at the scene, the suspect approached a pickup truck along Southwest 2nd Avenue. A passenger in the pickup then got out was punched by the suspect, authorities said. Man who died during North Portland police welfare check identified Officers rushed in the deescalate the fight, eventually using a taser on the suspect. According to police, the suspect was so violent they had to be sedated before being transported to the hospital. Officials added the man cut by the knife was likely assaulted by the same suspect, and another individual was menaced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. CHICAGO (WGN) A string of armed robberies has prompted a warning from Chicago police, urging residents in several Near West Side neighborhoods to stay vigilant. According to the Chicago Police Department, a group of two to four masked men have been targeting victims in the West Loop, West Town, Little Italy, Fulton Market District and Goose Island neighborhoods. In each reported incident, the suspects arrived in a stolen gray Infiniti Q50, equipped with various stolen license plates, and approached the victims at gunpoint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspects, described as Black males between the ages of 16 to 25 wearing dark clothing, hooded sweatshirts and black ski masks, demanded property and in some cases, asked for the victims phone passcodes, CPD said. Police say some of the victims were pistol-whipped during the incidents. In two of the robberies, police say the suspects did not take anything. List of reported incidents: July 3 at 7 a.m. in the 1400 block of West Carroll Avenue (West Loop) July 3 at 10 a.m. in the 1500 block of West Harrison Street (Little Italy) July 4 at 7:40 a.m. in the 1200 block of West Carroll Avenue (Fulton Market District) July 4 at 8:21 a.m. in the 1100 block of North Paulina Street (West Town) July 4 at 9:14 a.m. in the 800 block of West Blackhawk Street (Goose Island) July 4 at 9:26 a.m. in the 900 block of West Weed Street (Goose Island) July 4 at 11:17 a.m. in the 300 block of North Laflin Street (West Loop) Advice for residents from CPD: Do not resist. Your safety is more important than property. Take notes of distinctive features such as scars, acne, limps or tattoos. Avoid chasing the suspects if they flee. If safe, remain on scene to help answer officers questions. Do not touch any evidence at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information on the robberies or suspects is asked to contact Area Three Detectives at 312-744-8263 or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.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 WGN-TV. "Ill have a coke no, not Coca-Cola, Sprite." (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) With burgers sizzling and classic rock thumping, many Americans revel in summer cookouts at least until that wayward cousin asks for a pop in soda country, or even worse, a coke when they actually want a Sprite. Few American linguistic debates have bubbled quite as long and effervescently as the one over whether a generic soft drink should be called a soda, pop or coke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The word you use generally boils down to where youre from: Midwesterners enjoy a good pop, while soda is tops in the North and far West. Southerners, long the cultural mavericks, dont bat an eyelash asking for coke lowercase before homing in on exactly the type they want: Perhaps a root beer or a Coke, uppercase. As a linguist who studies American dialects, Im less interested in this regional divide and far more fascinated by the unexpected history behind how a fizzy health drink from the early 1800s spawned the modern soft drinks many names and iterations. Bubbles, anyone? Foods and drinks with wellness benefits might seem like a modern phenomenon, but the urge to create drinks with medicinal properties inspired what might be called a soda revolution in the 1800s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The process of carbonating water was first discovered in the late 1700s. By the early 1800s, this carbonated water had become popular as a health drink and was often referred to as soda water. The word soda likely came from sodium, since these drinks often contained salts, which were then believed to have healing properties. Given its alleged curative effects for health issues such as indigestion, pharmacists sold soda water at soda fountains, innovative devices that created carbonated water to be sold by the glass. A chemistry professor, Benjamin Stillman, set up the first such device in a drugstore in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1806. Its eventual success inspired a boom of soda fountains in drugstores and health spas. By the mid-1800s, pharmacists were creating unique root-, fruit- and herb-infused concoctions, such as sassafras-based root beer, at their soda fountains, often marketing them as cures for everything from fatigue to foul moods. These flavored, sweetened versions gave rise to the linking of the word soda with a sweetened carbonated beverage, as opposed to simple, carbonated water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seltzer todays popular term for such sparkling water was around, too. But it was used only for the naturally carbonated mineral water from the German town Nieder-Selters. Unlike Perrier, sourced similarly from a specific spring in France, seltzer made the leap to becoming a generic term for fizzy water. Regional naming patterns So how did soda come to be called so many different things in different places? It all stems from a mix of economic enterprise and linguistic ingenuity. The popularity of soda in the Northeast likely reflects the soda fountains longer history in the region. Since a lot of Americans living in the Northeast migrated to California in the mid-to-late 1800s, the name likely traveled west with them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the Midwestern preference for pop well, the earliest American use of the term to refer to a sparkling beverage appeared in the 1840s in the name of a flavored version called ginger pop. Such ginger-flavored pop, though, was around in Britain by 1816, since a Newcastle songbook is where you can first see it used in text. The pop seems to be onomatopoeic for the noise made when the cork was released from the bottle before drinking. Linguists dont fully know why pop became so popular in the Midwest. But one theory links it to a Michigan bottling company, Feigenson Brothers Bottling Works today known as Faygo Beverages that used pop in the name of the sodas they marketed and sold. Another theory suggests that because bottles were more common in the region, soda drinkers were more likely to hear the pop sound than in the Northeast, where soda fountains reigned. As for using coke generically, the first Coca-Cola was served in 1886 by Dr. John Pemberton, a pharmacist at Jacobs Pharmacy in Atlanta and the founder of the company. In the 1900s, the Coca-Cola company tried to stamp out the use of Coke for Coca-Cola. But that ship had already sailed. Since Coca-Cola originated and was overwhelmingly popular in the South, its generic use grew out of the fact that people almost always asked for Coke. As with Jell-O, Kleenex, Band-Aids and seltzer, it became a generic term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats soft about it? Speaking of soft drinks, whats up with that term? It was originally used to distinguish all nonalcoholic drinks from hard drinks, or beverages containing spirits. Interestingly, the original Coca-Cola formula included wine resembling a type of alcoholic health drink popular overseas, Vin Mariani. But Pemberton went on to develop a soft version a few years later to be sold as a medicinal drink. Due to the growing popularity of soda water concoctions, eventually soft drink came to mean only such sweetened carbonated beverages, a linguistic testament to Americas enduring love affair with sugar and bubbles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the average American guzzling almost 40 gallons per year, you can call it whatever you what. Just dont call it healthy. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Valerie M. Fridland is a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and author of the book Like Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English. 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. Pope Leo XIV has appointed French Archbishop Thibault Verny as the Vatican's new abuse commissioner. The 59-year-old replaces US Cardinal Sean O'Malley, who has surpassed the age limit of 80 years. As head of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, Verny is responsible for addressing scandals that have shaken the Catholic Church in many countries. Verny, who presides over the Alpine archdiocese of Chambery in the south-east of France, described it as a "serious and sacred task." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "[The Church must be] more vigilant, responsible, and merciful in its mission to protect the weakest among us," Verny said. Verny was previously the chairman of the body set up by the French Bishops' Conference to tackle and prevent abuse in the French Church. The new pope, who comes from from the United States, had previously called for a "culture of prevention" from his Church, which he said should not allow any form of abuse. In light of the many scandals involving cases of abuse and subsequent cover-up attempts, the now-deceased pope Francis established the commission in 2014. Since then, it has been led by Cardinal O'Malley, the former archbishop of the north-eastern US city of Boston. The now 81-year-old remained in office even beyond the traditional retirement age for bishops. By Joshua McElwee VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Leo on Saturday appointed a French archbishop as the new leader of the Vatican's commission on clergy sexual abuse, in the U.S. pontiff's first public move to confront an issue that has damaged the global Church's credibility. Thibault Verny, 59, will be president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors while also remaining the archbishop of Chambery in southeast France. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Vatican commission was created by Pope Francis in 2014 in an effort by the late pontiff to respond after sexual abuse scandals affected the Church in countries across the world. The scandals have damaged the Church's standing as a moral voice, led to lawsuits costing millions in countries across the globe, and resulted in a number of resignations of bishops. Verny said he was committed to improving the Church's safeguarding measures. "We will promote the ... equitable sharing of resources so that all parts of the Church, regardless of geography or circumstance, can uphold the highest standards of protection," he said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Verny replaces Cardinal Sean O'Malley, the former archbishop of Boston. O'Malley, 81, had been serving beyond the Church's traditional retirement age of 80 for bishops. O'Malley had led the group since its creation. While some victims have praised the commission's efforts, it has also been roiled by the resignations of several of its members over the years. In 2023, a prominent Jesuit priest and papal adviser stepped down, saying publicly that he had concerns over the way the group was operating. Verny was first made a member of the commission by Francis in 2022. He has also led the French Church's safeguarding efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement O'Malley praised the appointment, saying in a statement Verny is "a collaborative leader committed to advancing the global adoption of protection and safeguarding, to as best possible assure the safety of those in the care of the Church throughout the world". (Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Alison Williams) Golden Retriever sitting next to people on the beach after a long day of playing in the water. A stretch of sand in Jupiter is home to one of the few remaining dog-friendly beaches in the state of Florida, according to the Friends of Jupiter Beach website, and is considered one of the best. Now for the second year in a row, it has the ranking to match. USA TODAY has named the oceanfront site the No. 1 best dog-friendly beach on its annual 10BEST list. The list from USA TODAY includes multiple different categories like 'Best Pet-Friendly Hotel' and 'Best Cat Cafe' to visit, as judged by a panel of travel experts. Readers also can vote for their favorites in this category and others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For a second year in a row, Jupiter Dog Beach has been up against and defeated favorites as diverse as Huntington Dog Beach in Huntington, California and Fort De Soto Park in Tierra Verde, Florida. Here are five things to know about Jupiter Dog Beach, a presence in northern Palm Beach County for more than 30 years. Do I need to keep my dog on a leash? No, dogs do not need to be kept on leash while on the beach, but the walk to the beach and back to the car requires a leash on for your furry friend. They do need to be well-trained and responsive to verbal commands, just in case anything happens and you need to get their attention quickly. Where is the Jupiter Dog Beach? It is along State Road A1A, starting just north of the Juno Beach Pier. It runs from the beach crossover at Marcinski Road north to the southern border of Carlin Park. What should I be worried about? Dog are more susceptible to sea lice and jellyfish than people are, according to the Friends of Jupiter Beach website. Dogs with short hair, white fur and pink skin can also sunburn just like humans! Be sure to bring some sunblock to apply to their ears and nose. What happens if my dog poops on the beach? There are multiple waste bag stations, provided by the Friends of Jupiter Beach, at the beach entrances along A1A. Make sure to clean up after your dog and dispose of the waste properly. Who can be on the dog beach? Since it is a public beach, anyone can be on the dog beach, even those without dogs. Just be mindful that not everyone wants to interact with the dogs on the beach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Francesca Abarca is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at fabarca@gannett.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: USA Today: Best Dog-Friendly Beach is Jupiter Dog Beach PORT CARBON Displays of patriotism were evident Friday in Port Carbon with children waving American flags while waiting for the 9:30 p.m. fireworks show to start, and people clad in red, white and blue. LED lights displayed like the flag adorned windows, the faint smell of fireworks hung in the air and music played in the distance. We love them. Oh my gosh, they are the best, Ruth Carl, 67, of Pine Grove said as she and her husband, Dave, sat at the Port Carbon sign near the entrance to the borough waiting for the fireworks show by Bixler Pyrotechnics, Ashland, to start. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a perfect evening for fireworks with clear skies and temperatures in the low 70s. Ana Roberts, 6, poses with two American flags on Independence Day while in Port Carbon, Friday, July 4, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Mamma Mias Pizza and Restaurant and The Port Bar & Grill were open for a bite to eat. Earlier in the day, the Port Carbon Baby Parade was held. Many people sat at a cemetery on First Street to watch the fireworks, which were set off at Monument Hill. Kevin Marmas, a pyrotechnician with Bixler Pyrotechnics, said hours were spent preparing for the show. Fireworks go off on Independence Day in Port Carbon, Friday, July 4, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With so many bangs and booms throughout the night, it was hard to not get in the holiday spirit. Residents also lit fireworks in the streets in celebration of Independence Day. Fireworks go off in the street on Independence Day in Port Carbon, Friday, July 4, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Barbara Kempest, 58, of Coaldale, sported a red, white and blue shirt and necklace while waiting downtown. She lived in Philadelphia for a time, but moved to Schuylkill County to be closer to family. Her father originally is from Frackville. These are beautiful, she said of the fireworks she had seen before today but wanted to enjoy again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alexandra Roberts, 33, sat on her front porch, enjoying the company of family and friends. Its our favorite holiday, she said of July 4. Two people walk past an array of lights forming an American flag on First Street in Port Carbon, Friday, July 4, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Lisa Conville, was hosting a party at her house. She had one of the many lights seen around town displayed like the American flag. Pretty cool looking, right? she said of the item she bought on Amazon. A borough resident for more than 20 years, Conville said there is no better place to be for July 4. Port Carbon is the coolest place to be for the fireworks, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fireworks go off on Independence Day in Port Carbon, Friday, July 4, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) After watching the fireworks near the cemetery on First Street, Ed Wytovich, 76, who lives in Ashland, but lived in the borough for many years, said he is glad to be an American. July 4 means freedom to him. Those watching the fireworks at the cemetery applauded at its conclusion. Happy Birthday, one man said. While Hamas appears to be moving forward with ceasefire negotiations, the terror organization still has details in the latest draft of ceasefire arrangements that have yet to be ironed out. Hamas gave a positive response" to a ceasefire and hostage deal to mediators on Friday, Palestinian officials told Reuters. However, there seem to be several details in the response that have not been clarified yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Qatari outlet Al-Araby reported that Hamas requested minor amendments to the plan, which mediators in Doha based on the Witkoff proposal. Ynet reported that the three changes to the deal that Hamas is seeking regard aid distribution in the Gaza Strip, the withdrawal of IDF troops, and a commitment to not resume fighting after the 60-day period ends. Hamas terrorists carry grenade launchers at the funeral of Marwan Issa, a senior Hamas deputy military commander who was killed in the central Gaza Strip, February 7, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed/File Photo) What did Hamas request to change in the proposed ceasefire? On Thursday, senior Hamas officials met in Turkey to discuss the proposed framework. In the deal, 10 hostages are supposed to be released over the course of 60 days. Under the terms of the deal, eight hostages would be freed on the first day, with two more released on day 50. The bodies of 18 deceased hostages would be returned in three phases across the two-month ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Jerusalem Post originally reported that in exchange for the hostages, 125 Palestinian prisoners plus 1,111 Gazans arrested after October 7 would be released. Hamas is reportedly demanding that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) be removed from the enclave and that the distribution of aid return to the format from previous ceasefires. The Ynet report noted that the agreement, as originally seen by Hamas, only stated that "aid will be distributed through agreed channels, including the UN and the Red Crescent, and did not mention the GHF. Hamas also allegedly is pushing for a segmented withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, which was outlined in an earlier version of the agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the current Qatari-drafted agreement states that the IDF will redeploy its forces to maps to be agreed upon, thus indicating some discrepancies. In the original Witkoff framework, the IDF will redeploy to northern Gaza and the Netzarim corridor at the start of the ceasefire. However, after a week and pending the release of several hostages remains, the IDF will pivot and redeploy to southern Gaza. A source from the IDF told Ynet that during the ceasefire, the IDF will remain in the original perimeter set in the buffer zone, plus 250 meters (820 feet) into the Strip." This implies a new buffer zone extending 1.2 to 1.4 kilometers (0.75 to 0.87 miles) into the Gaza Strip. Additionally, the IDF "will not withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor. Hamas is also reportedly demanding a complete end to the war at the end of the 60-day period and wants security guarantees from the US, Qatar, and Egypt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Notably, sources told the Arab-language paper Asharq al-Aswat that the deal on the table does not currently state a clear end date for the war. Within Gaza, there appears to be mutual support for the ceasefire deal. Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated that Hamas had informed it of the deal and that it was interested in progressing towards an agreement." Israeli ministers have expressed their views against ending the war in Gaza Notable members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus coalition have openly expressed their aversion to ending the war in Gaza. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that Hamas must be eliminated and that Israel should encourage emigration to Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is time to stop the slogging in the Strip and strive for a quick resolution of Hamas, which is the ultimate goal of the war," he said. Similarly, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that he would oppose any agreements that would end the fighting in Gaza. "I can tell you with all my heart that it wont happen. Im talking to [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu about it, and I dont get the impression that hes on his way there," Smotrich said. Netanyahu has only said that he was seeking a total end to Hamas and has not mentioned an end date to the Israel-Hamas War. "There will not be a Hamas. There will not be a Hamastan. We're not going back to that. It's over. We will free all our hostages," Netanyahu said last week. "We will eliminate them down to the ground. However, US President Donald Trump has said that he intends to be very firm with Netanyahu about ending the war in Gaza. President Donald Trumps administration celebrated a major legislative win just ahead of America's Independence Day weekend while also facing renewed criticism over the passing of his Big Beautiful Bill and his immigration enforcement tactics. On July 3, Congress passed Trumps long-promised Big Beautiful Bill, a sweeping 940-page package set to be signed into law on Independence Day. Popular parts of the bill include that it extends the 2017 tax cuts, raises the cap on state and local tax deductions, eliminates taxes on tips and overtime, and boosts funding for border security. But the bills tradeoffs are also fueling backlash. To offset the cost of tax cuts, the legislation makes deep reductions to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and allows Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicaid currently covers more than 75 million low-income Americans, and health experts warn the changes could lead to sharp increases in premiumsmore than 400% in some casesfor lower-income households. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whether the newly passed bill could help or hurt you might depend on your income, according to a new analysis by the Penn Wharton Budget Model, a nonpartisan research institution. The July 1 report suggests that while most Americans will see tax savings in the short term, high-income households stand to gain the most. In the long run, however, the report projects lifetime losses across all income brackets. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is facing criticism from faith leaders following recent immigration enforcement activity. In a letter signed in late June, Bishop John Dolan of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix denounced recent ICE operations, saying they have caused confusion, fear, and heartache in migrant communities throughout the Valley. Here's what to know about how this week's events may be impacting 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: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Economist shows that 42% of people are favorable of Trump and 54% are unfavorable of him, according to the latest update from July 3. According to the most recent Gallup poll, Trump's job approval rating was averaging 43% since he took office in this second term. His first term 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%. A Reuters/Ipsos poll from reported that, as of June 23, 41% of those surveyed gave him a favorable approval rating of his performance in office. Rasmussen Reports poll from July 3 showed 49% approval and 48% disapproval of Trump. A Morning Consult poll updated June 30 showed 47% approve and 50% disapprove. The American Research Group poll from June 17 through June 20 showed 38% approve and 59% disapprove. 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%. 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." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. 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: Donald Trump's approval rating: See the latest polls "Knowing Elon the way I know him, I do think hes going to do everything to damage the president." So declared Elon Musk's former friend and business associate Philip Low, who has known the Tesla and SpaceX tycoon for 14 years, in a recent interview with Politico. Those remarks seemed to be borne out last week when Musk renewed his on-again, off-again feud with Donald Trump by attacking Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" and proposing to form a new political party which he now claims to be moving forward with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump responded in kind, suggesting he would "take a look" at revoking Musk's citizenship and that he "might have to put DOGE on Elon". As The Independent reported last month, there are a great many ways that Trump could try to hurt Musk, from targeting his companies with federal investigations to deportation or even criminal investigations. But Musk is not without cards to play. Through his vast wealth, his business empire, and his ability to martial a zealous online fanbase, he has plenty of ways to make life difficult for his erstwhile "buddy". So if the world's richest person really wants this fight, what punches could he throw? A money hose for Trumps opponents The first and most obvious weapon in Musk's arsenal is his vast wealth: an estimated $405 billion, according to Forbes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the 2024 election, Musk plowed $295 million into supporting Republican candidates, chiefly Trump himself. That's a huge amount in American politics, but it's chump change for today's mega-rich. For context, across the whole of 2023 and 2024, the total amount of money raised by all presidential candidates was only $2 billion, according to the Federal Election Commission. Congressional candidates raised $3.8 billion, while PACs raised a more respectable $15.7 billion. Matching those amounts wouldn't be trivial for Elon Musk, because like most of the world's richest people his wealth is tied up in stocks that can't easily be unloaded all at once. Still, based on Wednesday's share prices, he could pay for the entire 2024 election cycle by liquidating just one fifth of his reported $130 billion stake in Tesla. We have a sense already of how Musk might use this money. "Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame! And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth," he said on Monday. Anyone who campaigned on the PROMISE of REDUCING SPENDING , but continues to vote on the BIGGEST DEBT ceiling increase in HISTORY will see their face on this poster in the primary next year pic.twitter.com/w13Qkm2e1A Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 1, 2025 He's suggested hed donate to Republican representative Thomas Massie, a persistent critic of Trump's. And there's still another $100 million Musk previously promised Trump that he could decide to withhold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He could even give money to Democrats, who will likely take it (although Trump has threatened serious consequences in that scenario). They are politicians, after all. Then theres Musks proposed new party, dubbed the America Party. When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste and graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy, he said on Saturday. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom. In a follow-up tweet, he suggested the party would be a centrist entity aiming to slash government spending, cut regulations, stimulate technological progress, increase birth rates, and support free speech (though Musk himself has a troubled relationship with that last term). Yeah! Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 5, 2025 Musks proposed strategy is to laser-focus enormous effort on just a few Senate and House districts, in the hope of acting as a tiebreaker in tight votes between Republicans and Democrats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In general, the USA's first-past-the-post electoral system means third parties find it almost impossible to get a seat in Congress. The America Party would need a sizeable grassroots contingent in order to get any campaigns off the ground. Meanwhile, Musk's notion that 80 percent of the USA agrees with his opinions seems disconnected from reality. The polling expert Nate Silver puts his net favorability rating at a weighted average of -18 percent, which is considerably worse than Trump himself. Nevertheless, his billions mean the new party wont want for resources. And even if third parties dont win, they can still leech votes from larger parties and force them to change their policies. Of course, money isn't everything as Musk himself found out when his attempt to sway the Wisconsin Supreme Court election in March and April crashed and burned. Luckily for him, its not his only asset. Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle? Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025 Musks cult of personality rivals Trumps own Musk's overall popularity may have dropped dramatically since the election. But his pull with Republican voters specifically was still very high as of early June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That's testament to his ability to build and maintain a fanatical fanbase. Like Trump, he has a knack for inspiring loyalty and whipping up his supporters against new targets, as well as a keen instinct for controversy. And also like Trump, he doesn't need to be popular with all Americans to cause trouble for his enemies. He only needs enough dedicated partisans on his side. Elon has wooed enough of Trumps supporters to be an actual threat politically, Musk's old friend Philip Low told Politico. "[Trump] doesnt realize the battle that he has on his hands." Musk's ownership of X, formerly Twitter, will help him there. Having already turned the social network into a hub of the MAGA media universe and reportedly tweaked its algorithms in favor of his own posts he now has enormous control over the conservative information stream. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given how many Americans now essentially live in a parallel media universe, maintained by fake news entrepreneurs and skewed social media algorithms, that gives him influence over what Trump's base even believes to be reality. Oh and some food for thought as they ponder this question: Trump has 3.5 years left as President, but I will be around for 40+ years Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025 Granted, Trump remains the unquestioned ruler of the GOP. And when polls pit Musk against Trump directly, Republican voters largely side with the king. Yet Musk's combination of financial and social capital makes him a powerful ally to anyone within the party hoping to chart their own course. From fiscal hawks opposed to Trump's spending spree to centrists with one eye on their purple state majority, there are plenty of people in Congress who won't always back Trump 100 percent. Musk can boost and sustain them, helping them resist the eye of Sauron effect that Trump has traditionally used to beat his coalition into line. Musks influence crosses countries and industries Other threats are more esoteric. NASA would be pretty stuck without SpaceX, which currently offers the only reliable way of ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Musk's satellite business Starlink is relied on by governments and militaries across the world, including some U.S. agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having helped kickstart China's world-leading electric vehicle industry, he also has a serious fanbase in China and good relationships with the Chinese Communist Party. "Brother Musk, youve got over a billion people on our side backing you," said one user on the Chinese social network Weibo on Wednesday. Most juicily of all, he has information. Musk spent months at the heart of the Trump administration, attending cabinet meetings and undertaking highly controversial projects. What might he have learned or witnessed during that time that could damage Trump politically? We got a taste of that when Musk accused Trump of being "in the Epstein files". That's nothing new: we've known since 2015 that Trump was in Jeffrey Epstein's address book (which is not evidence of wrongdoing), and his ties to the child-abusing financier are long documented. Yet as Trump knows all too well, in today's politics truth has only a passing relevance to how much chaos a lurid allegation can cause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of these factors are a slam dunk for Musk. His born-again MAGA conversion has trashed his former reputation as an apolitical business genius, and toxified his image among Democratic voters. Getting more involved in politics would only prolong investors' disquiet about his ability to focus on running Tesla and SpaceX. Trying to dish dirt on Trump could also tempt revenge in kind, which could be dangerous given the sheer range of allegations about Musk's personal life. Most of all, to misquote a line from the early 19th century writer Hilaire Belloc that Musk seems to be fond of: whatever happens, Trump has got the nukes, and Musk does not. Then again, when has the near certainty of adverse consequences ever stopped Elon Musk? A stunning poll aimed at drumming up support for Mayor Eric Adams re-election bid still has the incumbent trailing ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo by double digits as the pair jockey to take on socialist Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani, the 33-year-old Queens state assemblyman who shockingly trounced Cuomo in the Dem primary last month, leads the ex-gov and Adams by double-digits himself with 41% of the vote in a theoretical general election while Cuomo garners 26%, and Hizzoner takes home 16%, the survey said. Both Cuomo and Adams are still listed as running as independents in November. A new poll shows support for Mayor Eric Adams re-election bid still trails behind ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani by double digits. Gabriella Bass If both [Cuomo and Adams] are in the race anywhere near the election, Mamdani can go pick out drapes for Gracie Mansion, said Stephen Graves of Gotham Polling & Analytics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its surprising. The poll surveyed a little more than 1,000 voters between June 30 and July 2 just days after Adams formally kicked off his reelection bid on an independent line and the stunning Democratic primary win for Mamdani. The primary upset has left moderate Dems and those in the business community scrambling to figure out which of the remaining moderate candidates they can line up behind to challenge the upstart socialist. Adams and Cuomo have both been making their cases to prominent New Yorkers that they are the only one who can take down Mamdani. On Thursday morning, Adams nabbed the support of billionaire Bill Ackman, who urged Cuomo to drop out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A day earlier, Rev. Al Sharpton made a similar call telling Cuomo to throw in the towel. Mamdani leads Cuomo and Adams by double-digits himself with 41% of the vote in a theoretical general election. Getty Images But even with the new poll being heavily skewed when surveying voters to try to help boost Adams numbers and tarnish others, the mayor failed to garner much support, much to the chagrin of his campaign. One of the questions read, Some people believe Andrew Cuomos re-entry into politics shows strength and experience, while others believe it reflects old political habits and unresolved controversies. Which comes closest to your view? Another asked the potential voter if they were concerned about Mamdani for various reasons, such as his too extreme policies, support for defunding the police, lack of experience or his focus on symbolic or foreign issues, not local problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Graves pointed out that Mamdani largely benefits from the fractured moderate vote split among Adams and Cuomo, as well as GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa, who came in with just under 10% of support. If [Adams or Cuomo] drops out, [the other has] a chance, but based on this, Cuomo has the better chance, Graves said, highlighting Adams high levels of hard-no voters. Cuomo received only 26% of the vote, while Mayor Adams only got 16% of the vote, as both mayoral candidates are running as independents in November. Matthew McDermott According to the poll, 51% of voters said they would never vote for Adams, while Cuomo came in 12% lower at 39. Around 46% of voters fell into the never-Mamdani category. Adams and Cuomo head into the general with years of political baggage, with the mayors first term being dominated by federal raids of his top officials and a historic indictment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ex-governor resigned in 2021 in disgrace amid a series of sexual harassment allegations and fallout from the controversial COVID response. Both have vigorously denied any wrongdoing, but the scandals have repeatedly shown in the polls to drag each of their numbers down. Adams campaign spokesman, Todd Shapiro, slammed the survey. The Adams campaign will be bringing over one million new voters to the polls, many of whom will be voting for the first time, Shapiro claimed. These are real New Yorkers working families, first-time voters, and everyday residents from across the five boroughs who are energized by the results theyve seen under Mayor Adams. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lets be clear: Andrew Cuomo spent nearly $30 million in the primary and was soundly rejected by voters, Shapiro said. If all that money and national attention translates to just a two-point lead in one early poll, thats not a show of strength its a ceiling. Meanwhile, Mayor Adams is just beginning to campaign, and as more voters hear his message and see the facts, that gap will close and the momentum will shift decisively. Mayor Adams is focused on what matters: lower crime, more jobs, and a stronger, safer New York City. And with over one million new voters backing that vision, Eric Adams will win because New Yorkers believe in progress, not politics. Producer Paul Zaentz, nephew of the late Saul Zaentz, who co-produced with Michael Douglas the Oscar-winning Milos Forman drama One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump during an appearance at the 59th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) in the Czech Republic on Saturday. Appearing before a screening of a newly restored version of the 1975 classic, which became only the second movie to win all five major Academy Award categories best picture (Douglas and Zaentz), best director (Forman), best actor (Jack Nicholson), best actress (Louise Fletcher), and best adapted screenplay (Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman), Zaentz called Cuckoos Nest a movie about rebellion and bashed a bill cutting financial support for the poor and other Trump policies. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its ironic that Cuckoos Nest has been honored here on its 50th anniversary, and I am afraid that Ken Keseys brilliant book may be banned in the USA, he said in comments made a few minutes before Douglas appeared on stage to a huge ovation. Zaentz continued: Yesterday, July 4, the malignant narcissist, wannabe dictator that occupies the White House signed a bill that was passed by his cruel, heartless followers to make the rich richer and take food and health care away from the people who need it a very sad July 4 for the USA. The remark drew applause from the jam-packed auditorium at the Czech festival. The producer concluded by asking people outside the U.S. for patience. Dont give up on America, Zaentz said. We shall overcome the totally corrupt, morally bankrupt, treasonous, evil thing and his cronies and minions. I am certain that Milos would agree with me that Trump is a stain on my country, and his presidency will be looked upon as the greatest moral failure in the history of the United States. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Fire officials continue to report steady progress in the fight against the Trout Fire burning north of Silver City, New Mexico, in the Gila National Forest. The incident command team reports that the fire, which has burned 47,294 acres, is now 89 percent contained as of Saturday morning, July 5, up from 85 percent on Friday. Map of Trout Fire as of July 5. Courtesy of incident command team The progress is being made thanks to the ongoing work of incident personnel, fire command team said Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A total of 228 firefighters remain on scene battling the fire, which was started on June 12 and was caused by lightning. Fire officials remind the public that a forest area closure remains in effect as firefighters, utility vehicles, heavy machinery and support personnel work and travel along roadways surrounding the fire area. The safety of firefighters, support personnel, and the public remains our top priority, so visitors are asked to remain cautious if they travel near the fire perimeter, fire officials said. Saturday, a hotshot crew will continue to work the uncontained edge of the fire perimeter. Helicopters will continue to supply 75-gallon sacks of water to firefighters working to secure the western fireline, fire officials said. Firefighters tap into this water supply to fill 5-gallon bladder bags that they carry on their backs. This water is used to extinguish any heat along the fireline, fire officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To access these areas, firefighters are shuttled by utility vehicles as far as possible, then hike another 2 miles. Crews will also clear trees that have fallen on Forest Service roads that are interior to the fire perimeter and repair fences. Suppression repair work continues on dozer lines and roads south of the fire. These repairs are critical for restoring safe access, and they help prevent long-term erosion and road damage, fire officials said. Friday, the Gila National Forest responded to the Panther Fire burning in the Gila Wilderness approximately 7 miles west of Wild Horse Mesa. Crews utilized rappellers and helicopter bucket drops to fight the fire, which was estimated at 30 acres. The Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team will assume command of the Panther Fire Saturday. Warmer and dryer conditions are expected Saturday. Temperatures will reach the upper 80s with humidity in the teens and lighter winds than Friday. The public is reminded to remain vigilant and travel cautiously in the fire area and to be aware of incident personnel. Local air quality ratings are good. For real-time smoke conditions, click here. For road closure information, click here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For information on Gila National Forest closures and alerts, click here. For information on Stage 2 fire restrictions, click here. Temporary flight restrictions over the fire, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. NEW YORK Around 75 demonstrators gathered across the street from Trump Tower Friday afternoon to stage a die-in protesting the passage of what President Donald Trump calls the Big, Beautiful Bill. The protesters call it the Murder Budget. The activists held signs with slogans including Trump Did This and Musk Stole My Medicaid. Others held the American flag upside down as a signal of distress. They were blocked by metal police gates on the sidewalk from protesting inside Trump Towers lobby, as they had hoped to do. Instead they lay down in the bus lane across the street from the building around 4:45 p.m. near Fith Ave. and 57th St. in Midtown Manhattan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This bill is a sin against God and man. We have elected a man who has taken over our government and run rampant over our Constitution, said Jane Lindberg, 69, who held up a couple of upside-down American flags while wearing a knapsack emblazoned with Trump Is a Liar. The protest was organized by Rise and Resist NYC, Indivisible, and Physicians for a National Health Program NY Metro. This bill will hurt a lot of people, including people who voted Republican, said Matthew Cavalletto, 53, a software developer. The Republicans are claiming to be the party of working people but those are the people who are going to be hurt. On Thursday Congress passed the controversial $4.5 trillion budget bill, following on the heels of Senate, which narrowly passed it on Tuesday. Trump will sign his budget bill to strip millions of healthcare, kill clean energy, and cut funding for SNAP, all to fund ICEs lawless reign of terror, and tax cuts for the billionaire class, Rise and Resist said in a statement. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) The Fourth of July saw its fair share of protests in the Pacific Northwest hours after President Donald Trump signed his so-called big, beautiful bill into law. Protests were held both in opposition to Trumps policies, including those touted in the bill, and against ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity. Body found in Ridgefields Lake River On Friday, protesters organized a caravan from the ICE facility in South Portland to the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington. The latter is the location where 54-year-old Moises Sotelo a Newberg, Oregon vineyard worker is being held. The rally in Tacoma was attended by Sotelos daughter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier Friday, protests outside the Portland ICE facility got tense as demonstrators clashed with federal officers. Some protesters told KOIN 6 News they took to the streets on Friday in response to intensified ICE raids and detentions. As part of Trumps big, beautiful bill, there was a $150 billion increase in funding for a border wall, immigration enforcement and deportations. The bill also extends cuts to Medicaid. They dont need more money and theyre taking money away from things that we really actually need, said protester Mary Vanzant. The best thing we can do as the people is keep fighting, added protester Cortez Williams. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another protest was held in downtown Portlands Pioneer Courthouse Square, about two miles north of the ICE facility. It was there that a so-called die-in took place to oppose Medicaid cuts as part of Trumps bill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Hundreds of protesters marched through the Mexican capital on Friday denouncing gentrification caused by foreigners, with some vandalizing businesses and shouting "gringos out!" The demonstration in the capital's central area turned violent when hooded individuals smashed windows, damaged restaurant furniture and looted a clothing store. Mexico City's government secretary Cesar Cravioto said 15 businesses and public facilities were damaged in what he called "xenophobic expressions" similar to what Mexican migrants have suffered in other countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are a city of open arms there are always ways to negotiate, to sit at the table," Cravioto told Milenio television. Neighborhoods like Roma-Condesa have since 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, seen an influx of foreigners, mostly young Americans working remotely and attracted by lower living costs. Their arrival has driven up rent prices considerably, forcing Mexican residents to move to more affordable areas. "Housing is a right, not a commodity," read placards carried by the mostly young protesters. As they passed street-side restaurants, some demonstrators heckled American diners, who either ignored them or left, AFP witnessed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Mexico for Mexicans," "Pay taxes, learn Spanish, respect my culture," and "gringo go home" were among other protest slogans. Roma-Condesa, a bohemian sector of the Mexican capital, has been particularly affected by gentrification. While previous demonstrations against the phenomenon have occurred in Mexico City, this was the largest protest so far. Mexico is home to one-fifth of the five million expatriates counted by the Association of Americans Resident Overseas in 2023. The march also comes as US President Donald Trump intensifies his crackdown against illegal immigrants in the United States. bur-sem/cjc/abs/tc DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The Kettering Police Department is asking for the publics help in identifying two vehicles, which it said are potential witnesses to the deadly crash, or the events leading up to it, on Friday morning. 1 dead after vehicle crashes into Kettering home, police investigating Officials said the first vehicle is likely a 2019-2021 Toyota Rav 4, and the second is likely a 2016-2020 Mitsubishi Outlander. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The KPD said the driver of the second vehicle looked to be wearing a neon yellow/green shirt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photos via Kettering Police Department. Anyone who recognizes the vehicles and knows their owners is asked to contact Ptl. C Ferrell at 937-296-2555. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SPARTA, Tenn. (WKRN) We are putting a poison in our water system and I think we need to removed, Sparta Mayor Jerry Lowrey told News 2. Thats what Spartas mayor is saying about fluoride in the citys drinking water. Fluoride has been added to much of Tennessees drinking water for more than five decades, sparking health concerns for some. DEC. 2024 | Woodlawn Utility District removes fluoride from water despite warnings from health experts Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in December, a Montgomery County Utility Board made a controversial decision to stop adding fluoride to their water supply. Lowrey said this a move many cities across the nation are considering. However, a bill to ban fluoride from drinking water in Tennessee failed in a senate committee in March. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been outspoken in his support to remove fluoride, citing health concerns in children and their intellectual development. Fluoride really has reduced the amount of cavities in the population, said Dr. Brett Kessler, president of the American Dental Association. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the FDA removes fluoride supplements, are there other options to protect teeth? In addition, some health experts say removing fluoride from water could create a lifetime of dental problems. News 2 spoke with doctor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who strongly endorses the use of fluoride in drinking water. When it was in drinking water in very, very small amounts, it actually strengthened the enamel, the white covering our teeth, said Dr. William Schaffner. It profoundly reduced tooth decay, particularly among children, but also among adults. However, Lowery asked city leaders to come to their own conclusion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About three to four months ago, I told the city alderman to do their research on it, do their own studies, talk to their constituents and residents, Lowery said. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Last month, Lowery held a town hall meeting where city leaders heard from countless residents who said they would like fluoride to be removed. It blew my mind away that 100 percent of the citizens that showed up to the meeting was for removing fluoride from the water system, Lowery added. Mayor Lowery said the city plans on voting on fluoride removal around mid-August. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. In the recent flurry of executive orders from President Donald Trump, one warned of a distorted narrative about race driven by ideology rather than truth. It singled out a current exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum titled The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture as an example. The exhibit displays over two centuries of sculptures that show how art has produced and reproduced racial attitudes and ideologies. The executive order condemns the exhibition because it promotes the view that race is not a biological reality but a social construct, stating Race is a human invention. The executive order apparently objects to sentiments such as this: Although a persons genetics influences their phenotypic characteristics, and self-identified race might be influenced by physical appearance, race itself is a social construct. But those words are not from the Smithsonian; they are from the American Society of Human Genetics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scientists reject the idea that race is biologically real. The claim that race is a biological reality cuts against modern scientific knowledge. Im a historian who specializes in the scientific study of race. The executive order places social construct in opposition to biological reality. The history of both concepts reveals how modern science landed at the idea that race was invented by people, not nature. Race exists, but what is it? At the turn of the 20th century, scientists believed humans could be divided into distinct races based on physical features. According to this idea, a scientist could identify physical differences in groups of people, and if those differences were passed on to succeeding generations, the scientist had correctly identified a racial type. The results of this typological method were chaotic. A frustrated Charles Darwin in 1871 listed 13 scientists who identified anywhere between two and 63 races, a confusion that persisted for the next six decades. There were almost as many racial classifications as racial classifiers because no two scientists could seem to agree on what physical characteristics were best to measure, or how to measure them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One intractable problem with racial classifications was that the differences in human physical traits were tiny, so scientists struggled to use them to differentiate between groups. The pioneering African American scholar W.E.B. Du Bois noted in 1906, It is impossible to draw a color line between black and other races in all physical characteristics the Negro race cannot be set off by itself. But scientists tried. In an 1899 anthropological study, William Ripley classified people using head shape, hair type, pigmentation and stature. In 1926, Harvard anthropologist Earnest Hooton, the leading racial typologist in the world, listed 24 anatomical traits, such as the presence or absence of a postglenoid tubercle and a pharyngeal fossa or tubercle and the degree of bowing of the radius and ulna while admitting this list is not, of course, exhaustive. All this confusion was the opposite of how science should operate: As the tools improved and as measurements became more precise, the object of study race became more and more muddled. Malvina Hoffmans sculptures illustrate a map titled Races of the World and Where They Live. Malvina Hoffman/Field Museum of Natural History When sculptor Malvina Hoffmans Races of Mankind exhibit opened at Chicagos Field Museum in 1933, it characterized race as a biological reality, despite its elusive definition. World-renowned anthropologist Sir Arthur Keith wrote the introduction to the exhibitions catalog. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keith dismissed science as the surest method to distinguish race; one knows a persons race because a single glance, picks out the racial features more certainly than could a band of trained anthropologists. Keiths view perfectly captured the view that race must be real, for he saw it all around him, even though science could never establish that reality. In the scientific study of race, however, things were about to change. Turning to culture to explain difference By 1933, the rise of Nazism had added urgency to the scientific study of race. As anthropologist Sherwood Washburn wrote in 1944, If we are to discuss racial matters with the Nazis, we had better be right. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, two new scientific ideas came to fruition. First, scientists began looking to culture rather than biology as the driver of differences among groups of people. Second, the rise of population genetics challenged the biological reality of race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1943, anthropologists Ruth Benedict and Gene Weltfish wrote a short work also titled The Races of Mankind. Writing for a popular audience, they argued that people are far more alike than different, and our differences owe to culture and learning, not biology. An animated cartoon short later gave these ideas wider circulation. Benedict and Weltfish argued that while people did, indeed, differ physically, those differences were meaningless in that all races could learn and all were capable. Progress in civilization is not the monopoly of one race or subrace, they wrote. Negroes made iron tools and wove fine cloth for their clothing when fair-skinned Europeans wore skins and knew nothing of iron. The cultural explanation for different human lifestyles was more robust than confused appeals to an elusive biological race. The turn to culture was consistent with a deep change in biological knowledge. A tool to understand evolution Theodosius Dobzhansky was a preeminent biologist of the 20th century. He and other biologists were interested in evolutionary changes. Races, which supposedly didnt change over time, were therefore useless for understanding how organisms evolved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A new tool, what scientists called a genetic population, was much more valuable. The geneticist, Dobzhansky held, identified a population based on the genes it shared in order to study change in organisms. Over time natural selection would shape how the population evolved. But if that population didnt shed light on natural selection, the geneticist must abandon it and work with a new population based on a different set of shared genes. The important point is that, whatever population the geneticist chose, it was changing over time. No population was a fixed and stable entity, as human races were supposed to be. Sherwood Washburn, who happened to be Dobzhanskys close friend, brought those ideas into anthropology. He recognized that the point of genetics was not classifying people into fixed groups. The point was to understand the process of human evolution. This change reversed everything taught by Hooton, his old teacher. Writing in 1951, Washburn argued, There is no way to justify the division of a population into a series of racial types because doing so would be pointless. Presuming any group to be unchanging stood in the way of understanding evolutionary changes. A genetic population was not real; it was an invention of the scientist using it as a lens to understand organic change. Classifying for a purpose, not as a true assessment of tall or short. Buena Vista Images/Stone via Getty Images A good way to understand this profound difference relates to roller coasters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone whos been to an amusement park has seen signs that precisely define who is tall enough to ride a given roller coaster. But no one would say they define a real category of tall or short people, as another roller coaster might have a different height requirement. The signs define who is tall enough only for riding this particular roller coaster, and thats all. Its a tool for keeping people safe, not a category defining who is really tall. Similarly, geneticists use genetic populations as an important tool for inferring the evolutionary history of modern humans or because they have fundamental implications for understanding the genetic basis of diseases. Anyone trying to pound a nail with a screwdriver soon realizes that tools are good for tasks they were designed for and useless for anything else. Genetic populations are tools for specific biological uses, not for classifying people into real groups by race. Whoever wanted to classify people, Washburn argued, must give the important reasons for subdividing our whole species. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Smithsonians exhibit shows how racialized sculpture was both a tool of oppression and domination and one of liberation and empowerment. Science agrees with its claim that race is a human invention and not a biological reality. The Conversation U.S. receives funding from the Smithsonian Institution. 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: John P. Jackson, Jr., Michigan State University Read more: John P. Jackson, Jr. 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. VMPL New Delhi [India], July 5: In the intricate world of furniture hardware, where every hinge, slide, and fitting plays a silent but essential role in our daily lives, one brand is rising above the noise with its purpose-driven approach and India-first design thinking: Vellix. Led by founder Sujay Bhargava, Vellix Overseas LLP is more than a hardware company - it's a response to years of experience, insights, and real-life feedback from customers, designers, and industry professionals. In a landscape flooded with imports and compromises, Vellix is carving a niche by offering high-functionality, long-lasting, and aesthetically pleasing solutions crafted specifically for Indian homes. A Journey Forged Through Experience: Sujay Bhargava's story began young--at just 18, he stepped into the furniture hardware in Jaipur. Over the last 13 years, he has explored nearly every dimension of the business: working as a channel partner for a leading brand, managing large-scale government furnishing projects for banks like SBI and PNB, and even delivering bespoke modular kitchens and wardrobes for end users. Through this diverse exposure, one theme stood out clearly: the hardware solutions available in the Indian market rarely align with Indian lifestyles. From poorly adapted international products to inconsistent performance in Indian conditions, the market had a gap. And Sujay knew he had the vision and the responsibility to fill it. Why Vellix Was Born: After spending over a decade in distribution, Sujay felt the need for a transformation. He wanted to offer products that weren't just repackaged imports but were designed and developed from the ground up for Indian users. "In India, a house isn't just a place to live - it's an emotion. If someone is pouring their life savings into their dream home, we feel it's our duty to offer them products that enhance that dream," he says. That philosophy became the foundation of Vellix - a name that stands for Versatile Elements for Luxurious Living and Innovative Expressions. True to its name, the brand is rooted in creating versatile, elegant, and innovative solutions that combine global quality with local relevance. Functionality That Feels the Difference: What makes Vellix special isn't just its product range--it's the thinking behind every SKU. With 33+ SKUs and growing, the brand offers a full spectrum of hardware essentials: TruMotion Hinges with two-way, Zero Angle soft-close action and a smooth return even from a 5-degree angle, 360 Rebounder/ Push Catchers designed for handle-less cabinets, offering a consistent 40N push force tested over 80,000 cycles NoirBox SlimBox is built to deliver strength, durability, and style -- all in one. It offers an impressive 45 kg weight capacity and is tested for 80,000 open-close cycles, ensuring long-term, reliable performance. What makes it stand out even more is its ability to handle extreme Indian weather conditions. Whether it's +60C heat or -30C cold, the NoirBox is engineered to function identically in both -- without warping, jamming, or losing smoothness. And to top it all off, it comes in a premium matte black finish that adds a modern, elegant touch to any kitchen or wardrobe space Each product is not only designed with durability in mind but also field-tested for real-life performance--be it through salt-spray tests, load cycles, or the feedback of carpenters and installers. "We don't just sell products--we solve problems," says Sujay. "Our goal is to create solutions that make homes smarter, furniture more functional, and lives easier." Building Locally, Thinking Globally: While Vellix began as an import-driven brand, it is rapidly transitioning to a Make in India powerhouse. The company is currently setting up a manufacturing plant in India for producing its own line of cabinet hinges--giving it full control over innovation, quality, and delivery. This move is not just a strategic one; it reflects the brand's deep commitment to empowering the Indian ecosystem and reducing dependence on foreign-made solutions that aren't optimized for Indian usage. "We're solving local needs with locally driven solutions. For us, manufacturing in India is about owning the process and raising the standards," Sujay emphasizes. Innovation Begins with Listening: At the heart of Vellix's product strategy is a rare but powerful asset: empathy. The brand maintains an in-house R&D and design team, but innovation doesn't start in labs--it starts in the field. From direct visits to carpenter sites to conversations with interior designers and end-users, Vellix ensures its products are not only technologically sound but also deeply intuitive to use. That user-centric design philosophy is what keeps the brand nimble and relevant. Designed for Homes That Matter: Unlike many brands that cater primarily to commercial or export markets, Vellix is proudly focused on the Indian homeowner. Whether it's a modest 2BHK or a luxury villa, the goal remains the same: offer premium performance without premium pricing. Their hardware solutions are created to withstand Indian climatic conditions, usage patterns, and design preferences--making them more reliable in real-world scenarios. From kitchen Hardware that open seamlessly to wardrobes that close silently, Vellix ensures that every movement in your home feels intentional, elegant, and effortless. Purpose Before Profit: One of the most impressive things about Vellix is its founder's clarity of purpose. Sujay doesn't believe in chasing shortcuts or copying competitors. His mantra is simple: start with "why." "When you're clear about why you're doing something, the what and how follow naturally," he says. "We're here to help people build better homes. That's our North Star." This purpose-driven approach is what differentiates Vellix from generic brands. It's not just about hardware--it's about building trust, longevity, and value. What's Next for Vellix: With a strong product base, a manufacturing unit underway, and a clear brand philosophy, Vellix is just getting started. The company plans to expand further into smart hardware, wardrobe systems, and ergonomic accessories--continuing its mission to transform Indian homes one detail at a time. In the coming years, Vellix aims to become a household name--trusted by homeowners, preferred by designers, and recommended by carpenters across India. The Final Word: In a world where most brands are fighting for shelf space, Vellix is winning hearts--by combining empathy with engineering, and purpose with precision. If you're building your dream home or crafting a smart workspace, Vellix isn't just another hardware option--it's the brand that listens, understands, and delivers. Because at Vellix, it's never just about fittings. It's about finishing dreams. - website: www.vellixindia.com - Contact no : +91-9376221100 - Address: 57, Sunny Mart, New Atish Market, Jaipur- 302020 (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) ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Demonstrators gathered in Henrietta on Friday in a show of solidarity against some of what theyre seeing on a national level. It was organized by a new group called Henrietta Neighbors for Democracy. Representatives said they wanted to create a show of unity in a time of division. This is a time that I think neighbors need each other, one person said. With everything that is going on in our government, there are a lot of threats to peoples economic well being, peoples personal well being. We have ICE raids, which have affected members of the community, and a lot of people are frightened, and a lot of people feel isolated and alone. If were going to get through this next Few years, weve got to do it as communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fridays demonstration included readings from the Declaration of Independence, Frederick Douglass, Langston Hughes, and more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. A rare catch found at ShopRite of Carmel in New York state has moved across the state border to Mystic Aquarium. Jerry the Golden Lobster arrived in ShopRite of Carmel, according to a Facebook post by the grocery store on June 30. A golden lobster, a 1 in 30 million chance, has made its way to the ShopRite of Carmel. Weve named him Jerry, and tomorrow, this rare lobster thats way too good to eat will be heading to the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut. It is here hell live out his days bringing joy to visitors from near and far. Swim free, Jerry. Well miss you, the Facebook post said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A manager at the store said media requests had to be done through a corporate office, which was closed due the holiday. See a photo of the lobster here. A second post by the store said the lobster had arrived in Connecticut. A message seeking comment was left with the aquarium. According to a story on the U.S. National Science Foundation website, the golden color may be an effect of climate change. Roughly 1 in 30 million lobsters has the genetic mutation that causes the yellow shell color, and there are many different color varieties, including bright blue, calico (black and orange) and the rarest of all white lobsters, according to the U.S. National Science Foundation story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further, according to the Seacoast Science Center, lobster shell color is determined by a complex interplay of three layers of carotenoid pigments that bind with proteins: astaxanthin (reds and yellows), and crustacyanin (blues). In a typical lobster, these stacked pigments combine in the shell to produce the familiar dark camouflage coloration. When genetic mutations alter the expression, or structure, of these pigments, uncommon colors can emerge. The center also noted, Whilst stumbling across a colored lobster is a rare event, it is a potent reminder of the complexity and variability of life. Each colored lobster is not only a biological curiosity but also a window into the intricate genetic mechanisms that drive diversity in the natural world. HONOLULU (KHON2) There is a renewed push to keep Hawaii roads safe during the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Residents are speaking out against reckless driving and advocates are calling for an end to drunk driving. Advocates call for action against drunk driving 5 years after tragic crash Eric Checchio has lived along Wilikina Drive for about one year and said he has gotten used to cars racing down the road right outside his apartment building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Especially in the middle of the night, youre in bed, you got little kids that got to get up for school, well be in the living room watching T.V. and a car will go zipping by, or a motorcycle or something like that. Even the motorcycles do it, Checchio said as a motorcycle revved its engine. Prime example! Residents said several cars have been totaled while parked along Wilikina Drive and they will not be the last unless a solution is found. Two wrecks in the last six months have left residents on edge about reckless drivers smashing into their vehicle. Check out more news from around Hawaii Why should we have to worry about being parked in a stall that we pay for and have to worry about coming out the next morning to our car cleaned out? Checchio said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive heard probably like up to like, 20 accidents, said Wahiawa resident Rory Redmon. Man, like, its got to stop. How do you prevent this type of thing from happening? You know what I mean, in the future. A lot of people follow the speed limit, yeah? And a lot dont, said Rory Redmon, a Wahiawa resident. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Residents add speed humps, a traffic light or even a police car with its blue light on might help the situation. I love HPD, Im not trying to get down on HPD, but you know, either having HPD out here every once in a while, maybe more roving patrols, Checchio said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advocates are hoping everyone makes it through the next couple of nights without a serious or fatal crash at the hands of a drunk driver over the Forth of July weekend. They point to the Department of Transportation message boards which are displaying the name of 15-year-old Brian Paulette Paulette was just 15 years old when he was killed by a drunk driver in 1992. Its, you know, a powerful reminder that these arent just faceless tragedies. You know, its putting a name to something that occurred and hopefully its more impactful for people driving, said Makena Young, Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii program manager. It needs to be slowed down, something needs to be done because theres people dying, Checchio said. I really hate to say this, but no one does anything until something bad happens. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined "PoliticsNation" to discuss his record-breaking speech on the House floor to delay the vote on Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Jeffries also talked about the deadly floods in Texas, "Alligator Alcatraz" in Florida and his defense of New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani against Trump's attacks on Mamdani's Muslim faith and immigration status. SEYMOUR, Conn. (WTNH) A federal highway report shows more than 2,000 miles of roads in Connecticut are classified in poor condition. If you drive in the state right now, you can see theres construction everywhere, said Sabo Auto Body owner Bob McSherry, who has over 40 years experience in auto repair. It looks like theyre trying to catch up a little bit, but the roads are in pretty rough shape in certain areas. Seymour man arrested for alleged possession of homemade explosives Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were dealing with heavier cars with electrification and all that stuff. Motorists are having problems with bent suspension part, broken suspension parts, wheels and such. The Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) compiles data on the conditions of all kinds of roads. Comparing the raw numbers, they show Connecticut has the fifth-worst roads in the country, but experts say thats not the whole picture. So, the HPMS started in 1978. Its a way for the federal government to basically just track the quality of roads throughout the country, Connecticut Transportation Institute Executive Director Dr. Eric Jackson said. But Dr. Jackson noted that even HPMS said it should not be used to rank states. The state also said there are a couple of reasons why you cant use HPMS to compare Connecticuts roads with roads in other states. There are a bunch of states that dont have snowy, icy winters which take a toll on roads. Also, all of the data is self-reported and HPMS said that Connecticut is pretty good at reporting things wrong with its roads. Connecticut, being a small state, were able to collect a significant amount of data on all of our state roads, Dr. Jackson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The more data that is being reported, the more problems are found. Finding more problems does allow a state to ask for more federal highway funding. And highway fatalities are down close to 30% from this time last year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. Ports quietly power the global economy, but a new report warns that many face major disruption from just one severe storm. J.P. Morgan found that the world's top shipping hubs are lagging in preparations for rising global temperatures, per TradeWinds News. It estimates that ports will need as much as $768 billion in upgrades by 2050 to endure rising seas, flooding, and more intense storms. What's happening? The Sea Change report warns that ports like Houston and Shanghai face growing risks from storm surges and wind damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of the 35 largest ports, 31 are working to cut pollution, but only 23 are preparing for physical weather threats. Upgrades take time planning, permitting, construction, and ramp-up often span more than a decade. Delays carry serious consequences. The Port of Galveston now averages 10 days of shutdown per year. By 2050, that could rise to 170 or even 250. Downtime at one port can ripple through entire trade networks. Experts note similar risks in other aging infrastructure, including dams strained by stronger storms. "The cascading effect of physical asset damage, port closures, trade disruptions, and collocated high-value energy infrastructure could lead to multibillion-dollar loss events," said Sarah Kapnick, global head of climate advisory at J.P. Morgan. Why is this important? Rising global temperatures, driven by pollution from dirty energy, are intensifying storms that batter coastal infrastructure. Storms that once shut down a single port now threaten multiple regional systems a pattern that reflects a larger trend, not isolated events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recent reports on hurricane threats to U.S. infrastructure and environment-related public investment risks highlight how widespread the danger has become. What's being done about it? Some ports have begun adapting, but overall progress is still slow. Investing in stronger infrastructure now could prevent billions in future disaster losses. However, resilience efforts against storms go beyond large, costly infrastructure. Another way to improve community resilience is by installing solar panels that can reduce blackout risk during severe storms. EnergySage makes it easy to compare local installers and save up to $10,000 on installation. Ultimately, though, modernizing ports is a practical step toward keeping families safe and the economy stable as environmental challenges grow. Port vulnerabilities highlight the need to explore critical environmental threats. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. A new report revealed that a picturesque coastal town in California is dangerously underprepared for the potential destruction rising sea levels could cause, the Marin Independent Journal reported. What's happening? Stinson Beach is a small settlement in Marin County about half an hour's drive north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Home to a little over 500 residents, it's known for its pristine white sand beach, which is among the best swimming beaches in the state. But this idyllic town faces some ominous threats in the near future. According to the Marin Independent Journal, a new report found that the town requires approximately $1.2 billion in infrastructure improvements to be ready for the projected rise in sea levels by the end of the century. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James Jackson, an engineer with the firm that created the report on behalf of the county, explained to the outlet: "Without action, you know, sea-level rise projections and hazard modeling show that these impacts will worsen. We're here to understand the full extent of those impacts and develop a plan." Why are rising sea levels such a concern? Rising sea levels are a direct result of the planet-heating pollution from dirty energy. As critical sea ice is lost because of rising temperatures, the ocean level rises, putting coastal communities such as Stinson Beach at grave risk. Plus, the warmer seas are a perfect breeding ground for increasingly severe extreme weather events. While extreme weather events aren't new, scientists have found that our changing climate is making them more intense and dangerous for communities and the environment. Stinson Beach is one of the most vulnerable communities to coastal erosion in the county. If a projected 3.3 feet rise is realized by 2085, most of the town's properties could be lost. Even a smaller rise of 1 to 2 feet could seriously jeopardize access to and from the community. What's being done to protect coastal communities? The report outlined the available options and emphasized the need for flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. The Stinson Beach Adaptation and Resilience Collaboration is intended to be a blueprint for public education and local action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The widespread adoption of clean energy sources such as solar will help slow the rise and buy more time for coastal towns to prepare. With power outages becoming more frequent, it pays to plan ahead, and solar panels with battery storage offer greater resiliency for the grid. With EnergySage's online service, you can compare quotes for free in one convenient place and save up to $10,000 on installation. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. 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. Israeli attacks on targets in the Gaza Strip have once again led to dozens of casualties, Palestinian sources said on Saturday. Medical sources reported that since the early morning hours, at least 40 people had died in attacks in various parts of the sealed-off coastal area. Among those killed were 12 people who had been waiting at distribution points for humanitarian aid, they said. Two US citizens working for the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) were injured in a "targeted terrorist attack" as food was passed out in Khan Younis, the organization said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The attack which preliminary information indicates was carried out by two assailants who threw two grenades at the Americans occurred at the conclusion of an otherwise successful distribution in which thousands of Gazans safely received food," the foundation said in a post on X. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported casualties in several areas of the Gaza Strip. There were attacks near the city of Gaza and in Khan Younis in the south, it said. None of the claims could not be independently verified at first. The Israeli military initially did not provide any information on the latest attacks. Israel examining Hamas response to ceasefire proposal Meanwhile, efforts are under way to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas has, in principle, agreed to a new proposal for a truce and, according to its own statements, has conveyed a "positive response" to the mediators. Hamas is reportedly ready to enter into indirect negotiations. However, there may be conditions or reservations. Citing officials, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israel had received the response from Hamas. Details are now being examined, Haaretz said. A meeting of the Security Cabinet is planned for late in the evening, it said, adding that the meeting had already been planned beforehand, but the response from Hamas is likely to be the focus of the discussions. On Friday evening, US President Donald Trump told journalists aboard Air Force One that there could be a Gaza deal next week, noting that Israel had agreed to the necessary conditions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet Trump in the White House on Monday. Six people were slightly injured at Mallorca airport during the evacuation of a Ryanair passenger aircraft due to a minor fire on board, Spanish media reported on Saturday. The passengers were able to leave the aircraft in an orderly manner through the emergency exits, but some jumped several metres from the wing in panic, the reports said. The incident occurred on Friday night, media wrote. Citing information from the airline, British newspaper The Sun reported that the plane was supposed to fly to the northern English city of Manchester. A replacement aircraft was provided promptly, it added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cause of the fire on board was initially unknown. A total of 18 people were treated by paramedics, Mallorcan media reported. Six people were taken to hospital, but none of them suffered serious injuries, they said. Mallorcan media published video footage of the aircraft, showing people climbing out of an open emergency exit onto the right wing, then getting down to the ground and running away from the plane. No smoke or flames are visible. Dedicated scientists and researchers around the world are working tirelessly to develop innovative solutions to some of our most challenging problems. However, finding answers to complex global issues doesn't just happen overnight. There is not only the time needed to develop potential solutions, but also to experiment and test them out. And if they work, even more time is needed to scale up the solution and bring them to practical fruition. But a team of scientists is using readily available, innovative technology to speed up the process. Engineers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have been working diligently to develop nuclear fusion technology, according to Interesting Engineering. And in an effort to speed up the construction phase of their research, they have employed the use of 3D printing to create replicas of magnets essential to the operation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The team working on what is known as the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U) created a 40-inch-tall, 2-foot-wide, red plastic three-dimensional model accurately replicating the top of a magnet bundle essential to the project. The replica helps speed up the process of actual construction because it allows the team to meticulously fit other components needed to continue. As the International Atomic Energy Agency explains, "Nuclear fusion is the process by which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier one while releasing massive amounts of energy." This is essentially what powers the sun. Scientists have been trying to replicate it for years because of the potential to provide the world with nearly limitless, safe, clean, and affordable energy. The implications for this are obviously huge, as it would save communities as well as individuals insane amounts of money in energy costs. And it would also be a boon for the environment. Fusion energy would not require the burning of coal, oil, or gas. These traditional dirty fuels emit tons of harmful pollution into our atmosphere, threatening the health of all living things. They are also responsible for the warming of the planet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Incredibly, this is only one use of 3D-printing technology in important projects. For instance, engineers have figured out how to produce steel using them. And a California company has used 3D printers to create literal homes out of recycled materials. Leaders of the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade project touted the importance of the 3D model to their potentially game-changing project. "If it were a Hollywood set and you painted the TF-OH 3D print a different color, it would look just like the machine," said Tom Jernigan, a senior project manager on the NSTX-U project, according to a release. "It's the best money we ever spent." Dave Micheletti, the NSTX-U project director, added, according to Interesting Engineering. "It allows us to positively confirm that components will fit together and eliminates the risk of rework once final assembly starts. It's saving both time and money." 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. BusinessWire India Gurugram (Haryana) [India], July 5: Global Risk Management Institute (GRMI), Gurugram, a pioneer in the domain of risk management education in India, today announced the launch of India's first-ever undergraduate Risk Management Program in collaboration with Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR. This pioneering partnership marks a significant milestone in higher education, introducing a first-of-a-kind initiative that equips undergraduate students with critical skills to navigate and lead in today's dynamic risk landscape. The risk management certification program is embedded into the four-year undergraduate curriculum at SNU. Through a bouquet of courses available to all undergraduate students at SNU, the program offers an opportunity to build deep expertise in risk management and become Certified Risk Professionals. Through this program, students will gain a strong foundation in key areas such as Business Value Chain & Business Risks, Regulatory, Ethical & Compliance Risks, Enterprise Risk Management, and Financial Risk Management - equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in a world where managing risk is dynamic and central to organizational success. Speaking on the relevance of risk education and the significance of the program, Professor Ananya Mukherjee, Vice-Chancellor, Shiv Nadar University, Delhi - NCR said, "The nature and complexity of risks which impact our lives have increased tremendously. We need our graduates to understand and anticipate risks and have the professional capacity to mitigate and manage risks. This pioneering undergraduate program in risk management underlines our commitment to bridging academic excellence with industry needs. By collaborating with GRMI, we are empowering students to master critical risk-management competencies and emerge as confident, industry-ready professionals." The program is designed to shape confident, competent and globally attuned risk leaders of tomorrow. It will feature an industry-specialized curriculum devised by leading practitioners, real-world cases, and professional mentorship seamlessly integrating theoretical concepts with hands-on experiential learning, bringing real-world perspectives into the classroom and expanding career opportunities. Highlighting the need for risk management and speaking on the collaboration, Mr. Subhashis Nath, Founder and Dean of GRMI, said, "Future proofing the youth of today to deal with the VUCA world of risk that cuts across technology, process, geo-political challenges and talent mismatch, needs to be one of the key purposes of any new age educational institution. I am truly excited about two premier student focused institutes - Shiv Nadar University, Delhi - NCR and GRMI, coming together to curate and deliver the first ever program in India focused on experiential learning about risk management for undergraduate students." This collaboration marks yet another step in Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR's mission to drive academic excellence while strengthening industry-academia synergy in higher education. About GRMI GRMI, an initiative by Mr. Subhashis (Founder & Dean), Prof. Madhu Vij (President) and Mr. Jayant Palan (Co-Founder & Director), delivers a first-of-its-kind, fulltime one-year classroom program - Post Graduate Diploma in Risk Management ('PGDRM') based out of its campus in Gurugram, India. One of the significant milestones of GRMI's PGDRM program has been 97% placement of its ~300 alumni enrolled so far in reputed consulting organizations like E&Y, PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, Grant Thornton, and large global and Indian corporations like Accenture, Pepsi Co., Tata Communications, Fortis Healthcare, and others. GRMI has been actively driving thought leadership in the Risk Management domain for the corporate sector. In 2022, it co-released the Model Risk Code in collaboration with FICCI, a comprehensive practical guide designed to help organizations effectively implement risk management practices. The code not only catalyses corporate resilience but also empowers businesses to make faster, bolder business decisions, fostering a proactive approach to risk. The program delivered by GRMI is approved under the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) and its curriculum is reviewed in alignment with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), which is a competency-based framework developed by the Government of India. The skill sets delivered by GRMI align with the aim of the "Skill India Mission", which is to spread skillful education and are also categorized as "Future Skills", an initiative supported by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India. About Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR, is a multidisciplinary research university offering various academic programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. The Institution was established in 2011 by the Shiv Nadar Foundation, a philanthropic foundation established by Mr. Shiv Nadar, founder of HCL. It is one of the only four private institutions to be recognized as an Institution of Eminence by the Government of India. As per QS Asia 2024 rankings, it was placed amongst the top 36% institutions in Asia and is ranked 41 amongst Indian institutions. As per the Nature India Index 2024, it was ranked amongst the top 25 Indian institutions for research. In the Government's National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), Shiv Nadar IoE has been the youngest institution in the 'top 100' Overall list for seven consecutive years. (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) NAVAJO NATION (KRQE) Many displaced residents are heading back home Friday night as firefighters continue to make progress on a fire burning on the Navajo Nation. Things are, theyre looking upknock on wood, said Sharen Sandoval, Emergency Management Incident Commander. The Oak Ridge fire near Window Rock, Arizona, sits along the New Mexico state line and has burned more than 10,000 acres since Saturday, June 28. Day one, we were only looking at a mere 10 acres, so significant jump, said Sandoval. In the last 24 hours, Emergency Management Incident Commander Sharen Sandoval reported that the blaze hasnt grown further and containment percentages have increased. Yesterday we were only at 6%, today were at 13%, said Sandoval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Uncovering the truth of Billy the Kid; New Mexico Strange Zero structures have been lost, and no injuries have been reported so far. But the flames were fueled by grass, shrubs, small trees, and timber. Were putting in fire lines along the black edge and removing some of the heat, said Vance Smith, Superintendent of the Navajo Hotshots, in a Facebook video posted by BIA Wild Fire Management Navajo Region. Even though Fridays forecast calls for the return of drier and windier weather, Sandoval said community morale is high. Yesterday, we released the PSA that as of 12 p.m., members were able to return home, said Sandoval. Sandoval said they are continuing to stay vigilant as residents repopulate the area. At last check, fire officials and the unified command team have not yet cleared livestock to return to the fire zone. Hey, look, theres a goat thats in here too, said Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren as the bleats at him in a video shared to Facebook. Our elderly community really depends on their livestock from a traditional perspective and a way of life, said Sandoval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Almost 375 sheep, goats, horses, and cattle were evacuated. And earlier on Friday, volunteers sheared around 40 sheep to help owners keep their animals healthy. The Navajo Department of Emergency Management is asking that, instead of donating food and drinks, to instead bring signs or notes thanking firefighters. The cause of the Oak Ridge Fire is still under investigation. The Navajo Nation is currently in a stage two fire restriction and is asking residents to celebrate the holiday safely by not using fireworks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. The Brief A Milwaukee man has been criminally charged, accused of robbing several Milwaukee County stores in June. Prosecutors say 32-year-old Chaston McNealey stole about $9,000 worth of cigarettes. In total, prosecutors say he stole from nine different stores. MILWAUKEE COUNTY, Wis. - A Milwaukee man has been charged with several counts of felony retail theft and robbery, accused of stealing roughly $9,000 worth of cigarettes from stores across Milwaukee County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said 32-year-old Chaston McNealey stole multiple cartons of cigarettes from stores in Milwaukee, Fox Point, Cudahy and Wauwatosa. McNealy has been charged with the following: Felony Retail Theft - Intentionally Take ($500 - $5000), 6 counts Felony Robbery with Use of Force, 3 Counts Misdemeanor Retail Theft - Intentionally Take (Less than $500), 1 Count FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Timeline of the thefts What we know According to the complaint, the defendant, Chaston McNealey, is accused of stealing from the stores throughout the month of June 2025. West Oklahoma Ave. Walgreens, Milwaukee - June 15 MPD officers were dispatched to the store at 11:10 a.m. for a theft complaint. They spoke to an employee who said the suspect walked behind the front counter and took several packs of cigarettes off the shelf, totaling $293.17. He left the store without paying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police reviewed surveillance video from the store and later identified the suspect as Chaston McNealey. South Howell Ave. Walgreens, Milwaukee - June 15 The complaint goes on to state that MPD officers were dispatched to the store at about 11:05 a.m. for a theft complaint. They spoke to an employee who said the suspect wanted to buy 10 packs of cigarettes totaling $114. When the purchase was wrung up, the employee said the suspect refused to pay, forcibly grabbed the bag of cigarettes despite the employee's efforts to stop the suspect, and fled the store. Police reviewed surveillance video from the store and later identified the suspect as Chaston McNealey. South Kinnickinnic Ave. Walgreens, Milwaukee - June 19 MPD officers were dispatched to the store at about 11:09 a.m. for a theft complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Employees told police that the suspect jumped over the counter and took about 54 packs of cigarettes and two boxes of cigarillos, and fled the store. The total value was $705.65. Police reviewed surveillance video and still photos from the store and later identified the suspect as Chaston McNealey, per the complaint. East Oklahoma Ave. Speedway, Milwaukee - June 20 MPD officers responded to the gas station around 2:07 p.m. for a theft complaint. The manager told police the suspect went into an area meant only for employees and took a big cardboard box which contained 30 cartons of cigarettes with a total value of $3,370, and left the store without paying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers reviewed surveillance video and later identified the suspect as Chaston McNealey, per the complaint. South 76th St. Family Dollar, Milwaukee - June 22 The complaint goes on to state that at about 11:12 a.m., MPD officers were dispatched to the store for a theft complaint. Officers spoke with a store employee who said that the suspect went behind the register and began grabbing about 108 packs of cigarettes valued at $1,404. Another employee recorded the incident on their phone. Police reviewed the video and later identified the suspect as Chaston McNealey. West Beloit Road Walgreens, Milwaukee - June 22 Shortly after the Family Dollar incident, the same officers responded to a theft complaint at another Walgreens store. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers spoke to a store employee who said the suspect went behind the counter and took $1,230 worth of cigarettes and cigars. A store employee attempted to block the suspect from leaving without paying for the merchandise, and the suspect grabbed the employee's wrist and forcefully removed the employee, causing pain and discomfort, per the complaint. The suspect was later identified by police as Chaston McNealey. In several of the thefts, witnesses told police the suspect fled the scene in a silver Ford Edge. Interview with Chaston McNealey What we know The complaint goes on to say that later in the day, on June 22, police were dispatched to the area of 11th and Ring where they found and arrested Chaston McNealey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a Mirandized interview with police, McNealey admitted to the six thefts in Milwaukee. Other thefts in Milwaukee County What we know Port Washington Rd. Walgreens, Fox Point - June 1 and June 7 Prosecutors linked him to other thefts outside the city of Milwaukee. The complaint goes on to say that officers were dispatched to the store on June 1 at about 11:34 a.m. for a theft complaint. Officers spoke to an employee who said the suspect walked behind the front counter and took numerous cigarette cartons and then left the store without paying. The employee said about five cartons of cigarettes were taken, totaling $581.50. Video surveillance was provided. Officers conducted an investigation and concluded that the suspect was Chaston McNealey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The following Saturday, officers responded to the same Walgreens just before 4 p.m. for a theft complaint. They spoke to an employee who said the suspect walked behind the front counter and took numerous cigarette cartons from behind the counter, and then left the store without paying. The total value of the merchandise taken was $518.20, per the complaint. Video surveillance was provided for this incident as well. Officers conducted an investigation and concluded that the suspect was Chaston McNealey. South Packard Ave. Walgreens, Cudahy - June 20 Cudahy police officers responded to a theft complaint at the store around 11:02 a.m. An employee told police that the suspect took a bottle of vodka and then walked behind the front counter, taking numerous packs of cigarettes from the shelf, and then left the store without paying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect stole about 52 packs of cigarettes, totaling $634.24. Officers reviewed the surveillance video and later identified the suspect as Chaston McNealey, per the complaint. State St. Walgreens, Wauwatosa - June 22 The complaint goes on to say that Wauwatosa police were dispatched to the store for a theft complaint. A store employee spoke to the officer, saying the suspect went behind the counter and stole about 45 packs of cigarettes. A dollar value was not listed in the complaint. The employee said the suspect also struck them. Police reviewed surveillance footage and later identified the suspect as Chaston McNealey. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Court proceedings What's next Chaston McNealey had his initial appearance in Milwaukee County Court on June 28, where cash bond was set at $3,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 8. The Source The criminal complaint was provided to FOX6 by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office. Court information is publicly available on the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access website. SALINA, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) The Onondaga County Sheriffs Office reported a road rage stabbing that occurred on Friday, July 4. Around 3:27 p.m., in the area of Wolf Street and 7th North Street in the Town of Salina, two male occupants of two cars were involved in a road rage incident. During the incident, one of the males sustained non-life-threatening stab wounds and listed in stable condition. At this time, the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office has not released the names of the involved parties. Further information will be available after the investigation is concluded, which the Onondaga County District Attorneys Office in involved in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSYR. As early as the Cold War, Uncle Sam was investing funds in robot research to explore how the technology could be an advantage against the Soviet Union. In most cases, robots were thought to be a means of spying and gathering information on the enemy, rather than being used as a robot bomb or any other kind of weapon. A significant amount of funds was spent on research between then and the 1980s, totaling more than $1 million. Meanwhile, there was not much to show for it. Thanks to modern technology, American military forces have become more effective in terms of weapons, defense, and their ability to adapt to new challenges. That includes the use of robots, which are still expensive yet effective at fighting, removing weapons like hidden explosives or bombs, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bomb disposal robot known as TALON is currently in use, though these robots are far too expensive for everyday missions. Theyve been in use since 2000, taking on thousands of missions with only a few models. But getting a TALON out into the field was a long and winding road and it started with setting off bombs, not defusing them. To be clear, bomb defusing robots are a good thing. (U.S. Army) In 1980, the Army created a robotic antitank vehicle. The goal was to create a commercial all-terrain vehicle that could be loaded with missiles. Essentially, a robot bomb, it would be operated via remote control and transported to a location in enemy territory before being detonated. But Congress vetoed the operation, believing that the devices were too small to take on Soviet tanks, despite being full of explosives. In any case, the Army became discouraged with the idea of unmanned vehicles at this point and shied away from them for the next decade. Instead, they moved onto technology like smart bombs that were self-guided, or those that could be controlled after they were launched. Robot use and, therefore, research, continued, but mostly for reconnaissance. Drones became a big part of gaining information, even if they were unarmed while doing so. The latest robot tanks, like the Textron Ripsaw M5, are designed to protect manned tanks. (Textron Systems) Then, a more modern take on robot bombs also took on a more modern name, as it attempted to revive the idea of unmanned weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A branch of TALON includes SWORDS, which stands for Special Weapons Observation Reconnaissance Detection System. Essentially, its a TALON model, but one thats armed, a move that greatly increases the price tag of the robot to about $230,000 a pop. A TALON chassis can hold an M16, 5.56 mm SAW M249, 7.62mm M240, .50 Cal M82, six-barrelled 40 mm grenade launcher, or a quad 66mm FLASH incendiary weapon. In other words, it gives you options. And most of those options hurt. (Foster-Miller) Controlled by a soldier with a remote device, its a program similar to a real-life video game, with real-life stakes. Virtual reality headsets have also been considered as a means to improve accuracy. Three versions of SWORDS were deployed to Iraq in 2007, each with an M249 machine gun. This was the first time the U.S. military carried gun-toting robots into battle. However, this is where it gets tricky; the Army never authorized the use of the SWORDS in combat. Therefore, the weapons were on-site, but could not be used. Soon after, funding was cut from the program, likely due to expense. But a successor has been ordered. Its creator says the cost-per-robot could be greatly reduced once they are put into mass production. Until then, a SWORDS robot can only be viewed at the Smithsonian or the National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning, Georgia. For most of us, anyway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To date, Uncle Sam has spent a pretty penny (and then some) on the idea of robotic weapons and keeping the enemy out without wounding its own men in the process. However, the research has yet to prove itself cost-effective or productive enough to be recreated on a larger scale. Dont Miss the Best of Mighty Technology We Are The Mighty is a celebration of military service, with a mission to entertain, inform, and inspire those who serve and those who support them. We are made by and for current service members, veterans, spouses, family members, and civilians who want to be part of this community. Keep up with the best in military culture and entertainment: subscribe to the We Are The Mighty newsletter. The Quad City Animal Welfare Center, Milan, is low on funds, food and hope, and is asking for help. In a Facebook post, Executive Director Patti McRae says This is one of those posts we never like to write but the truth is, we are exhausted. (Quad City Animal Welfare Center) She says the shelter and clinic team are emotionally and physically stretched thin. Every day, we show up and give everything we have to care for the overwhelming number of unwanted, abandoned, neglected, and sick animals coming through our doors. And still, they keep coming. Theres no pause. No break. No end in sight. (Quad City Animal Welfare Center) Shelters everywhere are over capacity, McRae says, and we feel their pain deeply. But right now, were asking for your help. If you can adopt, foster, or donate, please do it now. (Quad City Animal Welfare Center) Were low on food. Were low on funds, McRae says. Were running out of space, and some days, were running out of hope. The pain we feel watching innocent animals suffer and animals who never shouldve been born into this world just to be discarded is indescribable. And yet, we push through because they need us. But we cant do it alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Please consider making a difference today whether its giving one a home, a temporary place to rest, or helping us afford their care. (Quad City Animal Welfare Center) Heres how you can help: Adopt: https://qcawc.org/adopt Foster: https://qcawc.org/how-to-help/become-a-qcawc-foster Donate: https://qcawc.org/donate/make-a-donation Even one act of kindness can save a life. From the bottom of our tired hearts, thank you, the post concludes. For more information about the QCAWC, visit 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 WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. KENTUCKY (FOX 56) Results of a July 1 study published by KFF, a nonprofit health policy research and polling center, show that rural Kentuckians are likely to be among those hit the hardest in the nation by the results of the newly passed Big Beautiful Bill. The study examined how rural Americans in all 50 states would be impacted by healthcare changes in the bill. Data shows that on a federal level, Medicaid spending would fall by $1 trillion by 2034. Pollsters said this decrease in spending would increase the number of uninsured US residents by 11.8 million people. RELATED: Beshear, other Kentucky leaders react to passage of Trumps big beautiful bill Rural Americans will reportedly be hit hardest According to KFF, long-term effects from Medicaid cuts in Kentucky alone are set to lead to a decrease of 17% in Medicaids 10-year federal spending baseline. KFF data shows that federal Medicaid spending in Kentucky will decrease by over 17% of the programs 10-year spending baseline, leaving over 130,000 residents without coverage. (KFF) This decrease will translate to a $12.3 billion decrease in federal Medicaid spending in Kentucky, researchers said. Over 130,000 Kentuckians are set to lose coverage due to the projected decreases by 2034. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KFF officials said researchers gathered these costs by cross-referencing each states estimated spending reductions outlined in the bill with urban and rural areas using the percentage of Medicaid spending that paid for services used by rural enrollees within each state. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: In its study results, nonprofit officials said the estimates may understate the impact of these cuts on Americans living in rural areas. A graph from the study shows that federal Medicaid spending in Kentucky will decrease by $12.3 billion by 2034. (KFF) Federal spending cuts and coverage losses could also have implications for rural hospitals and other providers, including increases in uncompensated care, KFF wrote. While providers could potentially offset at least some of the cutsincluding through the new rural health fundingany financial pressure on hospitals and other providers could lead to layoffs of staff, more limited investments in quality improvements, fewer services, or additional rural hospital closures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More information about the results of the study can be found at the KFF 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 FOX 56 News. Russian troops attacked the city of Kupiansk and the Kupiansk district in Kharkiv Oblast on Saturday 5 July, injuring a 66-year-old man. Source: Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office Details: Kupiansk came under Russian airstrikes, artillery shelling and kamikaze drone attacks. At around 11:25 , the village of Prykolotne was hit by Russian airstrikes which damaged houses and warehouses belonging to a business. In the afternoon, the Russians also attacked the city of Kupiansk. An emergency medical vehicle was damaged by an FPV drone strike. At around 13:30 , the city was attacked again, presumably with a Grad multiple-launch rocket system. At least five houses were destroyed. The attack on the village of Malyi Burluk took place at around 13:40 . An attack drone, presumably a Molniya, hit an outbuilding. At around 19:00, the Russians attacked Prykolotne again with an FPV drone. A 66-year-old man was injured in the strike and is receiving the necessary medical treatment. Aftermath of the attack Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photo: Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office Kupiansk District Prosecutor's Office of Kharkiv Oblast has launched a pre-trial investigation into the commission of war crimes (Article 438.1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Aftermath of the attack Photo: Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office Background: On the evening of 4 July, Russian troops launched a large-scale drone attack on the town of Chuhuiv in Kharkiv Oblast, injuring 11 people, including two children. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Russian forces have occupied the villages of Zelenyi Kut and Novoukrainka in Donetsk Oblast, located near the administrative border with Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the battlefield monitoring platform DeepState reported on July 5. Russian forces are attempting to push further west, according to DeepState. Donetsk Oblast has been a central battlefield since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 in Ukraine. While Dnipropetrovsk Oblast lies further west and has not seen significant Russian incursions, it is frequently targeted with missile, drone, and aerial bomb strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian troops have been escalating their assaults in the area and are attempting to breach into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. "The situation around Dachne is pretty intense," DeepState wrote on Telegram, referring to the nearby front-line settlement in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Ukrainian forces have deployed reinforcements, but Russian units, relying on numerical advantage and constant infantry assaults, have breached some defenses in the area, DeepState said. Ukraine's military has not officially confirmed the loss of the settlements. Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (Nizar al-Rifai/The Kyiv Independent) Russia's Defense Ministry claimed Novoukrainka was captured as early as June 29, though that assertion was not independently confirmed at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On July 2, Ukraine dismissed Russian claims of advancing into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, calling them disinformation. It said that a small Russian reconnaissance unit briefly entered the village of Dachne, took photos with a Russian flag, and was then "eliminated." Ukrainian military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov said in mid-June that Russia was escalating attacks in the Novopavlivka sector in the western part of Donetsk Oblast and trying to breach into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. DeepState analysts suggest Moscow views an incursion into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast as symbolically significant and a propaganda opportunity, while for Ukraine, holding the administrative line is a strategic priority. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russia is seeking to involve Laos in its war against Ukraine under the pretense of humanitarian cooperation, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) claimed on July 5. According to the agency, Moscow is organizing the deployment of a combined unit of military engineers from the Lao People's Armed Forces to Russia's Kursk Oblast, allegedly to help with demining operations. Ukraine initially captured 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory during a cross-border offensive to Kursk Oblast but lost most of it during a Russian counteroffensive this year, which was supported by North Korean troops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laotian authorities have reportedly agreed to send up to 50 engineers to support Russian efforts. In addition, Laos is said to be offering free rehabilitation services to wounded Russian soldiers. "Russia, under the guise of humanitarian rhetoric, is trying to legalize the presence of foreign military contingents on its territory, effectively using them to wage war against Ukraine," HUR said. This comes amid broader efforts by the Kremlin to recruit foreign personnel. Russia has drawn heavily on fighters from Asia and Africa, as well as North Korea. Ukraine has captured multiple foreigners fighting for Russian forces. an April investigation by Russian independent outlet Important Stories identified more than 1,500 foreign fighters from 48 countries who had joined Russia's war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laos, a landlocked Southeast Asian country bordering China, Vietnam, and Thailand, has not commented on HUR's claim. The country maintains close ties with both Moscow and its ally Beijing. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Russians launched 322 UAVs against Ukraine on the night of 4-5 July, of which 292 were shot down. Source: Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Telegram Details: According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the main direction of the attack was the city of Starokostiantyniv in Khmelnytskyi Oblast. It is noted that 157 UAVs were shot down and another 135 disappeared from radar. The impact of the Russian means of aerial attack in four locations and the fall of debris in six locations were recorded. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! India PR Distribution New Delhi [India], July 5: India, one of the leading producers of Non-GMO soybeans, is taking significant steps to align with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which mandates full traceability and zero-deforestation sourcing for agricultural commodities like soy. The regulation, enforced from June 2023 with compliance deadlines approaching by end of 2024, is set to impact global trade flows. In FY 2023-24, India produced approximately 113 lakh metric tons (11.3 million MT) of soybeans. As global demand for traceable, deforestation-free Non-GMO soy rises, especially from European markets, Indian stakeholders are strategically positioning the country as a key supplier. India's competitive advantage lies in its largely Non-GMO soy cultivation, unlike major producers such as Brazil and the USA where GMO crops dominate. This makes Indian soy a natural fit for EU buyers seeking sustainable and clean-label sourcing. To facilitate this shift, the Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA) Is partnering with TRST01, a sustainability technology leader, to enable exporters and farmers to comply with EUDR requirements efficiently and affordably. Key Features of TRST01's EUDR Solution: -Geo-mapping of soy cultivation areas -Digital traceability from farm to port -Immutable blockchain records for audit trail -Automated generation of GeoJSON files and Due Diligence Statements (DDS) -Farmer onboarding, training, and field support Strategic Vision: SOPA and TRST01 are committed to building India as a Non-GMO soy export powerhouse. Through this collaboration, the target is to facilitate traceability and certification for over 10 lakh metric tons of soy in the coming export cycles. Field-level mapping initiatives, exporter training workshops, and data standardization drives have already begun across major soy-producing regions--Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Telangana. Why Indian Non-GMO Soy Matters: -GMO-free by default: India's soy production is Non-GMO, aligning naturally with EU regulations. -Sustainable cultivation practices -Higher trust quotient in global markets -Opportunity for premium pricing and market preference in the EU About SOPA: The Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA) is the apex body representing soybean processors, exporters, and stakeholders, dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of India's soy industry. About TRST01: TRST01 is a global sustainable technology company providing traceability, ESG, and compliance solutions. With operations across 9+ countries, TRST01 is at the forefront of EUDR compliance for commodities like rubber, coffee, cocoa, and soy. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by India PR Distribution. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) (Reuters) -Russian air defence units downed dozens of Ukrainian drones in widely dispersed parts of the country, including two near the country's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, officials said. Alexander Drozdenko, Governor of Leningrad region surrounding St. Petersburg, wrote on Telegram that two drones were downed in different districts south of the city. He said no injuries or damage was reported. Operations were suspended for a time at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor of Smolensk region in western Russia said anti-aircraft units had downed three drones without any casualties or damage. The governor of Voronezh region, next to Ukraine said "several" drones had been destroyed. The Russian Defence Ministry reported a total of 42 drones destroyed over a three-hour period, 37 of them in three regions bordering Ukraine -- Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk. Ukraine has deployed drones increasingly in attacks on distant targets in Russian territory. In one spectacular set of strikes last month, in an operation dubbed "Spider's Web", a number of Russian bombers were hit at various air bases. Russian forces have used increasing numbers of drones to target Ukrainian cities, with a record total of 539 drones and 11 missiles deployed against Kyiv on Thursday night, according to the Ukrainian air force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his military had successfully deployed drone interceptors to down Russian drones in the overnight attack. (Reporting by Reuters, Editing by Nick Zieminski) (Reuters) -Russian air defences shot down four Ukrainian drones headed for Moscow on Saturday, the city's mayor said, while one of the capital's main airports temporarily halted outgoing flights. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said emergency services were working at the sites of the downed drones, but gave no information on potential damage. Russia's Defence Ministry, in a report on Telegram, said air defence units had destroyed 48 Ukrainian drones in a period of just over five hours into Saturday evening. Those included five drones in the region surrounding Moscow, two of which were headed for the capital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Defence Ministry report said the total included 17 drones over Bryansk Region on the Ukrainian border and 11 in adjacent Oryol Region. The governor of Belgorod Region on the border said four Ukrainian drones had injured a bus driver and a man driving a car. An earlier Defence Ministry report said 94 drones had been destroyed over Russia overnight on Saturday and 45 more in just under six hours during the day. Officials at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport reported delays in departures after flights were temporarily paused. Civil Aviation Authority Rosaviatsiya said the measures were taken in response to "restrictions" over the capital's airspace as well as strong winds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rosaviatsiya said incoming and outgoing flights at airports in several other Russian cities were also temporarily halted, including at St Petersburg's Pulkovo airport, citing safety concerns. (Reporting by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Jan Harvey and Diane Craft) A 57-year-old man was killed in Kherson as a result of a Russian attack on Friday 4 July. Source: Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration Details: Kherson Oblast Military Administration reports that a 57-year-old man was killed by explosives dropped from a Russian drone. Quote: "We have discovered that another resident of Kherson was killed in yesterday's Russian attack. A 57-year-old man was killed as a result of explosives dropped from a drone." Background: On the morning of 5 July, Russian forces attacked Kherson, injuring a 24-year-old woman. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Russian drone attacks struck several parts of Ukraine overnight, including residential buildings in the southern region of Kherson where 11 people were injured, according to the regional governor, Oleksandr Prokudin. A gas pipeline, a petrol station, a car repair shop and private vehicles were also damaged, Prokudin wrote on Telegram. In the eastern Ukrainian city of Chuhuiv, at least three people were injured in a drone attack, including a 12-year-old boy, military governor Oleh Synegubov posted on Telegram. Two people were also injured in the city of Kupiansk, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further reports of anti-aircraft fire emerged from Kiev in the evening and during the night. Media reported that a number of people sought refuge in underground railway shafts and other shelters. Air-raid sirens sounded in large parts of the country, including in the northern Sumy region, Donetsk and Kharkiv in the east and Dnipro and Zaporizhzhya in the south-east. No information about damage or casualties was initially available. Ukraine, in turn, attacked targets in Russia. Enemy drones were intercepted in the Rostov region in southern Russia and in the Smolensk region south-west of Moscow, according to official reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The claims on neither side could be independently verified. Ukraine has been defending itself against Russian offensives for more than three years and is increasingly urging its Western allies to supply new air-defence systems due to focused airstrikes. Russian forces attacked the city of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast on the night of 4-5 July, injuring two people. Source: Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Quote: "The enemy attacked the city of Kupiansk. Early reports indicate that two people have been injured. They are receiving all the necessary medical treatment." Background: On the night of 4-5 July, Russian forces conducted a drone strike on the city of Chuhuiv in Kharkiv Oblast, injuring three people. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Russian forces have occupied the settlements of Zelenyi Kut and Novoukrainka near the administrative border between Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and Donetsk Oblast and are trying to advance further. Source: DeepState Details: The villages are located near Dachne, where the Russians are actively trying to break through the Ukrainian defences. Quote: "The situation in the vicinity of Dachne is dynamic and tense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In order to prevent advances to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and the occupation of the village, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attracted additional resources, but due to the numerical superiority and continuous assaults by small groups of infantry, the enemy advances through the defensive units of Ukrainian fighters, which has not been a novelty for a long time now." Details: Analysts note that Russia has a "big PR rationale to launch a propaganda machine" with its advance into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. But even for Ukraine, this is an "important and principled position" to prevent the Russians from crossing the administrative border. Quote: "The situation is difficult, and the conditions on the line of combat, existing problems and the infinite number of the Russians complicate this situation even more. On this front, we will still see many similar discussions, because the Russians have made rapid advances near Yalta, which is also located on the administrative border, as well as neat Zirka, Piddubne, Tolstoi, Shevchenko, Voskresenka and other settlements". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! LAS VEGAS (KLAS) As Fourth of July celebrations light up the skies across Southern Nevada, Metro police are cracking down on illegal fireworks. At Desert Breeze Park in the southwest valley, families were out for a night of making holiday memories. Vibes are good. Were out here just lighting off all the legal fireworks. Its pretty expensive this year, a man at the park said Friday night. Law enforcement emphasized that they want residents to celebrate the holiday responsibly. If youre caught with illegal fireworks, expect citations, fines, and confiscations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enjoying it, seeing the fireworks go in the area and sparkle, Zarian Glasper said. Being around that and family. Im a family person. Only Safe and Sane fireworks, purchased from authorized vendors between June 28 and July 4, are legal in Clark County. Anything that explodes, flies into the air, or lacks a clear label is illegal. Safe and sane fireworks include sparklers and fireworks that keep to a small area on the ground. Any fireworks purchased from vendors located outside Clark County are likely to be illegal. Four years we have been coming up here lighting off the safe and sane fireworks that we get from the local stands, Travis Leo said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Nebraska we had spaces for just big fireworks, he said. Residents like Ky Edwards would like to see a plot of land designated specifically for illegal fireworks. A lot of people, thats what they want to see. Thats the reason they purchase them is to see the big stuff, Edwards said. I feel like there should definitely be a designated area for people to participate. Glasper agreed. Having everyone get their nice illegal fireworks, go to a spot and all just enjoy it, he said. Because the little fireworks at the stand, yeah, they sparkle, but the illegal ones, thats what everyone wants to see. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Violators could face fines ranging from $250 to $1,000. And police will seize fireworks. Use ISpyFireworks.com to report illegal fireworks. Its the regional tool that police are asking residents to use rather than calling 911. Thats just for emergencies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. DENVER (KDVR) Safeway workers in Colorado will be going back to work soon, with the UFCW Local 7 union announcing Saturday morning that a tentative agreement was reached after union leaders met with Safeway and its parent company Albertsons on Friday. The union, in a post on Facebook, said all strike lines are to be pulled down Saturday and that Albertsons/Safeway agreed to terminate all of the temporary replacement workers. The deal, which must undergo a ratification vote, ends a strike that began on a limited but expanding basis on June 15. Kroger plans to close 60 US stores in 18 months to improve profits Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All striking workers are guarenteed to return to their old positions with the same classification, seniority and hire date, according to the union. We have reached a fully recommended tentative agreement! The strike is over, the union said. The union said it is currently working to secure dates and locations for ratification vote meetings, during which it said the full details of the tentative agreement will be available. Striking workers, meanwhile, will not need to report to work until Monday and no later than however the union said those who are ready to return sooner can contact their store director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All union members who walked on a picket line at least one day during this last week and who did not already earn their full strike benefit will also be paid for walking a full 8-hour day today, the union said. Whats the deal? The union said there are 45 tentative agreements in the deal, including fully funded healthcare benefits, fully funded pension benefits, strong wage increases and a longevity bonuses for all associates with at least 1 year of seniority, a full reset of attendance points and an expanded vacation cash out. The deal also includes an assurance that there will be no giveaways of bargaining unit work to gig companies such as DoorDash and no diversion from retiree health care, meaning no cuts to retiree healthcare benefits, according to the union. Finally, the new deal includes implementation of a new test-and-learn trial to study real and meaningful staffing improvements in store locations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dennys and Waffle House remove egg surcharges as prices fall Safeway/Albertsons, in a statement to Fox31, said it was pleased to have reached a fair and equitable agreement with the UFCW that will benefit our associates and allow us to continue to serve our customers in Colorado. The tentative agreement comes about a week after UFCW Local 7 told striking workers to hold the line after it said Safeway/Albertsons chose to walk away from negotations despite the unions good faith attempt to reach an agreement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) At around 7 a.m. on Saturday, UFCW Local 7, the largest private-sector Union in the Colorado and Wyoming area, announced on social media that a tentative agreement has been reached with the Albertsons company. The strikes, which began outside Safeway stores over two weeks ago across Colorado, including Grand Junction, were called to end on Saturday. According to KDVR, the strike started after the Albertsons company terminated a contract extension with UFCW Local 7, which had been negotiated for months. Additionally, a reportedly failed merger that was supposed to take place in 2024, unfair labor practices, short-staffed stores and frozen wages were also cited as reasons for the strike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company had reportedly walked away from negotiations for a new agreement on June 27 and June 28, continuing the strike until company representatives agreed to discuss further compromises with the union on Friday at 10 a.m. As part of the agreement, the Albertsons company will terminate all temporary replacement workers, with all striking workers guaranteed to have their same position, classification and seniority upon returning. Workers who were part of the strike for at least one day of the week will be paid for an 8-hour day on Friday if they have not already earned their full strike benefits. All striking workers must return to work by Monday and should contact their store director before returning for arrangements. The union and the Albertsons company met up on Friday to reach a tentative agreement. The contract included 45 tentative provisions, such as: Fully funded healthcare benefits with improved dental benefits and increased life insurance. Fully funded pension benefits. No cuts to retiree healthcare benefits. Wage increases. No giveaways of bargaining unit work to gig companies, like DoorDash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The full details of the agreement will be available at a ratification vote meeting, which UFCW Local 7R plans to announce at a later date. The full tentative agreement announcement can be found on UFCW Local 7Rs social media here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) With the Fourth of July falling on a Friday this year, San Diego beaches are expected to be packed throughout the long holiday weekend and public safety officials are prepared to keep the peace. Lifeguards and police officers will be out in full force, patrolling both the surf and the streets to ensure beachgoers can enjoy the celebration safely. San Diego weather forecast for the Fourth of July Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is one of the main reasons people from all over the world come to San Diego to experience a perfect day at the beach, said visitor Peter Muhli, who described his plans simply: Going for a swim and having some lunch. With clear skies and no marine layer in sight, the weather is shaping up to deliver the quintessential Southern California summer weekend. For visitors from hotter inland areas like Arizona, the cool coastal breeze is a welcome escape. Coming from 115-degree weather, nice 70s its paradise, said tourist Brody Weidingo. But even in paradise, hazards still exist especially in the ocean. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Big Bay Boom: Watch San Diegos Fourth of July spectacular and fireworks show It is what we call the Super Bowl of the lifeguard world, said Capt. Maureen Hodges of San Diego Fire-Rescues Marine Safety Division. She said the department has added extra staff and boat patrols on Mission Bay in anticipation of hundreds of thousands of beachgoers over the three-day weekend. We are working in coordination with PD officers to make sure were keeping the crowds under control, Hodges said. Rip currents remain one of the biggest concerns. Hodges urged parents to watch young children closely and encouraged all beach visitors to check in with lifeguards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Find out where the safest places to swim are for the day, she said. Just know that the conditions can change with the tide and throughout the day. High rip currents, elevated surf prompt Fourth of July beach warning for San Diego City leaders are also emphasizing safety. Between a lot of parades and barbecues, I wanted to come by and express my appreciation to all of our frontline workers making sure San Diegans stay safe, said Mayor Todd Gloria. Whether residents or out-of-town visitors, Gloria had this message for those celebrating the holiday: Pay attention. Have some alertness. If you see something, say something, he said. We are one of Americas safest big cities and one of the days we shine brightest is the Fourth of July, when we welcome hundreds of thousands of people to our coastline. They come to see one of the biggest fireworks shows in the country and leave with a lifetime of great memories in Americas Finest City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement San Diegos Gaslamp Quarter gears up for the Fourth of July weekend Officials are also urging beachgoers to arrive early with large crowds expected, parking will be limited. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. VMPL Bathinda (Punjab) [India], July 5: In a landmark moment towards transforming healthcare delivery in Punjab, Park Group of Hospitals, a name trusted across North India for its excellence in multi-speciality healthcare, proudly announces the grand re-launch of Krishna Superspeciality Hospital - by Park Group of Hospitals in Bathinda. Bringing with it a 43+ year legacy of clinical excellence and compassionate care, this hospital represents a significant milestone in Park Group's mission to make world-class healthcare accessible, affordable, and inclusive for all. A Leap Forward for Healthcare in Bathinda Located centrally in Bathinda, Krishna Superspeciality Hospital is poised to become a one-stop destination for holistic and advanced medical care. With 250+ beds, 70 ICU Beds, 100+ expert Doctors, and 30+ Superspecialities covering both Medical and Surgical departments, the hospital is equipped to meet the evolving healthcare needs of the region. It features advanced Critical care units including ICU, NICU, and CCU, fully automated laboratories, high-end diagnostic imaging, and Modular Operation Theatres. Supported by 24x7 emergency, Trauma, and Ambulance services, the facility has been thoughtfully designed to ensure patient comfort, safety, and clinical precision through seamless integration of technology and infrastructure. Comprehensive Care Under One Roof Krishna Superspeciality Hospital brings together a wide spectrum of disciplines, with highly trained medical professionals across 30+ superspecialities like Cardiac Sciences, Endocrinology, Neurosciences (Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuropsychiatry & Stroke Clinic), Oncology & Radiation, Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement, Urology & Nephrology, Critical Care, Gastroenterology and more - all under one roof. The hospital also features dedicated specialty clinics, such as Diabetes & Endocrine Clinic, Comprehensive Stroke Clinic, and Preventive Health Programs, catering to lifestyle-related disorders and chronic care management. Empanelment That Ensures Accessibility for All Krishna Superspeciality Hospital is empanelled with most major government schemes such as CGHS, ECHS, Ayushman Bharat, and all leading TPAs, enabling both government and privately insured patients to access advanced treatment in a cashless and convenient manner. This seamless integration of high-end care and accessibility reflects Park Group's vision to make top-tier healthcare not just a privilege, but a right for every citizen. Team of Excellence At the heart of Krishna Superspeciality Hospital by Park Group of Hospitals is a team of distinguished medical professionals whose expertise, dedication, and compassion define the organisation's commitment to clinical excellence. Dr. Rohit Mody, Director of Cardiology, with over 24+ years of experience plays a leading role in preventive and interventional heart care. Dr. Sushil Kotru, with over 15+ years of experience, heads CEEDO (Centre of Excellence for Endocrinology, Diabetes & Obesity) as its Chairman. Dr. (Sqn. Ldr.) Sushil Garg, with over 20+ years of experience, serves as the Medical cum ICU Director and oversees 24x7 critical care services. Dr. Sorabh Kumar Gupta (10+ years) is the key members of the Neurosurgery Department, specializing in complex brain and spine surgeries. Dr. Niranjan Mahajan, a renowned Neurointerventionist, brings cutting-edge expertise in minimally invasive brain and spine procedures, playing a pivotal role in the management of complex neurovascular conditions. Along with them, 8 highly experienced intensivists are present round the clock, ensuring intensive medical care in every situation. Together, this team exemplifies Park Group of Hospitals' unwavering commitment to delivering world-class healthcare in Bathinda. Leadership Speaks Dr. Ajit Gupta, Founder & Chairman, Park Group of Hospitals, shared his excitement and vision: "Krishna Superspeciality Hospital is a manifestation of our belief that every city deserves access to the finest healthcare. This facility is not just another hospital, it is our promise to the people of Bathinda, and Punjab at large, that we are here to serve them with integrity, excellence, and empathy." He further added: "Over the years, we have earned the trust of millions of patients. With this re-launch, we are not only expanding our geographical presence but deepening our commitment to saving lives and improving quality of life for countless families." Dr. Ankit Gupta, Managing Director, Park Group of Hospitals, also shared his thoughts on the re-launch: "Our vision has always been to bring advanced healthcare closer to the people, especially in Tier-II and Tier-III cities. With Krishna Superspeciality Hospital, we are introducing a new standard of accessible, affordable, and technology-driven care to Bathinda. This is not just an expansion, it's a reaffirmation of our promise to deliver compassionate, cutting-edge medical services where they are needed most." A Milestone in a Larger Journey With the addition of this flagship facility in Bathinda, Park Group of Hospitals now operates 14 hospitals across 12 cities, catering to a rapidly growing base of patients across North India. This expansion strengthens the group's position as a healthcare leader committed to revolutionizing the medical landscape. Krishna Superspeciality Hospital, Bathinda - by Park Group of Hospitals stands not just as a building, but as a symbol of hope, healing, and modern medical excellence, where every patient is treated not just as a case, but as a life that matters. (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) SCHOOLCRAFT, Mich. (WOOD) The Schoolcraft Fourth of July Parade looked a little different this time around. The village canceled the annual parade for a second straight year. This time due to lack of police staff on hand to ensure safety for the event. However, that didnt stop the can-do spirit of the community. American Legion Post 475 led an Independence Day sidewalk parade Friday through the village to celebrate Americas 249th birthday. Gary Gould, one of the dozen members to march, said the parade being canceled left many in the village frustrated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Very disappointed. This is a tradition thats been going on, Gould said. And he wasnt alone. Dawn Simmons, one of the organizers behind the sidewalk march, said it was their duty to celebrate the holiday. I was disappointed, very disappointed. ..that the village didnt try harder, Simmons said. Its patriotic, and its something you should be doing on the 4th of July, you should be celebrating this. Schoolcraft canceled its 2024 parade for construction projects in the area. Many residents were looking forward to this years event to make up for it. Now, the attention shifts to 2026. I would like to see Schoolcraft get behind another nice parade like they have in the past, Simmons said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have a council meeting Monday and hopefully everyone of us here will be there, Gould 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 WOODTV.com. Scientists from the University of Nottingham and CSIRO Australia have developed a cutting-edge model to evaluate the energy efficiency of walnut and pistachio shells as low-carbon fuels and better predict how these agricultural residues would perform in power plants. As explained in a press release from the university, the model combines milling and combustion performance to optimize fuel selection for power generation. The tool enables energy producers to predict the burnout efficiency of different fuels which refers to the extent to which carbon is burned during combustion and thereby improve performance and conserve resources. For the study, which was published in the Journal of the Energy Institute, the team analyzed the milling and burnout performance of four agricultural residues pistachio shells, walnut shells, rice husks, and palm kernel shells along with white wood pellets. All of these are considered biomass, which is organic matter derived from plants and animals that can be used as renewable energy sources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the United Kingdom, where the research was conducted, biomass is the second-largest source of clean energy, with over 9 million tons of biomass used annually for pulverized fuel combustion. This process involves grinding solid fuels, such as coal, into a fine powder and then burning it in suspension with air. However, wood pellets and wood chips account for the majority of biomass in the U.K., and much of it is imported from the United States and Canada. Other forms of biomass make up just 1% of the country's renewable resources, which isn't ideal if there are supply chain bottlenecks. Using wood for biomass is also detrimental to the environment, as it contributes to deforestation and increased air pollution, and often releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere faster than trees can regrow, thereby exacerbating climate change. Adding other sources of energy, such as those derived from pistachio and walnut shells, to the energy mix could reduce the U.K.'s carbon output and improve air quality, benefiting both people and the planet. The researchers' novel burnout prediction tool could play a role in these efforts because it utilizes char morphology, which uses image analysis to analyze the properties of the solid residue remaining after combustion, providing power operators with an easy way to assess the carbon loss of various fuels. If power plants are able to reduce emissions, it will contribute to the U.K.'s goal of becoming a net-zero country by 2050. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "By combining milling and combustion modelling, we can now predict fuel performance more accurately, helping power plants improve efficiency and reduce emissions, whilst diversifying their supply chains," Dr. Orla Williams, from the University of Nottingham's department of mechanical, materials and manufacturing engineering, said in the news release. "It's a significant step forward in diversifying and decarbonizing the U.K.'s bioenergy portfolio but can also be applied to any country which generates electricity on a large scale using coal, enabling other coal dependent economies to decarbonize." Do you think America could ever go zero-waste? Never Not anytime soon Maybe in some states Definitely Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. 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. Heat stress has impacted 84% of coral reefs worldwide since 2023, making this the highest level of coral damage in history, reported Mongabay. What's happening? Scientists are witnessing unprecedented damage to coral ecosystems across the planet. The ongoing global bleaching event began in January 2023 and has affected reefs in at least 82 countries, from the Caribbean to previously resilient areas like the Red Sea. "The magnitude and extent of the heat stress is shocking. Some reefs that had thus far escaped major heat stress and we thought to be somewhat resilient, succumbed to partial mortalities in 2024," said Melanie McField, a Smithsonian scientist who directs a coral monitoring program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the fourth worldwide coral bleaching event since 1998. The 84% impact rate far exceeds the 68% of reefs affected during the third global event that ended in 2017. Even reefs previously considered safe are affected. Dr. Derek Manzello, director of Coral Reef Watch, noted that "ocean warming has reached a level where there is no longer any safe harbor from coral bleaching," according to the Guardian. Why is coral bleaching concerning? Coral reefs support about one quarter of all marine life and provide livelihoods for about a billion people worldwide. When corals expel their colorful algae because of heat stress, they turn ghostly white and lose their ability to nurture this biodiversity. "Bleaching is always eerie, as if a silent snowfall has descended on the reef," explained McField. "There is usually an absence of fluttering fish and an absence of vibrant colors on the reef." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The root cause is atmospheric pollution and rising global temperatures. Oceans absorb about 90% of the excess heat from burning dirty fuels, increasing water temperatures with each decade. What's being done about coral bleaching? Scientists are working to identify heat-resistant coral species and develop restoration techniques. In Australia, researchers have bred thermally tolerant corals that might better withstand future heat waves. Marine-protected areas help reduce additional stressors on reefs, giving them better chances to recover between bleaching events. For Peter Thomson, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean, the solution requires broader action. "If we want coral reefs to survive, we must drastically reduce our emissions and keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius," he said, according to Mongabay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Choose reef-safe sunscreens when swimming in the ocean. These products forgo chemicals that damage coral health. You can slash your carbon footprint by powering your home with renewable energy, which addresses the primary cause of ocean warming. Support marine conservation organizations working on coral restoration projects through volunteering or donations. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. A scout group facing closure is calling for a new team of volunteers to keep it going. The current cohort of four leaders at Ballaugh Scouts, which is one of 12 groups across the island, are set to leave at the end of July. Lead volunteer for Scouts Isle of Man Will Nelson said the current team felt they had "done their time and they would like to step down". The group in the north, which provides activities to children aged between six and 14 in the local area, is now looking for new volunteers by September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Nelson said a shortage of volunteers in Ramsey, which is in need of a further two lead members, could also lead to services being stripped back in the north. 'Sense of adventure' Scouts Isle of Man was currently holding a four week challenge to provide an opportunity for potential volunteers to find out more about what the role involves. Mr Nelson said the groups "help to bring the community together and gives the children something to do for an evening a week". The Ballaugh group runs Beavers, which is for children aged six to eight, Cubs for those aged eight to 10, and Scouts for 10 to 14-year-olds. The group also "puts things back into the community, whether that is helping out with Remembrance Sunday or the village fair", he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Volunteering with organisation on the Isle of Man is one of the most rewarding things you can do, as those in the roles help young people to "build confidence, resilience and a sense of adventure", he said. He said the group was looking for people of all ages, backgrounds and it does not matter how much time people could commit. "If you remove the scouts, the beavers and the cubs, it is another thing in the community that would disappear", he added. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X. More like this story Related internet links GOSHEN One of three people charged in connection with a November murder has entered an admission in court. Ashley Seabolt, 41, pleaded guilty Thursday to a murder charge related to the Nov. 26 death of Toby Ray Fisher. Police found the 32-year-old Elkhart man outside River Run Apartments with a gunshot wound to the neck following a suspected robbery attempt. Seabolt admitted that she set up a drug deal at the apartment building and that she and Fisher planned to commit robbery during the purchase. She said she and 36-year-old Stephonn Sutton were both present when Fisher was killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police believe 39-year-old Sami Hussen, one of the intended robbery targets, was the one who actually pulled the trigger on Fisher. Hussen is currently set for trial on Aug. 4. Seabolt and Sutton were set to be tried together in August after their cases were joined. Both are charged with Fishers death under Indianas felony murder doctrine, which holds a suspect responsible for any deaths that occurs during the commission of another crime. Seabolts plea agreement sets a 55-year cap on actual prison time she receives when she is sentenced on Aug. 21. Homicide detectives were led to the three suspects based on witness testimony, security camera footage and text messages between Seabolt and Fisher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators believe Seabolt and Fisher had plotted to rob Hussen and another woman of some drugs they were selling and to take other valuables from them. Sutton was in the same vehicle after he was picked up in Three Rivers, Michigan, ahead of the robbery along with Fisher, according to police. The other woman in the vehicle told police Hussen acted in self-defense when he pulled the trigger. She said Fisher had grabbed the methamphetamines being sold and struck Hussen in the head with a handgun before holding the gun to her head and demanding her purse. The woman also alleged that Fisher threatened to shoot Hussen in the leg if he didnt hand over some cash. She said she heard gunshots and got out of the vehicle, and later learned from Seabolt that Fisher had died. According to reports, a 22-year-old man jumped into moving water near Luther in the 18500 block of Peebly Road near NE 178th Street. Authorities have called off the search for a man who reportedly did not resurface after jumping into rushing water, according to multiple news outlets. The Oklahoman reached out to the Oklahoma City Police Department for updates, but did not receive an immediate response. According to reports, a 22-year-old man jumped into moving water near Luther in the 18500 block of Peebly Road near NE 178th Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to KOCO 5, a group celebrating the Fourth of July were jumping into either the Deep Fork River or Smith Creek, which flows into the river, near a waterfall when the incident occurred. One person tried to jump in after the missing man, however when he did not resurface, the group called 911. OKC police, the Oklahoma City Fire Department and the Luther Fire Department all responded to the incident, searching the area for more than two hours by drone and helicopter, according to reporting from KOCO 5. News9, KFOR and KOCO 5 reported that dive teams responded to the scene, but due to high, fast-moving water, the teams are unable to enter the river safely to search for the man, and the search has been called off at this time. No additional information about the man has been released at this time and authorities are unsure of when they might be able to resume searching. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Search suspended for man who jumped into rushing water near Luther The death toll from the collapse of a residential building in the Pakistani mega-city of Karachi rose to 21 on Saturday, after rescue teams worked for a second day in search of survivors. Authorities said the building had been declared unsafe and eviction notices were sent to occupants over three years, but landlords and some residents told AFP they had not received them. Residents reported hearing cracking sounds shortly before the apartment block crumbled around 10:00 am on Friday in Karachi's impoverished Lyari neighbourhood, which was once plagued by gang violence and considered one of the most dangerous areas in Pakistan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The death toll stood at 21 late Saturday, said senior district government official Javed Nabi Khoso. The rescue operation was ongoing. "My daughter is under the rubble," 54-year-old Dev Raj told AFP at the scene. "She was my beloved daughter. She was so sensitive but is under the burden of debris. She got married just six months ago." Earlier Saturday, families said that at least eight people were still believed to be trapped as temperatures climbed to 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit). Khoso said that notices had been served in 2022, 2023 and 2024 to occupants. "We don't want to impose our orders by force. We work in phases and send them notices to leave the building. They didn't take the notices seriously," he told AFP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Imran Khaskheli, an owner and resident watching the rescue operation on Saturday, denied receiving notices. "Do you think we are out of our senses to stay in an unsafe building with our families?" he said. Khaskheli told AFP he had seen cracks in the pillars of the building early Friday. "I knocked on all the doors and asked families to leave immediately," he said, adding that around 40 families lived in the building but that many did not heed his warning. More than 50 buildings in the district have been declared unsafe, with six evacuated since yesterday, according to Khoso. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement - 'We are helpless' - Many of the victims are believed to be women, who are more likely to be at home during the day. All six members of 70-year-old Jumho Maheshwari's family were in their first-floor apartment when he left for work early in the morning. "Nothing is left for me now -- my family is all trapped and all I can do is pray for their safe recovery," he said Friday. Another resident, Maya Sham Jee, told AFP her brother's family was also trapped under the rubble. "It's a tragedy for us. The world has been changed for our family," she said. "We are helpless and just looking at the rescue workers to bring our loved ones back safely." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shankar Kamho, a 30-year-old resident, was out at the time when his wife called to say the building was cracking. "I told her to get out immediately," he told AFP. "She went to warn the neighbours, but one woman told her 'this building will stand for at least 10 more years'," he said. "Still, my wife took our daughter and left. About 20 minutes later, the building collapsed." sam-ecl/sst/dw SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) The body of Tanya Burwick, 62, who was reported missing during Fridays severe flooding in San Angelo, was discovered Saturday morning after an extensive search, according to the San Angelo Police Department. Burwick, 62, was last seen around 5:30 a.m. on July 4, 2025, as heavy rains and catastrophic flooding swept through San Angelo. Her vehicle was discovered later that afternoon at approximately 5:00 p.m. on Preusser Street, near Bell Street, sparking a coordinated search by local authorities and emergency responders. Heartbreak in San Angelo: flood leaves one missing Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Responding officers and rescue personnel immediately launched a coordinated search, SAPD said in a statement. Due to hazardous conditions, operations were suspended later that evening but resumed early the following morning. At approximately 9:15 a.m. on July 5, Burwicks body was located several blocks from where her vehicle had been found. Our hearts are heavy as we extend our deepest condolences to Ms. Burwicks family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, police said. We stand with the entire community in mourning this tragic loss. SAPD is asking that the public continue to keep the Burwick family in their thoughts and prayers as they Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com. One of the nations top travel destinations this week is right here in our backyard: Seattle. Seattle was ranked as the second-most popular domestic travel destination for the Fourth of July holiday this year, according to AAA. Seattle hotspots have seen notable crowds this week. KIRO 7 asked visitors at Pike Place Market what brought them to Seattle. We love to do hiking, said Muhammad Eiman, who drove to meet friends from San Francisco. We are also planning to go to Mount Baker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were looking to get away from the heat and humidity that we live in, said Lauren Pilie, visiting from New Orleans. Were just going to explore, and then we head off to our cruise, said Janella Terry, visiting from Orlando with her family. One couple told us they were visiting Seattle from Detroit ahead of their wedding in the Olympics. Were getting married on Monday, Stephen Brewer said. We always wanted to do something in the Pacific Northwest, and we thought wed check it off our bucket list, said Emma Yergin. The crowds are a positive sign for Seattle, which has worked hard to rebound from slowdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In March, Downtown Seattle saw 92% of the visitors seen in March 2019, according to the Downtown Seattle Association Revitalization Dashboard. Isiah Martin Lopez has seen traffic bounce back. He works at Franks Quality Produce at Pike Place Market. COVID and everything isnt really impacting stuff, so everyones just moving around and just wanting to travel, he said. Gas prices might burn you though on a trip to the Pacific Northwest. AAA reports that while nationwide gas prices are lower this year compared to last, theyre higher than last July in Washington. Those prices werent bothering visitors KIRO 7 spoke to Friday many of whom flew in from destinations across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everyones been very bubbly and Im enjoying it so far, said Drew Smoker, who is visiting from Indiana to catch a drag show. Its great, said Allen Terry from Orlando. Awesome mountains. Heard the seafood here is great too! Chris Terry said. The top domestic travel spot this year is Orlando, Florida, according to AAA. The top international travel destination is listed as Vancouver, Canada. Jul. 4MORGANTOWN The Monongalia County Commission has concluded its second round of opioid grant funding, announcing seven awards totaling $454, 900. The funds being distributed are provided to the county annually as its cut of the "local government shares " of roughly $1 billion in opioid settlement dollars awarded to the state. Those local shares are provided to counties and municipalities for direct use, reimbursement of opioid abatement activities or, as in the county's case, suballocation. To date, the county has received a total of $1, 366, 277.79 in two installments$1, 019, 972.52 on Jan. 12, 2024, and $346, 304 on Jan. 31. It's now approved the distribution of $1, 081, 800, leaving a balance of $284, 477.31. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commissioner Sean Sikora said the commission provided funds to each of the seven agencies that applied this year, though not necessarily the full request amount. "We had $757, 667 requested, and we approved $454, 900, which is about 60 % of what was requested, " he said. "But out of the seven, we approved at least part of all of them." The agencies receiving funding are:Lauren's Wish Addiction Triage Center, $100, 000Wise Path Recovery Center, $100, 000Morgantown Area Youth Services Project, $60, 000Jacob's Ladder Assistance Fund, $56, 200Monongalia County Health Department, $55, 000Mon EMS, $43, 700Libera Inc., $40, 000 With the exception of Jacob's Ladder, each of the recipients also received grant funding from the county during its 2024 allocation. Last July, the commission distributed $626, 900 to 13 of the 18 agencies that applied. Of the opioid settlement funding coming to West Virginia, 72.5 % will be distributed as grants at the state level through the West Virginia First Foundation, 24.5 % goes to local governments and 3 % stays with the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The West Virginia First Foundation has thus far completed one grant cycle, distributing nearly $17 million to 94 projects across West Virginia. Of that amount, roughly $3.4 million went to 21 recipients /projects in the 13-county Region 4, which includes Monongalia, Marion and Preston counties. In Monongalia County, a number of agencies have received grant awards from the West Virginia First Foundation and at least one allocation from the county. Those agencies, and total amount received, are:Morgantown Sober Living, $440, 000Lauren's Wish, $305, 850.71Libera Inc., $228, 120.06Monongalia County Health Department, $199, 528.17Monongalia County Child Advocacy Center, $165, 620.70 Wise Path Recovery Center has received a total of $225, 000 in two county allocations. Morgantown Area Youth Services Project has received a total of $120, 000 in two county allocations. Director Ridley Scott's production house 'Scott Free Productions' is looking forward to more series adaptations of the iconic movies of Ridley Scott, following in the footsteps of 'Alien: Earth' and 'Blade Runner 2099', reported Variety. While speaking to Variety at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, David W Zucker, Chief Creative Officer at Scott Free, highlights that the upcoming 'Alien: Earth' and 'Blade Runner 2099' are the first series adaptations of the Scott brothers' films under his leadership. Zucker admitted that the production house is looking at a different number of Ridley and Tony Scott films for the series adaptations. "We are looking at a number of different [Ridley and Tony Scott movie titles] right now, and the point of entry is really: 'What is its reason to be?' because while it's certainly [the case that] IP is ruling the day, and those titles all have different potential values and degrees of familiarity, it still comes down to what's the foundational premise and concept for a piece that really merits it being brought forward now. And so that kind of development in some ways is the same as original development. It gives you some source from which to build, potentially, but how much of that proves applicable remains to be seen," said Zucker as quoted by Variety. The Scot Free Productions studio CCO further revealed that they will get a better idea of more of Scott's series adaptations by the "end of summer". "But there are a few of them that we're exploring now that I think could have some great potential. By the end of summer, I think we'll know if we have some traction going forward with them," said Zucker as quoted by Variety. As for the upcoming series 'Aliens: Earth' and 'Blade Runner 2099', the makers feel that both movies were "pretty unapproachable" at first, as they are considered to be the iconic movies in the Scott brothers' diverse filmography. "I think those two titles in particular, 'Alien' and 'Blade Runner,' were pretty unapproachable for most of the time that I've been [at Scott Free], both because of their ambition and what that would require financially, as well as, frankly, coming up with a concept and hopefully a creator who conceptually was up to that task. And I mean, personally, I find those two titles extremely intimidating ... touching any piece of that kind of iconic status," said Zucker as quoted by Variety. 'Alien: Earth' is an upcoming American science fiction horror television series created by Noah Hawley, based on the Alien franchise. It serves as a prequel and is set two years before the events of the 1979 film Alien. It stars Sydney Chandler, Timothy Olyphant, Alex Lawther, Samuel Blenkin, Essie Davis and Adarsh Gourav. 'Alien: Earth' is set to premiere on August 12, 2025. "Blade Runner 2099," meanwhile, was mostly shot at Barrandov Studio in Prague, as well as various locations in and around the city and in Barcelona. The show is now in post-production, as reported by Variety. (ANI) Police are investigating a shooting at a Fourth of July party in northwest Atlanta on Friday that has left a second woman injured. Neighbors spoke to Channel 2s Courtney Francisco, saying they had been having an outdoor party, including bounce houses, when bullets started flying at The Commons apartment complex on Middleton Road. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Investigators confirmed that a 49-year-old woman was shot in the foot. She was taken to the hospital for treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They now say a second woman, a 23-year-old, was shot in the arm and took herself to the hospital for treatment before police arrived. There is no word on possible suspects or what led up to the shooting. TRENDING STORIES: Michael Berrien, a resident, said they heard between 12 and 15 gunshots. At first I thought it was fireworks, Berrien said, adding that it sounded like a machine gun. Everybody was happy-go-lucky, having a good time, and then it was just chaos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im very disappointed that this happened around kids. We cant even enjoy ourselves out here, resident Dee Audi told Channel 2 Action News. And then you gotta be afraid, the kids, they cant be safe around there. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The waters of a Texas lake remain shrouded in mystery as dozens of young mens bodies continue to be pulled from the depths, putting a community on edge as rumors of a serial killer continue to swirl. Last month, authorities discovered yet another mans body in Austins Lady Bird Lake, bringing the total count to a whopping 38 individuals recovered from the waters since 2022. Officials responded to an early-morning 911 call reporting a body in the water and subsequently located the deceased man, the Austin Police Department (APD) said in a statement to Fox News Digital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Body Found In Same Austin Lake Where 6 Other Deceased Individuals Were Found In 2024 There was no trauma to the body, and police do not suspect foul play was involved, the APD said. The department is currently working to determine whether the body recovered is a 17-year-old male reported missing two days earlier. The teens family called police after he got out of his kayak without wearing a life jacket and subsequently disappeared while enjoying a day on the lake, authorities said. Investigators believe he had unknowingly stepped on an underwater shelf and failed to resurface after his kayak was later recovered with his backpack and life jacket still inside. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police revealed that the individual found in the lake was wearing the same clothing as the missing teenager, but identification is pending. Austin Serial Killer Fears: Police Pull Car From Lady Bird Lake The discovery comes as fears of a serial killer lurking in the communitys midst continue to loom over the area, with local authorities continuing to downplay the risk. "The denials by law enforcement and other authorities that these cases are murders or the work of a serial killer are premature," Dr. Carole Lieberman, a forensic psychiatrist and expert trial witness, told Fox News Digital. "They dont want the public to panic about a possible serial killer, so they are making light of all the deaths." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 2022, at least 38 bodies have been recovered in or around Lady Bird Lake, according to data obtained by Fox 7. Of the nearly three dozen bodies found, 30 have reportedly been men, with approximately 60 percent between 30 and 49 years old. Is There A New England Serial Killer? Former Fbi Agent With Regional Ties Reveals His Theory Police patrol downtown Rainey Street after several bodies have been discovered in nearby Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas. Despite local authorities insistence that there is no ongoing risk to the public, Lieberman points to the sheer amount of consistencies among the victims ages and gender. "The fact that 30 of the 38 bodies found in and around Lady Bird Lake since 2022 are male does suggest that this could be the work of a serial killer whose preferred target is men," Lieberman said. "If the deaths were simply due to accidental drowning or suicide, there would not be a preponderance of one gender over the other." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One common theory circulating throughout the community suggests the deaths are a result of date-rape drugs slipped into the drinks of victims visiting bars on nearby Rainey Street a popular hotspot for partying near the water. Body Of Missing Father Of Five Found In Georgia Lake After Kayaking Trip In February 2023, the body of Jason John, 30, was pulled from the lake one week after he was last seen on Rainey Street. Two months later, Jonathan Honey, 33, was found one day after he was last seen visiting a food truck parked on the popular street. "[Date-rape drugs] could render them easy prey for a thief and killer," Lieberman said. "Older men could similarly be easy prey." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the past three years, the primary cause of death of the bodies pulled from Lady Bird Lake has been attributed to accidental drownings, Fox 7 reported. Suicide reportedly remains the second leading cause, as well as natural causes and drug overdoses. New England Serial Killer Fears: Massachusetts Investigators Identify Body Pulled From River Of the 38 deaths, only one has been ruled a murder with roughly half a dozen cases remaining unknown. "One cannot rule out that a so-called accidental drowning isnt the result of a murderer unless there were witnesses," Lieberman told Fox News Digital. "Murderers can use drowning as their [modus operandi]. Similarly, suicides must be proven, not just assumed if someone has been depressed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, Lieberman pointed to the attractiveness of disposing human remains in bodies of water. SIGN UP TO GET True Crime Newsletter "Water can cause decomposition of the body and can wash away evidence, from fingerprints to DNA," Lieberman said. "If the water has movement, such as a river or stream, it can propel the body far from the actual scene of the crime, making it more complicated to find the killer. Some killers choose water-based crime scenes with the hopes that their murder will be misconstrued as drowning, which can make it harder, because it can be difficult to differentiate drowning from murder." In a 2023 statement, APD looked to quell the publics fears surrounding the possibility of a serial killer targeting men in the area, citing the lakes dangerous conditions when mixed with alcohol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow The Fox True Crime Team On X "One common theme of the drownings in Austin [in 2023] is the combination of alcohol and easy access to Lady Bird Lake, which has numerous access points," the department said. Police pointed out that the vast majority of deaths at the time occurred after the parks closing time and encouraged community members to be mindful of local rules. "APD has not found any evidence to support that these deaths are suspicious or connected to criminal activity," the department said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "All of these incidents have been thoroughly investigated, and the vast majority have been determined to involve factors such as mental health issues, natural causes like heart attacks, inability to swim, substance use or underlying medical conditions." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Click Here For The Fox News App However, as more and more victims continue to fall to the waters of Lady Bird Lake, Lieberman calls on authorities to not turn a blind eye to the morbid coincidences surrounding the deaths. "Unless law enforcement finds some other explanation for the large number of deaths in and around Lady Bird Lake in recent years," Lieberman said. "Then I think that the likelihood of a serial killer cannot be ignored." Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz contributed to this report. Original article source: Serial killer fears grip Texas community after dozens of bodies pulled from lake: 'Cannot be ignored' SHANNON COUNTY, Mo. Weeks after the Shannon County Commission announced that almost the entire Shannon County Sheriffs Office (SCSO) staff would have to be terminated because the SCSO had gone 75% over the fiscal years budget, Shannon County Sheriff Steven Hogan has spoken out ahead of the matters trial. While a temporary restraining order has prevented deputies from being fired for the time being, Hogan published a social media post on the evening of the Fourth of July, alleging hes experienced threats to his life amid what he calls an orchestrated campaign of harassment and smear tactics. This is a public safety threat to our citizens; Shannon County Commission terminates all deputies, Sheriff responds Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the wake of the unlawful and politically motivated termination of my deputies by the Shannon County Commission, I have been the target of threats to my life, veiled innuendos, and an orchestrated campaign of harassment and smear tactics, Hogan said on Friday, July 4. These cowardly acts have not gone unnoticed. Hogan said that as an elected official, he will not abandon his duty because of pressure, threats or political games. The frivolous complaints and manufactured outrage being peddled are nothing more than smoke and mirrors, a desperate attempt to distract from the truth and undermine the trust the public has placed in this office, Hogan continued. Additionally, Hogan noted hes seeking a federal avenue in the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every threat, every harassing message, and every shady tactic has been documented and turned over to federal authorities, Hogan said. And no, its not the National Park Service. These matters are being taken seriously at the highest levels of federal law enforcement. SCSO AND COMMISSION AWAIT TRIAL THIS WEEK Ivan Schraeder, the Shannon County Commissions attorney in this matter, told Ozarks First on Saturday, July 5, that Hogans statement is one thats typical of (Facebook) communications. (Its) not a part of litigation, and it is consistent with our position as to the use of (Facebook), Schraeder said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The temporary restraining order granted earlier this week in favor of the SCSO ensures that the SCSO can continue full operations without disruption and that deputies and staff will receive pay until at least Wednesday, July 9, when trial is set to take place. Schraeder previously told Ozarks First the Commissions evidence that will be introduced in trial next week will make the public understand the situation. Additionally, Schraeder also said the SCSOs legal representation will have to prove the claims made in their petition claims of which Schraeder says are incorrect. The SCSOs petition claims Hogan has been forced to spend over $50,000 in expenses caused by the previous SCSO administration. Among several other claims, the petition alleges Hogan has the final decision-making authority to terminate deputies in accordance with Missouri law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Commissions second motion to dismiss the matter, they argue the SCSOs suit has a lack of jurisdiction for improper service, a conflict of interest, a failure to state a cause of action for which relief can be granted, and a failure to exhaust administrative remedies. Schraeder previously told Ozarks First the Commission has requested a $200,000 security bond for the rest of the fiscal year for the SCSO deputies, depending on how the trial goes. MORE INFORMATION The Shannon County Commission sent out a letter last month saying the Commission had reviewed the 2025 SCSOs budget, and the SCSO has used over 75% of the fiscal year budget as of June 11. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Due to repeated warnings and continued budget mismanagement by the Sheriff, the County Commission had no choice but to intervene, the Commissions press release said. Despite being alerted multiple times, the Sheriff has used 75% of its annual budget well before the end of the fiscal year, without implementing corrective measures. The Commissions release said Hogan would continue to receive his full annual salary of $81,000, but there were no funds remaining for deputy salaries for the rest of the year. Despite SCSO staffing cuts, the Shannon County Jail would still be in operation, along with dispatch services. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ROCKAWAY BEACH, Queens (PIX11) Two sharks seen swimming near visitors at Rockaway Beach in Queens caused a brief shutdown of the area on the Fourth of July, according to New York City Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry. The sharks were spotted along Beach 32nd Street just before 11:30 a.m. on Friday, along with another marine animal found near Beach 144th Street, Daughtry announced on the social media site X. More Local News (Credit: Kaz Daughtry) These sightings were very close to beachgoers. But thanks to drone tech, lifeguards, and the dedicated professionals at NYC Emergency Management, were keeping everyone safe as they enjoy the holiday, Daughtry posted online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beach 30th Street, where the sharks were last spotted, was closed for an hour but later reopened for swimming. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State It marks the second day in a row that sharks were spotted along Rockaway Beach. Daughtry says officials will continue to monitor the beach and keep New Yorkers updated on any additional shark sightings. 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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WEST DES MOINES, Iowa A local shelter is empty after they found foster homes for their animals to spend the holiday weekend in. Furry Friends spent the week finding foster homes for their animals in an effort to keep them comfortable over the weekend. Swimming not advised at 12 state beaches over the holiday weekend, DNR says The shelter is located across the street from where West Des Moines sets off its fireworks display. Staff says its too close for comfort and puts unnecessary stress on the animals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, this event is terrible for the animals. Fireworks are always difficult, and there are fireworks in the neighborhood. This display shakes the entire building, said Britt Gagne, with Furry Friends Animal Shelter. We watch them light the fireworks from our front window, see the people lighting them up. Its just way too close for these animals who have already been through a lot of trauma. The shelter had enough applicants to empty their shelter and give all their animals a stay-cation that will last through the weekend. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) For the first time, the Shreveport Farmers Market combines horseradish and horsepower. The Inaugural Shreveport Farmers Market Summer Car Show is coming to rev up an already popular event. Music, poster artwork, and more revealed for Red River Revel in Shreveport While there are no class or era restrictions, registration is required due to limited space. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and the top ten vehicles will be awarded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Official Shreveport Farmers Market aims to encourage a strong local food system; increase sustainability of independent local farmers, ranchers, and food producers; and foster stewardship of land and community through a public market. Food bank fears cuts to SNAP will force more to seek their help The Summer Car Show is Under the Pavilion in Festival Plaza on July 12, 2025, from 8 a.m. to noon, and the Farmers Market is open every Saturday from May 31 to August 23, 2025, at the same times and location. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. Medical experts and lawmakers are denouncing Elon Musk as cruel after a new study predicted that the billionaires efforts to help the Trump administration dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development could lead to more than 14 million deaths over the next five years. According to the analysis, published Monday in the medical journal The Lancet, programs funded by USAID prevented nearly 92 million deaths worldwide from 2001 through 2021. Researchers found that across 133 countries, the agency helped stop more than 25 million deaths from HIV/AIDS, about 11 million from diarrheal diseases, 8 million from malaria and nearly 5 million from tuberculosis. Using that data, experts calculated that 14 million people around the globe could die over the next five years because of the USAID cuts, including about 4.5 million children younger than 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement USAID became an agency of particular interest to Musk, as his so-called Department of Government Efficiency carried out President Donald Trumps mission to slash the federal budget. In February, Musk bragged on X that he spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper. A month later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the cancellation of 83% of USAIDs programs, saying they did not serve the core national interests of the United States. Rubios move had an immediate effect, as NBC News reported: The action brought many overseas humanitarian efforts to a grinding halt, leading to the closings of food kitchens and health clinics in underserved countries and in some cases delaying or stopping the distribution of lifesaving medications, bed nets to ward off malaria, nutritional packets for starving children and chlorine tablets to disinfect dirty water. Samantha Power, who led USAID during the Biden administration, told CNN that the effects that Musks cuts will have on global health are not something that any American should tolerate. Efficiency, were all for efficiency, but actually taking away programming that is saving lives thats just devastating, Power said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Timothy Caulfield, a professor of health law and science policy at the University of Alberta in Canada, called the prediction Sickening. Heartbreaking. Evil. Rachel Clarke, an English physician specializing in severe illness, seemingly singled out Musk, attributing the estimated death toll to one mans cruelty & venality. Congressional Democrats also shared their reactions to the study. Donald Trumps legacy: As many as 14 MILLION more deaths over the next five years thanks to USAID cuts made by him, Elon Musk, and his DOGE bros, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois wrote on X. Absolutely shameful. This administrations cruelty knows no bounds, Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington wrote in her own post. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com WEST VIRGINIA, WV (WVNS) The flag is flying high and so are the temperatures. Health officials have pointed out signs to look for this Fourth of July to avoid heat exhaustion and heat stroke. There is no shortage of reasons to get outside and enjoy the sunshine this Independence Day. The fun can turn dangerous fast if you arent practicing heat safety. The CDC says physical exertion and exposure to direct sunlight can increase risk of heat-related illness. Safety officials say, when it comes to heat safety, knowing the signs can make all the difference. Know the signs of heat stroke. All the time here we have people who are close to heat stroke and start overheating, said Sharon Dempsey Memorial Pool Head Lifeguard, Evan Laraba. High body temperature, redness of the face [and] the body, dizziness, feeling weak, feeling tired, feeling nauseous all those are signs that youre starting to get to hot and you should probably take a break and reset. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts have said if you stop sweating, become confused, or start to lose consciousness, it could mean a medical emergency. You should contact 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 WVNS. The smell of burning reached Berlin on Saturday as wildfires continued to rage in Saxony to the south of the German capital, and officials issued a warning to many in Brandenburg, the state that surrounds the city. The wind has shifted towards Brandenburg and is now blowing from the south, according to the operation command. The smell of the fire on the border between the two states has reached some in southern Berlin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While district officials recently said the situation was largely stable after efforts to contain the fire since it broke out on Tuesday, some 650 emergency workers were involved in the firefighting efforts in the middle of the day on Saturday. The emergency services in Brandenburg are bracing for the fire to flare up again in the region. "The situation could become even more critical in the afternoon when the wind picks up from the south and temperatures rise," said Martin Neumann, head of operations in the spa town of Liebenwerda. Local firefighters were expecting additional support in the form of firefighting helicopters from Bavaria in the course of the day, to back up the three already in operation. There is a further wildfire in Thuringia to the west of Saxony, where the state premier, Mario Voigt, thanked emergency response workers in a visit to the operations centre there. Officials called a state of emergency after the fire broke out on Wednesday for reasons that remain unclear. It has so far spread to an area covering at least 250 hectares, with firefighting efforts continuing. Its summertime, which means snakes (and soon, cicadas) are emerging. In the Triangle and central North Carolina, most of the snakes you might encounter are not venomous. If you do run into a venomous snake, its likely a copperhead the most common venomous snake in the area. Either way, you may be looking to keep snakes out of your yard. But how? Snake repellents, which may include moth balls, essential oils or products that can be scattered outside, have been floated as a way to deter the slithering reptiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But these methods are ineffective, Falyn Owens, a wildlife biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, previously told The News & Observer. Do snake repellents work? Several retailers sell snake repellent products that claim to keep the reptiles out. Some are powders or granules that can be spread around an area and are marketed as providing a strong odor or taste that deters snakes. Others claim to keep snakes away by vibrating the ground. Snake repellents claim to deter snakes, but their efficacy has been questioned. Chuck Liddy/File photo These products will not keep snakes out of specific areas, nor will any method other than completely containing the area and eliminating gaps and holes that allow snakes (and their prey) to enter, such as an enclosed building, Owens said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, multiple studies have shown that snake repellents are not foolproof. In a 1993 test of a commercial snake repellent, researchers at the University of California-Davis found that 12 gopher snakes crossed bands of the product sprinkled on the floor, suggesting that reliance on this snake repellent to provide meaningful protection from snakes is unwise. In a 1995 study, University of Nebraskaresearchers concluded that snakes tendency to find cover, refuge or a familiar habitat, or investigate an unfamiliar area was stronger than the deterrence of snake repellents and chemicals. Do mothballs keep snakes away? Scattering oils, including cinnamon or clove oil, and mothballs wont work either. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, noted in 2023 that cinnamon and clove oils could be used to spur snakes to vacate an area. However, the oils are not effective as a deterrent. Aerosol sprays that come into direct contact with a snake and not just applied to a hard surface may cause a snake to exit an area. The oils may also be used to fumigate an enclosed space, causing snakes to leave the treated space. Mothballs can cause illness in humans or pets and lead to poisoning. They usually contain insecticides naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene, according to NC Poison Control, and can be toxic if enough are ingested. Mothballs are also pesticides regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Using mothballs in a way not specified by the label is illegal, according to the National Pesticide Information Center. How to keep snakes out of your yard Besides containing an area and eliminating any gaps or holes that would allow snakes to slither in, theres no way to keep snakes out. A black snake curls around a bridge supports over Walnut Creek on the Walnut Creek Trail in Raleigh. Its nearly impossible to keep snakes out of an area without containing it and removing gaps or holes a snake could slither through. Robert Willett/rwillett@newsobserver.com But there are ways to reduce the presence of snakes outdoors, by making spaces less attractive to snakes: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mow grass and trim trees and shrubs. Remove ivy, low-growing plants, piles of wood or rocks where snakes and their prey can hide. Remove food sources that attract rodents snakes prey including bird feeders or pet food. Safety tips for copperheads and other snakes Its not unusual to come across snakes, including copperheads, this time of year. Here are best practices to keep in mind: Keep an eye open for snakes while outside. Watch where you step, especially if youre wearing sandals. Wear gloves if youre reaching into weeds, bushes or pine straw. Monitor dogs that poke their noses into areas where snakes may rest. Leave snakes alone if you see them. Ask the North Carolina Service Journalism Team Have a question about your community youd like answered? Or maybe a tip or story idea youd like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have a question about the Charlotte area , send The Charlotte Observer team a question by submitting questions to this form . If you have a question about Raleigh or a Triangle area community, send The News & Observer team a question by submitting questions to this form. Snake in a drive-thru? Boa found coiled under window of Triangle McDonalds Can NC snakes climb up fences, trees or the side of a house? Some can Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas has revealed one of her favourite traditions that keeps her grounded amidst her busy schedule. In a candid conversation with People magazine, Priyanka shared that every Sunday morning, she and her family make time for a ritual that she describes as "mandatory." "Sunday morning snuggles in bed," the 'Heads of State' actress told People magazine, adding, "They have to happen. It's mandatory." Despite her demanding work commitments, the actress ensures that this intimate family time is never missed. "Seven am, but we got 'em in," she said, speaking about the cherished moments she spends with her husband, Nick Jonas, and their 3-year-old daughter, Malti Marie. When asked about what brings her the most peace, Priyanka said, "Being home with my family.... The biggest luxury in our lives is being able to waste time together or spend time together and just be languid in it and not worry about having to go somewhere." She went on to describe her love for quiet moments, including her "guilty pleasure" of unwinding during those rare periods of stillness. "That one hour you might get when it's quiet in the house and you get to watch Love Island's new season with a glass of wine or maybe even a book, when I am supposed to be reading my scripts," she added, illustrating how important downtime is to her. But it's not just the serene mornings that Priyanka values. She also shared a humorous yet relatable tradition from her household, midnight snacking. "I do scavenge the fridge at night. I am that person... a big snacker," she admitted during a conversation with People magazine. However, she has a strategic approach to her late-night snack sessions. "I want to make sure I get the snack scavenging in while everyone's distracted with the movie because you can't do it after. If you do it after, there's too much attention on you, 'What are you eating?' And then everybody wants to eat and it becomes a meal and then I'm heating up food. You've got to sneak out during a really important part of the movie. So that's what I do," she said. Priyanka, who is currently starring in the action-comedy 'Heads of State', balances her career and family life effortlessly. In the film, she portrays an MI6 agent alongside John Cena, who plays the US president, and Idris Elba as the UK prime minister. The Ilya Naishuller-directed movie, which also stars Jack Quaid, Sarah Niles, and Carla Gugino, is now available for streaming on Prime Video. (ANI) Sun Herald readers weigh in on local and national topics. A liberals patriotism I proudly hung a USA flag on my fence this morning. Then I began reading the Declaration of Independence for the umpteenth time. All of us should re-read it thoughtfully every year. I find its declaration of beliefs and values touching, inspiring, and moving. They are why I am a committed American citizen born and raised here in the Deep South. I want to promote and defend those beliefs and values. Conservatives usually disagree with me about how to do that, but if we keep our disagreements within the bounds of the beliefs and values of the Declaration, and resolve our differences by means of well-informed debates and unintimidated voting, the USA will continue to be an engine of progress and a beacon of hope. Some celebration There are protests across America not against China, Russia or crime, but against law enforcement and President Trump. Happy 4th of July. Deceived After years of running on an agenda and promise not to touch Medicaid and Medicare, President Trump plans an Independence Day celebration on signing his bill that does exactly that. His supporters will ignorantly support him as he can now give billionaires their tax cut that cost trillions to the deficit. The Republican Congress are cowards to allow this just to protect their own jobs. Yes, lets prosecute I read a Sound Off talking about prosecuting protesters who vandalize to the fullest extent of the law. Did you feel the same way on Jan. 6? Or was that a day of love for you, too? The law should apply to both parties. Going in circles I had to spend time in New Jersey while employed at Ingalls. They had roundabouts, also known as traffic circles. If they are so great, why is New Jersey getting rid of them? All that winning Over the past month, President Trump has successfully ended wars, took Iran off the table and the BBB just passed. Priorities I cant believe with all the injustice in our country, the biggest issue on the Supreme Courts small mind is transgender people and if poor little Johnny has to hear a story about a gay family. As a gay person who grew up in the 80s, trust me it wasnt because of a story or a teacher. This is just the same bigotry and hatred that tried to use religion to justify racism. Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com. By Hyunjoo Jin and Cynthia Kim SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea's presidential security adviser headed to Washington on Sunday for trade and defence talks as Seoul discussed an extension of the freeze on U.S. tariffs that is set to expire within days. Wi Sung-lac, President Lee Jae Myung's national security adviser, aims to meet his counterpart, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "Consultations are now entering an important phase. Therefore, I am increasing engagement on my side," Wi said of the trade and defence talks without elaborating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. President Donald Trump has previously said that defence cost-sharing would be part of "one-stop shopping" negotiations with South Korea, though Seoul has said security issues were separate from trade discussions. Wi plans to "have in-depth discussions about all the pending issues between South Korea and the United States" in Washington over July 6-8, Wi's office said in a statement. He also said he plans to discuss a possible summit between Trump and Lee, who took office last month. TARIFF PAUSE EXTENSION South Korean trade minister Yeo Han-koo and U.S. counterpart Jamieson Greer on Saturday discussed an extension of the freeze on U.S. tariffs that is set to expire within days, South Korea's trade ministry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yeo emphasised that elimination or reduction of tariffs on autos, steel and other items should be part of a final agreement between the two countries while proposing a vision for cooperation in manufacturing sectors, the ministry said. "I believe the situation is urgent," Yeo told reporters during his second visit to Washington within a week. Yeo expected Trump to again suspend the higher tariffs that he has threatened to impose from August 1 after his July 9 deadline ends. (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin and Cynthia KimEditing by Christian Schmollinger and David Goodman) Nearly 50 libraries in the south and southwestern suburbs will receive more than $1.3 million in state funding as part of an annual grant program awarding more than 600 public libraries across Illinois $20 million. The Orland Park and Oak Lawn public libraries will receive the largest grant, at just over $86,000 each. Orland Park Public Library Director Mary Adamowski said the library plans to use the money to expand its collection of books and materials. We have a patron-driven collection, which means we purchase the materials that the community requests and materials that will help us fulfill holds faster, Adamowski said. These include fiction and nonfiction materials in both print and digital formats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following closely behind the top grant recipients, the Tinley Park Public Library will receive almost $83,000, which Director Zach Musil said will go toward purchasing books, movies, music, ebooks and other materials. That includes a memory care collection to provide resources for community members with Alzheimers disease and their caregivers. Musil said its crucial libraries receive this funding every year. If we dont receive that fundamental funding, it cuts into how much were able to purchase materials for patrons and for the community, Musil said. All other public libraries will receive between $2,000 and $60,000, depending on population size. Libraries will have two years to spend the funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two libraries qualified for matching grants for construction projects. Frankfort Public Library Director Amanda Kowalcze said they will use the $83,200 grant to help fund a large maintenance project. She said water leaks into the building during high rainfall, due to landscaping and building materials, and the project aims to fix the issue. It disrupts usage because we need to clear out the area and set up air movers and fans, and so its definitely something that has been a longtime struggle, Kowalcze said. Were all excited we dont have to worry about it going forward. Yet the funding for new technology in the south suburban libraries dwindled this year. Four Southland libraries qualified to receive technology grants, of either $12,500 or $27,500 depending on population size, compared to more than a dozen libraries that qualified for the same grant last year. The Richton Park Public Library received $27,500 in grants for technology resources while public libraries in Flossmoor, Posen and Thornton received $12,500. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, the Blue Island Library received a technology grant of $27,500, which Director Anna Wassenaar said funded the purchase of more than two dozen computers, along with computers for staff and a license to use Microsoft programs. Wassenaar said several of the computers were purchased in 2013. Were able to run programs much faster, Wassenaar said. We have updated software that the older computers couldnt run. Our older computers were sometimes glitchy and trashy because they were older, and modern software didnt want to run on them, so it did make it harder to serve the public as quickly and efficiently as we would like to. Libraries are only eligible to use the funding if they adopt the American Library Associations Library Bill of Rights that states the library will not censor or remove materials, as part of the states 2023 effort to prevent book banning. Several libraries in downstate districts have given up small grants under $4,000 to keep independence in making decisions on books. Illinois Deputy Secretary of State Scott Burnham said Thursday all 639 libraries receiving grants this year provided compliance with the associations standards on book banning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who is the state librarian, mentioned the Trump administrations executive action signed in March that ordered the elimination and defunding of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which Giannoulias said issues nearly $6 million annually to Illinois. Were doing things differently in Illinois, Giannoulias said in a statement. Instead of cutting funding that would limit learning and prove harmful to Illinois communities, were fighting for Illinoisans to ensure they have the funding and resources to learn, grow and explore today and in the future. Wassenaar said she is still concerned about the future of federal library funding. Some of these grants did run through federal funding that came into the state library and then the state library would distribute, so Im concerned that those grants might not be continued, she said. DENVER (KDVR) Southbound Interstate 25 has reopened after being closed for nearly three hours Saturday morning due to a fatal hit-and-run crash near southbound I-25 and 6th Avenue involving a motorist and a pedestrian. The Colorado Department of Transportation said the road is reopened as of 10:26 a.m. The Denver Police Department revealed just before 2 p.m. that the incident was a hit-and-run crash and is asking for the publics help to locate the driver. Police say the person who died was changing their tire on the right shoulder when they were hit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes avaialble. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Hit by a corruption scandal involving alleged kickbacks and sex workers, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's party shook up its top leadership Saturday and banned members from paying for sex. Sanchez, 53, is facing the biggest crisis of his seven years in power. That was heightened on Monday by the detention of a former top official in his Socialist party, Santos Cerdan, in an investigation involving allegations of corruption and hiring sex workers. In a bid to right the ship, the Socialist party announced that "soliciting, accepting or obtaining sexual acts in exchange for money" was now banned for party members, punishable by "the maximum sanction, expulsion from the party". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If we believe a woman's body is not for sale, our party cannot allow behaviour contrary to that," Sanchez said. "These are difficult times for everyone, without a doubt," he told party leaders at a meeting in Madrid, once again apologising for trusting those caught up in the growing scandal. But he also reiterated his refusal to step down. "The captain doesn't look the other way when seas get rough. He stays to steer the ship through the storm," he said. The party also announced a leadership shake-up, replacing Cerdan as its number three official with 44-year-old lawyer Rebeca Torro. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meeting started behind schedule after another close Sanchez ally, Francisco Salazar, who had been due to take a top leadership post, resigned. Online news site eldiario.es said Salazar had been accused of "inappropriate behaviour" by several women who had formerly reported to him in the party. Former transport minister Jose Luis Abalos has also been implicated in the investigation into kickbacks for public contracts. The conservative opposition People's Party (PP) held a meeting of its own, looking to capitalise on the Socialists' stumbles. "We're the only alternative to this state of decline," said PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo, calling his party the answer to Spain's divisions and "political fatigue". "Spaniards deserve a government that doesn't lie to them, that doesn't rob them but serves them," he said. al/jhb/jj By Charlie Devereux MADRID (Reuters) -Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's attempt to draw a line under a corruption scandal was overshadowed on Saturday by the resignation over sexual harassment allegations of an official he had just promoted as part of a shake-up of his Socialist party. Francisco Salazar offered to step down as a deputy in the organization's secretariat and asked for the allegations to be investigated, the Socialist party (PSOE) said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The PSOE said it would begin an investigation immediately, adding that no allegations had been made through its usual channels. Online left-wing news website elDiario.es quoted a PSOE employee who accused Salazar of making obscene comments about her clothes and body, inviting her to dine alone with him and asking her to sleep at his home while working in a role junior to him at Moncloa Palace, the prime minister's official residence and workplace. Reuters was not immediately able to contact Salazar for comment. The scandal involving Salazar came just as Sanchez was set to speak at the PSOE's headquarters in Madrid, where he was due to announce measures to assuage members of his party concerned about the damage to its reputation and its ability to survive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking an hour later than scheduled, Sanchez called for any woman suffering sexual abuse to use the channels provided by the party to report it. "If we believe that a woman's body is not for sale, then there can be no room for behaviour that contradicts this belief," he said, without mentioning Salazar. 'CAPTAIN DOES NOT ABANDON SHIP' On Monday, a Supreme Court judge ordered that former PSOE official Santos Cerdan be held in pre-trial detention after he was accused of orchestrating kickbacks in exchange for awarding public works contracts. Cerdan denies the allegations, which are part of a wider corruption inquiry threatening to destabilise Sanchez's government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The PSOE on Saturday named Rebeca Torro as Cerdan's replacement as secretary of organization and two deputies. Salazar would have been the third deputy secretary. Sanchez announced several measures against graft, including reforms to the party machinery "to avoid excessive concentration of power" and providing anonymity for whistleblowers. He remained defiant about his ability to continue governing. "The captain does not abandon ship when rough seas come, he stays to weather the storm," he said. The minority coalition led by the Socialists relies on a loose alliance of nationalist and far-left parties to pass legislation. Until now, those allies have said they do not plan to support the conservative People's Party's call for a no-confidence vote that would precipitate an election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senior party figures arriving at the PSOE headquarters were met with boos from protesters gathered across the road and were forced to raise their voices when declaring their support for Sanchez as the crowd chanted "out!, out!" While some said they were confident that Sanchez's reforms would defuse the scandal, others appeared more sceptical. Castile-La Mancha Governor Emiliano Garcia-Page described the scandal as one of the most serious in the half century since the restoration of democracy in Spain following the death of dictator Francisco Franco. "The leadership needs to understand that if it doesn't offer an exit, if it doesn't offer solutions, then it's part of the problem," he said. (Reporting by Charlie Devereux; Editing by Alex Richardson) The Seattle Police Department(SPD) says a man was arrested after he allegedly attacked someone with an axe during an argument in a Belltown alleyway. The fight happened on Friday evening at about 6:50 p.m. near Blanchard Street and 1st Avenue. Police say two men got into an argument and during the altercation, one of the men attacked the other with an axe, SPD said in a release. When police arrived, they were able to separate the two men. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers applied a tourniquet to the 57-year-old man who had been attacked. He had significant blood loss, severe wounds to his arm, and an injury to his head. The Seattle Fire Department brought the victim to Harborview Medical Center in serious, but stable condition. SPD says. Police say they took the axe as evidence and arrested and booked the suspect in the King County Jail. The details on what led up to the attack are still under investigation. Business Insider recently spent a night aboard a US Navy destroyer sailing from England to France. Our reporter got an inside look at daily life for sailors on USS Thomas Hudner. Sailors explained what they like about being on the ship, as well as some of the challenges. ENGLISH CHANNEL About a year and a half before Business Insider stepped aboard the US Navy destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, the ship was battling hostile drones in the Red Sea. Kill marks can be seen painted on the warship, which recently found itself again wrapped up in the violence in the Middle East. BI's stay aboard the powerful warship at the tail end of May and into June was significantly quieter by comparison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The roughly 24 hours spent aboard the Thomas Hudner as the ship crossed the English Channel from England to France to mark the 81st anniversary of the D-Day invasion offered a glimpse into what life is like for the warship's sailors as they handle missions while grappling with the grind of daily Navy life. Setting sail, two tugboats pulled the 500-foot-long Arleigh Burke-class destroyer away from the pier and into a crowded harbor. Sailors in their dress blues stood manning the rails as people on the shore looked on with great interest. Getting the warship underway at Portsmouth was a whole-of-ship effort, with sailors from the bridge to the combat information center and from the flight deck at the stern to the bow all playing a role. Sailors man the rails as destroyer USS Thomas Hudner leaves Portsmouth. Jake Epstein/Business Insider Sailors chat on the helipad on the destroyer's stern after removing the lines from the pier. Jake Epstein/Business Insider Thomas Hudner navigates through the crowded Portsmouth harbor. Jake Epstein/Business Insider Cmdr. Cameron Ingram, Thomas Hudner's commanding officer, told me that each of the 300-plus sailors aboard has a "vitally important" job keeping the ship operating smoothly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're one big complex machine, and I am just a single component within it," he said. "A ship needs a captain, yes. But a ship needs lookouts, and a ship needs folks to do laundry, a ship needs people to do maintenance on weapons systems and damage control systems, and to stand watches." "As much as the crew needs me to do my job, I need them to do their jobs every single day, because I cannot do my job if they aren't doing theirs," Ingram added. Dinner that evening came early and consisted of pizza, pasta, and Brussels sprouts. I ate with officers in the wardroom, where the World War II film "Saving Private Ryan" was playing on a TV in the background. Officers eat and chat in the wardroom. Jake Epstein/Business Insider A passageway in the ship feels like a tight space. Jake Epstein/Business Insider Multiple crew members are on the destroyer's bridge at any given moment. Jake Epstein/Business Insider Considering the purpose of the destroyer's voyage across the English Channel, the famous Steven Spielberg movie was a fitting choice. It's recognized as one of the most realistic portrayals of the Allied invasion of Normandy ever recreated in film, capturing the horrors of the daring operation to secure the foothold needed to break Nazi Germany. The warship I was on was churning the same waters that the massive D-Day fleet had sailed 81 years earlier, thousands never to return home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following dinner, the ship's skipper delivered a lengthy announcement over the ship's announcing system praising the crew and offering a preview of the coming D-Day events. He ended the broadcast by playing a song over the loudspeaker from the musical "Les Miserables," a nod to the visit to France. I spent the evening wandering around the ship, observing sailors as they did their jobs and listening to them talk about life on the destroyer and in the Navy in general. Life aboard a destroyer is demanding. Sailors operate in tight quarters, sharing berthing spaces and working long hours to keep up ship operations. Daily routines center on watch rotations in areas like the bridge, CIC, and engineering spaces to ensure the vessel stays mission-ready. Despite the challenges, such as limited personal space and time away from family, sailors value bonds with crewmates, the service and sense of purpose, the resilience fostered aboard the ship, and the opportunity to travel. Engineers work inside the Central Control Station, where they can see the status of the ship's power and propulsion systems. Jake Epstein/Business Insider A sailor monitors the seaspace near the ship. Jake Epstein/Business Insider Crewmembers direct the ship's movement from the bridge. Jake Epstein/Business Insider "I've been all over the world," Petty Officer 1st Class Anna Watson, who manages the computer infrastructure for the ship's combat systems, shared. She came to Thomas Hudner, a ship homeported in Mayport, Fla., from the Navy's 7th Fleet, the command that oversees the Indo-Pacific region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I've been to Japan, Thailand, South Korea places like that and now I get to see Europe," she said. "Definitely one of the benefits of being in the Navy, and being on a ship in the Navy, is you get to see most of the world. So that's pretty cool." Some sailors BI spoke with that night pointed to the opportunities for professional growth that come with a deployment and working on a ship. Chief Petty Officer Olaf Sampson, the head electrician, said being in the Navy and serving on a deployed warship is "a great stepping stone for young people to get into," where they can establish independence and learn a skill or trade. Sailors brief the navigation plan for arriving in France. Jake Epstein/Business Insider Ingram, the commanding officer, works at the desk in his captain's cabin. Jake Epstein/Business Insider Sailors enjoy some downtime next to one of the helicopters. Jake Epstein/Business Insider Petty Officer 3rd Class Aiden Grimes, who works with the warship's embarked helicopters, finds the problem-solving aspect of his job very appealing. "You don't have a lot of people to go to, so you have to figure it out yourself, and I like doing that," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lt. John Wacker, who flies an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, has previously deployed with a littoral combat ship and a cruiser, but this was his first time doing so on a destroyer, which he described as the "main force" of the Navy's fleet; the service has 74 DDGs, the most of any ship class. He said it was "cool" to watch how the crew operates on the ship. The experience isn't easy, though. Deployments mean months away from family and friends, with port visits few and far between. And the requirements and scheduling can also change on a dime and give way to a high tempo of operations that can be stressful. In the fall of 2023, for instance, the Thomas Hudner became one of the first American warships to engage in combat against Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who had just started their attacks on Israel and international shipping lanes in the Red Sea. Those battles marked the start of a prolonged campaign for the Navy, which sent multiple aircraft carriers and warships, like Thomas Hudner, to the Middle East to fend off Houthi attacks. The Pentagon even extended some deployments, putting additional stress on crews with a difficult mission. My bed, a.k.a. rack, after I halfheartedly made it. Jake Epstein/Business Insider My private bathroom, or head, for the night. Jake Epstein/Business Insider My breakfast the following morning. Jake Epstein/Business Insider More recently, not long after the ship participated in D-Day events in France, the Thomas Hudner was dispatched to the Eastern Mediterranean along with four other destroyers to help shield Israel from Iranian ballistic missile attacks. The Navy warships collectively scored multiple interceptions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Houthi and Iranian engagements underscore the need for sailors to always be ready for the possibility of a new mission. That high state of readiness, however, can take its toll. Military roles come with different pressures compared to life in the civilian world. When it came time to rest that night on the destroyer, I retreated to the stateroom I had been assigned, which resembled a small command center with a pull-out bed and an en suite bathroom. It was my second time spending the night on a Navy ship. Last year, I embarked overnight on the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during a Red Sea combat deployment. The room was on the colder side, and I didn't sleep more than about an hour, though that had more to do with my insomnia than anything else. Without WiFi or cell service, I played games on my phone just to pass the time until breakfast, which was pancakes, eggs, corned beef hash, and a few much-needed cups of coffee The destroyer approaches port in France. Jake Epstein/Business Insider Our final destination, the military port at Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. Jake Epstein/Business Insider Sailors pull a mooring line as we arrive in port. Jake Epstein/Business Insider After breakfast, I made my way up to the ship's bridge to watch as we approached the scenic French coastline and my final stop, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. The destroyer sailed slowly into the port, accompanied by tugboats, and methodically pulled up alongside the pier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The following process of dropping the anchor and using the massive lines to secure the destroyer in place the reverse of what the crew did in Portsmouth was as intricate and lengthy as it was in England. It involves tough, manual labor, but for some, that's part of the appeal of serving on a ship. "There's also something kind of majestic, if you will, about pushing a gigantic piece of iron war machinery through the water," shared Chief Petty Officer Chris Miller, who is responsible for the destroyer's self-defense systems. "It takes a lot to make this thing move, and there are a lot of moving pieces to it." "It's very intricate in design and very sophisticated, but it's also very powerful," he added, summing up his thoughts with: "It's awesome." Read the original article on Business Insider The Brief Conservancy groups say the National Park Service will be impacted by the "big beautiful bill." Lawmakers voted to pull back more than $250 million from the National Park Service. The cuts will impact areas here at home, like the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and the Martin Luther King Junior National Historical Park. National park advocates are sounding the alarm after lawmakers voted to pull back more than $250 million from the National Park Service, which they say could affect staffing at locations like the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED: SNAP benefit cuts in 'big, beautiful' bill and impact on Georgia explained What we know Conservancy groups say the National Park Service will be impacted by the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill," which was signed into law by President Donald Trump on Friday during the White Houses Fourth of July festivities. "This is a triumph of democracy on the birthday of democracy," the president said. "It's the most popular bill ever signed in the history of our country, whether you're military or anybody else. This is the most single, most popular bill ever signed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Parks Conservation Association says the bill claws back $267-million of previously committed funding for park staffing nationwide. The group says the funding loss will impact parks from coast to coast, including ones right here in Georgia like the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and the Martin Luther King Junior National Historical Park. The National Parks Conservation Association says it comes as the park service has already lost 24% of its permanent staff this year. More funding is on the chopping block. In May, the Trump Administration released its 2026 budget recommendation, which aims to slash more than a billion dollars of funding from the park service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Parks Conservation Association said the park service has been underfunded for a while, and they are calling on Congress to change that and not make it worse. RELATED: Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' could impact 750K Georgians' access to healthcare What they're saying The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is a popular place; Just ask Christa Russie who comes here several times a year. "It is a lovely place to go when it's hot," she said. "Looking around us for other things to do in the city, it would be a couple hundred dollars to bring the whole family, so this is a nice and inexpensive way to get out and enjoy the day." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But this place could soon face some trouble as Congress pulls back some funding. "Without these kinds of critical resources and without the ability to hire our staff, we fear that the resources that people are going to see will be hurt," said Chad Lord, with the National Parks Conservation Association. "Those open spaces might look like you can just go and visit them, but they do take individuals to be able to preserve them for future generations." For visitors to the Chattahoochee River on Friday, the cuts are bad news. "This is a place that requires a lot of upkeep and a lot of maintenance, and once it starts getting bad, then it just continues to do so and fewer, fewer people come," Russie said. The Source Information came from the "Big Beautiful Bill," the National Parks Conservation Association, The National Parks Service, and the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. A former nurse says she looks back at her career with "very fond memories" as a hospital celebrates its 150th anniversary. Stroud General Hospital moved to its current site in 1875 and provides the surrounding area with inpatient and outpatient services, including a minor injuries and illness unit. Wendy Phillips, who trained in the late 1960s, said while the hospital was now "indescribably different", it was a "lovely" and "friendly" place to work at. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes as former and current hospital employees come together to celebrate the milestone at a number of events, the first being a service at Holy Trinity Church in Stroud on Sunday. Ms Phillips, who "thoroughly enjoyed her training" at the hospital, said it involved two years living at the site and described the "green and white striped dresses with white aprons" worn by the nurses. "It [being a nurse] wasn't a chore, I enjoyed every minute of it and looking back now it is very fond memories," she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paul Lazelle told BBC Radio Gloucestershire he started work as a porter at the hospital in 1975, shortly before the centenary celebrations. "We did everything from delivering laundry to the wards, food as well, sorting post, sorting out taking deceased to the mortuary," he said. "Pretty much everything that nobody else wanted to do was our job," he added. The hospital moved to its current site in 1875 [Gloucestershire NHS Trust] He said he liked the job so much he became head porter in 1981, remaining in the role full-time for nearly 30 years and only fully giving it up around three years ago. Even now, he volunteers one day a week in a shop run by Stroud Hospitals League of Friends, which supports the site with equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matron of Stroud and Vale Community Hospitals, Liz Lovett, said she was "really proud" of the hospital's "incredible service" and staff would be celebrating in a number of ways, including a picture competition with local schools. "This is an opportunity to thank everyone who has made Stroud General Hospital what it is today," she added. Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. More on this story Related internet links Actor-comedian John Leguizamo recently opened up about the lessons he learned from his past. In a recent interview with PEOPLE, the 64-year-old star spoke about how his first marriage helped him grow into a better man and husband. He was married to actress Yelba Zoe McCourt from 1994 to 1996, before marrying his current wife, Justine Maurer, in 2003. According to PEOPLE, in the new season of his MSNBC docuseries, the actor joked to chef Melissa Araujo of Alma in New Orleans while discussing the gentle touch of shaping dough for Honduran baleadas: "If I had your advice, maybe my first marriage would've survived." When asked by PEOPLE what he learned from his first marraige, Leguizamo said, "The starter marriage was definitely very important for my maturation." For Leguizamo, it was a "life-learning experience," because he doesn't think he would be the same husband or man if he hadn't gone through the experience of the first marriage. "I learned a lot about respect. I learned a lot about compromise. I learned that it doesn't happen by itself -- that marriage is really work, and you gotta work, and you gotta put work into it, and you gotta put yourself into it," he added. Leguizamo, who shares two children with Maurer -- daughter Allegra, 25, and son Lucas, 24 -- believes one of the keys to a lasting relationship is staying involved in each other's lives. "You really gotta stay interested in each other, and do things together," he said, according to PEOPLE. Meanwhile, on the work front, the actor's upcoming show Leguizamo Does America season 2 is set to premiere on July 6 at 9 p.m. ET on MSNBC. New episodes will air every week through August. (ANI) The Labour governments China policy is a shambles. It did not list China as a top threat under its new foreign-influence rules even though the government admits that China has undermined Britains economic security and engaged in espionage and acts intended to undermine democracy. The governments failure to apply these rules means that China, and China-controlled entities, do not have to register their activities with the British government. Those who lobbied against designating China as a top-tier threat argued that it would have a chilling effect on closer economic ties. The China lobby carried the day. Its part of a pattern that sees London determined not to offend China ahead of Keir Starmers rumoured trip to Beijing later this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China will continue to play a vital role in supporting the UKs secure growth, David Lammy, the foreign secretary, said last week in a speech announcing the countrys new engagement policy, the China Audit, tucked inside the UKs National Security Strategy. The government seems set on emulating the golden years, when David Cameron and Chinas leader Xi Jinping shared a pint at a British pub, even as the danger posed by China grows more pronounced. Cooperate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must, coos Labour, but theres little challenge. Why has Labour gone off the rails with its China policy? Starmers background as a human rights lawyer and Labours historical concern for human rights have fallen victim to a mistaken belief that China will somehow save the British economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starmer is right to focus on economic growth. But hes looking for it in the wrong place. Despite being the worlds second-largest economy, China registers below France as a British trading partner, and remains an insignificant investor. China dominates trade between the two countries, with its almost 70 billion exports to Britain, more than double the 29.7 billion Britain sends to the Peoples Republic. Britains exports to China fell by 3.8 billion, or 12 per cent, in 2024 and accounted for only 3.4 per cent of the countrys shipments abroad. The EU and US made up 63.8 per cent of the total. The investment picture is even less promising, with Sino-British investments well under one percent of total investments. With its economy faltering under a sustained property crash, China hardly seems like the market of the future, notwithstanding the boasts of Rachel Reeves, who says she signed deals during a trip to Beijing in January that would bring an additional 600 million in benefits to Britain over the next five years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Britain has proven unwilling or unable to hold China to account for breaching its treaty obligations under the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Britain handed Hong Kong to China in exchange for a promise that the colony would enjoy its tradition of freedom and would be protected by the common-law system. China shredded that agreement. In the five years since Beijing imposed a vague and sweeping National Security Law on the city, nearly 2,000 people have been jailed on political charges. Newspapers have been forcibly shuttered, and the last remaining pro-democracy party this week announced it has been forced to disband. Jimmy Lai, a newspaper publisher and British citizen, remains in solitary confinement in Hong Kong, jailed for more than 1,600 days because of his commitment to free speech and his desire to uphold the values that Britain bequeathed to its former colony. British diplomats have not even been able to meet with Mr Lai to provide consular access. In London, officials prepare to approve a mega-embassy, Chinas largest diplomatic outpost in Europe, despite opposition ranging from London residents to US politicians. The irony is that this will do little for the economy all while undermining the very national security that its designed to protect. During her trip to Beijing in January, Rachel Reeves published an opinion piece in The Times titled, Choosing not to engage with China is no choice at all. Thats setting up a strawman. No one is suggesting that engagement with China should be cut off. But engagement should uphold the British values of freedom, liberty, and the rule of law rather than rewarding China for its lawless behaviour. Mark Clifford is president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation and the author of a biography of Jimmy Lai. 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. Jul. 4The man investigators say shot and killed two Idaho firefighters near Coeur d'Alene in a brazen ambush started to behave strangely the year leading up to the shooting, his roommate said. Wess Roley, 20, moved into TJ Franks' Sandpoint apartment last year. Franks told The Spokesman-Review he didn't initially believe his roommate was the one who started the fire on Canfield Mountain and later shot and killed 52-year-old John Morrison and 42-year-old Frank Harwood, two local battalion chiefs. A third firefighter, David Tysdal, was also shot and wounded. "I couldn't tell you why firefighters," Franks wrote in a message. "It makes me so sad because they protect us from fires and save lives, not take them." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The roommates met through a tree service company Roley was working there at the time, and Franks was interested in applying. They chatted, and Roley told him he wanted to go into the logging business. Because Franks knew some local loggers, he thought he could help. Roley eventually moved in with Franks, he said. "He told me he was living in his van and I needed some help with rent, so I offered," Franks said. Toward the end of Roley's time living there, "there were signs" things weren't going well, Franks said. Roley had shaved his head, talked less, barricaded the bathroom door with a chair and repeatedly walked around with little clothing on. "I tried to have to have sit-downs with him to see if he would start picking up after himself and it just made him frustrated," the roommate said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials say Roley engaged in a shootout with police June 29 after the killing of two firefighters. Law enforcement, after a few hours of searching, located Roley's body with a shotgun underneath him. He died by suicide, according to Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris. They have yet to determine a motive for the deadly ambush. Roley had acquired knives and swords, but no guns, Franks said. The observations of Roley's roommate are just one piece of what investigators will look at to try to answer the questions remaining following the double homicide: "Why?" said Joe Giacalone, an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. "You always look for that third piece," he said, after means and opportunity, "the motive." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's always an important aspect of the investigation," he said. "You want to see if there was an opportunity if they could have prevented it." Following a number of school shootings throughout the U.S., investigators often later found that shooters had previous contact with law enforcement. "You always want to prevent the next one," Giacolone said. "You want to stop a copy cat." Attorney Justin Whittenton, of Scottsdale, Arizona, is representing Roley's mother and family in Arizona. He indicated earlier this week that the family was cooperating with investigators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "At this time, we, the family of Wess Roley would like to offer our most heartfelt condolences to the families of those whose lives were taken and to the community of Coeur d'Alene at large," the statement reads. "There are no words that can suffice for this tragedy and the infinite losses suffered by those affected by this shooting. We do not understand why this happened or how this came about." In addition to talking to friends and relatives, Giacalone said investigators likely are looking at anything Roley posted to social media for clues as to his state of mind. "They will run to Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Those are the easy ones," he said. "But there are other opportunities out there. Sometimes there are games and online journals, where they can post things. "There is some information in the dark web and sites that you and I have never heard of." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giacalone did some of that work in the 20 years, from 1992 to 2012, when he worked for the New York Police Department. He was a sergeant in the detective squad. For a time, Giacalone said he helped to supervise the Bronx Cold Case Squad. It had about 8,000 open cases at the time dating back to 1992. He now mostly teaches criminal investigative classes at John Jay College. One thing that could hamper the Kootenai County Sheriff's investigation is Roley's age, Giacalone said. Roleymay not have had time to build enough of a physical or online persona to help investigators. The closest parallel case, Giacalone said, was the assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. Authorities immediately identified Thomas Mathew Crooks, 20. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What's going on with 20-year-old males that make them want to do this? Or a school shooting," he said. "Specifically targeting firemen who are unarmed and they are walking into a situation where they think they are trying to help somebody. That's another layer." That shooting nicked Trump, but it critically injured two people and killed 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, who reportedly was shot while shielding his wife and family. Comperatore, of Butler, Pennsylvania, was an engineer. He was also a volunteer firefighter. "We haven't heard anything on that case," Giacalone said of the Crooks investigation. "He almost assassinated a presidential candidate. We haven't even heard anything from the administration he tried to kill, which is extremely odd. I just don't think the answers are there." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Spokane and Coeur d'Alene communities may eventually find the same problem explaining why, as investigators allege, Roley ambushed firefighters on Canfield Mountain. "It's frustrating. It's something the public needs to know," Giacalone said. The killings in Coeur d'Alene, assassination attempts and school shootings damage not just those people who are involved, he said. "It affects the entire community. Firefighters have a job of saving people," Giacalone said. "I understand anger towards the police, but not the fire department. I don't think I could understand that. I don't think anybody could." State police investigating deadly crash on I-95 in Foxboro One person was killed in a crash on Interstate 95 in Foxboro on Saturday morning. The crash happened on the northbound side of the highway near Exit 15, a Massachusetts State Police spokesperson told Boston 25. A nurse passing the scene attempted to treat the victim, but they ultimately died from their injuries. We would like to praise a nurse who arrived on the scene and used their training and skill to render aid, state police said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video from the scene showed a mangled vehicle being loaded onto a flatbed tow truck, and it appeared that at least one other vehicle was involved in the crash. The northbound lanes were closed after the crash as crews investigated. Traffic was backed up for miles. Detectives assigned to the Norfolk District Attorneys Office are leading an investigation into the crash. The name of the victim hasnt been released. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW LENEXA, Kan. The race for governor in the Sunflower State may get another name. State Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes is considering a run for the position. If Sykes got in, shed be the second major Democrat to announce shes running. In an interview with FOX4 on Monday, Sykes told FOX4 shes having conversations about that and trying to decide whats best for her and her family. How Trumps megabill will impact health care Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the interview, she also said it will be interesting to see who else gets into that race. The Republican fields stacked with former Governor Jeff Colyer, current Secretary of State Scott Schwab, and former Johnson County Board of County Commissioner Charlotte OHara. Current State Senate President Ty Masterson will likely get into the race too. Friday, we asked Johnson County Community College Associate Professor of Political Science Andrea Vieux what other Democrats could get into the race. On that side, we know State Senator Cindy Holscher has already gotten in. Whether theyll be as high profile candidates as someone like Cindy Holscher, or Dinah Sykes, or Dave Toland, is probably not going to happen just in terms of the Kansas Democratic Party and who they have available, Vieux said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX4 reached out to colleagues of Lieutenant Governor David Toland Friday. We did not hear back in time for our deadline. It wouldnt surprise me, Vieux said when asked if it would surprise her if Toland did not get into the race. Again, going back to the early Cindy Holscher announcement and maybe that playing into the calculation of other potential Democrats. The Democrats dont want to have a highly contested primary, and so, once you have a big name in there, it sort of does reduce the probability that other big names will come out and put their name out there. Emporia State Political Science Professor Michael Smith says Holscher does not have statewide name recognition right now. Holscher lives in Overland Park. See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shed have to do a lot of work, Smith said Friday. But Im not sure Laura Kelly did either when she first started. Among political insiders, of course, but not among the rank-and-file voter, and the other piece of that of course Jonathan is raising money and having the connections to be able to raise money, being a State Senator really helps with that. Smith was one of FOX4s guests on this Sundays episode of 4 The People. Smiths interview will air in its entirety July 6 at 10 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 FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. Washington Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson, center, met with several statewide elected officials in June to discuss how federal funding cuts under discussion in Congress and by the Trump administration could impact the state. (Photo courtesy of Washington governors office) Slow revenue growth continues to pinch state budgets across the country, leading governors to propose spending cuts, hiring freezes and some tax increases. In its spring survey of states, the National Association of State Budget Officers found that general fund spending will hold steady in fiscal 2026 as states expect limited revenue growth but increased costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though most states are meeting or exceeding 2025 revenue projections, a growing number are downgrading their revenue expectations for the next fiscal year, Shelby Kerns, executive director of the national association, said in a news release. In a number of states, were seeing expenditure projections outpacing revenue growth, forcing policymakers to make hard choices in order to balance their budgets, Kerns said. States typically wrap up budget work by the end of June, with the next fiscal year beginning July 1. Kerns said the organization anticipates states may need to make mid-year budget adjustments depending on upcoming federal changes in tax policy and spending. In recent years, many states have been flush with an influx of federal pandemic aid and strong tax revenues from a booming national economy. But with the end of pandemic aid, an uncertain economic future and deep cuts to state taxes, many lawmakers this year confronted major budget challenges in statehouses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just weeks after signing a budget that required deep spending cuts and increased taxes, Washington Democratic state Gov. Bob Ferguson told state agencies to prepare for even more belt tightening. We will very likely continue to face a challenging state budget environment in the coming year and anticipate increasing caseloads and ongoing uncertainty in the economy and federal funding, said a June 4 memo from the governors budget director to agency leaders, according to the Washington State Standard. Still, many states continue to tout major levels of reserve funds. The National Association of State Budget Officers found at least 30 states expect to maintain a rainy-day fund balance exceeding 10% of their general fund expenditures. This year, 29 states grew their reserve funds, with the majority of states expected to continue to grow their savings next fiscal year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Tennessee, general fund revenue growth is slowing, but state leaders were able to rely on $1.5 billion in unspent state funds and $700 million in interest earnings from federal pandemic funds, the Tennessee Lookout reported. Despite tighter fiscal conditions, states overall remain in a solid fiscal position with rainy day funds at near all-time highs, low debt levels, and strong credit ratings, David Thurman, Tennessees budget director and current association president, said in the groups news release. Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at khardy@stateline.org. This story was originally published by Stateline, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. A student draws with chalk on an outdoor court at a New York City public school in 2022. If states dont receive billions in congressionally approved funding for K-12 education that the Trump administration is withholding, officials say programs for migrants, English-language learners and kids in need of after-school care will be at risk. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) The U.S. Department of Educations decision this week to hold back $6.8 billion in federal K-12 funds next year has triggered alarm among state education officials, school leaders and advocacy groups nationwide over how the lack of funds will affect their after-school, enrichment and language-learning services. The Trump administrations decision to freeze the funding has put states in triage mode as they scramble to decide what programs may be cut without that funding, said Mary Kusler, senior director for the Center for Advocacy at the National Education Association. The money was approved by Congress to support education for English language learners, migrants, low-income children and adults learning to read, among others. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of July 1, school systems are unable to draw down funding, jeopardizing summer programs, hiring and early-year planning for the 202526 school year. The funding freeze affects several core programs: Title II-A (educator training and recruitment), Title III-A (English learner support), Title IV-A (student enrichment and after-school), as well as migrant education and adult education and literacy grants. Trump has proposed eliminating all those programs in his proposed budget for next fiscal year, but that proposal hasnt gone through Congress. State superintendents sent out missives to school districts early this week and now are scrambling to make choices. This is not about political philosophy, this is about reliability and consistency, Alabama state Superintendent Eric Mackey said to Politico this week. None of us were worrying about this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The administration says it is reviewing the programs. The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the Presidents priorities and the Departments statutory responsibilities, the U.S. Department of Education wrote to states in its announcement Monday. Historically, the department releases allocations by July 1 to ensure schools can budget and plan effectively for the coming school year. Withholding the money could result in canceled programs, hiring freezes and the loss of essential support for English learners, migrant children and other high-need populations, education and state officials told Stateline. Americas public school leaders run district budgets that are dependent on a complex partnership between federal, state, and local funding, said David R. Schuler, executive director of the School Superintendents Association in a statement. For decades, school districts have relied on timely confirmation of their federal allocations ahead of the July 1 start of the fiscal year ensuring stability, allowing for responsible planning, and supporting uninterrupted educational services for students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states facing the largest withheld amounts include California ($810.7 million), Texas ($660.9 million), and New York ($411.7 million), according to data from the NEA and the Learning Policy Institute, an education think tank. For 17 states and territories, the freeze affects over 15% of their total federal K-12 allocations, according to the Learning Policy Institute. For smaller jurisdictions such as the District of Columbia and Vermont, the disruption hits even harder: More than 20% of their federal K-12 budgets remain inaccessible. Colorado Education Commissioner Susan Cordova urged school districts to begin contingency planning in case funds are not released before the federal fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond hinted at possible legal action, which has become a trend as states fight the second Trump administrations funding revocations or delays. California will continue to pursue all available legal remedies to the Trump Administrations unlawful withholding of federal funds appropriated by Congress, Thurmond said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The NEA and the NAACP have filed for a preliminary injunction, calling the administrations delay an illegal impoundment a violation of the federal Impoundment Control Act, which bars the executive branch from withholding appropriated funds without congressional approval. Education advocates warn the recent decision by the Trump administration to withhold funding reflects a broader pattern of federal disengagement from public education. Community nonprofits said the withholding could devastate their programming too. The Boys and Girls Clubs of America could have to close more than 900 centers bringing the loss of 5,900 jobs and affecting more than 220,000 children, said President and CEO Jim Clark in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 1974 Impoundment Control Act lets the president propose canceling funds approved by Congress. Lawmakers have 45 days to approve the request; if they dont, its denied. Meanwhile, agencies can be directed not to spend the funds during that time. A White House statement shared with States Newsroom this week said initial findings have shown that many of these grant programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical leftwing agenda. Kids, educators, and working families are the ones losing, said Kusler, of the NEA. We need governors and communities to step up now. Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at rsequeira@stateline.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stateline, like the Idaho Capital Sun, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX On WOOD TV+: Watch Vietnam Veterans Stories: A Lost Generation at 9 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. KENTWOOD, Mich. (WOOD) Nearly 60 years after the mortars stopped falling, John Kooistra still carries pieces of the Vietnam War. Not metaphorical, but real shrapnel: cooled, metallic shards that once glowed red with heat from enemy rounds exploding near his base camp in the Central Highlands. That would tear you into pieces, he said, matter-of-factly. Vietnam veteran John Kooistra holds shrapnel collected while he served in Vietnam. Kooistra, now approaching 80, was 21 when he was drafted and sent halfway around the globe to serve with the U.S. Armys 551st Light Maintenance Company. It was 1966. The war was escalating. The government needed soldiers. Kooistra, a recent graduate from Grand Rapids Christian High School, became a corporal, a clerk and a reluctant witness to one of Americas most contested conflicts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They bulldozed an area for us to live, he recalled. We lived in 10-man tents. It was a backward country it was jungle. Watch: Vietnam Veterans share their stories 50 years after the fall of Saigon He filed the war, memo by memo, from a clanking base camp carved out of tropical forest, surrounded by 10,000 other men. His job wasnt combat. It was paper. Still, the war found him. The Viet Cong would usually lob a few mortar rounds at the base camp, he said. You never knew which direction it came from, never knew how far back. It could be miles away. There were no front lines. There were no clean edges. The war seeped into everything: the air, the soil, the trees and, later, into the lungs and bloodstreams of the men who served there. A courtesy image of John Kooistra in Vietnam. For Kooistra, like tens of thousands of veterans, the fight never really ended. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We didnt know about Agent Orange until we got back here, he said. You find out afterwards. Agent Orange was the governments answer to an invisible enemy. Sprayed from planes over dense vegetation, the toxin was meant to strip the jungle bare to expose the Viet Cong. What it did instead was poison the land and the soldiers. Some spots they sprayed more than any other, Kooistra remembered. We were in some of those spots. It took decades for the effects to reveal themselves. In his mid-60s, he began noticing symptoms. His balance shifted. His hands trembled. Doctors eventually gave it a name: Parkinsons disease. The likely cause, they told him, was Agent Orange. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It just gets steadily worse and worse, he said. I dont blame anyone here, but the government is taking responsibility, even now. Southwest Michgan man recieved Medal of Honor for saving lives in Vietnam After the war, Kooistra came home to West Michigan, to the same girl who had waved him off in 1966. They married, raised a family and built a life. She remains by his side today as his partner, caregiver and witness to his slow-motion battle with an old, invisible foe. He doesnt talk politics. He never really did not in the jungle, and not now. But he wants people to remember. Not to glorify. Just to remember. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You see all the names on the memorial 50,000 that never came back, he said quietly. For what? In the end, we lost it all. Or gave it away. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. As millions of people journey to South Carolina beaches this summer, some will share the water with unwelcome companions. Dubbed sea poisoning, ocean itch and even seabathers eruption, sea lice can sully a beach day with itchy, stinging rashes. Despite their parasitic moniker, sea lice arent actually lice. They dont suck blood or have much in common with head lice. Sea lice is an umbrella term that many people use to describe a wide variety of tiny, stinging plankton or nekton, said South Carolina Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Erin Weeks in an email. These can include sea butterflies (pteropods, a type of sea snails), jellyfish larvae, blue crab larvae, and other unidentified crustacean larvae. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what beachgoers should know about these tiny, sometimes painful, sea creatures before hitting the coast this summer. Why sea lice irritate swimmers While they dont bite, sea lice irritate skin, especially around hair and apparel. The tiny creatures are too small to be identified by the human eye, but leave behind irritating rashes, which Tidelands Health Family Medicine physician Dr. Sean Nguyen describes as similar to poison ivy and other contact rashes. Its really not the direct contact with your skin, Nguyen said. When you go in the water, its areas where the lice or larvae are getting between your hair thats wet, or your bathing suit, or anywhere if youre wearing a rash guard or any type of shirt, it just gets in between that space and kind of irritates. The severity and scale of a rash depends on the sea lice encountered and how a persons skin reacts. Where are sea lice found? Sea lice are found in salt water across South Carolinas coast. The speck-sized creatures get carried by the tides, so if you or someone else on the beach encounters them, its probably best to steer clear for a while. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because they are often plankton, which drift with the currents, sea lice tend to be quite localized, Weeks said. If theyve been reported in the area, you can often wait or try another stretch of beach to avoid them. When are sea lice most common? People tend to encounter sea lice most often in the summer. These arent well studied and its difficult to speak in general terms about a number of different organisms, but, naturally, reports are highest in the hot summer months when the largest number of beachgoers are in the ocean, Weeks said. While its unclear if certain species are more populous along South Carolinas coast in the summer, Nguyen agrees human contact is most frequent during the vacation season. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We say about April to August, thats when the waters usually have the highest possibility of having these lice in the water, said Nguyen. Thats when youre going to come into contact with them. Removing sea lice from clothes Nguyen says swimmers affected by sea lice should exit the water as soon as they notice irritation and remove swimwear and clothes as quickly as possible. Because sea lice can get trapped in apparel, its better to thoroughly rinse the body and hair off in the nude. After swimwear and clothing have trapped sea lice, its a good idea to thoroughly wash them. Exposure to heat can also help kill any remaining sea lice left over. But ultimately, if apparel continues to cause issues, it may be time to part ways. If its just severely irritating, your skin is breaking out, sometimes we recommend just getting rid of the bathing suit, if you feel like its still irritating you even after youve cleaned it, Nguyen said. How to treat sea lice Once people stung are rid of their apparel, its best to rinse off as soon as possible. Although Nguyen generally recommends using lukewarm water, temperature can be adjusted hot or cold, depending on whats comfortable and provides relief from itching and stinging. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rinsing with saltwater and acidic solutions like vinegar can also help dislodge or neutralize stinging cells from the sea lice, according to Weeks. After the area is clean, topical treatments like ice or aloe can help manage discomfort or pain. Similar to insect bite treatments, topical creams can also help ease irritation and slow a rash after skin is exposed to a toxin. What youre trying to do is kind of prevent the spread of the rash, said Nguyen. Once your body kind of recognizes that its been foreign body or foreign irritation is there, it tries to create a chain reaction to create a larger rash. For milder rashes, antihistamine cream and calamine lotion may help, while more severe irritation may benefit from steroid creams. No matter how badly a rash itches, its important to resist the urge to scratch, which will irritate the skin further. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of these rashes will go away on its own once you get away from the exposure, Nguyen said. Some people will have to take an antihistamine, an allergy pill, a Zyrtec, a Benadryl to calm the rash down. When to seek medical help While most sea lice rashes heal with little issue, some people may experience complications. Nguyen recommends reaching out to a doctor or medical provider if exposure produces more severe reactions, like fever, headache or nausea. I tell all my patients, if its something you just want any provider to look at, contact your doctor, Nguyen said. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) The mother of exiles, the green goddess, Lady Liberty. Las Vegas, as it turns out, is a melting pot of statues of liberty. Four ladies to be exact. 8 News Now wanted to know the history of her sisters in town, and how they got there. We started with the smallest of the bunch. Located at the corner of Sahara Avenue and Lindell Road, the statue atop DiBella Flowers & Gifts is recognizable. And hard to hold onto. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Somebody was going to borrow it permanently, but we stopped it before it happened, John DiBella, owner of the flower shop, told us. He moved in after construction along Charleston Boulevard pushed the business out. The family-run, 40-year business moved into the building under the statue, which was holding a bulb almost as big as she is. We actually electrified her bulb up above that, shes holding up high, and she always will be electrified, DiBella said. The business is blossoming, but we found out she didnt bloom when this flower shop opened. This building became available. Joe Esposito from Liberty Lock said, Do you want to buy my building? I said, Well, why not? DiBella said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This statue? Yeah thats the smaller one, Esposito told us. Esposito, owner of Liberty Lock and Key, added the icon to his storefront, even wrapping matching images on the 30 locksmith vans. But in order to understand why, we need to go to a different Lady Liberty. The smog check kiosk inside the West Sahara Replica holds the title as the second-largest in Las Vegas. It was dedicated in 1981 at Liberty Square. You might think it has something to do with the Liberty Tax business behind it, but Esposito explains: I was in the bottom of that cutting keys when everything past Decatur was nothing but dirt out there, Esposito said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the 80s, Esposito ran this as his third location. A kiosk with a fitting identity for his company, Liberty Locksmith, which he founded in 1977. Esposito said it was one of his employees who learned the replica was being built. After seeing a poster, they sprang to claim the spot. I hung a banner on this actual the Statue of Liberty over there, three keys for a dollar, he said. His iconic storefront generated a collection of his own, and a historic impact in Las Vegas as it brought him into contact with some recognizable faces. Theres ol George Knapp, Esposito said as an image went by on a display in the store. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Next, we go to the largest one of the bunch at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino. Construction in 1995-96 shows the replica that was built at half scale, standing at about 150 feet. The statue was showered with fireworks when it was unveiled in 1997. After the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City, the Las Vegas site became a monument of mourning. On 911 anniversaries, onlookers and firefighters honor the fallen as each year passes. But outside of the patriotic, specifically, this face has been the center of controversy. The face of the Las Vegas statue was used on a U.S. stamp that went on sale in 2010. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robert Davidson, sculptor of the Las Vegas statue, realized the mistake in 2013. He characterized his statue as unmistakably different from the original, noting a fresh-faced, sultry, even sexier design. A judge awarded Davidson $3.5 million over the mistake. Finally, a 10-foot-tall Lady Liberty replica stands at the corner of Flamingo Road and Maryland Parkway. The statue stands in front of Liberty Apartments. The name and the statue, according to county records, appeared around 2017. Thats when the apartment complex changed its name from Liber-two. The change came with a new face. So if you get a chance, look up and try to spot all four statues lighting up Las Vegas this Fourth of July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Students participating in the Jacksonville Public Librarys summer reading program enjoyed painting volcanoes and watching the simulated eruptions Wednesday. This week, second through fifth grade students painted volcanoes made from plastic water bottles, cardboard and paper mache. Then they poured in the ingredients which, when combined, simulated lava flows. IMG_0768.JPG Roland Nelson watches as his volcano begins to erupt Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the students present, including Roland Nelson, age 6, said they had attended other group activities but the volcanoes were the favorite. Nelson, according to mother Beth Nelson, has read 100 books to date during the program. Beth Nelson said the program is great, but lamented that it isnt run throughout the entire year. They have so much fun, she said, noting the children can get out, socialize and participate in the activities. She also stated the librarys summer reading program was great for home-schoolers. IMG_0771.JPG Lucas Clarks (left) volcano erupts as brother Jayden Richards finishes painting his volcano. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lucas Clark, age 8, was also among those stating the volcano was his favorite activity. Older brother Jayden Richards, 10, said he preferred the puff painting. Clark said he had read nine books the past week, while Richards said hed read seven in the same time frame. Bella Wyatt, age 9, said she liked the volcanoes best as well. She said she likes to read the Cat Kid Comic Club books. Her grandmother Anity Wyatt said the summer program was good because it gives children something to do. IMG_0775.JPG Bella Wyatt appears pleased at how her volcano erupts during an event at the Jacksonville Public Library. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sibling trio Adalinda Rico, age 12, Daisy Rico, 10, and Mateo Rico, 6, were participants at Wednesdays event. They agreed that making the erupting volcanoes was a favorite activity. Adalinda enjoys reading books from the "Dog Man" and "Baby-Sitters Club" series. Daisy said she likes fantasy books while Mateo prefers super heroes. Their mother Victoria Cardenas said the program was great because it encourages reading and increases reading skills. She also praised the book buck program saying it taught children to work for the things they want. IMG_0773.JPG Sisters Adalinda Rico and Daisy Rico observe as their volcanoes erupt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the reading program, participants read books and turn in their reading logs to earn book bucks. Those book bucks can then be used to buy items from the programs store such as books, bubbles, Barbies and other toys. Reading program activity times are divided by age groups. Second- through fifth-grade students meet at 10:30 a.m. and teens meet at 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Children 18 months through first grade meet at 10:30 a.m. with an all-age activity scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Movie matinees are shown at 2 p.m. Mondays with "Inside Out 2" scheduled for July 7 and "The Super Mario Bros." movie for July 14. So far this summer, we have had an amazing and colorful time making paint, making slime and making friends, said Samantha Lytle, childrens services coordinator.There are two weeks left of summer reading but it's not too late to sign up and read to win prizes. Come make some colorful memories. Crayfish-lotus farming generates wealth for farmers in C China's Hunan People's Daily Online) 13:53, June 30, 2025 In Qiaokou town, Wangcheng district of Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, lotus blossoms are in full bloom in expansive ponds. Beneath the lotus leaves, lively crayfish dart about. Located along the Xiangjiang River and near Dongting Lake, Qiaokou town enjoys abundant water resources. Cui Song, director of the Wenheyou Crayfish Industry Research Institute, is an aquaculture expert with years of experience in aquatic breeding and research. He said that the growth cycle of crayfish cultivated in lotus ponds perfectly aligns with that of lotus plants. In 2019, Qiaokou town partnered with Hunan Wenheyou Crayfish Co., Ltd. to establish a demonstration base spanning over 1,000 mu (about 66.67 hectares) and launched the Wenheyou Crayfish Industry Research Institute. That September, Cui and his team arrived in Qiaokou and began developing crayfish farming techniques. Aerial photo shows a crayfish-lotus farming base in Qiaokou town, Wangcheng district of Changsha, central China's Hunan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Wangcheng District Committee) "Based on Qiaokou's favorable natural conditions, we developed a new farming model which not only enhances the taste of the crayfish, but also boosts villagers' incomes," said Cui. The farming model aligns crayfish cultivation with the lotus growth cycle. In spring, baby crayfish are introduced, with the first harvest occurring before the lotus buds emerge. During summer, as the lotus flowers are in full bloom, the second batch of crayfish thrives in the ponds. After the lotus flowers wither in autumn, nutrient-rich pond sediment helps fatten the final harvest. Beyond crayfish farming, villagers also fully utilize lotus seeds, leaves, and other byproducts to maximize resource use. Photo shows off-season crayfish farmed at an ecological breeding base in Qiaokou town, Wangcheng district of Changsha, central China's Hunan Province. (People's Daily Online/Wu Xiwei) The villagers also use different ponds for raising baby crayfish and for growing crayfish to market size. This separation improves both yield and quality. Photo shows a lotus pond in Qiaokou town, Wangcheng district of Changsha, central China's Hunan Province. (People's Daily Online/Wu Xiwei) From 2020 to 2024, the crayfish yield per mu of pond increased from 50 kilograms to 225 kilograms in the town. Qiaokou has 12,200 mu of ponds dedicated to lotus-crayfish cultivation, with annual crayfish production reaching 2,750 tonnes in 2024 and a comprehensive output value exceeding 250 million yuan (about $34.87 million), said Liu Shuai, Party chief of Qiaokou town. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Television host Joy Reid advised President Donald Trump on the dangerous precedent he could set if he makes good on threats to deport U.S. citizens. On Thursday's episode of "The Joy Reid Show," the eponymous host issued a stark warning to Trump: denaturalizing U.S. citizens could lead to the deportation of his Slovenian-born wife, Melania. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2006. "If you give the president of the United States monarchical-like powers to say, 'I don't like your views, I don't like your take on issues, I don't that you're too liberal, you're not conservative enough, I'm just gonna take away your naturalized citizenship,' well... if we ever get a Democratic president, they could say, 'I don't like Melania Trump. She wasn't born here. She was born in Slovenia. She is a naturalized citizen. She's outta here,' Reid said while interviewing Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). Reid's comments come on the heels of Trump's threats to deport Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic lawmaker who just won New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, and Elon Musk, his former advisor. Both men are U.S. citizensMamdani was naturalized in 2018 and Musk became a citizen more than two decades ago in 2002. On Tuesday, as his feud with Musk reignited over the passage of Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" Trump told reporters he'd "look" at deporting the tech billionaire. The following day, Trump took aim at Mamdani: "As President of the United States, I'm not going to let this Communist Lunatic destroy New York. Rest assured, I hold all the levers, and have all the cards," he wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday. "I'll save New York City, and make it Hot and Great again, just like I did with the Good Ol' USA!" Trump also discussed the possibility of deporting U.S. citizens while touring "Alligator Alcatraz," Florida's newest ICE detention facility, on Tuesday. "They're not new to our country. They're old to our country. Many of them were born in our country. I think we ought to get them the hell out of here, too, if you want to know the truth," Trump told reporters. Reid isn't the only one whose taken Trump to task over his deportation threats. In an opinion piece for The Guardian, South African political commentator Justice Malala said Trump's warnings send "a chill down the spine." "Democracy is dimming fast in the United States, but threats to deport US citizens for disagreeing with the governing administration's policies are the domain of authoritarian regimes such as Belarus or Cameroon," Malala wrote. Mamdani himself also commented on the President's threats to deport him, calling them an "attack on our democracy" and "a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: If you speak up, they will come for you." Meanwhile, Trump took to Truth Social on Saturday to wish a happy July 4th to "Heroic ICE Officers fighting every day to reclaim our Sovereignty and Freedom." Originally published on Latin Times Julian McMahon's ex-wife, Brooke Burns, remembered the actor with a heartfelt message for the actor who passed away at the age of 56. McMahon, who is known for his roles in Nip/Tuck, Charmed, FBI: Most Wanted, and the 2000s Fantastic Four movies, died in Florida after a battle with cancer. The 47-year-old actress and model took to Instagram on Saturday, July 5, to post a photo of Julian and their daughter, Madison McMahon, who is now 25. "Rest in peace," Burns wrote over the sweet picture, which showed Julian and Madison smiling, their faces close together. https://www.instagram.com/p/DLtq0itOCW3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Julian and Brooke were married from 1999 to 2001. Their daughter Madison was born in June 2000. Burns is now married to director Gavin O'Connor, while Julian had been married to Kelly Paniagua since 2014. Julian McMahon passed away on July 2 in Clearwater, Florida, after a battle with cancer. He was 56. His wife, Kelly, shared the news in a statement on July 4, according to PEOPLE. "Julian loved life. He loved his family. He loved his friends. He loved his work, and he loved his fans. His deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible," she said. "We ask for support during this time to allow our family to grieve in privacy. And we wish for all of those to whom Julian brought joy to continue to find joy in life. We are grateful for the memories." The Australian actor was best known for playing Cole Turner on Charmed and Dr. Christian Troy on Nip/Tuck. He also led FBI: Most Wanted and appeared in superhero movies like Fantastic Four and its sequel as the villain, Victor Von Doom. Julian made his final public appearance in March of this year at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in Austin, Texas, to promote his film The Surfer, alongside actor Nicolas Cage. Following his death, several of Julian's co-stars shared tributes, including Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs, Rose McGowan, and Ioan Gruffudd. (ANI) BINGHAMTON (WIVT/WBGH) Local school districts are learning the importance of nutritious food in students success. Last week the SUNY Broome Culinary Center hosted the Farm to School Culinary Experience Training which was offered to the 15 school districts across Broome and Tioga Counties. The CCE of Broome County partnered with Broome Tioga Boces Nutrition Services and the Rural Health Network of South Central New York to put on this training that about 175 school nutrition service workers attended to better their culinary skills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hannah Rion, the Farm to School Coordinator with the Rural Health Network says that school nutrition workers are essential to this cause. Theyre the front line to students and they can encourage students to try new things. So we really want them to be engaging with students and empowering them to try these recipes that weve worked so hard to taste test and procure, she said. The nutrition workers participated in four different stations including a food safety in schools workshop, knife skills, learning to use a large food processor and making New York street corn salad. Schools across Broome and Tioga counties will soon be serving locally sourced meats and produces that signify the programs name of farm to table students can look forward to the new recipes being added to the menu next school year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34. BOSTON (SHNS) The Legislature this week agreed to use nearly $500 million in surtax revenue to deliver a major boost to K-12 school funding, a move that some see as fulfilling the voter-approved mission of the tax on high earners while others warn it strays from the original promise of funding new education and transportation initiatives. The budget that lawmakers sent to Gov. Maura Healeys desk Monday includes a $496 million expansion to the states Chapter 70 funding that provides education revenue for local school districts. The money is being drawn from revenue generated by the 4% surtax on annual income over $1 million, approved by voters in 2022 through a ballot question, also called the Fair Share Amendment. That single line item (1596-2450) accounts for just more than 20% of the $2.4 billion in surtax spending lawmakers agreed to for the fiscal 2026 budget. It represents a shift in how that revenue is being used and it has drawn mixed reactions even among the groups that campaigned for the surtax in the first place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This budget was crafted with concern over what is going on at the federal level, Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page said, referring to anticipated cuts from Congress and President Donald Trumps administration. Though the union previously warned against using surtax funds to replace routine and recurring education spending, Page said this years context made the decision more understandable. But, importantly, we certainly would hope that this much to fulfill the SOA wouldnt be a part of next years budget, he said, referring to the 2019 Student Opportunity Act, which is phasing in more than $1.5 billion in additional funding for districts over seven years. The way its been working, which we really approve of, is the regular budget funds the SOA investments, and we can do new investments like higher minimum aid, universal school meals, capital fund investments, through Fair Share. The fiscal 2026 budget increases Chapter 70 funding by $460 million over the previous year, according to the Senate Ways and Means Committee and funds that increase with surtax dollars. In addition to supporting the fifth year of SOA implementation, the $496 million line item for so-called SOA expansion also includes a sharp increase in minimum per-pupil aid, from $104 to $150. In past budgets, similar increases to Chapter 70 were paid for through general state revenues. The shift this year raised red flags for those who view the surtax as a way to go above and beyond standard funding obligations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Voters overwhelmingly approved the Fair Share Amendment to enable new investments in public education and transportation not to plug existing budget gaps, said Bahar Akman Imboden, director of the Hildreth Institute, a research center focused on equity in higher education. She said she was disappointed to see nearly $500 million being used to backfill K-12 spending. Imboden warned that reallocating surtax revenue to cover existing commitments could undermine recent progress in spending surtax dollars on higher education, which has included making community colleges free and financial aid expansions. Those initiatives are continued in this budget, but she warned, without corresponding investments in campus capacity, student supports, and infrastructure, the gains weve made in encouraging more Massachusetts students to pursue higher education will falter. About 11% of the surtax revenue in the fiscal 2026 budget is allocated to higher education, according to the Hildreth Institute a roughly $5 million decrease from the previous year. On average, higher education line items saw a 0.5% increase in the fiscal 2026 budget, the Institute noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In previous years, surtax funds have been used to launch major new programs like universal free school meals, fare-free Regional Transit Authorities and free community college for all Massachusetts residents. Those are continued in the fiscal 2026 budget. Groups who backed the surtax saw those programs as examples of using the money for supplementing, not supplanting existing spending on education and transportation through general revenue. In the first budget cycle after the surtax passed, the MTA issued an analysis praising the Legislatures approach. Importantly, Senate Ways and Means, the House and the governor use Fair Share Amendment revenue in the FY24 budget only for new programs and expenditures, the union wrote. Regular annual increases for state programs, including a $595 million increase for Chapter 70 and more than $62 million for Special Education Circuit Breaker, are funded out of general state revenue not Fair Share revenue. This years decision breaks from that precedent. But a policy analyst from a think tank that backed the surtax campaign says the change was likely necessary in the face of economic uncertainty, tighter general revenues, and a difficult fiscal year for most school districts around the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are more new things you could do if you werent using so much of it for Chapter 70, so its hard to see in isolation. Its complicated, said Colin Jones, deputy policy director at the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center. But this year when we hear talk about things like the impact of the trade war, tariffs, the economy and the federal budget, theyre building flexibility with this maneuver to increase Fair Share to cover basically all of the Chapter 70 increase this year, he said. That frees up general funds to do other stuff. And flexibility in this environment is pretty good. The Raise Up Massachusetts coalition, which led the ballot campaign to pass the surtax, also defended the Legislatures approach. The Constitution doesnt allow specific appropriations in a ballot measure, so it gives the Legislature the ability to spend the money on the priorities that they choose, and we expect that those priorities may shift and evolve as time goes on, said Andrew Farnitano, a spokesperson for the coalition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farnitano pointed to the strength of surtax revenue collections as a sign the funding stream can be relied upon for major investments. The intention of the amendment was to give the state the resources to make these decisions and have these conversations through the budget process, where we have the resources that are necessary, he said. When asked about concerns over the volatility of surtax revenues which depend on high-income earners Farnitano responded, The evidence so far is showing that Fair Share revenues are very strong and can be counted upon. Indeed, the Department of Revenue reported in May that it had collected nearly $2.6 billion from the surtax between July 1, 2024 and April 30, 2025 exceeding the total for all of fiscal 2024 with two months of fiscal 2025 still to be counted. Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz has said total fiscal 2025 surtax collections could approach $3 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, general tax collections have plateaued. From the House floor Monday, House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz made the case for moving Chapter 70 obligations into the surtax category. This shift will further limit any potential exposure with general fund revenue while holding to our commitment to fully fund the fifth year of the Student Opportunity Act, he said. This reduction in overall spending will better prepare the commonwealth for potential economic turmoil in the months ahead. Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues office also cited the unexpectedly high surtax receipts as a factor in the decision to expand its use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In light of higher than initially estimated Fair Share collections, we felt comfortable increasing the conference amount to allow for transformative investments in education and transportation, said Rodrigues spokesperson Sean Fitzgerald. Still, critics worry about setting a precedent that allows baseline education costs to be paid for with what was pitched to voters as a tool for innovation. While we understand FY2026 presents fiscal challenges, Massachusetts has one of the strongest rainy day funds in the country; reserves that exist precisely to help us sustain progress during hard times, Imboden said. Now is the moment to honor the will of the voters and ensure that Fair Share dollars are used to move us forward, not simply to hold the line. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. CHICAGO (WGN) One person was arrested for carjacking a man, assaulting a woman and beating police officers who tried to take him into custody Friday night in The Loop. Chicago police said the incident happened at around 11:55 p.m. Friday in the 0-100 block of South Wabash Avenue. According to police, the suspect was blocking the street on South Wabash Avenue. When officers arrived, the suspect beat the officers and resisted arrest before being taken into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple shootings claim 4 lives in Chicago late Friday night into Saturday morning Upon further investigation, officers discovered the suspect had earlier removed a 36-year-old man from the mans vehicle and drove off, hitting the man with his vehicle, according to investigators. Police said the suspect then crashed the mans vehicle, got out and later hit a 53-year-old woman in the face. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines The man who was hit by the vehicle and the 53-year-old woman were both taken to Northwestern Hospital. Authorities said the man was preliminary reported to be in serious condition, while the woman suffered minor injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charges are pending against the suspect and Area Three Detectives are 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 WGN-TV. GOSHEN A Middlebury man accused of killing a recently released sex offender has received an October trial date. Nicholas Stanley, 35, is charged with the murder of 35-year-old Allen Cogswell at a north Elkhart motel on June 24. Police believe Stanley had ties to Cogswells victim in his 2018 conviction for child molesting and possession of child pornography, and tracked him down weeks after Cogswells release from prison. Stanley received a preliminary jury trial date of Oct. 6 during his initial hearing Thursday in Elkhart County Circuit Court. Judge Michael Christofeno entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf and appointed the public defenders office to represent him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elkhart County Deputy Prosecutor Ashley Fair pointed out that Stanleys family opened a GoFundMe to raise money for him. Christofeno remarked that the $13,000 it had gathered as of Thursday was nowhere near enough to hire private counsel. Mr. Stanley, if you get somebody to take your case for $13,000, you had better take a good look at them, Christofeno said. You need competent counsel, young man. The fundraiser was set up by Gessika Stanley, who describes it as a way to help meet the needs of her brothers two children while hes in jail. Nicholas Stanley asked the judge if it was possible to get a bail amount set. Hes currently being held in the Elkhart County Jail without the possibility of bonding out, which Christofeno told him is the standard for a murder charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murder starts out as a no-bond crime, the judge said. Im not going to say the law doesnt allow a bond. Thats something to discuss with your attorney. Nicholas Stanley was arrested shortly after the 1 a.m. shooting, based on witness descriptions and surveillance camera footage. Investigators identified a vehicle that the suspect was thought to have fled in, and traced it to the Middlebury home where he lives with his dad. Stanley allegedly claimed that he believed Cogswell was still in prison. His father said they both knew what room Cogswell was staying in at the motel, and that a shotgun was missing from the residence, according to police. A man set the door of a synagogue alight and a group of protesters stormed an Israeli restaurant in Melbourne on Friday night, the latest in a wave of antisemitic attacks in Australian cities. About 20 people were inside the synagogue in the downtown area of East Melbourne when a man poured flammable liquid on the front door of the synagogue on Albert Street before setting it on fire, Victoria state police said. The group was having Shabbat dinner, marking the beginning of the Jewish day of rest, when the attack took place at 8 p.m. local time, Alex Ryvchin, the co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), wrote on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one was injured and firefighters extinguished the small blaze, police said, adding that the perpetrator, who remains unidentified, fled the scene. Just over 1 kilometer to the west on Hardware Lane one of the citys most popular areas for restaurants and nightlife about 20 protesters stormed into an Israeli restaurant, chanting slogans, police said. A 28-year-old was arrested for hindering police, and has been released on a summons. The group was chanting Death to the IDF before arriving at the restaurant, CNN affiliate Nine News reported, citing witnesses. Staff at the restaurant, Miznon which launched in the Israeli commercial hub Tel Aviv in 2011 before opening a branch in Melbourne acknowledged the incident when contacted by CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking at a press briefing, Acting Commander Zorka Dunstan of Victoria state police said officers were also investigating a third attack early Saturday morning in which three cars were set on fire near a business in the northeastern suburb of Greensborough. Suspects spray-painted the cars and the walls of the buildings, she said, adding that the business has been targeted by pro-Palestine protesters in the past. The security investigation unit, part of the counter-terrorism command, is investigating all the incidents, though police have yet to declare whether they constitute a terrorism incident, Dunstan said. We will examine the intent and the ideology of the persons or person involved, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many among Australias 117,000-strong Jewish population are anxious after spate of antisemitic attacks in the countrys two biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, since late last year including arson attacks on synagogues, and swastikas scrawled on buildings and cars. The latest attacks drew condemnation from officials and community leaders on Saturday. Denouncing the synagogue attack on X Saturday, Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan said it was designed to shatterpeace and traumatize Jewish families. That it happened on Shabbat makes it all the more abhorrent, she added, noting that children and women were among the people present at the venue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any attack on a place of worship is an act of hate, and any attack on a Jewish place of worship is an act of anti-Semitism, she said. Melbournes Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece described the attack as shocking, according to Nine News. I cannot condemn this sort of behavior in stronger terms this is a city of peace and tolerance, and we will not stand for this, he said. Ryvchin, from the ECAJ, urged the nation to condemn these deplorable crimes. Those responsible cannot be reasoned with or appeased. They must be confronted with the full force of the law, he wrote on X. Israeli President Isaac Herzog joined in condemning the attacks in a post of his own on X, urging Australian officials to take all steps necessary to protect their Jewish citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not the first such attack in Australia in recent months, Herzog wrote. But it must be the last. Likewise, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office released a statement Saturday calling on Australia to take all necessary measures to bring the perpetrators to justice and to prevent such attacks in the future. This story has been updated with additional developments. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Locals might know that South Carolina played a key role in fighting the Revolutionary War. They might even know of the famous Battle of Beaufort that happened across the Port Royal Sound almost 250 years ago. But as the spotlight of history shines on Beaufort, less attention has been paid to the stories of Hilton Head Island during this pivotal moment in American history. Although no major battles were fought on Hilton Head during the Revolutionary War, the plantation owners on Hilton Head and Daufuskie were divided by more than just the waterway between them: historians write of intra-island wars that took place between the neighboring islands as Americans fought for independence elsewhere in the country. Neighboring islands at odds At the time of the Revolutionary War, Hilton Head was occupied by about twenty-five families, most of whom were staunch patriots in favor of independence. Yet just across the Calibogue Sound, residents of Daufuskie remained loyal to the British Crown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So it was that while the battles raged from Bunker Hill to Yorktown, Hilton Head and Daufuskie islanders fought out the revolution in miniature between themselves, writes Virginia C. Holmgren in her book, Hilton Head: A Sea Island Chronicle. Hilton Heads fertile plantations became a target for foraging and raiding parties of British soldiers, oft aided by Loyalist Daufuskie planters. The fighting continued even after the surrender of Lord Cornwallis on October 19, 1781. Plantations razed to the ground Lieutenant John Talbird, who owned a home on the banks of Skull Creek with his wife, Mary Ann, was wounded and captured by the British during the Revolutionary War, Holmgren wrote. His wife, pregnant with their second child and caring their firstborn son, was at home when a party of British soldiers marched up the path to her home and began lighting torches. When Mary Ann met with the British officer leading the party, she was surprised to find that he was the husband of her sister, Isaac Martinangel. The officer informed her he had orders to burn the houses along Skull Creek to the ground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps feeling sorry for his sister-in-law, Martinangel ordered his troops to haul all of the furniture outside and place them between a large oak tree before burning down the house. According to author Margaret Greer in her book, The Sands of Time: A History of Hilton Head Island, the British burned down every plantation on Skull Creek and carried off captured slaves to be sold in the West Indies during the war. The story of a fathers death avenged After the Skull Creek raids, Hilton Head patriots were on high alert. Word came one night in December 1781 that another raid was planned. The patriots saddled their horses and patrolled the southwest shore to look out for raiders, but no one came. Just before dawn, the lookout party decided to head back to their homes. As the party rode through the northeast corner of the island, where the road bends around Broad Creek, planters Charles Davant and John Andrew were riding ahead of the others when they something moving in the trees ahead. A shot rang out, and Davant slumped in his saddle. His horse reared and raced for home, with Davant still clinging to the saddle, bleeding from the chest. As the story goes, Davant caught a single glimpse of his murderer as he dashed away. He arrived home to his young son standing outside. As he fell from his horse, Holmgren writes, he uttered the name of his killer with his last breath: Martinangel ... Get Martinangel ... Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A band of Island patriots called the Bloody Legion sought revenge later that year. Led by John Leaycraft, the patriots raided and pludered the Martinangel residences on Daufuskie Island and slaughtered Captain Martinangel. Whether the killers were murdering wretches or heroes depends on the point of view, Holmgren writes. To this day, Davant is known as Hilton Heads only Revolutionary War fatality. A historical marker at the intersection of U.S. 278 and Folly Field Road keeps the story alive for passing islanders and tourists. Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel infamously known for pocketing rental income from his Caribbean cottage without disclosing it has apparently left behind a modest estate, court records show. Rangel, who died May 26 at age 94, had assets worth only $300,000, according to Manhattan Surrogate Court filings. That is far less than his net worth of more than $1.7 million upon his retirement from Congress in 2017, as reported by the watchdog group Open Secrets. Congressman Charles Rangel died in May at age 94. Getty Images The current assets of the once-powerful chair of the Houses Ways and Means Committee were not detailed in court filings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His daughter, Alicia Rangel-Haughton, was named executor of the Democrats estate. The late representatives property is to be placed in the Charles Bernard Rangel Revocable Trust, the assets of which were not disclosed in a will signed March 31, just nine weeks before his death at Harlem Hospital. Rangels financial misbehavior and other ethical questions dogged him throughout his decades-long career, long before The Post outed his business dealings in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Alicia Rangel-Haughton will serve as executor of her fathers estate, court records show. REUTERS He was criticized right from the start of his career when, in the 1960s, he took a low-interest loan from a New York City program meant to help the poor and used it to renovate his familys Central Harlem home, turning the property into rental apartments one of which he used for himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Decades later, Rangel was caught using four rent-stabilized apartments in Lenox Terrace for himself, including one he used as a campaign office. He parked his vintage Mercedes for free in a House of Representatives garage; was questioned for his participation in junkets to the Caribbean sponsored by corporations and lobbyists in violation of House rules, and eventually copped to omitting as much as $780,000 in assets from financial disclosures he filed in the 2000s. He was also slammed for using Congressional stationery to solicit donations for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College of New York, a move which broke House ethics rules. Rangel, seen here in 2010 leaving his Harlem home, was thought to be worth more than $1 million when he retired from Congress in 2017. Ben Parker for NY Post A week after The Posts 2008 expose revealed Rangels ownership of the three-bedroom, three-bath casita No. 412 at a beachfront resort in Punta Cana which he rented out for between $500 and $1,100 a night he confessed hed failed to disclose rental income from the property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rangel failed to declare $75,000 in income from the sun-drenched property, he eventually admitted. He unloaded the villa in 2010 and made a handsome profit. In December 2010, Rangels financial misdeeds earned him a censure from his Congressional colleagues. He retired from Congress in 2017. TUPELO Well before competition season began, Tupelo Community Theatre was faced with the task of choosing a play to cast and stage. There was method to making the ultimate choice. Local attorney and a fixture at TCT, Jonathan Martin would be directing the competition piece - whatever it turned out to be. Among competition rules, the play performed can be no longer than 60 minutes. Often longer plays are cut for competition, but Martin felt there was a better way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive always felt shows that require cutting lose something, he said. In the TCT library, Martin found a one-act play by author Joyce Carol Oates. It would not have to be cut and its message resonated in todays world. Oates wrote the play, Tone Clusters, in 1990, 35 years ago. TCT asked for and received license to change the plays time to four years ago. The play focuses on a middle class, middle age couple being interviewed by the media. The couple, Emily and Frank Gulick, were played by Haley Johnson and Jamie Fair, respectively. The Voice belongs to John Carroll, who is never seen on stage, yet his role is one of great import. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The play's themes include betrayal, death, family and the impact of media on individuals. Mississippi Theatre Association (MTA) competition was in January in Oxford. It was TCTs first time to compete with Tone Clusters. The cast and crew returned to Tupelo having garnered awards for Best Production, Best Director and Best Actor for Fair. TCT then advanced to the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) in Baltimore in March. At SETC, awards were plentiful for TCT: Best Production, three Outstanding Performance honors and Outstanding Technical Design. And for only the second time in the history of TCT, the cast and crew of a competition piece advanced to the American Association of Community Theatre Festival in late June, this year in Des Moines, Iowa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cast and crew of Lonestar, directed by the late Tom Booth, advanced to the national competition in 2015. However, this was the very first time TCT became the proud recipient of the Best Production Award, besting community theaters from all over the country. In addition, Jonathan Martin was named Best Director; Jamie Fair, Best Actor. We were likely considered the underdog on the national stage, Martin said. But Tupelo is full of richness and creativity, and it was important for us to show we have quality artists who work hard to present meaningful pieces. This was Fairs second time to attend as a cast member the national theater competition. He represented TCT in 2015 as a cast member of Lonestar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His excitement at being named Best Actor for Tone Clusters was still palpable a week after. I was very surprised, he said. There were some really good actors there. When they called my name I wasnt sure I was hearing it correctly. Im still over the moon about it. Both Fair and Johnson agreed when they first were presented the script for Tone Clusters, they were confused. It was not written like a normal script, Johnson said. When I finished reading it all I could think was it totally didnt make sense. I was a little scared. When Fair read the script, he had one question: What is this? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, they put their trust in their very capable director. It was truly genius the way Jonathan did this play, Fair said. I knew were in good and safe hands with Jonathan, and I knew what a great cast and capable team we had. While in Des Moine, Johnson reached out to friend and Tupelo native, author Catherine Lacey to ask for help in getting in touch with Joyce Carol Oates. Lacey put Johnson in touch with Oates agent, who agreed to pass along a message from Johnson about TCTs success with her play. Oates tweeted a message congratulating TCT on their national win for Best Production and expressing a wish that she could see this much-lauded production of her play. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After working with Tone Clusters more than eight months, Martin said the plan now is to put the play to bed. Unless Joyce Carol Oates comes to see it, he said, laughing. Then we will definitely do it once again." No matter the level of competition, the rules are the same. Theater companies have 10 minutes to get all set pieces and props inside a 10 x 10 box, 60 minutes for performance and 10 minutes to return set and props to box. In Des Moines, the box was in a separate room adjacent to the auditorium, with a small door between. With the show, wed gotten set ups and take downs under five minutes, Martin said. But in Des Moines, during set up, a beam snapped on part of our set. Fortunately, Bronwyn (Teague) had thought to bring gaff tape. By the time we were set up, we had only 12 seconds left. In other words, we were 13 seconds away from being disqualified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though honored to have been named Best Director, Martin credits all involved with the plays success. It is very satisfying to know we represented out theater and our community well, he said. Its simply a reflection of good work done by cast and crew. We were up against some of the best from all across the country, some much larger than TCT. But theater isnt about the size of your budget or your zip code. Its about telling the truth and telling it well." An Australian teenager tragically died last week after suffering severe brain damage from a botched backflip. Sonny Blundell, 18, was reportedly celebrating with best friend Mitchell Bullard on June 24 inside their new apartment in Queensland when he attempted the stunt. Blundell's sister, Izabella Cromack-Hay, told The Daily Telegraph that her brother had just relocated from New South Wales to "start a new life with his girlfriend" before the accident. Cromack-Hay had FaceTimed with Blundell earlier in the day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He hit his head in the lounge room on the ground and had a headache went to bed, Cromack-Hay told the outlet. [He] woke up, went to the toilet vomiting and then passed out. Thats when his best friend found him unresponsive in the morning. Blundell was rushed to the Queensland Hospital Intensive Care Unit and was placed in a coma. According to the GoFundMe page set up for Blundell, he suffered "multiple strokes" within the first 24 hours of his confinement. He underwent brain surgery but died six days after the incident. Cromack-Hay shared the tragic news on a GoFundMe page that had raised over $16,600 as of Saturday morning. The remaining funds will go into funeral costs and the transport of his body back to his hometown. Related: California Parents' 'Extreme' Health Views Left Child a Quadriplegic Teen Dies After Celebratory Backflip Causes Severe Brain Damage first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 5, 2025 ALTON, Ill. Officials are investigating a deadly shooting that claimed the life of a teenage girl on Friday, July 4, in Alton, Illinois. According to officials, they were alerted to reports of an individual being shot in the 900 block of Oakwood Avenue just after 2 a.m. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News When police arrived at the scene, they located a 17-year-old girl who was suffering from a gunshot wound. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials say first responders assisted in airlifting the minor to a hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries. Detectives who are investigating the incident deemed the event as another senseless shooting that resulted in an innocent person losing their life. In their preliminary investigation, officials say they identified a potential person of interest regarding the shooting. Despite this, investigators are asking for the communitys help in obtaining more information. Alton Police can be reached at 618-463-3505. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. According to the agency, the case dates back to August 2, 2017, and involves fraudulent housing loans issued in connivance with a private builder, M/s Shree Balaji Hitech Construction Pvt. Ltd. "Harsh Sharma had remained absconding since the registration of the case and had not joined the investigation despite repeated notices. Today, i.e., July 4, 2025, he was arrested after executing a Non-Bailable Warrant issued by the Hon'ble Court," the CBI said in a statement. The investigation revealed that Harsh Sharma had entered into a criminal conspiracy with the builder and provided fraudulent KYC documents, on the basis of which Punjab National Bank was induced to disburse housing loans, the CBI said. Sharma was one of the bogus buyers of a flat that was allegedly sold on paper to multiple fake buyers in order to fraudulently secure bank loans, it said. The CBI had filed a chargesheet in the case before the Special Judicial Magistrate (CBI), Ghaziabad, on March 19, 2024. Following his arrest, Sharma was produced before the Court, which has remanded him to judicial custody till July 15. Further investigations into the matter are still underway. (ANI) NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) A teenager was rushed to the hospital after getting hit by a vehicle near the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge Friday afternoon. New Bedford police said officers were called to the bridge for reports of a vehicle that hit a teenager. First responders provided emergency aid to the teenager, police said, and the individual suffered that appeared serious. This is the second vehicle-related incident to happen around or on the bridge this week. A man died after a crash happened Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ALSO READ: Man dies after crash on New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge An investigation into the incident is underway by New Bedford police and Massachusetts State Police. 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. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. Temperatures will continue to climb higher through the weekend across New Mexico. Rain chances will return to parts of the state as well. The heat is returning to New Mexico this Fourth of July as much drier weather has moved into the state. High temperatures are back up to around average again today, but thats been coming with some breezy winds. Only a couple showers have develop today in extreme southwest and northeast New Mexico. Winds will be dying down this evening as skies stay clear and temperatures stay warm. Rain and storm chances return to the eastern half of New Mexico Saturday afternoon as storms first develop over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and drift to the east and southeast. Temperatures will be even hotter Saturday afternoon. A couple strong to severe storms will be possible in eastern New Mexico later tomorrow evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The moisture from Saturdays storms will push as far west as the Continental Divide by Sunday morning. This will bring rain chances as far west as the Zuni Mountains and the Gila Sunday afternoon, with scattered showers and storms along and east of the central mountain chain along with the northern mountains. Some of the rain could be heavy at times, bringing a low threat of flash flooding. Temperatures will be even hotter for the western half of the state though, with slightly cooler air in eastern New Mexico. High temperatures will again be a couple degrees cooler Monday in eastern New Mexico as afternoon storm chances return. However, storm chances start thinning out Tuesday with just a few spotty showers and storms through the middle and end of next week. This will mean hotter temperatures, especially as high pressure builds overhead. Even the Albuquerque Metro will climb up to around 100 each afternoon next week starting Tuesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Jul. 5A Tenants Harbor woman who went missing while paddleboarding has been identified as a homicide victim after authorities found her body Thursday at a pond in Union. Sunshine Stewart, 48, was identified as the victim Saturday in a news release from Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety. An autopsy was performed Thursday by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta, and her manner of death was determined to be a homicide, according to Moss. Moss said Stewart's cause of death is not being released at this time. Authorities did not identify a suspect in the killing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials found Stewart's body in Crawford Pond in the Knox County town of Union on Thursday. Union fire Chief Jesse Thompson previously said his department was dispatched to Crawford Pond about 12:30 a.m. Thursday to search for a woman who had not returned from a paddleboarding trip. Fire department staff launched a boat to conduct the search from Mic Mac Cove Family Campground on the north side of the pond and notified other agencies, including the Maine Warden Service and Maine State Police. Maine game wardens joined the search just after 1 a.m. Thursday. Searchers located a body a few hours later, Thompson said, and authorities later said the circumstances surrounding the death were suspicious. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moss said game wardens requested help from the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit "based on the circumstances surrounding the discovery." State police then began an investigation, which Moss described as "active and ongoing," into the killing. Police asked that anyone who may have seen Stewart paddleboarding on Wednesday between 6 and 9 p.m. near 100 Acre Island on Crawford Pond to contact Maine State Police at 207-624-7076. Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We do not enable comments on everything exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion. You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs. Show less Video shows the moment a Texas flood victim clinging to a tree was airlifted out of danger in a dramatic rescue. Emergency services have been conducting multiple search and rescue operations after storms caused severe flooding along the Guadalupe River starting on Friday, July 4th, 2025, and continuing into the weekend. In a video tweeted by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a woman is seen desperately clinging to a tree to avoid falling into the rising water of the river below her. The victim is eventually winched free by an air rescue helicopter and successfully carried to safety. In a caption accompanying the video, Governor Abbott said: "Air rescue missions like this are being done around the clock", reassuring the public with a promise that all missing victims will be "accounted for". The Brief Dozens are dead after flash flooding hit Central Texas, especially Kerr County, on Friday. Officials urge the public to avoid the affected areas to allow first responders access. Relief efforts are underway, with the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, Salvation Army, and Red Cross collecting donations and operating shelters. KERR COUNTY, Texas - Dozens of people have died, and several people had to be rescued after flooding in Central Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many people across the state and around the country are seeking ways to help. On Friday night, officials asked people not to come to the area, because they could get in the way of first responders. Kerr County Flood Relief Fund The Community Foundation, a nonprofit group in the area, launched the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund to help support local response, relief and recovery efforts. All donations will go right to the organizations helping with the emergency. Those looking to donate can click here. Salvation Army The City of Kerrville says the Salvation Army is taking donations for those affected by the flooding. They are in need of non-perishables, hygiene items, bleach, brooms, shovels, trash bags, diapers, socks, baby wipes and trash bags. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group asks any donations to be dropped off at 855 Hays Street. Red Cross The Red Cross has opened three shelters in Kerrville. First United Methodist Church, 321 Thompson Drive, Kerrville, TX 78028 Calvary Temple Church, 3000 TX-534 Loop, Kerrville, TX 78028 Comfort High School, 143 US-87 North, Comfort, TX 78013 You can donate to the Red Cross by visiting redcross.org. GoFundMe The website GoFundMe is looking to help those in need of assistance. The site has several verified fundraisers from people in need of assistance. You can see the list here: gofundme.com/c/act/flood-relief#section-2 Southern Baptist of Texas Convention The Southern Baptist of Texas Convention is helping with efforts. You can make donations here. Texans on Mission The group Texans on Mission is looking for donations and volunteers. You can read more about them here. Austin Pets Alive! The nonprofit is in Kerrville providing medical care and will be transporting animals. They are working to bring pets from the Kerr County shelter to APA! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To donate, click here. Tiff's Treats Tiff's Treats is making a donation to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country Flood Relief Fund. If you would like to support, you can use the code TEXAS when you purchase between now and the end of the day on Monday, July 7. All the sales from your orders will be donated to the fund. Comedor Run Club An Austin running club is collecting essential supplies for those impacted by the recent flooding in the Hill Country. You can drop off items needed at the Comedor Run Club on Monday, July 7, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 501 Colorado St. in Austin. Items needed: Non-perishable food Batteries (AA, AAA, C, D) Animal feed Diapers + wipes Bathing essentials Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The run club said they will not be accepting cash, checks, or bottled water. They are also accepting donations via Venmo: @Comedor-RunClub Hai Hospitality Portion of sales from all Texas-based Uchi, Uchiba and Uchiko locations are being donated to the nonprofit Mercy Chefs. People can also round up check at Loro location to donate directly. Hopdoddy 100% of profits on July 9 will be donated to Texas Search & Rescue. Nova Hospitality Matching donations of up to $5,000 to Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. Email receipt to info@novahospitalitygroup.com so the organization can match dollar for dollar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commodore Perry Estate In partnership with Kerr County, Commodore Perry Estate is serving as a drop-off location for relief donations. Donations can be dropped off between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. Upon arrival, the valet team will direct you to the entrance of the chapel where items can be placed on their donation storage shelf. Urgent supplies needed: Canned food Bottle water Clothing (all sizes) Hygiene products Trash bags Brooms and shovels Basic emergency and cleaning supplies UFCU All UFCU locations in the Greater Austin area will begin accepting flood-related relief supplies on Monday morning. UFCU locations can be found here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The following items are needed the most by those affected by this weekends floods: Food and water: non-perishable food items, including canned goods, energy bars and dried fruit. First Aid & Hygiene: first-aid kits, medications, hand sanitizer, soap, toilet paper, and other personal hygiene items. Baby Supplies: baby food, formula, bottles, diapers and wipes. Pet Supplies: food water, bowls, leashes. Clothing & Bedding: clean socks, underwear and changes of clothes. Lighting & Communications: flashlights, extra batteries, battery-powered or hand-crank radios. Cleaning Supplies: mops, rags, buckets, cleaning solutions and garbage bags. Other: manual can openers, face masks and plastic tarps. Texas Children's Central Texas Flood Hope Fund Texas Children's has established the Texas Childrens Central Texas Flood Hope Fund. All funds raised will go directly to support the flood victims. Texas Childrens Austin has also launched a donation drive to assist families across Kerr County and the surrounding Hill Country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Community members can drop off non-perishable food, bottled water, diapers, wipes, formula, new toys, books, new blankets and new socks and undergarments of all sizes. Drop off at Texas Childrens Hospital Main Entrance, 9835 North Lake Creek Parkway, Austin All donations will be delivered to those in need. Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter WCRAS is urgently in need of fosters for: Dogs Cats and kittens with special needs Bottle baby kittens or kittens too young for adoption Those who can help are urged to come to the shelter as soon as they are able and fill out a brief registration form. Other ways to help: Donate to WCRAS's General Fund at wilcopets.org Donate dog and cat food, crates, cleaning supplies, and nitrile gloves outside the Services Center Volunteer onsite with tasks like cleaning, dishes, laundry or organizing received donations Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have lost or found a pet, post a photo of the pet to petcolovelost.org. Donation drop off locations in Leander The city of Leander says it is currently not collecting donations nor is it a drop off point for any groups, but it shared a list of locations accepting donations: Summit Worship Center Church Location: 10401 Anderson Mill Road, Austin Drop off times: Tuesday, July 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday, July 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contact: info@summitatx.org Accepting donations of brand-new and unused hygiene items, food and beverages and pet supplies; not accepting clothing Hill Country Community Ministries Location: 1005 Lacy Drive, Leander Accepting supply donations for flood victims Round Mountain Baptist Church Location: 14500 Round Mountain Rd, Leander Accepting supply donations for flood victims Central Texas Food Bank Food donations can be made to CTFB and its partners. Call the CTFB hotline at 855 366 3401 and they can direct you to the nearest mobile food pantries. Leander ISD PTA Clothes Closet Email Leander ISD PTA Clothes Closet at clothescloset@lisdptacouncil.com for free clothing for adults and children. Austin Wildlife Rescue Austin Wildlife Rescue is looking for item donations to help with their response. Items can be purchased through their Amazon Wishlist. Walmart Walmart, along with Sam's Club and the Walmart Foundation, are committing up to $500,000 in grants and in-kind donations to support relief efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This includes up to a $250,000 match of customer and member donations, made online or in-stores and clubs in Texas, through the Walmart and Salvation Army match campaign. Walmart, Sams Club, and the Walmart Foundation have also been working with nonprofit organizations to provide essential resources, including: At the Walmart Supercenter in Kerrville (Store #508), Operation BBQ Relief is offering free hot meals beginning July 7 at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tides Loads of Hope laundry trucks and showers provided by Matthew 25: Ministries, Procter & Gamble and Walmart will be deployed to the area. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation funded local partners including the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army with food, water and other supplies. For those associates, customers and communities affected, Walmart is providing the support you need through this challenging time. For more information, visit Walmart Disaster Response . Alamo Drafthouse Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is making a donation of $50,000 to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund , which supports the relief and rebuilding efforts. There is also a donation option for guests with every online ticket transaction. P. Terry's This Thursday, July 10th, P. Terry's will be donating 100% of profits from all 36 locations to support Texas flood victims. Funds will be donated to the Austin Disaster Relief Network, contributing to the "Central Texas Flood" fundraising campaign. Those wanting to help can visit any P. Terry's location that day. Texas Roadhouse and Bubba's 33 On Wednesday, July 9, from open to close, all Texas Roadhouse locations in Texas and Bubba's 33 locations in: Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Longview, Killeen, Lubbock, Tyler, Waco, Texarkana and College Station, will donate the day's profits to help Kerr County. All profits will be donated to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund. This list will be updated as more information comes in. The Source Information in this article comes from the City of Kerrville, American Red Cross and more. The Brief At least 20 campers are missing from Camp Mystic, an all-girls camp in Hunt, Texas, following "catastrophic" Guadalupe River flooding that rose 26 feet in 45 minutes. Two North Texas girls are among those reported missing by their parents. A massive rescue operation involving 9 teams (400-500 people) and 14 helicopters is underway. KERR COUNTY, Texas - Search and rescue efforts are expected to continue through the night in Central Texas after devastating flash flooding on Friday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Greg Abbott signed a disaster declaration for 15 counties in Texas affected by the floods. Local law enforcement said they have confirmed 24 fatalities in Kerr County in connection to the flooding and one in Kendall County. Several others are still missing, but officials say they could not give an estimate of the total number believed to be missing. Officials did say 23 to 25 campers from Camp Mystic, along the Guadalupe River, are believed to be missing. That includes some young girls from North Texas, according to their parents. Flooding in Texas What we know On Friday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said at least 20 campers were missing from Camp Mystic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Camp Mystic is an all-girls camp located in Hunt, Texas, along the Guadalupe River. Among those, at least two North Texas girls, Eloise Peck and Lila Bonner, were reported missing, their parents told FOX 4. Also from Dallas, 8-year-old Hadley Hanna. Her father is on the ground in Kerr County. Hadley Hannah Dallas was not the only North Texas city with girls attending the camp. Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker posted that parents there had also sent their kids to camp. "We have Fort Worth families impacted specifically by missing girls at Camp Mystic," Parker said. Around 7 p.m. Friday, Texas Game Wardens posted on X that they had made it to Camp Mystic and were starting to bring campers out. Texas Game Wardens reach Camp Mystic on Friday, July 4, 2025. Speaking at a news conference Friday, Patrick said the river rose 26 feet in 45 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We will not stop until we find everybody," Patrick said on Friday night. According to a message sent to parents, campers and staff were being taken from the camp by helicopter to a school in Ingram, Texas. Camp Mystic officials said all Cypress Lake campers and campers on senior hill were accounted for and that the parents of the missing children have been notified. "For all the parents who are waiting, particularly that had children at Camp Mystic," Patrick said. "Right now, there are 20 some that aren't accounted for. That does not mean they've been lost. They could be in a tree. They could be out of communication." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A massive rescue response has been mobilized in response to the flooding. Patrick said 9 rescue teams consisting of between 400-500 people were on the ground. Fourteen helicopters are also involved in rescue operations. "I'm asking the people of Texas, do some serious praying this afternoon," Patrick said. "On your knees type of praying. That we find these young girls and that they're only unaccounted for because they're somewhere that we don't know yet." As search and rescue efforts continued Friday, desperate family members rushed to the flood zone. Elizabeth Copeland traveled from Prosper to a Kerrville RV park with her family to celebrate the Fourth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Debris is floating in the river," Copeland said. "You never know what is floating. If it's a tree, we have seen RVs. We have seen refrigerators." The Copelands are safe. Holding their boys tighter Friday night. Missing Burleson couple Joni and Robert Brake A Burleson family made the trip to Kerr County hoping to find Joni and Robert Brake. The couple were staying at an RV park off the river where cabins were washed away. They haven't made contact with family since the early morning hours. Kerr County Flooding Kerr County officials are calling the flooding "catastrophic." In a 3 p.m. news conference, Kerr County officials said 24 people were confirmed dead and that there was one death in Kendall County, but it is unknown if it was weather related. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kerr County Sheriff's Office says it will not release any specific information about fatalities until next of kin are notified. It says that there are several people missing as well. As much as 10 inches of heavy rain poured down in just a few hours overnight in central Kerr County, causing flash flooding of the Guadalupe River and leading to desperate pleas for information from people with relatives nearby. The Source Information on the missing campers comes from their parents and Camp Mystic. Information on Kerr County flooding comes from Kerr County officials. The Brief Search and rescue efforts are underway after "catastrophic" flooding in Kerr County Officials said at least 24 people are dead and several others are missing Comal County officials are warning drivers that the Guadalupe River will rise to "dangerous levels" overnight KERR COUNTY, Texas - "Catastrophic" flooding in Kerr County killed at least 24 people on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kerr County Sheriff's Office said several others are still missing. Search and rescue efforts underway What they're saying Lt. Governor Dan Patrick held a press conference Friday with updates on the search and rescue mission for the almost two dozen people missing. "On a day which is usually for celebration, it's a very tough day in Texas," said Patrick. As floodwaters swept through children's camps, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick made a promise to scared families. "We will do everything humanely possible, 24/7, looking at every tree, turning over every rock, whatever it takes if your child is one of those truly missing and not just out of touch to find your daughter," said Patrick. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple girls are unaccounted for at nearby Camp Mystic. Families and friends are posting them to social media. "It's a tragic event," said Texas DPS Director Freeman Martin. "It's going to be a mass casualty event. We know that. We prepared, we moved resources into the area." State officials confirm there were 14 helicopters in the air, 12 drones, and more than 500 boots on the ground. "Many roads are impassible, major roads, minor roads, and once we're able to get some of those roads clear when the rain stops, then we have ten buses ready to go in and pick up the kids," said Patrick. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than two dozen roads in the area are shut down. What's next At the end of the press conference, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick made one final request. "You know, we always say in these situations, thoughts and prayers," said Patrick. "I'm asking the people of Texas to do some serious praying this afternoon. On your knees, kind of praying." Patrick said he's requested the Army Corps of Engineers to look at the dam on Lake Buchanan. They believe it is safe. He also said he's been in contact with President Trump and the White House staff, who have offered whatever support Texas needs. Guadalupe River flooding Dig deeper State officials said the Guadalupe River rose more than 26 feet in 45 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We don't need people just showing up," said Martin. "This is a very coordinated response. Stay away from the area if you can; stay home with your families." Other counties, like Comal, are warning drivers that the Guadalupe River will rise to "dangerous levels" overnight, possibly higher than the bridge at Highway 281. "We're concerned about San Saba down, so there will be more notifications coming out," said Martin. "If you're asked to evacuate, please evacuate." Where are the emergency shelters? Kerr County Comfort High SchoolFunction: Primary shelter and reunification centerLocation: 201 Hwy 87, Comfort, TXStatus: Open accepting evacuees from Hunt, Center Point, and Comfort First United Methodist Church KerrvilleFunction: Overnight shelter and distribution siteLocation: 321 Thompson Dr, Kerrville, TXStatus: Open serving evacuees from the upper Guadalupe River valley Walmart Parking Lot Kerrville (Hwy 27)Function: Staging zone for EMS and public reunificationLocation: 1216 Junction Hwy, Kerrville, TXStatus: Open functioning as a mobile command and rendezvous point Llano County First Baptist Church KingslandFunction: Shelter and medical triage pointLocation: 3435 RR 1431, Kingsland, TXStatus: Open supporting evacuees from Kingsland and Llano River region Lakeshore Library Parking Lot (Kingsland)Function: Temporary staging for Coast Guard & TX Search and RescueLocation: 7346 RR 261, Kingsland, TXStatus: Restricted EMS/military use only San Angelo / Tom Green County PaulAnn Church San AngeloFunction: Full-service shelter, food/water station, and reunification pointLocation: 2531 Smith Blvd, San Angelo, TXStatus: Open housing families displaced by Concho River flooding Tom Green County 4-H / AgriLife CenterFunction: Large-animal staging and multi-agency logistics hubLocation: 113 W. Beauregard Ave, San Angelo, TXStatus: Open not accepting public evacuees Guadalupe / Comal Counties Community Bible Church SchertzFunction: Overflow shelter for I-35 corridor flood victimsLocation: 1735 N Loop 1604 E, San Antonio, TX (serving Schertz area)Status: Open limited capacity as of last report Gillespie / Blanco Counties (Support only) Fredericksburg High School (PREP)Function: Standby support shelterLocation: 1107 Hwy 16 S, Fredericksburg, TXStatus: On standby activated if Llano overflow spreads southeast Special Populations Support CelesteCare Llano and Autumn Winds Schertz report staff are sheltering in place with backup power. EMS contacts are established. The Source Information from Kerr County Sheriff's Office, Kerrville Police Department, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick The Brief Texas lawmakers are reacting to deadly flooding in the Texas Hill Country. Rising waters of the Guadalupe River have result in at least 32 deaths. Officials said Saturday morning that 27 people were missing from a girls' Christian camp. KERR COUNTY, Texas - Texas lawmakers are reacting to deadly flooding that swept through the central part of the state Friday and Saturday. The devastating floods have killed at least 32, included 14 children in Kerr County since Friday and in Travis County, emergency officials said at least two people are dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some lawmakers were on the ground in Kerr County on Saturday as officials continued to provide updates on rescue efforts that have seen more than 800 rescued over the past 24 hours with many more still missing. What they're saying Rep. Chip Roy joined Kerrville officials Saturday morning in praising the efforts of crews working through the night to rescue those who were trapped by floodwaters. "There's so many great people in this community that are responding and moving quickly," Roy said. "I just want to appreciate the first responders, the coordinated effort from the state local, federal, partnerships." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roy represents Texas' 21st Congressional District which includes Kerr County. Of those federal partnerships, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X that members of the U.S. Coast Guard have been called in to help with rescue efforts. READ MORE: LIVE UPDATES: Texas flooding: At least 27 people are dead, search continues for missing in Kerr Co. "@USCG is punching through the storms to evacuate Americans from central Texas," Noem said. "We will fly throughout the night and as long as possible." Noem is set to join Gov. Greg Abbott on Saturday to provide an update on rescue efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abbott signed a state disaster declaration for several counties in the Hill Country. "Texas will stop at nothing to ensure every missing person is fully accounted for," Abbott said. Air rescue missions like this are being done around the clock. We will not stop until everyone is accounted for. pic.twitter.com/tqwTr1RkEi Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 4, 2025 Vice President JD Vance posted condolences on X Saturday afternoon. "Our nation's heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families," Vance said. "Just an incomprehensible tragedy. I hope everyone affected knows they're in the prayers of my family, and of millions of Americans." "This tragic unimaginable flood in the hill country has brought so much loss and devastation," Attorney General Ken Paxton said on X. "This morning Texans are praying for these families. God be with them during this time of unimaginable pain and suffering. I wanna thank all of the first responders and volunteers that are working around the clock. This is truly tragic situation. My office stands ready to assist in anyway we can for the victims of this tragic situation. Our hearts mourn with you." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Texas flooding: How you can help people in Kerrville The floods drew support from state lawmakers outside the impacted areas as well. "Please continue to lift up in prayer those still missing as rescue teams work tirelessly to find them," Rep. Randy Weber said. "Pray for the families facing heartbreaking loss and for the communities in the Hill country as they begin the long road to rebuilding. This is a nightmare for so manywe grieve with them, and we stand with them" Weber represents Texas' 14th Congressional District covering parts of the Houston area. In the Dallas area, Rep. Jasmine Crockett noted that many of the impacted famines were from the Dallas area as some of the missing were attending a girls' camp in Hunt, Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My heart is with everyone impacted by the devastating floods across Texasthose who have lost loved ones and those still searching," Crockett said. "Many of the impacted families are from right here in Dallas. Were mourning with you and praying for comfort, healing, and peace in the days ahead." Elsewhere, Rep. Henry Cuellar said he was ready to help Roy's district with support. "The tragic flooding in the Texas Hill Country has left a deep mark on our hearts, with lives lost, children still missing, and entire communities upended in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, and Comfort," Cuellar said. "The devastation along the Guadalupe River is truly heartbreaking." The tragic flooding in the Texas Hill Country has left a deep mark on our hearts, with lives lost, children still missing, and entire communities upended in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, and Comfort. The devastation along the Guadalupe River is truly heartbreaking. This disaster Rep. Henry Cuellar (@RepCuellar) July 5, 2025 Kerr County Flooding The Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes in the early morning hours on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The swift rise washed away homes and vehicles including buildings at a girls' Christian camp located along the river, Camp Mystic. City Manager Dalton Rice said 27 girls were missing from the camp Saturday morning. Rice said the actual number of missing people was unknown as many families were in the area on vacation. "Today will be a hard day," Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring said. Officials are expected to give an update on rescue efforts later Saturday afternoon. The Source Information in this article comes from posts made to social media. Backstory comes from previous FOX 7 coverage. This story has been updated to reflect the most recent information on the death count. AUSTIN (KFDX/KJTL) Governor Greg Abbott and other Texas leaders held another press conference at 3 pm on July 5 about the ongoing flooding in Central Texas. PREVIOUS UPDATE | Abbott confirms 24 fatalities in Hill Country floods The Governor has confirmed more than 850 people have been saved in the last 36 hours by the thousands of people out on search and rescue missions as they continue their non-stop searches for those missing. Abbott also confirms the death toll has reached 32, with 14 being children, along with 27 others missing throughout the counties during his conference. As of 6:30 pm on July 5, Kerr County officials have confirmed that the death toll has risen to 43 people, 15 of whom are children. The missing count remains at 27. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also added more counties to the Disaster Declaration he made yesterday. Travis, Burnet, Bear, Guadalupe, Burleson and Caldwell counties are now on the list of counties in the Declaration of Disaster. The National Weather Service confirms that there was an increase in damage from the storm and rainfall overnight in those counties listed by Abbott last night, as well as those added earlier today. Abbott also signed a document formally requesting aid from the federal government, after President Trump had said support would come to Texas. Trump says that he is grieving for the people of Texas. Abbott and Secretary Kristi Noem both said they are thankful for the support Trump has given the state of Texas as well as its people and they are hopeful the federal aid will help save more lives. We will not stop today or tomorrow. We will stop when the job is completed, Abbott said. ORIGINAL STORY | Flash floods at Camp Mystic: Over 20 children missing in Kerr County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information on this story, click the links to the past stories on our website. More updates will come as soon as they are available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. The search continues in Texas on Sunday for 10 girls from a childrens camp who are missing amid deadly flash floods along the Guadalupe River in Texas Hill Country. Texas authorities provided a general overview of the disaster in the state on Sunday afternoon, reporting a rise in the death toll. There have been at least 80 fatalities, including at least 28 children. 68 of those deaths occurred in Kerr County. Several of the deceased have yet to be formally identified. Many people remain unaccounted for as the rescue efforts continue for a third day. An alert sent on Sunday afternoon warned people along the Guadalupe River to move to higher ground as further flooding is expected. This is a death toll that continues to rise, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told NBC on Sunday morning, reiterating that search and rescue efforts had not slowed down. We never give up on looking for someone. Weve had storms in the past where people have gone down river 10, 15 miles, and you find them later and theyve survived... Those hours, of course, are getting long now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among those still missing are 10 young girls and one counselor from an all-girls Christian summer camp, Camp Mystic, Sheriff Larry Leitha of Kerr County confirmed on Sunday afternoon. The camp is situated right by the river in Kerr County, which was hit especially hard by Fridays flash flood. Parents have been appealing for information about their missing children via social media. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who referred to the flood as "extraordinarily catastrophic, visited the Camp Mystic site on Saturday and said it had been "horrendously ravaged in ways unlike Ive seen in any natural disaster." "The height the rushing water reached to the top of cabins was shocking. We wont stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins," Abbott said. Rescue teams have been using helicopters, drones, and boats to search for victims and reach survivors. A difficult task as, per the authorities, the Guadalupe River rose 26 ft in under an hour on Friday. Though the flood waters are now receding, authorities have said the area is still very difficult terrain, especially as debris is washing up and further flooding is feared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheriff Leitha said officials have evacuated or rescued over 850 people so far. Read More: Texas Suffers Deadly Flash Floods on July 4 Camp Mystic is understood to house older girls on elevated ground known as Senior Hill. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Friday evening said: "All campers on Senior Hill are accounted for. If your daughter is not accounted for, you have been notified from the camp. If you have not been personally contacted, then your daughter has been accounted for." He went on to clarify, "That does not mean [the missing children] have been lost. They could be out of communication." Patrick read a statement from Camp Mystic, saying it had experienced "catastrophic levels of flooding" and has been left with "no power, water, or wifi." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The camp was completely destroyed, said 13-year-old Elinor Lester, one of the campers at Camp Mystic, according to Associated Press. A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary. Camp Mystic's longtime director Dick Eastland lost his life in the floods, officials and family members confirmed. In a tribute shared on Instagram, Eastland's grandson George said he died trying to save girls at the camp. Jane Ragsdale, the director and long-time co-owner of Heart O the Hills, another camp in the area, also lost her life in the flood, according to an announcement from the summer camp. We are fortunate that the camp was between sessions when the flooding occurred, so there were no campers in residence. However, our director and the camps longtime co-owner, Jane Ragsdale, lost her life. We at the camp are stunned and deeply saddened by Janes death, the statement read. She embodied the spirit of Heart O the Hills and was exactly the type of strong, joyful woman that the camp aimed to develop with the girls entrusted to us each summer. Search and rescue teams navigate upstream in an inflatable boat on the flooded Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025, in Comfort, Texas. Eric VrynGetty Images On Friday, Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 15 counties in Texas to ensure counties have access to every tool, strategy, and personnel that the State of Texas can provide to them, which will be limitless. On Saturday afternoon, Abbott expanded his disaster declaration. "We will continue to add counties as needed," Abbott told reporters. "We will ensure that every asset and resource the state has is going to be made available to every county that's a subject of this disaster declaration." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abbott also signed a request for a federal disaster declaration, seeking immediate and ongoing help from the federal government. He thanked President Donald Trump in advance for his attention to the matter. Noem joined Abbott at a press conference on Saturday afternoon, in which she indicated that Trump would honor Abbotts request as he is "absolutely committed to using all the resources at the federal government to help unify families [and try to] rescue all those who are still missing." Trump first commented on the floods on Friday, calling the news shocking when talking to reporters on Air Force One. When asked about federal aid, Trump said: Well take care of it, adding that he would work with Abbott. Trump elaborated on Saturday morning, stating that his Administration is working with state and local officials in response to the tragic flooding, and that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem would be assessing the situation on-the-ground in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy, Trump said via Truth Social. Our brave first responders are on site doing what they do best. God bless the families and God bless Texas. Meanwhile, locals spent the weekend clinging on to hope in regards to the missing persons. Texas Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican, told press on Saturday that one of his children's schoolmates was on a mattress for several hours in the middle of the night after the flood, but had since been reunited with her mom. Roy did not clarify if the child was floating on a mattress in floodwaters or where they had been prior to the flooding. Those are the kind of blessings that we should be celebrating, while were also mourning the loss of life as we identify those who didnt make it, Roy said. A member of the public stands next to overturned vehicles and broken trees a flash flood at the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas, on July 5, 2025. Ronaldo SchmeidtGetty Images Read More: Experts Question If Weather Service Was Operating at Its Best Ahead of Texas Floods Amid Trump Administration Cuts Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nim Kidd, the chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), said Friday that National Weather Service (NWS) advisories and forecasts did not predict the amount of rain we saw. Early Thursday afternoon, the NWS had issued a broad flood watch for parts of south-central Texas, including Kerr County. "Locally heavy rainfall could cause flash flooding across portions of South Central Texas," read the notice. The most severe warnings came in the middle of the night and early morning on Friday. Contact us at letters@time.com. Unidentified bike-borne gunmen shot dead their rival in the Najafgarh area of the national capital on Friday, police said. The deceased has been identified as Neeraj Tehlan, who was reportedly involved in several criminal cases in the past and was carrying a bounty of Rs 1 lakh on his head. He was also a key witness in the high-profile Najafgarh double murder case of February 2024. Tehlan was attacked around 7:15 PM on Friday while he was sitting inside a car. Two to three bike-borne assailants opened multiple rounds of fire at him before fleeing the scene, police said. The police suspect that the murder may have been orchestrated by gangster Harsh Dhanakad, alias Chintu, who was recently deported from abroad, and Sanjay alias Sanju Dahiya, a known criminal currently based overseas. Police have cordoned off the area and launched an investigation. CCTV footage from the vicinity is being reviewed to identify the attackers. Last week, gangster Kapil Sangwan's shooters murdered Deepak, the nephew of notorious Manjeet Mahal. Deepak's daughter was also shot at in the melee. Deepak was shot dead on June 27 in a planned attack during his morning walk in Delhi's Bawana area. Police sources say the crime was carried out with full preparation by unidentified assailants, who had been watching Deepak and his movements for the last four days. According to CCTV footage gathered during the investigation, the attackers had conducted a recce of Deepak's house and his daily routine. They found out that Deepak regularly went on a morning walk with his family. On June 27, two bike-borne attackers took advantage of the situation and fired around six bullets at him, killing him on the spot. The Delhi Police also suspect that the Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu gang might have orchestrated the murder of Deepak, believed to be operating from abroad, as part of a long-standing gang rivalry. Deepak, a 43-year-old trader with no criminal background, was shot dead during a morning walk with his daughter in Delhi's Bawana area After completing his BTech, Deepak got involved in trading and lived with his parents, wife and children in Nangal Thakran village of Bawana. Deepak used to go for a morning walk with his entire family on Bawana Road every morning. Even on June 27, during the attack, Deepak's parents were walking behind him, and Deepak was walking with his daughter at a distance when two attackers on a bike fired several rounds at Deepak, killing him on the spot. At the same time, a bullet hit Deepak's daughter and has been admitted to the hospital. According to sources, the two real sisters of gangster Manjit Mahal were married to Devendra and his younger brother Deepak. The long-standing feud between the two gangs had earlier claimed the life of property dealer Rajkumar Daral, a close associate of Manjit Mahal, who was gunned down in April in Paschim Vihar. (ANI) At least 27 people, both children and counselors, are dead at Camp Mystic after historic flooding wiped out the the Christian summer camp housing hundreds of young girls in the middle of the night. "Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy," Camp Mystic said in a statement. "We are praying for them constantly." "We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls," the statement continued. "We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders, and officials at every level." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Texas flooding updates There were still 10 girls and one counselor from Camp Mystic unaccounted for on Monday morning, according to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. At least 90 people are believed dead in six counties across Texas after the deadly floods that struck the state on the Fourth of July, according to the latest information from state officials. The majority of the deaths -- 75 in all, including 27 children -- occurred in hard-hit Kerr County after heavy rain pounded the Texas Hill Country region early Friday, leading to "catastrophic" flooding, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said at a news conference Sunday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A flood watch was in effect for parts of New Mexico and western Texas last Thursday as rounds of slow-moving thunderstorms packing heavy rain moved through the area. By Thursday evening, 5 inches of rain had fallen in parts of western Texas, including Midland and Odessa. Eric Vryn/Getty Images - PHOTO: Deaths Reported After Flooding In Texas Hill Country The flooding caught local officials off guard as the torrential rains caused the Guadalupe River to rise to near-historic levels in a matter of minutes, officials said at a press conference Saturday. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Kerr County, where the Guadalupe River is located, around 1:14 a.m. Friday. The river rose 26 feet in 45 minutes that morning, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring told reporters on Friday. Eric Gay/AP - PHOTO: Extreme Weather Texas "This came at night when people were asleep in bed," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Guadalupe River reached its second-highest height on record, surpassing a 1987 flood level, the National Weather Service said. Stuart Gross, the code enforcement officer for the city of Ingram, Texas, in Kerr County, told ABC News Live that the damage and flooding levels in his town were unprecedented. "They came up high, never seen it come up this high in my 45 years," he said. "It was horrific." Gross also told ABC News that he didn't recall receiving a warning about the flood but that the town's volunteer fire department brought speakers to alert residents during the torrential storm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The only reason we got out is because of our volunteer fire department," he said. "It's tragic. The screams for help, and there's nothing you could do." Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told reporters that it is up to local mayors and counties to evacuate if they feel the need and many were unsure where the storm would land. At a news conference Friday, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said the county does not have a warning system on the river. Kelly was pressed by a reporter as to why evacuations didn't take place Thursday, but the judge said, "We didn't know this flood was coming." Eric Gay/AP - PHOTO: Extreme Weather Texas "We have floods all the time. This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States, and we deal with floods on a regular basis. When it rains, we get water. We had no reason to believe that this was going to be anything like what's happened here, none whatsoever," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Video Deadly 'catastrophic flooding' in Texas Rain continued to hit the region Saturday, prompting flash flood emergency warnings for much of Burnet County and western parts of Williamson County and Travis County. ABC News' Emily Shapiro and Kyle Reiman contributed to this post. The forecast began to look ominous in the Texas Hill Country on Thursday afternoon. A flood watch was issued by the National Weather Service at 1:18 p.m. that predicted up to 7 inches of isolated rainfall early Friday morning in South Central Texas, including Kerr County. By the time the sun rose on the Fourth of July, less than 24 hours later, as much as 12 inches of rain had fallen in parts of the region while its residents were asleep, according to NWS radar estimates. The Guadalupe River gauge at the unincorporated community of Hunt, where the river forks, recorded a 22-foot rise in just two hours, said Bob Fogarty, meteorologist with the NWS Austin/San Antonio office. The gauge recorded a level of 29 feet before becoming completely submerged and failing, Fogarty added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Camp Mystic, a haven for generations of Texas girls, becomes a center of tragedy] At least 75 people were killed by the flooding in Kerr County, local officials said Sunday afternoon. More remained missing, including 10 young girls and a counselor from a Christian summer camp. At least 15 additional deaths were confirmed in surrounding counties, pushing the storm's overall toll to at least 90. The scale of the disaster and the fact that major flooding is common in this part of Texas has raised questions over whether more could have been done to warn people in the path of the flood waters. Local and state officials were quick to point to weather forecasts that did not accurately predict the intensity of the rainfall. Meanwhile, some forecasters suggested that local officials and camp leadership should have activated more given the threats that were apparent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The heartbreaking catastrophe that occurred in Central Texas is a tragedy of the worst sort because it appears evacuations and other proactive measures could have been undertaken to reduce the risk of fatalities had the organizers of impacted camps and local officials heeded the warnings of the government and private weather sources, including AccuWeather, AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter wrote in a statement Saturday morning. Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, on Friday pointed to NWS forecasts from earlier in the week that projected up to 6 inches of rain. It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw, Kidd said. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly echoed Kidd. When he was asked why camps along the Guadalupe were not evacuated, Kelly told reporters the county had no reason to believe that this was going to be anything like whats happened here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, warnings were issued about the potential for flash flooding hours before the waters reached their peak. Rain began to fall around midnight, and the first flash flood warning was issued by the NWS at 1:14 a.m. Friday, Fogarty said. That warning should have triggered a response by local emergency management and local media to spread the word to those in harm's way, as well as the Emergency Alert System that broadcasts warnings to televisions and radios, Fogarty said. All NWS flash flood warnings, including the one issued after midnight on Friday, trigger Wireless Emergency Alerts, the emergency push notification sent through cellphone towers to all wireless phones in the emergency area, Fogarty said. That warning was updated nine times throughout Friday, each of which triggered separate alerts through the Emergency Alert System and the Wireless Emergency Alerts, Fogarty said. The most serious warning came at 4:03 a.m. when the NWS issued a flash flood emergency, warning of an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation and urging immediate evacuations to higher ground. Flash flood emergencies are issued using a mixture of rainfall data and on-the-ground reports: Someone has told us we need to get people out of here immediately or people are going to die, Fogarty said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The flooding came amid concerns about staffing levels at the NWS, after the Trump administration fired hundreds of meteorologists this year as part of Elon Musks DOGE cuts. The NWS Austin/San Antonio offices warning coordination meteorologist announced in April that he was retiring early due to the funding cuts, leading to speculation that vacancies could have impacted forecasters response. The NWS forecasting offices were operating normally at the time of the disaster, said Greg Waller, service coordination hydrologist with the NWS West Gulf River Forecast Center in Fort Worth. We had adequate staffing. We had adequate technology, Waller said. This was us doing our job to the best of our abilities. Staffing data provided by the NWSs labor union showed the San Angelo forecasting office currently has four vacancies out of 23 positions and San Antonio has six vacancies out of 26. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legislative Director Tom Fahy said that was adequate to issue timely forecasts and warnings before and during the emergency. At least one independent meteorologist working in Texas echoed that statement, writing on his website that we have seen absolutely nothing to suggest that current staffing or budget issues within NOAA and the NWS played any role at all in this event. The timing of the flood may have been a complicating factor. The alerts came out during the start of the Fourth of July weekend, when RV parks, cabins and homes are filled with tourists who might not be as familiar with the flood risks or the habits of the water. Between 2 and 7 a.m., the Guadalupe River in Kerrville rose from 1 to more than 34 feet in height, according to a flood gauge in the area. The flooding reached its peak at around 6:45 a.m. in Kerrville, hours after warnings were first issued, according to the gauge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the NWS issued its flash flood emergency, the river height was still under two feet, although it began to rise quickly shortly after the alert was issued. Major flooding on the river is considered anything above 20 feet, a level the gauge recorded a little after 6 a.m. on Friday. Porter noted the danger of the nighttime flooding, when many people are asleep and slower to respond to warnings. Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice told reporters Friday that the suddenness and intensity of the flood caught city officials flat-footed. "This happened very quickly over a very short amount of time that could not be predicted," Rice said. "This is not like a tornado where you can have a siren. This is not a hurricane where you're planning weeks in advance. It hit hard and things like this happen in a very strategic, very isolated area and when those two things converge you have what happened today." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked Saturday afternoon what kind of procedures the county had to warn the summer camps along the river about flooding emergencies, Rice said that each camp is private. This situation happened very fast, he said, so "there wasnt a lot of time in this case as far as warnings. Right now, he said, the focus is on search and rescue operations; they want to address questions about warnings later. Waller, meanwhile, noted that flooding has long been a problem in the area. In my career, this is our worst case scenario that we brief all of our new forecasters on, Waller said. The terrain in the area makes it so precipitation forecasts off by just 20 miles could affect entirely different river basins, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the rivers history, Porter said reports of survivors being awoken by rapidly rising water and forced to evacuate in the middle of the emergency instead of much earlier after the warnings were first issued were extremely concerning. The region has experienced catastrophic flooding before, including the 2015 Wimberley flood that left 13 people dead, as well as major floods in 2007 and 2002. A July 1987 flood of the Guadalupe River devastated Kerrville and other communities along the waterway. Jessica Shuran Yu and Alejandra Martinez contributed reporting. Welp, yesterday was American Independence Day, and this year's July 4 celebrations came amid ICE detainments of American citizens and immigrant detention center "merch" being sold as the rest of the world watches. Scott Olson / Getty Images Related: "It Should Be ILLEGAL": American Politics Is Down The Toilet, So Here Are The Best Tweets Calling It Out This Week Recently, France unveiled a mural called "The Statue of Liberty's Silent Protest," designed to illustrate the "shame" surrounding the recent immigration policies of the Trump administration. The now-viral painting, seen by over 16 million people, features Lady Liberty covering her face with her hands, with her torch lying on her chest. Dutch artist Judith de Leeuw reportedly took six days to complete the mural, which was painted on a building in Roubaix, France. This location was intentional due to Roubaix's "large migrant population" who live in "extremely difficult circumstances," de Leeuw said to Storyful. "The values that the statue once stood for freedom, hope, the right to be yourself have been lost for many," she continued. Related: 5 Absolutely Horrifying Ways Republicans Are Explaining Why They're Fine With People Losing Healthcare It's important to note that France formally gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States on July 4, 1884, to celebrate US independence and American democracy, among other things. De Leeuw called the unveiling of her mural on July 4 a "meaningful coincidence." NurPhoto / Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's how people online are reacting to France's newest mural: Related: Donald Trump Just Commented On Potentially Pardoning Diddy And Said The Most Donald Trump Thing Ever "In case you are wondering what the world is thinking of us," one person wrote. "The French know. Hell the world knows. But tens of millions here, either clueless or shameless," another person wrote. "They should come take the real one back. We dont deserve her anymore." Related: Hillary Clinton Just Hit On One Of Donald Trump's Biggest Insecurities With Three Words Others on TikTok expressed similar sentiments in the comments: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opposingly, a Republican lawmaker took to X to express his "disgust" at the mural. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below. Also in In the News: Zohran Mamdani Just Delivered The Most Epic Response After Trump Called Him A "100% Communist Lunatic" Also in In the News: "This Is A Sad Day For America" MAGA Supporters Have A LOT To Say About Trump's "Big, Beautiful" Tax Bill, And It's Not What I Was Expecting Also in In the News: Uhhh, People Zoomed Into This Picture Of Donald Trump And Found A Scary Surprise Read it on BuzzFeed.com HONOLULU (KHON2) The 4th of July means theres a big party in Kailua. Thousands here at Kailua Beach Park are getting ready for the annual fireworks show. Where to watch 4th of July fireworks in Hawaii But the party just started this morning with the towns annual parade. Its a day for everyone to celebrate the red white and blue. Thousands lined Kainalu Drive for the annual Kailua Town Parade. Its just so exciting to see a great turnout of residents, said Bill Hicks, Kailua Neighborhood Board Chair. The whole parade route was full of flags, full of good cheer, full of patriotism. Were very proud of this parade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the 76th year of the parade. This years theme Waves of Aloha, celebrating the spirit of unity, kindness and connection that residents say defines the community. If youve never been to Kailua, you need to come, said Bob Peterson, a Kailua resident. Whatever part of the island youre from, come to this cause its just patriotic, represents the community. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Dignitaries like Governor Josh Green, Mayor Rick Blangiardi and area lawmakers were there. But the stars of the day are the servicemembers, past and present. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like Peterson, a retired army member who honors all service branches at his home. And Vince Hill, another retired army member who uses todays parade to kick off his annual dessert fundraiser for keiki. So I sell throughout the year and I have about five to six grand a year in Costco matches what you put in, so it becomes 10 to 12 grand, it all goes to the Kapiolani Childrens Hospital, said Hill. A great cause on a great day with a great message for all. Its a time for family and friends to be together and support each other, but you know we all have shared values and we can celebrate them. Im so happy to see the town turnout every year, said Hicks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peterson added, Especially nowadays, where the country seems so, you know, I think this is an opportunity to come together. Its a wonderful country. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news If theres a message you can send to your fellow Americans out there, what would be strong believe in America because America is the best country, said Hill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Thousands of people have demonstrated in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities in favour of the release of all hostages held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. "It's time for a deal that saves everyone, the living and the dead, for a deal without 'selection,'" said Maccabit Meyer, a speaker at the central rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday, according to a report in the Times of Israel. Meyer is the aunt of two twin brothers who are being held by the Islamist Hamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The protests were directed against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration, which is seeking a multi-stage and protracted process for the release of the hostages in upcoming indirect negotiations with Hamas. According to media reports, only 10 of the 20 hostages assumed to be alive are to be released during a 60-day ceasefire. The remaining 10 hostages would only have a chance of ending their long captivity if Israel and Hamas were to agree on a permanent end to the war. The Israeli government would have to make a choice as to which ten hostages should be released during the 60-day ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics accuse Netanyahu of wanting to secure his own political survival by delaying steps towards an end to the war. The conflict was triggered by the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel by Hamas and other Islamist terrorist organizations, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage in Gaza. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, more than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza during the conflict. The figure, which is almost impossible to verify independently, does not distinguish between civilians and fighters. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) Towns nationwide are celebrating the birth of America Friday, and the city of Springfield hosted the grand Star-Spangled Springfield, the largest fireworks show in the region. The crowds were insane, the fireworks were unbelievable, it was a classic summer night with at least a thousand folks set up chairs and tents to watch the fireworks at Riverfront Park. Preparations begin for biggest July 4th event in western Massachusetts Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its all about fun at Star-Spangled Springfield! Food and water stands, tents for families to spend quality time together, what more can you ask for? Locally known as the voice of Springfield, Vanessa Ford belted a beautiful rendition of the national anthem, followed by rock band Maxxtone. It was a night in the books for the city of Springfield. Im here because its the Fourth of July and I like fireworks, attendee Evie Ward said. They are really pretty, and they shine in the sky. Im also here with my besties, because its fun and we are having a great time. This is the 34th year that the Spirit of Springfield puts on this event, and 22News is honored to serve as a community partner of Star-Spangled Springfield. With fun, there needs to be safety control, and the city made sure that plenty of staff were present to ensure that things were going smoothly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are so gratified, we have something in the neighborhood of 20 different agencies, so for everyone who comes down, its going to be very safe, President of the Spirit of Springfield Judy Matt told 22News. 22News very own Mass Appeal co-host, Priscilla Ress, was the emcee and helped kick off the party. Ive been coming to the fireworks with Springfield for years and years, and to emcee, it was a big honor and also to look out and see all the sense of community, Ress said. Our 22News crews will not miss the performances and will be reporting live Friday night to update you. Stay tuned live for 22News at 10 and 11 PM from Riverfront Park. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Fireworks lit up the night sky over Kansas Citys World War One Museum and Liberty Memorial Friday night. Stars and Stripes Picnic 2025 included food from 20 food trucks and music by DJ Ashton Martin, Drew Six & the Soul Plains Drifters, Roots in Blue and Lost Wax. Kansas City Parks and Rec workers prepare for clean up after July Fourth celebrations Its a little hot but thats why we got some lemonade over there and we are having a good time. Im excited for the fireworks tonight, Johnny Duran said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I like when we go to the fireworks stands and always spend $200-400. But this year we didnt do that we wanted to come out here and see the big ones. And its free, Jaden Hamrick said. If its not the big booms, people have different favorite parts of being together on the Fourth of July. All the red white and blue, Avalon, 9, said. Its a really important holiday and we love it favorite holiday nice weather being outside, David Hamrick said. Its the people, its the community for me. Fireworks we love them, but kids not so much yet. But its nice just being around the community in a calm safe place, Brittany White said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX4 met plenty of people not from Kansas City, including Edgar Lopez who traveled from Wichita and Cherish Rosete visiting from New Mexico. Aside that I get to spend time with my family, I get to spend time at a place like this, especially the WWI museum. It kind of gives me a glimpse of the past, she said. Download WDAF+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV Javier Medina, from Mexico City, was experiencing his first Independence Day in the U.S. Our fireworks are no comparison, they are just a rookie fireworks compared to yours. It was crazy yesterday, we went to Bishop Miege High School, and it was a crazy experience. I really loved it, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Thousands of protesters marked Independence Day by gathering outside the Ohio Statehouse to fight back against Trump Administration policies. Organizers coined it the Ohio Protest as it drew participants from across the state including Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo and Akron. The protest was part of a nationwide series of rallies organized by Ohio 50501, symbolizing 50 protests, 50 states, and one movement. The heat and the holiday did not stop close to 3,700 protesters from speaking up to protect their freedoms. They said they dont like the direction our country is heading. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump signs big, beautiful bill into law We are not happy with how this country is being run. Not just present level but all the way down through, protester Staci Hoalcraft said. Chants of When your rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand, up fight back. filled the air as demonstrators carried signs with messages reading equal rights for everyone and hands off our democracy. Independence Day, its all about freedom, 50501 lead organizer Madison Tracy said. Its all about liberty and justice for all. And we are seeing some of those freedoms and some of those liberties being taken away right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The protest comes on the heels of the House passing President Trumps signature tax cut and spending bill Thursday. Trump said after the bill was narrowly passed, he believes he has more power now than in his first term. This weeks been crazy with the bill passing and Alligator Alcatraz, protester Kimberly Eble said. It makes you want to come out and just make your voice heard and take action and do what you can to change things. Its been a really crazy five to six months. Demonstrators voiced concerns over various issues including the protection of Social Security and Medicaid. Its just the injustice, protester Jason Hoalcraft said. We feel like theres just too many things going on that Trump is trying to do and trying to put in play that just needs to be stopped. Its just too much. Weve had enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protesters said while this is not the America they know and love, seeing people stand united gives them hope that things can change down the line. It just restores your faith in humanity to be around people that are also saying that they want equality. They want immigrants to be taken care of and not deported in heinous ways and everyone deserves due process so its just important for us to support each other, protester Leslie Augst said. The next 50501 protest in Columbus is Thursday, July 17. Its being coined the Good Trouble protest because it will mark five years since the passing of Congressman John Lewis. Protesters plant to take the streets to carry forward his fight for justice, voting rights and dignity for all. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HARTSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Almost a year has passed since Tennessee Trooper Adam Cothron was shot while conducting a traffic stop in Putnam County. Cothron sustained serious injuries in the July 19, 2024 incident, but continues to recover every day. OCT. 2024: Video from trooper-involved shooting in Putnam County released during court hearing To honor him, Trousdale Countys Independence Day Parade made him this years grand marshal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Truly a humbling experience, Trooper Cothron told News 2. Im honored to be born and raised in this community in Trousdale County. According to Cothron, he goes to therapy twice a week in Nashville and is getting stronger. As he progresses, he is getting movement throughout his body and legs. He expects to see a lot of progression in the next 12 months. JULY 2024: THP trooper spent first full day in rehabilitation facility after shooting incident Before the parade, several other troopers with the Tennessee Highway Patrol showed their support to Cothron, and also rode behind him during the parade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parade brought people throughout the community together to celebrate the countrys independence. Many of the floats had patriotic themes and those on board threw candy out to kids as they passed by. Organizers of the Fourth of July parade also gave an honorary grand marshal to David Baldwin a man who recently passed away. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Officials on Saturday confirmed at least 43 people are dead and more than 27 young girls remain missing after a devastating flood swept through Kerr County, Texas. Five young girls who were staying at Camp Mystic, an all-girls private Christian retreat in Hunt, Texas, have been confirmed dead. Anne Hunt confirmed to Fox News Digital that her daughter, Janie, was one of the campers killed in the flood. A Voice for the Voiceless, a nonprofit that advocates for "the missing, voiceless and crime victims," identified Renee Smajstrla as another deceased camper. Lila Bonner, left, and Eloise Peck were the most recent confirmed Camp Mystic deaths in central Texas. They were from Highland Park, a city near Dallas. Family members identified best friends Lila Bonner and Eloise Peck as the most recent cabinmates found dead, according to a report from FOX 4 Dallas. They had both recently finished second grade at Bradfield Elementary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fifth camper has been confirmed to be deceased. However, her family asked that her name not be released. Of the 43 people killed in Kerr County, officials said at least 28 were adults and 15 were children. Read On The Fox News App Five of the adults remain unidentified, and three of the children remain unidentified, authorities said. As of Saturday, Kerr County officials confirmed 27 campers remain missing. There were 750 attendees at the camp when the flood hit. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said "nobody saw this coming," and it broke his heart seeing "many of the body bags" at local funeral homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the deaths has been confirmed as Heart O' the Hills camp director and co-owner Jane Ragsdale. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, shared photos Saturday of the damage to Heart O' the Hills, taken during a helicopter tour following the flood. Buildings and trees appeared to be either completely washed away, or reduced to rubble. Aerial footage of Heart O the Hills in Kerr County, Texas after the deadly flood. No children were staying at the nearby camp during the flood, as it was between sessions, according to a statement posted on the Heart O' the Hills website. "We at the camp are stunned and deeply saddened by Janes death," the camp wrote. "She embodied the spirit of Heart O the Hills and was exactly the type of strong, joyful woman that the camp aimed to develop with the girls entrusted to us each summer." DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Gov. Greg Abbott discuss ongoing efforts amid recent flooding along the Guadalupe River during a news conference in Ingram, Texas, on Saturday. President Donald Trump posted about the tragedy on Truth Social on Saturday, confirming that the administration was working with state and local officials to respond to the tragedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!" Texas Department Of Public Safety Closes Capitol Grounds Following 'Credible Threat' To Lawmakers Families have lined up at reunification centers hoping to see their loved ones. According to the Kerr County Sheriff's Office, Ingram Elementary School in Ingram, Texas, and The Arcadia Live Theater in Kerrville, Texas, are being used as reunification centers. Camp Mystic reportedly told parents that if they had not been contacted directly it meant that their child was accounted for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ellen Toranzo told Fox News Digital that her daughter, Greta Toranzo, is one of the campers who went missing during the flood. Carrie Hanna also confirmed to Fox News Digital that her daughter, Hadley, is unaccounted for. Both girls remain missing, as of Saturday afternoon. Texas Driver Catches Dramatic Partial Overpass Collapse On Video Elinor Lester, 13, told the Associated Press she was evacuated with her cabinmates by helicopter after wading through floodwaters. Lester also said that the "camp was completely destroyed" in the disastrous flood. The outlet noted that Lester was housed on higher ground at the camp, known as Senior Hill. Younger campers, who can begin attending at age 8, are housed along the riverbanks and were the first to flood, according to the Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Guard was deployed in Texas to respond after heavy rain on Friday morning caused the Guadalupe River to rise nearly 30 feet in 45 minutes. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem later said that members of the U.S. Coast Guard deployed to assist in evacuations saved or assisted in saving 223 lives. As of Saturday morning, more than 850 uninjured people and eight injured people had been evacuated, including 167 by helicopter, according to the Kerr County Sheriff's Office. Local authorities cleared more than 300 feet on either side of the Guadalupe River, from one mile north of Camp Mystic up through Hunt and Ingram. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additional fixed-wing aircraft from the Coast Guard have been requested, Noem said during a news conference Saturday afternoon. Boerne Search and Rescue teams navigate upstream in an inflatable boat on the flooded Guadalupe River Friday in Comfort, Texas. Texas deployed more than 1,300 state responders and over 800 vehicles and equipment assets, according to Gov. Greg Abbott's office. The governor also signed a federal disaster declaration and declared an emergency for 15 counties. "This is a time when we, as a state, need God more than ever," Abbott wrote in a statement. "The one thing I hear the most are the prayers that are being sent for those who are in harms way." Authorities pledged to search until every single missing person is found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Travis County, which is about three hours away from Kerr County, four people died in the floods, officials confirmed to Fox News Digital on Saturday night. A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter conducts rescue operations along the Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025 in Kerrville, Texas. "Our nation's heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families. Just an incomprehensible tragedy," Vice President JD Vance wrote on X. "I hope everyone affected knows they're in the prayers of my family, and of millions of Americans." The vice president, a devout Catholic, also included the Eternal Rest Prayer in his post. More than 600 Kerrville Public Utility Board customers are without power as of 6 p.m. local time Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kerr County Sheriff's Office is encouraging those with missing loved ones to call the Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767 for information. Fox News Digital's Landon Mion contributed to this report. Original article source: Five deceased campers identified as death toll continues to rise after devastating Texas flood Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday said that the state has secured the first position in the country in the 2023-24 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) index released by NITI Aayog. Addressing a public gathering in Haridwar, CM Dhami said, "I am pleased to inform you that, in the 2023-24 index of the Government of India's NITI Aayog, Uttarakhand has ranked first in the entire country in achieving the goals of sustainable development." Highlighting the state's progress, Dhami credited the achievement to Uttarakhand's balanced growth approach; he said, "It's because both the speed and direction of our growth are moving forward in a balanced manner. Along with this, we have also surpassed the national average by reducing the unemployment rate by 4.4%..." During the 'Vikas Sankalp Parv' event held in Haridwar, the CM inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 107 projects, which are expected to cost around Rs 550 crore, a release said. CM also visited the stalls set up by various departments on this occasion and was overwhelmed by the immense love and affection received from people in the programme. Chief Minister further said, "Under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttarakhand is moving on the path of progress with clear policy, determination and public welfare decisions. Development is our priority, honesty is our identity, and public service is our resolve." "With this aim, we are continuously working to establish Uttarakhand in the category of leading states of the country. The schemes which have been inaugurated and laid the foundation stone in Haridwar will definitely prove to be a milestone in the direction of regional development," CM added. Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister also held a telephone conversation with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, discussing the heavy rainfall in disaster-prone areas of the state. Dhami informed that, considering the seriousness of the issue, Amit Shah has assured that the Centre's emergency relief agencies, the NDRF and ITBP, are being deployed promptly to ensure that the Char Dham Yatra is not disrupted and that devotees face no inconvenience during their travel. (ANI) Three men have been killed in separate shootings during the first five days of July, continuing a troubling trend of violence in Dallas. The most recent homicide occurred around 3 a.m. on July 5 in the 5500 block of Pick Fair Circle. Officers responded to a shooting call and discovered a man had been shot at the scene. He was transported to a local hospital, where he died. Police have not released the victims identity. The case is being investigated under case number 095374-2025. A grand jury referral will be submitted to the Dallas County District Attorneys Office. Detective Timothy Johnston is leading the investigation and can be reached at 214-671-3523 or timothy.johnston@dallaspolice.gov. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two earlier shootings also remain under investigation. On July 1, officers were dispatched to the 3600 block of W. Camp Wisdom Road around 3:50 p.m. Police say 43-year-old Rashonda Lowe shot 53-year-old Jaime Rokkett. Rokkett was pronounced dead at the scene by Dallas Fire-Rescue. Lowe later turned herself in to Arlington police and was taken into custody by Dallas officers. She was booked into the Dallas County Jail on a murder charge. That case is documented under case number 093451-2025. Detective Joshua Conklin is handling the investigation. In another case, a man was found shot inside a vehicle early July 4 in the 9400 block of Bruton Road. Officers arrived at the scene around 12:15 a.m. and found the victim wounded in the drivers seat. He was transported to a hospital, where he died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His identity has not yet been released. No suspects have been named, and police have not disclosed a motive. That case is being investigated under number 094784-2025 by Detective Guy Curtis. All three investigations remain active, and police are urging anyone with information to come forward. Contact Information for Lead Detectives: Three people were shot and injured overnight in St. Paul, including two men who were injured at a party where more than 30 shots were fired, police said. Two men arrived at Regions Hospital shortly after midnight Saturday with non-life threatening gunshot wounds, said Alyssa Arcand, a St. Paul police spokeswoman. St. Paul police investigating said the men had been shot at a party on Central Avenue and Avon Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hospital was temporarily put on lockdown after the men arrived because of the number of people who arrived in connection with the gunshot victims. No arrests had been made as of Saturday morning. Another man also arrived at the hospital around the same time with a non-life threatening gunshot wound to his torso, according to Arcand. Police say the third man was shot in the 800 block of Euclid Street about 11:30 p.m. Friday. That shooting was not connected to the other ones, authorities said. The investigations into all three shootings were continuing Saturday morning. Related Articles ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkish authorities detained three more mayors from the main opposition party on Saturday, according to a prosecutor's statement and media reports, expanding a months-long legal crackdown that has expanded beyond its origins in Istanbul. The mayors of the big southern cities of Adana and Adiyaman were detained on allegations of extortion, the Istanbul chief prosecutor's office said, along with some eight other people. Broadcaster NTV said Antalya's mayor and the deputy mayor of Istanbul's Buyukcekmece district were also detained as part of the broader investigation in which hundreds of members of the Republic People's Party (CHP), including 11 mayors previously, have been targeted since October last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CHP broadly denies the charges and calls the probe politically driven, charges the government denies. In March Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the main political rival of President Tayyip Erdogan, was jailed pending trial on corruption charges, which he denies. That sparked the largest street protests in a decade and a sharp selloff in Turkish assets. (Reporting by Zeynep Berkem and Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Alison Williams) Three people were robbed in the early hours of Saturday morning in Belfast city centre. The incidents happened in or near Great Victoria Street and Ormeau Avenue between 04:50 and 06:00 BST. Two of the victims were assaulted. Police described the incidents as terrifying for the victims but said none were seriously injured. In the first incident a man in his 20s said he was punched by two men in Great Victoria Street shortly before 05:00 BST. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He told police a third man acted as a lookout and the three men made off with his wallet. Shortly afterwards, a man in his 30s reported being assaulted by two men in Stroud Street. He was treated in hospital for a head injury. At about 05:50 BST a woman in her 20s said she was approached by two men on Ormeau Avenue. They demanded her handbag which she handed over. Suspects have Belfast accents Det Sgt Leeman said the suspects were described as being in their 20s, with Belfast accents. They were wearing dark clothing and trainers. "It is absolutely unacceptable that people going about their business should be robbed and assaulted," the detective said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our enquiries are ongoing and we are actively exploring a possible link between these three reports. "We would encourage anyone who may have witnessed suspicious behaviour in and around these times to contact us. "The city would have been quiet so early in the morning, and unusual activity may have stood out." Jul. 4On Friday night, three new pillars were added to the Pillars of the City during a presentation as part of Freedom Fest. This year's inductees include Helen E. McMillian, William Todd and Alice E. Snater. After Snater's plaque was unveiled, her daughter Dianne Snater was invited on stage to say a few words about her mother who worked hard for those things she believed in. "She would work herself to the bone for what she thought was right for children," Dianne said. "She was a powerful member of the community." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plaques will be put up in the coming days on the flood wall alongside Main Street. On each of the plaques are QR codes that will give people the opportunity to learn more about this year's pillars. This was the 10th year of the program. Helen E. McMillan (July 6, 1909 Jan. 29, 1984) Helen McMillan settled in Austin in 1945 with her husband and was actively involved with the local Red Cross, the Human Rights Commission, the United Council of Church Women, and the American Legion Post 91 Auxiliary. She served as the president of the Austin League of Women Voters for 15 years, and from 1953 to 1955, she held the position of president at the state level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the suggestion of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, her husband encouraged her to run for the Minnesota House of Representatives. In 1962, McMillan became the first woman elected from Mower County. During her 12 years in the Minnesota State House, she championed women's rights, advocated for education for the mentally ill, and supported advancing vocational rehabilitation activity centers. William Todd (Sept. 1, 1857 Oct. 13, 1931 William Todd was born near Glasgow, Scotland, in 1857. At the age of 22, he immigrated to America, initially settling in Cresco, Iowa, before moving to Austin a year later. Upon his arrival in Austin, he began working for the Milwaukee Railroad and in 1891, he was appointed chief engineer for Austin Waterworks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1899, Todd constructed the city's first municipal electric light plant and advocated for the use of springs instead of wells for the city's water supply. In 1900, he was elected superintendent of the Electric, Light, and Waterworks. His visionary contributions as a dedicated engineer significantly improved the utility systems that we continue to benefit from today. In 1927, the citizens of Austin petitioned the Water and Light Board to name the Herzog Spring Farm "Todd Park" in his honor. Alice E. Snater (June 27, 1936 June 17, 2015) After losing her dream home near Lafayette Park to a catastrophic flood in 1978, Alice Snater became a dedicated citizen volunteer for the city of Austin, working on flood relocation projects. From 1978 to 2004, she collected data for grant programs and co-founded the Flood Action Citizens Task Source (FACTS), which actively lobbied local, state, and federal agencies for flood-hazard mitigation initiatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the years, Snater served on several boards and commissions, including the Sacred Heart Care Center, the Civil Service Police Commission, the Human Rights Commission, and the Austin City Council. Additionally, she contributed as a collaborative team member for the Parents Forever Program, the Seibel Center, and worked for the courts as an advocate for minor children for over 25 years. Past Pillars of the City 2016: George A. Hormel, Jay C. Hormel, Richard L. Knowlton, Dr. Richard J. Schindler, Jon W. Erichson 2017: Ira James Holton, Gary Ray, Esther Morse 2018: Robert Enright, Lyman Baird, Norman Hecimovich Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2019: Bonnie Besse, Gertrude C. Ellis, John O'Rourke 2020: Geraldine Rasmussen, Pat Piper, Larry Dolphin 2021: Susan Grove, Olva Hegge, Jacob Herzog 2022: Frank W. Bridges, Miguel Garate, Michael C. Ruzek 2023: Dr. Ralph Holmen, Rosalie Seltz, Belita Schindler 2024: Jiles A Baldrus, Terese Amazi Three people were slashed and stabbed, one fatally, during a bloody clash at a Queens corner early Saturday, cops said. A 24-year-old man and two 25-year-old men got into a violent brawl near the corner of Sutphin Blvd. and 112th Ave. in South Jamaica around 1:50 a.m., according to police. When cops arrived at the scene, the 24-year-old victim had been slashed in the stomach, police said. The two 25-year-old victims were both stabbed one on his left side, the other in the chest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All three were rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where the victim stabbed in the chest died and was later identified as Jonathan McFarlane. McFarlane lived about a 10-minute walk for where he died, according to police. No arrests have been made, police said. Cops on Saturday were scouring the area looking for surveillance footage that could help them with their investigation. Residents of 112th St., which remained littered with remnants of spent fireworks on Saturday, were baffled that such an act of violence could have taken place in an area they said was typically quiet and peaceful. Most had gone to sleep by the time of the fatal brawl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fireworks, lot of fireworks. Thats all we heard, said a 63-year-old woman who lives in a house on the block. There was a lot of these guys down here last night, she said. They was competing with each other. You know, who could shoot the biggest firework out. There was at least 50 people on this block. Everybody was having fun. We figured everybody was doing good. We wake up and somebody got killed. Crazy. The woman, who did not want to give her name for fear of retaliation, said she went to bed around one in the morning. I thought they were having fun. But the fun do come to tragic, you know. Thats why I dont like a crowd. I do not like a crowd. They come out nice and then sooner or later they start drinking and everything changes. You know when you start drinking your attitudes change. Fourth of July people are gonna drink and smoke, she added. She doubted the brawlers lived on the block, which is normally quiet. There are 10 houses on this block and us 10 know each other, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other block residents were just as stunned by the violence. I woke up this morning and watched it on the news and I saw my car on the news, said a 41-year-old man who has lived on the block for 14 years. Imagine watching TV and seeing your vehicle. I thought, What the hell. Then when I look outside I saw sirens, tape out there. The officers told me I couldnt come outside because of the investigation or whatever. This was this morning like 5:30, the man said about waking up to find his block was a crime scene. I wasnt expecting that at all, he said. He agreed with the other residents who characterized the violence as unusual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was kind of upset to hear the news calling this neighborhood dangerous because I dont find it that way, he said. We dont have any issues. People mind their business and stuff. I got three kids here they dont have any problems. The man said he also thought the doomed revelers werent from the area. Usually when you dont live someplace thats where you go and you make a mess. People who live here doesnt do that. For the most part its pretty quiet. We usually have family-oriented cookouts, backyard things. Some people play music, especially on the 4th of July, a 41-year-old man who also lives on the block said. But nobody really wouldve expected a stabbing. Those type of things havent happened in this neighborhood for years. Three men were taken to hospital after a house disturbance in West Lothian. Police Scotland said officers were called to a property on McCann Avenue, Broxburn, at about 01:15 on Friday. The injured men, aged 18, 25 and 28, were treated at Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary. The 28-year-old was later arrested in connection with the incident and is due to appear at Livingston Sheriff Court on Monday. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A two-time registered sex offender from Fayette County will serve three decades in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing and exploiting minors as young as 3 weeks old. In February, Brian Roberts, 44, admitted to sharing child pornography of infants and toddlers and sexually abusing a young boy, according to federal prosecutors. A judge sentenced Roberts, of Washington Court House, to 30 years in prison, 20 years shy of the possible maximum 30 years for sexual exploitation and 20 years for child pornography possession. The sentencing ends an investigation that began in 2022 when federal agents began observing activity on the dark web dedicated to the sexual abuse of children. Between November 2022 and August 2023, Roberts sexually exploited an approximate 3-year-old boy and uploaded hundreds of photos showing abuse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One killed in Franklinton shooting One video showed more than three minutes of Roberts abusing a child. He then uploaded 195 photos to the dark web, including more than 100 focusing on the sexual abuse of toddlers and infants as young as 3 weeks old. Roberts is now a three-time convicted sex offender, with prior convictions in Madison and Clark counties. He also had a warrant in February out of Highland County for telecommunications harassment toward a family member of the 3-year-old boy based on his alleged attempts to contact the child. In 2000, Roberts was sentenced to six months in prison and five years of community control. Guilty of pandering obscenities involving a juvenile in Madison County, he became a registered sex offender. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ten years later, he was convicted of the same crime and was sentenced to five years in prison, registering as a Tier II sex offender. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BAGHDAD (AP) Tens of thousands of pilgrims are in the Iraqi city of Karbala for Ashoura, the holy day on which Shiite Muslims commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. The annual pilgrimage is one of the largest religious events in the Shiite world. Ashoura holds deep religious and historical significance for Shiites, marking the 680 A.D. Battle of Karbala, in which Imam Hussein, along with his family and companions, was killed after he refused to pledge allegiance to the Umayyad caliphate, cementing the schism between Sunni and Shiite Islam. For Shiites, the commemoration has come to symbolize resistance against tyranny and injustice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event Sunday comes in the wake of unprecedented regional escalation, following the recent Israel-Iran war, as well as other dramatic developments including the fall of Syria's former President Bashar Assad an ally of Iran in December and the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, longtime leader of the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah. The streets of Karbala were carpeted in red and lined with stations offering food and water to the pilgrims, who came from Iraqs provinces and from abroad, including large numbers from Iran, the Gulf states, Lebanon and Pakistan. Black-clad men, women, and children gathered around the shrines of Imam Hussein and his brother Abbas, performing traditional mourning rituals including chest-beating, elegies, and lamentations. Although the occasion is religious in nature, some participants chanted against Israel and the United States as they processed through the streets of Karbala. Many banners also expressed support for the Axis of Resistance, a cluster of Iran-backed factions and governments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iraqi Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari arrived in Karbala on Saturday and held an extended meeting at the operations command headquarters with senior security and intelligence officials and representatives of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of mostly Shiite militias that are officially under the command of the Iraqi military. The interior ministry said in a statement that the session focused on tightening control over the citys entrances and intensifying intelligence and field operations to safeguard the massive crowds. Members of the Islamic State and other groups following an extreme interpretation of Sunni Islam, who consider Shiites to be apostates, have carried out attacks during Ashoura gatherings in Iraq and other countries in the region over the years. The resistances weapons are what protected Iraq, and they will not be surrenderedno matter how great the internal or external pressure, Abu Ali al-Askari, a spokesperson for Iraqs powerful Kataib Hezbollah militia, which is closely aligned with Iran, said during the commemorations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His remarks came amid renewed national debate over the future role of armed factions in Iraq, especially in the wake of the recent regional escalations. The government of northern Iraqs semi-autonomous Kurdish region said in a statement Saturday that a drone had crashed overnight in an open area near the regional capital of Irbil and that some groups affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces carry out such attacks with the aim of creating chaos. It called for the federal government in Baghdad to put an end to these acts of sabotage and take the necessary legal action against their perpetrators. The Iraqi army responded in a statement that the accusation against the PMF was unacceptable and issued in the absence of evidence and said it could provide hostile parties with justifications to undermine Iraqs stability. TITUS COUNTY, Texas (KETK) The Titus County Sheriffs Office said a man has been arrested for cockfighting after officials were alerted to an illegal cockfighting event on Friday. Two injured in Tyler overnight club shootings Photo courtesy of Titus County Sheriffs Office. Photo courtesy of Titus County Sheriffs Office. Photo courtesy of Titus County Sheriffs Office. Mugshot of Timothy C. Thompson, courtesy of Titus County Sheriffs Office. According to the sheriffs office, their deputies and investigators were given information about an illegal cockfighting event that was being held in the 900 block of County Road 3925 in the early hours of July 4th. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators reviewed statements and evidence before applying for a search and arrest warrant from 276th District Judge Michael Kopech. The warrant was issued and the sheriffs office searched the property. Timothy C. Thompson, 52 of Titus County, was then arrested for cockfighting and four counts of cruelty to a livestock animal, according to a post from the sheriffs office. Thompson has been booked into the Titus County Jail and is currently waiting for his arraignment by a magistrate judge. The sheriffs office said they are continuing to investigate other potential suspects in this case. You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. A significant outcome of the meeting at the Deputy Commissioner's Conference Hall was the finalisation of an action plan to introduce the Tai Khamti language as a third language in all government and private schools, as well as in Buddhist monasteries (Buddha Viharas) across the district. The language will be taught from the primary to secondary level starting August 16. Stressing the urgency of the initiative, Mein noted that "The loss of a language often leads to the erosion of rituals, traditions, and cultural identity, making its preservation a top priority." He further asked the Deputy Commissioner to ensure the policy's implementation across all private institutions. The Tai Khamti Heritage & Literary Society (TKHLS) has been tasked with the responsibility of printing the Primer for the primary level and imparting training to the teachers in the local language. The meeting also resolved to observe 'Nadi Utsav' on July 8, during which fish fingerlings will be released into rivers and streams to help replenish freshwater fish populations and restore ecological balance. As part of ongoing green initiatives, the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign will be launched across government institutions, residents, public spaces, villages, and roadways to promote tree plantation and environmental consciousness. To further promote Swacchta, one village in each constituency will be adopted as a model under the 'Cleanliest Village' initiative, encouraging best practices in sanitation, waste management, and community hygiene. In response to the growing drug menace, the administration plans to enforce strong preventive and corrective measures with the active participation of CBOs. Flying squads will also be deployed to check illegal hunting and fishing activities, particularly during night hours to enhance wildlife protection and biodiversity conservation. The meeting also reviewed the progress of the Borbeel Lake Restoration Project, with renewed emphasis on timely execution and long-term sustainability. (ANI) The idea of evolution backtracking isn't a completely new idea, but catching it in action isn't an everyday experience. A newly documented example of wild growing tomatoes on the black rocks of the Galapagos Islands gives researchers a prime example of a species adapting by rolling back genetic changes put in place over several million years. Researchers from the University of California, Riverside (UC Riverside) and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel say it's evidence that species can wind back changes that have happened through evolution. Related: Ferns Can Evolve Backwards, Challenging a Common Assumption on Life "It's not something we usually expect," says molecular biochemist Adam Jozwiak, from UC Riverside. "But here it is, happening in real time, on a volcanic island." The researchers studied the chemical structures of tomatoes and related. (Jozwiak et al., Nature Communications, 2025) Through an analysis of 56 tomato samples taken from the Galapagos, covering both the Solanum cheesmaniae and Solanum galapagense species, the team looked at the production of alkaloids in the plants: toxic chemicals intended to put off predators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the case of the S. cheesmaniae tomatoes, different alkaloids were found in different parts of the islands. On the eastern islands, the plants come with alkaloids in a form comparable to those in the cultivated fruit from the rest of the world; but to the west, an older, more ancestral form of the chemicals were found. This older version of the alkaloid matches the one found in eggplant relatives of the tomato stretching back millions of years. Through further lab tests and modeling, the researchers identified a particular enzyme as being responsible for this alkaloid production and confirmed its ancient roots. A change in just a few amino acids was enough to flip the switch on the alkaloid production, the researchers determined. De-evolved tomato species from the Galapagos. (Adam Jozwiak/UC Riverside) There are other isolated examples of evolutionary backflips known scientifically as genetic atavisms, where a mutation causes a species to revert to expressing an ancestral trait. These include experiments on chickens that have been genetically tweaked to revive their ancient programming for growing teeth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The difference in this case is a critical change has propagated through entire populations. In some plants, multiple genes have reverted, suggesting strong selection pressures are involved. What makes it an even more interesting shift is that the western parts of the Galapagos islands are younger less than half a million years old and more barren. It seems environmental pressures may have driven these steps back into evolutionary history. Besides being a fascinating example of how evolution turns around on itself, the research also opens up possibilities for advanced genetic engineering that works with even greater control, altering plant chemistry for multiple benefits. "If you change just a few amino acids, you can get a completely different molecule," says Jozwiak. "That knowledge could help us engineer new medicines, design better pest resistance, or even make less toxic produce." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "But first, we have to understand how nature does it. This study is one step toward that." The research has been published in Nature Communications. Related News The new president of Guernsey's Health and Social Care Committee (HSC) has conceded there was "no political oversight" of the first phase of the hospital modernisation project. Last week the BBC revealed the project to build a new critical care unit was delayed because of problems with the building work. Deputy George Oswald, who was a non-States member of the last HSC committee, said "the States does not handle big budget projects well". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think the problem is lack of resourcing, we try and do things on the cheap probably because we know we're a small island with a small community and not a lot of money," he said. HSC said "sadly but unavoidably, the CCU would continue to be delayed until essential remedial works have been completed" but it did not give a timeframe. Contractors Rihoys and Son said the work to extend the hospital had been challenging. The BBC understands work is under way to fix the defects by contractors Rihoys and Son, which was commissioned to work on the full hospital modernisation project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HSC was negotiating with Rihoys about how this work would be funded. Deputy George Oswald was elected unopposed to become the President of the Health and Social Care Committee [BBC] Speaking about the problems, Oswald said: "We don't invest in the technical experts we need right at the beginning to ensure the project goes the right way. "I think that was very apparent in phase two." Last year it was revealed officers knew about a potential 30m overspend for phase 2 of the hospital modernisation project. It led to an inquiry which found no problems with the way the States managed big building projects and a review of the hospital project by a UK firm, which has not been publicly released. 'Technologically difficult' Oswald said: "That has now been resolved but possibly too late to influence the problem with the black hole we had and as far as I'm aware certainly didn't involve it at stage one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It was all sourced in-house because that was the cheapest option but building hospitals and commissioning hospitals is an expensive and technologically difficult thing to do. "The NHS is littered with examples of where hospital builds have gone wrong to the detriment of both the local population and also sometimes to the detriment of the builders who got themselves involved in it." Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. More on this story Related internet links CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) As summer temperatures climb, locals are looking for the best places to beat the heat. Celebrate National Barbecued Spareribs Day at these local spots Whether youre in the Berkshires or the Pioneer Valley, western Massachusetts offers a variety of scenic swimming spots that provide more than just a place to cool down, they deliver the full summer experience. Here are five of the top-rated swimming destinations in western Massachusetts to check out this summer: Puffers Pond Amherst Tucked away in North Amherst, Puffers Pond is a local favorite offering a quiet, wooded escape just minutes from downtown. The pond features a sandy beach area, clear water, and a peaceful walking trail around its perimeter. Its free to access, but parking can be limited on hot days, so early arrival is recommended. Lake Wyola State Park Shutesbury Located in the hills of Shutesbury, Lake Wyola offers a family-friendly environment with a roped-off swimming area, picnic facilities, and lifeguards on duty during peak season. The calm, shallow water makes it ideal for kids, while nearby grills and shaded picnic spots attract day-trippers looking for a full afternoon retreat. Laurel Lake Erving Laurel Lake is a clear-water spot with a small beach and great access for kayakers and swimmers alike. Its quieter than some of the larger lakes in the area and offers stunning views of the surrounding woodlands. While its less developed, its a hidden gem for those seeking a low-key dip. DAR State Forest Goshen With over 1,500 acres of forestland, DAR State Forest surrounds Upper Highland Lake, a designated swimming area with clear waters, restrooms, and picnic tables. Its a great option for families, campers, and anyone looking to pair a swim with a hike or bike ride. Entry fees apply during the summer season. Onota Lake Pittsfield On the western edge of the state, Onota Lake in Pittsfield offers broad views, warm water, and easy access. Burbank Park features a public beach, boat ramp, and fishing dock. Its one of the more popular swimming locations in the Berkshires and hosts local events throughout the summer. Parking and access are free. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before heading out, visitors are encouraged to check for updated water quality reports or seasonal closures through local town or DCR websites. 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. A senior European Commission official took free flights and holidays for his family while negotiating with a foreign country, the EUs anti-fraud agency has said. Henrik Hololei, a former transport official, is also accused of leaking sensitive internal documents with a non-EU country, following an investigation into the civil servants undeclared gifts by Olaf, the European anti-fraud office. Olaf said its investigation exposed more than 870 million (750.7 million) in misused EU funds in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Hololei was negotiating an aviation agreement with Qatar when the alleged gifts were accepted. He is now the subject of a criminal investigation by the European Public Prosecutors Office and an internal disciplinary probe by the commission. Olaf said in a statement: We confirmed that the person failed to declare their flights, hospitality, gifts as well as the complimentary benefits that their spouse received whilst accompanying them on a number of business trips. We further identified that a non-EU countrys economic operator provided the senior staff member and their family with complimentary flight tickets and hotel accommodation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The watchdog added: However, we did not conclude that these gifts and preferential treatment led the person to act favourably on behalf of a non-EU country or non-EU entity. Conflict of interest The Estonian has since accepted a new role advising on international partnerships with reduced pay in the commission. The EU executive opened a disciplinary procedure against Mr Hololei earlier this year, a European Commission spokesman told The Telegraph. The procedure concerns four alleged breaches, including the unauthorised acceptance of gifts, conflict of interest, unauthorised disclosure of documents and transparency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This internal disciplinary procedure is ongoing and is carried out within a reasonable period of time, account being taken of both the interests of the institution and of the person concerned. The Commission does not comment further on individual cases, they said. MEPs have expressed disappointment that the aviation agreement with Qatar was not suspended after the allegations. Frank Furedi, the executive director of MCC Brussels, the Eurosceptic think tank, said: The EUs response is not just feeble its farcical. Even the top brass arent beyond suspicion, yet the worst a wrongdoer can expect is a perfunctory slap on the wrist. With consequences so toothless, the rot is not just setting in, its thriving. Brussels must act, or risk becoming a byword for impunity. Misuse of EU funds Olafs annual report found 120,000 in payments to EU staff that broke the rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are four ongoing investigations into European Parliament staff and three underway at the EUs foreign affairs service. There were also investigations into staff at the council of the European Union, the European Investment Bank and Frontex, the EUs border agency. The watchdog uncovered systemic and widespread use of bribes to ensure the undue approval of rural development projects for EU co-financed subsidies from 2015 to 2020. This included investigations into bribes to farmers by Slovak officials to the tune of 10 million to illegitimately access EU agricultural funds, and an illegal Greek landfill, which cost the EU 1.1 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also found substantial breaches of procurement, transparency and financial management rules relating to a 114 million EU funded project in Poland to deliver power generators to Ukrainian regions suffering from power shortages because of the war. Thanks to our efforts, an impressive 91 million (78.5 million) has been targeted for recovery, it said, adding that contracts were awarded without authentic competitive bidding. Mr Hololei did not respond to a request for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. For Jackelyn and Monica Madrigal, Color Me Chula is more than a business. The Mexica-owned salon in Fresnos Tower District is a love letter to queer culture, Latinidad and the Central Valley towns that shaped them. The married couple opened their Tower District salon during the pandemic and dreamed of creating a space that felt like a home for people whom may often feel out of place. The salon, known for its gender-affirming haircuts, has cultivated a loyal customer base and space where marginalized community members feel safe being themselves. We wanted it to feel very homey, very familiar, welcoming, said Jackelyn Madrigal. Weve incorporated a lot of artwork that reflects Mexican culture, Indigenous culture, and our queer culture as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monica Madrigal grew up in Del Rey, a small farming town southeast of Fresno. Her childhood was shaped by single-parent struggles, long summers sorting apples in packing houses and a deep desire to help others. I was in constant labor jobs my whole life, Monica said. For a while, she dreamed of becoming a social worker, especially after experiencing the foster care system. But, with bills to pay, school never felt like a realistic option. Jackelyn Madrigal came from Firebaugh, raised in a ranch where she tended goats and chickens and played in the dirt instead of with Barbies. A natural artist, she dreamed of attending art school and becoming a professional painter or curandera an Indigenous healer. She got accepted into a medical program in Santa Cruz, but had to stay home after her parents suffered a medical emergency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monica and Jackelyn Madrigal met years ago in Fresno. Jackelyn was drawn to Monica before they realized they had mutual friends on social media. I was waiting for her to have a bad day so I could be her listening shoulder, Jackelyn said. Fourteen years later, theyre still partners in love, life and business. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, both women discovered they were immunocompromised. Jackelyn was overworked, stressed and stuck in jobs that didnt allow her to thrive creatively or emotionally. Monica, always the more practical one, wanted to become her own boss. We started putting things together and oh shoot its a business, Monica said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What started as a survival hustle soon became Color Me Chula. Monica, left, and Jacklyn Madrigal, co-owners of Color Me Chula, run their uniquely inclusive salon business in the Tower District. Photographed Monday, June 23, 2025 in Fresno. At Color Me Chula, customers are greeted with vibrant colors, Mexican pop art, political posters and walls that echo with laughter. Some customers say it reminds them of their grandmothers house. We were selfish. We kind of designed it for us, Monica said. Some loyal customers describe Color Me Chula as the home of one of the largest queer Mexican art collections in Fresno, and clients often bring trinkets or art pieces to contribute to the space. Color Me Chulas name is a playful twist on Color Me Mine. The art reflects not just Mexican and Indigenous traditions, but queer iconography and a theme of resistance. A woman once peeked through the window after walking past Color Me Chula, and stepped inside. She later returned with a portrait of Frida Kahlo. You need a Frida, she told them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We wanted it to feel very homey, very familiar, welcoming, Jackelyn said. Activism can manifest in different ways. You dont always have to be shouting in the street. At Color Me Chula, a haircut can serve as a form of affirmation. Especially for queer and trans clients, sitting in Jackelyn or Monicas salon chair is about more than aesthetics. Hair can feel like a ball and chain for some queer folks, Jackelyn said. Some parents dont allow kids any autonomy. Thats why gender-affirming haircuts were a priority from the start. Jackie was the first to start doing gender-affirming cuts in our community, Monica said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They stress that they are not here to assume your gender here. This space is built so you can speak your mind, be yourself. The couple believes activism doesnt have to be loud to be powerful. After President Donald Trump won his second term and fear rose across immigrant and queer communities, the duo began encouraging clients to connect with organizers and share resources. Color Me Chula also challenges the norms of traditional salons by prioritizing hair education. Were a teaching salon, Monica said. Youre going to get to know your hair. The education is something Jackelyn has enforced at this salon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like a dentist, I can tell when you havent been following the routine, she said. Theyve made it their mission to reach people who often feel overlooked. Queer folks, BIPOC clients, Spanish speakers and anyone made to feel othered in more conventional spaces is welcome at their salon. Theyre not interested in becoming a trendy salon for influencers theyre here to build community and joy You dont have to be rich or famous to help your community, Monica said. You can create a ripple. Jacklyn and Monica Madrigal co-own Color me Chula, their uniquely inclusive salon business in the Tower District. Photographed Monday, June 23, 2025 in Fresno. Members of an organised crime gang which forced trafficked migrants to work in cannabis farms across the country have been jailed. The ringleader of the gang, Mai Van Nguyen, 35, from Birmingham, led a criminal network of Vietnamese nationals to exploit the migrants after they were trafficked into the country on lorries or boats, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said. Taxi drivers were then used to move the migrants to farms and properties around the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many were forced to live in degrading conditions in order to pay off their debt and some were subjected to violence, Kevin Broadhead, from the NCA, said. Nguyen worked with fellow Vietnamese nationals Doung Dinh, 38, from Birmingham, and Nghia Dinh Tran, 30, from Lewisham, London, to exploit migrants by putting them to work. According to the NCA, a trial at Birmingham Crown Court heard how taxi drivers Shamraiz Akhtar and Tasawar Hussain, 53 and 54 respectively and from Birmingham, would move migrants between various properties for the gang and were paid hundreds of pounds each time. They would also carry equipment and cannabis, said the NCA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A sixth member of the gang, Amjad Nawaz, 44, from Birmingham, arranged the properties which were used for buying and selling drugs. The trial heard from one trafficking victim who said he was forced to work after being exploited by the gang. In June 2021, he was arrested after officers from Cleveland Police raided a farm at a house in Hartlepool. Inside the property, officers found a note pinned to a bedroom door saying "take what you want, please don't hit me, I do not know English" and a handwritten diary extract from a migrant in which they asked: "Why did I get beaten up and forced to work?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farms linked to the network were found in Tipton, Coventry and Edgbaston in the West Midlands, Derby, Hartlepool, East Ham in London and Gatley in Cheshire. Nguyen and Tran both pleaded guilty to conspiring to produce cannabis but the others denied the charge. All six denied charges of trafficking for exploitation but on 24 February, following a seven-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court, all six were found guilty of all charges. The sentences handed down to the six men were: Mai Van Nguyen, 35, of Beetham Tower, Birmingham 15 years Doung Dinh, 38, of St John's Walk, Birmingham 14 years Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nghia Dinh Tran, 30, of Casella Road, Lewisham, London 11 years 6 months Amjad Nawaz, 44, of Blake Lane, Birmingham - 12 years Tasawar Hussain, 54, of Millward Street, Birmingham - 10 years Shamraiz Akhtar, 53, of Nechells Park Road, Birmingham - 10 years 6 months Second gang also sentenced The NCA said, in a separate hearing at the same court, two members of another organised crime group were also sentenced on Friday. The agency said Roman Le, 37, from Birmingham, headed a gang who operated at least eight farms in residential and commercial properties as well as a storage facility which housed both equipment and harvested cannabis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NCA said he found properties by posing as a developer and then buying or renting them. They said Le worked with co-defendants Yihao Feng, 29, from Manchester, and David Qayumi, 36, from Birmingham, to find and run the properties. They included a disused nightclub in Coventry, a former pub in Birmingham and an old hotel in Lancashire. Overall the farms were capable of making millions of pounds worth of cannabis, the agency said. Feng was sentenced to three years and two months in prison, Qayumi got three years and four months and Le will be sentenced on 30 July, the NCA said. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Related internet links Editors Note: As Lexington celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, the Herald-Leader and kentucky.com each day throughout 2025 will share interesting facts about our hometown. Compiled by Liz Carey, all are notable moments in the citys history some funny, some sad, others heartbreaking or celebratory, and some just downright strange. Transylvania didnt start as a university. In fact, it didnt even start in Lexington. But it did help solidify the citys reputation as the Athens of the West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Transylvania University was founded not long after the United States. In 1780, the Virginia Assembly chartered the Transylvania Seminary in a log cabin in Boyle County, near present-day Danville. Named after the Transylvania Colony, the school was the first college west of the Allegheny Mountains. According to the university, classes began in Danville in 1785. The cabin where classes were held was home to the schools first chairman of the Board of Trustees, the Rev. David Rice, the founder of First Presbyterian Church. In 1793, Transylvania trustees accepted a gift of land, then called the College Lot and now known as Gratz Park. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In exchange, they promised to relocate and maintain the campus in Lexington. Six years later, the school, by then Transylvania University, was established. The school opened a law school and a medical school the first in the West. In 1820, the first medical fraternity Kappa Lambda of Hippocrates was established by Professor Samuel Brown. Branches of the fraternity ultimately led to the founding of the American Medical Association. It would take almost two decades for the school to add a new building for student classes. When that building burned down in 1829, the whole university was moved to its current location north of Third Street. Old Morrison was built the next year, under the supervision of Henry Clay, who also taught law and served on the schools board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From those beginnings, Transylvania became a destination for the children of the Souths political leaders, military families and the business elite. Because of its prominence as an institution of learning, and its location in Lexington, the school helped the city gain its reputation as the Athens of the West. Have a question or story idea related to Lexingtons 250-year history? Let us know at 250LexKy@gmail.com. Several members of the community shared their thoughts on social media about pioneering farmer John Harris who died Wednesday at 81 Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno: John Harris was a respected leader in California and American agriculture. In the San Joaquin Valley, people recognized that John Harris made a difference in numerous ways. A proud graduate of UC Davis, he always understood the importance of education and gave back generously whether through his support of Fresno States Maddy Institute or mentoring the next generation of agricultural leaders. John was a pioneer in the development and production of healthy food products that made the Harris Ranch Beef one of the most respected food producers in America. His love of horses and agriculture defined his life. I had the good fortune to know John for over 40 years - he was my friend; he will be deeply missed, but his legacy will live on forever. Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer: I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my dear friend, John Harris. John was a true pioneer in the Central Valley, his vision and leadership helped make Harris Ranch a household name, known far beyond our region. More than that, he was a kind, generous man who cared deeply about his community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield: I am heartbroken to hear that John Harris of Harris Ranch has passed away. He was an icon, a true entrepreneur, and a legend. John built Harris Ranch into a top name in beef and horse racing with his big ideas and hard work. His legacy will live on. Rest in peace, John. Fresno State President Saul Jimenez-Sandoval: John Harris embodied the spirit and promise of the Valley. His dedication to agriculture, his visionary leadership, and his unwavering commitment to our regions future have left a profound legacy that will continue to shape generations. At Fresno State, we are deeply grateful for his steadfast support of our students and his belief in the transformative power of education. On behalf of our campus community, I extend my deepest condolences to the Harris family as we honor a life defined by purpose, generosity, and service. Christina Estrada, CEO of The Big Fresno Fair: Johns smile at the racetrack is something Ill never forget. There was a spark in him when he was at our Fair he truly came to life there. And that was before his horse even won! He was driven by an unwavering passion for agriculture and the Central Valley whether ranching, farming or raising California Thoroughbreds. John Harris was respected by so many and formed lifelong connections at The Big Fresno Fair. His presence, his passion and his legacy will always be a part of this place. Donald Trump said he did not know the term shylock is considered anti-Semitic when he used it in a speech in Iowa on Thursday night. Mr Trump told reporters early Friday that he had never heard it that way and did not know the term was considered an offensive stereotype about Jews. The term refers to the villainous Jewish moneylender in Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice, who demands a pound of flesh from a debtor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Trump had used it at his rally in Iowa when talking about his big, beautiful bill that was passed by Congress earlier in the day. No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing some from, in some cases, a fine banker and in some cases shylocks and bad people, he said. When a reporter later asked about the words anti-Semitic association and his intent, Mr Trump said: No, Ive never heard it that way. To me, a shylock is somebody thats a money lender at high rates. Ive never heard it that way. You view it differently than me. Ive never heard that. Extremely offensive and dangerous The Anti-Defamation League, which works to combat anti-Semitism, said in a statement that the term evokes a centuries-old anti-Semitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous. President Trumps use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrat Joe Biden, while vice-president, said in 2014 that he had made a poor choice of words a day after he used the term in remarks to a legal aid group. The Trump administration has cracked down on anti-Semitism, screening for perceived anti-Jewish rhetoric or support for Hamas when granting immigration benefits. Mr Trumps battle with Harvard University has centred on allegations from the White House that the school has tolerated anti-Semitism. It is not the first time Mr Trump has been accused of playing on stereotypes about Jewish people. He told the Republican Jewish Coalition in 2015 that you want to control your politicians and suggested the audience used money to exert control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before he kicked off his 2024 presidential campaign, Mr Trump drew widespread criticism for dining at his Florida club with a Holocaust-denying white nationalist. Words from leaders matter Last year, Mr Trump made repeated comments accusing Jewish Democrats of disloyalty because of the Democratic leaders criticisms of Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel. Critics said it perpetuated an anti-Semitic trope about Jews having divided loyalties and there being only one right way to be Jewish. The Anti-Defamation League said Mr Trumps use of the word underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country. Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the president of the United States. 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. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the Civil Aviation Conference-2025 organised in Dehradun on Friday. Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu and Civil Aviation Ministers of North India also attended the conference. Chief Minister said that this conference is a testimony to the historic progress made in the civil aviation sector of the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that by connecting small cities and remote areas with air connectivity through the Udan scheme, not only has air travel become accessible to the common citizens, but the local economy has also been strengthened. The Chief Minister said that currently 18 heliports are being developed in Uttarakhand, out of which services have started at 12. He said that heli services have become not only a means of transport in hilly states like Uttarakhand, but have also become a lifeline. "Be it disaster management, health services or pilgrimage, helicopter services have provided unprecedented convenience in these areas". Chief Minister Dhami urged the Union Civil Aviation Ministry to formulate a separate "Mountain Aviation Policy" for mountain states, which should include provisions such as special financial assistance, subsidy for operations, suitable ATC network for mountain areas, accurate weather forecast, slotting and pre-disaster preparation. The Chief Minister also requested all operators to provide special pilot training for mountain flights, strict adherence to safety standards and ensure the safety of passengers. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu announced that the government is working on a plan towards the expansion of airports and helipads in hilly areas of the country. Naidu stated that under the Regional Connectivity Scheme, several airports from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh are being built. "We already have a plan for the expansion of heliports in hilly states. Under our Regional Connectivity Scheme, several airports from J&K to Arunachal Pradesh are being built", Ram Mohan Naidu told reporters in Dehradun. The Union Minister stated that there are 18 heliports in Uttarakhand, and as far as safety is concerned, the weather conditions and geographical terrains pose difficulties in the operations of helicopters. (ANI) The United States has confirmed it completed the deportations of eight men to South Sudan, a day after a US judge cleared the way for President Donald Trumps administration to send them to the violence-hit African country. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Saturday that the men were deported a day earlier, on US Independence Day on Friday, after they lost a last-minute legal bid to halt their transfer. The eight detainees immigrants from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, South Sudan and Vietnam had been held under guard at a US military base in Djibouti for weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A staffer working at Juba airport in South Sudan told the Reuters news agency that the aircraft carrying the men had arrived on Saturday at 6am local time (04:00 GMT). Their current location is not known. In a statement, DHS said the eight men had been convicted of a range of crimes, including first-degree murder, robbery, drug trafficking and sexual assault. Their case had become a flashpoint in ongoing legal battles over the Trump administrations campaign of mass deportations, including removals to so-called third countries where rights groups say deportees face safety risks and possible abuses. These third country deportations are wrong, period. And the United States should not be sending people to a literal war zone, progressive Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal wrote on social media earlier this week, urging the deportations to be blocked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The eight men had been held in a converted shipping container in Djibouti since late May, when an earlier deportation flight to South Sudan was halted by the courts over due process concerns. The US Supreme Court has twice ruled that the Trump administration could deport them to countries outside of their homelands, issuing its latest decision on Thursday (PDF). That same night, the eight detainees had filed an appeal, arguing that their impermissibly punitive deportation to South Sudan would violate the US Constitution, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. But Judge Brian Murphy of Boston, whose rulings had previously halted efforts to begin deportations to the African country, ruled on Friday evening that the Supreme Court had tied his hands, clearing the way for the deportations to go ahead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin hailed the removals as a win for the rule of law, safety and security of the American people. The US State Department advises citizens not to travel to South Sudan due to crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict. The United Nations has also warned that a political crisis embroiling the African country could reignite a brutal civil war that ended in 2018. Last week, Blaine Bookey, legal director at the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, condemned the USs use of deportations to third countries. The administrations increased use of third country transfers flies in the face of due process rights, the United States international legal obligations, and basic principles of human decency, Bookey said in a statement. The Trump administration deported eight migrants to South Sudan, according to a Department of Homeland Security official, after the administration had to halt their deportation to a base in Djibouti. "A district judge cannot dictate the national security and foreign policy of the United States of America," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said to ABC News. "This Independence Day marks another victory for the safety and security of the American people." The plane landed in South Sudan just before midnight EST on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Supreme Court says administration can remove 8 migrants being held in Djibouti The eight migrants, who DHS has alleged have serious criminal convictions, were the subject of a lawsuit that had halted their deportation to South Sudan and diverted them to a U.S. military base in Djibouti. Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images, FILE - PHOTO: In this Dec. 21, 2024, file photo, an aerial view of Djibouti, East Africa is shown. The conditions at the base, according to court filings, were both challenging for the detainees and ICE officials who were tasked with watching them. The lawsuit made it all the way up to the Supreme Court and the court ruled that the Trump administration was not bound by a lower court order to keep them at a military facility in Djibouti. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court on Thursday clarified that the noncitizens the Trump administration moved to deport to South Sudan -- and has since held temporarily in Djibouti in legal limbo -- is not bound by a lower court order to keep them there as legal proceedings play out. The decision is another win for the Trump administration and its unprecedented effort to deport immigrants to countries with which they have no ties and where they may face mistreatment. Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: The Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., June 27, 2025. In an unsigned opinion, the Supreme Court explained that when it lifted judge-imposed due process requirements for third-country removals last month the government can no longer be held to account for allegedly violating the requirements. One of the lawyers representing the group of men called their deportation to South Sudan "punitive and unconstitutional." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Because of the Supreme Court's procedural ruling, these men were denied an opportunity to contest their deportations to South Sudan based on their fear of torture or death," said Trina Realmuto in a statement to ABC News. "The U.S. State Department warns Americans against all travel to South Sudan yet deported these men there without any due process. Make no mistake about it, these deportations were punitive and unconstitutional." -ABC News' Laura Romero contributed to this report. When President Trump floated his 2026 budget for NASA, it slashed science funding by half; proposed the end of the Artemis programs Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft and Gateway lunar station; and cut back support of the International Space Station. While Congress will ultimately decide which programs get funded in the federal governments budget, that may not happen for months. Instead of waiting, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, took aim at Trumps tax and spending bill, which the president has been calling the big, beautiful bill. Cruz spearheaded an amendment to shoehorn more than $10 billion into the legislation, also known as a reconciliation bill, to save some of those NASA targets. It also sets aside money to move retired Space Shuttle Discovery from its current home at the Smithsonian outside of Washington to Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill was approved by the Senate and House this week and signed by Trump on July 4. The added funding falls outside of NASAs annual budget and would be available for use over the next seven years. Cruz is the chair of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and initially proposed the amendment ensuring the U.S. not China gets to Mars and gets back to the moon first. It ensures funding to a program that has endured heavy criticism because of years of delays and a ballooning price tag that has cost the nation nearly $100 billion but has so far only managed one launch. That funding includes $4.1 billion for the SLS rockets needed for the Artemis IV and V missions. That is a big win for prime contractor Boeing, which makes the rocket core stages as well as Melbourne-based L3Harris, which produces the core stages four RS-25 engines. Its also good news for Northrop Grumman, which makes the SLS two solid rocket boosters that when combined with the core stage produce 8.8 million pounds of thrust on liftoff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lone flight of SLS on Artemis I in 2022 remains the most powerful rocket to ever reach orbit. Artemis II, which will feature the first crewed flight of Orion, is slated for no later than April 2026 on a mission to fly around, but not land, on the moon. Artemis III is still on the calendar for summer 2027, which looks to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since the end of the Apollo program in 1972. Trumps proposed budget still looks to kill off use of both SLS and the Orion spacecraft after Artemis III and instead continue its moon and Mars missions using commercial rockets such as SpaceXs Starship and Blue Origins New Glenn. It also looks to kill the Gateway lunar space station, parts of which are supposed to be launched on Artemis IV. Cruzs supplemental funding proposal instead adds $2.6 billion to fully fund Gateway. By saving Artemis IV and V with the SLS, that also means the new mobile launcher 2 currently under construction at Kennedy Space Center may actually get used. Its designed for the larger versions of SLS on those two missions, which will use a more powerful upper stage designed by the European Space Agency. Those missions are still on NASAs roadmap for 2028 and 2029. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By keeping them, it would also save jobs at KSC. Trumps proposed budget also seeks to shutter the KSC-based Exploration Ground Systems program, which employs about 500 civil servants and 3,000 contractors. Among all Artemis programs, KSC employs about 700 civil servants and 3,850 contractors, according to NASA. On a smaller scale, the proposal also sets aside $20 million toward Lockheed Martins Orion capsule for Artemis IV. One late addition to the amendment that managed to get through was $85 million set aside to move Space Shuttle Discovery from its current home at Smithsonians Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia to Space Center Houston. Other major funding adds include $700 million for a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter, which would support the beleaguered Mars Sample Return mission; $1.25 billion to support International Space Station operations over five years until its planned decommissioning in 2030; and $325 million to fund the deorbit vehicle, being designed by SpaceX, needed to bring the station back to burn up safely in Earths atmosphere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also features $885 million to upgrade NASA facilities, including $250 million for Kennedy Space Center to support construction, revitalization, recapitalization, or other infrastructure projects and improvements to be allocated no later than fiscal year 2026. The One Big Beautiful Bill supports the Artemis Program and invests in NASA centers to keep the U.S. leading in space, posted Rep. Mike Haridopolos on X. The Space Coast Republican is chairman of the House Space Subcommittee and welcomed the Senate additions to the reconciliation bill. Were going back to the moon, on to Mars, and beyond! Funding for fiscal 2026, which begins in October, wont be determined until Congress passes that budget bill. But when that will happen is uncertain. The federal government this year is actually running under a continuing resolution that maintained levels from the 2024 budget, meaning NASAs take has been about $25 billion Its possible funding for fiscal year 2026 will continue under similar resolutions until a full budget is agreed upon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps proposal still looks to slash NASAs budget to $18.8 billion. The biggest loser is more than $3.4 billion cut from science, including $1.15 billion from Earth science, $1 billion from astrophysics, more than $800 million from planetary science and $370 million from heliophysics. It also slashes space technology and zeros out STEM education. Nonprofit group The Planetary Society said the overall budget would be the smallest for NASA since 1961 and called it an extinction-level event for NASAs science efforts killing 41 science projects or a third of its science portfolio. That includes 19 existing missions that are currently active, healthy, and producing invaluable science, according to a statement from the Planetary Society. Among them are New Horizons, that visited Pluto and is now in the Kuiper Belt; Juno, the only mission near Jupiter; and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. It would also end the UCF-led GOLD atmospheric science mission that launched in 2018. These represent a cumulative investment of over $12 billion and years of work to design and build. These are irreplaceable assets, the statement reads. President Donald Trump has defended his use of the term "shylock" at a rally this week, saying he was unaware it is considered antisemitic by some people. Trump used the term in his speech in Iowa on Thursday, shortly after his signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed by Congress earlier in the day. Shylock is the name of the villainous Jewish moneylender in Shakespeares "The Merchant of Venice," who demands a pound of flesh from a debtor. President Donald Trump talks to journalists as he arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland early on July 4, 2025. Trump returns from Iowa where he spoke at the Salute to America Celebration at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) Trump Admin Cracks Down On Antisemitism As Doj Official Exposes 'Violent Rhetoric' Of Radical Protesters Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over time, the name came to be used more broadly to refer to a loan shark or greedy moneylender. Today, some consider it an antisemitic slur, particularly when used in reference to Jewish people. "No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing some from, in some cases, a fine banker and in some cases, shylocks and bad people," Trump said, while referring to the bills elimination of estate taxes and borrowing burdens. Read On The Fox News App The term did not provoke any reaction from the crowd, but his remark quickly blew up online, and he later defended using it when a reporter said it is widely considered an antiemetic phrase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No Ive never heard it that way," Trump responded. "To me, a shylock is somebody thats a moneylender at high rates. Ive never heard it that way. You view it differently than me. Ive never heard that." The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which works to combat antisemitism, said the term evokes "a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous." President Donald Trump speaks during the American 250 kickoff event on July 3, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Suspect Charged With Murdering Israeli Embassy Staff Could Face Death Penalty "President Trump's use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible," the ADL wrote in a statement Friday. "It underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country. Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Jerry Nadler, D- N.Y., who is Jewish, agreed and ripped Trump for using the term. "The term Shylock is one of the most recognizable antisemitic slurs in the English language," Nadler wrote on X. "Its a centuries-old trope that has fueled discrimination, hatred and violence against Jews for generations. I condemn Donald Trumps dangerous use of this blatantly antisemitic slur and his long history of trafficking in antisemitic tropes." Nadler went on to say that Trump has exploited the rise of antisemitism to suppress free speech and that he isnt serious about tackling the problem. Conservative political commentator John Podhoretz, who is also Jewish, shot back at Nadler. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I condemn your endorsement of an anti-Semitic mayoral candidate which you did because you are a pusillanimous coward," Podhoretz wrote, in reference to Nadler endorsing Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor. "At best Trump said Shylock the same week he destroyed Irans nuclear program. What have you ever done for the Jews, Jerry?" Rep. Jerry Nadler, D- N.Y., who is Jewish, criticized Trump for using the term. Click To Get The Fox News App Trump has made tackling antisemitism particularly on college campuses and through immigration enforcement a top priority in his campaign. He signed an executive order in January mandating that all federal agencies identify and apply tools to address antisemitic harassment and violence in higher education. His administration has also launched investigations into universities including Harvard, Columbia, and UC Berkeley over allegations of antisemitism and has threatened to pull federal funding if they fail to act. His daughter Ivanka converted to Orthodox Judaism in 2009 and is married to Jared Kushner, who is also Jewish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrat Joe Biden, while vice president, said in 2014 that he had made a "poor choice" of words a day after he used the term in remarks to a legal aid group. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: Trump defends use of shylock term at rally amid antisemitism claims President Donald Trumps administration deported eight immigrants to South Sudan, a dangerous country where most of the men have no ties, the Department of Homeland Security said Saturday. The Friday night deportations come after two federal judges refused to block the move, citing recent rulings by the Supreme Court. The State Department warns Americans not to visit South Sudan due to continued security threats. These sickos will be in South Sudan by Independence Day, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Thursday, calling it a win for the rule of law, safety and security of the American people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the immigrants, who were shown in a photo shackled by their hands and feet and surrounded by guards in an airplane, are from Cuba, Mexico, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. One of the men, Dian Peter Domach, is a citizen of South Sudan, according to DHS. The agency says the immigrants were convicted of crimes including murder, kidnapping, and sexual assault. The men had been held in a shipping container at a military base in Djibouti since May as they awaited court decisions. ABC News reported the news of their deportations to South Sudan Saturday morning. The deportations are a major win for Trump, who has made cruel treatment of immigrants a hallmark of his administration. He previously deported hundreds of Venezuelan men to a notorious prison in El Salvador without due process, and illegally deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia there as well. The Trump administration complied with a Supreme Court order to bring Abrego Garcia back to America last month to face new criminal charges in Tennessee. Abrego Garcia recently described experiencing severe beatings and psychological torture, including sleep deprivation, while he was incarcerated in El Salvador. While the Supreme Court issued rulings demanding the Trump administration respect immigrants right to due process and undo Abrego Garcias unlawful deportation to El Salvador, the courts conservative supermajority recently greenlit the presidents efforts to send immigrants to third countries, or countries that are not their own. The State Department tells Americans not to visit South Sudan due to crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict. It adds: Violent crime, such as carjackings, shootings, ambushes, assaults, robberies, and kidnappings are common throughout South Sudan, including Juba. Foreign nationals have been the victims of rape, sexual assault, armed robberies, and other violent crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the Supreme Court, with little explanation, lifted an injunction from Judge Brian Murphy in Massachusetts that had prohibited the administration from deporting the men to South Sudan. The court clarified its previous decision on the matter Thursday. What the government wants to do, concretely, is send the eight noncitizens it illegally removed from the United States from Djibouti to South Sudan, where they will be turned over to the local authorities without regard for the likelihood that they will face torture or death, liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a dissent. Because the Fifth Amendment entitles aliens to due process of law in the context of removal proceedings, the governments no-notice removals are undoubtedly illegal. In simple terms, the government requests that the court remove an obstacle to its achieving those unlawful ends. On Friday, Murphy denied an emergency appeal from the mens lawyers to block their deportations. They argued the deportations were impermissibly punitive and their clients are likely to face torture. Murphy wrote that the Supreme Courts second ruling on this topic tied his hands. This court interprets these Supreme Court orders as binding on this new petition, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is deeply troubling that the Supreme Courts procedural ruling prevented a court from addressing the real fact that these deportations are unconstitutionally punitive, Trina Realmuto, an attorney for the National Immigration Litigation Alliance who represented the men, told The New York Times. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss in Washington, D.C. had ordered the deportation to be temporarily paused earlier on Friday afternoon while transferring the case to Murphy. It seems to me almost self-evident that the United States government cannot take human beings and send them to circumstances in which their physical wellbeing is at risk simply either to punish them or send a signal to others, Moss said at the hearing. This should, indeed, be self-evident but thats not the America we live in now. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. US President Donald Trump has suggested that Vladimir Putin does not want a ceasefire in Ukraine but rather to "keep killing people". Source: Trump talking to reporters on Friday evening on board Air Force One, as reported by European Pravda Details: Speaking about his conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy the day before, Trump recalled how he had spoken with the Kremlin leader earlier. "I told you I was very unhappy with my call with President Putin. He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people, its no good," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the US president does not believe that Putin is "mocking" him by refusing to agree to a ceasefire. Trump said that Putin was concerned about sanctions and added that the Senate was preparing large-scale sanctions. Background: Earlier, the American president admitted that he had not made any progress on a ceasefire in Ukraine during his telephone conversation with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday. Commenting on the conversation between the leaders of Russia and the United States, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed doubt that they had much in common. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! President Donald Trump said Friday that he was unsure if hed be able to end Russias war against Ukraine, a far cry from his promise to swiftly put a stop to the conflict that he made on the campaign trail. I dont know. I cant tell you whether or not thats going to happen, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, when asked whether or not hes confident that hell be able to find an end to the fighting. When asked if ending the war was a priority, the president said, Yes. Id like to see it happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the campaign, Trump pledged to end the fighting between the two countries on day one of entering office. He later backtracked in an interview with TIME Magazine, calling the pledge an exaggeration. We helped a lot of countries, Trump said Friday. The Ukraine situation thats a Biden deal. Its not a Trump deal. Im trying to get it finished off. Trump has sought to broker a peace agreement between the two countries. But in the past, he has threatened to walk away from the war, amid his increasing frustration with the continued fighting. Trump spoke by phone with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week. His Thursday call with the Russian leader made no progress, he said hours after the two men spoke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His conversation with Zelenskyy seemed more productive, according to a social media post by the Ukrainian president and the presidents readout to reporters. The two leaders, Zelenskyy said, had a very important and fruitful conversation in which they discussed Ukraines air defense, joint defense production and mutual procurement and investment. Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday that we had a very good call, I think a very strategic call. I told you I was very unhappy with my call with President Putin, he continued. He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people, its no good. The Pentagon earlier this week paused some weapons shipments to Ukraine, citing concerns that U.S. ammunition has fallen too low, POLITICO first reported. When asked about that pause on Thursday, Trump said: We havent. Were giving weapons. But weve given so many weapons. But we are giving weapons and were working with them and trying to help them. But we havent. President Trump said that his administration is working with Texas state and local officials in response to fatal flash flooding as the death toll in the state has risen to 27. Our Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, will be there shortly. Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy, Trump said in a Saturday post on Truth Social. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS! The number of people who have died from the flooding, which began on Wednesday, has gone up to 27, according to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha. Among those are 18 adults and nine children. Of those, six adults and one child have not been identified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leitha added that authorities have recovered 850 uninjured people and eight injured people. The sheriff emphasized that the figures are official as of 8:55 a.m. local time and are changing rapidly. We are working hard to locate anyone who is still missing and to ensure theyre safe, Leitha said at a press conference on Saturday. Authorities are still searching for people caught up in the flooding, including at least 23 missing Camp Mystic campers. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said Saturday during the press conference that his family comes to the impacted area virtually every year for the Fourth of July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know the stories of people that have been heroic in trying to make sure that the lives lost is at a minimum in trying to recover individuals, Roy said. Vice President Vance said Saturday that our nations heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families. Just an incomprehensible tragedy. I hope everyone affected knows theyre in the prayers of my family, and of millions of Americans, the vice president added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Israeli outlets reported Thursday that Hamas leaders had signaled an openness to a ceasefire deal with Israel brokered by Trump administration envoys. News of the potential 60-day ceasefire was announced by President Donald Trump in a Truth Social post on Tuesday stating that Israeli diplomats had agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the deal. I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE," the president wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If successful, the ceasefire would be seen by some as another data point in favor of the Trump administrations peace through strength approach to foreign policy that has yielded a string of recent results. New Jewish immigrants from Spain, England, France and the Netherlands disembark from an airplane a day after the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, as they arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. | Ohad Zwigenberg Trump oversees peace deals On Friday, Trump mediated a peace deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking an unprecedented step toward ending what the United Nations has dubbed one of the most protracted, complex, serious humanitarian crises on Earth. President Donald Trump holds up a signed document to present to Congo's Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, right, as Rwanda's Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe, from left, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio watch on Friday, June 27, 2025, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. | Manuel Balce Ceneta A few days earlier, Trump announced a ceasefire between Iran and Israel which both countries have so far continued to honor following Trumps decision to drop around a dozen bombs on Iranian military sites in an effort to destroy its nuclear weapons program. Our man in the arena is the very best, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said last week at a Western Governors Association meeting. We see this moving out across the world, working to secure world peace but through strength. This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows a close view of the Isfahan nuclear technology in Iran after U.S. strikes, Monday, June 22, 2025. | Maxar Technologies The presidents campaign promise to end American involvement in forever wars has taken a number of different forms as global conflicts have escalated, ranging from Trump threatening to depose Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, and decisions to pause weapon transfers to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the White House said it would halt the delivery of air defense systems and precision-guided missiles to Ukraine out of concerns from the Defense Department that U.S. stockpiles are running low. Former President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump Tower, on Sept. 27, 2024, in New York. | Julia Demaree Nikhinson Trump had a nearly one-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, according to The New York Times, where the leaders discussed Iran and Ukraine. I didnt make any progress with him at all, Trump said, according to the Times. Russian foreign policy officials told reporters that Putin called for diplomatic resolutions to Irans nuclear enrichment efforts, and reaffirmed his uncompromising view on the war in Ukraine, the Times reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump reportedly raised the question of the quick end to the military action, according to Russias top foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov. Critics weigh in on Trumps foreign policy Critics of the Trump administration have alleged that the presidents approach to Putin has been too generous while his interventions in the Middle East have risked exacerbating instability in the region. Protesters chant slogans as one of them holds up a poster of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a protest following the U.S. attacks on nuclear sites in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 22, 2025. | Vahid Salemi Many of these criticisms focus on Trumps unprecedented treatment of foreign policy procedures, sometimes undermining allies plans or his own advisers. His approach has sown confusion within his administration and distrust abroad, wrote geostrategist Brahma Chellaney on Thursday. Allies are left wondering whether Trumps statements reflect official policy or personal whim, and even his own Cabinet is often in the dark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Top Republican members of Congress and State Department officials were caught off guard by Trumps Tuesday decision to hold weapon shipments to Ukraine, Politico reported. When asked about the goals of Americas bombing campaign in Iran on June 22, Vice President JD Vance said we dont want to achieve regime change. A few hours later Trump posted on Truth Social, Its not politically correct to use the term, Regime Change, but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldnt there be a Regime change??? Some point to Trumps live narration of military action against Iran as a potential source of frustration for Israel because it may have given Iran a chance to move enriched uranium from their nuclear sites before they were bombed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others, including former Trump national security adviser Robert OBrien, have argued that the presidents willingness to make tough decisions to support American interests like he did in Iran will ultimately strengthen Americas standing on the world stage. President (Trump) is delivering a master class on how to conduct an America First foreign policy, OBrien wrote earlier this month. (Trump) has gracefully given an enemy multiple chances to avoid war. But because he puts America First, Trump is never going to allow the regime that chanted DEATH TO AMERICA for 40 yrs, killed hundreds of our servicemen & threatened our leader to get a nuclear bomb." US President Donald Trump has said that he was satisfied with the conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy the day before. Source: Trump to reporters on Friday night aboard Air Force One, as reported by European Pravda Details: Trump said that he and Zelenskyy "had a very good call; weve talked about different things". "We had a very good call; I think it was very strategic," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked about the supply of American weapons to Ukraine, the US president said that "weve been helping them and well continue to help them." "It's a pretty tough situation. Well see what happens," Trump said without specifics. Later, on a separate question about the prospects of supplying Ukraine with Patriot systems, he said: "Yes, we might". Background: On the afternoon of 4 July, US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a telephone conversation. Axios notes that Trump allegedly said that he wants to help Ukraine with air defence and will check which aid was suspended. Zelenskyy publicly reported that he discussed the situation at the front and the supply of air defence equipment, as well as joint defence production, with the American president. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan attended the sixth convocation ceremony of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-K), Srinagar, and conferred degrees upon the graduates. On the second day of his visit to Jammu & Kashmir on Friday, Shivraj Singh said, "I've been in Srinagar since yesterday. The cool breeze, the fragrance of the soil, the natural beauty, and the warmth of the people have truly touched my heart. Jammu & Kashmir is the crown jewel of India. Yesterday, we had an in-depth review with the Chief Minister on agriculture and rural development. We held extensive discussions on accelerating Jammu & Kashmir's development. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is determined to build a 'Viksit Bharat', and for that, a prosperous Jammu & Kashmir, with its empowered farmers, are essential. We are fully committed to achieving this goal." Referring to a past meeting of the NITI Aayog, Chouhan told CM Omar Abdullah, "You had emotionally appealed to ministers to come to Jammu & Kashmir and hold advisory committee meetings. You highlighted how internal conditions are stable and only disturbed by external elements. We accepted your invitation and held the advisory committee meeting yesterday." Chouhan shared how he interacted with locals across Srinagar and received overwhelming love and affection. "Even a Shikara boatman on the Dal Lake greeted me warmly. I am deeply moved and will share this affection with the rest of the nation," he said. He praised SKUAST-K's accomplishments and expressed confidence that it would soon become the top-ranking state university. He noted that the university hosts students not just from Jammu & Kashmir but from 30 Indian states and Union Territories, as well as from abroad, making it a nationally and internationally recognised institution. Speaking to the graduates, he said, "Convocation does not mean the end of learning; it marks the beginning of new knowledge. The lessons you've learned in your classrooms and labs must now be shared with society." He emphasised the irreplaceable value of agriculture, stating that "without farming, neither Jammu & Kashmir, nor the country, nor the world can function. Agricultural produce cannot be made in factories." He added, "Agriculture remains the backbone of the Indian economy and the primary livelihood for over half the population." Thanking PM Modi, he highlighted that under PM's leadership, India's foodgrain stock has reached record levels, with a 44 per cent increase in foodgrain production over the past 11 years, including record growth in rice, wheat, maize, soybean, and groundnut. Jammu & Kashmir's fruits, flowers, and vegetables are exceptional in taste and colour, he said, and reiterated his vision to make J&K a global horticulture hub. He added that the Holistic Agricultural Development Program (HADP) is being implemented successfully in the region. Discussions were held on providing 'Clean Plants' under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). Currently, farmers often import planting material from outside the state, which may carry viruses or bacteria. To address this, a decision was made to establish a Clean Plant Center in J&K with a budget of Rs 150 crore. He noted that in 5,000 hectares of apple orchards, per-hectare yield has increased from 10 tonnes to 60 tonnes, a six-fold rise. "I want to see Kashmiri apples exported globally so that India doesn't need to import apples anymore," he said. The minister highlighted the Government of India's commitment to protecting farmers' interests under the leadership of PM Modi. He called for more innovation in agriculture, urging students to launch startups and develop advanced technologies in the sector. While praising the university's performance in civil services, he reminded students that true achievement lies in living for others, not just oneself. "Apply practical knowledge, not just theoretical. Each of you has immense potential, and I'm confident you will do well," he said. Quoting Swami Vivekananda, Chouhan said, "Man is a storehouse of infinite strength; there is nothing he cannot achieve." He encouraged students to set goals, make a roadmap, and work persistently for the greater good. He said both central and state governments are working together to implement these strategies. "India belongs not only to itself but to the world. This is a land that considers the entire world as one family," he concluded, calling for collective efforts to advance Jammu & Kashmir and the nation with the guiding mantra: "Peace, not war; love, not hatred." He expressed confidence that India would build a stronger global identity and emerge as the world's food basket. At the convocation ceremony, nearly 5,250 students received undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD degrees. Additionally, 150 gold medals and 445 merit certificates were awarded to outstanding students for their academic achievements. The event was graced by Lieutenant Governor and Chancellor of the University Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister and Pro-Chancellor of SKUAST-K Omar Abdullah, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Javed Ahmad Dar, Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Chaudhary, Education Minister Sakina Masood, along with vice chancellors, professors, senior officials, and other dignitaries. (ANI) US President Donald Trump hosts Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday to press the Israeli prime minister to end the war with Hamas in Gaza. Trump has vowed to be tough on Netanyahu as he hopes to use the momentum from the truce between Iran and Israel to secure a ceasefire in the devastated Palestinian territory, too. Trump says Israel is committed to a 60-day halt in fighting and Hamas says it has responded positively to a US-backed proposal -- but sealing a final deal to end the 21-month-old war will be easier said than done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu, who is making his third visit to the White House since Trump returned to power in January, has vowed to crush Hamas before ending the conflict. Yet Trump, determined to win the Nobel peace prize and riding a wave of recent foreign and domestic policy victories, is making a renewed push for a result. "There could be a Gaza deal next week," Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday. He said he was "very optimistic" about a deal but added that "it changes from day to day. It's been changing for years." In response to reports that Hamas had responded positively to proposed truce talks, Trump said "that's good," although he said he had not yet been fully briefed on this development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump and Netanyahu were in lockstep during the recent Iran-Israel war, which culminated in the US president ordering stealth bombers to strike three crucial Iranian nuclear sites. Washington says the sites were "obliterated" and Iran's nuclear program put back years, although Iran has denied any significant setback. The West accuses Iran of seeking a nuclear bomb, which Tehran denies. But on Gaza, Trump is showing signs of increasing unease with the death and destruction still happening as Israel wages the conflict triggered by a huge Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. "We have to get it over with. We have to do something about Gaza," Trump said on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement - 'Grand bargaining' - Trump seems to have parked, for now, his extraordinary proposal for a US takeover of Gaza that he floated during Netanyahu's first visit in February. "I want the people of Gaza to be safe, more importantly," Trump said when asked about the plan earlier this week. "They've been through hell." Trump has also pushed for the release of hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups in Gaza. He met one released hostage, Edan Alexander, at the White House on Thursday. But while the author of the book "Art of the Deal" prides himself on his negotiating skills, Trump in many ways has an equal in Netanyahu, a political survivor of his own ilk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think we're going to see a strategic meeting in the style of 'grand bargaining', as Trump likes them," Michael Horowitz, an independent geopolitical analyst, told AFP. "Even Mr Netanyahu is aware that we are reaching the end of what can be done in Gaza, and that it is time to plan an exit. Netanyahu surely wants it to be gradual." Trump however will be pushing for something quicker and more comprehensive. He boasted on the 2024 campaign trail that he would end both the war in Gaza and Russia's invasion shortly after taking office, but peace in both cases has eluded him so far. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two previous Gaza ceasefires mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States secured temporary halts in fighting and the return of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, only to break down. The Hamas attack of October 2023 resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,338 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers the figures reliable. dk/dw President Donald Trump is riding a major wave of momentum after he signed his $3.3 trillion "big, beautiful bill" Friday a final notch in a series of wins for his administration in recent weeks. The bills passage comes on the heels of other significant victories for his administration, including a Supreme Court ruling in his favor and successful strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. "President Trump has delivered more wins for the American people in two weeks than most Presidents do in four years," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a Thursday statement to Fox News Digital. "This has been the most historic two weeks of any Administration in history. Thanks to President Trump, America is back and is the hottest country in the world!" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tax and domestic policy bill arrived on his desk after the House passed the final version of the measure Thursday meeting Trumps self-imposed Fourth of July deadline to get the measure over the finish line. President Donald Trump is riding a major wave of momentum after he signed his $3.3 trillion "big, beautiful bill" on July 4, 2025. The bill includes key provisions that would permanently establish individual and business tax breaks included in Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and incorporates new tax deductions to cut duties on tips and overtime pay. The measure also raises the debt limit by $5 trillion a provision that has faced scrutiny from figures such as SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Furthermore, the bill rescinds certain Biden-era green energy tax credits, and allocates approximately $350 billion for defense and Trumps mass deportation initiative to weed out illegal immigrants from the U.S. The measure also institutes Medicaid reforms, including new 80-hour-a-month work requirements for Medicaid recipients, and expands work requirements for those on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Here are some other recent events that have gone in the Trump administrations favor: The U.S. launched strikes June 21 targeting key Iranian nuclear facilities, which involved more than 125 U.S. aircraft, according to Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the strikes, Trump said in an address to the nation that the mission left the nuclear sites "completely and totally obliterated," and Caine said that initial battle damage assessments suggested "all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction." Still, Caine acknowledged that a final assessment would "take some time." Trump Administration Takes On New Battle Shutting Down Initial Iran Strike Assessments President Donald Trump said that after strikes against Iranian nuclear sites, Irans nuclear enrichment installations have been "obliterated." But days later, a leaked report from the Defense Intelligence Agency, published by CNN and the New York Times, cast doubt on those claims, saying that the strikes had only set back Irans nuclear program by several months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the Pentagon said Wednesday that internal intelligence assessments indicate the strikes set back Irans nuclear program by one or two years. "We have degraded their program by one to two years, at least intel assessments inside the Department (of Defense) assess that," Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell told reporters Wednesday. The Supreme Court ruled, 63, to block the lower courts from issuing universal injunctions on June 27. Multiple executive orders Trump has signed during his second administration have been tied up in the courts as a result of nationwide injunctions, including his ban on birthright citizenship. Trump Celebrates Supreme Court Limits On Colossal Abuse Of Power By Federal Judges The Supreme Court ruled that lower courts could only issue nationwide injunctions in limited instances on June 27, 2025. The Supreme Courts ruling means that lower courts are only permitted to issue broad injunctions in limited cases, which Trump said would prevent a "colossal abuse of power." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I was elected on a historic mandate, but in recent months, we've seen a handful of radical left judges effectively try to overrule the rightful powers of the president to stop the American people from getting the policies that they voted for in record numbers," Trump said on June 27. CBS News parent company, Paramount Global, Tuesday agreed to a $16 million settlement with Trump, stemming from a lawsuit Trump filed against CBS in October 2024 related to a "60 Minutes" interview with his opponent in the 2024 election, Vice President Kamala Harris. Cbs Blasts Trumps Lawsuit As Meritless Despite Recent $15 Million Settlement Offer In the lawsuit, Trump alleged that CBS deceptively edited the interview with Harris when asked about why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasn't "listening" to the Biden administration. While the segment aired one answer from Harris during a primetime special on the network, a less polished answer had previously appeared in a preview clip of the interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The money from the settlement will not go to Trump himself, but rather, toward his future presidential library and to cover the plaintiffs' fees and costs. CBS said it worked with a mediator to reach the settlement agreement and that Paramount will not issue an apology. Original article source: Trump rides major wave of momentum going into July Fourth after Iran, BBB, Supreme Court and lawsuit victories US President Donald Trump seen over an image of protests demanding a hostage deal (illustrative). (photo credit: Canva, Noamgalai/Shuttershock, YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) He told reporters aboard Air Force One there could be a deal on a Gaza ceasefire by next week but that he had not been briefed on the current state of negotiations. US President Donald Trump said on Friday it was good that Hamas said it had responded in "a positive spirit" to a US-brokered Gaza ceasefire proposal. He told reporters aboard Air Force One there could be a deal on a Gaza ceasefire by next week but that he had not been briefed on the current state of negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump said on Friday that Iran had not agreed to inspections of its nuclear program or to give up enriching uranium. He told reporters aboard Air Force One that he believed Tehran's nuclear program had been set back permanently although Iran could restart it at a different location. Trump said he would discuss Iran with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits the White House on Monday. 'Positive' signs on potential hostage deal Hamas handed a "positive" response to the ceasefire and hostage deal proposal to mediators on Friday evening,. "We have handed the mediators, Qatar and Egypt, our response to the ceasefire proposal," a Hamas official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Family and supporters of hostages attend a protest demanding the return of all the hostages kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel July 2, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/AMMAR AWAD) The response should help Hamas and Israel "facilitate reaching a deal," the official said. The terrorist organization later added that they "completed its internal consultations with Palestinian factions regarding the mediators' latest proposal to halt the aggression" and that they're "fully prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations" on the mediators' proposal for a ceasefire deal. Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional comments by U.S. President Donald Trump. U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 5 that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not appear interested in ending the war in Ukraine, according to a comment made onboard Air Force One. Trump reiterated that he was "very unhappy" with the July 3 phone call between the two leaders. "It just seems like he wants to go all the way and just keep killing people. It's not good. I wasn't happy with it," Trump told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The call, which lasted about an hour, was confirmed by the Kremlin to have focused on Ukraine. Putin reportedly told Trump that Russia would continue pursuing its "goals" in the war. Trump's remarks follow a sharp escalation in Russian missile and drone attacks across Ukraine that have killed and injured hundreds of civilians in recent weeks. The strikes have hit multiple regions, destroying civilian infrastructure amid persistent calls from Ukraine, the U.S., and Europe for an unconditional ceasefire. When asked if he can end Russia's war against Ukraine, Trump said, "I dont know. I cant tell you whether or not thats going to happen." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump agreed when asked if ending the war is a priority, saying, "Yes. Id like to see it happen." The day after his call with Putin, the U.S. president spoke by phone with President Volodymyr Zelensky and said the two had a "very strategic" conversation. "We talked about different things... I think it was a very, very strategic call," Trump said. When asked about supplying Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, he replied, "Yeah, we might." "They're going to need something because they're being hit pretty hard," Trump added. The statement comes as the U.S. Defense Department has paused deliveries of several key weapons systems, including Patriot missiles and precision-guided munitions, prompting concern in Kyiv. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Trump has said he wants to help Ukraine, his administration has not imposed new sanctions on Russia since taking office and has not approved additional aid packages. The U.S. president has instead directed strikes against Iran, targeting three nuclear facilities in June in response to regional escalations, a move critics say contrasts with his cautious approach toward Moscow. When asked why he appears tougher on Tehran than Moscow, Trump told reporters, "No, I think I'm tougher on Russia than I am on Iran." Despite two rounds of face-to-face talks between Moscow and Kyiv in May and June in Istanbul, no agreement on a ceasefire has been reached. The negotiations have only resulted in prisoner exchanges, as Moscow continues to push for maximalist demands in peace talks. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. President Donald Trump signed his $3.3 trillion "big, beautiful bill" on Friday, after the House passed the final version of the measure Thursday to ensure it arrived at the presidents desk by his self-imposed July 4 deadline. The bill includes key provisions that would permanently establish individual and business tax breaks included in Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and incorporates new tax deductions to cut duties on tips and overtime pay. Before signing the bill, the president said the bill would "fuel massive economic growth" and "lift up the hard-working citizens who make this country run." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have officially made the Trump tax cuts permanent," Trump said. "That's the largest tax cut in the history of our country. After this kicks in, our country is going to be a rocket ship economically. We've delivered no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security for our great seniors. It makes the child tax credit permanent for 40 million American families. The Golden Age of America is upon us." The measure also raises the debt limit by $5 trillion a provision that has faced scrutiny from figures including SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who formerly led a war against wasteful government spending at the Department of Government Efficiency. Furthermore, the bill rescinds certain Biden-era green energy tax credits, and allocates approximately $350 billion for defense and Trumps mass deportation initiative to weed out illegal immigrants from the U.S. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Wind. It doesn't work," Trump said. "I will tell you, aside from ruining our fields and our valleys, killing all the birds, [and] being very weak and very expensive, [they are] all made in China. You know, I noticed something with all of the windmills that China sends us I have never seen a wind farm in China." Jd Vance Poised To Clinch Victory For Trump's Landmark Bill As Gop Finalizes Strategy President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. The measure also institutes Medicaid reforms, including new 80-hour-a-month work requirements for Medicaid recipients, and expands work requirements for those on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Republicans in the Senate were sent scrambling on June 26 to reform and pass the measure ahead of Trumps July 4 deadline after Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough determined that several Medicaid reforms in the sweeping tax and domestic policy package did not follow Senate rules and must be removed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, the Senate barely passed the measure on Tuesday by a 51-50 margin. Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Rand Paul of Kentucky all voted against the bill, requiring Vice President JD Vance to step in and cast the tie-breaking vote. Tax Cuts, Work Requirements And Asylum Fees: Here's What's Inside The Senate's Version Of Trump's Bill Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., questions Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell during the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing titled "The Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress," in Dirksen building on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. The legislation then headed back to the House to hammer out a few differences in the versions passed in both chambers of Congress. On Wednesday evening prior to the Houses passage, Vance turned up the heat on lawmakers to get the measure through the finish line, citing provisions in the measure that would bolster border security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Big Beautiful Bill gives the president the resources and the power to undo the Biden border invasion," Vance said in a Wednesday post on X. "It must pass." "Congrats to everyone. At times I even doubted wed get it done by July 4! But now weve delivered big tax cuts and the resources necessary to secure the border. Promises made, promises kept!" Trump also zeroed in on the measures border provisions when he urged lawmakers to get the legislation completed at a "One, Big, Beautiful Event" at the White House on June 26, labeling the bill the "single-most important piece of border legislation ever to cross the floor of Congress." "This is the ultimate codification of our agenda to very simply, a phrase that's been used pretty well by me over the past 10 years, but maybe even before that make America great again," Trump said at the event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other administration officials also cautioned that failure to pass the bill would wreak havoc on the economy. For example, the White House's Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought told lawmakers in June that failure to pass the measure would result in a 60% tax hike for Americans and would trigger a recession. Senate Passes Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' After Marathon Vote-a-rama Meanwhile, no Democrats in either chamber of Congress backed the measure. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., labeled the bill "cruel" during floor remarks that lasted hours on Thursday, pointing to Medicaid and SNAP reforms that reports suggest would remove millions of beneficiaries from the programs. "What is contemplated in this one big, ugly bill is wrong. Its dangerous, and its cruel, and cruelty should not be either the objective or the outcome of legislation that we consider here in the United States House of Representatives," Jeffries said. Fox News Liz Elkind contributed to this report. Original article source: Trump signs 'big, beautiful' bill in sweeping victory for second term agenda, overcoming Dems and GOP rebels The Brief President Trump signed the self-proclaimed "one big beautiful bill" into law. All Wisconsin Republicans in Congress voted in favor of the bill, while all Wisconsin Democrats voted against it. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services warned 63,000 residents will be at high-risk of losing health coverage, including 19,000 in Milwaukee County alone. MILWAUKEE - President Donald Trump signed the bill titled "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" into law on Friday, July 4. Here's what it means for Wisconsin. Big beautiful bill What they're saying The bill's 940 pages cover a lot. It touches on health care, the border, taxes and more. It renews expiring 2017 tax cuts from Trump's first term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android "What we were at risk of was seeing a significant tax increase averaging $1,500 for families in Wisconsin," said U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wisconsin). "What we got is those reforms made permanent. What were going to see is investment and, in particular and importantly, good and better-paying jobs in our region." "The Republican bill gives people at the top one-tenth of one percent, the richest of the rich, a tax cut of more than $250,000 every year. Yes, a quarter of a million dollars a year," said U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin). The bill also offers new tax breaks, like what the President calls "not tax on tips." The law will allow workers to temporarily deduct tips and overtime, with certain caps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seniors making less than $75,000 per year will see a tax break of up to $6,000. Democrats focused much of their criticism on the law's cuts to Medicaid and food stamps. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates federal Medicaid funding over a decade will shrink by $1 trillion. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services warned 63,000 Wisconsinites will be at high-risk of losing health coverage, including 19,000 in Milwaukee County alone. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News "What the president is going to sign is a bill thats going to kick millions of people off of health insurance," said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. "Hes going to sign a bill thats going to make kids in our country hungry. Hes going to sign a bill that doesnt allow for investments in neighborhoods like this all over the United States." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill requires those on Medicaid to work or volunteer 20 hours a week. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates 92% of adults on Medicaid are either working or may qualify for an exemption. "What it really makes sure that individuals are looking for, volunteering, or are working," Steil said. "What we are trying to do is take able-bodied, childless adults of working age, and get them and help them get back into the workforce. These are common-sense work requirements that I think actually strengthen the program for who the program is originally designed for: children, pregnant women and permanently disabled adults. Those individuals see no changes." The bill also invests in border security and pumps more than $20 billion into what's called a "Golden Dome," a proposed missile and air defense system. READ MORE: 'Big beautiful bill:' Wisconsin lawmakers react to House passage Local perspective All of Wisconsin's Republicans in Congress voted in favor of the bill, while all Wisconsin Democrats voted against it. Get ready to hear a lot about the law in the battleground state. The Source FOX6 News referenced the bill, comments from Wisconsin lawmakers and officials and information from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Kaiser Family Foundation. It literally uses our tax dollars to drive inequality and the stripping away of civil rights, which this president promises with the stroke of his poisoned pen, said Maya Wiley, president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. President Donald Trump took a political victory lap on Independence Day as he officially signed the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act into law, fulfilling his goal of passing his entire MAGA agenda in one colossal bill, packed with massive tax cuts and increased funding to enforce his aggressive immigration policies. Just before signing the bill during a Fourth of July picnic at the White House on Friday, Trump praised his achievement of enacting the largest tax cut in the history of our country. He proclaimed, Our country is going to be a rocket ship economically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Black leaders are decrying what they call the Big Ugly Bill, which makes historic cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and education services social programs that Black Americans disproportionately rely on to pay for Trumps $3.8 trillion tax cuts, which experts warn will overwhelmingly benefit millionaires and billionaires and not everyday Americans. Republicans made their priorities clear: greed over good, cruelty over care, and billionaires over Black lives, said Kristin Powell, executive director at Black to the Future Action Fund. Make no mistake this devastating bill is a direct assault on Black communities and the basic rights we fight for 24/7. Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said the Big, Beautiful Bill will devastate American lives, as they will lose access to health care, food assistance, and even mental health support for students. What does it give us instead? More ICE raids on two-year-olds and high school students, on grandparents, and on workers. It gives us poorer schools and richer billionaires, said Wiley. It literally uses our tax dollars to drive inequality and the stripping away of civil rights, which this president promises with the stroke of his poisoned pen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The civil rights leader said Trump and Republicans can spin it any way they want, but people will suffer. She added, But make no mistake: This big, bad economy-busting bill is a bill that will hurt people in every community, of every race, and in far too many ways. Democrats are gearing up to use Trumps Big bill against him and Republicans in upcoming special elections this year and midterms in 2026. U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who made history on Thursday with the longest House floor speech after nearly 9 hours of talking about how ugly Trumps bill is, appeared to preview what to expect from Democrats in the coming days, months, and over the next year. WASHINGTON, DC JULY 03: U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) walks off the House floor after speaking for 8 hours and 45 minutes as the House debates the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act at the U.S. Capitol on July 03, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) I know that people are concerned with whats happening in America, but understand what our journey teaches us is that after Project 2025 comes Project 2026, said Jeffries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Project 2025 was a conservative policy manifesto published by Trump allies and administration officials that laid out much of Trumps legislative agenda since he took office in January. Jeffries signaled that Project 2026 will be the Democrats response to the enactment of Project 2025, emphasizing that voters will have an opportunity to end this national nightmare. We recognize the villainous budget for what it is, just as we recognize those who support it for the villains they are so do the American people, said U.S. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, D-N.Y., the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, during a press conference ahead of the bills passing on Capitol Hill. Clarke described the bill as a betrayal and vowed, We are going to tell the American people exactly who hurt them. Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright told theGrio it is crucial for Democrats to execute message discipline as they educate and update Americans about the impacts of the One, Big, Beautiful Bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The consistency and the continuity of that is not always the case in the Democratic Party, said Seawright. However, the Democratic insider says his party has a blank canvas type of moment, explaining, We get to control the message, and not we get out-messaged or the other messengers out-message us. Seawright said Democrats are working on the preamble to Project 2026, telling theGrio, Were fertilizing the ground. Powell of Black to the Future Action Fund said Republicans are also counting on this bill becoming signed into law with no consequences, adding, We will be their consequence. We still have local and state power, and we can still resist. At Black to the Future Action Fund, well keep fighting to build Black political power and usher in a future where all Black people can thrive, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will not be silent. We will not back down. We will not forget the sources of the scandalous cuts that have helped to stabilize peoples lives in a country becoming too expensive for too many, said Wiley of The Leadership Conference. We will make sure our communities are informed, empowered, and energized to keep rising up and marching on for an America that lives up to its ideals over the greed of the powerful few. More must-reads: July 4 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump signed into law House Resolution 1, which he called "One Big, Beautiful Bill," while hosting a military family picnic event at the White House on Friday evening. The bill signing included a flyover of a pair of F-35 fighters escorting a B-2 Spirit bomber, which is the same type that dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear facilities June 21. Some 150 airmen and airwomen from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri were among the military members and their families who attended the picnic and bill signing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The American people gave us a historic mandate in November," Trump said of his election victory over former Vice President Kamala Harris. A triumph of democracy President Donald Trump displays the newly signed bill while surrounded by lawmakers and supporters Friday evening on the South Lawn of the White House. Photo by Kent Nishimura/UPI Trump called the bill's passage a "triumph of democracy on the birthday of democracy," and said it is "the most popular bill ever signed in the history of our country." It includes the single largest tax cut, the largest spending cut and the largest border security investment in U.S. history, the president said. A B-2 Spirit Bomber and two F-35 fighters fly over the South Lawn of the White House during the military family picnic and bill-signing event on Friday. Photo by Kent Nishimura/UPI He said the measure modernizes the military, funds the creation of a" golden dome" national air defense system and drives economic growth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This bill will fuel massive economic growth and lift up the hardworking citizens who make this country run -- the factory workers, farmers, mechanics, waiters, waitresses, police officers, firefighters, coal miners [and] truck drivers," Trump said. The bill makes tax cuts permanent, including no tax on tips, overtime and Social Security, the president said. It also makes the child tax credit permanent, creates a tax deduction on the interest paid on the purchase of new U.S.-made vehicles and eliminates the estate tax on family farms and small businesses. The 'Golden Age' of America Trump said the bill cuts taxes on new businesses and existing ones that build and expand their operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have hundreds of factories, including car plants and [artificial intelligence], coming into our country at levels we have never seen," he told the audience. "Not only will we have the strongest economy on Earth, we also will have the strongest borders," Trump said, adding that there were no recorded illegal border crossings into the United States in June. "We are creating an economy that delivers wealth for the middle class, a border that is sovereign and secure, and a military that is unmatched[and] unequaled anywhere in the world," Trump said. "The Golden Age of America is upon us," the president said. "It's going to be a period of time, the likes of which ... the country has never experienced before." Lawmakers were thanked ahead of signing Trump thanked House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and other Republican lawmakers who were among those in attendance for delivering the bill for signing on Independence Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The controversial measure provides funding for the federal government for fiscal year 2026, which begins Oct. 1, but adds an estimated $3.4 trillion to the national debt over the next 10 years. Trump said it reduces spending by $1.7 trillion while also delivering the "largest tax cut" in the nation's history. Trump delivered the 22-minute speech from the south portico of the White House and signed the bill into law from a small desk placed outside, while surrounded by supporters at 5:45 p.m. EDT Johnson then presented the gavel used when the House passed the bill Thursday. Trump accepted the gavel and banged it several times on the small desk to conclude the signing and end the bill's legislative journey on Capitol Hill. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the briefing room of the White House on June 27, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Credit - Joe RaedleGetty Images President Donald Trump has spoken out after sparking criticism for using a term widely considered to be antisemitic during a speech. Addressing a crowd in Iowa on Thursday, Trump used the term Shylock when discussing his now-signed Big, Beautiful Bill. When approached by a reporter on Friday about his use of the term thats widely viewed as an antisemitic phrase, Trump was asked if he intended for the word to be used in that way. No, Ive never heard it that way. To me, Shylock is somebody thats a moneylender at high rates. Ive never heard it that way. You view it differently than me. Ive never heard that, he said, before opening up to other questions on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump had used the word when discussing taxes, telling an Iowa crowd: No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker and in some cases Shylocks and bad people. Jewish advocacy groups came out to condemn the usage of the term, tracing its history back to the villain of William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice, which sees the dubious character demand a pound of flesh from a Christian merchant unable to pay his debt. The play has long been regarded as antisemitic and problematic. Read More: How Trump Fits Into the Long, Fraught History of the Relationship Between Israel and American Jews The term 'Shylock' evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous. President Trump's use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible, said the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in a statement posted on social media. It underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former President Joe Biden used the term Shylocks in a speech in 2014 when he was Vice President, but said afterwards that it was a poor choice of words. Trumps use of the term comes at a precarious time, as instances of antisemitism and hate crimes towards Jewish Americans have surged in recent years, especially since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. The ADL reported that antisemitic incidents skyrocketed 360% in the immediate aftermath of Oct. 7, 2023. Furthermore, according to the State of Antisemitism in America 2024 report, published in February 2025, 33% of American Jews said they have been the personal target of antisemitism, in-person or virtually, at least once over the past year. An attack in Boulder, Colorado, in June and the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington, D.C., in May, are two recent incidents of anti-Jewish violence that have rocked communities in the U.S. Read More: The Rise of Antisemitism and Political Violence in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the Jewish Council on Public Affairs spoke out on Friday against Trumps "deeply dangerous" use of the term Shylocks, calling it among the most quintessential antisemitic slurs in his remarks, and claiming that the moment follows years in which Trump has normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories. Jewish members of Congress have also come out to condemn the use of the word. Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, a Democrat, described the history of the term, calling it one of the most recognizable antisemitic slurs in the English language that has fueled discrimination, hatred, and violence against Jews. I condemn Donald Trumps dangerous use of this blatantly antisemitic slur and his long history of trafficking in antisemitic tropes," Nadler said. "I have often said that if Donald Trump was serious about fighting antisemitism, he could start with the antisemites in his own Administration... If Donald Trump were serious about fighting antisemitism, he could start with himself." This is far from the first incident that has prompted concern in regards to Trumps use of antisemitic tropes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump previously appeared to indulge an antisemitic trope of Jewish people controlling things behind the scenes. In 2015, at an event with Jewish donors, he told the crowd, I dont want your money. You want to control your own politician. Prominent Jewish voices also raised concerns about Trumps rhetoric in 2019, when he told reporters: "In my opinion, you vote for a Democrat, you're being very disloyal to Jewish people, and you're being very disloyal to Israel and only weak people would say anything other than that." His comment came shortly after he had said: "I think any Jewish people that vote for a Democrat, I think it shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty. Jonathan Greenblatt of the ADL responded to Trumps comments of disloyalty, saying the President had "made it clear he thinks Jews have a dual loyalty to Israel. This antisemitic trope has been used to persecute Jews for centuries and its unacceptable to promote it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, Trump revisited that line of rhetoric, saying in an interview that people in this country that are Jewish no longer love Israel. Ill tell you the evangelical Christians love Israel more than the Jews in this country. Contact us at letters@time.com. The editorial board of the American tabloid The New York Post has published an appeal to US President Donald Trump calling for the resumption of all military aid to Ukraine. Source: European Pravda with reference to The New York Post Details: The New York Post editorial points out that after Trump called on Vladimir Putin to stop his aggression, he carried out the largest attack on Kyiv since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from the NYP: "So why, Mr President, is your administration punishing Ukraine." Details: They also recall the Pentagon's decision to suspend the supply of air defence equipment to Ukraine and ask, "Why are we threatening to abandon her?" The NYP editorial team emphasises that the belief that military aid to Ukraine somehow harms the United States and is not in its interests "couldnt be further from the truth". Quote from the NYP: "Putin is willing to spend the blood of his people in a last grasp for empire. If we let him succeed, if we help him succeed, it wont just threaten Europe. It will tell China that our alliances are fickle, our patience short." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The journalists emphasise that the Kremlin leader understands only force and "will continue to insult and ignore you if the United States doesnt commit to Kyivs defense". Quote from the NYP: "The fall of Ukraine is not a disaster that can be blamed on someone else, or explained away as inconsequential. It would destabilise the world, weaken America and reflect negatively on your presidency. Dont walk away." Details: The New York Post is considered Donald Trump's favourite newspaper, and it is served to him every morning before he starts work in the White House. The tabloid is known for consistently supporting the current US president. Background: Earlier, the New York Post published another editorial in support of Ukraine, and it directly called on Trump not to trust Putin in February. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Reacting to a viral video from Maharashtra's Thane district showing a shop owner being assaulted allegedly for not speaking in Marathi, Union Minister Chirag Paswan strongly condemned the incident. Speaking to reporters in Vaishali on Friday, Bihar, Paswan said, "It is beyond my understanding how many divisions will be created among Indians -- sometimes in the name of region, sometimes language, religion, or caste." While advocating for pride in one's mother tongue, the minister urged for sensitivity and mutual respect. "I support the idea that your mother tongue should be your pride, but there needs to be enough sensitivity that if someone from outside does not understand it, it does not mean we become so intolerant and start resorting to violence," he added. Highlighting India's multicultural ethos, Paswan said, "From north to south, east to west, there are different languages and cultures. Unity in diversity has always been our identity." He also accused certain political leaders of promoting divisive agendas for personal gain. "But some leaders, to fulfill their ambitions, engage in such divisive politics, and I condemn this," he said. The incident in Thane has sparked widespread outrage on social media. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday warned of strict legal action against those engaging in "hooliganism" in the name of Marathi. He stated that the Mahayuti government will not tolerate violence against common people. "It is not wrong to be proud of the Marathi language in Maharashtra. But if someone indulges in hooliganism due to language, we will not tolerate it. If someone beats up people on the basis of language, this will not be tolerated. The police have filed an FIR and taken action on the incident, and if anyone creates such a language dispute in future, legal action will be taken," Fadnavis told reporters. (ANI) US President Donald Trump has drawn criticism from Jewish groups after he used an antisemitic term at a rally. Trump described some bankers as "Shylocks" at the event in Iowa. He said afterwards he did not realise it was considered offensive. Shylock is a ruthless Jewish money lender in Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a Jewish anti-discrimination monitor, said the president's use of the slur was "very troubling". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former US President Joe Biden used the word Shylock while he was vice-president, later acknowledging it was inappropriate. At Thursday's rally in Des Moines, Trump was celebrating the passage of his budget bill through Congress this week. "Think of that: No death tax," he said. "No estate tax. No going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker - and in some cases, Shylocks and bad people." As the Republican president returned on Air Force One to Washington DC after the rally, he was asked by reporters about his use of the term. He said he was not aware it was seen as antisemitic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No, I've never heard it that way," the president said. "To me, Shylock is somebody that, say, a money lender at high rates. "I've never heard it that way. You view it differently than me. I've never heard that." Congressman Daniel Goldman, a New York Democrat, called Trump's remarks "blatant and vile antisemitism, and Trump knows exactly what he's doing". The ADL said in a post on X: "The term 'Shylock' evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous. "President Trump's use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible." Then-US Vice-President Joe Biden used the term "Shylock" in 2014 [Getty Images] Amy Spitalnick, head of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said on X the remark was "deeply dangerous". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Shylock is among the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes," she said. "This is not an accident. "It follows years in which Trump has normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories." Trump's allies have previously brushed off any suggestion that he is antisemitic, pointing out his staunch support for Israel and that close advisers of his, including Stephen Miller and Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are Jewish. The president's administration has launched a campaign to weed out antisemitism on college campuses, withholding federal funding from some institutions, such as Harvard, and taking steps to deport pro-Palestinian activists who are in the US on student visas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then-Vice-President Biden, a Democrat, used the term Shylock in 2014 when addressing a legal group. "People would come up to him and talk about what was happening to them at home in terms of foreclosures," he said, referring to his son's experiences serving in Iraq, "in terms of bad loans that were being - I mean, these Shylocks who took advantage of these women and men while overseas." Following uproar, Biden said "it was a poor choice of words". When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. NASA's retired space shuttle Discovery on display in the McDonnell Space Hangar at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. | Credit: collectSPACE.com On July 4, 2006, NASA's space shuttle Discovery launched on a "return to flight" mission that paved the way for it and its sister ships to fly for another five years. Now, a sprawling budget enacted on Independence Day will seemingly lead to Discovery lifting off again though this time not into space, but rather from its place in the national collection. President Donald Trump signed into law the so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill" today (July 4), a day after the legislation was narrowly passed out of Congress with only Republican support. Deep within the 900-page bill is a provision added by Texas' senators to transfer a "space vehicle" to a NASA center "involved in the administration of the Commercial Crew Program" and "placed on public exhibition at an entity within the Metropolitan Statistical Area where such center is located." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vague language, written in such a way to skirt Senate restrictions on reconciliation bills, was aimed at achieving the "Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act" introduced by Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn in April. "It's long overdue for Space City to receive the recognition it deserves by bringing the space shuttle Discovery home," said Cornyn in a statement released after the Senate passed its version of the bill in a vote of 50 to 50, with Vice President J.D. Vance breaking the tie. "Houston has long stood at the heart of America's human spaceflight program, and this legislation rightly honors that legacy," said Cruz, who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation. "It ensures that any future transfer of a flown, crewed space vehicle will prioritize locations that have played a direct and vital role in our nation's manned space program, making Houston, Texas, a leading candidate." "Bringing such a historic space vehicle to the region would underscore the city's indispensable contributions to our space missions, highlight the strength of America's commercial space partnerships, and inspire future generations of engineers, scientists, and pioneers who will carry our legacy of American leadership in space," he said. Senator John Cornyn (at center) speaks about the "Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act," an effort to move the space shuttle Discovery, at a press conference at Space Center Houston on June 20, 2025. Joining Cornyn at the event were former astronaut Tim Kopra (at far), Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14), Space Center Houston CEO William Harris and Brian Freedman, president of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership. | Credit: collectSPACE.com The bill allocates $85 million to move Discovery from the its display home of the past 13 years, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, to Space Center Houston, the official visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas. "No less than $5 million" is earmarked for the transportation of the winged orbiter, with the remainder going towards the "construction of a facility to house the space vehicle." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Per the bill, the move of space shuttle Discovery must be completed by Jan. 4, 2027. It does not stipulate how the orbiter should be moved. It is not clear if the $85 million will be enough to cover the transfer and display, given that the first time the retired shuttles were brought to their museum homes in 2012, the cost for just the preparation and delivery of each vehicle was $28.8 million, which did not include ground transportation to the museum. Discovery is the United States' most flown spacecraft in history, with 39 missions between 1984 and 2011. In the process of retiring the shuttle fleet, Discovery was identified by NASA as the "vehicle of record," such that it was kept more intact than Atlantis or Endeavour for the purpose of serving as engineering example at the Smithsonian. NASA's first Shuttle Carrier Aircraft NASA 905 and the mock orbiter Independence at Space Center Houston. | Credit: Space Center Houston Related Stories: Texas senators: Move space shuttle Discovery from Smithsonian to Houston Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NASA's space shuttle: The first reusable spacecraft Discovery: NASA's busiest shuttle Space Center Houston has not released any details as of yet about how or where it will display Discovery, other than to say it fits into its strategic plans moving forward. The center already exhibits a mock, walkthrough space shuttle, "Independence," mounted atop NASA''s original modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, "NASA 905." A 2011 investigation by the NASA Office of the Inspector General found "no evidence that the White House, politics or any other outside force improperly influenced the selection decision" of where the space shuttles were originally awarded by the space agency. It is unclear if there are any further actions the Smithsonian or other entities could take to halt Discovery's transfer. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson said in an online post on Saturday that he had conducted an interview with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, which would air in the next day or two. Carlson said the interview was conducted remotely through a translator, and would be published as soon as it was edited, which "should be in a day or two." Carlson said he had stuck to simple questions in the interview, such as, "What is your goal? Do you seek war with the United States? Do you seek war with Israel?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There are all kinds of questions that I didn't ask the president of Iran, particularly questions to which I knew I could get an not get an honest answer, such as, 'was your nuclear program totally disabled by the bombing campaign by the U.S. government a week and a half ago?'" he said. Carlson also said he had made a third request in the past several months to interview Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will be visiting Washington next week for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump said on Friday he would discuss Iran with Netanyahu at the White House on Monday. Trump said he believed Tehran's nuclear program had been set back permanently by recent U.S. strikes that followed Israel's attacks on the country last month, although Iran could restart it at a different location. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also said Iran had not agreed to inspections of its nuclear program or to give up enriching uranium. He said he would not allow Tehran to resume its nuclear program, adding that Iran did want to meet with him. Pezeshkian said last month Iran does not intend to develop nuclear weapons but will pursue its right to nuclear energy and research. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Alistair Bell) Turkey's competition authority has launched an investigation into Spotify for anti-competitive practices as a deputy minister demanded legal action over "provocative" playlists allegedly offensive to the president's wife and disrespectful of Islam. In a statement released on Friday, the competition authority said it had opened an investigation into "various allegations that the strategies and policies implemented by Spotify... in Turkey has caused anti-competitive effects in the music industry". It said the probe would seek to establish whether Spotify gave more visibility to some artists and engaged in unfair practices in the distribution of royalties, thereby violating the competition law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation was announced the same day as deputy culture minister Batuhan Mumcu called for legal action against Spotify in a post on X, citing its "refusal" to respond to requests to remove playlists with names deemed offensive. "Spotify persistently refuses to take the necessary steps despite all our previous warnings," he wrote. "Content that targets our religious and national values and insults the beliefs of our society has not been corrected," he added, saying Turkey had been "closely monitoring content on Spotify for a long time". - 'Targeting... sacred values' - Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He pointed to content published "under the guise of 'playlists'.. that disregards our religious sensitivities toward our Prophet Mohammed, deliberately and unacceptably targeting the beliefs, sacred values, and spiritual world of our people". He also singled out playlists allegedly targeting Emine Erdogan, wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which were "insidiously provocative and morally unacceptable". "This irresponsibility and lack of oversight, which disregards the sensitivities of our society, has now become a legal matter.. I call on our competent institutions to take action," he wrote. Attached to his post was an animated graphic showing a string of playlists with names referencing either Erdogan's wife or the life of the Prophet Mohammed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Spotify, which launched in Turkey in 2013, said its operations complied with "all applicable laws" but it would cooperate with the investigation although it lacked "details on the inspection's scope or focus". "We are cooperating with the investigation, are actively seeking to understand it, and will work toward a swift, constructive resolution with the Turkish Competition Authority," the statement said, without making any mention of the playlist allegations. It said in 2024, it had paid "over 2 billion Turkish lira ($25 million) to the local music industry" with its service playing a "pivotal (role) in growing Turkish artists' royalties globally". bur-hmw/jj ISTANBUL (AP) Turkey sent two firefighting aircraft Saturday to help battle wildfires in neighboring Syria as Turkish firefighters battled a blaze on their side of the border and one person was reported dead in the country's west. Eleven fire trucks and water support vehicles were also dispatched to help beat back flames in Syrias northwest Latakia region, according to Raed Al Saleh, the Syrian minister of emergency and disaster management. He posted on X, saying sudden wildfires in Turkey delayed their arrival by almost a day. Turkey has been battling wildfires since June 26. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said Saturday that firefighters successfully controlled 10 major fires in western Turkey, but an injured forestry worker had died, the third in the municipality of Odemis in Izmir province. Authorities said most of the fires in Izmir were caused by faulty power lines. Meanwhile, in Hatay province, which borders Syria, emergency crews continued fighting a blaze that broke out Friday afternoon in the Dortyol district near a residential area and rapidly intensified due to strong winds, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Some 920 homes had been evacuated as a precaution against the advancing flames, Governor Mustafa Musatli said late Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 44 suspects had been detained in relation to 65 fires that broke out across the country. Fires that have hit Turkey, Greece and Syria over the past week have been fueled by soaring temperatures, strong winds, and low humidity. In Turkey, they led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people and damaged some 200 homes. The Syrian Civil Defense expressed concerns over the presence of unexploded ordnance from the countrys past conflicts in some of the wildfire areas. Summer fires are common in the eastern Mediterranean region, where experts warn that climate change is intensifying conditions. The attack was part of "explicit plans to target American personnel, Palestinian aid workers, and the civilians who rely on our sites for food," GHF said. Two Americans working at a humanitarian aid distribution center in Khan Yunis were injured in an attack on the facility on Saturday, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said in a statement. The attack was part of "explicit plans to target American personnel, Palestinian aid workers, and the civilians who rely on our sites for food. Today's attack tragically affirms these warnings," GHF wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The individuals were injured when two assailants attacked the facility with grenades. They are currently receiving medical treatment and are in stable conditions, the statement said. No local aid workers or civilians were harmed, GHF confirmed. The IDF confirmed that it received an update from GHF on Saturday morning that terrorists had launched grenades into the aid distribution site in Rafah while Palestinian civilians were still present. Two American workers were wounded as a result, the military confirmed. Following the explosion, soldiers evacuated the injured for medical treatment. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) continued its operations today to provide vital food aid for the people in Gaza (credit: GHF) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wished a speedy recovery to the aid workers who were wounded, his office said in a statement. "The organization's workers are doing important work, and I thank them and President Trump for their assistance," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The GHF, an Israeli and US-backed NGO, began operating in Gaza in May to distribute humanitarian aid. GHF will continue aid distribution in Gaza despite threats, attacks, killings GHF has disclosed that Hamas had placed bounties on American security workers in the enclave and that 12 of the organizations local staff members had been murdered in its latest update on the situation in Gaza, while others have been tortured. Hamas has placed bounties on both our American security personnel and Palestinian aid workers, offering cash rewards to anyone who injures or kills them." In its statement on Saturday the GHF said that it will remain fully committed to its aid distribution mission. "Attempts to disrupt this life-saving work will only deepen the crisis. We will continue to stand with the people of Gaza and do everything in our power to deliver the aid they so urgently need." Three young girls were found dead after a devastating flood swept through Camp Mystic, an all-girls private Christian camp in Hunt, Texas. Anne Hunt confirmed to Fox News Digital that her daughter, Janie, was one of the campers killed in the flood. Additionally, A Voice for the Voiceless, a nonprofit that advocates for "the missing, voiceless and crime victims," identified Renee Smajstrla as the other deceased camper. A third camper has been confirmed to be deceased, however her family has asked that her name not be released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said on Friday night that between 23 and 25 campers were missing. There were 750 attendees at the camp when the flood hit. On Saturday, Kerr County announced the flood killed 27 people, 18 of whom were adults and 9 were children. Texas Department Of Public Safety Closes Capitol Grounds Following 'Credible Threat' To Lawmakers Read On The Fox News App Families have lined up at reunification centers hoping to see their loved ones. According to the Kerr County Sheriff's Office, Ingram Elementary School in Ingram, Texas, and The Arcadia Live Theater in Kerrville, Texas, are being used as reunification centers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Camp Mystic, which had approximately 750 attendees, reportedly told parents that if they had not been contacted directly it meant that their child was accounted for. Ellen Toranzo told Fox News Digital that her daughter, Greta Toranzo, is one of the campers who went missing during the flood. Carrie Hanna also confirmed to Fox News Digital that her daughter, Hadley, is unaccounted for. Texas Driver Catches Dramatic Partial Overpass Collapse On Video Elinor Lester, 13, told the Associated Press she was evacuated with her cabinmates by helicopter after wading through floodwaters. Lester also said that the "camp was completely destroyed" in the disastrous flood. The outlet noted that Lester was housed on higher ground at the camp, known as Senior Hill. Younger campers, who can begin attending at age 8, are housed along the riverbanks and were the first to flood, according to the Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Guard was deployed in Texas to respond after heavy rain on Friday morning caused the Guadalupe River to rise nearly 30 feet in 45 minutes. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem later said that members of the U.S. Coast Guard were deployed to assist in evacuations. Helicopters and military vehicles were used for evacuations. As of Friday night, 237 people had been evacuated, including 167 by helicopter. Texas deployed more than 1,000 state responders and over 800 vehicles and equipment assets, according to Gov. Greg Abbott's office. The governor also declared an emergency for 15 counties, and his office said that more could be added to the list. "This is a time when we, as a state, need God more than ever," Abbott said in a statement. "The one thing I hear the most are the prayers that are being sent for those who are in harms way." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that the floods were "shocking" and "a terrible thing." He also said the state would receive federal aid and that his administration was working with Abbott. "Our nation's heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families. Just an incomprehensible tragedy," Vice President JD Vance wrote on X. "I hope everyone affected knows they're in the prayers of my family, and of millions of Americans." The vice president, a devout Catholic, also included the Eternal Rest Prayer in his post. The Kerr County Sheriff's Office is encouraging those with missing loved ones to call the Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767 for information. Fox News Digital's Landon Mion contributed to this report. Original article source: Three deceased campers identified as death toll rises after devastating Texas flood The Brief Two males have been charged in a drive-by shooting that killed two people, including a 4-year-old boy, near Denby High School on June 27. Brandon Ware, 18, and William, 19, were arrested Wednesday after an investigation by the Detroit Police Department. The shooting killed 4-year-old Samir Grubbs and 18-year-old Daviyon Shelmonson-Bey. DETROIT (FOX 2) - Two teenage suspects have been charged in a drive-by shooting that killed two people, including a 4-year-old boy, near Denby High School in Detroit last month, the Wayne County prosecutor announced Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brandon Ware, 18, and William Wheeler, 19, are each charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count assault with intent to murder, two counts discharge from a vehicle causing death, one count discharge from a vehicle causing serious injury, and five counts felony firearm charges. Brandon Ware (left) and William Wheeler. Police said Samir Grubbs, 4, and Daviyon Shelmonson-Bey, 18, were both shot and killed, and a third 17-year-old victim was wounded in the June 27 shooting. "This is truly an American tragedy, and hopefully it is not one that will have a chilling effect on children simply wanting to play outdoors," Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement. What they're saying Detroit police said officers were dispatched to Dutchess Street and Morang Avenue for a shooting that occurred at Skinner Playfield, a park near Denby High School. Police said the shooting allegedly occurred after an earlier altercation on a bus that resulted in a male taking Wares ski mask off his head. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ware allegedly got off the bus on Riad Street and later rode in a truck driven by Wheeler. Investigators say the two drove to Dutchess Street, where Ware fired at people in the park he believed were involved in the bus incident. The shooting killed Shelmonson-Bey who was unarmed, and Grubbs, who was at the park with his mom and four siblings. [Related: Family of victims in drive-by shooting near Denby High School speak out] Samir Grubbs (left) and Daviyon Shelmonson-Bey. Ware and Wheeler fled the scene in the truck, police said. The two victims were pronounced dead at a local hospital. The surviving male was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of the victims knew each other. An investigation by Detroit police led to Ware and Wheeler being arrested on Wednesday. They were arraigned Saturday. The Source Information for this story came from the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office and interviews with Detroit police. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Two people are injured, including one critically, after a motorcycle crashed into a dollhouse on State Route 161 Saturday afternoon near New Albany. According to a police dispatcher, reports of the crash came in just before 12:45 p.m. Callers told police that a motorcycle hit a dollhouse that fell out of a car on the westbound lanes of SR 161. One dead, one seriously injured in separate Columbus hit-skip crashes Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police and medics arrived and helped transport two people to the hospital. One was taken to Riverside Methodist Hospital in critical condition while another was taken to Mount Carmel East in serious condition. The victim at Mount Carmel East was later upgraded to stable condition. The crash caused the right lanes of SR 161 beyond New Albany Road in northeast Columbus to be shutdown by authorities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SMITH COUNTY, Texas (KETK) Smith County officials have confirmed that two people were injured in shootings that happened near clubs in Tyler on Saturday morning. Man arrested in Van Zandt County after meth and heroin found inside of his car According to the Smith County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded to a disturbance at Club Exotic located in the 11800 block of Highway 64 West due to a large group fighting that was reported at around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While responding to the scene, the sheriffs office said gunshots were reported in the same area. Once deputies arrived at the scene, the crowd dispersed. A man was taken to a local hospital to be treated for an apparent gunshot wound to the abdomen, according to the sheriffs office. At 4:30 a.m., a 16-year-old who had been shot while at the Jungle Club parking lot in the 12500 block of Highway 31 West was taken to a hospital to be treated for a gunshot wound to her leg. Officials believe suspects in the Jungle Club shooting fired shots into the crowd from a black Ford Mustang. The Smith County Sheriffs Office is asking anyone with information about the shootings to call them at 903-566-6600. You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai reaffirmed the Supreme Court's commitment to transparency in judicial appointments during a felicitation ceremony organised by the Bombay Bar Association. He emphasised that the court is working to dispel the perception that the Supreme Court is "CJI-centric." Speaking at the Bombay High Court in an event organised by the Bombay Bar Association, CJI Gavai highlighted ongoing efforts to ensure a more inclusive and transparent appointment process. He noted that this approach had been strengthened since the tenure of Justice Sanjiv Khanna. "...We have tried to dispel the impression that the Supreme Court is a CJI-Centric court," CJI Gavai said. "In the interest of the institution, from the period of Justice Sanjiv Khanna, we have tried to infuse more transparency in the matter of appointments." He shared that the court had recently interviewed 54 candidates and recommended around 36 appointments. He assured that the selection process would continue to be transparent while ensuring fair representation from all sections of society. "For the last three days, on the first two days, we held interviews with about 54 candidates, and yesterday we have recommended around 36 appointments...I must assure you that we will ensure that we adopt a complete process of transparency while ensuring that representation is given to all sections of society. The merit will never be compromised," he added. Addressing the issue of case pendency, CJI Gavai acknowledged it as a serious challenge. He attributed one of the significant causes of pendency to judicial vacancies and assured that steps are being taken to address them. "Pendency is a huge issue. We are trying to work on it. One of the reasons for dependency is the vacancies which are not filled up. This is the third function in Nagpur that has flagged an issue about interference in the functioning of the college. I must assure you that we will ensure that we will adopt a complete process of transparency. While ensuring that the representation is given to all sections of the society, the merit will never be compromised, and in so far as my own High Court is concerned, I can assure that the names, whatever are recommended, we will try to follow it up and that as soon as possible the Bombay High Court starts functioning at full strength so that at least the issue of dependency is addressed to some extent." Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India in May. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Justice Gavai, who succeeded CJI Sanjiv Khanna. Justice Gavai is the first Buddhist Chief Justice and only the second from the Dalit community, after former Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan, who held office in 2007, to occupy the highest judicial office in the country. Justice Gavai has also made it clear that he will not take any post-retirement assignments. (ANI) Two apartment sites in the Parkland area have sold for more than $40 million by a real estate entity thats been selling off area property in recent months. Pierce County property records show that Sienna Park Apartments, 10710 17th Ave. S., and Sienna Apartments, 10614 Ainsworth Ave. S., sold June 30 for $28.5 million and $14.5 million, respectively. Sienna Park has 17 buildings and 168 units, and Sienna Apartments has 8 buildings and 80 units. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sellers were LLCs affiliated with Seattle-based Goodman Real Estate. The buyer was The Lucent Apartment Homes LLC, affiliated with Interstate Equities based in Los Altos, California. Both apartment properties were listed as The Lucent in a Google address search on Wednesday. Interstates website notes it has been investing in, managing, and transforming multifamily apartments across California and the Seattle region since 1981. It also states, Our niche is finding dated multifamily apartment properties and transforming them into affordable, updated, boutique-style assets. Both sites date to mid-to-late 1980s, with updates made in 2004, according to county records. The apartments are north of state Route 512 and east of Interstate 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Interstate Equities did not respond to request for comment. Institutional Property Advisors (IPA), a division of Marcus & Millichap, announced the sales closing on Wednesday. The properties are well-maintained assets that have had ample capital reinvested into them over the years, said Ryan Harmon, IPA director. The units feature a blend of renovated and classic finishes, creating a light value-add investment opportunity for the buyer. The communities share an on-site leasing office and clubhouse, outdoor pool, fitness center and standalone cabana available for resident lease, IPA said in its release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harmon and IPAs Giovanni Napoli, Philip Assouad, Nick Ruggiero, and Anthony Palladino represented the seller and procured the buyer. The Goodman-affiliated LLC acquired Sienna Park Apartments from Pierce County Housing Authority in 2003 for $7.12 million, and another Goodman-linked LLC purchased the Sienna Apartments in 2015 for $6.1 million from an investment group LLC. Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce first reported on the most recent sale. Meanwhile, Goodman Real Estate has been selling off various Parkland-area properties in recent months. In February, The News Tribune reported on the sale of Altitude 104, 2201 104th St. S., for $40.75 million, also sold by an LLC affiliated with Goodman Real Estate, to two LLCs that appear to be affiliated with Oro Capital Advisors of Nevada. In November, the firm sold off three other apartment properties purchased from Pierce County Housing Authority in 2003. Monterra Apartments, 416 111th St. Ct. E., Miramonte Apartments, 11216 18th Ave. S., and Heatherstone Apartments, 1809 105th St. Ct. S., sold to Bellevue-based American Capital Group for a total of $102.6 million. July 5 (UPI) -- The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said two of its American aid workers were injured in an attack while distributing desperately needed food to Palestinians. The foundation, which formed in May, posted on X that two militants threw grenades in Khan Younis. The workers were in stable condition, GHF said. The incident "occurred at the conclusion of an otherwise successful distribution in which thousands of Gazans safely received food," GHF said. "No local aid workers or civilians were injured." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The foundation blamed Hamas, which has been fighting Israel on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023. "GHF has repeatedly warned of credible threats from Hamas, including explicit plans to target American personnel, Palestinian aid workers and the civilians who rely on our sites for food. Today's attack tragically affirms those warnings," the foundation said. GHF said the attack won't deter its efforts, which began on May 27 in Rafah. "Despite this violence, GHF remains fully committed to its mission: feeding the people of Gaza safely, directly, and at scale," the foundation said. "Attempts to disrupt this life-saving work will only deepen the crisis. We will continue to stand with the people of Gaza and do everything in our power to deliver the aid they so urgently need." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, more than 100 human rights groups and international aid charities, including Oxfam, Save the Children and Amnesty International, called for the end of aid by the foundation because the locations are in combat zones. "Today, Palestinians in Gaza face an impossible choice: starve or risk being shot while trying desperately to reach food to feed their families," the group said. "The humanitarian system is being deliberately and systematically dismantled by the Government of Israel's blockade and restrictions, a blockade now being used to justify shutting down nearly all other aid operations in favor of a deadly, military-controlled alternative that neither protects civilians nor meets basic needs. Since the GHF was launched, Israeli forces have killed more than 400 Palestinians trying to collect food aid, the U.N. and local doctors say, according to a BBC report. But Israel said the new distribution system stops aid going to Hamas. In May, GHF announced Israel will allow the resumption of aid, including 300 million meals for the initial 90 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the cease-fire between Israel and militant-run Hamas ended on March 1, Israel had frozen all supplies of food, water and medicine to the region of an estimated 2.5 million people. The United Nations said Gazans are at a "critical risk of famine" with 1 in 5, or 500,000, facing starvation as the war rages since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The foundation's executive director, Jake Wood, is a decorated Marine Corps veteran, social entrepreneur and expert in crisis leadership. In 2010, he co-founded and is CEO of Team Rubicon, a nonprofit of 180,000 veteran volunteers in humanitarian roles, including disaster response. Crews were called to the scene of a near-miss head-on crash on U.S. Highway 67 in Milan near the Camden Center this afternoon. An SUV ended up in a ditch going southbound. A second SUV was stranded northbound. Its not clear how many people were injured in the crash. (Bryan Bobb, OurQuadCities.com) The street was shut down for a short period of time, but its open now. Our Quad Cities News reached out to officials in Milan about the crash but have yet to hear back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. TYLER, Texas (KETK) Tylers annual firework show at Lindsey Park went on as planned for the Fourth of July on Friday, after many feared the show would be delayed because of rain. Tyler teens celebrate 4th of July with memorable wiffle ball game Park festivities started at around 3 p.m. on Friday with food trucks and live music but the planned childrens parade was cancelled. At around 7 p.m. park guests were asked to take shelter in their vehicles as the weather picked up and blew away some visitors tents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KETKs Ella Mitchel was out at Lindsey Park on Friday and spoke with a Tyler mother who said she was going to stay to watch the fireworks with her children, whether it rained or not. Its very important because Ive come here every year since I was little. I was brought here and I believe when it rained, I think we stayed and waited it out too, Tyler mother, Natalie Harman said. So were going to wait. Their wait paid off as the fireworks show started shooting across the Tyler night sky right on time at around 9 p.m. on Friday. You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) A New Mexico man accused of kidnapping and murdering several Native American men now faces the death penalty. It comes after the United States Attorneys Office for the District of New Mexico announced the decision to seek capital punishment against Labar Tsethlikai. KRQE News 13 spoke with a former United States Attorney about what elements of a federal case raise a case to that level. The death penalty is the most severe penalty you can give in the criminal justice system, said Damon Martinez, a former U.S. Attorney. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike convictions that lead to jail time, seeking the death penalty is used for the most violent crimes, which often include aggravating factors, like torture. Other reasons a U.S. Attorney could seek the penalty are for the murder of a federal official, drug trafficking resulting in death, and kidnapping resulting in death. A U.S. Attorney is responsible for gathering information for cases and making recommendations to the United States Attorney General. If approved, the defendant is given a notice. You have to have the Attorney General of the United States sign off on that and want to seek the death penalty, Martinez said. According to the United States Attorneys Office for the District of New Mexico, Attorney General Pam Bondi authorized attorneys in June to move forward with the penalty in Tsethlikais case. Hes charged with numerous counts of murder, kidnapping, and assault against vulnerable Native American men. If the case eventually goes to trial, jurors decide what happens next. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You have to have a unanimous conviction by all jury members that they also agree that the death penalty should be imposed, Martinez said. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of New Mexico says that the penalty has never been carried out at the federal level in New Mexico. Most sentences include years of prison time or life in prison. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. EVANS, Ga. (WJBF) Millions across America are celebrating independence but one local woman is celebrating her first 4th of July as an American citizen. Stefanie Ray is originally from Germany and has been on a green card for the past 8 years while living in the United States and was able to get her dual citizenship. It means a lot to me being with my friends and my family because its still to me the land of opportunities, said Ray. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rays long-time neighbor, Teresa Lee, was thrilled to hear the news about Rays dual citizenship and knew she had to throw a party. I was tickled to do it; I wanted to do it as a surprise for her because she did it the right way, this is her first 4th of July as a U.S. citizen, I wanted it to be something special for her, Lee said. Ray tells me her two daughters are also dual citizens in Germany and the U.S. and says she felt like she wanted to be fully a part of her community. As a resident, as an American it means a lot. I love living here, I love the life Ive created for myself and for my family, we found the right spot right away and Im really grateful for that, Ray said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She says she loves all of the 4th of July traditions but especially how proud everyone is to celebrate their country. I love how extra we are here, as Germans can be sometimes a little bit too uptight, we dont do that here. I love the red, white and blue, I love the gathering, hanging out at the pool, hanging out with the neighbors, the hotdogs, the fireworks, all that. Maybe Ive always been a little too extra to be 100% German, maybe I had to be half and half, Ray said. Lee says, We love it, everyone have a happy 4th of July. Ray says she is looking forward to celebrating many more Independence Days with her friends and family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF. The Trump administration said it deported a group of eight men convicted of serious crimes in the United States to the conflict-ridden African country of South Sudan, following a legal saga that had kept the deportees stuck in a military base in Djibouti for weeks. Assistant Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the deportation flight carrying the deportees landed in South Sudan just before midnight Eastern time on Friday. A photo provided by the department showed the deportees, with their hands and feet shackled, sitting inside an aircraft, guarded by U.S. service members. Eight men from Asia and Latin America were deported from the United States to South Sudan after a weeks-long legal fight. / Credit: U.S. Department of Homeland Security The deportations to South Sudan a country plagued by armed conflict and political instability that the U.S. government warns Americans not to visit mark an unprecedented new frontier in President Trump's government-wide crackdown on illegal immigration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of the deportees is from South Sudan. They hail from Cuba, Mexico, Laos, Myanmar, Sudan and Vietnam, and were ordered deported from the U.S. after being convicted of crimes, including murder, homicide, sexual assault, lascivious acts with a child and robbery. The high-profile legal battle over the fate of the men culminated when two federal judges on Friday denied a last-ditch attempt by immigration rights advocates to halt the deportations, saying their hands were tied by recent orders from the U.S. Supreme Court. The deportations signify a major political victory for the Trump administration, which has sought to convince countries around the world irrespective of their human rights record to accept deportees who are not their citizens, including those convicted of serious crimes. "A district judge cannot dictate the national security and foreign policy of the United States of America," said McLaughlin, the DHS spokeswoman. "This Independence Day marks another victory for the safety and security of the American people." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deportations have also alarmed human rights advocates, who fear the men could face jail time, torture or other harms in South Sudan. They've argued the deportations to South Sudan are designed to punish the men for their crimes, even though they have already served criminal sentences in the U.S. "The U.S. State Department warns Americans against all travel to South Sudan, yet deported these men there without any due process," said Trina Realmuto, an attorney for the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, which tried to halt the deportations. "Make no mistake about it, these deportations were punitive and unconstitutional." It's unclear exactly how the deportees will be treated in South Sudan. A Justice Department attorney told a federal judge Friday that South Sudan informed the U.S. it would offer the men a temporary immigration status, but the lawyer could not confirm whether they would be detained. The Trump administration has said in court filings that South Sudanese officials have made assurances that the deportees will not face torture. The men's deportation was made possible by a Supreme Court order earlier this week. At the request of the Trump administration, the Supreme Court on Thursday clarified the scope of an earlier order it had issued to pause a lower court ruling barring deportations to third-party countries without a degree of due process and notice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That April lower court ruling by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Massachusetts had required the Trump administration to give detainees sufficient notice and a chance to be interviewed by a U.S. asylum officer before any deportation to a country where they did not hail from. That case thwarted several deportation efforts, including a plan to send detainees to Libya. When he learned of the administration's plan to deport the eight men to South Sudan in May, Murphy blocked that effort, mandating the U.S. to retain custody of the detainees and to offer them a chance to contest their deportation. The administration transferred the detainees to the Camp Lemonnier naval base in Djibouti, where U.S. officials described dangerous conditions, including concerns about malaria, rocket attacks, inadequate security protocols and triple-digit outdoor temperatures. But the Supreme Court last month suspended Murphy's ruling from April. And on Thursday, it said Murphy could no longer require the government to allow the detainees in Djibouti to contest their deportation, since the order underpinning that requirement had been paused. Hours later, immigrant rights advocates asked a different federal judge, Randolph Moss in Washington, D.C., to halt the deportations to South Sudan. He did so on Friday, but only briefly before saying the request should be handled by Murphy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moss expressed concern about risks to the men's "physical safety" and said the U.S. government should not be in the business of inflicting "pain and suffering" on people who have already served their sentence, even for a "terrible crime." But he said his hands were tied, telling the advocates they needed to ask Murphy for any intervention. Later on Friday, Murphy denied the advocates' request, saying the Supreme Court orders were "binding." Death toll rises as desperate search for Texas flash flood survivors continues Sabrina Carpenter on the biggest misperceptions about her How Lady Liberty became a beacon for immigrants The United Kingdom has announced it is formally restoring diplomatic ties with Syria as British Foreign Secretary David Lammy travelled to the capital Damascus to meet with interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Al-Sharaa received Lammy on Saturday alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, according to photos of the meeting released by the presidency. After over a decade of conflict, there is renewed hope for the Syrian people, Lammy said in a statement released by his office, noting that the visit was the first by a British minister to Syria in 14 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UK is re-establishing diplomatic relations because it is in our interests to support the new government to deliver their commitment to build a stable, more secure and prosperous future for all Syrians, he said. Syria has been improving relations with Western countries after longtime President Bashar al-Assad was removed from power in December 2024 in an offensive led by al-Sharaas Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) armed group. In April, the British government lifted sanctions against a dozen Syrian entities, including government departments and media outlets, to help the country rebuild after al-Assads fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weeks earlier, the UK had dropped sanctions against two dozen Syrian businesses, mostly banks and oil companies. On Monday, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle a web of sanctions against Syria that had crippled the countrys economy under al-Assad. In a statement posted on X, al-Shaibani the Syrian foreign minister welcomed Trumps decision, saying it would open the door of long-awaited reconstruction and development. It will lift the obstacle against economic recovery and open the country to the international community, he said. Syrias new leaders have been struggling to rebuild the countrys decimated economy and infrastructure after nearly 14 years of civil war that killed half a million people. DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) British Foreign Secretary David Lammy met in Damascus on Saturday with Syrias interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, marking the restoration of relations after 14 years of tension during Syria's conflict and Assad family rule. Syria has been improving relations with Western countries following the fall of President Bashar Assad in December in an offensive led by al-Sharaas Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Islamist group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Al-Sharaas office said Lammy and the president discussed mutual relations and ways of boosting cooperation and the latest regional and international developments. Lammy later met his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shibani, state media reported. A statement issued by Britain's foreign office said the visit showed London's commitment to support Syria as the new government seeks to rebuild the country's economy, deliver an inclusive political transition and forge a path to justice for the victims of the Assad government. It added that there will be new U.K. funding to assist with the removal of Assad-era chemical weapons and provide urgent humanitarian assistance in Syria, to bolster U.K. and Middle East security and tackle irregular migration. The statement said the British government wants to ensure that the Islamic State group's territorial defeat endures, and they can never resurge. IS once controlled large parts of Syria and Iraq, where it planned attacks worldwide. It was defeated in Syria in March 2019 when the extremists lost the last sliver of land they once controlled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement said Britain's support for Syria is set to continue, with the additional 94.5 million pounds ($129 million) package announced Saturday. It will provide urgent humanitarian aid to Syrians, support Syrias longer-term recovery through education and livelihoods, and support countries hosting Syrian refugees in the region. In April, the British government lifted sanctions against a dozen Syrian entities, including government departments and media outlets, to help the country rebuild after Assad's ouster. Weeks earlier, the U.K. had dropped sanctions against two dozen Syrian businesses, mostly banks and oil companies. Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending many American economic sanctions on Syria, following through on a promise he made to al-Sharaa. Syrias new leaders have been struggling to rebuild the countrys decimated economy and infrastructure after nearly 14 years of civil war that has killed half a million people. In recent months, al-Sharaa visited oil-rich regional countries and France in May in his first visit to the Europe Union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also on Saturday, Lammy met in Beirut with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and they discussed the situation along the Lebanon-Israel border following the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war. A statement issued by Aoun's office, quoted the Lebanese leader as telling Lammy that Beirut plans to raise the number of Lebanese troops along the border with Israel to 10,000. Aoun added that the only armed sides on the Lebanese side of the border will be Lebanon's national army and U.N. peacekeepers. ___ Mroue reported from Beirut. The UK Defence Intelligence community believes that the killing of Russian generals could negatively affect the command structure in some units of the Russian Armed Forces. Source: UK Defence Intelligence update dated 5 July on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Details: The UK intelligence reports that the recently killed Mikhail Gudkov, deputy commander of the Russian Navy, became at least the second high-ranking general to die since the beginning of the year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In total, since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has lost at least 16 generals, as stated in the review. "The loss of so many high-ranking officers is likely to have had the effect of undermining command and control in parts of the Russian Armed Forces. This has likely contributed to Russian tactical and operational difficulties during the conflict," UK intelligence notes. Background: Major General Gudkov was killed on 2 July in Kursk Oblast. Gudkov was appointed deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy at the end of March, and before that, he commanded the 155th Marine Brigade, which was involved in the executions of Ukrainian military personnel. Last week, UK intelligence pointed to the scale of unauthorised desertion from the Russian army. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Two criminals accused in a murder case were injured in an encounter with Delhi police special cell in the Narela area, following which they were hospitalised, Delhi police said in a statement on Saturday. "The accused were asked to surrender, but they opened fire on the police party", police said. Delhi Police Special Cell had an encounter with two criminals in the Narela area. The accused criminals had recently committed a murder in Rohtak, Haryana, police said. Special Cell Northern Range got information about these criminals being in Delhi, after which a trap was laid in Narela area, police said. "After this, the police shot them in their legs. Both the criminals are in hospital, after which they will be questioned", Delhi police said in its statement. Meanwhile, on July 4, unidentified bike-borne gunmen shot dead their rival in the Najafgarh area of the national capital. The deceased has been identified as Neeraj Tehlan, who was reportedly involved in several criminal cases in the past and was carrying a bounty of Rs 1 lakh on his head. He was also a key witness in the high-profile Najafgarh double murder case of February 2024. Tehlan was attacked while he was sitting inside a car. Two to three bike-borne assailants opened multiple rounds of fire at him before fleeing the scene, police said. The police suspect that the murder may have been orchestrated by gangster Harsh Dhanakad, alias Chintu, who was recently deported from abroad, and Sanjay alias Sanju Dahiya, a known criminal currently based overseas. Police have cordoned off the area and launched an investigation. CCTV footage from the vicinity is being reviewed to identify the attackers. Last week, gangster Kapil Sangwan''s shooters murdered Deepak, the nephew of notorious Manjeet Mahal. Deepak''s daughter was also shot at in the melee. Deepak was shot dead on June 27 in a planned attack during his morning walk in Delhi''s Bawana area. (ANI) By Muvija M LONDON (Reuters) -British police arrested over 20 people on suspicion of terrorism offences after they showed support for the newly banned Palestine Action group in London on Saturday, hours after the proscription came into effect. The government moved to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws last month after its activists broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged two planes in protest against what the group said was Britain's support for Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Late on Friday, the campaign lost an urgent appeal against the parliamentary vote to proscribe it as a terrorist organisation, with the ban coming into force from midnight. Under UK laws, offences include inviting support, expressing approval, or displaying symbols of a banned group and are punishable by up to 14 years in prison and/or a fine. Britain has proscribed 81 groups under anti-terrorism laws, including Hamas, al-Qaeda and ISIS. On Saturday, supporters gathered in Parliament Square in Westminster, some holding placards that said "I OPPOSE GENOCIDE. I SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION." Sky News footage showed some being led away in handcuffs from a statue of Indian independence hero Mahatma Gandhi in the square, as they shouted their support. United Nations experts have accused Israel of carrying out "genocidal acts" against Palestinians in the conflict in Gaza, which began after Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel has repeatedly dismissed such accusations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PRIDE PARADE PROTEST Palestine Action has targeted Israel-linked companies in Britain in its protests, with interior minister Yvette Cooper saying that violence and criminal damage have no place in legitimate protest and that the group's activities justify proscription. Critics of the decision, including some United Nations experts and civil liberties groups, have argued that damaging property does not amount to terrorism. At another protest on Saturday, five pro-Palestinian activists from the Youth Demand group were arrested after they threw red paint over U.S. company Cisco's truck, which was participating in London's Pride parade, and glued themselves to the vehicle. The parade, which celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities, has since resumed, a separate police statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Young people will not accept ... crimes against humanity," Youth Demand's statement - which did not mention Palestine Action - said. It added that its activists targeted Cisco's float as the company supplies "technology that is helping Israel." Cisco did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside of business hours. (Reporting by Muvija M; Editing by Sharon Singleton) By Muvija M LONDON (Reuters) -Britain said on Saturday it was reestablishing diplomatic relations with Syria after the country's years-long civil war, as foreign minister David Lammy visited its capital Damascus, pledging 94.5 million pounds ($129 million) in support. "There is renewed hope for the Syrian people," Lammy said in a statement. "It is in our interests to support the new government to deliver their commitment to build a stable, more secure and prosperous future for all Syrians." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The West has been slowly resetting its approach to Syria since insurgent forces led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ousted Bashar al-Assad as president in December following more than 13 years of war. Lammy's visit, the first by a British minister in 14 years, comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order terminating a U.S. sanctions program on Syria, ending its isolation from the international financial system and helping it rebuild after the war. Britain also eased its sanctions in April, unfreezing the assets of Syria's central bank and 23 other entities, including banks and oil companies to encourage investments, though it kept in place those targeting members of the former regime. The financial support package announced on Saturday will provide urgent humanitarian aid to Syria and support the country's longer-term recovery through developing areas such as education, the government statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A stable Syria will reduce the risk of "irregular migration", ensure chemical weapons are destroyed, and tackle the threat of terrorism, Lammy said, after he met with his Syrian counterpart Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and President Ahmed al-Sharaa. In those meetings, Lammy reiterated the importance of an "inclusive and representative political transition" in Syria and offered Britain's continued support, the statement said. Lammy is also due to travel to Kuwait, where regional security and strengthening bilateral relations will be top of the agenda. He is also expected to announce a new partnership with the Gulf monarchy to tackle the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. ($1 = 0.7325 pounds) (Reporting by Muvija M; Editing by Alison Williams and Jan Harvey) The Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces and other units of Ukraines defence forces struck an important facility of the Russian military-industrial complex, JSC Vniir-Progress, in Cheboksary, Chuvash Republic, on the night of 4-5 July. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Details: The target was a production facility for the production of Kometa adaptive antenna arrays, which are used in Shahed drones, Iskander-K ruise missiles, planning and correction modules for guided bombs, and other precision weapons used by Russia to strike Ukraine, including its civilian infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "It has been confirmed that the munitions have reached the target. The results are being confirmed." Background: On 5 July, units of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the Borisoglebsk air base in Russia's Voronezh Oblast, where Su34, Su35S and Su30SM aircraft are based. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The police have already received almost 70 reports from minors who said that the Russians tried to recruit them to commit acts of sabotage. At the same time, more than 60 teenagers agreed to commit crimes. Source: Vasyl Bohdan, head of the juvenile police of Ukraine, in an interview for Ukrinform news agency Details: Since the beginning of 2025, law enforcement officers have recorded 65 facts of sabotage involving 62 children aged 13 to 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their main motivation, says Bohdan, is money. "Also, these teenagers have a partial desire to assert themselves or a blind belief that they will not be caught. But no child realised that he could die or receive any terrible injuries. They all considered it an easy part-time job, sometimes not even knowing that they were working for the enemy," he notes. Background: Earlier, law enforcement officers awarded two teenagers from Dnipropetrovsk Oblast who were tried to be recruited by the Russians to set fire to the service vehicles belonging to the Ukrainian defence forces. Also, a 14-year-old boy from Ternopil Oblast contacted the police after receiving a message in the Telegram messenger offering dubious earnings. He was offered to "carry things from one place to another" for a reward "of a thousand dollars". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukraine has brought back from Russian captivity a soldier of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, Oleksandr Harnaha, also known as Robocop, who was convicted in the Russian Federation under the article on terrorism. The soldier spent 506 days in Russian captivity. Source: Oleksandrs girlfriend Yuliia Kobrynovych, as reported by hromadske Details: Kobrynovych notes that Oleksandr is now safe, but she cannot tell where exactly. The other day, he was supposed to be transported from Yeniseysk to Krasnoyarsk, but it turned out that the man was included in the lists for the exchange of prisoners of war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yuliia says that mentions of her boyfriends court case, as well as many other Ukrainian servicemen, have disappeared from the website of the Russian court. Oleksandr Harnaha is a lawyer by profession, who signed a contract with the Armed Forces even before the start of the full-scale war. In February 2022, he was transferred to a combat position. The defender was subsequently injured and faced prolonged treatment. In the end, Robocop returned to the army, where he was transferred to the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade to the position of company commander. However, shortly after that he was captured by the Russians near Avdiivka. Oleksandrs relatives later learned that after an interrogation during the so-called investigation period, Oleksandr was held in a pre-trial detention centre in Rostov-on-Don. The Ukrainian was falsely convicted under the article on terrorism and sentenced to 18 years of penal colony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To serve his sentence, the soldier was taken to the most brutal torture chamber of the Russian Federation, where most of the Azovites are held SIZO No. 2 in Taganrog. Background: On 4 July, Kyiv and Moscow carried out another stage of the exchange of prisoners of war that had been agreed upon at a Russo-Ukrainian meeting of representatives in Istanbul. Civilians, severely injured and seriously ill defenders, and defenders under the age of 25 were brought back as part of the exchange. Among the liberated POWs are defenders of Mariupol whom the Russian Federation had held prisoner since 2022. The youngest soldier released in the exchange is 20 years old. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukraine has signed an agreement with an American company to manufacture drones, and an agreement with Denmark on the first joint production of weapons for Ukraine abroad. Source: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statement Quote from Volodymyr Zelenskyy: "This week, weve signed an agreement with an American company on the production of drones, as well as an agreement with Denmark on the first joint production of weapons for Ukraine abroad." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Zelenskyy thanked partners for supporting the Ukrainian defence industry and the development of its own defence industry. Quote from Volodymyr Zelenskyy: "We are scaling up joint production of weapons with our partners: long-range weapons to temper Russia's desire to kill and interceptor drones to protect our people." Background: On 25 June, the Danish government announced that it would build a Ukrainian weapons production plant on its own territory. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukraine targeted the Borisoglebsk airfield in Russia's Voronezh Oblast overnight on July 5, damaging a warehouse with guided bombs, aircraft, and other military assets, Ukraine's General Staff reported. The airfield hosts Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM jets thatRussia regularly uses in air strikes against Ukraine, according to the military. The strike may have destroyed a training and combat aircraft, with further assessments underway. The NASA Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) detected a fire near the Borisoglebsk military airfield shortly after the strike. Residents in the area reported 810 powerful explosions around 2 a.m. local time, according to Russian independent outlet Astra. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The strike was part of a broader overnight drone campaign across Russia, with explosions and fires reported in at least six regions. The Russian Defense Ministry said 42 drones were intercepted within a three-hour period, most of them over Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk oblasts, which border Ukraine. Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Drozdenko said two drones were downed south of St. Petersburg, prompting a temporary suspension of flights at Pulkovo airport. No casualties or damage were reported. The governor of the Smolensk Oblast in western Russia said anti-aircraft units downed three drones without casualties or damage. The governor of the Voronezh Oblast, bordering Ukraine, also confirmed the destruction of several drones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Explosions were also heard overnight in Cheboksary, the capital of the Chuvash Republic, where video footage shared online showed a fire reportedly at a local industrial site. Additionally, explosions were heard during the night in Engels, Saratov Oblast, with some Telegram channels suggesting a military airfield was likely targeted. The attacks come as Russia escalates aerial assaults on Ukraine, prompting Kyiv to increase long-range drone strikes on Russian military targets. Ukrainian officials say these drone operations aim to undermine Russia's strike capabilities and bring the war closer to those enabling the Kremlin's campaign. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, said on July 5 that he had visited the front line in Kharkiv Oblast, warning of a growing threat of renewed Russian offensives in northeastern Ukraine. According to Syrskyi, Russian troops are ramping up attacks in the sector using large numbers of troops. Over the past week, Ukrainian troops have repelled more than 60 Russian assaults in the area, with "about a dozen battles continuing to rage every day," Syrskyi said. "Russian forces are trying to overwhelm us with quantity, but we must be vigilant and apply effective tactical and technological solutions to prevent the invaders from advancing," he said in a Telegram post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Syrskyi said he had reviewed battlefield situation in the area, identifying unit needs, and issuing updated tactical orders. Syrskyi said he was coordinating closely with Joint Forces Commander Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi. Kharkiv Oblast, located in northeastern Ukraine, borders Russia and includes the country's second-largest city. It has been a frequent target of Russian assaults and missile attacks since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Since Ukraine's successful counteroffensive in the northeast in the fall of 2022, Russia has occupied less than 5% of Kharkiv Oblast, along the region's eastern edge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In spring 2024, Russian forces opened a new front in the north of Kharkiv Oblast, near the town of Vovchansk, but were pushed back by Ukrainian troops. The Ukrainian battlefield monitoring platform DeepState reported on July 4 that Russian forces had advanced up to 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) into Kharkiv Oblast near the border village of Milove, opening yet another front in the northeast. The estimated Russian advance in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine, as of July 5, 2025. (DeepState / OpenStreetMaps) On July 4, Pavlo Shamshyn, spokesperson for Ukraine's operational-tactical group "Kharkiv," said that the number of Russian assault operations in the sector had sharply increased. Fighting remains intense near the town of Vovchansk and surrounding villages. Shamshin said Russian troops are advancing in small groups of three to 10 soldiers, relying on drone support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrii Pomahaibus, chief of staff of Ukraine's 13th National Guard Khartiia Brigade, said in May that Russia had been massing forces near the border, possibly preparing for a new offensive in the sector. Despite repeated calls from Ukraine, the U.S., and European leaders for an unconditional ceasefire, Russia has continued ground attacks along the front and long-range missile and drone strikes targeting Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi has visited the South Slobozhansk front for two days, where "there is a threat of new offensive actions" by the Russians. Source: Syrskyi on Telegram Quote from Syrskyi: "I do not leave out any part of the front, in particular those areas where there is a threat of new offensive actions of the enemy. I devoted two days to work in units in Kharkiv Oblast. I work together with the commander of the Joint Forces and the commander of the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group, Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here, on the South Slobozhansk front, our soldiers repelled a total of more than 60 enemy assaults during the past week. About a dozen battles continue to take place every day." Details: Syrskyi noted that he studied the operational information on the ground in detail, clarified the needs and requests of the military and gave the necessary instructions. "The Russians are trying to up the pressure with sheer numbers, but we must be ready and use effective tactical and technological solutions to prevent the advance of the invaders," he concluded. Recall: On 1 June, Russia launched a missile strike on a training unit of Ukraines Ground Forces. At least 12 soldiers are known to have been killed and over 60 injured. On the same day, Commander of the Ground Forces Mykhailo Drapatyi submitted a report on his resignation due to the tragedy and noted that as a commander he could not fully enforce his orders. Later it was revealed that Drapatyi will remain in the army. On 3 June, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi as the head of the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukraine is using ground robots to evacuate wounded, lay mines, and attack Russian forces. An operator said they don't use different robots, instead they adapt and tweak the same ones. They work like "Lego sets" a positive for Ukraine's soldiers, as they need to constantly adapt. Ukraine is using ground robots "like Lego," putting them together differently to use for different missions, from evacuations to attacks, a Ukrainian robot operator told Business Insider. Oleksandr Yabchanka, head of the robotic systems for Ukraine's Da Vinci Wolves Battalion, told BI that his unit doesn't have different robot types. Instead, they equip and put them together based on specific needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They might use a rigid capsule so it can carry a wounded soldier, but later, if they need to destroy a Russian position, they attach a bomb to it and "turn that system into a kamikaze one," he said. Yabchanka described ground drones as being adaptable systems that soldiers can put together themselves on the field. "We all remember Lego. We were growing up together with those kits," he said. He also described it as a positive development for Ukraine: In a war where tactics and technology are constantly changing, helping soldiers be nimble could be key. Adaptable robots Vadym Yunyk, the CEO of FRDM Group, which makes the D-21 robotic ground logistics complex, told BI that "the adaptability of the D-21 is one of its key advantages." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The robot can be used for transporting provisions like ammunition, as well as for the emergency evacuation of wounded, or even as a platform for mounting weapons. A photo of a D-21-11 robot equipped with a mounted gun. Mykhailo Fedorov Yunyk said this adaptability means that units can "quickly integrate the platform into their own tactics." The company has also adapted the system further: In response to requests, it attached a combat module to the D-21, making the D-21-12R, a robot that can fire while moving between different positions, Yunyk said. And they're working on adding a grenade launcher, too. "This opens the way to even more flexible applications for the D-21 and D-21-12R," he said. "In other words, we are not just offering a product we are providing a tool that adapts to the real needs of the front lines." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Milrem Robotics, an Estonian company, describes its THeMIS robot, which is being used in Ukraine, as "an advanced multi-role defence platform designed for various operational tasks." The company says its "modular and versatile design allows customization according to the customer's needs" and that its robots can gather intelligence, dispose of ordnance, and evacuate troops. They can also be fitted with a variety of weapons depending on what soldiers have available and want to achieve. Kuldar Vaarsi, the founder and CEO of Milrem Robots, told BI that innovation on the battlefield goes even further. He said that soldiers have been using the tech in ways the company wasn't even expecting. Milrem Robotics' THeMIS unmanned ground vehicle is being used in Ukraine. Business Wire "Ukrainian troops are really creative, and they really find very simple ways how to get even more out of the equipment," he said. A new type of warfare Ground robots are not new to warfare, but the scale of their use in Ukraine, the different types of usage, and the number of companies quickly bringing them to the battlefield stand out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also have the potential to be a key tool for Ukraine, as it has far fewer troops than Russia, which is a much larger country. Russia is also working on its own versions. The speed of innovation is notable, too, with countries rapidly deploying AI and new tech to make them more autonomous and more powerful. The THeMIS robot set up for evacuations. Mykhaylo Palinchak/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Yabchanka said soldiers are playing a key role in that development. He said his troops often tweak, refine, and upgrade the ground robots themselves while on video calls with manufacturers. It's a similar dynamic to the one that drone operators have described to BI. One operator said he often texts and FaceTime manufacturers to give them feedback and get updates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FRDM Group's Yunyk said his robots also have to constantly be updated based on feedback and how soldiers are using them. "The product lifecycle in this war is extremely short," he said. "What worked a month ago may already be outdated today. Therefore, developers do not have the luxury of working according to old templates." He said that if companies spend two years developing a product, "there is a high risk that it will become irrelevant even before development is complete." "This is a new reality in which those who adapt faster, not those who plan longer, win," he added. Read the original article on Business Insider A large number of devotees departed from Nunwan Base Camp on Saturday to begin their spiritual journey toward the Holy Cave of Shri Amarnath Ji, located in the snow-clad Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir. As the yatra progressed smoothly under tight security and improved facilities, pilgrims expressed their joy and faith. While speaking to ANI, one of the pilgrims, Rajesh Giri, said, "I am barefoot. I have been barefoot for the last 40 years since birth... I am going to Shri Amarnath Ji for the 25th time. I will go on foot. I will pray that our Bharat continues to progress... The arrangements are very good..." The Amarnath Yatra, a major annual pilgrimage in Hinduism, attracted both seasoned and first-time yatris. Srikrishan Yadav, who joined the yatra for the first time, told ANI, "We are a group of six people. This is the first time I have come for the yatra. My heart is very happy and I am very excited for the darshan of Baba. I do not feel tired at all... The arrangements are very good." Speaking to ANI, Preeti Rathore, another pilgrim, shared her excitement, saying, "...We are very excited for the darshan. I will pray that everyone's pilgrimage is successful. The arrangements are even better than before... There is nothing to be afraid of... I will pray that everyone remains happy and healthy..." A day earlier, the first batch of Shri Amarnath Yatra pilgrims returned to Jammu and Kashmir's (J-K) Udhampur after visiting the holy cave. Meanwhile, security arrangements have been strengthened across J-K, including Udhampur, as the annual pilgrimage progresses through the Baltal and Pahalgam routes. The annual pilgrimage, which started on Thursday, is being conducted via the Baltal and Pahalgam routes. The Jammu-Srinagar Highway is a key route for the thousands of pilgrims heading to the holy site. In Doda, security arrangements have been intensified, with the Jammu and Kashmir Police reiterating their commitment to ensuring the safety of pilgrims and eliminating any terror threats. (ANI) KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine's top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi warned on Saturday of a possible new Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region, a part of northeastern Ukraine which has seen heavy fighting since Russia invaded in 2022. Moscow has been slowly grinding its way through Ukrainian lines along several parts of the frontline this summer, throwing forth continuous waves of infantry as it seeks to press home its advantage in men and munitions. Russian forces have already pushed into northern Ukraine's Sumy region over the past months, carving out a small foothold there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I dedicated two days to working with units in Kharkiv region," Syrskyi wrote in a post on the Telegram app. He said he spent the time talking to commanders, studying the situation in the area and the needs of troops there. "The Russians are looking to press with numbers, but we have to be ready, use appropriate tactical and technological solutions not to allow the (Russians) to move forward," Syrskyi said. (Reporting by Max Hunder;Editing by Alison Williams) Explosions, fires and mobile internet disruptions have been recorded in several Russian regions after a nighttime UAV attack. Source: Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin; Russian Telegram channels Details: Russian authorities and eyewitnesses claimed that drones had attacked several facilities in the Russian cities of Cheboksary, Engels and Saratov on the night of 4-5 July. Busargin said drone debris had damaged residential buildings in Engels and Saratov. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Engels residents reported on social media a series of explosions near the military air base. Drones attacked industrial business premises in Cheboksary. Videos posted on social media show a largescale fire. The city experienced mobile internet disruptions after the attack. The Astra Telegram channel reported that police had blocked access to the territory of JSC VNDIR-Progres plant, which manufactures Kometa receivers for the Russians that protect Russian drones from Ukrainian electronic warfare systems. In addition, NASA's firemonitoring system recorded a fire on the territory of the Borisoglebsk military air base in Voronezh Oblast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian military command did not comment on the situation at the time of publication. Ukrainska Pravda is currently unable to independently verify this information. Updated: Later in the morning, Voronezh Oblast Governor Alexander Gusev stated that "over 25 drones were destroyed overnight in four municipal districts of the oblast". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Units from the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in cooperation with other components of the defence forces, have attacked the Borisoglebsk air base in Russia's Voronezh Oblast on 5 July, where Su34, Su35S and Su30SM aircraft are based. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; Special Operations Forces Details: The General Staff reported that a stockpile of guided aerial bombs, a military training aircraft and, presumably, other aircraft had been hit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Information on the consequences of the strike is being confirmed. Quote: "The defence forces continue to take all necessary measures to undermine the potential of the Russian occupiers to strike civilian infrastructure and compel Russia to end its armed aggression against Ukraine." Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! A family contract dating back to the 14th Century has become one of the earliest records held in Jersey's public archives. The de Gruchy-Pallot family papers were transferred to the archive at the family's request from the University of Alberta in Canada. The collection, which documents the life of Charles and Annie Pallot (nee Giffard) and their six children, includes an inheritance contract that has been dated to 1397. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jersey Heritage archivist Jane de Gruchy, who is also a distant relative of the family, said: "We are absolutely delighted that this unique and important family collection has returned home to Jersey after so many years." Jersey Heritage said the collection first came to its attention when Herb Reynolds, a Canadian descendant of the Pallots, contacted the archive last year. His family had emigrated to Canada with a number of documents relating to the Pallot, de Gruchy and Giffard families in Jersey. In the 1970s they were donated to the University of Alberta alongside more recent family material relating to Canada. 'Gathering clouds' Other highlights from the collection include the 1502 will of Mathieu de Gruchy of Trinity, records relating to Adele Haarseth, nee Pallot, from her military nursing career, a biography of the three Pallot brothers' time as pioneer settlers in Canada in the 1900s and correspondence that gives a "vivid sense of the gathering of the clouds before the Second World War and the Occupation". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Reynolds said the family was encouraged to return the collection to the island after meeting Jersey historian Guy Dixon, who has researched the de Gruchy family. He said it led his family to understand their history and "ignited our interest in returning the records to Jersey where we feel they will be better cared for and appreciated". Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. More on this story Related internet links BUCKHANNON, W.Va. (WBOY) A 65-year-old woman was killed in an ATV crash in Upshur County on Friday, July 4. According to a press release from the Upshur County Sheriffs Office, emergency crews were called the the area of 943 Mt. Nebo Road after a report of an ATV crash with injury. The victim, identified as Patricia Campbell of Ravenna, Ohio, was pronounced dead at the scene. 1 taken to Ruby after firework accident in Preston County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was concluded that the ATV rolled over and ejected the victim, who was not wearing a helmet. The investigation into the accident is still ongoing according to the sheriffs office. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WBOY Daily News The Upshur County Sheriffs Office was assisted by the West Virginia State Police, Upshur EMS and the Ellamore Fire Department. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. A controversial aid operation for Gaza backed by Israel and the US says two of its workers have been injured in an attack while giving out relief. Two militants threw grenades at the aid centre in Khan Younis, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) said. It blamed Hamas for Saturday's incident. The injured US workers are in a stable condition and are receiving medical treatment. No other aid workers or civilians were harmed, the group added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The GHF began its operations in May, distributing aid from several sites in southern and central Gaza. The system has been widely criticised for forcing vast numbers of people to walk through combat zones. Since the GHF was launched, Israeli forces have killed more than 400 Palestinians trying to collect food aid, the UN and local doctors say. Israel says the new distribution system stops aid going to Hamas. The attack comes as Hamas has indicated it is ready for talks on a ceasefire with Israel. The GHF said the incident "occurred at the conclusion of an otherwise successful distribution in which thousands of Gazans safely received food". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The organisation added it had "repeatedly warned of credible threats from Hamas", including plans to target American personnel, Palestinian aid workers and civilians. Hamas has not commented on the incident. Meanwhile, Gaza's civil defence agency said 32 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military operations on Saturday. On Friday, Hamas said it was ready for more talks on a ceasefire agreement put forward by the US. The plan is believed to include the staggered release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. The BBC understands that Hamas wants amendments to the draft, including a US guarantee that hostilities will resume when the ceasefire ends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas also wants the GHF to be scrapped and aid to be distributed by the UN and its partners only. Israel has previously rejected such demands. Fifty hostages are still being held in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. According to Gaza's health ministry, at least 70 people have been killed in the territory by Israeli troops in the last 24 hours. The ministry said the total death toll in Gaza has risen to 57,338 during Israel's war against Hamas. The Israeli military launched its campaign in response to the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. Today, Israel is widely considered one of Americas closest allies. Whether this relationship remains sustainable and healthy for both countries will be a defining question in the years ahead. The recent war between Israel and Iran showcased the strong ties between the United States and the Jewish state. During the 12-day conflict, the US carried out a bombing mission targeting key Iranian nuclear facilities. This followed Israeli efforts lasting over a week and a half to dismantle Iranian air defenses and strike some of the same sites. Israels air force is composed of US-made fighter jets, such as the F-35, F-15, and F-16. The conflict with Iran was symbolic of the broader and increasingly intimate relationship between Washington and Jerusalem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two countries have often maintained close relations throughout the history of modern Israel. However, the partnership has deepened in recent decades, to the point that Israel is often viewed as Americas closest ally. This is particularly evident during the Trump administration, when some US policymakers have expressed skepticism about traditional allies such as Canada, the UK, Australia, and South Korea. For Israel, this relationship affirms its role as a key partner in sustaining American influence and strategic dominance in the Middle East. As Israel has grown stronger, it has also become more important to the United States. Many view this bond as natural rooted not only in Israels founding in 1948 but also in biblical and historical connections. Some see the alliance as grounded in shared values and faith, while others frame it in more pragmatic terms: Israel is a democracy with a strong economy, strategically located at the crossroads of key trade routes and alliances. US PRESIDENT Donald Trump speaks to the media in the Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, June 27, 2025. (credit: KEN CEDENO/REUTERS) Understanding the US-Israel relationship The roots of the US-Israel relationship are complex. In many ways, the early history of Zionism was more connected to Europe than to the United States. Millions of Jews fleeing persecution in the Russian Empire found refuge in the US, which offered them equality and opportunity. For many, the American Dream made the idea of Zionism less urgent. America served as a beacon of freedom for Jews a role that, over time, complemented the vision of Israel as a national homeland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement THE DEVELOPMENT of the US-Israel bond was gradual. While early Zionist efforts relied heavily on British colonial-era support such as the Balfour Declaration during World War I they also engaged with powers like Germany and the Ottoman Empire. As Jewish immigration to Palestine increased under the British Mandate, the need for American support became more apparent. After Israels founding in 1948, leaders like David Ben-Gurion recognized that American backing was essential for the young states survival. Some Israeli leaders had spent time in the US and understood its global power in the post-WW II era. Despite internal opposition within the US State Department, president Harry S. Trumans administration granted Israel recognition in 1948. Skepticism persisted, however, particularly during the Eisenhower administration. The 1956 Suez Crisis, in which Israel allied with France and Britain against Egypt, drew disapproval from Washington. The US feared driving Egypt toward the Soviet Union during the Cold War and preferred maintaining influence over key Arab states. It wasnt until the 1960s that US-Israel ties began to solidify. President John Kennedys administration started to shift US policy toward a firmer alliance. The sale of Hawk air defense missiles to Israel in 1965, shortly before the Six Day War, marked a turning point. As the Soviets armed Egypt and Syria, the US became Israels primary defense partner. In the 1970s, the relationship faced obstacles, as some US administrations hesitated to appear overly supportive of Israel. However, during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Nixon administration ensured that Israel received critical military support. By the 1980s, Israel had destroyed Iraqs Osirak nuclear reactor and signed a peace treaty with Egypt, removing a major adversary from the equation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement THE FALL of the Shah in Iran and the rise of the Islamic Republic introduced a new, implacable foe. Although Iraqs Saddam Hussein posed another threat, he was occupied fighting Iran during the 1980s. By 1990, Saddam had rebuilt his military and invaded Kuwait, leading to a US-led coalition ejecting him in 1991. The end of the Cold War opened new diplomatic opportunities, such as peace processes in Israel and democratic transitions in places like South Africa and Northern Ireland. The 1990s were meant to be an era of hope. Under president Bill Clinton, the US deepened its ties with Israel. However, the Second Intifada and the 9/11 terrorist attacks shifted Americas focus. The global war on terror led to military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq, along with a surge in extremist violence. While the US grew wary of allies like Saudi Arabia due to concerns about radicalism, there were growing questions about Americas long-term presence in the Middle East. As the US considered reducing its regional footprint, Israel found itself increasingly isolated. Domestically, the Jewish state became a divisive issue in American politics. As right-wing governments gained power in Israel, many on the American Left including progressive Jewish communities felt less aligned with Israeli policies. Israel began to be seen as more aligned with the Republican Party, causing it to become a partisan issue. On the other hand, Israel also gained significant support among Evangelicals in the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This meant the bedrock of support was shifting, but it was also growing in some ways. President Barack Obamas administration sought to reset US relations in the region, reaching out to Iran and expressing frustration with Israeli policies. Nonetheless, defense cooperation remained strong, with billions in annual US aid funding Israeli weapons systems such as Iron Dome, Davids Sling, and Arrow. Ties between Washington and Israeli defense industries grew closer, even as political tensions occasionally surfaced. On the American Right, isolationist voices emerged, criticizing perceived Israeli influence on US foreign policy. Still, support for Israel remained a consensus issue in Congress. Meanwhile, American relations with traditional allies like Turkey and Saudi Arabia became more strained, further elevating Israels status within Washingtons strategic circles. During President Donald Trumps first term, the US moved its embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and brokered the Abraham Accords. These were seen as historic victories for the Jewish state. As Trump returned to office, expectations were high for a second term even more favorable to Israeli interests. However, by then, Jerusalem was engaged in a prolonged war in Gaza and facing other regional threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration initially sought to scale back US involvement in the Middle East to focus on China and Russia. But ongoing tensions, such as Iranian nuclear developments and the hostage crisis, compelled the US to reengage. When Israel launched preemptive strikes on Iran in June 2025, America joined the conflict, seeing an opportunity to support a winning ally. Trump also attempted to improve relations with Turkey and recognize Syrias new government moves that drew criticism in Israel. Turkish-Israeli relations remain tense, and Israeli strikes in Syria could create friction with Washington. As US policy shifts in the region, Israel may find itself needing to adjust to new realities. What comes next? Today, Israel is widely considered one of Americas closest allies. US ambassadors to Israel openly express strong support, and the relationship often feels inseparable. This closeness is evident even in moments of political controversy such as when Trump publicly opposed the trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, raising concerns about foreign influence in domestic affairs. While strong alliances are essential, too much closeness can lead to backlash. In Western countries, criticism of Israel is rising, particularly on the far Left. In the US, some argue that Israel dominates foreign policy discussions to the detriment of other traditional allies like the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The current US administrations skepticism toward historic allies does not seem to extend to Israel, which continues to be treated as a cornerstone of American foreign policy. Whether this remains sustainable and healthy for both countries will be a defining question in the years ahead. The northeastern part of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska is seen on June 26, 2014. Alaska figures prominently in a new U.S. Geological Survey report about oil and gas potential on the nation's federal lands. (Photo by Bob Wick/U.S. Bureau of Land Management) About half of whats known as the estimated undiscovered technically recoverable oil lying below federal lands is in Alaska, as is more than a quarter of estimated natural gas, according to a new report from the U.S. Geological Survey. The national total estimate for this category of resources on federal lands is about 29.4 billion barrels of oil and 391.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, according to the USGS report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of that, almost 14.5 billion barrels of oil is in Alaska, with 14 billion of that amount on the North Slope, according to the report. Of these estimates of natural gas on federal lands across the nation, about 111 trillion cubic feet is believed to be in Alaska, with almost all of that on the North Slope as well, according to the report. Technically recoverable oil refers to the amount that could be recovered through existing technology, regardless of economics. The category differs from economically recoverable oil. And the report only considers what is undiscovered that is, what has not been drilled, but is estimated to exist based on the current knowledge of the geology. The new report comes as the Trump administration is pushing for expanded oil development on federal territory in Alaska, especially the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, both on the North Slope. American Energy Dominance is more important than ever, and this report underscores the critical role science plays in informing our energy future, Doug Burgum, secretary of the Department of the Interior, said in a statement. Thanks to the USGSs rigorous and independent assessment, were better equipped to manage Americas vast public lands responsibly while supporting energy security and economic opportunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UGSG report, part of a periodic series authorized by laws enacted in 2000 and 2005, uses data from several past resource estimates. Those past resource estimates generally used different parameters. A 1998 report issued by the service estimated that U.S. federal lands held 7.8 billion barrels of technically recoverable but undiscovered oil and 201.1 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable but undiscovered natural gas. However, that 1998 report considered only conventional oil and natural gas. It did not include unconventional resources shale oil and whats known as tight oil and gas, trapped in impermeable rock, as well as coal-bed gas that are now produced through fracking techniques. The new report includes those unconventional types of oil and gas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Alaska estimates in the new report are in line with other past USGS estimates for the state. The most recent report on estimated technically recoverable reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge had a mean estimate of 7.7 billion barrels for the federal lands within the refuge. That estimate, in a report issued in 2016, excluded Native-owned lands and state territory. A 2017 USGS report that focused largely on the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska had a mean estimate of 8.8 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil. That report was specifically about the Nanushuk and Torok geologic formations, which lie mostly in the reserve but also extend to state lands. The Willow project being developed by ConocoPhillips is within the reserve and holds oil from the Nanushuk formation. The Pikka project being developed by Santos and Repsol, located on state land just outside the reserve, also holds Nanushuk oil. The new report splits estimated Alaska resources by geography. While the vast majority of estimated resources are attributed to the North Slope, the report presents estimates for technically recoverable resources in Central Alaska and Southern Alaska as well. For federal lands in Central Alaska, which includes Interior and Western Alaska, the total for oil is 100 million barrels and the total for natural gas is 3.2 trillion cubic feet, according to the report. For federal lands in Southern Alaska, which includes the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and the Kenai Peninsula, the oil total is 299 million barrels and the natural gas total is about 3.75 trillion cubic feet, according to the report. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX GROTON, Conn. (WTNH) After a six-month deployment to the U.S. European Command, the USS Delaware submarine returned to the Naval Submarine Base New London on Saturday, officials said. Commander Jason Patton said he was very proud of the crews work while out at sea. Naval submarine base in Groton unveils new dolphin insignia on main gate The crew of USS Delaware is a group of outstanding professional submariners, Patton said. We were deployed for 205 days and we spent 194 of those at sea accomplishing our nations tasking. That wouldnt have been possible without teamwork, dedication and tenacity from every Sailor onboard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mission covered more than 42,000 nautical miles and recovered a vehicle found underwater. Officials say Delaware completed the first forward deployed torpedo tube launch. With the effort from crew members, enhancements can be made to cover more underwater areas. I would be remiss for mentioning the crews accomplishments without acknowledging the world class support from our loved ones back home, Patton said. While we battled the rough seas and cold they fought through countless home emergencies, car problems and parenting moments. We are grateful for their steadfast resolve and are ecstatic to be home with them again. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. UPDATE (3:41 pm, July 7) Utica Police have identified one of the victims in Friday nights shooting as 39-year-old Rogereale Howard of Utica. The investigation into Howards death and the other non-fatal shooting is ongoing, and any updates will be released as available. UTICA, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) Utica Police have released more information about events that occurred in Cornhill Friday night that left one man dead, another with a gun shot wound and a Utica Police Officer injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police were called for shots fired around 10:40PM Friday in the area of James Street and Howard Ave. Police found a very large crowd surrounding a man who had been shot. Emergency responders from Utica Police and Fire began to administer first aid to the victim. Members from the crowd aggressively interfered with the first responders and the police and fire personnel began to push back against the crowd. It was at this point that a police officer was injured. That officer, whose name has not been released, was taken to Wynn Hospital. The extent of their injuries have not yet been released, nor how they were sustained. The gunshot victim at the scene was loaded onto a Utica Fire Ambulance and transported to Wynn Hospital in Utica. Life saving measures were taken both in the Ambulance and at the Emergency Room at Wynn, but they were unsuccessful. The man, reported to be 39 years old, died of his wounds. His identity has not yet been released. At the hospital, another male arrived from the same scene in Cornhill with a gun shot wound in his leg. He was transported in a private car. His injuries are not life threatening. Large fights were reported around the Wynn Hospital Emergency Room and additional police were called to the hospital to restore order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in Cornhill, as police began their investigation of the fight and shooting, several altercations broke out. Police report that there was another large fight near the intersection of James Street and Seymour Ave, two blocks east of where the shooting took place. Utica Police were involved in that incident. Five arrests were made for various offenses. Utica Police were assisted in their efforts dealing with the crowds by the New York State Police and the Oneida County Sherriff Office. The investigation into the shootings and disturbances are on-going. If anyone has any information regarding any of these situations you are asked to call Utica Police at 315-223-3556. You can also make an anonymous tip via www.mohawkvalleycrimestoppers.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 WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com. The construction of the 500-metre four-lane viaduct (flyover) at Dhalwas and a two-lane 700-metre canopy tunnel at Mehad near Cafeteria Mod on the NH44 has helped in easier movement of vehicles for Amarnath Yatra pilgrims. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Project Director Shubham Yadav stated that the construction of the flyover and canopy tunnel is a remarkable achievement by the NHAI, as these two spots had been a significant source of trouble on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH44) for passengers and commuters. "The construction of both these projects is a big achievement for NHAI, as the two places were a big trouble on NH 44 for the passengers and commuters. Due to landslides and debris during rainfall, the traffic on NH 44 would be disrupted. A lot of people have also died on this highway due to the debris... Now, because of the timely construction of these two structures on these two most landslide-vulnerable spots on the NH44, the movement of the vehicles of Amarnath Yatra, tourists and fruit-laden heavy trucks besides routine local traffic has become hassle-free and smooth," Yadav told ANI. Yadav gave credit for the achievement to the unflinching support of the Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways(MORT&H) Nitin Gadkari, Secretary (MORT&H) V Umashankar, NHAI Chairman Santosh Yadav, Regional Officer RS Yadav and former Project Director Purshottam Kumar. Earlier in Ramban on July 3, 17 medical camps were set up at langar sites along with mini hospitals. Ambulances were also deployed for the Amarnath Yatra. Ramban Chief Medical Officer Kamal Zadoo told ANI, "On behalf of the health department, we have set up 17 camps at langar sites and lodgement centres across Ramban district from Nashri tunnel to Navyug tunnel. Mini hospitals have been established at Yatri Niwas Chanderkot and Lambhar Ground, featuring a four-bed indoor facility, a laboratory, and an ECG unit. We have also placed cardiac monitors there this year. Two ambulances have been deployed at Yatri Niwas Chanderkot, the Langar Site in Chanderkot, and Lambhar Ground. We have also kept back-up ambulances for any untoward incidents..." "The National Highway Authority and the administration have provided four additional ambulances, which we have deployed for yatra duty". (ANI) Many across the Miami Valley celebrated Independence Day. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] In 1971, Maria Escalon became a U.S. citizen. She said she does not take this day for granted. Its very important to celebrate a nation that has given us the opportunity to really be somebody that we couldnt be in our country, Escalon said. She tries to make it to Shawnee Park every Fourth of July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her granddaughter, Justice Foster, loves the event. They have the bounce houses and stuff, and they have food here, she said. TRENDING STORIES: The Xenia Rotary Club hosted the Sonycalb Memorial Fireworks Festival, promising something for everyone. Its usually about 30 minutes, but the grand finale is none like Ive seen in this region before, Fox said. People in Beavercreek kicked off the holiday with a parade, followed by fireworks in the park. Michael Smith shares his birthday with the country. Nineteen seventy-four, so I missed the bicentennial by two years, Michael Smith said. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] LESTER, WV (WVNS) The Fourth of July can often bring to mind barbecues, fireworks, and relaxation. Vietnam Veteran, Buck Bowling and his family have made it their mission to make sure people remember that freedom isnt free. For the past several years on holidays like Independence Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day, Buck has offered members of the community a chance to pull up a chair, grab a hot dog, and chat about how America came to be the country it is today. Weve just got to remember all the people that had died so that we could have the freedom that we have today, said Bowling. So, I do this for those who gave all. More than 2500 American flags were put on display on the Bowlings property to reflect the monumental sacrifice of those who serve and have served their country. It is a sentiment echoed by another veteran, Delegate Elliott Pritt, who spoke with 59News about the importance of keeping the legacies of these men and women alive through future generations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats why its so important that we teach kids what it costs to keep American freedom going, said Pritt. Thats why its so important we teach them, so they understand that sacrifice and they understand how important it is. The Bowlings tribute to those who have served continues to grow each year with the addition of new flags, inflatables, and other patriotic displays. Buck has said he has no plans of slowing down and hopes to continue bringing out the display in honor of our military members. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The body of a man who reportedly drowned after jumping into rushing water near Luther has been recovered, authorities said. According to the Oklahoma City Police Department, a 22-year-old man jumped into the Deep Fork River around 1 p.m. Friday, July 4, and did not resurface. Authorities began an initial rescue operation on Friday in response to the incident, which occurred at NE 178th and Peebly Road, but postponed it that evening due to hazardous conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They did suspend the search yesterday evening, and they resumed it this morning at 8 a.m., and we had an Oklahoma City police drone up, and fire was on the scene as well, along with some surrounding agencies that were assisting, police Sgt. Rob Robertson told The Oklahoman. After about three hours of searching, authorities located the mans body in the water. The Oklahoma City police drone located the victim downstream at about 11 a.m. this morning, and the Oklahoma City Fire and dive team recovered the body, Robertson said. They immediately notified the family, and then the body was released to the medical examiner's office, and we had supervisors for both the fire department and the police department that really commended the firefighters, the dive team and the police officers for their joint effort in what was a very difficult and unfortunate, tragic situation. Authorities have not released any additional information about the victim at this time. This is a developing story. Follow updates on Oklahoman.com. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Body of man who jumped into Deep Fork River July Fourth found by drone KULPMONT, NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) An emotional ceremony in NEPA today remembering the lives lost during the Vietnam War and the September 11 attacks. 28/22s Joe Mason has more from the two memorials. 58,311, thats how many names are listed on the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C. and how many names are listed on the Vietnam traveling wall. Each name represents a life cut short, including 22 from Northumberland County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On July 4, hundreds of people remembered those lives in Kulpmont. Remembering the soldiers who fought in the Wyoming Valley I have a very very good friend thats on the wall excuse me. Yes, I know some names on the wall, expressed Walt Lutz, U.S. Army Veteran. They should be proud for their service, and I think they would be thankful that they were recognized for what they did, stated Lutz. The traveling wall is 3/5s the size of the memorial in D.C. It stands six feet tall in the center and is nearly three-hundred-feet end to end. The wall also serves to educate younger generations who may not know about the Vietnam War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the way we educate people of all ages throughout the country, said Gus Person, U.S. Army Veteran. Its extremely important so you get a sense of duty, patriotism, and that your fellow citizens what they will do for you and what they have done for you, explained Lutz. Todays ceremony also remembers the lives lost during the September 11 attacks and the sacrifices made by first responders. Theres a gentleman who spoke earlier today. I knew his son who was lost in 2004 in Iraq. His name is on the 9/11 memorial because veterans who served after 9/11. This commemorated those who lost their life on that wall, said Stephen Motyka, Sgt. at arms, Sons of the American Legion Post 231. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was up at the twin towers three days after the incident. It was still burning, and it shows whats required to keep freedom, voiced Lutz. In a small community like this of about 2,600 people, its just immense. Unbelievable that weve had almost a thousand people here just to witness the opening ceremony, added David Shinskie, U.S. Army Veteran and Master of Ceremonies. Its all about community and honoring our veterans and as you look around here today, I think we pulled it off here, said Motyka. The wall will be here until Monday, July 7. Itll next head to Lenox, Massachusetts and Hudson Falls, New York for ceremonies later in the month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to 28/22 News. Genealogical riches from every county of the island of Ireland feature among 175,000 new historical records which are now available online. For the first time there are now 60,000 names on the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland from the 1821 census which was destroyed in 1922. The Four Courts blaze destroyed the Public Record Office of Ireland, and with it seven centuries of Irish history. Co-Director of the virtual records, Dr Ciaran Wallace said handwritten copies of records have enabled the archives to expand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What we've learned is that in the days before photocopiers and scanners, humans with pens or quills wrote tonnes and tonnes of copies of records, they could make copies for all sorts of reasons, for administrative reasons or for a court case, or for family research," he said. The 1821 portal was compiled by hand, from transcriptions and notes preserved in the National Archives of Ireland and Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. The recovered transcripts of census returns revealed ordinary lives across the island of Ireland in the decades before and after the Great Famine, that were previously lost. Nine thousand new names for Co Armagh Dr Brian Gurrin, Census and Population expert, explained: "The 1821 census recorded the names of 6.8 million people and those names were contained in the public record office in 479 massive volumes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Four volumes survived out of that and one of them is for a part of County Fermanagh, that's one of the original surviving volumes." County Armagh is one of the most documented counties across the island of Ireland. "We have introduced for some counties, a very small number of names, but for County Armagh we've introduced over 9000 names available in the Virtual Record Treasury. It is the largest number of names for any county in Ireland," Dr Gurrin said. Dr Ciaran Wallace, Co-Director, Zoe Reid, Keeper of Manuscripts, National Archives, Ireland and Dr Brian Gurrin, Population and Census Specialist, Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland [Trinity College Dublin] Irish genealogy The portal has been made possible because of the personal notes made by 20th century genealogists. Dr Gurrin said: "I think it's 24 boxes of Tenison Groves' papers in Belfast. And we've worked through the Gertrude Thrift and Phillip Crossley's papers down in Dublin working page by page, by page, trying to identify census extracts that were taken by them that don't exist anymore in the originals." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr Gurrin believes that this is the most extensive trawl that was ever conducted on these genealogical papers in order to extract "every scrap of census information". "I think we've looked at over 150,000 individual pages searching down through them to try to find the various census extracts that they would have taken." He said: "They were always available, but what we've done is we've made them available in one convenient place." The team work with 72 different archives and libraries across the UK, Ireland and the world to identify copies [Trinity College Dublin] The team works with 72 different archives and libraries across the UK, Ireland and the world to identify copies of material that may be of use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We make nice lists of them and where we can get digital images, we do. "It's not just genealogy, but all sorts of records, local history stuff and everything there for the whole island of Ireland," Dr Wallace said. Ireland paved the way for census taking, as Great Britain did not start recording the names of all people until 1841, twenty years later. Armagh County Museum is a partner with the project. Sean Barden, curator at the museum, said: "Digital platforms like this are essential tools for museums, they allow us to share rare and valuable material, such as our transcript of the 1821 Kilmore parish census fragment, with a much wider audience." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said by hosting it online, the Virtual Treasury will help researchers and shine a light on the strength and significance of the museums collections. Ireland's 1821 census recorded the names of 6.8 million people [Trinity College Dublin] Though many parts of Ireland at the time spoke and wrote in Irish, names and places in the census were recorded in English. Dr Gurrin said the census of the Aran Islands has been added "and even though it was 100% Irish speaking in 1821, there's not a single mention of the Irish language in the census. "The enumerator doesn't say that the people here speak a different language. "And there's not a single Sean, or any sort of Irish first name recorded in it at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They're all recorded in English, so any anybody who is Padraig will be Patrick." Dr Wallace said: "It is just fascinating to be able to track back and find records of ancestors, in court cases or in dealing with the state in some way, sometimes positive, sometimes negative, but it sort of fleshes out their lives, gives us a sense of what their lives were like." A gay man has recalled the impact of one of the most controversial laws of the 1980s. Tony Challis, a former English and drama teacher, came to Nottingham from Bristol in 1988 - at the same time Section 28 of the Local Government Act came into force. The legislation, which was later repealed in Scotland in 2000, and England and Wales in 2003, said local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales "shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Challis said he was "horrified" at the time, but added the law actually galvanised many in the gay rights movement. Former prime minister Margaret Thatcher backed Section 28 at the 1988 Conservative Party Conference [Getty Images] Mr Challis was speaking to mark the 50th anniversary of the Notts LGBT+ Network. He said: "I started teaching in the late 60s, and people didn't talk about [homosexuality] at all - it was only in '67 the law was changed to make it legal. "When I was at a college of education, there were a couple of guys who came out and I felt - people generally felt - they were very brave." As time moved on, Mr Challis said there was "gradually" more tolerance and he attended his first major march in 1972 and began to build networks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: "There were several of us, when I was working down in Bristol, who decided we did want to set up some sort of support group. "Teachers would come from as far afield as Cardiff and Plymouth. "One person brought along a colleague, a woman, who did comment how much fear there still was in the room." Mr Challis said the legislation "galvanised" the gay community [Getty Images] A few years later, in the 1980s, gay men started to be affected by a mysterious disease. The first UK death from Aids was in London in 1981 - although it was only later this was confirmed to be down to an HIV-related illness. As time passed and panic grew, gay people were ushered further into the shadows by a homophobic press campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Terms like the "gay plague" were widely used, and people believed HIV could be transmitted by any kind of proximity to those with the virus. "During the early '80s, HIV Aids became a big problem, which created its own fear," said Mr Challis. "I think campaigning as such dropped off. "But when Section 28 came in I was horrified, but it really galvanised everything. It led to a wonderful big march in Manchester. "People were careful about what they said and lots of people, men and women, gay and straight, all joined in. "It encouraged lots of people who opposed it to become active." Section 28 was met with large protests by LGBT+ groups [Getty Images] Mr Challis said his school discussed the changes "positively". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It was never successfully prosecuted, but it did mean people were very careful about what they said," he said. "But some people managed to keep talking, but it did put a dampener on what could be spoken between teachers and pupils." Section 28 was eventually repealed in England and Wales in 2003. Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. More on this story Related internet links The Metro Nashville Council's LGBTQ Caucus issued a statement of no confidence in Vanderbilt University Medical Center's leadership on July 1. Councilmember Olivia Hill, a transgender woman and former VUMC volunteer, sent a news release on behalf of the caucus "expressing deep disappointment and a loss of trust." A spokesman for the medical center didn't respond July 3 to an email and call seeking comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hill said that the medical center actively sought the support and trust of the caucus, and she appeared in its campaigns promising a commitment to inclusive care. However, Hill said "a growing pattern of decisions has revealed a troubling truth. As our community has faced heightened threats and scrutiny, VUMC has consistently stepped back instead of standing up." The city leaders noted four actions they say went against an inclusive approach: In October 2022, the medical center paused gender-affirming surgeries for minors. In 2023, Vanderbilt released confidential transgender patients' records to Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. John Howser, VUMC's chief communications officer, issued a statement to The Tennessean in June 2023 saying: "VUMC was obligated to comply." Skrmetti authored an op-ed saying that his actions were protecting, not discriminating against minors: "Age restrictions on medical procedures exist precisely because we recognize that kids need time to develop and mature before making life-changing decisions." In April 2025, the medical center dismantled its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, programs in response to an executive order from President Donald Trump. Hill claimed Vanderbilt reacted to a single letter from one U.S. Senator. This refers to an April 15 letter Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, sent to VUMC President Jeffrey Balser, urging him to stop concealing DEI programs and to comply with Trump's order. Howser told The Tennessean on April 16 that Vanderbilt was eliminating all DEI programs and "fully complying with Executive Actions on DEI." In June 2025, Vanderbilt laid off LGBTQ+ outreach staff and withdrew medical support from the Nashville Pride Festival. The medical center announced ongoing layoffs in June that could eventually affect 650 employees, part of a $300 million reduction in operating costs due, at least in part, to federal research grant cuts. "Each of these moments was a chance to show conviction. Instead, you revealed where your priorities lie," The Caucus wrote. "You stood on our backs as we lifted you up. You benefitted from our trust, our pride and our presence. And when we needed you most, you betrayed us." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The letter was signed by Hill, Metro Council members Brenda Gadd, Emily Benedict and Caucus Chair Russ Bradford. Hill also pointed to reporting by The Tennessean that uncovered that, despite public claims of full insurance coverage for gender-affirming surgeries, VUMC didn't have any in-network surgeons performing the procedures at that time. Beth Warren covers health care and can be reached at bwarren@tennessean.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt medical center accused of 'betraying' LGBTQ+ community BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) The Fourth of July got off on a somber note this morning, with a group honoring the life and memory of an everyday hero. The Warrior Memorial Reefs foundation placed an underwater reef in the gulf for Mark Randall Phillips. Philips was a firefighter for the city of Beaumont, Texas. He died 2 years ago on July 4th. Philips family asked the Warrior Memorial Reef Foundation to place his ashes in one of the underwater markers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harman Metal Art Manufactures the reefs out of raw carbon steel. Its placed, ahead of time, on the gulf-floor by Dive 911 divers. Back on shore, the ashes are placed in a special internment box. The box goes into the reef, then an engraved brass marker goes on top. The reef is then draped with an American flag which is presented to a family member. You dont really know kind of the emotions that youre going to feel when you start something like this. But I can tell you every family that weve worked with, weve become family with them. And its, its so nice to get to share the experience with them and to honor their loved one and the way that we do, Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation Founder & President Joe Theodorou said. Were trying to make it as special as possible for everybody. We want to celebrate the life of of every individual, but also to help replace sea life, to encourage growth, Harman Metal Art Owner Stephen Harman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bay County Fire Rescue employees were dock-side this morning to honor their brother firefighter. This is Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation third reef. Theyre all placed in a permitted zone about 3 nautical miles off Thomas Drive. Foundation members are hoping to have 25 reefs deployed next year. For more information and to learn how to donate, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. Two off-duty Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) employees rescued a couple from a boating incident near Point Defiance Park in Tacoma in June. Andrew Potter and Tom Mathews, who have over 30 years of combined experience with the WDFW, were fishing west of the Clay Banks after work when they noticed the couple fall overboard from their boat, according to a release from the department. The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. when Potter and Mathews saw the couple go overboard without lifejackets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couples boat was still in gear and continued to circle. Reacting quickly, the off-duty employees used their training to rescue the woman, who was struggling to stay afloat, and then assisted the man, who managed to grab onto their boat. They were able to turn off the motor and bring the couple to a local dock before hypothermia could set in. The couple, who had just purchased the boat and were inexperienced, did not suffer any injuries or need medical attention, WDFW said. The man involved in the incident said that he would wear a life jacket in the future. Its a scam so convincing that its raked in millions from unsuspecting residents across Washington State, including one victim who lost a jaw-dropping $870,000. Con artists posing as government agents are using high-pressure, fear-fueled tactics to trick victims into handing over huge sums. Many of the scams involve references to victims Social Security. Don't miss Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 47 victims have come forward 27 in King County alone. Authorities believe thats just the tip of the iceberg and are asking anyone with information about the scam to come forward. Patrick Hinds, who heads the Economic Crimes and Wage Theft Division at the King County Prosecuting Attorneys Office, is talking to local media to raise awareness of the problem. In a nutshell, this scam really works by playing on peoples fear, he told Fox 13 Seattle. Fake officials, real devastation It begins with an ominous email, text, or computer pop-up that appears to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) or a related agency that claims your identity has been stolen or your accounts hacked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Victims are told to act fast and click on a link or call a number to connect with an official when in fact theyre directed to a live con artist. Read more: No millions? No problem. With as little as $10, heres how you can access this $1B private real estate fund of diversified assets usually only available to major players The scammers tell victims their safest course of action is to liquidate all their accounts storing their money as cash or gold and hand it over to a courier, who will deliver it to a federal agency, for safekeeping. Of course none of that is true, Hinds says. Social Security scams are among the most common of the imposter scams in the U.S., and cost unsuspecting Americans $577 million in 2024 alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One Washington victim fell for just such a ruse when a scammer told him his Social Security Number had been compromised. He ended up losing more than $500,000 to the fraud. He told KIRO 7 that the imposters are convincing and definitely instill fear. One of the first things they do is say, Well have you electronically sign a non-disclosure agreement, he said. They kept saying, You cant discuss this with anybody. Hinds confirmed the scammers create a sense of urgency and secrecy to manipulate their victims and conceal their wrongdoing. They keep the con alive with fabricated letters confirming receipt of funds, and more calls with officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyll bring in someone else who claims to be from a different agency, like your bank or the FBI, said Hinds. Its all part of the trap. How to protect yourself Of course, Washington isnt the only state where this is happening. Across the U.S., imposter scams ranked first among all fraud types in 2024, according to the Federal Trade Commission, accounting for $789 million in losses an increase of $171 million from 2023. Hinds urges the public to remember key ways to stay safe: Watch for 3 Red Flags: 1. Fear: The message is meant to scare you. 2. Urgency: Youre told to act now, with no time to think or ask questions. 3. Secrecy: Youre warned not to tell anyone, not even your family or bank. Gut check Ask yourself, Does this make sense? If something feels a little off, your gut may be telling you something. Get a second opinion from family, friends and trusted advisors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keep in mind: 1. A real government agency would never use robocalls or texts to demand money via gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency. Hang up on suspicious calls and delete any such texts. 2. Con artists spoof (fake) legitimate email addresses and caller IDs to trick you, so even if an email or phone number looks real, it could be fake. Moreover, in this era of deep fakes, fraudsters can forge convincing documentation, with authentic-looking signatures and government logos, so be wary. 3. You can always verify that communications are legitimate by cross-referencing with official government agency contact information. What to do if youve been scammed If you have fallen victim to a scammer, or suspect you have, heres what to do: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stop all contact with the scammer immediately. Document everything including screenshots, messages and receipts. Contact your bank to freeze accounts, reverse transfers or flag suspicious activity. Contact local police. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center, and in the case of Social Security scams, the SSA Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov Its important to act fast. Banks and card issuers may be able to reverse fraudulent charges. State and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) reimbursement programs might help in limited cases. Bottom line? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If someone asks you to withdraw all your money and give it to a stranger for safekeeping dont do it, Hinds said. Real agencies dont work like that. What to read next Money doesnt have to be complicated sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. The Bihar Police has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder case of businessman Gopal Khemka. SIT has been formed on businessman Gopal Khemka murder case by Bihar police, SP City Central will lead this SIT, as per Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay kumar Meanwhile, the forensic team arrived at the crime scene on Saturday morning following Gopal Khemka's murder in Patna's Gandhi Maidan. Police have launched an investigation after a businessman was allegedly shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan in Bihar, a police officer said earlier. The incident took place on July 4 Superintendent of Police (SP), Patna, Diksha told ANI on Saturday, "On the night of July 4, at around 11 pm, we received information that businessman Gopal Khemka has been shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan..." "The crime scene has been secured, and further investigation is underway... One bullet and one shell have been recovered...", the police official added. On June 10, two youths were shot dead near a temple in the Bikram police station area of Paliganj subdivision of Patna district. An Apache motorcycle and 12 bullet shells were recovered from the spot. According to police, the double murder took place near Guerrilla Sthan on Manjhauli-Singhara Road. Locals informed police via Dial 112, after which a team reached the scene and took custody of the bodies. Police said both youths were shot at close range, likely while they were at the temple, which led to instant death. The mobile phone found in one victim's pocket helped identify him as a resident of Baghakol in Bikram block. According to the police, efforts were taken to confirm the identity of the second youth. "The bodies of two persons were recovered on the side of Manjhauli-Singhara road under Bikram police station. Prima facie, both persons appear to have been shot dead. Forensic evidence has been collected by the police with the help of the FSL team, and the incident is being investigated with the help of the dog squad team." (ANI) CLEVELAND (WJW) Crowds gathered in downtown Cleveland Friday night for the annual Fourth of July fireworks display. Light Up The Lake, a free, 20-minute fireworks show, kicked off around 10 p.m. On Wednesday, FOX 8 News caught up with city officials preparing for the Independence Day celebration. Where are fireworks illegal in Northeast Ohio? Its just a great downtown Cleveland tradition to bring families from around the city and around the region downtown to celebrate the Fourth of July and see a terrific fireworks display, Downtown Cleveland Alliance President and CEO Michael Deemer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FIREWORK FORECAST: The pick day of the holiday weekend The designated watch parties for the event were at North Coast Yard and Voinovich Park. Communities across Northeast Ohio will be hosting fireworks displays over the weekend. Find a full list of upcoming events right 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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Water and sewer rates are set to rise sharply for Bellingham residents as the city replaces underground pipes, build reservoirs, replace pumps and comply with environmental rules related to nitrogen discharge into Bellingham Bay. All told, the water and wastewater projects could add up to more than $1 billion over the next 20 years, according to city officials. City Council members are set to discuss the proposed new rates, along with reduced fees for lower-income residents, when the Budget and Finance Committee meets at 1:40 p.m. Monday. A vote on the measure could come when the full council meets at 7 p.m. Monday in City Hall, 210 Lottie St. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Steep utility rates on the horizon for Bellingham residents. Heres why These rate changes would allow the city to make essential upgrades to our aging infrastructure, ensure our systems stay reliable into the future, and fund critical improvements like enhanced solids handling at the Post Point wastewater treatment plant. Your utilities protect public health and our environment, and new investments are necessary to continue providing dependable utility service for years to come, Bellingham spokeswoman Melissa Morin said in the citys weekly newsletter. Residents could be paying about 13% more per month on their combined utility bills for the next two years, followed by rate hikes of about 10% in 2028 and 2029, then annual price increases of a little less than 6% in each of the five years after that, to agenda information for Mondays meetings. That means that an average residential water bill could rise from the current $135 a month to $152 a month in 2026, $286 in 2035 and $417 month in 2045, according to Carollo Engineers, a Seattle firm that was hired to examine the citys water system needs for the next 20 years. Such a plan is required by state law every 10 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When City Council members got their first look at possible rate increases, they asked city officials to study reduced rates for low-income residents. Discounts of 25%, 50% and 75% are being proposed based on family size and income for those earning less than 80% of the area median income, according to Mondays agenda. For a family of four, thats $86,700, according to the Opportunity Council. The Brief A somber milestone has passed as the Wenatchee community prepares to enter a sixth week without Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker. As the manhunt for the suspected killer, the girls' father, continues, we look at updates on the search for Travis Decker and how the community is honoring the girls. SEATTLE - It has now been five weeks since Whitney Decker first reported to police that her three daughters did not return from a planned visit with their father. The search for now-suspected triple murderer Travis Decker remains ongoing. Wenatchee memorial service for Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker on June 20, 2025. When did the Decker girls first go missing in Washington? The backstory On May 30, Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia went on their scheduled three-hour, unsupervised, visitation with their father, Travis. The couple divorced in 2022 and were undergoing a custody battle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The visitation window closed and there was still no word or sight of Travis, nor the girls. At 9:45 p.m., Wenatchee police received a civil complaint from Whitney as she reported the girls, aged five, eight and nine, missing. There has since been rising controversy over the decision from law enforcement to not issue an Amber Alert. Travis Decker (Chelan County Sheriff's Office) What they're saying "All little girls should be alive, they should be growing, learning, laughing. Instead were left with an unspeakable sorrow and a burning question: how did our system fail to protect children," said one speaker at a June memorial for the Decker girls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A large search operation for the girls ended on June 2, when all three were found dead at Rock Island Campground in Chelan County. In the weeks since, the community rallied behind Whitney, gathering for a memorial service and donating more than $1 million to a GoFundMe set up by a family friend. Latest update on the search for Travis Decker in Washington Travis Decker has still not been located, at the time of reporting. The search for him has morphed into what may be the largest manhunt in Washington history. Earlier this week, new evidence linked Travis to the crime scene where the girls' bodies were found on June 2. Authorities on June 17 released these images of how Travis Decker could have changed his appearance. (Chelan County Sheriff's Office) What's next Authorities remain unsure if Decker himself is alive or not. With a lack of new evidence proving he is still alive, the state deployed a cadaver dog to the join the manhunt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Travis Decker has extensive military training which would have given him the skills to live off the land undetected for an extended period of time. A former Army squadmate of Travis Decker spoke out earlier last month. The Source Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle interviews and various law enforcement agencies including the Wenatchee Police Department. MORE NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty to Idaho murders, avoiding death penalty Seattle doctor stole meds from infant patients, worked under influence New evidence links Travis Decker to WA crime scene Microsoft announces another mass layoff impacting 9,000 workers Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Toddler's death investigated as homicide in Mason County Everything to know about WA laws going into effect July 1 To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news. WEST PEORIA, Ill (WMBD) The fourth of July brings traditions with it. One of those traditions is the annual parade that the city of West Peoria puts on. Starting in 1972 and going strong for 53 years now, the parade featured honored military personnel, civic and community organizations, classic automobiles, and youth groups. One Local Resident, Tyler Anderton, said that for him, the Fourth of July is about celebrating Americas independence and getting to see family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, its definitely a day of celebration and to celebrate independence from Great Britain. And it means to me a great time to get together with friends and family that I havent seen like a year or so. he said. Its great to have a cookout and have a bunch of food with friends and family. One of the first organizers of the annual parade is scouting Troop 11. Scoutmaster Robert De Sutter said that people from all over the area come to West Peoria to have a good time. Theres our fire departments from all the surrounding areas that come and participate in the parade, he said. So, I know some of these people, Im sure, came from out of town and they come over here and have a good time. The event has seen an increase in popularity almost every year since 1972 and still continues to go strong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) As catastrophic flooding devastates the Texas Hill Country, first responders from across the state, including right here in West Texas, are answering the call for help. Members of the West Odessa Volunteer Fire Department and Midland County Northeast Volunteer Fire Department are now en route to Ingram, a community hit hard by the historic overnight rainfall. Their mission: assist with rescues, evacuations, and relief efforts. At least 13 people have died, according to Kerr County officials, and dozens more, including several children at Camp Mystic, were unaccounted for as of Friday evening. Floodwaters have overwhelmed entire neighborhoods, sending rivers surging past major flood stages and prompting Governor Greg Abbott to declare a disaster across the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LIVE BLOG: Fatalities confirmed in Kerr County, 20+ children missing from camp after flooding event West Texas stands together, West Odessa VFD wrote in a social media post announcing the deployment. Keep our crews and the people of Ingram in your thoughts and prayers. The Guadalupe River rose more than 26 feet in just 45 minutes early Friday morning, sweeping away vehicles, damaging bridges, and cutting off access to rural areas. Helicopters, swift water teams, and hundreds of emergency personnel are working around the clock to reach those still stranded. As these crews head toward danger, many at home are left holding their breath. The Midland Northeast Volunteer Fire Department thanked Captain Kris Urban and Firefighter Ethan Royall for their dedication, saying they were proud to see local responders representing West Texas in such a critical moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Americans celebrate the independence of our great nation, many families are left wondering what comes next, and whether their loved ones are safe, the department wrote. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they travel and serve. The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country has opened a Kerr County Flood Relief Fund to support long-term rebuilding and recovery. More rain is expected in the coming days. Emergency officials are urging anyone in the flood zone to stay off roadways, shelter in place, and monitor updates from local authorities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle said current White House policies surrounding immigration have affected life in her city and across the Pioneer Valley. That culture thats coming out of D.C., emanating from the White House, the people of Easthampton and Western Mass. are very unaccustomed to, and its causing fear, LaChapelle said. It doesnt take long to talk to someone and notice the shadow of the policies coming in from this administration. In the months since Immigration and Customs Enforcement has stepped up its activity nationwide, communities in places like Easthampton, Greenfield and Amherst have responded by organizing and staging reoccurring protests, for instance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Easthampton, which first passed an ordinance in 2019 preventing city officials from asking about a persons immigration status, reaffirmed that ordinance in February. On June 18, the town released guidance from the Massachusetts Attorney General and the Easthampton Police Department that included an updated version of the Know Your Rights guidelines for residents should they encounter federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. LaChapelle said while things have changed on a federal level, the values in Western Massachusetts have stayed the same. When all is shifting and all is unsure, it comes down to Main Street and every person in their municipality and what they are trying to do every day. Local government is the bedrock of American democracy, and Main Street has to stay strong for our country. The exact number of people that have been detained by ICE in the Pioneer Valley since January is unknown, but there are anecdotes of arrests locally. For instance, four workers from Red Fire Farm in Granby were arrested on March 20, and two people were taken on separate occasions in Amherst by ICE in May. The local police were not involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When contacted by email for comment for this story, ICE acknowledged receipt but did not provide additional information. Shockwave through the community Local residents spoke of the unease caused by reports of ICE activity in the region. Red Fire Farm co-owner Ryan Voiland said in an email, he is concerned with the situation involving ICE and he said it seems like the Trump administration has little concern about farms, the common people and science. In fact, it seems like they are more interested in intentionally creating pain and suffering in the world, Voiland said in an email. Northampton High School teacher Jeromie Whalen is a communications and media production teacher. He said that since January, the school has adopted a dont ask, dont tell policy with students, so as not to put anyone at risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Students cant be open about where they came from or their stories, instead of being embraced or celebrated like they should be, said Whalen. Town Manager Paul Bockelman said that Amherst was one of the first sanctuary cities in Massachusetts. In an email, Bockelman said, The most recent detentions by ICE in Amherst sent a shockwave through the community. Residents felt vulnerable and violated. There was no communication from ICE in advance of their actions in the Town. Bockelman added, Our neighbors, colleagues, and co-workers are all vulnerable and distressed. Unfortunately, this is probably just what the Federal administration is seeking to achieve. Our economy is dependent on many hard-working people who harvest our food, care for our elderly and children, and ensure the economy is vibrant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amherst and Northampton are two of eight sanctuary cities in Massachusetts, meaning that the cities limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities, although the specifics on involvement differ from community to community. The Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition is the largest coalition in New England dedicated to assisting immigrants upon arrival and advocating for the rights of immigrants and refugees. Sarang Sekhavat, its chief of staff, said that what the group has heard surrounding ICE activity in Massachusetts is what it expected. In a lot of these neighborhoods that are immigrant-heavy, kids are not going to school, people arent going to the doctors, theyre not going to restaurants, he said. The destinations might be a safe place, but ICE is outside waiting, so the travel there puts people at risk every day. Sekhavat said that MIRA has been doubling down on Know Your Rights trainings with Massachusetts hospitals and businesses, for instance, so employers know how they can protect their workers or patients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For those looking to be allies to those being targeted, he said two things can help. The first is recording video of arrests, which serves as proof of what has happened, and also creates a record that can be used in individual cases in court. The second suggestion is for residents to call their legislators. Civil rights attorney Stewart Buz Eisenberg, with the firm Weinberg & Garber, has served as a cooperating attorney with the ACLU and said transparency is the real issue with ICE arrests, because its work is being done in the shadows and the public is not being informed about what is happening. When a government, which unlike the rest of us has the authority to employ violence, authorizes employees such as ICE agents to use excessive force, to arrest and deprive people of due process, deprive them of notice of the allegations against them and the opportunity to be heard that is a succinct description of a fascists state, said Eisenberg. Eisenberg said an ICE detainer is not a judicial warrant, it certainly doesnt satisfy the Fourth Amendment requirement of a warrant based upon a showing of probable cause to arrest, or to search your person, houses, papers, and effects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He called the ICE warrant a weaker and different creature entirely than what our framers required of governmental search or seizure. Organizing Ariana Keigan is the associate director at the Pioneer Valley Workers Center, an organization that is made up of, works with, and is for immigrants in the Pioneer Valley. She said ICE has had a heavy presence in Springfield, reportedly sitting in unmarked cars with out-of-state license plates and tinted windows almost daily in May and June. As a result, she has also heard of people in the community avoiding medical appointments due to their fear of being in public. Keigan notes that while ICE activity seems to have slowed in the eastern part of the state, the group has not seen that same pattern in Springfield. Western Mass is certainly not unique in any way, shape, or form, or more protected here, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keigan advises people to call the LUCE hotline if they suspect ICE is in their neighborhood or to report an incident. LUCE Immigrant Justice Network, an acronym that stands for liberation, unity, community and esperanza (which is Spanish for hope), and is a coalition of immigrant-led, grassroots organizations across Massachusetts. The hotline has become the way organizations are fielding reports from people about any sightings in their neighborhoods. Once a call comes in, LUCE sends out trained volunteers to confirm the presence of ICE in the community. In addition to working with LUCE, the PVWC created family preparedness packets, which provide instructions and authorizations for another adult to care for families children in the case of detainment and separation. The organization is also busy with know-your-rights trainings and post-detention support, helping family members obtain legal services and locate their loved ones who were picked up by ICE. Keigan is concerned about the potential impact of ICEs daily presence on local communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE agents being present in our neighborhoods makes everybody unsafe, not just immigrants, said Keigan. ... whats happening with immigration in the immigrant community is the tip of the spear of what violence against all people looks like. Demonstrating support Many in the community share Keigans concern. On June 28, nearly 200 local residents gathered on the Greenfield Town Common for a protest in support of immigrants rights and to protest ICE. The rally in Greenfield brought speakers such as state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, and Eisenberg, the attorney. This protest comes on the tail end of the No Kings protest, which saw 2,500 on the Greenfield Town Common as well as protests in Springfield, Amherst, Boston, and other major cities around the country. Judith Roberts is a member of the Immigrants Rights Task Force and the Rapid Response Network. On Friday evenings, the group stands out in protest on overpasses on Interstate 91. It also meets on the Greenfield Town Common on Saturday mornings, and recently had a protest against ICE in Amherst, where about 300 were in attendance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brian Summer, of Buckland, said he came to the rally because I have members of my family who need to stay away from certain places. Theyre afraid if they go, but I can go there. Im white, so thats why Im here, as an ally. The Immigrants Rights Task Force started immediately after the new administration took office, and residents noticed friends and neighbors being arrested by ICE. The Rapid Response Network, an offshoot of the group, was established shortly after, as the activists recognized the need for swift action on a local level. Both groups work under the Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution group. They collaborate with PVWC and LUCE, taking direction from these organizations on where to focus their efforts. Bill Comeaux came up from Northampton to attend the rally. I just dont like to see how immigrants are mischaracterized as criminals and evil people to be feared. Its a tactic that has been used over and over, regardless of whether the immigrants were Irish, Italian, or Polish. The administration is trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator, and that is fear. Paul Jablon, of Greenfield, has been attending all of the rallies with his wife and said he remembered that his grandparents came to the United States because they were escaping persecution in Europe. Now he says it is happening here. The people in Greenfield and Franklin County are getting fed up, Jablon said. more news from Western Massachusetts Read the original article on MassLive. (FOX40.COM) Many are grabbing their lighters to ignite sparklers and fireworks for the Fourth of July, but still do not know the history of why Americans celebrate the holiday with light shows. Though fireworks trace back to ancient China, they have been used in American Independence Day festivities since its first celebration in July 1777, according to Britannica. Video Above: Why are there fireworks on July 4th? Independence Day dates back to the American Revolution when the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence on July 2, 1776. Delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence two days later, marking the celebration of the Fourth of July, History.com said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When informing his wife of the Continental Congress, John Adams wrote that July 2 will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival and that the celebration should include Pomp and ParadeGames, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other. According to History.com, early celebrations included concerts, bonfires, parades, cannon firings, and more. The first use of fireworks on the Fourth of July was recorded in Philadelphia in 1777 during a celebration that also included a fleet of ships that fired 13-cannon salutes, and each of 13 galleys firing a cannon as well, Britannica said. History.com stated that The Pennsylvania Evening Post reported: At night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks (which began and concluded with thirteen rockets) on the Commons, and the city was beautifully illuminated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sacramento to enforce fireworks rules year-round, impose stricter penalties The Sons of Liberty proceeded to also set off fireworks over Boston Common that night. After the War of 1812, traditions of patriotic celebration became even more widespread, which was followed by the Fourth of July becoming a federal holiday in 1870. The provision was expanded in 1941 to grant a paid holiday to all federal employees. Now, the Fourth of July is celebrated with family get-togethers by the pool, barbeques, and especially fireworks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. What comes next after the July 5 incident is important in showing that GHF will stay the course. It will also be necessary to learn lessons from the incident. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has faced many challenges since it began distributing aid in Gaza on May 26. However, it has overcome these challenges and continued to deliver aid. It has provided more than 62 million meals to date and delivered 1.8 million as of July 5. However, on Saturday, two American aid workers were injured in what GHF calls a targeted terrorist attack during food distribution activities. This took place at what the organization called SDS-3 in Khan Yunis. This is one of three sites that operated on July 5. The organization has operated at up to four sites throughout the last month and a week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This morning, two American aid workers were injured in a targeted terrorist attack during food distribution activities at SDS-3 in Khan Yunis. The attack which preliminary information indicates was carried out by two assailants who threw two grenades at the Americans occurred at the conclusion of an otherwise successful distribution in which thousands of Gazans safely received food. No local aid workers or civilians were harmed, GHF said. The injured are receiving medical treatment and are stable. GHF says it has repeatedly warned of credible threats from Hamas, including explicit plans to target American personnel, Palestinian aid workers, and the civilians who rely on our sites for food. Todays attack tragically affirms those warnings. This is the latest threat to the organization. It distributes more than 20,000 boxes of food a day. That is more than one million boxes since May 26. However, this method of distribution has meant that large numbers of civilians come to the sites and take the boxes. This is complex because the civilians have to go through areas controlled nominally by the IDF and then into an area where aid is provided. Security contractors, primarily Americans with former military experience, are involved in securing the areas. Palestinians gather to collect what remains of relief supplies from the distribution center of the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 5, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/STRINGER/FILE PHOTO) This has caused controversy, and recent reports in Israeli and foreign media have spotlighted the fact that there have been shooting incidents near the sites or near civilians on their way to get aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A terror attack targeting GHF appeared to be the sum of all fears because it could derail the program. Despite this violence, GHF remains fully committed to its mission: feeding the people of Gaza safely, directly, and at scale. Attempts to disrupt this life-saving work will only deepen the crisis. We will continue to stand with the people of Gaza and do everything in our power to deliver the aid they so urgently need, GHF says. It is meaningful for the organization to stay the course This is meaningful for the organization to stay the course. This comes amid talk of a ceasefire and a push by the Trump administration to end the 636 days of fighting in Gaza. It is unclear how the assailants got into the area with grenades. However, it seems impossible to search all the people who rush toward the sites to get aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would seem that the only way to secure the area is to have security personnel or the IDF positioned far enough away from the delivery area that they can be out of harm's way in case of an incident, while still maintaining control of the overall area. Clearly, this presents a challenge, and terrorists will likely seek to exploit it. GHF noted that in the incident on July 5, no local aid workers or civilians were harmed. Locals are involved in distributing the aid. John Acree, interim Executive Director of GHF said: this morning we faced a stark reminder of the risks involved with delivering meals in a warzone: two American aid workers were wounded in a targeted terrorist attack: assailants threw grenades at Americans working at our distribution site in Khan Yunis, injuring them as the days distribution concluded. GHF says it has warned this could happen. They want the international community to condemn this incident. Hamas has threatened GHF and its workers and would like to derail this aid mechanism. At what point is allowing Hamas to terrorize aid workers and run a propaganda campaign through Western media no longer acceptable, GHF said in a statement posted on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The July 5 attack is not the first of its kind. Back on June 11, there was also an attack. At the time, it was reported that five people were killed in a Hamas attack on a GHF bus transporting GHF team members. The victims were local Palestinians. It is clear that there are threats, and this is not an easy problem to solve. The IDF put out a statement about the attack on the GHF but didnt seem to indicate if the suspects had been found. on Saturday morning, an update was received from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) stating that terrorists had thrown two grenades into an aid distribution site in Rafah at the end of the aid distribution, while civilians were still present at the site. The lack of more information is concerning. As aid continues to get to Gaza, preventing Hamas attacks is key. The organization is not defeated yet, despite 636 days of war. Hamas and other terrorist elements show they are not defeated through their actions. Hamas continues to control around 30-40 percent of Gaza, including the central camps, Gaza City, and other areas near Khan Yunis and Mawasi. It is from these areas that people access the GHF distribution sites. There is one GHF site in the Netzarim corridor and two others in southern Gaza. The fourth site is also in Tel Al-Sultan in southern Gaza. On June 30, the IDF said it had relocated this site to a nearby location and set up new signs for the civilians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time on June 30, the IDF said that as part of the framework for distributing food and humanitarian aid in Gaza, carried out by the GHF in coordination with international aid organizations, the IDF is conducting ongoing assessments to improve operational response, minimize friction with the population, and ensure aid reaches its intended recipients and not Hamas. What comes next after the July 5 incident is important in showing that GHF will stay the course. It will also be necessary to learn lessons from the incident. Persian by blood, British by birth. A dual citizen who visited Iran every year of her life until recently to see the relatives still living there. I wouldnt change my heritage for the world, but Id be lying if I said it hadnt caused a few problems when it comes to travel. Its a strange thing, being effectively barred from three of the worlds most fascinating countries without ever having broken a single rule. As a British-Iranian journalist, Ive found myself less than welcome, shall we say, in Iran, Israel and the US. Caught in a tangled web of international politics and passport technicalities, Ive been forced to forgo opportunities and miss moments that matter. As a dual citizen, Amira had previously visited Iran every year and had hoped to visit Israel and Palestine I remember being offered a press trip to Israel in the early days of my career long before recent events and telling my dad the exciting news. He shut it down almost instantly. If you go, you may never be allowed back into Iran, he warned. At the time, I couldnt believe the two were so mutually exclusive. Id hoped to visit Israel and Palestine with open eyes, to experience the people and cultures first-hand. But that door closed before it ever opened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The irony? Iran is now effectively off the table too. I havent been banned not officially but as a journalist, the risks of a misunderstanding at the border are all too real. My parents growing concern about my return is likely justified, no matter how frustrating it is to hear. Amiras family have grown increasingly concerned about her trying to re-enter Iran And then theres the US. In 2016, I received an email informing me that my ESTA the visa waiver British travellers take for granted had been revoked. No explanation, just a blunt notification that Id now need to apply for a full tourist visa. The reason? A sweeping policy affecting anyone who holds Iranian nationality or has travelled to certain countries since 2011. It was Iran, Iraq, Syria and Sudan at the time and more have since been added to the list. I know what youre thinking: just give up the Iranian citizenship. But thats easier said than done and not something I want to do. My Iranian passport may be expired, but holding onto it, or even just the national ID card, is a tether to my roots. To the country in which my parents were born, where my grandparents are buried, and where so many of my relatives still live. Retaining that citizenship is more than a legal technicality its a deeply personal connection to my culture, my language and my family. Growing up, I didnt always appreciate those annual visits, but I now see them as some of the most meaningful experiences of my life. My Iranian passport may be expired, but holding onto it is a tether to my roots And Im far from alone. Thousands of dual nationals, including friends and colleagues, find themselves in similar limbo. Holding onto that second passport is, for many of us, a way of preserving our identity. But it comes with baggage: extra scrutiny at borders, bureaucratic hurdles and, in my case, a growing list of no-go zones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive lost count of the number of times someones told me, Just apply for an ESTA! as if I havent thought of that. Being shut out of a country based on your heritage is frustrating enough, and being met with blank stares or misguided advice when you try to explain why just adds insult to injury. Many dual nationals find themselves wanting to preserve their identity, but being shut out of countries due to their heritage I was lucky, in some ways. After graduating, I did manage to travel across the States a three-month coast-to-coast road trip that Ill never forget. I returned again that winter for New Years Eve in New York. At the time, Id been torn between the US and backpacking through Southeast Asia. Now Im glad I chose America because that window has long since closed. Lately, though, Ive had the itch again. There are places Id love to revisit, friends I miss and cities Ive yet to explore. But its not simple. Getting a US visa isnt impossible, but appointments are backed up, and processing can take months. I could maybe get one for 2026 if Im lucky. Even then, theres the risk of being pulled aside at customs. Its an exhausting process to go through every time you just want to travel. Ive already missed out on so much. I cant see the Savannah Bananas play (yes, really look them up on Instagram). Ive had to turn down work trips, missed invitations from friends, and soon Ill miss a close family friends wedding in New York. None of my immediate family can go. My mum wanted to celebrate her 70th birthday in California next year. Ive told her to keep up her gym routine and take her vitamins we may have to delay that milestone. Amiras mum and aunt As for Iran, I havent seen some of my relatives in a decade. When one set of aunts and uncles were able to get visas to visit their son in Canada, my sister and I flew out to meet them there. Im so grateful we did. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its bittersweet to see travellers on Instagram and TikTok venturing to Iran, sharing the beauty of the country I know so well its hospitality, its landscapes, its culture. I feel a pang of envy every time. Because while the world feels more connected than ever, people like me remain quietly, frustratingly, stuck in between. 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. TSA's facial recognition scans are optional to many travelers, and there are benefits to opting out of them, according to privacy experts. Jeff Greenberg via Getty Images In a growing number of Transportation Security Administration lines at U.S. airports, you may be asked to look into a camera that takes your photo. But did you even know that you can say no to the face scan? And that you may have good reason to? Since 2020, the face scan is part of TSAs screening program in select airports across America. Through its facial matching technology, TSA claims it can more efficiently and conveniently verify that the person in front of an agent is the person shown on their identification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TSA says this is an optional program for travelers on domestic flights, while some foreign nationals may have to participate to be allowed on international flights. Theoretically, there should be visible signage that notifies travelers they can proceed through airport security without doing the facial scan. In reality, not everyone will see the sign and it might not be in a language that a traveler understands. I am one of the travelers whos been agreeing to get my face scanned in airport security lines for years. But amid alarming reports of travelers experiencing bad treatment from border control officials, Im reconsidering whether I should be submitting a face scan so easily to the U.S. government. Should you, too? I talked with privacy experts about the benefits of opting out of this scan. Why You Should Opt Out Of Face Scans Especially During Trumps Second Term The benefit to declining is you dont have to submit your picture to the government, for the government to scan it and store it under their rules, said Travis LeBlanc, a lawyer and a former member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, an independent federal agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its 2023 privacy impact assessment about using facial identification, TSA said it only uses the biometric data to perform identity verification at the checkpoint, and to assess critical operational and technological components of this proof of concept. But the potential power of this biometrics technology is vast. In its 2022 roadmap document, TSA outlines a future where the agency expands its biometrics capabilities to validate and verify an identity and vetting status in real-time. In response to HuffPosts questions about the future of real-time biometrics, a TSA spokesperson said in a statement that a real-time picture simply means that an image is taken at the kiosk and that live photograph is matched against the image on the identification credential. The agency said there have been situations where a boarding pass was issued to a person different from the one standing at the checkpoint but did not specify how many imposters its facial recognition technology has caught. Jennifer King, a privacy and data policy fellow at the Stanford University Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, said the TSAs public communications are a little vague about what they were doing with the data. That vagueness, along with her skepticism with how the Department of Homeland Security has preserved travelers privacy in the past, is what leads her to decline the face scan every time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im sure that the dream of enforcement agencies would be to be able to track people in real time based on something like facial recognition, King said. To be clear, TSA explicitly says it is not currently using its biometrics technology for surveillance and that it does not store biographic data for any travelers. Photos are not stored or saved after a positive ID match has been made, except in a limited testing environment for evaluation of the effectiveness of the technology, TSA states. TSA is not the only agency scanning your face at the airport. Customs and Border Protection, which also does facial scans at airport checkpoints, said that if youre a U.S. citizen, CBP will keep your photo for no more than 12 hours after identity verification; if youre not a U.S. citizen, there is no guarantee that CBP will delete your airport security photo quickly. But this kind of facial recognition technology has the potential to one day be used for other purposes beyond identity verification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As LeBlanc noted, TSA is part of the Department of Homeland Security, which is also responsible for immigration enforcement. Theres lots of different uses that you could see for these images. Theres also the concerning reality that the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board which is supposed serve as a watchdog for travelers civil liberties recently had key members fired by the Trump administration. LeBlanc and the boards two other Democratic members were fired by the Trump administration in January. These firings should give you pause if you care about airport privacy, LeBlanc said. LeBlanc is suing the U.S. government for his reinstatement, saying the termination was illegal. The board is now down to one Republican appointee and cannot take on any new projects without a quorum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public has lost the watchdog that would be there to promote transparency as well as make recommendations on changes to the system that would better balance privacy and civil liberties, LeBlanc said. He said that the board was preparing a report on TSAs use of facial recognition before the firings. How To Opt Out Of TSA Face Scans At The Airport Above is TSA's Credential Authentication Technology (CAT-2) identity verification machine in action. Many travelers may not know this but you can exercise the right to opt of this tool's face scan. Bloomberg via Getty Images TSA should not give you a hard time for exercising your right to opt out, but there have been reported instances where people got pushback including a U.S. senator who says he was told that saying no to the face scan would cause a significant delay. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) still declined and faced no apparent delay. Saira Hussain, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, declines the face scan every time she travels. Sometimes when Hussain refuses, she said she gets the response of, We already have your information, so its not like youre giving us anything more. And Im like, OK, well, Im choosing the opt-out option I have. If you, like me, have been obediently agreeing to airport security face scans, its not too late for us to start opting out, either. Every face scan is a unique opportunity to assert your rights, Hussain said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can simply decline by stating to an agent that you do not want your photo taken and want to opt out of a face scan. From there, a TSA agent should follow standard procedure of looking at your ID and your face to verify your identity. You should not lose your place in line for declining a photo. As TSA itself states on its website, There is no issue and no delay with a traveler exercising their rights to not participate in the automated biometrics matching technology. Beyond asserting your individual privacy rights, saying no could send a larger message on the kind of treatment the public will tolerate at airports. TSAs Credential Authentication Technology units, which run the face scan, are currently used in nearly 84 airports nationwide and are expected to be in more than 400 airports over the coming years, TSA states. If more people keep declining face scans, maybe TSA will think twice about whether its actually effective to roll out programs like these, Hussain said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If theres no pushback, then [TSA is] just going to keep instituting more and more invasive techniques, she said. EDITORS NOTE: This story has been updated with comment from TSA. Related... https://x.com/yadavtejashwi/status/1941353367533699371 Yadav, a former Deputy Chief Minister, also raised questions over the law and order situation and said, "A few steps away from the police station in Patna, a prominent Bihar businessman was shot dead!" "Hundreds of businessmen are being murdered in Bihar every month, but we can't call it jungle raj? Because this is what the scriptures call media management, perception management, and image management", Tejashwi Yadav wrote on 'X' in hindi. Earlier today RJD leader Mrtiyunjay Tiwari slammed the Bihar government over the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna, alleging that the state has "descended into lawlessness" under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership. The RJD leader stated that Nitish Kumar is no longer fit to remain the Chief Minister of Bihar. "Nitish Kumar is no longer fit to remain on the Chief Minister's chair even for a moment. Bihar has descended into a state of lawlessness... Only the departure of this government will bring good to Bihar", Mrityunjay Tiwari told ANI. Meanwhile, the Bihar Police have set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder case. The SIT will be headed by Patna Central SP. The forensic team arrived at the crime scene on Saturday morning following Gopal Khemka's murder in Patna's Gandhi Maidan. The incident took place on July 4 Superintendent of Police (SP), Patna, Diksha told ANI on Saturday, "On the night of July 4, at around 11 pm, we received information that businessman Gopal Khemka has been shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan..." "The crime scene has been secured, and further investigation is underway... One bullet and one shell have been recovered..." the police official added. (ANI) The Jim-Denny's restaurant has been a staple in downtown Sacramento for nearly 90 years of operation. It opened in 1934 off of 16th and J Street before moving to 12th Street in 1945, and it has been a popular spot ever since. But, it won't be anymore. According to Sean Campbell of the Sacramento Bee, the restaurant served its final meals on Wednesday after receiving an eviction notice. The owner, N'Gina Guyton, also spoke about the surprising turn of events with a lengthy Instagram post earlier in the week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In November of 2023 my landlord offered to sell me the building and defer rent until the sale so that Jim Dennys would have a chance to make it during its first critical year. We had twice a month Friday coffee talks about it, but in the end hes choosing to sell the building and the property next door as a package deal for a larger profit," Guyton wrote. "I hate hearing about the possible future of Jim Dennys, it makes my heart sick, but we had a damn good time. Sorry to see she might not make it another 91 years at that location. Im sure the possible future apartment buildings will look super cute." View the original article to see embedded media. The diner closed on Feb. 2, 2020 due to rising rent costs, marking the end of an 85-year run in downtown Sacramento. It re-opened in 2023 as part of a new ownership group, although Guyton changed some things up to try and bring in more business after the time away. But, for now, Jim-Denny's is closed once again, and the future remains murky for the longtime Sacramento staple. Related: Beloved Food Court Staple is Closing After 40 Years Why a Popular California Restaurant Closed After Nearly 90 Years first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 4, 2025 Texas Hill Country is known for its landscapes, where shallow rivers wind among hills and through rugged valleys. That geography also makes it one of the deadliest places in the U.S. for flash flooding. In the early hours of July 4, 2025, a flash flood swept through an area of Hill Country dotted with summer camps and small towns about 70 miles northwest of San Antonio. More than 100 people died in the flooding, officials said on July 7. At least 84 of them were in Kerr County, including more than two dozen girls and counselors at one summer camp, Camp Mystic. Several people were still unaccounted for. The flooding began with a heavy downpour, with more than 10 inches of rain in some areas, that sent water sheeting off the hillsides and into creeks. The creeks poured into the Guadalupe River. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A river gauge at Hunt, Texas, near Camp Mystic, showed how quickly the river flooded: Around 3 a.m. on July 4, the Guadalupe River was rising about 1 foot every 5 minutes at the gauge, National Weather Service data shows. By 4:30 a.m., it had risen more than 20 feet. As the water moved downstream, it reached Kerrville, where the river rose even faster. Flood expert Hatim Sharif, a hydrologist and civil engineer at the University of Texas at San Antonio, explains what makes this part of the country, known as Flash Flood Alley, so dangerous. What makes Hill Country so prone to flooding? Texas as a whole leads the nation in flood deaths, and by a wide margin. A colleague and I analyzed data from 1959 to 2019 and found 1,069 people had died in flooding in Texas over those six decades. The next highest total was in Louisiana, with 693. Many of those flood deaths have been in Hill County. Its part of an area known as Flash Flood Alley, a crescent of land that curves from near Dallas down to San Antonio and then westward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hills are steep, and the water moves quickly when it floods. This is a semi-arid area with soils that dont soak up much water, so the water sheets off quickly and the shallow creeks can rise fast. When those creeks converge on a river, they can create a surge of water that wipes out homes and washes away cars and, unfortunately, anyone in its path. Hill Country has seen some devastating flash floods. In 1987, heavy rain in western Kerr County quickly flooded the Guadalupe River, triggering a flash flood similar to the one in 2025. Ten teenagers being evacuated from a camp died in the rushing water. San Antonio, at the eastern edge of Hill Country, was hit with a flash flood on June 12, 2025, that killed 13 people whose cars were swept away by high water from a fast-flooding creek near an interstate ramp in the early morning. Why does the region get such strong downpours? One reason Hill Country gets powerful downpours is the Balcones Escarpment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The escarpment is a line of cliffs and steep hills created by a geologic fault. When warm air from the Gulf rushes up the escarpment, it condenses and can dump a lot of moisture. That water flows down the hills quickly, from many different directions, filling streams and rivers below. As temperature rise, the warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, increasing the downpour and flood risk. The same effect can contribute to flash flooding in San Antonio, where the large amount of paved land and lack of updated drainage to control runoff adds to the risk. What can be done to improve flash flood safety? First, its important for people to understand why flash flooding happens and just how fast the water can rise and flow. In many arid areas, dry or shallow creeks can quickly fill up with fast-moving water and become deadly. So people should be aware of the risks and pay attention to the weather. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Improving flood forecasting, with more detailed models of the physics and water velocity at different locations, can also help. Probabilistic forecasting, for example, can provide a range of rainfall scenarios, enabling authorities to prepare for worst-case scenarios. A scientific framework linking rainfall forecasts to the local impacts, such as streamflow, flood depth and water velocity, could also help decision-makers implement timely evacuations or road closures. Education is particularly essential for drivers. One to two feet of moving water can wash away a car. People may think their trucks and SUVs can go through anything, but fast-moving water can flip a truck and carry it away. Officials can also do more to barricade roads when the flood risk is high to prevent people from driving into harms way. We found that 58% of the flood deaths in Texas over the past six decades involved vehicles. The storm on June 12 in San Antonio was an example. It was early morning, and drivers had poor visibility. The cars were hit by fast-rising floodwater from an adjacent creek. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This article, originally published July 5, 2025, has been updated with the death toll rising. 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: Hatim Sharif, The University of Texas at San Antonio Read more: Hatim Sharif does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. A massive California wildfire has prompted evacuation orders and a highway closure. The Madre Fire ignited Wednesday afternoon in San Luis Obispo County, according to Cal Fire. It has since grown to 79,936 acres and is 30% contained as of Sunday, fire officials said. Bureau of Land Management - PHOTO: The Madre fire in San Luis Obispo County, photos posted, July 3, 2025. MORE: Wolf Fire in Southern California explodes over 2,400 acres amid dry, windy conditions The fire -- the largest in California so far this year, according to Cal Fire data -- is burning in a largely rural area in the Los Padres National Forest near Highway 166, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evacuation orders were issued near Highway 166 in San Luis Obispo County. The highway is closed from U.S. 101 near Santa Maria to Perkins Road in the New Cuyama area of Santa Barbara County, according to the California Department of Transportation. All Bureau of Land Management lands in Carrizo Plain National Monument are closed to public access due to the fire, the agency said Thursday. Bureau of Land Management - PHOTO: The Madre fire in San Luis Obispo County, photos posted, July 3, 2025. Approximately 50 structures are threatened, according to Cal Fire. Officials warned that the fire has a high rate of spread. MORE: LA fires aftermath: How people are rebuilding after losing almost everything "With the current weather, terrain, and fuel conditions this fire has seen exponential growth in less than 24 hours in multiple counties surrounding the San Luis Obispo County area," the U.S. Forest Service - Los Padres National Forest said on social media Thursday morning. "Smoke impacts will be far-reaching." The cause of the wildfire is under investigation, according to officials. Red Sprite NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers, currently stationed on board the International Space Station, shared an incredible image of a sprite a rare weather phenomenon that's triggered high above the clouds by "intense electrical activity in the thunderstorms below." The image shows the rare electrical discharge in the shape of a starkly red, upended umbrella, hovering high over a brewing storm, like some sort of occult tower from "Lord of the Rings." "Just. Wow," Ayers tweeted. "As we went over Mexico and the US this morning, I caught this sprite." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Being hundreds of miles above the surface of the Earth gave Ayers the perfect vantage point to watch the stunning event unfold. "We have a great view above the clouds, so scientists can use these types of pictures to better understand the formation, characteristics, and relationship of [Transient Luminous Events] to thunderstorms." https://twitter.com/Astro_Ayers/status/1940810789830451563 Seven Up According to NASA, sprites can appear at altitudes of around 50 miles, which is far higher than where thunderstorms form. They often appear mere moments after lightning strikes, forming spiny tendrils of red plumes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The otherworldly phenomenon, which was first officially observed in 1989 photographs, is still poorly understood. Scientists have yet to uncover how and why they form. In 2022, NASA launched a "citizen science project," dubbed "Spritacular," to crowdsource images of the TLEs. According to the project's official website, over 800 volunteers have joined the effort, and 360 observations have been collected across 21 countries. Other TLEs include elves, an acronym for "emission of light and very low frequency perturbations due to electromagnetic pulse sources," and jets, a type of cloud-to-air discharge that can appear as blue tendrils. "While sprites [and other TLEs] may appear delicate and silent in the upper atmosphere, they are often linked to powerful, sometimes devastating weather systems," University of Science and Technology of China PhD student and TLE expert Hailiang Huang told National Geographic last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Understanding them not only satisfies our curiosity about the upper atmosphere, but also helps us learn more about the storms we face here on Earth," he added. Best of all, studying TLEs could even help us learn about distant planets: NASA's Juno mission found evidence of sprites and elves in the atmosphere of Jupiter as well. More on sprites: NASA Crowdsourcing Investigation of Otherworldly "Sprites" in Sky As the county sweltered this week, Olivia Colman visited Salisbury District Hospital as part of her role as patron of the Stars Appeal. The Oscar-winning actress brought a smile to patients' faces and paid tribute to the charity's donors, fundraisers and volunteers. Meanwhile, patrons of a pub in Corsley, near Warminster, welcomed back a characterful owl and elsewhere, our weather watchers were out capturing the best of the sunshine. [Support Dogs] Meet me halfway: Janet Baldock has just reached the mid-point on her trek of the entire Wales Coast Path, having set out from Chester in April. Ms Baldock, from Shalbourne near Great Bedwyn, is raising money for the Support Dogs charity after learning about autism assistance dogs. [Stephen Ellis] Wetting my beak: This owl is the unlikely new regular at The White Hart in Corsley. Named Arllo, he has made himself at home, visiting the pub at least once a week with his keeper. [BBC] Field of gold: The sweltering sun has shown no mercy this week beating down on crops such as the wheat in this field in Grittleton near Castle Combe. [WeatherWatchers/Nerea M] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parched land: On the opposite side of the county, weather watcher Nerea M captured this image of Stonehenge, where the grass is yellowing in the heat. [WeatherWatchers/Tag] Moody mornings: In Upavon, weather watcher TAG caught a misty moment as the sun rose over a country path. [BBC] Toast of the village: The Chalke History Festival came to an end on Sunday after a week of talks, events and living history performances. Jane from Jane's Historical Kitchen exhibited period-appropriate crockery and showed visitors how to make a decorative pie lid. [BBC] Moving out: In another blow to Swindon town centre, it has been announced that the Swindon & Wiltshire Pride Hub will be leaving the Regent Circus shopping centre. Nando's is now the only company trading at the complex, which opened in 2014. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. More stories like this SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs will be hosting a State Bridge Dedication Ceremony to honor U.S. Army SP4 Thomas L. Zeigler. The ceremony will be at 2 p.m. CT Friday, July 18, at The American Legion in Winner (133 E. 3rd St.) according to a news release. Rockslide blocks highway in Spearfish Canyon The dedication is part of the Fallen Heroes Bridge Dedication Program, which was launched during the Noem-Rhoden Administration and expanded under Governor Larry Rhoden. In partnership with the South Dakota Departments of Military, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SD49 bridge over Moccasin Creek, just north of Hamill will be dedicated as the SP4 Thomas L. Zeigler Bridge. SP4 Thomas Lee Zeigler was born on December 22, 1949, in Winner, South Dakota. Thomas was drafted into the Army in 1969. He served bravely as a Specialist Fourth Class and squad leader with Company C, 5th Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment, 198th Light Infantry Brigade during the Vietnam War. On March 22, 1971, just one month before he was due to return home, Thomas volunteered to take the point position for a fellow soldier and was killed in action during an ambush in Quang Tin Province. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NEED TO KNOW Richard Van Buren, the Chairman of the Chester Town Board in Waupun, Wis., died from surgery complications at 55 He was previously arrested in connection with the death of a dog The politician was charged with one felony count of mistreatment of animals causing death in June A local politician from rural Wisconsin who was arrested in connection with the death of a dog in June died from surgery complications on Thursday, July 3. He was 55. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Richard Van Buren, the Chairman of the Chester Town Board in Waupun, Wis., was arrested on June 19 and charged with mistreating animals "after an incident occurred in the town of Chester which resulted in the death of a Golden Retriever," the Dodge County Sheriffs Office said in a statement. The reason Van Buren underwent surgery has not been revealed to the public at this time. PEOPLE has reached out to the Dodge County Sheriff's Office for a statement. Two days before Van Buren's arrest, the Dodge County Humane Society shared photos of a golden retriever who was found with no microchip on Hwy 49. WPR, FOX 11 and CBS 58 reported that the dog was the victim referenced in the sheriff's office post on June 19. According to a criminal complaint cited by WISN, WPR and FOX 11, on June 17, a woman found a golden retriever, possibly dehydrated, and sought help from the local police department and humane society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was directed to Van Buren, who was the towns animal control officer, CBS 58 reported. When the woman brought the dog to Van Buren, he got agitated at its barking, the complaint stated, according to WISN. 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. He then put a leash around it like a noose, authorities alleged in the complaint, and pulled the dog through the window. The dog then bit Van Buren, and he allegedly lifted it off the ground by the "noose" and said, "This is what we do on this farm when dogs bite," the complaint stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dog began foaming at its mouth and when the woman intervened, she was allegedly told by Van Buren that the dog would die because it bit him, according to the complaint, CBS 58 reported. Van Buren allegedly admitted to the authorities that he held the leash for too long, the complaint reportedly stated. Before Van Buren was arrested, the Humane Society of Dodge County said in a social media post it was working with law enforcement officials. "Our hearts are heavy - for this dog, for the kind person that found them, and for everyone in our community who feels the pain of animals we can't always reach in time. Thank you for standing with us," they said in the statement. Read the original article on People HONOLULU (KHON2) Honolulu Emergency Medical Services said a woman suffered an apparent gunshot wound on the night of July 4. EMS officials said they received the call around 7 p.m. Night of gunfire: Three west Oahu shootings shake community According to EMS, paramedics took the 18-year-old to a nearby hospital in serious condition with an apparent gunshot wound to her lower body. Its unclear at this time if anyone was arrested or if police are searching for a suspect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. Jul. 4After a year-long investigation, a woman accused of operating an illicit massage parlor and trafficking women for sex work was arrested by Farmington police. Fu Shuping, 53, of California, is charged with racketeering, human trafficking and kidnapping. FBI agents executed a search warrant in April 2024 and arrested Shuping at the massage parlor in Farmington, according to a criminal complaint filed June 30 in San Juan County Magistrate Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors dismissed the case against Shuping in 2024 and told police further investigation was needed to determine the appropriate charges for the case, according to court documents. Detectives looked into Shuping's business after a woman went to Farmington police to report she had been abducted for at least 10 days in April 2024. The woman told police she had arrived in Farmington from Utah after responding to an ad looking for a massage therapist job that "paid good money." Upon arrival, Shuping told the woman she would perform sex acts for money. The woman reported that Shuping had shown her a container of condoms and a bottle to dispose of used condoms, court documents said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court records state the woman refused before realizing she did not have the money to return home. For 15 days, the woman "provided sexual favors to numerous individuals at the business." The business, named "Health Spa," only accepted cash from customers and workers were only given tips left by customers. The woman told police she was required to live at the massage parlor during her employment, and Shuping would "lock the door against her will so she would not escape," court documents shows. By day, the parlor appeared to be a normal business, according to court documents that say the building is registered as a "health spa." The business license was issued in December 2023 and expired the following year. But according to police, the building actually functioned as a prostitution ring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shuping instructed workers to wear nurse outfits whenever police were in the area, and the business front doors were locked and under constant surveillance, court documents show. Shuping threatened the woman after she attempted to quit, saying she "knew where she and her children lived." Shuping told the woman she had to pay $400 to leave the premises, which the woman paid before going to Farmington police. Shuping's first court appearance is scheduled for July 21. Following allegations that workplace management software firm Workday has an AI-assisted platform that discriminates against prospective employees, human resources and legal experts are sounding the alarm on AI hiring tools. If the AI is built in a way that is not attentive to the risks of biasthen it can not only perpetuate those patterns of exclusion, it could actually worsen it, law professor Pauline Kim told Fortune. Despite AI hiring tools best efforts to streamline hiring processes for a growing pool of applicants, the technology meant to open doors for a wider array of prospective employees may actually be perpetuating decades-long patterns of discrimination. AI hiring tools have become ubiquitous, with 492 of the Fortune 500 companies using applicant tracking systems to streamline recruitment and hiring in 2024, according to job application platform Jobscan. While these tools can help employers screen more job candidates and help identify relevant experience, human resources and legal experts warn improper training and implementation of hiring technologies can proliferate biases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Research offers stark evidence of AIs hiring discrimination. The University of Washington Information School published a study last year finding that in AI-assisted resume screenings across nine occupations using 500 applications, the technology favored white-associated names in 85.1% of cases and female associated names in only 11.1% of cases. In some settings, Black male participants were disadvantaged compared to their white male counterparts in up to 100% of cases. You kind of just get this positive feedback loop of, were training biased models on more and more biased data, Kyra Wilson, a doctoral student at the University of Washington Information School and the studys lead author, told Fortune. We dont really know kind of where the upper limit of that is yet, of how bad it is going to get before these models just stop working altogether. Some workers are claiming to see evidence of this discrimination outside of just experimental settings. Last month, five plaintiffs, all over the age of 40, claimed in a collective action lawsuit that workplace management software firm Workday has discriminatory job applicant screening technology. Plaintiff Derek Mobley alleged in an initial lawsuit last year the companys algorithms caused him to be rejected from more than 100 jobs over seven years on account of his race, age, and disabilities. Workday denied the discrimination claims and said in a statement to Fortune the lawsuit is without merit. Last month the company announced it received two third-party accreditations for its commitment to developing AI responsibly and transparently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Workdays AI recruiting tools do not make hiring decisions, and our customers maintain full control and human oversight of their hiring process, the company said. Our AI capabilities look only at the qualifications listed in a candidates job application and compare them with the qualifications the employer has identified as needed for the job. They are not trained to useor even identifyprotected characteristics like race, age, or disability. Its not just hiring tools with which workers are taking issue. A letter sent to Amazon executives, including CEO Andy Jassy, on behalf of 200 employees with disabilities claimed the company flouted the Americans with Disabilities Act. Amazon allegedly had employees make decisions on accommodations based on AI processes that dont abide by ADA standards, The Guardian reported this week. Amazon told Fortune its AI does not make any final decisions around employee accommodations. We understand the importance of responsible AI use, and follow robust guidelines and review processes to ensure we build AI integrations thoughtfully and fairly, a spokesperson told Fortune in a statement. How could AI hiring tools be discriminatory? Just as with any AI application, the technology is only as smart as the information its being fed. Most AI hiring tools work by screening resumes or resume screening evaluating interview questions, according to Elaine Pulakos, CEO of talent assessment developer PDRI by Pearson. Theyre trained with a companys existing model of assessing candidates, meaning if the models are fed existing data from a companysuch as demographics breakdowns showing a preference for male candidates or Ivy League universitiesit is likely to perpetuate hiring biases that can lead to oddball results Pulakos said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you dont have information assurance around the data that youre training the AI on, and youre not checking to make sure that the AI doesnt go off the rails and start hallucinating, doing weird things along the way, youre going to youre going to get weird stuff going on, she told Fortune. Its just the nature of the beast. Much of AIs biases come from human biases, and therefore, according to Washington University law professor Pauline Kim, AIs hiring discrimination exists as a result of human hiring discrimination, which is still prevalent today. A landmark 2023 Northwestern University meta-analysis of 90 studies across six countries found persistent and pervasive biases, including that employers called back white applicants on average 36% more than Black applicants and 24% more than Latino applicants with identical resumes. The rapid scaling of AI in the workplace can fan these flames of discrimination, according to Victor Schwartz, associate director of technical product management of remote work job search platform Bold. Its a lot easier to build a fair AI system and then scale it to the equivalent work of 1,000 HR people, than it is to train 1,000 HR people to be fair, Schwartz told Fortune. Then again, its a lot easier to make it very discriminatory, than it is to train 1,000 people to be discriminatory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre flattening the natural curve that you would get just across a large number of people, he added. So theres an opportunity there. Theres also a risk. How HR and legal experts are combatting AI hiring biases While employees are protected from workplace discrimination through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, there arent really any formal regulations about employment discrimination in AI, said law professor Kim. Existing law prohibits against both intentional and disparate impact discrimination, which refers to discrimination that occurs as a result of a neutral appearing policy, even if its not intended. If an employer builds an AI tool and has no intent to discriminate, but it turns out that overwhelmingly the applicants that are screened out of the pool are over the age of 40, that would be something that has a disparate impact on older workers, Kim said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though disparate impact theory is well-established by the law, Kim said, President Donald Trump has made clear his hostility for this form of discrimination by seeking to eliminate it through an executive order in April. What it means is agencies like the EEOC will not be pursuing or trying to pursue cases that would involve disparate impact, or trying to understand how these technologies might be having a discrete impact, Kim said. They are really pulling back from that effort to understand and to try to educate employers about these risks. The White House did not immediately respond to Fortunes request for comment. With little indication of federal-level efforts to address AI employment discrimination, politicians on the local level have attempted to address the technologys potential for prejudice, including a New York City ordinance banning employers and agencies from using automated employment decision tools unless the tool has passed a bias audit within a year of its use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Melanie Ronen, an employment lawyer and partner at Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP, told Fortune other state and local laws have focused on increasing transparency on when AI is being used in the hiring process, including the opportunity [for prospective employees] to opt out of the use of AI in certain circumstances. The firms behind AI hiring and workplace assessments, such as PDRI and Bold, have said theyve taken it upon themselves to mitigate bias in the technology, with PDRI CEO Pulakos advocating for human raters to evaluate AI tools ahead of their implementation. Bold technical product management director Schwartz argued that while guardrails, audits, and transparency should be key in ensuring AI is able to conduct fair hiring practices, the technology also had the potential to diversify a companys workforce if applied appropriately. He cited research indicating women tend to apply to fewer jobs than men, doing so only when they meet all qualifications. If AI on the job candidates side can streamline the application process, it could remove hurdles for those less likely to apply to certain positions. By removing that barrier to entry with these auto-apply tools, or expert-apply tools, were able to kind of level the playing field a little bit, Schwartz said. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Saturday attended the 90th birthday celebrations of the 14th Dalai Lama at Tsuglagkhang, the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala where the spiritual leader resides. According to the Gregorian calendar, the Dalai Lama's birthday is officially observed on July 6. The occasion is being marked with festive spirit and devotion by Tibetan communities and followers across the region. On July 2, the Dalai Lama stated that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a foundation established by him, can only recognise future reincarnations, and no one else has the authority to decide on the matter. This statement rules out any say for China in the process of naming the next Dalai Lama. In a statement on Wednesday, Dalai Lama stated, "The process by which a future Dalai Lama is to be recognized has been clearly established in the 24 September 2011 statement which states that responsibility for doing so will rest exclusively with members of the Gaden Phodrang Trust, the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They should consult the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. They should accordingly carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition." "I hereby reiterate that the Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation; no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter, he added. The Dalai Lama recalled making a statement on whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue during a meeting of the heads of Tibetan spiritual traditions on September 24, 2011. On July 4, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju asserted that the choice of the Dalai Lama's successor should rest solely with the spiritual leader himself, reflecting the belief of his followers worldwide amid China's recent statement on the matter. "I am a devotee of the Dalai Lama. Anybody in the world who follows the Dalai Lama wants his successor to be chosen by the Dalai Lama himself," Rijiju said. (ANI) MT. VERNON, Va. (DC News Now) The wait was over for more than 100 people as they finally got to call the United States their home. And what better place to do it than on July 4 at the home of George Washington, Mt. Vernon? Youre going to recreate the revolutionary action of Americas founding generation to freely choose to become part of the nation of the United States of America, said President and CEO of George Washingtons Mount Vernon, Dr. Doug Bradburn. It was the choice George Washington made. He wasnt born an American citizen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arnold Schwarzenegger lays wreath at George Washingtons tomb at Mount Vernon, pays tribute to Americas First Action Hero Newly certified citizens celebrated Americas birthday on the special day. Its an honor. Its a pleasure, said Jason Butcher, who was from Barbados and is a new American citizen. Beautiful. Im actually excited to be an American, to become one. Finally, to become one, said Fatuma Elizabete, who was born in Tanzania. Initially from Ecuador, Basquez Luis was also at the ceremony, taking his oath of allegiance while also in his second year in the Marine Corps. It feels really good. Excited, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Butcher emphasized the long, rewarding process of becoming a U.S. citizen. Its been a journey. It wasnt a hard process, but its definitely a long process. Its gratifying at the end, he said. Helping celebrate the new group of citizens was Hollywood star and former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. He gave the keynote speech to encourage the people who took the same steps he did about 40 years ago. Where to watch Fourth of July fireworks across DC, Maryland and Virginia Immigrants are action heroes. Let me tell you why I said that. It took action to get here, he said. You wanted something more. So, you went after it. You worked hard, you struggled, you persevered. I know what you say to yourself, because this is what I said to myself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On stage, Schwarzenegger asked the new citizens to also consider what they could do for their new country. And some, like Luis, already had an answer to that question Like Arnold was saying, I have been reborn over here and I really appreciate this country cause it has been helping a lot and the least I can do is give something back, he said.. Im thinking about becoming a nurse, so I can change lives, said Elizabete, sharing a similar sentiment. At the end of the ceremony, the new citizens were encouraged to register to vote on Friday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. HEBER, Utah (ABC4) A high-speed driver drove into oncoming traffic, crashed into another vehicle, and then barricaded himself inside his own vehicle before being arrested on Friday, July 4, according to Heber City Police. Stockton Charles Harlow McBride, 32, was arrested on a slew of charges, including: Reckless Driving Driving Under the Influence (1st Offense in 10 years) Possession of Paraphernalia Possession of a Controlled Substance (Schedule I/II/Analog) Interfering with an Arresting Officer Unlawful Passing of a Vehicle in the Same Direction Improper Use of Center Lane Failure to Stop at a Red Light Failure to Yield on a Left Turn Failure to Register or Expired Registration Refusing a Chemical Test (1st Offense in 10 Years) Speeding Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At around 1:10 p.m., McBride was driving southbound on Main Street at an excessively high rate of speed, according to Heber Police. He reportedly ignored traffic signals and drove into oncoming traffic. As he went through a red light, McBride crashed into a vehicle that was making a left-hand turn onto Main Street. Upon arrival at the scene, police were confronted with a volatile situation, a press release from Heber Police states. McBride reportedly told officers he had a weapon and told them to get back. He proceeded to barricade himself inside the vehicle. After around 5-10 minutes of standoff, McBride got out of the vehicle but refused police commands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers then used a Taser on McBride and took him into custody without further incident. McBride was booked into Wasatch County jail on the aforementioned charges. No further information is currently available. Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Latest headlines: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury Matthew Bui, University of Michigan and Cameron Moy, University of Pennsylvania When the online review platform Yelp added a Black-owned tag in 2020, it boosted the visibility of Black-owned restaurants in Detroit. It also caused their ratings to drop, according to our recent study. Both local and nonlocal reviewers who showed awareness of a restaurants Black ownership rated restaurants 3.03 stars on average. Those who did not acknowledge Black ownership gave a rating of 3.78 stars on average. The tag seems to have caused the average rating to drop by attracting more reviewers who were aware of Black ownership. Why it matters Technology companies often introduce new features and tools to influence user behavior and make their platforms more usable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Yelp intended to support Black communities with the Black-owned tag, the design intervention was harmful to Black restaurant owners in Detroit because Yelp failed to consider platform and community-based factors that significantly shape user interactions. Yelps user base is predominantly white, educated and affluent. Making Detroits Black-owned restaurants more visible to Yelp users may have amplified cross-cultural interactions and frictions. For example, non-Black users sometimes mentioned slower and rude service as justifications for lower ratings. Close readings of these reviews hinted at intercultural and communicative clashes. And even businesses that dont select the tag are identified within searches as Black-owned, based on user reviews and relevant links. Yelp doesnt provide a way for the business to opt out of these search results. How we did our work To examine the local impacts of Yelps Black-owned tag, we collected over 250,000 Yelp reviews of Black- and non-Black-owned restaurants in Detroit and Los Angeles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We identified Black-owned restaurants through community-sourced lists for Detroit and Los Angeles and then generated a random sample for the non-Black-owned restaurants. We then identified reviews that explicitly noted Black ownership for closer analysis. Detroits Black-owned businesses saw a greater loss in business compared with ownership-unreported restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. This means they also potentially had more to gain from the new tag. We found the awareness of Black ownership on Yelp significantly increased following Yelps addition of the Black-owned tag in June 2020. A year after the tag was added, reviews in Detroit mentioned Black ownership 4.3% more often than a year before it was rolled out. Detroit Black-owned restaurants also saw a small temporary spike in their number of reviews, largely around the time Yelp added the Black-owned tag. At the same time, the restaurants average star ratings dropped from 3.91 to 3.88. In contrast, non-Black-owned restaurants ratings stayed relatively steady at 3.90. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This metric is an aggregate of all Detroit restaurants Yelp reviews over their entire existence, so a .03-star rating change is small but significant. Even minor changes to star ratings affect the number of diners restaurants attract, their earning potential and the likelihood they will sell out of food. Adding obstacles in digital platforms serves to reproduce and amplify inequalities these businesses already face, rather than alleviate them. For example, Black-owned businesses have a harder time getting loans and are relatively underrepresented in Michigan as a whole. These findings may seem surprising given that Detroit is a majority Black city. However, Black users on Yelp are a minority. Keeping in mind the skewed user base of Yelp, we hypothesize the lower reviews for businesses featuring a Black-owned tag reflect existing racial and digital divides in the city. Generally, our study provides additional evidence that digital interventions are not one-size-fits-all, nor is digital visibility inherently positive for all businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work. Matthew Bui, Assistant Professor of Information and Digital Studies, University of Michigan and Cameron Moy, PhD student, Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Jul. 5A brand-new mobile alert system is available at five southern Maine beaches. Created by the York County Emergency Management Agency, the system will send mobile alerts to beachgoers in Kennebunk, Ogunquit, Old Orchard Beach, Wells and York. The emergency alerts include severe weather, missing children and surf advisories. It's designed to be convenient, York County Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Chris McCall said. Beachgoers can sign up for the alert system during the day and sign out when they leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For those who live in participating oceanfront communities year-round, the alert system is always available. "These alerts can help people make faster, more informed decisions about their safety," McCall said. Keeping beachgoers informed about dangerous situations was difficult before the alert system, McCall said. Now, officials can send a text directly to a person's phone, informing them of danger in real time. The alert system has grown in the past year, with over 4,000 sign-ups for the Beach Lists across all five communities, compared with less than 200 sign-ups last year. "We're proud of the growth and momentum behind this important public safety initiative," McCall said. "The signups show the value of the system for both public safety officials and tourists who want to stay informed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Maine residents and tourists flock to the beaches this summer, McCall urges beachgoers to sign up for the alert system. "It's easy, free and keeps you connected to important safety updates from local officials," McCall said. Beachgoers can sign up for alerts at all five beaches by texting the corresponding keyword to 226787: Kennebunk: KBK Old Orchard Beach: OOB Ogunquit: OGT Wells: WELLS York: YORKME Copy the Story Link New York Times opinion columnist Jamelle Bouie argued on Wednesday that President Donald Trump is much more of a "normie Republican" than both his supporters and critics may lead one to believe. Bouie's opinion piece, titled, "Face It. Trump Is a Normie Republican," contended that Trump has governed as a "mostly orthodox Republican" over the duration of his second term, and compared his first term to a hypothetical third George W. Bush presidency. "Perhaps the most underappreciated fact about President Trump is that he is a Republican," Bouie stated, noting that "nearly every commentator under the sun" has considered Trump to be unique "in ways that defy traditional categorization." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump Takes Aim At Cnn And New York Times Over Iran Strike Coverage, But Journalists Are Shrugging Bouie argued that Trump's policies and actions while in office show that he is more of an "orthodox" Republican than his rhetoric may suggest. The columnist pushed back on the notion that Trump cannot be considered a typical Republican due to his uniqueness, arguing that the "most salient detail" about the current president is that he's a "Republican politician committed to the success of the Republican Party and its ideological vision." "We saw this in his first term, with his signature legislative accomplishment, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Was this his promised transformation of the American economy, the populist blow for those Americans left behind by the nations failed political and economic leadership?" he questioned. "No, it was a massive upper-income tax cut designed to pay huge benefits to the wealthiest Americans, including the president, his family and their friends." Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bouie continued, listing off actions taken by Trump during his first term, summarizing that, in short, "Trump governed like a Republican." "And it is not a stretch to say that much of his first term was, on the domestic front, more or less indistinguishable from a hypothetical third term for the previous Republican president, George W. Bush. Trump even ended his term, as Bush did, with a rolling set of crises and disasters, each exacerbated by his mismanagement," he added. Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture The columnist compared Trump's foreign and domestic policy to former President George W. Bush. The columnist claimed that Trump's "big, beautiful, bill" lines up with "what any Republican president would do," but has been cloaked in "the rhetoric of populism" by the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As far as Trump's foreign policy goes, Bouie argued that the president's recent strike on Iran's nuclear facilities was reminiscent of the foreign policy of two former Republicans. "With one decision, Trump fulfilled the dreams of a generation of Republican hawks who have been clamoring for war with and regime change in Iran since President Bush proclaimed that it was a member of the axis of evil in 2002. You could, if you were so inclined, draw a straight line from that speech to John McCains bomb Iran quips in 2007 to Trumps appointment of Mike Pompeo, a noted Iran antagonist, as secretary of state in 2018 to his airstrike last month," he claimed. The columnist concluded that some of the "worst" aspects of the Trump administration can be chalked up to the "specific authoritarian vision" of the president and his allies but for the most part this is "simply what happens when you elect a Republican to the White House." Original article source: New York Times columnist admits that Trump is a 'normie Republican' NEW YORK (PIX11) A Long Island woman allegedly shot and killed her boyfriend in their home Friday morning, police said. Police say 44-year-old Ashley Guimont shot her lover, 47-year-old Alex Carter, after a fight. Following the shooting, Guimont reportedly called 911, police said. More Crime News Officers arrived at the scene around 2:30 a.m. in response to the 911 call at 702 Townhouse Drive in Coram. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, officials said. Guimont now faces second-degree murder charges, according to arrest records. She is set to be arraigned at the First District Court in Central Islip on Saturday. Domestic and family health violence are common problems estimated to affect 10 million people in the United States every year. Anyone looking for help can find resources here. Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. GREAT BEND (WIVT/WBGH) Hundreds of customers are rushing to get their fireworks from across the border. Messs Fireworks in Great Bend, Pennsylvania saw its annual surge of Independence Day shoppers. The store is the largest fireworks distributor in all of PA and sells over 750 unique items that are directly imported from China. This week, it has seen thousands of customers walk through the doors to purchase fireworks, especially those from New York. Messs Fireworks Manager, Andrew Merrell, explains why. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In New York you really can only buy the fountains and sparklers and such. Where we are, in PA, you can sell to anybody and we have the things that go 100 feet in the air and explode, the more fun stuff, says Merell. Although it may be legal to purchase firecrackers, bottle rockets, and other large explosive aerial devices out-of-state, they are illegal to use and purchase across New York. In most counties it is permissible to use only sparklers and cylindrical fountains. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34. Voters in Pierce County between the ages of 18 and 26 account for 51% of challenged ballots in Pierce County due to their signatures not matching those on file, the Pierce County Elections office announced in a recent news release. If the signature on a ballot envelope doesnt match the signature on file, that vote wont count, the office said. Pierce County recently sent a postcard to 73,000 voters aged 18 to 26 (in addition to 17-year-olds eligible to vote in the 2025 general election), encouraging them to update their signature online at the Pierce County Elections website. In Pierce County 9.4% of 18-year-old voters have had signature issues and 7.9% of 19-year-olds, according to the county. During the 2024 presidential election, Pierce County saw a strong voter turnout, with 76.73% of registered voters casting ballots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its an interesting challenge, said Pierce County Auditor Linda Farmer in a June news release. On the one hand, we have more young voters in the system, which is awesome. On the other, were capturing that baseline signature while their handwriting styles are still developing. This often shows up as a mismatch when they cast their first ballot. Signature mismatches in Pierce County are declining (0.46% of ballots were rejected for that reason in 2024, down from 0.56% in 2020 and 0.86% in 2016), according to the county. Young people dont have to sign things on a regular basis like those of us in other generations (Im Gen X), so its an interesting conundrum, Farmer said in an email. Were trying to get the word out to this age group in particular. Farmer said her 18-year-old daughter is a classic example of the issue. She registered to vote when she was 16 under the states future voter program, but her signature today is practically unrecognizable from the one she gave at the driver licensing office. And its only been two years, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, Washington established the Future Voter Program, allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote and automatically receive a ballot once they turn 18. In 2022, a new law made voters eligible to participate in the August primary if they will be 18 by the November general election, according to Pierce County. The trend is moving in the right direction, Farmer said. Id love to see signature challenges become a non-issue. Learn more about how to register to vote, who your candidates will be and where your nearest ballot box is online at the Pierce County Elections website. The primary election is Aug. 5. President Volodymyr Zelensky described his recent phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump as "the best conversation in all this time" in an evening address on July 5. "Patriot (missiles) are key to protection from ballistic (missiles). We discussed several other important issues that our teams will work out in detail at meetings in the near future," Zelensky said. The two leaders spoke on July 4, agreeing to strengthen Ukraine's air defenses amid intensified Russian strikes, Zelensky said earlier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A day prior to speaking with Zelensky, Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to discuss ending Russia's war against Ukraine. "This was probably the best conversation in all this time, it was maximally productive. We discussed the topic of air defenses. I am grateful for the readiness to help," Zelensky said, describing his phone call with Trump. Relations between Ukraine and the U.S. have previously been strained as the White House pushed Kyiv to sign a lucrative bilateral minerals deal and tried to broker a peace deal with Moscow that did not rule out major concessions for Ukraine. Zelensky's phone call with the U.S. leader followed media reports and announcements from Washington of a pause in military assistance to Ukraine. Trump, on July 3, denied that Washington has stopped supplying weapons to Kyiv. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump described his July 3 conversation with Putin as disappointing, saying that the call "didn't make any progress" in stopping Russia's war against Ukraine. "I'm very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin," Trump told journalists. "Because I don't think he's there. And I'm very disappointed. I don't think he's looking to stop this fighting." Read also: Russia launches another horrific attack on Kyiv hours after Trump-Putin call Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine has concluded deals with European partners and a US defence company to step up the production of drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday. Zelensky said Kiev has "reached an agreement with one of the leading American companies to significantly increase our joint efforts" on drones, which have become central to Ukrainian defence efforts against Russia since Moscow's full-scale invasion in 2022. In his video message, posted on X, Zelensky said the cooperation will ensure Ukraine receives "hundreds of thousands of additional drones" this year, with many more in the following year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, Kiev has signed an agreement with Denmark to co-produce weapons in the Scandinavian country. "Joint work on the territory of Denmark, and soon in other key partner countries, is allowing us to scale up even more," said Zelensky. "This applies to drones and many other types of urgently needed weapons." The Ukrainian leader promised to carry out further attacks on military sites deep inside Russian territory, listing a number of recent successes hitting targets such as defence companies, airbases and oil refineries. Russian authorities reported numerous Ukrainian drone attacks across the country on Saturday, including on the city of Voronezh, causing a massive disruption to passenger air traffic in the middle of the Russian summer holidays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Zelensky offered further details on his conversation with US President Donald Trump on Friday. "It was probably the best conversation I've had in a long time, the most productive," Zelensky said in the video. Ukraine is also "actively working with Germany to speed up decisions on air defence," he added. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Mrtiyunjay Tiwari on Saturday slammed the Bihar government over the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna, alleging that the state has "descended into lawlessness" under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership. Khemka was shot dead on Friday in the south area of Patna's Gandhi Maidan. The RJD leader stated that Nitish Kumar is no longer fit to remain the Chief Minister of Bihar. "Nitish Kumar is no longer fit to remain on the Chief Minister's chair even for a moment. Bihar has descended into a state of lawlessness... Only the departure of this government will bring good to Bihar", Mrityunjay Tiwari told ANI. Tiwari stated that a businessman was shot dead close to the Bihar Police headquarters and criticised the state administration for failing to maintain law and order. "In Bihar's capital Patna, right under the nose of the police headquarters, a businessman is shot dead in this manner. Tejashwi Yadav has been continuously issuing crime bulletins, holding a mirror to the government, raising questions", the RJD leader added. The RJD leader highlighted the "audacity" of the criminals and questioned Nitish Kumar's "demonic" rule in the state, "Look at the audacity of criminals, shooting directly in such a crowded area near Gandhi Maidan, what have you done to this state, Nitish Kumar ji?... If this is not called a demonic rule, a mega-jungle rule, a criminal rule, then what else will it be called?" he said. Following the incident, Bihar Police formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder case of businessman Gopal Khemka. SIT has been formed on businessman Gopal Khemka's murder case by Bihar police, SP City Central will lead this SIT, as per Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay kumar Meanwhile, the forensic team arrived at the crime scene on Saturday morning following Gopal Khemka's murder in Patna's Gandhi Maidan. Police have launched an investigation after a businessman was allegedly shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan in Bihar, a police officer said earlier. The incident took place on July 4 Superintendent of Police (SP), Patna, Diksha told ANI on Saturday, "On the night of July 4, at around 11 pm, we received information that businessman Gopal Khemka has been shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan..." "The crime scene has been secured, and further investigation is underway... One bullet and one shell have been recovered..." the police official added. (ANI) Progress on missing and murdered Indigenous people in WA, but more work needed, new reports say Socorro and her children walk in Chesterley Park in Yakima on June 17, 2025, after she said goodbye to her brother. She is in Mexico now after the federal government denied her plea for asylum. Her husband and oldest son were detained earlier that week and deported. Thirty-six Amarnath Yatra pilgrims sustained minor injuries after the last vehicle of the Pahalgam convoy lost control and collided with four-stranded vehicles at the Chanderkot Langer site in Ramban district on Saturday, stated an official. All injured passengers were immediately shifted to the District Hospital Ramban by the district administration, which was already present at the site. In a post on social media platform X, the Deputy Commissioner (DEO) Ramban wrote, "The last vehicle of the Pahalgam convoy lost control and hit stranded vehicles at the Chanderkot Langer site, damaging 4 vehicles and causing minor injuries to 36 Yatris. The District Administration, already present at the site, immediately shifted the injured to DH Ramban." Ramban District Commissioner Mohammad Alyas Khan, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) DKR Shridhar Patil, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ramban Kulbir Singh, and Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Varunjeet Singh Charak rushed to the hospital, monitored treatment, and directed the CMO to ensure the best possible care. The Yatris were later shifted to other vehicles for their onward journey. "DC Ramban Mohammad Alyas Khan, DIG DKR Shridhar Patil, SSP Ramban Kulbir Singh, and ADC Varunjeet Singh Charak rushed to the hospital, monitored treatment, and directed the CMO to ensure the best possible care. The Yatris were later shifted to other vehicles for their onward journey," the post further read. Mohammad Rafi, In-charge Medical Superintendent, DH Ramban, said that no patients were referred to any other hospital, further stating that so far, 10 patients had been discharged and the remaining would be discharged in the next hour. "A bus carrying pilgrims to the Amarnath Yatra collided with another bus. We received a total of 36 injured patients. All the patients have been treated here, we did not refer anyone to any other hospital. 10 patients have been discharged and in the next 1 hour, almost all the patients will be discharged..." Rafi told ANI. Earlier today, a 500-metre four-lane viaduct (flyover) at Dhalwas and a two-lane 700-metre canopy tunnel at Mehad near Cafeteria Mod on Ramban''s NH 44 were opened again in order to facilitate easier movement of vehicles for the Amarnath Yatra pilgrims. (ANI) New Delhi: India is standing strong as it waits for a big trade decision from the United States, with the deadline coming up on July 9. America is Indias biggest trading partner, and both countries are trying to avoid high tariffsextra taxes on goodsthat could make things more expensive for everyone. President Donald Trump had paused these extra taxes for 90 days, but that break is ending soon. If no agreement is reached, tariffs could go up to 26 percent, which would make Indian products cost more in the US and hurt Indian businesses. But India is not worried or desperate. The team that went to America to talk about the deal has come back, but that doesnt mean talks have failed. India is simply making sure it gets a fair deal. The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Modi, has made it clear that India will not accept any deal that isnt good for the country. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said India will only agree to a deal if it truly benefits the nation. India is not afraid to say no, even if there is pressure from the US. If America puts high tariffs on Indian goods, India is ready to answer back by putting tariffs on American products too. India is also getting ready for any outcome. The government is already looking for other countries to trade with, so it wont depend too much on the US. Officials are talking to Indian exporters to make sure they are prepared for any changes. New Delhi: Nvidia Becomes the Worlds utmost Valuable Company Nvidia, led by Jensen Huang, has come the most precious company in the world, beating Apple and Microsoft. On Thursday, Nvidia compactly reached a record request value of USD 3.92 trillion before closing at USD 3.89 trillion, staying ahead of both Microsoft and Apple. Nvidia beats Apples record Nvidias value compactly crossed USD3.915 trillion, beating the record Apple set on December 26, 2024. It took Nvidia just over six months to break that record. Now, Microsoft is the alternate most precious company with a USD 3.7 trillion value, while Apple is third with USD 3.19 trillion. Why did Nvidia come so precious? According to Reuters, Nvidias rise is because Wall Street believes AI technology will keep growing presto. Nvidia makes important chips that are essential for AI, and this has made investors veritably confident in the company. As Nvidias stock and other big tech stocks rise, people saving for withdrawal using S&P 500 indicator finances are now heavily invested in the future of AI. How Nvidia is leading the AI race Big tech companies like Google, Microsoft, Meta, Tesla, and Amazon are rushing to make advanced AI data centers. This is helping Nvidia, as further companies need its technical chips to power their AI technology. Nvidia now makes up 7 of the S&P 500 indicator. Together, Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet regard for 28 of the indicator. Nvidias value is bigger than some countries' stock requests Nvidia is now worth further than the entire Canadian and Mexican stock requests combined, according to Reuters data. It's also worth further than all intimately listed companies in the UK. The recent rise in Nvidias stock comes after a slow launch to the time when investors were more upset about tariffs and trade pressures with China than AI growth. Former Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal has been declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Panj Pyare at Takht Sri Patna Sahib, one of Sikhism's five supreme temporal seats of authority. The decision comes after Badal failed to appear before the Takhat despite being summoned twice. According to sources, Sukhbir Badal was called to present himself before the Panj Pyare following allegations related to his role in supporting individuals found guilty of violating a Hukamnama (religious edict). Despite repeated notices, Badal did not respond or appear. This non-compliance led to the declaration of Tankhaiya, a term reserved in Sikh tradition for those found guilty of religious misconduct. This is not the first time the Shiromani Akali Dal Chief was declared a Tankhahya. In August 2024, the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhism, declared Badal a 'Tankhaiya' for "some decisions" during his tenure as deputy chief minister from 2007 to 2017. The move to declare Badal 'Tankahiya' was made by five high priests of the Shri Akal Takht. Reading the order, Jathedar (chief Priest) of Shri Akal Takht. Giani Raghbir Singh said that Badal, along with his partner Sikh Cabinet Ministers, needed to submit their written explanations within 15 days. He was later awarded religious punishment by the Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht and directed to wash utensils and clean shoes, and bathrooms. Later in December 2024, there was an attempt on the life of Badal at the premises of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, where he was performing penance under the religious punishments pronounced by Sri Akal Takht Sahib. During the attempted assassination, Badal was sitting at the entrance of the Golden Temple with a plaque card around his neck as part of the 'tankhah' religious punishment pronounced by the Akal Takht Board for religious misconduct during his tenure from 2007 to 2017. (ANI) ICAI CA Result 2025: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) will announce the CA May 2025 results for all three levelsFoundation, Intermediate, and Finalon July 6, 2025. To check their results, candidates need to visit the official ICAI websites and enter their registration number, roll number, and password. As per the official notice, the results for CA Final and Intermediate will be declared around 2 PM, while CA Foundation results will be announced at 5 PM. The CA exams were held from May 2 to May 14, 2025. The Intermediate exams for Group 1 took place on May 3, 5, and 7, and Group 2 exams were held on May 9, 11, and 14. The Final exams for Group 1 were on May 2, 4, and 6, while Group 2 exams were on May 8, 10, and 13. However, exams between May 9 and 14 were postponed due to India-Pakistan tensions. The CA Foundation exam was later held on May 15, 17, 19, and 21, 2025. ICAI CA Result 2025: Websites to check result icai.nic.in icaiexam.icai.org caresults.icai.org ICAI CA Result 2025: Steps to download here Step 1: Go to the official ICAI result website. Step 2: Click on the Result Portal and choose your course (Foundation, Intermediate, or Final). Step 3: Enter your roll number and either your PIN or registration number. Step 4: Enter the captcha code and click on Check Result. Step 5: Your CA May 2025 result will appear on the screen. Step 6: Download and save a copy for future reference. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) releases a merit list alongside the CA exam results for each level. The ICAI Merit List for the May 2025 session will be published online and will feature the names of the top 50 rank holders. To view the merit list, candidates need to enter their registration number or roll number along with the security code shown on the portal. ICAI CA Result 2025: Passing criteria In order to pass a particular group or level of the CA May 2025 exams, candidates must meet two important criteria: they must score at least 40% marks in each subject and achieve a minimum aggregate of 50% marks across all subjects in that group or level. Both conditions must be fulfilled to be declared as having passed. Five Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers were detained in connection with the vandalism at an entrepreneur's office in Worli, police said on Saturday. The accused MNS workers allegedly vandalized Sushil Kedia's office after he made controversial remarks against the MNS chief Raj Thackeray. Do note @RajThackeray I dont know Marathi properly even after living for 30 years in Mumbai & with your gross misconduct I ahve made it a resolve that until such people as you are allowed to pretend to be taking care of Marathi Manus I take pratigya I wont learn Marathi. Kya Sushil Kedia (@sushilkedia) July 3, 2025 Kedia Apologizes For Remarks Meanwhile, Sushil Kedia, who found himself at the center of the controversy, has said that he made these remarks against the MNS and its chief Raj Thackeray in haste and has now realized his mistake. In a video message posted on his X handle, he stated that his remarks are being manipulated and misinterpreted to suit the interests of people who want to gain from any controversy. "My tweet happened in a wrong state of mind under stress. And further, now it is getting manipulated and misinterpreted to suit the interests of people who want to gain from any controversy," ANI reported, quoting Kedia. I request @RajThackeray Ji to consider my humble submission. pic.twitter.com/i8zGszgNtW Sushil Kedia (@sushilkedia) July 5, 2025 Kedia said he overreacted after coming under mental pressure from the violence inflicted on those who do not know Marathi. "Having come under pressure mentally from the violence inflicted on those who do not know Marathi, I ended up overreacting. I realised I must take back my overreactions and withdraw," he said. Kedia also expressed hope that people will soon realise that it is better to encourage people to speak in Marathi rather than frightening them. "I have realized my mistake, and I wish to correct it unequivocally. The concerned people may also hopefully consider someday soon that instead of frightening people, if you provide us encouragement, it will help us overcome our hesitations in achieving fluency in the Marathi language more rapidly, as we will be fearlessly using it more and more. Of course, the tweet that I made was out of haste, out of stress," ANI reported, quoting Kedia. Raj Thackeray's Reaction Earlier today, MNS chief Raj Thackeray said everyone should know Marathi, but people should not be beaten for not speaking it. "Be it Gujarati or anyone else here, they must know Marathi, but there is no need to beat people for that if they dont speak Marathi. But if someone shows useless drama, you must hit below their eardrums," ANI quoted Thackeray as saying. "I tell you one more thing: if you beat someone, dont make a video of the incident. Let the person beaten up tell that he has been beaten up; you dont need to tell everyone that you have beaten someone," ANI quoted Thackeray as saying. CM Fadnavis Warning Earlier on Friday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis warned that the state government would not tolerate hooliganism in the name of language. This incident comes amid a recent controversy over the assault of a food stall owner in Thane after he reportedly refused to speak in Marathi. Thane Food Stall Incident A group of men assaulted a food stall owner on Tuesday for refusing to speak in Marathi. In a decisive move against the terror ecosystem and to dismantle its supporting infrastructure, Srinagar Police has attached a residential property comprising 8 marlas of land along with the building structure, estimated to be worth approximately Rs. 1.5 crores for sheltering the terrorists. The property, located at Mir Masjid Mohalla, Shallabagh Khanyar, and falling under Survey Nos. 3674/1147 and 3677/1148 are recorded in the name of Mohammad Yousuf Shah, S/o Hafiz Waliuallah Shah, were attached this morning for sheltering a terrorist. The attachment has been carried out under the relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with FIR No. 48/2024 under Sections 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 7/27 of the Indian Arms Act, of the UAP Act, registered at Police Station Khanyar. The investigations have established that the property was acquired through illegal proceeds linked to terrorist activities. Acting under Section 25 of the UAP Act, the immovable property has been formally seized and attached following due legal procedure. The owner cannot now sell, lease, or transfer the property in any manner. Khaniyar Area Encounter On November 2, 2024, a massive encounter happened in the Khaniyar area, and terrorists were hiding in the same house, which was later attached by police. In that 12-hour-long encounter, Lashkar operational commander Usman Lashkari, a Pakistani terrorist, was killed, and four security personnel were injured. The property was attached by the Srinagar police on Saturday. J&K Polices Crackdown This action is part of the sustained campaign of the Jammu and Kashmir Police to dismantle the terror ecosystem systematically. By targeting and crippling the financial networks of terrorist organizations, the police aims to curb acts detrimental to the security and integrity of the nation. To crush the terror ecosystem in the state, the police have attached more than a thousand properties till now over the last three years and have also raided hundreds of Over Ground Worker (OGW) houses. Additionally, the properties of those active terrorists who are presently hiding in Pakistan and operating from there are attached. New Delhi: At least 36 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims were injured on Saturday morning when a bus part of the Pahalgam-bound convoy lost control and rammed into four stationary vehicles at Chanderkote in Jammu and Kashmirs Ramban district. The incident occurred at the Chanderkot Langer site, a designated stop for breakfast, where the convoy had halted. The last vehicle in the line failed to brake in time, triggering a chain collision. According to Deputy Commissioner (DEO), Ramban, the bus damaged four vehicles and caused minor injuries to the yatris. The last vehicle of the Pahalgam convoy lost control and hit stranded vehicles at the Chanderkot Langer site, damaging 4 vehicles and causing minor injuries to 36 Yatris. The injured have been immediately shifted to DH Ramban, the DC's statement said, according to ANI. #WATCH | The last vehicle of the Pahalgam convoy lost control and hit stranded vehicles at the Chanderkot Langer site, damaging 4 vehicles and causing minor injuries to 36 Yatris. The injured have been immediately shifted to DH Ramban: Deputy Commissioner (DEO), Ramban (Visuals pic.twitter.com/dZtrcFS6Bd ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2025 According to Hindustan Times report, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Ramban, Kulbir Singh said the majority of the injured pilgrims are in stable condition and have chosen to continue the Yatra after receiving medical aid. The convoy had stopped for breakfast at Chanderkote. Pilgrims suffered minor injuries, the majority of them willing to continue their pilgrimage after first aid, he said. Three to four of the injured may not be able to proceed further due to the nature of their injuries, he added. At the District Hospital Ramban, medical teams swiftly attended to the injured. A bus carrying pilgrims to the Amarnath Yatra collided with another bus. We received a total of 36 injured patients. All the patients have been treated here; we did not refer anyone to any other hospital, said Dr Mohammed Rafi, In-charge Medical Superintendent, DH Ramban, ANI reported. 10 patients have been discharged, and in the next 1 hour, almost all the patients will be discharged, he added. #WATCH | Ramban, J&K: Dr Mohammed Rafi, In-charge Medical Superintendent, District Hospital Ramban, says "A bus carrying pilgrims to the Amarnath Yatra collided with another bus. We received a total of 36 injured patients. All the patients have been treated here, we did not refer https://t.co/3gdewyVKPh pic.twitter.com/zrnnAbJtKl ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2025 The annual Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 3, draws thousands of devotees from across India who trek to the sacred cave shrine situated at 3,888 meters in the Kashmir Himalayas via the Pahalgam and Baltal routes. More updates are awaited as officials continue monitoring the situation. New Delhi: The annual Amarnath Yatra continues with strong momentum as over 26,800 pilgrims have had darshan at the holy cave shrine in the last two days, officials confirmed on Saturday. A fresh batch of 6,979 yatris departed from Jammu this morning for the Kashmir Valley, heading toward the sacred Amarnath shrine, which is located at an altitude of 3,888 metres in the Himalayas. The 38-day-long pilgrimage, which began on July 3, has seen a high turnout of devotees in its initial days. This years yatra concludes on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan. Officials said the new group of pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in two escorted convoys consisting of 312 vehicles. Another batch of 6,979 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in the morning in two escorted convoys of 312 vehicles for the Valley, they said. Among them, 2,753 pilgrims are en route to the Baltal base camp, while the remaining 4,226 pilgrims are heading to Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam, a traditional route for the yatra. In a move to enhance facilities for the yatris, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated a new Yatri Niwas at the Baltal base camp on Friday. The newly inaugurated complex includes a disaster management centre and is part of a broader initiative to upgrade pilgrim infrastructure under the ONGCs Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project. While the Baltal Yatri Niwas has already become operational, similar facilities are nearing completion at Bijbehara, Nunwan (Pahalgam), and Sidhra (Jammu). These yatri shelters are equipped with dormitories, sewage treatment plants, and essential utilities to improve the comfort and safety of pilgrims. The Sidhra facility, built over 8,500 square metres, is being developed as a sustainable five-storey (G+5) structure featuring solar panels and is expected to be fully operational by September 2026. Collectively, the infrastructure upgrade will span 30,955 square metres, enhancing the overall pilgrimage experience. Heightened Security Following Terror Attack This years yatra is being conducted under unprecedented multi-layered security, following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, where Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 civilians after allegedly segregating them based on their religion at Baisaran meadow. In response to the attack, security measures have been significantly intensified. An additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed to reinforce the presence of the Indian Army, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and local police forces. All transit camps en route to the two base camps, and the entire stretch from Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu to the cave shrine, are secured by layered security arrangements, officials said. Locals Welcome Pilgrims to Valley In a heartfelt gesture, local Kashmiris welcomed the first batch of pilgrims as they crossed into the Valley through the Navyug Tunnel at Qazigund. Holding garlands and placards, they greeted the yatris, symbolically expressing solidarity and condemning the earlier terror attack. To many, this act of unity sent a strong message that the people of Kashmir stand in support of the pilgrimage and reject terrorism. Officials noted that the local population has extended full cooperation, as they have traditionally done in previous years, to ensure the yatra proceeds peacefully and smoothly. Routes and Traditions The Amarnath cave shrine, located in the Kashmir Himalayas, is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for devotees of Lord Shiva. The shrine houses a naturally formed ice stalagmite, believed to symbolise Lord Shiva and his divine powers. Pilgrims believe that the structure waxes and wanes with the phases of the moon. According to legend, Lord Shiva narrated the secrets of eternal life and immortality to Mata Parvati inside this very cave. It is also said that two mountain pigeons overheard the divine conversation and have since become part of the legend. Even today, pilgrims often report seeing a pair of pigeons flying out of the cave when the yatra begins a phenomenon considered a divine sign. Pilgrims can reach the shrine via two routes: The Pahalgam route, which is the traditional path, covers 46 km through Chandanwari, Sheshnag, and Panchtarni, and typically takes four days on foot. The Baltal route, which is shorter at 14 km, allows pilgrims to complete the trek to the shrine and return on the same day. This year, for security reasons, helicopter services have not been made available to yatris. With more pilgrims arriving daily and improved infrastructure and security in place, the Amarnath Yatra 2025 is set to continue as a major spiritual and cultural event, drawing devotees from across India despite the challenges. Authorities remain on high alert to ensure the safe and successful completion of the yatra for all. (With Inputs from IANS) BJPs IT Cell Chief and the partys central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, on Saturday, attacked the ruling Trinamool Congress government and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the increasing exodus of undergraduate students from the state to colleges, institutions and universities in other states. Malviya explained that the increasing exodus has been evident from the West Bengal governments decision this week to extend the deadline for college admission applications by two weeks due to poor student interest -- a stark contrast to previous years. Students are increasingly looking to Mumbai, Bengaluru, and even Odisha for better and safer academic environments, Malviya said in a post on X. According to him, from this trend, it is evident that West Bengals education system is collapsing under Mamata Banerjees rule. According to him, this exodus of undergraduate students from Bengal to other states was not accidental. It is a direct result of the systemic exploitation and sexual abuse of women students in Bengals colleges and universities. The situation has been normalised under the Trinamool regime. Add to that the absence of jobs and career opportunities, and the picture becomes even bleaker, said Malviya. He also observed that it was a tragedy that West Bengal, which was once hailed as a hub of intellectual excellence, now lies in decline because of years of corruption, apathy, and criminality in the system during the Trinamool Congress regime. To save Bengal, Mamata Banerjee must be defeated in 2026. There is no other way forward, said Malviya. During the last few years, the education sector in West Bengal had been in the national headlines for all negative reasons, first because of the multi-crore cash-for-school job case in the state, political favouritism in appointments of vice-chancellors in state universities, in-campus violence, and finally reported events of rape and even rape and murder within the education institution premises. Andhra Pradesh Police on Saturday said that one of the two terror suspects recently apprehended in Tamil Nadu is a lone wolf who possesses sophisticated bomb-making abilities. The suspects have been identified as Abubacker Siddique and his associate, Mohammed Ali, who were arrested earlier this month. Siddique is suspected of being involved in the 2011 pipe-bomb plot targeting BJP leader and former deputy prime minister L.K. Advani during his Rath Yatra in Madurai. Police say that Siddique was ideologically influenced by fugitive preacher Zakir Naik. Kurnool Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Koya Praveen told PTI that Siddique operated alone, sharing his technical knowledge with others who held similar extremist views. Zakir Naik school of thought. He is more of a lone wolf. Ideologically motivated and an expert in making IEDs and electronic devices, timer explosive devices, said Praveen, according to PTI. Praveen further noted that Siddique is highly skilled in assembling improvised explosive devices (IEDs), as well as various electronic and timer-based bombs. Earlier today, authorities searched additional locations linked to the suspects. While no explosives were found, police did confiscate several documents and pen drives. In previous raids, officers had seized a range of items, including daggers, sickles, digital timers, clock switches, speed controllers, ball bearings, nuts and bolts, binoculars, walkie-talkies, mobile phones, and hacking tools. Investigators also recovered maps of major Indian cities, coding manuals, literature inspired by ISIS, property papers, digital storage devices, chequebooks, and financial documents related to suspicious transactions. Zakir Naik, a controversial religious figure, is wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his involvement in unlawful activities and promoting religious hatred. In 2017, Bangladesh authorities claimed that one of those who attacked a cafe in Dhaka was inspired by Zakir Naik. The incident left 22 people dead. Later that year, India's NIA also accused Naik of indulging in unlawful activities and promoting religious hatred. Since then, Naik has been forced to live in Malaysia, a country that has given him protection and allowed him to operate his organisation, including Dubai-based Peace TV and Mumbai-based non-profit Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). (With Agencies' Inputs) New Delhi: In a shocking incident late Friday night, BJP leader and prominent businessman Gopal Khemka was shot dead near his residence in Patna. The incident occurred around 11 PM in the Gandhi Maidan police station area, near Hotel Panache, officials confirmed. According to an NDTV report, Khemka was returning to his home at the Twin Tower apartment complex, located adjacent to the hotel, when unidentified assailants opened fire. He died on the spot. According to police sources, one bullet and a shell casing were recovered from the scene. On the night of July 4, around 11 PM, we received information from the Gandhi Maidan South area that businessman Gopal Khemka was shot dead. As soon as the information was received, police reached the hospital and the crime scene. The area has been cordoned off, and an investigation is underway. CCTV footage is being examined. Further action will be taken, said City SP (Central) Diksha, as per the NDTV report. The motive behind the murder remains unclear at this time. Police have launched a probe and are scanning surveillance footage from nearby areas for leads. Khemka, known for his business ventures and affiliation with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had earlier suffered a personal tragedy when his son, Gunjan Khemka, was also shot dead three years ago in a separate incident. The killing has triggered political outrage. Independent MP from Purnea, Pappu Yadav (Rajesh Ranjan), who arrived at the scene soon after the incident, condemned the murder and criticised the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government for deteriorating law and order. In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, Mr Yadav wrote: "Bihar has become a sanctuary for criminals! Nitish ji, please spare Bihar." He added that had strict action been taken after the murder of Khemkas son, this tragedy might have been prevented. More details are awaited as the investigation continues. A bridge in Madhya Pradesh collapsed on Saturday after heavy rainfall. The bridge is on a highway in the state and connects Narsinghpur to Hoshangabad. The information about the bridge collapse has been shared with the Road Development Corporation of MP and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Speaking to ANI, SDOP Gadarwara, Ratnesh Mishra, informed that banners are being put up, and other safety precautions are being taken to prevent any mishap. "Due to heavy rain for 2-3 days, this bridge has been damaged... When the information was received, the District Magistrate and Police Inspector gave the information to NHAI and the Road Development Corporation of Madhya Pradesh for the repair work. We have diverted all the vehicles," the official stated. "Alternatively, banners are also being put up, stoppers are being placed, and we will also deploy the staff. We have also informed everyone that if there is any situation of waterlogging or there is a chance of another bridge collapse, then they should inform the administration," SDOP Mishra added. The visual of the scene showed a section of the collapsed bridge. #WATCH | Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh: A bridge on the state highway connecting Narsinghpur to Hoshangabad collapses following heavy rain. pic.twitter.com/VAy1rSRp1S ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2025 Rains In Madhya Pradesh The eastern Madhya Pradesh received heavy rainfall for the second day and has reportedly created a flood-like situation. As the heavy rain in the state has severely disrupted normal life, in many places, roads and bridges were either submerged or swept away, cutting off access and stranding residents. As per IANS, districts including Dindori, Balaghat, Jabalpur, Mandla, Rewa, and Sagar were among the worst affected by the continuous rainfall. Furthermore, rivers and streams in these areas are also overflowing. Mandla And Tikamgarh In Tikamgarh, a tribal girls' hostel was flooded after water entered the premises, alarming the residents. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams carried out a swift rescue, evacuating the students. On the other hand, according to IANS, in Mandla, a landslide occurred on the National Highway 30 on Friday. In the incident, a key bridge connecting the district to Jabalpur was washed away. IMD Issues Alert The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an 'orange' alert for most parts of eastern Madhya Pradesh till July 8. The weather agency has also warned of continued 'heavy' to 'very heavy rainfall'. Meanwhile, 'yellow' alerts are in place for at least 20 districts, including Gwalior, Chambal, Sagar, Bhopal, and Indore, for the next 24 hours. On the other hand, given the weather and to ensure the safety of children, the district administrations in Dindori and Mandla have declared a school holiday. The relentless rains have affected the roads and bridges of the state, which could result in connectivity issues in the region. (with agencies' inputs) The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Panaji Zonal Office, carried out search operations at eight locations across Goa and Pune on July 4 in connection with an illegal land grabbing case. The raids were conducted under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA). The action was taken based on an FIR registered by Porvorim Police Station in North Goa, which alleged a criminal conspiracy to fraudulently acquire an ancestral property measuring 5,000 sq. meters at Survey No. 210/5 in Socorro, North Goa, said the press release of the ED. The property belongs to the complainant, Jeronimo Oliveiro Desouza, said a release. The ED is investigating the role of John Paul Valles, Sandeep Vazarkar, and their associates in allegedly orchestrating the conspiracy. According to officials, the accused allegedly fabricated inventory proceeding No. 134/2019/C, falsely claiming that the father of two women, Sandra De Sa and Maureen Saldanha, were the same person as the complainants late father. This fraudulent declaration enabled the transfer of ownership to the two women. John Paul Valles subsequently secured a Power of Attorney (POA) from the women in Pune and proceeded to subdivide the property, selling multiple plots to different buyers. Sandeep Vazarkar, who accompanied Valles to Pune for the execution of the POA, admitted during the investigation to have received Rs 10 lakh as brokerage, said the agency. Authorities also detected large, unexplained cash deposits in his bank accounts. During the searches, ED officials seized multiple electronic devices and a significant volume of documents, including Deeds of Sale, POAs, and inventory proceeding records. A diary listing cash transactions was also recovered. The seizures were made from premises linked to Sandeep Vazarkar, John Paul Valles, Sandeep Manjrekar, and Avinash Naik. Officials say the recovered evidence is expected to yield key leads in tracing the proceeds of crime and advancing the probe into the land-grabbing conspiracy. Further investigation is underway. The two accused, who were residents of Rohtak, Haryana, have been identified as 24-year-old Mohit Vashisht and 21-year-old Mohit Malik. During the apprehension, the accused on the bike were asked to stop, but they fired at the Police team. In self-defence, the police team also fired, and both accused sustained bullet injuries in their legs and were sent to the hospital for treatment. They were wanted in Case FIR No.234/25 under section 103 (1)/3(5) BNS (Bharatiya Nyay Samhita) r.w. 25/27 Arms Act, dated June 1, at the Shivaji Colony police station in Rohtak, Haryana. On June 6, on the instructions of Himanshu Bhau, they murdered one Anil, the paternal uncle of Ankit, who had murdered a cousin of Himanshu, Rohit alias Bajrang and his uncle, in 2022. One Pistol, one Revolver, four live cartridges, and a stolen motorcycle have been recovered from their possession. (ANI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday took a dig at Uddhav Thackeray's speech at the Vijay Rally held in Worli, saying that what was expected to be a victory celebratory event turned into a 'rudali' (condolence) address. I was told that there would be a victory rally, but there was also a speech of 'rudaali'. Not a single word was spoken about Marathi, ANI quoted CM Fadnavis as saying. The term "Rudali" refers to women hired as professional mourners to publicly express grief at funerals. Chief Minister Fadnavis claimed that Uddhav Thackeray chose to speak about politics and how he was ousted from power at the victory rally out of frustration, as Shiv Sena has nothing to show despite ruling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for over 25 years. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation was under their control for 25 years. Still, they did not do any work that could be shown. We changed the face of Mumbai under the leadership of PM Modi. They are jealous of the work we did for Mumbai, but the public knows everything, and everyone is on our side, ANI quoted CM Fadnavis as saying. Chief Minister Fadnavis also thanked Raj Thackeray for giving him credit for bringing the two estranged brothers, Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, together. I express my gratitude to Raj Thackeray that he gave me the credit for the coming together of both the brothers, I must be getting the blessings of Balasaheb Thackeray," ANI quoted CM Fadnavis as saying. Thackeray Brothers Unite After 20 Years For the first time in 20 years, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray shared the stage publicly. They came together over the alleged imposition of the Hindi language by the Maharashtra government in the state. Uddhav Thackeray Speech Earlier today, while addressing the 'Awaz Marathicha' joint rally in Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that he has come to "stay together" with his brother Raj Thackeray. "We have come together to stay together", Uddhav Thackeray said while addressing the gathering. The former Maharashtra CM stated that ever since the announcement of this program, everyone was "eagerly" waiting for his and Raj Thackeray's speech. He hailed Raj Thackeray's vocal skills and stated that he has always delivered an "outstanding" speech, so there is no need for him to speak. "Since we announced this program, everyone was eagerly waiting for our speech today, but in my view, we are both coming together, and this stage was more important than our speeches. Raj has already given a very outstanding speech, and I think there is no need for me to speak now", Uddhav Thackeray said. Hitting out at the Centre and Maharashtra government, Uddhav Thackeray questioned what the government has done in its tenure of 11 years for Maharashtra and Mumbai, while referring to him being asked what the Shiv Sena (UBT) has done for Mumbai being in the BMC. Uddhav alleged that the Centre has pushed Mumbai's important establishments to Gujarat, and these are all attempts to break the "backbone" of Maharashtra. "They always ask us what we did for the Marathi people in Mumbai during our rule in BMC. They all forced Marathi people to go out of Mumbai, but now we are asking a question: in the last 11 years of your rule, what have you done? You have pushed away Mumbai's important establishments to Gujarat. Businesses are being transferred to Gujarat. Big offices are going to Gujarat. The diamond business has already shifted to Gujarat, so you have made all attempts to break the backbone of Maharashtra and continue to do that, and you are asking questions to us", Uddhav Thackeray said. Raj Thackeray Speech Earlier, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray launched a veiled attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and said that the Chief Minister did what could not be possible for Balasaheb Thackeray, as he brought the two estranged brothers of the Thackeray family together. Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray shared a hug at the Worli Dome in Mumbai as they held a joint rally after the Maharashtra government scrapped two Government Resolutions (GRs) to introduce Hindi as the third language. The Thackeray brothers garlanded the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at a joint rally of their parties, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), at the Worli Dome in Mumbai. Addressing the gathering, Raj Thackeray said, "I had said in one of my interviews that my Maharashtra is bigger than any politics and fight. Today, after 20 years, Uddhav and I have come together. What Balasaheb could not do, Devendra Fadnavis did it... The work of bringing both of us together." (With ANI Inputs) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday welcomed the reunion of estranged brothers Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray to fight against Hindi imposition, saying the language rights movement led by the DMK and the people of Tamil Nadu has now sparked a wave of protest in Maharashtra, transcending state boundaries. The language rights struggle, waged generation after generation by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the people of Tamil Nadu to defeat Hindi imposition, has now transcended state boundaries and is swirling like a storm of protest in Maharashtra, CM Stalin said in a post on X. For the first time in 20 years, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray appeared together in public to celebrate the Maharashtra governments withdrawal of orders implementing the three-language policy. The cousins, sharing a stage, hugged and said the "distance" between them was now gone. The Stalin-led DMK government in Tamil Nadu has locked horns with the central government over its National Education Policy (NEP), especially the three-language formula, under which schools are required to teach three languages. Praising Uddhav Thackeray's speech at the victory rally in Worli, Chief Minister Stalin said, "The enthusiasm and powerful oratory of the victory rally held today in Mumbai under the leadership of brother #UddhavThackeray against Hindi imposition fills us with immense excitement," Stalin said in the post. Launching a scathing criticism against BJP Stalin said, "The BJP, which acts lawlessly and anarchically by stating that funds will be allocated only if Hindi is taught as a third language in Tamil Nadu schools, has been forced to back down for the second time in Maharashtra, where they govern, due to fear of the people's uprising." Chief Minister Stalin also questioned whether the Union government would release Rs 2,152 crore in education funds only if the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government accepted the new education policy. "Will the Union government change its vindictive stance of releasing Rs.2,152 crore in funds under the integrated education scheme (Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan) only if Tamil Nadu accepts the new education policy that imposes Hindi and Sanskrit under the guise of the three-language policy? Will it immediately release the funds legally owed for the education of Tamil Nadu's schoolchildren?" he said. New Delhi: With just three days remaining until US President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs come into effect, Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, predicting that he would "meekly bow" to Washington's deadline. The remarks come amid a continued stalemate over a proposed interim India-US trade deal, which, if not signed before the July 9 deadline, would trigger a 26% tariff on Indian exports to the US under Trumps controversial "Liberation Day" reciprocal tariff regime, announced on April 2. Piyush Goyal can beat his chest all he wants. Mark my words, Modi will meekly bow to the Trump tariff deadline, Gandhi said in a post on X. Piyush Goyal can beat his chest all he wants, mark my words, Modi will meekly bow to the Trump tariff deadline. pic.twitter.com/t2HM42KrSi Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 5, 2025 Gandhis comment was a response to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, who maintained that India would not enter into any agreement that compromises national interest, especially in sensitive sectors like agriculture and dairy. India never enters into trade deals based on deadlines or time pressure. It should be a win-win agreement, and only when Indias interests are safeguarded. If a good deal is formed, India is always ready to engage with developed countries, Goyal said at a business event in Delhi. According to India Today, earlier sources had said that negotiators on both sides were trying to finalize an interim agreement before the July 9 deadline. Indian negotiators, led by Special Secretary Rajesh Agarwal, have extended their stay in Washington, D.C. in an effort to salvage the deal. The reciprocal tariffs, if implemented, could significantly impact Indian exports in sectors such as textiles, gems and jewellery, chemicals, and leather, where India has been seeking expanded market access in the US. Meanwhile, the United States has pushed for greater access to India's agricultural markets, especially in maize, soybeans, and the dairy sector, which employs more than 80 million people in India. India, however, has held firm, refusing to lower tariffs on these items, citing domestic livelihood concerns. The US had earlier suspended the imposition of the 26% tariff for 90 days, giving countries, including India, time to negotiate a mutually acceptable deal. But with the deadline fast approaching, tensions appear to be escalating on both sides. President Trump, who has previously labeled India as a tariff king and a big abuser of trade, has made tariff parity a key talking point in his economic agenda ahead of the upcoming US elections. Despite the looming threat of tariffs, Goyal insisted that India would prioritize national interest over imposed timelines. The next few days are crucial, as trade officials from both nations try to bridge the gap between protectionist domestic priorities and strategic economic cooperation. In a striking turn in Maharashtra's ever-evolving political landscape, estranged cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray will share the stage on Saturday, July 5, after nearly two decades of political rivalry, leading a high-profile rally to defend the Marathi language. The event will take place at 10 a.m. at the NSCI Dome in Worli, marking a potential turning point in both cultural and political spheres. The rally, organized by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction), follows their successful opposition to the states proposed three-language policy, which prompted the Mahayuti government to put the policy on hold. Dubbed a victory rally, the event is being held to celebrate what both parties are calling a triumph for Marathi unity. In an important public update, Raj Thackeray announced the revised date of the rally via a tweet, stating: "With warm regards, Jai Maharashtra. This morning, for our Marathi language, for Maharashtra, and for the Marathi people, a march was announced for the upcoming 6th of July. There is a slight change in that plan; the march will now take place on Saturday, 5th July, at 10 AM instead of Sunday, 6th July. The location and all other details remain unchanged. Therefore, the media and the people of Maharashtra should take note of this change." According to media reports, the rally is expected to draw a wide and diverse audience, ranging from Marathi writers, poets, and educators to editors, artists, and enthusiastic citizens. The Worli Dome, with a capacity of 7,000 to 8,000 people, will feature LED screens inside, outside, and along surrounding roads to accommodate overflow crowds and ensure maximum visibility. While the reunion has energized sections of the public and Marathi cultural groups, it has also drawn criticism from political rivals. BJP MP Narayan Rane dismissed the event as a strategic move ahead of the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, stating, It is not about Marathi pride. It is about saving their political future ahead of the BMC polls. Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) leader Ramdas Kadam also questioned the credibility of Uddhav Thackerays leadership, saying, Most of the Marathi people were compelled to leave Mumbai during the 30-year tenure of Uddhav Thackerays Shiv Sena rule in the BMC. Nevertheless, MNS leader Prakash Mahajan expressed optimism about the joint effort: This could be a positive sign for the unity of Marathi people. Invitations were extended to Sharad Pawar, founder of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Congress leader Harshavardhan Sapkal, though neither is expected to attend. MNS sources said they were unable to reach Sapkal, while Pawar, although present in Mumbai, is not likely to join the rally. As speculation swirls about whether this reunion signals a deeper political alignment, all eyes will be on Worli this morning. The event could become more than just a cultural statement, it may shape the course of Maharashtras political future. New Delhi: In a devastating road accident early Friday morning, eight members of a family, including a 24-year-old groom, were killed and two others critically injured when an overloaded Bolero SUV crashed into a wall in Jewanai village of Sambhal district, Uttar Pradesh. The wedding party was traveling from Har Govindpur village in Sambhal to the brides home in Sirtoul village in Budaun district when the vehicle, reportedly speeding, lost control around 6:30 am and rammed into the boundary wall of Janata Inter College, before overturning. According to an NDTV report, The SUV lost control and rammed into the wall of Janata Inter College, said Anukriti Sharma, Additional Superintendent of Police (South), adding, Upon receiving information, local police and medical teams launched an immediate rescue operation. Five individuals were brought dead to the Jewanai Community Health Centre. While five people died on the spot, three more succumbed to their injuries at the hospital. Two survivors in critical condition have been referred to a higher medical facility in Aligarh. Victims identified are Suraj (24) the groom, Asha (26) grooms sister-in-law, Aishwarya (2) Ashas daughter, Vishnu (6) son of Manoj, A paternal aunt of the groom, Two unidentified minors The SUV was carrying 10 people, far exceeding its recommended capacity. Eyewitness footage showed the vehicle mangled and bloodied, with scattered belongings and damage to the schools wall. PM Modi Condoles Loss, Announces Ex-Gratia Reacting to the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief and announced financial assistance for the families affected. Pained by the loss of lives due to a road accident in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon, PM Modi posted on X, adding, An ex-gratia of 2 lakh from PMNRF will be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured will receive 50,000. The District Administration is conducting a thorough investigation, with over-speeding and overloading considered primary causes. Police have not ruled out mechanical failure, pending forensic inspection. New Delhi: Cousins Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, who had been estranged for nearly 20 years, came together on Saturday to mark the Maharashtra government's withdrawal of Hindi as the optional third language in schools. Their united stand against the proposed three-language policy, which prompted the Mahayuti government to halt its rollout, has sparked fresh speculation about a possible political rapprochement. #WATCH | Mumbai: Brothers, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray share a hug as Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are holding a joint rally as the Maharashtra government scrapped two GRs to introduce Hindi as the third language. (Source: Shiv Sena-UBT) pic.twitter.com/nSRrZV2cHT July 5, 2025 Brothers, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray share a hug as Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are holding a joint rally as the Maharashtra government scrapped two GRs to introduce Hindi as the third language. #WATCH | Visuals from Worli Dome in Mumbai, where leaders of Uddhav Thackeray faction (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are holding a joint rally as the Maharashtra government scrapped two GRs to introduce Hindi as the third language. (Source: Shiv Sena-UBT) pic.twitter.com/y0bJTV5qJu ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2025 What Is the Hindi Imposition Controversy in Maharashtra? The Maharashtra government recently found itself in the middle of a political and cultural storm over its proposed three-language policy, which was seen as promoting Hindi in the states school curriculum. The controversy began after the Mahayuti government issued a government resolution (GR) in April, as part of implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 at the primary level. The GR stated that Hindi would be introduced as the default third language for students in Marathi and English-medium schools from Classes 1 to 5. This decision triggered strong backlash from various political, social, and cultural groups, most notably from Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, who criticized the move as an attempt to impose Hindi over regional languages in Maharashtra. Facing mounting pressure, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that Hindi would not be mandatory, and students would have the freedom to choose another Indian language instead. Earlier this month, the state government issued a revised order, stating that Hindi would "generally" be offered as the third language. However, the order added a condition: if at least 20 students in a class opted for a different Indian language, the school must provide a teacher for that subject or offer it through online classes. In response to the ongoing criticism, the government last week announced that it was withdrawing the amended GR and would set up a new committee to review and reframe the policy. New Delhi: In what could become a defining moment for Maharashtras shifting political landscape, rival brothers Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray reunited on-stage on Saturday after two decades, declaring their unity over the cause of the Marathi language, and hinting at something much larger in the making. The rally, officially termed a victory rally, held at the NSCI Dome in Worli, was billed as a celebration of the Maharashtra governments rollback of its contentious three-language formula, which proposed Hindi as the default third language in schools. But the real headline was not the policy reversal. It was the public reunion of the Thackeray cousins, long divided by ideology, personality, and political ambition. The Mahayuti governments move to implement Hindi as a default third language under the NEP 2020 had met with strong resistance from Marathi cultural and political groups. The public outcry prompted a hasty retreat by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who clarified that Hindi would not be mandatory. Yet, the damage had been done, and in that backlash, a moment was created, one that the Thackeray cousins seized to full effect and perhaps test the waters for a deeper political alliance ahead of the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. For Uddhav, this rally, which came on the heels of weeks of backlash against the Mahayuti governments order, was an opportunity to stake a claim once again as the voice of Marathi pride and Hindutva with a human face. For Raj, it was a strategic moment to reposition himself as a cultural warrior with a more inclusive tone. In a packed auditorium with thunderous applause, Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, declared, We have come together to stay together." His words, though brief, carried enormous political weight. For observers and party workers alike, the message was unmistakable: the Thackeray split that fractured Maharashtrian politics in 2006 might finally be healing. Raj Thackeray, MNS chief, struck a similar note of reconciliation but added a characteristically sharp edge. What Balasaheb could not do, Devendra Fadnavis has done, he brought us together, he quipped, turning the tables on the BJP, which he implied had unwittingly united the brothers through its missteps on language policy. This line, part sarcasm and part political theatre, drew laughs, but also raised eyebrows. Was this a mere coincidence, or was the BJPs dominance in Maharashtra now giving its opponents a reason to regroup? The rhetoric was familiar, but the tone was collaborative. For once, both Thackerays seemed aligned, not just in the message, but in mission. Both leaders subtly reframed the language controversy into a larger ideological battleground, where Marathi identity, cultural pride, and regional autonomy are now pitted against what they view as Delhis imposed nationalism. Raj Thackeray did not hold back in his speech. While emphasising that all communities in Maharashtra must respect Marathi, he made it clear that violence in the name of the language was unacceptable. There is no need to beat someone if they dont speak Marathi. But if someone does unnecessary drama, then yes, slap them, but dont make a video of it, he said, half-jokingly, to a crowd that laughed, cheered, and nodded in approval. Uddhav, meanwhile, took on the BJP directly. They ask what we did for the Marathi people in Mumbai. We ask them, what have you done in the last 11 years? You are pushing Mumbais businesses and institutions to Gujarat, he said. His critique was sharp and nationalistic, contrasting Mumbais Marathi legacy with what he called the BJPs outsourcing of state pride. He didnt stop there. In a fiery moment, he said, Who are you to teach us Hindutva? When riots happened, it was the Marathi people who protected every Hindu here. If fighting for justice makes us goons, then yes, we are goons. Raj, too, addressed the ongoing language debate, adding a national flavour to his argument, citing that even icons like Balasaheb Thackeray and L.K. Advani were educated in English-medium schools. Its not about the medium, its about your pride in your language, he said, pointing to how South Indian politicians had embraced their native tongues despite similar backgrounds. The Political Chessboard Set The rally was more than a flash of nostalgia. This reunion isnt merely communicative; it's strategic. With the BMC polls on the horizon, a reunited Thackeray front could threaten the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Senas dominance in urban Marathi constituencies. But questions remain. Will this unity extend beyond rhetoric and symbolism? Can two fiercely independent political identities work together in the trenches of civic polls? What would seat-sharing look like? And can egos be managed when votes are at stake? Yet, despite the uncertainty, Saturdays moment in Worli felt like something far bigger than a photo op. It was an emotional reset, a political recalibration, and a reminder that in Maharashtra, identity politics still has the power to unify as much as divide. Uddhav Thackeray strongly said, This is just the beginning. If this is the opening trailer of a larger narrative, Maharashtras political environment, and particularly the BMC polls, may soon witness a game-changing sequel. But for now, one thing is clear: the Thackeray brand has returned, and it's speaking in unison. Political rivals who have and have been estranged for the last twenty years came together to share a stage for a shared aim. Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Supremo Raj Thackeray held a joint public rally at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai's Worli. This comes days after the Maharashtra government withdrew the three-language policy resolutions after facing a 'Hindi imposition' charge. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, informing about the cancellation of the two government resolutions that were passed on April 16 and June 17, announced that a committee, under the leadership of Dr. Narendra Jhadav, will be formed to discuss the implementation of the three-language formula in the state. A joint morcha to protest the policy by the estranged Thackeray brothers was announced to be held on July 5. However, after the government canceled the resolutions, it was turned into a 'victory' rally by the respective parties. The coming together of Uddhav and Raj has turned into a big political show in Maharashtra. Uddhav Thackeray Speech Here are the key points Uddhav Thackeray raised in his 'victory' speech: 1- Uddhav Thackeray, in his address, made a big remark and said, "We have come together to stay together." He wanted to convey that the coming together of the Thackeray brothers is not temporary. 2- "I want to tell you all that us coming together is just a trailer. This is just the beginning..." Uddhav Thackeray added. 3- Uddhav Thackeray said in his address, Who are you to teach us about Hindutva? When riots were happening in Mumbai, we Marathi people had saved every Hindu in Maharashtra, be it anyone. Yes, we are goons; if we get justice by being goons, we will do hooliganism, Uddhav said. 4- Uddhav Thackeray also said, When the BJP says that they want one Constitution, one Symbol, and one Prime Minister, then they should remember that one symbol is the tricolour and not the BJP's flag, which is only a piece of cloth used to clean utensils. 5- Uddhav Thackeray added, They always ask us what we did for Marathi people in Mumbai during our rule in BMC. Now we are asking the question: In the last 11 years of your rule, what have you done? You have pushed away Mumbai's important establishment to Gujarat. Businesses are being transferred to Gujarat. Big offices are going to Gujarat. Raj Thackeray Speech Here are the points that the MNS leader raised: 1- Raj stated, "I had said in one of my interviews that my Maharashtra is bigger than any politics and fight. Today, after 20 years, Uddhav and I have come together. What Balasaheb could not do, Devendra Fadnavis did it... The work of bringing both of us together..." 2- Raj Thackeray said, "Be it Gujarati or anyone else here, must know Marathi, but there is no need to beat people for that if they dont speak Marathi." ANI quoted the MNS leader as saying, "But if someone shows useless drama, you must hit below their eardrums. I tell you one more thing: if you beat someone, dont make a video of the incident. Let the person beaten up tell that he has been beaten up, you dont need to tell everyone that you have beaten someone." 3- Taking a swipe at the Maharashtra CM, MNS chief Raj Thackeray said, "Devendra Fadnavis managed to do what Balasaheb Thackeray could not bring Raj and Uddhav Thackeray together." 4- MNS chief told the crowd, "They diverted the issue, saying Uddhav Thackeray's son was educated from English medium, we have a list of leaders whose sons are educated from English medium. We were educated in the Marathi language. My son was educated in the English medium. I want to tell you that Balasaheb Thackeray and my father, Shrikant Thackeray, received their education from an English medium, and Lalkrishna Advani was educated in a Convent school. Can you question all these leaders?" 5- "Several politicians and film stars from South India have studied in English medium schools but are proud of Tamil and Telugu languages, the MNS chief said. "Jayalalithaa, MK Stalin, Kanimozhi, Udhayanidhi, Pawan Kalyan, Nara Lokesh, Kamal Haasan, AR Rahman, they all studied in English," Raj said in his address. Uddhavs son and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, Rajs son and MNS leader Amit Thackeray, were also present on the stage where both parties held a joint rally. (with agencies inputs) New Delhi: Actor Priyanshu Painyuli, well known for his standout performances in Mirzapur, Extraction, and Bhavesh Joshi Superhero, is stepping behind the camera for the first time with his directorial debut, Jaagar. Set in the mystical mountains of Uttarakhand, Priyanshus home state, the film is a heartfelt and culturally rich narrative rooted in tradition, spirituality, and self-discovery. Having trained in filmmaking in Bangalore, Priyanshu has long nurtured a passion for storytelling. With Jaagar, he returns to the land that shaped him, crafting a story that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Plot of Jaagar The film follows Deepti, a woman standing at the crossroads of marriage and self-realization. She travels to Uttarakhand to document the ancient ritual of Jaagar Puja. What begins as a filmmakers attempt to capture a sacred tradition soon turns into a journey of spiritual awakening. Through Deeptis lens, we meet Geeta, a local woman whose divine possessions during the ritual help her rise above the trauma of an abusive marriage. Over time, the energy of the land and its forgotten spiritual forces compel Deepti to confront her own identity and truth. "Jaagar is a passion project in the truest senseborn out of love, faith, and relentless commitment," says Priyanshu. "Its even more special because it marks the first production from our own company, a dream Vandana and I built together. This isnt just my filmit belongs to all of us who poured our hearts into it. From Vandana to our families, and every single team member who believed in the story and spirit of Jaagar. This film is a shared dream, a collective heartbeat, and a testament to whats possible when you create with honesty and heart." Support from the State Adding to the films significance, the Uttarakhand government has extended its full support, recognizing Jaagars potential to spotlight the spiritual richness and breathtaking beauty of the state. With evocative cinematography by Hemant Kumar, the film showcases the lesser-seen landscapes of the Garhwal region, capturing the essence of the holy city and its enduring traditions. The cast includes Vandana Joshi, Saarika Singh, Rishi Solanki, and Priyanshu Painyuli himself, along with several local actors from Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand is where I come fromits mountains, stories, and traditions live within me, Priyanshu shares. "Jaagar is a film Ive carried in my heart for years. I knew that if I ever directed a feature, it had to be something this personal and rooted. Im excited, nervous, but mostly grateful to be able to tell this story. Jaagar is more than just a filmits a reflection of a land, a culture, and the timeless journey of rediscovering the self. New Delhi: In a shocking incident, Punjabi actress Tanias father, Dr. Anil Jit Singh Kamboj, was shot by two unidentified assailants at his clinic in Moga, Punjab, on Friday, July 4. The doctor sustained two gunshot wounds and remains in critical condition at a private hospital. According to eyewitness account to Punjab Mania, the attackers arrived on a motorcycle and posed as patients before opening fire at close range while Dr. Kamboj was attending to patients. The Times of India reported that Mogas Superintendent of Police confirmed, The assailants came with a plan. They approached Dr. Kamboj posing as patients, then fired at close range. Police sources revealed that the doctor had reportedly been receiving threats in the past, though no formal complaint had been registered. Authorities are now investigating all possible angles, including extortion threats. Forensic teams have examined the crime scene, while nearby CCTV footage is being analysed to trace the culprits. Multiple police checkpoints have been set up across Moga to assist in the investigation. As per News18, Dr. Kamboj was swiftly taken to a nearby hospital where he continues to receive emergency medical care.In light of the incident, actress Tania shared a statement on Instagram requesting privacy and compassion during this difficult time. On behalf of Tania and family, we want to share that this is an extremely critical and emotional time. We kindly request the media to respect their privacy and give them space to process this. Please refrain from speculation or creating stories around the situation. Thank you for your understanding and support, the note read. Tania is a prominent name in Punjabi cinema, known for acclaimed performances in films such as Sufna, Bajre Da Sitta, Rabb Da Radio 2, Oye Makhna, and Guddiyan Patole. Janata Dal-United (JDU) leader Shyam Rajak on Saturday, while addressing the issue of the Gopal Khemka murder case, said that he was like a "family member". Gopal Khemka was murdered on Friday night in Patna's Gandhi Maidan area. The JDU leader stated that he shared a 45-year-old relationship with Gopal Khemka and asserted that his murder is a "concerning" issue. Shyam Rajak mentioned that Gopal Khemka's murder has raised many questions and noted that his son was also murdered in Hajipur outside his factory. "He was like a family member. We shared a relationship for 45 years... It's quite surprising that someone like him could be someone's enemy. The fact that he died under these circumstances is concerning because he did not quarrel with anyone. His murder raises many questions. His son was also killed recently in Hajipur outside the factory", Shyam Rajak told ANI. Meanwhile, JDU leader Neeraj Kumar considers the Gopal Khemka murder case a "challenge" for the Bihar government. He asserted that the truth will come out as an SIT has been formed under the leadership of the Patna Central SP. "How Gopal Khemka was murdered is a challenge for us, given the way that the criminal incident was carried out next to Gandhi Maidan. The police have set up SIT immediately under the leadership of City SP Central, and we hope that the results will come very soon", Neeraj Kumar told ANI. Earlier, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly alleged that hundreds of businessmen are being killed in Bihar, but we can't call it "Jungle Raj". Yadav, a former Deputy Chief Minister, also raised questions over the law and order situation and said, "A few steps away from the police station in Patna, a prominent Bihar businessman was shot dead!" "Hundreds of businessmen are being murdered in Bihar every month, but we can't call it jungle raj? Because this is what the scriptures call media management, perception management, and image management", Tejashwi Yadav wrote on 'X' in Hindi. Earlier today, RJD leader Mrtiyunjay Tiwari slammed the Bihar government over the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna, alleging that the state has "descended into lawlessness" under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership. The RJD leader stated that Nitish Kumar is no longer fit to remain the Chief Minister of Bihar. "Nitish Kumar is no longer fit to remain on the Chief Minister's chair even for a moment. Bihar has descended into a state of lawlessness... Only the departure of this government will bring good to Bihar", Mrityunjay Tiwari told ANI. Meanwhile, the Bihar Police have set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder case. The SIT will be headed by Patna Central SP. (ANI) New Delhi: Fans are buzzing with excitement after actress Sreeleela made a surprise appearance at Mumbais Mehboob Studio, sparking speculation about an upcoming major project. The South Indian star is already set to make her Bollywood debut opposite Kartik Aaryan in Anurag Basus next, and now her recent spotting has intensified curiosity. According to reports, Sreeleela was seen shooting at the iconic studio, hinting at something big in the works. Fans quickly took to social media, asking: "Is something massive coming?" Having already created waves in the South film industry, Sreeleela is now one of the most anticipated newcomers in Bollywood. Whats remarkable is the scale of opportunities shes receiving so early in her career a feat few actresses achieve. In an earlier interview with Elle India, when asked about being hailed as the "next big thing," Sreeleela responded: Its a very kind thought, and I have immense gratitude for peoples faith in me. Fuel and pressure aside, its a responsibility and I want to give it the best of my ability. Her thoughtful response reflects her humility and awareness of the hard work that fame demands. She also shared how she gave up her dream of becoming a doctor to pursue acting. Doctor was the first spelling I knew. That was very clear. But everyone who met me especially my moms colleagues used to say, Shes going to get into acting for sure. My mom would be like, Shhh! Dont say it in front of her! Sreeleelas mother is a renowned gynaecologist based in Bengaluru. Sreeleela began her journey as a child artiste and made her acting debut in the 2017 Telugu film Chitrangada. Her first lead role came in Kiss (2019), directed by AP Arjun. This was followed by films like Bharaate, Pelli Sandad(her Telugu debut), By Two Love, Dhamaka, Skanda, Bhagavanth Kesari, Aadikeshava, Extra Ordinary Man, Guntur Kaaram, and various popular song-and-dance numbers. While she has been praised for her performances, it was her blockbuster dance number "Kissik" in Allu Arjuns Pushpa 2 that became a game-changer in her career. Bollywood actor Ishaan Khatter has shared the first look of his upcoming film A Suitable Boy, which is helmed by Mira Nair. The film is an adaptation of the book by the same name written by Vikram Seth. The suspected terrorists were detained by the Special Cell of Delhi Police from Jahangirpuri. During the interrogation of the terrorists, it was revealed that the Hindu leaders of Punjab were the target of the terrorists, now there is big news in this matter that the special cell is looking for four more suspects. After the Maharashtra government canceled the three-language policy resolutions, Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS announced a joint 'victory' rally, marking the coming together of Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray for the first time in two decades. During their address in the program, both leaders made big statements related to the now-nixed language policy and several other points. New Delhi: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday that India is emerging as a global leader in technology and innovation, driven by its young population, cost-effective R&D ecosystem, and forward-looking policies. He asserted that India's embrace of technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing, and data analytics is helping the country move up the global growth chart. In a video message shared on the social media platform X, Goyal highlighted that Indias innovation costs are significantly lower than those in Western economies. When we work on new technologies in India, our cost is nearly one-sixth or one-seventh of what it would be in Switzerland or Europe or America, he said. He pointed out that with a $12 billion investment in innovation, India can effectively generate outcomes worth $100 billion -- the equivalent cost in developed nations. Minister @PiyushGoyal delivered the keynote address at the @IITMadras Alumni Association event, Sangam 2025, in Bengaluru. He spoke about how making a future-ready India is at the centre of various policy initiatives of the Modi government, which is driving innovation and growth pic.twitter.com/BzMu2tHymE Piyush Goyal Office (@PiyushGoyalOffc) July 5, 2025 And when we roll that money over three or four cycles, you can imagine the scale of support this fund can provide to our innovation ecosystem, Goyal added while speaking at the IIT Madras Alumni Associations Sangam 2025 event. The minister said that India is transforming from a job-seeking nation to one of job creators, thanks to its thriving startup and research landscape. Our science and technology, combined with our startup ecosystem and R&D efforts, are writing the India growth story of the future, he said. Goyal credited the youth of the country for driving this transformation, stating that Indias young population is leading innovation, research, and technology adoption across sectors and government programmes. He further emphasised that India does not shy away from adopting new technologies, and instead views them as essential to economic growth. They are being absorbed in our manufacturing, services, and business sectors, helping India become the fastest-growing large economy in the world, the minister said. This tech-driven approach is helping India buck the global slowdown trend and expand its presence in international trade and innovation leadership, the Union Minister mentioned. United States President Donald Trump has signed tariff letters on exports from 12 countries, which are expected to be sent out on July 7 (Monday). Speaking to the media aboard Air Force One, the US President said the names of the countries which will receive the letters would only be revealed on Monday. "I signed some letters and they'll go out on Monday, probably 12. Different amounts of money, different amounts of tariffs, he told reporters. "The letters are better. It is much easier to send a letter," Trump added. Trump has suggested that the reciprocal tariffs could go even higher, potentially reaching 70 percent for some countries, and take effect from August 1. The US President in April unveiled a base tariff of 10 percent on most goods entering the country, along with higher rates for certain countries, including China. Those elevated tariffs were later suspended till July 9. Washington has concluded trade agreements with two countries - the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Meanwhile, India's high-level official delegation, led by chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, has returned from Washington without reaching a final agreement with US officials on the sensitive issue of trade in agricultural and dairy products that the US is pushing for. However, there is still a glimmer of hope that an interim bilateral trade agreement may be reached at the highest political level in the two countries before the July 9 deadline. The Indian team was in Washington for negotiations on an interim trade agreement with the US from June 26 to July 2. According to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, India will not hurry into signing a free trade agreement under pressure from any deadline. Speaking on the sidelines of an event in the national capital, Minister Goyal emphasised that India is ready to make trade deals in the national interest but it "never negotiates trade deals with a deadline". The US is seeking broader market access for its agricultural and dairy products, which is a major hurdle, as for India, this is a livelihood issue for the country's small farmers, and hence, is considered a sensitive area. While India is seeking to secure an exemption from President Trump's 26 percent tariffs by concluding an interim deal before July 9, it is also pushing for significant tariff concessions for its labor-intensive exports, such as textiles, leather, and footwear. The Russian military has carried out a series of strikes on Ukrainian military-related targets in response to "terrorist" raids by Kiev deep into Russia, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said, RT reported. In a statement on Friday, the ministry said its forces had launched a massive strike overnight in retaliation for "the terrorist acts of the Kiev regime," adding that it involved long-range precision weapons, Kinzhal air-based hypersonic missiles and drones. Building on this, officials detailed that the attack targeted industrial enterprises developing and producing drones and other robotic mobile systems, facilities manufacturing various military equipment in Kiev, as well as a military airfield and an oil refinery in an undisclosed location. "The goal of the strike has been achieved. All designated facilities have been hit," the ministry added. Reacting to the development, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky described the attack as "one of the largest airstrikes" the country has faced, claiming it involved 550 aerial targets of various kinds, including 330 drones. He added that the raid affected Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkov, and Chernigov regions, resulting in 23 people being injured, RT reported. Supporting this account, Ukrainian media outlets shared footage from Kiev showing massive blazes, with some districts covered by smoke so thick that residents were forced to wear masks. Local authorities reported damage to a warehouse, a repair facility, and several other buildings. While the damage spread across multiple regions, Moscow maintained that its strikes do not target civilians and are aimed exclusively at Ukraine's military-related facilities and troop concentrations. Further intensifying the situation, on Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported downing 48 Ukrainian drones over Russia. One UAV strike killed an elderly woman in Rostov Region. Moscow Region was also targeted, with one attack damaging a power station in the city of Sergiyev-Posad, north-east of the Russian capital, RT added. Providing additional details of the escalation, Russian forces launched a large-scale overnight strike on Ukrainian industrial infrastructure using long-range precision weapons and drones, Russia Today reported on June 30. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the operation on Sunday, calling it a "massive strike" targeting Ukraine's military-industrial and oil-processing facilities. Expanding on the nature of the assault, the ministry stated that it involved high-precision long-range air-, sea-, and land-based weapons, including the aeroballistic hypersonic Kinzhal missile system and unmanned aerial vehicles. While no detailed breakdown of the targets was provided, the ministry declared that the "strike goals were achieved. All designated targets were hit," Russia Today stated. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed the attack, claiming that Russia deployed 477 explosives-laden drones and 60 missiles of various types. In response to the strike's intensity, Zelensky posted on Telegram urging Kyiv's Western allies to increase air defence support. He further revealed that a Western-supplied F-16 fighter jet was lost while intercepting the strike, resulting in the pilot's death. Adding to the picture of widespread damage, in Poltava Region, an industrial site in Kremenchuk was also reportedly hit. Russia Today reported that both locations are home to oil-processing plants, believed to be the likely targets of the attack. Social media footage circulating online appeared to show explosions and aftermath scenes from several affected regions in Ukraine. Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday took part in a mass plantation drive in Deogarh district of Odisha as part of the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, which has been gaining momentum across the state. The initiative, aimed at promoting environmental sustainability and increasing green cover, has seen active participation from local communities, especially youth and rural residents. While speaking to ANI, Dharmendra Pradhan said, "The program' Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' is becoming very successful. Whenever I have visited Odisha in recent days, I have seen a lot of excitement there. Yesterday I was in the Angul district... Today, I am in the Deogarh district, and there is a great deal of enthusiasm here. Lakhs of trees will be planted this time in this district." The plantation drive is being carried out by the State Forest and Environment Department in collaboration with the District Administration. A day earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also lauded the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative and said that 50 crore saplings will be planted on July 9. CM Adityanath said, "I remember that in 2017, when we organised the plantation campaign, I was unable to get even five crore saplings. Now, this time, when we are initiating a large plantation drive under the aegis of the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, which we will join on 9th July, we have got 50 crore saplings for planting." He claimed that by using modern technology, a farmer in Uttar Pradesh is earning a net profit of Rs 1 lakh per acre. "Our farmer is earning a net profit of Rs 1 lakh in one acre. This shows that he has now started farming in a modern way; the result is visible to us. Similarly, there is new technology sugarcane," the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said. "Right now, we have established some centres of excellence for this purpose. Agricultural Science Centres are working in a new way. And to advance these methods, now the Horticulture Department, along with the participation of the forest department and the private sector, has started the work," he said. (ANI) AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday launched his 2026 election campaign with the release of a new logo and slogan from the party headquarters, 'MGR Maligai', in Chennai. He announced that his statewide campaign titled 'Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom' (Let's Protect People, Let's Redeem Tamil Nadu) will begin from Coimbatore on July 7, covering eight districts in the first phase. The newly launched campaign logo featured two leaves with the AIADMK flag, a raised fist symbolising revolution, and the slogans 'Puratchi Tamizharin Ezhuchi Payanam' and 'Tamilagathai Kappom, Makkalai Meetpom', reinforcing the party's mission to protect and uplift the people of Tamil Nadu. While addressing the event, Edappadi Palaniswami said, "Following the footsteps of Perarignar Anna, our leaders MGR and Amma have lived their lives for people. AIADMK is following that and working for the welfare of people." Taking a sharp jibe at Chief Minister MK Stalin, Palaniswami added, "Chief Minister MK Stalin says Opposition leader now only meeting the people. But CM thinks speaking about me, but actually he is speaking about himself. I always live with the people." Palaniswami made it clear that although this was a campaign tour, it carried a much larger political goal. "Our goal is to remove this evil government," he added, setting a confrontational tone ahead of the 2026 state elections. "To defeat DMK, all like-minded parties should unite. They also should accept our request, which is our opinion," he further said. He later added that Union Minister Amit Shah has already mentioned AIADMK will head the NDA alliance in the State, and he will be the candidate for the Chief Minister post. Earlier, AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan welcomed the reported remarks made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the BJP-AIADMK alliance and the chief ministerial candidate for the 2026 Assembly elections. He said that all is well within the BJP-AIADMK alliance and that Edappadi K Palaniswami would lead the state again. (ANI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two 'US donkey route' human traffickers after searches at two locations in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi, the agency said on Saturday. The accused, identified as Sunny alias Sunny Donker of Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district and Shubham Sandhal alias Deep Hundi of Ropar in Punjab, and currently residing in Delhi's Peeragarhi, were associates of Gagandeep Singh alias Goldy, arrested earlier in March. They were arrested on Friday. NIA said Gagandeep was arrested on a complaint of a victim who was illegally trafficked to the US using the infamous 'Dunki' route and was deported back to India in February this year. NIA had chargesheeted Gagandeep, a resident of Tilak Nagar in New Delhi, in the case on June 27. As per NIA investigations, Gagandeep Singh used to take around Rs 45 lakh from each victim on the pretext of sending them to the US on a valid legal visa. "He would then illegally send them on an arduous journey via multiple countries, including Spain, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico," said the NIA. He had sent more than 100 victims illegally to the US in this manner before being arrested. Sunny was the main associate of Gagandeep Singh and played a key role in facilitating the journey of the victims on the donkey route. "The victims were physically and mentally harassed on the way by the donkers and agents seeking to make more money. Shubham Sandhal was an important hawala courier operator involved in transferring funds to donkers in Latin America. Gagandeep used him to transfer part of the money taken from the victims to the donkeys based in Latin America," said the NIA in a statement. NIA, which took over the case from Punjab Police on March 13, 2025, is continuing with its investigation to unravel the entire illegal racket and conspiracy. (ANI) Preparations are underway for the joint rally of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Worli as the Maharashtra government scrapped two Government Resolutions (GRs) to introduce Hindi as the third language. MNS leader, Sandeep Sudhakar Deshpande, said, "It is a historic day. We are not only celebrating at his venue, but Marathi people are celebrating 5th July as victory day at several places in Maharashtra, because the way our government was trying to impose Hindi on us, it is a victory against that. I don't think this victory rally should be seen politically. This is not a political rally, it is a victory of the Marathi people." Recently, the Maharashtra government withdrew its April 16 orders on the implementation of the three-language policy that made Hindi a "mandatory" third language for school students in Classes 1 to 5 studying in English and Marathi medium schools. This development followed a heavy backlash from various groups and political parties. Informing about the cancellation of the resolutions that were passed on April 16 and June 17, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that a committee will be formed to discuss the implementation of the three-language formula in the state. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday warned of strict legal action against those engaging in "hooliganism" in the name of Marathi. He said that the Mahayuti government will not tolerate violence against commoners. "It is not wrong to be proud of the Marathi language in Maharashtra. But if someone indulges in hooliganism due to language, we will not tolerate it. If someone beats up people based on language, this will not be tolerated. The police have filed an FIR and taken action on the incident, and if anyone creates such a language dispute in future, legal action will be taken," Fadnavis told reporters here. He also pointed out that the people engaging in "hooliganism" amid the ongoing controversy over language in Maharashtra were those who embrace English but create dispute over Hindi. "We are proud of our Marathi, but injustice cannot be done to any language of India in this manner; we will have to keep this in mind. And sometimes, I am surprised that these people embrace English and create disputes over Hindi. What kind of thinking is this, and what kind of action is this? Therefore, strict action will be taken against those who take the law into their own hands," Fadnavis said. In a viral video, a group of men allegedly associated with a regional party beat up a shop owner for not speaking in Marathi. The incident occurred in the Mira-Bhayandar area near Mumbai. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'S Bengaluru South unit on Saturday organized a Citizens' march from Lalbagh North gate to Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) headquarters, Shanthinagar demanding the early commencement of the city's metro's yellow line. MP Tejasvi Surya was also present in the march. The MP stating the importance of the metro and buses in the city, said that despite being the most important line in the city, the inauguration and opening of the yellow line's operations had been pending since 2021. "Metro and bus are the two most important means of public transport. However, the most critical yellow line that connects the residential heart of South Bengaluru to Electronic City is pending the inauguration and opening of operations for almost four years. In 2021, the operations were scheduled to start. Four years later, we still don't have any clarity..." Surya said, speaking to the reporters here. He further stated that the metro fares had increased by 100 per cent, which resulted in a dip of 1 lakh passengers and demanded the fare fixation report to be made public. "Metro recently increased the fares by 100%... Ever since the increase in metro fares, about 1 lakh passengers' dip in ridership is witnessed every day... We want the fare fixation report to be made public..." he further stated. He further stated that the protests would continue if the operations of the Yellow Line did not start earlier. "We have several questions on the operation of the yellow line. The metro is for the people. Bengaluru is full of congestion today... if the government does not start the services earlier on the yellow line, these protests would continue..." he added. Earlier on June 22, Tejasvi Surya criticised the Bengaluru Metro for its lack of ambition, aesthetics, and respect for commuters. In a post on X, MP Surya shared a YouTube link to a video titled 'Why Moscow Is Insanely Well Designed', urging the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to learn from international best practices. "Bengaluru Metro should learn the best from around the world," his post read. He particularly pointed out the Moscow Metro, highlighting its impressive train frequency of every 80 seconds and its beautifully designed stations, which he said could serve as a model for Bengaluru. (ANI) Union Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed happiness over attending Tibetan spiritual leader, the 14th Dalai Lama's 90th birthday celebrations in Dharamshala on Saturday. The Union Minister mentioned that prayers for the long life of the Dalai Lama were held on Saturday, whereas his 90th birthday celebrations will be held on Sunday. "I have come here to attend the 90th birthday celebrations of the Dalai Lama. Devotees from all over the world have come here and I am glad that I am also able to attend. Today was the prayers for his long life, and tomorrow, his 90th birthday celebrations will be held", Kiren Rijiju told ANI. Apart from Kiren Rijiju, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and renowned Hollywood actor Richard Gere have also attended the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday celebrations. According to the Gregorian calendar, the Dalai Lama's birthday is officially observed on July 6. The occasion is being marked with festive spirit and devotion by Tibetan communities and followers across the region. On July 2, the Dalai Lama stated that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a foundation established by him, can only recognise future reincarnations, and no one else has the authority to decide on the matter. This statement rules out any say for China in the process of naming the next Dalai Lama. In a statement on Wednesday, Dalai Lama stated, "The process by which a future Dalai Lama is to be recognized has been clearly established in the 24 September 2011 statement which states that responsibility for doing so will rest exclusively with members of the Gaden Phodrang Trust, the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They should consult the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. They should accordingly carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition." "I hereby reiterate that the Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation; no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter, he added. The Dalai Lama recalled making a statement on whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue during a meeting of the heads of Tibetan spiritual traditions on September 24, 2011. On July 4, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju asserted that the choice of the Dalai Lama's successor should rest solely with the spiritual leader himself, reflecting the belief of his followers worldwide amid China's recent statement on the matter. "I am a devotee of the Dalai Lama. Anybody in the world who follows the Dalai Lama wants his successor to be chosen by the Dalai Lama himself," Rijiju said. (ANI) While addressing the 'Awaz Marathicha' joint rally in Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that he has come to "stay together" with his brother Raj Thackeray. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT) are holding a joint rally in Mumbai to oppose the alleged imposition of the Hindi language over Maharashtra by the state government. "We have come together to stay together", Uddhav Thackeray said while addressing the gathering. The former Maharashtra CM stated that ever since the announcement of this program, everyone was "eagerly" waiting for his and Raj Thackeray's speech. He hailed Raj Thackeray's vocal skills and stated that he has always delivered an "outstanding" speech, so there is no need for him to speak. "Since we announced this program, everyone was eagerly waiting for our speech today, but in my view, we are both coming together, and this stage was more important than our speeches . Raj has already given a very outstanding speech, and I think there is no need for me to speak now", Uddhav Thackeray said. Hitting out at the Centre and Maharashtra government, Uddhav Thackeray questioned what the government has done in its tenure of 11 years for Maharashtra and Mumbai, while referring to him being asked what the Shiv Sena (UBT) has done for Mumbai being in the BMC. Uddhav alleged that the Centre has pushed Mumbai's important establishments to Gujarat, and these are all attempts to break the "backbone" of Maharashtra. "They always ask us what we did for the Marathi people in Mumbai during our rule in BMC. They all forced Marathi people to go out of Mumbai, but now we are asking a question: in the last 11 years of your rule, what have you done? You have pushed away Mumbai's important establishments to Gujarat. Businesses are being transferred to Gujarat. Big offices are going to Gujarat. The diamond business has already shifted to Gujarat, so you have made all attempts to break the backbone of Maharashtra and continue to do that, and you are asking questions to us", Uddhav Thackeray said. Earlier, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray launched a veiled attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and said that the Chief Minister did what could not be possible for Balasaheb Thackeray, as he brought the two estranged brothers of the Thackeray family together. Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray shared a hug at the Worli Dome in Mumbai as they held a joint rally after the Maharashtra government scrapped two Government Resolutions (GRs) to introduce Hindi as the third language. The Thackeray brothers garlanded the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at a joint rally of their parties, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), at the Worli Dome in Mumbai. Addressing the gathering, Raj Thackeray said, "I had said in one of my interviews that my Maharashtra is bigger than any politics and fight. Today, after 20 years, Uddhav and I have come together. What Balasaheb could not do, Devendra Fadnavis did it... The work of bringing both of us together." (ANI) Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a heartfelt gesture saluting the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication of farmers, participated in paddy sowing on his private farmland in Nagra Terai area of Khatima on Saturday. According to a release, on the occasion, the Chief Minister offered traditional prayers to Bhumiyan Devta (the deity of land), Lord Indra (God of rains), and Meghraj (God of clouds) through the melodious strains of the culturally significant Hudkiya Baul, a folk instrument historically played in the farmlands of Uttarakhand to invoke blessings for a good harvest. CM Dhami's active participation in the sowing activity and his deep cultural connection with the farming community drew overwhelming enthusiasm among the local populace. This inspirational initiative by the Chief Minister underscores the state government's commitment to recognising and honouring the pivotal role of farmers in Uttarakhand's economy. Likewise, it also emphasised the promotion of conservation of traditional agricultural practices, rural cultural heritage, and rich folk arts. Meanwhile, Dhami participated in the Civil Aviation Conference-2025 organised in Dehradun on Friday. Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu and the Civil Aviation Ministers of North India also attended the conference. The CM said that this conference is a testimony to the historic progress made in the civil aviation sector of the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that by connecting small cities and remote areas with air connectivity through the Udan scheme, not only has air travel become accessible to the common citizens, but the local economy has also been strengthened. The Chief Minister stated that 18 heliports are currently being developed in Uttarakhand, out of which services have commenced at 12. He said that heli services have become not only a means of transport in hilly states like Uttarakhand, but have also become a lifeline. "Be it disaster management, health services or pilgrimage, helicopter services have provided unprecedented convenience in these areas". Chief Minister Dhami urged the Union Civil Aviation Ministry to formulate a separate "Mountain Aviation Policy" for mountain states, which should include provisions such as special financial assistance, subsidy for operations, a suitable ATC network for mountain areas, accurate weather forecast, slotting and pre-disaster preparation. The Chief Minister also requested that all operators provide special pilot training for mountain flights, adhere strictly to safety standards, and ensure the safety of passengers. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over the Sambhal wedding car crash incident and annoumced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for kin of each deceased. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in an accident in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the mishap. May the injured recover soon." "An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," he wrote. The accident that took place in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district, where five people lost their lives and several others were injured after a car carrying members of a wedding procession crashed into a wall. The incident occurred around 7:30 pm in the Junawai area, when a Bolero Neo vehicle rammed into the wall of Janta Inter College. According to Sambhal SP KK Bishnoi, police received information about the accident in the evening and immediately rushed to the spot. "At around 7.30 pm, we received information that a Bolero Neo car had collided with the wall of Janta Inter College. Police reached the spot and removed the car with the help of a JCB," he told ANI. "Five critically injured have been referred to Aligarh, and the other five lost their lives on the spot. They were residents of Hargovind village under the Junawai police station area," the SP added. The victims were part of a wedding procession, and the groom was on his way to his wedding. Initial investigations suggested that the accident occurred due to a mistake by the driver. "The car probably collided due to the driver's mistake..." SP Bishnoi later said. Further investigation is still ongoing. (ANI) One Naxal was killed in an ongoing encounter with Dantewada - Bijapur District Reserve Guard (DRG) in the forest of the Indravati National Park area, on the borders of Bijapur- Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh, as per officials. One naxal was killed in an ongoing encounter between Dantewada - Bijapur DRG and Naxals in the forest of Indravati National Park area, on the border of Bijapur-Dantewada District, a police Official said on Saturday. Meanwhile, on July 1, the Chhattisgarh government and central government intensified the campaign to eradicate Naxalism. Under this, a target has been set to eradicate Naxalism by March 2026. Narayanpur Collector Pratishtha Mamgai said that a survey was conducted for housing for all Naxal victims and surrendered Naxalites, and all eligible beneficiaries have been approved for PM housing. Speaking to ANI, Mamgai said, "Under the government's policy, a survey was conducted for housing for all Naxal victims and surrendered Naxalites, and under this survey, all eligible beneficiaries have been approved for PM housing. Additionally, we strive to ensure that people can enroll in various courses offered at the Livelihood College based on their interests. Under this, 110 people are undergoing training. This training is being conducted in three to four disciplines. For instance, courses for taxi drivers, plumbers, and water distribution are ongoing, so our effort is to enable as many people as possible to take up a course of their interest and earn a livelihood through it." "Whenever Naxal victims and surrendered Naxalites come to us, we provide them aid to start a new livelihood and try to make them beneficiaries of all the government schemes. Through training, they will get new means of employment," she added. In Chhattisgarh's new Naxal rehabilitation policy, arrangements are being made to secure the future of surrendered Naxalites. Under this initiative, dedicated Naxalites are being trained according to their proficiency in the Livelihood College, focusing on skill development and upgradation at the district level. After completing this training, they will also receive a monthly allowance of ten thousand rupees for a period of three years to support their employment or self-employment. Former Naxalites are being given skill development training in special training camps run by the government through the Livelihood College at Narayanpur district headquarters. Surrendered Naxalites are moving on the path of becoming self-reliant and are raising their families. The surrendered Naxalites taking training in these camps seem satisfied with the present while expressing regret over their past. At Narayanpur's Livelihood College, surrendered Naxalites are receiving technical education in sewing, embroidery, masonry, plumbing, driving, and computer skills. (ANI) AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday reiterated his call for the unity of all like-minded parties to defeat the ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu. Addressing the media after launching his election campaign logo 'Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom' (Let's Protect the People, Let's Redeem Tamil Nadu), Palaniswami said, "All like-minded parties should unite to defeat the DMK, which is anti-people and whoever wants DMK to get defeated, we are happy to form an alliance with them. Their cooperation is needed for this -- that is my opinion." He said AIADMK was open to forming an alliance with anyone who opposed the DMK, including actor Vijay's newly launched party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), despite the latter ruling out any tie-up with the BJP. AIADMK, a key partner in the BJP-led NDA, stood firm on its alliance strategy despite TVK's declaration of going solo. Responding to actor Vijay's announcement of contesting alone, Palaniswami said, "That is his decision. Each party will criticise the other parties. Based on that, he has criticised our alliance. All parties do this to develop their base; that is normal." Palaniswami also expressed confidence in AIADMK's return to power in the upcoming 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. He said, "This could be just an election campaign, but this campaign journey has a big goal. The goal is to defeat the Stalin Model DMK government. This journey is to reflect the flaws and failures of the DMK government and to remove them. This election campaign would bring a big change. AIADMK will create history by winning the election in 2026." The AIADMK campaign is set to begin from Coimbatore on July 7, covering eight districts in the first phase. Alongside the logo, AIADMK Deputy General Secretary K P Munusamy also released a campaign song to energize the party cadre. (ANI) Hitting out at Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena over their joint rally held in Mumbai on Saturday, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar termed it as a "public appeasement" campaign for elections rather than an event organised for language. For the first time in 20 years, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray shared the stage publicly. They came together over the alleged imposition of the Hindi language by the Maharashtra government in the state. Ashish Shelar, in his 'X' post, took a jibe at Shiv Sena (UBT), stating, "Ubatha Sena" (a mocking term for Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena) has remembered "brotherhood" ahead of the BMC elections. "This isn't about language... It's a public appeasement campaign for elections! With the municipal elections approaching, the panicked Ubatha Sena (a mocking term for Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena) has suddenly remembered "brotherhood", Ashish Shelar wrote in his 'X' post. The Maharashtra minister said that the "so-called family get together" was just for the sake of "public appeasement" and there is no "love language" involved between them. "Today's so-called family get-together in Worli was a public appeasement event for the very brother they once threw out of the house. There is no real love for language involved here... and they've never truly cared for it anyway!", Ashish Shelar's 'X' post said. Shelar mentioned that Uddhav Thackeray is "desperate" to get back in power in BMC and his "handshake" with Raj Thackeray is "nothing but trying to win the family truce because they know they'll lose the election!" "Today's so-called family get-together in Worli was a public appeasement event for the very brother they once threw out of the house. There is no real love for language involved here... and they've never truly cared for it anyway! This is nothing but a desperate scramble to regain power in the municipal corporation, so they can once again loot Mumbai. Mr. Uddhav Thackeray's handshake with Raj Thackeray is nothing but "Trying to win the family truce because they know they'll lose the election!" the 'X' post read. Earlier today, while addressing the 'Awaz Marathicha' joint rally in Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that he has come to "stay together" with his brother Raj Thackeray. "We have come together to stay together", Uddhav Thackeray said while addressing the gathering. The former Maharashtra CM stated that ever since the announcement of this program, everyone was "eagerly" waiting for his and Raj Thackeray's speech. He hailed Raj Thackeray's vocal skills and stated that he has always delivered an "outstanding" speech, so there is no need for him to speak. "Since we announced this program, everyone was eagerly waiting for our speech today, but in my view, we are both coming together, and this stage was more important than our speeches. Raj has already given a very outstanding speech, and I think there is no need for me to speak now", Uddhav Thackeray said. Hitting out at the Centre and Maharashtra government, Uddhav Thackeray questioned what the government has done in its tenure of 11 years for Maharashtra and Mumbai, while referring to him being asked what the Shiv Sena (UBT) has done for Mumbai being in the BMC. Uddhav alleged that the Centre has pushed Mumbai's important establishments to Gujarat, and these are all attempts to break the "backbone" of Maharashtra. "They always ask us what we did for the Marathi people in Mumbai during our rule in BMC. They all forced Marathi people to go out of Mumbai, but now we are asking a question: in the last 11 years of your rule, what have you done? You have pushed away Mumbai's important establishments to Gujarat. Businesses are being transferred to Gujarat. Big offices are going to Gujarat. The diamond business has already shifted to Gujarat, so you have made all attempts to break the backbone of Maharashtra and continue to do that, and you are asking questions to us", Uddhav Thackeray said. Earlier, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray launched a veiled attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and said that the Chief Minister did what could not be possible for Balasaheb Thackeray, as he brought the two estranged brothers of the Thackeray family together. Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray shared a hug at the Worli Dome in Mumbai as they held a joint rally after the Maharashtra government scrapped two Government Resolutions (GRs) to introduce Hindi as the third language. The Thackeray brothers garlanded the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at a joint rally of their parties, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), at the Worli Dome in Mumbai. Addressing the gathering, Raj Thackeray said, "I had said in one of my interviews that my Maharashtra is bigger than any politics and fight. Today, after 20 years, Uddhav and I have come together. What Balasaheb could not do, Devendra Fadnavis did it... The work of bringing both of us together." (ANI) Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Saturday defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being undertaken in Bihar, urging political stakeholders not to view the exercise through a partisan lens. He described the process as a routine yet crucial measure to ensure the accuracy and integrity of voter data. "Don't make this just a political issue. This is a process of sanitisation which has been followed from time to time. It is important to follow it," Paswan said, emphasising that the exercise is aimed at maintaining a clean and credible electoral system. Paswan noted that the names of deceased individuals and non-local residents often appear in voter rolls. "It has been seen many a time that slips are being issued even for those people who died decades ago. It is also seen that sometimes the names of non-locals are also on the voter list," he stated. He added that his party remains available to assist citizens facing genuine difficulties during the revision drive "So, an effort has been made to simplify the process. Still, if someone comes to us with an issue, we try to help them after speaking to the Administration. We are so concerned about intruders. So, we will have to adopt this process gradually," he added. Meanwhile, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise being undertaken in Bihar ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections is progressing smoothly on the ground, with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) completing their first round of visits to nearly 1.5 crore households across the state. According to official data, more than 87 per cent of Enumeration Forms have already been distributed during the door-to-door verification drive, which is being carried out as part of the Election Commission's ongoing efforts to update and verify the electoral rolls. According to the Election Commission, the first visit of the Booth Level Officers (BLOS) to nearly 1.5 crore households in the state was completed today and over 87 per cent Enumeration Forms (i.e. 6,86,17,932) out of the total of 7,89,69,844 (nearly 7.90 crore) electors in Bihar who are enrolled as on June 24, 2025, have been distributed during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise being conducted in the state. The remaining houses could be locked, or belong to deceased electors, migrants, or those who may be travelling. Since the BLO shall be visiting the houses of the electors three times during the exercise, these figures are likely to increase further. The partially filled forms are also available for download on the ECI portal, as well as on the ECINET App. Electors can upload the filled forms themselves on the ECINET App. Besides, 1,54,977 Booth Level Agents (BLAS) appointed by various political parties are also providing active support in the SIR process. As on July 2, BJP has appointed 52,689 BLAS, followed by 47,504 of RJD, 34,669 of JD(U), 16,500 of INC, 1913 of Rashtriya Lok Jan Shakti Party, 1271 of CPI(ML)L, 1153 of Lok Jan Shakti Party (Ram Vilas), 578 of CPI(M), 270 of Rashtriya Lok Samta Party besides others such as BSP (74), NPP (3) and AAP (1). Each BLA can submit up to 50 certified forms per day. Nearly five per cent filled-up and signed forms, i.e. nearly 38 lakh forms have already been received by the BLOS, who are working sincerely with the sole motto - Inclusion First, which has been repeatedly emphasised upon by the Commission. As per SIR, to have one's name included in the Draft Electoral Roll to be published on August 1, 2025, the strict condition for an elector is to sign and submit the pre-printed form. Enumeration Form before 25th July 2025. Simultaneous verification of the uploaded forms has also been started. Despite apprehensions from some quarters, SIR will ensure that all eligible persons are included. Based on the documents attached or not attached, along with the signed Enumeration Form, eligibility verification of each name included in the draft rolls will be conducted continuously upon receipt. Verification will commence vigorously from August 2, 2025, onwards, following the publication of the draft electoral rolls. Based on the published Draft of Electoral Rolls, Claims and Objections will be received from any political parties or any member of the public from 2nd August 2025 onwards. The final electoral rolls will be published on September 30, 2025. Appeals can also be filed thereafter with the DM and the CEO. (ANI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday flagged off the first group of pilgrims for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Tanakpur, marking the official commencement of the sacred journey. The group of devotees arrived in Tanakpur on Friday night and was welcomed by the Chief Minister at the Tourist Rest House (TRC). He personally interacted with the pilgrims before sending them off with best wishes. While speaking to ANI, CM Dhami said, "The group for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has moved forward from its main stop, Tanakpur. The group of devotees arrived here last night... All arrangements have been made to ensure the safety of the pilgrims, a smooth journey, and no inconveniences." Highlighting the challenges of the yatra, CM Dhami stated that the route remains vulnerable to landslides and harsh weather conditions, but the state government and associated corporations have ensured that all necessary support is in place. "This is an extremely challenging journey, with persistent weather conditions and routes prone to landslides, but despite that, all facilities have been provided by our state corporation... The atmosphere is very enthusiastic. All the pilgrims are full of zeal... I wish everyone a successful journey," the CM added. On June 20, after a five-year gap, the revered Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Sikkim recommenced with the ceremonial flagging off of the first batch of pilgrims by Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur from the Nathula Pass. The batch comprises 33 pilgrims, accompanied by two nodal officers and one doctor from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), making a total of 36 members. The resumption of this spiritual journey marks a significant moment of international cooperation and cultural continuity between India and China. Speaking at the flagging-off ceremony, Governor Mathur said, "It is a moment of immense pride for the state of Sikkim that this historic and spiritual journey is progressing through the sacred land of the state." He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reviving the yatra, terming it a sign of restored heritage and international goodwill. The Governor also lauded the Sikkim Government, ITBP, and Indian Army for their coordination in making this possible. Before their departure, he interacted with the pilgrims, offering wishes for a safe and healthy journey. The yatra is being jointly facilitated by the Ministry of External Affairs, the Government of India, Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation, and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, ensuring a safe and smooth experience for all participants. (ANI) Japanese Encephalitis (JE), a mosquito-borne viral infection, has claimed 13 lives at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Assam so far this year. The hospital has reported 50 confirmed cases of JE since April 1, raising significant concerns among health authorities. Dr Ujjal Kumar Sharma, Deputy Superintendent of GMCH, told ANI, "In Guwahati Medical College & Hospital, from April 1 to July 4, 50 patients of Japanese Encephalitis have been admitted." He added, "Out of the 50 patients, 13 patients have expired here. Three patients left against medical advice. Six other patients have recovered and were discharged. Many patients have come from Kamrup (Rural), Nalbari, and Darrang districts." According to the authority of Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), 14 JE cases from Kamrup district have been admitted to GMCH, with 10 cases from Nalbari, seven cases from Darrang, and three cases from Kamrup (Metro) district. According to the data of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of the Government of India, over 840 people died in Assam due to infection of Japanese Encephalitis during the period from 2015 to 2024. 135 people died of Japanese Encephalitis in Assam in 2015, while 92 people died in 2016, 87 in 2017, 94 in 2018, 161 in 2019, 51 in 2020, 40 in 2021, 96 in 2022, 34 in 2023 and 53 in 2024. In November 2024, Delhi also reported an isolated case of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in a 72-year-old man from Uttam Nagar, West Delhi. However, officials confirmed that there is no outbreak in the city, emphasising that most JE cases reported in Delhi originate from neighbouring states. Public health measures, as per national guidelines, were implemented, and officials urged residents not to panic. The patient, a diabetic with a history of coronary artery disease and chronic conditions, tested positive for JE through IgM ELISA on November 6, 2024, during his hospital stay. He was discharged on November 15 after receiving care. The JE virus, primarily carried by waterfowl and amplified in pigs, is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Culex mosquitoes. Although the virus can cause febrile and neurological illnesses, it does not spread through human-to-human contact. (ANI) The order was passed by Additional Sessions Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal following a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which alleged that Bhandari had deliberately evaded Indian legal proceedings and possessed foreign assets exceeding Rs 100 crore. The agency emphasised that the UK court's refusal to extradite Bhandari had no bearing on the current proceedings, which are independent and governed by Indian law. Bhandari, however, contested the ED's plea, arguing that his residence in the UK is lawful and backed by a ruling from the London High Court, which denied his extradition, citing concerns over his safety in Tihar jail. His counsel, senior advocate Maninder Singh, claimed the ED's application was vague, lacked jurisdiction, and failed to meet the legal threshold under the FEO Act. Singh further argued that the monetary value of the alleged offence did not exceed 100 crore, referencing a 2020 submission by the Income Tax Department. He also pointed out that Bhandari had been discharged by the UK High Court, and no fresh warrants were pending against him. Special Public Prosecutor Zoheb Hossain appeared for the Enforcement Directorate in the matter. The UK High Court had earlier blocked Bhandari's extradition on human rights grounds, citing risks of extortion and violence in Indian custody. The Indian government's subsequent attempt to challenge the decision in Britain's Supreme Court was also rejected. (ANI) Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Saturday, while speaking about the businessman Gopal Khemka murder case, said that it is "a matter of concern" and he won''t run away from questions about it. The Union Minister stated that if such an incident occurs in an urban or posh area, then it is a "serious" matter, and he is in touch with the government and local administration over the issue. "This is indeed a matter of concern. I will neither try to run away from this question, nor should our Government attempt to do that...If such a huge incident occurs openly in urban areas, if this happens in such a posh area, it is a very serious matter. I am in touch with the Government as well as with the local administration", Chirag Paswan told reporters. Chirag Paswan stated that such incidents have "aggravated" the government''s concerns, and if the victim''s family is scared, then it is justified. "But such incidents aggravate our concerns...If the family (of Gopal Khemka) is scared, it is justified. This is a family that has faced this earlier as well. Did the local administration provide security to the family?... It was the responsibility of the administration", he said. Earlier today, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly alleged that hundreds of businessmen are being killed in Bihar, but we can''t call it "Jungle Raj". Yadav, a former Deputy Chief Minister, also raised questions over the law and order situation and said, "A few steps away from the police station in Patna, a prominent Bihar businessman was shot dead!" "Hundreds of businessmen are being murdered in Bihar every month, but we can''t call it jungle raj? Because this is what the scriptures call media management, perception management, and image management", Tejashwi Yadav wrote on ''X'' in Hindi. Earlier today, RJD leader Mrtiyunjay Tiwari slammed the Bihar government over the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna, alleging that the state has "descended into lawlessness" under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar''s leadership. The RJD leader stated that Nitish Kumar is no longer fit to remain the Chief Minister of Bihar. "Nitish Kumar is no longer fit to remain on the Chief Minister''s chair even for a moment. Bihar has descended into a state of lawlessness... Only the departure of this government will bring good to Bihar", Mrityunjay Tiwari told ANI. Meanwhile, the Bihar Police have set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder case. Patna Central SP will head the SIT. (ANI) Following Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray addressing a joint rally at Worli Dome in Mumbai on Saturday, Union Minister Chirag Paswan said that they were not coming together for language, but for their selfish motives and to recover their lost base. Chirag Paswan said, "They are not coming together for language, but for their selfish motives. They are coming together to recover their lost base. Both brothers saw that staying apart not only reduced their strength but also finished it...I'm not sure whether they have resolved their differences...I believe they have come together just for their political benefits. I don't think their hearts would have connected so soon, and political differences would have ended." He said that the country can progress under Unity in Diversity only if each other's languages are respected. He further said, "I support and respect every language. It is the beauty of Indian languages that different languages are spoken in different states. Our dialect changes every few kilometres. I consider languages as friends; they have grown together happily. But how a few selfish political parties promote politics of discrimination - be it over caste, religion, region and now language. I do not support this at all. Constitution of India permits us to live in any corner of the country and speak any language...I respect all languages, but you respect our language as much as we respect yours." Earlier, MNS chief Raj Thackeray launched a veiled attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and said that the Chief Minister did what could not be possible for Balasaheb Thackeray, as he brought the two estranged brothers of the Thackeray family together. Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray shared a hug at the Worli Dome in Mumbai as they held a joint rally after the Maharashtra government scrapped two Government Resolutions (GRs) to introduce Hindi as the third language. Thackeray brothers garlanded the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the joint rally of their parties, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) at Worli Dome in Mumbai. Addressing the gathering, Raj Thackeray said, "I had said in one of my interviews that my Maharashtra is bigger than any politics and fight. Today, after 20 years, Uddhav and I have come together. What Balasaheb could not do, Devendra Fadnavis did it... The work of bringing both of us together." "Minister Dada Bhuse came to me and requested me to listen to his point. I asked him what the third language would be for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan. All the Hindi-speaking states are behind us, and we are ahead of all Hindi-speaking states; still, we are being forced to learn Hindi. Why?. I don't have anything against Hindi; no language is bad. It takes a lot of effort to build a language. We Marathi people ruled over a lot of states during the Maratha Empire, but we never enforced Marathi on those parts. They started with the experiment of imposing Hindi over us and were trying to test if we would not have opposed it, they would have gone up to making Mumbai separate from Maharashtra," he added. He further asked if anyone would raise a question about his pride in Marathi. He further said, "They say that our children have learnt in English medium schools. So what? Dada Bhuse studied in Marathi schools and became a minister. Devendra Fadnavis studied in an English-medium school and became the Maharashtra CM. So what? I would tell you that I studied in a Marathi school, but my father, Shrikant Thackeray, and uncle, Balasaheb Thackeray, studied in an English medium school. Can anyone raise a question about their love for Marathi? Tomorrow, I will learn Hebrew also. Will anyone raise a question about my pride in Marathi?" "Be it Gujarati or anyone else here, must know Marathi, but there is no need to beat people for that if they don't speak Marathi. But if someone shows useless drama, you must hit below their eardrums. I tell you one more thing: if you beat someone, don't make a video of the incident. Let the person beaten up tell that he has been beaten up, you don't need to tell everyone that you have beaten someone," he added. Recently, the Maharashtra government withdrew its April 16 orders on the implementation of the three-language policy that made Hindi a "mandatory" third language for school students in Classes 1 to 5 studying in English and Marathi medium schools. (ANI) Apple growers across Himachal Pradesh on Saturday welcomed the Centre''s recent decision to increase the Minimum Import Price (MIP) for imported apples from Rs 50 per kg to Rs 80 per kg. While the move was seen as a positive step to safeguard domestic apple farmers from cheaper imports, especially from Iran and Turkey, concerns were raised about the effectiveness of its implementation on the ground. However, several farmer leaders warned that mere announcements without strict enforcement could render the move ineffective. While speaking to ANI, Harish Chauhan, Convener of the Himachal Pradesh Sanyukt Kisan Manch, said, "Increasing the MIP to Rs 80 per kg is a welcome step by the Govt of India." "We have not received a notification yet, but if this step has been taken, it is welcome. But the bigger thing is whether it will be implemented on the ground," he added. Chauhan pointed out that in 2023-24, the Centre had announced an MIP of Rs 50 per kg for imported apples. Despite this, Iranian apples landed in India at Rs 41 per kg and Turkish apples at Rs 58 per kg, raising doubts over whether the price control was correctly enforced. "If the MIP of Rs 50 per kg were implemented on the ground at that time, they would have landed in India at the rate of Rs 85-90 per kg," Chauhan explained. The Sanyukt Kisan Manch has urged the government to ensure strict monitoring and enforcement of the revised MIP. The group also raised concerns about the upcoming July 9 deadline for reciprocal tariff decisions under the Trump-era trade policies, which may result in zero import duty on agricultural inputs. "If that happens, we won''t benefit from the zero import duty," Chauhan cautioned. "We will benefit only if the import duty is 50% and MIP is Rs 80 per kg, and the same is implemented on the ground. Then apples would land at Rs 135-140 per kg in India," he later added. (ANI) New Delhi [India], July 5 (ANI) Nehal Modi, the brother of fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, has been arrested in the United States on the basis of an extradition request made by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), officials confirmed on Friday. The arrest marks a significant development in India's efforts to bring to justice individuals involved in the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case. The United States Department of Justice has informed Indian authorities that Nehal Modi, brother of fugitive economic offender Nirav Modi, was arrested by U.S. authorities on July 4, 2025, the officials privy to the development told ANI. "The arrest has been made pursuant to an extradition request jointly submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)," said the officials. As per the complaint filed by the U.S. prosecution, extradition proceedings are being pursued on two counts: one count of money laundering under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and one count of criminal conspiracy under Sections 120-B and 201 of the Indian Penal Code. Nehal Modi is wanted in India in connection with the multi-billion-dollar Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, one of the largest banking scams in the country's history. Investigations by the ED and CBI have revealed that Nehal Modi played a key role in laundering proceeds of crime on behalf of Nirav Modi, who is also facing extradition from the UK. He is alleged to have assisted in concealing and transferring large sums of illicit funds through a web of shell companies and overseas transactions, in violation of Indian laws. The next date of hearing in the extradition proceedings is scheduled for July 17, 2025, when a status conference will be held. Officials further said that Nehal Modi may apply for bail during this hearing, which the U.S. prosecution has stated it will oppose. (ANI) The BJP national president and Union Minister JP Nadda on Saturday came down heavily on the Himachal Pradesh government, calling the current state of administration "an all-time low," while terming the recent incident involving Shimla (Rural) MLA Anirudh Singh and NHAI officials as "unfortunate". "When the protector himself becomes the predator, how will the administration function. I am worried and hurt the way things are happening in Himachal Pradesh," said the BJP national chief while addressing the Media in Bilaspur on Saturday. Addressing the media during his visit to Bilaspur, Nadda said he had held a detailed meeting to review ongoing National Highway projects in the state and issued directions for the future course of action. "I have been an MLA and minister in Himachal Pradesh. Never has the administration functioned at such a low level. The recent incident involving NHAI officials in Shimla is deeply unfortunate," he stated. Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Nadda stated the Central Government was committed to accelerating infrastructure in the hill state. He stated that as per current data, 2,592 km of national highways are being developed in Himachal Pradesh. Of this, 785 km is being executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), 1238 km by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and 569 km by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Detailing the key road projects, he said that the roads and projects would be completed by 2026 and 2028, respectively. He said the Parwanoo-Shimla highway, with an allocation of Rs 7,667 crore, is targeted for completion by April 2027. The Kiratpur-Manali highway, worth Rs 9,452 crore, involves 28 tunnels totalling 41 km. The Sundernagar bypass has been completed; Nerchowk to Pandoh is to be completed by March 2026, while the Takoli-Kullu and Kullu-Manali stretches are already done. He said that the Shimla-Mataur highway has a budget of Rs 1,208 crore and includes 15 tunnels across 13 km. DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) are being prepared for the Shimla-Shalaghat and Bilaspur-Hamirpur roads, with the latter's DPR initiated in October 2022. The Pathankot-Mandi highway, a Rs1,088 crore project, includes 13 tunnels over 10 km. The Pinjore-Baddi-Nalagarh stretch (Rs 1,092 crore) is slated for completion by 2026. The Paraur to Paddar road is expected to be completed by 2026, and the Punjab border to Mandi stretch by 2028. Nadda said he would be writing to the Himachal Chief Minister about the state's consent and No Objection Certificate (NoC) mechanism for national highways. He pointed out that the current process, which treats NH projects as industrial entities and requires annual consent, is creating unnecessary delays and needs streamlining. On the issue of dredging in the Beas River, he said it was the primary responsibility of the state government, although the Centre was open to resolving such matters case-by-case. Referring to the Sundo-Kaza to Gramphu stretch approved in 2024, he said it was "still awaiting forest clearance from the Himachal government." Nadda also revealed that the Ghumarwin-Bharari-Shatalai road had been taken up under the Central Road Fund (CRF), and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju had recently sanctioned Rs 151 crore for various infrastructure projects in the state. He dismissed claims that the Union government had not supported Himachal Pradesh. "We have already given Rs 1,700 crore as disaster assistance. Rs 1,000 crore has been spent. But the state has only used 21% of the Ayushman Bharat health budget and 24% of the health support funds," he said. He stressed the need for involving local residents and expert consultants in the preparation of DPRs and ensuring community consent for project planning. On issues related to compensation and dredging, Nadda said the Centre remained open to dialogue and resolution, but the state must take the lead. Meanwhile, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut is expected to visit flood-affected areas of Himachal Pradesh shortly. Nadda said there was no communication gap between the Centre and the state BJP leadership, adding that former CM Jai Ram Thakur was monitoring the situation closely. (ANI) Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Saturday expressed happiness over the 'Awaaz Marathicha' joint rally held by Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and stated that she "witnessed a historic" moment. Priyanka Chaturvedi said that both Uddhav and Raj Thackeray have come together after 20 years, and this was evident from the excitement of the people. "We have witnessed a historic moment. As Raj Thackeray said, what Balasaheb couldn't do, Devendra Fadnavis has done. This shows that they will stay united. Both of them have come together after 20 years. The excitement of people shows that they wanted both of them to come together", Priyanka Chaturvedi told ANI. Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray shared a hug at the Worli Dome in Mumbai as they held a joint rally after the Maharashtra government scrapped two Government Resolutions (GRs) to introduce Hindi as the third language. The Thackeray brothers garlanded the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at a joint rally of their parties, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), at the Worli Dome in Mumbai. While addressing the 'Awaz Marathicha' joint rally in Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that he has come to "stay together" with his brother Raj Thackeray. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT) are holding a joint rally in Mumbai to oppose the alleged imposition of the Hindi language over Maharashtra by the state government. "We have come together to stay together", Uddhav Thackeray said while addressing the gathering. The former Maharashtra CM stated that ever since the announcement of this program, everyone was "eagerly" waiting for his and Raj Thackeray's speech. He hailed Raj Thackeray's vocal skills and stated that he has always delivered an "outstanding" speech, so there is no need for him to speak. "Since we announced this program, everyone was eagerly waiting for our speech today, but in my view, we are both coming together, and this stage was more important than our speeches. Raj has already given a very outstanding speech, and I think there is no need for me to speak now", Uddhav Thackeray said. Hitting out at the Centre and Maharashtra government, Uddhav Thackeray questioned what the government had done in its 11-year tenure for Maharashtra and Mumbai, while referring to the fact that he had been asked what the Shiv Sena (UBT) had done for Mumbai while in the BMC. Uddhav alleged that the Centre has pushed Mumbai's important establishments to Gujarat, and these are all attempts to break the "backbone" of Maharashtra. "They always ask us what we did for the Marathi people in Mumbai during our rule in BMC. They all forced Marathi people to go out of Mumbai, but now we are asking a question: in the last 11 years of your rule, what have you done? You have pushed away Mumbai's important establishments to Gujarat. Businesses are being transferred to Gujarat. Big offices are going to Gujarat. The diamond business has already shifted to Gujarat, so you have made all attempts to break the backbone of Maharashtra and continue to do that, and you are asking questions to us", Uddhav Thackeray said. Earlier, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray launched a veiled attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and said that the Chief Minister did what could not be possible for Balasaheb Thackeray, as he brought the two estranged brothers of the Thackeray family together. Addressing the gathering, Raj Thackeray said, "I had said in one of my interviews that my Maharashtra is bigger than any politics and fight. Today, after 20 years, Uddhav and I have come together. What Balasaheb could not do, Devendra Fadnavis did it... The work of bringing both of us together." (ANI) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha on Saturday hit out at the Bihar government over the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka and pointed out that the State government has "no authority" The incident evoked a sharp reaction from the opposition party, with Congress going on to say that there is 'Gundaraj' in Bihar. The murder came months ahead of the assembly elections due later in the year. The Bihar Police have set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder case, to be headed by the Patna Central SP. The incident took place on July 4 Superintendent of Police (SP), Patna, Diksha told ANI on Saturday, "On the night of July 4, at around 11 pm, we received information that businessman Gopal Khemka has been shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan..." "What would Khemka's family think? This incident occurred late at night. Is there anything called government here? I will not ask this question to anyone now. The murderers believe that the government is theirs. They can do whatever they want, whenever they want; the state government has no authority... They should be ashamed. What have they done to Bihar...," Jha told ANI. Meanwhile, Congress leader Premchand Mishra hit out at the state government and said that there is "gundaraj" in Bihar. Mishra stated that such incidents are happening repeatedly and the state government have failed to protect the lives of people. "There is 'Gundaraj' in Bihar. A criminal commits a crime, flees, and the police continue to watch. In the capital, Patna, where there are so many security forces, an eminent businessman gets murdered, and the people of the government are sitting there, claiming that this is the rule of law. This is not the law. Nitish Kumar and the BJP government are failing to protect the lives and property of the people. Such incidents are happening repeatedly", Prem Chand Mishra told ANI. Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged that hundreds of businessmen were being killed in Bihar, but it couldn't be called "Jungle Raj." Yadav, a former Deputy Chief Minister, also raised questions over the law and order situation and said, "A few steps away from the police station in Patna, a prominent Bihar businessman was shot dead!" "Hundreds of businessmen are being murdered in Bihar every month, but we can't call it jungle raj? Because this is what the scriptures call media management, perception management, and image management", Tejashwi Yadav wrote on 'X' in Hindi. (ANI) Reacting to the viral video in which a group of men allegedly associated with a regional party beat up a shop owner for not speaking in Marathi, Congress leader Raj Babbar alleged that the BJP government was responsible for such acts and he hoped that a respectable outcome would be achieved. Raj Babbar said, "It's not about Hindu-Muslim. The whole issue is about prioritising Marathi over Hindi in Maharashtra. In every state, people are demanding that their regional language be given preference, and that is what the people of Maharashtra have also been doing. This situation could have been solved. In the past, such questions were not raised in Maharashtra on the language issue. The BJP government did some things on purpose, because of which such things are happening. We hope that a respectable solution comes out of the whole issue instead of taking a hardline stand. Maharashtra wants to take pride in its language." Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray launched a veiled attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and said that the Chief Minister did what could not be possible for Balasaheb Thackeray, as he brought the two estranged brothers of the Thackeray family together. Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray shared a hug at the Worli Dome in Mumbai as they held a joint rally after the Maharashtra government scrapped two Government Resolutions (GRs) to introduce Hindi as the third language. Thackeray brothers garlanded the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the joint rally of their parties, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) at Worli Dome in Mumbai. Addressing the gathering, Raj Thackeray said, "I had said in one of my interviews that my Maharashtra is bigger than any politics and fight. Today, after 20 years, Uddhav and I have come together. What Balasaheb could not do, Devendra Fadnavis did it... The work of bringing both of us together." "Minister Dada Bhuse came to me and requested me to listen to his point. I asked him what the third language would be for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan. All the Hindi-speaking states are behind us, and we are ahead of all Hindi-speaking states; still, we are being forced to learn Hindi. Why?. I don't have anything against Hindi; no language is bad. It takes a lot of effort to build a language. We Marathi people ruled over a lot of states during the Maratha Empire, but we never enforced Marathi on those parts. They started with the experiment of imposing Hindi over us and were trying to test if we would not have opposed it, they would have gone up to making Mumbai separate from Maharashtra," he added. He further asked if anyone would raise a question about his pride in Marathi. He further said, "They say that our children have learnt in English medium schools. So what? Dada Bhuse studied in Marathi schools and became a minister. Devendra Fadnavis studied in an English-medium school and became the Maharashtra CM. So what? I would tell you that I studied in a Marathi school, but my father, Shrikant Thackeray, and uncle, Balasaheb Thackeray, studied in an English medium school. Can anyone raise a question about their love for Marathi? Tomorrow, I will learn Hebrew also. Will anyone raise a question about my pride in Marathi?" Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday warned of strict legal action against those engaging in "hooliganism" in the name of Marathi. He said that the Mahayuti government will not tolerate violence against commoners. "It is not wrong to be proud of the Marathi language in Maharashtra. But if someone indulges in hooliganism due to language, we will not tolerate it. If someone beats up people based on language, this will not be tolerated. The police have filed an FIR and taken action on the incident, and if anyone creates such a language dispute in future, legal action will be taken," Fadnavis told reporters here. He also pointed out that the people engaging in "hooliganism" amid the ongoing controversy over language in Maharashtra were those who embrace English but create dispute over Hindi. "We are proud of our Marathi, but injustice cannot be done to any language of India in this manner; we will have to keep this in mind. And sometimes, I am surprised that these people embrace English and create disputes over Hindi. What kind of thinking is this, and what kind of action is this? Therefore, strict action will be taken against those who take the law into their own hands," Fadnavis said. (ANI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu flagged off 20 e-taxis from the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat in Shimla on Saturday under the Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgaar Start-up Yojana (RGSSY). According to an official release, under the scheme, the State Government provides a 50 per cent subsidy to youth for the purchase of e-taxis, and so far, Rs 4.22 crore have been disbursed to 59 eligible youth, and a subsidy to 61 more beneficiaries would be released shortly. The Chief Minister said that this would not only provide gainful employment to the youth but also ensure an assured income for a period of five years by attaching them to government offices, with a provision for a two-year extension. He said this would also go a long way in reducing the financial burden of the State. CM Sukhu stated that the State Government was developing its policies with environmental protection in mind. "Today, we are witnessing the adverse effects of climate change. It is imperative for us to have policies that prioritise environmental conservation. The promotion of e-vehicles and green hydrogen is the need of the hour," the Chief Minister said. The Chief Minister said that the State Government was also providing employment opportunities in the government sector, and it was also actively creating self-employment opportunities for the youth of the State. "The hardest part was to obtain the license for HPSEDC as a Recruiting Agency, and we have crossed the bridge. Now the Corporation will enter into MoUs with Consulate Generals of various countries, and we will also train them to improve their skills," Sukhu said. "We have undertaken radical reforms in various government departments, which have yielded tangible outcomes. The State has climbed 16th position up from 21st to 5th rank nationwide in providing quality education to students, which was a giant leap forward, a significant achievement for the present State Government," he added. He said that the State Government was working meticulously to provide healthcare facilities at par with AIIMS, Delhi, in various government medical colleges in the State. He said that these initiatives would also benefit the people of the State. (ANI) The newly formed party was launched at a memorial event held in the Pothur area of the Thiruvallur district on Saturday. The emotionally charged event, which drew over 1,000 supporters, was conducted under tight police security, reflecting both the sentiment and tension surrounding the occasion. The party unveiled its official flag during the launch, featuring a blue background with an elephant holding a pen, signifying its Ambedkarite ideology with a focus on education, empowerment, and social justice. K Armstrong, 52, a prominent Dalit leader and face of the BSP in Tamil Nadu, was brutally murdered on July 5, 2024, near his under-construction residence in Perambur, Chennai. The murder, allegedly carried out by a group of assailants, triggered statewide protests and condemnation from Ambedkarite and Dalit organisations. So far, 27 individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, with two police encounters having taken place as part of the investigation. Following Armstrong's death, the BSP high command appointed Supreme Court advocate P Anandan as the state president, while Porkodi was named Tamil Nadu coordinator. However, internal discord emerged soon after. By April of 2025, Porkodi was removed from all party posts amid allegations and internal strife. Porkodi accused Anandan of sidelining her and attempting to erode her influence within the party. In response, more than 500 BSP workers rallied in her support, questioning the central leadership's decisions and demanding a more democratic state-level leadership structure. While the BSP stood by its decision to remove her, Porkodi and her supporters decided to forge a new path, resulting in the formation of a new political party. (ANI) Coming hard on the ruling as well as past governments over the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, on Saturday said that there is no difference between the law and order during Lalu Yadav's tenure and present Nitish Kumar's. Speaking to reporters, Prashant Kishor claimed that officials are running Nitish Kumar's government, doing as they please. "There is no difference between Lalu Yadav's jungle raj and Nitish Kumar's rule. During Lalu Yadav's rule, there was a rampage by criminals, and in Nitish Kumar's rule, there is a rampage by officials. The kind of corruption and law-and-order situation that existed before is still the same now. In Patna, such a prominent businessman is shot dead, and no action is taken... Just yesterday in Siwan, three people were shot. This is a daily occurrence. It's the rule of officials, running things as they please," he said. Meanwhile, the Bihar Police has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder case of businessman Gopal Khemka, who was allegedly shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan in Bihar on Friday. Superintendent of Police (SP), Patna, Diksha told ANI on Saturday, "On the night of July 4, at around 11 pm, we received information that businessman Gopal Khemka has been shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan..." Earlier in the day, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha hit out at the Bihar government over the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka and pointed out that the State government has "no authority" "What would Khemka's family think? This incident occurred late at night. Is there anything called government here? I will not ask this question to anyone now. The murderers believe that the government is theirs. They can do whatever they want, whenever they want; the state government has no authority... They should be ashamed. What have they done to Bihar...," Jha told ANI. (ANI) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) has formally accepted Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's public challenge to debate on what each government has done for Telangana's farmers. In a sharp rebuttal delivered at Telangana Bhavan, KTR invited Revanth to fix the date, time, and place of the discussion, declaring his readiness to face the debate "anywhere, anytime." KTR, however, took a jibe at the Chief Minister's preparedness, stating, "Revanth Reddy doesn't even have basic knowledge on agriculture. I am generously giving him 72 hours to prepare. Otherwise, he'll show up and talk about 'basins' and 'okra', making a mockery of himself and the office he holds." He said even a bull next to a farmer could explain how agriculture thrived under the leadership of KCR. Accusing Revanth Reddy of acting as a covert ally of Chandrababu Naidu, KTR said Telangana's water resources were being diverted to Andhra Pradesh under the guise of projects like Banakacharla. "Revanth is looting Telangana's water and funds, all to please his political mentor. This is not public governance, this is covert rule," KTR charged. Drawing a sharp contrast between the BRS and the Congress administrations, KTR said that while BRS ushered in 'Raithu Rajyam' (Farmer's Rule), the Congress has brought back a version of 'Emergency Rule' reminiscent of Indira Gandhi's regime. "From punishing farmers to pushing them into endless queues for fertilisers, Congress has only brought suffering," he added. Highlighting the achievements of the BRS government under former Chief Minister KCR, KTR recounted landmark farmer welfare initiatives: the successful implementation of Rythu Bandhu with over Rs 73,000 crore directly deposited into farmers' accounts, free 24/7 electricity for agriculture, revival of over 46,000 tanks under Mission Kakatiya, and India's highest increase in paddy production. "KCR turned farming into a celebration. Telangana today is the number one state in inland fisheries, generating Rs 30,000 crore in value. All this is the result of vision, not slogans," KT Rama Rao stated. Taking direct aim at Congress, KTR stated that the Revanth Reddy government had failed to fulfil its major promises. "Not a single woman is receiving the Rs 2,500 monthly promised by the Congress. Scooters, jobs, and unemployment allowance all turned out to be lies. Telangana's daughters and sons are waiting for answers," the BRS Working President said. He further alleged that Congress has cheated farmers by reducing the promised Rs 50,000 crore farm loan waiver to just Rs 12,000 crore. "The Revanth government owes every farmer Rs 19,000 under Rythu Bharosa. They have not paid even the crop insurance premiums for three months," he said. KTR also ridiculed the Congress party's attempts to claim credit for schemes and appointments made during the BRS regime. "Revanth is boasting about issuing appointment letters for jobs already filled during our tenure. Would he dare say the same in Ashok Nagar?" he challenged. In a scathing remark, KTR added, "Congress talking about farmer welfare is like demons reciting the Vedas. And Revanth claiming Indiramma's legacy is laughable when all that's visible under his rule are dried-up borewells, burnt transformers, and endless queues for urea." KTR extended an open invitation for the debate: "You can choose the Assembly, Ambedkar statue, Kondareddypalle, Chintamadaka, or Kondangal. If none of these suit you, I'll be at Somajiguda Press Club at 11 AM on July 8, ready to expose the truth before the media." He concluded with a strong message: "During our rule, we never made noise even after transferring Rs 73,000 crore to farmers. Revanth celebrates after giving just one crop's worth of support. Tell the people, how much did you promise, and how much did you deliver? Farmers will ask. Telangana will ask." (ANI) A group of Youth Congress workers staged a protest march outside the official residence of Kerala Health Minister Veena George in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, demanding her resignation over the building collapse at the Kottayam Medical College. Police used water cannons to disperse the workers of the Youth Congress and detained them. This comes after a building block collapsed at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kottayam, claiming an individual's life and injuring two others on July 3. Earlier on Friday, a group of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) youth wing workers also staged a protest march outside the Kerala Health Minister's residence in Thiruvananthapuram. BJP workers also held a protest on Friday, demanding Minister George's resignation over the issue. Minister for Ports, Cooperation, and Devaswoms, VN Vasavan, described the Kottayam Medical College building collapse as an 'unfortunate' incident and announced that the Kerala government would provide immediate financial assistance of Rs 50,000 to the affected family. He said, "CM visited the spot yesterday itself. Rs 50,000 will be given as immediate help to the family. The State Cabinet will discuss and decide on financial help for the family. Kottayam Medical College is one of the best-performing hospitals in India. The incident is unfortunate." He further clarified that there was no lapse from the government side and added, "Did not ask to stop rescue operation, it was for making way to let the Hitachi excavator enter. The rescue was only possible with the help of a machine." "The health minister said yesterday that nobody was stuck there because the hospital superintendent told the minister that the building was not in use," he further said. Shifting the blame on the previous government of the United Democratic Front (UDF), he said, "In 2013, the PWD (Public Works Department) submitted a report about the condition of the building. Then the UDF government did not act on it." (ANI) Five workers of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have been detained in connection with the vandalism at entrepreneur Sushil Kedia's office in Worli, police said on Saturday. Entrepreneur Kedia, who found himself in the midst of the language row in Maharashtra over his recent remarks against MNS and its chief Raj Thackeray, stated that he made these comments in haste and has now realised his mistake. Stressing that his comments have been taken out of context by some sections, Kedia said, "My tweet happened in a wrong state of mind under stress. And further, now it is getting manipulated and misinterpreted to suit the interests of people who want to gain from any controversy." https://x.com/sushilkedia/status/1941382618077175812 Kedia said that he made those comments after common citizens of Maharashtra were getting targeted over a lack of proficiency in Marathi. "Having come under pressure mentally from the violence inflicted on those who do not know Marathi, I ended up overreacting. I realised I must take back my overreactions and withdraw," he said. Praising MNS chief Raj Thackeray for raising "strong issues" that matter to the Hindus, Thackeray said, "Whether it was the Hanuman Chalisa campaign in recent memories or always, the championing of Hindutva and Rashtravad that he has done, he has always been a hero. But this time, when our own have been loggerheads with each other, my mind went haywire under stress." He further said that citizens here in Maharashtra will be inclined to learn the Marathi language if encouraged in the right manner. "I have realised my mistake, and I wish to correct it unequivocally. The concerned people may also hopefully consider someday soon that instead of frightening people if you provide us encouragement, it will help us overcome our hesitations in achieving fluency in the Marathi language more rapidly, as we will be fearlessly using it more and more. Of course, the tweet that I made out of haste, out of the stress," Kedia said while admitting that he clearly "overreacted" in his previous tweet. https://x.com/sushilkedia/status/1940763076007285167 Meanwhile, Union Minister Chirag Paswan condemned the assault on a shopkeeper in Thane for not speaking in Marathi. Speaking to reporters in Vaishali on Friday, Bihar, Paswan said, "It is beyond my understanding how many divisions will be created among Indians -- sometimes in the name of region, sometimes language, religion, or caste. While advocating for pride in one's mother tongue, the minister urged for sensitivity and mutual respect." Earlier on Friday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis warned of strict legal action against those engaging in "hooliganism" in the name of Marathi. He stated that the Mahayuti government will not tolerate violence against common people. (ANI) Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has urged the authorities to open a "transparent and independent" investigation into the arbitrary detention of activist Abdel Moneim al-Maraimi, who died in custody and whose death sparked protests in the country Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Saturday said that the state government is probing every angle in the murder incident of businessman Gopal Khemka. Speaking to reporters, Choudhary said, "Police are investigating the matter. The Bihar Government has formed an SIT. Action will be taken at the earliest, and every angle is being probed by the Government. No criminal will be spared." Earlier today, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha said that "irresponsible" officials who failed to take "swift" action will be held accountable following the murder of the businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna. Sinha also took a dig at Rashtriya Janata Dal and said that the State government is keeping an eye on those officials who have been "nurtured" under the "Jungle Raj". "We have our eyes on the officials who were nurtured during that 'jungle raj'. Those irresponsible officials who haven't taken strict and swift action will be held accountable," the Deputy CM told reporters. He also assured that compensation would be provided to the family of the victim and that strict law and enforcement action would be taken. "The bulldozer action will be taken, an encounter will happen, property will be seized, and we will discuss with the CM about the compensation to be provided to the victim's family," he said. Coming hard on the ruling as well as past governments over the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, on Saturday, said that there is no difference between the law and order during Lalu Yadav's tenure and present Nitish Kumar's. Speaking to reporters, Prashant Kishor claimed that officials are running Nitish Kumar's government, doing as they please. "There is no difference between Lalu Yadav's jungle raj and Nitish Kumar's rule. During Lalu Yadav's rule, there was a rampage by criminals, and in Nitish Kumar's rule, there is a rampage by officials. The kind of corruption and law-and-order situation that existed before is still the same now. In Patna, such a prominent businessman is shot dead, and no action is taken... Just yesterday in Siwan, three people were shot. This is a daily occurrence. It's the rule of officials, running things as they please," he said. Bihar Police has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder case of businessman Gopal Khemka, who was allegedly shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan in Patna on Friday. (ANI) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha on Saturday said that "irresponsible" officials who failed to take "swift" action will be held accountable following the murder of the businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna. Sinha also took a dig at Rashtriya Janata Dal and said that the State government is keeping an eye on those officials who have been "nurtured" under the "Jungle Raj". "We have our eyes on the officials who were nurtured during that 'jungle raj'. Those irresponsible officials who haven't taken strict and swift action will be held accountable," the Deputy CM told reporters. He also assured that compensation would be provided to the family of the victim and that strict law and enforcement action would be taken. "The bulldozer action will be taken, an encounter will happen, property will be seized, and we will discuss with the CM about the compensation to be provided to the victim's family," he said. Coming hard on the ruling as well as past governments over the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, on Saturday, said that there is no difference between the law and order during Lalu Yadav's tenure and present Nitish Kumar's. Speaking to reporters, Prashant Kishor claimed that officials are running Nitish Kumar's government, doing as they please. "There is no difference between Lalu Yadav's jungle raj and Nitish Kumar's rule. During Lalu Yadav's rule, there was a rampage by criminals, and in Nitish Kumar's rule, there is a rampage by officials. The kind of corruption and law-and-order situation that existed before is still the same now. In Patna, such a prominent businessman is shot dead, and no action is taken... Just yesterday in Siwan, three people were shot. This is a daily occurrence. It's the rule of officials, running things as they please," he said. Bihar Police has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder case of businessman Gopal Khemka, who was allegedly shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan in Bihar on Friday. (ANI) Madhya Pradesh Congress on Saturday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government over the OBC (Other Backwards Class) reservation issue, accusing former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and CM Mohan Yadav deceit the community. State Congress President Jitu Patwari alleged that the BJP government spent huge amounts of money worth crores so that the 27 per cent reservation of OBCs should not be implemented in the state. Speaking to ANI, Congress chief Patwari said, "BJP's face has been exposed in relation to the deceit by former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and CM Mohan Yadav to the OBCs. The solicitor general cross-examined about how OBC reservation should not be implemented. The BJP spent over 50 crores, so 27 per cent reservation of OBCs should not be implemented. The BJP kept opposing the reservation from behind though saying from the front that they want to provide reservation to OBCs. This lie has been exposed," "We demand that the 27 per cent reservation of OBCs be implemented quickly, and around 25,000 students whose appointments are locked should get their appointments. Most importantly, the BJP's character and face of lies, misconception and hypocrisy have been exposed. They should apologise to the OBC community of the country," the Congress leader said. He added, "We have always demanded reservation for OBCs, now we are preparing a time-bound agitation program, which will be held at the block level, district level and at the state level. We have taken permission from Rahul Gandhi, and he will also participate in it." On the other hand, the Leader of Opposition and Congress MLA Umang Singhar said that the state government should take immediate decisions on the 27 per cent OBC reservation issue. "I want to say to the Chief Minister that you belong to OBC; the Prime Minister belongs to OBCs. Your government came into power with votes from OBCs, but you don't talk about OBCs. If the Supreme Court is reprimanding, then why does it mean you're not ready? It is the decision of the government. The examination results of the 13 per cent of OBC students (which was increased to reach 27 per cent), which you hold, do you want students to be engaged in farming in the village and doing labour work?" Singhar said. "The government should take immediate decisions for the OBC category. I would only say to the OBC category that they should see the promises and do the same to the BJP," he added. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that the state government is committed to providing 27 per cent reservation to OBCs and alleged that the Congress only tries to complicate it. CM Yadav said, "Our Government is committed to providing 27 per cent reservation to OBCs. The delusion spread during the Congress by writing a few lines on paper, without any preparations or any surveys about providing reservations; on the basis of it, the matter is in the court. In the commitment of 27 per cent OBC reservation, we are working to provide benefits to all the candidates. Today, with the changing times, we have resolved our pending issues like the promotion of officers. We will try to provide joining to all the students who were unable to join due to matters pending in the court. The Madhya Pradesh government is committed to providing 27 per cent reservation to OBCs. The Congress only tries to complicate it and divert." Further slamming the Congress, the Madhya Pradesh CM said that they are trying to do the same and get the credit for the caste census. "It is like the same thing as they are trying to get the credit for the caste census. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi came up with the caste census, now the Congress is claiming that they said about it. They have ruled for around 70 years, but the Congress never played any role in the caste census. Instead, in 1953, former PM, the late Jawaharlal Nehru, stopped the casted census, which had been conducted since the British period. Today, our government under the leadership of PM Modi is working for the betterment of all classes in the country," CM Mohan Yadav said. He further highlighted that they have provided 10 per cent reservation to the people of the General category, those belonging to economically weaker sections. The public knows everything, so Congress leaders can say whatever they want to, but no one is going to trust them. (ANI) Union Minister of Health and Family welfare, and Bharatiya Janata Party president Jagat Prakash Nadda chaired a high level meeting here today to review the status and progress of Government of India's initiatives to transform road connectivity in Himachal Pradesh through accelerated development of National Highways and tunnel infrastructure. Sources said that Union Minister Nadda presided over a detailed presentation by senior officials of MoRTH, during which the status, challenges, and future plans for the development of road infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh were discussed comprehensively. Himachal Pradesh currently has a total of 25 National Highways with a combined length of 2,592 km entrusted for development and maintenance. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, MoRTH is implementing critical highway projects across the state, sources said. According to sources, at present, projects of total length of 627 km are under construction, amounting to Rs 25,600 crore. Apart from this, projects of 416 km length are in pipeline, with an estimated expenditure Rs 25,265 crore. In addition to this, tunnels form an important component of infrastructure under MoRTH. While 19 tunnels costing Rs. 3,200 crore are under construction, 28 tunnels costing Rs 5,400 crore are in the pipeline. While acknowledging the support and cooperation from the Himachal Pradesh Government in land acquisition and forest clearances, it was pointed out that several critical issues require further collaboration to ensure the timely and effective development of road infrastructure in the state. Underscoring the critical importance of highways and tunnels for the growth, development and progress of the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh, with Nadda urging the state government to resolve these pending issues. Sources also mentioned certain important projects, including dredging in the Beas River (Mandi-Manali Stretch of NH-3). "The unprecedented floods of July 2023 severely damaged the Mandi-Manali highway at multiple locations. Despite repeated requests from the Centre, effective dredging of the Beas riverbed has yet to be undertaken. Removal of boulders from the riverbed and enhancing the river's water-carrying capacity are crucial for the long-term safety of the highway and riverside communities," the source mentioned. While DPR preparation and tendering for permanent highway restoration are in progress, Nadda urged the state government to expedite the dredging work between Mandi and Manali to prevent further damage. The matter of Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board's recent clarification on April 23, 2024, which categorised highway widening projects under the "Orange" industrial category was also raised in the meeting. "This has raised concerns as it could adversely affect ongoing NHAI projects through financial and contractual complications. Nadda, has requested the state government to review this clarification and exempt highway projects, especially those initiated before 23 April 2024, to avoid unnecessary delays," the source said. Apart from this, expediting stage-I forest clearance for Sumdo-Kaza Road (NH-505, Package-IV) also needs attention. This project was approved on 15.03.2024 at a cost of Rs 518.90 crore. However, the work could not be initiated due to delays in obtaining Stage-I Forest clearance. Nadda stated that he has discussed this matter with Chief, who has assured that the issue will be resolved at the earliest. He again urged the state govt to expedite the forest clearance. Sources said that several high ranking and senior officers from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), along with Bilaspur MLA Trilok Jamwal, Sri Naina Devi ji MLA Randhir Sharma, were also present at the meeting. (ANI) Following the murder of prominent businessman Gopal Khemka, Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar said on Saturday that multiple angles are being probed and several police teams, including from Vaishali and Patna, are actively investigating the matter. Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikeya K Sharma confirmed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and ongoing raids, including inside Beur Jail, to trace possible leads. Speaking to ANI, Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar said, "Investigation is ongoing and many dimensions are being investigated. Many teams are working on it. Vaishali police are also working on it, as in 2018, Gopal Khemka's son, Gunjan Khemka, was murdered there, and Vaishali police are investigating if there is any link... CCTV footage is being reviewed, which shows a perpetrator retreating after the incident." "As soon as we received the information, the police took swift action. We received the information with some delay, and we are also investigating whether the information was received earlier and if there has been any delay on anyone's part," the DGP added. Patna SSP Kartikeya K Sharma also spoke to ANI and said, "We have got many inputs from the CCTV cameras and our sources. SIT has been formed and it's working... An investigation is going on... A raid is ongoing in Beur jail, and if there is any link, things will come out." Earlier in the day, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday chaired a review meeting with Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar and other senior officials to assess the law and order situation in the state in the wake of the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna. In a post on social media platform X, the Chief Minister stated that law and order was the government's topmost priority, further stating that criminals in the state would not be spared at any cost. "Held a review meeting on law and order with the Director General of Police and other senior police officials at 'Sankalp'. Law and order is the government's topmost priority. No matter who the criminals are, they will not be spared at any cost," the post read. Kumar further stated that police and administration in the state had been instructed to work with full preparedness and strictness. "Directed to expedite the investigation of criminal incidents and take swift action against the guilty. Instructed the police and administration to work with full preparedness and strictness to maintain law and order," the post read. Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged that hundreds of businessmen were being killed in Bihar, but it couldn't be called "Jungle Raj." Yadav, a former Deputy Chief Minister, also raised questions over the law and order situation and said, "A few steps away from the police station in Patna, a prominent Bihar businessman was shot dead!" "Hundreds of businessmen are being murdered in Bihar every month, but we can't call it jungle raj? Because this is what the scriptures call media management, perception management, and image management", Tejashwi Yadav wrote on 'X' in Hindi. Earlier today, RJD leader Mrtiyunjay Tiwari slammed the Bihar government over the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna, alleging that the state has "descended into lawlessness" under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership. The RJD leader stated that Nitish Kumar is no longer fit to remain the Chief Minister of Bihar. "Nitish Kumar is no longer fit to remain on the Chief Minister's chair even for a moment. Bihar has descended into a state of lawlessness... Only the departure of this government will bring good to Bihar", Mrityunjay Tiwari told ANI. (ANI) Nehal Deepak Modi, the brother of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, allegedly played a crucial role in laundering proceeds of crime in the high-profile Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case as well as actively involved in the "disappearance and concealment of assets" and "destruction of evidence", officials said on Saturday. The revelation comes after Nehal Modi was arrested in the United States on the basis of an extradition request made by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The United States Department of Justice informed Indian authorities that Nehal Modi was arrested by United States authorities on July 4, 2025. Officials, aware of the facts of the case, told ANI that Nehal Modi has "knowingly and intentionally participated in assisting the activity of concealment of proceeds of crime, destroying the evidence" in the multi-billion-dollar PNB fraud case-- one of the largest banking scams in the country's history - with his brother Nirav Modi. "Nehal Modi was personally overseeing that all the accounts and records were eliminated and was influencing the employees and participated in destroying the evidence in respect of the money trail," officials said. According to officials, Nehal Modi also "dealt with proceeds of crime by taking 50 kg gold from Firestar Diamond FZE, Dubai after the initiation of investigation in this fraud." Nirav Modi's brother is also accused of participating in assisting the activity of money laundering as defined under Section 3 of PMLA, 2002, and is liable for punishment under Section 4 of PMLA, 2002, said the officials. After the case broke out, investigators said Nehal Modi "dealt with the Proceeds of crime in respect of the Nirav Modi case and taken away diamonds having value USD 6 million and 150 boxes of pearls from Hong Kong and cash of AED 3.5 million and 50 kg Gold from Dubai." He allegedly carried out these actions in collusion with Mihir Bhansali, another key co-conspirator in the case. In a major attempt to sabotage the investigation, Nehal Modi is also accused of "destroying digital evidence, including mobile phones and servers, linked to the Nirav Modi case while in Dubai." Furthermore, officials said, "Nehal Modi allegedly intimidated witnesses and orchestrated their transfer to Cairo, where their passports were confiscated under his instructions." Officials reveal that "in Cairo, the witnesses were coerced into signing false documents." In a particularly alarming incident, Nehal Modi is said to have "offered INR 2 million to a witness in exchange for delivering a false testimony before European judicial authorities." The revelations have added a new dimension to the ongoing probe, further tightening the legal net around the Nirav Modi money laundering and fraud case, which has global ramifications. The arrest of Nehal Modi has been made pursuant to an extradition request jointly submitted by the ED and the CBI. As per the complaint filed by the U.S. prosecution, extradition proceedings are being pursued on two counts: one count of money laundering under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and one count of criminal conspiracy under Sections 120-B and 201 of the Indian Penal Code. Nehal Modi is wanted in India in connection with the Rs 13,000 crore PNB fraud case. Investigations by the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation have revealed that Nehal Modi played a key role in laundering proceeds of crime on behalf of Nirav Modi, who is also facing extradition from the UK. "He is alleged to have assisted in concealing and transferring large sums of illicit funds through a web of shell companies and overseas transactions, in violation of Indian laws." The next hearing date in the extradition proceedings is scheduled for July 17, 2025, when a status conference will be held. Officials further said that Nehal Modi may apply for bail during this hearing, which the U.S. prosecution has stated it will oppose. (ANI) BJP MLA Sankar Ghosh on Saturday doubted if West Bengal's Higher Education authorities would fully enforce the High Court's order shutting down student union offices in colleges and universities. He called them 'spineless' before the ruling TMC. "Without student union elections, how can a union room function as a component of the college or university? All these issues are well known to the college or university authorities... They are spineless in front of the ruling party, TMC," Ghosh told ANI. "Now, the High Court has passed an order. But after such an order is passed, who will execute it? The principal governing body, run by the TMC party office, holds executive authority. They likely won't close the union room permanently, just temporarily for show. The main issue is that West Bengal's entire administrative system is broken," he added. The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the West Bengal Higher Education Department to ensure that the union rooms in all colleges and universities in the state remain locked till the time the students' union elections in those institutes are conducted and the results declared. The Court passed the order in the case of a law student's alleged rape in the student union room of the South Calcutta Law College. Earlier, the High Court sought a response from the West Bengal Government on three Public Interest Litigations (PILs) regarding the alleged gangrape. The Court also questioned why the governing body of the college was not included in the case. On July 2, Kolkata Police stated that the Detective Department of the police force would take over the investigation in the alleged gang rape case. Earlier, BJP's fact-finding committee member Manan Kumar Mishra stated alleged that the police were "hiding" the family of the rape survivor and not allowing anyone to meet the security guard, who is the fourth accused in the incident. He further alleged that there was an attempt to "tamper" with the First Information Report (FIR) to change the name of the accused. (ANI) He was welcomed into the party in the presence of BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh and Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar. As Virat Kant joined the BJP, Tarun Chugh said, "This is a masterstroke. His late grandfather, Krishan Kant, had contributed to the independence movement. He was also the Vice President of India. Now, his grandson joining the BJP is a big milestone. The member of the Kant family will help strengthen the party." Krishan Kant passed away at the age of 75 after suffering a heart attack in his office in July 2002. Kant was admitted to AIIMS, New Delhi and was declared dead after an hour after suffering a heart attack. He remains the only Indian vice president to have died in office. Then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee paid tribute to Kant's contributions to the freedom movement and his strong opposition to the Emergency, calling his death "the end of an era." The government declared three days of national mourning. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Saturday slammed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav over his remarks on the Jayaprakash Narayan Interpretation Centre (JPNIC). Pathak accused Akhilesh of turning JPNIC into a hub of corruption during his government, saying that the latter had no right to speak about the socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan. He added that the current government has handed JPNIC back to the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) to complete the project properly and dedicate it to the public. Speaking to ANI, Brajesh Pathak said, "...As far as JPNIC (Jayaprakash Narayan Interpretation Centre) is concerned, Akhilesh Yadav has no right to speak about JPNIC. Jai Prakash Narayan ji was a strong speaker of the socialist movement...Today, you are sitting in the lap of the Congress party. The people who pushed the country into an emergency are being hailed from your platforms. You should not talk about the socialist movement. The socialist movement is not safe in your hands. You are a supporter of the capitalist system, and you have always promoted such elements who always indulge in hooliganism and anarchy. You had made JPNIC a den of corruption. Our government has done the work of dedicating the public money to the public by handing over JPNIC to LDA again. It will be completed soon and dedicated to the public..." Pathak continued his attack on Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, saying that the people of the state are fully aware of the party's actions. He accused the Samajwadi Party government of promoting crime, corruption, and nepotism and claimed that the public rejected them in the 2017 and 2022 elections because of these issues. "...The people of Uttar Pradesh are well aware of the words and deeds of the Samajwadi Party. When Akhilesh Yadav, the head of the Samajwadi Party, was in power from 2012-17, he brought crime, corruption, and nepotism to the forefront and embraced them...Today, we can say that the public has punished the Samajwadi Party for the misdeeds it committed by defeating it in 2017 and 2022. Their dream will not be fulfilled even in 2027. The people of the Samajwadi Party used to encroach on forest land," Pathak said. Earlier, Akhilesh Yadav strongly criticised the decision to hand over the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) to the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA), calling it an insult to the legacy of the socialist icon Jayaprakash Narayan. Akhilesh expressed deep disappointment over the decision and recalled his connection to the centre. "We and Chaudhary Sahab are particularly sad because we were founder members of JPNIC Society," he said. "When Netaji laid the foundation stone of JPNIC, many socialist leaders were present. JPNIC was built so that this generation could see the struggle for democracy. People had to see the change that came with the slogan of total revolution," Akhilesh further added. Furthermore, criticising the transfer of the building to the LDA, the Samajwadi Party Chief said, "This building was given to LDA, what work does LDA have, LDA does not build buildings but fish markets." Reiterating his party's commitment to protecting the institution, Akhilesh added, "And I say once again from the stage that if they have to be sold, we socialist people will buy JPNIC." (ANI) The Punjab Police's Counter-Intelligence (CI) unit in Amritsar has successfully dismantled a cross-border narcotics smuggling network with connections to Pakistan, arresting four people along with the recovery of 5 kg of heroin from their possession, officials said on Saturday. According to the release, those arrested have been identified as Resham Singh, a resident of Dhanoe Kalan in Amritsar; Gurpinder Singh, also a resident of Dhanoe Kalan in Amritsar; Rooppreet Singh, a resident of Sehnewali in Amritsar; and Shubhkar Manjit Singh, a resident of Sehnewali in Amritsar. Apart from recovering 5 kg heroin, police teams have also impounded their vehicle and motorcycle being used for transporting the consignments. DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigations have revealed that the accused were acting under the directions of a Pakistan-based smuggler identified as Kaka, a resident of Dyal in Pakistan, who has been using drones to drop narcotic consignments from across the border. The arrested accused persons were further delivering the narcotics consignments to other parties in the state, he said. Sharing operation details, the DGP said that teams from Counter-Intelligence, Amritsar, received specific intelligence about the retrieval of narcotics consignments by some individuals from near the Indo-Pak border area falling near the village Dhanoe Kalan in Amritsar. Acting swiftly, police teams intercepted above four persons from Attari to Pull Kanjari road, Amritsar, when they were going to deliver the consignment on their vehicles and recovered heroin consignment from their possession, he said, while adding that further investigations are underway to uncover the network's backward and forward linkages in this case. More arrests and recoveries are likely in the coming days, he added. In this regard, a case FIR dated July 5 has been registered under Sections 21, 25, and 29 of the NDPS Act at the Police Station State Special Operation Cell in Amritsar. (ANI) The United States Supreme Court refused to take a case that seeks the revival of a Montana law that requires people younger than 18 to get parental consent before getting an abortion. The legislation was originally enacted in 2013 and includes provisions that prohibit a doctor from providing abortion services to a patient who is under 18 years old if they do not have notarized written consent from a parent. Parental Consent for Abortion for Minors The Montana Supreme Court previously concluded that the law violated the Montana state Constitution. The latter includes broader protections for abortion compared to the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court itself did not provide a detailed explanation for its decision, but Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas wrote a short statement. There, they asserted that technical problems with the case made it look like a "poor vehicle" for deciding the questions over such laws. In their appeal, Montana officials told the Supreme Court that parents' authority extends to decisions about medical care. They added that parents are presumed to act in their child's best interest, noting that the state may not interfere with that right, according to CNN. Read more: Florida Court Blocks Law Letting Minors Get Abortion Without Parental Consent On the other hand, Planned Parenthood, a non-profit organization, sued over the law, claiming that the case was focused on the state constitution. The organization added that Montana officials seemed to suggest that the existence of parental rights is the start and end of the inquiry. It noted that as long as there is a federal due process right of parents to participate in decisions concerning their minor child's medical care, there should be no need to consider what other rights could be relevant. The Supreme Court's Ruling The state court ruled that a minor's right to control her reproductive decisions is "among the most fundamental of the rights she possesses." It added that the state failed to show its own interests overcame those protections, NBC News reported. Even among Republican-led states, Montana is an outlier in that abortion is still widely available despite the 2022 Supreme Court ruling overturning abortion rights landmark Roe v. Wade. The state's highest court has long recognized that individuals have a right to abortion under the state Constitution. The court's decision comes despite Montana being a very red state, where President Donald Trump won with 58% of the vote last November. In Montana, abortion is protected up to the point of fetal viability. Voters also approved a ballot initiative in 2024 that made it illegal for the government to regulate or restrict abortion before viability, as per The Hill. Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Saturday laid the foundation stone for the world's first Tribhuvan Cooperative University in Anand, also known as the city of education, an official statement. Announced in the current Union Budget, this ambitious institution is set to become functional within just four months. Speaking at the event, the Union Home Minister noted that the scope of cooperative activities is set to expand significantly in the coming days. With initiatives like taxi services and insurance being launched on a cooperative model, the university will play a vital role in providing the skilled human resources needed to support this growing sector, the statement added. The Union Home Minister stated that the formation of the Ministry of Cooperation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a historic move for the economic empowerment of poor and rural communities. The statement mentioned that the ministry held discussions with 16 prominent cooperative leaders from across the country to gather their insights. Based on these interactions, key shortcomings in the cooperative sector were identified, leading to the implementation of seven new reform measures. These initiatives will make the sector more transparent, democratic, and inclusive, thereby paving the way for the expansion of cooperative activities. He emphasised that Tribhuvan Sahkari University is a significant step toward addressing all existing challenges in the cooperative sector. Spread across 125 acres and being developed at a cost of 500 crore, the university will serve as a hub for policy formulation, data analysis, research, and development. He said that across the country, around 40 lakh employees and 80 lakh board members are associated with cooperative activities, involving nearly 30 crore people, roughly one in every four citizens of India. There has long been a lack of structured training facilities for cooperative employees and members. He expressed confidence that this university will bridge that gap by providing systematic training and capacity-building opportunities. Shah said that this university will not only produce well-trained professionals but also nurture dedicated cooperative leaders in the spirit of Tribhuvandas Patel. He added that individuals educated at this university will be given priority in recruitment within the cooperative sector. This will help eliminate allegations of nepotism and bring greater transparency to the hiring process. The university will provide education in technical skills, financial management, scientific thinking, and cooperative values, thereby strengthening the foundation of the cooperative movement. Recalling the contributions of Shri Tribhuvandas Patel, the Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that in 1946, he established the Kheda District Milk Producers' Cooperative Union, which has today evolved into the globally renowned Amul brand. Through Amul, around 36 lakh women are engaged in business activities, amounting to 80,000 crore, the statement read. This movement was a brave stand against the exploitation of dairy farmers by Polson's Dairy. The statement read that this university will integrate the cooperative movement into the mainstream of both rural and urban economies. It will promote innovation, research, and training, and play a pivotal role in implementing key initiatives, including the formation of two lakh new cooperative societies. Shah called upon cooperative experts from across the country to associate with the university and contribute to its mission. He also expressed satisfaction over this inclusive initiative, made possible under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He remarked that naming the university after Tribhuvandas Patel is truly a well-deserved tribute. The Central Government selected this name not out of political consideration, but to honour his immense contribution to the cooperative movement. When Shri Tribhuvandas Patel retired from Amul, six lakh women each donated one rupee as a farewell gift, amounting to 6 lakh--a sum he wholeheartedly dedicated to social service. It was Tribhuvandas Patel who facilitated Dr Verghese Kurien's higher education abroad, and Dr Kurien's pioneering role in shaping the dairy cooperative movement remains equally remarkable. Shah, CM Patel, and other dignitaries jointly unveiled two modules of NCERT's cooperative education textbook. Shah also suggested incorporating similar cooperative activities into Gujarat's academic curriculum, emphasising the importance of instilling cooperative values through education. Addressing the gathering, CM Patel stated that, on this occasion of International Co-operative Day, laying the foundation stone for Tribhuvan Sahkari University in Anand marks a historic milestone in India's cooperative journey. As the country's first cooperative university, it will usher in a new era for the cooperative sector. This visionary initiative will provide a strong foundation in education, research, and policy-making, paving the way for the development of a new-age cooperative culture, read the statement. The Chief Minister stated that the establishment of this university stands as a true tribute to Tribhuvandas Patel, the visionary behind India's cooperative movement. He further noted that in 1946, Tribhuvandas Patel brought together the milk producers and farmers of Kheda district, steering the cooperative movement in a new direction. Chief Minister said that PM Modi and the country's first Cooperation Minister have embraced a bold and strategic vision to present India's cooperative model effectively on the global stage. Their leadership goes beyond policy formulation, ensuring robust on-ground implementation. Guided by the mantra of 'Sahakar thi Samruddhi, ' they have successfully integrated the cooperative sector into the mainstream of national development, the CM said according to the statement . CM Patel said that organising the foundation stone laying event of the university within a record time of just four months reflects the government's strong political will and administrative efficiency. "The Gujarat Government has allocated 125 acres of land for the project, and with the technical support of esteemed cooperative institutions like NDDB, the initiative will expand further in scope and impact," the Gujarat CM said. He expressed confidence that the university will become a cradle for grooming well-trained, informed, and committed young leaders to drive the future of the cooperative sector. Chief Minister expressed strong confidence that this university will evolve into a global centre of excellence for cooperative education, research, and innovation. "It will empower the next generation with the skills required to align the cooperative model with emerging challenges such as climate change, the digital economy, and rural development," he said. He affirmed that the university will play a pivotal role in propelling India's transformation from a developing nation to a developed one. He stated that this university will not merely be an educational institution, but a living embodiment of the cooperative culture. Exemplifying the Prime Minister's vision of 'Vikas bhi Virasat bhi', the university will give global recognition to India's cooperative values while preserving its rich legacy. "While the cooperative sector may be seen as an economic activity in other countries, in India, it reflects a way of life rooted in our traditions. Cooperation is an inherent part of our culture, progressing together through mutual support," said CM Patel. The foundation stone laying of Tribhuvan Sahkari University is not just the beginning of a new educational initiative, but a significant step toward giving the cooperative movement across the nation a renewed vision, fresh resolve, and clear direction. On this occasion, Union Ministers of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal and Murlidhar Mohol, Speaker of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly Shankar Chaudhary, State Health Minister Rushikesh Patel, Minister of State for Cooperation Jagdish Vishwakarma, Member of Parliament from Anand Mitesh Patel, MP from Nadiad Devusinh Chauhan, Deputy Chief Whip of the Legislative Assembly Raman Solanki, District Panchayat President Hasmukh Patel, MLAs of Anand Yogesh Patel, Kamlesh Patel, Chirag Patel, Vipul Patel, MLA of Nadiad Pankaj Desai, Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation Ashish Kumar Bhutani, District Collector Praveen Chaudhary, Anand Municipal Commissioner Milind Bapna, District Development Officer Devahuti, Superintendent of Police Gaurav Jasani, Vice Chancellor of Tribhuvan Sahkari University JM Vyas, NDDB Chairman Dr Meenesh Shah, along with faculty members, office bearers, and officials from NDDB and IRMA, as well as a large gathering of farmers and dairy producers, were present. (ANI) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday met the family of businessman Gopal Khemka, who was recently murdered in Patna and called the incident a "horrible" one. Speaking to ANI, Yadav claimed the incident shows how unsafe Bihar has become. Tejashwi also said that Khemka's son was murdered six years ago, but no one has been arrested. He said officers are running the state as the Chief Minister is "unconscious and tired." "It's a horrible incident. The businessmen want to leave Bihar. The incident has occurred in the heart of Patna... Still, it takes the police two hours to arrive here. Six years ago, his (Gopal Khemka's) son was murdered, and none of the murderers were caught... By the time transfers and postings are done through bribery, and performers are not posted, things will not improve. No one is safe in Bihar... The CM is unconscious, and he is tired; officers are running the government," Tejashwi Yadav said. Meanwhile, the Bihar Police has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder case of businessman Gopal Khemka, who was allegedly shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan in Bihar on Friday. Superintendent of Police (SP), Patna, Diksha told ANI on Saturday, "On the night of July 4, at around 11 pm, we received information that businessman Gopal Khemka has been shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan..." Earlier in the day, Coming hard on the ruling as well as past governments over the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, also said that there is no difference between the law and order during tenure of Lalu Yadav and present Nitish Kumar. Speaking to reporters, Prashant Kishor claimed that officials are running Nitish Kumar's government, doing as they please. "There is no difference between Lalu Yadav's jungle raj and Nitish Kumar's rule. During Lalu Yadav's rule, there was a rampage by criminals, and in Nitish Kumar's rule, there is a rampage by officials. The kind of corruption and law-and-order situation that existed before is still the same now. In Patna, such a prominent businessman is shot dead, and no action is taken... Just yesterday in Siwan, three people were shot. This is a daily occurrence. It's the rule of officials, running things as they please," he said. (ANI) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Saturday said that Panchayati Raj Institutions are the backbone of rural development, as the three-day training for District Panchayat leaders began here in Raipur. Speaking to reporters, CM Sai said, "A three-day training program for the newly elected district Panchayat president and vice presidents of all districts of Chhattisgarh has started. The Panchayati Raj system is the backbone of rural development, and a significant responsibility lies with the president and vice presidents of our district. Therefore, this workshop is organised so they can perform their duties properly." In another workshop event, 'How to do Parliamentary Reporting', CM Sai mentioned that the media plays a crucial role in highlighting the work of the legislators. "Several of our MLAs are newly elected, but you all see that they work very hard and come to the Assembly and put forth the problems of their area in the Assembly, and you (media) present their efforts in front of the public in a very good manner," he said. Earlier on Thursday, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai reaffirmed the state's commitment to digital transformation, calling electronics and information technology a key pillar in the vision of 'Viksit Chhattisgarh 2047', aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Viksit Bharat 2047' roadmap. Earlier, while chairing a high-level review meeting of the Electronics and Information Technology Department at Mantralaya Mahanadi Bhawan, CM Sai directed officials to accelerate the rollout of mobile towers and fibre optic networks, particularly in remote and underserved regions such as Bastar and Surguja. "In order to ensure governance that is efficient, transparent and accessible, it is essential to strengthen digital infrastructure across the state," CM Sai said. (ANI) A culvert on a state highway connecting Narsinghpur to Narmadapuram collapsed following the heavy rainfall over the past 2-3 days in Madhya Pradesh's Narsinghpur district, officials said on Saturday. The culvert was built over Sukhchain river near Bandesur village in Gadarwara subdivision of Narsinghpur district. Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP, Gadarwara) Ratnesh Mishra told ANI that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPRDC) have been informed about the incident. "Due to heavy rain for 2-3 days, this culvert has been damaged, and it has collapsed into the ground. As soon as the information was received, the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police (SP, Narsinghpur) gave the information to NHAI and the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation for the repair work," Mishra said. He added that the administration had taken immediate steps to divert traffic and ensure public safety. "We have diverted all the vehicles. Heavy vehicles arriving from the Gadarwara side have been diverted from Paloha Tiraha towards Tendukheda. Additionally, the Kareli police have also placed diversion points to prevent vehicle movement in this area. Alternatively, banners are also being put up, stoppers are being placed, and we will also deploy the staff," the officer said. He further added that they also informed everyone that if there is a situation of waterlogging or a chance of another bridge collapse, they should alert the administration. (ANI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that he must be receiving the blessings of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray after the estranged Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, shared the public stage for the first time in nearly 20 years. The remarks of the Maharashtra Chief Minister came in response to Raj Thackeray's veiled attack on the former, where the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief stated, "What Balasaheb could not do, Devendra Fadnavis did it". "I express my gratitude to Raj Thackeray that he gave me the credit for the coming together of both the brothers; I must be getting the blessings of Balasaheb Thackeray. I was told that there would be a victory rally, but there was also a speech of 'rudaali'. Not a single word was spoken about Marathi... The Mumbai Municipal Corporation was under their control for 25 years. Still, they did not do any work that could be shown," Chief Minister said. "We changed the face of Mumbai under the leadership of PM Modi. They are jealous of the work we did for Mumbai, but the public knows everything, and everyone is on our side," he added. On the language row brewing up in the state, CM Fadnavis said that the ideology of Hindutva takes everyone. "We are Marathi, we are proud of being Marathi, we are proud of the Marathi language, but at the same time, we are also Hindus; our Hindutva takes everyone along," he said. Earlier, at a joint rally, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray launched a veiled attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and said that the Chief Minister did what could not be possible for Balasaheb Thackeray, as he brought the two estranged brothers of the Thackeray family together. "I had said in one of my interviews that my Maharashtra is bigger than any politics and fight. Today, after 20 years, Uddhav and I have come together. What Balasaheb could not do, Devendra Fadnavis did it... The work of bringing both of us together," he said. Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray shared a hug at the Worli Dome in Mumbai as they held a joint rally after the Maharashtra government scrapped two Government Resolutions (GRs) to introduce Hindi as the third language. Speaking on the occasion, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Saturday expressed happiness over the 'Awaaz Marathicha' joint rally held by Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and stated that she "witnessed a historic" moment. Priyanka Chaturvedi said that both Uddhav and Raj Thackeray have come together after 20 years, and this was evident from the excitement of the people. "We have witnessed a historic moment. As Raj Thackeray said, what Balasaheb couldn't do, Devendra Fadnavis has done. This shows that they will stay united. Both of them have come together after 20 years. The excitement of people shows that they wanted both of them to come together", Priyanka Chaturvedi said. (ANI) Heavy rainfall in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district on Saturday led to severe waterlogging, causing major inconvenience to residents as water entered residential areas and vehicles were submerged. Several colonies located along the Shivpuri Road were severely affected. Cars, bikes and other four-wheelers parked outside homes were submerged in floodwater. Sheopur Municipal Corporation officials blamed the unplanned drainage system constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the situation. "The drains constructed by NHAI are not quality work. I have complained several times before the collector and engineers were instructed to perform quality work. However, they neither followed the instructions for creating a proper slope nor worked properly. Today's waterlogging is a direct consequence of that. Apart from this, we are watching every situation from early morning, and we are ready to overcome the situation," Chief Municipal Officer Radheraman Yadav told ANI. On the other hand, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) BS Srivastava of Sheopur said measures were being taken to drain the water and inspect the affected areas. "Ahead of the rainy season, the administration had got the drains cleaned. If there is waterlogging due to road construction in this area, we have made arrangements to release the water from the area. Additionally, an inspection is being made with the CMO, and we are trying to resolve the problems of the people," Srivastava said. Meanwhile, a resident claimed that the area was waist-deep in water, with vehicles completely submerged. "The drains constructed by NHAI blocked the natural flow of water from the colony. Due to this improper water discharge, the area is now flooded," the local added. (ANI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday slammed Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray, after the latter reunited with his brother and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray. Speaking to the media, Shinde alleged that instead of speaking for the Marathi community, Uddhav Thackeray used the stage for political purposes and focused only on power and self-interest. "There was a clear expectation that Uddhav Thackeray would apologise to the Marathi people for accepting the report mandating compulsory Hindi from Class 1 to 12. Instead, he turned the stage into a political battleground. He raised no relevant issue concerning the Marathi Manoos. Self-interest and the hunger for power were the only visible agendas," Shinde said. Eknath Shinde said that Raj Thackeray's speech reflected concern for the Marathi language while Uddhav's speech was filled with bitterness, jealousy, and a desperate craving for power and position. "Raj Thackeray's speech today reflected genuine concern for the Marathi language. In contrast, Uddhav's speech was filled with bitterness, jealousy, and a desperate craving for power and position. Some leaders spoke of having neither a flag nor an agenda. But while one observed that restraint, the other shamelessly revealed his flag of selfishness and his agenda for power. Today's event left the Marathi community disappointed," Shinde said Shinde continued his sharp criticism of Uddhav Thackeray, saying he lacks courage and has failed politically. He said Thackeray should watch his words and remember the consequences when challenged. "Three years ago, we rose against injustice. Uddhav Thackeray must mind his language. He must remember very well what happens when I decide to rise. He is all noise and no courage. He has fallen flat on his face in the Vidhan Sabha elections and now needs others to lift him up," he added. The Maharashtra Deputy CM highlighted the adoption of the state song and the proposal to give Marathi the status of a classical language, which was approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also called it unfortunate that even the Prime Minister was targeted, calling it a sign of desperation for power. Responding to those questioning his contribution to the Marathi cause, Shinde said, "As Chief Minister, we passed the resolution adopting the State Song, and today's event began with it. We proposed granting 'Classical Language' status to Marathi, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately approved it. Yet today, even the Prime Minister was targeted, a deeply unfortunate act that only exposes their mindset, hatred, and desperation for power." Shinde accused Uddhav Thackeray of betraying the Marathi people and Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology. He questioned the declining Marathi population and shrinking representation in Mumbai, blaming Uddhav for abandoning core values in 2019 to gain power. "The real questions need to be answered by Uddhav Thackeray," Shinde asserted. "Why has the Marathi population in Mumbai declined? Why is the representation of Marathi people shrinking? He abandoned Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology in 2019, and the public responded in the Assembly elections. Shiv Sena won 60 seats, while Uddhav's party contested 100 and managed to win just 20. In 2019, for the sake of the Chief Minister's chair, he betrayed the people's mandate, Balasaheb's legacy, and the cause of Hindutva." (ANI) Former Aam Aadmi Party MLA Naresh Balyan, who is an accused in MCOCA, has sought permission to have a telephonic conversation/video calling from Mandoli Jail with his family. Balyan is in judicial custody in a case linked with the organised crime syndicate allegedly run by gangster Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu from the United Kingdom. Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh of Rouse Avenue court sought a reply from the Delhi Police crime branch within three days. Meanwhile, the court has called a detailed report in respect of applications of other accused persons who sought permission to have telephonic conversations with their families and what decision has been taken by the jail authorities. "A report be called from all the concerned Jail Superintendents, wherein the seven accused persons are lodged as to which of the accused preferred application for telephonic conversations with his family, what reply was given by the IO, if any, and what final decision on those telephonic conversations was taken by the Jail Superintendents. The said status report be also called from the Jail Superintendents within a week from today," special judge Singh ordered on July 5. The court has listed the matter for hearing on July 15. Naresh Balyan and six other accused were produced before the court through video conferencing. Their judicial custody has been extended till the next date. This case is at the stage of arguments on charge. However, it could not be commenced on Saturday due to a change of counsel for some accused. The court has granted him time to scrutinise the documents. Advocate Rohit Kumar Dalal appeared for Naresh Balyan. He submitted that a pen drive had been supplied to him containing the disputed voice. Though he has not been supplied with the sample voice. Balyan's bail petition is pending before the Delhi High Court. His earlier bail plea was rejected on May 27 by the Rouse Avenue court. This was the second bail application moved by the former Uttam Nagar MLA. (ANI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday praised Lakshmibai Kelkar's contribution to the nation on her 120th birth anniversary. CM Gupta said Kelkar inspired women across India to serve the country with dedication. She added that through the Sevika Samiti, women are working for society with a strong sense of patriotism and pride. The Delhi CM emphasised that it was a proud moment to remember Kelkar's life and values. Speaking to the reporters, CM Gupta said, "...The lesson Lakshmibai Kelkar gave to the sisters of the country to show their dedication towards the nation is something every woman in India thanks her for. Through the Sevika Samiti, sisters work for society, the country, and the nation, and they have a sense of patriotism within them. If we truly believe, they have found a path on which they can feel self-satisfaction and pride in their existence. So, on the occasion of her 120th birth anniversary, I extend my best wishes, and we are all fortunate to be present at this program today, recalling her virtuous memories." Lakshmibai Kelkar was born on July 5, 1905. She was a pioneering social reformer in the country and founded the Rashtra Sevika Samiti, a women's volunteer group associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta alleged that the previous government showed no interest in such plantation drives or Delhi's environment and tree plantation was never a priority as she launched the Van Mahotsav 2025, a city-wide tree plantation drive under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Delhi CM also criticised the previous Aam Aadmi Party-led government for not showing sufficient concern for the city's environment. Addressing the media, she emphasised the initiative's goal to involve every Delhi resident in making the city greener. Speaking at the launch, CM Gupta said, "A new chapter is being written in Delhi through Van Mahotsav. This festival, Season 2 of Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, reflects a shift in mindset. In the past, governments showed no interest in such plantation drives or Delhi's environment. Tree plantation was never a priority." (ANI) In a move to curb the misuse of public welfare schemes, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday directed authorities to take stringent action against those fraudulently availing benefits. According to the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, two separate cases have been registered at Kotwali Nagar and Thana Rajpur in Dehradun. The crackdown began after the District Supply Officer and the Ayushman Department submitted complaints to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Dehradun. The complaints revealed that ration cards--intended only for individuals with an annual income below Rs 5 lakh--were being obtained by ineligible persons using fake documents. A subsequent investigation by the Supply Department confirmed that many such ration cards were indeed fraudulent. These were then used to create Ayushman health cards, allowing individuals to access government-funded healthcare services improperly. Acting swiftly, the police have launched detailed investigations into both FIRs. Authorities are in the process of identifying all individuals who secured benefits using forged documents, with Chief Minister Dhami reiterating that no one found guilty will be spared. Earlier in the day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dhami flagged off the first group of pilgrims for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Tanakpur, marking the official commencement of the sacred journey. The group of devotees arrived in Tanakpur on Friday night and was welcomed by the Chief Minister at the Tourist Rest House (TRC). He personally interacted with the pilgrims before sending them off with best wishes. While speaking to ANI, CM Dhami said, "The group for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has moved forward from its main stop, Tanakpur. The group of devotees arrived here last night... All arrangements have been made to ensure the safety of the pilgrims, a smooth journey, and no inconveniences." Highlighting the challenges of the yatra, CM Dhami stated that the route remains vulnerable to landslides and harsh weather conditions, but the state government and associated corporations have ensured that all necessary support is in place. "This is an extremely challenging journey, with persistent weather conditions and routes prone to landslides, but despite that, all facilities have been provided by our state corporation... The atmosphere is very enthusiastic. All the pilgrims are full of zeal... I wish everyone a successful journey," the CM added. On June 20, after a five-year gap, the revered Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Sikkim recommenced with the ceremonial flagging off of the first batch of pilgrims by Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur from the Nathula Pass. The batch comprises 33 pilgrims, accompanied by two nodal officers and one doctor from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), making a total of 36 members. The resumption of this spiritual journey marks a significant moment of international cooperation and cultural continuity between India and China. (ANI) A teenage aviator, who is also a social media content creator and influencer, was detained in Antarctica while he was trying to fly solo to all seven continents around the world. The individual, identified as 19-year-old Ethan Guo, was documenting his journey online and sharing his flight with other people. Chilean authorities detained him earlier this week as they argued that he did not have authorization to land his plane on an island off Antarctica. Teenage Pilot Detained After Landing in Antarctica In an interview on Thursday, Guo said that he was being housed at a Chilean base on King George Island while the case against him proceeds. Officials later said that while the teenager was initially detained, he was allowed to leave the island with the condition that he remain in Chile while his case was still ongoing. The teen was sharing his solo flight around the world on TikTok and Instagram, letting his more than 329,000 followers and roughly 1.3 million followers, respectively, watch his progress. Guo had acquired his pilot's license at 17 years old and planned to become the first to fly in a small aircraft to all seven continents, according to the New York Times. Guo also wanted to use his journey and the fact that he was able to share it with the world to raise $1 million in support of cancer research. The teen's detention comes as Antarctica was the only continent that he had not landed on yet. Violating National and International Regulations At around 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, he took off on his plane from Punta Arenas, which is a city found near the southern tip of Chile, with a flight plan that indicated he planned to fly over the city and land again in Punta Arenas. However, the regional prosecutor of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, Cristian Cristoso Rifo, said that Guo conducted an unauthorized flight to King George Island. The island is situated off the Atlantic coast and is claimed by Chile as part of its Atlantic territory, CBS News reported. The prosecutor in the case said that Guo continued to fly toward Antarctica without informing anyone and landed at the airfield of Lieutenant Rodolfo Marsh Base in Chilean Antarctic territory. Rifo explained that when the teenager landed in Antarctica, officials quickly detained and formally charged him. The prosecutor said that the content creator not only violated the Aeronautical Code but also several national and international regulations, as per CNN. Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday said that around 26,000-27,000 pilgrims have visited the Amarnath Yatra since the commencement of the annual pilgrimage on July 2, dispelling the misconception that the enthusiasm of pilgrims would decrease after the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The Union Minister attributed the turnout of the pilgrims as a testament to the success of the government and said that people have confidence that, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there would be no shortcomings in the security arrangements. "So far, 26,000-27,000 pilgrims have visited the Amarnath Yatra. The misconception that the enthusiasm of pilgrims would decrease after the Pahalgam terrorist attack has been dispelled. People have such confidence that with Prime Minister Modi in charge, they know there will be no shortcomings in their security arrangements," said Jitendra Singh. "People from every section of society, both from within the country and abroad, are coming for the Amarnath Yatra. This is a testament to the success of the government," he added. Security arrangements have been strengthened across Jammu and Kashmir, including Udhampur, as the annual pilgrimage progresses through the Baltal and Pahalgam routes. The annual pilgrimage, which began on Thursday, is being conducted via the Baltal and Pahalgam routes. The Jammu-Srinagar Highway is a key route for the thousands of pilgrims heading to the holy site. Earlier, authorities set up 17 medical camps at langar sites, established mini hospitals, and deployed ambulances across the Ramban district as the 38-day Amarnath pilgrimage commences today, weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead following religious profiling. A fresh batch of pilgrims set off for the holy cave of Shri Amarnath Baba on Saturday morning, chanting "Har Har Mahadev" and "Bam Bam Bhole" as they began their journey. One pilgrim at the Baltal base camp, who was visiting the Amarnath shrine for the 14th time, praised the arrangements. "I am from Sangrur, Punjab. This is the 14th time I have come for the Amarnath Yatra. There is no need to rush. The arrangements made by the government are excellent," he told ANI. (ANI) Ahead of the Kanwar Yatra, authorities in Pauri Garhwal district on Saturday carried out a joint inspection of the pilgrimage route and directed urgent upgrades to infrastructure and safety measures. The inspection was led by District Magistrate Swati S Bhadauria, who was accompanied by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and teams from the electricity, roads, and water departments. "Today, we inspected the whole Kanwar Yatra route with the SSP and the whole team of electricity, road, and water. A detailed inspection was conducted of the pedestrian road, temple, parking area, and toilets," Bhadauria told ANI. She also pointed out a few areas requiring immediate attention. "There is a big parking lot of the Zila Panchayat where there is a slight shortage of toilets. We have also directed them about the solar lights on the pedestrian walk, while directions have been given for the safety of elephant-prone zones and dangerous zones," she added. Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand State Health Department has also prepared a comprehensive action plan to ensure pure and safe food is provided to the lakhs of devotees expected to participate in the yatra. According to an official release, special teams of food safety officers have been deployed in Haridwar, Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri and Uttarkashi districts. These teams will regularly collect samples of milk, sweets, oil, spices, beverages, and other items from the pandals and send them to laboratories for testing. If any sample does not meet the standards, the concerned place will be closed immediately. Additional Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration Tajbar Singh Jaggi stated that the government has made it clear that no leniency will be shown to those conducting food business without a license. Those who adulterate or violate the rules will face penalties as well as criminal action. According to the statement, the government has implemented strict arrangements to provide pure and safe food to the devotees during the Kanwar Yatra 2025. Health Secretary and Commissioner of the Food Safety and Drug Administration, R. Rajesh Kumar, stated that in this regard, some important mandatory instructions have been issued to all hotels, dhabas, carts, and other food vendors operating on the travel routes. Every food trader will have to put a clean copy of their license or registration certificate in a prominent place in their establishment so that consumers can easily see it. (ANI) Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray should tell his party workers that bullying common citizens is not right, adding that Devendra Fadnavis' government should take action against such people, and they should be punished. "Love for Marathi can be understood, but the feeling of opposing the Hindi language is not right. Raj Thackeray should tell MNS workers that bullying is not right. Bullying can be answered with bullying. Beating someone is wrong. The Devendra Fadnavis government should take action against such people, and they should be punished," Athawale told ANI. Earlier, at a joint rally alongside Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray advised his party workers to exercise restrain while dealing with citizens who refuse to speak Marathi, however, "if someone shows useless drama" then he advised them to hit them below their eardrums. "Be it Gujarati or anyone else here, must know Marathi, but there is no need to beat people for that if they don't speak Marathi. But if someone shows useless drama, you must hit below their eardrums. I tell you one more thing: if you beat someone, don't make a video of the incident. Let the person beaten up tell that he has been beaten up, you don't need to tell everyone that you have beaten someone," he said. Athawale also claimed that the reunion of the Thackeray brothers would only cause an electoral loss to the Maha Vikas Aghadi. "Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray have come together; this is a very good thing. This will benefit the Mahayuti more, because there will be a division in the Maha Aghadi. The Mahayuti will also get more than sixty per cent of Marathi votes in BMC elections..." he said. Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC said that the Thackeray brothers have reunited only for the political posturing and there is nothing significant about this development. "After 20 years, the Thackeray brothers have come together, and good luck to them, but it is nothing but political posturing. Do understand that for every election where Uddhav Thackeray has fought, there has been an alliance that he's formed and broken. This is a characteristic of a chameleon... People feel betrayed because, for the sake of power, Uddhav Thackeray and these alliances have been anti-Hindu. Do understand that Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray had a philosophy and ideology. This is only convenience and posturing by two unreliable parties..." she said. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that he must be receiving the blessings of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray after the estranged Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, shared the public stage for the first time in nearly 20 years. The remarks of the Maharashtra Chief Minister came in response to Raj Thackeray's veiled attack on the former, where the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief stated, "What Balasaheb could not do, Devendra Fadnavis did it". "I express my gratitude to Raj Thackeray that he gave me the credit for the coming together of both the brothers; I must be getting the blessings of Balasaheb Thackeray. I was told that there would be a victory rally, but there was also a speech of 'rudaali'. Not a single word was spoken about Marathi... The Mumbai Municipal Corporation was under their control for 25 years. Still, they did not do any work that could be shown," Chief Minister said. "We changed the face of Mumbai under the leadership of PM Modi. They are jealous of the work we did for Mumbai, but the public knows everything, and everyone is on our side," he added. On the language row brewing up in the state, CM Fadnavis said that the ideology of Hindutva takes everyone. "We are Marathi, we are proud of being Marathi, we are proud of the Marathi language, but at the same time, we are also Hindus; our Hindutva takes everyone along," he said. Reacting to a viral video from Maharashtra's Thane district showing a shop owner being assaulted allegedly for not speaking in Marathi, Union Minister Chirag Paswan strongly condemned the incident. Speaking to reporters in Vaishali on Friday, Bihar, Paswan said, "It is beyond my understanding how many divisions will be created among Indians -- sometimes in the name of region, sometimes language, religion, or caste."While advocating for pride in one's mother tongue, the minister urged for sensitivity and mutual respect. (ANI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday categorically denied any raid or searches in connection with Tibetan Spiritual leader Dalai Lama's security or in any case of Khalistani terror financing in McLeodganj in Himachal Pradesh on Friday, the agency said in a statement. As per the NIA statement, the search on Friday was carried out in the 'US donkey route' human trafficking case, as per details already shared through a press note issued. "The search had no connection either with Dalai Lama or with any case related to Khalistani terrorists, and reports to the contrary in a section of the media are completely false," the NIA said in an official release. Further, the local police was duly informed and had accompanied the NIA team during the McLeodganj search, conducted along with a similar search in Delhi. As contained in yesterday's press release, two more accused were arrested during the said searches in the case of illegal human trafficking via the donkey route, said the NIA. Meanwhile, celebrations are underway in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, ahead of the 90th birthday of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the 14th Dalai Lama. According to the Gregorian calendar, the Dalai Lama's birthday is officially observed on July 6. The occasion is being marked with festive spirit and devotion by Tibetan communities and followers across the region. Ahead of his birthday, the 14th Dalai Lama expressed his appreciation for the celebrations being held in his honour on Saturday, urging people to focus on cultivating compassion and peace of mind. In a post on X, the Dalai Lama wrote, "On the occasion of my 90th birthday, I understand that well-wishers and friends in many places, including Tibetan communities, are gathering for celebrations. I particularly appreciate the fact that many of you are using the occasion to engage in initiatives that highlight the importance of compassion, warm-heartedness, and altruism." He humbly referred to himself as "just a simple Buddhist monk" and noted that he doesn't normally engage in birthday celebrations. However, he wished to share some thoughts on the occasion. "While it is important to work for material development, it is vital to focus on achieving peace of mind through cultivating a good heart and by being compassionate, not just toward near and dear ones, but toward everyone. Through this, you will contribute to making the world a better place," the Tibetan leader affirmed. The Dalai Lama reaffirmed his commitment to promoting human values, religious harmony, and the preservation of Tibetan culture and heritage. The Dalai Lama expressed his gratitude to those celebrating his birthday and using the occasion to cultivate peace of mind and compassion. "Thank you for using the opportunity of my birthday to cultivate peace of mind and compassion," he said. (ANI) Young Indian was created to revive Associated Journal Limited (AJL) and not to earn rent, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's counsel told the Rouse Avenue court, which is hearing the National Herald case. "AJL is freedom-fighting legacy, our purpose is to save it, not to earn rent from its properties. It was founded by Jawaharlal Nehru, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai and other leaders before Independence. Motive was its revival, not to earn rent," the counsel mentioned. Special judge Vishal Gogne is hearing arguments on the cognizance of prosecution complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Senior advocate RS Cheema along with Tarannum Cheema appeared for Rahul Gandhi. Senior advocate Pramod Kumar Dubey also appeared in the matter. The court has listed the matter for hearing on Monday. The court has also sought reply on application moved by Suman Dubey seeking a direction for supply of certain documents including the statement of Motilal Vohra taken by the ED in another related case. At the outset of hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju also addressed the court regarding a query on takeover of AJL by Young Indian and disinvestment of Air India by the Centre. He said disinvestment in Air India was done in a transparent way. "You can't compare Air India deal with the Young Indian deal," the ASG submitted. He said AICC gave loan to loss making AJL and no prudent person will do it. "Rs 90 crore loss to AICC is a wrongful loss. It is a result of conspiracy by respondents," he said. Raju submitted that AICC should have adopted auction to recover the debt and AICC was aware that AJL was a loss making company. There was no transparency in taking the debt of AJL by Young Indian, he said. In response to Raju's submissions, Cheema asked if it is for the ED to decide what AICC's motive and priority are. "It is incumbent on the court to take a look of complaint of Dr Subramaniam Swamy while taking cognizance of complaint of ED," Cheema said. He said Motilal Vohra was questioned by the ED at his home in another case related to AJL. "That case was filed in 2016 and cognizance was taken. ED waited a long time. Vohra passed away. He had knowledge of the deal. His statement was recorded," the Senior Advocate said. "A private complaint filed Dr. Subramaniam Swamy was converted into a schedule offence and ED later registered a money laundering case? One of the few exceptions that was made by ED was picking up a private complaint after years. The question is how will the Court respond to this?" Cheema said. Scheduled offence and FIR or statutory complaint need to be exist for a money laundering case, Cheema said. Cheema said Young Indian (YI) would have no rights on the assets of AJL. The Senior Advocate also submitted despite being a not-for-profit company, Young Indian was not indulging in any charity. He strongly denied the allegations that young Indian was involved in money laundering. Cheema said later leader Motilal Vohra, who was treasurer of AICC, was responsible for management of funds. He said AJL is alive and kicking and digital news operation was started. "AJL is not dead. It is in control of its properties. Congress Party gave a lone to revive AJL. The loan was not given to earn interest or to get its properties," he said. "If AJL makes profits, it will go to the Young Indian, not the individuals. The rent generated from the property is being enjoyed by the respondents, it is totally wrong, " the Senior Advocate submitted. Rent is earned by AJL and it is being used by it for construction of commercial spaces, he added. On the point of alleged offence, the Senior Advocate said that the money laundering is dealt in three pages. "They are the most fascinating ones. The best scenario is that AJL starts having profits. Then the dividends will go to YI," Cheema said. Special judge raised a query that as per ED, a rent of Rs 142 crore went to YI. Chima referred to urdu poetry "Woh jhoot bol raha tha, bade salike se, mein yakin na karta, toh kya karta...? Waseem Barelvi," he said. "It is AJL which is using the rent. These are crude lies. AJL got this...got that. The amount is not mentioned. Therefore, what case are we looking at?" Cheema argued. Cheema argued that as per ED, shareholders are supposed to be the victims they are defrauded of crores of rupees and said that ED has not investigated those 1000 shareholders. "Will this trial go on without them being interrogated?" he argued. Responding to the question, the ED counsel said, "We are still examining whether AJL can be made an accused. Rs 90 crore were for the use of the Congress party." (ANI) The reception, held at Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi, was also attended by members of the Arab and foreign diplomatic corps accredited to the UAE, along with members of the Rwandan community residing in the country. In his address, the Rwandan Ambassador praised the strong and longstanding relations between Rwanda and the UAE, particularly in the economic field, where the UAE stands as Rwanda's largest trading partner globally. He affirmed the presence of numerous opportunities to further enhance and develop bilateral ties in the interest of both friendly nations, calling on Emirati companies and investors to explore investment prospects in Rwanda. (ANI/WAM) During his visit to Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a number of key announcements to boost ties between both nations, including gifting of 2000 laptops to school students and extension of the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards facility up to 6th generation of Indian diaspora members Addressing a MEA press briefing, Secretary (South) Neena Malhotra listed the announcements, "..Firstly, extension of OCI Card facility up to 6th generation of Indian diaspora members in this country. As of now, this facility is available up to the 4th generation... This announcement was very enthusiastically received by the Indian diaspora, which constitutes almost 40 to 45% of the population of this country. In the education sector, we have announced the gifting of 2000 laptops to school students in Trinidad & Tobago. India also announced the holding of an artificial limb fitment camp in Trinidad and Tobago, she said. "As part of India's humanity campaign, India also announced the holding of an artificial limb fitment camp in T&T for 50 days for 800 people. There were two more announcements in the healthcare sector. One was a gift of 20 Hemodialysis units and two sea ambulances to T&T to assist in the provision of health care. We have announced specialised Medical treatment of 10 dignitaries of Trinidad & Tobago at accredited Indian hospitals for an amount of Rs one crore per annum." She added. PM Modi announced the solarisation of the headquarters of T&T's Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs by providing rooftop photovoltaic solar panels. Enhancing the cultural ties between both nations, PM Modi announced the celebration of Geeta Mahotsav at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation in Port of Spain, coinciding with the Geeta Mahotsav celebrations in India. India will also train 10 pundits from Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean region in India. "At the request of the Trinidad & Tobago Government, we have agreed to the training of 10 pundits of T&T and the Caribbean region in India," Malhotra said. Neen Malhotra also informed about the six Memorandum of Understanding signed between two countries. "PM Modi held extensive discussions with the leadership of Trinidad & Tobago covering the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship. A total of six MoUs or agreements have been signed between the two countries." The six Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed following delegation-level talks between PM Modi and his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart Kamla Persad-Bissessar in Port of Spain on Friday. The MoUs include an agreement on the Indian Pharmacopoeia, which aims to provide improved access to Indian pharmaceutical products in the Trinidad and Tobago market, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated in a statement. To strengthen the development corporation partnership between the two countries, an agreement was signed for an Indian grant to implement Quick Impact Projects (QIP). Agreements were also signed to strengthen cooperation in sports, diplomatic training and the re-establishment of two ICCR Chairs of Hindi and Indian Studies at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Trinidad and Tobago. An MoU on the Programme of Cultural Exchanges for the period 2025-2028 was also signed. After concluding his visit to Trinidad and Tobago, PM Modi embarked on his visit to Argentina for the 3rd leg of his five-nation tour. (ANI) Members of the Indian diaspora are eagerly awaiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival in Argentina, saying that the "josh is very high" for the PM's visit in the South American nation. Speaking with ANI, Saurabh Luthra, an Indian diaspora member, said, "The Josh is very high right now. We are fortunate that we will meet the PM... We hope that India-Argentina ties are strengthened even more." Another Indian diaspora member, Suruchi Chhabra, expressed her excitement, saying that PM Modi is a world leader who has motivated Indians. "I live in Argentina. I am an Indian American. We are so proud that PM Modi is visiting here. It is very exciting. We are grateful on behalf of the entire community... PM Modi is a world leader who has motivated Indians so much. He has always stood for us... We are very happy with what PM Modi has done for us and will do for us going forward," she said. Another member of Indian diaspora said, ""I am from Jharkhand and I have been living in Argentina for the last 30 years... We are delighted that someone from our country is visiting here. We are pleased that PM Modi is coming here for the second time.," PM Modi is set to arrive in Argentina for the 3rd leg of his five-nation tour after concluding his visit to Trinidad and Tobago. Earlier, Argentine artists who are set to perform in the welcoming ceremony, expressed their excitement, calling it a "privilege" to showcase their talents by performing Indian classical dances before the PM. Speaking with ANI, Anandini Dasi, an Argentine artist of Indian origin, said, "It is such a privilege to be a part of the welcome ceremony. We will give our best... I hope he will like it. It is an honour to receive him here. We hope he visits this country more and more." Another artist of the group said that they will perform Malhari and Pushpanjali (flower offering) in the styles of Kathak and Bharatanatyam in the welcome ceremony of PM. "We are really excited. We have been working hard for this day... We will perform Malhari and Pushpanjali (flower offering) in the styles of Kathak and Bharatanatyam... We love Indian culture," she said. PM Modi is headed for Buenos Aires at the official invitation of the President of the Republic of Argentina, Javier Milei. He will hold bilateral talks with President Milei to review ongoing cooperation and discuss ways to further enhance the India-Argentina partnership in key areas, including defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade, investment, and people-to-people ties. (ANI) Hamas announced that it had "submitted a positive response" to a 60-day ceasefire proposal with Israel in Gaza, indicating progress toward a potential agreement after months of stalled efforts, CNN reported In a statement on Friday, Hamas said it had responded positively to the mediators and expressed readiness to begin talks on the implementation of the framework. Hamas has "submitted a positive response to the mediators, and the movement is fully prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations regarding the mechanism for implementing this framework," the group said. Israel had earlier accepted the US-backed proposal, clearing the way for both sides to begin final negotiations to work out details before a ceasefire is finalized, CNN reported. As reported by CNN, Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American interlocutor who has been in direct contact with Hamas, welcomed the response in a Facebook post, stating, "We are now much closer to ending this cursed war." He added that Hamas had introduced "amendments it deemed necessary." "In my view, these amendments will not prevent reaching a ceasefire agreement within the coming week, God willing," he said. An Israeli source familiar with the developments said earlier on Friday that a positive response from Hamas was anticipated, and that the changes made to the proposal language were not expected to disrupt the progress toward a deal, CNN reported. Under the terms of the proposal, of the 50 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, 10 -- including 8 living hostages on the first day -- would be released during the ceasefire, along with the bodies of 18 others. In exchange, an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees would be freed. Following the initial release, Israel would withdraw from parts of northern Gaza, and the two sides would begin talks on a permanent ceasefire. Hamas has been directed to release the hostages without any public displays or ceremonies. Additional hostages would be released on four other dates outlined in the proposal, CNN reported. Earlier, US President Donald Trump cautioned Hamas against rejecting the ceasefire deal, warning that "it will not get better -- it will only get worse," "I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better -- IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. According to Al Jazeera, at least 57,130 Palestinians have been killed and more than 130,000 injured since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack in southern Israel that left approximately 1,139 people dead. In Gaza, hundreds of thousands have been displaced multiple times, with widespread destruction of cities, hospitals, and schools. The UN estimates that 85 per cent of Gaza is now under Israeli military control. (ANI) As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on the way to Argentina, Indian Ambassador Ajaneesh Kumar hailed it a "momentous occasion," noting it will be the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM in over five decades. Argentina would be the third leg of PM Modi's five-nation tour after Ghana, and Trinidad and Tobago. It will be followed by visits to Brazil for the 17th BRICS Summit and to Namibia. Laying out the itinerary of the PM's visit, Ambassador Kumar told ANI that upon reaching Argentina, PM Modi will be received by the Indian community in Buenos Aires. On the next day, PM, Modi will pay homage to Jose de San Martin, widely regarded as the Father of the Argentine Nation, at the Plaza de San Martin in Buenos Aires. PM Modi will also hold delegation-level talks with Argentine President Javier Milei. "Prime Minister arrives late in the evening... He will be received by the community... The next day, the Prime Minister will pay his respects and homage to the father of the Argentine nation. He's commonly known as the Libertadores Plaza de San Martin. At the Plaza, he would be joined by the foreign minister of this country. Thereafter, he will have an official delegation-level meeting at the Casa Rosada, which is the president's office. He will meet the President of Argentina, Javier Milei," Ajaneesh Kumar said. Ajaneesh Kumar also emphasised that this will be the first visit by the Indian Prime Minister in over five decades and mentioned the "multifaceted" relations between both nations. "Prime Minister Modi's visit to Argentina is a momentous occasion in our bilateral relations. This visit is coming after a long time, over five decades. Prime Minister had the occasion to meet the President of Argentina last November during the G20 in Brazil. This visit will only consolidate the points discussed during the last meeting. India and Argentina relations are multifaceted. We have cooperation across a range of subjects. It was only last year that we celebrated 75 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries," he said. Ambassador Ajaneesh Kumar also shed light on India-Argentina cooperation in various sectors "There is a wide segment of sectors in which the two countries are cooperating already and some of them we need to open the doors and windows for the future... We have a good cooperation going between the energy companies of India... We have a good representation of Indian two-wheelers in Argentina... Argentina is a major agricultural country, and we have tractors present here," he said. He also suggested that Argentina could benefit from India's pharmaceutical sector, as India is referred to as the "pharmacy of the world." "There is another sector which needs to be looked at very carefully, and Argentina can make use of, and that is the Indian pharmaceutical and medical devices sector... India is called the pharmacy of the world, and the medical devices made in India are of top grade. They have found markets all over Europe, in the European Union as well as in the United States... I don't see any reason why they cannot come to the Argentine market and the people of this country benefit at a cheaper cost and good quality," he said. Additionally, President of CIARA, Argentine Edible Oil Association, Gustavo Idigoras, highlighted the significance of PM Modi's visit to the South American nations, pressing on the need to have a closer economic and commercial relationship with India. "This visit of PM Modi in Argentina will be the most important visit in the last 20 years. Argentina needs to have a closer economic and commercial relationship with India. We are promoting better dialogue," Gustavo Idigoras said. "The Argentine administration and President Milei are totally convinced that he needs to work more closely with PM Modi. We are very happy to receive him with the idea to boost and double the bilateral trade, which is currently more than 5 billion (dollars). Our idea is to try to reach more than 8 billion in the next 3-4 years," he added. PM Modi is headed for Buenos Aires at the official invitation of the President of the Republic of Argentina. After completing his visit to Argentina, PM Modi will head to Brazil from July 5 to July 8 to attend the 17th BRICS Summit 2025. In the final leg of his five-nation tour, the PM will visit Namibia and also address its parliament. (ANI) Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek issued a new executive order that mandates all schools across the state to implement a ban on cell phones during school hours. The order gives the state's 197 public schools a deadline of Oct. 31, 2025, to create new policy that will prohibit students from using cell phones for the entire school day. This means that they will no longer be able to use their devices during lunch or in between periods. Oregon Executive Order Banning Use of Cell Phones in Schools This marks a significant change, particularly for many high school students in Oregon, who have already become used to less strict policies. The governor's executive order makes the state the 27th in the country to regulate the use of devices by students during school hours. The movement began after widespread concern regarding the academic distractions and mental health impacts of children's constant exposure to social media. A bipartisan group of state lawmakers also supported legislation that would have codified Oregon's stance on device use at school into law, according to Oregon Live. However, when that piece of legislation passed the House, it fell apart in the Senate Education Committee. That was because there were concerns that the proposal was too prescriptive and would cost too much, particularly for strapped school districts, to implement without any accompanying funding. Some lawmakers intimated at the time that the bill's backers refused to compromise in order to alleviate those particular concerns. On Wednesday, Gov. Kotek said that she felt motivated by the need to "stand up for the promise of every student in every corner of the state." Concerns About Consequences on Students Talking about the executive order, the governor said that schools in Oregon should be a place where students find belonging, support, and the joy of learning. However, she argued that research showed the use of cell phones can create a trifecta of consequences for kids, the Oregon Capital Chronicle reported. Opponents of the school include some school district leaders, who argue that local schools should be allowed to set their own limits on the use of cell phones. They also expressed concern that the bill would only create a mandate that schools do not have the resources to enforce. To note, Yondr pouches, which are used to store devices and are used in institutions such as Grant High School in Portland, can cost $25 to $30 for every student. Some parents also expressed concern that the ban would prevent them from being able to contact their kids in case of an emergency, as per OPB. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday extended warm greetings to the Government and people of the United States on the occasion of their Independence Day. In a post on X, the EAM expressed confidence in the continued strengthening of the India-US strategic partnership, rooted in shared democratic values and common interests. "Warm wishes to SecRubio, the Government and the people of the USA on their Independence Day. Confident that our strategic partnership, anchored in shared values and common interests, will deepen for the benefit of our peoples," Jaishankar wrote. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1941188341325767056 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Secretary Rubio on July 2 while participating in the QUAD Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Washington and discussed the bilateral partnership between the two countries in the fields of security, critical technologies, connectivity, energy and mobility. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1940129965137436996 The Independence Day in America marks the date back in 1776 when Americans broke away from being ruled by the British, who had been on the continent since the 16th Century. The holiday remembers the day in 1776 when the 13 American colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming citizens' right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This year, US President Donald Trump signed the 'Big Beautiful Bill' into law, during a military family picnic at the White House on US Independence Day. The administration had aimed to have the legislation finalized by July 4, The Hill reported. "We made promises, and it's really promises made, promises kept, and we've kept them," Trump said from the balcony overlooking the South Lawn. "This is a triumph of democracy on the birthday of democracy. And I have to say, the people are happy." The signing ceremony was attended by First Lady Melania Trump, members of the Cabinet, and several Republican lawmakers, including Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, and Rep. Jason Smith, The Hill reported. The event also featured a flypast of two B-2 bombers, the same type of aircraft used in last month's strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. 'One Big Beautiful Bill' was passed with a final vote of 218-214 in the House of Representatives on Thursday, with two Republicans, Representative Thomas Massie and Brian Fitzpatrick, voting against it, The Hill reported. (ANI) Taiwan's Ministry of Defense detected 18 Chinese aircraft, 11 Chinese vessels and one official ship around its territorial waters as of 6am (local time) on Saturday. As per the MND, of the 18 PLA Aircraft, 12 crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). In a post on X, the MND said, "18 PLA aircraft, 11 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 12 out of 18 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1941301102709989556 Earlier on July 4, 41 sorties of PLA aircraft and eight PLAN vessels were detected around Taiwan. As per the MND, "41 sorties of PLA aircraft and 8 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 27 out of 41 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1940938611723063732 Meanwhile, Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has strongly condemned recent remarks made by Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying on UN Resolution 2758, calling them "blatant and egregious bullying," Taipei Times reported on Thursday. Hua's comments were delivered last week during the Third Forum on Developing Countries and International Law in Beijing, where she claimed that any attempt to reinterpret UN Resolution 2758 constitutes a "flagrant provocation" against China's sovereignty and the post-war international order. According to Taipei Times, the DPP's Department of China Affairs firmly rejected Hua's remarks, asserting that China is misusing and distorting the resolution to isolate Taiwan diplomatically. The resolution, passed in 1971, recognizes the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the legitimate representative of China in the United Nations. However, the DPP emphasised that it does not address Taiwan's sovereignty, nor does it deny Taiwan the right to participate in the UN or international affairs. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago from July 3-4 at the invitation of the Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago where they condemned terrorism in all its forms. Bissessar and PM Modi in a Joint Statement acknowledged the common threat posed by terrorism to peace and security. As per a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, "The two leaders acknowledged the common threat posed by terrorism to peace and security. They reiterated their strong condemnation of and resolute opposition to terrorism. They declared that there could be no justification for terrorism, including cross-border terrorism." This landmark visit - the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 26 years, was imbued with profound significance, as it coincided with the 180th anniversary of the arrival of Indian immigrants to Trinidad and Tobago in 1845. It reaffirmed the deep-rooted civilizational ties, vibrant people-to-people linkages, and shared democratic values that form the bedrock of the longstanding friendship between the two nations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on her recent electoral victory and commended her sterling contributions in the strengthening of the bilateral ties between India and Trinidad and Tobago. In recognition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exceptional leadership both within India and on the global stage, he was conferred the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago - the country's highest national honour, as per the MEA statement. The two Prime Ministers held comprehensive discussions on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest. Both leaders expressed satisfaction at the depth and breadth of the relationship and reaffirmed their resolve to build a broad-based, inclusive, and forward-looking partnership in areas such as health, ICT, culture, sports, trade, economic development, agriculture, justice, legal affairs, education and skill development, the statement said. They welcomed the signing of important agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in key sectors, including pharmaceuticals, development cooperation, academia, cultural exchange, diplomatic training and sports. The leaders recalled the outcomes of the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit held in November 2024 and committed to accelerating the implementation of initiatives announced therein, the statement said. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago from July 3-4 at the invitation of Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. During his visit, the two countries expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation in the digital domain. PM Modi congratulated Trinidad and Tobago on being the first country in the Caribbean to adopt the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). "The two countries expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation in the digital domain. Prime Minister Modi congratulated Trinidad and Tobago on becoming the first Caribbean country to adopt Unified Payments Interface (UPI), India's flagship digital payment platform. They agreed to explore further collaboration in the implementation of India Stack solutions, including DigiLocker, e-Sign, and the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). Trinidad and Tobago requested support from India in digitization and upgradation of the system for state land registration. The leaders also underlined that digital governance and public service delivery can act as enablers of inclusive development, innovation and national competitiveness," the statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said. Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar commended India's leading role in saving precious human lives during the difficult times of COVID-19 pandemic. She appreciated India's quick response and valued supply of Covid vaccines and medical equipment to Trinidad and Tobago. She especially appreciated India's support under the USD 1 million 'HALT (High and Low Technology) in the COVID-19 project', with supply of mobile healthcare robots, telemedicine kits, and hand hygiene stations. PM Modi announced a gift of 2000 laptops to support Trinidad and Tobago's flagship educational programme. "Prime Minister Modi lauded Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar's ambitious vision of digitizing education and announced a gift of 2000 laptops to support Trinidad and Tobago's flagship educational programme. Prime Minister Modi also encouraged the students of Trinidad and Tobago to explore higher educational opportunities in India under various scholarship programmes offered by the Government of India," the statement said. The leaders identified agriculture and food security as another priority area. India's gift of agro-machinery worth USD 1 million for food processing and storage, to Trinidad and Tobago's National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO) was appreciated. Prime Minister Modi, during a symbolic ceremony, handed over the first batch of machinery for NAMDEVCO. Prime Minister Modi also offered India's assistance in areas of natural farming, seaweed-based fertilizers, and millet cultivation, as per the statement. On healthcare, Prime Minister Modi commended the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for recognizing Indian Pharmacopoeia which will ensure closer collaboration in pharmaceutical sector and improved access for the people of Trinidad and Tobago to quality and affordable generic medicines from India as well as provision of medical treatment in India. "He also announced that in the coming months, a prosthetic limb fitment camp for 800 individuals will be organized in Trinidad and Tobago. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar thanked Prime Minister Modi for healthcare assistance which will take healthcare cooperation beyond medicines and equipments. She expressed Trinidad and Tobago's gratitude for the donation of twenty (20) Haemodialysis Units and two (2) Sea ambulances from the Government of India to assist in the provision of better-quality healthcare," the statement said. Trinidad and Tobago underscored the value of development cooperation while welcoming the signing of a MoU on Quick Impact Projects, which will enable implementation of community development projects in Trinidad and Tobago in a timely and effective manner with India's assistance, the MEA statement said. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that he was honoured to receive a warm welcome from the Indian diaspora in Argentina. PM Modi added that distance is no barrier when it comes to cultural connection. In a post on X, the Prime Minister wrote, "Distance is no barrier when it comes to cultural connect! Honoured by the gracious welcome from the Indian community in Buenos Aires. It is truly moving to see how, thousands of kilometres away from home, the spirit of India shines brightly through our Indian community." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1941339835329020371 PM Modi arrived in Buenos Aires on the third leg of his five-nation tour. Upon arrival at the Ezeiza International Airport, he was accorded a ceremonial welcome and greeted by jubilant members of the Indian diaspora. Upon his arrival at the hotel, PM Modi was welcomed with a traditional Indian dance performance. The Indian community chanted slogans of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Modi-Modi' as they greeted the Prime Minister, who also interacted with community members. Akhilesh Verma, a member of the Indian diaspora, told ANI, "It was a very good feeling meeting PM Modi. We are very happy to see him here in Argentina. We want the relationship between the two countries, whether commercial and cultural, to grow significantly and both the countries prosper". PM Modi is on an official visit to Argentina at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Argentina, Javier Milei. Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said that this is the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM to Argentina in 57 years. https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1941311055923216681 https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1941218339185201323 In a post on X, he said, "Celebrating the enduring friendship between our nations. PM Narendra Modi has landed in the vibrant city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, on an Official Visit. He was accorded a ceremonial welcome on arrival at the airport. This is the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM to Argentina in 57 years, marking a new chapter in India-Argentina ties." (ANI) Turkish police arrested 10 suspects linked to forest fires that erupted across the country over the past week, a cabinet minister said on Friday, Xinhua reported. In a statement published on his X account, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that 44 suspects were detained in relation to 65 forest fires that occurred in 12 provinces between June 26 and July 4, 10 of them were arrested, and judicial control measures were imposed on six of them. Earlier in the day, Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Ibrahim Yumakli, announced that the forest fire in Cesme, a popular resort town, was brought under control by Friday morning. Efforts to contain the blazes in Odemis and Buca districts are still ongoing. Two people lost their lives in Odemis -- an 81-year-old bedridden man and a forestry worker who died while battling the blaze, according to Yumakli, as per Xinhua. Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fires, but high temperatures, low humidity, and powerful winds have created ideal conditions for forest fires to spread rapidly. Investigations are underway to determine whether negligence or arson may have played a role. Yerlikaya said in a post on X, "Our Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is coordinating our ongoing efforts to combat forest fires. The forest fires in the Golpazari and Osmaneli districts of Bilecik broke out on June 28, 2025, and our teams responded immediately. Today, in the wake of the devastating forest fire that has broken our hearts, we are in Bilecik, the ancient land of green and history." https://x.com/AliYerlikaya/status/1941224713369399324 https://x.com/AliYerlikaya/status/1941196466141192352 https://x.com/AliYerlikaya/status/1941227408058896560 In a post on X, he said, "Due to the forest fires, in Bilecik specifically, 721 citizens from 7 villages and 11 neighborhoods were evacuated to safe areas. After the fire was brought under control, citizens whose homes were undamaged returned to their homes." According to damage assessment studies, 69 houses, 3 businesses, and 27 barns were severely damaged; additionally, 360 hectares of agricultural land and 772 agricultural vehicles were also reported damaged. (ANI) Members of the Indian diaspora and several artists in Argentina welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi with warmth and enthusiasm during his visit to Buenos Aires, hailing his efforts to promote India's cultural and global stature. PM Modi, who is in Argentina on the third leg of his five-nation tour, was accorded a traditional welcome upon arrival, including a vibrant performance of Indian classical dance by local artists. Zinia, one of the artists who performed to welcome PM Modi, told ANI, "It was a life-changing experience. We have been working very hard to give our best to represent these Indian dance forms with so much respect from our side. I am really happy that PM Modi enjoyed it. He was watching us very carefully, and he even congratulated us." Another artist, Sofia, said, "It was an amazing experience. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. When we danced, he praised us and clapped. He said 'Shabash'. I think he liked it, it is an amazing feeling..." Anandini Das told ANI, "It is an honour. We all feel blessed. PM Modi seems to be a very simple person... We were working very hard to offer a traditional welcome to him. PM Modi is working very hard to keep and revive the greatness of Bharat..." Vijay Kumar Gupta, a member of the Indian diaspora, expressed great joy on the PM's visit. He said, "I have come here from Rosario, which is 400 kilometres from here, just to say hello to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I got the opportunity to shake hands with him..." Deependar Lamba, another member of the diaspora, told ANI, "I have been staying in Argentina for the last 45 years. I met PM Modi the previous time he visited here. This is the first time he is coming here for bilateral talks. It is a privilege for us. We are very happy and our hearts are filled with pride and joy to receive the Prime Minister. I just met him here..." Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Argentina for his third leg of a five-nation tour. He landed at the Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires. PM Modi is on an official visit to Argentina at the invitation of the President of Argentina, Javier Milei. Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said that this is the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM to Argentina in 57 years. In a post on X, he said, "Celebrating the enduring friendship between our nations. PM Narendra Modi has landed in the vibrant city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, on an Official Visit. He was accorded a ceremonial welcome on arrival at the airport. This is the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM to Argentina in 57 years, marking a new chapter in India-Argentina ties." In a post on X, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, shared the various aspects of India-Argentina ties. https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1941218339185201323 PM Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with President Milei to review ongoing cooperation and discuss ways to enhance the India-Argentina partnership across sectors such as defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, and people-to-people ties. (ANI) A man set the door of a synagogue alight, and a group of protesters stormed an Israeli restaurant in Melbourne on Friday night, the latest in a wave of antisemitic attacks in Australian cities, CNN reported on Saturday. About 20 people were inside the synagogue in the downtown area of East Melbourne when a man poured flammable liquid on the front door of the synagogue on Albert Street before setting it on fire, Victoria state police said, as per CNN. The group was having Shabbat dinner, marking the beginning of the Jewish day of rest, when the attack occured at 8 p.m. local time, Alex Ryvchin, the co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), wrote on X. No one was injured, and firefighters extinguished the small blaze, police said, adding that the perpetrator, who remains unidentified, fled the scene. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel condemned the attack. In a post on X, she said, "The horrifying attacks overnight on a synagogue and an Israeli business in Melbourne are yet another reminder of how far racist, antisemitic hate crimes have spread in the heart of Australia. Targeting Jewish houses of worship and an Israeli restaurant is terrorism, aimed at intimidating an entire community simply because of their religion and identity. These attacks are not just assaults on Jews or Israelis -- they are assaults on Australian values of tolerance, diversity, and freedom." https://x.com/SharrenHaskel/status/1941354563933483313 "I want to express my full solidarity with the Jewish community in Melbourne and all those impacted. Israel stands with you. Let me be clear: these attacks are happening because, for too long, there have been no real consequences for those spreading hate and inciting violence. Weakness and silence only emboldens the extremists. There is no justification -- ever -- for violence and hatred directed at Jews, Israelis, or any minority. The perpetrators of this terrorism must be brought to justice," the statement added. Many among Australia's 117,000-strong Jewish population are anxious after a spate of antisemitic attacks in the country's two biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, since late last year - including arson attacks on synagogues, and swastikas scrawled on buildings and cars, CNN reported. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Trinidad and Tobago announced the decision to issue Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards up to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora of Trinidad and Tobago, as noted in the joint statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. The joint statement on PM Modi's official visit to Trinidad and Tobago underlined how May 30, 2025 marks the 180th arrival anniversary of the first Indian immigrants to Trinidad and Tobago. Both PM Modi and PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar recognized the importance of Nelson Island as a location for Cultural Tourism and the need for Digitisation of Indian Arrival and other Records at the National Archives. "Prime Minister Modi also announced a decision of the Government of India to issue Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards up to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora of Trinidad and Tobago.", MEA noted. Significantly, PM Modi also welcomed Trinidad and Tobago's decision to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Global Biofuel Alliance, reflecting their shared commitment to climate action, resilience building, and sustainable development. As per the MEA, the leaders agreed to explore further collaboration in early warning systems developed by India for disaster risk reduction. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago also appreciated India's offer of grant to provide a rooftop photovoltaic (PV) system for the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs. Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar appreciated Prime Minister Modi's visionary 'Mission LiFE' initiative, which promotes a lifestyle of mindful consumption and sustainable living. She acknowledged its relevance in mobilizing global citizens towards climate-conscious behavior. Recognising that capacity building is as an important pillar of India's partnership with Trinidad and Tobago, the latter appreciated the offering of 85 ITEC slots annually by India in a wide range of areas for capacity building of their youth. The Indian side expressed willingness to send experts and trainers to Trinidad and Tobago for large scale training of their officials. As per the statement, Prime Minister Modi expressed willingness to support Trinidad and Tobago in building capacities of the officials and personnel of Trinidad and Tobago in the field of forensic science and the justice system, including by sending them to India for training as well as sending trainers and experts from India to Trinidad and Tobago. It was also observed that both leaders underscored the need to revive the India-Trinidad and Tobago Parliamentary Friendship Group; training of Trinidad and Tobago Parliamentarians in India; and regular exchange of visits by Parliamentary delegations to each other countries. Notably, both sides also exchanged views on regional and international developments and reiterated their shared commitment to peace, climate justice, inclusive development, and amplifying the voice of the Global South. They expressed appreciation for the valued mutual support extended in the multilateral forums. Expanding on the front of global partnerships, the leaders reaffirmed the need for comprehensive reforms in the United Nations, including expansion of the United Nations Security Council, to better reflect current global realities. While recognizing the rising geopolitical tensions and global conflicts, both leaders called for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward. Trinidad and Tobago reaffirmed its full support to India for permanent membership of an expanded United Nations Security Council. It was also agreed that India would support Trinidad and Tobago's candidature for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the period 2027-28; while Trinidad and Tobago would support India's candidature for the period 2028-29, the joint statement read. Prime Minister Modi expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago for the extraordinary hospitality accorded to him. He extended an invitation to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to visit India at a mutually convenient time. PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar also invited PM Modi to visit Trinidad and Tobago again at a mutually convenient time. MEA underscored that the leaders agreed that the outcome of PM Modi's visit to Trinidad and Tobago paves the way for a new era of elevated bilateral relations between both nations and reaffirmed their shared commitment to a strong, inclusive, and forward-looking India-Trinidad and Tobago partnership. (ANI) US President Donald Trump reiterated his belief that a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal could be inked next week, The Times of Israel reported on Saturday. After a reporter aboard Air Force One told him that Hamas responded positively to the latest ceasefire proposal, "Well, that's good," Trump responded, before acknowledging that he hasn't been briefed yet on the matter. Asked about Iran, Trump said its nuclear program was set back "permanently," but says Tehran may restart its program in different locations than the ones hit by the US and Israel last month, as per The Times of Israel. Trump said Iran has not agreed to inspections of its nuclear program or to give up enriching uranium. He says that he'll discuss the issue with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the Israeli premier's visit to the White House on Monday. Two Israeli committees are reportedly gathering information on the well-being of the remaining living hostages in order to determine which ones should be prioritized in the phased ceasefire deal currently under discussion. While all 20 of the hostages still believed to be alive are considered "humanitarian," a Health Ministry committee and an IDF Military Intelligence committee will recommend to the hostage negotiating team who should be released first, Channel 12 says. The deal under discussion will see the release of eight living hostages on the first day, two living hostages freed on the 50th day and the remaining 10 hostages freed when an agreement is reached on the terms of the permanent ceasefire, which could take place by the 60th day of the truce, The Times of Israel reported. Meanwhile, in a post on X, the Israel Defense Forces said that over 1 Million Weekly Food Packages Distributed in Gaza Under the American Initiative. https://x.com/IDF/status/1940870555495702717 The IDF said, "In coordination with the IDF's Southern Command, Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories: Judea and Samaria and towards the Gaza Strip (COGAT), and the American Company Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, four aid distribution centers have been opened in southern Gaza: Tel al-Sultan, Morag, the Saudi neighborhood near the Philadelphi Corridor, and near the Netzarim Corridor. According to GHF, over 1,014,684 food packages have been distributed since the centers opened, delivered via more than 1,200 humanitarian trucks. The IDF continues to facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza while working to ensure the aid does not fall into the hands of the Hamas terrorist organization." (ANI) LA PAZ, Mexico, July 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Government of the State of Baja California Sur will officially implement the EMBRACE IT tax on foreign visitors who stay in the state for more than 24 hours. This measure aims to generate funds to strengthen natural environmental conservation, community development, and local tourism infrastructure. The established amount is $470 MXN per person (approx. $25 USD). Payment must be made exclusively online through the Travelkore platform, and travelers must present their proof of payment at the state's entry and exit points. Government of the state Baja California Sur Logo Mtra. Bertha Montano Cota, Minister of Finance and Administration, stated: "Our commitment is to provide an unforgettable tourism experience while protecting our ecosystems and supporting the well-being of local communities. EMBRACE IT is a key tool to achieve this." This initiative is outlined in Article 129 Bis of the Finance Law of the State of Baja California Sur, as well as Section IV-VII of the General Rules, which specify the Means and Mechanisms to pay the Tax Fee. It will be implemented in collaboration with Tourist Tax Mexico S.A. de C.V. (TTMX), utilizing Travelkore's SaaS technology. What are the resources intended for? Environmental Protection Infrastructure Improvement Social and Cultural Projects Key information Start of collection: June 30, 2025 June 30, 2025 Amount: $470 MXN per person (approx. $25 USD ) $470 MXN per person (approx. ) Modality: Digital payment only https://embrace.bcs.gob.mx/ Digital payment only https://embrace.bcs.gob.mx/ Coverage: All foreign visitors arriving by land and air at Los Cabos (SJD), Cabo San Lucas (CSL), La Paz (LAP), and Loreto (LTO) airports. All foreign visitors arriving by land and air at Los Cabos (SJD), (CSL), (LAP), and (LTO) airports. Responsible for collection: Tourist Tax Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (TTMX) About TTMX Tourist Tax Mexico, S.A. de C.V. is a Mexican company that provides technological and administrative solutions for the efficient collection of tourist and traveler taxes through digital payment platforms, as well as offering tourist services at destinations. About Travelkore Travelkore is a global technology platform that manages tourist tax payments and ensures regulatory compliance, offering an easy, seamless, and transparent experience. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2724903/TravelKore_Baja_California_Sur_launches_EMBRACE_IT__an_initiativ.jpg For more information: Public Relations, [email protected], TTMX / Travelkore The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has reported a wave of protests and strikes across Balochistan following the extrajudicial killing of Zeeshan Zaheer, a dedicated member of the BYC, by what the Committee describes as state-backed death squads. According to a series of posts on X by BYC, a complete shutter-down strike was observed on July 4 in Chaghi, Nokundi, and Dalbandin. Shops, markets, and public transport came to a standstill as residents protested against the killing of Zeeshan Zaheer and ongoing state repression in the region. The strike was organised in response to a call by BYC, which demanded justice and accountability. In Dalbandin, the strike was accompanied by a large protest rally led by BYC's local zone. Men and women marched through the streets, chanting slogans against extrajudicial violence and enforced disappearances. BYC stated that the rally reflected the public's growing frustration with the impunity granted to state forces operating in Balochistan. A parallel protest rally was held in Nushki, organised by the BYC, Nushki Zone. Protesters there highlighted the personal tragedy of Zeeshan Zaheer's family. His father, a victim of enforced disappearance since 2015, remains missing. "Instead of returning the father, the state handed over the son's body," BYC wrote on X, calling the killing a chilling example of generational persecution in Balochistan. The BYC emphasised that Zeeshan's killing is not an isolated incident but part of a systematic campaign by Pakistani forces to crush political resistance and silence Baloch voices. The Committee reiterated its demand for international human rights organisations and the United Nations to intervene and investigate what it terms as "institutionalised war crimes" being committed in Balochistan. Balochistan has been the focus of persistent human rights concerns for decades. The region has faced cycles of violence involving separatist movements, heavy military presence, enforced disappearances, and economic marginalisation. These issues have drawn attention from human rights organisations, journalists, and international observers. (ANI) The Ambassador, accompanied by his team, was seen wearing garlands and sporting a 'teeka' after offering prayers at the sacred sites. Keiichi's visit to Ayodhya came a day after his meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow. In a post on X, Keiichi said, "Concurred with Yogi Adityanath for Japan- UP cooperation in investment, technologies, human-resource development and tourism. Look forward to working with CM Yogi by putting the right eye of the daruma doll as a promise of our collaboration: the left will be put when it comes true." https://x.com/JapanAmbIndia/status/1941168120665878549 Yogi Adityanath said, "Had a fruitful meeting and meaningful discussion with Mr. Ono Keiichi, Ambassador of Japan to India, at my official residence in Lucknow today." https://x.com/myogiadityanath/status/1941165889937952782 The Ambassador also had Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani in Lucknow. In a post on X, he said, "Enjoyed Hyderabadi Mutton Biriyani and some Awadhi zayka in the "City of Nawabs!!" https://x.com/JapanAmbIndia/status/1941193875839910294 The meeting came a day after the Japanese Embassy in New Delhi hosted the "Conference of Battery and Critical Minerals Ecosystem" on July 3. https://x.com/JapanAmbIndia/status/1940664202429190413 Sharing details of the event on social media platform X, Keiichi wrote, "Yesterday we hosted 'Conference of Battery and Critical Minerals Ecosystem' in the embassy. With more than 200 participants from more than 70 companies, we united for future collaboration in the sector between India and Japan." The conference aligns with the broader push to strengthen India-Japan economic ties--a theme that was also highlighted earlier this year during the 48th Joint Meeting of the Japan-India Business Cooperation Committee (JIBCC) and its Indian counterpart, the India-Japan Business Cooperation Committee (IJBCC), held in New Delhi on March 6. He also visited the Indian Blind and Para Judo Association and interacted with the players there. https://x.com/JapanAmbIndia/status/1941140669499842587 In a post on X, he said, "Excited to meet future Olympians/Paralympians, --and medalists--, at Indian Blind and Para Judo Association, Lucknow, UP. Japan continues to support their passion, fair-play spirit & quest for excellence." (ANI) Paank, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), has vehemently denounced the recent abduction of two Baloch youths from Hub Chowki, Balochistan, by Pakistani security personnel. A statement from Paank reported that on the night of July 4, Liaquat Mustafa, son of Ghulam Mustafa, and Umar Atta, son of Atta Baloch, both hailing from Mashkai, were taken during separate operations at their residences. Paank indicated that these operations occurred without search warrants or due legal process, with both individuals being escorted to undisclosed locations. The organisation stressed that Liaquat Mustafa's case is particularly heartbreaking, as his father, Ghulam Mustafa, was also forcibly taken on January 15, 2016, and has not been seen since. This event points to a disturbing trend of targeting entire families over the years. In a similar vein, Paank mentioned that Umar Atta had previously experienced enforced disappearance in 2016. After being released, he showed clear signs of severe physical and mental distress. His recent abduction underscores what Paank describes as a "cruel cycle of impunity and governmental brutality" in Balochistan. "These kidnappings represent serious violations of human rights and international law," Paank asserted. The state of Pakistan continues to employ enforced disappearances as a method of oppression against the Baloch population. Paank underscored that these enforced disappearances are part of a calculated strategy to suppress dissent and foster fear within the local community. The organisation called for the immediate and safe return of all four individuals and demanded an end to the collective punishment imposed on Baloch citizens. Additionally, it has urged all the international human rights organisations, the United Nations, and worldwide civil societies to break their silence and take definitive measures against the ongoing violations in Balochistan. "Enforced disappearances have become a common method of the Pakistani state in Balochistan; we urge the international community to hold Pakistan accountable and to ensure justice for the victims and their families," Paank remarked. (ANI) The death toll in the Lyari building collapse rose to 12 as three more bodies have been recovered under the debris, rescue officials confirmed, ARY News reported. The devastating incident occurred as a six-storey residential building collapsed in the Baghdadi area of Lyari, Karachi. The rescue officials reported that nine individuals, including five women, have been rescued in injured condition and are being treated. Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that around 20 people are believed to be trapped under the debris, with rescue operations currently underway to save those still buried. During a rescue operation, 19 individuals were rescued from the rubble, as confirmed by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab. Nine people died--eight on the spot and one at the hospital, according to the mayor. Of the survivors, six were discharged after receiving medical treatment, while three injured individuals remain under care at the SMBB Trauma Centre, ARY News reported. The mayor said that the rescue operation is still ongoing as teams work to ensure no one else is left trapped. Chhipa Welfare spokesperson earlier said that seven people have lost their lives and at least 20 to 25 people were trapped under the rubble. Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi, who visited the site after the lapse of 13 hours, said that the primary responsibility for the recent tragedy lies with those residing in unsafe buildings, as per ARY News. He said that the Sindh Building Control Authority had previously issued notices regarding the collapsed structure. He urged residents to prioritize the safety of themselves and their families, emphasizing that forcibly evicting people from their homes is an undesirable task, and the administration has no intention of doing so. According to rescue authorities, an adjacent building has also sustained structural damage as a result of the collapse, ARY News reported. According to the SBCA, the building which collapsed in Lyari's Baghdadi area had been declared dangerous long ago. SBCA officials said that the structure had been marked unsafe, and multiple enforcement actions had been taken. Officials said that several notices were issued instructing residents to vacate the premises, as per ARY News. Residents of the area, however, claimed that no such notices were given by the administration. The SBCA stated that 578 unsafe buildings exist in the city, with the highest number located in District South, ARY News reported. (ANI) Hamburg [Germany], July 5 (ANI/WAM): The UAE President's Cup Series for Purebred Arabian Horses is set to continue its distinguished presence at leading European tracks, as the seventh leg of its 32nd edition is set to take place tomorrow at Horner Rennbahn racecourse in Hamburg, Germany. Held under the patronage of Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the series reflects the UAE's enduring commitment to supporting owners and breeders around the world, and to encouraging the acquisition and care of Arabian horses in order to preserve their noble heritage and enhance their international stature. It also aims to further develop the global Arabian horse racing industry. This marks the first time the race will be held in Hamburg in its new format, coinciding with the historic 156th edition of the German Derby. The move aligns with the strategic vision of the organising committee to stage the series at elite festivals and prominent racecourses, thereby reinforcing the legacy and global leadership of Arabian horse racing in line with the prestige of the President's Cup. The 1,600-metre turf race is classified as a Group 2 event for horses aged four years and above, attracting top stables from Germany and across Europe, with a total prize purse of Euros 250,000. (ANI/WAM) Abu Dhabi [UAE], July 5 (ANI/WAM): Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region, received a delegation from the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, led by Chairman Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, at Al Seef Palace in Abu Dhabi. The meeting came within the framework of the wise leadership's continued support for national efforts to preserve heritage and strengthen its presence in society. During the meeting, the strategic framework of the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority was reviewed. The framework encompasses over 62 projects and 231 activities, reflecting the Authority's vision to solidify and promote national identity values rooted in heritage across generations. The strategy aims to nurture talent in heritage and poetry, empower the heritage economy through the support of traditional crafts and industries, and enhance the global presence of Emirati heritage. Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan stressed that safeguarding authentic Emirati heritage and passing it on to future generations is a national and societal responsibility. He said this responsibility reflects the vision of the UAE's leadership and deep-rooted identity, affirming that Emirati heritage will remain a vital and inspiring presence in the lives of the country's youth. He highlighted that this interest stems from the directives and continued support of President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who places great emphasis on Emirati heritage as a fundamental pillar of national identity and a source of inspiration for future generations. Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan praised the efforts of the Authority and its personnel, commending the initiatives that align with community aspirations and preserve the nation's collective memory. He instructed the expansion of activities and the enhancement of outreach and public communication tools to boost the UAE's cultural presence locally and globally. He was also briefed on the details of the festival and event plans for the Al Dhafra Region, which annually attracts more than 450,000 visitors. Among the key events is the 21st edition of the Liwa Dates Festival, which draws over 116,000 visitors and is supported by a budget exceeding AED14 million. The festival supports farmers and productive farms while stimulating economic and tourism activity in the region. It also reinforces the status of the palm tree as a symbol of the UAE's rich heritage. The event features 23 competitions, including contests for dates and summer fruits, among others, with total prize money exceeding AED8 million. The festival includes dedicated areas for participating entities, traditional markets, productive families and heritage crafts, thereby enhancing community participation and encouraging future generations to uphold traditional customs and values. (ANI/WAM) Microsoft has officially shut down its office in Pakistan and laid off five employees, marking a significant development in the country's tech sector, as reported by Dawn. The move, which sparked speculation on social media, was first brought to public attention by a LinkedIn post from Jawad Rehman, the former head of Microsoft Pakistan. Citing insider information, he claimed the tech giant had "officially closed its operations" in the country. While Microsoft maintained a small on-ground presence in Pakistan until recently, most of its operations were already being managed by foreign offices and local partners, according to Dawn. Responding to Dawn's queries, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the closure, stating, "We will serve our customers through both our strong and extensive partner organisation, and other closely located Microsoft offices. We follow this model successfully in several other countries around the world." According to Dawn, the decision is part of Microsoft's global restructuring efforts and broader transition towards artificial intelligence (AI) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business models. Just this week, Microsoft announced a four per cent reduction in its global workforce, amounting to nearly 9,000 job cuts out of 2,28,000 total employees, following earlier layoffs in May. The Ministry of IT and Telecommunications, in a statement cited by Dawn, clarified that this should not be seen as Microsoft "exiting" Pakistan, but rather a shift to a cloud-based, partner-led model consistent with evolving industry standards. Technology expert Habibullah Khan explained to Dawn that as companies move from on-premise to SaaS models, physical presence in local markets becomes less necessary. He added that Microsoft's closure in Pakistan is aligned with this shift and is part of a global trend, not a commentary on Pakistan's tech landscape. Dawn also noted that other multinationals, such as Careem, have recently announced scaling back or ceasing operations in Pakistan, though Khan emphasised Microsoft's move is more about cost-efficiency and strategy, not instability. (ANI) Amid rising global tensions and shifting geopolitical alliances, exiled Sindhi nationalist leader Shafi Burfat, Chairman of the Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM), has issued a strong warning about the potential fallout for smaller nations caught in the strategic crossfire of global superpowers. Citing conflicts ranging from the Russia-Ukraine war and China-Taiwan tensions to Iran-Israel confrontations and Central Asian skirmishes, Burfat claimed that "the world is undergoing a dangerous realignment." He warned that any direct conflict between major nuclear powers could result in global devastation, akin to the mass extinction caused by the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. According to Burfat, within this volatile geopolitical landscape, Pakistan's Punjabi-dominated establishment is allegedly advancing an expansionist agenda known as the "Greater Punjab" project. He claims this plan includes efforts to absorb historically Sindhi territories such as Lasbela and Kachhi, as well as parts of Balochistan, while also eyeing regions of Indian Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. He alleged that Punjab is leveraging its demographic and military dominance to build tactical alliances with both the United States and China in pursuit of regional ambitions. He further suggested that these manoeuvres are being presented to global powers as stabilizing solutions, in return for geopolitical concessions. Burfat speculated that in future regional reconfigurations, global powers might back efforts to provide Afghanistan with access to the Arabian Sea -- possibly at the cost of Balochistan's territorial integrity. He pointed to the potential transformation of Kalat into a semi-autonomous Brahui region, while Baloch communities may face increasing fragmentation and external influence. He also argued that the Baloch people's tribal social structure and the absence of a historically independent Baloch state diminish international support for their independence. Citing historical records such as the Chach Nama and Tareekh-e-Multan, Burfat asserted that much of modern-day Balochistan was once part of the ancient Sindhi territory known as Sewistan. Reaffirming Sindh's rich civilizational heritage, Burfat stated, "Sindh has existed for millennia as an independent nation," highlighting the blending of various ethnic groups -- including Aryans, Dravidians, Arabs, Rajputs, and others -- into a unified Sindhi national identity. Despite this legacy, he warned of alleged efforts to erase Sindh's distinct identity, possibly through symbolic gestures such as renaming the region "Indus" to weaken its cultural and national coherence. In response to these perceived threats, Burfat called on all sections of Sindhi society -- including intellectuals, lawyers, students, and political activists -- to rally behind a cohesive national movement. He emphasized the need for grassroots mobilization, international diplomacy, and, if necessary, armed resistance to preserve Sindh's sovereignty. He also issued an emotional appeal to Sindhi youth and civil society to stand in defence of their land. "We are prepared to cross rivers of blood if necessary," he declared, vowing to protect Sindh's freedom and dignity at all costs. (ANI) According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND), 41 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval vessels were detected near the island within 24 hours, ending at 6 am yesterday. Of these, 27 aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, intruding into Taiwan's northern, central, and southwestern air defense identification zones (ADIZ), the Taipei Times noted. In response, Taiwan's armed forces activated patrol aircraft, naval vessels, and coastal missile systems to monitor and counter the threat. The military remains on alert as live-fire drills of the Han Kuang exercises are set to begin on Wednesday and run through July 18, an extension from previous years, Taipei Times reported. A spokesperson for the US Department of State said on Thursday that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are vital to global security. The official condemned China's military threats as "irresponsible" and urged Beijing to refrain from provocative actions that risk escalating tensions in the region, according to Taipei Times. The annual Han Kuang exercises, held since 1984, combine live-fire training with computerised war simulations to enhance Taiwan's defence readiness in the face of growing military pressure from China. In a related incident, Taiwan's defense ministry confirmed that a Chinese carrier rocket passed through the island's southwestern ADIZ on Thursday. However, the rocket was flying above Earth's atmosphere and posed no threat, the Taipei Times reported. The rocket, launched from China's Xichang Satellite Launch Centre at 5:37 pm, was headed toward the western Pacific. Taiwan's military tracked the event using joint surveillance and intelligence systems, with alert measures in place. The US has reiterated its support for Taiwan amid China's continued coercion in military, economic, and diplomatic spheres, as reported by Taipei Times. (ANI) Hamas has announced that it had "submitted a positive response" to a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire with Israel in Gaza, opening the path toward a deal to halt the conflict after months of failed efforts, CNN reported. Hamas has "submitted a positive response to the mediators, and the movement is fully prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations regarding the mechanism for implementing this framework," the group said in a statement. Israel had previously accepted the US-sponsored framework, which means the two sides are now expected to enter final, detailed negotiations before a ceasefire agreement is officially reached. Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American interlocutor who has been in direct discussions with Hamas, praised the group's response on Facebook, saying, "We are now much closer to ending this cursed war." He said Hamas had introduced "amendments it deemed necessary." "In my view, these amendments will not prevent reaching a ceasefire agreement within the coming week, God willing," he said. An Israeli source familiar with the matter said earlier on Friday that Israel had expected a positive response from Hamas, with the rewording of a few points in the proposal language. The source said these changes were not expected to derail the ceasefire efforts. US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he was optimistic that a ceasefire deal in Gaza could be agreed next week after Hamas announced its response. "We have to get it over with," Trump said. "We have to do something about Gaza." Of the 50 Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza, the proposal calls for the release of 10 living hostages and 18 deceased during the ceasefire. On the first day of the ceasefire, Hamas would release eight living hostages in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Following the release, Israel would withdraw from parts of northern Gaza, and the two sides would begin negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire. The release of the hostages is to take place without any Hamas ceremonies or fanfare. The remaining hostages would be released on four more dates specified in the proposal. Efforts to secure a ceasefire intensified following the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran last month. Qatar, a key negotiator, immediately launched a new round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas to find a "middle ground" based on previous proposals, CNN reported. The new proposal includes stronger assurances about the US's commitment to keeping Israel at the negotiating table to reach a permanent ceasefire deal, during or potentially after the 60-day truce, according to an Israeli official and source familiar with the negotiations. It also commits Israel to allowing a surge of aid into Gaza through traditional humanitarian channels rather than through the controversial Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. US President Donald Trump has pushed hard for a ceasefire, saying on Tuesday that Israel had "agreed to the necessary conditions" to finalize a deal for a 60-day cessation of hostilities. In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned Hamas to accept the proposal as well. "I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better -- IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE," he said, thanking Qatar and Egypt for their role in advancing the proposal. Israel has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians in Gaza since the war began, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. As negotiators worked to advance the latest ceasefire proposal, Israel intensified its bombardment of Gaza, killing scores across the besieged enclave. Until now, Israel has refused to agree to a ceasefire deal that includes a comprehensive end to the war, as Netanyahu said the country's goals included destroying Hamas' military capability and ability to govern. But after the conflict with Iran, he has signalled a new willingness to compromise. On Sunday, Netanyahu said that "many opportunities have opened up" following Israel's military operations in Iran, including the possibility of bringing home the remaining hostages held in Gaza. It marked the first time in months that the long-time Israeli leader has clearly prioritized the return of the hostages over the defeat of Hamas. Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to Washington this weekend and meet Trump at the White House on Monday. Before he leaves for the trip, he will convene his full cabinet on Saturday night to discuss the proposal. Even though far-right members of Israel's government have said they will try to torpedo the deal, other political parties have made clear they will throw their support behind a ceasefire. (ANI) National identity, pride grow as naval fleet led by China's first homegrown aircraft carrier visits Hong Kong Xinhua) 09:09, July 05, 2025 An aerial drone photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows visitors on-board the aircraft carrier Shandong anchored in Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China. (Photo by Pu Haiyang/Xinhua) HONG KONG, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) celebrated the 28th anniversary of the city's return to the motherland with a significant visit from a fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, led by China's first homegrown aircraft carrier Shandong. Since November 2024, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy has made three visits to Hong Kong, deploying a range of vessels, including aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and missile destroyers. Experts and academics underscore the multifaceted significance of this naval visit. "Only with the support of national strength can there be security and prosperity at home," said Zheng Hong, a researcher at the Naval Research Academy. Recognized as a leading free trade port, Hong Kong has consistently ranked as the world's freest economy for several years; The navy serves as the backbone of China's maritime strength, playing a vital role in safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests, said Zheng, noting that "the connection between the two is fundamentally intertwined." China's naval formations of two aircraft carriers, Liaoning and Shandong, have just completed their far-sea combat-oriented training. After several days of replenishment at the port, the Shandong made its first visit to Hong Kong, accompanied by other vessels. Zheng believed this visit showcases new achievements in China's national defense and military development, demonstrating the country's commitment and capability to maintain global and regional peace and security. Students pose for a group photo while visiting the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hong Kong, south China, July 4, 2025. (Photo by Li Tang/Xinhua) The Shandong, China's first domestically built aircraft carrier, opened for public visits during this trip. "Choosing Hong Kong for this inaugural public event reflects the Chinese central government's commitment and care for the region," the expert noted, adding that this is the largest naval contingent visiting Hong Kong, impressing residents with a sense of warmth and connection. During their stay, naval officers and soldiers will engage in various cultural exchanges with local institutions and schools. Public open events will allow citizens to board the vessels, experience advanced weaponry up close, enhancing their sense of national pride and identity. In recent years, alongside naval fleets, astronauts, manned space program scientists, and lunar exploration researchers have also visited Hong Kong multiple times, conducting activities focused on national defense, military, aerospace technology, and maritime rights. Yang Yan, an associate professor at the Space Engineering University, believed that the naval fleet's visit to Hong Kong opens a window for patriotic education in a more direct and vivid manner, fostering a favorable atmosphere of love for the country and national defense among the public, especially Hong Kong youth. "Hong Kong has a deep historical connection with the Navy. Some members of the Hong Kong-Kowloon Independent Brigade of the East River Column and maritime guerrilla units later participated in the founding of the Navy," said Yung Chan, a member of the HKSAR Legislative Council. "The fleet's visit to Hong Kong carries profound significance, showcasing the century-long transformation of our nation from weakness to strength, highlighting the national dignity and military might in defending our homeland, and reflecting Hong Kong's important position in the national strategic framework," said Chan. Particularly following the implementation of the Hong Kong national security law, which has established institutional guarantees for national security and long-term stability in the city, such naval visits further bolster confidence, Chan emphasized. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) The Acclaimed Manga Leaps From Page to Screen With an Anime Adaptation From Powerhouse Team YTV and 100studio LOS ANGELES, July 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The long-awaited anime adaptation of The Vermilion Mask, the acclaimed manga series serialized in YOUNGKING OURS (Shonengahosha), is officially in production. This explosive new series brings to life a dark, emotional, and action-packed saga set in a world where enchanted masks bestow unimaginable power and unbearable consequences. At the center of the story is Peru, a young apprentice mask maker who loses control under the influence of a cursed mask, slaying both his master and comrades in a tragic outburst. Wracked with guilt, Peru sets off on a journey to destroy the legendary masks his master once crafted, crossing paths with unlikely allies and deadly foes. What unfolds is a gripping battle for redemption, as both the fate of Peru's soul and the world itself hang in the balance. To commemorate the anime adaptation announcement, a PV for the original manga has been released. Additionally, the newly released PV captures the tense moment Peru prepares to don his mask against an approaching foe, offering a powerful glimpse into the action and emotional stakes that await. Produced by global animation label 100studio (WOW Studio), the anime boasts an all-star creative lineup: Director: Tetsuaki Watanabe (Blue Lock, Season 1) (Blue Lock, Season 1) Assistant Director: Gai Hazako Series Composition: Daisuke Ohigashi (Fate/strange Fake) (Fate/strange Fake) Story Supervision: Nabana Naba, Dr. Poro Character DesignStory Supervision: Hisashi Higashijima (Mashle: Magic and Muscles) (Mashle: Magic and Muscles) Sound Director: Fumiyuki Goh (Kaiju No.8, Overlord) (Kaiju No.8, Overlord) Music: Arisa Okehazama (Jujutsu Kaisen, The Apothecary Diaries) Animation Production: 100studio View the PV HERE: https://youtu.be/DfFEShqmyYQ To commemorate the announcement, special illustrations from original creator Dr. Poro and manga artist Nabana Naba have been released, expressing their gratitude to fans for their continued support. STAFF COMMENTS Dr. Poro (Original Story Author) "An anime adaptationthis is thanks to every reader who's supported us along the way. I hope you'll enjoy watching Peru and the others come to life on screen. I'll keep doing my best to bring you even more exciting developments in the story!" Nabana Naba (Manga Artist) "Thank you! Thank you! Whether you discovered 'The Vermilion Mask' through the manga or the anime, I truly believe you'll enjoy what we've created! I'm deeply grateful to the production team for their heartfelt involvement in this project! It would make me so happy if we can all enjoy 'The Vermilion Mask' together! Yoropiku!" Tetsuaki Watanabe (Director) "Hello, I'm Tetsuaki Watanabe, the director of the upcoming anime adaptation of The Vermillion Mask. "I've been a huge fan of the original manga for a long time, and I was so determined to bring it to life as an anime myself that I persistently pitched the idea to 100studioand thanks to their support, the project has become a reality. I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved! The series has a unique and fascinating premise, unlike anything elsemasks that grant their wearers special abilitiesand the story constantly keeps you on the edge of your seat. Each mask becomes the centerpiece of gripping drama, where richly compelling characters clash with their own motives, inner conflicts, and schemes. As a reader and fan myself, I've been following the series from the very beginning! "For the anime adaptation, we've worked closely with the original creators, Dr.poro and Nabana Naba, who have been directly involved in story development and scripting from the early stages. Thanks to this collaboration, the anime will be something both longtime fans and newcomers alike can fully enjoy. "We've assembled a team of talented young creatorsmany of whom are fans of the original mangaand are pouring our passion into the production every single day! "Please look forward to the epic adventure of Peru and his journey surrounding the masks!" Hiroya Nakata (Producer, Yomiuri TV) "I still vividly remember the thrill I felt when I first read the original mangait was so exciting, I immediately reached out to Shonengahosha. I'm thrilled we can finally announce the anime adaptation!" Earlier today at Anime Expo 2025, fans got an exclusive first look at the debut subtitled teaser for The Vermilion Mask during the YTV Group Industry Panel, held in Room 408AB. The panel, titled "2025 Anime Line-Up Sneak Peek: ytv animation & YTE, highlighted YTV's upcoming slate of anime, with The Vermilion Mask receiving major fan buzz following the teaser reveal. Known for producing beloved titles like Inuyasha and Detective Conan, YTV also featured appearances from the Ascendance of a Bookworm production team, alongside special giveaways and programming announcements. SERIES SYNOPSIS The Mask of the Warrior God, the Mask of the Spider, the Mask of the Flame Dragon, the Mask of Courage, the Vermilion Mask "The "masks" grant power to those who wear them. Sometimes they unlock limitless potentialother times, they unleash unimaginable calamity. Peru, apprentice to the legendary mask artisan Gaston Lou, loses control when possessed by the "Mask of the Warrior God." In his frenzied state, he accidentally kills both his companions and his master. Crushed by despair, Peru resolves to destroy every mask crafted by his late master, now scattered across the world. He embarks on a journey of atonement, confronting the weight of his sins. "Calling it atonement probably makes it sound noble, but let's be realit's nothing that fancy." Encounters with friends, clashes with formidable foes. The Mask Battle Fantasy Begins! MANGA INFORMATION Title: The Vermilion Mask Original Story: Dr. Poro Art: Nabana Naba Publisher: Shonengahosha (YOUNGKING OURS) Volumes: Volumes 17 available now; Volume 8 releases July 7, 2025 "The Vermilion Mask" Volumes 1 through 4 are now available digitally on Orange. OFFICIAL LINKS COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Full Form: Nabana Naba, Dr.Poro, SHONENGAHOSHA / "The Vermilion Mask" Production Committee Short Form: N,D,S/VMP Additional Assets HERE SOURCE YTV The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus in Taiwan has put forward an official motion denouncing China for allegedly plotting a vehicular attack on then-vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim during her trip to Prague in March 2023, as reported by Taipei Times. This motion comes after Czech Military Intelligence Director Petr Bartovsky disclosed last week that Chinese agents had schemed to create an "incident" involving Hsiao's vehicle during her official visit. Although the plan never progressed past the planning stage, the Czech intelligence community confirmed that Chinese operatives had surveilled and contemplated colliding with Hsiao's convoy. DPP caucus leader Rosalia Wu stated that the motion would categorise the incident as an act of "international terrorism" and demand a formal apology from Beijing. Wu stressed that China must immediately halt harassment, intimidation, or any acts of violence aimed at Taiwanese officials abroad. The motion calls on Taiwanese legislators to unite against China's persistent efforts at coercion by promoting legal changes that enhance national security and protect democratic institutions, as reported by Taipei Times. "The motion reasserts Taiwan's right as a responsible player in the international community to undertake official diplomatic visits without interference," Wu remarked. "Taiwan's contributions to global peace and development have made it a valued partner around the world," she added. The DPP-sponsored motion also firmly rebukes China's ongoing military provocations and efforts to disrupt Taiwan's foreign engagement initiatives. It cautions that such actions not only disturb the sentiments of Taiwanese people but also jeopardise the broader international rules-based order. Quoting the motion, the Taipei Times mentioned that the caucus is urging the legislature to fast-track reforms aimed at enhancing national defence and revising espionage laws to counteract Beijing's attempts to infiltrate or appropriate sensitive technology from Taiwan. Ultimately, the motion emphasises the importance of strengthening Taiwan's security partnerships with democracies that share similar values, thereby ensuring peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region. (ANI) The Ministry of Interior announced that significant commitments were made on drug control, addiction treatment, and alternative livelihoods during the recent two-day Doha meeting, Tolo News reported. The summit, attended by 29 countries and international organizations, focused on collaborative efforts and practical strategies to address Afghanistan's narcotics challenges. According to Abdul Mateen Qane, spokesperson for the ministry, the discussions attended by representatives from 29 countries and international organizations focused on joint cooperation and practical solutions. The Islamic Emirate has described the meeting as a step toward positive engagement with the international community. Qane stated: "Key issues were discussed, with particular focus on three areas: first, joint efforts to combat drug trafficking, which are being conducted legally under the directive of the Islamic Emirate's leader; second, the provision of alternative livelihoods; and third, the treatment of drug addicts." Experts believe that global engagement in expanding economic relations, encouraging investment, resolving traders' challenges abroad, and launching infrastructure projects were also among the key topics addressed in the meeting, Tolo News reported. Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister for Policy at the Ministry of Economy, said: "The Doha meeting is considered a success for Afghanistan and its people. Representatives from 25 countries attended the summit and expressed support for strengthening Afghanistan's private sector and promoting small and medium-sized enterprises. The Islamic Emirate's anti-drug efforts were also praised." Salim Paigir, a political affairs analyst, said: "All resolutions from the Doha meeting must be implemented. If the international community wants to eradicate drugs in Afghanistan, they must support farmers, assist security forces, and invest so that both we and the world can be saved from this harmful phenomenon." This comes as the Doha Process meeting, led by UNAMA and hosted by Qatar, was attended by representatives of 29 countries and international organizations, including the Islamic Emirate, Tolo News noted. According to TOLO News, UNAMA described the meetings as a platform to evaluate progress made and to discuss actionable future steps. Delegations from the Afghan Ministries of Economy, Commerce, Public Health, Agriculture, Interior, and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Central Bank, participated to present practical solutions to pressing issues. On the sidelines of the main talks, an informal session was also held, where special envoys and ambassadors from Pakistan, China, and Russia gathered to discuss Afghanistan's current situation. They reaffirmed a joint commitment to strengthening regional cooperation and long-term stability. (ANI) The Russian military has carried out a series of strikes on Ukrainian military-related targets in response to "terrorist" raids by Kiev deep into Russia, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said, RT reported. In a statement on Friday, the ministry said its forces had launched a massive strike overnight in retaliation for "the terrorist acts of the Kiev regime," adding that it involved long-range precision weapons, Kinzhal air-based hypersonic missiles and drones. Building on this, officials detailed that the attack targeted industrial enterprises developing and producing drones and other robotic mobile systems, facilities manufacturing various military equipment in Kiev, as well as a military airfield and an oil refinery in an undisclosed location. "The goal of the strike has been achieved. All designated facilities have been hit," the ministry added. Reacting to the development, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky described the attack as "one of the largest airstrikes" the country has faced, claiming it involved 550 aerial targets of various kinds, including 330 drones. He added that the raid affected Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkov, and Chernigov regions, resulting in 23 people being injured, RT reported. Supporting this account, Ukrainian media outlets shared footage from Kiev showing massive blazes, with some districts covered by smoke so thick that residents were forced to wear masks. Local authorities reported damage to a warehouse, a repair facility, and several other buildings. While the damage spread across multiple regions, Moscow maintained that its strikes do not target civilians and are aimed exclusively at Ukraine's military-related facilities and troop concentrations. Further intensifying the situation, on Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported downing 48 Ukrainian drones over Russia. One UAV strike killed an elderly woman in Rostov Region. Moscow Region was also targeted, with one attack damaging a power station in the city of Sergiyev-Posad, north-east of the Russian capital, RT added. Providing additional details of the escalation, Russian forces launched a large-scale overnight strike on Ukrainian industrial infrastructure using long-range precision weapons and drones, Russia Today reported on June 30. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the operation on Sunday, calling it a "massive strike" targeting Ukraine's military-industrial and oil-processing facilities. Expanding on the nature of the assault, the ministry stated that it involved high-precision long-range air-, sea-, and land-based weapons, including the aeroballistic hypersonic Kinzhal missile system and unmanned aerial vehicles. While no detailed breakdown of the targets was provided, the ministry declared that the "strike goals were achieved. All designated targets were hit," Russia Today stated. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed the attack, claiming that Russia deployed 477 explosives-laden drones and 60 missiles of various types. In response to the strike's intensity, Zelensky posted on Telegram urging Kyiv's Western allies to increase air defence support. He further revealed that a Western-supplied F-16 fighter jet was lost while intercepting the strike, resulting in the pilot's death. Adding to the picture of widespread damage, in Poltava Region, an industrial site in Kremenchuk was also reportedly hit. Russia Today reported that both locations are home to oil-processing plants, believed to be the likely targets of the attack. Social media footage circulating online appeared to show explosions and aftermath scenes from several affected regions in Ukraine. (ANI) Former UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson called on Taiwan to abandon its diplomatic caution and assert itself more boldly on China on the international stage, as reported by Focus Taiwan. While addressing a symposium entitled "China's Threat to Taiwan's National Security" in Taipei, Williamson remarked that "at times, Taiwan can be overly polite, but this should not serve as its Achilles' heel," urging the island to "apply a bit more pressure" in safeguarding its interests and garnering international backing. He noted a noticeable evolution in Taiwan's national identity during his visit, a stronger inclination not to be characterised by a neighbouring country. He stated that Taiwan's significant accomplishments, especially in semiconductor manufacturing, provide diplomatic leverage that should be utilised effectively. In agreement with Williamson, Piero Tozzi, staff director of the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), stressed that "Taiwan ought to be more assertive" among democracies that have shifted their formal relations from Taipei to Beijing. He proposed that Taiwan must confront such nations for aligning with a "totalitarian, ruthless regime" and seek enhanced international recognition. When inquired about what Taiwan should particularly pursue from allies like the UK and US, economists Tozzi and Williamson advised "some form of upgraded recognition." They pointed out that Taiwan missed a crucial chance in 1979 when the U.S. shifted towards Beijing, arguing that in the current global landscape, Taiwan should boldly pursue diplomatic reforms. Williamson emphasised the recent cooperation between the UK and Taipei, including agreements related to investment, digital trade, energy, and net-zero objectives, urging Taiwan to "encourage Britain to motivate others in Europe," which is not homogenous but instead open to alliances supporting Taiwan. He insisted that Taiwan's advocacy is not aggressive but "logical and sensible," aligned with global norms. "Let us start taking some of those steps that begin to rebalance. I think it's what every other nation in the world is doing," he concluded. (ANI) In a significant diplomatic engagement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to make a state visit to Brazil--the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 57 years. Speaking to ANI, India's Ambassador to Brazil, Dinesh Bhatia, emphasized the importance of the visit and its broader implications on bilateral and multilateral platforms, especially the upcoming BRICS Summit. "Prime Minister Modi's commitment towards BRICS has no words to say. Prime Minister's first ever foreign visit out of Indian subcontinent was to Brazil to participate in the BRICS summit in the 2014 Fortaleza," Bhatia told ANI. Building on this legacy, Bhatia added, "This is the state visit which has most important because it is after 57 year a State visit of Prime minister of India taking place to Brazil." He said the BRICS agenda of global governance and financial institutional reform remains central, but Brazil has introduced several other subjects for discussion, which will be "reflected dually in the Joint Declaration on 6th of July." These include global health cooperation, digital cooperation, artificial intelligence, climate change and climate finance, along with trade, investment, and finance. "It's always a topic which is discussed in all such forum. So there'll be very amplified discussions," he noted. Focusing on India's participation, Bhatia said Prime Minister Modi will participate in all sessions and engage with global leaders. "He will also reflect India's ideas on all the agenda items. He will also have a bilateral meeting," he said. He then turned to India-Brazil bilateral ties, tracing them back to the opening of India's first embassy in Latin America in 1948. "India Brazil are very close countries, India open first embassy in Latin America in 1948 since we had very close relationship. In 2006, we elevated the relationship to strategic partnership. And since then, we have, move strength to strength, the basket of subjects that is on the table between India and Brazil is very amplified now. We are talking from Trade and investments to defense cooperation to agriculture cooperation. And there are a large number of subjects which are being discussed. And Brazil is very close. This is, in fact, Prime Minister's fourth visit to Brazil. He has been here thrice before, but this is the first time, of course, he's making the state visit." He also shared details of key agreements to be signed during the visit. "In the bilateral state visit, there will be four MOU agreement sign, counter-terrorism, agriculture research, renewable energy. In this way, many subjects will be discussed and also some MOU will sign." Highlighting India's previous BRICS leadership on counter-terrorism, Bhatia said, "India during its presidency of BRICS in 2021 had only got a declaration issued on behalf of BRICS to on counter-terrorism. And besides that, we are expecting that an MOU on counter-terrorism will be signed between India and Brazil bilaterally during the State visit of prime minister." On BRICS collaboration, Bhatia reiterated the significance of continuity in engagement. "The discussion will take place, the agenda is very clear, and you will get to know on 6th afternoon when then joint declaration comes out, which will be very constructive, one, and you should BRICS countries apart, collaborating with each other for almost two decades now, and this will be another step towards the right direction." Bhatia stressed that India and Brazil share similar perspectives on global issues. "We are contributing in the way of collaborating with Brazil. Brazil and India are like minded countries. We are part of global south and we are both in favor of global governance and financial institutional reform." On participation from other nations, Bhatia noted, "As far as my information goes, the Prime Minister of China is participating in the summit and, of course, all other countries are also participating. So, collectively, we will have discussion." He also highlighted the economic dimension of India-Brazil ties. "We have $12 billion of trade between the two countries. There are bilateral investments. We have invested in Brazil from pharmaceutical to oil and gas to mining. Indian companies, more than 50 Indian companies are only present in Brazil. Similarly, Brazil has also invested in India. There are many companies which are also exploring further investment opportunities in India. So, this is an ongoing process. The government's job is to provide a platform to the private companies, the private sector, so that they can look for more investment opportunities." (ANI) The death toll in the Lyari building collapse rose to 16 on Saturday as more bodies have been recovered under the debris, ARY news reported, citing a rescue official's statement. The six-story residential building in the Baghdadi area of Lyari, Karachi, trapped several people under the debris. The rescue officials reported that nine individuals, including five women, have been rescued in injured condition and are being treated, as per ARY News. According to Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, around 20 people are believed to be trapped under the rubble, and efforts are underway to save them. Earlier, 19 people were rescued from the debris, and nine people were confirmed dead, with eight dying on the spot and one at the hospital. Six survivors were discharged after treatment, while three injured individuals remain under care at the SMBB Trauma Centre. According to ARY News, the mayor said that the rescue operation is still ongoing as teams work to ensure no one else is left trapped. Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi, who visited the site after the lapse of 13 hours, said that the primary responsibility for the recent tragedy lies with those residing in unsafe buildings. He said that the Sindh Building Control Authority had previously issued notices regarding the collapsed structure. He urged residents to prioritize the safety of themselves and their families, emphasizing that forcibly evicting people from their homes is an undesirable task, and the administration has no intention of doing so. According to authorities, an adjacent building has also been damaged in the collapse. Investigations have revealed that the collapsed building had been declared unsafe long ago by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA). Officials claim that multiple notices were issued to residents to vacate the premises, but residents deny receiving any such warnings. The SBCA has stated that there are 578 unsafe buildings in Karachi, with the majority located in District South. Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori has expressed shock over the incident and directed authorities to utilise all resources for rescue operations. He also ordered immediate medical assistance for the injured and warned against any negligence. Meanwhile, a high-level committee has been formed to investigate the collapse of the building in Lyari, a spokesperson for the Sindh Local Government Department said. According to the spokesperson, the committee has been tasked with identifying negligent officers within three days. Meanwhile, the Sindh Local Government Minister has ordered the immediate suspension of relevant officials from the SBCA. (ANI) Israel has carried out three drone attacks on towns in southern Lebanon, resulting in a death and several injuries, in the latest wave of near-daily violations of the November ceasefire with Hezbollah, Al Jazeera reported. An "Israeli enemy drone attack on a vehicle" in the Saf al-Hawa area in the city of Bint Jbeil "killed one person and wounded two others", Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health said in a statement on Saturday carried by the official National News Agency (NNA), noting the toll was expected to rise. Earlier Saturday, the ministry also reported that a separate Israeli drone attack wounded one person in Shebaa, with the NNA saying that raid hit a house. Shebaa is located across two steep, rocky mountainsides that straddle Lebanon's borders with Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israel also launched a drone attack on the town of Chaqra, in the Bint Jbeil District. Lebanon's Health Ministry said two people were wounded in the attack. Israel has kept up its bombardment of Lebanon on a near daily basis, despite a November 27 US-brokered ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, including an intensive period of the war that left the Iran-aligned group severely weakened, Al Jazeera noted. Israel says its air raids are targeting officials and facilities of Hezbollah and other groups. Hezbollah has claimed only one strike fired across the border since the ceasefire. Most of the Israeli strikes have been in southern Lebanon, but Israel has also struck Beirut's southern suburbs several times since the ceasefire, destroying residential buildings and prompting panic and chaos among residents fleeing the area. On Thursday, an Israeli strike on a vehicle at the southern entrance of Beirut, close to the country's only commercial airport, killed one man and wounded three other people, Lebanon said, as the Israeli army claimed it hit a "terrorist" working for Iran. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah was to pull its fighters back north of the Litani River, about 30km (20 miles) from the Israeli border, leaving the Lebanese army and United Nations peacekeepers as the only armed parties in the region. Israel was required to fully withdraw its troops from the country but has kept them in five locations in southern Lebanon that it deems strategic. Israel has warned that it will keep attacking Lebanon until Hezbollah has been disarmed. Nearly 250 people have been killed and 609 wounded in Israeli attacks in Lebanon between November 28 - the day after the ceasefire took effect - and the end of June, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry, Al Jazeera reported. A United States envoy is expected in Beirut early next week to discuss with Lebanon's leadership efforts to pressure Hezbollah to relinquish its arms to the state. Hezbollah has rejected a US proposal to disarm by November, calling it "suicidal" amid daily Israeli attacks. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun has repeatedly called on the US and France to rein in Israel's attacks, noting that disarming Hezbollah is a "sensitive, delicate issue". (ANI) Elon Musk is threatening Republicans who voted for President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill," posing a challenge for the president and his allies as they attempt to overcome midterm headwinds, The Hill reported. Musk vowed earlier this week that Republicans who supported Trump's megabill "will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth." Republicans have termed the comments unhelpful, warning they could divert resources during a politically challenging period for the ruling party. "One of the most destructive behaviors that we've had in cycles where we've been unsuccessful in Senate races ... are those in which we have expended massive resources in intraparty warfare," a Republican consultant who has worked on Senate races told The Hill. Since his departure from the White House, Musk has been a vocal critic of Trump's policy bill, especially concerning its projected impact on the national deficit. The House narrowly passed the bill on Thursday, and Trump signed it at a White House Fourth of July event on Friday. Musk's frustration escalated on Monday, when he announced his intention to support challengers to Republicans who backed Trump's legislation. He added he would defend Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a notable opponent of the bill. Musk also called for the creation of a new political party, criticizing the bill's massive spending . Some Republican lawmakers have brushed off Musk's threat. "I'll take President Trump's endorsement over Elon's any day of the week, back home," Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) told Just the News. Marshall said many of his Republican colleagues were "ignoring" Musk. Trump, for his part, left open the possibility of deporting Musk, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in South Africa. He also suggested Musk's advisory panel, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), could be turned against him. "I think what's going to happen is DOGE is going to look at Musk. And if DOGE looks at Musk, we're going to save a fortune," Trump said in Florida on Tuesday, The Hill reported. Trump has previously targeted Republicans who opposed him, with varying results. Musk's stance marks a notable shift from earlier this year, when he was among Trump's strongest allies. His America PAC spent tens of millions backing Trump in 2024, and he supported Wisconsin Republicans during a tight Supreme Court race. Despite the renewed tension, Musk recently praised Trump's foreign policy achievements, posting on X: "Credit where credit is due. @realDonaldTrump has successfully resolved several serious conflicts around the world." However, some Republicans warned that Musk's current stance could alienate both sides. "Musk is deeply hated among Democrats. For now, he maintains good standing among Republicans, but if he follows through, he will lose them as well and be a man without a country," Michigan-based GOP strategist Jason Cabel Roe told The Hill. "That will sabotage any political or business initiatives he's involved in." (ANI) At least 47 Palestinians were killed in airstrikes in Gaza as Israeli forces again targeted people waiting for food, while hospitals struggled to cope with the wounded, Al Jazeera reported, quoting hospital sources. Meanwhile, Hamas has announced its readiness to begin negotiations "immediately" on a proposed 60-day ceasefire that would allow vital aid into Gaza. Hamas ally Islamic Jihad has expressed support for the truce talks but demanded "guarantees" to ensure the process leads to a permanent ceasefire. The announcement came after Hamas consulted with other Palestinian factions. It precedes a planned visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington, where U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for an end to the war, now in its 21st month, Al Jazeera reported. Since the conflict began, Israel's war on Gaza has killed at least 57,338 people and wounded 135,957, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. In the October 7, 2023, attacks, 1,139 people were killed in Israel and more than 200 taken captive. Al Jazeera further reported that hospitals in Gaza remain overwhelmed as strikes persist in areas where civilians are queuing for food, worsening the humanitarian crisis. In a key development, Hamas confirmed it had "submitted a positive response" to the 60-day ceasefire proposal, marking a potential breakthrough after months of failed efforts, CNN reported. The group said it is "fully prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations regarding the mechanism for implementing this framework." Israel had previously accepted the U.S.-sponsored framework, paving the way for final detailed negotiations. Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American interlocutor who has spoken directly with Hamas, welcomed the development, stating on Facebook, "We are now much closer to ending this cursed war," while noting Hamas had introduced some amendments. He added that the changes would not obstruct a ceasefire agreement "within the coming week, God willing." An Israeli source familiar with the matter confirmed that Israel had anticipated a positive response from Hamas and described the proposal's rewording as minor and unlikely to derail talks. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday expressed optimism, saying a ceasefire deal could be reached next week following Hamas's response. "We have to get it over with," he said. "We have to do something about Gaza." According to the proposal, of the 50 Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza, Hamas would release 10 -- eight on the first day of the ceasefire and 18 deceased -- in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners. Following the initial release, Israel would withdraw from parts of northern Gaza and both sides would begin talks for a permanent ceasefire. The releases would take place without any Hamas ceremonies, and the remaining hostages would be freed on four additional dates specified in the plan. Ceasefire efforts intensified after the recent 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. Qatar, a key mediator, promptly launched new rounds of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel to find common ground, CNN reported. The new proposal offers stronger U.S. assurances that Israel will remain engaged in talks aimed at achieving a permanent ceasefire, either during or following the 60-day truce, according to an Israeli official and a source familiar with the negotiations. It also obliges Israel to allow a significant increase in humanitarian aid into Gaza via traditional channels rather than the controversial Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. President Trump has been actively pushing for the ceasefire, stating on Tuesday that Israel had "agreed to the necessary conditions" for the 60-day cessation of hostilities. On Truth Social, he warned Hamas to accept the deal, saying, "I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal because it will not get better -- IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE," while thanking Qatar and Egypt for facilitating the talks. Despite ongoing negotiations, Israel has continued its bombardment, killing scores across the besieged enclave. The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 57,000 since the war began, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Until recently, Israel had refused to accept a ceasefire that included a comprehensive end to the war, as Netanyahu insisted on destroying Hamas' military capacity and governing ability. However, the recent conflict with Iran appears to have shifted his stance. On Sunday, Netanyahu signaled a new openness, saying "many opportunities have opened up" following Israel's operations in Iran, including the chance to bring home hostages held in Gaza. It was the first time in months that Netanyahu explicitly prioritized hostage recovery over the complete defeat of Hamas. Before leaving for Washington, where he is scheduled to meet President Trump on Monday, Netanyahu will convene his full cabinet on Saturday night to discuss the ceasefire proposal. Although far-right members of his government have vowed to block the deal, other political factions have pledged support, increasing the likelihood of an agreement. (ANI) Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, has expressed serious concern over the arrest of hundreds of Afghan migrants in Iran, including members of ethnic and religious minority groups, on allegations of spying for Israel. In a post on X on Saturday, July 5, Bennett stated that Iranian police have accused Afghan migrants of espionage and reportedly used violence during arrests. He also condemned the use of abusive and degrading language toward Afghan refugees by Iranian authorities. Experts stated: "The post-war situation should not be used as an opportunity to suppress dissent and increase repression." They acknowledged the impact of the recent military attacks by Israel and the United States and expressed concern over reports of executions, enforced disappearances, and mass arrests. Khaama Press reported that UN experts noted that since June 13, at least six individuals, including three Kurdish men, have reportedly been executed on charges of spying for Israel. Several Afghan returnees have shared similar experiences, claiming that Iranian police repeatedly detained and accused them of being spies. These claims align with broader concerns raised by international human rights organizations. UN experts have voiced worry that, in the wake of recent Israeli attacks, Iranian law enforcement has been targeting minority communities, particularly Afghan migrants, through arbitrary detentions and possible torture. According to multiple reports, dozens of Afghan citizens have been detained during recent cross-border tensions, accused of espionage without credible evidence or transparent legal process. Afghanistan's prolonged humanitarian crisis, following the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, has forced millions of Afghans to seek refuge in neighboring countries, including Iran. Iran currently hosts over three million Afghan nationals, many of whom live in undocumented, vulnerable conditions, exposed to abuse, detention, and forced deportation. With Iran-Israel tensions intensifying, especially amid regional military escalations, experts fear that foreign nationals, particularly refugees, may continue to face collective punishment and scapegoating, Khaama Press reported. 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The suspect, an Arab-Israeli man from northern Israel, harassed beach-goers and caused panic. No injuries have been reported. The investigation continues. (ANI/TPS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clashed with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir during a cabinet meeting over a contentious plan to evacuate civilians in Gaza and lay siege to its northern region, The Times of Israel reported. According to quotes cited by The Times of Israel from the closed-door meeting, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich accused Zamir of failing to carry out orders, claiming it had led to a stalemate in Gaza. Zamir reportedly pushed back, saying: "You always say there is a stalemate in the Strip. There is no stalemate... We're doing exactly what you tasked us with. You certainly don't need to be reminded that we have soldiers dying in battle." Netanyahu responded that the IDF should "work on a wide-scale evacuation plan of the population to the south of the Strip," while Smotrich added, "And lay siege to the north [of Gaza]. That way we'll topple Hamas in no time," The Times of Israel reported. In response, Zamir reportedly asked, "Do you want a military government [in Gaza]? Who will govern 2 million people?" Netanyahu countered, "The IDF and the State of Israel. I don't want a military government, but I want to move [Gazans] to a large civilian area. [I'm] not willing to leave Hamas behind in any way." Netanyahu reportedly said that without the evacuation plan, the alternative would be to "run over the whole Strip and capture all of it, and that means killing the hostages, which I don't want and am not prepared to do." Zamir warned that such a move could lead to a loss of control: "To control these people who are hungry and angry could lead to a loss of control and as a result of that loss of control they could turn on the IDF," he was quoted as saying by The Times of Israel. Netanyahu dismissed the concern and ordered the preparation of the plan before his return from Washington, where he is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump. Trump is expected to announce a Gaza ceasefire deal during the visit. Netanyahu, speaking in Ashkelon on Wednesday, reaffirmed that Israel would not leave Hamas in power: "There will be no Hamas... There will be no Hamastan... We will release all our hostages," The Times of Israel quoted him as saying. Meanwhile, the IDF said it had gained operational control of roughly 65% of Gaza and eliminated over 100 Hamas operatives in the past week, including senior commander Hakem al-Issa. (ANI) United States President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran has not agreed to inspections of its nuclear programme or to halt uranium enrichment, raising fresh concerns over Tehran's commitments amid growing regional tensions, Al Jazeera reported. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he travelled to New Jersey after Independence Day celebrations, Trump stated, "I would think they'd have to start at a different location. And if they did start, it would be a problem." He added that he believes Iran's nuclear programme has been "set back permanently," though he acknowledged that Tehran could restart it elsewhere. Trump also said he would discuss Iran with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to the White House on Monday, where a potential Gaza ceasefire is also expected to be on the agenda, Al Jazeera reported. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not been able to inspect Iran's nuclear facilities since the start of the recent conflict, despite IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stating that resuming monitoring is a top priority. Al Jazeera reported that Iran has expressed growing mistrust of the nuclear watchdog, particularly after the agency passed a resolution on June 12 accusing Tehran of non-compliance with its nuclear obligations--one day before Israeli strikes began. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered a formal severing of ties with the IAEA following the Guardian Council's approval of a bill suspending cooperation. Guardian Council spokesperson Hadi Tahan Nazif said the measure was enacted to ensure "full respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran." According to Iranian state television, the law stipulates that the suspension will remain in place until certain conditions are met, including guarantees of the safety of Iran's nuclear facilities and scientists. On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected Grossi's request to visit sites bombed by Israel and the US. "Grossi's insistence on visiting the bombed sites under the pretext of safeguards is meaningless and possibly even malign in intent," Araghchi said. While the US claimed its joint strikes with Israel either destroyed or badly damaged three uranium enrichment sites, it remains unclear what became of Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, especially the over 400kg enriched to up to 60 per cent purity, a level below but close to weapons-grade, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute at the San Martin Memorial in Buenos Aires on Saturday morning (local time) after arriving in Argentina on the third leg of his five-nation tour. The Monumento al General San Martin is an imposing equestrian monument honouring Jose de San Martin, the revered liberator of Argentina, Chile, and Peru. It stands as a symbol of Latin American independence and is a significant site of national pride in Argentina. PM Modi's visit to the memorial underscores India's respect for global freedom fighters and shared values of liberty and sovereignty. Modi landed at Ezeiza International Airport earlier on Friday and is on an official visit at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Argentina, Javier Milei. His itinerary includes holding bilateral talks with Milei to review ongoing cooperation and explore ways to deepen the India-Argentina partnership in key sectors such as defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, and people-to-people ties. Following his arrival, the Prime Minister was warmly received by members of the Indian diaspora outside his hotel. He witnessed a traditional Indian dance performance and interacted with the enthusiastic crowd, who chanted 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Modi-Modi' to welcome him. Expressing his gratitude, PM Modi said in a post on X, "Distance is no barrier when it comes to cultural connect! Honoured by the gracious welcome from the Indian community in Buenos Aires. It is truly moving to see how, thousands of kilometres away from home, the spirit of India shines brightly through our Indian community." He also wrote, "Landed in Buenos Aires for a bilateral visit which will focus on augmenting relations with Argentina. I'm eager to be meeting President Javier Milei and holding detailed talks with him." Members of the Indian community and local artists hailed Modi's efforts to promote India's cultural and global stature, making his visit a moment of pride and celebration for the diaspora. Prime Minister Modi's engagements in Buenos Aires not only reflected India's commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Argentina but also showcased the enduring spirit of the Indian diaspora. Their heartfelt reception, marked by cultural performances and chants, underscored the deep bonds that connect Indian communities across the world with their roots. (ANI) President of Argentina Javier Milei and Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a warm hug as the Argentinian President welcomed the PM in the capital city, Buenos Aires. Earlier in the day, PM Modi paid tribute at the San Martin Memorial in Buenos Aires after arriving in Argentina on the third leg of his five-nation tour. The Monumento al General San Martin is an imposing equestrian monument honouring Jose de San Martin, the revered liberator of Argentina, Chile, and Peru. It stands as a symbol of Latin American independence and is a significant site of national pride in Argentina. PM Modi's visit to the memorial underscores India's respect for global freedom fighters and shared values of liberty and sovereignty. Modi landed at Ezeiza International Airport earlier on Friday and is on an official visit at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Argentina, Javier Milei. His itinerary includes holding bilateral talks with Milei to review ongoing cooperation and explore ways to deepen the India-Argentina partnership in key sectors such as defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, and people-to-people ties. Following his arrival, the Prime Minister was warmly received by members of the Indian diaspora outside his hotel. He witnessed a traditional Indian dance performance and interacted with the enthusiastic crowd, who chanted 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Modi-Modi' to welcome him. Expressing his gratitude, PM Modi said in a post on X, "Distance is no barrier when it comes to cultural connect! Honoured by the gracious welcome from the Indian community in Buenos Aires. It is truly moving to see how, thousands of kilometres away from home, the spirit of India shines brightly through our Indian community." He also wrote, "Landed in Buenos Aires for a bilateral visit which will focus on augmenting relations with Argentina. I'm eager to be meeting President Javier Milei and holding detailed talks with him." Members of the Indian community and local artists hailed Modi's efforts to promote India's cultural and global stature, making his visit a moment of pride and celebration for the diaspora. Prime Minister Modi's engagements in Buenos Aires not only reflected India's commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Argentina but also showcased the enduring spirit of the Indian diaspora. Their heartfelt reception, marked by cultural performances and chants, underscored the deep bonds that connect Indian communities across the world with their roots. (ANI) Delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Argentine President Javier Milei began in Buenos Aires on Saturday. This marks a key moment in the Prime Minister's official visit to Argentina. President Milei warmly welcomed Prime Minister Modi upon his arrival in the capital city. The two leaders shared a warm hug, reflecting the growing ties between India and Argentina. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi paid tribute at the San Martin Memorial in Buenos Aires, following his arrival in the country on the third leg of his five-nation tour. Earlier in the day, PM Modi paid tribute at the San Martin Memorial in Buenos Aires, following his arrival in the country on the third leg of his five-nation tour. The Monumento al General San Martin is an imposing equestrian monument honouring Jose de San Martin, the revered liberator of Argentina, Chile, and Peru. It stands as a symbol of Latin American independence and is a significant site of national pride in Argentina. PM Modi's visit to the memorial underscores India's respect for global freedom fighters and shared values of liberty and sovereignty. PM Modi landed at Ezeiza International Airport earlier on Friday and is on an official visit at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Argentina, Javier Milei. His itinerary includes holding bilateral talks with Milei to review ongoing cooperation and explore ways to deepen the India-Argentina partnership in key sectors such as defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, and people-to-people ties. Following his arrival, the Prime Minister was warmly received by members of the Indian diaspora outside his hotel. He witnessed a traditional Indian dance performance and interacted with the enthusiastic crowd, who chanted 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Modi-Modi' to welcome him. Expressing his gratitude, PM Modi said in a post on X, "Distance is no barrier when it comes to cultural connect! Honoured by the gracious welcome from the Indian community in Buenos Aires. It is truly moving to see how, thousands of kilometres away from home, the spirit of India shines brightly through our Indian community." He also wrote, "Landed in Buenos Aires for a bilateral visit which will focus on augmenting relations with Argentina. I'm eager to be meeting President Javier Milei and holding detailed talks with him." Members of the Indian community and local artists hailed Modi's efforts to promote India's cultural and global stature, making his visit a moment of pride and celebration for the diaspora. Prime Minister Modi's engagements in Buenos Aires not only reflected India's commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Argentina but also showcased the enduring spirit of the Indian diaspora. Their heartfelt reception, marked by cultural performances and chants, underscored the deep bonds that connect Indian communities across the world with their roots. (ANI) Ahead of his 90th birthday, the 14th Dalai Lama expressed his appreciation for the celebrations being held in his honour by urging people to focus on cultivating compassion and peace of mind. https://x.com/DalaiLama/status/1941507604175335789?t=yzH_DBrTDkOh-ngOmASdlg&s=08 In a post on X, the Dalai Lama wrote, "On the occasion of my 90th birthday, I understand that well-wishers and friends in many places, including Tibetan communities, are gathering for celebrations. I particularly appreciate the fact that many of you are using the occasion to engage in initiatives that highlight the importance of compassion, warm-heartedness, and altruism." He humbly referred to himself as "just a simple Buddhist monk" and noted that he doesn't normally engage in birthday celebrations. However, he wished to share some thoughts on the occasion. "While it is important to work for material development, it is vital to focus on achieving peace of mind through cultivating a good heart and by being compassionate, not just toward near and dear ones, but toward everyone. Through this, you will contribute to making the world a better place," the Tibetan leader affirmed. The Dalai Lama reaffirmed his commitment to promoting human values, religious harmony, and the preservation of Tibetan culture and heritage. "As for myself, I will continue to focus on my commitments of promoting human values, and religious harmony, drawing attention to the ancient Indian wisdom which explains the workings of mind and emotions, and Tibetan culture and heritage, which has so much potential to contribute to the world through its emphasis on peace of mind and compassion," he said. The Dalai Lama drew inspiration from the teachings of the Buddha and Indian masters, such as Shantideva, whose aspiration he strives to uphold. "I develop determination and courage in my daily life through the teachings of the Buddha and Indian masters such as Shantideva, whose following aspiration I strive to uphold," he said. "As long as space endures, As long as sentient beings remain, Until then, may I too remain To dispel the miseries of the world," he added. The Dalai Lama expressed his gratitude to those celebrating his birthday and using the occasion to cultivate peace of mind and compassion. "Thank you for using the opportunity of my birthday to cultivate peace of mind and compassion," he said. Celebrations are underway in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, ahead of the 90th birthday of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the 14th Dalai Lama. According to the Gregorian calendar, the Dalai Lama's birthday is officially observed on July 6. The occasion is being marked with festive spirit and devotion by Tibetan communities and followers across the region. On July 2, the Dalai Lama stated that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a foundation established by him, can only recognise future reincarnations, and no one else has the authority to decide on the matter. This statement rules out any say for China in the process of naming the next Dalai Lama. In a statement on Wednesday, Dalai Lama stated, "The process by which a future Dalai Lama is to be recognized has been clearly established in the 24 September 2011 statement, which states that responsibility for doing so will rest exclusively with members of the Gaden Phodrang Trust, the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They should consult the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. They should accordingly carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition." "I hereby reiterate that the Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation; no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter, he added. (ANI) A large number of Afghans recently deported from Iran are facing severe challenges, including homelessness, unemployment, and lack of immediate support, TOLO News reported. TOLO News stated that returnees have urged the caretaker government to take urgent and concrete steps to address their plight. They stressed that the trauma of exile should not be worsened by domestic hardship. Mohammad Sharif, who was deported from Iran, said: "We are currently lost, unsure of where to go or stay. I have three children, my wife is with me, and we have no job or shelter. We truly feel abandoned. Our only request from the Islamic Emirate is to find a solution for us." Meanwhile, the Pakistani government has stated that the extension of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards for Afghan migrants is under review. Authorities have been instructed not to take any action against PoR cardholders until a final decision is made. Malak Awal Shinwari, an Afghan migrant in Pakistan, said: "Among the issues migrants face are the actions of Pakistani police, especially against those who have PoR cards. These individuals should not be expelled, yet in some areas, the police are creating difficulties for Afghan migrants." Another Afghan migrant in Pakistan, Atiqullah Mansoor, said: "Our request to the Islamic Emirate is to act as soon as possible and engage with the host country's foreign ministry to simplify the visa and extension process for Afghan migrants." TOLO News reported that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has warned that the mass return of over 1.4 million people this year has created an unprecedented need for emergency humanitarian assistance. In a statement, the UNHCR said: "UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is urgently seeking funding to protect over 1.4 million people who have returned or been forced to return to Afghanistan so far this year, including over 1 million from Iran." Iranian media, quoting the governor of Taybad, reported that 38,000 Afghan migrants are being deported daily through the Dogharoon border crossing. Over 500,000 people have already been expelled through this route. Nazar Nazari, a migration rights activist, told TOLO News: "Supporting migrants is a moral, humanitarian, and essential responsibility. The international community must take strong and effective action in this regard." (ANI) The Nagarik Unmukti Party has decided to walk out of the ruling alliance led by Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, following the removal of its minister in a provincial government. As per the constitutional provision stated in Article 100 (2), the Prime Minister is now obliged to seek a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives. The party, which holds four seats in the House, took the decision during a parliamentary party meeting held on Saturday in Kathmandu in protest against the removal of one of its ministers by the Chief Minister of Sudurpaschim Province. "The parliamentary committee meeting that convened today (Saturday) in Kathmandu has decided to retract support to the incumbent government, and we will stay in the opposition. Our minister on board the government will also resign tomorrow (Sunday)," Ranjeeta Shrestha, Chairperson of the party, told ANI over the phone. The party currently has Arun Kumar Chaudhary serving as a state minister in the KP Sharma Oli-led government. On Friday, the party had already withdrawn its support from the Nepali Congress-led provincial government in Sudurpaschim. Earlier this week, the Chief Minister of Sudurpaschim Province had sacked Rameshwor Chaudhary, Provincial Minister for Industry, Tourism and Forest. Kamal Bahadur Shah from the Nepali Congress is the incumbent Chief Minister in the Sudurpaschim Province. "We also will make the formal announcement of our change in the coalition during the parliamentary procession of the House of Representatives," Chairperson Shrestha added further. Following the walkout of Nagarik Unmukti Party, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has to test the floor, as per the constitutional provisions. Article 100 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal said, "The Prime Minister shall table a motion for the vote of confidence in the House of Representatives if the party which the Prime Minister represents is divided or the party in the government withdraws its support." However, there has been ongoing debate over the interpretation of this provision, with many contesting the provision, claiming the Prime Minister in the incumbent government has a comfortable majority, which does not trigger the provision in the prevailing situation. The present coalition of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) and the Nepali Congress will have a comfortable majority even after the exit of the Nagarik Unmukti Party. The support of 138 lawmakers is required to secure a majority in the 275-member House of Representatives, which the coalition has to continue to hold power. (ANI) Sharjah [UAE], July 5 (ANI/WAM): The Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIH) has wrapped up its Second Heritage Conference, held at the Arab Heritage Center in Sharjah University City. Over two days, the event brought together researchers, academics, and experts from more than 20 countries, both Arab and international. The conference included engaging discussions about different aspects of popular heritage, featuring talks, research presentations, and workshops that covered a variety of topics related to cultural studies and documentation. During the closing ceremony, Abdulaziz Al Musallam, the Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, presented Saif Al Badwawi with the award for Personality of the Year. This honor recognized his exceptional work in preserving folklore and his dedication to documenting the cultural identity of the UAE and the surrounding region. Additionally, speakers, guests, and strategic partners were acknowledged for their contributions, which played a significant role in making the conference a successful cultural event. In his closing remarks, Al Musallam said: "The Second Heritage Conference, with its theme 'Folklore in the Eyes of the Other,' represented a milestone in the journey of heritage knowledge. It opened wide windows onto travel literature and revealed subtle, multifaceted aspects of how others receive our folklore. These sessions and scholarly papers represent a profound step in re-reading Western texts with an Arab critical eye, restoring the image and its balance, and rehabilitating our cultural voice." He added, "We at the Sharjah Institute for Heritage believe that openness to what has been written about us is a cultural necessity, and that engaging with this written heritage from abroad requires solid scientific tools and responsible critical awareness. The dialogue, diversity, and difference we witnessed over the two days constitute an intellectual treasure upon which we will build future conferences, publications, and research. This will place our heritage at the heart of the global cultural movement and chart new paths for researchers and those interested in understanding the self through the lens of the other." Abu Bakr Al Kindi, Director of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, said: "We are proud of the scholarly momentum and rich discussions witnessed at the Second Heritage Conference. We are also proud of the high level of participation, which confirms that popular heritage remains vibrant and meaningful, forming a solid foundation for cultural dialogue and convergence." Saif bin Abdul Badawi expressed his deep gratitude and appreciation to the institute for this generous gesture, commending the institute's pioneering role in supporting researchers and those interested in heritage issues. He added, "This honor is not merely a celebration of me personally, but rather a tribute to all those who care about heritage and work to preserve and document it." He considered that "this initiative will continue to be a catalyst for further contributions to the journey of research and science." Dr Mona Bounaama, Content Director at the Sharjah Institute for Heritage and conference coordinator, praised the success of the event and the level of interaction witnessed in the conference program. He noted that the presentations reflect a collective awareness of the importance of reading folklore through the eyes of others and reflect a future vision that enhances documentation and critical analysis efforts, opening broader horizons for researchers and specialists in this field. (ANI/WAM) After their delegation-level talks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Argentina Javier Milei greeted a large crowd gathered outside the Presidential Palace in Buenos Aires on Saturday, acknowledging the enthusiastic reception during the PM's official visit. Earlier, President Milei extended a warm welcome to PM Modi upon his arrival in the Argentine capital. The two leaders shared a warm hug, reflecting the growing ties between India and Argentina. Adding to his engagements, Prime Minister Modi paid tribute at the San Martin Memorial in Buenos Aires earlier in the day, following his arrival in the country on the third leg of his five-nation tour. Meanwhile, ahead of the BRICS Summit in Brazil, preparations have begun for a grand welcome for Prime Minister Modi. A Brazilian music group will perform the devotional song "Jai Jagadamba Maa Durga" in his honour during his visit. "We would like to thank the ICCR Cultural Centre for promoting cultural exchange between India and Brazil, and especially the director, Jyoti Kiran, for putting her trust in our music and giving us this wonderful opportunity to perform in front of the Prime Minister, which is an honour for us as a group," said a member of the Brazilian music group. "As musicians, we believe in the power of sound, particularly in the mantra of personal and global transformation. So, it is a privilege for us to be here today," he added. Prime Minister Modi will attend the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6-7. PM Modi's visit to the memorial underscores India's respect for global freedom fighters and shared values of liberty and sovereignty. PM Modi landed at Ezeiza International Airport earlier on Friday and was on an official visit at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Argentina, Javier Milei. As part of his official agenda, his itinerary included holding bilateral talks with Milei to review ongoing cooperation and explore ways to deepen the India-Argentina partnership in key sectors such as defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, and people-to-people ties. Soon after his arrival, the Prime Minister was warmly received by members of the Indian diaspora outside his hotel. He witnessed a traditional Indian dance performance and interacted with the enthusiastic crowd, who chanted 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Modi-Modi' to welcome him. Expressing his gratitude, PM Modi said in a post on X, "Distance is no barrier when it comes to cultural connect! Honoured by the gracious welcome from the Indian community in Buenos Aires. It is truly moving to see how, thousands of kilometres away from home, the spirit of India shines brightly through our Indian community." He also wrote, "Landed in Buenos Aires for a bilateral visit which will focus on augmenting relations with Argentina. I'm eager to be meeting President Javier Milei and holding detailed talks with him." Members of the Indian community and local artists hailed Modi's efforts to promote India's cultural and global stature, making his visit a moment of pride and celebration for the diaspora. Prime Minister Modi's engagements in Buenos Aires not only reflected India's commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Argentina but also showcased the enduring spirit of the Indian diaspora. Their heartfelt reception, marked by cultural performances and chants, underscored the deep bonds that connected Indian communities across the world with their roots. (ANI) The Amherst County Planning Commission recently received a first read of a draft ordinance to regulate battery energy storage facilities with a goal of fine-tuning regulatory regulations for a public hearing in August. The Amherst County Board of Supervisors voted May 20 to direct the commission to take up the proposed battery storage ordinance two weeks after the two bodies heavily discussed the potential land use measure. Tyler Creasy, director of community development, presented the drafts first reading to the commission during its June 26 meeting. All battery storage facilities will be required to be equipped with automatic shutdown systems, Creasy said of one of the proposed requirements in the ordinance. In case something arises, the entire system would shut down. Creasy said the facilities shall not exceed a maximum lot coverage of 20 acres and the county fire marshal would have to approve them before operation can start, according to draft ordinance language. The draft defined energy storage facilities as equipment and technology within an energy storage project that can absorb energy, storing it for a period and delivering it to the power grid. An energy storage project is commonly referred to as a battery energy storage system (BESS) and would be located within a fenced site. Under the draft ordinance, a BESS would only be permitted through a special exception permit in an industrial, or M-1, district. Setbacks are proposed at 150 feet from the nearest lot line of a parcel not under common ownership, according to the draft Creasy read on June 26. The proposed regulations would require a public meeting to be held for the community prior to a special exception request for a BEES going before the commission and board of supervisors for separate public hearings. A vegetative buffer sufficient to mitigate the visual impact of a BEES and fencing also would be required so it is screened from the ground level view of adjacent property owners, the draft ordinance states. Energy storage facilities may not exceed a height of 20 feet, which shall be measured from the highest grade adjacent to each energy storage container: the limit does not apply to utility poles and the interconnection to the overhead electric utility grid that meet State Corporation Commission requirements, the draft reads. The county has received interest about a potential battery facility in the Zane Snead Industrial Park just off U.S. 29 in the town of Amherst if an amendment to the zoning ordinance to allow the use is approved. Some discussion at the board and commissions joint May 6 meeting centered on a major fire that broke out a battery storage facility in Moss Landing, California, on Jan. 16. The fire forced more than 1,000 residents to evacuate and broke out in a building housing a 300-megawatt array of lithium-ion batteries, destroyed most of the batteries within the affected building and lasted for several days, The Associated Press reported. A requirement in the Amherst County draft ordinance is the facility operator shall monitor battery operations to ensure they don't overheat. Applicants for a BEES shall coordinate with the county's emergency services staff to provide materials, education and training to the departments serving the property with emergency services in how to safely respond to on-site emergencies, Creasy said. The draft ordinance states annual training shall be provided to all departments serving the property, he said. The incident response plan and training, all aspects of which are paid for by the applicant, must ensure that local responders have the necessary equipment and training to effectively handle emergencies, the draft language states. "If there is something that paid staff or volunteers may need, this will come from the petitioner and not from the county budget or our citizens," Creasy said. Creasy said volunteer firefighters and emergency responders need to be up to speed on how to respond to the facilities as well. We need to make sure not only are our paid staff but also our volunteers are well-equipped for these uses, Creasy said. A revenue sharing agreement outlined in the draft would give the county $1,400 per megawatt and it would go up 10% every five years, according to the draft. Creasy said the countys comprehensive plan needs to be amended to add battery energy storage facilities along with a strategy for utility-scale solar operations that locates them east of U.S. 29 Business and in areas that do not have a negative effect on adjoining property owners and county residents. Commission member Leslie Gamble said she would like the new regulations to set a baseline for addressing any contamination from chemicals that may occur. As I look through this, there are very limited areas where our environment is protected, Gamble said. Creasy said in addition to the 150-foot setback, a BESS would not be allowed in a flood zone. He said he will check with the county attorney about soil testing and addressing chemical concerns. In todays world, we are dealing with these forever chemicals if these battery storage facilities come in and pollute our environment with these forever chemicals, theyre here forever, lets get a baseline to know what we do have, Gamble said. There has to be some remedy if they do pollute. The commission also discussed adding a provision that each BEES shall be equipped with an automatic internal fire suppression system. I think its really important that we protect ourselves from these forever chemicals somehow in the wording of this, Gamble said. Weve got to protect our environment. Commission member Michael Martineau said he doesnt disagree. Im just trying to figure a way out to word that or make it happen so its applicable, Martineau said. Commission member Jim Thompson said the new ordinance could make it a point to request the best and latest technology, and bring in a third-party expert to assure the county that industry standards are being properly met. That is something that will come down on the building [official] side, Creasy said. Gamble asked who would be liable in the event of a horrible disaster and property damage. Creasy said he must confer with the county attorney, but he assumes it would be the property owner or lessee. Disaster remediation would be a task for state agencies, Creasy said, adding the commission is weighing a land use decision. Christine Vrooman, who serves on the Amherst County Economic Development Authoritys board of directors, sat in on the June 26 discussion in a liaison capacity. Vrooman said the board has researched battery storage facilities at great length and is comfortable with them from a safety standpoint and considering strides the industry has made. Ample power is essential to grow and maintain the local economy and the EDA board supports the county allowing such facilities as a special exception, not a use by right, in M-1 areas only, Vrooman said. The board would like to see them come into the area as a special use and we feel its important for the continued economic development of Amherst, Vrooman said. Thompson said his goal is for the new ordinance to push for whats best for Amherst County and not simply generate power for Northern Virginia and elsewhere in the state. He said if the EDA came forward with a proposal to build a mega-data center at the former Central Virginia Training Center property in Madison Heights, for example, he believes the commission and board would be discussing everything that is needed for a worthwhile project. We are the only ones who are going to look out for Amherst County, Thompson said. Commission member Michael Bryant suggested that the definition be amended so a BESS would not be allowed as an indoor facility. I personally think that if we move forward with this, we want to group them together and not have them spread out throughout the entire county, Creasy said. Gamble suggesting having utility-scale solar facilities in M-1 properties only and no longer allowing them on agricultural-zoned property, a measure she feels makes sense. Creasy advised to wait until the BESS ordinance advances before pursuing that potential change. Creasy said staff will continue working on the draft regulations, researching further and a second read will come forward at the commissions July 17 meeting. If were going to do it, we want to get it right, Thompson said. Weather Alert The National Weather Service in Omaha/Valley has extended the * Flash Flood Warning for... Central Boone County in northeastern Nebraska... Southwestern Madison County in northeastern Nebraska... Northwestern Platte County in northeastern Nebraska... * Until 400 AM CDT. * At 1242 AM CDT, local law enforcement reported water over several roads in the area, including Highway 91 west of Lindsay and Highway 32 in southwest Madison county. Between 3 and 4 inches of rain have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 0.5 to 1.5 inches in 1 hour. Additional rainfall amounts up to 1 inch are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is already occurring. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by heavy rain. SOURCE...Law enforcement reported. IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Albion, Newman Grove, Lindsay, Primrose, Cornlea and Loretto. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding. && FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED; EXPECTED RAINFALL RATE...0.5-1.5 INCHES IN 1 HOUR Ecuador inaugurated on Friday an Embassy in Rabat, its first diplomatic mission in the Maghreb region, at a ceremony attended by Ecuadorian Foreign Minister, Gabriela Sommerfeld, and her Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita. During the inauguration ceremony, Sommerfeld stated that the opening of the embassy marks the beginning of a new era of dynamism in Morocco-Ecuador cooperation. She reaffirmed her countrys commitment to deepening bilateral relations, strengthening ties across strategic sectors, and facilitating the exchange of expertise in various fields. Sommerfeld added that the embassy in Rabat, Ecuadors first in the Maghreb region, is intended to serve as a gateway to African markets and reflects her governments determination to elevate bilateral cooperation with Morocco. Bourita, on his part, said the inauguration follows Ecuadors historic decision to sever all ties with the pseudo-SADR on October 22, 2024, and to further strengthen its relations with Morocco. He highlighted that Morocco is home to 165 diplomatic missions, including 50 representations of international organizations. With 14 Latin American embassies now established in Rabat, Morocco is well-positioned to serve as a bridge between Latin America and Africa, offering unique advantagescultural, geographic, and strategic. This growing diplomatic presence, he added, reflects the importance Morocco attaches to its ties with Latin America within the framework of its foreign policy. The emerging win-win partnership between Morocco and Ecuador aims to set an example of effective and solidarity-based South-South cooperation, Bourita stressed, emphasizing that the two countries are committed to expanding cooperation across multiple sectors, aspiring to build a strong and dynamic South-South partnership that serves the shared interests of their peoples. The inauguration took place following talks between Bourita and Sommerfeld, during which the Ecuadorian foreign minister reiterated her countrys support for the Autonomy Initiative presented by Morocco in 2007, which Ecuador views as the basis for a lasting solution to this regional dispute. Morocco has signed a major defense agreement with U.S. aerospace company L3Harris to modernize its fleet of C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. The deal, signed on July 3, marks a significant step in the Royal Moroccan Air Forces (FRA) strategy to extend the operational life of its C-130H aircraft while preparing for the eventual acquisition of newer C-130J Super Hercules models. The agreement was described as a historic moment by Aimee Cutrona, Chargee dAffaires at the US Embassy in Morocco. She emphasized that the partnership aims to both enhance Moroccos tactical airlift capabilities and deepen industrial collaboration between the two nations. Rather than immediately replacing its decades-old aircraft, some of which have been in service for up to 50 years, the Royal Armed Forces opted for a cost-effective modernization approach. This decision comes amid Moroccos ongoing investments in other major defense programs, including the F-16 Viper fighter jets and Apache helicopters. As Morocco continues to reshape its military doctrine around technological superiority, the C-130 upgrade underscores a key principle of its strategy: maintaining operational readiness today while building the air force of tomorrow. For decades, researchers have been assessing the potential to develop nuclear fusion reactors, capable of producing abundant clean energy. However, despite several breakthroughs in recent years, most scientists agree that we are far from achieving the commercial rollout of this technology. Nevertheless, the barrier has not stopped widespread investment in the technology, the most recent of which came from U.S. tech giant Google. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) definition, Nuclear fusion is the process by which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier one while releasing massive amounts of energy. Fusion reactions take place in a state of matter called plasma a hot, charged gas made of positive ions and free-moving electrons with unique properties distinct from solids, liquids, or gasesnuclei need to collide with each other at extremely high temperatures around ten million degrees Celsius. When the nuclei come within a very close range of each other, the attractive nuclear force between them will outweigh the electrical repulsion and allow them to fuse. For this to happen, the nuclei must be confined within a small space to increase the chances of collision. Nuclear fusion differs from nuclear fission, the current nuclear power production process used worldwide, which occurs when a neutron slams into a larger atom, forcing it to excite and split into two smaller atoms, also known as fission products. Additional neutrons are also released that can initiate a chain reaction. When each atom splits, a massive amount of energy is released. Uranium and plutonium are the most commonly used fuels for fission reactions. After decades of investment and research into nuclear fusion around the globe, several breakthroughs have put us one step closer to achieving a nuclear fusion reaction that could lead to the commercial rollout of fusion reactors. As of 2025, commercial fusion companies have raised over $9 billion in investment, and many governments now view fusion as the modern-day 'space race'. Currently, there are around 50 private companies worldwide pursuing commercial fusion, and many are hopeful that the previous timeline of around 30 years for a commercial rollout may have been overexaggerated. In May, a long-delayed nuclear fusion project, supported by over 30 countries, finally announced it was prepared to assemble the world's most powerful magnet. The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, based in southern France and supported by the United States, China, Japan, Russia, and the European Union, aims to create an invisible cage to contain super-hot plasma particles that combine and fuse to release energy. Following years of delays, the start-up phase of the project is now scheduled to begin in 2033, when it is expected to start generating plasma. In addition to the joint project, some countries are battling to be the first to achieve commercial nuclear fusion. In February, satellite images emerged revealing a giant facility in China. The images showed a massive nuclear fusion research facility, which many have taken to mean that China is racing ahead in nuclear fusion development. The Chinese government is spending between an estimated $1 billion to $1.5 billion annually in fusion research and development, according to the lead of the U.S. Department of Energys Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, Jean Paul Allain. Meanwhile, former President Biden was spending around $800 million a year, although the U.S. is also making significant progress in nuclear fusion. In the U.S., Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) engineers are developing a fusion project consisting of a doughnut-shaped machine known as a tokamak and called SPARC, which they hope will achieve a nuclear fusion reaction. CFS is a company that spun off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2018. The firm has raised over $2 billion in funding to develop the machine, although it is not certain how long it will take and whether it will be able to achieve a net surplus of energy once it is up and running. However, the companys target is to construct the worlds first fusion-fuelled power plant in Virginia by the early 2030s. This week, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, came to an agreement with CFS to purchase power from its nuclear fusion project. Google signed the technology's first direct corporate power purchase agreement, according to the tech company. CFS CEO and co-founder Bob Mumgaard stated, Without partnership and without being bold and setting a goal and going for it, you won't ever reach over those challenges. The financing forms part of a new funding round for CFS, after Google invested $1.8 billion into the firm during its previous 2021 round. Several countries around the world are racing to develop nuclear fusion technology that can be rolled out at the commercial level to support clean energy development and a shift away from fossil fuels. Achieving this level of fusion reaction would allow governments to provide far more abundant clean power than they are currently able to supply through fission and renewable energy projects. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Ecuadors state oil company, Petroecuador, has declared force majeure on its operations after both major crude pipelines, SOTE and OCP, halted flows due to worsening erosion in the Amazonian province of Napo. The company suspended activities this week to prevent further damage to critical infrastructure as erosion along the Coca River continues to threaten oil transport lines and the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant, Ecuadors largest. The suspension has already cut Ecuadors crude output by an estimated 133,000 barrels per day (bpd), based on Petroecuador data, placing fresh strain on the countrys oil-dependent economy. Ecuador produced about 464,000 bpd on average in 2024, according to official statistics. "Force majeure has been declared so that (Petroecuador) can act with all the tools necessary," Petroecuador chief executive Leonard Bruns told Reuters. This is the latest in a series of setbacks for the company. In May, operations at the Esmeraldas refinery, the countrys largest, with a 110,000 bpd capacity, were suspended after a fire damaged a fuel oil tank. Two months earlier, a landslide in the northeast led to one of the countrys worst oil spills in years, prompting Petroecuador to shut down the SOTE pipeline and declare a 60-day force majeure. Approximately 25,000 barrels of crude spilled into rivers near the Colombian border, disrupting crude exports. Related: Russias Discounted Oil No Longer a Bargain for India Ecuadors signature export, Oriente crude, is a medium-to-heavy sour grade with an API gravity of 23.6 and sulfur content of 1.61%. Last year, the SOTE system transported over 104 million barrels of Oriente crude. Petroecuador has declared force majeure multiple times in recent years, including in 2022 when it suspended nearly half its production amid protests by the Kichwa community over alleged breaches of social and environmental agreements. Ecuador remains one of South Americas key oil producers, alongside Venezuela and Colombia. The oil sector remains central to the countrys economy, generating roughly $8.6 billion in revenue in 2024, equivalent to about 7% of GDP, according to the Ministry of Finance. However, output has dropped nearly 100,000 bpd over the past decade due to underinvestment, aging fields, infrastructure failures, and political volatility. President Daniel Noboa has set a target of $42 billion in oil sector investment to reverse this decline and raise production. Last month, Petroecuador awarded a drilling contract to Chinas Sinopec to develop fields in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The new drilling campaign is only expected to add approximately 12,000 bpd over the next several years, according to company estimates. Still, Ecuadors ambitions may be running up against global market headwinds. Oil prices have moderated significantly since their 2022 peaks during the global energy shock triggered by Russias invasion of Ukraine. Brent crude averaged around $83 per barrel in the first half of 2025, down from over $100 in mid-2022. Lower prices reduce the return on investment for new upstream projects, particularly in environmentally sensitive or high-cost regions like the Amazon basin. Related: OPEC+ Surprises With Oversized Output Hike This price softening coincides with a broader slowdown in energy investment worldwide. Although global upstream spending remains elevated by historical standards, international oil companies have become more cautious in politically unstable markets. For Ecuador, which requires an estimated $10 billion in upstream investment over the next five years just to offset natural decline, this poses a significant risk. Ecuadorian officials have projected national oil production could peak at 600,000 bpd in 2026 before declining to around 395,000 bpd by 2028, a figure that appears in internal planning documents reviewed by local media. Petroecuadors fields face particularly steep decline rates, though the oft-cited 23% annual figure has not been publicly confirmed by the company. According to a July 3 analysis by economist Freddy Garcia of Andersen Ecuador, the production cutback to 332,129 bpd has resulted in daily losses of around $8 million. Garcia warned that the government would likely need to revise its budget plan and seek new external financing to close the fiscal gap. The loss of revenue forces a revision of the budget or the search for external financing to cover the gap, he said. He also noted that oil revenue is no longer a reliable base for public spending due to production volatility and declining field productivity. Ecuador also faces broader energy security issues. Grid reliability is increasingly strained by both hydroelectric vulnerabilities and fossil fuel disruptions. Yet with a fiscal deficit exceeding $5 billion and high sovereign debt levels, the country has little room to reduce reliance on oil. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: July 5, 2025: On June 1st, 2025, Ukraine launched a surprise drone attack on five Russian air bases located all over Russia. The farthest target was about 4,300 kilometers from Ukraine. One base was at Murmansk in northwestern Russia while another was in Amur, near the Pacific coast. Two more, Ryazan and Ivanovo were near Ukraine while Irkutsk was in central Siberia near the Mongolian border. The attacks destroyed 41 aircraft, nearly 35 percent of the Russian long-range bomber fleet. Several other bombers were damaged but repairable. Most were Tu-95 and Tu-22M strategic bombers. Ukraine estimated the destroyed aircraft were worth $7 billion. Actually, these bombers are priceless because none of the destroyed bombers are manufactured anymore and even making repairs is difficult because few of the aircraft components are still being made. Ukraine called this operation Spider's Web because it involved smuggling 117 drones worth about half a million dollars. The drones were transported on several tractor-trailer trucks hauling standard cargo containers. These containers were modified so that the tops would be raised by remote control and the drones inside launched. The drones were First Person View/FPV models and the controllers were in Ukraine. There was not a lot of control to do because the drones had targeting systems that sought images of specific aircraft and landed on or near the aircraft fuel tanks before detonating. The remaining fuel in those tanks did most of the damage. Two or three drones were assigned to each target, Ukraine later revealed that it took 18 months of planning and preparation for this operation. The trucks were driven to the vicinity of the airbases and left there while the Russian speaking Ukrainian drivers made their way back to Ukraine. Russia claims that they caught some of the drivers but there is no confirmation on that. The Russian heavy bombers carried up to eight Kh-101 missiles each. These missiles are like the 1983 American Tomahawk but did not enter service until 2010. Tomahawks have a range of up to 2,500 kilometers while the Kh-101 can travel as far as 5,500 kilometers. For the Ukraine War most of these missiles carried less fuel and larger, 800 kg, warheads. The missiles were usually launched about a thousand kilometers from the Ukrainian border to avoid being shot down by Ukrainian aircraft or Patriot missiles. While somewhat stealthy, they travel at subsonic speed and Ukrainian air defenses soon became quite proficient at shooting them down, usually with Patriot or other missiles. Ukrainian aircraft carrying long-range anti-aircraft missiles have also accounted for a lot of Kh-101s. In response Russia is using more inexpensive drones while developing high-speed Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. Kinzhal is more likely to reach its target but costs five times as much as Kh-101 and entered service in 2018. Ukrainians air defense experts found ways to intercept Kinzhal, but not as frequently as Kh-101s. OPEC+ will ramp up oil production more aggressively than anticipated in August, accelerating the rollback of its 2023 voluntary supply cuts in a bid to capture market share amid peak summer demand. At a virtual meeting Saturday, eight core members led by Saudi Arabia agreed to add 548,000 barrels per day (bpd) to global supplyexceeding earlier expectations of a 411,000 bpd hike. The move sets the bloc on track to fully unwind 2.2 million bpd of prior cuts nearly a year ahead of schedule. The decision reflects short-term bullish fundamentals: inventories are low, refining margins are strong, and U.S. refiners are processing the most crude for this time of year since 2019. Still, it signals a major pivot from price defense to volume maximization. In a quote to Bloomberg, Onyx Capitals Harry Tchilinguirian noted that "It was pointless to keep a notional voluntary cut in place, said . Better to get it over with and move on. But while Saudi Arabia pushes discipline, Kazakhstan is going its own way. In June, Kazakhstans crude output surged 7.5% to 1.88 million bpdwell above its official OPEC+ quota of 1.5 million bpd. This matched its all-time production high, largely driven by Chevrons expansion of the Tengiz mega-field, which alone added 140,000 bpd month-over-month. Kazakhstans total oil and condensate production hit 2.15 million bpd in June, up from 2.02 million in May. Despite repeated pledges of OPEC+ compliance, Kazakh authorities admit they cant enforce production cuts on foreign-led projects like Tengiz or Kashagan. The republic has no right to enforce production cuts, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said in May. Chevron, for its part, has stated bluntly that it doesnt engage in discussions about OPEC or OPEC+. Meanwhile, oil prices remain under pressure. Brent futures are down more than 6% year-to-date, and analysts estimate that global inventories have been climbing at 1 million bpd in the first half of 2025, amid cooling demand in China and production increases in non-OPEC countries. Analysts at JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs earlier this year warned prices could dip below $60 in Q4. OPEC+ is betting that strong summer demand will soak up the new supply. But as Kazakhstan pumps freely and Saudi Arabia chases volume, the groups cohesion faces growing uncertainty. By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: More Omaha-area food establishments are expected to welcome pet dogs to their outdoor dining areas officially, that is under new guidelines recently issued by the Douglas County Health Department. The Health Department issued the guidelines in response to the State of Nebraskas adoption via passage this spring of Legislative Bill 245 of its version of the Food and Drug Administrations 2022 food code, the latest update to federal food handling regulations, said Adam Carlson, the Health Departments supervisor of food safety and compliance. The county typically follows the states lead. The new guidance allows pet dogs on outdoor patios of bars, restaurants and other food-serving establishments as long as they meet certain health and safety standards, he said. The patio, for starters, has to have a separate exterior entrance so pups dont have to pass through the inside of the establishment. Employees cant touch or pet the dogs or prepare food or drink in the outdoor area, except for filling glasses from a pitcher or other container that has been filled or prepped inside the establishment. Allowing pet dogs is optional for food establishments. If the food establishment owner says we dont allow dogs, thats their prerogative, and if youre the dog owner you just have to find a different establishment that would allow them, Carlson said. However, that option does not apply to service animals, which food establishments are required by law to allow in both indoor and outdoor dining areas. Carlson said he expects more bars and restaurants to officially welcome pet dogs because many already do just not officially. The county for some time has had a dog-friendly patio variance that the owners of dog-friendly establishments could apply for, but it included 26 requirements. Only two establishments the Omaha Dog Bar at 1231 S. 14th St. and the Bull Moose Bar at 3548 Center Street have met the mark. But Bring Fido, a website that connects pet owners with pet-friendly accommodations, lists just more than 100 bars and restaurants in the Omaha area with dog-friendly outdoor areas. Theres going to be a ton of interest in this, because there were a ton that were already doing this, Carlson said. The Health Department traditionally has responded to complaints about pet dogs on patios by calling the establishment, he said. But enforcement hasnt been a priority, because the department knew the changes were coming and theres no research indicating that dogs can transmit foodborne illnesses. Because the new rules have been adopted by the Douglas County Board of Health, food establishment owners wont have to apply to offer pup-friendly patios, he said. But the Health Department encourages them to contact its food safety and compliance program at 402-444-7488 so staff can walk them through the details. David Codr, a dog behaviorist with Dog Gone Problems in Omaha, welcomed the new rule. He said its probably good that the practice is being codified, since so many establishments were doing it already. Im all for more dogs, he said. But he cautioned that patios need to have adequate space. If dogs feel cornered, they first choose to escape. But if they dont have the space for flight, they may freeze or fight. Dog owners also need to take their dogs behaviors into consideration before visiting patios with other dogs and people. Not all dogs respond well in such situations. Sometimes the bad eggs ruin it for everybody, Codr said. Carlson said Health Department staff also are available to talk food establishment owners through another new rule that prohibits food service workers from touching ready-to-eat food items such as salads and deli sandwiches with their bare hands. That one does come in response to concerns about foodborne illnesses, the majority of which are caused not by food itself but are transmitted by ill food service workers, he said. At the top of the list is norovirus, the notorious gastrointestinal illness. The new rule, however, isnt a glove mandate, although gloves are a good way to meet the rule. Food services workers instead can use tongs, spatulas or deli tissue. Even those who use gloves should wash their hands before donning them, because that process can contaminate the outer surface. By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com As independent journalist Andy Ngo notes, The Portland Police have made an unexpected (yet posted) sweep of the rioter encampment across the ICE building in Portland. Usually these camps are allowed to run for months. Is the Portland tide turning? . Portland Police once again cleared the illegal camp outside the ICE facility on July 1. Undeterred, Antifa militants set up a base of operations and safe house inside The Matisse apartment building on South Lowell Street. They returned last night to disrupt the neighborhood with pic.twitter.com/9KLMiDJbiB Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) July 3, 2025 Support journalist Andy Ngo here. 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: Tectonic setting around Japan. Centroid Moment Tensor solution shows the mechanism of the 2024 Hyuga-nada earthquake (b) Pre-seismic SSE (contour interval: 5 cm) 10 July, 20236 August, 2024. Pre-slip with Mw6.0 was detected in the down dip extension of the 2024 Hyuga-nada earthquake, Japan, from late 2023. (c) Cumulative moment of the rectangular area in (B). The recurrence interval of SSE was shortened to one year from an average of two years right before the earthquake, consistent with simulations where the weakening of the megathrust was attributed to the cause. Credit: Shinzaburo Ozawa Epicenter data from the Japan Meteorological Agency Scientists for the first time have detected a slow slip earthquake in motion during the act of releasing tectonic pressure on a major fault zone at the bottom of the ocean. The slow earthquake was recorded spreading along the tsunami-generating portion of the fault off the coast of Japan, behaving like a tectonic shock absorber. Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin described the event as the slow unzipping of the fault line between two of the Earth's tectonic plates. Their results were published in Science. "It's like a ripple moving across the plate interface," said Josh Edgington, who conducted the work as a doctoral student at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG) at UT Austin's Jackson School of Geosciences. Slow slip earthquakes are a type of slow-motion seismic event that takes days or weeks to unfold. They are relatively new to science and are thought to be an important process for accumulating and releasing stress as part of the earthquake cycle. The new measurements, made along Japan's Nankai Fault, appear to confirm that. This breakthrough research was made possible by borehole sensors that were placed in the critical region far offshore, where the fault lies closest to the seafloor at the ocean trench. Sensors installed in boreholes can detect even the slightest motionsas small as a few millimeters, said UTIG Director Demian Saffer, who led the study. Such movement on the shallow fault is all but invisible to land-based monitoring systems such as GPS networks. The slow slip earthquake, captured by the team's sensors in the fall of 2015, traveled along the tail of the faultthe region close to the seafloor where shallow earthquakes can generate tsunamiseasing tectonic pressure at a potentially hazardous location. A second slow tremor in 2020 followed the same path. Although the Nankai Fault is known to generate large earthquakes and tsunamis, the discovery suggests that this part of the fault does not contribute energy to these eventsacting more like a shock absorber. Sensors and observation instruments being lowered into a borehole off the coast of Japan nearly 1,500 feet below the seafloor during an International Ocean Discovery Program mission in 2016. Sensors like these transmit data in real time to researchers in Japan and at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, and enabled researchers to detect and describe a slow slip earthquake in motion in a new study in Science. Credit: Dick Peterse - ScienceMedia.nl (used with permission) The results will help researchers home in on the behavior of subduction zone faults across the Pacific Ring of Fire, the tectonic belt that spawns the planet's largest earthquakes and tsunamis. The two events, which have only now successfully been analyzed in detail, appear as ripples of deformation traveling through Earth's crust. Originating about 30 miles off the coast of Japan, borehole sensors tracked this unzipping motion along the fault as it moved out to sea before dissipating at the edge of the continental margin. Each event took several weeks to travel 20 miles along the fault, and each one happened in places where geologic fluid pressures were higher than normal. The finding is important because it is strong evidence that fluids are a key ingredient for slow earthquakes. This is an idea widely circulated in the scientific community, but finding a direct connection has been elusive until now. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. The last time Japan's Nankai Fault produced a significant earthquake was in 1946. The magnitude 8 earthquake destroyed 36,000 homes and killed over 1,300 people. Although another large earthquake is expected in the future, the observations suggest the fault releases at least some of its pent-up energy harmlessly in regular, re-occurring slow slip earthquakes. The location is also important, because it shows that the part of the fault nearest the surface releases tectonic pressure independently of the rest of the fault. Armed with that knowledge, scientists can begin to probe other regions of the fault to better understand the overall hazard it poses. The knowledge is also vital for understanding other faults, Saffer said. For instance, Cascadia, a massive earthquake fault facing the Pacific Northwest, appears to lack Nankai's natural shock absorber. Although some slow slip has been detected at Cascadia, none has been detected at the tsunami-generating, tail end of the fault, which suggests that it may be strongly locked to the trench, Saffer said. "This is a place that we know has hosted magnitude 9 earthquakes and can spawn deadly tsunamis," Saffer said. "Are there creaks and groans that indicate the release of accumulated strain, or is the fault near the trench deadly silent? Cascadia is a clear top-priority area for the kind of high-precision monitoring approach that we've demonstrated is so valuable at Nankai." The borehole observatories used in the Japan study were installed by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program. Other data were supplied by ocean floor cable observatories operated by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). More information: Joshua R. Edgington et al, Migrating shallow slow slip on the Nankai Trough megathrust captured by borehole observatories, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.ads9715. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ads9715 Perspective: Kazushige Obara, Where slow and large earthquakes meet, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.ady7173. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady7173 Journal information: Science Calculator Articles The Arrival of the "Calculator-on-a-Chip" During the late 1960s and early 1970s a major aim of the calculator electronics companies was to integrate all of the functionality of a calculator into one integrated circuit, so producing a "Calculator-on-a Chip". 2015 Nigel Tout This is a new article which was not originally in "The International Calculator Collector". Introduction As told in the section "The Story of the Race to Develop the Pocket Electronic Calculator", from the mid-1960s one of the aims of the electronics industry was to integrate more of the functionality of a calculator into fewer integrated circuits so that less components were required and calculators became smaller and cheaper. Inside the Canon Canola 130S. This is a typical calculator of about 1968 and requires 13 circuit boards full of components. The degree of integration was gradually improved. Here the Sharp QT-8B of 1970 has a 4-piece chipset manufactured by Rockwell. The development effort eventually led to several companies introducing, around the same time, integrated circuits that provided all of the functionality of a calculator in one integrated circuit - that is they employed a, so-called, "Calculator-on-a-chip". Note that the early "Calculator-on-a-chip" examples still required additional components for driving displays. The first "Calculator-on-a-chip" integrated circuits produced were: Mostek MK6010 (MK5010 ) ) Texas Instruments TMS1802NC ( TMS0102 ) ( ) GI G250 Mostek MK6010 (MK5010) The article "The Calculator that spawned the Microprocessor: The Busicom 141-PF calculator and the Intel 4004 microprocessor" explained that while the Japanese calculator company Busicom was developing with Intel the electronics for its 141-PF calculator, which was to lead to the Intel 4004 microprocessor, this very innovative Japanese calculator manufacturer had also commissioned Mostek of Dallas to push the limits of integration of calculator electronics by putting all the functionality on a single chip. Mostek was a new start-up company and desperate for sales. It estimated that it could design the layout for a single calculator chip in six weeks, but the first circuit design failed preliminary testing and the design eventually took three months. After frenzied development work the first ever "Calculator-on-a-chip" was produced in November 1970, as told in "The Chip" on an archive of the Mostek site[1]. The chip was given the designation Mostek MK6010 and was immediately put to use in the Busicom Junior small desktop calculator, as shown below. The cover of a Busicom Junior calculator has been removed to reveal the circuit board showing the single Mostek LSI chip mounted on a plug-in chip carrier. Cutting edge technology of 1971, the Mostek MK6010 "calculator on a chip" in a Busicom Junior calculator. The integrated circuit illustrated is date coded 7125 (i.e. 1971, week 25) and is also marked with the 'NCM' logo ( Nippon Calculating Machinesthe original name of Busicom Corp.). The IC is mounted on a small piece of circuit board which plugs sideways into the black socket. "Calculator on a Chip" The magazine "Electronics" for Feb 1st. 1971 proclaimed[2]: "The apparent winner in the race to produce a calculator on a chip has hit the wire. Mostek Corp., of Carrolton, Texas, is now producing such a chip for Japan's Busicom Corp. ... The 180-mil-square [0.18 inches-square (4.6 mm-square)] chip contains the logic for a four function 12-digit calculator - more than 2,100 transistors in 360 gates plus 160 flip-flops. Its promise of lower labor costs means a giant step toward a calculator for the consumer market. ... ... Busicom's initial use of the chip will be as a direct replacement in its Junior model calculator now being distributed in the U.S. by National Cash Register." The chip held in the hand replaces the two circuit boards full of components, including 22 MSI (Medium Scale Integration) integrated circuits in the original Busicom Junior desktop calculator to produce the new version Busicom Junior. The single chip, using a p-channel semiconductor process, replaced 22 chips in the original Busicom Junior desktop calculator and reduced the number of circuit boards from two to one in the new version Busicom Junior. Note that separate transistors were still needed as high-voltage display drivers. The article continues ... "Busicom asked if Mostek could put a whole calculator on a chip. Cash [Berry Cash, Mostek's marketing vice president] says he balked at that but felt sure Mostek could put the logic on two or three chips even though the company had no previous experience in calculators. ... It decided to try for one chip, and consequently allotted six weeks for its layout. It took three monthsand made meeting the rest of the schedule very difficult." Mostek of Dallas was then less than 2 years old and desperately needed the income that this project would generate. Continuing "The original calculator's discrete diode-resistor and IC logic was a very clever design, says Mostek, developed over many years and requiring nearly the minimum logic necessary for a four-function machine. ... the minimised logic contributed greatly to Mostek's success in putting a calculator on a single chip". The article also states "Though Mostek is best known for its ion-implanted MOS products, this circuit is made with conventional, high-threshold, p-channel MOS operating from -12 and -24 volts because it's compatible with the power supply in the calculator. However ... the same masks could be used with an ion-implant process to produce a low-threshold chip more suitable for battery operation". An article in the journal Electronic Design confirms that "A standard p-channel process was used to manufacture the chip. For the battery-operated, pocket-sized calculators, Mostek will use an ion-implantation technique to lower the chip's threshold voltage and reduce dissipation from 0.5 W to less than 50 mW."[3] It appears that the low-threshold version of this "calculator-on-a-chip" for battery operation was given the 'L' designation of MK6010L, since this is found in early Busicom battery powered calculators. The MK6010L allowed the production of the first true pocket calculator, the Busicom LE-120A "HANDY" which was announced in February 1971.[3] Busicom LE-120A "HANDY" using the MK6010L version of the "Calculator-on-a-Chip" developed by Mostek. This was the world's first true pocket calculator, small enough to fit in a shirt pocket, and also the first calculator with an LED (Light-Emitting Diode) display. It was announced in early 1971. The article announcing the Mostek "calculator-on-achip" was very prophetic when it said "Its promise of lower labor costs means a giant step toward a calculator for the consumer market". However, the Busicom LE-120A was very expensive, with a 12-digit display and a die-cast aluminium casing, and was out of reach of the man (and woman) in the street. Electronic Design reported in the article "The one-chip calculator is here, and its only the beginning" that there would be two models, one with LED display with a U.S. selling price of $395 and a Liquid Crystal Display version that would be somewhat cheaper[3]. However, the Liquid Crystal version was only produced as a prototype and never went on sale. The Mostek MK6010 and MK6010L chips are only found in calculators manufactured by Busicom. Apparently the '6' as first digit indicates a Mostek bespoke design for a specific customer. The chip was later released for general sale as the MK5010, the '5' as first digit indicating for general sale. The MK5010P ('P' indicating "Gold Side-Brazed DIP" packaging) was used in several early hand-held calculators including the ground-breaking, low-cost, Rapid Data Rapidman 800. Subequently, Mostek produced improved chips in this series. It was evident that the price of the pocket calculator had to be reduced and soon Busicom launched a new, cheaper model with a plastic casing followed by further models, such as the Busicom LE-100A "handy", using Texas Instruments "Calculator-on-a-chip" ICs (see below). The resulting cheaper pocket calculators indicated the future direction for the market and soon many other companies were looking at making a profit by selling cheap pocket calculators. In the following years, with the dramatic reduction in the cost of calculators, Busicom's continuing financial difficulties finally got the better of it and it ceased production in 1974. However, the Busicom name was bought by a distributor and continues on calculators to this day, though manufactured by a variety of companies. Texas Instruments TMS1802 (TMS0102) Texas Instruments appears to have been caught out by the arrival of the calculator-on-a-chip from its rival Mostek. A few months before the announcement of the Mostek MK6010 the journal "Electronics" had reported[4]: "Like many MOS circuit makers, the Dallas company [Texas Instruments] is working to reduce the number of chips for a calculator set. Roop [TI's MOS marketing manager] says that designing and building a one or two chip calculator next year 'will be a snap'. This would make possible a calculator selling at $200 retail. Even more dramatic, TI is designing an MOS chip which would contain all the electronics for a calculator that would sell for $99truly a potential high volume consumer product. And TI is thinking 'very strongly' of selling this bigger custom chip in 1971, he notes. If TI can get the price of this one chip down to between $15 and $25, then a $99 electronic calculator will be possible, Roop says." TI responded quickly after the announcement of the Busicom calculator with the Mostek chip, since also in February 1971 'Electronics Design' reported[5] "Two days after Mostek announced its development of a calculator on a chip, another Dallas-based company Texas Instruments said that it, too, was completing development of a one-chip calculator that would be available "off-the-shelf" by June." The TMS1802 was actually announced in September 1971 and is a very sophisticated device, being in reality a single-chip-microcontroller optimised for use in a calculator. The journal 'Wireless World' reported[6] "The i.c. contains an eight-digit b.c.d. arithmetic logic unit; a three-register 182-bit random access store; a 3520-bit read-only memory for holding the programme; and timing, output, and control decoders. Floating-point or fixed-point operation calculations can be performed and there is automatic round-off of numbers and leading zero suppression. Arithmetic and control operations are based on a 4s single-phase clock system." Thus the chip has an internal structure based on a processing unit linked to integral RAM and ROM. By employing different masks for the ROM during manufacture the functionality of the calculator could be adjusted. Texas Instruments later renamed this integrated circuit the TMS0102 and it was the start of a family of TMS01xx microcontroller chips that could be manufactured to be calculators or dedicated controllers.[7] The differences between the Texas Instruments calculator-on-chip and the Mostek calculator-on-a chip were explained in the journal 'Electronic Design' in October 1971[8]: " Calculator on a chip available off the shelf For calculator designers, an off-the-shelf MOS/LSI IC chip, incorporating all the logic and memory for an eight-digit, full-floating-point machine is now available. Developed by Texas Instruments of Dallas nearly three month later than it had predicted, the chipdesignated at TMS102NCcosts approximately $20 when purchased in quantities of 10,000 according to the company. The price for a single-quantity order is $125. Mostek Corp., also in Dallas, was the first to introduce a one-chip calculator last winter. However, Mostek's was a custom chip, manufactured under an exclusive sales arrangement with the Nippon Calculating Machine Co. of Tokyo for use in Nippon's line of Busicom calculators. According to Texas Instruments, there are other differences between it's one-chip calculator and the Mostek one, besides the stock availability for the TMS102NC. "Ours has a full-floating-point function and Mostek's didn't", a TI spokesman says. "Because the entire chip circuit was designed with our own programmable logic-array techniques, functional variations can be made by changing a single photomask in the manufacturing process. Mostek's was designed only to be used in Busicom calculators". The totally programmable TI device consists of a 3520-bit read-only program memory, a 182-bit RAM, a decimal arithmetic logic unit and control, timing and output decoders, all on a 230-by-230-mil [thousands of an inch] chip." The TMS1802 was initially sold on the general market to calculator manufacturers, with Texas Instruments delaying the manufacture and marketing its first calculator, the TI-2500 "Datamath", until July 1972. Several models of calculator used the TMS1802 including the Sinclair Executive hand-held calculator (pictured below), the Texet 1 hand-held calculator, and the Advance Wireless World desktop calculator. Early Sinclair Executive calculators used the TMS1802NC "calculator-on-a-chip", here date-coded to 1971, week 37. The two smaller integrated circuits are LED drivers. At first the Sinclair Executive used the TMS1802NC in a novel way where the power to the chip was pulsed to reduce the power consumption in order to give long life from the button cells used. In November 1972 the journal IEEE Spectrum reported[9]: "MOS/LSI family expanded to nine standard 'calculator on a chip' circuits The TMS0100 family of calculator-on-a-chip MOS/LSI integrated circuits, introduced by Texas Instruments last year as the TMS1802, has been expanded to nine off-the-shelf circuits. The TMS1802 is a specific implementation of a basic or host calculator chip. Any number of operational characteristics can be implemented by the manufacturer using single-level mask programming techniques of the same basic or host design. The only limitations are the size of the program ROM, the RAM storage, and the control, timing, and output decoders. Four of the nine calculator circuits are considered preferred types. The TMS0101 and TMS0103 are the preferred eight-digit circuits. The preferred ten-digit circuits are the TMS0106 and the TMS0118. The TMS0101 has the following features of the one-chip family: floating- or fixed-point result, chain operation, constant operation, protection of result in overflow, underflow in fixed-point mode, leading zero suppression, automatic power-on clear, and automatic sequence and powers. This eight-digit version uses algebraic keyboard entrythe user presses the keys exactly as he would describe the problem. The TMS0103 provides eight digits, four operations, oating or xed decimal point, constant or chain operation, automatic roundoff, overflow and underflow, leading zero suppression, and automatic power-up clear. This variation uses the arithmetic keyboard entry systemthe same as standard business machinesand is ideally suited for most desktop machines. The TMS0106 and TMS0118 are both ten-digit versions. Both feature a three-position selectable roundoff that uses a switch to determine how a number will be roundedup, down, or offwhen in fixed-point operation. The TMS0106 uses arithmetic entry; the TMS0118 uses formula entry. All nine of these units are available immediately from stock. Price in 100-piece quantities for the elght-digit chips is $38.15, and $41.97 for the ten-digit ones." The TMS0100 series proved to be a very popular family of chips for use in calculators during the 1970s. By developing the TMS01xx system further TI went on to produce the very successful general-purpose TMS1000 micro-controller series, examples of which were also used in high-specification calculators later in the 1970s. PICO/General Instrument Microelectronics G250 In 1970, four design staff from General Instrument (GI) left to form Pico Electronics Ltd. The group was based at a semiconductor fabrication plant which had recently become redundant in Glenrothes, Scotland, founded by Elliott Automation. Having detailed knowledge of designing calculator chip-sets for GI, the group was financed by GI to develop single-chip calculator integrated circuits for which GI would have exclusive manufacturing rights.[10] Starting with the GI 250 "calculator-on-a-chip" Pico went on to develop a range of calculator ICs which were manufactured by General Instrument and sold to calculator manufacturers such as Bowmar, Litton, and Casio. These integrated circuits also had a processing unit linked to integral RAM and ROM, which allowed for some change in functionality by altering the ROM mask during manufacture. The first of the ICs, the GI 250, was used in the Litton Royal Digital III, which was announced in January 1972 and manufactured by the Monroe division of Litton Industries.[11] Royal Digital III, showing its unusual stylus keypad, 4-digit Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD), and GI 250 "calculator-on-a-chip", here date-coded to 1972, week 8. Soon, other semiconductor manufacturers had developed their own "calculator-on-a-chip" for simple calculators. The introduction of the "calculator-on-a-chip" was a significant part of the "calculator war" which was starting, where the cost of calculators plummeted during the first half of the 1970s as the number of components required and their cost rapidly decreased. References: "The Chip: Mostek engineers had to make history", http://web.archive.org/web/20120121071408/http://www.mindspring.com/~mary.hall/mosteklives/history/10Ann/thechip.html. "Single-chip calculator hits the finish line", Electronics, Feb. 1 1971, p19. "The one-chip calculator is here, and it's only the beginning", Electronic Design, Feb. 18 1971, p34. Henkel, Robert, "Hand in hand", Electronics, November 23, 1970, p83. "Calculators are in chips; Next: Minicomputers?", Electronic Design, Feb. 18 1971, p21. "Calculator i.c.", Wireless World, november 1971, p557. http://www.datamath.org/ "Calculator on a chip available off the shelf", Electronic Design, Oct. 14, 1971, p19. "MOS/LSI family expanded to nine standard 'calculator on a chip' circuits", IEEE Spectrum, November 1972, p80. https://web.archive.org/web/20160410110302/http://www.spingal.plus.com/micro/ Electronics, Jan. 3 1972. Vintage Calculators This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The greenhouse effect was discovered more than 150 years ago and the first scientific paper linking carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere with climate change was published in 1896. But it wasn't until the 1950s that scientists could definitively detect the effect of human activities on the Earth's atmosphere. In 1956, United States scientist Charles Keeling chose Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano as the site of a new atmospheric measuring station. It was ideal, located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and at high altitude away from the confounding influence of population centers. Data collected by Mauna Loa from 1958 onwards let us clearly see the evidence of climate change for the first time. The station samples the air and measures global CO levels. Charles Keeling and his successors used this data to produce the famous Keeling curvea graph showing carbon dioxide levels increasing year after year. But this precious record is in peril. US President Donald Trump has decided to defund the observatory recording the data, as well as the widespread US greenhouse gas monitoring network and other climate measuring sites. We can't solve the existential problem of climate change if we can't track the changes. Losing Mauna Loa would be a huge loss to climate science. If it shuts, other observatories such as Australia's Kennaook/Cape Grim will become even more vital. What did Mauna Loa show us? The first year of measurements at Mauna Loa revealed something incredible. For the first time, the clear annual cycle in atmospheric CO was visible. As plants grow in summer, they absorb CO and draw it out of the atmosphere. As they die and decay in winter, the CO returns to the atmosphere. It's like Earth is breathing. Most land on Earth is in the Northern Hemisphere, which means this cycle is largely influenced by the northern summer and winter. It only took a few years of measurements before an even more profound pattern emerged. Year on year, CO 2 levels in the atmosphere were relentlessly rising. The natural in-out cycle continued, but against a steady increase. Scientists would later figure out that the ocean and land together were absorbing almost half of the CO 2 produced by humans. But the rest was building up in the atmosphere. Crucially, isotopic measurements meant scientists could be crystal clear about the origin of the extra carbon dioxide. It was coming from humans, largely through burning fossil fuels. Mauna Loa has now been collecting data for more than 65 years. The resulting Keeling curve graph is the most iconic demonstration of how human activities are collectively affecting the planet. When the last of the Baby Boomer generation were being born in the 1960s, CO 2 levels were around 320 parts per million. Now they're over 420 ppm. That's a level unseen for at least three million years. The rate of increase far exceeds any natural change in the past 50 million years. The reason carbon dioxide is so important is that this molecule has special properties. Its ability to trap heat alongside other greenhouse gases means Earth isn't a frozen rock. If there were no greenhouse gases, Earth would have an average temperature of -18C, rather than the balmy 14C under which human civilization emerged. The greenhouse effect is essential to life. But if there are too many gases, the planet becomes dangerously hot. That's what's happening nowa very sharp increase in gases exceptionally good at trapping heat even at low concentrations. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Keeping our eyes open It's not enough to know CO 2 is climbing. Monitoring is essential. That's because as the planet warms, both the ocean and the land are expected to take up less and less of humanity's emissions, letting still more carbon accumulate in the air. Continuous, high-precision monitoring is the only way to spot if and when that happens. This monitoring provides the vital means to verify whether new climate policies are genuinely influencing the atmospheric CO 2 curve rather than just being touted as effective. Monitoring will also be vital to capture the moment many have been working towards when government policies and new technologies finally slow and eventually stop the increase in CO 2 . The US administration's plans to defund key climate monitoring systems and roll back green energy initiatives present a global challenge. Without these systems, it will be harder to forecast the weather and give seasonal updates. It will also be harder to forecast dangerous extreme weather events. Scientists in the US and globally have sounded the alarm about what the closure would do to science. This is understandable. Stopping data climate collection is like breaking a thermometer because you don't like knowing you've got a fever. If the US follows through, other countries will need to carefully reconsider their commitments to gathering and sharing climate data. Australia has a long record of direct atmospheric CO 2 measurement, which began in 1976 at the Kennaook/Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station in north-west Tasmania. This and other climate observations will only become more valuable if Mauna Loa is lost. It remains to be seen how Australia's leaders respond to the US retreat from climate monitoring. Ideally, Australia would not only maintain but strategically expand its monitoring systems of atmosphere, land and oceans. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. South Jersey Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew stuck with President Trump, and most of his GOP colleagues in the House of Representatives, voting in favor of a sweeping tax and policy bill officially called the One Big Beautiful Bill act. The lengthy process had lawmakers in the House and the Senate each pulling all-nighters as the Republican leaders wrangled votes to squeak the bill through. In the Senate, Vice President J.D. Vance cast a tie-breaking vote, and in the House, the final vote came in 2018 to 214 on Thursday, with two Republican defections. The bill, which Trump was expected to sign Friday afternoon during the Independence Day holiday, extends tax cuts, increases funding for defense and border security, and cuts social service programs, including food aid and roughly $1 trillion from Medicaid, tying together much of Trumps second term agenda into a single act. Trump celebrated the vote, describing it as a fulfillment of campaign promises, even as polling indicates most Americans remain wary of the bill. The vote also increases the debt limit by $5 trillion, a move opposed by some conservatives. In a statement after the vote, Van Drew focused on the South Jersey impact, painting a rosy picture of whats to come. With the passage of this bill, we are delivering real tax relief to the working families of America while protecting and strengthening the programs that truly matter, like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, Van Drew said Thursday. Opponents of the bill, including New Jersey 11th District Democrat Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic nominee for governor, have been far more critical, and seem certain most voters will agree. In a statement after the vote, Sherrill sought to tie her Republican opponent for governor, Jack Ciattarelli, to the bill. Today, House Republicans passed a piece of legislation that will leave families without health care, cause children to go hungry, drive up utility and mortgage prices for middle-class families, and pay more in taxes, she said after the vote. Jack Ciattarelli proudly supports all of it. Almost as soon as the vote took place in the Senate, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, a Democrat, said the bill will strip health insurance from nearly 17 million Americans, hurt working families and increase the national debt. He said the bill would leave hundreds of hospitals at risk of closure. In this moment where I have heard the stories of so many families who are struggling to afford their basic needs, like groceries, housing, health care, and monthly bills, the Republican Party has failed them, Booker said on Tuesday. Donald Trump promised to lower costs and help Americans make ends meet. Instead, this bill has something to hurt almost everyone and Americans who are already struggling will pay the harshest price. The only winners are the wealthiest few, and the biggest corporations, Booker continued. All Democrats and three Republican Senators voted no. That was the maximum number of votes the GOP could lose without skuttling the bill. In addition to including $46.5 billion for a border wall, $45 billion for additional detention space for immigrants in federal custody and other funding for the federal focus on immigration, the bill slashes spending on green energy and creates new tax deductions for tipped workers. National media have reported concern from Republican lawmakers on the impact of cuts to Medicaid on rural hospitals, with senators pushing of billions of dollars to protect hospitals. Van Drew described this as a priority, stating after the vote that he secured language in the final reconciliation vote that protects New Jersey hospitals and patients. Because of our states unique county-based hospital provider tax model, New Jersey hospitals were at risk of being left behind. As the bill was originally written by the Senate, it would have had a serious negative impact on our hospital system. I made it clear to Congressional leadership that I would not accept any legislation that did not correct this issue, Van Drew said. After working closely with President Trump and the White House, we made sure this important fix was included in the final text of the bill to ensure New Jersey remains fully covered. Van Drew sought to counter some of the sharpest critics of the bill, including the assertion that it is primarily a tax break for the wealthy, pointing to increases in the child tax credit, to removing federal taxes on tips and offering tax relief for seniors. Van Drew has maintained that there will be no loss of Medicaid for legal, eligible recipients and has defended new work requirements as easily met through volunteer work, education or jobs, with multiple exceptions. The former Democrat, who changed parties in his first term and has since been closely aligned with Trump, described it as an America first bill that will mean significant funding for his Congressional district. This bill delivers historic investments directly to South Jersey, Van Drew said. We are bringing in $425 million to upgrade U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, transforming it into a world-class facility that will make both South Jersey and the entire country proud. It also sets aside $12.5 billion to modernize our aging air traffic control systems, with the William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic County leading the way, ready to test this new technology to make sure it is safe, effective, and ready to go, Van Drew continued. I was proud to help secure these investments in the final version of the bill. For the 82 immigrants from 39 countries, a years-long process to obtain U.S. citizenship culminated in a 140-word oath. Following the national anthem and presentation of candidates, the new citizens stood and raised their right hands to recite it. Once they finished, Judge Roger Gregory of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit made a request. Lets give them a standing ovation, he said, and the at-capacity crowd at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture obliged. To become citizens, the candidates lived in the country for at least five years, completed an interview and passed tests on the English language and United States civics. The process culminated in a ceremony on Friday. Gregory invoked the Founding Fathers, some of whom took part in the Continental Congress that approved the Declaration of Independence 249 years ago. He recalled a story of a woman approaching Ben Franklin on the day the Constitutional Convention concluded in 1787, asking if the new Constitution would result in a monarchy. Ben Franklin looked at her and said, No, its not a monarchy. Ive given you a republic if you can keep it. Tomisin Liadis family emigrated from Nigeria about a decade ago, and she joined the army after graduating from high school. Her recruiter said she could acquire citizenship through the armed forces, and she earned her citizenship on Friday two months after completing basic training. The army supported me because my drill sergeants, everybody was back-to-back with me, with all my appointments, they were there for me, said Liadi, 20, an automated logistics specialist. They were making sure I never forgot any appointments, and they helped me throughout every little process and step. Liadi said her parents immigrated to New York for more opportunities and a better life for their children. Though she was too young to fully understand the process at the time, she now has a greater appreciation of citizenship which both she and her parents secured. For my parents, it was very stressful, but they did it, Liadi said. So, I made it. She said she plans to enroll in college after completing her service. For now, though, Liadi looks forward to enjoying the freedoms that American citizenship provides, including the ability to travel. It means so much to me, Liadi said. For me and my family, its a very emotional topic because we were here for a long time. We finally really got it after all this stress and hard work for my family. Similarly, Atira Carty joined the army soon after graduating from high school, through which she also ignited the citizenship process. Her parents brought her to the United States from Jamaica, though they are not yet citizens. I joined the army, so it wasnt that difficult, said Carty, 19, a culinary specialist. It was just climbing my chain of commands to get paperwork signed, but it wasnt that hard of a process at least not for me. Its different if youre not in the army. Its more expensive, as well. Carty said she looks forward to accessing more opportunities as an American citizen, and simply not having to work through the citizenship process any more. Its just more free and not having to worry about renewing a green card or stuff like that, Carty said. The ceremony honored naturalized citizens at a time when immigration policy is increasingly contentious in the U.S. and around the world. On Wednesday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Virginia officials have arrested 2,500 people who do not have visas or other official permission to be in the United States, through cooperation with federal immigration officers. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers conducted a three-day operation at the Chesterfield County Courthouse last month, arresting people who reported to the building to pay their taxes or appear for a traffic violation. Me getting here is an emotional topic, Liadi said. All I can really say is that Im really here, and I see things happen in the real world. Weve been locked up in basic training for so long, so we dont really know whats going on, but now that were out, I see that a lot is going on with immigrants, but Im glad to be an American citizen now. As Gregory concluded his remarks, he noticed that one of the 39 countries where the new citizens emigrated from was Ireland. He recalled a story by the late Irish writer Frank OConnor, who President John F. Kennedy once cited in a speech about perseverance. In the story, a group of boys traversed across a countryside. When they came to an orchard wall, it seemed too high and too doubtful to try and too difficult to permit their journey to continue, Gregory said. So, they stared at the wall and they took off their caps and they threw their caps over the wall. Then, they had no choice but to follow. Throw your cap across the wall, whatever that is. And then make sure that you go get it, because then you have no choice but to follow. Efficient justice administration is priority of the Quintana Roo FGE says Salazar Riviera Maya, Q.R. The Quintana Roo Attorney Generals Office says they are working toward a more efficient justice system. On Friday, personnel from the Quintana Roo Office participated in a national conference in Mexico City. Raciel Lopez Salazar, who heads the Office in Quintana Roo, said the more efficient access to justice is, the faster and more effective it will be, benefiting everyone. Therefore, the constant updating of the processes for its administration and delivery are key to achieving our objectives which adhere to the unrestricted respect for human rights and the fight against impunity. The conference was chaired by Alejandro Gertz Manero, Attorney General of the Republic (FGR) and President of the National Conference of Justice Administration, who, in his welcoming address, thanked prosecutors and justice attorneys from across the country for their presence. The meeting, he said, was a great opportunity to exchange views and experiences on relevant cases in their jurisdictions. During the conference topics such as Advances in the National Statistical System for the Administration of Justice were discussed, given by Adrian Franco Barrios, Vice President of the Governing Board of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography. Likewise, Bertha Maria Alcalde Lujan, Attorney General of Mexico City, presented on the topic Coordination for the Search and Identification of Persons, Marcela Figueroa Franco, Executive Secretary of the National Public Security System, gave a lecture on Progress in the Implementation and Adoption of the Updated Instrument for the Registration, Classification, and Monthly Reporting of Crimes and Victims. After the presentations, attendees reaffirmed their commitment to working together to locate missing persons and to cross-reference information to locate and capture lawbreakers who, after committing crimes in one state, flee to other parts of the country to evade justice. Investigation continues: Head hitman charged with PDC murder Playa del Carmen, Q.R. A head hitman for a criminal group has been formally charged with murder. On Friday, Jesus N was charged in the June 3 shooting death of a man police have said was an opposing gang member. According to a statement from the FGE (Fiscalia del Estado), Jesus N has been charged for his probable involvement in acts possibly constituting the crime of aggravated homicide against a victim of reserved identity. The now accused, who is identified as the head of hitmen for a criminal group, is being investigated for events that occurred on June 3 of this year, when he arrived at a bar located on 18th Street and 40th North Avenue in the Centro and/or Gonzalo Guerrero neighborhood where he located the now deceased, whom he shot with a firearm six times, causing his death, and then fled the establishment. According to the official statement, the unidentified deceased was shot by Jesus N for belonging to an opposing criminal group who refused to pay protection money. A man and woman were shot inside this Playa del Carmen restaurant in early June allegedly by Jesus N. The defendant is also allegedly involved in the attempted murder of a man and a woman who were shot on June 11 of this year at the restaurant where they worked, the FGE added in their statement. Jesus N has been ordered to remain in prison during his trial. New Comprehensive Centre to turn sargassum into biofuel announced for Cancun Cancun, Q.R. The state of Quintana Roo announces the construction of a centre for a long-term sargassum solution that will see the seaweed turned into biofuel. On Friday, Governor Mara Lezama made the announcement with Alicia Barcena Ibarra, the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico. The creation of the Comprehensive Sargassum Sanitation and Circular Economy Centre aims to protect the environment, public health and the states sustainable development, said Governor Lezama. This Centre seeks a long-term solution to sargassum management and wastewater treatment that mitigates environmental and public health risks, stimulates the local economy and shared development, with concrete actions to protect beaches and the families who depend on tourism. Governor Lezama stated that the Comprehensive Sargassum Sanitation and Circular Economy Centre will allow for efficient monitoring, management, collection and transportation of sargassum, as well as harnessing it as an economic resource, rather than merely viewing it as a problem. With the Comprehensive Centre for Sanitation and Circular Economy, we will turn environmental liabilities into economic assets, she said. Governor Lezama added that to reach this point, a study, Sargassum, Sludge and EMR Valorization, was conducted, which was endorsed by the certifying agency Aenor-Mexico. Mexican scientist have identified three types of sargassum floating off the coast of Quintana Roo. The official findings of that study will not be released publicly until November. However, the findings made by the scientists and researchers who spent two weeks at sea has been used in the development of the up-and-coming Sargassum Centre. Oscar Rebora who heads the Secretariat of Ecology and Environment (Semar), explained that the Centre will be a benchmark for research, innovation and coordinated action to solve the sargassum problem efficiently and responsibly. He says the Centre will transform waste into useful resources through recovery, reuse and value-generating processes. In addition, advanced wastewater treatment technology will be implemented to help maintain quality and prevent health risks. An advanced Monitoring Centre in Cancun helps predict arriving sargassum. This project includes monitoring, comprehensive management, collection and transportation of sargassum, the implementation of three wastewater treatment plants in Cancuns hotel zone and biodigestion of sargassum, organic waste and pruning material. The state project also includes the production and marketing of biomethane (natural gas) from the collection of sargassum. On Friday, authorities toured the states Sargassum Monitoring Centre of Quintana Roo. Joining them was Alicia Barcena, who has been helping the state work on the long-term sargassum solution project. The States Sargassum Monitoring Centre in Cancun uses technology to see approaching sargassum in real time. Coordinator of the Monitoring Centre, Esteban Amaro, explained the technological equipment they have and how it it used to predict the path and volume that the algae traveling through the Caribbean. Governor Lezama emphasized the importance of the Centre as it is essential to prevent and gather information regarding a natural phenomenon that ultimately affects the Quintana Roo coast. After the tour, Secretary Alicia Barcena congratulated those who put so much effort into this Monitoring Centre which uses European satellites that greatly assist in the prediction work. What theyre doing here in Quintana Roo, in cooperation between the State Government and the Navy, is very important, especially for having information on how this phenomenon will affect us. Authorities toured the Monitoring Centre Friday. It provides us with timely satellite information and allows us to identify critical points and take action, said Barcena. Esteban Amaro explained how they model the Caribbean Current and how it carries sargassum patches toward the Yucatan Peninsula. Sea temperature, current simulations, prevailing winds and all oceanographic and atmospheric components are considered to predict the path of the sargassum. The Centre relies on the services of the European Space Agencys Sentinel 2 satellite, which is the only satellite capable of observing sargassum. Esteban Amaro added that this allows them to know when the seaweed is passing by and how much is likely to reach Quintana Roo shores. In June, the Secretaria de Marina reported an estimated 37,600 tons of sargassum for the coast of Quintana Roo coast this year. At that time, Alicia Barcena Ibarra said they were working to create a circular economy model where we can really demonstrate that its possible to use waste in a very different way. SSC takes American hotel guest into custody for domestic violence Riviera Maya, Q.R. Playa del Carmen police have taken an American hotel guest into custody for domestic violence. The incident happened Friday at a Riviera Maya hotel north of the city of Playa del Carmen. 38 year old American Juan N was arrested on allegations of domestic violence. Municipal SSC officers were at the hotel in response to the report of an aggressive man who had assaulted his partner and her daughter. SSC (Secretaria de Seguridad Ciudadana) officers of Playa del Carmen were notified of the assault after the victim called 9-1-1. The assault happened inside the Riviera Maya hotel room where they were staying. Specialized police officers (GEAVIG) trained in family violence also attended the scene. In custody is 38 year old American Juan N. The Playa del Carmen Citizen Security Secretariat arrested one person for his probable involvement in the crime of domestic violence at a hotel located on the Playa del CarmenPuerto Morelos federal highway, the SSC said in a statement Friday. Municipal police responded to a 911 report of an aggressive individual inside a hotel. At the scene, the victim reported that her partner had physically and verbally assaulted her, as well as her minor daughter, in the room where they were staying. The victims were treated by specialized personnel from the GEAVIG Group and received immediate medical attention. Juan N, 38, originally from the United States, was arrested and handed over to the Specialized Prosecutors Office for further investigation. On Thursday, SSC police arrested an American man from a Puerto Aventuras hotel for assault. On Thursday, 43 year old American Yah N was arrested for assault. A Riviera Maya hotel guest police have identified as 43 year old Yah N was arrested after allegations of punching another hotel guest in the face while intoxicated. That hotel guest was left with an injury to his left eye. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. As millions of Americans take to the streets in opposition to President Donald Trump, some of those most affected by his unpredictable, short-sighted, and transparently cruel policies are unable to participate. Since his first day in office, the Trump administration has thrown the lives of incarcerated people into chaosespecially the more than 150,000 people under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The BOPthe nations largest single prison systemhas been in a long-standing crisis for more than a decade, according to a 2024 inspector general report outlining rampant problems from crumbling infrastructure to staff sexually assaulting incarcerated people. A massive AP investigation revealed that staff are often kept on the job despite accusations of, or even arrests for, criminal misconduct. And in an attempt to deal with staffing shortages, the BOP routinely forces nurses, cooks, teachers, and other nonsecurity staff to fill in as correctional officers, a dangerous strategy known as augmentation. But incarcerated people and BOP experts say that in just a few short months, the Trump administration has exacerbated this crisis. He has implemented major pay cuts, issued confusing and short-sighted orders, directly targeted vulnerable incarcerated populations, and haphazardly slashed funding for crucial initiatives. Trumps shake-up started on Inauguration Day, when BOP Director Colette Peters was abruptly removed from office. Peters had been appointed in 2022, with a mandate to change the BOPs toxic culture and establish a vision for reform. At least six other top BOP officials have since departed. But vacancies at the staff level are even more dire. For years, the BOP has blamed its troubles on chronic, agencywide understaffing. In late 2023, 16 percent of correction officer jobs were vacant; an earlier analysis found prison health services jobs sat similarly unfilled. The jobs are hard to fill: Working in a prison is traumatic and stressful, with high rates of burnout, mental health issues, and turnover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, the BOP managed to increase staff count by a net 1,200, thanks to aggressive recruiting efforts, including hiring and retention bonuses. But those efforts have collapsed under Trump, who implemented a federal hiring freeze and slashed existing retention bonuses for correctional officers, cutting officers take-home pay by as much as 25 percent. In the weeks leading up to the pay cuts, correctional union reps told reporters that staffers were already making plans to leave, including medical workers. Meanwhile, Trump weakened federal jobs and unions by ending collective bargaining and making correctional officers at-will employees. In May, Trumps newly appointed BOP director, William Marshall, announced plans to maintain current BOP staffing levels by effectively freezing most hiring at least through September, in an effort to avoid more extreme measures. None of this amounts to security for these jobs. Advertisement Simultaneously, Trumps policies threaten to worsen overcrowding by widening the net of incarceration. The number of people incarcerated throughout the BOP has crept up in recent years, after nearly a decade of decline, causing federal facilities to be 10 percent overcrowded in 2024. Yet in January, Trumps DOJ instructed federal prosecutors to pursue the harshest charges available in many instances (while laying off on white-collar crime). Advertisement People incarcerated in BOP facilities are already feeling the effects, including through the increased use of lockdowns, during which entire units are confined to cells for hours or days on end. In recent weeks, many federal prisons have implemented new policies, such as full-day lockdowns once a week, or nightly lockdowns starting at 6, according to reports sent by incarcerated people to the advocacy group More Than Our Crimes. These incarcerated writers often report that staff blame the new lockdowns on insufficient staffing or overtime bans. Advertisement We just came off of a two-week lockdown, supposedly to save on overtime costs, an incarcerated person wrote in May from FCI Waseca, a low-security womens facility in Minnesota. Now we are being [told] we will be locked down one week each month. No work crews will run, there will be no programming, and if rec [is] open it will only be in the p.m. Advertisement Others report their facilities reduced visitation hours, or even banned contact visits. Beginning last weekend, there is no contact allowed during visits. You must sit in a row and they sit in a row, with a big plastic barrier in between, one person wrote from FCI Allenwood in April. Supposedly its due to short staffing and it will be that way until at least November! Advertisement Advertisement People in BOP facilities also report mail going missing or arriving late, and being charged for phone calls that should be free, according to the Federal Prison Education and Reform Alliance, an organization of former BOP staff advocating for reforms. Advertisement Anything that adversely affects staffing is going to put incarcerated people further at risk, said David Fathi, director of the ACLU National Prison Project. Every aspect of prison operations requires adequate custody staff, whether its health care, or food service, or escorting people to exercise, or taking people to visiting. And one way that some facilities deal with thatits a counterproductive way, but neverthelessis with lockdowns. These are big problems that lead to even bigger problems, Hugh Hurwitz, who served as BOP acting director from 2018 to 2019, told Forbes in April. You have a situation where inmates are angry and I know from what I am hearing that staff are angry. That is not a good combination on top of the issues with poor morale, staffing shortage, pressure to cut costs from the new administration and managing all this while trying to stick to the mission of security in the prisons. It is a powder keg and a lot of people are worried about a big incident that may happen next. Advertisement Advertisement Incarcerated people, advocates, and BOP staff are also dealing with whiplash from abrupt, sometimes contradictory decrees from Trump and his Department of Justice. Advertisement In January, Trump rescinded a Biden order banning BOP contracts with private prisons. Before becoming attorney general, Pam Bondi lobbied extensively for GEO Group, a major private prison companythe latest glaring example in a long-standing revolving door between the industry and the BOP. Incarcerated people and their loved ones were blindsided again in March. The 2007 Second Chance Act allows people to transition from prisons to the community, serving up to the final 12 months of their sentence in a halfway house. But citing budget constraints, the BOP issued a memo abruptly shortening this transition period to the final 60 days of a persons sentence. As a result, peoples upcoming transfers to halfway houses were suddenly rescheduled back many months. Amid uproar from families and advocates, the administration rescinded the change just two weeks later. Advertisement They said it was to save money. But its more expensive to keep people inside of prison than in a halfway house, said Deborah Golden, a civil rights attorney. The episode was classic Trump: making announcements with little forethought and a short-sighted view for cost saving, changing his mind, and ultimately leaving people confused. Advertisement Advertisement The BOP has implemented other short-sighted cost-saving measures, including cutting 80 psychology doctoral internships at BOP prisons as part of the DOJ hiring freeze. If you dont have people who are incarcerated getting psychological treatment, everything gets worse, said Golden. Then, in early May, Trump issued a performative and wildly impractical order for the BOP to reopen Alcatraz, a crumbling, 250-year-old prison that was shut down in 1963 for being too costly and impractical to maintain. The prison complex currently functions as a museum and has no running water, heat, or sanitation. Advertisement Trump has also turned his wrath on segments of the incarcerated population. His DOJ ordered the 37 people whose death row sentences were commuted by President Joe Biden in 2024 to be transferred to ADX, a supermax prison with the most extreme solitary confinement in the country. A group of 21 sued, arguing the transfers were unlawful. In late May, a federal judge denied their request for a preliminary injunction blocking the transfer, directing the plaintiffs to appeal their transfers internally first. Advertisement Meanwhile, Trump began targeting incarcerated transgender people on his first day in office, when he issued an executive order banning the federal government from funding gender-affirming care, mandating that trans women be housed in mens prisons, and removing protections for transgender people from Prison Rape Elimination Act guidelines. Advertisement People in the BOP were suddenly denied the hormone treatments they rely on. In early June, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction, temporarily reinstating gender-affirming care, and granting the plaintiffs class-action status. A separate lawsuit has successfully halted the transfer of a group of transgender people into dangerous situations in prisons that align with their sex as assigned at birth, regardless of their transition status, which the government has appealed. Advertisement Meanwhile, the administration is unconstitutionally placing Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees facing civil immigration charges in federal prisons intended for people convicted of federal felonies. Some ICE detainees report being housed in dirty, leaking, and overcrowded cells in BOP prisons, where they suffer unpredictable lockdowns; insufficient and moldy food; and a lack of access to phone calls, medical care, and outside recreation. Some are denied their constitutional right to legal counsel. Related From Slate ICE Has Been Making Life Hell for Local Communities. Now People Are Making Life Hell for Them. Read More In addition to wreaking havoc in the BOP, Trumps policies indirectly affect people in state prisons and local jails. One of the very few oversight mechanisms to protect the constitutional rights of incarcerated people is the DOJs Civil Rights Division, which enforces federal civil rights law, in part through its special litigation arm. In recent years, the division has found prisons and jails guilty of violating incarcerated peoples rights against cruel and unusual punishment, their religious freedoms, and their rights under the Americans With Disabilities Act. It has uncovered failures to protect people from physical and sexual abuse; the use of extreme solitary confinement for people with severe mental illness; inadequate medical care; dangerous use of force; and deadly living conditions. It also oversaw the correction of these abuses through consent decrees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Trump has completely decimated the Civil Rights Division, placing a radical right-wing culture warrior at the helm, and abruptly transferring longtime staffers to new divisions. All litigation is frozen, including cases where the DOJ was investigating and litigating jurisdictions for incarcerating people in inhumane conditions, and the department is throwing out some preexisting consent decrees. Fathi noted that few nonprofits do prison civil rights work on a national scale. The Justice Department covers the entire nation, and they have the resources to take on the most recalcitrant and stubborn state actors, he explained. That is going to be a significant loss for the rights of incarcerated people. In another loss to incarcerated peoples rights, the DOJ abruptly terminated all funding to the Prison Rape Elimination Act Resource Center in April. PREA is popular on both sides of the aisleit was initially co-sponsored by Jeff Sessions and established by unanimous Congressional vote in 2003. This administration has sent a clear signal that it is OK with sexual abuse in detention, said Linda McFarlane, executive director of Just Detention International, in a statement. And now roughly 2 million people in custody will be in greater danger of sexual abuse. Advertisement Advertisement Jack Donson, a 23-year former BOP employee, policy expert, and executive director of the Prison Education and Reform Alliance, says the BOP could safely and significantly reduce its spending. He noted the agency has more employees than in the mid-2000s, despite a similar number of incarcerated people. The problem, he argues, is that there are too many bureaucratic roles in D.C. and in regional headquarters, and not enough front-line staff. Prison staff will tell you that these administrative layers (especially at the regional level) have become bloated at the expense of correctional and other specialized personnel at individual facilities, Donson wrote in March. In 2019, USA Today revealed that BOP executives and wardens received $1.6 million in bonuses over the prior two years. Advertisement Of course, the DOJ could further ease understaffing by incarcerating fewer people. The 2020 CARES Act released some people nearing the end of their sentences, in an effort to reduce prison overcrowding during the COVID pandemic. Those who took part in the program have a lower-than-average recidivism ratesuggesting a model that could be used to expand early releases. Advertisement Yet, that is not the direction Trumps DOJ is heading. Instead, the administration and the Department of Government Efficiency have cut hundreds of millions of dollars of funding for programs that decrease crime through substance abuse treatment, gun violence prevention, crime victim support, and other initiatives. Advertisement Advertisement When asked about the cuts, the DOJ says the programs are no longer aligned with the administrations priorities. Instead of focusing on dangerous and overcrowded conditions in BOP prisons, the department maintains it is focused on prosecutions, drugs, and protecting American institutions from toxic DEI and sanctuary city policies. In fact, under the current administration, public safety appears to be synonymous with immigrant detention. As the BOP struggles to retain staff amid hiring freezes and pay cuts, and as budgets for crime reduction and prison rape prevention are slashed, the fiscal year 2026 reconciliation bill supercharges federal immigration enforcement with $171 billion, far dwarfing the BOP budget. It is clear Trumps concerns do not lie with reducing recidivism or operating safe, structurally sound federal prisonslet alone with protecting the lives and safety of the people incarcerated there. This article was reported with support from Solitary Watch. The Kindergarten Series for two-year-olds kicked off on Friday, July 4 at The Meadowlands with seven $34,247 leg-one dashes for horses of each sex and gait, and one winner that stood out was a still-learning Diabolic Hill, who scored in the first of three colt-and-gelding trots in the fifth race. With a helmet to follow, he was a little bit better, said winning driver Andy McCarthy. Hes a naughty boy. He tried to put it over on me. You have to get him straight. He can go pretty fast. Hes bumpy on the turn, he tries to run off the track a little bit, but hes just a naughty kid. The son of Muscle Hill-Crysti Dream raced in the four-hole through first-half splits of :28.3 and :59.1 and picked up a live tow from Spycatcher (Todd McCarthy) to three-quarters in 1:29.1 and around the far turn. He looked a tad bumpy while straightening away for the stretch drive before taking off inside the eighth pole to win by 1-1/2 lengths over Mr Penner (Ake Svanstedt), who failed in his bid to go wire-to-wire. Minoan (Jonathan Ahle) was third. He definitely has some growing up to do but continues to show great potential and speed, said winning trainer Annie Stoebe. Hell learn, hell get better, said McCarthy. Well keep working on him. Diabolic Hill returned $3.60 to win as the 4-5 favourite after completing the mile in 1:56.2. Owners Mazza Racing Stables LLC and Stoebe purchased the colt for $405,405 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. There were six more Kindergarten contests on the card. Ladysassin (Perfect Sting-Dream Chaser), with Dexter Dunn driving for trainer Linda Toscano and M and L of Delaware LLC, took the only filly pace division in 1:53.2. She paid $18.60. Southwind Alamo (Tactical Landing-Amber Ella) took the second trotting male split for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Ron Coyne Jr., and owners Coyne & Pachuta Stable, Blair Corbeil, Richard Carney, and Mike McAllister. He returned $6.80 in the 1:55.1 victory. Whos Eyes Blues (Chapter Seven-Behindblueyes) narrowly won the third colt and gelding trot division in 1:56.1 with Yannick Gingras piloting for Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Frank Baldachino, Hatfield Stables, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The win price was $6.20. Dax Seelster (Bulldog Hanover-Deb), the first foal of Bulldog Hanover, took the sole pacing male contest in line to Gingras in 1:55. Burke trains the colt, who paid $4.20 to win, for Brad Grant. Abbey Blue Chip (Tactical Landing-Lima Novelty) led at every station in the first filly trot division for Tetrick and Coyne Jr. in 1:56.2, returning $8 to win. She is owned by Ron Coyne Stables Inc., Corbeil, Edward Pachuta, and Carney. Waldon Fashion (Walner-Broadway Donna) completed leg one as she bested the second group of trotting fillies in 1:55.4 with Todd McCarthy in the bike for Jim Campbell and owner/breeder Fashion Farms LLC. Her backers received $4.40 for a $2 bet. Andy McCarthy, Todd McCarthy, Tetrick, Dunn, and Gingras tied atop the driver leaderboard with two wins each, while Coyne and Burke led the trainers as each took a pair of walks down victory lane. Followers of Big M TVs Jessica Otten had smiles on their faces and green in their pockets at the end of the night. Otten tabbed nine winners on the card, including her best bet Dax Seelster ($4.20) and value play Blue Point ($12.60), and then, for good measure, had the Late Pick-4 twice, giving her faithful a return of $290.60. All-source handle on the 15-race program totaled $2,465,754. Racing resumes Saturday at 7 p.m. with a pair of $230,000 USD Stan Bergstein Graduate Series finals as the featured events. (With files from The Meadowlands) North Plattes new Sustainable Beef meatpacking plant is feeling the effects of the Trump administrations moves to remove immigrants from the country. CEO David Briggs said the company is rechecking legal work authorization documents for employees and applicants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua or Venezuela at the recommendation of the Nebraska Department of Labor. Other North Platte businesses that may have employed people from those nations are doing the same thing, said Tinamaria Fernandez, executive director of North Plattes HOPE Esperanza nonprofit group that assists minority residents of the area. Sustainable Beef processed its first cattle May 28, two days before the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a stay on Trumps revocation of humanitarian parole protections for more than 500,000 migrants from the four countries. Such people have been told they must leave the United States, The Associated Press and other national news outlets have said. Legal challenges continue to Trumps cancellation of the so-called CHNV program, authorized in 2022 by former President Joe Biden. It was founded using powers U.S. presidents have often used since 1952 to allow refugees from troubled countries to come to the U.S. for two years, assuming they can find U.S. financial sponsors and pay for their own journey. Cuba has been under communist control since the late Fidel Castro took power in 1959. Nicaragua and Venezuela also are authoritarian countries, while Haiti has been beset by political instability for decades. Briggs said Friday that Sustainable Beef now has about 500 people working of the more than 800 it expects to employ at full processing capacity of 1,500 head per day. The plant east of Newberry Access on Golden Road is now handling 200 head a day but should reach 500 daily by the end of July, he said. Sustainable Beef has used the federal governments eVerify system from the beginning to confirm that potential employees are legally in the United States and cleared to work, Briggs said. We do not ask their nationality or ethnic group, he said, but we definitely have some who have been hired who have been in the country under the Biden-era CHNV program. Company leaders reached out to the new administration about how to handle hiring after Trump returned to office Jan. 20, he added. We inquired about what was the right way to hire because we wanted to be legal, Briggs said. The Department of Homeland Security, Department of Labor and everybody said using eVerify was the best option we have. But since Mays Supreme Court decision, weve gotten more direction from the (state) Department of Labor and are going through the process of reconfirming the legal documents for those employees. Briggs said neither the North Platte beef plant nor any other in Nebraska has experienced immigration raids since U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcements June 10 action at Omahas Glenn Valley Foods plant. Even should some initial employees have had to be let go, Briggs said, Sustainable Beef has received some 3,000 job applications. So we have plenty of applicants to work through. Fernandez said HOPE Esperanza helped about 400 people apply and interview for jobs at the beef plant. Her information on local fallout from Trumps cancellation of the program mainly comes from them, their families and local employers, she said. Of those 400 people, not all of them (fell) under this particular (CHNV) status, she said. But Fernandez said many of the affected workers or applicants have formally applied for political asylum in the United States. Their (work) authorization is on hold until they are given asylum, she said. The process is different for all of them. She added that Walmarts Nebraska operations had to fire several people after the May 30 Supreme Court decision let Trumps move to make CHNV beneficiaries leave the country. She said the firings included some people at North Plattes Walmart Distribution Center, the only one in the state. DC General Manager Mark Oettinger did not return a text from The Telegraph seeking comment. Trumps revocation of humanitarian parole for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans will have lasting effects not only on individuals and families but on rural communities and the nation, Fernandez said. Briggs called the federal governments CHNV decision concerning and said Sustainable Beef has communicated that to Gov. Jim Pillen and Nebraskas congressional delegation. It appeared that effort had borne fruit, the beef-plant CEO said, when the administration told ICE June 12 to pause most raids and arrests at hotels and restaurants and in the agricultural industry. Trump reversed course again four days later. Not only Sustainable Beef but also almost every employer in North Platte is looking for employees, Mayor Brandon Kelliher said last week. While I support deporting criminals and people who shouldnt be in the United States because theyve committee crimes, exporting people who want to work and want to be American citizens someday does create some challenges for our local businesses. Its hard to tell how many longer-term residents might be available for those jobs, Kelliher said, because Nebraska has a low official unemployment rate but existing measures dont count those who arent pursuing jobs. I think its fair to say that in North Platte, there are people in that status that could work but are choosing not to, the mayor said. But the city has no way to track that number. Gary Person, president and CEO of the North Platte Area Chamber & Development Corp., traced the nations current immigration turmoil to irresponsible lack of leadership of (the) previous administration letting every bad apple come into America and put the country at risk. He said he believes the fallout for Sustainable Beef and other North Platte employers will work itself out. Unfortunately good people were impacted by the CHNV programs cancellation, Person said, but we are on a good track moving forward in North Platte. Ashutosh Bajoria Vs Rajesh Kumar Sharma (Rajasthan High Court) Rajasthan High Court granted permission to travel abroad to the person accused under Prevention of Money Laundering Act on furnishing of bank guarantee of Rs. 25 Lakhs. Accordingly, appeal allowed. Facts- Assistant Director, Directorate of Enforcement filed criminal complaint against the petitioner and other co-accused for the offence under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 before the Special Court (PMLA, 2002) Special Judge (CBI Cases) No. 3, Jaipur Metropolitan-I (Trial Court) wherein cognizance was taken against the petitioner and co-accused for the above offences vide order dated 12.07.2021 and arrest warrants were issued against them. Trial Court issued standing arrest warrants against the petitioner and notice u/s. 82, 83 Cr.P.C. were also issued for appearance of the petitioner vide order dated 08.09.2021. Thereafter the petitioner submitted an application u/s. 70(2) read with Section 71 Cr.P.C. for converting the arrest warrants into bailable warrant. However, the said application was rejected by the Trial Court vide order dated 15.02.2022. Thereafter, the petitioner appeared before the Trial Court and furnished bail and surety bonds on 23.06.2022. His bail bonds were attested and the petitioner was released on bail subject to the condition that he will not leave India without prior permission of the court. The petitioner submitted an application before the Trial Court and sought permission to travel to Singapore and Dubai to attend business meetings with effect from 01.01.2023 to 15.01.2023. However, the said application was rejected by the Trial Court vide impugned order dated 22.12.2022. Being aggrieved, the present appeal is filed. Conclusion- This court is required to draw a balance between the right of the petitioner to travel abroad and also the right of the prosecution to duly prosecute the petitioner so as to prevent him from evading the trial. From perusal of the various judgments passed by the Honble Apex Court it is clear that the paramount consideration is given to the condition imposed upon the persons who have been granted permission to go abroad, so as to ensure that they do not flee from justice. For ensuring the presence of the accused before the Trial Court, any appropriate condition can be imposed and in case the condition imposed by law is violated, appropriate coercive action can be taken. Held that the impugned order dated 22.12.2022 is quashed. The petitioner is granted permission to travel to Singapore and Dubai till 19.01.2023. The petitioner is required to furnish adequate surety and bank guarantee of Rs. 25 lakh to the satisfaction of the Trial Court for ensuring his return from abroad and appearance before the court. FULL TEXT OF THE JUDGMENT/ORDER OF RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT (1) By way of present petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. of the Code of Criminal Procedure (for short Cr.P.C.), the petitioner has approached this court with the following prayer :- It is, therefore, most respectfully prayed that, in view of the above mentioned facts and circumstances and in the interest of justice, this Honble Court may be pleased to accept and allow the present petition and quash and set aside the order dated 22.12.2022 and consequently permit Petitioner may be given permission to travel Singapore for ten days from 04.01.2023 upto 14.01.2023 and Dubai from 15.01.2023 upto 19.01.2023 on any condition that may be imposed by this Honble Court. Any other appropriate orders as the Honble Court may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case and in the interest of justice. (2) Facts in brief of the case are that Assistant Director, Directorate of Enforcement filed criminal complaint No. 3/2021 against the petitioner and other co-accused for the offence under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (for short the Act of 2002) before the Special Court (PMLA, 2002) Special Judge (CBI Cases) No. 3, Jaipur Metropolitan-I (for short the Trial Court) wherein cognizance was taken against the petitioner and co-accused for the above offences vide order dated 12.07.2021 and arrest warrants were issued against them. The arrest warrants were received back unserved with the report of Head Constable that out of fear of arrest, the petitioner has absconded. After receipt of the above report, the Trial Court issued standing arrest warrants against the petitioner and notice under Sections 82, 83 Cr.P.C. were also issued for appearance of the petitioner vide order dated 08.09.2021. Thereafter the petitioner submitted an application under Section 70(2) read with Section 71 Cr.P.C. for converting the arrest warrants into bailable warrant. However, the said application was rejected by the Trial Court vide order dated 15.02.2022. (3) Feeling aggrieved by the order dated 15.02.2022, the petitioner submitted S.B. Criminal Misc. Petition No. 5350/2022 before this court and on 17.06.2022 the coordinate bench of this court passed the following order :- Learned counsel for petitioners submits that the trial court vide order dated 12.07.2021 took cognizance for the offences under Section 3 read with Section 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 and issued arrest warrant against petitioners. He further submits that the trial court has not given any reasons and circumstances for issuance of arrest warrant whereas petitioners are not absconding rather ready to appear before the trial court and submit their bail bonds. Petitioners moved an application under Section 70(2) of Cr.P.C. to convert non-bailable warrant into bailable warrants but vide order dated 15.02.2022 same has also been dismissed. The Honble Supreme Court in case of Inder Mohan Goswami & Anr. vs. State of Uttaranchal & Ors. Reported in [(2007) 12 SCC 1] has opined that the non-bailable warrant to summon the accused persons should not be issued without proper scrutiny of facts and complete application of mind. Issue notice to respondents of petitions as well as stay applications. In the meanwhile, order dated 12.07.2021 to the extent of issuing arrest warrants against petitioners shall remain stayed and petitioners shall not be arrested. However, petitioners are at liberty to appear before the trial court and submit their bail bonds. (4) In pursuance of the above order dated 17.06.2022 the petitioner appeared before the Trial Court and furnished bail and surety bonds on 23.06.2022. His bail bonds were attested and the petitioner was released on bail subject to the condition that he will not leave India without prior permission of the court. (5) The petitioner submitted an application before the Trial Court and sought permission to travel to Singapore and Dubai to attend business meetings with effect from 01.01.2023 to 15.01.2023. However, the said application was rejected by the Trial Court vide impugned order dated 22.12.2022 by holding that no relevant documents have been submitted on the record. Hence the permission to go to Singapore and Dubai, was declined. (6) Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that presence of the petitioner is required at Singapore and Dubai for business meetings. He submits that Dani Essentials Home Culture Company, Singapore has written the following letter dated 27.12.2022 to the Commission of the Republic of Singapore, New Delhi stating herein that :- The High Commission of the Republic of Singapore E-6 Chandragupta Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi Delhi-110021 India Attn: Visa Section the Office in Charge Dear Sir / Madam, Re: Visa application for Mr Ashutosh Bajoria Holder of Indian Passport No: Z5540579. With reference to the above visa application we would like to certify and confirm that we have known Mr Ashutosh Bajoria for many years and would like to invite him to visit Singapore for business meetings. The meetings have been fixed from 2nd January 2023 till 6th January 2023. We kindly request you to grant him a short term stay multiple visa to facilitate his travel plans from India to Singapore at any given time when required to do so. We kindly request you to grant him a short term stay multiple visa to facilitate his travel plans from India to Singapore for his stay, maintenance and repatriation if required. If you require any further details please do not hesitate to contact me at my mobile number +65 9671 2022. Thank You for your kind attention and assistance rendered to him. Yours Sincerely For DANI ESSENTIALS (7) Learned counsel submits that similarly a letter being addressed by Mr. Syed Mohammed Rafey Ghani to the High Commission of United Arab Emirates, New Delhi on 27.12.2022 stating herein that :- The High Commission of the United Arab Emirates, New Delhi Attn: Visa Section the Office in Charge Dear Sir / Madam, Re: Visa application for Mr Ashutosh Bajoria holder of Indian Passport No: Z 5540579. With reference to the above visa application we would like to certify and confirm that we have known Mr Ashutosh Bajoria for many years and would like to invite him to visit Dubai for business meeting. We kindly request you to grant him a short term stay multiple visa to facilitate his travel plans from India to Dubai at any given time when required to do so. We guarantee his return by having sufficient funds and confirmed tickets if necessay we undertake to be responsible for his stay, maintenance and repatriation if required. If you require any further details please do not hesitate to contact me at my mobile number +971 564652679. Thank You for your kind attention and assistance rendered to him. Yours Sincerely Syed Mohammed Rafay Ghani (8) Counsel submits that the petitioner has a right to go aboard and he cannot be deprived of his right except in accordance with the procedure prescribed by the law. In submission of his contentions, he placed reliance on the judgment of Honble Apex Court in the case of Smt. Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India & Anr reported in AIR 1978 SC 597 and Satish Chandra Verma v. Union of India & Ors, [Civil Appeal No. 3802/2019 decided on 09.04.2019]. (9) Counsel submits that appropriate condition can be imposed to ensure presence of the petitioner before the Trial Court. Counsel submits that the petitioner is a permanent resident of Jaipur and his entire family resides in Jaipur and the factory, home and properties of the petitioner are also within the jurisdiction of the Trial Court. (10) Lastly, counsel submitted that the petitioner may be given permission to travel to Singapore with effect from 04.01.2023 to 14.01.2023 and Dubai from 15.01.2023 to 19.01.2023. (11) Per contra, learned counsel for the respondent opposed the arguments raised by the counsel for the petitioner and submitted that the petitioner remained absconded and standing arrest warrants were issued against him. Counsel submits that once permission is granted to the petitioner, he is not likely to return. Counsel submits that mentioning incorrect facts before the coordinate bench the petitioner got the interim order dated 17.06.2022 in S.B. Criminal Misc. Petition No. 5350/2022. (12) Counsel submits that an application has been submitted for recalling of the order dated 17.06.2022. He submits that no documents were submitted before the Trial Court by the petitioner regarding his business meetings at Singapore and Dubai. Counsel submits that now for the first time the two letters dated 27.12.2022 have been submitted on record to seek permission to travel abroad. Counsel submits that the Trial Court has rightly rejected the application of petitioner after relying upon the judgment of Honble Apex Court in the case of Barun Chandra Thakur v. Ryan Augustin Pinto [Criminal Appeal No. 1618/2019, decided on 21.10.2019]. Counsel submits that under these circumstances, the petitioner is not entitled to get permission to go abroad. (13) Heard and considered the rival submissions made at the Bar and perused the material available on record. (14) Perusal of the record indicates that the cognizance was taken against the petitioner and co-accused for the offence under Sections 3 and 4 of the Act of 2002 by the Trial Court order dated 12.07.2021 on complaint no. 3/2021 filed by the respondent and the arrest warrants were issued against the petitioner. When the arrest warrants were not served upon him, standing arrest warrants were issued against him and proceedings under Sections 82 and 83 of Cr.P.C. were initiated vide order dated 08.09.2021. Thereafter the petitioner submitted an application under Sections 70(2) and 71 Cr.P.C. before the Trial Court for converting his arrest warrants into bailable warrant and for releasing him on bail, but the said application was rejected vide order dated 15.02.2022. The petitioner assailed the said order before this court and an interim order was passed on 17.06.2022 granting liberty to the petitioner to submit his bail bonds before the Trial Court and accordingly the petitioner furnished his bail bonds before the Trial Court and he was released on bail on 23.06.2022 but a condition was imposed by the Trial Court that he would not leave India without permission of the court. (15) Now the petitioner has submitted the application before the Trial Court seeking permission to go to Singapore with effect from 04.01.2023 to 14.01.2023 and Dubai from 15.01.2023 to 19.01.2023 to attend business meetings. The said application has been rejected by the Trial Court by saying that no documents in this regard has been placed on record. However, now the petitioner has placed on record the two letters dated 27.12.2022 which indicate that the presence of the petitioner is required for the business meetings at Singapore and Dubai respectively. (16) Honble Apex Court in the case of Maneka Gandhi (supra) has held that the expression personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution of India has a wider amplitude, which includes right to go abroad. A person cannot be deprived to this right except in accordance with the procedure prescribed by the law. (17) Similarly in the case of Satish Chandra Verma (supra), the Honble Supreme Court has held that :- The right to travel abroad is an important basic human right for it nourishes independent and self-determining creative character of the individual, not only by extending his freedoms of action, but also by extending the scope of his experience. The right also extends to private life; marriage; family and friendship are humanities which can be rarely affected through refusal of freedom to go abroad and clearly show that this freedom is a genuine human right (see: Mrs. Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India and Another (1978) 1 SCC 248. In the said judgment, there is a reference to the words of Justice Douglas in Kent v. Dulles 357US 116 which are as follows: Freedom to go abroad has much social value and represents the basic human right of great significance. (18) This court is required to draw a balance between the right of the petitioner to travel abroad and also the right of the prosecution to duly prosecute the petitioner so as to prevent him from evading the trial. From perusal of the various judgments passed by the Honble Apex Court it is clear that the paramount consideration is given to the condition imposed upon the persons who have been granted permission to go abroad, so as to ensure that they do not flee from justice. For ensuring the presence of the accused before the Trial Court, any appropriate condition can be imposed and in case the condition imposed by law is violated, appropriate coercive action can be taken. The judgment cited by the counsel for the respondent in the case of Barun Chandra Thakur (supra), is not applicable in the facts and circumstances of this case. (19) It is worthy to note here that at the time of seeking permission before the Trial Court, the petitioner made a prayer in the application (Annexure-5) that the petitioner be allowed to travel abroad for which he is ready and willing to furnish heavy sureties, bank guarantees or fixed deposit. (20) In view of the above discussion, the impugned order dated 22.12.2022 is quashed. The petitioner is granted permission to travel to Singapore and Dubai till 19.01.2023 on the following conditions that :- (i) He will return to India on or before 20.01.2023 and he will furnish adequate surety and bank guarantee of Rs. 25 lakh to the satisfaction of the Trial Court for ensuring his return from abroad and appearance before the court. (ii) The petitioner will put appearance before the Trial Court on his return to India. (iii) The petitioner shall not visit any other country except Singapore and Dubai, for which permission to travel abroad has been granted by this court. (iv) The petitioner will carry his mobile with an active mobile number, which he will provide through his counsel to the Trial Court after reaching Singapore and Dubai respectively, and he will keep the phone activated for international calls and he will also remain available on whatsapp application with an active internet connection. (21) It is made clear that after return to India and on submission of an application by the petitioner, the Trial Court shall release the bank guarantee. It is further made clear that if the petitioner does not comply with the conditions imposed by this court, the bank guarantee shall be forfeited without any notice and the same shall rest with the Central Government. It is further made clear that in case the petitioner does not return to India within time granted by this court, the Trial Court shall be at liberty to proceed against the petitioner in accordance with law. (22) The petition is disposed of in the above said terms. (23) Stay application and all pending applications (if any), also stand disposed of. Troy Chemicals India Pvt. Ltd Vs CIT(A) (ITAT Mumbai) ITAT Mumbai under Resale Price Method [RPM] focus is more on same or similar nature of products rather than similarity of products. Thus, TPO directed to include 5 companies as comparable for benchmarking international transaction. Facts- The assessee is a subsidiary of Troy Corporation, USA and is primarily engaged in the trading of specialty chemicals, additives, etc., in India. During the year under consideration, the assessee has entered into an internat Please become a Premium member. If you are already a Premium member, login here to access the full content. Longviews city manager, mayor and the bulk of its City Council took a collaborative approach as they heard from locals during a public forum focused on ways to better address homelessness and unlawful behavior at parks and public spaces. People involved in community service and criminal justice programs joined most of the current City Council, at least one City Council candidate and multiple former elected officials as those among more than two dozen locals sharing insights and observations on Monday, June 30 at a community forum on Longviews new zero-tolerance resolution at the McClelland Arts Center. A core focus was to hear how those attending would choose to spend the $150,000 allocated by the city as part of the sweeping resolution passed on June 5. In roundtable and open forum discussions, participants at the forum broached complex topics such as the current limitations of local treatment courts and the challenges helping local unhoused individuals struggling with simultaneous drug and mental health problems. Jennifer Wills, Longviews city manager, took a holistic look as she went over a wide variety of past efforts, their issues and unintended consequences. She touched on the formation of unmanaged camp on city property on Alabama Street in 2019 and how the camp displaced some individuals when it was phased-out for the citys managed site HOPE Village. Compounding local enforcement issues over the years was the U.S. Ninth Circuit Courts 2018 ruling in Martin vs. Boise, which deemed it cruel and unusual punishment in Western states to jail people for unauthorized camping when they had no place to go, but was largely overturned in 2024 with the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling on Johnson vs. Grants Pass, Oregon. Local gaps in services Wills touted the work of the police departments outreach-focused Behavioral Health Unit, or BHU, in 2021, and how the police unit responds to a wide variety of mental health crises beyond just the unhoused community. Wills described as one example, how a mother called the unit when her son run away and was unsure how to handle the situation. So its not just homeless specific, Wills said. Yes, they do connect those people to services, but our Behavioral Health Unit is so much more. She also described how the unit can get caught in the middle of local gaps in services. The conversation Ive had tonight is we dont have urgent care in our town, so people are using our emergency services as part of their urgent care, Wills said. And we also dont have that mental health help, so our BHU is able to do that. Another challenge, Wills and other speakers noted, was that there are 122 service providers in Cowlitz County that help with homeless outreach in different forms, be it medical, shelter or other outreach assistance, and little coordination between them. That leads to overlaps in coverage in some areas, and lapses in others. How do we create that success? How do we know whats in our community, to be able to point them in that direction? Wills asked. Because we have 122 service providers, and every time it looks a little bit different. Many of the forums discussions circled back to the resistant few, which Sgt. Tim Watson, who supervises Longviews Behavorial Health Unit, at one point described as roughly 20 unhoused individuals who have not been receptive to programs helping them off the streets. Watson and others with expertise in law enforcement and criminal justice touched on underlying needs for a dual-diagnosis facility in Longview that could handle issues related to substance use and mental health simultaneously. Mayor Spencer Boudreau, who helped facilitate the presentation with Wills, described one participants insights about the confluence of drugs and mental health as an example of conversations he wants to see the new task force foster. These are the conversations that cant always happen in a business meeting, Boudreau said. This is essentially round two of that workshop room meeting we had a couple weeks back where all of the good ideas were thrown out by the people who knew what theyre talking about. Boudreau and councilmembers Ruth Kendall and Keith Young were appointed to the task force June 12, and are working with Wills and other city staff to distill findings from the forum and other workshops into an ordinance that will be presented to the full council Tuesday, July 8. RECLAIM Act is diluted The resolution was originally introduced by Boudreau and councilmember Erik Halvorson as the RECLAIM Act, short for Restoring Enforcement, Cleaning Lawlessness, and Improving Municipal Spaces which sought to authorize police overtime and called for aggressively enforcing laws on the books for unlawful behaviors at parks such as camping, vandalism, littering, public intoxication and substance use. Zero tolerance, remains in the resolution, but it ultimately passed with significant amendments brought forth by Mayor Pro-Tem Kalei La Fave following input from other councilmembers, city staff, law enforcement, and the acting city attorney. Among those revisions was the formation of the task force, which also includes numerous other city staff, law enforcement and representatives from local service providers. Halvorson did not attend the public hearing Monday. Halvorson had backed the initial RECLAIM resolution, but at the June 12 meeting declined an invitation to join the task force saying, I have no interest in joining this task force. All other councilmembers attended the Monday forum and listened in as participants broke into small groups for roundtable discussions. Boudreau joined a table with former mayor Karen Bergquist, who served on the council from 1989 to 2001, and was mayor from 2000 to 2001. Bergquist handed a news story about Torontos strategic plan to address homelessness. She and others at the table advocated for more mental health services, more resources for the Behavioral Health Unit and encouraged him to ask Where are the gaps?. I agree with the study that law enforcement has to be a part of it, but being punitive ... it doesnt always work, Bergquist told Boudreau. Boudreau appeared receptive to Bergquists points, and voiced a desire for collaborative solutions. Ive been involved in this for 10 years now its been two sides yelling at each other the whole time, Boudreau said at the table. Never before this have we just been able to sit in a room and say heres what we do ... where do we want to go from here? People came from as close as Bryan and as far as Japan to celebrate the Fourth of July at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum on Friday. be part of the librarys party for Americas 249th birthday. Jennifer Wootan of Montgomery brought family from Nebraska and New Mexico who had come down for a family reunion. Wootan had never been to the Bush Library but felt it was a fitting place to celebrate Americas 249th birthday. Ive always wanted to visit [the Bush Library] and we always try to do something historical, Wootan said. I called ahead, and they said they were having an event open to the public. We are excited to be here. We picked a good day to visit. Locals Dan and Meridon Warden have been visiting the museum for years and even ran into some old friends while touring the rotunda. They told The Eagle it was good to see so many people out and about for the Fourth of July. Im not surprised because its free and people show up when you give something away for free, Dan Warden said. We used to come here when our kids were younger for the movie nights during the summer, but we didnt get to go into the museum as much as we did outside of it. The museum offered free admission all day Friday and offered refreshments, activities for kids and hosted kiosks for local veteran service organizations. A steady line of people entered the museum upon its opening at 10 a.m., and by 11 the line stretched out of the door and into the parking lot. A few broke off the line and took part in the bounce houses set up in the courtyard between the library and the Annenberg Conference Center. Amy Raines, Bush Library director of marketing and communications, said over 2,000 people RSVPd for the event although it wasnt a requirement for attending. There is something here for everybody today, Raines said. This has worked out well because it gives people a chance to come here all day, in the air conditioning, get the kids nice and tired and then take them over to watch fireworks. Last year we had over 2,000 attend and we are anticipating a much bigger showing this year as more people know about it. Volunteers handed out free water and soda to visitors by the entrance and inside the rotunda an ice cream station was set up between the arts and crafts room and the room for facepainting. Roger Martinez, commandant of the Marine Corps League Detachment 1391, was excited to see so many visitors come to the booths set up for veterans organizations. We are Marines who were in the service as well as Navy corpsmen and Navy chaplains. Anyone can join as an associate member, Martinez said. Its a great way to be in community with people coming in, and were particularly looking for Marines, Navy corpsmen, Navy chaplains who might want to join our organization. JD Langley, Detachment 1391 judge advocate, was happy to celebrated another year of independence. Im glad that weve made it 250 years, Langley said with a chuckle. Benjamin Franklin didnt think we were going to make it and yet here we are. For some in attendance the highlight was hearing local Navy veteran Jim Bruffet recite the Johnny Cash song Old Ragged Flag. Bruffet recites the lyrics of the song as a way of telling the story of the American flag and some of the battles it has gone through in the first 200 years from the American Revolution to Vietnam. Bruffet recited the song three times during the Fourth of July celebration while his assistant museum volunteer Ann Hayes displayed a ragged old flag, the kind of flag you wouldnt fly at home, Jim said during one of his performances. Its a great time to celebrate our countrys 249th birthday. Johnny Cash probably does the best job of pulling this off of showing what our symbol of freedom has gone through, Bruffet told The Eagle before one of his performances. I know the word is freedom, but it is far from free. It was paid for by the thousands that have died ahead of us so that we could be here today. We are blessed beyond belief. Air Force veteran Paul M. Baker was in attendance, operating the table for the Robertson County VFW. Baker, the Robertson County Veteran Service Officer, moved to Texas five years ago after living in Wisconsin. He spoke with visitors on his experience in the Air Force and his time stationed in Thailand and Guam. There were good times and bad times. I got to see parts of the world I probably never would have otherwise and probably wont ever get back to, Baker said. I was in Guam for six months and Thailand for a year. I loved Thailand. The people over there were very nice. Its nice to see people out here celebrating the countrys birthday and celebrating the freedoms we have. Among the newest groups at the museum Friday was American Legion Post 1938 in College Station. Post 1938 was established in January. Commandants Bret and Heather Humphrey were excited to get to share details of the new post with visitors. We have a lot of veterans here in the area, including Texas A&M, and the national department has stated theyd like to see a post for every school district, Heather Humphrey said. We have 55 members and growing which is awesome. Weve only been around for six months, but we are slowly growing. We are trying to be more active in our community and trying to get our local veterans to come and join us. This event is a perfect opportunity for us to be with our community and celebrate Fourth of July. Next year the museum will celebrate the 250th anniversary since the Declaration of Independence, an event that should draw even bigger crowds than Friday. One slide in a PowerPoint presentation about Grand Islands new parks and recreation master plan especially got the city councils attention. A red line down the middle of a map represented Highway 281. East of the highway, Grand Island has 20 parks. West of Highway 281, it has four. We have developers develop new neighborhoods, council member Mitch Nickerson said. We dont plan parks in there very well. It was a good way to point that out to us, Parks and Recreation Director Todd McCoy said of the slide. We need to keep it as a priority. Grand Islands parks are divided into categories based on levels of service. The 20 parks east of Highway 281 include 10 neighborhood parks, such as Grace Abbott Park; five community parks, such as Eagle Scout; and five regional ones, including Stolley Park. West of the highway, the city has three neighborhood parks, including Cedar Hills Park. The west sides only community park is George Park. There is a need that exists for additional community parks and neighborhood parks, Project Coordinator Caitlin Bolte of Confluence told the Grand Island City Council on April 29. Confluence is a landscape architecture, planning and urban design firm hired to work on the master plan. Community parks serve a one-mile radius, while neighborhood parks serve a half-mile radius. Two acres per thousand people is the recommended level of service for neighborhood parks, while three acres per thousand is recommended for community parks, Bolte said. However, Grand Island has only 0.65 acre per thousand in neighborhood parks and 2.09 acres per thousand in community parks. Those figures consider the city as a whole, not just the west side. They show that Grand Island has some catching up to do. How that translates into amount of parks, it depends on the park size, Bolte said. The more acres on average, the fewer new parks would be needed to meet national standards. It could be anywhere from five to 14 additional neighborhood parks, she said, and then between one to three community parks. Levels of service for the parks are based on how many people, said Regional Planning Director Chad Nabity, who served on the steering committee for the parks and recreation master plan. We did a lot of work of coordinating their master plan for parks with the citys comprehensive plan, Nabity said, looking at those standards for how close a neighborhood park should be. A comprehensive plan is a long-range document outlining a vision for a citys future development and growth. It guides decision-making related to land use, infrastructure and community development. Nabity described a comprehensive plan as the 50,000-foot view, while the parks master plan provides a 10,000-foot view. This is what we need in this neighborhood, he said of the master plan. Both of them work together. Making sure that parks and trails are included in new subdivisions isnt so easy, however. Were building out a lot of subdivisions, but parks arent planned in there, Nickerson said. He wondered if a certain amount of land should be set aside for a park per a given number of acres developed. Theyre not interested in putting a park in because they want to sell houses, he said of developers. Bolte said the issue was brought up in an open house attended by 115 people as part of the master plan process. She and Brian Trusty with PROS Consulting recommended that the city consider adding parks as a requirement as part of its building permit or zoning process. But Nabity said Grand Island cant compel developers to set aside land for parks. Nebraska law doesnt allow it for Cities of the First Class. So how can the city make sure the number of parks grow as the city grows? The Parks and Recreation Department needs to make recommendations for new parks, and the city needs to purchase the land, McCoy said. It takes an investment by the council and making it early enough, Nabity said. He suggested buying the land early so development can happen around the park. Nabity and McCoy pointed to Sterling Park, the citys newest, on Ebony Lane near the Sterling Estates housing development in northwest Grand Island. McCoy said the land owners came to the city and said they didnt plan to build on those seven acres, but it might make a nice park. Wed be interested in selling this part to you, McCoy recalled the developers saying. Nabity said seven acres could include 30 housing lots, which sell in Grand Island for $60,000 to $70,000 each. They bought it at, essentially, raw ground prices, Nabity said of the city. It made a lot of sense, McCoy said. Sometimes, a developer includes park-like amenities in a subdivision on their own. Nabity mentioned the Prairie District north of Husker Highway and west of Highway 281. Theyre incorporating trails in their subdivision from the outset, he said. Parks and trails are good marketing tools for developers and the city, regardless of who builds or owns them, Nabity said. We have these amenities here, he said. They benefit the people who live here. Nabity called parks and recreation an investments in the future. Making it a priority in the community, he said, thats really a political decision. This is a 20-year plan, McCoy said. The Parks and Recreation Department will implement its recommendations as budget allows. There are limited funds, Nabity said. This would be easy if we had unlimited funds. Kentucky has its first measles outbreak of 2025, as the U.S. case count sits just short of a 30-year high. There have been 1,267 confirmed measles cases this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. Texas confirmed three more measles cases this week tied to a major outbreak that raged through the late winter and spring. US Texas Vaccines FILE - A sign is seen outside of Seminole Hospital District offering measles testing, Feb. 21, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File) There are three other large outbreaks in North America. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 2,212 cases from mid-October through June 24. The province logged its first death June 5 in a baby who got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions. Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened 1,169 as of Wednesday. And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 2,810 measles cases and eight deaths as of Wednesday, according to data from the state health ministry. Other U.S. states with active outbreaks which the CDC defines as three or more related cases include Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Utah. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus thats airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. How many measles cases are there in Texas? Texas added three outbreak-related cases Tuesday, for a total of 753 across 36 counties, most of them in West Texas, state data shows. Throughout the outbreak, 99 people have been hospitalized. State health officials estimated less than 1% of cases fewer than 10 were actively infectious as of Tuesday. Fifty-five percent of Texas cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 414 cases since late January just under 2% of its residents. Statewide, officials said Tuesday only two counties Gaines and Lamar had ongoing measles transmission. The state also said Tuesday there are 37 cases across 19 counties that dont have a clear link to the outbreak now, but may end up added to it after further investigation. The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of what the childs doctor described as measles pulmonary failure. A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6. How many measles cases are there in New Mexico? New Mexico had 94 measles cases Friday. Five cases were confirmed last week in a jail in Luna County, which prompted health officials to urge locals to get vaccinated and halted in-person visits. The jail's outbreak grew to 13 by Tuesday. All of the cases are in unvaccinated adults. Seven people have been hospitalized since the state's outbreak started. Most of the states cases are in Lea County. Sandoval County near Albuquerque has six cases, Eddy County has three, Dona Ana County has two. Chaves, Curry and San Juan counties have one each. An unvaccinated adult died of measles-related illness March 6. The person did not seek medical care. How many cases are there in Oklahoma? Oklahoma held steady Tuesday for a total of 17 confirmed and three probable cases. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases. How many cases are there in Arizona? Arizona has four cases in Navajo County. They are linked to a single source, the county health department said June 9. All four were unvaccinated and had a history of recent international travel. How many cases are there in Colorado? Colorado has seen a total of 16 measles cases in 2025, which includes one outbreak of 10 related cases. The outbreak is linked to a Turkish Airlines flight that landed at Denver International Airport in mid-May. Four of the people were on the flight with the first person diagnosed an out-of-state traveler not included in the state count while five got measles from exposure in the airport and one elsewhere. Health officials are also tracking an unrelated case in a Boulder County resident. The person was fully vaccinated but had "recently traveled to Europe, where there are a large number of measles cases, the state health department said. Other counties that have seen measles this year include Archuleta and Pueblo. How many cases are there in Georgia? Georgia has an outbreak of three cases in metro Atlanta, with the most recent infection confirmed June 18. The state has confirmed six total cases in 2025. The remaining three are part of an unrelated outbreak from January. How many cases are there in Illinois? Illinois health officials confirmed a four-case outbreak on May 5 in the far southern part of the state. It grew to eight cases as of June 6, but no new cases were reported in the following weeks, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The state's other two cases so far this year were in Cook County, and are unrelated to the southern Illinois outbreak. How many cases are there in Iowa? Iowa has had six total measles cases in 2025. Four are part of an outbreak in eastern Johnson County, among members of the same household. County health officials said the people are isolating at home, so they don't expect additional spread. How many cases are there in Kansas? Kansas added three more case this week for a total of 83 across 11 counties in the southwestern part of the state, with three hospitalizations. All but three of the cases are connected, and most are in Gray County. How many measles cases are there in Kentucky? Central Kentucky has an outbreak of four cases, the state announced Monday. The cases are in Fayette County, which includes Lexington, and neighboring Woodford County. The state has confirmed seven total cases this year. How many cases are there in Michigan? Grand Traverse County in northern Michigan has an outbreak of four cases as of Wednesday. The state declared an earlier outbreak of four cases in Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, over June 2. The state has had 18 cases total in 2025; eight are linked to outbreaks. How many cases are there in Montana? Montana had 24 measles cases as of Tuesday, an increase of one since Friday. Sixteen were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up Montanas first in 35 years. Flathead and Yellowstone counties had two cases each, and Hill County had four cases. There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. How many cases are there in North Dakota? North Dakota, which hadn't seen measles since 2011, was up to 34 cases as of June 6, but has held steady since. Two of the people have been hospitalized. All of the people with confirmed cases were not vaccinated. There were 16 cases in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. On the eastern side of the state, there were 10 cases in Grand Forks County and seven cases in Cass County. Burke County, in northwest North Dakota on the border of Saskatchewan, Canada, had one case. How many cases are there in Utah? Utah had nine total measles cases as of Tuesday. At least three of the cases are linked, according to the state health department. State epidemiologist Dr. Leisha Nolen said last week she is aware of at least three different measles clusters in the state. She expects to see more cases because there are other unvaccinated people who were exposed. At least two of the people infected had to be hospitalized and two are pregnant. Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.? Measles cases also have been reported this year in Alaska, Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. Health officials declared earlier outbreaks in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania over after six weeks of no new cases. Tennessees outbreak also appears to be over. Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year. Most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine? The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s dont need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from killed virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally dont need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have presumptive immunity." Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates above 95% due to herd immunity. But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. What are the symptoms of measles? Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash. The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC. Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death. How can you treat measles? Theres no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. AND to think of it. The last time Hans Hanoomansingh and I had a good laughter and healthy c Around the Globe: The Adventures of Squishy and Boo By K.L. Thompson. Illustrations by Anna Smith. K.L. Thompson Publishing; 48 pgs. $25.95 hdcvr, $12.95 pbk, $2.99 Kindle As the brother/sister team of Squishy and Boo prepare to dig into a croissant breakfast, they find themselves magically transported to Paris. Quelle surprise! Its a little unsettling, but luckily Dad is along for the ride, and Paris has cool sights to see. But, before you can say Sacre Cur, theyre off again to someplace new. Theyll make the rounds of six continents on their wild ride (Antarctica will have to wait for another time), and each is more adventurous than the one before. With Dad reassuringly nearby, theres no need to worry, no matter where their magical travels take them. The third in the Squishy and Boo series by Tucson author K. L. Thompson, this picture book works on a number of levels and is perfect for Storytime or a bedtime read-aloud. From pyramids to kangaroos to Times Square, there are plenty of international sights and sounds to wonder and talk about: its a great introduction to the concept of world geography. And theres never hint of insecurity; Dad is a constant presence, assuring Squishy and Boo that they are all together, in mind and in heart. In all, its the stuff that big adventures and sweet dreams are made of. Helene Woodhams Misfits Abroad: Adventures in Love, Language and Foreign Lands By Martine Robinson Beachboard. Published by the author; 285 pgs. $23.50 hdcvr, $12.50 pbk, $5.99 Kindle. Growing up in an Army base gate town meant a childhood of bidding envious farewells to friends when their military dads were transferred. As a civilian employee, the authors father had a job that rooted them firmly in their Arizona town, so she was more than ready when her husbands assignment took them abroad to live in Germany. It was the experience of a lifetime, and Martine Beachboard recalls it warmly in anecdotes and reminiscences about their travels, unforgettable characters met along the way, and the often-steep learning curve that accompanies immersing ones self in a foreign culture and unfamiliar language. Imagine discovering, for instance, that German apartments typically are rented without closets and kitchen appliances. It takes a can-do attitude to adapt, but Beachboard was clearly up to the task. This outstanding collection of brief vignettes is perfect for taking a bite-sized read but readers will find Beachboards descriptive writing too addictive to stop at just one. This is more than an ex-pats diary: the author contemplates all manner of things, from the sometimes-trying experience of growing up with a French mother (as Beachboard did) and the reasons for the penny shortage, to thoughts about life, love, getting lost and being found. A journalist by training, Beachboard writes with clarity, humor and a keen eye for the minutia of everyday life, relating experiences that are 40+ years old with a freshness that makes them feel current. Her career has spanned journalism, public relations and teaching mass communication at Idaho State University. Now living in Tucson, she teaches English as a Second Language through Literacy Connects. Helene Woodhams Problem Solver or Mine Killer?: A Memoir of Benjamin C. Koskiniemi, P.E. By Benjamin C. Koskiniemi. Published by the author, 215 pgs. Available at Antigone Books. $19.95 Born 90 years ago in the shadow of the St. Louis Mine in Michigans Upper Peninsula, author Benjamin Koskiniemi understood from an early age that mining was in his blood. Descended from a long line of miners, he never doubted that he would follow in their footsteps: he got his first job in the mines at 18, and after a break for military service, earned degrees at Michigan Tech that set him on his path as a professional mining engineer and engineering administrator. Based on the logbook he maintained from 1970 until 1996 and on his own lively memories, Koskiniemi looks back on a calling that took him around the world to take on challenging projects in both underground and open pit mines. It was not a career without some controversial moments, but throughout his memoir, the author displays a certain stick to your guns attitude that clearly contributed to his long and successful tenure in mining. With numerous photos, diagrams and an index, Koskiniemi offers a unique perspective on an adventurous vocation. Helene Woodhams Star Gazers: Finding Joy in the Night Sky By David H. Levy. University of Arizona Press, 172 pgs. $1895, $9.99 Kindle David Levy is an astronomer with the heart of a poet or maybe its the other way around. His discovery of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet, which brought him fame and a trip to the White House, is just one of the 23 comets and countless asteroids Levy has identified over the course of 60 years of star gazing. With this luminous collection of brief essays, culled from decades of writings, Levy gives shape and form to his passion for the night sky by examining the big, cosmic picture, then parsing the elements the people, the discoveries, the celestial events, and even the telescopes that have impacted him. Throughout the book, the authors affinity for poets and writers who share the joy he finds in the heavens is evident. From Shakespeare and Chaucer to Tennyson, Wordsworth and Gerard Manley Hopkins, Levy demonstrates how the inspiration he finds in literature informed his lifelong quest for astral knowledge. Theres even a tip of the cosmic hat to Star Treks Captain Picard. For Levy, star-gazing is personal, and its his way of sharing his personal experiences to enlighten the public about observing the night sky that makes this book so very engaging. At its heart, Levys book is an invitation to readers to go outside at night, look up, and be amazed at what can be found. David Levy, who lives and stargazes in Vail, has written 40 books and contributes to many publications. Helene Woodhams Everything We Thought We Knew By Carolyn Niethammer (BookLocker). 254 pp. $17.99 paperback; $4.99 Kindle. And now for a whiff of patchouli . Local food and culture writer Carolyn Niethammer drew from her younger self living at the Rancho Linda Vista artists community to inform this hippie commune tale. Everything We Thought We Knew opens in 2001 with 30-year-old April, expecting her first child, pressing her mother, Sunshine, and Sunshines best friend, Christie, to describe Aprils inexplicably shadowy birth story from the friends 1970s time in a commune. April has heard something about her mothers commune story, she says, so she asks Christie about hers. Christies spools out in flashback: At loose ends, married to a rock musician leaving on tour, underemployed, and fed up with L.A., Christie decided to find herself in an Arizona commune. What she found through scrambling for housing, seeking her place, learning new skills, and meeting shifting moralities was a community aspiring to, but not always governed by, peace and love. In addition, she found someone very unlike that rock musician husband. What readers find is a pleasing reminiscence of sing-alongs, beads, hope for a new world, vortex power, non-Western spiritualism. Also, of course, marijuana, mushrooms, the threat of the Vietnam draft, the clash between rural and hippie culture; and, well, sex, drugs and rock n roll. What April finds is a new way to think about family. Everything We Thought We Knew is an appealing evocation of what we didnt appreciate then as a simple, more honest time. Christine Wald-Hopkins Free Hugs: Selected and New Poems By Jefferson Carter (Coyote Arts). 95 pp. $14.95. Reading Jefferson Carters poems is like having a performance in your head. His voice does perform or preform, as he quips. A poem might start with an observation To a narcissist, all/the worlds a mirror elaborate for a few lines, and then throw in a goat. You can feel a wry peek at the audience. The back cover calls Carters work direct, clear, accessible, often wise, and always funny. Couldnt be righter. Free Hugs, retired Pima College writing instructor Carters 13th book, includes poems from four previous volumes and 23 new ones. Theyre familial (She aint heavy. Shes my wife), sometimes absurd (I love my soft palate), conflicted (I swore Id stop writing about liberal guilt), aging-aware (Sometimes I feel/like a Family Dollar store/in a dying strip mall), political (Im wondering/ what our cat, will encounter/after the thermonuclear flash-bang). All in all, these poems are engaging reflections of an irreverent, expansive, convention-free mind. Christine Wald-Hopkins One Hundred Western Women: The Bold, Brave, Gutsy Women of Arizonas Past By Jan Cleere. Wheatmark. 509 pp. $24.95; $9.99 Kindle. This fascinating volume is a collection of firsts Arizona women as first pioneers, military wives, mavericks; firsts in ranching, education, medicine, hospitality, law, and the arts. Drawn from Jan Cleeres Arizona Daily Star column Western Women, it tells remarkable stories, from Petra Santa Cruz (1850 1934), the Spanish-speaking orphan who married philandering Congressman Hiram Stevens, who shot her (she survived); to Janet Harmon Bragg (1907 1993), the first Black woman to get a pilots license in the United States, and who overcame all odds to be named Outstanding Citizen of Tucson in 1982. Each of the women endured incredible hardship Apache raids, grueling travel, prejudice, personal losses. One story you cant forget is Larcena Pennington Pages (18371914). Stabbed, stoned, and left for dead by Apache warriors, she crawled uphill for 14 days to reach home. Open this volume anywhere and youll find great stories women white, Black, Native; admirable or not. Amazing, all. Christine Wald-Hopkins Shadow of the Solstice By Anne Hillerman (Harper). 335 pp. $30 hardcover, $34 paperback, $14.99 Kindle. Anne Hillerman pulls from current issues in this, her 10th Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito novel. Shadow of the Solstice opens with 17-year-old Andrew Droid, trying to clear his head from the previous nights buzz by jogging through a uranium-contaminated site on the Navajo reservation. When he comes across a dead body and fears he might be hallucinating, he takes that as a sign to accept a recent offer of free drug and alcohol rehab. His grandmother, Mrs. Melia Raymond, approves, as long as she can go as well. So they join a vanload of other Indigenous folks with addictions and head to Phoenix, too abruptly to notify anyone even Bernies sister, Darleen Manuelito, Mrs. Raymonds home-health caregiver. Meanwhile, Tribal Police Officer Bernie and husband Lieutenant Jim Chee have their plates full. In addition to standard reservation business, a sketchy environmental group is planning a summer solstice celebration and a U.S. cabinet secretary is coming to Shiprock. With Chees sudden elevation to acting station chief, and Bernie and Darleens mothers dementia, they have almost more than they can handle. Until all three Darleen, Bernie and Chee face evil they have to stand up to. Its always good to get back into the Hillerman world. And if theres one takeaway from this new novel, its this: never underestimate a Navajo grandmother. Christine Wald-Hopkins Downtown Tucson is home to a half-dozen pizzerias and on July 19, it will get one more. Thats when longtime Tucson businessman Zeke Gebrekidane plans to open Zekes Pizza & Coffee on the first floor of the two-story former home of the Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Tucson at 161 N. Sixth Ave. The restaurant is actually three concepts under one roof, Gebrekidane said: Pizza, coffee and gelato. Customers will order pizza and gelato from separate counters set up at the main entrance and coffee from a counter not far from the East Alameda Street entrance. The 14,000-square-foot building straddles both streets across from the Sixth Avenue Underpass leading into the heart of downtown. Gebrekidane, who has owned and operated the Blackjack Pizza franchise at 8321 E. Broadway since 2014, bought the building for $1.4 million in 2023 and invested close to $600,000 in the renovation, which included creating a kitchen with a conveyor pizza oven, freezer, commercial-grade mixer to make the dough and prep stations. Last fall, Rio Nuevo, the downtown redevelopment agency, kicked in $237,488 to help cover some of those expenses. Gebrekidane also made improvements to the upstairs offices, which he plans to rent by the hour to remote workers looking for a place to meet with clients. In addition to hand-tossed, thin-crust pizzas and calzones, Zekes menu includes salads and wings. The gelato shop will offer seven of Frosts popular flavors including vanilla, strawberry, Oreo cookie, chocolate and pistachio. The small coffee shop will serve Ethiopian cappuccinos, macchiatos and espressos, which might beg the question: where does Ethiopian coffee and Italian pizza intersect? According to Gebrekidane, a native of the East African country of Eritrea, it all goes back to Italys occupation of Eritrea that lasted nearly 50 years until the British military moved in. Eritrea eventually won its independence in 1991 but not before spending nearly a decade as an autonomous part of Ethiopia. There, dots connected. Zekes Pizza & Coffee has a dining room with a a dozen tables and several large-screen TVs leading to a midsized covered patio where diners can watch the ebbs and flows of downtown. Gebrekidane imagines that corner could become a link connecting downtowns nightlife, a sort of Tucson version of Times Square where the community could celebrate New Years Eve or the Fourth of July. Zekes joins downtowns popular pizzerias including Empire Pizza on East Congress Street, Rileys Craft Pizza & Drink on East Pennington Street, Brooklyn Pizza Company on North Fourth Avenue and Anello on East Sixth Street. But Zekes has one thing none of those restaurants has: A parking lot. Late last December, Gebrekidane bought the .39-acre public parking lot at 140 E. Alameda, across the street from the restaurant. He said that customers who spend $20 at the restaurant can park for free. Zekes will be open from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and until 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Are you ready to get your weekend warrior on and tackle some home improvement projects? Thats great. But before you order materials and secure your tool belt, we strongly caution against projects that should never be attempted as a DIY. Leave these projects to a licensed professional: Roofing If you are not acrophobic (afraid of heights), you can certainly inspect your roof. However, replacing tiles or shingles should be left to the professionals. The most important reason not to work on your roof is safety. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, every year, 500,000 people are treated for ladder-related injuries, and approximately 300 of these incidents prove to be fatal. If you manage to get on the roof, you can easily slip off. Need more reasons? Replacing a roof or repairing damage requires skill and experience. A skilled professional knows how to install tiles and shingles properly. An improperly installed roof is not only an eyesore but potentially decreases its value and resale potential. And it may leak. Replacing the HVAC unit Installing a window unit can be a DIY project, but not installing a full-size unit. Safety is key here as well. Trying to install a full-size unit could lead to being crushed by the unit, electrocution, inhalation of fumes, release of freon into the atmosphere, improperly installed ductwork or plenum, or even a roof collapse. HVAC installation is a highly technical and complex process. Installers must be skilled in electrical, plumbing and brazing. They also require experience in handling toxic gases and understanding the principles of pressure, temperature, airflow, and the use of specialized equipment. An experienced HVAC contractor will ensure you get a unit that is the right size for your home. Properly installed, it will provide you with maximum comfort and energy efficiency. Matching the ductwork to the new unit is a technical task that requires a professional with HVAC knowledge and expertise. Additionally, installation involves properly balancing and pairing an AC unit with an appropriate thermostat to maximize its energy efficiency. This job is too big, too complicated, and too crucial to the life of your home and your comfort to do yourself. Modifying a load-bearing wall This job earns a hard no for DIYers. The safety of the homes occupants and the structural integrity of the building are at stake. It takes an engineer to assess whether the wall is load-bearing or not. Because a load-bearing wall provides structural support for weight loads above the wall, it cannot be removed without a new structure taking its place. Therefore, removing a load-bearing wall is a project that requires the services of an Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC) licensed, bonded, and insured contractor. A professional remodeling contractor will know what to look for, how to do it, and how to correctly remedy problems that arise. Working with hazardous materials Any project that requires you to engage with asbestos, lead paint or mold is something you should leave to the professionals. The personal protection equipment alone requires training just to put it on. Protective suits, eye protection, breathing apparatus, and procedures for handling contaminated protection gear and items are all specialized processes. Removal of the hazardous material typically requires a negative air pressure in the space containing the material. That also requires specialized equipment and training. When attempting to remove contamination, you may inadvertently cause more damage. The safety of yourself and others is not worth the risk. Gas line repairs A gas leak of any kind can turn deadly in seconds. Dont even think about stopping the leak yourself. Call your gas company! The best thing you can do is leave the house, leaving the door open. If you know where the shut-off valve to your home is, turn it off. Gas leaks can quickly escalate into an explosive and deadly situation. Repairing products and systems under warranty Products and systems under warranty require repair by a certified repairman or contractor. By repairing items under warranty yourself, you will likely void the manufacturers warranty on the product. Even if there is a defect with the product, you may not be entitled to a refund if it has been tampered with. Is it worth it? Even if you purchase the right supplies and research how to complete a project, some tasks are best left to the professionals. It can be easy to make a mistake that can turn into a disaster. By that point, you will have to hire a professional to fix it. Now, you are paying for the DIY and the professional expenses. While you may save a few dollars initially, it could cost you far more down the line than if you had hired a professional for installation or repair in the first place. A steady stream of water could one day flow along a dry stretch of the Santa Cruz River in Sahuarita, thanks to an effort by Pima County and a coalition of water managers and conservationists. As early as next year, the countys Green Valley Wastewater Treatment Facility could begin releasing some treated effluent into the riverbed, creating a modest brook stretching no more than about three-quarters of a mile near the Llano Grande Trailhead, about 25 miles south of Tucson. Ambitious future plans call for potential wastewater flows along more than 6 miles of the so-called Middle Santa Cruz, boosting the aquifer and the riparian corridor above it as the river winds past Sahuaritas signature pecan groves east of Interstate 19. Ive been wanting this project for many years, and Im happy that more things continue to fall (into) place to make it a reality for the community and wildlife, said Kimberly Baeza, permit and regulatory compliance officer with the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department. In February, the department applied for a state permit to begin releasing treated effluent from the Green Valley sewage plant into the riverbed as part of a so-called instream recharge project. Baeza said the Green Valley plant is already permitted by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to release treated wastewater into the river channel. The new permit the county is seeking would allow the plant to use the Santa Cruz as a recharge facility and earn full long-term storage credits for any wastewater it releases there. Baeza said the countys application is now under review by the Arizona Department of Water Resources, with a final permitting decision still many months away. Putting recycled water into an otherwise dry stretch of river can have many ecological and social benefits beyond replenishing the aquifer, she said. The water releases could spur the growth of cottonwoods, willows, cattails and other native riparian plants, eventually creating what she called a magnet for wildlife and wildlife watchers. Right now, all of the high-quality effluent produced by the Green Valley plant is sold to a nearby private groundwater recharge facility so master-planned developer The Robson Companies can use it to ensure a long-term water supply for its Quail Creek retirement community in Sahuarita. The remaining, lower-quality wastewater from the plant goes into an on-site recharge basin with poor infiltration rates, Baeza said in an email exchange. This project will alleviate that by giving operators another place to recharge recycled water and accrue long-term storage credits for future use. Flow chart Wastewater releases in Sahuarita have been in the works for more than five years now, said Luke Cole, director of the Santa Cruz River Program for the Tucson-based nonprofit Sonoran Institute, a leader in watershed restoration efforts across the Western U.S. and northern Mexico. In April, the Sonoran Institute released a feasibility study for the project, paid for with grant funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamations WaterSMART program. The study looks at three conceptual scenarios for restoring the Middle Santa Cruz. The first would use the Green Valley plants modest surplus effluent volumes to produce surface flows that would peter out long before they reached Sahuaritas Nogales Highway bridge over the river, about a mile downstream. The second scenario would send all of the plants treated effluent into the Santa Cruz, creating 2.75 miles of flow, but not without the approved permit from state water regulators and an agreement from The Robson Companies to recharge the treated wastewater its buying from the county in the riverbed instead. The third scenario, projected for as much as 20 years down the road, would tap into tens of millions of dollars in wastewater infrastructure that hasnt been built yet to restore some 6.15 miles of the Santa Cruz through almost the entire length of Sahuarita. Cole said the feasibility study was developed with research help and advice from the Santa Cruz Watershed Collaborative, a partnership launched in 2017 by agencies and organizations involved in water issues along the river in and around Tucson. Its hard to say when this stretch of Santa Cruz last had water in it, outside of isolated flood events. Cole said the bedrock is buried pretty deep in this area, so the river probably didnt naturally flow aboveground all that often, even during wet years in the old days. Thats sort of what makes this opportunity all the more novel, he said. Restoration work The Green Valley instream recharge project looks to build on the success of earlier restoration and recharge efforts along other stretches of the Santa Cruz. Cole said water now regularly flows in separate segments that add up to roughly 40 miles of the rivers 90-mile course from the U.S.-Mexico border to its confluence with the Gila River just south of Phoenix. The longest stretch starts at Pima Countys Agua Nueva Water Reclamation Facility near El Camino Del Cerro and Interstate 10 and runs north for more than 20 miles to the Pinal County line and beyond, after gathering more treated effluent from the countys Tres Rios Water Reclamation Facility west of I-10 and Ina Road. Cole said the Santa Cruz also flows for about 15 miles from Rio Rico almost to the Pima County line, thanks to a steady supply of effluent piped in from both sides of the border and cleaned at the Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Plant. Meanwhile, the City of Tucson has created a mile or two of river flows of its own, using groundwater treated for toxic contaminants at the Tucson Airport Remediation Project plant near Irvington Road and reclaimed water released just south of the Starr Pass Boulevard bridge as part of the citys Santa Cruz River Heritage Project. The narrow ribbons of restored river in Tucson flow consistently enough to allow for the reintroduction of tiny native fish to the Santa Cruz in recent years. Now, a growing coalition of local governments, community groups and environmental nonprofits are pushing for the establishment of a Santa Cruz River Urban National Wildlife Refuge stretching from Mexico to Marana. And none of it would have been possible without a regionwide commitment backed by about $2 billion in wastewater treatment improvements to restore a flashy, desert river system using a byproduct of the very human developments that helped drain the Santa Cruz dry through Tucson more than a century ago. It was water that was otherwise being wasted. Now were doing something amazing with it, Cole said. Were restoring an aquifer we depleted. Meanwhile, work continues farther upstream. Using $550,000 in federal grant money, the Sonoran Institute has commissioned a comprehensive master plan for future Santa Cruz restoration efforts between Nogales and Green Valley, as well as an economic analysis of the community and ecosystem benefits the river provides in Santa Cruz County. Cole said there may be future opportunities to improve the health of the binational river not to mention the people living near it on both sides of the border through investments in water and sewer infrastructure in Mexico. Such upgrades could bear remarkable dividends, he said, by improving sanitation for residents of Nogales, Sonora, while protecting the quantity and quality of the water that eventually makes its way downstream into Southern Arizona. Let her rip It wont take much to introduce at least a little bit of flow to the Middle Santa Cruz in Sahuarita, Cole said. He thinks the releases there could start before the end of the year. The outflow for that Green Valley facility is right there in the river, Cole said. They could just open the hatch and let her rip. But Baeza said its not quite that simple. Though the outfall pipe is already in place, the county would need to install a secondary treatment system to remove residual chlorine from the wastewater before it can be released into the river, she said. Current estimates suggest the dechlorination system could cost roughly $250,000 and take 6 to 12 months to design and build. At best we may have a permit by the end of 2025, Baeza said, so the earliest any releases might start is in the summer of 2026, assuming county officials ultimately decide the instream recharge project is worth the investment. Eventually, the county wants to replace the aging Green Valley plant altogether with a larger-capacity, regional wastewater facility now being planned near the intersection of Pima Mine Road and Nogales Highway. Baeza said the new Sahuarita Treatment Facility is slated to be built and opened within the next five or six years at a preliminary cost of roughly $200 million. Cole and others are hoping that project will include a dedicated pipeline running approximately 6 miles upstream, so recycled water from the new treatment facility can be pumped back to the Green Valley plant site and released into the river to sustain and expand what could be a nicely restored stretch of riparian habitat by then. Asked about the pipeline idea, Baeza would only say that the new regional plant is still in the early stages of development, and all options are being considered for the beneficial use of the treated effluent. But she wouldnt be surprised to see at least some of that water wind up in the Santa Cruz. Our Pima County community places high value in flowing streams, as evidenced by investments in downstream river projects as well as upstream tributaries, Baeza said. Michael Weissenstein, Chinedu Asadu, and Javier Arciga DEL MAR, Calif. Dick Tracy got an atom-powered two-way wrist radio in 1946. Marty Cooper never forgot it. The Chicago boy became a star engineer who ran Motorolas research and development arm when the hometown telecommunications titan was locked in a 1970s corporate battle to invent the portable phone. Cooper rejected AT&Ts wager on the car phone, betting that America wanted to feel like Dick Tracy, armed with a device that was an extension of you, that made you reachable everywhere. Fifty-two years ago, Cooper declared victory in a call from a Manhattan sidewalk to the head of AT&Ts rival program. His four-pound DynaTAC 8000X has evolved into a global population of billions of smartphones weighing mere ounces apiece. Some 4.6 billion people nearly 60% of the world have mobile internet, according to a global association of mobile network operators. The tiny computers that we carry by the billions are becoming massive, interlinked networks of processors that perform trillions of calculations per second the computing power that artificial intelligence needs. The simple landlines once used to call friends or family have evolved into omnipresent glossy screens that never leave our sight and flood our brain with hours of data daily, deluging us with endless messages, emails, videos and a soundtrack that many play constantly to block the outside world. From his home in Del Mar, California, the inventor of the mobile phone, now 96, watches all of this. Of one thing Cooper is certain: The revolution has really just begun. From phone to thinking computer Now, the winner of the 2024 National Medal of Technology and Innovation the United States highest honor for technological achievement is focused on the cellphones imminent transition to a thinking mobile computer fueled by human calories to avoid dependence on batteries. Our new parts will run constant tests on our bodies and feed our doctors real-time results, Cooper predicts. Human behavior is already adapting to smartphones, some observers say, using them as tools that allow overwhelmed minds to focus on quality communication. The phone conversation has become the way to communicate the most intimate of social ties, says Claude Fischer, a sociology professor at the University of California, Berkeley and author of America Calling: A Social History of the Telephone to 1940. For almost everyone, the straight-up phone call has become an intrusion. Now everything needs to be pre-advised with a message. There seems to be a sense that the phone call is for heart-to-heart, Fischer says. And this from a 20-year-old corroborates that: The only person I call on a day-to-day basis is my cousin, says Ayesha Iqbal, a psychology student at Suffolk County Community College. I primarily text everyone else. When she was a girl, Karen Wilsons family shared a party line with other phone customers outside Buffalo, New York, and had to wait to use the phone if someone else was on. Wilson, 79, shocked her granddaughter by telling her about the party line when the girl got a cellphone as a teenager. What did you do if you didnt wait? the girl asked. Responded her grandmother: `You went down to their house and you yelled, Hey, Mary, can you come out? The brav e new world has a price Many worry about the changes exerted by our newly interconnected, highly stimulated world. We increasingly buy online and get products delivered without the possibility of serendipity. There are fewer opportunities to greet a neighbor or store employee and find out something unexpected, to make a friend, to fall in love. People are working more efficiently as they drown. Theres no barrier to the number of people who can be reaching out to you at the same time and its just overwhelming, says Kristen Burks, an associate circuit judge in Macon, Missouri. Most importantly, sociologists, psychologists and teachers say, near-constant phone-driven screen time is cutting into kids ability to learn and socialize. A growing movement is pushing back against cellphones intrusion into childrens daily lives. Seven states have signed and twenty states have introduced statewide bell-to-bell phone bans in schools. Additional states have moved to prohibit them during teaching time. Global inequality an issue The mobile advantage is coming to rich countries faster than poor ones. Adjusting to life in Russia when Nnaemeka Agbo moved there from Nigeria in 2023 was tough, he says, but one thing kept him going; WhatsApp calls with family. In a country that has one of the worlds highest poverty and hunger levels despite being Africas top oil producer, Agbos experience mirrored that of many young people forced to choose between remaining at home with family and taking a chance at a better life elsewhere. For many, phone calls blur distance with comfort. No matter how busy my schedule is, I must call my people every weekend, even if thats the only call I have to make, Agbo says. In Africa, where only 37% of the population had internet access in 2023, according to the International Telecommunication Union, regular mobile calls are the only option many have. Tabane Cisse, who moved from Senegal to Spain in 2023, makes phone calls about investing Spanish earnings at home. Otherwise, its all texts, or voice notes, with one exception. His mother doesnt read or write, but when he calls, its as if I was standing next to her, Cisse says. It brings back memories such pleasure. He couldnt do it without the cell phone. And half a world away, that suits Marty Cooper just fine. There are more cell phones in the world today than there are people, Cooper says. Your life can be made infinitely more efficient just by virtue of being connected with everybody else in the world. But I have to tell you that this is only the beginning. Sami Ahmad, TwoCircles.net Patna: A staggering 7 crore 89 lakh 69 thousand 844 voters in Bihar now face one of the largest documentation drives ever launched in the country. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made it mandatory for every registered voter in the state to complete this process in the next three weeks for Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Support TwoCircles Of these, around 4.96 crore voters are required to fill an enumeration form. The remaining 2.93 crore must provide documents proving their identity and also their parents. The ECI has listed eleven types of documents, although it says the list is only illustrative. Those who fail to comply risk being removed from the voter list, and worse, many believe, could face charges of being an illegal immigrant. Until now, a simple Aadhaar card was enough to get registered. But under the new process, voters must now submit multiple documents to the Booth Level Officer (BLO) by July 26. Anyone who fails to do so may allegedly be delisted. The move has come just four months before the Assembly election in the state and has sparked criticism for its sudden implementation. Political parties are demanding that the 2024 Lok Sabha electoral roll be used instead for the upcoming polls. The documentation rules vary by age. Those born before July 1, 1987, must provide proof of their birth or place of birth. Those born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, must submit documents of their own birth and one parent. Those born after December 2, 2004, need to provide proof of their own birth and that of both parents. Opposition parties and social organisations have sharply criticised the move. They say it unfairly targets marginalised communities the poor, rural populations, Dalits, backward classes and Muslim minorities. On July 2, leaders of 12 Opposition parties belonging to the INDIA bloc met the ECI, questioning the timing of the SIR. The Opposition leaders expressed their concern before ECI that lakhs of genuine votes face deletion, especially from the marginalised sections who would face difficulties in arranging the required documents. Senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said the SIR stands the risk of disenfranchisement of minimum 2 crore voters. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Rajya Sabha Manoj Jha pointed out that the target of the SIR are those 20 percent of the Bihar population who migrate for jobs and livelihood. He said the purpose of SIR seems to be exclusion instead of inclusion. He said that if SIR is not revoked the opposition will hit the streets. Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said, Our concerns regarding the SIR has increased after meeting with the ECI. He accused that no satisfactory answer was provided to the worries of the opposition parties. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had warned about such a move, calling it a form of Maharashtra match fixing. He had linked the Maharashtra Assembly controversy, where fake votes were allegedly added and genuine voters removed, to similar risks in Bihar. On June 7, he wrote on X (formerly Twitter), (Poll) rigging is like match fixing the match fixing of Maharashtra will come to Bihar next. Opposition leaders say that moment arrived on June 24, when the ECI announced a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihars voter list. The ECI, in its official statement, said, The objective of an intensified revision is to ensure that the names of all eligible citizens are included no ineligible voter is included and to introduce complete transparency in the process. It added that the last such revision in Bihar was carried out in 2003. However, civil society groups and political parties have slammed it as a disenfranchisement drive even coining the term vote ban, comparing it to the 2016 note ban. Rupesh, an activist from Lok Parishad, said the SIR is a deliberate attempt to strip voting rights from the poor and favour the ruling party. It is anti-poor, and the deprived section will be hit immensely by it, he alleged. The ECIs own note states one reason for the revision is to weed out foreign illegal immigrants. Critics say this is politically motivated and anti-Muslim, especially as the issue of illegal immigrants has been frequently raised by the Right wing Hindu nationalist organisations such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its political wing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These concerns have largely focused on the Seemanchal region Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea and Katihar which have high Muslim populations. This is why many are calling the SIR a backdoor NRC. It resembles the controversial citizenship verification exercise conducted in Assam. Bhattacharya drew a comparison. The NCR process took six years in Assam and yet the list was not accepted. In Assam, 3.3 crore people submitted documents. In Bihar, it is around eight crore, he said. He questioned how the ECI plans to complete such a large exercise in one month, during monsoon and peak farming season. Rupesh also pointed out that the document requirements are extremely tough. Many people, especially the poor, lack birth certificates or parental records. This is a significant issue in Bihar, where literacy is low and around 85% of people live in rural areas, he said. He mentioned the 70 lakh migrant labourers, saying they are unlikely to meet the deadline and risk being silently removed from the voter list. After public backlash, the ECI issued another press note on June 28, stressing that all actions were as per the Constitution. Only Indian citizens, above 18 years and ordinary resident in that constituency, are eligible, it said quoting Article 326. It also claimed that all political parties were participating in the process. The ECI said it had 77,895 BLOs and was adding 20,603 more for new polling stations. It also promised that over 1 lakh volunteers would assist vulnerable voters the elderly, sick, disabled and poor. The BLOs are also finding it hard to handle the situation as they have not been provided the full number of enumeration forms. While the ECI said that two set of forms will be provided to the electors, only one set is being distributed as the BLOs said they got only one set. However, on the ground, voters say they had not received any SMS alerts by July 3, though the ECI claimed it had started sending messages to 5.74 crore registered mobile numbers. BLOs, meanwhile, were still undergoing training as of June 29, and many voters were not even aware of the documentation drive. This is not the first time a government drive has run into problems over documentation. The Bihar land survey faced similar hurdles and had to be delayed repeatedly. Eventually, it was almost shelved. Observers now expect the ECI to face similar resistance. The Congress party has raised serious concerns, calling the SIR both devious and dubious. It warned that lakhs of state and central government officials will now have unchecked power to decide who has the correct document and who does not, who gets to vote and who does not. The party said the risks of deliberate voter exclusion are high. It argued that using Aadhaar would be more practical and inclusive for Bihar. As the Bihar Assembly elections near, this massive verification exercise could become the most significant political flashpoint in the state. Fresh influx of refugees as Chin rebel groups clash near Mizoram border Aizawl, July 5 (UNI) Renewed armed hostilities between rival Chin insurgent groups in Myanmars Chin state have triggered the arrival of around 300 fresh refugees into Zokhawthar village in Mizorams Champhai district, local sources said on Saturday. Gunfire erupted between the Chinland Defence Force-Hualngoram (CDF-Hualngoram) and the Chin National Defence Force (CNDF) in Rihkhawdar and Khawmawi villages near the India-Myanmar border from 8:45 a.m. to about 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, forcing civilians to flee. One cadre of the CDF-Hualngoram was reportedly killed during the fighting, according to the Zokhawthar branch of the Young Mizo Association (YMA). Trump signs One Big Beautiful Bill into law Xinhua) 09:11, July 05, 2025 U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the balcony of the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 4, 2025. Trump signed his landmark policy bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill, into law on Friday afternoon. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong) The White House has touted the bill's passage as the biggest legislative win of the president, saying in a release Thursday afternoon that "Again and again, President Trump and Republicans fought and won for the American people." NEW YORK, July 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump signed his landmark policy bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill, into law on Friday afternoon. The signing ceremony at the White House came a day after the bill was narrowly passed by the House of Representatives on Thursday. Trump set a deadline for the bill to pass before July 4 to make the signing event a part of the Independence Day ceremony that included a B-2 bomber flyover. The law represents Trump's agenda policies including tax cuts and funding boosts for military expenditure and border security. Speaking before the signing ceremony, Trump praised Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson for their work in holding the conference together to get the bill passed. "Those two are a team that is not going to be beat," he said. Representatives of both parties in the House were deeply divided on the bill, which features sweeping cuts to spending on healthcare and food programs for the poor, and increased expenditure on military and border security, while cutting taxes on a broad line of incomes. It has been predicted that the bill will add 3.3 trillion U.S. dollars to the country's already high debt burden. The bill passed the House voting with a narrow margin of 218 to 214, with every Democrat and two Republicans, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, voting against it. Following the passage of the bill in the House, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the legislation "an encapsulation of all of the policies that the president campaigned on and the American people voted on," and said it was a "victorious day for the American people." The White House has touted the bill's passage as the biggest legislative win of the president, saying in a release Thursday afternoon that "Again and again, President Trump and Republicans fought and won for the American people." (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) In the face of a volatile global economy, Vietnamese businesses, particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises, are increasingly embracing a new philosophy of doing business -- one that places symbiosis, connection and collaboration at its core. Rather than viewing each other as competitors, many entrepreneurs are learning to support one another by sharing resources, opportunities and knowledge, creating a collective strength that helps them navigate uncertainty. For years, the traditional model of competition ruled the business landscape. Companies vied for market share, customers and dominance, often operating in isolation. But in recent times, the risks posed by unpredictable pandemics, geopolitical tensions and economic shocks have forced many enterprises to rethink their approach. It is becoming clear that no matter how strong a business is individually, it is difficult to thrive alone in todays complex environment. A growing number of Vietnamese businesspeople now believe that connection and co-operation are vital not only to survival but to long-term growth. No business can succeed in isolation anymore, said Le Minh Tuan, chairman and CEO of Mikedu S, a company that supports business education and networking. We have to move from competition to collaboration if we want to build a sustainable future. This mindset is evident in the activities of networks such as the International Business Networking Organisation (IBNO), which brings together thousands of entrepreneurs across sectors and regions. These networks do more than provide platforms to exchange business cards; they foster genuine relationships rooted in trust and shared values. One compelling example is Goldtrans, a freight forwarding and logistics company. Before joining IBNO, Goldtrans relied heavily on traditional advertising and sporadic social contacts to attract new customers. These methods proved costly and time-consuming, with long sales cycles as potential clients hesitated to trust a company they did not know well. Since becoming part of the business network, the company has witnessed a transformation. Most of our new customers now come from trusted referrals, said Nguyen Thi Hoa, director of Goldtrans. This has shortened our sales cycle dramatically and lowered our marketing expenses. The trust established through the network carries significant weight. The benefits of such connections became even more apparent during the pandemic, when countless businesses faced severe disruption. The Quan Hue restaurant chain, operating in Ha Noi and Hung Yen, saw its revenue nearly vanish as social distancing rules forced eateries to close to diners. Yet, thanks to the support of fellow entrepreneurs in her network, founder and CEO o Thi Phuong found ways to survive. Food suppliers allowed her to delay payments, tech specialists volunteered to develop an online ordering platform quickly, and other business owners purchased prepaid vouchers to support cash flow. Without this community, we would not have made it through the hardest months, Phuong said. They didnt just help financially, they gave me hope and motivation. The spirit of symbiosis extends beyond support in crisis to deeper collaboration. Nam Viet Furniture, which exports wooden furniture to markets such as the US, Japan and the Middle East, faced a shipping logjam due to global geopolitical tensions. The company Director Nguyen Hoang Phuoc recalled the anxiety of mounting costs and delayed deliveries. "Through my network, I connected with a business partner who had available container space, enabling us to share shipping costs and reduce expenses by nearly 40 per cent," he said. The groups transparent sharing of market intelligence also helped Nam Viet Furniture adjust swiftly to evolving conditions. These stories reflect a wider shift in Viet Nams business culture. Where once information was closely guarded and competition fierce, there is now a recognition that openness and mutual support can create a more resilient ecosystem. It is a mindset shift from scarcity to abundance, said oan Quang Thang, regional director of IBNO in Ha Noi. When businesses share, they multiply opportunities. Its not just about making deals; its about building a family where members can lean on each other. This sense of belonging has intangible benefits. Running a business can be isolating and stressful, but networks provide a space for entrepreneurs to share their struggles, learn from others experiences, and find encouragement. Thang has noted that companies active in such networks tend to demonstrate more stable growth and greater ability to weather crises. Despite playing a crucial role in the national economy, accounting for over 80 per cent of employment and around 30 per cent of GDP, many smaller businesses in the country face challenges such as limited access to financing and fluctuating market conditions. Symbiotic business relationships help offset some of these vulnerabilities by creating shared strengths. Business leaders see symbiosis as more than a tactical response to current difficulties. They view it as a foundational strategy for future development, one that can drive innovation, foster sustainable growth, and enhance competitiveness. Le Minh Tuan of Mikedu S said the collective power would be unlocked when businesses grow together. Each success in the network lifts the entire community, he said. It encourages continuous learning, innovation, and a spirit of generosity. Even industries known for intense competition, such as real estate and consumer goods, are beginning to adopt this approach. Joint marketing campaigns, shared customer referrals, and collaborative projects are becoming more common. In an increasingly interconnected world where disruption is the norm, Viet Nams business community is proving that the best way forward is together. The symbiotic model -- built on trust, cooperation and shared growth -- is helping enterprises not only survive challenges but turn them into opportunities. For many entrepreneurs, this means the difference between isolation and belonging, between uncertainty and confidence. As the economy continues to evolve, those who embrace symbiosis will likely lead the way. Success today doesnt belong to the biggest or the loudest, said Tuan. It belongs to those who listen, support, and grow as one. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam's northern region recorded unprecedented levels of electricity consumption in June as a series of intense heatwaves swept across the region, pushing daily temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius and triggering a surge in demand for cooling. According to the Northern Power Corporation (EVNNPC), commercial electricity output across its 27 provinces and cities (excluding Ha Noi) hit 9.85 billion kWh in June, the highest level among all regional power distribution subsidiaries under Viet Nam Electricity (EVN). The most dramatic spike was recorded on June 2, when daily consumption reached 373.6 million kWh, marking an all-time high. On the same day, power demand surged from 17,400 MW at 13:15pm to 18,084 MW by 22pm, an increase of 684 MW in less than nine hours. EVNNPC said the extreme heat, combined with students staying home during the summer holidays, contributed to a sharp rise in household use of air conditioners, fans and refrigerators, often running continuously throughout the day and night. In many cases, the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor environments has forced cooling devices to operate at full capacity for extended periods, significantly increasing electricity usage even when usage duration remained unchanged. An EVNNPC representative noted that even minor adjustments to air-conditioner settings could significantly affect electricity bills. For instance, setting the temperature below 27 Celsius may raise power consumption by 1.5 to 2 per cent for each degree lowered. Additionally, the lack of regular maintenance or the continued use of outdated, inefficient equipment was said to contribute to unnecessary energy waste. To help consumers better manage electricity use and avoid unexpected bill hikes, EVNNPC is urging households to adopt energy-efficient habits, especially during peak summer months. Households should turn off unused devices, make use of natural light, and choose energy-efficient appliances. Regular maintenance of cooling equipment, especially air conditioners and refrigerators, is also essential. Customers are encouraged to track daily consumption via the EVNNPC app or https://cskh.npc.com.vn, and set alerts to avoid sudden bill increases. EVNNPC supports wider adoption of rooftop solar systems for self-use, helping reduce costs and contribute to Viet Nams net-zero emissions goal by 2050. This comes as EVN adjusted electricity prices for the fourth time since 2023, with previous increases of 3 per cent, 4.5 per cent, and two successive hikes of 4.8 per cent. VNS HCM CITY Of 691 companies listed on the Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh stock exchanges 460 met Information Disclosure Best Practices, a survey on information disclosure conducted under the IR Awards 2025 programme has found. The compliance rate rose to 67 per cent from 60 per cent in 2024, the highest ever in the 15-year history of the IR Awards. Given away by Vietstock, the Vietnam Association of Financial Executives and FiLi e-magazine, the IR Awards aim to recognise and honour listed companies that meet information disclosure standards. The findings indicate a widespread shift in both awareness and action around disclosure, with improvements seen not only among large caps but also increasingly among mid- and small-cap companies. Some 86 per cent of large-cap financial companies complied, maintaining a stable performance. Admittedly, companies in banking, securities and insurance are typically subject to stricter regulatory oversight and higher transparency requirements. Of large non-financial companies, 72 per cent met the standards, up 9 percentage points from 2024, placing them third in terms of compliance. The most notable improvement came in the mid-cap group, where compliance surged from 57 per cent in 2024 to 73 per cent this year, demonstrating growing efforts by medium-sized companies to enhance transparency and governance standards. Small companies also showed progress, with 63 per cent meeting the standards, an increase of 4 percentage points. While still the lowest-performing group, the rise signals the positive impact of improved investor relations awareness even among smaller firms that often face greater resource and capability constraints. In terms of industries, the financial, media services, energy, and industrial sectors showed the greatest improvements. Sectors with traditionally high compliance such as essential consumer goods, utilities and healthcare continued to perform steadily or improved slightly. The IR Awards 2025 programme will move into the next phase, focusing on evaluating investor relations (IR) activities. The top performers will be honoured at the 15th IR Awards Ceremony to be held later this year in HCM City. BIZHUB/VNS HCM CITY Viet Nam is expected to remain an attractive destination for global manufacturers and foreign direct investment (FDI), even as the US moves forward with new tariffs on Vietnamese imports. As long as the tariffs imposed by the US are no more than 10 per cent higher than those applied to regional competitors, Viet Nams pre-existing advantages, including workforce quality, competitive costs, favourable demographics, and strategic location, will continue to drive investor interest, according to investment management firm VinaCapital. Following a call with General Secretary To Lam on the evening of Wednesday, July 2, President Donald Trump announced that the US had reached a tariff agreement with Viet Nam the first of its kind with an ASEAN country. While many details are still pending, the Vietnamese Government stated the agreement creates a framework for a fair and balanced reciprocal trade agreement. The announced 20 per cent average tariff on imports from Viet Nam is around the consensus expectation and marks a significant improvement over the 46 per cent reciprocal tariff initially proposed by Trump on April 2. The Vietnamese stock market reacted mildly positively to the news as of mid-day July 3, though shares of industrial park developers and exporters saw declines. In contrast, shares of US-listed companies with significant sourcing from Viet Nam such as Nike and Under Armour rose on Wednesday. Looking ahead, the final agreement is expected to include a tiered tariff schedule, with significantly lower rates for products that are fully manufactured in Viet Nam. Once the final agreement is announced, we will take a closer look at the potential impact those rates may have. In the meantime, we believe the 10 per cent tariffs on Viet Nam's exports to the US (plus exemptions on most electronics products) currently in place will likely remain in effect until a final agreement is signed, VinaCapital said. Another key element in Trumps announcement is a proposed 40 per cent tariff on transshipments. A recent Harvard study estimates that transshipments may account for 2 to 17 per cent of Viet Nams exports, while earlier reports cited a figure of approximately 14 per cent. VinaCapital noted that the Vietnamese Government had been actively cracking down on transhipment practices since the first Trump administration and was likely to intensify these efforts. However, the firm stressed that the lack of a clear definition of transshipments would mean the actual impact would depend heavily on how the term is defined in the final agreement. Despite the positive signals, VinaCapital does not expect the announcement to significantly impact the economy in the short term for several reasons. First, exports to the US are expected to slow in the second half of 2025 after surging nearly 30 per cent earlier in the year. The surge was driven by US retailers rushing to secure goods during the 90-day temporary pause on reciprocal tariffs. Meanwhile, FDI into Viet Nam remains strong. In the first five months of 2025, registered FDI rose nearly 50 per cent year-on-year to over US$15 billion or more than 7 per cent of GDP. Pending a final agreement, as long as Viet Nams tariffs are less than 10 per cent higher than regional competitors, all of the advantages it had pre-tariffs in terms of workforce quality, costs, demographics, and location continue to apply. Viet Nam should continue to be an attractive destination for global manufacturers and FDI for years to come, the company said. VinaCapital also reiterated that Viet Nams growth in 2025 would be driven primarily by internal factors, including increased public infrastructure investment, a revival of the real estate market, and significant government administrative reforms and initiatives, which some have called oi Moi 2.0. In general, the company said This initial announcement marks a constructive step forward for both countries. The 20 per cent tariff is far lower than the 46 per cent announced on April 2 and it removes some of the uncertainty that has loomed since then. In the meantime, the actions the Vietnamese Government has been taking and plans to take for the remainder of this year and beyond will be more important catalysts than exports for creating the growth required to meet its targets. VNS VIENNA Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the United Nations and other international organisations in Vienna (Austria), had a recent working session with Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Anna Joubin-Bret on the threshold of the commissions 58th session from July 7 to 23. The July 4 meeting centred on cooperation under the 2023 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Viet Nams Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UNCITRALs Secretariat. The agreement laid the groundwork for technical assistance and legal capacity-building in international trade law, encompassing the implementation of UNCITRALs legal documents in Viet Nam, training programmes for legal professionals, judges, and lawyers, and legislative advisory support to align Viet Nam's commercial legal framework with international standards. Ambassador Hoang expressed gratitude for UNCITRAL's support through technical assistance and capacity-building projects. He affirmed that Viet Nam valued the commissions roles and efforts in strengthening developing nations' capabilities in building and implementing international trade law. The ambassador believes that a new MoU, to be signed at the 58th session, will serve as a cornerstone for intensifying substantive cooperation between Viet Nam and UNCITRAL in the coming time. Joubin-Bret praised Viet Nam's active participation in UNCITRAL working groups, particularly during its first term from 2019-2025, and welcomed the country's re-election for the 2025-2031 term with high votes. She affirmed UNCITRAL's readiness to collaborate closely with Viet Nam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies to effectively implement specific activities under the memorandum framework. The discussions also highlighted Viet Nam's initiative on developing an international legal framework for cross-border carbon credit market. It has been recognised as highly practical given the rapid expansion of carbon trading in the absence of a comprehensive legal framework. To advance this initiative, the Vietnamese foreign ministry is coordinating with UNCITRAL to organise an international symposium on carbon credit market, scheduled for July 15 in the framework of the 58th session. VNS HA NOI Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang hosted a reception in Ha Noi on Saturday for Chief of Defence Forces of Thailand Gen. Songwit Noonpackdee, who is on an official visit to Viet Nam. During the meeting, Giang stated that the elevation of Viet Nam Thailand relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in May 2025 marked a historic milestone, ushering in a new chapter in the bilateral ties. He affirmed that Viet Nam always attached great importance to strengthening its close friendship and good cooperation with Thailand. The minister applauded the outcomes of the talks held on July 4 between Noonpackdee and Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam Peoples Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence Gen. Nguyen Tan Cuong. He acknowledged the positive results of bilateral defence cooperation in the recent past, as well as the proactive role of Thailand, and its Ministry of Defence and Royal Thai Army in particular, in promoting multilateral cooperation, especially within ASEAN. The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence supported deeper cooperation between the two militaries, the host affirmed, expressing his hope that they would further strengthen effective collaboration, thus contributing to each country's national defence and the Viet Nam Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the time ahead. Giang also asked the two militaries to step up efforts to foster mutual understanding and trust, with a focus on strategic consultations and exchanges, and all-level mutual visits. He also underlined the need to boost fruitful coordination between their military arms and services while expanding ties in potential areas aligned with each sides demand and strengths. For his part, Noonpackdee highly valued the sound defence ties between the two countries in recent years, affirming that defence cooperation serves as a pillar of the comprehensive strategic partnership. Expressing his impression of Viet Nams development achievements, the Thai officer voiced his belief that Viet Nams ongoing historic reform for building the two-tier local administration model will pave the way for even greater accomplishments in the time to come. VNS HA NOI - Viettel AI has launched an AI assistant tool to help locate new units of the two-tier administrative units. From personal computers, tablets or smartphones, citizens can look up all information by visiting the website https://tracuuphuongxa.trolyao.org. They can click on the chat box and type your query based on your needs, for example How many communes and wards are there in Ha Noi? or Which ward is Nghia o Ward, Ha Noi now part of?, then review the answer and the sources cited, which are highlighted in red in the AI assistants response. The entire system is built on the Vietnamese language platform with deep understanding of how Vietnamese people phrase their questions. It is designed and trained using official documents. The system not only provides accurate answers but also ensures they are accessible, easy to understand and practically relevant. From looking up new administrative units after mergers to identifying the responsibilities of departments and units in the new administrative structure, all queries are answered within seconds, with accurate legal references and job-specific context. The AI assistant also provides a comprehensive handbook on newly formed provincial, city and commune-level administrative units, including Resolutions from the National Assembly Standing Committee on the restructuring of administrative units. Nguyen Cong Thang, a senior product manager at Viettel AI, said engineers had to cross-check tens of thousands of different scenarios to ensure accuracy for every potential citizen query. On the morning of July 1, the AI assistant for administrative unit lookup was officially launched, achieving a response accuracy rate of over 90 per cent. This was the result of 48 continuous hours of non-stop work by Viettel AI engineers. On June 14, Viettel AI launched a virtual assistant for civil servants to help answer questions on delegation, decentralisation and the distribution of authority between the Government and the two-tier local governments. This product was developed by Viettel AI under the direction of the Government, in collaboration with the National Digital Transformation Agency under the Ministry of Science and Technology. Based on standardised data from 28 decrees covering 19 areas, the civil servant assistant can support the lookup of 2,700 tasks. The system is available all the time on computers, phones and tablets. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam welcomed nearly 10.7 million international arrivals in the first half of 2025, marking an increase of nearly 21 per cent compared to the same period last year, and up 26 per cent compared to 2019 the golden era of Vietnamese tourism before COVID-19 pandemic struck. According to newly released data from the National Statistics Office, in June alone, Viet Nam received nearly 1.5 million foreign visitors, down 4 per cent from the previous month. The 6 months figure stands at 49 per cent of the yearly target 22-23 million tourists, but it should be noted that the peak international tourism season in Viet Nam lasts from October to March. Air travel remained dominant, with over 9 million arrivals by air (accounting for over 85 per cent of the arrivals total, and up by 22.7 per cent compared to the first six months of 2024), followed by nearly 1.4 million by land, and the remainder arriving by sea. Asia remained the largest market, accounting for over 8.41 million visitors (over 78 per cent), marking a 21.1 per cent increase year-on-year. Arrivals from Europe rose 26.5 per cent to 1.34 million, while visitors from the Americas grew 8.6 per cent to 582,800. Tourist numbers from Oceania reached 304,200, up 14.1 per cent, whereas arrivals from Africa edged down 0.3 per cent to 25,200. Tourists from Northeast Asia account for 60 per cent of total international visitors to Viet Nam in the first half of the year. Chinese tourists continue to top the list with over 2.7 million arrivals, followed by South Koreans with 2.2 million. Next in line are visitors from Japan, Taiwan (China), the United States, and India. In the opposite direction, more than 4 million Vietnamese travelled abroad in the past six months a rise of nearly 54 per cent compared to the same period last year. Transport and tourism activities have surged to meet consumer demand both regionally and globally, making a positive contribution to economic growth. The value added by the service sector in the first half of the year rose by over 8 per cent year-on-year the highest rate for the same period since 2011, the statistics office noted. According to a report by leading consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Viet Nam ranks among the worlds top emerging tourism markets, alongside China, India, and Saudi Arabia. These markets are quickly overtaking traditional tourism powerhouses such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The May edition of the World Tourism Barometer published by the United Nations Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism) revealed that in the first quarter of this year, Viet Nam recorded the sixth-highest growth in international arrivals worldwide up 30 per cent from the same period in 2024. Within the AsiaPacific region, Viet Nam ranked first, followed by Japan and the Republic of Palau. Bloomberg reported that Viet Nam has emerged as the third most-visited country in Southeast Asia, with 17.5 million international visitors last year surpassing Singapore and trailing only Malaysia (25 million visitors) and Thailand (35 million visitors). Experts believe the growing number of direct flights from other countries to Viet Nam is one of the key factors fuelling the country's tourism boom. VNS by Nguyen My Ha In the large yard of Ha Noi's Temple of Literature, Cuban ballerina Viengsay Valdes led her members of Ballet Nacional de Cuba (BNC) to explore Vietnamese culture first hand. They had a couple of days break between the two shows at Ha Noi's modern Ho Guom Opera House. Having spent some years as a child in Laos, where her father was the first Cuban Ambassador, Viengsay has known it well. "The truth is, every time I return to dance here in Viet Nam, it's a very special moment. My name is Asian, and of course, I've always felt very close to the culture," she said. "Laos and Viet Nam are very close countries, very friendly to Cuba, and that's why since I was a child I've always heard about Viet Nam and the history between the two countries," Valdes added. This year, Cuba and Viet Nam are celebrating the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties and a series of events and activities have been underway throughout the year, with a grand celebration coming in December. In 1960, one year after the success of the Cuban Revolution, Viet Nam's Prime Minister Pham Van ong and Cuban Foreign Minister Raoul Garcia signed papers to make the two countries strategic partners on all levels, as a result of their ideology. Fidel Castro became Prime Minister of the new Cuba and the friendship between the two countries has developed into a trusted relationship that both gave each other a helping hand in the most difficult times. "With such a milestone coming up, we considered it essential for the Cuban National Ballet to be represented here in Ha Noi," Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes told Viet Nam News after the first night of BNC at Ho Guom Opera House. "In 1964, Alicia Alonso, founder of the BNC, came to Viet Nam in the midst of the War of Resistance. She danced in Viet Nam and had the privilege of meeting with President Ho Chi Minh," Fuentes said, adding that it was a foundational moment for the BNC and for cultural relations between Viet Nam and Cuba. "And so, as we commemorate this year of friendship, the Cuban National Ballet returns, with several of its members and its general director at the helm, to remember that history and offer this gift of culture, art and friendship to the people of Viet Nam," Fuentes added. Ballet for the people Born in 1920 in Havana, Alicia Alonso learn to dance at nine years old. At 16, she moved to the United States and continued to study ballet with masters in New York City, such as Enrico Zanfretta and Alexandra Fedorova from the School of American Ballet. The next year, she married Cuban ballet dancer Fernando Alonso. She launched her career in 1938 on Broadway and soon became part of the American Ballet Caravan, today known as the New York City Ballet. She joined the Ballet Theatre in New York in 1940 as a founding member and remained with the company until 1956. Today it is known as the American Ballet Theatre. Having been part of New York City's two most influential ballet companies, Alonso made her name in the ballet stage dancing in pre-World War II Europe and the Americas in the lead role as prima ballerina in romantic and classical performances. She also worked with some of the 20th century's greatest choreographers, such as George Balanchine, Mikhail Fonkine and Bronislava Nijinska. She starred in classic productions including Giselle, Carmen and Swan Lake. In 1948, Alonso founded her own company in Havana and opened an academy shortly after. But financial difficulties held her back, and the company was forced to close in 1956. Before the Cuban Revolution, Alonso had left for the United States, but in 1959 Alonso returned to the island state, where she received financial help from new Prime Minister Fidel Castro to establish Ballet Nacional de Cuba along with her husband and his brother Alberto. Since then, she had remained a supporter of the revolution and operated a school of ballet in her home country. Cuba today produces some of the world's best ballet dancers thanks to Alonso's mission: in Cuba, ballet is no longer a restricted art for the elite, but for the people to study, enjoy and contemplate. Ballet classes are free for children, and ballet tickets are affordable for the majority of the population. In 1960, Alonso started the first International Ballet Festival of Havana, which today still brings some of the world's best ballet companies to Cuba. The American Ballet Theatre presented at the inaugural festival, but in 1962, the United States began its economic embargo against Cuba. Alonso took ballet out of its restricted environs of the performing stage to a down-to-earth environment. BNC General Manager Viengsay Valdes told Viet Nam News in her native Spanish, "She led her troupe to tour the island, dancing in factories, stadiums, farms and small Cuban towns, bringing the art of ballet to the entire island. Ballet, which is typically elitist in the rest of the world, has become incredibly popular in Cuba. There's no one who doesn't know who Alicia Alonso is in Cuba." In 1964 while Viet Nam was still in its resistance war against the United States, Alonso led a BNC troupe to Viet Nam to perform in Ha Noi. They met President Ho Chi Minh, who was quoted as telling the Cuban artists that it would not be long until they could perform in a liberated and united Viet Nam. The president's forecast finally became true in 1978, when Alonso led a troupe to perform in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City. It was well-known in the industry that Alonso had an eye condition that did not improve after treatment with top doctors. Her eyesight started to deteriorate quite early in her career, and at points she had to dance partially blind and guided on stage by strong stage lights. Despite such poor eyesight, she danced into her 70s and retired in 1995 in Italy, at the age of 75. Alonso's dedication to establish, develop and maintain Cuba's school of ballet earned her the highest honours not only in Cuba, but also around the world. She received an honorary doctorate from the University of Havana in 1973, and the Cuban government awarded her the Order of Jose Marti in 2000. President Raoul Castro presented her the top arts teaching prize in 2010. She also received other prestigious awards from Spain, France and UNESCO. Carry on the Cuban way It took yet nearly 30 years for the BNC to return to Viet Nam. In 2016, it was led by world-class ballet icon Viengsay Valdes. The night it performed at Ha Noi's Workers' Theatre on Trang Tien Street, a tropical storm named Dianmu hit Ha Noi with heavy rain and strong wind. The city's authorities warned Hanoians not to get out on the street, and to avoid construction sites and tall trees. Still, spectators were eager to watch BNC artists perform. The weather could be stormy, but the relationship between Cuba and Viet Nam has always overcome incredible dangers of war, geographical distance and economic sanctions. Last year Valdes returned to Ha Noi for the 60th anniversary of the first trip in 1964. This year, she also led a troupe as part of the 65th anniversary celebration. "Here in Viet Nam, every time we perform, people are eager to see us dance and show us so much affection and an incredible welcome," Valdes said. Now, Valdes is giving other dancers their opportunities to shine on the stage and spread the beauty, philosophy, energy and artistry of the Cuban way to ballet around the world. "It's a difficult time in my life, where I'm running the company and dancing at the same time. That makes for a pretty tight schedule," she said. "It's a demanding time, but I'm doing it with great pleasure because I love what I do." Valdes believes that one of her main missions within the leadership of the BNC is to preserve the historical legacy, and to take the company to a global level and a broader audience. "I would like to take it to every corner of the world, for it to reach Cuban ballet schools anywhere in the world and for us to continue growing artistically," she said. "Truly, the Cuban ballet school is a phenomenon, and was one of the youngest schools created internationally." Technically, Valdes said the Cuban methodology is very solid, based on other schools, such as French, Italian, Russian and Danish, and they took elements from them to learn the ballet technique. "We do it in a different way: sensual, with musicality, with sweetness, with perhaps more rounded movements that make us instantly distinguish ourselves from other dancers in the world," she added. In Cuba, education and all artistic expressions, such as music and visual arts, are free and can be studied. However, it is costly to accompany a ballet troupe with an orchestra. "For the presentation, we have recordings. At school, we have pianists. There, the pianists accompany the ballet classes. Of course, it's a ballet standard to have a live piano to accompany the classes because that way the dancer trains their ear to execute the movement instantly," Valdes explained. The latest programme was designed to be brought to Viet Nam because of the variety of styles it offers, and as it also showcases the company performing a neoclassical, a classical, and a more contemporary style, which allows the audience to see a wide range of options. "We have an impressive programme musically, visually and aesthetically. As a small group, we only come as a small representation, so, with the few dancers who sometimes have to perform two or three pieces a night, we've managed to put together a wonderful programme," she said. One of BNC's strengths has been that they produce talented male dancers with state-of-the-art techniques, despite the fact that the most iconic names are women. "They're here with us. There are Daniel Hernandez and Angelo Montero, who are the main guys here with us, and they're exceptional and can perform different styles," Valdes said. The line-up boasts The Dying Swan, and Vietnamese audiences have been familiar with the female variation of it. So some jaws may drop when a man comes to the stage. "This is very old choreography that we have in our repertoire. It has been in the BNC for many years, and is part of the repertoire. But this was made especially for men, not for women," Valdes said. "It's a big surprise, yes, but it's interesting because in the same programme you can see different styles, not just the classics. You can see neoclassical and contemporary styles in the line-up, and that's why we're bringing it." VNS By Nguyen Hang When he explored Museum Siam in Bangkok, Thailand, Paul Vithayaveroj was struck by its creative use of technology. I think its cool, he said. "The museum has huge shows with the displays moving up and down with the music and light." Vithayaveroj, a repeat visitor from California, the United States, also appreciated the museums more traditional elements. "It utilises flip books that visitors can read to look at the history of the language, or about topics like food," he said. The food exhibit was great, and it displays all the different kinds of food when you scan the QR codes. Vithayaveroj plans to return and recommends the museum to anyone visiting the country. I would tell anybody who visits Thailand that they should come to the museum and check it out for sure, he added. Vithayaveroj is one of around 250,000 annual visitors to Museum Siam. According to the deputy director of the museum, Sukumal Phadungsilp, approximately 150,000 attend the main exhibitions, while 100,000 take part in special programmes and public activities held throughout the year by the museum. Foreign tourists account for 30 per cent of total attendance, a figure that has grown steadily since the museum opened in 2008. Operated by the National Discovery Museum Institute, Museum Siam is Thailands first 'discovery museum', a concept focused on hands-on learning and visitor engagement. Housed in the former Ministry of Commerce building, the neoclassical structure was repurposed to foster a culture of lifelong learning, especially among young people. The creation of a brand-new notion and image of a museum in a learning society, through modern technology and creative activities, is to make learning histories and stories more interesting and enjoyable. The new learning is composed of a main exhibition, special exhibitions and creative learning activities. The museum creates a space where visitors can explore Thai history and culture through interactive and technology-driven exhibits. The museums permanent exhibition, named "The Echo of Thailand", tells the story of the nations past through multimedia, while rotating exhibitions and public programmes are held year-round to maintain relevance and excitement. So these things made a difference from other museums, Sukumal said. Interactivity at the core Museum Siam departs from traditional static displays, instead embracing multimedia tools and interactive installations. Visitors can experience historical events through sound-and-light performances, explore ancient Thai architecture recreated using LED projections and engage with Thai cuisine using smart tables that display dish information when a plate is placed in the correct position. Our museum uses more techniques that can encourage the audience to participate with us, Sukumal said. The museum integrated everything from hands-on activities to augmented reality and virtual exhibitions. However, keeping pace with change has its challenges. The change of the technology is very fast and the people always require new experience and participation these days, she said. "Therefore, the museum had to build a team capable of adapting quickly." The museum serves all age groups, not just children, so the programmes need to be inclusive and accessible, according to Sukumal. It also adapts content based on the audiences age and needs, from workshops to videos for younger people. For foreign people, we have tools and videos that can help them better understand the contents of the exhibition, she added. Sukumal believes a clear vision and an audience understanding are the key to smoothly running the museum. "The museum must know what message it wants to convey and to whom," she said. "Then you can know how to create or design the content dialogues and how to design the museum, the exhibition or the presentation that you give to your audience well. Nowadays, everybody uses the technology, ranging from the personal media to personal devices. So in the museum industry, we have to work well to be compatible with the new shape," Sukumal added. The complex also has to work very closely with new rules that affect the community-based media, making sure it can create more interesting things along the way. To attract more international visitors, the museum promotes itself through global media and tourism campaigns, supported by the Thai Government. Audience feedback also plays a major role in shaping the museums direction. The museum conducts annual evaluations and collects insights to improve its services, and the marketing team uses the findings to refine exhibitions and address any concerns raised by visitors. "So that we can make the museum more satisfying for its visitors, Sukumalsaid. VNS Zombies, aliens and werewolves may have distinct personality traits. But what about daywalkers and vampires? In the world of Zombies, theyre given specific quirks, too. It was very clear from the very beginning, says Freya Skye, one of the stars of the new Disney+ film, Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires. Casting directors gave her instructions about the daywalker she would be playing and what differentiated her kind from other monsters. It was helpful, too, because you wanted to do something different from the others. Malachi Barton, who plays a vampire in the film, says he had to learn new tricks to pull off a Disney version of a vampire. Theyre normally portrayed as the scary, blood-sucking horror creatures that are out to get people and turn them into vampires, he says. Im scary, but Im not gonna give kids nightmares. Normal vampires are straight up biting people. But here, its blood fruit which I think was an amazing play on sucking blood. Its a perfect little family friendly way of saying, Hey, Im sucking blood but Im doing it with fruit. The two new teams come into play when Zed and Addison (played by Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly) get jobs as camp counselors and must figure out a way to unite the rival daywalkers and vampires. Naturally: Dance-off. The two sides, however, square off in the sand, which isnt easy. We all underestimated how difficult it would be, says Skye. I struggled to walk on the beach and run into the ocean. Barton, meanwhile, had to content with wind. Your hair is flying around, so that means a lot of hairspray and theres a lot of slicking your hair back, he says. Its just wild. But when youve got all the elements coming at you, its harder. The key, Skye adds, is to just go full out and give everything more momentum than you would usually. The two newcomers to the franchise get to fly, too, and thats also difficult. Its all hard, Barton says. Sometimes, the 15-year-old Skye says, shed have to decide character traits for a daywalker on the spot. Theres not a preconceived perception in pop culture like there is with zombies and vampires and werewolves. But I could go into it with a fresh slate and play how it felt right to me, so that was fun. Barton, a veteran of such shows as Stuck in the Middle and The Villains of Valley View, just had to tone down the darker side of someone with a little bite. In the fourth film, both get plenty of opportunity to sing, dance and act. This summer, the two will also headline an arena tour designed to give them and the film more exposure. On and off the set we hung out constantly, the 18-year-old Barton says of the cast. I got so close with the dancers and my other fellow vampires it felt like we were all kind of a tight-knit family. By the time we got on set, it was like everyday life and we were already friends. Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires will air July 10 on the Disney Channel, then stream on Disney+. WAVERLY On Oct. 23, a group of 15 Northeast Iowans will travel nearly 6,000 miles over about 16 hours to witness firsthand the fruits of their labor. Volunteers with Self-Help International will depart Cedar Rapids for the African city of Accra as part of the inaugural Tour de Ghana, a nine-day trek across the country to see for themselves what the nonprofit groups efforts have accomplished. Participants will observe Self-Help programs such as a teen girls club, agricultural extension services and a school feeding program in person; stay with local families; and meet with community leaders. They will travel on three-wheeled motorbikes, the type of vehicles the organization has made available to residents of remote villages to improve their standard of living. At the conclusion of the tour, Self-Help will distribute the tricycles used by participants to local African residents. According to Alaina Gebel, a Self-Help International intern, the impetus for the trip is a man named Stephen who lives with his family in the remote village of Bonkwaso. Stephen is a participant in the nonprofits microcredit program, which afforded him the opportunity to purchase one of the motorbikes. Once living in abject poverty and isolation because of the lack of transportation, Stephen is now able to transport his crops to market twice a week, take his children to school which had been a more than hourlong walk through thick forest and access consistent health care. He is now able to support his family, while for the first time being able to set some money aside. The vehicle has been a boon for other members of his village, who also have access to the tricycle. Nick and Michele Taiber of Cedar Falls will be making the trip. Nick Taiber has been there before, making his first trip to Ghana about 10 years ago. It was an amazing journey then, and Im excited to see the progress that has been made since, he said. Tour de Ghana participants are charged with raising at least $10,000 each. This is ultimately a fundraiser, Taiber said. Its unique in that it supports the purchase of tricycles, essential vehicles serving communities. It is a focused cause to improve transportation. This an experience few Americans will ever have, he said. Several communities have invited us into their homes where we will stay overnight while observing the great work being done within these communities. Participants raise money in a variety of ways. We appeal to friends and family, we raise funds through our JustGiving page (an online fundraising platform), Facebook and other social media platforms, Taiber said. We attempt to connect the mission with the community. There are a number of people in the Cedar Valley that know the good work Self-Help has done. We are very well known and very well supported. It is my hope that this effort is publicized and the community can rally behind it. The Self-Help Foundation was created in 1959 by Vern Schield of Waverly in an attempt to address world hunger and poverty. Initially Schield, an inventor and industrialist who founded the Schield Bantam Co. in Waverly in the 1940s, would acquire discarded farm implements and ship them overseas to farmers in need. He eventually developed a small, sturdy tractor, the Self-Helper that was shipped to more than 40 countries. Self-Help would later focus its efforts on agricultural development in Ghana at the request of another Iowa native, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug, who developed varieties of high-yield, disease-resistant varieties of wheat. Borlaug is credited with saving more than a billion people worldwide from starvation. Taiber sees the distribution of the motorized tricycles as an evolution of Schields Self-Helper to address supply chain issues and improve how materials and ag commodities are moved and how people are transported to markets, schools and hospitals. (Self-Help International) is a development organization, not an aid program, Taiber said. It teaches best practices, offers micro credit programs, focuses on clean water. It focuses on women and individual autonomy. These women drive, they work the farms, they are the leaders of the family. Taiber emphasizes programs are completely driven by in-country, local leadership. Were coupling a really important need in Ghana with a unique fundraising experience, and we hope to bring back the stories of people who are benefitting from our programs and continue to build our organization, Taiber said. For more information on Self-Help International, go online to selfhelpinternational.org; for more information on Tour de Ghana, search Tour de GhanaSelf-Help International on Facebook; and to donate to Tour de Ghana, go to www.justgiving.com/campaign/tourdeghana2025. Exciting step forward for youth work in Wales as new national body launched An academic leader at Wrexham University has hailed a new national body for youth work in Wales as an exciting step forward for the profession and young people it serves. Dr. Simon Stewart, Dean of the Faculty of Social and Life Sciences at Wrexham University, has welcomed the recent announcement by the Welsh Government. An experienced Youth Worker, Dr Stewart has said the new body will support a collective pursuit of excellence in youth work in Wales. Dr. Stewart is also a member of the Youth Work Strategy Implementation Board, who provide advice to the Welsh Government on achieving a sustainable delivery model for youth work in Wales. This is an exciting step forward and extremely welcome news for youth work in Wales, as the new national body will strengthen the sector by supporting innovation and collaboration, and in turn, ensure the long-term sustainability of the profession, he said. The new body will not only be crucial for the visibility of youth work nationally and internationally but it will also support a collective pursuit of excellence in youth work in Wales. Its also pleasing that this news was announced during Youth Work Week the annual celebration of our vital sector. Speaking on behalf of colleagues on the Youth Work Strategy Implementation Board, we are delighted with the Cabinet Secretarys decision and this builds on the work of the previous Interim Youth Work Board, headed up by Keith Towler and now current Board, which Sharon Lovell, Joanne Simms and myself are part of and who have been on this journey for more than seven years as part of both boards. Dr. Stewart also said the new organisation will be fantastic for workforce development in Wales. It will not only elevate the collective voice of youth work but it will also support continued workforce development for those working in the sector, he said. Announcing the plans, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle, said: Given the breadth and diversity of youth work provision across Wales, Im delighted to announce plans to create a new central body for youth work in Wales, to unify the sector, support collaboration and amplify its impact on young people. This exciting new organisation will make sure that the many talented young people, youth workers, and organisations in the youth work sector in Wales have the structure, leadership, and advocacy they need to thrive. Mark Lewis Jones to present iconic Hans Zimmer concert at Llangollen Eisteddfod Acclaimed film and TV actor Mark Lewis Jones will present a spectacular evening of music dedicated to the legendary film composer Hans Zimmer. The event, on Tuesday, 8 July, will kick start the launch of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod 2025. From sweeping scores in Gladiator and Interstellar to the haunting themes of Inception, Hans Zimmers music has defined a generation of cinema. This month his music will be performed live by a 70-piece orchestra in Llangollen, with Marks narration guiding the audience through the emotional and cinematic journey. Mark Lewis Jones, from Rhos, is one of Wales most celebrated actors, known for his powerful performances on both the small and big screen. His film work includes appearances in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, The Good Liar, Phantom of the Open, Munich: The Edge of War, and Rebecca. His television credits include standout roles in Baby Reindeer (Netflix), The Crown (Netflix), Chernobyl (HBO), The Way (ITV), and Stella (Sky), for which he earned a BAFTA nomination. In 2024, Mark was honoured with the prestigious BAFTA Cymru Sian Phillips Award, recognising his outstanding contribution to film and television in Wales. He previously won Best Actor at BAFTA Cymru for The Passing/Yr Ymadawiad and has been nominated an impressive seven times in the same category. The Llangollen International Eisteddfod has been part of my life since I was a boy growing up in Rhos, said Mark Lewis Jones. To now play a major role at this incredible celebration of music and culture, just down the road from where it all began for me, is an honour beyond words. Im especially thrilled to be part of this Hans Zimmer concert, complete with 70-piece orchestra his music stirs the soul, and to share that experience in Llangollen is something truly special. Dave Danford, Artistic Director of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod said: We are absolutely delighted to welcome Mark Lewis Jones to the Eisteddfod stage. Not only is he a local talent, but his voice and presence will elevate this already outstanding concert to another level. To hear Hans Zimmers music performed by a full orchestra with Marks narration will be an unforgettable experience for everyone. Mark and this concert are the perfect fit and will be an outstanding start to our Eisteddfod. Tickets for the Hans Zimmer concert are selling fast. For more information and to book, visit the Llangollen International Eisteddfod website. Young Wrexham lawyer joins one of the regions oldest law firms A young lawyer who loves baking is promising his colleagues they can look forward to sampling his chocolate brownies after joining one of the regions oldest legal firms. Elliot Lacy, from Wrexham, recently qualified and is the latest addition to the Family Law department at Swayne Johnson where he is working from their offices at Mold, Ruthin, St Asaph and Denbigh. The 26-year-old former pupil of St Josephs High School qualified as a solicitor after studying Law at the University of Lincoln and then gaining a Masters degree through the University of Law. His first job was as an audio typist at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital and he explained: Covid hit while I was in university and we had to switch to assessments rather than exams which was a big change to adapt to. When I graduated though not many law firms were offering training contracts due to Covid restrictions so I went to work at the hospital to develop my people skills which was great before I joined a Wrexham law firm and then came the opportunity to work for Swayne Johnson. Im in the Family Department dealing with divorce, finances, prenuptial agreements, arrangements for children, domestic abuse, and other family-related disputes which I really enjoy. Its a really good team here and Lisa Harbour in particular has been very supportive and working in North Wales has been great with the opportunity to travel to our different offices. Theres something new every day, no two cases are the same and no two children are the same and while it can be emotional at times working with vulnerable clients, its also very rewarding and fulfilling to be able to help and support them. Swayne Johnson has always had a very good reputation as a supportive employer and I wanted a firm that would help me build a career and develop my skills as a lawyer and theyve been a massive support so far. Elliots tastes extend further than his cakes though he is also a devotee of Lego, particularly the Star Wars sets and he said: Theres a lot of satisfaction in building with Lego but I also enjoy going to the gym and taking my cocker spaniel Archie for walks hes a proper pampered pooch. Swayne Johnson are also very committed to the community and encourage their staff to get involved in charity work. My grandad was looked after by Nightingale House during a very difficult time and they were brilliant with him so I recently did the Alyn Waters 5K for them and Im very keen to get involved with other charity efforts. Swayne Johnson Managing Director Lynette Viney-Passig said: Were delighted Elliot has joined us and he will strengthen our family law department considerably and Im sure his colleagues will also enjoy his chocolate brownies. This is another high calibre appointment as we continue to grow the business and within Swayne Johnson we have lawyers with a wealth of experience in all aspects of legal work and that makes this a very good environment for those who join us. We offer a comprehensive range of services across a wide area of law and we have the kind of high-quality expertise that means clients dont need to look to firms from outside the area for the legal skills they need. At Swayne Johnson we believe in building relationships with our clients and providing them with the reassurance that theyre dealing with people who know and understand them. The Sierra County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) has shared details of the recent sentencing of a man who was taking advantage of the elderly. According to a recent Facebook post from SCSO, on June 26 48-year-old Jason Castle from Sierra County was sentenced to three years in prison for felony theft from an elder by a caregiver and a misdemeanor conviction of identity theft. Castle's sentence is to be served as two years in prison, and one year on probation. Castle was also ordered to pay nearly $4,400 in restitution to the victim's family. For more updates from the SCSO, follow them on Facebook. A crash Friday night on Pyramid Highway has left a juvenile dead and injured three other people, including a juvenile who suffered life-threatening injuries. It happened around 7:15 p.m. on Pyramid Highway between Sutcliffe Highway and the Pyramid Lake Store, according to a spokesperson for the Nevada Highway Patrol. A black GMC Yukon was heading north on Pyramid Highway when it ran off the road to the right. The driver overcorrected to the left, lost control, and the car flipped, NHP says. There were six people in the car when it crashed, including five juveniles and one adult woman. Multiple people were ejected, one of whom was a juvenile who was pronounced dead at the scene. One juvenile was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, and another with moderate injuries, while the adult woman suffered minor injuries. Two juveniles did not sustain injuries. Pyramid Highway is closed between Sutcliffe Highway and the Pyramid Lake Store. There is no estimated time for the road to reopen. People are asked to avoid the area and take alternate routes if possible. Dear Eric: My wife and daughter have not gotten along well since my daughter hit middle school (shes now about to turn 18). Part of the problem is that they are very much alike. Both of them have OCD, but they dont obsess over the same things, which often leaves them at odds. They are both in therapy, and both therapists have recommended family counseling, but my daughter has refused. I was driving with my daughter yesterday and out of nowhere, she told me what her problem with her mother is: The only things I know about her are her favorite foods and that she has to control everything. Youre an open book, Dad: warts and all. Mom wont share anything about herself that is even slightly embarrassing, or that makes her seem human. When I asked her if she had shared this with her mother, she replied that it was too late for that now. For the most part, what my daughter said was true. My wife was a bit of a wild child. The OCD didnt present until she was older. Now, she is very much closed off about her past. She says its to protect my daughter from making the same mistakes. My question is, do I share what my daughter said with my wife? Telling this to my wife would hurt her deeply. I know they love each other, but when my daughter goes off to college, I feel that they will just drift apart. Stuck Dad Dear Dad: I really feel for your wife shes in a cursed if you do, cursed if you dont position. For many parents, it can be particularly heartbreaking when the things you do with the best intentions, end up being the exact things that create a problem in your relationship with your child. I think your daughter is being a bit unfair to your wife. Maybe its a by-product of where she is developmentally; maybe its simply that aspects of her personality and your wifes are like oil and water. However, youre in a unique position to help her see where shes being short-sighted. The statement that she made to you is exactly the kind of thing that a therapist can help your family navigate. Talk with her about what she shared and gently remind her that what shes lamenting is a treatable problem. See if shell agree to a set number of sessions with a counselor, say three to start. She may believe that its too late to address this rift, but as she grows and matures, she will likely grow to regret not trying. You should also tell your daughter that youre planning to share some of what she shared with your wife. And then, figure out what of that feedback is actionable and have a conversation with your wife about it. I doubt its prudent, at this point, to tell her everything. However, if she can hear this feedback as an invitation to vulnerability, and an indication of your daughters curiosity, it can set them on a healthier track. Read more Asking Eric and other advice columns. 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. They gathered Saturday on the banks of the Mobile River to commemorate an utterly bleak moment, as their ancestors were delivered into slavery. They did not gather to mourn. They gathered to celebrate the legacy those ancestors built for them. We are the descendants of the 110, the greatest story never told until now, said Charmaine Anderson Taylor, one of the speakers at the Landing ceremony held Saturday by the Clotilda Descendants Association. And we are here, and we are winning. Taylor traced her ancestry back to Uriba Riggins, one of the 110 African captives taken aboard the slave ship Clotilda in 1860. The Clotilda arrived in Mobile early in July of that year, and the captives whod survived the horrific conditions of the voyage were split up and carried into slavery mostly across southwest and south-central Alabama. Freed after the Civil War, some of the survivors founded the Africatown community near Mobile, where they preserved African folkways and family history through the adversity of the Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras. Charmaine Taylor speaks during the Clotilda Descendants Association's Landing ceremony on July 5, 2025. Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com We are here and we are winning, said Taylor. We are lawyers, in law enforcement, military officers, doctors, dentists, pharmacists, engineers, teachers, educators, architects. We are everything she ever hoped we would be. We are the legacy bearers. We are the promise keepers. We are the storytellers. We are here. I will never forget, you will never forget and we will never let the world forget that we are. Taylor was one of several descendants who spoke movingly about their ancestors during the ceremony, held in the shadow of the Africatown Bridge. Amanda Taylor, another great-great granddaughter of Riggins, read a poem written to drive home the point that Riggins had a life, a full life, back in Africa, before being taken captive in intra-tribal warfare and sold into bondage. I am a young girl. I am from Africa. I am Yoruba. I am 16 years old. I have a name, though unknown to you, Taylor read in her great-great-grandmothers voice. I am forced to work in the home of Timothy Meaher and Mary. I am forced to become their maid, told that I am their property. I am a human repurposed. I am given a new name. I am now Areba. I am forced to care for the Meaher family while being denied my own family. I am forced to care for their children while being denied my own childhood. But I am African. I am Yoruba. I am strong. I am proud, resilient, courageous. I am a survivor I am your ancestor. You are my descendants. You are my destiny, my hope, my legacy. Delisha Marshall, right, and Dahlia Dela Cruz conduct a libation ceremony during the Landing ceremony held by the Clotilda Descendants Association on July 5, 2025. Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com Im just one branch of a powerful tree, said Thomas Washington, a descendant of Africatown founders Osia and Innie Keeby. Today the Keeby family includes union leaders, entrepreneurs, mental health professionals, first responders, NYPD, New York City Fire Department, 911 dispatchers, detectives for New York City, postal workers, educators, grant writers, doctors, military service members, school principals and even superintendents. We have served this country and our community in countless ways. All rooted in the courage of one man and one woman. One woman who dared to build a future on stolen land with stolen freedom. And so today we dont just remember Osia Keeby as a name in history, continued Washington. We live his story in our professions, in our purpose and in our pride. So to the Keeby family and all of those who carry a legacy, let us not forget our ancestors did something. They did not just survive the unimaginable. They built something that still stands. And now it is our sacred duty to ensure that it never falls. The culmination of the Landing ceremony is the placement of a wreath on the waters of the river. This year the wreath was placed by Jermaine Bell, a descendant of Matilda McCrear, a Clotilda survivor who died in Selma in 1940. Patricia Frazier, center, reacts to the surprise announcement that she is the recipient of the Clotilda Descendants Association's Legacy Award. Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com Another highlight of the 2025 ceremony came as a shock to the honoree: To her evident surprise, Patricia Frazier was honored with the Clotilda Descendants Associations Legacy Award. Tiffany Pogue described Frazier as someone whose fingerprints are all over the foundation of this organization. Shes been called many things by those who know her, said Pogue. Kind, gracious, committed, elegant. She is a quiet force. She is a servant, leader. She never expects anything in return. She just gives. Her cousin said shes not just one thing, she is a kaleidoscope. First of all, I dont like recognitions, as people have suggested, said Frazier. And then something so public makes it increasingly difficult to accept this. But I do accept this today, in the name of my mother and grandmother, because those are the ladies that made me the woman that I am today. And Ill end with one final phrase that my mother commonly said: To whom much is given, much is required. And I have been given much. So thank you very much. The 2025 Landing ceremony was part of a larger Landing Event and Ancestor Festival (LEAF) weekend, which included a community festival and an appearance by New York Times Journalist Jamelle Bouie. An eight-year-old girl from Alabama is among the victims of a deadly flash flood that struck central Texas on Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) AP An eight-year-old girl from Alabama is among the victims of the deadly flood that swept through a summer camp along the Guadalupe River in central Texas early Friday. Sarah Marsh of Mountain Brook was attending Camp Mystic, a Christian retreat near Hunt in Kerr County. A relative, Debbie Ford Marsh, confirmed on Facebook on Friday night that Sarah had been lost in the flood. The news was first reported by the Kerrville Daily Times, which noted that Marsh is her grandmother. We will always feel blessed to have had this beautiful spunky ray of light in our lives, Marsh said in a Facebook post on Saturday morning. She will live on in our hearts forever! The Marsh family asked for privacy and said they were grateful for the love and support in a statement via ABC 33/40 chief meteorologist James Spann. Our family is completely devastated by the loss of Sarah and her dear friends at Camp Mystic, the family said. This is a tragedy that no parent can prepare for and it will never be right this side of Heaven. Spann said in the post on X that Marsh was a student at Cherokee Bend Elementary School in Mountain Brook. TEXAS FLOOD TRAGEDY: One of those missing was 8 year old Sarah Marsh from Mountain Brook, a student at Cherokee Bend Elementary. It is confirmed that she lost her life in this flash flood. Please join me in praying for her family. From the Marsh family: Our family is pic.twitter.com/NesCrqaWza James Spann (@spann) July 5, 2025 Samford University President Beck Taylor said that Marsh is the daughter of an assistant professor at the Baptist university in Homewood, Patrick Marsh. Marsh teaches in Samfords School of Health Professions kinesiology department, per the universitys website. Please join the Samford community as we pray for the Marsh family, Taylor wrote in a post on X on Saturday afternoon. Torrential rain and storms that started late Thursday provoked the river to swell from seven feet to 29 feet in less than two hours. As of Saturday morning, the death toll has reached at least 24 people, and as many as 25 girls are still missing from the camp. Mountain Brook Mayor Stewart Welch said in a statement that the city was heartbroken over the loss. Sarahs passing is a sorrow shared by all of us, and our hearts are with those who knew and loved her, Welch said. In the days ahead, I know Mountain Brook will do what it always does which is come together with compassion, strength, and unwavering support for the Marsh Family. Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth thanked first responders in a post on X for their work to recover people from the flood, calling for prayer for Marshs family. U.S. Sen. Katie Britt posted about the tragedy Saturday. Wesley and I are heartbroken over the loss of Sarah Marsh, and we are keeping her family in our thoughts and prayers during this unimaginable time. We continue to pray for the victims loved ones, the survivors, those who are still missing, and our brave first responders as Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) July 5, 2025 U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer wrote that he and his wife are filled with grief over Marshs passing. Ann and I are filled with grief over the loss of Sarah Marsh. We are praying for God to comfort Sarah's family, her friends and classmates. We have been praying and continue to pray for those that remain unaccounted for that they will be found alive. https://t.co/a67wfFTMxA Gary Palmer (@USRepGaryPalmer) July 5, 2025 Vice President J.D. Vance also offered condolences to the victims of the flood and their families in a post on X Saturday morning. An HGTV star revealed that another network show has been canceled, making it the fifth cancellation this month, according to TV Insider. Alison Victoria shared that the competition series Battle on the Beach featuring Ty Pennington and Taniya Nayak, will not be returning after four seasons. Victoria announced the news on the July 1 episode of her podcast Pap Smear Podcast. The HGTV personality cited editing decisions as a potential factor in the shows cancellation. She said that much of the humor was cut from the final product. Ill just throw it out there: I did a show called Battle on the Beach. I loved that show. It was so fun and funny, and then all of a sudden, I watched the episode and Im like, Well, where did all that go? Victoria said on her podcast. I get it, right? Its a lot of content to try to put into 42 minutes, but where is it, like, wheres the great editing? The Windy City Rehab host believes the editing choices led to the show not being renewed for a fifth season. I believe it was all editing. You have it, use it. Be funny, use the funny, go with us on that journey because its most likely going to resonate with the viewer. While Victoria continues to appear on HGTVs Ugliest House in America and Scariest House in America, she expressed disappointment about losing what she described as her adult spring break." HGTV has yet to officially confirm the cancellation. The network recently ended Bargain Block, Izzy Does It, Married to Real Estate, and Farmhouse Fixer, according to TV Insider. Married to Real Estate stars Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson addressed the shows cancellation in an Instagram post on June 24. The couple learned about the cancellation after returning from vacation. Despite feeling disheartened, Sherrod expressed gratitude for the experience. Theres more to say, and well share soon. But for now, know this: not all setbacks are what they seem. Some blessings show up in disguise. Weve been here before. Well keep counting those blessingsand keep it moving. Stay tuned, Sherrod wrote. Pictured is a mural painted on the James Rushton Early Learning Center in Woodlawn. Alaina Bookman Join AL.com journalists and community storytellers for a free, interactive event, Birmingham Dreams, July 24. Featured speakers include AL.com columnist John Archibald, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, gun violence prevention reporter Alaina Bookman and Birmingham Poet Laureate Salaam Green. This event, part of AL.coms ongoing Beyond the Violence project, features community storytellers from neighborhoods around Birmingham. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 24 at Woodlawn Theater, 5503 1st Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35212. Sign up for free tickets here. Green and AL.com senior editor Ruth Serven Smith have spent months talking to Birmingham residents in different neighborhoods about their goals for our community and their ideas for solving its most pressing problems. Join us to hear neighborhood storytellers describe those hopes firsthand -- and learn how we can make them a reality, together. Read stories from the Beyond the Violence series, in partnership with The Birmingham Times. A longtime Birmingham activist and political operative doesnt want to run for mayor but he just might do it if the current slate ignores what he considers critical issues facing the city. Frank Matthews criticized candidates as lacking strong voices regarding quality of life issues, including crime and economic development that impact most residents. Everybodys a star, he said. Birmingham suffers from a bad delusional mentality. Theres no focus. Instead, he said the current contestants are preoccupied with social media posts. Anything you put out there is a laughing matter, Matthews said. We are controlled by an algorithm, and who gets it first and who can get the most ghost out of it and the most stars. Its frivolous Mathews, 69, has previously run for mayor and city council. Mayor Randall Woodfin is seeking a third term. Current mayoral candidates challengers are: State Rep. Juandalynn Givan, Jefferson County Commissioner Lashunda Scales, activist Kamau Afrika, pastor and non-profit executive Frank Woodson, engineer and Ensley development developer Brian K. Rice, and Jerimy Littlepage, a newcomer to politics who said he was inspired by Woodfin to seek the elected office. Mathews lists a litany of unmet needs that he said are not at the forefront of the crowded pool of candidates. Matthews said Birmingham leaders should also prioritize expanding the city by annexing surrounding communities such as Liscomb, Fairfield and Brighton. Talk in the past about annexing those small cities was rejected by both their citizens and leaders. Still, Matthews said the move would benefit everyone by providing needed resources to the struggling small towns while increasing Birminghams falling numbers. We need to find a way to bail them out and add another council district, he said. A similar move was last done in 1988 when Birmingham annexed the former town of Roosevelt City following a referendum. Matthews calls for governments in the Birmingham area to unite to address shared issues such as flooding. Regarding crime, Matthews called it premature to celebrate the citys falling homicide rate compared to 2024, which was among the deadliest with 151 violent deaths. The city ended the first half of 2025 with 37 homicides, a 51.3 percent drop from 76 during the same time period in 2024. The reduction has generated praise for Mayor Randall Woodin and new leadership at the police department. Still, Matthews said the city should go further by establishing an office for recidivism reduction. Under his proposal, the mayor would meet with released criminals as they reenter the city. The new office would also track first time offenders as they move through the justice system. He said the city would also offer support services to those individuals. Crime is a learned behavior, he said. Matthews, who was an ex-convict, was appointed in 1992 by then-Mayor Richard Arrington to serve as a gang liaison for the city. Matthews has long discussed his previous incarceration, life outside and mission to help other men avoid similar mistakes or recover from them. Later, Matthews would work for Mayor Larry Langford. He was fired from that position in 2009 after a heated exchange with citizens during a public neighborhood Christmas party. Regarding quality of life, Matthews proposes a $40 million fund to fund resident infrastructure needs. There would be caps on the grants designed to meet immediate concerns, he said. Those are realizable goals, he said. Its time to share the economic wealth with the kind of money that is coming through here. Qualifying for Birminghams municipal elections ends July 11 at 5:00 p.m. Matthews, who has a residence in Forestdale, said he has established a home in Birmingham, just in case he tosses his hat into the contest. There is no perfect candidate and every candidate needs a challenger, he said. I strongly believe in it. Thunder on the Mountain, a fireworks show in Birmingham at Vulcan Park, is an Independence Day tradition. (AL.com file photo/Tamika Moore) As 4th of July celebrations commence, Birmingham residents should remember that fireworks and celebratory gunfire are not only illegal, but can be fatal. During the holidays, police tend to set up patrols to ensure that residents are celebrating safely, but will that fix this persistent problem? While Independence Day is normally marked with both the sounds of fireworks and gunfire, some residents say they are fed up. The fireworks dont bother me in the least. That out on the East side that there are so many idiots out with firearms putting thousands of rounds up with no regard for the results, however, does! Just stop it! Its nuts, Richard Rutledge commented on a Nextdoor post urging residents not to shoot off fireworks for the holiday. What goes up WILL come down, folks, stop this insanity! In 2024 police reportedly had to shelter from falling bullets on New Years. And two people in Birmingham and one in Tuscaloosa were injured by celebratory gunfire. City councilor Valerie Abbott described her trek home on New Years as a war zone as the sounds of gunfire surrounded her. It occurred to me I could die on my way home from a bullet from one of those idiots who are shooting their gun in the air, Abbott said during the Jan. 2, Birmingham City Council meeting. That same year, Truman Fitzgerald, a spokesperson for the Birmingham Police Department, said officers were out in numbers on 4th of July night to catch those who broke the law, according to reports. We cant catch everyone, but we can catch a lot more than we used to in the past, Fitzgerald told WBRC at the time. Earlier this year, celebratory gunfire led to an Alabama man being shot in his bed. Police say that the gunfire will result in going to jail or paying a fine, yet it continues. Policing it remains difficult even with improvements in shot detector technology. The Jefferson County Sheriffs Department recently reminded residents of the dangers of celebratory gunfire. Celebratory gunfire is dangerous in more ways than one, Henry Irby a spokesperson for the Sheriffs Office told CBS 42. People tend to think that just because the bullet didnt come directly out of a gun that its not dangerous, but it is very dangerous and in some cases can be deadly. AL.com reached out to the Birmingham Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriffs Department, but did not receive a response prior to publishing. President Donald Trump points to a reporter to take a question as he speaks to the media, Friday, June 27, 2025, in the briefing room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) AP President Donald Trump says he didnt know the term shylock is considered antisemitic when he used it in a speech to describe unscrupulous moneylenders. Trump told reporters early Friday after returning from an event in Iowa that he had never heard it that way and never heard that the term was considered an offensive stereotype about Jews. Shylock refers to the villainous Jewish moneylender in Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice who demands a pound of flesh from a debtor. The Anti-Defamation League, which works to combat antisemitism, said in a statement that the term evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous. President Trumps use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible. Democrat Joe Biden, while vice president, said in 2014 that he had made a poor choice of words a day after he used the term in remarks to a legal aid group. Trumps administration has made cracking down on antisemitism a priority. His administration said it is screening for antisemitic activity when granting immigration benefits and its fight with Harvard University has centered on allegations from the White House that the school has tolerated antisemitism. But the Republican president has also had a history of playing on stereotypes about Jewish people. He told the Republican Jewish Coalition in 2015 that you want to control your politicians and suggested the audience used money to exert control. Before he kicked off his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump drew widespread criticism for dining at his Florida club with a Holocaust-denying white nationalist. Last year, Trump made repeated comments accusing Jewish Americans who identify as Democrats of disloyalty because of the Democratic leaders criticisms of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Critics said it perpetuated an antisemitic trope about Jews having divided loyalties and there being only one right way to be Jewish. On Thursday night in his speech in Iowa, Trump used the term while talking about his signature legislation that was passed by Congress earlier in the day. No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing some from, in some cases, a fine banker and in some cases shylocks and bad people, he said. When a reporter later asked about the words antisemitic association and his intent, Trump said; No, Ive never heard it that way. To me, a shylock is somebody thats a money lender at high rates. Ive never heard it that way. You view it differently than me. Ive never heard that. The Anti-Defamation League said Trumps use of the word underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country. Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States. Tropical Storm Chantal is the third named storm of 2025. It formed on Saturday off the Southeast U.S. Coast. National Hurricane Center The third tropical storm of 2025 has formed in the Atlantic, and its expected to hit the United States. The National Hurricane Center named Tropical Storm Chantal on Saturday morning, and it had gained strength as of Saturday night. The hurricane center also said late Saturday that flash flooding concerns from Chantal should increase overnight. Forecasters expect Chantal to track to the north and make landfall overnight or Sunday morning in South Carolina, where a tropical storm warning is now in effect. Chantal is in the western Atlantic and no threat to the Alabama coast, or areas inland. As of 10 p.m. CDT Saturday, the center of Tropical Storm Chantal was located about 65 miles east of Charleston, S.C., and was tracking to the north at 8 mph. Chantal strengthened some on Saturday and had sustained winds of 50 mph on Saturday night. The hurricane center said little change in strength is expected before landfall. A tropical storm warning continues from the South Santee River, S.C., to Surf City, N.C. A tropical storm watch stretches along the coast from Edisto Beach, S.C., to the South Santee River. The hurricane center said those elsewhere along the southeast coast of the United States should also keep an eye on Chantal. Chantal is expected to track slowly to the north and then northwest and move onshore in South Carolina by Sunday morning. Tropical storm conditions will be possible in South Carolina overnight, forecasters said. The area along the coast could also get 2 to 4 inches of rain, with isolated areas getting up to 6 inches, which could cause flash flooding. A storm surge of 1-3 feet will also be possible along parts of the South and North Carolina coasts from Chantal. The hurricane center said a few tornadoes will be possible tonight into Sunday along the coast of eastern South Carolina and much of NorthCarolina. Also a concern: The storm could churn up the near-shore waters along the Southeast U.S. coast and cause deadly rip currents far from where it makes landfall. Chantal formed about a month ahead of schedule, according to Colorado State University hurricane expert Dr. Philip Klotzbach: Tropical Storm #Chantal has formed off of the southeast US coast. On average, the 3rd Atlantic named storm forms on August 3rd. pic.twitter.com/Nj5BdJJsGh Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) July 5, 2025 Chantal is the only area of concern in the tropical Atlantic (which includes the Gulf and Caribbean) as of Saturday. There have been two other tropical storms so far this hurricane season, and both were weak and short-lived. Andrea, the first storm of 2025, formed on June 24 in the central Atlantic and didnt affect land. The second storm, Barry, formed in the southern Gulf (or Bay of Campeche) but weakened to a tropical depression before moving onshore in eastern Mexico on June 29. This season NOAA is forecasting between 17-19 named storms (tropical storms and hurricanes), six to 10 hurricanes and three to five major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger storms). According to NOAA an average Atlantic hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes. Let me just state this right up front. Farmers in America, particularly ones that employ several to more than a hundred workers, are not unsophisticated country bumpkins. There will be no whining in this essay along the lines of Oh, the poor farmer! He does not know how to fill out online federal forms for income tax withholding, immigration, etc. Thats farm animal excrement! Farmers EFT their own quarterly income tax payments, so they can certainly make payments for their workers withholding. President Trump has listened to the sad stories of loving employers and their willing wage workers providing our food in harmony for years together. In his desire not to disrupt agricultural commerce, he has listened to descriptions of fields full of rotting produce. But sad stories aside, its a bad idea to exempt a small segment of the economy from the rules, and its entirely unnecessary. Lets look at some statistics to see if we cant acquire a better-informed perspective than random anecdotes have provided. Image by ChatGPT. The latest Census of Agriculture reports that, in 2022, we had 1,900,487 farms in America on 880,100,848 acres producing $543 billion in market value of agricultural products sold. Eighty-five percent were owned by families or individuals, 7% by partnerships, and 7% by corporations. Of this number, only 1.5% of farms28,464hired migrant workers. Half of those employing migrants sold $1 million or more (market value) of agricultural products. There were 3,693,391 farm workers, 41% of them unpaid (i.e., owners and their families). Of the paid farm workers, 32% were native-born Americans, 7% foreign-born US citizens, 19% authorized foreign-born workers (immigrants and temporary nonimmigrants), and 42% (917,487) were illegal aliens. Only 25% of all paid farm workers are illegal aliens. What do we know about them? Almost all of them (86%) are from Mexico, so home is close by. California has more of them than any other state. Estimates are that California has between 375,000 and 500,000 undocumented agricultural workers. Florida has about 300,000. Thats almost all the undocumented right there in only two states. To recap: Only 1.5% of all farms, half of whom sold $1 million or more in product, employ migrant workers. Half of the migrant workers are illegal. California and Florida together account for between 74% and 87% of all illegal agricultural workers. Washington States cherry harvest lasts two months, pears a month, and apples about 10 weeks. In Florida, the sugar cane and orange harvests run about six months long. Planting and harvesting fresh produce is a year-round job in California. The H2A temporary agricultural worker visa program has certain requirements that must be met. Employers petitioning for farm workers must provide transportation to and from the workers home countries. They must provide housing and either a food preparation area or access to prepared food. The employer must provide full-time work and wages in accordance with standard wages for American farm workers. The workplace must meet all federal and state safety, hygiene, and environmental mandates. The employer, including any consortium of employers who together offer full-time employment, must file a petition with the Department of Labor to show the need for migrant labor. The employer must then file a petition with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services for the alien worker. There are companies that handle all of this for a fee. The potential worker must be eligible for an H2A agricultural worker nonimmigrant (temporary) visa and must not be otherwise ineligible. The worker cannot work for employers other than the petitioner(s) without prior permission from USCIS, and is limited to no more than three years in the US before the worker must take a break of at least 60 days outside of the US. If President Trump were to allow illegal farm workers to continue their work, that would promote continued criminality on the part of both the worker and the employer. It unbalances the marketplace when criminal activities result in profits greater than those who follow the law earn. Without enforcement, we dispense with the rule of law and subject ourselves to violations of the Equal Protection Clause. Moreover, rewarding lawlessness erodes the nations conscience. Some of these workers were trafficked, some have criminal histories, and others are using false or stolen identities. Many are not receiving their rightful benefits or legal wages; some face unsafe and environmentally hazardous working conditions. For us to wink at this in the name of cheaper strawberries pollutes our own souls. What should we do? Balance justice and mercy. Put the country on notice that the government will no longer tolerate exploiting migrant agricultural workers, just as the administration has declared that all illegals face deportation. Then provide a grace period so that employers can bring their working conditions, wages, and benefits into compliance with the law and send their workers home to get proper work visas. The grace period will allow the workers to obtain documentation (passports, etc.) under their valid identities. Mexican Consulates in the United States should be prepared to undertake this volume of work. States that depend on migrant workers for their ag sector should jump in to assist with verifying the need for foreign workers. The Department of Labor, the US Citizenship and Immigration Service, and the Department of State need to streamline the petitioning and visa application processes. This would be the perfect task for D.O.G.E. to undertake. A migrant worker who has lived here illegally will raise questions regarding the requirement that he has a home outside of America to which he intends to return after the job is finished. That, however, can be addressed through the interview process at a US consulate or embassy abroad. This can all be accomplished with minor changes to existing procedures. No new laws have to be passed. That lets Congress off the hook on this issue. And let it be known that after the grace period, those not in compliance will face ICE raids, OSHA inspections, EPA investigations, and IRS audits. We freed the slaves 162 years ago. Its time to obliterate the last vestiges of those practices. And to those crying, Who will pick my blueberries? I say shame on you. Do better. Maybe even think about growing or picking your own. Anony Mee is the nom de blog of a retired public servant who was a seasonal farm worker from the age of 12 through 19 and X-tweets at oh_yeahMee. Zohran Mamdani has admitted listing his race as black on a college admission form. He is not blackhe is ethnically South Asian because, by his own admission, his ancestors all came from India. It is impossible to know what went through his head when Mamdani lied on his Columbia University admission form, but the most obvious reason for doing so would have been to give himself an advantage over other applicants. If that was the case, it was not just lying; it was cheating. Lying on a college admission form is not a criminal offense, but most would say it is unethical. It does not reflect the sort of integrity that one would expect in the mayor of Americas largest city. I would say its not at all different from what Elizabeth Warren (Pocahontas) did in representing herself as a Native American. In the academic world, at least before the recent Supreme Court ruling striking down affirmative action in admissions, a great deal of preference was given to minority candidates, and surely Mamdani would have known that. His excuses so far have been remarkably lame: Since he was born in Uganda, he was sort of black, and he wanted to fully represent himself. Or another: There was no place on the form to list himself as born in Africa but not African, but Asian, so he checked black and Asian. I think most people would say this was disingenuous. It seems he was taking advantage. If thats the case, how else has Mamdani taken advantage since graduating from Bowdoin College (he did not attend Columbia, despite his black race)? He has never referred to himself as black on the campaign trail, but he has boasted that he is a Muslim and would be the first South Asian to become mayor of a major U.S. city. As a result, he received heavy support from both groups. He has also conducted a campaign that I would call disingenuous, promising a full array of free benefits to voters that, by law, he cannot provide or pay for. Mamdani seems to misrepresent himself in other ways. Is he a democratic socialist, like Bernie Sanders, or a communist, as President Trump called him? Why does he refuse to admit that, in many respects, he may be a communist? He has talked about seizing the means of production from capitalists and distributing it to workers, a classic communist line. He promises state-run grocery stores, subsidized housing, free transportation, and a host of other free benefits as if these benefits would not have to be paid for by someoneand there again, his communist leanings are showing. He would steal from the rich to pay for his programs. It may also be that, behind his smile and charm, there lurks a totalitarian, but Mamdani is not going to admit it. Democratic socialists are always democratic as long as they are winning; when they become less popular, as Hugo Chavez and then Nicolas Maduro did in Venezuela, they rig the elections so there is no more democracy. Then there is Israel. Once again, Mamdani has parsed his words in ways that many would call dishonest. Mamdani claims that he is not antisemitic (even former Hillary Clinton aide Al Mottler claims that he is) but admits that he is anti-Zionist and refuses to condemn the phrase globalize the intifada. Although few would call him pro-Israel, it seems that Mamdani wants to appear friendly to Jews in the presence of Jews, friendly to Muslims in the presence of Muslims, and friendly to intifada terrorists in the presence of intifada terrorists. In other words, he is an opportunist. But he is not just another politician. He has refused to sign petitions condemning the Holocaust and affirming Israels right to exist. Refusing to condemn October 7 immediately after the attack is not just disingenuous; it is evil, as is refusing to condemn the Holocaust. There is no comparison between lying on a college application and refusing to condemn globalize the intifada. From the river to the sea has no place in American politics, and anyone who attempts to kowtow to such an opinion has no place running for mayor of NYC. Jewish politicians who have expressed support or praise for Mamdani, as have Rep. Jerry Nadler and Sen. Chuck Schumer, are playing with fire. The general opinion seems to be that Mamdani will win anyway, so Jewish residents of New York need to work with him so as to preserve their communitys security. Anyone who has read Hannah Arendts Eichmann in Jerusalem knows how dangerous this opinion is. As Arendt documented (and she was widely criticized for doing so), there were many Jews in positions of authority who facilitated the Nazi selection and elimination of Jewish people. It was not just Germans like Eichmann who carried out Hitlers orders. Jewish leaders in New York need to be uncompromising in their support of the State of Israel and of the Jewish population everywhere. It is a lie, pure and simple, to represent oneself as black when one is not. It is dishonest to promise a host of benefits, from state-run groceries to subsidized housing, when one cannot deliver. It is disingenuous to speak of oneself as a friend to Jews when one is not. But it is far worse to refuse to condemn the actions of Hamas and of the intifada. It is one thing and not so very uncommon to be a political opportunist. It is quite another to appear to accept terrorism, antisemitism, and violence, including violence against Jewish students on U.S. campuses. Religious freedom is a fundamental right in the U.S., and it cannot be abridged, even by a politician who thinks he can have it both ways. If Mamdani fails to condemn the violence of Hamas, condemn the intifada, condemn the Holocaust and condemn violence against Jews everywhere, he should withdraw from the mayoral race immediately. Jeffrey Folks is the author of many books and articles on American culture including Heartland of the Imagination (2011). Image: Zohran Mamdani. Credit: Bingjiefu He via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. In what may become one of the most significant diplomatic moments in recent African history, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed a sweeping peace agreement on June 27, 2025and they did it in the Oval Office, no less, hosted by President Donald Trump. Its a deal with real potential to end decades of devastating conflict, but what most people wont see in the headlines is the man who made it possible behind the scenes: Massad Boulos. Massad, who currently serves as Senior Advisor at the State Department for Africa and also Senior Advisor to the President on Middle East and Arab affairs, was the quiet force guiding this effort from the start. Notably, Massads son, Michael Boulos, is married to Tiffany Trump, underscoring the familys close ties to the president. Massad Boulos brings a wealth of cross-cultural negotiation experience to the job. Born into a family with ties across the Middle East, Africa, and the United States, he has long operated at the intersection of global business, diplomacy, and culture. Image: White House Instagram (Massad is in the center). Public domain. His deep understanding of Africas economic potential, fluency in multiple languages, and cultural sensitivity uniquely positioned him to navigate the complex realities of the Great Lakes region. Appointed early in President Trumps administration, Massad was given the job of leading U.S. efforts to mediate peace in Central Africa, specifically in the volatile Great Lakes region. His background, which blends private-sector savvy with diplomatic skill, is unconventional, but was ultimately effective in tackling a crisis that had confounded policymakers for decades. Massad Boulos may not be a household name like the presidents or foreign ministers involved in the talks, but his influence on this historic accord is profound. His ability to bridge divides and align complex, often competing, interests was central to getting the DRC and Rwanda to the tableand keeping them there until a deal was struck. Massads approach represents a modern diplomacy style, integrating private-sector strategies with traditional statecraft, using economic incentives to complement political agreementsa model gaining traction for tackling entrenched conflicts that military measures alone cannot solve. The conflict in eastern DRC is about far more than just politicsits rooted in ethnic tensions, fierce competition over mineral wealth, and proxy wars involving Rwanda. Over the past three decades, this violence has resulted in millions of deaths and displaced persons. Previous peace attempts faltered due to mistrust, incomplete commitments, and negotiations that excluded key rebel factions such as the M23 militia. Massads approach was different. Rather than focusing solely on military or security arrangements, he emphasized the importance of economic incentives and regional integration as pillars for lasting peace. This strategy reflected his understanding that sustainable peace requires addressing the underlying economic grievances and power dynamics fueling conflict. For months, Massad conducted shuttle diplomacy between the capitals, working closely with DRCs Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, Rwandas Olivier Nduhungirehe, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Together, they crafted the framework of what became known as the Washington Accord, balancing security, economic, and humanitarian objectives. The agreement signed in the Oval Office imposes on the parties several critical commitments: Military Withdrawal: Rwanda will withdraw approximately 4,000 troops from eastern DRC within 90 days to reduce cross-border military tensions. Rwanda will withdraw approximately 4,000 troops from eastern DRC within 90 days to reduce cross-border military tensions. Cease Support for Armed Groups: Both nations commit to ending support for armed militias, including the notorious M23 and FDLR militias. Both nations commit to ending support for armed militias, including the notorious M23 and FDLR militias. Joint Security Mechanism: A bilateral oversight body will be created within 30 days to monitor adherence and resolve disputes. A bilateral oversight body will be created within 30 days to monitor adherence and resolve disputes. Economic Integration: The accord calls for a regional investment framework focused on cobalt, lithium, gold, and other critical minerals. This aims to attract Western investment, especially from the U.S., and reduce Chinese economic dominance in the region. The accord calls for a regional investment framework focused on cobalt, lithium, gold, and other critical minerals. This aims to attract Western investment, especially from the U.S., and reduce Chinese economic dominance in the region. Humanitarian Assistance: The deal includes support for refugees, displaced persons, and reintegration programs for vetted ex-combatants. Massads influence is especially clear in the economic components. He envisions the abundant mineral wealthvital for global technologies like batteries and electronicsnot as a cause for conflict but as a shared resource and opportunity for cooperation. The next phase involves a follow-up summit, expected later this year, bringing together President Felix Tshisekedi of the DRC, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and President Trump to reaffirm commitments and expand on implementation. Throughout this phase, Massad Boulos is expected to remain a key facilitator and coordinator, working to sustain diplomatic momentum and ensure economic initiatives begin delivering tangible benefits on the ground. The Washington Accord symbolizes a new chapter in Central African diplomacy, with Massad standing as a testament to how innovative, multi-dimensional diplomacy can open doors where traditional approaches have failed. In addition to the huge benefits for the two warring countries, the Washington Accord also represents a significant victory for President Trump. At a time when diplomatic efforts to resolve conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have stalled, the Washington Accord stands out as a tangible success in American diplomacy. It showcases the administrations ability to secure peace agreements in difficult and complex conflicts, reinforcing Trumps strategy of bold, results-driven global engagement. President Trump, who has made restoring American leadership on the world stage a priority, recognizing the Accords importance, seized the moment by hosting the signing in the Oval Office. Hes also publicly praised the deal as both a humanitarian achievement and a strategic move to secure critical supply chains amid increasing competition with China. To highlight how pivotal the deal is, the President had both Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio attend the signing, along with Massad himself. All watched as the DRCs Wagner and Rwandas Nduhungirehe put their signatures to the Accord. The moment symbolized a shared commitment to resolving one of Central Africas most intractable conflicts through dialogue, cooperation, and economic partnership. Thanks in large part to Massads unique contributions, the U.S. has extended a genuine olive branch to Africa, showcasing a strategic vision that goes beyond traditional aid or military involvement. The unprecedented level of U.S. leadership and coordination displayed here gives this accord the momentum past efforts lacked, laying a foundation for durable peace. Its worth noting that, beyond his diplomatic skills, Massad has also proven to be an important political asset. During the 2024 election, he played a key role in delivering results for President Trump by forging strong ties with Arab and Muslim communities. His outreach helped bring these essential constituencies into Trumps coalitionparticularly in critical battleground states. For those who question his impact, the evidence is clear: Massad Boulos builds coalitions, earns trust, and delivers victories where many have failed. A Personal Note As someone with a personal connection to the Boulos family, whose son is like a brother to me, I firmly believe Massad Boulos deserves a Presidential Medal of Honor for his exceptional service and dedication. He is a remarkable figure whose contributions extend far beyond the spotlight. If I could, I would tell President Trump that this is a moment to elevate Massad Boulosa man whose vision, dedication, and cultural fluency have not only secured peace but redefined U.S.-Africa relations. His unique ability to build bridges where others see walls embodies the spirit of diplomacy this administration represents. For all he has done and all that remains to be done, Massad deserves not just recognition but the highest honor. Let history remember this momentand the man who made it possible. Baltimore native Isaiah L. Carter was once a conservative but became a leftist over time. Last February, he accused the Democrat party of deception, corruption and political manipulation. He wrote, This f**king political party, the Democratic Party, have lied to us about everything. Theyve lied about being the party of the middle class. Theyve lied about being the party of peace. Theyve lied about being the party that wants to help poor people. [snip] This is a cadre of criminals and losers and spoiled children of affluent parents who were more concerned about looking good than actually doing good. These are people who were more concerned about looking like they were doing something for the American people than actually doing things for the American people, and thats why Im so angry, because this party lied to me while stealing my tax dollars. Mr. Carter certainly sums it up. The Democrat party is also criticized frequently for its apparent reluctance to hold prominent members accountable. The partys leadership has prioritized political expediency, loyalty, and institutional power over accountability. There are systemic factors within the partys structure that contribute to this sort of leniency. The party often relies on entrenched figures who wield significant influence, making it difficult for the party to hold its members to account. There are numerous examples. A prominent one is the Chappaquiddick incident of 1969, where Senator Ted Kennedy drove his car off a bridge, killing Mary Jo Kopechne. Kennedy delayed reporting the accident for 10 hours yet faced only a two-month suspended sentence and a year-long license suspension. Despite the severity of the scandal, Kennedy eventually became a revered figure in his party, often called the Lion of the Senate. His value as a charismatic leader and heir to the Kennedy legacy likely outweighed calls for harsher consequences as the party sought to maintain its influence in the Senate and beyond. The 1985 waitress sandwich incident, which involved Kennedy and Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), who allegedly assaulted a waitress at a Washington, D.C. restaurant, received very little blowback. Both senators repeatedly won re-election, and Dodd later joined Joe Bidens vice-presidential search committee in 2020. This suggests the party viewed such incidents as secondary to political utility. Bill Clintons survival of the Monica Lewinsky scandal in the 1990s also exemplifies this pattern. Despite allegations of perjury and obstruction of justice, Democrats rallied around Clinton, framing the impeachment as a partisan attack. His political acumen and popularity ensured his continued leadership, as the party prioritized maintaining power over addressing ethical concerns. Some party members may have feared weakening the partys public image by appearing prudish or providing ammunition to political opponents. Columnist Marjorie Williams wrote in Vanity Fair, Now see your President, tall and absurdly debonair, as he dances with a radiant blonde, his wife... Forget the dog-in-the-manger, down-in-the-mouth neo-puritanism of the op-ed tumbrel drivers, and see him instead as his guests do: a man in a dinner jacket with more heat than any star in the room. Williamss use of language such as debonair and down-in-the-mouth neo-puritanism comes across as an appeal to sophistication and a disregard for conventional morality. The claim of a scandal-free Obama administration ignored issues like the Fast and Furious operation, the IRS targeting of conservative groups, or the vast amounts of cash he sent to Iran. By downplaying these controversies, the party sought to maintain a narrative of integrity, even at the cost of transparency. Allegations against then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regarding the sale of classified hypersonic missile technology to Russia were downplayed by party leaders. Addressing these claims head-on risked undermining her 2016 presidential candidacy by giving Republicans a narrative to exploit. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg must be spinning in their graves. Joe Bidens incompetence and dishonesty are legendary, and his administration was plagued with scandals involving cabinet members. Nevertheless, the partys focus on legislative priorities overshadowed calls for accountability until his weakness became a political liability. Senator Bob Menendezs (D-NJ) 2023 indictment for accepting bribes, including cash and gold bars, did not immediately lead to his expulsion from the Senate or ostracism by party leaders. His long-standing influence and connections within the party likely delayed decisive action as leadership weighed the cost of alienating a powerful figure against public backlash. More recent examples of party members whose utility overrides their failures include Nancy Pelosi, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Ilhan Omar. It is an exercise in futility to compile a list of legislative actions or public pronouncements from Democrats that have made America safer, stronger, more prosperous, and more united. The Democrat partys need to maintain a diverse coalition and appeal to progressive voters discourages measures that could alienate key constituencies. The partys self-perception as a champion of progressive causes creates a reluctance to scrutinize its own members, fearing it might undermine their alleged moral authority. This failure to consistently hold its members accountable stems from a combination of strategic pragmatism, fear of political fallout, systemic entrenchment, and a desire to protect its ideological image. Their claim to the moral high ground rings hollow, however, when we examine their pattern of scandals, including the ones listed above. Historical cases such as Chappaquiddick and the Lewinsky scandal, alongside modern examples involving Bob Menendez, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden, illustrate how the party prioritizes power and unity over addressing serious allegations. While this approach may preserve short-term political gains, it erodes public trust and whats left of their ethical credibility. Image from Grok. On September 17, 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked by Elizabeth Willing Powell, Well, Doctor, what have we got: a republic or a monarchy? Franklin replied, A republic, if you can keep it. Throughout the first six months of Donald Trumps second term in the White House, he has begged, cajoled, threatened, sweetened, and done everything humanly possible to see his signature piece of legislation passed into law. On July 4, 2025, it was formally signed on the White House lawn, with many of the legislators who had pushed the bill across the finish line in attendance. They were joined by members of the armed forces who had participated in arguably the greatest military mission in history: the destruction of Irans nuclear sites, in one mission, with no loss of American life. The question must be asked: Mr. President, just what do we have here? President Trump would surely answer, We have One Big Beautiful Bill. Franklin was asked the famous question after his prepared speech was presented to the Constitutional Convention, headed by George Washington, by Pennsylvania delegate Wilson, as Franklin was too ill from gout and kidney stones to deliver the speech personally. However, he was able to answer Ms. Powells question with a quote as famous as any to come from that first convention of the states. At the time of the presentation of the speech, Franklin was attempting to get three delegates who had not signed the Constitution Delegates Gerry of Massachusetts, Randolph of Virginia, and Mason of Virginia to add their signatures to the document. Franklin thought the proposed Constitution to be an imperfect document, though as near perfect as possible. The three abstainers never acquiesced. Signing the document held no legal effect. The Constitution needed to be ratified by nine of the thirteen colonies to go into effect. It was ratified on May 29, 1788, when Rhode Island became the last state to ratify the document after its delegates had initially rejected it on March 24, 1788. It has survived nearly a quarter-millennium as the most successful governing document in history. Trumps OBBB faced considerably more resistance than did the signing of our Constitution. Not one Democrat voted for the legislation in either chamber of Congress. Two Republicans also nixed the legislation. It will be difficult to forget all those who voted against the legislation, as we have forgotten delegates Gerry, Randolph, and Mason. At this juncture, they dont want to be forgotten. But come this time next year, as the midterm elections approach, that may be quite different. We will know just how beautiful the bill really was. If the bill does what President Trump claims it will, our economy and national morale will be soaring. In that case, I wouldnt want to be a Democrat campaigning on having voted against the bill. It will likely be a huge election for the Republican Party. If, however, Trumps OBBB proves to be OBFB (One Big Failed Bill), the Democrats will have a field day. There will likely be little doubt. So, Mr. President, we have OBBB, if you can make it work. Bill Hansmann is a dentist and dental educator with over fifty years in the profession. He continues to teach and write political blogs and semi-mediocre novels while living with his wife and cats in Georgia. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. The usual suspects are up in arms because President Trump used the word shylock in connection with moneylenders. However, as always, context matters, and Im willing to give him a huge pass. Trump was touting his Big Beautiful Bill in Iowa, including the fact that it does away with estate taxes and other federal impositions on borrowed money. It was in that context that he used the word shylock: No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing some from, in some cases, a fine banker and in some cases, shylocks and bad people. As culturally literate people know, that words origin traces back to Shakespeares Merchant of Venice, and the Jewish moneylender who quite literally wants his pound of flesh from those unlucky enough to borrow from him. Over the centuries, the word shylock has come down to us to mean a usurious lender. Image of Trump at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the site of the Second Temple that the Romans destroyed. He was the first president ever to visit the most holy site in Judaism. Public domain image. So, yes, the word is inherently antisemitic insofar as its roots lie with a famous literary figure who is both Jewish and avaricious, the famous Western stereotype ascribed to Jews. And yes, antisemitic people apply it with vigor to Jews. (By the way, for those unaware, the primary reason that Jews were moneylenders was because the pre-modern Catholic Church believed it was immoral to charge interest on money, so the job fell to the Jews. We now know, of course, that making money a commodity is one of the best ways to grow an economy. Islam, like the medieval church, bars interest...) However, Ive never gotten the feeling that Trump, despite his education, has any literary awareness whatsoever. If he ever heard of the Merchant of Venice or Shylock, both were long ago banished from his brain to make room for matters of greater importance, such as wealth creation when he was in business, or restoring America now that hes president. What this means is that the word is, for him, simply a word that means an avaricious lender, without any Jewish connotations. In the same way, people today speak of an assassin without any awareness that the word refers to an Islamic sect that was famous for (a) eating hashish and (b) killing political leaders in the Middle Ages. Thus, the Arabic hashishin worked its way through French and Italian to our modern assassin. Or they say a situation is bedlam, without realizing it refers to Londons famous St. Mary of Bethlehem insane asylum, which continues to exist as a modern psychiatric hospital. When Trump came of age, everyone who wasnt Jewish referred to shylocks when talking about an onerous creditor, and they did so regardless of whether the creditor was Jewish or not. Again, I hate the term, and hate hearing it, but I believe Trumps cultural ignorancewhich he used to explain his ignorance about the terms antisemitic rootsis real. But of course, the really important context is that Trump is the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House. I dont believe hes a Zionist. I think he acts because he understands that Israel is Americas leading defense against radical Islam. If Israel goes, America is next. Trump hates war, and will support Israels defense against Islam, so he doesnt have to send American troops. He sees Israel as a partner, and that works for me. John Podhoretz gets it, too: Trump bombed Iran. He can say Shylock 100 times a day forever as far as Im concerned. John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) July 4, 2025 Finally, while Trump may not know his Bible or his Shakespeare, nor is he a Zionist, he has a core morality that says that antisemitism is wrong. Thats why he, unlike any other president, is tackling the antisemitism endemic in academia. And its important to note that, while this antisemitism became overt after October 7, 2023, its been a festering sore since the 1990s. Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama, and Biden all ignored it. Trump, who was under siege during his first term didnt address it. Now, he is attacking it root and branch. Soand this is not a formatting mistakelet me again quote John Podhoretz: Trump bombed Iran. He can say Shylock 100 times a day forever as far as Im concerned. John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) July 4, 2025 Finally, while Trump may not know his Bible or his Shakespeare, nor is he a Zionist, he has a core morality that says that antisemitism is wrong. Thats why he, unlike any other president, is tackling the antisemitism endemic in academia. And its important to note that, while this antisemitism became overt after October 7, 2023, its been a festering sore since the 1990s. Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama, and Biden all ignored it. Trump, who was under siege during his first term didnt address it. Now, he is attacking it root and branch. Soand this is not a formatting mistakelet me again quote John Podhoretz: Trump may not know the Bible, but, in a way, the Bible knows him. Matthew 7:15 quotes Jesus saying, By their fruits ye shall know them. Its understood to mean that, no matter what people say, what matters are their actions. Trumps actions have been consistently philosemitic, and if he tosses around a word common in his generation...well, Im focusing on the fruit, thats all I can say. Apparently, the Supreme Courts 6-3 decision curbing nationwide injunctions still allows a federal judge to issue one, but only within the scope of the plaintiffs standing. Class action comes to mind. I have yet to hear a valid argument for a federal judge to issue orders to the president through a nationwide injunction. This decision appears to allow some nationwide injunctions, although it rightfully restricts this malfeasance. Nationwide injunctions by a district judge seem to bestow too much power on a federal judge. Since federal judges are appointed by Congress, it concentrates too much power in the Legislative Branch. Hand it to the left: it is relentless. Just as evil, it relentlessly attempts to dim our hearing of the sacred voice within. Leftists lost the Executive and Legislative Branches to Republicans, but that didnt stop their pursuit of centralizing power. They expanded lawfare against Trump, using federal judges to hinder executive decisions. When unelected officials (federal judges) restrain elected officials (the president), it negates the principle on which our nation was founded. One of the greatest safeguards given to us in the Constitution is that only those officials who must regularly stand before the citizenry in elections are allowed to assess fines and taxes or issue regulations (laws) that bind citizens and affect their inalienable right to ownership of property. This lawfare through injunctions is similar to the administrative (deep) states control exercised by bureaucrats through regulations. My objection in both instances is that it is wrong to have power concentrated in an unelected (not accountable to the citizens) government entity that, through injunctions, taxation, and regulation, confiscates private property and limits the individual right to choose. If the Executive Branch is committing an unconstitutional act, then it is up to the Legislative Branch to clarify the law and the Judicial Branch to render injunctions and opinions that stop such abuse. The expansion of powers through lawfare is wrong, and I appreciate that SCOTUS is clarifying that point. Jay Davidson is founder and CEO of a commercial bank. He is a student of the Austrian School of Economics and a dedicated capitalist. He believes there is a direct connection joining individual right and responsibility, our Constitution, capitalism, and the intent of our Creator. Image: PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay, Pixabay License. During his first term, one of Donald Trumps mistakes was not promptly removing bureaucrats and appointing apparatchiks who undermined him, his policies, and the will of the American people. Its a mistake he has corrected in his second term. Even so, substantial numbers of stealth operatives remain in every federal agency, covertly and overtly seeking to slow or defeat Trumps initiatives, to make America and him fail. Inevitably, some of these operatives become arrogantly convinced of their own superiority, of the inevitability of the unstoppable, eternal rule of the Democrat Party. Used to doing whatever they want without consequences, some of them at the EPA signed a letter, using their names and government titles, attacking EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and the Trump policies. This declaration was written and signed by EPA employees across Offices, Regions, and Labs in our personal capacity, on our own time, and without Agency resources. We are devoted to EPA's mission: to protect human health and the environment. As one might expect, any move by Zeldin to rescind Green New Deal orthodoxy arouses their panic and rage. As one might also expect, labor unions are on board: Graphic: X Post In response, Zeldin has placed 144 out of more than 15,000 EPA employees on leave and is investigating others. We have a ZERO tolerance policy for agency bureaucrats unlawfully undermining, sabotaging, and undercutting the agenda of this administration as voted for by the great people of this country last November. The will of the American public will not be ignored at our agency, Zeldin said in a written statement to Breitbart News. The leader of the EPA will place 144 employees, a fraction of the agencys 15,000-plus staffers, on administrative leave pending further investigation after some employees exploited their titles and official status as EPA employees to push a partisan agenda that does not reflect the will of the American people, who elected Donald Trump as the 47th president. The vast majority of agency employees are dedicated to the core mission of protecting human health and the environment, Powering the Great American Comeback, and respecting the will of the American people, Zeldin continued in his statement. [skip] Unfortunately, a small number of employees signed onto a public letter, written as agency employees, using their official work title, that was riddled with misinformation regarding agency business. Our ZERO tolerance policy is in full force and effect and will be unapologetically implemented unconditionally, Zeldin concluded his statement. Is this a First Amendment issue? Unlikely. All government employees know that expression clearly separated from their positions is likely constitutionally protected. However, they dont have the right to use those positions to advocate for political issues. In addition, presidents have the power to require employees of the Executive branchthats the EPAto follow lawful orders, which includes not slow-rolling or subverting them. As Barack Obama was so fond of smugly saying, elections have consequences. Nicole Cantello is the president of Local 704, which is very much anti-Trump. She, too, signed the letter. One need not like someone to work for them, but when youre taking the taxpayers dollar, you have an obligation to do the taxpayers business. You have no right or power to do otherwise, and, as always, your choice is delivering an honest days work or resigning to find work more suited to your tender sensibilities. This fact of life, of reality, is well-known to non-governmental employees who have little sympathy for government workers complaining about having to take orders from people with whom they disagree. Its yet another example of how politics are played. Democrats hire only Democrats and ruthlessly persecute anyone who doesnt toe the party line. Republicans tend to hire only the qualified but expect everyone to play by the rules. When Republicans enforce those rules, Democrats scream bloody murder. Finally, we have a President determined to do the peoples business, the business for which he was elected, and the screams are music to the ears of honest Americans. Elections have consequences. 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. There is an eerie, often CIA-tinged similarity between many of the younger high-profile Democrats. Those who mesh most closely are Barack Obama and his next-generation clone, Zohran Mamdani, who share much beyond the superficial of exotic names, Muslim-ish backgrounds, verbal dexterity, and big smiles. As to all the young Democrats, there are also certain elements that have all the classic earmarks of their being Deep State assets (a phrase used by those who ought to know): Elements: Foreign parentage Parents in academia Possible Parental connections to Intel Community Non-standard childhood Very early public notice Non-standard early careers Jobs that seem to be covers for Intel connections General verbal dexterity Verbal skill at dissembling, prevaricating, and outright lying Political advancement that cannot be explained as simply organic Political positions that advance the Intel Communitys goals Certain current public figures seem to check off many, if not all, of the above categories. (For example, Kamala hits most of them but wildly misses general verbal dexterity.) When you have time, wiki the bios of Tucker, Vivek, Tulsi, Mayor Pete, Candace, Kamala, etc. Also, research former Intel officers such as Elissa Slotkin and Abigail Spanberger. Query how we came to the point where the CIA, for one, can seemingly, brazenly implant people into the body politic. But specifically regarding Barack and Zohran... Both fathers grew up in East Africa (Kenya and Uganda) and were promising students. Baracks father was African; Zohrans was (and is) Indian. Both were brought to the United States in a US-funded scholarship program for hundreds of Eastern African students that, shall we say, was CIA-adjacent. (Baracks father in 1959, Zohrans in 1963). Both fathers returned to their respective countries after studying in America and were active in the academic and political affairs of their turmoil-laden countries. Both mothers were well-traveled professionals. Baracks mother was an official with USAID and the Ford Foundation in Indonesia, specializing in female microfinance projects. (Both entities have been credibly identified as CIA adjacent.) Zohrans mother was an internationally renowned filmmaker specializing in films about indigents, India, and the Indian diaspora. Naturally, she is anti-Israel. Both Barack and Zohran grew up in exotic locales (Indonesia, Uganda, Hawaii, the Upper West Side), and had connections to Columbia University: Barack transferred there from Occidental University, while Zohran applied there as an African-American candidate, before being rejected, despite his father serving on Columbias faculty. Baracks first job post-college seems to have been with Business International Corporation (BI) an entity that has been credibly identified as CIA adjacent. Naturally, he then segued into working as a community organizer before attending Harvard Law School. At some point before Harvard, he allegedly spent time doing things in Indonesia. Zohran went straight to community organizing. At some point, he spent some time doing things in Egypt, coinciding with the Arab Spring and Mubaraks overthrow. Both Barack and Zohran entered politics at relatively young ages. Barack, fresh off a surprise hit autobiography; Zohran off a (not a surprise) failed rap career. Both entered with preternatural poise and finesse, the kind only hundreds of hours of preparatory grooming work could teach. Barack favored high-concept vague generalities said with a hint of a smile, drawn-out pauses, and a cigarette-infused baritone. Zohran is the next-generation communist: the smile is wider and omnipresent, the head is constantly tilted in a Victorian Age coquettish flirt, while he states, quite openly and unironically, that he seeks to seize the means of production. Barack perfected the pivot: when asked a difficult, possibly incriminating question, hed pivot to another matter entirely, in a completely affectless manner, as if pretending he didnt hear the question was the most natural thing in the world. Zohran is the next-gen disingenuousness: he deploys a three-point maneuver. He starts by answering indirectly and without pausing something similar to but not actually the question, then he pivots to the actual question, which he addresses quickly, and then he quickly pivots to something else entirely. It could be said that the Age of Barack primed America for the Zohran Era. It could also be said that 50 years of educational obfuscation about communisms perils is finally bearing fruit. To what end? A charitable interpretation/conspiracy theory may say that AI is about to erase half of the jobs available and that the next generation needs to acculturate to Universal Basic Income, a society where the tiny elite accumulate exponentially greater wealth, while the lower half lives comfortable, albeit direction-less and pointless, lives of video games, Uber eats, and robotic sex with actual robots. A less charitable interpretation? Nah, lets stick to the shiny happy (heavily medicated) people theory. If it comes with a Zohran-level smile, its all good. Image created using AI. Norman Krieg is a pseudonym of someone who plans to vote five or six times for a write-in candidate no one has heard of. People deported from the United States disembark a repatriation flight - Anna Moneymaker/2025 Getty Images Ever since he glided down a golden escalator more than a decade ago to announce his bid for the White House, Donald Trumps political career has been defined by immigration. Identifying the widening chasm between elite consensus and public opinion on the issue, he was denounced as a populist for refusing to accept that the illegal entry of millions of people into the United States was somehow an economic and political inevitability. When his Republican rivals offered amnesties, he offered a border wall. But for all the Democratic hysterics, Trumps first term was mostly business as usual on immigration. The border wall was only partially built, Big Farm-a continued to employ off-the-books illegal labour, and deportation levels remained stable. Thats no critique of the president: genuine action against mass migration was always going to require a total rewiring of the system, the creation of a deportation state. Well, look out America, because your deportation state is nearly here. Among all of the huge changes that will be brought on by the passing of Trumps Big Beautiful Bill, the allocation of funding to immigration enforcement may perhaps be the most extraordinary. In the next four years, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) will end up with a budget larger than the US Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI. Detention capabilities will also be greatly expanded, which may allow ICE to approximately double the number of migrants it can detain. Thats not even considering the money allocated to buying more planes for deportation and vastly expanding training and employment for specialised officers. There will be more money allocated to ICE than to any federal enforcement agency in Americas history. The logistics of the deportation state go beyond mere funding. In the first 100 days of the administration, illegal border encounters totally collapsed. This trend has continued, now resulting in eerily quiet border towns and the seeming disappearance of undocumented workers in local hospitality and agricultural work. This disappearance is only partly thanks to the work of ICE, with merely the threat of being rounded up and deported to unfamiliar climes El Salvador, South Sudan apparently enough to push thousands of migrants into self-deporting, to borrow a term from the glossy Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. Up-and-coming Republican state officials also know that the best way to boost their Maga credentials is to be seen helping the president in his efforts. James Uthmeier, the Florida State Attorney General, won immense credit with the administration for his role in organising the creation of a new deportation holding centre dubbed Alligator Alcatraz, constructed and put into operation in a manner of days. Donald Trump visits Alligator Alcatraz on Tuesday - AFP Not every Republican is happy, of course. The old GOP business establishment has been lobbying to pause raids on farms, hotels and restaurants (with some success ICE de-proritised these locations for raids a few months ago). But they know that any more overt displays of disloyalty will be harshly punished. The negative response to the expansion of deportation efforts can be just as useful to the administration: images from the recent LA riots, with protesters waving giant Mexican flags next to burnt-out cop cars, seemed to show the public precisely how committed to America some recent entrants to their nation really felt. Public opinion will be vital to the ongoing success of the deportation state, with Trump betting that citizens wont be too unhappy with some mistakes being made if the broader effort appears effective. So far, that bet seems to be paying off. There will be chaos and disruption, and no doubt a fair share of simple policy failures. But the scope of Trumps ambition on mass migration can no longer be questioned. The work of figures like Stephen Miller has sought to put intellectual ballast behind the presidents rhetoric and actions on immigration. Yes, they want to restore borders, but also to strip away arguably outdated ideas like birthright citizenship and challenge the reflexive acceptance of multiculturalism over integration. There will be no going back, no way of treating 2016 as an aberration as in 2020. This is Maga institutionalising itself. Police surround activists with placards on July 5, 2025 in London At midnight on Friday, Palestine Action was officially designated as a terrorist group, in the process making it unlawful to display support for the proscribed organisation. Today, dozens of activists gathered in front of Parliament to flout this ban. It is to the credit of the police that they responded strongly without hesitation, arresting protesters amid cries accusing officers of being puppets of the Zionist state and chants of from the river to the sea. It was a reminder, too, of the UKs predicament. Since the October 7 2023 pogrom, in Britain we have seen attacks on Jewish businesses, an incursion into a British military base, and the Speaker of the House of Commons deciding to abandon Parliamentary precedent out of fear for the safety of MPs voting on a ceasefire in Israels war with Hamas. Left-wing activists of various stripes have become used to the state turning a blind eye to their behaviour, seeming at times to believe that they are not bound by the rules of wider society. Peaceful pro-Israel counter-protesters have been charged with offences for expressing their views, while anti-Israel protesters have too often crossed the lines of both common decency and the law with seeming impunity. It is bad enough that our countrys image should be tarnished in this way, with people around the world observing in shock the operation of a two-tier system of rights and obligations. It is worse, however, when our weakness allows the poison we have cultivated to spread. When rioters in Melbourne set fire to a synagogue and ransacked an Israeli restaurant, they chanted Death to the IDF in an apparent spreading of the chant made famous by the idiotic crowds at Glastonbury last weekend. Britain has allowed anti-Israel hate marches to become a regular fixture in our streets, turned a blind eye to calls for the destruction of the Israeli state and people, and witnessed on our national broadcaster the airing of sentiments unfit for decent society. Today marked an important first step in correcting this record, and in returning sanity to our streets. We must now see if Westminster will continue to clamp down on the scourge of anti-Semitism. Next month will see the second time Kneecap have beat the British Government in court, the Irish rap trio said at their largest gig to date. The 45,000-strong crowd in Finsbury Park, London watched them walk on in front of a screen that said Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people. They were supporting Irish band Fontaines DC, whose front man Grian Chatten joined to perform their collaboration Better Way To Live. People echoed the Belfast groups chants when they repeated the f*** Keir Starmer and youre just a s*** Jeremy Corbyn comments made at Glastonbury the previous weekend. The crowd in Finsbury Park (Jeff Moore/PA) Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs as Mo Chara, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court earlier this month charged with a terror offence and will return next month. Fellow member Naoise O Caireallain, who uses the stage name Moglai Bap, said if anyones free on the 20th of August, you wanna go to the court and support Mo Chara before shouting free Mo Chara, free, free Mo Chara. Wearing a keffiyeh, O hAnnaidh responded: I appreciate it, the 20th of August is going to be the second time Kneecap have beat the British Government in court in their own court, on their own terms, and were going to beat them for the second time. I tell you what, there is nothing like embarrassing the British Government. Last year Kneecap won a discrimination challenge over a decision by former business secretary Kemi Badenoch to refuse them a 14,250 funding award. The UK Government conceded it was unlawful after the band launched legal action claiming the decision to refuse the grant discriminated against them on grounds of nationality and political opinion. It was agreed that the 14,250 sum would be paid by the Government to the group. During the performance the group intermittently broke off the mosh pits and raucous crowd by addressing the war in Gaza, which is a recurring theme of their shows. Liam Og O Hannaidh (Jeff Moore/PA) O hAnnaidh said: Its usually around this point of the gig that we decide to talk about whats happening in Palestine. I understand that its almost inhumane that Im thinking of new things to say on stage during a genocide, for sound bites. Its beyond words now, like, we always used to say obviously theyre being bombed from the skies with nowhere to go, but its beyond that now. Theyve been being starved for a few months on end, and not only that, the areas that they have set up, to collect aid and food, have turned into killing fields and theyre killing hundreds a day trying to collect food. He continued: Its beyond words, but again, we played in Plymouth last night to 750 people and we did the same thing, so it doesnt matter how big or small our audience is, Kneecap will always use the platform for talking about this. O Caireallain had said earlier in the show: They can try and silence us, they can try and stop us, but were not going to stop talking about Palestine as long as theres a genocide happening in Palestine were going to keep talking about it and yous are going to keep talking about it, and they cant stop us. The UN human rights office has recorded 613 killings near humanitarian convoys and at aid distribution points in Gaza run by an Israeli-backed American organisation since it began operations in late May. On Friday its spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the rights office was not able to attribute responsibility for the killings, but it is clear that the Israeli military has shelled and shot at Palestinians trying to reach the distribution points operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The GHF has denied any serious injuries or deaths on its sites and says shootings outside their immediate vicinity are under the purview of Israels military. The Israeli military has said previously it fires warning shots to control crowds or at Palestinians who approach its troops. Backbenchers who rebelled against Sir Keir Starmers welfare Bill have threatened to revolt again over his proposed migrant deal - House of Commons Sir Keir Starmer is facing a fresh wave of dissent from Labour backbenchers over his deal with France to stop small boat crossings. Under the one in, one out scheme, Britain would send migrants coming in from the Channel back to France within weeks of their arrival in return for the UK taking asylum seekers from France. Details of the plan are expected to be set out during a state visit by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, to London this week. But restless backbenchers who recently rebelled against Sir Keirs welfare plans have threatened to revolt again over his proposed migrant deal. Clive Lewis MP told The Telegraph: Last week felt like it was the starting gun on more Labour MPs beginning to seriously question the Government. You cant help but think its judgment will now be called into question far more frequently. Mr Lewis continued: On immigration and asylum, why dont we have safe routes? Theres no safe routes; if you want to stop the boats, establish safe routes. Labour should have a practical, humane policy. But any sense of a logical process that is based on human rights, basically what a Labour Government would traditionally be expected to do, is now out of the window. Tony Benn was right if you want to know what your government would do to you if they could get away with it, look at how they treat asylum seekers. Thats what you saw this week with disabled people and youre seeing it again with this. Credit: BBC Another Labour MP added that the proposed deal could be illegal under international law. Relations between Downing Street and the parliamentary Labour party have broken down in recent weeks as the Governments approach on issues such as welfare has clashed with the Left-wing values of many Labour MPs. No 10 and the Prime Minister himself have also been criticised for a perceived lack of engagement with MPs and an allegedly haughty attitude towards the back benches. Labour moving Right One senior Labour MP and former minister said: I am very concerned by the proposal. Its a bit like the debate we had last week about welfare and disability payments. It just doesnt really seem like a Labour thing to do. My view is that we should have more safe routes. But there are a number of my colleagues, particularly those in Red Wall seats, that think being seen to be more conservative on immigration will help them win again next time. I know that Morgan McSweeney has been a strong voice for moving Right on immigration. Many of us disagree with this approach. Another senior MP added: A lot of people across the country are agitated about the small boats but there is no easy solution. But theyre on the wrong track. What happened to smashing the gangs? Human traffickers are the scum of the earth and the idea was to get them but we dont seem to be doing too well on that front. Im not convinced by this, it sounds like another gimmick that is doomed to fail. One MP suggested any revolt over the scheme could be as big as this weeks rebellion over disability benefits. Some 49 rebels voted against the Governments Bill on welfare reform despite a series of concessions from No 10. At one point the rebellion included as many as 120 MPs, enough to wipe out Sir Keirs landslide majority. France has previously resisted moves for a returns agreement with Britain since the Dublin returns agreement was scrapped under Brexit, and has argued that any new agreement would have to be EU-wide. But France opened the door to taking back Channel migrants for the first time after Bruno Retailleau, the countrys interior minister, said that it would send a clear message to other migrants planning to make the perilous journey. The summit between Mr Macron and Sir Keir is set to take place from July 8 to July 10. Cameron Norries current Wimbledon exploits are conjuring memories of his celebrated run to the semi-finals. The world number 61 faces Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry in the fourth round on Sunday as he bids to keep alive British interest in the mens singles draw. Norrie was beaten in four sets by seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in the last four of the Championships in 2022 by far his best performance at a grand slam. Novak Djokovic, right, defeated Cameron Norrie in the 2022 Wimbledon semi-finals en route to his seventh title (John Walton/PA) Following successive Court One victories over 12th seed Frances Tiafoe and Italian Mattia Bellucci after a round-one win against Roberto Bautista Agut, he sees similarities with the summer of three years ago. From the beginning of the tournament I was here to play and compete, said Norrie. Its obviously nice to be through. But Im most proud Im just enjoying match for match. It just feels kind of like when I obviously made that run there, the weather was unbelievable that year, so sunny. It was so much fun that year. It feels a little bit like that right now. It feels very normal. But still a long way to go obviously. Nothing to get too carried away with. Cameron Norrie during his third-round win over Mattia Bellucci (Mike Egerton/PA) Norrie reached a career-best ranking of eighth following his Centre Court showdown with eventual winner Djokovic, which followed glory at Indian Wells the previous October. Yet, in part due to a torn bicep suffered last summer, he had plummeted to 91st in the world by April of this year. The 29-year-old could become only the third British man in more than 50 years after Tim Henman and Andy Murray to reach two Wimbledon quarter-finals. The beginning of this year I was struggling a little bit with expectations, wanting to play well and wanting to win and wanting to do well, not really taking care of the fundamentals so much, he said. Ive come to enjoy this tournament. I want to keep doing that and keep giving people, my friends, my family, my team, something to cheer about. As a kid you dream about playing here at Wimbledon. If I would have seen myself here playing and competing, I would have been super proud. Big-serving world number 143 Jarry is aiming to reach the maiden major quarter-final of his career. After coming through qualifying in Roehampton, he fought back from two sets down to knock out eighth seed Holger Rune in the first round and then dispatched American Learner Tien and Brazilian teenage sensation Joao Fonseca. The 6ft 6ins 29-year-old won his only previous tour level meeting with Norrie, a straight-sets success at the 2018 Miami Open. Its a great match to play, Im excited for it, said Norrie. Towering Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry, pictured, awaits Cameron Norrie (John Walton/PA) I think hes one of the most dangerous players on the tour when hes confident, and he is confident. He beat Holger in a crazy match. I think he looks like a guy with nothing to lose. Hes so dangerous. Hes got one of the best serves on tour. I think he likes the grass a lot. Im going to have to really raise my level from how I played (in round three). Columnist Owen Jones - Aaron Chown/PA It is not very British to wish death to things. Thats a translation of an Arabic chant that has been injected into our culture by the hard-Left. Welcome to Britain of 2025. The departure from traditional slogans like down with in favour of death to in the progressive lexicon is symbolic. For years, the Corbynites and jihadis have been travelling in tandem, or as Magic Grandpa himself once put it, as friends. Now we are seeing them converge. In the process, the Left is being dragged away from Britains shared values and customs and into ugly new depths. Take the The Guardian firebrand Owen Jones. Dont sniff: he has 500,000 fans on Instagram, almost 800,000 on YouTube and a million followers on X. On the day Zarah Sultana announced her new political venture with Jeremy Corbyn, Jones couldnt contain his excitement. We need a Red-Green Alliance to tax the rich, invest in people and services, support public ownership, stop arming genocide, he posted. This was the first time Id seen that term used outside of a disparaging context. Red, of course, means the hard-Left, while Green in this context appears to refer to sectarian Muslim voters. Is that what you meant, Owen? Ever since the Enlightenment, our political preferences have been distinct from ethnic or religious backgrounds. Hindus or Jews or Sikhs may have a particular fingerprint of priorities, but they vote like any other citizen according to their consciences, not as a tribe. Some Hindu Britons may tack to the Left, others to the Right. Members of Conservative Friends of Israel may include many Jews, as well as Gentiles, but it is not an alliance between Conservatives and Jews, seen as two distinct groups. And, of course, there is also a Labour Friends of Israel. According to our way of doing things, it would be nonsensical to call for a coalition between a political party and an ethnic bloc. Ironically, it was Britains emphasis on individual rights that allowed the successful integration of outsiders. Half of my family is Jewish, from both Sephardi and Ashkenazi lineages, while the other is mixed British and Burmese. They could all belong to this country indeed, fight for it due to the separation of ethnicity and Britishness. Different relatives voted in different ways. This is unique to the West. As Sir Roger Scruton observed: Our obligations to others, to the country and to the state have been revised in a direction that has opened the way to the admission of people from outside the community provided that they, too, can live according to the liberal ideal of citizenship. This is our miracle. Only now it is being undone. Before our eyes, great numbers who reject Scrutons liberal ideal of citizenship are organising along tribal lines. Once this foundation-stone is lost, the cathedral of our civilisation will be in danger of collapsing into tribalism, demolishing the synagogue within it. In truth, this has been done to us by centrist fundamentalist elites. Did they really think that abandoning our schools, universities, public institutions and worst of all our borders to radical progressive ideologues would have no effect? The backlash against the proscription of Palestine Action was another sign of this cultural shift. In one revealing video, a middle-class activist in a short skirt and two keffiyehs, flying a Palestine flag, accused the government of choosing war and profiteering. Her closing remark was chilling. As always, she chuckled gleefully, I cannot wait for the West to fall. God knows what she hoped would replace it. But it couldnt be clearer. This is not Israels problem, its ours. England head coach Sarina Wiegman felt the defending champions created their own problems after opening their Euro 2025 campaign with a 2-1 loss to France in Zurich. The Lionesses were forced to regroup after Alessia Russo had an early goal chalked off following a VAR review for offside in the build-up and needed to dig deep after Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore scored within four first-half minutes. But England struggled to get a shot on target, ending the contest with just two, and, while late substitutions sparked the Lionesses into life in the closing stages, Keira Walshs 87th-minute goal proved mere consolation. Sarina Wiegman's #WEURO2025 opening Group D game assessment Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 5, 2025 Of course, Im very disappointed, said Wiegman. I think we started well. After that, of course we know France are very good, but we created chances (for France) by playing short passes all the time. We were a bit sloppy too. It was a first major tournament group-stage defeat for the Dutch head coach, who won the Euros with the Netherlands in 2017 before leading England to a maiden major trophy three summers ago. She added: When we built, we chose to do short passes and they were aiming for that. They were pretty good in midfield, so I think we had to go around at moments. On the right side, we had overloads where we could find that, but then you have to skip players and not play the short passes, but when you receive them you have to be tighter on the ball and be quicker. We played out of that press that developed too, so I think we caused a bit of our own problems, knowing that when you dont do these things right against France, its a very good team so they can harm you. How things stand after Matchday 1 #WEURO2025 pic.twitter.com/qK5VJZPpvU UEFA Women's EURO 2025 (@WEURO2025) July 5, 2025 The Lionesses task does not get any easier, with the Netherlands on Wednesday now looking even more like a must-win game to avoid the genuine possibility of an early exit. Lauren James, who returned from a three-month hamstring injury absence in a 30-minute cameo in their Jamaica send-off friendly on Sunday, was deemed fit to start and played an hour. The Chelsea forward looked a threat on the ball, missing a good chance in the first minute before her attempt to tee up a team-mate with a cross evaded several English heads. Asked if it was an error to start the 23-year-old, Wiegman said: No. I dont see it as a mistake. Its a choice and I think if shed scored in the first minute and if the cross she made, we just couldnt get a head on, I think it would have been a different conversation. Alex Greenwood (left) and Leah Williamson reflect on the defeat (Nick Potts/PA). Captain Leah Williamson told ITV she felt the Lionesses defended cheaply in one-on-ones and also lost the ball cheaply, (so) youre defending in an emergency. Fellow defender Jess Carter said: I think we played like we were a little bit scared today, maybe we werent aggressive enough, we maybe were worrying about their threats in behind and what they can do rather than doing what we can do. But Carter shrugged off the suggestion England now have a big uphill battle, adding: I dont really think its any different, before the tournament even started we knew we had to win games and we set out to win every single game and that doesnt change now. Credit: X Rioters in Melbourne set fire to a synagogue and ransacked an Israeli restaurant while shouting death to the IDF as the notorious chant used at Glastonbury appeared to spread to Australia. Jewish community leaders in the city said they suffered two anti-Semitic attacks within half an hour of each other on Friday, as they called for the full force of the law to be used against the perpetrators. At about 8pm, a group of unidentified men were caught on CCTV pouring flammable liquid on the door of the East Melbourne Synagogue, attempting to burn it down while 20 people were worshipping inside. Shortly afterwards, the Israeli-owned restaurant Miznon, which specialises in Mediterranean-style street food, was targeted by rioters. Across town a short time later, a mob chanting death to the IDF stormed an Israeli restaurant, terrorised diners and caused extensive damage, said Alex Ryvchin, co-leader of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. Credit: X / @WorldOfMarkyD These events are a severe escalation directed towards our community and clear evidence that the anti-Semitism crisis is not only continuing, but getting worse. We urge all sides of politics and all Australians to condemn these deplorable crimes, he added. The attacks took place after sundown on Friday, at the beginning of the Sabbath where Jews attend synagogues or gather for their weekly Shabbat dinner. Worshippers were able to escape the flames through a rear exit of the synagogue. The words death, death to the IDF were chanted by the British punk musician Bob Vylan during his performance at the Glastonbury music festival last week, triggering an avalanche of criticism of the BBC which live streamed the performance. The rioters who entered the restaurant threw chairs, smashed glasses, overturned tables and threw food around as the diners fled, Australian news outlet 7News reported. Pro-Palestine supporters clash with staff at Miznon restaurant in Melbourne - JOSH STANYER/EPA/Shutterstock Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, has condemned the attacks and said he would offer federal government support to state authorities in Victoria. Those responsible for these shocking acts must face the full force of the law and my government will provide all necessary support toward this effort, he said. Sussan Ley, the leader of the Australian opposition, described the attacks as horrifying and said it was now impossible to ignore the growing crisis of anti-Semitism in Australia. The protesters who targeted the restaurant said they chose it because it belongs to Shahar Segal, a supporter of the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which distributes aid in the Gaza Strip. The GHF is backed by Israel and the US but condemned by much of the rest of the international community. Since it began operations in May, at least 400 Palestinians trying to access its aid sites have been shot dead by Israeli forces. This week a former contractor for the GHF told the BBC that he witnessed his colleagues shoot unarmed Palestinians who were trying to collect aid despite them posing no threat to soldiers. Israel and GHF have denied this. Spray paint Later on Friday, Australian police said they were investigating a third incident in Greensborough, a suburb of Melbourne, where three cars were set on fire. The offenders also used spray paint on one of the cars and on a building wall. One of the cars was destroyed, while the other two were moderately damaged. We have local detectives investigating and they have the support of our counter-terrorism command as well as our crime command, Victoria police said in a statement. Officers have also circulated a picture of a man that they would like to speak to in connection with the synagogue attack which is being treated as an act of terrorism by the authorities . Police arrested a 28-year-old on suspicion of hindering police at the scene of the Miznon restaurant attack, and later released him pending a court summons, CNN Australia reported. Mr Ryvchin said the night of violence marked a return to the anti-Semitic terror of the summer months, referring to a spate of similar incidents in 2024 as Israels war in Gaza raged. Those who chant for death are not peace activists. Those who would burn houses of prayer with families inside do not seek an end to war, he added. There is a violent ideology at work in our country that operates on the fringes of politics and social movements, that taps into anger and prejudice, and smirks as businesses are destroyed, lives are threatened and proud, patriotic Australians experience fear in their own homes and their own streets. Spice Girls star Emma Bunton was among celebrities who descended on St Pauls Cathedral to celebrate the wedding of her former bandmate Mel B. The 50-year-old singer, whose full name is Melanie Brown, announced her engagement to hairdresser Rory McPhee in October 2022. Ahead of the wedding Mel B worked closely with Evelie Bridal and Josephine Scott to design her luxury georgette crepe gown. Spice Girl Melanie Brown arrives for her wedding to hairdresser Rory McPhee at St Pauls Cathedral, London (Toby Shepheard/PA) Celebrity faces were spotted arriving at the ceremony on Saturday afternoon, including Bunton, known as Baby Spice, along with her partner Jade Jones and son Beau. Model Daisy Lowe and her husband Jordan Saul were also seen arriving at the ceremony along with comedians Tom Allen and Katherine Ryan. Comedian and TV star Leigh Francis, who previously had Mel B as a team captain on his comedy panel series Celebrity Juice, also attended the wedding. Emma Bunton, her partner Jade Jones and son Beau arrive for the wedding of Spice Girl Melanie Brown to Rory McPhee at St Pauls Cathedral (Toby Shepheard/PA) Caroline Black, owner of Evelie Bridal, told the PA news agency: For her look at St Pauls Cathedral, Melanie B wanted a bespoke gown that embodies strength, sensuality, and timeless glamour. The dress was described by Ms Black as a luxury georgette crepe gown with a sculpted corset bodice which features intricate draping that hugs the silhouette and flows into a dramatic, sweeping train. It also has a sheer illusion detachable jacket, hand-embellished with pearl constellations which has been described as creating a high-neck, long-sleeve effect that frames her shoulders and adds ethereal elegance to complement the ceremony and honour St Pauls etiquette. Spice Girl Melanie Brown and her husband Rory McPhee leave St Pauls Cathedral, London, after their wedding (Toby Shepheard/PA) Mel B also wore a cathedral-length veil which was embroidered with scattered pearls to complete the look. Speaking about the process of styling Mel B for her wedding day, Ms Black described it as an honour and nothing short of extraordinary. She said: Helping a real Spice Girl choose her wedding dress what could possibly top that? But whats truly made this experience so meaningful is getting to know Mel as just Mel, not the icon, but the woman. Melanie Brown and Rory McPhee kiss at St Pauls Cathedral, London, after their wedding (Toby Shepheard/PA) Its been such an honour. Ms Scott said: Designing this gown for Mel was about capturing her fearless spirit and softness all in one look. Shes iconic, powerful, and radiant and this dress had to be worthy of that. Every detail was chosen to honour her strength and sensuality, while celebrating the woman and the love story beneath the girl power. Mel B was previously married to Stephen Belafonte until she filed for divorce in 2017 following allegations of abuse. Phoenix Gulzar (left) and sister Madison Brown Belafonte arrive for the wedding of their mother Melanie Brown at St Pauls Cathedral (Toby Shepheard/PA) They have a daughter, Madison Brown Belafonte. Mel B also has two daughters, Phoenix Chi Gulzar and Angel Iris Murphy Brown, from two previous relationships. The Spanish prime minister is already contending with graft investigations relating to his wife and his brother, who both deny any wrongdoing. Photograph: Cristina Quicler/AFP/Getty Images Pedro Sanchezs efforts to reset Spains ruling socialist party after damaging corruption allegations that threatened to topple his coalition government have suffered a severe setback after a party official resigned over accusations of sexual harassment. The prime minister had hoped this weekends meeting of the federal committee of his Spanish Socialist Workers party (PSOE) would help the party move past weeks of scandals that have undermined the ethical and anti-corruption pledges on which it came to power seven years ago. But such hopes were flattened late on Friday night after the online newspaper elDiario published allegations from various female PSOE workers who said they had been subjected to sexual harassment by Francisco Salazar, who oversaw institutional coordination at the Moncloa palace, the office and official residence of the prime minister. The accusations prompted Salazar to announce on Saturday that he was stepping down from that post and from his new role as a deputy in the PSOEs organisational secretariat. He told elDiario he could not recall any inappropriate interactions. Ive racked my brains over it and it seems mind-boggling to me, he said. I keep wondering if Ive screwed up and said something inappropriate to a workmate, and the truth is, I cant find [an example]. Sources at Moncloa, in Madrid, said an investigation had been launched, but added that no official complaints had so far been made against Salazar. On Saturday, Sanchez apologised again for what he called his misplaced confidence in those accused of wrongdoing, adding: I was wrong to place my trust in people who didnt deserve it, but we wont fall short in a time of democratic regeneration. The prime minister, who is under growing pressure to call a snap election, said he had no intention of stepping down. The captain doesnt shirk his responsibility when the sea gets rough; he stays put to ride out the storm and guide the ship to port, he said. Salazars resignation is the latest blow to the prime ministers authority and judgment. On Monday, Santos Cerdan who served as the PSOEs organisational secretary and was Sanchez right-hand man was remanded in custody after a supreme court judge found firm evidence of his possible involvement in taking kickbacks on public construction contracts. The investigation began after the Guardia Civil police anti-corruption unit handed material to the court that suggested Cerdan had discussed taking such kickbacks with the former PSOE transport minister Jose Luis Abalos and one of the ministers aides, Koldo Garcia. Abalos and Garcia are also under investigation and have denied wrongdoing. Cerdan, who stepped down from his party role and resigned his parliamentary seat shortly after the news broke, has vowed to clear his name. Sanchez, who became prime minister in 2018 after using a motion of no confidence to turf the corruption-mired conservative Peoples party (PP) out of government, is already contending with graft investigations relating to his wife and his brother, who deny any wrongdoing. A former PSOE member was also recently implicated in an alleged smear campaign against the Guardia Civil unit investigating the corruption allegations. The PP said the latest allegations were further proof of the prime ministers poor judgment and his unfitness to lead the country. He has no credibility and his supposed fight against corruption and sexism is mere posturing, PP sources said on Saturday. Sanchez is as good at being prime minister as he is at talent-spotting. Either there arent many decent people in his party or hes not very good at choosing people who deserve to be in Spanish politics. Calls for a fresh election are also beginning to bubble up within some sections of the socialist party. Emiliano Garcia-Page, the PSOE president of the Castilla-La Mancha region, said the time had come to let parliament and the people have their say. According to elDiario, Garcia-Page used Saturdays party meeting to ask Sanchez to consider holding a confidence vote in parliament. I dont know if well win it, he said. But if we dont, then dont rule out the option of calling an election. George Ford was pleased with Englands second-half display in a 35-12 victory over Argentina on a special night for the fly-half. Ford marked his 100th appearance for England with a 15-point haul in La Plata as he pulled the strings for Steve Borthwicks makeshift line-up. Without several players due to British and Irish Lions commitments, Ford and fellow co-captain Jamie George stepped up to help England through a difficult first half, in which they were temporarily reduced to 13 men, before they attacked with aplomb after the break. Tom Roebuck grabbed a brace of second-half tries and Freddie Steward also crossed before Cadan Murley wrapped up the scoring late on to earn a comprehensive win, which was all the more impressive given Alex Coles and Seb Atkinson were sent to the sin-bin at the same time during the opening period. Fords drop goal proved the difference between the teams at the break and, in addition to three successful conversions, the Sale fly-half sent over two penalties in quick succession as Argentina threatened a response to help ease England to victory. We just wanted to perform well and win, Ford told Sky Sports. Its all about the team as always. We understand how difficult it is here in Argentina, so it is a great win for us. We were under pressure in the first half, gave away too many penalties and could not get out of our half. We had to make sure second half we got out of our half and created some try-scoring opportunities, which we did early in the second half. We have to back it up next week and we know Argentina will come back at us. Another challenge that we will look forward to. England were indebted to co-captain George after Coles was given a yellow card for a head-on-head contact with Facundo Isa. Yet, after Santiago Carreras missed a simply penalty for the hosts, Ford reprised his role as chief tormentor of Argentina with a fine drop goal to make it 3-0 at the break. Atkinson had also been shown a yellow card by this point as England were briefly down to 13, but three tries in nine minutes at the start of the second half meant those cards mattered little. Sale wing Roebuck crashed over on the right inside two minutes before Fords slick pass sent old Leicester team-mate Steward across the line. When Roebuck grabbed his second soon after Argentina looked set for a long night. However, tries for Pablo Matera and Pedro Rubiolo helped raise the prospect of an unlikely comeback, only for Ford to nail two long-range penalties before Murphy dotted down to seal a clinical away win. Harvey Milk in his shop, Castro Camera, in San Francisco, California, in 1975. Photograph: Janet Fries/Getty Images As San Franciscos pride festivities came to a close last week, a cloud hung over the otherwise joyful celebrations as the citys LGBTQ+ community learned that the US government had stripped a naval ship of its name honoring the gay rights pioneer Harvey Milk. Donald Trumps defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, claimed the action showed the administrations commitment to taking the politics out of military naming conventions. San Franciscos queer community saw things differently. For many, the move was yet another example of Trump taking a swipe at progressive values. To others, the decision to remove Milks name from the frigate represented something more sinister: an intention, on the part of an emboldened administration, to take the LGBTQ+ community out of public view and to strike their accomplishments from the historical record. Its blatant malice. They want to erase us and eradicate our history like we dont exist Eric Berchtold On its own, it is not the most significant offense that weve witnessed in the past six months, said Marc Stein, a professor of history at San Francisco State University who researches sexuality and politics. But when combined with so many other things, it sends a powerful message. Hegseths announcement is the latest attack on Milks legacy from conservatives in California and on the national stage. In 2023, the southern California city of Temecula made news when its school board attempted to remove references to Milk from elementary school textbooks. Before that, it was revealed that Tucker Carlson, while a college student, had apparently been connected to a society celebrating Milks murderer. Related: Accelerated censorship: advocates criticize US supreme court ruling on LGBTQ+ books Since Trump took office, the rollback of LGBTQ+ rights and visibility has only accelerated, from a directive to purge the military of transgender service members, to a supreme court decision allowing K-12 students to opt out of reading materials with LGBTQ+ themes. Taken together, LGBTQ+ advocates and community members fear that much of the progress made to secure their rights since Milks assassination in 1978 is in peril. The renaming of the ship is part of a broader pattern wherein the Trump administration and its allies are trying to roll back the advances of the last several decades, said Stein. At the Cinch Saloon, a historic gay bar in San Franciscos Polk Gulch district, Junes Pride month celebrations were held against a backdrop of conversations about the fate of the community. Bartender Eric Berchtold expressed fear that the administration is working up to rescind the right to same-sex marriage. Its blatant malice, Berchtold said. They want to erase us and eradicate our history like we dont exist. Suzanne Ford, executive director of San Francisco Pride, said that fears of rolling back progress have been felt most acutely by older members of the community who were part of the gay liberation movement in the 1960s and 70s. Among those affected people are Cleve Jones, an activist and friend of Milks who worked in Milks office when he was city supervisor. I can remember when we were criminalized, when we were routinely beaten and fired, when you could not have a job if you were known to be gay, said Jones. When Milk was elected as city supervisor in 1977, he became Californias first openly gay elected official. Two decades prior, he had been forced to resign from the navy due to his sexuality. Thats why publicly displaying Milks name on a military vessel represents much more than a public gesture, explained Craig Loftin, professor of American studies at California State University, Fullerton and a scholar of LGBTQ+ history. In the big-picture history of LGBTQ people, the quest for public visibility and recognition is at the core and center of that narrative, he said. [Milk] was a leader in this idea of not hiding in the shadows. A swinging pendulum That isnt to say that the quest for gay liberation has been linear. While the gay liberation movement made enormous strides on the fronts of decriminalization and visibility in the 1960s and 70s, the rise of the religious right as a powerful political bloc in the 80s paused progress. That coincided with the onset of the Aids pandemic, which devastated gay communities across the country nowhere more acutely than in San Francisco. In response to silence on the part of the federal government and the Reagan administration, a new wave of activism was spurred that demanded research into treatment and condemned homophobic discrimination. Its waxed and waned, said Loftin. It took several years before we had activist groups like Act Up channeling their rage in a strategic, focused way that yielded significant results and moved gay culture further than where it had been, Loftin said. In the decades that followed, the community saw same-sex marriage legalized, the militarys Dont ask dont tell policy repealed, and, most recently, a surge of visibility for trans Americans. There is a pendulum quality to a lot of history, but especially LGBT history. Knowing this, Loftin is hopeful that the community will come together and fight back with vigor. My optimistic thought is that because theyre hitting us so hard and so fast, the pendulum will swing back the other direction, hopefully harder and faster, he said. [Trump] is awakening a dragon. Berchtold, the Cinch Saloon bartender, said he saw a lot more activism among patrons today than he did when he started working at the bar 22 years ago. Jones is more fearful. To him, there is a gulf between an older generation that remembers the traumas of past decades, and a younger cohort that takes the advances for granted. Younger ones never watched everyone they knew die, said Jones. I carry those memories with me as I interact daily with young people who are completely oblivious to that reality. Everything feels very fragile To Stein and others, what is most jarring about the renaming of USNS Harvey Milk is that it lifts the veil on which groups the administration plans to target. Until now, policy decisions have primarily focused on restricting the rights of trans Americans which advocates say has had the effect of making cisgender members of the LGBTQ+ community complacent. It is a lie that the administration is only going after trans people, said Stein. They are especially targeting trans people but [cis] gay and lesbian people should not feel like they are going to be safe from whats happening. Jones echoed: There is a significant number of gay and lesbian men and women who may think this is going to stop with trans people. Thats just foolishness. Advocates and scholars also see attacks on the LGBTQ+ community as connected to the administrations larger ambitions to curb civil liberties, including those of women and immigrants. There is going to be great variation depending on where you live, said Stein, drawing a thread between disparities in access to gender-affirming care, abortion rights and immigrant protections. Those of us who are in San Francisco and California are protected in some respects from the worst of whats going on, but we also live in a nation with a powerful federal government. Everything is very fragile at this moment, added Ford. You cant take for granted that theyre not going to try to take your rights. Jones says that if he were alive today, Harvey Milk would agree. A Jewish American who came of age during the second world war, he would have seen the governments actions as indicative of an unhealthy democracy and sounded the alarm. He would say, Watch out. We are on the brink. It is happening again. It is unfolding all around us. This article was amended on 7 July 2025. Harvey Milk was Californias first openly gay elected official, not the countrys as an earlier version stated. Also, the Cinch Saloon is in San Franciscos Polk Gulch district, not the Castro. Iranian missiles appear to have directly hit five Israeli military facilities during the recent 12-day war, according to radar data seen by The Telegraph. The strikes have not been made public by the Israeli authorities and cannot be reported from within the country because of strict military censorship laws. They will further complicate the battle of words between the enemies, with both sides attempting to claim absolute victory. The new data were shared with The Telegraph by US academics at Oregon State University, who specialise in using satellite radar data to detect bomb damage in war zones. It suggests five previously unreported military facilities were hit by six Iranian missiles in the north, south and centre of Israel, including a major air base, an intelligence gathering centre and a logistics base. Approached by The Telegraph on Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it would not comment on missile interception rates or damage to its bases. What we can say is that all relevant units maintained functional continuity throughout the operation, said a spokesman. The strikes on the military facilities are in addition to 36 others known to have pierced Israeli air-defence systems, causing significant damage to residential and industrial infrastructure. Despite the considerable damage to residential property across the country, only 28 Israelis died a testament to the countrys sophisticated alert system and the disciplined use of bomb shelters and safe rooms by the population. Analysis by The Telegraph suggests that while the vast majority of Iranian missiles were intercepted, the proportion that got through grew steadily in the first eight days of the 12-day war. The reasons for this, say experts, are not clear but may include the rationing of a limited stock of interceptor missiles on the Israeli side and improved firing tactics and the possible use of more sophisticated missiles by Iran. Although the Iron Dome is Israels best-known air-defence system, it is actually designed to protect against short-range projectiles such as mortars and is only one part of the layered air-defence system the country uses. In the middle tier stands the Davids Sling air-defence system, which is optimised for intercepting drones and missiles with ranges up to 300km. At the top is the Arrow system, which engages long-range ballistic missiles before they re-enter the atmosphere. Importantly, the Israeli systems were backed up throughout the 12-day war by two US ground-based THAAD missile-defence systems and ship-based interceptors launched from US assets in the Red Sea. The US is estimated to have launched at least 36 THAAD interceptors during the war at a cost of some $12 million a time. In Israel, a densely packed small country of just 9.7 million people, the piercing of the countrys famed missile-defence systems has come as a shock, with the authorities having to issue notices warning that they were not hermetic. Credit: Reuters The 15,000 made homeless are especially conspicuous as they have been distributed to hotel accommodation throughout the country and the restriction of residential sites has been reported freely. But there has also been growing suspicion within the country that military targets were hit. Raviv Drucker of Channel 13, one of the countrys best-known journalists, said last week: There were a lot of [Iranian] missile hits in IDF bases, in strategic sites that we still dont report about to this day... It created a situation where people dont realise how precise the Iranians were and how much damage they caused in many places. Corey Scher, a researcher at Oregon State University, said his unit was working on a fuller assessment of missile damage in both Israel and Iran, and would publish its findings in around two weeks. He said the radar system data that they used to assess damage measured changes in the built environment to detect blasts and that absolute confirmation of hits would necessitate either on-the-ground reporting at the military sites concerned or satellite pictures. The Telegraphs data analysis shows the combined US and Israeli defence systems performed well overall, but were letting through around 16 per cent of missiles by day seven of the war. This broadly accords with an earlier IDF estimate for the defence system that put the success rate at 87 per cent. In Iran, Islamic Republic officials and state media are using footage of missiles penetrating Israeli air defences in an attempt to convince domestic audiences they won the war. There are cartoons mocking the Iron Dome in Iranian media with revolutionary songs playing over videos of missiles hitting Israeli cities. Iranian officials say that the main way Israels air defences were pierced was by using missiles and drones at the same time to confuse defence systems. Fast missiles mixed with slower drones confused the defences and made them split their attention, officials claim. The main goal of firing [suicide drones] at Israel is always to keep their systems busy, one Iranian official told The Telegraph. Many dont even get through theyre intercepted but they still cause confusion. Maj Gen Ali Fazli, the IRGCs deputy commander-in-chief, appeared on state TV on Thursday night, claiming implausibly that Iran was in the best defensive position in the 47-year history of the Islamic Revolution never before have we been at such a level in terms of military readiness, operational cohesion, and fighter morale. This despite Israels proven ability to strike at will over the entire country and the substantial damage caused to the countrys military leadership and nuclear programme. Nevertheless, it is likely that a large part of Irans ballistic missile arsenal remains untouched. Even by Israeli estimates, only half of its launchers were destroyed in the 12-day conflict and substantial stocks of missiles remain. Iran had about 400 launchers, and we destroyed more than 200 of them, which caused a bottleneck in their missile operations, an Israeli military official said on Thursday They added: We assessed that Iran had approximately 2,000 to 2,500 ballistic missiles at the beginning of this conflict. However, they were rapidly moving toward a mass-production strategy, which could see their missile stockpile grow to 8,000 or even 20,000 missiles in the next few years. Maj Gen Fazli claimed that underground cities of missiles remained untouched in Iran. We have not yet opened the doors of even one of our missile cities, he claimed on Thursday. We assess that so far only about 25 to 30 per cent of existing missile capability has been used and, at the same time, the production cycle is powerfully supporting this operational capacity. Tanaiste Simon Harris speaking to the media at Government Buildings, Dublin - Grainne Ni Aodha/PA In 1996, the foreign editor of the Irish Times, Paul Gillespie, leafed through Irelands first military white paper. The document was notably vague on the countrys role in global affairs. Precisely the absence of strategic interests, he warned, can tempt small states into a moralistic response to international political issues. How prescient that now seems. After October 7, the Irish government wasted no time clambering onto a soap box to issue proclamations about the most complex urban war in living memory, from the comfort of an island on the edge of Western Europe. Free from threats, and with the RAF guarding its skies, the solutions to a conflict 3,500 miles away seem irritatingly obvious to Dublin. Hamas tunnel networks dwarfing the London Underground, booby-trapped homes, hospitals repurposed as terror bunkers, were mere details repeatedly brushed aside with calls for de-escalation and, more fatuously, a two-state solution. This may have had a cathartic effect for both politicians and constituents, who are joined by much of the world in their dismay at the destruction in Gaza. But wars are not won with platitudes, nor with hollow gestures dressed up as policy. To the extent this basic truth has dawned on Dublin and the odd glimmer of self-awareness suggests it might have it hasnt dampened its appetite to intervene. This week, Ireland raced to become the first European country to ban imports from Israels occupied territories. There isnt another country in the European Union, boasted the foreign minister, Simon Harris, that you can visit today and ask a government minister about their bill to ban trade because they dont have one. The braggadocio didnt end there. Ireland stood, in his estimation, as a lone beacon for humanity, speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza. All very well. But what exactly does that entail? On Wednesday, the cabinet approved the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill. The Bill is a curious artefact not least because its acronym, PIG, invites unfortunate interpretations, particularly given the Irish governments increasing animosity toward Israel. If passed, it will ban imports from the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, and Gaza a wide net. Camp David is firmly in the rear-view mirror The connection between the first three regions and the war in Gaza is tenuous at best. When someone raises the issue of the settlements in this context, its often a sign they view the current conflict through the lens of an earlier, more sanguine era. Camp David is firmly in the rear-view mirror. Today, the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, loathes Hamas and shares Israels desire to see them expunged. There remains no party with which to negotiate the stewardship of the territories now commonly referred to as Palestinian each captured, incidentally, by Israel in wars it did not initiate. Such nuances vanish under the telescopic moralism through which Dublin views the conflict in the Middle East. No one is glued to that telescope more firmly than Simon Harris, the former taoiseach whose tenure saw the re-opening of an embassy in Tehran and the closure of Israels embassy in Dublin, shortly before its foreign minister branded Harris antisemitic. That accusation may be too simplistic. Theres no reason to suspect Mr Harris is prejudiced against Jews, as such, but the Jewish State is another matter. Last year, upon becoming the leader of Fine Gael, Mr Harris disinvited the Israeli ambassador from his first party conference. Her Iranian counterpart, meanwhile, was free to attend. Mr Harris is determined to, as he puts it, pull every lever at his disposal to pressure Israel to end the conflict. Needless to say, depriving the Israeli economy of 200,000 worth of mostly dates and avocados wont exactly blow a hole in its war chest. With the addition of East Jerusalem, the bill would, however, make it illegal for Irish tourists to bring home souvenirs from the Old City. The sight of customs officers quizzing arrivals on where in the Jewish State they bought their Madonna sculpture could prove an unpleasant novelty that the land of a thousand welcomes may come to regret. Ireland... is on a hateful, antisemitic path The repercussions may be further reaching than that. On Wednesday, senator Jim Risch, chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, lambasted the decision. Ireland, while often a valuable US partner, is on a hateful, antisemitic path that will only lead to self-inflicted economic suffering, he warned. This is not idle talk. More than 30 US states have enacted anti-boycott laws which sanction companies boycotting Israel. Donald Trump has already indicated he would do the same. With the US as its largest trading partner, Ireland has effectively assembled a financial landmine and publicly declared its intention to step on it. One would have thought Mr Harris has more pressing matters to attend to than inflicting economic harm on his countrymen for a gesture that is, by the governments admission, purely symbolic. The US has already threatened to reshore its pharmaceutical industry, on which Irelands economy depends. Only this week, Japan expressed concerns to the taoiseach over the security of subsea cables off the Irish coast vital arteries for data and energy between Europe and America which are increasingly stalked by Russian submarines. Of course, from Dublins point of view, this is someone elses problem namely the Anglo-American defence umbrella which has allowed it to get by with negligible defence spending while its European colleagues scramble for funds. How else would Ireland find the time, and the resources, to arbitrate Israeli settlements? Small countries that believe in their own exceptionalism often develop the peculiar neurosis of needing to, as it were, punch above their weight. With limited material power, this tendency is usually expressed by grandstanding on the international stage. Sweden once styled itself a moral superpower, until its rhetoric collided with reality, helping turn it into the bomb and grenade attack capital of the developed world. Ireland, increasingly, appears determined to trace the same path. Aid to Gaza: Tens of thousands of lorries have entered the strip since October 2023 - EYAD BABA/AFP Why is it taking Israel so long to conclude the war in Gaza? This is the question many around the world are asking. Critics of Israel suggest the prolonged conflict indicates a desire to wage an endless war aimed at killing as many innocents as possible. Meanwhile, Israels supporters express concern about its deteriorating international standing. Lets add another question: how was Israel able to accomplish its objectives in the remarkable operation in Iran within just 12 days, or conclude its groundbreaking campaign against Hezbollah in 70 days, while the Gaza conflict drags on for 20 months without a clear resolution in sight? There are three key reasons for this. The first is hostages. Israel displays extraordinary sensitivity towards its captured citizens and soldiers. While studying in London, I wrote a thesis on hostage deals, noting Israel often exchanges 1,000 terrorists for a single soldier. My professor returned my paper, advising me to correct what he thought was a typing error he simply couldnt believe any country would agree to such terms. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) avoids entering certain areas to prevent harming hostages. For Hamas, these hostages have become a get-out-of-jail-free card: whenever the groups situation deteriorates, they release a few hostages, gaining a two-month respite to regroup. The second is international pressure. From the outset of the war, the Biden administration pressed Israel to allow humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza. As a result, tens of thousands have entered the strip since the conflict began. Tragically, rather than humanitarian assistance reaching civilians, what entered Gaza effectively provided Hamas with cash and resources. It stole aid supplies, reselling them at exorbitant prices as much as $37 for a single cigarette. Hamas also taxed the merchants on their profits, filling its pockets with hundreds of millions of dollars. This money enabled Hamas to recruit new fighters, pay salaries to its officials, and sustain its oppressive regime over Gazas residents. The situation resembles the tale of Baron Munchausen, whose horse was cut in half by a cannonball. He kept watering the horse endlessly, yet it was futile, as all the water merely spilled from the other side. This is precisely what has happened here. Israel has killed most of Hamass fighting force, only to encounter new terrorists paid with funds indirectly provided by Israel itself, due to international pressure. Last year, CNNs veteran war correspondent Christiane Amanpour questioned me about why Israel wasnt allowing more aid into Gaza. Heres a question back to Ms Amanpour: can you name one other war youve covered where one side was expected to supply humanitarian aid to its enemy? The international community, in its effort to help Gazas population, has inadvertently prolonged their suffering by extending the conflict. The third is internal to Israels strategy. Hamass strength relied on fighters, territory and an extensive network of tunnels. During the wars first year, facing a second front against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israel did not have enough divisions to attack all of Hamass strongholds in Gaza simultaneously. It conducted temporary raids aimed at eliminating militants. However, as soon as the IDF withdrew, Hamas replenished its ranks. With the northern conflict resolved, the IDF has now adopted a different strategy: permanently seizing territory and systematically destroying Hamass tunnel networks, denying fighters places to retreat. Hamas today controls just a quarter of the Gaza Strip. Those who wish to see Hamas removed should support Israels effort to distribute humanitarian aid through an independent authority, and allow a few more months for this mission to conclude. If uninterrupted, this will take no longer. The entire world will benefit. Amit Segal is an Israeli political analyst and author of the daily newsletter Its Noon in Israel Left to right: The Labour deputy leader, Angela Rayner; the mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin; the prime minister, Keir Starmer; and the mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA Keir Starmers government appears disjointed from the rest of the Labour party just a year after taking power, regional mayors have said, with one blaming No 10 for overseeing a mess of our own making. Steve Rotheram, the Labour mayor of Liverpool city region, said Downing Streets repeated missteps were winding up people who wanted to back the government. Speaking as the party marked 12 months in government after a stunning election win last summer, during which Starmer campaigned on an agenda of national renewal centred around a message of change, Rotherham said people were willing to forgive the occasional miscalculation but that the climbdowns over winter fuel payments and the welfare bill had left Starmers operation looking like a mess. He said: What I think has exacerbated this feeling by many, not just politicians but people around the country, who look at this and think its a mess. Well, its a mess of our own making, he said. We could have avoided some of this by just listening to some of the people in the party who want to support Starmer, want to support Labour, but are finding it difficult because the mistakes are made and they could have been avoided. Rotheram, a former MP who was elected as first Liverpool city region mayor in 2017, said the government appeared disjointed from the rest of Labour. He added: I dont think its necessarily about Keir or Keirs team necessarily although there are definitely some siren voices around all of that but I do think its about the feeling that theres a lack of connectivity between different bits of the party. Tracy Brabin, the Labour mayor of West Yorkshire, urged Starmer to place the devolution of power at the heart of his premiership. She said The devolution revolution has been all too quickly forgotten by some [government] departments despite mayors driving incredible change for our communities bringing growth, hope and optimism. Brabin, a former shadow culture secretary who took office in West Yorkshire in 2021, said Labour had an opportunity to win back the trust of voters who had lost confidence in politicians ability to improve their lives by backing mayors with more powers. The call was repeated by Oliver Coppard, the Labour mayor of South Yorkshire, who urged government ministers to invest more in frontline policing in the region and in its cultural sector. But he said ministers appeared genuinely interested in what he was trying to achieve in South Yorkshire, describing dealings with them as chalk and cheese compared with the absolute shambles under the Conservatives. The difference is I think this government listens and I hope this government learns. That certainly seems to be the case. I want things to go better, of course I do, because whats good for South Yorkshire is good for this country and vice versa. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post See our guide at theguardian.com/tips for alternative methods and the pros and cons of each. Angela Rayner, the local government secretary, has promised to extend devolution to all parts of England, starting with new combined authorities in six regions Cumbria, Cheshire, Essex, Hampshire, East Anglia and Sussex due to elect metro mayors in May 2026, with a further scheme in Lancashire. That would mean almost 70% of Englands population, about 40 million people, would be represented by 21 mayors with various levels of devolved powers. The Institute for Government said the plans could mark the start of a generational shift in power away from Whitehall. Rotheram urged Starmers government to use its existing mayors more frequently as a way of demonstrating the partys successes. My message is that we are here to help, he said. There are things we can all do that will help the party demonstrate its economic competence. We havent been used as much as we could and should have been, and hopefully we will in the future. BBC Director-General Tim Davie answering questions on BBC - Andrew Milligan/PA As Rachel Reeves can uncomfortably attest, resisting the urge to cry at inconvenient moments can end in failure. I discovered this myself, one afternoon, in Tim Davies office. The situation arose following an email I had sent to the Director General in an entirely personal capacity and at a moment of bleak despair. This was at the end of 2023. Despite the atrocities of October 7, the Jewish community was bleeding: antisemitism in the UK was spiralling, oxygenated, I and many fellow Jews felt, by the BBCs skewered anti-Israel coverage. Writing more to vent my own feelings, I asked Davie to come and address the Jewish community directly and in Manchester, where I lived. Since the Jews in the North far from London and BBC accountability were feeling especially vulnerable. To his credit and my amazement, he replied. Following further emails and out of what? decency or tick box obligation (probably both) he agreed to meet me. When I made the case in his office he seemed at first inscrutable. Was it the cracking in my voice or the fact I was fighting back tears which made him relent? I cant verify (as the BBC might say). Either way, Davie promised that though he couldnt attend such an event in person, he would send senior executives. And so under the aegis of the Northern Advocacy Group (NAG) a Manchester-based organisation committed to holding institutions accountable for manifest anti-Israel bias the event was arranged. What followed was unprecedented. More than 500 Jewish community members gathered in Manchester (double the number attending a similar event in London) for what would be the largest live public forum to date in which BBC executives were challenged, face to face, on the reporting of our public funded broadcaster and its consequences. The audience was respectful but the questions were unflinching. Why wont you call Hamas terrorists? What about the factual inaccuracies? Do you understand what your bias and prejudice does to us? Having been asked to chair the event I watched the executives closely as they nodded, listened, and gave carefully worded answers to make their case. But when I asked for a show of hands from those who still didnt trust the BBC, 500 arms spiked in the air. After the event, three more intimate roundtable discussions followed, giving community members the chance to air further grievances with senior BBC figures. The process stretched out over a year. It ended last March. And still after listening to the Jewish people make their unsparing case, the BBC insisted it had found no evidence of institutional bias. The experience surely lifts the bonnet on why accusations of anti-Israel bias and, at times, naked antisemitism continue to dog the BBC. Namely a culture of weakness that runs right to the top. A spineless, craven unwillingness to offer a concrete and consequential response in the face of first-hand testimony whether from anguished Northern licence payers or, in the case of Glastonbury, unequivocal death chants. Indeed, it goes some way to explaining the Director Generals lack of meaningful reaction after Bob Vylans repugnant behaviour. Stating that the broadcast was deeply offensive and totally unacceptable, he barely landed a blow. Nor, I suspect, will a reported hastily arranged meeting with Jewish staff. Tim Davie is doubtless a decent man. He may well be sincere in his regret. But limp deflection, rueful apologies, and the tired mantra of lessons learned are no longer enough. If the BBC is to have any hope of regaining credibility, its leadership must find its backbone starting with the immediate and public dismissal of those responsible for failing to pull the plug on that toxic Glastonbury broadcast. The tears that threatened to fall in Tim Davies office were real. His and those of his executives will remain crocodile, unless there is swift, transparent, and decisive action when prejudice towards Israel and the Jewish people presents itself. Manchester wont be the only part of the world hoping to hear it will be so. Ban can ang nhap e thuc hien chuc nang nay! Martine Wright photographed at home for The Telegraph - Heathcliff O'Malley On the morning of the July 7 bombings in 2005, marketing manager Martine Wright was working her way from Harringay, north London, to her office at St Katherine Docks near the Tower of London. It was later than usual the previous night she had been out celebrating with her work colleagues following the news that London had won its bid to host the 2012 Olympics, and shed overslept. There was a signal failure on the Northern Line, and the 52-year-old had what she now describes as her sliding doors moment. I thought, Am I going to get off, go above ground and get the bus to Tower Hill, or shall I stay on the Tube? I decided to stay on, and so one of my last memories was running up the escalator at Moorgate, turning right at the top and seeing the Circle Line train in the platform, running towards it and thinking, What a result. I dont remember a noise, or a big bang. What I remember is a flash of all-consuming light: Martine today - Heathcliff O'Malley As she was rushing, she didnt get on her usual carriage, but her favourite seat was free one in the corner. She picked up a paper, filled with jubilant articles about the Olympics, and pondered buying tickets for the opening ceremony. Then the bomb went off. I dont remember a noise, or a big bang. What I do remember is a flash of light, and it was a light that was all-consuming for a second. I remember thinking, What the hell is going on? Shehzad Tanweer, a 22-year-old Muslim extremist from the Leeds suburb of Beeston, had detonated a bomb hidden in a rucksack, as part of a coordinated attack on London that killed 52 people and injured hundreds more. Disorientated, Martine found herself surrounded by mangled metal and debris from the blast. She was yet to realise she had lost both her legs. I just remember, in the beginning, trying to get up, and I thought, Why cant I get up? Next to her were two survivors: Andrew Brown, electrocuted by live wires, and Kira Mason, with a severed arm. Seven passengers in the carriage had died, along with Tanweer. The screams were awful. I cant really describe what they were really like, and then people started to come past. It must have been the station master. He was talking to me through this hole. I had no concept of time. I just have memories; this gentleman talking to me, saying, Its OK, its OK. Everyones just shouting, Help! Help! I remember trying to pull myself out, and then seeing this figure coming up. This was my guardian angel, Liz Kenworthy. I could see Liz, long blonde hair and blue eyes, coming towards me. Kenworthy was an off-duty police officer, and immediately got to work tending to both Andrew and Martine, gathering anything to use as a tourniquet to stem the bleeding. I remember one tourniquet was a belt, recalls Martine, and I remember pulling this belt and thinking I felt like [a character] out of a John Wayne Western, like I used to watch with my dad on Sunday afternoon. And all I kept saying to Liz was, Please tell my mum and dad Im OK. The irony was that I wasnt OK. Slowly, the walking wounded were evacuated through the tunnels, leaving only the most severely injured behind. Martine had to be cut out of the twisted metal, although she has no recollection of this. Damage to the Circle Line train that Martine Wright was travelling on when it was blown up between Liverpool Street and Aldgate stations on July 7 2005 - EPA Having lost 80 per cent of her blood, Martine spent over a week in a coma and it took almost two days of anguish before her parents finally found her, having spent the days ringing round the citys hospitals. I just remember waking up in [the] Royal London [hospital] eight days later. James, my intensive care nurse, saw that Id woken up a bit, and had to tell me that Id lost my legs. I looked down and, you know, I saw half my body gone. Heavily drugged, Martine went back to sleep, but the next morning reality hit her. I thought I was going to die. I wrote a letter [in my head], got the nurse to get me paper, but I couldnt write. I asked to have my ashes scattered on Haad Yao Beach, Koh Phangan my favourite place in Thailand. Martine spent 366 days in hospital, firstly at the Royal London and then at Queen Marys Hospital, Roehampton, in a rehabilitation centre for amputees. Out of all those who survived the bombings passengers on two other Tube trains and a double-decker bus in Tavistock Square Martine was the worst injured, and at first felt bitter and resentful. I went down to the physio, and met about five or six of the other victims. I looked around that room and I thought, Oh, youve got one arm missing, youve got one leg missing, youve got one foot missing. Ive lost two legs [above the knee] Why? And then I found out that 52 people had died. I had no idea that so many people had died that day. Martine began talking to the other survivors, who make up what is now known as the 7/7 Club. That is a club that you would never choose to belong to, but a club where all youve got to do is walk into a room and see that persons eyes and youve got this deep understanding of each other. And gradually, amid the trauma of what had happened, Martine discovered a new purpose. I suddenly found myself holding hands with people and looking into their eyes, and I felt like I had a role to play, to say, Its going to be OK. And I think now, looking back, that was really important for me in my healing process, thinking, I can help people, Im not useless, reminding people that we were actually the lucky ones. Martine campaigned for better compensation for the 7/7 victims and, in 2009, discovered wheelchair volleyball. With the help of her physiotherapist, Maggie Uden, she began her journey to compete in the 2012 Paralympics. She was awarded an MBE in 2016 for services to sport, including her work as a role model for amputee athletes, and she also mentors amputees at the Royal London. I diverted my anger towards the Government. I met families of those 52 people, they were offered 8,000 each. Bloody ridiculous. I remember meeting Tony Blair and Gordon Brown at the first memorial at St Pauls Cathedral. Tony Blair could not look me in the eye. I thought its because he couldnt relate to us. But Gordon Brown and Sarah Brown were fantastic. I still dont understand why I wasnt really angry towards the bombers. [Mohammad Sidique Khan, 30, Hasib Hussain, 18, Germaine Lindsay, 19, and Tanweer, all died in the attack.] I couldnt get away from the fact they had left their family and left their babies, their children, their wives theyd been influenced by someone else. [Martine herself has a son, now aged 15.] Not a day goes by when I dont think Im lucky. You know, [Tanweer] was 4ft away from me. I should not be here. And Im here not just because of me, Im here because of the love and support Ive had. Twenty years on, this is normal. This is my life. Maybe five, 10 years on it wasnt normal, but Im very reflective now. I feel like I could not have done anything in my life to stop what happened, and that actually my life is more enriched, its better, than it was before. My legs might be shorter, but thats it. I knew it was bad, but I figured she had a chance: the rescuers story Theyre beneath contempt. Theyre evil people. I dont care what their cause is: Liz Kenworthy remains angry at the terrorists today - Heathcliff O'Malley Liz Kenworthy, an officer with the Met Police, was off duty on July 7 2005, heading into London for a conference. Having missed the first train from Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, so she could have a chat with her daughter, Emily, on the platform, Liz arrived at London Liverpool Street station later than planned and then headed to the Circle Line. I jumped on the Tube, with my rucksack on my back, my Daily Telegraph under my arm, because it was full of pictures of the excitement of the previous day, and the train pulled out, heading towards Aldgate, she remembers. Very shortly afterwards, there was a sudden crunch; the train came to an abrupt halt. The lights flickered on and off, and then there was a call on the intercom for anyone medically trained. Thinking that perhaps there had been a collision, Liz made her way through the carriages towards the front of the train. The next carriage was very different. There was darkness, there was newspaper blowing around. People injured and covered in dirt started coming towards me. Reasoning that these were the walking wounded and that there were likely to be more seriously injured passengers further on, she carried on walking through the carriages. Finally, she reached the carriage where the bomb had detonated. The cables were coming out of the roof like spaghetti, the train had been disembowelled the floor was ripped up, and there were bodies. I saw a human back underneath, down below my feet, and a big sheet of metal, which I had to stand on. The body down in the hole was [beyond saving], so I just had to ignore it. Lizs police training had impressed on her that if there were more than three casualties, her job was to stand back, assess the situation and call for help. Liz sent a text to a colleague: Accident Aldgate, Im OK, but the text didnt send, so Liz crawled into the carriage, finding Martine and Andrew. I saw a lady on the right with her feet up. I thought, Why is she sitting like that with her feet up on the seat? Then I realised that it was her shoes up on the sill, not her feet. It was an incredibly confusing scene. I didnt compute what had happened initially. Then I realised she was badly hurt, but conscious. The man next to her had lost one of his legs, but he was conscious as well and then, to their left, there was a woman on her back in the debris trapped by her arm, and she was shouting and shouting. One of the rules were taught is: the more people shout, the less help they probably need; if theyve got the energy to shout, then let them get on with it. So I thought, Ill stick with the lady whos lost her feet, and Ill stick with the man, and the lady whos shouting. Ill deal with them. Liz worked to stem the bleeding from Andrew Browns leg, and sent a volunteer with her warrant card to find T-shirts, belts and ties to use as tourniquets. She did her best to comfort and tend to the injured, and could see that Martine was in a critical condition. It was bad, but I knew that people from the First World War had their legs blown off in trenches and survived. Obviously, I couldnt tell if she had anything internal, but she was still talking and conscious. I figured she stood a chance. Some time later, Liz was joined by Sgt Neal Kemp of the City of London Police. Sgt Kemps arrival took the pressure off Liz, who was exhausted by this point. I had probably done about as much as I could. I was starting to flag. I said to Sgt Kemp: This is Andy, this is Martine. Remember their names. Theyre going to live. Theyre going to be alright, were going to make sure they get out safely Emergency services arrived at the scene 45 minutes after the bombing - Gretel Ensignia Then approximately 45 minutes after the bombing, the fire brigade arrived. Liz made her way through the tunnel to the surface to see people being treated on the streets. Liz wrote down as much as she could remember while it was still fresh in her mind, and drew a map of the scene on the train. Later, her sergeant came with colleagues and took her statement. I gave them the original notes, and I said, I cant write anything else. For a person who loves words, Ive never, ever been able to write it down. I can talk to you about it. But I cant write it down. Understandably, life didnt get back to normal for Liz, as it didnt for so many survivors. Once I knew what [the blast] was, I was extremely angry the idea that someone would do that to people they didnt know, and hurt people that were completely innocent, minding their own business, travelling on a train. Liz saw someone in occupational health, and talking about it helped a great deal. I needed to talk about it and come to terms with not being able to do more, and wishing I could have stopped it. But, I did what I could in the circumstances, and I cant beat myself up over what I did or didnt do, because its done. For the remaining years of her service, Liz carried a first aid kit and torch in her backpack during her commute, in case it happened again. She received an MBE for bravery and retired on the 11th anniversary of the attacks, in 2016. Unlike Martine, whom Liz is still in contact with, there is no forgiveness or understanding. Theres a deep anger towards the terrorists, and Liz is incredibly blunt in her condemnation. Theyre beneath contempt. Theyre evil people. I dont care what their cause is. Theyve wasted their own lives. Theyve caused a lot of hurt and misery, and what have they achieved? Absolutely nothing. You want to blow yourself up. You really want to end up as a carcass in the bottom of a train? Youre not a hero. Youre just a dead lump of meat with me stepping on you. Me in my shoes, stepping on you. Thats how I feel about that. The Telegraph has found a number of the RAFs most important bases are susceptible to attacks - David Rose for The Telegraph The highest-security fences surrounding Britains military bases can be broken into within five minutes, Royal Air Force insiders have claimed. Spending many millions to install barbed wire-topped high fences at every base would therefore not materially improve security, they argued. Just weeks after Palestine Action activists broke into RAF Brize Norton, Britains largest air base, the soon-to-be proscribed group has pledged to raid others in protest against Israels war in Gaza. The Telegraph has found a number of the RAFs most important bases are susceptible to such attacks, with vulnerable airstrips protected by hedges, wooden fences or nothing at all. Security weaknesses included wooden fences, drystone walls, weakly defended emergency access points and unmanned gate barriers. A mooted future home for the new nuclear-capable F35 fighter jets is kept behind a 5ft-high fence. Credit: Palestine Action The Telegraph has chosen not to name the bases visited or to detail precisely where weaknesses are along their perimeters. But the revelations prompted calls for a programme of fence-building to prevent future break-ins. RAF insiders, however, said the best barriers could still be broken into in three to five minutes. A low fence giving direct access to the runway and planes at RAF Brize Norton - Chris Gorman The bottom line to the defence estate and certainly the RAF estate is that we have big chunks of land in the middle of nowhere, and those big chunks of land have massive perimeters, one source said. Now lets say we did put up at the cost of many millions of pounds, and I have no idea how much it would cost 12ft high fencing. Heathrow call it three-minute fencing because their security team estimates that a high security fence will only delay somebody with intent and with the right tools for approximately three to five minutes. So you can put up as much fencing as you like, but its not a panacea. Sources said the Armed Forces could not afford to install thousands of miles of high-security fences and instead had to focus on protecting the most sensitive assets. We put security where we think we really need it, where our key most sensitive assets are, and we cant afford to put it everywhere, one said. So lets focus on what the key things are and not on what we dont deem essential. Does that mean we dont want bigger fences, more fences and larger ones? No, we do. You could probably wander around the Army estate or the Navy estate and youd find exactly the same things. Because again, the high-sensitive areas will have high security. The source added: So how do you do security? You choose the areas that are most sensitive and that need to be most secure, and then you focus on that. The Armed Forces also use intelligence, CCTV, electronic sensors, patrols and reaction forces to secure their bases, and measures have been enhanced since the Brize Norton infiltration, they added. A review is currently underway to assess weaknesses and identify improvements, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said. They added: We take security extremely seriously and operate a multi-layered approach to protect our sites, including fencing, patrols and CCTV monitoring. Following the security incident at RAF Brize Norton, we are urgently reviewing security procedures across the Defence estate and have immediately implemented a series of enhanced security measures at all sites. After years of hollowing out and underfunding of the Armed Forces, the Strategic Defence Review concluded that we need to invest more in this area, backed by the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War. Credit: X / @NFBUK The roll-out of floating bus stops has been halted amid fears that pedestrians risk being hit by cyclists. The Governments has order an immediate suspension of bus stops where pedestrians board and disembark directly from or to a cycle lane, in a move welcomed by campaigners. The schemes, known as shared use bus stop boarders, have been widely criticised for forcing pedestrians to run the gauntlet of cyclists on bike lanes. Now, new design guidance will be drawn up, which must fully consider how disabled people can use buses without risking injury from cyclists. A woman has difficulty crossing over a busy cycle lane to get to a floating bus stop outside Colliers Wood Tube station in south London - BELINDA JIAO In 2024, The Telegraph revealed how academics found guide dogs avoided floating bus stops because they encountered cyclists travelling at speed on bike lanes. A University College London (UCL) professor even described such stops as conflict zones between pedestrians and cyclists. El Briggs, the head of policy, public affairs and campaigns at Guide Dogs, which commissioned the UCL study, said: Our research has shown the significant fear, anxiety and distress caused by bus stop boarders for disabled people. We are glad the Government has listened to our concerns. Our research shows bus stop boarders are confusing, difficult to detect, and can create frightening near-misses with cyclists. No one should have to risk stepping into harms way just to board or leave a bus. Simon Lightwood, the local transport minister, announced the pause on the particularly problematic bus stops in a statement to MPs last week. He said bus stops should be accessible to all, adding that he was aware of MPs concerns about the behaviour of some cyclists at zebra crossings where many fail to stop. But disability campaigners believe the other more common type of floating bus stop, so-called bus stop bypasses where passengers use a zebra crossing over a cycle lane to reach a bus stop island, should also be halted. Sarah Gayton, of the National Federation of the Blind UK, said: All types of floating bus stops are not safe or accessible for blind people, as well as all bus passengers. Guidance will not resolve this design flaw. The only solution is for the bus to pull up to the pavement curb where passengers can board and alight without crossing any cycle lane. We want cyclists to be safe, but not at the expense of the most vulnerable people; pedestrians, but particularly blind and disabled pedestrians. In 2024, Transport for London (TfL) was forced to apologise after an official safety report into 164 of these bus stops failed to disclose the extent of pedestrians injured at such locations. TfLs report concluded the risk to pedestrians was very low and wrongly claimed only four people were injured two seriously between 2020 and 2022 at floating bus stops with the island. But The Telegraph revealed there were in fact six collisions three serious during that period, prompting TfL to apologise. Analysis also showed that on average only one in 10 cyclists stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings, despite those on foot being classified as the most vulnerable road users in the Highway Code. Referring to the suspension of bus stop boarders, a Department for Transport spokesman said: The safety and accessibility of our roads and pavements is an absolute priority. Thats why the Government will ask all local authorities in England to halt the implementation of floating bus stops until new statutory guidance is created. Corbyn mural Barely an hour after Zarah Sultana announced that she was leaving Labour to lead a new Left-wing party with Jeremy Corbyn, the Muslim Engagement and Development (Mend) campaign group posted a statement on X wishing the pair every success in this bold new chapter. Labour refused to engage with Mend after Sir Keir Starmer took over as leader, and cut the partys ties with groups accused of links to Islamism. In his official review of the Prevent anti-extremism programme in 2023, Sir William Shawcross described Mend as an Islamist organisation and, before becoming Met Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley highlighted the groups alarmist opposition to British counter-extremism measures. Wishing @zarahsultana and @jeremycorbyn every success in this bold new chapter. At a time when so many feel politically voiceless, your continued commitment to justice, equality, and grassroots representation is inspiring. We look forward to seeing positive change flourish. https://t.co/VnHpG0dBmi MEND Community (@mendcommunity) July 3, 2025 Sultana, however, might take a different view. Although there is no suggestion that she holds Islamist views, before becoming an MP she worked as Mends parliamentary officer. She has also claimed that the phrase Islamist is used to smear pro-Palestine activists as violent and extreme. Like Mend, she has been deeply critical of Prevent, describing it as racist. Like Sultana, Mend insists that Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza an issue that Sultanas statement says will be a focus of her new party. Sultana and Corbyns venture (although Corbyn has yet to publicly confirm his allys statement) appears to herald a new dawn in the decades-long relationship between the far-Left and Islamism, which has been flourishing amid the war in Gaza like never before. It is perhaps fitting that the announcement should come in the week after tens of thousands of festival-goers at Glastonbury joined in with a chant of death to the IDF that would not have sounded out of place at a parade of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, or a Hamas rally. Many may also have been among the crowd at Glastonbury eight years earlier, when Corbyn was welcomed on stage to a chant of Oh, Jeremy Corbyn. The political alliance highlighted by Mends support for Sultana and Corbyns new party, and the seeping of Islamist narratives and slogans into progressive protest, are the culmination of a long marriage of convenience between Islamism and the hard-Left, based on a shared sense of grievance and cynical opportunism. The Left hopes to harness the fervour of anti-Western sentiment among radicalised Muslims, while Islamism benefits from the warm glow of the more acceptable face of progressives who exert influence over culture and politics. Rakib Ehsan, the British Muslim academic and author, says: The hard-Left and Islamism are tied by grievance politics and, in the darker circles of their intersection, anti-Semitism is rife especially the classic tropes about global power, influence and control. That is shared by both sides, along with sympathies with foreign regimes which are hostile to so-called Western interests. Broadly speaking, Islamism relates to groups espousing political Islam, by stressing that religion should determine how society is governed. These groups tend to have close links to, or show support for, far-Left organisations such as Palestine Action and Stop The War. Islamist organisations are gradualists, says Lord Walney, the former Labour MP and adviser to the Government on political violence and disruption. They believe that, ultimately, we should live under Islamic rule, but they realise that thats not going to happen soon, so they will pick out building blocks such as blasphemy laws to keep moving the dial. The effort to shape Britains approach to the Gaza conflict appears to have become one of those building blocks. Now, the alliance is stronger than ever, with Islamists and the far-Left joining forces to influence government policy, with demands to end arms sales to Israel, and opposition to the Governments plans to ban the radical protest group, Palestine Action. If you wanted a family portrait of this idiosyncratic partnership, it would be hard to beat the sight of pink-haired protestors in the capital effectively cheering for the mullahs of the Iranian regime, claiming to be on the right side of history with clerics who execute homosexuals, torture opponents and systematically oppress women. Soviet origins Fifty years ago, much of the far-Left was inspired by the Soviet Unions Middle East propaganda, a pro-Islamist stance in response to US and European support for Israel. That influenced Left-wing groups in the UK such as the Communist Party of Great Britain and the Revolutionary Communist Group who identified Arabs as oppressed, while Israel, then as now, was seen as an illegitimate white state. But the far-Left remains a politically insignificant force on its own. Part of the motivation for an alliance with Islamism is to harness the power of others for their own ends which, of course, works both ways. This is neatly illustrated in a 1994 article by Chris Harman of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) for International Socialism, The Prophet and the Proletariat, which advocated for a pragmatic working relationship between Islamists and revolutionary socialists. Harman is open about the areas of opposition between the two groups over the role of women, for example but concludes: On some issues we will find ourselves on the same side as the Islamists against imperialism and the state It should be true in countries like France or Britain... Where the Islamists are in opposition, our rule should be, with the Islamists sometimes, with the state never. 0602 labour large drop muslim supporters In Britain, where Islamism only speaks for a fraction of the countrys Muslims, the Labour party remained a natural home for many Muslim voters up to Tony Blairs premiership. To put it crudely, community leaders were able to deliver votes for Labour from within those communities in certain areas such as Birmingham or Bradford, says Timothy Peace, a senior lecturer in politics and international relations at the University of Glasgow. From the 1980s, Muslims themselves began to enter local councils, but the closeness with Labour continued up to the late 1990s. This began to break down thanks to the wars in Iraq (2003-2011) and Afghanistan (2001-2021). The establishment of the Stop The War Coalition (STWC) in 2001 was a milestone which provided Corbyn and other prominent Leftists with a forum to connect with groups such as the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB). Last year, the then Communities Secretary, Michael Gove, alleged in Parliament that the MAB, together with Mend and Cage, which campaigns against counter-terror measures, give rise to concern for their Islamist orientation and views. All three groups rejected the label, with Mends chief executive Azhar Qayum saying his organisation was not at all extremist, Cage pledging to explore all avenues, including legal to challenge the governments deep dive into authoritarianism, and the MAB accusing Gove of a blatant effort to stifle dissenting voices. Britains action in Iraq and elsewhere gave overtly Islamist groups an opportunity to tap into the concept of the Ummah the worldwide Islamic community. Shawcrosss review warned that key Islamist narratives included, commanding that [their interpretation of] the Islamic faith is placed at the centre of an individuals identity, and must govern all social and political decision-making. At the same time, a definition of Islamophobia proposed by some MPs and backed by bodies such as Mend and the MAB would prohibit anyone from accusing Muslim citizens of being more loyal to the Ummah than to the interests of their own nations, raising concerns about potential limits on freedom of speech. The MAB were tied to political Islam and found inspiration from the Muslim Brotherhood, a powerful organisation in Arab countries, says Peace. The MAB were one of the key organisations in Stop the War, even though they were not very big at the time it began. The driving force were the Socialist Workers Party, and they managed to mobilise large numbers of Muslim protesters, and that overruled any ideological divisions between the two groups. The MAB has said it is a British organisation operating entirely within the British Isles, with no presence elsewhere. It is not an affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood nor a member. Respect Party A 2004 poll revealed Labours support among Muslim voters had halved from its high watermark of around 80 per cent. The Lib Dems specifically targeted Muslim voters with an anti-war agenda at the general election a year later, which paid off most notably in Rochdale. Labours Lorna Fitzsimons was unseated amid claims of anti-Semitism in campaign leaflets produced by a group called the Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK, which advocated for the Lib Dems, and later apologised for the pamphlets. More significant was George Galloways victory in Bethnal Green and Bow in east London over Labours Oona King in 2005. Galloway, expelled from Labour in 2003 and a long-standing anti-Zionist, assumed a leadership role in the nascent Respect Party, described in The Observer as an, alliance... between the Trotskyist far-Left and the Islamic far-Right. In 2010, the Channel 4 series Dispatches alleged that the Islamic Forum of Europe, which sought to change the very infrastructure of society... from ignorance to Islam, had been campaigning for Respect. Galloway described the documentary as a dirty little programme. Even though far-Left figures were involved, Muslim voters were driving Respect because the Left have never been able to mobilise large numbers of voters alone, says Peace. In the years between 2005 and 2023, the links between the Left and Islamism were largely built on an antipathy for counter-terrorism measures such as Prevent, which it was claimed put unfair emphasis on the role of Muslims in extremism, thus contributing to Islamophobia. In his 2021 report for the Policy Exchange think tank, Islamism And The Left, Britains former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Sir John Jenkins, wrote: Following the introduction of legislation by David Camerons Government that put Prevent on a statutory footing, the Islamist-aligned campaign groups Cage and Mend, and the Stand Up To Racism network, allegedly linked to the Socialist Workers Party, formed a particularly close alliance. Throughout 2016 and 2017, individuals representing Mend spoke at Stand Up To Racism events across the country. Some of these events were attended by prominent Labour figures such as... Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn, now 76, is in many ways, along with Galloway, the great continuity figure in the relationship between the Left and Muslim political activism, stretching back through his campaigning over 50 years. Gaza war Within eight hours of the attack by Hamas on Oct 7 2023, the Met Police received its first request for a national demonstration against Israel. That first march took place on Oct 14, and carried an end apartheid message, supported by the SWP, the Friends of Al-Aqsa (FOA) and the MAB. Corbyn addressed the rally, saying, You must condemn what is happening now in Gaza by the Israeli army. Although Islamism only speaks for a minority of Muslims, the Gaza war has confirmed that support for Palestine (and animosity to Israel) is widespread within Britains Muslim communities. Central to the pro-Palestinian protests ever since October 2023 have been the SWP working alongside, among others, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), the Left-wing group run by Ben Jamal, the son of a Palestinian Anglican vicar, and the MAB. The latest Stop The War posters display the SWP logo alongside those of the PSC, MAB, Mend and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, among others. Palestine does rank differently in terms of its importance to Muslims, says Ehsan. Some might think, Why is this MP talking about Gaza so much?, but youll find that they are representing the views of their Muslim constituents. Galloway was re-elected to Parliament in the Rochdale by-election of 2024, having stood for the Workers Party of Britain in opposition to Israel. Labour withdrew support for its own candidate Azhar Ali, who apologised following reports that he claimed Israel had allowed the Hamas attack, leaving Galloway to secure 40 per cent of the vote and proclaim: Keir Starmer, this is for Gaza. Ehsan says that when it comes to Israel and Palestine, many British Muslims are emotionally invested. In their eyes, this is their brothers and sisters suffering at the hands of a Jewish-supremacist regime. They also feel they live in a country that doesnt recognise Palestine there is a sense of betrayal. 2024 elections The moment the Green councillor Mothin Ali chanted Allahu Akbar! in his victory rally in Leeds last May signalled something had changed in British politics. Ali later apologised for past comments on Israel, which included posting on Oct 7 that White supremacist European settler colonialism must end. But the preponderance of Gaza as a central issue in areas with large numbers of Muslim voters was evident in both the general and local elections. Leane Mohamad almost unseated Wes Streeting by campaigning on Gaza in the Health Secretarys Ilford North constituency in 2024, losing by only 528 votes, and claiming more than 32 per cent of the vote from a standing start. Labour pains - Vote loss in constituencies with largest Muslim populations, vs 2019 This pattern was replicated across the country at the general election, and though Mohamad fell just short, four other independent candidates were able to defeat Labour opponents in areas with significant Muslim populations. Several more pushed prominent Labour figures including Jess Phillips in Birmingham Yardley to within an inch of defeat. Shockat Adam, Adnan Hussain, Iqbal Mohamed and Ayoub Khan then joined Corbyn (who else?) to form a new Independent Alliance of MPs. The logo of this faction features green, white and black arrows on a red base, conveying the colours of the Palestinian flag. There is no suggestion that any of these MPs are Islamists. What their election does show is that many Muslims are prepared to vote en masse for candidates on the single issue of Gaza. That in itself is a noteworthy, novel development in British politics. Pro-Palestine candidates now know they can win without a mainstream party, says Ehsan. That is the future. We are now in a totally different political environment. Anti-Zionist takeover of the Greens Last month, Ali shared a post supporting Palestine Action that altered the words to William Blakes poem, Jerusalem. It ended with the line: Till we have built Jerusalem in Palestines green and pleasant land. The words, turned into the famous hymn of England, had been rewritten in support of the group alleged to have broken into RAF Brize Norton base and damaged Typhoon fighter jets. Credit: Palestine Action Ali rose to further prominence last summer when he was filmed advocating for the protection of Muslims during the riots in the aftermath of the Southport murders. Now he is standing to become the Green Partys deputy leader. His success highlights how the Greens are attracting both far-Left figures and some Muslim politicians who, while not linked to Islamism, have espoused extreme views. It will also become a test case of whether that partnership can last. During the election, the party endorsed half a dozen candidates who allegedly shared anti-Semitic slurs, conspiracy theories or offensive comments online. It went on to enjoy its best-ever general election results, winning nearly two million votes, including four seats in the Commons. Muslim support was crucial to the victory in Bristol Central, where there is a large Somali community. The Greens arent just ripe for takeover they have been taken over, says Lord Walney. Corbyns former advisor Matt Zarb-Cousin has recently joined. Some of the ant-Zionist rhetoric in Green activism is absolutely toxic, adds Lord Walney. I dont think they have any interest in tackling that because they want to be an influential voice and capture that alternative Left, and to be in that space you need to be vehemently anti-Israel that reflects the Islamist point of view as well. A Green Party spokesperson declined to comment on Ali or the findings of any investigation into his conduct, but told The Telegraph: People join because they are passionate about human rights, ending systemic racism, and stopping climate change. In joining, members also agree to abide by our Code of Conduct. Another test case when it comes to the partnership between some Muslims and the far-Left over Gaza, will be the recent takeover of Tribune, the Left-wing publication for which George Orwell used to be a columnist, by the founder of the Islam Channel, which repeatedly accuses Israel of a genocide in Gaza, and was fined 40,000 by Ofcom over serious and repeated breaches of broadcasting rules which amounted to hate speech against Jewish people. Former Tribune editor Paul Anderson said it was one of the weirdest things to have happened in the history of British media. The link probably comes from the Jeremy Corbyn factor, that Islamic hard-Left alliance. Taking an ugly turn Beyond Gaza, Islamist groups and the far-Left have come together to support a new definition of Islamophobia, which has been rejected by previous governments as being too vulnerable to influence from extremists. Critics believe the proposed definition, which is also supported by many moderate Muslims, is so expansive that it could threaten free speech, act as a de facto blasphemy law, and stifle legitimate criticism of Islam as a religion. To Lord Walney, the convergence over the definition speaks to a recurring theme of the far-Lefts alliance with Islamists. The relationship gives figures such as Corbyn cover for some distinctly unprogressive views. The hard-Lefts strange attraction to Islamism reflects their tolerance for authoritarianism, says Lord Walney. British politics is potentially taking a really ugly turn. Military vehicles are among the items banned from Yorks Armed Forces Day - SOPA Images A Labour-run council has banned military equipment from its Armed Forces Day over fears of causing offence. The city of York council said the kit, which could range from weapons to vehicles, would no longer be welcome at the show in light of residents concerns. Claire Douglas, the Labour member for Heworth Ward and leader of the council, insisted that the decision in no way diminishes how seriously we take Armed Forces Day. But other councillors claimed the local authority had caved in under pressure. Chris Steward, the leader of the Conservative group, said the hardware was a crucial part of Armed Forces Day. He told The Telegraph: What use is any military without equipment? We totally condemn this decision of the Labour councillors. There has been no cross-party involvement. It shows how far the Labour Party has fallen from a proud, patriotic party which recognised the courageous and vital job our military do, to one more concerned how their actions may offend their increasingly extreme supporters who seem to want to protest against our long-held values. How sad The council will host the Armed Forces Day celebration on Saturday to honour past, present and future members of the military community for their dedication and sacrifice. Michael Nicholls, another Conservative councillor, said it was disappointing that the council seemed to think it could pick and choose its support for the military. He said: Armed Forces Day is an opportunity for us to say thank you and for the Armed Forces to show the next generation of recruits what they are all about, including the showing of equipment. The priority of Labour in York appears to be not to offend those opposed to our values. How sad. Martin Rowley, a Conservative councillor and Lord Mayor of York, said that decisions taken in a multi-cultural city required careful consideration. He said: We live in a very diverse city, a city of refuge, a city where we have Ukrainian families who have been deeply scarred by war. As a cosmopolitan city we have to be wary of everyones views. They have to be considered decisions. Ms Douglas said the council was a proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and would continue to support serving personnel, veterans and their families all year around. She said: With our military partners, we carefully considered residents concerns and decided that the day will go ahead as planned, with the only change being no military equipment on show. It is unclear whether the Sea Cadets will be able to showcase their display boat or if the Queens Own Yeomanry will have its Jackal military vehicle and replica weapons on show. She added: This decision in no way diminishes how seriously we take Armed Forces Day and our deep respect and commitment to those who serve and have served. We look forward to a fantastic day. The Sea Cadets, Queens Own Yeomanry, Help for Heroes, and the Royal British Legion have been contacted for comment. The Rev Sue Parfitt was among Palestine Action supporters detained by police - Jeff Moore/PA An 83-year-old retired priest was among more than 20 Palestine Action supporters arrested for defying a terror ban hours after it came into force. Several dozen activists gathered in front of Parliament on Saturday holding signs reading: I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action. The protest came after the group was designated a terrorist group at midnight on Friday. Support or membership of the group is now a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The move to ban the organisation was announced after it claimed responsibility for vandalising two Voyager aircraft at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, which police said caused around 7 million of damage. Credit: Palestine Action In a statement before the protest, Scotland Yard warned that showing support for the group would face prosecution. A total of 29 people have been arrested on suspicion of terror offences after the protest, police said. Among those who appeared to be taken away was the Rev Sue Parfitt, 83, a retired priest from Bristol who was sitting in a camp chair with placards at her feet. Protesters show their backing for Palestine Action - Belinda Jiao Protesters also claimed Tim Crosland, a former government lawyer, was detained. He had earlier spoken of his intention to support the protest. If we cannot speak freely about the genocide of Palestinians, if we cannot condemn those who enable it and praise those who resist it, then the right to freedom of expression has no meaning, and democracy in this country is dead, he said. Police in Parliament Square were met with cries of Met Police, you are puppets of the Zionist state as they arrested protesters. There were also chants of From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free as officers began pulling suspects from the crowd. Police at the scene - Belinda Jiao The protest came after three judges, including the Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, refused a last-minute attempt to pause the ban. MPs had overwhelmingly voted in favour of a decision taken on Wednesday by Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, to proscribe the protest group under the Terrorism Act 2000, with the Lords having approved the move. But within hours of the Palestine Action ban coming into effect, activists organised by the Defend Our Juries group had begun gathering near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parliament Square. The protesters gathered in Parliament Square near a statue of Mahatma Gandhi Defend Our Juries had earlier written to the Met commissioner to give him notice that it may be committing offences under the Terrorism Act. Leslie Tate, 76, a Green councillor from Hertfordshire who was at the protest, said: Palestine Action are not a violent organisation, and the proscription is wrong. The evidence from their actions that theyve taken from the start of Palestine Action is that they all have been non-violent. This protest is necessary to defend our democracy, and this is the creeping edge of totalitarianism, frankly. The protest was organised by Defend Our Juries - Jeff Moore/PA One 79-year-old woman taking part, who declined to give her name, told The Telegraph: I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action. They have been very open about what theyre doing and they are very brave people for it. I am in solidarity with them. But, I know I cant say I support them, I cant support them, Im forbidden from supporting them. Alex Hearn, the director of Labour Against Antisemitism, mocked the choice of location for the protest. He said: Palestine Action aligning themselves with Gandhi is laughable. It cynically misrepresents their activities as non-violent, when in truth attacking police with a sledgehammer and vandalising properties is anything but. A police officer was taken to hospital in August last year after being hit with a sledgehammer while responding to reports of criminal damage during a protest at the Bristol HQ of defence technology firm Elbit Systems. In a separate incident on Saturday, Pro-Palestine activists disrupted the London Pride parade, covering one float with red paint and delaying it for around an hour. The arrests outside Parliament came after four people were remanded in custody after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in an action allegedly carried out by members of Palestine Action. Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22, have all been charged in connection with the incident at RAF Brize Norton. They appeared at Westminster magistrates court on Thursday after being charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage, under the Criminal Law Act 1977. The Met Police, in a statement on X, said: A total of 29 arrests were made during this afternoons protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square. They remain in custody. Images of the black-clad figure have been caught in grainy videos taken by passers-by - UGC Sightings of a mysterious black-clad figure prowling outside a pub in a Merseyside seaside town have led to concerns it could be the next Somerset Gimp. The figure, who residents call panther man, has been filmed wriggling under fences near the Derby Pool Harvester in Wallasey on the Wirral and seen making growling noises at passers-by trying to enjoy the nearby beach. Some residents believe the figure could be like Joshua Hunt, known as the Somerset Gimp, who was a menace to residents across the county on at least 25 separate occasions over five years before he was stopped in 2023. In November of that year, Hunt, then 32, appeared in court, and was banned from crawling, wriggling or writhing on the ground in a full-body suit for five years. In Wallasey, the mysterious panther man has been described by residents as an urban jaguar, banshee, and a gimp, dressed in a dark figure-hugging suit and a cat mask. After the grainy footage of him emerged, The Telegraph went to the Wirral to find out more. Abbie Gilbert described how she heard a man making cat noises, and shone her torch to find the figure waving his arms at me before crawling up the hill while she was out walking her dog on a Sunday evening. She told The Telegraph: I didnt really find him to be a threat, just a bit bizarre. He didnt approach me, he just made some weird poses and then scarpered off. I see strange things on the Wirral all the time so it wasnt too much of a shock, it was actually quite amusing. In all honesty, I think hes just doing it for a laugh, I dont think its anything malicious. But others have compared the mystery figure to Hunt, who was made the subject of a sexual risk order after women in Somerset reported him grabbing his crotch as he confronted them. One dog walker who visited the beach on Friday said: I know in Somerset a few years ago, there was a guy dressing up in a gimp suit frightening people, and Im worried the same is going to start happening here. If you were a female or elderly, it would be quite frightening. Hes probably not all right. Maybe the police need to check on him. Dog walker Rob Riley, 62, clutching Minnie, his cavapoo, said: Ive never seen a fellow dressed as a cat. But if I did Id set the dog on him. Kerry Blackmore, who uses the beach to walk her dog, said: Its creepy. Id turn around and walk the other way. He [Rolo, her Jack Russell] would probably run the other way too. Rob Riley says he would set his dog on the panther if he crossed his path - Chris O'Neill Kerry Blackmore, pictured with her dog Rolo, says the reports of the prowler are creepy - Chris O'Neill A couple of miles down the coast, in the seaside resort of New Brighton, opinion was split. Paul Bowie, the owner of the Wirral Model Shop, said: Someone is doing it for a bit of a laugh. Its great for the area. If hes not going to attack anyone, then its brilliant. There have been weird things going on here back to the 19th century. Although back then it was murder. He was referring to an 1890 incident in New Brighton, when a man called Felix Spicer killed his two sons. Maureen Grimshaw, 75, who was visiting Mr Bowies shop with her husband Jim after a cycle ride, was less enthused about the mystery figures antics. She fears the unknown person could be dangerous. What if he kills someone? That wouldnt be ideal, would it? she said. At the Ship Hotel pub a few doors down, conversation turned to who was behind the mask. Its just an eejit, said Tony Fisher, 35, as he sat at the bar with a pint. I cant imagine its anything sinister. Things like this happen in London but not here. Nothing happens around here. No investigation, say police There are believed to have been three sightings so far. But despite residents concerns, Merseyside Police is not investigating. A force spokesman said no reports had been received and as far as we are aware no crime has been committed. In a car park near the beach, The Telegraph waited for several hours, until midnight, in the hope of a sighting. But the panther man never appeared. For now, at least, the mysterious figures intentions and identity remain a mystery. Airline pilots who take in-flight and airside selfies and videos risk putting their passengers in danger, industry associations have warned. The use of cameras and mobile phones in cockpits has been linked to a number of serious incidents in which personal devices have impacted flight safety. Some pilots are attracting thousands of followers on social media platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, by posting pictures and videos of themselves while flying or manoeuvring the aircraft. While some airlines tolerate pilots use of social media, the latest revelations highlight how the use of mobile phones to make online content could pose real risks, including revealing sensitive airside security information. One incident reported that a camera, which was jammed up against flight controls, caused the rapid descent of the plane that injured passengers. The incident forced the the International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations (IFALPA), which represents 148,000 pilots in nearly 100 countries, to publish a position paper that catalogued cases in which mobile phones had presented a significant source of distraction from flight deck duties and affected flight safety. Selfies over safety In another incident, an unnamed British pilot made a selfie-style video on the ramp while performing safety inspections. The anonymous complaint, sent to the Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP), said the pilot posted multiple videos filmed during critical phases of flight, including taxiing, entering the runaway and landing, which it said introduces inevitable distraction to the operation of the plane. In a third case, a mobile phone used by a pilot for personal reasons during the flight was dropped between the seat and the pedestal and began to generate fumes in the cockpit. CHIRP, which campaigns to improve air and sea safety, said: Such selfie activities are very common these days and there is a difficult balance to be struck between beneficially promoting the airline/industry and negatively impacting safety. Filming or taking photos when conducting aviation tasks at the same time has clear risks of distraction and lack of situational awareness. Its report said consideration should be given by pilots when pulling out a personal mobile when airside or airborne to ensure that they are not breaking any rules and that any published videos could stand up to scrutiny in the court of public opinion. It is not illegal for a pilot to film or take photographs from the cockpit, but it is a criminal offence to endanger the operation of any aircraft. Most airlines prohibit cabin crew from using mobile phones or cameras during critical stages of any flight, including taxiing, take-off and landing. Pilot egos are huge One senior air traffic controller, who asked not to be named, told The Telegraph the use of social media was narcissism, pure and simple. Some pilot egos are just so huge, theres barely room for any crew on the plane, she said. They should be totally focused on flying the aircraft, but love putting on their Aviators and filming themselves at the controls. Its the little boy in them. Joji Waites, the director for flight safety at BALPA, the pilots union, said it endorses the IFALPA report, adding: We recognise the vast majority of pilots behave in a professional and responsible manner and appreciate the risks associated with inappropriate use of personal devices whilst on duty. However, the aviation industry is not immune to the popularity of posting social media content and the risk of unintended consequences is real. A UK Civil Aviation Authority spokesman said: As the UKs aviation safety regulator it is our role to ensure that airline operators are managing their risks appropriately. There is a responsibility on operators to manage risks that they can prevent, and we expect the secure flight deck to be adhered to, which removes distractions from the pilots during critical phases of flight. Officers carry a handcuffed woman from a protest in Parliament Square. Photograph: Pol Allingham/PA Twenty-nine people have been arrested after protesters gathered in central London holding signs referencing Palestine Action a day after the group was banned as a terrorist organisation. The direct action protest group was banned on Friday after a last-minute legal attempt to suspend the groups proscription under anti-terrorism laws failed. It means that, from Saturday, being a member of, or expressing support for, the organisation became a criminal offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The campaign group Defend Our Juries, which organised the demonstration, said a priest, an emeritus professor and a number of health professionals were among those arrested. More than two dozen people gathered close to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parliament Square, holding signs that appeared to express support for the group. At about 1.40pm, Metropolitan police officers began arresting people who were holding the signs. In a statement on X, the Met said: Officers have arrested more than 20 people on suspicion of offences under the Terrorism Act 2000. They have been taken into custody. Palestine Action is a proscribed group and officers will act where criminal offences are committed. The force posted another update on X on Saturday evening to say 29 arrests had been made and added that those arrested remain in custody. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post See our guide at theguardian.com/tips for alternative methods and the pros and cons of each. A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries said: We commend the counter-terrorism police for their decisive action in protecting the people of London from some cardboard signs opposing the genocide in Gaza and expressing support for those taking action to prevent it. Its a relief to know that counter-terrorism police have nothing better to do. On Friday, the group wrote to the Met commissioner, Mark Rowley, to give him advance warning of the demonstration. Before officers made arrests, the Guardian spoke to some of the demonstrators. Tim Crosland, of Defend Our Juries, said: What were doing here as a group of priests, teachers, health workers, human rights lawyers [is] were refusing to be silenced. Because it goes to the core of what we believe in: that we oppose genocide I didnt think that was that controversial and we support the people who resist genocide. In theory we are now terrorist supporters and can go to prison for 14 years, which is kind of crazy. I think what we are here to do is just expose the craziness of that. An environmental campaigner, Donnachadh McCarthy, said: To proscribe an organisation of peaceful direct action as terrorists is a huge red line for our democracy. It means that all the rest of us, whether were climate activists, Greenpeace, womens suffragettes, disabled activists, it means that the government can now declare any act of property damage to be terrorism, which gives you a sentence of 14 years. This is worse than Putins Russia. I dont say that lightly. Its 10 years for doing what were doing today in Russia; its 14 years in the UK, because of Yvette Coopers outrageous betrayal of democracy, liberalism, and what is in my view a step towards fascism. A retired priest, Sue Parfitt, 83, said the groups ban was a very dangerous move that has to be challenged. We are losing our civil liberties, we must stop that for everybodys sake. Whatever you want to protest about, she said. Cooper, the home secretary, announced plans to ban Palestine Action late last month, days after activists from the group broke into RAF Brize Norton and defaced two military aircraft with spray paint. MPs voted in favour of proscribing the group on Wednesday. The House of Lords backed the move without a vote on Thursday. UN experts, civil liberties groups, cultural figures and hundreds of lawyers have condemned the ban as draconian and said it sets a dangerous precedent by conflating protest with terrorism. The ban means Palestine Action has become the first direct action protest group to be banned under the Terrorism Act, placing it in the same category as Islamic State, al-Qaida and the far-right group National Action. A Reform UK MP has resigned the party whip pending an investigation into allegations of business impropriety before he was elected, the partys chief whip has said. James McMurdock will sit as an independent while a probe takes place over the allegations, which he said will emerge in the press this weekend. Reforms chief whip Lee Anderson said: At Reform UK, we take these matters very seriously and James has agreed to cooperate in full with any investigation. James McMurdock voluntarily gave up the whip (PA) It quickly emerged that Mr McMurdock had suspended himself after The Sunday Times approached him with allegations that he borrowed 70,000 under the governments Bounce Back loans scheme during the pandemic in 2020. The newspaper reported that he did so through two companies he owned, JAM Financial Limited and Gym Live Health and Fitness Limited. The former had no employees and negligible assets, it said, and took out a 50,000 loan in 2020, the maximum amount available. It would have had to have at least 200,000 in turnover to receive the loan. He resigned as a director and transferred his shares to his mother in 2021, the Times reported. The second company was dormant until 2020, but in 2021 borrowed 20,000 under the scheme, which would have required a turnover of 100,000. Mr McMurdock may have also fallen foul of parliamentary rules by not declaring his directorships of the companies in his register of interests. Labour MP Jon Pearce wrote to parliaments sleaze watchdog on Saturday demanding an investigation. Commenting on the story, Mr McMurdock told the Times to be very, very careful and said a technical expert would be needed to make sense of the matters, but did not say why he took out the loans. Mr McMurdock then said he asked for the whip to be suspended as a precautionary measure and for the protection of Reform UK. He added: I confirmed to the journalist that all my business dealings had always been conducted fully within the law and in compliance with all regulations, and that appropriately qualified professionals had reviewed all activity confirming the same. Mr Andersons statement said: I have today received a call from James McMurdock, who has advised me, as chief whip, that he removed the party whip from himself pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations that are likely to be published by a national newspaper. The allegations relate to business propriety during the pandemic and before he became an MP. Labour sought to stick the boot in, with party chairman Ellie Reeves demanding to know whether Mr Farage thinks Mr McMurdock is still fit to be an MP. She said: Nigel Farage and Reform UK owe the public an urgent answer about the financial conduct of Mr McMurdock, who has previously been jailed for assaulting a woman. The public deserve to know about the proper use of public funds by Reform UK MPs given their new councils claim to be conducting inquiries into government efficiency. It leaves Farages insurgent right-wing party again with just four MPs, with Reform previously suspending Rupert Lowe for criticising the arch-Brexiteers leadership. The suspension comes just one year after Mr McMurdock entered parliament almost by accident, having agreed to stand in the general election as a so-called paper candidate. He won his South Basildon and East Thurrock seat by 98 votes, having given up a high-paying job at a financial firm in the City of London to become an MP. The 39-year-old, who has previously worked for Barclays Capital, Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers, specialising in energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing, ran his campaign with only the help of his parents. But the unexpected election of Mr McMurdock created a major headache for Mr Farage, as it emerged months later that he had once been jailed for repeatedly kicking his girlfriend. After initially admitting to having pushed his partner, court records showed he was in fact detained in a young offenders institution for 21 days for kicking the victim around four times, in an incident which took place in 2006. Mr McMurdock pleaded guilty to assault by beating, and the serious nature of the offence meant the sentence was not suspended. He has apologised and said the incident is the biggest regret of his life. Mr McMurdocks suspension plunges Reform into chaos yet again, with the party having faced repeated bouts of infighting since the general election. It comes just weeks after chair Zia Yusuf sensationally quit, only to return to the fold 48 hours later as head of Reforms cost-cutting Doge unit, modelled after Elon Musks former role in the Trump administration. That came after ex-Reform MP Mr Lowe left the party to set up his own right-wing challenger, branding Mr Farage a viper after an inquiry into allegations he made verbal threats against Mr Yusuf. Mr Lowe said he was ashamed to have represented the party and launched an extraordinary attack on its leader. Rupert Lowe was suspended after a clash with Nigel Farage (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Nigel Farage must never be prime minister, he said in a statement. Reform has faced chaos in its lower ranks as well after huge success in Mays local elections. After taking control of 10 councils, with hundreds of councillors across the country, a series of its representatives quit within weeks, with some turning on Reform and Mr Farage. One councillor resigned from Reform just days after being elected, having promised to defect from the party anyway after the local elections. Donna Edmunds called for Mr Lowe to establish a challenger party on the right of Reform and also said Mr Farage must never be prime minister. But the chaos does not appear to have slowed Reforms rise in the polls, with a major YouGov poll recently indicating Mr Farage would win the most seats by far if an election were held today. YouGov said Reform would jump from having just five MPs to 271, with Mr Farage poised to form a minority government. Mr McMurdock has been contacted for comment. William Barber speaks in Washington DC on 15 November 2021. Photograph: Jemal Countess/Getty Images for MoveOn On 2 June, at St Marks Episcopal church in Washington DC, people packed the sanctuary elders in denim jackets, seminarians in collars, organizers clutching clipboards. Some had come in from North Carolina; others walked from their homes just a few blocks away. The seats were full, so the crowd lined the aisles and leaned against the red-brick walls beneath stained-glass windows that cast streaks of light across the floor. It was the first Moral Monday of the summer a tradition of weekly, nonviolent protest that began in North Carolina in 2013 and now serves as the beating heart of the Rev William Barbers national movement to end poverty and systemic injustice. I am not afraid, the congregation sang. They clapped in rhythm. They swayed in place. Their voices, layered and lived in, reverberated through the rafters: I would die for liberation, because I know why I was made. It was part worship, part invocation, part warning. They folded into the center of the sanctuary as they sang covenants of nonviolence pledges to neither resist arrest nor retaliate, to remain disciplined and dignified in the face of confrontation. One organizer stepped forward and asked them to consider the gravity of what they were saying. In every cell of your body, he said, do you believe that? Barber, the co-chair of the revived Poor Peoples campaign, a national movement to challenge inequality in all its forms through moral protest and policy change, has spent years preparing people for moments like this. Barber draws on a tradition that views justice as a covenant rather than charity, as a sacred demand to confront moral rot. Right now, that means challenging the Trump administrations second-term agenda and the Republican-controlled Congress advancing legislation that would slash Medicaid, food assistance and public education, while simultaneously giving tax breaks to some of the wealthiest Americans or what Barber has simply called policy murder, a wholesale dismantling of services for the poor and vulnerable. But Barbers battle is both a moral rebellion against Trumps America and against the deeper architecture of inequality that has survived every administration. His movement doesnt simply resist a president. It challenges a political theology that weds nationalism to capitalism and cloaks exploitation in scripture. In Barbers view, Trump isnt the disease hes the symptom of a nation that never fully confronted its sins. Jesus was not crucified because he was just talking about private sin, he told me. He was crucified because he turned over the money tables. Thats where government and religion had come into an unholy relationship, and were robbing from the poor. In a sermon the day before, Barber had turned to 2 Kings to four lepers outside a besieged city, caught between certain death and uncertain deliverance. Why sit we here until we die? they ask, before rising to move toward the enemy camp. That movement, Barber reminded his audience, is what made the miracle possible. The lepers rose to risk the unknown and found the enemy had already left, leaving behind food, shelter and silver. Deliverance had already come; it just took the marginalized to move first. The US is in its own such moment, Barber said. This is murder by policy, he preached, pointing to the $1.1tn in proposed cuts to healthcare, food aid and climate infrastructure. We cannot stay here and die. Organizers passed protest signs around the sanctuary like communion: Fund Life, Not Death. Our Faith Demands Justice, Not Policy Murder. Handouts followed: 13.7 million people are at risk of losing health insurance. Eleven million at risk of losing food assistance. Billions redirected from public programs to tax breaks for corporations, defense contractors and deportation forces. Congress was deliberating over what Barber calls a big, bad, ugly, disgusting, deadly budget, and they wanted to take a moral stand. The room was intentionally diverse its what Barber calls a fusion movement, rooted in the idea that poor and working people across race, religion and region have a moral force capable of reshaping the nation. They prayed. They assigned roles. Some would march. Some would risk arrest. All would bear witness. Slowly, deliberately, the congregation began to move. First, those in wheelchairs; then the people along the walls peeled off. Then, one section at a time, released with care no rush, no clamor. They lined up two by two, like they were boarding an ark. It was a practiced procession, not chaos. The organizers had been clear: move like the black-and-white footage youve seen, like those who marched before you with order, with discipline, with conviction. When politicians and priests bless policies that hurt the poor, Barber said, thats when the prophets have to rise. For Barber, this is the prophets role: to expose, to indict and to force a moral reckoning in the public square. The structure of his movements actions, the insistence on grounding resistance in both scripture and strategy, is shaped by a long religious protest tradition in the US. Now, under a second Trump term, with safety nets unraveling and rights under siege, that witness feels urgent again. As the movement experiments with decentralized leadership, more youth recruitment and a sharper digital presence, it will have to decide: is it a movement to awaken the conscience, or to seize the wheel? Can this movement still meet the scale of todays coordinated assault on democracy, rights and the poor? Silence is not an option Barber met the demonstrators at the corner of East Capitol Street NE and 1st Street SE, where the procession paused before the slow walk towards the steps of the supreme court. He stood with his cane in hand, a white stole slung over his shoulders that read: Jesus was a poor man. He joined the group like a hinge between past and present. No microphone. No grand announcement. Just a nod, a steadying breath, and then a turn toward the supreme court. Passersby smiled and posed for selfies, unaware or unbothered by the stakes. The procession kept moving, members singing as they went. The air filled with hymns and the weight of memory. At the court steps, the crowd swelled; marshals implored folks to move closer. They sang battle hymns through the speaker system, a thread of the sacred pulled taut across the concrete. The day was structured to echo the civil rights movement, orderly, solemn and visually potent. When Barber took the mic, he drew on the movements rhetorical authority as well. We gather here not in protest alone, Barber said, but in prophetic power. We stand not just as people of faith, but as stewards of moral memory. Injustice has written itself into the budget lines, and silence is not an option when lives hang in the balance of a ledger. Barber reminded the crowd that the countrys wounds were not just policy failures; they were moral abscesses. There can be no healing of the soul of America without healing the body, he said. Not while people are starving. Not while theyre uninsured. Not while injustice is passed off as fiscal responsibility. He said something similar in 2020, in the days after Biden was elected president and many people across the nation released what felt like four years of held breath. Biden called for unity; Barber pushed back. There has to be division before there can be healing, he said. In Barbers theology, peace doesnt mean calm. It means justice. False unity, he warned, is not reconciliation its complicity. And that is the deeper challenge beneath Barbers movement: not just to resist one budget, or even one party, but to confront the countrys underlying sickness: its habit of mistaking cruelty for order, and order for peace. What will you do with the breath you have left? They say theyre cutting waste, fraud and abuse. But what theyre saying is its wasteful to lift people, fraudulent to help them live and abusive to make sure they have healthcare, he said. For a moment, it felt like the church services Id grown up in. Come on, Barber! a clergyman shouted. Yessuh! a resonant voice rang from the other side of the crowd. By the time Barber started whooping stretching his syllables as his voice reached a thunderous crescendo the crowd had been whipped into a passionate holler. Barber told stories of movement members who died without care Pam in Alabama, Jade in North Carolina who called him not for comfort, but for commitment. Dont quit, they said. They had the courage to fight even while they were dying, he said. We ought to have the courage to fight while were living. Then he slowed and asked a simple question to those gathered: What will you do with the breath you have left? The question hung in the air. He didnt wait for an answer. A few days later, he told me why it sticks with him. That was George Floyds cry. That was my brothers cry he died in his 60s, waiting on healthcare. That was the cry of people during Covid: I cant breathe. Thats what I hear when I say that, he told me. The breath you have left thats what youve been given. Thats what you owe. Breath is a gift and a responsibility. Were not gonna sit here and let healthcare die, he said. Were not gonna sit here and let living wages die. Were not gonna sit here and let democracy die. Its time to live. Its time to stand. Its time to speak. To protest. To live justice. The line echoed down 1st Street. Whether it reached the halls of power was another question. Fusion organizing Barber has always insisted this movement isnt built for the news cycle. Movements are not driven by whether the media covers it, he told me. Theyre driven by whether its right. You dont build fusion coalitions because its sexy, you build it because its necessary. The spotlight matters, though. And as the glare has dimmed since 2020, so too has the movements leverage in elite policy spaces. For Obery Hendricks, a professor in the department of religion at Columbia University, the tension is theological and tactical. Barber speaks from the Black prophetic tradition, a tradition that calls out injustice with moral clarity. But clarity alone isnt always enough. Too often, prophetic rhetoric is co-opted as performance, Hendricks told me. It becomes poetry without praxis. But even when the national spotlight is not focused on the organization, that hasnt stopped the Poor Peoples campaign from lining up in moral opposition to what it sees as destructive policy across the country. People say, wheres the movement? Barber told me. We say, where are you? The movement is here. Maybe youre just not paying attention. Fusion organizing in 2025 isnt theory its practice. Amazon workers marching with choirs in Alabama. Climate activists linking arms with veterans on Capitol Hill. Disability advocates and union reps shaping policy in North Carolina. Barbers once-local campaign is now connected with movements across the country, from Georgias voting rights drives to Los Angeless housing struggles. Sometimes, the actions pay off. Inside of St Marks, I met Emma Biggs, a childcare advocate from North Carolina who had made the trip to DC for the rally. She had joined similar protests before. In June of last year, she was among those who were arrested inside the state legislature while protesting a looming childcare shortfall. The state legislature had passed a stopgap funding bill by the time protesters were released. To Vaughn A Booker, a scholar of religion and African American history at the University of Pennsylvania, though, the power of Barbers model lies more in its moral insurgency than the results it produces. He has this style thats like a preacher reading out the names on judgment day. Hes not just naming problems. Hes naming people, policies and outcomes, Booker said. It lands differently when it comes from the pulpit. And maybe thats the point. In an era of institutional drift, moral confrontation remains a kind of clarity. Moral discourse may not be a dominant mobilizer anymore, he said. But that was always the case. The prophets didnt expect to win. They expected to witness. Barber echoed the sentiment. Bearing moral witness matters even when it doesnt automatically produce results, because failing to show up at all cedes ground unnecessarily. A moral fight is one that you have to engage, because not to engage is to risk damage that might not be reversible, he said. If a group of politicians were going to crucify voting rights and crucify healthcare, then every crucifixion needs a witness. Not everyone will be reachable through scripture, though. Whereas nearly half of Americans attended weekly religious services at the height of the civil rights movement, only about 30% of Americans do so now, according to a recent Gallup poll. Barber sees the rising suspicion of moral language, and the growing distance from the church, but he doesnt see it as an obstacle; rather, he sees an opportunity. Young people are not leaving the faith because they dont want justice, he told me. Theyre leaving because weve too often offered them religion without justice, and theology without truth. So he remains committed to preaching in public, to claiming a tradition that doesnt just soothe, but disrupts with the intent of building a kind of moral pressure. Barber believes the system has rotted at its core. Its why he often refers to a sickness in the countrys body, a deterioration of its heart but he also believes it has the capacity to be reformed, and is drawing on a prophetic tradition to push it towards change. Hes operating within the system, Booker told me. Hes not outside of it burning it down. Hes trying to get the system to live up to its stated values. Barbers strategy mirrors that of Martin Luther King Jr a generation before: not to write legislation personally, but to focus enough attention on a moral crisis that the system has to respond. The marches werent meant to replace lawmaking, but to expose it to show where justice had failed, and to make action unavoidable. The campaigns future Barber began a labored walk to the Capitol. A woman caught up to him quietly and asked if he had a moment to speak. His eyes were forward, fixed on the entrance. If you dont mind, he said gently, Im trying to focus on what Im doing. She apologized and nodded, but had to say her piece. She walked beside him and told him that the A was missing from DEI the A for accessibility. So many movements, she said, leave out people with disabilities. People who walk with a limp. Barber smirked. Oh, people like me? he said. The procession stopped and Barber, alongside a small group, descended down the elevator. This is where conviction met cost. At the Capitol rotunda, the group prayed with the purpose of arrest. Suvya Carroll, a disability rights advocate born with cerebral palsy, clutched a Bible. Carroll told Barber she and her friend were there because people like us always get left out. But we believe this movement sees us. As Capitol police moved in, she was arrested along with Barber and five others. Barber later reflected on Carrolls arrest in particular: That child looked the Capitol police in the eye and said: Im ready. And we all prayed. Right there, in the middle of that dome. And I thought, Lord, if this doesnt matter, what does? The arrest was symbolic the third time Moral Monday activists had been detained since April but it also surfaced a deeper truth. The witness came from many, but the weight still fell on one. When Barber turned toward the elevator, others followed. And once inside the rotunda, all eyes returned to him. As questions swirl around the future of his organization, a harder one remains: how long can a movement built on moral clarity lean on a single voice? Barbers voice remains central, but the campaigns future may depend on how well it distributes that moral authority across a broader base. If the theology is prophetic, the structure has to be plural. Barbers protest is grounded not in outcome, but in obligation. Hes asked: what will you do with the breath you have left? For Barber, thats not just a question. Its a way to keep moving. This country gets amnesia, he told me. We forget. Thats why prophetic work is not about a moment. Its about building a memory that resists the lie. Even though hes become a brand, hes trying to build a witness. I dont want people to follow me, I want them to follow the truth, he said. Prayer, he likes to say, is never the end of protest. Its the beginning of a demand. That day in the rotunda, his prayer echoed through marble. Maybe it reached no one. Maybe it moved someone. But it was heard. Thats the point of prophecy. Not certainty. Witness. A woman feeds her child a formula of anise, due to lack of baby formula, in a tent at a camp in Khan Yunis. Photograph: Eyad Baba/AFP/Getty Images Doctors in Gaza have warned that hundreds of babies are at risk of death amid a critical shortage of baby milk, as Israel continues to restrict the humanitarian aid that can enter the beleaguered strip. Dr Ahmad al-Farra, the head of paediatrics at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, said his ward had only about a weeks worth of infant formula remaining. The doctor has already run out of specialised formula meant for premature babies and is forced to use regular formula, rationing it between the infants under his care. I cant begin to describe how bad things are. Right now, we have enough formula for about one week. But we also have infants outside the hospital without any access to milk. Its catastrophic, al-Farra told the Guardian over the phone. Stocks of infant formula have dwindled in Gaza as Israel has blocked all but a trickle of aid into the Palestinian territory. Food aid that comes through the controversial US-Israeli-backed private company Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) does not include infant formula, according to doctors. Hanaa al-Taweel, a 27-year-old mother of five living at al-Nuseirat refugee camp, said she was unable to breastfeed as she herself was not getting enough to eat. She has struggled to find infant formula for her 13-month-old child. The problem of getting milk started since my sons birth, as due to my malnutrition and general weakness I wasnt able to breastfeed my baby, al-Taweel said. Doctors have told her that her son is suffering from stunting due to malnutrition and she has noticed he was developing slower than her other children, who had already begun speaking and walking at his age. I try to keep a small piece of bread next to me when he sleeps because he wakes up often asking for food. I feel sadness and fear for my children, I fear they will die from hunger, thirst and disease, she said. Already 66 Palestinian children have starved to death since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, according to local health authorities. Amnesty International accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war against civilians in Gaza, which it said was a tactic intended to inflict genocide against Palestinians. Cogat, the Israeli authority responsible for coordinating humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, said it does not restrict the entry of baby food, including formula, into the Gaza Strip. The agency added that more than 1,400 tons of baby food had been delivered to Gaza in recent weeks. Doctors entering Gaza have resorted to packing individual cans of infant formula in their personal luggage. On at least one occasion, Israeli authorities confiscated 10 cans of infant formula from the luggage of an American doctor recently entering Gaza for a medical mission. In the end they confiscated all the cans of baby formula, which was specifically formula for pre-term babies. What on earth is baby formula going to do against the security of the state of Israel? said Dr Diana Nazzal, a Palestinian-German eye surgeon who helped the American doctor pack his bags in a way that would be acceptable to Israeli border authorities. Nazzal added that many medical staff entering Gaza are filling their bags with calorie-dense foods such as protein bars and nuts, rather than medical supplies. Infant formula has become more critical as the hunger crisis has worsened in Gaza, with almost 500,000 people facing catastrophic hunger while the rest of the population is experiencing acute food insecurity. Mothers who are severely malnourished themselves or have been killed are unable to breastfeed, creating a higher need for formula. On the parallel market, what little supply exists has become exorbitantly expensive, with one can of formula going for about $50 10 times the normal price. I was able to breastfeed her naturally for one month, but due to lack of food I could no longer continue, said Nourhan Barakat, a 25-year-old mother of three displaced to Khan Younis. I know that breastfeeding strengthens the bond between mother and child but what can I do? In late June, the director-general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said about 112 children were being admitted daily to Gazas hospitals for malnutrition treatment. Malnutrition before the age of three can cause permanent developmental problems. This whole generation is being targeted. They will suffer from memory problems, developmental delays And the problem is even if nutrition becomes available later on, the damage is permanent, al-Faraa said. Doctors said the deaths of infants was a worrying sign of Gazas looming starvation crisis, as young children are the most vulnerable to the effects of malnutrition. When you see babies start to die, panic and alarms should start to flare. Essentially, children are the first to die in starvation crises, said Dr Thaer Ahmad, a member of a medical delegation trying to deliver aid through the international group Avaaz. Doctors have blamed the Israeli aid blockade for the shortage, as Israel prevents all but a few aid trucks entering the territory far below what humanitarians say is required to feed the population. UN agencies say Gaza needs at least 500 trucks a day to meet basic needs, but often less than 50 are admitted. What UN aid does come through is often confiscated by hungry crowds and armed gangs who have begun looting trucks out of desperation. If Palestinians want to access aid given by GHF, they have to navigate a complicated, ever-changing set of instructions to queue at one of four distribution sites. More than 500 people have been shot dead by Israeli forces while queueing for aid over the last month. Humanitarian groups have condemned the GHF, saying it could be complicit in war crimes and that it violates the core principles of humanitarianism. Previously, the UN-led aid system in Gaza maintained more than 400 aid distribution points throughout Gaza set up at points of need. The GHF said it had delivered more than 52m meals in five weeks and that other organisations stand by helplessly as their aid is looted. Israel has said the UN system was being exploited by Hamas to hoard aid, an accusation for which humanitarians say there is no evidence. The war in Gaza has killed more than 56,000 people since 7 October 2023, and was launched in retaliation for the Hamas-led attack on the same day that killed 1,200 people in Israel. Israel and Hamas have signalled in recent days that they are nearing a US-brokered ceasefire, though key sticking points remain. In the meantime, doctors in the territory say time is running out. You should see the children arriving, said al-Farra. Theyre just skin and bones. Its horrifying. The real solution is to end the war, open the crossings and allow baby formula in. Sonay Kartal does not only have a Wimbledon quarter-final in her sights, but also the British number one spot. Kartal is the only British woman left in the singles draw after Emma Raducanus brave defeat by top seed Aryna Sabalenka on Friday night. Should she beat Russian veteran Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the 23-year-old will become the first home female player to reach the last eight since Johanna Konta in 2019. Kartal beat Diane Parry on Friday (Mike Egerton/PA) The Brighton pro will also overtake Raducanu and Katie Boulter to become the countrys top-ranked woman. That was unthinkable a year ago, when Kartal was ranked 298, and frankly still unlikely a week ago. But Kartal has shown remarkable resilience and intensity to go with her immense talent in victories over Jelena Ostapenko the 20th seed Viktoriya Tomova and Diane Parry. The drive comes from myself, she said. Im super disciplined. Im super determined. When I set my mind to something, I want to achieve it. Loving your support at @Wimbledon Sonay Kartal has a message for you! pic.twitter.com/vt1QUwoOQD LTA (@the_LTA) July 4, 2025 I want to prove to myself that I can do it, as well. Id say the drive is 100 per cent me. Kartal made her Wimbledon breakthrough last year, reaching the third round before bowing out to Coco Gauff, and has made superb progress ever since. She felt like she had really arrived on the WTA Tour after picking up a win over a top-20 player, against Beatriz Haddad Maia, at Indian Wells in March. Definitely this week, she added. But I would say maybe really Indian Wells for me. I felt like I had good matches, had my first top-20 win there. Kartal faces Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the last eight (John Walton/PA) I think even though I maybe havent backed the results up as much as I would like to prior to this, on the clay as well, I felt like Id go one or two rounds, then lose the round. I still felt like in the matches I won and lost, the ones I lost I felt like I was improving. I felt like the margins I lost by in each match I was making smaller. I think it is an accumulation. Definitely this week will help me massively moving forwards. Sir Keir Starmers latest move is another break with Donald Trump, who pulled the US out of the same deal - Jack Hill /Getty Labour has paved the way for higher taxes on the wealthy, alcohol and fossil fuels by signing Britain up to a new United Nations pact. Ministers have endorsed the global agreement, which calls for greater environmental levies and gender-responsive taxation. The UKs participation represents another break with Donald Trump, who pulled the US out of the deal over concerns about its provisions on tax. It comes after Rachel Reeves warned that taxes may have to be increased again in the autumn to plug the hole left by Labours welfare rebellion. The Tories warned that Sir Keir Starmer was deliberately making it harder for a future government to reverse Labours tax rises. Known as the Sevilla Commitment, the UN agreement was thrashed out between 192 countries at a five-day summit in Seville, Spain, last week. While ostensibly focused on drumming up more development cash for poorer states, the final text of the deal contains 42 references to taxation. High net worth There are specific mentions of taxes on high net-worth individuals, as well as tobacco and alcohol, natural resources and pollution. Britain also signed up to a series of declarations on the side, including one that promotes higher taxes on unhealthy products such as sugary drinks. Gareth Davies, the shadow Treasury minister, accused Labour of outsourcing tax policy to organisations that dont reflect the priorities of the British people. People want to see their taxes reduced and simplified, not increased and complicated to fund vacuous virtue signalling by global elites, he said. This will only make it harder for a future government to reverse Labours tax rises. The commitments in the deal are not legally binding, meaning that they could not be used to force through the adoption of domestic tax policies. But critics warned that signing up to the pact showed the Government was locking Britain into a permanent course of ever higher taxation. One part of the pact encourages the broadening of the tax base, including a crackdown on the informal sector, which includes cash-in-hand payments. Elsewhere, it says that signatories will promote progressive tax systems and enhance efforts to address tax evasion and avoidance by high net-worth individuals and ensure their effective taxation. We will also promote effective and equitable government spending, the text adds. In some passages, the deal suggests specific tax rises that countries should introduce. We encourage effective taxation of natural resources that optimises domestic revenue, it states, a reference that could cover North Sea oil and gas. We will consider introducing or increasing taxes on tobacco and alcohol, as a non-distortionary tax source with a clear potential to increase domestic revenue and reduce the risk factors of noncommunicable diseases, another section adds. A Government spokesman said: This agreement is not legally binding. UK tax-setting powers are for the Chancellor and the Chancellor alone, and we have no plans whatsoever to cede our tax-setting powers to an international organisation. The agreement is designed to support developing countries mobilise more finance for their own sustainable development so they can become self-sufficient. Elsewhere, the agreement says that countries should consider the environment, biodiversity, climate, and food security when setting their budgets. While respecting national sovereignty, options may include, but are not limited to, green budgeting, taxation and fiscal rules; and taxes on environmental contamination and pollution, it states. One part of the deal says that signatories will promote gender-responsive budgeting, as well as advance discussion on gender-responsive taxation. A senior UN official said that the commitment outlines what to do with every kind of money national, international, public, and private. The agreement comes amid fears that Ms Reeves is lining up a series of fresh tax raids in the autumn as she struggles to fill an estimated 30 billion black hole. Labour MPs are openly pushing for new wealth taxes, while sin taxes on alcohol, sugary and salty foods, and gambling could also be considered. Donald Trump pulled the US out of talks on the pact last month, with the White House warning that the proposed text crosses many of our red lines. The US president had objected to tax measures in the deal and also wanted the references to climate, gender equality and sustainability removed. Alongside the main deal, the UK also signed up to several declarations drawn up during the conference in Seville. One is titled Accelerating Health Taxes: The 3 by 35 Initiative and promotes a World Health Organisation bid to increase levies on alcohol, tobacco and sugary drinks. It included a commitment to broaden political and societal support for health taxes. Another, called the Coalition for Tax Expenditure Reform, focuses on efforts to remove what it calls harmful and ineffective tax reliefs. A government spokesman said: This agreement is not legally binding. UK tax-setting powers are for the Chancellor and the Chancellor alone, and we have no plans whatsoever to cede our tax-setting powers to an international organisation. The agreement is designed to support developing countries mobilise more finance for their own sustainable development so they can become self-sufficient. Rescuers navigate the flooded Guadalupe River on 4 July in Comfort, Texas. Photograph: Eric Vryn/Getty Images Reports are beginning to emerge of extraordinary stories of survival from the Texas Hill Country floods, even as the official death toll continued mounting. A young woman was dramatically rescued after she was carried 12 miles down the Guadalupe River by raging flood waters, and later pictured clinging to branches of a tree. The woman who has not been identified publicly was rescued, News 4 San Antonio reported. Erin Burgess told the outlet that the rain on Thursday night and into Friday was pretty heavy, but no big deal. She was woken by the storm at 3.30am, and waters around her home in the Bumble Bee Hills neighborhood in Kerr county started to rise. Within 2o minutes, she said, water was coming in through the walls and rushing through the front and back doors. She described an agonizing hour clinging to a tree and waiting for the water to recede enough that she was able to walk up the hill to a neighbors home. Related: Texas begins grim flood recovery after dozens killed and scores still missing including children My son and I floated to a tree where we hung on to it, and my boyfriend and my dog floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them, she said. She clung to her 19-year-old son, Burgess, through the ordeal. Thankfully hes over 6ft tall. Thats the only thing that saved me was hanging on to him, she told the outlet. In Ingram, Texas, the fiancee of one man described how he died saving her and their children. Christinia Wilson told the Texas news station KHOU that her fiance, Julian Ryan, severed an artery in his arm punching out a window to get her, their children and his mother out of their home as flood waters rushed in early on Friday. Wilson said she kept calling for emergency help, but no one could arrive in time to save Ryan. He looked at me and the kids and my mother-in-law and said: Im sorry, Im not going to make it. I love yall, Wilson told KHOU. Ryans sister, Connie Salas, said to the station: He died a hero, and that will never go unnoticed. Officials have said that a flood watch was issued on Thursday afternoon with estimated rainfalls, but that was upgraded to a flood warning for at least 30,000 people overnight. Officials have also said that the area around the Guadalupe River, known as flood alley, does not have a flood warning system. As of Saturday morning, 850 people had been rescued by emergency services, with 167 having been rescued by helicopter. The devastation has triggered a scramble to locate as many as two dozen children missing from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp on the banks of the river, but the missing also include campers who were not connected to that camp. Among them are four young adults who were last heard from at 4am on Friday morning when they were attempting to reach higher ground. They have been identified by family as Ella Cahill, Aidan Heartfield, Joyce Badon and Reese Manchaca. My little sister, her boyfriend, and their two friends are missing due to flood, Mackenzie Hodulik said on a Facebook post. Last we heard from them was at 4am. They were trying to escape home to get to higher ground. Among the confirmed dead were at least nine children, officials said. As of Saturday morning, other families and children who were still missing include the following. Anyone who sees them or knows where they are is asked to call authorities immediately. DeeAnn and Gary Knetsch The Knetsch family was staying at the HTR RV park in Kerrville and went missing after the water rose. Megan and Jake Moeller The Moellers were also staying at the HTR RV park in Kerrville and went missing after the water rose. Robert Leroy Brake Sr and Joni Kay Brake The Brake family was staying in a cabin at HRT TX campgrounds in Kerrville. They hadnt been heard from after the flooding. Lainey Landry Lainey was at Camp Mystic when the flooding hit. She hasnt been heard from since. Her parents, Ben and Natalie Landry, shared a photo with KHOU 11 reporter Amanda Henderson. Kellyanne Lytal Kellyanne Lytal was at Camp Mystic and is still unaccounted for. Her father was asking for thoughts and prayers. Greta Toranzo Greta Toranzo, a Sinclair elementary student in Houston, was missing from Camp Mystic. Her family asked the school to share her photo while they search for her. Harber family in Hunt, Texas Jennifer Harber and her brother, RJ, havent heard from RJs children, Brooke and Blair, as well as Jennifer and RJs parents, Charlene and Mike. They were at a house in Hunt, Texas, when the flood waters took over. Theyre also searching for two dogs: Daisy Mae and Lilly Lou. Tianna (Ty) Mabey Tianna Mabey was last seen at about 5am at the HTR campground in Kerrville. Her daughter said her mothers boyfriend was rescued from a tree. Holly Frizzell Family members said Holly Frizzell was at her home in Casa Bonita when the flooding started. She hasnt been seen since Friday at about 3am. Pam and Mike Smith, Brian and Blake Carpenter The family of Pam and Mike Smith and Brian and Blake Carpenter were asking for help finding them after the devastating flooding in central Texas. They were last known to be at their home in Casa Bonita. US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting in the Oval Office - Saul Loeb/AFP Bibi Netanyahus Oval Office meeting with Donald Trump on Monday could be a game-changer. They will undoubtedly focus on Iran, Gaza, and Syrias new regime among other subjects. But how close are the two leaders positions, and can their differences be reconciled? Both will declare the meeting successful, but the reality may be quite different. Trump crossed a Rubicon by ordering direct US military action against nuclear-weapons-related targets in Iran. He may think the strikes were simply a one and done affair, but, if so, he is badly mistaken. Trump put his personal prestige on the line, not to mention Americas. Despite his contention that the B-2 bunker-buster raids completely and totally obliterated the targeted nuclear-program sites, much remains to be done. No one knows that better than Netanyahu, who has focused on the Iranian nuclear threat for over three decades. Although he persuaded (or manoeuvred) Trump into using military force, the US President swerved immediately after receiving favourable reports on the strikes to impose a cease-fire on Israel and Iran. Netanyahu had little choice but to stand down, having achieved two major objectives: getting Trump into the fight and imposing significant, albeit not fatal, damage on Irans nuclear project. Iran also had little choice, having been pounded by Israel and the US, but to launch merely pro forma retaliation, shake its rhetorical fist in defiance, and hope to escape any additional destruction. Nonetheless, Netanyahu sees that the time is ripe for further action against Iran, including actions to encourage the domestic opposition to move against the ayatollahs. Irans air defences are now essentially flat, but the moment will not last forever. Top Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists have been eliminated, but their ranks will reform, and their respective work will resume. The ayatollahs have clearly signalled their continuing resolve by effectively expelling all International Atomic Energy Agency personnel from the country. The last thing Netanyahu wants is for Trump to throw Tehran an economic or political lifeline. Israel seeks regime change in Iran, and Netanyahu needs at least Trumps acquiescence for Israel to continue deconstructing the remains of Irans nuclear enterprise. Further US participation would be icing on the cake. By contrast, Trump desperately wants a Nobel Peace Prize. After all, he reasons, Barack Obama received one (which he didnt deserve), so why not Trump? Trumps Nobel obsession now seems concentrated on Gaza, where the ongoing conflict has intensified since the Israel-Iran ceasefire took effect. He has pressured both Israel and Hamas to reach agreement to effect the return some still-unsettled number of Israeli hostages and remains, in exchange releasing possibly 1,000 Hamas prisoners in Israeli custody, plus a 60-day ceasefire. The sticking point remains Hamass insistence on a complete end to the war, or, reportedly, a commitment that talks to end the war commence immediately after the hostage/prisoner exchanges. This sort of framework has been used before, but its durability remains just as doubtful as other post-October 7, 2023 efforts. Trump wants to announce a cease-fire on or before the Monday meeting, but how long it lasts is anyones guess. Hamas undoubtedly wants relief from Israeli military strikes, and domestic political pressure to secure the release of more hostages has left Netanyahu little manoeuvring room. But, apart from humanitarian objectives regarding the hostages, Israel gains no strategic upside from yet another cease fire. Israel has repeatedly suspended combat operations and withdrawn from already-secured positions in Gaza, and then been forced to re-take them, at considerable human and material costs to the Israeli Defense Forces. Lengthening the war also imposes additional strains on an already stressed Israeli economy. The collapse of Syrias Assad regime, replaced by former Al-Nusra Front terrorists (now known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS), was undoubtedly a serious setback for Iran. Acceding to Saudi Arabias requests, Trump lifted US economic sanctions previously imposed against Assads government, but substantial questions remain whether HTS has actually renounced terrorism. Its leader, Syrias de facto head of government, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is also an unknown, having shed his combat fatigues for a suit, trimmed his beard, and dropped his nom de guerre for, apparently, his real name. In the meantime, Israel continues military operations inside Syria, in addition to holding onto an extended buffer zone occupied after Assads fall. Perhaps nothing concrete regarding Syria will emerge from the Netanyahu-Trump meeting, but the two leaders need a better sense of each others concerns and objectives. Since the First World War, the Middle East has seen more diplomatic efforts crash and burn than any other geographic hot spot. Iran and Gaza today are unlikely to prove more successful. Mondays most important outcome in the West Wing will be decisions on the possible further use of US and Israeli military force to achieve key objectives on both fronts. John Bolton is a former US National Security Adviser Composite: Guardian Design/Getty Images/AP default Bernie Sanders, the venerable democratic socialist senator from Vermont, was not in a mood to pull punches. Trump is undermining our democracy and rapidly moving us towards authoritarianism, and the billionaires who care more about their stock portfolios than our democracy are helping him do it, he fumed in a statement last week. Such outbursts have been common in recent months as Sanders has taken up a leading position opposing Donald Trumps second term, and flagging his concern that the president is waging a war against the media and winning. The reason for his ire last week was highly specific: a deal struck by Paramount, the corporate parent of CBS News, to pay Trump $16m in a donation to his presidential library, the archival centers that many presidents set up after they leave office. The settlement puts an end to the US presidents lawsuit over the networks editing of an interview on 60 Minutes, the flagship CBS news magazine show, with then vice-president Kamala Harris during the 2024 election. Trump claimed without any serious evidence that the edit of the interview betrayed bias against him. 60 Minutes journalists countered and nearly all other observers agreed that it was just standard editing, common to all major interview segments. So then why settle? The key may lie with the fact that the super-wealthy Redstone family, which owns Paramount, is seeking to gain approval from Trump administration regulators for an $8bn deal to sell Paramount to the movie studio Skydance a deal in which they stand to profit with a $2.4bn payday. Paramount opened the door to the idea that the government should be the medias editor-in-chief Bob Corn-Revere of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Paramount may have closed this case, but it opened the door to the idea that the government should be the medias editor-in-chief, said lawyer Bob Corn-Revere of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. No wonder Sanders was mad. He has warned that the Paramount deal will only embolden Trump to continue attacking, suing and intimidating the media which the US president has repeatedly labeled the enemy of the people. It was, Sanders said, a dark day for independent journalism and freedom of the press. Many would agree. For as Trumps second presidency has unfolded amid chaos, vast cuts to government spending and a rollback of civil liberties, his repeated and blistering attacks on the press have been one of the things most worrying those who fear for Americas democratic health. Related: Former CBS anchor slams Paramount settlement with Trump: It was a sellout The US media is now in a deep crisis of the sort that observers of creeping autocracy in places such as Hungary might find familiar. For the Paramount deal is not alone. The settlement follows another, six months ago, when Disney which owns ABC News put to bed a legal claim over how George Stephanopoulos, one of its top news anchors, described the presidents sexual assault of the magazine writer E Jean Carroll. Again, the payment was $16m. He is even pursuing a legal claim against a relatively tiny newspaper for printing a poll he didnt like: Trumps lawsuit against the Iowa pollster Ann Selzer accuses her and the Des Moines Register of fraud, after she conducted a poll right before the 2024 election that showed Kamala Harris leading in Iowa, a state which she did not ultimately win. Last week the Trump administration also threatened legal action against no less a news giant than CNN, over its reporting on an app that warns users of nearby immigration enforcement agents. As the administration continues its mass deportation efforts, the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, said her department and the Department of Justice are now examining the idea of prosecuting the network. Were working with the Department of Justice to see if we can prosecute them, Noem said of CNN, because what theyre doing is actively encouraging people to avoid law enforcement activities and operations. Were going to actually go after them and prosecute them. What theyre doing is illegal. Trump then added, seemingly for good measure, that he believed the networks reporting on the success or lack thereof of the US bombing on Iran could also be examined. Our people have to be celebrated, [and] not come home to What do you mean we didnt hit the targets? Then he crystallised his entire approach: You have scum. CNN is scum. MSDNC [his insult for MSNBC] is scum. The New York Times is scum. Theyre bad people. Theyre sick. But if Trump is determined to wage a fierce crackdown on the press in the US, in some high-profile quarters it has been met with a distinct lack of resistance especially from news organizations whose owners are billionaires or large corporations, keenly aware of Trumps control of the nations regulators and their power to make or break a companys fortunes. Indeed, while the legal settlements with Trump represent a compromise of press freedoms, they may also represent an economic reality: that news outlets are more of a curse than a blessing to the multibillion-dollar media corporations that own them. A generation ago this would have seemed an outrageous story in the history of journalism Bob Thompson of Syracuse University The billionaire owners of both the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post the biotech mogul Patrick Soon-Shiong and Amazons Jeff Bezos, respectively have conspicuously moved their once-powerful newspapers closer to Trump and his Maga movement. Their opinion sections, both once fierce havens for Trump critics, have been the subject of particular attention by their owners and the outraged resignation letters of staff have appeared to make little impact. A generation ago this would have seemed an outrageous story in the history of journalism, said Bob Thompson, a media professor at Syracuse University. Not now in Trumps America. It is a two-pronged spear: even as Trump and his administration have launched an unprecedented attack, at the same time significant parts of the US media have seen its owners and power brokers often fold their hands. The head of Reporters Without Borders, Clayton Weimers, said: A line is being drawn between the owners of American news media who are willing to stand up for press freedom, and those who capitulate to the demands of the president. Jameel Jaffer, the director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, said: Calling these settlements doesnt quite capture whats happening. Its more like surrender or even payoff. The Trump administration has even signaled precisely that. Brendan Carr, Trumps handpicked chair for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) which holds the reins over whether the Redstone family gets its $2.4bn payday said in an interview last year that the news distortion complaint over the 60 Minutes transcript is something that is likely to arise in the context of the FCC review of that transaction, referring to the Paramount-Skydance deal. The Democratic party, without power and shouting from the sidelines, is furious. The leftwing Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren on Wednesday called for an investigation into the Paramount settlement. Related: Trump team threatens to prosecute CNN over reporting on Ice-tracking app With Paramount folding to Donald Trump at the same time the company needs his administrations approval for its billion-dollar merger, this could be bribery in plain sight, Warren said in a statement. The settlement, she said, exposed a glaring need for rules to restrict donations to sitting presidents libraries referring to the Trump entities that both ABC and CBS said their settlement payments would be directed and added that the Trump administrations level of sheer corruption is appalling, and Paramount should be ashamed of putting its profits over independent journalism. In May, Warren, Sanders and their fellow senator Ron Wyden sent a letter to the Paramount CEO, Shari Redstone, cautioning her that under the federal bribery statute, it is illegal to corruptly give anything of value to public officials to influence an official act. But prosecutors in the state of Delaware, where Paramount is incorporated, appear unlikely to open an investigation. Perhaps most chilling has been Trumps ongoing attack on the Associated Press, the news agency that is generally relied on to announce the winners and losers of individual elections, up to and including the presidency. When Trump ordered the Gulf of Mexico renamed to Gulf of America, and the AP continued to use both names noting that the rest of the world still uses the original Trump jumped on it as a pretext to ban AP reporters from the White House. The AP has sued, but whatever the result, Trumps attempt to undermine the impartiality credentials of an organisation that is crucial to letting the American people know who their next president is may prove even more dangerous in the long run. And while AP remains banned, official coverage of White House activities has been opened to various new media individuals and groups with no history of impartial journalism at all, and who appear to be selected entirely for their willingness to ask Trump sycophantic questions. The political and legal assault could hardly have come at a worse time for American journalism, either, which is assailed by economic headwinds that would be challenging even under a more friendly administration. Scores of once healthy and powerful regional newspapers and television stations have declined or closed. News deserts have appeared all over the country. Big TV names such as CNN and its rival MSNBC are being jettisoned by the owners that once provided a safe haven for them, and few expect the good economic times to return as the rise of social media giants and artificial intelligence chokes off advertising and revenue streams for a public increasingly sceptical of mainstream media. Meanwhile, some of the fresh new digital startups that were meant to take their place have either shrunk themselves or been axed. Names such as BuzzFeed, HuffPost and Vice News that were once darlings of the digital media world are pale shadows of their former selves, unlikely to provide any sort of bulwark against Trump while mired in economic difficulties. One of the few booming parts of the US media landscape? Fox News, the Trump-boosting conservative channel owned by Rupert Murdoch and his family. Part of the various crises in journalism, from the business model to the interference of an aggressive presidential administration, is that so much of journalism are in fact little compartments in huge corporate entities for whom the standards of American journalism, the first amendment, the obligation to inform the citizenry in a republic, are not at the top of their priorities, Thompson said. Its no surprise that we would have constant conflicts of interest when news organisations are owned by enormous, multivalent corporations that have got a lot of other interests besides telling the truth in journalism. In this world, the Trump administrations role in the crisis of US journalism is not as singular villain, but as just one more factor in an area of American civic life that was already deeply ailing and standing near the edge of a cliff. Trump and his allies have just started pushing it closer. As it collapses before our very eyes, we might be surprised that it didnt happen a long time ago, Thompson said. A protest in New York City on 22 June 2025. Photograph: Olga Fedorova/AP Threats of retribution from Donald Trump are hardly a novelty, but even by his standards, the US presidents warnings of wrathful vengeance in recent days have represented a dramatic escalation. In the past week, Trump has threatened deportation, loss of US citizenship or arrest against, respectively, the worlds richest person, the prospective future mayor of New York and Joe Bidens former homeland security secretary. The head-spinning catalogue of warnings may have been aimed at distracting from the increasing unpopularity, according to opinion surveys, of Trumps agenda, some analysts say. But they also served as further alarm bells for the state of US democracy five and a half months into a presidency that has seen a relentless assault on constitutional norms, institutions and freedom of speech. On Tuesday, Trump turned his sights on none other than Elon Musk, the tech billionaire who, before a recent spectacular fallout, had been his closest ally in ramming through a radical agenda of upending and remaking the US government. But when the Tesla and SpaceX founder vowed to form a new party if Congress passed Trumps signature one big beautiful bill into law, Trump swung into the retribution mode that is now familiar to his Democratic opponents. Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, menacing both the billions of dollars in federal subsidies received by Musks companies, and it seemed his US citizenship, which the entrepreneur received in 2002 but which Trump supporters such as Steve Bannon have questioned. No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Trump twisted the knife further the following morning talking to reporters before boarding a flight to Florida. We might have to put Doge on Elon, he said, referring to the unofficial department of government efficiency that has gutted several government agencies and which Musk spearheaded before stepping back from his ad hoc role in late May. Doge is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldnt that be terrible. Musks many critics may have found sympathy hard to come by given his earlier job-slashing endeavors on Trumps behalf and the $275m he spent last year in helping to elect him. But the wider political implications are worrying, say US democracy campaigners. Trump is making clear that if he can do that to the worlds richest man, he could certainly do it to you, said Ian Bassin, co-founder and executive director of Protect Democracy. Its important, if we believe in the rule of law, that we believe in it whether it is being weaponized against someone that we have sympathy for or someone that we have lost sympathy for. Musk was not the only target of Trumps capricious vengeance. He also threatened to investigate the US citizenship of Zohran Mamdani, the Democrats prospective candidate for mayor of New York who triumphed in a multi-candidate primary election, and publicly called on officials to explore the possibility of arresting Alejandro Mayorkas, the former head of homeland security in the Biden administration. Both scenarios were raised during a highly stage-managed visit to Alligator Alcatraz, a forbidding new facility built to house undocumented people rounded up as part of Trumps flagship mass-deportation policy. After gleefully conjuring images of imprisoned immigrants being forced to flee from alligators and snakes presumed to reside in the neighbouring marshlands, Trump seized on obliging questions from friendly journalists working for rightwing fringe outlets that have been accredited by the administration for White House news events, often at the expense of established media. Why hasnt he been arrested yet? asked Julio Rosas from Blaze Media, referring to Mayorkas, who was widely vilified and subsequently impeached by Republicans who blamed him for a record number of immigrant crossings at the southern US border. Was he given a pardon, Mayorkas? Trump replied. On being told no, he continued: Ill take a look at that one because what he did is beyond incompetence Somebody told Mayorkas to do that and he followed orders, but that doesnt necessarily hold him harmless. Asked by Benny Johnson, a rightwing social media influencer, for his message to communist Mamdani a self-proclaimed democratic socialist over his pledge not to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) roundups of undocumented people if he is elected mayor, Trump said: Then we will have to arrest him. We dont need a communist in this country. Im going to be watching over him very carefully on behalf of the nation. He also falsely suggested that Mamdani, 33 who became a naturalized US citizen in 2018 after emigrating from Uganda with his ethnic Indian parents when he was a child was in the country illegally, an assertion stemming from a demand by a Republican representative for a justice department investigation into his citizenship application. The representative, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, alleged that Mamdani, who has vocally campaigned for Palestinian rights, gained it through willful misrepresentation or concealment of material support for terrorism. The threat to Mamdani echoed a threat Trumps border czar, Tom Homan, made to arrest Gavin Newsom, the California governor, last month amid a row over Trumps deployment of national guard forces in Los Angeles to confront demonstrators protesting against Ices arrests of immigrants. Omar Noureldin, senior vice-president with Common Cause, a pro-democracy watchdog, said the animus against Mamdani, who is Muslim, was partly fueled by Islamophobia and racism. Part of the rhetoric weve heard around Mamdani, whether from the president or other political leaders, goes toward his religion, his national origin, race, ethnicity, he said. Mamdani has called himself a democratic socialist. There are others, including Bernie Sanders, who call themselves that, but folks arent questioning whether or not Bernie Sanders should be a citizen. Retribution promised to be a theme of Trumps second presidency even before he returned to the Oval Office in January. On the campaign trail last year, he branded some political opponents including Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, and Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker of the House of Representatives as the enemy within. Since his inauguration in January, he has indulged in petty acts of revenge against both Democrats and Republicans who have crossed him. Biden; Kamala Harris, the former vice-president and last years defeated Democratic presidential nominee; and Hillary Clinton, Trumps 2016 opponent, have all had their security clearances revoked. Secret Service protection details have been removed from Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, who served in Trumps first administration, despite both being the subject of death threats from Iran because of the 2020 assassination of Qassem Suleimani, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander. Similar fates have befallen Anthony Fauci, the infectious diseases specialist who angered Trump over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as Bidens adult children, Hunter and Ashley. Trump has also targeted law firms whose lawyers previously acted against him, prompting some to strike deals that will see them perform pro bono services for the administration. For now, widely anticipated acts of retribution against figures such as Gen Mark Milley, the former chair of the joint chiefs of staff of the armed forces whom Trump previously suggested deserved to be executed for treason and who expressed fears of being recalled to active duty and then court-martialed have not materialised. I [and] people in my world expected that Trump would come up with investigations of any number of people, whether they were involved in the Russia investigation way back when, or the election investigation, or the January 6 insurrection, but by and large he hasnt done that, said one veteran Washington insider, who requested anonymity, citing his proximity to people previously identified as potential Trump targets. There are all kinds of lists floating around with names of people that might be under investigation, but youll never know youre under investigation until police turn up on your doorstep and these people are just getting on with their lives. Yet pro-democracy campaigners say Trumps latest threats should be taken seriously especially after several recent detentions of several elected Democratic officials at protests near immigration jails or courts. In the most notorious episode, Alex Padilla, a senator from California, was forced to the floor and handcuffed after trying to question Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, at a press conference. When the president of the United States, the most powerful person in the world, threatens to arrest you, thats as serious as it gets, said Bassin, a former White House counsel in Barack Obamas administration. Whether the DoJ [Department of Justice] opens an investigation or seeks an indictment, either tomorrow, next year or never is beside the point. The threat itself is the attack on our freedoms, because its designed to make us all fear that if any one of us opposes or even just criticises the president, we risk being prosecuted. While some doubt the legal basis of Trumps threats to Musk, Mayorkas and Mamdani, Noureldin cautioned that they should be taken literally. Trump is verbose and grandiose, but I think he also backs up his promises with action, he said. When the president of the United States says something, we have to take it as serious and literal. I wouldnt be surprised if at the justice department, there is a group of folks who are trying to figure out a way to [open prosecutions]. But the bigger danger was to the time-honored American notion of freedom, Bassin warned. One definition of freedom is that you are able to speak your mind, associate with who you want, lead the life that you choose to lead, and that so long as you conduct yourself in accordance with the law, the government will not retaliate against you or punish you for doing those things, he said. When the president of the United States makes clear that actually that is not the case, that if you say things he doesnt like, you will be singled out, and the full force of the state could be brought down on your head, then youre no longer free. And if hes making clear that thats true for people who have the resources of Elon Musk or the political capital of a Mayorkas or a Mamdani, imagine what it means for people who lack those positions or resources. Wales wilted in the Kitakyushu heat to lose 24-19 to Japan and suffer an 18th successive Test defeat. First-half tries from Ben Thomas and Tom Rogers, as well as a penalty try and a Sam Costelow conversion, gave Wales a 19-7 interval lead and hopes of a first victory since beating Georgia at the 2023 World Cup 21 months ago. But Japan dominated the second half and tries from Takuro Matsunaga, Ichigo Nakakusu and Halatoa Vailea, plus nine points from the boot of Seungsin Lee, piled on more misery for Wales. Brave Blossoms boss Eddie Jones said he had hoped for a hot day to run Wales off their feet and the oppressive conditions with the temperature above 30 degrees Celsius as well as high humidity meant water breaks in each half and an extended interval. A slippery ball produced countless handling errors and there was often little rhythm to a disrupted contest that took over two hours to complete. Taulupe Faletau, Nicky Smith, Ben Thomas and Blair Murray survived from the 68-14 thrashing to England in the Six Nations as interim head coach Matt Sherratt made 11 changes. Number eight Faletau the fifth-most capped Welshman made his 109th appearance but it was largely an inexperienced line-up with six starters having fewer than 10 caps. Wales fall from grace had left them in 12th place on World Rugbys rankings table, one spot above Japan, and it was very much a meeting between two teams in transition. There was a worrying start to the contest as Ben Carter took a hit to the side of the head inside 30 seconds. Carter slumped to the ground after attempting to make a tackle and there was a lengthy stoppage before the second row forward was taken away on a stretcher. Wales Ben Carter suffered an injury setback (David Davies/PA) Wales immediately shrugged off that blow as Faletau exploited space profited from a line-out ploy to send Thomas over with a well-timed pass and Costelow converted. Japan were on the backfoot and struggling to get out of their own half, but scored from their first attack after 16 minutes as winger Kippei Ishida sliced through midfield to set up Matsunaga and Lees kick restored parity. Wales hit the front again with a penalty try after Nakakusu, who had replaced the injured Matsunaga moments earlier, deliberately slapped the ball away as Josh Adams closed on Kieran Hardys chip by the try line. Nakakusu suffered further punishment with a yellow card, and Wales took advantage of their extra man after Japan had found touch from the kick-off. Faletau broke away from a scrum going backwards and Hardy, Costelow and Johnny Williams moved the ball on for Rogers to scamper into the corner. The tide turned in the second half as Amato Fakatava saw his effort ruled out for a Shinobu Fujiwara knock-on, but Japan were not to be denied after going through the phases. Eddie Jones Japan emerged victorious (David Davies/PA) Rogers slipped off a tackle and Nakakusu dived over with Lee adding the extras and soon reducing the deficit to two points with a penalty. Japan got their noses in front for the first time as replacement Vailea barged over and Lees sparked celebrations that continued until the final whistle. The two-match series will conclude in Kobe next Saturday. A new name will be on the Wimbledon womens title for the eighth successive tournament after defending champion Barbora Krejcikova and 2022 winner Elena Rybakina were knocked out in the third round. Krejcikova had her blood pressure taken on court during a medical timeout in the deciding set of her 2-6 6-3 6-4 loss to 10th seed Emma Navarro. The 29-year-old Czech player, who beat Jasmine Paolini in the 2024 final, was experiencing dizziness and appeared visibly distressed for the remainder of the match. No.1 Court rises for our 2024 Ladies' Singles Champion We look forward to seeing you next year, Barbora #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/StLUVMq1Lw Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 5, 2025 She was frequently bent over with her hands on her knees before being in tears at the back of the court ahead of the final two games. All I can say is that the first half of the match I was definitely enjoying myself on the court and I was feeling quite well, said 17th seed Krejcikova. But then suddenly out of nowhere I just lost all my energy and I couldnt really gain it back. First of all, I thought that it was the food, that I ate too early. Thats why I started with all the bananas and all the sugars and stuff. But I wasnt really feeling better, I was actually feeling worse and worse with the time on court. Barbora Krejcikova was in tears in the latter stages of her defeat to Emma Navarro (Jordan Pettitt/PA) Unfortunately it ended up this way, which is just very unfortunate and really sad and disappointing for me. Not since Serena Williams lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish for the seventh and final time in 2016 has a female former champion triumphed in SW19. In contrast, there have only been five different winners of the mens competition Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Carlos Alcaraz during the past 22 years. Rybakina earlier suffered a rain-delayed 7-6 (6) 6-3 upset against 22-year-old Dane Clara Tauson. The 11th seed made 31 unenforced errors across the contest, including sending a straightforward forehand long on match point. Elena Rybakina was beaten by Clara Tauson (Ben Whitley/PA) Grass is very unpredictable, its very short season, not everyone gets to adjust quick, she said. No one won it (the title) more than once lately. Hopefully its going to happen soon but its just very different from all the other surfaces. Tausons reward for one of the biggest wins of her career is a last-16 meeting with five-time grand slam champion Iga Swiatek, who beat Danielle Collins in straight sets. Teenage seventh seed Mirra Andreeva awaits Navarro after she rushed into round four with a straight-sets win over American world number 55 Hailey Baptiste. With inclement conditions temporarily halting play on the outer courts, the 18-year-old Russian cruised to a 6-1 6-3 victory under the Court One roof. "The top teen in tennis" Mirra Andreeva produces a stunning 6-1, 6-3 victory against Hailey Baptiste on No.1 Court to move into the fourth round #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Lx4oHl9MjH Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 5, 2025 Aside from world number one Aryna Sabalenka, who overcame Britains Emma Raducanu on Friday evening, Andreeva is the highest seeded player remaining in the womens draw following a series of upsets across week one. Liudmila Samsonova joins compatriot Andreeva in the second week after hitting a monster serve of 128 miles per hour in her 6-2 6-3 victory over Daria Kasatkina. Samsonovas effort was just short of the Wimbledon womens record of 129mph set by Venus Williams in 2008. Kasatkina, who switched allegiance from Russia to Australia earlier this year after publicly criticising her countrys LGBTQ+ laws and the war in Ukraine, trailed 6-2 2-0 when play was temporarily halted by rain and could not mount a comeback. Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro beat Ukraines Dayana Yastremska in three sets to set up a clash with Samsonova. Liudmila Samsonova hit a 128mph serve during her win against Daria Kasatkina (Mike Egerton/PA) Belinda Bencic came from a break down in the third set against Elisabetta Cocciaretto to win the second-longest womens match of this years Wimbledon. The 28-year-old Swiss player, who missed last years tournament due to the birth of her daughter, progressed 6-4 3-6 7-6 (10/7) in two hours and 58 minutes following multiple rain delays, including a lengthy off-court spell after the first set. Former Olympic champion Bencic will face Russian 18th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova a straight-sets victor against Zeynep Sonmez in round four. The US president hailed the spending bill as he signed it into law on the White House lawn - REUTERS Donald Trump strode onto the Truman Balcony in the evening sun, his glamorous wife, Melania, to his left, his recently passed big, beautiful, bill waiting for him on the South Lawn. Americas winning, winning, winning like never before, he declared, the stars and stripes billowing behind him. It was the moment he had been waiting for. Against the odds, Mr Trump had managed to push his controversial legislative victory through Congress in time for the nations birthday. The US president and Mrs Trump leant back and marvelled as fights and a B2 stealth bomber which Mr Trump called a big, beautiful plane streaked the blue skies above the annual White House Fourth of July military picnic. Dressed in a long, white dress with white, blue and red detailing at the waist, her hair in loose curls, Mrs Trump, 55, made a rare appearance with her husband, standing beside him, her hands in her pockets, as he delivered a 30-minute speech. Occasionally, Mr Trump would reach out to touch her waist. Trump addresses the crowd beside Melania - REUTERS The White House had also been styled: it was decorated with red, white and blue bunting for the festivities. The president thanked his beaming first lady for her contributions to the celebrations: She worked very hard to make this all work. The United States Marine Band played patriotic marches interspersed with songs by 1980s pop icons Chaka Khan and Huey Lewis, as well as a rendition of the national anthem. Weve, I think, had probably the most successful almost six months as a president and the presidency, I think theyre saying it was the best six months, and I know for a fact theyre saying the last two weeks, there has never been anything like it. As far as winning, winning, winning, Mr Trump told the crowd of supporters, politicians and military families. America is the hottest country in the world, Mr Trump added, as he wore a navy suit in Fridays 30-degree heat. Its only going to get hotter, I promise you that, he added. Karoline Leavitt, the administrations press secretary, shows off the bill before the ceremony - PRESSSEC/X The festivities came after Mr Trumps bill passed the House on a largely party-line vote on Thursday, culminating a months-long push by the GOP to cram most of its priorities into a single budget bill that could be enacted without Senate Democrats being able to block it indefinitely by filibustering. The legislation extends Trumps 2017 multi-trillion dollar tax cuts and cuts Medicaid and food stamps by $1.2 trillion. It provides for a massive increase in immigration enforcement. Congresss non-partisan scorekeeper projects that nearly 12 million more people will lose health insurance under the law. Democrats condemned the package as a giveaway to the rich that will rob millions more lower-income people of their health insurance, food assistance and financial stability. Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, said the assembly floor resembled a crime scene due to the cuts to services in a record-breaking speech that delayed the bills passage by more than eight hours. Responding indirectly on Friday, Mr Trump said: I just want you to know if you see anything negative put out by Democrats, its all a con job. He said his legislation was the biggest bill of its type in history. Weve never had anything like that before, nothing like that they thought would be possible to get passed, he said. It was a triumph of democracy on the birthday of democracy, he added. Following his remarks, Mr Trump walked down the steps to the South Lawn to finally greet his beloved bill. Republican legislators and members of cabinet crowded behind him as he signed the legislation. He then banged down the gavel, given to him by House Speaker Mike Johnson, that was used during the bills final passage. Stickley started out in the nightclub-leasing business at university before selling his first tech company for 40m. (Rob Steele) Lyndon Stickley tries to scare a lot of people away when he oversees first interviews for roles at cloud-accounting start-up iplicit. Yet Stickley, who bills himself as a go-to-market evangelist after successfully scaling and selling six previous companies, is far from your ruthless CEO. For the zest with which he describes his involvement with iplicit and why he wont be exiting a business for a seventh time one of his previous projects includes London's largest graveyard makes him a particularly charismatic leader. Hampshire-based Stickley is aiming to take the remote-first firm he takes part in daily coffee roulette mornings with employees to unicorn status by 2030, by making it the "on-premises salvation" for mid-market businesses and their "outdated" finance systems. Read More: Meet Britain's 'king of billboards' who sold his business for 1bn Launched in 2019, iplicit gained a top-20 place among UK firms in the FT1000 list of Europe's fastest growing businesses. Last year, the firm was one of the Sunday Times medium business top places to work. So, to those job interviews. I say it might not be for you and tell them that this is a place for really passionate, slightly unhinged mountain climbers, says Stickley, who built and sold his first company, an ISDN tech firm, for around 29m before turning 30. If you say we are off on a mountain climb which will take three months and you might lose a finger to frostbite but we will stick a flag at the top, we are looking at the one person who will lean in where the other 19 wont. The fact he is even discussing iplicits marketplace rise is, he says, down to luck. Happenstance has been the foundation of everything, he adds. Stickley tells the story of how Ian Andrews, an engineer by heart, spent 20 years running a company called Concept Software and becoming one of the UKs leading implementation consultancies for the likes of Oracle. Iplicit is a remote-first business with over 150 staff. (Ben Kapur Photography) He had been introduced by a friend on the school run who said he should look at Andrews' accounting software business. Shortly afterwards, Andrews spent two hours explaining to Stickley about large scale enterprise resource planning (ERP) an area in which the serial entrepreneur had no experience. Once vendors had concluded software deals, Andrews would place people on site for up to two years and charge hundreds of thousands of pounds for implementation work. It was a world that blew my mind, says Stickley. After 20 years, he told me, he realised he was part of the machine that was stacked against the customer, who was also getting mugged rather than it being implemented out of the box, Stickley recalls of their first meeting. Read More: The boss who has found natures answer to plastic He said to me that he decided to build a better system by investing 1.5m of family savings and a friend who did the same. They carved off some engineers and created an accounting solution [iplicit] which could be deployed in days and compile reports in hours not weeks, with low disruption. Stickley asked how many customers iplicit had, to which Andrews replied none. It was, however, the start of an unlikely relationship, given that Stickley would usually have refrained from any reckless decisions in previous investments. Having promised his friend, Stickley made some calls and was told to give it a wide berth. One final network call to a co-founder of legacy finance firm Exchequer, who he knew over 20 years previously, changed the direction. After looking at the software, he was left enthused by its power and low touch. CEO Lyndon Stickley has built and sold six companies and now wants to take iplicit to unicorn status. (Rick Pushinsky) With Stickley investing 1m into Andrews business, iplicit swelled to around 20 staff, went to market in 2019 and immediately started winning top accountancy awards they hadnt entered. Iplicits plan had been how to overcome the issue of customers buying finance software off an unknown player in the market. COVID not only levelled the playing field, with video meetings and iplicits shorter implementation times, but also propelled the appeal from mounting customers who had non-cloud system issues. Iplicit realised that it could serve 100,000 sites, often multi-company locations, with a 25% market share goal and a 500m a year business. We couldnt have possibly contrived that [accounting software giant] Sage would drop a royal ball and not have something for the vast majority of its base, says Stickley. The industry had also taken notice. Stickley was told by Oystein Moan the executive chairman of Visma who took the company to unicorn status that iplicit was a multi-billion pound opportunity in the UK alone. Last year, Moan and Nic Humphries, one of the biggest private equity players in the business-to-business software space, joined iplicits advisory board. Read More: 'Why we set up a sustainable mobile operator to save people money' Stickleys entrepreneurial spirit had been gained from his father, who had a chicken farm at 16, ran a nightclub in his twenties and worked with artists like Lulu and the Rolling Stones. Aged 17, Stickley junior took Wednesdays off sixth form college to sell kitchenware at the local market, earning 200. At university, he ran five club nights across Portsmouth in the late 1980s before his penchant for scaling businesses. The worst and the best I have been involved in is the most human connected and impactful business, Stickley says of Kemnal Park, which he describes as the UKs first cemetery to celebrate life and built for people to return. The thank yous were non stop, he says, when you can see week in, week out people come back and be inspired by the place where they have buried a loved one. Iplicit implements accounting software for mid-market finance teams. (MTStock Studio via Getty Images) Stickley met Andrews as the former was leaving the cemetery business, with iplicit planning for two years before launch. From 2006 to 2022, Stickley worked part-time three days a week. He took the helm as CEO when he realised that the business wouldnt be sold and is now working as if back in my twenties. The firm has one office in Poole, Dorset with 25 employees, and around 135 working remotely. Stickley says iplicits growth has been down to lifting the barriers of geography and has U-turned on seeing recruitment agencies as the enemy. Getting a good recruitment pipeline means you have talent on tap when you need it, Stickley adds. Theres no way you can grow fast like this and do the recruitment function as you cant afford mediocrity to creep into the camp. Iplicits goal, he says, is to become the de facto standard in the UK before any entrance into the US. It currently serves over 43,000 daily users in over 3,000 organisations. We have the best tech, team and trajectory and an advantage that no one else has in the market right now, he adds. All thanks to that school run chat and Andrews being a few months shy of running out of money before meeting iplicit's future CEO. What doesnt make him bonkers is he didn't go bust, so now he's a genius, right? Because he really was," says Stickley. "But if it had gone bust, he was bonkers. It was a fine line. CEO Says: Lyndon Stickley on Coffee roulette and remote-first You value the relationships more when you dont have them on a plate every day. We get together six times a year and we all hug across 150 people as we arent in the office getting bored with each other. The video efficiency is unbelievable. I can have 15 meetings in a day and include coffee roulette in that, which was invented by one of our techies where a random name generator pairs two people to have 20 minutes together. I found it so insightful I now have around 25 coffee roulettes a month virtually across the country. It takes the drudge out of the work and makes meetings more concise. We dont recruit younger people typically; they deserve a right of passage in an office. We are heavily biased towards over 35s as we suit the young families and older, experienced employees and appeal to an audience who dont want to commute. We measure trust by measuring outputs, not by checking in on people. Read more: Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. NEED TO KNOW It can be tempting to put fresh fruits and vegetables directly into the fridge after you purchase them, but not all produce is optimally stored in cooler conditions While some items benefit from fridge storage, others thrive in warmer temperatures and less restricted environments For some fresh items, the way that they are stored in the fridge are pertinent to them tasting best and lasting long When it comes to keeping groceries fresh, theres nothing worse than biting into an unripe fruit or realizing the milk you bought two days ago has now gone bad. In an article for AllRecipes, food writer Kimberly Holland broke down how to correctly store beloved foods in the refrigerator after a grocery store run. Read on to learn more about which ingredients you may need to consider storing differently. Berries Getty strawberries Holland notes that to avoid chomping into a freezer-burned strawberry, its important to keep your berries in a dry and unwashed container in the fridge. By storing them in the original container or a plastic-wrapped bowl, the fruit can last up to 10 days. Keep those berries juicy! Potatoes Getty potatoes When potatoes are in a frosty environment like the fridge, the moisture inside the vegetable evaporates and transforms the shape into small, wrinkly taters. Additionally, the cold conditions begin the retrogradation of starch into sugar, creating a sweet flavor profile and a sticky texture. Holland recommends against storing potatoes in the refrigerator and advises keeping them in a cabinet or pantry. If you happen to stick them in the fridge, allow them to sit out and reach room temperature before cooking. Garlic Getty Garlic If you buy your garlic cloves in bulk, the best method to keep them fresh is to find room for them in your freezer. Holland shares that you can store the bulb vegetable whole, or peel the outer layer to store individual cloves inside aluminum wrap or a jar. Alternatively, you can store the cloves in a similar dry habitat as your potatoes. However, by freezing the natural vampire repellent, they become easier to mince or chop. Onions Getty Onions Holland shares that the aroma of onions can spread due to the sulfur compounds inside the vegetable and unless you want the fresh fruit in your fridge to taste like onions keep the onions out of the fridge. Instead, keep them inside dark, cool and dry conditions. When onions are chopped, they then need to be plastic-wrapped and stored in the fridge. Before chopping, onions can last up to 30 days. Cucumbers Getty Cucumbers Counter-intuitively, the best place to store a cucumber is not in a fridge. When a cucumber is stored in a cool environment, the vegetable is prone to turn bad faster. Instead, Holland advises you to keep them in a dry area, such as a countertop. Also, storing cucumbers next to fruits like tomatoes, bananas and melons can speed up the spoilage process. Tomatoes Getty Tomatoes Theres nothing worse than squishy, overripe tomatoes. But, by leaving them out at room temperature, the fruit will retain juiciness and flavor. When tomatoes are just ripe, Holland advises placing them in the refrigerator for no more than two days to prevent them from getting too soft. Eggs Getty Eggs Want to prolong the life of your eggs? Dont stick them on the fridge door. Holland shares that the frequent temperature fluctuations of the door opening and closing will decrease the shelf-life of your eggs. Eggs and dairy products are best kept in the coldest area of the fridge. Herbs Getty Basil Holland recommends grabbing a damp paper towel to wrap the stems of your herbs to preserve their freshness. You should then put them in a resealable plastic bag and place them in the fridge. She adds its important to re-dampen the paper towel every other day. However, Holland advises against putting basil in the fridge. The cool and humid conditions of a refrigerator can cause shrinkage, so just place the herb in a cup of water on the counter. Avocados Getty Avocadoes If you want to devour guacamole anytime soon, you shouldn't store your avocados in the fridge. Why? They don't ripen as fast in colder temperatures. Red Meat Getty Ground Beef The most optimal place to store poultry is away from fruits and vegetables, at the bottom of the fridge. By doing this, you can prevent bacteria from spreading around the inside of your refrigerator. Holland recommends investing in an antibacterial mat to line where you store the meat inside your fridge. Read the original article on People Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Wedding season is an exciting time. And before you hear those wedding bells, you just might catch the scent of something sweet in the airlike a tray of petit fours waiting patiently on a doily-lined dessert table. These bite-sized sponge cakes, layered with jam or buttercream and finished with piped icing, have become a beloved Southern traditionespecially at baby showers and bridal luncheons. As good as they look and taste, making them isnt for the faint of heart. In a recent Instagram video, Senior Lifestyle Editor Ivy Odom took on the challenge herself, using unfrosted cake layers from Publix to create Lemony Petit Fours. After piping, cutting, icing, and decorating, she had one thing to say: These were a labor of love I hope I never have to do again. Her closing advice? Thank your Petit Four Lady. Many of you already had a Petit Four Lady in mindwhether its a bakery youve been visiting for decades or a family member who knows just how to get the icing right. Here are the best places in the South to get this heavenly treat, according to our readers. Get The Recipe Ligers Bakery Montgomery, Alabama Theres no shortage of petit four spots in Alabama, but according to our readers, few hold a candle to Ligers. The oldest bakery in Montgomery, this family-run shop has been serving some of the best sweets in the state since 1944and theyve built quite the loyal following along the way. As one reader puts it, Nothing in the world is as good as a petit four from Ligers Bakery. I could devour six right now. Another adds, The absolute best petit fours are from Ligers Bakery. While youre there, add some mint thumbprint cookies too. facebook.com/ligersgood; 3040 McGehee Rd, Montgomery, AL 36111; 334-288-6550 McEntyres Bakery Smyrna, Georgia The next time you find yourself in Atlanta, our readers recommend this little slice of heaven in Smyrna. Not only can you pick up a custom-made cake or a box of beautifully iced pastries, but you can also stop by for a satisfying deli lunch. For over six decades, my family got their petit fours from McEntyres Bakery, one reader shares. We also get our cheese straws and butter mints from McEntyres, too. Everything is perfect. Another says, I will suffer through making cheese straws, but Im headed to McEntyres for petit fours! mcentyresbakery.com; 1184 Concord Rd SE UNIT 1, Smyrna, GA 30080; 770-434-3115 Savages Bakery Homewood, Alabama I leave the petit fours to Savages Bakery in Birmingham, says one readerand many of you from Alabama agree. Located in the Homewood area, this longtime favorite has been around for more than 85 years, quietly becoming a go-to for breads, cakes, pastries, and of course, petit fours. While youre there, dont miss other fan favorites like the buttery meltaways and the iconic smiley face cookies. shopsavagesbakery.com; 2916 18th St S, Homewood, AL 35209; 205-871-4901 Blue Bonnet Bakery Fort Worth, Texas One thing about our readers: they stay loyal to a quality establishment. Weve been getting ours at Bluebonnet Bakery in Fort Worth for 40 years, says one reader, adding that theyre worth every penny. Specializing in handmade goods with old-fashioned quality, this Texas mainstay has been preserving passed-down recipes for more than 75 years. As another reader puts it, they have been the citys petit four lady for decadesand it doesnt look like that will change anytime soon. bluebonnetbakery.com; 4705 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76107; 817-731-4233 Wilsons Bakery Warner Robins, Georgia One reader still gets her petit fours from the same place she bought her wedding cake nearly three decades ago. Wilsons Bakery makes the best [petit fours] in Georgia, she says. They made my wedding cake 27 years ago, too. Celebrating more than 60 years in business, this second-generation bakery is a staple in Warner Robins. The beloved cakes are best enjoyed alongside their famous fingernut cookies. wilsonsbakery.com; 1719 Watson Blvd, Warner Robins, GA 31093; 478-922-9300 Moellers Bakery Houston, Texas When it comes to petit fours in Houston, readers say the ones at Moellers Bakery take the cake. In Houston, the Petite Four Lady is Moellers Bakery, and they are mouthwatering perfection every time, says one reader. Another adds, You cant have a party without Moellers petit fours. Open since 1930, this family-run bakery has earned its reputation one tiny iced square at a time. moellersbakery.com; 4201 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77025; 713-667-0983 Pollmans Bakery Mobile, Alabama One reader says this historic bakery in Mobile is chefs kiss, and with good reason. As Alabamas oldest bakery (founded in 1918), Pollmans is known for blending Southern traditions with adventurous new flavors. Their petit fours are available daily alongside a tempting lineup of bear claws, coffee rolls, custard-filled pastries, king cakes, classic deli-style sandwiches, and more. pollmansbakery.com; 750 S Broad St, Mobile, AL 36603; 251-438-1511 That Bakery Off Augusta Greenville, South Carolina Dont let the modest name fool youthis charming shop in downtown Greenville has become a local favorite for its beautifully decorated sweets. One reader says, I live in the Greenville, South Carolina area, and That Bakery Off Augusta makes the best. Known for its custom cakes, gluten-free offerings, and seasonal pastries, the bakery turns out petit fours that are as lovely to look at as they are to eat. facebook.com/thebakeryoffaugusta; 11 Sevier St, Greenville, SC 29605; 864-282-8580 Publix Many readers were pleasantly surprised to learn you can buy unfrosted cake layers at Publixbut if youre in a pinch, their ready-made petit fours have long been a reliable go-to. I am the Sausage Ball and Divinity Lady, but the petit fours, I leave to Publix, says one reader. Another adds, Publix bakery has the prettiest & tastiest petit fours. Why mess with perfection? At Home Sometimes the Petit Four Lady, is a person right under your own roof. I have a petit four and cheese straw MAN!, one reader says. My husbands family owned a bakery for 47 years, so he grew up baking. Im so thankful I dont have to bake. Another reader says, Im the Petit Four lady in my family. Our youngest daughter called them little bites of Heaven when she was younger. Read the original article on Southern Living Getty Images The Gist A midi skirt is a stylish alternative when pants simply won't cut it. They aren't too long or too shortthey're just right. Midi skirts are the right length for year-round wear to both formal and casual events. Sometimes pants just don't cut it. And while today's baggier, wide-leg silhouettes lean into comfort, skirts are even less restrictive and more freeingespecially the midi variety. Not too long, but not too short either, this best-of-both-worlds hem length typically hits around the calf area. Unlike miniskirts that may cause you to feel exposed or maxi skirts that can leave you drowning in material, tea-length skirts allow for coverage without totally covering up. Regardless of your aesthetic, you'll be able to find a midi skirt that works for you. Appropriate for formal and informal occasions alike, experimenting with cut, material, color, and design are just some of the ways to explore styling this versatile garment. In case you're looking for some visual inspiration, you're in luck. From complementing crop tops in the summertime to pairing with boots in the winter, below are 13 midi skirt outfits to try any time of the year. With Belts Hanna Lassen / Getty Images Jamie Nguyen at Australian Fashion Week in May 2024. Adding a simple accessory like a double belt can elevate any outfit, but especially a navy pleated skirt. The chic cropped sweater and collared shirt dont hurt either. Finish the look with a pair of combat boots and sunglasses for the ultimate rebellion. In a Sheer Finish Edward Berthelot / Getty Images Natalia Verza in Paris in May 2024. Theres no question that sheer fabrics are what all the It-girls are wearing. Case in point: this nude floral pencil skirt version. And since your transparent midi will most likely be your outfits main focal point, you can try styling it with a simple white T-shirt and a classic leather jacket. Tips With a pair of hot pants or micro mini shorts underneath, you can participate in the sheer clothing trend without worry about coverage. With a Crop Top Getty Images Guest in Paris in June 2025 To strike the perfect balance, consider wearing a midi skirt with a crop top. This high-waisted A-line silhouette works perfectly for a more elegant occasion. Even with an all-black outfit, the leather material offers a nice contrast. Oh, and dont forget a pair of statement earrings and sunglasses. As a Skirt Suit Getty Images Gonul Pehlivan in Germant in May 2021. Officewear has evolved into corpcore, and this skirt suit illustrates the trend to a T. The blazer is generously tailored, creating a lovely silhouette. Meanwhile, the midi hem length of the matching pencil skirt allows for your shoes to be on full displayso make sure you choose your footwear wisely. Coordinated With Accessories Getty Images Geraldine Nakache in Paris in June 2025 A great piece to wear during the summer season is a flowy ivory midi skirt. One way to get the look is to pair your midi with a black contrasting square neck tank top, but its the accessories that make the big difference here. See: an oversized hobo bag, polished strappy sandals, and a dainty black belt to add dimension and interest. With a Hoodie Getty Images A passerby in Tokyo in March 2025 If you're after a more casual midi skirt style, simply add an athleisure element. All you need is a gray zip-up hoodie, a black skirt, and a pair of white sneakers. It's comfy yet more put-together than your go-to sweats outfit. As an Academia Aesthetic Claudio Lavenia / Getty Images Gloria Bertuzzi outside Ferragamo during Milan Fashion Week in September 2023. What separates this street style look from a private school uniform is the untucked crisp white button-down. This relaxed and casual take on the classic necktie is one that's versatile and easy to pull off, too. The loafers and white crew socks are the final touch that makes this outfit a masterclass in academia dressing. With Lots of Sparkle Raimonda Kulikauskiene / Getty Images Daiana Argimbayeva during Fashion Week in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in May 2025. On the other hand, sometimes more is more. This green sequined top and sheer embroidered midi skirt with colorful beading is deserving of a centerfold. What it lacks in pants, it makes up for in sparkle. With a Basic Edward Berthelot / Getty Images Ellie Delphine outside Patou during Paris Haute Couture Week in June 2024. A short-sleeved basic styled with any midi skirt is a tried-and-true pairing. You can either go casual with sneakers or you can wear heels to slightly dress it up. A light and airy skirt will flow so well with your tee, even better if it's accessorized with a woven basket bag to play up the summer vibe. As a Canadian Tuxedo Christian Vierig / Getty Images Lindsay Peoples Wagner outside Peter Do during Paris Fashion Week in September 2023. When in doubt, double down on denim. Then add elements, like a thin black belt, sunglasses, and a shoulder bag, to create an effortless yet sophisticated allure. To up the fun factor, finish with a pair of mules in a vibrant print. With Contrasting Textures Getty Images Annette Weber in Germany in June 2025 Although this outfit's color palette may be soft brown and butter yellow, it plays up texture. Between the midi skirt's sequined embellishment, cotton tee, and supple suede jacket, it's a lesson in effortless style. With a Strapless Top Jeremy Moeller / Getty Images A guest is seen outside Brandon Maxwell in NYC in September 2023. A midi skirt can transition from day to night with a few simple styling choices. Here you have a navy pleated skirt worn with a white going-out top that's perfect for a dinner date or grabbing drinks. The juxtaposition between a modest-looking skirt and a more revealing top makes this otherwise basic outfit more interesting. As a Colorblock Moment Valentina Frugiuele / Getty Images A passerby during Milan Design Week in April 2025. Lean into colorblocking with this lavender and burgundy outfit combo as your guide. The coolness of the lavender complements the warm shade of red for an understated yet eye-catching midi skirt outfit. Read the original article on InStyle Split image: On the left, a man in a black suit, vest, hat, and sunglasses rides a horse. On the right, a man in a black coat and sunglasses stands indoors against a decorative background. Last Updated on July 5, 2025 by Matt Staff We all have favorite movie characters that feel like they were born to be played by a single actor. But behind the scenes, many of these iconic roles almost looked completely different -and we mean really different. Can you imagine someone else saying Ill be back or slipping into that black leather catsuit? Lets take a nostalgic trip and look at 20 legendary roles that were almost played by other stars. 1. Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones eltoro / via youtube.com Before Harrison Ford grabbed the whip and hat, Tom Selleck was actually the first choice for Indiana Jones. Due to his commitment to Magnum, P.I., Selleck had to turn it down. Its hard to imagine anyone else running from giant boulders quite like Ford. 2. John Travolta as Forrest Gump manetaki / via youtube.com John Travolta was offered the role of Forrest Gump but decided to pass on it. He later admitted that turning it down was a huge mistake. Tom Hanks went on to win an Oscar and gave us one of the most beloved performances in movie history. 3. Al Pacino as Han Solo ferdinand / via youtube.com Al Pacino was approached to play Han Solo in Star Wars, but he turned it down because he didnt understand the script. Harrison Ford then stepped in and became an intergalactic icon. Can you imagine Pacino piloting the Millennium Falcon? 4. Gwyneth Paltrow as Rose in Titanic oscars / via youtube.com Gwyneth Paltrow was in the running to play Rose in Titanic, but the role ultimately went to Kate Winslet. Winslets performance helped launch her career into stardom. Its hard to picture anyone else saying, Ill never let go. 5. Nicolas Cage as Aragorn Filmhaze / via Youtube.com Nicolas Cage was offered the role of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings, but he turned it down due to family commitments. Viggo Mortensen stepped in and gave the character a legendary presence. Imagine Cage battling orcs in Middle-earth. 6. Emily Blunt as Black Widow observations / via youtube.com Emily Blunt was originally cast as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but had to drop out because of scheduling conflicts. Scarlett Johansson stepped in and made the character her own. Fans cant imagine anyone else in that red wig. 7. Molly Ringwald as Vivian in Pretty Woman moon / via youtube.com Molly Ringwald was offered the role of Vivian in Pretty Woman, but she turned it down. Julia Roberts took the part and became Americas sweetheart almost overnight. Ringwald later said she didnt regret the decision at all. 8. Will Smith as Neo Flashback fm / via youtube.com Will Smith was approached to play Neo in The Matrix, but he declined to star in Wild Wild West instead. Keanu Reeves took the role and made cinematic history. Its tough to picture anyone else dodging bullets in slow motion. 9. Annette Bening as Catwoman juandiva / via youtube.com Annette Bening was originally cast as Catwoman in Batman Returns, but she had to drop out after becoming pregnant. Michelle Pfeiffer then stepped into the leather catsuit and delivered an unforgettable, fierce performance. Many fans believe Pfeiffers Catwoman is still the best ever brought to the screen. 10. Sean Connery as Gandalf fotogramas / via youtube.com Sean Connery was offered the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, but he turned it down because he didnt understand the script. Ian McKellen then stepped in and gave us the wizard we all know and love. Connery later admitted he regretted saying no. 11. Reese Witherspoon as Cher in Clueless Binge Society / via youtube.com Reese Witherspoon was considered for the role of Cher in Clueless, but the part eventually went to Alicia Silverstone. Silverstones performance became a cultural touchstone of the 90s. Reese turned out fine, though: she still had Legally Blonde coming! 12. Jim Carrey as Captain Jack Sparrow DJonhBrand / via youtube.com Jim Carrey was considered for Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, but scheduling conflicts got in the way. Johnny Depps quirky performance made the character unforgettable. Carrey might have taken the pirate in a whole other comedic direction. 13. O.J. Simpson as The Terminator flashback fm / via youtube.com Before Arnold Schwarzenegger became the Terminator, producers actually considered O.J. Simpson for the role. Ultimately, they thought Simpson was too nice to be a believable killer robot. Schwarzeneggers performance went on to define his career and gave us a line well never forget: Ill be back. 14. Leonardo DiCaprio as Patrick Bateman mostlypsycho1999 / via youtube.com Leonardo DiCaprio was originally set to play Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, but he dropped out due to image concerns. Christian Bale stepped in and delivered a chilling performance. Imagine DiCaprio with that axe. 15. Christina Applegate as Elle Woods movieclips / via youtube.com Christina Applegate was offered the role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, but she turned it down fearing it was too similar to her role in Marriedwith Children. Reese Witherspoon made Elle an icon of empowerment and pink fashion. 16. Russell Crowe as Wolverine ClipsyBox / via youtube.com Russell Crowe was first considered for Wolverine in X-Men, but he declined. Hugh Jackman then took on the claws and became a fan favorite. Crowe later said he didnt want to be typecast as a wolf-like character. 17. Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly Im just a theory! / via youtube.com Eric Stoltz was originally cast as Marty McFly in Back to the Future and even filmed some scenes. But he was replaced by Michael J. Fox, whose performance defined the character. Today, its nearly impossible to imagine anyone else in that DeLorean. 18. Anne Hathaway as Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook mne clips / via youtube.com Anne Hathaway was cast as Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook, but she dropped out due to creative differences. Jennifer Lawrence took over and won an Oscar for her portrayal. Hathaway later said she had no hard feelings. 19. Matthew McConaughey as Jack Dawson titanic movie / via youtube.com Matthew McConaughey auditioned to play Jack in Titanic, but James Cameron ultimately chose Leonardo DiCaprio. DiCaprios role became one of his most memorable performances. McConaughey probably didnt mind because he had plenty of alright, alright, alright moments ahead. 20. John Krasinski as Captain America topmovie clips / via youtube.com John Krasinski actually came close to becoming Captain America in the MCU. He even got as far as trying on the suit, but eventually the role went to Chris Evans. Krasinski joked that he knew he wasnt right for it once he saw Evans biceps. Explore more nostalgic content: Hollywood history is full of fascinating what ifs, and these almost-cast stories show just how different our favorite films could have been. If you love looking back at the surprising side of pop culture, check out 20 Things Kids Do Today That Are Unthinkable To 70s Kids, or take a visual journey through 15 Vintage Photos of the 1970s Oil Crisis. Youll be amazed at just how much things have changed. Food & Wine / Tequila Cascahuin, El Tequileno, El Tesoro De Don Felipe Between celebrity-endorsed tequilas and hyper-niche premium expressions, it seems like a new tequila brand is launched every day. Americas obsession with agave spirits shows no signs of slowing. As tequilas of questionable provenance continue to flood the market, consumer interest in traditionally produced bottlings is at an all-time high. To compete, brands that lead the charge in this area have their work cut out for them. To balance innovation with quality tequila-making practices is quite difficult. The biggest challenge is preserving authenticity while adapting to consumer curiosity, says Max Reis, bar director at Mirate and Daisy. Traditional tequila is inherently slow and labor-intensive. Brick ovens, tahona wheels, and long fermentation times all contribute to its character. Scaling that without compromising quality is a fine line to walk. Related: What Are Still-Strength Tequilas, and Why Are They Collectors Favorites? Despite these challenges, crafty distillers find ways to maintain what makes their tequilas special and use creativity to push the boundaries of how tequila is made. One key area of evolution has been in barrel aging and maturation techniques, says Nick Hirsch, mixologist manager for RMD Group. Were seeing producers experiment with barrels that were previously used for wine, scotch, or sherry to impart unique flavor profiles to aged expressions like reposados and anejos. Brands use premium, limited-edition offerings as vehicles for experimentation, as the lower volume provides opportunities to take chances. Limited releases that experiment with fermentation and distillation of blanco tequilas are paving the way for a broader spectrum of flavor, says Reis. They're encouraging consumers to explore flavors and nuances they might never have experienced otherwise. The heightened curiosity of tequila consumers also drives innovation. Another thrilling trend is transparency, says Hirsch. Brands are now educating consumers about production methods, terroir, and even the type of agave used. These creative and exciting bottles help traditional producers compete with brands that possess massive marketing budgets and celebrity endorsements, without sacrificing what makes tequila special. Cascahuin Destino Food & Wine / Tequila Cascahuin The Cascahuin distillery in El Arenal, Jalisco, is a favorite among enthusiasts for its traditional production practices and the distilling prowess of master distiller Chava Rosales. Cascahuin Destino is an exceptional blend of six blanco tequilas, each made using a different production method. High proof, with rich texture, it beautifully illustrates how varying cooking and fermentation techniques can drastically alter the final product, says Reis. Its almost like a blend of six artists painting on the same canvas. Its a masterclass in how process can shape flavor. Codigo 1530 Blanco Rosa Food & Wine / Codigo 1530 Tequila Codigo 1530 Blanco Rosa is a great example of how tequila producers use different types of barrels to influence color and flavor. This is a unique expression that starts as a traditional blanco, but its then rested for a short period in Napa Valley Cabernet wine barrels. This short aging imparts a soft rose hue and introduces delicate floral and berry notes without overshadowing the bright, crisp agave character, says Hirsch. Its an elegant balance of innovation and restraint that appeals to both tequila purists and wine enthusiasts alike. Loco Tequila Puro Corazon Food & Wine / Loco Tequila Though relatively new, Loco Tequila is focused on authenticity and the provenance of the agave used to make its premium tequilas. Loco distills its tequila at the esteemed Cascahuin distillery and sources agave from its own fields outside of the town of El Arenal. Puro Corazon translates to pure heart, which refers to the middle cut of the distillation process, known as the hearts, where the best tequila comes off the still. Distillers usually take the beginning and end of a distillation run, re-distill them, and blend them into the finished tequila. Puro Corazon consists of only the hearts of distillation, which results in an approachable, yet still complex and agave-forward sipping tequila. Cazcanes Nuestras Raices Food & Wine / Cazcanes Tequila Over the past few years, Cazcanes has established itself as one of the boldest innovators in the category. Spanish for our roots, Nuestras Raices is one of its most unique expressions to date. Made by third-generation distiller Humberto Alvarado outside of the official tequila denomination, this limited-edition agave spirit is crafted using the same tools and processes employed before commercial production became heavily industrialized. Its a raw and deeply expressive product that mirrors the methods used in traditional mezcal or raicilla production, says Reis. Expect lactic, funky notes and a wild, almost untamed flavor that tells a story of rustic craftsmanship. Tequila Ocho Puntas Food & Wine / Tequila Ocho The terroir-focused Tequila Ocho is among the most respected brands in the industry. Its most anticipated annual release among serious aficionados is Tequila Ocho Puntas, a blend of high-proof distillates that showcases no-holds-barred agave flavor. It speaks directly to a more adventurous consumer, pushing the boundaries of what luxury tequila can be, says Reis. Its vibrant, fiery, and full of character, expanding the category beyond the typical smooth and sweet narrative. Related: Understanding the Terroir of Tequila, From Highlands to Valley El Tequileno Reposado Rare Food & Wine / El Tequileno The Salles family has distilled El Tequileno since 1959. El Tequileno Reposado Rare challenges conventional aging classifications. It rests for six years, far beyond the traditional reposado range in 23,000-liter American oak barrels. The size of the barrels allows the tequila to rest while minimizing contact with the wood. It ages for an abnormally long period of time, yet still maintains the agave character of the tequila. The result is a complex, rich tequila that retains the soul of traditional tahona production while offering flavors typically reserved for extra anejos, including caramel, roasted agave, and dark chocolate, says Hirsch. El Tesoro Mundial: Basil Hayden Toast Food & Wine / El Tesoro De Don Felipe Made at the legendary La Altena Distillery in Jalisco, El Tesoro is one of the most respected brands in tequila. For its Mundial series, the distillery showcases how unique barrels can change the flavor of a tequila dramatically. Its experimenting with barrels once used to hold different bourbons, and even peated malt whisky. The latest edition sees El Tesoros traditionally produced tequila aged in toasted barrels that once held Basil Hayden bourbon. The result is a rich tequila thats still agave-forward, with additional notes of cooked agave, cinnamon, and creme brulee. Read the original article on Food & Wine Former U.S. Senate candidate and immigration attorney Peter Lumaj fled communist Albania decades ago to find freedom and opportunity in America. Now, fresh off Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani's New York City mayoral primary win, Lumaj is warning that ideas touted by the far-left progressive could lead the U.S. down the same slippery slope. "I've seen that movie before, and I don't like the ending of it" the Connecticut conservative told "Fox & Friends First" on Wednesday. "This guy openly wants to promote communist values in our country, and this is not compatible with the foundation of this country when he wants to have command and control over the economy, forced redistribution of property. These are things that have been tried in Eastern Europe. They were tried in the Soviet Union. They're being tried in Venezuela, Cuba, you name it, and they are a complete failure." Jonathan Turley: Why Nyc's Zohran Mamdani Looks More And More Like A Hardcore Marxist Zohran Mamdani speaks at his election victory party on June 25, 2025, in Queens, New York. Lumaj tacked on a final warning: "We must not allow this to spread in the United States because this is not American at all." Read On The Fox News App In 2021, Mamdani urged attendees of the Young Democratic Socialists of America winter conference not to compromise on goals like "seizing the means of production." "Right now, if we're talking about the cancellation of student debt, if we're talking about Medicare for all, these are issues which have the groundswell of popular support across this country," Mamdani said in a video to conference-goers. "But then there are also other issues that we firmly believe in, whether it's [Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions] or whether it is the end goal of seizing the means of production, where we do not have the same level of support at this very moment." Video Surfaces Of Mamdani Using Slogan Rooted In Communist Revolutionary Language Immigration attorney Peter Lumaj warned of the slippery slope of communism on "Fox & Friends First." Lumaj told "Fox & Friends First" co-host Todd Piro that hearing Mamdani talk about "seizing the means of production" brings back horrible memories of Albania. "You cannot have socialism without brute force of the government," he warned. "In order for you or someone to implement those policies, you're gonna have to use the government agencies to do that. You're going to have to use force to do it. When communism took over Albania, and they dispossessed people from their property, they had to use government agencies to do this. They had to arrest people, they had to torture people, they wound up killing people, including my own father, because he would not comply with the requirements or the demands of the communist regime, and this is a very dangerous thing to bring to the United States." President Donald Trump has publicly taken hits at Mamdani since his upset win over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary, calling the AOC-endorsed progressive "a 100% Communist Lunatic" in a Truth Social post last week. Trump has since doubled down on the rhetoric. When asked by NBC's Kristen Welker if he is a communist, Mamdani succinctly replied on Sunday, "No, I am not." "I have already had to start to get used to the fact that the president will talk about how I look, how I sound, where I'm from, who I am, ultimately, because he wants to distract from what I'm fighting for. And I'm fighting for the very working people that he ran a campaign to empower that he has since then betrayed," he added. Fox News' Alec Schemmel contributed to this report. Original article source: Albanian immigrant who fled communism sounds alarm over Zohran Mamdani's NYC primary win This aerial photo shows Djibouti, East Africa, in December 2024. - Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images The Trump administration sent eight migrants held in Djibouti for weeks to South Sudan, where they fear they will face violence, following a flurry of court activity on Friday. A federal judge in Massachusetts denied an emergency request Friday evening from the migrants lawyers to block their deportation to the country, where they said their clients could face torture. In a brief order, United States District Judge Brian E. Murphy wrote that he interpreted a Supreme Court decision delivered a day earlier allowing the deportation to South Sudan to move forward as binding on the request, which he said raised substantially similar claims. The nations highest court on Thursday had ruled in the Trump administrations favor and cleared the way to remove the eight migrants to South Sudan. Law and order prevails, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said on X following the decision. McLaughlin told CNN, After weeks of delays by activist judges that put our law enforcement in danger, ICE deported these 8 barbaric criminals illegal aliens to South Sudan. The detainees lawyers had argued they will face torture if they are sent to South Sudan, and say they will be deprived of their constitutional rights. They said the Trump administration is trying to unfairly hurt them with the deportation, which they cast in court filings as punitive banishment and severe punishment and warn the detainees could be put at risk of being arbitrarily imprisoned, tortured, killed or severely harmed. Judge Randolph Moss in the DC District Court heard arguments in a pair of emergency hearings Friday afternoon before saying the case should be moved to Massachusetts. It seems self-evident the US government cant take human beings and send them to a place where their physical well-being is at risk, such as in South Sudan, either to punish them or to warn other possible migrants to the US of the consequences of illegal immigration, Moss said. He ordered the Trump administration not to move the migrants until 4:30 p.m. ET and told the migrants lawyers they must move fast to try to get a judge to intervene in Massachusetts. The detainees lawyers filed their new claims just after 4 p.m. in Massachusetts federal district court. Attorneys for the migrants said sending them to war-torn South Sudan would be further punishment than the sentences theyve already served for crimes. A lawyer argued to Moss in court that the administrations actions in this situation are unprecedented and unlike anything that has ever been done by the US with deportations before. The Justice Department, however, argued that the latest ask for relief shouldve been filed earlier, in a different type of claim and a different court than Moss. They cant justify their claim-splitting, said Justice Department attorney Hashim Mooppan. The Justice Department lawyer also expressed frustration to the court that the detainees legal approach appears to be an attempt to drag out their being moved out of Djibouti, and said that the US diplomatic relations could be hurt by the multiple rounds of the court fight, as it negotiates with other countries to take migrants it seeks to deport. The eight detainees in Djibouti are from countries including Myanmar, Sudan, Mexico, Vietnam, Laos and Cuba, according to court filings, but the administration since springtime has moved fast to put detainees like them and others on planes and send them to other countries, often with a history of significant safety risks and brutality. The administration also revealed in court Friday additional details on the diplomatic correspondence between the United States and South Sudan, saying that upon arrival, the migrants would be granted an immigration status in accordance with South Sudan laws and immigration procedures, and that the US did not ask for them to be detained there. Moss said on Friday he believed the lawyers for the detainees were doing their best to protect the lives and well-being of human beings. He also cited a stark travel warning from the State Department cautioning Americans headed to the country. It does appear placing people in South Sudan does pose significant risks to their physical safety, Moss said. Still, Moss limited how much he intervened over the US plans. The judge explained the very short stay he issued Friday afternoon by saying he didnt believe courts should issue administrative stays that last longer than is necessary. This headline and story have been updated with additional developments. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Mickeya Montgomery holds her daughter before her death in 2022, Image 2 shows Taco Nash was convicted in the June 15, 2022 shooting of Mickeya Montgomery, Image 3 shows Education Elevation Childcare Academy building A Georgia murderer spat at the prosecution team who had successfully argued he receive three life sentences for fatally shooting his daughters mother while she held their child. Taco Nash was carried out of a DeKalb County courtroom over his disgusting outburst moments after he was found guilty in the 2022 shooting death of 22-year-old Mickeya Montgomery on Thursday, according to WSBTV footage. Today was the day that they got to see the real him. The rest was a facadehes a sociopath, Montgomerys aunt, Jasmine Walters, told the outlet. Taco Nash was convicted in the June 15, 2022, shooting of Mickeya Montgomery. 11 Alive/YouTube Nash, 25, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional two life sentences and 60 years to serve for murdering Montgomery. Hes right where he needs to be, Montgomerys family told the outlet after the July 2 court hearing. Prosecutors found Nash, who shared an 18-month-old daughter with Montgomery, had fatally shot the young mother behind their childs daycare on June 15, 2022. Nash was known to have a violent, tumultuous relationship with Montgomery, with whom he shared an 18-month-old daughter. The bad-blooded parents had been ordered by a judge not to have contact with each other. Mickeya Montgomery holds her daughter before her death in 2022. 11 Alive/YouTube Despite the court mandate, Nash repeatedly called the young mom the morning of the shooting, requesting to meet up so he could have his belongings returned to him, Dekalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston said. Montgomery ignored the requests and went to pick up her 18-month-old daughter at daycare near I-20 in Decatur, Ga. Daycare staff were aware of the relationship and court orders between Nash and Montgomery and were told to call 911 if the childs father ever appeared at the business. Nash confronted Montgomery and their daughter outside the daycare before a daycare employee rushed the frightened mother back inside the building while another worker called police. Education Elevation in Decatur, Georgia. 11 Alive/YouTube The crazed gunman forced himself into the building and pulled a gun on Montgomery before threatening to shoot her if she and the baby didnt leave with him. The three exited the daycare out a back door before disappearing into the wooded area behind the daycare as employees reported hearing screams. Police arrived and began searching the area when a single gunshot went off. Nash appeared moments later holding the baby, who was covered in blood. Montgomerys body was discovered with a single gunshot wound to the head and the gun was placed under her hand. 11 Alive/YouTube He was no longer armed and claimed Montgomery had shot herself. Montgomerys body was discovered with a single gunshot wound to the head and the gun was placed under her hand. Officials determined she died of homicide because the angle of the gunshot couldnt have been self-inflicted. Police believe Montgomery was holding her daughter when she was killed. The baby was rushed to a local hospital but was not injured in the shooting. Before he emerged from the woods, Nash had called one of Montgomerys relatives, telling her he was sorry for shooting his childs mother, Boston said. Officials determined Montgomery died of homicide because the angle of the gunshot couldnt have been self-inflicted. 11 Alive/YouTube A jury found Nash guilty of a slew of charges during a trial on July 2, 2025. He was convicted of Malice Murder, four counts of Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault Family Violence, two counts of Kidnapping, Aggravated Stalking, Cruelty to Children in the First Degree, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon or First Offender Probationer, and Possession of a Firearm After Having Been Convicted of Certain Felonies in connection with the shooting. DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Brian Lake issued Nash the enormous sentence after the jurys guilty verdicts were read. Over 1,800 Taiwan college students gather for cross-Strait exchanges Xinhua) 09:36, July 05, 2025 Taiwan college students visit a geological and mineral museum of Sun Yat-sen University in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, July 4, 2025. Over 1,800 Taiwan college students have gathered for a cross-Strait youth exchange summer camp that kicked off on Friday in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Hong Zehua) GUANGZHOU, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Over 1,800 Taiwan college students have gathered for a cross-Strait youth exchange summer camp that kicked off on Friday in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. Hosted by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots (ACFTC), the summer camp will hold its main event in Guangdong from Friday to Sunday, with more activities set to unfold across 30 provincial-level regions. In an address delivered when the camp opened, ACFTC President Zheng Jianmin said that the participation of many of Taiwan's young people has fully demonstrated the shared aspiration for increased exchanges and closer bonds between compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. The ACFTC will create more opportunities and conditions for Taiwan's youth to exchange, study, work and start businesses on the mainland, Zheng said. Taiwan youth Shi Ting-xuan shared her experience of engaging in previous cross-Strait exchange activities and said that she looks forward to making more friends and gaining a deeper understanding of the great Chinese culture. Since the summer camp's inauguration in 2004, nearly 30,000 young people from Taiwan have participated in its activities, according to the ACFTC. This photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows an art performance during the opening ceremony of a cross-Strait youth exchange summer camp in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. Over 1,800 Taiwan college students have gathered for a cross-Strait youth exchange summer camp that kicked off on Friday in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Hong Zehua) (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Q: Why isn't China a federation? A: A federation is not the best form of government for governing a large population. The EU failed to unite Europe for only half of the Chinese population, while China has been united for two thousand years. China has an ideal government called Under-the-Heaven. Officers are responsible for All-Under-the-Heaven, not just for their local constituents. For more than two thousand years, the governor of provinces or their ancient counterparts could not be a local person, even the chief executive of a county could be from another place. If you are a chief officer of the country, you have to leave your hometown to work in another area. Western media do not report and do not notice that China, from time to time, shuffles governors among different provinces. Governors, therefore, can bring new ideas into a province and learn a lot from different provinces. That makes the evolution of the political system faster to adapt to a changing domestic and international environment. That makes China the most capable government in the world. Chinese officers bear the responsibility for All-Under-the-Heaven, not just for its local constituency. Thats why China has united for two thousand years, while Europe cannot until today. The Chinese population doubles that of Europeans. Chinese civilization is larger than European civilization. China can be united, but Europe cannot. If we want a peaceful world, if we want a peaceful world governance, we should learn something from Chinese civilization. History proved that the European ideal of governance makes it difficult to avoid wars. If Trump is successful in annexing Canada and making the US larger, believe me, that will not make the US stronger. The Western political system cannot handle a larger population better. The Congress will take a longer time to debate, and every issue will take a longer time to address. If Europe were using the Chinese political system, Rome would have no need to split into East and West Rome, and the Great British Empire would have no need to split into the Five Eyes. Rattlesnake Steve Mcsweeny/iStock via Getty Images Picture this: you walk into your kitchen in the morning, bleary-eyed and desperately in need of coffee. Its just a normal day, until you discover an unexpected (and unwelcome!) visitor: a massive rattlesnake! Thats exactly what happened to these California homeowners. They shared a video of their surprising kitchen guest and the expert way they were able to safely remove it. The viral video on YouTube, which has 6.1 million likes, was filmed from the perspective of the snake catcher. He walks inside as two women are understandably feeling very anxious oh my god, I cant look at it! one woman says and heads straight for the rattlesnake. Its coiled up near the dogs food and water bowls. As soon as the snake grabber tool gets close, the snake begins to rattle its tail a protective mechanism it deploys when stressed. The snake handler grabs the rattlesnake in the middle using the snake grabber and pulls it out of its hiding spot. The snake stretches out as if its about to slither up the kitchen cabinets. Imagine if the handler accidentally dropped the snake grabber at that moment! As he starts lowering the snake into a big bucket, the rattlesnake twists and tries to escape. After what must have felt like agesespecially for the homeownershe expertly places the snake into the bucket and secures it with a lid. Were clear! he says, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief. That dog probably saw that and immediately thought ya know Im not so thirsty anymore, one person quipped in the comments. Someone else wrote, The lid being open and him saying and were clear at the end makes this an award winning horror short film. I love how even when you grabbed him he didnt strike and just tried to run away, another person noted. From what we know about rattlesnakes, this behavior makes sense. According to the National Wildlife Federation, rattlesnakes do not seek people out. Instead, people who are bitten by snakes have likely stumbled upon them or attempted to handle it themselves without first calling a professional. How Do Snakes Enter Homes? Rattlesnakes will often rattle their tail to warn predators away. Kristian Bell/Shutterstock.com Nicole Carpenter, President at Black Pest Prevention in North Carolina, previously told A-Z Animals, Snakes need a gap to get in your home, so youll probably find gaps or cracks in the foundation, doors, or windows. Close your front and back doors and see if any sunlight peeks through the edges; check air vents and plumbing openings (such as under your bathroom sink), as well as any gaps in your foundation. Snakes may even slither through a pet door or enter through holes in the roof. Georgia DNR Biologist Daniel Sollenberger said snakes will often follow mice or other prey into homes. When someone calls and says they have a snake in their house, I almost always predict that its going to be a rat snake, thats the most common snake that gets in peoples houses, Sollenberger told The Augusta Chronicle in 2021. Chances are, snakes will hide somewhere in your home thats hard to spot. According to Critter Control, they look for somewhere dark, such as behind the refrigerator, under the oven, or inside cabinets, and will avoid human activity for the most part. If its hot outside, they may stay near cool water pipes. What Should You Do If You Find One? Trying to get a snake out of your house isnt worth the risk of getting bitten. After all, a rattlesnake, for example, can lunge quickly to attack you. Instead of trying to wrangle a snake yourself or attempting to kill it its best to call a professional snake removal service. The CDC estimates that 7,000-8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes each year in the U.S. People who experience a rattlesnake bite, in particular, have a 10 to 44 percent chance of experiencing lasting injuries (such as losing a finger). Rattlesnakes, like the one in the video above, are some of the largest venomous snakes in the U.S. They can quickly and accurately strike a distance of one-third or more of their body length. How Are Snakes Removed? Call a local pest control or wildlife removal service if you spot a snake in your home. Kristian Bell/Shutterstock.com Professional wildlife removal companies or pest control services have a large arsenal of tools to remove snakes. Critter Control, for example, uses humane trapping such as a funnel trap, a glue board, or snake tongs. They will also thoroughly check your house for other hidden snakes, check for a rodent infestation, and get any rodents under control as part of their job. Afterward, they do not exterminate the snakes. Some pest control services will help you prevent future snake infestations by identifying potentially vulnerable access points in your home. When they take the snake away, they will relocate it to an appropriate habitat when possible. How to Prevent Snakes From Getting Inside Your Home Once youve dealt with a snake in your house, the last thing you want is to find another one. Some ways to prevent future snakes from getting inside include filling burrows and other holes on your property with dirt or gravel, which removes prime hiding spots for snakes. Additionally, remove coiled hoses, tall grass, firewood, crawl spaces, and other areas where snakes might hide. Make sure you dont have standing water; remove snake food sources like frogs, rodents, and insects; and consider keeping a pet cat or pig around to naturally prey on snakes. After all, no one wants to discover an unwelcome, legless tenant with a venomous bite! The post Giant Rattlesnake Discovered in California Kitchen appeared first on A-Z Animals. As victims in a boating accident that killed eight people are being laid to rest, questions are still swirling about the capsizing on Lake Tahoe, California. Funerals were held July 3 for a New York couple who died in the June 21 boat crash: Jim Guck, 69, and Theresa Giullari, 66, of Honeoye, New York, were among the eight people killed in a sudden, violent squall at the alpine lake that straddles the border of California and Nevada. Arrangements for others were not made public. All 10 on board were thrown into the water and only two a mother and daughter who authorities said were wearing life jackets were rescued. Investigators haven't answered questions about whether the eight who died were wearing flotation devices or how many life jackets were aboard. Amy Friduss, and her mother, Julie Lindsay, were identified by GoFundMe as the only survivors of the tragic boating accident on Lake Tahoe on June 21, 2025. Eight other people died, including Friduss and Lindsay's father and husband, when the boat they were in capsized. The El Dorado County Sheriffs Office, lead agency on the incident, declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation. I understand that everyone would like to know various aspects of the case, El Dorado Sgt. Kyle Parker told the Reno Gazette-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. More: Mother and daughter identified by GoFundMe as survivors of Tahoe boat tragedy What happened to the boat? On June 21, a sudden storm hit Lake Tahoe with high winds, 8-foot swells and snow. Online posts show boats capsizing and crashing along the shores. The 27-foot power boat with 10 passengers filled with water and overturned. The bodies of six victims were recovered that day. Dive teams found two victims submerged 300 feet under the surface on June 22 and 23 near D.L. Bliss State Park on the west shore. Two survivors were wearing life jackets The two survivors who were rescued from the water were identified in a verified GoFundMe account as Amy Friduss and her mother, Julie Lindsay. Friduss' father and Lindsay's husband, Stephen, 63, of Springwater, New York, was among those killed. Family spokesperson Sam Springer said they are extended family members of the boat's owner, DoorDash executive Joshua Pickles, and his parents, who all perished. Steve Lindsay and Julie LIndsay were on the boat that capsized on Lake Tahoe on June 21, 2025. Steve Lindsay died. Julie Lindsay and her daughter Amy Friduss were identified as the 2 survivors when the boat with 10 people capsized. The mother and daughter are dealing with "unimaginable circumstances," the GoFundMe said. "Physically, both mother and daughter are on the mend, but are dealing with the heartbreaking loss of their beloved husband and father, best friends and dear family who perished," the page said. Lindsay had recently retired and planned to spend her years with her husband and best friends who also died on the boat. Friduss is a nurse practitioner, who treats people living in homeless encampments in her free time. The Washoe County Sheriff's Hasty Team posted on Facebook that the survivors were wearing life jackets. FacebookSee posts, photos and more on Facebook. "The two passengers who were wearing Personal Flotation Devices were rescued by responding emergency personnel and transported to the hospital. Sadly, the remaining eight passengers drown," the post said. The sheriff's office would not say whether any others on board wore life jackets. And it's unclear if there were enough on board. DoorDash executive, parents among the victims Joshua Antony Pickles, 37, of San Francisco (center) with his parents Paula Bozinovich and Terry Pickles. The three died when the boat they were in capsized on Lake Tahoe on June 21, 2025. DoorDash executive Joshua Pickles, his parents, an uncle and four family friends died: Joshua Pickles, 37, San Francisco Paula Bozinovich, 71, of Redwood City, California Terry Pickles, 73, of Redwood City, California Peter Bayes, 72, of Lincoln, California Timothy O'Leary, 71, of Auburn, California Theresa Giullari, 66, of Honeoyne, New York James Guck, 69, of Honeoyne, New York Stephen Lindsey, 63, of Springwater, New York A GoFundMe set up for Guck and Giullari said their deaths have "left a hole that words can't begin to fill. They were not only loving parents and devoted family members, but also proud grandparents who poured their hearts into every moment spent with their grandchildren." Jim Guck and Theresa Giullari of Honeoye, N.Y. were among the 8 people that died when the boat they were in capsized on Lake Tahoe during a storm on June 21, 2025. They loved the water and boating and had gone on the trip with their best friends, Steve and Julie Lindsay, also from upstate New York. Steve Lindsay died while Julie Lindsay survived. Life jackets required on recreational watercraft Boating rules require a Coast Guard-approved life jacket for every passenger on board. Children under 13 are required to wear them while on the water. In regard to boating safety, the wearing of a life vest is always encouraged, and in some cases mandated due to the type of watercraft, Parker with the El Dorado Sheriffs Office told the Reno Gazette-Journal on June 26. On a boat there must be a PFD for each individual on board and readily accessible. In some cases, depending on the size of the vessel, there are additional safety requirements. A boat with 10 people onboard capsized on Lake Tahoe on June 21, 2025. According to the Coast Guard, 87% of drowning victims in boating incidents were not wearing life jackets when the cause of death was known. Tahoe's cold temperatures are a risk to anyone even if they are wearing a life jacket. The National Park Service warns that water temperatures below 70 degrees can cause hypothermia within minutes. In 50-degree water, a person can survive for about 10 minutes before being unable to save themselves, NPS said. With a life jacket, someone might survive for an hour before hypothermia sets in. This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: Lake Tahoe boat tragedy still surrounded in mystery When Nestor Montalvo woke up last September, he knew something was wrong. He had a headache, and his vision was blurred. The symptoms felt like a "really bad hangover," but he hadn't been drinking the day before. When he tried to stand, the right side of his body was numb. "Everything started spinning. I went to stand up, and I fell," Montalvo, 61, recalled. "I just didn't understand what was going on. I couldn't understand it. I didn't know why I was feeling that way." His wife helped him up and immediately called 911. Paramedics gave him alarming news: He was having a stroke. They rushed him to the emergency room at Catholic Health's Mercy Hospital in Nassau, Long Island. The situation was dire: Montalves said he overheard a doctor telling his daughter, a registered nurse, that he only had a 15% chance of survival. "I was like 'Oh my God, I'm going to die. I don't even have a chance to say goodbye to anybody,'" Montalvo, a retired New York City police officer, recalled. Nestor (center, holding a white dog) with family during the holidays. / Credit: Nestor Montalvo "Time is brain" Doctors who treat strokes have a saying: "Time is brain," said Dr. Taylor Kimberly, the chief of neurocritical care at Massachusetts General Hospital. Kimberly was not involved in Montalvo's treatment. Strokes are caused when blood flow to the brain is interrupted by either a blocked or ruptured blood vessel, Kimberly explained. Montalvo had a blockage, or an ischemic stroke. In these types of strokes, cells in the brain lose access to nutrients and oxygen, causing damage. The longer a stroke goes untreated, the worse the damage can be, Kimberly said. No one knew how long Montalvo had been having a stroke, since the symptoms had been present when he woke up. Dr. Cini Thayil, an emergency medicine attending at Mercy Hospital, was the first doctor to see Montalvo. He was having "very prominent" neurological deficits, she said. "You could see that something was awry," Thayil said. The symptoms triggered Mercy Hospital's stroke protocol. Within 10 minutes of arriving at the ER, Montalvo had been assessed as a potential stroke patient. Fifteen minutes later, he was undergoing a CAT scan. Shortly after doctors reviewed the scans and conferred, Montalvo received a clot-busting medication called TNK, Thayil said. Later, he underwent another minor procedure to ensure the clot was gone. "I could have been a vegetable, I could have died," said Montalves. "But they saved my life." A complicated road to recovery Even though the stroke had been treated, Montalvo's situation remained critical. His vocal cords collapsed, and he needed a tracheotomy to allow him to breathe. He couldn't talk or swallow because of the tubes, and aftereffects from the stroke itself made it difficult for him to speak and eat. When he met Aileen Fairchild, an acute care speech pathologist at Mercy Hospital, he couldn't even swallow a quarter-teaspoon of applesauce unaided. "It was a mess. I couldn't swallow, I couldn't talk, I couldn't eat," Montalvo recalled. Nestor Montalvo with his tracheotomy tube. / Credit: Nestor Montalvo For six weeks, Fairchild worked with Montalvo. He received about an hour of speech therapy a day, as well as exercises that targeted the muscles in his throat that contribute to eating and swallowing. He underwent regular scans to make sure the treatments were working. After that month and a half, the tracheotomy tube was removed, allowing Fairchild and Montalvo to work more on his ability to eat and speak. He underwent three procedures to help the muscles in his throat. By Thanksgiving, he was able to eat a regular meal with his family. Nestor Montalvo during in-patient therapy. / Credit: Nestor Montalvo Now, about a year after his stroke, Montalvo is doing better. He can speak and eat like before, and is enjoying retirement by spending time with his wife, their children, grandchildren, and their dog, Paris. He still uses a cane to walk and is continuing to receive outpatient physical therapy. Montalvo said that he hopes to continue his recovery, which he said has been even tougher than surviving the stroke itself. "You take life for granted, and then when something like this happens, it wakes you up," Montalvo said. "You hear people talk about it, and it just sounds like it's not going to happen to you. All of a sudden, it happens to you." Several people missing from Texas summer camp amid deadly flooding, officials say What a new DOJ memo could mean for naturalized U.S. citizens July 4 holiday week expected to set record for travelers Things are changing in the Czech Republic, says Karlovy Vary Film Festival artistic director Karel Och. Also when it comes to the #MeToo movement. What we need is a conversation and films like Broken Voices, he says. More from Variety Ondrej Provaznis drama, selected for the Crystal Globe Competition, was inspired by the Bambini di Praga case: a famous childrens choir which saw its choirmaster arrested and charged with sexual abuse of minors that went on for years. Its a strong, intimate piece of cinema which ultimately succeeds in communicating strong political ideas. When I had lunch with the director and the producer, I realized that maybe our last years Audience Award winner Waves which reached almost 1 million spectators in Czech cinemas opened up a new chapter in our cinema. The audience is now perceiving a film through its subject matter as well. Theres already a conversation about what Broken Voices represents and what it stands for. Its approaching the subject matter in a very universal way, but in the Czech Republic, things are also changing a lot. In the past, the fest faced criticism due to some of its controversial guests, including Johnny Depp, or even its Crystal Globe statuette, which once led Mel Gibson to say: Its just the kind of thing I want. A naked woman holding a ball. I like that film festivals are places where you can say things freely. We dont like to censor. Sometimes we know that the person whos coming is controversial, and we expect certain reactions, but a festival should be a platform for this kind of exchange, stresses Och. Czechs need time to discover certain things. We dont like to be forced, especially by the West. When we were sent the Collectif 50/50 initiative [advocating for gender parity], it seemed silly to just sign a piece of paper without talking about it. A few years ago, I dared to make a joke while introducing a German film made by a young female filmmaker. I said I was happy to be standing with her on the stage where, until recently, the female representation was often reduced to the statue of the festivals award. Nobody got it, so I thought: Maybe we need more time. He adds: Coming from our country with such a crazy political experience of oppression, certain things must change in a more natural way. I think Broken Voices can be instrumental in this. Its not the only potentially controversial film this year the fest decided to wait with the announcement of Iranian Bidad to protect its creators. Because of its subject matter, everybody expected there might be problems also for the team to leave the country to come for the world premiere. We agreed on being sensitive about it. In the end, director Soheil Beiraghi will present the film on his own, determined to stand by his work, he told Variety. In Czech Republic, we remember the bad days we remember how things were handled back in the 1980s [during communism]. In some cases, you just really need to be very careful. We needed to make sure they were safe, adds Och. When the screening comes closer, you have to apply all the security measures. This film is coming from Iran and there are all these threats and risks involved, but you also want to make sure its perceived as a work of art. Anything like that is inevitably a political act, but its still a film we fell in love with. The festival will promote political cinema through intimate stories, he notes, mentioning Nadav Lapids Yes and Palestinian All Thats Left of You. This is what we know how to do. All Thats Left of You is a film thats potentially controversial, but maybe not really? [Director Cherien Dabis] is not accusing anyone shes just offering compassion. Political cinema doesnt have to divide people or force them to take sides, which I think is impossible in the case of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is so complex and so complicated. But if through the pain you feel while watching, you can have conversations, we did our job well. The Czech event still wants to be kind, however, finding space for more uplifting films like Josh OConnor starrer Rebuilding. [Director] Max Walker-Silverman once said he would never have an unkind person in his movie. You can have a powerful film dealing with problems in an authentic way without any assholes, says Och. We do have extreme films in the program but sometimes, subtlety and kindness can be more impactful. I dont want to go on about the decline of civilization, but empathy is something thats missing right now. Something else thats missing this year? The presence of longtime festival president Jiri Bartoska, who died in May. Czech journalists keep asking us: What will change?! We spent the last couple of months explaining, willingly and happily, that not much will. Mr. Bartoska has been dealing with his illness in these past few years and left us all this freedom. You want to celebrate the memory and the contribution of someone without whom you wouldnt be sitting here, but at the same time you have to calm people down, assuring that things are in good hands. He notes: We will celebrate him not in a tearful, but in an uplifting way, celebrating all the traces he left behind. He would be really pissed off if we made it too sentimental. While the fest will welcome Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard and Stellan Skarsgard, Bartoska had his hand at another guests very first visit: Michael Douglas, now coming back to present an anniversary screening of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, which he produced. In 1998, we were looking for guests and Jiri Bartoska had a conversation with Milos Forman. Back in those days, we relied on the help of our friends. Milos was like: Well, how about Michael? Let me call him. That first time Michael Douglas came here for Milos, and now hes doing it again even though he did not go to Cannes for the world premiere of the restoration. Its very humbling to see these people, who represent such a big chunk of the history of cinema, come and celebrate someone else. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Best Friends Animal Society Captain at home with one of Lisas children NEED TO KNOW Captain, a 13-year-old dog with arthritis, was found over 200 miles from home after going missing in West Plains, Missouri A Good Samaritan, a rescue shelter and Best Friends Animal Society coordinated to reunite the pet with his family His owner credits Captain's microchip for saving his life, urging all pet parents to get a microchip for their furry friend A 13-year-old dog named Captain went on an accidental adventure and found his way back home thanks to the help of a few Good Samaritans, a determined spirit, and his smart-thinking owners. According to a press release obtained by PEOPLE, on Saturday, May 17, Lisa Wood noticed Captain didn't come home with her two other dogs, Ruben and Manny. The canine trio had gone out for a stroll around Wood's family's property in West Plains, Missouri, as they love to do, but only Ruben and Manny came back. After searching for Captain and posting about the large, mixed-breed dog's absence on local Facebook groups, Wood remained hopeful that she would soon reunite with the pet. She didn't wait long; the next day, Captain was located. Surprisingly, the senior dog was found over 200 miles (about five hours) away in another state. According to Wood, this was a shock, since Captain has arthritis and would have trouble covering several miles on his own paws, let alone 200 miles. The staff at Bentonville Animal Shelter in Bentonville, Arkansas, broke the news to Wood, calling the pet owner on May 18 to let her know they had Captain in their care. The shelter added that Captain ended up at Bentonville after a woman found the dog wandering near a road while traveling in Missouri. The woman spotted Captain and assumed he was a lost dog, so she drove him to Bentonville to get help. Thankfully, the Wood family had microchipped Captain, so the shelter was able to find Wood's contact information when it scanned the dog. In response, they reached out to the pet parent to schedule a reunion. Best Friends Animal Society Captain and Lisa Wood reuniting in Branson, Missouri The Bensonville shelter didn't have the resources to transport Captain the 200 miles back to Missouri, so staff contacted Best Friends Animal Society. This nationwide animal welfare organization operates the Best Friends Pet Resource Center in Northwest Arkansas. The center arranged a ride for Captain. On Wednesday, May 21, Dani Rakestraw, a training and behavior specialist at Best Friends, drove Captain to Branson, Mo., a halfway point between Bentonville and West Plains, to reunite the dog with Wood. "Captain is an absolute joy," says Wood of the dog, who is now back at home. "We've had him since he was just a few months old, and he's just the smartest dog. He's really part of the family. He loves my kids, and he even helps me teach and train the other dogs." Although Captain added some drama to his disappearance by traveling hundreds of miles away, Wood says she is grateful for how the situation ultimately played out, thanks to the dog's microchip. The pet mom urged all pet owners to get their animals microchipped. "If Captain weren't microchipped, we'd still be looking for him," Wood summarized. According to data provided by Michelle Logan, executive director of the Best Friends Pet Resource Center in Northwest Arkansas, 2.4 million pets enter shelters as strays. While many of those pets may be missing or lost animals, only about 20% are successfully reunited with their owners a surprising figure, given that 70% of lost pets are found within a mile of their home. 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. "We're working to educate the public on how they can help ease shelter overcrowding and save pets' lives by taking lost pet reunification into their own hands," said Logan. "Instead of bringing a lost pet into a shelter, try checking for an ID tag, visiting a vet or shelter to check for a microchip, knocking on doors or hanging flyers in the area where you found the pet, posting about the pet on social media and calling the local shelter to report a lost pet." For pet owners, Logan says, it's crucial to get animals microchipped and to keep contact information up to date. She said, "[Having] ID tags with current owner contact information can go a long way in being able to quickly get pets back home where they belong." Read the original article on People Over the past six months, Vice President JD Vance has shown how much of a key player he has become in the Trump administration, serving as the president's most prominent advocate and advancing his agenda. The latest example came this week, when Vance helped push President Donald Trump's massive tax and spending bill through Congress. Vance held a series of meetings with conservative and moderate holdouts and Senate leadership last Saturday to help move the bill forward. A source with direct knowledge stated that Vance played a key role in talking with Senate holdouts throughout the bill before he ended up casting several tie-breaking votes as president of the Senate and move the spending bill along to the House. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who had been critical of the bill's cuts to Medicaid and SNAP -- the food assistance program -- met with Vance, where he thanked her for being a team player despite her concerns with the legislation, just before she voted for the bill. During the sprint to push the bill through, Vance was criticized for his social post around concerns of the bill's impact on Medicaid, writing that "the minutiae of the Medicaid policyis immaterial compared to the ICE money and immigration enforcement provisions." Al Drago/Getty Images - PHOTO: JD Vance arrives during a vote-a-rama at the U.S. Capitol, on July 1, 2025 in Washington, DC. During all this, Vance was making phone calls to Trump and the two were updating each other on their talks with senators ahead of the bill's passage. The vice president attended Wednesday's meeting at the White House between Trump and several holdouts from the House as the president ramped up the pressure to vote for the bill. North Carolina GOP Rep. Greg Murphy, who had told reporters on Wednesday night that he was still undecided because of some of the health care provisions, said Thursday that he ultimately decided to support the package after speaking on the phone to Vance and the president. "I needed assurances," he said. A source close to Vance said that he continued to work the phones ahead of the floor vote on the rule, calling multiple House GOP holdouts to make the administration's case for them to support the bill. However, it's not just on the domestic policy front that Vance is having an impact. He has also been critical in supporting Trump's foreign policy. MORE: Holdouts say Trump promised he'd 'make the bill better' in the future While Trump was weighing the decision to strike Iran's nuclear sites, Vance came to the president's defense after supporters like Tucker Carlson and those in the MAGA base were outspoken against the U.S. getting involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran. "He may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment. That decision ultimately belongs to the president," Vance wrote on X. "And of course, people are right to be worried about foreign entanglement after the last 25 years of idiotic foreign policy. But I believe the president has earned some trust on this issue. And having seen this up close and personal, I can assure you that he is only interested in using the American military to accomplish American people's goals. Whatever he does, that is his focus." Vance's comments were a departure from his prior statements that the U.S. should not get entangled in foreign conflicts. A prime example is the vice president's opposition to the U.S. providing more aid to Ukraine. "I gotta be honest with you, I don't really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another," Vance said in February 2022, amid an explosion of bipartisan support for the country following the aftermath of Russia's invasion. Most recently, Vance expressed concerns about the president's decision to strike the Houthis in Yemen in a Signal group chat with other top administration officials. "I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now," Vance wrote in the chat. "There's a further risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices. I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself. But there is a strong argument for delaying this a month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc." Joe Raedle/Getty Images - PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance speaks during a meeting between President Donald Trump and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Rwanda and the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the White House, June 27, 2025. In the lead-up to the strikes, Trump was trying to engage the MAGA base with Vance to see what their reaction would be if he ordered the bombing. Prior to the strikes, Trump told reporters on Air Force One while flying back from the G7 summit in Canada that it was possible he could send Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with Iranian negotiators. Vance's active role in moving Trump's agenda forward was always part of the plan. In November, following the election, a source close to the vice president told ABC News that Vance had been tasked to ensure that all of the priorities of the Trump administration move forward and would work on any of the issues Trump needed him to further, signaling that the vice president would not be assigned one specific issue to work on, but would be involved in several policy issues. It was also expected that Vance would be Trump's "eyes and ears" in the Senate to ensure that his agenda moves forward, the source also said. It's familiar territory for Vance, who was elected to the Senate in 2022. All this comes as Vance is viewed by some as the MAGA heir apparent to Trump ahead of the 2028 election. At the same time, he is working to raise as much money as possible for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms as chair of the Republican National Committee -- the first time a vice president has ever held the role. Nathan Howard/Reuters - PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on July 1, 2025. Joel Goldstein, a vice-presidential scholar and former professor at Saint Louis University Law School, told ABC News that Vance is working in a different timeline compared to his predecessors, as he will serve only one term as vice president under Trump. "Every vice presidency is different and one of the things that is unique about Vance's is that every other vice president, you know, with the possible exception of Harris, entered office with the expectation that the president was going to run for reelection," Goldstein said. "I think he's in a very unique position in that his first term as vice president is his last, and so his presidential ambitions, the time for reckoning comes up, you know, much quicker than is normally the case." Following his tie-breaking votes in the Senate, several Democrats who might be opponents in the 2028 presidential election attempted to make Vance the face of Trump's spending bill. In a post on X, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called out Vance for casting the tie-breaking vote to allow the bill to move forward. "VP Vance has cast the deciding vote in the Senate to cut Medicaid, take away food assistance, blow up the deficit, and add tax breaks for the wealthiest," Buttigieg wrote. "This bill is unpopular because it is wrong," he continued. California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom told Americans on X to "bookmark" this moment, writing that "JD Vance is the ultimate reason why 17 million Americans will lose their healthcare." In an interview with NBC News, Trump pointed to Vance and Secretary of State and interim national security adviser Marco Rubio as possible successors, and said, when asked, that he believes his MAGA movement can survive without him. Asked about the president's comments, Vance said that if he does end up running for president, he's "not entitled to it." An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows The Supreme Court building, Image 2 shows ICE Police vest WASHINGTON Eight migrants with violent criminal convictions detained by the feds will be sent to South Sudan following a legal skirmish in two separate federal jurisdictions trying to halt their deportation. Lawyers for the migrants filed another lawsuit on July 4 in Washington, DC, to pause their flight to the African nation after the Supreme Court ruled against them Thursday as part of an earlier suit that determined the Trump administration could proceed with the removals. DC District Court Judge Randolph Moss, in response to the most recent suit, temporarily blocked the flight Friday but shifted it back to the jurisdiction where the earlier lawsuit was filed in Boston. District Judge Randolph Moss ruled on Friday to halt the deportations of eight migrants to South Sudan but US District Judge Brian Murphy allowed it. AP Boston US District Judge Brian Murphy denied the request Friday, noting the high courts decision allowing the flight to continue to South Sudan despite having issued a May 21 order initially grounding it in Djibouti. That order was stayed by the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision last month that will let the Trump administration resume deporting migrants to countries other than their home nation so-called third countries with limited notice. Murphy had still insisted that his injunction against the South Sudan deportations remained in full force and effect, prompting the latest clarification by the high court on Thursday. Department of Justice attorneys in the Fourth of July hearings in DC said the flights were scheduled to depart Camp Lemonnier, a US Navy base where the migrants had been held for weeks, at 7 p.m. EST. The migrants all men who hailed from Cuba, Mexico, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Sudan had been convicted of crimes including armed robbery, drug trafficking and sexual assault. Four are convicted murderers. These sickos will be in South Sudan by Independence Day, said Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement Thursday. A win for the rule of law, safety and security of the American people. We thank our brave ICE law enforcement for their sacrifice to defend our freedoms. South Sudan has been marred by violence and armed conflict following a civil war that concluded in 2018, prompting the migrants lawyers to argue their deportation would violate the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishments. The case has been sent to another judge after the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration could deport the eight immigrants convicted of violent crimes back to South Sudan. AP The Trump administration has claimed the men committed crimes so monstrous and barbaric that no other country would take them. Murphys late May order marooned Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers along with the migrants in Djibouti, without anti-malaria medications and potentially exposed to rocket attacks from Houthi terrorists across the Red Sea in Yemen, Pentagon officials said. The Boston judge decided the flight had unquestionably violated a March court order pausing migrant removals to third countries and ruled that each should first be given written notice and offered a chance to object to their deportation. All eight of the migrant convicts had either been given final removal orders or did not appeal their initial deportation order following a conviction, a DHS source previously told The Post. Even liberal Justice Elena Kagan sided with the Supreme Courts conservative majority Thursday in overruling Murphys order on third-country deportations. I do not see how a district court can compel compliance with an order that this Court has stayed, she wrote in a concurring opinion, though she did not join the majority in the June 23 decision greenlighting the removals. Demonstrators hold posters that read in Spanish Here we speak Spanish, Real Estate Regulation Now, during a protest against gentrification, as the increase in remote workers has risen prices and increased housing demand in neighborhoods like Condesa and Roma, in Mexico City, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) MEXICO CITY (AP) A protest by hundreds against gentrification and mass tourism that began peacefully Friday in Mexico City neighborhoods popular with tourists turned violent when a small number of people began smashing storefronts and harassing foreigners. Masked protesters smashed through the windows and looted high-end businesses in the touristic areas of Condesa and Roma, and screamed at tourists in the area. Graffiti on glass shattered glass being smashed through with rocks read: get out of Mexico. Protesters held signs reading gringos, stop stealing our home and demanding local legislation to better regulate tourism levels and stricter housing laws. Marchers then continued on to protest outside the U.S. Embassy and chanted inside the citys metro system. Police reinforcements gathered outside the Embassy building as police sirens rung out in the city center Friday evening. It marked a violent end to a more peaceful march throughout the day calling out against masses of mostly American tourists who have flooded into Mexico's capital in recent years. Tension had been mounting in the city since U.S. digital nomads flocked to Mexico City in 2020, many to escape coronavirus lockdowns in the U.S. or to take advantage of cheaper rent prices in the Latin American city. Since then, rents have soared and locals have increasingly gotten pushed out of their neighborhoods, particularly areas like Condesa and Roma, lush areas packed with coffee shops and restaurants. Michelle Castro, a 19-year-old college student, was among the flocks of people protesting. She said that she's from the city's working class city center, and that she's watched slowly as apartment buildings have been turned into housing for tourists. Mexico City is going through a transformation," she said. "There are a lot of foreigners, namely Americans, coming to live here. Many say it's xenophobia, but it's not. It's just that so many foreigners come here, rents are skyrocketing because of Airbnb. Rents are so high that some people can't even pay anymore. The Mexico City protest follows others in European cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Paris and Rome against mass tourism. What It's Really Like to Stay at the Chicest Hotel on Nantucket originally appeared on Parade. It's not often a place makes you feel both foreign and right at home, but that's exactly what it's like stepping into the lobby at The Greydon Houseand that's very much by design. Inspired by Nantucket's seafaring past and prosperous whaling trade, the boutique hotel (named after a diminutive version of Nantucket's nickname, The Grey Lady), distills everything that's so special about Nantucket in one perfectly curated experience. From its wood-plank-lined rooms and cozy bar to its eclectic artwork and globally inspired plantings, every detail tells a story, and it's one of adventure, art and subtle luxury that attracts those far and wide to Nantucket's weathered, yet buzzing shores. Located across the street from The Whaling Museum, it feels like the hotel took inspiration from the museum itself, blending centuries of history and a global sensibility. It somehow manages to feel like a weathered captains house and a Brooklyn art curators pied-a-terre all at once. When I learned the design firm behind it also created the Ace Hotels in New Yorkplaces I spent years frequenting while working on my own projectsit made sense. That lived-in ethos, the sense of creativity and historyare hallmarks. (Gwyneth Paltrow is a fan.) Heres everything you need to know about staying at the chicest hotel on Nantucket. Related: A Beginner's Guide to Nantucket The Hotel: Coastal Lived-In Inn Meets Euro Boutique Cool Even though theres no connection to Vanity Fairs Graydon Carter, you could be forgiven for thinking so. Every detailfrom the abstract art by contemporary American artist and printmaker Terry Winters to the Euro-style room keys behind the deskfeels like it's pulled from the pages of a magazine. The living-room-style bar is pure '70s-den-meets-mariner's-library, with velvet flame-patterned sofas, perfectly crowded gallery walls and wool ship paintings that feel lovingly plucked from a grandfathers attic. The backbar was sourced from a New York City general store; the top was custom-built. The mural behind the bar, depicting an 1800s Chinese port scene, nods to Nantuckets history and trade routes and was inspired by pieces in the North Shore's Peabody Essex Museum. The Rooms: Global Details With Local Charm HyperFocal: 0 Every room is planked in creamy white wood and bathed in soft, glowing light. It's here the sense of place is felt the mostas if the ghost of the original sea captain owner is still in the bones of the Federal-style details. Custom-designed beds with John Robshaw bedding and Indian block-print linens evoke Eastern trading routes; Moroccan-style inlaid furniture and handcrafted Portuguese bathroom tiles tell the story of the global reach the island once held. Vintage phones and curated curios round out the lived-in look without any fussiness. Related: 17 Things to Do In Cape Cod's Most Charming Town Via Mare Restaurant: Venetian Tapas With Global Flavor Technically separate from the hotel,Via Mare still feels like its soulful sibling. With plush velvet banquettes, sea-blue walls and oil paintings that wouldnt feel out of place in an old Venetian villa, the space invites you to stay awhile. We had every intention of hitting the bar afterwardbut ended up spending hours lingering over tapas-style small plates instead: octopus charred to perfection, crisped sunchokes, caviar-topped pancakes and spicy cumin lamb with tingly sichuan peppercorn. Dishes come as theyre ready, lending a European rhythm to the mealand the conversation. There's a whimsical selection of cocktails and the Michelin-starred-chef-driven menu has a a clear love for spice and unexpected pairings. The Vibe: Sophisticated and Steps From the Best of Nantucket One of the biggest perks? Its location. Just off Broad and Federal Street, a 10-minute walk from the wharf, across from the Whaling Museum, it's right down townbut removed enough that youre not woken up by nightlife. Its the kind of spot your most in-the-know friend would book. It's a perfect spot for wedding parties or out-of-town guests. Even on a rainy April night, the bar buzzed with stylish locals and guestsa sign of a place that has real staying power (SNL players and Bill Belichick have been known to post up). Its the kind of space where you could imagine dreaming up your next novel, bonding with the bartender over obscure spirits or just playing a game of backgammon by candlelight. Unexpected Perks That Made My Stay Even Better The 20-room property may be small, but its filled with gestures that make you feel looked after: Fujifilm Instax cameras available for guest use Le Labo and Grown Alchemist products in the bathrooms Lands End beach totes, towels and flipflops for nearby Jetty Beach Optional private, 3-hour sailboat charters, complete with lobster rolls and rose What Visitors Say Guests have a lot to say about the rooms, highlighting: "each room is unique and quiet," and "We had three rooms on the front, side and back and we all slept like lambs" comments one on Trip Advisor. Another says, "Petite Queen Number 21 is perfect for the solo traveler." Guests mentioned some things to know before you go, suggesting that you should "plan to park and walk to the hotel, and there isn't a commisary, so bring water, Tylennol, etc." Most rooms don't accomodate pets, but the two private rooms with street entrances do. "Perfect room if staying with a pup," said one commenter. If You Go Best time to visit: Late spring and early fall offer seasonal deals. Booking tip: Weekday stays are quieter; book early for summer weekends. Commenters said to ask for Room 16 if available. Travel tip: Arrive early to the Ferry to grab a seat on the top deck for prime Brandt Point Lighthouse and golden-hour sunset views. Visit greydonhouse.com to find available dates and book. Related: 11 Cant-Miss Things to Do on Cape Cod, According to a Local Travel Expert What It's Really Like to Stay at the Chicest Hotel on Nantucket first appeared on Parade on Jul 5, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared. Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock Why Make This Trader Joe's Tangy Grilled Chicken recipe uses just four ingredients: whole-milk Greek yogurt, lemon, olive oil, and onion salt. The chicken comes out tangy and juicy. Combine the ingredients and marinate the chicken at least 1 hour. Of all the things I throw on the grill in the summer, chicken ranks pretty low. Its not that I dont like chicken or prefer other forms of protein; its just that it rarely turns out well on the barbequeits either dry and sinewy or charred and without flavor. Though Ive found numerous easy ways to prepare tasty birds in the oven, air fryer, casseroles, and salads, grilling chicken has just never been my thing until now. As it turns out, I jotted down a Trader Joes recipe for marinated, grilled chicken that combines a few unexpected ingredients with delicious results. (The original is no longer on their site, but it's similar to this one.) The ingredients list includes Greek yogurt and onion salta flavor combo Id never think to try outand successfully works as a marinate, resulting in chicken that is juicy and tangy. It was so easy to prepare and so successful at the dinner table that the recipe will undoubtedly become a family go-to in my household. How To Make Trader Joes Tangy Grilled Chicken To make the marinade, you'll need: 1/2 cup plain Greek whole-milk yogurt Juice of 1/2 a lemon, plus 1 lemon sliced in rounds 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons onion salt 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts In a bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, and onion salt. Add your chicken and coat well with the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the breasts marinate for an hour. Remove the chicken from the bowl and shake off any excess marinade. Place it on a medium-high grill, cook for six to eight minutes per side, or until the internal temperature is 165F, and remove from heat. Add lemon slices to the grill for two to three minutes per side until caramelized grill marks appear. Serve the chicken with the grilled lemon slices. Simply Recipes / Stella Totino The Verdict For the sake of transparency, I want to note that I used chicken breasts with the skin on, as that is preferred in my family. However, next time I make this recipe, Ill try it with skinless chicken because the yogurt marinade provides enough moisture by itself. This marinade tenderizes the chickenit comes out succulent and moist in a way Ive never experienced on the grill before. Although there was a tanginess perceptibly present (especially when eaten with a bite of the grilled lemon), I might add a little more onion salt as I found the onion flavor too subtle. I love that you can fine-tune this recipe according to your specific preferences. The base ingredient list and methodology promise such juicy, well-cooked chicken that you just cant go wrong. My Tips for This Trader Joes Chicken Marinade Recipe I recommend tasting the yogurt mixture before you add the chicken in and see if you want to add a little more onion salt or lemon. For my salt-heavy tastebuds I needed a little kosher salt, which I added about a half a teaspoon of. While a bowl and plastic wrap work perfectly for the marinating period, I just popped everything in a large airtight storage container so that I could shake the whole container to really coat the breasts. I recommend finding thinner breasts as I had thicker pieces of chicken and the outside got a little more charred waiting to reach that 165F mark. That being said, I love a little char when the interior is moist and flavorful and in this case, I think the darkened outside pairs really well with the bright pop of the lemon. Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock Read the original article on SIMPLYRECIPES Q: What role do the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and BRICS play in China's strategy to withstand US economic pressure? A: BRICS is not Chinas initiative, and is not a geopolitical tool of China. Saying BRISC plays in Chinas strategy to withstand US economic pressure is a groundless insinuation. China does not dictate to BRICS. BRICS is for its members, not only for China. Whatever is good for all members of BRICS is on the BRICS agenda. BRI started in 2013, before the US trade war against China in 2018. BRI was launched not to withstand the US economic pressure. BRI is a project of South-South cooperation, helping the Global South to grow. In short, BRI and BRICS play no role in Chinas strategy to withstand the US economic pressure. BRICS may react to the US suppression, but that is not just for China. It is for the right of growth of all members of BRICS. At the very beginning, the US has been trying hard to sabotage the BRI. So dont put the cart before the horse. BRI is not a strategy to resist the US pressure. BRI is a win-win cooperation in the Global South, and the US wants to sabotage it, but failed. BRI and BRICS to China are not the same as the IMF, the World Bank, NATO, etc to the US. Many of the world's institutions are US tools to maintain the US hegemon. There are conflicts between the US and China, but those conflicts are the USs initiatives, not Chinas. China never wants to have conflict with the US. China has long been promoting are relationship of no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation with the US. Yet, the US views the relationship with China as a zero-sum game. BRI and BRICS playing a role in the Sino-American relationship is a perception of the US. It is the hegemonic mentality and the cold war mentality that created such a perception, not the reality, and not Chinas intention and plan. Building ports, bridges, and roads in Africa has nothing to do with the US and the Sino-American relationship. Trading among BRICS members has nothing to do with the US and the Sino-American relationship. Both BRI and BRICS are cooperations based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation. No party coerces or enforces the cooperation. Every project a well consulted and negotiated between the sovereign countries of the cooperation, aimed at promoting the prosperity of the developing countries, not for any cause about the US. The US should comply with the UN Charter and not interfere with the BRI and BRIDCS. BRI and BRICS are legitimate cooperations between sovereign countries within international law. BRI and BRICS play no role in anything with the US. by Stefano Caprio After leaving behind the Ottawa Treaty that banned mines, Ukraine is creating an impassable abyss with Russia, the new explosive "iron curtain" that will mark the destiny of peoples in times to come. In Rome the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church discussed with Pope Leo XIV how to proceed with the "spiritual demining" of the hearts of men. US President Donald Trump is cutting back on delivering weapons to Ukraine, giving free rein to Russian missiles to continue destroying the cities and homes of a defenceless population, a decision clearly from the Kremlin, perhaps to better divide up the world: Ukraine to you, Iran to me, and so on for all the rest. This will be the probable outcome of the new geopolitical arrangement, which sanctions the victory of Vladimir Putin's plan to undermine "globalised hegemony" and impose a multipolar world, which means exalting conflict and divisions instead of integration and peace between peoples. The age of more or less vast and self-sufficient empires is back while the era of coexistence between different nations and variable systems is at an end, with one formal exception, namely the European Union, whose prospects, however, are of greater fragility and powerlessness. This is set to be the goal of the war and the outcome of negotiations, which, within the year, will lead to the definition of new military, geographic, political, and psychological borders, in an extended ukraina, a multi-latitudinal borderland", irrespective of where we can place the East or the West, the global South or the hegemonic North. While Estonia and the other Baltic states, from Lithuania to Finland, are gearing up to deal with the ever-increasing Russian pressure, Ukraines decision to withdraw from the anti-land mine treaty will lead to a new mined wall between Ukraine and Russia, an explosive-laden territory between the occupied regions and what Moscow intends to define as a demilitarised neutral zone, but which will be almost impossible to cross unharmed. Ukrainians have long been teaching schoolchildren to distinguish between petal mines, small and almost invisible mines capable of severing a foot, and high-explosive frog mines; currently, 137,000 kilometres have already been mined, 23 per cent of the entire Ukrainian territory. Hundreds of people have reportedly stumbled across such devices, since it is extremely hard even for soldiers to see the mines in the grass. Anti-personnel mines are built specifically to be activated by the victims, intended to kill or seriously maim the most defenceless and inexperienced people, adults and children, farmers and grazing animals, symbol of a reality in which it becomes impossible to defend oneself, both physically and spiritually. Mines hide and disguise themselves, like fake news, and therefore have a character of strict topicality. Sometimes they are placed under the surface as underground "mine fences", and can only be found with special equipment. Fighting on the ground may cease, but the threat of mines remains for a long time, and only for the civilian population. Demining is still ongoing in Afghanistan, and in many other zones at war in recent decades, or even centuries. Mines "never die", as experts in the sector put it. Attempts to ban anti-personnel mines have been underway since 1980, and 65 UN member states have signed the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (Ottawa Treaty), which in fact has never been applied, since it refers to international conflicts, while most of the mined areas concern internal conflicts, which is how the Ukrainian war is defined in Ukrainian regions, both those occupied by Russia and those still free from Moscows grab. In 1995, the convention was expanded and defined in detail, and had started to have some effect until the Ottawa process in 1996, which decided on a total ban, which Ukraine has now abandoned to defend itself from Russia. The movement that led to the Canadian agreement even won the Nobel Peace Prize, which Putin and Trump are now fighting over with missiles. By 2017, about 100 of the 150 signatory countries had committed to destroying their mine stockpiles, and 27 proved to be free of landmines. China, Russia, the United States, India, Pakistan, and Middle Eastern countries refused to sign the convention, in a grim sign of forewarning of what came to pass 30 years later. Ukraine had signed the treaty in 2005, after the orange revolution that split it off for the first time from dependence on Russia, and had also destroyed its mines, which have started to proliferate again since the invasion of 2022, both by Ukraine and Russia. In late 2024, at the end of Joe Bidens presidency, the US allowed the Ukrainians to place anti-personnel mines; the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry justified this by noting that Russia, which is not a party to the Ottawa Treaty, had begun to place mines on Ukrainian territory since 2014, creating an asymmetric advantage for the aggressor. In the end, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially signed the decree ending the agreement, so as not to "become a slave to Russia's extreme cynicism". A Member of the Ukrainian parliament (Verkhovna Rada), Colonel Roman Kostenko, secretary of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defence, and Intelligence, explained that "the exit from the convention was an inevitable decision for some time. We know that our neighbour ... In the Zaporizhzhia region, the Russians mined all the territory in front of the occupied areas. Poland, Finland, and the Baltic Republics have also moved away from the landmine ban, given what was happening on their borders. The important thing is "to do everything in an orderly manner, so as to accurately indicate the minefields on the geographical maps, then we will do the demining, once the war is over", Kostenko said. In fact, this year Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland also announced their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, and in June, the Finnish Parliament also expressed its opinion in this sense; only Norway does not seem to be inclined towards putting mines back on its territory, for now. The convention provides that the withdrawal from the agreement cannot be implemented until the end of ongoing fighting, but the Ukrainians intend to present exceptions relating to "extreme conditions". While mines are being laid to form an impassable abyss with Russia, the new explosive "iron curtain" that will mark the destiny of peoples in times to come, the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was held in Rome, a historic event that opened for the first time with a Eucharistic celebration led by the Major Archbishop of Kyiv, Svyatoslav Shevchuk, and the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. The theme the Ukrainian bishops are working on is the Pastoral Care of the Family in Times of War with particular focus on spiritual wounds, divided families, and the role of the Church as a refuge and source of hope. At the Ukrainian Pontifical College of Saint Josaphat, next to the Vatican, over 50 bishops from all over the world gathered to decide how to proceed with Ukraines spiritual demining. As Shevchuk said, we want to speak to Rome, to the Vatican and to the world about our pain, our suffering, but also about the heroism of our people, our unshakeable spirit, our strength, we want the world to listen to us and support us. For his part, Pope Leo XIV said that in the current historical context it is not easy to talk about hope to you and to the people entrusted to your pastoral care. It is not easy to find words of consolation for the families who have lost their loved ones in this senseless war. The expressions of faith and hope by Ukrainian men and women are a sign of Gods strength, which manifests itself in the midst of the rubble of destruction. The offers of help by the Holy See give meaning to peace negotiations, as the Pontiff reiterated when he met with the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda. An agreement must be reached to eradicate the mines from the hearts of men, so as not to lose hope in the future, with Gods help. RUSSIAN WORLD IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO RUSSIA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY SATURDAY? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE. Champion local news. Join our community of readers who value daily beat reporting and in-depth stories alike. Your membership allows us to continue the legacy of local, independent journalism in the Roaring Fork Valley. With your support, we can remain a free and accessible source of news for everyone, always without paywalls or corporate influence. Together, we can ensure that vital local stories are told. 5 July 2025 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more The 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), held in Garabaghs city of Khankendi, represents far more than a routine diplomatic event. It symbolizes a profound geopolitical and economic shift in the South Caucasus region, marking Azerbaijans triumphant return to its ancestral lands after decades of conflict and occupation. Hosting the summit in liberated territories is a powerful assertion of Azerbaijans restored sovereignty and territorial integrity. Unlike previous ECO summits held in the capital Baku, the decision to convene in Khankendi carries substantial symbolic weight. It signals to the international community that Azerbaijan is not only reclaiming its territory but also positioning Garabagh as a hub for regional cooperation and development. The regions rapid reconstruction, as highlighted by President Ilham Aliyev, underscores the countrys commitment to transforming war-torn lands into centers of economic activity and diplomatic engagement. This transformation is not just about infrastructure; it is about restoring national dignity and demonstrating resilience after years of occupation and ethnic conflict. President Ilham Aliyevs speech laid bare the depth of Armenias decades-long occupation, ethnic cleansing, and cultural destruction in the region. The scale of devastation - cultural monuments destroyed, mosques desecrated, cemeteries vandalized - adds a humanitarian dimension to the conflicts legacy. Moreover, the presence of over a million landmines and the tragic loss of lives due to these explosives highlight ongoing security challenges that complicate post-conflict recovery. From an analytical perspective, this context illustrates the enduring consequences of frozen conflicts and the complexities involved in peacebuilding. The wars aftermath is not merely about territorial control but also involves reconciliation, demining, cultural restoration, and the return of displaced populations. The Great Return program is central to Azerbaijans strategy to solidify its hold on the liberated territories. Facilitating the return of displaced persons and rebuilding cities and villages are essential for establishing lasting peace and stability. However, the process also carries risks. Resettling tens of thousands of people in formerly occupied lands requires careful planning to ensure security, economic sustainability, and social cohesion. Furthermore, the rights of deported Western Azerbaijanis and their potential return to ancestral lands inside Armenia add a complex layer to regional diplomacy. The unanimous adoption of a resolution by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation supporting their right to return reflects broader international acknowledgment of this issue. However, Armenias resistance to dialogue on this matter poses a challenge to reconciliation efforts and peacebuilding. Economically, Azerbaijans active role in the ECO region positions it as a key player in fostering regional integration and development. The summits location in Garabagh could catalyze further investments and economic activity in a region previously marred by conflict. President Aliyev emphasized Azerbaijans favorable investment climate and highlighted the countrys significant foreign investment inflows, nearly $350 billion over two decades. This economic strength underpins Azerbaijans ambitions to be a regional energy and transport hub. Its strategic position on major East-West and North-South corridors and its status as a key energy exporter to 12 countries reinforce its role in regional connectivity and energy security. Hosting initiatives such as the first ECO Week and plans to establish research and clean energy centers signal Azerbaijans commitment to diversifying the regional economy and aligning with global sustainable development goals. Azerbaijan is also taking tangible steps to institutionalize its leadership within the ECO by hosting two major initiatives: the ECO Research Centre and the ECO Clean Energy Centre. Work is currently underway to ensure these centers become operational in the near future. These institutions signal a strategic shift toward knowledge-driven regional cooperation and sustainable energy development, in line with global climate and innovation agendas. The Research Centre is expected to serve as a think tank for economic policy, regional integration, and development strategies across ECO countries. Meanwhile, the Clean Energy Centre aligns with Azerbaijans increasing focus on green energy, especially as the country prepares to host COP29, positioning itself as a regional hub for energy transition and climate diplomacy. By championing these initiatives, Azerbaijan aims not only to solidify its influence in ECO's institutional structure but also to diversify its soft power tools - moving from being seen primarily as an oil and gas exporter to a convening power in innovation, sustainability, and multilateral dialogue. Despite these positive developments, challenges remain. The legacy of conflict, unresolved political disputes, and security threats from landmines and ethnic tensions complicate regional cooperation. Moreover, the success of initiatives like the Great Return depends on continued political will, international support, and effective governance. The summits outcomes will likely hinge on how effectively ECO member states address these challenges and whether the organization can serve as a platform for conflict resolution and economic integration. Azerbaijans leadership role and its ability to leverage the summits symbolic and strategic importance could be crucial in shaping the South Caucasuss future stability and prosperity. The 17th ECO Summit in Khankendi is a landmark moment not only for Azerbaijan but for the broader region. It encapsulates the intersection of geopolitics, historical justice, economic ambition, and regional cooperation. 5 July 2025 14:55 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Azerbaijan continues to solidify its role as a proactive and collaborative regional player, nurturing fruitful bilateral and multilateral relationships. Among its strategic partnerships, the ties with Pakistan stand out as a prime example of enduring friendship rooted in shared values, historical solidarity, and converging geopolitical interests. The relationship between Azerbaijan and Pakistan is not merely diplomatic but deeply anchored in the principles of brotherhood and mutual respect, developed over decades. Pakistan was among the very first countries to recognize Azerbaijans independence, underscoring its long-standing support for Baku on the international stage. This support gained renewed significance during the 44-day Patriotic War in 2020, when Pakistan unequivocally defended Azerbaijans territorial integrity in various international forums - a testament to the political and moral solidarity between the two nations. At the recent 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit held in Khankendi, the Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif highlighted the importance of this partnership, emphasizing the commitment to deepen collaboration in trade, investment, culture, education, healthcare, and water resource management. His statements reflect an ambitious vision for expanding the bilateral agenda beyond traditional political cooperation into comprehensive socio-economic integration. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on investment cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan is a significant milestone, signaling a concrete step towards operationalizing these ambitions. Announced by Azerbaijans Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov and signed jointly with Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, the MoU formalizes a framework to boost economic engagement and attract investments in strategically vital sectors. This deepening of economic ties between Azerbaijan and Pakistan can be understood in the broader context of shifting regional geopolitics and economic diversification strategies pursued by both states. For Azerbaijan, expanding its economic partnerships is crucial for sustaining post-conflict reconstruction efforts and integrating the liberated territories into the national economy. Pakistan, meanwhile, views Azerbaijan as a gateway to the resource-rich Caucasus and a partner in regional connectivity initiatives that complement its own vision of economic corridor development. Moreover, both countries share concerns regarding regional stability and security, particularly in light of their respective geopolitical environments. This partnership provides a platform for coordinated diplomatic efforts within international organizations such as ECO, where both nations hold significant influence. Their collaboration in such multilateral settings allows them to jointly advocate for common interests, including counterterrorism, trade facilitation, and sustainable development. The MoU on investment cooperation is also reflective of a pragmatic economic diplomacy approach. It encourages private sector involvement and joint ventures that could stimulate innovation, job creation, and technology transfer. As energy, infrastructure, and digital transformation emerge as global priorities, Azerbaijan and Pakistan are well-positioned to capitalize on complementarities, leveraging their geographic locations as transit hubs linking Asia and Europe. However, challenges remain. The evolving geopolitical landscape, especially the unresolved conflicts in the region and shifting alliances, require both countries to maintain a flexible yet principled foreign policy. Continued diplomatic engagement and the institutionalization of agreements like this MoU will be critical to translate political goodwill into tangible economic outcomes. The Azerbaijan-Pakistan relationship exemplifies a strategic partnership that goes beyond rhetoric. The recent developments under the ECO framework and the signing of key agreements reflect a shared commitment to fostering robust economic cooperation and regional integration. As both nations pursue ambitious development agendas, their alliance is poised to become a stabilizing force and a model of South-South cooperation in a complex and dynamic region. 5 July 2025 20:20 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more The imminent implementation of the Zangazur corridor promises to elevate the economic and social mobility of the South Caucasus to unprecedented levels. Emerging from the new geopolitical realities shaped by the 44-day Patriotic War, the Zangazur corridor is more than just a transit route - it demonstrates a transformative artery linking Europe and Asia, with far-reaching geopolitical and economic consequences. At its core, the Zangazur corridor will geographically unite the Turkic states, fostering not only enhanced trade but also reinforcing political solidarity among these nations. This corridors strategic importance resonates strongly within the broader vision of regional integration, with Azerbaijan and its close ally Turkiye vocalizing the corridors vital role on international platforms. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan underscored the corridors multifaceted significance during his return from the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit in Azerbaijan. He highlighted the corridors potential to synergize with the Middle Corridor - the crucial transit route linking Turkiye, Azerbaijan, the Caspian Sea, Central Asia, and China - thereby accelerating trade flows across continents. "Once the corridor opens, Turkish products will cross the Caspian Sea en route to Central Asia and China more efficiently, while cargo moving from Europe to China will increasingly transit through Turkiye," Erdogan noted. This integration will enhance the Middle Corridors function as a central Eurasian logistics spine, amplifying the trade volumes and transit capacity of the entire region. Moreover, the Zangazur corridor's railway infrastructure is a game-changer in freight and passenger transport. President Erdogan pointed out that the lines expansion, including the connection from Igdr to Nakhchivan, marks a critical step towards seamless multimodal transport in the South Caucasus. Such connectivity is expected to stimulate not only economic activity but also political cooperation, as it integrates diverse national economies into a cohesive transit framework. From Azerbaijans perspective, the corridor is equally pivotal. President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly emphasized its role in ending the decades-long blockade of Nakhchivan, Azerbaijans exclave, thereby restoring territorial integrity and enabling direct access to vital transport routes. The corridor will seamlessly integrate with Azerbaijans ambitious transport network, which already positions the country as a central Eurasian transit hub intersecting key East-West and North-South corridors. Strategically, the corridor signals Azerbaijans growing leverage in regional logistics and energy security, offering alternative routes that circumvent traditional chokepoints. This diversification is crucial in an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape, enhancing not only Azerbaijans economic resilience but also that of its partners. Economically, the corridor stands to catalyze regional development by facilitating trade, investment, and infrastructure projects across Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Iran, and beyond. Its operation will likely generate a multiplier effect boosting employment, attracting foreign direct investment, and fostering cross-border industrial cooperation. In conclusion, the Zangazur corridor, intertwined with the Middle Corridor, is poised to redefine Eurasian transit geography. It embodies a strategic vision that transcends mere transportation logistics, serving as a catalyst for regional integration, economic growth, and political cohesion. For Azerbaijan and its partners, this corridor opens a historic window of opportunity to harness their geographic advantage, create new markets, and solidify their position on the global trade map. 5 July 2025 13:41 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more On the sidelines of the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit held in Khankendi, Azerbaijan and Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing investment cooperation between the two countries. Azernews reports that Azerbaijans Minister of Economy, Mikayil Jabbarov, announced the signing on his official X account, noting the significance of the agreement in deepening bilateral economic ties. The MoU was signed by Minister Jabbarov on behalf of Azerbaijan, and by Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, representing the Pakistani side. This document will give a strong boost to the implementation of the directives issued by the leaders of both countries to further strengthen economic relations and investment partnerships, Minister Jabbarov stated. The agreement marks a key step in advancing AzerbaijanPakistan economic collaboration and reflects the growing strategic partnership between the two nations. 5 July 2025 10:35 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more At the event titled Boosting Progress, Advancing Synergy, held in London, policymakers and experts discussed the growing regional connectivity between Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Turkiye, Azernews reports. The forum focused on emerging economic, trade, and strategic opportunities against the backdrop of the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor (Middle Corridor). According to Azerbaijans Embassy in the UK, Lord John Alderdice, the UK Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan and Central Asia and a member of the House of Lords, emphasized the UKs increasing engagement with the region. He stressed the importance of approaching the region through a unified lens and highlighted that cooperation extends beyond trade, reflecting a long-term strategic partnership. Lord Alderdice noted that British companies are actively involved in major infrastructure projects in Azerbaijan. Notably, UK Export Finance (UKEF) carried out its first aviation finance transaction in Azerbaijan with Silk Way Airlines. British firms are also contributing to the development of clean energy corridors in the country. On education, he highlighted the success of dual-degree programs and vocational training partnerships between UK universities and institutions in Azerbaijan and the broader region. He stated that the UK is prepared to provide not only financial but also technical and institutional support, aiming to enhance both infrastructure and human capital. Azerbaijans Ambassador to the UK, Elin Suleymanov, underlined Azerbaijans strategic steps in boosting regional connectivity, which have helped shape a clearer vision for the regions future development. He referenced recent conflicts, such as the airspace restrictions during the Israel-Iran tensions, which demonstrated Azerbaijans pivotal role in offering alternative civil aviation routes. He also cited Azerbaijans role as a primary transit country for NATO operations in Afghanistan back in 2001. These examples show that it is impossible to envision regional integration without Azerbaijan, the ambassador said, adding that the UKs appointment of a dedicated trade envoy to the region reflects this reality. Suleymanov emphasized the need for such cooperation to continue not only in times of crisis but also as a long-term priority. He pointed to the signing of the Caspian Green Energy Corridor agreement between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan during COP29 in Baku as a key example of region-led initiatives. He also highlighted the ongoing visit of Uzbekistans President to Azerbaijan, including a symbolic trip to the city of Khankendi, as a sign of growing Turkic cooperation. The ambassador praised the UKs growing involvement in green transition, energy, and finance projects, thanking the British side for its high-level engagement and support at COP29. He also mentioned British companies' contributions to the reconstruction of liberated territories. Touching on climate concerns, Suleymanov emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in addressing the shrinking Caspian Seaa major environmental issuestating that large-scale collaboration is the only path to effective solutions. Afgan Nifti, Director of the Caspian Policy Center, stated that trade, transit, energy, and digital connectivity across the Trans-Caspian region are developing rapidly. He noted that the growing number of high-level visits from the EU, France, Germany, Italy, China, and India signals increasing global interest in the region. According to Nifti, Trans-Caspian freight volumes grew by 62% last year. He also announced that 25% of the Trans-Caspian Digital Cable Project has already been completed, reinforcing Central Asias independent digital infrastructure. Digital connectivity is now an integral part of Trans-Caspian cooperation, he said. Kazakhstans Ambassador to the UK, Magzhan Ilyassov, described the Trans-Caspian route as not just a trade path but a strategic bridge for regional prosperity. Turkiyes Ambassador to the UK, Osman Koray Ertas, added that the Middle Corridorrooted in the legacy of the Silk Roadhas become a strategic necessity for resilience and stability in global supply chains, no longer just an alternative. Expert panels at the event featured presentations from representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), PASHA Holding, PRISM, Tethys, and other organizations, research centers, and companies. 5 July 2025 12:55 (UTC+04:00) Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Heydar Aliyev Academy of the State Security Service (SSS), Chief of the SSS, Colonel-General Ali Naghiyev, called on newly commissioned officers to carry forward the values of loyalty, vigilance, and professionalism instilled by National Leader Heydar Aliyev, Azernews reports. Colonel-General Naghiyev emphasized that the young officers, as graduates of an institution bearing the name of the Great Leader, must ground their service in unwavering loyalty to the Motherland and the People. Protecting the security of the state should be their highest mission, he said, urging them to remain alert at all times and uphold the legacy of professionalism that Heydar Aliyev established in the nations security institutions. Highlighting the Academys continuous progress, Naghiyev noted significant improvements in both infrastructure and academic capacity. He outlined efforts to modernize the education system in line with current global standards and praised the consistent success of cadets in academic competitions as a reflection of these advancements. In conclusion, the SSS Chief expressed strong confidence that the new graduates would honorably fulfill their duties within the Services various departments, faithfully support the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, and take on key roles within Azerbaijans national security structure. The ceremony marked a symbolic milestone for the next generation of security professionals, who now step into service with the full trust of the institution and its leadership. 5 July 2025 13:28 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described his recent meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as positive and friendly, highlighting the constructive atmosphere of their discussions on the sidelines of the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), held on July 4 in Azerbaijans city of Khankendi. Azernews reports that speaking at a press conference in Tehran following his return from the summit, President Pezeshkian emphasized that the meeting with President Aliyev led to encouraging agreements in the areas of economic and regional cooperation. The Iranian leader also commented on his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, calling it very positive and constructive. He noted that economic issues were a central focus and that both sides consulted on future diplomatic coordination efforts. Regarding his talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Pezeshkian said that the dialogue was productive, centered on strengthening bilateral ties and mutual support. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing diplomatic relations and joint economic cooperation. Pezeshkian also met with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, where the importance of expanding collaboration in the fields of economy, science, and transportation was underscored. Both parties agreed on the need to further strengthen the partnership between their countries. These kinds of summits can play a key role in deepening ties among Muslim nations, President Pezeshkian stated. Government officials and experts must become more active, particularly in the fields of science, transportation, and culture. Mutual visits should not be limited to the presidential level. Ministers and deputy ministers must actively follow up on the agreements reached. The 17th ECO Summit in Khankendi brought together leaders from across the region to discuss strategies for advancing economic integration and regional collaboration among member states. 5 July 2025 16:19 (UTC+04:00) Kazakhstans leading media outlets have given extensive coverage to Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenovs visit to Khankendi for the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit, underscoring the countrys active role in shaping regional economic integration, Azernews reports. News platforms such as Inform.kz, Kazlenta.kz, Kapital.kz, Ortcom.kz, and Dknews.kz focused on the summits key discussions surrounding economic cooperation among ECO member states. Prominent themes included joint efforts in transport and logistics, energy, climate security, digital transformation, and other areas critical to the regions development. A major highlight of the coverage was Prime Minister Bektenovs emphasis on the strategic importance of the Trans-Afghan Railway for boosting regional connectivity and trade. He reaffirmed Kazakhstans support for the project and signaled a strong commitment to advancing regional infrastructure. The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan confirms its intention to support the TorghundiHerat railway construction project. A corresponding memorandum will be signed in the near future, Bektenov announced during the summit. His remarks underscore Kazakhstans proactive approach to regional development and its readiness to contribute to projects that promote stability and economic growth across the ECO region. The Kazakh media widely interpreted this as a signal of the countrys expanding role in cross-border connectivity initiatives. 5 July 2025 12:23 (UTC+04:00) President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro Moros. Azernews presents the letter: "Dear Mr. President, On my own behalf and on be half of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my sincere congratulations to you and your entire nation on the occasion of the national holiday of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Independence Day. Azerbaijani-Venezuelan friendly relations are based on good traditions. I am confident that we will continue to successfully pursue our joint efforts to strengthen interstate relations and to realize the great potential of our mutually beneficial cooperation across various fields. On this significant day, I wish you good health, happiness, success in your work, and to the friendly people of Venezuela lasting peace and prosperity." 5 July 2025 14:21 (UTC+04:00) On July 5, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov met with Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), to discuss deepening bilateral cooperation and preparations for a major upcoming session in Baku, Azernews reports. According to the Cabinet of Ministers, the meeting highlighted the significance of Alisjahbanas participation in the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit held in Khankendi, underlining the growing importance of regional engagement. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the longstanding partnership between Azerbaijan and UNESCAP, emphasizing their shared commitment to advancing economic and social development goals in the Asia-Pacific region. A key point of discussion was the 82nd session of UNESCAP, scheduled to be held in Baku in April next year. The parties exchanged views on organizational aspects and strategic priorities for the session. The meeting also covered prospects for expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest, with particular focus on continuing effective collaboration within the framework of the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA). The importance of sustaining joint efforts under this initiative was strongly emphasized by both sides. 5 July 2025 15:46 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more As part of Azerbaijans Great Return program, the Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency (AYNA) will launch a new regular bus service on July 7, connecting Baku with Khankendi and Lachin, Azernews reports. The new route aims to provide high-quality transportation infrastructure and services for citizens resettling in territories liberated from occupation. Buses will depart daily from the Baku International Bus Terminal at 11:00 a.m. The designated stops along the route include the cities of Khojaly, Khankendi, and Shusha. The return buses will leave Lachin at 09:00, Shusha at 10:00, Khankendi at 10:30, and Khojaly at 11:00. Ticket prices are as follows: BakuLachin: 16.10 AZN BakuShusha: 14.80 AZN BakuKhankendi: 14.20 AZN BakuKhojaly: 13.90 AZN Tickets can only be purchased online through the official portal biletim.az. Authorities also note that access to the liberated territories requires official clearance in accordance with entry regulations, which must be obtained prior to purchasing tickets. The new route marks another important step in reintegrating the liberated regions into national infrastructure and supporting the safe return of displaced citizens. 5 July 2025 16:50 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Azerbaijans Ministry of Health held a high-level meeting with Armida Salsiah Alisahbana, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Azernews reports. During the meeting, Health Minister Teymur Musayev warmly welcomed the guest and emphasized Azerbaijans effective cooperation with various UN specialized agencies, including UNESCAP. He highlighted that Azerbaijan became a member of UNESCAP in 1992 and has since developed strong bilateral relations with many member states of the commission. Minister Musayev underscored UNESCAPs role as a vital platform for cooperation, particularly in areas such as transport, digitalization, energy, and other sectors of mutual interest. He expressed confidence that the bilateral partnership between Azerbaijan and UNESCAP would continue to grow and strengthen. Expressing gratitude for the warm reception, Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisahbana noted the significance of the upcoming 25th-anniversary summit of the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA), which will be held in Azerbaijan in November 2023. She conveyed UNESCAPs strong interest in establishing effective cooperation with Azerbaijans Ministry of Health, highlighting the organizations commitment to advancing digital health and overall health development among its member states. The meeting also featured an exchange of views on other topics of mutual interest, paving the way for deeper collaboration in the future. 5 July 2025 17:48 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that the upcoming peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan will significantly change the regional atmosphere, opening new and historic opportunities one after another. Azernews reports that speaking to journalists aboard his plane after returning from Azerbaijan, Erdogan emphasized the broad benefits of peace and stability in the South Caucasus. The diplomatic framework for the ongoing peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia has now been finalized. Following meetings held in Brussels, Moscow, and Tbilisi by the end of 2024, agreement has been reached on the final text of the peace treaty, Erdogan said. He noted that although Armenia initially opposed the Zangezur corridor, it has begun to adopt a more flexible approach toward participating in economic integration. Erdogan stressed that the development of this region presents opportunities not only for Azerbaijan but also for Armenia, Turkiye, Iran, and other countries. The Turkish president also reiterated the special importance of Azerbaijan-Turkiye relations. Our legal and moral ties with Azerbaijan are different from our relations with other countries. We are bound not only by friendship but also by brotherhood. The phrase Two states, one nation is not accidental; it carries deep meaning and is based on solid foundations, which we have repeatedly proven throughout history. Therefore, we cannot remain indifferent or detached from developments in this region, Erdogan concluded. The first jobs I ever had were babysitting and mowing lawns. I was 11 years old, which was barely old enough to cross busy Lake Street in Hamburg to spend what I made at Dairy Queen. Getting paid felt like discovering a glitch in the system. You mean, youre just going to hand me that money? It seemed almost too good to be true. My parents didnt discourage me from working. But they did warn me: Once you get a job, youll always need one. I didnt understand what they meant at the time. I do now. Ive been thinking about that thrilling feeling, and also my parents warning, while watching the latest generation of teenagers and young people enter the workforce this summer. Because for all the talk on social media, on cable news and at summer cookouts about kids these days not wanting to work, the picture on the ground is more complicated. Take Nicole Mercado, a manager at Ninos Pizza in Hamburg, where I worked as a teenager in the early 90s. Shes been there 20 years, and has seen plenty of teens come and go. I am seeing that kids want to work less, she said. Some will be OK with getting three hours a week, and then even trade that shift away. They want to hang out with their friends, play on their phones. Well hire seven kids, and two will work out. But Mercado isnt dismissing this generation. The ones who do stick with it, she said, tend to be hungry, not just for the job, but for the kind of independence that money can buy. Some kids, she added, just dont seem to need money the same way others do. I caught up this week with a few young people in my orbit to ask how they think about work. Dan Higgins: On graduation weekend, what I would have told my seniors Dan Higgins handles some unfinished business from his former life as an assistant professor of journalism at Canisius University. Will Moore, 17, is my neighbor in Amherst and will soon start his senior year at St. Josephs Collegiate Institute. Hes spending the summer in Fort Erie, Ont., teaching sailing to 9- to 12-year-olds at a day camp. He is investigating colleges as he prepares for his senior year of high school, and wants to be a personal injury attorney like his dad. I think starting a job younger lets you get a feel for what its going to be like the rest of your life, Moore said. It also lets you see what jobs you like and which ones you dont. I always wanted a job, he continued. I was never forced to work, but I wanted some of my own money so I could feel a little more independent and prepare for college. Which reminded me: I once paid Will probably a pittance to help me move and stack a cord of firewood when he was 11 or 12. Even then, he was thoughtful, motivated, and hardworking. Chloe Cohen-Breen, 21, a journalism graduate and budding professional photographer, spent her college summers working all over the country. She has been a kayak tour guide in the Outer Banks, a zip line operator in California and now a bartender and front desk clerk in Cape May, N.J. Dan Higgins: Cut from steel, painted in signs, Allentown artists arrive As the clock ticked closer to 6 p.m. Friday, when police would begin closing the streets, the 68th annual Allentown Art Festival started to take its familiar shape, Higgins says. Artists tightened canopy lines and adjusted tables. Sculptures were wriggled out of vans. For her, work is an adventure. I like getting out of my comfort zone, said Cohen-Bren, who was my student for four years at Canisius University. I ask, Whats the worst that can happen? And my 16-year-old niece who doesnt enjoy attention, so I wont name her works the counter at a busy eatery this summer, making sandwiches through the lunch rush, cleaning and dealing with customers. She wanted the job. She got one. No fanfare. Just work. So, whos right? Are kids lazy? Or is something else going on? Dan Higgins: Volunteers answer the call to help injured wildlife Nature always reminds us that, despite the concrete and the vinyl siding, we are part of a living, breathing and occasionally brutal world. The wild doesnt knock. It shows up bloody and bewildered, right at our feet. Teen unemployment was 13.4% in May, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is higher than it has been in a while. And while it is tempting to chalk that up to attitude, the bigger truth is macroeconomic. Many entry-level jobs have been automated. Other jobs go to adults who now rely on that income to cover rising rent, groceries or child care. And risk-averse employers are less likely to take a chance on someone with no experience. Into this environment, we load the teens who do manage to get jobs with expectations that arent always realistic. We keep acting like a teenager should show up to their first job already possessing the elusive work ethic. We forget that work ethic is something you learn from bosses, from co-workers, from making mistakes, from the example of your parents and relatives. From surviving a shift you didnt think you could get through. Are we demanding that young people arrive in the workplace as fully formed worker bees? Are we expecting them to be as driven, grateful and mature as we imagine we were at their age? I have news for you: You werent as good and virtuous a worker as you remember. Especially when you first started out. Count on it. Ive worked every summer since that first babysitting gig. Ive made pizzas. Washed dishes. I slung snow cones at the Erie County Fair. I got fired from a waitstaff job for incompetence or insubordination, depending on who you ask. But I remember walking home after a shift sweaty, greasy, sore and proud. I liked what it meant, even when I didnt like the job. Dan Higgins: In the canyon of the Kensington, echoes of what was lost Will they complete the study and get on with it? Will they revise the plan into something smaller? Will they start from scratch, and spend another God-knows-how-many-years dreaming up something else that may never fulfill its early promise? Will they abandon it altogether? The truth is, weve made it harder for kids to work, and then we blame them for not working. Retailers and restaurants slash hours or offer unpredictable schedules that make part-time jobs difficult to manage. And weve turned $15-an-hour roles into essential lifelines for adults just trying to get by. Then we turn around and ask: Whats wrong with the teenagers? Some of them are trying. Ive talked to them. Theyre applying, showing up, clocking in. Getting their hands dirty. The question isnt whether teenagers want to work. The question is: What kind of world have we built around work? 5 July 2025 08:00 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Chery, the largest Chinese car exporter, has officially entered the markets of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland through a strategic partnership with the regional office of Astana Motors, Azernews reports. Sales in these countries are set to begin in the fall, with a focus on plug-in hybrid models and SUVs, such as the Chery Tiggo 7 and Chery Tiggo 8, which will be available with both hybrid and traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) options. "We are seeing a growing demand for environmentally friendly, affordable vehicles," said Alex Zhang, director of Chery in Prague. "We aim to provide Czech customers with cutting-edge technologies and comfortable crossovers that meet modern mobility needs." Chery operates in over 110 countries and regions and has built a solid customer base with more than 15 million users worldwide. The companys entry into the Central European market aligns with global trends toward sustainability and electric mobility. The Tiggo series, with its blend of advanced technology, comfort, and stylish design, is expected to appeal to eco-conscious and cost-conscious drivers alike. Cherys strategic focus on electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid options aligns with the growing shift in the region towards greener transportation solutions. The companys growing presence in Europe highlights its commitment to offering innovative mobility solutions as global automakers increasingly prioritize sustainable and energy-efficient technologies. 5 July 2025 09:00 (UTC+04:00) Japan's ongoing heatwaves have significantly reduced this year's production of matcha green tea, leading to supply shortages and price hikes to historic highs, according to Japanese farmers and industry officials, Azernews reports. Kyoto Prefecture, responsible for about a quarter of Japans tencha productionthe dried tea leaves that are ground into matchawas hit especially hard. The extreme heat during Japans hottest year on record caused significant crop damage, resulting in poor harvests in April and May. Farmer Masahiro Yoshida, who typically produces around two tons of tencha annually, harvested only 1.5 tons this year. Last summer was so hot it scorched the bushes. We simply couldnt collect as many tea leaves, he said. The timing couldn't be worse. Global demand for matcha has surged in recent years, driven by Millennials and Gen Z consumers embracing health-conscious lifestyles. Trendy cafes worldwide now offer matcha-based lattes, smoothies, and desserts. On social media, matcha content frequently goes viralboosting its popularity as both a superfood and an aesthetic drink. Finely ground matcha is prized for its high antioxidant content and higher caffeine levels compared to traditional green tea. But the recent spike in demand has led some wholesalers to implement purchase restrictions to manage limited supply. According to Japans Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, green tea exports, including matcha, rose by 25% in value to reach 36.4 billion yen ($252 million) in 2024. Export volume also grew by 16%, largely due to the popularity of powdered teas like matcha. In response, Japanese tea producers are working to expand production. However, industry experts warn that matcha shortages are likely to persist, as it takes about five years for newly planted tea bushes to mature enough for harvesting. Meanwhile, matcha enthusiasts around the globe may need to brace for higher pricesor seek out alternative sources, such as Taiwan or China, where matcha-style green tea is also produced, though purists argue the flavor and quality are distinctively different from Japanese matcha. 5 July 2025 18:21 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan has officially launched the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code, a landmark initiative developed in cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Azernews reports that the program aims to expand access to finance for women-led businesses and unlock the countrys untapped economic potential. Speaking at the launch event, Chairperson of the National Bank, Melis Turgunbaev, stressed that empowering women entrepreneurs is not merely a social initiative but a cornerstone of Kyrgyzstans national economic strategy. Women play a vital role in our small and medium-sized enterprise sector, which contributes significantly to the countrys GDP, said Turgunbaev. The launch of this Code, along with the recent legal recognition of the concept of 'womens entrepreneurship,' lays a strong institutional foundation for directing financial sector resources toward this strategically important segment. The initiative introduces a series of financial reforms aimed at removing barriers for women in business. Among them are higher ceilings for unsecured loans, designed to improve credit access. Additionally, banks participating in women-focused lending programs will benefit from reduced reserve requirementsnow just 1%making such loans less risky and more appealing to lenders. Were not just encouraging actionwe are building real, functioning market mechanisms, Turgunbaev stated. Financing women entrepreneurs is not only the right thing to do but also makes solid business sense. To ensure long-term implementation and accountability, a National Coalition has been established under the Code. This coalition will coordinate stakeholders, monitor progress, and oversee the rollout of gender-disaggregated data collection across financial institutionsenabling more targeted, evidence-based policymaking in the future. The financial sector has responded enthusiastically: ten major institutions, including seven commercial banks, two microfinance organizations, and the state-backed Guarantee Fund, have already signed onto the initiative. The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code marks a significant step forward in Kyrgyzstans economic modernization, promoting both gender inclusion and sustainable financial development. 5 July 2025 19:22 (UTC+04:00) A fire erupted on a Ryanair passenger plane at Palma de Mallorca Airport on Spains Mallorca Island, causing panic among passengers onboard. Azernews reports, according to the German newspaper Bild, the blaze started inside the aircraft while it was on the airport premises, prompting passengers to evacuate urgently through the emergency exits. Firefighters and police teams were quickly deployed to the scene to manage the situation. Reports indicate that 18 people sustained injuries during the incident, with six requiring hospitalization. Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the fire. Emergency services continue to investigate. 5 July 2025 18:50 (UTC+04:00) U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that Iran has not agreed to international inspections of its nuclear program and has refused to halt uranium enrichment, Azernews reports, citing Reuters. Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One en route to New Jersey, Trump emphasized that any attempt by Iran to resume its nuclear activities would be a serious issue. Id say their program has been permanently shut down. If they try to restart it, it will likely be at a different facility. If they do, its going to be a problem, he warned. The U.S. President made it clear that Washington would not allow Iran to reactivate its nuclear ambitions. This comes after Irans parliament passed a law suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) until the safety and inviolability of the countrys nuclear infrastructure are guaranteed. 5 July 2025 19:55 (UTC+04:00) Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili has issued a statement proposing amnesty for imprisoned opposition leaders, Azernews reports. According to the president, if the detained political figures declare their willingness to be pardoned and participate in the upcoming local elections on October 4, he is prepared to sign an amnesty decree in their favor. In four months, on October 4, Georgia will hold municipal elections for mayors and local councils across 64 municipalities. It is essential that all political parties registered under Georgian law are allowed to take part, Kavelashvili said. Every party must have the opportunity to campaign freely. Currently, leaders of several key opposition parties in Georgia have been serving prison terms ranging from seven to eight months since June 23. E-Bikes Now Allowed on Oregon Coast Beaches, State Parks Published 07/02/25 at 6:25 p.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff (Reedsport, Oregon) Oregon's state parks now allow e-bikes (electric-assist bikes) on trails as well as on sandy beaches of the coastline. Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) made the announcement this week. Under previous rules, e-bikes were limited to trails at least eight feet wide. The updated policy broadens access while reinforcing safety and environmental protections. Trails and regions where e-bikes remain prohibited will be marked with signage and listed on the Oregon State Parks website. The big takeaway for beachgoers is that Oregon coast beaches are now open to the easy-to-use e-bikes, usable on the wet sand areas or other parts of the shoreline providing they actually work on those surfaces. Some north Oregon coast towns have shops where you can rent e-bikes, such as Seaside, Pacific City, Newport and Lincoln City. E-bikes are not allowed on dry sand, dunes, or terrain above the high-tide line. They are also restricted from wet sand in snowy plover nesting habitat between March 15 and Sept. 15. Additional park-specific bans apply to all trails at Elijah Bristow State Park, equestrian and Vision trails at Willamette Mission, the Riverside Trail at Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site, and the Lewis and Clark Trail at Emigrant Springs State Natural Area. Coos Bay - Oregon's Adventure Coast photo The revised rules clarify safety expectations for riders, particularly near pedestrians, children, pets, and horseback riders. We ask that all riders ride responsibly, stay on designated trails and yield to others at Oregon State Parks and the ocean shore, said Aaron Raines, park manager at Stub Stewart State Park. Please keep operating speeds low as people might not be aware that riders are approaching. The guidelines apply to Class 1, 2, and 3 e-bikes as defined by state law: - Class 1: pedal-assist only, up to 20 mph. - Class 2: motor-propelled without pedaling, up to 20 mph. - Class 3: pedal-assist only, up to 28 mph, with speedometer required. E-bikes falling outside these classifications are considered motor vehicles and are not permitted on trails. While education remains the primary approach to rule enforcement, park rangers may issue citations for significant or repeated violations, with fines beginning at $100. Visitors are urged to share the path responsibly by yielding to slower users and pedestrians, announcing when passing, maintaining safe speeds - particularly on curves or crowded routes - and increasing following distance due to the higher speed and weight of e-bikes. For more information and a list of trails where e-bikes are prohibited, visit Oregon State Parks website at https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=v.page&id=131 Oregon Coast Hotels for this event - South Coast Hotels - Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW OREGON COAST HOTEL REVIEWS (hit refresh to see different reviews) Thanksgiving Vacation Homes on Oregon Coast: Downright Dazzlers in Cannon Beach Availability in Cannon Beach for a large gathering: these are mammoth, stunning. Cannon Beach vacation rentals, Cannon Beach lodging, Seaside hotel reviews, Manzanita hotel reviews Oregon Coast Spots With Wicked Cool Sights - and Rooms to View Them Incredible views with serious pampering at Yachats, Lincoln City, Seaside. Hotel reviews, lodging Lincoln City's Looking Glass Inn Has One Serious View to Oregon Coast Wilds a... Overlooking Siletz Bay, views to some crazy storm action and harbor seals. Lincoln City lodging, hotel reviews Warm Sunsets to Raucous Oregon Coast Storms: Upclose at Cannon Beach's Schoon... One of the major highlights is that beachfront lawn. hotels, lodging reviews More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Washington Coast / Oregon Coast Articles (stories are random: hit reload to see different articles) Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Tom Campbell Now that President Trump is picking his cabinet and immediate staff to insulate him from the poor judgement of the Bureaucratic Class, while moving quickly to transition this Constitutional Republic unto a wise and sustainable direction: What is your immediate impression as to how our nation will prosper? We are headed toward a Golden Age in America's self-governed society. This will all wind up in a clustered mess since Trump is a Fascist, and thought to be the second coming of Adolf Hitler by our best journalists. This is a time where critical days lay ahead, where only wise and responsible decisions must be made to sustain US. I generally do not pay attention, but expect only the best to occur ... and that is what I always expect. 72 total vote(s) What's your Opinion? Donald Trump's customary bluster, intimidation and threats backfired on him this time. It might well result in a Democrat winning the 2026 U.S. Senate election in our state.Senator Thom Tillis voted against a procedural motion to bring Trump's so-calledto the Senate floor. Immediately, Trump chastised Tillis and promised tofinding a candidate to run against him next year. The shot was aimed at Tillis, but the rest of the gutless Republican Senators also got the message. Cross King Trump at your own peril.Tillis obviously had a belly full of Fearless Leader and trumped Trump by immediately announcing he would not run for re-election in 2026. Shock waves instantly reverberated across the nation.This contest had already been speculated to be hard-fought, perhaps the costliest and most bitter since the 1984 Hunt-Helms campaign. MAGA sycophants just assumed he would just fall in line and vote for the ill-named bill. They don't know Thom Tillis well!Tillis has always been a conservative Republican. When he was House Speaker, Thom was a master vote counter; a bill wouldn't reach the House floor if he didn't know it would win. He deftly kept both the hard right-wing and more moderate caucus factions united. Tillis was one of our more effective Speakers.Thom's Senate voting record was much more to the right, but there were moments he was willing to go against his caucus, like on same-sex marriage and health care. I think it fair to conclude our Senator didn't make either the far right or the moderate wings of the party totally happy, but despite appearances sometimes to the contrary, especially when he caved and voted for some of Trump's obviously unqualified cabinet picks Tillis had the best chance to retain the seat. That's now out the window, although there's this little voice telling me not to count him out just yet.Trump will have to pick a candidate to endorse. Lara Trump, who lives in Florida with her husband and Trump's son, Eric has the best shot if she's willing to run. Lara's a Wilmington native and looked at entering two other Senate races but decided not to run. She's savvy, got campaign and fund-raising chops and is an articulate speaker.We will know her intentions soon. North Carolina requires candidates to be members of a state political party for at least 90 days before filing to run. Since this also requires she be a resident of our state she would need to move back to North Carolina by September to meet the requirements before filing begins in December.If Lara decides not to make the race, the next best shot might be Michael Whatley, former chair of the NC GOP and now co-chair of the national Republican Party. He's close to Trump and knows the state. Other names also mentioned are former Congressman Dan Bishop and current congressmen Brad Knott and Richard Hudson.Democrats believe '26 might be the best chance they've had at capturing a US Senate seat since Kay Hagan won in 2008. Former congressman Wiley Nickel has declared his candidacy, but this nomination is Roy Cooper's for the taking. As someone who has followed Roy Cooper since he first came to the legislature, I can say he is solid, measured, and thinks before he speaks.Cooper, the former two-term state Attorney General and two-term Governor, has proven himself able to win elections. He left office still popular. Roy is not a big risk taker and if he declares it will be because he and his advisors believe his chances to win are pretty good.Roy knows the issues. One is that Trump and the congress are doing great damage to Medicaid, the project Roy supported for years until he finally got the legislature to pass expansion. As many as 600,000 North Carolinians are at risk of losing their insurance. Other issues include higher prices, more government debt, rampant racism, and illegal violations against immigrants. Trump's bill should be renamed the Big Bad Bogus Bankrupting Burdensome Bundle.The cherry on top of the election cake is Trump himself. By November 2026 his popularity will be even lower than now. Besides, it is customary for the party not in the White House to make gains in mid-term elections. Besides, unaffiliated voters will determine the outcome of this election and polls show they currently aren't happy with Trump.Democrats have a good chance to win the US Senate seat. Kids at 30: the most controversial movie of the Nineties still has the power to disgust Audiences, critics and politicians the world over were horrified by Larry Clark and Harmony Korines dramatisation of wayward Manhattan youth. Three decades on, writes Adam White, its provocations remain jolting and desperate Larry Clarks Kids painted a grim picture of teenage life in the 1990s Adam White UK Independent Sat 5 Jul 2025 at 09:00 This is disgusting material that panders to paedophile fantasies, went one prominent Liberal Democrat MP in 1996, amid the UK release of Kids, an artful bit of pubescent scuzz that had already horrified its fans and its detractors on the other side of the Atlantic one year earlier. Britain loves an opportunity for performative outrage even more so back then. This was the same year, its worth noting, that the Daily Mail reacted to the release of David Cronenbergs kinky thriller Crash with trademark composure: Ban This Car Crash Sex Film, its front page blared. Kids need to understand how hard it is to earn: Experts on how much pocket money we should give to children The scene of the house fire in Erinvale Avenue, south Belfast. Photo: Kevin Scott A car was driven into the side of a house before being set alight in south Belfast. The front of the property suffered major damage in the incident at Erinvale Avenue shortly before midnight. No-one was inside at the time. Police have appealed for information and said they are treating the incident as arson. The scene of the house fire in Erinvale Avenue, south Belfast. Photo: Kevin Scott Pro Palestine Action support protest outside High Court Detective Sergeant McVeagh, said: At around 11.55pm on Friday July 4, it was reported that a car was on fire in a driveway of a property in the Erinvale Avenue area of south Belfast. Officers attended, alongside colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, who extinguished the blaze. Our investigation is underway and it is believed that the car had been driven into the front of the house, before it had been set alight. The front of the house had significant damage following this and the car was completely burnt out. We are treating this report as arson. No one was in the property at the time. I appeal to anyone who may be able to assist with their investigation or has CCTV, dash-cam or mobile phone footage, to contact us on 101, quoting reference 1732 04/07/25. We are especially keen to hear from anyone who had noticed any suspicious activity or anything out of the ordinary in the Erinvale Avenue area. The NI Fire and Rescue Service said three fire appliances - two from Cagodan and one from Springfield - attended the scene and extinguished the blaze. The funeral of Sarah Montgomery will take place on Thursday, it has been announced. The 27-year-old, who was killed last weekend, will be laid to rest after a service in Donaghadee, Co Down. Ms Montgomery was heavily pregnant with a son who she had named Liam Arthur. A man appeared in court this week charged with her murder. Zak Hughes (28), of Ardglen Place, north Belfast, was remanded in custody. Sarah Montgomery Vigil takes place in Donaghadee for Sarah Montgomery The service of thanksgiving will be held at Donaghadee Parish Church on Thursday at 3pm, following an earlier private family service of committal. Ms Montgomerys death has prompted an outpouring of grief. On Wednesday evening, hundreds of people attended a vigil in her memory in Donaghadee. Large crowds, some carrying flowers or candles, gathered at the town's resource centre before walking the short distance to the Elmfield Walk home where her body was found last Saturday afternoon. Addressing the crowd, Ainsley White described Ms Montgomery as a "mother, a sister, a granddaughter, a friend". She added: "To Sarah, family meant everything. Her two little girls meant absolutely everything to her. "Sarah was the best mummy and she couldn't wait to make her family complete with her little boy." She said: "I hope Sarah knew how much she was loved. "I don't have the words to describe Sarah as a friend, I was honoured to call her my best friend and my sister at the same time. "She never failed to put a smile on your face. She was a girl's girl, she had your back." The crowd then observed a minute's silence before breaking into applause. Dozens of people then queued to leave flowers at Ms Montgomery's home. The death of Ms Montgomery has led to renewed focus on the rate of violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland. She was the 27th adult woman to be killed in Northern Ireland since 2020. More to follow NI economy tipped to expand by 1% this year and next as Danske Bank revises down its forecast TUV leader Jim Allister has told those gathered for Glasgow Twelfth celebrations that post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland are a democratic outrage and have amounted to a deliberate building block for Irish unity He said the very substance and existence of the United Kingdom was at risk because of the NI Protocol and Windsor Framework as NI now shares identical foreign laws with the Republic of Ireland. The Windsor Framework was agreed between the government and EU in 2023 following unionist concerns over trade barriers under their original post-Brexit deal, the Northern Ireland Protocol. Allister has previously said the framework was "the original protocol by another name". Jim Allister speaking in Glasgow Speaking in Glasgow he said the constitutional basis of Scotlands membership of the UK, the Act of Union 1707, and Northern Irelands, the Act of Union 1800, are identical in form and substance. Each is built on the twin pillars of a political union and an economic union, he told those in attendance. Article 3 of each of our Acts of Union affirm a political union through a single sovereign parliament for the whole nation; and each of our Articles 6 guarantee unfettered trade between and within all parts of the Kingdom. It is the latter, of course, that has been trashed by the union-dismantling Windsor Framework, because it fetters trade with NI by establishing an EU border to entrap NI within its territory and control. Whereas England, Scotland and Wales left the EU, Northern Ireland was left behind under its Customs Code and in its single market for goods, meaning in 300 areas of law we are governed by foreign laws we dont make and cant change. He described it as a democratic outrage and a deliberate building block for Irish unity as NI is now governed in those 300 areas by the identical laws as the Republic of Ireland. TUV leader Jim Allister in Glasgow Mr Allister added: And as these are the laws that shape our trade and economy they are inexorably building the stepping stone of an all-Ireland economy, which always was the intended design of the Windsor Framework. Hence, why anyone worthy of the name unionist rejects the Windsor Framework in all its parts. Young nurse lost battle for life day after six-year-old died in accident The funeral for a mother and daughter who died in an awful road tragedy will be held in Co Donegal on Monday. They have been named as Natalie McLaughlin, who was in her 20s, and her six-year-old daughter Ella. Ella died at the scene of the crash, which involved a car and a van, on the R240 at Glentogher, Carndonagh, on Wednesday. Natalie was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry and later transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast where she died on Thursday evening. Her partner, Tyrone Irwin, and their two-year-old daughter remain in hospital having suffered serious but non life-threatening injuries. Ella and Natalie's remains will repose at the home of Natalie's parents Joanne and Danny McLaughlin in Carndonagh. The funeral Mass will take place in Sacred Heart Church, Carndonagh followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery. Mr Irwins local community is praying for his and his daughters full recovery as they come to terms with the terrible tragedy. Ellas school in Co Donegal has been among those to lead tributes to a beautiful and much-loved mother and daughter who died in the road collision. It described her as a joyful young girl with a wonderful sense of humour, adding that her mother was also a cherished past pupil. Sinn Fein councillor in Dungiven, Sean McGlinchey, said Mr Irwins family is from the area and would be very well-known. He said Mr Irwin is understood to have suffered severe injuries and, although it is the very early stages, his family are hoping he and his daughter are able to make a full recovery. They are in the thoughts of everybody in the local community, said Mr McGlinchey. We will support Tyrone and his young daughter as they come to terms with this awful tragedy and attempt to rebuild their lives. Like all communities we will come together at a difficult time like this and try to help them through. Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan said Natalie worked as a nurse at a GP surgery in Carndonagh where she was well known and respected. Its understood she qualified with a Bachelor of Science in Adult Nursing from Ulster University and began working as a registered nurse in 2022. Sharing an image of the beautiful young mum and daughter, he said, our thoughts and prayers are with all affected by this terrible tragedy. St Patricks Girls National School, Carndonagh said: We are devastated by the news of the passing of our beautiful, vibrant Senior Infant pupil, Ella McLaughlin, and her beloved mother, Natalie McLaughlin, a cherished past pupil of our school. This is an unimaginable tragedy for their family, for our school, and for the entire community. We are heartbroken, and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Ella and Natalies family including Ellas baby sister, Natalies partner, parents and siblings and their many friends. Ella was a joyful and much-loved pupil in our school. Ella will be remembered not only for her kindness, energy, and the happiness she brought to her classmates and teachers, but also for being a real mischievous character who full of life and fun. Ella had a wonderful sense of humour and a sparkle that lifted every room she walked into. Bringing great joy to those around her, Ella made a lasting impression on all of us. Ella will be deeply missed. The statement added: Since learning of the tragedy, we have activated our schools Critical Incident Management Plan. Psychologists from the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) have been with us, supporting and advising our staff. We have been working with parents and children to help them begin to understand and process this heart-breaking loss and will continue to do so over the coming days and weeks ahead. We are very grateful for the many messages and offers of support we are receiving from the wider community. They are a great comfort to all of us. Go raibh suaimhneas siorai ar a n-anamacha. Ar dheis De go raibh a n-anamacha, the statement read. Eamonn McLauglin Funeral Directors said Natalie was the much loved mother and sister of Rhea-Rose and cherished daughter and granddaughter of Joanne and Danny and adored sister and niece of Lara, Tiarnan and Ryan. Deeply regretted and sadly missed by their grandparents and great grandparents, Lynn and Anthony Noone and Margaret and Hugh McLaughlin, Natalies partner Tyrone, nieces and nephews, wider family circle, friends and neighbours. May Ella and Natalie Rest In Eternal Peace. The incidents took place in Belfast in the early hours of Saturday morning. Stock photo. A woman was threatened by a man claiming he had a knife during a spate of street robberies in Belfast. Detectives are appealing for information after the incidents in the city centre in the early hours of Saturday. Two men were also victims, and police believe the crimes could be linked. A senior PSNI officer said it was a terrifying experience for those involved. In the first incident, at around 4.55am, a man aged in his 20s reported that he had been in the Great Victoria Street area when he was approached by three men who came from Stroud Street. Two of the men assaulted him, while the third acted as a lookout. They demanded money and claimed to have a knife while making violent threats. The man was punched, causing him to fall over, before the three took his wallet and made off in the direction of the city centre. Also in the Stroud Street area, just before 5am, a man aged in his 30s reported that he had been assaulted by two men, one of whom claimed to have a knife. The assaulted man sustained a head injury and attended hospital for treatment. At around 5.50am, a woman aged in her 20s reported that she was walking in the Ormeau Avenue area when she was approached by two men, one of whom demanded her handbag, and claimed that he had a knife. After he made threats towards the woman, she handed the bag over to ensure her safety. Detective Sergeant Leeman said: "The suspects are described as being aged approximately in their 20s with Belfast accents. They were wearing dark clothing and trainers. It is absolutely unacceptable that people going about their business should be robbed and assaulted. This was a terrifying experience for the victims and we're really thankful that, at this time, none of the injuries sustained are believed to be serious. Our enquiries are ongoing and we are actively exploring a possible link between these three reports. We would encourage anyone who may have witnessed suspicious behaviour in and around these times to contact us. The city would have been quiet so early in the morning, and unusual activity may have stood out. "We'd be particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have relevant CCTV, dashcam or other footage. In cities across New York State last week, Democrats solidified their hold on the mayors office. But one other party was just as thrilled with the results. Those dually endorsed by the Working Families Party clinched wins in Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany and New York City on June 24. And similarities abound among the campaigns. Democratic candidates are often cross-endorsed by the Working Families Party because of their shared values, although Working Families tends to be more progressive and left-leaning. But one major shared value is unionization. This campaign would not be where it is right now without one big group, and that group is organized labor, State Sen. Sean Ryan said during his victory speech in the Democratic Buffalo mayoral primary June 24 as he joined progressive Democrats across New York in their wins. Ryan campaigned heavily with the support of labor unions. He received endorsements from 22 labor unions in the area, with the WNY Area Labor Federation and Communications Workers of America union (CWA District 1) as major players. It was a huge part of our campaign of reaching every union member in different parts of the city, said Nick Beiling, Ryans campaign manager. With Ryan the primary winner, general election takes shape With state Sen. Ryan's victory in the Buffalo mayoral primary, at least four candidates will be competing in the general election: Ryan on the Democratic line; Mayor Christopher Scanlon on the Good Neighbors independent line; Michael Gainer, who has qualified for the Restore Buffalo party independent line; and Republican candidate James Gardner, who also has the Conservative line. Ryan bested Mayor Chris Scanlon and three other challengers in the hotly contested Democratic primary to give himself the inside track to win a four-year term as mayor in November. Syracuse and Albany will also most likely see their first Black mayors, both women, following their wins backed by Working Families. Syracuses Sharon Owens beat out two Common Council members with 62% of the total vote in her first run for office. Her campaign included calls for reducing rising housing costs in the city. Owens also prioritized addressing the citys budget deficit, which was a major issue in the Buffalo primary. Ryan announced his four-year plan, centered on bond-selling, to address the citys more than $70 million budget deficit back in April. In Albany, Chief City Auditor Dorcey Applyrs seized a win. Applyrs campaigned on rejecting monied interests in favor of revitalizing local businesses. New York City Democrats chose a Democratic Socialist candidate. India Walton was watching Walton said part of the narrative around her campaign, and now Zohran Mamdanis, that she felt was missing was the idea that her candidacy came from nowhere. State Rep. Zohran Mamdanis upset in New York City came with endorsements from prominent progressives, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. But Mamdani, too, was endorsed by Working Families and championed similar issues, with the economy and cost of living as top priorities. While Mamdani focused on faster, no-cost buses in New York City, Ryans focus was on issues such as potholes. When Mamdani championed freezing the rising rent costs for New Yorkers, Ryan campaigned on his Senate plan to create affordable housing units in vacant apartments. With different needs for different cities, the two maintained similar platforms that emphasized community needs. Jasmine Gripper, co-director of the New York Working Families Party, called them common sense ideas for the average working class state resident. Addressing the jubilant crowd in Babevilles Asbury Hall before Ryan declared victory, State Sen. April Baskin said Ryan not only listened to, but heard and connected to his East Side constituents. When Gripper and Western New York Working Families Party Chair Tom Roulley went door to door with Ryan, they said they saw this, too. Its getting into peoples everyday issues, Roulley said. Like I say, I hate to bring up potholes all the time, but like Sean says, he goes, Every door I knocked on, thats all they want to talk about, was potholes. Working Families leaders said they specifically pushed Ryans campaign forward through roundtables with community groups, which Roulley said centered on the voices of people of color throughout the city. The party pulled in other advocacy groups and ramped up efforts with paid canvassers near the end of the primary election campaign. Ryan now faces community activist and businessman Michael Gainer on the independent Restore Buffalo line, and former Assistant District Attorney James Gardner, who is running on the Republican and Conservative lines. Michael Kracker, the Erie County Republican chairman and a Gardner supporter, released a statement after Ryans win, criticizing the Democrat as extreme and mentioning his ties to the 2021 India Walton campaign, in which she ran as a Democratic Socialist. The Erie County Democrats have fully embraced the India WaltonSean Ryan agenda, that puts criminals before victims, taxes before jobs, and ideology before common sense, Kracker said. Beiling disputed these claims, asserting that Ryans campaign is really all about the bread and butter issues. Its building into housing and vacant lots. Its fixing the roads, Beiling said. So much about Buffalo is just lacking in fixing the essentials and the basics. Thats what our campaign is about, and I dont think theres anything extreme about that. Beiling also said that Walton has had no role in Ryans platform, and his campaign contrasts Waltons of four years ago in other ways. Progressive doesnt look any one way, Gripper said when asked about Waltons position as a Democratic Socialist and Ryans stance as a staunch Democrat. Both Gripper and Roulley said that although Ryans primary win is being portrayed as a guarantee that he will prevail in November, the campaign will continue working to mobilize voters and focus them on issues that matter to Democrats and Working Families Party members. In Buffalo, that means voters will hear a lot more about potholes over the next four months. A previous version of this article misidentified Nick Beiling's title. He is Sean Ryan's campaign manager. The funeral for Brother Kevin Crowley was held at St Mary of the Angels in Dublin (Conor O Mearain/PA) Brother Kevin Crowley had a simple mission to feed and house the poor, his funeral has been told. Brother Kevin, who died on Wednesday at the age of 90, founded the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin in 1969 in response to seeing homeless men eating from rubbish bins. Throughout a 55-year history, he oversaw much of its development in response to the needs of homeless people. Brother Kevin Crowley founded the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin in 1969 (PA) The centre offers two hot meals per day Monday to Saturday, as well as food parcels and a range of services including clothing, showering facilities, and medical interventions. It provides more than 1,000 hot breakfasts and dinners each day. Brother Kevin was said to be grateful to be awarded the Freedom of the City of Dublin in 2015 and for the visit of Pope Francis to the centre in August 2018. He retired in 2022 to Cork, where he was born and died earlier this week. President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina arrive at the funeral mass (Conor O Mearain/PA) His funeral took place at St Mary of the Angels on Church Street in Dublin on Saturday. President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina Higgins were among guests in an overflowing church, which the service heard was receiving guests from all over the island of Ireland. Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell and former primate of Ireland Diarmuid Martin attended the mass alongside Capuchin Franciscans and staff at the day centre. Also present were Commandant Joe Glennon representing Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who is concluding a trade mission in Japan, Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam, and other public representatives from the city council and Oireachtas. Leading the service as provincial minister, Brother Richard Hendrick welcomed Brother Kevins two families his natural family as well as the staff, volunteers and guests of the Day Centre. You are all welcome here today. While Brother Kevin was the inspiration and face as it were of the work of the centre, without all of you there would be much less reason for our gathering. We thank you for all you were to Brother Kevin, for all you are to us Capuchin Friars and for all you do to keep that vision alive of a place of refuge and Franciscan welcome in the heart of the city open to all. Brother Richard said they had been inundated with stories of the care and love Brother Kevin shared to others, as well as the love shared to him. Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald attended (Conor O Mearain/PA) He said Brother Kevin vision was that no one would go hungry and that all would fall a place of inclusive welcome and peace. Brother Richard said the day centre will continue and grow as long as there are guests who need its services. Recalling recent queries from visitors if the centre would stop operating, he added: I think Kevin would haunt us all if there was even a thought of that. Brother Richard thanked all those who had gathered, as well as all those worked at the day centre. Yesterday, we heard that there would be two minutes of silence one in Dublin and one in Cork before the GAA matches take place. It is probably Kevins greatest achievement that as a Cork man he has finally silenced Dublin. In a homily, Brother Patrick Flynn said Brother Kevin gave a lifes service to the poor. He said the proud west Cork man was a very, very good Capuchin friar, a man of God, a disciple of Jesus Christ, and a humble, devout son of St Francis of Assisi. He was a Capuchin to his fingerprints. Most people didnt know his family name of Crowley, but they knew of Brother Kevin. Brother Patrick said Brother Kevin was known the length and breadth of the country as a tireless advocate for those with no voice, acting as the nations conscience to remind the public of their obligation to help others out of the trap of poverty. He was fearless, relentless in his pursuit of justice for the poor. Ive no doubt that his great spiritual father St Francis is embracing him today for the love and compassion he extended throughout his religious life for Gods poor. He added: Kevin had a mission in life, it was very simple: Feed and house the poor. He couldnt understand why in our country we couldnt solve this problem. The order of service (Conor O Mearain/PA) Brother Patrick said Brother Kevin was a man who enjoyed the company of friars and friends, had a love of the GAA marked by a hurley placed beside his coffin during the service, and who had a great sense of humour demonstrated by his ability to laugh at himself. Remembering his friend for over 60 years, he concluded: He wasnt perfect, he could be feisty and challenging when he disagreed with you. But what he did have in abundance was a generous, compassionate heart and that is what made the man. Kevin, thank you for your good example. The service was also read letters containing tributes from the Apostolic Nuncio of Ireland Luis Mariano Montemayor and General Councillor Brother Marek Miszczynski. Brother Kevins burial site is at Dardistown Cemetery. Bennington, VT (05201) Today Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 80F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. If you've received a call claiming to be from the Berkshire County Sheriff's Office demanding payment, be sure to check the number. It might be one of two recent scams in which callers claim to be department employees. In the most recent one, which the Sheriff's Office warned the public of on Tuesday, a caller alerts residents that they have missed jury duty or have a warrant for their arrest. The caller identifies themselves as Officer or Sgt. Rhinheart and calls from 413-588-9663, demanding $9,000 to clear the warrant through "various online services." But the warrant and Rhinheart are both bogus; the Sheriff's Office confirmed that no one by that name works for the department. In June, the office reported a similar scam, in which an individual calling from 413-500-5577 claiming to be a department employee named Lt. Michael Thomas demanded cash from residents to clear similar bogus warrants. In that scam, the caller told residents that they missed a scheduled court date. Like Rhinheart, Thomas is a work of fiction; no one by that name works for the office. The Federal Bureau of Investigation recognizes the techniques used in these scams as vishing, which is a form of phishing that can happen over phone calls. The goal of these scams is to gain access to sensitive information such as credit card numbers. Increasingly, scammers are utilizing generative artificial intelligence to enhance phishing scams, according to Experian. Earlier this year, state residents were met with myriad smishing (phishing that happens over text message) messages impersonating EZDriveMA, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authoritys electronic tolling program, often seeking a fee of $6.99. On Wednesday, Pittsfield Police warned residents of a recent smishing scam in which scammers try to trick residents to pay fake Registry of Motor Vehicles fees via a fake online payment portal. The best way to handle any form of a phishing scam is to not engage with it. Residents can also report any form of phishing to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. DALTON With Berkshire Concrete Corp. set to apply for its annual permit in the fall, Select Board member Tony Pagliarulo says the town is better prepared to set the terms and conditions to protect the neighborhoods in our community" now that it has established a Clean Air Ad Hoc Committee for oversight of the company's work at a local gravel pit and sand mine operation. We have the four legs of the table [with] the Conservation Commission, Planning Board, Board of Health and the Select Board, Pagliarulo said of the committee. We want all these boards and our town officers to convene, coordinate and set the conditions accordingly. The town is also prepared financially after voters agreed to allocate $59,000 to fund professional and technical work to ensure Berkshire Concrete Corp. complies with the conditions of its existing permit and mitigation plan. The funds can also be used to purchase air monitoring equipment and noise pollution monitoring near the worksite. We hope that we can settle this amicably, Pagliarulo said. In the event that it becomes contentious of any kind, we have money set aside. The Dalton Clean Air Coalition, a local neighborhood group, continues to press for stronger oversight of Petricca Industries Berkshire Concrete Corp., whose sand-mining operation off Florence and Prospect streets and Raymond Drive has drawn renewed health, safety and quality of life complaints from neighborhood residents. They have established yard signs around town with the phrases Stop the Dust and Stop the Permits. The Clean Air Ad Hoc Committee has eight members: Kim Witherell, Agnes Witkowski, Janko Tomasic, Nancy Hopper, Henry Rose, David Pugh, Richard Hall and Pagliarulo. The committees mission is to collect and coordinate information among the various town board representatives, town officials and third parties relating to the future permitting of Berkshire Concrete Corporation, in order to maintain/promote the safety and well-being of our residents and their families. Berkshire Environmental will be the committees consultant. At a Select Board meeting on May 27, Pagliarulo made a motion to create a Clean Air Ad Hoc Committee in a step to resolve the sand mine issues. Dalton residents have raised issues with the sand mine operation as far back as 1976. The heart of the dispute originates with the alleged dust blowing. For the past three years, Berkshire Concrete and its contractors have been removing trees that shielded the neighborhood from dust, then mined the cleared land for sand, according to neighbors. But the most recent flashpoint came this year, when the company cut down tree buffers and brought sand mining operations closer to homes. That mobilized the Dalton Clean Air Coalition, a group that now numbers 150 residents, led by David and Lisa Pugh. The group says the removal of vegetation worsened dust conditions in the neighborhood a concern amplified by the presence of crystalline silica. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, prolonged inhalation of silica dust can lead to lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issued a report in March finding airborne particles to be within acceptable limits. But neighbors dispute those findings, saying the DEP conducted its air-quality test during days of little wind. The dust remains a persistent, visible presence, neighbors say. Berkshire Concrete Corp. submitted a mitigation plan for Lot 105-16 on May 2 in response to dust complaints and the Dalton Board of Healths March 12 cease and desist order. That order halted mining and told the company to come up with an abatement and remediation plan for the lot, which they did not have a permit for. The plan outlined in a letter from company attorney Dennis Egan included tree planting, slope stabilization, dust-control berms and fencing, along with a commitment to reduce airborne dust and reclaim and restore unused or disturbed areas. On June 13, Egan sent a notice of completion email to Witkowski saying, As of June 12, 2025, all improvements shown on the plan attached to our May 2, 2025 letter have been completed. At a Select Board meeting on June 16, Brian Duval, the towns building commissioner and zoning enforcement officer, presented his site visit report from June 11, which outlined which parcels had active special permits and which parcels the company wanted to add to their plans. Duval said that he met with the representatives of Berkshire Concrete and their attorneys and found that they currently have special permits to mine on parcels 217-3 and 106-55.1 and that the company wishes to add parcels 105-12, 101-25 and 105-16. He also added that as of June 11, there is no active mining going on from any parcel. Earth materials are being screened and processed for delivery only. Pagliarulo says the most immediate action is the towns attorney drafting letters of intent, and he says Town Manager Henry H. Terry Williams is also drafting a letter in regards to what we [would] like our [zoning] enforcement officer to do regarding trucks leaving the area. We should have those up and running by our next meeting, Pagliarulo said. We should have a lot more information in terms of the Select Board approving letters and motions to deal with whats [shaping] up to be a very dry, windy summer. Stay up to date on Berkshires news with Berkshires in Brief, our free daily newsletter WILLIAMSTOWN Williams College and its president, Maud Mandel, have been beset by challenges from President Donald Trumps administration. The college is among institutions of higher education nationwide that could be impacted by a proposed endowment tax, the slowdown in student visas to international students, threats to research funding and a campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. In an interview last week in her office overlooking campus, Mandel depicted the new federal policies as something that happens under all presidential administrations, striking a business-as-usual tone rather than a defiant one. Still, she took up for the importance of having and protecting international students, for campus diversity, for collegiate autonomy and for professors whose grant money for research has, for the time being, been paused as the college seeks clarity on a federal ban of the promotion of DEI in accordance with anti-discrimination laws. Asked whether Williams would contest the policies, as Harvard University has done, acquiesce, as others have done, or land somewhere in the middle, Mandel said the college works to meet its mission of research and education "no matter what's going on in the world." "I wouldn't characterize it as 'in the middle,'" Mandel said. "Last year when I said I wasn't going to put out any more statements about things not related to higher education going on in the world, that's because I felt that was the principled decision that would allow me to guide the institution to continue its mission." "I'm not trying to be more like this institution or less like this institution, or adversarial, or cooperative," Mandel added, "but rather say, 'What is right for this school?'" ENDOWMENT TAX Williams College's endowment has hovered around $4 billion, depending on the performance of the stock market. It's a major part of how Williams pays for itself; the college relied on the endowment and alumni gifts to provide financial aid to 53 percent of students in 2024-25 for a total of $92 million in aid so far this year. At the moment, Williams pays a 1.4 percent tax on its endowment, which usually comes out to $2 million a year. Trump's original megabill proposal would have raised the endowment tax to 21 percent, about $49 million a year, or 15 percent of the college's budget. The tax bill passed by the Senate this week instead would tax institutions 1.4 percent, 4 percent or 8 percent, depending on how much an endowment is worth per student. Based on a rough estimate, Williams would fall in the 4 percent range, and narrowly avoid the 8 percent tax, which kicks in if an endowment is worth $2 million per student or more. About 60 percent of the school's operating budget is funded through the endowment. An amendment would exclude colleges with fewer than 3,000 tuition-paying students, which appears to spare Williams altogether. Trump signed the megabill, or the One Big Beautiful Bill, on Friday. The Republican megabill caused some consternation at Williams, and Mandel called on students, alumni, faculty and anyone connected to campus to join in the lobbying effort to limit this tax. If Williams were to have been taxed the highest amount, "it would have a real budgetary impact, Mandel said. Compared to research universities, which receive federal funds, a larger percentage of Williams' budget comes from its endowment. "I'm not saying they're pleased about this tax, but it really is a disproportional impact on the liberal arts college," Mandel said. "An 8 percent tax is different than 21 percent. There would still be lots of impact at Williams, but smaller." As the House and Senate negotiated versions of the bill, Williams was part of a lobbying effort with more than 50 liberal arts colleges from states of all political persuasions "trying to make the point that higher education isn't a partisan issue," Mandel said. If there is a silver lining, it's that the proposed tax will not be retroactive. Mandel said the college does not yet know the extent of the effects of raising the tax. RESEARCH FUNDING In late May, Williams elected to pause the acceptance of National Institutes of Health, or NIH, and National Science Foundation, or NSF, grants rather than affirm that the college doesnt promote diversity, equity and inclusion policies, a new federal requirement. While initial news media coverage painted this as a pointed stance against Trump, the colleges official statement is more temperate: It says the pause was for a thorough review amid the rapidly evolving federal enforcement environment. The grants are significant at Williams and other institutions as a means to purchase equipment, furnish laboratories and fund student studies. It is a financial linchpin of the scientific endeavor in the United States, Mandel said. She said the grants are good for scientists as they show their work is peer-reviewed and impactful, and allow for crucial collaboration internally and with other schools. "The slashing of the funds is devastating for our own faculty and also for the work of scientific research in this country," Mandel said. Trumps budget proposed drastic cuts to both the NIH (by 41 percent, or $18 billion) and the National Science Foundation (by 57 percent, or $5.2 billion). Professors are to continue to make grants and working with our grants office as we move toward what we hope will soon be certification again," Mandel said. Researchers such as biologists, chemists, statisticians and others on campus have the most at stake. "They rely on these funds, so the freezing and diminishment of those funds will have an impact on them," Mandel said. We're following the legal cases that are challenging this and trying to be helpful where we can be." AUTONOMY The Eagle asked Mandel whether she sees repeated threats from the Trump administration to withhold research monies based on a vague illegal DEI edict as threats to institutional autonomy and speech. The president demurred, saying this shouldnt be a partisan conversation, and that colleges should "teach people how to think, not what to think." But, Mandel said a tenet of higher learning is freedom of expression and thought. "Higher education in this country has been one of the key institutions of supporting a robust democratic society," she said. "I think that independence is key, and anything that seeks to undermine it is hugely problematic for the country." Mandel is in contact with other school presidents on this issue. Alumni have responded to what Williams is facing by asking, "How can we help?" she said. "The feedback I have gotten repeatedly is they want me to do whatever I can to protect and defend this institution for the future," Mandel said. Asked whether there were any red lines the federal government could cross, Mandel said she doesn't "pre-determine red lines," and that "you know them when you see them." "Williams believes in supporting all members of our community no matter where they come from, their background, what they believe, who they are," she said. "Within that framework, we adjust our policies and do what we can to achieve those aspirational goals." DIVERSITY POLICY As colleges deal with monetary threats to comply with the White House federal policy regarding "illegal DEI," Williams is one of many institutions seeking clarity on what exactly that means. Mandel framed the topic similarly to related matters, saying the college would comply with all laws while finding ways to maintain its values of scholarship, the pursuit of education and "how to support the breadth of people who come to this campus." "We talked about international [students], but people from all over this country, every socioeconomic background, ethnic, racial, national, gender identification, intellectual formation, ideological commitments, a range of different types," Mandel said. "We strive to support those people as best we can in all of their diversity." No matter the presidential administration, Mandel said, they all impose opinions and rules on higher education. She referenced the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 decision to forbid the consideration of race in college applications, as well as changes former President Barack Obama's administration made to Title IX. "The fact that we make decisions or evolve policies is not new," she said. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS In her June 10 letter to campus following graduation, Mandel recognized how the federal government is making it harder to recruit students, faculty and staff internationally, whom she calls "a vital part of the college." The letter acknowledged that "Government agents have also detained and sought to deport people who were in the country on student visas or work visas." About 10 percent of Williams' student population is international. It has an entirely international graduate program, the Center for Developmental Economics, in which 30 students from the developing world annually come and earn a masters. The most recent obstacle had to do with issuing visas to incoming students. The slowdown concerned a planned social media review for those applying to come to school in the U.S. "We have students in need of visas for September, some of them already had appointments before this was announced. Those went forward, but other things are moving more slowly," Mandel said. "I think the jury's out longer-term whether that group is going to be able to get visas. We're ... cautiously optimistic everyone will be able to get here." International students from countries with travel bans face a particular struggle, Mandel said. Mandel pointed to problems posed to international students as another example of how a historically fruitful relationship between the federal government and higher education has become tense, saying, "That's one arm of the partnership under stress at the moment." Williams College President Maud Mandel is navigating the impacts of Trump-era federal policies that threaten the schools endowment, diversity programs, international student access and research funding. In a calm but firm response, Mandel says the college will adapt while remaining true to its educational mission and values of inclusion and autonomy. The attorneys for Stockbridge plan to file a motion at Berkshire Superior Court to dismiss a court filing by an attorney representing two neighbors of the development at the former DeSisto Estate because the town clerk was not notified ahead of the deadline required by state law. Dalton Delan can be reached at berkshireeaglereels@gmail.com and @UnspinRoom on X. His Eagle Reels conversations can be found on YouTube. Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. On the same day President Donald Trump signed a landmark domestic policy bill that will reshape state finances for years to come, Gov. Maura Healey approved a $60.9 billion annual budget and rolled out a companion proposal designed to empower her administration with greater cost-cutting power. Healey on Friday signed the fiscal year 2026 budget lawmakers sent her on June 30, in the process vetoing $130 million in planned spending amid crystallizing concerns that federal funding to Massachusetts will drop and the state may face new costs in a world where the so-called "big, beautiful bill" is the law of the land. Between her spending cuts and changes that legislative negotiators made to cushion against financial strain, the final budget that became law which is packed with big funding boosts for health care, education and transportation plus policy measures like a limit on renter-paid broker fees raises spending by more than 5 percent but is more than $1 billion smaller than the version Healey filed in January, before the federal bill emerged. The governor and her deputies will pursue other steps to further buttress against budgetary impacts from economic downturn or federal funding cuts, especially to the massive and costly Medicaid insurance program. Officials announced Friday that an executive branch hiring freeze implemented in May will remain in effect for the duration of fiscal year 2026, which runs through next June. The administration will also scrap a 2 percent raise for thousands of executive branch managers set to start in January, which officials said would save $17 million. While Healey did not veto any of the earmarks lawmakers wrote into the budget to support projects and programs in their districts, the administration will delay paying about $125 million of those until at least the fall. Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz said if the state is in a precarious fiscal position at that point, everything will be on the table, including cancellation of earmarks. Some of the governor's biggest new plans to control state spending will need buy-in from the Legislature. Healey on Friday filed a new $130 million supplemental budget bill that her office said would create a $100 million "flexible pool of resources" that the administration could tap later in the year to deal with "changing economic conditions and federal spending decisions." The other $30 million would go toward a housing preservation and stabilization fund, which Gorzkowicz said would provide resources to housing programs amid concerns about safety-net impacts from new federal policy. That bill would also grant the administration the ability to transfer some line-item spending between agencies and use capital dollars instead of operating dollars to pay for some Department of Transportation workers. The governor is also asking for new authority that might prove unpalatable to some lawmakers: a limited-time ability to cut spending unilaterally from the entire state budget. The existing state law limits a governor's power to trim spending midway through the year only to the executive branch, which according to Gorzkowicz makes up roughly 55 percent to 60 percent of the budget. Other areas like quasi-public agencies, local aid, retirement and other post-employment benefits, and debt service cannot be targeted by what are commonly known as "9C cuts." Gorzkowicz said the new supplemental budget would, only in fiscal year 2026, allow the administration to trim from anywhere if revenue collections fall at least $400 million below projected benchmarks or if federal policy changes cost the state budget $400 million or more. Officials are still sifting through the federal megabill, which the U.S. House approved Thursday and Trump signed on Friday, to determine its full impacts on state budgeting. Gorzkowicz said he hopes to have a better understanding in roughly a month. A preliminary estimate from health policy nonprofit KFF suggested the Medicaid changes could cost Massachusetts $15 billion to $25 billion over the next decade. Another outside section to Healey's new bill would grant the state Department of Public Health the ability to set the schedule for childhood vaccines instead of relying on recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices a panel that U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy completely reshaped last month. The timing of Healey's budget signature is unusual in two ways: she announced the action on a federal holiday that created a long weekend, and she acted more quickly on an annual budget than any Massachusetts governor in at least 25 years. For every other annual budget since fiscal 2001, at least seven days elapsed between the final Senate enactment vote and the governor's response, according to data tracked by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. Gorzkowicz said the administration wanted to move rapidly on the budget because lawmakers sent it to Healey before the July 1 start of the fiscal year for the first time since 2016. In another unusual move, Healey does not plan any press conference to discuss her budget actions. The only public event on her schedule Friday is attending the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on the Charles River Esplanade in the evening. "I'm proud to sign a budget that is fiscally responsible and protects what makes Massachusetts special," Healey said in a statement. "I'm grateful to the Legislature for their strong partnership and efficient work to develop and pass this budget for the people we serve. In Massachusetts, we are continuing to lead and do what we know works focusing on lowering costs, protecting essential care and services, and moving our economy forward by investing in housing, transportation and our schools." "We are also signing this budget in a moment of great dysfunction in Washington," she added. "The President is poised to sign a bill that's going to kick hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents off their health care, increase energy and groceries prices, and cost people their jobs." In a social media post the day before she announced her action on the budget, Healey touted her approach to state spending as a contrast with the incoming federal law. "We want you to have access to health care, to education, transportation," Healey said. "I want you to be able to afford groceries, housing, heat and electricity. That's what we're focused on delivering." The fiscal 2026 budget increases state spending just shy of 5.4 percent over the spending bill Healey signed last summer. Some of that increase is driven by the use of $2.4 billion in revenue from the voter-approved surtax on high earners, which will fund major investments in K-12 schools, early education and care grants, operating support for the MBTA and regional transit authorities. Healey vetoed a combined $130 million from 28 line items, less than the $248 million net spending she struck from last year's budget and the $205 million net spending she eliminated the year before. A $27.5 million reduction this time around pairs with a directive Healey issued to the Group Insurance Commission to eliminate coverage of GLP-1 weight loss drugs for state employees unless medically necessary. Officials said that change would more closely match private health insurance, where several plans have called out the increasingly popular drugs as major cost drivers. Healey also cut $10 million from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, according to Sen. Michael Barrett, the Senate's point person for energy and climate policy and the chairman whose committee is reviewing Healey's energy affordability legislation. The governor originally proposed a $30 million outlay for MassCEC. The conference committee budget settled on $20 million, and then Healey vetoed it down to $10 million. Barrett said the additional change hinders clean tech at a time when it is talked about as a cornerstone of the state's economy for decades to come and threatens the state's readiness for a post-Trump era. "I don't quite see how it all computes and I'm astounded. I feel that Massachusetts is sending a very weird signal out into the world," Barrett said. "We're not going to see any clean energy progress on the federal front and now we're doing something that would have the effect of doubling the federal assault." An official said Friday afternoon that the administration will use $10 million from an Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs trust fund to bring MassCEC funding to a combined $20 million after the veto. Lawmakers have the power to override any of the governor's vetoes with a two-thirds vote in each chamber. Healey also returned two outside sections of the budget with amendments, one seeking a technical change and the other proposed to study, not implement, a mandatory retirement savings program for employees who lack access to such programs through their workplaces. That Secure Choice Savings Program had drawn criticism from the National Federation of Independent Business both when the House quietly added it via amendment and when the provision survived conference committee negotiations. In a letter to lawmakers alongside her amendment, Healey said she believes "further consideration of the proposal is warranted." "Saving for retirement is an important goal, but there are many ways to encourage this behavior. This proposal has invited feedback from various groups who, while supportive of the goal of expanding access to retirement saving, suggest there are additional implementation questions that need to be resolved prior to enactment," Healey wrote. "These implementation questions should be answered before we establish a new statewide program and obligation on Massachusetts employers." Legislative negotiators built some flexibility into the final state budget bill they shipped Healey, aiming to strike a balance between Democrats' appetite for significant spending on state services and the prospect of federal funding cuts. They trimmed the bottom line hundreds of millions of dollars below the original House- and Senate-approved versions, incorporated nearly half a billion extra surtax dollars, and left about $800 million in anticipated revenues unappropriated as a cushion against future impacts. House budget chief Aaron Michlewitz called the legislative budget "not only [a bill] that will allow our economy to grow, but will also do this while maintaining the Legislature's commitment to fiscal stability [and] sustainability." "Some have said that this piece of legislation is actually the real 'big, beautiful bill' being taken up this week," Michlewitz said Monday while introducing the accord. "Unlike the one in Washington, this piece of legislation is one that will not hurt our residents, but will help improve the lives of all our constituents, not just the ones with the largest paychecks." Gorzkowicz said the administration has spoken with budget chiefs in the House and Senate about convening a hearing in the fall with economists to examine the state's financial footing and whether officials need to revise their tax collection estimates for fiscal 2026. The secretary by law must certify by Oct. 15 that the state has sufficient revenues to fulfill expenditures, and he said that deadline will be a key early milestone. Healey's office provided written quotes about the budget from House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka thanking the governor for her signature. "This FY26 budget makes key investments that better support Massachusetts students and families, that increase access to affordable health care, and that provide for a safer and more reliable public transportation system all without raising taxes," Mariano said. "In a moment of incredible uncertainty at the federal level, this budget is proof that government can be both fiscally responsible and an agent of good, the kind of government that our residents deserve." Added Spilka, "In Massachusetts, we know that the best investment we can make is in our people, and this budget reflects the Senate's continuing commitment to do so while maintaining our equal commitment to responsible money management. This statewide approach to investment delivers resources to every part of the state and protects our most vulnerable residents from the cruelest actions of the federal government, while our continued focus on education and mental health ensures that people have they keys to unlock the doors of opportunity." Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province and elsewhere in Saudi Arabia Dramatic footage of the daring operation which led to the seizure of Irelands largest drugs haul onboard a container ship has been released to the public. It follows the sentencing of eight men on Friday following the seizure of 2.2 tonnes of cocaine with a value of 157 million in September 2023. Advertisement The drugs were seized after the Irish Army Ranger Wing boarded the vessel from helicopters in an interception conducted while the crew attempted to steer the ship to high seas. Eight men admitted their roles in trying to smuggle cocaine as part of a massive drug trafficking operation. A range of material relating to the investigation has now been made public, including audio recordings between the captain of the container ship and the Irish Naval Service which was in hot pursuit of the criminals. That pursuit included the firing of warning shots by the Naval Service before the Army Ranger Wing boarded the vessel. Advertisement The aerial footage and audio recordings detail a dramatic operation carried out at sea in gale-force winds and involving Irelands joint task force on drugs interdiction, which includes the An Garda Siochana, Revenue, and the Defence Forces. The operation also involved the Coast Guard and international partners including Interpol and the Maritime Analysis And Operations Centre (Narcotics). The MV Matthew cargo vessel (Niall Carson/PA) The newly published material shows how the Panama-flagged MV Matthew entered Irish territorial waters on September 23rd, 2023, having set off from Curacao, an island off the coast of Venezuela. Unbeknownst to the crew, suspicions about its activities had been relayed to An Garda Siochana, and the drugs and organised crime bureau was monitoring the ship. Advertisement The materials also show how the FV Castlemore fishing trawler, which had been purchased by two men with funding from an organised crime group, was also tracked during the operation. The two men on the FV Castlemore were communicating with criminal cells in Dubai and beyond, who in turn were in touch with the MV Matthew mothership. The trawler engaged in a number of failed attempts to receive clandestine transfers of the cocaine from the MV Matthew. During what would be its final attempt, the Irish Coast Guard engaged with the trawler to warn it of dangerous conditions and inquire about its lack of movement. Advertisement The FV Castlemore later put out a distress call to the Coast Guard after running aground on a sandbank off the Wexford coast. The crew were rescued by Coast Guard helicopter to the naval vessel, the LE WB Yeats essentially having inadvertently handed themselves in for arrest. The LE William Butler Yeats (Niall Carson/PA) When the mothership became aware of the distress call, a change of plan was ordered. Voice messages from an individual in Dubai, identified as Captain Noah and who gardai believe remains in the Middle East, show that the crew on the MV Matthew were instructed to load all cocaine into a lifeboat for a rendezvous with a different vessel which would not occur due to the interception by authorities. Advertisement The newly released material shows the MV Matthew repeatedly ignoring instructions from Revenue and the Naval Services LE WB Yeats. Text messages and voice notes show panicked communications within the criminal network, including the incorrect belief that the ship would not be boarded if it headed further into international waters. While trying to evade the naval service, the LE WB Yeats entered a hot pursuit and acting as a warship fired warning shots in the vicinity of the MV Matthew. The captain of the MV Matthew communicated that it was a commercial vessel and was not in jurisdiction covered by the Irish navy: Irish warship, please do not fire at us. He added: Can you advise if you are in hot pursuit of us? Criminals onboard started deleting messages and attempted to burn the cocaine onboard as Captain Noah told them they would not be boarded. He sent a voice message: My stress level is near to heart attack, try to be calm. The bridge of the LE William Butler Yeats (Niall Carson/PA) However, the Army Ranger Wing would shortly board the vessel by descending on ropes from a helicopter while the ship was moving erratically ending the chase, leading to the successful arrests and seizure of the cocaine. Speaking to reporters about the operation on Saturday, Assistant Commissioner for Organised and Serious Crime Angela Willis said the investigation showed the Irish States commitment to tackle organised crime. Transnational organised crime groups know no borders, they prey on peoples vulnerability for their own financial gain. People are dispensable and expendable when they are no longer of use to the criminal organisation Life is cheap and protecting their core criminal interest which is money is their key priority. Ms Willis said all those who use drugs recreationally are funding the criminal organisations and are directly linked to the suffering inflicted on communities by the gangs. The senior garda said the sentencing of the eight men came from the first phase of the operation, adding that investigators are now examining pathways to other aspects of the probe including ascertaining the origin of the funding and financing of the intercepted shipment. She said it was the belief of investigators that several trans-global organisations are involved in these types of shipments. Asked if the Kinahan organised crime group was part of the MV Matthew operation, she said it was reasonable to assume that it would be engaged in that type of activity. Ms Willis said the next stage of the investigation had commenced, examining peripheral people in Ireland and abroad. She said the next phase would include asset recovery of people involved in the drugs trade. Captain Darragh Kirwan, head of Naval Service Operations, and Garda Assistant Commissioner, Angela Willis, during a briefing at Haulbowline Naval Base, Cork (Niall Carson/PA) Captain Darragh Kirwan, head of Naval Service operations, said the ongoing success of the JTF and the support of international partners contribute greatly to the security of the sea and society onshore. David Caunter, Director of Organised and Emerging Crime at INTERPOL said the investigation shows the power of international co-operation among police agencies. This is what criminal organisations fear: Global law enforcement working together to protect our citizens and our communities. He said law enforcement agencies must adapt to criminal groups seeking to expand their operations. Mr Caunter added: This investigation delivers a clear message to organised crime: Nowhere is safe, we will not stop, we will find you and bring you to justice. He said organised crime groups are seeking to develop new partnerships, adding that local traffickers may not understand the larger picture of the network they operate in including links to South America and the Middle East as well as Balkan organised crime and Lebanese groups. He also said West Africa is becoming a more important transit route in the global cocaine trade. Meanwhile, Revenue has said it is working to dispose of the MV Matthew as the cost of storing the vessel soars past 9 million. A preferred bidder has been identified but Revenue Commissioner Ruth Kennedy said many regulations have to be adhered to before a sale can proceed. Ms Kennedy said the vessel has been kept in running order but would not provide a value on the ship. A variety of stories feature on Irish front pages on Saturday morning. The Irish Times lead with an estate agent in Limerick offering to split the price of a new home and put the kitchen down as "extra" so it would qualify for the Help to Buy scheme, and DAA chief Kenny Jacobs failing to declare his private airline investments to the Department of Transport when joining the board of the state company, despite then-minister Eamon Ryan directly asking him to set out any potential conflicts. Advertisement The Irish Examiner lead with eight men being sentenced for their role in a drug trafficking operation on the MV Matthew, Lord of the Dance star Michael Flatley considering running for Aras, Ciara Mageean's cancer diagnosis, and families taking legal challenges over a lack of school places for children with additional needs. The Irish Independent lead with momentum building around a possible presidential bid for broadcaster Joe Duffy, with at least two parties now allegedly interested in him. The Echo lead with a man being jailed for ramming garda cars in a 'Grand Theft Auto' crime. The Herald lead with eight men being sentenced to a combined total of 129 years in prison for their role in relation to Ireland's biggest ever drugs seizure. The Irish Daily Mail lead with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael seeking to ban councils under their control from nominating outside candidates for the upcoming presidential election. The Irish Daily Star and Irish Daily Mirror both lead with the death of Diogo Jota. The Belfast Telegraph lead with two former MLAs speaking out about why they left the DUP. Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has said he hopes to live until he is more than 130 years old, days after he laid out succession proposals by saying he plans to reincarnate after his death. The Dalai Lama, who is celebrating his 90th birthday on Sunday, made the comments during a ceremony organised by his followers to offer prayers for his long life. Advertisement I have been able to serve the Buddha dharma and the beings of Tibet so far quite well, and I hope to live over 130 years, the Dalai Lama told thousands of followers who had gathered on Saturday in Indias northern town of Dharamshala. An exiled Tibetan gets ready to perform in front of her spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at an event during which Tibetan exiles prayed for the Tibetan leaders longevity (AP) Dharamshala has been the Dalai Lamas home in exile since 1959 after he fled Tibet in the wake of a failed uprising against Chinese rule. Since then, he has sustained Tibets aspirations for greater autonomy under Chinese Communist Party rule and mobilised Tibetans inside and outside China. On Wednesday, the Dalai Lama said that he intends to reincarnate, paving the way after his death for a successor to take on a mantle stretching back 500 years. Tibetan Buddhists believe the Dalai Lama can choose the body into which he is reincarnated. Advertisement Devotees watch Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on a television screen at an event in Dharamshala, India (AP) That announcement ended years of speculation that started when he indicated that he might be the last person to hold the role. The Nobel Peace Prize-winning spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism also said that the next Dalai Lama should be found and recognised as per past Buddhist traditions, while stressing that his office will lead the search. China views the Dalai Lama as a separatist and has insisted that only Beijing has the authority to approve his successor. There had been speculation he would be the last Dalai Lama (AP) Meanwhile, the exiled Tibetan community of more than 20,000 people in Dharamshala is gearing up to celebrate the Dalai Lamas birthday on Sunday. Advertisement His followers have put up giant posters and billboards across town, as tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the event, including Buddhist leaders of various sects and followers from across the world. Barbara Weibel, a US citizen who has been following Buddhism for more than 30 years, said she had to be here for this. I want this long life ceremony to keep him alive as long as possible, she said. Israeli air strikes have killed 14 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including 10 as they sought food in the embattled enclave, hospital officials told reporters. Two American aid workers with the Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation were also injured in southern Gaza after unknown assailants threw grenades at them at a food distribution site, the organisation said. Advertisement The bloodshed comes as US-led ceasefire efforts aimed at halting a nearly 21-month war appear to be gaining momentum. Hamas gave a positive response late on Friday to the latest US proposal for a 60-day truce, but said further talks are needed on implementation. Israel continues to pound targets in Gaza (AP) Guarantees are being sought by Hamas that the initial truce would lead to a total end to the war and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. US President Donald Trump has been pushing for an agreement and is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next week to discuss a deal. Advertisement The Israeli air strikes struck tents in the Muwasi area on the southern end of Gazas Mediterranean coast, killing seven people, including a Palestinian doctor and his three children, according to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Across #Gaza, attacks on tents and schools hosting displaced people and on people trying to access food continue to be reported, resulting in mass casualties. Between 7 October 2023 and 25 June 2025 in Gaza: at least 57,012 Palestinians have reportedly been killed 134,592 pic.twitter.com/apkIfBpOh6 UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 5, 2025 Four others were killed in the town of Bani Suheila in southern Gaza, and three people were killed in three different strikes in Khan Younis. The Israeli army did not provide immediate comment on the strikes. Meanwhile, eight Palestinians were killed near a GHF aid distribution site in the southern city of Rafah, the hospital said. One Palestinian was also killed near another GHF point in Rafah. Advertisement Much of Gazas population has been displaced (AP) It was not clear how far away the Palestinians were from the sites. GHF denied the killings happened near their sites. Previously the organisation has said no-one has been shot at its sites, which are guarded by private contractors but can only be accessed by passing Israeli military positions hundreds of yards away. The army had no immediate comment, but has said it fires warning shots as a crowd-control measure and it only aims at people when its troops are threatened. One Palestinian was also killed waiting in crowds for aid trucks in eastern Khan Younis, officials at Nasser Hospital said. Advertisement Fuel is a lifeline in #Gaza - it runs hospital generators, ambulances, bakeries, and water pumps. Without urgent shipments of fuel into Gaza, a complete shutdown of basic services with will bring even more suffering: a collective punishment. Fuel must be allowed in at scale pic.twitter.com/jcL8Zpogvm UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 5, 2025 The United Nations and other international organisations bring in their own supplies of aid. It was unclear to which organisation the aid trucks the Palestinians were waiting for belonged to, but the incident did not appear to be connected to GHF operations. Crowds of Palestinians often wait for trucks and unload or loot their contents before they reach their destinations. These trucks must pass through areas under Israeli military control. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident. The war in Gaza was set off after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. Israel responded with an offensive that has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, displaced nearly all of Gazas two million people and left many on the edge of famine. Ukraine said it has struck a Russian airbase, while Russia continued to pound Ukraine with hundreds of drones overnight as part of a stepped-up bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the war. Ukraines military General Staff said Ukrainian forces had struck the Borisoglebsk airbase in Russias Voronezh region, describing it as the home base of Russias Su-34, Su-35S and Su-30SM fighter jets. Advertisement Writing on Facebook, the General Staff said it hit a depot containing glide bombs, a training aircraft and possibly other aircraft. It was a rocky start to the day, with more than 500 Russian attack drones and missiles. Difficult, but a significant number were shot down. Interceptor drones demonstrated important performance today and we are scaling this up to the hilt. Today marks an important decision in pic.twitter.com/TFTTyVjxLK Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) July 4, 2025 Russian officials did not immediately comment on the attack. Such attacks on Russian airbases aim to dent Russias military capability and demonstrate Ukraines capability to hit high-value targets in Russia. Last month, Ukraine said it destroyed more than 40 Russian planes stationed at several airfields deep in Russias territory in a surprise drone attack. Advertisement Russia fired 322 drones and decoys into Ukraine overnight into Saturday, Ukraines air force said. Of these, 157 were shot down and 135 were lost, likely having been electronically jammed. Metro stations are used as bomb shelters in Kyiv (AP) According to the air force, Ukraines western Khmelnytskyi region was the main target of the attack. Regional governor Serhii Tyurin said no damage, injuries or deaths had been reported. Russia has been stepping up its long-range attacks on Ukraine. Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight into Friday in the largest aerial assault since Russias invasion of Ukraine began, killing one person and wounding at least 26 others. The fresh wave of attacks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that he had a very important and productive phone call with US President Donald Trump. Advertisement I had a very important and fruitful conversation with @POTUS. I congratulated President Trump and the entire American people on the US Independence Day. We - in Ukraine - are grateful for all the support provided. It helps us protect lives, safeguard our freedom and pic.twitter.com/kQ3Byipvd2 Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) July 4, 2025 The two leaders discussed how Ukrainian air defences might be strengthened, possible joint weapons production between the US and Ukraine, and broader U.S-led efforts to end the war with Russia, according to a statement by Mr Zelenksy. Asked on Friday night by reporters about the call, Mr Trump said: We had a very good call, I think. When asked about finding a way to end the fighting, the US leader said: I dont know. I cant tell you whether or not thats going to happen. Strikes have continued on Kyiv (AP) The US has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defence missiles. Advertisement Ukraines main European backers are considering how they can help pick up the slack. Mr Zelensky says plans are afoot to build up Ukraines domestic arms industry, but scaling up will take time. Russias defence ministry said it shot down 94 Ukrainian drones overnight into Saturday, along with 12 further drones on Saturday morning. No casualties were reported. A senior Sydney priest has warned his followers sheep do not judge their shepherd in a sermon about his divided church after a veteran cleric was found guilty of child sexual abuse days earlier shocking victims and experts. Meanwhile, a document penned by the paedophile priest himself, which ordered followers when you are abused, be quiet, has been quietly removed after decades in a government registry. Alexis Rosentool, a senior priest of the Russian Church in Australia, has been found guilty of child sexual abuse. Credit: YouTube Alexis Rosentool was found guilty on June 20 of child sexual abuse dating from the 1980s and 2000s, when he was a priest in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) in Sydney. The Herald revealed pro-Russian propagandist Simeon Boikov, aka Aussie Cossack, had collaborated with police to convince victims to speak up and bring down Rosentool. A part was torn from me for good the day the door of the morgue opened and it wasnt my brother, Herrans sister Sophie Giampetruzzi told this masthead last year. Everything stopped for me. Herran had been booked on a flight back to France the day he disappeared. Investigators later confirmed he had checked in at Sydney Airport before catching the train to Watsons Bay, where the payphone was located. Former NSW Police detective Michael Gerondis led the original investigation. Now a private investigator, he remained convinced Herran faked his death to stay in Australia and was living under a new identity. Theres no way he jumped, the former detective said last year. All his stuff was with his backpack except his passport. I think he kept that just in case. Michael Gerondis He was so calm on the phone ... All his stuff was with his backpack except his passport. I think he kept that just in case. Hed been to an immigration place just beforehand to ask, How do I get to stay in Australia? And they told him, No chance, mate. Gerondis believed Herran was probably in north Queensland. At 182 centimetres tall, with brown hair and blue eyes, he was possibly passing himself off as Italian, he said. That was his second time to Australia and he loved it. He loved Queensland and went on a helicopter tour out there. Parents of missing French tourist Antoine Herran, Francoise and Jean-Francois, in Sydney. Its because he lived in northern France, where its cold and raining all the time. He said to his parents thats ideal Australia, thats what his notion of Australia was and he loved it there near Cairns thats where I think he is. Giampetruzzi and Gerondis have reconnected recently. Last year this masthead reported they had agreed to conduct DNA testing, in the hope of tracking down any children Herran might have had in Australia. However, the former policeman revealed this week a French law preventing direct-to-consumer genetic testing had slowed the process. They wont send the kit to France, he said. I dont know why, but it has to be done through Australia were just getting it all together. Its just the logistics of it. Well get that sorted out and hopefully well find a relative in Australia. Childhood photos of Antoine Herran with sister Sophie, provided by Sophie. Credit: Sophie Giampetruzzi He said hes still absolutely sure Herran did not take his own life. Im convinced hes here somewhere and living his life, which we dont want to interfere with we just want him to let his family know. This masthead understands tips received in the past year could not be verified. I made this decision simply to find out if my brother is still alive, Giampetruzzi said of the DNA testing plan last year. I think it would be another possibility to find a trace of him somewhere. I know its been 26 years already, but there isnt a single moment in my life when I dont hope to see him again. I am now 50 years old, I remarried in 2022 and I have no children. This is surely linked to my brother unconsciously. Really, I am still angry at his gesture of having disappeared of his own volition. There is surely a reason for him that he considers valid. But for me, it changed my whole life, all my personal projects. The mystery had put huge strain on her family, she said. In reality, I think that wanting to find a missing person is purely selfish but also an act full of love. Selfish because I would like to know if he is alive so that I can see him at least once and know that despite all these years, he is happy to have made this terrible choice. People can think what they want, its normal. They say to themselves, if he disappeared of his own volition, it is because he had his reasons and so let him live quietly. These people do not know the suffering of waiting to know the truth about the disappearance, the tearing apart between family members, friends or others. That is the really scary thing, says Dovid Gutnick, the Rabbi of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation. They could have opened the door to a person who clearly had bigger plans. You wonder if he had more stuff in that bag to do more harm. The man rang the bell a second time. He then left the lit petrol bomb at the base of the door and casually walked away. The next thing the 13-year-old boy noticed was the smoke coming through the bottom of the door. By that stage, a passerby had already called the fire department. The petrol bomb did only superficial damage before the fire was brought under control by a crew from a nearby fire brigade. Glass remnants were recovered from the crude device. About four years ago, the synagogue reinforced the door with steel and constructed a blast-proof, transparent plastic security cage just inside the entrance. Smoke filled the cage and drifted into the sanctuary but the synagogues defences held. Police investigating the arson attack door-knocked neighboring properties on Saturday. Credit: Aaron Francis The emotional wounds from this latest attack, to members of the synagogue, to Australian Jews and to a city that may be shocked to learn that some of us have to pray behind steel reinforced doors, will cut deeper. The City Shul is a place of immense importance to Jewish people. It is also an enduring part of this citys history. It has no formal ties to Israel but deep roots in the foundations of Melbourne. It is where John Monash, perhaps our greatest military leader, had his bar mitzvah as a boy, and where Victor Smorgon, one of the citys most successful businessmen and generous philanthropists, got married. On one of the walls, there is a board which carries the names of its members who died fighting for Australias young federation in the Great War. The synagogue stands across from the state parliament gardens, St Patricks Cathedral and Anglican and Lutheran churches. This part of Melbourne is known as Eastern Hill, where a rabbi can share a cup of coffee and a joke with a priest and a pastor, and regularly does. It is a beautiful space, Rabbi Gutnick says. It is peaceful, by and large. Youd hate to think we have to turn it into Fort Knox. Synagogue president Danny Segal, his wife Jenny and Rabbi Dovid Gutnick outside the synagogue the morning after the attack. Credit: Aaron Francis Daniel Aghion, a Melbourne barrister and the president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, says this is why Friday nights firebombing was an assault on all Australians. This is not just an attack upon Jews or the Jewish community. It is an attack upon our way of life. The City Shul is not a place of solitude or silence. It is for family, food, prayer, song, conversation and life. When Rabbi Gutnick addressed his congregation on Saturday, he urged them not to give in to despair. The best way to fight is not with a stick, he told them, but to let in more light. When this masthead visited on Saturday, a service had just finished to celebrate the arrival of a new child in the congregation. More people than usual packed into the shul. Among them was Philip Zajac, president of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria. As a Jewish community leader and lifelong Carlton supporter, Zajac had already had a wretched weekend. He learned of the firebombing at his synagogue while watching his team get thrashed at the MCG by arch rival Collingwood. But after Saturdays service, his spirit lifted. We are celebrating life and being together, he said. The events of last night brought more people out to say we are here, you are not going to defeat us, we are strong. Naomi Levin, the Jewish Community Council of Victoria chief executive, says the congregation was full of Jewish people who want us to know that they are proud of who they are and not afraid. Liberal MP David Southwick was also at the synagogue for the Saturday service. He was angry and saddened at how brazen the attack was. Find the bloke and lock him away, he says flatly. While we talk inside the synagogue, toddlers are playing with Thomas the Tank Engine toys and superhero figures in the sanctuary. In the dining hall, congregants are tucking into bowls of chulent a stew slow cooked ahead of the Sabbath and the occasional shot of whiskey. There were children playing in the sanctuary on Friday night when the man set fire to their front door. Dennis Martin, 79, first came to the synagogue as a boy, when he could go to a mates bar mitzvah on a Saturday morning and make it to Windy Hill to watch the Bombers in the afternoon. He describes it as heimish, a Yiddish word for homely or unpretentious. This is a particularly homely synagogue, he explains. Rachel Gutnick, Rabbi Gutnicks wife, says it is heart-warming to see so many people come to the synagogue the day after the attack. Some of them rarely came to shul, but made a point of coming on Saturday. There is a lot of care and support, she says. A security guard outside the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Saturday, after an arson attack at the synagogue on Friday night. Credit: Aaron Francis What does it say to Martin that someone apparently tried to burn this place down? I find it so distasteful and disturbing, the degree of blind anger that would make somebody do that, he reflects. It could be a misguided response to Gaza or it could be virulent antisemitism. In both cases, it is madness of some sort. Outside the synagogue, messages of condemnation, support and solidarity arrive in a torrent from political and community leaders. Premier Jacinta Allan says any attack on any place of worship is an act of hate and any attack on a synagogue is antisemitic. It is disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards, she says. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says those responsible must face the full force of the law. Australian Multicultural Foundation chair Hass Dellal says people have the right to practise and express their religion without fear of vilification or violence. This is not who we are as a multicultural nation. Much the same condemnation followed the arson attack in December which gutted the Adass Israel Synagogue in the Melbourne suburb of Ripponlea. After a six-month investigation by counter-terrorism detectives from Victoria Police and the AFP, no arrests have been made. Aghion says this is the tenth firebomb attack against Australian Jews in the past 12 months. His tolerance, both for violence against his community and hateful elements within an anti-Israel protest movement which he says are fuelling antisemitism, is at an end. There is a critical need for the institutions of our country, our political leadership, our policing, to understand that there is a fundamental problem here, he says. The fundamental problem is that the Jewish community is being singled out and attacked time and time again because of a conflict on the other side of a world. If you want to say something in support of a position overseas, Im not going to stop you, but what I am going to say is remember the people around you, remember the consequences of your language, remember the consequences of your actions, and make sure that you stay within those limits that you do not have an impact upon other Australians. Thats the line that has been crossed time and time and time again, and these protests continue to cross it with impunity. The same point was made by Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece, who has long wrestled with the question of whether his local government should and can do more to put an end to the weekly Sunday protests through the city. Lord Mayor Nick Reece speaks outside the synagogue on Saturday. Credit: Aaron Francis I do think there are elements of this protest which have mutated and is now perpetrating these terrible acts, he says. This is the act of a very small number of people, I do think we need to remind ourselves of that, but that doesnt mean it is not a terrible and vile act. All of us as a community need to stand up against it. Police do not yet know what relationship the synagogue arsonist has with the anti-Israel protest movement, but it is self-evident that the same sentiment which drives the protest movement is motivating violence against Jews in Australia. The City Shul was first established in 1857, six years after Victoria became a separate colony, and has met in its Albert Street building since 1877. Throughout that long history it has not previously been firebombed. Now, there is now a disturbing rhythm to these attacks. Jewish people are terrified, political leaders are appalled and police seem unwilling or unable to make them stop. Kyiv: Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight in the largest aerial assault since Russias invasion of Ukraine began more than three years ago, officials said on Friday, amid a renewed Russian push to capture more of its neighbours land. Hours after the barrage that killed one person and wounded at least 26 others, including a child, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had a very important and productive phone call with US President Donald Trump. Smoke rises after a Russian strike on Kyiv, Ukraine. Credit: AP The two leaders discussed how Ukrainian air defences might be strengthened, possible joint weapons production between the US and Ukraine, and broader US-led efforts to end the war with Russia, according to a statement by Zelensky. The US has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defence missiles. Ukraines main European backers are considering how they can help pick up the slack. Zelensky says plans are afoot to build up Ukraines domestic arms industry, but scaling up will take time. CARLOW farmer Martin OReilly from Cappalug Dairy Farm won the Mullinahone Co-op Young Dairy Farmer of the Year Award at the annual National Dairy Awards in the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise last week. Laois farmer Bruce Thompson from Camcloon Dairy took home the Kerry Dairy Ireland Biodiversity Dairy Farmer of the Year Award at the same event. The awards were presented at a gala ceremony attended by 250 people and hosted by former minister of agriculture Ivan Yates. Twenty-one awards were presented on the night. Martin milks 76 high EBI cows on a spring calving system on dry ground. The judges were impressed with how passionate he is about breeding and grassland management, and how hard he has worked to improve the farm over the last few years. Martin is a member of the Teagasc Grass 10 programme and the IGA, Macra, Teagasc and Tirlan dairy discussion groups. Laois's Bruce Thompson (left) from Camcloon Dairy took home the Biodiversity Dairy Farmer of the Year Award In the Biodiversity Dairy Farmer of the Year category, the judges were particularly impressed with how Bruce had altered his farming practices to allow a functioning eco-system to operate within a profitable functioning farm. He has completed a Nuffield scholarship, a diploma in the environment, agriculture and sustainability, joined AHIs technical working group for parasite control, became the farmer member on the COWS steering group and become the Irish ambassador for SPARC. This was all done to develop and adopt changes on both his farm and to help others. Another big winner on the night was Katie Gleeson from Templemore, Co Tipperary, who won Dairy Social Media Ambassador of the Year Award, as well as the overall AXA National Dairy Awards Champion. Known as kateinthecountry on social media, Katie uses her platform to share the story of a family dairy farm in a relatable way. She has built a community that stretches far beyond farming circles where she shares honest stories about dairy farming, rural life and the bigger picture of what farming means to Irish society. The Carbery Group picked up one of the biggest awards of the evening when it was named the PTSB Best Dairy Producer/Co-op of the Year. The awards were founded in 2023 to celebrate the primary producers, the artisan producers, sector services and the dairy processors as an industry collective. They recognise the best of the Irish dairy sector and the passion, dedication, innovation and hard work of the people within the sector. IN THE cozy warmth of Moka Coffee every Thursday evening, needles click and wool tumbles as strangers become friends over shared stitches. What started as one womans solution to the loneliness of crocheting has blossomed into a community hub for crafty Carlovians. Aine Nolan and Noelle Branagan-Clarke Noelle Jordan launched Cosy Nest Crochet in January after falling in love with the craft just months earlier. I noticed while I was making all these little bits that crochet and knitting are quiet, lonely hobbies and I wanted to create a solution to overcoming this, she said. Beth Brady weaves a pattern The solution has exceeded all expectations. From 7pm to 9pm each Thursday, Moka Coffee, Haymarket, Carlow transforms into a bustling creative space where ages span from ten to over 80, where beginners and experts sit alongside one another and where the only requirement is a willingness to learn or share. Were just really a mishmash of people from so many different walks of life, said Noelle. People youd never think to talk to in the street. People that you wouldnt think youd have a common interest with. The groups diversity reflects Noelles deliberate approach to inclusivity. As someone who works for Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland, a national non-profit supporting people with both conditions, shes acutely aware of accessibility challenges. Her own six-year-old son has hydrocephalus, making her advocacy deeply personal. Maria Burke and Teresa Clany The likes of Liz, one of our members whos a wheelchair user, really highlights to me the inaccessibility of a lot of places, said Noelle. Thats why Moka Coffee is so perfect its literally for everybody. The timing accommodates families, too. Children accompany parents, grandparents bond with grandchildren over shared projects and the atmosphere remains welcoming to all skill levels. What sets Cosy Nest Crochet apart is its generous spirit. Members create items not just for themselves but for local hospitals, with donations going to Kilkenny and Portlaoise hospitals, and with plans to donate childrens clothes to local shelters. Their latest donation comprised of more than 50 baby hats plus blankets, cardigans and booties, all crafted by volunteer hands. Usually every week or so, a lady will pop up to me and have seven hats or maybe two onesies or a blanket, said Noelle. The donations serve a dual purpose: giving experienced crafters a meaningful outlet for their productivity while providing beginners with purposeful first projects. The community aspect extends beyond crafting. Members share patterns, bring along plenty of homemade treats and maintain a community bucket, where unused wool and tools find new life with different crafters. The group welcomes all fibre arts, including knitting, cross-stitch and embroidery, making it truly inclusive. Noelles initiative addresses a broader social need. Having given up drinking two years ago, she experienced firsthand how limited socialising options can be in Ireland. When I gave up drinking, it was kind of like, oh my God, what do I do now? How do you meet and talk to people, especially when youre in your 20s? The crochet group offers an alternative to pub culture, creating space for meaningful connection without alcohol. Its particularly valuable for older adults who may lack workplace social opportunities and for anyone seeking community in an increasingly isolated world. Even though knitting and crocheting are solo hobbies, they dont have to be lonely ones, said Noelle, citing what she says is the groups unofficial motto. The casual, drop-in nature removes barriers to participation. If you want to come in at half-seven, there are no rules essentially, said Noelle. Drop in, drop out. And if you feel like its not really your vibe that evening, absolutely no stress. The group continues to expand, with newcomers regularly joining the Thursday evening sessions. Some, like a teenager who wanted to make a doll blanket for his niece, return for help with their project. Others pop in once to learn a skill and contribute a finished piece to the donation pile. Richard Morrell, Mokas owner, provides the space free of charge and endures some good-natured pressure from the group to try his hand at crafting. While he hasnt picked up needles yet, he supports the community by keeping the coffee and tea flowing and the atmosphere welcoming. It really is a hidden, cosy gem in the winter he has the fire lighting for us. Its just fab, said Noelle. The success of Cosy Nest Crochet reflects a hunger for authentic community connection in modern Ireland. As Noelle puts it: Long gone, I think, are the days of needing to drink while in the pub. We dont need that. Instead, what people need, and are finding in this coffee house crafting group, is a place to create, connect and contribute to something larger than themselves, one stitch at a time. Cosy Nest Crochet meets every Thursday from 7pm to 9pm at Moka Coffee Shop, Haymarket, Carlow. All skill levels and ages welcome. No experience necessary. A DRIVER who panicked when he saw the blue lights of a patrol car flashing and who took off at speed was sentenced at Carlow District Court last week for dangerous driving and for having no insurance. Justin Stronge, 2 Fruithill Manor, Killeshin Road, Carlow pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving and of not having insurance on 4 March this year. The offences occurred on the Portlaoise Road and Castlecomer Road, Carlow. Insp Conor Nolan told the court that gardai were on patrol when their scanner identified an uninsured car at a service station in Church Street belonging to Mr Stronge (25), but that when they approached him, he took off at speed. He continued that the gardai followed him and that Mr Stronge failed to stop at a stop sign on the Castlecomer Road and overtook other cars before turning left, forcing another car to stop. The court heard that the car was later found by gardai. Solicitor Chris Hogan told Judge Geraldine Carthy that his client had no excuse for his behaviour but that he panicked when he saw the blue lights of the squad car because he had no insurance to drive. Mr Hogan continued: He should have stopped but he didnt; he ran away from the gardai. Judge Carthy replied that there could have been a more tragic outcome arising out of Mr Stronges behaviour. She then fined him a total of 600 and disqualified him from driving for two years. By Cillian Sherlock, PA A rescue operation has concluded at Colin Glen forest outside Belfast. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) were alerted to the incident at approximately 12.30pm on Saturday. The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) also attended. A spokesman for NIFRS said it mobilised two fire appliances from Cadogan Fire Station to the incident. The Special Rescue Team from Central Fire Station was also sent to to the incident. The spokesman added: One female casualty was rescued using rope rescue equipment and the casualty has now been handed over to the NIAS. Eoin Reynolds The six men caught on board the bulk carrier MV Matthew with 2.2 tonnes of cocaine and two others who attempted to take the illicit load on board a second vessel in the Irish Sea have been jailed for a combined 129 years. Passing sentence at the Special Criminal Court on Friday, Ms Justice Melanie Greally described the ship's experienced and highly expert crew as "valuable components of the engine that drives international drug smuggling". The defendants, who hail from Iran, Ukraine, Philippines and the UK, were "committed to and invested in" the criminal enterprise on behalf of an organised crime group with "apparently unlimited resources", the judge said. Having set headline sentences ranging from 30 years to 22 years, the three-judge court reduced each sentence after considering mitigating factors. The longest sentence imposed was against Dutch national Cumali Ozgen (50), who received a 20-year sentence. Ms Justice Greally said Ozgen had the closest connection to the Dubai-based criminal organisation that planned and funded the operation and that stood to gain from its success. Ozgen, along with Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk (32) and Vitaliy Vlasoi (33); Iranians Soheil Jelveh (52) and Saeid Hassani (39) and Filipino Harold Estoesta (31); previously pleaded guilty that between September 24th and 26th 2023, both dates inclusive, at locations outside the State, on board the vessel "MV Matthew" they possessed cocaine for sale or supply contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations. The drugs have been valued at 157 million. Ukrainian national Vitaliy Lapa (62), with an address at Rudenka, Repina Str in Berdyansk, and Jamie Harbron (31) of South Avenue, Billingham in the UK pleaded guilty that on dates between September 21st and 25th 2023, at a location within the State, they attempted to possess cocaine for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying to another. Ms Justice Greally on Friday sentenced Ozgen to 20 years in prison; Estoesta to 18 years; Jelveh to 17.5 years; Vlasoi to 16.5 years; Hassani to 15 years; Gavryk to 14 years; Lapa to 14.5 years and Harbron to 13.5 years. The court previously heard that while the MV Matthew was sailing under the flag of Panama, it was owned by a Dubai-based company known as 'Symphony Marine'. It departed from Curacao, off the Venezuelan coast before being loaded with 2.2 tonnes of cocaine. The court also heard that an organised crime group in Dubai instructed the crew of the MV Matthew as it attempted to evade law enforcement and deliver the drugs to an Irish vessel. Despite repeated warnings from the Irish Navy, including warning shots fired from the LE William Butler Yeats, the person overseeing the operation told the crew to keep going and head for a safe port in Sierra Leone. The original plan was that the MV Matthew would deliver the drugs to a second ship, the Castlemore, but rough seas and technical difficulties caused the Irish vessel to miss the connection and later to run aground. As the MV Matthew tried to evade capture, members of the Irish Army Rangers were lowered by rope ladder from a helicopter onto the ship's deck. The crew had tried to set the drugs on fire but the rangers acted quickly to quench the flames and save the drugs as evidence. One of the rangers, a former member of the Navy, steered the vessel to Cork Harbour. In sentencing, Ms Justice Greally said a significant aggravating factor was that the operation was on behalf of a criminal organisation with international reach and "apparently unlimited resources to invest in transnational drug-trafficking". She said each defendant's culpability was based on the "vast quantity" and value of the drugs, the meticulous planning of the operation and the group's technical sophistication. Cocaine is a "highly addictive drug which is causing widespread societal harm and dysfunction," she said. While none of the convicted men belong to the "upper echelons" of the criminal organisation and they did not own the drugs or stand to profit from their sale, Ms Justice Greally said they played an important role in the operation. Apart from Ozgen and Harbron, they possessed a "high level of seafaring and navigational expertise," which is vital to such operations, she said. "Seafarers are not cogs but valuable components of the engine that drives international drug smuggling," she said. Each had proven competence at sea and obtained a high level of trust in the organisation. They were "committed to and invested in the success of the venture," she said. Ms Justice Greally noted that Ozgen and the officers on board the MV Matthew had given varying accounts of when and how they came to know of the illicit nature of the ship's cargo. However, Ms Justice Greally said a failure to understand the purpose of the voyage would require a level of "wilful ignorance" that is "tantamount to knowledge". She pointed out that the MV Matthew is a large bulk carrier which left Venezuela for Gdansk in Poland with no cargo. While at sea, the ordinary seamen were plied with alcohol before armed men on board a second vessel lifted the drugs onto the MV Matthew by crane. She said there was also evidence from a group chat being used by the officers that each of them knew that the MV Matthew was using "spoofing" software to misrepresent its location as it crossed the Atlantic. Ozgen, the judge said, was the crew member most closely connected to the criminal organisation in Dubai and was to be paid a significant sum for his role. He had specific knowledge of the drugs and was on board to ensure the job was successful, the judge said. He provided progress reports to Dubai every couple of days and occupied the captain's cabin so he could supervise and monitor what the other officers were doing. "The evidence supports that he was a malign and intimidatory presence on the ship," she said. Hassani and Lapa, she said, were in debt and were motivated by the financial pressure they were under and their family circumstances. Harbron, a drug addict, was primarily looking to reduce his drug debt, the judge said. Jelveh, who was the captain of the vessel, contacted the Irish Coast Guard after two failed rendezvous with the Castlemore and asked to be airlifted away for medical reasons. He therefore left the MV Matthew before the operation's failure was certain, Judge Greally said, and had no role in later attempts by the crew to defy the orders of the Irish Navy and customs officers or to prevent the Irish Army Rangers from making their landing. Estoesta, the judge said, demonstrated a level of commitment to the criminal organisation that was "unmatched by any other officer". When presented with a choice between obeying the Irish authorities or the criminal organisation, he chose to try to evade justice and escape Irish waters, hoping to get to Sierra Leone in west Africa. When a helicopter attempted to lower the rangers to the ship by rope ladder, Vlasoi was steering the ship. Ms Justice Greally said Vlasoi manoeuvred the ship to frustrate their landing, exposing them to danger and creating a further aggravating factor. Ms Justice Greally set headline sentences for each accused, ranging from 30 years for Ozgen, the most culpable, to 22 years for Harbron who was deemed least culpable. Before finalising the sentence, Ms Justice Greally said the court took into account that each defendant pleaded guilty and that all, except Harbron, have no previous convictions. She further considered their family situations and the difficulties they will face in a foreign prison, far away from home. Within the prison system, each defendant has enhanced status for good behaviour. Ms Justice Greally backdated each sentence to when they went into custody following their arrests in September 2023. Ms Justice Greally concluded by saying that she had observed the "professionalism and competence" of the joint task force involving gardai, customs and revenue officers, the navy and the Irish army. They had succeeded in preventing the ship from escaping Irish waters and from evading justice. The skill of the army rangers, she said, was critical to the operation's success. She further commended the investigation team and lawyers for the clarity of the evidence presented in court which, she said, "without doubt led to the guilty pleas being entered". Outside court, Detective Superintendent Joe O'Reilly said this remains the largest seizure of controlled drugs in the history of the State. He added: "The sentences imposed today provide a clear message to persons involved in international drug trafficking that Ireland is not a soft target for transnational organised criminal networks. "This and other drugs interdictions over recent years clearly demonstrate that all agencies of the State, supported by our international partners, will work together to successfully disrupt and dismantle criminal networks engaged in drug trafficking, thereby reducing harm to our communities. "To those involved in drug trafficking, the message is clear: The full force of the Irish State, supported by our international partners, is against you. The reality facing you is security interdictions, special investigations, the Special Criminal Court, lengthy sentences and asset seizure. "Transnational organised crime gangs cause misery to communities not only in Ireland but throughout the world. Tackling these gangs not only makes Ireland safer but all the other countries that they operate in." I HAD to laugh to myself last week when I read that the notion of a tourism tax for people visiting the capital had not been put to bed. Where there is smoke, there will be fire and, as sure as night follows day, when any government sees the chance of extra revenue, they will grab it with both hands. Remember the health levy of course you dont, but once upon a time, back in 1979 to be precise, that was introduced as an extra tax to ensure that everyone, irrespective of age, paid the same if they wanted to take out private health insurance. It didnt matter that at that time less than one-third of the population had private insurance. The reason the rest of the population didnt have it was not because they didnt want to they simply could not afford it. Do you remember the income levy? No, you dont, and you certainly dont remember why it was introduced either. Dont worry: neither exist anymore. Not since 2011, but they have been replaced by another one the Universal Social Charge which was sold to us as a way of paying off some of the debt the country was running up bailing out the banks and so on. I think I read somewhere that all that money has been repaid and the economy is booming again but, funnily enough, there is no talk of the USC being scrapped. Oh, I also forgot to mention the introduction of the property tax back in 2013. This is really the reintroduction of domestic rates, which was scrapped by Fianna Fail in 1977 in a bid to regain power, which they did. But then they discovered they were on the hook for funds that local authorities all over the country needed to keep the lights and other services on. At the moment, the talk is about a tourism tax to fund the redevelopment of Dublin. They dont put it like that; they use words like world-class tourism attractions and so on, but in reality what they really mean is money to cover the cost of putting more gardai on the streets to protect people from being mugged, getting rid of dereliction, cleaning the streets and a few other things. Things which we are already paying for with the taxes collected each week. What worries me is the definition of who is a tourist when visiting Dublin and how in Gods name that is going to be policed. The ideal scenario would be to put an additional tax on drink, accommodation and food, but that would mean that everyone going into the capital would be subject to this extra tax. Already, hotels are becoming a no-no. It is next to impossible to justify paying 250 or more for one nights B&B in a city centre hotel. Last week, I paid 15 for a glass of wine there and was told by the barman when he saw the eyes nearly falling out of my head that the price of a pint is now 12. No wonder the place was half-empty and that was a Friday evening at 6.30pm, when you would expect such a premises to be hopping. I then asked said barman to calculate the cost of five white wines, three espresso coffees, two sparkling waters and a packet of crisps cost: 93. I was very specific because I wanted to compare the price with what I had paid in Alvor, Portugal in May. The price there: 19.90. No wonder there is a reduction in the numbers visiting this country this year. Can you just imagine what will happen if the tourist, already being scalped at every turn, finds out there is a tourism tax to be added to these already-inflated prices? Dont think this tax will be confined to Dublin. At the moment, the government is being told this tax could generate as much as 41 million in extra revenue to fund significant projects in the capital, so you can be sure that as soon as our illustrious leaders smell extra money coming in, that scheme will be extended to the rest of the country. Lets be honest: spotting a tourist in Carlow town or county during the summer is a bit like looking for hens teeth theyre not there. That is not to say various organisations locally are not trying their best, because they are, but on a national scale people drive through the county to either Kilkenny or Waterford or straight across the country to Connemara or Kerry, the Atlantic Way, Cliffs of Moher or wherever. They may not even know about Europes largest burial rock, the dolmen, Carlow castle, once the treasury for all of Ireland, or Ducketts Grove, not to mention Balyloughan, Ballymoon and Clonmore castles. And dont forget Huntington Castle, voted one of Irelands top 20 hidden gems by The Guardian newspaper. If all this talk about a tourist tax becomes more than just that, we will all end up paying the price and not just the overseas visitor. Breaking News Would you like to receive our breaking news news? Signup today! e-Edition Subscribers e-Edition Only - $39.00 Year This is the exact replica of our weekly printed paper. Great for searching archives! General Interest Imported List: General Interest Sanjeev Vikram, a third grade student, was recognized for his outstanding national achievement in chess by Mayor Tim Kelly, receiving the prestigious Chattanooga Badge for excellence. Alongside the badge, Sanjeev was also awarded a Certificate for Excellence in Chess, further acknowledging his remarkable talent and dedication to the game. The Chattanooga Badge is a distinguished honor bestowed upon exceptional individuals who have demonstrated remarkable skill and achievement in their field. I'm watching half the country predict we're on the precipice of doom, as they usually do, taking to the streets with signs like "We fight, we win!" and "This is what democracy looks like." A thread over on Local 3's wall covers a story on Hamilton County participating in an ICE program, a rather limited local partnership which applies only after a non-citizen has been arrested and jailed. It was a raucous read over morning coffee, with predictable references to "gestapo, brown shirts, report Anne Frank, God is watching, goofy Nazi cartoons, Diaper Don has dementia, conflating city with county mayoral structure, etc." We have two major problems which do not bode well for our future: Breathtaking lack of common knowledge regarding civics and how services are provided and paid. As citizens, we have only a choice between which level and type of authoritarianism with which we agree most. As a Republican, I know my party cannot be left unfettered to its own devices. The party does seem to be the one which comprehends basics of what a nation is, why ours was founded and how equal opportunity drives our freedoms and economy - not the promise of equal outcomes. Republican economics tip toward bribing producers, while Democratic candidates bribe the citizenry. Both methods of bribery, absent careful bi-partisan planning for commonly understood results, are untenable at scale. To me, the Democratic Party has shelved all reality to market itself with emotional outbursts, unmanageable promises and focus on a person's identity vs. effort and civic conduct. "With us, we promise unlimited services to unlimited people at unlimited cost, and your loyalty will assure unlimited excuses for unlimited behavior." Biology and math are bigoted and racist, any argument otherwise is violence. Burn the city, open the border, cancel any definition of women, whatever it takes. Both parties have a penchant toward feigned moral superiority, however one routinely erupts in violence, each time excused as "mostly peaceful." I want to talk, discuss and debate those whose views are different from mine. Healthy debate is the primary societal lubricant in a republic such as ours, yet we've stopped debating to reveal only friction. I watched a whole podcast with one of my favorite actors, Jason Bateman, this week. He appeared on a show with Nicole Wallace, demanding that Trump voters "need a talking to" and are "insulated from reality." Really, sir? The entire Democratic platform insulates from a broad slate of basic realities, and Bateman seems to parrot the notion Trump voters should be re-educated by humanity's tribunal. Fancy talk from a party which just nominated Mandami in New York, who wants communal housing and seized means of production. Never mind the nation is beyond broke. While I'm not necessarily an advocate of the "Big Beautiful Bill" which is being signed today at 4, I recognize two things: Any recalibration of Medicare/Medicaid to restrict to qualified citizens is necessary, as we're $40 trillion in debt. No actual positive movement will happen in our national healthcare until the entire structure, from providers to patents and distribution, is completely overhauled. Healthcare in the United States is broken, too much money is siphoned to investor classes and the nation itself is broke. Monkeying with payment mechanisms alone is a continued waste of time which will assure everyone loses in the end. If we don't like circumstances now, wait until we can't provide any critical services. Second, Jason Bateman earns at a level where he is excused from street violence, endemic crime, competition for entry level employment and whatever other misery is prescribed for society by his rather unscholarly party leadership. Yet, in the thread under the video I watched there were numerous posts which said "That's the last Jason Bateman movie I'll see." And that's where we fail each other, by running to our corners and refusing to engage. I can't wait for the next Jason Bateman movie, because I absolutely love his work. He disagrees with me on some things, and in America that's actually okay. Jason Bateman is not our problem. Happy Fourth of July. Dallas Bay firefighters late Friday night prevented a Middle Valley garage fire from entering the main home. At approximately 11:55 p.m., Dallas Bay Fire & Rescue responded to a reported residential structure fire at 7307 Friendship Lane. The homeowner reported smelling smoke, and, upon investigating, found the door leading to the garage was extremely hot. Upon arrival, the first responding units encountered a heavily involved garage fire. All occupants had safely exited the home. Firefighters quickly initiated an aggressive interior attack to contain the blaze and prevent further spread into the main living areas. Crews successfully stopped the fire from reaching the primary portions of the residence. No injuries were reported. The estimated property loss is approximately $300,000. The cause of the fire remains undetermined and is under investigation by the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office. Responding units included crews from all three Dallas Bay stations, with additional support from the Mowbray Volunteer Fire Department. Also on scene were Hamilton County EMS and deputies from the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office. Chattanooga Fire Department and Soddy Daisy Fire Department provided district coverage during the incident. LGBT Rainbow crosswalks at 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue in Atlanta. | Screenshot: YouTube/ WSB-TV Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has sent a letter to the governors of all 50 states, urging them to promote public safety by removing any politically charged and distracting displays from public roads, including LGBT rainbow crosswalks. Roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork. Today I am calling on governors in every state to ensure that roadways, intersections, and crosswalks are kept free of distractions, Duffy stated in a press release, emphasizing the importance of focusing on traffic safety amid high traffic fatalities. Far too many Americans die each year to traffic fatalities to take our eye off the ball. USDOT stands ready to help communities across the country make their roads safer and easier to navigate, he added. The letter, also sent to District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser and Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, requests that governors comply with the Federal Highway Administrations initiative titled Safe Arterials for Everyone through Reliable Operations and Distraction-Reducing Strategies, or SAFE ROADS. The SAFE ROADS national initiative will focus on the non-freeway arterials within your state, including safety and operation at intersections and along segments, consistent and recognizable traffic control devices including crosswalk and intersection markings, and orderly use of the right-of-way that is kept free from distractions, Duffy wrote. These routes are where more than half of roadway fatalities in America occur and deserve enhanced attention. Duffy highlighted statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), noting that an estimated 39,345 people died on U.S. roads last year, a figure he called unacceptable, despite a slight improvement over 2023. The Federal Highway Administration added that almost half of roadway fatalities in the U.S. in 2023 occurred on non-freeway/expressway arterials. Each governor is given 60 days to identify needed safety improvements and to develop a list of arterial segments, including intersections, with the highest safety, operational, or compliance concerns to be addressed by the end of the next fiscal year. In an X (formerly Twitter) post, Duffy explicitly singled out rainbow crosswalks and other potentially distracting political imagery, stating, Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks. Political banners have no place on public roads. Im reminding recipients of [DOT] roadway funding that its limited to features advancing safety, and nothing else. Its that simple. The inaugural meeting of the Religious Liberty Commission took place at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C on June 16, 2025. | Screenshot: YouTube/ The Justice Department The inaugural meeting of the Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty was presided over by Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick on June 16 at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. The commission, created via an executive order by President Donald Trump on May 1, plans to hold up to nine hearings through 2026 to gather data and develop long-term strategies aimed at protecting religious liberty for all Americans. Among the panelists were former U.S. Housing Secretary Dr. Ben Carson and TV talk show host Phil McGraw, with remarks also delivered by faith leaders, scholars, and legal experts emphasizing the foundational role of religious liberty in American society. Patrick highlighted the commissions two main responsibilities: to advise and report to the president. He stated, The Presidential Commission does not report to Congress, but the findings from our committees will be reported to the president to see what action would happen after that, and urged the panel to contend earnestly for religious liberty. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi addressed the commission as well, saying, Our Founding Fathers understood that every individual must be free to worship without fear, without coercion, and without government interference. Witnesses including Mark Rienzi, a professor at The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, and Notre Dame law professor Gerald Bradley, provided testimony underscoring the historical and legal importance of religious freedom, highlighting its origins in the founding era and the challenges posed by modern judicial interpretations. Rienzi noted how, Citing the religious belief of the Puritans against the Quakers and other Christian groups, Rienzi said the focus of defending religious freedom has changed from intra-religious Christian disputes to attacks on religion itself from atheists and other secular groups. I think it's now more often anti or irreligious folks who want to wield the government to stamp out views that are wrong. And I think the truth is, whether it's the religious people or the opponents of religion, it's wrong. Bradley referenced James Madisons 1785 pamphlet against a Virginia tax for ministers, calling it the Magna Carta of American religious liberty, and explained, In which Madison called religious liberty not just a right towards men but a duty towards the Creator. He emphasized, Central to religion is ones conscientiously judging what is the case about ultimate matters and then acting accordingly, asserting that this obviously can only happen if people are free of coercion and manipulation. Paula White-Cain, appointed by Trump to lead the White House Faith Office earlier this year, warned about recent threats to religious liberty, including de-banking and attacks on houses of worship. She stated, Employees have been fired over their faith. Religious entities have been de-banked, parental rights have been violated, and added, Who would have ever thought that in the very beginning, President Trump would have to pardon 23 pro-lifers for standing outside of an abortion clinic and praying silently? However, criticism of the events venue came from Rachel Laser, CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, who attended the meeting and accused the government of catering to white Christians. From the setting at the Museum of the Bible to the political appointees to the speakers invited to testify, its clear this commission was created to advance the myth that the United States was founded for white Christians and that our laws and policies must continue to favor their beliefs, she claimed. Zelensky, Trump discuss Ukraine's air defense capabilities Xinhua) 09:50, July 05, 2025 KIEV, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that he had discussed Ukraine's air defense capabilities in a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump. They agreed that they would work together to strengthen protecting the skies of Ukraine, Zelensky said in a post on social media. According to Zelensky, they also discussed defense industry capabilities and the possibilities of joint production. The conversation also covered mutual procurement and investment, diplomatic situation, and Ukraine's cooperation with the United States and other international partners, Zelensky said. The Trump administration had halted part of military aid to Ukraine following a review of U.S. own stockpiles, the White House and Pentagon confirmed Tuesday. On Thursday, Trump said he did not make any progress on Iran and the Ukraine conflict during a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Photo Credit: Facebook/ Dr. Robert Jeffress The senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas openly expressed his support for Israel during a sermon addressing recent U.S. military strikes on Irans nuclear facilities. He framed the strikes as both a strategic and moral necessity and used his platform to directly respond to a viral exchange between Tucker Carlson and Senator Ted Cruz. Jeffress said, To support Israel, first of all, means to support Israels right to exist. The nation of Iran does not believe Israel has the right to exist. Iran has its stated objective to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth, and there are other countries that believe that as well. But in doing so, they are going against God Himself. Jeffress further emphasized the divine importance of Israel, stating, Unlike any other nation in the world, God created the nation of Israel. Israel was His idea, and He said Israel will endure forever. He also affirmed Israel's biblical and historical claims to its land, asserting, You look not just at the Bible, but look at secular history, look at archaeology. We know without a shadow of a doubt that Israel occupied that land at least three thousand years ago, dismissing claims that the land is rightfully owned by Palestinians. Ladies and gentlemen, history is very clear on this. Those who oppose Israel are always on the wrong side of history. And most importantly, theyre on the wrong side of God, Jeffress declared. And thank God we finally have a president who understands that truth in Donald Trump. His comments came shortly after President Trump authorized military action against Iran, which Jeffress described as both courageous and necessary, and the right decision, to protect Israel, America, and the entire world. Last night, we saw President Trump make the right decision, he told his congregation. In going against Iran, he not only removed a menace and a threat to the nation of Israel, but he removed a threat to America and the entire world. Jeffress added that he personally texted Trump to express support, assuring him that millions of Christians across the country were praying for him and would back his decisions. Jeffress also highlighted Trumps public declaration of faith following the strikes, noting, He said, I want to thank everybody, but in particular, I want to thank God, and I just want to say we love you, God. Have you ever heard another president say that, Republican or Democrat? Beyond their shared views on Israel and biblical support, Jeffress and Cruz have maintained a long-standing political relationship. Cruz, who spoke at First Baptist Dallas in 2013, urged the congregation to stand firm for their Christian principles and also called for abolishing the IRS after its alleged targeting of pro-life and Christian groups. Home News DOJ announces record $14.6B in healthcare fraud, over 300 arrests The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that over 300 people have been arrested in connection with a record $14.6 billion in alleged healthcare fraud. In a press release on Monday, the DOJ detailed the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which involved the coordination of state and federal law enforcement. According to the DOJ, criminal charges have been filed against 324 defendants, including nearly 100 licensed medical professionals, such as doctors and nurses. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The operation was overseen by the Health Care Fraud Unit of the DOJ Criminal Divisions Fraud Section and included its core partners from U.S. Attorneys Offices, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Among those arrested, 29 were charged for their alleged involvement in transnational criminal organizations that submitted over $12 billion in fraudulent claims to health insurance programs in the United States. This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement provided to The Christian Post. Make no mistake this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities. Regarding the operation, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino stated in a post on X that the alleged fraud committed by the defendants was a crime against all of us. The investigation spanned 50 federal districts, and resulted in nearly 3 billion dollars in false claims with over 15 million illegal distributions of pills, Bongino tweeted. Results matter. Talk is cheap. And this is not even the beginning of the beginning. If youre stealing from the public, or violating your oath to serve, then were coming for you too. God bless America, and all those who defend Her. The charges stemmed from a wide variety of alleged unlawful behaviors. For example, 74 defendants were charged in 58 different cases with allegedly illegally diverting more than 15 million pills of prescription opioids and other controlled substances. Additionally, 49 defendants were charged in connection with allegedly submitting approximately $1.17 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare via telemedicine and genetic testing fraud schemes. Another 170 defendants were charged with various fraud schemes involving over $1.84 billion in allegedly fraudulent and false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies for diagnostic testing, medical visits, and medically unnecessary treatments, either provided in relation to bribes and kickbacks or not provided at all. According to the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, healthcare fraud drains an estimated $100 billion through fraudulent claims, waste and abuse, making it one of the most expensive financial leaks in the nation. Thats more than $300 annually for every American." Home News Victory Christian Center leads 700 inmates in worship, baptism during unprecedented prison outreach More than 700 inmates and prison staff gathered last week at the John H. Lilley Correctional Center in Boley, Oklahoma, for an outreach event led by Victory Christian Center, one of Tulsas largest churches. Organized by Pastor Paul Daugherty and a team of 32 volunteers, the outreach included worship, preaching, baptisms, and the distribution of hot meals, Bibles and Christian books. According to the church, 41 individuals were baptized and more than 400 men made professions of faith. "Today was a blessing beyond words," the church shared on Instagram following the event. "We were welcomed into an Oklahoma mens prison to share the hope of Jesus! God moved powerfully through salvations, baptisms, and life-changing moments of connection. His LOVE truly knows no walls or limits." Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The team served 1,000 hot meals, distributed 700 Bibles, handed out 620 New Life books and 710 Words That Change the World booklets, and gave 100 gift bags to prison staff through a partnership with CityServe Oklahoma. Daugherty told CBN News the idea for the outreach began just three months ago when he felt God prompting him to reach those behind bars. "I was like, man, I really feel like there's a harvest of people in the prisons that we could reach with God's love that [only a few] churches in our city [are] really going after," he said. I really want[ed] to reach almost every prisoner we can in an outreach." A timely connection with Oklahoma Chief Operating Officer Brian Bobek, a Christian who began attending Victory Christian Center, opened the door to the prison system. Daugherty said Bobek encouraged him to plan something that would draw inmates out of their cells. "I said, 'I dont wanna just do a small service for 10 or 20 guys. ... I want to reach almost every prisoner we can,'" Daugherty said. On June 23, the team launched the outreach on a dry field inside the facility. Despite uncertainty about how many would attend, 751 inmates ultimately came to hear the Gospel. "When I saw them getting out of their pods and walking towards the field ... I just started weeping," Daugherty recalled. "This looks like a picture out of the Bible when Jesus saw that village of Samaritan people. He said the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few." The pastor described seeing hardened men transformed by the love of Christ. I saw all these [inmates] walking towards us like zombies ... literally coming out of [the prison with] depression and despair and discouragement and shame, he said. Despite some initial fear about standing in the middle of 751 prisoners with no handcuffs, Daugherty said he knew he was where God wanted him to be. "I just started hugging them and shaking their hands and praying for them, and then I did an altar call, he said. Over 400 hands went up. He said many of the men were incarcerated for sexual crimes, violent offenses, or drug-related charges, ranging in age from their 20s to their 70s. One of the most memorable encounters for Daugherty was with an inmate who told him he had once been saved at Victory Christian Center when Daughertys father, Billy Joe Daugherty, was pastor in the 1990s. "He said, 'I was part of the choir and I sang in the worship [team]. I made some really bad choices and ... I got locked up in the year 2000, Daugherty said. The man recounted that before his death, Billy Joe Daugherty had visited him in prison and told him he loved him and that God forgave him. Now, decades later, the younger Daugherty was standing in the same prison, preaching to him once again. "He said, 'Here you are ... the son of my pastor that saved me, [now] ministering in my prison,'" Daugherty recalled. Im getting teary-eyed like, Man, God, what a story of grace. Daugherty believes the outreach is just the beginning. Weve already lined up the prisons for the fall and the winter, he said. Prisons started calling that they want [us] to come. Reflecting on the experience, Daugherty said theres a deep hunger for something real, both inside and outside of prison walls. "I think people are really waking up to the reality that our world ... is so broken, he said. Theres just so much shallowness. Jesus is that answer. Victory Christian Center hopes to continue expanding its prison outreach in the coming months. "Praise God. Let's keep doing this," Daugherty said. Approximately 1.8 million men and women in America are incarcerated, and approximately 1.5 million children have an incarcerated parent, according to DOJ statistics. However, recent data from the annual State of the Bible report found that only 40% of American Christians who actively and regularly engage with Scripture either agree or strongly agree that they value caring for incarcerated individuals. In a recent op-ed for The Christian Post, Cody Wilde, the senior vice president of correctional programs at Prison Fellowship, encouraged believers to get involved with prison ministry, emphasizing that we are called by God to love the guilty as well as the innocent. We are called to follow Jesus outside of our comfort zone, to follow Him toward those He loves. And the reward for doing so is nothing less than the joy of participating in Gods loving work here in our own communities, he wrote. The language here is important. Remembering in the Bible and particularly in Hebrews 13 isnt just recollection. Its beholding something. A call to remember the imprisoned is a call to look, to behold, to make them real to your senses, he added. In saying remember those in prison, the writer of Hebrews is asking us to behold the sacredness that exists in those who are forgotten. We are invited to participate in Gods work, to share in something He is already building, when we join any effort to minister to the incarcerated. Were coming alongside the work of Gods grace. Home News Billboard Chris wins free speech battle in Australia: 'Truth and common sense have prevailed' A tribunal in Melbourne, Australia, has ruled in favor of Canadian activist Chris Billboard Chris Elston, overturning a government order to remove one of his social media posts expressing his views on gender identity, under that countrys Online Safety Act. The decision marks a major legal victory for the social media platform X, which had also challenged the takedown order. Elstons post, published in February 2024, criticized the appointment of trans-identified activist Teddy Cook to an expert position at the World Health Organization and referred to Cook using biologically based pronouns. The post was deemed cyber abuse by Australias eSafety Commissioner, who then issued a removal order to X, according to the legal advocacy group ADF International, which, in conjunction with the Human Rights Law Alliance in Australia, coordinated the legal challenge. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe X initially resisted the demand, later opting to geo-block the post within Australia. The legal challenge to the eSafety Commissioners ruling was filed jointly by Elston and X. The Administrative Review Tribunal held a week-long hearing in Melbourne beginning March 31, where it reviewed whether the post constituted cyber abuse. This week, the Tribunal ruled that the Commissioner had erred in classifying Elstons expression as abusive and formally set aside the removal order. Deputy President ODonovan, who presided over the Tribunal, cited Elstons testimony at length. Elston had stated that he would not use pronouns inconsistent with a persons biological sex, calling it untrue and arguing that doing so has implications for the rights and safety of women and children. The ruling acknowledged Elstons consistent use of sex-based pronouns as a reflection of his beliefs rather than a form of targeted harassment. The tribunal concluded that Elstons post did not meet the statutory threshold for cyber abuse under the Online Safety Act and should not have been subject to regulatory action by the commissioner. ODonovan wrote, I am satisfied that it is his universal practice to refer to a transgender person by the pronouns that correspond to their biological sex at birth. The ruling arrives amid growing scrutiny of the Australian governments expanding authority over online content. The United States House Judiciary Committee recently released a report documenting international censorship efforts, including cooperation between Australias eSafety Commissioner and the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, a group linked to the World Economic Forum. According to the committee, GARM coordinated with regulators and advertisers to suppress content deemed politically unfavorable. Published emails show that eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant explicitly referenced GARMs influence in shaping her offices regulatory actions, stating that the group had very powerful levers and requested frequent updates to help guide her decisions. The U.S. State Department weighed in on the case in May, calling the Australian commissioners actions part of a trend of coercive censorship. In his public reaction to the decision, Elston said, Im grateful that truth and common sense have prevailed. This decision sends a clear message that the government does not have [the] authority to silence peaceful expression. He added, My mission is to speak the truth about gender ideology, protecting children across the world from its dangers. Paul Coleman, executive director of ADF International, said the ruling was a decisive win for free speech and criticized the Australian government for targeting a Canadian citizens post on an American-owned platform. Today, free speech has prevailed, Coleman said. This is a victory not just for Billboard Chris, but for every Australian and indeed every citizen who values the fundamental right to free speech. The platform X also issued a statement through its Global Government Affairs Team, calling the ruling a victory for free speech. The statement said the company had faced an AUD $800,000 ($525,000) fine if it failed to comply with the commissioners censorship demand. X characterized the post as part of a broader political discussion involving issues of public interest that are subject to legitimate debate. Home News Pentecostal pastor convicted of sexually assaulting woman while exorcising demons Editor's note: This article contains court details of alleged sexual assaults. A former church pastor in Scotland has been convicted of sexually assaulting two women, including a parishioner he claimed was possessed by demons. Walter Masocha, 61, was found guilty of multiple offenses committed over six years while leading an international religious organization he founded. A jury at the High Court in Livingston this week convicted Masocha, originally from Zimbabwe, of attempted rape, indecent assault and sexual assault against one woman, as well as indecent assault against another, The U.K. Times reported. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe He was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing scheduled for July 28, where the judge said his name was likely to remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely due to the length and nature of his offenses. The first woman, now 39, testified that Masocha began abusing her when she was 20 and living in Stirling. She said Masocha told her repeatedly that God had given her to him and that she didnt need a boyfriend. During church surgeries, he would say he had been instructed by God to love her in whatever way she wanted to be loved. She recounted how the abuse began with Masocha forcing his tongue into her mouth, slapping her backside and ultimately attempting to rape her after pulling down her trousers and underwear in his bedroom. She said she froze at the time but managed to break free and run away. On another occasion, she said he placed her hand on his penis over his clothing at his mansion in Sauchieburn. The house, worth 500,000 (over $682,700), was used for many of his so-called healing sessions. The victims husband also gave evidence, telling the court they confronted Masocha following the Zimbabwean tradition of seeking accountability from elders. Masocha responded by prostrating himself on the floor and asked them to pray for him, saying, Im sorry I loved you too much. The second woman, aged 58, told the court that about two decades earlier, she had approached Masocha to pray for her husbands immigration situation. She said he told her God had given her to him as a gift, ordered her to kiss him and groped her private parts under the pretense of casting out demons. He claimed she was receiving blessings in return. During closing arguments, prosecutor Michael MacIntosh told the jury that Masocha preyed on women who trusted him for spiritual guidance. Masocha, who referred to himself as a prophet, denied all allegations and claimed the women were lying. Masocha was previously a university lecturer in accounting at Stirling University. In 2007, he founded the Agape for All Nations Church, a Pentecostal ministry that grew to more than 2,000 members across the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and several African countries. He styled himself as archbishop, claiming a salary equivalent to that of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and lived what court documents described as a jet-set lifestyle, traveling frequently to visit pastors and preach overseas. He was referred to by church members as the prophet, the apostle, and a man of God. The jury convicted Masocha on four charges spanning from January 2006 to July 2012, delivering a majority verdict on attempted rape and unanimous verdicts on the other counts. Judge Susan Craig revoked his bail immediately, calling his behavior appalling and ordering background reports and a risk assessment to consider an extended sentence. Though Masocha had no prior convictions at trial, it emerged that he was found guilty in 2015 of similar offenses at the Church of Agape, including groping a church deaconess and touching a schoolgirl under the guise of exorcism. He was sentenced to community service and placed on the sex offenders register, but the conviction was later quashed as a miscarriage of justice. Home Opinion Why atheists should be afraid of 'nothing' Atheists choose to limit themselves to only one cosmological option. They hitch their wagon to the wild fantasy that everything came from nothing. This foolish belief creates an irrational worldview. But unlike Christianity, which is an evidence-base faith, atheism has a religious-like devotion to the absurd belief that nothing created something. Atheists should actually be afraid of 'nothing.' That is to say, atheists should fear the faulty assumption that nothing produced space, time, matter and energy at the beginning. This blind faith is rooted in a preposterous make-believe theory, without a shred of scientific evidence to support its impossible conclusion. Lee Strobel posted in 2017: "To continue in atheism, I would need to believe that nothing produces everything, non-life produces life, randomness produces fine-tuning, chaos produces information, unconsciousness produces consciousness, and non-reason produces reason. I simply didn't have that much faith." Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe If an atheist follows the evidence, he or she can meet "the only true God" (John 17:3). But when atheists dig in their heels and continue trusting in their illogical ideology, they remain spiritually blind. Sadly, man with his free will can choose to close his mind to the truth he was created to understand and accept. When an atheist faces a family crisis, he has nothing to rely upon for spiritual comfort. When atheists become disillusioned with life, there is nothing substantive to pull them out of the pit of discouragement. And when atheists stand before Jesus Christ on Judgment Day, they will have nothing good to say about why they rejected God. Jon Noyes is a pastor, radio host and Christian apologist. But when Jon was an atheist, he wrestled with various questions: "Where did everything come from? Why is there something rather than nothing? His naturalistic worldview could not explain all the wonders of Creation that were evident to him." Perhaps you can relate to Jon. You might even be at the same place he found himself years ago. If so, I highly encourage you to develop a fear of "nothing." That is, start to become afraid that you might be wrong in your unreasonable assumption that something came from nothing. Even if you feel like you have nothing to lose by denying God's existence, I assure you, my friend, that you have far more to lose than you can even fathom. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). Without this holy fear, you'll remain convinced that you will never be held accountable to your Creator. And since you believe in nothing supernatural, you wrongly assume there will be no eternal accountability or eternal justice. The fear of the Lord wakes a person up to the reality of God, sin, forgiveness, Heaven and Hell. Without the fear of the Lord, a person lives in denial. Jesus said, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Hell" (Matthew 10:28). A callous heart prevents a person from experiencing the appropriate fear of paying the penalty for his sins in Hell. Many atheists laugh off the notion of an actual place called "Hell," but their laughing is tragically misguided and uniformed. I wrote, "The man who refuses to trust God is a man who assumes he can trust his own opinions. And so he looks for ways to shore up his weak position, and to convince himself that his perceptions are in perfect alignment with the visible and invisible realities of the universe." If you are staking your soul on the idea that everything came from nothing, you need to wake up and snap out of your spiritual stupor. God created you with a body, soul and spirit. (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23) And it is impossible to extinguish your immortal soul. Therefore, you would be wise to get on board with the Creator's design for your life. If you place your faith in Jesus, God will wash away your sins. But if you refuse to adopt the fear of the Lord, you will remain on a path that leads away from God throughout eternity. The Holy Spirit can give you a healthy fear of the Lord. Rather than assuming that God is an imaginary being up in the sky, you need to realize how much horror awaits you in the future unless you repent. Am I attempting to scare you into God's kingdom? Perhaps, but if God's love has not have moved the needle even the slightest in your heart, what will do it other than the fear of the Lord and the fear of eternal punishment? (see Matthew 25:46) Scripture clearly teaches that you and I deserve to go to Hell because of our sins. But God, in His mercy, sent His only Son to pay for our sins on the cross. You can either humble yourself before your Creator and receive Christ as Savior (see John 1:12) or you can assume you know better than God. Either way, you will look back one day at this opportunity God gave you to "repent and believe the good news" (Mark 1:15). So, choose wisely. Mayor Kim Thomas will work for one week with other state elected office holders as part of the Class of 2025 Ohio Public Leadership Academy. City of Richmond Heights RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Two weeks after being selected to Leadership Clevelands Class of 2026, Mayor Kim Thomas learned that she will have the opportunity to become a leader on the state level. Thomas has been chosen to participate in the 2025 Ohio Public Leadership Academy for Elected Officials (OPLA) that will convene July 14 at The Ohio State University. In the letter of acceptance she received last week from OPLA, it was stated that Thomas was identified as a rising leader. Each year, an even number of Republican and Democrat elected officials are selected to take part in OPLA, which puts leaders in a position to learn from each other and build lasting relationships across political jurisdictions. Participants include mayors, county commissioners, township trustees, school board members, and city council members from throughout Ohio. Members will meet from July 14-19 on Ohio States Columbus campus to reflect on their call to serve, explore topics they have in common, and build trust across jurisdictions. OPLAs stated goal is to have the elected officials return to political life with a better understanding of colleagues across jurisdictions, and a renewed commitment to service. An OPLA release states that, upon graduation, many officials stay in contact and rely on each other as they move into higher office. Thomas is one of five mayors selected, including from Northeast Ohio Oakwood Mayor Josh Duslak and Highland Hills Mayor Michael Booker. Cuyahoga County Councilman Michael Houser was also chosen, as were seven Ohio House representatives and four county commissioners. In all, there are 25 members of the Class of 2025. Speaking of her selection, Thomas, in an email response to cleveland.com, stated, I am truly honored to be accepted into the 2025 Ohio Public Leadership Academy for Elected Officials. This opportunity allows me to collaborate with leaders from across our state about our communities, exploring leadership strategies and building lasting relationships. I look forward to sharing my experiences and learning from my peers as we work together to strengthen our commitment to effective governance and service. Together, we will continue to make an impact on our communities. Thomas added that she is very thankful to Ray A. Freeman, vice president of the Warrensville Heights School Board, and the Ohio Municipal League for their recommendation (nomination) to the Academy. Read more from the Sun Messenger. Tech stocks helped lift the S & P 500 to a record in the first half, but Deepwater Asset Management's Gene Munster said the artificial intelligence trade still has room to run in 2025 and he shared a couple of his picks. The broad market index made a stunning turnaround from its April lows to end June with a second-quarter gain of nearly 11%. The information technology sector, which includes Nvidia and Palantir , jumped more than 23% in the quarter, as the return of the AI trade propelled the advance. .GSPT YTD mountain The S & P 500's information technology sector in 2025 "We're in the camp that AI is going to measurably surprise to the upside this year," Munster, Deepwater's managing partner, told CNBC Pro in an interview. "The story for the back half of the year, though, is going to be that we're earlier in the whole shift over than we had realized." "I think people are going to leave this year saying, 'I had no idea this can keep going and going,'" he added. CNBC Pro spoke with Munster about some of his top tech sector plays for the second half of 2025: iPhone maker Apple and cloud storage provider Box . Box Shares of the cloud storage play have gained 5% in 2025, while competitor Dropbox has seen shares tumble nearly 7%. The two companies essentially perform the same utility, but Box is doing a better job of deploying agents, Munster said. These are AI tools designed to perform more complex tasks and to increase productivity. That's especially important for file hosting service companies like Box, as customers look to track down and get insight from large pools of data, he said. BOX YTD mountain Box stock in 2025. Analysts may be undervaluing Box's growth prospects, Munster said, which he said investors may view as "uninspiring." Wall Street forecasts call for Box to grow its business by roughly 9% in 2025 and 7% in 2026, he said, adding that he thinks the firm can expand by closer to 10%. "It's kind of a forgotten story within AI, but in my opinion it's a really powerful story about getting more for small businesses and consumers out of AI," Munster said. "Both Box and Dropbox are trying to get this agent thing right, but we think Box has a better solution than Dropbox." "One of the reasons this gets left behind is, people think [it's] not the sort of exciting AI names like Meta that's growing revenue at 18% or whatever it is. But you want to go to where people are going and not where they're at today," he added. "It hasn't had that inspiring revenue growth to get people excited." Seven of the 10 analysts covering Box rate it a buy or strong buy, according to LSEG. Consensus price targets call for more than 14% upside from current levels. Apple Munster said that Wall Street's iPhone sales expectations are underestimating the potential power of a strong upgrade cycle, which could be a boon for Apple stock. Shares have slipped nearly 15% in 2025. In May, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company expects tariffs to add $900 million to its costs for the current quarter . The duties are especially troublesome for Apple, which produces the majority of its flagship iPhone in China. AAPL YTD mountain Apple stock in 2025. "Even though there's nothing exciting going on with the iPhone, I think just given this whole upgrade pool that has been forgotten by Wall Street should create a tailwind into the iPhone numbers," Munster said. "I think they hold the size of that upgrade pool from 2021. People are not going anywhere because there's rumors of a Samsung that's got a killer AI feature it's just not going to happen." Munster also said that Apple can benefit from a low bar in terms of what the company needs to deliver on AI advancements. Wall Street has largely been underwhelmed by Apple's work on AI, including its delayed updates to Siri . "They've told everybody basically not to expect anything until spring or June of next year with the new Siri, so it's not like investors are waiting in three months for some big announcement to come," Munster said. "When you put it all together, they're in a place where they can surprise people on the upside." Analysts are largely bullish on Apple, with 33 out of 50 analysts covering the stock rating it buy or strong buy, per LSEG. Consensus price targets see about 8% upside from current levels. Morgan Stanley highlighted five stocks that have plenty of upside, according to the investment bank's analysts. The firm says companies such as Chewy are compelling and their stocks have more room to run. The other overweight-rated names include: Ulta , NuBank, Chart Industries and Coupang. Chart Industries Morgan Stanley analyst Daniel Kutz is doubling down on shares of the gas and liquification company. The bank named the stock a new top pick following its merger agreement with Flowserve in early June. "The deal pulls forward key GTLS initiatives but regardless, we view GTLS's organic growth prospects as compelling, and deal-related upside as a potential incremental valuation boost," he wrote. Further, Kutz is bullish on the growth targets the company has set out and believes shares could be severely undervalued if they're achieved. Chart is also defensive in an uncertain macroeconomic environment, with deal synergies that are too attractive to ignore. A combined Chart and Flowserve "could buoy what we view as an already compelling growth and relative valuation story for GTLS shares," he went on. The stock is up nearly 18% over the past 12 months. Ulta Beauty Shares of the beauty company are also too attractive to ignore at current prices, according to analyst Simeon Gutman. Morgan Stanley said in a recent note that commentary from other peers in the beauty sector suggest improving trends, which Gutman says bodes well for Ulta. "While ULTA's compares in 2H25 become slightly more difficult, we suspect the current guide is conservative, and paves [the] way for upside given the industry forecast," he wrote. In addition, Gutman says Ulta faces minimal tariff risk. Meanwhile shares are more than 22% higher in the last year. "We think there is upside as ULTA sustains its momentum in [market] share gains," the analyst said. Coupang The Korean e-commerce company was recently named a top pick by analyst Seyon Park. "The company continues to execute well, is relatively insulated from tariff risk, and [is] a beneficiary of a weaker [U.S. dollar]," he wrote. Park says competitors are unsuccessfully scrambling to try and keep up with Coupang's market share gains. "Coupang's fully integrated fulfillment and delivery capability gives it a clear competitive advantage in Korea's eCommerce market, driving sustained share gains and operating leverage," he said. Yet even with the shares higher by 40% in just the past three months, Park says the stock's valuation remains attractive. "No stopping the Product Commerce flywheel in Korea," he said. Chewy "Our deep dive on the clinic opportunity shows an underpriced call option on an already compelling story; CHWY is our Top Pick: Chewy launched its first vet clinic last year, entering the $40B market. Clinics should prove to be a strong standalone segment with compelling 4-wall unit economics and we estimate a ~2.5x-5.0x ROI per clinic." Read more. Chart Industries The deal pulls forward key GTLS initiatives but regardless, we view GTLS's organic growth prospects as compelling & deal-related upside as a potential incremental valuation boost. ... Yet, some question whether the 'juice is worth the squeeze'. We're sympathetic to this push-back, but overall, our End Market & Macro Driver Analysis supports our view that [the] transaction offers benefits which could buoy what we view as an already compelling growth & relative valuation story for GTLS shares." NuBank "Despite rising investor interest in Brazil's payroll loan segment, we believe the market still underestimates NU's ability to quickly become a leading player in this space. ... We forecast NU will reach 10% market share in payroll loans by the end of 2026 versus sell-side expectations of just 3-4%." Ulta "While ULTA's compares in 2H25 become slightly more difficult, we suspect the current guide is conservative, and paves way for upside given the industry forecast. ... ULTA is well-positioned, given '25 is a low bar (comps/EBIT margin guidance of +0.8%/~11.8% at the midpoint) and there is minimal tariff risk. We think there is upside as ULTA sustains its momentum in share gains." Coupang "The company continues to execute well, is relatively insulated from tariff risk, and a beneficiary of a weaker USD. ... No stopping the Product Commerce flywheel in Korea. ... Coupang's fully integrated fulfillment and delivery capability gives it a clear competitive advantage in Korea's eCommerce market, driving sustained share gains and operating leverage." Americans are embracing health and wellness and none more than Gen Z and millennials. People are spending more than $500 billion in the United States on wellness, and it is growing at 4% to 5% each year, according to McKinsey . Nearly 30% of Gen Zers and millennials said they are prioritizing wellness "a lot more" compared to a year ago, the report said. In comparison, 23% of the older generations replied the same. Bank of America's credit card data backs that up. Spending in fitness clubs, for example, has been rising across the board for several months, but it is Gen Z and millennials who are kicking it up a notch, said Bank of America analyst Alexander Perry. "We're seeing increased prioritization of fitness by these generations and they're behaving in ways that prior generations did not," he said in an interview with CNBC. "They're really prioritizing fitness first and foremost, but we also believe they're prioritizing other healthy ways of living, focused on healthy eating, drinking, aging, to name a few." For instance, the average Gen Z household spends 2.8 times more than baby boomers on fitness and allocates more than three times of their budget compared to the older cohort, he said. Foot traffic growth at fitness centers is also "well surpassing" that to bars and clubs, Perry said. "They're adopting different leisure activities on the weekends," he said. "The leisure-based activities that are seemingly healthy are what these younger generations are gravitating towards. We think this is pretty sticky and has pretty long-term implications." That coincides with the rise of spending on non-alcoholic beer and seltzer, which has averaged 28 points higher versus alcoholic equivalents since 2021, he noted. Last year, per capita alcohol consumption fell 3% year over year, bringing it to a 10% decline versus the peak in 2021, according to Bernstein. That's the lowest level the firm has seen since 1962. Meanwhile, the International Wine and Spirits Record (IWSR) has projected that non-alcoholic beer will overtake ale to become the second-largest beer category by volume worldwide this year. Still, after years of surveys showing the decline in alcoholic beverage consumption among the younger population, new data from IWSR is showing an uptick . Participation rates among Gen Z consumers have risen to 70% in the six months leading up to May, up from 46% two years ago, the drinks data and analytics provider said. Lastly, anti-aging and recovery products are also becoming popular among the cohort, Perry said. Google searches such as "cold plunge" and "red light therapy" are up significantly, he noted. Fitness club plays There are two fitness clubs poised to benefit from the focus on health and wellness by Gen Z and millennials, according to Bank of America's Perry. Life Time is a high-end fitness provider that is identifying fast-growing trends pretty quickly, he said. One of those is pickleball, which is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. "They were pretty quick to identify the pickleball trend," Perry said. "They started repurposing parts of their clubs to pickleball courts, and now are one of the largest pickleball providers in the U.S." The company has also started getting into the cold-plunge tub trend, which will also bode well for its long-term tailwinds, he added. Life Time has an average analyst rating of overweight and about 30% upside to the average price target, according to FactSet. LTH YTD mountain Life Time year to date Meanwhile, Planet Fitness is well positioned for the trend as the largest provider at a value-oriented price point, Perry said. In fact, the company has a high penetration of first-time gym goers, he said. "Their penetration in terms of Gen Z and millennials coming into a Planet Fitness has continued to expand and been very strong," Perry said. The stock has an average rating of buy from the analysts covering it and roughly 7% upside to the average price target, per FactSet. Anti-aging opportunity SharkNinja is poised to capitalize on the anti-aging product trend with its light therapy mask CryoGlow, Perry said. The company was quick to identify the recent trend of healthy aging and red-light therapy face masks, he said. "If their past product portfolio is an example of what they're going to be rolling out, I think that you'll continue to see them play in this wellness space in a bigger way," Perry said. The stock has an average analyst rating of buy and 14% upside to the average price target, per FactSet. SN YTD mountain SharkNinja year to date The alcohol story While it is uncertain what the new uptick in Gen Z drinking habits may mean for alcohol stocks, it is clear that sales are on the decline overall. Morgan Stanley said that the Gen Z cohort will likely not match prior generations as it ages when it comes to drinking. The firm said wellness trends like weight-loss and diabetes drugs, as well as an overall negative perception of alcohol's health implications also play a part. Plus, the heavier drinkers are the older generations who will be physiologically unable to consume as much alcohol as they age, analyst Sarah Simon said in a note earlier this year. That means the zero-alcohol segment is "ripe for strong growth," she wrote. The stocks she likes are skewed towards soft drinks and beer. Her top pick in the U.S. is Coca- Cola . She also likes Belgian-based Anheuser-Busch InBev, which trades in the U.S. under ticker BUD . KO YTD mountain Coca-Cola year to date However, Bernstein analyst Nadine Sarwat doesn't expect the moderation of younger generations to remain permanent as they age. She also said economic pressure and the way social media has changed socializing has affected Gen Z's alcohol consumption. "Once they enter full working adulthood, they are reverting back to drinking patterns of previous people in working adulthood," she said. "What no one can agree on is why are they drinking less in those crucial years? Some of it is probably health and wellness. Some of it is probably social media, that it's changed socializing. Some of it is definitely economic pressure," Sarwat added. The tech industry is reeling after a software engineer was exposed as working at several Silicon Valley startups at the same time and experts say it's a lesson on hustle culture gone too far. Soham Parekh, a software engineer from Mumbai, went viral on social media after being accused by Playground AI founder Suhail Doshi on X of working at a number of startups simultaneously. Doshi wrote: "There's a guy named Soham Parekh (in India) who works at 3-4 startups at the same time. He's been preying on YC [Y Combinator] companies and more. Beware. I fired this guy in his first week and told him to stop lying / scamming people. He hasn't stopped a year later. No more excuses." The post racked up 25,000 likes with more founders coming forward about hiring Parekh, including AI startup Lindy, which fired him after seeing Doshi's post. Doshi confirmed to CNBC Make It via email that Parekh worked at the company. "We realized he was working multiple jobs shortly after he joined, based on constant large fluctuations in his availability and the quality of his output. He also attended an off-site, where it became pretty clear," Doshi said. Soham Parekh did not respond to CNBC Make It's request for an interview. Matthew Parkhurst, founder of software startup Antimetal, said Parekh was the company's first engineering hire in 2022 and was smart and likable. "We realized pretty quickly that he was working at multiple companies and let him go," Parkhurst said on X. Other founders like Haz Hubble, the co-founder of social media scheduler Pally, also came forward about offering Parekh a founding engineer role. "Around one week ago we offered him a role as founding engineer, with a total package worth $250k per year, but withdrew after he wouldn't live with us in San Francisco now we know why!" Hubble told CNBC via email, explaining that as the company is early-stage, the team living and working together is crucial. "To me it seems he must be addicted to the game of getting job offers, rather than actually making money, given he never lasts more than a few weeks and rarely gets paid. It begs the question why?" Lindy and Antimetal did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. In an interview on tech show TBPN on Thursday, Parekh admitted that it was true he was working for multiple startups at once and wasn't proud of what he had done. "No one really likes to work 140 hours a week, but I had to do this out of necessity," Parekh said in the show. "I was in extremely dire financial circumstances." Parekh said he only started doing this in 2022, and the grueling lifestyle meant he became a "serial non-sleeper." He added that he "cared about these companies" and "greed wasn't an incentive," despite his financial situation. He said he always took the lower pay, higher equity offer at companies. The tech community on social media is divided, however, with some questioning the ethics of secretly working multiple jobs, while others wonder how Parekh pulled it off. The actors who played Lucy and Rickys best friends and neighbors couldnt stand each other so much that it affected the entire run of the show Getting a TV spouse is a big gamble: If you hate them, you might have to pretend to love them for a reeeally long time. I Love Lucy was mostly an exception, because even if Lucille Ball and Desi Arnazs marriage was never perfect and often a shitstorm, they were used to making kissy faces. William Frawley and Vivian Vance, however, lost that gamble big time. The actors who played Lucy and Rickys best friends and neighbors, Fred and Ethel Mertz, couldnt stand each other so much that it affected the entire run of the show. It all started when Vance expressed her frustration with audiences accepting her, at 42 years old, without question as the wife of a man Frawleys age, which was 64 when the series premiered. Whether or not she had a point is up for debate. On one hand, Hollywood does love to cast actresses who can still drink Red Bull and vodka without dying as the wives of their middle-aged leading men. On the other, this could be chalked up to changes in fashion, but if you go back and watch those old episodes, its hard to say Vance was a young 42. Like, Anne Hathaway is 42 right now. Theres a difference, is all. Anyway, word got back to Frawley that Vance thought he was old and gross, and he didnt take kindly to that. He was really a very, very bad alcoholic as well as a woman-hater, known throughout Hollywood for very bad language and just antisocial behavior, according to one biographer, so he didnt take kindly to much. As revenge, he instructed the shows writers to give Fred creative insults to lob at Ethel, such as comparing her body to a sack full of doorknobs, to which Vance responded by making sure Fred and Ethel never got too physically friendly. The insults continued off camera, too. On the set of another sitcom, Frawley told visitors that Vance was a miserable... word we cant print. It rhymes with punt. Don't Miss By the end of I Love Lucy, Vance and Frawley were so done with each other that they turned down lucrative offers for a Mertz-based spin-off. (It turns out frigid, hateful marriages were popular in the 50s.) And we do mean lucrative: Vance turned down a $50,000 bonus, which was basically Jeff Bezos money back then. Advertisement Do you know anyone you wouldnt hang out with in exchange for that kind of money? I dont. Call me, CBS. Is the American Dream alive? Depends who you ask. Some say it never was its just a glossy term the privileged use to whitewash obstacles to immigrants success. Others, including some immigrants themselves, say not only that it is alive, but that they are living it. In Charlottesville, the food community stands on the shoulders of immigrants who came to the area for a better life. Their restaurants are a win-win enabling pursuit of their dreams while enriching the community with new cuisines and experiences. Among the most welcome is Peruvian, a cuisine so esteemed that a restaurant in Peru ranks first on The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants. Peruvian food is now in Charlottesville thanks to a man pursuing his dream, and a community supporting it. Born in Peru, Eddy Morenos American Dream began at a Costa Rica hotel. As a child in Peru, he had fallen in love with food while working at his mothers restaurant. So, he attended culinary school, and then moved to Costa Rica, where guests of the hotel where he cooked would tell him that in the U.S. hed have the chance to open his own restaurant. In 2014, Moreno took the leap and moved to Miami where he became head chef of a popular sushi restaurant serving Nikkei cuisine (Peruvian-Japanese). The owners were immigrants, and Moreno recalls how their success helped him see that his dream could become a reality. Pursuit of it took him to Roanoke, where in 2019, he and his brother opened Inka Grill. As Moreno puts it, Its a place where we proudly share the flavors of Peru, with each dish telling a story of our heritage and the journey that brought us here. It did so well that they expanded to Charlottesville, opening a Corner location in 2021 and a Fifth Street Extended location in 2022. I am a regular of the latter, and while I have enjoyed many meals there, none matched my most recent. The company may have helped two American Dreamers themselves, Maria Salazar-Gil and Fernando Salazar, who came to the area from Venezuela and now run Charlottesvilles Best New Restaurant, Arepas Steakhouse. They are also regulars, and Moreno gave them the royal treatment. Table setting Inka Grill Peruvian cuisine 365 Merchant Walk Square (434) 234-3196 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday Part of Peruvian foods appeal is that, like America, it is a melting pot fusing immigrants influences to produce new cuisines like Nikkei and chifa (Peruvian-Chinese). An example of the latter is lomo saltado, a stir fry of sliced beef tenderloin applying Chinese touches such as wok cooking and soy sauce to Peruvian ingredients including aji amarillo, peppers and onions. Moreno served ours over tacu tacu, a fried patty of mashed beans, rice and aji peppers an ideal vehicle to sop up Morenos savory sauce. Another highlight was a type of Peruvian ceviche called leche de tigre. What distinguishes it from other ceviches is that the fish is not just marinated in citrus, it is part of the marinade. Moreno mashes corvina fish with garlic, celery, ginger, salt and pepper, and then blends it with lime juice and red onion. The liquid from the mashed fish yields a milky appearance, giving the dish its name, tiger milk, and perfuming the marinade with the aroma of the sea. A topping of fried calamari clinched it as Salazar-Gils favorite dish of the night. The combination of citrus and crunchy squid tentacles is the perfect match, she said. Salazars favorites were grilled octopus and anticucho high praise for a man who grills for a living. For the octopus, Moreno braises it in red wine and vegetables until tender and finishes it on the grill. Anticucho is cow heart, which Moreno slices thinly, marinates for 24 hours, grills and serves with chimichurri and huancaina, a creamy sauce made from aji amarillo and queso fresco. I am a lover of all things grilled, and the octopus and anticucho are a must-try, Salazar said. While Moreno, Salazar and Salazar-Gil all believe in the American Dream, it means different things to each of them. For Maria, its the sum of the satisfactions that come from the recognition of effort and hard work. For Salazar, security, freedom and stability for the entire family. And, Moreno? Its the opportunity this country offers to build a better life through hard work, determination and resilience. If Charlottesville benefits from the restaurants of immigrants pursuing their dreams, it also deserves some of the credit, said Salazar and Salazar-Gil. Were grateful for the community welcoming us, supporting us and allowing us to fulfill our dreams, said Salazar. Moreno agreed, and said its not true everywhere. His first attempt at opening a restaurant, in Florida, failed because the community was not receptive to the flavors, he said. In Charlottesville, he has found the opposite. I love the Charlottesville community because it is so hospitable and welcoming of new people, he said. And flavors. A year ago, Keir Starmer penned one of his first articles since becoming Prime Minister. It focused on immigration. I will make it clear that secure borders are a priority for my government, he declared, with chronically misplaced bravado. What did all the rhetoric and grandstanding of the previous government amount to? A legacy of failure. When I say we must smash the gangs, I mean it. He concluded with this peroration. My government is rolling up its sleeves and getting the job done. Grown-up politics, back in the service of working people. Set aside the fact the smuggling gangs are doing a roaring trade. And that far from securing the borders, the Government has allowed the number of small-boat arrivals to surge to record levels. Instead, lets focus on the Prime Ministers words, and in particular his pledge to return to an era of grown-up politics. Because whatever you may think about Sir Keir, at the time they were strong words. Robust. Clear. The confident oratory of a man properly grasping the scale of the challenges facing his nation. Now compare them with the interview he gave a week ago, marking his first year in office. Again, the subject was immigration and about his speech warning that Britain was becoming an island of strangers. A comment some said had been used by Enoch Powell. I had no idea and my speechwriters didnt know either, he pleaded. But that particular phrase no it wasnt right. Ill give you the honest truth: I deeply regret using it. He then admitted he hadnt properly read the speech at all. He should have held it up to the light more, he conceded. Just as he made clear a couple of days later that he hadnt bothered to properly engage with his flagship benefit reforms. Hed been focusing on foreign affairs, he claimed. My full attention really bore down on this on Thursday, he said. At which point his bill and entire welfare reform agenda promptly imploded. In the wake of the benefits fiasco, an ally of Keir Starmers told me: The problem is the parliamentary Labour party are so self-indulgent. The truth is theyre just not serious people. Rachel Reeves' distress at PMQs was so evident rumours began to circulate she had been sacked, or resigned The leaders of the Labour Party are not acting like serious people, writes Dan Hodges Wrong. The problem is that the leaders of the Labour Party are not acting like serious people. And as a result, instead of returning the governance of the nation to the grown-ups as was promised, Britain is being run by children. Rachel Reeves has insisted people respect her privacy over the personal issue that saw her break down in tears last week. So lets deal solely with the public-facing aspects of her role. On Wednesday, the Chancellor entered the House of Commons chamber, and in full view of the public gallery, engaged in an ongoing spat with the Speaker. In the course of their exchange she was overheard by several colleagues to exclaim: Im under so much pressure. She then sat down on the Government front bench, and began crying so vigorously that at 11.43am Conservative Party whips contacted their Labour opposite numbers to ask what was happening. PMQs commenced 17 minutes later. Her distress was so evident rumours began to circulate she had been sacked, or resigned. Market turmoil ensued. Downing Street officials claimed not to know what was going on. So did the Prime Minister. Finally a statement about a private personal matter was issued. The next morning, Reeves unexpectedly appeared at a press conference on NHS reform. She spoke, but failed to address the issues of the previous day. Journalists were told she would not be doing so, and would not be taking questions. It was only when financial news agency Bloomberg dropped a flash message REEVES DECLINES TO ANSWER MEDIA QUESTIONS ON TEARS IN COMMONS, that the Chancellor, clearly worried about fresh market upheaval, hurriedly agreed to a terse pooled media clip. A Prime Minister who doesnt properly read his own speeches, then publicly disowns them. Who doesnt properly focus on his own flagship legislation, then publicly abandons it three hours before a parliamentary vote. A Chancellor who publicly opines about the pressure shes facing, sheds tears in the Commons chamber, precipitates market chaos, then expects everyone to act as if nothing happened. This is not how grown-up politicians or leaders of any serious national body behave. Tears. Tantrums. Superficiality. Irresolution. It is literally what Sir Keir used to pillory Johnson, Truss and Sunak for. And yet they have become the hallmarks of his own first 12 months in office. And they go beyond mere optics or presentation. On Friday, the Chancellor was again wheeled out to downplay what was now being dismissed as simply a bad day at the office. Could she guarantee she wouldnt have to raise taxes as a result of the welfare capitulation she was asked. Im not going to, because it would be irresponsible for a Chancellor to do that, she declared. But thats literally what she did last November. Public services now need to live within their means because Im really clear, Im not coming back with more borrowing or more taxes, she told the CBI. So by her own admission, the self-styled Iron Chancellor has become the Irresponsible Chancellor. Reeves was technically correct in her tetchy TV pool clip where she said: The thing thats maybe a bit different between my job, and many of your viewers, is that when Im having a tough day, its on the telly, and most people dont have to deal with that. But many working people teachers, police officers, nurses, shop assistants have their own stressful, public-facing roles. And are still expected to conduct themselves with discipline, maturity and professionalism. The least they can expect is for their Prime Minister and Chancellor to do the same. There are many serious people on Labours backbenches. And on its front bench. Over the past year ministers such as Hillary Benn, John Healey, Pat McFadden, Yvette Cooper, Steve Reed, Bridget Phillipson and Jonathan Reynolds have carried on the business of government calmly, and without fuss. No, the blame for the crushing failure of Labours first year rests squarely on both sides of Downing Street. From Lord Allis freebies, through a series of screeching policy U-turns to the collapse of the Governments economic and fiscal agenda. Self-indulgence and dilettantism at the top of government so graphically on display over the past week are what is dragging it down. Twelve months ago Keir Starmer told us the grown-ups were back in charge. But the truth is Britain has been left home alone. Angela Rayners monitors of workplace chit-chat have already been dubbed banter police or banter tsars, but a different Russian word would be more accurate. After the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, military units had komissars who were enforcers for the regime. Given their power to denounce soldiers to the Soviet authorities, it wasnt long before they were heartily loathed. These komissars kept an eye on the ranks. They noted which men had an independent streak and they made sure any scepticism about the new political order did not spread. Light-hearted banter brightens most places of work. Life would become dull if we could not rib one another, devise nicknames and tease workmates when they goof. But under Ms Rayners Bill, third-party harassment will be reportable to and by diversity officers. The unifying benefits of banter will be lost to suffocating fear of propriety. Morale will be dented. Work will become more of a drudge. Is this really what Labour MPs want? Quite what constitutes harassment will be for courts to decide. Under Ms Rayners Bill, third-party harassment will be reportable to and by diversity officers The unifying benefits of banter will be lost to suffocating fear of propriety. Pictured: Stock image The lawyers are going to be busy, as will Ms Rayners union allies. This law will also give trade union reps leverage over free-spirited souls who crack jokes at work. If those people pay their union dues, their indiscretions will no doubt be overlooked. But anyone who seems a bit too Right-wing or Brexity will be fed into the procedural mangle. As for bosses, if they refuse to meet unions pay demands, you can bet the banter komissars will find more incidents to report. My wife often works on a building site. She removes paint from doors and windows. Heres our stripper, say her male workmates. She thinks this is a hoot, but you can see how a grievance-surfing lawyer could turn that into a demand for thousands in compensation. Construction sites are fruity places. She was once on all fours, helping a contractor fit some under-floor piping, and had to tell him, give me another inch. Cue much ribald laughter. Under Ms Rayners proposals it might not even require a complaint by the alleged victim of banter. As for bosses, if they refuse to meet unions pay demands, you can bet the banter komissars will find more incidents to report, writes Quentin Letts. Pictured: Stock image Diversity officers could themselves decide to report any incidents, starting a legalistic process that will last months, ruin reputations and create untold stress. More money will be spent on human resources and training. There will be more rules, more anxiety, more suspicion, less freedom. I once worked at a warehouse where a forklift accidentally pronged a pallet of Brut 33 aerosols. What a stink. The forklift driver was the target of plenty of banter. Richly deserved it, too. My son, new to a labouring job, was dangled over a sewage pit by his ankles. A union rep might call that bullying but from that day my son felt part of the team. I know of another young lad who was sent off by his foreman to buy two tins of tartan paint, and holes for fence-posts. He was told the holes arent heavy but theres nothing to hold on to. It was a while before he realised he was being asked to buy thin air. Likewise, he was told to go to the van and bring back a new bubble for the spirit-level. The weird thing is that Ms Rayner is supposedly the one normal, working-class person in a Cabinet of wonks. In pressing for this mad law she is showing herself to be as out of touch as the rest of them. All because she is ambitious for the top job and wants to suck up to her union paymasters. How pathetic. A psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience in the mental health sector has revealed the 12 subtle signs that someone you're dating is a narcissist. Nowadays 'narcissism' has become somewhat of a trendy buzzword, thrown at anyone who acts even a little selfishly. But would you recognise a real narcissist if you encountered one on a date? Or be aware that the partner you believed was just 'thoughtless' sometimes actually has the personality disorder? Narcissism isn't just having a big ego. It is said to be an extreme level of self-absorption to an extent that makes a person ignore the needs and feelings of other people around them. Dr Sarah Davies, a trauma therapist based in Harley Street, explained to FEMAIL previously that while many people have narcissistic tendencies, the key difference between this and having narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is that most people with the former feel remorse when they do something they consider to be wrong. It is estimated that around five per cent of the global population has NPD - although it is difficult to know the true number because narcissists rarely seek help and receive diagnoses for their condition. Thankfully, London-based psychotherapist and counsellor Margaret Ward-Martin has revealed the subtle signs that you could be dealing with a narcissist. Read on below to explore the tell-tale signs, as well as Margaret's advice on what to look out for, how to handle a relationship with a narcissist and how to get help... London-based psychotherapist and counsellor Margaret Ward-Martin (pictured) has revealed the subtle signs that you could be dealing with a narcissist LOVE BOMBING Margaret said: 'Timing is critical. In romantic relationships, narcissists "love bomb" and rush things. They are charming, seemingly sensitive, caring, seductive and funny. Whats not to like? 'In this early phase, you will be idealised. Narcissists are superficial and find it tedious to genuinely get to know someone and, as a result, endeavour to quickly gain access to your life, family, finances, and home. 'By accelerating this learning about each other process, they have limited the opportunity to expose their true nature and can drop the act, sooner. 'The narcissist is aware that with nothing to lose you are more likely to end the relationship and when finances are combined and children arrive, the chance of ending the relationship lessens because doing so comes at a heavy cost. 'Narcissists rely on your being less able to leave them in these circumstances,' warned the psychotherapist. MAKING PLANS WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT The counsellor added that another subtle sign that you're dealing with a narcissist is that decisions over how you spend your time will be reduced or taken away from you. She said: 'You may be presented with a schedule for non-working time or expected to change your own arrangements without question. A specific example would be the narcissist making plans without your consent. Narcissism isn't just having a big ego. It is said to be an extreme level of self-absorption to an extent that makes a person ignore the needs and feelings of other people around them (stock photo) 'When they present it as a surprise for you it might leave you confused and questioning why you do not feel grateful. This amounts to gaslighting yourself. If you feel something is off heed the warning.' YOUR SOCIAL LIFE STARTS TO SHRINK Margaret warned that a 'hostile takeover may be occurring', adding: 'It looks something like this: they are so into you that they do not want any time apart from you. 'An example might be discouraging you from going away for that important weekend with your friends. They will miss you too much. 'If you push back, you may be punished with the silent treatment or sulking or an emotional outburst. 'As this is exhausting you become less likely to spend time away just to keep the peace. Your social life starts to shrink.' THEY TRACK YOUR PHONE The psychotherapist, who founded The Grace Project in 2021 to raise awareness about emotional and psychological abuse, warned against letting a narcissist track your phone. She explained: 'They may say phone tracking is to keep you safe, but it means they always know your location. If your partner doesn't allow tracking on their phone, that's a red flag. 'Similarly, following or monitoring you on social media might seem fine at first, but watch for criticism about photos you post or outings with friends. 'Their intentions will become clear over time as they reveal their true self,' insisted the counselor. THEY WILL LIE - BUT THINK YOU'RE AT FAULT 'They lie, compulsively,' claimed Margaret. 'However, in their mind, what they say is true. 'For instance, they might withdraw a large amount of money from your joint account without discussing it with you. When you confront them, they argue that you're too controlling, and the money is theirs. 'They apologize, and out of fear or trauma bonding or desperation, you accept. They genuinely believe it is their money, so they don't consider this lying. It is their firm belief that you are at fault.' THEY'LL SEPARATE YOU FROM YOUR FRIENDS 'Your friendships are manipulated. They will manipulate you by suggesting that your friends are not good for you and insist they (the narcissist) knows best,' claimed the psychotherapist. 'They may even say your friend said something to them about you to get you to question your friendship. This tactic is intended to divide and conquer. 'They will lie about what people say about you until you no longer know who to trust. They act deliberately to distress and confuse you,' insisted the expert. YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION IS ABUSED 'Financial abuse is not always identified in a relationship as being an issue. This is because of the expectations for joint finances and the notion of a shared home,' warned Margaret. 'This specific type of abuse can involve restricting your ability to work, controlling your access to bank statements while demanding to see yours, and maintaining secrecy about their own finances. 'The narcissist's sense of entitlement leads to double standards. Regardless of economic status, wealth is used to exert control. They may use rage or righteous indignation to control you in response to your questions.' A father whose wife and five children died in an arson attack has revealed his heartbreak at police still not finding a suspect 13 years on. Dr Abdul Shakoor, who is originally from Pakistan, was the only survivor when a fire ripped through his family home in Harlow, Essex, in October 15, 2012. His wife Sabah Usmani, 44, and sons Sohaib, 11, and Rayyan, six, and daughter Hira, 13, were all killed in the blaze. Third son, Muneeb, nine, and daughter Maheen, three, also later died in hospital. Dr Shakoor discovered the fire at his home and battled hard to save his family, suffering the effects of the dense smoke and also minor burns as he tried to get them out. He jumped out a top floor window and landed on a car parked below, before trying to re-enter the house with a neighbour. Evidence suggested it was caused by 'malicious ignition' - with detectives confirming they were aware of a burglary at the house on the same day. However, 13 years on a BBC podcast Who Killed the Shakoors? raises new questions about how forensic evidence was gathered as the murder investigation is still ongoing. Investigators who was brought in to examine the scene claimed samples weren't packaged properly, the front door taken from the house and thrown in a skip, and the car that was found on fire nearby, seemingly was not fully examined until weeks later. Dr Abdul Shakoor whose wife and five children died in an arson attack at their home 13 years ago says himself and his family came to Britain for a better life Fire investigator David Hajakostas was brought in to examine the scene, to determine how the fire started and whether it was arson. 'The fire, I believe, started on the left-hand side of the lounge, towards the rear of the lounge near the patio doors where there was a large sofa. 'The fire spread towards the patio doors and that happened when the patio doors failed because the air flowed through the building and would have then drawn the flames towards the curtains. 'The curtains sent the fire to the other side of the room where there was more soft furnishings. You then create the perfect storm of plenty of fuel, plenty of heat, plenty of oxygen. Then you have what we call a fully developed fire.' However David spotted serious problems with how the investigation was being handled. 'There was an outer and inner cordon in place...but when I arrived, there were people inside the outer cordon who shouldn't have been there.' As the fire investigator, David's job was to preserve and collect evidence to determine how and where the fire started. 'Anyone entering the cordons risks compromising that,' he warned. Sabah Usmani, 44, with sons Sohaib, 11, Muneeb, nine and Rayyan, six, and daughters Hira, 13 and daughter Maheen, three At the time of the incident, Essex Police revealed that evidence suggested it was caused by 'malicious ignition' - with detectives confirming they were aware of a burglary at the house on the same day The significant damage to the family house in Harlow, Essex, following the fatal blaze in October 2012 Dr Shakoor discovered the fire at his home and battled hard to save his family, suffering the effects of the dense smoke and also minor burns as he tried to get them out He also questioned how a key piece of evidence was tested, calling it 'odd'. 'One police line of inquiry was that this was an opportunistic burglary,' he explained. 'I saw the scientific advisor test the inside of the lock and say it worked, but he never tested it from the outside, which is what really mattered. It struck me as odd. 'He was adamant the door was lockable, but only tested 50 percent of the lock. 'If Dr. Shakoor had went to bed as he said and he'd locked the door then what we're looking for is signs of a break-in. 'The door was removed from the frame and put in the skip before I had a chance to examine it. 'We had some very good testimony from the occupant of the house and the next door neighbour about the fact that the front door was open. I had nothing to test that against physically because the door had been placed elsewhere.' Meanwhile Ian Peck, from Prometheus Forensic Services, who was also brought in to review the scene raised concerns about how evidence was being preserved. A section of laminate flooring was collected from inside the house, potentially crucial evidence in determining whether an accelerant was used to start the fire. However, Peck criticised the way it was packaged, saying it was 'wrapped at both ends with nylon bags' and 'sealed with tape', calling it 'unfit for purpose' and comparing it to a 'Christmas cracker.' 'If it had come to me for analysis,' he added, 'I probably would've rejected it.' Emergency services spoke to neighbours close to the scene of a fire at Barn Mead in Harlow Essex Investigators who was brought in to examine the scene claimed samples weren't packaged properly, the front door taken from the house and thrown in a skip, and the car that was found on fire nearby, seemingly was not fully examined until weeks later Ian Peck, from Prometheus Forensic Services, who was also brought in to review the scene raised concerns about how evidence was being preserved Dr Shakoor discovered the fire at his home in Barn Mead, Harlow, at 1.40am and battled hard to save his family Fire investigation officer David Hadgekostas didn't hold back in his assessment of the scene management saying he had 'a few disappointments.' 'The biggest was the capability of the scientific advisor sent to the scene. In my experience, he didn't seem confident or prepared, certainly not to the standard I was used to. 'Looking back, I wish I'd been more vocal about how disappointed I was at the time.' Essex Police told the BBC podcast that 'heat damage significantly compromised forensics. Items were examined on scene before being moved and no accelerants were detected.' Dr Shakoor, who revealed he still misses his family 'so much', said he was 'shocked' to hear the concerns over the police investigation, saying he thought they were 'one of the best in the world.' Speaking on the podcast, he said: 'I'm really shocked because I never thought they wouldn't have done it properly. We have put our own trust in them. But when you hear these sort of things, really, it gives a very shocking feeling of dismay.' 'When we came to England, we thought it is the most safest country. We felt really safe and then that thing happened. 'But when we hear something like that, so it really brings some waves of shock, feeling of helpless, you know. We are waiting for a long time, it has an impact on not only myself, but as a community.' At the same time as fire crews were tackling the house blaze, a silver Ford Focus car was set alight in a parking area nearby Dr Abdul Shakoor (centre) and members of the Muslim Community follow the funeral cortege to the crematorium after a service of prayer in October 2012 Members of Essex County Fire & Rescue Service (ECFRS) arrived at the Harlow Islamic Centre, for the funeral of Sabah Usmani and her five children Police at first suspected arson, but 11 days after the fire, a laptop bag containing photos belonging to the Shakoor family was found dumped at a nearby estate. Officers then launched a murder investigation, believing someone had burgled the family home and stolen the laptop before setting the house on fire. Detectives continue to pursue a number of lines of enquiry, the family laptop, a black Toshiba Satellite, has never been located. The laptop had a two-pin lead because it was from Saudi Arabia, while its bag and lead were later recovered nearby. Inside were passport photos, a charger, an aftershave, belonging to Dr Shakoor. In November 2012, a person rang Harlow police station from a phone box and left a message about the fire, but detectives have not identified the person who got in touch. The same month, a piece of paper about the murder investigation was left on a shelf in Boots in Harlow, with detectives keen to speak to the person who placed it there. At the same time as fire crews were tackling the house blaze, a silver Ford Focus car was set alight in a parking area nearby. A white man aged in his late teens/early 20s on a bicycle 'acting strange' was seen in the area when the house and car were set alight. This person's name was never released but he was one of seven arrests made in the months after the fire. Bizarrely, 160 little fragments of glass were found on this person's clothing. One fragment of glass matched the car that was set alight, but it wasn't enough to charge him with any crime. Dave Skaysbrook, a retired forensic scientist, told the BBC podcast: 'The clothing taken from the apparent suspect does have quite a lot of glass on it, more than I would expect from the normal population, indicating that either he's a glazier, well, works in the building trade somewhere, or of course is a career criminal.' Not long after the Shakoor house fire a local mosque has also been set on fire, which led police question if this could of been a hate crime on the family. For years, Harlow had dealt a neo-Nazi group called Combat 18 which was set up by Paul Charlie Sargent in the 90s, with meetings held in the town. At the time there had been reports of mosques being targeted and windows smashed. Dr Shakoor revealed his relatives were deeply concerned about his safety after his family were killed in the fire. He told the podcast: 'After the incident I think my brother told me I have to be very careful now because now we don't know if we will...that you lost everyone now. We don't want to lose you. 'Obviously, there's a fear when something happened. All families, so they thought, they don't know at that time what happened. 'You may be the target. You have to look after yourself. Don't go alone. Don't go there alone. Take care of yourself.' Dr Shakoor has continually appealed for witnesses since the incident, with detectives leading the investigation saying there are 'facts in the case that don't add up'. He discovered the fire at his home in Barn Mead, Harlow, at 1.40am and battled hard to save his family. He bravely jumped out the window and landed on a car parked below, before trying to re-enter the house with a neighbour. Dr Shakoor fought his way through the flames and managed to climb the stairs, but it proved to be too late. All six victims died of asphyxiation through smoke inhalation. His wife Sabah died at the scene with their daughter Hira and sons Muneeb and Rayyan. Sohaib, 11, died at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow where Dr Shakoor worked. The fifth and youngest child, Maheen, who would have celebrated her fourth birthday nine days after the fire, never regained consciousness. Her father had to make the painful decision to turn off her life support machine. Visiting their grave site, Dr Shakoor told the podcast: 'I'm missing them too much. So really I just come here. And obviously, when I'm here, I feel solace and comfort being with them. 'And really it gives me, I can say, that they are here with me.' The fire remains listed as a cold and unsolved case on the Essex Police website. In a 2022 statement, Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: 'The deaths of Sabah Usmani and her five children is an absolute tragedy and our thoughts continue to be with her husband Dr Abdul Shakoor. 'The pain he has experienced in losing his entire family is unimaginable. His grief is compounded by the fact that no-one has been brought to justice for what happened. 'Our investigation into that tragic night has been an extensive one. More than 70 police officers and staff have worked on the investigation into the fire, around 500 people have given witness statements, and 1,800 exhibits were collected and stored. 'No case is ever closed and this investigation has been regularly reviewed to see if it is possible to identify new lines of enquiry. I need anyone who has any information about that night to contact us. 'Loyalties do change and people who felt they previously could not come forward to us, may now feel they are able to.' Speaking at Harlow Islamic Centre in 2022, where a remembrance service was held to mark the anniversary of the fatal fire, Dr Shakoor said it was 'absolutely important' to mark the deaths with the local community, the BBC reports. He added: 'It's really difficult, I cannot forget the time in the night when it happened.' Dr Shakoor described his wife as 'my best friend' and told of how his children 'really loved living here, we had a very good community'. A British father has revealed that he's leaving the UK with his family to move to Thailand because he's 'sick and tired' of the 'terrible' school system, rising bills and 'unsafe' streets. Dale, from Nottinghamshire, who goes by the name @4goTraveling on TikTok and YouTube, often documents his sunny holidays online, but this time he took to the platform to reveal he will be leaving Britain for good. The father-of-two shared that he would be selling his home and all his family's belongings to prepare for their new life in Hua Hin, Southeast Asia, where they hope to move to by November. Sharing a video on TikTok explaining his decision, which quickly racked up over a million views, he claimed that the education system in England is 'terrible' and that his children 'hate' their schools. Dale added: 'Nothing has changed since the 1800s, they are just preparing our children for a future that is not going to be there.' The father later explained that they plan to homeschool their children in Thailand, as they want to spend as much time with them as possible. Another reason the family chose to move is because of their dissatisfaction with their current jobs. Dale explained: 'I'm sick and tired of getting up on a Monday, going through the same routine, then its the weekend, then its Monday again, for nothing. We pay so much tax and all these bills, they are just going up and up and up.' Dale (pictured), from Nottinghamshire, who goes by the name @4goTraveling on TikTok and YouTube , often documents his sunny holidays online, but this time he took to the platform to reveal he will be leaving Britain for good The Brit revealed they plan to work remotely doing digital marketing or web development when they settle in Asia. Next, he cited the 'terrible' weather as a significant factor influencing their decision to leave the country. He said: 'England is just a miserable place, the streets are unsafe, I'm just tired, we got Instagram going, we got YouTube going, we are trying to raise as much money as we can before we go and hopefully we will be gone in November.' 'Follow us through our journey, we are going to sell the house and sell everything we own', he concluded. In another video, Dale revealed why the family had picked Thailand for their new home, explaining how rent prices are apparently much cheaper and you get more for your money, while they also don't have council tax. Dale said: 'You can get a house in Hua Hin, which is about two hours from Bangkok, for about 600 per month, a three bedroom house with a pool and sometimes a slide. 'All you have to pay is the water bill and electric bill, electric in Thailand is about 9p per unit, in the UK is it 25p per unit. 'Food is really cheap and the lifestyle is incredible, so why would you stay here, oh and there is no council tax either, which is a bonus.' He revealed they would be selling their home and all their belongings to prepare for their new life in Southeast Asia, where they hope to move to by November Many flooded the comments to wish the family luck, with some saying they also decided to move However, others thought the decision was reckless and warned that they shouldn't sell the house incase it doesn't work out Many flooded the comments to wish the family luck, with some saying they also decided to move. One person said: 'Good move bro, I left UK for Thailand, my daughter is almost six and speaks five languages. Would only be her parents languages if she stayed in UK.' Another added: 'Left in Jan, best thing i've ever done and so happy.' Someone else added: 'Don't blame you, if it weren't for my grandkids, I'd be gone. This country is a disgrace.' While a fourth wrote: 'UK is miserable. I 100 percent understand you.' Another added: 'we are leaving with our 4 kids to Thailand in November! we can't wait!' However, others thought the decision was reckless and warned that they shouldn't sell the house incase it doesn't work out. One person wrote: 'Don't sell your house, at least not for a couple of years. Rent it out. It is a valuable asset and if things don't work out in Thailand you have something to come back to.' Another said: 'Moving your children to Thailand? I feel so sorry for them. Massive downgrade. Youre doing this for you. Not your kids!' Someone else added: 'You still have to work over there get up on Monday then its the weekend. Its the same routine wherever you go if you want to have a house and pay bills.' Another simply said: 'The grass isn't greener on the other side.' Oh, I do love a good party even one I'm not invited to. Because when a woman celebrates the ink finally drying on her divorce papers with a speech, bubbles and a room full of her 'ride-or-dies', you know it's not an ordinary knees-up. It's a fierce female about to enter the best bloody decade of her life. We absolutely love to see it. This weekend, Monique Blackwell - the former Mrs Tim Blackwell, of Nova's Ricki-Lee, Tim & Joel drive show fame - did just that. And who could blame her for wanting to party? Just a year after the couple - who were married for 14 years and share three children - announced their separation in 2023, Tim stepped out at the ARIA Awards with his new girlfriend, Lizzie Baxter. It must have stung. With her blonde hair and pretty face, Lizzie is a carbon copy of Monique - with one caveat. She's about 15 years younger. Tim and Monique Blackwell (pictured) were married for 14 years and share three children. They called it quits in 2023 - and a year later, Tim stepped out with his new, younger girlfriend It's a tale as old as time - as we pointed out at the time - but it doesn't make it any less mortifying for the ex. And, honestly, it also felt a bit embarrassing for Tim, who, days after going public with Lizzie, hit the red carpet looking like a Temu Liam Gallagher. Oh, the trials of middle-aged men. I'm cringing just thinking about a separated 43-year-old father-of-three trying to have a meaningful conversation with a 28-year-old producer just starting out in her career. What could they possibly have in common? Anyhow, what Monique did next makes her a better woman than I. She didn't publicly call him out on Instagram, hit the bottle hard, or have an ill-advised rebound fling - all things I've done after being kicked to the kerb by a man. She sat back in quiet dignity. While Tim did the woe-is-me podcast interview revealing how he 'clearly failed at the marriage', Monique didn't say a word. After a brief statement announcing the separation, she set her Instagram to private. Then, she got to healing. Tim went public with Nova producer Lizzie Baxter in November They went red carpet official at the 2024 ARIA Awards days later The yoga teacher and business owner no doubt breathed through the pain, meditated away the regret, and drowned her sorrows in green juice. I'm sure she surrounded herself with her most Zen friends, crying on their shoulders, then laughing her arse off at the sheer absurdity of it all. Because, by the time the divorce papers arrived, she was radiant. Glowing with health, bursting with happiness, ready for the new chapter that was thoroughly well-deserved. And - the best part - she had a new man on her arm. The gorgeous silver fox Liam Walsh, former head honcho of Facebook Australia and New Zealand. How'd you like them apples, Tim? Throwing a 'Divorceeeee parteeee' - Monique's words, not mine - might not be for everyone. Some find them a little cringe. But who could deny Monique played the long game and won? That's a feat more than deserving of a few glasses of champagne and a dance with the wonderful friends who helped get her here. Photos from the bash show Monique looking better than ever, grabbing a mic and making a speech. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall. What did she have to say? I wasn't there, but I think every woman who's been through a separation only to find herself replaced within a year by a younger model has a pretty good idea. But, honestly, it's not even about the words she chose. It's about how we know she must have felt when she was saying them. Monique has bagged a silver fox with a thoroughly impressive resume, Liam Walsh What did Monique say at her divorce party? I wasn't there, but I think every woman who's been through a separation only to find herself replaced by a younger model has a pretty good idea The relief of knowing a really s**ty time is well and truly behind you. The excitement about moving forward with your life. The joy of knowing you've come out the other side so much better off. And the satisfaction of choosing the tougher - but far more rewarding path of doing the work on yourself, rather than chasing midlife-crisis cliches. It's a glorious feeling, let me tell you. Oh, Tim. Your ex surely got a standing ovation, tears and cheers after she spoke of your marriage breakdown and her triumph that followed. Monique Blackwell just pulled off the most elegant revenge of all with her divorce party, writes DailyMail+ columnist Amanda Goff Look, you haven't committed a crime. You're not the first pushing-50 fella to split from his wife and emerge phoenix-like with an Oasis haircut and a younger girlfriend 12 months later. The only real downside for you is that now we all have an opinion about it - because you're a well-paid celebrity who never hesitated in the past to wheel out your family in interviews when it suited. I can only hazard a guess what it felt like reading about your ex-wife's divorce party in the Daily Mail. But I expect Monique's grace, strength and wicked sense of humour make you feel - perhaps - just a little bit small. There's something so deliciously satisfying about watching the ex-wife get the last laugh not with venom and with resentment, but with a bottle of bubbles and a sexy new bloke who doesn't dress like a '90s Britpop throwback. Because for every one of us women - me included - who has split from a man only to realise we were so easily replaceable, Monique's moment is a win. And I hope she knows how many of us are quietly cheering her on. And as for you, Tim, I wish you and Lizzie well. I hope it goes the distance, but my life experience shows the odds may be stacked against you. If it doesn't work out, there's always yoga. Namaste. Tom Parker-Bowles has revealed the one big 'myth' about his mother Queen Camilla that just isn't true - and it's apparently a very common misconception. Queen Camilla's eldest child, 50, who is based in London, unveiled the truth about his mother in the podcast White Wine Question Time. He told host Kate Thornton that while King Charles's wife is often pictured enjoying a glass of red wine at social engagements, he has 'never even seen her tipsy'. Parker-Bowles said there is a common 'myth' that Queen Camilla likes to 'knock back a gin and tonic with a cigarette'. However, the food critic said his mother 'doesn't drink gin'. She does, admittedly, 'enjoy a glass of red wine', Parker-Bowles says, insisting his mother is a 'sensible' drinker. He said he has never seen Queen Camilla tipsy - and she hasn't smoked for 20 years. Earlier in the podcast, Parker-Bowles revealed that not having a trust fund when he was younger 'probably' saved his life. Tom Parker-Bowles has revealed the one big 'myth' about his mother Queen Camilla that just isn't true - and it's a very common misconception Queen Camilla's eldest child, 50, who is based in London, unveiled the truth about his mother in the podcast White Wine Question Time He told Thornton that he had a trust fund and did not have to work for financial stability, his life would look very different. 'Sadly, no trust fund. You know, actually, it's a good thing not having a trust fund. I'd probably be dead if I'd had one,' Tom said candidly on the podcast's latest episode. He added, 'Obviously, I had to work like everyone. You know, you have to work. It's important. 'So, I stumbled somewhat into food writing, 25 years ago when the landscape was rather different.' Before falling for food writing, Tom worked various jobs, including a brief stint in PR. He recalled, 'I worked for a wonderful film PR company called DDA and they used to run Cannes and you'd be looking after talent.' 'So you'd be taking Alicia Silverstone round London in the '90s or Anna Friel or whatever. So it wasn't exactly the most arduous task for a straight man. It wasn't the most arduous of jobs, but I was always late.' 'I'm still friends with my bosses, Stacey and Dennis, and they're lovely people. But eventually, enough was enough. I got sacked So anyway, I was sitting around thinking, you know, what the hell am I going to do? Tom Parker-Bowles (seen at Cheltenham Festival in 2024) said he would 'probably be dead' if he had a trust fund Tom later settled on food writing and is now a regular contributor to the Mail on Sunday and Country Life. It comes after Tom recalled the embarrassing gaffe he made when he met Queen Elizabeth II for the first time. The food critic was discussing his new book, Cooking & the Crown, which traces the history of royal culinary cuisine through the tastes and preferences of Britain's king and queens. Tom (seen with Camilla) revealed that he was fired from his job in a PR company when he was younger Speaking to The Independent, Tom said the book was originally only going to include royal recipes and anecdotes between the reigns of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II, giving him a 'degree of separation' since he had only met the late monarch twice. The first time was when he was eight, Tom recalled, adding: 'I was so scared that I curtsied rather than bowed.' When greeting the monarch or a member of the royal family, men traditionally bow their heads (a neck bow) while women do a small curtsy. The next time he would meet the late Queen would be on the occasion of Camilla's wedding to King Charles, when he and his sister Laura Lopes 'snuck out for a fag or something' and got lost in Windsor Castle. A bride in a bind after getting disaster haircut days before walking down the aisle A bride-to-be has shared her panic after she got the 'worst haircut of [her] life' just days before she was due to walk down the aisle. Chloe, from Miami, thought she was in safe hands when she went to her hair stylist of five years to get a touch-up before her big day. However, the 24-year-old was shocked when the hairdresser 'sliced' the front of her waist-length locks leaving her with a 'jellyfish'-style do. Chloe was left in tears over her 'completely messed up' mane as her wedding was in just 11 days and she had to book multiple appointments at other hair salons to fix her stylist's mistake. Millions were outraged on the bride's behalf after she shared the botched job on social media. 'POV you get literally the worst haircut of your life 11 days before your wedding,' Chloe wrote in a TikTok clip. 'Alright guyswho made a voodoo doll? It's not funny anymore. Anyone good at extensions?' Chloe claims she asked her regular stylist for some simple light layers and to touch up her highlights. Bride Chloe, 24, was shocked when her loyal hairdresser gave her the 'worst haircut of [her] life 11 days before her wedding. Many likened the style to a jellyfish She said the hairdresser took two to four inches off her dry tresses which was more than she was expecting. After shampooing, Chloe said when she returned to the chair, her stylist took an eyebrow blade and 'sliced' a 'chunk' of hair from the front. The brazen move left her with a 'chunky' bob-length layer at the front and long flowing strands at the back. 'How could she possibly mess up the same hair she's been doing for five years?' Chloe said in a series of videos about the incident. Her video was viewed more than 48.6million times with many blasting the hairdresser for her blunder and likened her hair to a jellyfish. 'Genuinely how does this happen I have 0 training as a hairdresser and can cut my own hair better with a blindfold on,' one viewer wrote. 'My mouth literally dropped. Get an extension specialist and hand the bill to the previous salon,' a second said. 'They'd be seeing me in court,' quipped a third. 'Girl I am giving you full permission to Karen out on the hairdresser. This is one of the only valid times. My mouth literally popped open,' someone added. Some even went as far as suspecting that the hairdresser purposefully ruined Chloe's hair. Chloe said her stylist took an eyebrow blade and 'sliced' a 'chunk' of hair from the front. The move left her with a 'chunky' bob-length layer at the front and long flowing strands at the back Her video was viewed more than 48.6million times with many blasting the hairdresser for her blunder 'You cannot convince me that wasn't done purposely,' one woman said and another joked: 'Was the hairdresser an ex of his by chance?!'. 'I've been doing hair a long time I've trained a lot of hairdressers in that time as well, to do something like this is intentional. This isn't a mistake it's almost impossible to mess up this badly with any basic knowledge on haircuts,' one stylist claimed. 'I feel like hairdressers do this on purpose because they're jealous or something because this happens to people way too often,' someone replied. However, not everyone thought her new style was disastrous and some offered advice. 'If you can still clip it up in the front you could do a cute bun and tight curls but I think a timeless jellyfish haircut would flatter your face once styled,' one viewer suggested. 'I would say cut the rest and go for the rich lady from 90s look,' another recommended. 'If you cut it into a bob you are gonna look amazing,' a third chimed in. Chloe later provided an update saying she went to another salon where she was given fresh highlights, extensions at the front and a much better cut which she was ultimately happy about. 'I always heard that something goes wrong on your wedding but I did not know it was going to be my hair,' she said. 'Revived, wedding saved, plans back on.' A fringe theory is catching fire online, and health experts are sounding the alarm. Influencers and wellness gurus are promoting the debunked claim that exposure to the sun's powerful ultraviolet rays isn't only safe, it's beneficial. Despite medical consensus linking UV rays to skin cancers killing about 8,000 Americans each year, some believe UV exposure isn't responsible. But experts disagree. And while exposure to UV light was historically used as a medical treatment until the 1940s, doctors abandoned it when antibiotics became available. As social media provides a platform for people to promote dangerous theories, the Daily Mail consulted with doctors to conduct some major myth-busting. 'UV rays are absolutely associated with all forms of skin cancer (basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma) in most cases,' said Dr Jason Miller, a board-certified dermatologist based in New Jersey. Meanwhile, Dr David Johnson, another board-certified dermatologist, has also soundly refuted the claims, telling the Daily Mail that 'UV light is not harmless.' 'It can damage skin cells, hurt your DNA and give you skin cancer,' he added. 'I've seen it again and again. Influencers and wellness gurus are promoting the debunked claim that exposure to the sun's powerful ultraviolet rays aren't only safe but also actively beneficial. Experts disagree (stock photo) 'People show up in my office after being in the sun for years with basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma, the three most frequently occurring skin cancers.' An estimated 104,000 new melanomas will be diagnosed in 2025, while more than 8,400 people are expected to die from them. The actual number of more common non-melanoma cancers is unknown. While not tracked in cancer registries, an estimated 5.4 million annual US skin cancer cases (mostly basal and squamous cell carcinomas) occur yearly. The online footprint of UV light denialism is expanding rapidly, with different videos rattling off a list of unproven and often debunked 'benefits' garnering tens of thousands of views. One TikTok creator claims the sun's rays don't cause skin cancer, which doctors reject as misinformation. 'Unfortunately, in 2025, you do not need to have claims like this peer reviewed and published in a journal the way scientists would,' Dr Miller said. 'Anyone can post an opinion - often based on another piece of misinformation found online - on a blog or social media that, even without fact checking, will be taken as truth by those who choose to only believe what they wish.' Another creator told his followers to skip sunglasses, 'because glass filters out the good UBV rays from the sun.' But, according to a study published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, sunlight's UV and blue light can cause cataracts, macular degeneration and eye cancers. Sunglasses help block these harmful rays - though effectiveness depends on lens quality, fit and coverage. Dr Melanie Palm, a board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic plastic surgeon, told the Daily Mail that UVB rays help synthesize vitamin D, aiding in calcium absorption and improving bone health and immune systems. She also called sunlight 'critical' for circadian rhythm regulation. 'That said, moderation and protection are key,' she added. 'This means limiting your time in the sun, avoiding exposure during peak hours and using protections like a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, UPF clothing or sitting in the shade.' Between 1999 and 2021, age-adjusted rates of melanoma rose from 12 to 19 per 100,000 women (a 57.5 percent increase) and from 19 to 29 per 100,000 men (a 47.4 percent increase) Other myths and false or exaggerated claims say UV repairs skin, boosts testosterone, prevents early death and enhances the production of immune cells. 'UV light is not harmless,' Dr Johnson said. 'It can damage skin cells, hurt your DNA and give you skin cancer.' UV-induced DNA damage raises the risk for all cancers - not just skin cancer - by mutating tumor-suppressing genes, a key driver of the majority of cancers. When it comes to skin cancer, different types have different prognoses. In the early stages, doctors are generally able to surgically remove cancerous lumps or suspicious moles. It's why prevention and annual full-body checks from a dermatologist are so crucial. But when the cancer has advanced to stage three or four, treatment becomes more intense, taking a greater toll on the body. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the US, with one in five Americans projected to develop it by the age of 70. And while early detection and treatment of melanoma increase survival rates to around 99 percent, that rate drops to 66 percent once the cancer has reached the lymph nodes, and further to 27 percent if it has spread to other organs. Dr David Johnson, board-certified dermatologist, has soundly refuted the claims, telling the Daily Mail, 'UV light is not harmless. It can damage skin cells, hurt your DNA, and give you skin cancer' Your browser does not support iframes. Regarding the hormone claims, some small studies suggest that moderate sun exposure may increase testosterone levels indirectly by boosting vitamin D production. But the wider medical community isn't convinced. A report in the International Journal of Exercise Science studied six men and concluded that acute UV exposure didn't change testosterone levels. A 2022 report in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, meanwhile, noted that a few studies have shown UV radiation may increase sex steroid hormone levels. 'However,' researchers said, 'these studies either do not include human participants or do not specifically evaluate UV radiation exposure to the genitals.' Furthermore, a 2013 analysis of NASA satellite data tied residential UV exposure to higher death rates from cancer, heart disease and respiratory illness in 346,615 adults. And contrary to claims that acute UV exposure boosts the immune system, Argentinian researchers concluded in 2016 that acute exposure to sunlight causes UV-induced immunosuppression, 'affecting the skin first, and then the whole body.' Dr Jason Miller, a board-certified dermatologist based in New Jersey, told the Daily Mail 'UV rays are absolutely associated with all forms of skin cancer (basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma) in most cases' The same movement that promotes unsafe sun exposure also spreads exaggerated concerns about benzene, a carcinogen, in sunscreen. Benzene is not added to sunscreen, it's a trace contaminant from manufacturing or storage. UV radiation is also a carcinogen, and skipping sunscreen guarantees over-exposure. Experts unanimously agree that skipping sun protection poses well-documented risks far more dangerous than any potential concerns about using sunscreen. Every sunburn increases the risk of skin cancer. More specifically, experiencing five or more blistering sunburns between the ages of 15 and 20 increases a person's melanoma risk by 80 percent and non-melanoma skin cancer risk by 68 percent. According to Dr Miller, 'The risk of sunburn, skin cancer, facial aging, wrinkling, skin thinning and cyst formation from UV exposure is supported by years of data.' And as melanoma rates rise worldwide, with projections pointing to a 50 percent increase by 2040, doctors fear that more and more young people are being indoctrinated to believe this roundly debunked theory that UV isn't dangerous. 'My advice would be not to trust social media posts on X and TikTok for educational advice,' Dr Palm added. 'Appropriate resources, including the American Academy of Dermatology or the Skin Cancer Foundation, are much better sources for true information from decades of research regarding skin-related issues.' A major new analysis has fueled concerns over the accuracy of tests that diagnose ADHD, suggesting many of those told they have the disorder are in fact suffering depression. Scientists from Scandinavia and Brazil analysed common methods of diagnosing adult ADHD described in nearly 300 medical studies. Many of these diagnostic tests are currently used by doctors in the UK to spot the condition. The findings showed that in nearly half the studies, the scientists failed to rule out other causes of ADHD-like symptoms, such as depression. This means, they concluded, that the diagnostic test used may be unreliable, and therefore providing inaccurate results in the real world. 'You don't actually know if subjects have other mental disorders such as depression or schizophrenia,' the experts wrote in their report. The latest findings come amid a rapid rise in adult ADHD diagnoses in the UK, with cases rising 20-fold over the last two decades. It's a phenomenon that has raised the concern of some of the country's top psychologists and spurred a NHS investigation, launched in March. Fascinating graphs show how ADHD prescriptions have risen over time, with the patient demographic shifting from children to adults with women in particular now driving the increase Experts have warned that rogue private clinics are over-diagnosing the condition and have questioned the widespread prescribing of powerful stimulant drugs to treat it. In the latest analysis, scientists found that a psychiatrist or psychologist made the diagnosis in only 35 per cent of ADHD cases examined. Adults in the UK can only be formally assessed for ADHD on the NHS by a psychiatrist, psychologist or specialist ADHD nurse. In some cases discovered by the researchers, it was explicitly stated that the assessment and diagnosis of ADHD was made by subjects themselves. One patient was reported to have reached their diagnosis with the help of a computer, the researchers explained. 'In psychiatry, we really need that all diagnoses, not just ADHD, are made with the same uniform criteria and by trained professionals,' said co-author of the study, consultant psychiatrist Dr Julie Nordgaard from the University of Copenhagen. 'Otherwise, we cannot rely on the results or compare them across studies. 'Especially in a situation where a diagnosis such as ADHD in adults is increasing, we need to be very thorough and have a solid foundation. Sheridan Smith, 42, has revealed she has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (pictured in 2023) Former Bake Off host Sue Perkins (left) last year shared that she had been diagnosed and that 'suddenly everything made sense - to me and those who love me'. Love Island's Olivia Atwood (right) said ADHD made her 'constantly overwhelmed' 'Otherwise, we risk too many people getting a wrong diagnosis and not being able to give them the most effective treatment. 'Or they risk receiving unnecessary treatment that causes side-effects.' Symptoms of depression can often mimic those of ADHD, research has shown. A neurodevelopmental disorder, ADHD affects concentration, impulse control and activity levels. Common symptoms include restlessness, distractibility, forgetfulness, difficulty following instructions or managing time, and making impulsive decisions. Depression, which affects roughly one in six adults in the UK, can look remarkably similar. Those with the mood disorder often experience poor concentration, low energy and disturbed sleep. Both ADHD and depression can also cause changes in appetite, restlessness and irritability as well as difficulty initiating and completing tasks. How ADHD rates compare between countries, according to US official sources Schizophrenia, though less commonaffecting just one per cent of the UK population can also resemble ADHD in some cases. Traditionally characterised by psychotic symptoms like hallucinations and delusions, schizophrenia can also cause attention problems, particularly in its early stages. The researchers concluded it's impossible to know which disorders and symptoms were actually being affected by the treatments investigated in the trials. 'This makes the research results from many of these clinical trials difficult to utilise,' said associate professor at the University of Copenhagen Dr Mads Gram Henrikson. The study comes just months after the latest NHS figures revealed more than 549,000 people in England were waiting for an ADHD assessment at the end of March 2025up from 416,000 the previous year. Of those currently waiting for an assessment, around 304,000 had been waiting at least a yearand 144,000 for two years or more, as NHS services struggle to keep up with spiraling demand. More than two-thirds (382,000) were aged between five and 24. Last year a MailOnline investigation revealed that doctors were dishing out powerful ADHD drugs at 10-times the rate in some parts of England than others. Your browser does not support iframes. NHS data shows as many as one in 100 people in some areas are taking ADHD medications, compared to just one in 1,000 in nearby regions. Commenting on the findings, experts warned of over-diagnosis and 'mass-prescribing' could be putting public health at risk. University College London psychiatrist Professor Joanna Moncrieff, a vocal critic of medication overuse, said ADHD diagnosis is 'incredibly subjective'. 'One psychiatrist may think almost everyone has it, while another thinks very few do,' she said. 'We all have ADHD symptoms to some extent.' She added that private clinics are often quicker to diagnose than the NHS, making a diagnosis more likely in the independent sector. Professor Moncrieff said patients were increasingly demanding an ADHD diagnosis as the 'answer' to problems they are experiencing in areas like their work. 'This concept of ADHD has got out there and everyone is reinterpreting their difficulties in the light this new idea, 'I'm not bored and don't like my job, I have ADHD',' she said. 'Stimulants make people feel good, they make them feel confident, they make people feel a little bit euphoric, energetic, so of course people are going to be rating themselves as doing better.' Rising interest in ADHD is thought to be fueled in part by celebrities sharing their diagnoses including Katie Price, Love Island's Olivia Attwood, Sheridan Smith and former Bake Off host Sue Perkins. Attwood said it caused 'a lot of stress' in her teens, while Price said it explained why she never felt there would be 'consequences' for her actions. Perkins said the diagnosis made 'everything make sense'. Social media has also been blamed, with users praising ADHD meds for calming them and boosting focus. NHS prescriptions have doubled in six years to 230,000, with the sharpest risenearly 60 per cent in a yearamong women in their late 20s and early 30s. Use among 25 to 39-year-olds has increased five-fold since 2015. In response, NHS England launched a taskforce to assess the scale of the condition. ADHD is also behind a surge in disability benefit claims. One in five now relate to behavioural conditions, with over 52,000 adultsmostly aged 16 to 29listing ADHD as their main condition. Jazz Kaur Sohal, 45, from Buckinghamshire, is married with two young sons and works in communications for a school. PROBLEM Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more Jazzs South Asian heritage means she is always looking for products that work with her skin tone and address her beauty concerns. She is also a busy working mother (her boys are eight and five) and so has minimal time for a beauty routine. To create Jazzs new look, we turned to Aarti Pal, make-up artist and founder of the South Asian Beauty Collective, who says her clients top issues are uneven skin tone, hyperpigmentation, dark circles under the eyes and ashiness around the mouth. SOLUTION Face South Asian women often suffer from pigmentation patches, which can be down to genetic predisposition but also sun exposure. I grew up thinking I didnt need to wear SPF, says Jazz. But now I know I did! To address this and disguise dark patches, too, Pal says colour correction is key she used Bobbi Brown Skin Corrector Stick in Deep Peach (below, 29, lookfantastic.com), a shade that works brilliantly to counteract any sunspots or areas of ashiness. Her technique is to always apply it before foundation, and only where needed. For base she applied Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup with a sponge (try Superdrug 20 Makeup Sponges, 4, superdrug.com), gently pressing it over the colour corrector to avoid disturbing it. To brighten Jazzs under-eye area, Pal prepped with Tatcha The Brightening Eye Cream (64, tatcha.co.uk), which works long-term but also gives an instant lift. Then she put on concealer. I like Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealer (31) as it doesnt crease, really lasts and there is a good range of shades. I went for one slightly lighter than Jazzs skin tone. When it comes to shade inclusivity, Pal says brands have come a long way in increasing their ranges, but theres still much work to be done. She loves the new Kosas colour correctors and powders, as well as Armani and LOreals foundations, which all work well on South Asian skin. For Jazzs eyes, Pal used an eyeshadow stick (try Kiko Long Lasting Eyeshadow Stick in Golden Brown, 9.99, lookfantastic.com) on the lower lids, blending it up to the crease using a brush. For the time-poor, she says, this is a quick way to bring a pretty depth to eyes and an instant polish. To define Jazzs brows, she applied Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil (26, benefit cosmetics.com a favourite in her kit) and used YSL Lines Liberated Waterproof Eye Pencil (27, selfridges.com) on Jazzs lash line as it glides on easily and is really pigmented and dark. The last touch? A couple of coats of LOreal Paris Volume Million Lashes Panorama Mascara in Black (above, 12.99, superdrug.com). Next up, No7 Pro Artist Soft Glow Cream Bronzer in Medium Glow (below, 19.95, no7beauty.co.uk) on Jazzs cheeks and temples. The packaging feels really premium and the product works on all skin tones. Its not too muddy. Finally, Pal swiped on Bobbi Brown Luxe Matte Lipstick in Downtown Rose (35, lookfantastic.com). Jazz usually goes for a bold lip colour, but I wanted her to try this subtler shade. And it looks great. Its a flatters-all hue. Hair The time and cost of colouring her hair mean that Jazz is embracing the grey appearing at her temples (even though she says her mother isnt so keen!). Left to dry naturally her hair is prone to frizz and so she is looking for ways to smooth it out. I love the look of a bouncy blow-dry but find it hard to achieve myself. Hairstylist on the shoot Alex Szabo suggested spritzing in Redken One United All-In-One Multi-Benefit Treatment (below, 30.95, superdrug.com) post wash. It will turn even the most damaged hair from burnt cotton candy to silk. You only need a couple of spritzes. To create a smooth style Szabo used a couple of handfuls of strong hold mousse (he likes Schwarzkopf Osis+ Volume & Body Grip Extra Strong Mousse, 13.86, sephora.co.uk) saying, Thick hair like Jazzs needs a lot of product. He then took a big round bristle brush and dried her hair using a Dyson hairdryer with its nozzle pointed downwards to smooth cuticles and create shine. Szabo and Jazz also talked about new brands inspired by the South Asian tradition of hair oiling. Jazz recalled her grandmother working coconut oil through hers as her child and now finds herself drawn to brands like Fable & Mane, which have brought the centuries-old Eastern ritual into the mainstream. Jazz said she thinks the chic branding makes South Asians feel more comfortable with their heritage. JAZZ'S VERDICT I loved the shoot and afterwards I still felt like me, just more confident. Embracing my greys felt surprisingly empowering, and the team helped me feel beautiful! From now on, Im opting for comfort over perfection. Photograph: Natasha Pszenicki. Make-up: Aarti Pal. Hair: Alex Szabo. Styling: Jessica Carroll. Picture Editor: Stephanie Belingard. Shirt, Wyse London Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more This week were in sunny South Africa, with a charming set of summer wines that punch well above their price. Top South African winemakers and leading brands are collaborating with UK supermarkets more and more. The result is that we get to enjoy the craft, innovation and character of outstanding bottles from the region for a fraction of the cost. Here are my favourite sips, among them a stellar vintage blanc de blancs fizz. 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. Ms R.F writes: I retired from the Civil Service in February, after 26 years. I gave the required four months' notice and claimed my pension, but so far I have received no payment and nothing to say when I will start receiving it. I have been trying constantly to contact the pension scheme by phone and email, but without getting anywhere. Tony Hetherington replies: The Civil Service pension scheme is financed by the taxpayer and by contributions deducted from civil servants' pay. It is the responsibility of the Cabinet Office in Whitehall, headed by Pat McFadden MP. But the Government contracted out the running of the scheme to MyCSP Ltd and this is where things have gone badly wrong. You told me you contacted MyCSP when your first pension payment failed to arrive, but nobody could help you. You then contacted Equiniti, the American-owned financial services firm behind MyCSP, but they simply put your call through to MyCSP again, which put you on hold, with no pension, no advice, and no explanation. Man at the top: The Cabinet Office in Whitehall is headed by Pat McFadden MP I think politicians should be held responsible for the failures of companies they hire to carry out what would at one time have been public services. So, armed with your signed authority allowing me to make enquiries on your behalf, I bypassed MyCSP and went straight to the Cabinet Office. Two days later, your pension arrived. This was excellent, but what had gone wrong in the first place, I asked? Was four months not long enough to allow for the start of your pension? And whether it was or not, why was nobody able to explain what was going on? The Cabinet Office, like MyCSP itself, failed to offer any explanation. Officials there seemed to think that once you got your pension, you and I would lose interest. Wrong! This is not a one-off incident. Your experience is symptomatic of what can happen when the Government pays an outside contractor to do its job and fails to keep hold of the reins as the contractor goes off course. Who says so? The Government's own National Audit Office (NAO) says so. It opened an investigation after seeing a sharp rise in complaints from Civil Service pensioners. Last year, there were over 4,800 complaints, with the NAO identifying repeated failures by MyCSP to start pension payments on time. Some pensioners were waiting for months. And a spot check last November on how long it took MyCSP's contact centre to answer the phone showed that, on average, callers were forced to wait 24 minutes. The NAO concluded: 'Cabinet Office has been unable to hold the current pension scheme administrator, MyCSP, accountable for when performance has fallen below agreed service levels or incentivise improvement through its contract.' There was really little reason for MyCSP to up its game. The Government had already decided in 2023 it would dump it in favour of Capita but there are already signs that tomorrow's mess will be no better than today's. Capita was due to take over the pension scheme in December this year, earning itself 239million to run it for the next seven years. But Capita has already missed three deadlines in its transition work, so the takeover has been pushed back to next March at the earliest. It does not look as if Civil Service pensioners can count on a future that is any brighter than today's failures. WE'RE WATCHING YOU A former NASA scientist is facing prison after pleading guilty to a 1million investment fraud. John Burford, 85, who now lives in Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, owned and ran Financial Trading Strategies Ltd. He had worked at NASA on a team to send men to Mars before he became a trading adviser in the US but he had never been authorised to offer advice or manage funds in the UK. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) found that he had recruited more than 100 investors to his VIP Traders' Club, and made more than 1million from them, which he used for 'living expenses'. The FCA said he 'repeatedly lied to investors' and 'hid the full extent' of his losses. In December 2023, it put his company on its list of unauthorised firms, but no action was taken. Last August, I warned that Burford was still breaking the law, but he was not charged until April. He pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates' Court and will be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court at a later date. He faces an unlimited fine and, between his unlicensed business and fraud charge, could be handed 12 years. The FCA said: 'Burford fleeced unwitting investors to enrich his life not theirs.' 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. I lost 400 by mistakenly booking flights online for the wrong dates. I booked using an online travel agent that compares flights from different airlines. I didn't realise when I navigated back a page, my dates were switched to the site's default dates. The flight I accidentally booked was a few weeks away, while the one I intended to book had been in three months' time. I'm not able to travel on the former dates. Within minutes, I realised my error and filled in an online cancellation form with the travel agent. This was a Sunday so I couldn't speak to them on the phone. I thought I could get my money back as I read that purchases made online come with a two-week 'cooling off' period. But my request was declined and I'm still out of pocket. Why? T.R Costly error: This reader accidentally booked the wrong flight on a travel agent website Helen Crane, This is Money's consumer champion, replies: The cost of going away has rocketed in the last few years, meaning we are all desperate to get a good deal. When flipping back and forth between internet tabs comparing different airlines, dates and prices, I can see how a mistake like this could be made. You are right to say that, when buying things online, customers usually benefit from a 14-day cooling off period. This is a legal protection. But unfortunately for you, it doesn't apply to plane tickets - or tickets for any other form of transport, for that matter. This is because the companies who sell them argue that, as the tickets are tied to a specific time and date, they would be hard to resell in many circumstances. Essentially, they say having to pay back any customer who asks within two weeks would leave them at an unfair disadvantage. Having a 14-day 'get out' clause would also encourage holidaymakers to game the system, as they'd be able to cancel and re-book if they saw prices had dropped. When denied a refund they feel they deserve, a savvy consumer might turn to their credit card provider - if they paid using one - hoping to be protected by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. However, that is unfortunately also not possible in your case, as consumer expert Scott Dixon explains below. So what options are open to you, if any, to recoup your 400? I asked Dixon, who runs the website The Complaints Resolver, to explain the rules and what you can do. Scott Dixon replies: Unlike most online purchases, flight bookings are exempt from the standard 14-day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. This means that once you have confirmed and paid for your flights, you are generally locked in, even if you have made a mistake. The reason for this is because flight tickets are time-sensitive and perishable. Airlines argue flights are time-specific services that cannot be easily resold if cancelled, and are subject to dynamic pricing, meaning that fares can fluctuate rapidly. Vital protection: But Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act won't help in this case, as there has been no breach of contract or misrepresentation by the travel company who sold the flights Airlines operate on tight margins and aim for maximum seat capacity, so changes can disrupt their logistics and financial position. This exemption is set out in Regulation 28 of the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, which lists the circumstances where cancellation rights do not apply. This includes accommodation, transport, vehicle hire, catering and leisure services, if the contract is tied to a specific date or period of performance. In plain English, if you book transport like flights, trains or buses for a specific date or time, the 14-day cancellation right does not apply. That's why consumers cannot legally cancel a flight just because they changed their mind or made a mistake, even within 24 hours of booking. If you have made a booking error (like selecting the wrong date), you are relying on the airline's goodwill. Some airlines such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and American Airlines may allow a 24-hour grace period to amend or cancel without penalty, but this is a voluntary policy and not a legal right. Section 75 protection under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 only applies if there has been a breach of contract or misrepresentation, and only when you book direct and spend over 100. It doesn't apply to mistakes made by consumers. Travel insurance typically won't cover this, unless a specific cancellation clause applies in the terms and conditions. Always double-check your dates and details before you proceed. If things do go wrong, be polite but persistent and contact the airline directly as soon as possible. You are relying on staff goodwill, so be nice if you need to ask for their help. Politeness and good manners costs nothing, yet it can make the difference between you getting the outcome you want or the outcome you deserve. Helen Crane replies: Unfortunately, it seems this is likely to be a costly lesson. You are out of the 24-hour grace period that Scott mentions, and even then, this is completely voluntary and you don't know if the agent you used would have been willing to offer it. That said, all of this is ultimately down to the company's discretion, so perhaps one attempt at a charm offensive as he describes wouldn't hurt. It is interesting that the three firms he names which may look kindly on customers who make mistakes are all airlines, rather than agents. Personally, I now try to book flights direct with the airline wherever possible, rather than using a third-party travel agent. In my experience this makes life easier when things go wrong, whether that is a cancellation, lost luggage, or a booking error like yours - as you only have one company to deal with rather than two. However, it does often mean missing out on the absolute cheapest deals. The mission of investment trust Pantheon International is to put shareholders first. It's a worthy objective, which in the current investment climate is difficult to fulfil. Like many trusts which provide investors with exposure to private companies, shares in the 2.2billion fund currently stand at a whopping 36 per cent discount to the value of their underlying assets. In other words, the price of its liquid shares does not reflect the value of its illiquid assets. And so far, whatever the trust's board has done to try to reduce the mismatch such as the buying back of shares from investors it has not really worked. 'There is a scepticism out there about the value of private equity investment trusts,' admits Charlotte Morris, co-lead fund manager of Pantheon. 'When equity prices in public markets fell in 2022, the valuations of private companies didn't fall as much. As a result, there is a view that private equity assets are overvalued.' Morris believes that there needs to be a 'pick up in private equity activity' to prove that current valuations are 'real'. With regard to Pantheon, she says she is 'comfortable' about the valuation of the trust's assets, implying that at some stage, the trust's discount should start to whittle away. If this were to happen and there is no guarantee that it will shareholders would benefit from a performance uplift. Private equity trusts are important portfolio diversifiers, enabling investors to get exposure to an investment bucket where access is otherwise difficult. They make their money by buying unlisted companies, helping them to improve their business operations, and then selling them at a profit. Realising a profit is usually via the sale of the private company to a rival or another private equity investment manager. Pantheon sees itself as operating at the low-risk end of the private equity spectrum. 'We like to invest in stable, rather boring businesses,' says Morris. 'We're not big risk-takers.' Risk is further diluted by the fact that it does a lot of its investing with other private equity specialists, such as Hg, IK Partners, and Index Ventures. Often, this means Pantheon committing a sum to a round of fundraising organised by one of these specialist companies. The money is then used over time to invest in a portfolio of private businesses with Pantheon (hopefully) making gains whenever one of these assets is subsequently sold. The result is a trust where 80 per cent of its portfolio comprises stakes in 500 companies. The other 20 per cent, says Morris, comprises 'smaller positions', although Pantheon doesn't disclose how many individual stakes it has in total. Opaque. A typical trust holding is Dutch discount retailer Action. 'It's a little bit like Aldi and Lidl,' says Morris, 'in that it offers discounts on essential household goods on a rotating basis. But it doesn't do food. 'We initially invested in 2020, and it has proved a resilient and growing business. We invested via private equity company 3i, have not sold down our stake, and at some stage we will look to exit, crystallising the gains we have made.' The trust, part of the FTSE 250 index, has generated returns over the past one and five years of 2.8 and 59.8 per cent, respectively. All of this has come from the share price (currently standing at around 3.13). It doesn't pay shareholders a dividend. The fund's annual charges total 1.31 per cent, although there is an additional performance fee that kicks in when the trust has a good year (it didn't in the financial year ending May 31, 2024). Inheritance tax is widely loathed. Its a tax on death, property and the natural desire to pass wealth down the generations. Anxiety among families who already hated the idea of loved-ones getting landed with a hefty 40 per cent bill on inheritances has intensified since last autumns Budget. The Government announced inheritance tax (IHT) would start being levied on unspent pensions, as it is on assets such as property, savings and investments, from April 2027. Its no surprise, then, that wealth planners are telling us about a new rush of enquiries from those wanting to avoid a financial hit to their estates. They are being deluged by questions about how to place wealth into trust to get it out of reach of the taxman. That flood of queries is likely to increase, as the threat of a tax raid in this autumns Budget intensifies. Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces another 5 billion black hole in Britains finances, after the U-turn on welfare reform upended her plan to cut Government spending. Experts, including the Institute for Fiscal Studies and Resolution Foundation, have warned that taxes may have to rise again in the autumn. Matt Conradi, deputy chief executive of wealth manager Netwealth, says trusts can be a useful tool to help reduce inheritance tax and pass on wealth With hikes to income tax, national insurance and VAT ruled out in Labours manifesto pledge, wealth is considered a prime target. Protecting inheritances is therefore seen as vital by those wanting to pass on their assets. Setting up a trust is a popular way to beat inheritance tax. They have been used for years by wealthy families to save hundreds of thousands of pounds, and by the super-rich to save millions. However, many may be surprised to learn a trust is not the catch-all inheritance tax dodge they think. There is confusion over what putting wealth into a trust really means, because its a complicated financial area. For one thing, there are many different kinds of trust, not to mention tax charges to consider. You can exert control over how the money might be used, if you choose the right trust. But you usually cannot continue to benefit yourself from what has gone into it, then still expect your beneficiaries to avoid inheritance tax. Trusts can be a useful tool to help reduce inheritance tax and pass on wealth but theyre not a simple fix, and they come with costs, rules and paperwork, says Matt Conradi, deputy chief executive of wealth manager Netwealth. They are complex, and the wrong set-up can lead to some unexpected tax bills and administration headaches. He says that for many families often the simplest and most tax-efficient plan would be to give money away directly. Heather Rogers, tax expert at This Is Money, says there is plenty of misunderstanding regarding how trusts work and the tax implications As long as you survive seven years after making a gift, the money usually falls outside your estate for inheritance tax. You can also make use of tax-free allowances, such as gifting 3,000 a year. It is worth looking at a combination of ways to reduce death duties. Conradi stresses that a good plan is normally implemented over several years and uses several different methods to blend control and tax efficiency. When it comes to inheritance tax and trusts, here is what you need to know but do be aware that if you decide to set up a trust you will need legal and possibly financial advice as well. Are you even liable to pay inheritance tax? Around one in 20 estates are large enough to incur inheritance tax, but this is set to rise dramatically when pensions start being counted. Between the pension changes, a freeze on IHT thresholds until 2030 and the property boom of recent decades, the number of families affected can only rise in years to come. Those inheriting in house-price hotspots and who have large pensions will bear the brunt. But you shouldnt lose sleep let alone start working on elaborate avoidance tactics unless you are certain that you are rich enough for inheritance tax to become a problem. Essentially, you need to be worth 325,000 if you are single, or 650,000 jointly if you are married or in a civil partnership, for your loved ones to have to stump up IHT. This basic threshold is called the nil rate band. But there is a further chunky allowance known as the residence nil rate band which increases the threshold to a joint 1 million if you have a partner, own a property and intend to leave money to your direct descendants. Watch out though, as once an estate reaches 2 million this own- home allowance starts being removed by 1 for every 2 above this threshold. It vanishes completely by 2.3 million. If you are worth more than your inheritance tax allowance, your beneficiaries will have to hand over 40 per cent of your assets above that to the Government. What are trusts and how do they vary? Trusts are a legal arrangement that allow assets to be handed over and managed for the benefit of one or more people. A settlor puts the assets, such as land, property, shares and cash, into the trust, trustees look after them and beneficiaries ultimately receive them. With trusts, you are giving money away and the seven-year rule still applies. If you die before the seven years are up, inheritance tax is levied on a sliding scale starting at the full whack of 40 per cent within the first three years. These are the main types of trust to choose from: Bare or absolute trusts: These are very simple and give all assets to the beneficiary. There is a trustee but if the beneficiary is 18 or older they can access the assets at any time. Trustees can keep control until beneficiaries reach that age but even 18 might seem too young to many, especially if large sums are involved. You dont have to pay an inheritance tax charge on the assets going in, and because the money is treated as belonging to the beneficiary it passes out of your estate entirely. Discretionary trusts: You can tailor the rules for the trust to suit the people involved and the circumstances, and therefore exercise control through how it is set up and by being a trustee yourself. For example, you can decide how and when the beneficiaries will receive income and assets. But if as the settlor you benefit from the trust such as via income or rent this makes it ineffective for avoiding inheritance tax because you are regarded as having made a gift with reservation. Assuming you do not benefit, there are still rules and tax charges. Every seven years you can transfer up to 325,000 individually, or 650,000 from a couple, into a discretionary trust tax-free. On anything over that, you are charged 20 per cent of the value of assets being put in the trust (this is offset if you die and the seven-year rule kicks in, but cannot be reclaimed if you survive seven years). Every ten years, there is a further 6 per cent tax charge on the excess over the nil rate band. Discounted gift trust: You can gain benefit from the trust, typically an income, while still making a gift into it that is inheritance tax proof. Loan trust: This is suitable if you want to set up a trust for inheritance tax purposes but think you might need the money back at some point. The trustees can invest the money outside of your estate for inheritance tax, but you can opt to get it back. Heather Rogers, the tax expert for our sister website This Is Money and founder of Aston Accountancy, says: The most common misconceptions I come across in my professional life concern trusts. There is plenty of misunderstanding regarding how they work and the tax implications. There seems to be a widely held belief that if you move assets into trust there will be no tax to pay at all. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Are there any pitfalls to look out for? Trusts can get really complicated. Different types have separate tax and reporting rules, and you must consult a professional on which is the most suitable for your family circumstances, and to set it up. The legal and tax reporting requirements for a trust are often misunderstood, says Lisa Caplan, director of Charles Stanley Direct Advice And Guidance. People often ask me if they can put their home into a trust for their children, and dont realise that if they continue to live in the house their estates will be hit by the rules around gifts with reservation. Caplan says you can keep control of your assets and avoid inheritance tax with a discretionary trust if you are both a settlor and also a trustee, because you can decide on investments and when to make payments to beneficiaries. She adds: There are legal costs involved in setting up a trust, and the trustees are required to register the trust with HMRC and complete regular tax returns for the trust. What about life insurance in trust? There is a separate use of a trust when it comes to inheritance tax, which involves life insurance. Often this is used to ensure beneficiaries wont be landed with an unaffordable tax bill before they get access to your estate. They will get just six months, kicking off from the last day of the month after your death, to calculate what inheritance tax is owed and hand it over. The bill must be paid up front, before probate is granted to gain control of a deceased persons funds. There are ways around the problem, including having banks make payments from the deceaseds accounts direct to HMRC, paying the bill in instalments or taking out a loan using the estate assets as collateral. But if you want to plan ahead, you can take out a whole of life insurance policy (which lasts until death) and put it in trust. It then isnt in your estate for inheritance purposes. You can appoint one or more beneficiaries of the trust, who will be paid the full life insurance sum due when you die. Typically, people insure their life for the sum they think their beneficiaries will have to fork out in inheritance tax, to offset their liability. However, whole of life insurance premiums can be high, especially as you get older, and if you cancel a policy you immediately lose all the benefits of taking it out in the first place. Tesla sales in Britain bounced back last month after a backlash against Elon Musk hit demand earlier in the year. The electric car maker sold 7,719 vehicles to British motorists in June a 14 per cent increase from a year earlier, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Tesla revealed this week that overall global sales fell in the second quarter. The firm delivered 382,122 vehicles in the three months to the end of June, a 13.5 per cent drop from 443,956 a year earlier and its second quarterly fall in a row. Tough talk: The plunge in demand for cars has been blamed on Elon Musk's involvement in Donald Trump's administration - and his support for hard-Right parties across Europe The plunge in demand for Tesla's cars has been blamed on chief executive Musk's involvement in Donald Trump's administration and his support for hard-Right parties across Europe. An ageing car line-up and tougher competition from cheaper Chinese firms such as BYD has also dented sales. An AstraZeneca cancer drug received the green light by European regulators yesterday. The London-listed drugs maker revealed that its bladder cancer treatment Imfinzi has been approved to treat adult patients in the European Union. It comes amid reports that AstraZeneca the FTSE 100's largest company is considering moving its listing from the UK to the US in what would be a hammer blow to London's stock market. The speculation was fuelled by the pharmaceutical sector's growing frustration with the UK's rules on approving medicines as well as a row over drug prices between the industry and the NHS. Boost: AstraZeneca revealed that its bladder cancer treatment Imfinzi has been approved to treat adult patients in the European Union Dave Fredrickson, head of AstraZeneca's oncology haematology unit, said: 'Imfinzi is poised to transform the standard of care for muscle-invasive bladder cancer in Europe.' AstraZeneca shares edged up 1.3 per cent yesterday. Marks & Spencer has admitted that it lost control of a discount scheme for ex-employees, which resulted in it being unsure whether some former staff who claimed the offer were even alive. The high street giant's chairman, Archie Norman, told its annual gathering of shareholders last week that the system, which offered former M&S staff a lifetime 20 per cent discount if they had worked there for at least 10 years, had become so complicated that the firm was not able to check who exactly was using it. 'There was quite a lot of I was going to say malpractice there was a loss of control of the system,' Norman said. He added: 'What we found is that managing the discount became very, very complicated because we didn't really know who some of these people were. 'We didn't know in some cases whether they were still alive, whether they moved abroad, or exactly what was happening.' It is also understood that the company had become concerned people were sharing their cards with friends and family, and that at one point, there were more people with the discount who had left the business than current employees. Life's a beach: M&S has admitted that it lost control of a discount scheme for ex-employees, which resulted in it being unsure whether some former staff who claimed were even alive The comments came after M&S changed its discount policy last year to include only staff who had worked there for a minimum of 25 years an increase from a previous requirement of 10 years. At the time, bosses put this down to the system becoming 'incredibly complicated and harder to track'. Explanation: Chairman Archie Norman But one irate investor last week grilled Norman (pictured) and chief executive Stuart Machin over the move, arguing it sent a 'very negative message' about its treatment of employees. M&S is not the first retailer to make changes to its perks for departing staff. In May, John Lewis told customers that it plans to end its lifetime discount cards for people who retire after at least 15 years working for the partnership. Instead, it will offer perks connected to the length of service, which will expire after a certain amount of time. Many of Britain's biggest retailers offer lifetime discounts for long-serving members of staff. Supermarket chain Tesco offers a Colleague Clubcard for Life to staff who work there for at least 30 years, giving them 10 per cent off groceries. Meanwhile, Sainsbury's staff who have worked there for a minimum of 25 years qualify for 'veteran' status and a discount card for 10 per cent off. Shareholders also criticised the decision to hand Machin a hefty 1.6million bonus for his performance in 2024, with one saying it was 'a privilege beyond the reasonable working life of many of your employees.' Last year, Machin saw his package increase by 39 per cent to 7.1million. British businesses worth more than half a trillion pounds in total could quit the stock market, analysts have warned. At least ten of the biggest companies in the blue-chip FTSE 100 index are thought to be at risk of leaving the London Stock Exchange (LSE), either by being taken over or moving overseas, particularly to Wall Street. Among them is the 158billion drug giant AstraZeneca, the UK's largest quoted company, which sparked alarm last week after reports emerged that it was considering shifting its main listing to the US. Other stock market giants may also be considering an exit strategy within the next three years, experts say. They include British American Tobacco, the 77billion owner of cigarette brands Pall Mall and Lucky Strike. Its value could 'more than double if it switched its stock market listing to the US', said Dan Coatsworth at investment platform AJ Bell. Others that may be mulling a switch include credit data firm Experian, which makes two-thirds of its sales in North America, and food packager Bunzl. Hip replacement maker Smith + Nephew would also be a 'logical candidate' for moving to the US, where it generates more than half of its sales, said Coatsworth. Dark days: At least ten of the biggest companies in the blue-chip FTSE 100 index are thought to be at risk of leaving the London Stock Exchange Flutter, whose gambling brands include Paddy Power, and Tarmac owner CRH, are among a number of well-known firms to have left the London market for New York in search of a higher valuation for their shares. 'These potential uplifts highlight the sharp discounts that exist with UK stocks, even among companies that are household names,' Coatsworth added. Last year, it emerged that oil giant Shell, worth 155 billion, was considering a move to New York. Its boss, Wael Sawan, claimed the company was 'undervalued' compared with its US rivals such as Chevron and ExxonMobil, which are worth $258billion (189billion) and $479billion (351billion) respectively. Meanwhile, rival energy giant BP is also considered to be at risk of leaving the market, as its struggling share price, which has fallen more than a fifth in the past year, has fuelled speculation that it could be a takeover target for Shell or an overseas predator. Diageo, the owner of brands including Guinness, Smirnoff vodka and Johnnie Walker whisky, has also been the subject of takeover speculation. The future of the mining sector on the London market is also increasingly in doubt. In February, Gary Nagle, the boss of the 37billion commodities giant Glencore, said the group was weighing up whether to ditch its listing on the LSE and move elsewhere. A company spokesman told The Mail on Sunday that the location of the miner's listing was still under review. Meanwhile, copper giant Rio Tinto, worth 54billion, is under pressure from some of its investors to ditch London and shift its main listing to Australia following rival BHP, which performed a similar move in 2022. The company has so far rejected calls for a move, with only 19 per cent of shareholders backing a motion to transfer to the Australian stock market at its annual meeting in April. City broker Peel Hunt has warned that the situation presented 'a significant challenge for the UK economy' in terms of jobs and taxes. Others have called for the Government to take urgent action to boost Britain's attractiveness on the world stage. Travel group Jet2 is due to see its profits surge thanks to Britons shrugging off cost-of-living concerns and jetting off for holidays. Britain's largest package holiday operator is set to report an annual profit of 579million when it delivers its results on Wednesday, a 9 per cent rise on the previous year. Sales are also expected to have soared by 1billion to 7.2billion in the 12 months to March, according to analysts' forecasts. The profit is slightly above the 570million that the company predicted in a trading update in April, when it flagged that demand for its summer holidays had boomed earlier in the year, with the firm increasing the number of seats on its planes by more than 8 per cent. It provided relief to investors after its boss, Steve Heapy, warned in February that the cost-of-living crisis could hit profits as consumers cut back on getaways. Jet2 is the largest company on the London Stock Exchange's junior AIM market, with a value of nearly 3.8billion. Its value has surged since the pandemic, with the share price more than doubling in the past five years as it managed to emerge from the Covid-19 lockdowns less scarred than many of its competitors. Flying high: Britain's largest package holiday operator is set to report an annual profit of 579million when it delivers its results It allowed the company to leapfrog rivals such as Tui and On The Beach to become the UK's largest tour operator. Despite initial fears that consumers would sacrifice holidays as the cost of living rose, the opposite appears to have been the case, with many households ring-fencing their getaway budgets. In its half-year results in May, On The Beach said it was expecting a record summer season as Britons prioritised spending on travel, particularly city and beach breaks to countries such as Spain. And last month, Heathrow Airport increased its profit forecasts for 2025, citing better-than-expected demand for long-haul flights despite fears that turmoil in the Middle East and US President Donald Trump's tariff and border policies would put people off travelling. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Senator Rand Paul dishes on the latest in his investigation into the man who led America's COVID-19 response, Dr. Anthony Fauci. The Kentucky senator, who has grilled Fauci about the pandemic since 2021, tells the Daily Mail he is preparing to subpoena Fauci as part of an expanded Senate investigation into the origins of Covid-19 and US-funded research in Wuhan, China. The goal: scrutinize Fauci's role in approving controversial virus experiments. Paul, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, recently issued subpoenas to 14 federal agencies for records related to Covid-19's origins and gain-of-function research, building on years of questioning Fauci and other officials about US oversight of high-risk biological research. 'After we've gotten a fuller understanding [of] how the decision was made, we are going to ask him to come in, and, if need be, subpoena him to come in to discuss why he made the decision to fund the research in Wuhan,' Paul told the Daily Mail of his plans. However, Paul's chances in compelling Fauci to testify remain uncertain. Fauci was granted a preemptive pardon by former President Joe Biden, which could shield him from some consequences related to the pandemic. Paul also said that he hasn't yet been given access to the names of people who were part of the process determining the Wuhan research, but is continuing to seek interviews. 'We're looking at their communications and ultimately the decisions of this committee, we believe, had to be certified by Anthony Fauci himself,' Paul said. US Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) speaks to reporters, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on June 27, 2025 Dr. Anthony Fauci, pictured during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Nov. 4, 2021, in Washington, DC The subpoenas, issued in January, target agencies including the NIH, CIA, Department of Energy and others, reflecting a broader Republican push to investigate the 'lab leak' theory and the federal government's pandemic response. Fauci and NIH officials have repeatedly denied that the Wuhan research met the criteria for gain-of-function or that it could have sparked the pandemic, but Paul insists more answers are needed. Dr. Fauci did not respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment. 'The goal of the investigation will be to critique the process that allowed this dangerous research that may have led to the pandemic,' Paul said back in January. Biden's Autopen Pardon 'Fauci is in a bad spot,' a lawyer at the Oversight Project - an nonprofit watchdog previously a part of the conservative Heritage Foundation - told the Daily Mail. Even carrying a Biden pardon, Dr. Fauci could still face tough questioning if he chooses to comply with the Senate subpoena. The Oversight Project's legal team explained that if the pardon is found invalid, the Justice Department could revive old perjury referrals. If the pardon is deemed valid, Dr. Fauci would be unable to invoke the Fifth Amendment to avoid self-incrimination about his conduct, the lawyer claim's. 'Dr. Fauci, you accepted this pardon. You're claiming your pardon for these crimes,' the lawyer said, rhetorically, to the Daily Mail. 'What crimes were you pardoned for?' Legal experts note that enforcing a congressional subpoena can be difficult, and may be dependent on whether the Justice Department wants to pursue contempt charges. Dr. Fauci also holds the option of challenging the subpoena in court, potentially further delaying any testimony. Theo Wold, an Oversight Project board member and fellow at the Heritage Foundation, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that dozens of controversial clemency warrants - including Dr. Fauci's - were signed using an autopen, not by President Biden himself. Wold argued that this procedural irregularity could undermine the validity of the pardons. 'In addition, we found that the Biden White House used the autopen to affix President Biden's signature to clemency warrants and executive orders while the President himself was in Washington, DC, for at least some of that day, and thus was presumably available to sign important executive actions,' Wold added. Many legal scholars say the US Constitution does not require a presidential pardon to be signed by hand, and judicial precedent supports the use of autopen for official documents, including pardons. Dr. Anthony Fauci, former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, arrives to testify before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic at the Rayburn House Office Building on June 3, 2024 in Washington, DC Kash snags Fauci's phones Dr. Fauci told Politico in January that in accepting Biden's pardon, he had committed no crime and that there were no credible grounds for any criminal investigation of him. But Trump administration officials continue to probe the besieged doctor, who has attempted to slink out of the limelight in Trump's second term. FBI Director Kash Patel revealed on June 6 that the agency has located Faucis phones and computers from the early pandemic period - but the data on them might be deleted, tossing up another hurdle in Republicans' long pursuit of the doctor. The last congressional hearing on Fauci was June 2024, which Democrats argued produced no new evidence. While Fauci claimed the NIH did not fund gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China, Republicans claimed his explanation as 'misleading.' With control of all three branches of government, Republicans appear to control their own destiny on luring Dr. Fauci before Congress once again. Paul says the goal is to ensure sufficient oversight so 'a mistake of this magnitude never happens again.' But the final decision on issuing a subpoena remains up in the air, with Paul urging the public to stay tuned and patient. Mass sterilisation, mysterious injections, organ extractions and gang rape - these are just some of the sadistic conditions prisoners face in China, according to activists. Horrifying accounts of sexual abuse, torture, forced confessions and human experimentation have led rights groups to accuse the country of crimes against humanity. A shocking 2015 Amnesty International report revealed the inhumane conditions prisoners endured, and detailed how they were routinely slapped, kicked and hit with shoes or water-filled bottles. Prisoners described being strapped in so-called 'tiger chairs', with their legs tied to a bench as bricks attached to the bottom of their feet forced their legs backwards, causing them unimaginable pain. Amnesty also found that dozens of Chinese firms were producing 'tools of torture', ranging from electric chairs to deadly metal spiked rods. A separate report from Human Rights Watch in 2015 claimed Chinese detainees were being beaten and hanged by their wrists. 'Police are torturing criminal suspects to get them to confess to crimes and courts are convicting people who confessed under torture', the report said. Horrifying accounts of sexual abuse, torture, forced confessions and human experimentation in Chinese prisons have led rights groups to accuse the country of crimes against humanity Illustration shows an inmate being interrogated by prison guards at a detention camp Picture shows a 'tiger chair', which is specially designed to restrain prisoners The rights group cited former detainees as saying they were physically and psychologically tortured during police interrogations, including being whacked with electric batons, sprayed with chilli oil and deprived of sleep. Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Council has been warned that China is actively selling human organs on an industrial scale, with body parts of prisoners - such as kidneys, livers and lungs - removed from them while they are still alive. While Beijing has repeatedly denied accusations that it forcibly takes organs from inmates, one survivor of organ harvesting in China revealed the horrific ordeal he endured at the hands of state-sanctioned surgeons. Between 1999 and 2006, Cheng Pei Ming faced relentless persecution for his religious and spiritual beliefs by the Chinese Communist Party, during which he is believed to have been repeatedly tortured. Cheng Pei Ming, a survivor of forced organ harvesting in China, revealed the horrific ordeal he endured at the hands of state-sanctions surgeons Cheng says he was taken to a hospital where doctors pressured him into signing consent forms for surgery When he refused to sign surgery consent forms Cheng was immediately tackled by police officers and injected with a tranquilliser He later awoke to find a huge incision down the side of his chest leaking fluid: IV lines are seen snaking into Cheng's body following his forced surgery in 2004 in this image Cheng's shackles are seen on his hospital bed hours after he was operated on in China The inception of China's organ harvesting trade is not known but the practice gathered pace at the turn of the 21st century About half of Cheng's lower left lung lobe is missing This 3D reconstruction of Cheng's CT scan shows a considerable chunk missing from one of his lungs A medical facility in Urumqi, captial of Xinjiang province, is seen in this image In one of the most chilling episodes of his captivity, Cheng was taken to a hospital where doctors pressured him into signing consent forms for surgery. When he refused, he was immediately injected with an unknown substance which knocked him out. He awoke with a massive incision down the left side of his chest, and scans later confirmed that segments of Cheng's liver and lung had been removed. Images that surfaced on a website that shares information about the practice of organ harvesting clearly show an unconscious Cheng, which he suspects were taken by a shocked nurse or hospital worker. Beijing has denied any wrongdoing, but it admitted that organs were taken out of executed prisoners up until 2015. But many human rights organisations insist that China continues to harvest the organs of the country's oppressed ethnic minorities held in prisons. Internationals detained in China have also exposed the country's vicious treatment of prisoners and its brutal psychological torture methods. One Canadian man, who was detained by Chinese authorities for more than 1,000 days, claimed he was put into solitary confinement for months and interrogated for up to nine hours every day. Inmates receive a psychological correctional treatment during a psychological training and consultation session at Qingpu Prison on April 8, 2005 in Shanghai, China ormer diplomat Michael Kovrig, his wife Vina Nadjibulla and sister Ariana Botha walk following his arrival on a Canadian air force jet after his release from detention in China, at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Ontario, Canada September 25, 2021. He described the mental torture he suffered while detained Your browser does not support iframes. As many as one million ethnic Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities are believed to be held in a network of internment camps in Xinjiang. Pictured: Workers walk by the perimeter fence of what is officially known as a vocational skills education centre in in Dabancheng, Xinjiang Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat, was taken into custody in December 2018 in China and was accused of spying. In an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp last year, he described how there was no daylight in his solitary cell, where the fluorescent lights were kept on 24 hours a day. At one point, his food ration was cut to three bowls of rice a day. 'It was psychologically absolutely, the most gruelling, painful thing I've ever been through,' he said. 'It's a combination of solitary confinement, total isolation, and relentless interrogation for six to nine hours every day,' he said. 'They are trying to bully and torment and terrorize and coerce you ... into accepting their false version of reality.' Another example that has sparked international condemnation are the harrowing prison camps hidden deep within the remote Xingjiang province in western China. Branded by the government as re-education facilities, the camps are believed to hold approximately one million inmates - most of whom are Uighur Muslim - for 'vocational training', which the government argues is necessary in the region to alleviate poverty and fight extremism. Illustration shows a detainee in a blue uniform kneeling down with his hands above his head Illustration shows detainees strapped into tiger chairs as they await their confession sessions Horrifying accounts of the inhumane conditions inmates endure in these facilities have led human rights groups to accuse China of crimes against humanity and possible genocide. Picture shows watchtowers on a high-security facility near what is believed to a re-educatiion camp on the outskirts of Hotan in Xiangjing Sayragul Sauytbay, a Uighur Muslim, was forced into a camp in 2017. She later fled China and has bravely spoken out about her experience The barbarity of Beijing's clandestine prisons has been detailed by those who have been lucky enough to escape. Sayragul Sauytbay, a Uighur Muslim, was forced into a camp in 2017, where she was made to teach other prisoners Chinese in a bid to strip them of their identity and indoctrinate them into the Communist regime. After being released from the camp a year later, she fled China and bravely told of the savagery she witnessed in a 2019 interview with Israeli newspaper Haaretz. She described a world where prisoners were shackled, sleep deprived and subjected to humiliating punishments inside Beijing's brutal gulags. In her testimony, Sauytbay also went as far as comparing the Chinese bid to crush traditional cultures in the Xinjiang region to Nazi efforts to eradicate the Jews. During her time at the camp, she claims to have witnessed the use of mass surveillance by authorities, forced marriage, secret medical procedures, sterilisation and torture. Sauytbay described how inmates were stripped of all of their possessions upon arrival and were handed military-style uniforms. She also claimed that punishments were carried out in a so-called 'black room', a nickname given to it by prisoners because they were banned from talking about it. Other reports have claimed that Uighur women have been forced to marry Han Chinese men Police officers stand at the outer entrance of the Urumqi No. 3 Detention Center in Dabancheng in western China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on April 23, 2021 Tortures included being forced to sit on a chair covered with nails, beatings with electrified truncheons and having fingernails torn out. In one chillingly cruel instance, she saw an elderly woman get her skin flayed off and her fingernails ripped out for a minor act of defiance. Describing the sleeping arrangements at the camp, Sauytbay said around 20 inmates were crammed into a room measuring 50ft by 50ft, with a single bucket for a toilet. She also highlighted how people were constantly watched, with cameras installed in dormitories and corridors. Women were systematically raped, she claimed, and said that she was forced to watch a woman be repeatedly assaulted. In one instance, she saw how a woman was raped by guards as part of a forced confession. 'While they were raping her they checked to see how we were reacting. People who turned their head or closed their eyes, and those who looked angry or shocked, were taken away and we never saw them again,' she said. 'It was awful. I will never forget the feeling of helplessness, of not being able to help her.' Sauytbay also claimed that inmates were routinely starved, but on Fridays, Muslim inmates were force-fed pork and spent hours learning political slogans such as 'I love Xi Jinping.' Mysterious medical experiments were also commonplace, with Sauytbay witnessing how prisoners were given pills or injections. 'Some prisoners were cognitively weakened. Women stopped getting their period and men became sterile.' Another Uighur woman who escaped a detention camp detailed the torture and abuse she experienced at the hands of Chinese authorities. Mihrigul Tursun told reporters in a 2018 press conference in Washington that she was interrogated for four days in a row without sleep, had her head shaved and was subjected to intrusive medical examination following her arrest the year prior. Mihrigul Tursun, right, speaks at a event at the National Press Club in Washington, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018. Tursun, a member of China's Uighur minority spoke of the torture and abuse she suffered at the hands Chinese authorities as part of an escalating clampdown on hundreds of thousands of members of the country's Muslim minorities Illustration of a suspect restrained in what the police call an 'interrogation chair,' but commonly known as a 'tiger chair' Illustration of a Chinese manufactured spiked baton 'I thought that I would rather die than go through this torture and begged them to kill me,' she tearfully told reporters at a meeting at the National Press Club. She also spoke of how her and other inmates were forced to take medication, including pills that made them faint. One day, Tursun recalled, she was led into a room and placed in a high chair, and her legs and arms were locked in place. 'The authorities put a helmet-like thing on my head, and each time I was electrocuted, my whole body would shake violently and I would feel the pain in my veins,' Tursun said. 'I don't remember the rest. White foam came out of my mouth, and I began to lose consciousness,' Tursun said. 'The last word I heard them saying is that you being an Uighur is a crime.' But their account are not the only evidence of of China's atrocious treatment of Uighur prisoners. Drone footage released in 2019 showed apparently Uighur prisoners being unloaded from a train. The US is among several countries to have previously accused Beijing of committing genocide in the Xinjiang province. Pictured: Uigurs learn Chinese language at reeducation camp in Xinjiang, 2019 Pictured: A re-education camp in Moyu County, Xiangjing in April 2019 . Uighurs learn the profession of electrician at reeducation camp in Moyu, Xinagjing in 2019 The detainees appeared to be blindfolded and shackled, their heads shaved. In 2022, a series of police files obtained by the BBC revealed details of China's use of these camps, and described the use of armed officers and a shoot-to-kill policy for those who dared escape. Other reports have claimed that Uighur women have been forced to marry Han Chinese men, many of them government officials. According to a report from the Uighur Human Rights Project, the Chinese government has imposed forced inter-ethnic marriages on young Uighur women under the guise of 'promoting unity and social stability'. But defectors claim that women who have fallen victim into coerced marriages often endure unimaginable abuse, including rape. Another brave Chinese whistle-blower exposed the brutal tactics used by police and guards at re-education centres in Xinjiang. The unnamed Chinese defector spoke to Sky News in 2021, in which he revealed the conditions he witnessed as a police officer in one of the prison camps. He spoke of how prisoners were brought to the re-education facilities on crowded trains and detailed how they would be handcuffed to each other and have hoods placed over their heads to prevent them from escaping. Beijing has denied any wrongdoing, but it admitted that organs were taken out of executed prisoners up until 2015. Pictured: Uigurs learn Chinese language at a reeducation camp An image from inside the rarely seen confines of a detention centre, which appears to show Uyghurs being 're-educated' People stand in a guard tower on the perimeter wall of the Urumqi No. 3 Detention Center in Dabancheng in western China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on April 23, 2021 He also revealed how detainees would not be given food onboard the trains and would only be given minimal amounts of water. They were also forbidden from going to the toilet 'to keep order'. It is believed that China implemented the use of re-education camps following an eruption of anti-government protests and deadly terror attacks. In response, President Xi Jinping demanded an all-out 'struggle against terrorism, infiltration and separatism' with 'absolutely no mercy', according to leaked documents. China denied the existence of camps for Uighur people for years, but when images of the centres began to emerge, Beijing changed its story. The government now acknowledges the existence of the camps but has stood by the fact that they are 'vocational education and training centres' aimed at 'stamping out extremism.' In this image from undated video footage run by China's CCTV via AP Video, young Muslims read from official Chinese language textbooks in classrooms at the Hotan Vocational Education and Training Center in Hotan The demonstrators protest against the International Olympics Committee's (IOC) decision to award 2022's Winter Olympics to China amid the country's record of human rights violations in Hongkong and Tibet as well as crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in the northwestern region of Xinjiang. February 03, 2022 A number of activists hold a demonstration against China's policies towards Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic and religious minorities, who are suffering crimes against humanity and genocide in Jakarta, Indonesia on January 4, 2021 President Xi Jinping recently vowed to reduce corruption and improve transparency in the legal system. China's opaque justice system has long been criticised over the disappearance of defendants. Pictured: Guard tower and barbed wire fence are seen around a facility in Xiangjing The crackdown is predominantly focused on the Uighurs, an ethnic minority group of about 12 million people related to the Turks. But efforts from the Chinese government have also targeted other Muslim groups such as Kazakhs, Tajiks and Uzbeks. And just this week, rights groups have claimed that China is preparing to dramatically scale up forced organ donations from Uighur Muslims and other persecuted minorities held in detention camps. The claim comes after China's National Health Commission announced plans last year to triple the number of medical facilities capable of performing organ transplants in the Xinjiang region, home to the vast majority of Uyghurs in the country. The expanded facilities will reportedly be authorised to perform transplants of all major organs, including hearts, lungs, livers, kidneys and pancreas. The move has prompted warnings from rights campaigners and international human rights experts who say the planned expansion aims to fuel industrial-scale organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience. Despite China's attempts to downplay the severity of its prisons , it recently issued a rare admission that torture and unlawful detention take place in the country's justice system and has vowed to crack down on illegal practices by law enforcement. The country's opaque justice system has long been criticised over the disappearance of defendants, the targeting of dissidents and regularly forcing confessions through torture. The country's top prosecutorial body the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) has occasionally called out abuses while President Xi Jinping has vowed to reduce corruption and improve transparency in the legal system. The SPP announced last week the creation of a new investigation department to target judicial officers who 'infringe on citizens' rights' through unlawful detention, illegal searches and torture to extract confessions. Its establishment 'reflects the high importance... attached to safeguarding judicial fairness, and a clear stance on severely punishing judicial corruption', the SPP said in a statement. China has frequently denied allegations of torture levelled at it by the United Nations and rights bodies, particularly accusations of ill-treatment of political dissidents and minorities. China has frequently denied allegations of torture levelled at it by the United Nations and rights bodies. Picture shows the Chinese flag behind razor wire at a housing compound in Xingjiang Several public security officials were accused in court this month of torturing a suspect to death in 2022 Drone footage emerged showing police leading hundreds of blindfolded and shackled men from a train in what was believed to be a transfer of inmates in Xinjiang Several recent cases involving the mistreatment of suspects have drawn public ire despite China's strictly controlled media The Chinese government has acknowledged the existence of the camps but has stood by the fact that they are 'vocational education and training centres' But several recent cases involving the mistreatment of suspects have drawn public ire despite China's strictly controlled media. A senior executive at a mobile gaming company in Beijing died in custody in April last year, allegedly taking his own life, after public security officials detained him for more than four months in the northern region of Inner Mongolia. The man had been held under the residential surveillance at a designated location system, where suspects are detained incognito for long stretches without charge, access to lawyers and sometimes any contact with the outside world. Several public security officials were accused in court this month of torturing a suspect to death in 2022, including by using electric shocks and plastic pipes, while he was held. The SPP also released details last year of a 2019 case in which several police officers were jailed for using starvation and sleep deprivation on a suspect and restricting his access to medical treatment. The suspect was eventually left in a 'vegetative state', the SPP said. Chinese law states that torture and using violence to force confessions are punishable by up to three years in prison, with more serious punishment if the torture causes injuries or the death of the victim. A Victoria Police officer has been stood down from normal duties and moved to a different unit after his ex-girlfriend accused him of using state CCTV to stalk her. Lisa Lewis, 43, claims 'Jack', 42, (name changed for legal reasons) used his official access to live footage across the state to secretly spy on her during nights out. Lisa says she realised what was happening after a series of disturbing texts from him commenting on her outfits and telling her to 'wave' at the cameras. The couple first met on Tinder in November 2024 and soon went on a date where Jack wined and dined her at a ritzy five-star restaurant. Ms Lewis admitted she had reservations about meeting up with him because he was in the police, but said: 'Jack went to a lot of effort. 'I was attracted to him, he was tall and I liked that, and our life goals like marriage and so forth aligned.' But five months later, they split up after she became spooked by a series of 'creepy' comments and she realised she was being spied on. She was in the car park of a hotel on her way into a ritzy gala dinner with a friend when she received a chilling text which read simply: 'Nice white sneakers.' Lisa Lewis, 43, claims Jack*, 42, (pictured together) used his official access to live footage across the state to secretly spy on her during nights out Lisa Lewis was in the car park of a hotel on her way into a ritzy gala dinner (pictured) with a friend when she received a chilling text which read simply: 'Nice white sneakers' The Victoria police officer has been stood down from normal duties and moved to a different unit after Lisa Lewis accused him of using state CCTV to stalk her 'I was so confused because I hadn't sent him a photo,' Ms Lewis told Daily Mail Australia. 'And then he said, 'Look up - CCTV. Wave! I'm watching you on the cameras. 'I kind of laughed, not because it was funny, but as a nervous thing. I actually thought that's kind of creepy. 'I drive a manual so I had put my sneakers on under my dress instead of heels, and it made me think if he is watching me now, where else is he watching me? 'Is he watching me when I go for a drive in Geelong? Because there were times I felt like he was expecting me when I turned up at his house.' When the couple met up after the gala ball, Ms Lewis says she told Jack how she was worried she'd be running late because of red traffic lights. But her blood ran cold when he replied he knew because he had been 'watching her'. She claims Jack then showed her CCTV videos on his phone of her driving the same evening. The couple first met on Tinder in November 2024 and soon went on a date where Jack wined and dined her at a ritzy five-star restaurant The couple ended their relationship not long after. Ms Lewis made an official complaint to his bosses about his behaviour, but now fears police chiefs are not taking it seriously. 'When we broke up, I specifically told him to stop watching me on CCTV,' Ms Lewis told Daily Mail Australia. 'He shouldn't be doing it anyway, but especially now we are not together. 'We had constantly talked about it, and I was always thinking, if he is watching me then who else is he watching? 'And then he denied it, which made me so angry because that puts my honesty and integrity into question. It infuriated me and that's why I reported it. 'I am worried investigators will believe a police officer with 18 years of experience over someone like me. 'But the evidence is clear-cut and there is no reason for the police not to be pursuing this matter.' Lisa Lewis, 43, (pictured) claims the officer Jack, 42, texted her about her outfits and asking her to 'wave' to the cameras Ms Lewis says the relationship progressed quickly with Jack 'showering' her with gifts and sharing information about his work life Ms Lewis fears her colourful past, some of which has played out in headlines, could be undermining her complaint to authorities. In 2006, the New Zealander ran onto the field wearing a bikini during a rugby Test match between the All Blacks and Ireland in Hamilton, New Zealand. She was escorted off the field by security and gained nationwide fame for her stunt, later selling the green bikini for more than $4000. Since then Lewis has been in the centre of numerous quirky stories including running for mayor and being a naked newsreader. In August 2023, she also accused Northern Territory Police of discrimination after she claimed they rejected her bid to become a cop because of her past employment as a sex worker. She had confessed about her sex work past to Jack when they first hooked up. 'On our first date I was very honest about my life and what I do for a living,' she said. 'I am a sex worker so I wanted him to know that. 'He said that he had seen a lot being a police officer so me being a sex worker didn't bother him.' In 2006, wearing only a bikini, Ms Lewis ran onto the field during a rugby game between the All Blacks and Ireland in Hamilton, New Zealand Ms Lewis has been in the centre of numerous quirky stories including running for mayor and being a naked newsreader Ms Lewis says the relationship progressed quickly with Jack 'showering' her with gifts and sharing information about his work life. 'Jack would call me up to six hours a day on his personal phone when working undercover surveillance following targets in his unmarked police car,' Lewis said. 'Once he showed me a hidden camera that looked like a rock, and another time he pulled up CCTV on his phone and said, "Let's see how busy town is tonight."' On April 9, Ms Lewis reported Jack to the police for unprofessional behaviour and stalking her. 'I am incredibly frustrated that he put me in this position,' she added. 'He left me no choice to do what I did. 'He should never have told me he had access to all CCTV cameras in Victoria because that would cause any person to question their trust, especially if they had been watched at other times. 'He was in surveillance and is very good with technology - he set up my TV at home, had access to my phone and my passwords. 'I am still worried he may be monitoring me somehow, and I think the public would like to know where their tax money is going.' Lisa Lewis says she was very honest about being a sex worker Ms Lewis says as far as she is aware, Jack is still working as a police officer but claims he told her that he had been stood down from the surveillance department while her allegations are investigated. Victoria Police confirmed to told Daily Mail Australia: 'A leading senior constable from a specialist unit has been transferred to other duties following allegations he misused police information. 'As the matter is under investigation by the Professional Standards Command, it is not appropriate to comment further.' A disgruntled homeowner has left a rude message on the roof of their property for anyone peeping on Google Maps. Huge black letters spelling 'F**K YOU' were painted on the home in Mississippi, US. The outrageous move has left curious theorists believing that the explicit message is intended for Google Maps. With the property blurred from Street View, some Redditors speculated it was to do with the person wanting to keep their privacy. 'I imagine they had Google blur their house on Street View (ya know, for privacy) but Google wouldn't do it for Satellite View, so this was the homeowner's response,' one user wrote. 'They've had their property image blurred from Street View as well... hah!' someone added. 'Do you think they realise this only draws more attention to them and not less?' another said. Home-owners can ask Google Maps to blur their 'entire house, car or body' by submitting the request with the 'Report a problem' tool. This image will then be blurred on Street View over privacy concerns. However, they will not edit the satellite view. A disgruntled homeowner has left a rude message on the roof of their property for anyone peeping on Google Maps With the property blurred from Street View, some Redditors speculated it was to do with wanting to keep their privacy Google has been contacted for comment but they had previously confirmed 'Google does not itself blur satellite imagery'. They said: 'Google Earth is built from a broad range of imagery providers, including public, government, commercial and private sector sources some of which may blur images before they supply it to us. 'Such imagery is commercially available on the market (including to other map services) from third party providers. Any inquiries should be directed to that provider. A Reddit user added that the roof has since been updated to 'EAT S**T', although this is not reflected in the satellite imagery. Last year, another property similarly wrote a blunt message on their roof to stave off nosy neighbours. A homeowner daubed 'Watch p*rn, not me' across the roof of their property, but the stunt backfired as tens of thousands flocked to view it on social media. The gorgeous waterside property is located in Lake County, north-eastern Illinois, which boasts natural terrain ranging from sand dunes to prairie. An image of the property was shared by a Facebook user posted a snap of the crude graffiti on to a dedicated group chat with fellow satellite imagery fanatics. An American homeowner daubed 'Watch p*rn, not me' across their roof to mock their nosy neighbours - but tens of thousands are now flocking to view it It seems that the painted message serves as a dig at those who spend perhaps too much time browsing on Google Maps, or pokes fun at nosy neighbours As a result, the rude message, painted in white block capitals to starkly contrast the homeowner's black roof, can now be found on Google Images, with the entire world able to see. A Facebook post highlighting the incident has received over 120,000 interactions, with many taking to the social media platform to air their thoughts on the irony. One claimed 'the entire world' is now watching their rural property, and another, appearing to be a Google Maps enthusiast added: 'Near Chicago. Soon it should be a law to have a quote on your roof.' Another commented: 'This poor guy or whoever is probably seeing this and thinking 'well sh*t, that didn't work out.' Another user remarked: 'And then suddenly, the entire world was watching THEM.' One joked: 'I can't disagree with the homeowner.' Imagine yourself on a yoga mat in the backyard of a $20million mansion surrounded by five to six other people wearing matching workout sets. The sun is beating down on your back as you smell the freshly-cut grass and the floral scent of the island's famous hydrangeas, serenity and nirvana encasing you like the warm summer rays. As you stretch into a warrior's pose with sweat (and makeup!) running down your face, you're reminded: I paid $200 for this class. And you love it. That's summer in the Hamptons. 'It's the thing we do all day long,' says Stephanie Suskind, 38, a fashion and lifestyle influencer. She spends most of her year in Miami, but enjoys summers on New York's most exclusive island. 'You're going to the Hamptons, what else are you going to do? There's no nightlife. You're going to have a fit summer,' she tells the Daily Mail. But don't think that means your morning will start with a relaxing dip in the pool or jog on the beach. Getting your hands on a pass for the exclusive workout classes that have become a must-have part of any stay this summer requires time, effort and connections. Stephanie Suskind, 38, (left, pictured with Andrea Saty) told Daily Mail a summer in the Hamptons is a 'fit summer'. She said: 'You're going to the Hamptons, what else are you going to do? There's no nightlife. You're going to have a fit summer' Suskind is among the many who fork out hundreds to partake in the fitness culture of the Hamptons. 'It's the thing we do all day long,' she said The high ticket prices often come with goodie bags that feature matching sets, like this Tremble class wearing a Carbon38 co-ord that retails for $216 'You just have to know somebody,' Suskind said. She considers herself a newbie amongst the Hamptons elite as it's only her second summer there, but she certainly isn't struggling to fit in - into matching leggings or the class roster. 'You have to book in advance. You have to be on the list,' she said. Sharon Feiereisen, who owns The Moms Club, told the Daily Mail some of her events sell out in hours and need to be booked out one to two weeks in advance. She says this allows her to coordinate brand deals to provide matching sets and other goodies. 'So many great brands partake,' she said. She's partnered with Reebok, Boxed Water, and La Roche-Posay and said her goodie bags run anywhere between three to five times the ticket price. Whether they are going to SoulCycle at The Barn - one of the most exclusive spots which often has a 20+ person waitlist - or getting the nod for an invite-only class, these women are on their A-game and want to look good doing it. 'People love it,' Feiereisen said of the matching outfits. But the classes come at more than just the cost of a Splits59 workout set - which normally retail at $128 for the leggings and $82 for the bra. Feiereisen's events run between $75 and $115, she told the Daily Mail. Sharon Feiereisen (pictured with Isaac Boots), who owns The Moms Club, told Daily Mail some of her events sell out in hours and need to be booked out one to two weeks in advance so she coordinate brands deals with matching sets and other goodies 'You just have to know somebody,' Suskind said to get into class (pictured: a Barry's class in the Hamptons) Popular classes such as for the Tracey Anderson Method can cost $75 for a single class. Meredith Shumways (pictured) classes, which are mainly booked up through Labor Day, cost $55 Summer views of Southampton New York with a classic windmill and full bloom Hydrangea Suskind has spent up to $200 for EMS suit classes, which involves wearing a fitness garment that has electrodes that send impulses to muscles. And every add-on is an additional $200. 'The prices are insane,' Suskind told Daily Mail. 'It's like $1,000 for a group class. 'I think it's worth it.' Most classes cost at least $50 in the sunny paradise. Popular classes include Tracey Anderson Method, which costs $75 for a single class, and those of Meredith Shumway, whose sessions are mainly booked up through Labor Day despite costing $55. Suskind says the workout scene in the Hamptons is the most exclusive of any she's seen. She had to use her network to get into the Lululemon House for a workout this week and many spend their summers just 'trying to get into the mansion.' This week alone, Suskind had an EMS workout at a private mansion, as well as an Andrea Saty sculpt class that was at a private residence. Saty exclusively offers invitation-only classes. The Barn - which has Tremble and SoulCycle, among others - is a coveted spot and often has a waitlist Many classes take place at private mansions (stock image) that are covered in hydrangeas Goodie bags are laid out for those taking part in one of the Hamptons' hottest summer classes 'I really love the invitation-only classes,' Suskind told Daily Mail. Feiereisen also hosted a Saty-led class at a private mansion in Sag Harbor on Friday for moms. And who exactly will you see inside these classes? Girls who look the same, according to Suskind. 'We're all kind of the same,' she said. 'Same [workout] set, different colors.' And some of them - including Suskind - work out in makeup because they know the expensive class is not only for sweating it out, but is also likely to be filled with pictures and goodies bags. 'I'm bringing my best self,' she told the Daily Mail. Mexico's brutal cartel war has exploded into a new era of horror. In recent times, beheaded corpses have been left dangling from bridges, charred bones have been found in underground ovens and innocent civilians gunned down at religious festivals. Once confined to remote borderlands, the carnage is now brazen, public, and unrelenting, leaving Mexican streets soaked in blood. In the last year, the country has been rocked by a wave of cartel atrocities so extreme, officials and investigators are calling them 'extermination campaigns'. One of the most shocking scene came just days ago, on June 30, in the cartel stronghold of Culiacan, Sinaloa, the home of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's former empire. Twenty corpses were discovered, including four beheaded men hanging from a highway overpass, their heads stuffed in black bags and dumped nearby. The remaining 16 victims were found crammed into a van, many executed with close-range shots to the head. Investigators believe the killings were part of an internal war within the Sinaloa Cartel, between the sons of El Chapo, known as Los Chapitos, and the rival La Mayiza faction. Twenty bodies were discovered this week, including four beheaded men hanging from a highway overpass Officials also found 16 male victims with their bodies packed into a white van - one of them was decapitated An internal war broke out among the Sinaloa cartel after its leader El Chapo was arrested A note, scrawled with the words 'WELCOME TO THE NEW SINALOA', was left at the scene as a warning to rivals to stay away The gruesome murders were not just to remove rivals - it was also to send a clear message to anyone trying to encroach on cartel territory. The power struggle between the factions erupted after the arrest of El Chapo back in 2016. It ended up splitting the cartel into different groups. That has resulted in constant violence between the members. Since September last year, more than 2,000 people have been reported murdered or missing in connection to the internal war. Grim discoveries like the ones in Sinaloa is not an isolated incident - in March, forensic teams made a discovery that chilled even hardened investigators. It was a secret compound near Teuchitlan, Jalisco, where the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) allegedly ran a full-scale 'extermination site'. Buried beneath Izaguirre ranch, authorities found three massive crematory ovens. Two hundred pairs of shoes were discovered at Izaguirre ranch, the skeletal remains of dozens of people were found Some activists say the ranch was used to lure in innocent victims to teach them how to become killers The Mexican National Guard arrives at the ranch to investigate the gruesome find They contained piles of charred human bones, and a haunting mountain of belongings - over 200 pairs of shoes, purses, belts, and even children's toys. Experts believe victims were kidnapped, tortured and burnt alive, or after being executed, to destroy evidence of mass killings. The chilling find was made on a ranch that has been secured by cops several months prior. When cops stormed the site, they arrested ten armed members of the cartel, and found three people who had been reported missing (two were being held hostage, while the third was dead, wrapped in plastic). Jose Murguia Santiago, the mayor of the nearby town, was also arrested in connection to the crimes. The ranch was also being used as a training centre for the cartel, who have now been declared a terrorist organisation by US president Donald Trump's administration. Several advocates in Mexico have raised concerns about cartel brutality. Two of them, a mother and son duo, were slaughtered in April this year after revealing what was going on at the ranch, which they called an 'extermination camp'. The CJNG is headed by Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, also known as El Mencho The gang are said to be responsible for thousands of deaths and the disappearance of many people Seven bodies and five bags with human remains were discovered abandoned at Monterrey in killings attributed to cartel wars Maria del Carmen Morales, 43, and her son, Jamie Daniel Ramirez Morales, 26, were staunch advocates for missing people in Mexico. According to cops, 'a pair of men' targeted Daniel in Jalisco and when his mother stepped in to defend him, she was also set upon. Maria's other son went missing in February the previous year. She fought tirelessly to find out what had happened to him. Reports indicate that since 2010, 28 mothers have been killed while searching for their relatives. Just a few weeks after the ranch was discovered, authorities in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, unearthed 169 black bags at a construction site, all filled with dismembered human remains. So far, at least 34 victims have been identified through DNA. The bags were hidden near CJNG territory, where disappearances are widespread. Activists say families reported dozens of missing young people in the area in recent months. Despite the capture of some of its most ruthless leaders, the cartel remains one of Mexico's most feared criminal enterprises. The CJNG cartel has established itself as the most feared and ruthless in Mexico The body of a high-ranking Sinaloa cartel member, who had been kidnapped and murdered, was found on a highway surrounded by boxes of fenantyl and other drugs After the news of the ranch broke, the country's president Claudia Sheinbaum, vowed to do more to strengthen laws relating to missing people. The bloodbath in March continued when the bodies of nine people who had vanished were found on a highway. They had been brutally hacked - a bag containing their hands was found alongside their remains. The bodies were dumped inside the trunk of a car abandoned on San Jose Miahuatlan, 175 miles south of Mexico City. Five of the nine were discovered underneath a tarp soaked with blood, while the remaining four were stuffed into the boot of the car. Local reports initially indicated that the bodies of the four women and five men were students from Tlaxcala who had gone to Oaxaca for a vacation. However, news outlet NVI Noticias alleged that the victims were members of the Los Zacapoaxtlas criminal gang. The car containing the remains, a grey Volkswagen Vento, was seen along the highway just three days after the students were reported missing. Forensic experts searched an abandoned car after the students were reported missing Lesly Noya Trejo was one of the students whose bodies were brutally dismembered In May, investigators raided a ranch outside Colima City, uncovering a mass grave containing the remains of at least 42 people. The bodies showed signs of acid burns, blunt force trauma and ligature marks. Authorities say that when they arrived at the location, some of the bodies were still burning. Cartel enforcers are believed to have used the site to torture and eliminate rivals, before attempting to destroy the corpses with chemicals and fire. The killings were linked to the Jalisco cartel, which has turned Colima into one of Mexico's most dangerous states as it fights to dominate Pacific drug routes. In October last year, the town of Ojuelos, Jalisco, woke up to yet another horror - the decapitated bodies of five men dumped by a dirt road. Their heads were found in a separate sack, left beside a cardboard sign with a blood-soaked warning from CJNG. Locals said they heard screaming the night before, followed by cars speeding away. A victim lays dead as armed cartel members stormed a hotel and opened fire at Celaya, Guanajuato Horrific photos last year revealed the carnage after drug gangs slaughtered rivals, burnt bodies, and shot corpses so they 'don't come back to life' Police were called after plastic bags containing the body parts were discovered by drivers. Authorities immediately deduced that because the bodies were dumped in such a public place, as well as the sheer brutality of the killings, was a strong indication that the cartel was involved. Just last month, a festival celebrating the Nativity of Saint John in the city of Irapuato was plunged into chaos. As families gathered in Irapuato for a traditional nativity festival, heavily armed men pulled up in trucks and sprayed the crowd with bullets. Eleven people were killed in the horrifying attack, with 20 others injured, some critically. Plastic chairs, drums, and food trays were left drenched in blood. Afterwards, residents could be seen walking through the horror, with blood soaked streets and bullet holes in the walls. Witnesses say the gunmen didn't speak or issue demands. They simply shot and left. A pool of blood seen at the venue of the religious gathering where gunmen opened fire killing eleven people Bullet holes could be seen in the aftermath of the shocking incident in Irapuato The gruesome nature of cartel assassinations is unmistakable. In January 2024, when workers showed up to a gas station in La Concordia, Chiapas, southern Mexico, to begin their shift, they were horrified at what they found. Hitmen had left a cooler with severed human heads and attached a note warning their rivals to 'stop hiding'. The workers initially believed the cooler contained vaccines for veterinary use, but were left petrified when they opened it, according to local media. The message found attached to the cooler was aimed at the CJNG, telling them they would soon suffer the same fate. It read: 'There's your s**t you bunch of pigs. The same thing is going to happen to all the polleros (smugglers) who generate money for the scourges of the CJNG and the f*****s of the Chiapas Cartel. 'Go out and fight you bunch of pigs, stop hiding under government skirt. Pure CDS.' When workers opened the cooler, the were horrified to find a bunch of severed heads There was a message attached to rival cartel gangs warning they would suffer the same fate Workers at the gas station initially believed the box contained vaccinations for veterinary use Just hours before the find, the CJNG had reportedly left a body hanging from an overpass on the Tuxtla-Ocozocoaulta highway in a warning to the Sinaloa cartel. Mexico's official homicide count surpassed 30,000 in 2023, but activists believe the true death toll is far higher, especially with so many bodies disappearing into secret graves and cremation pits. By the end of 2023, there was more than 110,000 active cases of people who had disappeared without a trace. Exerts predict the number could be higher due to underreporting and unreliable data. Mexico's drug war is now dominated by some of the most brutal and dangerous cartels in history, whose violence has turned entire regions into blood-soaked battlegrounds. At the top of the list is the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), led by Nemecio 'El Mencho' Oseguera Cervantes. CJNG is considered Mexicos most powerful and ruthless cartel, feared for its military-style tactics and shocking public displays of cruelty. The cartel controls vital drug routes along the Pacific coast, especially in Jalisco and Colima, where their turf wars have left hundreds dead. The Sinaloa Cartel remains a heavyweight despite its internal splits. Sinaloas grip on northern drug trafficking routes remains strong, but its ongoing violence continues to destabilise communities and threaten innocent lives. In a gory video shows members of the CJNG cartel beheading an unnamed man Two men were found strangled to death last year at Acapulco beach - police say cartel members 'tortured' them 'around the neck' Although Mexico's president, Claudia Pardo has vowed to do more to tackle the cartel violence crisis, the issue still persists on a greater scale In Guanajuato, the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel has grown into a violent force in its own right. Known primarily for fuel theft and extortion, it has expanded through bloody confrontations with larger groups like CJNG. Smaller but vicious cartels like the Chiapas Cartel operate in southern Mexico, shocking communities with grisly killings and public warnings. Though smaller, their willingness to engage in extreme violence keeps them relevant in Mexicos cartel chaos. Together, these cartels among others have pushed Mexico into a new era of brutality, where civilians, students, and activists often become the victims of ruthless power struggles. As they frolic around Disney's massive Dream cruise ship, the last thing 2,500 passengers are worried about is falling overboard. Sturdy railings stand 42.5 inches (3.5ft) off the floor, protecting a gust of wind or rough seas from throwing anyone to almost certain death. Families lounge on deck chairs or play shuffleboard just a couple of feet from the edge of the ship as joggers speed past on deck four's running track. Yet somehow, a five-year-old girl disappeared over the side on Sunday as the ship steamed back to Fort Lauderdale from the Bahamas. The little girl plunged 45 to 50ft into the water, with her father, 37, heroically diving in seconds later to save her. Hundreds of passengers watched as the pair were dramatically rescued by the ship's crew after the brave dad kept his daughter afloat for 20 minutes. Using video and photos taken on the ship by passengers, the Daily Mail has pinpointed the spot she fell, and where rescuers leaped into action. The footage reveals what experts call a near-fatal flaw in the ship's design that Disney fixed in later additions to its fleet - but didn't retrofit on the Dream. A five-year-old girl fell out a porthole just like this on the Disney Dream cruise ship on Sunday after climbing up and sitting on the railing. The shelf the boy in this photo is leaning on is a glaring weakness in the design as it allows a child to easily climb onto the railing The hall on the port side of deck four of the Disney Dream where the portholes she fell out of are Police confirmed she fell from the one spot on the whole ship a mischievous child could get into trouble - a series of portholes along deck four's aft section. Unlike railings elsewhere on the ship, which are lined with smooth plexiglass from top to bottom, the portholes have one glaring weakness. Under the porthole, the steel wall forms a kind of shelf, about the height of a man's thigh, that the rest of the railing is built on top of. The design makes it easy for even a child to climb onto the shelf, and then on top of the much shorter railing above it that doesn't have any plexiglass, sea safety expert Mario Vittone explained. Another Disney cruise ship, the Fantasy, has a slightly different design where the railing is at the front of the shelf with plexiglass blocking it, making it much more difficult to climb on. Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony, whose office is investigating, explained the girl 'lost her balance while sitting on a railing' and fell backwards over the side. 'After the girls mother alerted her husband, who didnt see the incident, he jumped into the ocean to save his daughter,' he said. Sheriff Tony said the ships security camera caught the entire horrifying series of events on video. Another Disney cruise ship, the Fantasy, has a slightly different design where the railing is at the front of the shelf with plexiglass blocking it, making it much more difficult to climb on - as pointed out by a passenger posting this photo to Reddit The portholes are open to the sea, as shown here where a passenger stuck their phone out of one to record the outside of the ship and sunset Vittone, a 28-year US Coast Guard veteran, said the near-fatal accident should ring alarm bells for Disney. 'We had a saying in the USCG prevention division: "All safety regulations are written in blood",' he told the Daily Mail. 'We very often learn things are a problem when something we didn't expect, happens. 'This child, essentially, put her center of gravity over the rail and then tumbled. She climbed off the ship... unintentionally.' Vittone said the Dream's portholes were built to regulation, but he expected every ship in Disney's fleet would quickly be updated to improve safety. 'Where Disney will have a problem is in parsing the decision to make one ship "safer" for the (unpredictable, on their own unsafe) child passengers, but not make that same modification to the other ships in its fleet,' he said. 'Cruise ships routinely overboard railings beyond requirements to make leaving the ship all but impossible but for the most determined to leave. 'They missed this feature on this particular ship. No doubt, they will now fix this on every ship like it. 'Thankfully, this lesson wasn't written in blood. That the father saw the incident and jumped is the only reason.' Deck four includes a jogging track and is lined with railings that extend 42.5 inches from the floor with plexiglass in front of them Mario Vittone, a 28-year US Coast Guard veteran and sea safety expert, said the near-fatal accident should ring alarm bells for Disney Disney didn't immediately respond when asked why the porthole design was changed for the Fantasy and if its older ships would be retrofitted. What police didn't explain was what the girl's parents were doing while she climbed onto the porthole railing. Monica Shannon, who was on holiday with her husband and young child, said a crew member told her they were engrossed in a game. 'She said the parents were playing shuffleboard and the girl was climbing on the railings... and as she went to climb up again she flew off,' she told the Daily Mail. The South Florida native said she was in her room on a lower deck directly below the shuffleboard area and 'saw something go by really fast'. 'I didn't think anything of it, I definitely didn't think it was a person or a body that just fell off the ship,' she said. However, the footage shows the shuffleboard area on the port side is towards the front of the ship, a long way from the portholes at the back end of the jogging track. The rescue boat used to bring the father and daughter back to the ship is visible on the right The ship's crew taking the father and daughter back to the Dream after plucking them from the ocean. The girl is sitting on ship's doctor Alyssa Charles' knee as she examines her The father is said to have dived in within seconds of his daughter, and with the ship moving at 25mph he would have had even farther to swim if he jumped from near the shuffleboard. These factors have called the shuffleboard account into question and make it more likely they were no longer playing when the girl fell. Passengers and crew threw flotation rings and other buoyant items into the ocean for them to grab on to, which may have been what Shannon saw fall past her window. Several passengers said the girl's mother was hysterical after watching her daughter and husband go over the side. 'The mom was yelling "she's five and can't swim",' passenger Shannon Lindholm said. The shuffleboard area came into play later as the spot where the rescue craft was launched from and was pulled back onto the ship from is right next to it. The father was hurt as he fought to save his daughter and was hospitalized after the ship returned to port, but police declined to specify the injury. Some passengers said staff told them the girl fell overboard while her parents were playing shuffleboard on deck four and she climbed on the railing However, the shuffleboard area on the port side is towards the front of the ship, a long way from the portholes at the back end of the jogging track, making the theory less likely The shuffleboard area came into play later as the spot where the rescue craft was launched from and was pulled back onto the ship from is right next to it The father was initially hailed as a hero for saving his daughter from almost certain death on her own in the ocean, without regard for his own life. But the tide turned when rumors that he caused her to fall by lifting her onto the railings for a photo began to spread, and he was pilloried online by thousands of strangers who repeated the false accusations as if they were fact. This was despite no one who saw the girl fall publicly saying what happened, and no evidence he did anything wrong. Within seconds of the girl falling, the ship's automatic man overboard alarm and the emergency code 'Mr MOB' blared over the intercom. Within minutes the crew readied a yellow motorized rescue boat and went after the stricken pair as hundreds of passengers rushed to the railings. The father looks up at the crowd of passengers cheering their safe return A father and daughter were rescued from the ocean 20 minutes after the girl fell off the side of the Disney Dream cruise ship and her dad dived in to rescue her Passengers described the massive 130,000 gross tonnage ship turning around as the rescue boat raced to find them before they drowned. The dad, clearly exhausted and distraught, gave the crowd a thumbs up as the boat approached the ship, then wiped his face with his hand. His daughter was sitting on ship's doctor Alyssa Charles' knee as she was checked out, appearing healthy despite her ordeal. The physician has been praised online for stroking the girl's hair to keep her calm. The Disney Dream was built in 2010 and last refurbished in 2024, according to Cruise Mapper. Bryan Kohberger has 'resting killer face' that reveals his psychopath tendencies - and which his defense lawyer claimed was a result of autism to try and drum up sympathy for him, a former FBI agent says claims. 'He is a rare case of someone actually having "resting killer face",' Robin Dreeke, former Chief of the Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, told Daily Mail. 'It is his lack of ability to demonstrate emotions or emotional connection to what is going on in the world around him - hence his courtroom behavior.' Kohberger's attorney Ann Taylor 'tried to explain it away' by claiming the killer had autism, Dreeke claimed, adding this was the defense's attempt to 'negate the frame' and offer a less frightening explanation for the icy gaze. 'In other words... explain to people what they will see, before they see it so that it doesn't become an issue or distraction,' the former FBI agent said. 'Resting killer face' is a spin on the term 'resting bitch face,' which describes a person whose demeanor looks unintentionally unfriendly when their face is in repose. Dreeke offered Daily Mail the fascinating insight after Kohberger's plea deal in Boise, Idaho, on Monday that saw him admit the November 2022 murders of Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in Moscow, Idaho. He'll be be sentenced later this month, with the plea deal scrapping the possibility of the death penalty in return for Kohberger spending the rest of his life in prison with no chance of parole. He spoke calmly during his plea hearing, answering 'yes' as he was asked plainly whether he murdered the four students, and looked on coldly as the prosecution laid out a detailed timeline of what took place inside in rented home in Moscow. Kohberger will be offered the chance to speak at his sentencing, but won't be forced to. That means his true motive may never be known But the killer will not be forced to address the court during his sentencing, meaning his true motive may never be known. Bryan Kohberger was cold and emotionless as he confessed to killing four young college students because of psychopathic tendencies, a retired FBI agent claims Bryan Kohberger admitted killing Madison Mogen, (left) Kaylee Goncalves, (right) Xana Kernoble and Ethan Chapin at a plea deal hearing in Boise, Idaho on Wednesday Koherger planned and executed most of the November 2022 bloodbath with terrifying precision and coldness, a former FBI agent claims. Pictured: University of Idaho students Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin on a boat on Priest Lake, in Idaho in July 2022 Dreeke believes Kohberger committed the atrocity purely because he's a true psychopath who knew he'd enjoy killing and wanted to feel the rush of taking another person's life. Kohberger planned and executed most of the November 2022 bloodbath with terrifying precision and coldness, Dreeke said. But he slipped up because he had a 'dated' perception of the 'forensic capabilities of investigators,' Dreeke believes. Kohberger was a criminology student at Washington State University who searched for notorious killer Ted Bundy online. Bundy killed at least 20 women and girls between 1974 and 1978 and was caught thanks to a lucky break and rudimentary forensic testing on hairs found in his Volkswagen Beetle. Dreeke said that in other respects, Kohberger was the perfect killing machine and offered a bloodcurdling motive for the slaughter. 'He's a psychopath,' Dreeke explained, noting that he is not a clinical psychologist so he cannot formally diagnose Kohberger - but reiterated that the killer fits the profile. Psychopathy is a complex personality disorder marked by several traits, most notably lack of empathy and poor behavioral controls. 'Kohberger has zero empathy. He's devoid of emotion,' Dreeke said. 'People ask if he is guilty - do I think he did it? Yes. But guilt is an emotion. 'He does not have emotions.' Kohberger's attorney Ann Taylor (pictured on June 27, 2023) 'tried to explain away' his killer face by claiming Kohberger suffered from Autism, Dreeke claimed, alleging this was the defense's attempt to 'negate the frame' 'People think too hard about what he's thinking. They were analyzing his court appearance saying he was trying to control his emotions. There's nothing to control. He doesn't have emotions. 'He's cold-blooded killer looking for a rush.' The former FBI agent added that he believes that Kohberger would '100 per cent' kill again had he not been arrested over the slayings because of the emotional response that murder provides him. More details, such as what motivated the killer to attack the four college students, could emerge when Kohberger returns to court for his sentence. Robin Dreeke, (pictured) former FBI agent and Chief of the Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, told Daily Mail Kohberger is 'a rare case of someone actually having "resting killer face"' Some answers could also be in the hundreds of documents filed by prosecutors and defense lawyers that have been under seal and out of public view starting in 2022. Kohberger's plea hearing was finished in less than an hour Wednesday. A trial where loads of details would have been revealed was expected to have lasted at least three months. Relatives of at least two of the victims attended Wednesday's hour-long hearing in Idaho's Fourth Judicial District Court in Boise, the state capital. The families were divided about the plea deal. Lead prosecutor Bill Thompson laid out his key evidence Wednesday at Kohberger's plea hearing. The evidentiary summary spun a dramatic tale that included a DNA-laden Q-tip plucked from the garbage in the dead of the night, a getaway car stripped so clean of evidence that it was 'essentially disassembled inside' and a fateful early-morning Door Dash order that may have put one of the victims in Kohberger's path. These details offered new insights into how the crime unfolded on Nov. 13, 2022, and how investigators ultimately solved the case using surveillance footage, cell phone tracking and DNA matching. But the synopsis leaves hanging key questions that could have been answered at trial - including a motive for the stabbings and why Kohberger picked that house, and those victims, all apparent strangers to him. Dreeke believes he targeted the victims' home (pictured in December 2023) because it was in a location that he perceived as safe. The shared residence was a 'high traffic home' that allowed him to hide in 'plain sight' and go 'undetected' On the night of the murder, Kohbeger's car could be seen on a neighbor's surveillance camera speeding away so fast 'the car almost loses control as it makes the corner Bryan Kohberger will serve four consecutive life terms in prison for the 2022 rampage. He also waived his rights to appeal or seek a sentence review. Kohberger is pictured in a selfie taken just hours after he carried out the quadruple murder Kohberger, now 30, had begun a doctoral degree in criminal justice at nearby Washington State University - across the state line from Moscow, Idaho - months before the crimes. 'The defendant has studied crime,' Thompson told the court. 'In fact, he did a detailed paper on crime scene processing when he was working on his PhD, and he had that knowledge skillset.' Kohberger's cell phone began connecting with cell towers in the area of the crime more than four months before the stabbings, Thompson said, and pinged on those towers 23 times between the hours of 10pm and 4am in that time period. A compilation of surveillance videos from neighbors and businesses also placed Kohberger's vehicle - known to investigators because of a routine traffic stop by police in August - in the area. On the night of the killings, Kohberger parked behind the house and entered through a sliding door to the kitchen at the back of the house shortly after 4am. He then moved to the third floor, where Mogen and Goncalves were sleeping and stabbed them both the death. Kohberger left a knife sheath next to Mogen's body. Both victims' blood was later found on the sheath, along with DNA from a single male that ultimately helped investigators pinpoint Kohberger as the only suspect. On the floor below, Kernodle was still awake. As Kohberger was leaving the house, he crossed paths with her and killed her with a large knife. He then killed Chapin - Kernodle's boyfriend, who had been sleeping in her bedroom. Bryan Kohberger was pulled over with his father (pictured together) before his arrest Kohberger has now admitted to the world that he did murder Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Xana Kernodle, 20, as well as Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin , 20, on November 13, 2022 Two other roommates, Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen, survived unharmed. Mortensen was expected to testify at trial that sometime before 4.19am she saw an intruder there with 'bushy eyebrows,' wearing black clothing and a ski mask. Roughly five minutes later, Kohbeger's car could be seen on a neighbor's surveillance camera speeding away so fast 'the car almost loses control as it makes the corner', Thompson said. After Kohberger fled the scene, his cover-up was elaborate. But methodical police work ultimately caught up with him, with Kohberger now one of the world's most notorious mass-murderers. While for some it still brings back fond childhood memories of a fun-filled seaside holiday, Blackpool is long past its heyday. It is now one of the most deprived towns in the UK. Plagued by drugs, poverty and crime, the seaside resort has been in decline for decades. It has the highest proportion of alcohol-related deaths in England and was recently named the local authority area where men have the lowest life expectancy. And while it may come as a shock to those who visited the resort religiously during its booming post-war years, to anyone who takes a stroll down the promenade today, the deprivation is clear as day. Buildings that once housed shops and cafes lay empty, and the 'forgotten' streets behind the promenade are left in ruins. But one of the biggest indicators of the 'unloved' town are the plethora of previously bustling hotels that have since shut down and been left crumbling for years. When MailOnline visited Blackpool, not only were hotels left abandoned and boarded up, but the buildings were seen rotting and disintegrating, becoming a zone for fly-tipping and in some cases, had been targets by gangs for cannabis farms. The Sherwood Hotel, on the Promenade, lies in a state of disrepair. Furniture has been fly-tipped on its grounds and broken windows have been boarded up The Allandale Hotel is a row of three hotels beside each other that are all boarded up At the Parisienne Hotel, also on the Promenade, windows are boarded up and rotting mattresses can be seen through the windows The Lords Hotel, again on the Promenade, is completely boarded up and its grounds look like a wasteland Local councillor Paul Galley told of how he conducted an audit last year of empty properties along the Promenade and counted 28 were left abandoned. A year later, he counted 45. At the old Sherwood Hotel along Blackpool's North Promenade, which offers seafront views looking over Morecambe Bay, the site has gone into disrepair. Despite its beautiful baroque architecture, the hotel, which has laid empty for years, can be seen decaying with everything from road signs to sofas dumped on its grounds. Its roof is broken, the walls have graffiti on them, and broken windows have been boarded up. Across the roundabout from the Sherwood, behind the three-star Savoy, stands the former Moorfield Hotel. Half the letters have fallen off its signage and the bottom of the hotel is completely boarded up. One window remains propped up, and occupying the abandoned property are flocks of pigeons seen flying in and out of the broken window. Further down the Promenade from here sits the Parisienne Hotel. Also laying derelict, one can see straight through the windows to see tables, chairs and mattresses thrown across the rooms. Paul Reay told of how he has visited the seaside resort every year since being a child and says the decline is 'heartbreaking' Blackpool was once seen one of the UK's jewels but is now one of the most deprived towns in the country The Carlton Hotel, next door to the Allandale, is also boarded up with broken windows and posters plastered on it The mold is so bad it can be clearly seen on the mattresses through the windows, and smashed windows indicate they have been the target of vandals. A group of visitors walk along the promenade looking up at the building in shock, commenting sarcastically on how 'great' and 'beautiful' it looks. Standing outside the Parisienne, Paul Reay, 54, from Manchester, told MailOnline he visits the seaside resort every year. He was with friends who have left the UK for the sunny shores of Tenerife and Madrid in Spain. He said: 'We've come here since we were children and it is soul destroying seeing a once beautiful seaside resort crumbling into destitution. 'All you see are derelict buildings. 'They are prime targets for kids smashing windows, the homeless trying to make their way in, and its a hive for drug dealing. 'Its also an easy target for gangs to farm drugs for free, hook it up to all the dodgy electrics. 'What has happened to the place? 'People are destitute. It used to be one of the most affluent areas in the northwest, if not in the country. 'Now if you go a road back you can easily get class A drugs whatever time of day.' At the Moorfield Hotel, which sits behind the Savoy, flocks of birds can be seen flying in and out of the window Locals say they have to look at the derelict buildings every day and say they would like to see them converted into housing for residents Hotel windows could be seen broken and buildings crumbling. The Allandale, Carlton and Continental all lie empty at the corner of Queen Street and Abingdon Street While the town still attracts visitor to Pleasure Beach, numbers are 'nothing like' they were in its booming post-war years Looking up at the derelict Parisienne Hotel, his friend chimed in: 'It looks like something you see online, a creepy abandoned house that you see this kids on social media go in and explore.' Mr Reay and his brother worked as chefs at the Grand Hotel on the North Promenade many years ago. He told of the 'heartbreaking' change. 'I've been coming here since I was a child. I got stung by my first jellyfish right down here. 'We still come every year. 'But it's heartbreaking. 'Every time you come, you see something else has closed. 'It used to be cafes galore down here, but it's all gone. We're having to walk quite a way up from our hotel to find a cafe. 'The area just needs a hell of a lot of investment. 'It would be good if some of the millionaires and billionaires in the country could inject some money into here because it was a great place. 'Some of it is literally paint work. Get some of the youngsters on community service to come down here and paint the fencing along the pier. It's little things. 'I have noticed though that they cleaned up the beach from what is was a few years ago, and you don't get much litter around here, so they are doing something.' Behind the Promenade, extremely close to the town centre lies a row of disused hotels. At the corner of Queen Street and Abingdon Street sit the abandoned Allandale Hotel, Carlton Hotel and the Continental, all one after the other. The birds can be seen nesting inside the buildings, which have boards lodged in place of broken windows. Posters are plastered over the outside of the hotels and paint can be seen ripping off the crumbling buildings. Sat outside the Allandale Hotel, locals Jade Gaughan, 32, and Jamie Jones, 38, told of how the areas behind the promenade have been 'forgotten'. Jade Gaughan and Jamie Jones say the area has 'gotten worse' and they feel the council 'forget' about the locals and only focus on tourists Pictured: The Continental Hotel on Queen Street. The derelict building is one of many in the seaside resort The side of the derelict Harper Beach Hotel can be seen crumbling, with paint peeling off Southways Hotel which is nearby to Harper Beach on the promenade also lies in a state of disrepair The couple said: 'It has gotten worse. 'It's just a mess isn't it? 'It's not nice here and we feel the council do more for the promenade for visitors than for the people who live in it. 'They just forget about the side streets. 'They focus on what is going to generate money for them and leave the rest of us. 'It's the people who live here who have to look at this every day. 'There's a housing shortage so they could focus on making these abandoned hotels into housing for locals. 'They're knocking where we live down which hasn't got any derelict buildings and rebuilding. 'The council are getting fed up with the landlords so they are knocking them down and building less houses in its place. 'So we need to leave temporarily. We don't want to have to move out. 'Instead they should concentrate on building these ones up. Look at the state of them.' Speaking generally of Blackpool, the mother-of-five said: 'It was already bad and it is getting worse. 'There's a big drug problem, kids are carrying knives in high school. 'I don't really let my kids play out, my oldest is 13 and I don't let him wonder the streets, it's just not safe.' A report to a meeting of Blackpool Council's executive listed that at one point during 2024, there were 1,500 properties lying empty in the town. While most of these were houses and BnBs, many were also hotels. John George, from Glasgow, there would be 'thousands' of people trying to get on rides at Pleasure Beach in its heyday but says on his visit this year his kids were sometimes the 'only ones' on the rides Blue Waves Hotel, also along the Promenade, also lies empty Despite its baroque architecture, Sherwood Hotel can be seen decaying, with boarded up windows and a crumbling roof Graffiti reading 'Free' can be read at Carlton Hotel on Abingdon Street Police found a cannabis farm at the New Mayfair Hotel in November last year Action to reduce the number of empty buildings by working with owners is now being stepped up by the council. It comes as Ian White, of leading hoteliers group StayBlackpool, warned that the holiday sector is in 'crisis' as some hotels are having to operate in 'unloved' and 'unforgiving' streets, according to the Blackpool Gazette. Mr White said at the council meeting: 'Abandoned properties, cannabis farms and ASBs are far from welcoming experiences and dont encourage holidaymakers to want to stay around.' The derelict hotels are a telling sign of a wider issue of deprivation. The region is battling a 'zombie' drug crisis, gambling addictions, and homelessness. It is also home to the highest rate of serious mental health issues in England, suffers from four times the average number of drug deaths, and has nearly double the rate of smoking deaths. In November, police found 600 cannabis plants growing in the former New Mayfair Hotel on New South Promenade. The building had been lying empty, but from the outside, unlike some other abandoned hotels, was unsuspecting. Also on the Promenade sits the Sunny Days Hotel, which, while it might not look it, remains open. John George, 56, from Glasgow was sat outside the hotel when he spoke to MailOnline. On either side of the building lie two abandoned hotels. Parts of the sign at the former Moorfield Hotel had fallen off and was completely taken over by pigeons Visitors told of how the empty buildings were a sign of a town left 'unloved' Tourists looked up at the state of the Parisienne Hotel in shock as they walked past The Blue Waves Hotel sits out of use to its left, and the Blackpool Resort Hotel lies empty to its right. A few properties down, the Coastal Bay Hotel also sits abandoned. The 56-year-old, who was staying in Blackpool for a day with his family before heading to Manchester Airport for a holiday abroad, said: 'It's just us in there, there are no other customers. 'It's all just rundown.' 'See if we were booked in here for a week I would've checked out the same day', his wife added. 'We used to come down here every year from Glasgow. And in the summer you couldn't get a hotel it was so packed. 'It used to be so great. 'But now you can just tell it's unloved. It's a real shame, to see Blackpool now compared to what it used to be like. 'Now you've got these abandoned buildings. 'The difference is like night and day. 'When I used to come as a kid there'd be thousands of people hitting about everywhere. The Coastal Bay Hotel was yet another derelict hotel. A few doors down sits two further derelict hotels Tourists told of how cheap foreign holidays and the decline of Blackpool had led to a decline in visitors to the area 'But yesterday when my kids were on the rides, sometimes they were the only ones on it.' Mr George feels an increase in prices and the option of flying abroad on cheap holidays has contributed to Blackpool's decline. He said: 'Everything is too dear now in Blackpool, we went for dinner yesterday it is was 62 for four fish suppers and four cans of juice. 'Foreign holidays are cheaper now, if you came here for a week or two it would cost you a fortune, but you could get an all-inclusive holiday abroad for less. 'It was 25 per person to get a ticket for Pleasure Beach, and that's just to walk around. I have no interest in going on the rides it's only for the kids, so I'm not paying 100 for four person just to walk around. 'And it shuts at 5pm now. It used to be open till late.' Blackpool Council have been approached for comment. A seaside resort's 'ghost town' shopping centre has become the latest casualty of a downward spiral which had seen the area plagued by drunks and vandals. Over the years, Scarborough in North Yorkshire, once known as Queen of the Watering Places, has seen many High Street names disappear forever. Once the main street was dominated by classy department stores such as W Rowntree & Sons, which had its own commissionaires (uniformed doormen), and Debenhams. Now, they have been replaced by vape shops, budget stores, secondhand and charity shops, and gift shops selling tat. Its Grand Hotel, once the resort's jewel in the crown, is now run down and caters to people wanting only the cheapest seaside breaks. Now, the Brunswick Centre, the once bustling shopping precinct unveiled in a blaze of glory in the 1980s, is just a shell of its former self. Only three shops remain and they, too, are due to close soon - and plans to reopen the site as a cinema and retail complex have been greeted with scepticism by locals. Scarborough's 'ghost town' shopping centre has become the latest casualty of the UK's downward spiral in the retail sector The Brunswick Centre, the once bustling shopping precinct unveiled in a blaze of glory in the 1980s, is now just a shell of its former self Only three shops remain - and all are due to follow the rest into closure soon Over the years, Scarborough, once known as Queen of the Watering Places, has seen many High Street names disappear forever Pete Nendick, 56, was a contract cleaner at The Brunswick for years but lost his job when management changed and they made new arrangements. He said: 'The shopping centre looks terrible at the moment. I used to be a cleaner. here. I was born and bred in Scarborough. 'I know what it used to look like and how it is now. It used to be great. I remember coming here when I was little. 'You could get anything I here and it used to be heaving. Now you get a lot of drunks around here in the morning. 'There are addicts hanging around waiting for Boots [to open] first thing in the morning. I worked for an agency but was told in September that it is closing down and they are using their own cleaners. 'Towards the end, someone came in every day asking, "When is it closing? What is happening to it?" All I know is it is a case of "watch this space". 'I have been looking at the picture of [plans of] how it is supposed to look but believing is seeing. I am going to miss it if it does close down because I love coming here.' Jenny and Steve Bray, both 71, originally from Leeds, have just moved back to earby Bridlington, where Jenny's late parents lived, after 38 years in Australia. They decided to pop over to Scarborough for the day to check out the shops and were shocked by the state of the shopping centre. Jenny said: 'We remember when Debenhams was here. It was a great store. We used to come here to shop. 'So it is just such a shame. It is all very well having a cinema, but who goes to the cinema any more? 'We have seen a bit of trouble. We stayed in a hotel in Scarborough for a few weeks when we moved back from Australia. After shops closed in the shopping centre, no new ones moved in to replace them The result is the colossal building sits virtually empty with shuttered shops and out of order escalators Plans to reopen the site as a cinema and retail complex have been greeted with scepticism Pete Nendick, 56, was a contract cleaner at The Brunswick for years but lost his job when management changed Also looking around the derelict shops in disbelief were Colin and Sue Winnington, from Cheshire. They have been staying in Whitby and reckon it is now far superior to Scarborough as a tourist destination. Asked what they thought of the shopping centre, Sue, 80, replied: 'Not a lot. We were here a few years ago and it was nice. 'It is only two years since we have been here and we could not believe it. But I cannot see these precincts coming back. 'Our own local shopping centre has closed and they are going to build more flats, but we already have loads of flats. Nodding in agreement, Colin, 86, added: 'I doubt this redevelopment is going to happen. Online has been the demise of these places. 'Why get in car and drive miles, pay five pounds to park, and then have to pay top prices? 'Often they have not even got what you want but Amazon can deliver it to your doorstep the next day. 'It is a shame because closing shopping centres costs people their jobs but it is happening everywhere.' They had planned to book into the luxury Sands Sea Front self-catering holiday apartments in Scarborough but it was too expensive, so have decided to stay in Whitby instead. Sarah Wellard believes no one is going to come in to regenerate the site Outside the shopping centre, a stretch of brown belt land lies derelict and weeded The shopping centre was once the beating heart of the town's retail sector Now it is a grim memorial to times of disposable income and plentiful shoppers Sarah Wellard, 33, from Bridlington, said: 'I don't think they will do anything with this place however nice the pictures look. 'It is like a ghost town in here. One of my friends was over and said you don't want to go in there. But he did and could not believe it. 'It is everywhere, though. Everywhere is shutting down, and Bridlington is the same. I used to come to the Brunswick all the time. 'There used to be loads of shops here and it was great. Woolworths in Scarborough was great as well. You could always get a bargain. 'Scarborough is not as bad in the day as it is at night when all the p***heads come out. The redevelopment is supposed to be starting next year. 'I hope it turns out nice and a cinema would bring in a lot of people - provided it gets built and is not so expensive that the ticket prices scare everybody off. 'It is shame. It used to be very popular. But people do not want to go out to shop any more because there are too many morons around.' Wayne Owen, 40, from Sheffield, said: 'It is all going downhill in Sheffield, too. But Scarborough is a real dump. 'There are a lot of pound shops in Scarborough and a hell of a lot of charity shops. It is nothing like when I went to the seaside as a kid.' Colin and Sue Winnington believe Scarborough has fallen far behind neighbouring Whitby in the seaside town pecking order Locals say that on the rare occasions they do shop in town, they avoid the shopping centre A shop bears a final goodbye to its customers on its frontage Scarborough Group International, a leading property regeneration and placemaking specialist, and owner of the Brunswick, announced towards the end of last year that the centre will be renamed Square One Outside, the resort's main Westborough shopping street is heaving with shoppers Gesturing at the shuttered shops, Alexander Robson scoffed: 'What shopping centre? 'If the cinema opens and we get new shops, it might bring the place back to life. We will have to wait and see what happens. 'I remember coming here as a kid with my dad. I spent way too much time in Toyland and my dad spent way too much money. Now it is all gone.' The 130,000sq ft mall now attracts only a handful of shoppers who wander aimlessly around the lower floor with nothing to do but leave again. Only three shops remain - New Look, which closes on September 5; Retail Phone Access, which is holding a closing down sale and shuts on August 17, and Next, which is also due to close for good though no date has been set. Scarborough Group International, a leading property regeneration and placemaking specialist, and owner of the Brunswick, announced towards the end of last year that the centre will be renamed Square One (SQ1). It has also announced plans for extensive redevelopment works that aim to see it transformed into a vibrant, leisure-led destination including an Odeon multiplex. However, locals are taking the idea with a pinch of salt. Council bosses have been struggling to attract a new cinema to the resort for nearly 20 years and so far the attempts have come to nothing. More stores closed at Christmas - including Clinton Cards, and the flagship Holland & Barrett, which left its prime site next to the mall's entrance and moved to a new High Street site 100m away. Outside, the resort's main Westborough shopping street is heaving with shoppers who said the demise of the Brunswick was symptomatic of the decline of the town centre in general. The former historic Post Office now stands derelict, covered in bird droppings since it was relocated inside WH Smith's. The town's Stephen Joseph Theatre remains a vibrant attraction at the top of the town - but just around the corner are graffiti daubed streets with day-time drinkers, run down houses and bedsits, and shabby boarded-up buildings. Ironically, the town's former Atlantis swimming pool, now a derelict site on the North Bay, which has barriers around the empty space - is also promising to be the site of the town's new cinemas. In the days after Bryan Kohberger finally admitted to the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students, one question remains: Why did he do it? Now, a bombshell new motive has been proposed by a leading forensic psychiatrist - and it centers on one detail that may have been hiding in plain sight. Dr Carole Lieberman, who has more than two decades of experience analyzing criminal behavior, can't help but notice the striking resemblance between two of the victims, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, and the middle school cheerleader who once rejected Kohberger. She believes the killer's rage may have been triggered by a disturbing psychological pattern, one that saw Kohberger project years of accumulated rejection onto victims who reminded him of a girl he pursued obsessively as a teenager. 'It is especially significant that Maddie and Kaylee look like the blonde cheerleader who rejected him in middle school,' she told the Daily Mail. 'He took out the rage that he built up over the years, towards this first love and all the subsequent women who rejected him, with each bloody stab of the knife.' The prosecution has suggested Kohberger may have entered the house with a single intended target, Madison Mogen, and possibly Kaylee Goncalves, who no longer lived there but was staying over with Mogen that night. He slipped in through the sliding kitchen door shortly after 4 am and went straight to the third floor, where the two women were asleep in the same bed. Bryan Kohberger, 30, carried out his attacks as a twisted revenge on all the women who had rejected him, Dr Carole Lieberman, a forensic psychiatrist, suggests Shown above are Kohberger's victims. From left: Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen (on Kaylee's shoulders), 21, Ethan Chapin, 20, and Xana Kernodle, 20 But as he crept back down, the plan may have spiraled. He is believed to have run into Xana Kernodle, who had just picked up a DoorDash delivery, and then killed her and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, who was staying in her room. Two other housemates - Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen - were left unharmed, further fueling theories that Kohberger only meant to kill one or two people, but felt forced to eliminate witnesses once inside. Below, Dr Lieberman lays out why she is convinced the seemingly random mass murder was a 'revenge killing' gone wrong. The 'beautiful people' he could never have Kohberger, who is now 30, pleaded guilty this week to the murders of Mogen and Goncalves, both 21, along with Kernodle and Chapin, both 20, in a shocking early morning attack at their rented off-campus home in November 2022. But it's his apparent focus on Mogen and Goncalves, and their eerie resemblance to Kim Kenely, that's drawing new attention from experts. Kenely, a popular blonde cheerleader at Kohberger's middle school, was reportedly the target of his unwanted attention for months while they were students. Her mother has spoken publicly about how Kohberger would leave 'love letters' in her daughter's locker and make repeated, awkward declarations of interest. 'He would always say, "Oh Kim, I think you're very pretty." Just like weird comments,' she recalled. 'And she'd say, "Oh God, leave me alone." She did not give him the time of day.' Kim Kenely, 27, contacted FBI agents after learning about former sixth-grade classmate Bryan Kohberger's arrest. He previously had a crush on her in middle school Dr Lieberman believes Kohberger (pictured in 2023) saw that same unattainable archetype in Mogen and Goncalves - two confident, outgoing, social women with long blonde hair and big smiles Dr Lieberman said the rejection - delivered in a public, humiliating way that only adolescence allows - may have planted the first seed of rage. 'When kids are little, they're mean,' Kenely's mother noted. 'They don't say, "Oh my God, thank you, but no".' Years later, Dr Lieberman believes Kohberger saw that same unattainable archetype in Mogen and Goncalves - two confident, outgoing, social women with long blonde hair and big smiles. From obsession to rage Kohberger's struggles with women have been well documented. Aside from his infatuation with Kenely, the only other encounter he is known to have with women is a failed Tinder date in 2015. The woman, named Hayley Wette, claimed in a TikTok video that he drove her back to her dorm and insisted on coming in before refusing to leave. Wette, who also spoke to media after posting her video, claimed she eventually had to pretend to vomit in the bathroom to get him to leave. Dr Lieberman believes these repeated failures left Kohberger feeling a toxic mix of rejection, shame and rage. 'If he met a girl, they would be turned off by him,' she said. 'Not just because of his looks and being a little awkward, they probably wouldn't have known exactly why, but because they would be able to sense this anger and rage within him.' 'He already had this chip on his shoulder, and he was gathering all this anger... that made it harder and harder for him to meet a girl who wanted to go out with him.' Killings were eerily personal Dr Lieberman said she first suspected the killer might be an incel (involuntary celibate) even before Kohberger was arrested, based solely on the details of the crime scene. An incel is someone who feels unable to attract a romantic or sexual partner, despite wanting one. The off-campus student home at 1122 King Road where the murders took place is pictured above. The property is in Moscow, Idaho, and has since been torn down Blood appears to drip down the wall of the house where the four Idaho students were murdered Police described the Idaho crime scene as 'profoundly bloody' and the 'worst they'd ever seen' with 'blood everywhere.' The victims had suffered multiple stab wounds to the upper body and chest. Some had defensive wounds, indicating a desperate struggle. A knife sheath left at the scene would later link the weapon to Kohberger through DNA. 'This bloody scene suggests it had to be someone with a lot of rage,' she said. 'And they used a knife, which suggests a very personal attack.' Why Maddie and Kaylee? While prosecutors haven't revealed exactly how Kohberger selected his victims, several clues suggest he had fixated on Mogen and Goncalves specifically. An Instagram account believed to belong to him followed both women and messaged one of them repeatedly just weeks before the killings with the phrase, 'Hey, how are you?' He also reportedly made at least two visits to the restaurant where Mogen and Kernodle worked, ordering a vegan pizza and eating alone. Best friends Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were found dead in the same bed in Mogen's room on the third floor. Prosecutors said Kohberger headed there upon entering the house Perhaps most chillingly, phone data shows his device pinged cell towers near the home 23 times in the two months before the murders - often late at night or in the early hours of the morning. For Dr Lieberman, these details paint a picture of a man who wasn't just lashing out, he was seemingly stalking and hunting women who reminded him of his earliest humiliation. 'This is a magnified revenge on them and all the women who went before them that had rejected him,' said Dr Lieberman. Chilling comparisons Dr Lieberman said the attack bears disturbing similarities to Elliot Rodger, the self-proclaimed incel who killed six and injured 14 others in Isla Vista, California, in 2014. In his manifesto, Rodger said he carried out the attack as a 'Day of Retribution' against women and the society that had 'denied' him sex and love. Dr Lieberman also drew parallels to Ted Bundy, who killed dozens of women in the 1970s who experts say were a 'carbon-copy' of his first girlfriend - he reportedly held a grudge after she dumped him. Criminologist Christopher Berry-Dee suggested he carried out the attacks because of the rejection he felt at the end of the relationship. Kohberger pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the murders of Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves and Xana Kernodle in November 2022. The controversial plea bargain spared him the death penalty and will instead see him serve four consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole Not remorse, just defiance Kohbergers demeanor during his recent plea hearing also raised red flags for Dr Lieberman. 'He was so angry, so defiant,' she said. 'He certainly wasnt remorseful.' As he pled guilty to the gruesome murders, he answered with 'a very flippant "yes," and "yes" - like he wanted to get this over with already,' she said. A message to the families Asked why she felt compelled to share her theory now, Dr Lieberman said it was to help the victims families - who may never hear a motive from Kohberger himself - find some understanding. 'They are not going to hear it from his mouth... so I just wanted to try to give them some idea of why this happened,' she said. 'Their children didnt do anything wrong, and what happened is not because of anything their children did. I am worried that they are thinking that.' Justice Beale detailed the 'ultimate issue' the jury needs to consider, which is whether Patterson deliberately included death cap mushrooms in her lunch. 'Now the ultimate issues are whether the accused deliberately included death cap mushrooms in the beef Wellingtons, and whether she had the state of mind necessary for the alleged offences at the time she served the beef Wellingtons to them,' Justice Beale said. 'There are a number of issues that are related to those ultimate issues, and they include whether the accused had good reasons not to kill her lunch guests. 'Whether she foraged for edible mushrooms, why she cooked individual beef Wellingtons, why the children weren't at the lunch, whether she had a different plate to a guest, whether she allocated her own plate. 'Whether she engaged in incriminating conduct after the lunch.' On Monday, Pastor Ian Wilkinson, with his arms crossed, looked sombre as the jury was instructed on how it should deal with the charge related to his attempted murder. 'Turning to the elements of attempted murder, as you know to prove that the accused committed the offence of attempted murder, in relation to Ian Wilkinson, the prosecution must prove the following four elements beyond reasonable doubt,' Justice Beale said. 'One, that the accused consciously, voluntarily and deliberately served Ian Wilkinson a poisoned meal, that's the alleged conduct. 'Two, the accused's alleged conduct was more than merely preparatory to killing Ian Wilkinson, and immediately and not remotely connected with killing Ian Wilkinson. 'Three, at the time of the alleged conduct, the accused intended to kill Ian Wilkinson, and four, the accused's alleged conduct had no lawful justification or excuse.' First lady Melania Trump gave President Donald Trump a pointed glance when he asked the B-2 pilots involved in the Iran strike to reveal their identities as they were feted at the Fourth of July celebration Friday. The White House had invited those involved in the June 22 bombing campaign to enjoy the annual picnic on the South Lawn, which is traditionally held for military families. The pilots' names have remained secret as the Iranian regime had previously vowed to assassinate Trump and other top Trump officials after the U.S. killing of Iran's Quds Force leader, Gen. Qasem Soleimani in January 2020. 'We're honored to be joined by 150 airmen and their families from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, the home of the B-2 bomber,' Trump said from the Truman Balcony Friday to cheers from the crowd. 'And we've kept them a little bit on guard, we've kept them a little bit - let's be a little bit quiet about it. If you want to raise your hand very quickly, raise your hand, because you people are just incredible,' the president instructed. Melania Trump, dressed in a white shirt-dress, could be seen shaking her head and then laughing. At least one member of the crowd appeared to raise his hand at the president's request. 'We don't want to be in disguise, we don't have to do that,' the president continued. 'They're looking at us like we're a bunch of babies.' President Donald Trump (left) and first lady Melania Trump (right) stood on the Truman Balcony as the president asked the B-2 pilots who flew the Iranian mission to identify themselves - despite concerns Iran could target those servicemembers A B-2 bomber, accompanied by two F-35s are seen flying over the White House during Friday's Fourth of July festivities, a picnic attended by military families where President Donald Trump signed his 'Big, Beautiful Bill' into law 'We don't have to be in disguise. We saw all those hands go up,' he added. 'Thank you very much. We owe you everything.' The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail's request on whether the servicemembers would receive protection if Iran decided to retaliate against them. Before the president made his remarks, there were three military flyovers the White House, two which featured the giant B-2 stealth jets - which dropped 'bunker buster' bombs onto the Iran nuclear site Fordow. Tomahawk missiles fired from a submarine were used to attack the Iranian nuclear sites of Natanz and Isfahan as well. As Iran woke up to the news, Trump addressed the bombings from the White House that Saturday night, saying the sites were 'completely and totally obliterated.' He railed against CNN and The New York Times for reporting on an initial assessment that didn't paint as rosy a picture about the destructive nature of the attacks, suggesting they only set the Iranian nuclear agenda back by a number of months. Trump said the B-2 pilots needed to be 'respected' by news outlets. 'Very unfair to the pilots that risk their lives for our country, and then they get fake news and CNN make up a phony story to get some hits. That's the only reason I care about it, because those pilots were so brave, I've never seen anything like it,' Trump said last week while attending the NATO Summit in the Hague. The crowd watches as a B-2 bomber and two F-35 jets fly over the White House during Fourth of July celebrations on Friday President Donald Trump (center left) flanked by (from left) Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Saturday, June 21 that the U.S. had bombed three Iranian nuclear sites Excavators are seen at tunnel entrances at the Fordow nuclear site in Iran several days after the U.S. used the B-2 bombers and 'bunker buster' bombs to try and kill Iran's nuclear program amid the conflict with Israel 'They flew into the hornets' nest and then they got hurt so badly by what the fake news wrote,' Trump argued. Iran retaliated by sending missiles toward the Al-Udeid Air Base located outside of Doha in Qatar - the U.S.'s largest military installation in the Middle East, which Trump had visited the month before. Those missiles were all intercepted and later that day, the president announced a ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel - which has since held, after a few initial missile firings and some strong language about the conflict out of Trump's mouth. The president was in a much better mood on Friday, celebrating both the servicemembers in the South Lawn and what he called his 'greatest victory yet' - Congressional passage of the so-called 'Big, Beautiful Bill.' After the flyovers and a brief speech, Trump walked down onto the South Lawn and signed the bill into law, surrounded by Republican lawmakers. He gleefully tapped the gavel presented to him by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who was standing along Trump's side. The crowd was interspersed with Cabinet members and top Trump officials including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dan 'Razin' Caine, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, EPA Secretary Lee Zeldin and more. As Donald Trump attempts to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in government jobs, a new report reveals lifeguards in Los Angeles County have been making six-figure wages. Some of the county's 1,500 caretakers on the beach made up to $510,283, with nearly 100 more making as much as $200,000, according to transparency watchdogs Open The Books. They're also able to collect exorbitant amounts of overtime, with one garnering upwards of $700,000 in just a five-year span. In 2024, the left-leaning county paid out a total of $70.8million from taxpayers for the 134 highest paid lifeguards. Much like the city, Los Angeles County is also led by a majority-Democrat council. The county's lifeguards don't just get paid to monitor swimmers on the beach, as many also help conduct maritime rescues and other emergency responses. 'Lifeguards who risk their lives protecting the public deserve to be well compensated, but paying them more than $500,000 may be unsettling to taxpayers who are drowning in debt,' John Hart, who made the report, told Fox News Digital. 'Once again, Los Angeles a city that is struggling to extinguish fires and looting is leading the way in lavish pay that needs to be addressed.' DailyMail.com has reached out to a spokesperson for Los Angeles County for comment. As Donald Trump attempts to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in government jobs, a new report reveals lifeguards in Los Angeles County have been making six-figure wages that would make the cast of Baywatch jealous Some of the county's 1,500 caretakers on the beach made up to $510,283, with nearly 100 more making as much as $200,000 The report comes as California and Los Angeles specifically have faced devastating cuts to public services. Three days ago, the county passed a new $47.9billion budget that required many departments to make three percent cuts. 'This is a different budget. It's reflective of us being in tough times,' Democrat Supervisor Janice Hahn told LAist. Sheriff's Department, Public Works, Regional Planning, Mental Health and the Correctional Health Services Department were exempt from the austerity measures. Property tax revenue from the state - which many have fled to avoid 'woke' political movements - has dropped from $450million in 2022-23 to $233.9million in 2025-26. Home sales in Los Angeles County have gone down a shocking 41 percent since 2021. 'We are in uncharted territory with these simultaneous pressures on our budget,' Davenport said. In January, Mayor Karen Bass demanded demanded her Fire Department make an extra $49million of budget cuts last week, a leaked memo revealed. They're also able to collect exorbitant amounts of overtime, with one garnering upwards of $700,000 in just a five-year span In January, Mayor Karen Bass (pictured center left) demanded demanded her Fire Department make an extra $49million of budget cuts last week, a leaked memo revealed This cut is already on top of $17.6million of cuts in her latest budget. The extra cuts, requested just days before fires broke out and devastated swathes of Los Angeles, would have shut down 16 fire stations and crippled the department's ability to respond to emergencies, sources said. DailyMail.com interviewed current and former senior LAFD officers briefed on the shocking proposed cuts, and exclusively obtained the memo from an LA Fire Department (LAFD) whistleblower who posts on social media under the moniker 'LAFD Watchdog'. The memo is dated January 6, only a day before the devastating Palisades Fire started. According to the sources, it was sent from LAFD 'top brass' at City Hall to division chiefs and captains - after a fraught meeting the previous Friday between Chief Kristin Crowley and Mayor Bass. 'The LAFD is still going through a FY [financial year] 2024/2025 $48.8million budget reduction exercise with the CAO [City Attorney's Office],' the document said. 'The only way to provide a cost savings would be to close as many as 16 fire stations (not resources, fire stations); this equates to at least one fire station per City Council District. 'The details of this plan have not yet been developed. This is a worst-case scenario and is NOT happening yet.' The sources briefed on the memo said Bass first made the demand for tens of millions from the cash-strapped department in a meeting with Chief Crowley on Friday. 'Bass wanted to cut even more,' one source briefed on the meeting said. 'They asked for $49million more on Friday last week. The Chief said 'We don't have it'. The Mayor said 'Find it'.' Chief Crowley had already warned Bass last month that $17.6million of cuts the mayor successfully steered through a City Council vote had 'severely limited the department's capacity to prepare for, train for and respond to large-scale emergencies, including wildfires.' Crowley wrote the warning in a December 4 memo first reported by NBC LA, highlighting the $7 million reduction in 'overtime variable staffing hours' it caused, which 'adversely affected the Department's ability to maintain core operations, such as [...] training, fire prevention, and community education.' Historians may or, there again, may not record that the Left's tectonic plates shifted at 8.11pm on Thursday. That was when Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana pressed the button on her electronic device and posted a message on X to say she was quitting Labour to 'co-lead the founding of a new party' with Jeremy Corbyn. 'The time is now,' announced Comrade Sultana, 31. 'We are not going to take this any more. In 2029 the choice will be stark: socialism or barbarism.' Barbarism! The balloon had gone up. Leftist civil war had been declared. It was 'action stations' and 'en garde' and 'red alert', with the emphasis on the red. A Leftist breakaway movement had been expected for months, rumours building like summer thunder clouds. On Wednesday evening, with Labour rocked by parliamentary divisions over welfare cuts and with crisis surrounding the future of that leaky bucket Rachel Reeves, Mr Corbyn revealed an inch of ankle on ITV. Interviewer Robert Peston asked the former Labour leader who was ejected from his old party by his onetime lieutenant Sir Keir Starmer if he was really going to start a new party. The Che Guevara of Islington North stroked his beardlet, sat back on his sofa with just a hint of prosperous tummy, and replied that there was 'a thirst' for such a venture and more would be disclosed anon. Twenty-four hours later young Zarah had activated the fission. Kaboom. The Great Leftist Split had been triggered. Or perhaps not. As yesterday's brave new dawn broke in north London it became evident that a small mushroom cloud had formed over Islington. Mr Corbyn, 76, had exploded in the most terrible bate. Ms Sultana, with youthful impatience, had jumped the gun. The dramatic reveal had been bungled. In political terms it was a case of what old-fashioned doctors used to call ejaculatio praecox. Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana and Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn have teamed up to announce a new left-wing party The former Labour Leader was previously ousted by his once right-hand man Sir Keir Starmer (pictured at PMQs July 2, 2025) Despite Ms Sultana's 'the time is now' claim, the time was meant to have been later, possibly on the eve of the Labour Party conference in the autumn when it might have had considerably more impact. But now the semi-secret was out, and it was running up and down the cloisters of Westminster with nothing to cover its modesty. They may be socialist egalitarians but Lefties are just as good at hating each other as Brexity Right-wingers. If anything, they do it with less humour. You only had to look at the sulphurous scenes in the Commons during Tuesday's welfare debate. Even after the Government had caved in, Labour MPs such as Andy McDonald, Imran Hussain and Ian Lavery were foul to the Government. What they now must think of Zarah Sultana, one dreads to think. To launch a political party is quite something. To bungle the launch of one is even more of an achievement. It demands a special type of dimness, muddle and vaunting self-regard. Ms Sultana seems to have thought herself a sufficiently big raisin to break the news herself, only to have her veteran co-conspirator rage at her impetuosity. Once he had recovered his equilibrium Mr Corbyn himself issued a message on X yesterday lunchtime to say that 'real change is coming' (NB not yet) and that Ms Sultana would 'help us build a real alternative' to Labour. You will notice that is not quite the same as confirming that she would be 'co-leading' the thing. Mr Corbyn's message added that 'the democratic foundations of a new kind of party will soon take shape'. Translation: you can forget about calling yourself a co-leader, young lady, until you have been voted as such by the new party's rank and file members. A Leftist breakaway movement had been expected for months but Sultana seemed to have made the announcement prematurely (pictured August 2022) This new party does not yet have a public name so for the time being we should perhaps call it The People's Front of Judaea. This is not some jibe at Ms Sultana and Mr Corbyn's trenchant, some might say excessive, support for Palestinian independence. The People's Front of Judaea is the knot of political obsessives in Monty Python's Life Of Brian film, set in 1st century AD Jerusalem. When asked if they are the Judaean People's Front, or indeed the Popular Front, these scowling nutters become infuriated. 'The only people we hate more than the Romans are the f****** Judaean People's Front!' spits the ringleader, Reg. These days Reg might possibly be called Jeremy. Monty Python's satire harpoons the fragmentising nature of party politics. With each bifurcation, each indignant walk-out by politicians in proud possession of their most precious principles, movements become smaller and rivalries only increase. Eventually you end up with tiny cabals of harrumphing prigs who are more concerned about their pet causes than they are in trying to form a broad party that might, to quote the Book of Common Prayer, allow the country to be 'godly and quietly governed'. Quietness, however, is not really Zarah Sultana's thing. When she speaks in the House of Commons it is invariably in an urgent, tremulous voice, as if she needs to dash to the lavatory the moment her speech has ended. This one is a quavery commissar, making blood-curdling accusations about capitalism and Zionism and dark organ chords, please the dreaded Tories. Anyone who is not as Left-wing as her is, as she might say, 'barbaric'. All this is tremendously lively on social media feeds. She flies off the bat in a TikTok video or what-have-you. But in the flesh, for anything more than a 30-second burst, its rigid insistence can become tiresome. Mr Corbyn may have a public reputation for political extremism but in the flesh he is a less intense personality. He is softly spoken, can occasionally be droll, even charming. I'd say it is not impossible that, while he probably admires Sister Zarah's energy, he finds her rather exhausting. As might the voters. Put it like this: you would not want to share a space rocket with Zarah Sultana. She'd hog the oxygen. And this, perhaps, is the delusional weakness of modern politics and may explain the atomisation of both Left (Labour's vote being eaten into by independents, by George Galloway's Workers Party and soon by the Corbyn start-up) and Right (the Conservatives have been lopped in half by Nigel Farage's Reform). Social-media political campaigning is all about egos. That small screen on smartphones only has space for one face. But egos are incompatible with party unity. And without party unity, as The People's Front of Judaea discovered, you do not win power. Donald Trump yesterday agreed to help Ukraine boost its aerial defences after Russia launched its biggest assault of the war. The US President made the pledge after a very disappointing phone call with Vladimir Putin on Thursday night, with Russia launching the barrage hours after. Mr Trump spoke to Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday and seemingly vowed to strengthen the protection of Ukraines skies. They also discussed joint industrial projects. The two leaders, who have previously traded insults and fell out spectacularly at the White House earlier this year, spoke at length hours after Putin fired a record 539 drones and 11 missiles at Ukraine. The bombardment left at least one dead and 23 injured in Kyiv. The attack, described as absolutely horrible by Ukraines foreign minister Andrii Sybiha, was launched after the call between Mr Trump and Putin, with the Russian leader refusing to agree to a ceasefire. Mr Trump, who has been criticised for not being tough enough with Putin to force him to make concessions, said: I dont think hes there. I dont think hes looking to stop this fighting. While no specific commitments emerged yesterday, it appears the US is willing to give Ukraine additional air defence systems as Mr Zelensky said on social media that he and Mr Trump had a fruitful conversation, with Ukraine grateful for the support. He added: Today we discussed the current situation, including Russian airstrikes and the broader frontline developments. President Trump is very well informed. President Trump has reportedly agreed to help Ukraine boost its aerial defences - only a day after what he described as a 'very disappointing' call with Russian president Vladimir Putin A man walks amid rubble at a residential district in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on July 4, 2025, after Russia launched a mass attack against their neighbours using a record 539 drones and 11 missiles A Ukrainian serviceman of the mobile air defense unit sits behind an anti-UAV machine gun tracking Russian drones in the sky during a patrol on November 29, 2024 in Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine We spoke about opportunities in air defence and agreed we will work together to strengthen protection of our skies. We are ready for direct projects with the United States. Last night, another strike caused a blackout in Ukraine after destroying the power line connecting the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to the countrys power grid. It follows reports that the US is to reduce the amount of military hardware it gives Ukraine, with US defence officials yesterday denying rumours of a weapons shortage. Defence secretary Pete Hegseth was also said to have halted weapons shipments to Ukraine without consulting other US government departments. A simmering row at a Sandringham church hit such a discordant note that King Charles himself was reportedly asked to mediate. A bitter feud between the vicar and choirmaster erupted over the future direction of the choir at St Mary Magdalene Church the same site where the Royal Family traditionally attends Christmas service. The clash left the choir in tatters, with dwindling attendance, furious parishioners, and the Bishop of Norwich's inbox overflowing with complaints. At the heart of the dispute is Rev Canon Paul Williams, the King's Domestic Chaplain, who took up his post on 2023 after moving from Tewkesbury Abbey. He is said to be keen on modernising the centuries-old choir, including launching a social media presence to promote its work. But his plans appear to have struck a chord with Dr Claire Stewart, the long-serving and much-admired Director of Music, who hit back with a 28-page grievance report in response to a review of her role. Sources say the once-harmonious church has been plunged into an 'unholy row', with some likening the ongoing drama to an episode of The Vicar of Dibley. King Charles, who regularly worships at the 16th-century church, is understood to have been made fully aware of the dispute. At the heart of the dispute is Rev Canon Paul Williams, the King's Domestic Chaplain, who took up his post on 2023 after moving from Tewkesbury Abbey. Pictured: King Charles III with Rev Canon Paul Williams as he attends the Sunday service at St. Mary Magdalene church in Sandringham, Norfolk, UK, on 26th November, 2023 Dr Claire Stewart has served as choirmaster for 12 years and is described by parishioners as 'hugely adored' and under immense pressure as the rift deepens King Charles, who regularly worships at the 16th-century church, is understood to have been made fully aware of the dispute Insiders say he lingered after a recent service to speak personally with concerned members of the congregation. 'It's turning into an unholy row and it's starting to get very bitter and damaging,' a source told The Sun. 'It is overshadowing what should be a harmonious parish church on the King's royal estate and heads need to be banged together.' Dr Stewart has served as choirmaster for 12 years and is described by parishioners as 'hugely adored' and under immense pressure as the rift deepens. In an attempt to calm the waters, local councillor Lord Greville Howard, Baron Greville of Rising, convened a private meeting earlier this month with church leaders in a bid to broker peace. But tensions remain high, and choir numbers at Sunday services and rehearsals have noticeably thinned amid the ongoing turmoil. MailOnline has approached the Palace for comment. Boris Johnson has suggested that the best way for the Conservative Party to tackle the rise of Reform is to simply ignore them. The former prime minister, who led the Tories when the Brexit Party, now known as Reform, was polling at 'zero per cent', believes that attacking them head-on is a waste of energy. Speaking about his time leading the Conservatives, Mr Johnson pointed out that Reform's popularity in the polls was practically non-existent when he was in charge. He said that his approach was clear: 'My strategy with the individuals that you mention is don't talk about them.' He added: 'I think Conservatives need to focus on the economy and making life better for people and giving people opportunity. 'I think if we concentrate on the economy we mount full spectrum warfare on all the things that Starmer is doing wrong, we will win.' His advice comes after Reform's rise in the polls, with the party making a significant impact in the May local elections. Meanwhile, some Tory MPs have been calling for the former prime minister to make a dramatic return to the Commons, hoping he can evive the ailing Conservative Party. The former prime minister, who led the Tories when the Brexit Party, now known as Reform, was polling at 'zero per cent,' believes that attacking them head-on is a waste of energy Speaking about his time leading the Conservative Party, Mr. Johnson pointed out that Reform's popularity in the polls was practically non-existent when he was in charge Meanwhile, some Tory MPs have been calling for the former prime minister to make a dramatic return to the Commons, hoping he can evive the ailing Conservative Party Reform gained control of seven local authorities and became the largest party in three more, a stunning sweep that left Conservative strongholds in tatters. His remarks come amid growing concern in Conservative ranks about the threat from Reform, which has seen increasing support, particularly since the last general election. While the Tories lost a staggering 252 seats and only managed a 23.2 per cent vote share, Reform surged to secure five seats with 14.3 per cent of the vote. In recent months, both Sir Keir Starmer and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch have come under fire for spending too much time attacking Reform. Mrs Badenoch, in a March interview with The Telegraph, dismissed Nigel Farage as a 'reality TV star,' suggesting that government should not be about drama. But Mr Farage fired back, saying it was a good thing people knew who he was, comparing his TV background to Donald Trump's unconventional political rise. In May, the Prime Minister escalated his rhetoric, attacking Reform directly and calling them his main political rival. Yet, his attempt to discredit the party has only backfired. In May, the Prime Minister escalated his rhetoric, attacking Reform directly and calling them his main political rival Last month, he echoed Reform's tough stance on immigration, warning that Britain could become an 'island of strangers.' His words sparked outrage among Labour MPs, and he was forced to walk back the comment, admitting regret. In May this year, Mr Johnson's allies were reportedly trying to convince him to make a bombshell return. Mrs Badenoch attempted to play down the prospect of a political return by Mr Johnson in a TV interview this morning, telling GB News: 'So, I love Boris. 'He sends me lots of messages, gives me lots of advice, like Iain Duncan Smith, like David Cameron. 'I have great people who have been in this situation before, who dealt with difficult times. So it's up to him what he wants to do. 'I have to focus on my job, which is making sure that Keir Starmer does not do more than the damage he's doing right now. 'We have to get him out in four years time, otherwise there's not going to be a country left I'm afraid.' An 'irreplaceable' 100-year-old Rolls-Royce worth 300,000 has been miraculously recovered after being stolen during a brazen hotel heist in Essex. The rare Silver Ghost - which has travelled across Europe and even survived World War II - was snatched in the early hours of June 26 from outside the Orsett Hall near Grays while its owner, 82-year-old Brian Fitton, was asleep inside. The vintage car, which had been due to depart for a tour of Helsinki and the Baltic states, vanished along with its trailer, leaving the retired scrapyard owner's 'heartbroken'. But in a remarkable twist, the treasured motor was discovered in a ramshackle shed thanks to a schoolboy's eagle eye. Mr Fitton, who had offered a 2,000 reward for the car's safe return, shared his relief following its recovery. The vehicle's owner said: 'It was thanks to the power of the press that the car has been recovered. 'A schoolboy spotted it and told his father he had seen a lovely vintage car. His dad had seen the publicity around the theft and got in touch to help with the recovery. The veteran vehicle enthusiast, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, added: 'Essex Police went to the area it was spotted in and recovered it intact on the trailer from a dirty old shed. The rare Silver Ghost - which has travelled across Europe and even survived World War II - was snatched in the early hours of June 26 from outside the Orsett Hall near Grays In a remarkable twist, the treasured motor was discovered in a ramshackle shed thanks to a schoolboy's eagle eye Mr Brian Fitton, who had offered a 2,000 reward for his car's safe return, shared his relief following its recovery 'The vehicle has survived Hitler and World War Two, and now it has survived a trip to Essex. 'I am delighted it has been recovered. I am hoping the reward is a small fortune for the young lad, and hope that shows him that doing the right thing in life pays off. 'To have the vehicle stolen ahead of dropping it off at Tilbury Docks for the ferry to Helsinki was absolutely heartbreaking, but this is a happy ending.' The century-old Silver Ghost, fitted with original parts and the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy bonnet ornament, was bought from a British Petroleum collection in Denmark through a Bonhams auction. Mr Fitton spent years restoring its engine and has toured it around Europe, from Portugal to Poland and everywhere in between. 'The car is full of irreplaceable parts, it's an original and has even got the original Lady on the grill,' he said. 'The car has been all over the world and is an advert for British motors. It's been everywhere and it was just appalling that it got stolen in Essex'. Development of the Silver Ghost goes back to the start of the 20th century, before development was suspended during World War 1. During the conflict, the chassis and engine were used for armoured cars - while a blue 1909 model known as Blue Mist was used by legendary officer Laurence of Arabia. Development of the Silver Ghost goes back to the start of the 20th century, before development was suspended during World War 1 Mr Fitton says he is delighted to be reunited with his beloved Rolls and he hopes its next stop will be Helsinki, as originally planned A total of 7874 Silver Ghosts were produced between 1907 and 1926, with former owners of the luxury vehicle including American President Woodrow Wilson. It was named the 'best car in the world' by Autocar in 1907. The theft - and joyful recovery - comes as Essex Police announced a drop in vehicle crime, with 573 fewer offences recorded in the country over the past year, representing a ten per cent decrease. Shaun Kane, Essex Police's Detective Superintendent, said: 'Vehicle theft is not a victimless crime - it causes real distress to owners and disruption to their everyday lives and their businesses. 'We're proud to have made such significant progress in reducing this type of crime, and it will be welcomed by everyone in Essex.' For now, Mr Fitton says he is delighted to be reunited with his beloved Rolls and he hopes its next stop will be Helsinki, as originally planned. Sophia Hutchins was speeding in the ATV she was driving when she rear-ended another vehicle on a winding mountainous road in Malibu and careened over a cliff 350 feet to her death, investigators tell the DailyMail.com. Hutchins, who was Caitlyn Jenners manager and beloved confidant, is believed to have been traveling at a rapid rate southbound on steeply-inclined Decker Canyon Road in a black and blue-colored 2013 Polaris side-by-side when she slammed into a gray 2016 Mazda 6. It looks like she may have been speeding and rear-ended the other car, the other party, and then that caused her to veer to the right and go off the cliff, said Sergeant Eduardo Saucedo of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, based at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriffs Station. It doesn't seem like she was following them. I think she just she came up on them and then hit the car. Sgt. Saucedo added that there were two females in the other vehicle, a gray 2016 Mazda 6. So it looked like she tried to maneuver to go around it, but she was going too fast and just ended up clipping the rear end of that Mazda, causing her to veer off and go off the cliff there.' The incident occurred at 11:30am on July 2, a quarter of a mile south of Decker Edison Road where Jenner lives. Saucedo said he believes the former Olympian, impassioned MAGA fan and supporter and of President Donald Trump attended the accident site while Sheriff's deputies were on scene. Sophia Hutchins (right with Caitlyn Jenner) was believed to have been traveling at a rapid rate southbound on Decker Canyon Road in Malibu on July when she hit a car and veered off the road into a ravine and died The wreckage of the ATV (right) being driven by Hutchins when she died. The rusting remains of another crashed vehicle lies to the left He said it would not be known if drugs or alcohol were involved until a toxicology report is provided by the coroner's office. A search and rescue team rappelled down the cliffside to recover Hutchins body, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Both of the women in the Mazda were uninjured and stayed at the scene to be interviewed by the deputies. The driver, revealed Saucedo, was a local realtor who had been showing a house in the area. Speaking with the DailyMail.com on Friday, Saucedo revealed that the damaged ATV had been left in place in the ravine because the 'tow company didn't have a line that was long enough to attach it and pull it up. The same day, an emotional Jenner, 75, revealed to DailyMail.com that she was going through tough times amid her obvious searing grief. She spent the national holiday in mourning at her remote four-bedroom, four-bathroom mountain-top Malibu home, complete with stunning 360-degree views, that she purchased in 2015 for $3,575,000. Then in the afternoon she was spotted visiting a local Starbucks on Pacific Coast Highway for a refreshment. This is not the first time Jenner has dealt with immense tragedy following a vehicle accident fatality. Jenner, still grieving, picked up a drink from Starbuck in Malibu on July 4 Skid marks in the road at the scene of the July 2 accident that left Caitlyn Jenner's manager and confident dead The twisting and perilous roads in the mountains above the Pacific Ocean in Malibu where Jenner lives The entrance (right) to the isolated dead-end road where Jenner lives in Malibu In 2015, she was driving a Cadillac Escalade towing a trailer with an off-road vehicle when traffic suddenly slowed ahead and she rear-ended a Lexus driven by Kimberly Howe, 70, which was already slowing or had stopped. The force of the impact shunted Howes vehicle into the opposite lane, where it was struck head-on by a Hummer. She died at the scene. Four vehicles were involved in the horrific accident. Sheriffs investigators found Jenner was traveling within the speed limit, though possibly 'unsafe for road conditions.' She braked 1.5 to 2 seconds before impact, having eased off the gas around four seconds prior. The case was reviewed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office but prosecutors concluded that they could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that her actions were unreasonable or negligent, so they declined to pursue vehicular manslaughter charges citing a lack of evidence despite the sheriff's department recommending manslaughter. Jenner had to pay $800,000 to settle a lawsuit and also pay for the plaintiffs' medical expenses and attorneys' fees. Hutchins featured heavily in the reality series 'I Am Cait' which ran for two seasons. She previously told The New York Times that they 'were never romantically involved' with each other which Jenner has repeated. Jenner was involved in four-car pile-up on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu in 2015 in which one woman died after the former Olympian hit her car Jenner's isolated home in Malibu is a stunning mountain-top eyrie with 360-degree views Like Jenner, Hutchins was a MAGA fan and supporter of Donald Trump 'I don't feel a need to address my sex life, quite frankly, unless I want to,' Hutchins told the outlet in 2019. Then aged 23, she riffed on Jenner's superstar relatives: 'Im on good terms with all the family, but Im closest with Kris, Kim, Kylie and Kendall.' Hutchins' last public appearance with Jenner was in 2024 when Sophia accompanied her to the April 2024 White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, D.C. Just like her boss, Hutchins was a vocal supporter of Trump and met with him, posted to social media: 'The energy, passion, and commitment for our movement to Save America has never been greater! We will never give up' In January of this year, Hutchins also posted to Instagram a photo of she and Jenner celebrating Trump's second inauguration with Judge Jeanine Pirro. Jenner re-posted the image to her own Instagram for her 15.2 million followers to see. Hutchins' final Instagram post was in April when she showed followers a picture broken candelabra that had been repaired. She was a student at the prestigious Pepperdine University when she met Jenner. In 2016, Hutchins told her school newspaper that it was her new friend who inspired her to transition. Authorities confirmed the discovery of human remains at the site of a devastating fireworks explosion in California that rocked the small farming community of Esparto on Tuesday. Yolo County officials released a statement on Friday revealing that investigators had located the remains following the blaze at the fireworks warehouse. The explosion, which occurred at a facility operated by Devastating Pyrotechnics, has led to a widespread investigation, with seven individuals still missing. The blast not only caused significant destruction to the warehouse, but also sparked a massive fire that spread rapidly, triggering several spot fires throughout the region. In the aftermath of the explosion, nearby Fourth of July festivities were called off, and the rural community was left in shock. Yolo County's Coroner's Division was granted access to the site on Friday, and officials confirmed they are in contact with the families of the missing, The Associated Press reported. While no positive identifications of the remains have been made at this time, recovery efforts are still ongoing. Authorities confirmed the discovery of human remains at the site of a devastating fireworks explosion in California that rocked the small farming community of Esparto on Tuesday. Pictured: Emergency crews gather in Esparto, near the location of a fireworks explosion The explosion (pictured), which occurred at a facility operated by Devastating Pyrotechnics, has led to a widespread investigation, with seven individuals still missing 'We are working diligently to identify those involved and offer support to their families during this tragic time,' Yolo County spokeswoman, Jessica Williams, said. In addition to the missing persons, two individuals have been treated for injuries, though their conditions remain unclear. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, and authorities are working with federal agencies to determine what led to the catastrophic incident. The warehouse is known for producing large-scale fireworks displays for major events in the Bay Area. The company, which has been in business for over 30 years, stated in a brief statement that it would fully cooperate with the investigation. Before its website was taken down, it was noted that Devastating Pyrotechnics focuses mainly on display fireworks for large productions, rather than retail products. Meanwhile, further south in Los Angeles, fireworks-related incidents continued to cause havoc. On Thursday night, a 'fireworks-related blaze' erupted in a neighborhood, destroying four homes. Authorities confirmed one man was found dead at the scene, while a woman was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Four other individuals were treated for smoke inhalation on-site, and several animals were reported injured in the fire. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, and authorities are working with federal agencies to determine what led to the catastrophic incident On Thursday night, a 'fireworks-related blaze' erupted in a neighborhood, destroying four homes Firefighters battled the blaze through the night, with fireworks still erupting in the area when they arrived. Pictured: Smoke and flames rise during a fireworks warehouse explosion near Esparto, California Firefighters battled the blaze through the night, with fireworks still erupting in the area when they arrived. The Los Angeles Fire Department managed to bring the situation under control, but the cause of the fire is still under investigation. 'We are continuing to assess the damage and work to determine the cause of this tragic event,' Las Angeles spokesperson Lyndsey Lantz said. As investigations continue in both Northern and Southern California, local residents are grappling with the aftermath of these fireworks-related tragedies. One woman, Syanna Ruiz said her boyfriend - an expectant father - went missing during his first day working at the sprawling fireworks factory. Her boyfriend, Jesus Ramos, 18, was one of the seven people unaccounted for after the chilling explosion. Ruiz is one of those loved ones waiting in fear. She told local ABC affiliate, KSBW-TV, that she has a 'baby on the way' with Ramos. 'We have a baby on the way and I can't even risk things like that right now,' she told the outlet in tears. The warehouse is known for producing large-scale fireworks displays for major events in the Bay Area Before its website was taken down, it was noted that Devastating Pyrotechnics focuses mainly on display fireworks for large productions, rather than retail products. Pictured: Smoke and flames rise from the fireworks warehouse explosion 'He had so much coming for him and they were saying that there was a warning beforehand but somebody is behind this. There's no way that this just happened.' She added that the explosion happened on her boyfriend's first day and that he was excited to start a new chapter. Ruiz was in attendance for a press conference, where she pressed officials on why the families impacted haven't received more information. 'We were here since yesterday and are yet to receive any information, have yet to see any efforts and yet to see anybody go, to try to find anybody at all who was stuck in the warehouse, who have tried to escape or is possibly stuck under the debris of the warehouse,' Ruiz told officials. Esparto Fire Chief Curtis Lawrence said authorities were doing the best they could with the information they had and apologized that the updates may not be what families want to hear. 'But you guys are supposed to protect us from danger, you guys are supposed to deal with the danger,' Ruiz hit back. Syanna Ruiz (right) told local news that her boyfriend, Jesus Ramos (left), was missing after the shocking pyrotechnics explosion in California Ruiz spoke with local news about her frustration with the lack of communication between first responders and the impacted families She told local ABC affiliate, KXTV, that Ramos joined the factory with his three brothers, who were also reported missing. 'They were all three incredible men who had so much coming for them. And I'm just praying to God that some way, somehow that they're okay,' she said. Victims' services were set up for the families of the seven people who were reported missing. Authorities haven't confirmed the identities of those who remain unaccounted for or whether they were employed with the pyrotechnics facility. The bodies of two men have been found in a unit on the Sunshine Coast after unanswered notes pushed under the door prompted a welfare check. Queensland Police and paramedics were called to the complex on Kingsford Smith Parade in Maroochydore for a welfare check about 11.20am on Friday. On entering the unit, they found the two bodies. A crime scene was declared and investigation launched, with officers confirming there is no ongoing threat to the public. Neighbours who only knew the two men by their first names told the Courier Mail they were 'reclusive' and rarely seen. One claimed notes passed under their unit door received no response, which led to the police being called. A man who knew both men, Jacob Arthur Amos, said he was 'good mates' with the 'old school surfer' who lived in the unit complex for a number of years. Mr Amos described him as a 'kind' person who 'wouldn't hurt you'. The other man was a former Sydney resident who was a regular visitor, he said. Residents of a 'rowdy' unit complex on the Sunshine Coast were horrified when police discovered two dead bodies on Friday morning He told the publication both men were drug users and that he had knocked on the door on Saturday to check on them. 'He wasnt answering his door and now we know why,' he said. Neighbours have claimed there was drug use and social issues in the unit tower, with the pair living in the 'rowdier' side of the complex. The tragedy comes within days of the news that the decomposed bodies of two elderly men had been found inside a rundown terrace in inner-city Sydney. The bodies of the men, who were aged in their 70s and 80s, were found in different levels of the home in Surry Hills on Thursday. The home was so decrepit that some shocked locals thought it was abandoned. Police say a woman was living with the bodies of two men for almost a month. Eleanor Barker, 63, has since spoken with detectives. Police say she isn't suspected of any wrongdoing. No arrests or charges have been laid. It came the day after police found two decomposed bodies inside a rundown terrace at a Cleveland Street home in Sydney's inner-city Surry Hills Roommate Eleanor Barker (pictured) continued living at the home and police say she isn't suspected of any wrongdoing The only obvious signs of the tragedy on Friday were police tape cordoning off the property and dozens of officers examining the home. Described as a hoarder's house, the home was infested with rats and birds. From the street, it appeared rundown, with piles of discarded items strewn across the front. 'I mean I've always seen this house, I didn't know if people lived in it, but it doesn't really look like people do,' neighbour Aisha Mingai said. Police and forensic officers combed the property on Friday, where detectives seized electrical cables. Officers also door-knocked neighbours to gather more information. Police are now working to determine why the deaths went unreported for so long. US President Donald Trump will join a meeting of Australia's most important allies in Brisbane next year if the Queensland Premier can convince Anthony Albanese. David Crisafulli is campaigning for his state to host the next leaders summit of the Quad, the diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the US. 'I'm leading a campaign to get the Quad to Queensland,' he told an American Chamber of Commerce in Australia event in Brisbane on Friday. 'Australia is due to host it (next year), and I couldn't think of a more appropriate place than Queensland to have it.' He said he had floated the idea with the Prime Minister as recently as Thursday and he had been 'pretty persistent'. Crisafulli said he plans to travel to Japan and India along with representatives of Queensland universities in coming weeks to lobby for the opportunity. The last time global leaders descended on Brisbane was 2014 when it hosted the G20 summit, with guests including then US President Barack Obama and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Crisafulli said Queensland did not get the 'buzz and recognition' some had expected from the summit, claiming its high-calibre invites had overshadowed the host city. Premier David Crisafulli (pictured) will lobby for Queensland to host next year's Quad summit US President Donald Trump's tariffs could mean big business for Queensland, Crisafulli said (Trump is pictured boarding a private plane on Thursday) He said he couldn't think of a 'more appropriate place' to host the Quad meeting and promoted commercial ties between Queensland and the United States. Crisafulli said Trump-era 'uncertainties' did not spell 'doom and gloom' but were a time of opportunity for the major trading partners. Australia is North America's biggest supplier of beef, with Queensland being responsible for roughly half of Australia's production of beef. He said demand for Queensland's resources will help offset impacts from the end of the US' country-specific tariff pause on July 9. 'It really plays into our strengths, what's happening on the trade front,' he said. 'Almost half of our exports at the moment are beef, and I see that as a good opportunity for a couple of reasons. 'First, the demand for Aussie beef isn't going anywhere in a hurry, and it will be a bedrock of great trade relationships for many years to come. 'But I also look at the new opportunities, and particularly with a lens of those tariffs over it, and how great that could be for Queensland. Brisbane hosted the 2014 G20 Summit. Pictured is then Prime Minister Tony Abbot with Russian leader Vladimir Putin at the landmark event 'Start with critical minerals. Imagine an exemption for our critical minerals at a time when others are competing to get their products into one of our major markets.' Washington hosted this week's Quad meeting, where Australia sought to brand itself as an alternative to Beijing in the supply and processing of critical minerals. A meeting of foreign ministers from each member state agreed on a 'Quad Critical Minerals Initiative' designed to shore up global supply. The joint statement cited concerns over the 'abrupt constriction and future reliability of key supply chains, specifically for critical minerals'. 'Reliance on any one country for processing and refining critical minerals and derivative goods production exposes our industries to economic coercion, price manipulation, and supply chain disruptions, which further harms our economic and national security,' the statement said. Police have pictured a man they wish to speak to over a suspected arson attack on a synagogue attended by children and their families, just as protesters descended on a nearby Israeli restaurant shouting 'offensive chants'. A group of about 20 people had to flee when a man doused the front of the temple in a flammable liquid and set it alight about 8pm on Friday. Victoria Police on Saturday released a photo of a man wanted for questioning as part of their probe into a suspicious fire at the Melbourne synagogue. The man is seen wearing a black beanie and a large black bag in the CCTV images. East Melbourne Synagogue president Danny Segal and his wife Jenny were among those inside enjoying Shabbat dinner at the time. 'Somebody saw smoke coming and some passers-by rang the bell and said there's something going on,' he told reporters on Saturday morning. Everyone inside evacuated safely and firefighters stopped the flames from spreading. Ms Segal said he was worried about what might have happened had the attacker gotten inside. Victoria Police on Saturday released a photo of a man they wish to speak to as part of a probe into a suspected fire at Melbourne synagogue (the man is pictured) East Melbourne Synagogue president Danny Segal (pictured) and his wife Jenny were among those inside enjoying Shabbat dinner at the time of the alleged arson Damage to the exterior door of the synagogue is seen on Saturday He said the incident frightened the children. 'They were pretty scared because they felt our fear and our shock,' he said. Investigators are still working to establish the motivation and circumstances surrounding the fire. 'There is absolutely no place in our society for anti-Semitic or hate-based behaviour,' a police spokesperson said. The synagogue, one of Australia's oldest, is close to Victoria's parliament in the heart of the city. The suspect was last seen fleeing down Albert Street towards the CBD. A short time later, protesters gathered outside Israeli restaurant Miznon on nearby Hardware Lane. Police said about 20 of them shouted 'offensive chants' and were directed to leave the area. A group of about 20 people had to flee when a man doused the front of the temple in a flammable liquid and set it alight about 8pm on Friday, Victoria Police said Everyone inside was evacuated safely and firefighters stopped the flames from spreading A short time later after the suspected arson attack, protesters gathered outside Israeli restaurant Miznon on nearby Hardware Lane (pictured) Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said anti-Semitic terror had returned as a mob chanted 'death to the IDF', which stands for Israel Defence Forces. 'These events are a severe escalation directed towards our community and clear evidence that the anti-Semitism crisis is not only continuing but getting worse,' Mr Ryvchin said. Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich said the diners were terrorised. 'Melbourne, for one night, stopped being a safe place for Jews,' he said. One person was arrested for hindering police and several others were spoken to by investigators. The force said it supported the right of Victorians to protest peacefully but would not tolerate 'anti-social and violent behaviour'. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said that the attack happened on Shabbat made it more abhorrent. 'This is disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards,' she said. Opposition frontbencher David Southwick called for greater action to stop people filled with hate who 'hijack our streets'. 'Enough talk. The perpetrators and organisers must be found and brought to justice,' he said. Rabbi Dovid Gutnick (left) and Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece outside of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation in Melbourne on Saturday The owner of the Miznon is seen taking in the damage at his restaurant on Friday night Rabbi Dovid Gutnick surveys the damage at the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece visited the synagogue and spoke with senior members on Saturday morning. He condemned the events and said Melbourne was a city of peace and tolerance despite the terrible events. 'Nothing that we are doing here in Melbourne is going to have any impact on the terrible events in Israel and Gaza and so we do need to ask ourselves, how do we keep ourselves together as a community?' he said. The incidents come seven months after a devastating fire at the Adass Israel Synagogue at Ripponlea, in the city's south. Two of the synagogue's three buildings were destroyed in the early morning blaze, which also forced members of the congregation to flee. No charges have been laid, although counter-terrorism police have raided multiple properties as part of that investigation. The latest attacks also follow disagreement between Australia's special envoy to combat anti-Semitism and NSW MPs over a call to ban pro-Palestine protests from city centres. Jillian Segal gave evidence to a parliamentary inquiry examining anti-Semitism in Sydney on Friday and was pressed on her previous statements labelling the weekly demonstrations 'intimidatory' and 'sinister'. Labor MP Stephen Lawrence suggested her comments were an 'uncivil way to describe them and the people participating'. A cruise ship passenger's body was discovered late Thursday in the rugged terrain above Alaskas capital city. Marites Buenafe, 62, of Kentucky, ventured off her cruise ship for a hike near Juneau, before being found dead below the ridgeline of Gold Ridge after she failed to return to the vessel. Her disappearance had sparked an extensive search involving state troopers, Juneau Mountain Rescue, and air support from both Temsco Helicopters and the Alaska Army National Guard. It was a National Guard helicopter crew that ultimately spotted her body in the remote alpine area, bringing a grim end to the search effort. Her remains were recovered with the help of rescue teams and air support, officials said. The Alaska Department of Public Safety reported that Buenafes next of kin have been notified and that her body will be transported to the state medical examiners office for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Buenafe, an physician with UK HealthCare, was on a family vacation when she told relatives she planned to ride the Mount Roberts Tramway and hike the trail from Gold Ridge to Gastineau Peak while the sprawling cruise ship docked in Juneau. Marites Buenafe, 62, of Kentucky, who had ventured off her cruise ship for a hike near Juneau, was found dead below the ridgeline of Gold Ridge after she failed to return to the vessel Buenafe was last seen on security footage around 7:30 a.m. on July 1, leaving the buildings at the upper station of the Mount Roberts Tramway (pictured) She was last seen on security footage around 7:30 a.m. on July 1, leaving the buildings at the upper station of the Mount Roberts Tramway, according to a bulletin issued by Alaska State Troopers on Wednesday. Her absence was discovered after she failed to return to the ship before its scheduled 1:30 p.m. departure. After confirming she had not re-boarded, her family alerted authorities, prompting a multi-agency search effort. A Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson later confirmed the search for the missing doctor. 'An active search is ongoing, and we are providing assistance to local authorities as appropriate. Our CARE team is providing support to the guest's family, and our thoughts are with them during this difficult time,' the luxury cruise line spokesperson said. Alaska State Troopers led the search efforts, with support from Juneau Mountain Rescue, Juneau Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, and search-and-rescue dogs from Southeast Alaska Dogs Organized for Ground Search (SEADOGS), The New York Times reported. Teams of volunteers searched the local Mount Roberts area on foot, as well as deploying drones and helicopters. However, officials noted that poor weather limited the effectiveness of air operations. Buenafe was on a family cruise when she told relatives she planned to ride the Mount Roberts Tramway and hike the trail from Gold Ridge to Gastineau Peak while the boat stopped at a port in Juneau The search was concentrated in the mountains just south of downtown Juneau (pictured) The Norwegian Bliss continued its scheduled route, with upcoming stops in Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan, and Victoria before returning to Seattle. Pictured: The cruise ship Norwegian Bliss is shown docked in Juneau, Alaska The search was concentrated in the mountains just south of downtown Juneau, which Austin McDaniel, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety emphasized is not considered a remote area. Though popular with tourists and locals, the trail winds through steep and densely wooded terrain that can quickly become dangerous due to unpredictable mountain weather. 'Backcountry travel in Alaska, even close to town, can present serious challenges,' Alaska State Troopers said in a statement. 'We urge anyone venturing into these areas to hike with a partner, carry communication gear, and leave a detailed plan with someone.' A description for the missing woman was issued after her disappearance, she was was described as 5 feet tall, approximately 118 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes. The Norwegian Bliss continued its scheduled route, with upcoming stops in Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan, and Victoria before returning to Seattle. A childhood friend of Bryan Kohberger claims she's haunted in nightmares after discovering he brutally murdered four University of Idaho students. Casey Arntz, 32, said she used to play with Kohberger when they were children in the Poconos in Pennsylvania, and admitted that she initially didn't believe he was the true killer. She said she 'spiraled' when Kohberger admitted in a surprise guilty plea this week that he carried out the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20 in their off-campus home in November 2022. As she looked back on their childhoods together to the Idaho Statesman, Arntz questioned: 'Did he ever have thoughts like that before? Did he ever think that he wanted to kill me or my friends? Were we spared because we were friends with him? 'Im disgusted that he could actually do something so heinous,' she continued. Arntz said while she was stunned by the plea deal, she felt that taking the deal 'was better for everyone', because 'Hes locked up for life. Let the inside deal with him.' 'I understand why the families are so upset, they were starved for justice, and I would 100% be too,' she added. Arntz's brother, who also recalled spending time with the future killer while they were children, added to the Statesman that he was particularly thinking about Kohberger's parents. Following the shock guilty plea of Bryan Kohberger (pictured) this week, a former childhood friend said she was left wondering if he ever saw her as a potential victim Casey Arntz, 32, said she used to play with Kohberger when they were children in the Poconos in Pennsylvania, and admitted that she initially didn't believe he was the true killer until he pleaded guilty this week Kohberger admitted in a surprise guilty plea this week that he carried out the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20 (pictured together) in their off-campus home in November 2022 'I am deeply sorry that Bryans parents have to live with this as well,' he said. 'Ive always thought they were kind people, and they didnt deserve this. And for Bryan, God have mercy on his soul.' Another former friend, Jack Baylis, 31, said he was also only convinced of Kohberger's innocence after his guilty plea, because if he was innocent he would 'be fighting tooth and nail' to clear his name. Baylis said he was still in shock at the senseless slayings, and theorized that Kohberger carried out the murders because he wanted to understand the criminal mind for his criminology PhD. 'I think he did it to see what it felt like, to experience it,' he said. 'If he wanted to write a paper about what killers feel and why they kill, to be accurate, you have to experience it yourself to truly understand it. 'To get into the mind of a killer, you have to be a killer, would be my guess.' Kohberger's childhood friends said that aside from his victim's families, they also felt bad for Kohberger's family because 'have to live with this as well.' Kohberger is pictured with his father Michael soon after the murders Donna Yozwiak, a guidance counselor at Kohberger's school, echoed the Arntz siblings' thoughts as she looked back on her time with the killer. 'I hope that his family will survive this horrendous ordeal and be able to get on with their lives,' Yozwiak said. 'I also hope that the victims relatives gain much needed closure and heal after this tragedy.' It comes as Kohberger's plea deal sparked fury among some of the families of his victims, with the family of Kaylee Goncalves condemning how his life behind bars will still mean 'he would still get to speak, form relationships, and engage with the world.' 'Meanwhile, our loved ones have been silenced forever. That reality stings more deeply when it feels like the system is protecting his future more than honoring the victims' pasts,' Goncalves' teenage sister Aubrie, 18, said. 'This last-minute plea deal feels less like an act of justice and more like an afterthought. We are not asking for vengeance. We are asking for accountability. 'We are asking for dignity for our loved ones. And we are asking - pleading - for a justice system that truly lives up to its name.' Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson (pictured) has come under scrutiny following Kohberger's plea deal as the victim's families said they were not consulted beforehand At Kohberger's plea deal hearing, Thompson claimed that Kohberger took this thumbs-up selfie hours after the murders Goncalves' father also branded Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson, who handed Kohberger the plea deal, a 'gutless coward' for the move. 'Thompson robbed us of our day in court. No negotiations, no jury of our peers, not even the pretense of cooperation and fairness,' he wrote in a blistering statement. At the hearing on Wednesday where Kohberger pleaded guilty, Thompson broke down and grew emotional as he detailed the brutal slayings in 2022. Thompson came under scrutiny after the deal with Kohberger was announced this week, with critics of his decision calling for him to step down after the Kohberger case is closed. The prosecutor said in remarks at Kohberger's plea deal hearing that if the case had gone to trial, he would have argued that Kohberger stalked the Idaho victims' home in the months before the murders. Thompson said the state would have argued in court that Kohberger slipped in through a side door, before killing Mogen and Goncalves on the third floor. He said Kohberger then encountered Kernodle as she came down the stairs to pick up a Doordash order, and killed her with the same Ka-Bar knife he used on her roommates. He then entered Kernodle's bedroom and stabbed her boyfriend Chapin to death as he slept, Thompson said. Kohberger's vehicle, a white Hyundai Elantra, was also seen circling the home on 1122 King Road, before surveillance cameras caught it fleeing the scene shortly after the murders at a high rate of speed. Thompson said that after Kohberger murdered the four students, he then returned to the home at around 9am the next morning and lurked outside for around 10 minutes. He then returned to his home, and took a selfie of himself in his bathroom, where he looked menacingly into the camera with his thumbs up. Donald Trump scoffed at the idea that Iran could force the United States to pay for the damage done by Israel and America that culminated in the drone strike against nuclear facilities in Tehran. 'It's pretty ridiculous,' quipped the president during his Fourth of July celebration at the White House. Earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres demanding both the U.S. and Israel be blamed for the recent 12-day Israel-Iran war. 'We officially request hereby that the Security Council recognize the Israeli regime and the United States as the initiators of the act of aggression and acknowledge their subsequent responsibility, including the payment of compensation and reparations,' he wrote. While Trump celebrated what he called the 'complete obliteration' of the nuclear sites in Tehran, Iran was asking for relief elsewhere. 'While the full scale of the losses is under assessment, several hospitals and relief centers were targeted in grave breach of international humanitarian law, a few energy installations were targeted with the aim of disrupting daily lives of civilians,' Araghchi added. Araghchi warned that to do nothing would 'seriously undermine the credibility' of the UN and 'engenders lawlessness in the future of international relations in our region as well as the international community at large.' The United States told the United Nations Security Council in a letter that strikes on Iran were 'to destroy Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and stop the threat that this rogue regime obtains and uses a nuclear weapon.' Donald Trump scoffed at the idea that Iran could force the United States to pay for the damage done by Israel and America that culminated in the drone strike against nuclear facilities in Tehran Earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres demanding both the U.S. and Israel be blamed for the recent 12-day Israel-Iran war 'The United States remains committed to pursuing a deal with the Iranian government,' wrote acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea. Israel claims that Iran's nuclear program is close to producing a bomb, whereas Tehran says it is for peaceful purposes. Washington justified the strikes as collective self-defense under article 51 of the founding U.N. Charter, which requires the 15-member Security Council to be immediately informed of any action states take in self-defense against armed attack. Much of the discourse surrounding the bombing is how much it has set back the Iranian nuclear program. The war, which saw Iran retaliate against Israeli and American military and civilian sites, began as US and Iranian diplomats sat down for talks over the Iran's nuclear capabilities. Under a 2015 deal, Iran was allowed to enrich uranium below 3.67 percent purity for fuel for commercial nuclear power plants. Trump abandoned the agreement in 2018 and Iran responded by producing uranium enriched to 60 percent - above levels for civilian usage but still below weapons grade. That material, if further refined, would theoretically be sufficient to produce more than nine nuclear bombs. While Trump celebrated what he called the 'complete obliteration' of the nuclear sites in Tehran, Iran was asking for relief elsewhere The Trump administration continues to criticize the media for questioning the success of the mission after U.S. pilots aboard seven B-2 bombers dropped 14 Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP) bombs on the nuclear facilities in Fordow and Natanz. CNN exclusively reported leaked details from preliminary intelligence assessments of the strikes by the Defense Intelligence Agency, citing 'seven people' briefed on the report. Trump and his officials, particularly Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth criticized the reports, targeting one of the lead reporters of the story, Natasha Bertrand, of being dishonest. 'Natasha Bertrand should be FIRED from CNN! I watched her for three days doing Fake News. She should be IMMEDIATELY reprimanded, and then thrown out 'like a dog,'' Trump wrote on social media. 'She should not be allowed to work at Fake News CNN. It's people like her who destroyed the reputation of a once great Network,' Trump continued. 'Her slant was so obviously negative, besides, she doesn't have what it takes to be an on camera correspondent, not even close. FIRE NATASHA!' During Thursday's White House press briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt also called out Bertrand, who covers the Pentagon for CNN, by name. 'So this is a reporter who has been unfortunately used by people who dislike Donald Trump in this government to push fake and false narratives,' Leavitt alleged. 'She should be ashamed of herself.' Trump's post about CNN firing Bertrand appeared to be wishful thinking, as CNN issued a statement standing by Bertrand and her reporting. 'We stand 100 percent behind Natasha Bertrand's journalism and specifically her and her colleagues' reporting of the early intelligence assessment of the U.S. attack on Iran's nuclear facilities,' the news outlet said in a statement. CNN denounced the criticism targeted at Bertrand as irrational. 'We do not believe it is reasonable to criticize CNN reporters for accurately reporting on the existence of the assessment and accurately characterizing its findings, which are in the public interest,' they wrote. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held a press conference, complaining about the media reports based on 'biased leaks to biased publications.' 'How about we take a beat, recognize first the success of our warriors, hold them up, tell their stories, celebrate that, wave an American flag, be proud of what we accomplish?' he asked. Trump celebrated the press conference as a success, praising Hegseth and his team for emphasizing the success of the bombing mission. 'One of the greatest, most professional, and most 'confirming' News Conferences I have ever seen!' he wrote on social media. 'The Fake News should fire everyone involved in this Witch Hunt, and apologize to our great warriors, and everyone else!' Interview: Germany-China partnership crucial amid global challenges, trade expert says Xinhua) 09:51, July 05, 2025 STUTTGART, Germany, July 4 (Xinhua) -- China remains a crucial market for German companies, and the long-standing partnership between the two nations is becoming increasingly significant amid global strategic uncertainties, tariff disputes, and supply chain disruptions, a German trade expert has said. Germany-China partnership is built on trust and mutual respect, and now it is time to further consolidate this cooperation, Roland Bleinroth, chief executive officer of leading German event organizer Messe Stuttgart, said in a recent interview with Xinhua. Describing China as "a very important market" for German companies, Bleinroth emphasized that, given the current global challenges, the Chinese market has become even more vital. According to him, German companies are showing strong confidence in China. The decisions by a wide array of German companies to double down on their investment in China reflect an unwavering commitment to the Chinese market. Messe Stuttgart manages the Stuttgart trade fair center and hosts various exhibitions, trade fairs, congresses, and technical conferences, which have welcomed a multitude of Chinese participants over the past years. Citing the active participation of Chinese exhibitors and visitors at German fairs, as well as robust German engagement in trade shows across China, Bleinroth said that trade exhibitions play a pivotal role in fostering these ties. As key exporters in the world, China and Germany have been championing the idea of globalization and free trade. Bleinroth underscored that globalization, although being unfairly portrayed as a zero-sum game, has actually driven economic growth over the past few decades, and still represents a win-win scenario for all participants in international commerce. Bleinroth expressed concern that this "economic commonsense" is being questioned. With technological advancements such as artificial intelligence, automation, and robotics reshaping industries worldwide, he called for closer collaboration between Germany and China to pursue common goals. Looking ahead, Bleinroth said he remains optimistic about the future of Germany-China cooperation. "There are so many things that we can work together on for the common benefit of both sides and also for the rest of the world," he said. "We need to focus on what we can do together," rather than on our differences, he added. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Vietnam had the sixth-highest growth in international tourist arrivals globally and highest in Asia-Pacific in the first quarter of 2025, with a 30% year-on-year increase compared to the same period in 2024. It ranked behind Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Gambia and Israel, according to the May edition of the World Tourism Barometer published by the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism). Vietnam led the Asia-Pacific in international tourist arrival growth in the first quarter, ahead of Japan and the Republic of Palau. Data from the General Statistics Office showed Vietnam welcomed over 6 million international visitors in the first quarter, the highest quarterly figure in the nation's history. By the end of May, the figure had reached 9.2 million, up over 21% year-on-year and 15% higher than the same period in 2019. According to the report, Vietnam also ranked second globally in terms of international arrival recovery, growing by 34% compared to pre-Covid levels in 2019. In terms of tourism revenue growth, the country placed fourth worldwide with a 29% increase from the previous year. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said despite ongoing challenges in the Asia-Pacific's post-Covid recovery, Vietnam has stood out as a success story. This performance reflects the tourism sector's coordinated efforts to refresh promotional strategies, launch stimulus programs, and diversify tourism offerings. The Vietnamese government has also eased visa policies to attract more international visitors. Starting March 1 Vietnam waived visas for tourists from Poland, Czechia and Switzerland coming on package tours for up to 45 days. In mid-March the government also decided to extend visa exemptions until 2028 for citizens of 12 countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the U.K. The waiver had expired on March 15. A former boat skipper has been jailed for attempting to meet up with a 13-year-old boy to have sex after offering him a PlayStation device in exchange. Luke Edward Reynolds, 29, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Friday to seven offences relating to the indecent treatment and use of electronic communications to procure a child under 16. Reynolds started speaking to a 13-year-old boy on an online chat platform before moving to Snapchat to have 'exclusively sexually explicit' conversations in April 2024. He sent multiple photos of his erect penis to the child and an animated image of two men having sex asking the boy 'should we try this?', crown prosecutor Isabelle MacNicol told the court. He offered the boy a PlayStation device in exchange for sex. Reynolds discussed with the boy to meet in person to have sex and whether other males could join in. He also sent the boy a photo of a blue cooler bag that contained lubricant, condoms and anal cream. Reynolds arranged to meet with the boy outside Cannon Hill's YMCA in Brisbane's south and brought the cooler bag to the meeting. Luke Edward Reynolds (pictured) has been jailed for two years for trying to have sex with a 13-year-old boy. He is pictured outside Brisbane District Court where he was sentenced on Friday Reynolds intended to have sex with the child despite suspecting he was younger than 13 The boy became nervous during the meeting and decided not to go ahead with the sexual activities that had been discussed, leaving on his push bike. When the child returned home, his parents became suspicious and took his phone to discover the raft of messages and reported it to the police. Reynolds continued to message the boy, asking to meet up again and sent more explicit photos, but this time it was a police officer behind the screen. After four days, he arranged with an officer purporting to be the child to meet at the same YMCA where police swooped to arrest Reynolds. He was again holding the cooler bag with the same items inside and was found to have images of naked children on his phone by officers. Reynolds admitted during a police interview that he knew the boy was under 16, even suspecting he was younger than 13, and intended to have sex with him. 'The offending is characterised as persistent, predatory and premeditated,' Ms MacNicol said. Defence barrister Patrick Wilson argued that Reynolds was remorseful and had suffered as a result of his offending, losing his job as a ferry driver for a resort. Reynolds engaged with the 13-year-old boy on an online chat platform before using Snapchat to have 'exclusively sexually explicit' conversations A psychologist's report detailed that Reynolds was a loner as a child and had never had a relationship or sexual contact, Mr Wilson told the court. It also disputed that Reynolds was a pedophile; instead, Mr Wilson argued the offending was a product of a 'sexually naive person'. Judge Brad Farr called Reynolds' crimes 'demonstrably serious' and 'vile' given that he knew at all times the boy was under 16. 'The evidence of the fact you were willing to pursue in sexual activity with a child by arriving at the pre-arranged location on two separate occasions and bringing with you paraphernalia designed to achieve that purpose, all of which aggravates the seriousness of the offending,' he said. Reynolds was sentenced to two years' imprisonment and will serve six months before being released on probation. 'It was protracted, even after the child exhibited concern about following through with what had been discussed and perhaps even fear,' Judge Farr said. 'You persisted to encourage him to do so, you placed your own sexual gratification to the forefront with little, if any, thought to the potential harm to the complainant.' 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Lifeline 13 11 14 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25) Aussies on the New South Wales coastline have been urged to avoid swimming in open water due to pollution concerns in the wake of a 'bomb cyclone'. The clean-up has started by the SES, which responded to more than 4,000 requests for assistance after severe rainfall and wind wreaked havoc this week. Residents were warned to stay indoors on Tuesday and only travel for essential journeys on Wednesday as a vigorous coastal low-pressure system tracked southwards, with wind gusts reaching up to 125km/h. But the poor conditions are not over for some after Beachwatch NSW issued more warnings for residents on beaches on Saturday. 'Swim sites across the Sydney, Hunter, Illawarra and Central Coast regions may continue to be impacted by stormwater pollution following extreme weather conditions,' the organisation said on Facebook. 'Always check for signs of pollution such as flowing drains, open lagoons, discoloured water, odours, litter and debris in the water before swimming.' The locations listed include Bulli, Port Hacking, Botany Bay, Sydney Harbour and the Northern Beaches. The NSW coast was battered by wild weather from a bomb cyclone this week Residents in the system's path were warned to stay indoors and only travel when essential Beachwatch NSW has now warned swimmers to take precautions after the weather Locals have been urged to contact lifeguards or their council for beach closures. The City of Wollongong has urged locals to be careful. 'Thanks to the stormwater runoff potentially impacting water quality, we don't recommend a beach or rockpool swim at this time,' a city spokesman said. 'Our ocean rock pools will be inspected as sea conditions improve for debris, sand and other materials that may have been washed in.' The council closed The Continental and Port Kembla pools during the rough weather. The NSW SES has issued evacuation warnings due to coastal erosion for some residents in Wamberal and North Entrance. Flooding warnings were put in place for some areas including Burrill Lake, Lake Conjola, Sanctuary Point, Sussex Inlet and Shoalhaven. WaterNSW also warned on Wednesday that, following the heavy rainfall across Greater Sydney's water supply catchments, Warragamba Dam was close to full. The catchment provides 80 per cent of Sydney's drinking water. Many other Sydney dams did spill, including Woronora, Nepean, Cataract, Cordeaux, Avon, Fitzroy Falls, Lake Medlow, Greaves Creek, and Tallowa. At least 24 people have been killed and scores more are feared missing after historic floods inundated a Texas county. Twenty-three people are missing from Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, after the Guadalupe River flooded and surged by up to 30 feet above its usual water level Friday. The names of those killed have not been shared, but the final death toll is expected to rise substantially as floodwaters recede. Identities of the missing have begun to emerge as stricken families share photos of their loved ones in the hopes of learning information about their whereabouts. Terrified parents of those missing said they have been left in limbo as they await news from the ongoing searches, with the mother of one missing young campers, Janie Hunt, 9, saying: 'We are just praying.' Officials have stressed they hope to rescue many of the missing and say they're still hopeful of finding most of those missing safe and well. But the sheer scale of destruction - with buildings ripped from their foundations and cars swept away like toys - suggests that may be an overly optimistic prediction. At least 24 people have been killed and scores more are feared missing after historic floods inundated Kerr County in Texas Twenty-three people are missing from Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, after the Guadalupe River flooded and surged by up to 30 feet above its usual water level Friday Although officials have not named those missing, many terrified families took to social media to urge locals to share images of their missing daughters. Among those named were Virginia Hollis; Hadley Crossman; Cile Steward; Wynne Naylor; Linnie McCown; Mary Grace Baker; Molly DeWitt; Sarah Marsh; Anna Margaret Bellows; and Blakely McCrory. Annie Flack was previously listed as missing but her parents have since confirmed she was airlifted to safety and has since returned home. It is not clear if some may have been found, with over 750 people in total believed to be at the Camp Mystic campsites when flood waters began. A total of 23 are unaccounted for. An image also appeared online from a group of unidentified girls who were rescued from the floods, where the girls looked frightened as they sat on the floor of a local firehouse. At a press conference late on Friday evening, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the floods had been devastating, and declared that 'we need God more than ever.' 'It needs God, but it also needs a robust response... searches will continue in the darkness of night, and they will continue' into the early hours of Saturday, Abbott said. 'Well put in everything we have in the entire state.' At least 14 helicopters, 12 drones and more than 500 people from various units have joined search efforts, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said at the presser. Among those named as the missing were Virginia Hollis; Annie Flack (who has since been found); Hadley Crossman; Cile Steward; Wynne Naylor; Linnie McCown; Mary Grace Baker; Molly DeWitt; Sarah Marsh; Anna Margaret Bellows; and Blakely McCrory The final death toll is expected to rise substantially as floodwaters recede An image also appeared online from a group of unidentified girls who were rescued from the floods, where the girls looked frightened as they sat on the floor of a local firehouse Over 150 people were airlifted from danger during the extensive search and rescue efforts by Texas authorities throughout Friday. Officials said at the press conference on Friday night that a total of 237 people were rescued by authorities through the day, with many more still unaccounted for. President Donald Trump also broke his silence on the devastating floods in Texas, as he pledged to fully support the ongoing recovery efforts. 'It's terrible, the floods, it's shocking,' he said late Friday evening. Trump was asked by reporters if he would provide federal aid to the area, to which he responded: 'We'll take care of them.' 'It's a terrible thing,' he added. The remarks came as footage from the ongoing searches of the Guadalupe River show a helicopter heroically saving someone from the flood damage. The footage showed a person being hoisted from the river as one of 14 helicopters deployed during the searches lifted them to safety. The person being saved has not been identified, with at least 23 other people unaccounted for from the Camp Mystic campsites on the riverside. Over 150 people were airlifted from danger during the extensive search and rescue efforts by Texas authorities throughout Friday As some families were left in limbo awaiting their children at reunification centers, parent Serena Hanor Aldrich told the New York Times that she was thankful her two daughters, aged 9 and 12, were rescued during the floods, but said the camp runners should have been ready for the torrential rainfall. 'They should have been watching the Texas Division of Emergency Management and Kerr County,' she said. 'They were posting stuff yesterday morning. They should have been on top of it.' She said her daughters were safe because they were in camps that were on higher ground, but Camp Mystic runs a number of campsites along the Guadalupe River that were overwhelmed by flood waters. 'There are still campers missing,' Aldrich said at a reunification center, where other parents were still waiting for their children to return. A senior digital health adviser to the federal government has been identified as the man with the alleged assault of two women. Daniel McCluskie, 44, was charged with 15 domestic violence-related offences spanning a three-year period after officers descended on a home on Sibbick Street in Russell Lea, in Sydney's inner west, about 7am on Wednesday. In video of his dramatic arrest, he was seen wearing grey tracksuit pants and ugg boots as he was bustled out of the home and into a waiting paddy wagon. His alleged offences include eight counts of sexual intercourse without consent and three counts of choking without consent. Police allege McCluskie carried out a slew of DV offences including kidnapping between 2021 and 2023 against a 35-year-old woman. He also allegedly choked a 52-year-old woman he met on a dating app last March. McCluskie's charges also include two counts of stalking and intimidation, intentionally recording an intimate image without consent, and detaining a person with intent to obtain advantage. The 44-year-old is listed as a digital health adviser for the Australian Digital Health Agency, a Commonwealth entity designed to oversee the national e-health system. Digital health adviser Daniel McCluskie (pictured) will face court after allegedly assaulting two women, including one women he met on a dating app The 44-year-old has been charged over a string of alleged domestic violence offences In video of his dramatic arrest, McCluskie is seen wearing grey tracksuit pants and ugg boots as he is bustled out of the home and into a paddy wagon (pictured) The government agency told 7News it was aware of the 'serious charges' against 'a Daniel McCluskie'. 'As this is an active police matter, we are unable to comment,' it said on Thursday. 'We note that Digital Health Advisers are not employees of the Agency.' McCluskie was granted bail in Parramatta Local Court on Thursday but will need to adhere to a series of strict bail conditions, including wearing an ankle monitor. He was asked to forfeit his passport and is banned from leaving New South Wales or entering any international port of departure from Australia. McCluskie will also be bound by a strict curfew of 8pm to 5am, report to a police station three times a week and refrain from contacting prosecution witnesses except via his representation. He returns to Parramatta Local Court on September 10. Investigations under Strike Force Brandum are continuing. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Australian Digital Health Agency for comment. A trainee priest is alleged to have sexually assaulted two worshippers while drunk at a cathedral where choristers played a last seven shots of Christ drinking game. Serious complaints have been made about 'a culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred' at Bangor Cathedral with one of the victims coming forward. One of the trainee's alleged victims said she was assaulted at the Cathedral's booze-addled Oktoberfest event in 2022. She explained that the priest-in-training had consumed copious amounts of alcohol which led to the assault. 'He had had considerably too much to drink,' she told the BBC. 'I'd already warned people that night he's drinking a lot more than everyone else. So these warning signs were ignored and that led to that assault.' The Church in Wales confirmed that two people complained about the man's behavior and his priest training was not taken forward. Despite reporting the assault and receiving an apology, she said the intense drinking culture at the church did not change. The claims come days after the Archbishop of Wales (pictured) announced his sudden retirement following a critical report into the drinking culture at Bangor Cathedral Serious complaints have been made about 'a culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred' at Bangor Cathedral (pictured) with victims of assault coming forward She explained that after a cathedral concert on Good Friday in 2023, where the choir sang seven songs to mark the Seven Last Words of Christ - the seven last sentences that Jesus spoke from the cross - choristers and priests went for a drink. To mark the occasion they all decided to do 'the seven last shots of Christ'. Meanwhile, Esme Byrd, 29, who was a lay clerk at Bangor Cathedral for six months said there was an 'unhealthy' culture of binge drinking at the church. Ms Byrd, who sang with the choir until she left in January said she was deeply concerned about the wellbeing of younger members of the choir. 'I looked around and I just thought, this is not safe,' Esme told the BBC. 'This is not a safe and nurturing and good environment for children to be in.' She left the church after her concerns were ignored and a lack of action was taken. The claims come days after the Archbishop of Wales announced his sudden retirement following a critical report into the drinking culture at Bangor Cathedral. Most Reverend Andrew John said he would also be stepping down from his role as Bishop of Bangor on August 31. Esme Byrd, 29, (pictured) who was a lay clerk at Bangor Cathedral for six months said there was an 'unhealthy' culture of binge drinking at the church After a cathedral concert on Good Friday in 2023, where the choir sang seven songs to mark the Seven Last Words of Christ, choristers and priests drank seven shots The report included claims of excessive drinking and 'inappropriate language' being used in front of younger members of the choir. Announcing his retirement on Friday, Mr John said: 'It has been an enormous joy to serve in the Church in Wales for over 35 years. 'I would very much like to thank the clergy and congregations of this wonderful diocese before I retire.' While no mention of the report was made in his retirement announcement, Mr John has previously faced calls to resign. Ruth Jones, Labour MP for Newport West and Islwyn, said: 'We want openness and transparency in all our church settings and it's really, really important that the archbishop makes clear what has gone on.' Two priests from within Bangor Cathedral have also called an independent inquiry following the report into the church's culture. Mr John previously offered his 'most heartfelt apology to any members of the cathedral community who have been hurt or who feel I have let them down'. Mr John assumed the role of Bishop of Bangor in 2008. He was elected Archbishop of Wales in December 2021 and was the 14th person to hold the title. MailOnline has contacted Bangor Cathedral for comment. Steve Coogan has suggested that working class people are being 'ethnically cleansed' amid the redevelopment of northern cities. The Alan Partridge actor, 59, argued that investment in sophisticated skyscrapers did not benefit blue-collar workers. After backing the Greens at the last election, Mr Coogan appeared on BBC Breakfast on Friday to endorse the co-operative movement, which encourages businesses to share its profits among its employees. He said: 'The problem with all these cities like Liverpool and Manchester is they've got all these big shiny buildings, but all the people who are disenfranchised have been ethnically cleansed from the area. They don't actually benefit. 'What the co-operative movement does is tries to keep that money in the area and empower people and try to mitigate and push back against the effects of big business.' Mr Coogan also hit out at Nigel Farage's Reform party for peddling 'racist rhetoric'. 'If the Government want to stop Reform making all these gains, instead of dealing with the symptoms of the problem by leaning into the racist rhetoric of Reform, they can deal with that by helping working people and the best way of doing that is to support the Co-operative movement,' he added. The comedian, who backed Labour under Jeremy Corbyn in both 2017 and 2019, criticised the political fabric of the UK, accusing governments of prioritising the wealthiest members of society. Steve Coogan, pictured on BBC Breakfast, has suggested that working class people are being 'ethnically cleansed' amid the redevelopment of northern cities The Alan Partridge actor argued that investment in sophisticated skyscrapers did not benefit blue-collar workers (Stock Photo of Manchester) He claimed the co-operative movement aims to shift the focus towards working people and would soften the blow of Labour's recent welfare cuts which, after a chaotic backbench rebellion, saw the health element of Universal Credit halved. Last minute concessions, however, meant that radical changes to personal independence payment (Pip) would be delayed until November 2026. Mr Coogan also argued that a key reason post-industrial areas are 'dying' is the dominance of large supermarket chains. He claimed the co-operative movement would ensure less money left the local economy, with profits reinvested into key projects in the area. The movement is believed to date back to the 18th century but rose to prominence after the successful co-op at the Rochdale Pioneers' Shop in 1844. Mr Coogan pointed out that the idea was birthed in the UK but he suggested that it has been making bigger gains in other parts of the world. Earlier this year, the comedian starred in a two-part drama, written by James Graham, about Margaret Thatcher's 1989 interview with Brian Walden. The star, who plays the former Labour MP turned London Weekend Television host, said that he had 'huge antipathy' for the former PM describing himself as 'very anti-Thatcher'. Mr Coogan also hit out at Nigel Farage 's Reform party for peddling 'racist rhetoric' Earlier this year, he starred in a two-part drama about Margaret Thatcher's 1989 interview with Brian Walden (pictured with Harriet Walter as Mrs Thatcher) He told the Radio Times: 'The one thing that I was worried about in this drama was being too compassionate because of her legacy.' The actor even took exception to a scene written by Sherwood writer Mr Graham, 42, for being 'too kind' to the Iron Lady and said that she would now be diagnosed with a 'disorder'. Mr Coogan added: 'In fact, in the edit we cut something because I thought it was a bit too kind and we wanted to remind people that there was this damage... 'She had vision and zeal, but she lacked empathy. Now, she'd probably be diagnosed with some sort of disorder.' A world-renowned artist who doodled all over his 1.35million mansion has revealed how he went from earning huge sums to being sectioned on a psychiatric ward. Sam Cox, also known as Mr Doodle, rose to fame in 2017 when a video of him using a marker pen to draw all over a shop was viewed 46 million times in one week on social media. Soon after, his doodles were selling for one million dollars each and he was being commissioned by big name brands such as Adidas. And in 2019, the 31-year-old's dream came true when he purchased a property in the quaint town of Tenterden, Kent for 1.35 million. He planned to draw all over the house, starting in the main bedroom with dream-themed doodles. The compulsive artist started working for 36 hours straight to finish the project, which he now thinks sparked a mental breakdown. Sam began to think that his mother was Nigel Farage and that President Donald Trump had asked him to graffiti his 'big, beautiful wall' between the US and Mexico. In a new Channel 4 documentary 'The Trouble With Mr Doodle', he reveals that he had to be restrained by six nurses after he was sectioned in February 2020. Sam Cox, also known as Mr Doodle, rose to fame in 2017 when a video of him using a marker pen to draw all over a shop was viewed 46 million times in one week on social media The huge mansion was decorated both inside and out with the doodle-like drawings British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, with his wife Alena, at a 12-room mansion he decorated with his artwork Sam told The Sun: 'I felt like I was in a game. You think health professionals and even family and friends are trying to hurt you. 'Donald Trump or other celebrities took the place of other patients in the hospital for me. 'I remember thinking my mum was like Nigel Farage.' Sam, who grew up in Kent, spent six weeks in hospital and has now fully recovered. Speaking about his 'Doodle House' project back in 2022, Sam said he was determined to finished it on his own. He told The Sunday Times: 'It's the longest project I've done. I wanted to say I'd done it all myself.' Sam left no surface untouched, with every wall and ceiling and all amenities - including the television, hob and bath - covered in monochromatic doodles. Despite admitting he did not plan any of his drawings, Sam gave every room its own theme. For example, the hallway was covered with Noah's Ark creations, while the stairs were decorated with Heaven and Hell drawings. British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, with his wife Alena, reveals the Doodle House in 2022 - a twelve-room mansion in Tenterden, in Kent Mr Doodle and his wife Alena outside their home in Kent which Mr Doodle spent two years covering every inch of with his trademark sketches Sam said: 'I had a rough idea of the theme but the individual doodles are spontaneous. 'My main inspiration still goes back to when I was kid watching Tom and Jerry, Wacky Races and SpongeBob SquarePants, and video games like Crash Bandicoot. I always wanted to draw characters for video games.' For the indoor doodles, the 31-year-old explained that he used black acrylic paint and a bingo marker-pen in four different sizes. Sam and his wife Alena previously planned to make the living artwork their permanent home in the coming weeks. The couple met on Instagram after Alena commented on one of Sam's videos prompting them to meet up in person in Berlin in 2018. Alena, who moved to the UK from Kharkiv, Ukraine in 2020, said she finds the monochromatic doodles 'calming' and even drives a doodled Tesla. A boy has been airlifted to hospital in a critical condition after a horrific fall from a swing at a popular camping spot. Paramedics were called to Double Island Point Conservation Park in Queensland's Gympie region shortly before 11.30am on Saturday after a primary school-aged boy fell from the playground equipment. The LifeFlight helicopter was also deployed at the scene. 'The LifeFlight critical care doctor and Queensland Ambulance Service flight paramedic treated the boy for head injuries,' a statement read. He was airlifted to Brisbane's Queensland Children's Hospital with life-threatening injuries, where he's now fighting for life. Double Island Point Conservation Park is a popular spot with locals and tourists. LifeFlight airlifted a boy to Brisbane in a critical condition after he fell from a swing A young policewoman was unconscious for more than an hour after she was allegedly kicked in the stomach and punched in the head in an alleged 'sickening' assault. The Mount Druitt constable, 23, and her female colleague, 22, were allegedly attacked while conducting a welfare check in Bidwill in Sydney's west on Friday night. Concerned members of the public contacted police after seeing Khi Tremain, 19, lying in the middle of Bunya Road. Police were trying to talk to Tremain when he allegedly lashed out and knocked out one of the female officers, causing her to fall to the ground and lose consciousness. He then allegedly turned on her female colleague, who was punched in the face before she deployed capsicum spray. Tremain was arrested at the scene and then allegedly attacked a third officer, 25, by biting him on the arm en route to hospital. The policeman has since been forced to undergo testing for bloodborne illnesses and must now wait for results before he is medically cleared. The female officer who was unconscious for 70 minutes was discharged from hospital the next morning. A teen allegedly attacked two female police officers who had been called to perform a welfare check on him in Sydney's west on Friday night. Pictured are police at the scene A young police officer was unconscious for 70 minutes after she was allegedly kicked in the stomach and punched her head She and her two injured colleagues are still 'sore and shaken'. 'I've spoken to all the officers, they are sore and shaken and the events of last night are now starting to dawn on them, how serious it was, how much more serious it could have been,' Mt Druitt Superintendent Darrin Batchelor said. He added that the incident was traumatic for everyone involved, including police who arrived on scene to find their colleague unconscious in the middle of the road. Aerial footage of the scene showed her surrounded by dozens of paramedics and police. 'They didnt know what had occurred, whether the female officer had been stabbed or shot,' Supt Batchelor said. 'The police force is a family, so the events of last night has affected the entire police force.' Acting NSW Police Commissioner Peter Thurtell labelled the alleged attack as appalling. 'This is a sickening attack and those officers were just doing their job,' he said. Khi Tremain allegedly attacked a third officer, 25, who he bit on the arm on the way to the hospital. Pictured are police at the scene Tremain has since been charged with three counts of assault and three counts of resisting arrest 'Incidents like these clearly demonstrate the bravery and courage of officers who are just doing their best to protect the community. 'Police officers put themselves on the frontline and in danger every single day, they deserve respect not violence.' Tremain was charged with three counts of assault police officer in execution of duty cause actual bodily harm, and three counts of hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty following his release from hospital. Tremain remains in custody and will face Parramatta Local Court on Sunday. A shopkeeper who groomed a teenage girl with vodka and vapes before blocking the door with a sofa so he could sexually assault her as been jailed for 10 years. Daniel Hashmi was found guilty of six offences against the same child, including attempted rape, following a trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court. The 49-year-old, of Audley Road, Levenshulme, Manchester, was sentenced today to a decade behind bars. He will additionally have to sign the sex offender's register for life, as well as being given a restraining order and lifelong sexual harm protection order. Hashmi was arrested in December 2024 after the sister of a friend reported her suspicions to the police. It was established the offences had taken place in Hashmi's business premises on Wellington Road South, Stockport, between November and December last year. Hashimi had bought vodka and vapes for the victim, on one occasion blocking the door in a back room to the shop with a sofa to prevent her leaving before sexually assaulting her. He denied the offences but was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault on a female, two counts of attempted rape, and assault by penetration after a trial. Daniel Hashmi (pictured) was arrested in December 2024 after the sister of a friend reported her suspicions to the police The 49-year-old was found guilty of six offences against the same child, including attempted rape, following a trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court (pictured) Speaking in court, the victim said: 'I thought I could trust him. He is an adult and they are meant to be protectors, but after this I will never trust anyone again. 'This has affected me more than anyone will ever know - I feel betrayed and completely let down. 'He has taken away the most important things that I will never get back - I feel used and that's the worst thing.' Detective Constable Ben Swapp, of Stockport's Complex Safeguarding Team, said: 'The girl and her family have shown enormous courage, and we will continue to support them. 'Aspire social workers and Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) are working with the victim to help in rebuilding her life. 'GMP's Stockport Complex Safeguarding Team is a multi-agency team focused on protecting vulnerable children and young people from exploitation and harm. 'This team, which includes police officers, social workers, and other professionals, works to identify, assess, and respond to safeguarding concerns, particularly those related to child exploitation. 'We are absolutely committed to removing offenders like Hashimi from the streets, as the danger he poses to society, and particularly to children, is significant. 'Hopefully today's sentence and our investigation will give victims the confidence to report these types of crimes and trust us to investigate them thoroughly to bring the perpetrators to justice.' Ukrainian defenders downed 292 enemy UAVs out of 322 on the night of Saturday, the main direction of the attack was the city of Starokostiantyniv in Khmelnytsky region. As the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on Telegram, on the night of July 5 (from 20:00 on July 4) the enemy attacked with 322 Shahed attack UAVs and imitator drones of various types from the directions: Bryansk, Kursk, Orel, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Shatalove Russia. "As of 09:30, air defenses neutralized 292 enemy Shahed-type UAVs [drones of other types]. Some 157 were shot down by fire weapons, and 135 were lost/suppressed by electronic warfare," the report said. Enemy hit four locations, and downed fragments fell in six locations. It left fans in stitches across three critically acclaimed seasons with its slice of Manchester life, spawning some classic catchphrases. But the fun is over for The Royle Family after the iconic sitcom became the latest show to be slapped with a BBC trigger warning. Seven episodes have been flagged by regulators thanks to 'discriminatory language some viewers may find offensive'. The notices, which can be seen on iPlayer, do not explain which scenes contribute towards the warnings, The Sun reports. No episodes from series one have received the content alert but episodes one, three and six from series two, which aired in 1999, and episode one from series three, which went out in 2000, have been deemed offensive. The latter perhaps has something to do with Anthony Royle, played by Ralf Little, describing a friend as a 'batty boy'. Two of the five Christmas specials, from 2008 and 2009, have also been adorned with the warning. It's not the first time the corporation has flagged the show to viewers for being potentially problematic. Ricky Tomlinson pictured as Jim Royle in The Royle Family. The sitcom has become the latest show to be slapped with a BBC trigger warning Seven episodes have been flagged by regulators thanks to 'discriminatory language some viewers may find offensive' In 2021, a scene where TV-obsessed protagonist Jim, played by Ricky Tomlinson, calls celebrity interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen a 'nancy boy' was highlighted. At its peak, 12 million people watched each episode of The Royle Family with lead character Jim a fan favourite, partly for his famous catchphrase, 'my a*se'. The show also starred Sue Johnston as his wife Barbara and Caroline Ahern as their daughter Denise Best, as well as Craig Cash, Little and Liz Smith. The last of the series' 25 episodes was broadcast on Christmas Day 2012. A BBC spokesperson said: 'Attitudes and language change over time so, just like other broadcasters and streamers, we tell viewers when a show includes something that might be inappropriate or outdated people have different views and some people will find these things offensive, but others won't.' It comes just days after the BBC also hit The Fast Show with a disclaimer. Originally airing in the 90s, the classic stars Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson with quick-fire sketches that depicted British society at the time. However, its infamous Suit You, Sir scenes have been hit with a 'woke' warning by BBC bosses. At its peak, 12 million people watched each episode of The Royle Family (pictured L-R: Craig Cash as Dave Best, Caroline Aherne as Denise Best, and Sue Johnston as Barbara Royle) The notices, which can be seen on iPlayer, do not explain which scenes contribute towards the warnings The Sun revealed two episodes contain the warning, which advises viewers of 'discriminatory language' before they can play the show. One episode from series three, that aired in December 1997, carries a scene where the tailors ask a customer if they would like to have sex with a 'she-male'. In reply, the customer says: 'Come on you tr**nies!' Meanwhile, an episode from the second series that originally broadcast in 1996, sees two men make advances on women. When they're swiftly rejected, the pair declare the women are 'lesbians'. The Fast Show aired for four series on the BBC before it was axed by bosses in 1997 after 28 episodes, which are all now available on iPlayer. The BBC also recently hit Ricky Gervais's comedy series The Office with a similar warning. The hit mockumentary sitcom created by comedian Gervais, 64, as well as Stephen Merchant, famously stars him as paper company boss David Brent. It comes just days after the BBC also hit The Fast Show with a disclaimer (pictured: Charlie Higson and Paul Whitehouse in the show) The BBC also recently hit Ricky Gervais's comedy series The Office with a similar warning Both series of the noughties programme were already labelled with a G symbol on BBC iPlayer, which flags parental guidance for younger viewers. But nearly half of the BBC series' 14 episodes, following life at Wernham Hogg's Slough office, now also carry the additional content notice. In series one, which aired in 2001, the first and last episodes - Downsize and Judgement - bear the alert. Meanwhile, a whopping half of the second series, released in 2002, has been hit with trigger warnings - episodes one, three and five, named Merger, Party and Charity. At the start of the year it was revealed how Only Fools and Horses was hit with various disclaimers around 'racial language', words that 'may offend' and 'dated attitudes and behaviours'. Only two of seven series of the eighties hit show - which is available to watch on ITV and often reruns on digital channel U&Gold - did not have any episodes at all slapped with the warnings. A sexual predator who raped a schoolgirl and attempted to assault another victim by threatening her with a fake gun has been jailed for a minimum of 14 years. Navroop Singh, 24, raped the child aged under 13 in Hayes End Park, Hillingdon, west London, in October last year. Just ten days earlier, he had tried to rape another victim, aged in her 20s, in a different park. Singh had been sitting on a bench in Southall Park, Ealing, in the early hours of October 13 waiting for a potential victim to walk past. He was carrying an imitation firearm, which he had ordered and assembled, and used it to threaten the woman while he attempted to rape her, police have said. Singh was yesterday sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 14 years following a four-day trial at Isleworth Crown Court. On Thursday, he was found guilty of the attempted rape of the woman in Southall Park and the possession of an imitation firearm. He had previously pleaded guilty to three other offences, including the rape of a girl under 13 and the assault of a girl under 13 by penetration. Navroop Singh, 24, raped the child aged under 13 in Hayes End Park, Hillingdon, west London, in October last year Singh had been sitting on a bench in Southall Park (pictured), Ealing, in the early hours of October 13 last year waiting for a potential victim to walk past The Metropolitan Police managed to track down Singh using forensics, CCTV and witness accounts. The force launched its investigation following reports of the attempted rape of the woman in Southall Park. Police were alerted by the victim, who, by chance, met with two off duty officers near to the gates of the park. While the investigation was ongoing, a child was raped at a different park on October 23 - with officers drawing a link between the two offences. After trawling through CCTV and securing forensic evidence, police arrested Singh at his home address on October 27. Acting Chief Superintendent Sean Lynch, who leads policing in West Area, said yesterday: 'I would like to commend the strength of the victim-survivors and their families and thank them for their unwavering bravery in reporting these awful incidents to us. 'Today's conviction is testament to the officers' thorough investigation, which has identified a violent sexual offender and undoubtedly prevented further harm. 'We are continuing to prioritise tackling violence against women and girls with our increased specialist teams. 'I hope that the community will find reassurance in our action to put this predator behind bars.' Police have arrested almost 30 people on suspicion of terrorism offences after protesters gathered in Parliament Square holding signs supporting Palestine Action, just hours after a ban on the came into effect. Around two dozen people, including a priest, professor and an emergency care worker who is just back from Gaza, sat in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament Square on Saturday expressing support for the group, which is now a proscribed terrorist organisation. They held signs saying: 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.' Shortly after their arrival, police officers could be seen engaging with the protesters and the Met said it had began making arrests. Several people were seen being carried away by officers. A spokesperson for the force said: 'Officers are responding to a protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square. 'The group is now proscribed and expressing support for them is a criminal offence. Arrests are being made.' They later added: 'A total of 29 arrests were made during this afternoon's protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square. They remain in custody.' Campaign group Defend Our Juries said today's protest will be the first in a series of actions which will see activists take to Parliament Square every week. Reverend Sue Parfitt, 83, is pictured as she joined the protest in support of Palestine Action in Westminster on Saturday The Met Police said it was making arrests over the protest in Parliament Square on Saturday afternoon Metropolitan Police officers remove people from a protest in support of Palestine Action Around 20 people, including a priest, professor and an emergency care worker who is just back from Gaza, sat in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament Square on Saturday expressing support for the group A woman is carried away by police from a protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square this afternoon Campaign group Defend Our Juries said today's protest will be the first in a series of actions which will see activists take to Parliament Square every week It comes after the Home Office today welcomed the ban on Palestine Action, with the group failing to block its proscription as a terrorist organisation in a late-night legal bid. Lawyers representing co-founder Huda Ammori, whose father is Palestinian, asked for the decision to be delayed at least until July 21. The designation as a terror group means that membership of or support for Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Palestine Action argues it is a protest group that has never incited or encouraged violence, but does support civil disobedience. Activists protest against the continuing war in Gaza, which has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians since October 7 - when 1,200 Israelis were killed by a Hamas incursion into the country. One of those protesting today is former government lawyer Tim Crosland. He said: 'There are already 18 Palestine Actionists held in UK prisons without a trial, following lobbying by the Israeli government and Elbit Systems, the leading supplier of the machinery of genocide. 'If we cannot speak freely about the genocide of Palestinians, if we cannot condemn those who enable it and praise those who resist it, then the right to freedom of expression has no meaning, and democracy in this country is dead.' The Met Police issued a warning ahead of the protest, stating there are a number of events taking place in London this weekend and 'anyone attending should be aware that officers policing these will act where criminal offences, including those related to support of proscribed groups or organisations, are committed'. Proscription makes it a criminal offence under the Terrorism Act 2000 (TACT) to invite or express support for an organisation through chanting, wearing clothing or displaying articles such as flags, signs or logos, the Met said. Police officers speak to protesters as they prepared to make arrests after Palestine Action was banned as a terrorist organisation A woman in handcuffs is removed from Parliament Square by officers from the Met Police The designation as a terror group means that membership of or support for Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison One woman was handed a rose as she was led away by police officers Palestine Action lost a late-night Court of Appeal challenge on Friday evening, which sought to stop it being banned, less than two hours before the move came into force at midnight MPs in the Commons voted 385 to 26, majority 359, in favour of proscribing the group on Wednesday At today's protest one man held a sign which read: 'Dear police, I love Yvette Cooper's Palestine Action' It is also illegal to belong to the organisation or publish similar signs of support online. Police arresting protesters in Parliament Square were met with cries of 'Met Police you are puppets of the Zionist state' and 'leave them alone'. Another supporter, not directly involved in the Palestine Action protest, shouted: 'Who do you protect? Who do you serve?' There were also chants of 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free'. A woman seen lying on the floor in handcuffs was carried away in the air by officers and put in a police van. While suspended and flanked by a large group of police, she said calmly: 'Free Palestine, stop the genocide, I oppose genocide, I support the rights of the Palestinian people, I support freedom of speech, I support freedom of assembly'. A mass of people crowded around to film the scene. Officers placed her in the vehicle parked on the road behind the square before returning to the Mahatma Ghandi statue, where almost no protesters remained. Chants of 'shame' broke out, directed at the police, and officers moved behind the Ghandi statue. Most of the police dispersed at around 2.10pm. One of those seen at today's protest is 83-year-old Reverend Sue Parfitt, who has previously been arrested for action she took to call for urgent change to tackle the climate crisis. A woman is removed from the scene of the protest by multiple officers on Saturday Chants of 'shame' broke out, directed at the police, as activists were taken into custody A protester is carried to a police van by officers from the Met Police this afternoon A man is pictured wearing a Palestine Action T-shirt at today's protest in Parliament Square, London The group's social media pages were removed overnight on Friday, with leaders stating this was due to the risk of people being prosecuted for liking or sharing posts online All those gathered held signs reading: 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action' Dozens of officers attended the protest and more than 20 arrests were made, the Met Police said A woman reacts as she was detained by Met Police officers in central London on Saturday Police surround activists with placards supporting Palestine Action on July 5, 2025 in London, England She was previously arrested for allegedly attempting to damage the Magna Carta with Just Stop Oil, and for protest action with Insulate Britain. Leslie Tate, 76, a Green councillor from Hertfordshire at the protest, said: 'Palestine Action are not a violent organisation, and the proscription is wrong. 'You do know, of course, that they were proscribed by Parliament with two other groups involved - all three at once - so that was a trick to make sure the Bill went through. 'The evidence from their actions that they've taken from the start of Palestine Action is that they all have been non-violent. 'This protest is necessary to defend our democracy, and this is the creeping edge of totalitarianism, frankly. 'We thought they (the police) would probably take pictures of people. It's the obvious thing to do, to photograph them, then they have their identity, rather than make arrests.' Paddy Friend, a 25-year-old law student from London who was watching the protest said: 'In 2025, we no longer have freedom of speech. We can no longer go down to Parliament Square and hold a sign. 'I'm here because I'm terrified. I'm absolutely terrified about this country and I hope to be as brave as these people (protesting), I really do because we cannot let this happen. 'If now isn't the time for hundreds and thousands of us to come together and stand against this, then when's it going to be? 'All arms exports (to Israel) need to stop. We need to stop providing military assistance, we need to cut off all diplomatic ties with Israel.' Large crowds gathered outside the Court of Appeal yesterday (pictured) in support of Palestinians Hundreds of people protested ahead of the ban coming into force at midnight on Saturday Palestine Action argues it is a protest group that has never incited or encouraged violence, but does support civil disobedience It came after Palestine Action lost a late-night Court of Appeal challenge on Friday evening, which sought to stop it being banned, less than two hours before the move came into force at midnight. Large crowds gathered outside the Court of Appeal yesterday in support of Palestinians. The group's social media pages were removed overnight on Friday, with leaders stating this was due to the risk of people being prosecuted for liking or sharing posts online. A Home Office spokesperson said on Saturday: 'We welcome the Court's decision and Palestine Action are now a proscribed group. 'The Government will always take the strongest possible action to protect our national security and our priority remains maintaining the safety and security of our citizens.' The move to ban the organisation was announced after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, an incident claimed by Palestine Action, which police said caused around 7 million of damage. In a letter to the Home Secretary, protesters said: 'We do not wish to go to prison or to be branded with a terrorism conviction. But we refuse to be cowed into silence by your order.' Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action on June 23, stating that the vandalism of the two planes was 'disgraceful' and that the group had a 'long history of unacceptable criminal damage'. MPs in the Commons voted 385 to 26, majority 359, in favour of proscribing the group on Wednesday, before the House of Lords backed the move without a vote on Thursday. Four people - Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22 - have all been charged in connection with the incident at Brize Norton. They appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday after being charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage, under the Criminal Law Act 1977. A murder investigation has been launched after an elderly man was found dead in a south London home. The Met Police has arrested a man, 36, on suspicion of the murder of the 85-year-old pensioner. The London Ambulance Service called police officers to the property in Streatham at around 1pm on Friday after discovering the victim with several injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene despite the best efforts of emergency services to save his life. Formal identification of the victim has yet to take place. A post-mortem examination will take place in due course. The murder suspect, meanwhile, remains in custody amid a police probe. DCI Sarah Lee, who is leading the investigation, said: 'We are working hard to piece together the events that unfolded in Churchmore Road yesterday, and offer our heartfelt condolences to the family of the victim and those affected by this tragic incident. A murder investigation has been launched after an elderly man was found dead in a home on Churchmore Road, Streatham in south London (General view of the road) 'I would like to thank those that are speaking to police and supporting the investigation already. 'We will continue to have an increased presence in the area whilst we continue our enquiries. 'We are not currently looking for any other suspects.' A chronically ill woman missed out on her birthday 'trip of a lifetime' after a Qantas worker sent the replacement tickets to the wrong email when her flight was cancelled. Nadia Hall, 40, and her partner booked a flight from Perth to London, which departed on May 5. Due to an unexpected medical episode mid-flight, the plane was forced to make an emergency landing in the Maldives, where the couple became stranded. They waited for hours without knowing what to do until, Ms Hall received an email from Qantas advising that the flight could not be rebooked. Without any way of calling the airline and no sign of Qantas staff at the airport, the Melbourne couple made the difficult decision to head home after an eight-hour wait. They tried to find alternative options to get to the UK but local airport staff simply just 'shrugged' without offering help, Ms Hall claimed. Qantas didn't provide any reason for the cancellation at the time, so Ms Hall had no other option than to fork out the money for new flights to return to Australia. Things did not get any easier when they returned home, where Ms Hall waited two months before Qantas finally agreed to provide a refund. A simple typo made by a Qantas employee turned Nadia Hall's trip into a nightmare Ms Hall has spent the last two months fighting to be reimbursed by Qantas Ms Hall believed she only received the refund because she went public with her nightmare ordeal. 'I literally had to take this to the media before Qantas would lift a finger for me,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'This has been a huge setback. We're relieved it's over but I'm still recovering.' Ms Hall endured 65 hours without sleep and spent 34 hours in the air across five countries and five time zones as she worked to get back from the Maldives. Ms Hall has fibromyalgia and dysautonomia, which are triggered by stress. She had planned to spend her 40th birthday in the UK reuniting with family she hadn't seen in decades. She hopes to head there next year but has vowed to not fly with Qantas. 'We'll probably try booking the trip again in April or May next year, on a different airline obviously,' she said. Ms Hall (pictured) and her partner were forced to return home and cancel plans to celebrate her 40th birthday with family in the UK The return trip home took Ms Hall and her partner through Kuala Lumpur and Auckland before they finally returned to Melbourne. When they returned, Ms Hall found out that she had in fact been provided a replacement flight from Qantas, which she never received. An airline employee misspelled Ms Hall's email, which meant she was never notified of the details about the replacement flight. 'I don't like to throw the word traumatised around, but given what this trip actually meant to me... It was my source of joy for so long... I'm heartbroken,' she said. 'Something so tiny took away something so big.' Ms Hall won't be able to spend her British pounds (pictured) until next year Ms Hall spent $6,109 to get back home, which she then needed to fork out another $200 to get back thanks to her insurance excess. Qantas has confirmed that it will fully reimburse Ms Hall. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Qantas for further comment. Devastated parents in Texas are clinging to hope that their missing children will be found alive as authorities insist that the response to horrific flooding is still being treated as a rescue operation. At least 50 people - including 15 children - have died after the Guadalupe River surged nearly 30 feet above its normal height, devastating a children's summer camp and ripping apart families. Wrecked father, Ty Badon, spoke with CNN on Saturday explaining his desperation in the hunt for his missing daughter and her friends who have not been seen or heard from since the disastrous rush of water. 'We pray that all four of them are still alive,' he said holding back tears. 'All four are missing. They're still missing.' Badon, a resident of Beaumont, added that the last time his daughter and his friends were heard from was around 4 a.m. Friday morning. 'It's been four o'clock yesterday morning that we were told that they were on the phone with Aidan's dad, who own the house where they were,' he said, adding that the house 'is no longer there.' He said his daughter and her friends frantically hung up the phone, explaining that they needed to help the others who had 'just been washed away.' 'Aidan said "Hey I've got to go, I've got to help Ella and Reese ... they just got washed away," and then a few seconds later the phone just went dead, and that's all we know,' he continued explaining to CNN's Ed Lavandera. Badon believes his daughter 'got washed away as well,' as he clings to hope of an eventual reunion. Wrecked father, Ty Badon, spoke with CNN on Saturday explaining his desperation in the hunt for his missing daughter and her friends who have not been seen or heard from since the disastrous rush of water Ella Cahill, Joyce Badon, Reese Manchaca, and Aidan Heartfield are both missing. They were last seen around 4 a.m. 'We presume she got washed away as well. And if you go back to where the house is, it's not a good sign,' he said. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was brutally grilled over the delayed warning alerts Texas residents received before the monster flash flood was about to devastate the state. Noem joined Governor Greg Abbott and other state personnel for a press conference on Saturday, where a journalist grilled the cabinet member on the delayed warning from the National Weather Service. 'ICE Barbie' blamed the 'ancient system' and said the Trump Administration would look into renewing the system to better work for US citizens. 'The weather is extremely difficult to predict,' Noem said. 'But also that the National Weather Service, over the years at times, has done well and at times, we have all wanted more time and more warning and more notification.' She said the Trump Administration is working to 'fix' and 'update the technology.' 'We needed to renew this ancient system that has been left in place with the federal government for many, many years and that is the reforms that are ongoing there.' Residents were not warned until 1:18pm on July 3 and were told it was 'moderate' storms. Noem did not bring up how the Trump Administration had proposed cuts for FEMA and NOAA, both which help during natural disasters. The proposal includes cutting NOAA's weather laboratories that research severe storms, as well as, its hub for climate science coordination and research. Noem joined Governor Greg Abbott and other state personnel for a press conference on Saturday, where a journalist grilled the cabinet member on the delayed warning from the National Weather Service Many Texans have blamed the slow updates as part of the reason at least 50 have lost their lives and 27 are still missing. Governor Greg Abbott said the search for survivors will continue 24 hours a day. 'We will find every one of them,' he promised on Saturday, while calling the state's response to the tragedy 'quintessentially Texas.' 'When Texas faces a challenge, we come together, we unite,' he said, while sitting next to Noem. 'It's what Texans do, it's what we will continue to do... We will not stop today or tomorrow, we will stop when it's finish.' He also signed a request for federal aid, which Noem said the president is expected to sign. Earlier today, harrowing images emerged showing the remains of a the leveled summer camp where at least three campers lost their lives after it was deluged by deadly flood waters. Governor Greg Abbott requested federal aid. Noem said the president is likely to sign it At least three campers were killed when the unprecedented current slammed the camp as the girls slept. Dozens more people, including other campers, are still missing. Among those confirmed dead are 15 children, including the three young girls who were attending the popular Hunt, Texas summer camp. Renee Smajstrla, eight, Janie Hunt, nine, and Sarah Marsh all perished when the camp was washed away by the flood waters. Among the other confirmed dead are: Jeff Ramsey and Jane Ragsdale, the director of Heart O' the Hills, another nearby summer camp. And 850 people have been rescued by authorities as of Saturday evening. Heartbreaking pictures show how the side of the summer camp was completely wrenched away by the floods. Harrowing images have emerged showing the remains of a Texas summer camp where nine girls lost their lives after it was deluged by raging flood waters At least nine campers lost their lives in the floods which slammed into the camp in the early hours of Friday The girls' sodden beds and belongings were seen covered in river water following the decimation A stuff animal and a scarf were seen on the steps after the water receded at Camp Mystic One of the huts at the camp was completely destroyed, with it's roof sagging over the structure Inside, sodden beds and blankets of the campers can be seen covered in a thick sludge and belongings such as bags and clothing are also seen strewn across the floor. Another build saw its roof sag over the ruined building as pieces of jagged wood splintered underneath it. A 27-year-old father, Julian Ryan, also reportedly died while attempting to save his family after water flooded their in nearby Ingram. As water quickly rose to their knees, Ryan punched a window to get his fiancee, children, and his mother out of the home safely and onto the roof. However, his life-saving punch severed an artery in his arm and 'almost cut it clean off,' his fiancee, Christinia Wilson, told KHOU. Hours later, he told them: ''Im sorry, Im not going to make it. I love yall.' His body was recovered later that morning after the water receded. The family has since started a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of his funeral services. Experts have also surfaced fears that Lake Lyndon B. Johnson, which is near Austin, will burst as the Llano River is near its crest and flows quickly toward the body of water. 'Boaters need to get off the water ASAP. Debris-filled fast-moving water will arrive rapidly,' CBS Austin Meteorologist, Avery Tomasco, warned. A 27-year-old father, Julian Ryan, died saving his family. As water quickly rose in their home off the river, Ryan punched a window to get his fiancee, children, and his mother out of the home safely and onto the roof. The punch severed an artery in his arm Hours later, he told them: ''Im sorry, Im not going to make it. I love yall' Renee Smajstrla, eight (left), Janie Hunt, nine (middle left), Sarah Mars (middle right), and Lila Bonner (right) all died after being swept up in the flood waters while at Camp Mystic. A total of nine kids are so far been confirmed dead by authorities Heart O' the Hills camp shared that their director, Jane Ragsdale, died in the floods in a tribute post on their website. Jeff Ramsey (right, with wife, Tanya, who still missing) died as well. Parts of Texas are expected to get up to five more inches of rain on Saturday The river is flowing at a whopping 125,000 cubic-feet-per-second - nearly three times as fast as it was mere hours ago. The rising river levels come after unprecedented surge of the Guadalupe River. Parts of the Lone Star State are expected to be lashed by up to five more inches of rain late Saturday, further stoking fears for dozens of people still missing - some areas are even bracing for up to 10 more inches of rain. Several counties - including Travis and Burnet Counties - remain under a flash flood emergency as flood waters are tearing down homes, sweeping away children, and leaving families devastated. The loved ones of the missing are desperately begging for help in finding their loved ones. In lighter news, four Camp Mystic campers feared missing have since been confirmed found by their families - Ella Bennett, a Camp Mystic counselor, and Annie Flack, a camper. While, two other unidentified campers have also been found and were airlifted to safety. At least two dozen more still have not been found. Another survivor was captured in a dramatic rescue after she was swept nearly 12 miles downstream by raging floods. Locals worry Lake Lyndon B. Johnson, which is near the Southern city, will burst as the Llano River is near its crest and flowing quickly toward the body of water An unidentified woman was reportedly swept up for 12 miles before finding refuge in a tree Pictured: A dad hugging his daughter tight at a reunification center in Ingram. Twenty-four people died during the massive floods in Texas, most of which were children attending a summer camp. More than 20, many children, are still missing The final death toll is expected to rise as dozens remain unaccounted for after the unexpected flood (Pictured: A drone view of flooded houses along the Concho River) The National Weather Service has warned that Austin is next in line for biblical floods as Kerrville is swamped under dangerously high waters that have swept children down a river, devastated families, and ruined homes The terrified youngster was pictured clinging to the branches of a tree as the rapids swelled beneath her. The girl, who is yet to be identified, was later taken to safety, News 4 San Antonio reports. A separate video showed a helicopter airlifting an individual to safety after the unprecedented flooding. Officials have since launched a massive rescue effort to locate dozens of missing individuals. As the extensive search efforts continue, identities of the missing have begun to emerge with families sharing photos of their loved ones in hopes of learning information about their whereabouts. Annie Flack, who had previously been missing, has been found, her mother confirmed to Daily Mail. Ella Bennett has also been found Two unidentified campers were also rescued from the floods. Officials have stressed they hope to rescue many of the missing and say they're still hopeful of finding most of those missing safe and well The family of an eight-year-old girl named Renee Smajstrla has confirmed that she was among those who lost her life during the tragic floods. Her uncle, Shawn Salta, shared on Facebook: 'We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday. She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic.' Heart O' the Hills camp was also impacted by the flood path. The camp shared in an announcement on their website that their director and co-owner, Jane Ragsdale, died in the flood. 'We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful,' Heart O' the Hills said. A friend of Jane's shared their last text exchange on social media, writing to her that she was thinking of the camp as the summertime approached. 'Aw! Thanks. It's definitely our time of year, what we love and live for,' Jane replied. Heart O' the Hills added in their statement they weren't in session during the floods and most of those on the site were accounted for and on high ground. Terrified parents of those missing said they have been left in limbo as they await news from the ongoing searches. Several counties - including Travis and Burnet Counties - are under a flash flood emergency as flood waters are tearing down homes, sweeping away children, and leaving families devastated At least 14 helicopters, 12 drones and more than 500 people from various units have joined search efforts Officials have stressed they hope to rescue many of the missing and say they're still hopeful of finding most of those missing safe and well. Among those named missing: are Linnie McCown, Anna Margaret Bellows, Mary Grace Baker, Eloise Peck, Lila Bonner, Greta Toranzo, Lainey Landry, Kelly Anne Lytal, Margaret Sheedy, Virginia Hollis, Cile Stewart, Wynne Naylor, Molly Dewitt, Blakely McCrory, Hadley Hanna, Ella Cahill, Joyce Badon, Reese Manchaca, and Aidan Heartfield. The sheer scale of destruction - with buildings ripped from their foundations and cars swept away like toys - suggests that may be an overly optimistic prediction. At a press conference late on Friday evening, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the floods had been devastating, and declared that 'we need God more than ever.' 'It needs God, but it also needs a robust response... searches will continue in the darkness of night, and they will continue' into the early hours of Saturday, Abbott said. 'Well put in everything we have in the entire state.' At least 14 helicopters, 12 drones and more than 500 people from various units have joined search efforts, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said at the press conference. Over 150 people were airlifted from danger during the extensive search and rescue efforts by Texas authorities throughout Friday. Dozens of young campers were unaccounted for after the massive floods (pictured: Linnie McCown and Anna Margaret Bellows) Parents of children at the camp are waiting for more information on their missing children. Bonner's (pictured L-R: Mary Grace Baker and Eloise Peck) Officials said at the press conference on Friday night that a total of 237 people were rescued by authorities through the day, with many more still unaccounted for. The massive flood shocked local officials in Kerr County, with local Judge Rob Kelly admitting that 'no one knew this kind of flood was coming.' President Donald Trump also broke his silence on the devastating floods, as he pledged to fully support the ongoing recovery efforts. 'It's terrible, the floods, it's shocking,' he said late Friday evening. Trump was asked by reporters if he would provide federal aid to the area, to which he responded: 'We'll take care of them.' 'It's a terrible thing,' he added. Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said that the Coast Guard was 'punching through storms to evacuate Americans from central Texas. 'We will fly throughout the night and as long as possible. This is what the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard do,' she added. The remarks came as footage from the ongoing searches of the Guadalupe River show a helicopter heroically saving someone from the flood damage. The footage showed a person being hoisted from the river as one of 14 helicopters deployed during the searches lifted them to safety. A total of 237 people were rescued by authorities on Friday as the rescue mission continues through the weekend Debris from the flash flooding in Texas on Saturday. President Donald Trump also broke his silence on the devastating floods, as he pledged to fully support the ongoing recovery efforts Rushing water on the Guadalupe River on Saturday. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the floods had been devastating, and declared that 'we need God more than ever' Trees lean as rushing water surges by in Kerrville, Texas, on Saturday. Over 150 people were airlifted from danger during the extensive search and rescue efforts by Texas authorities throughout Friday As some families were left in limbo awaiting their children at reunification centers, parent Serena Hanor Aldrich told the New York Times that she was thankful her two daughters, aged 9 and 12, were rescued during the floods, but said the camp runners should have been ready for the torrential rainfall. 'They should have been watching the Texas Division of Emergency Management and Kerr County,' she said. 'They were posting stuff yesterday morning. They should have been on top of it.' She said her daughters were safe because they were in camps that were on higher ground, but Camp Mystic runs a number of campsites along the Guadalupe River that were overwhelmed by flood waters. 'There are still campers missing,' Aldrich said at a reunification center, where other parents were still waiting for their children to return. Chilling new details have emerged about the horror mass shooting which hospitalized eight people after a late-night Fourth of July celebration in Philadelphia ended in gun fire. Shots rang out shortly before 4am Saturday at 7 Elements bar on 11th Street and Washington Avenue in south Philadelphia, Pennsylvania The Philadelphia Police Department arrived on scene after reports came in of a shooting involving multiple victims. Police have not released the names of the suspects and it is still unclear whether there were multiple shooters involved. The bloodbath ensued after a physical altercation on the balcony of the bar, according to police. 'Several individuals sustained gunshot wounds and were transported to various hospitals. All victims are currently listed in stable condition,' a spokesperson for the police department told Daily Mail. The victims ranged in ages from 25 to 43 years old. Most of them sustained injuries to their arms and legs. Two security guards, both aged 43, were also transported to a hospital. One had a gunshot wound to his groin while the other sustained a wound on his left arm. At least eight people have been injured following a horrific mass shooting at a bar in Philadelphia Gun shots rang out shortly before 4am Saturday at 7 Elements on 11th Street and Washington Avenue, after Fourth of July celebrations descended into a bloodbath One of the female victims, 28, sustained an injury to her left knee and arrived at the hospital on her own. The victims are being treated at four local hospitals. 7 Elements is a bar located on the second floor of a shopping center. Police closed off the plaza on Saturday morning to search for evidence. Bullet casings were found on the upper floor of the establishment and on the staircase that leads to the lower level and the parking lot. Previous reports stated that 11 people were injured, but this was revised down to eight by the police. The bar's website lists its hours as 6pm to 2am, Monday through Saturday. 7 Elements was closed by the time police arrived. Police had to 'defeat' the doors to make sure there were no other victims inside the establishment. 'This business should not be open that late, and upon arrival, it was shut, and we had to ensure there were no other victims inside,' Philadelphia Police Inspector D F Pace said at a press conference. 'They look like they're going to survive,' Pace said of the victims. 'It's a lot of people.' Police have yet to reveal a motive for the shooting and the events that transpired beforehand. No arrests have been made. Police confirmed eight victims were transported to local hospitals, all of which are in stable condition Identities of the victims haven't yet been released. It's unclear what the motive for the shooting was and if there were multiple gunmen involved Saturday's shooting was the largest in Philadelphia since two people were killed and nine were injured on Memorial Day in Fairmount Park. Multiple rounds of 'rapid' gunfire erupted on Lemon Hill Drive in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, where thousands had gathered to celebrate the long holiday weekend in May. When the shots were fired, a total of 11 people - ranging in age from 15 to 28, were struck, including Amya Devlin, 23, and Mikhail Bowers, 21, who were tragically killed in the incident. Three teenagers - aged 15, 16, and 17 - were among those injured in the shooting. Police believe at least five guns were fired during the Memorial Day shooting. Pro-Palestine activists have disrupted the London Pride parade, covering a float with red paint - as almost 30 people were arrested for expressing support for the banned Palestine Action group a day after it was banned. Four Youth Demand protesters targeted CISCO's truck as they charged the US-based company with 'genocide' and said they have 'no place' at the event. It comes less than 24 hours after Palestine Action was banned and designated as a terrorist organisation. Police arrested almost 30 people on suspicion of terrorism offences after protesters gathered in Parliament Square holding signs supporting the group hours after a ban came into effect. Last night, a judge threw out co-founder Huda Ammori's legal challenge to stop the government from proscribing it under the Terrorism Act 2000. Photos from the London Pride event today show the group of Youth Demand activists sitting in front of CISCO's float holding buckets of red paint and Palestinian flags. The parade was delayed for about an hour while the protesters were removed and five people arrested. Youth Demand claimed on social media: 'Technology corporation CISCO has a long standing partnership with the Israeli military and enables the mass murder of Palestinians through advanced military communication networks facilitated by their Unified Communication systems. 'They have willingly supplied their technology to strengthen Israel's genocidal assault on Gaza and have NO place at London pride. 'Youth Demand' activists holding Palestinian flags glue themselves to a truck during the 2025 Pride Parade in London Police officers detain a 'Youth Demand' activist, on the day of the 2025 Pride Parade in London Naomi Campbell and Edward Enninful attend the Pride parade in London 2025 Pro-Palestine protesters from Youth Demand throw red paint and glue themselves to the lead float 'They are not only complicit in war crimes but actively enabling military communications in an apartheid state. 'We demand a total trade embargo on Israel and an end to the pink-washing of complicit corporations.' The group targeted the CISCO float as it passed through Piccadilly at around 12.30pm today. Four activists glued themselves to it, before chanting 'we charge you with genocide'. A Met Police spokesperson said: 'Met officers have arrested five people after Youth Demand protesters disrupted the Pride event in central London. 'At around 12:30hrs four members of the group threw red paint over a truck involved in the parade and glued themselves to the vehicle outside The Ritz. 'They were removed by specialist officers and arrested. A fifth member of the group was arrested in the crowd. 'The parade has resumed and a significant policing operation remains in place.' Youth Demand yesterday said that they stand 'unequivocally' with Palestine Action. In Parliament Square, around two dozen people, including a priest, professor and an emergency care worker who is just back from Gaza, sat in front of the Gandhi statue expressing support for Palestine Action. They held signs saying: 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.' Reverend Sue Parfitt, 83, is pictured as she joined the protest in support of Palestine Action in Westminster on Saturday The Met Police said it was making arrests over the protest in Parliament Square on Saturday afternoon Metropolitan Police officers remove people from a protest in support of Palestine Action A woman is carried away by police from a protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square this afternoon Around 20 people, including a priest, professor and an emergency care worker who is just back from Gaza, sat in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament Square on Saturday expressing support for the group Shortly after their arrival, police officers could be seen engaging with the protesters and the Met said it had began making arrests. Several people were seen being carried away by officers. A spokesperson for the force said: 'Officers are responding to a protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square. 'The group is now proscribed and expressing support for them is a criminal offence. Arrests are being made.' They later added: 'A total of 29 arrests were made during this afternoon's protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square. They remain in custody.' One of those protesting today is former government lawyer Tim Crosland. He said: 'There are already 18 Palestine Actionists held in UK prisons without a trial, following lobbying by the Israeli government and Elbit Systems, the leading supplier of the machinery of genocide. 'If we cannot speak freely about the genocide of Palestinians, if we cannot condemn those who enable it and praise those who resist it, then the right to freedom of expression has no meaning, and democracy in this country is dead.' The Met Police issued a warning ahead of the protest, stating there are a number of events taking place in London this weekend and 'anyone attending should be aware that officers policing these will act where criminal offences, including those related to support of proscribed groups or organisations, are committed'. Participants take part in the parade during London Pride 2025 on July 5 The group targeted the CISCO float as it passed through Piccadilly at around 12.30pm today Paloma Faith attends the Pride march in London 2025 Pride revelers take part in the annual Pride parade in London today Police officers handcuff a 'Youth Demand' activist, on the day of the 2025 Pride Parade in London A 'Youth Demand' activist reacts as she glues herself to a truck, on the day of the 2025 Pride Parade in London Paddy Friend, a 25-year-old law student from London who was watching the protest said: 'In 2025, we no longer have freedom of speech. We can no longer go down to Parliament Square and hold a sign. 'I'm here because I'm terrified. I'm absolutely terrified about this country and I hope to be as brave as these people (protesting), I really do because we cannot let this happen. 'If now isn't the time for hundreds and thousands of us to come together and stand against this, then when's it going to be? 'All arms exports (to Israel) need to stop. We need to stop providing military assistance, we need to cut off all diplomatic ties with Israel.' The group posted on social media: 'The proscription of Palestine Action is the most sinister escalation we've seen yet in this government's actions to silence those who resist genocide. 'Whilst the UK sends weapons to Israel and flies spy planes over Gaza, it terrorises those standing against it at home with unprecedented repression.' The proposal to ban Palestine Action was approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords earlier this week. Currently, 81 organisations are already proscribed under the 2000 Act, including Hamas, al Qaida, and National Action. Palestine Action's social media pages were removed overnight on Friday, with leaders stating this was due to the risk of people being prosecuted for liking or sharing posts online. A Home Office spokesperson said on Saturday: 'We welcome the Court's decision and Palestine Action are now a proscribed group. 'The Government will always take the strongest possible action to protect our national security and our priority remains maintaining the safety and security of our citizens.' Bikers motorcycle club take part in the pride parade that brings together 500 groups Pro-Palestine protesters from Youth Demand throw red paint and glue themselves to the lead float during the annual Pride parade in London Police officers detain a "Youth Demand" activist, on the day of the 2025 Pride Parade in London The parade was delayed for about an hour while the protesters were removed and five people arrested Picture shows groups at the Pride parade in London today The move to ban the organisation was announced after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, an incident claimed by Palestine Action, which police said caused around 7 million of damage. In a letter to the Home Secretary, protesters said: 'We do not wish to go to prison or to be branded with a terrorism conviction. But we refuse to be cowed into silence by your order.' Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action on June 23, stating that the vandalism of the two planes was 'disgraceful' and that the group had a 'long history of unacceptable criminal damage'. MPs in the Commons voted 385 to 26, majority 359, in favour of proscribing the group on Wednesday, before the House of Lords backed the move without a vote on Thursday. Four people - Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22 - have all been charged in connection with the incident at Brize Norton. They appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday after being charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage, under the Criminal Law Act 1977. Chaos erupted at an ICE detention facility in Portland, Oregon after hundreds of protesters attempted to storm holding cells. Demonstrators were seen being tackled to the ground as officers deployed smoke bombs and tear gas to try and control the crowd yesterday. Dramatic footage posted on X by independent journalist Katie Daviscourt shows flares lighting up the night sky, as protesters clash with officers in riot gear who appeared to fire rubber bullets into the crowd. The demonstration occurred on the 28th day that protesters have been occupying the ICE facility in protest over Donald Trump's immigration policies. Daviscourt confirmed the protest was declared an unlawful assembly and that several arrests were made. Daily Mail has contacted Portland Police Department for details. The mayhem Friday broke out just hours after the President signed his so-called 'big, beautiful bill' into law - a sweeping $150 billion package that boosts funding for the border wall, ICE enforcement and deportations, while slashing Medicaid. In downtown Portland, protesters staged a dramatic die-in at Pioneer Courthouse Square, two miles from the ICE facility, to protest the brutal Medicaid cuts tucked inside Trumps bill. 'They don't need more money and they're taking money away from things that we really actually need,' protester Mary Vanzant told local CBS affiliate KOIN 6 News. Chaos erupted at an ICE detention facility in Portland, Oregon after protesters attempted to storm holding cells Demonstrators were seen being tackled to the ground as officers deployed smoke bombs and tear gas to try and control the crowd during the July 4 demonstration 'The best thing we can do as the people is keep fighting,' added protester Cortez Williams. Meanwhile, a caravan of demonstrators set off from the South Portland ICE facility to the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington in protest at the detention of 54-year-old vineyard worker Moises Sotelo. Sotelo was reportedly snatched by ICE agents outside his church, according to his daughter Alondra Sotelo-Garcia, who confirmed he was transferred to the Washington facility. Sotelo's daughter said that her father disappeared Thursday morning, his truck left parked on the street he drives every day. Fearing the worst, she tracked his phone and discovered he had been taken to the ICE facility in Portland. 'He's a good man, taxpayer, hard working man, proud of what he does, grandpa, dad, uncle,' Alondra said. She rushed to the center and was heartbroken by what she saw: 'I just saw my dad chained at his feet, you know, with a big old smile, still trying to keep his head up for me, more than anybody in that moment.' Alondra declined to discuss her father's immigration status, but said the ordeal has been emotionally devastating. Pictured: The ICE detention center in Portland, Oregon where protestors attempted to storm holding cells The protests followed demonstrations about the detention of Moises Sotelo, 54, an Oregon vineyard worker The mayhem unfolded as protests broke out across the Pacific Northwest just hours after President Donald Trump signed his so-called 'big, beautiful bill' into law - a sweeping $150 billion package boosting funding for the border wall, ICE enforcement, and deportations while slashing Medicaid She was still tracking his phone when she learned he was being transferred north to Tacoma. Outside the facility, protesters have since hung a large sign reading: 'Free Moises'. 'When it happens to you, it's a whole different feeling, ordeal, you enter into panic,' Alondra said. 'Just for being brown, even if you're a citizen, you're still at risk.' The office of Congresswoman Andrea Salinas confirmed that two vineyard workers were arrested by ICE agents in Newberg, Oregon on Thursday, though the agency has yet to release their names or provide additional information. Salinas said in a statement: 'There were two targeted ICE arrests of vineyard workers in Newberg. As a part of my Congressional duty, I am meeting with ICE to ensure they maintain the right to due process for all detained individuals. 'I have also spoken at length with Latino leaders in the community to ensure individuals know their rights and how I can support them.' Reform MP James McMurdock has resigned the party whip as he faces an investigation into 70,000 worth of Covid bounce back loans he took out for businesses during the pandemic. It was announced on Saturday that McMurdock had 'removed the party whip from himself pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations that are likely to be published by a national newspaper'. Reform Chief Whip Lee Anderson said the MP had quit due to allegations surrounding his 'business propriety during the pandemic'. McMurdock, 39, who was previously jailed for attacking an ex-girlfriend, left Reform on Saturday, seemingly after being approached with allegations by The Times newspaper. According to the Times, McMurdock took out the maximum loan of 50,000 for firm JAM Financial Limited, which had no employees and almost no assets until the pandemic. In order to qualify for a 50,000 loan from the government, companies had to have a turnover of more than 200,000. Documents on Companies House showed how the firm's 'current assets' jumped from just 125 in 2019 to 50,137 in 2020, the year of the loan. After receiving the money, McMurdock allegedly then resigned from the company and gave his shares to his mother. A second company, Gym Live Health and Fitness Limited, was a dormant company until the end of January in 2020 yet borrowed 20,000 during the pandemic, for which it would have had to have a turnover of 100,000. Reform MP James McMurdock has 'removed the party whip from himself pending the outcome of an investigation' McMurdock pictured with Nigel Farage. The newly elected Reform UK MP was once jailed for attacking a former girlfriend Neither company has filed accounts or annual corporate filings since the loans. Both companies were set to be struck from the register, meaning they would cease to exist - but this was paused by a complaint from a third party, thought to be in relation to the outstanding loans. McMurdock has also been accused by the paper of breaching parliamentary rules by failing to declare that he is a director of the Gym business on his register of interests. In a statement, Anderson said: 'I have today received a call from James McMurdock who has advised me, as chief whip, that he has removed the party whip from himself pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations that are likely to be published by a national newspaper. 'The allegations relate to business propriety during the pandemic and before he became an MP. 'At Reform UK we take these matters very seriously and James has agreed to cooperate in full with any investigation. We will not be commenting further at this moment.' Just yesterday, McMurdock posted on X, formerly Twitter to mark a year since the election and wrote: 'What a year. What a privilege.' He told the Times to 'be very, very careful' when approached for comment and said 'a technical expert' would be needed for anybody to understand the matters. McMurdock (pictured, right, on July 6) was elected MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock last week which saw him join Mr Farage as one of the new party's team of five in Westminster Reform UK MP McMurdock (furthest right) pictured arriving at the House of Commons with (L-R), Lee Anderson, Nigel Farage, Rupert Lowe and Richard Tice He added on X on Saturday: 'I confirmed to the [Times] journalist that all my business dealings had always been conducted fully within the law and in compliance with all regulations and that appropriately qualified professionals had reviewed all activity confirming the same. 'As a precautionary measure, and for the protection of Reform UK, I have asked to have the whip suspended temporarily.' McMurdock was elected as MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock at the July 4 general election. His constituency was one of the tightest in the country as he won his seat by just 98 votes. But controversy soon followed after it emerged the politician from Essex had been jailed for assaulting his ex-girlfriend outside a nightclub. The attack, which took place nearly 20 years ago while McMurdock was working as a barman, occurred during an alcohol-fuelled night out in Cheltenham. The attack was brought to a halt by two doorman who pulled him off and called the police. McMurdock was arrested and charged with assault. At first he denied the assault forcing his victim and witnesses to give statements to the police before eventually admitting the offence as he was about to go on trial at Chelmsford Crown Court. McMurdock was sentenced to a short prison term. After he was elected, the victim's mother told MailOnline: 'McMurdock is a monster. He left marks on her body. 'It took two security guards to pull him off her. Just yesterday McMurdock posted it was a 'privilege' to have been a Reform UK MP for a year 'There is no way he should be an MP in the House of Commons representing people.' In a statement when the allegations re-emerged, McMurdock disputed the details of the attack. He said: 'Nearly 20 years ago, at 19 years of age, at the end of a night out together, we argued and I pushed her. 'She fell over and she was hurt. Despite being 38 now and having lived a whole life again I still feel deeply ashamed of that moment and apologetic.' Reform UK is now back to just four MPs, after winning five seats at last year's election. But in March MP for Great Yarmouth Rupert Lowe was stripped of the whip after a protracted row with party leader Nigel Farage and bully accusations. In an explosive statement issued on March 7, Mr Yusuf and Mr Anderson said Mr Lowe was being investigated over complaints by two female employees. They also said Mr Lowe - who now sits in the House of Commons as an independent MP - had been reported to police over allegations he physically threatened Mr Yusuf. But Mr Lowe immediately hit back at the party's 'untrue and false' claims and said he had been 'knifed' for publicly questioning Nigel Farage's leadership of Reform. He also threatened to sue Farage and reform if they did not withdraw remarks they made about him. After Rupert Lowe left the party earlier this year, the party regained a fifth MP in Sarah Pochin, who won a by-election in Runcorn and Helsby in May by just six votes. Days after her election to the House of Commons, former Reform Chairman Zia Yusuf abruptly quit the party after Pochin used her first question at PMQs to call for a debate on banning the burqa. Just 48 hours later, it was announced he would return in a different role. Photo: NBC News The United States will continue to help Ukraine, but the situation with the settlement is difficult, said US President Donald Trump after a conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "Yeah, we had a good call. We talked about different things, and we had a very good call. I think a very strategic call," he told reporters Friday night aboard Air Force One. Trump said the U.S. had been helping Ukraine "and we will to continue to help them." Asked about the Patriot missiles being supplied to Ukraine, Trump said, "They need them for defense. I don't want to see people getting killed." At the same time, he again stated the difficulty of resolving the situation and recalled his conversation with Vladimir Putin. The US president said that it was a pretty complicated situation and that they would see what happened next. He repeatedly said that he was very unhappy with his conversation with President Putin, and it seemed like Putin wanted to go all the way and just keep killing people. He added that it was bad and that he was unhappy. The US president said that he had discussed sanctions against Russia with President Putin. He mentioned that they talked a lot about sanctions and remarked that Putin was not thrilled about them, but could handle them, even though they were pretty painful. He again blamed President Biden, saying that the situation in Ukraine was a Biden deal, not a Trump deal. He stated that he was just trying to get it done and resolved. He said that they would see what would happen and that he didnt know and couldnt say whether it was going to settle or not, but that he would like it to happen. A cancer specialist who was caught downloading hundreds of explicit images of underage girls blamed his actions on exhaustion from working on the Covid frontline. Consultant urologist Paul Sturch, 41, was identified by police after chatting online with an undercover officer about his interest in girls as young as four. Police raided the prostate cancer doctor's Thameside apartment in Hitch Quay, Wandsworth. During the sting, Mr Sturch tried to tamper with a memory stick where the explicit images were found. He pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children between September 9 and October 17, 2023. At his hearing at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court, it was argued that his work on the Covid frontline caused his mental health to deteriorate. 'He was working to exhaustion to save lives during the Covid 19 pandemic and he has dedicated his life to the care of others,' his KC Simon Ray said. 'This frontline work on the Covid ward contributed to his mental disintegration that led to the commission of these offences. Consultant urologist Paul Sturch, 41, (pictured) was identified by police after chatting online with an undercover officer about his interest in girls as young as four Mr Sturch (pictured) pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children between September 9 and October 17, 2023 'He takes full responsibility for his actions and offending, although he recalls little of his offending actions. 'He is a consultant urological surgeon with a speciality in prostate cancer, undertaking life-saving procedures. He has skills that are rare. 'If ever there was a case where the court can be sure offences will not be repeated it is this one.' Mr Sturch, who studied at the Royal College of Surgeon, has not returned to work at King's College Hospital, Camberwell and describes himself as: 'Appalled, crushed and overwhelmed by remorse and shame.' The defence submitted medical reports that revealed Mr Sturch had a depressive disorder that led to 'poor judgement and impulsivity.' Prosecutor Jonathan Gold said: 'His address was searched and he was seen attempting to tamper with or destroy a memory stick on which images were found along with a white iPhone. 'There are some aggravating features, the ages of some of the children are quite young, some are as young as four years-old.' The doctor received a suspended prison sentence on Thursday and will also face professional disciplinary proceedings. He was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months, which includes thirty days of a rehabilitation activity requirement. He will also be under Probation Service supervision for eighteen months, must sign the sex offenders register for seven years and was made subject to a seven-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which restricts his internet use, plus further conditions. 'There were children under obvious distress and I will not go into details in open court,' Judge Brown said. 'We must take the age and vulnerability of the children into account. A former Asda manager who was caught smuggling 30 kilograms of cannabis into the UK from Thailand has been jailed. Louisa De Marco, 53, was promised 10,000 if she was able to bring the drugs successfully into the country at Manchester Airport. But her attempt failed and she was detained on her arrival back on home soil on May 8. Border Force officers grabbed two suitcases from the carousel which the mother denied were hers, Chloe Fordham, prosecuting, told Manchester Crown Court. De Marco also denied packing them, telling cops that she was convinced they had tobacco in them, the Manchester Evening News reports. They actually had 31.25kg of the class B drug and, after the defendant pleaded guilty to being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug, Judge Sarah Griffin handed her a prison sentence of 20 months, adding she would spend half of it behind bars. During a police interview, De Marco admitted she had met someone who told her there was money to be made smuggling cannabis into Britain, while on a previous visit to Thailand. She was then put in contact with another person who paid for her and her friend's flights to the Asian country before being offered 10,000 to bring the drugs into the UK. Louisa De Marco, pictured, a former Asda manager who was caught smuggling 30 kilograms of cannabis into the UK from Thailand, has been jailed She was promised 10,000 if she was able to bring the drugs successfully into the country at Manchester Airport (Stock Photo) But the former Asda manager never received the cash amid what her barrister Bradley Mather described as 'financial difficulties' after losing her 40,000-a-year job following the Covid pandemic. De Marco also refused to hand over her phone's PIN number to police. The court heard that the defendant had also been ruled unfit to work since the incident, thanks to physical and mental health difficulties. She has also been receiving benefits. Mr Mather also claimed there had been some 'intimidation' from the handlers who had organised De Marco's smuggling mission, threatening to cancel her flight back to the UK if she didn't go through with it. He asked for the judge to spare the mother jail time, arguing that she had strong mitigation while also pointing out the potential effect it might have on her adult daughter who relies on her to afford rent at their house. But Judge Griffin said that De Marco had headed out to Thailand with her 'eyes wide open', making the case particularly serious. 'You knew exactly what you were involving yourself in,' she added. Dramatic footage of a daring Irish army operation which led to 132million of cocaine being seized from a container ship has been released. The astonishing raid led to the sentencing of eight men yesterday following 2.2 tonnes of the Class A drug being discovered on board in what was Ireland's largest ever narcotics haul found on a container ship. The drugs were seized in September 2023 after the Irish Army Ranger Wing descended on the MV Matthew vessel from helicopters during gale force winds, while the crew attempted to steer the ship to high seas. Eight men admitted their roles in trying to smuggle cocaine as part of a massive drug trafficking operation and received varying sentences from 13 to 20 years behind bars. Following their sentencing, a range of footage from the bust has now been released, including audio recordings between the captain of the container ship and the Irish Naval Service which was in 'hot pursuit' of the criminals. That pursuit included the firing of warning shots by the Naval Service before the Army Ranger Wing boarded the vessel. The recordings show a dramatic operation carried out at sea involving Ireland's joint task force on drugs interdiction, which includes the Irish police service An Garda Siochana, Revenue, and the Defence Forces. The operation also involved the Coast Guard, Interpol and the EU/UK Maritime Analysis And Operations Centre's Narcotics squad. Dramatic footage of a daring Irish army operation (above) which led to 132million of cocaine being seized from a container ship has today been released 2.2 tonnes of the Class A drug (pictured) were discovered on board in what was Ireland's largest ever narcotics haul on a container ship The drugs were seized in September 2023 after the Irish Army Ranger Wing boarded the MV Matthew vessel (pictured) from helicopters during gale force winds, while the crew attempted to steer the ship to high seas The Panama-flagged MV Matthew entered Irish territorial waters on September 23, 2023, having set off from Curacao, an island off the coast of Venezuela. But unbeknown to the crew, suspicions about its activities had been relayed to An Garda Siochana and the drugs and organised crime bureau was monitoring the ship. The materials also show how the FV Castlemore fishing trawler, which had been purchased by two men with funding from an organised crime group, was also tracked during the operation. The two men on the FV Castlemore were communicating with criminal cells in Dubai and beyond about the MV Matthew 'mothership'. The trawler engaged in a number of failed attempts to receive clandestine transfers of the cocaine from the MV Matthew. During what would be its final attempt, the Irish Coast Guard engaged with the trawler to warn it of dangerous conditions and inquire about its lack of movement. The FV Castlemore later put out a distress call to the Coast Guard after running aground on a sandbank off the Wexford coast. The crew were rescued by Coast Guard helicopter to the naval vessel, the LE WB Yeats - essentially inadvertently handing themselves in for arrest. Eight men admitted their roles in trying to smuggle the cocaine (above) as part of a massive drug trafficking operation, and received varying sentences from 13 to 20 years behind bars The Panama-flagged MV Matthew (above) entered Irish territorial waters on September 23, 2023, having set off from Curacao, an island off the coast of Venezuela The Mv Matthew's crew did not know suspicions about its activities had been relayed to An Garda Siochana and the drugs and organised crime bureau was monitoring the ship (pictured) When the mothership became aware of the distress call, a change of plan was ordered. Voice messages from an individual in Dubai, identified as 'Captain Noah' and who gardai believe remains in the Middle East, show that the crew on the MV Matthew were instructed to load all cocaine into a lifeboat for a rendezvous with a different vessel - which would not occur due to the interception by Irish authorities. The new material shows the MV Matthew repeatedly ignore instructions from Revenue and the Naval Service's LE WB Yeats. Text messages and voice notes show panicked communications within the criminal network, including the incorrect belief that the ship would not be boarded if it headed further into international waters. While trying to evade the naval service, the LE WB Yeats entered a 'hot pursuit' and - acting as a warship - fired warning shots in the vicinity of the MV Matthew. The captain of the MV Matthew communicated that it was a commercial vessel and was not in jurisdiction covered by the Irish navy: 'Irish warship, please do not fire at us.' He added: 'Can you advise if you are in hot pursuit of us?' Criminals onboard started deleting messages and attempted to burn the cocaine onboard as Captain Noah told them they would not be boarded. The new material shows the MV Matthew repeatedly ignore instructions from Revenue and the Naval Service's LE WB Yeats (interior pictured) While trying to evade the naval service, the LE WB Yeats (interior pictured) entered a 'hot pursuit' and - acting as a warship - fired warning shots in the vicinity of the MV Matthew He sent a voice message: 'My stress level is near to heart attack, try to be calm.' However, the Army Ranger Wing would shortly board the vessel by descending on ropes from a helicopter while the ship was moving erratically - ending the chase, leading to the successful arrests and seizure of the cocaine. Six of the eight men who have now been sentenced were on board the MV Matthew at the time, while the other two were on the trawler. The eight men who have now been sentenced are: Cumali Ozgen, 49, from the Netherlands, jailed for 20 years Harold Estoesta, 31, from the Philippines, jailed for 18 years Soheil Jelveh, 51, from Iran, jailed for 17-and-a-half years Vitaliy Vlasoi, 33, from Ukraine, jailed for 16-and-a-half years Saeid Hassani, 40, from Iran, jailed for 15 years Mykhailo Gavryk, 32, from Ukraine, jailed for 14 years Vitaliy Lapa, 62, from Ukraine, jailed for 14-and-a-half years Jamie Harbon, 31, from the UK, jailed for 13-and-a-half years After they were sentenced, Assistant Commissioner for Organised and Serious Crime Angela Willis said the investigation showed the Irish State's commitment to tackle organised crime. 'Transnational organised crime groups know no borders, they prey on people's vulnerability for their own financial gain. 'People are dispensable and expendable when they are no longer of use to the criminal organisation 'Life is cheap and protecting their core criminal interest - which is money - is their key priority.' Assistant Commissioner for Organised and Serious Crime Angela Willis (above) said the investigation showed the Irish State's commitment to tackle organised crime Six of the eight men who have now been sentenced were on board the MV Matthew (above) at the time, while the other two were on the trawler Ms Willis said all those who use drugs recreationally are funding the criminal organisations and are directly linked to the suffering inflicted on communities by the gangs. The senior garda said the sentencing of the eight men came from the 'first phase' of the operation, adding that investigators are now examining pathways to other aspects of the probe - including ascertaining the origin of the funding and financing of the intercepted shipment. She said it was the belief of investigators that several 'trans-global organisations' are involved in these types of shipments. Asked if the Kinahan organised crime group was part of the MV Matthew operation, she said it was 'reasonable to assume' that it would be engaged in that type of activity. Ms Willis said the next stage of the investigation had commenced, examining 'peripheral people' in Ireland and abroad. She said the next phase would include 'asset recovery' of people involved in the drugs trade. Captain Darragh Kirwan, head of Naval Service operations, said the ongoing success of the JTF and support of international partners contributes greatly to the security of the sea and society onshore. David Caunter, Director of Organised and Emerging Crime at INTERPOL said the investigation shows the power of international co-operation among police agencies. Captain Darragh Kirwan, head of Naval Service operations, said the ongoing success of the JTF and support of international partners contributes greatly to the security of the sea and society onshore. Voice messages from an individual in Dubai, identified as 'Captain Noah, show that the crew on the MV Matthew (above) were instructed to load all cocaine into a lifeboat for a rendezvous with a different vessel David Caunter, Director of Organised and Emerging Crime at INTERPOL said the investigation shows the power of international co-operation among police agencies Revenue has said it is working to dispose of the MV Matthew - a preferred bidder has been identified but Revenue Commissioner Ruth Kennedy (above) said many regulations have to be adhered to before a sale can proceed 'This is what criminal organisations fear: Global law enforcement working together to protect our citizens and our communities'. He said law enforcement agencies must adapt to criminal groups seeking to expand their operations. Mr Caunter added: 'This investigation delivers a clear message to organised crime: Nowhere is safe, we will not stop, we will find you and bring you to justice.' He said organised crime groups are seeking to develop new partnerships, adding that local traffickers may not understand the larger picture of the network they operate in - including links to South America and the Middle East as well as Balkan organised crime and Lebanese groups. He also said west Africa is becoming a more important transit route in the global cocaine trade. Meanwhile, Revenue has said it is working to dispose of the MV Matthew as the cost of storing the vessel soars past nine million euro. A preferred bidder has been identified but Revenue Commissioner Ruth Kennedy said many regulations have to be adhered to before a sale can proceed. Ms Kennedy said the vessel has been kept in running order but would not provide a value on the ship. A health board has accused Scotlands information tsar of being emotional, selective and not professional after he condemned its decision to withhold costs associated with a landmark single sex spaces employment tribunal, MailOnline can reveal. NHS Fife bosses were left fizzing with rage at David Hamilton, the Scottish Information Commissioner, after he ruled the board had acted unlawfully by rejecting requests to reveal its legal bill for the Sandie Peggie case, internal documents show. Staff annotated a copy of Mr Hamiltons final judgement, handed down in May, with whingeing comments blasting the Commissioners decision. And in a huge data breach, they mistakenly sent the diatribe to a mother who had requested a copy of her poorly sons medical records. Vicki Tocher, whose battle to get her youngster Isaac, 8, treatment from NHS Fife made headlines last week, said she was shocked to receive the annotated document rather than her sons records. She said: This unacceptable large data breach caused unnecessary stress...This incident shows NHS Fifes complete disregard for patients, staff, and the Scottish Information Commissioners Office. Meanwhile the Scottish Information Commissioner, Mr Hamilton, condemned the health board for wasting time compiling the broadside against him rather than fulfilling its legal obligations to review its responses to FOI requests. He said: Im aware that an NHS Fife staff members personal commentary on the case was mistakenly disclosed into the public domain. NHS Fife staff were furious when they were told the board had acted unlawfully by not releasing the costs of a tribunal brought against it and trans medic, Dr Beth Upton (pictured) The health board branded Scottish Information Commissioner, David Hamilton, 'emotional' I am confident, however, that it is unlikely to reflect the final view of the health board itself. My real concern is that valuable time has been wasted instead of expediting the additional actions I have required in that decision. The tribunal relates to Sandie Peggie, 50, who was suspended by the health board after she challenged the presence of Dr Beth Upton, born a biological male, in the female changing rooms at Kirkcaldys Victoria Hospital. She is arguing that having to change next to the trans medic broke the Equality Act. However, NHS Fife, which is using taxpayer money to defend itself in court, as well as Dr Upton and Dr Kate Searle, a third respondent in the case, sparked fury when it refused to reveal how much public money it was using on the case in response to a freedom of information request submitted by this newspaper. Following a protracted transparency battle, the Scottish Information Commissioner said it had acted unlawfully and demanded it issue a new response by July 14. Sandie Peggie was suspended by NHS Fife after she challenged the presence of Dr Upton in the women's changing room at Kirkcaldys Victoria Hospital NHS Fife wanted to withhold information about how much taxpayer money it was spending to defend itself, Dr Upton and Dr Kate Searle at the tribunal A spokesman for NHS Fife said at the time that NHS Fife notes the report from the Scottish Information Commissioner and intends to comply fully with its decision notice. But internal NHS Fife documents show an information governance officer hit out at the judgement. She said that it was not professional of Mr Hamilton to lump information requests made by MailOnline and two other applicants together. She went on to complain that Mr Hamilton had referenced the case had been brought against the health board as well as a specific employee - Dr Upton - claiming that individuals (sic) should not be discussed and said it was non-factual because it also involved another employee, Dr Searle. The worker said that despite the fact that NHS Fife was using taxpayer money to fund the defence - which hard-working families may have presumed was going into the running of the health service - legal costs were personal to both Dr Upton and Dr Searle. And in response to a line in the judgement which read that the Commissioner is frustrated a feeling no doubt shared by the Applicants at the health boards poor handling of the information requests, the officer mocked him by writing: The Commissioner should not be bringing an emotional statement into the review. The health board claims the taxpayer money it is spending to defend Dr Upton is 'personal' She added he was being selective and was making assumptions about NHS Fifes conduct. Scottish Conservative equalities spokeswoman Tess White said: The petty and evasive behaviour of NHS Fife demonstrates once again how out of touch they are with mainstream public opinion. Scots taxpayers have a right to know how much of their money was squandered by the health board on enforcing the SNPs dangerous and unlawful gender self-ID policy. Instead of apologising to Sandie Peggie and complying fully with the Information Commissioners request, NHS Fife appear to be in denial about the Supreme Court ruling, and still stubbornly convinced that they were right to deny women access to single-sex spaces. And thats before we come to the rank incompetence of them disclosing their whingeing and evasion to a patients family. A spokesman for the health board said it fully respects the role and authority of the Scottish Information Commissioner and continues to accept the Scottish Information Commissioners decision in this matter. A posse of bikini-clad girls is being hunted by police after violently attacking an off-duty police officer. The thugs launched themselves on the brave officer at Wood Green London Underground station, north London at 4.20pm on Thursday, June 12. British Transport Police investigators said the off-duty copper had challenged the girls as they attempted to barge through station barriers without tickets. The force said the officer was then attacked by the mob, who punched and kicked her before throwing a drink over her head. CCTV images of the shocking incident show the alleged attackers included four teenage girls and two teenage boys. Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016, quoting 453 of 12 June. A posse of bikini-clad girls are being hunted by police after violently attacking an off-duty police officer on Thursday, June 12 at a tube station in north London The thugs kicked and hit the officer at Wood Green London Underground station after she challenged the girls who had attempted to barge through barriers without tickets The force said the officer was then attacked by the mob, who punched and kicked her before throwing a drink over her head and running off (one of the alleged attackers pictured) The girls were dressed in bikini tops, shorts or tracksuit bottoms and carried drinks with them CCTV images of the shocking incident show the alleged attackers included four teenage girls and two teenage boys (pictured) A spokesperson said: 'Detectives investigating an assault at Wood Green Underground Station have today released these images in connection. 'At around 4.20pm on Thursday, June 12 the victim, an off duty police officer, challenged a group of people who attempted to barge through the barrier without tickets. 'She was then set upon by the group who punched and kicked her and threw a drink over her head. 'Officers would like to speak to the people pictured as they believe they could have information which could help their investigation. 'Anyone who recognises them is asked to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 453 of 12 June. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.' SNP ministers have admitted they support sending foreign criminals back to their home countries to ease the overcrowding crisis in Scotlands prisons. A law enforcement paper drafted by the Scottish Government states that immigrants languishing behind bars are contributing to the unprecedented pressure on jails. Latest Scottish Prison Service (SPS) figures, show that 679 inmates held in Scottish jails are foreign-born out of a total of 8,145. At the same time, prison bosses have expressed serious concern that a spike in overall prisoner numbers may spark riots. Already, Justice Secretary Angela Constance has authorised the early release of almost 500 inmates serving shorter sentences to free up space. Now, the Scottish Government has said it backs the expansion of so-called prisoner transfer agreements (PTA), which see criminals sent back home to serve their sentences. The deals have already been signed with Albania and Poland by the former Tory and the current Labour government respectively. A new paper released by the Scottish Government states: The government supports the UK Governments work to agree prisoner transfer agreements with certain EU member states but believes that a more holistic approach would deliver greater results. Immigrants languishing behind bars are contributing to the unprecedented pressure on Scottish jails Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has consistently called on the SNP to expedite the deportation of foreign criminals to free up prison space In particular, securing an EU-wide Prisoner Transfer Agreement which allows for more streamlined procedures for the transfer of prisoners should be a priority for any discussion around improving UK-EU cooperation. PTAs with EU member states allow criminals to be automatically repatriated if they meet certain criteria, such as length of sentence. In return for taking the offender back, the UK pays the prisoners country of origin to accommodate them, which costs far less than holding them in British jails. It has been hailed as an effective way to free up space in prisons while saving millions of pounds. Last night Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr welcomed the SNPs position. He said: At last. Its a relief to see this soft-touch SNP government finally adopt a common-sense Scottish Conservative proposal to tackle Scotlands prisons population crisis. The Scottish Government document sets out that leaving the EU meant that the UK left the worlds most highly developed and sophisticated ecosystem for law enforcement and criminal justice co-operation, and that Brexit made the UK and Scotland less safe. One particular concern highlighted by civil servants was that leaving the EU had made it harder to send sentenced criminals back to their own country. They said the UK now relies on a 1980s convention, which has created a number of additional barriers to prisoner transfers. The report reads: These additional barriers have contributed to the unprecedented pressure on Scotlands prison system and broader public services. The SNP has already tried to ease pressure on crammed jails by releasing some inmates early. The Scottish Conservatives have consistently called on the Scottish Government to expedite the deportation of foreign criminals to free up prison space. Leader Russell Findlay said ministers could use a discretionary power to release some offenders up to 180 days early to facilitate their removal by the UK Home Office. The UK Government is reforming deportation and removal rules which will make it easier to remove foreign criminals committing crimes in the UK. UK Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said foreign criminals should expect to be deported and said last month that human rights law should not prevent foreign criminals from being removed. A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: The government supports increased co-operation with the EU and an EU-wide prisoner transfer agreement as we have pointed out that one of the harms of Brexit is that important matters such as prisoner transfer have been made more difficult. An autistic British teenager has been detained on drug smuggling charges in Japan, his sister has claimed. Sean Stephenson, 18, disappeared unexpectedly on Father's Day for a 'sightseeing trip' to Canada. But, after an onward flight to Japan, he was arrested on June 21 with a locked suitcase alleged to contain more than a kilo of methamphetamine. His sister claims that he 'acted under pressure' from British gang members who exploited his autism and threatened to break his legs. Sean, from Charlton in South East London, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged five, and had to be put on a reduced timetable due to his struggles at school. His family insist he has never broken the law, is not involved in gangs, and must have been coerced and threatened into allegedly transporting drugs due to his much lower mental age. Desperate for any evidence to clear his name, even if inadmissible under Japanese law, Sean's family have gone to the Metropolitan Police and the National Crime Agency (NCA) to report their concerns. But the family have been sent from pillar to post by the two organisations, they claim, both of whom have tried to pass the buck to the other. Sean Stephenson (pictured), 18, disappeared unexpectedly on Father's Day for a 'sightseeing trip' to Canada , but after an onward flight to Japan, he got arrested on June 21 with a locked suitcase containing more than a kilo of methamphetamine, it is alleged 'I have not eaten. I have not slept. I'm a nervous wreck,' Sean's 33-year-old sister Ami Lee said, with just over a week before Sean goes in front of a Tokyo judge. 'I am worried because my brother has [bad] mental health. I am scared we are gonna get a call to say "Your brother has taken his own life". 'That is my biggest fear when he's innocent. If he was not innocent I would still be trying to help, but my brother is innocent. I just want to get him home. If I can't get him home, the least I can do is try to get help.' Ms Lee claims her brother has told her he was recruited by a gang in London and 'forced' to transport drugs across borders. Since his detention, Ms Lee said Sean, through his lawyer, said that he was followed to Heathrow Airport and received threats to 'break his legs and hurt his family' if he did not get on the first flight to Canada. Ms Lee also said Sean has claimed he was threatened with a broken bottle of Smirnoff Ice around two weeks before his arrest. Sean told her police were called out to the incident on June 10th, but he did not press forward with a criminal complaint. 'He's not in a gang, he's very very vulnerable,' Ms Lee said, 'He's quite a people pleaser. He would do anything to please people and make friends because Sean has got no friends. He's very about his family. He's got nine nieces and nephews. He's more on their level. My sister is 18-years-old and she does not come around and play tag or it with people.' His sister claims that he 'acted under pressure; from British gang members who exploited his autism and threatened to break his legs Ms Lee also said Sean has a history of self-harm, suicide attempts, and other medical conditions. Sean's family have no idea who got him involved in alleged drug smuggling. Experts on county lines have long warned autism is a risk factor in gang grooming, with autistic young people seen as easy prey due to their desire for friendship, and difficulty detecting lies and manipulation. The FCDO has confirmed it is supporting Sean and is in contact with Japanese authorities. Last year Australian national Donna Nelson was jailed for six years after she was found guilty of smuggling 2kg of methamphetamine into Tokyo in 2023, despite her claims she had been the victim of an online romance scam. Prosecutors had asked for a 10-year sentence and $30,000 fine after she was caught with the drug concealed in the bottom of her suitcase. The case highlighted what some commentators have called the 'hostage justice' system, due to Japan's 23-day pre-charge detention period. A 2023 Human Rights Watch article about Japanese justice focussed on reports of coerced confessions, the refusal of bail, police questioning without the presence of a lawyer, and the denial of family visits. Sean's mum Star Lee, 57, added: 'I'm just so sad for Sean. I can't explain how I am feeling. It's a traumatic experience for all the family. We have not been allowed any direct contact with him. 'We hear all these bad things about prisons abroad. We don't know what's happening and we are just praying he is safe.' Karen Gillan has described the run-up to her lavish wedding at a Scots castle as a s**tshow, saying the venue was like Fawlty Towers. The Scots actress married American actor Nick Kocher, 39, at Castle Toward, near Dunoon, Argyll, in May 2022. However, while she said the big day was amazing, she reeled off a list of issues she claims she encountered at the 19th century mansion, including a lack of hot water and cooking facilities, loose door handles and exposed wires. Ms Gillan, 37, also recounted an awkward moment when she praised the owners relationship only to later learn they were going through a bitter divorce. The Inverness-born former Doctor Who star told the Comedy Bang Bang podcast: I got married in a castle and, let me tell you, it was a sh**show. But it was amazing. The days leading to the wedding were sh**shows. Entrepreneur Denice Purdie and her husband Keith Punler paid 1.2 million for Castle Toward in 2015 with plans to turn it into a five-star wedding and events venue. However, Ms Gillans comments suggest there were still snagging issues by the time of her wedding. Karen Gillan married American actor Nick Kocher, 39, in Scotland in May 2022 The event, which was attended by around 75 A-list guests, took place at Castle Toward with Gillan later sharing an image of her taken inside the venue wearing her wedding dress Gillan was seen beaming on the day as she joined guests in the grounds of Castle Toward She said: No, the wedding itself was great, but just everything went wrong in the lead-up that could possibly go wrong. This lovely couple were showing us around the castle a year prior. They were like, Were going to do it up. Its going to be lovely. It was a construction site. Then four days before the wedding, it was still a construction site. My wedding planner went in and she just saw one man with a hammer called Keith. He was like, Im sorry, Gina. I should have sorted this out. I was just like, whats going to happen? Ms Gillan, who gave birth to her first child, Clementine, in January, revealed she had initially planned for some of her nearest and dearest to stay in Castle Toward in the run-up to the ceremony, but that became impossible. There was no hot water. There was nowhere to cook, she said. People were meant to live in the castle for a few days. There were like wires coming out of the walls and also this beautiful couple that had hosted us and we were like, We would just want to end up like you have gone through a bitter divorce since. However, Ms Gillan has fond memories of the day itself, saying: It was genuinely the most incredible time. The event was held at Castle Toward after the venue underwent extensive construction work Everyone said it was their favourite wedding that theyve ever been to. But it was like Fawlty Towers, like door handles were coming off and things were going wrong, but it added to it. I think it just makes you go like, abandon all these expectations that you had and just sort of roll with it. Responding to Ms Gillans comments, Mr Punler said the castles restoration was set back by the pandemic with construction costs ballooning and a shortage of labour. However, he insisted he and his staff put in a mammoth effort to get the venue ready for the event right up till the last minute. He said: Yes its true, there were a few snagging matters that we had to address in the lead-up. These are inevitable in any large-scale construction project, and for sure it would have been easier to celebrate the completion of the restoration with a smaller, low-key soft event than to play host to 75 A-list guests for four nights. Mr Punler added that, despite the odd hiccup, the wedding day was faultless and he has since invited the couple and their daughter back to the castle. Parts of Britain will endure thunderstorms as the Met Office has issued a yellow warning alongside a map revealing the areas facing lightning and flooding. The yellow warning has been activated for the East of England, East Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber. It will be in effect for 12 hours between 7am and 7pm on Sunday, July 6. The weather agency also warned that hail, flooding and lightning strikes may be possible in these areas that will result in damage to some buildings. Specific areas set to be impacted by the adverse weather conditions include Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough, Suffolk, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire. It is likely that thunderstorms will cause widespread travel disruption with the Met Office saying there is 'a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus.' Locals have also been told to expect delays to train services. Parts of eastern England are to expect a downpour of 15-25 millimetres of rain which may lead to flooding of homes and businesses. The Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for the East of England, East Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber The yellow weather warning will be in effect for 12 hours between 7am and 7pm on Sunday, July 6 Power cuts are also said to be 'likely'. The Met Office took to its social media accounts to say: 'Yellow weather warning issued. 'Thunderstorms across parts of eastern England Sunday 0700 1900. 'Stay weather aware.' On their website, they went into more detail, explaining that thunderstorms 'may lead to some disruption to travel and outdoor activities.' 'There is a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus,' the website warned. 'Some flooding of a few homes and businesses possible, leading to some damage to buildings or structures. Probably some damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes. 'Some short term loss of power and other services is likely,' and finally, 'delays to train services are possible.' Specific areas set to be impacted by the adverse weather conditions include Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough, Suffolk, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull , North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire Commuters battle their way through a storm taking place over Southwark, London on June 5, 2025 A runner braves the rain during a storm on The Queen's Walk in London with the city's skyline behind her What does a yellow warning of thunderstorms mean? Thunderstorms may lead to some disruption to travel and outdoor activities. There is a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus Some flooding of a few homes and businesses possible, leading to some damage to buildings or structures Probably some damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes Some short term loss of power and other services is likely Delays to train services are possible Advertisement It comes after the UK experienced several bouts of hot weather in recent weeks which posed a 'risk to life', according to the weather agency. Sunseekers basked in searing 34.7C in St James's Park, London, on July 1 as the UK saw its hottest day of the year reached. Elsewhere across England, the seaside counties of Essex and Kent well surpassed 33C - a red-hot 34.4C being recorded in Writtle - which also almost nearly broke the hottest-ever July 1 on record. Those temperatures marked the end of a scorching heatwave that saw an amber alert deployed, which the Met Office say signals a 'potential risk to life and property'. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) had activated a five-day warning starting on Friday due to concerns that there could be 'a rise in deaths, particularly among those ages 65 and over or with health conditions'. The amber heat health alert covered the East Midlands, South East, South West and East of England, alongside Somerset - where Glastonbury was roaring ahead. Meanwhile, Europeans were warned to stay indoors as the continent goes on high alert for extreme 47C heat. Indeed, a new Spanish high temperature record for June of 46C was confirmed on June 28 by the AEMET - Spain's state meteorological agency. Tourists attempt to deal with the heat in Barcelona on June 28 as a new Spanish high temperature record for June of 46C is confirmed Tourists look for shade on a hot summer day in Venice as Europeans have been warned to stay indoors as the continent goes on high alert for extreme 47C heat Festivalgoers relax in the sun at the West Holts stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Far A festivalgoer holds a parasol to shield from the sun alongside a daring umbrella hat The mercury is set to rise to 36C on Monday in parts of the UK in what could be the hottest June day in record and the highest temperature in nearly three years. Pictured: Central London Forest fires and flash floods wrecked chaos across the continent, with warnings of an intense heatwave. Sweltering infernos melted roads in Italy while raging wildfires tore through Greece. Two-thirds of Portugal were be on high alert last week for extreme heat and forest fires, with 42C expected in the capital Lisbon. It was so hot that Sicily and areas of northern Italy banned outdoor work in the hottest hours of the day. In Nice, on the French Riviera, nearly 250 portable fans were distributed to schools to help students cope with the heat. Multiple Britons were left with broken bones after being told to rapidly evacuate a delayed Ryanair flight following rumours of a fire onboard. Passengers were screaming as they jumped from the plane's wing, witnesses said. The aircraft was due to fly from Palma de Mallorca Airport to Manchester on Friday night. Eighteen people are believed to have been injured in the incident, with at least two UK citizens reporting broken bones - rather than the 'very minor injuries (ankle sprains, etc.)' initially cited by Ryanair. The airline operator said that the fire alert was a 'false alarm' and claimed that 'passengers were disembarked using the inflatable slides' - despite video footage of travelllers jumping from the wing in their panic to escape. The delayed flight was due to take off late on Friday night before passengers heard a loud bang. Crew told passengers to 'brace' before flight attendants instructed them to start leaving the aircraft. Emergency services were called to the scene at 12:35am and six people were taken to hospital, local authorities said. Savanah, 26, from Whitefield, Greater Manchester, was on the flight with her friend and both their mums, who had been away with their friends. She told the Manchester Evening News that her 57-year-old mum has broken her ankle in three places and is now having surgery, while her friend's mum fractured her elbow, wrist and foot. Were YOU on the plane? Email tom.midlane@mailonline.co.uk Eighteen people were injured after passengers rapidly dismbarked from a Ryanair flight at Majorca airport following a fire alert that turned out to be a false alarm Savanah said she also hurt her shoulder while her friend hurt her knee. She said: 'We were all just sat on the plane. They made an announcement saying we're going to go in five minutes. 'All of a sudden I heard a bang. It didn't worry me too much. Then everyone was screaming and running. 'The air stewardess screamed, "Get off the plane, leave your belongings." It was utter chaos. 'We got off via the wing. There were no slides. I've hurt my shoulder, my friend hurt her knee. 'Her mum fractured her elbow, wrist and foot. My mum broke her ankle. She's in a cast. 'She's having surgery now. She's done it in in three places.' Doctors said the group are not safe to fly back to Manchester until Monday, according to Savanah. Passengers rushed to evacuate the plane, with six needing to be taken to hospital for treatment She added: 'My mum lost her phone. They told me I couldn't get it because the plane could set on fire. Even one of the staff had to get treated. 'My mum couldn't walk. My friends mum couldn't walk. We said we needed an ambulance. 'Eventually an ambulance took us to the airport medical centre. It was also chaos in there, one single room.' Warnings of the blaze came just after midnight, with passengers filmed abandoning the plane via one of its wings before jumping to the tarmac. Four ambulances were mobilised and sent to the plane along with airport-based firefighters and the Civil Guard. Regional medical emergency response co-ordinators said 18 people were treated for minor injuries, with six taken to hospital. Three were taken to a private clinic in Palma called Clinica Rotger and the other three to Hospital Quironsalud Palmplanas. A spokesman for a regional government-run emergency response coordination centre confirmed early this morning: 'We received an alert about a fire on a plane on the ground at Palma airport at 00.36am today. The incident happened at Palma Airport in Mallorca in the early hours of Saturday morning 'Four ambulances were sent to the scene which were two basic life support units and two advanced life support unit. 'Eighteen people were injured and received medical assistance of whom six were taken to hospital.' Ryanair have since said the fire alert was a false alarm. A spokesperson for the said: 'This flight from Palma to Manchester discontinued take-off due to a false fire warning light indication. 'Passengers were disembarked using the inflatable slides and returned to the terminal. 'While disembarking, a small number of passengers encountered very minor injuries (ankle sprains, etc.) and crew requested immediate medical assistance. 'To minimise disruption to passengers, we quickly arranged a replacement aircraft to operate this flight, which departed Palma at 07:05 this morning. 'We sincerely apologise to affected passengers for any inconvenience caused.' A confused airport worker was overheard telling a colleague in a walkie-talkie message: 'Do you know the plane has emergency exits?' as frightened travellers were filmed jumping to the tarmac from one of its wings in their rush to get away. He added: 'Plane about to leave from apron ten or eight and now the people are jumping from the wing onto the ground. 'Something's happening, something's happening, they're evacuating the plane. Now the firefighters are coming.' Ryanair have been contacted for further comment. Photo: https://eurosolidarity.org/ MP of Ukraine, leader of the European Solidarity party Petro Poroshenko did not receive permission to go abroad and thus take part in the congress of the Spanish People's Party in Madrid and the Ukraine Recovery Conference, which will be held in Rome on July 10-11, the political force's website reported. It is reported that the politician received an invitation to Madrid from head of the People's Party Alberto Nunez Feijoo, who is one of the candidates for the post of Prime Minister of Spain. "In a week we will have the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome. I have a personal invitation from the speaker of the Italian parliament," Poroshenko said during a trip to Chernivtsi. The politician noted the deterioration of communication with the European Union countries and stated the need for unity within the country and international parliamentary diplomacy. "And then we will have a real opportunity to force Putin to cease fire," he is convinced. As previously reported, the appellate court upheld the Vinnytsia District Administrative Court's decision that Poroshenko was denied to cross the border in an unlawful manner. "On June 27, 2025, the Seventh Administrative Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of the 6th Volyn Border Guard Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, military unit 9971, and the decision of the Vinnytsia District Administrative Court of March 20, 2025 was left unchanged. Therefore, the border guard officials violated the law," lawyer Ihor Holovan said. The SNP's ferry fiasco deepened last night as shock new figures revealed more than TEN THOUSAND trips to and from Scotlands islands had to be cancelled. An astonishing 10,809 crossings were scrapped by Scotlands crisis-hit ferry operator CalMac in just over two years due to technical faults. It comes as the state-owned firm has suffered years of problems caused by its ageing fleet, which provides a lifeline to Scotlands island communities. Services have also been impacted by the almost 500m scandal surrounding delivery of its two new ferries for the Arran service, the Glen Sannox and the Glen Rosa, which have been dogged by years of delays and spiralling costs. Last week, a Holyrood committee warned a state-owned shipyard tasked with building the ferries, Ferguson Marine, that it had failed to meet the standards expected of a publicly funded body. And in May ministers brushed over grave concerns about CalMacs record by awarding it a 3.7billion contract to run the Clyde and Hebrides services for another ten years. Last night, Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Jamie Greene slammed the SNP for failing Scotlands islanders. He said: These figures reveal just how much chaos the SNP are causing island communities. An astonishing 10,809 crossings to and from the mainland were scrapped by CalMac CalMac has suffered years of problems caused by its ageing fleet Our island communities are being treated as second class citizens, lacking the basic right to access the same public services as mainland Scots. The SNPs failure to deliver new lifeline ferries has anchored islanders with an ageing fleet that is in constant need of repair, at constant risk of cancellation and costing millions in repair bills. My constituents on the west coast are suffering the depressing reality of losing business, missing events and hospital appointments and, frankly, they have lost faith in the Scottish Governments ability to fix those problems. The figures, obtained by Mr Greenes party under freedom of information laws, show that over a 851-day period, there were 10,809 cancelled sailings, which occurred on 548 out of those 851 days - around 64 per cent of the time. A number of vital routes have suffered delays or cancellations owing to a lack of vessel availability. A key factor in timetable, route changes and cancellations is the age of CalMacs 35-strong fleet. Many vessels - most of which are leased from the state-owned ferry procurement agency CMAL -have been forced to operate beyond their expected lifespans, leading to growing levels of breakdowns. The Mail on Sunday has told how over the past decade, the repair bill for CalMacs eight largest ferries was 100million. And last month, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar told John Swinney at First Ministers Questions that overall, the company had spent 250million on its breakdown-prone fleet since 2014. Examples of swingeing delays due to breakdowns include the 32-year-old MV Caledonian Isles, which is supposed to cover the busy Arran route and has required more than 22million of repairs. It has been out of service since January 2024. In April, it emerged taxpayers had been left with a 1million compensation bill for food and hotels for travellers stranded by cancelled and disrupted CalMac sailings since 2021. Scandal has dogged SNP ministers in particular after they signed off the purchase of two CalMac boats, the Glen Sannox and the Glen Rosa, for the West Coast in 2015 for 97million. While the Glen Sannox was delivered seven years late, the Glen Rosa is set to be delivered eight years late, with the total cost for the vessels passing 460million. Mr Sarwar recently went further and said Mr Swinneys SNP had spent almost 500million on the two ferries - and cannot be trusted with the publics money. Despite the problems, ministers awarded CalMac a 3.7billion contract to run the Clyde and Hebrides services for another ten years in May. And last week, the state-owned shipyard which was tasking with building Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa, Ferguson Marine, was at the centre of a scathing Holyrood report. Nicola Sturgeon with Ferguson Shipyard owner Jim McColl at the launch ceremony of MV Glen Sannox The delayed CalMac ferry the MV Glen Sannox at Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow The public audit committee said a host of failures and a battered reputation had left Ferguson Marine with an empty order book and at risk of collapse - and warned that without more urgent investment from taxpayers, the viability of the Clydeside yard was in doubt. A CalMac spokeswoman said that the more than 10,000 cancelled trips represented just five per cent of their planned sailings since 2023. She added: In a typical day we operate over 450 sailings and our staff work hard to provide a good service in challenging circumstances. In fact, poor weather remains the most common cause of disruption. In terms of technical problems, these do happen with an aging fleet and in increasingly challenging weather. However, the arrival of 13 new vessels by 2029, which started with MV Glen Sannox in January this year, will reduce these and modern vessels will improve the reliability and resilience of services across the whole network. A Transport Scotland spokesman said: Between January 1 2023 and April 30 2025, over 95 per cent of the 391,139 scheduled sailings operated. We are investing in six, new, major vessels to serve Scotlands ferry network from early 2025, alleviating the need for extensive repairs on older vessels and improving reliability. Contracts have also been signed for a further seven, new, smaller vessels to serve the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network. CalMac are delivering services in increasingly challenging weather and the arrival of 13 new vessels by 2029, which started with MV Glen Sannox in January this year, will reduce technical issues and these modern vessels should also be able to operate in more challenging weather and sea conditions. King Charles is making a foray into the movie business as it is announced his charity is teaming up with a Hollywood studio and actress Sienna Miller. The Kings Foundation is offering a new postgraduate-level programme in costume design in partnership with Amazon MGM Studios the production company behind visual masterpieces such as The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and Fallout. Eight budding students will be taught the essentials of costume-making for TV and film at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, where The Kings Foundation is headquartered. Students will learn technical skills including leathercraft, hand stitching, natural dyeing and sewing production, which they will use to create costumes for both Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video. They will also learn innovative ways to repurpose the clothing used on set, in line with the Kings advocacy of sustainable initiatives. The hands-on scheme has already been backed by Hollywood stars who have hailed it as a real milestone in the filmmaking sector. Actress and model Sienna Miller, who has starred in movies such as Alfie and Layer Cake, said: The craft of costumery is so integral to the TV and film industry. Sienna Miller and King Charles attending the King's Foundation charity's inaugural awards at St James's Palace, London, last month Miller has vast industry experience, having starred in movies such as 2004's Layer Cake The new programme will be based at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, above Its about so much more than just clothes its about creating wearable pieces of art that help tell stories and bring characters to life. Having seen the incredible work being done by The Kings Foundation to support emerging fashion and textile talent here in the UK, I cant wait to meet the students taking part in this new Costume Craft Programme and see them go on to carve out successful careers in the industry. 'This is a real milestone in protecting the future of costume design and production. Miller, known for her impeccable style since her debut in the Noughties, became a patron for the charity last year and attended an event involving students from one of its textiles courses. The fully-funded costume design programme is the latest addition to a series of textile courses offered by The Kings Foundation, which also teaches heritage crafts such as embroidery, millinery, and luxury garment production. Simon Sadinsky, executive director of The Kings Foundation, said: This exciting course will help to provide a new pipeline of talented costume designers and makers to support the growing TV and film industry in the UK. As President Donald Trump's agenda quickly accelerates to the right, many liberal Americans are looking for an exit strategy. And with its progressive culture and affordability, the Netherlands is looking increasingly attractive for so-called 'Trumpugees'. GTFO Tours, an organization founded by Bethany Quinn and Jana Sanchez to help Americans relocate to the Netherlands says it has seen a 200 percent uptick in inquiries in recent months. 'I think a lot of Americans have sort of been waiting to see how things are going, but they just keep getting worse,' Quinn told Newsweek. The organization pointed to Trump's hardline immigration policies and anti-transgender rights stance as the driving force behind the increase. However, those looking to flee to the European country may be in for a rude awakening upon arrival. The country's new Prime Minister, Dick Schoof, is preparing to usher in a wave of conservativism. Schoof was elected in June as the country has pivoted hard to conservatism. Americans are considering a move to the Netherlands for it's progressive reputation, but may be surprised to learn of it's shifting conservative government Americans looking to escape Trump's conservative policies have been branded 'Trumpugees' Prime Minister Dick Schoof was put forward for the position by far-right leader Geert Wilders Quinn said that Americans have been bracing for setbacks in social progress since Trump took office in January. She argued that Trump's slew of executive orders on his first day in office, 'reversed 60+ years of progress.' 'A lot of Americans are just looking to have a peaceful life. They just wanna live their lives and they don't want to worry about their safety. They don't wanna worry about their government collapsing,' Quinn continued. The Netherlands may seem like an obvious choice to escape the American grind, but the country's government has had its fair share of turmoil. The government's four-party coalition collapsed in June when Geert Wilders, the leader of the far-right Party for Freedom, withdrew after the other three parties declined to back his immigration plan. Then in July, the Dutch parliament passed a slew of anti-immigration reforms targeted at asylum seekers. The Netherlands is also pumping the brakes on reforms for transgender citizens. A bill introduced in 2021 to make it easier for trans individuals to change their gender registration on official documents was recently withdrawn. 'This cabinet is letting transgender people down in an unprecedented way,' chair Remke Verdegem said of the decision. The Dutch government is the most right-wing it's ever been, with anti-immigration and anti-transgender policies becoming mainstream Grover Wehman-Brown (pictured) told Newsweek they were preparing a move to the Netherlands due to the heightened anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in the US The wave of conservative policies mirrors the harsh immigration and anti-trans policies of the Trump administration. Grover Wehman-Brown, an American looking to move to the Netherlands, recently told Newsweek, that as a trans individual, they felt increasing fear living in the US. Wehman-Brown said that they experienced a 'constant threat and vigilance' growing up trans in rural Ohio, and was now starting to see those tensions again. 'I had gone to the Netherlands once 15 years ago, and I really liked the short amount of time I spent there, so I was like, "this is really a lovely place where everybody seems busy and purposeful, but cooperating well together and things are running smoothly,'" they added. Wehman-Brown isn't the only one, with a survey by the Immigration Advice Authority citing that one in four Americans were weighing emigration after Trump's 2024 win. Canada has also emerged as a leading destination for fed-up Americans to relocate. However, any refuge could be short lived if the president makes good on his threats to turn the country into America's 51st state. Almost 500 fleeing US citizens have tried to claim asylum in Canada since the billionaire's re-election. But liberals seeking refuge from Trump's America have been dealt a crushing blow after their favorite sanctuary issued a brutal crackdown. GTFO Tours was launched by two Americans who moved to the Netherlands to help others emigrate The Canadian government is bringing in emergency powers to make it easier to block applications and its border agency says the proposed overhaul is to 'protect the system.' Other popular destinations for American progressives include Portugal and Spain. Interracial lesbian couple Doris Davis and Susie Bartlett living in NYC told Reuters in May they are considering the move. 'We love this country, but we don't love what it has become. When your identity is being attacked, there is a personal sense of... anger (and) frustration,' Davis said. Hamas has said it is ready to start ceasefire talks with Israel 'immediately' in a move that could see a 60-day truce and 10 hostages released from Gaza. Security officials in Tel-Aviv reportedly met tonight to discuss their next steps before Benjamin Netanyahu heads to Washington for talks on Monday with US President Donald Trump. And it is believed that the Israeli cabinet have decided to send a delegation to Qatar for talks on a possible deal, according to Israel's Channel 12 whose report cited a senior official. It was unclear whether the delegation will fly to Qatar on Saturday or Sunday. The move comes after Trump launched a renewed push to end nearly 21 months of war in Gaza - where the civil defence agency said a further 35 people were killed in Israeli military operations today. 'No decision has been made yet on that issue,' an Israeli government official said when asked about Hamas's seemingly positive response to the latest ceasefire proposal. The militant group said yesterday it was 'ready to engage immediately and seriously in a cycle of negotiations on the mechanism to put in place' a US-backed truce proposal. Two Palestinian sources close to the discussions told the AFP news agency that the proposals included a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel. A Palestinian mother and her daughter rush for cover during an Israeli strike in the Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip on July 4, 2025 People unfurl a banner calling for the release of hostages outside the US embassy branch office in Tel Aviv on July 4, 2025 Demonstrators during a protest to demand the immediate release of hostages held in Gaza in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 5, 2025 They said the group was also demanding certain conditions for Israel's withdrawal, guarantees against a resumption of fighting during negotiations and the return of the UN-led aid distribution system. Hamas ally Islamic Jihad said it supported ceasefire talks but demanded guarantees that Israel 'will not resume its aggression' once hostages held in Gaza are freed. When asked about Hamas's response aboard Air Force One, Trump said: 'That's good. They haven't briefed me on it. We have to get it over with. We have to do something about Gaza.' The war began with Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked an Israeli offensive in the territory that aimed to destroy Hamas and bring home all the hostages seized by Palestinian militants. Previous ceasefires mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States secured temporary halts in fighting and the return of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Of the 251 hostages taken by Palestinian militants during the October 2023 attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. The Egyptian foreign ministry said today that top diplomat Badr Abdelatty held a phone call with Washington's enjoy to th Mid, Steve Witkoff, to discuss recent developments 'and preparations for holding indirect meetings between the two parties concerned to reach an agreement'. The Egyptian foreign ministry said today that top diplomat Badr Abdelatty held a phone call with Washington's enjoy to th, Steve Witkoff, to discuss recent developments 'and preparations for holding indirect meetings between the two parties concerned to reach an agreement'. Palestinians inspect the damage after an Israeli strike in the Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip on July 4, 2025 A placard calling for action to secure the release of Israeli hostages held captive in the Gaza Strip outside the Israeli Defence Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv on July 5, 2025 Pictures of the remaining Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip are displayed on a table by a beach outside the US embassy branch office in Tel Aviv on July 4, 2025 The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has also renewed calls for a negotiated agreement to bring the hostages home. 'This is the hour to bring about a comprehensive deal that will guarantee the return of the last hostage,' they said. Recent efforts to broker a new truce have repeatedly failed, with the main point of contention said to be Israel's rejection of Hamas's demand for guarantees of a lasting ceasefire. The war has created dire humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has recently expanded its military operations. US and Israel-backed group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, took the lead in food distribution in the territory in late May after Israel partially lifted a more than two-month blockade on aid deliveries. The group said two of its US staff members were wounded 'in a targeted terrorist attack' at one of its aid centres in southern Gaza's Khan Yunis on Saturday, adding that reports indicated a pair of assailants 'threw two grenades at the Americans'. The Israeli military said it had evacuated the injured. UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives. A Palestinian girl inspects inspect the damage after an Israeli strike in the Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip on July 4, 2025 A banner calling for the release of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by Palestinian militants is displayed along a beach outside the US embassy branch office in Tel Aviv on July 4, 2025 Its operations have been marred by near-daily reports of Israeli fire on people waiting to collect rations. UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said yesterday that more than 500 people have been killed waiting to access food from GHF distribution points. GHF chairman Johnnie Moore, a Christian evangelical leader allied to Trump, on Wednesday rejected calls for the lead role in Gaza aid distributions to revert to UN agencies, saying: 'We will not be shut down.' Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said Israeli military operations killed 35 people across Gaza on Saturday. The Hamas attack of October 2023 resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people, who were mostly civilians. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,338 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers these figures reliable. Airport staff are cashing in on bonuses for catching easyJet passengers with oversized bags, a leaked email has revealed. The email, sent to employees of Swissport, which runs passenger gates in several airports in Britain, confirmed that staff would receive 1.20 (1 after tax) for every 'gate bag' deemed too large to take onboard without paying extra. This controversial 'easyJet gate bag revenue incentive' is still active, rewarding gate agents for enforcing baggage rules at airports including Belfast, Birmingham, Glasgow, Jersey, Liverpool, and Newcastle. The scheme aims to 'reward agents doing the right thing' with direct payments to employees, according to the internal message signed by Dean Martin, a Swissport station manager at Glasgow Airport, seen by the Sunday Times. Similar bonus arrangements also exist at other airports, with DHL Supply Chain staff at Gatwick, Bristol, and Manchester receiving a 'nominal amount' per oversized bag spotted. Passengers are allowed one small bag free with easyJet, but larger bags must be paid for, with fees starting at 5.99 and soaring to nearly 33 on some routes. At the gate, if caught with an unpaid oversized bag, travellers face a 48 charge, of which 1.20 goes directly into the pockets of airport staff. This controversial 'easyJet gate bag revenue incentive' which offers staff 1.20 is still active The scheme aims to 'reward agents doing the right thing' with direct payments to employees Many passengers have complained about aggressive enforcement and inconsistent sizing, sometimes being forced to pay despite bags fitting official size frames. Ground staff are employed by third-party handling companies, which vary between airports. These companies manage staff pay and incentive schemes independently, and easyJet is not involved in or responsible for how bonuses are issued. A Swissport spokesperson emphasised that the company follows airline policies under agreed terms, focusing on professionalism and delivering safe, efficient operations across millions of flights each year. An easyJet spokeswoman said: 'easyJet is focused on ensuring our ground handling partners apply our policies correctly and consistently in fairness to all our customers. 'Our bag policies and options are well understood and we remind customers of this when booking, before they travel and on their boarding pass which means a very small proportion of customers who don't comply will be charged at the airport.' Swissport was approached for comment. It comes as Ryanair has announced plans to boost the size of its free 'personal bag' allowance. The budget airline currently lets passengers bring a small bag measuring 40x20x25cm for free, but that's about to change. Ryanair will soon let holidaymakers carry bags up to 40x30x20cm, a 20% increase, following new EU rules that set a minimum free baggage size of 40x30x15cm. The bigger allowance kicks in within weeks once Ryanair updates its bag sizers. Several passengers have revealed their fury at easyJet's baggage limits in the past, including TikToker Jake Hughes Mr Hughes was told he had to pay 48 for his bag being too large at Manchester airport In the TikTok shared by him, it shows his holdall clearly fitting into the measuring space Jake then spotted the man who had charged him on his flight and claimed he had been made to delete all his videos before boarding Make the most of the space you have! A packing expert has revealed ten clever suitcase hacks to help travellers save space and stay organised. Chantel Ibbotson, a popular TikToker shared tips on how to make the most of the space in the suitcase. They are: Fold clothes and scarves vertically to maximise space. Add essential oil to cotton balls in a bag to keep clothes smelling fresh. Wrap belts around the suitcase edge to save room. Use the lining to separate slippers and sliders. Squeeze air out of toiletries to prevent leaks. Cover toiletry lids with silicone pads to stop spills. Thread necklaces through straws to avoid tangling. Attach earrings to buttons to keep them together. Stuff socks and chargers inside shoes to use up space. Place an AirTag in your suitcase in case it goes missing. Advertisement Bags still must weigh under 10kg and fit under the seat. But even with the upgrade, Ryanair's free bag is smaller than easyJet's current generous allowance of 45x36x20cm. The EU is cracking down to make luggage rules simpler for passengers across all airlines. It follows a man who slammed easyJet after being hit with a 48 fine for his bag being too large - despite the fact it fitted perfectly into the airline's baggage size checker. Jake Hughes was attempting to board his flight at Manchester Airport on Wednesday but clashed with a member of staff who insisted his hand luggage was too big. Despite demonstrating to staff that this wasn't the case, Jake claims the budget airline threatened to 'terminate' his boarding pass if he didn't cough up the money and made him delete all the footage he had taken. Video filmed by Jake shows the bag - a small grey holdall - inside one of the metal frames used by easyJet to measure cabin bag size, fitting neatly into the space. Jake points at it and says: 'This bag fits perfectly in here. easyJet flight.' The staff member, who appears to work for an external handling company on behalf of the airline, asks him to remove it. He initially reaches for it but decides to leave it in and asks to speak to somebody more senior. He says: 'No, I'm actually going to leave it in there. I need a manager to see this. Someone higher up than you to see this.' A queue of passengers can be seen waiting with their bags to his side. He gestures to the size frame on the other side, but the staff member claims it is only for passengers entitled to 'speedy boarding'. Jake repeats: 'So this is my bag, I need a manager here.' The staff member suddenly claims that he himself is the manager and asks Jake to remove his bag. As Labour limps to the end of its first year in office, the marks are in and the verdict is brutal. My latest poll finds that based on what they have seen so far, nearly four in ten voters would give Keir Starmer an F for 'fail'. Among the rest, the average grade is a C minus. Even Labour voters can only bring themselves to award a C plus. It's not just that many disapprove of the Government's agenda. Half the electorate, including nearly as many 2024 Labour voters, say they don't understand what it is. This is hardly surprising, given the start they made. We can imagine Keir Starmer's first meeting with his senior officials a year ago this week. 'Congratulations, Prime Minister,' opens Sir Humphrey. 'Might we discuss your early priorities for government? I assume you'll want to focus on economic growth and improving public services.' 'All in good time,' says Starmer. 'First, cut the winter fuel allowance. Then find a way to make it more expensive to employ people. Oh, and make farmers pay inheritance tax.' 'I see,' Sir Humphrey replies hesitantly, casting a nervous glance at a puzzled colleague. 'Anything else, Prime Minister?' 'Yes. Give the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. And rent them back.' My latest poll finds that based on what they have seen so far, nearly four in ten voters would give Keir Starmer (above) an F for 'fail' It's not just that many disapprove of the Government's agenda. Half the electorate, including nearly as many 2024 Labour voters, say they don't understand what it is If the scene seems fanciful, it's probably because it exaggerates the sense of purpose with which Labour assumed power. A series of U-turns a feature of Starmer's administration since the early days but now so abundant it's hard to keep up with them has only added to the sense of incoherence and confusion. Broken promises to the 'Waspi women'; Sue Gray's brief tenure as No 10 chief of staff; reversals on winter fuel, the grooming gangs inquiry, and whether excessive immigration is or is not turning Britain into an 'island of strangers' these combine to show a Government with little sense of direction. Starmer's colossal turnaround on welfare reform compounds the damage, for three crucial reasons both political and practical. First, even at its most moderate, the Labour Party has never fully shaken voters' suspicions that it is too soft on welfare and can't be trusted with taxpayers' money. The backbench rebellion and the Government's retreat in the face of it show these doubts to be well founded. Second, Starmer's climbdowns will cost real money: some 4.5 billion, according to ministers' own figures. That means (even) higher taxes or (even) more borrowing, or probably both, at a time when Britain needs neither. It also makes it harder to hit the new Nato target of spending 5 per cent of GDP on defence within ten years a policy which most voters support, as does (so he currently says) the Prime Minister. As Labour limps to the end of its first year in office, the marks are in and the verdict is brutal, writes Lord Ashcroft (above) Sue Gray's (above) brief tenure as No 10 chief of staff, reversals on winter fuel and the grooming gangs inquiry are just some examples which combine to show a Government with little sense of direction Third, while an occasional pivot can show a government that listens and learns, a succession of them erodes confidence and credibility. 'We need somebody strong at the head of our country to go head-to-head with Trump, but he can't even keep control of his own party,' as a woman put it in one of my recent focus groups. 'What's he going to do on other policies?' asked another. 'When he makes hard decisions and gets challenged, he just seems to flip.' In a dangerous world, people want a leader they can rely on. Despite all this, a fair but dwindling chunk of voters still gives Labour the benefit of the doubt. They argue that 12 months isn't long to correct the mistakes of 14 years. But listening to those who turned out for the party, it's clear that many are struggling to look on the bright side. Few see any tangible signs that Starmer's team has started to turn things around. As one of the party's previous backers told us, 'There's no noticeable change that says, "Labour's in, this has happened".' A fair but dwindling chunk of voters still gives Labour the benefit of the doubt - they argue that 12 months isn't long to correct the mistakes of 14 years Few pollsters see any tangible signs that Starmer (pictured) and his team has started to turn things around If the Government lacks a sense of purpose, many feel the same is just as true for the Conservatives. More are starting to notice Kemi Badenoch and to like what they see. But the party has yet to break through and her overall grade from voters was a D. They recognise her conundrum: how to be visible and relevant without claiming to have all the answers so soon after being booted out of office. One answer is to show a proper understanding of what they got wrong and what is needed to put it right. Another is to rediscover what one former voter called their 'North Star', the guiding principles that animated and united the Tories when they were at their best. Nigel Farage tops the grade table for the year the only leader to get an A from his own voters, and a B overall. He has picked up the extra marks by being visible, getting people talking, articulating people's frustration and turning it into local election votes. People see that his party is branching out beyond immigration to talk about energy, industry, welfare, policing and more. Voters are starting to notice Kemi Badenoch (above) and to like what they see - but the party has yet to break through and her overall grade from voters was a D Nigel Farage (above) tops the grade table for the year the only leader to get an A from his own voters, and a B overall But Reform-curious voters wonder about the practicality of some of their ideas such as reopening Welsh coal mines, or charging non-doms a 250,000 fee in lieu of tax and sharing the proceeds among low-paid workers and note the party's expensive plan to drop the two-child benefit cap. Some acknowledge Farage's need to win over voters from all sides, but many will want something firmer when choosing the next government. 'Be a bit more grown-up, tone it down. You've got my attention now. Win me over,' one potential supporter said. Attention brings scrutiny. This year was just the mocks. As the final exams approach, the questions will get harder. Angela Rayner has been accused of plotting to censor workplace banter by deploying a network of spies in businesses across the country. Under new laws drawn up by the Deputy Prime Minister, firms will be pressured into bankrolling diversity officers, whose jobs would include protecting staff from the content of overheard conversations. Last night, the Tories warned that the so-called banter police would have a chilling effect on businesses already struggling under the weight of high taxes and excess regulation under Labour. Under Ms Rayners Employment Rights Bill, employers must try to protect their staff from harassment by third parties. It means, for example, that a worker could take an employer to tribunal if they feel jokes or banter they overhear was offensive on grounds such as race, sex or religion if their bosses didnt do all they could to prevent it. That is likely to lead to firms taking on more diversity officers to monitor what people are saying to help them prove they had taken sufficient steps to protect their workers. The Bill fails to stipulate any ring fence allowing the expression of opinions on political, moral, religious or social matters which the Tories said they would have insisted upon. Ms Rayners legislation also paves the way to greater unionisation in the workplace, which companies fear will take Britain back to the dark days of the 1970s, making it more burdensome to employ workers and leaving the firms vulnerable to ruinous strikes. Under new laws drawn up by the Deputy Prime Minister, firms will be pressured into bankrolling diversity officers, whose jobs would include protecting staff from the content of overheard conversations The Tories warned that the so-called banter police would have a chilling effect on businesses already struggling under the weight of high taxes and excess regulation under Labour. Pictured: Stock image The Bill requires bosses to give trade union representatives time off for matters relating to equality in the workplace further adding to costs, and to the number of potential busybodies monitoring speech. Ms Rayners political opponents point out that she has received thousands of pounds in donations from unions which will benefit from the legislation. Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith said: Employers are already bleeding out because of Labours war on business, and this will make matters much worse. Pressuring private firms to hire diversity officers to pursue woke agendas has so far gone under the radar but it will be the final nail in the coffin for many. Innocent office banter will be spied on by wokerati thought police. These banter tsars will have a chilling effect in workplaces. We can already see in Rayners own Whitehall department how taxpayers are footing the bill for this divisive political agenda. With her personally bankrolled by the unions, this is clearly a grubby deal that feathers both nests. The number of employment tribunal claims relating to banter in the workplace rose by 45 per cent in 2021 alone, and bosses fear the new legislations will cause this to spiral even faster. The changes would be a boon for outfits such as Inclusive Employers, which offers banter workplace training. It states: Banter, when unchecked, can escalate into harmful behaviour, including bullying, harassment, and discrimination... Harmless banter can quickly cross the line and lead to more serious issues. Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith, pictured, said: Employers are already bleeding out because of Labours war on business, and this will make matters much worse Ms Rayners political opponents point out that she has received thousands of pounds in donations from unions which will benefit from the legislation. The new laws will also roll back moves by the last Conservative government to stop Whitehall spending taxpayers money on diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives The new laws will also roll back moves by the last Conservative government to stop Whitehall spending taxpayers money on diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives. Central to the plans are the repeal of Tory trade union laws which will reduce the threshold for strike action and make union funding of the Labour Party automatic. It will also end zero-hours contracts, strengthen redundancy and flexible working rights and allow companies to be taken to employment tribunals even if the employees concerned do not want to sue. The laws will make it far easier for unions to infiltrate workplaces and to operate even if just 2 per cent of the staff join. The Bill says: Introducing explicit protections from third-party harassment will ensure that victims can be confident that they have recourse to legal redress if their employer has not taken all reasonable steps to protect them. A government spokesman said: The Employment Rights Bill will not affect anyones right to lawful free speech, which this Government stands firmly behind. 'Upsetting remarks do not fall within the definition of harassment. We are strengthening workplace protections to tackle harassment and protect employees from intimidating and hostile abuse as well as sexual harassment. A government source added: Courts and tribunals will continue to be required to balance rights on the facts of each case, including the rights to free expression. Elon Musk has launched a new political party following his epic fall out with Donald Trump. The former 'First Buddy' announced the foundation of the America Party on his X social media platform on Saturday. It came after Musk created an online poll on July 4 asking his followers whether to establish the new party. The results came back 65.4 percent in favor, leading Musk to make the announcement. 'By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!' Musk wrote. 'When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. 'Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.' Musk had been elevated to a prestigious role within the White House acting as a special advisor to the president and overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency. But in recent months a rift has emerged and the two former friends have been embroiled in embarrassing public spats played out over social media. Elon Musk has launched a new political party following his epic fall out with Donald Trump It came after Musk created an online poll on July 4 asking his followers whether to establish the new party. The results came back 65.4 percent Many had predicted that Trump and Musk's rosy bromance wouldn't last long and some pointed to betting markets on when they would turn on each other. Betters heavily favored a fallout before July 1, 2025, less than six months after Musk joined Trump's administration as a special advisor. In just a matter of months Musk went from spending $288 million for Trump's election campaign, to slinging insults about him online. The bust up occurred after Musk stepped down from DOGE over Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' which ends tax breaks for electric vehicles, which are Tesla CEO Musk's passion project. Musk also argued that the bill undercut DOGE's cost-cutting efforts by increasing the deficit. The rift deepened after the president rescinded his nomination offer to Musk-ally Jared Isaacman for NASA administrator over donations he made to the Democrats. Since then Trump and Musk have engaged in public mudslinging against each other. Musk accused the president of ingratitude and claimed he would have lost the election without him, while Trump branded him 'crazy'. The former bromance has soured in recent weeks following a clash over Trump's Big Beautiful Bill Many had predicted that Trump and Musk's rosy bromance wouldn't last long and some pointed to betting markets on when they would turn on each other Since their public break-up, Musk has threatened to start a new, third political party and buttress the reelection campaign of Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, one of the no votes on Trump's big bill. Trump recently outed himself as the person who leaked details about Musk's alleged drug use, according to author Michael Wolff, who penned the eye-popping book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House. The New York Times reported that during the 2024 presidential campaign, the billionaire used so much ketamine he was having bladder problems and also used Ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms and what appeared to be Adderall. Musk has denied The Times' reporting and released a drug test online since. This is a breaking news story, please check back for updates. A teenager has appeared in court after police were alerted that he was planning a Southport-style knife attack on a dance school near his home. The 17-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age, had talked of emulating Axel Rudakubana, who killed three girls aged six, seven and nine, during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July last year. The boy, who was living with his parents in a village near Cwmbran in South Wales, researched how to obtain large knives and, in a chat with a friend on April 19, sent an image of a large knife for sale online, saying: 'Would this work?' Police also found a note on his phone on April 28 headed 'places to attack'. It included images of a dance school near his home, along with directions on how to walk there. Location data suggested he had been close to the school just a few days earlier. The teenager had also researched other potential targets, including his own school, and told others on Snapchat of his plan to attack the first Oasis reunion concert in Cardiff. An earlier hearing was told the youth had participated in discussions on the social media app in which he praised Rudakubana. In one chat he said he had tried to make ricin poison the same substance manufactured by the Southport killer although he later told police this was not true. A general view of Westminster Magistrates' Court - where the teenager appeared on June 21 The 17-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age, had talked of emulating Axel Rudakubana (pictured) who killed three girls during a dance class in July last year The teenager had also researched other potential targets, including his own school, and told others on Snapchat of his plan to attack the first Oasis reunion concert in Cardiff (pictured) One of those he was talking to on Snapchat reported him to police. Following concerns by his family, the teenager met a counsellor on June 2 and revealed he planned to commit a 'Rudakubana-style attack', leading to a second report to police. At around 10.30am the same day, he transferred an al-Qaeda manual between phones. During police interviews, he admitted he had thoughts of launching attacks on a regular basis but said he did not intend to carry them through. The teenager appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 21, where he indicated a guilty plea to a single charge of possessing a document useful for terrorism. Sentencing was adjourned to a later date. The Met Office has expanded its Sunday thunderstorm warning - meaning millions more Brits must prepare for disruption, damage, and the risk of power cuts. Earlier, the forecaster had only issued the warning for the East of England, East Midlands, and Yorkshire & Humber. But an updated map reveals London and the South-East must also brace for the extreme weather. Thunderstorms are set to batter parts of the UK on Sunday before a potential third heatwave later in the week, the forecaster said. According to the weather service, there is a mixed forecast for Sunday and Monday before temperatures are expected to climb back into the low 30Cs by the end of next week - raising the possibility of a third heatwave this summer. Parts of East Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the East of England are set for heavy rain, lightning and hail on Sunday, which could cause disruption to transport links. The rest of the country is also forecast to experience cooler air, cloud and showery spells for the rest of the weekend and early next week, before temperatures begin to rise again. The Met office has expanded its Sunday thunderstorm warning - meaning millions more Brits must prepare for disruption, damage and the risk of power cuts Commuters battle their way through a storm taking place over Southwark, London on June 5, 2025 Earlier the forecaster had only issued the warning for the East of England, East Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber Marco Petagna, senior meteorologist at the Met Office, said: 'The headline is a changeable theme to the next couple of days and then the weather will become more settled as we go into next week. 'It could well reach heatwave criteria again across England and Wales towards the end of next week. 'In the short term, it's quite a mixed picture. There's a lot of cloud around, and bits and pieces of showery rain around. 'Across the East of England, the weather could turn heavy and thundery and there's a warning out for thunderstorms between 7am to 7pm, because of the unsettled atmosphere. 'We could see an inch or two of rain and several thunderstorms there on Sunday, and that showery scene continues into Monday as well, especially in the north and east of the UK.' The Met Office said the cooler conditions are set to subside, with much of the country seeing more settled weather moving further into next week. And temperatures rising could lead to a third heatwave - a period of three or more consecutive days of temperatures higher than a location-based threshold - this summer. A runner braves the rain during a storm on The Queen's Walk in London with the city's skyline behind her Conditions were equally miserable at Wimbledon - as fans broke out their umbrellas and the courts were covered with rain sheets But Mr Petagna said it is difficult to predict the duration of the hot weather. He said: 'It looks like we will meet heatwave criteria again by the end of the week. 'The main uncertainty is how warm it does become and how long the increase in temperature lasts for. What does a yellow warning of thunderstorms mean? Thunderstorms may lead to some disruption to travel and outdoor activities. There is a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus Some flooding of a few homes and businesses possible, leading to some damage to buildings or structures Probably some damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes Some short term loss of power and other services is likely Delays to train services are possible Advertisement 'The trend to warmer weather, particularly across England and Wales, certainly looks pretty good going into the week ahead. 'It will start to feel a bit more humid in the week ahead and also night-time temperatures are going to start to pick up, so it's going to become more uncomfortable for sleeping.' Earlier, the Met Office issued a yellow warning alongside a map revealing the areas facing lightning and flooding. The yellow warning was originally only activated for the East of England, East Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber. It is in effect for 12 hours between 7am and 7pm on Sunday, July 6. The weather agency also warned that hail, flooding and lightning strikes were possible in these areas that will result in damage to some buildings. Specific areas originally set to be impacted by the adverse weather conditions include Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough, Suffolk, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire. It is likely that thunderstorms will cause widespread travel disruption with the Met Office saying there is 'a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus.' Locals have also been told to expect delays to train services. Parts of eastern England are to expect a downpour of 15-25 millimetres of rain which may lead to flooding of homes and businesses. Power cuts are also said to be 'likely'. The Met Office took to its social media accounts to say: 'Yellow weather warning issued. 'Thunderstorms across parts of eastern England Sunday 0700 1900. 'Stay weather aware.' On their website, they went into more detail, explaining that thunderstorms 'may lead to some disruption to travel and outdoor activities.' 'There is a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus,' the website warned. 'Some flooding of a few homes and businesses possible, leading to some damage to buildings or structures. Probably some damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes. Tourists attempt to deal with the heat in Barcelona on June 28 as a new Spanish high temperature record for June of 46C is confirmed Tourists look for shade on a hot summer day in Venice as Europeans have been warned to stay indoors as the continent goes on high alert for extreme 47C heat Festivalgoers relax in the sun at the West Holts stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Far 'Some short term loss of power and other services is likely,' and finally, 'delays to train services are possible.' It comes after the UK experienced several bouts of hot weather in recent weeks which posed a 'risk to life', according to the weather agency. Sunseekers basked in searing 34.7C in St James's Park, London, on July 1 as the UK saw its hottest day of the year reached. Elsewhere across England, the seaside counties of Essex and Kent well surpassed 33C - a red-hot 34.4C being recorded in Writtle - which also almost nearly broke the hottest-ever July 1 on record. Those temperatures marked the end of a scorching heatwave that saw an amber alert deployed, which the Met Office say signals a 'potential risk to life and property'. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) had activated a five-day warning starting on Friday due to concerns that there could be 'a rise in deaths, particularly among those ages 65 and over or with health conditions'. The amber heat health alert covered the East Midlands, South East, South West and East of England, alongside Somerset - where Glastonbury was roaring ahead. Meanwhile, Europeans were warned to stay indoors as the continent goes on high alert for extreme 47C heat. Indeed, a new Spanish high temperature record for June of 46C was confirmed on June 28 by the AEMET - Spain's state meteorological agency. Forest fires and flash floods wrecked chaos across the continent, with warnings of an intense heatwave. Sweltering infernos melted roads in Italy while raging wildfires tore through Greece. Two-thirds of Portugal were be on high alert last week for extreme heat and forest fires, with 42C expected in the capital Lisbon. It was so hot that Sicily and areas of northern Italy banned outdoor work in the hottest hours of the day. In Nice, on the French Riviera, nearly 250 portable fans were distributed to schools to help students cope with the heat. A Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) vehicle was damaged during a massive Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv. As the URCS reported on Facebook, during the massive enemy combined shelling of Kyiv on July 4, a crew of four Ukrainian Red Cross Society volunteers provided first aid to the injured. After receiving a report of a repeated missile threat, the volunteers, accompanied by local residents, followed to the nearest shelter, and a few minutes later new explosions were heard, damaging the URCS vehicle - the side passenger window was broken and part of the bodywork was deformed. None of the volunteers were injured as a result of the shelling. After receiving permission from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, volunteers continued their work on site surveying the surrounding area and searching for victims to provide first aid. He was widely thought to be the late Queen's favourite son, which gave the young boy a licence to get away with behaviour his siblings could not. Prince Andrew, 65, grew up 'boisterous, self-willed, extroverted, confident and active - everything Charles was not,' according to a royal author. His outgoing personality was the delight of the late Queen Elizabeth II who was a shy and reserved child like her father, King George VI. Nigel Cawthorne wrote in his book War of the Windsors that the Queen announced to friends with pride: 'Andrew isn't a bit shy'. In his childhood years Andrew was known for his practical jokes, once pranking the Queen Mother with a whoopee cushion and sprinkling itching powder in his mother's bed. 'Indeed, he was often pushy, demanding and domineering,' wrote Cawthorne. 'He's his father all over again,' said a friend of the family. Prince Philip was proud that 'at least one of his sons was a chip off the old block - but was also conscious of the dangers'. Prince Andrew with the Queen at the Badminton Horse Trials in Gloucestershire, 1973 - grew up 'everything Charles was not' In his childhood years, Andrew (pictured in 1962) was known for his practical jokes, once pranking the Queen Mother with a whoopee cushion Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip with (right to left) Charles, Andrew, Anne and Edward celebrating the Queen's 39th birthday at Windsor in 1965 Philip had warned Andrew shouldn't always get his own way. And yet, according to the royal author, he often did. 'Wherever they went, the skylarking continued', wrote Cawthorne, who added that Andrew did not always endear himself to the target of his pranks. Even the late Queen, described as the 'master of the understatement' by Ingrid Seward, conceded he was 'not always a little ray of sunshine'. At eight, Andrew was sent to Heatherdown Prepatory School in Ascot, Berkshire, where he gained a reputation as a bit of a bully - or a natural boss, according to Philip. Unlike Charles who dreaded being sent to boarding school, it was a dream for the congenial Prince Andrew. Cawthorne wrote: 'As he was not heir to the throne, Andrew got an easier time and took to it like a duck to water. An extrovert, competitive and sometimes aggressive, Andrew did not submit to bullying. 'At Heatherdown he developed into a boisterous bruiser. Sharing a dormitory with six others, he complained the TV watching was restricted.' Queen Elizabeth II with her sons Prince Andrew (behind) and Prince Edward as they leave for school Andrew smiles while being driven from Heatherdown to Buckingham Palace to celebrate his 11th birthday in February 1971 The headmaster of Heatherdown School, James Edwards (left), greets the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Andrew at the start of his first term in 1968 It seems at Buckingham Palace, watching TV was a regular activity for Andrew and his mother. The royal author wrote that once the young prince had climbed on to the Palace roof to turn the TV aerial so that when the Queen sat down to watch the horse racing from Sandown Park, there was no picture. 'Occasionally, Andrew's arrogance revealed itself. One evening, the Queen and Prince Philip arrived as Andrew and Mabel Anderson were watching the long-running TV soap opera Coronation Street. 'Blowsy barmaid Bet Lynch was in the midst of a rowdy argument when Andrew commented disdainfully: "Oh God, look at all those common people". 'His father reprimanded him immediately. He gave the royal teenager a clip around the ear and told him sternly: "If it wasn't for people like that you would not be sitting here". 'For once, the usually talkative prince fell silent.' Andrew's nanny, Mabel Anderson, called him Baby Grumpling because of his temper tantrums and obstinacy. Nigel Cawthorne wrote in War of the Windsors that the Queen announced to friends with pride: 'Andrew isn't a bit shy' The Queen and Prince Philip pose with their children at Buckingham Palace in 1972 Queen Elizabeth ll, Prince Edward and Prince Andrew attend the Olympic Games in July 1976 in Montreal, Canada His other nickname was that young imp as he was always getting up to mischief, such as removing all the valves from Mabels radio or tying the sentries shoelaces together. Royal biographer Tom Quinn wrote in his book, Yes Maam: The Secret Life of Royal Servants, that one servant claimed Andrew would act 'frustrated' about not being the first born. They recalled: 'A bit like his aunt Margaret, Andrew always behaved as if he was frustrated about not being the first-born and therefore destined to become king. 'This frustration made him a bit of a bully in private, I think. 'If he liked a member of his staff, he could be very loyal and supportive, but he couldnt resist being imperious and bossy and bad-tempered if anything went wrong or wasnt done exactly to his liking.' Andrew has been embroiled in a series of scandals over the years, such as his associations with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and controversy over his links to an alleged Chinese spy. In 2022, Andrew was accused of 'overbearing' and 'verbally abusive behaviour' towards Palace staff. The public's view towards Andrew can be seen clearly in the YouGov opinion polls as he remains the least popular royal with nine in ten Britons - 89 per cent - now seeing the Duke of York negatively. Andrew returns from the Falklands War on September 17, 1982, aboard the HMS Invincible Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Andrew, Prince Philip and Princess Anne aboard HMS Invincible Prince Andrew holds a rose in his mouth as he is greeted by his mother and father, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip (right), on his return from the Falklands Most recently Prince Andrew's youngest daughter, Princess Eugenie, shared a sweet photo tribute to her husband Jack Brooksbank to mark Father's Day but failed to give a nod to her own father. She does not appear to have mentioned Andrew in Father's Day posts since 2020. While the late Queen - and even Philip to an extent - found Andrew's antics amusing as a child, they had less time for his challenging behaviour when he became an adult. Royal biographer Ingrid Seward revealed in her bestselling book My Mother And I that Philip 'berated' Andrew for being 'pointless' because he never fulfilled his early potential. It is likely that Philip's scathing comments about his son were in reference to Andrew's actions outside of the military. During the 1980s 'randy Andy' - as the press called him - gained a reputation for being the 'playboy prince' during his bachelor years, with Andrew linked romantically to a string of models and actresses. While he did eventually settle down and marry Sarah Ferguson in 1986, their marriage was short-lived and ended in separation in 1992 and divorce four years later. Since he left active service in the Navy in 2001, Andrew's ventures have come under intense scrutiny. Royal biographer Robert Lacey wrote that the Prince's 'dubious choice of business contacts came to shadow his reputation'. Andrew and Philip are pictured in June 2014 When the Queen died in 2022, royal author Phil Dampier told MailOnline: 'Prince Andrew will be devastated by the Queen's death because he was always her favourite child.' The late Queen and Andrew are pictured at the Service Of Thanksgiving For The Duke Of Edinburgh on March 29, 2022 Royal biographer Ingrid Seward revealed in her bestselling book My Mother And I that Philip 'berated' Andrew for being 'pointless' because he never fulfilled his early potential (Pictured at the Derby horse races in 2012) While for many years Andrew was celebrated as the royal family's 'scallywag', royal biographer Robert Lacey wrote the Prince's 'dubious choice of business contacts came to shadow his reputation'. This culminated with Andrew stepping down from his role as a working member of the Royal Family following his notorious interview with BBC Newsnight about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. When the Queen died in 2022, royal author Phil Dampier told MailOnline: 'Prince Andrew will be devastated by the Queen's death because he was always her favourite child. 'Although he was in disgrace because of his involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, he still saw more of her in private than his siblings. 'There was an unbreakable bond between them and she must have been devastated when his name was dragged through the mud. 'He only had himself to blame of course and it's difficult to feel sympathy for him, but as a mother she always supported him.' Many brides or grooms preparing to walk down the aisle know that it can be a stressful affair. From the laborious task of picking a venue to disagreements over the guest list, families will often find themselves at loggerheads during the planning process for their big day. However, on that sunny Saturday in May 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding appeared to be a picture-perfect affair. The Royal Family looked more united than ever and the newly minted Duke and Duchess of Sussex were joined by all the leading members of the Royal Family who gathered to celebrate their marriage. Prince William was best man and Prince Charles even walked Meghan down the aisle. But behind these idyllic scenes, tensions were running high within the Firm and a number of blunders suggest preparations for the ceremony were more chaotic than first meets the eye. From Meghan's arguments over which tiara she could wear to questions over Harry's treatment of staff, the bride and groom's ambitious plans for the event were at the centre of the conflicts. Here, MailOnline looks back over the long list of blunders to have come to define Harry and Meghan's royal wedding. 'Tiara-gate' While preparing for the big day, it is customary for royal brides to pick out a tiara from the Palace's extensive collection to wear as they walk down the aisle, with the monarch having the final say on the choice of headwear. However, this seemingly minor task blew up into a big bust-up between the soon-to-be Duchess of Sussex and Angela Kelly, the late Queen Elizabeth's personal advisor for her wardrobe, according to royal writer Tom Bower. 'Meghan alighted on a tiara sparkling with emeralds. Her choice was approved by Harry. Kelly suggested that its Russian origin made it unsuitable,' Bowers wrote in his biography Revenge, which documents Harry and Meghan's fall-out with the Royal Family. Meghan Markle got into a disagreement with Angela Kelly, the late Queen Elizabeth's personal advisor for her wardrobe, over her choice of tiara for the wedding Prince Harry also got involved in the disagreement, reportedly claiming, 'What Meghan wants, Meghan gets' Meghan eventually opted to wear Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau Harry reportedly became angry with Kelly, leading to the prince receiving a dressing-down from his grandmother. During the meeting, Harry was put 'firmly in his place' and warned by the Queen that 'Meghan cannot have whatever she wants. She gets what tiara shes given by me,' The Times reported. Meghan eventually opted to wear Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau, but this was not the end of the tiara-related drama. During wedding rehearsals, Meghan asked that the tiara be taken out of storage so her hairdresser - who had flown from New York - could work around the 2million headwear. The request was refused on the grounds that permission was needed from the Queen herself. Harry once again became angry with Kelly and reportedly told her: 'What Meghan wants, Meghan gets'. Meghan's 'too white' wedding dress 'What Meghan wants, Meghan gets' was certainly the case when it came to her choice of wedding dress - more specifically the colour of her outfit. The city girl-turned-duchess wore a Audrey Hepburn-inspired floor-length gown crafted by French fashion house Givenchy and Clare Waight Keller, their first female artistic director. Meghan's decision to wear a white wedding gown raised some eyebrows The late Queen in particular allegedly took issue with divorcee Meghan's crisp white dress It featured long sleeves and a bateau neckline, which was a nod to the iconic Givenchy dress in the 1957 movie Funny Face, and cost 100,000. While it was a truly beautiful wedding gown Meghan's choice of colour raised some eyebrows within the family. The late Queen in particular allegedly took issue with divorcee Meghan's crisp white dress. Ingrid Seward, one of the most prominent and respected writers on the British Royal Family, discussed the nuptials in her book, My Mother And I. The royal biographer wrote: 'The Queen never voiced her true opinions except to her close confidants, such as Lady Elizabeth Anson, or Liza as she was known to her friends. 'She told me that the Queen had made only one remark about Meghan and Harry's wedding and that was that Meghan's Givenchy wedding gown was "too white".' 'In the monarch's view, it was not appropriate for a divorcee getting remarried in church to look quite so flamboyantly virginal,' Seward added. Meghan had previously been married to Hollywood film producer Trevor Engelson between 2011 and 2014. Traditionally, divorced brides are expected to forgo the white dress and opt for a different coloured dress. The city girl-turned-duchess wore a Audrey Hepburn-inspired floor-length gown crafted by French fashion house Givenchy and Clare Waight Keller, their first female artistic director It is a custom that previously married royals have often respected. Queen Camilla, who had previously been married to Andrew Parker Bowles between 1973 and 1995, stuck with tradition and opted not to wear white for the blessing for her wedding to Charles in 2005. She instead wore a floor-length embroidered pale blue and gold coat over a matching chiffon dress. Likewise, when the twice-divorced Wallis Simpson married King Edward VIII in 1937 she wore a pale blue dress. Meghan's decision to wear a veil Like her choice to wear a white dress, Meghan's decision to don a veil for the big day also ruffled some feathers among the Royal Family. The practice of brides wearing veils is said to go back to ancient Greeks and Romans, who wore them to disguise themselves from any evil spirits who wanted to stand in the way of their happiness. Over the centuries many cultures have embraced the garment and it is now often associated with aspects of bridal virtue such as modesty and chastity. Like her choice to wear a white dress, Meghan's decision to don a veil for the big day also ruffled some feathers among the Royal Family Meghan's 16ft-long veil was trimmed with lace depicting flora from each of the 53 Commonwealth countries But despite this being her second walk down the aisle, Meghan wore a 16ft-long veil trimmed with lace depicting flora from each of the 53 Commonwealth countries. Once again the Queen questioned why the divorcee Meghan needed to wear such traditional wedding attire. Royal author Tom Bower claimed Her Majesty raised her concerns in his 2022 book Revenge, writing: 'The Queen also questioned why Meghan needed a veil for the wedding, given it was to be her second marriage.' Prince Harry's behaviour It wasn't only Meghan who caused drama in the run-up to May 19, 2018 with Prince Harry having his fair share of run-ins with royal staff. Ingrid Seward, author of My Mother And I, has claimed that Harry's behaviour was already ruffling feathers before the wedding with none other than the Queen. According to Seward, Lady Elizabeth Anson Queen Elizabeth's cousin and close friend said that that the monarch was 'dismayed by Harry's high-handed attitude before and after the wedding'. Tensions reached a high point during the aforementioned 'tiara-gate'. While it is unclear what behaviour this allegation is about, in 2020 it was reported that the Queen scolded Harry after he shouted at the Queen's dresser who was unable to meet Meghan's sudden demand to visit Buckingham Palace with her hairdresser to try on her wedding day tiara. It wasn't only Meghan who caused drama in the run-up to May 19, 2018 with Prince Harry having his fair share of run-ins with royal staff MailOnline exclusively revealed that the late Queen apparently confided in her first cousin that Harry was 'rude to her for ten minutes' in one meeting Ingrid Seward, author of My Mother And I, has claimed that Harry's behaviour was already ruffling feathers before the wedding with none other than the Queen Earlier this week, MailOnline exclusively revealed that the late Queen apparently confided in her first cousin that Harry was 'rude to her for ten minutes' in one meeting and that 'Meghan and William and Kate were not working well' together, adding that it was 'particularly...the two girls' who didn't get on. The 'jury was out' on whether the Queen really liked her grandson's then bride-to-be, and she felt 'left out' of the planning for the wedding by Harry who tried to 'patch up' their relationship in the weeks before walking down the aisle. Bridesmaid drama One of the most notorious clashes of personalities took place between Meghan and her soon-to-be sister-in-law Kate Middleton. It has been widely reported that the tense stand-off between Kate and Meghan took place after Charlotte's fitting for her bridesmaid dress. According to Bower, Kate allegedly believed that the bridesmaids should wear tights as per royal protocol. However, at Meghan's 'insistence' the tradition was dropped. Their biggest disagreement was over the length of Charlotte's hem, which Kate believed was too short for the three-year-old princess. Meghan's assistant Melissa Toubati and dress-fitter Clare Waight Keller claimed to have 'witnessed Meghan emphatically reject Kate's observation,' Bower said. The altercation caused Kate to burst into tears according to presenter and friend of Queen Camilla, Kirstie Allsopp. Reports differ about what happened next. Bower wrote that Kate went over to Meghan's quarters in Kensington Palace with a bunch of flowers and asked her not to speak rudely to her staff. 'In Kate's version, Meghan slammed the door in her face and threw the flowers in a dustbin,' Bower wrote. Princess Catherine allegedly believed that the bridesmaids should wear tights as per royal protocol. However, at Meghan's 'insistence' the tradition was dropped Kate and Meghan's biggest disagreement was over the length of Charlotte's hem, which Kate believed was too short for the three-year-old princess After the wedding it was the now-Princess of Wales' report of the altercation that made headlines about Meghan's 'diva' behaviour. Brown wrote that the Duchess of Sussex 'demanded the Palace denounce or correct the story' and she was 'outraged' when they did not immediately deny the claim. 'The culture of the Palace press department is almost never to comment on personal matters relating to the family,' Brown added. Meghan would recall her version of events during her bombshell interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey in 2021. There, she claimed that the tears were in fact hers, and the flowers an apology. 'A few days before the wedding, she was upset about something pertaining - yes, the issue was correct - about flower-girl dresses, and it made me cry, and it really hurt my feelings,' Meghan said during the interview. 'What was hard to get over was being blamed for something that not only I didnt do but that happened to me.' 'And the people who were part of our wedding going to our comms team and saying, "I know this didnt happen." I dont have to tell them what actually happened,' she added. Meghan's clash with a Windsor caterer After finding herself at loggerheads with the Queen's dresser and then with Princess Catherine, Meghan also reportedly had a tense exchange with with a member of catering staff. In her book The New Royals, Katie Nicholl wrote: 'On one occasion in the run-up to the wedding, Meghan went to Windsor Castle for a menu-tasting and ended up having a tense exchange with a member of staff, according to one source. In her book The New Royals, Katie Nicholl wrote: 'On one occasion in the run-up to the wedding, Meghan went to Windsor Castle (pictured) for a menu-tasting and ended up having a tense exchange with a member of staff '"Meghan was at the castle to taste some of the dishes, and told one of the caterers she could taste egg," said the source. "She got quite upset, saying that the dish was meant to be vegan and macrobiotic."' The bride-to-be's 'direct approach' with the staff member allegedly came to the attention of Queen Elizabeth II - who was known for treating aides like family, even buying them Christmas presents every year. So it is no surprise that Her Majesty had some stern words of advice for Meghan, according to Nicholl's inside source. 'Suddenly the Queen walked in and said: "Meghan, in this family we don't speak to people like that."' Dishes served at Harry and Meghan's wedding included an array of canapes including Scottish langoustines wrapped in smoked salmon with citrus creme fraiche and croquette of confit Windsor lamb, roasted vegetables and shallot jam. The bizarre guest list Harry and Meghan's guests had more of a tinsel-town sparkle than at previous royal weddings. George and Amal Clooney, the cast of Suits and Oprah Winfrey were just some of the Hollywood guests in St George's Chapel. Although many famous faces from across the pond were there as friends of Meghan, it has been claimed that the duchess was not very chummy with the stars. The attendees were not Meghan's nearest and dearest but rather the friends she 'most wanted to recruit', royal insider Tina Brown wrote in her book The Palace Papers. 'The celebrity guests were a portrait not of Meghan's intimate circle but of the friends she most wanted to recruit,' Brown said. Even Oprah had 'scarcely met' Meghan before the big day and when columnist Rachel Johnson asked the Clooneys how they knew Meghan, the couple replied: 'We don't.' Harry and Meghan's guests had more of a tinsel-town sparkle than at previous royal weddings. George and Amal Clooney (pictured) were among the guests Oprah Winfrey outside St George's Chapel. It has been claimed that Meghan was not as chummy with the stars at her wedding as first meets the eye Since Harry and Meghan stood down as working royals in 2020, the duchess has struggled to recruit the friends she was so keen to make. Amal attended Meghan's lavish 221,000 New York baby shower in 2019. However, in recent years the lawyer has only deepened her ties with royals by launching the Amal Clooney Women's Empowerment Award with the King's Trust. After her notorious interview with Oprah in 2021 - when the duchess opened up about her mental health struggles and claimed a member of the Firm asked about Archie's skin colour - it does not appear the pair have been in contact much since. And Oprah was not one of the guests Meghan booked for her Netflix series With Love, Meghan. Why has the royal train, green and majestic, been scrapped? It makes no sense. Its annual cost is 1million. Compare and contrast this with the fact that far more than 1million was spent last year on 170 totally ungreen helicopter journeys for the Royal Family costing nearly 17,000 each. To make them more comfy, the Palace plans to buy two new AgustaWestland helicopters for about 8million each. The King is not short of money at all. Thanks mainly to an embarrassingly overgenerous deal made in 2011 with Tory Premier David Cameron, rivers of gold now flow into the Kings bank accounts from the Sovereign Grant. Oh, and the absurdly inflated cost of the two journeys made by the royal train last year supposedly 78,000 each is an accounting trick done by loading all the overheads on to these two trips. If the Royal Family had instead used it 100 times, the cost per journey would be far smaller. So why didnt they use it more? It is wonderfully secure. The public love to see it out and about and it is the only really dignified form of transport there is. My guess is the whole lot of them selfishly prefer cars and helicopters and jets. Does the King, for all his supposed concern for the planet, hate railways? Is Charles a long-term petrolhead of the Jeremy Clarkson type, a goggled Mr Toad who longs to roar down the highway in some glittering monster of steel and glass while his subjects look on in admiration? Trains are the cleanest, safest, quietest, most energy-efficient, fastest and most up-to-date form of ground transport ever invented, writes Hitchens Kin Charles has simpered publicly about his vintage Aston Martin, saying it is one of the great cars. I adore the design and the lines. They are special it was always the car to have Well, the evidence is strong. He has simpered publicly about his vintage Aston Martin, saying it is one of the great cars. I adore the design and the lines. They are special it was always the car to have. Well, it may be the car to have if you are a King, have never experienced a traffic jam and can generally count on an escort of police outriders. And Im sure theres a lot of Clarksonian joy to be had if you can get the great racing driver Graham Hill to show you how to drive it on the Thruxton circuit, as he did. But it is still a car, the curse of the environment that Charles claims to love so much. It is cars that have laid waste to our countryside and cityscapes with hideous concrete scars for the past 70 years. If he were really as Green as he claims, he would discourage their use. The fact that the Kings official cars are now powered by extracts of old wine and cheese with a splosh of unleaded petrol to provide va-va-voom makes no real difference. The truth is that the Kings love of greenery is a pose. Real concern for the planet involves trying not to harm it. It involves living so as to do as little damage as possible. But lately environmentalism has turned into a strange faith in which you can roar about in cars, helicopters and private jets, but still be counted sinless if you noisily support net zero and windmills. Charles, like so many pampered elite figures, worships in the Temple of Greta Thunberg. Hell find it will not save him from his enemies, who continue to despise the Crown. But he seems to think it will. Trains are the cleanest, safest, quietest, most energy-efficient, fastest and most up-to-date form of ground transport ever invented. They are not a relic, which is why they now flourish in much of the advanced world, while our Government ceaselessly tries to strangle them here, the country which invented them 200 years ago. The King, if he was any good, would not scrap the royal train. He would have two. One would be a lovely brassy, steam-hauled vintage treasure with which to progress around the country, offering trips aboard it to distinguished citizens. The other would be a 190mph super-express, adorned with royal symbols, speeding through the Channel Tunnel to the capitals of republican Europe, there to make them regret that they got rid of their monarchies, and make us realise why we should keep ours. Oh, if only. How Left-wing Cherie was chuffed to ride like royalty (but my old Blairite bosses buried the story) 'News came to me that Cherie Blair, the very Left-wing wife of the Premier, had been using the Queens train. No politicians or politicians wife had ever done this before,' writes Hitchens The scrapping of the royal train reminds me of one of the strangest episodes in many years of working for newspapers. In May 1998 I was toiling for another paper, which had been Tory for a century but had just been taken over by supporters of the Blair regime. News came to me that Cherie Blair, the very Left-wing wife of the Premier, had been using the Queens train. No politicians or politicians wife had ever done this before. It was during a G8 summit and she had been hosting a get-together with the wives of other world leaders. This was dynamite, but the wrong sort of dynamite for my new bosses, who wished it had not come their way. After a lot of dithering, they stuck one of the most dramatic news stories I have written at the bottom of page 31. It was so well-hidden, a rival ran the same story, as if it was new, several months later under an exclusive banner. No 10 wouldnt even respond, but I have always wondered whether the announcement that evening of the planned release of two British nurses from prison in Saudi Arabia was a coincidence. It certainly drove everything else off the main news pages of all papers. I constantly wonder how many other important events disappear in similar ways. BBC is blind to justice for Letby Lucy Letbys convictions have been seriously challenged by heavyweight expert One major obstacle to the reopening of the Letby case is the BBC. It hates admitting that Ms Letbys convictions have been seriously challenged by heavyweight experts. On Tuesday it wrongly reported that she had lost two appeals against those convictions, giving the impression that the courts have been far more generous to her than they have been. She has not. She has twice been refused leave to appeal. Amazingly, they have now admitted their mistake but only on their website. Its time they started treating this case with due impartiality. Many newlyweds are aware of just how much it costs to buy a home. Stubbornly high mortgage rates, along with soaring home prices and a rocky economy have been preventing thousands of people from purchasing their first home. Add a costly wedding to the mix and you could be starting a life together in debt. No one wants that. Couples are now asking wedding guests to hold the appliances and kitchenware and contribute to the down payment on a house instead. It's no longer taboo to ask for cold hard cash and couples are turning to their registries to ask for help. Casey and David Gaddy, from Pennsylvania, married last year in Mexico. They politely suggested to guests that if they were going to be giving a gift, would they think instead about contributing to a fund that would go towards helping them buy their first home. The couple was shooting for a $20,000 boost to their savings for a down payment and help with closing costs. Casey and David Gaddy, who married last year, asked guests for money toward their first home 'We got married in Mexico, and it was it was beautiful. The reason that we made that decision was because it would be less expensive than doing a big local wedding,' Casey Gaddy told the Daily Mail. With wedding planning and house hunting happening simultaneously in October 2024, Gaddy says they decided to combine the two financially. 'We originally felt kind of uncomfortable but decided the way we approached it was "we're buying a house and we're getting married so any contribution we would be thankful for,"' he said. 'That was the most stressful time of my life, but the guests contributing helped make it easier. 'From parents and from friends and relatives we landed between $25,000 and $26,000, so that gave us enough to buy our house.' In the end people were relieved to not have to buy something impersonal, he said, and many even told the couple how happy they felt to help them start their married life together. 'It was nice to have them involved in the big transition in our lives and buying the house and it was cool to have so much support,' Gaddy said. The couple planted roots in Philadelphia, where they bought a three-bedroom, three-bath home, they're 'super happy' with. The Smeg toaster used to be a popular wedding gift Casey and David Gaddy are so happy in their new home and often have family over to stay Gaddy added: 'It's beautiful, we have extra room for my parents to come or the in-laws to come stay whenever they want, or my grandmother. 'And we have two cats and now we just added a beagle to the family and have extra room.' Gaddy also said that as a realtor, he's seen other young couples hopping on the trend. Some registries now offer options for guests to gift a couple cash under headings like 'Home Down Payment.' According to wedding website Zola, the percentage of couples adding at least one cash fund to their registry is now 87 percent. After purchasing a home, renovations and paying down debts were popular additions to registries. These choices are a reflection of how modern couples are thoughtfully planning for their economic future. The average wedding now costs a whopping $36,000, Zola reports, and the average home down payment is $55,000 reports real estate firm ATTOM. Casey and David Gaddy, from Pennsylvania, got married last year in Mexico The exterior of the Gaddy's Philadelphia home they bought with help from family and friends For first time home buyers, 60 percent are using at least two sources to come up with their down payment savings and gifts from family or friends. 'Society has really moved in that direction and generally people are very comfortable giving cash, especially when they know what it's going toward,' said Emily Forrest, a spokesperson for Zola. Financial experts say the request is a really good move. 'The value of the typical home in the U.S. right now is about $350,000. That means a couple would need to come up with $70,000 if they plan on putting 20 percent down,' says Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert. Pendleton says that a new analysis from Zillow Home Loans and The Knot finds the share of couples including 'home funds' as part of their wedding registry has increased 55 percent since 2018. 'Nearly 20 percent of all couples registered on The Knot are asking their guests to help them with the down payment on their first home,' she said. 'Affordability remains the number one challenge for aspiring first-time home buyers, and saving up for a down payment is one of the biggest hurdles. 'It now takes nearly 12 years for a typical first-time buyer to save up for a down payment, compared to nine years prior to the pandemic.' Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert talks home down payments Crowdsourcing funds in a wedding registry for a home can help newly married couples get a head start on homeownership Pendleton added: 'It's no wonder 38 percent of all mortgage buyers use either gifts or loans from family and friends to help fund their down payment. By crowdsourcing those funds in a wedding registry, newly married couples can get an even bigger head start.' Besides home ownership, opening joint bank accounts, figuring out how bills will be paid and tackling debt together are all things that need to be discussed before the wedding. Because even if guests do generously chip in, the costs don't stop there. A 2024 Bankrate study found the true cost of owning a single-family home excluding the mortgage is $18,118 per year, thanks to property taxes, insurance, repairs and utility bills. Pendleton says asking for cash on your registry for all of the above is smart. But she advises there's a polite way to ask. 'Couples shouldn't feel ashamed to request cash contributions for a down payment,' she said. 'Most close friends and family members want their wedding gift to be a meaningful contribution to the couple's future and nothing is more meaningful than helping them with their first home. 'Using a registry platform with a "home fund" option helps normalize the ask. And it's important to make it personal. Tell your guests what the dream of homeownership represents to you as a couple, and how this gift will help you achieve that dream.' She predicts even more couples will ask for down payment contributions in the future, saying people are getting married later in life and already have their blenders and silverware. 'What they truly need is a leg up in today's housing market,' she said. 'Down payment funds are ultimately the gift of long-term financial security and wealth building, and what couple wouldn't want that?' Once a postcard-perfect escape, California's Big Sur is now facing a harsh new reality... impassable roads, sky-high fire risk, and vanishing access to basic services. Now, even its most devoted residents are packing up and leaving some after more than 40 years. Among the recent sellers are Brigga Mosca, 70, and Reed Cripe, 82, who bought five acres of land overlooking the ocean for $70,000 in 1983. They built their dream home but have now decided to put it on the market for $3 million. 'It's harder for us to be here,' Mosca told the Wall Street Journal about the lack of road access and distance from basic amenities including a hospital. Big Sur's natural beauty is married to its remoteness, with only one two lane highway allowing access to Carmel-by-the-Sea to the north and the small towns outside Santa Barbara to it south. But parts of Highway 1 have been subject to natural disasters and crumbling infrastructure since it opened in 1937. For some of the area's 1,500 full-time residents the most recent disruptions which began in February last year have been a tipping point. The iconic Highway 1 road is the only road to pass through Big Sur A seven-mile stretch of the road near the community of Lucia was closed in February 2024 and isn't expected to open until the end of the summer. A large land slide near Rocky Creek Bridge in March last year also saw closures to through traffic and residents were only able to leave on designated convoys twice a day. Further to this many residents were alarmed by Cal Fire's recent upgrade of the area's wildfire risk to 'Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.' Like other areas of the Golden State, accessing adequate insurance for properties in Big Sur is becoming increasingly difficult. Big Sur has just shy of 900 properties and most sell for $3 million or more. There are 15 properties currently active on the market ranging in price from $1.8 million to $100 million. Realtor Hillary Lipman, owner of Big Sur Coast Properties, told DailyMail.com that issues with the highway and wildfires are certainly a driving factor for the amount of inventory on the market at the moment. 'We've had lots off difficulties with the highway being closed and fires,' Lipman, who has lived in the area for 40 years, explained. Pfeiffer Ridge is one property currently on the market for $4.5 million The five acre property features a pool with stunning views out to the ocean The purpose-built path takes you down to a guest cottage in the grounds 'Most business people are frustrated nothing can be done because of excessive regulations particularly when it comes to the coastal commission. 'They're not allowed to push the dirt into the ocean to get the highway open again [after a slide] it has to be trucked away, which could be more polluting.' Lipman also owns the only gas station on the Big Sur stretch of the Highway and the constant closures have hit business. Lipman said there is also a generational shift occurring, where older residents who have lived in the area for decades are looking to move closer to a city or town in order to be nearer family and medical facilities. Around 70 percent of the 15 homes currently listed or sold in the last year have been 'legacy properties' that haven't been on the market in decades. Other older residents are moving on after the death of a spouse. Merle Mullin's 43-acre oceanfront compound Bien Sur is currently on the market for $21.5 million. Mullin lived in the property with her husband, the insurance tycoon Peter Mullin, until his death in 2023. A large land slide near Rocky Creek Bridge in March last year Residents were only able to leave on designated convoys twice a day during the closure The area is characterized by stunning coastline and rugged landscape Many residents are fleeing the beautiful area over fears of road safety and wildfires 'What would I do by myself? It's so isolated,' she told the Journal. Lipman said there is a lot of inventory available at the moment and the market seems 'soft' but is confident it will pick back up. 'There are always people looking to buy in this magical area, and if you can't sell you still have a lovely property in Big Sur.' She instantly became a pop culture icon after bursting into the public eye as loudmouthed Page 3 girl, Jordan. Having tried her hand at modelling, singing, presenting, campaigning and reality TV, the glamour model quickly became a household name in Britain. Yet while Katie Price's moniker will ring a bell for both young and old, you would be forgiven for not recognising the star on sight alone, with Katie famously undergoing numerous cosmetic procedures over the years. After two decades in the spotlight, Katie is almost unrecognisable from the naturally pretty teenager who burst on to the modelling scene at the age of 16, with her natural curls and fresh-faced beauty winning her an army of fans. Katie, now 46, has undergone an array of procedures over the years, including rhinoplasty, a silhouette facelift, 3D, veneers, lip fillers and Botox, culminating in her first facelift in 2017. Now, after two decades under the surgeon's scalpel, MailOnline takes a look at the many faces of Katie Price. The many faces of Katie Price: MailOnline takes a look at the star's changing look after two decades of boob jobs, Botox and face lifts 1995 - Barefaced beauty At the age of 17, Katie Price was a fresh-faced natural beauty looking to make it into the world of glamour modelling. At a friend's suggestion, the teenager had professional photographs taken and was quickly snapped up by a modelling agency who landed her a Page 3 slot in The Sun newspaper the following year, sparking the creation of her glamour model alter ego, Jordan. Speaking last year, Katie revealed she was glad that she wasn't exposed to social media at the time as she had 'no idea what Botox was or fillers', otherwise she may have started her tweaks and enhancements at an even earlier age. 1995: At the age of 17, Katie Price was a fresh-faced natural beauty looking to make it into the world of glamour modelling 1998 - First boob job Having just turned 20, the rising glamour model experienced her first taste of cosmetic surgery, boosting her 32B cup breasts to a 32C. The procedure cost 4,500 and it's thought her mum Amy and stepdad Paul helped pay for her to have the procedure. Katie has since spoken out about her decision to go under the knife, admitting she was 'too young' and that she feels sorry for young girls growing up these days in a world of social media and filters. 1998: Having just turned 20, Katie experienced her first taste of cosmetic surgery, boosting her 32B cup breasts to a 32C 1999 - Second and third boob job Despite having only just increased her breast size, Katie opted to have two more procedures the following year at the age of 21. Katie boosted her bust from a C cup to a D cup and just a few months later went up again to a F cup. Katie has previously claimed that she has only paid for two of her boob jobs over the course of her career - it is not known if these were the ones. 1999: Despite having only just increased her breast size, Katie opted to have two more procedures at the age of 21 2001 - Lip fillers At the age of 21, Katie had her first cosmetic procedure on her face, opting for lip fillers. While the glamour model did not confirm the rumours at the time, she was seen sporting a noticeably fuller pout while out enjoying the party scene. Her overall look had also started drastically transforming, with the model sporting dramatic false lashes, bright lipstick and pale hair extensions. 2001: At the age of 21, Katie had her first cosmetic procedure on her face, opting for lip fillers 2004 - Botox Aged 26, Katie began to experiment with Botox injections that relax the muscles in your face to smooth out lines and wrinkles. She made no secret of her love of the procedure, announcing at the time: 'I get my forehead and around my eyes Botoxed every six months and I love it. You can't beat it. It just freezes all the wrinkles and that's what you want.' At the time, Katie insisted she would never take things further and have a facelift, explaining: 'I'd never have a full facelift. I've seen what they can do to people and I don't want to go through that.' 2004: Aged 26, Katie began to experiment with Botox injections that relax the muscles in your face to smooth out lines 2006 - Fourth boob job Katie went under the knife yet again to take her F cup breasts up to a G cup. The glamour model also played around with her overall look and embraced her dark side with a new brunette hairstyle. She also continued to dabble with fillers and Botox. 2006: Katie went under the knife yet again to take her F cup breasts up to a G cup 2007 - First nose job and veneers At the age of 29, Katie took her love of surgery to the next level, undergoing rhinoplasty, a chemical peel and treating herself to a 25,000 set of new veneers. 'Oh my God, it burned like hell!' she said at the time. 'The next day I had this hideous red rash on my chin but two days later there wasn't a single spot left.' Speaking about her nose job at the time, she admitted to liking her original nose, explaining: 'I liked my nose before and now. If I had a cupboard with both noses, I would alternate between them!' 2007:Katie took her love of surgery to the next level, undergoing rhinoplasty, a chemical peel and a 25,000 set of veneers 2008 - Fifth boob job Despite gradually increasingly her bust size over the year, Katie fancied a change on her 30th and brought her bra size back down from an F cup to a C cup. The procedure meant that Katie had returned to the size of her first boob job 10 years prior. Katie's changing shape also coincided with the launch of her first clothing line - an equestrian range. 2008: Despite gradually increasingly her bust size, Katie fancied a change and brought her bra size back down to a C cup 2011 - Sixth boob job Katie's smaller chest didn't last long, and at age 33 she went back under the knife again to boost her bust to an F cup. Katie also underwent body-contouring treatment and cheek and lip fillers. The Loose Women panelist admitted that she loved having her cheeks filled to give her a 'plumper, more youthful look'. 2011: Katie's smaller chest didn't last long, and at age 33 she went back under the knife again to boost her bust to an F cup 2015 - Seventh and eighth boob job Just before appearing on Celebrity Big Brother, the reality star had a botched boob reduction that left her with a hole in her breast and an implant protruding from her flesh. Katie told her shocked housemates: 'Ive got no tits anymore. Theyve gone. Theres not even anything there. If you saw what Im like underneath. The scars gone septic. My whole implant was hanging out on New Years Day.' Shortly after leaving the Big Brother house she underwent corrective surgery and had her implants swapped for a D-cup. 2015: Just before Celebrity Big Brother, the star had a botched boob reduction that left her with a hole in her breast 2016 - Ninth boob job and tattooed makeup Despite her surgery horror the year before, Katie was undeterred and flew to a Brussels clinic to go under the knife yet again, this time settling on a 32GG bust. The reality star also had her eyebrows and lips tattooed, also known as 'permanent make-up', explaining that she prefers to go make-up free on a day-to-day basis. Additionally the star has regular facial treatments, last year sharing a bloodied selfie after having a dermal roller micro-needling treatment, which sees a dermaroller with many tiny needles rolled across into the skin - designed to stimulate cells into regeneration. 2016: Despite her surgery horror the year before, Katie flew to a Brussels clinic to get another boob job, this time a 32GG cup 2017 - First face lift, new veneers and 10th boob job Despite insisting she would never have a face lift and could rely on Botox, Katie went back on her word undergoing a 'Silhouette' face lift. The procedure is designed to lift a sagging cheeks and blurred jawline, using 'sutures' implanted under the skin to sculpt features. However, Katie was soon spotted with puffy features, revealing that she suffered an allergic reaction to anesthetic penicillin after having further work on her veneers. She also had her breast implants reduced from 1000ml implants to 795ml. 2017: Despite insisting she would never have a face lift and could rely on Botox, Katie went back on her word 2018 - Second face lift Katie claimed her first face lift had been a botched job and went back under the knife the following year aged 40 to correct it. She said at the time 'I need to get my face re-corrected after surgeon has totally f**ked my face up', admitting it had He agent added: 'She had the thread and it really quite distorted her look. She got a lot of backlash, a lot of negative press, a lot of trolling, everyone saying shed taken it too far, when actually it was a job that had not gone to plan.' 2018: Katie claimed her first face lift had been a botched job and went back under the knife the following year aged 40 2019 - Third face lift, boob job first Brazilian bum lift and 11th boob job Katie jetted to Turkey to overhaul her entire look with a full body transformation. The reality star opted for a face, eye and eyelid lift, Brazilian bum lift along with a tummy tuck. Just three months later she returned to the clinic and opted for another boob job, going back down to a D cup. 2019: Katie jetted to Turkey to overhaul her look with a face, eye and eyelid lift, Brazilian bum lift along with a tummy tuck 2020 - 12th boob job and another set of veneers Katie returned to Turkey to have another set of veneers and revealed her real teeth had been reduced to stubs as she flashed a smile on her YouTube channel. The mother-of-five then jetted to Belgium to correct botched surgery on her breasts, saying her surgeon was utterly shocked by the 'awful' previous procedure. Katie said: 'They looked deformed, they were absolutely awful. That's the first time I've gone to a different surgeon. I had to go back to Frank with my head down, ashamed that I'd been to another clinic.' 2020: Katie returned to Turkey to have another set of veneers then jetted to Belgium to correct a botched boob job 2021 - Liposuction, eye and lid lifts and 13th boob job Amid the Covid pandemic, Katie jetted off to then red-list Turkey for a complete cosmetic surgery overhaul, undergoing full body liposuction, eye and lip lifts, liposuction under her chin, and fat injected into her bum. The reality star also visited Belgium to have her 13th boob job as well as full body liposuction with bum fat removal. The plastic surgery - performed by Dr Frank Plovier - came just five days ahead of the glamour model's sentencing for her shocking drink-drive crash. 2021: Katie jetted to Turkey for a complete cosmetic surgery overhaul, undergoing full body liposuction, eye and lip lifts 2022 - Another brow and eye lift Katie secretly jetted back to Belgium at the beginning of 2022 for an eye and brow lift and had been concealing her new look with her head in a bandage. Dr Judy Todd, an aesthetic doctor at Clinica Medica in Glasgow, said: 'It appears like she's had a face lift, temporal brow lift, and possibly an upper blepharoplasty.' It was reported last month that Katie plans to travel to Turkey imminently for yet more plastic surgery, amid claims she wanted to get some tweaks in after being unhappy with her latest work. Sian Dellar, Brow Specialist and Founder of Sian Dellar Permanent Makeup Clinic, added: 'Katie's eyebrows, like the rest of her, have changed lots over the years! 'Back in the 90s she had a very thin over plucked brow which was the fashion at the time, and today she has an extremely thick and unnatural looking brow. 'Currently it seems the face or eye lift that shes had have pulled her brows outward which looks unnatural and makes the brows appear almost stretched. 'Of course, as with any enhancement, its personal preference but we recommend not going too many shades darker, and keeping the shape as natural looking as possible and work to create or enhance brows to frame the face. 'Katies choice to have them so thick and dark and in that unusual positioning means they dominate her face and are the first thing the eye is drawn to. I would love to see Katie take her brows back to 2015/2016 when the fuller brow became a big trend. She got it right then and they framed her face well.' 2022: Katie secretly jetted back to Belgium for an eye and brow lift and is planning to to travel to Turkey for more surgery 2023 - 16th and 'biggest ever' boob job It's not clear if Katie lost track of the number of breast augmentations or opted to keep some of her surgery private but by 2023 it emerged she'd undergone her 16th boob job, two years after claiming to be on her 13th. The star went under the knife in a bid to have the 'biggest in Britain' and was subsequently pictured being wheeled into surgery at the Be Clinic in Belgium. She is said to have wanted even bigger breasts, opting for 2120 CC implants in a bid to boost her already large bust size. Katie told OK! magazine of her boobs: 'I love them. They healed really quickly and they didn't hurt at all. That probably doesn't help. Because I heal quickly, it doesn't put me off and I have more. 'I would go bigger as well and I will eventually. I just love having big boobs and a small body. I've always loved that look. In my eyes, if I'm having a boob job, I want them to look fake, I don't want them to look natural. I don't like the natural look. 'I just like that old-school American Playboy pin-up look. When I have surgery, that is what I'm striving for. If I could look like my airbrushed pictures, that would be amazing. But that's impossible to achieve.' 2023: It's not clear if Katie lost track of the number of breast augmentations or opted to keep some of her surgery private but by 2023 it emerged she'd undergone her 16th boob job, two years after claiming to be on her 13th 2024 - MORE facial surgery In July 2024 Katie confirmed she is travelling to Turkey for facial surgery, to be filmed for a new documentary, after failing to attend a bankruptcy hearing. The former glamour model was absent at a scheduled 760,000 bankruptcy court hearing having flown overseas for her latest cosmetic procedure. A warrant was subsequently issued, with Katie admitting she's 'doing the best she can' to rectify her financial issues after receiving 'very clear warnings' that she needed to attend court. Whether its 'snookums', 'cutie patootie' or 'babycakes', many couples have pet names they call each other behind closed doors. But three nicknames could mean your relationship is doomed to fail, an expert has warned. While some monikers convey warmth, reassurance and affection, others can act as 'emotional wallpaper'. Dr Mark Travers, an American psychologist with degrees from Cornell University and the University of Colorado Boulder, has revealed the names that should be ringing alarm bells. BABY/BABE 'Being called "baby" or "babe" early on in a relationship can feel comforting, but that sense of warmth can be misleading,' he wrote on Psychology Today. He warned pet names like this can simulate intimacy before it's truly earned. 'Affectionate language triggers oxytocin, the brain's bonding hormone, which makes us feel emotionally close even in the absence of trust or consistency. You may start to feel attached to someone who's never actually shown you their emotional world,' he said. Being called 'baby' or 'babe' early on in a relationship can feel comforting, but that sense of warmth can be misleading. Pictured: The moment Pamela Anderson's character says 'Don't call me babe!' in the 1996 film Barb Wire SWEETHEART The nickname 'sweetheart' could also be used as a way to dismiss your worries rather than dealing with them, he explained. 'Instead of engaging with your concerns, a partner might respond with: "You overthink everything, sweetheart. Don't worry that pretty head of yours,"' he said. 'These responses may sound affectionate, but they can make you feel like you're overreacting for even bringing something up. 'Essentially, they minimize your emotions and shift the focus away from the issue at hand.' This is a form of 'emotional infantilisation', he added treating you as if you're too irrational or too fragile to be taken seriously. Previous studies have found that this kind of infantilisation especially in conjunction with affectionate language was the strongest predictor of negative mental health outcomes. He suggested asking yourself if nicknames show up most when you express discomfort or your needs or if affection is being used to avoid real emotional work. The nickname 'sweetheart' could also be used as a way to dismiss your worries rather than dealing with them, he explained (stock image) ANGEL Pet names can sometimes be used to deflect the real issue rather than resolve it, Dr Travers said. 'After a conflict, instead of addressing the issue, there might be a flood of endearments,' he said. For example, 'Angel, don't be mad'. 'These words may sound sweet, but they often act as emotional distractions, soothing the partner's discomfort rather than engaging with real underlying problems,' he explained. 'This is also called emotional appeasementusing affection to avoid emotional responsibility.' He warned that while pet names may provide temporary emotional relief, they can 'sidestep the deeper work required to build genuine intimacy'. However, he added: 'Not all pet names are manipulative. 'In fact, in emotionally healthy relationships, they often reflect genuine affection and tenderness and can even help de-escalate tension. 'The key difference lies in intention and timing.' The uncle of Outkast member Big Boi has been fatally shot in a road-rage incident in Atlanta. Remoin Patton, 62, was found dead shortly after 5.30pm on June 16, the Atlanta Police Department said. Two people have been arrested in connection with the killing, detectives announced Friday. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Fatality: The Outkast member Big Boi (L) suffered a family tragedy when his uncle was shot and killed in a road-rage incident in Atlanta; pictured with Andre 3000 (R) in 2015 in Atlanta Shot dead: Remoin Patton, 62, the uncle of the 50-year-old rapper was found dead by officers on June 16, shortly after 5.30pm, according to the Atlanta Police Department Patton is the uncle of the 50-year-old rapper - real name Antwan Andre Patton - who is responsible for founding hip-hop duo Outkast, along with Andre 3000. According to police, Patton had been behind the wheel and was attempting to make a turn when he got into a verbal argument with the occupants of another vehicle. 'During the altercation, the victim was shot, causing him to crash his vehicle into a vacant residence,' the APD said. Patton was later found by officers with a gunshot wound to the back, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. 'The car just turned and crashed into the house. Actually the double windows were right here,' Chris Walker, who was housesitting the property for its landlord, told WSBTV. 'Im like, "What the heck happened to my place that Im staying now?"' Walker continued. 'I never thought it would be this property.' Footage from the station shows that Patton appears to have hit a support post on the home's covered porch and crashed through a section of its front wall, which was later covered with a tarp. Police announced Friday that a suspected gunman had been arrested as part of its investigation. Jabyrion Crumbley, 18, was said to have been joined by his attorney when he turned himself in to police on Wednesday, July 2, at the Fulton County Jail, where he was booked. Crumbley has been charged with murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Fatal clash: Patton was driving when he got into a verbal argument with those in another vehicle. 'During the altercation, the victim was shot, causing him to crash his vehicle into a vacant residence,' the APD said Scene: The house into which Patton's car crashed after the incident. A tarp is pictured over the point of impact Accused: Jabyrion Crumbley (L), 18, was booked for murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Janisha Crumbley (R) was charged with hindering the apprehension of a felon 'Heart aches': Big Boi said in a statement to WSBTV that a 'moment of rage has totally pierced the heart of my family forever' Tribute post: He shared numerous photos and video of his uncle Remoin, writing, 'Long Live Uncle Moonie .Miss ya UNC To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord' Award winners: Big Boi and Andre 3000 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year under their Outkast moniker; pictured together in 2004 According to jail records viewed by DailyMail.com, Crumbley remains in jail without bail as of Friday. Police had previously arrested 32-year-old Janisha Crumbley on June 20, during a traffic stop. She was charged with hindering the apprehension of a felon. According to jail records, she was booked on June 21 and released on a $30,000 surety bond the following day. 'Everybody who knows Uncle Moonie heart aches,' Big Boi said in a statement to WSBTV on Thursday. 'He wasnt just "My" Uncle, he was Unk to all that met him. A moment of rage has totally pierced the heart of my family forever,' he continued. 'May Uncle Moonies soul rest in peace.' In a tribute post shared the same day on Instagram, he shared numerous photos and video of his uncle Remoin, writing: 'Long Live Uncle Moonie .Miss ya UNC To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.' Big Boi and Andre 3000 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year under their Outkast moniker. The group hasn't released an album since 2006, though both have released multiple solo albums in the ensuing years. A mysterious interstellar object hurtling through the solar system has been caught on camera for the first time. First spotted by NASA on July 1, scientists from around the world have now confirmed that this unexpected visitor has travelled through space from a distant star. Officially titled 3I/ATLAS, the rare interloper is 12 miles (20km) long and hurtling towards the sun at 135,000 miles per hour. First snap: The European Space Agency has captured the first video of the interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS which is currently hurtling through our solar system Now, using a powerful telescope in Hawaii, the European Space Agency (ESA) has captured the first video of 3I/ATLAS as it journeys through space. The short video shows that the object is extremely bright, which means it is either many times larger than any other interstellar object or has another source of illumination. Most experts agree that this extra illumination is caused by the fact that 3I/ATLAS is an active comet, producing a glowing 'coma' of ice and gas as it approaches the sun. However, one Harvard professor claims that the light might not be able to be explained by natural means. Professor Avi Loeb, a physicist at Harvard University, told MailOnline: 'If it is not a comet, then its large brightness would be a big surprise and potentially signal a non-natural origin, perhaps from artificial light.' The route: NASA predicts that 3I/ATLAS will reach its closest point to the sun on October 30, at a distance of 130 million miles (210 million km) - passing just within the orbit of Mars 3I/ATLAS was detected as a faint speck of light by NASA's Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope. Since then, professional and amateur astronomers around the world have scrambled to gather more data. Scientists quickly combed older data to find observations of the object that had previously been missed, in a process called precovery. Combining these with hundreds of new observations, scientists were able to officially confirm that 3I/ATLAS is an interstellar object. Currently 420 million miles (670 million kilometres) away from Earth, 3I/ATLAS's trajectory and incredible speed mean it must be passing through our solar system after being ejected by its own star. NASA predicts that it will reach its closest point to the sun on October 30, at a distance of 130 million miles (210 million km) - passing just within the orbit of Mars. Thankfully, the object poses no threat to Earth and will pass harmlessly at around 150 million miles (240 million km) away at its closest point. This is only the third time that scientists have managed to spot an interstellar object passing through the solar system. Friend or foe? Harvard physicist Avi Loeb said the object's intense brightness could be the result of artificial lights, indicating that of an alien craft The first interstellar object was Oumuamua in 2017, followed by Borisov in 2019. When Oumuamua was first detected, certain irregularities in its spin and velocity prompted Professor Loeb and his co-author, Dr Shmuel Bialy, to suggest that it could be alien in origin. Professor Loeb said: 'Oumuamua exhibited a large non-gravitational acceleration which was anomalous given its lack of evaporation.' Similarly, Professor Loeb now suggests that 3I/ATLAS could be a similar type of alien craft. While experts say there is no evidence to support this idea, some researchers say we can't rule out the possibility just yet. Professor Michael Garrett, Director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics said: 'More observations are definitely needed.' Asked whether the object could be an alien craft, Professor Garret responded: 'Who knows - it could be - thats why it will be important to make as many different measurements as possible to test all hypotheses. 'Its unlikely that it is, but that doesnt mean to say we shouldnt check. We dont know much about these interstellar objects, so we learn more each time we encounter one.' The first: In 2017, an interstellar object named Oumuamua passed through the solar system The truth: NASA and ESA have now confirmed that 3I/ATLAS is a comet due to the presence of a cloud of dust and gases called a coma However, Professor Garret added that there is currently no evidence the object is alien in nature, and it is more likely to be 'an icy body that has escaped from another planetary system and wandered by the solar system by chance'. Currently, the overwhelming majority of evidence points to the fact that 3I/ATLAS is a comet. This is because astronomers have spotted a nebulous envelope of gas and dust known as a coma surrounding the object as it is heated by the sun. Based on these observations, both NASA and ESA are now confident enough to confirm that 3I/ATLAS is an interstellar comet. Dr Mark Norris, an astronomer from the University Of Central Lancashire, said: 'If there's a coma, it by definition is a comet, because this means that it is outgassing. 'This thing is still quite far from the sun, so you can expect, therefore, as it gets closer, you should get a bigger cloud of material; and that should become clear as we get more observations going forward.' However, by the time the comet reaches its closest point to the Earth, it will be hidden behind the sun, so astronomers will need to wait until it reemerges in December to catch the best observations. Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more As deputy travel editor of MailOnline, you would think I'd have learnt to pack light by now. And it does become easier to cut down what you take when you only have hand luggage on an easyJet flight. But I do love my clothes - and can't exactly wear a bikini and beach dress in a fancy restaurant or on the plane. I ended up wearing five different outfits across two days, when I spent a weekend at the Grand Hotel Brioni Pula, in Croatia, recently - including a two-piece I rented with a Hirestreet subscription. Aside from the summer clothes, I packed my list of essentials I take on every trip - as well as my Mermade Double Waver to give myself naturally-looking beach waves in the 34 degree heat. And I stuffed my clear travel pouch full with as many 100ml liquids as I possibly could - so I could stick to my regular makeup and skincare routine. But that's not all. From multiple space-saving gadgets that double up as two items, to the travel accessories I can't live without, here's what I chucked into my hand luggage for Pula... NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed hope for US "flexibility" so that Ukraine has resources for self-defense, Bloomberg reports. He said that the US should be convinced of its reserves, but at the same time know that Ukraine is also capable of moving forward. "The US has to make sure that the stockpiles are at the level we need for the US to have, because they are crucial for our collective defense," Rutte told reporters on Friday. "At the same time, of course, we hope for the flexibility, we have to make sure also that Ukraine can move forward." In its heyday, Pleasure Island, in Cleethorpes, saw hundreds of thousands of adrenaline-junkies walk through its gates every year. But it's been surrounded by overgrown greenery rather than overgrown kids since shutting up shop in 2016, after 23 years. Pleasure Island was split into six areas - Africa, Morocco, Old England, Spain, Kiddies Kingdom, and White Knuckle Valley - and had plenty of thrillseeking rides, including Alakazam, Terror Rack and Gravitron. The rides were sold in October 2018, but the majority of the buildings still remain intact to this day, including the park entrance, dodgems building and the children's show area. Back in 2022, a 65 million proposal was put forward to turn the abandoned theme park into a huge holiday resort including more than 270 lodges, two hotels, a drive-through coffee-shop, restaurants, a casino and supermarket The ambitious plans have been estimated to bring in around 17 million per year once complete. But, since September 2024, the North East Lincolnshire Council has said the proposal is 'pending consideration' - having had pushback from organisations including the Environment Agency and Natural England. Now, eerie images show how the once-popular theme park has been left to decay - with just the painted walls of broken buildings remaining... Slide me LEFT: In its heyday, Pleasure Island, in Cleethorpes, saw hundreds of thousands of adrenaline-junkies walk through its gates every year. RIGHT: But it's been surrounded by overgrown greenery rather than overgrown kids since shutting up shop in 2016, after 23 years Slide me LEFT: Pleasure Island was split into six areas - Africa, Morocco, Old England, Spain, Kiddies Kingdom, and White Knuckle Valley. RIGHT: The rides were sold in October 2018, but the majority of the buildings still remain intact to this day Slide me LEFT: Pleasure Island in its heyday. RIGHT: Eerie images show how the once-popular theme park has been left to decay - with just the painted walls of broken buildings remaining Slide me LEFT: Pleasure Island had plenty of thrillseeking rides, including Alakazam. RIGHT: The abandoned dodgems building in present day Slide me LEFT: Gravitron was one of the many rides at Pleasure Island. RIGHT: The inside of the carousel building, one of the many abandoned buildings in Pleasure Island now One of the rides at Pleasure Island was Tinkaboo's Sweet Adventure - and this is what it looks like now Tinkaboo's Sweet Adventure was a boat ride through Tommy Tinkaboo's Sweet Factory The theme park's ghost ride, called Shrieksville was gutted in 2020, after three separate attempts to sell the ride at two auctions in 2018 The walls of the former ghost ride are in good condition - and still creepily painted Even the tracks for Shrieksville are still visible in pictures The haunted house staple of a sign reading 'Abandon Hope' is also seen in pictures The ride took brave guests on a track through a creepy haunted house Broken fruit machines can still be seen, stood in the theme park's old arcade This is what the Africa area looks like today An American woman who grew up next to the Twin Towers in New York, and was just five when 9/11 happened, says she was forced to 'face her own biases' head on during an unexpected trip to Iraq and details the extraordinary measures she took to protect her personal safety. Producer Molly McDonald, 29, was covering an 'England to Everest' charity trek for Blue Door Productions alongside ex-Royal Marine and explorer Mitch Hutchcraft when the group had to be diverted through Iraq instead of Iran over security fears. As 'a Western woman with a US accent' in the Middle Eastern country, Molly, who grew up in Battery Park in Manhattan, says she was anxious about her safety ahead of crossing the border into Iraqi Kurdistan. As the only woman in her group and with the UK Foreign Office strongly advising against travel there, Molly's family tried to persuade her to abandon the trip. However, the journalist, who's visited more than 60 countries, says she was determined to proceed and began putting in place a series of security measures designed to keep her safe as her group went from north to south on Iraq's eastern flank. Speaking to MailOnline, Molly says she forged a marriage certificate and wore a wedding ring despite not being married as she arrived in Erbil, which is the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. Perceptions of lone women travelling with men in the Middle Eastern country is that they are sex workers, she explains, saying she planned for the 'worst case scenarios' and put things in place to prevent them. Molly also created a cover story for herself, asking an older woman named Jacqui, who had lived in Iraq but fled to Britain when the ISIS conflict broke out in 2014, to accompany her, with the pair pretending they were related. New Yorker Molly McDonald, 29, admitted there was 'fear and trepidation' when she heard that a charity expedition she was part of was going to unexpectedly divert to Iraq Molly, who is Irish American, and grew up close to the Twin Towers - and was just five when they fell on 9/11. She travelled on her Irish passport for fear of being prejudged during the trip to Iraqi Kurdistan She says: 'I was definitely apprehensive ahead of the trip, particularly when it came to more rural areas [of Iraq] where more minority extremist groups exist. 'As a woman when you do these missions abroad, there's always another layer that you think about - certainly when you're reaching countries that have different customs and belief systems about a woman's role in society'. The trip also proved a huge moment for Jacqui, who was returning after fleeing nine years ago. Jacqui had lived and worked in the country as a social responsibility consultant for five years, and had run aid programmes for those who'd been displaced from their homes between Erbil and the city of Dohuk in 2014. Molly says: 'She also had a lot of fear and trepidation, prepping me for what might happen including the customs of a younger woman travelling alone in a group of men and how that's perceived, which isn't always positively.' An Irish American, Molly also entered the country with her Irish passport so she wouldn't be identified as a US citizen. She tells MailOnline that, as a child who'd witnessed the aftermath of the September 11th terror attacks, she entered Iraq with her own prejudices. 'I grew up a couple of blocks from the site of 9/11, so I too had a lot of biases', saying even with her broad-horizons career making documentaries, it still wasn't entirely possible to put to one side the feelings about Iraq that she'd grown up with. However, there was one moment that changed everything - actually getting on Iraqi Kurdistani soil. After security concerns diverted the group from Iran to northern Iraq - the region of Iraqi Kurdistan, the producer took some extraordinary steps to keep herself safe, including forging a marriage certificate to carry with her and wearing a wedding ring despite not being married One woman travelling with a group of men in Iraq are often perceived to be sex workers - during the trip Molly asked a fixer known as Jacqui to pretend to be an older female relative Molly engaged with female soldiers in the Peshmerga army, who once fought against IS to protect their region of Northern Iraq The mostly self-governed Kurdistani region has spectacular rural landscapes - although industry has often infiltrated them The group met a general major in the Peshmerga army, who told them they don't want to fight, only to protect their land and the environment The region's army has enlisted female soldiers since the 70s, with one telling Molly: 'We are all Peshmerga, we love our country, we love our land so we selected this way of life.' 'When we walked through the doors on landing, everything disappeared. My fears went away.' During the days that followed, she says she was able to have 'honest, open conversations with people from all walks of life' including a sheik, an activist veterinarian and Yazidi people, who were once the target of genocide by ISIS. In her ensuing YouTube video entitled 'The reality of Iraq changed me' which documents some of their journey, Molly and her colleagues meet a general major from the region's Peshmerga army, which protects the environment when not in military action has enlisted female soldiers since the 1970s. The Peshmerga fought against IS and managed to protect their region of Northern Iraq being overthrown. In the video, female soldiers tell Molly when she asks if it's difficult to recruit women: 'We are all Peshmerga, we love our country, we love our land so we selected this way of life.' Molly says: 'In my conversation with them, they talked about how fighting is not their first choice, they fight to protect and when it is absolutely necessary but they are not a fighting people'. Molly says growing up in New York, close to where the Twin Towers came down, meant she was very aware that she was arriving in Iraq with preconceived notions (Molly pictured on New York's Hudson River as a child) A culinary welcome: Friendships were quickly formed over meals, says Molly, who said her party was greeted with 'food and tea' wherever they went The initial fears over safety proved unfounded, with Molly feeling safe throughout - and now hoping for a return visit with family and friends Sights: a view of Shanidar cave, one of the stops on Molly's journey through Iraqi Kurdistan So impressed was Molly by her time in Iraqi Kurdistan, she says she now can't wait to take her partner and family members to the country to explore it more. 'Just a few weeks ago, I was back home at my grandparents' house in Ireland - they're in their 90s. To be able to show them our YouTube video, it was really moving for them. 'To have perceptions changed, to have more open mindedness on what the realities of that part of the world are for them to say "I wish I had the chance to go there myself"'. She says the whole trip, in spite of her initial fears were eventually defined by 'warmth and hospitality', saying that the friendliness even surpassed 'that of Ireland'. Food and tea proved the leveller for Molly and her peers, she says, with it offered to them 'in abundance' during their travels. And while Molly dressed modestly, she discovered that in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, she didn't have to wear a headscarf and the 'precautions that we had and were prepared for weren't needed'. Having open conversations about her own heritage saw her greeted with exclamations of 'We love New York, we can't wait to go there!'. UNESCO World Heritage Site Lalish temple, which dates back 4,000 years, in the city of Erbil The sunsets and sunrises, particularly in rural areas such as the Rawanduz Canyon were spectacular, says Molly The landscapes of the country were also thrilling, says Molly, describing beautiful sunrises and amazing ancient ruins without the crowds that you might ordinarily get. Molly says her favourite place she visited was the striking Holy Yazidi site of Lalish Temple, which is located in the country's Nineveh Plains and dates back 4,000 years. Other highlights included the Erbil citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the colourful Qaysari Bazaar and the Jalil Khayat Mosque. As their adventure continued, the group also took time to stop and visit some of Iraqi Kurdistan's other tourist attractions, including Rawanduz Canyon, Bekhal Waterfall and Shanidar Cave. She adds: 'There were striking valleys and hillscapes where you see these oil plants centred in the middle. It was a fascinating sight to see the chimneys bursting with flames in whatever would otherwise be an untouched rural landscape.' Iraq remains off the mainstream tourism map but Molly says she'll be back as soon as she can - and that the trip upturned any preconceived ideas she had about the country, reminding her that that's the beauty of travel. 'There's a big lesson there, in just being open-minded. If you don't put yourself out there, how do you know what the truth is? Go and find it for yourself.' After enduring a lifetime of cold and gloomy British winters, Sally Boole and her husband Martin decided that they'd had enough. During a chance conversation with Sally's parents, they were told about a sunny solution that seemed almost too good to be true - and acted fast. The couple, from Castle Donington, Derbyshire, packed their bags and headed to Mussomeli, a stunning medieval town in the heart of Sicily that has grabbed headlines around the world with its unique scheme that gives visitors a chance to buy a home there for just 1 Euro, or 86 pence - less than it costs to buy an espresso in one of its many rustic cafes. Within days of arriving, they had viewed 15 abandoned homes and agreed that there was one that could be their perfect winter bolthole in the Sicilian sun. Sally, 54, told the Mail: 'We always wanted a home in Italy and had been on holiday to Sicily in the past. My parents told us about the 1 Euro scheme as we were always complaining about the British winter and how we wanted to escape it. 'It sounded too good to be true, so we thought let's go there and look into this. 'We fell in love with Mussomeli and the Sicilian culture, but more than anything, we realised that our dream of being out of Britain during the winter months could become a reality.' Since completing the purchase of their three-storey abandoned property in July 2024 the couple have been travelling to Mussomeli to renovate it themselves. Most of the work is being carried out by Martin, 56, a plumber who is also something of a DIY expert. They expect to finish within the next two years by which time their Sicilian home, located in the heart of Mussomeli's historic quarter, will be made up of two en-suite bedrooms, an open plan living area and a state-of-the art kitchen. Derbyshire couple Sally Boole, 54, and her husband Martin, 56, outside the house in Mussomeli, Sicily, that they bought for only 1 euro The couple headed to the medieval town that has grabbed headlines with its scheme that allows visitors to buy a home for less than the cost of an espresso in one of its rustic cafes While the house is definitely a doer-upper, Sally and Martin are doing the renovation work themselves The house is in need of a makeover which Martin and Sally estimate will cost around 30,000 Most of the work is being carried out by Martin, 56, a plumber who is also something of a DIY expert Martin, right, expects to complete the renovation work within the next two years When finished, their Sicilian home, located in the heart of Mussomeli's historic quarter, will be made up of two en-suite bedrooms, an open plan living area and a state-of-the art kitchen Sally, who works as a project manager for a property company, said: 'I can work remotely, and my husband's work is seasonal, so we don't need to be in Britain during the winter. Our plan is to live in Mussomeli from October to February, it won't be our permanent home.' But as the Booles and others interested in the scheme are informed from the outset, there is more to buying a slice of 'La Dolce Vita' in the Sicilian sun than just handing over 1 Euro. The couple paid close to 3,000 in legal and administration fees while the renovation will cost them around 30,000. They also had to pay all the back taxes owed on the property which were almost 700. It means that by the time they finish, the price they pay for their winter home will come in at around 33,700 plus 1 Euro, of course. Sally said: 'Even if we fail, at the end of the day it won't be the end of the world. It's a gamble worth taking.' Located 60 miles south of Palermo, Mussomeli is one of many rural towns in Italy that are selling off vacant homes for 1 Euro. The scheme, known as 'Case a 1 Euro' (Home for 1 Euro) started in 2008 when the local authority of Salemi, in the west of Sicily, started selling dilapidated homes for that amount to revive the community and regenerate its centre. In recent years many of Italy's most remote and prettiest towns and villages have virtually been abandoned as younger people move to the cities or abroad. Overall, the country has one of the oldest populations in Europe because of a plummeting birth rate and an exodus of young Italians emigrating in search of work. Mussomeli once had a population of close to 20,000 but over the years, following large scale emigration, this dwindled to less than 10,000 leaving its historic centre a virtual ghost town, made up of elderly residents living amongst abandoned homes and properties. Inspired by the success of how the scheme revived Salemi's fortunes, Mussomeli adopted it in 2017 as other towns and villages across Italy followed suit. It is now in operation across 25 locations around the country ranging from rural municipalities in Bologna, Campania and Abruzzo, east of Rome. Virtually all the properties in the 1 Euro scheme are owned by those who inherited them following the death of elderly parents or relatives. But having a second home means paying high property taxes in Italy and with rural homes not selling for much, it is cheaper to leave them empty and list them with an estate agent for 1 Euro. Sicily is the hotbed of the 1 Euro scheme with six towns taking part of which, Mussomeli has become the most successful as visitors from around the world descend to snap up bargain properties in the hope of making their dream of a new life reality. Antonella Zaffuto, who works for an estate agent in Mussomeli that specialises in the scheme, said: 'A lot of people are attracted to the very low price, but we make it clear that this is not what the property will end up costing you.' Ms Zaffuto, who was born in Woking but returned to live in the town where her parents originated from mainly deals with customers from Britain and other English-speaking countries. She added: 'A lot of Brits don't want to live here permanently, they just want to escape the British winter. We also work with other nationalities, many of whom want to move to Italy full time but my advice to everybody is that they should do their research before going ahead with this.' To finalise any sale, buyers have to pay 3,000 in legal and administration costs. This includes notary fees; certificates required by the local authority and agency fees. The cost of renovating a property will depend on the state it is in and what the new owner requires but according to Ms Zaffuto, this can range from 10,000 for a more modest project to anything up to 50,000. All outstanding property taxes also have to be settled. Shawna Williams from Alaska, who also bought a house through the 1 Euro scheme, said: 'Work is still continuing on my house, but it should be finished soon. I absolutely love it here, the views are amazing, and I feel as if I have found a new family' Inside another of of the 1 euro homes for sale in the historic town of Mussomeli in Sicily Many of the ultra-discounted homes are perfectly structurally sound and just need modernising The historic town of Mussomeli in Sicily where you can buy a house for 1 Euro - or around 86p One of her most recent clients is Nicky Cook from Coventry. The project manager wanted a fresh start following a messy break up from her long-term partner and visited Mussomeli in May after finding out about the 1 Euro scheme on social media. She chose a two-story abandoned home within two days of arriving and is set to take possession in September when renovation work will begin. This is estimated at 10,000 meaning the final price for her 1 Euro home will be around 13,000. She said: 'I needed to make major changes to my life and escape Britain because things became hard for me. I had a very traumatic breakup with my long-term partner, was sick of the daily commute and the British winter. 'This will be the perfect escape for me because the renovation will occupy my mind and be the start of a new life. I love the Sicilian culture and being in a warm climate. And it's not a huge investment so what's there not to like?' Each town has its own rules when it comes to the scheme and there are also several stipulations placed on buyers which are strictly enforced. In Mussomeli, for example, a detailed project proposal outlining the renovation must be submitted to the local authority within a year of the purchase. Work must start within two months of a building permit being issued and completed within three years. The facade of the property must also keep in line with other historic buildings in the area and the colour used to paint it must be approved, but you can do whatever you like with the interior. Buyers must also put down a 5,000 Euros deposit (4,300) with the local authority and stand to lose it if the work is not completed within three years. Some other local authorities demand double this amount. On a typically hot Sicilian morning, Ms Zaffuto took the Mail on a tour of the 1 Euro homes available in Mussomeli. Clutching a large set of keys, she forcefully pushed open a shabby wooden door to a two bedroom home filled with debris and dust that had broken windows offering a stunning view of surrounding sun-drenched hills and a medieval castle atop a rocky outcrop which lies on the edge of the town. A local estate agent who showed the Mail around some of the area's 1 Euro homes Nicky Cook from Coventry, right, wanted a fresh start following a break-up from her long-term partner and visited Mussomeli in May after finding out about the 1 Euro scheme on social media The house, left empty for more than ten years, was previously owned by a local man who inherited it but did not want to live there. Ms Zaffuto added: 'All the homes in the scheme have owners who don't want them and it's more affordable to leave them empty. There are a lot of regulations and the final cost might be up to 50,000 but that's still a bargain compared to what you might pay in the UK. You get to be part of a wonderful, safe community and have a fantastic life enjoying true Sicilian culture. 'Only one owner has ever asked for their 1 Euro and he said he wanted to make it to make it into a pendant to wear it around his neck.' For British owners, there is also the added complication of coming from outside the EU. This means that you pay higher property taxes than locals and can only spend 180 days per year at your Italian house but no more than 90 days consecutively. To live more regularly or permanently, Brits and others from non-EU countries would have to apply for Italian residency or try and secure an EU passport. Ms Cook said: 'My plan is to live in Sicily permanently one day but the only way I can do that is to have an EU passport. Luckily, I'm of Irish heritage so I'm going to try and get an Irish passport.' One of the many quaint, sun-kissed streets that run through Mussomeli in Sicily The town instituted the 1 Euro house scheme as a way to try and arrest a declining population Zachary Debottis from New York has bought a house in Mussomeli recently and is looking forward to renovating his home The town is located in the heart of the beautiful Sicilian landscape Since adopting the scheme, officials in Mussomeli claim that 500 homes have been sold for 1 Euro and that it has bought enormous benefits including attracting 18 different nationalities to the town, most of them made up of Americans and Argentinians. Shawna Williams from Alaska said: 'Work is still continuing on my house, but it should be finished soon. I absolutely love it here, the views are amazing, and I feel as if I have found a new family. But sadly, I can't live here permanently so have to go back to Alaska soon.' Giuseppe Catania, the mayor of Mussomeli claimed that the scheme has generated a staggering 70million for the local economy. He said: 'The 1 Euro scheme has been the best thing that's happened to our town and bought huge financial, cultural and social rewards. People who have bought homes here are spending a lot of money locally and have also raised Mussomeli's profile. 'We want more people to come from all over the world and buy homes here because it wasn't that long ago that our town was dying. Now it is full of interesting people and life.' Brits love getting out and exploring this green and pleasant land and now the best walks to take across the nation has been named. There are incredible routes to be found in England, Scotland and Wales with a popular West Country destination coming out as the overall winner. The research saw consumer group Which? Pick more than 50 walks that could be easily trekked in a day no more than 13 miles (20km). It then asked its members to rank them on everything from the scenery along the route, the food and drink opportunities along the way, and peace and quiet. Theres also an ease of walking category that judges how difficult they are to hike. The Lizard peninsula circuit, in southern Cornwall, is named the best walk in the UK, with a total score of 87 per cent. The seven-mile route usually takes around three hours from the village of Lizard, and is described by Which? as the place to head for a blow-away-the-cobwebs walk. Visitors told us they appreciated the dramatic scenery, the abundance of wildflowers and the possibility of spotting a red-legged chough or bobbing seals and basking sharks in the tumbling waves, it adds. Brits love getting out and exploring this green and pleasant land and now the best walks to take across the nation have been named The Lizard peninsula circuit, in southern Cornwall, has been named the best walk in the UK by Which?, with a total score of 87 per cent The best walk in Wales, which also scored 87 per cent and is another coastal course, is the Rhossili headland walk Your browser does not support iframes. The best walk in Wales, which also scored 87 per cent and is another coastal course, is the Rhossili headland walk. The Gower Peninsula loop, with a difficulty rating of two out of five across its 3.5 miles, takes in a long sweep of Rhossili beach and views of Worms Head, a tidal island. Which? recommends a meal at the Worms Head Hotel following the stroll, where you can expect traditional pub food with local highlights, such as Welsh rarebit, cockles and laverbread. The Lake Districts Buttermere circuit and the Craster to Dunstanburgh, in Northumberland, came in closely behind, each snatching an 86 per cent score. The former is judged to be one out of five for ease. Its flat and great for families, leading between the shore and the dramatic mountains. As for the Craster to Dunstanburgh route, the romantic ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle are in view throughout, and walkers should look out for fulmars and razorbill and, further out to sea, you might spot a grey seal. Its around 2.6 miles, scoring highly for scenery and wildlife. In Scotland, the best walk is Fifes Crail to Anstruther journey, four miles along and achieving a score of 84 per cent from Which? members. The romantic ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle are in view throughout the Craster to Dunstanburgh route Scotland's best walk begins in the historic village of Crail, in Fife The Fife Coastal Path links its fishing villages with their stone harbours, pantile-roof cottages and Dutch-style merchants houses all of which remain steadfastly unspoilt, say the consumer champions. As for an end-of-walk reward, the town is home to the award-winning Anstruther Fish Bar & Restaurant known for its light and crispy batter. Other notable walks include Bottalack Mine Walk in Cornwall, heading up Dorsets Golden Cap, Malham Cove and Gordale Scar walk in North Yorkshire, The Needles and Tennyson Down on the Isle of Wight, and another North Yorkshire entry with the Whitby to Robin Hood's Bay trail. Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel said: The UK has an amazing variety of walks and our list highlights how there is beautiful scenery to enjoy in every corner of the country. From historic ruins, beautiful shorelines and seal spotting, our research shows you dont have to be a seasoned hiker and many walks also include cosy cafes and charming local pubs if you do need a rest and some refreshments. The results were based on almost 3,000 experiences from 1,310 Which Connect members, with the talk score combining overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend. Cant afford first or business class but want something more comfortable than economy? Thats why premium economy was invented. In the 1990s airlines realised they were missing out on an inbetween market for those with a little more to spend but not a fortune. In 1991, the Taiwanese airline EVA Air led the way by introducing Evergreen Class. Virgin was quick to follow, calling its offering Mid Class, before the name changed to Premium Economy in 1994. BA introduced its version, World Traveller Plus, in 2000. Premium economy is always the most popular seller, say aviation experts such as Tamsin Cocks, editor of Business Traveller magazine, and the reason is simple: travellers get a sense of exclusivity, plus significantly more legroom, while airlines earn more revenue per seat. But you dont always have to fork out massively more for premium economy than standard, as our table reveals. Our analysis of fares this summer shows canny travellers can save as much as 63 per cent on premium economy cabins. Checking fares on comparison sites can deliver great savings. But the most important consideration? Patience. By taking time to dig around, ideally planning trips well in advance, bargains are to be had, especially if youre flexible on dates. Not only can you expect bigger, more comfortable seats, but also superior food and drink, dedicated check-ins, speedier boarding and baggage reclaim, plus very occasionally lounge access. Weve talked to leading aviation experts to seek their advice for bagging the best premium economy fares as well as their favourite airlines. Heres our guide... Monitor comparison sites The luxurious premium economy seats on Emirates planes Nicky Kelvin of The Points Guy says the airline's chic seats and delicious food make it the best option for holidaymakers wanting to book premium economy The top three premium economy offerings for Rhys Jones of Head For Points are Emirates, Norse Atlantic Airways and Virgin Check prices on Google Flights and Skyscanner to establish the lowest fares. Theyre usually available 10 to 12 months in advance. For example, London-Dubai non-stop premium economy returns on BA are from 896 next Easter compared to as much as 2,592 at short notice. Or Manchester-New York is from 799 non-stop return in premium economy next Easter on Virgin Atlantic, while it can be 2,280 at the last minute. Know the price range For a transatlantic flight to New York, you might expect to pay between 100 and 200 above the economy fare per flight in premium economy so add 200 to 400 for a return journey. Meanwhile, for a flight to Australia, the round trip will be around 2,000 more than economy. These ballpark figures give an idea of what to expect on other routes, says John Sheffer, head of airline product at Trailfinders. Consider a connection If you dont mind a connection via Europe, cheaper fares are to be had without too much extra journey time. When we checked, a direct BA London to Cape Town flight was 1,895 in premium economy taking 11h 35m while a KLM flight via a connection in Amsterdam was 1,098, taking 13h 55m. Click the cheapest fare tab on Google Flights to find these. Be flexible Dont be rigid on travel dates. Flexibility can deliver substantial savings, says Nicky Kelvin, editor at large at The Points Guy, a frequent flyer website. Check allowances You will almost certainly have more checked-in baggage allowance, says Gilbert Ott, aviation expert at God Save The Points, another frequent flyer site. For example, in premium economy on British Airways transatlantic flights to New York youre allowed two 23kg checked-in bags, compared to a single 23kg bag in economy. Better seat sizes Economy cabins have a seat pitch (space between seats) of 30 to 32 inches, while in premium economy its 37 to 42 inches depending on the airline. Meanwhile, seat widths are from 17 to 18 inches in economy and 18 to 20 inches in premium economy. Take a look at seatmaps.com. Getting bumped up Sometimes airlines overbook premium economy cabins as theyre trying to encourage economy class passengers to spend more by upgrading. When this happens, those who originally paid for premium economy may have an opportunity of being bumped up to business class. Advice for couples The earlier you book, the more likely you are to bag two seats together by the window. This is especially worth bearing in mind on airlines such as Air Canada that have quite small premium economy cabins, where couples may not even be able to sit together if booking at the last moment, says John Sheffer of Trailfinders. Which airline is best? Nicky Kelvin of The Points Guy says Emirates has the best premium economy cabin (chic seats, delicious food), followed by Japan Airlines and Singapore Airlines. Meanwhile, Tamsin Cocks of Business Traveller magazine has Air France as number one (comfortable and good champagne), then Virgin and Cathay Pacific. Meanwhile, the top three for Rhys Jones of Head For Points are Emirates, Norse Atlantic Airways and Virgin. Homeowners gasped in horror after a nightmare makeover saw their property flooded with sand for a 'beach cabana' transformation. Trading Spaces, an American home renovation show which aired on TLC from 2000 to 2008, sees two neighbours renovate a room in each other's homes on a budget. One particularly awful episode had a poor couple astonished as they saw their transformed room for the first time. The walls and door had been painted with garish red and yellow stripes and adorned with matching satin curtains. Various strangely placed tables, decorated with bright yellow fruit, flowers and cocktails, and even tiki torches added to the completely bizarre look. It was also palm tree overload, with a fake full-size plant with red and yellow leaves, a pot of fake tree fronds and an artwork depicting yet another palm tree. Homeowners gasped in horror (pictured) after a nightmare makeover saw their property flooded with sand for a 'beach cabana' transformation The walls and door had been painted with garish red and yellow stripes and adorned with matching satin curtains The icing on the terrible cake was the grotty sand, with barrel-loads of it dumped on the floor and raked out to cover it completely But the icing on the terrible cake was the grotty sand, with barrel-loads of it dumped on the floor and raked out to cover it completely. Interior designer Hildi Santo-Tomas was the professional designer assigned to support the renovators in delivering their clownish transformation. Since the programme aired, she has explained the thinking behind her beachy plans: 'They wanted an adult retreat so I gave them a cabana!' But it seems she did not quite understand their vision of a haven of peace and tranquility. The home owners were forced to simply laugh along in utter shock when it was revealed to them, with one exclaiming: 'Oh my God!' Even the other professional designers on the show could not believe their eyes, covering their mouths in total astonishment at the finished result. But Hildi backed her vision, encouraging the owners: 'See? Now we can take our shoes off and get the sand in our toes.' Since the show finished in 2008, Hildi - known on the programme for her crazy ideas - has backed every single creation, saying she has no regrets about any of them. The home owners were forced to simply laugh along in utter shock when it was revealed to them, with one exclaiming: 'Oh my God!' Even the other professional designers on the show could not believe their eyes, covering their mouths in total astonishment at the finished result This includes another home where her plans included sticking hay to the walls. She told People magazine of the cabana room: 'It was a fabulous room. I even had a little pail of water so they could clean their feet. It didn't go over well. 'The criticism I get is wonderful because it empowers me to do better.' But viewers have since taken to discussion site Reddit to express how horrifying the cabana transformation was. One wrote: 'My favourite will always be the beach room because I can just imagine the rage the homeowners feel years later when they're still finding grains of sand in their shoes.' Another said: 'I vividly remember the beach room episode, nobody looked happy.' Many felt Hildi in particular was not a good designer to be assigned on the show: 'I don't know how Hildi could sleep at night knowing she ruined so many homes.' Trading Spaces returned for a reboot in 2018, after ten years off our screens, for two additional series, but it was not then renewed again. Viewers have since taken to discussion site Reddit to express how horrifying the cabana transformation was One wrote: 'My favourite will always be the beach room because I can just imagine the rage the homeowners feel years later when they're still finding grains of sand in their shoes' One of the designers Genevieve Gorder explained why to People magazine in 2023: 'As far as keeping the attention span to watch an hour of a design show - we don't watch TV like that anymore. 'One hour can feel long. I feel like now, people need design with muscle, because we've been stuck in the same template for over 20 years.' The show came back with all the original designers and carpenters onboard, with Genevieve agreeing the reboot saw the return of 'all the right characters', who are all her 'homies for life'. But the star added she thought the format 'didn't move fast enough', even though its primary appeal was being 'nostalgia city'. Genevieve finished: 'What was cool in 2002 doesn't really work in 2022.' It comes after an array of other horrifying home renovations from reality series over the years have resurfaced - including one that left a hallway 'looking like a black hole'. The moment came on a British programme named Your Home In Their Hands, which aired for just one series between 2014 and 2015 on BBC One. It saw homeowners give amateur interior designers free reign to revamp their property and was presented by Celia Sawyer. A similar resurfaced home renovation moment (pictured) came on a British programme named Your Home In Their Hands, which aired for just one series between 2014 and 2015 on BBC One One episode saw a couple, Steve and June, left baffled by their makeover after the designers added a plant wall to their entrance and fish tanks in the walls of their staircase (pictured) Presenter Celia Sawyer (pictured) said: 'Walking into the hallway was a nightmare for me because I was so worried it was so radical and it was very obvious walking in that June hated it' One episode saw a couple, Steve and June, left baffled by their makeover after the designers added a plant wall to their entrance and fish tanks in the walls of their staircase. 'That's different, isn't it,' Steve said apprehensively, while his partner added: 'I wasn't expecting this.' 'I'm very shocked, it's not my "hug" I wanted. I don't really like the colour and I'm not sure about the carpet,' she said, looking down at the green flooring that resembled grass. June then went on to admit, batting plants out the way as the couple looked at the fish tanks: '... At this moment in time, I'm regretting it.' She commented: 'I'm assuming it's Rowan who's done this, I think he's off his head!' The couple then made their way upstairs to the bedroom which was painted in a garish blue and pale pink. 'Where's all the clothes going to go?' June asked as she looked at a small blue wardrobe in the corner of the room. Despite the contrasting colour scheme and storage concerns, she admitted: 'I quite like it though.' The couple then made their way upstairs to the bedroom which was painted in a garish blue and pale pink (pictured) June went on to admit, batting plants out the way as the couple looked at the fish tanks in the hallway: '... At this moment in time, I'm regretting it' 'I know how much time and effort Steve has put into the house and now I feel like I've taken it away from him,' she added tearfully. 'I feel I've let him down' Steve looked doubtful and replied: 'Well, good.' Celia asked: 'So June, do you think this is what you were looking for? You wanted something more feminine?' 'I don't dislike it,' June said. 'But I'm just worried about where we're going to put everything.' But overall, it was not what she was hoping for: 'The light I really wanted isn't there so for that I'm disappointed.' Celia said: 'Walking into the hallway was a nightmare for me because I was so worried it was so radical and it was very obvious walking in that June hated it.' June agreed: 'There's no light in there, it's going to be like a black hole of clutter.' 'I know how much time and effort Steve has put into the house and now I feel like I've taken it away from him,' she added tearfully. 'I feel I've let him down.' She cried as Steve hugged her and said: 'No you haven't.' Former Emmerdale star Kelli Hollis has revealed how much soap actors REALLY get paid and why it doesn't go as far as you'd think. The actress, 48, who played Ali Spencer in the ITV soap between 2011 and 2015, recently ditched the showbiz life and relocated to Pattaya, Thailand. And she's doing something totally different to acting and is now the owner of a cannabis shop called La Choza Pratumnak. But a fan recently asked how much soap stars are paid, to which she said: '[On] Emmerdale I explained that you get an episode fee and you're guaranteed so many episodes a year... 'So if we're saying roughly 500 and up [per episode], and you were contracted to do 90 [episodes, that's 45k, it's obviously a good wage.' She continued: 'But it's not like the "rich, rich", you'd think famous actors would be earning.' Former Emmerdale star Kelli Hollis has revealed how much soap actors REALLY get paid and why it doesn't go as far as you'd think The actress, 48, who played Ali Spencer in the ITV soap between 2011 and 2015, recently ditched the showbiz life and relocated to Pattaya, Thailand The star added: 'Now, that's that sort of middle of the road [salary]. 'I'm not going to lie when I was at Emmerdale to my knowledge, one of the highest paid actors was on a thousand pound episodes.' The telly star also highlighted some fees that people in the industry wouldn't think about. Kelli said: 'It would only be 45, but then you get a buyout, which is pretty much the same as your wage, so I'll top that up to 90. 'Then, you've got the agent's commission, which is usually 12 and a half percent," she said. 'And because you're self-employed, you have to put 40 [per cent] away for tax.' Kelli owns her 'weed bar' with her partner Matt Dawson. Speaking to LeedsLive in 2023, Kelli opened up about her business, remarking: 'We'd been to Pattaya a few times on a holiday, we did a bit of island hopping and in June they legalised marijuana and we found this really cute little shop and got really good friends with the owner and decided to basically set up our own weed shop.' Kelli said: 'I'm not going to lie when I was at Emmerdale to my knowledge, one of the highest paid actors was on a thousand pound episodes' She went on to say of her shop, called La Choza Pratumnak: 'I'll be honest I've smoked weed since I was about fifteen but I'm not a hard-core weed smoker, I can't do full joints and edibles and all that so it probably bodes well or I'd probably smoke all the profits! 'It's definitely not something I envisaged but we've definitely made the right choice.' She's also opened up about her products that she sells. Speaking about her weed bar, Kelli said: 'I actually dont like the feeling [of being stoned]. "But to be honest, I have become a little partial to the edibles here, obviously, because I have to test the products. "But that is not to be stoned. 'I promote ours for rest and for aches and pains for people who dont want to smoke, so I will have mine before bed.' Kelli shot to fame in the late 90s. She played Yvonne Karib in Shameless between 2004 and 2010. The star also landed roles in Waterloo Road, Ackley Bridge and Clink. In 2020 she also played Rachel Edwards in Doctors. A Coronation Street star that has been 'missing' from the show for months has signed a brand new contract with ITV bosses. The actor, who has starred on the long-running soap for a whopping 17 years now, has been rarely seen on screen lately. However, Mikey North - who plays Gary Windass - recently returned with a major storyline as he fights for his life in hospital. His future on the Weatherfield cobbles has now been confirmed, with insiders on the street telling The Sun Mikey has signed a fresh deal to stay in the role. They said: 'Mikey loves working at Coronation Street and bosses love having him so it was a no brainer for him to sign for another year recently. 'Gary's got a huge year coming up and it's all just kicked off on-screen and it's just the beginning. Coronation Street star Mikey North who has been 'missing' from the show for months has signed a brand new contract with ITV bosses (pictured in 2023) Mikey, who has starred on the long-running soap for a whopping 17 years, has been rarely seen on screen before his character Gary Windass' shock return as he fights for his life in hospital 'There's going to be a lot of Mikey on screens in the coming months.' MailOnline has contacted reps for Mikey and Coronation Street. The 38-year-old actor first arrived on screens back in 2008 when he was introduced to viewers along with the wider Windass family. Offscreen, the actor keeps a private life, though he's married to actress Rachel Isherwood who is known for her work in Captain America: The First Avenger. The couple wed in 2016 and have two children together. Before Mikey's disappearance from Coronation Street fans had watched his character have a furious argument with his partner Maria. Lou had set him up to get back at Maria, framing him for a night of passion that resulted in the heated exchange. He had stormed out of the flat and apparently went to stay with his mother Anna Windass, but never returned. His future on the Weatherfield cobbles has now been confirmed, with insiders on the street telling The Sun Mikey has signed a fresh deal to stay in the role Maria then started to worry when Gary failed to return home after his Anna's house. Corrie fans have since learnt Gary is fighting for his life in a coma in hospital after being brutally attacked. A mysterious woman is also by his bedside, referring to him as his wife, while calling him Chesney. Maria and the rest of the residents on the cobbles are unaware of Gary's condition because of the criminal giving the false name to medics. Speaking about the storyline, Samia, who plays Maria, said: 'Maria and Gary are going through a bit of a rough patch at the minute and initially, she's upset that he's left but doesn't think too much into it. 'As soon as Gary misses Liam's birthday, she has a gut feeling that something isn't right and fears something awful might have happened to him. 'Maria's mind is spiralling but she doesn't stop for a second to think who actually attacked Gary. 'She's aware he has a lot of enemies from over the years who could have potentially wanted to take revenge on him.' Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on ITV1 and ITVX. Jodie Comer confessed her childhood celebrity crush while promoting her post-apocalyptic zombie film 28 Years Later. The actress, 32, was quizzed on who in the public eye she fancied as a teenager during a recent live audience Q&A session at the Adelphi Theatre in London by Reign podcast host Josh Smith. Revealing the object of her affections was Lee Ryan, now 42, she said: 'Oh God, guys, it was Lee from Blue. Okay, no judgement, I appreciate that. 'Blue were big. I have like pictures from the Echo Arena - surely the Echo Arena was built then. 'But em, Blue T-shirt, bunches, blue hair, you know the lot. Yeah, obviously thinking that hes gonna look at me, and its gonna be us forever. Yeah, Lee from Blue.' Jodie Comer confessed her childhood celebrity crush while promoting her post-apocalyptic zombie film 28 Years Later (pictured at the film's premiere this month) The actress, 32, revealed she fancied Lee Ryan from Blue (pictured in 2001) when she was a teenager Blue, who formed in 2000, went on to become one of the biggest pop bands of the time with hits like One Love. Jodie put on a show-stopping display in a metallic silver gown at the London premiere of 28 Years Later earlier this month. The actress slipped into the eye-catching dress as she graced the red carpet at London's Odeon Luxe Leicester Square with co-star Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 35, on June 18. The release of 28 Years Later - the sequel to Danny Boyle's 2002 film 28 Days Later - has been long-awaited, with fans left waiting two decades to discover the next instalment in the film series. With the nation devastated by the Rage virus nearly three decades ago, the new film - released on June 19 - shows insight into the vastly different ways humanity has adapted to survive. For one such community, this means complete isolation from the outside world, and in a new clip ahead of the film's premiere, star Aaron shares insight into this new addition to the 28 Days Later universe for the first time. In this new land, known as The Holy Island, humans are entirely self-sufficient, and only leave the community to hunt on the mainland, when the tide is low. Aaron plays Jamie a scavenger who is tasked with training his Spike to survive in the wilderness before they embark on a deadly mission to the mainland. Jodie plays Isla in 28 Years Later, a woman who is suffering from memory loss and sickness Jodie plays Jamie's wife Isla, a woman who is suffering from memory loss and sickness. While the flick is intended to petrify movie fans, Jodie has told how despite starring in the film, she was left startled herself as she insisted that one 'can't fake' the emotions she exhibited on screen. Speaking in a featurette ahead of the film's release later this month, Jodie explained: 'Being on a Danny Boyle set, I found it to be the most amazing experience. 'The relationship that the camera seemed to be having with the characters and the story and seeing how that comes to life. 'I was quite taken aback because I felt like I'd spent a lot of time outdoors in the beautiful locations and then all of a sudden, I'm being chased. 'I was scared - there is a kind of tension within it, you can't fake it. When you're in these high-intensity situations, it's exhilarating, it's thrilling, it's terrifying.' She's the curly-haired beauty who first came to attention as the 'snobbish villain' in the 2017 season of My Kitchen Rules. But Ash Pollard looks completely different these days after totally reinventing herself. Now 39, the former reality star has carved out quite a niche on social media, with fans praising her engaging and relatable content about interior design, relationships, fashion, beauty, and the challenges and joys of motherhood. She has also undergone a glam makeover, swapping her frizzy dark blonde locks for a sleeker platinum bob. Ash recently starred in a photoshoot that showed her looking stylish in an array of designer outfits while doing household chores. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMails new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. As Pollard has certainly come a long way since her days as the 'snobbish villain' on My Kitchen Rules So aside from looks, what else has changed? 'Nothing,' Ash tells Daily Mail Australia. 'I'm still a snob. 'I still like to eat at nice restaurants and buy certain brands of clothes. At the same time, I can still be the girl next door. She says the Ash Pollard Aussie saw on her maiden reality tilt was but one facet of her personality. 'Yeah, I was pitched as the villain, and I was pitched as a snob, but they're facets of my personality,' she explains. 'I'm not just those things I can be those things at times... I'm not denying, but I'm more than just that book.' After her MKR turn, Ash went on to star in a raft of reality shows, including I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and Dancing With The Stars, as well as a stint on regional radio on the Central Coast of New South Wales. More recently, Ash has found her audience on Instagram with her highly engaging family-related content. The self-labelled accidental influencer believes that it is her no-filter approach to content creation that appears to resonate with her audience. Ash starred in the 2015 series of the hit seven cooking show alongside partner Camilla Counsel Now 39, the former reality star has carved out quite a niche on social media, with fans praising her engaging and relatable content about interior design, relationships, fashion, beauty, and the challenges and joys of motherhood 'I never planned on becoming an influencer. It wasn't something that I aspired to be, ever,' she says. 'I just fell into that off the back of being on a number of reality television shows. 'I don't want to be fake. I don't want to be caught in a lie and I just want people to feel like they're along on the journey with me. I know, that sounds so cliche.' Ash admits that becoming a mother to daughters Clementine, four, and Claudette, three, has changed her dramatically as a person and mad her reassess her professional life. 'At that point, I thought I was going to be on a Metro radio show, but I was juggling breastfeeding, and wondering: "what the hell?"' 'I had a realisation that my life is going to take another direction and it's a better direction than I had ever considered.' Ash says she realised she was letting external forces dictate the trajectory of her life and now she is focusing on building her content creation brand, she's back in control. 'I've got control of my life,' she says. 'I was letting radio stations and television networks rule my life and tell me where I should be. She has also undergone a glam makeover, swapping her frizzy dark blonde locks for a sleeker platinum bob Ash was recently the focus of a photoshoot that showed the former reality star mixing glam with 'domestic goddess' She looked stylish in an array of designer outfits while doing household chores 'When I was working for the radio station, they were like: "yeah, absolutely. We see you in a Metro radio station," but I was like, "yeah, but when? Because I don't want to be working in these country towns for the rest of my life. Let's come up with a plan for when I can leave the Central Coast."' 'I felt like I was always being given the runaround for a long time, and I was trying to prove myself.' She says the situation also caused a fair amount of self-doubt in her mind. 'Sometimes I used to think "am I talented, or am I not talented? Are these guys just using me to put me in this sector in this regional network, or do I have talent?"' 'I feel like I'm much more in control of my life, and that's through learning what it is to be a mum.' While she doesn't share every single detail of her private life with long-time partner Pete Ferne and their two children, Ash says she realises that reality is where she found fame initially. 'You like to keep a few secrets from the masses,' she says. 'But I think in terms of a business and what sells is the reality of my life and that's what I've been doing forever is reality television, so why not share the majority of my reality with the people? Ash has found her audience on Instagram with her highly engaging family-related content.Ash is pictured with partner Pete Ferne and children Clementine, four, and Claudette, three 'The imperfection of life is normal because there's so much of that curated stuff on Instagram at the moment that we feel like, "s**t, we need to change our faces like Kris Jenner and we need to have a better house because that person was doing it or we need to buy these plates because that person said we need to."' 'I don't think that that needs to happen. Like, can't we all just exist without consumerism? At the same time, I sell products as well, but I'm also a mum of two toddlers that scream and have tantrums I share that element as well.' One aspect of her personal life Ash is happy to share is her long-term relationship with Pete. She previously revealed that walking down the aisle was not high on the couple's to-do list something that don't look like changing anytime soon. 'Honestly, I'm waiting for him to rock up with a diamond just give it to me already,' she jokes. 'We rarely discuss marriage. It's not high on our priority list. We like to invest our money in things other than weddings.' However, Ash does admit she would be receptive to a ring should Pete choose to get down on one knee. 'I have mentioned that investing in fine jewels might be something on the horizon if he is open to it,' she says. 'But that whole fairytale thing is not really a fairytale for me. I do like the idea of my partner surprising me with a precious gem, but it's not like, "oh my God, if you don't do this, I'm going to leave you." Ash previously revealed that walking down the aisle with partner Pete was not high on the couple's to-do list something that don't look like changing anytime soon When it comes to what's next for the effervescent reality star, Ash says the sky's the limit. 'I'm not just going to be an influencer. I want to influence my own product one day. I don't know what that is, but I know for certain that my followers will be influential in that,' she says. 'They have been with me ever since MKR the majority of them, and so I feel like they would love to be involved in whatever that is and however that comes to fruition.' And can those fans expect any additions to the Pollard-Ferne brood anytime soon? 'I'm chopping out, mate,' she says matter-of-factly 'If I was as rich as a Kardashian I reckon I would have more so that I could have people help me do all the other bulls***, you know, like the washing and the just all the cooking. 'If I could afford a personal chef I would have probably another kid, but then I don't know. When they're young, your hormones change and your brain goes crazy. Nothing can take you out of how hard it is. 'I still think that even any amount of cash can't help you in that situation, right?' At the end of the day, Ash is an eternal realist, admitting she will never forget her reality roots. 'I'm not Nicole Kidman. I'm not a brain surgeon. I'm not a scientist. I'm just a girl that went on reality television,' she says. 'I'm not an idiot. I'm grateful for the opportunities that have come my way. I'm lucky, and I feel like I've put my feet on the right path.' The Slovak Republic has blocked the adoption of the 18th package of sanctions against Russia at the level of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU Member States (Coreper) for the second time, TASR reports. As noted by the Communications Department of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia (MFA), the Slovak government, headed by Prime Minister Robert Fico, has repeatedly stated its refusal to introduce a new package of sanctions without receiving clear guarantees from the European Commission regarding the RePowerEU initiative. This initiative provides for a complete refusal to import Russian natural gas to the EU from January 1, 2028, which, according to Prime Minister Fico, will have significant negative economic consequences for Slovakia. "The Slovak Republic positively assessed the working consultations with representatives of the European Commission on Energy and the RePowerEU initiative, the purpose of which was to better understand the reservations and demands of Slovakia as the most affected Member State," the MFA said in a statement. The ministry also stressed that Slovakia remains on its current position on the sanctions package. "The Slovak Republic is ready to continue a constructive dialogue with the European Commission and, within the framework of this dialogue, jointly seek solutions in the interests of citizens and businesses. At the same time, the current stage of negotiations has not eliminated the key concerns and reservations that remain relevant on the part of Slovakia regarding the RePowerEU initiative," the ministry said. There are plenty of sweaty palms at Channel Ten's Pyrmont HQ after my exclusive story on Jonathan LaPaglia being sacked as host of Australian Survivor. Not only are they furious that I broke the news before the launch of the upcoming season - they'd hoped to quietly drop it to the Daily Telegraph at the end of the year - but now there is 'serious internal panic' over the viewer backlash to the decision. 'They expected some noise from the hardcore fans, sure, but nothing on this scale. The backlash has completely blindsided them,' an insider tells me. 'No one anticipated the audience would rally behind Jonathan like this. He was always popular, but they're freaking out behind the scenes about the level of outrage.' While the official line is that the network is 'moving in a different direction' following a dip in ratings, sources tell me the call to move LaPaglia on came from high up the food chain at production company EndemolShine Australia - not Channel Ten. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. There is 'serious internal panic' at Ten over the viewer backlash to the sacking of long-time Australian Survivor host Jonathan LaPaglia (pictured) LaPaglia, 55, was seen with his wife and daughter in Los Angeles on Tuesday Meanwhile, another big change is happening behind the scenes. I'm told Survivor veteran Amelia Fisk - EndemolShine's Sydney-based director of content - is returning as executive producer, having previously worked on the show when it was first announced in late 2015. She is stepping in to fill the void left by outgoing EP David Forster, who quietly exited the franchise after filming wrapped on the upcoming thirteenth season, Australia V The World, which premieres later in the year. 'There's no EP in place right now - they're scrambling,' a production source tells me. 'Amelia's return is supposed to steady the ship - but the mood is really tense.' And the leaks keep on coming, with one crew member getting in touch to reveal just how 'tough working on Survivor has become' for the team. 'A lot of the original team have walked away - the culture changed, and not for the better. The living conditions were shocking. The crew hotel was under construction, the food was awful - people were constantly getting sick,' they tell me. 'But JLP was the one who always helped with crew morale. He lifted the energy. Without him there, I honestly don't know who's going to want to come back.' I have also been told that LaPaglia, host of the series since 2016, was on a rolling year-by-year contract and was reportedly pulling in more than $500,000 per season. There is turmoil behind the scenes, too. Not only has the show lost an executive producer, but crew members tell me the 'culture changed' on set and living conditions are 'shocking'. (The cast of Australian Survivor is shown for illustrative purposes. None is accused of wrongdoing) Executive producer David Forster quietly exited the franchise after filming wrapped on the upcoming thirteenth season, Australia V The World, which premieres later in the year Survivor veteran Amelia Fisk (pictured), EndemolShine's content director, is stepping in to fill the void. 'There's no EP in place right now - they're scrambling,' a production source tells me And while the network might be trying to spin it as a mutual parting of ways, industry insiders are calling it what it really was: a cold cut to save cash. 'He may have gotten a courtesy phone call from Ten eventually,' one source tells me. 'But that was just to soften the blow. The truth is, he found out via email. It was sent by someone at EndemolShine - and it wasn't exactly warm either. 'It just pinged into his inbox after he finished Australia v The World. He opened it thinking it was about logistics, then realised they were firing him. It's not how you treat someone who's carried the show on their back for nearly a decade.' Others close to production described the email to me as 'blunt,' 'clinical,' and 'a slap in the face'. 'He's been the face of the franchise for almost 10 years, and that's the best they could do? An email?' fumes one of my sources. The change of host - word is LaPaglia is being replaced by popular ex-contestant David Genat - comes amid a ratings slump for the once high-flying franchise. The most recent season, Brains v Brawn II, saw viewership plummet to as low as 486,000 total overnight viewers - a far cry from the million-plus numbers it once pulled. LaPaglia is being replaced as host by popular former contestant David Genat (pictured) And the drama doesn't stop there. Producers have also been scrambling to cast the next season, which is slated to air in 2026. In fact, casting was so challenging that the deadline was extended to June 1 - and they even started poaching rejected applicants from Married At First Sight. 'Casting has been a nightmare,' I was told. 'Some of the MAFS applicants actually seemed like a better fit for Survivor - but the fact producers were even going down that road shows how bad things have gotten.' Despite the upheaval, Survivor: Australia v The World is still slated to hit screens later this year - with LaPaglia's swansong having been filmed between September and October 2024. The format will see Aussie castaways face off against international Survivor royalty in a cross-continent showdown. Blac Chyna and Derrick Milano have broken off their engagement after two years of being betrothed. The rapper, 37, who now goes by her birth name, Angela White, shared a post to her Instagram Stories revealing the split on July 3. 'After much prayer and reflection, Derrick and I have decided to call off the engagement,' her post began. 'We love each other deeply and are good friends, but we both believe that God's guidance has shown us that this is the right path for both of us, as we each continue our journeys,' she continued. 'May we find peace and fulfillment in His divine will, trusting that His plan is greater than our own.' Milano, a Grammy-winning producer and songwriter, 31, posted a similar statement on his own Instagram Stories. Blac Chyna and Derrick Milano have broken off their engagement after two years of being betrothed The rapper, 37, who now goes by her birth name, Angela White , shared a post to her Instagram Stories revealing the split on July 3. Seen here June 30, 2024 Milano, who's real last name is Gray, proposed to White while she was performing on stage during Howard University's Yard Fest in 2023. Milano could be seen facing Blac Chyna who had joined him on the stage and after a few moments, he got down on one knee and pulled out a ring box. The crowd erupted into loud cheers and applause as she agreed to marry him. She flashed an excited smile as the couple kissed and fell into a loving embrace. She then held out her left hand as he placed the diamond sparkler on her ring finger as the audience continued to applaud the lovebirds. Derrick then picked up his microphone and asked, 'Angela, will you marry me?' In response, Blac Chyna simply held up her left hand to show off the eye-catching ring to the crowd. DJ Quicksilva typed out in the caption of the clip, 'Only @HowardU #YardFest can make MAGIC happen like this.' He added, 'My guy @DerrickMilano just popped the BIG question to the HomeTeam @BLACCHYNA. CONGRATS.' At the time, they made a statement to People announcing their engagement. 'After much prayer and reflection, Derrick and I have decided to call off the engagement,' her post began 'We love each other deeply and are good friends, but we both believe that God's guidance has shown us that this is the right path for both of us, as we each continue our journeys,' she continued 'May we find peace and fulfillment in His divine will, trusting that His plan is greater than our own' Milano, a Grammy-winning producer and songwriter, 31, posted a similar statement on his own Instagram Stories The same month the couple went official with their relationship, she gushed 'You won't be able to say power couple without mentioning Angela White & Derrick Gray!' 'They always say don't go looking for love, let love find you. In this case love found us. I know that might sound cliche, but hey, it be like that sometimes' The same month the couple went official with their relationship, she gushed 'You won't be able to say power couple without mentioning Angela White & Derrick Gray! 'They always say don't go looking for love, let love find you. In this case love found us. I know that might sound cliche, but hey, it be like that sometimes.' She added that their relationship is based on 'friendship' as well as 'long talks, consistency, support, love, trust, and faith.' The star added that God's timing is, 'always right & when it comes to love, you have to have faith in GOD & each other. But always GOD first!' 'Being able to be around somebody in your most vulnerable state plays a huge role in a successful relationship. 'Not to mention how important communication is to express to each other feelings, emotions, & honesty.' Blac Chyna continued, 'As you know I'm very involved in my career & vision just as much as Derrick is. When I win "WE WIN" when He wins "WE WIN."' White has previously been engaged to ex, Tyga, and also Rob Kardashian. She added that their relationship is based on 'friendship' as well as 'long talks, consistency, support, love, trust, and faith' The star added that God's timing is, 'always right & when it comes to love, you have to have faith in GOD & each other. But always GOD first!' She and Tyga began dating in 2011 and welcomed their son, King Cairo, 12, in October 2012. But their engagement ended when they split in 2014 after he began a romance with Kylie Jenner. During an interview on The Viall Files podcast in 2023, she opened up about what led to their separation. 'I feel like it ran its course and then he started talking to Kylie at the time, which she was like 16 or something. Yeah, I was engaged and stuff, so that's kind of what ended it.' In 2016, Blac Chyna moved on with Rob Kardashian and the former couple share daughter Dream Kardashian, seven. That same year, the pair became engaged but their tumultuous relationship came to an end in 2017. Real Housewives of Orange County star Shannon Beadors and ex-husband, David Beador was seen with his current wife, Lesley Beador, just days after he filed a restraining order against her. The 60-year-old former Bravo star was photographed with his younger estranged wife, 41, at the Montage Big Sky Resort in Montana on Wednesday. Images showed the former couple sitting on a couch next to one another as they were shared on social media including on popular fan Instagram account Bravo And Cocktails in addition to Reality Blurb. No doubt it was an interesting reunion as David had taken legal action against Lesley in a filing made on June 17. DailyMail.com has reached out to David and Lesley but have yet to hear back. In the images which have surfaced on social media, David had a drink in his hand as Lesley scrolled on her phone. Real Housewives of Orange County star Shannon Beadors and ex-husband, David Beador was seen with his current wife, Lesley Beador, just days after he filed a restraining order against her It must be noted that she was wearing the same polka dot headband, black top, and gold jewelry in Instagram photos shared on Wednesday. She posted a selfie with she and David's four-year-old daughter, Anna, with the caption: 'Mini.' Lesley shared multiple photo dumps on Instagram of the scenic vacation including one caption naming the resort which read 'Whoopin' it up, under the Big Sky's!' and another that said 'Montana you have my heart!' The vacation together came at an interesting time as People reported just a day prior that David had filed for restraining order against Lesley due to her alleged physical abuse. The weekly obtained legal documents in which David filed for protection against Lesley and requested that she be ordered to stay 100 yards away from him, his home, and his work. The only exception which was requested was for custody exchanges of their daughter Anna Love. According to People, David's petition read: 'Lesley has physically abused me on several occasions and only a small portion of those incidents have been detailed in previous domestic violence actions. 'Lesley is a pathological liar and she will state under penalty of perjury literally anything that will benefit her.' The 60-year-old former Bravo star was photographed with his younger estranged wife, 41, at the Montage Big Sky Resort in Montana on Wednesday; these images are seen on popular fan Instagram account Bravo And Cocktails It must be noted that she was wearing the same polka dot headband, black top, and gold jewelry in Instagram photos shared on Wednesday She recently posted a selfie with she and David's four-year-old daughter, Anna, on Instagram as well He then went on to allege that his estranged wife, who is nearly two decades his junior, married him for money. He claimed in the legal documents: 'Lesley and I have had many ups and downs in our marital relationship, with prior [divorce petitions] filed and dismissed and domestic violence restraining orders. 'I have always been concerned that Lesleys relationship with me has been primarily based upon her desire to live a luxurious standard of living. in our case [its] not just a cliche that Lesley married me for my money. In our case it is a fact, she has made that very clear to me literally.' David also went on to claim that he and and his estranged wife had an argument on June 11 in which 'Lesley physically attacked me, gouging large chunks of skin out of my arm.' He alleges that she had also shoved her fingers in his mouth, accused him of biting her fingers, and slapped him in the face multiple times. People also reports that two days after this alleged altercation, Leslie accused David of being gay, which he denied. In addition to staying 100 yards away from him, his home, and his work, Lesley was also forced to vacate his Newport Beach, California home so then she headed to their home in Montana. Lesley brought their daughter Anna in addition to her children from a previous relationship Inga and Indris Pukke. In court documents, obtained by In Touch, Lesley filed to end their nearly four-year marriage due to 'irreconcilable differences' on September 17, 2024 The two have had a rather contentious split as David was served divorce papers by Lesley back in September. In court documents, obtained by In Touch at the time, Lesley filed to end their nearly four-year marriage due to 'irreconcilable differences' on September 17, 2024. Lesley was awarded a temporary restraining order for domestic violence against David the week prior. Lesley listed her date of separation from David as September 8, 2024. She is seeking primary legal and physical custody of their little girl and has 'proposed David be awarded visitation.' While she is seeking spousal support, Lesley wants the court to 'terminate Davids right to collect any support' and for him to pay her 'legal fees in the case.' As for their community property, In Touch noted that Lesley said that 'various community property assets, the full extent, nature and location are currently unknown at this time.' In response to her Lesleys petition, David challenged the the date of their split. He claimed they broke up on September 17, not September 8 as she had listed. He also wants joint legal and physical custody of their daughter and 'Lesley be paid spousal support per the terms of their prenuptial agreement.' Per, their prenup, he is willing to pay Lesley $10,000 a month. He noted that their prenuptial agreement, which they both agreed to on October 9, 2020, 'covers all assets and debts.' David also requested the court have Lesley pay her own legal fees. Lesley's divorce petition was filed days after she received a temporary restraining order against David, who she accused of being verbally abusive and creating a 'hostile environment for her and her children.' Lesley shares her two eldest children with a man named Eriks. On September 9, 2024 she claims David 'stormed outside' when her ex came to pick up their kids and yelled 'obscenities' at him. 'All the children were present and witnesses [Davids] behavior toward Eriks. It was very scary. I recorded this whole incident and will provide the videos to the court, Lesley said. She continued: 'After this incident I received about 59 harassing texts from [David] in a row telling me I was having sex with him, I should go have sex with him, and was accusing me of all kinds of things that could never be possible. [David] truly needs help. He gets in an obsessive mania state.' Lesley, who was awarded a temporary restraining order for domestic violence against David last week, shares a three-year-old daughter, named Anna Love with David David has vehemently denied his estranged wife's abuse allegations. 'Lesley routinely tells me I am abusive when I disagree with her or make my opinions known. She has a habit of texting me consistently for hours at a time, trying to spark a reaction out of me. I believe Lesley is angry because I cut off the unlimited spending ability on her credit cards over the weekend,' he claimed. He went on to accuse Lesley of trying to extort him and insisted 'she is upset because' he 'cancelled her credit card with unlimited spending.' 'I am not required to sustain her lifestyle,' he stated. 'Lesley will spin whatever story she needs to spin in the correct circumstance to get what she wants.' A judge, ultimately, granted Lesley a temporary restraining order against David, which requires him to 'stay 100 yards away and out of their home until a hearing next month.' David was previously married to Shannon Beador between 2000 to 2019. The pair share daughters Sophie, 23, and twins Stella and Adeline, 21. She is seeking primary legal and physical custody of their little girl and has 'proposed David be awarded visitation' David was previously married to Shannon Beador between 2000 to 2019 (seen in 2018) In 2023, David previously filed for divorce from Lesley. The former reality star cited celeb-favorite 'irreconcilable differences' for the reason behind the filing and interestingly listed the date of separation as September 15, which was same date as the divorce filing. David and Lesley were married in October 2020 and welcomed their little girl just four months later. After the initial court filing in September 2023, Lesley had claimed that she was filing for divorce after he had his dismissed, but hers was also dismissed eventually. Then, in May 2023, the pair each filed for divorce again. She filed for divorce on May 29 while he filed for divorce one day later on May 30. Noel Gallagher's daughter Anais was spotted wishing him luck before Oasis took to the stage for their first reunion show in Cardiff on Friday. In a sweet clip shared by a fan to TikTok, Anais, 25, was seen running up to her father, 58, and giving him a hug while he watched Richard Ashcroft perform before his own set. Anais was later pictured throwing her arms in the air as she danced the night away with her close friend Callum Scott Howells, while her mother and Noel's ex-wife Meg Mathews was also in the crowd. A source told the Mirror: 'After posting about her ex-husband for weeks, Meg Mathews had a prime seat for watching the band. She was in great spirits before the set, watching Richard Ashcroft with pals.' Anais proved herself to be Oasis' number one fan as she got just as excited for the show while getting ready earlier in the day. She took to TikTok on Friday afternoon to join other fans of the 90s band in gearing up for the hotly-anticipated first night of the tour. Noel Gallagher 's daughter Anais was spotted wishing him luck before Oasis took to the stage for their first reunion show in Cardiff on Friday Anais was later pictured throwing her arms in the air as she danced the night away, while her mother and Noel's ex-wife Meg Mathews was also in the crowd She had the time of her life as she raised her drink in the air while her dad Noel and uncle Liam performed Showing support for her father, Anais wore a light blue Oasis X Adidas polo shirt and had her golden locks clipped back as she curled her hair ready for the big show. She sported a radiant palette of make-up, including a touch of blusher and a slick of pink lipstick, as she gave an insight into her glamour routine for the epic gig. In the short video, Anais lip-synced along to Oasis' smash hit 1995 track Hello as she proved herself to be her father's number one fan. In a caption, she penned: 'See you later Oasis girlies x' Noel shares Anais with his ex-wife Meg Mathews, who he was married to from 1997 until 2001 and remains on good terms with. Anais is said to have helped bring the estranged siblings back together after 'planting the idea' of a reconciliation. Anais is also said to have helped piece together the set list and given an insight into what younger fans might want to hear. More than 75,000 fans watched history be made as Noel, 58, and Liam, 52, appeared for the first time on stage together in 16 years. Anais proved herself to be Oasis' number one fan as she got just as excited for the show while getting ready earlier in the day Showing support for her father, Anais wore a light blue Oasis X Adidas polo shirt and had her golden locks clipped back as she curled her hair ready for the big show Earlier in the day, she also shared a photograph of the Principality Stadium to her Instagram Stories Elsewhere, Liam's son Gene Gallagher shared a snap of the brothers alongside crying emojis, seemingly meaning he wasn't in attendance Her mum Meg proved she is still Noel Gallagher's top fan as she confirmed she will attend Oasis' reunion tour and posted more loved-up snaps with her ex-husband (pictured in 2000) Your browser does not support iframes. The once-warring Gallagher brothers proved their years-long feud was well and truly behind them as they stepped out on stage hand-in-hand to kick off the show. Throughout their set, they wowed fans with a whole litany of their top hits, including Some Might Way, Morning Glory and, of course, Wonderwall. The thousands of fans packed into the stadium were overwhelmed by the momentous occasion as many were reduced to floods of tears, while celebrities including Danny Dyer, Vernon Kay and Rob Brydon also attended the epic night. In fact, the show was so popular that even more eager fans crammed outside the stadium in the Welsh capital in a bid to listen to the sought-after set list after failing to nab tickets themselves. The epic opening night certainly seemed to be worth the 16-year wait as concertgoers took to social media to laud Oasis for their 'amazing' and 'lifechanging' performance. Kicking off the show, Liam and Noel walked out with their arms around each other in a sweet display of unity, before they proudly gazed on at the crowds, who erupted into rounds of deafening applause. 'Manchester vibes in the area,' Liam said before kicking off the show with Hello, which serves as the opening track for their 1995 classic What's The Story (Morning Glory). They then went into Acquiesce - a song from their first 1995 album, which was followed by the iconic Morning Glory - the titular song of the second studio album. Liam and Noel Gallagher finally reunited on stage at Cardiff's Principality Stadium as the first night of the long-awaited Oasis reunion tour left fans in tears The once-warring Gallagher brothers proved their years-long feud was well and truly behind them as they stepped out on stage hand-in-hand to kick off the show More than 75,000 fans watched history be made as Noel, 58, and Liam, 52, appeared for the first time on stage together in 16 years on Friday No doubt overwhelmed by the fans, Liam shouted out: 'Yes beautiful people! It's been too long.' Liam then ordered the crowd to 'turn around and bounce' ahead of Cigarettes and Alcohol. After performing Some Might Say, Bring It On Down and Fade Away, Liam went off for a rest, while Noel performed his acoustic version of Talk Tonight. Then Noel appeared emotional as he performed Half The World Away and even stopped singing for a few bars at one point, with the audience being equally as overwhelmed by the moment. Liam later said: 'Are you having a good time?' before addressing the Ticketmaster chaos in a cheeky quip as he said: 'Was it worth the 40,000 you paid for the ticket.' Tickets were meant to start at 74.25 for seated tickets at their Wembley shows, with the most expensive ticket being a 506.25 pre-show party. However, screenshots from the Ticketmaster website offering In Demand standing tickets being listed for hundreds of pounds each. After 15 years, the once warring Gallagher brothers will finally reunite for 41 shows with Welsh fans queuing all night outside Principality Stadium Throughout their various sets, poignant pictures of the family's home in Manchester flashed up on the screen along with baby pictures of both brothers. Old black and white pictures of their mum Peggy and dad Tommy were also flashed in the screen from time to time as Stand By Me played. They ended the show with Rock n Roll, but fans cheers for an encore, with the pair strolling back out, with two of their fan favourite hits still to come. The crowds went wild as they belted out Wonderwall and the brothers became very emotional as they began to close down the show. 'Thanks for putting up with us over the years. We're hard work. We get it,' he gushed. They then rounded off their first gig in 16 years with legendary track Champagne Supernova. Noel Edmonds and his wife Liz are preparing to wed for a fifth time as he proposed again in a hot tub at their home in New Zealand. The TV personality, 76, and his wife, Liz, 55, relocated in 2019 and own an 800-acre estate, River Haven, which features a restaurant, a vineyard, a pub and a wellness centre. And since tying the knot for the first time in 2009, Noel and Liz have found themselves saying 'I do' three more times, one of which he cannot remember. Noel told the Mirror: 'We've been married a lot. First time was a civil ceremony in the Cotswolds. Then we went to our home in France and an Anglican minister I knew came over. 'He was going to bless us but he did the whole thing again. This became a bit of a joke with our friends. 'Oh yeah, we were filming on a cruise ship and the captain married us again. We've done four in all but now we want a Kiwi one.' Noel Edmonds and his wife Liz are preparing to wed for a fifth time as he proposed in a hot tub at their home in New Zealand Since tying the knot for the first time in 2009, Noel and Liz have found themselves saying 'I do' four times, one of which he cannot remember In scenes to air on Noel's Kiwi Adventures on ITV, he shares plans for renovations to his home, and fans can also watch his proposal after it was caught on camera. He said: 'As you can see it is in desperate need of restoration. But my project, starting early next year is to restore it completely and then Liz and I will get married for a fifth time.' Noel continued to gush over Liz, explaining that the day they met 'changed his life,' and the pair appear excited to get married all over again. Noel previously revealed he is 'not sure of the way forward' after a flood ravaged his New Zealand estate. Anatural disaster on New Zealand's South Island has left them unsure of the future after floodwater wrecked their stunning home and business. The Motueka river burst its banks last week following heavy rain and has flooded Tasman and Marlborough areas. Noel uploaded a video to YouTube detailing the impact it has had on the local land. He a cknowledged him, Liz and their team were 'very fortunate' and haven't had any injuries or had their livelihood destructed. The TV personality and his wife, Liz, relocated in 2019 and own an 800-acre estate, River Haven, which features a restaurant, a vineyard, a pub and a wellness centre 'As you can see it is in desperate need of restoration. But my project, starting early next year is to restore it completely and then Liz and I will get married for a fifth time.' The former Deal Or No Deal presenter stressed that 'thousands of Kiwis on New Zealand's south island have suffered in this terrible disaster'. 'However, I can't conceal the fact that Liz and I are in a state of shock and at this point we're not quite sure of the way forward,' Noel added. 'You might have seen films of our beautiful vineyard setting in the Moteuka valley, however our river valley, our paradise now looks very different.' Video footage showed fast-flowing water gushing over the land. 'We've spent the last three years creating a wonderful wellness centre, it was constructed in accordance to all of the local regulations, it was about 50m away from the river bank and some 10m above the normal water level,' Noel explained. 'However this is a quite extraordinary event and our wellness centre has taken the full brunt of the torrent.' Two of the estate's treatment suites were left 'wrecked' and one was even 'torn from its foundations'. While the main building is 'covered in a thick layer of silt and mud'. Noel commented: 'Three years of hard graft destroyed in just a few hours.' The TV star acknowledged the positivity of the local community and said: 'I'm in total awe of the way in which our Kiwi neighbours have picked themselves up pulled together as a community. 'You know Kiwis always say 'Oh I'll give it a go'. And I saw one interview where some people who had had their home washed away said 'Well we'll come back and we'll rebuild our lives'.' Noel (pictured) revealed he is 'not sure of the way forward' after a flood ravaged his New Zealand estate The TV personality and his wife, Liz, relocated in 2019 and own an 800-acre estate, River Haven, which features a restaurant, a vineyard, a pub and a wellness centre However, the future still looks uncertain for Noel and his wife as they start to look at their next steps. 'Liz and I are not feeling sorry for ourselves but I have to say, we're not really sure of the way forward and there is one really important factor that is beyond our control,' he explained. The foundations of the highway were damaged by the flood and restrictions on accessing it could cause issues to local businesses. 'It's fair to say Liz and I now have to review our three year venture and wonder about what the future holds,' Noel said. This isn't the first time Noel and Liz have had to deal with extreme weather in New Zealand. The TV star recalled one particular incident to The Sun and recounted how an earthquake 'really shook the house'. He revealed they have experienced three earthquakes whilst living on the estate. Noel told the publication: 'During the first one, we were sitting outside with a glass of wine, and I noticed the surface of the wine rippling. 'That was a mild one. 'The biggest one really shook the house the cutlery drawer rattled, and Liz and I each grabbed a dog and ran outside.' This isn't the first time Noel and Liz have had to deal with extreme weather in New Zealand The TV star recalled one particular incident to The Sun and recounted how an earthquake 'really shook the house' Fortunately, the incident didn't cause any structural damage to the property. He added: 'But, yes, earthquakes and a dormant volcano just up the way. At least, we hope that it's dormant.' Noel described the weather as having an 'attitude' because of how severe it can get. He recalled trees falling down in strong winds, 'tropical rain' and landslips. His new documentary, Noel Edmonds' Kiwi Adventure, hit screens earlier this month on ITV and follows the couple as they navigate life together in New Zealand . The TV personality and radio presenter was best known for his stint hosting the Channel 4 game show from 2005 to 2016 when it ended, before its revival with Stephen Mulhern in 2023. But after more than 50 years on British TV and radio, Noel left the UK in 2018 with Liz to build a new life in New Zealand . They have now opened a hospitality business in the small rural, riverside town of Ngatimoti. The Australian entertainment industry is in mourning after the death of beloved actor Julian McMahon, aged 56. The former Home and Away star's wife, Kelly Paniagua, revealed on Friday that he had passed away after secretly battling cancer. Most recently, Julian starred alongside Nicholas Cage in Stan original film The Surfer. 'Were heartbroken to hear of the passing of Julian McMahon. His extraordinary talent and presence left a lasting mark on everyone he worked with, including the team behind The Surfer,' the Stan official Instagram account posted on Saturday. 'These words from Australian Producer Robert Connolly reflect the deep respect and affection he inspired.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMails new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The Australian entertainment industry is in mourning after the death of beloved actor Julian McMahon, aged 56 Connolly penned: 'Julian was an exceptional gentleman, a consummate professional, a stunning actor and an absolute delight to work with. 'His performance in The Surfer is a triumph one among many great performances in an incredible career and a tour de force celebration of his skill and presence on our screens. 'His huge commitment to the film took Julian from the beaches of Western Australia, to its world premiere in Cannes, to the US and beyond, and we were all so very lucky to have shared this journey with such a gifted and exceptional performer. 'A true gift in all our careers to have had the chance to work together with such a wonderful person.' News of the beloved actor's death has also sent shockwaves through Hollywood, with celebrities taking to social media to offer heartfelt tributes. Nicolas Cage shared his reaction to the 'deeply saddening news,' writing: 'I spent six weeks working with Julian, and he was the most talented of actors.' He added: 'Our scenes together on The Surfer were amongst my favorites I have ever participated in, and Julian is one of my favorite people. He was a kind and intelligent man. My love to his family,' via Deadline. Australian producer Robert Connolly penned a heartfelt tribute to the actor on behalf of the cast and crew of The Surfer, a new film released in May US actress Rose McGowan leads the celebrity tributes for Julian McMahon, who has died, aged 56, after a private health battle US actress Rose McGowan, 51, who starred alongside Julian in the hit series Charmed, took to Instagram on Saturday to pay homage to the star. She re-shared an illustration of Julian wearing what appeared to be angel wings. 'Oh Julian, you force of brilliance,' she wrote.'For you, your family, and your loving fans all over the world, I pray for comfort.' Rose also commented on the original post from artist 'Stagwarlock'. 'Beautiful art of a beautiful soul,' she wrote, to which the artist replied: '@rosemcgowan as sad as he was magnetic.' Fellow Charmed co-star Brian Krause, who played Leo Wyatt on the hit series, also shared his condolences. He posted a photo of Julian beaming broadly while remembering the actor as a 'kind soul'. 'Sad day for our Charmed family!' Brian captioned the image. Rose, who starred alongside Julian in the cult hit series Charmed, took to Instagram on Saturday to pay homage to the star 'Oh Julian, you force of brilliance,' Rose wrote. 'For you, your family, and your loving fans all over the world, I pray for comfort.' Charmed actors Julian McMahon, Alyssa Milano, James Read, and Holllie Marie Combs. Fellow Charmed co-star Brian Krause, who played Leo Wyatt on the hit series, also shared his condolences 'Sad day for our Charmed family!' he wrote. 'Julian was one of the funniest, devilishly handsome and kind souls! Prayers to his family and close friends. He will surely be missed!' Brian wrote. His post was met with an outpouring of condolences from fans and followers. 'RIP JULIAN, our Cole Turner, gone too soon, now reunited with Shannen in Heaven,' one fan wrote, referring to fellow Chamed star Shannen Doherty who passed away in July 2024. Another chimed in with a similar: 'Nooo! Not Cole!!! So heartbreaking. F-Cancer. The only comfort is that Im sure Shannen welcomed him with open arms. 'What a tremendously amazing actor. He could play a hero or villain beautifully. Gone too soon. Condolences to his family.' Holly Marie Combs, who starred as Piper Halliwell on the hit show, joined her Charmed alumni with a tribute. She shared a clip from a fan account that showed a montage of Julian behind-the-scenes from the filming of Charmed. The video shows the Aussie actor hamming it up with castmates including Alyssa Milano and Shannen Doherty. Holly Marie Combs, who starred as Piper Halliwell on the hit show, joined her Charmed alumni with a tribute She shared a clip from a fan account that showed a montage of Julian behind-the-scenes on Charmed. 'My favourite pain in the a** ever,' she wrote, augmenting the sentiment with silver heart emojis. Julian starred alongside Shannen Doherty and Alyssa Milano on the cult Aaron Spelling-created magical drama. He played Cole Turner, the half-demon ex-husband of Alyssa's character Phoebe Halliwell 'My favourite pain in the a** ever,' she wrote, augmenting the sentiment with silver heart emojis. Julian starred alongside Shannen Doherty and Alyssa Milano on the cult Aaron Spelling-created magical drama. He played Cole Turner, the half-demon ex-husband of Alyssa's character Phoebe Halliwell. Quickly becoming a fan-favourite, Julian had a starring role in the series for three seasons before returning in the seventh season in a guest capacity. During his time on Charmed, Julian was also romantically linked to Doherty, with the pair dating briefly during the show's third season in 20002001. Julian's wife of 11 years, Kelly Paniagua, confirmed his death on Friday. 'With an open heart, I wish to share with the world that my beloved husband, Julian McMahon, died peacefully this week after a valiant effort to overcome cancer,' she said in a statement to Deadline. Kelly - whom he married in 2014 - continued by expressing the love Julian had for his fans and those around him and what being an actor meant to him during his life. 'Julian loved life. He loved his family. He loved his friends. He loved his work, and he loved his fans. His deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible,' she said. 'We ask for support during this time to allow our family to grieve in privacy. And we wish for all of those to whom Julian brought joy, to continue to find joy in life. We are grateful for the memories,' she added. Madeleine West has ruffled a few feathers with her 'REVOLUTIONARY' call for the Australian Government put childcare subsidies directly into parents' back pockets. The former Neighbours actress, 47, recently birthed her seventh child and on Friday, weighed in on the fiery debate surrounding childcare centres in the wake of Joshua Dale Brown's arrest. The Melbourne childcare worker, 26, has been charged with 70 offences, including sexual penetration of a child, producing child abuse material and recklessly contaminating goods to cause alarm or anxiety. The latter charge refers to alleged contamination of food with bodily fluids. His arrest triggered a public health alert, with Victoria's Chief Health Officer warning that 1,200 children should get STI testing. 'I'm just heading to work. I take my baby with me. I have from the beginning. So far, it's worked out. But it won't always and it doesn't work out for everyone,' Madeleine began in a video posted to Instagram. Madeleine West has ruffled a few feathers with her 'REVOLUTIONARY' call for the Australian Government put childcare subsidies directly in parents' back pockets. The former Neighbours actress, 47, recently birthed her seventh child and on Friday, weighed in on the fiery debate surrounding child care centres in the wake of sex offender Joshua Dale Brown's arrest 'But I just had a brain wave. I qualify for the childcare subsidy. So, why don't we cut out the middle man here? How about the government gives me the money instead of subsidising daycare?' 'And I stay home with my kids.' Madeleine widened her eyes and made a shocked sigh to emphasise her point as she bounced her newborn on her chest. 'I know it sounds simplistic but the simple fact is, if there is no access, there is no abuse.' From January 2026, Australian parents will have access to three days of guaranteed subsidised childcare after Labour brought the new laws forward ahead of the federal election. The 'three-day guarantee', first introduced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in December, will remove the current activity test and guarantee subsidies for families earning up to $530,000 per year. Madeleine lives in Suffolk Park, Byron Bay, where she purchased a $4.6million property in 2022. The actress turned child safety and victims' advocate moved to the coastal area to be closer to her six children after her breakup with celebrity chef Shannon Bennett. Actress Madeleine West has become the latest celebrity to purchase a home in Byron Bay after split with MasterChef star Shannon Bennett in 2022 Extras: Her home has a private deck connected to the office with views of the hinterland, along with a heated pool, open plan living, spacious sun-filled living areas and a stunning architectural design 'I know it sounds simplistic but the simple fact is, if there is no access, there is no abuse,' Madeleine said in her video as she advocated for child care subsidies to be paid to parents directly rather than to childcare centres Previously, she and Shannon lived together in a $16million Melbourne mega-mansion, which they purchased after selling two other lavish properties for $7.7m and $5m respectively. Her call to action proved to be divisive. 'I know you mean well, but shaming working parents by implying you are given abusers access is not OK. Abusers are everywhere (sadly mostly in the home),' one annoyed parent wrote. 'Yes! Lets make raising our own children the norm again,' one supporter commented, with working mothers quick to criticise the notion that all women should stay at home. 'Oh please,' another retorted. 'You arent the odd one out. Some mothers enjoy working for their mental health. Some mothers have to work for economic reasons. Women are allowed to be mothers as well as retain their ambition and identities outside of the home.' Even parents who backed Madeleine's call for the direct payments voiced their reservations about writing off daycare centres altogether. 'Excellent idea,' one dad said. 'Also, hate to be THAT guy but some kids receive their best care at daycare. Socialising with other kids, clean nappies, consistent meals could you imagine those terrible parents who dont care about their kids getting more money to stay home and neglect their children? There are bad people everywhere. At home and at work. I see it too often in my line of work. But not discounting your idea which Id love for my wife.' Madeleine's call to action proved to be divisive, with some parents voicing concerns about putting the onus on mothers to give up their careers in favour of child rearing Madeleine's post comes after Louise Edmonds, a founding member of the Independent Collective of Survivors and Karl Stefanovic exchanged a war of words on the topic. She appeared on Today on Thursday, advocating for a complete ban on male workers in the childcare sector. Stefanovic pushed back, highlighting the challenges already faced by men in the sector: 'Men have a right to work in that area. And so many of them are dedicated,' he said. 'The perception is already hard enough for them. And when a story like this happens, it makes it even more difficult.' Ms Edmonds argued while there are 'good men' that want to be positive role models, the safety of children must come before concerns about gender equality. Katie Price carried designer bags as she spotted touching down at Gatwick Airport on Friday. The former glamour model, 47, who was returning from her trip to Dubai, made her first appearance since being banned from daughter Princess' 18th birthday celebrations Katie dressed down in grey joggers and matching crop top, which was pulled tight over her surgically enhanced assets. Toting her essentials in a Louis Vuitton handbag she also carried her purchases from shops including swanky perfume store Penhaligon's. MailOnline revealed earlier this week that Katie was unable to attend Princess' celebrations because the event was being filmed for her forthcoming fly-on-the-wall ITV television series - which ex model has been banned from appearing. Katie hit out at the snub on Instagram as she took to her Stories on Thursday to defend her love for her daughter as she reposted a series of poignant quotes. As well as Princess, Katie is mum to Harvey, 22, with ex Dwight Yorke, Junior, 19, with ex-husband Peter Andre, and Jett, 11, and Bunny, 10, with ex-husband Kieran Hayler. Katie Price, 47, carried designer bags as she spotted for the first time since being banned from daughter Princess' 18th birthday celebrations while arriving at Gatwick Airport on Friday She carried bags from shops including swanky perfume store Penhaligon's MailOnline revealed earlier this week that Katie was unable to attend Princess' celebrations because the event was being filmed for her forthcoming fly-on-the-wall ITV television series - which ex model has been banned from appearing Princess - who Katie shares with Peter Andre - celebrated her milestone birthday with a dinner over the weekend, but her mother was notably absent, instead posting pictures of herself living it up in Dubai. Katie also had an awkward gaffe after she was forced to delete her 18th birthday tribute to Princess on Friday - having shared it 48 hours too early. Princess' television show will focus on her home life with her father Peter, his wife Emily and big brother Junior, as well as her career as an influencer, and is being made by Pete's management company, Can Associates. The firm memorably looked after Katie when she was with Pete from 2003 until 2009, the year they sensationally split. But this week, Katie blasted 'people who used to look after me', believed to be referring to Peter Andre's management company, on the latest episode of her Katie Price Show podcast. She went on a rant about the awkward snub from Princess' birthday party with her sister Sophie in Thursday's episode as she cryptically blamed 'certain people'. Katie said: 'Princess is now officially an adult so mummy and Princess can now go out together. If certain people would let her be seen with me.' Sophie said: 'I noticed in her 18th birthday pictures she was wearing the shoes you bought her for Christmas,' with Katie replying: 'Oh did she? I love that.' The former glamour model, who was returning from her trip to Dubai , dressed down in grey joggers and matching crop top, which was pulled tight over her surgically enhanced assets. Katie hit out at the snub on Instagram as she took to her Stories on Thursday to defend her love for her daughter as she reposted a series of poignant quotes As well as Princess, Katie is mum to Harvey, 22, with ex Dwight Yorke, Junior, 19, with ex-husband Peter Andre, and Jett, 11, and Bunny, 10, with ex-husband Kieran Hayler Katie also had an awkward gaffe after she was forced to delete her 18th birthday tribute to Princess on Friday - having shared it 48 hours too early. Princess - who the model shares with ex Peter Andre - celebrated her milestone birthday with a dinner over the weekend, while Katie posted pictures of herself living it up in Dubai Katie added: 'Everyone knows she's doing this documentary - and I'm not in it. Certain people don't think it's good for Princess to be seen with me. Certain people that used to look after me.' Her sister said: 'You aren't on brand Katie. You are too risky Katie that's why. While Katie added: 'It's pathetic. I'm her mother. It's so sad. When certain people who used to look after me are now looking after...' Her sister Sophie then urged Katie to 'save it for another day'. Katie was allegedly referring to her old PR team, who still manage her ex-husband Peter, 52, and their children Junior and Princess. MailOnline contacted The Can Group for comment at the time. During their time together, CAN arranged for Katie and Peter to make a big money reality show with ITV called Katie And Peter and helped make them millions. But Katie has since fallen out with CAN, putting an end to any chances of her appearing on Princess's programme. Katie previously filed legal documents against Peter, their former representatives and former manager Claire Powell. She claimed at the time they were responsible for a smear campaign against her. Katie blamed Claire for the breakdown of her marriage in 2009, claiming Peter was 'married to two women' and had an affair with Claire during their relationship - claims which both Peter and Claire denied. Amid the birthday snub, MailOnline revealed relations are somewhat strained between Katie and Princess. Katie was also left humiliated after being forced to delete her 18th birthday tribute to Princess on Friday - having accidentally shared it 48 hours too early. Despite not being at the celebrations Katie posted supportive messages as she paid tribute to her beloved daughter One post saw a quote created in sky full of pink clouds while another was written in the sand This week, Katie blasted 'people who used to look after me', believed to be Peter Andre 's management company, on the latest episode of her Katie Price Show podcast Princess' new programme is being made by Pete's management company, CAN Associates, who looked after Katie when she was with Pete from 2003 until 2009, the year they sensationally split (pictured together in 2009) A source said: 'The last few weeks have been really special for Princess. She'd been filming her very own television show as she approached her milestone birthday, and has been working really hard behind the scenes on her career as an influencer. 'Meanwhile, her mum has once again been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons. She's been partying and posing in her bikini and getting lots of attention in the process. 'It should be Princess's time in the limelight but, sadly, Katie just can't help herself. She's been doing everything she can to keep herself in the papers. Anyone who knows Princess will say she loves her mum but, equally, she is very difficult at times. 'Nobody around Princess wants that for her, so it was very much for the best that Katie wasn't at the bash. She was never going to be part of the celebrations, she wasn't invited. 'Katie was not with Princess on her birthday as she was filming a special episode of her television show, something that her mum is not involved in. Instead, Katie was posting pictures of herself living it up in Dubai.' Cameras have followed Princess as she had business meetings with brands such as hair-styling giant GHD, and attended glitzy industry events, one of which was last month's Boohoo summer party in London - which she attended with her step-mum Emily. Nina Palangetic and fiance Adrian Garofali are now married. The happy couple tied the knot in Crete, Greece, sharing several pictures and videos of the lavish event on Instagram on Friday. The influencer model, 29, and her partner shared their vows in an outdoor ceremony at sunset, with the bride garbed in a stunning floor-length dress. Nina opted for a timeless silhouette with a strapless, corseted bodice and a full skirt featuring a thigh-high split. She flaunted her genetically blessed features with a natural makeup look and slicked her dark tresses back into a half updo. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMails new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Nina Palangetic, 29, and fiance Adrian Garofali are now married The happy couple tied the knot in Crete, Greece, sharing several pictures and videos of the lavish event on Instagram on Friday The influencer model and her partner shared their vows in an outdoor ceremony at sunset, with the bride garbed in a stunning floor-length dress The lovebirds then celebrated with their friends and family by sharing a ceremonial drink before enjoying a post-wedding dinner. Guests were serenaded by a saxophonist as they dined on a five-course meal al fresco style and made speeches to the newlyweds. As night fell, the traditional wedding decorations were pushed to the side to make way for a club-like experience. A DJ worked the house music as the bride and groom took to the dance floor beneath a disco ball while their friends cheered. At one point, the happy couple were seen holding smoke gun devices which they sprayed over their guests. Nina changed into a mini version of her wedding dress, putting on a leggy display as she partied with her new husband. She then pulled the rest of her tresses back into a high ponytail and added a few strings of pearls around her neck. The pair were also seen cutting into a four-tiered wedding cake together before sharing a sweet kiss. Nina opted for a timeless silhouette with a strapless, corseted bodice and a full skirt featuring a thigh-high split She flaunted her genetically blessed features with a natural makeup look and slicked her dark tresses back into a half updo Guests were serenaded by a saxophonist as they dined on a five-course meal al fresco style and made speeches to the newlyweds Nina gave her single days a proper send-off in May with a wild Queen of Hearts themed bachelorette party which lasted three days. The influencer shared a carousel of photos documenting the debauchery of her hen's bender to Instagram at the time. 'Nina The Canteen Lady'who is best known as the Instagram model who filmed herself while driving in 2018put her faith in the structural integrity of a pack of playing cards used as a corset for the festivities. 'My fiance decided not to have a bucks party... So naturally I sent it for the both of us... 3 days in a row... With my psycho mates,' the renowned Sydney party girl captioned her post. The 'gorgeous private dinner' Nina planned to start the night devolved into a rowdy karaoke performance of My Humps by the Black Eyed Peas within 30 minutes. 'This was half an hour into the gorgeous private dinner I had planned...' she captioned footage from the party, which shows some of her friends waving a headless cardboard cut-out of a naked pool boy. From there, the co-founder of Rogue Season Swimwear changed into a more functional denim miniskirt and a plunging V-neck crop top which allowed her to show off her pole dancing skills en route to the club. She accessorised the look with a plastic princess tiara. As night fell, the traditional wedding decorations were pushed to the side to make way for a club-like experience A DJ worked the house music as the bride and groom took to the dance floor beneath a disco ball while their friends cheered At one point, the happy couple were seen holding smoke gun devices which they sprayed over their guests Nina hosted her hen's do at 'the last good strip club in Melbourne', which has come a long way since being the subject of drive-by shootings in 2015 and 2016. Kittens is informally known as the South Melbourne ballet by the AFL stars and socialites who frequent the venue. The venue revamped its image to cater towards a refined clientele after winning the 'Best Gentlemens Club' in Australia at the Adult Industry Awards in 2023. 'KITTENS WAS SO FUN,' Nina enthused in all-caps over a photo taken inside the venue. Her 'psycho friends' in attendance were fellow influencers Georgina Ianosevici, Sedona Findlay, and Patricia 'Torpedo Trish' Hadji. The brunette bombshell announced her engagement to her partner Adrian in a series of loved-up photos posted in June last year. Nina's husband is a sales representative for Sydney Poolscapes. Johnny Depp has reflected on his abusive childhood as well as his 'dumping' by Hollywood in an emotional new interview. The Pirates Of The Caribbean star, 62, recalled how his mother Betty Sue Palmer, who died in 2016 aged 81, was volatile, unpredictable and often violent. He told The Telegraph: 'She beat me with a f****** stick, a f***** shoe, an ashtray, a phone, it didn't matter, man. But I thank her for that'. Johnny, who shares daughter Lily-Rose, 26, and son Jack, 23, with ex Vanessa Paradis, continued: 'She taught me how not to raise kids. Just do the exact opposite of what she did'. Johnny previously spoke about his traumatic childhood when he took the stand in his $100M defamation trial in 2022 against ex-wife Amber Heard, 39, who accused him of abuse, which he strenuously denied. The couple's alleged violent relationship sent shockwaves throughout the industry and both parties were dropped from work projects at the time. Johnny Depp, 62, has reflected on his abusive childhood as well as his 'dumping' by Hollywood in an emotional new interview The Pirates Of The Caribbean star recalled how his mother Betty Sue Palmer, who died in 2016 aged 81, was volatile, unpredictable and often violent (pictured together 1990) He also reflected on the moment he was axed from the Fantastic Beasts franchise (pictured) after being 'dumped' by Hollywood amid ex Amber Heard's allegations of abuse Johnny was recast in the Fantastic Beasts series by Mads Mikkelsen and has now recalled the moment he axed from the movie amid his Hollywood 'dumping'. Despite already filming one scene of the franchise's second film The Crimes of Grindelwald in 2018 he said 'It literally stopped in a millisecond,'. Telling the publication: 'Like while I was doing the movie. They said wed like you to resign. But what was really in my head was they wanted me to retire'. He remembered his response being: 'F*** you. Theres far too many of me to kill. If you think you can hurt me more than Ive already been hurt youre gravely mistaken'. Speaking about his mother in court back in 2022 he said: 'In our house we were never exposed to any type of safety or security, the only thing to do was stay out of the line of fire,' he told lawyers from the stand. 'My mother was quite unpredictable. She had the ability to be as cruel as anyone can be with all of us,' The family moved from Kentucky to Florida when Depp was seven years-old, where they lived in a motel for nearly a year before his father John Depp found a job. 'Physical violence, physical abuse. That was a constant. We were all somewhat shell-shocked. She'd walked past, you'd shield yourself because you didn't know what would happen,' 'She could become quite violent, and she was quite violent, and she was quite cruel,' Depp said, chuckling at the memory of his mother's beatings, 'There was physical abuse, certainly, which could be in the form of an ash tray being flung at you, or you'd get beat with a high heeled shoe, or a telephone, or whatever's handy.' He said 'She beat me with a f****** stick, a f***** shoe, an ashtray, a phone, it didn't matter, man. But I thank her for that' (pictured 1998) Johnny, who shares daughter Lily-Rose (pictured), and son Jack, 23, with ex Vanessa Paradis , continued: 'She taught me how not to raise kids. Just do the exact opposite of what she did' Pictured with his mum, father John Christopher Depp (second from right) and then girlfriend Vanessa Paradis when Johnny received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999 Johnny previously said that his mother's physical attacks were easy to handle compared to the psychological abuse she filled their home with (pictured 1984) But Johnny said that his mother's physical attacks were easy to handle compared to the psychological abuse she filled their home with. 'The verbal abuse, the psychological abuse, was almost worse than the beatings. The beatings were just physical pain,' the actor added. 'The physical pain, you learn to deal with. You learn to accept it. You learn to deal with it.' Last month the actor spoken out about how he was 'deserted' by three of his closest friends after he was accused of abuse by his ex-wife. Johnny married Amber in 2015 after the pair met on set of The Rum Diary (2011). However, she filed for divorce the following year, and it was finalised in 2017. As well as being axed from jobs, Johnny has now claimed he was also let down by some of the people in his inner circle who attended his children's birthday parties. Speaking to the Sunday Times, Johnny criticised the actions of three of his close friends and claimed he had been a 'crash test dummy for the #MeToo movement'. He said: 'I'll tell you what hurts. There are people, and I'm thinking of three, who did me dirty. Those people were at my kids' parties, throwing them in the air.' 'And, look, I understand people who could not stand up [for me], because the most frightening thing to them was making the right choice.' Johnny's agent of 30 years who was sacked in 2016, Tracey Jacobs, spoke out against him during the highly publicised defamation trial. Tracey claimed that studios were 'reluctant' to hire Johnny because of his reputation for being late to work. He said of Tracey: 'My loyalty is the last thing anybody could question. I was with one agent for 30 years, but she spoke in court about how difficult I was.' Johnny previously spoke about his traumatic childhood when he took the stand in his $100M defamation trial in 2022 against ex-wife Amber Heard , 39, who accused him of abuse, which he strenuously denied (pictured 2015) Johnny (L) was recast in the Fantastic Beasts series by Mads Mikkelsen (R)and has now recalled the moment he learned the news Last month the actor spoken out about how he was 'deserted' by three of his closest friends after he was accused of abuse by his ex-wife (pictured in court May 2022) As well as being axed from jobs, Johnny has now claimed he was also let down by some of the people in his inner circle who attended his children's birthday parties. Johnny and Amber's publicised legal issues began when he filed a libel lawsuit against The Sun's publisher and it's executive editor Dan Wootton over a 2018 article which included claims that he was a 'wife beater' (pictured 2015) During the Depp v. Heard trial that came to an end in June 2022, Johnny received a rally of support from fans at the Fairfax County courtroom in Virginia. Johnny and Amber's publicised legal issues began when he filed a libel lawsuit against The Sun's publisher and it's executive editor Dan Wootton over a 2018 article which included claims that he was a 'wife beater.' But in 2020, the High Court of Justice ruled in favour of The Sun's publisher and Wootton, but Johnny later sued Amber in 2019 for defamation over a 2018 op-ed article she wrote for The Washington Post. She countersued her ex-husband in 2020 and the trial officially began in April 2022. Two months later, the jury's verdict was in favour of Johnny. At the time, the star had offered his reaction to the ruling and expressed that the 'jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.' He star also expressed, 'Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that.' Amber has since moved and settled in Spain - where she raises her three children, a daughter born in 2021 via surrogacy and she announced in May that she had also welcomed twins. Johnny has also made his return to the big screen following the trial, such as Jeanne du Barry (2023). House of Representatives calls on Trump administration to resume arms supplies to Ukraine Honorary Chairman of the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul (Republican Party) called on the US administration to quickly resume arms supplies to Ukraine. Senior U.S. military officials have concluded that providing these critical weapons to Ukraine will not endanger U.S. readiness, so I urge the administration to quickly get the pipeline back up and running, he wrote on X. According to him, Pentagon officials halting weapons only weakens President Trumps noble attempts at peace. Victoria Beckham has reached out to Mel B on her wedding day after it was revealed she won't be attending the ceremony. The fashion designer, 51, will be absent from Scary Spice's nuptials to fiance Rory McPhee at St Paul's Cathedral on Saturday because she is out of the country. Yet Victoria still had Mel, 50, on her mind as she took to Instagram to share a sweet black and white throwback of the pair with bandmates Geri Halliwell-Horner, Mel C and Emma Bunton. She captioned the snap: 'Congratulations @officalmelb @rorymcphee on your special day! I couldn't be more excited for you both and wish you a lifetime of happiness! kisses xx' It comes after Victoria posted another tribute to the couple on Friday with a photograph of herself and Mel looking glamorous together at a recent event. She gushed in a caption: 'Sending love to you @officialmelb! @rorymcphee is a very lucky man! xx' Victoria Beckham has reached out to Mel B on her wedding day after it was revealed she won't be attending the ceremony The fashion designer, 51,will be absent from Scary Spice's nuptials to fiance Rory McPhee at St Paul's Cathedral on Saturday because she is out of the country Yet Victoria still had Mel, 50, on her mind as she took to Instagram to share a sweet black and white throwback of the pair with bandmates (Mel B and Rory pictured together) The Daily Mail exclusively revealed earlier this week that neither Victoria or Geri Halliwell would be at Mel B's nuptials. There is also a suggestion that another member of the band, either Emma Bunton or Melanie Chisholm, are also not going. Sources said Victoria will be abroad, with one explaining: 'Victoria has long standing plans out of the country and she simply can't be there. 'She adores Mel, they get on really well despite their paths going in opposite directions. It's a real shame. 'There is no issue between them, they haven't fallen out. It's just one of those things.' As for Geri, she and Mel have a tempestuous relationship and at times have struggled to be in the same room without there being animosity. The two women went to war after Mel B revealed that she had an intimate relationship with Geri when the band was starting out while she was being interviewed for Piers Morgan's Life Stories programme. Geri was deeply upset by the bombshell revelation in 2019, for which Mel has apparently never apologised. It comes after Victoria posted another tribute to the couple on Friday with a photograph of herself and Mel looking glamorous together at a recent event The Daily Mail exclusively revealed earlier this week that neither Victoria or Geri Halliwell (pictured with her husband Christian Horner) would be at Mel B's nuptials There is also a suggestion that either Emma Bunton or Melanie C will not be going (Spice Girls pictured in 1996 L-R Emma Bunton, Mel C, Victoria Adams, Geri Halliwell and Mel B) Sources also said that Geri's husband Christian Horner was 'mortified' about Mel's claims. Neither Victoria or Geri attended Mel's 50th birthday in Leeds back in May. Just Emma and Mel C were in attendance. It is the third time that Mel will say 'I do' after first marrying Dutch backing dancer Jimmy Gulzar in 1998. For her big day, Mel wore a Vegas showgirl-style feathered headdress with a white and gold dress. And when she wed Stephen Belafonte in 2007, they eloped to Las Vegas before holding a vow renewal in Egypt the following year. Mel and Stephen separated in 2016 when she accused him of emotional and physical abuse, which he has always denied. His lawyers said that during the marriage they spent her 50million fortune. Mel grew close to Rory after the breakdown of her marriage to Stephen. Last year, she said: 'He's a family friend, great hairdresser... when I went back to England, he would come over and give me hair treatments... Mel's first husband was Phoenix's father Jimmy Gulzar who she was married to between 1998 and 2000 (pictured 1999) She was later married to Stephen Belafonte (pictured together 2016) before their acrimonious split 'And as he was nurturing my curls back, I guess he was nurturing my trust and belief in a relationship.' She is able to marry him at St Paul's Cathedral because of her OBE, which she got in 2022 for her services to charitable causes and vulnerable women, especially Woman's Aid. Mel B celebrated her upcoming wedding with a sun-soaked hen party in Tunisia, featuring leopard-print bikinis, a choreographed dance routine, and a 'Zen party'. Her daughter Phoenix and 35 friends joined in the festivities, which included a lavish menu and dancing by the ocean. The hen party also included a leopard print themed night, as well as a belly dancing class. Airline's iconic no-nonsense former check-in manager Jane Boulton has been left red-faced as she admitted to fans she missed her own flight this week. Jane shot to fame in the early noughties as ITV cameras followed her and the rest of her easyJet colleagues as they dealt with day-to-day operations of the busy low-cost airline. Boulton, who was based in London Luton, was known for her sharp wit, and less than sympathetic approach to passengers who had missed their flights. However, it appears the former airline worker-turned social media star has been dealt her karma as she told fans she missed her own flight for the very first time. Taking to Instagram on Friday, she said: 'Came to for an interview with Lewis Nicholls yesterday and, guess what guys, for the first time in my life it was not easy because I did not get there on time. 'We got stuck in the most horrific traffic on the way to Gatwick, there was an accident and literally we came off the motorway to queue up for the Gatwick turn off and it took us probably an hour to get from there.' Airline's iconic no-nonsense former check-in manager Jane Boulton has been left red-faced as she admitted to fans she missed her own flight this week Jane shot to fame in the early noughties as ITV cameras followed her and the rest of her easyJet colleagues as they dealt with day-to-day operations of the busy low-cost airline Jane added that her 40-minute usual journey took a whooping two hours as she raced to catch her flight. She continued: 'We missed the check-in by how long? One minute. And as nice as I was... but no, she wasn't having any of it. 'So we missed our little flight with Eastern Airways and had to book on a train, so we should have arrived here at 10 yesterday morning and we got here at about four, three o'clock.' 'So I know how people feel now, and I can honestly say a lot of people out there are probably thinking 'karma'.' The mum-of-three went on to reveal she's staying at the picturesque Cornwall Hotel and Spa while in the tourist hotspot. Fans flooded Jane with comments, with many repeating her iconic phrases from Airline back to here. One wrote: 'Well I'm sorry but a coffee shop does not look like departures (love you Jane).' A second posted: 'Jane, its a plane not a bus, much love as always though.' Fans were left amused and flooded Jane with comments repeating her iconic phrases from the beloved ITV travel show 'It is easy if you get here on time as Jane Boulton once told a customer,' joked a third follower. While a fourth penned: 'A coffee shop is not departures!' Jane, Now a married mother-of-three living in South London, famously had to put up with some very angry passengers and previously revealed the truth about Airline. She no longer works in the airline industry and quit the business in 2014. She now runs her own company called Party Paradise UK. The show ended in 2006 and Jane said she still keeps in touch with co-stars Leo Jones and Katrina Leeder. Jane has now gone viral TikTok with clips of her comeback from the show still being sent around. The videos have been viewed more than 26 million times. Stephen Bear, 35, has married his 18-year-old girlfriend, Miami. The convicted sex offender announced the news in a series of Instagram posts on Friday featuring cringeworthy videos of the reality star serenading his new wife. Bear was filmed singing Frankie Valli's Cant Take My Eyes Off You as he spun Miami around on the dancefloor. The Celebrity Big Brother winner wore a pink suit for the ceremony, while his new wife opted for a a low cut white lace bridal gown. Bear - who boasted in January that he had relocated to Brazil to live with Miami - captioned the post: 'MY WEDDING. MR AND MRS BEAR.' The ceremony comes 18 months after he was released from HMP Brixton last January, where he was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment for sharing a sex tape of his Love Island ex-girlfriend Georgia Harrison. Sex offender Stephen Bear, 35, has married his Brazilian girlfriend Miami, 18, and shared cringeworthy posts of the ceremony - a year after his prison stint The convicted sex offender, 35, announced the news in a series of Instagram posts featuring cringeworthy videos of the reality star serenading his new wife Bear also shared photographs of the couple's wedding cake - which featured figurines of the newlyweds - and the pair's gaudy wedding rings Since being freed after serving half of his sentence, he now makes a living as an adult content creator on X-rated subscription site OnlyFans, selling explicit videos of himself for $20 each. In his posts, Bear also shared photographs of the couple's wedding cake - which featured figurines of the newlyweds - and the pair's gaudy wedding rings. They didn't appear to have many guests at the reception, with the camera panning around a near-empty hall. For the few that were in attendance, a barman was on hand to make cocktails while there was a small DJ booth in the corner. It is not known exactly when the couple met, but in January, Bear revealed he had relocated to Brazil with his new girlfriend, boasting: 'The police can't catch me now.' In a grim video shared from the beach, he bragged: 'Life's good. I thought I'd come on here guys and say I love you all, simple as that. I love you all. 'Stay true, because this year I'm fully active, I'm off licence. The police, they could still be after me, but I'm in Brazil. They can't catch me now. Catch me if you can.' Swigging a beer, he added: 'I'm just chilling out, licence is finished, police is finished. I can be completely left alone, ready to enjoy my life now. All my conditions are just lifted. Now I can post on social media, that was the main condition, watch this space.' Bear also boasted about being on the beach in Brazil with his much younger girlfriend at 3.40pm in the afternoon. Bear was filmed singing Frankie Valli's Cant Take My Eyes Off You as he spun his new wife around on the dancefloor The Celebrity Big Brother winner wore a pink suit for the ceremony, while his new wife opted for a a low cut white lace bridal gown For the few that were in attendance, a barman was on hand to make cocktails The ceremony comes 18 months after he was released from HMP Brixton last January, where he was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment for sharing a sex tape of his ex Georgia Harrison Georgia is currently expecting her first child with boyfriend Jack Stacey (pictured) and is set to become the first Love Island star to be awarded an MBE for her campaigning efforts on tackling violence against women and girls Panning the camera around to his girlfriend, he said: 'I'm in Brazil, I don't know if you've heard. This is my 18-year-old Latina girlfriend, say hello baby. 'We just chilling, I got eight music videos I got to shoot while im in Brazil. Thinking of looking at some property while I'm over here.' Blowing a kiss to the camera, he added: 'As they say in Brazil, te amo, ciao. That means I love you, goodbye.' While Bear starts married life, his ex Georgia is currently expecting her first child with boyfriend Jack Stacey following a 10-month whirlwind romance. She is also set to become the first Love Island star to be awarded an MBE for her campaigning efforts on tackling violence against women and girls. In March, Bear caused yet more outrage after setting up what appears to be an internet 'scam' to raise funds towards an implausible 30 metre high statue tribute in his honour. While he no longer boasts the same amount of fans he had in his reality star heyday, the former Celebrity Big Brother winner still has 193,000 Instagram followers, where he encourages fans to subscribe to his podcast and various other outlets. Bear - who claims to be a millionaire - shocked followers when he begged them to donate to a GoFundMe campaign for the implausible task of building the statue - which he claimed would rival Brazil's famed Christ The Redeemer. He claimed to 'be a man of God' and said God had told him that he needed to 'bring luck' to the people of Brazil - where he is currently living with his girlfriend. On his fundraising page, he penned: 'Hi, my name is Stephen Bear. I have been chosen from God to bring you good luck and positive energy. 'I am looking to build a statue in Brazil named 'Christ The Bear' I want Christ the Redeemer to have a twin brother. In March, Bear caused yet more outrage after setting up what appears to be an internet 'scam' to raise funds towards an implausible 30 metre high statue tribute in his honour He claimed to 'be a man of God' and said God had told him that he needed to 'bring luck' to the people of Brazil - where he is currently living with his girlfriend At the time of reporting, Bear had raised 20 of his 7,500 goal from three donations, one of them being himself after kicking off the fundraising with 5, and shocking his followers 'The statue I would like to build would be the exact same size and weight as Christ the Redeemer. I would find it disrespectful for my statue to be exactly the same, so my statue of 'Christ the Bear' would be made in a gold colour. 'Not real solid gold as that material would be too hot to touch in the Brazil climate. Everyone who would come to visit my statue in Brazil would get good luck. 'I would also be a tourist attraction for everyone around the world so I would be good for the economy. The local people will help construct 'Christ the Bear' so I will also create jobs. 'Donate what you can. As you know I am a man of the people so join me on my project to save the world. Stay cool baby.' At the time of reporting, Bear had raised 20 of his 7,500 goal from three donations, one of them being himself after kicking off the fundraising with 5. His followers were left in shock at the scheme, commenting on Instagram: 'You have hit rock bottom. Good'; 'Didnt you just win millions? Why do people need to fund this if youre so rich? Another day another scheme.'; 'Bear youre playing a dangerous game brother youre good ppl but Jesus is a stretch ppl dont play about that'; 'Ain't nobody going to be investing in this you mug'. While it seems impossible that even with funds Bear could erect a 30 metre high statue in Brazil, it is not clear if the fundraiser violates GoFundMe's rules. Their policy states 'it is not permitted to lie or intentionally deceive donors on GoFundMe for financial or personal gain.' MailOnline contacted GoFundMe and Bear's representatives for comment. As well as causing outrage with his fundraising efforts, Bear also shocked when he mocked his revenge porn trial with Love Island star ex, Georgia Harrison In a YouTube video, Bear was answering questions from fans, with one being his opinion on revenge porn He continued: 'So my opinion on revenge porn...' before launching into a pretend mimed rant but not speaking aloud, leaving his followers disgusted As well as causing outrage with his fundraising efforts, Bear also shocked when he mocked his revenge porn trial with Love Island star ex, Harrison. In a YouTube video, Bear was answering questions from fans, with one being his opinion on revenge porn. Imitating a cat meowing, Bear laughed: 'woo, spicy! We finally got a really juicy question, get your popcorn ready it's going to be a banger.' He continued: 'So my opinion on revenge porn...' before launching into a pretend mimed rant but not speaking aloud. In 2023, Bear, from Loughton, Essex, was jailed after a jury found him guilty of voyeurism and disclosing private, sexual photographs and films. He was also ordered to pay the 22,305 that prosecutors estimated that he earned from illegally sharing the footage on OnlyFans. Harrison, who waived her right to anonymity as she campaigned for stricter laws around revenge porn, told the Proceeds of Crime hearing at the time: 'I had to live in fear that this was going to come out and my family were going to know about it. 'It was just like the worst feeling you can ever possibly imagine. I felt violated, I felt embarrassed - I hated myself for a really long time.' The criminal trial heard how Harrison and Bear had consensual sex at his home in Loughton but the Love Island star did not know they were being filmed nor consent to the film being shared. Bear did not show any remorse for his crime, instead making the outlandish claim that his trial was 'fixed'. Alyssa Milano has paid tribute to Julian McMahon, her late Charmed co-star and 'dear friend' who tragically died at age 56. The pair played Phoebe Halliwell and Cole Turner on Charmed, and their characters were even briefly married on the show. Now Milano, 52, is remembering her former co-star following his death this week. A 'heartbroken' Milano shared photos of them together, including pictures from their time playing lovers on Charmed. She called his death 'too soon' and 'unfair' as she sent her condolences to his family. 'Im heartbroken,' her post began. 'Julian McMahon was magic. That smile. That laugh. That talent. That presence. He walked into a room and lit it upnot just with charisma, but with kindness. With mischief. With soulful understanding. Alyssa Milano has paid tribute to Julian McMahon, her late Charmed co-star and 'dear friend' who tragically died at age 56 'We spent years together on Charmedyears of scenes, stories, and so many in-between moments. He made me feel safe as an actor. Seen as a woman. He challenged me, teased me, supported me. We were so different, and yet somehow we always understood each other. 'Julian was more than my TV husband. He was a dear friend. The kind who checks in. The kind who remembers. The kind who shares. The kind who tells you the truth, even when its uncomfortablebut always with love. 'My heart is with Kelly, with Madison, and with Ilianahis girls, his world. He adored them. You could feel it in every conversation, every story, every text. He was a family man above all, and he loved deeply. 'Losing him feels unreal. Too soon. Too unfair. Rest, my friend. Ill carry your laugh with me. Forever Cole. Forever Julian.' McMahon passed away at 56 following a secret battle with cancer, his wife Kelly revealed in a heartbreaking statement on Friday. His wife said: 'With an open heart, I wish to share with the world that my beloved husband, Julian McMahon, died peacefully this week after a valiant effort to overcome cancer.' Julian's last public appearance was alongside Nicolas Cage at SXSW in Austin, Texas back in March as he looked thin as he promoted psychological thriller The Surfer. Kelly - whom he married in 2014 - continued by expressing the love Julian had for his fans and those around him and what being an actor meant to him during his life. Her post included selfies with her former co-star, along with other snaps taken over the years 'Julian loved life. He loved his family. He loved his friends. He loved his work, and he loved his fans. His deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible. 'We ask for support during this time to allow our family to grieve in privacy. And we wish for all of those to whom Julian brought joy, to continue to find joy in life. We are grateful for the memories, she added in her statement obtained by Deadline. The talented actor was best known for his role as Dr. Christian Troy on the FX series Nip/Tuck. He starred alongside Dylan Walsh who portrayed Sean McNamara in the campy medical drama which ran for six seasons from 2003 to 2010. Alyssa and Julian's characters on Charmed were even briefly married on the show The star was even nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Television Series in 2004 where he was bested by Ian McShane for his role in HBO series Deadwood. Julian later starred as Jess LaCroix on the CBS series FBI: Most Wanted beginning 2020 but made a surprise exit in March 2022 after three seasons. He previously made his name on Australian television soap opera Home & Away in which he starred as main star Ben Lucini from 1990 to 1991. The actor went on to star as Detective John Grant in American crime drama Profiler from 1996 to 2000. He then won the hearts of many as he portrayed Cole Turner in Charmed seasons 3 through 5 from 2000 to 2003 before returning as a guest for season 7 in 2005. The pair played Phoebe Halliwell and Cole Turner on the hit 90s show The Sydney, Australia native also had success on the big screen as he starred as iconic supervillain Dr. Doom in two Marvel movies Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer (2007). He also starred alongside Sandra Bullock in 2007 supernatural psychological thriller Premonition. Julian and wife Kelly had been together for 11 years before marrying in a romantic ceremony in Lake Tahoe, a lakeside area on the edge of California and Nevada, in 2014. It was his third marriage. Julian was previously married to model and Baywatch actress Brooke Burns from 1999 to 2001 as they share 25-year-old daughter Madison Elizabeth McMahon together. Sami Sheen was spotted enjoying some food and a canned beverage at an Erewhon market in Calabasas, California, on Friday. The 21-year-old daughter of Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen put on a show on the fourth of July with cut-off white tank top that exposed her toned tummy and a pair of pale pink sweatpants. Sami also wore a pink LA Dodgers ball cap as she was spotted leaving the market with a container of food. She wore her hair in braids as she looked for a place to sit down and eat her meal. The sighting comes nearly two weeks after the OnlyFans star revealed she plans to have her breast implants removed less than two years after she got them. She wrote that she's 'been experiencing health issues for nearly 2 years' with 'the weirdest symptoms.' Sami Sheen was spotted enjoying some food and a canned beverage at an Erewhon market in Calabasas, California, on Friday Sami said that she 'finally discovered that I have breast implant illness,' adding, 'idk how I [hadn't] figured this out sooner but I'm so happy to finally have an answer.' She told her 202,000 followers, 'I'm hoping to get them removed asap so I can start feeling better.' And she asked, 'Pls lmk if you know of any good explant surgeons near LA.' Looking back at a picture of her pre-cosmetic surgery figure, Sami said, 'It's definitely gonna be hard going back to this size. not only physically, but mentally.' She lamented, 'I don't want to at all but i know i'll feel so much better once they are out. so i guess it's worth it.' She told fans, 'i posted about this on my tiktok but figured i would talk about it on here in case anyone else is experiencing the same thing. this is your sign to always put your health first!!!' The reality television star also noted that her sickness has affected her hair, writing in parentheses, 'also i can't believe this is all my real hair, another thing that these implants took from me.' Someone asked Sheen what her symptoms are, which she detailed in a long list. The 21-year-old daughter of Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen put on a show on the fourth of July with cut-off white tank top that exposed her toned tummy and pale pink sweatpants Chronic fatigue, headaches, acne, memory loss, brain fog, vertigo, joint pain, dry eyes, and mood swings were just some of the uncomfortable effects. Also listed were hair loss, allergies, skin rashes, severe anxiety, and sensitivity to temperature. Sami shared, 'BII often mimics certain autoimmune diseases, but I'm certain it's my implants because these symptoms started almost immediately after getting them done.' The influencer said she experiences 'nearly all of these symptoms every single day' and that 'it's exhausting.' As recently as April, Sami said on TikTok that she planned to get another, larger boob job. She said at the time, 'They're finally fully dropped and settled in. I feel like I could've gone bigger and I really wish I went bigger. When the time comes to get them redone I'm definitely going bigger.' The star initially went under the knife in 2023 at age 19. 'I think I'm gonna go over the muscle so they look a little bit more natural,' the nepo baby shared at the time. On an episode of Bravo's Wild Things, in which she stars alongside mom Denise and sister Lola, 20, Sami admitted childhood bullying led her to join OnlyFans so that she could fund her plastic surgery. The sighting comes nearly two weeks after the OnlyFans star revealed she plans to have her breast implants removed less than two years after she got them She wrote that she's 'been experiencing health issues for nearly 2 years' with 'the weirdest symptoms' Chronic fatigue, headaches, acne, memory loss, brain fog, vertigo, joint pain, dry eyes, and mood swings were just some of the uncomfortable effects Also listed were hair loss, allergies, skin rashes, severe anxiety, and sensitivity to temperature She documented her rhinoplasty with celebrity surgeon Dr. Deepak Dugar on the show, which premiered March 4. 'High school was very hard. I had to deal with kids bullying me. People would say that I looked like my dad,' she said of her famous father. And Sami is no stranger to plastic surgery, detailing her many procedures during an appearance on Gia Guidice's Casual Chaos podcast. 'I started with lip filler when I was 18. Obviously, I went to the wrong person, had to get it dissolved, start over,' Sami continued. 'Before I got my nose done, I discovered nose filler. They would fill the tip and try and make it look cuter. But the guy literally told me, "Youre going to need a rhinoplasty to get the look that you want."' Gia said that Sami's procedures were all very natural looking. 'That was my goal. I just want little enhancements, but those little enhancements, theyre kind of big things,' Sami said. She also said that she was 'really confident' before getting plastic surgery it was just things she wanted. Sami shared, 'BII often mimics certain autoimmune diseases, but I'm certain it's my implants because these symptoms started almost immediately after getting them done' 'It wasnt like I needed something. I hated my nose, but I made it work,' she continued. 'I think thats such a huge thing that girls need to really be happy with themselves before they get plastic surgery or any work done, because I think insecurity comes from really deep-rooted within you. Sami wanted listeners to know that getting work done 'isnt going to fix all your insecurities' and said it is important 'to really be confident and love yourself' before having any cometic surgery. She remarked that she gets a lot of nasty comments about her surgeries. 'Everyone always comments like, "You need to respect yourself and be happy with yourself,"' she said. 'Im like, "Ive been happy with myself. I just finally am able to, like, get a nose job."Theres nothing wrong with wanting a little enhancement.' Gia Giudice is now seeking a presidential pardon for her father Joe Giudice, six years after he was deported to Italy following his fraud conviction. In 2014, Gia's parents Joe and Teresa Giudice were sentenced to prison after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and three types of bankruptcy fraud. While Teresa was released after serving 11 months behind bars, Joe - an Italian citizen who was brought to the U.S. as a one-year-old - was deported back to his home country in 2019 following his release from prison. He now lives in the Bahamas and has been asking Trump for a second chance so he can reunite with his daughters. Inspired by the pardon Todd and Julie Chrisley were recently granted, Gia, 24, is hopeful Trump will offer her father the same lenience. On July 4th, Gia shared video of her writing and mailing character letters to Trump, hopeful it would lead to a pardon. But Gia quickly faced backlash for her request, with followers calling her efforts amid recent ICE raids 'tone deaf' and another dubbing it 'privilege at it's finest.' Gia Giudice is now seeking a presidential pardon for her father Joe Giudice after he was deported to his home country of Italy following his 2014 conviction Joe pictured with the three daughters he shares with ex-wife Teresa Giudice, Gabriella, 20, Gia, 24, Milania, 19, and Audriana, 15 'Hi guys, my name is Gia Giudice. Im the daughter of Joe Giudice and today Im using my voice for something deeply personal,' she began in the video. 'My dad was deported over four years ago. Since then, our family has lived in an emotional limbo. No matter how strong we try to be, the absence of a father, of a parent, its something that never stops hurting. 'Growing up, my dad was present at every cheer competition, every dance recital, holiday. He was our provider, our protector, and he still is, just now from thousands of miles away. 'Watching the Chrisley family receive a second chance inspired me. It showed me that people can be forgiven, that families can be restored and that sometimes the justice system has room for grace. 'That gave me hope. Hope that maybe my dad could come home too. A pardon would mean more than just legal forgiveness. It would mean healing for my sisters, for my mom, for my family, and for me. We've missed birthdays, graduations, even the small moments that matter the most. 'This isn't just about one man. It's about a family who deserves to be whole again. I'm using my platform to speak not just as a public figure, but as a daughter who deeply misses her dad. We are not asking for sympathy, we're asking for a second chance. So, let's bring Joe home together. 'President Donald J. Trump, I really hope you receive these character letters about my dad Joe Giudice.' Gia's post sparked mixed and heated response from followers. Her post contained video of her writing and mailing character letters to the president on behalf of her father Gia said she was inspired to seek a pardon for her father after the Chrisleys were released from prison She included the hashtag on the envelope, 'Bring Joe Home' 'This is rather tone deaf considering your father committed a white collar crime and got deported but people are getting deported and sent God Knows Where without even having criminal records. Your fans want you to use your influence to help the less fortunate and I dont blame anyone for not having sympathy for your father who is dealing with consequences based off of choices he MADE,' one wrote. 'Are you currently aware of whats going on with immigration at the moment in this country? Smh,' another asked. 'Wasnt he in the US for years and didnt pursue citizenship?!? With everything going on, your family is asking for a pardon!?! Yall are beyond tone deafThis is utterly ridiculous' another wrote. 'Gia. Your dad had YEARS to become a citizen and didnt. He broke laws and this is his consequence. Why is he any different from anyone else who was deported for criminal behavior? Because he has daughters? Because he had money? The laws apply to everyone. I know you miss him & want him here-I get it. But hes only a flight away-and at least you can afford to visit. Regardless-if he gets an exception then why shouldnt everyone else? Maybe work on changing the laws for everyone instead of your dad getting special treatment.' 'mind u, this is an ACTUAL convicted felon. but go off,' another said. 'Next you can write various letters on behalf of all the families being ripped apart across the United States. Individuals that have not committed any crimes but are still being deported with no judicial process or judicial review. Your video is incredibly insensitive considering everything that is going on. Please do better,' one wrote. 'Wait.. she posted this on july 4th? The entitlement is absurd,' another pointed out. 'Privilege at its finest.........what advice would you give all the other young people who are having their families torn apart for far less reasons? Im curious,' one posted. Another called Gia a 'mini' Savannah Chrisley, the woman who lobbied for her parents Todd and Julie to receive a pardon after they were found guilty in 2022 of defrauding banks out of $30 million. 'Okay mini Savannah Chrisley. Chill out,' they wrote. Giudice was deported to his native Italy in 2019 but now lives in the Bahamas Gia's mom and Joe Giudice's ex-wife Teresa Giudice voiced her support with red heart emojis The comments section did contain several supporters, including Gia's mother (and Joe's ex-wife) Teresa Giudice. She posted a string of red heart emojis. One said: 'Get out of her comments with the negativity it's her Father for goodness sake.' Teresa and Joe were married from 1999 to 2020 and share four daughters together Gia, Gabriella, 20, Milania, 19, and Audriana, 15. She is now married to Luis Ruelas. Joe has been pleading his case to the president on Instagram as of late. 'Im Joe Giudice. I served my time, and Ive been deported from the U.S. for nearly a decade,' he recently wrote on the platform. 'I was raised in Jersey, Im a father of four amazing daughters, and I just want to be allowed to visit them again.' 'President Trump, I respect you and Im asking for a second chance.' Giudice's former Real Housewives colleague Siggy Flicker, who Trump appointed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council earlier this year, commented that she's working on it. Joe has also been asking the president lately on Instagram for a pardon Flicker wrote: 'I'm trying. Joe should be back home with his beautiful daughters!!!!!!' Giudices criminal conviction and subsequent deportation also ended his marriage with ex-wife Teresa also sentenced to 11 months inside. At the time of their conviction, the Justice Department released a statement that made an example of the former couple and highlighted the risks of cheating the government by failing to pay taxes. U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said: The Giudices together deceived financial institutions with patently false loan applications; were dishonest when they sought the protection of the bankruptcy court and hid assets and income from the trustee; and Giuseppe [Joe] Giudice cheated the government by failing to pay taxes on years of significant income. Giudice's former Real Housewives colleague Siggy Flicker (pictured left), who Trump (pictured center) appointed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council earlier this year, commented that she's working on it When they pleaded guilty, both admitted swearing to statements they knew were lies. Prison is the appropriate penalty for these serious financial crimes. Giudice said in 2023 that he still doesnt believe he did much wrong and slammed the US for dumping him like a dog in Italy. He said: I got thrown into a country that I knew nothing about. All right, basically, just dumped there like, like, like, I don't know, like, I guess a dog, you know what I mean. Not even a dog gets dumped like that. And, you know, thank God, Italy took me in and, and basically took care of me. You know, they actually treated me like a person, not like the US. The US treats you like garbage. I mean, they treat their own citizens like garbage. You know what? I mean, it's ridiculous the way they treat people there when you get involved in, you know, certain things like this. An audibly angry Giudice also complained he would never have been charged with fraud in the Bahamas or Italy and claimed murderers get treated better than fraudsters in the US. The dad-of-three continued: I mean, my charges don't even exist here. You know, tax things don't exist in The Bahamas. Tax things don't exist in, in Italy. You know what I mean, you know, you, you just don't go to jail for that stuff. You know what I mean, you get a fine, you get whatever. But, I mean, you don't go to jail. You don't break your you know, they don't break families up in, you know, like they do over there. Joe pictured with his daughters and Teresa I mean, they throw people behind bars there for years for that stuff. You know what I mean? And it's ridiculous, you know what I mean? A fine, you know, a slap on a wrist, six months. You know, anything you do as a first offense should be more than a fine, not 15-years, or whatever the hell they give by, you know, for certain things like this, which I've seen them all in there. You know what I mean? Who had 20 years. Who had 30 years. For tax things? You know what I mean? I'm not talking about, you kill somebody. Murderers get out before people like do tax frauds in the states. You know what I mean? First time, you should get a slap on a wrist, a fine. All right, take the money away, do whatever you gotta do. But, you know, to break up a family and, you know, destroy their lives over one mistake. I don't think it's fair. Despite being furious over his jail sentence and deportation, Giudice said - as he did on Instagram - he hopes to overturn his deportation order and return to the US to be closer to his daughters. Fashion 'bible' Vogue could soon be owned by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos, sources say. Staff are convinced the world's fourth-richest man is preparing to buy parent company Conde Nast as a wedding gift for his bride Lauren Sanchez, a former journalist. Many believe it's no coincidence that the new Mrs Bezos is this month's digital Vogue cover star and graces its pages wearing a Dolce & Gabbana wedding gown hand-picked by Dame Anna Wintour. Last month Dame Anna announced she was stepping down as Vogue Editor-in-Chief after 37 years in the role but remains in control of global operations. The Newhouse family, who have owned Conde Nast since 1959 and continue to hold it privately under their media empire Advance Publications, insist their titles are not on the market. And last night, a source close to Mr Bezos said it was 'totally untrue' that he was considering buying Conde Nast. But with a recent swathe of global redundancies and UK staff now operating from an uninspiring WeWork space near Waterloo station after Vogue's Hanover Square HQ was sold not everyone is convinced. A source told The Mail on Sunday: 'The rumour that Jeff is going to buy Conde Nast is all anyone's talking about in the fashion industry and inside Vogue. 'Lauren Sanchez is such an unlikely cover star, and the word is that she landed the July issue partly because the Newhouse family want to butter up Bezos. In New York they're slimming down the business which is exactly what companies do before a sale.' Staff are convinced the world's fourth-richest man, Jeff Bezos, is preparing to buy parent company Conde Nast as a wedding gift for his bride Lauren Sanchez, a former journalist Last month Dame Anna Wintour announced she was stepping down as Vogue Editor-in-Chief after 37 years in the role but remains in control of global operations (pictured at he Marc Jacobs 2026 Runway Show) Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos and Anna Wintour in the front row of the Tom Ford AW20 Show in 2020 The source added: 'Anna is said to be the one brokering the deal so that's why Lauren was put on the cover. Anna has equity in the business so has a lot to gain from a sale.' Mr Bezos is no stranger to publishing. In 2013, he bought The Washington Post for $250 million in cash, ending the Graham family's four-generation ownership. Another source said: 'He's one of the very few people with deep enough pockets. And Lauren is no airhead. She's a sharp cookie. There have been conversations.' Insiders say several clues point to something big in the offing. Natalia Gamero Del Castillo, MD of Vogue's European operations, suddenly 'disappeared' from the office last week, prompting her colleagues to suggest she had either quit or fallen victim to the global redundancy drive. The source added: 'There have been redundancies almost every week in Europe and New York. The UK has had a whole round too. 'What they're doing is aligning every publication globally so the structure is uniform across all titles. The Amazon founder and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos leave the Aman Venice hotel, in Venice 'Anna was the anomaly, she was the only Editor-in-Chief left. GQ has a Global Editorial Director, Glamour has one, Vanity Fair too. So she had to give up the title. 'I don't think she was thrilled but she accepted it, probably because she knows the company is getting ready to sell. She still has huge influence but she's no longer Editor-in-Chief. That title is gone.' 'They're streamlining everything. Either we're about to go under or we're being sold. But something is up and everyone's talking about Bezos.' Dame Anna, 75, who relinquished her role on June 27, famously inspired the writers of the film The Devil Wears Prada. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived here on a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with the country's top leadership to review ongoing cooperation and discuss ways to enhance bilateral partnership in key areas. Modi, who reached here on Friday evening (local time), was accorded a ceremonial welcome upon his arrival at the Ezeiza International Airport. "Landed in Buenos Aires for a bilateral visit which will focus on augmenting relations with Argentina. I'm eager to be meeting President Javier Milei and holding detailed talks with him," he said in a post on X. This is the first Indian bilateral visit at the prime ministerial level to Argentina in 57 years. It is Modi's second visit to the country as prime minister; he had visited in 2018 for the G20 Summit. It also marks the third stop on the prime minister's five-nation visit. Upon his arrival at the hotel, the prime minister was greeted by chants of "Modi, Modi" and "Bharat Mata ki Jai" from members of the Indian community, with whom he also interacted briefly. A cultural dance performance was also held to welcome him. "Celebrating the enduring friendship between our nations. PM @narendramodi has landed in the vibrant city of Buenos Aires, Argentina on an Official Visit. He was accorded a ceremonial welcome on arrival at the airport. This is the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM to Argentina in 57 years, marking a new chapter in India-Argentina ties," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X. During his visit, Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with President Milei to further boost India-Argentina partnership in key areas including defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, according to the MEA. "The bilateral visit of the prime minister will further deepen the multifaceted strategic partnership between India and Argentina," it said in a statement. In his departure statement, the prime minister said that Argentina is a key economic partner in Latin America and a close collaborator in the G20 and that he looked forward to discussions with President Javier Milei, whom he had met last year. "We will focus on advancing our mutually beneficial cooperation, including in the areas of agriculture, critical minerals, energy, trade, tourism, technology, and investment," Modi had said. He reached here after concluding his two-day visit to Trinidad and Tobago, during which the two countries inked six agreements to expand bilateral ties. The prime minister was conferred with 'The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago', becoming the first foreign leader to receive the Caribbean country's highest civilian honour. In the fourth leg of his visit, Modi will travel to Brazil to attend the 17th BRICS Summit, followed by a state visit. In the final leg of his visit, Modi will travel to Namibia. The legendary Macedonian King Alexander III, famously known as Alexander the Great (who was educated by the titanic Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle and slept with the venerable Greek poet Homers monumental epic poem Iliad under his pillow), who brought to its knees the formidable Persian empire and who is universally regarded as one of the greatest military geniuses in human history, is a household name in India. After the death of Spitamenes (the courtier turned rebel Zoroastrian warlord from Sogdiana who was the last belligerent Persian leader to challenge the ascending might of Alexander in battle) and his marriage to the ravishingly beautiful sixteen years old Roxana (meaning little star), the daughter of the powerful Bactrian chief Oxyartes, in 328 BC to cement relations with his new satrapies, Alexander turned his avaricious attention to India, the wondrous, fabled land of gold and spice. He invited the chieftains of the former satrapy of Gandhara, in the north of what is now Pakistan, to come to him and unconditionally accept his hegemony. Ambhi, the ruler of Taxila, whose kingdom extended from the Indus to the Hydaspes (Jhelum), conceded, but the chieftains of some hill clans refused to submit to Alexanders overtures. Ambhi pampered Alexander with lavish presents and placed himself and his forces at his disposal. Alexander not only returned Ambhi his title and the presents but in turn presented him with a treasure trove of Persian robes, gold and silver ornaments, 30 horses and 1000 talents in gold In the winter of 327/326 BC, Alexander personally spearheaded a campaign against the recalcitrant clans and scored a decisive victory against them. In 326 BC, Alexander crossed the Indus and faced Porus (Purushottam), the prodigious Indian king of the Hindu Paurava kingdom, which was located between the Jhelum and Chenab rivers in what is now the Punjab province of Pakistan, in the epic Battle of the Hydaspes. Porus was stupendous both as a man and as a king. He stood a majestic seven feet tall and was as daunting as a ruler and warrior. He fielded an army that was not only a match for the Greeks, but had an additional edge over the Greeks war elephants! The battle marked the first historical encounter with elephants in battle, whose mammoth size and eerie trumpeting terrified the Greeks and their horses beyond imagination. The Greek phalanx in lock shield formation advanced slowly but menacingly in a solid wall of pikes, incessantly firing lethally piercing lead-weighted darts that caused the elephants to run amok and stampede the Indian troops, trampling many of them to death under their gigantic feet. The Indians broke ranks and hastily took to their heels. Some 80 elephants were captured by Alexander, and many Indians were killed in the pursuit. The battle raged for eight hours, and the Greeks suffered enormous losses in men and material. Alexander finally captured Porus, who had been wounded in battle. The extraordinary bravery, martial acumen and princely disposition of Porus greatly impressed Alexander. Wounded in his shoulder, he was asked by Alexander how he wished to be treated. Treat me, O Alexander, like a king, Porus responded. Alexander was magnanimously chivalrous and treated Porus as one great king and warrior should treat another. He allowed Porus to rule Hydaspes in his name as his vassal. He even subdued an independent province and granted it to Porus as a reward. Porus reciprocated by giving Alexander a few elephants, with instructions on how to use them in war, and a Tibetan Mastiff, the only dog in the world that could endure pain. He also gifted Alexander some brilliantly sparkling, rare diamonds India was the only source of diamonds in the world till the 19th century! Porus also gave Alexander a stock of Kattarvazha (Aloe Vela), an Ayurvedic magic healing herb from Kerala, to heal his wounds. Significantly, in the Battle of the Hydaspes, Alexanders massive Thessalian black stallion Bucephalus (meaning Ox Head), who bore a large white star on his brow, was severely wounded and eventually died. Alexander was grief-stricken and founded a city in India in his horses honour called Bucephalia, which is now located in Pakistans Mandi Bahauddin District and simply called Phalia. Bucephalus is buried in Jalalpur Sharif near Jhelum in Pakistan. To the east of Porus kingdom, near the Ganges River, were the Nanda Empire of Magadha and the Gangaridai Empire (of the modern-day Bengal region of the Indian sub-continent). Fearing the ordeal of facing large armies and exhausted by years of campaigning under the burning sun and torrential rains of India, Alexanders army mutinied at the Hyphasis River (Beas), refusing to march farther east. This river thus marked the easternmost magnitude of Alexanders campaigns. They also violently opposed Alexander when he insisted on crossing the Ganges, the width of which, as they learned to their consternation, was thirty-two furlongs, its depth a hundred fathoms, while its banks on the further side were arrayed with multitudes of troops, horsemen and elephants. The kings of the Ganderites and Praesii were indeed lying in wait to meet them with eighty thousand horsemen, two hundred thousand footmen, eight thousand chariots and six thousand war elephants. Alexander tried to persuade his soldiers to march farther, but his general Coenus pleaded with him to return as the men longed to again see their parents, their wives and children, their homeland. Alexander eventually agreed and turned south, marching along the Indus. Along the way, Alexander conquered the Malhi and other Indian tribes and even sustained an injury during the conquest. After a long and arduous journey, Alexander finally reached Macedonia. On or about 11th June, 323 BC, Alexander breathed his last and took leave of this world at the tender age of 32. His mortal remains were laid in a gold anthropoid sarcophagus that was filled with honey, which was in turn placed in a well-crafted gold casket. According to Claudius Aelianus, the honey tongued Roman author and teacher of rhetoric, Alexanders favourite seer, Aristander of Telmessos, foretold that the land where Alexander would be laid to rest would be happy and unvanquishable forever. Whilst Alexanders funeral cortege was on its way to Macedonia, Ptolemy I Soter (one of Alexanders generals who became the ruler of Egypt) seized the casket and took it temporarily to Memphis in ancient Egypt. His successor, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, transferred it to Alexandria, where it remained until at least late Antiquity. Ptolemy IX Lathyros, one of Ptolemys final successors, replaced it with a glass one to convert the original gold to coinage. The recent discovery of an enormous tomb in Amphipolis in northern Greece, dating from Alexanders time, has given rise to the speculation that it was meant to be the burial place of Alexander. Around AD 200, the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus permanently closed Alexanders tomb to the public. Today, virtually all traces of Alexanders Indian campaigns have disappeared. His altars have vanished, and the names of the cities which he founded have been obliterated. But the heroic exploits of Sikander (meaning victorious), as he is popularly known in India, continue to fire the imagination of Indians living across the length and breadth of this ancient land. (The writer is an internationally reputed senior lawyer practising in the Supreme Court of India and various High Courts and Tribunals in India. Bose is also an avid debater, public speaker, writer, broadcaster, telecaster, artist, painter, sculptor, music critic and filmmaker) Morgan Stanley began coverage on shares of Primo Brands (NYSE:PRMB Free Report) in a research report released on Wednesday morning, Marketbeat.com reports. The brokerage issued an overweight rating and a $38.00 price target on the stock. Several other analysts also recently issued reports on PRMB. Bank of America assumed coverage on Primo Brands in a research note on Wednesday, May 28th. They issued a buy rating and a $42.00 price target for the company. Mizuho assumed coverage on Primo Brands in a research note on Monday, May 12th. They issued an outperform rating and a $43.00 price target for the company. Barclays reduced their price target on Primo Brands from $40.00 to $38.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 16th. Truist Financial assumed coverage on Primo Brands in a research note on Friday, April 4th. They issued a buy rating and a $42.00 price target for the company. Finally, TD Securities assumed coverage on Primo Brands in a research note on Tuesday, April 8th. They issued a buy rating and a $48.00 price target for the company. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $41.00. Get Primo Brands alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Primo Brands Primo Brands Stock Performance PRMB opened at $29.97 on Wednesday. Primo Brands has a 12-month low of $24.41 and a 12-month high of $35.85. The stock has a market cap of $11.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -374.52, a PEG ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 0.73. The business has a 50 day moving average of $31.19 and a 200-day moving average of $32.14. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.49. Primo Brands (NYSE:PRMB Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 8th. The company reported $0.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.24 by $0.05. Primo Brands had a positive return on equity of 8.35% and a negative net margin of 1.86%. The company had revenue of $1.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.63 billion. Primo Brandss revenue was up 42.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that Primo Brands will post 1.13 earnings per share for the current year. Primo Brands Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 6th were issued a $0.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 6th. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.33%. Primo Brandss dividend payout ratio is presently -500.00%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Primo Brands news, Director Tony W. Lee sold 50,657,562 shares of Primo Brands stock in a transaction on Monday, May 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.67, for a total value of $1,604,324,988.54. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 116,210,806 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,680,396,226.02. The trade was a 30.36% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 58.40% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Primo Brands Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PRMB. FMR LLC acquired a new position in Primo Brands in the 4th quarter valued at $653,019,000. Vanguard Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Primo Brands during the 4th quarter worth $471,249,000. William Blair Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Primo Brands during the 4th quarter worth $343,451,000. Boston Partners raised its holdings in shares of Primo Brands by 9,613.2% during the 1st quarter. Boston Partners now owns 7,117,540 shares of the companys stock worth $252,552,000 after buying an additional 7,044,263 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Primo Brands during the 1st quarter worth $184,225,000. 87.71% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Primo Brands (Get Free Report) Primo Brands Corp. is a branded beverage company, which focuses on healthy hydration. It delivers sustainably and domestically sourced diversified offerings across products, formats, channels, price points and consumer occasions, distributed in the United States and Canada. The company provides water filtration units for home and business consumers across North America. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Primo Brands Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Primo Brands and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Kremlin is organizing the involvement of a combined unit of engineering troops of the Lao People's Army in demining the territories of Kursk region of the Russian Federation, the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported. "In addition to the massive involvement of mercenaries from Africa and Asia, as well as units of the DPRK, the Kremlin is working on the possibility of involving so-called partners in the war under the guise of implementing humanitarian projects in the Russian regions bordering Ukraine. Another country that Russia is trying to involve in the war is Laos," the Agency reported on Telegram on Saturday. According to their information, the Kremlin is currently organizing the involvement of a combined unit of engineering troops of the Lao People's Army in demining the territories of Kursk region. "Given the significant dependence on foreign aid, the Lao leadership initially expressed its readiness to send up to 50 soldiers-sappers to Russia and assist in the demining of the area," the Agency noted. In addition, according to intelligence information, Laos provides free assistance to Russia by carrying out rehabilitation measures for wounded Russian servicemen who participated in hostilities against Ukraine. "Russia, under the guise of humanitarian rhetoric, is trying to legalize the presence of a foreign military contingent on its territory, actually using it to support hostilities against Ukraine," the Agency stated. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report) by 139.7% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,539 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 3,228 shares during the quarter. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc.s holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $879,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Perigon Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. Perigon Wealth Management LLC now owns 14,087 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,236,000 after buying an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. TBH Global Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. TBH Global Asset Management LLC now owns 6,932 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,100,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares during the last quarter. Capital Advisors Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Philip Morris International by 2.1% in the 1st quarter. Capital Advisors Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,005 shares of the companys stock worth $477,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares during the period. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. raised its position in Philip Morris International by 3.3% in the 1st quarter. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. now owns 2,032 shares of the companys stock worth $323,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the period. Finally, Western Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Philip Morris International by 1.5% in the first quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,446 shares of the companys stock worth $706,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.63% of the companys stock. Get Philip Morris International alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research firms have recently commented on PM. Needham & Company LLC began coverage on Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, May 22nd. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Wall Street Zen upgraded Philip Morris International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, June 21st. Bank of America lifted their price target on Philip Morris International from $182.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 4th. UBS Group raised Philip Morris International from a sell rating to a neutral rating and increased their price objective for the company from $130.00 to $170.00 in a research note on Friday, April 25th. Finally, Morgan Stanley restated an overweight rating and issued a $182.00 target price (up previously from $156.00) on shares of Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, April 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $176.80. Philip Morris International Trading Up 1.8% Shares of Philip Morris International stock opened at $179.00 on Friday. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 12-month low of $100.80 and a 12-month high of $186.69. The company has a market cap of $278.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.91, a PEG ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 0.51. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $177.14 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $154.59. Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 23rd. The company reported $1.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.61 by $0.08. Philip Morris International had a net margin of 8.43% and a negative return on equity of 122.40%. The company had revenue of $9.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.10 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.50 earnings per share. Philip Morris Internationals quarterly revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 7.14 EPS for the current fiscal year. Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, July 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 27th will be issued a $1.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 27th. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.02%. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 111.34%. Philip Morris International Company Profile (Free Report) Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Philip Morris International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Philip Morris International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) by 5.4% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 211,337 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after buying an additional 10,767 shares during the quarter. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $5,355,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of PFE. Argyle Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Pfizer by 2.9% during the first quarter. Argyle Capital Management LLC now owns 138,706 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $3,515,000 after purchasing an additional 3,900 shares during the period. Brookstone Capital Management grew its holdings in Pfizer by 7.0% during the first quarter. Brookstone Capital Management now owns 116,746 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $2,958,000 after purchasing an additional 7,593 shares during the period. Huntleigh Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in Pfizer by 1.2% during the first quarter. Huntleigh Advisors Inc. now owns 58,547 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,484,000 after purchasing an additional 713 shares during the period. Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. grew its holdings in Pfizer by 9.8% during the first quarter. Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 8,375 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $212,000 after purchasing an additional 750 shares during the period. Finally, Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. acquired a new position in Pfizer during the first quarter valued at approximately $223,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.36% of the companys stock. Get Pfizer alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In PFE has been the subject of several research analyst reports. TD Cowen reduced their price target on shares of Pfizer from $32.00 to $28.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Hsbc Global Res upgraded shares of Pfizer to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, March 10th. Redburn Atlantic reduced their price target on shares of Pfizer from $29.00 to $27.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 30th. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Pfizer from $24.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, April 30th. Finally, Guggenheim reiterated a buy rating on shares of Pfizer in a report on Tuesday, March 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and three have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $28.55. Pfizer Price Performance NYSE:PFE opened at $25.45 on Friday. Pfizer Inc. has a one year low of $20.92 and a one year high of $31.54. The company has a market cap of $144.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.44, a P/E/G ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 0.58. The firms fifty day moving average price is $23.72 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $24.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 1.26 and a quick ratio of 0.96. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 29th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.92 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.67 by $0.25. Pfizer had a net margin of 12.62% and a return on equity of 20.33%. The firm had revenue of $13.72 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.43 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.82 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was down 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.95 earnings per share for the current year. Pfizer Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, July 25th will be paid a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 25th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.76%. Pfizers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 124.64%. Pfizer Profile (Free Report) Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, Zavzpret, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Centered Wealth LLC dba Miller Equity Capital Advisors decreased its holdings in shares of Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE:WMB Free Report) by 92.4% in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 3,640 shares of the pipeline companys stock after selling 44,400 shares during the quarter. Williams Companies comprises about 15.1% of Centered Wealth LLC dba Miller Equity Capital Advisors investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th biggest holding. Centered Wealth LLC dba Miller Equity Capital Advisors holdings in Williams Companies were worth $218,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. EP Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 17,889 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $968,000 after purchasing an additional 183 shares during the period. Castleview Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 4.2% in the 1st quarter. Castleview Partners LLC now owns 4,492 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $268,000 after purchasing an additional 183 shares during the period. AMG National Trust Bank increased its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. AMG National Trust Bank now owns 30,813 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $1,669,000 after purchasing an additional 186 shares during the period. Napa Wealth Management increased its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 2.7% in the 4th quarter. Napa Wealth Management now owns 7,190 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $389,000 after purchasing an additional 190 shares during the period. Finally, Tower Wealth Partners Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 4.3% in the 4th quarter. Tower Wealth Partners Inc. now owns 4,591 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $248,000 after purchasing an additional 191 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 86.44% of the companys stock. Get Williams Companies alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms recently commented on WMB. Wolfe Research upgraded Williams Companies from an underperform rating to a peer perform rating in a report on Friday, June 13th. Scotiabank increased their price objective on Williams Companies from $52.00 to $59.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Thursday, June 5th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Williams Companies from $58.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, March 25th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $63.00 price objective on shares of Williams Companies in a report on Friday, May 16th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Williams Companies from $64.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, May 28th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $61.25. Williams Companies Stock Down 1.1% Shares of Williams Companies stock opened at $58.47 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $71.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.26, a PEG ratio of 4.33 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a quick ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 0.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $59.51 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $57.80. Williams Companies, Inc. has a 12-month low of $40.41 and a 12-month high of $63.45. Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, May 5th. The pipeline company reported $0.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.55 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $3.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.90 billion. Williams Companies had a return on equity of 15.95% and a net margin of 21.18%. The companys revenue was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.59 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Williams Companies, Inc. will post 2.08 earnings per share for the current year. Williams Companies Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 13th were given a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 13th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.42%. Williams Companiess payout ratio is currently 106.95%. Insider Transactions at Williams Companies In other Williams Companies news, SVP Terrance Lane Wilson sold 2,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $62.70, for a total transaction of $125,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 315,645 shares of the companys stock, valued at $19,790,941.50. This represents a 0.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.44% of the stock is owned by insiders. About Williams Companies (Free Report) The Williams Companies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy infrastructure company primarily in the United States. It operates through Transmission & Gulf of Mexico, Northeast G&P, West, and Gas & NGL Marketing Services segments. The Transmission & Gulf of Mexico segment comprises natural gas pipelines; Transco, Northwest pipeline, MountainWest, and related natural gas storage facilities; and natural gas gathering and processing, and crude oil production handling and transportation assets in the Gulf Coast region. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WMB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE:WMB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Williams Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Williams Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC reduced its stake in shares of General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS Free Report) by 5.6% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 6,475 shares of the companys stock after selling 385 shares during the quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLCs holdings in General Mills were worth $387,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of General Mills by 2.3% during the 1st quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 776,809 shares of the companys stock worth $46,445,000 after purchasing an additional 17,289 shares in the last quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of General Mills by 126.1% during the 1st quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC now owns 62,712 shares of the companys stock worth $3,521,000 after purchasing an additional 34,973 shares in the last quarter. Resonant Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of General Mills during the 1st quarter worth $402,000. Kanawha Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of General Mills by 17.1% during the 1st quarter. Kanawha Capital Management LLC now owns 3,704 shares of the companys stock worth $221,000 after purchasing an additional 542 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rossby Financial LCC acquired a new stake in shares of General Mills during the 1st quarter worth $152,000. 75.71% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get General Mills alerts: General Mills Price Performance General Mills stock opened at $53.13 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38. The company has a market capitalization of $28.82 billion and a PE ratio of 12.96. General Mills, Inc. has a 12 month low of $50.19 and a 12 month high of $75.90. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $53.93 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $57.91. General Mills Increases Dividend General Mills ( NYSE:GIS Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, June 25th. The company reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.72 by $0.02. General Mills had a return on equity of 24.88% and a net margin of 11.78%. The company had revenue of $4.56 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.60 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.01 earnings per share. The firms revenue was down 3.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that General Mills, Inc. will post 4.36 EPS for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 1st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 10th will be given a dividend of $0.61 per share. This represents a $2.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.59%. This is an increase from General Millss previous quarterly dividend of $0.60. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 10th. General Millss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 58.54%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada raised General Mills from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $67.00 to $63.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 26th. Barclays reduced their price objective on General Mills from $60.00 to $54.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, June 26th. Mizuho reduced their price objective on General Mills from $62.00 to $60.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 20th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an underweight rating and issued a $51.00 price objective (down from $53.00) on shares of General Mills in a research note on Tuesday, June 24th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on General Mills from $60.00 to $54.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 20th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $59.73. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on General Mills General Mills Company Profile (Free Report) General Mills, Inc manufactures and markets branded consumer foods worldwide. The company operates through four segments: North America Retail; International; Pet; and North America Foodservice. It offers grain, ready-to-eat cereals, refrigerated yogurt, soup, meal kits, refrigerated and frozen dough products, dessert and baking mixes, bakery flour, frozen pizza and pizza snacks, snack bars, fruit and savory snacks, ice cream and frozen desserts, unbaked and fully baked frozen dough products, frozen hot snacks, ethnic meals, side dish mixes, frozen breakfast and entrees, nutrition bars, and frozen and shelf-stable vegetables. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for General Mills Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for General Mills and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Columbia River Financial Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Medtronic PLC (NYSE:MDT Free Report) in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 319 shares of the medical technology companys stock, valued at approximately $28,000. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Burkett Financial Services LLC increased its holdings in Medtronic by 185.0% in the 1st quarter. Burkett Financial Services LLC now owns 285 shares of the medical technology companys stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 185 shares during the period. Rakuten Securities Inc. increased its holdings in Medtronic by 753.8% in the 4th quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 333 shares of the medical technology companys stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 294 shares during the period. Wood Tarver Financial Group LLC bought a new position in Medtronic in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Optiver Holding B.V. bought a new position in Medtronic in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, McIlrath & Eck LLC increased its holdings in Medtronic by 72.3% in the 4th quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 410 shares of the medical technology companys stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 172 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.06% of the companys stock. Get Medtronic alerts: Medtronic Stock Up 0.2% Medtronic stock opened at $88.50 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $113.50 billion, a PE ratio of 24.45, a PEG ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.80. The firms fifty day moving average is $85.30 and its 200 day moving average is $86.54. The company has a quick ratio of 1.42, a current ratio of 1.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53. Medtronic PLC has a 12-month low of $75.96 and a 12-month high of $96.25. Medtronic Increases Dividend Medtronic ( NYSE:MDT Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 21st. The medical technology company reported $1.62 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.58 by $0.04. Medtronic had a net margin of 13.90% and a return on equity of 14.54%. The business had revenue of $8.93 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.81 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.46 EPS. Medtronics quarterly revenue was up 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Medtronic PLC will post 5.46 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 11th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 27th will be paid a $0.71 dividend. This is a positive change from Medtronics previous quarterly dividend of $0.70. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 27th. This represents a $2.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.21%. Medtronics dividend payout ratio is presently 78.45%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on MDT shares. Mizuho decreased their price target on shares of Medtronic from $100.00 to $98.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, May 22nd. Truist Financial cut their target price on shares of Medtronic from $93.00 to $90.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 11th. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their target price on shares of Medtronic from $105.00 to $101.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 22nd. Leerink Partnrs upgraded shares of Medtronic to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, June 16th. Finally, Robert W. Baird cut their target price on shares of Medtronic from $94.00 to $92.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 22nd. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $97.87. Get Our Latest Stock Report on MDT Medtronic Profile (Free Report) Medtronic plc develops, manufactures, and sells device-based medical therapies to healthcare systems, physicians, clinicians, and patients worldwide. Its Cardiovascular Portfolio segment offers implantable cardiac pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices; cardiac ablation products; insertable cardiac monitor systems; TYRX products; and remote monitoring and patient-centered software. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MDT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Medtronic PLC (NYSE:MDT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Medtronic Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Medtronic and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DT Investment Partners LLC lowered its stake in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY Free Report) by 15.9% in the first quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 18,195 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 3,447 shares during the period. DT Investment Partners LLCs holdings in Bristol Myers Squibb were worth $1,110,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Polar Asset Management Partners Inc. purchased a new stake in Bristol Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter valued at about $16,651,000. Avaii Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in Bristol Myers Squibb by 590.9% during the 1st quarter. Avaii Wealth Management LLC now owns 78,597 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $4,794,000 after acquiring an additional 67,221 shares in the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. grew its stake in Bristol Myers Squibb by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 65,038 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $3,967,000 after acquiring an additional 869 shares in the last quarter. Shorepoint Capital Partners LLC grew its stake in Bristol Myers Squibb by 2.2% during the 4th quarter. Shorepoint Capital Partners LLC now owns 58,426 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $3,305,000 after acquiring an additional 1,248 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in Bristol Myers Squibb by 17.0% during the 1st quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 550,613 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $33,582,000 after acquiring an additional 80,087 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.41% of the companys stock. Get Bristol Myers Squibb alerts: Bristol Myers Squibb Trading Down 1.3% Shares of Bristol Myers Squibb stock opened at $47.02 on Friday. Bristol Myers Squibb Company has a 1 year low of $39.35 and a 1 year high of $63.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.65, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a current ratio of 1.28. The company has a market capitalization of $95.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.61, a PEG ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 0.36. The companys fifty day moving average is $47.73 and its two-hundred day moving average is $53.62. Bristol Myers Squibb Announces Dividend Bristol Myers Squibb ( NYSE:BMY Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 24th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.50 by $0.30. The company had revenue of $11.20 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.77 billion. Bristol Myers Squibb had a net margin of 11.38% and a return on equity of 87.62%. Bristol Myers Squibbs revenue for the quarter was down 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted ($4.40) EPS. Analysts forecast that Bristol Myers Squibb Company will post 6.74 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 1st. Investors of record on Thursday, July 3rd will be given a $0.62 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 3rd. This represents a $2.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.27%. Bristol Myers Squibbs payout ratio is currently 92.88%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts recently issued reports on BMY shares. Piper Sandler initiated coverage on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a research note on Tuesday, April 22nd. They set an overweight rating and a $65.00 price objective for the company. William Blair reiterated a market perform rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a report on Friday, April 25th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $55.00 target price on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Bristol Myers Squibb from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, June 6th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $55.00 target price (down from $67.00) on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $58.00. Get Our Latest Research Report on Bristol Myers Squibb Insider Buying and Selling In other news, EVP Samit Hirawat acquired 4,250 shares of Bristol Myers Squibb stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 25th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $47.58 per share, for a total transaction of $202,215.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 83,513 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,973,548.54. This trade represents a 5.36% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Bristol Myers Squibb Profile (Free Report) Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in non-valvular atrial fibrillation, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for various anti-cancer indications, including bladder, blood, CRC, head and neck, RCC, HCC, lung, melanoma, MPM, stomach and esophageal cancer; Pomalyst/Imnovid for multiple myeloma; Orencia for active rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis; and Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BMY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Bristol Myers Squibb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bristol Myers Squibb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Generali Investments CEE investicni spolecnost a.s. lessened its holdings in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report) by 11.0% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 29,812 shares of the companys stock after selling 3,688 shares during the quarter. Generali Investments CEE investicni spolecnost a.s.s holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $4,732,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in Philip Morris International by 24.9% during the 1st quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 439,082 shares of the companys stock worth $69,695,000 after buying an additional 87,631 shares during the last quarter. Brighton Jones LLC raised its stake in shares of Philip Morris International by 31.1% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 8,531 shares of the companys stock worth $1,027,000 after buying an additional 2,023 shares in the last quarter. Symmetry Investments LP purchased a new stake in shares of Philip Morris International during the 4th quarter worth $1,966,000. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Philip Morris International during the first quarter worth about $2,223,000. Finally, Annex Advisory Services LLC grew its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 46.6% in the 1st quarter. Annex Advisory Services LLC now owns 34,715 shares of the companys stock worth $5,510,000 after acquiring an additional 11,034 shares during the period. 78.63% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Philip Morris International alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have issued reports on PM shares. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $163.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 16th. Morgan Stanley restated an overweight rating and issued a $182.00 price target (up previously from $156.00) on shares of Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on Philip Morris International from $168.00 to $186.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Argus upgraded shares of Philip Morris International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, March 14th. Finally, Barclays restated an overweight rating and set a $220.00 price objective (up previously from $205.00) on shares of Philip Morris International in a research note on Friday, June 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $176.80. Philip Morris International Stock Performance PM opened at $179.00 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $177.14 and a 200-day moving average of $154.59. The company has a market capitalization of $278.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.91, a PEG ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 0.51. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 1-year low of $100.80 and a 1-year high of $186.69. Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 23rd. The company reported $1.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.61 by $0.08. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 122.40% and a net margin of 8.43%. The firm had revenue of $9.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.10 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.50 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 7.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, July 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 27th will be paid a dividend of $1.35 per share. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.02%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 27th. Philip Morris Internationals payout ratio is 111.34%. Philip Morris International Company Profile (Free Report) Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Philip Morris International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Philip Morris International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Genuine Parts Company (NYSE:GPC Get Free Report) has been assigned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the ten brokerages that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $130.86. A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Truist Financial raised their price target on shares of Genuine Parts from $133.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, April 24th. Evercore ISI dropped their price objective on shares of Genuine Parts from $135.00 to $130.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 23rd. Argus raised shares of Genuine Parts to a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, April 25th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Genuine Parts from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, April 26th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a sell rating and issued a $114.00 price objective (down previously from $133.00) on shares of Genuine Parts in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. Get Genuine Parts alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on GPC Hedge Funds Weigh In On Genuine Parts Genuine Parts Trading Down 0.0% Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Millstone Evans Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Genuine Parts in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Rossby Financial LCC bought a new stake in shares of Genuine Parts in the 1st quarter worth $25,000. Olde Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Genuine Parts in the 1st quarter worth $27,000. North Capital Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Genuine Parts in the 1st quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Genuine Parts in the 4th quarter worth $33,000. 78.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. NYSE GPC opened at $127.41 on Monday. Genuine Parts has a 12 month low of $104.01 and a 12 month high of $149.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.52. The company has a market capitalization of $17.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.92 and a beta of 0.74. The companys fifty day moving average price is $122.94 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $120.04. Genuine Parts (NYSE:GPC Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 22nd. The specialty retailer reported $1.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.66 by $0.09. Genuine Parts had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 23.71%. The company had revenue of $5.87 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.83 billion. As a group, research analysts predict that Genuine Parts will post 7.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Genuine Parts Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, June 6th were issued a dividend of $1.03 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 6th. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.23%. Genuine Partss payout ratio is 67.65%. Genuine Parts Company Profile (Get Free Report Genuine Parts Company distributes automotive replacement parts, and industrial parts and materials. It operates in two segments: Automotive Parts Group and Industrial Parts Group segments. The company distributes automotive replacement parts for hybrid and electric vehicles, trucks, SUVs, buses, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, farm vehicles, small engines, farm equipment, marine equipment, and heavy duty equipment; and equipment and parts used by repair shops, service stations, fleet operators, automobile and truck dealers, leasing companies, bus and truck lines, mass merchandisers, farms, and individuals. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Genuine Parts Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Genuine Parts and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN.B Get Free Report) shares traded down 3% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $107.08 and last traded at $106.70. 8,223 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 88% from the average session volume of 66,526 shares. The stock had previously closed at $109.99. Lennar Stock Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a current ratio of 3.65 and a quick ratio of 0.49. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $104.04 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $113.31. The firm has a market capitalization of $27.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.74 and a beta of 1.27. Get Lennar alerts: Lennar (NYSE:LEN.B Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, June 16th. The construction company reported $1.90 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.96 by ($0.06). The company had revenue of $8.38 billion for the quarter. Lennar had a net margin of 9.20% and a return on equity of 12.73%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.38 EPS. Lennar Announces Dividend About Lennar The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 18th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 3rd will be issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 3rd. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.89%. Lennars payout ratio is 16.54%. (Get Free Report) Lennar Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a homebuilder primarily under the Lennar brand in the United States. It operates through Homebuilding East, Homebuilding Central, Homebuilding Texas, Homebuilding West, Financial Services, Multifamily, and Lennar Other segments. The company's homebuilding operations include the construction and sale of single-family attached and detached homes, as well as the purchase, development, and sale of residential land. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Lennar Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lennar and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. North Capital Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF (NYSEARCA:RSPH Free Report) during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor bought 1,080 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $32,000. Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Runnymede Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF during the 4th quarter valued at about $35,000. CX Institutional acquired a new position in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF during the 1st quarter valued at about $77,000. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. acquired a new position in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF during the 1st quarter valued at about $254,000. D. E. Shaw & Co. Inc. acquired a new position in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF during the 4th quarter valued at about $257,000. Finally, Shorepoint Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF by 18.6% during the 4th quarter. Shorepoint Capital Partners LLC now owns 10,200 shares of the companys stock valued at $299,000 after buying an additional 1,600 shares during the period. Get Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF alerts: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF Trading Up 0.2% Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF stock opened at $29.23 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $737.18 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.06 and a beta of 0.84. The companys 50-day moving average price is $28.70 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $29.35. Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF has a 52 week low of $26.36 and a 52 week high of $32.85. About Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF (RSPH) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in health care equity. The fund tracks an equal-weighted index of US health care companies taken from the S&P 500 Index. RSPH was launched on Nov 1, 2006 and is managed by Invesco. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RSPH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF (NYSEARCA:RSPH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua The enemy occupied the settlements of Zeleny Kut and Novoukrainka near the administrative border of Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions and is trying to advance further, DeepState reported on Telegram on Saturday. It is noted that these villages are located near the village of Dachne, where the occupiers are actively trying to advance, but the fighters of the Defense Forces are trying to prevent them from gaining a foothold in the settlement. "The situation in Dachne area is dynamic and tense. To prevent advances to Dnipropetrovsk region and the occupation of the village, the Defense Forces have attracted additional resources, but due to the quantitative advantage and continuous assaults by small groups of infantry, the enemy is breaking through the defensive lines of Ukrainian fighters," the report says. Shares of Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSE:NDM Get Free Report) (NYSE:NAK) were up 25% on Saturday . The company traded as high as C$2.42 and last traded at C$2.40. Approximately 3,243,270 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 276% from the average daily volume of 861,948 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$1.92. Northern Dynasty Minerals Trading Up 25.0% The stock has a market cap of C$1.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -76.07 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.33, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 3.93. The companys fifty day moving average price is C$1.63 and its 200-day moving average price is C$1.27. Get Northern Dynasty Minerals alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Northern Dynasty Minerals news, insider Bruce Wayne Jenkins sold 50,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$1.72, for a total value of C$86,000.00. Corporate insiders own 1.86% of the companys stock. Northern Dynasty Minerals Company Profile Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd is a Canadian mineral exploration company. It has a single operating segment of acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. Its core asset is the Pebble Project located in Alaska, USA. The Pebble project is seeking to develop a significant deposit of copper, gold, molybdenum, and silver into a modern mining operation. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Northern Dynasty Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Northern Dynasty Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:NOM Get Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Thursday, July 3rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Tuesday, July 15th will be given a dividend of 0.0675 per share on Friday, August 1st. This represents a $0.81 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.86%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, July 15th. Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund Stock Performance Shares of NOM stock opened at $10.30 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $10.52 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $10.82. Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund has a 12 month low of $9.63 and a 12 month high of $12.25. Get Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund alerts: Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund Company Profile (Get Free Report) Featured Stories Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of Missouri. The fund invests in undervalued municipal securities and other related investments the income from which is exempt from regular federal and Missouri income taxes. Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:NXJ Get Free Report) declared a monthly dividend on Thursday, July 3rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, July 15th will be paid a dividend of 0.0785 per share on Friday, August 1st. This represents a $0.94 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.23%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, July 15th. Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund Trading Up 0.2% Shares of NYSE NXJ opened at $11.45 on Friday. The firms 50 day moving average price is $11.37 and its 200-day moving average price is $11.72. Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund has a 52-week low of $11.01 and a 52-week high of $13.13. Get Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund alerts: Institutional Trading of Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund An institutional investor recently bought a new position in Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund stock. Focus Partners Wealth acquired a new stake in shares of Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:NXJ Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 28,124 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $331,000. Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund Company Profile Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of New Jersey. The fund invests in undervalued municipal securities and other related investments that are, exempt from regular federal and New Jersey income taxes that are rated Baa or BBB or better. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:NQP Get Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Thursday, July 3rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, July 15th will be given a dividend of 0.078 per share by the financial services provider on Friday, August 1st. This represents a $0.94 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.40%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, July 15th. Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund Stock Down 0.8% Shares of NYSE NQP opened at $11.14 on Friday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $11.13 and a 200-day simple moving average of $11.28. Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund has a 12 month low of $10.65 and a 12 month high of $12.89. Get Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund A hedge fund recently raised its stake in Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund stock. Royal Bank of Canada raised its position in shares of Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:NQP Free Report) by 25.2% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 311,664 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 62,761 shares during the quarter. Royal Bank of Canada owned 0.84% of Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund worth $3,497,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 30.58% of the companys stock. Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund Company Profile Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of Pennsylvania. The fund invests in tax exempt municipal bonds, with a rating of Baa/BBB or higher. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Earnings & Valuation This table compares Remedent and its peers gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Remedent $990,000.00 -$270,000.00 -1.00 Remedent Competitors $37.61 billion $430.42 million 20.09 Remedents peers have higher revenue and earnings than Remedent. Remedent is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its peers, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. Get Remedent alerts: Risk and Volatility Remedent has a beta of -0.19, suggesting that its stock price is 119% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Remedents peers have a beta of 0.52, suggesting that their average stock price is 48% less volatile than the S&P 500. Profitability Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Remedent N/A N/A N/A Remedent Competitors 2.88% -3.91% 7.65% Institutional & Insider Ownership This table compares Remedent and its peers net margins, return on equity and return on assets. 69.6% of shares of all MED/DENTAL SUPP companies are owned by institutional investors. 9.4% of shares of all MED/DENTAL SUPP companies are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Summary Remedent peers beat Remedent on 8 of the 9 factors compared. About Remedent (Get Free Report) Remedent, Inc. researches, designs, develops, manufactures, and distributes oral care and cosmetic dentistry products in the United States and internationally. It primarily provides professional veneers and teeth whitening products for professional and over-the-counter use. The company also offers River8, a prefab veneer that enables the dentist to find the right combination of teeth for a patient with minor reshaping. In addition, it provides GlamSmile veneers, which are ultra-thin claddings attached to the front of the patients teeth. Further, the company offers SmileMe Mirror, an integrated marketing concept for the dental practice that enables dentists to offer smile consultation in approximately 10 minutes; SmileSketch, a simulation software to make a sketch of what the patient could look like; and various Treatment Pages to explain the benefits of certain treatments, as well as Condor, an intra-oral 3D scanner. Additionally, it provides dental implant solutions and treatment concepts. The company sells its products through internal sales force and third party distributors. Remedent, Inc. was incorporated in 1986 and is headquartered in Ghent, Belgium. Receive News & Ratings for Remedent Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Remedent and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sharp Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 807 shares of the technology companys stock, valued at approximately $201,000. Other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Vision Financial Markets LLC acquired a new stake in International Business Machines in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Rialto Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in International Business Machines in the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. Measured Risk Portfolios Inc. bought a new position in International Business Machines in the 4th quarter valued at $43,000. Park Square Financial Group LLC bought a new position in International Business Machines in the 4th quarter valued at $43,000. Finally, Mascagni Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in International Business Machines in the 4th quarter valued at $43,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.96% of the companys stock. Get International Business Machines alerts: International Business Machines Stock Up 1.4% Shares of International Business Machines stock opened at $291.66 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.09. International Business Machines Corporation has a 12 month low of $173.95 and a 12 month high of $296.16. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $268.36 and a 200 day simple moving average of $249.65. The stock has a market cap of $271.06 billion, a PE ratio of 50.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.13 and a beta of 0.69. International Business Machines Increases Dividend International Business Machines ( NYSE:IBM Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, April 23rd. The technology company reported $1.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.42 by $0.18. International Business Machines had a return on equity of 37.43% and a net margin of 8.71%. The firm had revenue of $14.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.41 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.68 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up .5% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that International Business Machines Corporation will post 10.78 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 9th were paid a $1.68 dividend. This represents a $6.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.30%. This is a boost from International Business Machiness previous quarterly dividend of $1.67. International Business Machiness payout ratio is presently 115.66%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth IBM has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen downgraded International Business Machines from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 21st. Wedbush lifted their price objective on International Business Machines from $300.00 to $325.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, June 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on International Business Machines from $276.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, May 15th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on International Business Machines from $237.00 to $233.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 24th. Finally, Citigroup restated an outperform rating on shares of International Business Machines in a research report on Saturday, May 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $257.50. View Our Latest Stock Report on IBM About International Business Machines (Free Report) International Business Machines Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated solutions and services worldwide. The company operates through Software, Consulting, Infrastructure, and Financing segments. The Software segment offers a hybrid cloud and AI platforms that allows clients to realize their digital and AI transformations across the applications, data, and environments in which they operate. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for International Business Machines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for International Business Machines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sutton Place Investors LLC lifted its stake in The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW Free Report) by 1.6% during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 8,677 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 140 shares during the period. Sutton Place Investors LLCs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $679,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Atwood & Palmer Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Charles Schwab in the first quarter worth about $25,000. Westside Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in Charles Schwab by 75.0% during the 1st quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 350 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the period. WFA Asset Management Corp purchased a new position in Charles Schwab during the 1st quarter valued at about $33,000. Beacon Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Charles Schwab by 53.1% during the 1st quarter. Beacon Capital Management LLC now owns 487 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 169 shares during the period. Finally, Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp purchased a new position in Charles Schwab during the 4th quarter valued at about $38,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.38% of the companys stock. Get Charles Schwab alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, insider Nigel J. Murtagh sold 20,872 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $90.01, for a total value of $1,878,688.72. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 58,999 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,310,499.99. This trade represents a 26.13% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Jonathan M. Craig sold 47,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $88.46, for a total value of $4,201,850.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 119,905 shares of company stock worth $10,530,833 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 6.30% of the companys stock. Charles Schwab Stock Performance Charles Schwab stock opened at $91.20 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53. The company has a market capitalization of $165.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.64, a PEG ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 0.93. The stocks 50 day moving average is $87.44 and its 200 day moving average is $80.78. The Charles Schwab Corporation has a twelve month low of $61.01 and a twelve month high of $92.15. Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 17th. The financial services provider reported $1.04 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.01 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $5.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.46 billion. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 18.31% and a net margin of 31.71%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.74 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that The Charles Schwab Corporation will post 4.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Charles Schwab Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, May 9th were given a $0.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 9th. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.18%. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 32.73%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Charles Schwab from $93.00 to $87.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. JMP Securities restated a market outperform rating and set a $94.00 price target on shares of Charles Schwab in a report on Monday, April 21st. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Charles Schwab from $95.00 to $96.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Citigroup raised Charles Schwab from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $85.00 to $102.00 in a research report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Finally, Cowen reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Charles Schwab in a research report on Tuesday, May 20th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and fifteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Charles Schwab presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $89.40. Read Our Latest Research Report on SCHW Charles Schwab Profile (Free Report) The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SCHW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Charles Schwab Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Charles Schwab and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. HM Payson & Co. decreased its stake in The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV Free Report) by 0.7% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 21,418 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 152 shares during the quarter. HM Payson & Co.s holdings in Travelers Companies were worth $5,664,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. World Investment Advisors lifted its position in Travelers Companies by 19.2% in the 1st quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 1,800 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $476,000 after buying an additional 290 shares in the last quarter. Wayfinding Financial LLC purchased a new stake in Travelers Companies in the 1st quarter worth approximately $215,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC lifted its position in Travelers Companies by 45.2% in the 1st quarter. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC now owns 527 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $139,000 after buying an additional 164 shares in the last quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd lifted its position in Travelers Companies by 8.7% in the 1st quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd now owns 45,954 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $12,153,000 after buying an additional 3,696 shares in the last quarter. Finally, OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in Travelers Companies by 12.5% in the 1st quarter. OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 8,638 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $2,284,000 after buying an additional 961 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.45% of the companys stock. Get Travelers Companies alerts: Travelers Companies Stock Performance Shares of TRV opened at $264.13 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $59.66 billion, a PE ratio of 14.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.87 and a beta of 0.51. The Travelers Companies, Inc. has a one year low of $200.40 and a one year high of $277.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 0.33 and a quick ratio of 0.33. The companys fifty day moving average price is $267.88 and its 200 day moving average price is $255.15. Travelers Companies Increases Dividend Travelers Companies ( NYSE:TRV Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 16th. The insurance provider reported $1.91 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.53 by $1.38. The firm had revenue of $10.52 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.97 billion. Travelers Companies had a net margin of 9.09% and a return on equity of 16.10%. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $4.69 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 17.02 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 10th were given a $1.10 dividend. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.67%. This is a positive change from Travelers Companiess previous quarterly dividend of $1.05. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, June 10th. Travelers Companiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 23.95%. Analysts Set New Price Targets TRV has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Travelers Companies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 13th. Morgan Stanley set a $269.00 price target on shares of Travelers Companies and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, May 19th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Travelers Companies from $247.00 to $260.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, April 17th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on shares of Travelers Companies from $265.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Friday, April 11th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Travelers Companies from $260.00 to $271.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Travelers Companies presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $271.11. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Travelers Companies Insider Buying and Selling In other Travelers Companies news, insider Avrohom J. Kess sold 23,434 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $273.93, for a total value of $6,419,275.62. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 48,387 shares in the company, valued at $13,254,650.91. This trade represents a 32.63% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Michael Frederick Klein sold 9,044 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $274.17, for a total transaction of $2,479,593.48. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 33,638 shares in the company, valued at $9,222,530.46. This represents a 21.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 163,869 shares of company stock worth $44,868,201. 1.46% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Travelers Companies Company Profile (Free Report) The Travelers Companies, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TRV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Travelers Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Travelers Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. News Analysis: Egypt embraces Chinese yuan to attract investment, strengthen ties Xinhua) 09:56, July 05, 2025 CAIRO, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Egypt is set to allow Chinese firms to register and operate using the Chinese currency, the yuan -- an important step to facilitate investment and enhance economic relations between the two countries, according to Egyptian economic experts. Egyptian Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Hassan El Khatib, recently announced that "Egypt will allow Chinese companies to register using the yuan in financial transactions, under the Central Bank of Egypt's support." The Egyptian investment law generally permits 100 percent foreign ownership in most sectors, according to a statement by the ministry. Licensing Chinese companies to use yuan in Egypt means these firms can open bank accounts in Egyptian banks with the Chinese currency, Waleed Gaballah, a member of the Egyptian Association for Political Economy, Statistics and Legislation, told Xinhua. The move will encourage more Chinese companies to pump investments in Egypt, which will further expand bilateral economic relations by facilitating trade in local currencies, he added. He explained that now the Chinese companies don't have to use mediating currency, such as the U.S. dollars, during transactions. Instead, they can use yuan directly within Egypt and transfer their profits back to China in the same currency. "Yuan succeeded in making a large international presence in payments in recent years," he added. The Egyptian economist reiterated that Egypt took this decision to strengthen economic relations between the two countries and to encourage more Chinese companies to enter the Egyptian market and activate trading in local currencies. Injecting the Egyptian markets with yuan will reduce transaction costs and will help Cairo and Beijing to have direct cooperation, Gaballah added. He expressed hope that increased Chinese investment and local production would help narrow the trade deficit between the two countries and reduce Egypt's reliance on the U.S. dollar in an indirect way. Gamal Bayoumi, head of the Cairo-based Arab Investors Union, hailed the move, given that the yuan is one of the International Monetary Fund's currencies and China is a friendly country to Egypt. He pointed out that Egypt is an important station for the Chinese companies to enter the Arab, African, and European markets. Meanwhile, Diaa Helmy, a member of the Economic Committee of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, confirmed that using the yuan in Egypt backs strategic bilateral cooperation. Egypt seeks industrial development and localization, which could happen in partnership with China, Helmy said, adding that the new decision will ease the pressure on the U.S. dollar in Egypt and the Egyptian cash reserve. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Scenery of Wulanmaodu pasture in China's Inner Mongolia Xinhua) 10:24, July 05, 2025 An aerial drone photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows the scenery of the Wulanmaodu pasture in Horqin Right Wing Front Banner, Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In the first half of this year, the banner recorded 2.55 million tourist trips, with total tourism expenditure reaching 882 million yuan (about 123.12 million U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Bei He) An aerial drone photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows the scenery of the Wulanmaodu pasture in Horqin Right Wing Front Banner, Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In the first half of this year, the banner recorded 2.55 million tourist trips, with total tourism expenditure reaching 882 million yuan (about 123.12 million U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Bei He) An aerial drone photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows the scenery of the Wulanmaodu pasture in Horqin Right Wing Front Banner, Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In the first half of this year, the banner recorded 2.55 million tourist trips, with total tourism expenditure reaching 882 million yuan (about 123.12 million U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Bei He) A tourist enjoys the scenery of the Wulanmaodu pasture in Horqin Right Wing Front Banner, Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 4, 2025. In the first half of this year, the banner recorded 2.55 million tourist trips, with total tourism expenditure reaching 882 million yuan (about 123.12 million U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Bei He) An aerial drone photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows the scenery of the Wulanmaodu pasture in Horqin Right Wing Front Banner, Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In the first half of this year, the banner recorded 2.55 million tourist trips, with total tourism expenditure reaching 882 million yuan (about 123.12 million U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Bei He) This photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows the scenery of the Wulanmaodu pasture in Horqin Right Wing Front Banner, Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In the first half of this year, the banner recorded 2.55 million tourist trips, with total tourism expenditure reaching 882 million yuan (about 123.12 million U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Bei He) A tourist (back) rides a horse under the guidance of a herdsman at the Wulanmaodu pasture in Horqin Right Wing Front Banner, Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 4, 2025. In the first half of this year, the banner recorded 2.55 million tourist trips, with total tourism expenditure reaching 882 million yuan (about 123.12 million U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Bei He) An aerial drone photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows the scenery of the Wulanmaodu pasture in Horqin Right Wing Front Banner, Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In the first half of this year, the banner recorded 2.55 million tourist trips, with total tourism expenditure reaching 882 million yuan (about 123.12 million U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Bei He) An aerial drone photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows the scenery of the Wulanmaodu pasture in Horqin Right Wing Front Banner, Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In the first half of this year, the banner recorded 2.55 million tourist trips, with total tourism expenditure reaching 882 million yuan (about 123.12 million U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Bei He) An aerial drone photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows the scenery of the Wulanmaodu pasture in Horqin Right Wing Front Banner, Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In the first half of this year, the banner recorded 2.55 million tourist trips, with total tourism expenditure reaching 882 million yuan (about 123.12 million U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Bei He) A tourist experiences archery at the Wulanmaodu pasture in Horqin Right Wing Front Banner, Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 4, 2025. In the first half of this year, the banner recorded 2.55 million tourist trips, with total tourism expenditure reaching 882 million yuan (about 123.12 million U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Bei He) (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) In pics: floating offshore photovoltaic project in Qingdao, China's Shandong Xinhua) 10:31, July 05, 2025 An aerial drone photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows workers inspecting at the site of an floating offshore photovoltaic (PV) project of Sinopec Qingdao Refining &Chemical Co., Ltd. in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. The project was connected to the grid for electricity generation recently. Located in the Xihai'an (West Coast) New Area of the east China's coastal city, the project innovatively adopts a floating structure, with the photovoltaic panels rising and falling close to the water surface with the tide, and uses seawater to efficiently dissipate heat to improve power generation efficiency. With an installed capacity of 7.5 megawatts, it is expected to generate nearly 10 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 8,300 tons. Since it was put into use on July 1, the project has generated a total of 123,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity. (Photo by Zhang Jingang/Xinhua) An aerial drone photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows a floating offshore photovoltaic (PV) project of Sinopec Qingdao Refining &Chemical Co., Ltd. in a full-seawater environment in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. The project was connected to the grid for electricity generation recently. Located in the Xihai'an (West Coast) New Area of the east China's coastal city, the project innovatively adopts a floating structure, with the photovoltaic panels rising and falling close to the water surface with the tide, and uses seawater to efficiently dissipate heat to improve power generation efficiency. With an installed capacity of 7.5 megawatts, it is expected to generate nearly 10 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 8,300 tons. Since it was put into use on July 1, the project has generated a total of 123,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity. (Photo by Zhang Jingang/Xinhua) An aerial drone photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows a floating offshore photovoltaic (PV) project of Sinopec Qingdao Refining &Chemical Co., Ltd. in a full-seawater environment in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. The project was connected to the grid for electricity generation recently. Located in the Xihai'an (West Coast) New Area of the east China's coastal city, the project innovatively adopts a floating structure, with the photovoltaic panels rising and falling close to the water surface with the tide, and uses seawater to efficiently dissipate heat to improve power generation efficiency. With an installed capacity of 7.5 megawatts, it is expected to generate nearly 10 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 8,300 tons. Since it was put into use on July 1, the project has generated a total of 123,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity. (Photo by Zhang Jingang/Xinhua) An aerial drone photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows workers inspecting at the site of the floating offshore photovoltaic (PV) project of Sinopec Qingdao Refining &Chemical Co., Ltd. in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. The project was connected to the grid for electricity generation recently. Located in the Xihai'an (West Coast) New Area of the east China's coastal city, the project innovatively adopts a floating structure, with the photovoltaic panels rising and falling close to the water surface with the tide, and uses seawater to efficiently dissipate heat to improve power generation efficiency. With an installed capacity of 7.5 megawatts, it is expected to generate nearly 10 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 8,300 tons. Since it was put into use on July 1, the project has generated a total of 123,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity. (Photo by Zhang Jingang/Xinhua) (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Profitability This table compares Japan Steel Works and its peers net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Get Japan Steel Works alerts: Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Japan Steel Works 7.21% 9.70% 4.79% Japan Steel Works Competitors 8.57% 12.70% 7.08% Risk & Volatility Japan Steel Works has a beta of 0.48, indicating that its share price is 52% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Japan Steel Works peers have a beta of 11.39, indicating that their average share price is 1,039% more volatile than the S&P 500. Earnings and Valuation This table compares Japan Steel Works and its peers revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Japan Steel Works $1.63 billion $118.54 million 33.75 Japan Steel Works Competitors $4.72 billion $501.64 million 19.19 Insider and Institutional Ownership Japan Steel Works peers have higher revenue and earnings than Japan Steel Works. Japan Steel Works is trading at a higher price-to-earnings ratio than its peers, indicating that it is currently more expensive than other companies in its industry. 73.4% of shares of all MACH GENL INDL companies are owned by institutional investors. 6.1% of shares of all MACH GENL INDL companies are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Dividends Japan Steel Works pays an annual dividend of $0.22 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.8%. Japan Steel Works pays out 27.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, MACH GENL INDL companies pay a dividend yield of 1.1% and pay out 25.5% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. Japan Steel Works lags its peers as a dividend stock, given its lower dividend yield and higher payout ratio. Summary Japan Steel Works peers beat Japan Steel Works on 10 of the 11 factors compared. About Japan Steel Works (Get Free Report) The Japan Steel Works, Ltd. engages in the provision of industrial machinery products, and material and engineering business in Japan and internationally. It operates through Industrial Machinery Products Business, and Material and Engineering Business segments. The Industrial Machinery Products Business segment offers plastic production and processing machinery, such as pelletizers, film and sheet manufacturing equipment, and twin-screw extruders; molding machines including plastic injection molding, magnesium injection molding, and blow molding machines; and other machinery consists of excimer laser annealing systems, defense equipment, railway products, hot press devices, vacuum laminators, and deposit systems, as well as after-sales services for plastics, mobility, high-performance batteries, electronic devices, and defense applications. The Material and Engineering Business segment provides steel casting and forgings, such as reactor and steam generator parts, rotor shafts, turbine casings, die steel, steel rolls for steel manufacturing, and clad steel plates; and engineering and other services, including design and analysis, welded structures, inspection and survey, and hydrogen pressure accumulators and related products for use in power generation equipment, renewable energy, and infrastructure applications. The company offers photonics, composite materials, and metallic materials for use in semiconductors and electronic devices, cameras and sensing devices, aircraft and mobility components, and electronic parts. The Japan Steel Works, Ltd. was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Shinagawa, Japan. Receive News & Ratings for Japan Steel Works Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Japan Steel Works and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina (NYSE:LOMA Get Free Report) is one of 23 public companies in the BLDG RSDNT/COMR industry, but how does it compare to its rivals? We will compare Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina to similar businesses based on the strength of its valuation, profitability, institutional ownership, dividends, earnings, analyst recommendations and risk. Get Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina alerts: Institutional and Insider Ownership 19.3% of Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 78.6% of shares of all BLDG RSDNT/COMR companies are held by institutional investors. 8.2% of shares of all BLDG RSDNT/COMR companies are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Earnings & Valuation This table compares Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina and its rivals gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina $767.70 million $169.19 million 13.46 Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina Competitors $11.16 billion $1.27 billion 5.50 Analyst Recommendations Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentinas rivals have higher revenue and earnings than Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina. Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina is trading at a higher price-to-earnings ratio than its rivals, indicating that it is currently more expensive than other companies in its industry. This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina and its rivals, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina 0 0 4 0 3.00 Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina Competitors 378 1821 2061 66 2.42 Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina presently has a consensus target price of $14.80, indicating a potential upside of 30.86%. As a group, BLDG RSDNT/COMR companies have a potential upside of 18.98%. Given Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentinas stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts plainly believe Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina is more favorable than its rivals. Volatility and Risk Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina has a beta of 1.05, meaning that its share price is 5% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentinas rivals have a beta of 0.95, meaning that their average share price is 5% less volatile than the S&P 500. Profitability This table compares Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina and its rivals net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina 14.52% 12.51% 6.95% Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina Competitors 11.42% 18.05% 10.97% Summary Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina rivals beat Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina on 7 of the 13 factors compared. Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina Company Profile (Get Free Report) Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina Sociedad Anonima, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells cement and its derivatives in Argentina. The company operates through Cement, Masonry Cement and Lime; Concrete; Railroad; Aggregates; and Others segments. It offers masonry cement, aggregates, ready-mix concrete, concrete, and lime to wholesale distributors, concrete producers, industrial customers, and others for use in the construction. The company also provides rail transportation services; and treats and recycles industrial waste for use as fuel and raw material. It markets its products under the Loma Negra, San Martin, Plasticor, Cacique Plus, Cacique Max, Loma Negra Plus, and Lomax brands. The company was founded in 1926 and is based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina Sociedad Anonima is a subsidiary of Intercement Trading E Inversiones Argentina Sociedad Limitada. Receive News & Ratings for Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Loma Negra Compania Industrial Argentina and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dividends Ricoh pays an annual dividend of $0.18 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.8%. Seiko Epson pays an annual dividend of $0.17 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.6%. Ricoh pays out 39.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Seiko Epson pays out 30.9% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Seiko Epson is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio. Get Ricoh alerts: Risk & Volatility Ricoh has a beta of 0.37, suggesting that its stock price is 63% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Seiko Epson has a beta of 0.81, suggesting that its stock price is 19% less volatile than the S&P 500. Valuation and Earnings This table compares Ricoh and Seiko Epsons top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Ricoh $16.60 billion 0.35 $301.68 million $0.46 22.00 Seiko Epson $8.95 billion 0.55 $369.61 million $0.55 11.95 Seiko Epson has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Ricoh. Seiko Epson is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Ricoh, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Profitability This table compares Ricoh and Seiko Epsons net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Ricoh 1.68% 3.91% 1.77% Seiko Epson 4.02% 6.68% 3.77% Summary Seiko Epson beats Ricoh on 9 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks. About Ricoh (Get Free Report) Ricoh Company, Ltd. provides office, commercial printing, and related solutions worldwide. It operates through Digital services, Digital Products, Graphic Communications, Industrial Solutions, and Other segments. The company sells multifunctional printers (MFPs), laser printers, digital duplicators, wide format printers, facsimile machines, scanners, personal computers, servers, network equipment, related parts and supplies, services, and support and service and solutions related to documents. It also offers production and OEM services for MFPs, laser printers, digital duplicators, wide format printers, facsimile machine, scanners, network equipment, and related parts and supplies. In addition, the company produces and sells cut sheet printers, continuous feed printers, inkjet heads, imaging systems, industrial printers, related parts and supplies, services, and support and software. Further, it produces and sells thermal paper and media products, industrial optical components/modules, and electronic components and precision mechanical components, as well as offers digital cameras, 360cameras, and environment and healthcare products. The company was formerly known as Riken Optical Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Ricoh Company, Ltd. in 1963. Ricoh Company, Ltd. was incorporated in 1936 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. About Seiko Epson (Get Free Report) Seiko Epson Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, sells, and provides services for products in the printing solutions, visual communications, manufacturing-related and wearables, and other businesses. It operates through three segments: Printing Solutions, Visual Communications, and Manufacturing-related and Wearables segments. The Printing Solutions segment offers home and office inkjet printers, serial impact dot matrix printers, page printers, color image scanners, dry process office papermaking systems, commercial and industrial inkjet printers, inkjet printheads, printers for use in POS systems, label printers, printer consumables, and others. The Visual Communications segment provides 3LCD projectors for business, education, the home, and event; smart glasses; and others. The Manufacturing-related and Wearables segment offers wristwatches, watch movements, and others; factory automation products, industrial robots, compact injection molders, and other production systems; and crystal units, crystal oscillators, quartz sensors, and others for consumer, automotive, and industrial equipment applications. This segment also provides CMOS LSIs and other chips primarily for consumer electronics and automotive applications; and metal powders for use as raw materials in the production of electronic components, etc., as well as value-added surface finishing in a range of industrial fields. The company also sells PCs, etc. It has operations in Japan, the Philippines, the United States, Indonesia, China, and internationally. Seiko Epson Corporation was incorporated in 1942 and is headquartered in Suwa, Japan. Receive News & Ratings for Ricoh Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ricoh and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. LY (OTCMKTS:YAHOY Get Free Report) and Prosus (OTCMKTS:PROSY Get Free Report) are both large-cap retail/wholesale companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, earnings, dividends, profitability, valuation and risk. Get LY alerts: Valuation and Earnings This table compares LY and Prosuss top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio LY $12.59 billion 2.05 $1.01 billion $0.27 26.74 Prosus $6.17 billion 47.51 $12.37 billion N/A N/A Profitability Prosus has lower revenue, but higher earnings than LY. This table compares LY and Prosus net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets LY 7.99% 5.35% 2.00% Prosus N/A N/A N/A Volatility and Risk LY has a beta of 0.79, suggesting that its stock price is 21% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Prosus has a beta of 0.66, suggesting that its stock price is 34% less volatile than the S&P 500. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for LY and Prosus, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score LY 0 1 0 1 3.00 Prosus 0 0 1 1 3.50 Institutional and Insider Ownership 0.0% of Prosus shares are held by institutional investors. 0.5% of Prosus shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Summary Prosus beats LY on 6 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks. About LY (Get Free Report) LY Corporation engages in the online advertising and e-commerce businesses in Japan. The company provides LINE, a communication app; and Yahoo! JAPAN, an internet service that offers search, news, weather, shopping, auction, and other services. It also offers reuse, membership, and payment-related services. The company was formerly known as Z Holdings Corporation and changed its name to LY Corporation in October 2023. LY Corporation was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Chiyoda, Japan. LY Corporation operates as a subsidiary of A Holdings Corporation. About Prosus (Get Free Report) Prosus N.V. engages in the e-commerce and internet businesses in Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, and internationally. It operates internet platforms, such as classifieds, payments and fintech, food delivery, education technology, etail, ventures, social, and other internet platforms. The company was formerly known as Myriad International Holdings N.V. and changed its name to Prosus N.V. in August 2019. Prosus N.V. was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Prosus N.V. operates as a subsidiary of Naspers Limited. Receive News & Ratings for LY Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for LY and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Haverty Furniture Companies (NYSE:HVT Get Free Report) and Floor & Decor (NYSE:FND Get Free Report) are both retail/wholesale companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, dividends, analyst recommendations, risk, earnings, profitability and institutional ownership. Get Haverty Furniture Companies alerts: Insider and Institutional Ownership 80.6% of Haverty Furniture Companies shares are owned by institutional investors. 8.6% of Haverty Furniture Companies shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 2.1% of Floor & Decor shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Valuation and Earnings This table compares Haverty Furniture Companies and Floor & Decors top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Haverty Furniture Companies $722.90 million 0.50 $19.96 million $1.26 17.77 Floor & Decor $4.46 billion 1.98 $205.87 million $1.89 43.42 Floor & Decor has higher revenue and earnings than Haverty Furniture Companies. Haverty Furniture Companies is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Floor & Decor, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Risk and Volatility Haverty Furniture Companies has a beta of 1.36, indicating that its stock price is 36% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Floor & Decor has a beta of 1.7, indicating that its stock price is 70% more volatile than the S&P 500. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of current ratings for Haverty Furniture Companies and Floor & Decor, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Haverty Furniture Companies 0 1 0 0 2.00 Floor & Decor 2 10 6 0 2.22 Floor & Decor has a consensus price target of $93.00, suggesting a potential upside of 13.32%. Given Floor & Decors stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Floor & Decor is more favorable than Haverty Furniture Companies. Profitability This table compares Haverty Furniture Companies and Floor & Decors net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Haverty Furniture Companies 2.96% 6.94% 3.29% Floor & Decor 4.53% 9.32% 3.95% Summary Floor & Decor beats Haverty Furniture Companies on 12 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks. About Haverty Furniture Companies (Get Free Report) Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer of residential furniture and accessories in the United States. The company offers furniture merchandise under the Havertys brand name. It also provides custom upholstery products and eclectic looks; and mattress product lines under the Tempur-Pedic, Serta, Sealy, and Stearns and Foster names. The company sells home furnishings through its retail stores, as well as through its website. Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. was founded in 1885 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. About Floor & Decor (Get Free Report) Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. engages in the retail of hard surface flooring and related accessories. It provides wood, stone, and flooring products. Its products include vinyl, laminate, and tiles with materials installation for living rooms, kitchen, bathrooms, and walls. The company was founded by George Vincent West in 2000 and is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Receive News & Ratings for Haverty Furniture Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Haverty Furniture Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ABOVE: Pictured (left to right) with the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Ruairi McHugh and the Primary 5 and 6 pupils is Louise Mc Dermott, Sperrins Partnership Project Administrator and Dearbhaile Hutchinson, Sperrin AONB Officer. Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Ruairi McHugh, last week visited children in Artigarvan Primary School to recognise their efforts in the recent Guardians of the Sperrins Project. Developed by the Sperrins Partnership, Guardians of the Sperrins was delivered to four local primary schools throughout the Council areas that make up the Sperrins region. Over 100 children participated in the project which aimed to promote the unique natural, built and cultural heritage of Sperrin Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Primary five and six pupils from Artigarvan Primary School represented the Derry City and Strabane District Council area. The project included class visits to a variety of sites across the Sperrins including the recently completed Giant Sculpture Trail, Gortin Glen Forest Park and OM Dark Sky Park & Observatory, followed by the creation of their own class book. Crucially, it provided an opportunity for the children to express what the area means to them and how it should be protected for future generations. Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr Ruairi McHugh said: It was an absolute pleasure to visit Artigarvan Primary School and see firsthand the enthusiasm and dedication of the young 'Guardians of the Sperrins'. This project is a fantastic initiative, truly bringing to life the unique natural, built, and cultural heritage of our beautiful Sperrin AONB for the next generation. "The children's passion for preserving this landscape is inspiring, and their voices are vital as we develop the first-ever Sperrin AONB Management Plan. I want to take this opportunity to commend the Sperrins Partnership and everyone involved in making this project such a fantastic success. Sperrin AONB Officer Dearbhaile Hutchinson also thanked all those involved adding We have been truly inspired by the level of engagement from the children, who have demonstrated considerable awareness and appreciation of our special landscapes, and the need to protect them. A huge thank you to the teachers, pupils and everyone else involved. Guardians of the Sperrins forms part of a wider community engagement exercise aimed at informing development of the first ever Management Plan for Sperrin AONB. Highlighting the importance of youth engagement to this process Chair of the Sperrins Partnership, Councillor Sean Clarke stated: As future guardians of this landscape, young peoples views are critical in the development of the Sperrin AONB Management Plan. READ NEXT: Cross-community women's network demands 'urgent action' following murder of pregnant mother "This project provided an opportunity to ensure these views were heard. We will continue to work with young people, so their voice is represented both at a development and delivery stage of the plan. This project has been funded by NIEA through the Carrier Bag Levy. If you would like to find out more about the project or the Sperrins Partnership, please visit https://sperrinspartnershipproject.com In a landmark move that could reshape the relationship between content creators and artificial intelligence companies, Cloudflare has announced a sweeping policy update that effectively locks out AI crawlers unless they explicitly seek permission. The new default, live from July 1, 2025, makes Cloudflare the first major Internet infrastructure provider to enforce a permission-based model for AI scraping, placing control back in the hands of web publishers. For years, AI companies have been crawling the web, collecting data to train models or serve up direct answers to users queries, often without crediting the original sources or compensating them. The result? Content creators lose visibility, traffic, and revenue, while large language models and generative AI tools benefit from the work of others. Cloudflares new system flips the dynamic. From now on, when a website signs up with Cloudflare, its owner will be asked whether they wish to allow AI crawlers to access their content. The default setting is no, and companies seeking access must declare who they are, what data they want, and why, whether its for training, inference, or search. This marks a meaningful departure from the traditional opt-out model where creators had to chase AI bots with robots.txt files or custom firewall rules. The broken incentive loop At the heart of Cloudflares argument is the erosion of a long-standing social contract: search engines crawl websites, send users to those sites, and creators are rewarded with traffic, engagement, and ad revenue. But AI flips that model on its head. With tools like chatbots and smart search answers drawing on scraped content to deliver full responses, users often get what they need without ever clicking through. In this new reality, the incentive to create original content begins to vanish. If the Internet is going to survive the age of AI, said Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince, we need to give publishers the control they deserve. His company, which handles a staggering 20% of the worlds web traffic, believes that the only sustainable solution is one where creators consent to the use of their content and get something in return. This isnt just theory. According to Cloudflare, over one million websites had already activated its earlier one-click crawler blocking feature introduced in late 2024. The latest update enforces that stance by default, setting a precedent that could ripple through the wider web infrastructure ecosystem. Publisher support pours in The announcement has attracted widespread support from some of the Internets most prominent publishers and content-driven platforms. Conde Nast, Gannett, Dotdash Meredith, TIME, and The Atlantic are among the dozens of organisations backing Cloudflares initiative. Many see it as the first real defence against the mass harvesting of content without attribution or licensing. This is a critical step toward creating a fair value exchange, said Conde Nast CEO Roger Lynch. Others, like Reddit CEO Steve Huffman and Pinterests Bill Ready, echoed similar sentiments, praising Cloudflares efforts to bring transparency and accountability into AI content consumption. Importantly, the initiative isnt just about blocking. Cloudflare is working on standardising protocols to help AI crawlers properly identify themselves and their purpose. This allows web publishers to make informed decisions, and opens the door to licencing discussions where content usage could be monetised, paving the way for healthier AI-content creator ecosystems. The implications for AI companies Cloudflares new default setting could significantly disrupt the way AI companies source their training and inference data. By making crawler blocking the standard, the company has erected a high wall around a large chunk of the open web, one that scrapers can no longer quietly slip through. This marks a turning point for publishers, who now gain meaningful leverage to negotiate licensing terms, potentially through Cloudflares emerging Pay Per Crawl programme or alternative arrangements. This could dramatically change the power dynamic, said Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic. Up to this point, AI companies have not needed to pay to license content, because theyve known that they can just take it without consequences. Now theyll have to negotiate, and it will become a competitive advantage for the AI companies that can strike more and better deals with more and better publishers. ProRata, an AI startup behind the Gist.AI search engine, is among the first to publicly commit to participating in Pay Per Crawl. Founder Bill Gross said the company believes all content creators and publishers should be compensated when their content is used in AI answers. However, while some startups are engaging with the new framework, its still unclear whether industry heavyweights like OpenAI or Anthropic will formally join. OpenAI has made licensing deals with major publishers but details remain vague, and its not confirmed whether these agreements permit bot-based crawling under Cloudflares new regime. That said, blocking alone wont eliminate unauthorised scraping. A parallel shadow ecosystem of tutorials and tools aimed at bypassing Cloudflares defences already exists and will likely continue to evolve. Cloudflare admits as much, but stresses that its system is opt-out by design. Websites that wish to allow unfettered scraping are free to disable blocking at any time. The point, as Cloudflare sees it, is to reset the baseline: access to content should begin with consent, not assumption. Cloudflares new role as a digital gatekeeper With this policy, Cloudflare steps beyond its traditional role as a network and security provider, taking on a more influential, and possibly controversial, position as a gatekeeper between AI companies and the open web. By mediating access to a fifth of the Internet, Cloudflare has effectively positioned itself as a power-broker in the emerging AI-content economy. Its a role not dissimilar to what Apple plays in the mobile ecosystem: a platform arbiter setting the terms for what is permissible. Website owners will look to Cloudflare not just for performance and protection, but as a tool for asserting rights over their digital assets. And AI companies, big and small, may have no choice but to engage with Cloudflares framework if they want access to the most trusted and high-quality data on the web. This new gatekeeping role could give Cloudflare considerable leverage in negotiations around AI data access and licensing. It may even open the door to an AI-focused content marketplace where publishers and AI developers engage under structured, transparent, and monetised terms. The question, of course, is how long this model can remain voluntary before governments step in with legislation. A shift in the digital power balance What Cloudflare has initiated can be seen as a reframing of Internet norms. By making permission the default, not the exception, it challenges the idea that everything on the web is up for grabs. It shifts power away from AI giants and toward the individuals, creators, and organisations that make the Internet what it is. If widely adopted, this permission-based approach could drive AI firms to rethink their business models. It might encourage more formal partnerships with publishers, or even prompt the rise of licensable content datasets built through consent. More broadly, it could inject fresh momentum into efforts to monetise quality content in a digital ecosystem long dominated by scale and surveillance. As AI continues to reshape how we discover and consume information, Cloudflares move is likely to be a defining moment. It wont solve every problem overnight but it sets a precedent. And in doing so, it gives the web a fighting chance to stay free, fair, and worth writing for. Toales on Crowe Street in Dundalk will host a full-day live stream of Back to the Beginning concert today. Saturday 5th July Back to the Beginning - Live stream at 3pm - Free admission. Dundalk fans of heavy metal, mark your calendars. On Saturday, July 5th, Toales Bar will transform into a mecca for metalheads as it hosts a full-day live stream of Back to the Beginninga massive concert celebrating the genres roots and future. The highlight? A historic reunion of the original Black Sabbath lineupOzzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Wardperforming together for the first time in two decades. Osbourne will first take the stage for a solo set before joining his legendary bandmates for what is expected to be his final live performance. READ NEXT: New boutique festival Aurfest takes place in Dundalk this weekend But the lineup doesnt stop there. The all-day stream will feature full sets from some of metals biggest names, including:Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Tool, Lamb of God, Anthrax, and Mastodon. Adding even more firepower is an all-star metal supergroup featuring appearances by: Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), Slash and Duff McKagan (Guns N Roses), David Draiman (Disturbed), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Jonathan Davis (Korn), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Zakk Wylde, Sammy Hagar, KK Downing, Lzzy Hale, Scott Ian, Rudy Sarzo, Papa V Perpetua (Ghost), and members of Sleep Token, among others. Toales Bar will be screening the concert live and loud, with full sound and a big screen setup to capture every riff and roar. Admission is free, and no tickets are required. Music kicks off at 3pm, with headliners hitting the virtual stage in the evening. Early arrival is encouraged, as space is expected to fill up quickly. Whether you're a diehard Sabbath fan or just looking for a place to soak in some serious live energy, this will be an unforgettable day for Dundalks music community. Back to the Beginning may be happening elsewhere, but for one night only, Toales is the loudest front row in town. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. The Zangezur corridor will create new opportunities not only for Azerbaijan but also for the region as a whole, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters on a plane returning from a visit to Azerbaijan, Trend reports. President Erdogan stated that the opening of the Zangezur Corridor will also be a strategic event for the Central Corridor. "When the corridor opens, Turkish products will cross the Caspian Sea and get to Central Asia and China faster, and cargoes from Europe to China will start passing through Turkiye. "The opening of the Middle Corridor covers many countries from the south to us and Azerbaijan. In addition, this road also connects to another line coming from China. From this point of view, it is of great importance. We are taking all our steps as correctly as possible within this process." The president also spoke about the great potential of the Zangezur corridor in international freight transportation. "This line also includes the railroad system. Therefore, the importance of the Zangezur line in freight transportation is constantly growing and will continue to grow in the future. The Central Corridor draws all its strength from here. The connection of the Central Corridor with the Zangezur line and its subsequent fulfillment of this function in freight and passenger transportation is of great importance. President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan considers this issue very important. Iraq also attaches importance to this project. There will be a line that will connect and continue through Igdir to Nakhchivan. With the construction of this line, I believe we will take an important step in the field of cargo transportation," President Erdogan said. Louth Fine Gael TD, Deputy Paula Butterly, has welcomed news that Minister for Justice, Jim OCallaghan TD, has signed new regulations that come into effect immediately, paving the way for the establishment of the LCSPs in Local authorities across the country, but said that it is now essential that funding is committed and provided to enable proper establishment. The community partnerships across 36 Local Authorities, covering every local authority area will serve as multi-agency structures bringing together key stakeholders including An Gardai Siochana, local residents, businesses, state agencies and community groups. Deputy Butterly told the Dundalk Democrat in a statement that she has "consistently called for a Community Safety Partnership because the challenges our communities face cannot be solved in isolation. Only by coming togethersharing information, coordinating responses, and working strategically can we create lasting change. The Louth TD went on to say that "in recent years we have seen a shift in the manner of crime being committed within the county. We have seen gangland and rural crime, not to mention drug crime within the county devastating communities and trying to tear them apart. Read also: Louth County Council meets with Dundalk councillors over Blackrock Beach concerns "The community spirit in county Louth is very strong despite the challenges faced in recent decades. The establishment of the new local community safety partnerships, LCSPs, is not only crucial to towns like Drogheda and Dundalk, but also to Ardee and Dunleer in their hinterlands, as well as the smaller villages like Castlebellingham, Tallanstown and Louth. Last week at the joint committee meeting on Justice, I proposed to Minister OCallaghan the idea of establishing a centralised fund to support the community partnerships in addition to the grants that may be available to individual groups. If we are serious about making our communities safer, then funding must match the level of commitment. We cannot ask services to do more with less, Deputy Butterly added. Real investment is needed to deliver real impact. "We must make sure that work is followed through and local authorities begin the process of establishing their LCSPs, identifying members and laying the groundwork for the community safety plans involving collaboration between statutory and community partners. This marks a transformative step forward in how we approach community safety from a policing dominated approach to a participatory and preventative framework. SPAR Dunleer was honoured at the 2025 SPAR 365 Standards Customer Care Programme for achieving exceptional standards in retailing, which was held in Lawlors Hotel, in Naas in Co Kildare, and hosted by BWG Foods, owners and operators of the SPAR brand in Ireland. This years SPAR 365 Awards, held in association with independent bodies Solution Management Associates (SMA) and Lloyds Register Quality Assurance LRQA, recognise those SPAR stores who have excelled during the year across all areas of store. In winning these awards, the SPAR stores were independently assessed across a range of criteria including customer service through SMA as well as a robust Food Safety and Hygiene audit conducted by LRQA. These exemplary SPAR retailers received their award in recognition of their commitment to implementing Best practice store standards throughout their store, thereby providing an excellent customer experience to their local community. Read also: LEO Louth announces new supports for local businesses Congratulating the winners, Colin Donnelly, SPAR Sales Director, said: We are incredibly proud of all our SPAR retailers and the wonderful service they provide to their communities and customers throughout Ireland. To be able to celebrate these wonderful ambassadors who bring the SPAR brand to life every day is a great source of pride for us. "I congratulate SPAR Dunleer and the team. Their efforts have been truly outstanding, and this recognition is very well-deserved. The rise of Irelands far right has personally affected Tanaiste Simon Harris, with masked demonstrators gathering on several occasions last year outside his Greystones home. One particular incident the then taoiseach objected to calling it a protest occurred at bedtime for his two small children. Asked whether Irelands housing crisis has afforded the far right fertile ground, Mr Harris fetched from his desk a book, The Centre Must Hold Why Centrism is the Answer to Extremism and Polarisation, edited by Yair Zivan. I passionately believe in that. I feel a real obligation, as a leader of a centrist party in government, somebody who has been taoiseach, somebody who will be taoiseach, for the centre to deliver, because if the centre doesnt deliver, it can create a vacuum, and weve seen this in many countries, he said. Lets be honest, weve had a general election in Ireland, and I think a lot of the people of Ireland, through their vote, rejected extremism in the last general election. So thats encouraging. I also, though, believe that a lot of people who voted for the current government parties, if they could have written a message on the ballot paper, theyd say, Im voting for you, but do better this time on certain key issues. Housing being one of them, migration being another one. Ireland has benefited greatly from migration, Mr Harris said, but migration has to have rules. If you come here and you have a right to come here, you should be supported, welcomed in, integrated, and then be able to work and make your way and make a positive contribution to Ireland. But, equally, if you come here and you dont have a right to be here, you do need to be asked to leave more quickly, in the first instance, and then if you dont leave, we need to ensure you leave. Although he believed the centre held in Novembers election, he warned against complacency. We saw what happened in Ballymena, weve seen what happened with the Dublin riots; there is a need to come together to tackle what is racist thuggery. He cautioned that there was a very big difference between decent people of our country having legitimate questions and debate and views on migration and the far right. People raising concerns about their community, asking questions, thats perfectly legitimate. Thats not far right, but people who seek to divide and be hate-filled, that is far right. The man once referred to as The TikTok Taoiseach admitted to being conflicted about the role of social media, seeing it as a force often for democratisation, information, and connectivity. But also, it can fuel the spread of misinformation and disinformation so quickly, and thats sometimes what the political system and the State more broadly, and institutions, can struggle to deal with. We saw what happened recently with a shooting incident, where misinformation was spread about the persons nationality, which just wasnt true, it just was a lie, but it was spread thousands upon thousands of times. The guards acted very swiftly in putting out a statement, but no matter how swift you act, its very hard to keep up with that. He receives more than his share of abuse online. Does it get to him? Without giving amplification to it, there have been the odd, well-documented times where theres been threats, or references to my family or the likes, and that gets to me. But in general, no. I think the people of this country are overwhelmingly decent, he said. Wherever I go, I meet decent people, people whod vote for you, people whod never vote for you in a month of Sundays. And both are OK, and both will be decent. And then theres the online people, some of them wont even put their picture to their name, theyll lie behind anonymity, and best of luck to them, but thats not going to make any sort of positive contribution. A man who was fixated on stealing a car broke into a house, armed with a knife, and threatened to stab a woman and her young children, putting them through a terrifying ordeal, a court has heard. Patrick Heaphy, aged 38, who was living at an address at Riverside Wharf at the time of the crime, was sentenced at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday to three and a half years in prison, with the last year suspended. The accused man expressed shame at his own actions and said that could not believe he had made such violent threats in the womans house in the Cobh area on the night of November 11, 2024. Heaphy got a taxi to the house and entered it while carrying a knife, announcing on his arrival: I will stab ye all. He insisted on knowing who owned the cars in the driveway and demanded the car keys. Ultimately, he was given a set of keys, drove away in a Skoda Octavia, and crashed it into a pole. He was arrested following the arrival of emergency services. He was highly intoxicated on the night. While he had serious previous convictions, he had been working and staying out of trouble, but his life spiralled out of control with his reaction to the death of his partner. As a result, he lost his job and lost his home. When informed by gardai about exactly what he said and did in the house during the aggravated burglary, he was shaking his head in disbelief. He apologised for his behaviour. He said he wanted to acknowledge his wrongdoing to the woman and her children and did not ask for forgiveness. On the night, the woman shouted upstairs to her children to lock themselves in their rooms. There was no physical altercation, apart from the threat Heaphy made to stab everyone. Judge Sinead Behan said that the incident in question happened in a family home, where the woman and her children had a right to feel safe and secure. A falsely imprisoned woman tried to get out of her attackers moving car in Cork and now the accused has been jailed for what the judge described as a sustained, prolonged and terrifying incident. Jason ODriscoll who was formerly of 68 Noonan Road, Cork, was sentenced by Judge Helen Boyle to five years in prison with the last two years suspended. He pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to charges of assault causing harm, false imprisonment and strangulation-type assault. Judge Boyle said that the parties had been in a relationship in the past and when the 26-year-old met her on May 3 2024 he would not let her go and he drove her home to his house where he refused to let her leave. He called her vile, derogatory and degrading names before grabbing her by the throat causing her to believe she would be strangled, the judge said. He also punched her in the face and body. Later she told him that she urgently needed to get to her dentist but he accompanied her closely and warned her not to try to get away or to say anything to anyone. He forced her back into his car and CCTV in the Carrigrohane area showed the car moving and a door opening with a persons legs coming out of the vehicle. Ultimately, she managed to run to the Kingsley Hotel where she was covered in blood and collapsed in the foyer. Staff immediately came to her assistance and called for an ambulance but she left and found her way to where her brothers lived. Judge Boyle noted that Jason ODriscoll had been on cannabis from the age of 15 and later on cocaine and that this had altered his behaviour. She said background reports showed he had limited motivation for change. Latest: Fans travelling to Croke Park are warned of congestion at the M8 toll near Watergrasshill. TII traffic are warning motorists to expect delays. Earlier: Fans heading to Croke Park this morning for Cork's All-Ireland hurling semi final against Dublin are being warned of an incident at the Rathcormac exit of the M8. It's understood emergency services are at the scene. Meanwhile, a multi vehicle collision occurred on the N40 eastbound between J9 (N28) Ringaskiddy and J10 Mahon (Cork). TII advised: "When approaching the collision location, drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey instructions from emergency services." Collision on N40 J10 - MAHON (eastbound) Lanes affected: Central Median (05-Jul 10:11) https://t.co/7YdB52UGLt TII Traffic (@TIITraffic) July 5, 2025 Further towards Dublin, between J19 M7/M8 and J18 Portlaoise (West) (13 kilometres east of the Borris-in-Ossory area) there is a breakdown involving a car or motorbike, according to TII Traffic. And, between J11 M7/M9 and J12 Newbridge (near Droichead Nua (Newbridge)) there is debris on road. BAKU, Azerbaijab, July 5. The US Embassy in Azerbaijan has denied fake reports circulating on disinformation websites claiming that American citizens have been urged to immediately leave the country, Trend reports. Have you seen this fake breaking news on disinformation sites? While it is obviously not true, these messages teach us a valuable lesson about identifying disinformation, the Embassy said in a statement. The Embassy emphasized that for accurate and reliable information, people should always refer to official sources. We always update them when we have important information, it added. The embassy noted that currently, the travel advisory level for Azerbaijan remains at Level 2, which is the same as for countries like Italy or Spain. A Cork motorist who overtook four other cars in a single manoeuvre as he rushed to get to a local garage has been convicted of dangerous driving. Inspector Ian OCallaghan told Clonakilty District Court that Patrick ODriscoll, aged 49, of Reenascreena North, Rosscarbery, was charged with two counts of dangerous driving relating to an incident on the main N71 road between Clonakilty and Rosscarbery on January 22, 2025. A witness told the court that he was a front-seat passenger in a car heading towards Skibbereen from Rosscarbery which his daughter was driving while his wife was sitting in the back. He said there was heavy traffic in front of them while the road behind them was clear. He said that as they approached a bend near Lisavaird village, a car came up behind them and overtook them at speed. The witness said the car cut in in front of them, giving his daughter an awful shock and causing her to brake. A short time later the car overtook four more cars in a single manoeuvre as it headed out of the village, causing an oncoming truck to brake. He said the car did not have functioning brake lights, and the rear of the vehicle was bashed in. The witness told the court it was the most dangerous driving Ive ever seen. Garda Brian Noonan said he was on mobile patrol at the time and responded to a report of dangerous driving. He told the court that the registration number was for a Blue Avensis belonging to Patrick ODriscoll of Reenascreena North. Gda Noonan said he met Mr ODriscoll in Reenascreena village, where he pulled him over and questioned him about the incident. The court was told that Mr ODriscoll admitted driving the car at Lisavaird and that its NCT and tax discs had expired more than six months previously. The vehicle was then seized. Mr ODriscoll told the court that he was under a lot of strain at the time of the incident and his mother had been recently moved into residential care. He said that he was rushing to get to a local garage before it closed for lunch and conceded he did overtake several cars. Defence solicitor Conrad Murphy asked for the charges to be reduced from dangerous driving to the lesser charges of careless driving. He said that Mr ODriscoll had not driven since and with living in a rural location and visiting his mother in Skibbereen, this was a considerable hardship for him. He said that his client was co-operative and was also apologetic. Judge Joanne Carroll said that, based on the witness statements, there was clearly a case for dangerous driving. She said that Mr ODriscoll was an extremely honest witness, and she accepted he was under stress at the time. The judge said that she had an obligation to the community to make sure the roads are safe and there was no doubt that the driving of Mr ODriscoll on this day was dangerous. She convicted Mr ODriscoll on one count of dangerous driving which carries a mandatory disqualification of two years, and she dismissed the other charge. Recognisance for appeal was fixed in his own bond of 100. This article is funded by the courts reporting scheme Cork man, Brother Kevin Crowley had a simple mission to feed and house the poor, his funeral has been told. Brother Kevin, who died on Wednesday at the age of 90, founded the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin in 1969 in response to seeing homeless men eating from rubbish bins. Throughout a 55-year history, he oversaw much of its development in response to the needs of homeless people. The centre offers two hot meals per day Monday to Saturday, as well as food parcels and a range of services including clothing, showering facilities, and medical interventions. It provides more than 1,000 hot breakfasts and dinners each day. Brother Kevin was said to be grateful to be awarded the Freedom of the City of Dublin in 2015 and for the visit of Pope Francis to the centre in August 2018. He retired in 2022 to Cork, where he was born and died earlier this week. His funeral took place at St Mary of the Angels on Church Street in Dublin on Saturday. President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina Higgins were among guests in an overflowing church, which the service heard was receiving guests from all over the island of Ireland. President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina arrive at the funeral mass for Brother Kevin Crowley who died on Wednesday aged 90, at St. Mary of the Angels, Church Street, Dublin. Photo: Conor O Mearain /PA Wire Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell and former primate of Ireland Diarmuid Martin attended the mass alongside Capuchin Franciscans and staff at the day centre. Also present were Commandant Joe Glennon representing Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who is concluding a trade mission in Japan, Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam, and other public representatives from the city council and Oireachtas. Leading the service as provincial minister, Brother Richard Hendrick welcomed Brother Kevins two families his natural family as well as the staff, volunteers and guests of the Day Centre. You are all welcome here today. While Brother Kevin was the inspiration and face as it were of the work of the centre, without all of you there would be much less reason for our gathering. We thank you for all you were to Brother Kevin, for all you are to us Capuchin Friars and for all you do to keep that vision alive of a place of refuge and Franciscan welcome in the heart of the city open to all. Brother Richard said they had been inundated with stories of the care and love Brother Kevin shared to others, as well as the love shared to him. He said Brother Kevin vision was that no one would go hungry and that all would fall a place of inclusive welcome and peace. Brother Richard said the day centre will continue and grow as long as there are guests who need its services. Recalling recent queries from visitors if the centre would stop operating, he added: I think Kevin would haunt us all if there was even a thought of that. Brother Richard thanked all those who had gathered, as well as all those worked at the day centre. Yesterday, we heard that there would be two minutes of silence one in Dublin and one in Cork before the GAA matches take place. It is probably Kevins greatest achievement that as a Cork man he has finally silenced Dublin. In a homily, Brother Patrick Flynn said Brother Kevin gave a lifes service to the poor. Diarmuid Martin former Archbishop of Dublin arrives at the funeral mass for Brother Kevin Crowley. Photo: Conor O Mearain /PA Wire He said the proud west Cork man was a very, very good Capuchin friar, a man of God, a disciple of Jesus Christ, and a humble, devout son of St Francis of Assisi. He was a Capuchin to his fingerprints. Most people didnt know his family name of Crowley, but they knew of Brother Kevin. Brother Patrick said Brother Kevin was known the length and breadth of the country as a tireless advocate for those with no voice, acting as the nations conscience to remind the public of their obligation to help others out of the trap of poverty. He was fearless, relentless in his pursuit of justice for the poor. Ive no doubt that his great spiritual father St Francis is embracing him today for the love and compassion he extended throughout his religious life for Gods poor. He added: Kevin had a mission in life, it was very simple: Feed and house the poor. He couldnt understand why in our country we couldnt solve this problem. Brother Patrick said Brother Kevin was a man who enjoyed the company of friars and friends, had a love of the GAA marked by a hurley placed beside his coffin during the service, and who had a great sense of humour demonstrated by his ability to laugh at himself. The order of service for the funeral mass of Brother Kevin Crowley. Photo: Conor O Mearain /PA Wire Remembering his friend for over 60 years, he concluded: He wasnt perfect, he could be feisty and challenging when he disagreed with you. But what he did have in abundance was a generous, compassionate heart and that is what made the man. Kevin, thank you for your good example. The service was also read letters containing tributes from the Apostolic Nuncio of Ireland Luis Mariano Montemayor and General Councillor Brother Marek Miszczynski. Brother Kevins burial site is at Dardistown Cemetery. By Cillian Sherlock, PA A woman has appeared in court charged with the murder of a man following a house fire in Co Antrim. Patrick Paddy Douglas, 55, died from his injuries in hospital after the blaze in the Main Street area of Ballymoney on Tuesday. On Saturday, a 34-year-old woman appeared before Ballymena Magistrates Court charged with his murder. The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, spoke in court only to confirm she understood the charge. A detective constable told the court she was able to connect the accused to the charge. The court heard the woman was spoken to on the morning of the fire and arrested on Wednesday. After two days of interviews she was charged on Friday. The court heard a preliminary report from an expert which effectively said that it was not possible to exclude an electrical fault due to the extent of the fire damage. However, the detective constable said an expert formed the opinion that the fire may have been caused by direct ignition of combustible materials. Under questioning, the PSNI representative said the report also says it could not exclude that an electrical fault may have occurred. There was no application for bail and legal aid was granted. Under an application from the accuseds legal representative, the judge ordered restrictions on naming the woman. The case will return to court on July 28. Rap juggernaut Meek Mill has unequivocally denounced any association with the sexual impropriety allegations swirled around Sean "Diddy" Combs, deeming the rumors as baseless and urging transparency amid the ongoing federal trial embroiling the hip-hop titan. In an interview publicized Thursday by Complex, taped June 1, the Philly native tackled speculation tying him to a legal action filed by Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones. The suit alleges Diddy hosted intimate gatherings including unnamed people, such as "a Philadelphia rap artist who dated Nicki Minaj," which many online assumed was Meek Mill. "I'm being literally up front about it, talking about it in the open while [Diddy's] on federal trial to make it known that I am not affiliated with Puff Daddy's sexual life or personal life and never have been," Meek said. Meek rejected claims that he participated in such environments, emphasizing he is always accompanied by companions and has never attended events described as "intimate parties." He acknowledged attending New Year's celebrations but denied ever going to Diddy's "white parties," mentioned in the lawsuit. "My credibility and my morals as a man has never been questioned in reality," Meek stated. He criticized how rapidly the story spread online, fueled by unsubstantiated claims and amplified by bots, saying much of the online reaction was "20% real people, 80% bots apparently funded." Beyond addressing the rumors, Meek expressed concern over what he sees as a targeted campaign against Black artists in the hip-hop community through media platforms. He questioned why none of Diddy's associates have publicly disputed the allegations about the gatherings. "It's kind of suspicious to me that none of those people from the Black community never spoke up and said those parties they went to wasn't straight freak offs," Meek said. "I would never step in anywhere that I see anything that doesn't align with my morals." The comments came ahead of a verdict in Diddy's federal case related to the allegations. The lawsuit itself does not name Meek Mill directly nor accuse him of any wrongdoing. Originally published on Music Times Over the last few weeks, several instances of mistaken deportation of Indian citizens to Bangladesh have been reported and rightly caused an alarm. The pattern that seems to be emerging is arrests of Bengali (either migrants from West Bengal or Bengali-speaking from Assam) Muslim individuals, who are then literally pushed across the IndiaBangladesh border by the Border Security Force (BSF). The basis for this action is their purported status as illegal immigrants. Two broad types of cases of such mistaken deportations have been observed. One is that of Bengali Muslim migrants being branded as Bangladeshi by the local police in their seemingly overzealous drives to nab illegal immigrants. Four such individuals were arrested by the Maharashtra police in Mumbai and handed over to the BSF, who forced them to enter Bangladesh. These individuals were brought back only after the West Bengal police produced the documents proving that they are indeed Indian citizens, originally hailing from Murshidabad and Bardhaman. One shudders to think of the eventuality if the West Bengal police had not intervened and also of the possibility of several such cases where such intervention could not be arranged. The case of the migrant worker from Bardhaman is even more alarming as he was pushed across the border even after his family and the migrant welfare board of West Bengal had submitted the documents proving his citizenship to the Mumbai police. These documents included voter card, Aadhaar card, ration card and family tree certified by the panchayat. While defending their actions, Maharashtra police have claimed that Aadhaar or PAN cards are not considered strong proof as they can be obtained fraudulently, and hence the person was asked to produce a birth certificate or any strong proof, which could not be produced. Maharashtra police have also not specified the evidence that they claim to have had that the said person was a Bangladeshi citizen. The entire affair reeks of utter arbitrariness and malevolence on the part of the state agencies and manifests the extreme vulnerability and precariousness faced by the migrant workers belonging to a particular religious and linguistic community. They have to carry the burden of proof of being Indian citizens, as being a Bengali and Musliminvariably from a marginalised socio-economic backgroundcan be deemed to be evidence enough to assume that they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The other type of such deportations has emerged from Assam, where individuals deemed to be foreigners by the foreigner tribunals are being pushed into Bangladesh. The chief minister of Assam has admitted that such actions are being taken as per the directive of the Supreme Court to deport the individuals declared as foreigners by the foreigner tribunals. It should be noted that the quasi-judicial foreigner tribunals in Assam have been scrutinised for arbitrariness and bias, whereby even minor spelling mistakes or errors in documents have led to a person being declared as a foreigner. Decisions of the tribunal have been repeatedly challenged in higher courts and have been granted relief or are pending adjudication. In fact, the cases of the deportees who have returned to Assam involve individuals whose challenges to the tribunal decisions are either pending in the Supreme Court or one case where the person has, in fact, received a favourable order from a tribunal in Jorhat. The entire exercise seems to be making a mockery of the due process of law as it is shrouded in opacity. Neither is there any official clarification regarding the deported individuals who have returned, nor is information forthcoming as to the whereabouts of several persons who have been picked up as part of the operation of pushing back the illegal immigrants. From arrests at midnight to an individual being called to the police station under a seemingly false pretext of making a statement, having disappeared, the rule of law seems to be upheld only in breach. In one such instance, the whereabouts of the detained persons were made known to their relatives only after the intervention by the Gauhati High Court. Are those unable to ensure legal remedies condemned to the caprice and whim of the state? Is a yet-to-be-proven allegation of not being a citizen adequate to strip that person of their constitutional rights? The cases of mistaken or hasty deportations cannot really be termed as deportations by definition as they involve Indian citizensor at most, those whose non-citizenship is not a settled matterbeing pushed away to a foreign land. Forced exile would perhaps be an appropriate term. Then the questions arise: Why is there such urgency to exile our own? What threat do they pose to the integrity and existence of this nation state? Is this zeal to push a section of people into forced exile premised upon an idea and ideal of citizenship that is inherently exclusionary, whereby individuals from certain minority communitiesparticularly Muslimsare de facto secondary citizens? Does the act of declaring certain individuals from these communities as de jure non-citizens serve the function of reinforcing and even normalising the idea of de facto secondary/subordinate citizenship? Such questions have been necessitated by the track record of the current ruling regime in pursuing exclusionary policies and legislations such as the NRC and CAA, whereby the idea of citizenship itself is weaponised. These questions also emerge from the experience of the instrumental use of the questions around citizenship and stoking imaginary fears around immigration, particularly in the poll-bound states. Who knows, it may indeed be a coincidence that the states most affected by the ongoing anti-immigrant exercises are among those where assembly elections are due in the early part of next year. However, such coincidences do give rise to questions and concerns around the chronology of these actions. At a larger level, beyond the instrumentalities of electoral politics, these actions also form a part of the generalised atmosphere legitimising the exclusionary logic of othering. Such an atmosphere is far from conducive to the values of empathy, decency and hospitability. Erosion of these values in one domain is bound to have repercussions for other domains, as may be demonstrated by our conduct towards Rohingya refugees. If the accusations that Indian authorities forced dozens of Rohingya refugees off a naval vessel into the sea near Myanmar after providing them with life jackets are met with only disparaging remarks by the judiciary and a refusal to initiate a transparent inquiry despite the United Nations having launched an inquiry, then is it not a signal that one should not expect the state to act in a humane manner towards the vulnerable and precarious? If humanity, empathy and decency are apparently suspended in the conduct towards refugees, then what is the guarantee that this suspension will not be extended to the citizens? From: Matt McCann, CLTC -- Long Term Care Expert Des Moines , IA Saturday, July 5, 2025 Family farms need to protect their land from future long-term care costs. The Big Beautiful Bill shields family farmers from estate taxes, but soaring long-term care costs could still force them to sell land. Matt McCann, a nationally known expert on long-term care planning, says that Long-Term Care Insurance can protect your farm, your family, and your legacy. Family farmers and ranchers across America received welcome news with the signing of the American Growth and Family Prosperity Act of 2025 by President Trump. The new law, dubbed the "Big Beautiful Bill," dramatically increases the federal estate tax exemption to $28 million per person through 2035. McCann says this means most farms can now pass to children or grandchildren without incurring federal estate taxes that previously forced many families to sell land to pay tax bills. However, McCann warns that there's another major risk family farmers and ranchers need to consider: the impact of future long-term care costs on their assets, which are often tied up primarily in the value of their land. McCann says that while the tax burden is lighter, there's a bigger, growing risk threatening family farms today: the skyrocketing cost of long-term care. "The cost of long-term care services quickly outstrip farm income, forcing the sale of land to cover care costs." Why Long-Term Care Threatens Family Farms You might assume that estate taxes posed the greatest threat to keeping your farm in the family. However, the remaining danger is the cost of long-term care services, which averages between $65,000 and more than $150,000 per year, depending on where you live and whether care is provided at home, in an assisted living or memory care facility, or in a nursing home. Long-Term Care Costs in Farming Areas Location In-Home Care (44-hr/week) Nursing Home Arthur, IA $5,970 per month $8,487 per month Corydon, IN $5,691 per month $10,246 per month Orrville, OH $5,321 per month $9,967 per month Fowler, CA $5,810 per month $8,810 per month Few family farms generate the steady cash flow to absorb these costs. "Land-rich but cash-poor families often have little choice but to sell acreage or equipment to fund extended care for a parent or spouse." Matt McCann. Family Caregiving Isn't an Option Even if your instinct is to care for a spouse or parent yourself, family members often find this unrealistic or unsustainable: Many adult children work on the farm and can't leave daily operations to provide hands-on care. Others live off the farm and struggle to juggle their own careers, children, and caregiving responsibilities. When family members attempt caregiving, it often leads to burnout, lost income , and strained relationships. "This can leave older farmers without quality care, and younger generations at risk of losing the farm they're trying to preserve." Matt McCann. Long-Term Care Insurance: A Powerful Solution Long-Term Care Insurance provides guaranteed, tax-free benefits to pay for home care, assisted living, memory care, or nursing facilities. It does more than protect assets it ensures quality care, eases your family's burden, and shields the farm from forced liquidation. Key benefits of LTC Insurance for farmers and ranchers: Protects your land by funding care costs without selling property. Guarantees tax-free benefits , covering expensive care needs. Preserves your family's legacy , keeping the farm operational across generations. Some LTC Insurance policies offer unlimited lifetime benefits , creating a complete safety net against care costs, as they can never run out of insurance benefits. Farms are businesses and can qualify for significant tax advantages when purchasing LTC Insurance for the farmer and their spouse. "Long-Term Care Insurance can be the difference between preserving a farm for the next generation or watching it slip away to pay for nursing home bills," said McCann. New Estate Law and LTC Insurance: A One-Two Punch The Big Beautiful Bill helps your farm by reducing estate taxes, but an LTC policy provides the essential second layer of protection by addressing the real-world costs of aging and chronic illness. Together, these strategies give family farmers a fighting chance to keep land in the family and avoid the heartbreak of selling property to pay for extended care. Take the Next Step Now is the perfect time to plan. Use the LTC News Cost of Care Calculator to see care costs where you live, and the LTC News Caregiver Directory to find care providers if a loved one already needs help. Talk with a certified Long-Term Care Insurance specialist, like Matt McCann, who works with all top-rated companies. Protect your land, your family, and your legacy today. Get Professional Planning Help Now Matt McCann, CLTC, is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, representing top-rated insurance companies. As a nationally recognized expert in long-term care planning, he is widely known for helping individuals and families navigate the complexities of preparing for future long-term care needs. He has worked with thousands of clients across the U.S., specializing in designing affordable and tax-efficient LTC Insurance policies tailored to personal health, financial situations, and state-specific regulations. Over 35 years of experience in insurance and financial services, with a primary focus on long-term care since the late 1990s. Holds the CLTC (Certified in Long-Term Care) designation, which recognizes in-depth training on the planning process for extended care needs. Scope of Work Represents all major top-rated LTC Insurance companies, providing objective, comparative guidance. Offers nationwide consultations, often via phone or secure video conference, making it easier for clients to access expert advice from anywhere. Known for processing a high volume of claims for his clientsa testament to both the need for long-term care planning and his role in helping families secure and use their policies effectively. Media & Recognition Frequently quoted in financial publications and long-term care industry news. Host of educational webinars and contributor to resources such as LTC News, where he shares insights on trends, costs, and planning strategies for long-term care. Through an innovative, no-pressure process, McCann allows clients to consult by phone while viewing his computer screen ensuring a simple, convenient, and transparent experience. You can get free and accurate quotes from all the top companies plus professional recommendations by visiting Free and Accurate LTC Insurance Quotes. Media Availability Matt McCann is available for radio, TV, and podcast interviews. He also speaks to groups and organizations worldwide about aging, caregiving, health, and long-term care issues. Contact Matt McCann for interview opportunities or speaking engagements. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was sending a team to Qatar Sunday for talks on a truce and hostage release in Gaza, after Hamas said it was ready to start negotiations "immediately". But Netanyahu, who is due to meet with President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, said the Palestinian Islamist group's proposals for changes to a draft US-backed ceasefire deal were "unacceptable". Trump has been making a renewed push to end nearly 21 months of war in Gaza, where the civil defence agency said 42 people were killed in Israeli military operations on Saturday. Hamas said Friday it was ready "to engage immediately and seriously" in negotiations, and was sending its responses to the truce proposal. "The changes that Hamas is seeking to make in the Qatari proposal were conveyed to us last night and are unacceptable to Israel," said a statement from Netanyahu's office. "In light of an assessment of the situation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the invitation to proximity talks be accepted and that the contacts for the return of our hostages -- on the basis of the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to -- be continued," the statement added. Hamas has not publicly detailed its responses to the US-sponsored proposal, which was transmitted by mediators from Qatar and Egypt. Two Palestinian sources close to the discussions told AFP the proposal included a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel. However, they said, the group was also demanding certain conditions for Israel's withdrawal, guarantees against a resumption of fighting during negotiations, and the return of the UN-led aid distribution system. Trump, when asked about Hamas's response aboard Air Force One, said: "That's good. They haven't briefed me on it. We have to get it over with. We have to do something about Gaza." The war in Gaza began with Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, which sparked a massive Israeli offensive in the territory that aimed to destroy the group and bring home all the hostages seized by Palestinian militants. Two previous ceasefires mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States secured temporary halts in fighting and the return of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Of the 251 hostages taken by Palestinian militants during the October 2023 attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. - 'Comprehensive deal' - The Egyptian foreign ministry said Saturday that top diplomat Badr Abdelatty held a phone call with Washington's main representative in the truce talks, Steve Witkoff, to discuss recent developments "and preparations for holding indirect meetings between the two parties concerned to reach an agreement". Meanwhile, at a weekly protest demanding the return of the hostages, Macabit Mayer, the aunt of captives Gali and Ziv Berman, called for a deal "that saves everyone", without exception. But recent efforts to broker a new truce have repeatedly failed, with the primary point of contention being Israel's rejection of Hamas's demand for a lasting ceasefire. The war has created dire humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people in the Gaza Strip. Karima al-Ras, from Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, said people were "happy that Hamas responded positively, and we hope that a truce will be announced" to allow in more aid. "People are dying for flour, and young people are dying as they try to provide flour for their children," she said. A US- and Israel-backed group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, took the lead in food distribution in the territory in late May, when Israel partially lifted a more than two-month blockade on aid deliveries. The group said two of its US staff members were wounded "in a targeted terrorist attack" at one of its aid centres in southern Gaza's Khan Yunis on Saturday. The Israeli military said it had evacuated the injured. UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives. UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said Friday that more than 500 people have been killed waiting to access food from GHF distribution points. - Civil defence says 42 killed - Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said Israeli military operations killed 42 people across Gaza on Saturday. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said it could not comment on specific strikes without precise coordinates. The Hamas attack of October 2023 resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,338 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers the figures reliable. burs/dcp/smw/jhb/sst Ive been reading more and more about how artificial lights are negatively affecting the behavior of wildlife around the world, especially nocturnal insects. Reading is one thing, but until reality smacks you in the face, its difficult to truly comprehend the negative impacts. My life revolves around insects, particularly moths, which I have been rearing since childhood. I suppose when you are intimate with something for this long, you cant help but notice the subtle changes that are occurring over time. I am witnessing not only changes in moth populations, but also in the behaviors and patterns of many moth species, none of which are positive. One incident in particular, which occurred several years ago, made such an impression on me that I cant help but think about it nearly every night during the spring and summer when moths are on the wing. Changes in behavior It happened one day in June, a lovely female Polyphemus moth that I raised from an egg the previous year, emerged from her cocoon. She spent the day on the side of the cage, drying her wings. As evening arrived, I placed her in a different cage with 1/2-inch wire mesh this size allows for the wild males to fly in and mate with the females right through the holes in the wire. When darkness falls, female moths emit particles of scent known as pheromones, which travel as invisible trails through the air, out over the countryside. Pheromones can travel for miles, alerting male moths that excitedly follow this stream of chemicals in, from up to 5 miles away to reach the awaiting female. Its a huge risk for a moth to fly so far in search of a mate, and it is a race to beat all the competing males also responding to her call. Once a male finds the advertising female, he immediately joins abdomens in a union of fertilization that will last around 16 hours. Once the pair is coupled, the pheromones are turned off and the other males that have responded head back out in search of another available mate, calling from a different location. On the night I set my female Polyphemus out in her breeding cage, I also turned on my moth light. This is a 15-watt ultraviolet bulb that is often used by scientists for collecting/surveying nocturnal insects. This process, known as black lighting, can often result in attracting thousands of insects, many of which are moths. I turned my light on once a week in an effort to scrutinize which moth species are active and to assess their populations. We have a wrap-around porch, so the cage holding the female Polyphemus was on the front porch, while the UV light was around the corner, at the end of the house. When morning arrived, I anxiously opened the front door, expecting to see my female Polyphemus coupled with a mate. After all, it was prime Polyphemus flight time. Yet, there she sat, all alone on the side of the cage where I had left her the night before. I was flummoxed. How could this be? Remembering my black lighting station, I headed down the porch, rounded the corner and was met by an incredible scene. I slowly and deliberately counted 17 male Polyphemus moths resting quietly around the light on the side of the house. It took a minute or two for my mind to register the meaning of this scenario. All night long, my beautiful female Polyphemus emitted pheromones that traveled far and wide. Males picked up her scent and followed it in. Yet when they arrived at her location, the pull of the ultraviolet light was so overwhelming, it drew the males off course, distracting them from their original mission. As each male arrived and headed toward the light, the female continued to call, attracting more and more males, each one repeatedly diverted by the ultraviolet rays upon arrival. Not one single male of the 17 individuals was more attracted to the pheromones of a mate than to the light. I was mortified. What had I done? Light pollution This is just one example of how light pollution is affecting insects. As the human population continues to explode, more and more artificial lights are being installed, eliminating the darkness. Parking lots in cities, security lights in neighborhoods, sadly, even park districts illuminate their buildings, which are usually located on preserved land in prime moth habitat. Moths play a critical role in pollination, and artificial lights are now keeping them from performing their nocturnal duties. As darkness falls, insects venture forth, finding themselves in an unnatural environment illuminated by artificial lights. This in turn causes them to become disoriented, expending more energy to survive, thus reducing their fitness. Not only do lights distract male moths from finding mates, but the unnatural concentration of moths and other insects around light sources exposes them to predators such as bats or birds, which exploit the easy food source. Ever since the Polyphemus moth incident, I have been much more mindful of my moth lighting station. I never turn the light on when I have a female moth emitting pheromones, and when I do use it, I never leave it on for more than a few hours, turning it off around 2 a.m., releasing the insects that responded from their artificial hold. Instead of turning my light on once a week, I now only survey twice a month. We can all be mindful and do our part to give moths and other insects a reprieve. Turn off porch lights, install only motion-detection security lights, but most importantly, simply turn outdoor lights off at bedtime. As the insect population continues to plummet globally, we are beginning to feel the effects. Fewer insects also mean fewer birds and fewer mammals. Insects are an invaluable component of the chain of life, and entire ecosystems are now at risk. A newly emerged female Polyphemus moth calls out to her male suitors, hoping for a union that will allow her to carry on her species. Sadly, there may soon come a day when she will go untouched and unnoticed, and we can only blame ourselves. Farmers have won a crucial victory in the House of Lords as peers backed an amendment to safeguard housing for essential farm workers under the Renters Rights Bill. The amendment, championed in the Lords by crossbench peer Lord Carrington, seeks to address a loophole in the legislation that would have allowed landlords to recover properties only for directly employed workers. This posed a major risk to farming businesses that often rely on seasonal or self-employed labour, especially during peak periods in the agricultural calendar. The NFU lobbied for the change, arguing that without it, many rural employers would struggle to house their essential workforce. The amendment passed by a clear margin of 253 votes to 150. Although not yet law, it marks a significant step forward. The bill will now return to the House of Commons, where MPs will have the opportunity to consider the Lords changes. NFU President Tom Bradshaw welcomed the amendment, calling it a step in the right direction for safeguarding rural businesses. Farmers rely on being able to house their workers including self-employed staff who play a vital role in food production, he said. Without this amendment, businesses could face real difficulties planning for their workforce and keeping their day-to-day operations running smoothly. Mr Bradshaw noted the NFU had been working behind the scenes on this issue for several months and thanked Lord Carrington for championing the amendment. Its encouraging to see the Lords recognise how important this issue is to farming. But there is more to do, he added. He said that the union now hopes the government will reflect on the strength of support for these amendments and adopt them as part of the bill. The governments Renters Rights Bill, currently progressing through parliament, is aimed at improving tenant protections and streamlining eviction processes in England. However, farming groups raised concern that the original bill failed to account for the unique housing needs of rural employers particularly the ability to house seasonal and self-employed workers essential for food production. The legislation will now return to the House of Commons, where MPs will have the opportunity to consider the changes made by peers in the Lords. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro Moros, Trend reports. ''Dear Mr. President, On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my sincere congratulations to you and your entire nation on the occasion of the national holiday of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Independence Day. Azerbaijani-Venezuelan friendly relations are based on good traditions. I am confident that we will continue to successfully pursue our joint efforts to strengthen interstate relations and to realize the great potential of our mutually beneficial cooperation across various fields. On this significant day, I wish you good health, happiness, success in your work, and to the friendly people of Venezuela lasting peace and prosperity,'' the letter reads. A package of tax and spending cuts was signed into law at the White House yesterday by President Donald Trump at a ceremony to celebrate the American Independence Day. The One Big Beautiful Bill, which will fund the presidents immigration crackdown, make his 2017 tax cuts permanent and may do away with the health insurance benefits of millions of Americans, was signed a day after the Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved the piece of legislation. A package of tax and spending cuts was signed into law yesterday by President Donald Trump at a ceremony to celebrate Independence Day. The 'One Big Beautiful Bill', which will fund immigration crackdown, make the 2017 tax cuts permanent and may do away with the health insurance benefits of millions of Americans, was signed a day after the House of Representatives approved the legislation. The legislation contains about $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. "I've never seen people so happy in our country because of that, because so many different groups of people are being taken care of: the military, civilians of all types, jobs of all types," Trump said at the ceremony. "So you have the biggest tax cut, the biggest spending cut, the largest border security investment in American history," Trump was quoted as saying by global newswires. In a long speech, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries termed the bill a giveaway to the wealthy that would strip low-income Americans of federally-backed health insurance and food aid benefits. The law would cost Republicans votes in congressional elections in 2026, Democratic national committee chair Ken Martin predicted. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 4, 2025) - Navigator Acquisition Corp. (TSXV: NAQ) The Board of Directors of Navigator Acquisition Corporation ("NAQ" or the "Company") announces the filing of a formal legal complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against MGID Group Holdings Limited ("MGID"), a private corporation based in Malta with offices in California and significant ties to the US market. The complaint outlines causes of action including breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, following the termination of a Share Purchase Agreement ("SPA") originally signed on March 7, 2023. The complaint, filed on July 3, 2025, seeks compensatory damages of US$9,812,184.83 in connection with MGID's alleged failure to consummate the contemplated reverse takeover transaction. NAQ asserts that MGID terminated the SPA in bad faith, and that its actions caused significant economic harm including lost capital-raising fees and reimbursement expenses. As alleged in the complaint, MGID pursued an alternative listing on the CBOE Canada Inc. while improperly excluding NAQ from material discussions and continuing to use proprietary work performed by NAQ to advance its listing process. Background and Legal Position Since July 2022, NAQ has invested substantial resources in supporting MGID's transition to a public company, including forming a new entity, connecting MGID with auditors and legal counsel, and presenting the transaction at multiple investor events. The Company also self-disclosed a technical funding violation to regulators, resolved the issue through extensive legal diligence, and raised additional capital to advance the transaction. NAQ asserts that MGID's termination letter contained inaccurate shareholder representations and omitted crucial facts surrounding delays and alternative listing discussions. The Company believes this termination was strategically devised to avoid NAQ's earned capital raising fee of 8% based on a target valuation of $120 million CAD, equating to $9.6 million CAD, as set forth in the SPA. A copy of the complaint has been signed and submitted in accordance with federal rules and includes a demand for a jury trial. Ongoing Commitment NAQ remains committed to protecting shareholder interests and ensuring transparency as the litigation proceeds. The Company will continue to provide timely updates in accordance with Canadian securities commission requirements and TSX Venture Exchange rules. For further information about Navigator, please contact: Forward-Looking Information: This press release may include "forward-looking statements", including forecasts, estimates, expectations, and objectives for future operations that are subject to several assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Navigator. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual future results may vary materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements or information. The forward- looking information set forth herein reflects the Company's reasonable expectations as at the date of this news release and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/257858 SOURCE: Navigator Acquisition Corp. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aventis Energy. ("Aventis" or the "Company") (CSE: AVE | FRA: C0O0 | OTC: VBAMF), is pleased to announce the closing of its non-brokered private placement, announced June 20, 2025, and updated June 30, 2025, for an aggregate of 1,400,000 flow-through units of the Company (each, a "FT Unit") at a price of C$0.25 per FT Unit for gross proceeds of C$350,000 (the "Offering"). The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Offering towards exploration on the Company's project portfolio. Each FT Unit consists of one (1) common share of the Company (each, a "Common Share") issued as a "flow-through share" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (each, a "FT Share") and one half (1/2) of one (1) Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share at a price of C$0.35 for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. The gross proceeds from the sale of the FT Shares will be used by the Company to incur eligible "Canadian exploration expenses" that will qualify as "flow-through mining expenditures" as such terms are defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Qualifying Expenditures") related to the Company's projects in Canada. All Qualifying Expenditures will be renounced in favour of the subscribers of the FT Units effective December 31, 2025. In connection with the closing of the Offering, an aggregate of $21,000 was paid in cash as finder's fees. All securities issued in connection with the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day. The securities issued pursuant to the Offering 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 in the absence of U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Aventis Energy Inc. Aventis Energy Inc. (CSE: AVE | FRA: C0O0 | OTC: VBAMF) is a mineral exploration company dedicated to the development of strategic projects comprised of battery, base and precious metals in stable jurisdictions. The Company is working to advance its Corvo Uranium & Sting Copper Project. The Corvo Uranium property has historical drill holes intersected multiple intervals of uranium mineralization, notably along a strike length of 800 metres between historical drill holes TL-79-3 (0.116% U 3 O 8 over 1.05 m) and TL-79-5 (0.065% U 3 O 8 over 0.15 m)2. High-grade* Uranium at Surface with the Manhattan showing (1.19 to 5.98% U 3 O 8 ) and SMDI showing 2052 (0.137% U 3 O 8 and 2,300 ppm Th). The Sting Copper Project covers approximately 12,700 hectares and recently had results of 54.8m at 0.32% Cu starting at a depth of 27.0m, with higher-grade intervals including six samples (=0.5m length) ranging from 0.96% to 5.43% Cu. High grade samples of 0.5m at 2.85% Cu and 0.5m at 1.92% Cu with an additional broader interval of 31.1m at 0.27% Cu. References Mineral Assessment Report 64E13-0054: Norbaska Mines Ltd., 1979-1980 SMDI# 2052: https://mineraldeposits.saskatchewan.ca/Home/Viewdetails/2052 & Mineral Assessment Report MAW00047: Eagle Plains Resources Inc., 2011-2012 Vital Battery Metals Drills 20.5m of 1.21% Cu Including 5.0m of 2.22% Cu at Sting Copper Project., News Release, January 14, 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/01/14/3009258/0/en/Vital-Battery-Metals-Drills-20-5m-of-1-21-Cu-Including-5-0m-of-2-22-Cu-at-Sting-Copper-Project.html On Behalf of the Board of Directors Mandeep Parmar Interim Chief Executive Officer, Director +1 (604) 229-9772 info@vitalbatterymetals.com Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, including with respect to future plans, and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, business, economic and capital market conditions, the ability to manage operating expenses, and dependence on key personnel. Forward looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Offering and the intended use of proceeds therefrom; the Company's objectives, goals or future plans; and the commencement of exploration programs in the future. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, anticipated costs, and the ability to achieve goals. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, the continued availability of capital and financing, litigation, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, loss of key employees and consultants, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. HSINCHU, July 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- To advance Taiwan's 6G technology development and strengthen international industrial collaboration, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) led a delegation of government, industry, and academia representatives to the 2025 EuCNC & 6G Summit, the EU's premier event for next-gen communication technologies. In parallel, ITRI co-hosted the UK-Taiwan Joint Workshop on 6G Technologies and Future Networks at the University of Cambridge, in partnership with the UK Federated Telecoms Hubs (UK FTH) and the UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN). The event showcased the UK's national 6G flagship programs-Towards 6G via Integrating Telecoms and Networks (TITAN) and Joint Open Infrastructure for Experimentation and Research (JOINER)-and brought together telecom leaders from both countries to explore strategic areas such as Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), Open RAN, AI-native networks, Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC), and Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS). These discussions laid the groundwork for accelerated innovation and the formation of a global 6G innovation ecosystem. The Cambridge workshop gathered prominent stakeholders including the UK Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT), UKTIN, BT Group, along with representatives from the Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), MediaTek, Compal, Ataya, YTTEK, ITRI, and the Institute for Information Industry (III). The discussions emphasized shared goals in technological breakthroughs and deepened cooperation in 6G. "Openness has been a core value since the 5G era," said Pang-An Ting, ITRI Vice President and General Director of the Information and Communications Research Laboratories. "ITRI continues to partner with industry, academia, and research institutions to drive the development of Open RAN, establishing a solid foundation for the next generation of 6G technologies." He also noted that ITRI is building a dedicated 6G trial network and will host a public demonstration of Taiwan's progress in 2026. "We warmly invite global partners to participate in joint trials and contribute to the validation of core 6G technologies," he said. Catherine Page, Deputy Director at DSIT, reaffirmed the UK's commitment to advancing next-generation digital technologies, highlighting achievements in 5G deployment and an increasing focus on future networks. She underscored the value of strong international partnerships, especially with Taiwan, in areas such as semiconductors and Open RAN, expressing enthusiasm for deeper UK-Taiwan collaboration. Professor Harald Haas of the University of Cambridge stressed the importance of real-world testing to turn innovation into market-ready solutions. He highlighted the UK's R&D capabilities and Taiwan's robust ICT supply chain as highly complementary, offering long-term potential for joint success in 6G development. The workshop concluded with a commitment from both sides to continue advancing breakthroughs in NTN, Open RAN, and AI-native networks. The UK reiterated its focus on foundational R&D and open-source innovation, while Taiwan, led by ITRI, showcased its comprehensive 6G strategy, leveraging strengths in semiconductors, electronics manufacturing, and open supply chains. Both countries pledged to expand joint testing platforms and deepen cooperation to accelerate the global rollout of 6G technologies. At the EuCNC & 6G Summit, ITRI signed MoUs with the EU's 6G-SENSES project and Dutch research organization TNO, expanding joint efforts in ISAC and RIS technology verification and aligning with global standardization efforts. As part of its global outreach, ITRI also announced three major cross-border collaborations, including an MoU with Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT), and Taiwanese company YTTEK to jointly develop a smart manufacturing metaverse solution, which will be validated at Fraunhofer's testbed - demonstrating Taiwan's strength in applying advanced technologies to real-world use cases. Taiwan's 6G delegation featured representatives from the DoIT, NSTC, ITRI, Taiwan Association of Information and Communication Standards (TAICS), MediaTek, Compal, BenQ Materials, TMYTEK, Auden, Metanoia, Ataya, YTTEK, and leading universities such as National Chung Cheng University (CCU), National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST), and National Tsing Hua University (NTHU). ITRI presented its FORMOSA-6G initiative, covering AI-RAN and chip development in addition to end-to-end testbed platforms. A 6G trial network is slated to launch this year at ITRI's Hsinchu campus, serving as a hub for international collaboration. About ITRI Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is one of the world's leading technology R&D institutions aiming to innovate a better future for society. Founded in 1973, ITRI has played a vital role in transforming Taiwan's industries from labor-intensive into innovation-driven. To address market needs and global trends, it has launched its 2035 Technology Strategy and Roadmap that focuses on innovation development in Smart Living, Quality Health, Sustainable Environment, and Resilient Society. Over the years, ITRI has been dedicated to incubating startups and spinoffs, including well-known names such as UMC and TSMC. In addition to its headquarters in Taiwan, ITRI has branch offices in the U.S., Germany, the UK, Japan, and Thailand in an effort to extend its R&D scope and promote international cooperation across the globe. For more information, please visit https://www.itri.org/eng. Media Contact Annie Wu Office of Marketing Communications, ITRI +886-3-591-8406 aiyunwu@itri.org.tw Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2724654/photo.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2589669/ITRI_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/itri-advances-taiwans-6g-global-partnerships-in-the-eu-and-the-uk-302498388.html BEIJING, July 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Diplomats, scholars, and policymakers from more than 80 countries have gathered in Beijing this week for the 13th World Peace Forum, aiming to strengthen international dialogue and cooperation under the theme of "Advancing Global Peace and Prosperity: Shared Responsibility, Benefit, and Achievement ." Running from July 2 to 4, the forum is China's foremost non-governmental platform for international security dialogue. Jointly organized by Tsinghua University and the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, it has convened over 400 participants for a sweeping exchange on global challenges. Chinese Vice President Han Zheng addressed the opening ceremony on July 3, calling for jointly safeguarding international fairness and justice, and improving the global governance system. He put forward four proposals. First, learning from history and jointly safeguarding the post-war international order, as well as international fairness and justice. Second, adhering to solidarity and cooperation in order to improve global governance. Third, promoting openness and cooperation to drive global prosperity and development. Fourth, standing together in solidarity and jointly advancing toward modernization. Qiu Yong, Secretary of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee, attended the opening ceremony. Li Luming, President of Tsinghua University and Chairman of the World Peace Forum, delivered a welcome speech. The event brought together a distinguished group of attendees, including former foreign political dignitaries such as former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, former Belgian Prime Minister and ex-President of the European Council Herman van Rompuy, diplomatic envoys to China, as well as renowned experts and scholars. The forum features four plenary sessions and 18 panel discussions, addressing critical issues ranging from the stability of the international economic order to the growing influence of the Global South and the shifting contours of China-Europe relations. In a nod to emerging threats, participants are also probing the risks posed by artificial intelligence in armed conflict, underscoring the forum's focus on both current geopolitical tensions and contemporary security dilemmas. As one of the leading platforms for international security dialogue, the World Peace Forum promotes mutual understanding and collective responses to global challenges. Its emphasis on shared responsibility reflects the enduring importance of multilateral cooperation especially in the face of shifting global power dynamics. The event has also drawn significant media attention, with more than 200 journalists representing over 80 domestic and international outlets in attendance. Through open and constructive international engagement, the World Peace Forum continues to serve as a vital platform for advancing peace, stability, and sustainable development on the global stage. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2725028/WechatIMG8995.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/13th-world-peace-forum-held-in-beijing-calls-for-shared-responsibility-in-global-peace-302498389.html Rajkummar Rao and Manushi Chhillars next release Maalik gets more promising with each passing day. After the release of their first song Naamumkin, followed by its teaser and trailer that had everyones jaws dropping, the makers have now released their next track Raaj Karega Maalik. It can be recalled that the song was briefly played in the background of the trailer and had already caught on for its catchy tune. Raaj Karega Maalik, through its powerful vocals and commanding orchestration, perfectly captures the swagger and dominance of Rajkummar Raos gangster persona. The songs central line, Sabpe raj karega maalik, acts as both a declaration and an ode to the characters formidable presence, setting the tone for what promises to be Raos most intense role to date. Its a high-energy track that mixes traditional desi beats with modern attitude. SachinJigars production is punchy and dynamic, while Akasas fierce vocals and MC Squares earthy rap bring both fire and grit to the track. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The visuals pack a punch too. Rajkummar Raos intense screen presence and Manushi Chhillars strong, confident vibe match the songs bold energy perfectly. The lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya hit the sweet spot between revolt and rhythm, turning the track into a power anthem with strong replay value. Following the tremendous reception of the films trailer, which dropped just days ago, Raaj Karega Maalik continues to build momentum for the movies July 11 release. Industry insiders and audiences alike have been praising Rajkummar Raos transformation into the menacing Maalik, marking his first venture into bad-ass gangster territory. Equally compelling is Miss World Manushi Chhillars bold decision to go de-glam for her role as Shalini, a move thats earned her acclaim from both industry veterans and fans eager to see her step beyond convention. Manushis fresh pairing with Rajkummar has already proven its spark with their first track Naamumkin, which offered audiences a glimpse of their chemistry. Now, Raaj Karega Maalik adds another strong layer to their on-screen partnership. The anticipation for Maalik continues to soar, with fans counting down to what could be a game-changing film for both lead actors. Did we mention that both Manushi and Rajkummar look hot and toweringly powerful in the song? Maalik hits cinemas on July 11. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. The 17th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) held in Azerbaijan's Khankendi can be assessed as an important political and economic event not only at the regional but also at the global level. For Azerbaijan, holding this summit in Khankendi is a symbol of both a historical victory and the creation of a new global discussion platform. Khankendi is the heart of Karabakh, the ancient land of Azerbaijan. The fact that an event of international significance was held in this region, which had been occupied for many years, is a message to the world: Azerbaijan's historical right has been restored, and now Khankendi is a place for regional and even global cooperation and dialogue. ECO is an important regional platform that serves as a bridge between Asia and Europe, connecting 10 countries. The strategic location of the ECO countries is important for energy resources, transport corridors, and economic integration. The fact that Azerbaijan hosted the ECO summit, including the fact that it was held in Khankendi, testifies to the country's regional leadership and its active participation in global cooperation. With the organization of the ECO summit in Khankendi, this city becomes a venue for not only regional but also international events, political, economic, and cultural discussions. This is a diplomatic success for Azerbaijan, as well as a symbol of stability, cooperation, and development in the region. The ECO summit in Khankendi demonstrates both the regional leadership of Azerbaijan and its contribution to solving global problems. This means the revival of Karabakh and the transformation of Khankendi into a global discussion platform. This summit once again shows that Azerbaijan has become an influential center for the development of the region, peace, and cooperation. In the future, the role of Khankendi as a center of international dialogue and cooperation will only strengthen. A series of earthquakes near Japans remote Tokara Islands over the past two weeks, along with a major eruption from a long-dormant volcano earlier this week, has added to growing speculation about a disaster striking Japan on July 5. The rumours are linked to manga artist Ryo Tatsukis work The Future I Saw, where she predicted a tsunami three times stronger than the one in 2011. Her fans claim some of her earlier predictions have already come true read more A combination of images showing the eruption of Mount Shinmoedake this week and a road damaged in Nishiaraya, Ishikawa Prefecture, due to the January 2024 earthquake. Image: X and Reuters/File Photo A series of earthquakes near Japans remote Tokara Islands, along with a major eruption from a long-dormant volcano, has further fuelled speculation about a disaster striking Japan on July 5. This speculation is partly driven by manga artist Ryo Tatsuki, whose earlier work is believed by many to have predicted the 2011 disaster. She has now suggested that another major event could strike Japan in early July. In her 2021 manga, The Future I Saw, she wrote about a crack forming under the sea between Japan and the Philippines. This, she said, would lead to a tsunami three times stronger than the one in 2011. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD ALSO READ | Japan warns of megaquake that could kill 300,000 along Nankai Trough: What is it? Seismologists have not found any connection between the current activity and the prediction. But the timing of the events has left some members of the public uneasy, as it matches closely with the widely shared warning from Tatsuki. So, whats happening in Japan? What is the manga artists prediction, and how credible is it? We answer all the questions below: Series of earthquakes, volcano eruption: Whats happening in Japan? Mount Shinmoedake erupted on Thursday, sending a powerful blast into the sky and a thick cloud of ash, making it one of its most intense eruptions in recent years. Japans Meteorological Agency has warned of falling volcanic rocks and fast-moving flows within about two miles of the volcano. This afternoon: A powerful eruption occurred at Mount Kirishimas Shinmoedake crater at 1:49 PM (local time). Volcanic smoke rose an estimated 5,000 meters into the sky. Ongoing activity continues to be closely monitored.( July 03, 2025) Shinmoedake, Kyushu, Japan pic.twitter.com/B1SjPXNmIV Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) July 3, 2025 Notably, Mount Shinmoedake, located in the Kirishima range between Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, had last erupted in 2018. It became active again on June 22. Officials have advised people in the area to remain indoors and be ready for emergencies. The explosion covered parts of Miyazaki and Kagoshima in heavy ash. The Meteorological Agency had raised the alert level to three on June 27 after signs of growing volcanic activity were noticed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Shimizu Hiroshi, head of the monitoring committee, said: While this eruption doesnt currently involve new magma, the possibility remains. Close monitoring is essential. Authorities are keeping a constant watch on the mountain as people stay alert for possible aftershocks. Meanwhile, more than 1,000 earthquakes have been recorded on a small island in southern Japan, leading to evacuations. An official told AFP that people on Akuseki Island were asked to move to a school playground for safety. Akuseki is part of the Tokara island group, located south of the Kyushu region. Since June 21, the area has seen 1,031 quakes. What is the prediction by Japanese Baba Vanga? Fans of manga artist Ryo Tatsuki believe many of her predictions, based on dreams and featured in her comic books, have come true in the past. Because of this, some now call her the Japanese Baba Vanga, a nod to the late Bulgarian mystic who was said to have predicted major events like the 9/11 attacks, the rise of ISIS, and Barack Obamas election. ALSO READ | When a powerful earthquake and tsunami triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan In one of her manga stories, Tatsuki writes about a deep crack forming under the sea between Japan and the Philippines. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Whether it comes to pass or not, it's having an effect on air travel in Japan. The Future That I Saw Japanese Comic Predicts Massive Disaster for July 2025 (July 5, 2025 at 4:18 a.m.) Retired comic artist Ryo Tatsuki claims that she has been having prophetic dreams for pic.twitter.com/WJ6eqOdF8P UFO CHRONICLES PODCAST (@UFOchronpodcast) July 3, 2025 She says this would trigger huge waves, three times higher than those that struck Japan in the 2011 tsunami. The prediction has gone viral across East Asia. Thousands of videos have been shared online in countries like Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and South Korea. On X, many users have linked this claim to concerns about a potential megaquake in the Nankai Trough. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What authorities and Tatsuki are saying Ryo Tatsuki has asked people not to treat her prediction too seriously. In a recent interview, she said people should stay calm and rely on experts instead of her visions. Seismologists have also rejected any connection between her prediction and recent seismic activity. They say there is no scientific way to predict exactly when, where, or how strong an earthquake will be. Ayataka Ebita, director of the earthquake and tsunami observation division at Japans Meteorological Agency, told AFP: We are aware that such tales are circulating, but that is a hoax. He added, With todays science and technology, it is not possible to predict earthquakes. The Japan Meteorological Agency also issued a statement online saying: Any such predictions should be considered unreliable. The rumour has still had an impact. Tourism from East Asia has dropped sharply. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, bookings from Hong Kong are down by 50 per cent compared to 2024. Between late June and early July, the fall is as steep as 83 per cent. Japans megaquake warning that could kill 300,000 In April this year, the Japanese government released a report warning of the devastating effects if a powerful earthquake hits the Nankai Trough, a region off the countrys Pacific coast. The report warned of possible losses worth $1.81 trillion and said up to 300,000 people could die if the feared quake were to strike. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Japan faces frequent earthquakes due to its location. Experts say there is an 80 per cent chance of a magnitude 8 to 9 quake in the Nankai Trough. Japan sits on four major tectonic plates, making it one of the most seismically active places on Earth. Reuters/File Photo This undersea trench stretches about 800 kilometres, from Hyuganada near Kyushu to Suruga Bay in central Japan. The country has suffered major disasters in the past, including the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which led to the Fukushima nuclear crisis. That 9.0-magnitude quake caused the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl. Notably, Japan sits at the meeting point of four major tectonic plates, making it one of the worlds most earthquake-prone nations. With inputs from agencies Nehal Modi, brother of fugitive businessman Nirav Modi, has been arrested in the United States. Notably, he is wanted in India for his alleged role in the Rs 13,000-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, one of the biggest banking frauds in the country. His arrest comes after extradition requests made by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) read more Nehal Modi was arrested on July 4 by local authorities in the United States. Image: News18 Nehal Modi, the brother of fugitive businessman Nirav Modi, has been arrested in the United States. He has been taken into custody in connection with the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. The action comes after extradition requests sent by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The next hearing in the case is scheduled for July 17. On that day, Nehal is likely to apply for bail, but US prosecutors are expected to oppose the request, officials told PTI. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But who is Nehal Modi? And what is the case he has been arrested in? Lets take a look: Who is Nehal Modi? Why has he been arrested? The younger brother of Nirav Modi was arrested on July 4 by local authorities in the United States. The action was taken following a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol, based on requests from the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate. Notably, his arrest comes after a long legal and diplomatic process, during which Nehal tried to get the Red Corner Notice withdrawn, but his challenge was unsuccessful. So, who exactly is Nehal Modi? He is wanted in India for his role in the Rs 13,000-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, which is one of the biggest banking frauds the country has seen. Nehal was born and raised in Antwerp, Belgium, and speaks English, Gujarati, and Hindi. Nehal Modi has been taken into custody in connection with the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. Image: X He is accused of helping his brother, Nirav Modi, by moving and hiding the proceeds of the alleged crime. Investigations have found that Nehal was the director of Firestar Diamonds USA, a company that has since shut down. He was also connected to the Ithaca Trust, which was created to help fund and acquire property for Nirav Modi, according to India Today. The trust reportedly received money that had been moved from Letters of Undertaking issued by PNB into fake companies. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Officials said Nehal helped in hiding and shifting large amounts of illegal funds using shell companies and foreign transactions, breaking Indian laws in the process. He has also been named in the charge sheet filed by the ED and is accused of destroying evidence and knowingly and intentionally helping Nirav Modi carry out the alleged fraud, officials told PTI. After the PNB case became public, Nehal, along with Mihir R Bhansali, a close aide of Nirav, allegedly moved 50 kilograms of gold and a large amount of cash from Dubai. The two also reportedly told fake directors not to mention Nehals name to investigators. Nirav Modi fled the country in January 2018. Image: News18 The US authorities are pursuing extradition proceedings against Nehal based on two charges: one for money laundering under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and one count of criminal conspiracy under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What is the PNB scam? Where is Nirav Modi? Nehal Modi has been named in the chargesheet filed in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case. He is accused of helping his brother, Nirav Modi, obtain fake credit letters as part of a multi-billion-dollar fraud. The Rs 13,500 crore PNB loan scam came to light in early 2018. It involved fugitive businessmen Mehul Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, along with others, including some employees of PNB. Nirav and Choksi left the country in January 2018, just before the bank flagged the issue to the authorities. Notably, Nirav was arrested in the United Kingdom in March 2019 and has remained in a London jail since then. Meanwhile, Mehul Choksi is currently in Antigua and is involved in separate legal matters, including a case related to his citizenship. Mehul Choksi was taken into custody in April by Belgian officials. Image: News18/File Photo On May 17, the UK High Court said that sending Nirav Modi back to India to face trial would not go against his human rights. Although the court has approved his extradition, the process is still on hold because Nirav has filed multiple appeals to delay it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Earlier this year, the Belgian government confirmed that 65-year-old Choksi was arrested in Antwerp after India requested his extradition. Choksi had challenged his arrest in a Belgian court and asked for immediate release, claiming there were faults in the process. The court dismissed his plea. He was taken into custody in April by Belgian officials. With inputs from agencies Earth is expected to spin slightly faster on three specific days in July and August: July 9, July 22 and August 5. This could lead to slightly shorter days. On those dates, the length of a day may reduce by 1.30, 1.38 and 1.51 milliseconds, respectively. Scientists have observed that since 2020, Earth has been rotating a little faster than usual, though the exact cause remains a mystery read more A scientist has warned that Earths rotation is speeding up unexpectedly. Pixabay/Representational Image Should we expect shorter days soon? Earth is likely to spin slightly faster in July and August, which could lead to shorter days. Notably, the Earth completes a little more than 365 full spins on its axis each year. That is the total number of days we have in a year. ALSO READ | Is Africa cracking open? How Earths heartbeat is tearing the continent apart, forming a new ocean However, it was not always like this. Some studies show that in the past, Earth took between 490 and 372 days to complete one trip around the Sun. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD So, which days in July and August might be the shortest? And what is the reason behind this change? Lets take a look: Why and when Earth is predicted to spin faster A scientist has warned that Earths rotation is speeding up unexpectedly, with the shortest day in history possibly just weeks away. Graham Jones, an astrophysicist from the University of London, said the Earths spin may increase slightly on three specific days, July 9, July 22, and August 5, he told Daily Mail. The difference will be very small, measured only in milliseconds. On these days, the length of a day might drop by 1.30, 1.38, or 1.51 milliseconds, one after the other. Experts say that even a slight change can impact satellite systems, GPS accuracy, and how we keep track of time. The Earth is likely to spin slightly faster in July and August, which could lead to shorter days. Pixabay/Representational Image Leonid Zotov, a researcher at Moscow State University, said: Nobody expected this, the cause of this acceleration is not explained. Since 2020, scientists have observed the Earth turning slightly quicker than usual, but they are still unsure why this is happening. Earlier, the planet had been slowing down gradually, mainly due to the moons pull, which over time helped shape our current 24-hour days. Typically, the Earth takes 24 hours, or exactly 86,400 seconds, to complete one full spin, known as a solar day. Judah Levine, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, told Discover Magazine in 2021, This lack of the need for leap seconds was not predicted. The assumption was, in fact, that Earth would continue to slow down and leap seconds would continue to be needed. And so this effect, this result, is very surprising. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If the Earth keeps rotating faster, timekeepers might need to make changes to official time, which could include removing a leap second for the first time ever in 2029. Why is Earth spinning faster? The Earths rotation is not perfectly steady. It can shift by a few milliseconds now and then. This happens because natural forces, such as earthquakes and ocean movements, can change the planets spin slightly. Other reasons include melting glaciers, changes in Earths molten core, and weather patterns like El Nino, which can either slow down or speed up rotation by small amounts. Scientists use atomic clocks to track these tiny changes with high precision. The recent increase in spin has caught many of them off guard. ALSO READ | Is Earths core leaking gold and other precious metals to the surface? According to reports, the fastest day so far was on July 5, 2024, when the Earth spun 1.66 milliseconds faster than the usual 24 hours. Earthquakes are also known to affect the planets rotation. In March 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake near Japan shifted the Earths axis and slightly shortened the length of a day. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Earths rotation is not perfectly steady. It can shift by a few milliseconds now and then. Pixabay/Representational Image Dr Richard Gross from Nasas Jet Propulsion Laboratory told Popular Mechanics in 2011, Earthquakes can change the Earths rotation by rearranging the Earths mass. This is what a spinning ice skater does to make herself spin faster. She moves her arms closer to her body, shes moving her mass closer to the axis about which shes rotating. Understanding the causes of this spin change involves looking at whats happening inside the Earth, from moving molten layers deep in the core to powerful ocean currents and winds high in the sky. Earths interior is not solid all the way through. Its centre is made of hot, liquid metal that flows and shifts. This movement can change the planets balance, like a skater turning faster by pulling in their arms. Currents in the ocean and jet streams, fast air flows high up in the atmosphere, also move mass around, leading to small changes in the speed of Earths rotation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Scientists are looking at all of these, the moons pull, movement in the core, ocean flow, and wind, to understand whats happening. After Shefali Jariwalas death, there has been a growing buzz about skin improvement treatments like glutathione and their dangerous side effects. We talk about unregulated cosmetic hacks and more in our weekly roundup of stories from India read more Actor-model Shefali Jariwala died last Friday (June 27). Media reports are that she took anti-ageing medication and skin improvement treatments like glutathione. Image courtesy: Shefali Jariwala @shefalijariwala/X Its been a big week for Indian diplomacy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on an eight-day tour across five nations. He will be heading to Brazil for the Brics Summit today (July 5) and then concluding this trip in Namibia on Wednesday (July 9). India is also in talks with the US for a trade deal. While Donald Trump has hinted that the two sides are close to sealing the pact, New Delhi is reportedly looking for concessions. It remains to be seen what happens before the US presidents July 9 deadline. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In defence news, the INS Tamal, Indias last foreign-made frigate, got commissioned this week. There were also reports that the US-made Apache helicopters will be delivered this month. Thats not all. India is also likely to develop its own bunker-buster missiles, similar to the ones the US used to attack Irans nuclear sites. As far as crime goes, the case of the gang-rape of a student at a Kolkata law college continues to unravel. Four people have been arrested so far. Investigation reveals that the main accused, Monojit Mishra, was a serial offender, having targeted other women on campus. Another heartbreaking story from India was the death of Shefali Jariwala of the Kaanta Laga fame. It has put the spotlight on anti-ageing and other cosmetic treatments and their side effects. We talk about all this and more in our weekly roundup of stories about India. 1. Its another busy week for PM Narendra Modi. He is on his longest diplomatic tour in more than a decade, visiting five nations over three days Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil and Namibia. The PM is now in the second leg of the trip; he will be spending four days in Brazil during which he will attend the Brics summit in Rio de Janeiro. Here is why these nations matter to India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trinidad and Tobago PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar participate in a welcoming ceremony at Piarco International Airport in Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago, on July 3. Reuters 2. Donald Trumps July 9 deadline for tariffs is nearing. The US president said earlier in the week that the deal with India will be sealed soon with much less tariffs. However, the talks are ongoing, with reports that Indias negotiators are pushing back. How is the pact shaping up? And whats the deadlock about? We explain. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 3. China continues to poke India. This time, it appears to be coming in the way of Apples big Make in India push. As plans to ramp up production of the next iPhone are taking shape, hundreds of Chinese engineers and technicians working at Foxconn factories in southern India have exited. So whats really going on? Is this Beijings way to thwart Indias growth as a manufacturing hub? 4. With a volatile neighbourhood, India is going big on defence. Its looking at developing high-powered missiles with bunker-buster capabilities, similar to the one the US used to attack nuclear sites in Iran. Heres how the new variant of Agni-5 missile will be designed. The DRDO is looking to upgrade Agni-5, making it capable of penetrating 100 meters underground with its 7500 kg conventional warhead. PTI 5. Investigations into the gang-rape of a student at the South Calcutta Law College reveal shocking details. The main accused, Monojit Mishra, is a serial offender he not only harassed women but also threatened teachers and beat up a security guard. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Mishra reportedly targeted the survivor from her first day in college. Heres how the gang-rape was planned. People raise slogans during a torch rally to protest against the alleged gang-rape of a law student in her college, in Kolkata. PTI 6. A shocking story came from Karnataka. There have been more than 20 deaths over the past 40 days in Hassan, involving young or middle-aged people. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has hinted at a possible link with Covid-19 vaccines. Is there a reason to be alarmed? 7. Shefali Jariwalas death grabbed headlines across India this week. After all, the model-actor was only 42. Her demise put the spotlight on the unregulated industry of anti-ageing and beauty treatments. Reports suggest that Jariwala took glutathione injections. What are these shots that promise skin brightening? And are they safe? Shefali Jariwala passed away last Friday (June 27) at the age of 42. @shefalijariwala via PTI Thats our recommendation list that should keep you up to date with news related to India. If you like the way we take a deep dive into stories that matter, come back to this page for more. The 14th Dalai Lama has clearly said that his reincarnation should be decided by Tibetans and Buddhists, and no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter read more The exiled spiritual leader, the 14th Dalai Lama, has announced that his office, the Gaden Phodrang Trust, has sole authority to recognise the next Dalai Lama. On Wednesday, four days ahead of his 90th birthday on July 6, he posted a statement to X discussing the future of the Tibetan spiritual leadership, particularly his succession plans. He said that his reincarnation should be decided by Tibetans and Buddhists, and no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter. The Dalai Lama has indicated that his successor may be found in India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Beijing was quick to reject it, saying that the Dalai Lamas succession plan breaks tradition. China has warned against separatism ahead of the Dalai Lamas expected succession decree. Beijing has said that the succession of the Dalai Lama should be in accordance with tradition and Chinese law. The Dalai Lamas reincarnation must follow the principles of domestic recognition, the golden urn process, and approval by the central government, in line with religious traditions and laws, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. Historically, the Dalai Lama is believed to be the tulku (incarnation) of a series of spiritual leaders dating back more than 600 years. Following Tibetan tradition, upon his death, aides and senior lamas identify his successor through rituals and signs. In the late 18th century, the Qianlong emperor of the Qing dynasty introduced a lot-drawing golden urn system to select reincarnations. Since then, reincarnations of all Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas (the second-highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism) were recognised, approved, and enthroned with the consent of both local and central governments, except for three cases: the 9th, 13th, and 14th Dalai Lamas. The 14th Dalai Lama was recognised following traditional rituals, and his recognition was granted directly by the then central government, exempting him from the golden urn process. The 14th Dalai Lama The 14th Dalai Lama was born on July 6, 1935. His full spiritual name is Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, shortened as Tenzin Gyatso. He is the highest spiritual leader and head of Tibetan Buddhism. A belief central to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition as well as the institution of the Dalai Lama is that the reincarnated person is a living Bodhisattva. The Mongolic word Dalai means ocean. The 14th Dalai Lama is also known to Tibetans as Gyalwa Rinpoche (The Precious Jewel-like Buddha-Master). Born to a farming family in Taktser (Hongya village), he was selected as the tulku of the 13th Dalai Lama in 1937 and formally recognised as the 14th Dalai Lama in 1939. As with the recognition process for his predecessor, the Golden Urn selection process was waived and approved by the Central Government of the Republic of China. His enthronement ceremony was held in Lhasa on February 22, 1940. Hereon, the Dalai Lamas childhood was spent between the Potala Palace and Norbulingka, his summer residence, both of which are now Unesco World Heritage Sites. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As Chinese forces re-entered and annexed Central Tibet, Ganden Phodrang invested the Dalai Lama with temporal duties on November 17, 1950, (at 15 years of age) until his exile in 1959. China had forced the Dalai Lama to sign and later ratify the one-sided Seventeen Point Agreement on May 23, 1951. The agreement recognised Chinese sovereignty over Tibet, but China allowed the Dalai Lama to continue to rule Tibet internally. The agreement actively supported the Peoples Liberation Army in Tibet in consolidating national defence, driving out imperialist influences from Tibet, and safeguarding the unification of the territory and the sovereignty of the motherland. In 1956, on a trip to India to celebrate the Buddhas birthday, the Dalai Lama asked then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru if he would allow him political asylum should he choose to stay. Nehru discouraged this as a provocation against peace and reminded him of the Indian governments non-interventionist stance agreed upon in its 1954 treaty with China. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In 1959, at the age of 23, he took his final examination at Lhasas Jokhang Temple during the annual Monlam Prayer Festival. He passed with honours and was awarded the Lharampa degree, the highest-level geshe degree, roughly equivalent to a doctorate in Buddhist philosophy. At the outset of the 1959 Tibetan uprising, fearing for his life, the Dalai Lama and his retinue fled Tibet with the help of the CIAs Special Activities Division, crossing into India on 30 March 1959, reaching Tezpur in Assam on 18 April. On 29 April 1959, the Dalai Lama established the independent Tibetan government in exile in the north Indian hill station of Mussoorie, which then moved in May 1960 to Dharamshala, where he resides, and which is often referred to as Little Lhasa. He created a Tibetan educational system in order to teach the Tibetan children the language, history, religion, and culture. The Dalai Lama appealed to the United Nations on the rights of Tibetans. This appeal resulted in three resolutions adopted by the General Assembly in 1959, 1961, and 1965, all before the Peoples Republic was allowed representation at the United Nations. In 1970, he opened the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamshala, which houses over 80,000 manuscripts and important knowledge resources related to Tibetan history, politics, and culture. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His devotees, as well as much of the Western world, often call him His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He served as the resident spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet before 1959 and subsequently led the Tibetan government in exile represented by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamsala. The Dalai Lama stepped down as his peoples political Head of the Tibetan Administration for Tibetans-in-exile in 2011, an appointment he held since 1991, and passed the baton of secular power to a government chosen democratically by 130,000 Tibetans around the world. Dalai Lama the Person Until reaching his mid-80s, the Dalai Lama travelled worldwide to give Tibetan Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism teachings, and his Kalachakra teachings and initiations were international events. He also attended conferences on a wide range of subjects, including the relationship between religion and science, and met with other world leaders, religious leaders, philosophers, and scientists online and in person. His growing wish to develop meaningful scientific dialogue to explore the Buddhism and science interface led to invitations for him to attend relevant conferences on his visits to the West. He has said that had he not been brought up as a monk, he would probably have been an engineer. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Dalai Lama refers to himself as a follower of the Nalanda master. In fact, he often asserts that Tibetan Buddhism is based on the Buddhist tradition of Nalanda monastery in ancient India and the texts written by the 17 Nalanda pandits (masters). These texts were brought to Tibet and translated into Tibetan when Buddhism was first established there and have remained central to the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism ever since. Since 2018, he has continued to teach on a reduced schedule, limiting his travel to within India only, and occasionally addressing international audiences via live webcasts. His work includes a focus on the environment, economics, womens rights, nonviolence, interfaith dialogue, physics, astronomy, cognitive neuroscience, and others. The Dalai Lama uses various meditation techniques, including analytic meditation and emptiness meditation. He has said that the aim of meditation is to maintain a very full state of alertness and mindfulness, and then try to see the natural state of your consciousness. All human beings have an innate desire to overcome suffering, to find happiness. Training the mind to think differently, through meditation, is one important way to avoid suffering and be happy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. Time magazine named the Dalai Lama Gandhis spiritual heir to nonviolence. The 12th General Assembly of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace in New Delhi unanimously recognised the Dalai Lamas contributions to global peace and his lifelong efforts in uniting Buddhist communities worldwide and bestowed upon him the title of Universal Supreme Leader of the Buddhist World; they also designated July 6, his birthday, as the Universal Day of Compassion. The Dalai Lama is the author of numerous books on Buddhism. Dalai Lamas Succession Approach and Interpretation The Dalai Lama advocates for the welfare of Tibetans and since the early 1970s has called for the Middle Way Approach with China to peacefully resolve the issue of Tibet. This policy was adopted democratically by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and the Tibetan people. The middle ground is a practical approach and mutually beneficial to both Tibetans and Chinese. The Tibetans can preserve their culture and religion and uphold their identity and Chinas assertion of sovereignty over Tibet. Despite initially advocating for Tibetan independence from 1961 to 1974, the Dalai Lama no longer supports it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In September 2011, the Dalai Lama issued the following statement concerning his succession and reincarnation: When I am about ninety I will consult the high Lamas of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, the Tibetan public, and other concerned people who follow Tibetan Buddhism, and re-evaluate whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue or not. On that basis we will take a decision. If it is decided that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should continue and there is a need for the 15th Dalai Lama to be recognised, responsibility for doing so will primarily rest on the concerned officers of the Dalai Lamas Gaden Phodrang Trust. They should consult the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. They should seek advice and direction from these concerned beings and carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition. I shall leave clear written instructions about this. Bear in mind that, apart from the reincarnation recognised through such legitimate methods, no recognition or acceptance should be given to a candidate chosen for political ends by anyone, including those in the Peoples Republic of China. In October 2011, the Dalai Lama repeated his statement in an interview with Canadian CTV News. He added that Chinese laws banning the selection of successors based on reincarnation will not impact his decisions. Naturally my next life is entirely up to me. No one else. And also this is not a political matter, he said in the interview. The Dalai Lama also added that he has not decided on whether he will reincarnate or be the last Dalai Lama. In an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, published on September 7, 2014, the Dalai Lama stated, The institution of the Dalai Lama has served its purpose, and that We had a Dalai Lama for almost five centuries. The 14th Dalai Lama now is very popular. Let us then finish with a popular Dalai Lama. In response, the Chinese government said the title of Dalai Lama has been conferred by the central government for hundreds of years and the 14th Dalai Lama has ulterior motives. Gyatso has also expressed fear that the Chinese government would manipulate any reincarnation selection in order to choose a successor that would go along with their political goals. The Chinese Governments Position The Chinese government is clear that the reincarnation was not just an internal religious matter but also a matter of national sovereignty, government authority, religious principles, and the sentiments of lay followers. In 2007, the traditional ceremony was incorporated into Chinas official regulations, along with a clause explicitly banning interference by overseas individuals and parties. Tibetan Buddhism in communist China has been forcefully integrated with Chinese characteristics and is a part of the oft-spoken sinicisation. China views the 14th Dalai Lama as a separatist and accuses him of inciting unrest, particularly in the 1980s and during the 2008 protests in Tibet. After the death of the 10th Panchen Lama in 1989, Beijing and the Dalai Lama recognised two separate boys as his successor, with the Dalai Lamas choice disappearing from public view for decades since. In a rare public comment on the issue, Zhao Lijian, then spokesman for Chinas foreign ministry, told a press conference in May 2020 that the Dalai Lama-nominated boy, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, was a working adult and that he and his family preferred to live a private life. Beijing is worried about possible social instability in case the Dalai Lama announces a successor. The Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama has been in the Tibetan regional capital, Lhasa, of late, carrying out duties such as office work, social research, and religious activities, according to local media. The Panchen Lama met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on June 6, when Xi told him to carry on the glorious tradition of Tibetan Buddhism of loving the country and religion and resolutely safeguard national and ethnic unity. According to tradition, the next Dalai Lama will be recognised by the 11th Panchen Lama, but the current Panchen Lama is not recognised by the current Dalai Lama. Lhasa has traditionally been a power base of every Dalai Lama and the centre of unrest in 1959, the 1980s, and 2008. Indian Governments Stand India is estimated to be home to tens of thousands of Tibetan Buddhists who are free to study and work here. Many Indians revere the Dalai Lama, and international relations experts say his presence in India gives New Delhi a measure of leverage with China. Amid the recent row over the Dalai Lamas succession plan, the government on Friday said that India does not take a position on matters concerning religious belief or practice. Kiren Rijiju, Indias minister of parliamentary and minority affairs and a practicing Buddhist, made a statement on the matter on Thursday, ahead of visiting the Dalai Lamas base at Dharamshala for the religious leaders 90th birthday on Sunday. No one has the right to interfere or decide who the successor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be, he reportedly said. Only he or his institution has the authority to make that decision. His followers believe that deeply. Its important for disciples across the world that he decides his succession. Indias foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment on the Dalai Lamas succession plan. Global Support The Dalai Lama has tried to mobilise international support for Tibetan activities. The Dalai Lama has been successful in gaining Western support for himself and the cause of greater Tibetan autonomy, including vocal support from numerous Hollywood celebrities, most notably the actors Richard Gere and Steven Seagal, as well as lawmakers from several major countries. The United States has historically supported greater Tibetan autonomy and passed legislation to counter Beijings role in the succession process and its framing of Tibetan history. In 1967, the Dalai Lama was out of India for the first time since he resided here from 1959. The Japanese government granted him a visa on the condition he would not attack the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) while in Japan. However, with the rising of China, recent US policy has been ambivalent. The US and Indian support for Tibetan separatism has ebbed for various reasons. While there will almost certainly be discordant contestation between the Chinese government and the exiles after the Dalai Lamas passing, at least part of the Tibetan diaspora may opt for reconciliation, which China is likely to welcome. To Summarise The Dalai Lama maintains close ties with India. In 2008, the Dalai Lama said that Arunachal Pradesh, partially claimed by China, is part of India, citing the disputed 1914 Simla Accord. In 2010 at the International Buddhist Conference in Gujarat, he described himself as a son of India and Tibetan in appearance but an Indian in spirituality. Chinese Buddhists could also be deemed Indian in spirituality, because both Tibetan and Chinese Buddhism originated from India. The Dalai Lama says that he is active in spreading Indias message of nonviolence and religious harmony throughout the world. I am the messenger of Indias ancient thoughts the world over. He has said that democracy has deep roots in India. He says he considers India the master and Tibet its disciple, as great scholars went from India to Tibet to teach Buddhism. The Nobel Peace Prize-winning monks 90th birthday celebrations are expected to be a huge event. He has been encouraging people to plan for an eventual future without him and with another Dalai Lama. Many exiled Tibetans fear China will name a successor to bolster control over a territory it poured troops into in 1950. The 14th Dalai Lama has reaffirmed that he will be reincarnated and that the process of identifying his successor should follow traditional Tibetan Buddhist practices. In a message shared during a prayer ceremony and posted on social media, the Dalai Lama stated that only his non-profit institution, Gaden Phodrang Foundation, has the legitimate authority to oversee the selection of his reincarnation. He emphasised that the identification of the 15th Dalai Lama should involve consultation with senior leaders of Tibetan Buddhist schools and with spiritual entities known as oath-bound Dharma Protectors, following established historical customs. The Dalai Lama reaffirmed that his reincarnation will occur outside China. The Chinese government rejected the Dalai Lamas position. Officials in Beijing stated that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, as well as other high-ranking Tibetan Buddhist figures such as the Panchen Lama, must be approved by the central government. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the government holds ultimate authority in confirming the identity of reincarnated Tibetan spiritual leaders. All eyes are towards Dharamshala. The Dalai Lamas stand will matter. Indias foreign policy establishment will have to walk the tightrope. The writer is former Director General, Centre for Air Power Studies. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. As the Brics+ summit approaches, Indias fragile reset with China faces fresh strain amid Chinese support for Pakistan and financial flows that could shape regional stability read more The timing of the Pahalgam attackduring an India-China rapprochementreignited Indias security calculus and raised doubts over whether such diplomatic efforts could be meaningfully sustained. Image: Reuters File On 67 July 2025, the expanded Brics+ leaders will convene in Rio de Janeiro; however, the summits choreography has already been disrupted. Beijing has confirmed that Premier Li Qiangnot President Xi Jinpingwill lead the Chinese delegation, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend in person. Xis absence throws a spotlight on the still-delicate reset that New Delhi and Beijing began in late 2024. Whether the Rio summit can consolidate that tentative detenteor expose its limitswill shape both the tone of the meeting and the broader credibility of Brics as a platform for emerging-power coordination. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Between late 2024, India and China began cautiously resetting their strained relationship, marked by a partial border agreement and a renewed focus on diplomatic and economic engagement. It aimed to de-escalate military tensions stemming from the deadly 2020 Galwan Valley clash, with both sides agreeing to reduce troop presence at select friction points. This was followed by foreign minister-level talks, working-level dialogues, and backchannel efforts to revive economic ties, under pressure from regional actors to avoid further escalation. Trade and investment re-emerged as key areas of re-engagement, highlighting deep but asymmetric interdependence. Bilateral trade remained high, with Indian imports of Chinese intermediate goods dominating the market, while Indias trade deficit with China widened significantly. Indias vulnerability to supply chain dependencies has become increasingly evident, particularly in sectors such as electronics, pharmaceuticals, and solar equipment. India also voiced its long-standing concerns over limited market access in China. It responded by selectively reopening its economy to targeted Chinese investments, especially in the electronics and infrastructure sectors. However, strategic mistrust persisted. On April 22, 2025, India was struck by a major terrorist attack in Kashmirs Pahalgam, killing 26 civilians. India accused Pakistan-based militants of responsibility and, within two weeks, launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025 strikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The ceasefire on May 10 ended the immediate violence, but tensions have remained high since then. The timing of the attackduring an India-China rapprochementreignited Indias security calculus and raised doubts over whether such diplomatic efforts could be meaningfully sustained. Blood and Bailouts: Chinese Dollars, Deadly Dividends? Amid the India-Pakistan flare-up, Beijing has been overt in its backing of Islamabad. In a high-profile visit to Beijing in May 2025, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who publicly reaffirmed Chinas ironclad support for Pakistans security. China simultaneously urged both sides to dialogue, but its message was clear: Pakistan is a close ally. For New Delhi, this dualitypreaching restraint while funding and shielding Pakistanundermines Chinas credibility as a stabilising actor. This diplomatic posture reinforces Chinas all-weather friendship, even as India views Pakistan as a security threat. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At the United Nations and other forums, China has also shielded Pakistan. For example, a March 2025 report noted that Beijing blocked Indias UNSC proposal to sanction five Pakistan-based terrorists, including a key Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) figure, and similarly blocked Indias call to designate the LeTs proxy The Resistance Front (behind the Pahalgam attack) as global terrorist group. The consistent veto of counter-terror measures at multilateral platforms adds another layer to Indias frustration with the international rules-based order. Chinas economic investment in Pakistan underscores its strategic bond. Beijing is now Pakistans largest bilateral creditor, with roughly US$29 billion in loans (~22 per cent of Pakistans external debt). The flagship ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project, channels tens of billions more into Pakistani infrastructure; the latest figures top $60 billion in investment commitments. Chinese spending on power plants, railways, and the Gwadar port has become a mainstay of Pakistans fragile economy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In key sectors such as energy, logistics, and telecom, Chinese capital has translated into strategic leverage, blurring the lines between commercial partnership and geopolitical patronage. In fact, in February 2025, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardaris visit to China culminated in new agreements to expand trade and investment, accelerate China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, and deepen security cooperation, including in the areas of technology and education. These developments further anchor the ChinaPakistan alliance at a time of rising IndiaPakistan tensions. Subsidising Instability: IMF, Investments, and Islamabads Asymmetry Pakistans stability now depends heavily on Chinese financing and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailouts more than ever. This pattern of external financing is not limited to China. Just a day before the Pahalgam ceasefire, the IMF approved a $2.4 billion bailout for Pakistan$1 billion under the Extended Fund Facility and $1.4 billion via its climate-focused Resilience and Sustainability Trust. While framed as support for macroeconomic stability and climate resilience, the timing raised serious questions in India. It reinforced a perception that Pakistan, despite its sponsorship of terrorism, continues to receive lifelines from global institutions without accountability or behavioural change. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The sequencefrom terror attack to retaliatory strikes and then IMF disbursementseemed to reward belligerence rather than deter it. Critics argue that even if the IMF or Chinese funds are not directly used for military purposes, they ease budgetary pressure and free up resources that could be redirected toward defence and potentially militant infrastructurein 2025, Pakistans defence budget was set to rise by 18 per cent, even as it secured international financial support ostensibly for economic recovery. The IMFs long-standing technical neutrality in its engagements with Pakistan has become increasingly controversial. Despite 24 bailouts since 1958, meaningful reform remains elusive, mainly due to entrenched elite resistance, military dominance, and weak civilian oversight. Repeated IMF programmes have focused on macroeconomic stabilisation, while structural dysfunction has been left unaddressed. For India, the implications are grave: international financial institutions may be inadvertently subsidising a security threat. Pakistans chronic crisis-response cyclebacked by both Chinese investment and Western liquidityhas not reduced its reliance on strategic proxies, but instead, risks sustaining them under the guise of economic stabilisation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Finally, Brics+ risks mirroring South Asias own weaponised-bailout paradox, where development rhetoric co-exists with permissive financing that enables destabilising proxies. The convergence of capital, conflict, and geopolitics in South Asia presents a dangerous paradox. As Pakistan leverages its strategic location to court both Chinese money and Western aid, India faces an increasingly asymmetric security landscapeone where conventional deterrence is undermined by financial impunity. The author is a research fellow at Observer Research Foundation. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. The candid admission came from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi while talking to European leaders read more Beijing fears that if Russia loses in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, the US would shift its entire focus to tackling China. The candid admission came from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi while talking to European leaders, something that really surprised officials in Brussels, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP). Wangs comments came during talks with EUs de facto foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas. When Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning was asked about Wangs comments, she simply evaded the question. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD During a four-hour debate covering a broad spectrum of issues, Wang Yi reportedly dismissed claims that China is materially fuelling Russias war effort. He argued that if Beijing were truly providing such support, the conflict would have ended by now, according to sources cited by the Post. Some interpret Wangs Brussels remarks as suggesting that, while China didnt start the war, its continuation could align with Beijings strategic interests by keeping Washington preoccupied with Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly accused China of arming Russia, claiming on May 29 that Beijing halted drone sales to Ukraine and Western nations while continuing to supply Moscow. Wangs rebuttal comes at a time when US support for Kyiv, its primary military backer, is faltering. On July 1, the US Defence Department halted deliveries of critical weapons to Ukraine, including Patriot air defence missiles and precision-guided munitions. Meanwhile, ties between Moscow and Beijing are deepening. Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in China in September for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, signalling a strengthening of their strategic partnership. Earlier on Wednesday, Wang Yi held meetings with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. According to EU sources, the two presidents were fully aligned with each other and Kallas on all key issues discussed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Amid swirling speculation about the future of Tibetan spiritual leadership and Chinas potential role in choosing his successor, the Dalai Lama remains steadfast read more Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama greets devotees as he arrives at the Tsuglakhang temple in Dharmsala, India, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. (Photo: AP) The Dalai Lama has quashed the rumours about his succession, vowing to serve people for another three to four decades. While speaking during a long-life prayer ceremony at Tsuglagkhang, the main Dalai Lama temple in McLeodganj, the Dalai Lama said Saturday (July 5) he felt reassured by divine signs. Looking at the many prophecies, I feel I have blessings of the Avalokiteshvara. I have done my best so far. I hope to still live for 30-40 years more. Your prayers have borne fruit so far, the spiritual leader told the crowd on the eve of his 90th birthday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Amid swirling speculation about the future of Tibetan spiritual leadership and Chinas potential role in choosing his successor, the Dalai Lama remains steadfast. Showing no signs of stepping back, he expressed deep gratitude for his lifes journey, despite the challenges of leading Tibetans in exile. Though we have lost our country and we are living in exile in India, thats where I have been able to benefit beings quite a lot. Those living here in Dharamshala. I intend to benefit and serve beings as much as I can, he said. As McLeodganj gears up for his 90th birthday celebrations, with dignitaries like Indian union minister Kiren Rijiju expected to attend, the Dalai Lamas message highlighted his unwavering commitment to his spiritual mission and his determination to continue guiding his followers for years to come. Earlier on Wednesday, the 14th Dalai Lama stated that the centuries-old institution of the Dalai Lama would continue and that the Gaden Phodrang Trust a non-profit body set up by his office in 2011 would have the sole authority to recognise his reincarnation. China responded swiftly and critically. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning reiterated Beijings long-standing position that any reincarnation of the Tibetan spiritual leader must comply with what it calls domestic recognition and receive official approval. Despite Chinas criticism, India has backed the traditional process for selecting the next Dalai Lama. Reincarnation has to be decided by the established conventions and the desire of the present Dalai Lama. No one else has the right to decide on the next Dalai Lama. It is the most important defining institution for all the Tibetans and all those who follow the Nalanda tradition of Buddhism, Rijiju said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Washington removed Turkey out of the F-35 program in 2019 and placed penalties on Ankara a year later for purchasing a Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile defence system, but with Trumps return to power, the two Nato allies look eager to resolve the conflict read more President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has voiced optimism that Turkey will be readmitted to the US F-35 project and obtain the stealth fighter fighters in accordance with an agreement with US President Donald Trump. Washington removed Turkey out of the F-35 program in 2019 and placed penalties on Ankara a year later for purchasing a Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile defence system, but with Trumps return to power, the two Nato allies look eager to resolve the conflict. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I believe that Mr. Trump will remain loyal to the agreement we made. I think the F-35s will be delivered to Turkey step-by-step during his term, Erdogan said while returning from Azerbaijan, the Anadolu state news agency reported Saturday. He gave no further details about the agreement but said the move was part of a geo-economic revolution. The F-35 issue is not only a military technology issue for us, but also a strong partnership issue in international platforms such as Nato, he added. The sanctions on Turkeys defence sector have soured ties between the two allies but last weekend, Washingtons envoy to Ankara Tom Barrack said they were likely to be over by the years end. Trump and Erdogan would instruct their top diplomats to figure out the way and end it and Congress will support an intelligent solution, he told Anadolu on Sunday. In March, Erdogan spoke to Trump about the need to finalise a deal to let Turkey buy US F-16 fighter planes and be readmitted to the development programme for F-35 warplanes. And last month, he said he saw an end in sight to the sanctions, saying Turkey had seen them eased under Trump. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The devastating fast-moving waves of the Guadalupe River climbed 26 feet in 45 minutes before sunrise Friday, destroying houses and automobiles. The threat was not ended, as heavy rains continued to pound neighbourhoods outside San Antonio on Saturday, and flash flood warnings and watches were still in force for sections of central Texas read more A man surveys debris along the Guadalupe River after a flash flood struck the area, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. AP Rescuers were searching Saturday for more than two dozen children from a girls camp, as well as others who were still missing, after a wall of water came down a river in the Texas Hill Country during a severe storm that killed at least 27 people, according to authorities. There were nine children among the fatalities. The devastating fast-moving waves of the Guadalupe River climbed 26 feet (8 meters) in 45 minutes before sunrise Friday, destroying houses and automobiles. The threat was not ended, as heavy rains continued to pound neighbourhoods outside San Antonio on Saturday, and flash flood warnings and watches were still in force for sections of central Texas. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Some 27 people remained missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river, said Dalton Rice, Kerrvilles city manager. An unknown number of people at other locations were still unaccounted for, he said Saturday. People need to know today will be a hard day, said Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. Please pray for our community. Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue stranded people in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. The total number of missing was not known, according to the city manager, who said he didnt want to give an estimate. Frantic parents and families posted photos of missing loved ones and pleas for information. The camp was completely destroyed, said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic. A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary. A raging storm woke up her cabin just after midnight Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as they walked across a bridge with floodwaters whipping around their legs, she said. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 27 were confirmed dead, including nine children. Authorities said about 850 people had been rescued. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The flooding in the middle of the night on the Fourth of July holiday caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise. The Texas Hill Country, which sits northwest of San Antonio, is a popular destination for camping and swimming, especially around the summertime holiday. AccuWeather said the private forecasting company and the National Weather Service sent warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation. These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety, AccuWeather said in a statement that called the Texas Hill County one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the U.S. because of its terrain and many water crossings. Officials defended their actions Friday while saying they had not expected such an intense downpour that was the equivalent of months worth of rain for the area. One National Weather Service forecast earlier in the week had called for up to six inches (152 millimeters) of rain, said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Helicopters, drones used in frantic search for missing Search crews were facing harsh conditions while scouring the waterlogged rivers, culverts and rocks. They are looking in every possible location, Rice said. More than 1,000 rescuers were on the ground. Helicopters and drones were being used, with some people being plucked from trees. U.S. Coast Guard helicopters were flying in to assist. One reunification center at an elementary school was mostly quiet Saturday after taking in hundreds of evacuees the day before. We still have people coming here looking for their loved ones. Weve had a little success, but not much, said Bobby Templeton, superintendent of Ingram Independent School District. President Donald Trump said Saturday that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was traveling to Texas and his administration was working with officials on the ground. Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy, Trump said in a statement on his social media network. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pitch black wall of death In Ingram, Erin Burgess woke to thunder and rain in the middle of the night Friday. Just 20 minutes later, water was pouring into her home from the river, she said. She described an agonizing hour clinging to a tree with her teenage son and waiting for the water to recede enough to walk up the hill to safety. Thats the only thing that saved me, was hanging on to him, she said. My son and I floated to a tree where we hung onto it, and my boyfriend and my dog floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them, she said. Matthew Stone, 44, of Kerrville, said police came knocking on doors but that he had received no warning on his phone. We got no emergency alert. There was nothing, Stone said. Then a pitch black wall of death. I was scared to death At a reunification center in Ingram, families cried and cheered Friday as loved ones got off rescue vehicles. Two soldiers carried an older woman who could not get down a ladder. Behind her, a woman clutched a small white dog. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Later, a girl in a white Camp Mystic T-shirt and white socks stood in a puddle, sobbing in her mothers arms. Barry Adelman said water pushed everyone in his three-story house into the attic, including his 94-year-old grandmother and 9-year-old grandson. I was having to look at my grandson in the face and tell him everything was going to be OK, but inside I was scared to death, he said. No one knew this kind of flood was coming Authorities were coming under increasing scrutiny over whether the camp and others in the area received proper warning and whether enough preparations were made. The forecast for the weekend had called for rain, with a flood watch upgraded to a warning overnight Friday for at least 30,000 people. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the potential for heavy rain and flooding covered a large area. Everything was done to give them a heads up that you could have heavy rain, and were not exactly sure where its going to land, Patrick said. Obviously as it got dark last night, we got into the wee morning of the hours, thats when the storm started to zero in. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the countys chief elected official, said: We do not have a warning system. When pushed on why more precautions werent taken, Kelly said no one knew this kind of flood was coming. More pockets of heavy rains expected The slow-moving storm stuck over central Texas is bringing more rain Saturday, with the potential for pockets of heavy downpours and more flooding, said Jason Runyen, of the National Weather Service. The threat could linger overnight and into Sunday morning, he said. Popular tourism area prone to flooding The area is known as flash flood alley because of the hills thin layer of soil, said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, which was collecting donations to help with the response. When it rains, water doesnt soak into the soil, Dickson said. It rushes down the hill. River tourism industry is a key part of the Hill Country economy. Century-old summer camps bring in kids from all over the country, Dickson said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Its generally a very tranquil river with really beautiful clear blue water that people have been attracted to for generations, Dickson said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on celebrating the 120th anniversary of academician Yusif Mammadaliyev, Trend reports. According to the decree, the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, together with the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, should develop and implement a plan of events dedicated to the 120th anniversary of Academician Yusif Mammadaliyev. The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan should solve the issues arising from this order. In December 2025 the 120th anniversary of the birth of prominent scientist and public figure, one of the organizers of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Azerbaijan, corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, laureate of the USSR State Prize, honored worker of science, doctor of chemical sciences, academician Yusif Mammadaliyev will be celebrated. Academician Yusif Mammadaliyev is one of the brightest figures of Azerbaijani science. The scientist, who created the foundations of petrochemistry in Azerbaijan, has exceptional merits in the development of technological processes of great applied importance for obtaining valuable industrial products. Yusif Mammadaliyev's discovery of a new method of production of high-octane aviation fuel, which became an important event in petrochemical science, brought fame to him. The organization of several scientific institutions and establishments in the republic is connected with his name. The Azerbaijani petrochemical school, formed by Yusif Mammadaliyev, who, in parallel with his fruitful pedagogical activity, continues a wide range of fundamental research, is known far beyond the country's borders. This years Fourth of July holiday was marked by multiple shootings across the U.S., including one in Indianapolis that left at least two dead and a police chief voicing public frustration over the latest acts of violence in his city. read more This years Fourth of July celebrations were overshadowed by a series of shootings across the United States, including a deadly incident in Indianapolis that claimed at least two lives and drew sharp criticism from local law enforcement. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Chris Bailey, speaking to reporters early Saturday in the citys downtown area, expressed frustration over the violence, particularly the role of unsupervised minors. Hundreds of unsupervised kids down here, Bailey said. We are not your childrens keepers. You are! And parents and guardians have got to step up. A kid is dead tonight. This is completely unacceptable and unnecessary. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Other cities also reported mass shootings during the holiday period. In Philadelphia, Chicago, and Brockton, Massachusetts, multiple people were injured. In Brockton, a fight early Saturday morning left six people hospitalized. Historically, the Fourth of July has been among the deadliest days of the year in the US, with a noticeable surge in shootings and violent incidents during the summer months. The shooting in Chicago, which left seven people in serious or critical condition came on the heels of another mass shooting that happened late Wednesday in a busy neighborhood known for its restaurants and nightlife. Four people were killed and 14 others injured. In the New York City borough of Queens, police said one person was dead and three injured following a post-fireworks triple stabbing. Meanwhile, a Wareham, Mass. man is dead after being hit by a firework. Police said they found 70 year-old Robert Spagnuolo with a facial injury. He was pronounced dead at the scene. With inputs from agencies Germany plans to introduce a voluntary six-month military service scheme as Berlin tries to train more reservists and bolster national defences over security concerns about Russia. This may strain efforts to recruit workers amid a tight labour market read more German reservist Hannes stands for a portrait after completing shooting training at barracks in Beelitz near Berlin, Germany, March 6, 2025 REUTERS Germany is planning to draft more people into the army as it tries to meet its military targets, but business owners in the country are worried that it will decrease the number of workers, eventually hampering the economy. People from corporate companies have told the Financial Times that while they support the German governments efforts to bolster the military in the face of the Russia-Ukraine war, the practice of conscription may strain their efforts to recruit workers amid a tight labour market. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The security situation is dramatic. Yes, we need more active soldiers. Yes, we need to expand the system of reservists. But only a strong economy can make that possible, said Steffen Kampeter, director of the BDA, the countrys biggest employers group. Why does Germany need more soldiers? Germany plans to introduce a voluntary six-month military service scheme as Berlin tries to train more reservists and bolster national defences over security concerns about Russia. Volunteers would be sought for training in simple tasks such as guard duties under the scheme, but a military draft to recruit more people could be considered if uptake were deemed too low, sources told Reuters. The countrys Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, has announced plans to open the scheme to about 5,000 young adults (18-year-olds) who want to join the army voluntarily each year. Pistorius wants to increase the number of soldiers in service from 180,000 to 260,000. Germany hopes the voluntary six-month scheme would help double the number of trained reservists from the current level of around 100,000 and that some of the volunteers would go on to have a career in active service. Also, the country has to fulfil its commitment to Nato under which it has to expand its military by about 80,000 people by the next decade, as US President Donald Trump pushes for more defence spending by the alliance. Germanys labour problem Despite record-high employment, Germany has the shortest average working hours among wealthy nations, according to OECD data. The countrys new conservative-led government, under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, has pledged to increase working hours as part of broader efforts to reinvigorate the sluggish economy. Merz has vowed to increase working hours in the country, which he thinks will address the acute skill shortage in sectors like health, education and the engineering industry. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If the necessary personnel are pulled away from us, that means issues like weekly working hours, the length of the working life, better integration of part-time workers into the labour market all of those topics become even more important, Kampeter told FT. With inputs from agencies The announcement came after it held consultations with other Palestinian factions and before a visit on Monday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington, where President Donald Trump is pushing for an end to the war read more A Palestinian looks on at the site of Thursday's Israeli strike that damaged and destroyed residential buildings, at Shati (Beach) refugee camp, in Gaza City. Reuters Hamas has announced that it is ready to enter talks to implement the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire after it responded positively to the truce deal that was proposed by Washington earlier this week. The movement has delivered its response to the brotherly mediators, which was characterised by a positive spirit. Hamas is fully prepared, with all seriousness, to immediately enter a new round of negotiations on the mechanism for implementing this framework, the Palestinian group said in a statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israeli media have confirmed that the government has received Hamass response and is currently examining it. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has said that there could be a Gaza deal next week and that he was optimistic, although the situation could change. In response to reports that Hamas had responded positively to proposed truce talks, he said: Thats good. They havent briefed me on it. We have to get it over with. We have to do something about Gaza. The announcement came after it held consultations with other Palestinian factions and before a visit on Monday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington, where Trump is pushing for an end to the war, now in its 21st month. Trump declared on Monday (June 30) that Israel had accepted a 60-day ceasefire deal and urged Hamas to do the same. The Palestinian group took the week to study the terms of the agreement. Meanwhile, Hamass ally Islamic Jihad has said that while it supports negotiations, Israel should guarantee that there will be no attacks once hostages held in Gaza are freed. What would the truce entail? A Palestinian source familiar with the mediated negotiations told AFP that there are no fundamental changes in the new proposal under discussion compared to previous terms presented by the United States. The source said that the new proposal includes a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release half of the living Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip, in exchange for Israel releasing a number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Out of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants in October 2023, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27, the Israeli military says, are dead. Netanyahu vows to bring hostages home Meanwhile, Netanyahu has vowed to bring home all the hostages still held by Hamas in war-stricken Gaza. I feel a deep commitment, first and foremost, to ensure the return of all our abductees, all of them, Netanyahu told inhabitants of the Nir Oz kibbutz, the community that saw the most hostages seized in the 2023 Hamas attacks that sparked the war. We will bring them all back, he added, in filmed comments released by his office. With inputs from agencies Irans parliament has now passed a law to suspend cooperation with the IAEA until the safety of its nuclear facilities can be guaranteed read more The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Friday it had pulled its last remaining inspectors from Iran as a standoff over their return to the countrys nuclear facilities bombed by the United States and Israel deepens. Israel launched its first military strikes on Irans nuclear sites in a 12-day war with the Islamic Republic three weeks ago. The International Atomic Energy Agencys inspectors have not been able to inspect Irans facilities since then, even though IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has said that is his top priority. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Irans parliament has now passed a law to suspend cooperation with the IAEA until the safety of its nuclear facilities can be guaranteed. While the IAEA says Iran has not yet formally informed it of any suspension, it is unclear when the agencys inspectors will be able to return to Iran. An IAEA team of inspectors today safely departed from Iran to return to the Agency headquarters in Vienna, after staying in Tehran throughout the recent military conflict, the IAEA said on X. Diplomats said the number of IAEA inspectors in Iran was reduced to a handful after the June 13 start of the war. Some have also expressed concern about the inspectors safety since the end of the conflict, given fierce criticism of the agency by Iranian officials and Iranian media. Iran has accused the agency of effectively paving the way for the bombings by issuing a damning report on May 31 that led to a resolution by the IAEAs 35-nation Board of Governors declaring Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has said he stands by the report. He has denied it provided diplomatic cover for military action. IAEA WANTS TALKS Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday Iran remained committed to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). (Grossi) reiterated the crucial importance of the IAEA discussing with Iran modalities for resuming its indispensable monitoring and verification activities in Iran as soon as possible, the IAEA said. The U.S. and Israeli military strikes either destroyed or badly damaged Irans three uranium enrichment sites. But it was less clear what has happened to much of Irans nine tonnes of enriched uranium, especially the more than 400 kg enriched to up to 60% purity, a short step from weapons grade. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That is enough, if enriched further, for nine nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick. Iran says its aims are entirely peaceful but Western powers say there is no civil justification for enriching to such a high level, and the IAEA says no country has done so without developing the atom bomb. As a party to the NPT, Iran must account for its enriched uranium, which normally is closely monitored by the IAEA, the body that enforces the NPT and verifies countries declarations. But the bombing of Irans facilities has now muddied the waters. We cannot afford that . the inspection regime is interrupted, Grossi told a press conference in Vienna last week. India and the Maldives discussed ways to explore new opportunities for economic cooperation and trade enhancement, staterun media said on Saturday. read more India and the Maldives held high-level talks to explore new avenues for economic cooperation and boost bilateral trade, state-run Maldivian media reported on Saturday. The meeting took place on Friday between Indias Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal and Maldivian Minister for Economic Development and Trade Mohamed Saeed at the Maldivian Economic Ministry in Male. Barthwal is on an official visit to the archipelago nation. According to the Maldivian state broadcaster PSM News, the discussions focused on identifying new sectors for collaboration and strengthening existing trade and investment ties. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Following the meeting, Minister Saeed posted on X Had a productive meeting today with Indias Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal. We discussed strengthening trade and investment partnerships between our nations and exploring new opportunities for economic cooperation. The Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in a post on X, said Barthwal had a constructive meeting with Saeed, focusing on enhancing trade and investment ties and exploring new avenues for economic cooperation between the two countries. As part of recent efforts to attract Indian investment, business forums were organised in three Indian cities to promote opportunities in the Maldives, the PSM News said. India continues to be a key development partner for the Maldives, contributing to several infrastructure and capacity-building projects, it added. New Delhi has also extended a USD 25.94 million currency swap facility to support the archipelagic nations economy. Earlier on May 26, India and Maldives explored ways to boost trade and strategic cooperation during a three-day visit by Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel, accompanied by a high-level delegation to New Delhi to review the implementation of the comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership. It was agreed during Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzus trip to New Delhi last October. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The ties between India and the Maldives came under severe strain after Muizzu, known for his pro-China leanings, took charge of the top office in November 2023. Within hours of his oath, he had demanded the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from his country. Subsequently, the Indian military personnel were replaced by civilians on a mutually agreed date. There was a thaw in the relations as Muizzu vowed to boost the bilateral ties with India during his visit to Delhi in October 2024. Maldives is Indias key maritime neighbour and an important partner in Indias Neighbourhood First policy and Vision MAHASAGAR that is Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. With inputs from agencies The Israeli airstrikes struck tents in the Muwasi area on the southern end of Gazas Mediterranean coast, killing seven people, including a Palestinian doctor and his three children, according to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis read more Israeli strikes killed 14 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and another 10 were slain when they sought food in the beleaguered enclave, medical authorities in Gaza told The Associated Press on Saturday. Two American aid workers from the Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) were also injured in southern Gaza during an attack on a food distribution location, which the organisation said was carried out by Hamas without offering any more proof. The fresh killing comes as US-led ceasefire talks to end a nearly 21-month war appear to be gaining traction. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Hamas responded positively late Friday to the new US plan for a 60-day truce, but warned further negotiations were required on implementation. Hamas has been seeking guarantees that the initial truce would lead to a total end to the war and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. President Donald Trump has been pushing for an agreement and is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next week to discuss a deal. Palestinians killed in southern Gaza The Israeli airstrikes struck tents in the Muwasi area on the southern end of Gazas Mediterranean coast, killing seven people, including a Palestinian doctor and his three children, according to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Four others were killed in the town of Bani Suheila in southern Gaza, and three people were killed in three different strikes in Khan Younis. The Israeli army did not provide immediate comment on the strikes. Separately, eight Palestinians were killed near a GHF aid distribution site in the southern city of Rafah, the hospital said. One Palestinian was also killed near another GHF point in Rafah. It was not clear how far away the Palestinians were from the sites. GHF denied the killings happened near their sites. Previously the organization has said no one has been shot at its sites, which are guarded by private contractors but can only be accessed by passing Israeli military positions hundreds of meters away. The army had no immediate comment, but has said it fires warning shots as a crowd-control measure and it only aims at people when its troops are threatened. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD One Palestinian was also killed waiting in crowds for aid trucks in eastern Khan Younis, officials at Nasser Hospital said. The United Nations and other international organizations bring in their own supplies of aid. It was unclear to which organization the aid trucks the Palestinians were waiting for belonged to, but the incident did not appear to be connected to GHF operations. Crowds of Palestinians often wait for trucks and unload or loot their contents before they reach their destinations. These trucks must pass through areas under Israeli military control. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident. American aid workers wounded The GHF said the two American aid workers were injured on Saturday morning when assailants threw grenades at a distribution site in Khan Younis. It blamed Hamas for the attack but gave no further evidence. The foundation later posted a photo of the fragments of the explosive device and claimed, without providing evidence, that it was detonated by Hamas militants. It said the injuries were not life-threatening, and the two men received medical attention. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The GHF a US- and Israeli-backed initiative meant to bypass the U.N. distributes aid from four sites that are surrounded by Israeli troops, three of which are in the far south of Gaza. The U.N. and other humanitarian groups have rejected the GHF system, saying it allows Israel to use food as a weapon, violates humanitarian principles and its not effective. Israel says Hamas has been siphoning off aid delivered by the U.N. a claim the U.N. denies. Hamas has urged Palestinians not to cooperate with the GHF. GHF, which is registered in Delaware, began distributing food in May to Palestinians, who say Israeli troops open fire almost every day toward crowds on roads heading to the distribution points, through Israeli military zones. Several hundred people have been killed and hundreds more wounded, according to Gazas Health Ministry and witnesses. The war in Gaza was set off after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. Israel responded with an offensive that has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, displaced nearly all of Gazas 2 million people and left many on the edge of famine. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The ministry is led by medical professionals employed by Gazas Hamas government. It does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but its figures are seen by the U.N. and other international organizations as the most reliable statistics on war casualties. While talking to Al Jazeera, Bhutto said that the government in Islamabad is ready to nab Azhar if India can provide credible information related to his existence on Pakistani soil read more Pakistani leader Bilawal Bhutto has said that the government has no knowledge about Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) Chief Masood Azhars whereabouts. Azhar is one of Indias most-wanted terrorists. While talking to Al Jazeera, Bhutto said that the government in Islamabad is ready to nab Azhar if India can provide credible information related to his existence on Pakistani soil. If and when the Indian government shares information with us that he is on Pakistani soil, we would be more than happy to arrest him. The fact is, the Indian government is not he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Masood Azhar, who has been linked to several major terror attacks in India, such as the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing, was declared a global terrorist by the United Nations in 2019. He had earlier been released from Indian custody in 1999 during a hostage swap after the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in Kandahar. India has repeatedly sought his extradition along with Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, but Islamabad has always denied harbouring the two terrorists in the country despite evidence that points to their stay in Pakistan. Talking about Saeeds arrest, while referring to a New York Times report, Bhutto said, Thats not accurate. Thats factually not correct that Hafiz Saeed is a free man. He is in the custody of the Pakistani state. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader added that while Islamabad has not been able to arrest Azhar, he suggested that, given the terrorists past within the Afghan jihad context, the JeM chief might be hiding in Afghanistan. Earlier this week, Bhutto asked New Delhi to join its so-called efforts to combat terrorism and forge a historic partnership. He said, Pakistan is ready to forge a historic, phenomenal partnership with India to jointly combat terror. Not as adversaries playing a zero-sum game but as neighbours who share a moral and civilisational obligation to save a billion souls from the plague of extremism. All it requires is from Indias leadership is to step down from the high horse heading in the abyss and pursue peace with Pakistan, Bhutto added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD PM Modi will meet and hold wide-ranging talks with Argentinian President Javier Milei to further strengthen the relationship between the two nations. The two sides will discuss ways to boost India-Argentina partnership in key areas read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reached Argentinas capital, Buenos Aires, as part of his five-nation tour. During his two-day visit to Argentina, PM Modi will hold talks with the countrys top leadership to review ongoing bilateral cooperation and discuss ways to enhance India-Argentina partnership in key areas. #WATCH | Argentina | Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Ezeiza International Airport, Buenos Aires. PM Modi is on an official visit to Argentina at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Argentina, Javier Milei. PM Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks pic.twitter.com/dp27igLwaX ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD PM Modi is the first Indian prime minister to go to Argentina for a bilateral visit in 57 years. It is, however, his second visit to the country, as he visited Argentina in 2018 for the G20 Summit. Celebrating the enduring friendship between our nations. PM @narendramodi has landed in the vibrant city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, on an Official Visit. He was accorded a ceremonial welcome on arrival at the airport. This is the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM to Argentina in 57 years, marking a new chapter in India-Argentina ties, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in an X post. Whats on the plate? PM Modi will meet and hold wide-ranging talks with Argentinian President Javier Milei to further strengthen the relationship between the two nations. The two sides will discuss ways to boost India-Argentina partnership in key areas, including defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment. Landed in Buenos Aires for a bilateral visit which will focus on augmenting relations with Argentina. Im eager to be meeting President Javier Milei and holding detailed talks with him.@JMilei pic.twitter.com/ucdbQhgsUj Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 5, 2025 In his departure statement, the prime minister said that Argentina is a key economic partner in Latin America and a close collaborator in the G20 and that he looked forward to discussions with President Milei, whom he had met last year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We will focus on advancing our mutually beneficial cooperation, including in the areas of agriculture, critical minerals, energy, trade, tourism, technology, and investment, PM Modi had said. PM Modi conferred highest civilian award He reached here after concluding his two-day visit to Trinidad and Tobago, during which the two countries inked six agreements to expand bilateral ties. The prime minister was conferred with The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, becoming the first foreign leader to receive the Caribbean countrys highest civilian honour. With inputs from PTI Following the ceremony, Modi was received by President Javier Milei at Casa Rosada, Argentinas government headquarters, for bilateral meetings read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays a wreath at the memorial of General Jose de San Martin, Argentinas national hero. X/@narendramodi On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lay a wreath at the memorial to General Jose de San Martin, Argentinas national hero. Jose Francisco de San Martin y Matorras is also recognised as the liberator of the South American countries Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Louis Joseph Daumas, a French artist, constructed the monument in 1862. Paid homage to General Jose de San Martin in Buenos Aires. His courage and leadership played a pivotal role in Argentinas history, Prime Minister Modi posted on X. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His life remains a symbol of patriotism and determination for the people of Argentina, he added. Paid homage to General Jose de San Martin in Buenos Aires. His courage and leadership played a pivotal role in Argentinas history. His life remains a symbol of patriotism and determination for the people of Argentina. pic.twitter.com/zItGl5TIXT Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 5, 2025 Following the ceremony, Modi was received by President Javier Milei at Casa Rosada, Argentinas government headquarters, for bilateral meetings. Prime Minister Modi and President Milei agreed to diversify India-Argentina commerce and pledged to strengthen collaboration in important areas including as military, security, energy, and minerals. During their extensive discussions, the two presidents stressed the need of increasing defence cooperation between the two nations, which will benefit each others strategic interests. Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Argentina on Friday evening for a two-day visit. This is the first Indian bilateral visit at the prime ministerial level to Argentina in 57 years. It is Modis second visit to the country as prime minister; he had visited in 2018 for the G20 Summit. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It also marks the third stop on the prime ministers five-nation visit. In his departure statement, the prime minister said that Argentina is a key economic partner in Latin America and a close collaborator in the G20 and that he looked forward to discussions with President Javier Milei, whom he had met last year. Modi reached here after concluding his two-day visit to Trinidad and Tobago, during which the two countries inked six agreements to expand bilateral ties. In the fourth leg of his visit, Modi will travel to Brazil to attend the 17th BRICS Summit, followed by a state visit. In the final leg of his visit, Modi will travel to Namibia. Russia is paying schoolgirls to have babies in a bid to boost its plummeting birth rate, but experts say cash incentives alone cant reverse the global fertility crisis. Heres why pronatalist policies may be more ideological than effective. read more Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with patients as he visits the new children's clinical centre named after Leonid Roshal outside Moscow, Russia, August 21, 2024. File Image/Sputnik via Reuters In a move that has sparked both alarm and applause, certain regions in Russia have begun offering schoolgirls over 100,000 roubles (around 900) to have children and raise them. This initiative, recently expanded to ten regions, a shift in Russias pronatalist policy- one that initially targeted only adult women earlier in 2025. The program is part of President Vladimir Putins broader strategy to address a critical demographic downturn. Russias fertility rate stood at just 1.41 births per woman in 2023, well below the replacement rate of 2.05 needed to maintain a stable population. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The decision to incentivise teenage childbirth has proven divisive. A national poll by the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre found 43% of citizens in support of the policy, while 40% disapproved. Yet the very existence of such a measure underscores how urgently the Russian state views the population crisis. Putin has long equated population size with geopolitical strength, seeing a growing citizen base as a symbol of national power on par with military might and territorial dominance. Ironically, though, the war in Ukraine, a campaign launched in part to expand Russian territory has further deepened the demographic crisis. An estimated 250,000 Russian soldiers have died, and the conflict has triggered the mass departure of hundreds of thousands of young, educated Russians, many of whom could have been future parents. Paradoxically, though, his efforts to increase the physical size of Russia by attacking Ukraine and illegally annexing its territory have also been disastrous in terms of shrinking Russias population. The number of Russian soldiers killed in the war has reached 250,000 by some estimates, while the war sparked an exodus of hundreds of thousands of some of the most highly educated Russians. Many of them are young men fleeing military service who could have been fathers to the next generation of Russian citizens. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But while Russias demographic situation is extreme, declining birth rates are now a global trend. It is estimated that by 2050 more than three quarters of the worlds countries will have such low fertility rates that they will not be able to sustain their populations. Its not only Russia Putin is not the only world leader to introduce policies designed to encourage women to have more babies. Viktor Orbans government in Hungary is offering a range of incentives, such as generous tax breaks and subsidised mortgages, to those who have three or more children. Poland makes a monthly payment of 500 zoty (101) per child to families with two or more children. But theres some evidence this has not prompted higher-income Polish women to have more children, as they might have to sacrifice higher earnings and career advancement to have another child. In the United States, Donald Trump is proposing to pay women US$5,000 (3,682) to have a baby, tied to a wider Maga movement push, supported by Elon Musk and others, to encourage women to have larger families. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Experts said that reversing demographic decline is inherently complex, largely because the decision to have children is influenced by a wide range of factors. These include personal goals, financial stability, confidence in ones ability to raise a child as well as broader societal, cultural and religious norms. As a result, the effectiveness of pronatalist policies has been mixed globally, with no country yet finding a simple or universally successful solution to falling birth rates. One country seeking to address population decline with policies, other than encouraging women to have more babies is Spain, which now allows an easier pathway to citizenship for migrants, including those who entered the country illegally. Madrids embrace of immigrants is being credited for its current economic boom. Looking for particular types of families But governments that adopt pronatalist policies tend to be concerned, not simply with increasing the total number of people living and working in their countries, but with encouraging certain kinds of people to reproduce. In other words, there is often an ideological dimension to these practices. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Incentives for pregnancy, childbirth and large families are typically targeted at those whom the state regards as its most desirable citizens. These people may be desirable citizens due to their race, ethnicity, language, religion, sexual orientation or some other identity or combination of identities. For instance, the Spanish bid to increase the population by increasing immigration offers mostly Spanish speakers from Catholic countries in Latin America jobs while opportunities to remain in, or move to, the country does appear to be extended to migrants from Africa. Meanwhile, Hungarys incentives to families are only available to heterosexual couples who earn high incomes. The emphasis on increasing the proportion of the most desirable citizens is why the Trump administration sees no contradiction in calling for more babies to be born in the US. While ordering the arrest and deportation of hundreds of alleged illegal migrants, attempting to reverse the constitutional guarantee of US citizenship for anyone born in the country and even attempting to withdraw citizenship from some Americans. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Which mothers do they want? The success or failure of governments and societies that promote pronatalism hinges on their ability to persuade people and especially women to embrace parenthood. Along with financial incentives and other tangible rewards for having babies, some states offer praise and recognition for the mothers of large families. Putins reintroduction of the Stalin-era motherhood medal for women with ten or more children is one example. Sometimes the recognition comes from society, such as the current American fascination with trad wives women who become social media influencers by turning their backs on careers in favour of raising large numbers of children and living socially conservative lifestyles. The mirror image of this celebration of motherhood is the implicit or explicit criticism of women who delay childbirth or reject it altogether. Russias parliament passed a law in 2024 to ban the promotion of childlessness, or child-free propaganda. This legislation joins other measures such as restrictions on abortions in private clinics, together with public condemnation of women who choose to study at university and pursue careers rather than prioritise marriage and child-rearing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The worlds most prosperous states would be embracing immigration if pronatalist policies were driven solely by the need to ensure a sufficient workforce to support the economy and society. Instead, these attempts are often bound up with efforts to restrict or dictate the choices that citizens and especially women make about their personal lives, and to create a population dominated by the types of the people they favour. With inputs from agencies BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. The peace agreement to be signed by Armenia and Azerbaijan will change the situation in the region. Thanks to the rapprochement that will be achieved, we will witness new historic windows of opportunity opening one after another, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters on a plane returning from a visit to Azerbaijan, Trend reports. "Peace and stability in the South Caucasus benefits everyone. The diplomatic framework of the ongoing peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia has already been finalized. Meetings held in Brussels, Moscow, and Tbilisi at the end of 2024 resulted in agreement on the final text of the peace agreement. Although Armenia initially opposed the Zangezur corridor, it has begun to show a more flexible approach to participating in economic integration. The development of this region is an opportunity not only for Azerbaijan, but also for Armenia, for us, for Iran and other countries, President Erdogan emphasized. The Turkish leader once again emphasized the special significance of Azerbaijani-Turkish relations. "Our legal and moral relations with Azerbaijan are different from relations with other countries. We are connected with Azerbaijan not only by friendship, but also by brotherhood. The expression two states, one nation is not accidental; it carries a deep meaning and has a concrete basis. We have proved it many times throughout history. Therefore, we cannot look at the events taking place in this region from the sidelines and indifferently," he emphasized. Fires have spreading across large parts of Syria, particularly on the coast, for several days, with firefighters struggling to control them due to strong winds and a drought. read more Vehicles drive as the Syrian central bank is seen in the background in Damascus, Syria February 12, 2025. - Reuters Syrian rescuers evacuated residential areas in Latakia province because of major forest fires, authorities said on Friday. Fires have spreading across large parts of Syria, particularly on the coast, for several days, with firefighters struggling to control them due to strong winds and a drought. Abdulkafi Kayyal, director of the Directorate of Disasters and Emergencies in Latakia province, told the state SANA news agency that fires in the Qastal Maaf area had moved close to several villages, prompting the evacuations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Syrias civil defence warned residents of the spread of rising smoke emissions to the northern section of the coastal mountains, the city of Hama, its countryside, and southern Idlib areas. Our teams recorded losses in the orchards due to the widespread spread of the forest fire in several areas of the Latakia countryside, the civil defence added, calling on citizens to report anyone they suspect of starting fires. Syrian minister of emergency situations and disasters Raed al-Saleh said on X that he was following events and we will exert our utmost efforts to combat these fires. With man-made climate change increasing the likelihood and intensity of droughts and wildfires worldwide, Syria has been battered by heatwaves, low rainfall and major forest fires. In June, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation told AFP that Syria had not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years, noting that an unprecedented drought was on course to push more than 16 million people into food insecurity. The country is also reeling from more than a decade of civil war leading up to the end of the iron-fisted rule of Bashar al-Assad in December. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Kayyal said the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance was hindering the work of rescuers, along with strong winds spreading the fires. China is all set to unveil its Cyberspace ID, a national digital ID system that centralises online identity verification under tight state control. read more The Chinese government, led by President Xi Jinping, now views data as a vital resource, on par with labour, capital, and land. Source: Reuters With 1.1 billion internet users and a sprawling web of facial-recognition cameras, China generates more data than any other country on the planet. The rise of technologies like drones and autonomous vehicles is supercharging both the volume and value of this data, making it a cornerstone of Chinas economic and security strategy. The Chinese government, led by President Xi Jinping, now views data as a vital resource, on par with labour, capital, and land, making it a significant factor in national planning. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Chinas Cyberspace ID programme On July 15, China will unveil its Cyberspace ID, a national digital ID system that centralises online identity verification under tight state control, reported the Economist. While officials insist its optional, digital rights groups and analysts warn it could soon be mandatory for accessing most online platforms, from shopping on Taobao to chatting on WeChat. To sign up, users must download a government app, submit their national ID, and pass facial recognition. In return, they get a unique web number and digital certificate for logging into various services. The government pitches this as a cybersecurity win, promising smoother verification and safer online interactions. But theres a darker side. Ramped-up surveillance Critics see the Cyberspace ID as a tool to dismantle online anonymity and ramp up Chinas already intense surveillance and censorship. Unlike digital IDs in places like India or Europe, which focus on public services, this system could become a master key to all internet activity, giving the state unprecedented oversight. Overseen by the Ministry of Public Security and the Cyberspace Administration of China, the system is already gaining steam. Human rights advocates warn it could be weaponised to track, silence, or erase dissenters in real-time across multiple platforms. Plus, centralising such sensitive data creates a single point of failure, raising fears of catastrophic breaches. For instance, Shanghai police recently lost 1 billion records to a hacker. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Chinas push to control its digital realm reflects its broader ambition to dominate through data. While the government frames the Cyberspace ID as a step toward security and efficiency, critics argue its a leap toward tighter control over citizens lives. The fate of the migrants had become a flashpoint in the fight over the legality of the Trump administrations campaign to deter immigration through high-profile deportations to so-called third countries where migrants say they face safety concerns, which has already gone from lower courts to the Supreme Court twice read more The Trump administration has deported to South Sudan eight migrants who had been held for more than a month by the U.S. at a military base in Djibouti, the Department of Homeland Security said on Saturday, after the migrants lost a last-ditch effort to halt their transfer to the politically unstable country. The men were deported on Friday, the July 4 Independence Day holiday in the U.S., Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a press release. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This was a win for the rule of law, safety and security of the American people, McLaughlin said. An aircraft carrying U.S. deportees arrived in South Sudan on Saturday, two officials working at Juba airport said. An airport staffer speaking on condition of anonymity told Reuters he had seen a document showing that the aircraft arrived this morning at 6:00 am (0400 GMT). An immigration official also said the deportees had arrived in the country but shared no further details, referring all questions to the National Security Service intelligence agency. Earlier, a South Sudan government source said U.S. officials had been at the airport awaiting the migrants arrival. The fate of the migrants had become a flashpoint in the fight over the legality of the Trump administrations campaign to deter immigration through high-profile deportations to so-called third countries where migrants say they face safety concerns, which has already gone from lower courts to the Supreme Court twice. South Sudan has long been dangerous even for local residents. The U.S. State Department advises citizens not to travel there due to violent crime and armed conflict. The United Nations has said the African countrys political crisis could reignite a brutal civil war that ended in 2018. The eight men, who according to their lawyers are from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Sudan and Vietnam, had argued their deportations to South Sudan would violate the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They had been held in U.S. custody in Djibouti since a federal judge in Boston in May blocked the Trump administration from immediately moving them to South Sudan over due process concerns. Following additional litigation, the Supreme Court on Thursday sided with the administration, lifting those limits. Two courts considered requests from the migrants lawyers on an emergency basis on Friday, when courts are otherwise closed for the holiday, but ultimately U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston said the Supreme Court order required him to deny their bid, clearing the way for their deportation. The location of the men in South Sudan after their arrival was not immediately known. Ukraine has been asking Washington to sell it more Patriot missiles and systems that it sees as key to defending its cities from intensifying Russian air strikes read more An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over the city during a Russian drone and missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Reuters After meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, US President Donald Trump stated that Ukraine will require Patriot missiles for defence, and he expressed anger with Russian President Vladimir Putins refusal to stop the conflict. Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he had an excellent chat with Zelenskyy, emphasising that he was very unhappy with his talk with Putin the day before, citing the Russian leaders inability to cooperate on a ceasefire. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When asked if the US would agree to sell additional Patriot missiles to Ukraine, as requested by Zelenskyy, Trump replied, Theyre going to need them for defense Theyre going to need something because theyre being hit pretty hard. Trump touted the efficacy of the Patriot missiles, calling the weapon pretty amazing. Asked about the prospects for a ceasefire, Trump said, Its a very tough situation I was very unhappy with my call with President Putin. He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people - its no good. Zelenskyy said he had agreed to work on increasing Kyivs capability to defend the sky as Russian attacks escalate, adding in a message on Telegram that he discussed joint defense production, as well as joint purchases and investments with the US leader. Ukraine has been asking Washington to sell it more Patriot missiles and systems that it sees as key to defending its cities from intensifying Russian air strikes. A decision by Washington to halt some shipments of weapons to Ukraine prompted warnings by Kyiv that the move would weaken its ability to defend against Russias airstrikes and battlefield advances. Germany said it is in talks on buying Patriot air defense systems to bridge the gap. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A source briefed on the Trump-Zelenskyy call told Reuters they were optimistic that supplies of Patriot missiles could resume after what they called a very good conversation between the presidents. Russia pummels Kyiv Trump said he also spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz about Ukraines request for Patriot missiles but that no decision had been made to supply the advanced missiles. US news outlet Axios reported, citing unnamed sources, that the call lasted around 40 minutes and that Trump told Zelenskyy he would check what US weapons due to be sent to Ukraine, if any, had been put on hold. Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address, said he and Trump had agreed to arrange a meeting between our teams to strengthen air defenses. We had a very detailed discussion on joint production. We need it, America needs it. The conversation came a day after Trump said he had a disappointing call with Putin. Russia pummeled Kyiv with the largest drone attack of the war across the capital hours after Trumps conversation with Putin on Thursday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Zelenskyy called the attack deliberately massive and cynical. Kyiv in the past received Patriot batteries and ammunition from the US in the form of aid under then-President Joe Biden. Trump criticized him for sending weapons to Ukraine without getting anything in return, and since taking office has overseen a dramatic shake-up of relations with Kyiv. So far, the Trump administration has unveiled deals with the United Kingdom and Vietnam, while Washington and Beijing agreed to temporarily lower staggeringly high levies on each others products read more US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that he has signed letters addressed to 12 countries, dubbed take it or leave it, outlining the new tariff measures ahead of the July 9 deadline that will lift the 90-day pause on retaliatory tariffs. The letters will be sent to the recipients as early as Monday. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on his way to New Jersey for American Independence Day, Trump said, I signed some letters and theyll go out on Monday, probably twelve. Different amounts of money, different amounts of tariffs. The president, however, refused to mention the countries the letters will be sent. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In April, Trump announced a 10 per cent base tariff on most imports to the US, with rates potentially rising to 50 per cent for specific countries. These higher tariffs were paused for 90 days to allow negotiations, but the suspension is scheduled to end on July 9. How are trade talks going so far? As for India, Union Minister of Commerce and Trade Piyush Goyal has said that it will not sign a trade deal based on a timeline, but set its own terms to negotiate an agreement. Earlier, sources had told News18 that the India-US trade deal will conclude in the next few days as an Indian delegation has returned from Washington after holding high-level talks with officials from the Trump administration. So far, the Trump administration has unveiled deals with the United Kingdom and Vietnam, while Washington and Beijing agreed to temporarily lower staggeringly high levies on each others products. Meanwhile, the US and Japan may not reach a trade deal at all, as Trump had said earlier this week, Weve dealt with Japan. Im not sure if were gonna make a deal, I doubt it, with Japan. They and others are so spoiled from having ripped us off for 30, 40 years that its really hard for them to make a deal. With inputs from agencies Hours-long Russian bombardments sent Ukrainians scurrying for shelters across the country and came after the call between Trump and Putin, which ended without a breakthrough read more US President Donald Trump said Russia just wanted to keep killing people and hinted at sanctions after Moscow launched its largest ever drone and missile attack on Ukraine in the three-year-old war. Trump said Friday he was very unhappy about his telephone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, saying: He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people, its no good. The US president said he and Putin talked about sanctions a lot, adding: He understands that it may be coming. Hours-long Russian bombardments sent Ukrainians scurrying for shelters across the country and came after the call between Trump and Putin, which ended without a breakthrough. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD AFP journalists in Kyiv heard drones buzzing over the capital and explosions ringing out throughout the night as Ukrainian air defence systems fended off the attack. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke to Trump Friday and said they agreed to work on bolstering Kyivs defences. We spoke about opportunities in air defence and agreed that we will work together to strengthen protection of our skies, Zelensky said on social media after the call. Tymur, a Kyiv resident who said he had experienced previous Russian attacks, told AFP that the assault in the early hours of Friday felt different from others. Nothing like this happened Nothing like this attack had ever happened before. There have never been so many explosions, he said. The Kremlin said Friday it was preferable to achieve the goals of its invasion through political and diplomatic means. But as long as that is not possible, we are continuing the special operation, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, referring to Russias invasion. At least three people were wounded in Russian drone and artillery strikes on several parts of Eastern Ukraine overnight Friday to Saturday, regional governor Sergiy Lysak said on Telegram. Zelensky said Friday air alerts began echoing out across the country as the Trump-Putin call was getting under way. He urged the United States in particular to increase pressure on Moscow, which on Friday announced fresh territorial gains on the front line with the capture of a village in the Donetsk region. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Poland said its embassy building in Kyiv had been damaged in the attack but that staff were unharmed. In Kyiv, one person was pulled from the rubble after the strikes, which also wounded at least 26 people, emergency services said. The barrage, according to the air force, comprised 539 drones and 11 missiles. A representative of Ukraines air force told Ukrainian media that the attack was the largest of the Russian invasion. Escalating overnight attacks Overnight Russian attacks have escalated over recent weeks. An AFP tally found Moscow launched a record number of drones and missiles at Ukraine in June, when direct peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow appeared to stall. In Kyiv, AFP journalists saw dozens of residents of the capital taking shelter in a metro station. Yuliia Golovnina, who said she sheltered at the metro regularly, described the worry that came with hearing an explosion during an attack. Will there be another one? Will something collapse on you? the 47-year-old said. In those seconds, you just hold your breath and wait to see what happens next, she added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In Kyiv, concerns mounted over whether the US would continue delivering military aid, which is key to Ukraines ability to fend off the drone and missile barrages. The US announced this week it was reducing some of its aid deliveries. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this was a clear signal that the 27-nation European Union needed to step up. Ukraine has also ramped up its retaliatory strikes in Russia, where a woman was killed by a Ukrainian drone attack overnight, the acting governor of the Rostov region said. Talks, spearheaded by the United States to secure a ceasefire, have stalled. Delegations from the two sides last met more than a month ago, when they agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each. Russia announced a fresh swap of prisoners of war with Ukraine on Friday as part of that agreement. The early morning arrests were the latest measure against Republican Peoples Party (CHP) elected officials as President Recep Tayyip Erdogans administration increases pressure on the party, which scored a massive victory over his AKP in the 2024 local elections and is climbing in the polls read more This handout photograph taken and released by the Republican People's Party (CHP) press office on March 29, 2025, shows an aerial view of a large crowd gathering during a rally called by the CHP, Turkey's main opposition party, in support of Istanbul's arrested mayor Ekrem Imanoglu in Maltepe, on the outskirts of Istanbul. AFP Turkey detained three more opposition mayors early Saturday as part of a probe into alleged bribery, according to officials from the major opposition CHP, who described it as a political operation. The early morning arrests were the latest measure against Republican Peoples Party (CHP) elected officials as President Recep Tayyip Erdogans administration increases pressure on the party, which scored a massive victory over his AKP in the 2024 local elections and is climbing in the polls. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They were tied to an investigation into suspected fraud that ended in the March ouster of Istanbuls prominent opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, whose arrest provoked widespread protests in Turkeys worst street turmoil since 2013. Imamoglu is Erdogans biggest political rival and the CHPs candidate for the 2028 presidential race. Earlier this week, police arrested 137 people as part of a probe into alleged graft in the opposition stronghold of Izmir, Turkeys third city. They were still seeking others under a prosecutors arrest warrant that named 157 people. The latest detainees were based in southern Turkey: mayor of the southern city of Adana, Zeydan Karalar, mayor of the resort town of Antalya, Muhittin Bocek, and the mayor of Adiyaman in the southeast, Abdurrahman Tutdere. As he was being led away to a police car, a journalist asked Karalar why he was being arrested. Where there is an influential journalist or politician, they silence them, he replied. In a system where the law bends and sways according to politics, where justice is applied for one group and ignored for another, no one should expect us to trust in the rule of law or believe in justice, wrote Mansur Yavas on X, opposition mayor of Ankara, Turkeys capital. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We will not bow to injustice, lawlessness, or political operations. The pro-Kurdish DEM party, the third largest in Turkeys parliament, also denounced the arrests in a strongly-worded statement. Stop persecuting elected officials This persecution of elected officials must stop, wrote DEM co-president Tulay Hatimogullari on X. Not respecting the decisions of the people at the ballot box and not recognising the will of the people is causing deep rifts, she wrote. These operations are not a solution, but block the road to a democratic Turkey. DEM has in recent months been working closely with Erdogans government to facilitate moves to end the decades-long conflict with the Kurds, facilitating talks which in May saw Kurdish PKK militants ending their bloody armed struggle in a conflict that cost nearly 40,000 lives. Saturdays arrests were the latest in a slew of legal manoeuvres targeting the CHP. On Monday, an Ankara court began hearing a case against the party involving allegations of vote-buying at its 2023 leadership primary which could end up overturning the election of CHPs popular leader Ozgur Ozel, who rose to prominence for his role in leading the March protests. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Anadolu news agency said the Adana and Adiyaman mayors were linked to a case opened by the Istanbul public prosecutors office into alleged tender rigging and bribery. Police also arrested the deputy mayor of Istanbuls Buyukcekmece district Ahmet Sahin as part of the same probe, BirGun news website said. Antalyas mayor was held over a separate investigation launched by the resort towns chief public prosecutor into allegations of bribery, with police also arresting his son, it said. The death toll in the catastrophic Texas flash floods rose from 9 to 13, with authorities noting that over 20 girls from summer camps are still missing read more The death toll in catastrophic Texas flash floods rose to 13 as Thunderstorms and torrential rain wreaked havoc in the state. On Friday, floods swarmed the Guadalupe River, killing 13 people and leaving many wounded. Not only this, the authorities noted that over 20 girls from a summer camp went missing in the rains, fearing the death toll to increase further. The region was beset by death and disaster on Friday after months worth of heavy rain fell in a matter of hours. Search teams used boats and helicopters to rescue survivors stuck in fast-moving water that overtook riverfront communities and childrens summer camps. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In light of this, the US National Weather Service declared a flash flood emergency for parts of Kerr County, located in south-central Texas Hill County. Texas governor urges residents to stay indoors While speaking at a news conference on Friday afternoon, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said that 23 children from Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp for girls, were unaccounted for out of 750 who were staying there at that time, The Guardian reported He urged people to stay away from the flooded areas, adding that the Texas division of emergency management had 14 helicopters and hundreds of emergency workers involved in search-and-rescue operations. Patrick also mentioned that the emergency crew had recovered between 6 and 10 bodies as of now. Some are adults, some are children. At this point, we dont know where they all came from, he said. He maintained that US President Donald Trump has been informed about the situation, and Trump made it clear to him that: Whatever we need, we can have. The region was left in shambles when five to 10 inches of rain fell overnight as part of an intense and slow-moving storm across Kerr and Kendall counties. The state senator Pete Flores said: We are in search-and-rescue mode, and we know that these first 24 hours are very important. Meanwhile, weather agencies warned that more rain is expected in the state, including around Waco, and flooding is anticipated downriver from Kerr County. The matter is concerning since there are more than a dozen summer camps dotted in the rural region that would now be filled with kids. The Texas Hill Country, a scenic and rocky gateway to booming vineyards and vacation rentals, begins west of the state capital and is a popular outdoor summer getaway. However, parts of the region are also prone to flooding. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In light of this, the Ingram fire department posted a photo of a statement from Camp Mystic, saying the camp experienced catastrophic level floods. Parents with a daughter not accounted for had been directly contacted, the camp said. We are working with search and rescue currently, the camp said in its communication. The highway has washed away, so we are struggling to get more help. Please continue to pray and send any help if you have contacts to do so. It is pertinent to note that the rains in the region came after a long drought that has left the soil bone-dry, increasing the chances of runoff leading to flash flooding. The rains in central Texas are expected to continue until later Friday. With inputs from agencies. Patriotic pageantry and public protests marked the 249th anniversary of the independence of the United States as Trump signed the controversial spending bill into law. read more Demonstrators take part in a protest against President Donald Trumps policies on Friday, July 4, 2025 in Los Angeles. AP Patriotic pageantry and public protests marked the 249th anniversary of the independence of the United States. While Washington, DC celebrated the Fourth of July with an Independence Day Parade, thousands took to the streets and voiced their stance against US President Donald Trumps administration. Meanwhile, Trump supporters joined the parade with MAGA hats on their heads, with some celebrating the Big Beautiful Bill turning into a law. Its been the best year Ive ever had in business, I think, with the changes Trump has made. Were going to see our most profitable year ever, even with some of the higher prices that we have to pay in tariffs, one of the supporters told the Associated Press. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Protests took over the capital While the marching bands passed along Washingtons Constitution Avenue, a group of more than 20 people gathered to demonstrate against Trumps policy. The protesters read out from the Declaration of Independence. I think its important for us to go back to our founding documents, to our mission statement and refocus on that, said one of the organisers, Jason Hellenberg. When asked how he feels about the trade war initiated by Trump Tariffs, Hellenberg told CTV News that he doesnt appreciate what he calls the Trump trade war, adding that Canada and the US have worked together for hundreds of years, and theres no reason to screw up that relationship. However, there were still Americans who were celebrating the day with a renewed sense of patriotism. However, both the protesters and supporters expressed to CTV their hope for a better future for their country. US President Donald Trump has signed the controversial Big Beautiful Bill, turning it into a law as he celebrated the Fourth of July with family and members of the US Congress read more Donald Trump signs his signature bill of tax breaks and spending cuts at the White House on Friday in Washington, surrounded by members of Congress. AP Commemorating the 249th year of independence, US President Donald Trump has signed his sweeping spending package, famously known as Big Beautiful Bill. Trump made the bill into law on Friday during a Fourth of July picnic at the White House, after it was passed in both the US House of Representatives and the Senate. The bill is deemed as controversial because it significantly cuts back on federal safety-net programs in increases funding for aggressive immigration enforcement. Former First Buddy and Tesla CEO Elon Musk was also not a fan of the bill since it slashes subsidies on Electric Vehicles. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD During the Fourth of July picnic, Trump was seen gloating about the passing of the bill in both chambers of the US Congress. Its the most popular bill ever signed in the history of the country, Trump said, while standing next to his wife, Melania Trump. What weve done is put everything into one bill. Weve never had anything like that before. On Thursday evening, while speaking to the crowd in Iowa, Trump touted the legislations passing as a birthday present for America, even though the Democrats expressed their displeasure over the spending package. If you see anything negative put out by the Democrats, its all a con job, Trump said of opposition to the bill. The US will be on a rocket ship now: Trump During the Friday event, Trump signed the bill surrounded by his supporters, including the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, who gifted Trump the gavel he used to announce the passing of the bill in the House. After months of deliberation, the controversial legislation was passed in the US Senate by just one tie-breaking vote of US VP JD Vance. It was later passed in the House with a 219 to 213 vote on Thursday, with only two Republicans voting against it. The passing of the bill is seen as a big legislative win for the Trump administration. The law will significantly cut taxes, building on the 2017 tax cuts during Trumps first term. Research at the Centre on Budget and Policy Priorities shows that the bill is skewed to the rich, with the wealthiest in the US benefiting the most from the tax reliefs. After this kicks in, our country is going to be a rocket ship, economically, Trump said during Fridays event. Another concerning part is that the law would add restrictions to Medicaid, which provides healthcare to low-income and disabled people, and SNAP, also known as food stamps, which helps poor families to afford food in rural areas. Researchers argue that the cutbacks would leave as many as 11.8 million people without healthcare, while 8 million people will lose their SNAP benefits. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This is highway robbery, the Democratic senator Raphael Warnock posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. The bill Republicans just passed steals from you to give to the rich. Meanwhile, supporters of the bill argue that the Medicaid and SNAP changes are designed to root out waste and abuse. Crackdown on immigration and why the Bill is not supported by Musk The spending package aims to allocate $170m to immigration enforcement, a monumental amount of money that will help support the Trump administrations push to engage in mass deportations. The Trump administration has already been engaged in widespread attacks on immigrant communities by increasing resources to immigration enforcement operations. Interestingly, Trump only walked back some of ICEs aggressive immigration enforcement actions after complaints from leaders in the farming and hospitality industries. However, at the Thursday event, Trump reignited his plans to impose a crackdown on illegal immigrants. If a farmer is willing to vouch for these people in some way, Kristi, I think were going to have to just say thats going to be good, right? Trump said to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem. We dont want to do it where we take all of the workers off the farms. Additionally, the law also seeks to end green energy incentives created under former US President Joe Biden, which many see as a further blow to the efforts to combat the climate crisis. Meanwhile, the non-partisan congressional budget office estimates the law will add $3.3tn trillion to the countrys debt through 2034, leading to clashes with some right-wingers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Billionaire Elon Musk, who established the federal governments office tasked with slashing federal spending during Trumps first 100 days in the Oval Office, has also publicly slammed the bill. Days before Congress passed the bill, Musk repeated his call for the creation of a new political party to oppose the Republicans and Democrats. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. All sanctuaries are being restored in Azerbaijan's Karabakh without any distinction between them, the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade told reporters, Trend reports. "During the Soviet period, there were only 17 mosques in Azerbaijan, but today prayers are already being performed in thousands of mosques. All the sanctuaries are being restored in Karabakh without exception. We have also restored the Iravan Kaziyat and will continue our activities there," he noted. Pashazade also mentioned the significance of the 17th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization held in Khankendi. "Five years ago, no one could even imagine that world leaders would come to Khankendi. But Allah gave us this opportunity. This is the result of our state's policy. Feeling like a Sheikh ul-Islam of the victorious people is a great pride. I'm proud of my people and my state," he emphasized. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The United States has condemned Chinas intensified military operations around Taiwan as illegitimate and destabilising, as Beijing ramps up pressure ahead of the islands annual Han Kuang military drills. read more The United States has strongly criticised Chinas heightened military activity around Taiwan, calling it illegitimate and irresponsible amid rising tensions just days ahead of the islands annual Han Kuang defence exercises, Taipei Times reported on Thursday. Taiwans Ministry of National Defence (MND) said that between Wednesday and Thursday morning, it tracked 41 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval vessels operating near the island. Among these, 27 aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered northern, central, and southwestern sections of Taiwans air defence identification zone (ADIZ). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In response, Taiwan deployed patrol aircraft, naval assets, and coastal missile systems to monitor and shadow the intruding forces, the MND said. A US State Department spokesperson, quoted by Taiwans Central News Agency, described Chinas military manoeuvres as destabilising and warned that they risk escalating tensions in the region. The official reiterated Washingtons stance that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is critical to global security and economic interests, urging Beijing to halt its coercive actions. The US reaffirmed its support for Taiwan, pledging continued assistance across military, economic, and diplomatic domains. Meanwhile, Taiwans defence ministry also confirmed that a Chinese rocket launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan on Wednesday evening had flown through the islands southwestern ADIZ. While the launch vehicle remained outside Earths atmosphere and posed no immediate threat, the MND had issued an advance alert and tracked the rockets trajectory using surveillance and intelligence systems. The uptick in Chinese military and aerospace activity is seen as part of Beijings broader pressure campaign on Taiwan, especially as the island prepares for its most significant military readiness exercises of the year. With inputs from agencies While the world has been focusing on the Iranian nuclear programme, another country has been flourishing in nuclear technology and the production of enriched uranium. read more While the world has been focusing on the Iranian nuclear programme, another country has been flourishing in nuclear technology and the production of enriched uranium. While the matters are still under control and the enriched uranium is far less explosive than the situation in Tehran, it still can be concerning for the global world order. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly used nuclear threats to try to deter Western support for Ukraine since the 2022 invasion, warning of dire consequences if Western countries intervene militarily. While many in the West consider it a bluff, Russias nuclear capabilities paint a different story. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It is pertinent to note that the civilian nuclear industry can be broadly divided into two main markets: 1) Building nuclear power stations or reactors. 2) The production and supply of enriched-uranium fuel. It is believed that whoever dominates these export markets gains not just geopolitical heft and economic and soft power, but also influence over the policing of nuclear proliferation and safety standards. According to the figures released by the World Nuclear Association, in both cases, it is Russia that is dominating the market. Rosatom, the countrys state-owned nuclear firm, has about 65 per cent of the global export market for nuclear reactors in power stations. Meanwhile, Moscow controls 44 per cent of the worlds uranium-enrichment capacity. Money comes from friends and foes alike According to a report published by The Economist, Rosatom, Russias state nuclear corporation, is involved in the construction of about 20 reactors abroad. Out of these, 17 are built outside Russia, with active projects in countries like Turkey, Egypt, India, and Bangladesh. The buyers also include countries that are critical of Putin. For example, the continent of Europe continues to remain dependent on Russian technology and nuclear fuel, despite Western efforts to reduce reliance. Money also comes from foes like the United States of America. In 2023, the US bought roughly a quarter of its enriched uranium from Russia, while the Ukraine war was still ongoing. Russias nuclear exports have become its key source of revenue and international influence. Nations tend to see Russia as an alternative to Western suppliers or China, which are much more limited and would take years to scale up. Amid sanctions, World Bank data suggested that in 2023, Russia earned about $2.7bn from exporting enriched uraniummostly to America and the EU, and another $1.1bn from exporting reactors and components, such as the fuel assemblies that hold the enriched uranium. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rosatom itself noted that its foreign operations generated revenue of more than $16bn in 2023, including more than $7bn from building new power plants, many of them funded by Russian state-backed loans. This figure has been rising since Russia invaded Ukraine. Why it matters Through customer reliance on Russian fuel or nuclear technology, Russia gains diplomatic leverage. For instance, in May, the European Commission pledged to release plans the following month to introduce taxes or levies on Russian enriched uranium. However, the plan received heavy resistance from Slovakia and Hungary, which both have Russian-designed reactors, as they complained that the European plan would lead to higher prices. Similarly, Turkeys 2010 deal with Rosatom to build and operate four nuclear reactors in the country deepened its ties to Russia. Many saw it as a reason why Ankara decided to buy S-400 aircraft missile batteries from Russia as well. Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, Rosatom is building two reactors that will add about 10 per cent to the countrys generating capacity. This will put Bangladesh alongside the likes of Hungary and Slovakia, which are assessed to have a high dependence on Russian-built or -operated nuclear power plants. In light of this, Western governments are taking a two-pronged strategy when it comes to dealing with Russian dominance. The first involves reducing their reliance on enriched uranium, fuel assemblies and other services provided by Rosatom. The second is to try more vigorously to compete with Russia in selling reactors. In 2023, the US, the UK, Canada, France and Japan formed the Sapporo Five group to collaborate on at least $4.2bn-worth of investments in new enrichment. Hence, it will be interesting to see whether this group will be able to beat the Russian dominance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Montenegro strengthens ties with EIB via host country agreement Photo: EIB The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a Host Country Agreement with Montenegro, marking a key step in strengthening bilateral cooperation. Alongside the agreement, a 20.3 million euros package was approved to support the renovation and digitalisation of Montenegros schools, reaffirming the EUs commitment to the countrys education system and EU integration path. 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